Dual pole high voltage disconnect
AssigneeCaterpillar Inc.
InventorsJared J. Brodbeck, Jason Lee Miller
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An example energy source for a work machine includes multiple battery cells connectable in parallel to form a battery system having a high pole and a low pole, a load bus to distribute energy from the battery system to the work machine, and a single point of connection between the battery system and the load bus. The single point of connection is a connector including a dual-pole single-throw (DPST) switch. The DPST switch includes a dual-switched circuit path to connect the high pole and the low pole to the load bus, and a single-switched circuit path to provide a switched connection of a high voltage interlock loop (HVIL) circuit.
Claims18
An energy source for a work machine, the energy source comprising:
- multiple battery cells connectable in one or both of series and parallel to form a battery system having a high pole and a low pole;
- a load bus to distribute energy from the battery system to the work machine;
- and
- a single point of connection between the battery system and the load bus, wherein the single point of connection is a connector including:
- a dual-pole single-throw (DPST) switch including:
- a dual-switched circuit path to connect the high pole and the low pole to the load bus;
- and
- a single-switched circuit path to provide a switched connection of a high voltage interlock loop (HVIL) circuit;
- wherein when closing the DPST switch of the connector, the HVIL circuit is connected after the high pole and the low pole are connected to the load bus;
- and
- wherein when opening the DPST switch, the HVIL circuit is disconnected before the high pole and the low pole are disconnected from the load bus.
A high current electrical connector for connecting a large-capacity energy source to a work machine, the connector comprising:
- a dual-pole single-throw (DPST) switch including:
- first and second contacts to be connected to a first pole and a second pole of the large-capacity energy source;
- third and fourth contacts to be connected to electrical circuits of the work machine, wherein the first, second, third, and fourth contacts are rated for three hundred amperes (300 A) or greater and seven hundred volts (700V) or greater;
- and
- fifth and sixth contacts to connect a high voltage interlock loop (HVIL) circuit to the connector;
- wherein when closing the DPST switch, the fifth contact is connected to the sixth contact after the first contact is connected to the third contact and the second contact is connected to the fourth contact;
- and
- wherein when opening the DPST switch, the fifth contact is disconnected from the sixth contact before the first contact is disconnected from the third contact and the second contact is disconnected from the fourth contact.
A dual pole electrical connector, the connector comprising:
- a dual-pole single-throw (DPST) switch rated to seven hundred volts (700V) or higher, the DPST switch including:
- first and second contacts to be connected to a first pole and a second pole of an energy source;
- third and fourth contacts to be connected to electrical circuits of the work machine;
- and
- fifth and sixth contacts to connect a high voltage interlock loop (HVIL) circuit to the connector;
- wherein when closing the DPST switch, the fifth contact is connected to the sixth contact after the first contact is connected to the third contact and the second contact is connected to the fourth contact;
- and
- wherein when opening the DPST switch, the fifth contact is disconnected from the sixth contact before the first contact is disconnected from the third contact and the second contact is disconnected from the fourth contact.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.