JP7211295B2 - interlock system - Google Patents

Description

The technology disclosed herein relates to an interlock system.

The interlocking system disclosed in US Pat. No. 5,800,003 has a low voltage connector and a high voltage connector. A low voltage connector and a high voltage connector are attached to the inverter. The high voltage connector is connected to the inverter through a relay. The relay is supplied with low voltage through the low voltage connector. Removing the low voltage connector from the inverter cuts off the low voltage supply to the relay, turning it off. As a result, the high voltage connector is electrically disconnected from the inverter. The high voltage connector is secured to the inverter by bolts. The low voltage connector has an extension that extends to the top of the bolt. Therefore, the high voltage connector cannot be removed from the inverter without removing the low voltage connector from the inverter. When the low voltage connector is removed from the inverter, the relay is turned off and the supply of high voltage to the high voltage connector is stopped. After that, when the high voltage connector is removed, the output terminal of the inverter to which the high voltage connector was connected is exposed. Since the relay is off, the supply of high voltage to the output terminals is stopped. This prevents the output terminal from being exposed when a high voltage is applied.

JP 2017-34910 A

In the technique disclosed in Patent Document 1, when attaching the low-voltage connector and the high-voltage connector to the inverter, the attachment order may be incorrect. That is, the low voltage connector may be connected to the inverter before the high voltage connector. Then, the relay is turned on and a high voltage is applied to the exposed output terminal of the inverter. This specification proposes a technique for preventing exposure of terminals to which a high voltage is applied, even when the plugs of a connector are attached in the wrong order.

An interlock system disclosed herein comprises a housing, a low voltage plug connected to a low voltage source, a low voltage receptacle fixed to the housing and connectable to the low voltage plug, a relay capable of receiving the output voltage of the low voltage source via the low voltage plug and the low voltage receptacle and turned on when receiving the output voltage of the low voltage source; a high voltage receptacle fixed to the housing and connected via the relay to a high voltage source that outputs a voltage higher than the output voltage of the low voltage source; It has a connectable high voltage plug and a cover attached to the low voltage plug. With the low voltage plug connected to the low voltage receptacle, the cover is secured over the insertion/removal axis of the high voltage receptacle. With the low voltage plug connected to the low voltage receptacle and the high voltage plug connected to the high voltage receptacle, the cover restricts the high voltage plug from coming out of the high voltage receptacle.

In this specification, a receptacle refers to a portion of a connector that is fixed to a housing or the like, and a plug refers to a portion of a connector that is detachable from the receptacle.

In this interlock system, when the low voltage plug and the high voltage plug are removed from the housing, exposure of the terminals to which the high voltage is applied is prevented as follows. With the low voltage plug connected to the low voltage receptacle and the high voltage plug connected to the high voltage receptacle, the cover restricts the high voltage plug from being removed from the high voltage receptacle. Therefore, the high voltage plug cannot be removed from the high voltage receptacle without removing the low voltage plug from the low voltage receptacle. When the low voltage plug is removed from the low voltage receptacle, the output voltage of the low voltage source is no longer supplied to the relay, thus turning off the relay. This electrically isolates the high voltage receptacle from the high voltage source. Since the cover is attached to the low voltage plug, removing the low voltage plug from the low voltage receptacle removes the cover from the housing. Therefore, it is possible to remove the high voltage plug. The high voltage plug is then removed, exposing the terminals of the high voltage receptacle. Since the high voltage receptacle is isolated from the high voltage source, exposure of the terminals to which the high voltage is applied is prevented. Also, when attaching the low voltage plug and the high voltage plug to the housing, it is necessary to connect the low voltage plug to the low voltage receptacle after connecting the high voltage plug to the high voltage receptacle.

Also, when attaching the low voltage plug and high voltage plug to the housing, even if you mistakenly connect the low voltage plug to the low voltage receptacle before connecting the high voltage plug to the high voltage receptacle, , it is possible to prevent the terminal to which a high voltage is applied from being exposed. That is, when the low voltage plug is connected to the low voltage receptacle, the cover is secured over the insertion/removal shaft of the high voltage receptacle. Therefore, the terminals of the high voltage receptacle are covered with the cover. Therefore, even if a high voltage is applied to the terminals of the high voltage receptacle by connecting the low voltage plug to the low voltage receptacle, the terminals are covered with the cover and are not exposed. In this manner, this interlock system can prevent the terminals to which a high voltage is applied from being exposed even if the plugs are attached in the wrong order.

The top view which shows the internal structure of a battery pack. A circuit diagram of a battery pack. 1 is a perspective view of a low voltage connector and a high voltage connector; FIG. FIG. 2 is a top view of the low voltage connector and the high voltage connector; FIG. 4 is a top view showing a state in which the low voltage plug is removed; FIG. 4 is a top view showing a state in which the high voltage plug is removed; FIG. 4 is a top view showing a state in which the low voltage plug is attached without the high voltage plug attached;

FIG. 1 shows the internal structure of a battery pack 10 having an interlock system according to an embodiment. The battery pack 10 is mounted on the vehicle and supplies electric power to the driving motor. Battery pack 10 has case 12 . Inside the case 12, a battery 14, a system main relay 16 (hereinafter referred to as SMR 16), and the like are installed. Battery 14 outputs a high voltage to be supplied to the driving motor. A low voltage connector 20 and high voltage connectors 22 and 24 are installed on the side of the case 12 . Low voltage connector 20 is a connector for supplying low voltage to SMR 16 . The high voltage connectors 22 and 24 are connectors for extracting the output voltage of the battery 14 to the outside of the battery pack 10 . The embodiment interlock system has a low voltage connector 20 and high voltage connectors 22,24.

FIG. 2 shows a circuit diagram of the battery pack 10. As shown in FIG. As shown in FIG. 2, battery pack 10 incorporates battery 14 and SMR 16 . The SMR 16 has contacts 16a and 16b. Further, as described above, the case 12 of the battery pack 10 is provided with the low voltage connector 20 and the high voltage connectors 22 and 24 . The high voltage connector 22 has a high voltage plug 22a and a high voltage receptacle 22b. High voltage receptacle 22b is connected to the positive terminal of battery 14 via contact 16a. High voltage plug 22a is connected to high voltage receptacle 22b. High voltage plug 22a is removable from high voltage receptacle 22b. A wiring 32 is connected to the high voltage plug 22a. High voltage connector 24 has a high voltage plug 24a and a high voltage receptacle 24b. High voltage receptacle 24b is connected to the negative terminal of battery 14 via contact 16b. High voltage plug 24a is connected to high voltage receptacle 24b. High voltage plug 24a is removable from high voltage receptacle 24b. A wiring 34 is connected to the high voltage plug 24a. Low voltage connector 20 has a low voltage plug 20a and a low voltage receptacle 20b. An auxiliary battery 30 is installed outside the battery pack 10 . Auxiliary battery 30 outputs a low voltage to be supplied to in-vehicle equipment that operates at a low voltage. The output voltage of auxiliary battery 30 is much lower than the output voltage of battery 14 . The negative electrode of auxiliary battery 30 is connected to the ground. The positive electrode of auxiliary battery 30 is connected to low voltage plug 20a. Low voltage plug 20a is connected to low voltage receptacle 20b. Low voltage plug 20a can be removed from low voltage receptacle 20b. Low voltage receptacle 20b is connected to the signal terminal of SMR 16 . The output voltage of auxiliary battery 30 is applied to the signal terminal of SMR 16 via low voltage plug 20a and low voltage receptacle 20b. Although not shown, the output voltage of the auxiliary battery 30 is also supplied to an ECU (electronic control unit), a CAN (controller area network) communication device, etc. via a low voltage plug 20a and a low voltage receptacle 20b. . When the output voltage of the auxiliary battery 30 is applied to the signal terminal of the SMR 16, the contacts 16a and 16b are both conductive. Therefore, the output voltage (high voltage) of battery 14 is applied between high voltage connector 22 and high voltage connector 24 . When low voltage plug 20 a is removed from low voltage receptacle 20 b , the output voltage of auxiliary battery 30 is no longer applied to the signal terminal of SMR 16 . Then, the contacts 16a and 16b both become non-conducting. Therefore, the output voltage of battery 14 is no longer applied between high voltage connector 22 and high voltage connector 24 .

3 and 4 show how the low voltage connector 20 and the high voltage connectors 22, 24 are attached to the case 12. FIG.

As shown in FIG. 4, the high voltage receptacle 22b is fixed to the case 12. As shown in FIG. The high-voltage receptacle 22b has a protrusion 40 that protrudes outside the case 12. As shown in FIG. Although not shown, a metal terminal for electrical connection is provided inside the protrusion 40 . The high voltage plug 22a has a recess 42 that accommodates the protrusion 40 of the high voltage receptacle 22b. High voltage plug 22a is connected to high voltage receptacle 22b such that projection 40 is inserted into recess 42 . Axis 46 (perpendicular to case 12) in FIGS. 3 and 4 is the insertion/extraction axis of high voltage receptacle 22b (the axis along which high voltage plug 22a moves when it is inserted/extracted from high voltage receptacle 22b). axis). The high voltage plug 22a can be attached to and detached from the high voltage receptacle 22b by inserting and removing the high voltage plug 22a along the axis 46. As shown in FIG.

As shown in FIG. 3, the high voltage connector 24 (ie, high voltage plug 24a) is secured to the case 12 below the high voltage connector 22. As shown in FIG. High voltage connector 24 has substantially the same structure as high voltage connector 22 . The high voltage plug 24a can be attached to and detached from the high voltage receptacle 24b by inserting and removing the high voltage plug 24a along the axis 48 (perpendicular to the case 12) in FIG.

As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the low voltage connector 20 is secured to the case 12 next to the high voltage connectors 22,24. Low voltage receptacle 20b is fixed to case 12 . Low voltage plug 20a is connected to low voltage receptacle 20b. Low voltage plug 20a can be removed from low voltage receptacle 20b by rotating low voltage plug 20a in a predetermined direction relative to low voltage receptacle 20b and then pulling low voltage plug 20a.

A cover 50 is fixed to the low voltage plug 20a. The cover 50 is a plate-like member and fixed to the case 12 via the low voltage plug 20a. Also, the cover 50 is fastened to the case 12 with bolts 50a and 50b. As shown in FIG. 3, the cover 50 is arranged on the shaft 46 for inserting and removing the high voltage plug 22a. As shown in FIG. 4, a spacing C is provided along axis 46 between cover 50 and high voltage plug 22a. Spacing C is less than the stroke required to separate high voltage plug 22a from high voltage receptacle 22b. Therefore, when the cover 50 is fixed to the case 12, the high voltage plug 22a cannot be separated from the high voltage receptacle 22b. That is, when the low voltage plug 20a is connected to the low voltage receptacle 20b, the cover 50 prevents the high voltage plug 22a from being separated from the high voltage receptacle 22b. Further, as shown in FIG. 3, the cover 50 is arranged on the shaft 48 through which the high voltage plug 24a is inserted and removed. Similar to high voltage plug 22a, cover 50 restricts separation of high voltage plug 24a from high voltage receptacle 24b.

Next, a method for removing the low voltage plug 20a and the high voltage plugs 22a and 24a from the case 12 will be described. As described above, with the low voltage plug 20a connected to the low voltage receptacle 20b, the high voltage plugs 22a, 24a cannot be separated from the high voltage receptacles 22b, 24b. Therefore, first, the low voltage plug 20a is separated from the low voltage receptacle 20b. More specifically, first, the bolts 50a, 50b are removed. Next, the low voltage plug 20a is rotated by a predetermined angle relative to the low voltage receptacle 20b. At this time, the cover 50 also rotates together with the low voltage plug 20a. Thereafter, the low voltage plug 20a can be removed from the low voltage receptacle 20b by pulling out the low voltage plug 20a forward (in the x direction), as shown in FIG. The cover 50 is also removed from the case 12 by this. As is clear from FIG. 2, when the low voltage plug 20a is disconnected from the low voltage receptacle 20b, the supply of the output voltage of the auxiliary battery 30 to the SMR 16 is stopped. Therefore, the contacts 16a and 16b of the SMR 16 are turned off. Therefore, the supply of the output voltage of the battery 14 to the high voltage connectors 22, 24 is stopped.

Next, by pulling out the high voltage plugs 22a, 24a forward (in the x direction), the high voltage plugs 22a, 24a are removed from the high voltage receptacles 22b, 24b as shown in FIG. With the cover 50 removed from the case 12, the high voltage plugs 22a, 24a can be separated from the high voltage receptacles 22b, 24b. Separating the high voltage plug 22a from the high voltage receptacle 22b exposes the metal terminals contained in the protrusions 40 of the high voltage receptacle 22b. However, since the output voltage of the battery 14 is not supplied to the high voltage connector 22 due to the SMR 16 being turned off, no high voltage is applied to the metal terminals. Thus, exposure of the metal terminal to which a high voltage is applied is prevented. Similarly, in the high voltage receptacle 24b, exposure of the metal terminal to which the high voltage is applied is prevented.

As described above, when the low-voltage plug 20a and the high-voltage plugs 22a and 24a are removed from the case 12, the high-voltage receptacles 22b and 24b can be prevented from exposing the metal terminals to which high voltage is applied.

Next, a method for attaching the low voltage plug 20a and the high voltage plugs 22a and 24a to the case 12 will be described. Since the cover 50 is fixed to the low voltage plug 20a, the high voltage plugs 22a and 24a cannot be attached to the case 12 if the low voltage plug 20a is attached to the case 12 before the high voltage plugs 22a and 24a. Therefore, the low voltage plug 20a must be attached to the case 12 (ie, the low voltage receptacle 20b) after the high voltage plugs 22a, 24a are attached to the case 12 (ie, the high voltage receptacles 22b, 24b). When the low voltage plug 20a and the high voltage plugs 22a, 24a are attached to the case 12 in this order, the SMR 16 is turned on after the high voltage plugs 22a, 24a are attached to the high voltage receptacles 22b, 24b, and the high voltage connectors 22, 24 are connected. is supplied with the output voltage of the battery 14. Therefore, in the high voltage receptacles 22b and 24b, the metal terminals to which the high voltage is applied are not exposed.

Also, when the low voltage plug 20a and the high voltage plugs 22a and 24a are attached to the case 12, the low voltage plug 20a may be attached to the case 12 earlier than the high voltage plugs 22a and 24a. That is, as shown in FIG. 7, the low voltage plug 20a may be attached to the low voltage receptacle 20b while the high voltage plugs 22a, 24a are not attached to the high voltage receptacles 22b, 24b. In this case, the contacts 16a, 16b of the SMR 16 are turned on without the high voltage plugs 22a, 24a attached, and the output voltage of the battery 14 is applied to the high voltage receptacles 22b, 24b. However, in this state, as shown in FIG. 7, the cover 50 is present on the insertion/extraction shaft 46 of the high voltage receptacle 22b, and the high voltage receptacle 22b is covered by the cover 50. As shown in FIG. For this reason, the metal terminal built in the convex portion 40 of the high-voltage receptacle 22b (the metal terminal to which the high voltage output by the battery 14 is applied) is covered with the cover 50 so that the metal terminal is not exposed to the outside. is prevented. Similarly, cover 50 prevents metal terminals of high voltage receptacle 24b from being exposed to the outside. Thus, this interlock system can prevent exposure of the metal terminals to which high voltage is applied, even if the low voltage plug 20a and the high voltage plugs 22a and 24a are attached in the wrong order.

Although the embodiments have been described in detail above, they are merely examples and do not limit the scope of the claims. The technology described in the claims includes various modifications and changes of the specific examples illustrated above. The technical elements described in this specification or drawings exhibit technical usefulness alone or in various combinations, and are not limited to the combinations described in the claims at the time of filing. In addition, the techniques exemplified in this specification or drawings simultaneously achieve a plurality of purposes, and achieving one of them has technical utility in itself.

10: Battery pack 12: Case 14: Battery 16: System main relay 20: Low voltage connector 20a: Low voltage plug 20b: Low voltage receptacle 22: High voltage connector 22a: High voltage plug 22b: High voltage receptacle 24: High voltage connector 24a: high voltage plug 24b: high voltage receptacle 30: auxiliary battery 50: cover

Claims (2)

an interlock system,
a housing;
a low voltage plug connected to a low voltage source;
a low voltage receptacle fixed to the housing and connectable to the low voltage plug;
a relay that is capable of receiving supply of the output voltage of the low voltage source via the low voltage plug and the low voltage receptacle, and that is turned on when receiving the supply of the output voltage of the low voltage source; ,
a high voltage receptacle fixed to the housing and connected via the relay to a high voltage source that outputs a voltage higher than the output voltage of the low voltage source;
a high voltage plug connectable to the high voltage receptacle;
a cover attached to the low voltage plug;
has
When the low-voltage plug is connected to the low-voltage receptacle, the cover is fixed on the insertion/extraction axis of the high-voltage receptacle,
when the low voltage plug is connected to the low voltage receptacle and the high voltage plug is connected to the high voltage receptacle, the cover prevents the high voltage plug from coming out of the high voltage receptacle ;
With the low voltage plug connected to the low voltage receptacle and the high voltage plug connected to the high voltage receptacle, there is a gap between the edge of the cover and the housing and the high voltage a wire connected to the plug is pulled out of the cover through the gap;
interlock system. 2. The interlock system of claim 1, wherein the direction in which the low voltage plug is pulled out of the low voltage receptacle and the direction in which the high voltage plug is pulled out of the high voltage receptacle are the same direction.

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