Automotive electrical system configuration

• US 8,159,083 B2
• Filed: 04/08/2010
• Issued: 04/17/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 08/06/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Vitesco Technologies USA, LLC (Continental AG)
• Original Assignee: Continental Automotive Systems, Inc. (Continental AG)
• Inventors: O'Gorman, Patrick A., Remboski, Donald J., Stephens, Dennis L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Barnie, Rexford N
• Assistant Examiner(s): Parries, Dru
• Application Number:
  US12/756,384
• Publication Number:
  US 20100194192A1
• Time in Patent Office: 740 Days
• Field of Search: 307/10.1
• US Class Current: 307/10.1
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 16/023 for transmission of signals between vehicle parts or subsystems
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 1/14 Balancing the load in a network
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 2310/46 for ICE-powered road vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/1438 in combination with power supplies for loads other than batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/70 Energy storage systems for electromobility, e.g. batteries

Abstract

Disclosed herein are a variety of different electrical system topologies intended to mitigate the impact of large intermittent loads on a 12 volt vehicle power distribution system. In some embodiments the intermittent load is disconnected from the remainder of the system and the voltage supplied to this load is allowed to fluctuate. In other embodiments, the voltage to critical loads is regulated independently of the voltage supplied to the remainder of the system. The different topologies described can be grouped into three categories, each corresponding to a different solution technique. One approach is to regulate the voltage to the critical loads. A second approach is to isolate the intermittent load that causes the drop in system voltage. The third approach is to use a different type of alternator that has a faster response than the conventional Lundell wound field machine.

Claims

1. Apparatus comprising:

a main bus;

an engine-driven electrical-energy source that is configured to supply electrical energy to the main bus;

a secondary bus;

a first electrical load electrically coupled to the secondary bus;

a battery electrically coupled to the secondary bus;

a first bi-directional direct-current-to-direct-current (“

DC-DC”

) converter that is configured to electrically couple the main bus to the battery and to the first electrical load;

a second bi-directional DC-DC converter that is configured to electrically isolate the main bus from an ultracapacitor;

at least one additional electrical load electrically coupled to the main bus other than through the first bi-directional DC-DC converter;

wherein the first bi-directional DC-DC converter is configured to control current flow between the main bus and the secondary bus in response to a main-bus voltage level and a secondary-bus voltage level; and

wherein the first bi-directional DC-DC converter is configured to electrically isolate the battery and the first load from the main bus upon the first load drawing a transient current that exceeds a threshold level.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the second bi-directional DC-DC converter is configured to electrically couple the ultracapacitor to the main bus upon the first load drawing a transient current that exceeds the threshold level.

3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the first bi-directional DC-DC converter is configured to electrically couple the electrical-energy source to the battery upon the electrical-energy source and the second bi-directional DC-DC converter responding to an increased need for current by the at least one additional electrical load.

4. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the first bi-directional DC-DC converter is configured to act as a pass-through when the electrical-energy source is capable of supplying all of the power needed for the main bus and the secondary bus.

5. Apparatus comprising:

a main bus;

an engine-driven electrical-energy source that is configured to supply electrical energy to the main bus;

a secondary bus;

a first electrical load electrically coupled to the secondary bus;

a battery electrically coupled to the secondary bus;

a first bi-directional direct-current-to-direct-current (“

DC-DC”

) converter that is configured to electrically couple the main bus to the battery and to the first electrical load;

a second bi-directional DC-DC converter that is configured to electrically isolate the main bus from an ultracapacitor;

at least one additional electrical load electrically coupled to the ultracapacitor other than through the second bi-directional DC-DC converter;

wherein the first bi-directional DC-DC converter is configured to control current flow between the main bus and the secondary bus in response to a main-bus voltage level and a secondary-bus voltage level; and

wherein the first bi-directional DC-DC converter is configured to electrically isolate the battery and the first load from the main bus upon the first load drawing a transient current that exceeds a threshold level.

6. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the second bi-directional DC-DC converter is configured to electrically couple the ultracapacitor to the main bus upon the first load drawing a transient current that exceeds the threshold level.

7. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the first bi-directional DC-DC converter is configured to electrically couple the electrical-energy source to the battery upon the electrical-energy source and the second bi-directional DC-DC converter responding to an increased need for current by the at least one additional electrical load.

8. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the first bi-directional DC-DC converter is configured to act as a pass-through when the electrical-energy source is capable of supplying all of the power needed for the main bus and the secondary bus.

9. The apparatus of claim 8, further comprising a second-bidirectional-DC-DC-converter controller that is configured to maintain the main bus at a substantially constant voltage based on an electrical-energy-source output current and an electrical current drawn from, or supplied to, the ultracapacitor.

10. Apparatus comprising:

a main bus;

an engine-driven electrical-energy source that is configured to supply electrical energy to the main bus;

a secondary bus;

a first electrical load electrically coupled to the secondary bus;

a battery electrically coupled to the secondary bus;

a first bi-directional direct-current-to-direct-current (“

DC-DC”

) converter that is configured to electrically couple the main bus to the battery and to the first electrical load;

a second bi-directional DC-DC converter that is configured to electrically isolate the main bus from an ultracapacitor;

at least a first additional electrical load electrically coupled to the main bus other than through the first bi-directional DC-DC converter and electrically coupled a first side of the second bi-directional DC-DC converter;

at least a second additional electrical load electrically coupled to the ultracapacitor other than through the second bi-directional DC-DC converter and electrically coupled to the second side of the second bidirectional DC-DC converter;

wherein the first bi-directional DC-DC converter is configured to control current flow between the main bus and the secondary bus in response to a main-bus voltage level and a secondary-bus voltage level; and

wherein the first bi-directional DC-DC converter is configured to electrically isolate the battery and the first load from the main bus upon the first load drawing a transient current that exceeds a threshold level.

11. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the second bi-directional DC-DC converter is configured to electrically couple the ultracapacitor to the main bus upon the first load drawing a transient current that exceeds the threshold level.

12. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the first bi-directional DC-DC converter is configured to electrically couple the electrical-energy source to the battery upon the electrical-energy source and the second bi-directional DC-DC converter responding to an increased need for current by the at least a first additional electrical load.

13. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the first bi-directional DC-DC converter is configured to act as a pass-through when the electrical-energy source is capable of supplying all of the power needed for the main bus and the secondary bus.

14. The apparatus of claim 13, further comprising a second-bidirectional-DC-DC-converter controller that is configured to maintain the main bus at a substantially constant voltage based on an electrical-energy-source output current and an electrical current drawn from, or supplied to, the ultracapacitor.