Vehicle Charging Inlet Lid Locking for Dual-Port Safety
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Solution Overview
Problem
Users feel inconvenienced when charging of a vehicle cannot be performed due to multiple lids being open at the vehicle's inlets.
Innovation Solution
A control device that manages the state of the lids at the vehicle's inlets, ensuring that when one lid is opened, the other is locked, and vice versa, thereby preventing multiple lids from being open simultaneously.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If charging is forbidden when multiple lids are open, then safety is improved, but user convenience deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The control device performs preliminary action by locking the unused lid before charging begins. When a user opens one lid for charging, the system proactively locks the other lid in advance, preventing the harmful state of multiple open lids while allowing charging to proceed smoothly without interrupting the user's charging action.
Solution Approach 2:
The control device acts as an intermediary between the user's charging action and the lid states. It mediates by automatically managing the locking state of the unused lid, transforming the complex multi-lid safety management into a simple automatic control process that maintains safety while requiring minimal user effort.
2Ease of operation
If multiple lids can be opened simultaneously, then user convenience is improved, but safety deteriorates due to exposure to charging voltage
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary locking of the unused lid before charging voltage is applied. This preliminary action ensures that even if a user quickly opens multiple lids, the second lid will be locked before dangerous voltage exposure can occur, preventing the harmful effect while maintaining operational flexibility.
Solution Approach 2:
The control device applies preliminary anti-action by preemptively locking the unused lid to counteract the potential harmful effect of multiple lids being open. This preventive locking creates a protective barrier that stops the sequence before exposure to charging voltage can occur, eliminating the harmful factor while allowing the used lid to remain open for charging.
3Reliability
If the unused lid is locked when one lid is opened, then safety is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The control device implements self-service by automatically determining which lid is being used and locking the other lid without requiring additional sensors or complex user input. The system serves itself by using the lid opening detection to automatically trigger the locking of the complementary lid, reducing the need for additional control components.
Solution Approach 2:
The control device achieves multi-functionality by using a single control system that both detects lid opening states and manages locking operations. The same control unit that monitors charging conditions also manages the inter-lid locking logic, eliminating the need for separate dedicated locking control hardware and reducing overall system complexity.
Data Source
AI summary
ECU is a control device that controls the charge of electrified vehicle. Electrified vehicle includes an AC inlet, a first lid for closing AC inlet, an AC/DC inlet, and a second lid for closing AC/DC inlet. ECU locks the other lid when the lid of one of the first lid and the second lid is opened. In this way, it is possible to avoid a state in which the plurality of lids are opened.