HV Battery Contactor Vibration Control for False Sticking Detection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing in-vehicle control devices erroneously detect sticking failures in contactors due to transient short circuits caused by misalignment or thermal expansion, leading to incorrect determinations and potential exposure of live wires.
Innovation Solution
The in-vehicle control device includes a determination unit to assess sticking likelihood, followed by vibration and off controls to remove transient short circuits through targeted and non-targeted vibration of contactors, and voltage equalization to prevent incorrect determinations and ensure safe operation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If sticking failure detection is performed by determining whether voltage of a smoothing capacitor has changed, then sticking failures can be detected, but transient short circuits are erroneously detected as sticking failures
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies dynamics by repeatedly turning the contactor on and off in a vibration control manner when transient short circuit is detected. This dynamic operation allows the contactor to transition between states, eliminating the transient short circuit condition caused by misalignment or thermal expansion, and enabling accurate distinction between transient and actual sticking failures.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses periodic action by performing repeated on-off operations of the contactor at specific intervals. This periodic vibration control allows the system to observe the contactor's behavior over multiple cycles, determining whether the short circuit is transient (temporary) or a true sticking failure, thereby improving detection reliability.
2Reliability
If contactors are repeatedly turned on and off to remove transient short circuits, then transient short circuits can be eliminated, but additional control complexity is introduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by detecting transient short circuits before they result in actual sticking failures. The system performs vibration control as a preventive measure, repeatedly operating the contactor to eliminate transient conditions before they become permanent failures, thereby maintaining reliability without requiring complex additional hardware.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses self-service by utilizing the contactor's own operational characteristics to eliminate transient short circuits. The repeated on-off operations allow the contactor to self-correct misalignment or thermal expansion issues without requiring external mechanical intervention or additional complex control mechanisms.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The solution effectively removes transient short circuits in contactors, preventing live wire exposure and ensuring vehicle readiness, without requiring additional components, thus avoiding complexity and cost increases.
Implementation Method 1
a contactor (21, 22) for connecting and disconnecting a high-voltage circuit of a battery (2) installed in a vehicle; an electromagnetic coil in the contactor
Implementation Method 2
a vibration control unit that performs a vibration control including a target vibration control to repeatedly turn on and off the target contactor
Data Source
AI summary
An in-vehicle control device (10) includes a determination unit (11) that determines whether or not a target contactor (21) for connecting and disconnecting a high-voltage circuit of a battery (2) installed in a vehicle is likely to have sticking after the high-voltage circuit is used; and a vibration control unit (13) that performs a vibration control including a target vibration control to repeatedly turn on and off the target contactor (21) when the determination unit (11) determines that the target contactor (21) is likely to have sticking, whereby attempt to remove a transient short circuiting of the target contactor.