Electronic component unit and wire harness

Abstract

The purpose of the present invention is to provide an electronic component unit and a wire harness capable of appropriately supplying power to various devices mounted on a vehicle. An electronic component unit (10) applied to a wire harness is provided with: a power supply terminal (11) connected to a power supply (B2) mounted on a vehicle and capable of supplying power at a first voltage (V1); a circuit branching unit (13) that is connected to the power supply terminal (11) and branches power supplied from the power supply (B2) to a plurality of power supply systems (PL); and a voltage converter (15) that is provided in at least one power supply system (PL) among the plurality of power supply systems (PL) in the circuit branching unit (13), converts the voltage of the power supplied from the power supply (B2) to a second voltage (V2) that is lower than the first voltage (V1), and outputs the second voltage (V2).

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to an electronic component unit and a wiring harness. Background Art

[0002] For example, Patent Document 1 discloses a wiring harness for supplying power to various devices installed in a vehicle. The wiring harness includes: a power line connected to a single vehicle battery that outputs a predetermined first battery voltage; a power control box that receives the first battery voltage via the power line, supplies the received first battery voltage to a first device that operates at the first battery voltage, and steps down the received first battery voltage to a second battery voltage lower than the first battery voltage, and supplies the second battery voltage to a second device that operates at the second battery voltage; a first supply line provided between the power control box and the first device, and used to supply the first battery voltage to the first device; and a second supply line provided between the power control box and the second device, and used to supply the second battery voltage to the second device.

[0003] Prior art literature

[0004] Patent Literature

[0005] Patent Document 1: Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2016-222085 Summary of the invention

[0006] Technical problem that the invention aims to solve

[0007] In addition, the wiring harness integrates a voltage conversion function in addition to fuses, relays, branches, etc. in the power control box, thereby achieving power supply to each device in a situation where devices with different operating voltages are mixed. However, there is room for further improvement in aspects such as the configuration of the voltage conversion function.

[0008] The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and an object of the present invention is to provide an electronic component unit and a wiring harness capable of appropriately supplying electric power to various devices mounted on a vehicle.

[0009] Technical solutions to the problem

[0010] In order to achieve the above-mentioned purpose, the electronic component unit involved in the present invention comprises: a power terminal, which is connected to a power supply, and the power supply is installed in a vehicle and can supply power at a first voltage; a circuit branch part, which is connected to the power terminal, so that the power supplied from the power supply is branched to multiple power supply systems; and a voltage converter, which is arranged in at least one of the multiple power supply systems in the circuit branch part, and converts the voltage of the power supplied from the power supply into a second voltage lower than the first voltage and outputs it.

[0011] In order to achieve the above-mentioned object, the wiring harness of the present invention comprises: an electronic component unit, the electronic component unit is provided in a power supply, the power supply is mounted on a vehicle and can supply power at a first voltage; and a power supply line, the power supply line supplies power from the electronic component unit to a device mounted on the vehicle, the electronic component unit having: a power supply terminal, the power supply terminal is connected to the power supply; a circuit branching part, the circuit branching part is connected to the power supply terminal, so that the power supplied from the power supply is branched to a plurality of power supply systems; and a voltage converter, the voltage converter is provided in at least one of the plurality of power supply systems in the circuit branching part, and the voltage of the power supplied from the power supply is converted into a second voltage lower than the first voltage and outputted. In addition, the power supply line sometimes includes: a first power supply line, which supplies the power output from the electronic component unit at the first voltage to a first device among the devices without passing through the voltage converter; and a second power supply line, which is configured to be thicker than the first power supply line, and supplies the power output from the electronic component unit at the second voltage to a second device among the devices different from the first device through the voltage converter.

[0012] Effects of the Invention

[0013] The electronic component unit and the wiring harness according to the present invention have the effect of being able to appropriately supply electric power to various devices mounted on a vehicle. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0014] Figure 1 This is a schematic block diagram showing a schematic configuration of a power supply system to which a wire harness according to the embodiment is applied.

[0015] Figure 2 This is a schematic block diagram showing a schematic configuration of a vehicle to which the wire harness according to the embodiment is applied.

[0016] Figure 3 It is a perspective view showing a schematic structure of a battery in which the electronic component unit according to the embodiment is incorporated.

[0017] Figure 4 It is an exploded perspective view showing a schematic structure of the electronic component unit according to the embodiment.

[0018] Figure 5 It is a perspective view showing a schematic structure of an electronic component unit according to the embodiment.

[0019] Figure 6 It is a schematic circuit diagram showing a schematic configuration of an electronic component unit according to the embodiment.

[0020] Figure 7It is a schematic perspective view showing a schematic structure of a voltage converter of the electronic component unit according to the embodiment.

[0021] Figure 8 This is a schematic block diagram showing a schematic configuration of a power supply system to which a wire harness according to a reference example is applied.

[0022] Fig. 9 : is a schematic circuit diagram showing a schematic configuration of a power supply system to which a wiring harness according to a reference example is applied.

[0023] Description of Reference Numerals

[0024] 10 Electronic component unit

[0025] 11Battery terminal (power terminal)

[0026] 13 Circuit branch

[0027] 14 Circuit protector

[0028] 15 Voltage Converter

[0029] 15A Converter Body

[0030] 15B Frame

[0031] 15C Connector Terminal

[0032] 20 Power supply lines

[0033] 21 First power supply line

[0034] 22 Second power supply line

[0035] B2 48V battery (power supply)

[0036] D Device

[0037] D1 First Equipment

[0038] D2 Second Device

[0039] PL Power System

[0040] PL1 48V power supply system

[0041] PL2 12V Power System

[0042] Sys Power System

[0043] V Vehicle

[0044] V1 First voltage

[0045] V2 Second voltage

[0046] WH Harness DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0047] Hereinafter, the embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail based on the accompanying drawings. In addition, the present invention is not limited to the embodiments. In addition, the constituent elements in the following embodiments include elements that can be easily replaced by those skilled in the art, or substantially the same elements.

[0048] [Implementation Method]

[0049] Figure 1 , Figure 2 The wiring harness WH involved in the present embodiment shown is applied to a power supply system Sys mounted on a vehicle V. The power supply system Sys is a system that supplies power to various devices D mounted on the vehicle V. The device D is a load device that performs various functions in the vehicle V by operating and driving using the power supplied from the power supply system Sys. The device D is, for example, a travel system actuator (electric generator, steering device, brake device, etc.), a body system device (lighting equipment, air conditioning equipment, wiper equipment, electric rearview mirror, electric seat, electric door, etc.), a multimedia system device (navigation device, audio, instrument, display, etc.), a detection system device (sensor, camera, radar, etc.), a communication device, an electronic control unit (ECU: Electronic Control Unit), etc.

[0050] In recent years, as the power sources of these devices D in the vehicle V have diversified, there has been an increasing demand for mixing devices D having different driving voltages in the vehicle V. Under such circumstances, in the power supply system Sys, it is required to appropriately supply power to a plurality of devices D having different driving voltages.

[0051] As described above, the wire harness WH of the present embodiment realizes a configuration that can appropriately supply power to various devices D mounted on the vehicle V when devices D having different driving voltages coexist. Hereinafter, each configuration of the wire harness WH and the like will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

[0052] In addition, in the following description, it is assumed that the device D is configured to include a first device D1 driven by a first voltage V1 and a second device D2 driven by a second voltage V2 as a plurality of devices D having different driving voltages. The first voltage V1 is, for example, a voltage greater than 30V and less than 60V. On the other hand, the second voltage V2 is a voltage lower than the first voltage V1, for example, a voltage greater than 0V and less than 30V. Here, as an example, the first voltage V1 is assumed to be "48V" and the second voltage V2 is assumed to be "12V" for description. That is, here, it is assumed that the first device D1 is a 48V driving device driven by a 48V voltage, and the second device D2 is a 12V driving device driven by a 12V voltage for description. In addition, below, when the first device D1 and the second device D2 do not need to be specifically distinguished, they are sometimes simply referred to as "device D".

[0053] Specifically, if Figure 1 , Figure 2 As shown, the power supply system Sys includes a high voltage battery B1 and a 48V battery B2 as power supplies, and a wiring harness WH that electrically connects them to each device D. In addition, in order to facilitate understanding of the drawings, Figure 2 Illustration of the high-voltage battery B1 is omitted.

[0054] The high-voltage battery B1 is a battery that stores electric power at a predetermined high voltage, and is a first power source that can supply electric power at the predetermined high voltage. Typically, the voltage of the high-voltage battery B1 is higher than that of the 48V battery B2, for example, a voltage of about 300V to 400V (battery voltage). The high-voltage battery B1 of the present embodiment is electrically connected to the 48V battery B2 via a DC / DC converter B1A, and supplies electric power to the 48V battery B2. The DC / DC converter B1A is a transformer that converts the voltage of direct current power. The DC / DC converter B1A is electrically connected to the 48V battery B2, converts the voltage of the electric power from the high-voltage battery B1 into a first voltage V1, and outputs it to the 48V battery B2. Here, the first voltage V1 is "48V", that is, the DC / DC converter B1A steps down the voltage of the high-voltage battery B1 to a voltage of 48V equivalent to the first voltage V1 and outputs it to the 48V battery B2. In addition, the high-voltage battery B1 is also electrically connected to a device not shown in the figure, and also supplies electric power to the device not shown in the figure.

[0055] The 48V battery B2 is a battery that stores electric power at a first voltage V1 that is lower than the voltage of the high-voltage battery B1, and is a second power source that can supply electric power at the first voltage V1. As described above, here, the first voltage V1 is "48V", that is, the 48V battery B2 is a voltage of about 48V (battery voltage). The 48V battery B2 is electrically connected to the high-voltage battery B1 via the DC / DC converter B1A, and can be charged using the electric power supplied from the high-voltage battery B1 via the DC / DC converter B1A. In addition, the 48V battery B2 is not limited to being charged using the high-voltage battery B1, and can also be charged using the electric power generated by a 48V generator (48V AC generator) not shown in the figure, etc. The 48V battery B2 is electrically connected to each device D via the wiring harness WH, and supplies electric power to each device D via the wiring harness WH. The 48V battery B2 of this embodiment becomes a power source that supplies electric power to both the first device D1 and the second device D2 via the wiring harness WH.

[0056] The wiring harness WH constitutes a power supply system PL that supplies power from a 48V battery B2 as a power supply to each device D. The wiring harness WH of this embodiment has a voltage conversion function that converts the voltage of the power supplied from the 48V battery B2 into a second voltage V2 that is lower than the first voltage V1 and outputs the second voltage V2, thereby appropriately supplying power to the first device D1 and the second device D2 having different driving voltages.

[0057] Specifically, the wire harness WH of the present embodiment includes the electronic component unit 10 , the power supply line 20 , the 48V power distribution box (power distribution BOX) 30 , and the 12V power distribution box 40 , and adds a voltage conversion function to the electronic component unit 10 .

[0058] The electronic component unit 10 is a unit directly connected to the 48V battery B2 as a power source, and is sometimes also referred to as a BFT (Battery Fuse Terminal). The electronic component unit 10 of this embodiment has a voltage conversion function for 12V output in addition to a circuit branching function and a circuit protection function. According to this structure, the electronic component unit 10 realizes power distribution to the second device D2 as a 12V drive device in addition to power distribution to the first device D1 as a 48V drive device.

[0059] Here, if Figure 3 , Figure 4As shown, the 48V battery B2 provided with the electronic component unit 10 is constructed to include a battery frame B2a and a battery post B2b. The battery frame B2a is formed as a whole in a roughly rectangular parallelepiped shape, and contains battery fluid and various components inside. The battery post B2b is provided protruding from the upper surface of the battery frame B2a. The battery post B2b is formed into a roughly cylindrical shape by conductive lead or the like. A pair of battery posts B2b are provided at intervals on the upper surface of the battery frame B2a, one constituting an anode and the other constituting a cathode. The electronic component unit 10 of this embodiment is assembled to the battery post B2b on the anode side.

[0060] Specifically, if Figure 3 , Figure 4 , Figure 5 , Figure 6 As shown, the electronic component unit 10 includes a battery terminal 11 as a power supply terminal and a unit body 12 , and is electrically connected to the battery post B2 b on the positive electrode side via the battery terminal 11 .

[0061] The battery terminal 11 is a connection terminal formed of a conductive metal material, which is interposed between the battery pole B2b and the unit body 12 and electrically connected to each other. The battery terminal 11 has a fastening portion 11a, a stud bolt 11b, and a nut 11c. The fastening portion 11a of the battery terminal 11 is fastened to the battery pole B2b, and the unit body 12 is fastened to the stud bolt 11b via the nut 11c. As a result, the battery terminal 11 is conductive with the 48V battery B2 and the unit body 12, and the two are electrically connected.

[0062] The unit body 12 is configured to include a base portion 12A and a hanging portion 12B, and the base portion 12A and the hanging portion 12B are formed in a manner intersecting via a curved portion, whereby the unit body 12 is formed as a whole in a substantially L-shaped shape. The base portion 12A is located on the upper surface of the battery frame B2a where the battery pole B2b is provided, and is arranged along the upper surface. The hanging portion 12B is protruded from the base portion 12A via a curved portion in a manner hanging down along the side of the battery frame B2a.

[0063] The unit body 12 of the present embodiment includes a circuit branching portion 13 that realizes a circuit branching function, a circuit protector 14 that realizes a circuit protection function, and a voltage converter 15 that realizes a voltage conversion function for performing a 12V output.

[0064] The circuit branching section 13 is connected to the battery terminal 11, so that the power supplied from the 48V battery B2 is branched into a plurality of power supply systems PL. Here, as a plurality of power supply systems PL branched by the circuit branching section 13, there are a plurality of 48V power supply systems PL1 and at least one 12V power supply system PL2. The 48V power supply system PL1 is a power supply system PL that supplies a 48V voltage equivalent to a first voltage V1 to a first device D1, which is a 48V driving device. On the other hand, the 12V power supply system PL2 is a power supply system PL that supplies a 12V voltage equivalent to a second voltage V2 to a second device D2, which is a 12V driving device. The circuit branching section 13 branches the power supplied from the 48V battery B2 into a plurality of 48V power supply systems PL1 and at least one 12V power supply system PL2.

[0065] The circuit branching portion 13 is formed of, for example, a metal bus bar. A metal bus bar is a plate-shaped conductor formed of a conductive metal material. The circuit branching portion 13 is formed of a metal bus bar to form a bus bar circuit having a branching portion. The circuit branching portion 13 is embedded in a resin housing 16 (see FIG. 1 ) by, for example, insert molding or the like. Figure 5 The circuit branch portion 13 is formed by bending the bent portion in a manner spanning the base portion 12A and the hanging portion 12B.

[0066] The circuit branch portion 13 is embedded in the housing 16, with a portion of the base portion 12A exposed, and a fastening hole 13a is formed in the exposed portion. The stud bolt 11b is inserted into the fastening hole 13a and screwed with the nut 11c, whereby the circuit branch portion 13 is fastened to the battery terminal 11 and electrically connected to the battery terminal 11. Thus, the circuit branch portion 13 is connected to the 48V battery B2 via the battery terminal 11, and power is supplied and input from the 48V battery B2 at the first voltage V1, i.e., 48V.

[0067] The circuit branching section 13 forms a circuit that branches according to the number of power supply systems PL, so that the power supplied from the 48V battery B2 is branched to a plurality of power supply systems PL. Figure 5 ) in which the ends of the branched circuit of the circuit branching portion 13 are electrically connected to the power supply lines 20 constituting each power supply system PL via connectors, etc., and the branched power is output to each power supply line 20.

[0068] In addition, the circuit branch portion 13 is connected to stud bolts 18, 19, etc., and the circuit branch portion 13 is embedded in the housing 16 together with the stud bolts 18, 19 to form an integrated whole. The stud bolts 18, 19, for example, fasten the connection terminals together with the circuit branch portion 13, and are electrically connected to the above-mentioned 48V generator (48V AC generator), other devices, etc. through the connection terminals.

[0069] The circuit protector 14 is provided in the power supply system PL in the circuit branch 13, and is cut off when an overcurrent flows through the power supply system PL to protect the power supply system PL. Here, the circuit protector 14 is provided for each of the plurality of power supply systems PL in the circuit branch 13. The circuit protector 14 is typically composed of a fusible element such as a fuse or a fuse that melts when an overcurrent flows to cut off the current path, and is assembled into the circuit constituting each power supply system PL in the circuit branch 13. Here, the overcurrent is, for example, a current above a preset rated value. That is, the fusible element melts when a current above a preset rated value flows. The rated current is determined according to the current of the circuit to be protected. Typically, the fusible element constituting the circuit protector 14 has different capacities in the 48V power supply system PL1 and the 12V power supply system PL2. In addition, the circuit protector 14 is not limited to a fusible element, and for example, a protective circuit breaker composed of a semiconductor relay or the like may also be applied.

[0070] The voltage converter 15 is provided in at least one of the plurality of power supply systems PL in the circuit branch portion 13, and converts the voltage of the power supplied from the 48V battery B2 into a second voltage V2 lower than the first voltage V1 and outputs it. Thus, the electronic component unit 10 of the present embodiment can output at the second voltage V2 lower than the first voltage V1 in addition to the first voltage V1 corresponding to the battery voltage of the 48V battery B2. The voltage converter 15 is provided in the 12V power supply system PL2 among the plurality of power supply systems PL in the circuit branch portion 13, and converts the 48V voltage corresponding to the first voltage V1 into a 12V voltage corresponding to the second voltage V2 and outputs it to the 12V power supply system PL2.

[0071] The voltage converter 15 is typically composed of a DC / DC converter that converts the voltage of DC power. The voltage converter 15 may be directly assembled to the part constituting the 12V power supply system PL2 in the circuit branch portion 13 by welding or the like. Figure 7As shown in the example, the voltage converter 15 may be configured to be modularized as follows: a converter body 15A having electronic components mounted on a substrate is housed in a frame 15B, and a connection terminal 15C is protruded from the frame 15B, so that the voltage converter 15 can be attached and detached from the circuit branch 13 relative to the 12V power supply system PL2. In this case, the voltage converter 15 is assembled to the circuit branch 13 in a manner that the connection terminal 15C is inserted into the portion constituting the 12V power supply system PL2 in the circuit branch 13 so as to be attachable and detachable. In addition, in the 12V power supply system PL2, the circuit protector 14 may be arranged on the upstream side (48V battery B2 side) of the voltage converter 15 and integrated with the voltage converter 15, or may be arranged on the downstream side (second device D2 side) of the voltage converter 15 and integrated with the voltage converter 15.

[0072] The electronic component unit 10 configured as described above does not transform a portion of the power input from the 48V battery B2 to the circuit branch portion 13 via the battery terminal 11, but outputs it to each 48V power supply system PL1 at a first voltage V1 equivalent to the battery voltage, and on the other hand, the remaining portion of the power is stepped down to a second voltage V2 by the voltage converter 15 and outputted to the 12V power supply system PL2. Thus, the electronic component unit 10 outputs power to the first device D1, which is a 48V drive device, at a 48V voltage equivalent to the first voltage V1, and outputs power to the second device D2, which is a 12V drive device, at a 12V voltage equivalent to the second voltage V2. In addition, at this time, the electronic component unit 10 protects each power supply system PL by having a circuit protector 14 in each power supply system PL in the circuit branch portion 13.

[0073] like Figure 1 , Figure 2 , Figure 5 , Figure 6 As shown, the power supply line 20 is a wiring component that is interposed between the electronic component unit 10 and the device D and supplies power from the electronic component unit 10 to the device D. That is, the power supply line 20 constitutes a power supply system PL that supplies power to the device D. The power supply line 20 is typically composed of a general electric wire, but can also be composed of a planar circuit body such as FPC (Flexible Printed Circuits) and FFC (Flexible Flat Cable). The power supply line 20 of this embodiment is configured to include a first power supply line 21 and a second power supply line 22.

[0074] The first power supply line 21 is a power supply line 20 constituting the 48V power supply system PL1 in the power supply system PL. The first power supply line 21 is provided across the output terminal portion 17 of the electronic component unit 10 and each first device D1, and the 48V power distribution box 30 described later is provided on the first power supply line 21. The first power supply line 21 supplies power outputted at a 48V voltage equivalent to the first voltage V1 from the electronic component unit 10 to the first device D1, which is a 48V driving device, without passing through the voltage converter 15.

[0075] The second power supply line 22 is a power supply line 20 constituting the 12V power supply system PL2 in the power supply system PL. The second power supply line 22 is provided across the output terminal portion 17 of the electronic component unit 10 and each second device D2, and the 12V power distribution box 40 described later is provided on the second power supply line 22. The second power supply line 22 supplies power outputted at a 12V voltage equivalent to the second voltage V2 from the electronic component unit 10 to the second device D2 as a 12V driving device via the voltage converter 15.

[0076] In addition, in the transition period when the first device D1 as a 48V drive device and the second device D2 as a 12V drive device coexist in the vehicle V, the power supply lines 20 configured as described above typically tend to have a relatively thin first power supply line 21 constituting the relatively high-voltage 48V power supply system PL1 and a relatively thick second power supply line 22 constituting the relatively low-voltage 12V power supply system PL2. However, the power supply lines 20 are not limited to this.

[0077] like Figure 1 , Figure 2 As shown, the 48V power distribution box 30 is interposed between the electronic component unit 10 and the first device D1, and distributes the power supplied from the 48V battery B2 to multiple first devices D1. The 48V power distribution box 30 is constructed to include electronic components such as branch parts, fuses (circuit protectors), relays, etc., and distributes power to multiple first devices D1 by making them cooperate. The 48V power distribution box 30 is set on the first power supply line 21 that constitutes the 48V power supply system PL1 in the power supply system PL, and distributes the power that is not stepped down in the electronic component unit 10 and is output at a 48V voltage equivalent to the first voltage V1 to multiple first devices D1 that are 48V drive devices. The first power supply line 21 branches on the output side of the 48V power distribution box 30 into a number corresponding to the number of first devices D1 to which power is distributed from the 48V power distribution box 30. Figure 2 In the example of FIG. 1 , a case where a total of three 48V power distribution boxes 30 are provided is illustrated.

[0078] like Figure 1 , Figure 2 As shown, the 12V power distribution box 40 is interposed between the electronic component unit 10 and the second device D2, and distributes the power supplied from the 48V battery B2 to multiple second devices D2. The 12V power distribution box 40 is constructed similarly to the 48V power distribution box 30, including electronic components such as branch parts, fuses (circuit protectors), and relays, and distributes power to multiple second devices D2 through their cooperation. The 12V power distribution box 40 is set on the second power supply line 22 that constitutes the 12V power supply system PL2 in the power supply system PL, and distributes power output with a 12V voltage equivalent to the second voltage V2 that is stepped down by the voltage converter 15 in the electronic component unit 10 to multiple second devices D2 that are 12V drive devices. The second power supply line 22 branches on the output side of the 12V power distribution box 40 into a number corresponding to the number of second devices D2 that distribute power from the 12V power distribution box 40. Figure 2 In the example of FIG. 1 , a case where a total of one 12V power distribution box 40 is provided is illustrated.

[0079] The wiring harness WH and the electronic component unit 10 described above can output a portion of the power input from the 48V battery B2 to the circuit branching portion 13 via the battery terminal 11 to each 48V power supply system PL1 at the first voltage V1 equivalent to the battery voltage without transforming the voltage. On the other hand, the wiring harness WH and the electronic component unit 10 can step down the remaining portion of the power input from the 48V battery B2 to the circuit branching portion 13 via the battery terminal 11 to the second voltage V2 by the voltage converter 15 and output it to the 12V power supply system PL2. As a result, the electronic component unit 10 can output power to the first device D1 as a 48V drive device at a 48V voltage equivalent to the first voltage V1, and output power to the second device D2 as a 12V drive device at a 12V voltage equivalent to the second voltage V2 lower than the first voltage V1. As a result, the wiring harness WH and the electronic component unit 10 can appropriately distribute and supply power to the first device D1 and the second device D2 having different drive voltages.

[0080] In this case, the wiring harness WH is configured such that the electronic component unit 10 is directly disposed on the 48V battery B2, and the electronic component unit 10 has a voltage conversion function for converting and outputting a first voltage V1 corresponding to the battery voltage of the 48V battery B2 into a second voltage V2. According to this configuration, when the wiring harness WH and the electronic component unit 10, for example, the second device D2 driven by the second voltage V2 is concentrated near the 48V battery B2, the wiring length of the second power supply line 22, which has a relatively thick wire diameter and is prone to increase in weight, can be shortened as much as possible, thereby improving wiring efficiency, and as a result, the weight increase of the entire wiring harness WH can be suppressed.

[0081] As described above, the wire harness WH and the electronic component unit 10 can appropriately supply power to various devices D mounted on the vehicle V even in a situation where devices D having different driving voltages are mixed.

[0082] In addition, the wiring harness WH and the electronic component unit 10 described above provide the circuit protector 14 in each power supply system PL in the circuit branching portion 13 of the electronic component unit 10 , so that the circuit protector 14 is cut off when an overcurrent flows through the power supply system PL, thereby protecting the power supply system PL.

[0083] In addition, the wiring harness WH and the electronic component unit 10 described above can also be configured so that the voltage converter 15 can be mounted and removed relative to the power supply system PL in the circuit branching part 13. In this case, the wiring harness WH and the electronic component unit 10 can appropriately change and add the voltage converter 15 according to the necessary performance when the vehicle V is used for a long time, for example, in order to achieve carbon neutrality, etc., and a new device D is added during use. As a result, the wiring harness WH and the electronic component unit 10 select the voltage converter 15 according to the addition and update of the device D installed in the vehicle V and assemble it in the electronic component unit 10, thereby, for example, even if the electronic component unit 10 is not replaced with another component as a whole, the required voltage output and capacity can be easily ensured. In addition, the wiring harness WH and the electronic component unit 10, for example, in the circuit branching part 13, by providing a structure that can mount and remove the voltage converter 15 in each power supply system PL, the output number of the second voltage V2 lower than the first voltage V1 as the battery voltage can be arbitrarily increased according to the situation.

[0084] In addition, the electronic component unit and the wiring harness according to the above-described embodiment of the present invention are not limited to the above-described embodiment, and various modifications can be made within the scope described in the claims.

[0085] In the above description, it is explained that the electronic component unit 10 has a circuit protection function in addition to the circuit branching function and the voltage conversion function, but it is not limited thereto. That is, the electronic component unit 10 may not have the circuit protector 14, for example, the circuit protector may be provided at other locations on each power supply system PL.

[0086] In the above description, the circuit branching section 13 is described as branching the power supplied from the 48V battery B2 into a plurality of 48V power supply systems PL1 and one 12V power supply system PL2, but the present invention is not limited thereto, and the number of 12V power supply systems PL2 may be more than two. In this case, the electronic component unit 10 is provided with a voltage converter 15 in each 12V power supply system PL2 in the circuit branching section 13.

[0087] In the above description, the power terminal 11 and the unit body 12 are separately configured, but the present invention is not limited thereto. The power terminal 11 and the unit body 12 may be integrally configured, for example, the power terminal 11 and the circuit branch portion 13 are integrally connected.

[0088] The electronic component unit and the wiring harness according to the present embodiment may be configured by appropriately combining the components of the above-described embodiment and modified examples.

[0089] <Reference example>

[0090] Figure 8 , Fig. 9 The schematic structure of the power supply system SysA to which the wiring harness WHA involved in the reference example is applied is shown. The wiring harness WHA involved in the reference example is different from the above-mentioned wiring harness WH in that it is provided with an electronic component unit 10A instead of the electronic component unit 10, and a power distribution box 50A instead of the 48V power distribution box 30 and the 12V power distribution box 40. In addition, the electronic component unit 10A involved in this reference example is different from the above-mentioned electronic component unit 10 in that it does not have a voltage converter 15 that realizes a voltage conversion function. The other structures of the wiring harness WHA and the electronic component unit 10A are substantially the same as those of the wiring harness WH and the electronic component unit 10.

[0091] Furthermore, the power distribution box 50A involved in this reference example has a 48V power distribution unit 30A, a 12V power distribution unit 40A and a voltage converter 60A, and by unitizing them in a frame (BOX) 50Aa, a voltage conversion function for performing a 12V output equivalent to the second voltage V2 is realized.

[0092] The 48V power distribution unit 30A is disposed between the electronic component unit 10A and the first device D1, and distributes the power supplied from the 48V battery B2 to a plurality of first devices D1. The 48V power distribution unit 30A is constructed similarly to the 48V power distribution box 30, including electronic components such as a branch unit, a fuse (circuit protector), and a relay, and distributes power to a plurality of first devices D1 through their cooperation. The 48V power distribution unit 30A is provided on the first power supply line 21 constituting the 48V power supply system PL1 in the power supply system PL, and distributes the power output at a 48V voltage equivalent to the first voltage V1 without being stepped down in the electronic component unit 10A to a plurality of first devices D1 as 48V drive devices. The first power supply line 21 branches at the output side of the 48V power distribution unit 30A into a number corresponding to the number of first devices D1 to which power is distributed from the 48V power distribution unit 30A.

[0093] The voltage converter 60A converts the voltage of the power branched from the 48V power distribution unit 30A into a second voltage V2 lower than the first voltage V1 and outputs it to the 12V power distribution unit 40A. Thus, the power distribution box 50A of this reference example can output the power at the second voltage V2 lower than the first voltage V1 in addition to the first voltage V1 equivalent to the battery voltage of the 48V battery B2. The voltage converter 60A is located between the 48V power distribution unit 30A and the 12V power distribution unit 40A in the circuit inside the power distribution box 50A, and converts the 48V voltage equivalent to the first voltage V1 into a 12V voltage equivalent to the second voltage V2 and outputs it to the 12V power distribution unit 40A. The voltage converter 60A is composed of a DC / DC converter that converts the voltage of the DC power, similar to the voltage converter 15.

[0094] The 12V power distribution unit 40A is interposed between the electronic component unit 10A and the second device D2, and distributes the power supplied from the 48V battery B2 to a plurality of second devices D2. Similar to the 12V power distribution box 40, the 12V power distribution unit 40A is configured to include electronic components such as a branching part, a fuse (circuit protector), and a relay, and distributes power to a plurality of second devices D2 by making them cooperate. The 12V power distribution unit 40A of this reference example distributes the power output at a 12V voltage equivalent to the second voltage V2 to a plurality of second devices D2 as 12V drive devices by reducing the voltage through the voltage converter 60A in the power distribution box 50A. In this reference example, the portion of the power system PL closer to the second device D2 than the 12V power distribution unit 40A constitutes the 12V power system PL2. The second power supply line 22 is branched at the output side of the 12V power distribution unit 40A into a number corresponding to the number of second devices D2 to which power is distributed from the 12V power distribution unit 40A.

[0095] In the wiring harness WHA and power supply system SysA involved in the reference example described above, in the power distribution box 50A, the 48V power distribution unit 30A that distributes power of 48V voltage equivalent to the first voltage V1, the voltage converter 60A that converts the voltage from the first voltage V1 to the second voltage V2, and the 12V power distribution unit 40A that distributes power of 12V voltage equivalent to the second voltage V2 can be unitized in one frame 50Aa. According to this structure, the wiring harness WHA and power supply system SysA involved in the reference example can, for example, suppress the increase in the types of molds required for molding various frames used in the wiring harness WHA, and can appropriately supply power to various devices D mounted on the vehicle V.

[0096] Furthermore, the power distribution box 50A may include a zone ECU in the vehicle V in addition to the 48V power distribution unit 30A, the 12V power distribution unit 40A, the voltage converter 60A, and the like.

[0097] In addition, the wiring harness WH and the electronic component unit 10 described above are described in the case where, for example, a new device D is added during use, the voltage converter 15 can be appropriately changed or added according to the necessary performance. In this regard, as a reference example, the wiring harness and the electronic component unit may also be configured to remove the voltage converter 15 when the voltage converter 15 is no longer needed.

Claims

1. An electronic component unit, characterized in that: have: a power supply terminal connected to a power supply mounted on the vehicle and capable of supplying electric power at a first voltage; a circuit branching portion connected to the power supply terminal to branch the power supplied from the power supply to a plurality of power supply systems; as well as A voltage converter is provided in at least one of the plurality of power supply systems in the circuit branch portion, and converts the voltage of the electric power supplied from the power supply into a second voltage lower than the first voltage and outputs the second voltage.

2. The electronic component unit according to claim 1, characterized in that The electronic component unit includes a circuit protector that is provided in the power supply system in the circuit branch portion and that cuts off and protects the power supply system when an overcurrent flows through the power supply system.

3. A wiring harness, characterized in that: have: an electronic component unit provided in a power source mounted on the vehicle and capable of supplying electric power at a first voltage; as well as a power supply line for supplying power from the electronic component unit to a device mounted on the vehicle, The electronic component unit has: a power terminal connected to the power source; a circuit branching portion connected to the power supply terminal to branch the power supplied from the power supply to a plurality of power supply systems; as well as A voltage converter is provided in at least one of the plurality of power supply systems in the circuit branch portion, and converts the voltage of the electric power supplied from the power supply into a second voltage lower than the first voltage and outputs the second voltage.

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