Improved starting device for motor vehicles

Abstract

The invention relates to a starting device (10) for a motor vehicle comprising a powertrain including an electric traction machine, a traction battery supplying electrical energy to the electric traction machine, the motor vehicle further comprising a set of low-voltage electrical systems arranged to allow at least one starting of the powertrain, wherein the starting device includes an internal activation battery (15) for the low-voltage electrical system of the motor vehicle. Figure 3

Description

Title of the invention: Improved starting device for motor vehicles. Technical field of the invention

[0001] The invention relates to the field of starting devices for motor vehicles. In particular, the invention relates to a starting device for a motor vehicle's powertrain. Prior art

[0002] Currently, within a motor vehicle comprising a powertrain, said motor vehicle includes a 12V auxiliary battery used to power various electrical equipment when a motor of the powertrain is not running. This auxiliary battery provides power to systems such as interior / exterior lighting, an infotainment / radio system, an instrument cluster, navigation systems, central locking systems, window control systems, wiper systems, etc. A main battery of the motor vehicle is used primarily to start the powertrain engine.

[0003] In a motor vehicle whose powertrain includes an electric motor, a traction battery is used to power the electric motor that propels the vehicle. This traction battery stores the electrical energy used to operate the electric motor and can also be used to supply power to the air conditioning systems to ensure thermal comfort in the passenger compartment and / or to cool the traction battery cells. The traction battery is most often specifically designed to power the electric motor at 400V or 800V and is not suitable for directly powering the other electrical systems of the motor vehicle, which generally operate at 12V, or for starting the engine. The other electrical systems of an electric motor vehicle are generally powered by a separate auxiliary battery.

[0004] A solution described in document CN206850490 makes it possible to remove the auxiliary battery within an electric motor vehicle.

[0005] Another possible solution for eliminating the auxiliary battery is an electrical energy storage system within a vehicle equipped with an electric motor, known as "IBIS" (an English acronym for 'Intelligent Battery Integrated System'), which allows for the production of alternating current directly from the traction battery thanks to to electronic boards which provide the functions of power inverter and charger directly integrated with the cells of said traction battery.

[0006] In all the preceding cases, when the motor vehicle is stationary with the engine off, it is necessary to leave some of the electrical systems operational so as to allow, at a minimum, the engine of the powertrain to start. This necessitates maintaining a standby electrical load within the motor vehicle. Description of the invention

[0007] The invention aims to remedy all or part of the drawbacks of the prior art by proposing in particular a solution to eliminate standby power consumption in the motor vehicle.

[0008] To this end, it is proposed, according to a first aspect of the invention, a starting device for a motor vehicle comprising a powertrain including an electric traction machine, a traction battery supplying electrical energy to the electric traction machine, the motor vehicle further comprising a set of low voltage electrical systems arranged so as to allow at least one starting of the powertrain, the starting device comprising an internal battery for activating the low voltage electrical system of the motor vehicle.

[0009] According to one embodiment, the internal activation battery is low voltage.

[0010] According to one embodiment, the internal activation battery is removable.

[0011] According to one embodiment, the internal activation battery is a button cell battery.

[0012] According to one embodiment, the starting device comprises a body of button in which a housing is provided for the internal activation battery

[0013] According to another aspect of the invention, a motor vehicle powertrain is provided comprising a powertrain, including an electric traction machine, a traction battery, and a set of low-voltage electrical systems arranged so as to allow at least one start of the powertrain, wherein the electric vehicle includes a starting device having at least one of the preceding technical characteristics.

[0014] According to yet another aspect of the invention, a motor vehicle is provided comprising a powertrain having one of the preceding technical characteristics. brief description of the figures

[0015] Other features and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following description, with reference to the accompanying figures, which illustrate: • [Fig.1]: is a schematic view of a motor vehicle comprising a starting device according to the invention; • [Fig. 2]: is a three-dimensional view of an embodiment of a starting device according to the invention; and, • [Fig.3]: is a three-dimensional view from another angle of the starting device of [Fig.2].

[0016] For clarity, identical or similar elements are identified by identical reference symbols throughout the figures. DETAILED description of a method of implementation

[0017] With reference to [Fig. 1], we will briefly describe a motor vehicle 1 comprising a starting device 10 according to the invention

[0018] The motor vehicle 1 here comprises a powertrain 2 including an electric motor and optionally a combustion engine. The motor vehicle 1 further comprises an intelligent traction battery 3 of the IBIS type. Thus, the traction battery comprises a series of battery cells reserved for powering the electrical systems of the motor vehicle 1 operating at 12V or 48V. The series of battery cells forms a power supply module 31. The traction battery 3 is electrically connected to a charging socket 8 allowing the motor vehicle 1 to be connected to a charging station, in a manner known per se.

[0019] On the other hand, the electric machine of the powertrain 2 is electrically connected to the traction battery 3.

[0020] Furthermore, the motor vehicle 1 includes a set of low-voltage electrical systems 4, 5, 6, 7, such as an air conditioning system 6, an electric power steering system 7, an electrical distributor 5 or a DC / DC converter 4 converting the high voltage from the traction battery 3 into a low voltage of 12V or 48V to power all the electrical systems of the motor vehicle 1. The set of electrical systems is connected to the powertrain 2 to enable its starting: the powertrain 2 includes a management and control device that is part of the set of low-voltage electrical systems of the motor vehicle 1.

[0021] The motor vehicle 1 comprises a starting device 1 according to the invention. The starting device 10 according to the invention is electrically connected, here, to the DC / DC converter 4. Alternatively, the starting device 10 according to the invention is connected to the power supply module 31 of the traction battery 3.

[0022] With reference to figures 2 and 3, we will describe in detail an embodiment of the starting device 10 according to the invention.

[0023] The starting device 10 according to the invention comprises a button body 16. On a front face that is visible and accessible to a user of the motor vehicle 1, the The starting device 10 according to the invention includes a push button 11 which, when pressed, starts the powertrain 2 and more generally the motor vehicle 1.

[0024] On a rear part of the button body 16, the starting device 10 according to the invention includes a connection cable 13 with at least the DC / DC converter 4. The cable 13 allows information to be transmitted from the starting device 10 according to the invention to all the electrical systems and the powertrain 2 of the motor vehicle 1.

[0025] Furthermore, still at the rear of the button body 16, the starting device 10 according to the invention includes a receiving compartment 14 for receiving an internal activation battery 15. The internal activation battery 15 is a removable battery. For example, the internal activation battery is a button cell, such as a 3V lithium button cell type CR2032 or similar. The use of a removable battery allows for its replacement during maintenance of the motor vehicle 1. Alternatively, the internal activation battery 15 is permanently or non-removably integrated into the receiving compartment 14. A cover 12 allows the receiving compartment 14 to be closed.

[0026] During use, pressing the starting device 10 according to the invention connects the traction battery 3's power supply module 31 to the DC / DC converter 4 and activates the latter. Specifically, pressing the push button 11 of the starting device 10 according to the invention sends at least one low-voltage electrical pulse from the internal activation battery 15 to a portion of the vehicle's electrical systems 1, thereby activating a low-voltage supply (12V or 48V) to all the vehicle's low-voltage electrical systems and starting the powertrain 2. Thus, using the starting device 10 according to the invention, as described above, allows the vehicle 1 to be started when its auxiliary lead-acid battery is depleted.This therefore makes it possible to eliminate the lead-acid auxiliary battery in motor vehicles (weight saving, economic saving, architectural saving and reduction of constraints related to frontal impact) and to ensure a minimum energy reserve to start the motor vehicle thanks to an autonomous system which can also be seen as a backup system.

[0027] Naturally, the invention is described above by way of example. It is understood that a person skilled in the art is able to carry out different embodiments of the invention without departing from the scope of the invention.

[0028] It is emphasized that all features, as they are apparent to a person skilled in the art from the present description, drawings and claims attached, even if in practice they have only been described in relation to other specific characteristics, both individually and in any combinations, can be combined with other characteristics or groups of characteristics disclosed here, provided that this has not been expressly excluded or that technical circumstances make such combinations impossible or meaningless.

Claims

Demands

1. Starting device (10) of a motor vehicle (1) comprising a powertrain (2) including an electric traction machine, a traction battery (3) supplying electrical power to the electric traction machine, the motor vehicle further comprising a set of low-voltage electrical systems (4,5,6,7) arranged to permit at least one starting of the powertrain, wherein the starting device includes an internal activation battery (15) of at least one (4) of the low-voltage electrical systems (4,5,6,7) of the motor vehicle.

2. Starting device according to claim 1, wherein the internal activation battery is low voltage.

3. Starting device according to any one of claims 1 to 2, wherein the internal activation battery is removable.

4. Starting device according to claim 3, wherein the internal activation battery is a button cell.

5. Starting device according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the starting device comprises a button body (16) in which is provided a housing for receiving (14) the internal activation battery.

6. Motor vehicle (1) comprising a powertrain (2), including an electric traction machine, a traction battery (3), and a set of low-voltage electrical systems (4,5,6,7) arranged to permit at least one start of the powertrain, wherein the electric vehicle includes a starting device according to any one of claims 1 to 5.

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