Ground Leakage Detector for Electric Vehicle Charging Connector
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing ground leakage detectors in electric vehicles cannot detect ground leakage before the vehicle's systems are activated, limiting their functionality.
Innovation Solution
A ground leakage detector that connects to the electric vehicle's charging connector, allowing for detection of ground leakage on both the positive and negative sides of the battery, regardless of the system's activation status, using a connector connection section that can be electrically connected to the charging connector, and utilizing in-vehicle relays to control the connection between the battery and charging connector for efficient power usage.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the ground leakage detector is activated only after the vehicle's systems are activated, then the detection can utilize the system's power supply, but the detection cannot be performed before system activation limiting safety checks
Solution Approach 1:
The detector dynamically adapts its operation mode based on system state. In standby mode, it performs detection using stored battery power without activating other systems. In operation mode, it detects ground leakage utilizing the active power supply, thus resolving the contradiction between detection capability and system activation requirements
Solution Approach 2:
The detector is designed to perform ground leakage detection before the vehicle's main systems are activated, using the stored electric power in the battery. This preliminary detection ensures safety before system activation, addressing the limitation of existing detectors that can only operate after systems are on
2Reliability
If the detector continuously monitors ground leakage using stored battery power, then detection is always available, but power consumption increases reducing efficiency
Solution Approach 1:
The detector performs ground leakage detection periodically or at specific events (charging connection, system activation) rather than continuously. This periodic operation maintains detection reliability while minimizing battery power consumption during standby periods
Solution Approach 2:
The detector ensures continuous detection capability by switching between two power sources: stored battery power for standby detection and active power supply for operation mode detection. This continuity of useful action maintains safety monitoring without excessive power consumption from continuous battery drainage
3Measurement precision
If the detector requires system activation to perform detection, then power supply is stable, but detection cannot identify pre-existing ground leakage issues
Solution Approach 1:
The detector is configured to perform ground leakage detection immediately upon charging connector connection, before the vehicle's main systems are activated. This preliminary action detects pre-existing ground leakage issues that would be missed by post-activation detection alone
Solution Approach 2:
The charging connector serves as an intermediary trigger that initiates detection independently of the main system activation. When the charging connector is connected, it provides a stable reference point for the detector to perform accurate ground leakage measurement without requiring the entire vehicle system to be active
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
Enables the detection of ground leakage before the vehicle's systems are activated, ensuring safety and efficiency by utilizing the stored electric power and reducing power consumption, while also allowing for self-diagnostic operations and automatic detection during charging.
Implementation Method 1
it can be detected whether or not there is a ground leakage from the battery unit to the vehicle body ground location based on the current flowing between the connector connection section and the contactor
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3A
AI summary
A ground leakage detector (100) for detecting a ground leakage in an electric vehicle (1) including a battery (60), and a charging connector (49) which is electrically connectable to a terminal member formed at one end of an outside electric wire through which electric power is supplied from outside to the battery, includes a connector connection section (TP, TN, SW3A, SW3B) electrically connectable to the charging connector; a contactor (109) configured to contact a vehicle body ground location (4) in the electric vehicle; and a detecting circuit (Rp, Rn, 112) for detecting whether or not there is a ground leakage from the battery to the vehicle body ground location, based on a current flowing between the connector connection section and the contactor.