Vehicle electrical system with isolation circuit

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10836259-B2
Application number	US-201816032300-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 11, 2018
Priority date	Jul 11, 2018
Publication date	Nov 17, 2020
Grant date	Nov 17, 2020

Abstract

An electrical system for a vehicle includes a DC/DC converter electrically connected to a high-voltage power source and a first bus, a second bus electrically connected to a second low-voltage power source, and an isolation circuit electrically connected to the first and second buses. The isolation circuit permits current flow in only one direction from the first bus to the second bus.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An electrical system for a vehicle comprising:
a DC/DC converter electrically connected to a high-voltage power source and a first bus;
a second bus electrically connected to a low-voltage power source; and
an isolation circuit electrically connected to the first and second buses, the isolation circuit permitting current flow in only one direction from the first bus to the second bus;
wherein the isolation circuit includes a first switch electrically connecting the first and second buses;
the isolation circuit includes a second switch electrically connecting the first and second buses:
the first switch is configured to open when the first bus is short-circuited; and
the second switch is configured to open when the first bus is short-circuited.

2. The electrical system of claim 1 , wherein the first switch is a relay including a control lead electrically connected to the one of the first and second buses.

3. The electrical system of claim 2 , further comprising a diode electrically connecting the control lead and the one of the first and second buses.

4. The electrical system of claim 1 , wherein the first switch is a first relay including a first control lead electrically connected to the first bus, and the second switch is a second relay including a second control lead electrically connected to the second bus.

5. The electrical system of claim 4 , further comprising a first diode electrically connecting the first control lead and the first bus, and a second diode electrically connecting the second control lead and the second bus.

6. The electrical system of claim 1 , wherein the first and second switches are arranged in series between the first and second buses.

7. The electrical system of claim 1 , wherein the low-voltage power source is a second low-voltage power source, the electrical system further comprising a first low-voltage power source electrically connected to the first bus.

8. The electrical system of claim 1 , further comprising a plurality of loads electrically connected to the first bus.

9. The electrical system of claim 8 , wherein the loads are not electrically connected to the second bus.

10. The electrical system of claim 8 , wherein the loads include an air-conditioning system.

11. The electrical system of claim 10 , wherein the powertrain is a hybrid powertrain.

12. The electrical system of claim 1 , further comprising a plurality of loads electrically connected to the second bus.

13. The electrical system of claim 12 , wherein the loads include a contactor for the high-voltage power source.

14. The electrical system of claim 13 , wherein the contactor electrically connects the high-voltage power source to the first bus.

15. The electrical system of claim 14 , wherein the loads include a control module programmed to operate the contactor.

16. The electrical system of claim 1 , wherein the high-voltage power source is electrically connected to a powertrain of the vehicle.

17. The electrical system of claim 1 , wherein the high-voltage power source produces at least 60 volts direct current.

18. The electrical system of claim 1 , wherein the low-voltage power source produces less than 60 volts direct current.

Assignees

• Ford Global Tech Llc

Inventors

• Awad Alla Michael Adel
• Boesch Mathew A
• Dagher Sami
• Siciak Ray

Classifications

• H02J7/54

  Passive balancing, e.g. using resistors or parallel MOSFETs · CPC title

• Y02T10/92

  Energy efficient charging or discharging systems for batteries, ultracapacitors, supercapacitors or double-layer capacitors specially adapted for vehicles · CPC title

• B60L2210/10

  DC to DC converters · CPC title

• B60R16/03

  for supply of electrical power to vehicle subsystems {or for (circuit arrangements for charging batteries H02J7/00)} · CPC title

• B60K6/22

  characterised by apparatus, components or means specially adapted for HEVs · CPC title