CN112262512B - Systems, methods, and apparatus for power distribution in electric mobile applications using a combination circuit breaker and relay - Google Patents

Abstract

A mobile application includes a power supply circuit having an electrical power storage device and an electrical load, wherein the electrical power storage device and the electrical load are selectively electrically coupled by a power bus. The application includes a Power Distribution Unit (PDU) electrically interposed between the power storage device and the electrical load, wherein the PDU includes a circuit breaker/relay positioned on one of a high side and a low side of the power storage device. The circuit breaker/relay includes a stationary contact and a movable contact selectively electrically coupled to the stationary contact, wherein the movable contact allows power flow through the power bus when electrically coupled to the stationary contact and prevents power flow through the power bus when not electrically coupled to the stationary contact. The circuit breaker/relay includes an armature coupled to a movable contact and capable of opening or closing a power supply circuit.

Description

Power distribution in electric mobile applications using combined circuit breakers and relays Systems, methods and devices

priority statement

This application claims priority from the following U.S. Provisional Patent Applications: Serial No. 62/809384 (EATN-2303-P01) entitled "INVERTER HOUSING WITH MULTIPLE COST-OPTIMIZED COMPONENTS" filed February 22, 2019; February 2019 The serial number 62/809375 (EATN-2302-P01) submitted on the 22nd was named "NON-LOCKING, BLIND MATE COMPATIBLE, INTEGRATED QUICK CONNECT COUPLING"; the name submitted on February 22, 2019 was "DC LINK CAPACITOR WITH INTEGRATED" COMPONENTS" serial number 62/809367 (EATN-2301-P01); Serial number 62/744496 (EATN-2018-P01) filed under the name "BREAKER/RELAY SYSTEMINTEGRATION" on October 11, 2018; September 2018 The serial number 62/730494 (EATN-2016-P01) submitted under the name "BREAKER/RELAY WITH INTEGRATED PRECHARGE CIRCUIT" on the 12th; the name submitted on July 12, 2018 was "ADAPTIVE SYSTEM, METHOD, AND APPARATUS USINGMULTI-PORT" POWER CONVERTER IN HYBRID VEHICLES" serial number 62/697192 (EATN-2014-P01); submitted on June 19, 2018, the serial number 62/687197 (COMBINED DUAL-POLE BREAKER AND RELAY IN ANELECTRIFIED MOBILE APPLICATION") EATN-2013-P01); Serial number 62/675622 (EATN-2012-P01) titled "SYSTEM, METHOD, AND APPARATUS USING A COMBINED BREAKER AND RELAYIN A MOBILE APPLICATION" submitted on May 23, 2018; 2018 The serial number 62/655956 (EATN-2011-P01) submitted on April 11 was titled "SYSTEM, METHOD, AND APPARATUS USING A COMBINED BREAKER AND RELAY IN AMOBILE APPLICATION"; the title submitted on April 10, 2018 was " The serial number 62/655635 (EATN-2010-P01) of "SYSTEM, METHOD, AND APPARATUS USING A COMBINED BREAKER AND RELAY"; the name submitted on April 10, 2018 is "SYSTEM, METHOD, AND APPARATUS USING A COMBINED BREAKER AND RELAY IN" A MOBILE APPLICATION" serial number 62/655631 (EATN-2009-P01);

This application is a partial continuation of U.S. patent application serial number 16/184185 (EATN-2300-U01) titled "POWER DISTRIBUTION UNIT AND FUSEMANAGEMENT FOR AN ELECTRIC MOBILE APPLICATION" filed on November 8, 2018 and claims the U.S. patent Priority of application.

U.S. Patent Application Serial No. 16/184,185 claims priority to the following U.S. Provisional Patent Application: Serial No. 62/583355 (EATN-2001-P01) entitled "ACTIVE/PASSIVE THERMAL PROTECTION OF TEMPERATURE SENSITIVECOMPONENTS" filed on November 8, 2017 ); serial number 62/583367 (EATN-2002-P01) filed on November 8, 2017, titled "FUSEAND CONTACTOR FOR CIRCUIT PROTECTION"; and filed on November 8, 2017, titled "FUSE LIFE EXTENDER METHOD" Serial number 62/583428(EATN-2006-P01).

U.S. patent application serial number 16/184,185 also claims priority from the following Indian provisional patent application: Serial number 201711039846 (EATN-2003-P01-IN) entitled "FUSE CURRENT MEASUREMENT WITH ACTIVE INJECTION SYSTEM" filed on November 8, 2017 ); Serial number 201711039847 (EATN-2004-P01-IN) submitted on November 8, 2017 with the name "NULL OFFSETDETECTION AND DIAGNOSTICS"; Submitted on November 8, 2017 with the name "DIGITAL FILTERS TO MINIMIZE PHASE SHIFT AND" INDUCED HARMONICS" with serial number 201711039848 (EATN-2005-P01-IN); serial number 201711039849 (EATN-2007-P01-IN) with the name "CALIBRATIONOF FUSE CURRENT MEASUREMENTS" filed on November 8, 2017; and 2017 The serial number 201711039850 (EATN-2008-P01-IN) titled "UNIQUE CURRENT INJECTION WAVEFORM TO IMPROVE INJECTIONMEASUREMENT ACCURACY" was submitted on November 8.

This application is a partial continuation application of the international application serial number PCT/EP/1880611 (EATN-2300-WO) titled "POWER DISTRIBUTION UNIT AND FUSEMANAGEMENT FOR AN ELECTRIC MOBILE APPLICATION" submitted on November 8, 2018 and requires the U.S. Priority of patent application.

PCT/EP/1880611 claims priority from the following U.S. provisional patent application: Serial No. 62/583355 (EATN-2001-P01) entitled "ACTIVE/PASSIVE THERMAL PROTECTION OF TEMPERATURE SENSITIVE COMPONENTS" filed on November 8, 2017; Serial number 62/583367 (EATN-2002-P01) submitted on November 8, 2017, titled "FUSE AND CONTACTORFOR CIRCUIT PROTECTION"; and serial number "FUSE LIFE EXTENDER METHOD" submitted on November 8, 2017 No. 62/583428(EATN-2006-P01).

PCT/EP/1880611 also claims priority from the following Indian provisional patent applications: Serial No. 201711039846 (EATN-2003-P01-IN) titled "FUSE CURRENT MEASUREMENT WITH ACTIVE INJECTION SYSTEM" filed on November 8, 2017; The serial number 201711039847 (EATN-2004-P01-IN) submitted on November 8, 2017 was named "NULL OFFSETDETECTION AND DIAGNOSTICS"; the name submitted on November 8, 2017 was "DIGITAL FILTERS TO MINIMIZE PHASE SHIFT AND INDUCED HARMONICS" Serial number 201711039848 (EATN-2005-P01-IN); serial number 201711039849 (EATN-2007-P01-IN) titled "CALIBRATIONOF FUSE CURRENT MEASUREMENTS" filed on November 8, 2017; and November 8, 2017 The serial number 201711039850 (EATN-2008-P01-IN) submitted on the day is "UNIQUE CURRENT INJECTION WAVEFORM TO IMPROVE INJECTIONMEASUREMENT ACCURACY".

All of the above patent documents are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety.

Technical field

Without being limited to a particular technical field, the present disclosure relates to power distribution and circuit protection, and more particularly to power distribution and circuit protection for highly variable load applications.

Background technique

Power distribution presents many challenges in many applications. Applications with highly variable loads, such as mobile applications or vehicles, subject fuses in the power channels to rapid fluctuations in power throughput and cause thermal and mechanical stress on the fuses. Some applications have a high cost for application downtime. Certain applications, including mobile applications, suffer additional disadvantages caused by power loss, such as the unexpected loss of mobility of the application (including in inconvenient locations, while in traffic, etc.). Electrical systems are complex in many applications, with multiple components in the system and variable wiring and environment of the electrical system causing changes in electrical system response, noise introduction, changes in system resonant frequency and/or system capacitance and/or Inductance changes, even for nominally identical facilities. These complexities create additional challenges for the high-resolution and/or high-precision determination of the electrical properties of various aspects of the system. Additionally, highly variable and/or mobile systems pose additional challenges to diagnosis and determination of aspects regarding the electrical system, as highly intrusive active determination may not be acceptable for application performance, and/or the system may not provide many opportunities or There is only a brief opportunity to make decisions about the electrical system.

Electric mobility applications such as electric vehicles and high-performance hybrid vehicles pose many challenges to previously known inverter and power electronics systems. Mobile applications include on-highway vehicles, off-highway vehicles, commercial and passenger vehicle vehicles and/or off-highway applications including any type of vehicle or mobile equipment.

For example, many mobile applications such as commercial and passenger vehicles are highly cost sensitive to the initial cost and ongoing operating costs of the system. Additionally, downtime for service, maintenance or system failure has a very high cost due to the large size and market competition. Therefore, even modest improvements in initial cost, operating cost, and reliability can have a significant impact on a system's results or make an unmarketable system competitive.

Mobile applications have limited space and weight for the components available to drive the system. For example, vehicle size and fuel efficiency issues drive many applications to reduce vehicle size and weight and adapt vehicle shapes for aerodynamics according to specific applications and/or according to user or customer preferences. Additionally, mobile applications have a large number of features, and application requirements and customer preferences are such that additional features are almost always value-added if the system can accommodate them while satisfying other constraints. Therefore, reducing the size and weight of a given part provides value to the application, whether through a net reduction in application size and weight or through the ability to accommodate additional features within the same size and weight.

Mobile applications typically have a large number of components, and often many of the components are provided by third parties and integrated by major manufacturers or original equipment manufacturers (OEMs). Therefore, reducing the size or weight of components makes it easier to integrate the components and/or requires reducing the size or weight of components to accommodate limited space requirements during the design phase, upgrades, retrofits, etc. Additionally, the large number of widgets and the integration of many widgets from separate widget providers introduce complexity into the integration of mobile applications. Additionally, every component and subcomponent, and every interface between components, creates points of failure that can lead to service events, undesired operation, application downtime, and/or task-disabling failures. Failures that occur in mobile applications often occur in locations that are inconvenient for service access and may require the degraded or disabled vehicle to be moved to a service location before the failure can be corrected. Therefore, components with a reduced number of subcomponents, availability of standardized interfaces, and/or a reduced number of interfaces are desirable for mobile applications. Some mobile applications are produced at very large volumes, and even modest reductions in the number of interfaces or subcomponents can add high value to the system.

Some mobile applications are produced in smaller volumes with shorter engineering design times, so reducing the number of interfaces can significantly reduce design cycle time, providing significant benefits where engineering costs cannot be distributed across a large volume of product. Some mobile applications are produced as mods or upgrades and/or include multiple options in which parts may appear on some models or versions of the mobile application but not others, and/or Can be installed in different locations on the vehicle than on other models or versions. For example, a mobile application may have components added after manufacturing as part of customer options to accommodate new regulations, support environmental policies (e.g., a company's environmental policy or a vehicle fleet's environmental policy), upgrade vehicles and/or reuse or Rebuild the vehicle. Therefore, components with reduced size, reduced weight, and/or reduced number of interfaces allow for easier post-manufacturing changes, more options in post-manufacturing changes, and/or provide a better environment for using standardized processes that may not be as efficient as those used for high-volume applications. Such fine non-standardized or low-volume process-mounted components provide greater reliability. Additionally, size and weight savings in the components of an application may allow additional features to be included within the same cost and weight distribution.

Mobile applications often have large differences in duty cycle, even for systems with similar power ratings. In addition, mobile applications often involve systems that are sold or otherwise transferred, where the same system may experience significant changes in duty cycle and operating conditions after the system is placed in the user's hands. Thus, a lack of flexibility in design parameters at the time of first sale limits the market available for the system, while a lack of flexibility in design parameters during use can lead to increased failures later in the system's life cycle.

Power distribution presents many challenges in many applications. Systems currently available for providing conversion between power and other power sources and loads suffer from a number of shortcomings. Variability in load types, performance characteristics, and overall system arrangements leads to difficult integration issues that reduce hybrid utilization expectations for many applications and reduces available system efficiency because many aspects of the application are not integrated into the hybrid arrangement . Additionally, many applications, such as off-highway applications and certain on-highway applications with special equipment or duty cycles, are small and do not economically justify the design and integration of hybrid systems. Systems with multiple varying load and power devices and subsystems additionally present integration challenges, resulting in multiple power conversion devices distributed around the system and customized to the specific system. Therefore, it is not economically justifiable to create a hybrid system for such a system using currently known technologies.

Contents of the invention

In one aspect, a mobile application may include: a power supply circuit including a power storage device and an electrical load, wherein the power storage device and the electrical load may be selectively electrically coupled through a power bus; a power distribution unit (PDU) , the power distribution unit is electrically interposed between the power storage device and the electrical load, wherein the PDU may include a circuit breaker/relay positioned on one of a high side and a low side of the power storage device; wherein the circuit breaker/relay including a fixed contact electrically coupled to the power bus; a movable contact selectively electrically coupled to the fixed contact, and wherein the movable contact when electrically coupled to the fixed contact allows power flow through the power bus and preventing power flow through the power bus when not electrically coupled to the fixed contact; and an armature operatively coupled to the movable contact such that the armature in the first position prevents electrical coupling between the movable contact and the fixed contact, and the armature in the second position allowing electrical coupling between the movable contact and the fixed contact; and a first biasing member, the first biasing member The armature is biased into one of the first position or the second position. In embodiments, the mobile application may include a standard on/off circuit having at least two states, wherein the standard on/off circuit provides an actuation signal in a first state and blocks the actuation signal in a second state; current flow a response circuit structured to determine the current in the power bus and further structured to block an actuation signal of the standard on/off circuit in response to the current in the power bus indicating a high current value; and wherein The armature is responsive to an actuation signal to electrically couple the movable contact to the fixed contact. The circuit breaker/relay may include an auxiliary off circuit structured to interpret the auxiliary command and further structured to block in response to the auxiliary command indicating that the movable contact should not be electrically coupled to the fixed contact Actuation signal for standard on/off circuit. The auxiliary command may include at least one command selected from the group consisting of: an emergency shutdown command, a maintenance event indicator, a maintenance event indicator, an accident indicator, a vehicle controller request, and an equipment protection request. A standard on/off circuit may include one of key switch voltage and key switch indication. The circuit breaker/relay may include a contact force spring operatively interposed between the armature and the movable contact such that the contact force spring may be at least partially compressed in response to the armature being in the second position, and wherein the contact force spring may be configured such that the Lorentz force acting between the fixed contact and the movable contact further compresses the contact force spring in response to the selected current value. The high current value can be lower than the selected current value. The movable contact may include a body extending away from the fixed contact, wherein the body of the movable contact may be disposed within a plurality of separator plates, and wherein the plurality of separator plates may be at least partially disposed within the permanent magnet. Mobile applications may include charging circuits, and wherein the circuit breaker/relay may further be positioned on the charging circuit. The charging circuit may include a fast charging circuit having a higher current throughput value than the rated current for operation of the electrical load. The mobile application may include a standard on/off circuit having at least two states, wherein the standard on/off circuit provides an actuation signal in a first state and blocks the actuation signal in a second state; a current responsive circuit that is responsive to The circuit is structured to determine the current in the power bus and is further structured to block an actuation signal of the standard on/off circuit in response to the current in the power bus indicating a high current value; wherein the current responsive circuit may be further structured to utilize a first threshold current value for a high current value in response to the power supply circuit powering the electrical load and to utilize a second threshold current value for the high current value in response to the charging circuit being coupled to the fast charging device; and wherein the armature may The movable contact is electrically coupled to the fixed contact in response to the actuation signal. The electrical load may include at least one load selected from the group consisting of: a power supply load, a regenerative load, a power supply output load, an auxiliary equipment load, and an accessory equipment load. Mobile applications may include a second circuit breaker/relay disposed on the other of the high side or the low side of the power storage device. Power storage devices may include rechargeable devices. The power storage device may include at least one device selected from the group consisting of a battery, a capacitor, and a fuel cell.

In one aspect, a circuit breaker-relay may include: a fixed contact electrically coupled to a power bus for a mobile application; a movable contact selectively electrically coupled to the fixed contact an armature operatively coupled to a movable contact such that the armature in a first position prevents electrical coupling between the movable contact and the fixed contact, and the armature in a second position permits movable contact Electrical coupling between the moving contact and the fixed contact; a first biasing member biasing the armature into one of a first position or a second position; having at least two states a standard on/off circuit, wherein the standard on/off circuit provides an actuation signal in a first state and blocks an actuation signal in a second state; a current responsive circuit structured to determine a voltage in a power bus current, and further structured to block an actuation signal of a standard on/off circuit in response to the current in the power bus indicating a high current value; and wherein the armature is responsive to the actuation signal to electrically couple the movable contact to fixed contacts. In embodiments, a mobile application may include at least two current operating areas. The current responsive circuit may be further structured to regulate the high current value in response to an active current operating region of the at least two current operating regions.

In one aspect, a method may include: detecting a current value including current through a power bus electrically coupled to a circuit breaker/relay; determining whether the current value exceeds a threshold current value; and responsive to the current value exceeding the threshold current value, actuating the armature to open the contacts in the circuit breaker/relay, thereby preventing current flow through the power bus. In an embodiment, the method may include applying a contact force to a movable contact among the contacts of the circuit breaker/relay; and breaking in response to a repulsive force between the contacts in response to current flowing through the power bus. Open contacts. The method may also include selecting the contact force such that opening the contact occurs at a selected current value of the electrical current. The method may further include actuating the armature to open contacts in the circuit breaker/relay such that the movable contacts in the contacts do not return to a closed position after opening the contacts in response to the repulsive force. Actuating the armature may begin before opening the contacts in response to the repulsive force.

In one aspect, a circuit breaker/relay may include: a fixed contact electrically coupled to a power bus; a movable contact selectively electrically coupled to the fixed contact; an armature, The armature is operatively coupled to the movable contact such that the armature in the first position prevents electrical coupling between the movable contact and the fixed contact and the armature in the second position allows the movable contact to couple with the fixed contact. electrical coupling between contacts; a first biasing member biasing the armature into one of a first position or a second position; a current responsive circuit structured To determine the current in the power bus and further structured to command the armature to the first position in response to the current in the power bus indicating a high current value. In embodiments, the circuit breaker/relay may further include a contact force spring operatively interposed between the armature and the movable contact such that in response to the armature being in the second position, the contact force spring may is at least partially compressed, and wherein the contact force spring may be configured such that a Lorentz force acting between the fixed contact and the movable contact further compresses the contact force spring in response to the selected current value. The high current value can be lower than the selected current value. The movable contact may include a body extending away from the fixed contact, wherein the body of the movable contact may be disposed within a plurality of separator plates, and wherein the plurality of separator plates may be at least partially disposed within the permanent magnet. The power bus may be a power bus for mobile applications. The mobile application may include at least two current operating areas.

In one aspect, a mobile application may include: a power supply circuit including a power storage device and an electrical load, wherein the power storage device and the electrical load may be selectively electrically coupled through a power bus; a power distribution unit (PDU) , the power distribution unit is electrically interposed between the power storage device and the electrical load, wherein the PDU may include a circuit breaker/relay positioned on one of a high side and a low side of the power storage device; wherein the circuit breaker/relay may It includes: a plurality of fixed contacts electrically coupled to the power bus; a plurality of movable contacts corresponding to the plurality of fixed contacts, wherein the plurality of movable contacts can Selectively electrically coupled to a plurality of fixed contacts, and wherein the movable contact allows power flow through the power bus when electrically coupled to the fixed contacts and prevents power flow therethrough when not electrically coupled to the fixed contacts a power bus; an armature operatively coupled to at least one of the movable contacts such that the armature in a first position prevents at least one of the movable contacts from contacting the fixed electrical coupling between a corresponding one of the fixed contacts, and the armature in the second position allows electrical coupling between at least one of the movable contacts and the corresponding one of the fixed contacts. electrically coupling; a first biasing member biasing the armature into one of a first position or a second position; and an arc suppression assembly structured to operate in a plurality of An arc is directed and dispersed between each of the movable contacts and a corresponding fixed contact. In embodiments, multiple movable contacts may be coupled into a double pole single throw contact arrangement. The armature is operably coupled to two of the movable contacts. Multiple movable contacts may be individually controllable. The mobile application may also include a precharge circuit coupled in parallel with at least one of the stationary contacts. The precharge circuit may include a solid state precharge circuit. The movable contacts and the fixed contacts can be provided in a single housing. The mobile application may also include a magnetic actuator coupled to one of the movable contacts, and wherein all of the plurality of movable contacts may be responsive to the magnetic actuator. The arc suppression assembly may include a plurality of separation plates and at least one permanent magnet. At least one separator plate of the plurality of separator plates may be positioned within the arc dispersion vicinity of more than one of the movable contacts. The permanent magnet may be positioned in the vicinity of the arc guide of more than one of the movable contacts. The mobile application may further include a current sensor structured to determine a current value in response to current flowing through at least one of the movable contacts, the mobile application may further include a controller, the controller Structured to interpret the current value and command at least one of the movable contacts to the first position in response to the current value exceeding the threshold. At least one of the movable contacts is physically movable to the first position in response to the Lorentz force in response to the current value exceeding the second threshold. The second threshold may be greater than the threshold. The controller may be further structured to adjust the threshold in response to expected current values. The controller may be further structured to increase the threshold in response to a determination that charging operations of the battery may be valid. Mobile applications may also include bus bars that electrically couple two movable contacts of a plurality of movable contacts. The bus bar may include hardware configuration in the area of each of the movable contacts, wherein the hardware configuration provides a physical responsive force of the movable contact in response to a value of current flowing through the power bus. The hardware configuration may include at least one configuration selected from the group consisting of: a region of the bus bar being positioned near a current supplying portion of the power bus; and a portion of the bus bar being positioned near a current supplying portion of the power bus. The mobile application may also include a plurality of current sensors, each current sensor of the plurality of current sensors operatively coupled to a movable contact of the plurality of movable contacts. A first movable contact of the plurality of movable contacts is coupled to a first circuit of the power bus, and wherein a second movable contact of the plurality of movable contacts is coupled to a second circuit of the power bus, and wherein the The first circuit and the second circuit may be power supply circuits for separate electrical loads. The PDU may also include a coolant coupling configured to interface with a coolant source for mobile applications, and an active cooling path configured to thermally couple the coolant source to the stationary contact.

In one aspect, a circuit breaker/relay may include: a plurality of fixed contacts electrically coupled to an electrical load circuit for a mobile application; a plurality of movable contacts, each movable contact selectively electrically coupled to a corresponding one of the plurality of fixed contacts; a plurality of armatures, each armature operatively coupled to a corresponding one of the movable contacts such that in the first Each armature in the position prevents electrical coupling between the corresponding movable contact and the corresponding fixed contact, and each armature in the second position allows electrical coupling between the corresponding movable contact and the corresponding fixed contact; and a current response circuit structured to determine a current in each of the electrical load circuits and further structured to provide an armature in response to the current in the corresponding electrical load circuit indicating a high current value. Command to open a corresponding one of the movable contacts. In embodiments, the circuit breaker/relay may further include a plurality of biasing members, each biasing member operatively coupled to a corresponding one of the plurality of movable contacts and configured to couple the plurality of A corresponding one of the armatures is biased into one of the first position or the second position. The first high current value of a first one of the electrical load circuits may comprise a different value than a second high current value of a second one of the electrical load circuits. The circuit breaker/relay may further include: a first biasing member operatively coupled to a corresponding one of the movable contacts of the first electrical load circuit; a second biasing member The second biasing member is operatively coupled to a corresponding one of the movable contacts of the second electrical load circuit, and wherein the first biasing member may include a different biasing force than the second biasing member. The first movable contact of the first electrical load may comprise a different mass value than the second movable contact of the second electrical load.

In one aspect, a method may include: determining a first current value in a first electrical load circuit for a mobile application; determining a second current value in a second electrical load circuit for a mobile application; and responsive to a When a current value exceeds the first high current value or the second current value exceeds the second high current value, an armature command is provided to disconnect a corresponding one of the first electrical load circuit or the second electrical load circuit. Contactor for circuit. In an embodiment, the method may further include spreading the arc of the opened contactor to a plurality of separation plates positioned proximate the opened contactor. The method may further include determining a first physical current disconnection value for the first electrical load circuit and a second physical current disconnection value for the second electrical load circuit, providing the first high current value as a lower current value than the first physical current disconnection value. value, and providing the second highest current value as a value lower than the second physical current disconnect value.

In one aspect, a system may include: a housing; a circuit breaker/relay device positioned in the housing, wherein the circuit breaker/relay device may be configured to interrupt a power supply circuit of an electric vehicle system, wherein the housing may be disposed on the electric vehicle system. on a vehicle system; wherein the circuit breaker/relay device may include a physical disconnection response portion responsive to a first current value in the power supply circuit, and a controlled disconnection response portion responsive to a second current value in the power supply circuit; and a precharge circuit electrically coupled in parallel to the circuit breaker/relay device. In embodiments, the precharge circuit may be located within the housing. The first current value may be greater than the second current value. The physical opening response portion may include a first biasing member biasing the armature of the circuit breaker/relay device into an open position of a contactor of the power supply circuit, and a first force of the armature closing contactor in conjunction with the first The biasing member opens the contactor by a selected difference between the second forces. The controlled opening response portion may include a current sensor that provides a current value through the power supply circuit, and a current response circuit structured to command the armature to open the contactor in response to the current value exceeding a second current value. Circuit breaker/relay equipment may include double pole circuit breaker/relay equipment. Circuit breaker/relay equipment may include single pole circuit breaker/relay equipment. The circuit breaker/relay device may be positioned on either the high side circuit or the low side circuit of the power supply circuit. The system may also include a high temperature switching device positioned on the other of the high side circuit or the low side circuit. The system may further include a physical disconnection response adjustment circuit structured to determine the first current value adjustment and adjust the physical disconnection response portion in response to the first current value adjustment. The physical disconnection response adjustment circuit may be further structured to adjust the physical disconnection response portion by performing at least one operation selected from the group consisting of: adjusting compression of the first biasing member; adjusting the first force; and adjusting The second force. The physical disconnect response adjustment circuit may be further structured to adjust the physical disconnect response portion in response to operating conditions of the electric vehicle system. The controlled opening response portion may be further structured to command the armature to open the contactor in response to at least one value selected from: a time-current distribution of the power supply circuit; a time-current distribution of the power supply circuit; a current trace; a time-current area value of the power supply circuit; a rate of change of the current value passing through the power supply circuit; and a difference between the current value passing through the power supply circuit and the second current value.

In one aspect, a method may include: determining a current value through a power supply circuit of an electric vehicle system; utilizing a physical response of a circuit breaker/relay device to disconnect the power supply circuit in response to the current value exceeding a first current value; and The power supply circuit is opened with a controlled response of the armature of the contactor operatively coupled to the circuit breaker/relay device in response to the current value exceeding the second current value. In embodiments, the first current value may be greater than the second current value. The method may also include determining a first current value adjustment in response to an operating condition of the electric vehicle system, and adjusting the first current value in response to the first current value adjustment. The method may further include adjusting the physical disconnect response portion by performing at least one operation selected from the group consisting of: adjusting compression of a first biasing member of a contactor operatively coupled to the circuit breaker/relay device; adjusting an operation a first force of a first biasing member operatively coupled to a contactor of the circuit breaker/relay device; and a second force operably coupled to an armature of a contactor of the circuit breaker/relay device. The method may also provide for controlling a response of the armature to open the contactor in response to at least one value selected from: a time-current distribution of the power supply circuit; a time-current trajectory of the power supply circuit; a time-current area value of the circuit; a rate of change of the value of the current passing through the power supply circuit; and a difference between the value of the current passing through the power supply circuit and the second current value.

In one aspect, a circuit breaker/relay may include: a fixed contact electrically coupled to a power supply circuit for a mobile application; a movable contact selectively electrically coupled to a fixed contact; a contact, wherein the movable contact in the first position allows power to flow through the power supply circuit, and the movable contact in the second position does not allow power to flow through the power supply circuit; and a physical disconnect response portion, the physical disconnect The on-responsive portion is responsive to a current value in the power supply circuit, wherein the physical off-responsive portion may be configured to move the movable contact to the second position in response to the current value exceeding a threshold current value. In embodiments, the fixed contact may include a first fixed contact, and the circuit breaker/relay may further include a second fixed contact, wherein the movable contact may include a first movable contact corresponding to the first fixed contact. contacts, the circuit breaker/relay may also include a second movable contact corresponding to the second fixed contact, and a bus bar electrically coupling the first movable contact to the second movable contact. The bus bar may include hardware configuration in the area of each of the movable contacts, wherein the hardware configuration provides a physical responsive force of the movable contact in response to a value of current flowing through the power supply circuit. The hardware configuration may include at least one configuration selected from the group consisting of: a region of the bus bar being located near the current supply portion of the power supply circuit; and a portion of the bus bar being positioned near the current supply portion of the power supply circuit. The physical disconnect response portion may include a contact area between the fixed contact and the movable contact, and a biasing member that provides a contact force to the movable contact, wherein the contact area and contact force may be configured to respond to the current value The movable contact is moved to the second position when the threshold current value is exceeded. The physical disconnect response portion may also include a mass value of the movable contact, wherein the contact area, contact force, and mass value may be configured to move the movable contact away from the first position at a selected speed value in response to the current value exceeding the threshold current value. Contacts. The circuit breaker/relay may further include an armature operatively coupled to the movable contact and capable of moving the movable contact between a first position and a second position; a current responsive circuit structured to determine a current in the power bank circuit and further structured to provide an armature command to command the movable contact to the first position in response to the current in the power bank circuit exceeding a second current threshold. The second current threshold may be lower than the threshold current value. The selected speed value may be configured to be high enough so that the movable contact does not return to the first position after moving away from the first position. The movable contact is pivotally coupled to the pivot arm.

In one aspect, a method may include: in a first position in contact with a stationary contact and allowing power to flow through a power supply circuit for a mobile application and in a first position not in contact with the stationary contact and preventing power from flowing through a power supply circuit for a mobile application. operating a movable contact between a second position of the power supply circuit; and configuring a physical disconnect response portion of the circuit breaker/relay including the movable contact and the fixed contact such that the physical disconnect response portion responds to a current value exceeding a threshold The current value moves the movable contact to the second position. Configuring the physical disconnection responsive portion may include selecting a biasing force of a biasing member that provides a contact force to the movable contact. Configuring the physical disconnect response portion may include selecting a contact area between the movable contact and the fixed contact. Configuring the physical disconnect response component may include selecting the mass of the movable contact. Configuring the physical disconnect response portion may include selecting a bus bar configuration, wherein the bus bar couples the two movable contacts, and wherein the bus bar configuration may include at least one of the following: The bus bar area is in a current providing portion of the mobile power circuit Nearby, or a portion of the bus bar is positioned near the current supply portion of the mobile power circuit. The method may further include determining a current in the power bank circuit and providing an armature command to command the movable contact to the first position in response to the current in the power bank circuit exceeding a second current threshold. The method may further include configuring the physical disconnect response portion such that the movable contact does not return to the first position after moving away from the first position.

In one aspect, a mobile application may include: a power supply circuit including a power storage device and an electrical load, wherein the power storage device and the electrical load may be selectively electrically coupled via a power bus; a power distribution unit (PDU), The power distribution unit is electrically interposed between the power storage device and the electrical load, wherein the PDU may include a circuit breaker/relay positioned on one of the high side and the low side of the power storage device; wherein the circuit breaker/relay may include : a fixed contact, the fixed contact being electrically coupled to the power bus; a movable contact, the movable contact being selectively electrically coupled to the fixed contact, and wherein the movable contact, when electrically coupled to the fixed contact, allows power flow through the power bus and preventing power flow through the power bus when not electrically coupled to the fixed contact; and an armature operatively coupled to the movable contact such that the armature in the first position prevents electrical coupling between the movable contact and the fixed contact, and the armature in the second position allowing electrical coupling between the movable contact and the fixed contact; a first biasing member that electrically Pivot biased into one of a first position or a second position; circuit breaker/relay electronics including a standard on/off circuit having at least two states, wherein the standard on/off circuit providing an actuation signal in a first state and blocking the actuation signal in a second state; a current response circuit structured to determine a current in the power bus and further structured to respond to a current in the power bus The current indicates a high current value that blocks the actuation signal of a standard on/off circuit; and wherein the armature is responsive to the actuation signal to electrically couple the movable contact to the fixed contact. In embodiments, the circuit breaker/relay may further include an auxiliary off circuit structured to interpret the auxiliary command and further structured to respond to the auxiliary command indicating that the movable contact should not be electrically coupled to the fixed contact components to block the activation signal of the standard on/off circuit. The auxiliary command may include at least one command selected from the group consisting of: an emergency shutdown command, a maintenance event indicator, a maintenance event indicator, an accident indicator, a vehicle controller request, and an equipment protection request. A standard on/off circuit may include one of key switch voltage and key switch indication. The circuit breaker/relay may further include a contact force spring operatively interposed between the armature and the movable contact such that the contact force spring may be at least partially compressed in response to the armature being in the second position , and wherein the contact force spring may be configured such that the Lorentz force acting between the fixed contact and the movable contact further compresses the contact force spring in response to the selected current value. The high current value can be lower than the selected current value. The movable contact may include a body extending away from the fixed contact, wherein the body of the movable contact may be disposed within a plurality of separator plates, and wherein the plurality of separator plates may be at least partially disposed within the permanent magnet. Mobile applications may also include charging circuits, and where the circuit breaker/relay may further be positioned on the charging circuit. The charging circuit may include a fast charging circuit having a higher current throughput value than the rated current for operation of the electrical load. The electrical load may include at least one load selected from the group consisting of: a power supply load, a regenerative load, a power supply output load, an auxiliary equipment load, and an accessory equipment load. The mobile application may also include a second circuit breaker/relay disposed on the other of the high side or the low side of the power storage device. Power storage devices may include rechargeable devices. The power storage device may include at least one device selected from the group consisting of a battery, a capacitor, and a fuel cell.

In one aspect, a system includes a vehicle having a power supply circuit; a power distribution unit having a current protection circuit disposed in a power supply path, the current protection circuit including: a first branch of the current protection circuit , the first branch includes a circuit breaker/relay including: a fixed contact electrically coupled to a power supply circuit for a mobile application; a movable contact selectively electrically coupled to the fixed contact, wherein the movable contact in the first position allows power to flow through the power supply circuit and the movable contact in the second position does not allow power to flow through the power supply circuit; and physically disconnecting a response portion that is responsive to a current value in the power supply circuit, wherein the physical disconnect response portion is configured to move the movable contact to the second position in response to the current value exceeding the threshold current value; and A second branch of the current protection circuit is electrically coupled in parallel with the first branch of the current protection circuit, and the second branch includes a contactor. In embodiments, the circuit breaker/relay may include a first circuit breaker/relay, and wherein the contactor may include a second circuit breaker/relay. The second branch may also include a thermal fuse in series with the contactor.

In one aspect, a system includes a vehicle having a power supply circuit; a power distribution unit having a current protection circuit disposed in the power supply path, the current protection circuit including: a circuit breaker/relay, the circuit breaker The relay/relay includes: a fixed contact electrically coupled to a power supply circuit for a mobile application; a movable contact selectively electrically coupled to the fixed contact in a first position The movable contact allows power to flow through the power supply circuit, and the movable contact in the second position does not allow power to flow through the power supply circuit; and a physical disconnection response portion, the physical disconnection response portion responds to the power supply circuit a current value in which the physical disconnect response portion may be configured to move the movable contact to the second position in response to the current value exceeding the threshold current value; and a contactor in series with the circuit breaker/relay.

In one aspect, a system includes a vehicle having a power supply path; a power distribution unit including a current protection circuit disposed in the power supply path, the current protection circuit including: a circuit breaker/relay, the circuit breaker The relay/relay includes: a fixed contact electrically coupled to a power supply circuit for a mobile application; a movable contact selectively electrically coupled to the fixed contact in a first position The movable contact allows power to flow through the power supply circuit, and the movable contact in the second position does not allow power to flow through the power supply circuit; and a physical disconnection response portion, the physical disconnection response portion responds to the power supply circuit a current value in, wherein the physical disconnect response portion may be configured to move the movable contact to the second position in response to the current value exceeding the threshold current value; a current source circuit electrically coupled to the circuit breaker/relay and structured to inject current across the fixed contact; and a voltage determining circuit electrically coupled to the circuit breaker/relay and structured to determine at least one of an amount of injected voltage and a contactor impedance value, wherein the voltage The determination circuit may include a high-pass filter having a cutoff frequency selected in response to the frequency of the injected current. In an embodiment, the voltage determination circuit may further include a bandpass filter having a bandwidth selected to define the frequency of the injected current. The high-pass filter may include an analog hardware filter. The high pass filter may include a digital filter. The voltage determination circuit may be further structured to determine the contactor impedance value in response to the injected voltage drop; the system may further include a contactor characterization circuit structured to store the contactor resistance value and the contactor impedance value in One of, and wherein the contactor characterization circuit may be further structured to update one of the stored contactor resistance value and the contactor impedance value in response to the contactor impedance value. The contactor characterization circuit may be further structured to update one of the stored contactor resistance value and the contactor impedance value by performing at least one operation selected from: updating the value to the contactor impedance value; filtering a value using a contactor impedance value as a filter input; rejecting contactor impedance values within a certain time period or a certain determined number of contactor impedance values; and by filtering multiple contactor impedance values over time Perform a rolling average to update the values. The power distribution unit may also include a plurality of circuit breaker/relay devices disposed therein, and wherein the current source circuit may be further electrically coupled to the plurality of circuit breaker/relay devices and across each fixed contact of the plurality of circuit breaker/relay devices. the components sequentially inject current; and wherein the voltage determining circuit may be further electrically coupled to each of the plurality of circuit breaker/relay devices and further structured to determine each of the plurality of circuit breaker/relay devices. At least one of the amount of injected voltage and the value of the contactor impedance of a circuit breaker/relay device. The current source circuit may be further structured to sequentially inject current across each of the plurality of circuit breaker/relay devices in a selected order of the circuit breaker/relay devices. The current source circuit may be further structured to adjust the selected sequence in response to at least one of: a rate of change in the temperature of each of the fixed contacts of the circuit breaker/relay device; the circuit breaker/relay The criticality value of each circuit breaker/relay device in the device; the criticality of each circuit breaker/relay device in the circuit breaker/relay device; the power throughput of each circuit breaker/relay device in the circuit breaker/relay device quantity; and one of a fault condition or a contactor health condition for each of the circuit breaker/relay devices. The current source circuit may be further structured to adjust the selection sequence in response to one of a planned duty cycle and an observed duty cycle of the vehicle. The current source circuit can be further structured to sweep the injected current through a range of injection frequencies. The current source circuit may be further structured to inject current across the fixed contacts at multiple injection frequencies. The current source circuit may be further structured to inject current across the fixed contacts at multiple injection voltage amplitudes. The current source circuit may be further structured to inject current across the fixed contacts at an injection voltage amplitude determined in response to the power throughput of the circuit breaker/relay device. The current source circuit may be further structured to inject current across the fixed contact at an injection voltage amplitude determined in response to a duty cycle of the vehicle.

In one aspect, a system includes a vehicle having a power supply path; a power distribution unit including a current protection circuit disposed in the power supply path, the current protection circuit including: a circuit breaker/relay, a circuit breaker/ The relay includes: a fixed contact electrically coupled to a power supply circuit for a mobile application; a movable contact selectively electrically coupled to the fixed contact, wherein the movable contact is in a first position the contact allows power to flow through the power supply circuit, and the movable contact in the second position does not allow power to flow through the power supply circuit; and a physical disconnect response portion that is responsive to current flow in the power supply circuit a value, wherein the physical disconnect response portion may be configured to move the movable contact to the second position in response to the current value exceeding the threshold current value; a current source circuit electrically coupled to the circuit breaker/relay and being structured to inject current across the fixed contact; and a voltage determining circuit electrically coupled to the circuit breaker/relay and structured to determine an amount of injected voltage and a contactor impedance value, wherein the voltage determining circuit may be structured as A frequency analysis operation is performed to determine the amount of injected voltage. In embodiments, the voltage determination circuit may be further structured to determine the amount of injected voltage by determining the magnitude of the voltage across the fixed contact at the frequency of interest. The frequency of interest can be determined in response to the frequency of the injected voltage. The current source circuit can be further structured to sweep the injected current through a range of injection frequencies. The current source circuit may be further structured to inject current across the fixed contacts at multiple injection frequencies. The current source circuit may be further structured to inject current across the fixed contacts at multiple injection voltage amplitudes. The current source circuit may be further structured to inject current across the fixed contacts at an injection voltage amplitude determined in response to the power throughput of the circuit breaker/relay. The current source circuit may be further structured to inject current across the fixed contact at an injection voltage amplitude determined in response to a duty cycle of the vehicle.

In one aspect, a multi-port power converter may include: a housing that may include a plurality of ports structured to electrically interface with a plurality of loads having different electrical characteristics; a plurality of solid state components configured to provide selected electrical power output and accept selected electrical power input; and a plurality of solid state switches configured to provide a plurality of solid state components between the plurality of solid state components and the plurality of ports. Selected connectivity. In embodiments, the plurality of different electrical characteristics may be selected from an electrical characteristic consisting of: DC voltage, AC voltage or voltage equivalent, load power rating, regenerative power rating, current rating, current directionality , response time characteristics, frequency characteristics and phase characteristics. The plurality of ports may include at least two AC interface ports and at least three DC interface ports. The multi-port power converter may further include a controller including: a component library configuration circuit structured to interpret a port electrical interface description, the port electrical interface description including a description of at least a portion of the different electrical characteristics; and A library of components implements circuitry structured to provide solid state switch states in response to the port electrical interface description, and wherein a plurality of solid state switches are responsive to the solid state switch states. The controller may further include: a load/source drive description circuit structured to interpret source/load drive characteristics, wherein the source/load drive characteristics may include at least one electrical characteristic requirement of the load; and load/ Source drive implementation circuitry, the load/source drive implementation circuit is structured to provide component driver configurations responsive to source/load drive characteristics. The multi-port power converter may further include at least one of the following: wherein the solid state switch is further responsive to source/load drive characteristics; wherein the gate driver controller is responsive to source/load drive characteristics; and wherein the gate driver controller is responsive to source/load drive characteristics. The requestor component of the pole driver controller is responsive to source/load drive characteristics. The plurality of loads with different electrical characteristics may be a superset of the plurality of loads with different electrical characteristics sufficient to cover selected categories of applications, each application including at least one of the following: vehicles, off-highway vehicles, and vehicular A set of load types. Multiport power converters include a sufficient number of solid state components, solid state switches, and ports such that the multiport power converter can provide multiple loads with different electrical characteristics to any member of a selected class of applications. The plurality of loads with different electrical characteristics may be a superset of the plurality of loads with different electrical characteristics sufficient to cover selected categories of applications, each application including at least one of the following: vehicles, off-highway vehicles, and vehicular A set of load types. The multi-port power converter may also include a first application in a selected class of applications having a first different set of electrical characteristics, wherein a second application in the selected class of applications has a second different set of electrical characteristics, wherein the first The multiport power converter supports a first application, wherein the second multiport power converter supports a second application, and wherein the first multiport power converter and the second multiport power converter have the same ports, solid state components, and solid state switches . The first multi-port power converter and the second multi-port power converter have different solid state switching states. The plurality of loads with different electrical characteristics may be a superset of the plurality of loads with different electrical characteristics sufficient to cover selected categories of applications, each application including at least one of the following: vehicles, off-highway vehicles, and vehicular A set of load types. The multi-port power converter may also include a first application in a selected class of applications having a first set of different electrical characteristics, wherein a second application in the selected class of applications has a second set of different electrical characteristics, wherein the first plurality of The port power converter supports the first application, wherein the second multi-port power converter supports the second application, and wherein the first multi-port power converter and the second multi-port power converter have the same ports, solid state components, and solid state switches. The first multiport power converter and the second multiport power converter have different solid state switching states and different component driver configurations.

In one aspect, a power converter having a plurality of ports includes: a plurality of solid state components configured to provide selected electrical power outputs and accept selected electrical power inputs; and a plurality of solid state switches, the plurality of solid state switches electrically interposed between a plurality of ports and a plurality of solid state components, wherein a plurality of solid state switches are configurable to selectively couple sets of the plurality of solid state components to the plurality of ports; and a controller, the controller comprising: a component a library configuration circuit that is structured to interpret a port electrical interface description that includes a description of an electrical characteristic of one of a plurality of ports; and a component library implementation circuit that is Structured to provide solid state switch states responsive to the port electrical interface description, and wherein a plurality of solid state switches can be responsive to the solid state switch states. In an embodiment, the controller may further include a load/source drive description circuit structured to interpret source/load drive characteristics, wherein the source/load drive characteristics may include at least one electrical characteristic of the load. characteristic requirements; and load/source drive implementation circuitry structured to provide component driver configurations responsive to the source/load drive characteristics. The component library implementation circuit also provides solid state switching states responsive to source/load drive characteristics; and wherein the gate driver controller for at least one of the solid state components is responsive to the source/load drive characteristics. Each of the solid state components may include at least one of an inverter or a DC/DC converter. The component library configuration circuitry may be further structured to interpret the port configuration service request value, and wherein the component library implementation circuitry further provides a solid state switch state in response to the port configuration service request value. The component library configuration circuitry may be further structured to interpret the port configuration definition values, and wherein the component library implementation circuitry further provides solid state switch states in response to the port configuration definition values.

In one aspect, a method may include: interpreting a port electrical interface description that includes a description of electrical characteristics of at least one of a plurality of ports of a power converter for an electric mobility application; and responsively The port electrical interface description provides a solid state switching state such that at least one of the AC inverter or the DC/DC converter is configured to provide power to at least one of the plurality of ports according to the port electrical interface description. In embodiments, the method may further include interpreting the port electrical interface description during runtime operations of the electric mobility application. The method may also include interpreting the port electrical interface description from a service tool in communication with a controller of the power converter. The method may also include interpreting the port electrical interface description from a manufacturing tool in communication with a controller of the power converter. Providing solid-state switching states can be performed as a remanufacturing operation for power converters. Providing the solid state switch state may be performed as an operation selected from the group consisting of: an upgrade operation for an electric mobility application, an application change operation for an electric mobility application, and a retrofit operation for an electric mobility application. The method may further include: interpreting a source/load drive characteristic of at least one of the plurality of ports of the power converter, wherein the source/load drive characteristic may include at least one electrical characteristic requirement of the load; and responsive to the source/load drive characteristic Provides component driver configuration. The method may also include interpreting source/load drive characteristics during run-time operation of an electric mobility application. The method may also include interrogating at least one load electrically coupled to at least one port of the power converter, and interpreting source/load drive characteristics in response to the interrogation. The method may also include interpreting the source/load drive characteristics from a service tool in communication with a controller of the power converter. The method may also include interpreting the source/load drive characteristics from a manufacturing tool in communication with a controller of the power converter. Providing component driver configurations can be performed as a remanufacturing operation for power converters. Providing the component driver configuration may be performed as an operation selected from the group consisting of an upgrade operation for electric mobility applications, an application change operation for electric mobility applications, and a retrofit operation for electric mobility applications.

In one aspect, a method may include providing a power converter having a plurality of ports; determining an electrical interface description for at least one power source for an electric mobility application and at least one electrical load for an electric mobility application; and providing a solid state switch responsive to the electrical interface description state, thereby configuring at least one of the AC inverter or DC/DC converter to provide power to or receive power from at least one of the plurality of ports according to the port electrical interface description; and installing the power converter to the electric in mobile applications. In embodiments, the method may further include determining which ports of the power converter are to be coupled to at least one power source and at least one electrical load, and wherein providing the solid state switching state may include configuring electrical characteristics of the determined ports according to the port electrical interface description. . The method may also include a plurality of electrical loads, wherein a first of the electrical loads may comprise an AC load, and wherein a second of the electrical loads may comprise a DC load. The method may also include a plurality of power supplies, wherein a first of the power supplies may comprise a DC source at a first voltage, and wherein a second of the power supplies may comprise a DC source at a second voltage. The method may further include determining source/load drive characteristics of at least one of the electrical loads of the electric mobility application and providing a component driver configuration responsive to the source/load drive characteristics. The component driver configuration may include a gate driver controller of an inverter component coupled to one of the plurality of ports corresponding to at least one of the electrical loads of the electric mobility application. The method may also include coupling the coolant inlet port and the coolant outlet port to a cooling system for the electric mobility application.

In one aspect, an integrated inverter assembly may include: a main cover and an opposing rear cover; a coolant channel disposed between the coolant channel cover and the coolant channel separation body; wherein the inverter assembly The power electronics may be thermally coupled to the coolant channel; and wherein at least one of the coolant inlet or the coolant outlet of the coolant channel may include a quick connector without a locking element. In embodiments, the quick connector may further include a fir tree-shaped hose coupling disposed on a housing wall of the quick connector. The coolant channel separation body may also include an integrated hose coupling configured to couple with the quick connector. The inverter assembly may also include a hose configured to be coupled at a first end to the integrated hose connector and at a second end to the quick connector. The hose may include a baffled hose.

In one aspect, an integrated inverter assembly may include: a main cover and an opposing back cover; a plurality of IGBTs, each IGBT of the plurality configured to provide at least one phase of AC power to an electric machine; and an operation A closed DC link capacitor is disposed between the IGBT and the DC power supply, and wherein the closed DC link capacitor may include a bus bar, a common mode choke, and a capacitor disposed in a housing of the closed DC link capacitor. In embodiments, the inverter assembly may further include a first soldered connection between the enclosed DC link capacitor and each of the IGBTs, and an AC motor connector of each of the IGBTs to the inverter assembly between the second welded connections. The AC motor connector may include multiple AC blades. Each of the plurality of AC blades may extend through the foam seal to form an AC motor connector. The enclosed DC link capacitors are thermally coupled to the integral coolant channels of the inverter assembly. The enclosed DC link capacitor may protrude from one of the main cover and the opposing rear cover.

In one aspect, an integrated inverter assembly may include: a main cover and an opposing rear cover; a coolant channel disposed between the coolant channel cover and the coolant channel separation body; and wherein the inverter The assembly's power electronics can be thermally coupled to the coolant channels. In embodiments, the coolant channel separation body may be friction stir welded to each of the main cover and the coolant channel separation body. The assembly may further include a second coolant channel, wherein the coolant channel may be disposed on a first side of the coolant channel separation body, and wherein the second coolant channel may be disposed on a second side of the coolant channel separation body. The assembly may also include the following: the main cover may be cast, the coolant channel separation body may be forged, and the coolant channel cover may be stamped. The assembly may also include wherein the main cover defines a plurality of coupling threaded holes, and wherein the rear cover defines a corresponding plurality of coupling threaded holes. The corresponding plurality of coupling threaded holes also each includes an unthreaded guide portion of the hole, and wherein the unthreaded guide portion of the hole can include a first height, wherein each of the plurality of coupling screws includes a threaded portion having a second height, and wherein the first The height can be greater than the second height. The main cover further defines a narrowed portion of each of the plurality of coupling threaded holes, and wherein each of the plurality of coupling screws can further include a thin neck portion, and wherein each of the plurality of coupling screws The threaded portion of the coupling screw has a larger diameter than the thin neck portion. The assembly may also include a cured-in-place gasket positioned between the main cover and the back cover. The assembly may also include a cured-in-place gasket dispensable on the main cover. At least one of the main cover and the back cover may include a flange having a selected height such that the cured-in-place gasket has selected compression when the main cover may be coupled to the back cover.

In one aspect, a method may include operating a motor for an electric mobility application; determining a temperature value of the motor in response to at least one parameter selected from: a power throughput of the motor; a voltage input value of the motor; and a current input value to the motor; interpreting a sensed motor temperature value of the motor; and adjusting operating parameters of the motor in response to the motor temperature value and the sensed motor temperature value. In embodiments, the method may further include determining the motor effective temperature value using a combination of the motor temperature value and the sensed motor temperature value, and wherein the adjusting operating parameter may be further responsive to the motor effective temperature value. The method may further include determining a first reliability value of the motor temperature value in response to a first operating condition of the motor, determining a second reliability value of the sensed motor temperature value in response to a second operating condition of the motor, and wherein determining the motor The effective temperature value may further be responsive to the first reliability value and the second reliability value. The method may further include using the sensed motor temperature value as the effective motor temperature value in response to the second reliability value exceeding the threshold. The sensed motor temperature value of the motor may include a sensed temperature from a first component within the motor, and the method may further include applying a correction to the sensed motor temperature value to determine a second value that includes an estimated temperature of a second component within the motor. The temperature value is sensed, and the second sensed temperature value is also used to determine the motor effective temperature value. The method may further include applying a hot spot adjustment correction to the sensed motor temperature value, and further using the adjusted sensed motor temperature value to determine an effective motor temperature value. The method may further include determining the first reliability value in response to at least one operating condition selected from the group consisting of: a power throughput of the motor; a rate of change of the power throughput of the motor; a temperature value for determining a temperature value of the motor The bounded range value of the model; and the rate of change of either the motor temperature value or the effective motor temperature value. The method may further include determining a second reliability value in response to at least one operating condition selected from: a power throughput of the motor; a rate of change of the power throughput of the motor; providing a sensed motor temperature value A limited range value for the temperature sensor; a response time for the temperature sensor that senses the motor temperature value; and a fault condition for the temperature sensor that senses the motor temperature value. The method may further include using one or the other of the motor temperature value and the sensed motor temperature value as the motor effective temperature value. The method may also include blending previous values of the motor temperature value, the sensed motor temperature value, and the motor effective temperature value to determine the motor effective temperature value. The method may also include applying a low-pass filter to the motor effective temperature value. Adjusting the operating parameters may include at least one operation selected from the group consisting of: adjusting a rating of the motor; adjusting a rating of a load for the electric mobility application; adjusting an amount of active cooling of the motor; and adjusting the motor based on an efficiency map of the motor operating space.

In one aspect, an apparatus may include: a motor control circuit structured to operate a motor for an electric mobility application; an operating condition circuit structured to interpret a sensed motor temperature of the motor value, and is further structured to interpret at least one parameter selected from the group consisting of: a power throughput of the motor; a voltage input value of the motor; a current input value of the motor; an ambient temperature value; and an amount of active cooling of the motor ; a motor temperature determination circuit structured to determine a motor temperature value in response to at least one of: a power throughput of the motor; a voltage input value of the motor; a current input value of the motor; an ambient temperature value ; and an amount of active cooling of the motor; and determining an effective motor temperature value in response to the motor temperature value and the sensed motor temperature value; and wherein the motor control circuit may be further structured to regulate at least one of the motor in response to the motor effective temperature value operating parameters. In an embodiment, the motor temperature determination circuit may be further structured to determine a first reliability value of the motor temperature value in response to a first operating condition of the motor; and to determine the sensed motor temperature in response to a second operating condition of the motor. a second reliability value of the value; and further determining a motor effective temperature value in response to the first reliability value and the second reliability value. The motor temperature determination circuit may be further structured to use the sensed motor temperature value as the effective motor temperature value in response to the second reliability value exceeding the threshold. The motor temperature determination circuit may be further structured to apply one of offset component adjustment or hot spot adjustment to the sensed motor temperature value; and further determine the effective motor temperature value in response to the adjusted sensed motor temperature value. The motor temperature determination circuit may be further structured to determine the first reliability value in response to at least one operating condition selected from: power throughput of the motor; a rate of change of power throughput of the motor; The limiting range value of the model used to determine the motor temperature value; and the rate of change of either the motor temperature value or the effective motor temperature value. The motor temperature determination circuit may be further structured to determine the second reliability value in response to at least one operating condition selected from: power throughput of the motor; a rate of change of power throughput of the motor; providing A limited range value of the temperature sensor that senses the motor temperature value; a response time of the temperature sensor that senses the motor temperature value; and a fault condition that provides the temperature sensor that senses the motor temperature value. The motor control circuit may be further structured to regulate at least one operating parameter selected from the group consisting of: a rating of the motor; a rating of a load for the electric mobility application; an amount of active cooling of the motor; and an efficiency based on the motor Diagram of the operating space of the motor.

In one aspect, a system may include an electric mobility application having a motor and an inverter, wherein the inverter may include: a plurality of drive elements for the motor; a controller including: motor control circuitry, the motor a control circuit structured to provide driver commands and wherein a plurality of drive elements are responsive to the driver commands; an operating condition circuit structured to interpret a motor performance request value including power of the motor, at least one of speed or torque requirements; a driver efficiency circuit structured to interpret a driver activation value for each of a plurality of drive elements of the inverter in response to a motor performance request value; and wherein the motor control circuit may be further structured to provide a driver command to deactivate at least one of the plurality of drive elements for the motor in response to a driver activation value for each of the plurality of drive elements of the inverter. element. In an embodiment, the electric machine may comprise a three-phase AC electric machine, wherein the plurality of drive elements includes six drive elements, and wherein the driver efficiency circuit provides a driver activation value to deactivate the six drive elements in response to the motor performance request value being below a threshold. three drive elements.

In one aspect, a method may include providing driver commands to a plurality of drive elements electrically coupled to an inverter of a motor for an electric mobility application; interpreting the motor including at least one of a power, speed, or torque requirement of the motor a performance request value; interpreting a driver activation value for each of a plurality of drive elements of the inverter in response to the motor performance request value; and responsive to a driver of each of the plurality of drive elements of the inverter The activation value provides a driver command to deactivate at least one of a plurality of drive elements of the motor. In an embodiment, the method may further include providing a driver command to deactivate three of the six total drive elements in response to the motor performance request value being below the threshold. The method may further include deactivating the first three of the total six drive elements during the first deactivation operation and deactivating the last three of the total six drive elements during the second deactivation operation.

In one aspect, a system may include: an electric mobility application having a plurality of electric motors, each electric motor of the plurality of electric motors operatively coupled to a corresponding one of a plurality of electrical loads; a controller, the The controller includes an application load circuit structured to interpret an application performance request value and a performance service circuit structured to determine a plurality of motor commands responsive to the motor capability description and the application performance request value. ; and a motor control circuit structured to provide a plurality of motor commands to corresponding motors of the plurality of electric motors; and wherein the plurality of electric motors are responsive to the plurality of motor commands. In embodiments, the performance service circuit may be further structured to determine a plurality of motor commands in response to one of a fault condition or a failure condition of at least one of the plurality of electric motors. The performance service circuit may be further structured to at least partially redistribute load requirements from one of the plurality of electric machines having a fault condition or failure condition to at least one of the plurality of electric machines having available performance capabilities. motor to provide multiple electric motor commands to meet application performance request values. The performance service circuit may be further structured to derate one of the plurality of electric motors in response to one of a fault condition or a failure condition. The system may also include a first data store associated with a first electric motor of the plurality of electric motors, a second data store associated with a second electric motor of the plurality of electric motors, and wherein the controller may further Data management circuitry is included, the data management circuitry being structured to command at least partial data redundancy between the first data store and the second data store. At least part of the data redundancy may include at least one data value selected from the group consisting of: a fault value, a system state, and a learning component value. The data management circuitry may be further structured to command at least partial data redundancy in response to one of a fault condition or a failure condition associated with at least one of: one of the plurality of electric motors, or operation of The ground is coupled to a local controller of one of the plurality of electric motors. The performance service circuit may be further structured to determine a plurality of motor commands in response to one of a fault condition or a failure condition and further in response to data from at least partial data redundancy. The performance service circuit may be further structured to suppress operator notification of one of a fault condition or a failure condition in response to a performance capability of the plurality of electric motors capable of delivering an application performance request value. The performance service circuit may be further structured to communicate the suppressed operator notification to at least one of the service tool or an external controller, wherein the external controller may be at least intermittently communicatively coupled to the controller. The performance service circuit may be further structured to adjust the application performance request value in response to the performance capabilities of the plurality of electric motors being unable to deliver the application performance request value.

In one aspect, a method may include interpreting an application performance request value; determining a plurality of motor commands responsive to the motor capability description and the application performance request value; and providing the plurality of motor commands to a plurality of devices operatively coupled to the electric mobility application. A corresponding motor in a plurality of electric motors corresponding to the electrical load. In an embodiment, the method may further include determining a plurality of motor commands in response to one of a fault condition or a failure condition of at least one of the plurality of electric motors. The method may further include providing a plurality of electric machines by at least partially redistributing load requirements from one electric machine of the plurality of electric machines having a fault condition or failure condition to at least one electric machine of the plurality of electric machines having available performance capabilities. Electric motor commands to meet application performance request values. The method may also include derating one of the plurality of electric motors in response to one of a fault condition or a failure condition. The method may also include commanding at least a portion of the data between a first data store associated with a first electric motor of the plurality of electric motors and a second data store associated with a second electric motor of the plurality of electric motors. redundancy. At least part of the data redundancy may include at least one data value selected from the group consisting of: a fault value, a system state, and a learning component value. The method may also include commanding at least partial data redundancy in response to one of a fault condition or a failure condition associated with at least one of: an electric motor of a plurality of electric motors, or operatively coupled to a plurality of electric motors A local controller for one of the electric motors. The method may also include determining a plurality of motor commands in response to one of a fault condition or a failure condition and further in response to data from at least partial data redundancy. One of the fault condition or failure condition may be associated with a first local controller operatively coupled to an electric motor of the plurality of electric motors, and the method may further include utilizing a first local controller communicatively coupled to an electric motor of the plurality of electric motors. A second local controller of the electric motor controls one of the plurality of electric motors. The method may also include suppressing operator notification of one of the fault condition or the failure condition in response to a performance capability of the plurality of electric motors capable of delivering the application performance request value. The method may also include transmitting the suppressed operator notification to at least one of the service tool or an external controller, wherein the external controller may be at least intermittently communicatively coupled to the controller of the electric mobility application. The method may further include adjusting the application performance request value in response to performance capabilities of the plurality of electric motors being unable to deliver the application performance request value.

In one aspect, a system includes a vehicle having a power supply path; a power distribution unit having a current protection circuit disposed in the power supply path, the current protection circuit comprising: a first element of the current protection circuit A branch circuit, the first branch circuit including a high temperature fuse (pyro-fuse); a second branch circuit of the current protection circuit, the second branch circuit including a thermal fuse; and wherein the first branch circuit and the second branch circuit can be connected in parallel Arranged to be coupled; the controller may include: a current detection circuit structured to determine the current flowing through the power supply path; and a high temperature fuse activation circuit structured providing a high temperature fuse activation command in response to the current exceeding a threshold current value; wherein the high temperature fuse is responsive to the high temperature fuse activation command; and a fuse management circuit structured to activate in response to the current A switch activation command is provided, wherein the solid state switch is responsive to the switch activation command. In embodiments, the first resistance across the first leg and the second resistance across the second leg may be configured such that the resulting current through the second leg after activation of the high temperature fuse may be sufficient to activate Thermal fuse. The system may also include a contactor coupled to the current protection circuit, wherein the contactor in the open position disconnects one of the current protection circuit or a second leg of the current protection circuit.

In one aspect, a system includes a vehicle having a power supply path; a power distribution unit having a current protection circuit disposed in the power supply path, the current protection circuit comprising: a first element of the current protection circuit a branch circuit, the first branch including a thermal fuse; a second branch of the current protection circuit, the second branch including a solid state switch, wherein the first branch and the second branch may be coupled in a parallel arrangement; and a thermal fuse and a contactor arranged in series with the thermal fuse; a controller that may include: a current detection circuit structured to determine current flow through a power supply path; and a fuse management circuit, the fuse management circuit is structured to provide a switch activation command in response to the current flow; wherein the solid state switch is responsive to the switch activation command; and a high voltage power supply input coupling including a first portion of the high voltage power supply. an electrical interface; and a high-voltage power supply output coupling including a second electrical interface of a power supply load; wherein the current protection circuit electrically couples the high-voltage power supply input to the high-voltage power supply output, and wherein the current protection circuit May be provided at least partially in a laminate layer of the power distribution unit, the laminate layer including an electrically conductive flow path provided with two electrically insulating layers. In embodiments, the system may further include a contactor coupled to the current protection circuit, wherein the contactor in the open position disconnects one of the current protection circuit or a second leg of the current protection circuit. The current protection circuit may include a power supply bus bar disposed in a laminate layer of the power distribution unit.

In one aspect, an integrated inverter assembly having a power converter with multiple ports may include: a main cover and an opposite rear cover; a coolant channel disposed between the coolant channel cover and the coolant channel between separate bodies; wherein the power electronics of the inverter assembly are thermally coupled to the coolant channel; wherein at least one of the coolant inlet or the coolant outlet of the coolant channel includes a quick connector without a locking element; a plurality of solid state components configured to provide selected electrical power outputs and accept selected electrical power inputs; a plurality of solid state switches electrically interposed between the plurality of ports and the plurality of solid state components, wherein a plurality of solid state switches can be configured to selectively couple groups of a plurality of solid state components to a plurality of ports; and a controller, the controller can include: component library configuration circuitry structured to interpret a port electrical interface description that includes a description of electrical characteristics of one of the plurality of ports; and a component library implementing circuitry structured to provide a solid state switch responsive to the port electrical interface description state, and wherein the plurality of solid state switches are responsive to the solid state switch state. In embodiments, the quick connector may further include a fir tree-shaped hose coupling disposed on a housing wall of the quick connector. The controller may further include: a load/source drive description circuit structured to interpret the source/load drive characteristics, wherein the source/load drive characteristics include at least one electrical characteristic requirement of the load; and the load/source drive Implementation Circuitry, Load/Source Drive Implementation circuitry is structured to provide component driver configurations responsive to source/load drive characteristics.

In one aspect, an integrated inverter assembly may include: a main cover and an opposite rear cover; a coolant channel disposed between the coolant channel cover and the coolant channel separation body; wherein the inverter assembly The power electronics are thermally coupled to the coolant channel; wherein at least one of the coolant inlet or the coolant outlet of the coolant channel includes a quick connector without a locking element; a plurality of IGBTs, each of the plurality of IGBTs an IGBT configured to provide at least one phase of AC power to the motor; and an enclosed DC link capacitor operatively disposed between the IGBT and the DC power supply, and wherein the enclosed DC link capacitor includes a bus bar, a common mode choke coils and capacitors arranged in the housing of a closed DC link capacitor. In embodiments, the quick connector may further include a fir tree-shaped hose coupling disposed on a housing wall of the quick connector. The inverter assembly may also include a first solder connection between the enclosed DC link capacitor and each of the IGBTs, and a second solder connection between each of the IGBTs and the AC motor connector of the inverter assembly. Solder connection.

In one aspect, a system may include: an electric mobility application having a motor and an inverter, wherein the inverter includes a plurality of drive elements for the motor; a controller may include: a motor control circuit, the motor a control circuit structured to provide driver commands and wherein a plurality of drive elements are responsive to the driver commands; an operating condition circuit structured to interpret a motor performance request value including power of the motor, at least one of speed or torque requirements; a driver efficiency circuit structured to interpret a driver activation value for each of a plurality of drive elements of the inverter in response to a motor performance request value; wherein The motor control circuit may be further structured to provide a driver command to deactivate at least one of the plurality of drive elements for the motor in response to a driver activation value for each of the plurality of drive elements of the inverter. ; and a circuit breaker/relay including: a fixed contact electrically coupled to the power supply circuit; a movable contact selectively electrically coupled to the fixed contact, wherein a movable contact in a first position that allows power to flow through the power supply circuit, and a movable contact in a second position that does not allow power to flow through the power supply circuit; and a physical disconnect response portion that responds The physical disconnect response portion may be configured to move the movable contact to the second position in response to a current value in the power supply circuit exceeding a threshold current value. In an embodiment, the electric machine may comprise a three-phase AC electric machine, wherein the plurality of drive elements includes six drive elements, and wherein the driver efficiency circuit provides a driver activation value to deactivate the six drive elements in response to the motor performance request value being below a threshold. three drive elements. The fixed contact may include a first fixed contact, and the circuit breaker/relay may further include a second fixed contact, wherein the movable contact may include a first movable contact corresponding to the first fixed contact, the circuit breaker/relay The relay also includes a second movable contact corresponding to the second fixed contact, and a bus bar electrically coupling the first movable contact to the second movable contact.

In one aspect, a system may include: an electric mobility application having a plurality of electric motors, each electric motor of the plurality of electric motors operatively coupled to a corresponding one of a plurality of electrical loads; a controller, the The controller may include an application load circuit structured to interpret the application performance request value and a performance service circuit structured to determine a plurality of motors in response to the motor capability description and the application performance request value. commands; and a motor control circuit structured to provide a plurality of motor commands to corresponding motors of a plurality of electric motors; and wherein the plurality of electric motors are responsive to the plurality of motor commands; a multi-port power converter , the multi-port power converter may include: a housing including a plurality of ports, the plurality of ports being structured to electrically interface with a plurality of loads, the plurality of loads having different electrical characteristics; a plurality of solid state components, the A plurality of solid state components configured to provide selected electrical power output and accept selected electrical power input; and a plurality of solid state switches configured to provide selected connectivity between the plurality of solid state components and the plurality of ports. In embodiments, the performance service circuit may be further structured to determine a plurality of motor commands in response to one of a fault condition or a failure condition of at least one of the plurality of electric motors. Several different electrical characteristics can be selected consisting of: DC voltage, AC voltage or voltage equivalent, load power rating, regenerative power rating, current rating, current directionality, response time characteristics, frequency characteristics and phase characteristics.

In one aspect, a system may include: an electric mobility application having a plurality of electric motors, each electric motor of the plurality of electric motors operatively coupled to a corresponding one of a plurality of electrical loads; a controller, the control The processor may include an application load circuit structured to interpret an application performance request value; a performance service circuit structured to determine a plurality of motors in response to the motor capability description and the application performance request value. command; a motor control circuit structured to provide a plurality of motor commands to corresponding ones of a plurality of electric motors; wherein the plurality of electric motors are responsive to the plurality of motor commands; a housing; positioned in the housing A circuit breaker/relay device, wherein the circuit breaker/relay device can be configured to interrupt a power supply circuit of the electric vehicle system, wherein the housing can be disposed on the electric vehicle system; wherein the circuit breaker/relay device includes a circuit breaker/relay device that is responsive to the first power supply circuit in the power supply circuit. a physical disconnection response portion of a current value, and a controlled disconnection response portion responsive to a second current value in the power supply circuit; and a precharge circuit electrically coupled in parallel to the circuit breaker/relay device. In embodiments, the performance service circuit may be further structured to determine a plurality of motor commands in response to one of a fault condition or a failure condition of at least one of the plurality of electric motors. The first current value may be greater than the second current value.

In one aspect, a system may include: an electric mobility application having a plurality of electric motors, each electric motor of the plurality of electric motors operatively coupled to a corresponding one of a plurality of electrical loads; a controller, the control The processor may include an application load circuit structured to interpret the application performance request value; a performance service circuit structured to determine a plurality of motor commands in response to the motor capability description and the application performance request value. ; and a motor control circuit structured to provide a plurality of motor commands to corresponding motors of a plurality of electric motors; wherein the plurality of electric motors are responsive to the plurality of motor commands; and a multi-port power converter, The multi-port power converter may include: a housing including a plurality of ports structured to electrically interface with a plurality of loads having different electrical characteristics; a plurality of solid state components, the plurality of a solid state component configured to provide a selected electrical power output and accept a selected electrical power input; and a plurality of solid state switches configured to provide selected connectivity between the plurality of solid state components and the plurality of ports. In embodiments, the performance service circuit may be further structured to determine a plurality of motor commands in response to one of a fault condition or a failure condition of at least one of the plurality of electric motors. Several different electrical characteristics can be selected consisting of: DC voltage, AC voltage or voltage equivalent, load power rating, regenerative power rating, current rating, current directionality, response time characteristics, frequency characteristics and phase characteristics.

In one aspect, a system may include: an electric mobility application having a plurality of electric motors, each electric motor of the plurality of electric motors operatively coupled to a corresponding one of a plurality of electrical loads; a controller, the The controller may include an application load circuit structured to interpret the application performance request value and a performance service circuit structured to determine a plurality of motors in response to the motor capability description and the application performance request value. commands; and a motor control circuit structured to provide a plurality of motor commands to corresponding motors of a plurality of electric motors; wherein the plurality of electric motors are responsive to the plurality of motor commands; and a circuit breaker/relay, the The circuit breaker/relay may include a plurality of fixed contacts electrically coupled to an electrical load circuit for a mobile application and a plurality of movable contacts each selectively electrically coupled to a corresponding one of the plurality of fixed contacts; a plurality of armatures, each armature operatively coupled to a corresponding one of the movable contacts such that each armature in the first position prevents electrical coupling between a corresponding movable contact and a corresponding fixed contact, and each armature in the second position allows electrical coupling between a corresponding movable contact and a corresponding fixed contact; and a current responsive circuit, the current The response circuit is structured to determine the current in each of the electrical load circuits and is further structured to provide an armature command to open the movable contact in response to the current in the corresponding electrical load circuit indicating a high current value. Corresponding to a movable contact piece in the piece. In embodiments, the performance service circuit may be further structured to determine a plurality of motor commands in response to one of a fault condition or a failure condition of at least one of the plurality of electric motors. The system may also include a plurality of biasing members, each biasing member operatively coupled to a corresponding one of the plurality of movable contacts and configured to bias a corresponding one of the plurality of armatures. into either the first position or the second position.

In one aspect, a system may include: an electric mobility application having a plurality of electric motors, each electric motor of the plurality of electric motors operatively coupled to a corresponding one of a plurality of electrical loads; a controller, the control The processor may include an application load circuit structured to interpret the application performance request value; a performance service circuit structured to determine a plurality of motor commands in response to the motor capability description and the application performance request value. ; and a motor control circuit structured to provide a plurality of motor commands to corresponding motors of a plurality of electric motors; wherein the plurality of electric motors are responsive to the plurality of motor commands; a multi-port power converter, the The multi-port power converter may include: a housing including a plurality of ports structured to electrically interface with a plurality of loads having different electrical characteristics; a plurality of solid state components, the plurality of A solid state component configured to provide a selected electrical power output and accept a selected electrical power input; and a plurality of solid state switches configured to provide selected connectivity between the plurality of solid state components and the plurality of ports. In embodiments, the performance service circuit may be further structured to determine a plurality of motor commands in response to one of a fault condition or a failure condition of at least one of the plurality of electric motors. Several different electrical characteristics can be selected consisting of: DC voltage, AC voltage or voltage equivalent, load power rating, regenerative power rating, current rating, current directionality, response time characteristics, frequency characteristics and phase characteristics.

In one aspect, a system may include: an electric mobility application having a plurality of electric motors, each electric motor of the plurality of electric motors operatively coupled to a corresponding one of a plurality of electrical loads; a controller, the control The processor may include an application load circuit structured to interpret the application performance request value; a performance service circuit structured to determine a plurality of motor commands in response to the motor capability description and the application performance request value. ; and a motor control circuit structured to provide a plurality of motor commands to corresponding ones of a plurality of electric motors; wherein the plurality of electric motors are responsive to the plurality of motor commands; and a circuit breaker/relay that breaks the circuit The relay/relay may include: a fixed contact electrically coupled to a power supply circuit for a mobile application; a movable contact selectively electrically coupled to the fixed contact, wherein in a first a movable contact in one position that allows power to flow through the power supply circuit, and a movable contact in a second position that does not allow power to flow through the power supply circuit; and a physical disconnect response portion that is responsive to the power supply A current value in the circuit, wherein the physical disconnect responsive portion may be configured to move the movable contact to the second position in response to the current value exceeding a threshold current value. In embodiments, the performance service circuit may be further structured to determine a plurality of motor commands in response to one of a fault condition or a failure condition of at least one of the plurality of electric motors. The fixed contact may include a first fixed contact, and the circuit breaker/relay may further include a second fixed contact, wherein the movable contact may include a first movable contact corresponding to the first fixed contact, the circuit breaker/relay The relay also includes a second movable contact corresponding to the second fixed contact, and a bus bar electrically coupling the first movable contact to the second movable contact.

In one aspect, a system may include: an electric mobility application having a plurality of electric motors, each electric motor of the plurality of electric motors operatively coupled to a corresponding one of a plurality of electrical loads; a controller, the The controller may include an application load circuit structured to interpret the application performance request value and a performance service circuit structured to determine a plurality of motors in response to the motor capability description and the application performance request value. commands; and a motor control circuit structured to provide a plurality of motor commands to corresponding motors of a plurality of electric motors; wherein the plurality of electric motors are responsive to the plurality of motor commands; the multi-port power converter, The multi-port power converter may include: a housing including a plurality of ports structured to electrically interface with a plurality of loads having different electrical characteristics; a plurality of solid state components, the plurality of a solid state component configured to provide a selected electrical power output and accept a selected electrical power input; and a plurality of solid state switches configured to provide selected connectivity between the plurality of solid state components and the plurality of ports. In embodiments, the performance service circuit may be further structured to determine a plurality of motor commands in response to one of a fault condition or a failure condition of at least one of the plurality of electric motors. Several different electrical characteristics can be selected consisting of: DC voltage, AC voltage or voltage equivalent, load power rating, regenerative power rating, current rating, current directionality, response time characteristics, frequency characteristics and phase characteristics.

In one aspect, an integrated inverter assembly may include: a main cover and an opposing rear cover; a coolant channel disposed between the coolant channel cover and the coolant channel separation body; wherein the inverter assembly The power electronics are thermally coupled to the coolant channel; wherein at least one of the coolant inlet or the coolant outlet of the coolant channel includes a quick connector without a locking element; and a multi-port power converter, the multi-port The power converter may include: a housing including a plurality of ports structured to electrically interface with a plurality of loads having different electrical characteristics; a plurality of solid state components, the plurality of solid state components configured to provide a selected electrical power output and to accept a selected electrical power input; and a plurality of solid state switches configured to provide selected connectivity between a plurality of solid state components and a plurality of ports. In an embodiment, the plurality of different electrical characteristics may be selected from an electrical characteristic consisting of: DC voltage, AC voltage or voltage equivalent, load power rating, regenerative power rating, current rating, current directionality, Response time characteristics, frequency characteristics and phase characteristics. The quick connector may also include a fir tree-shaped hose coupling disposed on a housing wall of the quick connector.

In one aspect, an integrated inverter assembly may include: a main cover and an opposing rear cover; a plurality of IGBTs, each of the plurality of IGBTs configured to provide at least one phase of AC power to an electric machine; operatively A closed DC link capacitor disposed between the IGBT and the DC power supply, and wherein the closed DC link capacitor includes a bus bar, a common mode choke, and a capacitor disposed in a housing of the closed DC link capacitor; and more A port power converter, the multi-port power converter may include: a housing including a plurality of ports structured to electrically interface with a plurality of loads, the plurality of loads having different electrical characteristics; a plurality of a solid state component, the plurality of solid state components configured to provide selected electrical power output and accept selected electrical power input; and a plurality of solid state switches configured to provide selection between the plurality of solid state components and the plurality of ports. Determine connectivity. In an embodiment, the plurality of different electrical characteristics may be selected from an electrical characteristic consisting of: DC voltage, AC voltage or voltage equivalent, load power rating, regenerative power rating, current rating, current directionality, Response time characteristics, frequency characteristics and phase characteristics. The inverter assembly may also include a first solder connection between the enclosed DC link capacitor and each of the IGBTs, and a second solder connection between each of the IGBTs and the AC motor connector of the inverter assembly. Solder connection.

In one aspect, a mobile application may include: a power supply circuit including a power storage device and an electrical load, wherein the power storage device and the electrical load may be selectively electrically coupled through a power bus; a power distribution unit (PDU) , the power distribution unit is electrically interposed between the power storage device and the electrical load, wherein the PDU includes a circuit breaker/relay positioned on one of the high side and the low side of the power storage device; wherein the circuit breaker/relay includes: a plurality of fixed contacts electrically coupled to the power bus; a plurality of movable contacts corresponding to the plurality of fixed contacts, wherein the plurality of movable contacts are selectively electrically coupled to a plurality of fixed contacts, and wherein the movable contact allows the flow of power through the power bus when electrically coupled to the fixed contacts and prevents the flow of power through the power bus when not electrically coupled to the fixed contacts; electrically an armature operatively coupled to at least one of the movable contacts such that the armature in the first position prevents at least one of the movable contacts from contacting a corresponding one of the fixed contacts electrical coupling between one fixed contact and the armature in the second position allowing electrical coupling between at least one of the movable contacts and a corresponding one of the fixed contacts; first a biasing member that biases the armature into one of a first position or a second position; and an arc suppression assembly structured to be in a plurality of movable contacts guiding and dispersing arcs between each movable contact and the corresponding fixed contact; and a multi-port power converter, the multi-port power converter may include: a housing including a plurality of ports, the plurality of ports being Structured to electrically interface with a plurality of loads having different electrical characteristics; a plurality of solid state components configured to provide a selected electrical power output and accept a selected electrical power input; and a plurality of solid state switches , the plurality of solid-state switches are configured to provide selected connectivity between the plurality of solid-state components and the plurality of ports. In an embodiment, the plurality of different electrical characteristics may be selected from an electrical characteristic consisting of: DC voltage, AC voltage or voltage equivalent, load power rating, regenerative power rating, current rating, current directionality, Response time characteristics, frequency characteristics and phase characteristics. Multiple movable contacts can be coupled into a double pole single throw contact arrangement.

In one aspect, a multi-port power converter may include: a housing including a plurality of ports structured to electrically interface with a plurality of loads having different electrical characteristics; a plurality of a plurality of solid state components configured to provide selected electrical power output and to accept selected electrical power input; a plurality of solid state switches configured to provide selected electrical power between the plurality of solid state components and a plurality of ports connectivity; and a controller, the controller may include: component library configuration circuitry structured to interpret a port electrical interface description, the port electrical interface description including electrical characteristics for one of the plurality of ports. a description; and a component library implementation circuit structured to provide a solid state switch state in response to the port electrical interface description, and wherein a plurality of solid state switches are responsive to the solid state switch state. In an embodiment, the plurality of different electrical characteristics may be selected from an electrical characteristic consisting of: DC voltage, AC voltage or voltage equivalent, load power rating, regenerative power rating, current rating, current directionality, Response time characteristics, frequency characteristics and phase characteristics. The controller may further include: a load/source drive description circuit structured to interpret the source/load drive characteristics, wherein the source/load drive characteristics include at least one electrical characteristic requirement of the load; and the load/source A driver implementation circuit structured to provide component driver configurations responsive to source/load drive characteristics.

In one aspect, a multi-port power converter may include: a housing including a plurality of ports structured to electrically interface with a plurality of loads having different electrical characteristics; a plurality of a solid state component, the plurality of solid state components configured to provide selected electrical power output and accept selected electrical power input; and a plurality of solid state switches configured to provide selection between the plurality of solid state components and the plurality of ports. and a circuit breaker/relay that may include: a fixed contact electrically coupled to a power supply circuit for a mobile application; a movable contact selectively Ground is electrically coupled to the fixed contact, wherein the movable contact in a first position allows power to flow through the power supply circuit and the movable contact in a second position does not allow power to flow through the power supply circuit; and a physical disconnection response Portion, the physical disconnect response portion is responsive to a current value in the power supply circuit, wherein the physical disconnect response portion may be configured to move the movable contact to the second position in response to the current value exceeding a threshold current value. In an embodiment, the plurality of different electrical characteristics may be selected from an electrical characteristic consisting of: DC voltage, AC voltage or voltage equivalent, load power rating, regenerative power rating, current rating, current directionality, Response time characteristics, frequency characteristics and phase characteristics. The fixed contact may comprise a first fixed contact, the circuit breaker/relay further comprising a second fixed contact, wherein the movable contact comprises a first movable contact corresponding to the first fixed contact, the circuit breaker/relay further comprising a second movable contact corresponding to the second fixed contact, and a bus bar electrically coupling the first movable contact to the second movable contact.

In one aspect, a mobile application may include: a power supply circuit including a power storage device and an electrical load, wherein the power storage device and the electrical load may be selectively electrically coupled through a power bus; a power distribution unit (PDU) , the power distribution unit is electrically interposed between the power storage device and the electrical load, wherein the PDU includes a circuit breaker/relay positioned on one of the high side and the low side of the power storage device; wherein the circuit breaker/relay includes: a plurality of fixed contacts electrically coupled to the power bus; a plurality of movable contacts corresponding to the plurality of fixed contacts, wherein the plurality of movable contacts are selectively Ground is electrically coupled to a plurality of fixed contacts, and wherein the movable contact allows power flow through the power bus when electrically coupled to the fixed contacts and prevents power flow through the power bus when not electrically coupled to the fixed contacts; An armature operatively coupled to at least one of the movable contacts such that the armature in a first position prevents at least one of the movable contacts from contacting the fixed contact electrical coupling between corresponding one of the fixed contacts, and the armature in the second position allows electrical coupling between at least one of the movable contacts and a corresponding one of the fixed contacts; first a biasing member that biases the armature into one of the first position or the second position; and an arc suppression assembly structured to move between the plurality of movable contacts guiding and dispersing arcs between each movable contact and the corresponding fixed contact; and a multi-port power converter, the multi-port power converter may include: a housing, the housing including a plurality of ports, the plurality of ports structured to electrically interface with a plurality of loads having different electrical characteristics; a plurality of solid state components configured to provide selected electrical power outputs and accept selected electrical power inputs; and a plurality of solid state components Switches, the plurality of solid state switches configured to provide selected connectivity between the plurality of solid state components and the plurality of ports. In an embodiment, the plurality of different electrical characteristics may be selected from an electrical characteristic consisting of: DC voltage, AC voltage or voltage equivalent, load power rating, regenerative power rating, current rating, current directionality, Response time characteristics, frequency characteristics and phase characteristics. Multiple movable contacts may be coupled into a double pole single throw contact arrangement.

In one aspect, a mobile application may include: a power supply circuit including a power storage device and an electrical load, wherein the power storage device and the electrical load may be selectively electrically coupled through a power bus; a power distribution unit (PDU) , the power distribution unit is electrically interposed between the power storage device and the electrical load, wherein the PDU includes a circuit breaker/relay positioned on one of the high side and the low side of the power storage device; wherein the circuit breaker/relay includes: a plurality of fixed contacts electrically coupled to the power bus; a plurality of movable contacts corresponding to the plurality of fixed contacts, wherein the plurality of movable contacts are selectively Ground is electrically coupled to a plurality of fixed contacts, and wherein the movable contact allows power flow through the power bus when electrically coupled to the fixed contacts and prevents power flow through the power bus when not electrically coupled to the fixed contacts; An armature operatively coupled to at least one of the movable contacts such that the armature in a first position prevents at least one of the movable contacts from contacting the fixed contact electrical coupling between corresponding one of the fixed contacts, and the armature in the second position allows electrical coupling between at least one of the movable contacts and a corresponding one of the fixed contacts; first a biasing member that biases the armature into one of the first position or the second position; and an arc suppression assembly structured to move between the plurality of movable contacts guiding and dispersing arcs between each movable contact and a corresponding fixed contact; and a power converter having a plurality of ports, wherein the power converter determines at least one power source for an electric mobility application and a power source for an electric mobility application. an electrical interface description of at least one electrical load, and providing a solid-state switch state in response to the electrical interface description, thereby configuring at least one of the AC inverter or the DC/DC converter to provide power to the plurality of ports in accordance with the port electrical interface description. At least one port provides or receives power from, and mounts a power converter into an electric mobility application. In embodiments, the mobile application may further include determining which ports of the power converter may be coupled to at least one power source and at least one electrical load, and wherein providing the solid state switch state includes configuring electrical characteristics of the determined port according to the port electrical interface description . Multiple movable contacts can be coupled into a double pole single throw contact arrangement.

In one aspect, a system may include: a housing; a circuit breaker/relay device positioned in the housing, wherein the circuit breaker/relay device may be configured to interrupt a power supply circuit of an electric vehicle system, wherein the housing may be disposed on the electric vehicle system on; wherein the circuit breaker/relay device includes a physical disconnection response portion responsive to a first current value in the power supply circuit, and a controlled disconnection response portion responsive to a second current value in the power supply circuit; the precharge circuit , the precharge circuit is electrically coupled in parallel to the circuit breaker/relay device; and a power converter having a plurality of ports, wherein the power converter determines the electrical power of at least one power source for the electric mobility application and at least one electrical load of the electric mobility application. an interface description, and providing a solid state switch state in response to the electrical interface description, thereby configuring at least one of the AC inverter or the DC/DC converter to provide power to at least one of the plurality of ports in accordance with the port electrical interface description or Receive power from it and install power converters into electric mobility applications. In embodiments, the system may further include determining which ports of the power converter may be coupled to at least one power source and at least one electrical load, and wherein providing the solid state switching state includes configuring electrical characteristics of the determined ports according to the port electrical interface description. The first current value may be greater than the second current value.

In one aspect, an integrated inverter assembly may include: a main cover and an opposing rear cover; a coolant channel disposed between the coolant channel cover and the coolant channel separation body; wherein the inverter assembly the power electronics are thermally coupled to the coolant channel; wherein at least one of the coolant inlet or the coolant outlet of the coolant channel includes a quick connector without a locking element; and a power converter having a plurality of ports, The power converter may include: a plurality of solid state components configured to provide selected electrical power outputs and accept selected electrical power inputs; a plurality of solid state switches electrically interposed between a plurality of ports and between a plurality of solid state components, wherein a plurality of solid state switches may be configured to selectively couple groups of solid state components to a plurality of ports; and a controller, the controller may include: a component library configuration circuit, the component library configuration circuitry structured to interpret a port electrical interface description that includes a description of electrical characteristics of one of a plurality of ports; and component library implementation circuitry structured to be responsive to the port The electrical interface is described to provide a solid state switch state, and wherein a plurality of solid state switches are responsive to the solid state switch state. In an embodiment, the controller may further include a load/source drive description circuit structured to interpret source/load drive characteristics, wherein the source/load drive characteristics include at least one electrical characteristic requirement of the load ; and load/source drive implementation circuitry structured to provide component driver configurations responsive to source/load drive characteristics. The quick connector may also include a fir tree-shaped hose coupling disposed on a housing wall of the quick connector.

In one aspect, a power converter having a plurality of ports may include: a plurality of solid state components configured to provide selected electrical power outputs and accept selected electrical power inputs; and a plurality of solid state switches, the plurality of solid state components. a solid state switch electrically interposed between the plurality of ports and the plurality of solid state components, wherein the plurality of solid state switches can be configured to selectively couple groups of the plurality of solid state components to the plurality of ports; and a controller, the controller can Includes: a component library configuration circuit structured to interpret a port electrical interface description that includes a description of an electrical characteristic of one of a plurality of ports; and a component library implementation circuit, the component The library implements circuitry structured to provide a solid state switch state in response to the port electrical interface description, and wherein a plurality of solid state switches can be responsive to the solid state switch state; and a circuit breaker/relay, the circuit breaker/relay can include: a fixed contact, the fixed contact is electrically coupled to a power supply circuit for mobile applications; the movable contact is selectively electrically coupled to the fixed contact, wherein the movable contact in a first position allows power to flow therethrough a power supply circuit, and the movable contact in the second position does not allow power to flow through the power supply circuit; and a physical disconnect response portion responsive to a current value in the power supply circuit, wherein the physical disconnection The response portion may be configured to move the movable contact to the second position in response to the current value exceeding a threshold current value. In embodiments, the controller may further include: a load/source drive description circuit structured to interpret source/load drive characteristics, wherein the source/load drive characteristics include at least one electrical characteristic requirement of the load; and load/source drive implementation circuitry structured to provide component driver configurations responsive to source/load drive characteristics. The fixed contact may include a first fixed contact, the circuit breaker/relay further including a second fixed contact, wherein the movable contact may include a first movable contact corresponding to the first fixed contact, the circuit breaker/relay Also included is a second movable contact corresponding to the second fixed contact, and a bus bar electrically coupling the first movable contact to the second movable contact.

In one aspect, a mobile application may include: a power supply circuit including a power storage device and an electrical load, wherein the power storage device and the electrical load may be selectively electrically coupled through a power bus; a power distribution unit (PDU) , the power distribution unit is electrically interposed between the power storage device and the electrical load, wherein the PDU includes a circuit breaker/relay positioned on one of the high side and the low side of the power storage device; wherein the circuit breaker/relay includes: a plurality of fixed contacts electrically coupled to the power bus; a plurality of movable contacts corresponding to the plurality of fixed contacts, wherein the plurality of movable contacts are selectively Ground is electrically coupled to a plurality of fixed contacts, and wherein the movable contact allows power flow through the power bus when electrically coupled to the fixed contacts and prevents power flow through the power bus when not electrically coupled to the fixed contacts; An armature operatively coupled to at least one of the movable contacts such that the armature in a first position prevents at least one of the movable contacts from contacting the fixed contact electrical coupling between corresponding one of the fixed contacts, and the armature in the second position allows electrical coupling between at least one of the movable contacts and a corresponding one of the fixed contacts; first a biasing member that biases the armature into one of the first position or the second position; and an arc suppression assembly structured to move between the plurality of movable contacts directing and spreading arcs between each movable contact and a corresponding fixed contact; and a power converter having a plurality of ports, the power converter may include: a plurality of solid state components, the plurality of solid state components being configured To provide a selected electrical power output and accept a selected electrical power input; a plurality of solid state switches electrically interposed between a plurality of ports and a plurality of solid state components, wherein the plurality of solid state switches may be configured to connect a plurality of a set of solid state components selectively coupled to a plurality of ports; and a controller, the controller may include: component library configuration circuitry structured to interpret a port electrical interface description, the port electrical interface description including a description of the electrical characteristics of one of the plurality of ports; and a component library implementing the circuit structured to provide a solid state switch state responsive to the port electrical interface description, and wherein the plurality of solid state switches are responsive to the solid state switch status. In an embodiment, the controller may further include a load/source drive description circuit structured to interpret source/load drive characteristics, wherein the source/load drive characteristics include at least one electrical characteristic requirement of the load ; and load/source drive implementation circuitry structured to provide component driver configurations responsive to source/load drive characteristics. Multiple movable contacts may be coupled into a double pole single throw contact arrangement.

In one aspect, an integrated inverter assembly may include: a main cover and an opposing rear cover; a coolant channel disposed between the coolant channel cover and the coolant channel separation body; wherein the inverter assembly the power electronics are thermally coupled to the coolant channel; and wherein at least one of the coolant inlet or the coolant outlet of the coolant channel includes a quick connector without a locking element; and a power converter having a plurality of ports , the power converter may include: a plurality of solid state components configured to provide selected electrical power outputs and accept selected electrical power inputs; a plurality of solid state switches electrically inserted into a plurality of ports between a plurality of solid state components, wherein a plurality of solid state switches may be configured to selectively couple groups of the plurality of solid state components to a plurality of ports; and a controller, the controller may include: a component library configuration circuit, the component library configuration circuitry structured to interpret a port electrical interface description that includes a description of electrical characteristics of one of a plurality of ports; and component library implementation circuitry structured to be responsive to The port electrical interface is described to provide a solid state switch state, and wherein a plurality of solid state switches are responsive to the solid state switch state. In an embodiment, the controller may further include a load/source drive description circuit structured to interpret a source/load drive characteristic, wherein the source/load drive characteristic includes at least one electrical characteristic of the load requirements; and load/source drive implementation circuitry structured to provide component driver configurations responsive to source/load drive characteristics. The quick connector may also include a fir tree-shaped hose coupling disposed on a housing wall of the quick connector.

In one aspect, a system includes a vehicle having a power supply path; a power distribution unit including a current protection circuit disposed in the power supply path, the current protection circuit including a thermal fuse and a thermal fuse contactors arranged in series; a fuse thermal model circuit structured to determine a fuse temperature value of the thermal fuse and determine a fuse condition value in response to the fuse temperature value; and having a plurality of A power converter for the port, the power converter may include: a plurality of solid state components configured to provide selected electrical power outputs and accept selected electrical power inputs; a plurality of solid state switches electrically plug-in disposed between a plurality of ports and a plurality of solid state components, wherein the plurality of solid state switches may be configured to selectively couple groups of the plurality of solid state components to the plurality of ports; and a controller, the controller may include: components a library configuring the circuit structured to interpret a port electrical interface description that includes a description of electrical characteristics of one of the plurality of ports; and a component library implementing the circuit Structured to provide a solid state switch state responsive to the port electrical interface description, and wherein a plurality of solid state switches are responsive to the solid state switch state. In an embodiment, the controller may further include a load/source drive description circuit structured to interpret source/load drive characteristics, wherein the source/load drive characteristics include at least one electrical characteristic requirement of the load ; and load/source drive implementation circuitry structured to provide component driver configurations responsive to source/load drive characteristics. The system may also include a current source circuit electrically coupled to the thermal fuse and structured to inject current across the thermal fuse; a voltage determining circuit electrically coupled to the thermal fuse and structured to Determining at least one of an injected voltage amount and a thermal fuse impedance value, wherein the voltage determination circuit includes a high pass filter having a cutoff frequency selected in response to a frequency of the injected current; and wherein the fuse thermal model circuit may be Structured to determine a fuse temperature value of the thermal fuse further in response to at least one of an injected voltage amount and a thermal fuse impedance value.

In one aspect, a power converter having a plurality of ports may include: a plurality of solid state components configured to provide selected electrical power outputs and accept selected electrical power inputs; and a plurality of solid state switches, the plurality of solid state components. a solid state switch electrically interposed between the plurality of ports and the plurality of solid state components, wherein the plurality of solid state switches can be configured to selectively couple groups of the plurality of solid state components to the plurality of ports; and a controller, the controller can Includes: a component library configuration circuit structured to interpret a port electrical interface description that includes a description of an electrical characteristic of one of a plurality of ports; and a component library implementation circuit, the component The library implements circuitry structured to provide a solid state switch state in response to the port electrical interface description, and wherein a plurality of solid state switches can be responsive to the solid state switch state; and a circuit breaker/relay, the circuit breaker/relay can include: a plurality of fixed contacts a plurality of fixed contacts electrically coupled to an electrical load circuit for a mobile application; and a plurality of movable contacts, each movable contact being selectively electrically coupled to a corresponding one of the plurality of fixed contacts. a plurality of armatures, each armature operatively coupled to a corresponding one of the movable contacts such that each armature in the first position prevents the corresponding movable contact from interfering with the corresponding fixed contact and each armature in the second position allows electrical coupling between the corresponding movable contact and the corresponding fixed contact; and a current response circuit structured to determine the electrical load circuit. of each electrical load circuit, and is further structured to provide an armature command to open a corresponding one of the movable contacts in response to the current in the corresponding electrical load circuit indicating a high current value. In an embodiment, the controller may further include a load/source drive description circuit structured to interpret source/load drive characteristics, wherein the source/load drive characteristics include at least one electrical characteristic requirement of the load ; and load/source drive implementation circuitry structured to provide component driver configurations responsive to source/load drive characteristics. The power converter may further include a plurality of biasing members, each biasing member operatively coupled to a corresponding one of the plurality of movable contacts and configured to electrically couple a corresponding one of the plurality of armatures. The pivot is biased into one of the first position or the second position.

In one aspect, an integrated inverter assembly may include: a main cover and an opposing back cover; a plurality of IGBTs, each of the plurality of IGBTs configured to provide at least one phase of AC power to an electric machine; operatively A closed DC link capacitor disposed between the IGBT and the DC power supply, and wherein the closed DC link capacitor includes a bus bar, a common mode choke, and a capacitor disposed in a housing of the closed DC link capacitor; and having A multiple-port power converter, the power converter may include: a plurality of solid-state components configured to provide selected electrical power outputs and accept selected electrical power inputs; a plurality of solid-state switches, the plurality of solid-state switches electrically interposed between the plurality of ports and the plurality of solid state components, wherein the plurality of solid state switches can be configured to selectively couple groups of the plurality of solid state components to the plurality of ports; and a controller, the controller can include:

a component library configuration circuit structured to interpret a port electrical interface description that includes a description of electrical characteristics of one of a plurality of ports; and a component library implementation circuit that implements The circuit is structured to provide a solid state switch state responsive to the port electrical interface description, and wherein a plurality of solid state switches are responsive to the solid state switch state. In an embodiment, the controller may further include a load/source drive description circuit structured to interpret source/load drive characteristics, wherein the source/load drive characteristics include at least one electrical characteristic of the load requirements; and load/source drive implementation circuitry structured to provide component driver configurations responsive to source/load drive characteristics. The inverter assembly may further include a first welded connection between the enclosed DC link capacitor and each of the IGBTs, and a second solder connection between each of the IGBTs and the AC motor connector of the inverter assembly. Solder connection.

In one aspect, a mobile application may include: a power supply circuit including a power storage device and an electrical load, wherein the power storage device and the electrical load may be selectively electrically coupled through a power bus; a power distribution unit (PDU) , the power distribution unit is electrically interposed between the power storage device and the electrical load, wherein the PDU includes a circuit breaker/relay positioned on one of the high side and the low side of the power storage device; wherein the circuit breaker/relay includes: a plurality of fixed contacts electrically coupled to the power bus; a plurality of movable contacts corresponding to the plurality of fixed contacts, wherein the plurality of movable contacts are selectively Ground is electrically coupled to a plurality of fixed contacts, and wherein the movable contact allows power flow through the power bus when electrically coupled to the fixed contacts and prevents power flow through the power bus when not electrically coupled to the fixed contacts; An armature operatively coupled to at least one of the movable contacts such that the armature in a first position prevents at least one of the movable contacts from contacting the fixed contact electrical coupling between corresponding one of the fixed contacts, and the armature in the second position allows electrical coupling between at least one of the movable contacts and a corresponding one of the fixed contacts; first a biasing member biasing the armature into one of the first position or the second position; an arc suppression assembly structured to be in a plurality of movable contacts An arc is guided and dispersed between each movable contact and the corresponding fixed contact; and wherein a power supply path for the vehicle can be provided through a current protection circuit, the current protection circuit including a thermal fuse and a thermal fuse arranged in series with the thermal fuse. A contactor wherein the mobile application: determines the current flowing through the power supply path; opens the contactor in response to the current exceeding a threshold; confirms that vehicle operating conditions permit reconnection of the contactor; and commands the contactor to close in response to the vehicle operating conditions. In an embodiment, confirming the vehicle operating condition may include at least one vehicle operating condition selected from the group consisting of: emergency vehicle operating condition; user override vehicle operating condition; maintenance event vehicle operating condition; and transmitting over the vehicle network reconnect command. Multiple movable contacts may be coupled into a double pole single throw contact arrangement.

In one aspect, a system includes a vehicle having a power supply path; a power distribution unit including a current protection circuit disposed in the power supply path, the current protection circuit including: a circuit breaker/relay, the circuit breaker/ The relay includes: a fixed contact electrically coupled to a power supply circuit for a mobile application; a movable contact selectively electrically coupled to the fixed contact, wherein the movable contact is in a first position the movable contact allows power to flow through the power supply circuit, and the movable contact in the second position does not allow power to flow through the power supply circuit; and a physical disconnect response portion that responds to a a current value, wherein the physical disconnect response portion may be configured to move the movable contact to the second position in response to the current value exceeding a threshold current value; a current source circuit electrically coupled to the circuit breaker/relay and being structured to inject current across the fixed contact; a voltage determining circuit electrically coupled to the circuit breaker/relay and structured to determine at least one of an amount of injected voltage and a contactor impedance value, wherein the voltage determining circuit includes a high-pass filter having a cutoff frequency selected responsive to the frequency of the injected current; and a circuit breaker/relay that may include: a fixed contact electrically coupled to the mobile application; a power supply circuit; a movable contact selectively electrically coupled to the fixed contact, wherein the movable contact in a first position allows power to flow through the power supply circuit, and in a second position the movable contact is selectively electrically coupled to the fixed contact The moving contact does not allow power to flow through the power supply circuit; and a physical disconnection response portion is responsive to a current value in the power supply circuit, wherein the physical disconnection response portion may be configured to respond to a current value exceeding The threshold current value moves the movable contact to the second position. In an embodiment, the fixed contact may comprise a first fixed contact, the circuit breaker/relay further comprising a second fixed contact, wherein the movable contact comprises a first movable contact corresponding to the first fixed contact, the circuit breaker/relay The relay/relay also includes a second movable contact corresponding to the second fixed contact, and a bus bar electrically coupling the first movable contact to the second movable contact. The voltage determination circuit may also include a bandpass filter with a bandwidth selected to define the frequency of the injected current.

In one aspect, a system may include: an electric mobility application having a motor and an inverter, wherein the inverter includes a plurality of drive elements for the motor; a controller may include: a motor control circuit, the motor a control circuit structured to provide driver commands and wherein a plurality of drive elements are responsive to the driver commands; an operating condition circuit structured to interpret a motor performance request value including power of the motor, at least one of speed or torque requirements; a driver efficiency circuit structured to interpret a driver activation value for each of a plurality of drive elements of the inverter in response to a motor performance request value; wherein The motor control circuit may be further structured to provide a driver command to deactivate at least one of the plurality of drive elements for the motor in response to a driver activation value for each of the plurality of drive elements of the inverter. ; and a circuit breaker/relay that may include: a fixed contact electrically coupled to a power supply circuit for a mobile application; a movable contact selectively electrically coupled to the fixed contact, wherein the movable contact in the first position allows power to flow through the power supply circuit and the movable contact in the second position does not allow power to flow through the power supply circuit; and a physical disconnect response portion, the The physical disconnect response portion is responsive to a current value in the power supply circuit, wherein the physical disconnect response portion may be configured to move the movable contact to the second position in response to the current value exceeding a threshold current value. In embodiments, the fixed contact may comprise a first fixed contact, the circuit breaker/relay further comprising a second fixed contact, wherein the movable contact comprises a first movable contact corresponding to the first fixed contact , the circuit breaker/relay further includes a second movable contact corresponding to the second fixed contact, and a bus bar electrically coupling the first movable contact to the second movable contact. The electric machine may include a three-phase AC electric machine, wherein the plurality of drive elements includes six drive elements, and wherein the driver efficiency circuit provides a driver activation value to deactivate three of the six drive elements in response to the motor performance request value being below a threshold. element.

In one aspect, a mobile application may include: a power supply circuit including a power storage device and an electrical load, wherein the power storage device and the electrical load may be selectively electrically coupled through a power bus; a power distribution unit (PDU) , the power distribution unit is electrically interposed between the power storage device and the electrical load, wherein the PDU includes a circuit breaker/relay positioned on one of the high side and the low side of the power storage device; wherein the circuit breaker/relay includes: a plurality of fixed contacts electrically coupled to the power bus; a plurality of movable contacts corresponding to the plurality of fixed contacts, wherein the plurality of movable contacts are selectively Ground is electrically coupled to a plurality of fixed contacts, and wherein the movable contact allows power flow through the power bus when electrically coupled to the fixed contacts and prevents power flow through the power bus when not electrically coupled to the fixed contacts; An armature operatively coupled to at least one of the movable contacts such that the armature in a first position prevents at least one of the movable contacts from contacting the fixed contact electrical coupling between corresponding one of the fixed contacts, and the armature in the second position allows electrical coupling between at least one of the movable contacts and a corresponding one of the fixed contacts; first a biasing member biasing the armature into one of the first position or the second position; an arc suppression assembly structured to be in a plurality of movable contacts guiding and dispersing arcs between each movable contact and a corresponding fixed contact; and a power converter having a plurality of ports, the power converter may include: a plurality of solid state components, the plurality of solid state components being configured to provide Selected electrical power output and accepting selected electrical power input; a plurality of solid state switches electrically interposed between a plurality of ports and a plurality of solid state components, wherein the plurality of solid state switches may be configured to connect the plurality of solid state components a set of groups selectively coupled to a plurality of ports; and a controller, the controller may include: a component library configuration circuit structured to interpret a port electrical interface description, the port electrical interface description including a description of a plurality of ports a description of electrical characteristics of a port in; and a component library implementing the circuit structured to provide a solid state switch state in response to the port electrical interface description, and wherein a plurality of solid state switches are responsive to the solid state switch state. In embodiments, the controller may further include: a load/source drive description circuit structured to interpret source/load drive characteristics, wherein the source/load drive characteristics include at least one electrical characteristic requirement of the load; and load/source drive implementation circuitry structured to provide component driver configurations responsive to source/load drive characteristics. Multiple movable contacts may be coupled into a double pole single throw contact arrangement.

In one aspect, a mobile application may include: a power supply circuit including a power storage device and an electrical load, wherein the power storage device and the electrical load may be selectively electrically coupled through a power bus; a power distribution unit (PDU) , the power distribution unit is electrically interposed between the power storage device and the electrical load, wherein the PDU includes a circuit breaker/relay positioned on one of the high side and the low side of the power storage device; wherein the circuit breaker/relay includes: a plurality of fixed contacts electrically coupled to the power bus; a plurality of movable contacts corresponding to the plurality of fixed contacts, wherein the plurality of movable contacts are selectively Ground is electrically coupled to a plurality of fixed contacts, and wherein the movable contact allows power flow through the power bus when electrically coupled to the fixed contacts and prevents power flow through the power bus when not electrically coupled to the fixed contacts; An armature operatively coupled to at least one of the movable contacts such that the armature in a first position prevents at least one of the movable contacts from contacting the fixed contact electrical coupling between corresponding one of the fixed contacts, and the armature in the second position allows electrical coupling between at least one of the movable contacts and a corresponding one of the fixed contacts; first a biasing member biasing the armature into one of the first position or the second position; an arc suppression assembly structured to be in a plurality of movable contacts guiding and dispersing arcs between each movable contact and the corresponding fixed contact; and a multi-port power converter, the multi-port power converter may include: a housing including a plurality of ports, the plurality of ports being Structured to electrically interface with a plurality of loads having different electrical characteristics; a plurality of solid state components configured to provide a selected electrical power output and accept a selected electrical power input; and a plurality of solid state switches , the plurality of solid-state switches are configured to provide selected connectivity between the plurality of solid-state components and the plurality of ports. In an embodiment, the plurality of different electrical characteristics may be selected from an electrical characteristic consisting of: DC voltage, AC voltage or voltage equivalent, load power rating, regenerative power rating, current rating, current directionality, Response time characteristics, frequency characteristics and phase characteristics. Multiple movable contacts can be coupled into a double pole single throw contact arrangement.

Power distribution presents many challenges in many applications. Systems currently available for controlling power distribution such as on/off control of power and circuit paths, circuit and equipment protection (eg, protection against overcurrent conditions) utilize combination contactors and fuses.

Currently known contactors suffer from a number of disadvantages, including arc-induced wear and degradation during opening and closing events at high power, and degradation during high current operation.

Currently known fuse components also suffer from a number of disadvantages. Fuses have difficulty providing consistent and reliable disconnect distribution because fuses ultimately activate from temperature rather than current, and the dynamics of temperature history, age distribution of the fuse, wear and degradation, and current throughput through the fuse Mechanics can affect the actual current through which a fuse activation occurs (e.g., opens a circuit). Additionally, fuses experience degradation and premature aging under high current loads, so designing long-lasting and consistent fuses is useful for systems with high turndown ratios in the operating current range and for systems with highly variable current loads during operation. Difficulty speaking. Additionally, fuse activation is a non-recoverable event, resulting in a period of downtime and/or system maintenance or repair before the system becomes operational again after the fuse is activated.

In addition, currently known combined fuse-contactor systems suffer from numerous disadvantages. Because the contactor is required to remain engaged throughout the rated operation of the system, and because even an ideal fuse should not activate during the rated operation of the system, there must be an operating gap between the rated operation of the system and the current protection level of the fuse gap. Therefore, the fuse contactor design requires that the fuse size be slightly smaller, with the risk that the fuse will activate at the upper limit of otherwise normal rated operation, or the fuse must be slightly larger, with the risk that components in the system will be exposed to rated current levels risk above current levels. Additionally, fuses can be sized slightly smaller to protect against contactor failure mode, in which arc build-up in the contactor dynamically delays the flow of current in the circuit, causing the fuse to activate late or even fail to activate, thus causing a failure in the system. Increased risk of damage to contactors or components. The previously described difficulties in adjusting fuse activation distribution result in increased design, operating, and/or capital expense, or result in reduced system capabilities. For example, currently known designs may be overly conservative, such as utilizing components capable of withstanding significantly higher current values than rated current values, or utilizing real system performance capable of withstanding significantly less than rated current values during at least certain operating conditions. Additionally or alternatively, the risk of component failure may be accepted, thereby driving higher operating costs and/or lower system reliability, or the fuse and/or contactor maintenance schedule may be more frequent, thereby increasing operating costs and Reduce overall system uptime. Additionally or alternatively, additional power sources, power storage devices, etc. may be provided to enhance the operating capabilities of the system to meet desired performance characteristics.

All challenges of combined fuse-contactor systems are exacerbated by applications with highly variable loads over the operating current range, highly dynamic load distribution and/or high turndown ratios. For example, mobile applications such as vehicles or mobile equipment often have high variability and low predictability of load distribution during operation. Certain types of systems have different classes of loads driving different duty cycles and load distributions, such as mobile applications that also operate additional equipment (e.g., pumps, PTO equipment, communications equipment, etc.) during mobile operation or when stationary. Additionally, load distribution can vary significantly depending on load direction or operation, for example charging may be expected to be much faster than discharging, such as where charging is associated with useful operation of the system and discharging is associated with downtime of the system. In other examples, the motive power load on the system may be significantly different from the regenerative recovery of power from the load, and/or certain energy recovery operations may have very small currents associated with them (e.g., solar, waste heat recovery, etc.) . Systems that are currently known to be highly variable (both in terms of load values and load types) and/or highly dynamic are managed further through conservative design, redundancy and/or duplication of systems, reduced system capabilities and/or acceptance of operational risk. Increased system design and/or operating costs.

Mobile applications pose further challenges to previously known combined fuse-contactor systems. For example, many mobile applications such as commercial and passenger vehicles are cost sensitive to the initial cost and ongoing operating costs of the system. Additionally, downtime for service, maintenance or system failure has a very high cost due to the larger size and market competition. Therefore, even modest improvements in initial cost, operating cost, and reliability can have a significant impact on a system's results or make an unmarketable system competitive. Mobile applications often have large differences in duty cycle, even for systems with similar power ratings. In addition, mobile applications often involve systems that are sold or otherwise transferred, where the same system may experience significant changes in duty cycle and operating conditions after the system is placed in the user's hands. Thus, a lack of flexibility in design parameters at the time of first sale limits the market available for the system, while a lack of flexibility in design parameters during use can lead to increased failures later in the system's life cycle. An exemplary system includes a vehicle having a power supply path; a power distribution unit having a current protection circuit disposed in the power supply path, the current protection circuit including: a first branch of the current protection circuit, the a branch including a high temperature fuse; a second branch of the current protection circuit including the thermal fuse; and wherein the first branch and the second branch are coupled in a parallel arrangement; a controller, the control The device includes: a current detection circuit structured to determine the current flowing through the power supply path; and a high temperature fuse activation circuit structured to provide a high temperature fuse activation circuit in response to the current exceeding a threshold current value. a high temperature fuse activation command; and wherein the high temperature fuse is responsive to the high temperature fuse activation command.

Certain additional aspects of the exemplary system are described below, any one or more of which may be present in certain embodiments. Exemplary systems include wherein the first resistor throughout the first leg and the second resistor throughout the second leg are configured such that the resulting current flowing through the second leg after activation of the high temperature fuse is sufficient to activate the thermal fuse. One example includes a resistor coupled to a thermal fuse in a series arrangement such that the resulting current flowing through the second leg after activation of the high temperature fuse is below the second threshold current value. The exemplary system includes a contactor coupled to a thermal fuse in a series arrangement, the controller further including a contactor activation circuit structured to respond to a high temperature fuse activation command or a current exceeding a threshold current value. at least one of: providing a contactor opening command; and/or a resistor coupled to the thermal fuse in a series arrangement such that the resulting current flowing through the second leg after activation of the high temperature fuse is lower than the second Threshold current value. One example includes a resistor coupled in a series arrangement with a high temperature fuse such that the resulting current flowing through the first leg after activation of the thermal fuse is below a second threshold current value; and/or in a series arrangement with The high temperature fuse couples the second thermal fuse such that the resulting current flowing through the first leg after activation of the thermal fuse is sufficient to activate the second thermal fuse.

Exemplary procedures include an operation of determining a current flowing through a power supply path of the vehicle; an operation of directing the current to flow through a current protection circuit having a parallel arrangement with a high temperature fuse located in a first leg of the current protection circuit and a thermal fuse located in the current on a second leg of the protection circuit; and the operation of providing a high temperature fuse activation command in response to the current exceeding a threshold current value.

Certain additional aspects of the exemplary processes are described below, any one or more of which may be present in certain embodiments. The exemplary procedure also includes configuring the first resistor throughout the first leg and the second resistor throughout the second leg such that the resulting current flowing through the second leg after activation of the high temperature fuse is sufficient to activate operation of the thermal fuse. . Exemplary procedures include configuring the second resistance of the entire second leg such that a resulting current flowing through the second leg after activation of the high temperature fuse is below a second threshold current value. The exemplary routine includes operating a contactor coupled to a thermal fuse in a series arrangement, the routine further including providing contactor opening in response to at least one of providing a high temperature fuse activation command or a current exceeding a threshold current value. command; and/or configuring the second resistance of the entire second leg to operate such that the resulting current flowing through the second leg after activation of the high temperature fuse is below a second threshold current value. The exemplary routine also includes a resistor coupled to the high temperature fuse in a series arrangement such that the resulting current flowing through the first leg after activation of the thermal fuse is less than a second threshold current value; and/or also includes connecting in series A second thermal fuse coupled to the high temperature fuse is arranged such that the resulting current flowing through the first leg after activation of the thermal fuse is sufficient to activate the second thermal fuse.

An exemplary system includes a vehicle having a power supply path; a power distribution unit having a current protection circuit disposed in the power supply path, the current protection circuit including: a first branch of the current protection circuit, the a branch including a thermal fuse; a second branch of the current protection circuit including a contactor; and wherein the first branch and the second branch are coupled in a parallel arrangement; a controller, the controller including: a current detection circuit structured to determine current flowing through the power supply path; and a fuse management circuit structured to provide a contactor activation command in response to the current flow; and wherein The contactor responds to the contactor activation command.

Certain additional aspects of the exemplary system are described below, any one or more of which may be present in certain embodiments. Exemplary systems include wherein the contactor opens during nominal operation of the vehicle, and wherein the fuse management circuit is structured to provide contact in the form of a contactor closing command in response to a determination that the current is greater than a thermal wear current of the thermal fuse. a contactor activation command; and/or wherein the fuse management circuit is further structured to provide a contactor activation command in the form of a contactor closing command in response to a determination that the current is below a current protection value for the power supply path. Exemplary systems include wherein the contactor is closed during nominal operation of the vehicle, and wherein the fuse management circuit is structured to provide contact in the form of a contactor open command in response to a determination that the current is above a current protection value for the power supply path. device activation command. Exemplary systems include wherein the fuse management circuit is further structured to provide a contactor activation command in response to electrical current by performing at least one operation selected from: responding to a rate of change of electrical current; Responding to a comparison of the current to a threshold; responding to one of an integrated or accumulated value of the current; and responding to one of an expected or predicted value of any of the foregoing.

Exemplary procedures include an operation of determining a current flowing through a power source path of a vehicle; an operation of directing the current flow through a current protection circuit having a parallel arrangement with a thermal fuse located in a first leg of the current protection circuit and a contactor located in the current protection circuit. on the second leg of the circuit; and the operation of providing a contactor activation command in response to the current flow.

Certain additional aspects of the exemplary processes are described below, any one or more of which may be present in certain embodiments. The exemplary routine also includes an operation of closing the contactor in response to the electrical current. An exemplary procedure includes the operation of determining that the current is below the current protection value of the power supply path before closing the contactor. The exemplary program includes at least one operation selected from the group consisting of: responding to a rate of change of the current; responding to a comparison of the current to a threshold; responding to one of an integrated value or an accumulated value of the current; and any Respond to one of the expected or predicted values of the aforementioned aspects. Exemplary procedures include the operation of opening the contactor in response to the current flow; the operation of determining that the current is above the current protection value of the power supply path before opening the contactor; the operation of opening the contactor, including the operation of performing an operation selected from the following At least one operation of: responding to the rate of change of the current; responding to a comparison of the current with a threshold; responding to one of the integrated or accumulated values of the current; and responding to an expected or predicted value of any of the foregoing. One responds.

An exemplary system includes a vehicle having a power supply path; a power distribution unit having a current protection circuit disposed in the power supply path, the current protection circuit including: a first branch of the current protection circuit, the a branch including a thermal fuse; a second branch of the current protection circuit including a solid state switch; and wherein the first branch and the second branch are coupled in a parallel arrangement; a controller, the controller including: a current detection circuit structured to determine current flowing through a power source path; and a fuse management circuit structured to provide a switch activation command in response to the current flow; and wherein the solid state The switch responds to a switch activation command.

Certain additional aspects of the exemplary system are described below, any one or more of which may be present in certain embodiments. The exemplary system includes a contactor coupled to a current protection circuit, wherein the contactor in an open position causes disconnection of one of the current protection circuit or a second leg of the current protection circuit.

Exemplary procedures include the operations of determining a current flowing through a power source path of a vehicle; an operation of directing current flow through a current protection circuit having a parallel arrangement with a thermal fuse located in a first leg of the current protection circuit and a solid state switch located in the current protection circuit. on the second leg of the circuit; and the operation of providing a switch activation command in response to the current flow.

Certain additional aspects of the exemplary processes are described below, any one or more of which may be present in certain embodiments. Exemplary procedures also include operations of closing the solid-state switch in response to the current flow; and/or determining that the current is below a current protection value for the power supply path prior to closing the solid-state switch. The exemplary routine includes an operation of closing the solid state switch, including performing at least one operation selected from the group consisting of: responding to a rate of change of the current; responding to a comparison of the current to a threshold; responding to an integrated or accumulated value of the current. respond to one; and respond to one of the expected or predicted values of any of the foregoing. Exemplary procedures include operations of opening the solid-state switch in response to the current flow; and/or determining that the current is above the current protection value of the power supply path before opening the solid-state switch. The exemplary routine includes an operation of opening the solid state switch, including performing at least one operation selected from the group consisting of: responding to a rate of change of the current; responding to a comparison of the current to a threshold; responding to an integrated or accumulated value of the current. respond to one of; and respond to one of the expected or predicted values of any of the foregoing. An exemplary procedure includes opening the contactor after opening the solid state switch, where opening the contactor disconnects one of the current protection circuit or the second leg of the current protection circuit.

An exemplary system includes a vehicle having a power supply path; a power distribution unit having a current protection circuit disposed in the power supply path, the current protection circuit including: a first branch of the current protection circuit, the a branch including a first thermal fuse; a second branch of the current protection circuit including a second thermal fuse and a contactor; and wherein the first branch and the second branch are arranged in parallel coupling; a controller including: a current detection circuit structured to determine a current flowing through a power source path; and a fuse management circuit structured to respond to the current flow A contactor activation command is provided; and wherein the contactor is responsive to the contactor activation command.

Certain additional aspects of the exemplary system are described below, any one or more of which may be present in certain embodiments. An exemplary system includes wherein the contactor opens during nominal operation of the vehicle, and wherein the fuse management circuit is structured to respond to a determination that the current is greater than a thermal wear current of the first thermal fuse in the form of a contactor closing command. providing a contactor activation command; and/or wherein the fuse management circuit is further structured to provide a contactor activation command in the form of a contactor closing command in response to a determination that the current is below a current protection value for the power supply path. The exemplary system includes a vehicle operating condition circuit structured to determine an operating mode of the vehicle, and wherein the fuse management circuit is further structured to provide a contactor activation command in response to the operating mode; and/or wherein The fuse management circuit is further structured to provide a contactor activation command in the form of a contactor closing command in response to a mode of operation including at least one operating mode selected from the group consisting of: charging mode; high performance mode ; high power demand mode; emergency operating mode; and limp home mode. Exemplary systems include wherein the contactor is closed during nominal operation of the vehicle, and wherein the fuse management circuit is structured to provide contact in the form of a contactor open command in response to a determination that the current is above a current protection value for the power supply path. a contactor activation command; wherein the contactor is closed during nominal operation of the vehicle, and wherein the fuse management circuit is structured to provide a contactor activation command in the form of a contactor opening command in response to the operating mode; and/or wherein the fuse is blown The contactor management circuit is further structured to provide a contactor activation command in the form of a contactor opening command in response to a mode of operation including at least one of an energy saving mode or a maintenance mode.

Exemplary procedures include an operation of determining a current flowing through a power source path of the vehicle; an operation of directing the current through a current protection circuit having a parallel arrangement, wherein a first thermal fuse is located on a first leg of the current protection circuit and a second thermal fuse The contactor and contactor are located on the second branch of the current protection circuit; and the operation of providing a contactor activation command in response to the current flow.

Certain additional aspects of the exemplary processes are described below, any one or more of which may be present in certain embodiments. The exemplary routine also includes operations of closing the contactor in response to a current that is greater than a thermal wear current of the first thermal fuse; and/or further in response to a current that is less than a current protection value of the power supply path. The exemplary routine includes operations of determining an operating mode of the vehicle and further providing a contactor activation command responsive to the operating mode. The exemplary routine includes an operation of providing a contactor activation command in the form of a contactor closing command in response to an operating mode including at least one operating mode selected from the group consisting of: charging mode; high performance mode; high power demand mode; emergency operating mode; and limp home mode. Exemplary procedures include providing a contactor activation command in the form of a contactor open command in response to a determination that the current is above a current protection value for the power supply path; and/or providing the contact in the form of a contactor open command in response to the operating mode The operation mode includes at least one of an energy saving mode or a maintenance mode.

An exemplary system includes a vehicle having a power supply path; a power distribution unit having a current protection circuit disposed in the power supply path, the current protection circuit including: a first branch of the current protection circuit, the a branch including a first thermal fuse and a first contactor; a second branch of the current protection circuit including a second thermal fuse and a second contactor; and wherein the first branch and the second the branches are coupled in a parallel arrangement; a controller including: a current sensing circuit structured to determine a current flowing through the power source path; and a fuse management circuit configured Structured to provide a plurality of contactor activation commands in response to an electrical current; and wherein the first contactor and the second contactor are responsive to the plurality of contactor activation commands to provide a selected configuration of the current protection circuit.

Certain additional aspects of the exemplary system are described below, any one or more of which may be present in certain embodiments. The exemplary system includes wherein the current protection circuit further includes: at least one additional branch, wherein each additional branch includes an additional thermal fuse and an additional contactor; and wherein each additional contactor is further responsive to the plurality of contactor activation commands. , thereby providing the selected configuration of the current protection circuit. The exemplary system includes a vehicle operating condition circuit structured to determine an operating mode of the vehicle, and wherein the fuse management circuit is further structured to provide a plurality of contactor activation commands in response to the operating mode; and/ Or wherein the fuse management circuit is further structured to determine an active current rating of the power supply path responsive to the operating mode and to provide a plurality of contactor activation commands responsive to the active current rating. An exemplary system includes wherein the first branch of the current protection circuit further includes an additional first contactor arranged in parallel with the first thermal fuse, wherein the current sensing circuit is further structured to determine the first branch current, and wherein the fuse manages The circuit is further structured to provide a plurality of contactor activation commands further responsive to the first branch current, and wherein the additional first contactor is responsive to the plurality of contactor activation commands; wherein the additional first contactor is at nominal open during operation, and wherein the fuse management circuit is structured to provide multiple contactor activations including an additional first contactor closing command in response to a determination that the first branch current is greater than the thermal wear current of the first thermal fuse Command: wherein the fuse management circuit is structured to provide an additional first contactor closing command in response to a determination of at least one of the following: the first branch current is below the first branch current protection value, or the current is below the power supply path a current protection value; and/or wherein the additional first contactor is closed during nominal operation of the vehicle, and wherein the fuse management circuit is structured to provide an additional first contactor opening command in response to determining at least one of the following Multiple contactor activation commands: the first branch current is higher than the first branch current protection value, or the current is higher than the power supply path current protection value.

Exemplary procedures include an operation of determining a current flowing through a power supply path of the vehicle; an operation of directing the current flow through a current protection circuit having a parallel arrangement with a first thermal fuse and a first contactor located in a first leg of the current protection circuit. on the path, and with the second thermal fuse and the second contactor located on the second leg of the current protection circuit; and providing operation of the selected configuration of the current protection circuit in response to current flowing through the power supply path of the vehicle, wherein providing The selected configuration includes providing a contactor activation command to each of the first contactor and the second contactor.

Certain additional aspects of the exemplary processes are described below, any one or more of which may be present in certain embodiments. Exemplary procedures include operations that further include at least one additional branch of the current protection circuit, each additional branch of the current protection circuit having an additional thermal fuse and an additional contactor, and wherein selected portions of the current protection circuit are provided The configuration includes providing contactor activation commands to each additional contactor. Exemplary procedures include an operation of determining an operating mode of the vehicle and further providing a selected configuration responsive to the operating mode; and/or an operation of determining an active current rating of the power source path responsive to the operating mode and wherein providing a current protection circuit The selected configuration further responds to the active current rating. The exemplary process includes an operation of determining an active current rating of the power source path, and wherein a selected configuration of the current protection circuit is provided further responsive to the active current rating. Exemplary procedures include operations wherein the first branch of the current protection circuit further includes an additional first contactor arranged in parallel with the first thermal fuse, the method further including determining the first branch current and wherein providing the The selected configuration further includes providing a contactor activation command to the additional first contactor; an operation of closing the additional first contactor in response to determining that the first branch current is greater than a thermal wear current of the first thermal fuse; further in response to determining that the first branch current is greater than a thermal wear current of the first thermal fuse; The operation of closing the additional first contactor is at least one of the following: the first branch current is lower than the first branch current protection value, or the current is lower than the power supply path current protection value; and/or in response to determining at least one of the following The operation of disconnecting the additional first contactor: the first branch current is higher than the first branch current protection value, or the current is higher than the power supply path current protection value.

An exemplary system includes a vehicle having a power supply path; a power distribution unit having a current protection circuit disposed in the power supply path, the current protection circuit including a fuse; and a controller including: a fuse a fuse status circuit structured to determine a fuse event value; and a fuse management circuit structured to provide a fuse event response based on the fuse event value.

Certain additional aspects of the exemplary system are described below, any one or more of which may be present in certain embodiments. The exemplary system includes a fuse life description circuit structured to determine a fuse life remaining value, wherein the fuse event value includes an indication that the fuse life remaining value is below a threshold, and wherein the fuse management circuit being further structured to provide a fuse event response further based on the remaining fuse life value; wherein providing the fuse event response includes providing at least one of a fault code or notification of the fuse event value; wherein providing the fuse event response includes regulating a maximum power rating of the power supply path; wherein providing a fuse event response includes adjusting a maximum power slew rate of the power supply path; and/or wherein providing a fuse event response includes adjusting a configuration of the current protection circuit. Exemplary systems include wherein the current protection circuit further includes a contactor coupled to the fuse in a parallel arrangement; wherein the fuse management circuit is further structured to provide a contactor activation command in response to a fuse event value; and wherein the contactor In response to a contactor activation command. Exemplary systems include wherein the fuse management circuit is further structured to provide a contactor activation command in the form of a contactor closing command in response to the fuse event value including one of a thermal wear event or an impending thermal wear event of the fuse. Exemplary systems include wherein the fuse management circuit is further structured to adjust the current threshold of the contactor activation command in response to a remaining fuse life value; and/or wherein providing a fuse event response includes adjusting in response to a remaining fuse life value. The cooling system interfaces such that the cooling system is at least selectively thermally coupled to the fuse.

The exemplary program includes an operation of determining a fuse event value of a fuse disposed in a current protection circuit disposed in a power supply path of the vehicle; and an operation of providing a fuse event response based on the fuse event value.

Certain additional aspects of the exemplary processes are described below, any one or more of which may be present in certain embodiments. The exemplary program further includes an operation of determining a fuse life remaining value, wherein the fuse event value includes an indication that the fuse life remaining value is below a threshold, and further providing a fuse event response based on the fuse life remaining value; providing a fuse event The operations of responding include providing at least one of a fault code or a notification of a fuse event value; the operations of providing a response to the fuse event include adjusting a maximum power rating of the power supply path; the operations of providing a response to the fuse event include adjusting the power supply path of the maximum power slew rate; operations that provide fuse event response include adjusting the configuration of the current protection circuit. Exemplary procedures include operations wherein the current protection circuit further includes a contactor coupled to the fuse in a parallel arrangement; wherein the fuse management circuit is further structured to provide a contactor activation command in response to a fuse event value; and wherein the contactor is responsive to a contactor activation command; wherein the fuse management circuit is further structured to respond to the fuse event value including one of a thermal wear event or an impending thermal wear event of the fuse with the contactor closure command. The form provides a contactor activation command; and/or wherein the fuse management circuit is further structured to adjust the current threshold of the contactor activation command in response to a remaining fuse life value. Exemplary procedures include operations to provide a fuse event response including adjusting a cooling system interface in response to a remaining fuse life value such that the cooling system is at least selectively thermally coupled to the fuse. An example program includes an operation of providing a circuit breaker event response, including providing at least one of a fault code or notification of a circuit breaker event value. The exemplary routine includes operations of determining an accumulated fuse event description in response to a fuse event response and storing the accumulated fuse event description. The exemplary program includes an operation of providing an accumulated fuse event description, wherein providing the accumulated fuse event description includes at least one of: providing at least one of a fault code or notification of the accumulated fuse event description; and in response to a maintenance event or to An operation of accumulating fuse event descriptions is provided by accumulating at least one of the requests for fuse event descriptions.

An exemplary system includes a vehicle having a powered power path and at least one auxiliary power path; a power distribution unit having a powered current protection circuit disposed in the powered power path, the current protection circuit including a fuse; and an auxiliary a current protection circuit disposed in each of the at least one auxiliary power path, each auxiliary current protection circuit including an auxiliary fuse; a controller including: a current determination circuit, the current determination circuit Structured to interpret motive current values corresponding to motive power supply paths and auxiliary current values corresponding to each of the at least one auxiliary power supply path.

Certain additional aspects of the exemplary system are described below, any one or more of which may be present in certain embodiments. An example system includes a motive current sensor electrically coupled to a motive power supply path, wherein the motive current sensor is configured to provide a motive current value. The example system includes at least one auxiliary current sensor, each auxiliary current sensor electrically coupled to one of at least one auxiliary power path, each auxiliary current sensor configured to provide a corresponding auxiliary current value. The exemplary system includes wherein the controller further includes a vehicle interface circuit structured to provide a motive current value to the vehicle network; wherein the vehicle interface circuit is further structured to provide a power current value to the vehicle network connected to the at least one auxiliary power path. a corresponding auxiliary current value for each; and/or further including a battery management controller configured to receive the power current value from the vehicle network.

Exemplary procedures include operations of providing a power distribution unit having a motive current protection circuit and at least one auxiliary current protection circuit; operations of supplying power to a vehicle motive power supply path through the motive current protection circuit; and through at least one auxiliary current protection circuit. Corresponding to one is an operation of powering at least one auxiliary load; an operation of determining a power current value corresponding to the power supply path; and an operation of determining an auxiliary current value corresponding to each of the at least one auxiliary current protection circuit.

Certain additional aspects of the exemplary processes are described below, any one or more of which may be present in certain embodiments. Exemplary procedures also include operations for providing a power current value to the vehicle network; and/or receiving a power current value with the battery management controller.

An exemplary system includes a vehicle having a power supply path; a power distribution unit having a current protection circuit disposed in the power supply path, the current protection circuit including: a thermal fuse; a contactor connected to Thermal fuses are arranged in series; and a controller including: a current detection circuit structured to determine the current flowing through the power supply path; and a fuse management circuit structured A contactor activation command is provided in response to the electrical current; and wherein the contactor is responsive to the contactor activation command.

Certain additional aspects of the exemplary system are described below, any one or more of which may be present in certain embodiments. Exemplary systems include wherein the thermal fuse includes a current rating that is greater than a current corresponding to a maximum power throughput of the power supply path. Exemplary systems include wherein the thermal fuse includes a current rating that is higher than a current corresponding to a fast charging power throughput of the power supply path. Exemplary systems include wherein the contactor includes a current rating that is higher than a current corresponding to a maximum power throughput of the power supply path. Exemplary systems include wherein the contactor includes a current rating that is higher than a current corresponding to a fast charging power throughput of the power supply path. Exemplary systems include wherein the fuse management circuit is further structured to provide a contactor activation command in the form of a contactor open command in response to a current indicating power supply path protection event; and/or wherein the current detection circuit is further structured to Determine a power supply path protection event by performing at least one operation selected from the group consisting of: responding to a rate of change of the current; responding to a comparison of the current to a threshold; responding to an integrated or accumulated value of the current respond to one of; and respond to one of the expected or predicted values of any of the foregoing.

Exemplary procedures include an operation of energizing a power supply path of the vehicle through a current protection circuit including a thermal fuse and a contactor arranged in series with the thermal fuse; an operation of determining a current flowing through the power supply path; and responding The operation of selectively opening a contactor in response to current flow.

Certain additional aspects of the exemplary processes are described below, any one or more of which may be present in certain embodiments. Exemplary procedures also include the operation of providing a thermal fuse with a current rating that is greater than a current corresponding to the maximum power throughput of the powered power path. Exemplary procedures include providing operation of a thermal fuse having a current rating that is greater than a current corresponding to the fast charging power throughput of the powered power path. Exemplary procedures include providing operation of a contactor having a current rating that is higher than a current corresponding to the maximum power throughput of the motive power path. Exemplary procedures include providing operation of a contactor having a current rating that is higher than a current corresponding to the fast charging power throughput of the power supply path. Exemplary procedures include operating the contactor further in response to at least one of: a rate of change of the current; a comparison of the current to a threshold; one of an integrated value or a cumulative value of the current; and an expected value or prediction of any of the foregoing. value.

Exemplary procedures include operations of energizing a power supply path of the vehicle through a current protection circuit including a thermal fuse and a contactor arranged in series with the thermal fuse; operations of determining a current flowing through the power supply path; and in response to An operation to open the contactor when current exceeds a threshold; an operation to confirm that vehicle operating conditions permit reconnection of the contactor; and an operation to command closure of the contactor in response to vehicle operating conditions.

Certain additional aspects of the exemplary processes are described below, any one or more of which may be present in certain embodiments. The exemplary program also includes an operation of confirming that the vehicle operating condition includes at least one vehicle operating condition selected from the group consisting of: emergency vehicle operating condition; user override vehicle operating condition; maintenance event vehicle operating condition; and transmitted over the vehicle network Reconnect command. An exemplary procedure includes monitoring the power supply path during commanding the contactor to close and re-opening the contactor in response to the monitoring. Exemplary procedures include an operation of determining an accumulated contactor open event description in response to opening the contactor; an operation of preventing commanded contactor closure in response to the accumulated contactor open event description exceeding a threshold; and/or in response to opening the contact The accumulated contactor opening events are regulated by adjusting the current during the operation described. Exemplary procedures include diagnosing operation of the welding contactor in response to one of monitoring of current flow during opening of the contactor and monitoring of the power supply path during commanding the contactor to close. Exemplary procedures include diagnosing operation of the welding contactor in response to monitoring of at least one of contactor actuator position, contactor actuator response, or power supply path during opening of the contactor; and/or in response to the diagnosed Welding the contactor prevents the operation of commanding the contactor to close.

Exemplary apparatus includes a power supply current protection circuit structured to: determine a current flowing through a power supply path of the vehicle; and open a contactor disposed in the current protection circuit in response to the current exceeding a threshold. , the current protection circuit includes a thermal fuse and a contactor arranged in series with the thermal fuse; a vehicle repower circuit, the vehicle repower circuit is structured to: confirm that vehicle operating conditions permit reconnection of the contactor; and in response to the vehicle operating conditions to close the contactor.

Certain other aspects of the exemplary devices are described below, any one or more of which may be present in certain embodiments. Exemplary apparatus include wherein the vehicle repower circuit is further structured to confirm the vehicle operating condition by confirming at least one vehicle operating condition selected from the group consisting of: emergency vehicle operating condition; user override vehicle operating condition; maintenance event vehicle operation conditions; and a reconnect command transmitted on the vehicle network. Exemplary arrangements include wherein the power source current protection circuit is further structured to monitor the power source path during closing of the contactor, and wherein the vehicle repower circuit is further structured to re-open the contactor in response to the monitoring. The exemplary apparatus includes a contactor status circuit structured to determine an accumulated contactor open event description in response to opening the contactor; wherein the vehicle repower circuit is further structured to respond to the accumulated contactor open event description. The open event description exceeds a threshold that prevents closing of the contactor; and/or wherein the contactor status circuit is further structured to adjust the cumulative contactor open event description in response to current flow during opening of the contactor. The exemplary apparatus includes a contactor status circuit structured to diagnose the welding contactor in response to one of the following: commanding the contactor to close: current during opening of the contactor; and a power source current protection circuit to Monitoring of power supply paths. An exemplary apparatus includes a contactor status circuit structured to diagnose a welded contactor in response to monitoring of at least one of the following during contact opening: a vehicle repower circuit's response to contactor actuator position monitoring; vehicle repower circuit monitoring of contactor actuator response; and power supply current protection circuit monitoring of the power supply path; and/or wherein the contactor status circuit is further structured to respond to a diagnosed weld contactor And prevent closing the contactor.

An exemplary system includes a vehicle having a power supply path; a power distribution unit including: a current protection circuit disposed in the power supply path, the current protection circuit including a thermal fuse and a thermal fuse arranged in series with the thermal fuse. Contactor; high voltage power supply input coupler, the high voltage power supply input coupler includes a first electrical interface of the high voltage power supply; high voltage power supply output coupler, the high voltage power supply output coupler includes a second electrical interface of the power supply load ; and wherein the current protection circuit electrically couples the high voltage power supply input to the high voltage power supply output, and wherein the current protection circuit is at least partially disposed in a laminate layer of the power distribution unit, the laminate layer including two electrically insulating layers disposed Conductive flow path.

Certain additional aspects of the exemplary system are described below, any one or more of which may be present in certain embodiments. Exemplary systems include wherein the current protection circuit includes a powered power bus disposed in a laminate layer of power distribution units. The exemplary system includes wherein the vehicle further includes an auxiliary power path; wherein the power distribution unit further includes: an auxiliary current protection circuit disposed in the auxiliary power path, the auxiliary current protection circuit including a second thermal fuse; and an auxiliary voltage power input coupler, The auxiliary voltage power supply input coupler includes a first auxiliary electrical interface of the low voltage power supply; the auxiliary voltage power supply output coupler includes a second auxiliary electrical interface of the auxiliary load; and wherein the auxiliary current protection circuit will auxiliary The voltage supply input is electrically coupled to the auxiliary voltage supply output, and wherein the auxiliary current protection circuit is at least partially disposed in a laminate layer of the power distribution unit. Exemplary systems include wherein the laminate layer of the power distribution unit further includes at least one thermally conductive flow path disposed between the two thermally insulating layers; wherein the at least one thermally conductive flow path is configured to provide a thermal coupler between the heat sink and the heat source, wherein the heat source includes at least one of a contactor, a thermal fuse, and a second thermal fuse; wherein the heat sink includes at least one of a thermal coupler to the active cooling source and a housing of the power distribution unit; and/or further comprising A heat pipe disposed between at least one thermally conductive flow path and the heat source.

An exemplary system includes a vehicle having a power supply path; a power distribution unit including a current protection circuit disposed in the power supply path, the current protection circuit including a thermal fuse and a contact arranged in series with the thermal fuse a current source circuit electrically coupled to the thermal fuse and structured to inject current across the thermal fuse; and a voltage determining circuit electrically coupled to the thermal fuse and structured to determine injection At least one of voltage magnitude and thermal fuse impedance value.

Certain additional aspects of the exemplary system are described below, any one or more of which may be present in certain embodiments. Exemplary systems include systems wherein the power supply path includes a DC power path; and wherein the current source circuit includes at least one of an AC current source and a time-varying current source, further including a hardware filter electrically coupled to a thermal fuse, the hardware The filter is configured in response to an injection frequency of the current source circuit; wherein the hardware filter includes a high pass filter having a cutoff frequency determined in response to the injection frequency of the current source circuit; wherein the hardware filter includes a low pass filter , the low-pass filter has a cut-off frequency determined in response to at least one of the injection frequency of the current source circuit or the load change value of the power supply path; wherein the hardware filter includes a low-pass filter, the low-pass filter has a cutoff frequency determined in response to at least one of an injection frequency of the current source circuit or a load change value of the power supply path; wherein the voltage determining circuit is further structured to determine injection of the thermal fuse in response to an output of the high pass filter voltage drop; wherein the voltage determination circuit is further structured to determine the thermal fuse impedance value in response to the injected voltage drop; and/or wherein the voltage determination circuit is further structured to determine the thermal fuse resistance value in response to the output of the low pass filter of load voltage drop, the system also includes a load current circuit structured to determine a load current through the fuse responsive to the thermal fuse impedance value and further responsive to the load voltage drop.

An exemplary system includes a vehicle having a power supply path; a power distribution unit including a current protection circuit disposed in the power supply path, the current protection circuit including a thermal fuse and a contact arranged in series with the thermal fuse a current source circuit electrically coupled to the thermal fuse and structured to inject current across the thermal fuse; a voltage determining circuit electrically coupled to the thermal fuse and structured to determine the injected voltage At least one of a quantity and a thermal fuse impedance value, wherein the voltage determining circuit includes a high pass filter having a cutoff frequency selected in response to a frequency of the injected current.

Certain additional aspects of the exemplary system are described below, any one or more of which may be present in certain embodiments. Exemplary systems include wherein the voltage determination circuit further includes a bandpass filter having a bandwidth selected to define the frequency of the injected current. Exemplary systems include where the high-pass filter includes an analog hardware filter, and where the band-pass filter includes a digital filter. Exemplary systems include wherein the high pass filter and the band pass filter include digital filters; wherein the voltage determination circuit is further structured to determine a thermal fuse impedance value in response to an injected voltage drop; and/or further including a fuse characterization circuit, The fuse characterization circuit is structured to store one of a fuse resistance value and a fuse impedance value, and wherein the fuse characterization circuit is further structured to update the fuse resistance value and the blow in response to the thermal fuse impedance value. one of the stored impedance values. The exemplary system includes wherein the fuse characterization circuit is further structured to update the fuse resistance value and the stored one of the fuse impedance value by performing at least one operation selected from: The value is updated to the thermal fuse impedance value; the value is filtered using the thermal fuse impedance value as a filter input; the thermal fuse impedance value is rejected for a certain time period or a certain determined number of thermal fuse impedance values; and by A rolling average of multiple thermal impedance values over time is performed to update the value. Exemplary systems include wherein the power distribution unit further includes a plurality of thermal fuses disposed therein, and wherein the current source circuit is further electrically coupled to the plurality of thermal fuses and sequentially across each of the plurality of thermal fuses. injecting a current; and wherein the voltage determining circuit is further electrically coupled to each of the plurality of thermal fuses and further structured to determine an amount of injected voltage, a thermal fuse impedance value for each of the plurality of thermal fuses at least one of; wherein the current source circuit is further structured to sequentially inject current across each of the plurality of thermal fuses in a selected order of the fuses; wherein the current source circuit is further structured to respond to The selected order is adjusted by at least one of the following: the rate of change of the temperature of each of the fuses; the criticality value of each of the fuses; the criticality of each of the fuses; power throughput of each of the fuses; and one of a fault condition or a fuse health condition of each of the fuses; and/or wherein the current source circuit is further structured to respond to the vehicle's planned duty cycle The selected sequence is adjusted by one of ratio and observed duty cycle. Exemplary systems include wherein the current source circuit is further structured to inject current through a series of injection frequency sweeps; and wherein the current source circuit is further structured to inject current across the thermal fuse at a plurality of injection frequencies. Exemplary systems include wherein the current source circuit is further structured to inject current across the thermal fuse at multiple injection voltage amplitudes. Exemplary systems include wherein the current source circuit is further structured to inject current across the thermal fuse at an injection voltage magnitude determined in response to power throughput of the thermal fuse. Exemplary systems include wherein the current source circuit is further structured to inject current across the thermal fuse at an injection voltage amplitude determined in response to a duty cycle of the vehicle.

Exemplary procedures include operations to determine a zero offset voltage of a fuse current measurement system, including operations to determine that a fuse load of a fuse electrically disposed between a power source and an electrical load does not require current; in response to the fuse load not requiring current; Operations that require current to determine the zero offset voltage; and operations that store the zero offset voltage.

Certain additional aspects of the exemplary processes are described below, any one or more of which may be present in certain embodiments. The exemplary routine also includes an operation of updating the stored zero offset voltage in response to the determined zero offset voltage. Exemplary procedures include operations of diagnosing a component in response to a zero offset voltage; and/or determining which of a plurality of components contributes to the zero offset voltage. The exemplary program includes determining that the fuse load does not require current, including at least one operation selected from the group consisting of: determining that a key-off event has occurred for a vehicle including the fuse, power source, and electrical load; determining that the vehicle The operations of determining that a key-on event has occurred; and the operations of determining that the vehicle is powered down; and the operations of determining that the vehicle is in a condition where the vehicle in the condition will not be powered through the fuse.

Exemplary means for determining an offset voltage to adjust the fuse current determination include a fuse load circuit structured to determine that the fuse load does not require current and further determine that a contactor associated with the fuse is open ; an offset voltage determination circuit structured to determine an offset voltage corresponding to at least one component in the fuse circuit associated with the fuse in response to determining that the fuse load does not require current; and An offset data management circuit is structured to store the offset voltage and to deliver a current calculation of the offset voltage for use by the controller in determining the current flowing through the fuse.

Exemplary procedures include the operation of providing a digital filter to a fuse circuit in a power distribution unit, including the operation of injecting alternating current across the fuse electrically disposed between the power source and the electrical load; by testing the fuse The operation of performing a low-pass filter operation on one of the measured current value and the measured voltage value to determine the basic power flowing through the fuse; and by applying one of the measured current value and the measured voltage value to the fuse. An operation that performs a high-pass filter operation to determine the value of the injected current.

Certain additional aspects of the exemplary processes are described below, any one or more of which may be present in certain embodiments. The example routine also includes an operation of adjusting a parameter of at least one of the low-pass filter and the high-pass filter in response to a duty cycle of one of power and current flowing through the fuse. An exemplary procedure includes the operation of injecting AC current through a series of injection frequency sweeps. An exemplary procedure includes the operation of injecting alternating current across the fuse at multiple injection frequencies. Exemplary procedures include operations in which the current source circuit is further structured to inject current across the fuse at multiple injection voltage amplitudes. Exemplary procedures include operations in which the current source circuit is further structured to inject current across the fuse at an injection voltage magnitude determined in response to the power throughput of the fuse.

The exemplary program includes operations for calibrating a fuse resistance determination algorithm, including operations for storing a plurality of calibration sets corresponding to a plurality of duty cycle values, the duty cycle including fuses electrically disposed between a power supply and an electrical load. electrical throughput values corresponding to the fuse; wherein the calibration set includes current source injection settings of a current injection device operatively coupled to the fuse; operation of determining a duty cycle of a system including a fuse, a power supply, and an electrical load; in response to multiple The operation of determining an injection setting of the current injection device based on the calibration set and the determined duty cycle; and the operation of operating the current injection device in response to the determined injection setting.

Certain additional aspects of the exemplary processes are described below, any one or more of which may be present in certain embodiments. The exemplary routine also includes operations wherein the calibration set further includes filter settings for at least one digital filter, and wherein the method further includes determining the fuse resistance using the at least one digital filter.

An example program includes operations on 1. A method of providing a unique current waveform to improve fuse resistance measurement of a power distribution unit, comprising: confirming the opening of a contactor electrically positioned in a fuse circuit, wherein the fuse circuit includes electrically disposed between a power source and an electrical load. fuses between; determine the zero voltage offset value of the fuse circuit; perform multiple current injection sequences across the fuses, each of the current injection sequences including a selected current amplitude, current frequency, and current waveform value; the fuse resistance value is determined in response to the current injection sequence and the zero voltage offset value.

Certain additional aspects of the exemplary processes are described below, any one or more of which may be present in certain embodiments. The exemplary procedure also includes adjusting filtering characteristics of the digital filter in response to each of the plurality of current injection sequences and measuring using the adjusted filtering characteristics using the digital filter during a corresponding one of the plurality of current injection sequences. Operation of one of fuse circuit voltage and fuse circuit current.

An exemplary system includes a vehicle having a power supply path; a power distribution unit including a current protection circuit disposed in the power supply path, the current protection circuit including a thermal fuse and a contact arranged in series with the thermal fuse a current source circuit electrically coupled to the thermal fuse and structured to inject current across the thermal fuse; a voltage determining circuit electrically coupled to the thermal fuse and structured to determine the injected voltage amount and thermal fuse impedance value, wherein the voltage determination circuit is structured to perform a frequency analysis operation to determine the amount of injected voltage.

Certain additional aspects of the exemplary system are described below, any one or more of which may be present in certain embodiments. Exemplary systems include wherein the voltage determination circuit is further structured to determine the amount of injected voltage by determining the magnitude of the voltage across the fuse at the frequency of interest; and/or wherein the frequency of interest is determined in response to the frequency of the injected voltage . Exemplary systems include wherein the current source circuit is further structured to sweep the injected current through a series of injection frequencies. Exemplary systems include wherein the current source circuit is further structured to inject current across the thermal fuse at multiple injection frequencies. Exemplary systems include wherein the current source circuit is further structured to inject current across the thermal fuse at multiple injection voltage amplitudes. Exemplary systems include wherein the current source circuit is further structured to inject current across the thermal fuse at an injection voltage magnitude determined in response to power throughput of the thermal fuse. Exemplary systems include wherein the current source circuit is further structured to inject current across the thermal fuse at an injection voltage amplitude determined in response to a duty cycle of the vehicle.

An exemplary system includes a vehicle having a power supply path; a power distribution unit including a current protection circuit disposed in the power supply path, the current protection circuit including a thermal fuse and a contact arranged in series with the thermal fuse a current source circuit electrically coupled to the thermal fuse and structured to determine that the load power throughput of the power supply path is low and to trip across the thermal fuse in response to the load power throughput of the power supply path being low. the device injects current; a voltage determining circuit electrically coupled to the thermal fuse and structured to determine at least one of an amount of injected voltage and a resistance value of the thermal fuse, wherein the voltage determining circuit includes a high pass filter, the high pass The filter has a cutoff frequency selected in response to the frequency of the injected current.

Certain additional aspects of the exemplary system are described below, any one or more of which may be present in certain embodiments. Exemplary systems include wherein the current source circuit is further structured to determine that a load power throughput of the power supply path is low in response to the vehicle being in a shutdown state. Exemplary systems include wherein the current source circuit is further structured to determine that the load power throughput of the power supply path is low in response to the vehicle being in a cut-off state. The exemplary system includes wherein the current source circuit is further structured to determine that the load power throughput of the power supply path is low in response to the vehicle's power torque requirement being zero. Exemplary systems include wherein the power distribution unit further includes a plurality of fuses, and wherein the current source circuit is further structured to inject current across each of the plurality of fuses in a selected sequence; and/or wherein the current source circuit Further structured to inject current across a first of the plurality of fuses upon a first shutdown event of the vehicle and to inject current across a second of the plurality of fuses upon a second shutdown event of the vehicle.

An exemplary system includes a vehicle having a power supply path; a power distribution unit including a current protection circuit disposed in the power supply path, the current protection circuit including a thermal fuse and a contact arranged in series with the thermal fuse a current source circuit electrically coupled to the thermal fuse and structured to inject current across the thermal fuse; a voltage determining circuit electrically coupled to the thermal fuse and structured to determine the injected voltage at least one of a quantity and a thermal fuse impedance value, wherein the voltage determination circuit includes a high pass filter having a cutoff frequency selected in response to a frequency of the injected current; and a fuse status circuit, the fuse status circuit Structured to determine the fuse condition value in response to at least one of an injected voltage amount and a thermal fuse impedance value.

Certain additional aspects of the exemplary system are described below, any one or more of which may be present in certain embodiments. Exemplary systems include wherein the fuse status circuit is further structured to provide the fuse condition value by providing at least one of a fault code or notification of the fuse condition value; wherein the fuse status circuit is further structured to respond to a blow The fuse condition value regulates the maximum power rating of the power supply path; wherein the fuse state circuit is further structured to adjust the maximum power slew rate of the power supply path in response to the fuse condition value; wherein the fuse state circuit is further structured A configuration for adjusting the current protection circuit in response to a fuse condition value; wherein the power distribution unit further includes an active cooling interface, and wherein the fuse status circuit is further structured to adjust the active cooling interface in response to a fuse condition value; wherein the fuse the fuse status circuit is further structured to clear at least one of a fault code or a notification of the fuse condition value in response to the fuse condition value indicating that the fuse condition has improved; wherein the fuse status circuit is further structured to respond to the blowing At least one of a fault code or a notification that clears the fuse condition value in response to a maintenance event of the fuse; wherein the fuse status circuit is further structured to determine the fuse life remaining value in response to the fuse condition value; wherein the fuse status circuit being further structured to determine the remaining fuse life value further in response to a duty cycle of the vehicle; and/or wherein the fuse status circuit is further structured to be further responsive to a regulated maximum power rating or power of the power supply path The remaining fuse life is determined by one of the regulated maximum power slew rates of the power path.

An exemplary system includes a vehicle having a power supply path; a power distribution unit including a current protection circuit disposed in the power supply path, the current protection circuit including a thermal fuse and a contact arranged in series with the thermal fuse a fuse thermal model circuit structured to determine a fuse temperature value for a thermal fuse and to determine a fuse condition value in response to the fuse temperature value.

Certain additional aspects of the exemplary system are described below, any one or more of which may be present in certain embodiments. The exemplary system includes a current source circuit electrically coupled to the thermal fuse and structured to inject current across the thermal fuse; a voltage determining circuit electrically coupled to the thermal fuse and structured to determine At least one of an amount of injected voltage and a thermal fuse impedance value, wherein the voltage determining circuit includes a high pass filter having a cutoff frequency selected in response to a frequency of the injected current; and wherein the fuse thermal model circuit is structured The method further determines a fuse temperature value of the thermal fuse in response to at least one of an amount of injected voltage and a resistance value of the thermal fuse. Exemplary systems include wherein the fuse thermal model circuit is further structured to determine the fuse condition value by counting a number of thermal fuse temperature spike events; and/or wherein the thermal fuse temperature spike events each include a time threshold temperature rise threshold within. Exemplary systems include wherein the fuse thermal model circuit is further structured to determine the fuse condition value by integrating the fuse temperature value; and/or wherein the fuse thermal model circuit is further structured to determine the fuse condition value by integrating the fuse temperature value above a temperature threshold. The fuse temperature value is integrated to determine the fuse condition value.

Description of the drawings

The present disclosure will be more fully understood from the detailed description and the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 illustrates an embodiment system schematically depicting a power distribution unit (PDU) operatively positioned between a power source and a load.

Figure 2 depicts a more detailed embodiment system, which schematically depicts a PDU.

Figure 3 depicts a non-limiting exemplary response curve of a fuse.

Figure 4 depicts a non-limiting example system for a mobile application such as a vehicle.

Figure 5 depicts a non-limiting example system including PDUs.

Figure 6 depicts an embodiment device including all or part of a PDU.

Figure 7 shows a non-limiting example of interaction between main fuses and laminate layers.

Figure 8 shows closer detail of a non-limiting example of interaction between main fuses and laminate layers.

Figure 9 depicts an embodiment detailed view of a side cross-section of a laminate layer.

Figure 10 shows a top view of a non-limiting example device.

Figure 11 shows an alternative side view of a non-limiting example device.

Figure 12 depicts an embodiment configuration showing a main fuse coupled to a laminate layer on the underside of the main fuse.

Figure 13 depicts an embodiment configuration showing a main fuse coupled to a laminate layer with thermal fins on the underside of the main fuse.

Figure 14 depicts an embodiment configuration showing a main fuse coupled to a laminate layer with features for enhanced heat flow on the underside of the main fuse.

Figure 15 depicts an alternative embodiment configuration showing a main fuse coupled to a laminate layer with features for heat flow on the underside of the main fuse.

Figure 16 depicts an alternative embodiment configuration showing a main fuse coupled to a laminate layer with features for heat flow on the underside of the main fuse.

Figure 17 depicts an alternative embodiment configuration showing a main fuse coupled to a laminate layer with features for heat flow on the underside of the main fuse.

Figure 18 illustrates a non-limiting example system including a PDU positioned within a battery pack enclosure or housing.

Figure 19 illustrates a non-limiting example system including a PDU in a coolant loop of a heat transfer system.

Figure 20 illustrates a non-limiting example arrangement for providing additional protection against fuse nuisance faults and system failures.

Figure 21 depicts embodiment exemplary data for achieving system response values.

Figure 22 depicts a non-limiting exemplary apparatus for measuring current flowing through a fuse using active current injection.

Figure 23 depicts a non-limiting example apparatus for determining zero offset voltage and/or diagnosing system components.

Figure 24 depicts a non-limiting exemplary apparatus for providing digital filtering of current measurements through a fuse circuit.

Figure 25 depicts a non-limiting example fuse circuit that may be present on a PDU.

Figure 26 depicts an embodiment of a fuse circuit with a contactor.

Figure 27 depicts an embodiment fuse circuit including multiple fuses.

Figure 28 depicts a fuse circuit with a fuse in parallel with a contactor.

Figure 29 depicts exemplary data showing fuse response to a vehicle's drive cycle.

Figure 30 depicts a non-limiting example system that includes a power supply and a load, with a fuse electrically disposed between the load and the power supply.

Figure 31 depicts a non-limiting exemplary apparatus for determining offset voltage to adjust fuse current determination.

Figure 32 depicts a non-limiting example apparatus depicted to provide a unique current waveform to improve fuse resistance measurement of a PDU.

Figure 33 depicts a non-limiting example procedure for providing unique current waveforms to improve fuse resistance measurements of a PDU.

Figure 34 depicts a non-limiting exemplary procedure for performing multiple injection sequences.

Figure 35 depicts example injection characteristics for example tests.

Figure 36 depicts a schematic diagram of a vehicle with a PDU.

Figure 37 depicts a schematic flow diagram of a procedure utilizing parallel thermal fuses and high temperature fuses.

Figure 38 depicts a schematic diagram of a vehicle with a PDU.

Figure 39 depicts a schematic flow diagram of a procedure for operating a thermal fuse bypass.

Figure 40 depicts a schematic diagram of a vehicle with a PDU.

Figure 41 depicts a schematic flow diagram of a procedure for operating a thermal fuse bypass.

Figure 42 depicts a schematic diagram of a vehicle with a PDU.

Figure 43 depicts a schematic flow chart of a procedure for operating a parallel thermal fuse.

Figure 44 depicts a schematic diagram of a vehicle with a PDU.

Figure 45 depicts a schematic flow diagram of a procedure for selectively configuring a current protection circuit.

Figure 46 depicts a schematic diagram of a vehicle with a PDU.

Figure 47 depicts a schematic flow diagram of a procedure for determining and responding to a fuse event value.

Figure 48 depicts a schematic diagram of a vehicle with a PDU.

Figure 49 depicts a schematic flowchart of a procedure for determining current flowing through a plurality of fuses.

Figure 50 depicts a schematic diagram of a vehicle with a PDU.

Figure 51 depicts a schematic flow chart of a procedure for operating a thermal fuse in series with a contactor.

Figure 52 depicts a schematic flow diagram of the procedure for reconnecting a contactor.

Figure 53 depicts a schematic diagram of a vehicle with a PDU.

Figure 54 depicts a schematic diagram of a vehicle with a PDU.

Figure 55 depicts a schematic diagram of a vehicle with a PDU.

Figure 56 depicts a schematic flow chart of a procedure for determining the zero offset voltage.

Figure 57 depicts a schematic diagram of an apparatus for determining offset voltage.

Figure 58 depicts a schematic flow chart of a procedure for determining injection current values.

Figure 59 depicts a schematic flow chart of a procedure for calibrating a fuse resistance algorithm.

Figure 60 depicts a schematic flow diagram of a procedure for determining fuse resistance using unique current waveforms.

Figure 61 depicts a schematic diagram of a vehicle with a current protection circuit.

Figure 62 depicts a schematic diagram of a vehicle with a current protection circuit.

Figure 63 depicts a schematic diagram of a vehicle with a current protection circuit.

Figure 64 depicts a schematic diagram of a vehicle with a PDU.

Figure 65 depicts a schematic diagram of the circuit breaker-relay and precharge relay.

Figure 66 depicts a schematic diagram of the circuit breaker-relay and suppression.

Figure 67 depicts a schematic diagram of a power bus protection configuration.

Figure 68 depicts implementation details of the circuit breaker-relay components.

Figure 69 depicts implementation details of the circuit breaker-relay component.

Figure 69A depicts implementation details of a circuit breaker-relay component.

Figure 70 depicts contactor-fuse and circuit breaker-relay current curves.

Figure 71 depicts an implementation flow diagram of current protection.

Figure 72 depicts an implementation flow diagram of current protection.

Figure 73 depicts an implementation flow diagram of current protection.

Figure 74 depicts an implementation flow diagram of current protection.

Figure 75 depicts a schematic diagram of the power protection configuration between battery and inverter.

Figure 76 depicts a schematic diagram of the power protection configuration between battery and inverter.

Figure 77 depicts a schematic diagram of a power protection configuration between battery and load.

Figure 78 depicts a schematic diagram of a power protection configuration.

Figure 79 depicts a schematic diagram of a power protection configuration between battery and load.

Figure 80 depicts a schematic diagram of a power protection configuration between battery and load.

Figure 81 depicts a schematic diagram of a power protection configuration between the battery and the load, with the current paths depicted.

Figure 82 depicts a schematic diagram of a power protection configuration between the battery and the load, with the current path depicted.

Figure 83 depicts a schematic diagram of a power protection configuration between the battery and the load, with the current path depicted.

Figure 84 depicts a schematic diagram of a power protection configuration between the battery and the load, with the current paths depicted.

Figure 85 depicts implementation details of a circuit breaker-relay component.

Figure 86 depicts a schematic diagram of a power bus protection configuration.

Figure 87 depicts implementation details of contacts in a circuit breaker-relay assembly.

Figure 88 depicts implementation details of a circuit breaker-relay component.

Figure 89 depicts a schematic diagram of a power protection configuration with a controller.

Figure 90 depicts a schematic diagram of an adaptive system using a multi-port power converter.

Figure 91 depicts a schematic diagram of the controller.

Figure 92 depicts a schematic diagram of a controller with a multi-port power converter.

Figure 93 depicts an embodiment functional diagram of a circuit breaker-relay.

Figure 94 depicts a schematic diagram of a circuit breaker-relay embodiment.

Figure 95 depicts an embodiment schematic of a circuit breaker-relay configuration showing specific voltage, amperage, and time-based values.

Figure 96 depicts an embodiment schematic of circuit breaker-relay operation.

Figure 97 depicts an embodiment circuit breaker-relay device with a precharge circuit.

Figure 98 depicts an embodiment circuit breaker-relay device with a precharge circuit.

Figure 99 depicts an embodiment circuit breaker-relay device with a precharge circuit.

Figure 100 depicts an embodiment circuit breaker-relay device with a precharge circuit.

Figure 101 depicts a schematic diagram of an embodiment of a single pole circuit breaker/relay device.

Figure 102 depicts details of an embodiment double pole circuit breaker/relay device.

Figure 103 depicts details of an embodiment double pole circuit breaker/relay device.

Figure 104 depicts details of an embodiment double pole circuit breaker/relay device.

Figure 105 depicts details of an embodiment double pole circuit breaker/relay device depicting galvanic connection components.

Figure 106 depicts a schematic diagram of a circuit breaker/relay device.

Figure 107 depicts a schematic diagram of a multi-port converter with solid state switches.

Figure 108 depicts a schematic diagram with a multi-port converter.

Figures 109A and 109B depict integrated inverter components.

Figure 110 depicts an integrated inverter assembly with battery connectors and vehicle connectors.

Figure 111 depicts a view of the integrated inverter assembly.

Figure 112 depicts a view of the integrated inverter assembly.

Figure 113 depicts a view of an integrated inverter assembly with coolant channels.

Figure 114 depicts a view of an integrated inverter assembly with coolant channels.

Figure 115 depicts a view of an integrated inverter assembly with coolant channels.

Figure 116 depicts a view of an integrated inverter assembly with coolant channels.

Figure 117 depicts a view of an integrated inverter assembly with an insulated gate bipolar transistor (IGBT).

Figure 118 depicts a view of the integrated inverter assembly.

Figure 119 depicts a view of the integrated inverter assembly, with a perspective view depicting the gate driver PCB and DC link capacitors.

Figure 120 depicts a view of an integrated inverter assembly with AC bus bars and motor temperature/position sensors.

Figure 121 depicts a view of an integrated inverter assembly with a cured-in-place gasket.

Figure 122 depicts a view of the integrated inverter assembly with a close-up of one corner of the main cover.

Figure 123 depicts a view of an integrated inverter assembly in which an IGBT is exemplarily illustrated.

Figures 124-127 depict views of an exemplary embodiment of a main cover portion of an integrated inverter assembly.

Figure 128 depicts an exemplary embodiment of upper and lower cooling channels.

Figure 129 depicts an exemplary embodiment of a coupling mechanism.

Figure 130 depicts an exemplary embodiment of a coupling mechanism.

Figure 131 depicts a view of the integrated inverter assembly showing the coolant channel cover.

Figure 132 depicts a prior art DC link capacitor.

Figure 133 depicts an embodiment DC link capacitor.

Figure 134 depicts an embodiment enclosed DC link capacitor.

Figure 135 depicts a view of the integrated inverter assembly with AC bus bars and motor temperature/position sensors.

Figure 136 depicts a prior art quick connector.

Figure 137 depicts a prior art quick connector.

Figure 138 depicts an embodiment fluid connector.

Figure 139 depicts an embodiment fluid connector.

Figure 140 depicts a schematic diagram of the controller.

Figure 141 depicts a schematic flow diagram of a procedure for disconnecting a power supply circuit.

Figure 142 depicts a schematic flow diagram of a procedure for disconnecting a power supply circuit.

Figure 143 depicts a schematic diagram of the controller.

Figure 144 depicts a schematic flow diagram of a procedure for disconnecting a power supply circuit.

Figure 145 depicts a schematic flow diagram of a procedure for disconnecting a power supply circuit.

Figure 146 depicts an embodiment of a system with circuit breakers/relays.

Figure 147 depicts an embodiment of a system with circuit breakers/relays.

Figure 148 depicts an embodiment of a system with circuit breakers/relays.

Figure 149 depicts an embodiment of a system with circuit breakers/relays.

Figure 150 depicts a schematic diagram of the controller.

Figure 151 depicts a schematic diagram of the controller.

Figure 152 depicts a schematic flow diagram of a procedure for configuring a power converter.

Figure 153 depicts a schematic flow diagram of a procedure for integrating a power converter.

Figure 154 depicts a schematic flow diagram of a procedure for regulating the operation of an electric motor.

Figure 155 depicts a schematic flow diagram of a procedure for regulating the operation of an electric motor.

Figure 156 depicts a schematic diagram of the controller.

Figure 157 depicts a schematic diagram of the controller.

Figure 158 depicts a schematic flow diagram of a procedure for regulating the operation of an inverter.

Figure 159 depicts an embodiment of a system with multiple motors.

Figure 160 depicts a schematic diagram of the controller.

Figure 161 depicts a schematic flow diagram of a procedure for operating multiple motors.

Detailed ways

Referring to FIG. 1 , an exemplary system 100 is schematically depicted including a power distribution unit (PDU) 102 operatively positioned between a power source 104 and a load 106 . The power source 104 may be of any type, including at least a battery, a generator, and/or a capacitor. Power source 104 may include multiple power sources or transmission lines, which may be distributed based on the type of power source (e.g., battery input separate from generator input) and/or may be distributed based on the equipment being powered (e.g., separate from a primary load source such as a power source). Auxiliary and/or accessory power supplies with separate power supplies, and/or shunts within accessories, shunts within power supplies, etc.). Loads 106 may be of any type, including one or more power loads (e.g., to individual drive wheel motors, to global power drive motors, etc.), one or more accessories (e.g., vehicle accessories such as steering gear, fans, lights, Cab power supply, etc.). In certain embodiments, PDU 102 facilitates integration of the application's electrical systems, including system 100, such as by utilizing unified input and output channels, grouping all power distribution into a single box, a single zone, and/or a single logically integrated component group. In certain embodiments, the PDU 102 provides protection of the electrical system, including fusing and/or connecting or disconnecting (manual and/or automatic) the electrical system or individual aspects of the electrical system. In certain embodiments, one or more power supplies 104 may be high voltage (e.g., a power supply, which may be 96V, 230V-360V, 240V, 480V, or any other value) or low voltage (e.g., 12V, 24V, 42V or any other value). In certain implementations, one or more power supplies 104 may be a direct current (DC) power supply or an alternating current (AC) power supply, including multi-phase (eg, three-phase) AC power supplies. In some embodiments, PDU 102 is a pass-through device that supplies power to load 106 substantially as configured by power supply 104 (e.g., as subject only to sensing and other operations of PDU 102 that are not configured for the power supply) . In certain embodiments, PDU 102 may include power electronics that, for example, rectifies, regulates voltage, cleans noisy power supplies, etc., to provide selected power characteristics to load 106 .

Referring to Figure 2, a more detailed view of an exemplary PDU 102 is schematically depicted. The example PDU 102 includes primary power 202 (e.g., high voltage, main load power, motive power, etc.) that may be provided by one or more power sources 104 and auxiliary power 204 (e.g., auxiliary, auxiliary, etc.) that may be provided by one or more power sources 104 , low voltage, etc.). The example PDU 102 depicts a single primary power supply 202 and a single auxiliary power supply 204, but a given application may include one or more primary power supplies 202, and may include separate auxiliary power supplies 204 and/or omit the auxiliary power supply 204.

The example PDU 102 also includes a coolant inlet 206 and a coolant outlet 204 . Providing coolant to PDU 102 is optional and may not be included in certain embodiments. The coolant may be of any type depending on availability in the application, including, for example, available onboard coolant (e.g., engine coolant, transmission coolant, cooling associated with auxiliary equipment or other power components such as power supply 104 fluid flow, etc.), and/or may be a coolant dedicated to PDU 102. Where present, the amount of cooling provided by the coolant may be variable, such as by varying the amount of coolant flowing through the coolant circuit through the PDU 102 , such as by operating hardware within the PDU 102 (e.g., valves or flow restrictions). device) to provide a request for coolant flow rate to another device in the system, etc.

The example PDU 102 also includes a primary power outlet 210 and an auxiliary power outlet 212 . As previously described, the PDU 102 may include multiple primary power outlets 210, and/or divided, multiple, multiplexed, and/or omitted auxiliary power outlets 212. The example PDU 102 is a pass-through power device in which the power outgoing wires 210, 212 have substantially the same electrical characteristics as the corresponding power incoming wires 202, 204, except for effects on the power supply due to sensing and/or active diagnostics. However, PDU 102 may include power electronics (solid state or otherwise) to configure the power supply in any desired manner.

The example PDU 102 also includes a controller 214 configured to functionally perform certain operations of the PDU 102 . Controller 214 includes and/or is communicatively coupled to one or more sensors and/or actuators in PDU 102 , such as to determine the current value of any power supply or input, fuse, connector, or other device in PDU 102 , voltage value and/or temperature. Additionally or alternatively, controller 214 is communicatively coupled to system 100 including PDU 102 , including, for example, a vehicle controller, an engine controller, a transmission controller, an application controller, and/or a network device or server (e.g., fleet computers, cloud servers, etc.). Controller 214 may be coupled to an application network (e.g., CAN, data link, private or public network, etc.), an external network, and/or another device (e.g., an operator's portable device, a vehicle's in-cab computer, etc.) . For ease of illustration, controller 214 is schematically depicted as a single independent device. It should be understood that controller 214 and/or aspects of controller 214 may be distributed across multiple hardware devices, including within another hardware device (e.g., a controller of a power supply, load, vehicle, application, etc.), and/or be Configured as hardware devices, logic circuits, etc. to perform one or more operations of controller 214 . PDU 102 is schematically depicted as a device within a single housing, but may be located within a single housing and/or distributed across two or more locations within an application. In certain embodiments, inclusion of the PDU 102 within a single housing provides certain advantages of integration, reduced footprint, and/or simplified interfaces. Additionally or alternatively, it is contemplated herein that a PDU 102 is included in more than one location in an application, and/or that more than one PDU 102 is contemplated herein being included within an application.

The example PDU 102 includes a main contactor 216 that selectively controls the mains power throughput of the PDU 102 . In this example, main contactor 216 is communicatively coupled to and controlled by controller 214 . The main contactor 216 may additionally be manually controllable, and/or other main contactors 216 may be on the same line of the main power supply and be manually controllable. Exemplary main contactor 216 includes a solenoid (or other coil-based) contactor such that energizing the solenoid provides connected main power (e.g., normally open, or disconnects power when not energized) and/or Or energize the solenoid to provide disconnected main power (e.g. normally closed, or connected when not energized). Characteristics of the system 100, including design choices regarding whether the power supply should be active in the event of a controller 214 power failure, maintenance plans, regulations and/or policies in place, the consequences of power loss in the system 100, the power normally delivered on the mains power supply Voltage, availability of a positive manual disconnect option, etc., may inform or determine the decision as to whether main contactor 216 is normally open or normally closed. In certain embodiments, main contactor 216 may be a solid state device, such as a solid state relay. In the event that there is more than one main contactor 216, the various contactors may include the same or different hardware (e.g., one is a solenoid and one is a solid state relay), and/or may include components to implement normally open or normally closed same or different logic. Main contactor 216 may additionally be controlled by a device external to PDU 102 (e.g., a key switch lock, another controller in system 100 having authority to control main contactor 216 , etc.), and/or controller 214 may be responsive to External commands to open or close main contactor 216 and/or additional contactors embedded in the mains may respond to devices external to PDU 102 .

The example PDU 102 includes an auxiliary contactor 218 that selectively controls the auxiliary power throughput of the PDU 102 . In this example, auxiliary contactor 218 is communicatively coupled to and controlled by controller 214 . The auxiliary contactor 218 may additionally be manually controllable, and/or other auxiliary contactors 218 may be on the same line of the auxiliary power source and be manually controllable. Exemplary auxiliary contactor 218 includes a solenoid (or other coil-based) contactor such that energizing the solenoid provides connected auxiliary power (e.g., normally open, or disconnects power when not energized) and/or Or energize the solenoid to provide disconnected auxiliary power (e.g., normally closed, or connected to power when not energized). Characteristics of the system 100, including design choices regarding whether the power supply should be active in the event of a controller 214 power failure, maintenance schedules, regulations and/or policies in place, the consequences of power loss to the system 100, typically in one or more auxiliary The voltage delivered on the power supply, the availability of a positive manual disconnect option, etc. may inform or determine the decision whether the auxiliary contactor 218 is normally open or normally closed. In certain embodiments, auxiliary contactor 218 may be a solid state device, such as a solid state relay. Auxiliary contactor 218 may additionally be controlled by a device external to PDU 102 (e.g., a key switch lock, another controller in system 100 having authority to control auxiliary contactor 218 , etc.), and/or controller 214 may be responsive to External commands to open or close the auxiliary contactor 218 and/or additional contactors embedded within the auxiliary power supply may be responsive to devices external to the PDU 102 . In certain embodiments, an auxiliary contactor 218 may be provided to each auxiliary line, a subgroup of auxiliary lines (eg, four auxiliary power inputs with 2, 3 or 4 auxiliary contactors 218), etc.

The example PDU 102 includes a current source 220 , which may be an AC current source and/or may be provided as solid state electronics on the controller 214 . The current source 220 is capable of providing a selected current injection to the main power supply across the main fuse 222, for example in the form of AC current, DC current and/or controlled current over time. For example, the PDU 102 may include sensors, such as voltage and/or current sensors on the main power source, and the current source 220 may supply power to the power source (which may be an external power source and/or through a control unit) in a manner configured to inject a desired current into the main power source. pull out) to provide electrical connections. Current source 220 may include feedback to ensure that desired current is injected, such as in response to system noise, variability, and aging, and/or nominal electrical connections may be applied to inject current, and controller 214 determines sensor inputs to determine when the main power supply is active. What current is actually injected into it. The example PDU 102 depicts a current source 220 associated with a primary fuse 222 , but the PDU 102 may also include one or more current sources 220 associated with any one or more of the fuses 222 , 224 in the PDU 102 , including across fuses individually, in molecular groups, or across all fuses at once (subject to the power supply compatibility on the fuse, for example, simultaneous injection of current across electrically coupled fuses should generally be avoided). It can be seen that including additional current sources 220 provides greater resolution in injecting current across individual fuses and managing fuse changes over time, while including fewer current sources 220 reduces system cost and complexity. In certain embodiments, current source 220 is configured to selectively flow across each fuse in PDU 102 and/or across each fuse of interest in a sequence or schedule and/or at the request of controller 214 Inject current.

The example PDU 102 includes a primary fuse 222 and a secondary fuse 224 . One or more main fuses 222 are associated with the main power supply, and auxiliary fuses 224 are associated with the auxiliary power supply. In certain embodiments, the fuse is a thermal fuse, such as a resistive device that exhibits heat and is intended to fail when a given current distribution is exceeded in the associated power line. Referring to Figure 3, a typical and non-limiting exemplary response curve of a fuse is depicted. Curve 302 represents an application damage curve, which depicts the current-time space within which, if exceeded, some aspect of the application will be damaged. For example, in the exemplary application damage curve 302, if 10 times the rated current is exceeded for about 50 milliseconds, damage to some aspect of the application will occur. It should be understood that an application may contain many components, and these components may differ in the application damage curve 302. Additionally, each fuse 222, 224 may be associated with a different component that has a different damage curve than the other components. Curve 304 represents the control space in which, in certain embodiments, controller 114 provides control protection to prevent the system from reaching application damage curve 302 in the event of fuse failure or non-nominal operation. The application damage curve 302 may be a specified value, such as a system requirement that must be met, where exceeding the application damage curve 302 does not meet the system requirements, but actual damage to the component may occur at some other value in current-time space. Curve 306 represents the fuse melt line of an exemplary fuse. At the location of fuse melt line 306, the fuse temperature exceeds the fuse design temperature, and the fuse melts. However, the fuse continues to conduct for a certain period of time after melting begins, as depicted by fuse conductive line 308 (eg, due to conduction of the molten material before the connection was broken, arcing, etc.). When the time-current space reaches the fuse conducting line 308, the fuse no longer conducts on the power line and the line is disconnected. It should be understood that the specific system dynamics, fuse-to-fuse variability, fuse aging (e.g., resulting mechanical or thermal degradation, compositional changes or oxidation, etc.), the exact nature of the current experienced (e.g., the rise time of the current), and Other real-world variables will affect the exact timing of fuse melting and fuse disconnection. However, even with a nominal fuse as depicted in Figure 3, it can be seen that for very high currents, the nominal fuse conduction line 308 and even the fuse melt line 306 may cross the application damage curve 302, for example due to blowing Certain dynamics of the device's disconnect operation have less response (in the time domain) or no response to current applied at very high current values.

The example PDU 102 also includes a conductive layer 226 associated with the auxiliary power source and a conductive layer 228 associated with the primary power source. The conductive layers 226, 228 include power couplers of power lines and fuses. In some embodiments, the conductive layers 226 , 228 are simply wires or other conductive couplers between the fuses and the power connection to the PDU 102 . Additionally or alternatively, conductive layers 226, 228 may include flat or laminated portions (eg, with stamped or shaped conductive layers) to provide power connections within PDU 102, and/or portions of conductive layers 226, 228 may include flat or laminated portions. Without being limited to any other disclosure provided herein, the utilization of flat or laminated portions provides manufacturing flexibility for conductive layers 226, 228, installation flexibility for conductive layers 226, 228, and/or reduced installation footprint, and/or provides provide a greater contact area between the conductive layers 226, 228 and portions of the PDU 102, such as fuses, controls, contactors, or other devices within the PDU 102, where thermal contact between the conductive layers 226, 228 and other devices and/or Electrical contact is desired. Exemplary conductive layers 226, 228 are depicted in association with fuses, but conductive layers 226, 228 may additionally or alternatively be associated with controllers 214 within PDU 102 (e.g., power couplers, communications within or outside PDU 102, Couplers to actuators, couplers to sensors and/or thermal couplers), contacts 216, 218 and/or any other devices are associated.

Referring to Figure 4, an example system 400 is a mobile application, such as a vehicle. Example system 400 includes a high voltage battery 104 that is electrically coupled to a high voltage load 106 through PDU 102 . In the exemplary system 400 , an auxiliary prime mover such as an internal combustion engine 402 (with associated conversion electronics such as a generator, motor generator, and/or inverter) is additionally coupled to the PDU 102 . It will be appreciated that the high voltage battery 104 and/or the auxiliary prime mover 402 may act as a power source or load during certain operating conditions of the system 400 and that additionally the high voltage load 106 (e.g., an electric motor or a motor generator coupled to a wheel) may Acts as a load or power source during certain operating conditions. The descriptions of load 106 and power supply 104 herein are non-limiting and reference is made only to nominal operations selected for conceptual description, even if load 106 and/or power supply 104 frequently, usually, or always operate in a mode other than the recited name. , normal operating and/or operating conditions. For example, the high voltage battery 104 may operate as a power source during power operations that draw net energy from the battery, and/or operate as a load during power operations with charging operations, wheels or auxiliary prime movers charging the battery, and the like.

The example system 400 also includes a powertrain controller 404 that controls operation of the powertrain, which may be associated with and/or be associated with another component in the system 400 (e.g., a vehicle control unit). controller, battery controller, motor or motor generator controller, and/or engine controller). The example system 400 also includes a charger 406 coupled to the high voltage battery 404 through the PDU 102 and a low voltage load (the "12V Auto Load" in the example of FIG. 4 ) that represents the low voltage load in the system 400 Auxiliary and accessory loads. Those skilled in the art will recognize system 400 as including a series hybrid system of a vehicle, such as one in which an auxiliary power source (e.g., an internal combustion engine) interacts only with the electrical system to recharge the battery and/or provide additional real-time power during operation, but Does not interact mechanically with the drive wheels. Additionally or alternatively, the system may include a parallel hybrid system, where the auxiliary power source may interact mechanically with the drive wheels, and/or with the electrical system (either or both). Additionally or alternatively, the system may be a purely electric system where no auxiliary power source is present, and/or where the auxiliary power source is present but is not a replacement for a high voltage/power supply system (e.g., drive accessories, refrigeration systems, etc. A power supply unit, the power of which can be delivered through the PDU 102 but is separate from the power supply electrical system). In certain embodiments, power systems such as vehicles experience high transient load cycles, such as during acceleration, deceleration, stop-and-go traffic, emergency operations, etc., so power management in such systems is complex and certain devices such as fuses The device may be susceptible to high transient load cycles. Additionally or alternatively, loss of operation of a vehicle may result in the cost of system downtime, lost or untimely delivery of cargo, and/or significant operational risk resulting from the failure (e.g., stranding the operator and/or vehicle, traffic loss of operations in the fast lane, loss of operations on the fast lane, etc.). In certain embodiments, other systems that may be hybrid and/or purely electric additionally or alternatively are subject to highly variable duty cycles and/or specific vulnerability to operational interruptions, such as, but not limited to, pumping operations, process operations of larger processes (e.g., chemical, refining, drilling, etc.), power generation operations, mining operations, etc. System failures in these and other operations may involve externalities, such as losses associated with process failures that exceed the downtime of a particular system, and/or downtime of such systems may incur significant costs.

Referring to FIG. 5 , an exemplary system is depicted including a PDU 102 . The example PDU 102 has multiple auxiliary power connections (eg, charging, power steering, vehicle accessories, and load loops for current sensing in this example) and primary power/traction power connections. Exemplary system 500 includes two high voltage contactors, one each on the high side and low side of the battery, where in this example the two high voltage contactors may be controlled by a system control panel, but may additionally or alternatively be manual. (e.g. switch accessible by operator). The system control board additionally controls the main circuit breaker, which disconnects all power passing through the PDU102. System 500 also depicts a power fuse bypass 502 that is controllable by the system control board and supports certain operations of the present disclosure as described throughout. System 500 depicts a power fuse bypass 502 but may additionally or alternatively include an auxiliary bypass for one or more of the auxiliary fuses, any subgroup of auxiliary fuses, and/or all auxiliary fuses together . Exemplary system 500 includes optional coolant supply and return couplers. Battery coupling in system 500 depicts 230V to 400V battery coupling, but the high voltage coupling can be any value. The system control board is depicted as communicatively coupled to the 12V CAN network, but the system control board's communicative coupling to surrounding applications or systems may be any network, multiple networks, as understood in the art (e.g., vehicle, engine, powertrain, private public, OBD, etc.), and/or may be or may include wireless network connectivity.

Referring to Figure 6, an exemplary apparatus 1300 is depicted, which may include all or part of the PDU 102. Any description herein that references the interaction between main fuse 222 and laminate layers 226/228 additionally or alternatively contemplates any fuses and/or connectors in device 1300 and/or PDU as throughout this disclosure. 102 interactions between any other components. The exemplary device 1300 includes contactors 216/218, which may be high voltage contactors, and/or may be associated with various of the fuses 222, 224 in the device 1300. Device 1300 includes laminate layers 226/228 that may include conductive layers for certain aspects of the conductive circuitry in device 1300. Laminated layers 226/228 may additionally or alternatively provide stiffness and/or structural support to various components in device 1300. Laminated layers 226/228 may be configured to interact with any component in a manner desired to support the functions of laminated layers 226/228, including structural functions, heat transfer functions, and/or conductivity functions. The exemplary laminate layers 226/228 interact with all contacts and fuses in the device 1300, but the laminate layers 226/228 may be readily configured to interact with the contacts, for example, in a manner similar to a printed circuit board (PCB) design. and/or selected contactors and/or fuses in the fuse and/or interact with other components in the device. The example device 1300 is positioned on an L-shaped bracket, which may be in a final configuration and/or may be in a testing configuration. In certain embodiments, device 1300 is enclosed in a dedicated housing, and/or is enclosed in the housing of another device in system 100 (such as a battery housing). In certain embodiments, device 1300 includes a removable housing portion (eg, top, cover, etc.) for service and/or maintenance access to components of the device. Exemplary apparatus 1300 includes connectors 1302 , such as to provide power, data link access, connection to power source 104 , connection to load 106 , connection to sensors (not shown), and/or to system 100 or other components. Any other type of connection.

Referring to Figure 7, an alternative view of device 1300 is depicted. The device 1300 depicted in Figure 7 shows the physical interaction between the main fuse 222 and the laminate layers 226/228 for an exemplary embodiment. Referring to Figure 8, a closer detail view of the interaction between main fuse 222 and laminate layers 226/228 is depicted for an exemplary embodiment. In the example of Figure 8, it can be seen that the main fuse 222 includes a relatively large thermal contact area with the laminate layer 226/228 on the bottom side of the fuse, and with the laminate layer 226/228 on the mounting side (eg, by mounting components). Laminated layers 226/228 have relatively small thermal contact areas. The thermal contact area between the main fuse 222 and the laminate layers 226/228 is optional, and in some embodiments, the mounted or open side of the main fuse 222 includes a larger thermal contact area, and/ Either the bottom side includes a large thermal contact area or is not in significant thermal contact with laminate layers 226/228.

Referring to Figure 9, a side cross-sectional detail of laminate layers 226/228 is depicted. Laminated layers 226/228 in this example include an outer structural layer 1402 and an opposing outer structural layer (not numbered) with interstitial space 1404 therebetween. In certain embodiments, conductive flow paths and/or thermal flow paths are provided in the interstitial spaces 1404 between these structural layers. It will be appreciated that the use of two outer structural layers 1402 provides certain mechanical advantages, including increased durability against impacts and minor impacts, denting of the layers, and bending or flexing of the PDU 102 . Additionally or alternatively, the use of two outer structural layers 1402 provides improved mechanical moments against certain types of stresses. Thus, in some embodiments, interstitial space 1404 is empty (e.g., it forms a gap) and/or is negligible (e.g., the outer layers are directly sandwiched together in at least some portions of PDU 102), however An improved design was still implemented. In certain embodiments, interstitial space 1404 includes thermally conductive members (eg, highly thermally conductive paths at selected locations), electrically conductive members (eg, highly electrically conductive paths at selected locations), active and/or convective Thermal paths (e.g., coolant or other convective heat material flowing through selected paths in interstitial space 1404), insulating materials (e.g., to direct electrical current or heat flow, and/or to electrically and/or thermally separate components or layers) and/or dielectric materials (e.g., to improve electrical isolation of components and/or layers).

Referring to Figure 10, a top view of an exemplary device 1300 is depicted. Laminated layers 226/228 are provided throughout device 1300 to provide selectable support, thermally conductive paths, and/or electrically conductive paths to any desired components in the device. Referring to Figure 11, a side detail view of the interaction space 1408 between the laminate layers 226/228 and the main fuse 222 is depicted. The interaction space includes the thermal path between the mounting point on the main fuse 222 and the laminate layers 226/228. Additionally, there is interstitial space 1404 between these layers (in this example, along the bottom and sides of main fuse 222). Thus, desired thermal transfer and/or electrical communication between main fuse 222 and gap layers 226/228 (and thus with any other selected components in device 1300) may be provided when desired. In certain embodiments, greater thermal and/or electrical coupling between main fuse 222 and laminate layers 226/228 is provided, for example, by having laminate layers 226/228 along the surface of main fuse 222. The housing extends without being offset from the housing, and/or provides a thermally conductive connection between the main fuse 222 and the laminate layers 226/228 (e.g., thermal paste, silicone, and/or utilizing any other thermal coupling material such as metal or contacts of other conductors).

Referring to Figure 12, a main fuse 222 is depicted coupled to the laminate layer 226/228 on the underside of the main fuse 222. The example of Figure 12 depicts a thermally conductive layer 1406 disposed between the main fuse 222 and the laminate layers 226/228, such as thermal paste, silicone, silicone pad, mounting metal material, and/or any other as understood in the art. Thermal conductive layer. In the example of Figure 12, the increased effective thermal contact area provides greater heat transfer away from the main fuse 222 as the main fuse 222 becomes hotter than the laminate layers 226, 228. Additionally, heat may be directed away by including thermally conductive materials in the interstitial spaces 1404 (eg, see FIG. 14 ), including, for example, utilizing conductive paths to direct heat to selected portions of the PDU enclosure, active cooling exchange systems, heating fins wait. In the example of Figure 12, the support layers 226/228 coupled to the fuse 222 in Figure 12 may additionally or alternatively comprise only a single layer (eg, not a laminate layer, and/or the layers 226, 228 do not have interstitial space 1404) , the housing of the PDU 102 and/or another component in the system 100 (such as a battery pack housing). In certain embodiments, thermal conductivity is enhanced by laminate layers 226/228 in Figure 12, for example by including highly conductive channels in interstitial space 1404, which may be provided by laminate layers 226/228 Structural support, cabling availability, and/or environmental isolation to improve. Referring to Figure 13, in addition to the features depicted in Figure 12, features are also depicted on the laminate layer 226/228 (which may be a laminate layer, a single layer, a shell wall, etc.) to improve heat transfer and/or structural rigidity. Fin 1502. In certain embodiments, the fins are oriented such that fluid passes through the fins in a direction to enhance heat transfer (e.g., oriented to improve effective flow area and/or turbulence generation in the liquid flow so that the gas flow Maximizing the effective area of the fins 1502, and/or allowing natural convection of the fluid (such as gas rising) resulting in a high effective flow area of the fins 1502). In certain embodiments, such as where support layers 226, 228 (and/or layer 226) are part of a housing, battery housing, or other device, fins 1502 may instead be exposed to ambient air, a forced airflow area, or to be used with Any fluid contact area selected to promote heat transfer to the fluid.

Convection heat transfer, as used herein, includes any heat transfer path in which convective heat transfer constitutes at least a portion of the overall heat transfer mechanism. For example, where a portion of the heat transfer is conduction (eg, through walls, thermal paste, etc.) into the flowing fluid (where generally convective heat transfer predominates), then the heat transfer mechanism is convection and/or includes a convective component. In certain embodiments, heat transfer utilizing actively or passively flowing fluids includes convective heat transfer as utilized herein. Heat transfer may be predominantly conduction under certain operating conditions, predominantly convection under certain operating conditions, and/or include a mixture of contributions from conductive and convective heat transfer under certain operating conditions.

Referring to Figure 14, in addition to the features depicted in Figure 12, a fluid flow 1602 through the interstitial space 1404 is provided, which in certain embodiments enhances heat flow from the main fuse 222 to the laminate layers 226/228 . Fluid flow 1602 may be a coolant (eg, vehicle, engine, battery pack, and/or transmission coolant, or other coolant sources available in the system), and/or may be a specialized coolant, such as the PDU 102 and/or Closed system of power supply 104. In certain embodiments, fluid flow 1602 includes gas (eg, air, compressed air, etc.). In certain embodiments, coolant flow may be active (e.g., from a pressurized source through a valve, and/or pumped) or passive (e.g., configured to flow without further control or input occurs during normal operation).

Referring to Figure 15, the main fuse 222 is depicted as having enhanced thermal communication with the laminate layers 226, 228 (which may be laminated, single layer, housing, etc.). In this example, enhanced thermal conductivity is provided by thermal coupling layer 1406, but may alternatively or additionally include positioning layers 226, 228 proximate to primary fuse 222 and/or to selected portions of layers 226, 228 and/or thermal coupling layer 1406. The location provides another highly conductive path (e.g., metal, etc.). The embodiment of Figure 15 provides additional heat transfer capabilities of the main fuse 222 similar to that depicted in Figure 12, and the embodiments of Figures 12, 13, 14, and 15 can be combined in whole or in part.

Referring to Figure 16, a highly conductive thermal path 1702 is depicted that moves heat out of laminate layers 226/228. Highly conductive thermal path 1702 can be combined with any of the other embodiments described throughout this disclosure to control heat flow in a desired manner. In certain embodiments, the highly conductive thermal path 1702 is thermally coupled at 1706 to another portion of the laminate layers 226 , 228 , to the enclosure, to a single layer, or to heat in or to the PDU 102 Any other desired components within the connectivity. The portion of Figure 16 that receives transfer heat may additionally or alternatively be coupled to active or passive heat transfer components, including fins or other heat transfer enhancing aspects, and/or may be thermally coupled to convective heat transfer components or fluids.

Referring to FIG. 17 , fluid flow 1602 moves away from the portion of laminate layer 226 / 228 that is in direct thermal contact with primary fuse 222 . This example includes fluid flow 1602 below the main fuse 222 and the main fuse 222 being thermally coupled to the laminate layers 226/228 on the sides of the fuse, but the fluid flow 1602 may be on either or both sides of the main fuse 222 on, and main fuse 222 thermally coupled to the other side and/or bottom of main fuse 222, as well as any combination of the foregoing. The description of FIGS. 12-17 is described in the context of main fuse 222, but embodiments herein may be applied to any selected component or components of PDU 102, including but not limited to those located within PDU 102. Any fuses, connectors and/or controls.

Referring to Figure 18, an exemplary system includes a PDU 102 positioned within a battery pack enclosure or housing, with the battery cells (eg, power supply 104) thermally coupled to a heating/cooling system 1802 present in the system. Additionally or alternatively, the PDU 102 may be thermally coupled to the battery cell 104 , such as using a conductive path, at a housing interface, etc., and/or the PDU 102 may be thermally isolated from the battery cell 104 and/or only nominally thermally connected to the battery cell 104 Communication (eg, an arrangement where some heat transfer is expected therebetween, but there are no intentional design elements to increase heat transfer between the PDU 102 and the battery cell 104 ). Referring to FIG. 19 , an exemplary system includes a PDU 102 in a coolant loop of a heat transfer system 1802 , such as where thermal coupling aspects are provided to transfer heat from the PDU 102 to the coolant loop, and/or the coolant loop is included with the PDU 102 Flow branches in thermal contact. The example in Figure 19 depicts a series coolant arrangement between the battery cells 104 and the PDU 102, but any arrangement is contemplated herein, including at least a parallel arrangement, a series arrangement contacting the PDU 102 first, and/or a hybrid arrangement (e.g., first contact the PDU 102). contacting part of one of battery unit 104 and PDU 102, then contacting all or part of the other, etc.).

Exemplary procedures include operations to provide active and/or passive cooling to temperature sensitive components on PDU 102 . Exemplary procedures also include cooling temperature-sensitive components sufficiently to extend the life of the component to the design service life, scheduled maintenance intervals, the life of the PDU 102 and/or battery pack and/or scheduled maintenance intervals, and/or lowering the temperature of the fuses To avoid thermal/mechanical damage to the fuse, "nuisance failure" of the fuse (e.g., fuse failure that does not occur due to the fuse's designed protection mechanism, such as overcurrent operation).

In certain embodiments, the fuse design introduces complexity into the system, for example, it may be desirable for the fuse to engage with a fuse threshold between about 135% and 300% of the system overcurrent threshold. However, fuses on the smaller end of this scale may fail due to thermal fatigue and/or mechanical fatigue during the life of the system, resulting in "nuisance failure" or fuse failure that is not due to the protective function of the fuse. Such failures result in high costs, downtime, perceived degradation of the product embodying the system, potentially hazardous conditions due to loss of power or detention, etc. Designing larger fuses to avoid nuisance failure can introduce increased risk of overcurrent events to external systems and/or significant costs required to upgrade the rest of the power system. Additionally, designing a system for multiple maximum power availability (for example, one power system for two different power ratings) requires changing or designing the fuse plan to accommodate multiple systems. In certain embodiments, the same hardware may be used with different power ratings, and/or changed after the system is in operation to provide non-nominal fuse sizes for at least one of the multiple power ratings.

Referring to Figure 20, an exemplary apparatus 1900 for providing additional protection against fuse nuisance failures and system failures is described. Example apparatus 1900, such as implemented on controller 214, includes current event determination circuitry 1902 that determines that current event 1904 is valid or predicted to occur, wherein the current event includes a component experiencing (or about to experience) a wear event, Such as current values that will cause thermal and/or mechanical stress on the component but may not cause immediate failure or observable damage. Exemplary components include fuses, but can be any other component in the system, including battery cells, switches or connectors, motors, etc. Another example current event includes a system failure value, such as a current value that will likely or is expected to cause a system failure (eg, cable failure, connector failure, etc.).

Apparatus 1900 also includes response determination circuitry 1906 that determines a system response value 1910 to current event 1904 . Exemplary and non-limiting responses include notifying the operator to reduce power, reducing power, notifying the system controller of the presence or impending current event 1904, opening contactors on the circuit associated with the event, delaying circuit protection, monitoring the event, and Response delays and reasons for responding at a later time, and/or scheduling of responses based on operating conditions in the system. Apparatus 1900 also includes response implementation circuitry 1908 , wherein response implementation circuitry 1908 determines communications and/or actuator responses based on system response values 1910 and provides network communications 1912 and/or actuator commands 1914 to implement system response values 1910 . Exemplary and non-limiting actuator responses include operating a contactor, operating an active coolant actuator to modulate heat transfer away from the fuse, and the like.

Referring to Figure 21, exemplary data 2000 for implementing system response values 1910 is depicted. Illustrative data 2000 includes a threshold 2002 , such as a current, temperature, indicator parameter, or other value, at which component wear and/or system failure is expected to occur, and which is used by the current event determination circuit 1902 as a threshold, at least during the Under certain operating conditions of the system at a certain point in time. It should be appreciated that current event determination circuit 1902 may utilize multiple thresholds and/or dynamic thresholds, as described throughout this disclosure. Curve 2004 represents nominal system performance, such as current, temperature, index parameters, etc. that the system would experience in the absence of operation of device 1900 . In this example, response determination circuit 1906 determines that threshold 2002 is to be crossed and considers contactor disconnect time 2008 (and/or active coolant loop response time) to timely command the contactor and/or increase distance from the fuse. Thermal conduction to avoid crossing threshold 2002. Illustrative data 2000 depicts a resulting system response curve 2006 where the resulting system performance remains below a threshold 2002. The system may experience alternative response trajectories (eg, the resulting system response curve 2006 may be well below threshold 2002 depending on the dynamics of the system, how long the contactor remains open, etc.). However, in addition or alternatively, response determination circuit 1906 may allow threshold 2002 to be crossed, such as in accordance with any operation or determination described throughout this disclosure. In certain embodiments, response determination circuit 1906 allows threshold 2002 to be crossed, but results in a lower peak in the response and/or a response curve above threshold 2002 than would have occurred without operation of response determination circuit 1906 lower area below.

Exemplary procedures (which may be executed by a device such as device 1900) include operations that determine that a current event (or other response event) exceeds or is predicted to exceed a wear threshold and/or determines that a current event exceeds or is predicted to exceed a system failure value. In response to a determination that the current event exceeds or is predicted to exceed either value, the program includes operations to perform mitigating actions. Components for wear thresholds may be fuses (e.g., fuses that experience or are expected to experience high usage electrical events that will cause mechanical stress, thermal stress, or fuse life), components in the system (e.g., contactors , cables, switches, battery cells, etc.) and/or nominally determined defined thresholds (e.g., calibration of values expected to be associated with possible component damage and not necessarily tied to a specific component). In certain embodiments, the wear threshold and/or system failure value should compensate for the aging or wear state of the system or components within the system (eg, reduce the threshold and/or increase the response as the system ages).

Non-limiting mitigating actions (which may be system response values 1910) include, but are not limited to: 1) disconnecting circuits with worn components (e.g., fuses, system components, and/or specific power lines experiencing the event); 2) Notify the operator to reduce power requirements; 3) Notify the vehicle or powertrain controller of this current event; 4) Regulate or limit the power available to the operator; 5) Respond to circumstances (e.g., in traffic, vehicle motion, application type, operator notification of the need to continue operation, etc.) and delaying circuit protection (disconnection and/or power reduction), including allowing components in the system to experience potential wear events and/or failure events; 6) If the event persists and if subsequent conditions warrant, continue to monitor the circuit and disconnect the circuit (or reduce power, etc.); 7) Depending on the operating mode of the system (e.g., Sport, Energy Saving, Emergency, Fleet Operator (and/or policy), owner/operator (and/or policy, geographic policy, and/or regulatory policy) to schedule the response; and/or 8) bypass worn parts (e.g., allowing current to bypass a fuse as response action).

In certain embodiments, determining that a current event exceeds a wear threshold and/or a system failure value is based on calculations such as: 1) determining that current flowing through the circuit exceeds a threshold (eg, amperes); 2) determining that current flowing through the circuit exceeds a threshold The rate of change of the current exceeds a threshold (e.g., amperes/second value); and/or 3) determines that the indicator parameter exceeds a threshold (e.g., the indicator includes accumulated ampere-seconds; amperes/second-seconds; above a threshold or a Counting metrics for periods above a threshold; counting metrics weighted by instantaneous current values; integrating current, heat transfer, and/or power values; and/or counting down or resetting these values based on current operating conditions).

In certain embodiments, determining that a current event exceeds a wear threshold and/or a system failure value includes adjusting based on one or more of the following: 1) a trip curve (e.g., power vs. time or current-time trace, and/or operating curve on a data set or table, such as represented in Figure 3); 2) fuse temperature model, including first or second order derivatives of temperature, and scheduling and/or progressive response one or more temperature thresholds; 3) the measured battery voltage (e.g., the current value may be higher as the battery voltage decreases, and/or the dynamic response of the current may change, causing wear thresholds, system failure values, and/or changes determined by current events); 4) first-order derivatives of current, temperature, power demand, and/or indicator parameters; 5) second-order derivatives of current, temperature, power demand, and/or indicator parameters; 6) from battery management System information (e.g., voltage, current, state of charge, state of health, rate of change of any of these values, these parameters can affect the current value, the expected current value, and/or the dynamic response of the current value, thereby causing wear thresholds, system Failure value and/or change in current event determination); 7) Determination and monitoring of contactor disconnection time and consideration of contactor disconnection time when determining response to current event; 8) Utilization of auxiliary system information and regulation In response to (e.g., anticipated changes in power requirements from operations, auxiliary restraint system activation/deployment - opens contactor (cuts power); collision avoidance system activation - holds contactor closed for maximum system control; and/or preventive Locking brake system and/or traction control system activated - keep contactor closed for maximum system control). In some embodiments, activation levels may also be considered, and/or system status may be communicated to the PDU, for example, the system may report critical operations that require power to remain on for as long as possible or shutdown operations that require power to be removed as quickly as possible.

Referring to Figure 22, an exemplary apparatus 600 for measuring current flowing through a fuse utilizing active current injection is schematically depicted. Apparatus 600 includes controller 214 having a plurality of circuits configured to functionally perform the operations of controller 214 . The controller 214 includes an injection control circuit 602 that provides an injection command 604 in which the current source 220 is responsive to the injection command 604 . Controller 214 also includes injection configuration circuitry 606 that selects frequency, amplitude, and/or waveform characteristics for injection command 604 (injection characteristics 608). The controller 214 also includes a duty cycle description circuit 610 that determines a duty cycle 612 for the system including the controller 214, where the duty cycle includes a description of the current and voltage experienced by the fuse. In some embodiments, the duty cycle description circuit 612 further updates the duty cycle 612, for example, by observing the duty cycle over time, within a certain number of transitions, a certain number of operating hours, and/or a certain number of miles traveled. In certain embodiments, the duty cycle description circuit 612 is configured as an aggregate duty cycle (such as a filtered duty cycle, an average duty cycle, a weighted average duty cycle, a bucket-ordered duty cycle with a quantitative description of the number of operating regions). The duty cycle is provided in the form of a ratio, etc.) and one calibration from a plurality of calibrations 614 is selected or blended, each calibration corresponding to a defined duty cycle.

An exemplary procedure for determining fuse current throughput is described below. In certain embodiments, one or more aspects of the program may be performed by device 600. The procedure involves injecting a current with selected frequency, amplitude and/or waveform characteristics into the circuit through a fuse and estimating the fuse resistance (including dynamic resistance and/or impedance) operation. In certain embodiments, the selected frequency, amplitude, and/or waveform characteristics are selected to provide an acceptable, improved, or optimized measurement of the fuse resistance. For example, the basic supply current flowing through the fuse to support the operation of the application has specific amplitude and frequency characteristics (where frequency includes the supply frequency (if AC) and the long-term variability of the amplitude (if AC or DC) ). The injected current may have a frequency and/or amplitude selected to allow acceptable detection of the fuse resistance based on basic supply current characteristics, and also selected to avoid interfering with the operation of the application. For example, if the base supply current is high, a higher magnitude of the injected current may be indicated, both to support measurement of the injected AC voltage and because the base supply current will allow higher injection currents without interfering with the operation of the system . In another example, the frequency may be selected to be faster than current variability due to operation, without affecting the resonant frequency or resonant frequency of components in the system, etc.

Exemplary procedures include storing a plurality of calibration values corresponding to various duty cycles of the system (e.g., current-voltage trajectories experienced by the system, time windows of bucketed ordering of current-voltage values, etc.), determining that the system a duty cycle, and a calibration value is selected from the calibration values in response to the determined duty cycle. The calibration value corresponds to the current injection setting of the current injection source and/or the filtered value of the digital filter to measure the fuse voltage and/or the fuse current value. In some embodiments, the duty cycle can be tracked during operation and updated in real time or upon shutdown. In some embodiments, an aggregate duty cycle description is stored and updated from the observed data. Exemplary aggregate duty cycles include a moving average of observed duty cycles (e.g., duty cycles defined as transitions, power-on-to-off cycles, operating time periods, and/or distance traveled), a Filtered average (e.g., utilizing filter constants selected to provide the desired response to change, e.g., response within one jump, five jumps, 30 jumps, one day, one week, one month, etc.). In some embodiments, duty cycle updates are performed as a weighted average (e.g., longer transitions, higher confidence determinations, and/or operator selections or inputs may be weighted more heavily in determining duty cycle). weighted).

The response indicates a period until the system functions essentially based on changing duty cycle information, for example in the case of calibration A for the first duty cycle and calibration B for the changing duty cycle, when 60% is utilized of Calibration B, when 90% of Calibration B is utilized, when 96% of Calibration B is utilized, and/or when the system has switched to Calibration B, the system may be deemed to have responded to the change. Utilization of multiple calibrations may be continuous or discrete, and certain aspects of these calibrations individually may be continuous or discrete. For example, with calibration A selected, a specific amplitude (or trajectory of amplitudes), frequency (or trajectory of frequencies), and/or waveform (or number of waveforms) may be utilized, and with calibration B selected, Different sets of amplitudes, frequencies and/or waveforms may be utilized. In cases where the duty cycle is positioned between A and B, and/or in cases where the duty cycle response moves between A and B, the system can utilize a mixture of A and B duty cycles and/or in cases where the duty cycle response moves between A and B. Switch between A and B duty cycle. In another example, switching between A and B duty cycles can occur in a mixed fashion, such that with the current response at 80% of B, then calibrated B can be utilized 80% of the time and can be used at 20% The time to use calibration A. In some embodiments, the calibration may be switched abruptly at a specific threshold (e.g., at 70% response toward the new calibration), which may include hysteresis (e.g., at 80% of the distance between calibrations A and B Switch to calibration B, but only switch back when at 40% of the distance between calibrations A and B). In certain embodiments, certain aspects (eg, amplitude) may be continuously moved between calibrations, with other aspects (eg, waveform) utilizing only one calibration or the other. In some embodiments, an indicator of mass feedback may be utilized to adjust the calibration response (e.g., where during movement toward Calibration B, the indicated fuse resistance appears to be determined with greater certainty, the system enables the The response moves toward Calibration B more quickly than other calibrations, which may include utilizing more Calibration B than the current aggregate duty cycle indicates and/or adjusting the aggregate duty cycle to reflect that the duty cycle will be maintained for longer. high confidence).

Exemplary amplitude selections include the peak amplitude of the injected current, adjustments from the baseline (e.g., a higher rate of increase than a rate of decrease, or vice versa), and/or the shape of the amplitude generation (e.g., which may supplement or be combined with the waveform selection). Inside). Additionally or alternatively, the amplitude of a given calibration may be adjusted throughout a particular current injection event, for example to provide observations at multiple amplitudes within the current injection event. Exemplary frequency selection includes adjusting the frequency of the period of current injection events, and may also include testing at multiple discrete frequencies, sweeping frequencies through one or more selected ranges, and combinations of these. Exemplary waveform selections include waveform selections that elicit a desired response, achieve greater robustness to system noise (e.g., variability in base currents, inductance and/or capacitance of components in the system, etc.), enhance Current injection tests the ability to isolate the injected current from the load current, and/or may include utilizing multiple waveforms in a given calibration to provide multiple different tests. In certain embodiments, where multiple amplitudes, frequencies, and/or waveforms are utilized, this can be achieved by averaging the measured parameters, by using higher confidence measurements, and/or by extracting from the injected AC Abnormal measurement values are eliminated from the voltage determination to determine the injected AC voltage (and corresponding fuse resistance).

In accordance with this specification, operations are described for providing a high-confidence determination of fuse resistance values in PDU 102. In certain embodiments, a high-confidence determination of the fuse resistance may be utilized to determine fuse condition, provide a high-accuracy or high-precision determination of the current flowing through the fuse and the power consumption of the system 100 , and/or perform the system Diagnosis, fault management, circuit management, etc.

Referring to Figure 23, an exemplary apparatus 700 for determining zero offset voltage and/or diagnosing system components is schematically depicted. The exemplary apparatus 700 includes a controller 214 having a fuse load circuit 702 that determines that the fuse load 704 does not require current. The example apparatus 700 also includes a zero offset voltage determination circuit 706 that determines a zero offset voltage 708 in response to the fuse load 704 indicating that no current is required. Exemplary apparatus 700 also includes component diagnostic circuitry 710 that determines whether the component is degraded, failed, and/or is in a faulty or non-nominal condition in response to zero offset voltage 708 and in response to determining whether the component is degraded, failed. and/or failure information 716 (eg, failure counter, failure value, and/or component-specific information) determined due to a failure or non-nominal condition. Operation of the component diagnostic circuit 710 includes comparing the zero offset nominal voltage 708 to the zero offset voltage threshold 712 and/or performing operations to determine which component caused the non-nominal zero offset voltage 708 . The example apparatus 700 also includes a zero offset data management circuit 714 that stores a zero offset voltage 708, and/or any diagnostic or fault information 706, such as fault counters, fault values, and/or An indication of which component is causing the non-nominal zero offset voltage 708. In certain embodiments, the example zero offset data management circuit 714 separately stores the independent contributions of certain components to the zero offset voltage 708 in the event that the contributions of certain components to the zero offset voltage 708 are individually determined. In certain embodiments, the use of zero offset voltage 708 improves the accuracy of determining the fuse resistance from the injected current.

An exemplary procedure for determining the zero offset voltage of a fuse current measurement system is described below. Exemplary programs may be executed by system components such as device 700 . The zero offset voltage occurs in the controller 214 due to independent offsets of the operational amplifiers and other solid-state components in the controller 214, as well as due to part-to-part variation, temperature drift, and time change of one or more components in the system. Deterioration over time. The presence of a zero offset voltage limits the accuracy with which measurements of the current flowing through the fuse can be obtained, thereby limiting the types of controls and diagnostics that can be performed in the system.

Exemplary procedures include the operation of determining that the fuse load does not require current. Example operations to determine that a fuse load does not require current include recent on or off events of the vehicle (e.g., the vehicle is started, powered off, in the accessory position, and/or power has not yet been engaged to the fuse of interest), the fuse circuit observations and/or state observations provided by another controller in the system (e.g., the power system controller explicitly indicates that power is not supplied, indicates a state inconsistent with power supply, etc.). Exemplary operations determine that the fuse does not require current during a cut event and/or for a period of time following a make event.

The exemplary routine also includes an operation of determining a zero offset voltage in response to determining that the fuse load does not require current, and an operation of storing the zero offset voltage. In some embodiments, the stored zero offset voltage is stored in non-volatile memory, eg, for subsequent operation of the system. In certain embodiments, the zero offset voltage is stored in volatile memory and used in current operating cycles. The stored zero offset voltage can be replaced when a new value is determined for the zero offset voltage, and/or updated in a scheduled manner (e.g., by averaging or filtering among the updated values, by keeping the new value for subsequent confirmation before application, etc.).

The exemplary program also includes components for diagnosing the system in response to the zero offset voltage. For example, when the zero offset voltage increases over time, degradation of the controller 214 may be indicated, and a fault (visible or service available) may be provided to indicate that the controller 214 is operating non-nominally or has failed. Additionally or alternatively, a contactor (eg, main contactor 216) may be diagnosed in response to the zero offset voltage. In certain embodiments, further operations, such as engaging another contactor on the same line as the diagnosed contactor, may be utilized to confirm which component of the system has deteriorated or failed. In some embodiments, the controller 214 may power down one or more components within the controller 214 to confirm that these controller 214 components are causing the offset voltage. In certain embodiments, the process includes determining the component's independent contribution to the offset voltage, such as by separating the controller 214 contribution and the contactor contribution. In response to the offset voltage being above the threshold and/or identifying which component of the system is causing the non-nominal offset voltage, the controller 214 may increment the fault value, set the fault value, and/or set a service or diagnostic value. In certain embodiments, the zero offset voltage and/or any fault values may be provided to the system, provided to the network, and/or communicated to another controller on the network.

In accordance with this specification, operations are described for providing a nominal offset voltage for high-confidence determinations of fuse current and fuse resistance values in PDU 102 . In certain embodiments, a high-confidence determination of the fuse resistance may be utilized to determine fuse condition, provide a high-accuracy or high-precision determination of the current flowing through the fuse and the power consumption of the system 100 , and/or perform the system Diagnosis, fault management, circuit management, etc.

Referring to Figure 24, an exemplary apparatus 800 for providing digital filtering of measurements of current flowing through a fuse circuit is schematically depicted. In some embodiments, with current injected through the fuse, a low pass filter (pulling out the basic supply signal) and a high pass filter (pushing out the injected current signal) are used to separate the basic supply current through the fuse and The measured value of the injected AC current is decoupled. Previously known systems utilize analog filter systems constructed, for example, from capacitors, resistors and/or inductive devices, and provide selected filtering of the signal, thereby providing separate basic power signals and injection current signal. However, analog filter systems have many disadvantages. First, analog systems are not configurable, configurable only to a discrete number of pre-considered options, and/or are expensive to implement. Therefore, a wide range of basic supply signals and injected AC current signals are generally not available for high-accuracy determination of fuse current using analog filter systems. Additionally, analog filter systems suffer from phase variance between the low-pass and high-pass filters and/or between the filtered output and the injected current signal. Therefore, less accurate post-processing and/or acceptance of the signal is required, and even with post-processing, the accuracy of the measured current is reduced. Additionally, if some part of the system has fundamental frequencies or harmonics that interfere with the filter, the analog filter will not be able to respond and will not provide reliable measurements. Since the frequency dynamics of this system can change over time, for example due to component degradation, repair or replacement, and/or due to environmental or duty cycle driver changes, even careful system design cannot fully address the response of analog filters to the effects of this change. Frequency dynamics in the system are incapable of interference. The exemplary apparatus 800 includes a high pass digital filter circuit 802 and a low pass digital filter circuit 806 that determine an injected current value 804 of the fuse circuit by providing a high pass filter operation on the measured fuse current 814 , and the low pass digital filter circuit determines 808 the base supply current value of the fuse circuit by providing a low pass filter operation on the measured fuse current. The exemplary apparatus 800 also includes a filter adjustment circuit 812 that interprets the duty cycle 612 and/or injection characteristics 608 and adjusts the filtering and/or injection characteristics 608 of the high-pass digital filter circuit 802, for example, by providing Filter adjustments 816, such as providing different cutoff frequencies to ensure that these signals are separated, raising or lowering the cutoff frequency to ensure that the descriptive energy portion of the signal is captured, and/or manipulating the filter to avoid frequencies or harmonics in the system . Although the exemplary embodiment of Figure 24 utilizes digital filters, in some embodiments, available controller processing resources and/or the time response of digital filtering may enable certain systems to utilize analog filters and/or analog filters with Combination of digital filters.

Exemplary procedures include providing a digital filter in the PDU 102 to determine base power and injection current values from measured current values flowing through the fuse. The exemplary program further includes an operation of determining the base power by performing a low-pass filter operation on the measured current value and determining the injected current value by performing a high-pass filter operation on the measured current value. Exemplary procedures also include adjusting the low voltage in response to a duty cycle of the system including the PDU 102 (including, for example, power, voltage, and/or current values through the fuse) and/or in response to injection characteristics of the injection current flowing through the fuse. Operation of parameters of pass filter and/or high pass filter. Exemplary procedures include adjusting these parameters to improve separation of base power and/or injected current values, improve accuracy in determining injected current amounts, accommodate frequencies and/or harmonics of components in the system that are in electrical communication with the fuse, and /or respond to system or environmental noise affecting one or both of the high-pass and low-pass filters.

In accordance with this specification, there is provided an operation to implement a digital filter to deconvolve the voltage characteristics and current measurements across the fuse. Digital filtering allows the system to provide a high confidence determination of fuse current and fuse resistance values in the PDU 102 . In certain embodiments, a high-confidence determination of the fuse resistance may be utilized to determine fuse condition, provide a high-accuracy or high-precision determination of the current flowing through the fuse and the power consumption of the system 100 , and/or perform the system Diagnosis, fault management, circuit management, etc.

Fuses used in high transient load applications and/or high duty cycle variability applications, such as but not limited to electrical systems used in mobile applications and vehicles, face many challenges. Load changes can vary significantly in all operations, including experiencing both high positive current operation and high negative current operation, often within short time periods (e.g., acceleration and regenerative braking cycles in stop-and-go traffic; uphill and then on another High load operation with significant regeneration on one side, etc.). Additionally, current transients and commutations can produce significant surge currents experienced by fuses. Fuses are designed to fail at a protective current value designed to correspond to the fuse temperature value. Because they are designed to fail at values relatively close to the maximum current demand, they are one of the most delicate physical components in the system, both electrically and physically. Subcritical current values and current transients can subject fuses to thermal and mechanical stresses caused by both the temperature and temperature transients experienced. Fuses subjected to significant subcritical cycling can fail in either of the following ways: by melting even though the design failure current has not been exceeded, or by opening due to mechanical stress. Mobile applications, as discussed throughout this disclosure, experience particularly high costs and risks when mission-critical components such as fuses fail (eg, vehicles generally have no available power source when a main power fuse fails). Additionally, mobile applications are subject to high transient loads through the power supply system.

Referring to Figure 25, an example fuse circuit 2100 is depicted that may be present on the PDU 102. The example fuse circuit 2100 may be associated with primary fuses, secondary fuses, and/or fuse groups or subgroups of fuse groups. Fuse circuit 2100 includes a contactor (C1) in parallel with a fuse (F1). During normal operation, the contactor opens and current in fuse circuit 2100 flows through the fuse. In certain embodiments, the contactor may include physical components (eg, a solenoid and/or coil based switch or relay), and/or the contactor may be a solid state relay. In certain embodiments, a contactor may be normally open (eg, applied power causes the contactor to close) or normally closed (eg, applied power causes the contactor to open). The example fuse circuit 2100 allows the contactor to selectively bypass the fuse circuit, for example, depending on the operation of the device 1900 (see FIG. 20 and corresponding disclosure).

Referring to Figure 26, another embodiment of a fuse circuit 2200 is disclosed in which the contactor (C1) is in series with the second fuse (F2) and the C1-F2 branch is in parallel with the first fuse F1. Fuse circuit 2200 provides additional flexibility and a number of additional features to the operation of device 1900. For example, normal operation can be performed with the contactor closed, causing the current to be divided between F1 and F2 (in the ratio of the resistances of these two fuses). One example includes fuse F2 with a low current threshold that is set so that the shunted current will flow when the system design current is exceeded by the designed amount (e.g., between 135% and 300% of the system design current, However, this article assumes that the fuse F2 will fail at any value). Fuse F1 can be set to an extremely high value, allowing the contactor to open to briefly increase the circuit's fusing capacity but still blow. Additionally or alternatively, fuse F2 may be a relatively inexpensive and/or readily available fuse, and due to being at a lower current threshold, F2 is likely to suffer greater mechanical and thermal fatigue and act as a fuse circuit 2200 failure point, which can greatly extend the life of fuse F1, which may be more expensive and/or less accessible. Additionally or alternatively, normal operation can be performed with the contactor open, with fuse F1 defining ordinary fusing of the circuit. When a high transient or other current event occurs, the contactor closes and branches C1-F2 share the current load, thereby keeping fuse F1 within normal or lower wear operating conditions. In certain embodiments, fuses F1 and F2 may be similarly sized, for example, to allow fuse F2 to operate as a backup fuse and to maintain similar failure conditions for F1 and F2. Alternatively, fuse F2 may be smaller than fuse F1, allowing for the alternative operation described, using the C1-F2 circuit intermittently to draw some current to protect fuse F1, and/or to provide backup blowing for F1 if fuse F2 smaller, then it may be at the reduced power limit of the system (eg, as a derate operating mode and/or a limp home operating mode). Alternatively, fuse F2 may be larger than fuse F1, for example to allow fuse F2 to manage extremely high transient current conditions under which operation is expected to continue. Utilization of fuse circuit 2200 allows for a high degree of control of the fuse system to protect the power system during nominal operation and still provide a high degree of capability during failure modes, for off-nominal operation, and/or during transient operation. In certain embodiments, a resistor may be placed on the C1-F2 branch, for example, to control the current sharing load between F1 and F2 when contactor C1 is closed.

Referring to Figure 27, a fuse circuit 2300 includes a plurality of fuses F1, F2, F3, F4 depicted in parallel, each in series with a corresponding contactor. The example fuse circuit 2300 is for a secondary fuse, but the fuse circuit 2300 can be any fuse, including a primary fuse. The example fuse circuit 2300 allows a fuse to be removed from operation (such as if one of the fuses experiences a transient event), or allows a fuse to be added (such as when a high transient event occurs to share the current load). In certain embodiments, one or more of the fuses in fuse circuit 2300 does not have an associated contactor and is the main load fuse of fuse circuit 2300 . The relative sizes of the fuses in fuse circuit 2300 may be based on any value selected and will depend on the purpose of fuse circuit 2300 (e.g., to provide a limp home feature, provide additional capacity, serve as a spare, and/or allow cutting of individual fuses in the system). Additionally or alternatively, any one or more of these fuses in fuse circuit 2300 may be positioned in series with a resistor, for example, to control current load balancing. In certain embodiments, fuses F1, F2, F3, F4 are not connected in parallel, and/or one or more of these fuses are not connected in parallel. Therefore, opening of the contactor for such a fuse will not shunt current to another of these fuses. Exemplary embodiments include contactors for fuses that individually allow shutdown of certain system capabilities (e.g., due to failures, high transients, etc.) without shutting down all system capabilities (e.g., fuse support Active systems can remain activated even under high transient events, while auxiliary fuses for non-critical systems can trip to protect the fuse and/or system).

Referring to Figure 28, a fuse circuit 2400 is depicted which is similar to the fuse circuit 2300 except that each fuse has a contactor in parallel, thereby allowing shorting of a particular fuse while maintaining current in the path of that fuse. flow up. In certain embodiments, the parallel path for each fuse may include additional fuses and/or resistors such that when the fuses are connected in parallel, the load across each fuse circuit remains at least partially balanced. The embodiments of Figures 25-28 may be referenced as current protection circuits, and implementations such as those depicted and/or described in Figures 25-28 allow for alternative configurations of current protection circuits. Alternative configurations of the current protection circuit may include run-time operation (e.g., reconfigure the current protection circuit in response to events or operating conditions) and/or design-time operation (e.g., allow the same hardware device to support multiple power ratings, electrical connections configuration and/or maintenance events or upgrade changes).

Referring to FIG. 29 , exemplary data 2500 is depicted showing fuse response to a vehicle's drive cycle. In this example, fuse current (eg, the dashed lower curve at 12 and 25 units of time) and fuse temperature (eg, the solid line curve at 12 and 25 units of time) are plotted. It will be appreciated that another parameter describing the performance and/or limits of the fuse may be utilized, including at least any of the values described in the section with reference to Figure 21. Operation of the drive cycle exhibits high transients where, in this example, the fuse temperature is expected to exceed the "fuse temperature avoidance limit", e.g. temperature or temperature transients where the fuse experiences mechanical stress. The apparatus 1900 may consider multiple thresholds for a fuse, such as a light wear threshold, a heavy wear threshold, and a potential failure threshold, which may be set to different values of the fuse performance indicator (eg, temperature) to be utilized. In certain embodiments, more than one type of threshold may be utilized, such as a threshold or set of thresholds for temperature, a second threshold or set of thresholds for change in temperature over time (eg, dT/dt), etc. In this example, the device 1900 may take mitigating actions at the point of the transient, such as briefly bypassing the corresponding fuse to avoid the transient and/or controlling the rate of transients experienced by the fuse.

Referring to Figure 30, an example system 2600 includes a power supply 104 and a load 106, with a fuse (F1) electrically disposed between the load 106 and the power supply 104. The operator provides a power request (gas pedal input) and the device 1900 determines that the load demand will exceed the fuse's threshold (e.g., based on current demand above a temperature limit or some other determination), but may further determine that the transient event does not System operating condition limits may otherwise be exceeded. In this example, device 1900 commands the contactor (C3) to close for a certain time period before or during the transient to protect the fuse. System 2600 depicts high-side (C1) and low-side (C3) high voltage contactors (eg, 216, 218 from system 100), which are distinct from fuse bypass contactor C3.

Referring to Figure 21, exemplary data 2000 for implementing system response values 1910 is depicted. Illustrative data 2000 includes a threshold 2002 , such as a current, temperature, indicator parameter, or other value, at which fuse wear and/or failure is expected to occur, and which is used by the current event determination circuit 1902 as a threshold, at least during the Under certain operating conditions of the system at a certain point in time. It should be appreciated that current event determination circuit 1902 may utilize multiple thresholds and/or dynamic thresholds, as described throughout this disclosure. Curve 2004 represents nominal system performance, such as the current, temperature, index parameters, etc. that the fuse would experience in the absence of operation of device 1900 . In this example, response determination circuit 1906 determines that threshold 2002 will be crossed and considers contactor connect/disconnect time 2008 (e.g., to bypass the fuse, engage the second fuse leg, and/or block the more vulnerable fuse branch), thus commanding the contactor to connect or disconnect in time to avoid crossing threshold 2002. Additionally or alternatively, response determination circuit 1906 may still allow threshold 2002 to be crossed, such as when more critical system parameters require the fuse to remain connected and allow the fuse to be crossed, such as in accordance with any of the operations or determinations described throughout this disclosure. In the event of wear and/or failure.

In certain embodiments, determining that a current event exceeds a wear threshold and/or a fuse failure value is based on calculations such as: 1) determining that the current flowing through the fuse exceeds a threshold (e.g., amperes); 2) determining that the current flowing through the fuse exceeds a threshold (eg, amperes); The rate of change of the current through the fuse exceeds a threshold value (e.g., amperes/second value); 3) Determine the indicator parameter to exceed a threshold value (e.g., the indicator includes accumulated ampere-seconds; amperes/second-seconds; above a threshold or a Counting metrics for periods above a threshold; counting metrics weighted by instantaneous current values; integrating current, heat transfer, and/or power values; and/or counting down or resetting these values based on current operating conditions).

In certain embodiments, determining that a current event exceeds a wear threshold and/or a fuse failure value includes adjusting based on one or more of the following: 1) Trip curve (e.g., power- time or current-time trace, and/or operating curve on a data set or table, such as represented in Figure 3); 2) fuse temperature model, including first or second order derivatives of temperature, and scheduling and/or progression one or more temperature thresholds of response; 3) measured battery voltage (e.g., current values may be higher as the battery voltage decreases, and/or the dynamic response of the current may change, causing wear thresholds, system failure values, and/or or changes determined by current events); 4) first-order derivatives of current, temperature, power demand and/or indicator parameters; 5) second-order derivatives of current, temperature, power demand and/or indicator parameters; 6) from the battery Management system information (e.g., voltage, current, state of charge, state of health, the rate of change of any of these values, these parameters can affect the current value, the expected current value, and/or the dynamic response of the current value, thereby causing wear thresholds, fuse failure value and/or change in current event determination); 7) Determination and monitoring of contactor connection or disconnection time, and consideration of contactor connection or disconnection time when determining response to current events; 8) Utilizes auxiliary system information and modulates responses (e.g., anti-collision system activation - allowing fuses to fail, and/or bypassing fuses to allow potential damage to the system, keeping power flowing; anti-lock braking systems and/or traction control System Activation - Keeps power flowing for maximum system control (the level of activation may also be considered, and/or system status is communicated to the PDU, e.g. the system may report critical operations that require power to remain on for as long as possible or a shutdown that requires power to be removed as quickly as possible operation, etc.).

Referring to Figure 20, an exemplary apparatus 1900 for reducing or preventing fuse damage and/or fuse failure is depicted. Exemplary apparatus 1900 includes current event determination circuitry 1902 that can determine that current event 1904 indicates that a fuse threshold (wear, failure, fatigue, or other threshold) has been exceeded or is expected to be exceeded. Current event 1904 may be, for example, current, temperature, or any other parameter described with respect to FIGS. 21 , 29 and 30 . The example apparatus 1900 also includes a response determination circuit 1906 that determines a system response value 1910, such as opening or closing a fuse circuit (eg, 2100, 2200, 2300, 2400, or any other fuse circuit or current protection circuit) one or more contactors. Apparatus 1900 also includes response implementation circuitry 1908 that provides network communications 1912 and/or actuator commands 1914 in response to system response values 1910 . For example, system response value 1910 may determine to close one or more contactors, and actuator command 1914 provides a command to the selected contactor in response to actuator command 1914 .

In some embodiments, the operation of bypassing and/or engaging one or more fuses is performed in coordination with the vehicle battery management system and/or accelerator pedal input (or other load demand indication), such as for a circuit breaker that will be blown during a fuse operation. Timing of the inrush current experienced on the device provides an indication to the battery management system or other vehicle power systems that brief fuseless operation is imminent and/or that higher fuse limits will briefly apply. In certain embodiments, during no-blow operation and/or higher fuse limit operation, the device 1900 may operate a virtual fuse, such as if the current experienced is higher than a predicted value (e.g., which is predicted to exceed fuse wear limit but less than the system failure limit, although in practice it appears that the system failure limit will also be exceeded), the device 1900 may operate to open the main high voltage contactor, reengage the fuse, or make another system adjustment to prevent the normal Available fuse operation protects the system.

Referring to Figure 31, an exemplary apparatus 900 for determining an offset voltage to adjust fuse current determination is schematically depicted. The example apparatus 900 includes a controller 214 having a fuse load circuit 702 that determines that the fuse load 704 does not require current and further determines that a contactor associated with the fuse is open. The example apparatus 900 also includes an offset voltage determination circuit 906 that determines the offset voltage of a component in the fuse circuit observed during the portion of the operating cycle that does not require current flow. In certain embodiments, the contactor remains open while the precharge capacitor is still charging after the on cycle, and the fuse load circuit 702 determines that the fuse load 704 does not require current. In some embodiments, the contactor opens during operation of the system, and the example fuse load circuit 702 determines that the fuse load 704 does not require current, including possibly waiting for an observation before determining that the fuse load 704 does not require current. The voltage is stable.

Exemplary apparatus 900 also includes offset data management circuitry 914 that stores offset voltages 906 and delivers current to calculate offset voltages 904 for use in the system to determine flow through one or more components in the system. fuse current. The current calculation offset voltage 904 may be the offset voltage 906 of the applicable component, and/or may be a process or condition value determined by the offset voltage 906 .

An exemplary procedure for determining the offset voltage of a fuse current measurement system is described below. Exemplary programs may be executed by system components such as device 900. Offset voltages occur in the controller 214 due to independent offsets in the operational amplifiers and other solid-state components in the controller 214, as well as due to part-to-part variations, temperature drift, and changes in one or more components of the system over time. Deterioration. The presence of offset voltage limits the accuracy with which measurements of the current flowing through the fuse can be obtained, thereby limiting the types of controls and diagnostics that can be performed in the system.

Exemplary procedures include the operation of determining that the fuse load does not require current. Example operations to determine that a fuse load does not require current include recent on or off events of the vehicle (e.g., the vehicle is started, powered off, in the accessory position, and/or power has not yet been engaged to the fuse of interest), the fuse circuit observations and/or state observations provided by another controller in the system (e.g., the power system controller explicitly indicates that power is not supplied, indicates a state inconsistent with power supply, etc.). Exemplary operations determine that the fuse does not require current during a cut event and/or for a period of time following a make event.

The exemplary routine also includes an operation of determining an offset voltage in response to determining that the fuse load does not require current, and an operation of storing the offset voltage. In some embodiments, the stored offset voltage is stored in non-volatile memory, eg, for subsequent operation of the system. In certain embodiments, the offset voltage is stored in volatile memory and used in current operating cycles. The stored offset voltage may be replaced when a new value is determined for the offset voltage, and/or updated in a scheduled manner (e.g., by averaging or filtering among the updated values, by retaining the new value for Subsequent confirmation before application, etc.).

In accordance with this specification, operations are described for providing offset voltages to components in a fuse circuit for high-confidence determinations of fuse current and fuse resistance values in PDU 102. In certain embodiments, a high-confidence determination of the fuse resistance may be utilized to determine fuse condition, provide a high-accuracy or high-precision determination of the current flowing through the fuse and the power consumption of the system 100 , and/or perform the system Diagnosis, fault management, circuit management, etc.

Referring to Figure 32, an exemplary apparatus 1000 for providing a unique current waveform to improve fuse resistance measurements of a PDU 102 is schematically depicted. The example apparatus 1000 includes a fuse load circuit 702 that determines that the fuse load 704 does not require current and further determines that a contact associated with the fuse is open. The example apparatus 1000 also includes an injection configuration circuit 606 that determines injection characteristics 608 including the frequency, amplitude, and waveform characteristics of the test injection current flowing through the one or more fuses under test. The example device 1000 also includes an injection control circuit 602 that injects current through the fuse based on injection characteristics 608 and a fuse characterization circuit 1002 that determines a or fuse in response to the value measured during the test 1006 Multiple fuse resistors 1004. The example injection control circuit 602 waits for the determination of the voltage offset value while the fuse load 704 is still zero, and the fuse characterization circuit 1002 further utilizes the voltage offset value to determine one or more fuse resistances 1004 of the fuse. In certain embodiments, the injection configuration circuit 606 is responsive to characteristics of the system (e.g., the inherent capacitance and/or inductance of the system, the size of the fuse, the current range of the system during operation, and/or supports the use of fuses). The injection characteristics 608 are determined based on the resistance range and/or desired accuracy determined by operation of the device resistance values. In certain embodiments, high accuracy of fuse resistance supports high accuracy in diagnostics, fuse protection control, and/or battery state-of-charge determination.

In certain embodiments, the fuse characterization circuit 1002 determines one or more fuse resistances 1004 for a given response based on multiple current injection events, each of which may have a magnitude, frequency, and/or waveform. Not one or more. Additionally or alternatively, frequency sweeps, amplitude sweeps, and/or waveform shape management may be manipulated between injection events and/or within a given injection event. The fuse characterization circuit 1002 determines the fuse resistance 1004 by determining, for example, an average resistance value determined during testing. In some embodiments, the fuse characterization circuit 1002 utilizes only a portion of each test window, such as to allow circuit stabilization time after the injection characteristics 608 switch, allowing injection of provisioning circuits (e.g., solid state op amps, PWMs, relays, etc. , which is configured to provide a selected current through the fuse circuit) stabilizes after switching the injection characteristics 608, utilizing a selected amount of data from each test (e.g., for weighting purposes), etc. In certain embodiments, the fuse characterization circuit 1002 may exclude anomalous data (e.g., two of these tests match, but a third test provides a substantially different value) and/or data that appears to indicate rapid changes (which would may not appear to be valid data). In some embodiments, filtering, moving averages, rolling buffers, counters that delay when switching values (e.g., to confirm that the new value appears to be a real change), etc. are applied to the fuse resistor 1004 by the fuse characterization circuit 1002 to Smoothing the changing value of fuse resistance 1004 over time and/or confirming that new information is repeatable. In certain embodiments, each cycle or set of cycles of a given injection waveform can be considered a separate data point for resistance determination. In certain embodiments, the resistive contribution for a given period may also be weighted (e.g., higher Amplitudes and/or lower frequencies provide lower design area under the current-time curve (see, e.g., Figure 35), which can provide a higher number of cycles relative to lower amplitudes and/or higher frequencies of the same waveform. Resistor related information). Additionally or alternatively, measurement confidence may depend on the frequency and/or amplitude of current injections, and thus resistance determinations for these injection events may be weighted accordingly (e.g., lower confidence levels are given less weight, and The higher the confidence level, the higher the weight given). Additionally or alternatively, compliance with the current injection source may depend on the frequency, amplitude, and/or waveform of the current injection, so the determination of resistance for these injection events may be weighted accordingly, and/or determined by the resistance on the injector outlet. Feedback is adjusted as to what frequency, amplitude and/or waveform is actually provided relative to what was commanded.

In certain embodiments, the resistance determination made by the fuse characterization circuit 1002 (including how the resistance is determined from a given test and indicating an average value) depends on the waveform and other parameters. For example, if a sinusoidal waveform is utilized, resistance can be determined from the area under the voltage and current curves, determined from the root mean square determination (of current and/or voltage), and/or high resolution within the voltage determination using the injected current characterization. Rate time slice to determine. Other waveforms will utilize similar techniques to determine resistance. If the circuit exhibits significant impedance (e.g., from underlying capacitance and/or inductance, and/or from components communicating with the circuit that exhibit impedance), this can be determined by varying the frequency and determining the common impedance effect between these tests. Calculate impedance. The availability of multiple tests utilizing varying amplitude, waveform and/or frequency values ensures that high accuracy can be determined even for circuits with complex effects or that exhibit changes due to aging, deterioration or component repair or replacement. Additionally, adjusting the frequency of all tests and/or sweeping the frequency for a given amplitude or waveform can help decouple the phase-shifting aspects of the impedance (e.g., capacitive effects versus inductive effects) to more confidently determine the fuse's resistance . Typically for fuse circuits with closely coupled current sources, the impedance will be minimal. The desired accuracy of the resistance measurement (which may depend on the diagnostics, battery state-of-charge algorithm, and/or fuse protection algorithm used on the system) may also affect whether impedance must be considered, and therefore the choice of injection characteristics 608 utilized .

As can be seen, the use of multiple injected features 608 during testing takes advantage of comparisons between these tests to decouple system characteristics from resistance determination, providing a range of system excitation parameters to ensure system characteristics do not dominate in a single test. , and overall increases the amount of information available for testing to establish statistical confidence in the determined resistance values. Additionally, manipulation of the injection characteristics 608 allows for better averaging, such as to formulate waveforms with high confidence that the resistance calculation is correct (such as using frequency values that avoid resonance or resonant frequencies in the system), providing current versus time (or voltage-time) curve, and/or provide a stable system during this test to ensure correct measurements.

Additionally or alternatively, the fuse characterization circuit 1002 dynamically adjusts the digital filter value prior to the test, between changes in the injection characteristics 608 of the test, and/or during the test (e.g., where at a given injection Utilizing frequency sweeps, amplitude sweeps, and/or waveform changes during an event). In certain embodiments, the measurement of the voltage by the filter circuit utilizes a high-pass filter to determine the injected voltage (and/or current), and the filter characteristics can be manipulated in real time to provide an appropriate filter, such as a cutoff frequency. Utilizing digital filters to measure can also eliminate phase lag between different filter types such as low-pass and high-pass filters (e.g., where the low-pass filter determines the basic supply current during operation, and/or confirms the basic Supply current remains zero or negligible during testing).

Referring to Figure 35, exemplary injection characteristics 608 for example testing are depicted. Injection characteristics 608 include a first injection portion having an amplitude of 10 units of current (eg, amperes, but any unit of current is contemplated herein), a sinusoidal waveform, and approximately 150 units of time (eg, controller 214 period of execution loop, milliseconds, seconds or any other parameter). The units and values depicted in FIG. 35 are non-limiting examples and are used to illustrate the sequential changes in applicable injection characteristics 608. Injection characteristics 608 include a second injection portion having an amplitude of 15 current units, a sawtooth waveform, and a period of approximately 250 time units. Injection characteristics 608 also include a third injection portion having an amplitude of 5 current units, a nearly square waveform (depicting a slightly trapezoidal waveform), and a period of approximately 80 time units. The embodiment depicted in Figure 35 is non-limiting, and other features may be added to this test, including more or less than three different waveforms, gaps between waveforms, and adjustments within waveforms (including sweeps, steps further or otherwise adjust the frequency or amplitude, and/or adjust the waveform itself). The example of Figure 35 shows a trajectory reversal between a first injection characteristic and a second injection characteristic (e.g., a decreasing sine wave to an increasing sawtooth waveform) and a trajectory continuation between the second and third injection characteristics (e.g., a decreasing sine wave to an increasing sawtooth waveform). , decreasing sawtooth wave to increasing square wave), but this article imagines any possibility, including step changes in current, etc.

Referring to Figure 33, an exemplary procedure 1100 for providing a unique current waveform to improve fuse resistance measurements of a PDU 102 is schematically depicted. The process 1100 includes operations 1102 of confirming that the contactor is open (and/or confirming that the fuse load is zero or expected to be zero) and performing a zero voltage offset determination (e.g., to determine the operational amplifier and other components of the controller 214 and Operation 1104 of an offset voltage in the system 100 that is electrically coupled to a fuse circuit and/or electrically coupled to a fuse circuit. Exemplary operation 1102 begins when a contactor opens during a turn-on or system startup event, but any operating condition that meets the criteria for operation 1102 may be utilized. The process 1100 also includes an operation 1106 of performing multiple injection sequences (eg, three sequences each with different frequencies, amplitudes, and waveforms). Operation 1106 may include more than three sequences, and one or more of the sequences may share frequency, amplitude, and/or waveform. Operation 1106 may be configured to perform as many sequences as desired and may be implemented across multiple tests (e.g., in the event that a test is interrupted by operation of the system or exceeds a desired time, the test may be initiated at operation 1102 continue on subsequent sequences). The process 1100 also includes an operation 1108 of determining a fuse resistance value for one or more of the fuses in the system. Process 1100 may operate on individual fuses in the system (including across subgroups of fuses, etc.) where the hardware in the system is configured to support the process.

Referring to Figure 34, an exemplary procedure 1106 for conducting multiple injection sequences is depicted. Exemplary routine 1106 includes operations 1202 of adjusting injection characteristics of a current injection source associated with one or more fuses under test and adjusting one or more voltage and/or current values associated with measuring the filter circuit. Operation 1204 of filter characteristics of the digital filter. The process 1106 also includes an operation 1206 of performing an injection sequence in response to the injection characteristics, and an operation 1208 of performing filtering (eg, thereby measuring current and/or voltage on the fuse circuit in response to the injection event). Routine 1106 also includes operation 1210 of determining whether the current injection sequence is complete, returning to continue injection events at operation 1206 until the sequence is complete (a "YES" determination at operation 1210). For example, referring to Figure 35, at time step 200, operation 1210 will determine "No" because the sine wave portion of the test is still being performed. If operation 1210 determines "YES" (eg, in FIG. 35 where the sine wave portion transitions to a sawtooth portion), then routine 1106 includes operation 1212 to determine whether another injection sequence is required, and in response to operation 1212 determines "YES" ( For example, in Figure 9, where the sine wave portion is completed and the sawtooth portion begins, return to operation 1202 to adjust the injection sequence. In response to a "no" determination at operation 1212 (eg, where the square wave portion is complete and no additional sequences are scheduled in the test), the routine 1106 completes, such as returning to operation 1108 to determine the fuse resistance value from the test.

In accordance with this specification, operations are described to provide varying waveforms for current injection, thereby enhancing the determination of fuse resistance values in PDU 102 . In certain embodiments, a high-confidence determination of the fuse resistance may be utilized to determine fuse condition, provide a high-accuracy or high-precision determination of the current flowing through the fuse and the power consumption of the system 100 , and/or perform the system Diagnosis, fault management, circuit management, etc.

Referring to Figure 36, an example system includes a vehicle 3602 having a powered power path 3604; and a power distribution unit 3606 having a current protection circuit 3608 disposed in the powered power path 3604. Exemplary current protection circuit 3608 includes a first leg 3610 of current protection circuit 3608 that includes a high temperature fuse 3620 (e.g., controllable activation that can be commanded to activate and open the first leg of the current protection circuit). a fuse; a second leg 3612 of the current protection circuit 3608 that includes a thermal fuse 3622; and wherein the first leg 3610 and the second leg 3612 are arranged in parallel (e.g., in the same manner as in FIG. 26 ) coupled in a manner similar to that described in any of Figure 28. The example system includes a controller 3614 having a current detection circuit 3616 and a high temperature fuse activation circuit 3618 structured to determine flow overpower supply path 3614, and the high temperature fuse activation circuit is structured to provide a high temperature fuse activation command in response to the current exceeding a threshold current value. High temperature fuse 3620 is responsive to the high temperature fuse activation command, such as to Activates and opens second leg 3612 when commanded. Upon activation of high temperature fuse 3620, second leg 3612 opens, thereby providing normal fusing operation on first leg 3610 (e.g., thermal fuse 3622 The failure thereby opens the power supply path 3604) and/or opens the power supply path 3604 directly when the contactor 3626 in series with the thermal fuse 3622 has opened.

Certain additional aspects of the exemplary system are described below, any one or more of which may be present in certain embodiments. An exemplary system includes one in which the first resistor throughout the first leg 3620 and the second resistor throughout the second leg 3612 are configured such that the resulting current flowing through the second leg 3612 after activation of the high temperature fuse 3620 is sufficient to activate the thermal Fuse 3622. For example, a high current event may be experienced such that the thermal fuse 3622 would be activated if the second leg 3622 did not consume a portion of the high current event. In this example, opening of the second leg 3612 will increase the current in the first leg 3620 and activate the thermal fuse 3622. One example includes resistor 3624 coupled to thermal fuse 3622 in a series arrangement such that the resulting current flowing through second leg 3612 after activation of high temperature fuse 3620 is below the second threshold current value. For example, an undersized thermal fuse 3622 may be utilized in this system, with the resistor 3624 reducing the operating current flowing through the second branch 3612 . When high temperature fuse 3620 opens, the current flowing through second leg 3612 increases but is still reduced by resistor 3624 to prevent high current transients in power supply path 3604 and still allow sufficient current to flow. Second branch 3612 to activate thermal fuse 3622.

The exemplary system includes a contactor 3626 coupled to a thermal fuse 3622 in a series arrangement. The controller also includes a contactor activation circuit 3628 structured to respond to a high temperature fuse activation command or a current exceeding At least one of the threshold current values is used to provide a contactor opening command. In certain embodiments, contactor 3626 coupled to thermal fuse 3622 in a series arrangement allows control of current flow through second leg 3612, including opening second leg 3612 to disconnect power supply path 3604, Plus the activation of high temperature fuse 3620. Resistor 3624 may additionally be used with contactor 3626 to reduce the resistance through second leg 3612 when high temperature fuse 3620 activates (e.g., in situations where contactor 3626 dynamics may be slower than high temperature fuse 3620 dynamics). current. One example includes a resistor 3624 coupled to a high temperature fuse 3620 in a series arrangement such that the resulting current through the first leg 3610 after activation of the thermal fuse 3622 is below a second threshold current value, such as at the time the thermal fuse 3622 activates. 3622 Reduce the current through the power supply path 3604 in the event that the high temperature fuse 3620 is not already activated (e.g., an unmeasured current spike and/or that occurs after the controller has failed and cannot command the high temperature fuse 3620 to open current spike). The exemplary system includes a second thermal fuse (not shown) coupled to high temperature fuse 3620 in a series arrangement such that the resulting current flowing through first leg 3610 after activation of thermal fuse 3622 is sufficient to activate the second thermal fuse. fuse. For example, the use of a second thermal fuse allows all branches of the power supply path 3604 to have physically responsive fuses, thereby avoiding failure due to a loss of the ability to detect current flow in the system or command activation of the high temperature fuse 3620. In this example, thermal fuse 3622 and the second thermal fuse may be sized to avoid thermal wear during normal operation, but large enough to open the other leg (the first leg) during a high current event. Either thermal fuse 3622 will easily protect the system. As can be seen, the embodiment of the system depicted in Figure 36 not only provides high controllability of the high temperature fuse 3620 that disconnects the power supply, but also provides robust protection of the thermal fuse that will physically Respond to high current values regardless of failures in current sensing or controller operation (which may occur during system failures, vehicle accidents, etc.). Additionally, the utilization of two branches 3610, 3612 (including potential management of the current flowing therethrough using one or more resistors 3624 and/or one or more contactors 3626) allows the utilization of fuses whose Specifications can be set to avoid thermal wear and/or nuisance failure over the life of the vehicle while still providing reliable power disconnect for high current events.

Referring to Figure 37, the exemplary routine includes an operation 3702 of determining a current flowing through a power source path of the vehicle; an operation 3704 of directing the current through a current protection circuit having a parallel arrangement with a high temperature fuse located on a first leg of the current protection circuit and the thermal fuse is located on the second leg of the current protection circuit; and an operation 3706 of providing a high temperature fuse activation command in response to the current exceeding the threshold current value.

Certain additional aspects of the exemplary processes are described below, any one or more of which may be present in certain embodiments. The exemplary procedure further includes configuring the first resistor throughout the first leg and the second resistor throughout the second leg such that the resulting current flowing through the second leg after activation of the high temperature fuse is sufficient to activate operation of the thermal fuse. . Exemplary procedures include configuring the second resistance of the entire second leg such that a resulting current flowing through the second leg after activation of the high temperature fuse is below a second threshold current value. The exemplary routine includes operating a contactor coupled to a thermal fuse in a series arrangement, the routine further including providing contactor opening in response to at least one of providing a high temperature fuse activation command or a current exceeding a threshold current value. command; and/or configuring the second resistance of the entire second leg to operate such that the resulting current flowing through the second leg after activation of the high temperature fuse is below a second threshold current value. The exemplary routine also includes a resistor coupled to the high temperature fuse in a series arrangement such that the resulting current flowing through the first leg after activation of the thermal fuse is less than a second threshold current value; and/or also includes connecting in series A second thermal fuse coupled to the high temperature fuse is arranged such that the resulting current flowing through the first leg after activation of the thermal fuse is sufficient to activate the second thermal fuse.

Referring to Figure 38, an exemplary system includes a vehicle 3802 having a powered power path 3804; a power distribution unit 3806 having a current protection circuit 3808 disposed in the powered power path 3804, wherein the current protection circuit includes a thermal cutoff A first branch 3810 with a contactor 3820 and a second branch 3812 with a contactor 3822. The first branch 3810 and the second branch 3812 are coupled in a parallel arrangement. The system includes a controller 3614 having a current detection circuit 3816 structured to determine the current flowing through the power supply path 3804; and a fuse management circuit 3818 structured to A contactor activation command is provided in response to the electrical current. Contactor 3822 responds to the contactor activation command.

Certain additional aspects of the exemplary system are described below, any one or more of which may be present in certain embodiments. An exemplary system includes wherein the contactor 3822 opens during nominal operation of the vehicle, and wherein the fuse management circuit is structured to respond to a determination that the current is greater than a thermal wear current of the thermal fuse 3820 in the form of a contactor closing command. A contactor activation command is provided; and/or wherein the fuse management circuit is further structured to provide a contactor activation command in the form of a contactor closing command in response to a determination that the current is below a current protection value of the power supply path 3804 . An exemplary system includes wherein the contactor 3822 is closed during nominal operation of the vehicle, and wherein the fuse management circuit is structured to initiate a contactor opening command in response to a determination that the current is above a current protection value for the power supply path 3804 Provides contactor activation commands. Exemplary systems include wherein the fuse management circuit is further structured to provide a contactor activation command in response to electrical current by performing at least one operation selected from: responding to a rate of change of electrical current; Responding to a comparison of the current to a threshold; responding to one of an integrated or accumulated value of the current; and responding to one of an expected or predicted value of any of the foregoing. As can be seen, the embodiment of the system depicted in Figure 38 allows for the utilization of an oversized fuse 3820 that will experience reduced wear and extended life while still allowing circuit protection against moderate overcurrent (e.g., utilizing contactor) and fuse protection for high overcurrent values. As can be seen, the embodiment of the system depicted in Figure 38 allows the utilization of nominal or undersized fuses 3820 that can readily open the circuit at moderate overcurrent values, but experience reduced wear and extended Life (e.g. current sharing via contactor branches).

Referring to FIG. 39 , the exemplary routine includes an operation 3902 of determining a current flowing through a power supply path of the vehicle; an operation 3904 of directing the current through a current protection circuit having a parallel arrangement with a thermal fuse located on a first leg of the current protection circuit. and the contactor is located on the second leg of the current protection circuit; and an operation 3906 of providing a contactor activation command in response to the current flow.

Certain additional aspects of the exemplary processes are described below, any one or more of which may be present in certain embodiments. The exemplary routine also includes an operation of closing the contactor in response to the electrical current. An exemplary procedure includes the operation of determining that the current is below the current protection value of the power supply path before closing the contactor. The exemplary program includes at least one operation selected from the group consisting of: responding to a rate of change of the current; responding to a comparison of the current to a threshold; responding to one of an integrated value or an accumulated value of the current; and any Respond to one of the expected or predicted values of the aforementioned aspects. Exemplary procedures include the operation of opening the contactor in response to the current flow; the operation of determining that the current is above the current protection value of the power supply path before opening the contactor; and/or the operation of opening the contactor, including performing any of the following or more: respond to the rate of change of the current; respond to a comparison of the current to a threshold; respond to one of the integrated or accumulated values of the current; and respond to an expected or predicted value of any of the foregoing. One responds.

Referring to Figure 40, an exemplary system includes a vehicle 4002 having a powered power path 4004; a power distribution unit 4006 having a current protection circuit 4008 disposed in the powered power path 4004, wherein the current protection circuit includes a current protection circuit A first leg 4010 of 4008 and a second leg 4012 of current protection circuit 4008, the first leg including a thermal fuse 4020, and the second leg including a solid state switch 4022. The first branch 4010 and the second branch 4012 are coupled in a parallel arrangement. The exemplary system includes a controller 4014 that includes a current detection circuit 4016 structured to determine current flowing through the power supply path 4004 and a fuse management circuit 4018 structured A switch activation command is provided in response to the current. Solid state switch 4022 responds to switch activation commands. In certain embodiments, the system includes a contactor 4024 coupled to a current protection circuit 4008, wherein the contactor 4024 in the open position causes the current protection circuit 4008 to disconnect (e.g., the contactor 4024 is connected to the two legs 4010 , 4012 in series, and/or the contactor 4024 is in series with the solid-state switch 4022 on the second branch 4012). Any contactor described throughout this disclosure may in certain embodiments be a solid state switch in place of or in series with conventional contactor devices. Solid-state switches are known to respond quickly and be robust to disconnection during high current events. However, solid-state switches also experience small leakage currents, which may be acceptable in some implementations or not in others. In certain embodiments, the combined utilization of conventional contactors and solid state switches allows for both the fast response time and survivability of solid state switches and the forced zero current of conventional contactors. In some embodiments, a solid state switch is used to first open the circuit and then a conventional contactor to open the circuit again, thereby avoiding a situation where conventional contactors open under high current conditions.

Referring to Figure 41, the exemplary routine includes an operation 4102 of determining a current flowing through a power source path of the vehicle; an operation 4104 of directing the current through a current protection circuit having a parallel arrangement with a thermal fuse located on a first leg of the current protection circuit and the solid state switch is located on the second leg of the current protection circuit; and an operation 4106 of providing a switch activation command in response to the current flow.

Certain additional aspects of the exemplary processes are described below, any one or more of which may be present in certain embodiments. Exemplary procedures also include operations of closing the solid-state switch in response to the current flow; and/or determining that the current is below a current protection value for the power supply path prior to closing the solid-state switch. For example, the current value or transient may be high enough to cause degradation of the thermal fuse, but below the threshold that requires a system protective response from the thermal fuse. In certain embodiments, closing the solid state switch reduces the current flow and/or transients through the thermal fuse, thereby reducing wear and/or preventing failure of the thermal fuse. The exemplary routine includes an operation of closing the solid state switch, which includes performing at least one operation such as: responding to a rate of change of the current; responding to a comparison of the current to a threshold; responding to one of an integrated value or an accumulated value of the current respond; and respond to one of the expected or predicted values of any of the foregoing. Exemplary procedures include operations of opening the solid-state switch in response to the current flow; and/or determining that the current is above the current protection value of the power supply path before opening the solid-state switch. The exemplary routine includes an operation of opening the solid state switch, including performing at least one operation selected from the group consisting of: responding to a rate of change of the current; responding to a comparison of the current to a threshold; responding to an integrated or accumulated value of the current. respond to one of; and respond to one of the expected or predicted values of any of the foregoing. An exemplary procedure includes opening the contactor after opening the solid state switch, where opening the contactor disconnects one of the current protection circuit or the second leg of the current protection circuit.

Referring to Figure 42, an exemplary system includes a vehicle having a powered power path 4204; a power distribution unit 4206 having a current protection circuit 4208 disposed in the powered power path 4204, wherein the current protection circuit includes the current protection circuit 4208 The first branch 4220 and the second branch 4212 of the current protection circuit 4208, the first branch includes the first thermal fuse 4220, the second branch includes the second thermal fuse 4222 and the contactor 4224, and wherein The first branch 4220 and the second branch 4212 are coupled in a parallel arrangement. The exemplary system includes a controller including: current detection circuitry 4216 structured to determine current flowing through power supply path 4204; and fuse management circuitry 4218 structured A contactor activation command is provided in response to the electrical current. Contactor 4224 responds to contactor activation commands.

Certain additional aspects of the exemplary system are described below, any one or more of which may be present in certain embodiments. The exemplary system includes wherein the contactor 4224 opens during nominal operation of the vehicle, and wherein the fuse management circuit 4218 is structured to close the contactor in response to a determination that the current is greater than the thermal wear current of the first thermal fuse 4220 Contactor activation commands are provided in the form of commands. The example system includes a fuse management circuit 4218 that is further structured to provide a contactor activation command in the form of a contactor closing command in response to a determination that the current is below the current protection value of the power supply path 4204 . The example system includes vehicle operating conditions circuitry 4226 structured to determine the operating mode of the vehicle (e.g., moving, stopped, high performance, high energy saving, charging, fast charging, etc.) and wherein the fuse management circuit 4218 is further structured to provide contactor activation commands responsive to operating modes. The exemplary system includes a fuse management circuit 4218 that is further structured to provide a contactor activation command in the form of a contactor closing command in response to a mode of operation including an operating mode selected from the group consisting of: At least one operating mode: charging mode; fast charging mode; high performance mode; high power requirement mode; emergency operating mode; and/or limp home mode. An exemplary system includes one in which the contactor 4224 is closed during nominal operation of the vehicle, and in which the fuse management circuit 4218 is structured to initiate a contactor open command in response to a determination that the current is above the current protection value of the power supply path 4204 form provides contactor activation commands. Exemplary systems include wherein the contactor is closed during nominal operation of the vehicle, and wherein the fuse management circuit 4218 is structured to provide a contactor activation command in the form of a contactor opening command in response to the operating mode; and/or wherein The fuse management circuit 4218 is further structured to provide a contactor activation command in the form of a contactor opening command in response to a mode of operation including at least one of an energy saving mode or a maintenance mode. For example, during certain operating conditions such as during a power save mode or during a maintenance event, a reduced maximum power throughput through the power supply path 4204 may be enforced, with the opening of the contactor 4224 used to provide for the reduced maximum power throughput. Configurable fuse protection is provided.

Referring to FIG. 43 , the exemplary routine includes an operation 4302 of determining a current flowing through a power source path of the vehicle; an operation 4304 of directing the current through a current protection circuit having a parallel arrangement with a first thermal fuse located in a first portion of the current protection circuit. on the branch and the second thermal fuse and contactor are on the second branch of the current protection circuit; and an operation 4306 of providing a contactor activation command in response to the current flow.

Certain additional aspects of the exemplary processes are described below, any one or more of which may be present in certain embodiments. The exemplary routine also includes operations of closing the contactor in response to a current that is greater than a thermal wear current of the first thermal fuse; and/or further in response to a current that is less than a current protection value of the power supply path. The exemplary routine includes operations of determining an operating mode of the vehicle and further providing a contactor activation command responsive to the operating mode. The exemplary routine includes an operation of providing a contactor activation command in the form of a contactor closing command in response to an operating mode including at least one operating mode selected from the group consisting of: charging mode; high performance mode; high power demand mode; emergency operating mode; and limp home mode. Exemplary procedures include providing a contactor activation command in the form of a contactor open command in response to a determination that the current is above a current protection value for the power supply path; and/or providing the contact in the form of a contactor open command in response to the operating mode The operation mode includes at least one of an energy saving mode or a maintenance mode.

Referring to Figure 44, an exemplary system includes a vehicle 4402 having a powered power path 4404; a power distribution unit 4406 having a current protection circuit 4408 disposed in the powered power path 4404, wherein the current protection circuit includes: A first branch 4410 of the protection circuit 4408, which includes a first thermal fuse 4420 and a first contactor 4424; a second branch 4412 of the current protection circuit 4408, which includes a second thermal fuse 4422 and the second contactor 4426; and wherein the first branch 4410 and the second branch 4412 are coupled in a parallel arrangement. The exemplary system includes a controller 4414 that includes current detection circuitry 4416 structured to determine current flowing through power supply path 4404; and fuse management circuitry 4418 structured Multiple contactor activation commands are provided in response to current flow. The first contactor 4424 and the second contactor 4426 are responsive to the contactor activation command to provide the selected configuration of the current protection circuit 4408 .

Certain additional aspects of the exemplary system are described below, any one or more of which may be present in certain embodiments. The exemplary system includes wherein the current protection circuit further includes: one or more additional branches 4413, wherein each additional branch 4413 includes an additional thermal fuse 4423 and an additional contactor 4428; and wherein each additional contactor 4428 is further responsive to The contactor activation command provides the selected configuration of current protection circuit 4408. The example system includes a vehicle operating conditions circuit 4430 structured to determine an operating mode of the vehicle, and wherein a fuse management circuit 4418 is further structured to provide a contactor activation command in response to the operating mode. The example fuse management circuit 4418 is further structured to determine an active current rating of the power supply path 4404 responsive to the operating mode and to provide a contactor activation command responsive to the active current rating. The exemplary system includes wherein the first leg 4410 of the current protection circuit 4408 further includes an additional first contactor 4427 arranged in parallel with the first thermal fuse 4420 and wherein the current detection circuit 4416 is further structured to determine the first leg current , wherein the fuse management circuit 4418 is further structured to provide a contactor activation command further in response to the first branch current, and wherein an additional first contactor 4427 is responsive to the contactor activation command. The exemplary system includes an additional first contactor 4427 that opens during nominal operation of the vehicle, and wherein the fuse management circuit 4418 is structured to respond to a determination that the first branch current is greater than the thermal fuse of the first thermal fuse 4420 wear current to provide a contactor activation command including an additional first contactor closing command. The example system includes a fuse management circuit 4418 structured to provide an additional first contactor closing command in response to a determination of at least one of the following: the first branch current is below a first branch current protection value , or the current is lower than the power supply path current protection value. The exemplary system includes wherein the additional first contactor 4427 is closed during nominal operation of the vehicle, and wherein the fuse management circuit 4418 is structured to provide an additional first contactor open command in response to determining at least one of: Contactor activation command: The first branch current is higher than the first branch current protection value, or the current is higher than the power supply path current protection value. The example system may also include additional contactors 4428 positioned on any one or more of the branches 4410, 4412, 4413. Any one or more of the contactors 4424, 4426, 4428 may be configured in series and/or parallel with an associated thermal fuse 4420, 4422, 4423 on an associated leg.

Referring to FIG. 45 , the exemplary routine includes an operation 4502 of determining a current flowing through a power source path of the vehicle; an operation 4504 of directing the current through a current protection circuit having a parallel arrangement with a first thermal fuse and a first contactor located in the current on a first leg of the protection circuit, with the second thermal fuse and the second contactor on the second leg of the current protection circuit; and providing a selected portion of the current protection circuit in response to current flowing through the power source path of the vehicle. An operation 4506 of configuration, wherein providing the selected configuration includes providing a contactor activation command to each of the first contactor and the second contactor.

Certain additional aspects of the exemplary processes are described below, any one or more of which may be present in certain embodiments. Exemplary procedures include operations that further include at least one additional branch of the current protection circuit, each additional branch of the current protection circuit having an additional thermal fuse and an additional contactor, and wherein selected portions of the current protection circuit are provided The configuration includes providing contactor activation commands to each additional contactor. Exemplary procedures include an operation of determining an operating mode of the vehicle and further providing a selected configuration responsive to the operating mode; and/or an operation of determining an active current rating of the power source path responsive to the operating mode and wherein providing a current protection circuit The selected configuration further responds to the active current rating. The exemplary process includes an operation of determining an active current rating of the power source path, and wherein a selected configuration of the current protection circuit is provided further responsive to the active current rating. An exemplary procedure includes operations wherein the first leg of the current protection circuit further includes an additional first contactor arranged in parallel with the first thermal fuse, the procedure further comprising determining the first leg current and wherein the The selected configuration also includes providing a contactor activation command to the additional first contactor; an operation of closing the additional first contactor in response to determining that the first branch current is greater than a thermal wear current of the first thermal fuse; further in response to determining that the first branch current is greater than a thermal wear current of the first thermal fuse; The operation of closing the additional first contactor is at least one of the following: the first branch current is lower than the first branch current protection value, or the current is lower than the power supply path current protection value; and/or in response to determining at least one of the following The operation of disconnecting the additional first contactor: the first branch current is higher than the first branch current protection value, or the current is higher than the power supply path current protection value.

Referring to Figure 46, an exemplary system includes a vehicle 4602 having a powered power path 4604; a power distribution unit 4606 having a current protection circuit 4608 disposed in the powered power path 4604, wherein the current protection circuit 4608 includes a fuse 4610. The exemplary system also includes a controller 4614 that includes a fuse status circuit 4616 structured to determine a fuse event value; and a fuse management circuit 4618 structured to Provides circuit breaker event responses based on circuit breaker event values.

Certain additional aspects of the exemplary system are described below, any one or more of which may be present in certain embodiments. The exemplary system includes a fuse life description circuit 4619 structured to determine a fuse life remaining value, wherein the fuse event value includes an indication that the fuse life remaining value is below a threshold, and wherein the fuse management Circuitry 4618 is further structured to provide a fuse event response further based on the remaining fuse life value. Exemplary and non-limiting operations for providing a fuse event include providing a fault code and/or notification of the fuse event value, e.g., to a data link, another controller in the system, as a maintenance notification, to a fleet owner ( For example, maintenance managers), stored as fault codes for maintenance inspections, and/or stored as notifications to operators, mobile equipment, maintenance reports, etc. Exemplary and non-limiting operations for providing a fuse event response include: adjusting the maximum power rating of the power supply path; adjusting the maximum power slew rate of the power supply path; and/or adjusting the configuration of the current protection circuit. Exemplary systems include wherein the current protection circuit 4606 further includes a contactor 4612 coupled to the fuse 4610 in a parallel arrangement; and/or wherein the fuse management circuit 4618 is further structured to provide the contactor in response to a fuse event value Activate command. In this example, contactor 4612 responds to a contactor activation command. The exemplary system includes wherein the fuse management circuit 4618 is further structured to provide contactor activation in the form of a contact closure command in response to the fuse event value being one of a thermal wear event or an impending thermal wear event of the fuse 4610 Order. The exemplary system includes one in which the fuse management circuit 4618 is further structured to adjust the current threshold of the contactor activation command in response to a remaining value of fuse life (e.g., to open the contact at a lower or higher threshold as the fuse ages. device). The exemplary system includes a cooling system 4620 that is at least selectively thermally coupled to the fuse, and a cooling system interface 4622 (e.g., hardware interface such as flow coupler, valve, etc., and/or communication interface such as network commands, electrical coupler, etc.); and/or wherein providing a fuse event response includes adjusting the cooling system interface 4622 of the cooling system 4620 in response to a remaining fuse life value (eg, increasing active cooling capabilities for the fuse as the fuse ages).

Referring to FIG. 47 , the exemplary routine includes operations 4702 of determining a fuse event value for a fuse disposed in a current protection circuit disposed in a power supply path of the vehicle; and providing the fuse based on the fuse event value. Event response operations 4704.

Certain additional aspects of the exemplary processes are described below, any one or more of which may be present in certain embodiments. The exemplary program further includes an operation of determining a fuse life remaining value, wherein the fuse event value includes an indication that the fuse life remaining value is below a threshold, and further providing a fuse event response based on the fuse life remaining value; providing a fuse event The operations of responding include providing at least one of a fault code or a notification of a fuse event value; the operations of providing a response to the fuse event include adjusting a maximum power rating of the power supply path; the operations of providing a response to the fuse event include adjusting the power supply path of the maximum power slew rate; operations that provide fuse event response include adjusting the configuration of the current protection circuit. Exemplary procedures include operations wherein the current protection circuit further includes a contactor coupled to the fuse in a parallel arrangement; wherein the fuse management circuit is further structured to provide a contactor activation command in response to a fuse event value; and wherein the contactor is responsive to a contactor activation command; wherein the fuse management circuit is further structured to respond to the fuse event value including one of a thermal wear event or an impending thermal wear event of the fuse with the contactor closure command. The form provides a contactor activation command; and/or wherein the fuse management circuit is further structured to adjust the current threshold of the contactor activation command in response to a remaining fuse life value. Exemplary procedures include operations to provide a fuse event response including adjusting a cooling system interface in response to a remaining fuse life value such that the cooling system is at least selectively thermally coupled to the fuse. An example program includes an operation of providing a circuit breaker event response, including providing at least one of a fault code or notification of a circuit breaker event value. The exemplary routine includes operations of determining an accumulated fuse event description in response to a fuse event response and storing the accumulated fuse event description. The exemplary program includes an operation of providing an accumulated fuse event description, wherein providing the accumulated fuse event description includes at least one of: providing at least one of a fault code or notification of the accumulated fuse event description; and in response to a maintenance event or to An operation of accumulating fuse event descriptions is provided by accumulating at least one of the requests for fuse event descriptions.

Referring to Figure 48, an exemplary system includes a vehicle 4802 having a powered power path 4804 and at least one auxiliary power path 4805; a power distribution unit 4806 having a powered current protection circuit 4808 disposed in the powered power path 4804, The powered current protection circuit includes a fuse; and an auxiliary current protection circuit 4810 disposed in each of the at least one auxiliary power path 4805, each auxiliary current protection circuit 4810 including an auxiliary fuse (not shown). out). The system includes a controller 4814 that includes a current determination circuit 4816 structured to interpret a motive current value corresponding to a motive power supply path and corresponding to each of the at least one auxiliary power supply path. auxiliary current value.

Certain additional aspects of the exemplary system are described below, any one or more of which may be present in certain embodiments. The example system includes a motive current sensor 4824 electrically coupled to the motive power supply path 4804, wherein the motive current sensor 4824 is configured to provide a motive current value. The example system includes at least one auxiliary current sensor 4826, each auxiliary current sensor electrically coupled to one of at least one auxiliary power path, each auxiliary current sensor 4826 configured to provide a corresponding auxiliary current value. An exemplary system includes wherein the controller 4814 further includes a vehicle interface circuit 4828 structured to provide power current values to a vehicle network (not shown); wherein the vehicle interface circuit 4828 is further structured to provide a power current value to the vehicle network (not shown); an auxiliary current value corresponding to each of the at least one auxiliary power path 4805; and/or further including a battery management controller (not shown) configured to receive the power current value from the vehicle network. In certain embodiments, one or more of the motive current value and/or the one or more auxiliary current values are provided by a fuse current model, such as based on a load voltage drop across the fuse and/or by a load voltage drop across the fuse. The injection current operation determines the fuse resistance (and/or fuse dynamic resistance or fuse impedance) value. Utilization of fuse current models may provide higher accuracy of current determination (eg, relative to modestly capable or inexpensive current sensors) and/or faster response times compared to sensors. In certain embodiments, current sensors may be combined with the utilization of fuse current models, such as to favor one or the other of the sensors or models based on operating conditions and the expected accuracy of the sensor or model derived for the operating conditions. One.

Referring to Figure 49, the exemplary process includes operations 4902 of providing a power distribution unit having a motive current protection circuit and at least one auxiliary current protection circuit; operations 4904 of powering the vehicle motive power supply path through the motive current protection circuit; and by at least The operation 4906 of powering at least one auxiliary load with a corresponding one of the auxiliary current protection circuits; the operation 4908 of determining a motive current value corresponding to the motive power path; and determining the operation 4908 of each of the at least one auxiliary current protection circuit. Operation 4910 corresponding to the auxiliary current value.

Certain additional aspects of the exemplary processes are described below, any one or more of which may be present in certain embodiments. Exemplary procedures also include operations for providing a power current value to the vehicle network; and/or receiving a power current value with the battery management controller.

Referring to Figure 50, an exemplary system includes a vehicle 5002 having a power supply path 5004; a power distribution unit 5006 having a current protection circuit 5008 disposed in the power supply path 5004, wherein the current protection circuit includes: a thermal fuse and a contactor 5022 arranged in series with the thermal fuse 5020. The system also includes a controller 5014 that includes a current detection circuit 5016 structured to determine the current flowing through the power supply path 5004; and a fuse management circuit 5018 structured A contactor activation command is provided in response to the electrical current; and wherein the contactor 5022 is responsive to the contactor activation command.

Certain additional aspects of the exemplary system are described below, any one or more of which may be present in certain embodiments. Exemplary systems include where the thermal fuse 5020 includes a current rating that is greater than the current corresponding to the maximum power throughput of the power supply path 5004 (e.g., where the fuse is sized to avoid wear or degradation up to maximum power throughput where the fuses are sized to accommodate higher power ratings and/or fast charging power throughput, etc.). An exemplary system includes one in which thermal fuse 5020 includes a current rating that is higher than a current corresponding to the fast charging power throughput of power supply path 5004 . An exemplary system includes one in which the contactor 5020 includes a current rating that is higher than the current corresponding to the maximum power throughput of the power supply path 5004 . In certain embodiments, the current corresponding to the maximum power throughput of power supply path 5004 may correspond to the current at nominal voltage, and/or the current at degradation and/or failure mode voltages (e.g., in a battery pack during aging, and/or in the event of deactivation of one or more battery cells). An exemplary system includes one in which the contactor 5022 includes a current rating that is higher than a current corresponding to the fast charging power throughput of the power supply path 5004 . The exemplary system includes one in which the fuse management circuit 5018 is further structured to provide a contactor activation command in the form of a contactor open command in response to a current-indicating power path protection event. The example current detection circuit 5016 determines a power supply path protection event by performing at least one of: responding to a rate of change of the current; responding to a comparison of the current to a threshold; responding to one of an integrated or accumulated value of the current respond to one; and/or respond to one of the expected or predicted values of any of the foregoing.

Referring to FIG. 51 , the exemplary routine includes operations 5102 of powering a power supply path of the vehicle through a current protection circuit that includes a thermal fuse and a contactor arranged in series with the thermal fuse; and determining the power supply path flowing through the power supply path. Operation 5104 of electrical current; and operation of selectively opening the contactor in response to the electrical current.

Certain additional aspects of the exemplary processes are described below, any one or more of which may be present in certain embodiments. Exemplary procedures also include the operation of providing a thermal fuse with a current rating that is greater than a current corresponding to the maximum power throughput of the powered power path. Exemplary procedures include providing operation of a thermal fuse having a current rating that is greater than a current corresponding to the fast charging power throughput of the powered power path. Exemplary procedures include providing operation of a contactor having a current rating that is higher than a current corresponding to the maximum power throughput of the motive power path. Exemplary procedures include providing operation of a contactor having a current rating that is higher than a current corresponding to the fast charging power throughput of the power supply path. Exemplary procedures include operating the contactor further in response to at least one of: a rate of change of the current; a comparison of the current to a threshold; one of an integrated value or a cumulative value of the current; and/or an expected value of any of the foregoing. or predicted value.

Referring to FIG. 52 , the exemplary routine includes operations 5202 of powering a power supply path of the vehicle through a current protection circuit that includes a thermal fuse and a contactor arranged in series with the thermal fuse; determining the current flowing through the power supply path. operations 5204; operations 5206 of opening the contactor in response to the current exceeding the threshold; operation 5208 of confirming that the vehicle operating conditions permit reconnection of the contactor; and operation 5210 of commanding the contactor to close in response to the vehicle operating conditions. Previously known fuse systems, including those with controllable high temperature fuses, are unable to restore system power after an overcurrent event because the fuse has opened the circuit and cannot be restored. Certain exemplary embodiments throughout this disclosure provide systems that can open a circuit under certain circumstances without activating a fuse. Therefore, in some embodiments, power can be restored after a high current event, providing additional capability. However, in some embodiments, such as where emergency personnel and/or maintenance personnel are accessing the system after an overcurrent event, it may not be desirable to restore power to the system. In some embodiments, the controller is configured to perform certain checks before attempting to restore power, including checking current operating conditions and permissions. Additionally or alternatively, the controller is configured to determine whether conditions causing the overcurrent event still exist during and/or shortly after the attempt to restore power. Additionally or alternatively, the controller is configured to determine whether the contactor or another electrical device has been damaged during an overcurrent event or during a disconnection procedure performed to prevent an overcurrent event.

Certain additional aspects of the exemplary processes are described below, any one or more of which may be present in certain embodiments. The exemplary routine also includes an operation to confirm a vehicle operating condition, and in certain embodiments, further includes determining at least one vehicle operating condition such as: emergency vehicle operating condition; user override vehicle operating condition; maintenance event vehicle operating condition; and reconnect commands transmitted over the vehicle network. In certain embodiments, emergency vehicle operating conditions may indicate that reconnection is desired, such as where continued operation of the vehicle is more important than damage to the vehicle's electrical system. In certain embodiments, emergency vehicle operating conditions may indicate that reconnection is not desired, such as where the vehicle has experienced an accident and disconnection of power is desired to protect vehicle occupants and/or emergency responders. In certain embodiments, the maintenance event vehicle operating conditions indicate that reconnection is desired, such as in the event a maintenance operator requests repowering of the vehicle. In certain embodiments, service event vehicle operating conditions indicate that reconnection is not expected, such as when service personnel are performing service, maintenance, or repairs on the vehicle.

Exemplary procedures include monitoring the power supply path during commanded contactor closure and re-opening the contactor in response to such monitoring (e.g., where post-closure current and/or current transient indications of conditions causing overcurrent may still be active of). Exemplary procedures include an operation of determining a cumulative contactor open event description in response to opening the contactor, and/or an operation of preventing commanded contactor closure in response to the cumulative contactor open event description exceeding a threshold. For example, cumulative contactor open events may be determined from multiple contactor open events under load and/or based on the severity of these events. In the event that multiple disconnection events are experienced under load and/or in the event that one or more severe disconnection events are experienced, reconnection of the contactor may be undesirable to avoid further damage, overheating, and/or destruction of the contactor. Risk of damaged contactors sticking or welding (which may prevent subsequent re-opening of the contactor). Exemplary procedures include operations described by adjusting accumulated contactor opening events in response to current flow during opening of the contactor. Exemplary procedures include diagnosing operation of the welding contactor in response to one of monitoring of current flow during opening of the contactor and/or monitoring of the power supply path during commanding the contactor to close. Exemplary procedures include responses to contactor actuator position during opening of the contactor (e.g., failure of the actuator to respond as expected when commanded), contactor actuator response, and/or changes in the power supply path. At least one monitor is used to diagnose the operation of the welding contactor. The exemplary routine also includes an operation to prevent commanded contactor closure in response to a diagnosed welded contactor.

Referring to FIG. 53 , the exemplary apparatus includes a power supply current protection circuit 5308 structured to: determine a current flowing through a power supply path 5304 of the vehicle; and in response to the current exceeding a threshold, disconnect a current Contactor 5322 in protection circuit 5308, which current protection circuit includes thermal fuse 5320 and contactor 5322 arranged in series with thermal fuse 5320. The apparatus also includes a vehicle repower circuit 5316 structured to: confirm that vehicle operating conditions permit reconnection of the contactor; and close the contactor 5322 in response to the vehicle operating conditions.

Certain other aspects of the exemplary devices are described below, any one or more of which may be present in certain embodiments. Exemplary apparatus include wherein the vehicle repower circuit 5316 is further structured to confirm a vehicle operating condition by confirming at least one vehicle operating condition such as: emergency vehicle operating condition; user override vehicle operating condition; maintenance event vehicle operating condition; and Reconnect command transmitted over the vehicle network (not shown). For example, the system may include an operator override interface (e.g., push button, control input sequence, etc.) that provides operator input to protect the power source when the power supply current protection circuit 5308 has opened the contactor 5322 The system is requesting continued power operation. In certain embodiments, operator access to the override is used by the vehicle repower circuit 5316 to command reconnection of the contactor. In certain embodiments, reconnection with operator input includes allowing reconnection only for certain applications (e.g., emergency or military vehicles), and/or only allowing reconnection for a certain period of time (e.g., 10 seconds or 30 seconds ), and/or allow reconnection only if the electrical conditions after reconnection do not indicate the occurrence of another overcurrent event. In certain embodiments, the vehicle repower circuit 5316 may additionally or alternatively derate the maximum power, derate the maximum power slew rate, provide notifications or warnings to the operator during reconnect operations, and/or A notification or warning is provided to the operator when the reconnection time period is about to expire (eg, a first light or light sequence during the reconnection operation, and a different light or light sequence when the reconnection time period is about to expire).

Exemplary arrangements include wherein the power source current protection circuit 5308 is further structured to monitor the power source path during closing of the contactor, and wherein the vehicle repower circuit 5316 is further structured to re-open the contactor in response to such monitoring. The exemplary apparatus includes a contactor status circuit 5318 structured to determine an accumulated contactor open event description in response to opening contactor 5322; wherein a vehicle repower circuit 5316 is further structured to respond to an accumulated contactor open event description. The contactor open event description exceeds a threshold preventing closing the contactor 5322; and/or wherein the contactor status circuit 5318 is further structured to adjust the accumulated contactor open event description in response to current flow during opening of the contactor. The exemplary apparatus includes a contactor status circuit 5318 structured to diagnose a welding contactor in response to commanding the contactor to close during one of: current flow during opening of the contactor 5322, and/or power source The current protection circuit 5308 monitors the power supply path. The exemplary apparatus includes a contactor status circuit 5318 structured to diagnose a welded contactor in response to monitoring of at least one of the following during contact opening: a vehicle repower circuit 5316 to a contactor actuator monitoring of the position; monitoring of the contactor actuator response by the vehicle repower circuit 5316; and monitoring of the power supply path by the power supply current protection circuit 5308; and/or wherein the contactor status circuit 5318 is further structured to respond to the Diagnostic welding of the contactor prevents closing of the contactor.

An exemplary system (eg, with reference to FIGS. 1 and 2 ) includes a vehicle having a power supply path; a power distribution unit including: a current protection circuit disposed in the power supply path, the current protection circuit including a thermal A fuse and a contactor arranged in series with the thermal fuse; a high voltage power supply input coupler, the high voltage power supply input coupler including a first electrical interface of the high voltage power supply; a high voltage power supply output coupler, the high voltage power supply output coupling The device includes a second electrical interface to the power supply load; and wherein the current protection circuit electrically couples the high voltage power supply input to the high voltage power supply output, and wherein the current protection circuit is at least partially disposed at a laminate layer of the power distribution unit (e.g., reference 12 to 17), wherein the laminate layer includes an electrically conductive flow path disposed between two electrically insulating layers.

Certain additional aspects of the exemplary system are described below, any one or more of which may be present in certain embodiments. Exemplary systems include wherein the current protection circuit includes a powered power bus disposed in a laminate layer of power distribution units. The exemplary system includes wherein the vehicle further includes an auxiliary power path; wherein the power distribution unit further includes: an auxiliary current protection circuit disposed in the auxiliary power path, the auxiliary current protection circuit including a second thermal fuse; and an auxiliary voltage power input coupler, The auxiliary voltage power supply input coupler includes a first auxiliary electrical interface of the low voltage power supply; the auxiliary voltage power supply output coupler includes a second auxiliary electrical interface of the auxiliary load; and wherein the auxiliary current protection circuit will auxiliary The voltage supply input is electrically coupled to the auxiliary voltage supply output, and wherein the auxiliary current protection circuit is at least partially disposed in a laminate layer of the power distribution unit. Exemplary systems include wherein the laminate layer of the power distribution unit further includes at least one thermally conductive flow path disposed between two thermally insulating layers; wherein the at least one thermally conductive flow path is configured to provide a heat sink (e.g., a cooling system, a housing, or a heat sink having a thermal coupler between other system aspects of high thermal mass, and/or ambient air) and a heat source, wherein the heat source includes at least one of a contactor, a thermal fuse, and a second thermal fuse; wherein the heat sink includes an active cooling at least one of a thermal coupler of the source and a housing of the power distribution unit; and/or further comprising a heat pipe disposed between the at least one thermally conductive flow path and the heat source.

Referring to Figure 55, an exemplary system includes a vehicle 5502 having a powered power path 5504; a power distribution unit 5506 including a current protection circuit 5508 disposed in the powered power path 5504 that includes a thermal fuse. 5520 and a contactor 5522 arranged in series with the thermal fuse 5520; a current source circuit 5516 electrically coupled to the thermal fuse 5520 and structured to inject current across the thermal fuse 5520 (e.g., driven using an operational amplifier current source); and a voltage determination circuit 5518 electrically coupled to the thermal fuse 5520 and structured to determine at least one of an amount of injected voltage and a thermal fuse impedance value.

Certain additional aspects of the exemplary system are described below, any one or more of which may be present in certain embodiments. An exemplary system includes wherein the power supply path 5504 includes a DC power path (eg, a power supply path); and wherein the current source circuit 5516 includes at least one of an AC current source and a time-varying current source, and further includes a thermal fuse electrically coupled to Hardware filter 5524 for 5520. In this example, hardware filter 5524 is configured in response to the injection frequency of current source circuit 5516; wherein hardware filter 5524 includes a high-pass filter 5526 having an injection frequency responsive to the injection frequency of current source circuit 5516 (e.g., with The cutoff frequency determined by removing voltage fluctuations significantly lower than the injected AC frequency). The exemplary system includes a hardware filter 5524 having a low pass filter 5528 with a load responsive to the injection frequency of the current source circuit (e.g., to remove voltage fluctuations caused by current injection) or power supply path 5504 The cutoff frequency is determined by at least one of changing values (for example, to remove transient fluctuations caused by load changes). In certain embodiments, the high-pass filtered voltage is analyzed separately from the low-pass filtered voltage, for example, where the base voltage signal is analyzed with an applied low-pass filter and an applied high-pass filter, respectively, thereby allowing the injection current to be determined separately The response voltage and the base voltage due to the current load. In certain embodiments, the voltage determination circuit 5518 is further structured to determine the injection voltage drop of the thermal fuse in response to the output of the high pass filter; and/or wherein the voltage determination circuit 5518 is further structured to determine the injection voltage drop in response to the output of the high pass filter. drop to determine the thermal fuse impedance value. In certain embodiments, the voltage determination circuit 5518 is further structured to determine the load voltage drop of the thermal fuse 5520 in response to the output of the low pass filter, and/or wherein the system further includes a load current circuit 5519 that The current circuit is structured to determine the load current flowing through the fuse in response to the thermal fuse impedance value (eg, determined by the response voltage of the injected current) and further in response to the load voltage drop from the low pass filter.

Referring to Figure 54, an exemplary system includes a vehicle 5402 having a powered power path 5404; a power distribution unit 5406 including a current protection circuit 5408 disposed in the powered power path 5404 that includes a thermal fuse. 5420 and a contactor 5422 arranged in series with the thermal fuse 5420; the example system also includes a current source circuit 5416 electrically coupled to the thermal fuse 5420 and structured to inject current across the thermal fuse 5420; and Voltage determination circuit 5518 electrically coupled to the thermal fuse 5420 and structured to determine at least one of an injected voltage amount and a thermal fuse impedance value, wherein the voltage determination circuit 5518 includes a high pass filter (e.g., analog Filter 5428, which is depicted within bandpass filter 5426 but may additionally or alternatively include a high pass filter) having a cutoff frequency selected in response to the frequency of the injected current.

Certain additional aspects of the exemplary system are described below, any one or more of which may be present in certain embodiments. An exemplary system includes one in which the voltage determination circuit 5518 further includes a bandpass filter 5426 having a bandwidth selected to define the frequency of the injected current. For example, in the case where the frequency of the injected current is 200 Hz, the bandpass filter 5426 may be configured to have a cutoff frequency of 190 Hz to 210 Hz, 195 Hz to 205 Hz, 199 Hz to 201 Hz, within 5% of the injection frequency, and/or The deviation from the injection frequency is within 1%. One skilled in the art, having the benefit of the disclosure herein, can determine the appropriate injection frequency and/or injection frequency range to be utilized, as well as the determination of the high-pass filter and/or band-pass filter that provides the appropriate conditioned voltage response to the injected current. value. Some considerations for selecting the injection frequency and bandpass filtering range include, but are not limited to, the frequency components (including fundamental frequencies and harmonics) in electrical communication with the power supply system, the noise environment of the system, expectations for thermal fuse impedance value determination Accuracy, dynamic response and capabilities of the current injector, dynamic response and attenuation capabilities of the filter, time that can be used to determine the injection event, number of fuses to be checked coupled to one or more current injectors, used to determine The desired time response to a change in fuse impedance value, and/or the amount of statistical and/or frequency component analysis post-processing available on the controller 5414.

An exemplary system includes where the high pass filter includes an analog hardware filter 5428 and where the band pass filter 5426 includes a digital filter 5430. For example, analog hardware filter 5428 may perform high-pass filtering functions, and downstream digital filter 5430 may perform digital or analytical bandpass filtering functions on the high-pass filtered input. An exemplary system includes a filter 5430 in which both the high pass filter and the band pass filter are digital filters. The example voltage determination circuit 5518 is further structured to determine the thermal fuse impedance value in response to injected voltage drops from the high-pass and band-pass filtered inputs. The exemplary system includes a fuse characterization circuit 5418 that stores a fuse resistance value and/or a fuse impedance value, and/or a fuse characterization circuit 5418 that further updates the fuse resistance value in response to the thermal fuse impedance value. and the stored one of the fuse impedance values. The exemplary system includes wherein the fuse characterization circuit 5418 further updates the stored one of the fuse resistance value and the fuse impedance value by performing at least one operation such as: updating the value to the thermal fuse impedance value (e.g., replacing a stored value with a determined value instantaneously or periodically); filtering a value using the thermal fuse impedance value as a filter input (e.g., continuously moving toward a determined value, such as with a selected time constant); rejecting thermal fuse impedance values within a certain time period or a certain determined number of thermal fuse impedance values (e.g., in the case of determining low confidence values and/or outliers, within a certain time period or selected Set aside or ignore the value for a determined amount, and/or subsequently confirm the value if it behaves stably over time); and/or update the value by performing a rolling average of multiple thermal impedance values over time ( For example, using a rolling buffer or other memory construct to replace older determinations with newer determinations). The exemplary system includes wherein the power distribution unit 5406 further includes a plurality of thermal fuses 5420 disposed therein, and wherein the current source circuit 5416 is further electrically coupled to the plurality of thermal fuses (which may be selectively coupled to various fuses). a single current source, and/or a separate current source controllable by current source circuit 5416). The example current source circuit 5416 is further configured to inject current sequentially across each of the plurality of thermal fuses (e.g., to check the thermal fuse impedance value and/or of each of the fuses in a selected sequence). or resistance). The example voltage determination circuit 5518 is further electrically coupled to each of the plurality of thermal fuses, and is further structured to determine an amount of injected voltage, a thermal fuse impedance value, for each of the plurality of thermal fuses. At least one. The example current source circuit 5416 is further configured to sequentially inject current across each of the plurality of thermal fuses in a selected order of the fuses (e.g., the fuses do not have to be checked in any particular order, and do not have to be checked in the same frequency or the same number of times to check). The example current source circuit 5416 is further structured to adjust the selected sequence in response to at least one of: a rate of change in the temperature of each of the fuses (e.g., fuses that change temperature faster may be checked more frequently fuse); the criticality value of each of the fuses (e.g., power supply fuses can be checked more frequently than non-critical auxiliary fuses); the criticality of each of the fuses (e.g., A mission-disabling fuse may be checked more frequently than another fuse); the power throughput of each of the fuses (e.g., similar to the rate of change of temperature, and/or to indicate increased wear of the fuse or the possibility of aging); and/or one of a fault condition or a fuse health condition for each of the fuses (e.g., fuses with suspected or active faults and/or wear may be inspected more frequently or aging fuses to track fuse progress, confirm or clear diagnostics, and/or detect or respond to failures more quickly). The example current source circuit 5416 is further structured to adjust the selected sequence in response to one of the vehicle's planned duty cycle and the observed duty cycle (e.g., based on the planned duty cycle of the vehicle or power supply circuit) ratio and/or adjust the fuse check sequence and/or frequency based on the observed duty cycle of the vehicle or power supply circuit, thereby allowing adaptation to various applications and/or observed runtime variations). Exemplary systems include where the current source circuit 5416 is further structured to inject current through a series of injection frequency sweeps (e.g., to ensure robustness to system noise, inform a multi-frequency impedance model of the fuse, and/or passively or actively ground to avoid injected noise on power circuits including fuses). The example current source circuit 5416 is further structured to inject current across the thermal fuse at multiple injection frequencies (e.g., similar to scanning, but using a selected number of discrete frequencies, which enables scanning with more convenient filtering and processing Some benefits, and include updating the selected injection frequency based on system changes, such as observations for load, observed noise, and/or the frequency selected when characterizing the fuse). An exemplary system includes one in which the current source circuit 5416 is further structured to inject current across the thermal fuse at multiple injection voltage amplitudes. The injection voltage amplitude can be coupled to the injection current amplitude. Wherever injection amplitude is described in this disclosure, it should be understood that the injection amplitude can be a current injection amplitude and/or a voltage injection amplitude, and that under certain operating conditions these amplitudes can be combined (e.g., Selecting the voltage amplitude until a current limit in the current source is reached, selecting the current amplitude until a voltage limit in the current source is reached, and/or following an amplitude trajectory that may include a combination of voltage and/or current). The exemplary system includes one in which the current source circuit 5416 is further structured to inject current across the thermal fuse at an injection voltage magnitude determined in response to the power throughput of the thermal fuse (e.g., injecting a larger magnitude at high load to have to aid signal-to-noise ratio, and/or inject lower amplitude at high loads to reduce load on the fuse). The exemplary system includes one in which the current source circuit 5416 is further structured to inject current across the thermal fuse at an injection voltage amplitude determined in response to the vehicle's duty cycle.

Referring to Figure 56, the exemplary routine includes an operation 5602 of determining a zero offset voltage of a fuse current measurement system, including an operation 5604 of determining that a fuse load of a fuse electrically disposed between a power source and an electrical load does not require current; and includes an operation 5604 of determining a zero offset voltage in response to the fuse load not requiring current; and an operation 5606 of storing the zero offset voltage.

Certain additional aspects of the exemplary processes are described below, any one or more of which may be present in certain embodiments. The exemplary routine also includes an operation of updating the stored zero offset voltage in response to the determined zero offset voltage. Exemplary procedures include diagnosing the operation of a component in response to a zero offset voltage, such as where a high zero offset voltage indicates that a component in the system may not be operating properly. Exemplary procedures include the operation of determining which of a plurality of components contributes to the zero offset voltage (e.g., by performing a zero offset using a selected component coupled or decoupled to a circuit having a fuse to be inspected). Shift voltage is determined). Exemplary procedures include an operation of determining that the fuse load does not require current by performing at least one operation such as: determining that a vehicle including a fuse, a power source, and an electrical load has experienced a cut-off event; determining that a vehicle has experienced a make-on event; determining that a vehicle has lost power; power; and determining that the vehicle is in an accessory condition where the vehicle in an accessory condition is not energized through the fuse (e.g., applied key switch accessory position where the power supply fuse is not energized in the accessory position).

Referring to Figure 57, an exemplary apparatus for determining an offset voltage to adjust a fuse current determination includes a controller 5702 having a fuse load circuit 5708 structured to determine that the fuse load does not require current, and further determining that the contactor associated with the fuse is open; offset voltage determination circuit 5722 structured to determine, in response to determining that the load of the fuse does not require current, that corresponding to the voltage associated with the fuse an offset voltage of at least one component in the fuse circuit; and an offset data management circuit 5724 structured to store the offset voltage and deliver a current to calculate the offset voltage for use by the controller to determine the flow of fuse current.

Referring to Figure 58, the exemplary routine includes an operation 5802 of providing a digital filter to a fuse circuit in a power distribution unit, including an operation 5804 of injecting AC current across the fuse, wherein the fuse is electrically disposed between the power source and the electrical load; An operation 5806 of determining a base power flowing through the fuse by performing a low pass filter operation on one of the measured current value and the measured voltage value of the fuse; and by performing a low pass filter operation on one of the measured current value of the fuse; An operation 5808 of performing a high pass filter operation on one of the measured voltage values to determine the injected current value.

Certain additional aspects of the exemplary processes are described below, any one or more of which may be present in certain embodiments. The example routine also includes an operation of adjusting a parameter of at least one of the low-pass filter and the high-pass filter in response to a duty cycle of one of power and current flowing through the fuse. An exemplary procedure includes the operation of injecting AC current through a series of injection frequency sweeps. An exemplary procedure includes the operation of injecting alternating current across the fuse at multiple injection frequencies. Exemplary procedures include operations in which the current source circuit is further structured to inject current across the fuse at multiple injection voltage amplitudes. Exemplary procedures include operations in which the current source circuit is further structured to inject current across the fuse at an injection voltage magnitude determined in response to the power throughput of the fuse. In certain embodiments, the low-pass filter and/or the high-pass filter are digital filters, and wherein adjusting parameters of the digital filters includes adjusting values of one or more digital filters. An exemplary procedure includes further processing the measured voltage value using a digital bandpass filter after performing high-pass filtering and determining the fuse resistance, fuse dynamic resistance, and/or based on the measured voltage value that is first high-pass filtered and then band-pass filtered. or fuse impedance value.

Referring to Figure 59, the exemplary routine includes an operation 5902 of calibrating the fuse resistance determination algorithm, including an operation 5904 of storing a plurality of calibration sets corresponding to a plurality of duty cycle values, the duty cycle including the operation 5904 of calibrating a fuse resistance determination algorithm, the duty cycle including The electrical throughput value corresponding to the fuse between the electrical loads. An exemplary calibration set includes current source injection settings for a current injection device operatively coupled to a fuse, including injection frequency, injection duty cycle (e.g., on-time per cycle), injection waveform shape, fuse sequence operation ( For example, check the order and frequency of each fuse), injection amplitude and/or injection runtime (e.g., the number of seconds or milliseconds for each injection sequence per fuse, such as 130 ms, 20 ms, 1 second wait). The exemplary routine includes an operation 5908 of determining a duty cycle for a system including a fuse, a power supply, and an electrical load; in response to a plurality of calibration sets and the determined duty cycle (e.g., using an indicated and/or interpolating between calibration sets); and an operation 5912 of operating the current injection device in response to the determined injection settings.

The exemplary routine also includes operations wherein the calibration set further includes filter settings for at least one digital filter, and wherein the method further includes determining the fuse resistance using the at least one digital filter.

Referring to Figure 60, the example process includes an operation 6002 of providing a unique current waveform to improve fuse resistance measurements of a power distribution unit. In certain embodiments, the process includes an operation 6004 of confirming the opening of a contactor electrically positioned in a fuse circuit, wherein the fuse circuit includes a fuse electrically disposed between the power source and the electrical load, and/or An operation 6006 of determining the zero voltage offset value of the fuse circuit. The exemplary process includes an operation 6006 of performing a plurality of current injection sequences across the fuse, wherein each of the current injection sequences includes a selected current amplitude, current frequency, and current waveform value. The example routine also includes an operation 6010 of determining a fuse resistance value in response to the current injection sequence and/or the zero voltage offset value.

Certain additional aspects of the exemplary processes are described below, any one or more of which may be present in certain embodiments. Exemplary procedures also include adjusting filter characteristics of the digital filter in response to each of the plurality of current injection sequences and utilizing the adjusted filter characteristics of the digital filter to measure fuse circuit voltage or blow during the corresponding current injection sequence. The operation of one of the device circuit currents.

Referring to Figure 61, an exemplary system includes a vehicle 6102 having a powered power path 6104; a power distribution unit including a current protection circuit 6108 disposed in the powered power path 6104, wherein the current protection circuit 6108 includes a thermal fuse 6120 and a contactor 6122 arranged in series with the thermal fuse 6120. The exemplary system includes a controller 6114 having a current source circuit 6116 electrically coupled to a thermal fuse 6120 and structured to inject current across the thermal fuse 6120; and a voltage determination circuit 6118 that determines The circuit is electrically coupled to the thermal fuse 6120 and structured to determine the amount of injected voltage and the thermal fuse impedance value. The example voltage determination circuit 6118 is structured to perform a frequency analysis operation to determine the amount of injected voltage. Exemplary and non-limiting frequency analysis operations include applying analog and/or digital filters to remove frequency components in the fuse voltage that are uninteresting and/or not related to the injection frequency. Exemplary and non-limiting frequency analysis operations include utilizing at least one frequency analysis technique selected from techniques such as: Fourier transform, fast Fourier transform, Laplace transform, Z transform, and/or wavelet analysis. In certain embodiments, frequency analysis operations are performed on filtered and/or unfiltered measurements of the thermal fuse voltage.

Certain additional aspects of the exemplary system are described below, any one or more of which may be present in certain embodiments. Exemplary systems include wherein the voltage determination circuit 6118 is further structured to determine the amount of injected voltage by determining the magnitude of the voltage across the fuse at a frequency of interest; and/or wherein the amount of injected voltage is determined in response to the frequency of the injected voltage. frequency. An exemplary system includes one in which the current source circuit 6116 is further structured to sweep the injected current through a series of injection frequencies. An exemplary system includes one in which current source circuit 6116 is further structured to inject current across thermal fuse 6120 at multiple injection frequencies. An exemplary system includes one in which current source circuit 6116 is further structured to inject current across thermal fuse 6120 at multiple injection voltage amplitudes. The exemplary system includes one in which the current source circuit 6116 is further structured to inject current across the thermal fuse 6120 at an injection voltage amplitude determined in response to the power throughput of the thermal fuse 6120 . The exemplary system includes one in which the current source circuit 6116 is further structured to inject current across the thermal fuse 6120 at an injection voltage amplitude determined in response to the duty cycle of the vehicle 6102 .

Referring to Figure 62, an exemplary system includes a vehicle 6202 having a powered power path 6204; a power distribution unit including a current protection circuit 6208 disposed in the powered power path 6204 that includes a thermal fuse 6220 and a contactor 6222 arranged in series with the thermal fuse. The example system also includes a controller 6214 having a current source circuit 6216 electrically coupled to the thermal fuse and structured to determine that the load power throughput of the power supply path 6204 is low and in response to the power supply path 6204 The load power throughput of power path 6204 is low and current is injected across thermal fuse 6220. The controller 6214 also includes a voltage determination circuit 6218 electrically coupled to the thermal fuse 6220 and structured to determine at least one of an injected voltage amount and a thermal fuse impedance value, and wherein the voltage determination circuit 6218 includes a high pass A filter with a cutoff frequency selected in response to the frequency of the injected current.

Certain additional aspects of the exemplary system are described below, any one or more of which may be present in certain embodiments. The exemplary system includes one in which the current source circuit 6216 is further structured to determine that the load power throughput of the power supply path 6204 is low in response to the vehicle being in a shutdown state. The exemplary system includes one in which the current source circuit 6216 is further structured to determine that the load power throughput of the power supply path 6204 is low in response to the vehicle being in a cut-off state. The exemplary system includes wherein the current source circuit 6216 is further structured to determine that the load power throughput of the power supply path 6204 is low in response to the vehicle's power torque request being zero. Exemplary systems include wherein the power distribution unit further includes a plurality of fuses, and wherein the current source circuit 6216 is further structured to inject current across each of the fuses in a selected sequence; and/or wherein the current source circuit 6216 is further structured to inject current across a first of the plurality of fuses upon a first shutdown event of the vehicle, and to inject current across a second of the plurality of fuses upon a second shutdown event of the vehicle ( For example, to limit the runtime of the controller 6214 during a shutdown event (which may be of limited duration), the example current source circuit 6216 only checks one or a subset of the fuses during a given shutdown event, and only during Check all fuses during multiple shutdown events).

Referring to Figure 62, an exemplary system includes a vehicle 6202 having a powered power path 6204; a power distribution unit including a current protection circuit 6308 disposed in the powered power path 6204, wherein the current protection circuit 6208 includes a thermal fuse 6220 and a contactor 6222 arranged in series with the thermal fuse 6220. The example system also includes a controller 6214 having a current source circuit 6218 electrically coupled to the thermal fuse 6220 and structured to inject current across the thermal fuse 6220; and a voltage determination circuit 6218 Determining circuitry is electrically coupled to the thermal fuse 6220 and structured to determine at least one of an amount of injected voltage and a thermal fuse impedance value. The example voltage determination circuit 6218 includes a high-pass filter with a cutoff frequency selected in response to the frequency of the injected current. The example controller 6214 also includes a fuse status circuit 6219 structured to determine a fuse condition value in response to at least one of an injected voltage amount and a thermal fuse impedance value. For example, a correlation between fuse resistance (and/or dynamic resistance or impedance) may be established for a particular fuse or fuse type, and the example fuse status circuit 6219 responds to the observed fuse resistance or other relevant parameters. Determine the fuse condition value. In certain embodiments, the fuse status circuit 6219 may additionally include other information, such as accumulated power throughput through the fuse, accumulated power transient events through the fuse, and/or accumulated power surge events, accumulated power through the fuse, Accumulated temperature events and/or temperature transients, and/or operating life parameters such as operating hours, operating miles, live operating hours, etc.

Certain additional aspects of the exemplary system are described below, any one or more of which may be present in certain embodiments. The exemplary system includes one in which the fuse status circuit 6219 is further structured to provide the fuse condition value by providing at least one of a fault code or notification of the fuse condition value (e.g., store the parameter, communicate the fault parameter to the data link circuit, and/or provide fault parameters to service tools). The example fuse status circuit 6219 further adjusts the maximum power rating of the power supply path 6204, the maximum power slew rate of the power supply path; and/or adjusts the configuration of the current protection circuit in response to the fuse condition value (e.g., during a parallel blow load sharing between devices, bypassing fuses at lower thresholds of power or power transients, etc.). The exemplary power distribution unit also includes an active cooling interface 6224, and wherein the fuse status circuit 6219 further adjusts the active cooling interface 6224 in response to the fuse condition value (e.g., to provide additional cooling for aging fuses, and/or to provide additional cooling for aging fuses). Aged fuses lower the threshold for active cooling increase requests). The example fuse status circuit 6219 is further structured to respond to a fuse condition value indicating that a fuse condition has improved (e.g., where a previous indication from a fuse condition value had indicated degradation, but continued observations indicate that a fuse is not present Deterioration; at least one of a fault code or notification that clears the fuse condition value after the operator or service technician has reset it (such as an indication that the fuse has been checked or changed). The example fuse status circuit 6219 is further structured to clear at least one of a fault code or notification of the fuse condition value in response to a service event on the fuse (e.g., by a service tool, a scheduled input sequence, etc.); wherein The fuse status circuit 6219 is further structured to determine the fuse life remaining value in response to the fuse condition value (e.g., by correlating the fuse condition value with the fuse life remaining value, and/or using a fuse condition value A cutoff value or threshold to trigger an end-of-life condition or warning; e.g. a specific value of the fuse condition value may be determined to indicate that the fuse is at 90% of its planned life, 500 operating hours remaining, etc.); where the fuse status circuit 6219 is further structured To further determine the fuse life remaining value in response to the vehicle's duty cycle (e.g., in some embodiments, a heavier vehicle duty cycle will exhaust the remaining fuse life faster, which can be used in determining the fuse life remaining value is considered and may depend on the unit of remaining life of the fuse (such as operating hours or calendar days), and/or on the type of notification to service technicians, operators, etc., e.g., service lights, quantitative remaining time, etc.); and/or wherein the fuse status circuit 6219 is further structured to determine the remaining fuse life value further in response to one of: an adjusted maximum power rating of the power supply path, an adjusted maximum power rating of the power supply path maximum power slew rate, and/or an adjusted configuration of the current protection circuit (e.g., where the fuse status circuit 6219 has adjusted system parameters such as power throughput, fuse loading, and/or bypass configuration or thresholds, and/or cooling strategies, the fuse status circuit 6219 may take into account the estimated life extension of the fuse resulting from implementing these or any other mitigation strategies).

Referring to Figure 63, an exemplary system includes a vehicle 6302 having a powered power path 6304; a power distribution unit including a current protection circuit 6308 disposed in the powered power path 6304, wherein the current protection circuit further includes a thermal fuse 6320 and a contactor 6322 arranged in series with the thermal fuse 6320. The exemplary system also includes a controller 6314 having a fuse thermal model circuit 6316 structured to determine a fuse temperature value for the thermal fuse 6320 and in response to the fuse temperature value. Fuse condition value. The example system includes a current source circuit 6318 that is electrically coupled to the thermal fuse 6320 and structured to inject current across the thermal fuse 6320; a voltage determination circuit 6319 that is electrically coupled to the thermal fuse 6320 and is structured to determine at least one of an amount of injected voltage and a thermal fuse impedance value, and wherein the voltage determining circuit 6319 includes a high pass filter having a cutoff frequency selected responsive to the frequency of the injected current. The example fuse thermal model circuit 6316 further determines a fuse temperature value of the thermal fuse in response to at least one of an injected voltage amount and a thermal fuse impedance value. An exemplary system includes one in which the fuse thermal model circuit 6316 is further structured to determine the fuse condition value by counting the number of thermal fuse temperature spike events. Exemplary thermal fuse temperature spike events include: a temperature rise threshold within a time threshold, a thermal fuse temperature exceeding a threshold, and/or more than one threshold of these events (e.g., treating a more severe event as more than one temperature spike). additional events). The exemplary system includes a fuse thermal model circuit further configured by integrating a fuse temperature value, integrating a temperature-based metric (e.g., based on temperature and/or temperature rate of change), and/or integrating a temperature above a temperature threshold. The fuse temperature value is integrated to determine the fuse condition value.

Referring to Figure 64, an exemplary previously known system having a contactor and fuse combination is depicted. For purposes of illustration, this example system is provided as part of a power distribution unit (PDU) 6402 of an electric or partially electric vehicle. The system includes an electrical storage device (eg, a battery) and an electric machine that powers the vehicle. Electrical storage (or power storage) devices may be of any type, including batteries, fuel cells, and/or capacitors (e.g., supercapacitors or ultracapacitors) as well as combinations of these types (e.g., included in circuits to assist in peak power generation or transient capacitor for state operation management). In certain embodiments, the electrical storage device is rechargeable (e.g., any rechargeable battery technology such as lithium-ion, nickel metal hydride, or nickel cadmium) or restorable (e.g., has reversible chemistry to restore chemically based fuel cells with charge generation capabilities). In this exemplary system, the battery operates as a DC device and the motor operates as an AC device, with an inverter positioned between them to regulate the power of the motor. The example system includes a filter capacitor 6404 that provides regulation for the main power circuit. The exemplary system includes a low-side contactor and a high-side contactor. The high side contactor is connected in series with fuse 6410 which provides over current protection for the circuit. The example system also includes a precharge circuit, depicted as precharge relay 6408 and precharge resistor 6406. In certain embodiments, precharge relay 6408 engages before the high-side contactor engages, allowing the capacitive element of the entire circuit to be energized through precharge resistor 6406, thereby limiting inrush current or other charging artifacts upon system start-up. It can be seen that overcurrent protection is provided by the system through fuse 6410, and the characteristics of fuse 6410 set overcurrent protection for the power supply circuit through the PDU. Additionally, contactors are exposed to connection and disconnection events, including arcing, heating, and other wear.

Referring to Figure 65, an exemplary PDU 6402 of the present disclosure is schematically depicted. An example PDU 6402 may be used in a system such as that depicted in Figure 64. The example PDU of Figure 65 includes a circuit breaker/relay 6502 component on the high side. The exemplary arrangement of Figure 65 is non-limiting, and any arrangement of circuit breaker/relay 6502 that provides designed overcurrent protection for the system using any of the principles described throughout this disclosure is contemplated herein. The example PDU 6402 of Figure 65 omits the fuse in series with the contactor and utilizes a circuit breaker/relay 6502 for overcurrent protection. Any circuit breaker/relay 6502 as described throughout this disclosure may be used in a system such as that depicted in Figure 65. The PDU 6402 of Figure 65 additionally utilizes a precharge relay 6408 and precharge resistor 6406 similar to that depicted in Figure 64 . In the example of Figure 65, circuit breaker/relay 6502 is in parallel with the precharge circuit, and the relay portion of circuit breaker/relay 6502 can be engaged after the system has been charged by the precharge circuit. As described throughout this document, Circuit Breaker/Relay 6502 provides continuous and selectable overcurrent protection while providing full rated operation over the entire designed operating current range of the system. In previously known systems, the contactor/fuse arrangement necessarily provides a gap in the operating range, either pushing the fuse activation at least partially down into the operating current range or moving the fuse activation away from the rated range, and Provides overcurrent protection clearance above the system's rated current. Additionally, as described throughout this disclosure, circuit breaker/relay 6502 may provide multiple current protection mechanisms, selectable current protection based on operating conditions, and reduce the number of contact elements of the circuit breaker/relay relative to previously known contactors. wear and tear. Thus, a system such as that depicted in Figure 65 may provide reliable, responsive and recoverable overcurrent protection relative to previously known systems.

Referring to Figure 66, an example PDU 6402 is schematically depicted. The example PDU 6402 may be used in a system such as that depicted in FIG. 1 and has features that may be in addition to or in place of those described with respect to FIG. 65 . The example of Figure 66 depicts an external input to a circuit breaker/relay 6502 (in this example, inhibit, with key switch input 6504 schematically depicted). Circuit breaker/relay 6502 responds to external signals in a configurable manner. For example, the key switch ON operation may be used to energize the circuit breaker/relay 6502 directly (e.g., hardwiring the key switch circuit through the circuit breaker/relay's coil) or indirectly (e.g., receiving a network value representing the key switch position, Receives the voltage signal indicating the position of the key switch, etc.) to charge the power supply circuit. In another example, a key switch shutdown operation may be used to de-energize circuit breaker/relay 6502, thereby removing power from the power supply circuit. External signals may be of any type or types, including external commands generated from any part of the system, calculated values indicating whether power should be supplied or cut off (e.g., service events, maintenance events, accident indication signs, emergency shutdown commands, vehicle controller request, device protection request for a device on the vehicle, calculation that the temperature, voltage value or current value has exceeded a threshold, etc.). The external signal may be supplied as a hardwired signal (e.g., an electrical connection with a voltage representing the signal value) and/or as a communication (e.g., a data link or network communication), which communication may be wired or wireless, and may be provided by the PDU Generated by a controller on the 6402 or external to the PDU 6402 (e.g., vehicle controller, power management controller, etc.). For ease of illustration, the example of Figure 66 does not depict a precharge circuit, but implementations such as those shown in Figure 65 or Figure 66 may have a precharge circuit or omit the precharge circuit, depending on the characteristics of the system, the design goals of the system, and Ask to wait.

Referring to Figure 67, an exemplary schematic block diagram of a circuit breaker/relay is depicted. The example circuit breaker/relay of Figure 67 includes a power bus 6702 (eg, high voltage, motive power, load power, etc.) that operates high voltage throughput and connects or disconnects through schematically depicted contacts. The voltage that is the "high voltage" on the power bus can be any value and depends on the load being driven and other selected parameters of the system. In certain embodiments, a high voltage is any voltage above 42V, above 72V, above 110V, above 220V, above 300V, and/or above 360V. Power supply loads and auxiliary loads (eg, PTO equipment, pumps, etc.) may have different voltage ranges and may be above or below these ranges. In this example, the standard on/off 6504 or control voltage is depicted on the left (depicted as 12V, but any value could be utilized such as 6V, 12V, 24V, 42V). Standard voltage 6504 is depicted for illustrative purposes, but the standard voltage may additionally or alternatively be a data link or network input in communication with the circuit breaker/relay's controller (e.g., where the circuit breaker/relay has an independent control power source permissions). In certain embodiments, the standard voltage 6504 will be the same voltage experienced at the key switch by the vehicle controller, by auxiliary (eg, unpowered or non-loaded) components in the system, etc. In some implementations, the standard voltage 6504 will be the key switch 6504 signal. Standard voltage 6504 may be configured to be received through input control isolation 6710.

Additionally, in the example of Figure 67, an auxiliary off isolator 6708 is depicted that provides input for auxiliary control of the circuit breaker/relay. In some embodiments, auxiliary switch isolation 6708 is coupled to an electrical input 6704 (such as an optional input at a standard voltage), from a controller (e.g., the controller provides power as an output at a selected voltage to Auxiliary switch isolator) output terminal. In certain implementations, auxiliary switch isolation 6708 may utilize a data link or network input. In some embodiments, for example where the circuit breaker/relay has an internal controller, the standard on/off 6504 and auxiliary off isolator input 6704 may be the same physical input, e.g. on the data link input, Situations where network inputs and/or controllable electrical signals (eg, controlled voltage values) provide information to the circuit breaker/relay to determine the current requested status of the circuit breaker/relay. In some embodiments, the circuit breaker/relay is a hardware-only device that accepts a first voltage value in the standard on/off position and a second voltage value in the auxiliary off position, and by the hardware of the circuit breaker/relay Configure the response to perform the selected action.

In the example of Figure 67, the standard on/off input 6504 and the auxiliary off input 6704 include circuit protection components (eg, isolators 6708, 6710), such as surge protection and polarity protection. An example circuit breaker/relay includes logic circuitry that energizes the relay (closes a contact on the power bus) when the standard on/off input 6504 is high, and when the standard on/off input 6504 is low or the auxiliary off input A low in 6704 de-energizes the relay (opens the contacts on the power bus). In the example of Figure 67, this logic circuit is schematically depicted and may be implemented as hardware elements in a circuit breaker/relay. Additionally or alternatively, a controller in the circuit breaker/relay may interpret input voltage, data link signals, and/or network communications to implement logic and determine whether to open or close the relay. The logic in this system is depicted as a "normally open" relay utilizing power to close (contact), but the circuit breaker/relay can be configured as "normally closed", latching, or any other logic configuration. Additionally or alternatively, the standard on/off input 6504 and/or the auxiliary off input 6704 may utilize logic high or logic low to enable circuit breaker/relay operation.

The example circuit breaker/relay of Figure 67 additionally depicts a current sensing device 6706 ("Current Sensing") (which may be a current sensor on the bus), a calculated current value based on other system parameters, passed to the circuit breaker/relay Current value of a relay and/or controller operatively coupled to a circuit breaker/relay, or any other device, mechanism or method for determining the value of current on a bus. In the example of Figure 67, current sensing device 6706 is coupled to the "Trigger Level 'Off'" portion of the logic circuit and operates to de-energize the relay when a high current value is sensed. The sensed high current value may be a single threshold (eg, determined by hardware in the logic circuit) and/or a selectable threshold (eg, determined by the controller based on operating conditions or other values in the system). It can be seen that a function of the sensed current value (such as rate of change, cumulative current value above a threshold, etc.) may additionally or alternatively be used for a single sensed current value, either by hardware or with a controller. It can be seen that a circuit breaker/relay such as that depicted in Figure 67 can function to controllably interrupt a power bus circuit at a selected threshold current value and/or function thereof, thereby allowing continuous operation over the entire rated current range of the system . In addition, a circuit breaker/relay such as that depicted in Figure 67 is designed for any selected parameters that may not be related to current flow, such as emergency shutdown operations, requests from elsewhere in the system (e.g., vehicle controller), service or maintenance operations, or any Other selected reasons) provide controlled disconnection of the power bus. Certain embodiments throughout this disclosure provide additional features for circuit breakers/relays, any one or more of which may be included in an embodiment such as that depicted in Figure 67.

Referring to Figure 68, an exemplary circuit breaker/relay is schematically depicted in cross-sectional view. An exemplary circuit breaker/relay generally includes a switching portion 6820 (the upper half or "breaker") and an actuating portion 6822 (the lower half or "relay"). For purposes of illustration, some exemplary components of a circuit breaker/relay are depicted and described. An example circuit breaker/relay includes a coil 6816 and a magnetic core 6818 in the relay section. In this example, energizing the coil 6816 actuates the relay, pulling the armature 6814 downward toward the core 6818. The armature 6814 is coupled to the movable contact 6810 in the upper portion and thereby moves into contact with the fixed contact 6812, thereby completing the circuit and allowing current to flow through the power bus. In the example of FIG. 68 , the movable contact 6810 is pressed into the fixed contact 6812 by the contact force, which is the optional biasing force biasing spring 6804 in the example of FIG. 68 . Even if the armature 6814 is in the engaged (lower) position, the movable contact 6810 can be lifted from the fixed contact 6812 with sufficient force to compress the contact force spring 6804. The example of Figure 68 depicts the armature 6814 in a disengaged (upper) position with the movable contact 6810 open or not in contact with the fixed contact 6812.

The circuit breaker portion 6820 of the circuit breaker/relay includes a plurality of separator plates 6806 near the body of the main contacts, and a permanent magnet system 6802 surrounding the separator plates 6806 and/or the arc path between the contact gap and the separator plates 6806 . During the engagement or disengagement of the movable contact 6810 when the power bus is energized, the body of the main contact cooperates with the separation plate 6806 in the presence of the magnetic field provided by the permanent magnet system 6802 to dissipate and distribute the resulting arc , thereby greatly reducing contact wear, deterioration and damage. It has been shown that the combined aspects of the circuit breaker parts greatly extend the life of the contacts and switching chambers (e.g. due to lower arc heat loads over the life of the circuit breaker/relay).

The current flowing through the power bus creates a repulsive force, or Lorentz force, between the contacts. The Lorentz force is a complex function of the contact area of the contacts and the value of the current through the power bus. When the current is very high, the Lorentz force between the contacts compresses the contact force spring 6804 sufficiently to force the movable contact 6810 away from the fixed contact 6812 and temporarily open the relay. It has been found that the contact force spring 6804 can be easily adjusted to provide physical disconnection of the contacts at selectable values. Additionally or alternatively, the contact area between the contact and other geometric aspects of the contact may be manipulated to select or adjust the physical disconnect current. However, in some embodiments, selecting the contact force spring 6804 can directly adjust the physical disconnect current. In some embodiments, selecting the contact force spring 6804 includes changing the spring to change the physical disconnect current. Additionally or alternatively, the contact force spring 6804 (eg, an axial compression or release spring) may be adjusted in situ to adjust the physical disconnect current.

In some embodiments, after a physical disconnection event (e.g., when armature 6814 is in the lower or contact position, movable contact 6810 is forced away from fixed contact 6812, thereby compressing contact force spring 6812), by The current to the power bus drops rapidly and the Lorentz force decreases, causing the movable contact 6810 to be pushed back into the engaged position by the contact force spring 6804. In some embodiments, the current sensor 6706 will detect a high current event, triggering the coil 6816 to de-energize and move the armature 6814 upward back to the disengaged position. Therefore, when the movable contact 6810 returns to the engaged position, the armature 6814 has moved it away so that the movable contact 6810 does not contact the fixed contact 6812 after the physical disconnection event. In certain embodiments, the threshold for disengagement of the armature 6814 as detected by the current sensor 6706 is below the physical disconnect current, thereby giving the armature 6814 a "head start" and lowering the movable contact 6810 into fixed contact Part 6812 Possibility of re-contact. In many systems, re-contact between the movable contact 6810 and the fixed contact 6812 during a very high current event can cause severe damage to the circuit breaker/relay and/or welding of the contacts.

Referring to Figure 69, an exemplary circuit breaker/relay is depicted showing the relative movement of the armature and movable contacts. In this example, the armature at the top forces the movable contact away from the fixed contact, causing the power bus to disconnect. The armature at the bottom pulls the moving contacts down to engage the stationary contacts, allowing the power bus to connect. Motion arrow 6904 in Figure 69 indexes the movement of the armature that will occur as the armature moves from the open to the closed state after the coil is energized. Any references to "upward" or "downward" throughout this disclosure are for clarity of description and do not refer to the actual vertical relationship of any components of the circuit breaker/relay. The circuit breaker/relay may be positioned such that movement of the armature is along any axis, including top to bottom, bottom to top, horizontal orientation, and/or any other orientation. In certain embodiments, the armature is returned using passive elements such as biasing springs or counter springs (e.g., positioned between the armature and the permanent magnets, and/or in the housing of one or more of these) to the up or disengaged position, resulting in "normal open" logic operation of the circuit breaker/relay. The biasing or counter springs are not present in the schematic cross-sectional view of Figure 69. As described throughout this disclosure, a circuit breaker/relay may be normally open, normally closed, latched, or in any other logical configuration with appropriate adjustments to the hardware and/or control elements to provide such configuration.

Referring to Figure 69A, an exemplary circuit breaker/relay is depicted in a closed position. The armature in the example of Figure 69A has moved downward, and the movable contact 6810 has additionally moved downward with the armature 6814 into an engaged position with the fixed contact, thereby closing the circuit and allowing power to pass through the power bus. Contact force spring 6804 in the position depicted in Figure 69A is compressed, providing contact force to movable contact 6810 against the fixed contact. As can be seen, the movable contact is provided with a movement space in which a spring force sufficient to overcome the contact force 6804 can lift the movable contact 6810 away from the fixed contact, thereby breaking the circuit and preventing power from passing through the power bus. .

Referring to Figure 70, an operating diagram of a previously known contactor-fuse system and circuit breaker/relay system consistent with embodiments of the present disclosure is schematically depicted. In the example of Figure 70, the operating current bar is depicted on the left with two general operating scenarios, namely operation within the rated current value (e.g., within the design current limits of the system, such as regions 7004, 7006) and Operation above rated current values (eg, zone 7008). In addition, in the example of FIG. 70 , operation within the rated current is subdivided into a lower region 7004 and an upper region 7006 . In the example of Figure 70, lower region 7004 and upper region 7006 are illustrative examples for depicting operating modes within the rated current region, for example, lower region 7004 may be associated with lower power operation such as operation of accessories, and upper region 7006 may be associated with higher power operations such as providing motive power or pumping power. Regions 7004, 7006 provide a conceptual distinction between operating conditions, and the actual operations occurring within lower region 7004 and upper region 7006 are not important to the illustration of Figure 70. For example, the upper region 7006 of one exemplary system may be for moving a vehicle (e.g., where the lower region 7004 is for another function such as power for communications or accessories), where the lower region 7004 of another exemplary system may be for use with a mobile vehicle. for powering a moving vehicle (eg, where upper area 7006 is another function such as charging or high performance power).

In the example of Figure 70, the operating area of the contactor-fuse system is depicted in the middle. The contactor provides full operation up to rated power. Design choices may allow the contactor to provide slightly above rated power operation (e.g., where system risk is accepted to provide higher capabilities) or slightly below rated power operation (e.g., where system performance is compromised to protect the system). parts). The contactor-fuse system also includes an operating area for the fuse, in which the fuse is activated at a selected current value. It can be seen that an operating gap 7002 occurs in which the fuse is not activated due to low current values, but the contactor also does not support operation in the area of gap 7002. Gap 7002 can only be closed by overlapping operation of contactors and/or fuses, which necessarily compromises the system risk profile or performance. If the fuse area extends lower, rated operation at certain duty cycles can trigger a fuse event and mission loss. Additionally, when contactors and fuses experience wear or degradation, the operating area for the contactor-fuse system will move, creating inconsistent system performance, loss of protection, and/or unnecessary fuse events. Additionally, fuse failure modes result in prolonged exposure of the system to high currents due to the fuse melting time and the extended arcing time by activating the fuse. Finally, operating the contactor at the upper limit of the contactor operating area results in undesirable contactor heating and degradation.

In the example of Figure 70, an operating area of a circuit breaker/relay is depicted consistent with certain embodiments of the present disclosure. Circuit breakers/relays provide smooth and selectable functionality throughout the operating current bar. The circuit breaker/relay provides high performance contacts that do not operate near the upper region of its current capacity, thereby reducing heating and degradation due to high operation (within rated range) such as in upper region 7006. Additionally, the current sensor and associated disconnect operation allow for selectable disconnection when operating above the system's current rating. Additionally, physical disconnect currents are available (eg, see Figure 68 and associated disclosure) which cause the power bus to instantly disconnect at very high current values. In certain embodiments, the arc dissipation characteristics of the circuit breaker/relay additionally provide for faster and less damaging disconnection events than previously experienced with previously known contactor-fuse arrangements. Additionally, the circuit breaker/relay provides a restorable disconnect operation in which a mere command to the circuit breaker/relay will provide connection again without the need for a maintenance event. Therefore, if the system failure that caused the high current event is resolved or is consistent with a restart, the system can resume circuit breaker/relay operation as quickly as necessary without having to diagnose the fuse event or replace the fuse.

Referring to Figure 71, an exemplary process 7100 for disconnecting a power bus is depicted. Exemplary process 7100 includes an operation 7102 of detecting a current value using, for example, a current sensor (refer to FIG. 68). Process 7100 also includes an operation 7104 of determining whether an overcurrent event is detected. For example, a detected current value, a function thereof, or a calculated parameter determined in response to the current value may be compared to a threshold to determine whether an overcurrent event is detected. The example process 7100 also includes an operation 7106 of commanding the contacts to open, such as by de-energizing the coil to move the armature to a position that opens the contacts. The overcurrent threshold can be any value and can be modified in real time and/or based on operating conditions. The value of the overcurrent threshold depends on the application and components in the system. Exemplary and non-limiting overcurrent values include 100A, 200A, 400A, 1kA (1,000 amps), 1.5kA, 3kA, and 6kA.

Referring to Figure 72, an exemplary process 7200 for performing a physical disconnect is depicted. Example process 7200 includes an operation 7202 of accepting a current throughput, such as current through a coupling contact in a power bus. The example process 7200 also includes an operation 7204 of determining whether the current resultant force (eg, the Lorentz force between the movable contact and the fixed contact) exceeds the contact force (eg, as provided by a contact force spring). The example process 7200 also includes an operation 7206 of opening the contact by a physical response, such as a Lorentz force that overcomes the contact force spring and moves the movable contact away from the fixed contact. The physical disconnect current can be any value and depends on the application and components in the system. Exemplary and non-limiting physical disconnect currents include 400A, 1kA, 2kA, 4.5kA, 9kA, and 20kA.

Referring to Figure 73, an exemplary process 7300 is depicted for opening contacts in response to an overcurrent event and/or in response to any other selected parameters. Example process 7300 includes an operation 7302 of turning the system on, such as via a key switch or other circuit and/or via identification of a key switch turn-on condition. Process 7300 also includes operation 7304 of determining whether a contact enable condition is met, for example, immediately after key switch is turned on, after a selected period of time, after determining completion of a system precharge event, and/or based on any other selected conditions. In certain embodiments, in the event that operation 7304 determines that the contact enablement condition is not met, process 7300 remains at operation 7304 until the contact enablement condition is met. Any other response to operation 7304 determining that the contact enablement conditions are not met is contemplated herein, including requesting permission to enable contact enablement conditions, setting a fault code, etc. In response to operation 7304 determining that the contact condition is met, process 7300 also includes operation 7306 of closing the contact (eg, energizing a coil to move the armature), and operation 7202 of accepting current throughput. The example process 7300 also includes an operation 7200 of performing a physical disconnect if the received current is high enough, and continuing to an operation 7102 of detecting the value of the current through the power bus. Process 7300 also includes operation 7104 of determining whether an overcurrent event is detected (in some embodiments, operation 7104 may be set to a lower current value than the physical disconnect current tested at operation 7200). In response to operation 7104 determining that an overcurrent event is detected, process 7300 includes operation 7312 of commanding the contacts to open. In response to operation 7104 determining that an overcurrent event is not detected, process 7300 includes operation 7308 of detecting an auxiliary command (e.g., auxiliary off input) and determining whether there is an auxiliary command to open the contact (e.g., logic high, logic low, designated value, missing specified value, etc.). In response to operation 7310 determining that an auxiliary command to open the contacts exists, process 7300 includes operation 7312 of commanding the contacts to open. In response to operation 7310 determining that there is no auxiliary command to open the contact (eg, branch "continue operation" in the example of FIG. 73 ), the process returns to operation 7306 .

Referring to Figure 74, an exemplary process 7400 for restoring operation of a circuit breaker/relay following a contact open event is depicted. Exemplary process 7400 includes an operation 7300 of opening contacts of a circuit breaker/relay, such as due to a physical disconnect, overcurrent detection, and/or an auxiliary off command. Process 7400 also includes an operation 7402 of determining whether a contact reset condition exists. Exemplary and non-limiting operations 7402 include determining that a contact enable condition is met, determining that a fault code value has been reset, determining that the system controller is requesting a contact reset, and/or any other contact reset condition. Process 7400 also includes an operation 7404 of closing the contacts, such as by providing power to the coil to move the armature.

Referring to Figure 75, a previously known exemplary power bank circuit is depicted. The exemplary power bank circuit is similar to the power bank circuit depicted in Figure 64. The example of Figure 75 includes a junction box housing the precharge circuit, high-side relay, and low-side relay. In some embodiments, the precharge circuit and high-side relay are disposed in a housing within the junction box. In the example of Figure 75, fuse 6410 provides overcurrent protection on the high side and is housed within PDU enclosure 7500 along with the main relay and precharge resistor 6406.

Referring to Figure 76, an exemplary power bank circuit includes a circuit breaker/relay 6502 disposed in the high-side circuit and a second circuit breaker/relay 6502 positioned in the low-side circuit. In certain embodiments, each circuit breaker/relay 6502 provides continuous overcurrent control throughout the operating area of the mobile application, as described throughout this disclosure. Additionally, it can be seen that the low-side circuit breaker/relay 6502 operates under all operating conditions (including during precharge operation in which the high-side circuit breaker/relay 6502 can be bypassed so that the power bank circuit can be precharged through the precharge resistor 6406) Provides overcurrent protection. In certain embodiments, both the high-side circuit breaker/relay 6502 and the low-side circuit breaker/relay 6502 provide additional benefits such as fast arc dispersion, low wear during connection and disconnection events, and high current flow in moving circuits ( But within the rated range) improved heating characteristics during operation.

Referring to Figure 77, an exemplary power distribution arrangement for a mobile application is depicted. The embodiment of Figure 77 is similar to the embodiment of Figure 76, with a high side circuit breaker/relay 6502 and a low side circuit breaker/relay 6502. Four operating scenarios for the embodiment of Figure 77 are described herein, including precharge operations (e.g., upon system power-up for mobile applications), power supply operations for loads (e.g., to provide power or auxiliary power to mobile applications). power), regenerative operations (e.g., recovery of power from power loads or auxiliary loads), and charging operations (e.g., connection of dedicated chargers to the system). In the example of Figure 77, low-side circuit breaker/relay 6502 has an associated current sensor 6706. In the example of Figure 77, low-side circuit breaker/relay 6502 is in the loop during all operations and can provide current protection for any operating condition. To save cost, the current sensor of the high-side circuit breaker/relay 6502 can be omitted. In certain embodiments, to protect the circuit breaker/relay contacts 6502, a local current sensor for each circuit breaker/relay 6502 may be included to provide operation of the protective contacts in the event of a physical galvanic disconnection. (See, for example, Figure 70). It will be appreciated that additional contactors and/or circuit breakers/relays may be provided in addition to those shown, for example to isolate the charging circuit, to route power through selected loads among the power loads and/or auxiliary loads, and /or prevent power from flowing through the inverter during charging operations (not shown). Additionally or alternatively, certain components depicted in Figure 77 may not be present in certain implementations. For example, the low-side contactor on the charging circuit may not be present, and any one or more of the power load (traction motor drive) or auxiliary load may not be present. During precharge operation, precharge contactor 7702 may close when high side circuit breaker/relay 6502 opens, with low side circuit breaker/relay 6502 providing current protection during precharge operation (in addition to the precharge fuse or as a replacement for precharge fuses). During charging operation, the low-side circuit breaker/relay 6502 provides current protection, while the high-side circuit breaker/relay 6502 is bypassed by the charging circuit.

Referring to Figure 78, exemplary power distribution management for mobile applications is depicted. The embodiment of Figure 78 is similar to the embodiment of Figure 77, except that the high side circuit breaker/relay 6502 is in the loop during all operations and the low side circuit breaker/relay 6502 is not in the circuit during charging operations. In the example of Figure 78, the high-side circuit breaker/relay 6502 may include current sensing associated therewith to provide protection for the contacts during physical current disconnection. In certain embodiments, depending on the circuit dynamics of the mobile application, the current sensor 6706 depicted on the low side may be sufficient to provide protection for the contacts of the high side circuit breaker/relay 6502 without the need for the high side circuit breaker/relay 6502's dedicated current sensor. During precharge operation of the embodiment of Figure 78, current protection is either absent or provided by a precharge fuse. During charging operation of the embodiment of Figure 78, current protection is provided by high-side circuit breaker/relay 6502.

Referring to Figure 79, exemplary power distribution management for a mobile application is depicted. The embodiment of Figure 79 is similar to the embodiment of Figure 77 except that the high side circuit breaker/relay 6502 is replaced with a standard contactor. In the example of Figure 79, low-side circuit breaker/relay 6502 provides current protection during all operating conditions, and the system otherwise uses conventional components. In some embodiments, improved current protection capabilities are desired, but contactor wear may not be as critical, and the trade-off of having inexpensive contactors elsewhere in the power bank circuit away from the low-side circuit breaker/relay 6502 may be possible. Accepted solution. Additionally, for all operating conditions, the presence of the low-side breaker/relay 6502 in the circuit can reduce wear on conventional contactors in the power bank circuit by timing the connections so that when the system is being charged, the low-side breaker/relay 6502 Reduce the number of connect and disconnect events on other contactors.

Referring to Figure 80, exemplary power distribution management for mobile applications is depicted. The embodiment of Figure 80 is similar to the embodiment of Figure 78 except that the low side circuit breaker/relay is replaced with a contactor and the low side charging circuit is routed through the low side contactor. In some embodiments, the low-side charging circuit may bypass the low-side contactor, similar to the embodiment of Figure 78. As can be seen in Figure 80, when the high side circuit breaker/relay 6502 is bypassed, there is a circuit path through the precharge circuit that lacks short circuit protection during precharge operation unless protection is provided by the precharge fuse. In certain embodiments, a fuse (not shown) in the precharge circuit may be provided to provide short circuit protection during precharge operating conditions, and/or unprotected precharge operation may be an acceptable risk. In any of the implementations depicted throughout this disclosure, a fuse may be included, possibly in series with the circuit breaker/relay 6502, depending on the benefits sought from the circuit breaker/relay 6502 for the particular implementation. In certain embodiments, included fuses with circuit breaker/relay 6502 may be configured to activate at very high current values expected to be higher than the physical disconnect current of circuit breaker/relay 6502, such as as a circuit breaker/relay 6502. redundant protection, and/or provide long-life fuses expected to last for a selected period of time, such as the lifetime of an electric mobility application.

Referring to FIG. 81 , exemplary power distribution management for a mobile application consistent with the embodiment depicted in FIG. 77 is depicted. Power flow during precharge operation is schematically depicted in Figure 81, where arrows show power flow paths. The operations described with respect to Figure 81 may be understood in the context of any implementation described throughout this disclosure. During precharge operation, precharge contactor 7702 closes and low side breaker/relay 6502 closes, providing power through the moving circuit and through precharge resistor 6406. The precharge operation allows the capacitive elements of the moving circuit to be charged before the high side circuit breaker/relay 6502 closes. During precharge operation in the embodiment of Figure 81, low-side circuit breaker/relay 6502 provides overcurrent protection of the circuit. After the precharge operation is completed (which can be determined in an open loop (e.g., using a timer) or in a closed loop (e.g., detecting the voltage drop across the battery terminals, or detecting the current through the circuit)), the high-side circuit breaker/relay 6502 closed and precharge contactor 7702 can open.

Referring to FIG. 82 , exemplary power distribution management for a mobile application is depicted consistent with the embodiment depicted in FIG. 77 . The power flow during load supply is depicted in Figure 82, where the arrows show the flow paths. The operations described with respect to Figure 82 may be understood in the context of any implementation described throughout this disclosure. During load supply operation, in this example, precharge contactor 7702 opens and power flows through high-side circuit breaker/relay 6502 and low-side circuit breaker/relay 6502. The embodiment of Figure 82 depicts a powered traction motor load, but one or more auxiliary loads may additionally or alternatively be powered in a similar manner. Both high-side circuit breaker/relay 6502 and low-side circuit breaker/relay 6502 provide overcurrent protection during load supply operation. In certain implementations, high-side circuit breaker/relay 6502 and low-side circuit breaker/relay 6502 may have the same or different current ratings. For example, in the event that one of the high-side circuit breaker/relay 6502 or the low-side circuit breaker/relay 6502 is easier or less expensive to repair, that one of the circuit breaker/relay 6502 may have a lower total current rating. value to provide a system with predictability of which one of the circuit breakers/relays 6502 will fail first. Additionally or alternatively, certain operations on the system may have higher current ratings (e.g., where the charging circuit is only routed through one of the circuit breakers/relays 6502 (e.g., the low in the embodiment of Figure 82 side circuit breaker/relay), so one of the circuit breaker/relays 6502 may have a higher current rating than the other. In certain embodiments, the circuit breaker/relay 6502 current rating may be reflected in the contact material of the movable and fixed contacts, as reflected in the contact surface area of the movable and fixed contacts, in response to Threshold setting for controlled operation of the detected current, reflected as the number or arrangement of separator plates, reflected as separator plate material and geometry, reflected as magnet strength and geometry of the permanent magnet system surrounding the separator plates, reflected as contact force The contact force of the spring, and/or is reflected in the circuit breaker/relay design elements (e.g., contact surface area and contact spring force) that determine the physical disconnect current due to Lorentz forces on the contacts.

Referring to FIG. 83 , exemplary power distribution management for a mobile application consistent with the embodiment depicted in FIG. 77 is depicted. Power flow during regeneration operation is depicted in Figure 83, where the arrows show the flow paths. Regenerative operations from powered loads (eg, as might be experienced during regenerative braking) are depicted, but this article contemplates any regenerative operations from any load in the system. During regeneration operation, high side circuit breaker/relay 6502 and low side circuit breaker/relay 6502 are closed and precharge contactor 7702 may open. Therefore, both the high-side circuit breaker/relay 6502 and the low-side circuit breaker/relay 6502 provide overcurrent protection during regenerative operation of the system.

Referring to FIG. 84 , exemplary power distribution management for a mobile application is depicted consistent with the embodiment depicted in FIG. 77 . Power flow during charging operation is depicted in Figure 84, where the arrows show the flow paths. Charging may occur utilizing external charging equipment and may include high current fast charging operations that provide higher current operation than that associated with the rated power of the load. In the operation depicted in Figure 84, the low-side circuit breaker/relay 6502 is closed and the contactor in the charging circuit is closed, providing the power flow path as depicted. In certain embodiments, high-side circuit breaker/relay 6502 and precharge relay 7702 may be opened, for example, to isolate the inverter (not shown) from the circuit during charging operations. In certain embodiments, the high-side circuit breaker/relay 6502 may be closed, such as where isolation of the inverter is not required during charging operations, and/or where rapid operation without a precharge cycle may be required after charging. . During charging operation, in the example of Figure 84, low-side circuit breaker/relay 6502 provides overcurrent protection.

Referring to Figure 85, another cross-sectional schematic view of a circuit breaker/relay is depicted. In the example of Figure 85, the circuit breaking and connecting components are depicted on the circuit breaker side 6820, and the contactor operating components are depicted on the relay side 6822. The circuit breakers/relays depicted are examples and a single pole single throw circuit breaker/relay is depicted. Additionally or alternatively, the circuit breaker/relay may be dual pole (e.g., operate two different circuits, i.e., a parallel path for one of the circuits to provide additional current capability, and/or one pole provides high-side coupling while the other knife provides low-side coupling). In certain embodiments, a circuit breaker/relay with more than one pole can control the poles independently, or they can operate together utilizing the same armature. In certain embodiments, both knives have arc spread protection provided by the same splitter plate or by a separate set of splitter plates. In certain embodiments, both knives have arc spread protection provided by the same permanent magnet system or by separate permanent magnet systems.

Referring to Figure 86, another example of a schematic logic diagram of a circuit breaker/relay is depicted. The example of Figure 86 includes emergency or auxiliary input 8602 handled by input isolation 8604. The emergency or auxiliary input 8602 may replace or supplement any other auxiliary input and provide the ability to control the operation of the circuit breaker/relay for a specific application to provide selected response to any desired aspect of the system (including but not limited to allowing , disconnection guarantees during emergencies and/or according to any required control logic).

Referring to Figure 87, a detailed cross-sectional view of the contact portion of an exemplary circuit breaker/relay is depicted. The contacts portion of FIG. 87 includes an exemplary configuration of contact surfaces of movable contacts 6810 and fixed contacts 6812. The configuration of the contacts is that part of the system that contributes to the physical breaking force of the contacts, and may be configured with any shape or area to provide the desired response to the high currents occurring in the associated circuit.

Referring to Figure 88, for purposes of illustration, an exemplary circuit breaker/relay is depicted with portions of the housing removed. An exemplary circuit breaker/relay includes two movable contacts that engage two fixed contacts. In the example of Figure 88, the movable contacts are coupled and operated by the same armature 6814, with the contact force provided by the contact spring 6804. In the example of FIG. 88, the contacts are electrically coupled through bus bars 8802. In this example, bus bar 8802 transitions directly between contacts and is not significantly exposed to the current-carrying portion of the bus bar that includes the fixed contacts. In certain embodiments, the bus bar 8802 may include traces that expose a portion of the bus bar 8802 proximate the current-carrying members of the fixed contacts, thereby assisting Lorentz forces in providing physical disconnection of the circuit breaker/relay. In certain embodiments, the areas of the bus bars 8802 exposed to the current-carrying portions of the fixed contacts and the areas of the bus bars 8802 proximate the current-carrying portions of the fixed contacts are design elements that allow configuration of a Lorentz force response.

Referring to Figure 89, an exemplary power management arrangement for a mobile application is depicted. The example of Figure 89 includes a circuit breaker/relay 6502 disposed on the high side of the power circuit, and a precharge contactor, resistor, and fuse coupled in parallel to the high side circuit breaker/relay 6502. In the example of Figure 89, the circuit breaker/relay 6502 is a double pole circuit breaker/relay 6502, such as to provide additional current capability through the contacts of a power circuit. In the example of Figure 89, a controller 8902 is depicted that performs the control functions of the circuit breaker/relay 6502 and power management arrangement. For example, the controller 8902 receives key switch inputs, performs precharge operations, operates circuit breaker/relay closures, and responds to high current events by opening circuit breaker/relay contacts. In another example, the controller 8902 performs a shutdown operation of a power management arrangement, such as opening a circuit breaker/relay after a key switch is closed or in response to an auxiliary, emergency, or other input requesting power to be disconnected.

With further reference to FIG. 89 , exemplary power distribution management for mobile applications is schematically depicted, which may be used in whole or in part with any other system or aspect of the present disclosure. An exemplary power distribution management system includes a dual-pole circuit breaker/relay, the example of Figure 89 includes a dual-pole circuit breaker/relay with a single magnetic driver (e.g., a magnetic actuator) (e.g., each pole uses one set of contacts) . In certain embodiments, two contacts are mechanically connected such that they open or close together (eg, operating as a double pole single throw contactor). In certain embodiments, contactors may share one or more arc suppression aspects (eg, separation plates and/or permanent magnets) and/or may have separate arc suppression aspects. In certain embodiments, arc suppression aspects may be partially shared (e.g., some separator plates near both contacts) and/or partially individual (e.g., some separator plates near only one of the contacts or near another contact). In certain embodiments, various features of the contactor may be shared, and other features of the contactor may be provided separately, such as control commands or actuation (e.g., double pole double throw arrangement), arc suppression aspects, and/or shell. The example of Figure 89 additionally depicts individual contactors (e.g., the lower left portion of the three (3) depicted contacts) that are individually controllable to provide contacts for the precharge circuitry of the power distribution management system manage. In certain embodiments, the precharge contactor may be integrated with the dual-pole contact, such as within the same housing as the dual-pole contact and/or with a precharge coupling provided as one of the dual-pole contacts. integrated. The example of Figure 89 depicts fuses on the precharge circuit and additional overall fuses on the low side of the battery. The presence of the depicted fuse is optional and non-limiting, and the fuse may be present in other locations, omitted, and/or substituted (e.g., replaced with a circuit breaker/relay as described throughout this disclosure , and/or replace the poles on a double or multi-pole circuit breaker/relay). In certain embodiments, the precharge circuit may be contained within a power distribution unit separate from the circuit breaker/relay and/or containing the circuit breaker/relay, as a solid state precharge circuit, and/or as a power distribution unit located elsewhere in the system and /or mechanical circuits/electrical circuits within circuit breaker/relay enclosures.

The power arrangement of the knife in Figure 89 is a schematic example and is not limited to the arrangement of the system of a specific embodiment. In certain embodiments, each pole of a double-pole circuit breaker/relay (and/or each pole or subset of poles in a multi-pole circuit breaker/relay) may be provided for the same circuit, separate circuits, and/or selected circuits. Optional electrical coupling (e.g., using controllable switches or connectors elsewhere in the system (not depicted)). In certain embodiments, the power distribution management system also includes high resolution current sensors and/or current sensing elements on more than one pole of a dual pole or multi pole circuit breaker/relay. In certain embodiments, the controller is communicatively coupled to one or more high resolution current sensors, and utilizes the one or more high resolution current sensors to perform any of the operations described throughout this disclosure (e.g., to move a contact command one or more contacts in the device to the open position to avoid re-contact after opening, and/or to communicate information determined from the current sensor (e.g., current or other information derived therefrom) into the system another controller, such as a vehicle controller). In certain embodiments, each contactor of a double-pole or multi-pole circuit breaker/relay includes an arrangement configured to utilize a Lorentz force response to open the contacts due to high current flow through the circuit of the contactor, As described throughout this disclosure. In certain embodiments, one contact has an arrangement to open using a Lorentz force response, while the other contact opens due to a mechanical connection to the responsive contactor. In certain embodiments, each contact is arranged to open using a Lorentz force response, for example, to provide circuit protection redundancy. In certain embodiments, each contact has an arrangement for opening utilizing a Lorentz force response, wherein each contact has an individually configured threshold for the opening response, and/or wherein each contact is Individually controllable (e.g., using a separate magnetic actuator or other controlled actuator).

Referring to Figure 90, depicted is a schematic diagram of an adaptive system using a multi-port power converter for a hybrid vehicle. The use of the terms "multiport," "X-port" and/or "X-in-1 port" indicates that the power converter includes one or Multiple ports. A configurable power converter may have one or more fixed ports, one or more configurable ports, or a combination of these ports. Example system 9000 includes a multi-port power converter 9008 having multiple ports structured to connect to a power source and/or an electrical load. Multiport power converter 9008 in the example of Figure 90 is coupled to four electrical loads/sources 9006 (9006a-9006d), but may be connected to any number of loads and/or sources as described throughout this disclosure. In this example, each load/source 9006a-9006d has different electrical characteristics, such as current type (eg, AC, DC), frequency component (phase and/or frequency), and/or voltage. In certain embodiments, the load/source 9006 may have additional electrical characteristics or requirements, for example, a load that is a motor may have rise time and/or response time requirements. The exemplary multi-port power converter 9008 is capable of configuring electrical characteristics to the multi-port connector without changing the hardware of the multi-port power converter 108, and is also capable of supporting the multi-port power converter 108 in various configurations as described throughout this disclosure. Optional configuration changes in stages of manufacturing, application selection and/or use operations.

Exemplary system 9000 includes a converter/inverter library 9004. The converter/inverter library 9004 includes a plurality of solid state components that can be converted into various configurations of DC/DC conversion interfaces and/or DC/AC conversion interfaces to ports on the multi-port power converter 9008 selected port in . An exemplary configuration includes multiple half-bridge components with connectivity selected by multiple solid-state switches in the converter/inverter library 9004. Accordingly, each of the ports on multi-port power converter 9008 may be configured for a selected DC/DC and/or DC/AC interface based on the electrical load/power supply 9006 in the application. In certain embodiments, the half-bridge component includes a silicon carbide (SiC) half-bridge. In certain embodiments, SiC half-bridges can operate at very high switching frequencies and high efficiencies with low electrical losses in the converter/inverter components.

The selection of components in the converter/inverter library 9004 may be based on the number of different load types to be supported. Accordingly, one skilled in the art can design specific converter/inverter libraries 9004 to support a wide variety of contemplated applications, each of which can be implemented by simply manipulating the converter/inverter for Library 9004 components are supported for solid-state switching and driver controls without the need to change the multi-port power converter 9008 hardware. For example, if a given class of off-highway vehicles can interact with 4 different DC voltages for load and power (e.g., high-voltage battery, 12-V circuit, 24-V circuit, and 48-V circuit) and 2 Different AC voltage interactions (including possibly driving loads and accepting regenerative inputs) are packaged with a configurable part library and a sufficient number of ports for the Converter/Inverter Library 9004 that will support an entire class of off-highway vehicles , without changing the hardware of the Multiport Power Converter 9008. Thus, a given application can be supported at a selected point in the manufacturing cycle by calibrating the multi-port power converter 9008 in the controller 9002 at design time (e.g., prior to integration with the OEM), assembling the vehicle through the OEM, and /or the drivetrain of the vehicle, and/or the final vehicle assembled by the coachbuilder for the specific application. The controller 9002 may be accessed using manufacturing tools, service tools, etc. to configure the parts library 9004 in the multi-port power converter 9008 and/or to define drive controls for the parts in the parts library 9004 to meet the loads/sources in the application 9006 electrical properties.

In some embodiments, DC/DC conversion may be supported by a half-bridge with 4 MOSFET switches, and AC/DC conversion may be supported by a half-bridge with 6 MOSFET switches. In certain embodiments, half-bridges may be modular and may be combined as needed to support specific electrical inputs, outputs, or interfaces. Additionally or alternatively, H-bridge circuits, H-bridge circuits supporting three-phase output, or other components may be included in the component library 9004, depending on the requirements of the application class to be supported by the particular multi-port power converter 9008.

Using a multi-port power converter 9008 provides a variety of benefits and features that allow the system 9000 to be integrated with a wide variety of applications without requiring changes to the hardware. For example, the multi-port power converter 9008 allows for centralized processing of power management on a given application, rather than having multiple converters and/or inverters distributed throughout the vehicle or application. Therefore, cooling requirements can be reduced, especially in terms of the number of interfaces and connections used to provide cooling. Additionally, the electrical connections used for power conversion throughout the vehicle or application can be standardized and the number of connections reduced. Each connection drives a potential point of failure or environmental intrusion and requires specification, testing and other integration requirements. The use of the multi-port power converter 9008 greatly simplifies integration and allows for electrification and/or hybridization in many applications where electrification and/or hybridization have not been employed in previously known systems, such as off-highway applications with various load types. . Additionally, the ability of multi-port power converter 108 to configure port outputs and inputs allows for a wider variety of loads on a specific system to be easily integrated into electrification and/or hybrid schemes, thereby increasing the overall efficiency gains that can be achieved for the application and enabling electrification. and hybrid use cases that would otherwise be prohibitive given the appropriate design and integration challenges (not commercially justified for complex designs and/or low-volume applications). The ability to configure the multiport power converter 108 without changing hardware, interfaces, and selected points in the manufacturing cycle additionally supports providing powering and/or hybridization for many applications where design control and integration responsibilities may vary throughout the industry. Additionally, the multi-port power converter 9008 is configurable after initial use by the end user, for example to allow for changing the power rating of the vehicle or application or other system changes (this can be accomplished remotely via an update of the controller 9002), the customer can Changes to electrical components on the vehicle or application as implemented and/or during service tooling, remanufacturing, or other post-use events.

Referring to FIG. 91 , an exemplary controller 9002 is depicted having a plurality of circuits structured to functionally perform certain operations and aspects of the controller 9002 . Controller 9002 is depicted as a single device located on the multi-port power converter 108 , but the controller 9002 may be a device having a device located on a vehicle controller, in a manufacturing or service tool, on a server (e.g., cloud-based or Internet-accessible). A distributed device on a server) or part of a combination of these. In certain implementations, aspects of controller 9002 may be implemented as computer-readable instructions stored on memory, logic circuitry or other hardware devices structured to perform certain operations of controller 9002, and/or Sensors, data communications, electrical interfaces, or other aspects not depicted. The example controller 9002 includes component library configuration circuitry 9102 structured to interpret port electrical interface descriptions 9104 . The example of FIG. 91 depicts a port electrical interface description 9104 transmitted to the component library configuration circuit 9102, but the port electrical interface description 9104 may additionally or alternatively be stored on the controller 9002 or in memory in communication with the controller 9002. The example controller 9002 also includes a component library implementation circuit 9106 that provides a solid state switch state 9108 in response to the port electrical interface description 9104, wherein the component library 9004 is responsive to the solid state switch state 9108 to set components on the component library. Connections to the ports on the multi-port power converter 9008 to provide the required electrical interface, including varying DC voltage input/output and/or varying AC voltage input/output.

The example controller 9002 also includes a load/source drive description circuit 9110 structured to interpret the source/load drive characteristics 9112 . Source/load drive characteristics 9112 are depicted as being communicated to controller 9002 but may additionally or alternatively be stored on controller 9002 or in memory in communication with controller 9002 . Source/load drive characteristics 9112 provide any characteristics for driving a specific load, such as required phase, frequency, rise time parameters, and/or may include qualitative functionality, such as emergency shutdown commands that need to be supported, etc. The example controller 9002 also includes load/source drive implementation circuitry 9114 that provides a component driver configuration 9116 . Component driver configuration 9116 may be, for example, the actual gate driver controls used to drive components of component library 9004 . In certain embodiments, components of component library 9004 such as SiC solid state inverter/converter components are provided with gate driver controls from the manufacturer. In certain embodiments, component driver configuration 9116 provides interface commands and requests that are passed to the manufacturer gate driver control to make appropriate requests for driving the component such that source/load drive characteristics 9112 are met. The actual arrangement and location of the gate driver controls are not limited and any arrangement is contemplated herein and may be adapted to a particular system. As can be seen, the example controller 9002 of Figure 91 provides for rapid configuration of electrical characteristics at the ports of the multi-port power converter 9008, including driver controls for motor-independent configurations (e.g., capable of operating over a range of motor capabilities). scaled, and meet the mechanical requirements of the motor) without requiring hardware changes to the Multiport Power Converter 9008.

Referring to FIG. 151 , the example component library configuration circuit 9102 may be further structured to interpret the port configuration service request value (eg, port configuration request 15102 ), and wherein the component library implementation circuit 9106 further provides in response to the port configuration service request value 15102 Solid state switch state 9108. The component library configuration circuit 9102 may be further structured to interpret the port configuration definition value 15104, and wherein the component library implementation circuit 9106 also provides a solid state switch state in response to the port configuration definition value 15104. Accordingly, the system's controller 9002 may respond to configuration requests and/or configuration definitions such as servicing, integration, manufacturing, remanufacturing, upgrades, modifications, and/or changes to system applications.

Referring to Figure 92, an example system 9200 including a multi-port power converter 9008 is depicted. Exemplary system 9200 may be a practical contemplated system, such as a serial hybrid vehicle with multiple DC loads, a traction motor, an internal combustion engine with a motor/generator interface to multi-port power converter 9008, and a high voltage battery. In certain embodiments, system 9200 may be a representative system for a class of applications, such as including a sufficient number of interfaces and loads such that, if the exemplary system 9200 could be adequately supported, multi-port power conversion of the system is supported The 9008 will be able to support an entire class of applications without hardware changes. In certain embodiments, multi-port power converter 9008 may be designed in more than one version, such as to support a similar number of electrical interfaces and a similar number of interface types, but with different components such as in one version High voltage levels are supported, and lower voltage levels are supported in another version. As can be seen, the exemplary system 9200 would still serve as an actual system to be built that could be repeated with few hardware changes to support a similar class of applications, or as a system with a limited number of selected hardware changes in the multi-port power converter 9008 A representative system that can support a wide range of applications.

Example system 9200 includes an internal combustion engine 9202 . Internal combustion engine 9202 represents any prime mover or power source and may additionally or alternatively include grid power connectors, fuel cells, or other devices. In certain embodiments, the internal combustion engine 9202 provides power to the multi-port power converter 9008 during certain operating conditions and may receive power from the multi-port power converter 9008 during other operating conditions. The example system 9200 also includes a motor/generator 9204 that electrically interfaces the internal combustion engine 9202 with the multi-port power converter 9008 and typically (but may not) have a relatively high power rating (e.g., in this example 80hp) AC equipment. The motor/generator 9204 is capable of transmitting power in either direction, ie, receiving power from the internal combustion engine 9202 and/or returning power to the internal combustion engine 9202 , as necessary for the application or class of application under consideration. This example depicts a multi-port power converter 9008 with a 3-wire interface to a motor/generator 9204, but any interface may be supported.

The example system 9200 also includes a traction motor 9206 , which may be an AC motor and/or a motor/generator, and is depicted with a 3-wire interface to a multi-port power converter 9008 . In the example of Figure 92, the traction motor 9206 drives the transmission 9208, but the traction motor 9206 can drive any traction device, such as to provide power to a vehicle or other device. Transmission 9208 conceptually represents any active power component of system 9200, and may additionally or alternatively be a pump or other high power demanding device in the system. Additionally, the transmission 9208 may be absent and the traction motor 9206 may interface directly with the main power components. The example of Figure 92 is a "serial hybrid" example in which the prime mover 9202 and the primary load 9208 are electrically separated, but given the system 9200 (either the actual design of the system for proper functionality of the multi-port power converter 9008 Also representative systems) may be "parallel hybrid" (e.g., where the prime mover 9202 is capable of directly, at least intermittently, fully or partially driving the primary load 9208), a fully electric system (e.g., where the prime mover 9202 is not present, and/or used only as a backup power source) and/or any other arrangement (eg, where shaft power is provided from some other source in addition to or at the location of prime mover 9202 depicted in Figure 92). In certain embodiments, arrangements such as the serial hybrid arrangement of Figure 92 are contemplated for a system or representative system because the serial hybrid arrangement provides multi-port power converter 9008 that is also sufficient to support other systems (e.g., (serial hybrid or all-electric), a multi-port power converter 9008 capable of supporting a serial hybrid arrangement can support a wide range of systems, vehicles and applications without the need for multi-port power converter 9008 Hardware changes.

The example system 9200 of Figure 92 also depicts multiple DC loads and sources. In the example of Figure 92, a high voltage DC interface (650V in this example) is coupled to a high voltage battery 9212 and a main pump motor 9210 (eg, to support hydraulic pumps for off-highway vehicles with large hydraulic systems). The main pump motor 9210 and the high voltage battery 9212 are depicted as being coupled to the same 650V circuit, but the large DC load (eg, the main pump motor 9210) and the high voltage battery 9212 need not be at the same voltage on a particular system. In the example of Figure 92, the main pump motor 9210 is also rated at 80 hp, which in this example allows the motor/generator 9204 to fully support traction loads or main pump loads, which may be the intended arrangement for a particular system or to support a class of applications. imaginary system. However, in some embodiments, the primary DC load and/or traction load may be different, and the motor/generator 9204 may support only the highest of the available loads, all available loads simultaneously, and/or support some other load values (eg, expected average load over the application's operating cycles, load values expected to depend on net battery 9212 being discharged during some operating cycles, etc.). In certain embodiments, the motor/generator 9204 may be absent or may have load capabilities independent of the DC and/or traction loads on the application.

In the example of Figure 92, a 12V DC interface 9214 is depicted, which in the example of Figure 92 drives the actuator to operate the load 9216 using hydraulic pressure from the main pump motor 9210. In this example, 12V DC interface 9214 is coupled to load 9216, allowing actuation and regenerative recovery from load 9216. The directed operation of power on the 12V DC interface 9214 drives the configuration of components in the multi-port power converter 9008 to allow powering and recovering energy from the 12V DC interface 9214 and can be used for any 12V DC operation (e.g. , vehicle accessories, low-power equipment, etc.). In certain embodiments, the power recovered on the 12V DC interface 9214 may be returned to the high voltage battery 9212, provided to a low voltage battery interface (not shown), and/or used for other loads in the system.

In the example of Figure 92, a 48V DC interface 9218 is depicted, which in the example of Figure 92 drives an actuator to operate a second load 9220 using hydraulic pressure from the main pump motor 9210. In this example, 48V DC interface 9218 is coupled to load 9220, allowing actuation and regenerative recovery from load 9220. The directed operation of power on the 48V DC interface 9218 drives the configuration of components in the multi-port power converter 9008 to allow powering and recovering energy from the 48V DC interface 9218 and can be used for any 48V DC operation (e.g. , vehicle accessories, refrigeration, PTO equipment, etc.). In certain embodiments, the power recovered on the 48V DC interface 9218 may be returned to the high voltage battery 9212, provided to a low voltage battery interface (not shown), and/or used for other loads in the system.

It can be seen that a system 9200 such as that depicted in Figure 92 can easily provide integration and support for a wide range of applications with minimal changes to the design of the interface to the multi-port power converter 9008 and with minimal changes to the hardware or components from the multi-port power converter. Selected versions of the small number of hardware versions of the 9008 have not changed. Certain application differences may be supported without changes, for example the load type on the 12V interface 9214 may be changed without any hardware or even calibration changes in the controller 9002. Certain application differences may be supported with only calibration changes in the controller 9002, such as switching the 12V interface 9214 to a 24V interface (or some other value). Certain application differences can be supported with only minor hardware version changes, for example switching a high voltage DC from 650V to 900V can only require multi-port power conversion with more capable SiC parts that can interact with higher voltages. Different versions of 9008. It can also be seen that at selected points in the manufacturing cycle (including at the design time of the multi-port power converter 9008, at the OEM stage (e.g., integrating the multi-port power converter 9008 with a selected drivetrain), at During the body building process (e.g., integrating a specific vehicle or a specific load with the multi-port power converter 9008) and/or after the application is already in use (e.g., changing or upgrading the vehicle's electrical system, changing power ratings, executing the application remanufacture or upgrade, and/or change the basic usage scenario or duty cycle of the system, vehicle or application)) to accommodate many application changes. Additionally or alternatively, versions of multi-port power converter 9008 may be configured for devices that are electrically similar (e.g., require the same or similar amounts of different voltages, electrical types, and power ratings) but have different certifications where applicable or Regulatory (where the configuration of the Multiport Power Converter 9008 is otherwise similar, but components, diagnostics, or other aspects of the Multiport Power Converter 9008 are configured in each version for different certification, regulatory, or other requirements for each type of application ) different applications. For example, electrically similar on-highway and off-highway applications may have different requirements for certification and/or different regulatory requirements for components on multi-port power converter 9008.

Referring to Figure 107, an exemplary X-port converter 9008 is depicted that is similar to the implementation depicted in Figure 92. In the example of Figure 107, the The switch is coupled into the selected circuit. The exemplary X-port converter 9008 also includes a solid-state switch set 10706 positioned between the power electronics 9222, 9224 and coupling ports on the housing of the X-port converter 10706, thereby allowing the configured power electronics, Fuses and/or contactors are routed into the circuit associated with any selected port. The exemplary etc.) and improve the operating efficiency of the converter to support the load and source. Referring to Figure 108, an exemplary X-port converter 9008 is depicted that is similar to the implementation depicted in Figure 107. In the example of Figure 108, port group 10806 may not include a solid state switch group. In the example of Figure 108, the ports of the converter 9008 have configurable electrical characteristics, but may be less flexible than the example of Figure 107. For example, a given port can be a dedicated AC port with configurable voltage, frequency, and phase ratings in the example of Figure 108, where the given port can switch between AC and DC in the example of Figure 107. The example converter 9008 of Figure 108 additionally includes coolant ports (eg, a coolant inlet coupling and a coolant outlet coupling) for coupling to a coolant source 10802 (eg, a primary cooling system for an electric mobility application) ). In this example, coolant coupling 10804 provides a consistent cooling interface for all power electronics. Coolant coupling 10804 may be present in any implementation of converter 9008.

As can be seen, the system described herein provides high machine-level efficiency for systems, vehicles, and applications at a lower cost than previously known systems. Additionally, the ease of integration and optionality of the systems herein enables the use of hybrid, fully electric, and/or regenerative systems previously prohibited by integration difficulties and/or low capacity for such applications, which prohibit development for such applications. hybrid, fully electric and/or regenerative systems) where this is not available. The system described herein is scalable to different power ratings and voltage levels on both the DC and AC portions of the system. Additionally, energy recovery systems for a variety of loads, such as for hydraulic loads, power loads, PTO loads, pneumatic loads, and/or any other type of load capable of interacting with any type of electric system, may be readily supported, including A class of applications that are supported without hardware changes to the multi-port power converter 9008. Additionally, the system herein is agnostic to the motor and/or motor/generator needs of a specific application and can support any type of electrical interface without requiring hardware changes and/or controller 9002 at selected points in the manufacturing cycle. Only minimal calibration changes are made and includes post-use changes, such as for upgrades, remanufacturing, repair and/or maintenance. Our system provides ready interfaces and integration with prime movers or power supplies, traction drives, and system loads. Load support and energy recovery are easily supported on any interface of the multi-port power converter 9008. Hybrid and/or electrified actuation of various loads such as pumps, cranes, heavy work vehicles, wheel loaders, aerial lifts and tractors prohibits reasonable integration due to integration, certification and/or different load numbers on those systems and energy recovery, so various previously known applications did not take advantage of hybridization and/or electrification. The system of this article can be easily designed and integrated with any such application, including supporting application classes with a configurable multi-port power converter 9008 that can be used without hardware changes and/or A small number of selected hardware versions are adapted to the application categories described. The use of SiC components in the multi-port power converter 9008 can provide a 5-10% improvement in power conversion efficiency in electrical conversion and for applications where previously known systems cannot employ hybridization and/or electrification of the load and energy recovery , increases in energy recovery and prime mover optimization (e.g., operating the prime mover in the efficient operating zone for a greater percentage of the time during operation) can produce >50% overall machine level efficiency gains. The system herein enables off-the-shelf hybridization and electrification of loads in applications where previously known systems were not feasible for integration, and enables design selection of the multi-port power converter 9008 to engage in manufacturing and supply chains to further Improves ease of integration and enables adoption for applications where previously known systems were not feasible.

Referring to Figure 93, an example circuit breaker/relay 9302 is schematically depicted in context 9300. The exemplary context 9300 includes a regulatory interface 9304, including, for example, legal or industry regulations, policies, or other executable frameworks for which the circuit breaker/relay 9302 is responsible for maintaining certain performance characteristics thereof. The example supervisory interface 9304 may physically manifest during runtime operation of an application having the circuit breaker/relay 9302 thereon, such as network communications, calibration values of responses, selection of sizes of components of the circuit breaker/relay 9302, etc., and /or the supervisory interface 9304 may represent one or more design time considerations made during the selection, installation, repair, maintenance, and/or replacement of the circuit breaker/relay 9302 on which the circuit breaker/relay 9302 has Not physically exposed during runtime operations of the application.

Exemplary context 9300 also includes a command and/or control interface 9306 , which may include signals, voltages, through which command functions (eg, connector open or close commands) are received by circuit breaker/relay 9302 , electrical coupling and/or network coupling. In certain embodiments, the circuit breaker/relay 9302 includes only electromechanical components, for example, where the circuit breaker/relay 9302 does not include a microprocessor, controller, printed circuit board, or other "smart" features. In some embodiments, the circuit breaker/relay 9302 includes some functional controls located locally on the circuit breaker/relay 9302 and elsewhere on the application that has the circuit breaker/relay 9302 (e.g., located on the battery management system control controller, vehicle controller, power electronics controller, and/or other functional controllers with aspects distributed across one or more controllers. In some embodiments, certain command or control aspects are provided as physical or electrical commands, while other command or control aspects are provided as communication elements (e.g., data link or network commands) and/or in response to detection during runtime operations. The intelligent aspects of the circuit breaker/relay 9302 are provided based on parameters determined by programmed logic or otherwise determined.

The example context 9300 also includes an environmental interface 9308 such as vibration, temperature events, shock, and other environmental parameters experienced by the circuit breaker/relay 9302. Aspects of the environmental interface 9308 may be physically manifest in the circuit breaker/relay 9302, such as through material design selections, size and location of components, connector selections, active or passive cooling selections, and the like. Additionally or alternatively, planned or experienced duty cycle, power throughput, etc. may be part of the environmental interface 9308 of the circuit breaker/relay 9302.

Example context 9300 also includes a high voltage interface 9310, such as a high voltage battery, system load, charger, etc. coupled to the system. In certain embodiments, the high voltage interface 9310 is physically present on the circuit breaker/relay 9302, such as with voltage ratings, dimensions of components, ratings of current sensors (if present), material selections, etc. Any of the exemplary features of the circuit breakers/relays described throughout this disclosure may be included herein for the exemplary circuit breaker/relay 9302, including, but not limited to, arc quenching features, contactor design elements, connector contact force Impact etc. Any aspect of context 9300 may be included or omitted, and the aspects of context 9300 are not limited to the context 9300 contemplated for a particular circuit breaker/relay 9302 . Additionally, it should be understood that the organization of context 9300 aspects is an example for clarity of description, but in certain embodiments, specific aspects 9304, 9306, 9308, 9310 may be omitted, separated, and/or present in other aspects 9304 , 9306, 9308, 9310. For example, voltage limits, response time limits, etc. may be understood to originate from the supervisory interface 9304 in one embodiment, from the command/control interface 9306 in another embodiment, and from the interface 9304 in yet another embodiment , 9306 both.

Referring to Figure 94, an exemplary circuit breaker/relay architecture 9400 is depicted. The exemplary circuit breaker/relay 9302 includes all electronic control functions located remotely from the circuit breaker/relay 9302, with only the electromechanical hardware remaining on the circuit breaker/relay 9302. The exemplary circuit breaker/relay 9302 includes a contactor 9402 (eg, a normally open or normally closed high voltage contactor) movably operated by a coil 9404, and wherein power to the coil 9404 provides an opening force to the contactor 9402 or closing force. In some embodiments, contactor 9402 is normally open, and power to coil 9404 causes contactor 9402 to close. The exemplary architecture 9400 also includes a high voltage circuit 9406 switched by a contactor 9402 and a pair of input signals (eg, A input 9408 and B input 9410), although any number and type of input signals are contemplated herein. An example system is depicted in Figure 96, which shows example operation of electronics controlling an example circuit breaker/relay 9302 (magnetic driver 2302 in the depiction of Figure 96). The exemplary architecture 9400 also includes an external controller 9412, such as a battery management controller, a vehicle controller, or other controller present on the application, which includes an electronics portion and a management portion. For the exemplary architecture 9400 , the electronics section schematically depicts a controller configured to manage direct opening and closing control of the circuit breaker/relay 9302 and to communicate diagnostic information about the circuit breaker/relay 9302 . The management section schematically depicts supplying external commands to the circuit breaker/relay 9302, e.g., to command the circuit breaker/relay 9302 to open or close, implement overcurrent shutdown, and/or implement auxiliary or safety shutdown (e.g., crash signaling, maintenance event signal, etc.). The electronics and management are depicted in an arrangement for clarity of description, but it should be understood that aspects of the electronics and management may be distributed throughout the system, and/or portions of the electronics may be located at circuit breaker/relay 9302 superior.

Referring to Figure 95, an example system 9500 is depicted showing specific voltage, amperage, and time-based values for the example system. The example system 9500 includes a turn-on signal having certain electrical characteristics and a hold signal having certain electrical characteristics, which are non-limiting examples. Exemplary system 9500 is consistent with certain implementations of architecture 9400 depicted in Figure 94. An exemplary circuit breaker/relay consistent with certain embodiments of the system of Figure 95 responds to an 8.2V turn-on voltage, a 1.5V hold voltage, and includes a 3 ohm resistor in the actuation coil.

Referring to Figure 96, the operation of an exemplary electronic device portion such as architecture 9400 depicted in Figure 94 is shown for illustrative purposes. It will be appreciated that components of the system such as that in Figure 96 may be implemented in hardware, software, logic circuitry, and/or may be combined or distributed about the system. Exemplary electronics include a turn-on response in which a 12V control voltage is applied to the module. The actual drive coil of the circuit breaker/relay can be switched to the control voltage via the deenergizing circuit and driver. Turn-on driver 9702 is controlled at approximately 65% of the minimum nominal voltage (eg, nominal <70% or 8.2V) for 100ms. The timing, voltage and switching logic of the turn-on operation are non-limiting examples. During the switch-on operation, the drive coil is energized with an incoming current so that the driver can be switched on.

Exemplary electronic devices include modulated responses. An exemplary regulation response includes linearly regulating the voltage during the switch-on process, such as using a control circuit (regulation) and linkage for the duration of the switch-on process (eg, 100 ms), thereby applying a selected actuation voltage to the drive coil.

Exemplary electronic devices include hold responses. An exemplary hold response includes disabling the driver after an on period and providing the drive coil with a hold signal (e.g., 1.5V) that remains on continuously and/or remains on continuously with a diagnostic interrupt (e.g., see schematic Voltage curve graph 9708).

In some embodiments, the power-down transistor is checked at selected intervals (eg, depending on fault tolerance intervals, regulatory or policy intervals, and/or intervals of interest). If the power-down transistor is defective (e.g. if it is permanently conductive), the breaker/relay will rely on disconnecting the 1.5V supply to de-energize the magnetic drive. While it is still possible to shut down the system, a defective outage relay may operate slower than expected and/or be too slow for the circuit breaker/relay to comply. In certain embodiments, frequent blanking pulses (or diagnostic interrupts) create a cutoff voltage peak (freewheeling level, approximately 180V in this example system) at the coil connection. If the voltage spike remains off, the power-down transistor can be diagnosed as defective. In some embodiments, the blanking pulses are kept short, thereby keeping the energy in the freewheeling circuit low, thereby reducing wasted energy and heat, and also keeping the energy low to reduce noise emissions. In some embodiments, a 100 microsecond blanking pulse is sufficient. In some embodiments, faster or slower blanking pulses may be utilized. In certain embodiments, diagnostics of de-energized relays and/or system response (eg, more conservative shutdown to account for slower responses) may be used in electronics, management, or elsewhere in the system.

Exemplary electronic devices include disconnect and/or power-off responses. In this example, turning off the 1.5V holding voltage deactivates the power-down circuit above the trigger voltage of approximately 4.5V (nominal <50%*Urated=6V).

Certain additional exemplary embodiments of systems incorporating circuit breaker/relay devices are set forth below. Any one or more aspects of the following systems may be included within any other system or portion of a system described throughout this disclosure. Any one or more aspects of the following systems may be used to perform any of the processes, operations, or methods herein.

Referring to Figure 97, an example system 9702 includes a circuit breaker/relay device having a precharge circuit, current sensor, and high temperature switching device located within a single enclosure. Referring to Figure 98, for ease of illustration, system 9207 is depicted with a transparent housing. Exemplary system 9702 includes a circuit breaker/relay 6502 , a current sensor 6706 , a precharge fuse 6406 and a precharge contact positioned within a housing and arranged to electrically interface with a power circuit, such as a mobile power circuit for mobile power applications. Device 6408.

In certain embodiments, the circuit breaker/relay device includes, for example, any combination short circuit and contact device as described throughout this disclosure. In certain embodiments, the circuit breaker/relay device includes a single contact (eg, compared to dual contact embodiments). In certain embodiments, a circuit breaker/relay device includes two contacts operated with a single actuator. In certain embodiments, the system includes a fuse, depicted in the embodiment of FIG. 98 as a high temperature switch 9802 (or a high temperature fuse), such as a fuse that is activated by high temperature technology (e.g., at selected times A fuse that is detached by operating a small explosive device to break a circuit). In certain embodiments, a high temperature switch operates on a circuit in series with one leg of the circuit controlled by circuit breaker/relay device 6502, such as to provide high temperature switch protection for the high or low side of the circuit. For ease of illustration, the precharge circuit wiring is not depicted. The precharge circuit may be wired in parallel with the contactor of the circuit breaker/relay 6502 and/or in parallel with the high temperature switch 9802. Referring to Figure 99, depicted is a top schematic diagram of a system 9702 showing an exemplary arrangement of components in the system. Example system 9702 includes high-voltage connections 9902, such as low-side and high-side connections to a power source (e.g., a high-voltage battery) and low-side and high-side connections to a load (e.g., a powered motor). Connectors. Referring to Figure 100, depicted is a side schematic diagram of a system viewed from the end with a high temperature switch 9802 and a precharge fuse 6406.

In certain embodiments, system 6702 (eg, a "circuit breaker/relay PDU") has a mass of no more than 5 kg and/or no more than 1.5 kg. In certain embodiments, the circuit breaker/relay PDU has dimensions less than one or more of: 600mm long, 140mm wide, and/or 110mm high. In certain embodiments, the circuit breaker/relay PDU has dimensions less than one or more of: 160mm long, 135mm wide, and/or 105mm high. In some embodiments, the circuit breaker/relay PDU is capable of supporting operation at 300A or greater continuous current. In some embodiments, the circuit breaker/relay PDU is capable of interrupting 1100A and/or exceeding 400V without assistance. In some embodiments, the circuit breaker/relay PDU is capable of interrupting 8,000A and/or exceeding 400V. In certain embodiments, a circuit breaker/relay PDU is capable of passively interrupting a short circuit condition (e.g., without requiring external control signals or communications), and/or is also capable of actively interrupting other operating states (e.g., active for any reason). trigger command). In some embodiments, high temperature switch 9802 is located on the negative leg of the overall circuit, but the high temperature switch can be located anywhere desired. In some embodiments, a trigger is used to actively control the high temperature switch to command an interrupt. In certain embodiments, the circuit breaker/relay, high temperature switch 9802, and/or both may be actively commanded to interrupt the circuit. In certain embodiments, the circuit breaker/relay PDU can support dual amp ratings, such as 90A and 1000A (non-limiting example).

Referring to Figure 101, an example system 10100 includes a power circuit protection arrangement for high voltage loads, such as power supply circuits for mobile applications. The example system 10100 includes a circuit breaker/relay PDU 10102 with a circuit breaker/relay 10106 disposed in the high side of the power supply circuit. The example system 10100 includes a precharge circuit 10104 positioned within the housing of a circuit breaker/relay PDU 10102, including a precharge resistor and a precharge contactor. The example system also includes a current sensor 6706 and a high temperature switch 9802 positioned within the housing of the circuit breaker/relay PDU 10102. The system includes a circuit breaker/relay PDU 10102 that interfaces with a high voltage battery 10110 on a first side and a high voltage load 10108 on a second side.

Referring to Figure 102, depicted is an oblique view of a system 10200 having a double pole circuit breaker/relay 10302 with a coupled current sensor 6706 connected thereto. An example current sensor 6706 is shown with a connector 10202 for communicatively coupling to a controller. Referring to Figure 103, depicted is a top view of system 10200 with a partially transparent top side of the housing of system 10200. Exemplary locations of the precharge fuse 6406 and precharge connector 6408 are shown, and the coupling locations of the high voltage battery (HV battery + and -) and the high voltage load (HV load + and -) are shown. Referring to Figure 104, a system 10200 consistent with that of Figure 103 is depicted with the top side of the system's housing positioned normally. Referring to Figure 105, an exemplary circuit breaker/relay PDU is depicted showing high voltage bus bar couplings 10502, 10504, 10506, 10508 to the circuit breaker/relay PDU. In the example of Figure 105, connection 10508 is the battery low side, connection 10506 is the battery high side, connection 10502 is the high voltage load high side, and connection 10504 is the high voltage low side. However, this article contemplates any arrangement of high voltage power supply and load connections.

Referring to Figure 106, an example system 10600 includes a power circuit protection arrangement for high voltage loads, such as power supply circuits for mobile applications. The example system 10600 includes a double pole circuit breaker/relay PDU 10602, where the circuit breaker/relay 10606 includes a first pole disposed on the high side of the power supply circuit and a second pole disposed on the low side of the power supply circuit. The exemplary system 10600 includes a precharge circuit 10104 positioned within the housing of a circuit breaker/relay PDU 10602, including a precharge resistor and a precharge contactor. The example system also includes a current sensor 6706. The exemplary system 10600 does not include fuses or high temperature switches, although fuses or high temperature switches may be present in certain embodiments. The system includes a circuit breaker/relay PDU 10602 that interfaces with a high voltage battery 10110 on a first side and a high voltage load 10108 on a second side.

Exemplary double-pole circuit breaker/relay devices include individual circuit breaker/relay contactors with one or more poles that operate in response to active and passive interrupts, have arc suppression, and/or have current sensors. In some embodiments, each knife is disposed in a high-side or low-side circuit of the system. In some embodiments, one or more knives include an integrated precharge circuit in parallel therewith.

As can be seen, the exemplary single pole and double pole circuit breaker/relay devices provide a high capability interrupting system, as well as a system with a high degree of flexibility in capabilities. Additionally, the system has resettable interrupts (utilizing circuit breakers/relays), and integration as depicted significantly reduces the footprint of previously known systems.

Exemplary embodiments include a high voltage electric vehicle battery power distribution system architecture that includes a circuit breaker/relay with a precharge circuit integrated in the same housing. These two elements distribute power from one side of the battery. In addition to these two components, the housing also contains a current sensor and a high temperature disconnect (eg, a high temperature switch) in series with each other on opposite sides of the battery.

High-voltage batteries in mobile applications contain large amounts of energy, making it desirable to protect the rest of the vehicle and the operator in the event of overload, short circuit, or emergency situations. Previously known systems include a contactor and fuse on the high side of the battery, a precharge circuit in parallel with the high side contactor, and a contactor and current sensor on the low side of the battery. Certain exemplary systems of the present disclosure have at least one or more of the following benefits compared to previously known systems: increased efficiency (e.g., power transfer, losses, reduced cooling requirements); active and passive protection in the event of overcurrent, short circuit or emergency, since circuit breakers/relays or high-temperature components can be actively triggered; additional circuit breaking protection in the event of overload or short circuit, such as Physical disconnect operation for proactive and correct operation of the controller; size and weight advantages due to smaller footprint due to shared housing and modular components; etc.

Referring to Figure 109A, a top view of an exemplary embodiment of an integrated inverter assembly 10900 is schematically depicted, and a side view (right) thereof is schematically depicted in Figure 109B. The examples of Figures 109A and 109B include a high voltage DC battery coupling 10902 and a vehicle (or mobile application) coupling 10904. Vehicle coupling 10904 provides data communication, key switch status, sensor communication, and/or any other desired coupling aspect. 109A, 109B, a battery connector 10902 and a vehicle connector 10904 are provided, which may be any type of connector known in the art and selected for a particular application. Exemplary battery connectors 10902 include Rosenberger HPK series connectors, but any battery connector may be used. Exemplary vehicle connector 10904 includes Yazaki connector part number 7282885330, but any vehicle connector may be used. In the examples of Figures 109A, 109B, the main cover is visible, which may be located on the vertically upward portion of the integrated inverter assembly 10900 mounted on a vehicle or mobile application, but it is contemplated in certain embodiments of the present disclosure Other orientations of the integrated inverter assembly 10900 are provided. In the example of Figures 109A, 109B, a harness 10906 is depicted that provides connections for motor temperature and/or position sensors. The harness 10906 may be shielded as determined by the specific EMI environment, sensor characteristics, and/or communication mechanisms between the sensor and the integrated inverter assembly 10900 . In the side view of Figure 109B, the base (or back cover) can be seen.

Referring to Figure 110, an underside view of the main cover of an integrated inverter assembly 10900 is schematically depicted, with certain aspects removed for clarity of illustration. Integrated inverter assembly 10900 includes coolant inlet and outlet connections 11002, which may be blind connections and/or may be sized to accommodate SAEJ2044 quick connect couplings. A coolant connection provides coolant flow through one or more coolant channels, as described in this disclosure. In the example of Figure 110, the main cover is coupled to the rear cover using a cure-in-place gasket.

Referring to FIG. 111 , an underside view of the main cover of the integrated inverter assembly 10900 is schematically depicted, including certain aspects of the electronics packaging of the integrated inverter assembly 10900 for reference. Referring to Figure 112, motor connector 11202 is configured for a 3 phase high voltage motor connection, such as a blade configured to interface with motor connector 10906 of Figure 111. The example of Figure 112 depicts a printed circuit board (PCB) with a gate driver of the inverter mounted therein, and a current sensor corresponding to each phase of the gate driver. The example of Figure 112 depicts a second PCB (partially obscured by DC link capacitor 11206) used to control the inverter (including interfacing with the vehicle, power control operations, diagnostics, etc.). DC link capacitor 11206 provides coupling between the DC high voltage system (eg, battery) and the gate driver. In certain implementations, DC link capacitor 11206 may include certain power conditioning aspects, such as capacitors, bus bars, and/or chokes. Referring to Figure 113, an embodiment with coolant channels 11304 is depicted with connectors 11306 for the inverter driver of the inverter assembly 10900.

Referring to Figure 113, a top surface 11402 of a coolant channel (the upper coolant channel in the example of Figure 113) is depicted. The gate driver (eg, IGBT) is mounted in thermal contact with the coolant channel such that the coolant flowing through the coolant channel is in thermal communication with the inverter power electronics.

Referring to Figure 114, the underside of the main cover is depicted (relative to Figure 113) to illustrate aspects of the coolant channels 11402, with the lower coolant channels depicted in Figure 114. The coolant channels include heat transfer features (pins, in the example of FIG. 114 ) to provide the required heat transfer environment between the coolant flowing in the channels and the cooling components of the integrated inverter assembly 10900. Two of the holes defined in the lower coolant channel of Figure 114 provide inlet and outlet communication for coolant into the inverter. Two of the holes defined in the lower coolant channel of Figure 114 provide fluid communication between the upper coolant channel and the lower coolant channel. Referring to Figure 115, an exemplary relationship between upper coolant channels 11506 and lower coolant channels 11504 is depicted. In the example of Figure 115, each of the coolant channels includes a heat transfer feature, such as a pin. The utilization of two parallel coolant channels provides increased heat transfer capacity and allows easier communication with all cooling components within the compact integrated package. The coolant passages are described as "upper" and "lower" for convenience and clarity of description to identify the individual passages. The actual vertical positioning of the channel may vary depending on the specific design of the integrated inverter assembly and the orientation of the integrated inverter assembly when installed. Figure 115 additionally depicts an external coolant coupling port 11204, which in the example of Figure 115 has a baffled stem 11502.

Referring to Figure 116, an assembly example for coupling the coolant channels to the main cover is depicted. In this example, a coolant channel separation body 11604 (having a lower coolant channel on the lower side and an upper coolant channel on the upper side) is separated from a lower coolant channel cover 13102 (e.g., the portion of the coolant channel visible in Figure 109A ) and the main cover body are assembled together. In certain embodiments, the assembly of Figure 116 is formed using friction stir welding (FSW), a low-cost process that provides sealed joints that form coolant channels. This article envisions other assembly techniques. Each component of the assembly may be formed by any known technique. The coolant channel separation body is desirably thermally conductive and may be formed from aluminum, for example. In certain embodiments, the coolant channel separation body is forged, but it may be cast, machined, or formed by any other technique. In certain embodiments, the lower coolant channel cover is stamped. In certain embodiments, the main cover body is cast. Referring to Figure 131, an exemplary embodiment is depicted in which the lower coolant channel cover is depicted in position, integrated with the main cover and coolant channel separation body.

Referring to Figure 117, depicted is the underside of the main cover in which an insulated gate bipolar transistor 11702 (IGBT) is mounted. The IGBT11702 is thermally coupled (e.g. using thermal adhesive) to the surface of the upper cooling channel and therefore has high heat transfer capabilities to the coolant to support high power density installations.

Referring to Figure 118A, dimensions and weight of an exemplary integrated inverter assembly 10900 are shown, with a width 11806 of approximately 118 mm, and with a length 11804 of approximately 277 mm. Referring to Figure 118B, the exemplary embodiment includes a depth 11802 of approximately 87 mm. The total mass of the exemplary inverter assembly 10900 is less than about 5 kg. The example of Figure 118A is based on various aspects of the present disclosure and is believed to depict one example of an achievable size with sufficient power capacity for automotive passenger vehicle applications.

Referring to Figure 119, a perspective view depicting gate driver PCB 11902 and DC link capacitor 11206 is shown. Referring to Figure 120, a perspective view of an exemplary embodiment depicts AC bus bars 11202, motor temperature/position sensor 10906. The AC connection utilizes two foam seals 12002 and replaceable captive nuts 13502 (see also Figure 35). Referring to Figure 121, an underside view of the main cover is depicted. In the example of Figure 121, a curable in-place gasket (CIPG) 12102 is dispensed and cured on the cover and can be reused after the repair event if the gasket is not damaged during the repair event.

Referring to Figure 122, a close-up of one corner of an exemplary primary cover is depicted. In the example of Figure 122, a flange 12204 is provided that provides controlled compression of the CIPG 12102 by selecting the flange height and CIPG distribution (the height difference 12202 provides selectable compression), thus ensuring that proper installation of the main cover and Offering convenience and reliability in a sealed package. Referring to Figure 123, certain aspects of an exemplary installation of an IGBT are depicted in which thermal paste 12302 provides thermal coupling to the IGBT and PCB, and in which gaskets 12304 formed in situ provide reliable coolant flow between cooling channels. seal. 124-127 depict multiple views of an exemplary embodiment of a main cover portion with mounting components of an integrated inverter assembly 12400 consistent with various aspects of the present disclosure. Referring to Figure 125, lower cooling channels 11504 and side cross-sectional views of IGBT 11702 provide an exemplary heat transfer environment for IGBT 11702 integrated with an inverter assembly. Referring to FIG. 128 , an exemplary embodiment depicts upper 11506 and lower 11504 cooling channels in which exemplary locations of temperature sensors 12802 (in this example, a thermistor) may be used, for example, to control active cooling and/or monitor power electronics. .

An exemplary IGBT consistent with certain embodiments of the present disclosure is a double-sided cooled half-bridge power module capable of 750V, 800A operation and an operating temperature capability of 175°C for continuous operation. Certain commercially available FS4 IGBTs using a half-bridge configuration exhibit low losses at light loads and, in some embodiments, for applications that tend to have low duty cycles, such as passenger car applications. is beneficial.

Referring to Figure 129, an exemplary coupling mechanism of a main cover and a rear cover is depicted. The exemplary coupling mechanism includes a threaded area 12908 in the main cover to retain the coupling screw 12906 when disengaged, and wherein the height 12902 of the unthreaded portion in the motor casting (back cover) is greater than the threaded engagement portion 12904 of the screw 12906. Therefore, the screws can back into the threaded areas 12908 in the main cover and ensure that the threads remain disengaged from the motor casting. Referring to Figure 130, an exemplary coupling mechanism includes a reduced diameter portion 13004 for coupling a portion of the screw, thereby providing a convenient captive screw mechanism. In the example of Figure 130, the main screw threads 13006 are disengaged from the motor casting and the second threaded portion 13002 of the screw is engaged with the threaded area 12908 of the main cover. Referring to Figure 131, a side cross-sectional view is depicted

Referring to Figure 132, a previously known DC link capacitor is depicted. DC link capacitors include bus bars, common mode chokes and capacitors (Y caps) as external components of the DC link capacitor. The bus bars are laminated bus bars to provide isolation of the three AC phases and require DC link capacitors. The bus bars outside the enclosure are as long as the enclosure, with the full thickness along the length of the enclosure.

Referring to Figure 133, an exemplary DC link capacitor 11206 is depicted with a bus bar, common mode choke, and Y-cap included in the housing of the DC link capacitor 11206. The bus bars, chokes and Y-caps are enclosed within the DC link capacitor, providing a compact design and enhanced mechanical integrity. In certain embodiments, the example DC link capacitor 11206 in Figure 133 may be used in an integrated inverter assembly 10900 consistent with any other aspect of this disclosure. The DC link capacitor 11206 also includes an IGBT interface 13302 that provides power to each of the IGBTs, and a DC interface 13304 that provides an interface to a DC power source, such as a battery. Referring to Figure 134, an exemplary embodiment depicts a three-phase closed DC link capacitor 11206 coupled to an AC motor connector through an IGBT 11702. In the example of Figure 134, the connections are soldered, providing reduced assembly complexity and reduced contact resistance. In certain embodiments, the utilization of an integrated inverter assembly 10900, which has a fixed small footprint and limited external interfaces to the rest of the vehicle and/or electric drive system, enables a closed DC link One or both of the connecting capacitors 11209 and the solder connections, such as by providing consistent geometric positioning, thereby allowing components to be assembled using encapsulation and soldering without having to route or assemble the DC link connecting capacitors, bus bars, common mode chokes Positioning of flow circles, Y-caps, and/or spatial arrangement of IGBT and AC connector blades. Referring to FIG. 135 , another view of the embodiment depicted in FIG. 126 , wherein FIG. 135 is a cross-sectional view of the embodiment of FIG. 126 and may be used to reference the positioning of the DC link capacitor assembly within the exemplary integrated inverter assembly 10900 .

Referring to Figure 136, a previously known quick connector compliant with the SAEJ2044 quick connect coupling standard is depicted. The quick connector of Figure 136 includes a lock 13608 with a retaining spring and two internal O-rings 13602 for sealing the fluid coupling. A spacer is provided between the two inner O-rings. The quick connector of Figure 136 is configured to receive a fluid coupling, such as an end piece having an end form such as that depicted in Figure 26 (13702). The quick connector of Figure 136 includes ribs ("fir trees") 13606 on the outside diameter of the tube connection, with an outer O-ring 13604 on the tube side for sealing.

Referring to Figure 138, a first embodiment of the fluid connector of the present disclosure is depicted. The fluid connector of Figure 138 does not include a locking element, but is configured to receive an end piece having a standard SAEJ2044 end form. An exemplary fluid connection includes two inner O-rings 13804 and a spacer 13806 between them. The connector also includes a shaped receiving portion 13802 and does not include a lock. The connector also includes external O-ring 13808. In certain embodiments, the fluid connections within the integrated inverter assembly 10900 have close spacing and portions of the quick connector are difficult to access (or inaccessible) to manipulate the lock and thereby operate the quick connector. Additionally, in certain embodiments, the integrated inverter assembly 10900 provides a fixed geometry of fluid coupling locations at least partially inside the housing of the integrated inverter assembly 10900 such that in the absence of a lock Provides a solid fluid connection below. Accordingly, it can be seen that a quick connector implementation such as that depicted in Figure 138 improves and/or enables certain aspects of the integrated inverter assembly 10900.

Referring to Figure 139, a second embodiment of the fluid connector of the present disclosure is depicted. The fluid connector of Figure 139 does not include a locking element, but is configured to receive an end piece having a standard SAEJ2044 end form. Additionally, it can be seen that the example fluid connector in Figure 139 omits the right-side extension, thereby utilizing the housing of the fluid connector to form ribs 13902 and support the seal. The example fluid connector in Figure 139 also includes an O-ring 13808 on the outer body. Referring again to Figure 115, it can be seen that the fluid connector depicted in Figure 115 for a coolant outlet is consistent with the quick connector embodiment of Figure 139. It can also be seen that the quick connector depicted in Figure 139 significantly reduces the vertical footprint of the fluid connection, allowing for a more compact footprint of the integrated inverter assembly. The embodiment of Figure 115 additionally depicts a hose coupled to a quick connector that provides compliance in the horizontal and vertical planes (using baffled hose 11502), thereby further enhancing the coolant connection Ease of installation. It can also be seen that the coolant channel separation body 11604 (see, e.g., Figure 116) includes integrated hose fittings configured to couple with quick connectors, thereby further reducing the footprint and assembly of the integrated inverter assembly 10900 Complexity. A given implementation of the integrated inverter assembly 10900 may utilize one, both, or neither of the quick connector implementations of Figures 138 and 139.

An exemplary circuit breaker/relay may include: a fixed contact electrically coupled to a power bus for mobile applications; a movable contact selectively electrically coupled to the fixed contact; an armature , the armature is operatively coupled to the movable contact such that the armature in the first position prevents electrical coupling between the movable contact and the fixed contact, and the armature in the second position allows the movable contact to couple with the fixed contact. Electrical coupling between fixed contacts. The exemplary circuit breaker/relay also includes a first biasing member biasing the armature into one of a first position or a second position, a standard on/off circuit having at least two states, wherein the standard on/off The circuit provides an actuation signal in a first state and prevents an actuation signal in a second state. Referring to Figure 40, an exemplary current response circuit 14002 is depicted that may be used with any system or to perform any of the operations described throughout this disclosure. The example current response circuit 14002 determines the current in the power bus 14004 and further blocks the actuation signal 14006 of the standard on/off circuit in response to the current in the power bus 14006 indicating a high current value 14003 . The actuation signal may be provided as an armature position command 14008, wherein the armature responds to the actuation signal to electrically couple the movable contact to the fixed contact. In embodiments, a mobile application may include at least two current operating areas. The current responsive circuit 14002 may be further structured to adjust the high current value 14003 in response to an active current operating region of at least two current operating regions.

Referring to Figure 141, an exemplary process 14100 for opening contacts is schematically depicted. The operations of process 14100 may be performed by any controller, circuit, and/or hardware arrangement as described throughout this disclosure, and may also be performed with respect to any system or hardware arrangement as described throughout this disclosure. In one aspect, process 14100 includes an operation 14102 of selecting a contact force of a circuit breaker/relay such that the contact opens at a selected current value of current passing through the contact. Process 14100 also includes an operation 14104 of applying a contact force to a movable contact of the circuit breaker/relay and an operation 14106 of determining a value of current through the contact. Process 14100 also includes an operation 14108 of determining whether the current value exceeds a threshold, and an operation 14110 of commanding the armature or actuator to open the contacts in response to the current value exceeding the threshold. The example process 14100 also includes an operation 14112 of opening the contact in response to a repulsive force on the contact (eg, as a physical response of the movable contact at a selected current value). In some implementations, operation 14110 may begin before operation 14112. In certain embodiments, operation 14110 is performed such that the movable contact does not return to the closed position after operation 14112 opens the contact (e.g., thereby alleviating the return force on the movable contact that would otherwise occur upon physical disconnection). The contacts are driven back to the closed position after operation 14112).

Referring to Figure 142, an exemplary process 14200 for opening contacts is schematically depicted. The operations of process 14200 may be performed by any controller, circuit, and/or hardware arrangement as described throughout this disclosure, and may also be performed with respect to any system or hardware arrangement as described throughout this disclosure. Example process 14200 includes operations 14202 of determining a first threshold (for current in an electrical load circuit) in response to a first physical current interruption value (eg, based on an opening characteristic of a contactor), in response to a second physical current interruption. An operation 14204 to determine a second threshold value, an operation 14206 to determine a first current value in the first electrical load circuit, and an operation 14208 to determine a second current value in the second electrical load circuit. Process 14200 also includes an operation 14210 of determining whether the first current value exceeds a first threshold and/or the second current value exceeds a second threshold. Exemplary process 14200 includes operations 14214 of commanding the armature (or actuator) of the first contact to open if a first threshold is exceeded, and spreading the arc from the first contact (e.g., using a separation plate and/or magnet ) operation 14212. Example process 14200 includes operations 14216 of commanding the armature of the second contactor to open if a second threshold is exceeded, and operations 14218 of spreading the arc of the second contactor. In certain embodiments, determining the first threshold or the second threshold includes providing a selected value configured to provide the first threshold or the second threshold (eg, selected contact area, contact force value, and/or bus bar configuration) parts. In certain embodiments, process 14200 is utilized with respect to systems with more than one contactor, where each contactor is individually controllable.

In one aspect, a system may include: a housing; a circuit breaker/relay device positioned in the housing, wherein the circuit breaker/relay device may be configured to interrupt a power supply circuit of an electric vehicle system, wherein the housing may be disposed on the electric vehicle on the system; wherein the circuit breaker/relay device may include a physical disconnection response portion responsive to a first current value in the power supply circuit, and a controlled disconnection response portion responsive to a second current value in the power supply circuit; and A precharge circuit electrically coupled in parallel to the circuit breaker/relay device. In embodiments, the precharge circuit may be located within the housing. The first current value may be greater than the second current value. The physical opening response portion may include a first biasing member biasing the armature of the circuit breaker/relay device into an open position of a contactor of the power supply circuit, and a first force of the armature closing contactor in conjunction with the first The biasing member opens the contactor by a selected difference between the second forces. The controlled opening response portion may include a current sensor that provides a value of current through the power supply circuit, and a current response circuit 14304 structured to command the armature to open the contactor in response to the current value 14314 exceeding a second current value 14316 ( Refer to Figure 143). Circuit breaker/relay equipment may include double pole circuit breaker/relay equipment. Circuit breaker/relay equipment may include single pole circuit breaker/relay equipment. The circuit breaker/relay device may be positioned on either the high side circuit or the low side circuit of the power supply circuit. The system may also include a high temperature switching device positioned on the other of the high side circuit or the low side circuit.

Referring to Figure 43, the example system includes a physical disconnect response adjustment circuit 14302 that determines a first current value adjustment 14312 and adjusts a physical disconnect response portion in response to the first current value adjustment 14312. The physical disconnection response adjustment circuit 14302 may be further structured to adjust the physical disconnection response portion by providing an adjustment implementation command 14310 that may include adjusting the compression of the first biasing member; adjusting the first force (e.g., by the force exerted by the armature); and/or adjust a second force (e.g., the force of a compression spring). The physical disconnect response adjustment circuit 14302 may be further structured to adjust the physical disconnect response portion in response to operating conditions 14308 of the electric vehicle system. Exemplary and non-limiting operating conditions 14302 include the time-current distribution of the power supply circuit; the time-current trajectory of the power supply circuit; the time-current area value of the power supply circuit; the rate of change of the current value through the power supply circuit; and /Or the difference between the current value passing through the power supply circuit and the second current value.

Referring to Figure 144, an exemplary process 14400 for opening contacts is schematically depicted. The operations of process 14400 may be performed by any controller, circuit, and/or hardware arrangement as described throughout this disclosure, and may also be performed with respect to any system or hardware arrangement as described throughout this disclosure. Exemplary process 14400 includes an operation 14402 of determining physical opening of a contactor in response to adjustment, such as where operating conditions for an electric mobility application indicate that an increase or decrease in current through a load circuit should be allowed, including during high performance operations, charging operations, and/or emergency operations. during operation. The example process 14400 also includes an operation 14404 of adjusting a physical open response value of the contactor and an operation 14406 of determining a current flow in a load circuit (eg, a power supply circuit) of an electric mobility application. The example process 14400 also includes an operation 14408 of determining whether the current value in the load circuit exceeds a controlled disconnection threshold, and commanding the armature (or actuator) of the contactor to open in response to the current exceeding the controlled disconnection threshold. Operation 14410 of the open position. In certain embodiments, the controlled disconnection threshold is different from and may be lower than the physical disconnection threshold. The example process 14400 also includes an operation 14412 of determining whether the current value exceeds a physical opening threshold, and an operation 14414 of opening the contact in response to a repulsive force in the contactor in response to the determination 14412 indicating a "yes" value. In certain embodiments, determining whether a physical disconnect current value is exceeded as described throughout this disclosure includes configuring a contactor (e.g., within a circuit breaker/relay) to open at a selected current value such that the contactor Exposure to a load current wherein the contacts respond to the load current according to a configuration formed in response to a selected current value. The order of determinations 14408, 14412 may be reversed, and/or one or more determinations 14408, 14412 may be omitted. The operation of determining the physical disconnect response adjustment 14402 may be performed during runtime operation or design time operation of the system, and similarly the operation of adjusting the physical disconnection response 14404 may be performed during runtime operation or design time operation of the system.

Referring to Figure 145, an exemplary process 14500 for opening contacts is schematically depicted. The operations of process 14500 may be performed by any controller, circuit, and/or hardware arrangement as described throughout this disclosure, and may also be performed with respect to any system or hardware arrangement as described throughout this disclosure. Exemplary process 14500 includes an operation 14502 of configuring a physically responsive opening portion of a circuit breaker/relay of a mobile power circuit to provide opening of a contact of the circuit breaker/relay based on a physical opening responsive threshold current. Exemplary and non-limiting operations 14502 include selecting mass (e.g., mass of a moving portion of a movable contact), Lorentz force area (e.g., contact area, bus bar area in contact area, etc.), and/or selecting Operation 14502a of contact force (eg, adjusting the strength or amount of biasing members engaged, and/or changing the amount of compression on the biasing members, and/or changing the movement position of the actuator of the movable contact). In certain embodiments, configuring the physical disconnect response portion may include selecting a bus bar configuration, wherein the bus bar couples two movable contacts, and wherein the bus bar configuration may include at least one of the following: a bus bar area in A portion of the bus bar is positioned near the current supply portion of the mobile power supply circuit, or a portion of the bus bar is positioned near the current supply portion of the mobile power supply circuit. The example process 14500 also includes operating a movable contact of the circuit breaker/relay between an open position and/or a closed position (e.g., moving to a closed position to allow power flow through the contactor, and moving to an open position to Operation 14504 to prevent power flow through the contactor. The example process 14500 also includes an operation 14506 of determining a current value in the mobile power circuit and an operation 14508 of commanding the movable contact to an open position based on a current threshold separate from the physical open current threshold. In some embodiments, the separation current threshold utilized in operation 14508 is a lower current threshold than the configured physical disconnect response threshold current.

In one aspect, referring to Figure 146, a system may include: a vehicle having a powered power circuit 14600 (or power path) between a power source 14601 and a load 14608; and a power distribution unit having a power source disposed on the power source 14608. Current protection circuit in power circuit 14600. An exemplary current protection circuit includes a circuit breaker/relay 14602 that includes: a fixed contact electrically coupled to a power supply circuit for a mobile application; a movable contact selectively Ground is electrically coupled to the fixed contact and wherein the movable contact in the first position allows power to flow through the power supply circuit and the movable contact in the second position does not allow power to flow through the power supply circuit; and physical disconnection A response portion, the physical disconnection response portion is responsive to a current value in the power supply circuit, wherein the physical disconnection response portion may be configured to move the movable contact to the second position in response to the current value exceeding the threshold current value. Exemplary current protection circuit 14600 includes a contactor 14604 in parallel with a circuit breaker/relay 14602; a pair of parallel circuit breakers/relays 14602, 14702 (e.g., see Figure 147) and/or a double pole interrupter that provides two parallel electrical paths. circuit breaker/relay 14602; and/or circuit breaker/relay 14602 in parallel with contactor 14604 and fuse 14802 (e.g., see Figure 148). In certain embodiments, current protection circuit 14600 includes a contactor in series with a circuit breaker/relay.

In one aspect, referring to Figure 146, a system may include: a vehicle having a powered power circuit 14600 (or power path) between a power source 14601 and a load 14608; and a power distribution unit having a power source disposed on the power source 14608. Current protection circuit in power circuit 14600. An exemplary current protection circuit includes a circuit breaker/relay 14602 that includes: a fixed contact electrically coupled to a power supply circuit for a mobile application; a movable contact selectively Ground is electrically coupled to the fixed contact and wherein the movable contact in the first position allows power to flow through the power supply circuit and the movable contact in the second position does not allow power to flow through the power supply circuit; and physical disconnection A response portion, the physical disconnection response portion is responsive to a current value in the power supply circuit, wherein the physical disconnection response portion may be configured to move the movable contact to the second position in response to the current value exceeding the threshold current value. Exemplary current protection circuit 14600 includes a contactor 14604 in parallel with a circuit breaker/relay 14602; a pair of parallel circuit breakers/relays 14602, 14702 (e.g., see Figure 147) and/or a double pole interrupter that provides two parallel electrical paths. circuit breaker/relay 14602; and/or circuit breaker/relay 14602 in parallel with contactor 14604 and fuse 14802 (e.g., see Figure 148). In certain embodiments, current protection circuit 14600 includes a contactor 14604 in series with circuit breaker/relay 14902 (eg, see Figure 149). Using a circuit breaker/relay in series with a contactor allows the circuit breaker/relay to open the circuit, thereby allowing the contactor to open when the circuit is not powered. Using a circuit breaker/relay in parallel with a contactor allows the contactor to open when the circuit is powered, and allows the circuit breaker/relay to open the circuit.

The power distribution unit may also include a plurality of circuit breaker/relay devices disposed therein, and wherein the current source circuit 15002 may be further electrically coupled to the plurality of circuit breaker/relay devices and fixed across each of the plurality of circuit breaker/relay devices. the contacts sequentially inject current; and wherein the voltage determining circuit 15006 may be further electrically coupled to each of the plurality of circuit breaker/relay devices and further structured to determine among the plurality of circuit breaker/relay devices At least one of an injected voltage amount and a contactor impedance value for each circuit breaker/relay device (eg, voltage drop determination 15008). The current source circuit 15002 may be further structured to sequentially inject current across each of a plurality of circuit breaker/relay devices in a selected order of the circuit breaker/relay devices. The current source circuit 15002 may be further structured to adjust the selected sequence in response to one or more operating conditions 15016 or stored attributes 15018 such as: each of the fixed contacts of the circuit breaker/relay device rate of change of temperature of fixed contacts; criticality value of each circuit breaker/relay device in a circuit breaker/relay device; criticality of each circuit breaker/relay device in a circuit breaker/relay device; circuit breaker/relay The power throughput of each circuit breaker/relay device in the device; and/or the fault condition or contactor health condition of each circuit breaker/relay device in the device. The current source circuit 15002 may be further structured to adjust the selected sequence in response to operating conditions 15016 such as a planned duty cycle and/or an observed duty cycle of the vehicle. Current source circuit 15002 may be further structured to sweep the injected current through a series of injection frequencies. The current source circuit 15002 may be further structured to inject current across the fixed contacts at multiple injection frequencies. The current source circuit 15002 may be further structured to inject current across the fixed contacts at multiple injection voltage amplitudes. The current source circuit 15002 may be further structured to inject current across the fixed contacts at an injection voltage amplitude determined in response to operating conditions 15106 such as power throughput of the circuit breaker/relay device. The current source circuit 15002 may be further structured to inject current across the fixed contacts at an injection voltage amplitude determined in response to the vehicle's duty cycle.

In one aspect, a system includes a vehicle having a power supply path; a power distribution unit including a current protection circuit disposed in the power supply path, the current protection circuit including: a circuit breaker/relay, the circuit breaker The relay/relay includes: a fixed contact electrically coupled to a power supply circuit for a mobile application; a movable contact selectively electrically coupled to the fixed contact in a first position The movable contact allows power to flow through the power supply circuit, and the movable contact in the second position does not allow power to flow through the power supply circuit; and a physical disconnection response portion, the physical disconnection response portion responds to the power supply circuit a current value in, wherein the physical disconnect response portion may be configured to move the movable contact to the second position in response to the current value exceeding a threshold current value; a current source circuit 15002 electrically coupled to the circuit breaker /relay and structured to inject current across the fixed contacts (injection command 15004); and voltage determining circuitry 15006 electrically coupled to the circuit breaker/relay and structured to determine the amount of injected voltage and the contactor impedance value (Voltage drop determination 15008), wherein the voltage determination circuit 15006 may be structured to perform a frequency analysis operation to determine the amount of injected voltage. In an embodiment, the voltage determination circuit 15006 may be further structured to determine the amount of injected voltage by determining the magnitude of the voltage across the fixed contact at the frequency of interest. The frequency of interest can be determined in response to the frequency of the injected voltage. Current source circuit 15002 may be further structured to sweep the injected current through a series of injection frequencies. The current source circuit 15002 may be further structured to inject current across the fixed contacts at multiple injection frequencies. The current source circuit 15002 may be further structured to inject current across the fixed contacts at multiple injection voltage amplitudes. The current source circuit 15002 may be further structured to inject current across the fixed contacts at an injection voltage amplitude determined in response to the power throughput of the circuit breaker/relay. The current source circuit 15002 may be further structured to inject current across the fixed contacts at an injection voltage amplitude determined in response to the vehicle's duty cycle.

Referring to Figure 152, an exemplary process 15200 for configuring an X-in-1 power converter is schematically depicted. The operations of process 15200 may be performed by any controller, circuit, and/or hardware arrangement as described throughout this disclosure, and may also be performed with respect to any system or hardware arrangement as described throughout this disclosure. In certain embodiments, process 152 may be used with any system having configurable power electronics, multi-port power converters, "X" port power converters, and/or X-in-1 port power converters. The use of the terms "multiport," "X-port" and/or "X-in-1 port" indicates that the power converter includes one or Multiple ports. A configurable power converter may have one or more fixed ports, one or more configurable ports, or a combination of these ports.

Example process 15200 includes an operation of interpreting a port electrical interface description (or specification), wherein the port electrical interface description includes a description (or specification) of electrical characteristics of at least one of a plurality of ports of a power converter for an electric mobility application. . The example process 15200 also includes an operation 15204 of providing a solid-state switch state in response to the port electrical interface description, thereby configuring at least one of the AC inverter or the DC/DC converter to provide power to the plurality of ports in accordance with the port electrical interface description. At least one port provides power. In certain embodiments, operation 15204 provides a solid-state switching state to configure at least one of the rectifier or DC/DC converter to interface with a power source (e.g., battery, capacitor, regenerative state of the load, etc.) and/or to Ports are configured to accept power under certain operating conditions and to provide power under other operating conditions. Without limitation, configurable electrical characteristics include voltage levels, frequency values, phase values (including the number and arrangement of phases), and/or tolerances for one or more of these.

The example process 15200 also includes an operation 15206 of interpreting source/load drive characteristics (eg, frequency, phase, or other characteristics of an electric motor, motor/generator, or other device) and providing component driver configurations responsive to the source/load drive characteristics (e.g., a gate driver for an insulated gate bipolar transistor). In certain embodiments, one or more aspects of process 15200 may be performed at various times during the life cycle of a power converter and/or an electric mobility application having a power converter, such as at design time (e.g., specifying a power Converter settings), at installation time (e.g., configuring the power converter settings according to the specifications and/or needs of a specific installation), as a service operation (e.g., adjusting configurations as part of testing to correct for failed or malfunctioning parts, and /or as a diagnostic operation), as a remanufacturing operation (e.g., testing and/or confirming the operation of the power converter, configuring the power converter to a standard state or planned state for installation, etc.), as an upgrade operation (e.g., Electric mobility applications provide the ability to upgrade (such as a greater power rating), change the voltage and/or current rating across a port, add power input or output, change one of the power input or output, and/or add phases or other capabilities to interface with a load or source), at manufacturing time (e.g., configuring the settings of the power converter according to the specifications and/or needs of the specific installation, testing and/or confirming the operation of the power converter, converting the power converter configured for installation in a standard state or planned state, etc.), and/or as an application changes operations (e.g., converting an electric mobility platform to a different service operation, duty cycle, and/or adding or removing one or more load or power supply).

Referring to Figure 153, an exemplary process 15300 for integrating a power converter into an electric mobility application is depicted. The operations of process 15300 may be performed by any controller, circuit, and/or hardware arrangement as described throughout this disclosure, and may also be performed with respect to any system or hardware arrangement as described throughout this disclosure. Example process 15300 includes operations 15302 of providing a power converter having a plurality of ports for connection to an electrical load and/or a power source, operations 15304 of determining an electrical interface description for an electric mobility application, and responsive to the electrical interface description. Provides operation 15306 of the solid-state switch state. The example process 15300 also includes operations 15308 of installing the power converter in the electric mobility application and operations 15310 of coupling the coolant port of the power converter to the cooling system of the electric mobility application. As can be seen, Process 15300 provides fast and low-cost integration with many electric mobility applications, including integrated design and engineering and simplified installation operations. Exemplary process 15300 provides the ability to serve multiple applications with a single power converter device and/or with a small number of power converter devices with similar (or identical) footprint and interface locations. Process 15300 also includes the ability to provide a simple cooling interface to power electronics for electric mobility applications without having to have many cooling connections and cooling fluid routing challenges to provide cooling for multiple power electronics components distributed around the electric mobility application.

Referring to FIG. 154 , an exemplary process 15400 for adjusting motor operation in response to motor temperature is schematically depicted. The operations of process 15400 may be performed by any controller, circuit, and/or hardware arrangement as described throughout this disclosure, and may also be performed with respect to any system or hardware arrangement as described throughout this disclosure. Example process 15400 includes operations 15402 of operating a motor for an electric mobility application, and operations 15404 of determining motor temperature values (eg, modeled motor temperature, inferred motor temperature, and/or motor temperature determined from virtual sensors). Example operations 15404 of determining motor temperature include, but are not limited to, determining and considering parameters such as power throughput of the motor, determining voltage and/or current input values to the motor, adjusting motor temperature values based on ambient temperature values, determining current operating conditions. Motor efficiency values (e.g., to separate useful operating energy from energy throughput for potential heating) and/or rates of change in utilization of these.

The example process 15400 also includes an operation 15406 of determining a sensed temperature value of the motor. Example operations 15406 of determining the sensed motor temperature include, but are not limited to: determining the temperature from a sensor positioned to provide a temperature representative of the motor; determining the temperature from a sensor positioned to provide a temperature associated with the motor (e.g., having a known The temperature is determined from a sensor that is offset, and/or from which the motor temperature can be derived); and/or the temperature is determined from a sensor positioned to provide a temperature from which the temperature of interest of the motor is determined. For example, operation 15406 includes applying a hot spot adjustment correction to the sensed motor temperature (eg, where the temperature of interest is the hottest location in the motor, which may not be reflected in the sensor's body temperature reading). In certain embodiments, the hot spot adjustment correction may be calibrated as an offset from the detected temperature (which may be scheduled, for example, as a function of the detected temperature), and/or as an offset from a calibrated relationship between the detected temperature and the hot spot temperature. shift. In certain embodiments, the hot spot adjustment correction may also include dynamic information related to the sensed temperature, such as a rate of change of sensed temperature or power by the motor, and/or an integral-based parameter of the sensed temperature or power by the motor. (e.g. accumulators, time values relative to thresholds, etc.).

The example process 15400 also includes an operation 15408 of adjusting operating parameters of the motor in response to temperature values (eg, motor temperature values and sensed motor temperature values). Exemplary and non-limiting operations 15408 include: adjusting the rating of the motor (e.g., derating the motor, allowing greater power output of the motor, adjusting voltage parameters of the motor to reduce heat generation, etc.); adjusting loads for electric mobility applications. Rating (e.g., limiting the requested power and/or torque based on temperature-induced limitations of the motor); regulating the amount of active cooling of the motor (e.g., performing active cooling and/or changing the flow rate to the active cooling of the motor); and/or adjust the motor's operating space based on the motor's efficiency profile (e.g., moving the motor to a more efficient operating point to reduce heat generation, thereby allowing the motor to operate at a less efficient operating point, e.g., to allow for system level optimization or efficiency routines, etc.)

Referring to FIG. 155 , an exemplary process 15500 for determining a reliability value for a sensed motor temperature value and/or a modeled/estimated motor temperature value is schematically depicted. Process 15500 includes an operation 15502 of determining a first reliability value of a motor temperature value (eg, a modeled, estimated, or virtual motor temperature value) in response to a first operating condition of the motor. For example, a model or estimator may have a valid range, be based on a known relationship between operating condition regions and uncertainties, and/or depend on other sensors or determined values that have fault or failure conditions. The example process 15500 also includes an operation 15504 of determining a second reliability of the sensed motor temperature value. For example, the sensed motor temperature value may have a fault condition or failure condition associated with the sensor, the sensor may have a slower time constant than the current observed temperature change, and/or the sensor may be saturated, have low resolution, and/or or have reduced accuracy under certain temperatures or other operating conditions. Exemplary and non-limiting operating conditions for determining the first reliability value include: power throughput of the motor; rate of change of power throughput of the motor; limited range values of the model used to determine the temperature value of the motor; and/or temperature of the motor value or the rate of change of one of the effective motor temperature values. Exemplary and non-limiting operating conditions for determining the second reliability value include: a power throughput of the motor; a rate of change of the power throughput of the motor; a limited range of values provided for a temperature sensor that senses a temperature value of the motor; Defining temperature-accuracy relationships for temperature sensors that provide temperature values; response times for temperature sensors that sense motor temperature values; and fault conditions that provide temperature sensors that sense motor temperature values.

The example process 15500 also includes operation 15506 of determining an effective motor temperature value responsive to the motor temperature value and the sensed motor temperature value, and in some embodiments, operation 15506 is also responsive to the first reliability value and the second reliability value. value to determine the effective motor temperature. Example operations 15506 include selecting one or the other of a motor temperature value or a sensed motor temperature value as a valid motor temperature value based on the first reliability value and the second reliability value; and/or based on the first reliability value and a second reliability value to utilize one or the other of the motor temperature value or the sensed motor temperature value as a target for the effective motor temperature value (e.g., in the case where the effective motor temperature value is a filtered value moving toward the target Down). In some embodiments, the effective motor temperature value or the target of the effective motor temperature value uses a mixture of motor temperature values and/or sensed motor temperature values (eg, a weighted average as a function of the reliability value). In certain implementations, such as where one or the other of a motor temperature value or a sensed motor temperature value is utilized to drive an effective motor temperature value, operation 15506 may also include hysteresis or other processing (e.g., filtering, averaging, rate limiting, etc.), e.g. to avoid jitter in the effective motor temperature value. In certain embodiments, process 15500 is utilized in conjunction with process 15400, such as using an effective motor temperature value as an input to operation 15408 and adjusting operating parameters of the motor in response to the effective motor temperature value.

The term "motor temperature value" or "temperature of the motor" is to be understood broadly. The motor temperature value can be any temperature value of interest related to the motor, such as the motor, a component of the motor that is most likely to fail in response to a sudden increase in temperature, or some other component of the motor that is most likely to affect the system in response to a sudden increase in temperature. The hottest locations within a component, and/or the temperature associated with the motor and relevant for effective and efficient power conversion of the motor. Exemplary and non-limiting motor temperature values include, but are not limited to: winding temperature of the motor, bus bar temperature of the bus bars providing power to the motor, connector temperature associated with the motor, and/or hot spot temperature of the motor.

Referring to Figure 156, in one aspect, an apparatus 15600 may include: a motor control circuit 15602 structured to operate a motor for an electric mobility application; an operating condition circuit 15604 structured to interpret the motor sensed motor temperature values 15608 and are further structured to interpret at least motor temperature related operating conditions 15620 such as: power throughput of the motor; voltage input values to the motor; current input values to the motor; ambient temperature values; and/ Or the amount of active cooling of the motor. The example apparatus 15600 includes a motor temperature determination circuit 15606 structured to determine a motor temperature value 15614 in response to a motor temperature related operating condition 15620 . The exemplary motor temperature determination circuit 15606 also determines a motor effective temperature value 15612 in response to the motor temperature value 15614 and the sensed motor temperature value 15608; wherein the motor control circuit 15602 may be further structured to regulate the motor in response to the motor effective temperature value 15614 at least one operating parameter (e.g., as updated motor command 15610). In an embodiment, the motor temperature determination circuit 15606 may be further structured to determine a first reliability value of the motor temperature value in response to a first operating condition of the motor, and to determine a sensed motor temperature value in response to a second operating condition of the motor. A second reliability value of the temperature value (reliability value 15616), and further in response to the reliability value 15616, a motor effective temperature value 15612 is determined.

The motor temperature determination circuit 15606 may be further structured to use the sensed motor temperature value 15608 as the effective motor temperature value in response to the second reliability value exceeding the threshold. The motor temperature determination circuit 15606 may be further structured to apply a temperature adjustment 15618 such as an offset component adjustment or a hot spot adjustment to the sensed motor temperature value 15608 and further determine an effective motor temperature value 15612 in response to the adjusted sensed motor temperature value. . The motor temperature determination circuit 15606 may also be structured to determine the first reliability value in response to at least one operating condition 15620 such as: power throughput of the motor; a rate of change of power throughput of the motor; The bounded range value of the model that determines the motor temperature value; and the rate of change of either the motor temperature value or the effective motor temperature value. The motor temperature determination circuit 15606 may also be structured to determine the second reliability value in response to at least one operating condition 15620 such as: power throughput of the motor; a rate of change of power throughput of the motor; providing a sense The limited range value of the temperature sensor that senses the motor temperature value; provides the response time of the temperature sensor that senses the motor temperature value; and provides the fault condition of the temperature sensor that senses the motor temperature value. The motor control circuit 15606 may be further structured to regulate at least one operating parameter of the motor (e.g., adjusted motor command 15610), such as: a rating of the motor; a rating of a load for the electric mobility application; The amount of active cooling; and the operating space of the motor based on its efficiency map.

In one aspect, a system may include an electric mobility application having a motor and an inverter, where the inverter may include multiple drive elements for the motor. Referring to Figure 157, the example system also includes a controller 15700 having a motor control circuit 15702 structured to provide driver commands (drive element commands 15704) and wherein a plurality of drive elements can respond to the driver Order 15704. Controller 15700 also includes operating conditions circuitry 15706 structured to interpret motor performance request values 15708, such as power, speed, and/or torque requirements of the motor. The controller 15700 also includes a driver efficiency circuit 15710 that interprets a driver activation value 15712 for each of the plurality of drive elements of the inverter in response to the motor performance request value 15708 , and wherein the motor control circuit 15702 may Further structured to provide a driver command 15704 to deactivate at least one of the drive elements of the motor in response to a driver activation value 15712 for each of the plurality of drive elements of the inverter. In an embodiment, the motor may comprise a three-phase AC motor, wherein the plurality of drive elements includes six drive elements, and wherein the driver efficiency circuit 15710 provides a driver activation value 15712 to deactivate six drive elements in response to the motor performance request value 15708 being below a threshold. Three of the drive elements.

Referring to Figure 158, depicted is an example process 15800 for selectively deactivating portions of a power inverter for an electric mobility application. The operations of process 15800 may be performed by any controller, circuit, and/or hardware arrangement as described throughout this disclosure, and may also be performed with respect to any system or hardware arrangement as described throughout this disclosure. The example process 15800 includes an operation 15802 of providing driver commands to a plurality of drive elements electrically coupled to an inverter of a motor for an electric mobility application and an operation 15804 of interpreting a motor performance request value for an electric mobility application. Exemplary and non-limiting motor performance request values include, but are not limited to, power, speed and/or torque requirements of a motor powered by a power inverter. The example process 15800 also includes an operation 15806 of interpreting a driver activation value for each of the plurality of drive elements in response to the motor performance request value. For example, if the motor performance request value includes a power request that requires all drive elements (eg, IGBTs on the inverter) to be active to accommodate the power request, operation 15806 may determine the driver activation value for each drive element to be "true." As another example, if the motor performance request value includes a power request where only a portion of the drive elements are required to satisfy the power request, operation 15806 may include determining whether some of the drive elements may be deactivated. In another example, operation 15806 may include determining the efficiency of the drive elements under a first condition (eg, all drive elements are active) and the efficiency of the drive elements under a second condition (eg, some drive elements are inactive), and determining that expectations are met Driver activation values for targets (e.g., power conversion efficiency, drive element temperature targets, drive element planned life cycle, motor or load noise or electrical characteristics requirements, etc.). The example process 15800 also includes an operation 15806 of providing driver commands to the drive elements in response to the driver activation value, including deactivating one or more drive elements in response to the driver activation value. The example process 15800 includes an operation 15806 of deactivating three drive elements out of a total of six drive elements (eg, maintaining the ability to support three balanced phases to drive the motor). Another example process 15800 includes deactivating the first three of a total of six drive elements during a first deactivation operation and deactivating the last three of a total of six drive elements during a second deactivation ( For example, operations 15806 to balance the life cycle of drive elements, balance heat generation within the inverter over time, utilize groups of drive elements with different capabilities (such as power ratings, etc.).

Referring to Figure 159, an example system 15900 may include an electric mobility application having a plurality of electric motors 15904, 15908, 15912, 15916, each of the plurality of electric motors operatively coupled to a plurality of electrical loads 15906, 15910, 15914 , 15918 corresponds to an electrical load. The example system 15900 includes four motors coupled to four loads, but the system may include any number of motors coupled to any number of loads, and the motors and loads may have more than one motor for a given load, and/or for A given motor can have more than one load. The system includes a controller 15902, wherein the controller 15902 includes (see Figure 160) an application load circuit 16002 structured to interpret an application performance request value 16010; a performance service circuit 16004 structured to A plurality of motor commands 16020 are determined in response to the motor performance description (motor performance capabilities 16016) and the application performance request value 16010. The controller 15902 also includes a motor control circuit 16006 structured to provide a plurality of motor commands 16014 to corresponding motors of the plurality of electric motors 15904, 15908, 15912, 15916; and wherein the plurality of electric motors 15904, 15908 , 15912, 15916 may respond to multiple motor commands 16014. The determined motor command 16020 may differ from the transmitted motor command 16014, for example, to account for system dynamics, rate change limits, and/or other constraints unrelated to meeting the system's performance requirements.

In embodiments, performance service circuit 16004 may be further structured to respond to at least one electric motor of a plurality of electric motors and/or a component associated with an electric motor of a plurality of electric motors (e.g., a local inverter A plurality of motor commands 16020 are determined based on one of a fault condition or failure condition 16012 (local controller, sensor, and/or load). The performance service circuit 16004 may be further structured to at least partially redistribute load requirements from one of the plurality of electric motors having a fault condition or failure condition 16012 to at least one of the plurality of electric motors having available performance capabilities. One electric motor (but it may have a separate fault condition or failure condition 16012) determines multiple motor commands 16020 to satisfy the application performance request value 16010. Performance service circuit 16004 may be further structured to derate one of the plurality of electric motors in response to a fault condition or one of failure conditions 16012 . The system may also include a first data store 16024 associated with a first electric motor of the plurality of electric motors, a second data store 16026 associated with a second electric motor of the plurality of electric motors, and wherein control The processor 15902 may also include data management circuitry 16008 structured to command between the first data store 16024 and the second data store 16026 and/or between one of the data stores 16024, 16026 and the system. At least partial data redundancy (eg, redundant data values 16022) between another data store (not shown) and/or an external data store. At least part of the data redundancy may include at least one data value selected from the group consisting of: a fault value, a system state, and a learning component value. The data management circuitry 16008 may be further structured to command at least partial data redundancy in response to a fault condition or one of the failure conditions 16012 related to at least one of, but not limited to: in a plurality of electric motors an electric motor operatively coupled to an inverter of one of the plurality of electric motors; a sensor operatively coupled to one of the plurality of electric motors; and/or operatively coupled to the plurality of electric motors A local controller for an electric motor. The performance service circuit 16004 may be further structured to determine a plurality of motor commands 16020 in response to one of a fault condition or a failure condition 16012 and further in response to data 16022 from at least partial data redundancy. The performance service circuit 16004 may be further structured to suppress operator notification 16018 of one of the fault condition or failure condition 16012 in response to the performance capability 16016 of the plurality of electric motors being able to deliver the application performance request value 16010 . Performance service circuit 16004 may be further structured to communicate suppressed operator notification 16018 to at least one of service tool 16030 or external controller 16028 , wherein external controller 16028 and/or service tool 16030 may communicate at least intermittently ground coupled to controller 15902. The performance service circuit 16004 may be further structured to adjust the application performance request value 16010 in response to the performance capabilities 16016 of the plurality of electric motors being unable to deliver the application performance request value 16010 .

Referring to FIG. 161 , an exemplary process 16100 for controlling an electric mobility application with multiple distributed electric machines is schematically depicted. In certain embodiments, process 16100 may be used with electric mobility applications having one or more distributed drive elements (eg, inverters) associated with one or more distributed electric machines and/or or one or more distributed controllers of inverters and/or motors. Distributed electric machines may be configured to power various loads within electric mobility applications, and in certain embodiments, more than one electric machine may be capable of providing power to a specific load (e.g., electric machines associated with wheels may be combined to provide overall dynamics). The operations of process 16100 may be performed by any controller, circuit, and/or hardware arrangement as described throughout this disclosure, and may also be performed with respect to any system or hardware arrangement as described throughout this disclosure. Example process 16100 includes an operation 16102 of interpreting an application performance request value. Exemplary and non-limiting application performance request values include power or load power request, power or load torque request, and/or power or load speed request. Application performance requests may relate to the entire application (eg, vehicle speed) and/or any portion of the application (eg, pump speed, fan torque, etc.). Example process 16100 includes an operation 16104 of determining fault and/or failure conditions for one or more motors, inverters, and/or local controllers of an electric mobility application. Determination of fault and/or failure conditions may also include determining the capabilities of the faulty or failed component (e.g., a derated motor is still capable of delivering some incremental power, and/or a motor with a faulty inverter associated with the motor may have A certain ability to receive power supplied by another inverter in the system). In certain embodiments, such as where a motor is associated with the motor's local controller and the local controller has failed, the motor can still be controlled by another controller in the system and/or associated with another motor in the system. Controlled by another local controller. In some embodiments, control of the motor by another controller in the system may be derated, for example where the remote controller does not have one or more available parameters such as a temperature value, a speed value or another feedback value for the motor and /or with a degraded version of any such parameter (e.g., slower, lower resolution, and/or less deterministic), the remote controller may control the motor at reduced power limits to protect the motor and /or electric mobility applications.

Exemplary process 16100 also includes, in response to a motor capability description (e.g., motor ratings, including derating based on fault or failure conditions of associated components and/or due to control types such as when a remote controller is operating the motor), the application The operation of the motor command is determined 16106 based on the performance request value and the fault/failure condition of the motor. In some embodiments, operation 16106 includes providing sufficient performance across available motors such that the application performance request value can be met. In certain embodiments, operation 16106 further includes providing commands to one or more of the motor, the local controller, and/or the associated inverter in response to the determined motor command.

In some embodiments, process 16100 also includes an operation 16108 of commanding data redundancy storage operations. For example, critical operating information such as motor or inverter calibration, operating status, limitations, etc. may be stored in more than one location. In some embodiments, operation 16108 is responsive to a fault or failure condition in an electric mobility application, such as where a local controller, sensor, or other component has a fault or failure condition. Operation 16108 may include commanding and having a fault or failure condition. Data related to the condition's components (or related components) is stored redundantly. In certain embodiments, operation 16108 may include commanding data redundancy storage for components that do not have a fault or failure condition, and further enhancing data redundancy storage in response to the occurrence of a fault or failure condition. In certain embodiments, operation 16108 provides redundant storage of data regardless of fault or failure conditions of components in the electric mobility application. Accordingly, operation 16108 provides protection against loss of data (e.g., parameters stored on a local controller) in response to loss of a data storage component and after the associated local controller has a failure or failure and after the failure or failure Improved control of components (eg, inverters and/or motors) is provided without being able to control relevant components and/or transfer control parameters out of local components. In certain embodiments, data redundancy may include at least one data value selected from the group consisting of: fault values, system status, and learning component values (e.g., associated with machine learning operations and/or real-time calibration values control parameters). In some embodiments, operation 16106 includes determining motor, inverter, or local controller commands in response to data in the data redundancy store. Operations 16108 of providing data redundant storage include allocating data in any manner within data stores available outside of the host data store, including data stores associated with at least any one or more of: another Local controller, master controller and/or distributed (e.g., virtual) controller, powertrain controller, vehicle controller, and/or external controller (e.g., manufacturer server, fleet server, cloud-based server, personal device such as an operator's smartphone, etc.).

Example process 16100 includes suppressing operator notifications (e.g., warning lights or maintenance lights, vehicle response-based notifications, Application-based notifications, etc.) Operation 16110. For example, if motor derating occurs while the tasks of the electric mobility application can still be met (e.g., the rated power is achievable and/or power requests that exceed the motor's current capabilities have not occurred or are unlikely to occur), then Operation 16110 may suppress operator notification of an indication of a malfunction or failure that would normally occur. The example process 16100 also includes an operation 16112 of communicating the suppressed operator notification (and/or potential fault or failure condition) to the service tool or external controller. For example, if motor derating occurs while the mission of the electric mobility application can still be met, process 16100 may include suppressing operator notifications and notifying an external controller (e.g., a fleet maintenance server, manufacturer server, or other external server) and/or repair tools (e.g., OBD devices connected to communication ports of electric mobility applications, Wi-Fi based devices in repair shops, etc.). Thus, inconvenient and/or expensive repair events can be avoided and/or the repair party can be notified so that the fault or failure can be resolved at a convenient time and/or when the electric mobility application has been repaired. In certain embodiments, process 16100 includes receiving a specification defining the types of faults and/or failures that may be suppressed from operator notification and/or the performance limits and/or component types (associated with the fault/failure) that may be suppressed from operator notification parameters (not shown). Additionally or alternatively, process 16100 includes the operation of receiving parameters defining types of faults and/or failures to be communicated to the external controller and/or performance limits and/or component types to be communicated to the external controller ( not shown). Additionally or alternatively, process 16100 includes defining the types of operator notifications that should be suppressed (eg, where one type of operator notification is suppressed while another type is performed) and/or the timing of external controller notifications or position (not shown).

The methods and systems described herein may be deployed, in part or in whole, by machines having computers, computing devices, processors, circuits, and/or servers that execute computer-executable Read instructions, program code, instructions and/or include hardware configured to functionally perform one or more operations of the methods and systems disclosed herein. As used herein, the terms computer, computing device, processor, circuit and/or server are to be construed broadly.

The term any one or more of computer, computing device, processor, circuit, and/or server includes any type of computer capable of accessing storage in communication therewith (such as storage in a non-transitory computer-readable media), whereby a computer, when executing the instructions, performs the operations of the system or method described herein. In certain embodiments, such instructions themselves include computers, computing devices, processors, circuits, and/or servers. Additionally or alternatively, the computer, computing device, processor, circuitry, and/or server may be a separate hardware device, one or more computing resources distributed across the hardware device, and/or may include aspects such as: Logic circuits, embedded circuits, sensors, actuators, input and/or output devices, network and/or communications resources, memory resources of any type, processing resources of any type and/or configured to respond to determined conditions A hardware device that functionally performs one or more operations of the systems and methods herein.

Network and/or communication resources include, but are not limited to, local area network, wide area network, wireless, Internet or any other known communication resources and protocols. Exemplary and non-limiting hardware, computers, computing devices, processors, circuits, and/or servers include, but are not limited to, general purpose computers, servers, embedded computers, mobile devices, virtual machines, and/or one or more of these simulation version. Exemplary and non-limiting hardware, computers, computing devices, processors, circuits, and/or servers may be physical, logical, or virtual. Computers, computing devices, processors, circuits, and/or servers may be: distributed resources included as an aspect of several devices; and/or distributed resources included as an interoperable set of resources to execute the computer, The described functionality of a computing device, processor, circuit, and/or server causes the distributed resources to be used together to perform the operations of the computer, computing device, processor, circuit, and/or server. In certain embodiments, each computer, computing device, processor, circuit, and/or server may reside on separate hardware, and/or one or more hardware devices may include more than one computer, computing device, processor , circuits, and/or aspects of a server, such as as individually executable instructions stored on a hardware device, and/or as a logical partition of a set of executable instructions, where some aspects of the hardware device include a first computer, a computing A device, a processor, a circuit, and/or a server, and some aspects of the hardware device include a second computer, a computing device, a processor, a circuit, and/or a server.

The computer, computing device, processor, circuitry, and/or server may be part of a server, client, network infrastructure, mobile computing platform, stationary computing platform, or other computing platform. A processor may be any type of computing or processing device capable of executing program instructions, code, binary instructions, and the like. A processor may be or include a signal processor, a digital processor, an embedded processor, a microprocessor or any variant that directly or indirectly facilitates the execution of program code or program instructions stored thereon, such as a co-processor ( Mathematics coprocessor, graphics coprocessor, communication coprocessor, etc.), etc. Additionally, a processor may allow the execution of multiple programs, threads, and codes. Threads can execute concurrently to enhance processor performance and facilitate simultaneous operation of applications. As an implementation, the methods, program codes, program instructions, etc. described herein may be implemented in one or more threads. Threads may spawn other threads, which may have assigned priorities associated with them; the processor may execute these threads based on priority or in any other order based on instructions provided in the program code. A processor may include memory storing methods, codes, instructions and programs as described herein and elsewhere. The processor may access the storage medium through an interface that may store methods, code, and instructions as described herein and elsewhere. Storage media associated with a processor for storing methods, programs, codes, program instructions, or other types of instructions executable by a computing or processing device may include, but are not limited to, CD-ROMs, DVDs, memory, hard disks, flash drives , one or more of RAM, ROM, cache, etc.

A processor may include one or more cores that may increase the speed and performance of the multiprocessor. In embodiments, the process may be a dual-core processor, a quad-core processor, other chip-scale multiprocessors, etc. that combines two or more independent cores (called dies).

The methods and systems described herein may be deployed, in part or in whole, by machines executing computer-readable instructions on a server, client, firewall, gateway, hub, router, or other such computer and/or networking hardware. The computer-readable instructions may be associated with servers, which may include file servers, print servers, domain servers, Internet servers, intranet servers, and other variations, such as secondary servers, host servers, distributed servers, and the like. Servers may include memory, processors, computer-readable transitory and/or non-transitory media, storage media, ports (physical and virtual ports), communications devices, and the ability to access other servers, clients, machines through wired or wireless media and one or more of the interfaces of the device. Methods, procedures or code as described herein and elsewhere may be executed by the server. Furthermore, other equipment required to perform the methods as described in this application may be considered part of the infrastructure associated with the server.

The server can provide interfaces to other devices, including but not limited to clients, other servers, printers, database servers, print servers, file servers, communication servers, distributed servers, etc. Additionally, such coupling and/or connection may facilitate remote execution of instructions across a network. Networking of some or all of these devices may facilitate parallel processing of program code, instructions, and/or programs at one or more locations without departing from the scope of the present disclosure. Additionally, all devices attached to the server through an interface may include at least one storage medium capable of storing methods, program codes, instructions, and/or programs. A central repository provides program instructions to be executed on different devices. In this embodiment, the remote repository may serve as a storage medium for methods, program code, instructions, and/or programs.

Methods, program code, instructions, and/or programs may be associated with clients, which may include file clients, print clients, domain clients, Internet clients, intranet clients, and other variations, such as assisted clients client, host client, distributed client, etc. Clients may include memory, processors, computer-readable transitory and/or non-transitory media, storage media, ports (physical and virtual), communications devices and the ability to access other clients, servers, One or more of the interfaces of machines and equipment, etc. Methods, program code, instructions and/or procedures as described herein and elsewhere may be executed by a client. Additionally, other devices for performing methods as described in this application may be considered part of the infrastructure associated with the client.

The client can provide interfaces to other devices, including but not limited to servers, other clients, printers, database servers, print servers, file servers, communication servers, distributed servers, etc. Additionally, such couplings and/or connections may facilitate remote execution of methods, program code, instructions and/or procedures across networks. Networking of some or all of these devices may facilitate parallel processing of methods, program code, instructions and/or procedures at one or more locations without departing from the scope of the present disclosure. Additionally, all devices attached to the client through the interface may include at least one storage medium capable of storing methods, program code, instructions and/or programs. A central repository provides program instructions to be executed on different devices. In this embodiment, the remote repository may serve as a storage medium for methods, program code, instructions, and/or programs.

The methods and systems described herein may be deployed partially or fully over a network infrastructure. Network infrastructure may include elements such as computing devices, servers, routers, hubs, firewalls, clients, personal computers, communications devices, routing devices, and other active and passive devices, modules and/or components known in the art. Computing and/or non-computing devices associated with network infrastructure may include storage media such as flash memory, buffers, stacks, RAM, ROM, etc., among other components. The methods, program code, instructions, and/or procedures described herein and elsewhere may be executed by one or more of the network infrastructure elements.

The methods, program code, instructions, and/or procedures described herein and elsewhere may be implemented over a cellular network having multiple cells. A cellular network may be a Frequency Division Multiple Access (FDMA) network or a Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA) network. A cellular network may include mobile devices, cell sites, base stations, repeaters, antennas, towers, etc.

The methods, program code, instructions and/or procedures described herein and elsewhere may be implemented on or through a mobile device. Mobile devices may include navigation devices, cellular telephones, mobile phones, mobile personal digital assistants, laptops, PDAs, netbooks, pagers, e-book readers, music players, and the like. These mobile devices may include, among other components, storage media such as flash memory, buffers, RAM, ROM, and one or more computing devices. Computing devices associated with mobile devices may be enabled to execute methods, program codes, instructions and/or programs stored thereon. Alternatively, the mobile device may be configured to execute instructions cooperatively with other devices. The mobile device may communicate with a base station that interfaces with the server and is configured to execute methods, program codes, instructions and/or procedures. Mobile devices can communicate over peer-to-peer, mesh, or other communications networks. Methods, program code, instructions and/or programs may be stored on storage media associated with the server and executed by a computing device embedded within the server. Base stations may include computing devices and storage media. The storage device may store methods, program codes, instructions and/or programs executed by computing devices associated with the base station.

The methods, program code, instructions and/or programs may be stored on and/or accessed on a machine-readable transitory and/or non-transitory medium, the machine-readable transitory medium Stateful and/or non-transitory media may include: computer components, devices, and recording media that retain digital data used for calculations for intervals of time; semiconductor storage devices known as random access memory (RAM); mass storage devices, It is typically used for more permanent storage such as optical disks, magnetic storage devices such as hard drives, tapes, cartridges, cards, and other types of forms; processor registers, cache memory, volatile memory, non-volatile memory; optical storage devices, such as CDs, DVDs; removable media, such as flash memory (e.g., USB flash drives or USB shields), floppy disks, magnetic tapes, paper tapes, punched cards, independent RAM disks, Zip drives, removable mass storage devices, detachable computer storage devices, etc.; other computer memories, such as dynamic memory, static memory, read/write storage devices, variable storage devices, read-only memory, random access memory, sequential access memory, location addressable memory, file searchable memory, etc. Address memory, content addressable memory, network-attached storage device, storage area network, bar code, magnetic ink, etc.

Certain operations described herein include interpreting, receiving and/or determining one or more values, parameters, input, data or other information. Operations that include interpreting, receiving and/or determining any value parameters, input, data and/or other information include, but are not limited to: receiving data via user input; receiving data over any type of network; reading from a memory location in communication with the receiving device Take a data value; use a default value as the received data value; estimate, calculate, or derive a data value based on other information available to the receiving device; and/or update any of these in response to a later received data value . In some embodiments, a data value may be received by a first operation and later updated by a second operation as part of receiving the data value. For example, when communication is stopped, intermittent, or interrupted, a first operation of interpreting, receiving, and/or determining a data value may be performed, and when communication is restored, an updated operation of interpreting, receiving, and/or determining a data value may be performed.

Certain logical groupings of operations herein, such as methods or processes of the disclosure, are provided to illustrate aspects of the disclosure. The operations described herein are schematically described and/or depicted, and may be combined, divided, reordered, added, or removed in a manner consistent with the disclosure herein. It should be understood that the context in which operations are described may require the ordering of one or more operations and/or the order of one or more operations may be explicitly disclosed, but such ordering of operations is to be understood broadly, where specifically contemplated herein Any equivalent operation grouping that provides equivalent operation results. For example, if a value is used in an action step, the value may need to be determined prior to that action step in some contexts (e.g., where time delays in data used to achieve a specific result of the action are important), but This value does not need to be determined prior to this step of the operation in other contexts (eg, where use of the value in previous execution cycles of the operation would have been sufficient for those purposes). Thus, in certain embodiments, the recited order of operations and groupings of operations are expressly contemplated herein, and in certain embodiments, reordering, subdivision, and/or different groupings of operations are expressly contemplated herein.

The methods and systems described herein can convert physical items and/or intangible items from one state to another. The methods and systems described herein may also convert data representing physical items and/or intangible items from one state to another.

The elements described and depicted herein (including elements in flowchart diagrams, block diagrams, and/or operational descriptions) depict and/or describe specific exemplary arrangements of elements for purposes of illustration. However, the elements depicted and/or described, their functions, and/or the arrangement of these elements may be disclosed, such as by means of a computer-executable transitory and/or non-transitory medium having a processor capable of executing program instructions stored thereon. ) is implemented on a machine and/or may be implemented as logic circuitry or a hardware arrangement. An exemplary arrangement of programming instructions includes at least: a unitary instruction structure; a stand-alone instruction module for an element or portion thereof; and/or an instruction module employing external routines, code, services, etc.; and/or any combination of these, and All such embodiments are contemplated to be within the scope of embodiments of the present disclosure. Examples of such machines include, but are not limited to, personal digital assistants, laptops, personal computers, mobile phones, other handheld computing devices, medical devices, wired or wireless communications devices, transducers, chips, calculators, satellites , tablet PCs, e-books, gadgets, electronic devices, devices with artificial intelligence, computing devices, networking devices, servers, routers, etc. Furthermore, the elements and/or any other logic components depicted and/or described herein may be implemented on a machine capable of executing program instructions. Thus, although the foregoing flowcharts, block diagrams, and/or operational descriptions set forth functional aspects of the disclosed systems, any arrangement of program instructions that implements these functional aspects is contemplated herein. Similarly, it should be understood that the various steps identified and described above may be varied and the order of the steps may be adapted to a particular application of the technology disclosed herein. Additionally, any steps or operations may be divided and/or combined in any manner that provides similar functionality to the operations described. All such variations and modifications are contemplated in this disclosure. The above-described methods and/or processes and steps thereof may be implemented in hardware, program code, instructions and/or programs, or in any combination of hardware and methods, program code, instructions and/or programs suitable for a particular application. Exemplary hardware includes a special purpose computing device or a particular computing device, a specific aspect or component of a particular computing device, and/or an arrangement of hardware components and/or logic circuits that perform one or more operations of a method and/or system. Processes may be implemented in one or more microprocessors, microcontrollers, embedded microcontrollers, programmable digital signal processors, or other programmable devices and internal memory and/or external memory. These processes may also or alternatively be embodied in an application specific integrated circuit, programmable gate array, programmable array logic, or any other device or combination of devices that can be configured to process electronic signals. It should also be understood that one or more processes may be implemented as computer-executable code capable of executing on a machine-readable medium.

Computer executable code may be created using a structured programming language (such as C), an object-oriented programming language (such as C++), or any other high- or low-level programming language (including assembly language, hardware description languages, and database programming languages and technologies), These languages may be stored, compiled, or interpreted to run on one of the devices described above, as well as heterogeneous combinations of processors, processor architectures, or combinations of different hardware and computer-readable instructions, or any other machine capable of executing program instructions.

Accordingly, in one aspect, each of the methods described above and combinations thereof may be embodied in computer executable code that, when executed on one or more computing devices, performs the steps of the methods. In another aspect, the methods may be embodied in a system that performs the steps of these methods and may be distributed across devices in a variety of ways, or all functionality may be integrated into a dedicated stand-alone device or other hardware. In another aspect, means for performing steps associated with the above-described processes may include any of the above-described hardware and/or computer-readable instructions. All such permutations and combinations are contemplated in embodiments of the present disclosure.

Although the methods and systems described herein have been disclosed in connection with certain preferred embodiments shown and described in detail, various modifications and improvements thereto may be apparent to those skilled in the art. Accordingly, the spirit and scope of the methods and systems described herein are not limited by the foregoing examples, but are to be construed in the broadest sense permitted by law.

All documents cited herein are incorporated by reference.

Claims (15)

1. A mobile application, the mobile application comprising:

a power supply circuit comprising an electrical power storage device and an electrical load, wherein the electrical power storage device and the electrical load are selectively electrically coupled by a power bus;

a power distribution unit electrically interposed between the power storage device and the electrical load, wherein the power distribution unit includes a circuit breaker/relay positioned on one of a high side and a low side of the power storage device;

wherein the circuit breaker/relay comprises:

a stationary contact electrically coupled to the power bus;

a movable contact selectively electrically coupled to the fixed contact, and wherein the movable contact allows power flow through the power bus when electrically coupled to the fixed contact and prevents power flow through the power bus when not electrically coupled to the fixed contact; and

An armature operatively coupled to the movable contact such that the armature in a first position prevents electrical coupling between the movable contact and the fixed contact and the armature in a second position allows electrical coupling between the movable contact and the fixed contact;

a first biasing member biasing the armature into one of the first position or the second position; and

a contact force spring operatively interposed between the armature and the movable contact such that the contact force spring is at least partially compressible in response to the armature being in the second position, and wherein the contact force spring is configurable such that a lorentz force acting between the fixed contact and the movable contact further compresses the contact force spring in response to a selected current value.

2. The mobile application of claim 1, wherein the movable contact comprises a body extending away from the fixed contact, wherein the body of the movable contact is disposed within a plurality of separation plates.

3. The mobile application of claim 2, wherein the plurality of separator plates are disposed at least partially within a permanent magnet.

4. The mobile application of claim 1, the mobile application further comprising:

a standard on/off circuit having at least two states, wherein the standard on/off circuit provides an actuation signal in a first state and blocks the actuation signal in a second state;

a current response circuit structured to determine a current in the power bus and further structured to block the actuation signal of the standard on/off circuit in response to the current in the power bus indicating a high current value; and is also provided with

Wherein the armature is responsive to the actuation signal to electrically couple the movable contact to the fixed contact.

5. The mobile application of claim 1, wherein the circuit breaker/relay further comprises an auxiliary closing circuit structured to interpret an auxiliary command and further structured to block an actuation signal of a standard on/off circuit in response to the auxiliary command indicating that the movable contact should not be electrically coupled to the fixed contact.

6. The mobile application of claim 5, wherein the auxiliary command comprises at least one command selected from the group consisting of: emergency shutdown commands, maintenance event indication identifications, accident indication identifications, vehicle controller requests, and equipment protection requests.

7. The mobile application of claim 5, wherein the standard on/off circuit comprises one of a key switch voltage and a key switch indication identifier.

8. The mobile application of claim 4, wherein the high current value is lower than the selected current value.

9. The mobile application of claim 1, further comprising a charging circuit, and wherein the circuit breaker/relay is further positioned on the charging circuit.

10. The mobile application of claim 9, wherein the charging circuit comprises a fast charging circuit having a higher current throughput value than a rated current for operation of the electrical load.

11. The mobile application of claim 10, the mobile application further comprising:

a standard on/off circuit having at least two states, wherein the standard on/off circuit provides an actuation signal in a first state and blocks the actuation signal in a second state;

A current response circuit structured to determine a current in the power bus and further structured to block the actuation signal of the standard on/off circuit in response to the current in the power bus indicating a high current value;

wherein the current response circuit is further structured to utilize a first threshold current value for the high current value in response to the power supply circuit powering the electrical load, and a second threshold current value for the high current value in response to the charging circuit being coupled to a fast charging device; and is also provided with

Wherein the armature is responsive to the actuation signal to electrically couple the movable contact to the fixed contact.

12. The mobile application of claim 1, wherein the electrical load comprises at least one load selected from the group consisting of: a power source load, a regenerative load, a power output load, an auxiliary device load, and an accessory device load.

13. The mobile application of claim 1, further comprising a second circuit breaker/relay disposed on the other of the high side or the low side of the power storage device.

14. The mobile application of claim 1, wherein the power storage device comprises a rechargeable device.

15. The mobile application of claim 1, wherein the power storage device comprises at least one device selected from the group consisting of: batteries, capacitors, and fuel cells.