Plug-in Hybrid Vehicle Refueling and Charging Management System
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current systems for refueling and charging plug-in hybrid electric vehicles do not adequately prevent accidents caused by gas fumes and static electricity, as they lack safety devices to ensure that charging does not occur simultaneously with refueling, particularly in varying environmental conditions.
Innovation Solution
A system with input units and a fueling/charging controller that manages refueling and charging by determining the status of fuel tank and charging connector doors, and providing warnings or initiating actions based on user inputs to prevent simultaneous refueling and charging, applicable to both wired and wireless charging methods.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If refueling and charging are allowed to occur simultaneously without additional safety devices, then operational convenience is improved, but safety risk increases due to gas fumes and static electricity
Solution Approach 1:
The control unit checks the refueling state before allowing charging to commence. By performing this preliminary check and preventing charging initiation when refueling is detected, the system proactively eliminates the safety hazard before it can materialize, while still allowing both operations to be available in the system design
2Reliability
If additional safety devices are installed to prevent simultaneous refueling and charging, then safety risk is reduced, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The control unit serves multiple functions: it manages charging operations, monitors refueling states, and enforces safety logic to prevent simultaneous operations. By making the control unit multi-functional rather than adding separate dedicated safety devices, the system reduces overall device complexity while maintaining safety
Solution Approach 2:
The system continuously monitors the refueling state and uses this feedback information to control whether charging can proceed. When refueling is detected, the control unit receives feedback and automatically prevents charging initiation or terminates ongoing charging, achieving safety through intelligent control rather than additional hardware
3Productivity
If charging is permitted during refueling in varying environmental conditions, then productivity is improved, but harmful factors increase due to gas fumes and static electricity
Solution Approach 1:
Before charging begins, the control unit performs a preliminary check of the refueling state. This preliminary action prevents the harmful interaction between charging and gas fumes/static electricity from occurring in the first place, allowing the system to maintain high productivity when safe while blocking operation when hazardous
Data Source
AI summary
A system for managing refueling and charging of a plug-in hybrid vehicle is provided to prevent charging from being performed simultaneously with refueling to prevent accidents attributable to the occurrence of gas fumes and static electricity. The system includes a plurality of input units configured to receive instructions for refueling and charging a battery. A fueling/charging controller is configured to determine whether a process for refueling and a process for charging the battery are progressing and to start a process that corresponds to the instruction input from any one of the plurality of input units when neither the process for refueling nor the process for charging the battery is progressing.