Charging Cable Current Capacity Measurement

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing battery charging systems struggle to safely and efficiently charge electric vehicles using charging cables with unknown or degraded current capacities, as they are limited to recognizing only specific resistance values, leading to safety risks and restricted usage.

Innovation Solution

A method and apparatus that measures the weight of a charging cable using a strain gauge to determine its current capacity, allowing for safe and efficient charging by searching a look-up table or performing real-time calculations, enabling the use of any charging cable regardless of its condition or manufacturing deviations.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If the system uses resistance value recognition to determine cable current capacity, then the charging process is simple and fast, but the system can only recognize specific resistance values and cannot handle degraded or nonstandard cables

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecable compatibilityVSAvoidcurrent capacity determination accuracy

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSMeasurement precision

Solution Approach 1:

The system changes the measurement parameter from resistance value to weight. By measuring the cable's weight and comparing it against a database of known cable specifications, the system can determine current capacity without being limited by resistance variations due to degradation or manufacturing tolerances. This parameter change enables the system to handle degraded cables and nonstandard variants while maintaining accurate current capacity determination.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

2Reliability

If the system measures cable weight to determine current capacity, then the system can handle any cable including degraded ones, but the device complexity increases due to additional measuring apparatus

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesafety of charging operationVSAvoidmeasuring apparatus complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The system replaces electrical measurement (resistance) with mechanical measurement (weight). This substitution is advantageous because weight measurement is more reliable and less affected by cable degradation, manufacturing variations, or environmental factors. The mechanical measurement approach provides more accurate and consistent results for determining current capacity, thereby improving safety.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

Solution Approach 2:

The cable itself provides the measurement information through its weight. The cable's physical property (weight) inherently contains information about its current capacity, and the system simply needs to measure this property and match it against known specifications. This self-service approach eliminates the need for additional active components in the cable or complex measurement systems.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

3Productivity

If the system uses look-up table method, then the processing burden is reduced, but real-time calculation accuracy is slightly compromised

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecharging setup speedVSAvoidcurrent capacity estimation accuracy

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSMeasurement precision

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary action by pre-storing cable specifications (weight-current capacity relationships) in a database during the design phase. This allows the operational phase to simply query the database with the measured weight and retrieve the corresponding current capacity, eliminating complex real-time calculations while maintaining high accuracy. The preliminary preparation of reference data enables fast and accurate determination.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

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

Enables safe and efficient charging of electric vehicles with any charging cable, reducing safety risks and user restrictions, as the system accurately determines the current capacity, ensuring appropriate current delivery even for cables with degraded or non-standard resistances.

Implementation Method 1

a measuring device constructed and arranged to measure the weight of a section of a charging cable

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectGravitation: Gravitation

Implementation Method 2

In an example, the measuring device is a strain gauge

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectStrain gauge measurement: Piezoresistive Effect

Data Source

PatentEP3378694B1Apparatus and method for providing a measure of current capacity

Publication Date: 2019.08.14 VESTEL ELEKTRONIK SANAYI & TICARET ANONIM SIRKETI

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AI summary

Apparatus and method for providing a measure of the current capacity of a charging cable (3). The apparatus comprises: a measuring device (11) constructed and arranged to measure the weight of a section (10) of a charging cable (3); and a controller (9) configured to provide a measure of the current capacity of the charging cable (3) based on the measured weight of the section (10) of the charging cable (3). The method comprises: measuring the weight of at least a section (10) of a charging cable (3) which is connected to a battery charging apparatus (1); obtaining a measure of the current capacity of the charging cable (3) based on the measured weight; and charging the battery in accordance with the measured current capacity of the charging cable (3).