Fastening system for high-voltage cables for connecting HV components in high-voltage systems of a vehicle, and at least partially electrically driven vehicle

Abstract

The invention relates to a fastening system for high-voltage cables for connecting HV components in high-voltage systems of a vehicle, wherein the HV components are fastened to assemblies of the vehicle in such a manner that they can be moved relative to one another, wherein the fastening system has: a cable holder, at least one coupling element which is fastened at a first end thereof to the cable holder and at a second end to one of the assemblies or to one of the HV components, wherein at least one of the ends of the coupling element is fastened to the cable holder or the assembly in such a manner that it has all rotational degrees of freedom. The invention also relates to an at least partially electrically driven vehicle which has the fastening system.

Description

[0001] 24-3831

[0002] 1

[0003] Fastening system for high-voltage cables for connecting HV components in high-voltage systems of a vehicle, as well as at least partially electrically powered vehicles

[0004] The invention relates to a fastening system for high-voltage cables for connecting HV components in high-voltage systems of a vehicle, as well as to a vehicle that is at least partially electrically powered.

[0005] In vehicles with at least partial electric drive, components are integrated into the high-voltage system, including the electric drive (also known as the electric motor) and the energy storage system. These components are electrically connected to each other via elastic, yet relatively rigid, high-voltage cables. If components in the high-voltage system, referred to as HV components, are attached to vehicle assemblies that move relative to each other, the high-voltage cables can be subjected to high mechanical stress. Any relative movements present are transferred to the high-voltage cables, which must compensate for them through elastic deformation. Therefore, when routing high-voltage cables, the static bending radii must be dimensioned so that the dynamic bending radii do not fall below a certain limit.This severely limits the possibilities for cable routing and often leads to disadvantages in the overall system, such as long high-voltage cables, structural disadvantages in adjacent components, or additional costs due to copper wiring instead of aluminum wiring. 24-3831.

[0006] 2

[0007] FR 2952992 A1 discloses a fastening element for a cable bundle on a structure, which allows controlled and collision-free freedom of movement for the cables in all three directions. However, no translational degrees of freedom are present.

[0008] There is still room for improvement in the fastening of high-voltage cables to avoid or compensate for tension caused by mechanical stress. Therefore, it is an object of this invention to provide an improved fastening system for high-voltage cables. This object is achieved according to the invention by the features of the independent claims. Advantageous embodiments are the subject of the dependent claims.

[0009] A fastening system for high-voltage cables is provided for connecting HV components in high-voltage systems of a vehicle, wherein the HV components are attached to assemblies of the vehicle in such a way that they are movable relative to each other, wherein the fastening system comprises: a cable holder, at least one coupling element which is attached at a first end thereto to the cable holder and at a second end to one of the assemblies or to one of the HV components, wherein at least one of the ends of the coupling element is attached to the cable holder or the assembly in such a way that it has all rotational degrees of freedom.

[0010] Furthermore, it is provided that the coupling element is designed in such a way that it can withstand tensile loads or tensile and compressive loads.

[0011] Furthermore, it is provided that the coupling element is formed as a rod, and wherein the end(s) of the coupling element, which has all rotational degrees of freedom, are formed as a ball or as an elastic bearing.

[0012] Furthermore, it is provided that the assembly or the HV components have a shell for receiving the ends of the coupling element in areas where they accommodate the ends. 24-3831

[0013] 3

[0014] Furthermore, it is provided that each high-voltage cable has an inherent stiffness that is so high that it remains in its structural position independently, and that it has at least one bend with a predetermined bending radius, with at least one coupling element arranged in the area of ​​the bend.

[0015] Furthermore, the cable holder is designed to hold multiple high-voltage cables, and the cable holder consists of several holders, each holding a high-voltage cable, which are connected to each other by means of a connecting bridge.

[0016] Furthermore, it is planned that the connecting bridge is formed as an elastic connecting bridge.

[0017] Furthermore, it is planned that the HV components will include at least: an electric motor, an energy storage device, a charging socket, power electronic components, and converters.

[0018] Furthermore, it is planned that the vehicle's assemblies will include an axle and a body.

[0019] Furthermore, a vehicle that is at least partially electrically powered is provided, comprising at least one electric drive system with HV components that are arranged on assemblies of the vehicle in such a way that they are movable relative to each other, as well as the described fastening system to electrically contact at least two of the HV components with each other by means of at least one high-voltage cable.

[0020] Further features and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following description of exemplary embodiments of the invention, with reference to the figures in the drawing, which shows details of the invention, and from the claims. The individual features can be implemented individually or in any combination in a variant of the invention. 24-3831

[0021] 4

[0022] Preferred embodiments of the invention are explained in more detail below with reference to the accompanying drawing.

[0023] Fig. 1 shows a schematic representation of a high-voltage cable attached to a vehicle assembly by means of the fastening system according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0024] Fig. 2 shows a schematic representation of important components of the fastening system according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0025] Fig. 3 shows a different view of Figure 2.

[0026] In the following figure descriptions, identical elements or functions are marked with the same reference symbols.

[0027] The basic concept of the invention is to provide a fastening system for high-voltage cables used in a vehicle that is at least partially electrically powered, which provides an improved distribution of stresses and deformations that arise due to mechanical movement.

[0028] High-voltage cables serve to provide electrical contact between components in the high-voltage system, referred to as HV components, in a vehicle that is at least partially electrically powered. Such HV components 2 include, for example, an electric drive, also referred to as an electric machine or E-machine 2, and an energy storage device 21, as schematically indicated in top view in Figure 1. High-voltage cables usable according to the invention possess an inherent stiffness that is high enough to allow them to remain in their installed position, even without a moment-resistant connection. These high-voltage cables are therefore slightly elastic and not rigid.

[0029] As a rule, the high-voltage components 2 are mechanically attached to the vehicle's assemblies 1, and may be attached to them elastically in one or two ways. For the 24-3831

[0030] 5

[0031] A prerequisite of the invention is that the high-voltage components 2 are movable relative to each other during vehicle operation, whereby both high-voltage components 2 can be movable relative to each other, or only one high-voltage component 2 can be movably mounted. For example, the electric motor 20 is attached to an axle 10 of the vehicle, and the energy storage device 21 is attached to the vehicle body 11. The electric motor 2 can be elastically, i.e., movably, connected to the axle 10. The axle 10, in turn, can be elastically, i.e., movably, connected to the vehicle body 11, resulting in a doubly elastic connection. However, it is also possible that the electric motor 20 is movably mounted to the vehicle body 11, or that the electric motor 2 and the energy storage device 21 are movably mounted to the axle 10, resulting in a singly elastic connection.For the invention, it is only important that the two HV components 2, which are to be electrically contacted, move relative to each other during operation of the vehicle, since in this case undesirable voltages and deformations can occur in the high-voltage cable(s) 3, which can be better distributed over the cable length by the fastening system according to the invention.

[0032] To achieve this distribution, a coupling element 5 is provided. It is essential that the coupling element 5 is rotatably attached at at least one end 5.0, 5.1 to the high-voltage cable 3, the assembly 1, or the HV component 2 such that the end 5.0, 5.1 has all three rotational degrees of freedom, i.e., it can be rotated in all three axial directions. Alternatively, the coupling element 5 can be attached at both ends 5.0 and 5.1 to the high-voltage cable 3 and the assembly 1 or the HV component 2 in such a way that the ends 5.0, 5.1 have all three rotational degrees of freedom, i.e., they can be rotated in all three axial directions.

[0033] The coupling element 5 can be designed in fundamentally different ways. It can be designed to only withstand tensile loads, in which case it can, for example, be formed as a rope with loops at the ends 5.0, 5.1. However, it can also be designed to withstand both tensile and compressive loads, in which case it can, for example, be designed as a rod, as shown in Figures 2 and 3 in im24-3831.

[0034] 6

[0035] A detail is shown using an exemplary embodiment. The ends 5.0, 5.1 can then be designed differently, e.g. as a ball or as an elastic bearing.

[0036] In the preferred embodiment shown in Figures 2 and 3, the coupling element 5 is depicted as a connecting rod, which is formed as a sphere at both ends 5.0, 5.1. The sphere is rotatably mounted on a cable holder 4 of the high-voltage cable 3 as described, the cable holder 4 having a cup 42 into which the sphere is inserted, as indicated in Figure 2. If the end 5.0 of the coupling element 5, which is attached to the assembly 1 or the HV component 2, is also formed as a rotatable end 5.0 in the form of a sphere, a cup 42 is also provided in the assembly 1 or the HV component 2 into which the sphere is inserted (not shown in the figures).

[0037] The coupling element 5 can also be configured in alternative versions as a connecting rod, with only one end 5.0 or 5.1 formed as a ball around which it can rotate. It can also be provided with an elastic bearing at one or both ends of the coupling element 5. Alternatively, the coupling element 5 can be configured as a rope with loops at the ends 5.0 and 5.1. As already mentioned, it is essential that the coupling element 5 is movable (rotatable) in all three rotational degrees of freedom at at least one end 5.0 or 5.1.

[0038] In all versions, the coupling element 5 can be attached to a component 1 of the vehicle, e.g., to the axle 10, as shown in Figure 1, or to the body 11. It can also be attached to an HV component 2, such as the electric motor 20, if the design of the electric motor 20 allows this.

[0039] In all versions, the coupling element 5 can be arranged on just one high-voltage cable 3. However, a coupling element 5 can also be provided for several high-voltage cables 3. For example, two high-voltage cables 3 (one for "positive" and one for "negative") are provided for connecting HV components 2, which are routed parallel to each other, making it advantageous to attach them to the assembly 1 or the HV component 2 via a common coupling element 5. In this case, the coupling element 5 is advantageously located between the two high-voltage cables 324-3831.

[0040] 7

[0041] The cable holders 4 are arranged, for example, on a connecting web 40 of the brackets of the cable holder 4, each of which holds one of the high-voltage cables 3, as shown in Figure 3. Here, the cable holder 4 is formed as a clamp or clip around each high-voltage cable 3, with the brackets being both mechanically connected to and spaced apart from each other by a connecting web 40. The coupling element 5 is attached to the connecting web 40, which for this purpose has, for example, a dome 41 projecting from the connecting web 40, at the end of which a cup 42 is provided for receiving the end 5.1 of the coupling element 5. Of course, the cable holder 4 can also be designed differently than shown in Figures 2 and 3.It can also be provided that the coupling element 5 is arranged on the cable holder 4 of a high-voltage cable 3, even if two or more high-voltage cables 3 share a common coupling element 5 and thus a cable holder 4.

[0042] In one embodiment, the connecting bridge 40 can be formed as an elastic connecting bridge 40 such that it allows the high-voltage cables 3 to move away from each other and towards each other, as well as in two different directions, as indicated by the arrows in Figures 2 and 3.

[0043] Figure 2 shows a motion curve B to illustrate how the coupling element 5 can move around the sphere. In Figure 1, the motion curve B is represented as a circle due to the top view.

[0044] The invention is described with reference to a single coupling element 5. However, in all embodiments, several coupling elements 5 can also be provided, which can also be attached to different assemblies 1 and / or high-voltage components 2. By providing several coupling elements 5 at different positions along the high-voltage cable 3, a distribution of voltages at dedicated, critical points in the high-voltage cable 3 can be achieved.

[0045] The selection of the number and positioning of the coupling elements 5, as well as their dimensioning, in particular their length, is generally carried out by a person skilled in the art at 24-3831

[0046] 8

[0047] The overall system design was carried out, taking into account the available space, cable lengths, the range of motion of the high-voltage components 2 relative to each other, etc. The length of a coupling element 5 is to be selected such that translational movement of the high-voltage cable(s) 3 in the floor plane (X,Y plane) is possible, ideally without building up any tension in the high-voltage cable 3.

[0048] The invention is particularly advantageous in cases where the high-voltage cables 3 have a bend, also referred to as a loop, since in these cases high mechanical forces and thus stresses and deformations are introduced into the high-voltage cables 3 by a relative movement of the HV components 2 to each other.

[0049] It is irrelevant whether it is a U-loop, an S-loop, or a J-loop. It is advantageous to position a coupling element 5 in at least one bend.

[0050] Through the described coupling element 5, which has all rotational degrees of freedom, the high-voltage cables 3 can essentially move in two translational directions - more precisely along the ground plane of the vehicle (on the plane of the road) in the X and Y directions - and thus equalize voltages.

[0051] As already mentioned, the invention is applicable to vehicles that are at least partially electrically powered, i.e., pure electric vehicles or hybrid vehicles. For the electric drive, such a vehicle has an electric motor 20 with associated power electronics, which is functionally coupled to the drive system (i.e., axle and wheels), as well as an energy storage device 21 to supply the electric motor 20 with electrical energy. Since very high currents must flow for the electric drive, special high-voltage cables 3 are provided to electrically connect the HV components 2. Although these high-voltage cables 3 are relatively stiff, they still need to be fastened, at least to prevent collisions with the assemblies 1 or the HV components 2. Since the HV components 2 can move relative to each other during vehicle operation, e.g., due to movement of the axle 10 with, for example,The electric motor 20 arranged therein relative to the body 11 with energy storage device 21 arranged therein, form 24-3831.

[0052] Stresses caused by conventional rigid fastening methods can be significantly reduced by the fastening system of the invention. 24-3831

[0053] Reference symbol list

[0054] 1 assembly

[0055] 10-axis

[0056] 11 Bodywork

[0057] 2 HV component 20 E-machine

[0058] 21 Energy storage

[0059] 3 high-voltage cables

[0060] 4 cable holder 40 connecting bridge 41 dome

[0061] 42 bowls

[0062] 5 Coupling element 5.0, 5.1 Ends of 5

[0063] B Motion curve

Claims

24-3831 11 Patent claims 1. Fastening system for high-voltage cables (3) for connecting HV components (2) in high-voltage systems of a vehicle, wherein the HV components (2) are attached to assemblies (1) of the vehicle in such a way that they are movable relative to each other, wherein the fastening system comprises: - a cable holder (4), - at least one coupling element (5) which is attached at a first end (5.1) of it to the cable holder (4) and at a second end (5.0) to one of the assemblies (1) or to one of the HV components (2), wherein at least one of the ends (5.0, 5.1) of the coupling element (5) is attached to the cable holder (4) or the assembly (1) in such a way that it has all rotational degrees of freedom.

2. Fastening system according to claim 1, wherein the coupling element (5) is designed such that it can withstand tensile loads or tensile and compressive loads.

3. Fastening system according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the coupling element (5) is formed as a rod, and wherein the end(s) (5.0, 5.1) of the coupling element (5), which has all rotational degrees of freedom, is formed as a ball or as an elastic bearing.

4. Fastening system according to claim 3, wherein the assembly (1 ) or the HV components (2) have a shell (42) for receiving the ends (5.0, 5.1) of the coupling element (5) in areas where they receive the ends (5.0, 5.1).

5. Fastening system according to one of the preceding claims, wherein each high-voltage cable (3) has an inherent stiffness that is high enough to remain in its structural position independently, and wherein it has at least one bend with a predetermined bending radius, wherein at least one coupling element (5) is arranged in the region of the bend. 24-3831 12 6. Fastening system according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the cable holder (4) is configured to hold several high-voltage cables (3), and wherein the cable holder (4) is formed from several holders, each holding a high-voltage cable (3), which are connected to each other by means of a connecting bridge (40).

7. Fastening system according to claim 6, wherein the connecting web (40) is formed as an elastic connecting web (40).

8. Fastening system according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the HV components (2) comprise at least: an electric motor (20), an energy storage device (21), a charging socket, power electronic components, converters.

9. Fastening system according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the assemblies (1) of the vehicle comprise an axle (10) and a body (11).

10. At least partially electrically powered vehicle comprising at least one electric drive system with HV components (2) arranged on assemblies (1) of the vehicle such that they are movable relative to each other, and a fastening system according to one of the preceding claims to electrically contact at least two of the HV components (2) by means of at least one high-voltage cable (3).

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