Vehicle electrical system

Abstract

A vehicle electrical system has: an electrical connection device (5) which connects a power supply device (4) and at least one electrical / electronic device (2, 3) to each other; and a filtering device (6) associated with the electrical connection device (5) in order to limit at least the interference voltage and / or current generated by the electrical / electronic device (2, 3), the filtering device being powered by the current supplied by the electrical connection device (5), and being provided with at least two filtering modules (11) mounted in series with one another and releasably connected to one another.

Description

[0001] CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

[0002] This patent application claims the priority of Italian Patent Application No. 102023000026118 filed on December 6, 2023, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. Technical Field

[0003] The present invention relates to vehicle electrical systems.

[0004] In particular, the present invention relates to a vehicle electrical system comprising at least one electrical / electronic device; a power supply device, which is usually a battery, for supplying power to the electrical / electronic device; an electrical connection device for connecting the power supply device and the electrical / electronic device to each other; and a filtering device associated with the electrical connection device to at least limit interference voltages and / or currents generated by the electrical / electronic device itself. Background Art

[0005] Generally speaking, the electrical connection device comprises a busbar provided with a plurality of conductor bars made of a metal material, such as copper or aluminum; and the filtering device comprises a passive EMC (Electromagnetic Compatibility) filter having a printed circuit board and a plurality of electronic components, in particular capacitors and inductors, which are mounted on the printed circuit board and are electrically connected to each other via the printed circuit board.

[0006] Known vehicle electrical systems of the type mentioned above have several disadvantages, which primarily result from the use of a plurality of filter devices due to the limitation of interfering voltages and / or currents with different frequencies and make them relatively large, complex and expensive. Summary of the invention

[0007] The object of the present invention is to provide a vehicle electrical system which does not suffer from the above-mentioned disadvantages and which can be produced in a simple and economical manner.

[0008] According to the present invention, a vehicle electrical system is provided, comprising at least one electrical / electronic device; a power supply device for supplying power to the electrical / electronic device; an electrical connection device for connecting the power supply device and the electrical / electronic device to each other; a filtering device associated with the electrical connection device and used to at least limit the interference voltage and / or current generated by the electrical / electronic device; and an electrical connection member for supplying power to the filtering device with the current supplied by the electrical connection device; characterized in that the filtering device comprises at least two filtering modules mounted in series with each other and a coupling device for releasably connecting the filtering modules to each other.

[0009] In one embodiment, the filtering module is configured to limit respective interfering voltages and / or currents having frequencies different from each other.

[0010] In one embodiment, for each filter module, the electrical connection member comprises at least one corresponding elastic connection element, which is made of an electrically conductive material and is interposed between the electrical connection device and the filter module.

[0011] In one embodiment, each elastic connection element comprises a spring which is fixed to the corresponding filter module and is forced in a compressible manner by the electrical connection device.

[0012] In one embodiment, the electrical connection device comprises a bus bar.

[0013] In one embodiment, each filtering module comprises a passive EMC (electromagnetic compatibility) filter.

[0014] In one embodiment, each of the filter modules includes a printed circuit board and a plurality of electronic components, wherein the plurality of electronic components include an inductor and a capacitor mounted on the printed circuit board and electrically connected to each other through the printed circuit board.

[0015] In one embodiment, the electrical connection device comprises at least one conductor strip installed between the power supply device and the electrical / electronic device, and for each filter module, the electrical connection member comprises at least one corresponding elastic connection element, which is made of conductive material and is interposed between the printed circuit board of the filter module and the relevant conductor strip.

[0016] In one embodiment, each of the resilient connection elements comprises a shaped leaf spring having a first end fixed to the printed circuit board and a second end electrically connected to the associated conductor strip by mechanical interference.

[0017] In one embodiment, each of the filter modules comprises at least one annular inductor mounted on the printed circuit board, and wherein each conductor strip extends through the inductor.

[0018] In one embodiment, each conductor strip extends perpendicular to the printed circuit board of the filter module and passes through the printed circuit board. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0019] The present invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, which show non-limiting embodiments of the invention, in which:

[0020] Figure 1 A preferred embodiment of a vehicle electrical system according to the present invention is schematically shown;

[0021] Figure 2 and Figure 3 Shows Figure 1 Two schematic perspective views of details of a vehicle electrical system, with some components removed for greater clarity. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0022] refer to Figure 1 , numeral 1 denotes a vehicle electrical system as a whole installed in a road vehicle (not shown).

[0023] The electrical system 1 comprises a first electrical / electronic device 2 ; a second electrical / electronic device 3 ; and a power supply device 4 , which is typically a battery, for supplying power to the devices 2 and 3 .

[0024] The electrical system 1 further comprises an electrical connection device 5 for connecting the power supply device 4 and the device 2 to each other, and a filtering device 6 associated with the device 5 for at least limiting interference voltages and / or currents generated by the device 2 .

[0025] The device 5 comprises a busbar 7 having a plurality of conductor bars 8 (in the present example, two conductor bars 8 ) made of an electrically conductive material, each conductor bar 8 having an input terminal 9 connected to the device 4 and an output terminal 10 connected to the apparatus 2 .

[0026] The device 6 comprises a plurality of filter modules 11 (in this example, two modules 11), which are mounted in series with each other, can be connected to each other in a releasable manner, and are configured to limit respective interference voltages and / or currents having different frequencies from each other. In other words, the two filter modules 11 have different cut-off frequencies (in particular, they are configured to filter different frequency bands).

[0027] Advantageously, although not limitingly, each module operates on given frequencies that add up to the frequencies filtered by the adjacent modules.

[0028] In particular, in the case of a series installation of the modules, two filter modules 11 are arranged one after the other (without contacting each other) along the longitudinal axis of the conductor bar 8 .

[0029] More specifically, each filter module 11 acts on two conductor bars 8 of the busbar 7. Each filter module 11 is (completely) passed through by the busbar 7, and in particular, each filter module 11 radially surrounds the busbar 7 and thus the conductor bars 8.

[0030] Each module 11 comprises a passive EMC (Electromagnetic Compatibility) filter provided with a printed circuit board 12 of flat shape, extending parallel to the printed circuit board 12 of the other module 11, being releasably connected to the printed circuit board 12 of the other module 11 by means of a plurality of fastening screws 13 and being delimited by two main faces 14, 15 opposite to each other.

[0031] The module 11 is also provided with a plurality of electronic components 16 which are mounted on the printed circuit board 12 and are electrically connected to each other through the printed circuit board 12 .

[0032] In this specific example, the electronic components 16 of each module 11 include: an inductor 17, which has a tubular shape, is fixed to the middle of the surface 14 of the printed circuit board 12 and extends around the conductor strip 8; and a plurality of capacitors 18, which are mounted on the side of the surface 14 of the printed circuit board 12 and are arranged around the inductor 17.

[0033] With respect to the above discussion, it should be noted that the conductor strips 8 extend perpendicular to the printed circuit boards 12 and pass through openings 19 in each printed circuit board 12 .

[0034] The electrical system 1 also comprises, for each module 11 , a respective plurality of electrical connection members 20 to power the module 11 with the electric current supplied by the conductor bars 8 of the electrical connection device 5 .

[0035] Each member 20 comprises at least one elastic connection element 21, for example: an elastic connection element 21 defined by a shaped leaf spring, which is made of conductive material, is interposed between the electrical connection device 5 and the filtering device 6, and has a first end 22 fixed to (in this example, soldered to) the inner wall of the opening 19 of the relevant printed circuit board 12 and a second end 23 electrically connected to the relevant conductor strip 8 by mechanical interference.

[0036] In use, the electrical connection between the conductor bars 8 of the electrical connection device 5 and the printed circuit board 12 of the filtering module 11 allows the filtering device 6 to at least limit interfering voltages and / or currents with different frequencies generated by the device 2 and thus ensure correct operation of the device 3 .

[0037] With regard to what has been discussed above, it should be noted that according to alternative embodiments not shown here, the inductor 17 has another shape than circular, for example a parallelepiped shape, and is manufactured in one part or in two parts connected to each other, for example by gluing.

Claims

1. A vehicle electrical system, comprising at least one electrical / electronic device (2, 3); a power supply device (4) for supplying power to the electrical / electronic device (2, 3); an electrical connection device (5) for connecting the power supply device (4) and the electrical / electronic device (2, 3) to each other; a filter device (6) associated with the electrical connection device (5) for at least limiting interference voltage and / or current generated by the electrical / electronic device (2, 3); and an electrical connection member (20) for supplying power to the filter device (6) with current supplied by the electrical connection device (5); characterized in that The filter device (6) comprises at least two filter modules (11) mounted in series with each other and a coupling device (13) for releasably connecting the filter modules (11) with each other.

2. The system according to claim 1, wherein: The filter module (11) is configured to limit respective interference voltages and / or currents having frequencies different from each other.

3. The system according to claim 1 or 2, wherein: For each filter module (11), the electrical connection member (20) comprises at least one corresponding elastic connection element (21), wherein the elastic connection element (21) is made of a conductive material and is interposed between the electrical connection device (5) and the filter module (11).

4. The system according to claim 3, wherein: Each elastic connection element (21) comprises a spring which is fixed to the corresponding filter module (11) and is stressed in a compressible manner by the electrical connection device (5).

5. The system according to claim 1 or 2, wherein: The electrical connection device (5) comprises a busbar (7).

6. The system according to claim 1 or 2, wherein: Each filter module (11) includes a passive EMC (electromagnetic compatibility) filter.

7. The system according to claim 1, wherein: Each of the filter modules (11) comprises a printed circuit board (12) and a plurality of electronic components (16), wherein the plurality of electronic components (16) comprises an inductor (17) and a capacitor (18) mounted on the printed circuit board (12) and electrically connected to each other via the printed circuit board (12).

8. The system according to claim 7, wherein: The electrical connection device (5) comprises at least one conductor bar (8) installed between the power supply device (4) and the electrical / electronic device (2, 3), and for each filter module (11), the electrical connection member (20) comprises at least one corresponding elastic connection element (21), the elastic connection element (21) being made of conductive material and interposed between the printed circuit board (12) of the filter module (11) and the relevant conductor bar (8).

9. The system according to claim 8, wherein: Each of the elastic connection elements (21) comprises a shaped leaf spring having a first end (22) fixed to the printed circuit board (12) and a second end (23) electrically connected to the associated conductor strip (8) by mechanical interference.

10. The system according to claim 8 or 9, wherein: Each of the filter modules (6) comprises at least one annular inductor (17) mounted on the printed circuit board (12), and each conductor strip (8) extends through the inductor (17).

11. The system according to claim 10, wherein: Each conductor strip (8) extends perpendicularly to the printed circuit board (12) of the filter module (11) and passes through the printed circuit board (12).

Images