Vehicle Current Distributor with Standby Redundancy
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current vehicle distributors are costly due to the need for multiple electronic fuses for each load channel, which increases costs by a factor of 20 to 100 compared to safety fuses, and existing protection systems lack efficient fault monitoring and redundancy.
Innovation Solution
Implementing a system where each load channel is permanently wired to a conventional fuse, with a standby channel protected by an electronic fuse, allowing for flexible use of fewer electronic fuses and enhanced monitoring functions, utilizing an evaluation and control unit to switch the semiconductor switch and form a redundant current path in case of a fault.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If electronic fuses are used for each load channel to replace safety fuses, then protection precision and diagnostic capability are improved, but cost increases by a factor of 20 to 100 per fuse
Solution Approach 1:
The system divides protection functions into two segments: safety fuses provide basic overcurrent protection for each load channel, while a single electronic fuse provides advanced protection and diagnostics. This segmentation allows the system to achieve high measurement precision where needed without applying expensive electronic fuses to all channels, thus resolving the cost contradiction.
Solution Approach 2:
The electronic fuse is designed to perform multiple functions: it protects the standby channel, monitors the operational channels through voltage measurements, provides diagnostic information, and can take over protection duties if a safety fuse fails. This multi-functionality allows one electronic fuse to replace what would otherwise require multiple electronic fuses, significantly reducing cost while maintaining protection precision.
2Reliability
If a standby channel with electronic fuse is added for redundancy, then system reliability is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The standby channel is electrically connected in parallel with the operational load channels through a semiconductor switch. When a fault is detected in an operational channel, the switch merges the standby channel into the circuit, allowing it to carry the load current. This merging approach provides redundancy without requiring completely separate independent systems, thus improving reliability while limiting complexity increase.
Solution Approach 2:
The standby channel is pre-configured and ready before any fault occurs. The evaluation unit continuously monitors the operational channels, and when a fault is detected, the standby channel is already prepared to take over immediately. This preliminary preparation ensures high reliability without requiring complex real-time decision-making or switching mechanisms during fault conditions.
3Loss of information
If multiple electronic fuses are used to monitor each load channel, then diagnostic capability is improved, but cost increases substantially
Solution Approach 1:
The evaluation unit acts as an intermediary that performs diagnostic measurements on operational channels using the single electronic fuse. Instead of requiring an electronic fuse in each channel to perform diagnostics, the evaluation unit measures voltages at strategic points in the circuit and infers the status of each load channel. This intermediary approach provides comprehensive diagnostic capability while avoiding the cost of multiple electronic fuses.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses its own operational channels to perform diagnostic measurements. The evaluation unit monitors voltage drops across safety fuses and loads during normal operation, allowing each channel to essentially monitor itself through the shared electronic fuse and evaluation unit. This self-service diagnostic approach eliminates the need for dedicated monitoring devices in each channel, significantly reducing cost while maintaining diagnostic capability.
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 approach reduces the number of electronic fuses needed, lowers additional costs, and increases the operational safety and availability of the on-board power supply by enabling extended protection functions and advanced diagnostic capabilities, while minimizing the risk of semiconductor switch failure.
Implementation Method 1
switches a semiconductor switch of the electronic fuse to the conducting state and forms a redundant current path
Data Source
AI summary
A current distributor for a vehicle, having an input and a plurality of load channels which connect the input to a connected load via a safety fuse and a line in each case, and to a protection system for a vehicle having such a current distributor. In this case, a standby channel connects the input to the connected loads via an electronic fuse, wherein an evaluation and control unit checks the safety fuses for functionality and switches on a semiconductor switch of the electronic fuse and forms a redundant current path between the input and the connected loads via the standby channel if at least one of the safety fuses is identified as having been tripped.