Fuse Component With Electronic Circuit Breaker and Fuse Wire

Abstract

Systems, methods, and apparatuses are provided for actuating an isolating switch of a fuse. A vehicle may include a fuse comprising a supply input, a component output between which an electronic isolating switch and a fusible conductor are arranged electrically in series, and a measuring device for measuring an electrical property on the fuse. A fuse system may include a trip logic communicatively coupled via signaling technology to the measuring device and the electronic isolating switch, which is configured to evaluate measurement values determined via the measuring device, and actuate the electronic isolating switch based on a result of the evaluation.

Claims

1.-14. (canceled)

15. A fuse, comprising: a supply input; a component output between which an electronic isolating switch and a fusible conductor are arranged electrically in series; and a measuring device for measuring an electrical property on the fuse.

16. The fuse according to claim 15, wherein the electronic isolating switch is arranged upstream of the fusible conductor in the direction from the supply input to the component output.

17. The fuse according to claim 15, wherein the electronic isolating switch is arranged downstream of the fusible conductor in the direction from the supply input to the component output.

18. The fuse according to claim 15, wherein the measuring device comprises a voltage measuring device for determining a voltage at a point in a current path between the supply input and the component output.

19. The fuse according to claim 18, wherein the measuring device comprises at least two voltage measuring devices, between which the electronic isolating switch and/or the fusible conductor is/are arranged.

20. The fuse according to claim 15, wherein the measuring device comprises a current measuring device for respectively determining a current intensity of an electric current in the current path between the supply input and the component output.

21. A fuse system, comprising: the fuse according to claim 15; and a trip logic communicatively coupled via signaling technology to the measuring device; and the electronic isolating switch, which is configured to: evaluate measurement values determined via the measuring device, and actuate the electronic isolating switch based on a result of the evaluation.

22. The fuse system according to claim 21, wherein the trip logic is integrated into the fuse.

23. The fuse system according to claim 21, wherein the trip logic is an entity external to the fuse.

24. The fuse system according to claim 21, wherein the trip logic is configured to switch the electronic isolating switch off before a melting integral that trips the fusible conductor is reached.

25. The fuse system according to claim 21, wherein the trip logic is configured to ascertain a state of health of the electronic isolating switch and/or the fusible conductor via voltage differences determined by the measuring device.

26. The fuse system according to claim 21, wherein the trip logic is configured to ascertain a state of health of the measuring device via the values of the electrical property respectively determined by the measuring device.

27. A vehicle, comprising: a fuse, comprising: a supply input, a component output between which an electronic isolating switch and a fusible conductor are arranged electrically in series, and a measuring device for measuring an electrical property on the fuse; and a fuse system, comprising: a trip logic communicatively coupled via signaling technology to the measuring device; and the electronic isolating switch, which is configured to: evaluate measurement values determined via the measuring device, and actuate the electronic isolating switch based on a result of the evaluation.

28. A method for actuating an isolating switch of a fuse having a supply input and a component output between which an electronic isolating switch and a fusible conductor are arranged electrically in series, and a measuring device for measuring a property on the fuse, the method comprising: determining measurement values via the measuring device; evaluating the determined measurement values; and switching the isolating switch on or off selectively based on a result of the evaluation.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0050] FIG. 1 shows a drawing of a fuse component according to a first example; and

[0051] FIG. 2 shows a drawing of a conventional electronic fuse.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0052] FIG. 1 shows a drawing of a fuse component 1 having a supply input 103 and a component output 104, between which a first isolating element TE1 in the form of an electronic isolating switch 102 and a second isolating element TE2 in the form of a fusible conductor 2 are arranged electrically in series, and at least one measuring device 105-1, 105-2, 105-3, 106, 3 for measuring an electrical property, specifically in this case by way of example [0053] at least one voltage measuring device 105-1, 105-2 and/or 105-3, [0054] a current measuring device 106 and [0055] a temperature measuring device 3.

[0056] The variant in which the electronic isolating switch 102 is arranged upstream of the fusible conductor 2 in the direction from the supply input 103 to the component output 104 is shown. However, this order may also be reversed, wherein then the first isolating element TE1 is present as the fusible conductor 2 and the second isolating element TE2 comprises the electronic isolating switch 102, which is then arranged downstream of the fusible conductor 2.

[0057] The measuring devices 105-1, 105-2, 105-3, 106, 3 are connected in terms of signal technology to a trip logic unit 4 which is integrated into the fuse component 1. The trip logic unit 4 can actuate the isolating switch 102 (for example a MOSFET) to be on or off selectively based on the measurement values received from the measuring devices 105-1, 105-2, 105-3, 106, 3. As an alternative, the trip logic unit 4 could also be arranged outside of the fuse component 1 and thus be an entity external to the fuse component.

[0058] The at least one voltage measuring device is arranged in a current path between the supply input 103 and the component output 104 in order to determine a voltage at a point in the current path. If there are a plurality of voltage measuring devices 105-1, 105-2 and/or 105-3 present, they are advantageously connected to ground GND separately.

[0059] The current measuring device 106 is set up to respectively determine a current intensity of an electric current in the current path between the supply input 103 and the component output 104 and in this case, for example, is arranged upstream of the first isolating element TE1.

[0060] The trip logic unit 4 can use the current measuring device 106, in particular, to measure the electric current i flowing between the supply input 103 and the component output 104 and to calculate the melting integral

[00002]$\mathrm{Int}={}_t^{t+t}{i}^2\mathrm{dt},$

therefrom. If the fusible conductor 2 is designed such that it melts or separates at a melting integral of Int_1, the trip logic unit 4 is advantageously set up to switch off the electronic isolating switch 102 before the calculated melting integral Int reaches the value Int_1 that trips the fusible conductor 2. This can be implemented, for example, so that the trip logic unit 4 switches off or opens the electronic isolating switch 102 when IntInt_2 where Int_2 is a predetermined threshold value, wherein furthermore Int_2<Int_1 holds true. As a result, the isolating switch 102 is used as a reversible overcurrent protection device for the fusible conductor 2.

[0061] The trip logic unit 4 is set up, in particular, to ascertain a state of health of the electronic isolating switch 102 and/or the fusible conductor 2 via the voltage values determined by the at least one voltage measuring device 105-1, 105-2 and/or 105-3. The state of health of the fusible conductor 2 may include, for example, the difference between conducting/nonconducting.

[0062] The trip logic unit 4 is set up, in particular, to ascertain a state of health of at least one of the measuring devices 105-1, 105-2, 105-3, 106, 3 via the measurement values respectively determined by a plurality of measuring devices 105-1, 105-2, 105-3, 106, 3, for example by way of measurement validation.

[0063] The fuse component 1 may be part of an on-board supply system V of a vehicle F, in particular a partly or fully autonomously driving electric vehicle.

[0064] By way of example, at least one vehicle component part to be protected (top of figure) such as a consumer (for example a brake system, a steering system, etc.) can be connected to the component output 104. In one possible variant, if the vehicle is started, the electronic isolating switch 102 first checks the function of the isolating switch 102 and the fusible conductor. This can be done in a variety of ways, like for some example options in which the first isolating element TE1 comprises the electronic isolating switch 102 and the second isolating element TE2 comprises the fusible conductor 2, now explained more specifically for the above arrangements: [0065] (a2) supply input 103isolating switch 102voltage measuring device 105-2fusible conductor 2component output 104; [0066] (b1) supply input 103first voltage measuring device 105-1isolating switch 102second voltage measuring device 105-2fusible conductor 2component output 104; and [0067] (c) supply input 103first voltage measuring device 105-1isolating switch 102second voltage measuring device 105-2fusible conductor 2third voltage measuring device 105-2component output 104. It is assumed here that a voltage U>0 is applied to the supply input.

[0068] In arrangement (a2), the trip logic unit 4 can open the isolating switch 102, for example. If no voltage (U=0) is applied to the voltage measuring device 105-2, the isolating switch 102 opens correctly. However, if the voltage U>0 is applied to the voltage measuring device 105-2, the isolating switch 102 opens incorrectly. The trip logic unit 4 can also close the isolating switch 102. If the voltage U>0 is applied to the voltage measuring device 105-2, the isolating switch 102 closes correctly. However, if the voltage U=0 is applied to the voltage measuring device 105-2, the isolating switch 102 closes incorrectly. If the voltage U>0 is applied to the voltage measuring device 105-2 and no voltage is applied to the consumer connected downstream or if the consumer connected downstream does not receive an operating current (which can be identified separately), this is an indication of a severed fusible conductor 2.

[0069] In arrangement (b1), the first voltage measuring device 105-1 can additionally be used to determine whether a voltage U is actually applied to the supply input 103. If a voltage difference U=U1U2 between the voltage U1 measured by the voltage measuring device 105-1 and the voltage U2 measured by the voltage measuring device 105-2 when the isolating switch 102 is open is zero, this is an indication that the isolating switch 102 is opening incorrectly. If the voltage difference U when the isolating switch 102 is closed is greater than zero, for example U=U1 holds true, this is an indication that the isolating switch is closing incorrectly. Furthermore, the trip logic unit 4 can be used to monitor the voltages U1 and U2, in particular the time profiles thereof, in order to identify a faulty or inaccurate voltage measuring device 105-1, 105-2, for example in order to determine a drift.

[0070] In arrangement (c), the correct functionality of the isolating switch 102 and the fusible conductor 2 can be checked directly by measuring a voltage difference between the voltage measuring devices 105-1 and 105-2 or between the voltage measuring devices 105-2 and 105-3.

[0071] If the isolating switch 102 and/or the fusible conductor 2 are not in order and/or if one or more of the voltage measuring devices 105-1, 105-2, 105-3 are not sufficient enough or even faulty, a corresponding indication can be output and/or another action can be triggered by the vehicle F, for example.

[0072] If the isolating switch 102 and the fusible conductor 2 are in order, the protected at least one consumer can be supplied with power by closing the isolating switch 102. The power supply can be interrupted by the fuse component 1 during normal operation of the vehicle F, for example, when: an undervoltage is identified, after which the trip logic unit 4 opens the isolating switch 102, and/or when the melting integral reaches or exceeds the threshold value Int 2, after which the trip logic unit 4 opens the isolating switch 102. If the isolating switch 102 is faulty, without this having been identified, the power supply can be interrupted by the fusible conductor 2 during normal operation of the vehicle F, when the melting integral reaches the threshold value Int_1, the fusible conductor 2 melts through.

[0073] It goes without saying that the present subject matter is not restricted to the example shown.

[0074] The isolating switch 102 can thus additionally or alternatively be opened by the trip logic unit 4 when a current drop is determined via the current measuring device 106 and/or overheating is determined via the temperature measuring device.

LIST OF REFERENCE SIGNS

[0075] 1 Fuse component [0076] 2 Fusible conductor [0077] 3 Temperature measuring device [0078] 4 Trip logic unit [0079] Electronic fuse [0080] 102 Electronic isolating switch [0081] 103 Supply input [0082] 104 Component output [0083] 105 Voltage measuring device [0084] 105-1 Voltage measuring device [0085] 105-2 Voltage measuring device [0086] 105-3 Voltage measuring device [0087] 106 Current measuring device [0088] 107 Trip logic unit [0089] F Vehicle [0090] GND Ground/reference potential [0091] i Electric current intensity [0092] TE1 First isolating element [0093] TE2 Second isolating element [0094] V On-board supply system