Trunk Line Gas Sensor ID Assignment for Fuel Cell Vehicles

Solution Overview

Problem

Existing gas monitoring systems for fuel cell vehicles face challenges with complex assembly and high maintenance costs due to numerous gas channels and hydrogen sensors, which can disrupt continuous hydrogen concentration detection and complicate electric wiring, leading to inefficient component management and potential errors in assembly.

Innovation Solution

A gas monitoring system utilizing gas sensors with a single specification connected to a trunk line, equipped with unique IDs and identification configurations, allowing for easy identification of sensor positions and reducing wiring complexity through serial communication, thereby simplifying assembly and management while preventing erroneous component installation.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If multiple gas channels and hydrogen sensors are provided at respective detection positions, then hydrogen concentration can be detected at each position, but the assembly becomes complex and maintenance costs increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvehydrogen concentration detection capabilityVSAvoidgas channel and sensor configuration

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

Multiple gas sensors are electrically connected in parallel to a single control unit through a shared wiring harness, merging multiple signal paths into a unified electrical connection system. This reduces the complexity of individual wiring while maintaining the ability to detect hydrogen concentration at multiple positions simultaneously

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

A single control unit is designed to handle signals from multiple gas sensors, making it a universal controller that can manage detection data from various positions within the fuel cell vehicle. This multi-functional approach reduces the number of separate control devices needed

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

2Device complexity

If a single hydrogen sensor is switched to detect multiple positions, then component count is reduced, but continuous detection at all positions cannot be achieved

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesensor quantityVSAvoidcontinuous detection capability

Core Design Contradiction:

Device complexityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The detection system is segmented into multiple independent gas sensors, each dedicated to a specific detection position. This segmentation allows each sensor to continuously monitor its assigned position without interruption, ensuring reliable continuous detection across all monitored areas

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

Each gas sensor maintains continuous operation at its designated position, eliminating the switching intervals that would create detection gaps. This continuous operation ensures that hydrogen concentration is monitored without interruption at all monitored positions

Inventive Principle:

Principle #20Continuity of useful action

3Reliability

If multiple hydrogen sensors are connected via electric wires to control device, then detection at each position is achieved, but electric wiring becomes complex

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedetection coverageVSAvoidelectric wiring structure

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

Multiple gas sensors are electrically connected in parallel to a single control unit through a shared wiring harness, merging multiple signal paths into a unified electrical connection system. This reduces the complexity of individual wiring while maintaining the ability to detect hydrogen concentration at multiple positions simultaneously

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

A single control unit is designed to handle signals from multiple gas sensors, making it a universal controller that can manage detection data from various positions within the fuel cell vehicle. This multi-functional approach reduces the number of separate control devices needed

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Data Source

PatentUS10012629B2Gas monitoring system and gas monitoring method

Publication Date: 2018.07.03 HONDA MOTOR CO LTD

AI summary

A gas monitoring system and a gas monitoring method make it possible to identify plural gas sensors having a single specification and which are connected to one trunk line. Trunk line connectors have identification configurations for allowing information concerning positions where the trunk line connectors to be identified are arranged. Hydrogen sensors have a single specification (the same specification). When connectors of the hydrogen sensors are fitted to the trunk line connectors, the hydrogen sensors store the sensor IDs, which are assigned to the hydrogen sensors, in memory units based on the identification configurations of the trunk line connectors.