Motor vehicle, in particular electric motor vehicle or hybrid motor vehicle

Abstract

The invention relates to a motor vehicle, in particular electric motor vehicle or hybrid motor vehicle, which is equipped with at least one electromotively actuable motor vehicle lock (4), and with at least one on-board battery (7) and with an emergency battery (2b) for application of an electromotive drive (8) of the motor vehicle lock (4) during normal operation and during emergency operation. According to the invention, the emergency battery (2b) is provided with an emergency protection device (17, 18).

Description

[0001] Description

[0002] Motor vehicle, in particular electric or hybrid vehicle

[0003] The invention relates to a motor vehicle, in particular an electric or hybrid motor vehicle, with at least one motor vehicle lock that can be operated by an electric motor, and with at least one on-board battery and an emergency battery for supplying an electric motor drive of the motor vehicle lock in normal operation and in emergency operation.

[0004] Motor-operated vehicle locks are generally designed so that the electric motor can open a mandatory locking mechanism consisting of a rotary latch and pawl. To do this, the pawl is lifted from its engagement with the rotary latch, releasing a locking bolt previously trapped by the rotary latch. The corresponding vehicle door can then be opened. In principle, the motor-operated drive for the vehicle lock can also be used and operated in such a way that it unlocks the aforementioned locking mechanism, which can then be opened mechanically, for example.

[0005] Either way, the normal operation of such a motor vehicle and the associated motor vehicle lock requires that the electric motor drive is supplied with sufficient electrical energy by means of the on-board battery in order to be able to open the locking mechanism electrically in the example described, or at least to unlock it. If such a motor vehicle is involved in an accident or crash, the system switches to so-called emergency operation. The same applies if the on-board battery has failed. In emergency operation, the additional emergency battery supplies the electric motor drive of the motor vehicle lock instead of the on-board battery. In this way, the motor vehicle lock in question can be opened electrically, or at least unlocked, using the emergency battery even in emergency operation or in an emergency. This is necessary in order to be able to carry out a rescue operation after such an accident or crash.To enable rescue personnel arriving at the vehicle in the event of a crash to open the vehicle door and thus gain access to any passengers inside the vehicle who may need care.

[0006] The state of the art according to KR 10-2015-0015 051 A is such that, during normal operation, an electric lock is supplied with the required electrical power using the on-board battery. An additional external emergency power source is also implemented, which can be connected, for example, via a USB port.

[0007] The generic prior art according to DE 695 09 316 T2 relates to an arrangement consisting of a motor vehicle door and an associated electric door lock. The electric door lock is opened by actuating an actuating element powered by the vehicle's battery or the on-board battery. In the event of a malfunction in the power supply of said on-board battery, the electric door lock can be opened by the power supply provided by a backup battery. For this purpose, the backup battery is arranged in the associated motor vehicle door to which the electric door lock belongs. This has proven fundamentally successful.

[0008] However, the additional implementation of a reserve or emergency battery inside the vehicle door or even inside a lock housing of the vehicle lock not only leads to increased costs in practice, but also to an increased weight of the vehicle door or the vehicle lock, or both. This is disadvantageous in that the vehicle door must be opened by a user, which consequently requires increased operating forces.

[0009] In addition, the proper functioning of the emergency battery must be ensured throughout the entire service life of the vehicle in question. This generally requires regular replacement of the emergency battery every few years. Furthermore, the emergency battery usually needs to be charged externally or internally using the onboard battery. Nevertheless, malfunctions in the event of a crash cannot be completely ruled out.

[0010] This is also due to the fact that, for example, in the generic prior art according to DE 695 09 316 T2, the emergency battery is connected to the vehicle lock via an interface inside the associated vehicle door. In DE 10 2019 122 107 A1, an energy storage device with a capacitor for power supply is arranged inside the vehicle lock. Regardless of any functional malfunctions of the emergency battery, this fundamentally creates the problem that the emergency battery could be damaged or destroyed, for example, in the event of an accident or crash. This does not necessarily have to be due to corresponding mechanical impact, but can also be the result of, for example, overvoltages or heat, or possibly an explosion.In any case, the existing approaches have proven effective, but they reach their limits in the event that the emergency battery is destroyed or impaired in the event of a crash. This invention aims to remedy this situation.

[0011] The invention is based on the technical problem of further developing such a motor vehicle, and in particular an electric or hybrid motor vehicle, in such a way that functional impairments of the emergency battery can be eliminated as far as possible. To solve this technical problem, a generic motor vehicle, and in particular an electric or hybrid motor vehicle, is characterized within the scope of the invention in that the emergency battery is equipped with an emergency protection device.

[0012] The term "emergency protection device" is to be interpreted broadly according to the invention. In fact, the emergency protection device ensures that the emergency battery is electrically and / or mechanically and / or thermally protected against emergency effects. In the context of the invention, electrical protection of the emergency battery means that any damage to the emergency battery does not occur, particularly during and after a crash caused, for example, by a short circuit in the wiring network, any overvoltages, etc. The invention is based on the fundamental finding that electric or hybrid motor vehicles in particular, in addition to the on-board battery, which typically operates with 12 V direct voltage, also have a drive battery, which is generally operated with a significantly higher direct voltage or provides such a voltage to drive the electric motors.High-voltage operating voltages, which can reach several hundred volts, are observed at this point. In the event of a crash, there is a risk that any overvoltages from the traction battery could damage the emergency battery, as this is generally charged using the onboard battery and / or the traction battery, or both. In addition to the described overvoltages, any short circuits can also be dangerous and can damage the emergency battery during a crash to such an extent that it is subsequently unable to power the electric motor drive of the vehicle lock, thereby opening it electrically.

[0013] For this purpose, the emergency protection device is advantageously designed as a short-circuit and / or overvoltage protection device. With the help of such a short-circuit device, it can be ensured, for example, that in the event of a crash, the emergency battery is (galvanically) isolated from any voltage supply that exists during normal operation using the on-board battery or the traction battery or both, in order to protect the emergency battery. For this purpose, the emergency protection device can be connected to a control unit, which in turn evaluates signals from a crash sensor and, as a result, activates the short-circuit and / or overvoltage protection device accordingly. In fact, the overvoltage protection device of the emergency battery can ensure that, in the event of any overvoltages, the voltage supply to the emergency battery is opened and the emergency battery as a whole is galvanically isolated from the cable network. This means:The short-circuit and / or overvoltage protection device typically ensures, in the event of a crash, that the emergency battery is galvanically isolated from the vehicle's wiring network and, accordingly, also from the remaining power supply, thus providing the desired protection required for emergency operation.

[0014] Alternatively or additionally, the emergency protection device can also provide mechanical protection for the emergency battery. In this case, it has proven effective for the emergency protection device to be designed as an emergency protection housing that encloses the emergency battery and provides mechanical protection for the emergency battery. The emergency protection housing, advantageously implemented in this location, can be designed to be crush- and / or explosion- and / or fire-resistant. A crush-resistant design of the emergency protection housing corresponds to the fact that, in the event of a crash, the emergency protection housing may be exposed to deformation forces, which are absorbed by a corresponding crush protection of the emergency protection housing, similar to the "crumple zone" commonly known in motor vehicles.In other words, the emergency protection housing can be equipped with a crumple zone as crush protection to prevent mechanical deformation or at least to absorb it to such an extent that the emergency battery located inside the emergency protection housing is not impaired in its function. Alternatively or additionally, the emergency protection housing can also be designed to be explosion- and / or fire-resistant. Explosion protection can be achieved, for example, by a stable and closed design of the emergency protection housing. Additional fire protection can be ensured by equipping the emergency protection housing with a fire protection layer on the outside and / or inside, for example, based on mineral fiber boards.

[0015] In addition, the emergency protection device additionally or alternatively ensures that the emergency battery is thermally protected from emergency effects. Associated emergency effects can include, for example, a fire or explosion being observed in the immediate or indirect vicinity of the emergency battery. To prevent temperatures in this area that could impair its function, the emergency protection device is advantageously designed as a temperature protection device surrounding the emergency battery, which thermally protects the emergency battery. Such a temperature protection device can be designed, for example, as a cooling and / or heating device.

[0016] If cooling of the emergency battery is necessary, it is recommended, for example, that the temperature protection device is designed as a Peltier device, i.e. uses Peltier elements with the help of which the emergency battery can be cooled electrically. In principle, it is of course also possible for the temperature protection device to ensure that the emergency battery heats up if, for example, the motor vehicle in question is involved in an accident in the Arctic Circle and the emergency battery is exposed to arctic temperatures that are harmful to it. In this case, the temperature protection device can alternatively or additionally be designed as a heating wire device and ensure that the emergency battery is brought to the temperature required for its optimal operation. In a particularly preferred variant, the emergency battery is designed at least partially as a traction battery for the drive of the motor vehicle.In the event that the emergency protection device electrically protects the emergency battery, this can also be designed at least partially as a drive battery or a component thereof for the drive of the motor vehicle.

[0017] This means that in both of these cases, the invention relies on a special emergency battery or special electrically operated emergency protection device, which in emergency operation controls the electric motor-operated motor vehicle lock. This is because the emergency battery in question is at least partly the drive battery typically provided for powering the vehicle. The invention is based on the finding that electric or hybrid motor vehicles typically have, in addition to the on-board battery, which is still implemented and provided unchanged, a drive battery which (exclusively) drives the motor vehicle in electric mode. For this purpose, the motor vehicle in question has at least one electric motor, which is powered by the drive battery and can then in turn move the motor vehicle either purely electrically or support the drive using, for example, an internal combustion engine.

[0018] The traction battery is designed and constructed structurally and electrically independently of the on-board battery and is therefore generally not charged via an additional generator (alternator), but rather via recuperators or at a charging station of an electrical charging infrastructure.

[0019] For this reason, the supply voltage provided by such a drive battery for the electric motor of the additional drive is usually designed to be much higher than the on-board system voltage provided by the on-board battery, which typically assumes values ​​of 12V, 24V, or 48V. In fact, such drive batteries usually operate at high voltage, which can range from several hundred volts to almost 1000V, whereas the on-board system voltage is typically limited to a maximum of 48V, if only to avoid any potential health risks to users.

[0020] For this reason, the traction battery, which typically operates at high voltage, is usually designed to be completely mechanically and electrically separated from the onboard battery, the electrical system, and the vehicle body. Mechanical separation of the traction battery is typically ensured by a cage enclosing the traction battery or another housing inside the vehicle body, to prevent damage to the traction battery even in the event of a crash.

[0021] For this purpose, the drive battery is usually placed in the underbody and away from the crumple zones of the associated motor vehicle. Electrical insulation is provided by supply lines that connect the drive battery in question, on the one hand, to at least one electric motor for powering the motor vehicle, and on the other hand, to a charging socket. The supply lines expressly do not use the body of the motor vehicle, as is usually the case for the ground line or the negative pole of the on-board electrical system voltage and the on-board battery. Rather, the supply lines for the two poles of the drive battery, which usually operates with direct current, are expressly electrically insulated from the body. In any case, the drive battery is designed both mechanically and electrically separate from the on-board battery and thus from the on-board electrical system voltage.

[0022] Within the scope of the invention, the traction battery functions at least partially as an emergency battery and / or electrically operated emergency protection device. The traction battery can be divided into at least two sections. Typically, at least one of these two sections is equipped with the emergency protection device and defines the emergency battery. In concrete terms, this means that the relevant section—in addition to the generally provided enclosure for the entire traction battery—has the previously described emergency protection housing. This emergency protection housing of the relevant section, which defines the emergency battery, is—as described—generally designed to be crush- and / or explosion- and / or fire-resistant.This then leads to the overall result that in the event of a crash and even if the other second section fails, the section of the drive battery defining the emergency battery with its own emergency protection housing can still and unchanged fulfill its function as an emergency battery.

[0023] This also applies given that the emergency battery in question, or the section of the traction battery that defines the emergency battery, is equipped with a temperature protection device. This means that the section of the traction battery that defines the emergency battery is cooled in an emergency, if necessary, using the Peltier device, in order to at least mitigate the effects of, for example, heat or an explosion on the emergency battery. As a result, the function of the section of the traction battery that defines the emergency battery is guaranteed under virtually all circumstances, even after an accident or in the event of a crash. This means that the emergency battery ensures the continued and reliable operation of the electric motor drive of the vehicle lock in emergency operation.

[0024] This means that even in the event of a crash or accident, or if the on-board battery exhibits other malfunctions, i.e., in emergency operation, it can be assumed that the section of the drive battery defining the emergency battery is still functional and can therefore be used as an emergency battery to power the electric motor drive inside the vehicle lock. The vehicle lock in question can be any conceivable vehicle lock present in or on the body. This includes not only vehicle door locks, vehicle tailgate locks, or vehicle bonnet locks, but also locks on, for example, fuel tank flaps, loading flaps, or even inside the vehicle in connection with, for example, a glove compartment or other storage compartments.In any case, according to the invention, all of these electric motor-operated motor vehicle locks can be reliably opened even in emergency mode, because in emergency mode, the section of the drive battery that defines the emergency battery is used, which remains functional even in the event of a failure of the on-board battery and, taking into account the emergency protection device provided according to the invention. This represents the main advantages.

[0025] The invention also relates to the at least partial use of a drive battery or at least a section of the drive battery of an electric or hybrid motor vehicle as an emergency battery in conjunction with an emergency protection device for actuating an electric motor drive of a motor vehicle lock in emergency operation.

[0026] In principle, the entire traction battery or all sections of the traction battery can also define the emergency battery. However, it is usually sufficient to define only a (small) section of the traction battery as the emergency battery and equip it with the emergency protection device within the scope of the invention to optimally protect the emergency battery's functionality. This represents the key advantages.

[0027] The invention is explained in more detail below with reference to a drawing which merely represents an exemplary embodiment; in the drawings:

[0028] Fig. 1 shows the motor vehicle according to the invention schematically and

[0029] Fig. 2 shows the circuit implemented at this point for implementing emergency operation and the emergency battery in a detailed representation. The figures show a motor vehicle which, according to the exemplary embodiment, is designed as an electric or hybrid motor vehicle. For this purpose, the motor vehicle firstly has a body 1. Inside the body 1, more precisely in or on its underbody, there is a drive battery 2 which is accommodated in its own housing or cage. The drive battery 2 generally extends in the space between the drive wheels 3 of the motor vehicle. Fig. 1 also shows two motor-operated motor vehicle locks 4, namely a motor vehicle lock 4 on a front side door 5 and a further motor vehicle lock 4 on a rear side door 6. This is of course only an example and is in no way to be understood as limiting.

[0030] Using the drive battery 2, one or more additionally provided electric motors can be supplied with electrical energy to drive the illustrated motor vehicle or the drive wheels 3. If the electric motors alone provide the drive, it is an electric vehicle. Alternatively, the motor vehicle can also operate as a hybrid vehicle. In this case, the one or more electric motors (not explicitly shown) are implemented in addition to an internal combustion engine and drive the drive wheels 3 alternatively or in addition to the respective internal combustion engine.

[0031] In addition to the drive battery 2, the illustrated motor vehicle is also equipped with an on-board battery 7. The on-board battery 7 supplies an on-board electrical system and, among other things, according to the exemplary embodiment, the two illustrated or all motor vehicle locks 4 with the required electrical energy.

[0032] In fact, the motor vehicle lock 4 in question is equipped internally with a merely indicated electric motor drive 8, with the aid of which a locking mechanism 9, 10 comprising a rotary latch 9 and a pawl 10, schematically indicated in Fig. 2, can be opened. In fact, the electric motor drive 8 according to the exemplary embodiment acts directly or indirectly on the pawl 10 and lifts it from its locking engagement with the rotary latch 9 to electrically open the motor vehicle lock 4. As a result, a locking bolt, previously captured by the rotary latch 9 and not explicitly shown, is released, so that the motor vehicle door 5, 6 in question can then be opened. This is ensured by the on-board battery 7 during normal operation.

[0033] For this purpose, the on-board battery 7 operates with a low DC voltage in the range of 12 V to approximately 48 V, as already described and explained in the introduction. In contrast, the traction battery 2 is mechanically and electrically separate from the on-board battery 7 because the traction battery 2 also generally operates with DC voltage, albeit with a high voltage of several hundred V in the example case.

[0034] As already explained, the on-board battery 7 provides power to the electric motor drive 8 of the relevant motor vehicle lock 4 during normal operation. According to the invention and during emergency operation, the drive battery 2, originally intended to drive the drive wheels 3 of the motor vehicle, functions as the emergency battery for the electric motor drive 8 of the motor vehicle lock, at least partially as explained below. For this purpose, the drive battery 2 is electrically connected to the relevant motor vehicle lock 4 via a switching device 11, 12. For this purpose, the switching device 11, 12 has a switching device 12 that can be actuated when the motor vehicle lock 4 is opened.

[0035] According to the exemplary embodiment, the switching device 12 is provided and arranged on or in the area of ​​an outside door handle 13. If, in emergency operation, the outside door handle 13 is acted upon to open the motor vehicle lock 4, which corresponds to a movement indicated in the direction of the arrow in Fig. 2, this leads to the switching device 12 being acted upon. In addition to the switching device 12, the switching device 11, 12 in the

[0036] The exemplary embodiment also includes a conversion unit 11. With the aid of the conversion unit 11, the electrical energy provided by the drive battery 2 in emergency operation is adapted to the requirements of the electric motor drive of the motor vehicle lock 4. For this purpose, the conversion unit 11 and thus the switching device 11, 12 can be designed with a voltage-dependent resistor (not expressly shown) in the form of an electronic resistor and, for example, a varistor. In principle, however, it is also conceivable for the conversion unit 11 to operate with a relay in this context.Voltage / current converters are also conceivable, as are timing elements, in order, on the one hand, to adapt the electrical energy provided by the drive battery 2 to the requirements of the electric motor drive 8 of the motor vehicle lock 4 and, on the other hand, to prevent any overheating of the electric motor drive 8 via the timing element or to ensure its timely shutdown in emergency operation.

[0037] From Fig. 2 it can be seen that a control unit 14 is also provided. The design is such that the switching device 11, 12 is actuated by means of the said control unit 14 to switch from normal operation to emergency operation. To do this, the control unit 14 generally evaluates the signal from at least one sensor 15. The sensor 15 can be one with the aid of which the on-board network voltage provided by the on-board battery 7 is monitored. Alternatively or additionally, the sensor 15 can also be designed as a crash sensor. The switching device 11, 12 can be installed entirely or largely inside a motor vehicle lock housing 16, which is indicated by a dash-dotted line in Fig. 2. This provides a particularly compact and cost-effective design.

[0038] From Fig. 2 it can also be seen that the traction battery 2 according to the exemplary embodiment is divided into two sections 2a, 2b. It can be seen that one of these two sections 2a, 2b, the left section 2b according to the exemplary embodiment, is additionally equipped with an emergency protection device 17, 18, which is of particular importance according to the invention. In fact, the section 2b of the traction battery 2 equipped with the emergency protection device 17, 18 in the exemplary embodiment is designed as an emergency battery 2b and defines the function of the emergency battery 2b already described above. In principle, the entire traction battery 2 could also work or function as an emergency battery 2. As a rule, however, it is sufficient to define one section, in the example case, section 2b, of the traction battery 2 as the emergency battery 2b.

[0039] The emergency protection device 17, 18 ensures that the emergency battery 2b is protected from emergency effects. These emergency effects can include mechanical deformation, heat, explosions, overvoltage, short circuits, etc., as already described in detail in the introduction. To ensure that the emergency protection device 17, 18 protects the emergency battery 2b from such emergency effects and to ensure that the emergency battery 2b continues to function following, for example, an accident or crash, the emergency protection device 17, 18 ensures, in the example shown in Fig. 2, that the emergency battery 2b is electrically, mechanically, and thermally protected.

[0040] The electrical protection of the emergency protection device 17, 18 is ensured in the example shown by the switching device 11, 12, which may operate in conjunction with the control unit 14 in such a way that in the event of a short circuit and / or overvoltage occurring at the emergency battery 2b, the emergency battery 2b is galvanically isolated from the cable network and thus protected. The mechanical protection of the emergency protection device 17, 18 is realized in such a way that an emergency protection housing 17 is provided at this point, which is crush-proof and explosion- and fire-protected. For this purpose, the emergency protection housing 17 has crumple zones 17a, indicated in Fig. 2, which absorb mechanical deformations of the emergency protection housing 17 to a certain extent. An additional explosion orFire protection of the emergency protection housing 17 is ensured by the fact that, according to the exemplary embodiment, it is equipped with an internal cladding 17b made of, for example, mineral fiber wool or other fire protection coatings.

[0041] In addition, the emergency protection device 17, 18 is also designed as a temperature protection device 18 surrounding the emergency battery 2b, or has one according to the exemplary embodiment. The temperature protection device 18 is a cooling device, specifically a Peltier device 18. The Peltier elements provided at this location are controlled by the control unit 14 and supplied with the required current to ensure cooling of the emergency battery 2b if necessary. The electrical current may be provided by the traction battery and / or the on-board battery 7.

[0042] According to the exemplary embodiment, the detection of emergency operation and the actuation of the temperature protection device 18 by the control unit 14 when necessary is coupled to the fact that the sensor or crash sensor 15 sends a corresponding crash signal to the control unit 14. At the same time, the control unit 14 ensures in this case that the switching device 11, 12 on the one hand detects any short circuits or

[0043] Keeps overvoltages away from the emergency battery 2b by galvanically isolating it from the rest of the on-board power supply if necessary. In addition, and on the other hand, the control unit 14 ensures, in emergency mode and after evaluating the signal from the sensor 15, that a switchover to emergency mode takes place via the switching device 11, 12 with the aid of the control unit 14. For this purpose, the active switching device 11, 12 in conjunction with the control unit 14 ensures that the electric motor drive 8 is no longer supplied with the required electrical energy by means of the on-board battery 7, but rather that the required electrical energy is supplied via the section 2b or the emergency battery 2b.In this context, the conversion unit 11, as a component of the switching device 11, 12, ensures that the electrical power provided by the relevant section 2b of the drive battery 2 is adapted to the electrical power required by the electric motor drive 8. Likewise, it ensures that the electric motor drive 8 is energized in emergency operation, for example, only for as long as is required following the actuation of the switching device 12 using the outside door handle 13 until the rotary latch 9 and thus the associated motor vehicle door 5, 6 are safely opened.

[0044] List of reference symbols

[0045] Body 1

[0046] Drive battery 2

[0047] Section 2a, 2b

[0048] Emergency battery 2b

[0049] Drive wheels 3

[0050] Motor vehicle lock 4

[0051] Side door 5

[0052] Side door 6

[0053] Bo rd batte rie 7

[0054] Drive 8

[0055] Lock 9, 10

[0056] Pawl 10 Switching device 11 , 12 Conversion device 11

[0057] Switching device 12 Control unit 14

[0058] Sensor 15

[0059] Emergency protection device 17, 18

[0060] Emergency protection housing 17

[0061] Crumple zones 17a inside paneling 17b pellet feeding device 18

Claims

Patent claims 1. Motor vehicle, in particular electric or hybrid motor vehicle, with at least one electrically operated motor vehicle lock (4), and with at least one on-board battery (7) and an emergency battery (2b) for powering an electric motor drive (8) of the motor vehicle lock (4) in normal operation and in emergency operation, characterized in that the emergency battery (2b) is equipped with an emergency protection device (17, 18).

2. Motor vehicle according to claim 1, characterized in that the emergency protection device (17, 18) protects the emergency battery (2b) electrically and / or mechanically and / or thermally from emergency effects.

3. Motor vehicle according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the Emergency protection device (17, 18) as short-circuit and / or is equipped with a surge protection device and electrically protects the emergency battery (2b).

4. Motor vehicle according to one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the emergency protection device (17, 18) is designed as an emergency protection housing (17) enclosing the emergency battery (2b) and mechanically protects the emergency battery (2b).

5. Motor vehicle according to claim 4, characterized in that the emergency protection housing (17) is designed to be crush-proof and / or explosion-proof and / or fire-proof.

6. Motor vehicle according to one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that, that the emergency protection device (17, 18) is designed as a temperature protection device (18) surrounding the emergency battery (2b), which thermally protects the emergency battery (2b).

7. Motor vehicle according to claim 6, characterized in that the temperature protection device (18) is designed as a cooling and / or heating device, for example a Peltier device (18) and / or a heating wire device.

8. Motor vehicle according to one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that the emergency battery (2b) is at least partially designed as a traction battery (2) for the propulsion of the motor vehicle.

9. Motor vehicle according to claim 8, characterized in that the traction battery (2) is divided into at least two sections (2a, 2b).

10. Motor vehicle according to claim 9, characterized in that at least one section (2b) of the traction battery (2) is equipped with the emergency protection device (17, 18) and defines the emergency battery (2b).

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