Capacitor Switching Test Apparatus for Reduced Charging Time
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing test apparatuses face inefficiencies due to long capacitor charging times and capacitor degradation, leading to increased testing time and difficulty in miniaturization, as they require longer charging times than the actual testing duration and suffer from repeated charging and discharging cycles.
Innovation Solution
A test apparatus with a switching section and power supply section that allows multiple capacitors to be charged and switched in parallel or series, reducing charging time and minimizing degradation by alternating the capacitors used for testing and adjusting voltage based on test content and capacitor health.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If capacitors are charged to a predetermined voltage for testing, then the device under test can be tested, but the charging time is much longer than the actual testing time
Solution Approach 1:
The capacitor is charged in advance before the actual test is performed. The power supply apparatus charges the capacitor to the required voltage level prior to connecting it to the device under test, so that the charging operation does not delay the testing process. This preliminary charging action separates the charging time from the testing time, allowing both operations to overlap or occur in an optimized sequence.
Solution Approach 2:
The testing system is divided into separate functional components: a power supply apparatus that charges capacitors, a switching section that connects capacitors to the device under test, and the testing apparatus itself. This segmentation allows the capacitor charging to occur independently and in parallel with test preparation, eliminating the sequential bottleneck where charging must complete before testing can begin.
2Reliability
If film capacitors are used to reduce degradation from repeated charging and discharging, then capacitor lifetime is improved, but the apparatus volume increases
Solution Approach 1:
The capacitor system is segmented into multiple individual capacitors rather than using a single large-capacity film capacitor. By dividing the total required capacitance into several smaller capacitor units, the system can use compact electrolytic capacitors instead of bulky film capacitors, reducing overall apparatus volume while distributing the stress of repeated charging and discharging across multiple components.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention changes the operational parameters by controlling the charging voltage and discharge cycles of the capacitors. The power supply apparatus manages the charging voltage levels and switching frequency to optimize capacitor lifetime, allowing the use of smaller electrolytic capacitors that would otherwise degrade too quickly, thus achieving both compact size and acceptable reliability.
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
This approach reduces testing time, minimizes capacitor degradation, and enables the use of smaller electrolytic capacitors, thereby reducing the overall size of the test apparatus while maintaining efficient power supply and monitoring for capacitor health.
Implementation Method 1
a plurality of capacitors that are each charged to a predetermined voltage
Data Source
AI summary
Provided is a test apparatus that tests a device under test, comprising a plurality of capacitors that are each charged to a predetermined voltage; a switching section that switches which of the capacitors charged to a predetermined voltage supplies power to the device under test; and a judging section that judges acceptability of the device under test based on an operational result of the device under test. Also provided is a test apparatus that selects one of a plurality of capacitors and a corresponding one of a plurality of power supply units, according to content of a test performed after a test that uses another of the capacitors to supply power to the device under test.