Tamper-Proof Housing for EV Charging Circuit Boards
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing charging stations inadequately protect electricity meters from mechanical and digital manipulation, particularly in public and shared charging environments, where the risk of tampering and unauthorized access is high.
Innovation Solution
A protective housing is designed to enclose the circuit board of an electricity meter on both sides, with connecting elements that ensure the housing cannot be detached without damage, providing tamper-proof protection and preventing both mechanical and digital manipulation by isolating the meter from external communication interfaces.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-affected harmful factors
If the electricity meter is placed inside a housing for protection, then mechanical protection is improved, but digital manipulation vulnerability increases due to remote access capabilities
Solution Approach 1:
A protective housing acts as an intermediary barrier between the electricity meter and external manipulation attempts. The housing completely encloses the circuit board with the meter, providing mechanical protection while allowing controlled communication through sealed interfaces that prevent both physical and digital tampering.
Solution Approach 2:
The electricity meter is nested within the circuit board, which is in turn nested within the protective housing. This multi-layer nesting structure provides progressive protection, with each layer addressing different types of manipulation risks while maintaining the meter's functionality.
2Reliability
If the circuit board is completely enclosed for tamper protection, then security against manipulation is improved, but accessibility for maintenance and repair deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The protective housing is designed with pre-planned access mechanisms that allow authorized maintenance while maintaining security. Sealed connectors and controlled access points are built into the housing structure, enabling repair personnel to access the circuit board through predetermined pathways without compromising the overall tamper protection.
3Reliability
If the housing uses irreversible connection methods to prevent detachment, then tamper-proof protection is improved, but ease of installation and removal deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The housing is segmented into multiple parts that can be assembled through irreversible connections. The connection elements are designed to create permanent bonds between housing sections, ensuring that once assembled, the housing cannot be detached without damage, thereby providing tamper-proof protection while allowing modular manufacturing.
4Object-affected harmful factors
If only one side of the circuit board is encapsulated for contact protection, then electrical safety is improved, but protection against manipulation deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The protection approach transitions from two-dimensional single-side encapsulation to three-dimensional complete enclosure. By enclosing the circuit board on all sides, the housing provides comprehensive protection against manipulation while maintaining electrical safety, effectively adding a spatial dimension to the protection strategy.
Data Source
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AI summary
The invention relates to a protective housing for an electricity meter arranged on a circuit board, in which the circuit board is incorporated into a charging station for electric vehicles and the electrical energy consumed during a charging process can be recorded by the electricity meter. The invention is characterised in that the protective housing at least partially surrounds the circuit board both on the lower side and on the upper side. The invention also relates to a smart meter comprising a physical protective housing.