Fuse circuit body for vehicle

Abstract

A fuse circuit body (3) for a vehicle equipped with a first battery (B1) and a second battery (B2), each charged with electricity generated by an alternator (ALT) when an engine is driven, the first battery (B1) being provided for supplying the electricity to a load (L), the second battery (B2) being provided for supplying electricity to a starter motor (M) for restarting the engine which is stopped when the alternator (ALT) does not generate electricity, the fuse circuit body (3) comprising: an alternator connecting portion (31) connected to the alternator (ALT); a first fuse section (32) connected to the alternator connecting section (31); a first battery connecting portion (33) connected to the alternator connecting portion (31) via the first fuse portion (32) and connected to the first battery (B1); a second fuse section (34) connected to the alternator connecting section (31); a second battery connecting portion (35) connected to the alternator connecting portion (31) via the second fuse portion (34) and connected to the second battery (B2); a third fuse section (36a-36e) connected to the first battery connection section (33); and a load connection section (37a-37c) connected to the first battery connection section (33) via the third fuse section (36a-36e) and connected to the load (L).

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD

[0001] The present invention relates to a fuse circuit body for a vehicle to which a battery for a starter motor is additionally attached in order to achieve idle reduction. STATE OF THE ART

[0002] One example of a measure to reduce global environmental impact is an idle reduction system for stopping an engine when a vehicle is stopped. A vehicle using such an idle reduction system requires the engine to be reliably started with a starter motor when the vehicle, which has stopped, resumes driving. Thus, a vehicle using the idle reduction system can be equipped with a battery to power the starter motor, in addition to a battery for supplying electricity to regular loads.

[0003] Here, in a vehicle equipped only with a battery for loads, the battery is connected to an alternator and loads via a fuse unit mounted on a battery stand. Specifically, a bus bar of the fuse unit is directly mounted on the battery stand, and one of the connecting sections of the bus bar is connected to the alternator, and other connecting sections are connected to loads, each connecting section being connected via a single fuse section.

[0004] One connecting portion connected to the alternator is connected to the other connecting portion via a fuse. The coupled portion is connected to a load to which electricity is supplied from the alternator when the alternator generates electricity (reference to PTL 1). CITATION LISTPATENT LITERATURE

[0005] PTL 1: JP 2011-086510 A DE 102 28 350 A1, DE 103 01 528 A1 and DE 10 2007 062 955 A1 represent further prior art. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0006] When a starter motor battery is additionally mounted on a vehicle using the fuse unit described above, the starter motor battery is connected to one of the other connecting sections. The starter motor battery is charged with the electricity generated by the alternator or generator in the same way as the load battery. The electricity from one connecting section passes through the busbar via the fuse body and further reaches the other connecting section via the other fuse body to be supplied to the starter motor battery connected to the other connecting section.

[0007] As described above, the electricity from the alternator reaches the battery to drive the starter motor through two fuse bodies, which consequently leads to an increase in loss.

[0008] The present invention was made in view of the above-described problem. An object of the present invention is to provide a fuse circuit body for a vehicle capable of supplying electricity with low loss from an alternator to a battery for a starter motor additionally mounted on the vehicle to achieve idle reduction.

[0009] To achieve the above-mentioned object, a fuse circuit body for a vehicle according to claim 1 is provided.

[0010] With such a configuration, electricity generated by the alternator is supplied to the first battery from the alternator connecting portion via the first fusible link portion and the first battery connecting portion, and is supplied to the second battery from the alternator connecting portion via the second fusible link portion and the second battery connecting portion.

[0011] The electricity from the alternator is supplied to the first battery only through the first fuse section, and to the second battery only through the second fuse section. Consequently, the electricity from the alternator does not need to pass through two fuse sections when supplying it to either the first battery or the second battery, allowing the electricity from the alternator to be supplied to both the first battery and the second battery with minimal loss.

[0012] The fuse circuit body according to the first aspect of the present invention preferably further comprises a circuit body casing comprising: an insulating first body casing of the alternator connecting portion, the first battery connecting portion, and the second battery connecting portion at least so as to be exposed to the outside; and an insulating second body casing of the load connecting portion and the third fusible link portion at least so as to be exposed to the outside. The circuit body casing is preferably attached to one of the first battery and the second battery such that the first body extends along a terminal arrangement surface.a first battery terminal connected to the first battery connecting portion or a second battery terminal arranging surface connected to the second battery connecting portion, and such that the second body extends along a side surface perpendicular to the first battery terminal arranging surface or the second battery terminal arranging surface.

[0013] With such a configuration, the fuse unit arranged around the first battery or the second battery with a space-saving design contributes to supplying the electricity from the alternator to the first battery and the second battery with a low loss.

[0014] The fuse circuit body according to the first aspect of the present invention can supply electricity with a low loss from the alternator to the second battery for a starter motor additionally mounted on the vehicle to achieve idle reduction. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS [ Fig. 1] Fig. 1 is a perspective view illustrating a schematic configuration of a fuse unit having a fuse circuit body according to an embodiment. [ Fig. 2] Fig. 2 is an explanatory view illustrating a circuit configuration of the fuse circuit body according to the embodiment. [ Fig. 3] Fig. 3 is an explanatory view illustrating a circuit configuration of a modified example of the fuse circuit body according to the embodiment. DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS

[0015] An embodiment of the present invention will be explained below with reference to the drawings.

[0016] A security unit 1, which is in Fig. 1 comprises a fuse circuit body 3 according to the embodiment with a Fig. 2. The fuse circuit body 3 includes an alternator connection portion 31, a first battery connection portion 33, a second battery connection portion 35, and load connection portions 37a to 37c.

[0017] The alternator connecting portion 31 is a terminal portion connected to an alternator ALT driven by an engine (not shown) on a vehicle equipped with an idle reduction function. The first battery connecting portion 33 is a terminal portion connected to the alternator connecting portion 31 via a first fusible link portion (fuse) 32 and connected to a first battery B1 for supplying electricity to loads L in the vehicle.

[0018] The second battery connecting portion 35 is a terminal portion connected to the alternator connecting portion 31 via a second fuse portion 34, and connected to a second battery B2 for supplying electricity to a starter motor M used for the engine. The load connecting portions 37a to 37c are terminal portions connected to the first battery portion 33 via third fuse portions 36a to 36e, and connected to the loads L via connectors C1 to C3.

[0019] The starter motor M, which is supplied with electricity by the second battery B2, may be connected to the second fusible link section 34 on the alternator ALT side, as shown by the solid line in Fig. 2, or may be connected to the second fuse section 34 on the side of the second battery B2, as indicated by the dotted line in Fig. 2, depending on whether protection of the starter motor M by the second fuse section 34 against an overcurrent is required.

[0020] As in Fig. As shown in Figure 1, the fuse unit 1 includes a circuit body casing 5 made of a resin, which serves as an insulator. The circuit body casing 5 includes a first body 5a extending along the upper surface (arrangement surface) 13 of the second battery B2, on which a positive electrode terminal (battery post) 11 is arranged, and a second body 5b extending along a side surface 15 perpendicular to the upper surface 13.

[0021] The alternator connecting portion 31, the first battery connecting portion 33, the second battery connecting portion 35, and the second fusible link portion 34 in the fuse circuit body 3 are housed in the first body 5a so as to be exposed to the outside. The second body 5b houses the load connecting portions 37a to 37c so as to be exposed to a connector opening (located on the lower side in the figure) through which the connectors C1 to C3 of the loads L are inserted, and houses the respective third fusible link portions 36a to 36e so as to be exposed to the outside.

[0022] The alternator connecting portion 31 is provided with a bolt 31a extending upward therefrom. The first battery connecting portion 33 is provided with a bolt 33a extending upward therefrom. A terminal (not shown) of an electric wire extending from the alternator ALT is fixed to the bolt 31a of the alternator connecting portion 31 with a nut (not shown). A terminal (not shown) of an electric wire extending from the first battery B1 is fixed to the bolt 33a of the first battery connecting portion 33 with a nut (not shown).

[0023] The second battery connecting portion 35 is connected to the battery stand 11 of the second battery B2 via a battery terminal (not shown). For example, the battery terminal includes a battery stand connecting portion (not shown) mounted on the battery stand 11, and a connecting bolt (not shown) inserted into a fixing hole of the second battery connecting portion 35 from the rear side thereof. The connecting bolt inserted into the fixing hole is secured with a nut (not shown) attached from the front side of the second battery connecting portion 35.

[0024] In the fuse circuit body 3 according to the embodiment shown in Fig. 2, the electricity generated by the alternator ALT is supplied from the alternator connecting portion 31 to the first battery B1 via the first fusible link portion 32 and the first battery connecting portion 33, and is also supplied from the alternator connecting portion 31 to the second battery B2 via the second fusible link portion 34 and the second battery connecting portion 35.

[0025] Namely, in the fuse circuit body 3, the electricity from the alternator ALT is supplied to the first battery B1 only through the first fuse section 32, and the electricity from the alternator ALT is supplied to the second battery B2 only through the second fuse section 34. Thus, the electricity from the alternator ALT is not required to pass through two fuse sections when supplied to the first battery B1 or the second battery B2. Consequently, in the fuse circuit body 3, the electricity from the alternator ALT can be supplied to the first battery B1 and the second battery B2 with little loss.

[0026] The fuse circuit body 3 is housed in the circuit body casing 5, which serves as an insulator. Thus, the fuse unit 1, which is to be arranged around the second battery B2 with a space-saving design, contributes to supplying electricity from the alternator ALT to the first battery B1 and the second battery B2 with low loss.

[0027] The configurations of the respective connecting portions provided in the fuse circuit body 3 are not limited to those shown in Fig. 2, but optionally. For example, the alternator connecting portion 31 may simultaneously serve as a load connecting portion that is separately connected to a load L via a fuse 38, and the first battery connecting portion 33 may simultaneously serve as a load connecting portion that is separately connected to a load L via a fuse 39. Alternatively, as illustrated by a modified example shown in Fig. 3, an optional connecting portion 40 may be disposed toward the alternator connecting portion 31 on the side opposite the first fusible link portion 32 and the second fusible link portion 34, in addition to the alternator connecting portion 31. INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY

[0028] The present invention is particularly effectively applied to a fuse circuit body for a vehicle equipped with a first battery charged with electricity generated by an alternator when an engine is driven to supply the electricity to loads, and a second battery for a starter motor, the second battery supplying electricity to the starter motor for restarting the engine stopped when the alternator does not generate electricity.

Claims

[1] A fuse circuit body (3) for a vehicle equipped with a first battery (B1) and a second battery (B2), each charged with electricity generated by an alternator (ALT) when an engine is driven, the first battery (B1) being provided for supplying the electricity to a load (L), the second battery (B2) being provided for supplying electricity to a starter motor (M) for restarting the engine which is stopped when the alternator (ALT) does not generate electricity, the fuse circuit body (3) comprising: an alternator connecting portion (31) connected to the alternator (ALT); a first fuse section (32) connected to the alternator connecting section (31); a first battery connecting portion (33) connected to the alternator connecting portion (31) via the first fuse portion (32) and connected to the first battery (B1); a second fuse section (34) connected to the alternator connecting section (31); a second battery connecting portion (35) connected to the alternator connecting portion (31) via the second fuse portion (34) and connected to the second battery (B2); a third fuse section (36a-36e) connected to the first battery connection section (33); and a load connection section (37a-37c) connected to the first battery connection section (33) via the third fuse section (36a-36e) and connected to the load (L). [2] Fuse circuit body (3) according to claim 1, further comprising: a circuit body housing (5) comprising: an insulating first body (5a) which accommodates the alternator connecting portion (31), the first battery connecting portion (33) and the second battery connecting portion (35) at least in such a way that they are exposed to the outside; and an insulating second body (5b) which accommodates the load connection section (37a-37c) and the third fuse section (36a-36e) at least in such a way that they are exposed to the outside, wherein the circuit body housing (5) is attached to the first battery (B1) or the second battery (B2) in such a way that the first body (5a) extends along a terminal arrangement surface of the first battery (B1) connected to the first battery connecting portion (33) or a terminal arrangement surface of the second battery (B2) connected to the second battery connecting portion (35), and in such a way that the second body (5b) extends along a side surface perpendicular to the terminal arrangement surface of the first battery (B1) or the terminal arrangement surface of the second battery (B2).

Images