Device and Method for Establishing an Electrical Connection Between an Electrical Traction Energy Store and a High-Voltage Vehicle Electrical System for a Motor Vehicle

Abstract

A device and a method establish an electrical connection between an electrical traction energy storage system and a high-voltage on-board electrical system for a motor vehicle. The device includes a housing, and a battery junction box assembly connected or connectable to the housing using a first detachable connection. The battery junction box assembly includes a switching device and a touch protection cover. The switching device is arranged on a carrier plate and selectively establishes or disconnects an electrical connection between a first terminal for connecting the electrical traction energy storage system and a second terminal for connecting the high-voltage on-board electrical system. The touch protection cover is configured as a cover for the switching device and is connected or may be connected to the carrier plate using a second detachable connection. The second detachable connection is arranged such that it is not accessible in an assembled state of the device.

Claims

1.-15. (canceled)

16. An apparatus for establishing an electrical connection between an electrical traction energy storage system and a high-voltage on-board electrical system for a motor vehicle, comprising: a housing; and a battery junction box assembly which is connected or connectable to the housing by means of a first detachable connection, the battery junction box assembly including a switching device and a touch protection cover, the switching device is arranged on a carrier plate and configured to selectively establish or disconnect an electrical connection between a first terminal for connecting the electrical traction energy storage system and a second terminal for connecting the high-voltage on-board electrical system, the touch protection cover configured as a cover for the switching device and connected or connectable to the carrier plate using a second detachable connection, wherein the second detachable connection is arranged in such a way that it is not accessible in an assembled state of the device.

17. The apparatus according to claim 16, wherein the housing is made of metal and the touch protection cover is made of plastic.

18. The apparatus according to claim 16, wherein in a mounted state of the apparatus, the second detachable connection is arranged in or on at least one of: a portion of a gap between an outer face of the touch protection cover and an inner face of the housing; and a side of the carrier plate facing away from the touch protection cover.

19. The apparatus according to claim 18, wherein the gap comprises a width smaller than 2 cm or is configured such that the second detachable connection abuts against the inner surface of the housing.

20. The apparatus according to claim 16, wherein the second detachable connection comprises at least one of a clip, a snap, a screw and a latch connection.

21. The apparatus according to claim 16, wherein the first detachable connection comprises at least one screw which is inserted into the touch protection cover in a captive manner.

22. The apparatus according to claim 16, wherein the first terminal comprises a plurality of electrical cables connected to the switching device and passing through a plurality of openings formed by at least one of the group consisting of: the touch protection cover; and the carrier plate.

23. The apparatus according to claim 22, wherein at least one of the plurality of openings comprises an adjacent holder for one of the plurality of electrical cables, the adjacent holder formed in a form-fitting manner by the touch protection cover and the carrier plate in the mounted state of the apparatus.

24. The apparatus according to claim 23, wherein each of the plurality of electrical cables comprises an insulated plug connector and is configured to pass through or passes through at least one breakthrough opening of the housing.

25. The apparatus of claim 24, wherein lengths of the plurality of electrical cables are dimensioned such that, in the assembled state of the apparatus, each of the at least one breakthrough openings is occupied by one of the plurality of electrical cables.

26. The apparatus according to claim 22, wherein each of the plurality of electrical cables comprises an insulated plug connector and is configured to pass through or passes through at least one breakthrough opening of the housing.

27. The apparatus according to claim 16, wherein the second terminal comprises a plug-in unit configured in the housing and at least one electrical line for establishing an electrical connection between the plug-in unit and the switching device.

28. The apparatus according to claim 27, wherein the at least one electrical line is covered by the touch protection cover in the mounted state of the apparatus.

29. The apparatus according to claim 28, wherein at least one contact screw, with which the at least one electrical line is screwed or may be screwed to a contact of the plug-in unit, is held in a captive manner by the touch protection cover in a receiving opening of the at least one electrical line.

30. The apparatus according to claim 16, wherein a control unit configured to control the switching device is further arranged on the carrier plate.

31. The apparatus according to claim 30, wherein the switching device comprises a sensor system configured to measure a current conducted through the switching device and at least one disconnecting element, for controllably establishing or disconnecting the electrical connection between the first terminal and the second terminal, and the control unit is configured to control the at least one disconnecting element as a function of the measurement.

32. A method for assembling a device for establishing an electrical connection between an electrical traction energy storage system and a high-voltage on-board electrical system of a motor vehicle, comprising: assembling a battery junction box assembly by connecting a carrier plate to a touch protection cover, which is configured as a cover for a switching device arranged on the carrier plate, using a second detachable connection, the second detachable connection being arranged in such a way that it is not accessible in an assembled state of the device; inserting the battery junction box assembly into a housing; connecting the battery junction box assembly to the housing using a first detachable connection; and connecting the electrical traction energy storage system to a first terminal of the device and the high-voltage on-board electrical system to a second terminal of the device.

33. A motor vehicle, comprising an apparatus according to claim 16, wherein the electrical traction energy storage system is connected to the first terminal of the device and the high-voltage on-board power supply is connected to the second terminal of the device.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0039] FIG. 1 shows a schematic top view of a device according to one embodiment;

[0040] FIG. 2 shows a schematic side view of a battery junction box assembly according to one embodiment;

[0041] FIG. 3 shows a schematic sectional view of the battery junction box assembly according to one embodiment;

[0042] FIG. 4 shows a schematic sectional view of the device according to one embodiment;

[0043] FIG. 5 shows a schematic section of a top view of the device according to one embodiment; and

[0044] FIG. 6 shows a schematic representation of a process according to one embodiment.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0045] For simplified understanding, the orientation of the device 100 or battery junction box assembly 10 according to the invention is indicated in FIGS. 1 to 5 by means of an exemplary Cartesian coordinate system, wherein, for example, the x-direction corresponds to a length direction, the y-direction corresponds to a width direction and the z-direction corresponds to a height direction of the device 100 in an assembled state.

[0046] FIG. 1 shows a schematic top view of the device 100 for establishing an electrical connection between an electrical traction energy storage system and a high-voltage on- board electrical system for a motor vehicle. The device 100 is shown here in an assembled state.

[0047] The device 100 comprises a housing 12 and a battery junction box assembly 10, which in turn comprises a switching device 30, a carrier plate 14 and a touch protection cover 16.

[0048] In the assembled state of the device 100 shown in FIG. 1, the battery junction box assembly 10 is inserted into the housing 12 and connected to the housing 12 by means of a first detachable connection 22. The first detachable connection 22 may comprise one or more screws 22, which are captive in the touch protection cover 16.

[0049] The switching device 30 is arranged on the carrier plate 14 and is configured to selectively establish or disconnect an electrical connection between a first terminal 18 for connecting the electric traction energy storage system and a second terminal 20 for connecting the high-voltage on-board electrical system.

[0050] The touch protection cover 16 is configured as a cover for the switching device 30 and is connected or may be connected to the carrier plate 14 by means of a second detachable connection 26. The touch protection cover 16 is made of a non-conductive material, preferably a plastic. In the assembled state of the device 100 shown, the touch protection cover 16 is connected to the carrier plate 14 and the switching device 30 is arranged correspondingly below the touch protection cover 16.

[0051] The device 100 is characterised, among other things, by the fact that the second detachable connection 26 is arranged in such a way that it is not accessible when the device 100 is mounted. For this purpose, the second releasable connection 26 may be arranged, for example, in the portion of a gap 28 between an outer face of the touch protection cover 16 and an inner face of the housing 12. This gap 28 may be configured in such a way that a user cannot loosen or close the second detachable connection 26 manually or using conventional tools. For example, the gap 28 may comprise a width of less than 2 cm or 1 cm or may be configured such that the second detachable connection 26 rests against the inner surface of the housing 12. Alternatively or additionally, the second detachable connection 26 may be arranged on a side of the carrier plate 14 facing away from the touch protection cover 16.

[0052] The second detachable connection 26 may comprise at least one clip, snap, screw and/or latch connection. In the embodiment example shown, the second detachable connection comprises several lateral clip connections between the touch protection cover 16 and the carrier plate 14, which are arranged in the portion of the gap 28 in the assembled state, and also screw connections between the touch protection cover 16 and the carrier plate 14, which are only accessible from the underside of the battery junction box assembly 10, i.e. from the side of the carrier plate.

[0053] The first terminal 18 may comprise a plurality of electrical cables 18, each electrically and mechanically connected at one end to the switching device 30, and each comprising an insulated connector 24 at the other end. The electrical cables 18 and the insulated connectors 24 may be passable or routed through apertures 48 of the housing 12, preferably wherein lengths of the plurality of electrical cables 18 are dimensioned such that, when the device 100 is assembled, each of the apertures 48 is occupied by one of the plurality of electrical cables 18.

[0054] The second terminal 20 may comprise a plug-in unit 40 configured in the housing 12, which is electrically connected to the switching device 30.

[0055] Furthermore, a control unit 50 for controlling the switching device 30 may be arranged on the carrier plate 14, wherein the control unit 50 is arranged outside the touch protection cover 16 when the device 100 is mounted. The control unit 50 may be connected to the switching device 30 in terms of signaling technology, wherein the switching device 30 comprises a sensor system for measuring a current conducted through the switching device 30 and at least one disconnecting element, preferably at least one contactor, for controllably establishing or disconnecting the electrical connection between the first terminal 18 and the second terminal 20. The control unit 50 is configured to control the at least one disconnecting element as a function of the measurement. During operation, the control unit may use predetermined conditions to independently decide at which current strength values and/or current voltage values measured by the sensor system the electrical connection between the first terminal and the second terminal is to be established and/or disconnected. If a measured current voltage value of the current that is conducted from the electric traction energy storage system via the switching device 30 to the high-voltage on-board electrical system is above a predetermined limit value, for example, the control unit 50 may instruct the at least one disconnecting element to disconnect the electrical connection established by the switching device 30 and to avoid possible damage to the electric traction energy storage system and/or the high-voltage on-board electrical system.

[0056] FIG. 2 shows a schematic side view of the battery junction box assembly 10 in an assembled state, i.e. the touch protection cover 16 is connected to the carrier plate 14 by means of the second detachable connection 26, which in this embodiment comprises a plurality of laterally arranged clip connectors.

[0057] FIG. 3 schematically shows a sectional view of the battery junction box assembly 10, in which in particular a captive screw 22 of the second detachable connection 22 is shown. The screw 22 is inserted in a bushing 22A, which is integrated in the touch protection cover 16, wherein the respective bushing 22A is configured such that the screw 22 cannot be removed from the bushing.

[0058] As shown in FIG. 4, the electrical cables 18 of the first terminal 18 may each pass through one of a plurality of openings 32 formed by the touch protection cover 16 and/or the carrier plate 14. At least one of the plurality of openings 32 may comprise an adjacent holder 38 for one of the electrical cables 18 passed there through, which holder 38 is formed in a form-fitting manner by the touch protection cover 16 and the carrier plate 14 when the device 100 is mounted.

[0059] The holder 38 may be configured by a curved, for example U-shaped or semi-circular, recess 34 in the touch protection cover 16 and a projection 36 of the carrier plate. The recess 34 may comprise an open end 34A for insertion of the at least one electrical cable 18 and a closed end 34B. When the device 100 is assembled, the recess 34 and the protrusion 38 may engage positively with each other so that one of the electrical cables 18 is threaded and retained in the closed end 34B of the recess 34. The holder 38 may also be referred to as a labyrinth.

[0060] Further, as shown in FIG. 4, the length of the at least one electrical cable 18 may be dimensioned such that the at least one electrical cable 18 is passed through the aperture 48 of the housing 12 when the device 100 is assembled and the insulated connector 24 of the at least one electrical cable 18 is arranged completely outside the housing 12. Furthermore, the length of the electrical cables 18 is to be such that when the battery junction box assembly 10 is removed from the housing 12, the cables would stretch after a short time and the electrical cables 18 would have to be disconnected at the connectors 24 in order to completely remove the battery junction box assembly 10. This ensures that the supply voltage is automatically disconnected during removal.

[0061] FIG. 5 schematically shows the second terminal 20, which comprises the plug-in unit 40 configured in the housing 12 and at least one electrical line 42, preferably at least one busbar, for establishing an electrical connection between the plug-in unit 40 and the switching device 30. In the assembled state of the battery junction box assembly 10 shown, the at least one electrical line 42 is covered by the touch protection cover 16.

[0062] At least one contact screw 44 may be provided, with which the at least one electrical cable 42 is screwed or may be screwed to a contact of the plug-in unit 40. The at least one contact screw 44 may be held captive in a receiving opening of the at least one electrical cable 42 by the touch protection cover 16. For this purpose, an anti-loss device 46 may be configured in the touch protection cover 16 in such a way that the at least one contact screw 44 is prevented from falling out of the receiving opening and preferably at least one opening is provided through which at least one contact screw 44 may be screwed to the contact of the plug-in unit 40 using conventional tools.

[0063] FIG. 6 schematically illustrates the method for assembling the device 100 for establishing an electrical connection between an electrical traction energy storage system and a high- voltage on-board electrical system of a motor vehicle.

[0064] In step S1 of the method 100, the battery junction box assembly 10 is assembled by connecting the carrier plate 14 to the touch protection cover 16 by means of the second releasable connection 26.

[0065] In steps S2 and S3 of the method 100, the assembled battery junction box assembly 10 is inserted into the housing 12 and connected to the housing 12 by means of the first releasable connection 22.

[0066] In step S4 of the method 100, the electric traction energy storage system is connected to the first terminal 18 of the device 100 and the high-voltage on-board electrical system is connected to the second terminal 20 of the device 100. This establishes the electrical connection between the traction energy storage system and the high-voltage on-board electrical system.

[0067] As the procedure is only possible in this sequence and thus an electrical connection of the device 100 to the electric traction energy storage system and the high-voltage on-board electrical system of the motor vehicle is only established when the device 100 is in the assembled state, the battery junction box assembly 10 is permanently protected against contact during the entire assembly and in the assembled state.

[0068] However, even when the device 100 is dismantled, it is ensured that the battery junction box assembly 10 is permanently protected against contact. It is not possible to remove the touch protection cover 16 from the carrier plate 14 and reach bare live parts of the switching device 30, the first terminal 18 or the second terminal 20 as long as the traction energy storage system and the high-voltage on-board electrical system are still electrically connected to the battery junction box assembly 10. Instead, the electric traction energy storage system is disconnected from the first terminal 18 and the high-voltage on-board electrical system is disconnected from the second terminal 20, thereby de-energising the battery junction box assembly 10. The battery junction box assembly 10 is then unscrewed from the housing 12, i.e. the first detachable connection 22 is released and the battery junction box assembly 10 is removed from the housing 12.

[0069] If an attempt is made to remove the battery junction box assembly 10 from the housing 12 without disconnecting the electrical connectors to the electrical traction energy storage system, the selected lengths of the multiple electrical cables 18 and optionally also the at least one holder 38 may cause the electrical connections to the traction energy storage system to be disconnected by a respective tensile force on the multiple cables 18. For example, the plug connectors 24 may thus be disconnected from their respective counterparts of the traction energy storage system.

[0070] If the battery junction box assembly 10 is then located at the user's workplace, for example, the second detachable connection 26 may be released and the touch protection cover 16 may be removed. The battery junction box assembly 10 is thus permanently protected against contact when electrical voltage is present, i.e. when it is connected to the traction energy storage device.

[0071] The invention is not limited to the preferred embodiments described above. Rather, a large number of variants and modifications are possible which also make use of the inventive concept and therefore fall within the scope of protection. In particular, the invention also claims protection for the subject matter and the features of the dependent claims independently of the claims referred to. In particular, the individual features of independent claim 1 are each disclosed independently of one another. In addition, the features of the sub-claims are also disclosed independently of all the features of independent claim 1.

LIST OF REFERENCE SYMBOLS

[0072] 10 Battery junction box assembly [0073] 12 Housing [0074] 14 Carrier plate [0075] 16 Touch protection cover [0076] 18 First terminal, electrical cables [0077] 20 Second terminal [0078] 22 First detachable connection, screw [0079] 22 Socket [0080] 24 Connector [0081] 26 Second detachable connection [0082] 28 Gap [0083] 30 Switching device [0084] 32 Opening [0085] 34 Recess [0086] 34A, 34B Opened or closed end of the recess [0087] 36 Lead [0088] 38 Holder [0089] 40 Plug-in unit [0090] 42 Electrical cable [0091] 44 Contact screw [0092] 46 Loss protection [0093] 48 Breakthrough [0094] 50 Control unit [0095] 100 Device [0096] S1, S2, S3, S4 Process steps