Connector Disconnection Detection Circuit for Power Safety
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Connectors face the challenge of accidental physical disconnection leading to arcing or shorting due to power present on their contacts, which can cause damage or safety hazards unless proper protection is implemented.
Innovation Solution
A detection unit within the accessory connector monitors a communication line for changes in state, verifying a sustained disconnection to trigger a protection unit to enable a high resistance/low current path for the power line, reducing or eliminating power on the connector contacts, thus preventing arcing or shorting.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If power is continuously provided on connector contacts, then power transmission function is maintained, but risk of arcing or shorting increases upon accidental disconnection
Solution Approach 1:
The detection unit continuously monitors the communication line to detect disconnection events before they can cause harmful effects. By detecting the disconnection state and triggering the protection unit in advance, the system prevents arcing or shorting from occurring, thus resolving the contradiction between maintaining power transmission and preventing harmful effects upon disconnection.
Solution Approach 2:
The protection unit acts as an intermediary between the power source and the connector contacts. Upon detecting disconnection, it activates the high resistance/low current path, which serves as a protective intermediary that allows power to be gradually reduced or terminated without causing sudden arcing or shorting, thus resolving the contradiction between power transmission and safety.
2Object-generated harmful factors
If power is quickly terminated upon disconnection, then risk of arcing or shorting is reduced, but detection and response time must be minimized
Solution Approach 1:
The detection unit continuously monitors the communication line without interruption, ensuring that disconnection events are detected immediately when they occur. This continuous monitoring eliminates detection delays and ensures that the protection unit can activate the high resistance path without time loss, thus resolving the contradiction between quick power termination and minimal detection time.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses feedback from the communication line to detect disconnection events. The detection unit monitors the state of the communication line and provides real-time feedback to the protection unit, enabling immediate response when disconnection is detected. This feedback mechanism ensures that power is terminated quickly without excessive detection or response time, resolving the contradiction between safety and time loss.
3Difficulty of detecting and measuring
If a detection unit monitors communication line state, then disconnection detection capability is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The detection unit utilizes the existing communication line between the accessory and host device to detect disconnection events, rather than requiring a separate dedicated detection circuit. The communication line serves multiple functions: data communication and disconnection detection. This multi-functionality reduces device complexity while maintaining improved disconnection detection capability, resolving the contradiction between detection capability and device complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The communication line itself provides the means for disconnection detection without requiring additional external monitoring equipment. The detection unit leverages the inherent electrical characteristics of the communication line (such as impedance changes or signal presence/absence) to detect disconnection events. This self-service approach reduces overall system complexity while achieving reliable disconnection detection, resolving the contradiction between detection capability and device complexity.
Data Source
AI summary
A system that detects electrical disconnection of one connector from another connector includes a detection circuitry and a protection circuitry. The detection circuitry detects that a plug connector has been electrically disconnected from a corresponding receptacle connector. In response to the detection, the detection circuitry sends a signal to the protection circuitry. In response to the signal, the protection circuitry lowers or terminates power being supplied to a host device via one of the contacts of the plug connector. This helps to prevent shocks/shorts that may be caused by accidental disconnection of the plug connector.