Vehicle controller

• US 8,716,884 B2
• Filed: 01/26/2007
• Issued: 05/06/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 05/25/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
• Original Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
• Inventors: Okayama, Hideo, Kitanaka, Hidetoshi, Koji, Yoshinobu, Ueda, Kiyonobu, Adachi, Yasuhisa, Ikemoto, Minoru, Sumita, Hidetoshi, Sugiura, Makoto
• Primary Examiner(s): Jackson, Stephen W
• Assistant Examiner(s): PARRIES, DRU M
• Application Number:
  US12/299,937
• Publication Number:
  US 20090240384A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,657 Days
• Field of Search: 307/10.1, 174/50, 361/728
• US Class Current: 307/10.1
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 1/003 to auxiliary motors, e.g. for pumps, compressors
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 15/007 Physical arrangements or structures of drive train converters specially adapted for the propulsion motors of electric vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2200/26 Rail vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B61C 17/00 Arrangement or disposition of parts; Details or accessories not otherwise provided for; Use of control gear and control systems
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/64 Electric machine technologies in electromobility

Abstract

There is provided a vehicle controller that is mounted in a box-shaped manner beneath the floor or on the roof of a vehicle so as to supply electric power to vehicle apparatuses. The vehicle controller is configured with a plurality of functional modules 4; each of the functional modules 4 has at one side thereof an interface side 22 in which a first interface region 5 where signal-line terminals are arranged and a second interface region 6 where power-line terminals are arranged are separated; in each of the interface sides 22, the first interface region 5 is disposed in the vicinity of one and the same end and the second interface region 6 is disposed in the vicinity of the other and the same end; the plurality of functional modules includes a monitoring circuit, an overvoltage protection circuit, and an inverter.

Claims

1. A vehicle controller comprising:

a plurality of functional modules arranged in linear direction; and

signal lines and power lines connected with the functional modules,

wherein one of the sides of each of the plurality of functional modules is an interface side provided with external signal-line terminals to which the signal lines are connected and external power-line terminals to which the power lines are connected,

wherein each of the interface sides is divided into a first interface region where external signal-line terminals to which the signal lines are connected are disposed and a second interface region where external power-line terminals to which the power lines are connected are disposed,

wherein the plurality of functional modules are arranged in such a way that the respective interface sides thereof are adjacent to one another, parallel to said linear direction; and

the first interface regions are disposed in the vicinity of one and the same end and the second interface regions are disposed in the vicinity of the other and the same end,

wherein both the signal lines and the power lines can be attached or detached from one common side of the linear arrangement of the functional modules,

wherein the plurality of functional modules includes at least a functional module having a monitoring circuit that monitors a voltage and a current, a functional module having an overvoltage protection circuit, and a functional module having an inverter that converts a DC voltage into an AC voltage, and

wherein the functional module having a monitoring circuit connects in a relaying manner the other functional modules with an overhead line, and

further comprising at least one functional module, as a control circuit, having an interface side that has the first interface region but no second interface region, wherein the first interface region in the interface side of said functional module is situated in the vicinity of one end the same as that in the vicinity of which the first interface regions in the interface sides of the other functional modules are situated.

2. The vehicle controller according to claim 1,

wherein the plurality of functional modules further includes a functional module having a switch circuit that performs electrical connection and disconnection, and

wherein the functional module having a monitoring circuit is connected in a relaying manner with the overhead line, the functional module having a switch circuit, and the other functional modules.

3. The vehicle controller according to claim 1,

wherein each of the functional modules has an interface side that is divided into the upper portion in which one of the first interface region and the second interface region is situated and the lower portion in which the other of the first interface region and the second interface region is situated, and

wherein, in each of the interface sides, the first interface region is disposed in the vicinity of the bottom end thereof and the second interface region is disposed in the vicinity of the top end thereof.

4. The vehicle controller according to claim 1, wherein the size of a bolt for a power-line connector in the second interface region of each of the functional modules is the same as that of a bolt for fixing the functional module to a case that incorporates the functional modules.

5. A vehicle controller comprising:

a plurality of functional modules arranged in linear direction; and

signal lines and power lines connected with the functional modules,

wherein one of the sides of each of the plurality of functional modules is an interface side provided with external signal-line terminals to which the signal lines are connected and external power-line terminals to which the power lines are connected,

wherein each of the interface sides is divided into a first interface region where external signal-line terminals to which the signal lines are connected are disposed and a second interface region where external power-line terminals to which the power lines are connected are disposed,

wherein the plurality of functional modules are arranged in such a way that the respective interface sides thereof are adjacent to one another, parallel to said linear direction; and

the first interface regions are disposed in the vicinity of one and the same end and the second interface regions are disposed in the vicinity of the other and the same end,

wherein both the signal lines and the power lines can be attached or detached from one common side of the linear arrangement of the functional modules,

wherein the plurality of functional modules includes at least a functional module having a monitoring circuit that monitors a voltage and a current, a functional module having an overvoltage protection circuit, and a functional module having an inverter that converts a DC voltage into an AC voltage, and

wherein the functional module having a monitoring circuit connects in a relaying manner the other functional modules with an overhead line, and

further comprising at least one functional module having an interface side that has the second interface region but no first interface region, wherein the second interface region in the interface side of said functional module is situated in the vicinity of one end the same as that in the vicinity of which the second interface regions in the interface sides of the other functional modules are situated.

17. The vehicle controller according to claim 5,

wherein the plurality of functional modules further includes a functional module having a switch circuit that performs electrical connection and disconnection, and

wherein the functional module having a monitoring circuit is connected in a relaying manner with the overhead line, the functional module having a switch circuit, and the other functional modules.

19. The vehicle controller according to claim 5,

wherein the plurality of functional modules further includes a functional module having a switch circuit that performs electrical connection and disconnection, and

wherein the functional module having a monitoring circuit is connected in a relaying manner with the overhead line, the functional module having a switch circuit, and the other functional modules.

6. A vehicle controller comprising:

a plurality of functional modules arranged in linear direction; and

signal lines and power lines connected with the functional modules,

wherein one of the sides of each of the plurality of functional modules is an interface side provided with external signal-line terminals to which the signal lines are connected and external power-line terminals to which the power lines are connected,

wherein each of the interface sides is divided into a first interface region where external signal-line terminals to which the signal lines are connected are disposed and a second interface region where external power-line terminals to which the power lines are connected are disposed,

wherein the plurality of functional modules are divided into two groups and arranged in two rows;

the respective interface sides thereof are arranged in such a way as to be adjacent to one another and parallel to said linear direction;

one group of the interface sides and the other group of interface sides are arranged in such a way as to face each other; and

each of the interface sides of the one group and the other group are disposed in such a way that the respective first interface regions are arranged in the vicinity of one and the same end and the respective second interface regions are arranged in the vicinity of the other and the same end,

wherein, for each group, both the signal lines and the power lines can be attached or detached from one common side of the linear arrangement of the functional modules,

wherein the plurality of functional modules includes at least a functional module having a monitoring circuit that monitors a voltage and a current, a functional module having an overvoltage protection circuit, and a functional module having an inverter that converts a DC voltage into an AC voltage, and

wherein the functional module having a monitoring circuit connects in a relaying manner the other functional modules with an overhead line, and

further comprising at least one functional module, as a control circuit, having an interface side that has the first interface region but no second interface region, wherein the first interface region in the interface side of said functional module is situated in the vicinity of one end the same as that in the vicinity of which the first interface regions in the interface sides of the other functional modules are situated.

7. The vehicle controller according to claim 6,

wherein the plurality of functional modules further includes a functional module having a switch circuit that performs electrical connection and disconnection, and

wherein the functional module having a monitoring circuit is connected in a relaying manner with the overhead line, the functional module having a switch circuit, and the other functional modules.

8. The vehicle controller according to claim 6,

wherein each of the functional modules has an interface side that is divided into the upper portion in which one of the first interface region and the second interface region is situated and the lower portion in which the other of the first interface region and the second interface region is situated, and

wherein, in each of the interface sides, the first interface region is disposed in the vicinity of the bottom end thereof and the second interface region is disposed in the vicinity of the top end thereof.

9. The vehicle controller according to claim 6, wherein the size of a bolt for a power-line connector in the second interface region of each of the functional modules is the same as that of a bolt for fixing the functional module to a case that incorporates the functional modules.

10. A vehicle controller comprising:

a plurality of functional modules arranged in linear direction; and

signal lines and power lines connected with the functional modules,

wherein one of the sides of each of the plurality of functional modules is an interface side provided with external signal-line terminals to which the signal lines are connected and external power-line terminals to which the power lines are connected,

wherein each of the interface sides is divided into a first interface region where external signal-line terminals to which the signal lines are connected are disposed and a second interface region where external power-line terminals to which the power lines are connected are disposed,

wherein the plurality of functional modules are divided into two groups and arranged in two rows;

the respective interface sides thereof are arranged in such a way as to be adjacent to one another and parallel to said linear direction;

one group of the interface sides and the other group of interface sides are arranged in such a way as to face each other; and

each of the interface sides of the one group and the other group are disposed in such a way that the respective first interface regions are arranged in the vicinity of one and the same end and the respective second interface regions are arranged in the vicinity of the other and the same end,

wherein, for each group, both the signal lines and the power lines can be attached or detached from one common side of the linear arrangement of the functional modules,

wherein the plurality of functional modules includes at least a functional module having a monitoring circuit that monitors a voltage and a current, a functional module having an overvoltage protection circuit, and a functional module having an inverter that converts a DC voltage into an AC voltage, and

wherein the functional module having a monitoring circuit connects in a relaying manner the other functional modules with an overhead line, and

further comprising at least one functional module having an interface side that has the second interface region but no first interface region, wherein the second interface region in the interface side of said functional module is situated in the vicinity of one end the same as that in the vicinity of which the second interface regions in the interface sides of the other functional modules are situated.

18. The vehicle controller according to claim 10,

wherein each of the functional modules has an interface side that is divided into the upper portion in which one of the first interface region and the second interface region is situated and the lower portion in which the other of the first interface region and the second interface region is situated, and

wherein, in each of the interface sides, the first interface region is disposed in the vicinity of the bottom end thereof and the second interface region is disposed in the vicinity of the top end thereof.

11. A vehicle controller comprising:

a plurality of functional modules arranged in linear direction; and

signal lines and power lines connected with the functional modules,

wherein one of each of the sides of the plurality of functional modules is an interface side provided with external signal-line terminals to which the signal lines are connected and external power-line terminals to which the power lines are connected,

wherein each of the interface sides is divided into a first interface region where external signal-line terminals to which the signal lines are connected are disposed and a second interface region where external power-line terminals to which the power lines are connected are disposed,

wherein the plurality of functional modules are divided into two groups and arranged in two rows;

the respective interface sides thereof are arranged in such a way as to be adjacent to one another, parallel to said linear direction; and

one group of the interface sides and the other group of interface sides are arranged in such a way as to be oriented in the same direction,

wherein, in each of the respective interface sides of the one group and the other group, one of the interface regions is disposed proximally from the middle of the rows and the other interface region is disposed distally from the middle of the rows,

wherein, for each group, both the signal lines and the power lines can be attached or detached from one common side of the linear arrangement of the functional modules,

wherein the plurality of functional modules includes at least a functional module having a monitoring circuit that monitors a voltage and a current, a functional module having an overvoltage protection circuit, and a functional module having an inverter that converts a DC voltage into an AC voltage, and

wherein the functional module having a monitoring circuit connects in a relaying manner the other functional modules with an overhead line, and

further comprising at least one functional module, as a control circuit, having an interface side that has the first interface region but no second interface region, wherein the first interface region in the interface side of said functional module is situated in the vicinity of one end the same as that in the vicinity of which the first interface regions in the interface sides of the other functional modules are situated.

12. The vehicle controller according to claim 11,

wherein the plurality of functional modules further includes a functional module having a switch circuit that performs electrical connection and disconnection, and

wherein the functional module having a monitoring circuit is connected in a relaying manner with the overhead line, the functional module having a switch circuit, and the other functional modules.

13. The vehicle controller according to claim 11, wherein the plurality of functional modules are arranged in such a way that, in each of the respective interface sides of the one group and the other group, the first interface region is disposed proximally from the middle of the rows and the second interface region is disposed distally from the middle of the rows.

14. The vehicle controller according to claim 11, wherein the size of a bolt for a power-line connector in the second interface region of each of the functional modules is the same as that of a bolt for fixing the functional module to a case that incorporates the functional modules.

15. A vehicle controller comprising:

a plurality of functional modules arranged in linear direction; and

signal lines and power lines connected with the functional modules,

wherein one of each of the sides of the plurality of functional modules is an interface side provided with external signal-line terminals to which the signal lines are connected and external power-line terminals to which the power lines are connected,

wherein each of the interface sides is divided into a first interface region where external signal-line terminals to which the signal lines are connected are disposed and a second interface region where external power-line terminals to which the power lines are connected are disposed,

wherein the plurality of functional modules are divided into two groups and arranged in two rows;

the respective interface sides thereof are arranged in such a way as to be adjacent to one another, parallel to said linear direction; and

one group of the interface sides and the other group of interface sides are arranged in such a way as to be oriented in the same direction,

wherein, in each of the respective interface sides of the one group and the other group, one of the interface regions is disposed proximally from the middle of the rows and the other interface region is disposed distally from the middle of the rows,

wherein, for each group, both the signal lines and the power lines can be attached or detached from one common side of the linear arrangement of the functional modules,

wherein the plurality of functional modules includes at least a functional module having a monitoring circuit that monitors a voltage and a current, a functional module having an overvoltage protection circuit, and a functional module having an inverter that converts a DC voltage into an AC voltage, and

wherein the functional module having a monitoring circuit connects in a relaying manner the other functional modules with an overhead line, and

further comprising at least one functional module having an interface side that has the second interface region but no first interface region, wherein the second interface region in the interface side of said functional module is situated in the vicinity of one end the same as that in the vicinity of which the second interface regions in the interface sides of the other functional modules are situated.

16. A vehicle controller comprising:

a plurality of functional modules arranged in linear direction; and

signal lines and power lines connected with the functional modules,

wherein one of the sides of each of the plurality of functional modules is an interface side provided with external signal-line terminals to which the signal lines are connected and external power-line terminals to which the power lines are connected,

wherein each of the interface sides is divided into a first interface region where external signal-line terminals to which the signal lines are connected are disposed and a second interface region where external power-line terminals to which the power lines are connected are disposed,

wherein the plurality of functional modules is arranged in such a way that the respective interface sides thereof are adjacent to one another and parallel to said linear direction;

the first interface regions are disposed in the vicinity of one and the same end; and

the second interface regions are disposed in the vicinity of the other and the same end,

wherein both the signal lines and the power lines can be attached or detached from one side of the linear arrangement of the functional modules, and

wherein the plurality of functional modules includes a functional module having a monitoring circuit that monitors a voltage and a current, a functional module having an overvoltage protection circuit, a functional module having an inverter that converts a DC voltage into an AC voltage, and a functional module that connects the overhead line and said functional modules, and

further comprising at least one functional module, as a control circuit, having an interface side that has the first interface region but no second interface region, wherein the first interface region in the interface side of said functional module is situated in the vicinity of one end the same as that in the vicinity of which the first interface regions in the interface sides of the other functional modules are situated.

20. The vehicle controller according to claim 16,

wherein the plurality of functional modules further includes a functional module having a switch circuit that performs electrical connection and disconnection, and

wherein the functional module having a monitoring circuit is connected in a relaying manner with the overhead line, the functional module having a switch circuit, and the other functional modules.