Switch Assembly for Overvoltage Protection in Multi-Channel Safety Systems
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing safety systems for multi-channel monitoring lack sufficient protection against overvoltages, which is critical for ensuring the reliability and safety of electronic devices in safety-relevant applications, particularly those requiring high performance levels like DIN EN ISO 13849 'e' standards.
Innovation Solution
A circuit arrangement that includes an input connection for energy supply, a voltage converter providing adjustable logic voltage, a controllable switching element, and dual monitoring devices to detect and respond to threshold violations, ensuring the switching element opens to disconnect power when overvoltages are detected, with a holding mechanism to maintain the open state and optional emergency stop functionality.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If a single power supply device supplies multiple channels in a safety system, then cost and space requirements are reduced, but the system lacks sufficient protection against overvoltages affecting multiple channels simultaneously
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the protection function into separate monitoring devices for each channel while using a single shared power supply. Each channel has its own monitoring device that independently monitors its logic voltage and can independently open its switching element, allowing cost reduction through shared power supply while maintaining reliability through distributed monitoring and protection.
2Device complexity
If integrated voltage monitoring devices in DC-DC converters are used, then the structure is simplified, but the monitoring is not redundant enough for safety technology applications
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the integrated voltage monitoring device within the DC-DC converter with an additional external monitoring device. This merging creates redundant monitoring where both the integrated device and the external device monitor the logic voltage, providing enhanced reliability for safety technology applications while maintaining relatively simple structure.
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 solution provides enhanced protection against overvoltages, allowing multi-channel safety systems to operate securely by disconnecting logic devices from power when faults are detected, ensuring safe operation without the need for channel decoupling and utilizing existing components to minimize costs and space requirements.
Implementation Method 1
A first monitoring device serves to monitor the logic voltage. The first monitoring device is designed in such a way that it causes the switching element to open when the logic voltage reaches or exceeds a predetermined threshold value.
Data Source
AI summary
The circuit arrangement (10) has an input terminal (80) for connecting a power supply device, and the direct current (DC)-DC converters (90,95) that deliver a logic voltage on its output side. A controllable switching element (70) e.g. FET is connected between the converters and the input terminal. A monitoring device (20) for monitoring the logic voltage, is constructed such that it triggers the opening of the switching element when the logic voltage reaches or exceeds a predetermined threshold. An independent claim is included for fail-safe system.