Relay assembly, method for controlling relay assembly, and storage medium

Abstract

According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, a relay assembly, a method of controlling the relay assembly, and a storage medium are provided. The relay assembly includes a first relay adapted to be arranged between a power supply circuit and a load; an auxiliary switching circuit disposed in parallel with the first relay between the power supply circuit and the load, and including a second relay and a transistor component connected in series, the closing time of the transistor component being less than a predetermined threshold; the control unit is coupled to the first relay, the second relay and the transistor component, and is configured as follows: when a loop between the power supply circuit and the load is switched on, the second relay is firstly switched on, then the transistor component is switched on at the voltage zero crossing point, and then the first relay is switched on; and when the loop is disconnected, the second relay and the transistor component are closed successively and then the first relay is disconnected, and then the transistor component and the second relay are disconnected successively. Therefore, impact current is reduced, the relay is protected, and the service life of the relay is prolonged.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] Example embodiments of the present disclosure generally relate to the field of electrical devices, and more particularly to a relay assembly, a method of controlling a relay assembly, and a storage medium. Background Art

[0002] With the popularity of light-emitting diode (LED) lighting, relays are increasingly used with LED lamps. However, since LED lamps are capacitive loads, there is a large inrush current when they are turned on. Under large inrush currents, the relay contacts will spark and heat up, shortening the service life of the relay. Summary of the invention

[0003] In a first aspect of the present disclosure, a relay assembly is provided. The relay assembly includes: a first relay, which is suitable for being arranged between a power supply circuit and a load; an auxiliary switch circuit, which is arranged in parallel with the first relay between the power supply circuit and the load, and includes a second relay and a transistor component connected in series, and the closing time of the transistor component is less than a predetermined threshold; and a control unit, which is coupled to the first relay, the second relay and the transistor component, and is configured to: when the loop between the power supply circuit and the load is connected, the second relay is closed first, and then the transistor component is turned on at the voltage zero point, and then the first relay is closed; and when the loop is disconnected, the second relay and the transistor component are closed successively, and then the first relay is disconnected, and then the transistor component and the second relay are disconnected successively.

[0004] In some embodiments, the control unit is further configured to: close the second relay in response to receiving a connection instruction indicating that the loop is connected; after the second relay is closed, close the transistor component at the voltage zero point of the power supply circuit; after the second relay and the transistor component are both closed, close the first relay; and after the first relay is closed, open the second relay.

[0005] In some embodiments, the control unit is further configured to: in response to receiving a disconnection instruction indicating to disconnect the loop, close the second relay and the transistor component successively; after the second relay and the transistor component are both closed, disconnect the first relay; and after the transistor component is disconnected at the voltage zero point, disconnect the second relay.

[0006] In some embodiments, the relay assembly also includes: a zero-crossing detection circuit, coupled to the power supply circuit and the control unit, and suitable for detecting the voltage zero-crossing point of the power supply circuit, and sending voltage zero-crossing point information related to the voltage zero-crossing point to the control unit, and the control unit is configured to control the closing or opening of the transistor component according to the voltage zero-crossing point information.

[0007] In some embodiments, the auxiliary switching circuit further includes a current limiting resistor connected in series with the second relay and the transistor component.

[0008] In some embodiments, the transistor component comprises: a bidirectional thyristor, the bidirectional thyristor being adapted to automatically turn off when the current passes through zero.

[0009] In some embodiments, the transistor component includes at least one of a bipolar junction transistor (BJT), a metal oxide semiconductor field effect transistor (MOSFET), and an insulated gate bipolar transistor (IGBT).

[0010] By connecting the auxiliary switch circuit in parallel at both ends of the first relay, when the loop between the load and the power supply circuit needs to be connected, the second relay of the auxiliary switch circuit is turned on, and then when the power supply circuit reaches the voltage zero point, the transistor component of the auxiliary switch is turned on, so that the auxiliary switch circuit coupled between the power supply circuit and the load is turned on. Then the control unit controls the first relay to turn on, and makes the transistor component turn off at the subsequent current zero point, thereby completing the conduction between the load and the power supply circuit. The impact current when the load (such as an LED lamp) is started is reduced, the sparking and arcing of the relay when closing and closing is reduced, and the life of the relay is extended.

[0011] In a second aspect of the present disclosure, a method for controlling a relay assembly is provided. The method includes: in response to receiving a connection instruction indicating that a loop between a power supply circuit and a load is connected, closing a second relay of an auxiliary switch circuit in the relay assembly; after the second relay is closed, closing a transistor component of the auxiliary switch circuit at a voltage zero-crossing point of the power supply circuit, wherein the closing time of the transistor component is less than a predetermined threshold; after both the second relay and the transistor component are closed, closing a first relay of the relay assembly, wherein the first relay is connected in parallel with the auxiliary switch circuit between the power supply circuit and the load; and after the first relay is closed, opening the second relay.

[0012] In some embodiments, the method further includes: in response to receiving a disconnection instruction indicating to disconnect the loop, closing the second relay and the transistor component successively; after the second relay and the transistor component are both closed, opening the first relay; and after the transistor component is disconnected at the voltage zero point, opening the second relay.

[0013] In a third aspect of the present disclosure, an electronic device is provided. The device includes at least one processing unit; and at least one memory, the at least one memory is coupled to the at least one processing unit and stores instructions for execution by the at least one processing unit. When the instructions are executed by the at least one processing unit, the device executes the method of the first aspect.

[0014] In a fourth aspect of the present disclosure, a computer-readable storage medium is provided, wherein a computer program is stored on the computer-readable storage medium, and the computer program can be executed by a processor to implement the method of the second aspect.

[0015] It should be understood that the contents described in this content section are not intended to limit the key features or important features of the embodiments of the present disclosure, nor are they intended to limit the scope of the present disclosure. Other features of the present disclosure will become easily understood through the following description. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0016] The above and other features, advantages and aspects of the embodiments of the present disclosure will become more apparent with reference to the following detailed description in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. In the accompanying drawings, the same or similar reference numerals represent the same or similar elements, wherein:

[0017] Figure 1 A schematic circuit diagram of a relay assembly according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown;

[0018] Figure 2 A flow chart showing a relay assembly connecting a circuit between a power supply circuit and a load according to an embodiment of the present disclosure; and

[0019] Figure 3 A flow chart of a relay assembly disconnecting a loop between a power supply circuit and a load according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0020] Embodiments of the present disclosure will be described in more detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Although certain embodiments of the present disclosure are shown in the accompanying drawings, it should be understood that the present disclosure can be implemented in various forms and should not be construed as being limited to the embodiments set forth herein. On the contrary, these embodiments are provided to provide a more thorough and complete understanding of the present disclosure. It should be understood that the drawings and embodiments of the present disclosure are only for exemplary purposes and are not intended to limit the scope of protection of the present disclosure.

[0021] It should be noted that the titles of any sections / subsections provided herein are not restrictive. Various embodiments are described throughout this article, and any type of embodiment may be included under any section / subsection. In addition, the embodiments described in any section / subsection may be combined in any manner with any other embodiments described in the same section / subsection and / or different sections / subsections.

[0022] In the description of the embodiments of the present disclosure, the term "including" and similar terms should be understood as open inclusion, that is, "including but not limited to". The term "based on" should be understood as "based at least in part on". The term "one embodiment" or "the embodiment" should be understood as "at least one embodiment". The term "some embodiments" should be understood as "at least some embodiments". Other explicit and implicit definitions may be included below. The terms "first", "second", etc. may refer to different or the same objects. Other explicit and implicit definitions may be included below.

[0023] As briefly mentioned above, since LED lamps are capacitive loads, especially some LED lamps with low power factor (PF), the inrush current when turned on is very large, generally reaching 50 times the normal operating current. Under large inrush currents, the relay contacts will spark and heat up, which is an important factor affecting the life of the relay. Another factor that affects the life of the relay is that when the relay is turned off, if there is a large current, arcing will occur, damaging the contacts.

[0024] In some traditional technologies, the inrush current is reduced by controlling the relay to switch on and off near the voltage zero point. However, the response time of the relay receiving the signal and completing the action is long, and the response time of the relay is greatly affected by environmental factors and the load connected to the circuit itself. Therefore, it is difficult to control the relay to switch on and off near the voltage zero point in an estimated manner to achieve the purpose of reducing the inrush current.

[0025] The embodiments of the present disclosure propose a relay assembly and a method for controlling the relay assembly to solve or at least partially solve the above-mentioned problems and other potential problems existing in the traditional solution. According to various embodiments of the present disclosure, a first relay is coupled between the power supply circuit and the load, and an auxiliary switch circuit is connected in parallel at both ends of the first relay, and when the loop between the load and the power supply circuit needs to be connected, the second relay of the auxiliary switch circuit is turned on, and then when the power supply circuit reaches the voltage zero point, the transistor component of the auxiliary switch is turned on, so that the auxiliary switch circuit coupled between the power supply circuit and the load is turned on. Then the control unit controls the first relay to turn on, and turns off the transistor component at the subsequent current zero point, thereby completing the conduction between the load and the power supply circuit.

[0026] Through the above arrangement, when the second relay is closed, since the transistor component is still in the off state, no arc will be generated on the contacts of the second relay at this time. Since the closing time of the transistor component is very small (less than the predetermined threshold), the auxiliary switch circuit can respond to the connection instruction and quickly close at the voltage zero point. After that, when the first relay is closed, due to the conduction of the auxiliary switch circuit, the voltages at both ends of the first relay are equal. Therefore, the first relay will not generate an arc when it is closed. Through the above arrangement, the impact current when the load (such as an LED lamp) is started is reduced, and the situation of sparking and arcing when the relay is closed and turned off is reduced, thereby extending the life of the relay. In addition, the relay assembly according to the embodiment of the present disclosure can also avoid the formation of arcs in the relay when the circuit is disconnected, thereby effectively extending the service life of the relay, which will be further explained later.

[0027] Figure 1 Schematic circuit diagram of the relay assembly of the embodiment of the present disclosure is shown. Figure 1 As shown, in general, the relay assembly includes a first relay 110 and an auxiliary switch circuit 120 connected in parallel with each other, and a control unit 130 for controlling the operation of the first relay and the auxiliary switch circuit 120. The auxiliary switch circuit 120 includes a second relay 121 and a transistor component 122 connected in series with each other. The first relay 110, the second relay 121, and the transistor component 122 are respectively controlled by the control unit 130 to achieve conduction respectively.

[0028] In some embodiments, the relay assembly further includes a zero-crossing detection circuit 140, which is coupled to the power supply circuit 170, and the zero-crossing detection circuit 140 is also coupled to the control unit 130. The zero-crossing detection circuit 140 is adapted to detect the voltage zero-crossing point of the power supply circuit 170, and send the voltage zero-crossing point information to the control unit 130 when the voltage crosses zero.

[0029] In some embodiments, the transistor component 122 may be a bidirectional thyristor. Since the bidirectional thyristor has the characteristic of automatically shutting off when the current crosses zero, the bidirectional thyristor can be controlled to conduct by the control unit 130 and automatically shut off when the current crosses zero. Using a bidirectional thyristor can simplify the circuit structure and the logic structure.

[0030] In other embodiments, the transistor component 122 may also include at least one of a bipolar junction transistor (BJT), a metal oxide semiconductor field effect transistor (MOSFET), and an insulated gate bipolar transistor (IGBT). For these types of transistors, the conduction is similar to that of a bidirectional thyristor, and the conduction is controlled by the control unit 130. When disconnection is required, the control unit 130 may also be controlled to disconnect at an appropriate time point (e.g., at a voltage zero crossing point), thereby reducing the generation of arcs on the relay contacts.

[0031] The following mainly describes the concept according to the present disclosure by taking the transistor component 122 as a bidirectional thyristor as an example. It should be understood that the case where the transistor circuit uses other transistors is similar and will not be described separately in the following.

[0032] Figure 2 A flow chart of a method for controlling a relay assembly to connect a circuit between a power supply circuit and a load according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown. The method can be executed by a control unit in the relay assembly. Figure 2 As shown, in box 210, when it is necessary to connect the loop where the load 160 is located, the user sends a connection instruction to the control unit 130, and the control unit 130 controls the second relay 121 to close after receiving the connection instruction. After the second relay 121 is closed, in box 220, the control unit 130 controls the transistor component 122 to turn on (that is, close) after receiving the voltage zero-crossing point information sent by the zero-crossing detection circuit 140. With the closure of the transistor component 122, the auxiliary switch circuit 120 is turned on as a whole, so that the current can be supplied from the power supply circuit 170 to the load 160 through the auxiliary switch circuit 120. Since the transistor component 122 can be closed in a very short time (for example, 4μs to 8μs), the auxiliary switch circuit 120 can quickly respond to the control of the control unit 130 and turn on quickly.

[0033] In block 230, the control unit 130 sends a signal to the first relay 110 within a predetermined time (e.g., 1 ms to 3 ms) after the control transistor component 122 is turned on, to control the first relay 110 to close. After the first relay 110 is closed, the power supply circuit 170 can supply power to the load 160 through the auxiliary switch circuit 120 and the first relay 110, respectively. In block 240, after the first relay 110 is closed, the control unit 130 turns off the second relay 121 at an appropriate time thereafter, thereby finally realizing the conduction of the power supply circuit of the load 160 via the first relay.

[0034] It can be seen from the process described above that during the period of connecting the power supply circuit of the load 160, when the second relay 121 is turned on, since the transistor component 122 is in the off state at this time, no current flows through the contacts of the second relay 121. In this case, no arc is generated when the contacts of the second relay 121 touch. When the first relay 110 is turned on, since the auxiliary switch circuit 120 connected in parallel with it is already turned on at this time, the voltages at both ends of the first relay 110 are equal, so when the contacts of the first relay 110 are closed, no arc is generated on the contacts. This reduces the arc erosion of the relay when the switch is turned on, protects the relay, and prolongs the service life of the relay.

[0035] Figure 3A flow chart of a method for controlling a relay assembly to disconnect a loop between a power supply circuit and a load according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown. The method can be executed by a control unit in the relay assembly. Figure 3 As shown, when it is necessary to cut off the circuit where the load 160 is located, the user sends a disconnection instruction to the control unit 130. In box 310, after receiving the disconnection instruction, the control unit 130 controls the second relay 121 and the transistor component 122 to be turned on in sequence. After the second relay 121 and the transistor component 122 are turned on, the circuit where the auxiliary switch circuit 120 is located is turned on. In box 320, the control unit 130 then controls the first relay 110 to be turned off. At the next current zero point after the first relay 110 is turned off, the transistor component 122 is automatically or controlled to be turned off, so that the circuit where the auxiliary switch circuit 120 is located is disconnected, and the power supply circuit 170 of the load 160 is cut off. Finally, in box 330, the control unit 130 controls the second relay 121 to be turned off to complete the entire process of cutting off the power supply to the load 160.

[0036] During the period of cutting off the power supply to the load 160, the control unit 130 first turns on the second relay 121 and the transistor assembly, turns on the auxiliary switch circuit 120 and establishes a power supply branch connected in parallel to both ends of the first relay 110. Then, the control unit 130 turns off the first relay 110. Since the current will flow through the auxiliary switch circuit 120 when the first relay 110 is turned off, no arc will be formed between the contacts of the first relay 110.

[0037] After the first relay 110 is turned off, when the next current zero crossing point is reached, the transistor component 122 is turned off, and then the second relay 121 is turned off. Since no current has passed through the auxiliary switch circuit 120 when the second relay 121 is turned off (because the transistor component 122 has been turned off), no current will be generated between the contacts when the second relay 121 is turned off. In this way, the addition of auxiliary components can reduce the problem of relay contact arcing caused by large inrush current when the load 160 and the power supply circuit 170 are turned on and off, thereby protecting the relay and extending the life of the relay.

[0038] In some other embodiments, the auxiliary switch circuit 120 further includes a current limiting resistor 150 connected in series with the second relay 121. The current limiting resistor 150 can limit the current passing through the auxiliary switch circuit 120 when the auxiliary switch circuit 120 is turned on, thereby protecting the second relay 121 and the semiconductor switch.

[0039] Furthermore, the current limiting resistor 150 can also be a thermistor, for example, the current limiting resistor 150 is a negative temperature coefficient thermistor (NTC). The current limiting resistor 150 is coupled to a load 160 (such as an LED lamp, etc.), and when the load 160 is working, the resistance value decreases as the temperature increases. Therefore, in the initial stage of the auxiliary switch circuit 120 being turned on, the current limiting resistor 150 has a larger resistance value, and as the auxiliary switch circuit 120 supplies power to the load 160, the temperature of the current limiting resistor 150 increases and the resistance value decreases. In this way, the current limiting resistor 150 can better protect the components in the circuit and improve the service life of the circuit.

[0040] According to an exemplary implementation of the present disclosure, a computer-readable storage medium is provided, on which computer-executable instructions are stored, wherein the computer-executable instructions are executed by a processor to implement the method described above. According to an exemplary implementation of the present disclosure, a computer program product is also provided, which is tangibly stored on a non-transitory computer-readable medium and includes computer-executable instructions, and the computer-executable instructions are executed by a processor to implement the method described above.

[0041] Various aspects of the present disclosure are described herein with reference to the flowcharts and / or block diagrams of the methods, devices, equipment, and computer program products implemented according to the present disclosure. It should be understood that each box in the flowchart and / or block diagram and the combination of each box in the flowchart and / or block diagram can be implemented by computer-readable program instructions.

[0042] These computer-readable program instructions can be provided to a processing unit of a general-purpose computer, a special-purpose computer, or other programmable data processing device, thereby producing a machine, so that when these instructions are executed by the processing unit of the computer or other programmable data processing device, a device that implements the functions / actions specified in one or more boxes in the flowchart and / or block diagram is generated. These computer-readable program instructions can also be stored in a computer-readable storage medium, and these instructions cause the computer, programmable data processing device, and / or other equipment to work in a specific manner, so that the computer-readable medium storing the instructions includes a manufactured product, which includes instructions for implementing various aspects of the functions / actions specified in one or more boxes in the flowchart and / or block diagram.

[0043] Computer-readable program instructions can be loaded onto a computer, other programmable data processing apparatus, or other device so that a series of operational steps are performed on the computer, other programmable data processing apparatus, or other device to produce a computer-implemented process, so that the instructions executed on the computer, other programmable data processing apparatus, or other device implement the functions / actions specified in one or more boxes in the flowchart and / or block diagram.

[0044] The flow chart and block diagram in the accompanying drawings show the possible architecture, function and operation of the system, method and computer program product according to multiple implementations of the present disclosure. In this regard, each square box in the flow chart or block diagram can represent a part of a module, program segment or instruction, and a part of a module, program segment or instruction includes one or more executable instructions for realizing the logical function of the specification. In some implementations as replacements, the function marked in the square box can also occur in a sequence different from that marked in the accompanying drawings. For example, two continuous square boxes can actually be executed substantially in parallel, and they can sometimes be executed in reverse order, depending on the functions involved. It should also be noted that each square box in the block diagram and / or flow chart, and the combination of the square boxes in the block diagram and / or flow chart can be realized by a special hardware-based system that performs the function or action of the specification, or can be realized by a combination of special hardware and computer instructions.

[0045] The above descriptions of various implementations of the present disclosure are exemplary, non-exhaustive, and not limited to the disclosed implementations. Many modifications and variations will be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art without departing from the scope and spirit of the described implementations. The selection of terms used herein is intended to best explain the principles of the implementations, practical applications, or improvements to the technology in the market, or to enable other persons of ordinary skill in the art to understand the various implementations disclosed herein.

Claims

1. A relay assembly comprising: A first relay (110) adapted to be arranged between a power supply circuit (170) and a load (160); an auxiliary switch circuit (120) arranged in parallel with the first relay (110) between the power supply circuit (170) and the load (160), and comprising a second relay (121) and a transistor component (122) connected in series, wherein a closing time of the transistor component (122) is less than a predetermined threshold; as well as A control unit (130) is coupled to the first relay (110), the second relay (121) and the transistor component (122), and is configured to: When the circuit between the power supply circuit (170) and the load (160) is connected, the second relay (121) is closed first, then the transistor component (122) is turned on at the voltage zero point, and then the first relay (110) is closed; and When the loop is disconnected, the second relay (121) and the transistor component (122) are closed in sequence, and then the first relay (110) is disconnected, and then the transistor component (122) and the second relay (121) are disconnected in sequence.

2. The relay assembly according to claim 1, wherein the control unit (130) is further configured to: In response to receiving a connection instruction indicating that the circuit is connected, closing the second relay (121); After the second relay (121) is closed, the transistor component (122) is closed when the voltage of the power supply circuit (170) passes through zero; After both the second relay (121) and the transistor component (122) are closed, closing the first relay (110); and After the first relay (110) is closed, the second relay (121) is opened.

3. The relay assembly according to claim 1, wherein the control unit (130) is further configured to: In response to receiving a disconnection instruction indicating to disconnect the loop, the second relay (121) and the transistor component (122) are closed successively; After the second relay (121) and the transistor component (122) are both closed, opening the first relay (110); and After the transistor component (122) is turned off at the voltage zero crossing point, the second relay (121) is turned off.

4. The relay assembly according to any one of claims 1 to 3, further comprising: a zero-crossing detection circuit (140) coupled to the power supply circuit (170) and the control unit (130), and adapted to detect a voltage zero-crossing point of the power supply circuit (170), and to send voltage zero-crossing point information related to the voltage zero-crossing point to the control unit (130), and The control unit (130) is configured to control the closing or opening of the transistor component (122) according to the voltage zero-crossing point information.

5. The relay assembly according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the auxiliary switch circuit (120) further comprises: A current limiting resistor (150) is connected in series with the second relay (121) and the transistor component (122).

6. The relay assembly according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the transistor component (122) comprises: A bidirectional thyristor is adapted to be automatically disconnected when the current passes through a zero point.

7. The relay assembly according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the transistor component (122) comprises: At least one of a bipolar junction transistor (BJT), a metal oxide semiconductor field effect transistor (MOSFET), and an insulated gate bipolar transistor (IGBT).

8. A method for controlling a relay assembly, comprising: In response to receiving a connection instruction indicating that a circuit between a power supply circuit (170) and a load (160) is connected, closing a second relay (121) of an auxiliary switch circuit (120) in the relay assembly; After the second relay (121) is closed, the transistor component (122) of the auxiliary switch circuit (120) is closed at the voltage zero point of the power supply circuit (170), and the closing time of the transistor component (122) is less than a predetermined threshold; After the second relay (121) and the transistor component (122) are both closed, the first relay (110) of the relay assembly is closed, the first relay (110) and the auxiliary switch circuit (120) are connected in parallel between the power supply circuit (170) and the load (160); and After the first relay (110) is closed, the second relay (121) is opened.

9. The method according to claim 8, further comprising: In response to receiving a disconnection instruction indicating to disconnect the loop, the second relay (121) and the transistor component (122) are closed successively; After the second relay (121) and the transistor component (122) are both closed, opening the first relay (110); and After the transistor component (122) is turned off at the voltage zero crossing point, the second relay (121) is turned off.

10. A computer-readable storage medium having a computer program stored thereon, wherein the computer program can be executed by a processor to implement the method according to any one of claims 8 and 9.

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