Modular system with a first and a second module

Abstract

The invention relates to a modular system comprising at least a first module (101) and a second module (102), each designed for use in a motor vehicle (100), wherein the modules (101; 102) each comprise at least one cooling component (103) for cooling a drive of the motor vehicle (100), wherein the modules (101; 102) are interchangeable with one another in the motor vehicle (100), wherein the modules (101; 102) comprise at least one drive component (104) of the drive.

Description

The present invention relates to a modular system for use in a motor vehicle according to the preamble of claim 1 and to a system comprising said system and said motor vehicle and to a method for changing a motor vehicle comprising said modular system.In a motor vehicle, cooling components are required for cooling drive components. In an electrically driven vehicle, the electric drive components such as the battery must be cooled. The cooling components can be adapted to a desired cooling function. For example, a particularly good cooling function can be achieved if many and / or large cooling components are used. However, these then have a comparatively high weight and / or a poor CW value. In addition, high production costs are produced.The drive components can also be dimensioned for different purposes of use. Within the scope of this description, a drive component is understood to be, for example, a battery or a rechargeable battery or else a pulse inverter, electric machine, fuel cell, for storing electrical energy. For example, drive components can be designed for a relatively short range and have a relatively low weight and a high drive power for this purpose. Alternatively, the drive components can also be designed for a relatively long range.U.S. Pat. No. 9,284,919 B2 discloses a system in which various cooling components can be inserted into a housing. Thus, the desired cooling behavior of the motor vehicle can be adjusted by the selection of the cooling components.DE 10 2008 061 757 A1 discloses a module arrangement for a vehicle having a receiving space in which a module can be received from a plurality of modules, by means of which module a drive train of the vehicle different from the module arrangement can be supplied with energy.In contrast, the object of the present invention is to provide a modular system with which drive and cooling functions of a motor vehicle that are matched to one another can be selected. In addition, a system having such a modular system and a motor vehicle and a method for modifying a motor vehicle having such a modular system are intended to be provided.This object is achieved by a modular system according to claim 1, a system according to claim 5 and a method according to claim 6. Embodiments of the invention are set forth in the dependent claims.Within the scope of this description, a modular system is understood to mean, in particular, a system having a plurality of modules which can be used in a motor vehicle. The modules trigger different properties of the motor vehicle. For example, a module can be used, the use of which allows the motor vehicle to have a particularly high drive power. Alternatively, a module can be used, in the case of the use of which the motor vehicle has a particularly long range. In the modular system, the simple exchangeability of the modules with respect to one another is important. Preferably, no or only a few changes are necessary on the motor vehicle in order to replace one module with another module.The modular system comprises at least a first and a second module, which are each designed for use in a motor vehicle and are replaceable with one another in the motor vehicle. The modules each comprise at least one cooling component for cooling a drive of the vehicle. These can be, for example, cooling components for drive components such as electrical batteries, accumulators, fuel cells or flow cells. The modules also include at least one of the drive components. For example, the at least one drive component and the at least one cooling component of one of the modules can be matched to one another such that certain functions (e.g. high power, low weight or long range) of the motor vehicle are achieved when used in the motor vehicle.The first module triggers different cooling and drive functions of the motor vehicle when used in the motor vehicle than the second module when used in the motor vehicle.The drive is designed electrically or comprises a fuel cell or a flow cell. Within the scope of this description, a flow cell is understood to mean in particular a rechargeable battery which stores electrical energy in chemical compounds. The reactants are present in a solvent in dissolved form. Two energy-storing electrolytes circulate in two separate circuits. In the cell, the dissolved substances are chemically reduced or oxidized, as a result of which electrical energy is released.The advantage of the modular system is that the appropriate module can be selected depending on the use of the motor vehicle. For example, if a user requires the motor vehicle for a relatively long trip, he may use the long range module. When the same motor vehicle is to be used for a race track use, a module with high driving performance and low weight can be used.According to one embodiment of the invention, the at least one cooling component of each module can represent a complete cooling system for driving the motor vehicle. The motor vehicle can then be free of cooling components for the drive. In this case, the entire cooling system can be easily replaced by replacing the modules and adapted to the requirements of the user.According to one embodiment of the invention, the first module can trigger a longer range of the motor vehicle or a higher drive power of the motor vehicle.Alternatively or additionally, the first module may have a lower weight than the second module. This is advantageous in particular if the first module triggers a higher drive power of the motor vehicle. With a low weight and high drive power, the motor vehicle can then be used well on a track. If, on the other hand, a long range is to be reached, the weight of the module normally plays a subordinate role.According to one embodiment of the invention, all modules can be inserted into the motor vehicle and can be connected to the motor vehicle in the same way. This is understood to mean, in particular, the mechanical and the electrical connections of the module to the motor vehicle. The connection of the cooling component to the motor vehicle can likewise be understood to mean this. The same way of inserting the modules into the motor vehicle increases user-friendliness.According to the method of claim 6, propulsion functions of the motor vehicle and / or cooling functions for propulsion of the motor vehicle can be adjusted by selecting one of the modules.According to one embodiment of the invention, the method can comprise removing the first module from the motor vehicle and inserting the second module into the motor vehicle. After the second module has been inserted, the motor vehicle can have different cooling functions for the drive and / or different drive functions than before the first module is removed.Further features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following description of a preferred embodiment with reference to the accompanying drawing. The same reference numerals are used for identical or similar components and for components having identical or similar functions.FIG. 1 is a schematic view of a system according to an embodiment of the invention.The system in FIG. 1 comprises a motor vehicle 100 and two modules 101 and 102 which can be inserted into the motor vehicle 100. Each of the modules 101 and 102 comprises at least one cooling component 103 and a driving component 104.The first module 101 is designed for other functions of the motor vehicle 100 than the second module 102. Thus, a total of three cooling components 103 are provided in the first module 101, which cool the drive component 104. The drive component 104 can be, for example, a battery or an accumulator. Due to the better cooling, the drive component 104 can be designed for a higher power, so that the motor vehicle 100 can drive more quickly and accelerate more strongly when using the first module 101. The first module 101 can therefore be used, for example, when the motor vehicle 100 is to be driven on the track. Since the range plays a subordinate role in such an application, the drive component 104 can have a relatively low weight, whereby the ratio between weight and power is further improved in the motor vehicle 100.In contrast to the first module 101, the second module 102 has only a single cooling component 103. In addition, the drive component 104 designed as a battery or accumulator is larger, so that more energy is therefore stored. The second module 102 can be used, for example, for a longer journey with the motor vehicle 100. Due to the larger drive component 104, a relatively high range is achieved. Since the power provided by the drive component 104 is of only secondary importance, a single cooler component 103 is sufficient.A user of the motor vehicle 100 can choose which of the modules 101 and 102 he would like to use before starting the trip and thus adapt the functions of the motor vehicle 100 to his requirements.

Claims

Modular system comprising at least a first module (101) and a second module (102), each of which is designed for use in a motor vehicle (100), wherein the modules (101; 102) each comprise at least one cooling component (103) for cooling a drive of the motor vehicle (100), wherein the modules (101; 102) are interchangeable with one another in the motor vehicle (100), wherein the modules (101; 102) comprise at least one drive component (104) of the drive, wherein the drive is designed electrically, or comprises a fuel cell or a flow cell, characterized in that the first module (101) triggers different cooling and drive functions of the motor vehicle (100) when used in the motor vehicle (100) than the second module (102) when used in the motor vehicle (100).Modular system according to claim 1, characterised in that the at least one cooling component (103) of each module (101; 102) represents a complete cooling system for driving the motor vehicle (100), so that the motor vehicle (100) can be free of cooling components for driving.Modular system according to at least one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the first module (101) triggers a longer range of the motor vehicle (100) or a higher drive power of the motor vehicle (100), and / or in that the first module (101) has a lower weight than the second module (102).Modular system according to at least one of the preceding claims, characterized in that all modules (101; 102) can be inserted into the motor vehicle (100) in the same way and can be connected to the motor vehicle (100).A system comprising a modular system according to at least one of the preceding claims and the motor vehicle (100).Method for changing a motor vehicle (100) with a modular system according to one of Claims 1 to 4, characterized in that drive functions of the motor vehicle (100) and / or cooling functions for driving the motor vehicle (100) can be set by selecting one of the modules (101; 102).Method according to the preceding claim, characterized in that the method comprises the following steps: - removing the first module (101) from the motor vehicle (100); - inserting the second module (102) into the motor vehicle (100), wherein the motor vehicle (100) has different cooling functions for the drive and / or different drive functions after the insertion of the second module (102) than before the removal of the first module (101).

Images