High-voltage system for an electrically powered vehicle
The high-voltage arrangement for electric vehicles integrates standard measurement port and connector functionalities into a single housing, addressing the cost and accessibility trade-offs in existing systems, and providing enhanced safety and testing capabilities at reduced costs.
Patent Information
- Application Number
- DE102023130286
- Authority / Receiving Office
- DE · DE
- Patent Type
- Applications
- Current Assignee / Owner
- Filing Date
- 2023-11-02
- Publication Date
- 2025-05-08
AI Technical Summary
Existing high-voltage systems in electric vehicles require costly dual measurement setups for safety and testing, often forcing a trade-off between accessibility and accuracy, leading to increased material and labor costs.
A novel high-voltage arrangement that integrates both standard measurement port and measurement connector functionalities into a single housing, providing sealing and locking features, and allowing the built-in connector to serve additional consumers, thereby reducing the need for additional components and interfaces.
This integrated solution offers cost-effective access to both measurement concepts, enhancing safety and testing capabilities while minimizing material and labor costs by eliminating the need for redundant components and interfaces.
Smart Images
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Abstract
Description
[0001] The invention relates to a high-voltage arrangement for an electrically powered vehicle according to the preamble of claim 1.
[0002] To maintain the electrical safety of a high-voltage system in an electric vehicle, especially a commercial vehicle, and to ensure a safe condition, a voltage-free state of the high-voltage system must be ensured via a voltage measurement at a dedicated terminal or via a breakout box located on the head of a component. Providing both measurement options is associated with high costs. Therefore, one of the options has been preferred to date, foregoing the advantages of the other.
[0003] In addition to the measurement capability, the measuring connection is intended to serve various test activities, such as insulation resistance measurements and fault simulations in preparation for a service measure.
[0004] After series production, workshops prefer measurements via connectors due to their easier accessibility, eliminating the need to tilt the commercial vehicle cab for each voltage measurement. The measurement should be performed via a breakout box connected to a specific header on the component. Each header should be protected by fuses within the component.
[0005] Because the measuring connector is protected by fuses, a measurement should always be carried out using a two-pole voltage tester (e.g. Duspol®) to ensure that the fuse is not defective.
[0006] From a technical perspective, a standard measurement appears more practical and safer for measuring voltage and performing other testing activities.
[0007] If a standard measuring connection is provided, the housing of the connection shall have a sealing concept and the shutdown of the high-voltage system shall have a suitable locking integration between a cover and the housing of the standard measuring connection.
[0008] The invention is based on the object of specifying a novel high-voltage arrangement for an electrically powered vehicle.
[0009] The object is achieved according to the invention by a high-voltage arrangement for an electrically powered vehicle having the features of claim 1.
[0010] Advantageous embodiments of the invention are the subject of the subclaims.
[0011] A high-voltage arrangement for an electrically driven vehicle is proposed, comprising a high-voltage component with a housing in which a conductor for a positive potential and a conductor for a negative potential are arranged, wherein a measuring connection is arranged on the housing, which has contacts for the positive potential, for a vehicle ground and for the negative potential, wherein a high-voltage interlock loop is arranged in the housing, which is configured to secure the measuring connection and for this purpose has contacts on the measuring connection.According to the invention, a measuring box is provided with a first plug connection with contacts for connection to the measuring connection, wherein at least one seal is arranged for sealing the measuring connection against the first plug connection, wherein the measuring box has a second plug connection with contacts for connection to a plug connector via a fuse, wherein the high-voltage interlock loop is looped through to the second plug connection via a component in the measuring box, wherein an interlock switch for closing the high-voltage interlock loop is arranged on the measuring connection of the housing of the high-voltage component.
[0012] According to the present invention, the standard measuring terminal and the measuring plug are arranged in a housing which has sealing functions and locking functions.
[0013] There are technical and commercial trade-offs between these two measurement concepts. If a dedicated measurement connector is provided, this means there is an occupied, unavailable connector interface, a suitable blanking plug during normal operation, an additional fuse, and additional conductors.
[0014] For the standard test connection, the concept includes features such as sealing, locking circuitry, locking adapters, and test plugs that are not used outside of testing and decommissioning activities.
[0015] According to the present invention, the concepts of the standard measurement connection and the measurement connector are combined to offer both options, whereby the built-in connector can also be used for additional loads in a particularly cost-effective manner. The solution according to the invention therefore provides two measurement concepts with the associated advantages.
[0016] The connector provides an accessible interface via a breakout box. The standard measurement port provides accurate measurements. The connector on the measurement box can serve as an additional connector interface for consumers. Therefore, an additional connector for high-voltage consumers does not need to be provided on the vehicle. This results in cost savings in materials, conductors, and connectors.
[0017] If the connector is not used, the connector box can be replaced with a simple cover to save costs on subcomponents (fuse, connector and conductors).
[0018] Embodiments of the invention are explained in more detail below with reference to a drawing.
[0019] It shows: Fig. 1 a schematic view of a high-voltage component 1 of an electrically powered vehicle.
[0020] The only Fig. 1 is a schematic view of a high-voltage component 1 for an electrically powered vehicle, for example a commercial vehicle.
[0021] The high-voltage component 1 has a housing 2 in which a plurality of electrical conductors 3, 4 are arranged, for example, a conductor 3 for a positive potential V+ and a conductor 4 for a negative potential V-. A measuring connection 5, in particular a standard measuring connection, is arranged on the housing 2 and has contacts 6, 7, 8, in particular plug contacts, for the positive potential V+, for a vehicle ground GND, and for the negative potential V-. Furthermore, a high-voltage interlock loop (HVIL) 9 is arranged in the housing 2, which is configured to secure the measuring connection 5 and for this purpose has contacts 25, 26 on the measuring connection 5. When the measuring connection 5 is opened, the high-voltage interlock loop 9 is opened, and the high-voltage system enters active discharge. If a measurement or test is to be performed under voltage, the high-voltage interlock loop 9 must be bridged by an appropriately trained specialist.
[0022] The measuring connection 5 further comprises a seal 10 for sealing against a measuring box 11, which can be connected to the contacts 6, 7, 8. Alternatively or additionally, the measuring box 11 can comprise a seal (not shown) for sealing against the measuring connection 5.
[0023] The measuring box 11 has a first plug connection 12 with contacts 13, 14 for connection to the measuring connection 5. The measuring box 11 also has a second plug connection 15 with contacts 16, 17 for connection to a plug connector 18. The contact 13 is connected to the contact 16 via an electrical conductor 19 in which a fuse 20, for example a 20A fuse, is arranged. The contact 14 is connected to the contact 17 via an electrical conductor 21. The plug connector 18 can be a universal measuring plug connector, for example. Furthermore, a component 22 of the high-voltage interlock loop 9 with contacts 23, 24 is arranged in the measuring box 11 on the first plug connection 12 for contacting the contacts 25, 26. In addition, the component 22 of the high-voltage interlock loop 9 has contacts 27, 28 on the second plug connection 15.The connector 18 has a further component 29 of the high-voltage interlock loop 9, which can be contacted with the contacts 27, 28 via corresponding contacts.
[0024] Furthermore, an interlock switch 30 is arranged at the measuring connection 5 of the housing 2 of the high-voltage component 1 in order to close the high-voltage interlock loop 9 for test purposes and thus switch on the high voltage. List of reference symbols 1 high-voltage component 2 housings 3 electrical conductors 4 electrical conductors 5 Measuring connection 6 Contact 7 Contact 8 Contact 9 High-voltage interlock loop 10 Seal 11 Measuring box 12 first plug connection 13 Contact 14 Contact 15 second plug connection 16 Contact 17 Contact 18 connectors 19 electrical conductor 20 Security 21 electrical conductor 22 Component 23 Contact 24 Contact 25 Contact 26 Contact 27 Contact 28 Contact 29 Component 30 interlock switches GND vehicle ground V+ positive potential V- negative potential
Claims
[1] High-voltage arrangement for an electrically driven vehicle, comprising a high-voltage component (1) with a housing (2) in which a conductor (3) for a positive potential (V+) and a conductor (4) for a negative potential (V-) are arranged, wherein a measuring connection (5) is arranged on the housing (2), which has contacts (6, 7, 8) for the positive potential (V+), for a vehicle ground (GND) and for the negative potential (V-), wherein a high-voltage interlock loop (9) is arranged in the housing (2), which is configured to secure the measuring connection (5) and for this purpose has contacts (25, 26) on the measuring connection (5), characterized bya measuring box (11) with a first plug connection (12) with contacts (13, 14) for connection to the measuring connection (5), wherein at least one seal (10) is arranged to seal the measuring connection (5) against the first plug connection (12), wherein the measuring box (11) has a second plug connection (15) with contacts (16, 17) for connection to a plug connector (18) via a fuse (20), wherein the high-voltage interlock loop (9) is looped through to the second plug connection (15) via a component (22) in the measuring box (11), wherein an interlock switch (30) for closing the high-voltage interlock loop (9) is arranged on the measuring connection (5) of the housing (2) of the high-voltage component (1). [2] High-voltage arrangement according to claim 1, characterized bythat a test device or consumer with a plug connector (18) is connected to the second plug connection (15), wherein the test device or consumer has a component (29) for closing the high-voltage interlock loop (9). [3] Electric vehicle, characterized by a high-voltage arrangement according to claim 1 or 2.