JP4977390B2 - High voltage circuit cutoff structure - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a high voltage circuit interruption structure that interrupts a circuit of a high voltage battery with a relay in the event of a car collision.

  FIG. 3 shows one form of a conventional high-voltage circuit cutoff structure (see Patent Document 1).

  This high voltage circuit cutoff structure is an apparatus that supplies a high voltage from a high voltage battery of an electric vehicle to a motor via a main contactor or a motor controller. An ECU (electronic control unit) that receives a detection signal from a collision sensor The main contactor is turned off to cut off the high voltage circuit from the battery.

  By cutting off the high voltage circuit, for example, it is avoided that the high voltage circuit is cut and short-circuited when the vehicle collides.

Generally, a high-voltage battery of an electric vehicle (including a hybrid car) is connected to an inverter side through two relays, a positive side and a negative side, and each relay is connected to an ECU (electronic device) via a low-voltage excitation line. Control unit).
Japanese Patent Laying-Open No. 2003-9303 (FIG. 1)

  However, in the conventional high-voltage circuit cutoff structure, there are cases where the collision sensor rarely detects a collision (for example, a rear collision (rear collision) from the rear or a collision outside the system control area). In this case, there was a fear of an electric shock of the passenger.

  In view of the above-described points, an object of the present invention is to provide a high-voltage circuit interruption structure capable of reliably interrupting a high-voltage circuit from a battery even when a collision sensor does not work during a vehicle collision.

In order to achieve the above object, a high voltage circuit interrupting structure according to claim 1 of the present invention energizes a battery and a high voltage circuit of the battery by being energized and demagnetizes the battery. a battery unit including a relay for interrupting the voltage circuit is mounted on a vehicle, the predetermined portion of the excitation line for energized or deenergized the relay is fixed to the battery unit, the vehicle body of the other predetermined portion of the excitation beam by fixing the, the battery unit is moved then at the time of collision of the vehicle, by which the relay is deenergized said excitation line is disconnected, that it has to shut down the high voltage circuit of the battery Features.

With the above configuration, the heavy battery unit moves with inertial force at the time of a vehicle collision, and along with the movement, the other predetermined part of the excitation line is strongly pulled in the moving direction and disconnected to release the relay excitation. Then, the relay is cut off and the high voltage circuit of the battery is cut off.

A high voltage circuit interruption structure according to a second aspect is the high voltage circuit interruption structure according to the first aspect , wherein the excitation line is connected to a control unit, and a collision sensor is connected to the control unit.

  With the above-described configuration, excitation and demagnetization of the relay while the vehicle is traveling (normally) is performed according to an instruction from the control unit. When the collision sensor is activated at the time of collision, the relay is demagnetized (cut off) according to an instruction from the control unit. At the same time, the excitation line is cut and the relay is demagnetized (cut off). In this way, the relay is surely cut off by a double operation.

  According to the first aspect of the present invention, since the energization of the high voltage circuit can be surely cut off by releasing the excitation of the relay using the movement of the battery unit at the time of the collision, the collision sensor is activated. Even when the vehicle is not used or when the collision sensor is not used, it is possible to reliably prevent a short circuit of a high voltage circuit or an electric shock of a passenger due to the collision.

According to the second aspect of the invention, the relay is reliably blocked in synergy with the collision sensor, the effect of the first aspect is one layer reliably exhibit.

  1 to 2 show an embodiment of a high voltage circuit interruption structure according to the present invention.

  This high voltage circuit interruption structure is for exciting relays 2 and 3 with respect to a battery unit 4 including a high voltage battery 1 of an electric vehicle (including a hybrid car) and relays 2 and 3 connected thereto. A branch line (extra length part) 7 and 8 is formed by giving a surplus length to excitation lines (electric wires) 5 and 6 which are low voltage circuits (a branch line), and the length L of the branch lines 7 and 8 is set to a vehicle. The battery unit 4 is set to be shorter than the estimated movement amount (distance) of the battery unit 4 at the time of collision, and the ends of the branch lines 7 and 8 are firmly fixed to the vehicle body (not shown). By disconnecting the branch lines 7 and 8, the relays 2 and 3 are de-energized and the high voltage circuits 9 and 10 are shut off.

  Two relays, a positive electrode relay 2 and a negative electrode relay 3, are mounted on a battery pack (case) 11 integrally with the battery 1 to constitute a battery unit 4. Each relay 2 and 3 is firmly fixed to the battery pack 11 or the battery 1 itself with bolts or the like. It is also possible to firmly fix an electric junction box (not shown) having the relays 2 and 3 to the battery pack 11 with bolts or the like.

  One of the movable contacts 12 of the positive electrode relay 2 is connected to the positive electrode 13 of one terminal of the battery 1 via a high voltage circuit 9a such as a high voltage line or a bus bar, and the other of the movable contacts 12 is the high voltage line 9 and is connected to the inverter 14. It is connected to a positive terminal (not shown). Similarly, one of the movable contacts 12 of the negative electrode relay 3 is connected to the negative electrode 15 of the other terminal of the battery 1 via the high voltage circuit 10a, and the other of the movable contacts 12 is the high voltage line 10 and the negative electrode of the inverter 14. Terminal (not shown).

  Two low-voltage excitation wires 5 and 6 are wired for each relay 2 and 3 in total, and each excitation wire 5 and 6 has branch lines 7 and 8 that are extra lengths in the middle in the length direction. is doing. In FIG. 1, the branch lines 7 and 8 are between the parts indicated by the round dots 16, and a part of the conventional excitation line is formed by short-circuiting the parts indicated by the round dots 16 as indicated by the chain lines 17 (chain lines 17). Is not present in this embodiment).

  Excitation line portions 5 a and 6 a between the branch lines 7 and 8 and the relays 2 and 3 are firmly fixed to the battery unit 4. When the excitation line portions 5a and 6a are not fixed, a surplus portion having a length combining the branch lines 7 and 8 and the excitation wire portions 5a and 6a is formed, and the length of the surplus length portion of the battery unit 4 is It is necessary to be shorter than the estimated movement amount.

  One excitation line 5 is connected to a low voltage circuit (electric wire or thin bus bar) 19 following the coil 18 of the positive pole relay 2 by a connector 21, and the other excitation line 6 is also connected to the coil 18 of the negative pole relay 3. The following low voltage circuit 20 is connected by a connector 21, each excitation line 5, 6 is connected to an ECU (electronic control unit) 22, and each coil 18 is grounded by a common ground circuit 23. Each connector 21 is fixed to the battery pack 11, for example.

  Each sensor or the like (not shown) is connected to the ECU 22, and upon receiving a sensor signal, the ECU 22 determines whether to energize the excitation lines 5 and 6 (whether the relays 2 and 3 are energized or demagnetized) and executes. Let The sensor preferably includes a conventional collision sensor.

  As shown in FIG. 2, branch lines 7 and 8 are arranged in the vicinity of the battery unit 4, and tips (folding points) 7 a and 8 a of the branch lines 7 and 8 are firmly fixed to the vehicle body (the fixed portion is denoted by reference numerals). 24). Examples of the fixing portion (fixing means) 24 include hooking the folded portions 7a and 8a of the branch lines 7 and 8 on a hook member (not shown) such as a bolt, and the like. Needs to be stronger than the cutting strength of the branch lines 7 and 8.

  The length of each branch line 7, 8, that is, the length of the forward portion or the backward portion of the folded branch lines 7, 8 (the length of the forward portion and the backward portion is the same) is the battery unit 4 at the time of collision. It is necessary to be shorter than the estimated movement amount.

  For example, when the battery unit 4 is moved forward in the direction of the arrow A as indicated by the arrow A, or when the battery unit 4 is moved forward in the direction of the vehicle as indicated by the arrow A when the vehicle has made a forward collision, the branch line 7 and 8 are abruptly pulled forward of the vehicle and cut at an intermediate portion as indicated by reference numeral 25 in FIG. As a result, the excitation of the coils 18 of the relays 2 and 3 is released, the solenoids (not shown) of the relays 2 and 3 are returned by the spring force, the movable contact 12 is opened integrally with the solenoids, and the relays 2 and 3 are Off (blocked).

  Even when the branch lines 7 and 8 are slackened in the vehicle or when the branch line is routed in an oblique direction rather than in the front-rear direction of the vehicle, the branch line is larger than the movement amount of the battery unit 4 at the time of collision. Since the lengths 7 and 8 are short, the branch lines 7 and 8 are surely cut by receiving a strong tensile force.

  In FIG. 2, the direction of arrow A is the front side of the vehicle, and the branch lines 7 and 8 are wired obliquely rearward from the right side of the vehicle. The branch lines 7 and 8 can be wired upward or downward. Even in this case, the length of the branch lines 7 and 8 is shorter than the estimated movement amount of the battery unit 4. Is reliably cut in the event of a collision. In this example, the connector 21 is disposed on the upper surface side of the battery unit 4. When the branch lines 7 and 8 are straightly wired in the vehicle front-rear direction without slack, the length of the branch lines 7 and 8 can be made longer than the estimated movement amount of the battery unit 4 (in the case of a side collision) except).

  Excitation line portions 5b and 6b between the branch lines 7 and 8 and the ECU 22 are fixed to a vehicle body or the like with a locking clip 26 or the like, for example. The lengths of the excitation line portions 5b and 6b are set to be longer than the branch lines 7 and 8, and when the battery unit 4 moves in the event of a collision, the excitation line portions 5a and 6a near the relay following the battery unit 4 Since the branch lines 7 and 8 receive a tensile force, the excitation line portions 5a and 6a near the relay are firmly fixed to the battery unit 4, and the excitation line portions 5b and 6b near the ECU 22 do not receive the tensile force. The excitation line portions 5b and 6b may be fixed with low strength.

  In this example, the branch lines 7 and 8 are formed in the longitudinal intermediate portions of the excitation lines 5 and 6. For example, the excitation line portions 5 a and 6 a following the connector 21 of the battery unit 4 are used as the branch lines 7 and 8. It is also possible to fix to the body. The connector 21 is firmly fixed to the battery unit 4. In any case, it is preferable that the positions of the branch lines 7 and 8 are close to the battery unit 4 because the branch lines 7 and 8 receive a strong tensile force and are instantaneously cut at the time of a vehicle collision. If the positions of the branch lines 7 and 8 are far from the battery unit 4, the excitation lines 5 and 6 extend when receiving a tensile force, and the branch lines 7 and 8 take time to cut. Prone to uncertainty.

  The estimated movement amount (target movement value) of the battery unit 4 is, for example, a gap dimension between the battery unit 4 and the vehicle body (not shown) or a gap dimension between the battery 1 and the inner wall of the battery pack 11. It is prescribed. This is because the heavy battery unit 4 or the battery 1 breaks fixing means such as a bolt by inertia force and moves in the collision direction at the time of collision, and hits the inner wall of the vehicle body or the inner wall of the battery pack 11 and stops.

  In the above embodiment, the branch lines 7 and 8 for cutting are formed on the excitation lines 5 and 6 of the two relays 2 and 3 of + pole and −pole, but for example, the excitation line of the relay 2 of + pole It is also possible to form the branch line 7 for cutting only in 5.

  In the above embodiment, the battery unit 4 includes at least the battery 1 and the relays 2 and 3 in the battery pack 11 (the relays 2 and 3 may be provided in an electric connection box or an electric connection block not shown). However, a battery unit in which the relays 2 and 3 are directly mounted and fixed to the battery 1 without using the battery pack 11 can also be called a battery unit. When the electrical connection box is used, the excitation line connecting connector 21 is provided in the electrical connection box, and the electrical connection box is firmly fixed to the battery pack 11.

  In the above embodiment, the battery 1 for electric vehicles has been described. However, for example, the high voltage circuit interruption structure can be applied to a vehicle using a high voltage battery of 12V or higher in a normal engine vehicle.

  Moreover, in the said embodiment, the collision of a vehicle includes a front collision, a rear collision, and a side collision. When the estimated movement amount of the battery unit 4 is different between the front collision, the rear collision, and the side collision, it is preferable to set the lengths of the branch lines 7 and 8 to be shorter than the shortest movement amount. The battery unit 4 moves in the slack direction instead of the pulling direction of the branch lines 7 and 8 between the right side protrusion and the left side protrusion. Even in this case, the length of the branch lines 7 and 8 is longer than the movement amount of the battery unit 4. Since it is short, cutting is surely performed. It is also possible to route the branch lines 7 and 8 vertically (upward or downward). In both the case of the front collision and the rear collision (rear collision), the battery unit 4 moves in the forward direction. Therefore, it is preferable to route the branch lines 7 and 8 from the front to the rear.

It is a circuit explanatory view showing one embodiment of the high voltage circuit interruption structure concerning the present invention. It is a principal part perspective view which similarly shows a high voltage circuit interruption | blocking structure. It is a block diagram which shows one form of the conventional high voltage circuit interruption | blocking structure.

Explanation of symbols

1 Battery 2, 3 Relay 4 Battery unit 5, 6 Excitation line 7, 8 Branch line (extra length part)
22 ECU (control unit)

Claims (2)

  A battery unit including a battery and a relay that energizes the high-voltage circuit of the battery by being energized and that interrupts the high-voltage circuit of the battery by being demagnetized is mounted on the vehicle, and the relay is excited or demagnetized. By fixing a predetermined part of the excitation line to be fixed to the battery unit and fixing another predetermined part of the excitation line to the vehicle body, the excitation line is moved when the battery unit moves in the collision of the vehicle. The high voltage circuit breaking structure is characterized in that the high voltage circuit of the battery is cut off by cutting the relay and demagnetizing the relay. High-voltage circuit breaker structure as claimed in claim 1, wherein said excitation line is connected to the control unit, which is connected to a crash sensor to the control unit.

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