Relay Unit Insulation Diagnosis for Power Supply Isolation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing relay units face defects due to insulation failures between load and device power supplies, which are not adequately suppressed by increasing the number of insulating members, leading to potential high voltage application and malfunctions.
Innovation Solution
A relay unit with a switching circuit, control unit, and insulating member diagnosis unit that performs diagnosis of insulation failures, allowing for appropriate processing to prevent defects, including the use of capacitors or transformers as insulating members and outputting diagnosis signals for fault detection.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the number of insulating members is increased to prevent insulation failures, then the reliability of insulation is improved, but the device complexity increases and common-cause failures still occur
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by performing insulation diagnosis before insulation failures occur. The control unit continuously monitors the insulation state of the insulating member using test signals, enabling early detection of degradation trends. This preventive approach allows the system to take corrective action before actual failures happen, improving reliability without needing to increase the number of insulating members.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements feedback by creating a closed-loop monitoring system where the control unit sends test signals through the insulating member, measures the response, and uses this information to assess insulation health. The system provides continuous feedback on insulation resistance levels, enabling real-time assessment and triggering of diagnostic routines when thresholds are approached, thus maintaining reliability through active monitoring rather than redundancy.
2Reliability
If insulation diagnosis is performed continuously to detect failures early, then the reliability is improved, but the energy consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies periodic action by implementing insulation diagnosis at specific intervals rather than continuously. The control unit performs insulation resistance measurements at predetermined timing, such as during idle periods or between operational cycles. This periodic monitoring maintains reliability by detecting insulation degradation over time while significantly reducing energy consumption compared to continuous monitoring.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements skipping by performing rapid insulation diagnosis during brief idle periods or transitions. The diagnostic routine uses short-duration test signals that quickly assess insulation status without prolonged energy application. This allows the system to rush through the diagnosis process during available windows, maintaining surveillance without sustained energy consumption.
Data Source
AI summary
Provided is a relay unit that can sufficiently suppress defects that are caused by an insulation failure of insulating member that insulates and separates a load power supply from a device power supply, and a method for controlling a relay circuit. A control unit includes an insulating member diagnosis unit that performs diagnosis of an insulation failure of the capacitor.