Vehicle Door Latch Supercapacitor Backup Power Circuit
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing vehicle door latch systems require expensive and failure-prone boost modules to provide backup power during failure conditions, making them costly and unreliable for ensuring door operation in accidents or crashes.
Innovation Solution
A vehicle door latch system utilizing a supercapacitor group to store energy during normal conditions and provide backup power, combined with a four-quadrant controller without a booster, allowing the electric motor to operate directly on the backup voltage, eliminating the need for a boost converter.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Power
If a boost module is used to provide backup power, then the backup supply voltage is increased, but the system cost increases and reliability decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes the boost module from the system entirely. Instead of using a complex voltage boosting mechanism, the system directly uses the supercapacitor group's voltage to operate the electric motor during failure conditions. This extraction of the unnecessary component eliminates the reliability issues and cost associated with the boost module while still providing adequate backup power.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs a simpler, cheaper electrical architecture that eliminates expensive components. By using direct connection between the supercapacitor group and motor without a boost module, the system achieves cost reduction while maintaining functional adequacy for emergency door operation.
2Power
If a boost module is used to provide backup power, then the backup supply voltage is increased, but the system complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The boost module is completely removed from the system architecture. The patent demonstrates that the supercapacitor group can directly power the motor without voltage boosting, thereby eliminating the complex circuitry associated with boost conversion and reducing overall system complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of attempting to boost the supercapacitor voltage up to match battery voltage levels, the system inverts the approach by designing the motor control to operate directly at the lower supercapacitor voltage levels, eliminating the need for voltage conversion infrastructure.
3Power
If a boost module is used to provide backup power, then the backup supply voltage is increased, but the system becomes more failure-prone
Solution Approach 1:
The boost module, which is identified as a failure point, is extracted from the system. By eliminating this component, the patent removes the associated failure risks while maintaining adequate power delivery capability through direct supercapacitor-to-motor connection.
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 solution simplifies and reduces the cost of the system by eliminating the need for a boost converter, ensuring reliable door operation during main power supply failures, such as in accidents, without increasing the backup supply voltage, thus meeting safety and security regulations.
Implementation Method 1
a supercapacitor group (3) configured to store energy during the normal operating condition and to provide a backup supply voltage during a failure operating condition
Implementation Method 2
an electric motor (4) configured for actuating the vehicle door latch based on the main supply voltage during the normal operating condition and on the backup supply voltage during the failure operating condition
Data Source
Figure 1
AI summary
1. Vehicle door latch (1) for a motor vehicle (2) and configured to receive a main supply voltage (Vbatt) from a main power source (8) of the motor vehicle (2) during a normal operating condition, comprising a supercapacitor group (3) configured to store energy during the normal operating condition and to provide a backup supply voltage (Vsc) during a failure operating condition different from the normal operating condition, an electric motor (4) configured for actuating the Vehicle door latch (1) based on the main supply voltage (Vbatt) during the normal operating condition and on the backup supply voltage (Vsc) during the failure operating condition, and a four-quadrant controller (5) comprising four switches, whereby each two switches form a series circuit with the electric motor (4) connected to an intermediate point between the two switches and the two series circuits are connected in parallel, whereby during the failure operating condition the four-quadrant controller (5) is operated with the backup supply voltage (Vsc).