Apparatus for monitoring a supply system, in particular a motor-vehicle electrical system, and method for monitoring a supply system of this type

1. An apparatus for monitoring a supply system being at least partially mounted on a carbon-fiber supporting structure and the supply system connecting an electrical load to a power source, via a supply line and a return line, the apparatus comprising:

a monitoring unit electrically connected to the carbon-fiber supporting structure at at least one measurement point.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising a disconnecting switch for disconnecting the power source from the supply system, said disconnecting switch connected to and actuated by said monitoring unit.

3. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein said monitoring unit stores comparison data for permitted measurement states, and said monitoring unit configured such that a deviation from the permitted measurement states is judged to be a fault state.

4. The apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising a data bus connected to said monitoring unit, and through said data bus, said monitoring unit receives information about an actual situation of the load of a vehicle electrical system and said monitoring unit uses the information for determining measurement states that can be expected.

5. The apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein said monitoring unit additionally receives information about a vehicle state, and said monitoring unit actuating said disconnecting switch when the vehicle state is not permissible.

6. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the supply system is a motor-vehicle electrical system.

7. A motor-vehicle electrical system to be at least partially mounted on a carbon-fiber supporting structure, said motor-vehicle electrical system comprising:

a power source to be connected to an electrical load;

a supply line connected between said electrical load and said power source;

a return line connected between said electrical load and said power source; and

a monitoring unit electrically connected to the carbon-fiber supporting structure at at least one measurement point.

8. A method for monitoring a supply system being at least partially mounted on a carbon-fiber supporting structure and the supply system connecting an electrical load to a power source via a supply line and a return line, which comprises the steps of:

providing a monitoring unit for tapping off a voltage value at least at one measurement point on the carbon-fiber supporting structure; and

evaluating the voltage value.

9. The method according to claim 8 , which further comprises disconnecting the power source from the supply system if an impermissible state is detected.

10. The method according to claim 8 , which further comprises:

comparing, via the monitoring unit, the voltage value with comparison data for permitted measurement states; and

outputting a fault signal when the voltage value deviates from the permitted measurement states.

11. The method according to claim 10 , which further comprises:

receiving, in the monitoring unit, information about an actual situation of the load of the supply system via a data bus; and

determining from the information the permitted measurement states that can be expected.

12. The method according to claim 8 , which further comprises:

sending the monitoring unit additional information about a vehicle state; and

disconnecting the power source from the supply system if the vehicle state is not permissible.

13. The method according to claim 8 , which further comprises providing the supply system as an electrical supply system of a motor vehicle.