Vehicle Charger Lock Switch Timer Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Users of vehicle-mounted electrical storage devices face challenges in realizing failures of timer settings for charging, as the low frequency of operating the input switch makes it difficult to detect abnormalities and cancel timer settings, leading to potential issues with instant charging.
Innovation Solution
A charging device with a lock mechanism and electronic control unit that determines whether to perform timer charging or instant charging based on the state of a switch, allowing the switch to function as a timer cancellation or determination switch, and controlling the charger accordingly, enabling easy switching between timer enabled and disabled states without user burden.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a separate switch for timer cancellation is provided, then the reliability of timer cancellation is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies multi-functionality by enabling the lock switch to serve dual purposes: locking the charging cable and cancelling timer settings. The electronic control unit determines the switch's function based on the charging state, allowing one physical component to perform multiple operations without requiring separate dedicated switches for each function.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent merges the timer cancellation function with the existing lock switch functionality. By integrating these two functions into a single switch, the design reduces the total number of components while maintaining both capabilities, directly addressing the contradiction between reliability and device complexity.
2Device complexity
If the switch is operated infrequently for timer cancellation, then the device complexity is reduced, but the difficulty of detecting switch failure increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent ensures the switch is operated continuously and frequently through its primary function of locking the charging cable during charging operations. This continuous usage provides regular opportunities to detect switch failures, solving the problem of infrequent operation while maintaining device simplicity.
Solution Approach 2:
The electronic control unit provides feedback by monitoring the switch state and responding appropriately - either locking the cable or cancelling timer settings based on the charging condition. This active monitoring and response mechanism ensures switch functionality is continuously verified through its operational effects.
3Device complexity
If the switch serves multiple functions, then the device complexity is reduced, but the reliability of specific functions may deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies dynamics by making the switch's function variable rather than fixed. The electronic control unit dynamically determines whether the switch operates as a lock command or timer cancellation command based on real-time charging state detection, allowing the same physical switch to reliably execute different functions according to system conditions.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the operational parameters of the switch based on system state. By detecting whether the vehicle is in a charging state, the control unit adjusts the switch's function - this parameter-based differentiation ensures reliable execution of appropriate commands while maintaining a single physical switch component.
Data Source
AI summary
There is provided a charging device for a vehicle, which carries out timer charging in which the charging device, is set in a standby state without charging until charging start time comes when the charging start time is set. The charging device includes a charger that charges an electrical storage device of the vehicle with electric power supplied from a device outside the vehicle, a cable lock mechanism (260) that locks a charging cable in a state where the charging cable is connected to an inlet, and an electronic control unit (170) that determines whether to carry out timer charging or carry out instant charging without carrying out the timer charging on the basis of a state of a switch associated with operation of the cable lock mechanism (260).