Insulated Circuit Leakage Detection
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Solution Overview
Problem
The increasing trend towards miniaturization and cost reduction in electronics, particularly in electrical vehicles, has led to a higher likelihood of electrical leakage due to reduced galvanic isolation distances, necessitating an improved approach to detect and prevent such leaks between high voltage and low voltage circuit sections.
Innovation Solution
An electrical circuit design featuring a first circuit part and a second circuit part galvanically isolated by an insulator with a conducting portion, where the conducting portion is electrically connected to a terminal via bond wires, allowing for the detection of electrical potential changes and subsequent disabling of the first circuit part in case of leakage, thereby preventing undesired current flow.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Volume of moving object
If the isolation distance between high voltage and low voltage sections is reduced for miniaturization and cost reduction, then device size and cost are reduced, but the likelihood of electrical leakage increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an insulator as an intermediary component between the high voltage first circuit part and the low voltage second circuit part. This insulator physically separates the two circuit parts while allowing electrical connection through controlled paths, thereby enabling miniaturization without direct contact that would cause leakage.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extracts the isolation function from the spatial distance between circuit parts and relocates it to a dedicated insulator component. This allows the circuit parts to be positioned closer together while maintaining electrical isolation through the insulator material, thus reducing overall device size while preventing leakage.
2Ease of manufacture
If the isolation distance between high voltage and low voltage sections is reduced, then manufacturing cost is reduced, but diagnostic capability is compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The patent incorporates a conducting portion within the insulator that is pre-configured to detect electrical potentials before leakage occurs. This preliminary detection capability allows the system to identify potential isolation failures early, enabling preventive maintenance before actual leakage damages the low voltage circuit.
Solution Approach 2:
The insulator serves multiple functions simultaneously: it provides electrical isolation between high and low voltage sections, enables physical proximity for miniaturization, and incorporates a conducting portion for diagnostic detection. This multi-functionality reduces the need for separate diagnostic components, lowering manufacturing cost while maintaining diagnostic capability.
3Object-affected harmful factors
If galvanic separation is increased to prevent electrical leakage, then user safety is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the isolation function and the detection function into a single integrated insulator structure. The conducting portion is embedded within the insulator material, combining safety isolation with diagnostic capability in one component, thereby improving user safety without proportionally increasing device complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The insulator is designed as a composite structure combining insulating material with a conducting portion. This composite design allows the same component to provide both electrical isolation for safety and conductive paths for detection, reducing overall structural complexity compared to using separate isolation and detection components.
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 effectively detects and prevents electrical leakage by discharging fault currents and enabling early warning systems, ensuring user safety and compliance with safety standards like ISO 26262 through enhanced diagnostic capabilities.
Implementation Method 1
a second circuit part which is galvanically isolated from the first circuit part by an insulator
Implementation Method 2
the insulator comprises a conducting portion... detecting the first and/or the second electrical potential present at the conducing portion
Data Source
AI summary
An electrical circuit includes a first circuit part and a second circuit part. A first electrical potential is applicable to the first circuit part, wherein a second electrical potential is applicable to the second circuit part. The two circuit parts are galvanically isolated from each other by an insulator, wherein the insulator includes a conducting portion. This conducting portion can be safely sensed by an additional circuitry, to detect if a full or partial contact to the first electrical potential or the second electrical potential has occurred due to a voltage shift or a current flow on the conducting portion, which is itself insulated. This sensing circuitry can incorporate protection elements to clamp voltages and limit currents to prevent destruction of connected circuitries in case of a fail of the insulation.