Patent Publication Number: US-2022219626-A1

Title: Vehicle-mounted local network system

Description:
BACKGROUND 
     Technical Field 
     The disclosure relates to an automotive electronic system field, and in particular, to a vehicle-mounted local network system. 
     Description of Related Art 
     At present, in the automotive electrical control systems, the bus-type automotive electrical control systems are adopted most of the time (mostly the CAN bus control systems at present), and bus information is used to be associated with electrical logic and control logic. In this way, the wiring and control logic of conventional electrical appliances are reduced, the reliability of the systems is improved, and the informatization of the car body is easily realized. However, the wiring connection of the bus-type automobile electrical systems is still excessively complicated, and the system costs are high as well. Since the bus-type automobile electrical system has high requirements for the reliability of the control unit, the performance of the control module housing, and the performance of the connector, costs increase as a result. On the other hand, in order to reduce the costs of the control unit, one control unit is often associated with more electrical appliances. As such, the reliability of the control unit is low, and manufacturing of the wiring harness of the connector is complicated. 
     Regarding the disclosed patented technology with the published patent number CN 104908682A, although the control driving unit is moved to the local electrical appliance, the wiring harness and the connector are still in the conventional mode, manufacturing of the wiring harness is complicated, and low reliability is provided. 
     Technical Problem 
     The disclosure provides a vehicle-mounted local network system through which a main control unit and intelligent electrical terminals are quickly connected through one integrated hybrid cable, and a simple, high-performance, and low-cost local vehicle-mounted network system is thereby formed. 
     SUMMARY 
     The disclosure includes the following technical solutions. 
     A vehicle-mounted local network system is provided and includes a main control unit, a hybrid cable, and a plurality of intelligent electrical terminals. The hybrid cable has a built-in power line for power transmission and a signal line for signal transmission, and the intelligent electrical terminals are all connected to the hybrid cable and are quickly connected to the main control unit through one integrated hybrid cable to form a convenient local vehicle-mounted network system. 
     The hybrid cable includes a main hybrid cable and a plurality of branch hybrid cables. The main hybrid cable is connected to the main control unit, and both the main hybrid cable and the branch hybrid cables are connected with corresponding intelligent electrical terminals. Each of the branch hybrid cables is connected to the main hybrid cable through a corresponding transfer terminal, and the transfer terminal correspondingly connects a power line of the main hybrid cable and a power line of the branch hybrid cable and connects a signal line of the main hybrid cable and a signal line of the branch hybrid cable. 
     The main control unit comprises a logic control unit, a power management unit, a current sensor, a power protection component, a hybrid wire clamping connector, a power port, and a bus port. The power protection component and the current sensor are connected in series between the power port and a power electrode of the hybrid wire clamping connector. The power protection component and a signal terminal of the current sensor are both connected to the power management unit, and the power management unit, a signal electrode of the hybrid wire clamping connector, and the bus port are all connected to the logic control unit. 
     The intelligent electrical terminals include an integrated intelligent electrical terminal, a connected intelligent electrical terminal, and a multiple intelligent electrical terminal. The integrated intelligent electrical terminal is integrally formed by a local electrical appliance and the hybrid wire clamping connector. The connected intelligent electrical terminal is formed by connecting one local electrical appliance with the hybrid wire clamping connector. The multiple intelligent electrical terminal is formed by connecting a plurality of local electrical appliances with the hybrid wire clamping connector, and the local electrical appliances are connected onto the hybrid cable through the corresponding hybrid wire clamping connector. The hybrid cable includes a power copper strip, a signal copper strip, an insulating soft rubber layer wrapped around the power copper strip and the signal copper strip, and a protective layer wrapped around the insulating soft rubber layer. A row of connecting windows are sequentially arranged on the protective layer in a conduction direction of the hybrid cable, and the insulating soft rubber layer fills the connecting windows. 
     The transfer terminal is one integrated component containing two hybrid wire clamping connectors. One hybrid wire clamping connector is connected to the main hybrid cable, and the other hybrid wire clamping connector is connected to the branch hybrid cables. Power electrodes between the two hybrid wire clamping connectors are correspondingly connected, and signal electrodes between the two hybrid wire clamping connectors are correspondingly connected. 
     The hybrid cable includes one power copper strip and two signal copper strips tightly attached to an outer wall of the power copper strip through an insulating strip. 
     A cross section of the hybrid cable is rectangular, and a row of connection windows are sequentially arranged on one of side walls of the protective layer of the hybrid cable in the conduction direction of the hybrid cable. Cross sections of the power copper strip and the signal copper strips are both rectangular. One side surface of the power copper strip is opposite to the connection windows, and among the remaining three side surfaces of the power copper strip, two opposite side surfaces are closely attached to the corresponding signal copper strips. 
     The hybrid wire clamping connector includes a connector and a lock beam connected to each other, a local micro-control unit disposed on the connector, two signal electrode pins, and two power electrode pins. Both the two signal electrode pins and the two power electrode pins are connected to the local micro-control unit, and the local electrical appliance is connected to the local micro-control unit corresponding to the hybrid wire clamping connector. Inner ends of the two signal electrode pins and the two power electrode pins are both fixed onto the connector, and outer ends of two signal electrode pins and the two power electrode pins face the lock beam. The connector is provided with two guiding arms facing the lock beam and two upper clamping arms located outside the corresponding guiding arms, and the two signal electrode pins and the two power electrode pins are both located between the two guiding arms. The lock beam is provided with two lower clamping arms and two clamping beam shoulders facing the connector, and the two clamping beam shoulders are both disposed between the two lower clamping arms. When the connector and the lock beam are connected, the two upper clamping arms extend into inner sides of the corresponding lower clamping arms, and the upper clamping arms and the corresponding lower clamping arms are engaged with each other. The two guiding arms extend into inner sides of the corresponding clamping beam shoulders, and outer side walls of the guiding arms closely contact inner side walls of the corresponding clamping beam shoulders. When the hybrid wire clamping connector and the hybrid cable are connected, the two signal electrode pins and the two power electrode pins on the hybrid wire clamping connector penetrate into the insulating soft rubber layer from one corresponding connecting window on the hybrid cable. The two power electrode pins are located on a periphery of the power copper strip and contact and are connected to the power copper strip, and the two signal electrode pins are located outside the two signal copper strips and contact and are connected to the corresponding signal copper strips. 
     Effects of Disclosure 
     The disclosure includes the following advantages. 
     (1) The local electrical appliances, the wiring harness, and the control unit provided by the disclosure are comprehensively designed, connection between several intelligent electrical terminals and the main control unit is implemented through the use of one integrated hybrid cable, and the vehicle-mounted local network system is thereby formed. 
     (2) The main control unit provided by the disclosure is mainly used for signal transmission and power transferring and does not directly control the power components of the vehicle body electrical appliances. Therefore, the heating and the external volume of the main control unit are greatly reduced, the reliability is significantly improved, and the costs are considerably lowered. 
     (3) In the disclosure, since the local electrical appliance is driven by the local micro-control unit on the corresponding hybrid wire clamping connector, the control circuits are considerably dispersed and less associated, and the reliability of the control system and the flexibility of design are thereby improved. 
     (4) The hybrid wire clamping connector provided by the disclosure has a simple structure and may be convenient used, so local electrical appliances and control units may conveniently and quickly connect the hybrid cable to realize power and communication connection. 
     To sum up, the disclosure provides a simple, highly-reliable, and low-cost structure, and at the same time, reduces the installation costs in the production process of the automobile electrical system and the automobile after-sales service maintenance costs. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a structural schematic view according to the disclosure. 
         FIG. 2  is a structural schematic view of a control unit according to the disclosure. 
         FIG. 3  is a structural schematic view of an intelligent terminal of a local electrical appliance according to the disclosure. 
         FIG. 4  is a structural schematic view of a multiple intelligent electrical terminal according to the disclosure. 
         FIG. 5  is a structural schematic view of a hybrid cable according to the disclosure. 
         FIG. 6  is a cross-sectional view taken along a line A-A in  FIG. 5 . 
         FIG. 7  is a cross-sectional view taken along a line B-B in  FIG. 5 . 
         FIG. 8  is a structural schematic view of a hybrid wire clamping connector according to the disclosure. 
         FIG. 9  is a bottom view of a portion of the connector in  FIG. 8 . 
         FIG. 10  is a vehicle electrical network system, where “ ” represents a main hybrid cable, “ ” represent a branch hybrid cable, and “ ” represents a CAN communication bus. 
     
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS 
     Description will now be made in detail to clearly and completely present preferred embodiments of the disclosure, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings. Nevertheless, the disclosed embodiments are merely part of the embodiments of the disclosure, not all the embodiments. Based on the embodiments of the disclosure, all other embodiments obtained by a person of ordinary skill in the art without making any inventive effort fall within the scope that the disclosure seeks to protect. 
     With reference to  FIG. 1 , a vehicle-mounted local network system includes a main control unit  1 , a hybrid cable, and a plurality of intelligent electrical terminals  2 . The hybrid cable has a built-in power line for power transmission and a signal line for signal transmission. The intelligent electrical terminals  2  are all connected to the hybrid cable and are connected to the main control unit  1  through the hybrid cable. Herein, the hybrid cable includes a main hybrid cable  3  and a plurality of branch hybrid cables  4 , the main hybrid cable is connected to the main control unit, and both the main hybrid cable and the branch hybrid cables are connected with corresponding intelligent electrical terminals. Each of the branch hybrid cables  4  is connected to the main hybrid cable  3  through a corresponding transfer terminal  5 , the transfer terminal  5  correspondingly connects a power line of the main hybrid cable  3  and a power line of the branch hybrid cable  4  and connects a signal line of the main hybrid cable  3  and a signal line of the branch hybrid cable  4 . 
     With reference to  FIG. 2 , the main control unit  1  includes a logic control unit  11 , a power management unit  12 , a current sensor  13 , a power protection component—MOSFET transistor  14 , a hybrid wire clamping connector  15 , a power port  16 , and a bus port  17 . The power protection component—MOSFET transistor  14  and the current sensor  13  are connected in series between the power port  16  and a power electrode in the hybrid wire clamping connector  15 . A control terminal of the power protection component—MOSFET transistor  14  is connected to a DO port of the power management unit  12 , and an output terminal of the current sensor  13  is connected to an AD conversion port of the power management unit  12 . The power management unit  12 , a signal electrode of the hybrid wire clamping connector  15 , and the bus port  17  are all connected to the logic control unit  11 . The logic control unit  11  may manage and control the intelligent electrical terminals connected onto the hybrid cable through the hybrid wire clamping connector  15 . The power management unit  12  may control turning on/off of the power protection component—MOSFET transistor  14  through detecting a current value of the current sensor  13 . When a working state of each local electrical appliance on the hybrid cable connected to the hybrid wire clamping connector  15  remains unchanged (that is, the local electrical appliance is always in a stable working state when it is in a turning on state or in a standby state when power is off), a working current value on the hybrid cable exhibits a small change at this time. When a comparison result of a working current value detected by the current sensor  13  and a sum of rated current values of the connected intelligent electrical terminals stored by the power management unit  12  has a large deviation, it is an abnormal state. When the detected current value is excessively large, it may that the hybrid cable is shorted to ground or an intelligent electrical terminal on the hybrid cable is shorted to ground. In the former state (the hybrid cable is shorted to ground), the power management unit  12  controls the power protection component—MOSFET transistor  14  to turn off power, and in the latter state (an intelligent electrical terminal on the hybrid cable is shorted to ground), the main control unit sends a command through the hybrid cable to control the intelligent electrical terminal to turn off power. When disconnecting power supply, the power protection component—MOSFET transistor  14  or the intelligent electrical terminal uploads fault information at the same time. When the local electrical appliance is turned off or disconnected, a working current on the hybrid cable changes accordingly. When a current change amount collected by the current sensor  13  is significantly different from a rated current change amount, the main control unit controls the intelligent electrical terminal to disconnect the power supply and upload the fault information. 
     Herein, the transfer terminal  5  is one integrated component containing two hybrid wire clamping connectors  6 . One hybrid wire clamping connector  6  is connected to the main hybrid cable, the other hybrid wire clamping connector  6  is connected to the branch hybrid cables  4 , and power electrodes and signal electrodes between the two hybrid wire clamping connectors  6  are correspondingly connected. In engineering applications, the transfer terminal  5  may add other auxiliary functions to effectively monitor and protect the branch hybrid cables  4 . For instance, a fuse (or an intelligent power device with power protection function) may be added between the power line of the main hybrid cable  3  and the power lines of the branch hybrid cables  4 , a filter may be added between the signal line of the main hybrid cable  3  and the signal lines of the branch hybrid cables  4 , and so on. 
     The intelligent electrical terminals  2  includes an integrated intelligent electrical terminal ( FIG. 8 ), a connected intelligent electrical terminal ( FIG. 3 ), and a multiple intelligent electrical terminal ( FIG. 4 ). Herein, the integrated intelligent electrical terminal is integrally formed by a local electrical appliance  21  and the hybrid wire clamping connector  6 . The connected intelligent electrical terminal is formed by connecting one local electrical appliance  21  with the hybrid wire clamping connector  6  through a lead wire  22 . The multiple intelligent electrical terminal is formed by connecting a plurality of local electrical appliances  21  with the hybrid wire clamping connector  6  through the lead wire  22 , and the local electrical appliances  21  are connected onto the hybrid cable through the corresponding hybrid wire clamping connector  6 . 
     The local electrical appliances include various electrical appliances, sensors, and electronic switches. 
     With reference to  FIG. 5  to  FIG. 7 , the hybrid cable (the main hybrid cable  3  and the branch hybrid cables  4 ) has a rectangular cross section and includes one power copper strip  31  having a rectangular cross section and two signal copper strips  32  tightly attached to an outer wall of the power copper strip  31  through an insulating strip and having rectangular cross sections, an insulating soft rubber layer  33  wrapped around the power copper strip  31  and the two signal copper strips  32 , and a protective layer  34  wrapped around the insulating soft rubber layer  33 . A row of connecting windows  35  are sequentially arranged on one of side walls of the protective layer  34  in a conduction direction of the hybrid cable, and the insulating soft rubber layer  33  fills the connecting windows  35 . One side surface of the power copper strip  31  is opposite to the connection windows  35 , and among the remaining three side surfaces of the power copper strip  31 , two opposite side surfaces are closely attached to the corresponding signal copper strips  32 . 
     With reference to  FIG. 8  and  FIG. 9 , the hybrid wire clamping connector  6  includes a connector  61  and a lock beam  62  connected to each other, a local micro-control unit  63  disposed on the connector  61 , two signal electrode pins  64 , and two power electrode pins  65 . Both the two signal electrode pins  64  and the two power electrode pins  65  are connected to the local micro-control unit  63 . The local electrical appliance  21  is connected to the local micro-control unit  63  corresponding to the hybrid wire clamping connector  6 . Inner ends of the two signal electrode pins  64  and the two power electrode pins  65  are both fixed onto the connector  61 . Outer ends of two signal electrode pins  64  and the two power electrode pins  65  face the lock beam  62 . The connector  61  is provided with two guiding arms  66  facing the lock beam  62  and two upper clamping arms  67  located outside the corresponding guiding arms  66 . The two signal electrode pins  64  and the two power electrode pins  65  are both located between the two guiding arms  66 . The lock beam  62  is provided with two lower clamping arms  68  and two clamping beam shoulders  69  facing the connector  61 , and the two clamping beam shoulders  69  are both disposed between the two lower clamping arms  68 . When the connector  61  and the lock beam  62  are connected, the two upper clamping arms  67  extend into inner sides of the corresponding lower clamping arms  68 , the upper clamping arms  67  and the corresponding lower clamping arms  68  are engaged with each other, the two guiding arms  66  extend into inner sides of the corresponding clamping beam shoulders  69 , and outer side walls of the guiding arms  66  closely contact inner side walls of the corresponding clamping beam shoulders  69 . Herein, the two power electrode pins  65  are two left-right symmetrical curved copper sheets provided chamfers at the bottoms, and the two signal electrode pins  64  are two left-right symmetrical pins provided with knife-edged chamfers at the bottom. When the hybrid wire clamping connector  6  and the hybrid cable are connected, the two signal electrode pins  64  and the two power electrode pins  65  on the hybrid wire clamping connector  6  penetrate into the insulating soft rubber layer  33  from one corresponding connecting window  33 . As the hybrid cable is guided by the two guiding arms  66 , the two signal electrode pins  64  and the two power electrode pins  65  pierce the insulating soft rubber layer  33  and smoothly enter an inner portion of the hybrid cable. When the bottom chamfers of the two power electrode pins  65  contact the power copper strip  31 , a lateral force of the power copper strip  31  causes the two power electrode pins  65  to open outwards and the two power electrode pins  65  are inserted in close contact with the power copper strip  31 . Finally, the two power electrode pins  65  are located on a periphery of the power copper strip  31  and contact and are connected to the power copper strip  31 . Similarly, when the bottom chamfers of the two signal electrode pins  64  contact the signal copper strips  32 , a lateral force of the signal copper strip  32  causes the two signal electrode pins  64  to open outwards and the two signal electrode pins  64  are inserted in close contact with the signal copper strips  32 . Finally, the two signal electrode pins  64  are located outside the two signal copper strips  32  and contact and are connected to the corresponding signal copper strips  32 . 
     With reference to  FIG. 10 , a vehicle electrical network system includes two main control units  1 , five multiple intelligent electrical terminals  23 , nine transfer terminals  5 , and a plurality of integrated intelligent electrical terminals  24 . 
     With reference to  FIG. 10 , each of the two main control units  1  includes four hybrid wire clamping connectors exhibiting quick connection and one bus port. The four hybrid cables connected onto the four hybrid wire clamping connectors are led to a front engine compartment, an electric seat assembly, side and rear of the vehicle body, and a front door assembly. One bus port is connected to another main control unit  1  and a meter  7  through a CAN communication bus. Four multiple intelligent electrical terminal  23  are connected to front and rear lighting components, and another multiple intelligent electrical terminal  23  is connected to a wiper and a fan component. The hybrid cable introduced from the hybrid wire clamping connector may extend to one end or both ends. 
     Although the embodiments of the disclosure have been shown and described, a person having ordinary skill in the art can understand that various changes, modifications, substitutions, and variations may be made to these embodiments without departing from the principle and spirit of the disclosure. The scope of the disclosure is defined by the appended claims and their equivalents. 
     INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY 
     The disclosure provides a simple, highly-reliable, and low-cost structure, and at the same time, reduces the installation costs in the production process of the automobile electrical system and the automobile after-sales service maintenance costs and features industrial practicability.