Electricity: conductors and insulators – Conduits – cables or conductors – Combined
Reexamination Certificate
1999-05-06
2001-06-26
Reichard, Dean A. (Department: 2831)
Electricity: conductors and insulators
Conduits, cables or conductors
Combined
C174S1170FF
Reexamination Certificate
active
06252169
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to an electrically conducting cable for connecting consumers and a voltage supply device, especially in conjunction with a vehicle electric system.
2. Prior Art
The connection of consumers in a voltage supply system, for instance in a vehicle electric system with the voltage supply, such as the battery or a plug which in turn is connected to the battery, is typically done today via cable harnesses. Such cable harnesses include many electric lines which are parallel to one another and are connected jointly to the plug or the battery or a generator; on the other side of the line, a single load or a single electrical consumer is connected. The cable harnesses typically include lines of variable cross section, and the cross section is adapted in each case to the power consumption of the consumer, so that high current consumers are supplied via lines of large cross section, while consumers that take up less power are supplied via thinner cables. During the typical operation of the voltage supply system, such as the vehicle electric system, only a small proportion of the consumers are turned on, so that most of lines carry no current at all at that time. These currentless cables are to be avoided by using the electrically conducting cable of the invention.
SUMMARY
It is an object of the present invention to provide an electrically conducting cable in which the above-described disadvantages are eliminated or greatly reduced.
It is an additional object of the present invention to provide an electrically conducting cable for supplying a plurality of consumers, especially in a motor vehicle, which is more economical to make requiring less material, which is more flexible so that it is easier to install and which consumes less power.
According to the invention, the electrically conducting cable for making an electrical connection between consumers and a voltage supply device has a single conductor made of electrically conductive material and a common plug connected at one end of the single conductor. The single conductor is subdivided into respective regions having cross sections that become progressively smaller in a direction along the single conductor from the plug toward the consumers. Each region is connected to at least one consumer, so that all consumers are electrically connected to the voltage supply device through the single conductor which is the sole means of making electrical connection of the consumers to the voltage supply device when the plug is connected with the voltage supply device.
The electrically conducting cable of the invention has the advantage that maximum utilization of the cable is possible, since only minimal line segments are currentless. It is also advantageous that a reduction in power losses is attainable, since the maximal cable cross section is also available for small currents. Another advantage is that no insulation of individual strands of the cable harness is needed, so that an economy of material, such as copper, is possible, since the design of the cross section can be optimized and is thus smaller overall than with individual cables. Because of the small cross section, more-flexible installation is possible, and economy in terms of contacts is advantageously possible, for instance in protecting against short circuits.
With the economy in terms of insulation for individual cables and the economy of material, a reduction in weight can advantageously be attained.
These advantages are attained in that the embodiment of the cable is such that the largest cable cross section occurs on the connection side that is connected to the voltage supply, or to a plug that leads to the voltage supply. This cable cross section extends over a first region, at whose end the first instances of branching occur. In the next segment, the cable has a lesser cross section, and in the segment that follows that, after further instances of branching, the cross section of the cable is further reduced. Overload-protected switch means, such as semiconductors, which switch and/or control the loads located at the end of the branching individual strands, are located at each of the branching points. These semiconductors are advantageously designed as high-side switches, which makes direct mounting of the semiconductors onto the conductor material, for instance copper, possible so that this material can additionally be used as a heat sink.
Further advantages of the invention reside in high flexibility with the simultaneous use of a data bus. Individual expandability of the cable is conceivable. Diagnosis of the cable harness can be done in an advantageous way. Because of the semiconductor-switched cable branches, fuses can be omitted, if they are replaced with smart end stages. The possibility exists of turning off some branches, for instance upon a generator overload or the like. Thus a portion of the on-board electrical system can be decoupled directly, should problems with the energy supply require this. Another advantage of the invention is due to the cable branch protection by means of a minimal cross section and the general capability of dispensing with fuses.
Various configurations of cable harnesses, cable regions, cable trunks, cable branches and individual strands are advantageously possible.
REFERENCES:
patent: 3836415 (1974-09-01), Hilderbrandt
patent: 5604331 (1997-02-01), Matarin et al.
patent: 5936317 (1999-08-01), Sasanouchi et al.
patent: 5997338 (1999-12-01), Pohjola
patent: 2275373 (1994-08-01), None
Aupperle Bernd
Gegusch-Brunner Hans
Schenk Joachim
Nguyen Chau N.
Reichard Dean A.
Robert & Bosch GmbH
Striker Michael J.
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