Power System

Abstract

To provide an electrical power system capable of easily changing a route for supplying power to a load or a power supply destination.SOLUTION: An electrical power system includes a first battery, a first power line electrically connected to the first battery, a second power line electrically connected to a first load, a third power line electrically connectable to a second battery, and a fuse electrically connectable to the first power line and the second power line and capable of electrically connecting the second power line and the third power line by reconnection.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a power supply system. [Background technology]

[0002] Known power supply systems equipped with multiple batteries and mounted on a vehicle include the technologies disclosed in, for example, Patent Documents 1 to 3. These Patent Documents 1 to 3 describe configurations that include switches to achieve redundant power supply. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2017-140920 [Patent Document 2] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2017-169307 [Patent Document 3] International Publication No. 2017 / 159308 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] Incidentally, when changing specifications (such as upgrading) of equipment in a vehicle, there are cases where it is necessary to change the path for supplying power to a load or to change the power supply destination. In such cases, it is desirable to be able to change the path more easily.

[0005] The present invention has been made in view of the above, and has an object to provide a power supply system that can more easily change the path for supplying power to a load or the destination of the power supply. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] In order to solve the above-mentioned problems and achieve the object, one aspect of the present invention is a power supply system including a first battery, a first power line electrically connected to the first battery, a second power line electrically connected to a first load, a third power line electrically connectable to a second battery, and a fuse electrically connectable to the first power line and the second power line and capable of electrically connecting the second power line and the third power line by switching the connection.

[0007] The fuse may be a slow-blow fuse.

[0008] The fuse may be a plug-in type fuse.

[0009] The fuse may be a bolted fuse.

[0010] The vehicle may further include a fourth power line electrically connecting the second battery and the third power line. [Effects of the Invention]

[0011] According to the present invention, the path for supplying power to a load or the power supply destination can be changed more easily by switching the fuse connection. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0012] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a diagram showing the configuration of the power supply system before the vehicle specifications were changed. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a diagram showing the configuration of the power supply system after the vehicle specifications have been changed. [Figure 3] FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram of how fuses are reconnected when vehicle specifications are changed. [Figure 4] FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram of how to change the connection of a plug-in fuse. [Figure 5] FIG. 5 is an explanatory diagram of how to change the connection of a bolt-fixed fuse. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0013] Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. Note that the present invention is not limited to the embodiment described below. Furthermore, in the description of the drawings, the same parts are appropriately designated by the same reference numerals, and duplicated explanations are appropriately omitted.

[0014] (Embodiment) 1 is a configuration diagram of a power supply system before a specification change of a vehicle. Vehicle 100 is an example of a vehicle whose specifications can be changed. An upgrade is an example of a specification change of vehicle 100.

[0015] The vehicle 100 includes a first compartment 101 and a second compartment 102. The first compartment 101 is, for example, an engine compartment, and the second compartment 102 is, for example, a cabin. The vehicle 100 also includes a grommet 103, which is provided on, for example, the dashboard, for wiring power lines between the first compartment 101 and the second compartment 102.

[0016] <Before specification change> Vehicle 100 before the specification change is equipped with power supply system 10. Power supply system 10 includes battery 11 as a first battery and battery 12. Battery 11 is installed in first chamber 101, and battery 12 is installed in second chamber 102. Batteries 11 and 12 are, for example, lead-acid batteries, lithium-ion batteries, nickel-metal hydride batteries, or capacitors.

[0017] Furthermore, vehicle 100 before the specification change is equipped with loads 13a, 13b, 13c, and 13d. Loads 13a, 13b, 13c, and 13d are, for example, electrical devices related to the running of vehicle 100, such as drive, steering, braking, and gear shifting in vehicle 100, and controllers that control these electrical devices. These loads 13a, 13b, 13c, and 13d are supplied with power from one or both of batteries 11 and 12 of power supply system 10 via power lines. Loads 13a, 13b, and 13c are mounted in first chamber 101, and load 13d is mounted in second chamber 102.

[0018] Power line 15a as the first power line is a bus bar and is provided in relay box 14 included in power supply system 10. Relay box 14 is mounted in first chamber 101. Power line 15a is electrically connected to battery 11 and serves as a path for supplying power from battery 11 to a load.

[0019] Power line 15b, which serves as a second power line, is electrically connected to load 13a, which serves as a first load. Power line 15b and power line 15a are electrically connected by fuse 16. As a result, load 13a is supplied with power from battery 11 via power line 15a, fuse 16, and power line 15b.

[0020] Power line 15c as the third power line extends from near fuse 16 to grommet 103. In this embodiment, power line 15c before the specification change is not electrically connected to other power lines, loads, or batteries.

[0021] <After specification change> 2 is a configuration diagram of the power supply system after a specification change of the vehicle. In the vehicle 100A after the specification change, a load 13e is additionally installed for the specification change of the vehicle 100. The load 13e is, for example, an electric device for improving the running performance of the vehicle 100.

[0022] Vehicle 100A is equipped with power supply system 10A, which is a modified version of power supply system 10. In power supply system 10A, battery 12 constituting power supply system 10 is replaced with battery 12A, which serves as a second battery with higher performance. Furthermore, power supply system 10A is additionally provided with power line 15d and power line 15e, which serve as fourth power lines. Power line 15e is a power line that supplies power from battery 12A to load 13e.

[0023] Furthermore, in power supply system 10A, when the specifications are changed, fuse 16 is reconnected, and fuse 16 electrically connects power line 15b as the second power line and power line 15c as the third power line. Furthermore, power line 15c as the third power line is electrically connected to battery 12A as the second battery via power line 15d as an added fourth power line. This allows load 13a to be supplied with power from battery 12A.

[0024] Here, the fuse reconnection will be explained in more detail. Figure 3 is an explanatory diagram of the fuse reconnection when the vehicle specifications are changed.

[0025] The load 13a is a load for which the power supply source needs to be changed from the battery 11 to the battery 12A when the specifications are changed as described above. An example of such a load is an electric power steering device, but is not limited to this.

[0026] Before the specification change, load 13a was supplied with power from battery 11 (see FIG. 1) via power line 15a, fuse 16, and power line 15b. On the other hand, power line 15c, which has connector 15ca at one end, is not particularly connected to other power lines or loads.

[0027] In contrast, after the specification change, load 13a is supplied with power from battery 12A via power lines 15d and 15c, fuse 16, and power line 15b. Note that electrical connection between power line 15d and power line 15c is realized by connector connection between connector 15ca and connector 15da provided at one end of power line 15d.

[0028] Therefore, it can be said that power line 15c is installed in advance in preparation for future specification changes, for example, during the manufacture of vehicle 100. Installing power line 15c in advance eliminates the need for complicated work such as retrofitting power line 15c in first chamber 101, which has a complex interior with many devices, such as an engine compartment.

[0029] As described above, in this embodiment, the path for supplying power to a load or the power supply destination can be changed by the simple task of reconnecting the power. Therefore, the relay box 14 does not need a special structure such as a switch mechanism for path switching. Furthermore, since the path is changed using a fuse already installed in the vehicle and the fuse has both the power line protection function and the path change function, there is no need to add a new fuse, which is beneficial in terms of reducing the number of parts and lowering costs.

[0030] The fuse 16 is not particularly limited, but may be, for example, a slow-blow fuse (SBF). A slow-blow fuse melts relatively slowly and can withstand a relatively long rush current, making it suitable for cases where the load 13a includes a motor.

[0031] (First example of a fuse) 4 is an explanatory diagram of the replacement of a plug-in fuse as a first example of fuse 16. Plug-in fuse 16A is an SBF, and is a fuse that can be easily replaced by hand or with a tool. For example, power line 15a is provided with male terminal tab 15Aaa, and power line 15b is provided with male terminal tab 15Aba. Before the specification change, fuse 16A electrically connected power line 15a and power line 15b by inserting terminal tabs 15Aaa and 15Aba.

[0032] In this case, when changing the specifications, fuse 16A is first pulled out and then replaced so that terminal tab 15Aba is inserted into male terminal tab 15Acb provided at one end of power line 15c, thereby reconnecting fuse 16A, and as a result, power line 15b and power line 15c are electrically connected.

[0033] (Second example of a fuse) 5 is an explanatory diagram of the reconnection of a bolt-fixed fuse as a second example of fuse 16. Bolt-fixed fuse 16B is an SBF having a structure in which two terminals with bolt holes extend from the fuse body, and is a fuse that can be fastened and detached with a bolt. For example, power line 15a is provided with terminal tab 15Baa with a bolt hole, and power line 15b is provided with terminal tab 15Bba with a bolt hole. Before the specification change, fuse 16B electrically connected power line 15a and power line 15b by fastening terminal tabs 15Baa and 15Bba with bolts (not shown).

[0034] In this case, when changing the specifications, fuse 16B is reconnected so that terminal tab 15Bba and terminal tab 15Bcb provided at one end of power line 15c are fastened with a bolt. This electrically connects power line 15b and power line 15c. Note that the position of terminal tab 15Bcb can be adjusted by loosening the bolt fastening fuse 16B to terminal tab 15Bba without removing it and rotating fuse 16B as shown by the arrow so that the bolt hole of the terminal of fuse 16B and the bolt hole of terminal tab 15Bcb are aligned, making reconnection easier.

[0035] It should be noted that the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments. The present invention also includes configurations in which the above-described components are appropriately combined. Furthermore, further effects and modifications can be easily derived by those skilled in the art. Therefore, the broader aspects of the present invention are not limited to the above-described embodiments, and various modifications are possible. [Explanation of symbols]

[0036] 10, 10A: Power supply system 11, 12, 12A: Battery 13a, 13b, 13c, 13d, 13e: Load 14: Relay box 15Aaa, 15Aba, 15Acb, 15Baa, 15Bba, 15Bcb: Terminal tabs 15a, 15b, 15c, 15d, 15e: Power line 15ca, 15da: Connector 16, 16A, 16B: Fuse

Claims

1. A first battery; a first power line electrically connected to the first battery; a second power line electrically connected to the first load; a third power line electrically connectable to the second battery; a fuse electrically connectable to the first power line and the second power line, the fuse being movable to switch the connection from the first power line to the third power line, thereby electrically connecting the second power line and the third power line; Equipped with Power supply system.

2. The fuse is a slow-blow fuse. The power supply system of claim 1 .

3. The fuse is a plug-in type fuse. The power supply system according to claim 1 or 2.

4. The fuse is a bolted fuse. The power supply system according to claim 1 or 2.

5. a fourth power line electrically connecting the second battery and the third power line; The power supply system according to any one of claims 1 to 4.

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