Power supply apparatus

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11524640-B2
Application number	US-202016939073-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 27, 2020
Priority date	Jul 31, 2019
Publication date	Dec 13, 2022
Grant date	Dec 13, 2022

Abstract

A power supply apparatus includes a battery pack for an electric vehicle, and an interface unit that couples the battery pack and a plurality of electrical devices. The interface unit includes a branch connector provided with a coupling unit and a plurality of fuses. The coupling unit allows coupling wires to join. Each of the coupling wires is coupled to a corresponding one of electrical devices. Each of the plurality of fuses is disposed in a corresponding one of coupling wires. The interface unit also includes a battery pack connector that is able to be coupled to the branch connector. In a state in which the branch connector is coupled to the battery pack connector, the power supply apparatus is configured to be able to supply electric power from the battery pack to each of the plurality of electrical devices via the coupling unit.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A power supply apparatus comprising:
a battery pack for an electric vehicle; and
an interface unit that is configured to couple the battery pack and a plurality of electrical devices to each other;
the interface unit including:
a branch connector provided with a coupling unit and a plurality of fuses, the coupling unit allowing coupling wires to join, each of the coupling wires being coupled to a corresponding one of the plurality of electrical devices, and each of the plurality of fuses being disposed to a corresponding one of the coupling wires, and
a battery connector that is configured to be electrically coupled to a battery of the battery pack and coupled to the branch connector, wherein
in a state in which the branch connector is coupled to the battery connector, the power supply apparatus is configured to supply electric power from the battery to each of the plurality of electrical devices via the coupling unit,
all of the battery connector is installed inside of the battery pack,
the battery connector includes a slot into which the branch connector is inserted, and
the branch connector further includes a housing that accommodates the coupling unit and the fuses, the housing being inserted into the slot and enclosed inside the battery connector, the branch connector being configured to be insertable and removable from outside of the battery pack.

2. The power supply apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein
a coupling connector is disposed to the coupling wire at an end thereof which is on an opposite side to a side of the coupling unit.

3. The power supply apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein
the battery pack is installed below a floor of the electric vehicle, and
the battery connector is disposed on a side face ( 111 ) of the battery pack, and the branch connector is configured to enable insertion and removal relative to the battery connector in a horizontal direction.

4. The power supply apparatus according to claim 3 , wherein
a coupling connector is disposed to the coupling wire at an end thereof which is on an opposite side to a side of the coupling unit.

Assignees

• Honda Motor Co Ltd

Inventors

• Kitano Ryo
• Fujii Ryo
• Yamaguchi Hiroo
• Nakano Atsushi

Classifications

• H01M50/20

  Mountings; Secondary casings or frames; Racks, modules or packs; Suspension devices; Shock absorbers; Transport or carrying devices; Holders (structural combination of accumulators with charging apparatus H01M10/46) · CPC title

• H01R31/02 Primary

  Intermediate parts for distributing energy to two or more circuits in parallel, e.g. splitter (with a holder adapted for supporting apparatus to which its counterpart is attached H01R33/92) · CPC title

• H01R13/73

  Means for mounting coupling parts to apparatus or structures, e.g. to a wall · CPC title

• H01M2200/103

  Fuse · CPC title

• H01M2220/20

  Batteries in motive systems, e.g. vehicle, ship, plane · CPC title