DE102010051474A1 - Control unit for electromotor in staggering stabilizer of motor car, has control unit comprising error-control device that provides error-condition for motor phases to close half bridge shift members - Google Patents

Abstract

The unit has a circuit (15) electrically connecting motor phases (14a-14c) of an electromotor (11) with an electrical power supply (13). The circuit for each motor phase comprises voltage-sided and mass-sided half bridge shift members e.g. MOSFETs, where common connection terminal of the members is electrically connected with the respective motor phase. A phase control device (17) actuates circuit configuration during operation of the electromotor. A control unit comprises an error-control device (25) that provides error-condition for each motor phase to close the half bridge shift members.

Description

The present invention relates to a control unit for an electric motor of a roll stabilizer with a circuit arrangement for selectively electrically connecting the motor phases of the electric motor with an electrical power supply, wherein the circuit arrangement for each motor phase comprises a first, voltage side and a second, ground side half-bridge switching element whose common connection terminal with the respective motor phase is electrically connected, and with a phase control device for driving the circuit arrangement during operation of the electric motor.

Electromechanical roll stabilizers are used in motor vehicles to counteract when cornering a rolling motion of the vehicle and to allow for straight ahead driving a soft rebound of uneven floors. For this purpose, the two halves of a split stabilizer by means of the electric motor, which is optionally associated with a transmission, rotated in response to the driving situation against each other.

By suitable driving of the circuit arrangement, in particular of the half-bridge switching elements, the phase control device can bring about an operation of the electric motor with a predetermined rotational speed and / or predetermined torque. For this purpose, each half-bridge switching element has two connection terminals. The one connection terminal of each first half-bridge switching element is connected to the respective motor phase, while the other connection terminal of each first half-bridge switching element is connected to the respective other connection terminal of the further first half-bridge switching elements and connected to the voltage side of the electric power supply or connectable via a switching element. Likewise, the one connection terminal of each second half-bridge switching element is connected to the respective motor phase, while the other connection terminal of each second half-bridge switching element is connected to the respective other connection terminal of the further second half-bridge switching elements and connected to ground or connectable.

If it comes during vehicle operation to a fault in the operation of the electric motor, because z. B. the electrical energy fails or a fault in the control occurs, the roll stabilizer can lose its stabilizing effect, since the two stabilizer halves are relatively easily rotated against each other in energized electric motor. This situation is particularly problematic when cornering, because the vehicle can suddenly shake to the outside, creating a dangerous driving situation may arise.

There is therefore a need, in an eletromechanical roll stabilizer as easy and effectively to prevent unimpeded twisting of the stabilizer halves in case of disturbance of the roll control.

The solution of this object is achieved by a control unit having the features of claim 1.

According to the invention, the control unit comprises an error control device which is designed to close both the first and the second half-bridge switching element in the event of an error condition for each motor phase. By closing the first and second half-bridge switching elements, the motor phases are short-circuited. The short circuit current flowing through the windings of the motor phases generates a torque which is opposite to an externally acting torque. The mutual rotation of the stabilizer halves thus a resistance is opposed, which prevents excessive rolling motion of the vehicle even in case of failure of the roll control. The stabilizer halves act similar to a passive stabilizer due to the torque generated by the short circuit current, and thus can at least temporarily stabilize the vehicle. Since both the voltage-side and the ground-side half-bridge switching element are closed for all motor phases, the short circuit resistance is comparatively low. This allows a particularly effective stabilization of the vehicle in the event of a fault.

Further developments of the invention are specified in the dependent claims, the description and the accompanying drawings.

According to one embodiment, the fault-event control device comprises an error-detection device which is able to detect a malfunction of the phase-control device and / or a failure of the electrical power supply so as to detect the presence of an error condition. The fault detection device can thus continuously monitor the individual components of the roll control during vehicle operation in order to detect any faults immediately and to cause the safety devices to short-circuit the motor phases via the half-bridge switching elements.

The fault event control device may additionally include a utility disconnect switch element for selectively jointly disconnecting the motor phases from the electrical power supply. In particular, the fault event control device be designed to close in the presence of a fault condition, both the half-bridge switching elements and to open the power supply switching element. An undesirable short-circuiting of the power supply is thereby avoided.

The fault event control device can be connected to an electrical energy store for the emergency supply of the fault event control device as required. This ensures that the fault control device still works even with a possible total failure of the electrical power supply and can trigger the stabilization measure, so that dangerous driving situations are reliably prevented.

The electrical energy store may include a capacitor connected to the electrical power supply. The capacitor is charged during normal operation of the roll stabilizer by the electrical power supply and is ready in case of failure as a charged memory for an emergency power supply.

According to a further embodiment, the half-bridge switching elements are designed as transistors, in particular as field effect transistors or as insulated gate bipolar transistors (IGBT). This allows a simple and inexpensive construction. In particular, relatively large and expensive relays can be dispensed with.

The fault case control device may further comprise a first control element for jointly controlling all the voltage-side half-bridge switching elements and a second control element for jointly controlling all the mass-side half-bridge switching elements. The first and the second control element can be embodied as transistors, in particular as bipolar transistors. The two transistors can in turn be driven by a common superordinate transistor, which is ultimately driven by an error detection device. Alternatively, a single common switching element can be provided for the error case for all half-bridge switching elements.

The invention also relates to a roll stabilizer for a motor vehicle, which has an electric motor and a control unit of the type described above.

The invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the drawings.

1 shows a block diagram of a roll stabilizer having an electric motor with a control unit according to the invention.

2 shows a detailed circuit diagram of the control unit according to 1 ,

According to 1 is an electric motor 11 assigned to a not shown in detail roll stabilizer of a motor vehicle and serves, if necessary, to rotate two stabilizer halves of the roll stabilizer against each other. The electrical energy for the operation of the electric motor 11 is through a power supply device 13 provided, which may be, for example, the main battery of the motor vehicle. The electric motor 11 In the example shown, there are three motor phases 14a . 14b . 14c on.

The operation of the electric motor 11 is by means of a circuit arrangement 15 and a phase control device 17 controlled, wherein the phase control device 17 a first engine control module 19 and a second engine control module 21 includes, which are each designed as a microcontroller. The first engine control module 19 controls the circuitry 15 to a rotary motion of the electric motor 11 on, wherein the second engine control module 21 specifies a certain speed or a certain torque.

An error case control device 25 , which in the illustrated embodiment also designed as a microcontroller error detection device 27 , an error control module 29 as well as an error trap module 31 ensures that, in the presence of a fault condition, the electric motor 11 all-phase short-circuited and from the power supply device 13 is separated, as will be explained in more detail below.

An electrical energy store 33 is on the one hand with the power supply device 13 and, on the other hand, with the error control module 29 in connection and serves in case of unexpected failure of the power supply device 13 the individual components of the error control device 25 to supply with electric current.

The control of the electric motor 11 will be described with reference to the diagram according to 2 described in more detail. Every engine phase 14a . 14b . 14c of the electric motor 11 is via a first, voltage side half-bridge switching element 35a . 35b . 35c with the voltage side of the power supply device 13 connected and via a second, ground side half-bridge switching element 37a . 37b . 37c with the ground side of the power supply device 13 connected. In the embodiment according to 1 and 2 are the Half-bridge switching elements 35 . 37 designed as metal oxide semiconductor field effect transistors (MOSFET). The half-bridge switching elements 35 . 37 may also be implemented as insulated gate transistors (IGBTs) in certain applications. The voltage-side half-bridge switching elements 35a . 35b . 35c and the ground side half-bridge switching elements 37a . 37b . 37c can via control lines 40 which are connected to the phase control device 17 ( 1 ) are connected, optionally opened and closed. In addition, the voltage side half-bridge switching elements 35a . 35b . 35c also via a first control element designed as a bipolar transistor 41 be closed and the ground side half-bridge switching elements 37a . 37b . 37c can via a likewise designed as a bipolar transistor second control 42 be closed, with the controls 41 . 42 on the output side via a respective diode 43 with the control lines 40 are connected.

In the connection line between the voltage side of the power supply device 13 and the voltage-side half-bridge switching elements 35a . 35b . 35c is a utility circuit breaker 39 provided, which is also designed here as a MOSFET and is capable of the motor phases 14a . 14b . 14c of the electric motor 11 optionally together from the power supply device 13 to separate. The power disconnect switch element 39 corresponds to the fault circuit breaker module 31 according to 1 , According to an embodiment, not shown, the supply disconnecting switching element 39 designed as an IGBT, as a relay or as a fuse. The power disconnect switch element 39 could also be designed as PTC thermistor ("positive temperature coefficient") and thus form a self-resetting fuse.

A parent third control 45 , which is also designed as a bipolar transistor, is connected to the error detection device 27 ( 1 ) and is able to simultaneously control the first control 41 , the second control 42 and the power disconnect switch element 39 head for. The third switching element 45 , the first switching element 41 , the second switching element 42 and the diodes 43 form the fault case control module 29 according to 1 , Upon closing the third control 45 Both the voltage side half-bridge switching elements 35a . 35b . 35c as well as the low-side half-bridge switching elements 37a . 37b . 37c closed, while at the same time the supply disconnect switching element 39 is opened.

How out 2 shows, includes the energy storage 33 a capacitor 50 and a diode 51 ,

During normal operation of the roll stabilizer, the phase control device provides 17 ( 1 ) via the control lines 40 that the half-bridge switching elements 35a . 35b . 35c . 37a . 37b . 37c be opened and closed so that the electric motor 11 outputs a predetermined torque and / or rotates at a predetermined speed.

It should be during operation of the electric motor 11 to a malfunction of the phase control device 17 or to a failure of the power supply device 13 come, this is from the error detection device 27 detected and the third control 45 is activated, ie the transistor is turned on. This will become the first control 41 as well as the second control 42 activated, ie the transistors are also turned on, so that regardless of the signals on the control lines 40 the half-bridge switching elements 35a . 35b . 35c . 37a . 37b . 37c for all engine phases 14a . 14b . 14c getting closed. At the same time the supply disconnect switching element 39 open so that the motor phases 14a . 14b . 14c from the power supply device 13 are separated.

The motor phases 14a . 14b . 14c are now short-circuited with little resistance, which is why the corresponding current-carrying windings of the electric motor 11 generate a torque that is opposite to the externally applied to the roll stabilizer torque. The roll stabilizer thus counteracts - regardless of any faulty control and power supply - a twisting of the two stabilizer halves, thus preventing a sudden sagging of the vehicle on the outside of the curve.

The first control 41 , the second control 42 and the third control 45 are also in a total failure of the power supply device 13 able to trigger the safety measures of the motor phase short circuit and the power supply separation, since if necessary the capacitor 50 provides the necessary electrical energy for switching.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMBERS

11

electric motor

13

Power supply means

14a, 14b, 14c

motor phase

15

circuitry

17

Phase controller

19

first engine control module

21

second engine control module

25

Event of an error control device

27

Error detection device

29

Error case control module

31

Event of a fault switching module

33

energy storage

35a, 35b, 35c

voltage-side half-bridge switching element

37a, 37b, 37c

Masseseitiges half-bridge switching element

39

Supply isolating device

40

control line

41

first control

42

second control

43

diode

45

third control

50

capacitor

51

diode

Claims (10)

Control unit for an electric motor ( 11 ) of a roll stabilizer, with a circuit arrangement ( 15 ) for selectively electrically connecting the motor phases ( 14a . 14b . 14c ) of the electric motor ( 11 ) with an electrical energy supply ( 13 ), wherein the circuit arrangement ( 15 ) for each engine phase ( 14a . 14b . 14c ) a first, voltage-side and a second, ground-side half-bridge switching element ( 35a . 35b . 35c . 37a . 37b . 37c ) whose common connection connection with the respective motor phase ( 14a . 14b . 14c ) is electrically connected, and with a phase control device ( 17 ) for driving the circuit arrangement ( 15 ) during operation of the electric motor ( 11 ), characterized in that the control unit includes an error-handling control device ( 25 ), which is adapted, in the presence of a fault condition for each engine phase ( 14a . 14b . 14c ) both the first and the second half-bridge switching element ( 35a . 35b . 35c . 37a . 37b . 37c ) close. A control unit according to claim 1, wherein the fault event control device ( 25 ) an error detection device ( 27 ) which is capable of detecting a malfunction of the phase control device ( 17 ) and / or a failure of the electrical power supply ( 13 ) to detect the existence of an error condition. A control unit according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the fault event control device ( 25 ) a power disconnect switch element ( 39 ) for optionally jointly separating the motor phases ( 14a . 14b . 14c ) from the electrical power supply ( 13 ). The control unit according to claim 3, wherein the fault case control device ( 25 ) is designed, in the presence of an error condition, both the half-bridge switching elements ( 35a . 35b . 35c . 37a . 37b . 37c ) as well as the supply disconnect switching element ( 39 ) to open. Control unit according to at least one of the preceding claims, wherein the fault event control device ( 25 ) with an electrical energy store ( 33 ) for on-demand emergency supply of the fault control device ( 25 ) connected is. Control unit according to claim 5, wherein the electrical energy store ( 33 ) one to the electrical power supply ( 13 ) connected capacitor ( 50 ). Control unit according to at least one of the preceding claims, wherein the half-bridge switching elements ( 35a . 35b . 35c . 37a . 37b . 37c ) are designed as transistors, in particular as field-effect transistors or as bipolar transistors with insulated gate electrode. Control unit according to at least one of the preceding claims, wherein the fault event control device ( 25 ) a first control ( 41 ) for jointly controlling all the voltage-side half-bridge switching elements ( 35a . 35b . 35c ) and a second control ( 42 ) for the common activation of all mass-side half-bridge switching elements ( 37a . 37b . 37c ). A control unit according to claim 8, wherein the first and second control elements ( 41 . 42 ) are designed as transistors, in particular as bipolar transistors. Roll stabilizer for a motor vehicle, with an electric motor ( 11 ) and a control unit according to one of the preceding claims.

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