JP2001298879A - Vehicle structure module - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a vehicle structure module which suppresses the increase of connectors, and is extremely simple of connection work between connectors, and is capable of adoption of automatic assembly. SOLUTION: This vehicle structure module has a wire harness 1 a where a connector is attached, and consists of a plurality of parts for a vehicle. The connector is made a connecting device which transmits power out of contact between one structure of the primary structure 2a or the secondary structure 2b of the electromagnetic induction connector which is equipped with the primary structure 2a having a primary coil and the secondary structure 2b having a secondary coil and the other structure of the primary structure 10a or the secondary structures 11 a or 12a which is arranged in other vehicle structure module. This vehicle structure module is provided with a distributor 3 which distributes transmitted power provided on the wire harness, and a controller which has a radio transmission and reception function and performs radio transmission and reception between itself and other vehicle structure having a radio transmission and reception function, and controls its operation.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

The present invention relates to a vehicle structure module.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, a large number of comfort equipments have been developed from the viewpoint of improving the comfort of the interior of an automobile, and the number of electric wires constituting the wire harness and the connectors used in these wire harnesses have increased accordingly. There is a tendency.
At present, connection work of these connectors is performed manually on a production line of an automobile manufacturer.

[0003] Therefore, in order to reduce the number of these connectors, the number of connectors must be increased. However, when the number of connectors is increased, there is a problem in that the insertion / extraction force associated with the connection of the connector increases, which leads to a decrease in work efficiency in connection work and an increase in cost of the connector. On the other hand, as an automobile production method, in recent years, the entire automobile is divided into about 5 to 10 modules, and each module is assembled by each component manufacturer, and then these modules are aggregated by the automobile manufacturer and assembled into an automobile. The system has been adopted.
This production system is intended to save the labor of the main line in an automobile manufacturer by modularizing a vehicle structure, and to reduce costs by integrating parts.

Here, as a vehicle structure module in which the vehicle structure is modularized, for example, an instrument panel module in which an instrument panel and its accessories are modularized, a front end module in which a radiator, a headlamp, and the like are modularized In addition, there are a rear end module, a door module, a roof module, and the like. Further, a module obtained by modularizing some components in the module is called a sub-module. For example, in the instrument panel module, a center cluster panel module (hereinafter, referred to as a “senkura module”) and a meter module are included. Called submodules.

[0005]

By the way, even in the above-mentioned module production system, it is necessary to centralize the connection parts in order to facilitate the work of connecting the harness modules between the respective vehicle structure modules. There is a demand for multi-pole connectors. However, also in this case, various problems associated with the multipolarization of the connector occur. In the case of the module production system, the weight per unit vehicle structure module is large. For this reason, the automobile adopts automatic assembly by a robot. For this reason, it has been desired to provide a vehicle structure module having a harness that can complete the electrical connection between the connectors simultaneously with the assembly of the modules.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made in view of the above points, and an object of the present invention is to provide a vehicle structural module which can suppress an increase in the number of connectors, can easily connect connectors, and can adopt automatic assembly. Aim.

[0007]

According to the present invention, there is provided a vehicle structure module including a wire harness to which a connector is attached and comprising a plurality of vehicle parts. One of the primary structure and the secondary structure of the electromagnetic induction connector including a primary structure having a primary coil and a secondary structure having a secondary coil; A connection device for transmitting electric power in a non-contact manner between the primary structure and the other structure of the secondary structure disposed in another vehicle structure module, provided in the wire harness and transmitted. A distribution device for distributing the received power and a wireless transmission / reception function, a wireless transmission / reception with another vehicle structure having a wireless transmission / reception function, and a control device for controlling the operation thereof. Than it is.

Preferably, there is provided a sub-module which has a radio transmission / reception function, performs radio transmission / reception with the control device, and whose operation is controlled by the control device.

[0009]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An embodiment of an instrument panel module in which an instrument panel and its accessories are modularized as a vehicle structure module according to the present invention will be described below in detail with reference to FIGS. . As shown in FIG. 1, the instrument panel module 1 includes a connection device 2, a distribution device 3, and a control device 4, and includes sub-modules such as a senkura module 5, a first switch module 6, a second switch module 7, and a meter module 8. Have.

The connecting device 2 is disclosed in, for example, Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 6-151.
No. 190, a primary structure 2a having a primary coil and a secondary structure 2b having a secondary coil of the electromagnetic induction connector, a plurality of which are arranged in the instrument panel module 1 in a predetermined shape. Is attached to the wire harness 1a having the above-mentioned electric wire. The control device 2, that is, the primary structure 2 a or the secondary structure 2 b includes a primary structure 8 a of a senkla module 5, a first switch module 6, a second switch module 7, and a meter module 8 described later. And 2
Primary structures 10a and secondary structures 11 arranged in the secondary structures 5b to 7b and further in other vehicle structural modules.
b, and 12b in a non-contact manner to transmit electric power.

At this time, the electromagnetic induction connector includes a primary side structure 2a and a secondary side structure 12b, for example, as shown in FIG. The primary side structure 2a and the secondary side structure 12b are respectively composed of a primary side coil 2c and a secondary side coil 12c which are electromagnetic induction coils.
And circuit boards 2d and 12d. In the electromagnetic induction connector, when a current supplied from a DC power supply such as an on-vehicle battery reaches the primary circuit board 2d, a change in load on the secondary structure 12b causes the current to decrease.
It is oscillated at a frequency of about 00 to 200 kHz, becomes an alternating current, and flows through the primary coil 2c. As a result, a magnetic field fluctuation occurs in the core (not shown) on the primary structure 2a side,
An induced current (AC) flows through the secondary coil 12c. At this time, the induced current (alternating current) generated in the secondary coil 12c is converted to direct current by a rectifier circuit, but may be used as it is using a suitable transformer circuit.

In the electromagnetic induction connector, a magnetic material such as ferrite is used as a material of the core, but another magnetic material may be used. The electromagnetic induction connector is shown in FIG.
As shown in (a), for example, the shapes of the cores 2e and 12e for accommodating the coils 2c and 12c (12c not shown) of the primary side structure 2a and the secondary side structure 12b are discs, As shown in FIG. 3 (b), the primary structure 2a may be formed in a rod shape, and the secondary structure 12b may be formed in a cylindrical shape. As shown in FIG. 3 (c), the primary side structure 2a and the secondary side structure 12b are wound around coils Lc, 12c around an L-shaped magnetic body so that they can be freely attached and detached. d)
As shown in (1), the coil 2c may be wound around a substantially U-shaped magnetic body, and the coil 12c may be wound around a block-shaped magnetic body so that the coil 2c can be freely attached and detached. As the electromagnetic induction coil serving as the primary coil 2c or the secondary coil 12c, an electric wire such as an enamel wire is used, but the cross-sectional shape is not limited to a circle.

At this time, if the amount of current increases, the size of the core, the number of turns of the electromagnetic induction coil, and the oscillation frequency increase and the size of the electromagnetic induction connector increases. . On the other hand, the housing for accommodating the core, strength, heat resistance, considering the shielding properties, etc.,
It is desirable to be made of metal, but it may be made of synthetic resin if the conditions are satisfied.

The distribution device 3 is provided at an appropriate position of the wire harness 1a and distributes the electric power transmitted through the primary structure 10a. For example, an electric connection box or the like is used. The control device (ECU) 4 is provided with a wireless transmission / reception unit 4a and has a control device 14 for another vehicle structure module having a wireless transmission / reception function, a senkla module 5, a first switch module 6, a second switch module 7, and Wireless communication with the meter module 8 is performed, and the operation of the control device 14, the sinker module 5, the first switch module 6, the second switch module 7, and the meter module 8 is integrally controlled. here,
As shown in FIG. 1, the control device 14 includes a control device (E
A wireless transmission / reception unit 14a for performing wireless transmission / reception with the CU) 4 is provided. Here, the control device 4 and the control device 14 include, as shown in FIG.
And a receiving antenna 14b. In this wireless transmission / reception, infrared rays can be used in addition to radio waves. When using infrared light, the control device 4 and the wireless transmission / reception unit 14a have transmission LEDs 4c and 14c and a
d and 14d are provided. The wire harness 1a shown in FIG. 1 may use a mixture of electric wires for transmitting electricity and optical fibers for transmitting optical signals.

The sensor module 5 includes, in addition to the wireless transmission / reception unit 5a, a switch for operating an air conditioner and audio (not shown), a display for displaying operating states of the air conditioner and audio, a display device for a vehicle-mounted navigation device and a television. And an air conditioner outlet. When the switch is operated, a signal is transmitted from the wireless transmission / reception unit 5a of the sensura module 5. This signal is received by the wireless transmission / reception unit 4a of the control device 4 in the instrument panel module 1, and then transferred to the wireless transmission / reception unit of the auxiliary device.
The operation of the accessory is controlled. Conversely, a signal transmitted from a temperature sensor or the like that is provided in another vehicle structure module and detects the temperature inside and outside the vehicle compartment is transmitted to the wireless transmission / reception unit 4.
After being received at a, the information is transferred to the wireless transmission / reception unit 5a of the sensura module 5 and can be displayed as temperature information on the display, for example.

The first switch module 6 has a wireless transmitting / receiving unit 6a, and operates a combination lamp (a lamp such as a wiper, a headlamp, a turn signal) and a steering switch from a wireless transmitting / receiving unit (not shown) built in the steering column. Send a signal to control the
The operation of auxiliary equipment provided in the vehicle is controlled via the control device 4.

The second switch module 7 has a wireless transmission / reception unit 7a, and is a module in which a mirror adjustment switch, a fog lamp switch, a defogger switch, and the like (not shown) provided on the instrument panel are modularized. The second switch module 7 transmits a signal from each of the switches to the control device 4, and controls the operation of another accessory provided in the vehicle.

Here, the signal transmission between each of the above-mentioned sub-modules and each of the auxiliary devices provided in the vehicle may be directly performed without using the control device 4. The meter module 8 has a not-shown meter in addition to the wireless transmission / reception unit 8a, and is transmitted from the sensor relating to the vehicle speed, the engine speed, the water temperature, the remaining fuel amount, the accumulated traveling distance or other sensors via the control device 4 via the control device 4. The received signal is received by the wireless transmission / reception unit 8a and displayed on the meter.

Since the instrument panel module 1 is configured and modularized as described above, it can be easily assembled into an automobile by combining it with another vehicle structural module using a robot or a crane.
Moreover, in this case, the instrument panel module 1 includes the harness module 1a and the primary structure 2a of the electromagnetic induction connector.
And a secondary structure 2b. For this reason, the instrument panel module 1 can be combined with other vehicle structure modules only by combining the primary structure 2a and the secondary structure 2b.
Are arranged opposite to the primary or secondary structure of another vehicle structure module, and electrical connection is achieved in a non-contact manner. Therefore, in the instrument panel module 1, the increase in the number of connectors is suppressed, and the connection work between the connectors is extremely simplified.

When assembled in an automobile, the instrument panel module 1 distributes the power transmitted via the primary structure 10a to the respective wiring harnesses 1a by the distribution device 3, as shown in FIG. Distribute. The distributed power is, for example, from the secondary structure 11b or the secondary structure 12b to another vehicle structure module via the primary structure 2a, or via the primary structure 2a. Senkura module 5, first switch module 6, second
The data is transmitted to the switch module 7 and the meter module 8, respectively.

At this time, the instrument panel module 1
As shown in, the control device 4 performs wireless transmission / reception with the control device 14 of another vehicle structure module, the senkura module 5, the first switch module 6, the second switch module 7, and the meter module 8. While performing, the operation of the control device 14, the senkura module 5, the first switch module 6, the second switch module 7, and the meter module 8 is integrally controlled.

Here, the connecting device 2 uses one of a primary structure 2a and a secondary structure 2b of an electromagnetic induction connector, and these are ordinary electric connectors having a male type and a female type. Unlike this, even if the primary structure 2a and the secondary structure 2b have the same shape and a plurality of transmitted powers can be used, the same shape can be used and shared. Therefore, the instrument panel module 1 using the connection device 2
According to the present invention, the number of constituent parts is reduced, parts management becomes easy, and costs can be reduced by sharing parts. Moreover, the connection device 2 uses one of the primary structure 2a and the secondary structure 2b of the electromagnetic induction connector. For this reason, when assembling the instrument panel module 1 to another vehicle structure module, the connection device 2 can be electrically connected to the connection device 2 of another vehicle structure module at the same time as the assembling without high-precision positioning. Becomes possible,
It is easy to assemble a car using a robot. This applies not only to the assembly of the vehicle structure modules in the main line but also to the assembly of the sub-modules in the sub-line, which also contributes to the improvement of the productivity in the sub-line.

Further, after the assembly, for example, in an environment in which the completed automobile is used for driving or the like, the primary structure 2a and the secondary structure 2 are changed due to vibration or aging.
Even if there is a slight displacement of the connection portion with b, electrical connection can be made in a non-contact manner, so that poor connection can be prevented. Further, the control device 4 includes a wireless transmitting / receiving unit 4a.
Is about several meters in wireless transmission / reception performed by the system. Therefore, as compared with the case where signals are transmitted and received using the electromagnetic induction connector serving as the connection device 2, there is an advantage that the connection device 2 is downsized and the degree of freedom of a mounting place is increased. Further, since the control device 4 has a wireless transmission function, a so-called star-type in-vehicle LAN can be constructed with another vehicle structure. That is, the control device 4 is installed in the core part of the automobile, and the other vehicle structure modules and sub-modules having the wireless transmission / reception function are integrally controlled. As a result, the vehicle using the vehicle structure module of the present invention has no effect on other vehicle structure modules even when the number of auxiliary devices increases, and changes in the design of the same vehicle model and between other vehicle models. Parts can be shared. Further, the control device 4 does not require an electric wire for transmitting and receiving information. For this reason, the instrument panel module 1 has an increased degree of freedom in designing a plan.

In the above embodiment, the case where the instrument panel module is used as the vehicle structure module has been described.
However, the vehicle structure module of the present invention is not limited to the above embodiment. In addition, for example, a front end module, a rear end module, a door module, a back door module, a roof module, a floor module, etc. It can be used for various vehicle structure modules.

Further, in the vehicle structure module according to the above-described embodiment, the connection device supplies electric power between the primary component having the primary coil and the secondary component having the secondary coil in a non-contact manner. The case of transmission has been described. However, it is needless to say that the connection device may transmit an electric signal between the primary coil and the secondary coil.

[0026]

According to the first and second aspects of the present invention, it is possible to provide a vehicle structural module which can suppress an increase in the number of connectors, can easily connect the connectors to each other, and can adopt automatic assembly. . In addition, since the control device has a wireless transmission function, an electric wire for transmitting and receiving information is not required, and the degree of freedom in designing a plan is increased.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic configuration diagram showing one embodiment of a vehicle structure module of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an enlarged view of a portion A in FIG.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing another embodiment of the electromagnetic induction connector.

FIG. 4 is a schematic configuration diagram illustrating an example of a control device provided in a vehicle structure module of the present invention and a control device provided in another vehicle structure module.

FIG. 5 is a schematic configuration diagram showing a modified example of each control device of FIG. 4;

[Explanation of symbols]

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Instrument panel module (vehicle structure module) 1a Wire harness 2 Connection device 2a Primary structure 2b Secondary structure 3 Distribution device 4 Control device 4a Wireless transmission / reception unit

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. A vehicle structure module having a wire harness to which a connector is attached and comprising a plurality of vehicle parts, wherein the connector comprises a primary structure having a primary coil and a secondary structure. A primary structure of the electromagnetic induction connector having a secondary structure having a coil; and a primary structure of the electromagnetic induction connector, the primary structure being one of the secondary structure and a secondary structure disposed in another vehicle structure module. Alternatively, a connection device for transmitting power between the secondary structure and the other structure in a non-contact manner is provided on the wire harness and has a distribution device for distributing the transmitted power and a wireless transmission / reception function. A vehicle structure module having a control device for performing wireless transmission and reception with another vehicle structure having a wireless transmission and reception function and controlling the operation thereof. 2. A sub-module which has a wireless transmission / reception function, performs wireless transmission / reception with the control device, and is provided with a sub-module whose operation is controlled by the control device.
Vehicle structure module.