Electrical disconnect system

• US 7,679,211 B2
• Filed: 05/30/2007
• Issued: 03/16/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 05/30/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Inventors: Tabatowski-Bush, Benjamin A., Denta, Brian J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Paladini; Albert W
• Assistant Examiner(s): AMAYA, CARLOS DAVID
• Application Number:
  US11/755,321
• Publication Number:
  US 20080297303A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,021 Days
• Field of Search: 307/9.1, 307/10.7, 320/109, 320/111, 338/50, 338/220, 338/221
• US Class Current: 307/9.1
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 3/04 Cutting off the power supply under fault conditions protective devices and circuit arrangements in general H01H; H02H
• CPC Class Codes: H01C 13/00 Resistors not provided for elsewhere

Abstract

The disclosed embodiments include an electrical disconnect system and method for a vehicle having a high voltage electrical system. In one embodiment, the system includes a service disconnect base being electrically coupled to the electrical system. A service disconnect plug is attachable to the service disconnect base and has a resistive device integrally formed therein. Current within the electrical system flows through the service disconnect base and the service disconnect plug when the service disconnect plug is connected to the service disconnect base. The current is limited to a current level no greater than a predetermined current level.

Claims

1. An electrical disconnect system for a vehicle having a high voltage electrical system, the system comprising:

a service disconnect base being electrically coupled to the electrical system;

a service disconnect plug configured to be connected to the service disconnect base when the vehicle is in a service mode, wherein current within the electrical system flows through the service disconnect base and the service disconnect plug when the service disconnect plug is connected to the service disconnect base; and

a resistive device integrated with the service disconnect plug, wherein the resistive device has a fixed resistance value and limits the flow of current and is incapable of completely disabling the flow of current through the high voltage electrical system so that the electrical system is capable of providing the voltage transfer of up to 450 volts to enable one or more points of the high voltage electrical system to be examined when the vehicle is in the service mode.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the resistive device has a resistance value of approximately 225 kilo-ohms.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the vehicle includes at least one of a hybrid electric vehicle (HEV) and an electric vehicle (EV).

4. The system of claim 3, wherein the vehicle includes a high voltage battery pack that energizes the electrical system, the battery pack being adapted to be charged up to 450 volts.

5. The system of claim 4, further comprising a controller being in communication with the service disconnect base and the service disconnect plug, the controller monitoring the battery pack and the electrical system, the controller outputting data relating to the monitored battery pack and the electrical system.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the fixed resistance limits the flow of current through the high voltage system to a predetermined current level of approximately 2 milliamperes (mA).

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the service mode includes the vehicle being in an immobile state while the electrical system has a current level for vehicle diagnostics that is generally equal to a predetermined current level.

8. A method for servicing a vehicle having a high voltage electrical system, the method comprising:

providing a service disconnect base that is electrically coupled to the electrical system;

providing a service disconnect plug configured to be connected to the service disconnect base when the vehicle is in a service mode, wherein current within the electrical system flows through the service disconnect base and the service disconnect plug when the service disconnect plug is connected to the service disconnect base; and

integrating resistive device within the service disconnect plug, wherein the resistive device has a fixed resistance value and limits the flow of current and is incapable of completely disabling the flow of current through the high voltage electrical system so that the electrical system is capable of providing the voltage transfer of up to 450 volts to enable one or more points of the high voltage electrical system to be examined when the vehicle is in the service mode.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the resistive device has a resistance value of approximately 225 kilo-ohms.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein the vehicle includes at least one of a hybrid electric vehicle (HEV) and an electric vehicle (EV).

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the vehicle includes a high voltage battery pack that energizes the battery pack being adapted to be charged up to 450 volts.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising a controller being in communication with the service disconnect base and the service disconnect plug, the controller monitoring the battery pack and the electrical system, the controller outputting data relating to the monitored battery pack and the electrical system.

13. The method of claim 8, wherein the service mode includes the vehicle being in an immobile state while the electrical system has a current level for vehicle diagnostics that is generally equal to a predetermined current level.

14. The method of claim 8, wherein the predetermined current level is approximately 2 milliamperes (mA).

15. An electrical disconnect system for a vehicle having a high voltage electrical system, the system comprising:

a service disconnect base being electrically coupled to the high voltage electrical system;

a service disconnect plug configured to be connected to the service disconnect base when the vehicle is in a service mode, wherein current within the electrical system flows through the service disconnect base and the service disconnect plug when the service disconnect plug is connected to the service disconnect base;

a resistive device integrated with the service disconnect plug so as to be in a series connection with the electrical system when the service disconnect plug is connected to the service disconnect base, wherein the resistive device has a fixed resistance value and limits the flow of current and is incapable of completely disabling the flow of current through the high voltage electrical system so that the electrical system is capable of providing the voltage transfer of up to 450 volts to enable one or more points of the high voltage electrical system to be examined when the vehicle is in the service mode; and

a controller being in communication with the service disconnect base and the service disconnect plug, the controller monitoring the battery pack and the electrical system, the controller outputting data relating to the monitored battery pack and the electrical system.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the service mode includes the vehicle being in an immobile state while the electrical system has a current level for vehicle diagnostics that is generally equal to a predetermined current level.

17. The system of claim 15, wherein the predetermined current level is approximately 2 milliamperes (mA).

18. The system of claim 15, wherein the vehicle includes at least one of a hybrid electric vehicle (HEV) and an electric vehicle (EV).

19. The system of claim 15, wherein the resistive device has a resistance value of approximately 225 kilo-ohms.