Electrical Isolation Box for Vehicle Climate Control Leakage Containment

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing vehicle powered transport climate control systems face challenges in isolating hazardous voltages, which can lead to leakage currents posing safety risks and undesired issues.

Innovation Solution

The implementation of an electrical isolation box that houses climate control circuit components and electrically isolates them at a different potential reference from the vehicle chassis, using materials like plastic and metal to form a Faraday cage, preventing leakage currents from causing harm.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Power

If the drive module and climate control circuit components are electrically connected to the vehicle chassis for power distribution, then power supply efficiency is improved, but hazardous voltage leakage currents can flow to the chassis causing safety risks

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvepower supply efficiencyVSAvoidhazardous voltage leakage currents

Core Design Contradiction:

PowerVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The electrical system is segmented into isolated potential domains. The drive module and climate control circuit components are electrically isolated from the vehicle chassis through an isolation transformer, creating separate electrical domains. This segmentation prevents hazardous voltage leakage currents from propagating to the chassis while maintaining power distribution functionality within each isolated domain.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

An isolation transformer serves as an intermediary element between the drive module and the vehicle chassis. This intermediary provides magnetic coupling for power transfer while blocking direct electrical connection, thereby preventing leakage currents from reaching the chassis. The transformer acts as a mediator that enables power transmission without creating a direct conductive path for harmful currents.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Reliability

If electrical isolation is implemented to prevent hazardous voltage leakage, then safety is improved, but electrical connection complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

ImprovesafetyVSAvoidelectrical connection complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The hazardous electrical connection between the drive module and vehicle chassis is extracted and removed. By using an isolation transformer, the direct electrical connection that posed safety risks is taken out of the system, while power transmission functionality is maintained through magnetic coupling. This extraction eliminates the safety hazard without requiring complex isolation circuitry throughout the entire system.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The direct electrical (mechanical contact-based) connection is replaced with a magnetic field-based coupling through the isolation transformer. This substitution maintains power transmission capability while eliminating the direct conductive path that caused safety issues. The transformation from electrical contact to magnetic coupling simplifies the isolation requirement compared to implementing complex electrical isolation circuits.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

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

Effectively contains and isolates hazardous voltage leakage currents within the electrical isolation box, ensuring safety and preventing undesired effects on the vehicle chassis.

Implementation Method 1

electrically isolate the drive module and the one or more climate control circuit components at a climate control system electrical potential reference, the climate control system electrical potential reference being different from an electrical potential reference of a vehicle chassis

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectElectrical isolation: Electric Field

Implementation Method 2

using materials like plastic and metal to form a Faraday cage, preventing leakage currents from causing harm

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectFaraday cage effect: Faraday Cage

Data Source

PatentUS12528331B2Electrically isolating hazardous voltage from vehicle powered transport climate control system

Publication Date: 2026.01.20 THERMO KING CORP

AI summary

A transport climate control system configured to provide climate control within a climate controlled space towed by a vehicle is provided. The transport climate control system includes an electrical isolation box configured to house and a drive module and a compressor. The drive module receives power from a vehicle power network including a rechargeable energy storage system (RESS) to power the compressor. The drive module and the compressor are electrically isolated at a climate control system electrical potential reference, which is different from an electrical potential reference of a vehicle chassis to which the electrical isolation box is connected.