Relay Unit Normally Closed Contact False Assessment Reduction

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Solution Overview

Problem

Normally closed contacts in relay units are often misassessed as abnormal due to temporary or recoverable factors during monitoring, such as vibrations or foreign particle intrusion, when the load is de-energized.

Innovation Solution

A relay unit with a switching circuit and a controller that sends a test signal to the normally closed contact while de-energized, re-detects the signal if initial detection does not meet criteria, and assesses the re-detected signal as normal if it satisfies predetermined conditions, thereby reducing false assessments of abnormality.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If a normally closed contact is monitored using the state of a signal sent while the load is de-energized, then the monitoring process is simple, but temporary or recoverable factors occurring in the normally closed contact during monitoring are disadvantageously assessed as an abnormality

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvemonitoring process simplicityVSAvoidcontact assessment accuracy
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The controller performs a preliminary detection of the normally closed contact state before final assessment. When the first detection result does not satisfy the predetermined criteria, the controller conducts a second detection to confirm whether the abnormality is real or temporary, thereby avoiding false assessments due to transient factors

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The monitoring system uses feedback by comparing the first detection result with a second detection result. When the first detection indicates abnormality but the second detection shows normal state, the system feedbacks that this is a temporary factor rather than a true abnormality, improving assessment accuracy

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

2Speed

If a test signal is sent to the normally closed contact and the detection result is immediately assessed, then the monitoring response is fast, but false abnormalities are assessed due to temporary factors such as vibrations or foreign particle intrusion

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvemonitoring response speedVSAvoidabnormality detection accuracy
Core Design Contradiction:
SpeedVSMeasurement precision

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs a preliminary detection followed by a confirmatory detection before final assessment. This two-stage approach maintains relatively fast response while improving precision by filtering out temporary interference factors through sequential verification

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

Instead of a single detection, the system performs an excessive action by conducting a second detection when the first is uncertain. This partial redundancy in detection actions ensures higher measurement precision by confirming results before final assessment

Inventive Principle:
Principle #16Partial or excessive action

Data Source

PatentEP3051556B1Relay unit, control method for relay unit
Publication Date: 2022.01.26 OMRON CORP
  • EP3051556B1 patent drawingFigure 1A
  • EP3051556B1 patent drawingFigure 1B~1C
  • EP3051556B1 patent drawingFigure 2A

AI summary

The reliability of testing a normally closed contact in a relay unit may involve the following. While the load is de-energized, sending a test signal to a normally closed contact (bl, b2) and detecting the state of the returning test signal sent. Resending a test signal when a detection result does not satisfy a predetermined criterion, and re-detecting the state of the returning test signal resent. The state of the returning test signal resent may be assessed as normal when the re-detection result satisfies the predetermined criterion.