Relay PCB Slot Layout to Block Carbon Deposit Bridging

Solution Overview

Problem

Battery charging systems for electrified vehicles face issues with carbon deposits building up on printed circuit boards, potentially creating electrical connections between relay pins and causing malfunctions.

Innovation Solution

Incorporating a slot on the printed circuit board between the input and output pins of a relay, which interrupts the path of carbon deposits and prevents them from forming an electrical connection.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Power

If a relay is used to transfer power in a battery charging system, then power transfer capability is improved, but carbon deposits build up on the printed circuit board creating harmful electrical connections

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvepower transfer capabilityVSAvoidcarbon deposit buildup

Core Design Contradiction:

PowerVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The printed circuit board is segmented by introducing a slot that divides the surface into separate regions. This segmentation prevents carbon deposits from forming continuous conductive paths between relay pins, thereby maintaining power transfer capability while eliminating the harmful effect of carbon buildup.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The slot extracts or removes the continuous conductive path from the printed circuit board surface. By creating this discontinuity, the harmful conductive pathway that would otherwise form through carbon deposits is eliminated, while the relay's power transfer function remains intact.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

2Ease of manufacture

If the printed circuit board surface is continuous, then manufacturing simplicity is maintained, but carbon deposits can form continuous paths causing electrical malfunctions

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveprinted circuit board manufacturingVSAvoidelectrical connection reliability

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of manufactureVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The printed circuit board is segmented by introducing a slot that divides the surface into separate regions. This segmentation prevents carbon deposits from forming continuous conductive paths between relay pins, thereby maintaining power transfer capability while eliminating the harmful effect of carbon buildup.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The slot extracts or removes the continuous conductive path from the printed circuit board surface. By creating this discontinuity, the harmful conductive pathway that would otherwise form through carbon deposits is eliminated, while the relay's power transfer function remains intact.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

3Area of stationary object

If relay pins are placed close together, then space utilization is improved, but carbon deposits more easily bridge the gap causing electrical connections

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvespace utilizationVSAvoidcarbon deposit bridging

Core Design Contradiction:

Area of stationary objectVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The printed circuit board is segmented by introducing a slot that divides the surface into separate regions. This segmentation prevents carbon deposits from forming continuous conductive paths between relay pins, thereby maintaining power transfer capability while eliminating the harmful effect of carbon buildup.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The slot acts as an intermediary barrier between relay pins. This physical interruption prevents carbon deposits from bridging the gap between pins, while allowing the relay to maintain its space-efficient configuration and power transfer function.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Data Source

PatentUS12289003B2Battery charging system configured to interrupt buildup of carbon deposits and corresponding method

Publication Date: 2025.04.29 FORD GLOBAL TECH LLC

AI summary

This disclosure relates to a battery charging system configured to selectively charge a battery pack of an electrified vehicle. More particularly, the battery charging system is configured to interrupt a buildup of carbon deposits. A corresponding method is also disclosed. In some aspects, the techniques described herein relate to interrupting a buildup of carbon deposits on a printed circuit board of a battery charging system configured to selectively charge a battery pack of an electrified vehicle, wherein the buildup of carbon deposits follows a path between an input pin of a relay on the printed circuit board and an output pin of the relay, and wherein the buildup of carbon deposits are interrupted by a slot formed in the printed circuit board.