Emergency Exit Glazing Trigger for High-Voltage Vehicle Shutdown

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Solution Overview

Problem

In electrically driven vehicles, high-voltage components pose a risk during emergencies, as existing systems may fail to trigger an emergency shutdown, potentially injuring responders and passengers due to their proximity to emergency exits.

Innovation Solution

A device with safety wires integrated into emergency exits' glazing, which sends a switch-off signal when the glazing is destroyed, ensuring immediate disconnection of high-voltage components, and a warning light system indicating high voltage status to facilitate safe evacuation.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Volume of moving object

If high-voltage components are installed near emergency exits to save space, then vehicle space utilization is improved, but safety risk increases due to potential injury from exposed high-voltage components during emergencies

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvevehicle space utilizationVSAvoidsafety risk to responders and passengers
Core Design Contradiction:
Volume of moving objectVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements a preliminary action by integrating safety wires into the glazing of emergency exits before any emergency occurs. These wires are pre-positioned to detect glass breakage and automatically trigger de-energization of high-voltage components, ensuring protective action is taken before responders or passengers are exposed to harmful voltages during evacuation

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The patent uses safety wires as an intermediary element between the emergency exit glazing and the high-voltage system control. The wires act as a mediator that detects glass destruction and translates this physical event into an electrical signal that triggers the shutdown sequence, bridging the gap between the mechanical emergency exit and the electrical high-voltage system

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Extent of automation

If crash sensors are used to trigger emergency shutdown, then automated protection is improved, but reliability deteriorates due to potential sensor malfunction when most needed

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveautomated protectionVSAvoidshutdown trigger reliability
Core Design Contradiction:
Extent of automationVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces safety wires as a reliable intermediary detection mechanism that directly senses glass breakage through circuit interruption. This wire-based detection system serves as a dependable mediator between the physical emergency (glass destruction) and the automated response (shutdown), providing a fail-safe detection method that does not rely on complex electronic sensors that could malfunction

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent replaces unreliable electronic crash sensors with a simple, robust electrical circuit system using safety wires. By substituting complex electronic detection with a fundamental electrical continuity test, the system achieves higher reliability - when the glass breaks, the wire breaks, the circuit opens, and the shutdown is triggered through this simple, fail-safe mechanical-electrical connection

Inventive Principle:
Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

3Reliability

If safety wires are integrated into emergency exit glazing, then shutdown reliability is improved, but device complexity increases due to integration requirements

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveshutdown trigger reliabilityVSAvoidemergency exit system complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent merges the safety wire detection function with the existing emergency exit glazing structure. By integrating the wires directly into the glass during manufacturing, the detection system becomes part of the glazing itself rather than a separate component, reducing overall system complexity while maintaining high reliability

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent makes the emergency exit glazing multi-functional by combining its primary function (providing an emergency escape route) with a secondary detection function (sensing glass breakage through the integrated safety wires). This universal approach allows the same component to serve multiple purposes, reducing the need for additional separate systems and thereby reducing overall device complexity

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Data Source

PatentEP4461583A1Device and method for performing an emergency deactivation of a high-voltage system of an electrically driven vehicle
Publication Date: 2024.11.13 DAIMLER TRUCK AG
  • EP4461583A1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP4461583A1 patent drawingFigure 3~4
  • EP4461583A1 patent drawingFigure 5~6

AI summary

The invention relates to a device for performing an emergency shutdown of at least one high-voltage component (2, 3, 4, 6, 7, 8) of a high-voltage system of an electrically powered vehicle (1), comprising at least one emergency exit with glazing (10, 13), wherein at least one safety wire (14) is arranged in or on the glazing (10, 13), which is configured to be interrupted when the glazing (10, 13) is destroyed, and wherein the device is configured to send a shutdown signal to at least one of the high-voltage components (2, 3, 4, 6, 7, 8) when the safety wire (14) is interrupted in order to shut it down.