IP Library › Granted Patent US 10,024,919
Granted Patent B2
US 10,024,919 · App. 15/021,132 · Granted Jul 17, 2018

System for determining fixation of relay

Inventors: Yuji Nishi (Nagoya, JP); Yukinari Tanabe (Nagoya, JP); Hiroyuki Kaiya (Toyota, JP); Hiromasa Tanaka (Okazaki, JP)
Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
G01R31/3278G01R19/0084H01H47/002H02H9/001G01R31/006
View Patent ↗
Loading inventors, assignments & file history…
Monitor This Case
Get email alerts when status or documents change.
Order Certified Copies
Most orders are placed with the USPTO same day — all within 24 business hours.
Order via The Patent Place →
Pre-filled with this patent's details
Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 10,024,919
App. No.
15/021,132
Granted
Jul 17, 2018
Kind
B2
Abstract

A system for determining fixation of a relay has an electricity storage device, an electrical apparatus, a relay, a first insulation resistor, a second insulation resistor, a detection circuit, and a controller. When the relay is controlled to OFF, the controller determines, based on the voltage value detected by the detection circuit (the detected voltage value), whether or not the relay is fixed. When the detected voltage value is a voltage value that is obtained by dividing the reference voltage value by a combined resistance value and the reference resistance value, the controller determines that the relay is fixed. When the detected voltage value is a voltage value that is obtained by dividing the reference voltage value by the first resistance value and the reference resistance value, the controller determines that the relay is not fixed.

Claims (96)

1. A system for determining fixation of a relay, the system comprising:

an electricity storage device;

an electrical apparatus;

a relay that is provided on a line connecting the electricity storage device and the electrical apparatus, the relay including a movable contact point and a fixed contact point;

a first insulation resistor having a first resistance value and disposed between the electricity storage device and a ground;

a second insulation resistor having a second resistance value and disposed between the electrical apparatus and the ground, the second resistance value being lower than the first resistance value;

a detection circuit comprising a resistance element having a reference resistance value and an alternating current (AC) supply having a reference voltage value, and configured to output an AC signal to the electricity storage device and detect a voltage value based on the AC signal; and

a controller configured to:

determine whether or not the relay is fixed based on the voltage value detected by the detection circuit, when the relay is controlled to be off,

determine that the relay is fixed when the detected voltage value is a voltage value that is obtained by dividing the reference voltage value by a combined resistance value and the reference resistance value, the combined resistance value being a combined value of the first resistance value and the second resistance value, and

determine that the relay is not fixed when the detection circuit detects a voltage value that is obtained by dividing the reference voltage value by the first resistance value and the reference resistance value, wherein

when determining, based on the detected voltage value, a decreases in the first resistance value resulting from a leak in the electricity storage device, the detection circuit outputs the AC signal of a first frequency,

when determining, based on the detected voltage value, whether or not the relay is fixed, the detection circuit outputs the AC signal of a second frequency, the second frequency being lower than the first frequency, and

when the detected voltage value that is obtained when the AC signal of the first frequency is used is equal to the detected voltage value that is obtained when the AC signal of the second frequency is used, the controller determines that output states of the AC signals from the detection circuit are abnormal.

2. The system for determining fixation according to claim 1 , wherein

the controller determines whether or not the first resistance value decreases due to the leak in the electricity storage device based on the detected voltage value, and

when the first resistance value does not decrease, the controller determines whether or not the relay is fixed.

3. The system for determining fixation according to claim 1 , wherein

the relay includes a first relay and a second relay, and the movable contact point of the first relay and the movable contact point of the second relay are mechanically connected to each other so as to be integrally operated, the first relay being provided on a line connecting a positive electrode terminal of the electricity storage device and the electrical apparatus, and the second relay being provided on a line connecting a negative electrode terminal of the electricity storage device and the electrical apparatus.

4. A system for determining fixation of a relay, the system comprising:

an electricity storage device;

an electrical apparatus;

a relay that is provided on a line connecting the electricity storage device and the electrical apparatus, the relay including a movable contact point and a fixed contact point;

a detection circuit comprising a resistance element having a reference resistance value and an alternating current (AC) supply having a reference voltage value, and configured to output an AC signal to the electricity storage device and detect a voltage value based on the AC signal; and

a controller configured to:

determine whether or not the relay is fixed based on the voltage value detected by the detection circuit, when the relay is controlled to be off,

determine that the relay is fixed when the detected voltage value is a voltage value that is obtained by dividing the reference voltage value by a combined resistance value and the reference resistance value, the combined resistance value being a combined value of a first resistance value and a second resistance value, and

determine that the relay is not fixed when the detected voltage value is a voltage value that is obtained by dividing the reference voltage value by the first resistance value and the reference resistance value, wherein

the first resistance value is a resistance value of an insulation resistance between the electricity storage device and a ground, the second resistance value is a resistance value of an insulation resistance between the electrical apparatus and the ground, and the first resistance value is higher than the second resistance value,

when determining, based on the detected voltage value, a decreases in the first resistance value resulting from a leak in the electricity storage device, the detection circuit outputs the AC signal of a first frequency,

when determining, based on the detected voltage value, whether or not the relay is fixed, the detection circuit outputs the AC signal of a second frequency, the second frequency being lower than the first frequency, and

when the detected voltage value that is obtained when the AC signal of the first frequency is used is equal to the detected voltage value that is obtained when the AC signal of the second frequency is used, the controller determines that output states of the AC signals from the detection circuit are abnormal.

5. A system for determining fixation of a relay, the system comprising:

an electricity storage device;

an electrical apparatus;

a relay that is provided on a line connecting the electricity storage device and the electrical apparatus, the relay including a movable contact point and a fixed contact point;

a first insulation resistor having a first resistance value between the electricity storage device and a ground;

a second insulation resistor having a second resistance value between the electrical apparatus and the ground, the second resistance value being lower than the first resistance value;

a detection circuit comprising a resistance element having a reference resistance value and an alternating current (AC) supply having a reference voltage value, and configured to output an AC signal to the electricity storage device and detect a voltage value based on the AC signal; and

a controller configured to:

determine whether or not the relay is fixed based on the voltage value detected by the detection circuit, when the relay is controlled to be off,

determine that the relay is fixed when a calculated resistance value calculated from the detected voltage value, the reference voltage value and the reference resistance value being a combined resistance value of the first resistance value and the second resistance value, and

determine that the relay is not fixed when the calculated resistance value is the first resistance value, wherein

when determining, based on the detected voltage value, a decreases in the first resistance value resulting from a leak in the electricity storage device, the detection circuit outputs the AC signal of a first frequency,

when determining, based on the detected voltage value, whether or not the relay is fixed, the detection circuit outputs the AC signal of a second frequency, the second frequency being lower than the first frequency, and

when the detected voltage value that is obtained when the AC signal of the first frequency is used is equal to the detected voltage value that is obtained when the AC signal of the second frequency is used, the controller determines that output states of the AC signals from the detection circuit are abnormal.

6. A system for determining fixation of a relay, the system comprising:

an electricity storage device;

an electrical apparatus;

a relay that is provided on a line connecting the electricity storage device and the electrical apparatus, the relay including a movable contact point and a fixed contact point;

a detection circuit comprising a resistance element having a reference resistance value and an alternating current (AC) supply having a reference voltage value, and configured to output an AC signal to the electricity storage device and detect a voltage value based on the AC signal; and

a controller configured to:

determine whether or not the relay is fixed based on the voltage value detected by the detection circuit, when the relay is controlled to be off,

determine that the relay is fixed when a calculated resistance value calculated from the detected voltage value, the reference voltage value and the reference resistance value is a combined resistance value of a first resistance value and a second resistance value, and

determine that the relay is not fixed when the calculated resistance value is the first resistance value, wherein

the first resistance value is a resistance value of an insulation resistance between the electricity storage device and a ground, the second resistance value is a resistance value of an insulation resistance between the electrical apparatus and the ground, and the first resistance value is higher than the second resistance value,

when determining, based on the detected voltage value, a decreases in the first resistance value resulting from a leak in the electricity storage device, the detection circuit outputs the AC signal of a first frequency,

when determining, based on the detected voltage value, whether or not the relay is fixed, the detection circuit outputs the AC signal of a second frequency, the second frequency being lower than the first frequency, and

when the detected voltage value that is obtained when the AC signal of the first frequency is used is equal to the detected voltage value that is obtained when the AC signal of the second frequency is used, the controller determines that output states of the AC signals from the detection circuit are abnormal.

7. A system for determining fixation of a relay, the system comprising:

an electricity storage device;

an electrical apparatus;

a relay that is provided on a line connecting the electricity storage device and the electrical apparatus, the relay including a movable contact point and a fixed contact point;

a detection circuit configured to:

output an alternating current (AC) signal of a reference voltage value to the electricity storage device,

detect a voltage value obtained by dividing the reference voltage value by a reference resistance value,

detect a voltage value obtained by dividing the reference voltage value by a combined resistance value and the reference resistance value, the combined resistance value being a combined resistance value of a first resistance value and a second resistance value, and

the first resistance value being a resistance value of an insulation resistance between the electricity storage device and a ground, the second resistance value being a resistance value of an insulation resistance between the electrical apparatus and the ground, and the first resistance value being higher than the second resistance value, and

a controller configured to:

determine whether or not the relay is fixed based on a first detected voltage value and a second detected voltage value,

determine that the relay is fixed when any one of a first voltage difference and a second voltage difference is less than a predetermined value, and

determine that the relay is not fixed when any one of the first voltage difference and the second voltage difference is greater than the predetermined value,

the first detected voltage value being detected by the detection circuit when the relay is controlled to be off,

the second detected voltage value being detected by the detection circuit when the relay is controlled to be on,

the first voltage difference being a voltage difference between the second detected voltage value that is detected before the relay is controlled to be off when charging/discharging between the electricity storage device and the electrical apparatus is ended, and the first detected voltage value that is detected after the relay is controlled to be off in response to completion of the charging/discharging, and

the second voltage difference being a voltage difference between the first detected voltage value that is detected before the relay is controlled to be on when charging/discharging between the electricity storage device and the electrical apparatus is started, and the second detected voltage value that is detected after the relay is controlled to be on in response to the start of the charging/discharging.

8. A system for determining fixation of a relay, the system comprising:

an electricity storage device;

an electrical apparatus;

a relay that is provided on a line connecting the electricity storage device and the electrical apparatus, the relay including a movable contact point and a fixed contact point;

a detection circuit configured to:

output an alternating current (AC) signal of a reference voltage value to the electricity storage device,

detect a voltage value obtained by dividing the reference voltage value by a reference resistance value; and

detect a voltage value obtained by dividing the reference voltage value by a combined resistance value and the reference resistance value, the combined resistance value being a combined value of a first resistance value and a second resistance value,

the first resistance value being a resistance value of an insulation resistance between the electricity storage device and a ground, the second resistance value being a resistance value of an insulation resistance between the electrical apparatus and the ground, and the first resistance value being higher than the second resistance value, and

a controller configured to:

determine whether or not the relay is fixed, based on a first detected voltage value and a second detected voltage value,

determine that the relay is fixed when any one of a first resistance difference and a second resistance difference is less than a predetermined value, and

determine that the relay is not fixed when any one of the first resistance difference and the second resistance difference is greater than the predetermined value,

the first detected voltage value being detected by the detection circuit when the relay is controlled to be off,

the second detected voltage value being detected by the detection circuit when the relay is controlled to be on,

the first resistance difference being a difference between a second calculated resistance value and a first calculated resistance value, the second resistance difference being a difference between a third calculated resistance value and a forth calculated resistance value,

the second calculated resistance value being a value which is calculated from the second detected voltage value detected before the relay is controlled to be off when charging/discharging between the electricity storage device and the electrical apparatus is ended, the reference voltage value, and the reference resistance value,

the first calculated resistance value being a value which is calculated from the first detected voltage value detected after the relay is controlled to be off in response to completion of the charging/discharging, the reference voltage value, and the reference resistance value,

the third calculated resistance value being a value which is calculated from the first detected voltage value detected before the relay is controlled to be on when charging/discharging between the electricity storage device and the electrical apparatus is started, the reference voltage value, and the reference resistance value, and

the forth calculated resistance value being a value which is calculated from the second detected voltage value detected after the relay is controlled to on in response to the start of the charging/discharging, the reference voltage value, and the reference resistance value.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Mar 10, 2016
From: NISHI, YUJI; TANABE, YUKINARI; KAIYA, HIROYUKI; TANAKA, HIROMASA
To: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
Reel/Frame 037948/0665 →
Priority Claims (2)
JP 2013-188705 · Sep 11, 2013 · national
JP 2014-024316 · Feb 12, 2014 · national
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20160223615A1 · Aug 4, 2016
Cited By (1)
US 12,319,210