Over-current responsive device for battery module isolation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing solutions for disconnecting and bypassing electric equipment in motor vehicles, such as battery modules, are complex and expensive, often requiring central processing units and microprocessors to determine when disconnection or bypassing is necessary, which complicates and costs the system.
Innovation Solution
A method and arrangement that uses passive components, such as coils or current shunts, to measure electric properties like current and transmit control signals to switching elements like bypass switches or disconnect switches, allowing for autonomous disconnection or bypassing without the need for a central processing unit, utilizing pyrotechnic switches for instant isolation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If central processing units and microprocessors are used to determine when disconnection or bypassing is necessary, then the control accuracy and decision-making capability are improved, but the device complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The measuring device autonomously compares the measured electric property value with the reference value and generates control signals without requiring external processing. The system serves itself by having the measurement device also perform the comparison and control signal generation functions that would otherwise require a central processing unit.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extracts the complex central processing unit and microprocessor from the system, removing the need for sophisticated control hardware. By taking out the centralized intelligence and distributing the control function to simple measuring devices with direct comparison capabilities, the system achieves reliability without complexity.
2Reliability
If central processing units and microprocessors are used to determine when disconnection or bypassing is necessary, then the control accuracy and decision-making capability are improved, but the manufacturing cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces expensive microprocessors with inexpensive measuring devices that perform simple threshold comparison. These simpler components are cheaper to manufacture and can be more easily produced at scale, reducing overall system cost while maintaining adequate control accuracy for safety applications.
Solution Approach 2:
By extracting and removing the expensive central processing unit and microprocessor from the system architecture, the patent eliminates the primary cost driver. The remaining system uses only simple, low-cost measuring devices and switching elements, dramatically reducing manufacturing costs while preserving essential safety functionality.
3Device complexity
If passive components are used to measure electric properties and transmit control signals, then the device complexity and cost are reduced, but the response speed may be limited compared to active electronic control
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces electronic processing and software-based control with direct physical comparison mechanisms. The measuring device directly compares the measured value against the reference value through electrical connection, and the switching element responds immediately through electrical actuation. This substitution of electronic/mechanical direct action for software-based control eliminates processing delays while keeping the system simple and passive.
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 approach simplifies and cost-reduces the system by eliminating the need for microprocessors, enabling quick and efficient disconnection or bypassing of battery modules, reducing the risk of catastrophic failures like fires during vehicle accidents.
Implementation Method 1
The coil is arranged to measure a current in the conductive path and to transmit a control signal, a magnitude of which is relative to a strength of the measured current
Implementation Method 2
The pyrotechnic switch is arranged to ignite upon receipt of the control signal to instantly disconnect or bypass the battery module from the conductive path
Data Source
Figure 1A
Figure 1B
Figure 2A
AI summary
The invention relates to an arrangement (10) for performing at least one of disconnecting and bypassing electric equipment (11). The arrangement (10) comprises a device (13) arranged to measure the electric property of a conductive path (12) to which the electric equipment (11) is connected and to transmit a control signal responsive to whether a value of the measured signal fulfils a predetermined threshold criteria. The arrangement (10) further comprises at least one switching element (14a, 14b) arranged to receive the control signal to perform at least of one of disconnecting and bypassing the electric equipment (11) from the conductive path (12), when the predetermined threshold criteria is fulfilled.