Abstract:
A low-profile wire for distributing power within a vehicle such as a car is disclosed. The wire is elliptical or oval in shape providing good power conduction while also providing flexibility, installation in tight or narrow places and the ability to construct low-profile power distribution and junction devices.

Description:
[0001]     This application is related to U.S. application titled, “VEHICLE POWER SYSTEM WITH INTEGRATED GRAPHICS DISPLAY,” which was filed on even date herewith; attorney docket number 389.73 and inventors Alberto A. Lopez, John Catalano and Nathan Wincek. Additionally, this application is related to U.S. application titled, “VEHICLE POWER SYSTEM WITH WIRE SIZE ADAPTER,” which was filed on even date herewith; attorney docket number 389.84 and inventors Alberto A. Lopez, John Catalano and Nathan Wincek. Additionally, this application is related to U.S. application titled, “VEHICLE POWER SYSTEM WITH ROTATBLE MAIN ASSEMBLY,” which was filed on even date herewith; attorney docket number 389.86 and inventors Alberto A. Lopez, John Catalano and Nathan Wincek. 
     
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0002]     1. Field of the Invention  
         [0003]     The present invention relates to the field of conditioning or distributing power within an automobile and more particularly to oval or elliptical power distribution cables and related power distribution devices.  
         [0004]     2. Description of the Related Art  
         [0005]     Automotive accessories are becoming more functional and decorative. High power audio amplifiers, lighting systems, automation systems and even waterfalls have been installed in vehicle doors, passenger compartments and trunks. These devices utilize large amounts of power and put significant loads on the vehicle&#39;s power distribution systems. The art has many examples of vehicle power distribution, including U.S. Pat. No. 6,746,279, “Power Distribution System,” to Lopez, which is hereby incorporated by reference. This patent describes a power distribution and fusing system that accepts one or two larger power wires, fuses the power and distributes the power over several smaller gauge wires.  
         [0006]     Additionally, there is a need for lighting and display. U.S. Pat. No. 6,181,563, “Meter Device for Vehicle,” to Shimbu, et al, describes a vehicle metering and display device and is hereby incorporated by reference. This device has a display for displaying vehicle speed and engine speed, for example. The display is mounted in the passenger compartment and visible to the driver. The device of this patent does not distribute power to other devices. Furthermore, the display is provided for displaying information according to signals from the electronic component units integrated into the device and not enabled to accept external, fully-graphical video sources.  
         [0007]     Historically, power has been distributed by a single power cable carrying one voltage potential, usually positive, and the frame of the vehicle carrying the other voltage potential, usually negative. The power cables of the prior art are generally heavy gauge, stranded wire of a size suitable for carrying the current required by the load. Standard wire comes in sizes that are numbered based upon its diameter and hence current carrying capacity with the higher numbers used for smaller wire having lower current carrying capacity. For heavy loads, a larger wire size is used. Unfortunately, as more current is required, the wire diameter increases requiring higher-profile connecting devices, causing difficulty in bending and shaping the wire and, when run under carpet, creating bumps and bulges. Oval shape wire has been used in very narrow applications for delivering high-voltage power in the AC power grid. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,171,942 to Wilber F. Powers, issued Dec. 12, 1992, describes a specialized oval wire for overhead high tension lines and is hereby incorporated by reference. This patent describes a very special type of oval power line and does not imply any other use for such oval cable. In another example, U.S. Pat. No. 6,353,177 B1 to Walter W. Young, issued Mar. 5, 2002 describes a cable of oval form, but the core conductor is round and the insulator is oval. This type of power cable has all the issues related to a round cable described above with no advantage for automotive use. The oval design of its insulation improves its wind resistance which is not an issue in automotive applications.  
         [0008]     Unfortunately, present automotive power distribution technology relies on round wire for power distribution. In high-current applications, the diameter of the wire must be suitable for carrying the current, requiring round wire with large diameters that is difficult to bend, difficult to run under carpet and in tight spaces and requires high-profile distribution devices.  
         [0009]     What is needed is a vehicle power distribution wire that is oval or elliptical and associated power distribution systems and components.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0010]     An object of the present invention is to provide a power distribution wire that is bendable, fits in tight spaces and permits low-profile distribution devices.  
         [0011]     In one embodiment, low-profile wire for distributing power within a vehicle is disclosed including a single conductive core with a plurality of conductive wires wound to form an oval cross-sectional shape and an insulator layer of substantially uniform thickness, the low-profile wire thereby having the oval cross-sectional shape of the single conductive core In another embodiment, power distribution within a vehicle is described including an oval wire with a single conductive core. The single conductive core has a plurality of conductive wires wound to form an oval cross-sectional shape. An insulator covers the single conductive core and is of uniform thickness; thereby the resulting cable has the oval cross-sectional shape of the single conductive core.  
         [0012]     In another embodiment, a low-profile wire for distributing power within a vehicle is describe, including a single conductive core with a plurality of conductive wires helically and tightly wound in an oval cross-sectional shape and an insulator layer of substantially uniform thickness. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0013]     The invention can be best understood by those having ordinary skill in the art by reference to the following detailed description when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which:  
         [0014]      FIG. 1  illustrates a perspective view of the apparatus of the present invention.  
         [0015]      FIG. 2  illustrates a right-side perspective view of the present invention.  
         [0016]      FIG. 3  illustrates a left-side perspective view of the present invention.  
         [0017]      FIG. 4  illustrates an exploded view of the present invention.  
         [0018]      FIG. 5 . illustrates a perspective view of the apparatus of the present invention configured for opposite connections to that of  FIG. 1 .  
         [0019]      FIG. 6  illustrates a schematic diagram of the common electronics of the present invention.  
         [0020]      FIG. 7  illustrates a schematic diagram of a fused distribution option of the present invention.  
         [0021]      FIG. 8  illustrates a schematic diagram of a distribution block option of the present invention.  
         [0022]      FIG. 9  illustrates a schematic diagram of a high capacity capacitor option of the present invention.  
         [0023]      FIG. 10  illustrates a schematic diagram of a power conditioning circuit option of the present invention.  
         [0024]      FIG. 11   a  illustrates a power cable and a power distribution box of the prior art.  
         [0025]      FIG. 11   b  illustrates a power cable and a power distribution box of the present invention.  
         [0026]      FIG. 12  illustrates a cable size adapter of the present invention.  
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
       [0027]     Reference will now be made in detail to the presently preferred embodiments of the invention, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings. Throughout the following detailed description, the same reference numerals refer to the same elements in all figures. In the description of the device for distributing power of the present invention, the perspective views include a display and a power option having two power inputs, a plurality of fuses and four power outputs. This is an example of one possible configuration, whereas any number of inputs and outputs as well as several different power options are described later and can be installed into the same housing. The graphics display is multipurpose, in that it is useful for displaying video such as a video stream from a DVD player and text as well as emitting a wide range of colors and patterns, providing both aesthetic as well as safety features. Throughout the description and claims, the terms, “oval” and “elliptical” are used interchangeably and infer the same meaning.  
         [0028]     Referring to  FIG. 1 , a perspective view of the apparatus of the present invention is shown. The power distribution system  5  includes an outer case  10  with a display (not visible) housed within a display housing  100 . The power distribution system  5  has a rotatable and exchangeable power distribution device allowing configuration with various power options that can be oriented so that power enters on the left side and exits on the right side or visa-versa, providing flexibility in the viewing direction of the display. The power distribution system  5  in this embodiment has two power inputs  20 / 22  connected through a power input connector, in this embodiment, a terminal block  23  and physically/electrically held by set screws  24 . The terminal block is sized to accept a specific size of wire. In some embodiments, the wire is oval or elliptical so that it lies flat when routed through a vehicle, especially under carpet, bends easy and so that the power distribution system can be designed to have a lower profile than if round wire is used. The inputs  20 / 22  are connected to a first terminal  42  of the fuses  40 / 44 . In this embodiment, two types of fuses are installed  40 / 44  but in some embodiments, only one type of fuse is installed providing flexibility in protection for each output  30 / 32 / 34 / 36  in that a first type of fuse has current ranges up to  40  amps, while another type fuse has current ranges up to 750 amps. The second terminal  42  of the fuses  40 / 44  is connected to a power output connector, in this embodiment, a second terminal block  27  for connection to the output power cables  30 / 32 / 34 / 36 , held electrically/physically with set screws  26 .  
         [0029]     Referring to  FIG. 2 , a right-side perspective view of the present invention is shown. The case  10  has a side cut-out that is filled with a surface  39  of the power distribution module and has four openings  31 / 33 / 35 / 37  configured to accept four output power cables ( 30 / 32 / 34 / 36  from  FIG. 1 ). The display housing  100  is shown slightly tilted. In this embodiment, the display is rotatably coupled to the outer case  10  allowing adjustment to its angles.  
         [0030]     Referring to  FIG. 3 , a left-side perspective view of the present invention is shown. The outer case  10  has a side cut-out what is filled with a surface  39  of the power distribution module and has two openings  19 / 21  configured to accept two input power cables ( 20 / 22  from  FIG. 1 ). The display housing  100  is shown slightly tilted and the display  102  is visible. The display  102  is of any flat panel display technology known in the industry, including but not limited to plasma, liquid crystal display (LCD), etc. In this embodiment, a video input connector  104  is provided for providing a video source to the display  102 . In some embodiments, display content is generated internally, providing varying colors, patterns and lighting effects.  
         [0031]     Referring to  FIG. 4 , an exploded view of the present invention is shown. The power distribution system  5  includes an outer case  10  with a display  102  housed within a display housing  100  that is hingedly connected to the outer case  10 . The power distribution system  5  has rotatable and exchangeable power distribution devices configurable with various power options that can be oriented so that power enters on the left side and exits on the right side or visa-versa, providing flexibility in the viewing direction of the display. The power distribution system  5  in this embodiment has two power input connectors which are, in this embodiment, a terminal block  23 . The input power wires are physically and electrically held by set screws  24 . The inputs are connected to a first terminal  42  of the fuses  40 / 44 . In this embodiment, two types of fuses are installed  40 / 44 , In some embodiments, only one type of fuse  40 or the other  44  is installed providing flexibility in protection for each output. The second terminal  42  of the fuses  40 / 44  is connected to a second power output connector, in this embodiment, a terminal block  27  for connection to the output power wires ( 30 / 32 / 34 / 36  in  FIG. 1 ), held electrically/physically with set screws  26 . The power distribution module  39  has a modular housing  76  that is symmetrical so that the power distribution module  39  is adaptable to be mounted within the outer case  10  in one orientation or in another opposite orientation, rotated 180 degrees horizontally. Wire guides  79  guide the two power input wires ( 20 / 22 ) into the terminal block  23  and wire guides  78  guide the power output wires ( 30 / 32 / 34 / 36 ) into the output terminal block  27 . A circuit board  70  provides power and video distribution to the display  102  and holds the video input connector  104 . In some embodiments, a graphics display controller (see  FIG. 6 ) is mounted on the circuit board  70 . A bottom cover  72  protects the circuit board and holds the power distribution module  39  within the outer case  10 .  
         [0032]     Referring to  FIG. 5 , a perspective view of the apparatus of the present invention configured for opposite connections to that of  FIG. 1  is shown. The power distribution system  5  includes an outer case  10  with a display (not visible) housed within a display housing  100 . The power distribution system  5  has a rotatable and exchangeable power distribution device configurable with various power options that can be oriented so that power enters on the left side and exits on the right side or visa-versa, providing flexibility in the direction of the display. The power distribution system  5  in this embodiment has four power outputs  30 / 32 / 34 / 36  connected through a power output connector, in this embodiment a terminal block  27 . The power output wires  30 / 32 / 34 / 36  are physically and electrically held by set screws  26 . The outputs  30 / 32 / 34 / 36  are connected to a first terminal  42  of the fuses  40 / 44 . In this embodiment, two types of fuses are installed  40 / 44  but in some embodiments, only one type of fuse  40  or the other  44  is installed providing flexibility in protection for each output  30 / 32 / 34 / 36 . The second terminal  42  of the fuses  40 / 44  is connected to a power input connector, in this embodiment a terminal block  23  for connection to the input power wires  20 / 22 . The input power wires  20 / 22  are electrically and physically coupled with set screws  24 .  
         [0033]     Referring to  FIG. 6 , a schematic diagram of the common electronics of the present invention is shown. In this embodiment, two DC inputs  20 / 22  enter the power distribution device or modular power circuit  115 . In other embodiments, one, three, four or any number of DC inputs is present. The content and function of the power distribution device  115  will be described in the description of  FIGS. 7-10 . Generally, the power distribution device  115  is a device that accepts power from a power source and distributes the power to one or more power outputs. In some embodiments, the power distribution device  115  provides protection by way of fuses or surge suppressors or provides power conditioning.  
         [0034]     Also in this embodiment, four DC outputs  30 / 32 / 34 / 36  exit the power distribution device  115 . In other embodiments, one, two, three or any number of outputs exit the power distribution device  115 . A connection to one of the DC inputs  22  is made to derive power for the internal electronics, indicators and displays. In some embodiments, the power passes through a fuse  110  to protect from an overload in the internal electronics and display. In the present embodiment, the input video signal  105  from the video input connector  104  is routed to a graphics display controller  112  which accepts a video signal from the video connector  104  such as NTSC, RGB, S-video, composite video, SECAM, PAL and the like, decodes the signal and generated signals required by the video display  102 , for example, LVDS (Low Voltage Differential Signal) and parallel. The display is preferably a liquid crystal display (LCD), but can be any flat panel display including Plasma.  
         [0035]     In some embodiments, the graphics display controller  112  generates colors and patterns on the video display  102  independently of the video input  105 . In these embodiments, there is a user interface (not shown) consisting of an input device such as a keyboard or keyboard and mouse (not shown), configured to accept commands from a user to set up the display colors, patterns and sequences.  
         [0036]     Referring to  FIG. 7 , a schematic diagram of a fused distribution option  120  of the present invention is shown. The circuit shown includes two DC inputs  20 / 22  connected to four DC outputs  30 / 32 / 34 / 36  by fuses  40 / 44 . Note that in some embodiments more than one type of fuse receptacle is deployed in parallel providing flexibility in fuse selection and current handling. By installing more than one fuse in parallel, the current handling capacity is increased.  
         [0037]     Referring to  FIG. 8 , a schematic diagram of a distribution block option  130  of the present invention is shown. The circuit includes two DC inputs  20 / 22  directly connected to four DC outputs  30 / 32 / 34 / 36  through wiring paths  132 .  
         [0038]     Referring to  FIG. 9 , a schematic diagram of a high capacity capacitor option  140  of the present invention is shown. The circuit includes a DC input  20  directly connected to two DC outputs  30 / 32  with a capacitor  142  between the DC input  20  and ground  146 . The capacitor  142  is, for example, a high-capacity electrolytic or super capacitor. The value of the capacitor is, for example, 10-30 farads at 15 volts.  
         [0039]     Referring to  FIG. 10  illustrates a schematic diagram of a power conditioning circuit option  150  of the present invention. The circuit includes a DC input  20  that is conditioned with a power conditioning circuit  152  before passing to two DC outputs  
         [0040]     A  30 / 32 . The power conditioning circuit  152  is also connected to a ground  156 . In some embodiments, the power conditioning circuit  152  includes circuitry to regenerate the standard  12 V output by switching the DC input voltage at a high frequency into a transformer (e.g., a torroid transformer), then regulating and filtering the output of the transformer to conform to the required 12V output, thereby eliminating any voltage fluctuations and noise created by the vehicle&#39;s engine or high current devices such as starter motors, lights, power seats and the like.  
         [0041]     Referring to  FIG. 11   a , a wire or power cable and power distribution system of the prior art is shown. The power cable  112  is substantially round or tubular and has a central conductor  111  and an insulator  113 . The power distribution system  9  of the prior art has a round receptacle  109  for accepting the power cable  112 . The height, h, of the power distribution system  109  must be greater than the diameter, d, of the power cable  112 .  
         [0042]     Referring to  FIG. 11   b , a wire or power cable and power distribution system of the present invention is shown. The power cable  120  is substantially oval or elliptical and has a central conductor  121  that is also substantially oval or elliptical and an insulator  123  that is also substantially oval or elliptical. The power distribution system  10  of the present invention has an oval or elliptical receptacle  107  for accepting the power cable  120 . The height, h′, of the power distribution system  10  is greater than the diameter, d′, of the power cable  120 , but since the diameter d′ of the elliptical cable  120  is smaller than the diameter d of the round cable  112 , it is possible for the height h′ of the power distribution system of the present invention to be less than the height h of the power distribution system of the prior art, providing a much lower profile power distribution system that looks better and fits better in tight compartments. In the preferred embodiment, the central conductor or conductive core is made from copper, providing good conduction and flexibility. In other embodiments, the conductive core is made from any other conductive material including steel and aluminum.  
         [0043]     Referring now to  FIG. 12 , a cable size adapter of the present invention is shown. The power distribution system  10  has openings and terminal blocks  107  that are sized to accept one size of wire  120 . The insulation  123  of the wire  120  is stripped, exposing the oval conductor  121  which is then inserted into the power distribution terminal block  10  into the oval opening  107  where it is held in place by a set screw (shown in  FIGS. 1, 4  and  5 ). The size of the opening  107  and terminal block are adapted to one specific size of wire. If a smaller wire  130  is used without an adapter  135 , the set screw would not properly hold the wire in place and proper conduction would not be achieved. Instead, the smaller wire  130  has its insulation  133  stripped exposing its smaller oval conductor  131  and the exposed oval conductor  131  is inserted into a cable size adapter  135  and the smaller wire  130  and cable size adapter  135  are then inserted into the opening  107  and fastened with a set screw. In some embodiments, the cable size adapter  135  has a hole  137  sized to allow the set screw to pass through the cable size adapter  135  and apply pressure directly to the conductor  131 . The adapter  135  is made from a conductive material, preferably copper or brass. In some embodiments, the adapter  135  is plated with another conductive metal such as nickel, brass, gold or silver.  
         [0044]     Equivalent elements can be substituted for the ones set forth above such that they perform in substantially the same manner in substantially the same way for achieving substantially the same result.  
         [0045]     It is believed that the system and method of the present invention and many of its attendant advantages will be understood by the foregoing description. It is also believed that it will be apparent that various changes may be made in the form, construction and arrangement of the components thereof without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention or without sacrificing all of its material advantages. The form herein before described being merely exemplary and explanatory embodiment thereof. It is the intention of the following claims to encompass and include such changes.