DE102017005589A1 - Interlock system for monitoring at least one high-voltage component of a motor vehicle, high-voltage component, high-voltage system and methods - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to an interlock system (4) for monitoring at least one high-voltage component (2) of a motor vehicle (1) having a signal loop (5) which has a plurality of connection pairs (8), each of which has a high-voltage access point (3) at least one high-voltage component (2) are assigned, and which are electrically connectable to a short-circuit bridge (9) of the high-voltage access point (3), with a signal generator (6) for outputting a signal to the signal loop (5) and with a signal detector (10) for detecting a change in the signal transmitted via the signal loop (5) when opening at least one of the high-voltage access points (3), wherein the respective terminal pairs (8) are each electrically connected to a resistive element (R1, R2, R3), wherein electrical resistances of the respective resistance elements (R1, R2, R3) differ from one another, wherein the signal detector (10) has an evaluation unit (12) which is designed to based on the change of the signal, which by the transmission of the signal via the resistive element (R1, R2, R3), which is associated with the at least one high-voltage access point (3) to identify the at least one opened high-voltage access point.

Description

The invention relates to an interlock system for monitoring at least one high-voltage component according to the preamble of patent claim 1. Furthermore, the present invention relates to a high-voltage component according to claim 5 and a high-voltage system according to claim 6. Finally, the present invention relates to a method for monitoring at least one high-voltage component of a motor vehicle according to the preamble of patent claim 7.

Protection against electric shock is the ultimate goal in the design of on-board electrical systems in motor vehicles. This applies in particular to electrical systems with the voltage class B. These electrical systems are also referred to as high-voltage vehicle electrical system or high-voltage electrical system. In this case, a high voltage is a voltage for which an electrical component or a circuit is designed whose effective value of the operating voltage is greater than 60 V and less than or equal to 1500 V (DC) or greater than 30 V and less than or equal to 1000 V (AC).

To protect persons and livestock from touching such a high voltage, several independent protective measures are carried out. These are subdivided into basic protection and error protection. The basic protection includes, among other things, protective insulation and housing, which prevent access to active parts constructively. Error protection includes devices that issue a warning message when detecting a fault in the high-voltage on-board electrical system or in the high-voltage system or that convert the system to a defined state.

The state of the art is that high-voltage access points are monitored by high-voltage components. Such high-voltage access points can be, for example, high-voltage plugs, covers of housings or the like. A reaction to the detection of an open high-voltage access point may be a deactivation or an activation change of the high-voltage system. This type of monitoring is commonly referred to as interlock. The design is based at least on signal loops, which are closed by auxiliary contacts or short-circuiting bridges. The signal loops are powered by current sources or voltage sources. This is done by a signal generator, which is either self-contained or integrated as a component in a high-voltage component.

Centrally created Interlock systems are usually equipped with a signal generator, a signal loop and one or more signal detectors. The signal detector has the task to detect an interruption or corruption of the signal generated by the signal generator and to report to a higher-level control unit.

This describes the DE 10 2016 002 865 A1 an internal interlock circuit arrangement for integration into a component which can be connected via a mating connector of a high-voltage circuit of a motor vehicle with the high-voltage circuit. The interlock circuitry includes a supply terminal, a ground terminal, first, second and third resistors connected in series between the supply terminal and the ground terminal. In addition, the interlock circuitry includes an interlock plus terminal between the first and second resistors and an interlock minus terminal between the second and third resistors, the interlock plus terminal and the interlock minus terminal being bridged by the bridge Mating connector electrically conductively connectable to each other. Furthermore, the interlock circuit arrangement comprises an evaluation device which is designed to detect at least one predetermined state of the interlock circuit arrangement as a function of a first and a second voltage value respectively detected via a first and a second voltage value.

In addition, the describes DE 10 2011 117 248 A1 a method in which each individual connector of components of a vehicle is automatically checked by a connector tester, whereby a connector test result is obtained. In addition, a wiring harness is automatically verified by applying a predetermined voltage to the system. Further, resulting voltages and / or currents in or on the components are measured and measured values obtained are compared with predetermined measured values, whereby a line set test result is obtained. Finally, the plug-in test result is plausibility-checked with the power set test result.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a solution, as monitoring of high-voltage components of a motor vehicle can be performed more efficiently.

This object is achieved by an interlock system, by a high-voltage component, by a high-voltage system and by a method with the features according to the respective independent claims. Advantageous developments of the present invention are the subject of the dependent claims.

An inventive interlock system for monitoring at least one high-voltage Component of a motor vehicle comprises a signal loop, which has a plurality of terminal pairs. These connection pairs, which may comprise a first connection to a second connection, are each assigned to a high-voltage access point of the at least one high-voltage component. The respective high-voltage access points can be formed, for example, by a high-voltage plug or by a cover of a housing. These high-voltage access points each have a shorting bridge, by means of which the respective terminal pairs are electrically connectable. In addition, the interlock system includes a signal generator for outputting a signal to the signal loop. The signal can be output, for example, in the form of an electrical voltage and / or an electric current. Furthermore, the interlock system comprises a signal detector for detecting a change in the signal transmitted via the signal loop when opening at least one of the high-voltage access points.

In this case, it is provided according to the invention that the respective connection pairs are each electrically connected to a resistance element, wherein electrical resistances or resistance values of the respective resistance elements differ from one another. In the closed state of the high-voltage access points so there is a respective parallel connection of the shorting bridge and the respective resistor element. The signal detector comprises an evaluation unit, which is designed to identify the at least one opened access location based on the change in the signal, which is due to a transmission of the signal via the resistance element, which is assigned to the at least one access point. As long as all high-voltage access points are plugged or mounted, the respective resistance elements or electrical resistances are bridged by the respective shorting bridge and are therefore not electrically effective. If a high-voltage access point is opened, the bridging of the resistance element is eliminated and the total resistance of the signal loop changes. This change in the loop resistance can be detected by the evaluation unit. Since the respective resistance elements have different electrical resistances, these can be identified by the change of the signal or the voltage. Thus, it can be recognized which of the high-voltage access points is interrupted or is open. By a suitable selection of the resistance values, it is also possible to detect whether one or more high-voltage access points are open. The advantage of the interlock system according to the invention is to be seen in the fact that the execution of known high-voltage connector or housing cover, which include the shorting bridge, need not be changed. These can continue to be used as before.

Preferably, the signal generator is adapted to output as the signal a constant electric current to the signal loop and the evaluation device is adapted to identify the at least one opened high-voltage access point based on a voltage drop across the signal loop. In this case, the evaluation unit can be designed to detect the respective voltage drop across each of the resistance elements. Alternatively, the evaluation may be designed to detect the voltage drop centrally on the signal loop.

A high-voltage component according to the invention for a motor vehicle comprises an inventive interlock system, wherein the high-voltage component has a plurality of high-voltage access points, wherein each of the high-voltage access points is assigned a resistance element of the interlock system. Thus, the interlock system can be used in a high voltage component having multiple high voltage access points. In this way, the interlock system in more complex high-voltage components, such as distribution systems that branch off the high-voltage electrical system can be used.

An inventive high-voltage system for a motor vehicle comprises a plurality of high-voltage components, which each have at least one high-voltage access point. In addition, the high-voltage system comprises an inventive interlock system, wherein each of the high-voltage access points is associated with a resistive element of the interlock system. The interlock system can thus be used in high-voltage system or high-voltage on-board networks with several high-voltage components. Each of the high-voltage components may have one or more high-voltage access points.

A method according to the invention serves to monitor at least one high-voltage component of a motor vehicle. In this case, a signal is output to a signal loop by means of a signal generator, wherein the signal loop has a plurality of terminal pairs, which are each assigned to a high-voltage access point of the at least one high-voltage component and which are electrically connectable to a short-circuit bridge of the high-voltage access points. By means of a signal detector, a change in the signal transmitted via the signal loop is detected when the at least one high-voltage access point is opened. The respective terminal pairs are each electrically connected to a resistance element, wherein an electrical resistance of the different resistance elements from each other. Furthermore, by means of an evaluation unit of the signal detector on the basis of the change in the signal which, by the transmission of the signal via the resistance element, which is assigned to the at least one high-voltage access point, identifies the at least one opened high-voltage access point.

Further advantages, features and details of the invention will become apparent from the following description of a preferred embodiment and from the drawing. The features and feature combinations mentioned above in the description as well as the features and feature combinations mentioned below in the description of the figures and / or in the figures alone can be used not only in the respectively specified combination but also in other combinations or in isolation, without the scope of To leave invention.

Showing:

1 a high-voltage system according to the prior art with a plurality of high-voltage components and a centrally-applied interlock system;

2 a high-voltage system according to the prior art with decentralized interlock systems; and

3 a high-voltage component with an interlock system according to an embodiment of the invention.

In the figures, identical or functionally identical elements are provided with the same reference numerals.

1 shows a high-voltage system 1 for a motor vehicle according to the prior art. This high voltage system 1 includes a plurality of high voltage components 2 , These high voltage components 2 can be supplied with a high-voltage voltage and / or provide this within a high-voltage electrical system of the motor vehicle. In the present case includes the high-voltage system 1 four high-voltage components 2 , Each of the high voltage components 2 includes at least one high-voltage access point 3 , These high-voltage access points 3 may be formed by a high-voltage connector or by a cover of a housing. In the present case, the upper three comprise high-voltage components 2 one high-voltage access point each 3 and the lowest high-voltage component 2 includes two high-voltage access points 3 ,

In addition, the high-voltage system includes 1 an interlock system 4 which is a signal loop 5 includes. This signal loop 5 can be formed by an electrical line. In addition, the interlock system includes 4 a signal generator 6 which is present as a power source 7 is trained. Using the signal generator 6 can send a signal to the signal loop 5 be issued. For this purpose, by means of the power source 7 a constant electric current I as the signal in the signal loop 5 be embossed. Furthermore, the interlock system includes 4 respective connection pairs 8th , which with a respective shorting bridge 9 the high-voltage access points 3 are electrically connected. Finally, the interlock system includes 4 a signal detector 10 , by means of which a change of the over the signal loop 5 transmitted signal can be detected. The signal passing through the signal loop 5 changes when one of the high-voltage access points 3 is opened. This is done by removing the shorting bridge 9 the electrical connection between the connection pair 8th open. This can be done using the signal detector 10 be detected and a corresponding signal is output to a higher-level control unit. This is in the present case by the arrow 11 illustrated.

In the present very simple executed central interlock system 4 is a localization of the interruption of the signal loop 5 not possible. In other words, it can not be determined which of the high-voltage access points 3 was opened. The troubleshooting is thus very expensive.

More convenient with regard to the localization of signal interruptions in interlock systems 4 are the central interlock concepts. This shows 2 a high-voltage system 1 with a decentralized interlock concept. Here, each of the high-voltage components points 2 a separate interlock system 4 on. In each of the high voltage components 2 So it's a separate signal loop 5 with associated signal detector 10 arranged. This can reduce cabling overhead and allow more accurate localization of the interruption.

More complex high-voltage components 2 today have several high-voltage access points 3 on. Particularly mentioned here are distribution systems which branch off the high-voltage vehicle electrical system. Also high voltage components 2 , which have purchasable housing parts and high-voltage connectors, thus have several high-voltage access points 3 that need to be monitored.

To be in a high voltage component 2 with several high-voltage access points 3 an assignment to Realization is required for a decentralized interlock system 4 as it is in 2 shown is a greater effort. Technically, it would be quite possible, even within a high-voltage component 2 several signal loops 5 with signal generators 6 and signal detectors 10 building. However, the cost-benefit effort would have to be considered closely. It would be advantageous if the detection of individual interruptions with a signal path, which a signal detector 10 and a signal generator 6 would have been possible. It would also be desirable with a single signal loop 5 and an evaluation circuit several high-voltage access points 3 or to monitor connectors. Nevertheless, a reliable diagnosis should be made possible, which of the connectors or high-voltage access points 3 not contacted.

As related to 1 and 2 has been shown, the execution of the monitoring is usually designed so that a signal loop 5 This is interrupted by the fact that the high-voltage access point 3 is opened. This is achieved by removing a high-voltage connector or opening a housing cover. This means that in the respective high-voltage connector or housing cover the shorting bridge 9 is installed. When removing this shorting bridge 9 becomes the signal loop 5 interrupted. The signal detector 10 can capture this interrupt and to the signal detector 10 Report. He in turn communicated the interruption to a higher-level control unit, which triggers a correspondingly specified reaction. Also local reactions in the control unit itself are possible.

3 shows a high-voltage component 2 according to an embodiment of the invention. This high voltage component 2 includes several high-voltage access points 3 , In the present embodiment, the high-voltage component includes 2 three high-voltage access points 3 , Here, the signal loop includes 5 additional resistance elements R ₁ , R ₂ and R ₃ . These resistance elements R ₁ , R ₂ , R ₃ are connected to the respective terminal pairs 8th electrically connected. The signal loop 5 is thus modified to the effect that in the high-voltage component 2 even between the connection pairs 8th which via the shorting bridge 9 the high-voltage access point 3 are bridged, a resistance element R ₁ , R ₂ , R _{3 is} installed. These electrical resistance elements R ₁ , R ₂ , R ₃ are located between all outlets.

As long as all high-voltage access points 3 are plugged or mounted, these electrical resistance elements R ₁ , R ₂ , R ₃ through the shorting bridge 9 bridged and are thus electrically not effective. Will one of the high-voltage access points 3 opened, eliminates the bridging of the resistive element R ₁ , R ₂ , R ₃ and the total resistance of the signal loop 5 changes. This change in the loop resistance can be done by an evaluation unit 12 of the signal detector 10 be recorded. The evaluation unit 12 can detect the individual voltage drops across the resistive elements R ₁ , R ₂ , R ₃ either directly by tapping the voltages on the individual resistors. However, it is also possible to detect the change in the loop resistance centrally. If a constant electrical current is used as the loop signal, the source voltage will become dependent on the resistance value of the signal loop 5 to change. This source voltage can be determined by means of the evaluation unit 12 easily measured and evaluated.

It is provided that the respective resistance elements R ₁ , R ₂ , R _{3 have} different electrical resistances. Thus, different component values are used for the individual resistors. Thus, the respective resistance elements R ₁ , R ₂ , R ₃ can be accurately identified from the source voltage change. Based on the source voltage change can thus be detected which of the high-voltage access points 3 is interrupted. By a suitable selection of the resistance values of the resistance elements R ₁ , R ₂ , R ₃ , it is also possible to detect whether one or more high-voltage access points 3 are open. It is only necessary to ensure that the combination of the resistance values does not overlap with one of the individual resistance values.

In summary, with a signal source 6 , the intelligent evaluation unit 12 and the consideration of the resistive elements R ₁ , R ₂ , R _3, a cost-effective solution for the detection of open high-voltage access points 3 being constructed. With intelligent design, the open high-voltage access point 3 be clearly identified and sent to the parent controller. This purposeful diagnosis can be used by workshops. Furthermore, unnecessary inspection steps with disassembly of parts can be saved. Targeted repair and overhaul can be accomplished using this procedure.

With the concept described here, it is also possible that the in 1 illustrated central interlock system 4 is extended to the effect that here, too, the high-voltage access points 3 can be clearly identified. The change in the high-voltage component 2 itself is characterized only by the introduction of a resistive element R ₁ , R ₂ , R ₃ via the contact point. The respective connection pairs 8th So are to be connected to the resistance elements R ₁ , R ₂ , R ₃ . This is very cheap to accomplish. In addition, the signal detector would have to 6 be adjusted accordingly with respect to the source voltage evaluation.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMBERS

1

High-voltage system

2

High-voltage component

3

High-voltage access point

4

interlock

5

signal loop

6

signal generator

7

power source

8th

terminal pair

9

Shorting

10

signal detector

11

arrow

12

evaluation

I

electricity

R ₁

resistive element

R ₂

resistive element

R ₃

resistive element

QUOTES INCLUDE IN THE DESCRIPTION

This list of the documents listed by the applicant has been generated automatically and is included solely for the better information of the reader. The list is not part of the German patent or utility model application. The DPMA assumes no liability for any errors or omissions.

Cited patent literature

• DE 102016002865 A1 [0006]
• DE 102011117248 A1 [0007]

Claims (7)

Interlock system ( 4 ) for monitoring at least one high-voltage component ( 2 ) of a motor vehicle ( 1 ), with a signal loop ( 5 ), which have a plurality of connection pairs ( 8th ), each of which is a high-voltage access point ( 3 ) of the at least one high-voltage component ( 2 ), and which with a shorting bridge ( 9 ) of the high-voltage access point ( 3 ) are electrically connectable, with a signal generator ( 6 ) for outputting a signal to the signal loop ( 5 ) and with a signal detector ( 10 ) for detecting a change in the signal loop ( 5 ) transmitted signal when opening at least one of the high-voltage access points ( 3 ), characterized in that the respective connection pairs ( 8th ) are each electrically connected to a resistance element (R ₁ , R ₂ , R ₃ ), electrical resistances of the respective resistance elements (R ₁ , R ₂ , R ₃ ) differing from one another, the signal detector ( 10 ) an evaluation unit ( 12 ), which is adapted to the change of the signal, which by the transmission of the signal via the resistive element (R ₁ , R ₂ , R ₃ ), which of the at least one high-voltage access point ( 3 ), which identify at least one opened high-voltage access point. Interlock system ( 4 ) according to claim 1, characterized in that the signal generator ( 6 ) is designed as a constant electrical current (I) to the signal loop ( 5 ) and the evaluation device ( 12 ) is adapted to the at least one opened high-voltage access point ( 3 ) based on a voltage drop across the signal loop ( 5 ) to identify Interlock system ( 4 ) according to claim 2, characterized in that the evaluation unit ( 12 ) is adapted to detect the respective voltage drop across each of the resistive elements (R ₁ , R ₂ , R ₃ ). Interlock system ( 4 ) according to claim 2, characterized in that the evaluation unit ( 12 ) is designed to reduce the voltage drop centrally at the signal loop ( 5 ) capture. High-voltage component ( 2 ) for a motor vehicle ( 1 ), with an interlock system ( 4 ) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the high-voltage component ( 2 ) a plurality of high-voltage access points ( 3 ) and each of the high-voltage access points ( 3 ) a resistance element (R ₁ , R ₂ , R ₃ ) of the interlock system ( 4 ) assigned. High-voltage system ( 1 ) for a motor vehicle ( 1 ) with a plurality of high-voltage components ( 3 ), each of which has at least one high-voltage access point ( 3 ), and with an interlock system ( 4 ) according to one of claims 1 to 4, wherein each of the high-voltage access points ( 3 ) a resistance element (R ₁ , R ₂ , R ₃ ) of the interlock system ( 4 ) assigned. Method for monitoring at least one high-voltage component ( 2 ) of a motor vehicle ( 1 ), in which by means of a signal generator ( 6 ) a signal on a signal loop ( 5 ), the signal loop ( 5 ) a plurality of connection pairs ( 8th ), each of which is a high-voltage access point ( 3 ) of the at least one high-voltage component ( 2 ) and which with a shorting bridge ( 9 ) of the high-voltage access point ( 3 ) are electrically connected, and by means of a signal detector ( 10 ) a change in the signal loop ( 5 ) transmitted signal when opening at least one of the high-voltage access point ( 3 ), characterized in that the respective connection pairs ( 8th ) are in each case electrically connected to a resistance element (R ₁ , R ₂ , R ₃ ), electrical resistances of the respective resistance elements (R ₁ , R ₂ , R ₃ ) differing from one another, and by means of an evaluation unit ( 12 ) of the signal detector ( 10 ) based on the change of the signal, which by the transmission of the signal via the resistive element (R ₁ , R ₂ , R ₃ ), which of the at least one high-voltage access point ( 3 ), which is identified at least one opened high-voltage access point.

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