In-vehicle power source device

• US 9,242,559 B2
• Filed: 11/21/2012
• Issued: 01/26/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 01/11/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Suzuki Motor Corporation
• Original Assignee: Suzuki Motor Corporation
• Inventors: Ojima, Hiroyuki
• Primary Examiner(s): Kitov, Zeev V
• Application Number:
  US13/683,811
• Publication Number:
  US 20130175856A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,161 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 1/00 Supplying electric power to auxiliary equipment of vehicles circuit arrangements for charging batteries H02J7/00
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/12 Speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/545 Temperature
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/547 Voltage
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/549 Current
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 3/0023 Detecting, eliminating, remedying or compensating for drive train abnormalities, e.g. failures within the drive train
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/15 with additional electric power supply with capacitors charged by engine-driven generators B60L50/40; with batteries charged by engine-driven generators B60L50/61
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 58/20 having different nominal voltages
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/70 Energy storage systems for electromobility, e.g. batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/7072 Electromobility specific charging systems or methods for batteries, ultracapacitors, supercapacitors or double-layer capacitors

Abstract

There is provided an in-vehicle power source device having favorable workability for replacing a fuse that melts down when an overcurrent flows to an electric load. A battery selector switch 51 having a current detecting function, a main relay 52 having current detecting function, a bypass relay 54 for bypassing the battery selector switch 51, and a bypass fuse 53 to melt down when an overcurrent flows to a second electric load 35 are provided. The bypass fuse 53 is deployed outside of a case 58 for storing a second power source 34, the bypass fuse 53 and the second power source 34 are connected in series, and when currents detected by the battery selector switch 51 and the main relay 52 are equal to or greater than a predetermined value, the battery selector switch 51 and the main relay 52 are turned off and the bypass relay 54 is closed.

Claims

1. An in-vehicle power source device comprising:

a first power source and a second power source for providing power to at least one electric load;

a first opening-closing switch in a first feed line between the electric load and the first power source;

a second opening-closing switch in a second feed line between the electric load and the second power source;

a bypass switch in a bypass circuit configured to bypass the first opening-closing switch;

a fuse in the bypass circuit;

a current detector configured to detect a current fed to the electric load;

a case configured to store the second power source,

wherein the fuse is positioned outside of the case to be protected,

wherein the fuse and the bypass switch are connected in series,

wherein the first opening-closing switch and the second opening-closing switch are connected in parallel, and

wherein the device further includes a drive circuit configured to turn off the first and second opening-closing switches and turn on the bypass switch when the current detected by the current detector is equal to or greater than a predetermined value.

2. The in-vehicle power source device according to claim 1, wherein the bypass switch is positioned outside of the case.

3. The in-vehicle power source device according to claim 1, wherein the current detector comprises a first current detector configured to detect a current passing through the first opening-closing switch, and a second current detector configured to detect a current passing through the second opening-closing switch, and wherein

the drive circuit is configured to turn off the first and second opening-closing switches and turn on the bypass switch when a total sum of a current detected by the first current detector and a current detected by the second current detector current is equal to or greater than a predetermined value.

4. The in-vehicle power source device according to claim 1, wherein

the bypass circuit is arranged so that all current from the first power source passes therethrough to prevent the current from the first power source from entering the case when the drive circuit turns off the first and second opening-closing switches and turns on the bypass switch.

5. The in-vehicle power source device according to claim 4, wherein

the fuse in the bypass circuit is configured to melt down when current passing through the bypass circuit becomes excessively high.

6. The in-vehicle power source device according to claim 5, wherein

the current detected by the current detector is a total sum of a current passing through the first opening-closing switch and a current passing through the second opening-closing switch.

7. The in-vehicle power source according to claim 6, wherein the second opening-closing switch is positioned in the case.

8. The in-vehicle power source according to claim 7, wherein the first opening-closing switch is positioned inside the case.

9. The in-vehicle power source according to claim 1, wherein the second opening-closing switch is positioned in the case.

10. The in-vehicle power source according to claim 9, wherein the first opening-closing switch is positioned inside the case.