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DE-102024132781-A1 - Climate chamber for testing a line for a means of transport

DE102024132781A1DE 102024132781 A1DE102024132781 A1DE 102024132781A1DE-102024132781-A1

Abstract

The invention relates to a climate chamber (1) for testing a line (10) for a means of transport, comprising a housing (2) which separates an conditioned area from an outside area outside the climate chamber (1), and a passage (3) for the line (10) through the housing (2) and a sealing means (4) for sealing the housing (2) against the line (10) when the line (10) passes through the passage (3) and/or a sealing means (4) for making the housing (2) airtight without the line (10) passing through the passage (3).

Inventors

  • Martin Heller

Assignees

  • BAYERISCHE MOTOREN WERKE AKTIENGESELLSCHAFT

Dates

Publication Date
20260513
Application Date
20241111

Claims (13)

  1. Climate chamber (1) for testing a line (10) for a means of transport comprising: • a housing (2) which separates a climate-controlled area from an outside area outside the climate chamber (1), and • a feedthrough (3) for the line (10) through the housing (2) and • a sealant (4) for sealing the housing (2) against the line (10) when the line (10) passes through the feedthrough (3) and/or for sealing the housing (2) without the line (10) passing through the feedthrough (3).
  2. Climate chamber (1) according to Claim 1 , wherein the passage (3) comprises a bore (5) and preferably a nozzle (6), which is preferably a first component of the sealing means (4), wherein the nozzle (6) has an outer surface complementary to the inner surface of the bore (5) and an inner surface complementary to the outer surface of the conduit (10).
  3. Climate chamber (1) according to Claim 1 or 2 , wherein the feedthrough (3) and/or the sealing medium (4) are arranged to tightly enclose one or two sections of the conduit (7) without threading in one end of the conduit (10).
  4. Climate chamber (1) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein • the feedthrough (3) and/or the housing (2) of the climate chamber (1) has a first connecting means which enables a non-destructively reversible force-fit and/or positive-locking connection of the feedthrough (3) with the housing (2) and/or • the feedthrough (3) and/or the nozzle (6) has a second connecting means which enables a non-destructively reversible force-fit and/or positive-locking connection of the feedthrough (3) with the nozzle (6).
  5. Climate chamber (1) according to one of the preceding claims, comprising an exchange device (13) for the time-delayed automated insertion and removal of a loaded exchangeable holder (12) for a line (10) from a storage area (14) into the climate-controlled area and/or from the climate-controlled area into the storage area (14), wherein the exchange device (13) comprises: • the storage area (14) for exchangeable holders (12) loaded with lines (10), which can be sealed against the housing (2) by the sealing means (4) and/or the feedthrough (3), and • means for inserting the loaded exchangeable holder (12) into the climate-controlled area and/or for sealing the loaded exchangeable holder (12) against the housing (2) and/or for removing the loaded exchangeable holder (12) from the climate-controlled area, and • a conveying means for conveying the loaded exchangeable holder (12) from the storage area (14) to the means and/or from the means to the storage area (14).
  6. Climate chamber (1) according to one of the preceding claims, comprising: • a fixing device (16) for an external test parameter and/or • a supply device for operating the line (10) and/or • a sensor unit for measuring a supply that has been supplied through the line (10) and/or • a first and/or a second connection point for the line (10) for electrically and/or optically conductive connection to the supply device and/or the sensor unit.
  7. Climate chamber (1) according to Claim 6 , wherein the supply device for operating the line (10) comprises: • a data supply device and/or • a power supply device.
  8. Climate chamber (1) according to Claim 7 , wherein • the power application device comprises a power splitting means for dividing or doubling the power into, preferably equal, partial powers with a predefined, in particular, identical current and a predefined, in particular, identical voltage and/or • the data application device comprises a data splitting means for dividing or doubling the data signal into, preferably equal, partial signals with a predefined, in particular, identical data transmission rate and a predefined, in particular, identical data signal strength.
  9. Climate chamber (1) according to one of the Claims 6 until 8 , wherein the sensor unit for measuring the exposure comprises • a data receiving unit and/or • a power receiving unit and/or • an additional sensor (17) for the line (10), which includes • a temperature sensor and/or • an emission sensor and/or • a position sensor and/or • an electromagnetic sensor unit.
  10. Climate chamber (1) according to one of the preceding claims, comprising a mechanical test device for the line (10) comprising: • an aperiodic mechanical test device, in particular • an abrasion resistance test device and/or • an indenter and/or • a Charpy impact test device and/or • a tensile test device and/or • a bending test device and/or • a three-point bending test device and/or • a torsion test device and/or • a peel strength test device and/or • a drop test device and/or • a compression test device, • and/or a periodic mechanical test device, in particular • a vibratory shaker and/or • a vibration test device and/or • a plugging cycle strength test device.
  11. Climate chamber (1) according to one of the preceding claims, comprising a control unit which is configured to: • control the external test parameter (16) and/or the external test parameter depending on the orientation of the line (10) with respect to gravity by means of an alignment device; • control the external test parameter setting device; and/or • control the external test parameter setting device; and/or • read out the sensor unit.
  12. Climate chamber (1) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the climate chamber (1) is designed to be transported on a road and/or a railway track.
  13. Climate chamber (1) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein • the line (10) is designed as a combined line comprising an optical line, preferably for the transmission of a data signal, and an electrical line, preferably for the transmission of a data signal and/or the transmission of electrical power, and/or • the line (10) additionally comprises a connector, preferably to be tested, and/or • the line (10) is designed as part of a cable harness comprising a bundle of lines (10) and preferably a bundling means.

Description

The present invention relates to a climate chamber for testing a line for a means of transport. Climate chambers are used in the automotive industry to expose vehicles and/or their components to extreme environmental conditions. This can serve to ensure the vehicle's functionality in all climate zones of the world and for 15 years of normal operation in a shortened timeframe, for example, through cyclical test series under extreme environmental conditions. Climate chambers are also used to obtain ECE homologation or approval of vehicle parts. They are also used for qualification according to standards such as... ISO 26262 Climate chambers can be used for the LV 124 or for the development of new components for means of transport. DE 10 2020 133 710 B3 shows a current conductivity sealing assembly for supplying power to a test specimen in a sealed climate chamber. It is an object of the invention to reduce the development costs and/or the development time for a cable and/or a cable harness and/or a cable with a plug, each for a means of transport. The aforementioned problem is solved by a climate chamber according to the features of claim 1. When developing or optimizing new cables, wiring harnesses, or connectors, which are collectively referred to below as test specimens, it can be advantageous to test several slightly different versions of the aforementioned test specimens against each other within the climate chamber, preferably simultaneously. Additionally or alternatively, it can be advantageous to simultaneously subject identical test specimens to different power levels (i.e., different currents and/or voltages) and/or different data signals (i.e., different data transmission rates and/or signal strengths and/or signal waveforms). Furthermore, it can be advantageous to enable the rapid exchange of a test specimen within the climate chamber, with minimal thermal and/or material exchange, for example, of a fluid or air, between an interior or climate-controlled area of the chamber and an exterior or surrounding environment. A means of transport can be understood to be an automobile and/or a passenger car and/or a motor vehicle and/or a truck and/or a motorcycle and/or an e-bike and/or a land and/or air and/or road and/or water vehicle. A climate chamber can also be referred to as a temperature cabinet. The climate chamber has a preferably climate-controlled interior or a preferably climate-controlled area comprising a fluid, which is separated from an environment or an exterior area by a housing and/or is pneumatically and/or materially and/or thermally and/or with respect to the intensity of electromagnetic radiation. Additionally or alternatively, the climate-controlled area of the climate chamber has, in one spatial direction, more than five times, preferably more than ten times, and particularly preferably more than twenty times, continuous dimensions compared to the second largest continuous dimensions in another spatial direction. In other words, the climate-controlled area of the climate chamber is preferably shaped as an elongated tube or cuboid (to accommodate a cable and/or a cable harness). Within the climate-controlled area, a cable and/or a combined cable comprising an electrical and an optical cable, and/or a cable harness comprising preferably a first, more preferably combined, cable and a second cable as well as a bundling element, and/or a preferably combined cable, which is replaced in one section by a connector and a socket, is preferably subjected to an external test parameter as the test specimen. Thus, the connector or socket and/or the preferably combined cable and/or the cable harness can be tested in the climate chamber. The optical cable preferably comprises an optical fiber whose core and/or cladding preferably comprise more than 90% by weight, and particularly preferably more than 98% by weight, silicon dioxide and oxygen. Preferably, the cable, the combined cable, and the cable harness comprise outer insulation. The cable and/or wiring harness is preferably flexible or dimensionally unstable, or, if fixed in the middle, the cable preferably hangs down at the ends. The device under test is preferably not part of a test fixture but is tested independently. The cable is preferably cylindrical and/or concentric. The device under test is preferably configured to conduct electrical power and/or data signals in an optical and/or electrical conductor, or to provide plug contacts for transmitting the data signals and electrical power. A data transmission rate for the data signals, which may result in sensitivity to electromagnetic interference, is preferably 0.1 Gbit/s, preferably 1 Gbit/s, particularly preferably 10 Gbit/s, most preferably 50 Gbit/s. Preferably, the electrical power in the vehicle electrical system is up to 20 kW at 12 to 48 V and up to 400 A. Preferably, the electrical power in the high-voltage network is up to 1000 kW at 400 V, more preferably 800 V, more preferabl