JP2021036747A - Power supply box - Google Patents

Abstract

To provide a power supply box that makes it possible to inhibit the number of options for an intermediate device from being increased by differences between types or equipment of vehicles.SOLUTION: In a network system 1, a power supply box 30 distributes power supplied from an intermediate device 20, which includes a distribution circuit for dividing and outputting power input from a battery 50 to a plurality of distribution lines, to subordinate devices 41, 42 on the downstream side via one or more distribution lines. The power supply box comprises a circuit that connects the one or more distribution lines through which power is supplied with the subordinate devices, power distribution destinations of the respective distribution lines, via fuses 31, 32, 33, 34 determined on the basis of current consumption of the subordinate devices.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

The present invention relates to a power supply box mounted on a vehicle.

The vehicle is equipped with a plurality of devices such as electronic devices and electrical components called ECUs (Electronic Control Units). Since there are many of these devices in one vehicle, they are classified into several groups, and the power distribution is controlled for each group.

When distributing battery power to multiple devices, the upstream wiring near the battery to which many devices are connected is thickened, and the downstream wiring where the connected devices are limited is thinned to reduce wiring costs and weight. , And a wiring method aimed at improving the maneuverability can be considered. In this case, the wire diameter of the wiring is switched, for example, by inserting a fuse into the wiring. For example, Patent Document 1 discloses power distribution control to a plurality of devices using a plurality of fuses.

Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2005-218171

Generally, in a vehicle, the number and current consumption of lower-level devices (sensors, actuators, and ECUs), which are downstream nodes, are different depending on the type and equipment (grade), etc., and are optimal for each group. Power distribution specifications (fuse, relay, etc.) are also different. For this reason, when the intermediate device, which is an upstream node having a plurality of lower devices under its control, is configured to have a power distribution function, it is necessary to prepare a plurality of intermediate devices according to the difference in vehicle type and equipment. , The variation (product number) of the intermediate device increases.

The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and an object of the present invention is to provide a power supply box capable of suppressing an increase in variations of upstream devices due to differences in vehicle types and equipment.

In order to solve the above problems, one aspect of the present invention is to obtain power supplied from an upstream device having a distribution circuit that divides the power input from the battery into a plurality of wires and outputs the power via one or more wires. , A power supply box that distributes power to downstream equipment, and a fuse that defines one or more wires to which power is supplied and the downstream equipment that is the distribution destination of each, based on the current consumption of the downstream equipment. It has a circuit that connects via.

According to the power supply box of the present invention, it is possible to suppress an increase in variation of the upstream device due to a difference in the type and equipment of the vehicle.

Schematic configuration diagram of a network system including a power supply box according to an embodiment of the present invention. Another schematic configuration diagram of a network system including a power supply box according to an embodiment of the present invention.

In the network system according to the embodiment of the present invention, the power distribution points having individual specifications depending on the type and equipment of the vehicle are separated from the intermediate device having a control function and integrated into a separate power supply box. ing. As a result, the power supply box can handle the difference in the specifications of the power distribution points due to the difference in the type and equipment of the vehicle, so that the increase in the variation (product number) due to the difference in the specifications of the intermediate device can be suppressed.

[Embodiment]
Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

<Structure>
FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a schematic configuration of a network system 1 including a power supply box 30 according to an embodiment of the present invention. This network system 1 can be mounted on a vehicle such as a hybrid vehicle (HV) or an electric vehicle (EV).

The network system 1 in the present embodiment includes an upper device 10 as an upper node, an intermediate device 20 as an intermediate node, and a plurality of lower devices 41 to 44 as lower nodes, and a power supply is provided between the intermediate node and the lower node. A box 30 is provided. Therefore, when viewed from the power supply box 30, the intermediate device 20 is an upstream device, and the plurality of lower devices 41 to 44 are downstream devices.

The upper device 10 which is a higher node is connected to the intermediate device 20 which is a middle node. As an example, the host device 10 is a relatively high-performance ECU that intensively executes calculations for various vehicle control functions. The host device 10 has a communication function, and communicates with the intermediate device 20 according to, for example, an Ethernet (registered trademark) communication protocol or a CAN-FD (Controller Area Network with Flexible Data rate) communication protocol.

Under the intermediate device 20 which is the intermediate node, one or more lower devices which are lower nodes are connected via the power supply box 30. In the example shown in FIG. 1, the lower device 41, the lower device 42, the actuator (ACT) 43, and the actuator (ACT) 44 are connected to the intermediate device 20 via the power supply box 30. The number and configuration of lower-level devices connected to the power supply box 30 are not limited to those shown in FIG.

As an example, the intermediate device 20 functions as a gateway that relays communication between the upper device 10 and each lower device. Further, as an example, the intermediate device 20 functions as a power control device to which the power supply of the battery 50 is applied and controls the power supply from the battery 50 to the lower devices 41 to 44. The intermediate device 20 illustrated in FIG. 1 includes a power supply control unit 21, a communication control unit 22, and a plurality of switch units 23 to 26.

The intermediate device 20 applies the power supply of the battery 50 directly to the power supply box 30 as it is and indirectly via the switch units 23 to 26 which can be opened and closed by the power supply control unit 21 based on the instruction of the host device 10. Has a circuit to do. The plurality of switch units 23 to 26 are composed of, for example, semiconductors, and are provided corresponding to lower-level devices connected to the intermediate device 20. The switch unit 23 conducts conduction based on the instruction of the power supply control unit 21, and applies a power source for operating the lower device 42 to the power supply box 30. The switch units 24 and 25 conduct with each other based on the instructions of the power supply control unit 21, and supply electric power to drive the relays 35 and 36, which will be described later, to the power supply box 30. The switch unit 26 conducts conduction based on the instruction of the power supply control unit 21, and applies a power source for operating the ACT 44 to the power supply box 30.

Further, the intermediate device 20 transmits the communication data received from the host device 10 via the communication control unit 22 to CAN-FD, CAN (Controller Area Network), LIN (Local Interconnect Network), and CXPI (Clock Extension Peripheral Interface). ), Etc., can be transmitted to the power supply box 30.

The lower devices 41 to 44, which are lower nodes, are, for example, a sensor or an actuator (ACT), or an ECU having a relatively specialized function for individually controlling these. The subordinate devices 41 to 44 can be classified into some group. As an example, this group can be divided into units of fuses provided in the power supply box 30, which will be described later. In the present embodiment, the lower device 41 and the lower device 42 are classified as different groups. Further, in the present embodiment, the lower device 43 is an actuator (ACT) whose current direction changes like a motor capable of switching the rotation direction between positive and negative. Further, the lower device 44 is an actuator whose current direction is constant, such as lighting such as an LED or a motor that rotates in a single direction.

The power supply box 30 is provided between the intermediate device 20 and the lower devices 41 to 44 connected under the intermediate device 20. The power supply box 30 is a device that integrates some of the functions related to the power distribution control of the network system 1. The power supply box 30 illustrated in FIG. 1 includes a plurality of fuses 31 to 34 and a plurality of relays 35 and 36. Each fuse 31 to 34 is inserted between an input terminal (+ B, IG / ACC) of the power supply box 30 to which power is applied from the intermediate device 20 and an output terminal for applying power to the lower device. Further, the power supply box 30 relays the communication data received from the intermediate device 20 by transmitting the communication data to the lower devices 41 and 42. The communication data relay function may not be included in the power supply box 30.

The fuses 31 to 34 have a function of preventing an overcurrent from flowing from the battery 50 to the lower device, a wire diameter of the wiring connecting the battery 50 and the fuse, and a wire diameter of the wiring connecting the fuse and the lower device. It also has a function to make it different. The rated currents of the fuses 31 to 34 may all be the same, or may be determined based on the current consumption of all the lower devices (lower devices belonging to one group) connected to each fuse. For example, in the latter case, the rated current of the fuse 31 can be determined based on the specified maximum current consumption of the lower device 41 connected to the fuse 31, and the rated current of the fuse 33 is connected to the fuse 33. It can be determined based on the specified maximum current consumption of the lower device 42.

As an example, the relays 35 and 36 are 1-pole double-throw mechanical relays that switch the connection with the power supply or the ground (GND) based on the instruction from the intermediate device 20, and are motors that can switch the rotation direction between positive and negative. It is used for ACT43 of. In the power supply box 30 illustrated in FIG. 1, when the ACT 43 is rotated clockwise, the relay 35 is connected to the power supply and the relay 36 is connected to the GND, and when the ACT 43 is rotated counterclockwise, the relay 35 is connected. Is connected to the GND and the relay 36 is connected to the power supply.

In the example shown in FIG. 1, the network configuration is configured via the power supply box 30 even when power is applied to the ACT44 (for example, an actuator that controls a headlight) in which a driving current flows in one direction. As described above, such an ACT 44 has a configuration in which a power source is applied by directly wiring from the intermediate device 20 without passing through the power supply box 30', for example, as in the network system 2 shown in FIG. You can also.

Each of the above devices is typically configured to include a control unit such as a processor or a microcomputer and a memory, and the subordinate devices include a sensor and an actuator but do not include a control unit or a memory. There may be.

<Action / effect>
As described above, according to the network system 1 including the power supply box 30 according to the embodiment of the present invention, it is individual according to the difference in the type and equipment of the vehicle, that is, the difference in the number of lower devices mounted and the difference in current consumption. The specified power distribution points (including fuses 31 to 34, relays 35 and 36) are separated from the intermediate device 20 and integrated into a separate power supply box 30 and arranged after the intermediate device 20.

With this configuration, it is possible to deal with the difference in specifications of the power distribution location due to the difference in the type and equipment of the vehicle with the inexpensive power supply box 30. Therefore, it is possible to suppress an increase in variation (product number) due to a difference in specifications of the expensive intermediate device 20 having a control function, and the intermediate device 20 can be shared.

As a comparative example, considering a configuration in which power is distributed by the intermediate device 20 without using the power supply box 30, the intermediate device 20 has a switch unit that distributes power according to the number of connected lower devices and current consumption. It is necessary to provide a large number, which not only increases the variation but also increases the cost of a single unit. Therefore, if the power supply box 30 is used as in the present embodiment, the intermediate device 20 simply applies the electric power before distribution to the power supply box 30, thereby reducing the number of switches and realizing low cost. can do.

Further, the power supply box 30 according to the present embodiment can also include relays 35 and 36 for driving an ACT 43 such as a motor capable of switching the rotation direction between positive and negative. With this configuration, it is possible to form a path in the power supply box 30 for drawing a current from a predetermined power source and passing it through the GND in order to rotate the ACT 43. Therefore, in the intermediate device 20, only the control lines for driving the relays 35 and 36 need to be wired to the power supply box 30. Therefore, as compared with the configuration in which the intermediate device 20 distributes power without using the power supply box 30, the intermediate device 20 is an intermediate device. The 20 switch units can be simplified. As a result, the circuit of the switch unit can be shared in the intermediate device 20.

Further, since the network system 1 of the present embodiment includes the intermediate device 20 and the power supply box 30 separately, the function (control function) realized by the intermediate device 20 and the function realized by the power supply box 30 are provided. It is possible to carry out reliability evaluation etc. separately from (mechanical function). Therefore, the design man-hours and development cost can be reduced.

Further, in the network system 1 of the present embodiment, the fuses 31 to 34 and the relays 35 and 36, which require maintenance such as inspection and replacement, are integrated in the power supply box 30, so that the system maintainability is high.

The present invention is useful for network systems mounted on vehicles and the like.

1, 2 Network system 10 Upper device 20 Intermediate device 21 Power supply control unit 22 Communication control unit 23 to 26 Switch unit 30, 30'Power supply box 31 to 34 Fuse 35, 36 Relay 41 to 44 Lower device 50 Battery

Claims (1)

A power supply box that distributes power supplied from an upstream device having a distribution circuit that divides the power input from a battery into a plurality of wires and outputs the power via one or more wires to a downstream device.
It has a circuit for connecting one or more wires to which power is supplied and the downstream device to which each power is distributed via a fuse determined based on the current consumption of the downstream device.
Power box.

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