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EP-3949056-B1 - HIGH VOLTAGE PROTECTION SYSTEM

EP3949056B1EP 3949056 B1EP3949056 B1EP 3949056B1EP-3949056-B1

Inventors

  • Surajit, Das
  • KRISHNAMOHAN, GEDDADI
  • JABEZ DHINAGAR, Samraj

Dates

Publication Date
20260506
Application Date
20200320

Claims (8)

  1. A high voltage protection system for a saddle type vehicle (100) comprising: a switch input signal conditioning module (201); a microcontroller (202); and a power source (207) being connected to said switch input signal conditioning module (201) through a main switch (206); wherein said switch input conditioning module includes a leakage current detection circuit (204a), a wetting current circuit (204b), a filter circuit (203); an (electromagnetic interference suppressor) capacitor (205) for eliminating electromagnetic interference signals from an input power received from said power source and to provide a filtered voltage signal; wherein, said electromagnetic interference suppressor capacitor being (205) electrically coupled to said leakage current detection circuit (204a), and said wetting current circuit (204b); and said filter circuit (203) for enabling said filtered voltage to be transferred to said microcontroller (202); a high voltage protection circuit (301) configured to receive said filtered voltage signal; wherein said coupling being through a high voltage protection circuit (301); wherein, said high voltage protection circuit (301) is configured to additionally connect said electromagnetic interference suppressor capacitor (205) to the microcontroller (202); a fault collection unit (302) electrically configured to be connected to said high voltage protection circuit (301) and a fault detection unit (303); said additional connection being through the fault collection unit (302) being in turn electrically connected to the fault detection unit (303); wherein, said fault collection unit (302) is provided with one or more input switches (501, 502, 503, 504), said one or more input switches (501, 502, 503, 504) is configured to receive one or more input signals from one or more loads provided in said vehicle and configured to be connected via diodes (505-508) to a common node; and wherein, said common node is connected to a potential divider circuit (513) of said fault collection unit (302) to step down a voltage received from said one or more input switches (501, 502, 503, 504); said fault collection unit (302) being configured to detect whether a short circuit has occurred at one of the plurality of input switches (501-504), to step down the corresponding input voltage, and to generate an output signal representative of either a short circuit condition or a normal condition; wherein; said fault detection unit (303) being configured to receive said output signal from said fault collection unit (302); wherein, said output from said fault collection unit (302) is compared to a threshold voltage by said fault detection unit (303) for providing an output signal to said microcontroller (202); and said microcontroller is configured to control said vehicle based on said output signal from said fault detection unit (303).
  2. The high voltage protection system for a saddle type vehicle as claimed in claim 1, wherein said high voltage protection circuit (301) is provided with a pair of bipolar junction transistors (404,406), said bipolar junction transistors (404,406) being controlled by a Zener diode (402).
  3. The high voltage protection system for a saddle type vehicle as claimed in claim 1, wherein each of said one or more input switches (501, 502, 503, 504) are electrically configured to be connected to at least a unijunction diode (505,506,507,508).
  4. The high voltage protection system for a saddle type vehicle as claimed in claim 1, wherein said high voltage protection circuit (301) includes a first bipolar junction transistor (404) and a second bipolar junction transistor (406), wherein said first bipolar junction transistor (404) remains ON when said second bipolar junction transistor (406) being OFF or said first bipolar junction transistor (404) remains OFF when said second bipolar junction transistor (406) is ON.
  5. The high voltage protection system for a saddle type vehicle as claimed in claim 1, wherein said potential divider circuit (513) comprises a low pass filter resistor (511) and a capacitor (510).
  6. The high voltage protection system for a saddle type vehicle as claimed in claim 1, wherein said fault detection circuit (303) includes a comparator (601) wherein, a positive polarity of said comparator (601) receives an input from said fault collection circuit (302).
  7. The high voltage protection system for a saddle type vehicle as claimed in claim 6, wherein a negative polarity of said comparator (601) receives a threshold voltage from a threshold voltage generator circuit (607).
  8. A method of protecting a vehicle (100) from a high voltage comprising step of: receiving, an input voltage by a high voltage protection circuit (301); comparing, said input voltage, against a threshold voltage, generated by a threshold voltage generating circuit; receiving (701), one or more input signals by a fault collection unit (302), and said one or more input signals being received from one or more input switches (501, 502, 503, 504) wherein said one or more input switches (501, 502, 503, 504) being configured with one or more loads provided in said vehicle (100); checking for short circuit occurring at one of the plurality of input switches (501-504), by said fault collection unit (302); reducing (708), said one or more input signal by a potential divider (513); receiving (709), by said fault detection unit (303), a fault collection circuit signal output from said fault collection unit (302); comparing (710), by said fault detection unit (303), said fault collection circuit signal output with said threshold voltage; and disabling (713), said vehicle (100) when said fault collection circuit signal output being greater than said threshold voltage.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD The present subject matter generally relates to a vehicle. More particularly but not exclusively the present subject matter relates to a high voltage protection system in the vehicle and to a method of protecting the vehicle. BACKGROUND In electric and hybrid vehicle, the batteries, which are used are generally of voltage greater than 12V, which may supply power to the traction motor requiring high voltage and also at the same time provides power to the low voltage loads such as switches, head lamp, taillamps, horn. Hence, a DC-DC converter is used to step down the voltage to 12V or 5V for low voltage loads. Signal conditioning circuits are generally designed for a maximum 12V system. In case of electric or hybrid vehicles there may be two types of cord sets. One cord set is of high voltage and another cord set of low voltage. The routing of the cord set can be carefully done so that one cord set does not interfere with other cord set and also during the time of servicing it becomes easy to detect any fault and correct it. Another way of arranging high voltage cord set and low voltage cord set is by arranging them together at certain locations. This type of arrangement may be required based on the design of the vehicle. Both high voltage cord set and low voltage cord set runs parallel along the vehicular frame. Generally, in order to protect the low voltage cord set from any interference, thermal runaway, spikes or fire hazard the high voltage cord set both type of cord sets are provided with rubber cover or plastic cover or at times fabric cover. Document GB2278935B discloses an electronic control system particularly for use in an internal combustion engine comprises an electronic control unit (ECU) for controlling actuation of peripheral devices, such as fuel injector solenoids. Low power control signals are sent over the wires and command power device circuits, which are separately supplied with power from the power source, to energise the peripheral device. With this arrangement, the wires need only conduct low power signals, the power device circuits are located with the peripheral devices instead of with the ECU, for better materials and heat management, and the ECU power supply can be smaller and located outside the ECU housing. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Figure 1 illustrates an exemplary vehicle with a left side view which incorporates the present subject matter.Figure 2 illustrates a block diagram depicting the prior art which has disadvantages.Figure 3 illustrates a block diagram of the present invention overcoming the drawbacks in the prior art.Figure 4 illustrates a circuit level diagram of the high voltage protection circuit of the present invention.Figure 5 illustrates a circuit level diagram of the switch input fault collection unit of the present invention.Figure 6 illustrates a circuit level diagram of the switch input fault detection unit of the present invention.Figure 7 illustrates a method of performing the present subject matter in a flow chart according to the invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION The embodiment as described herein below with reference to figure 2 does not form part of the invention as claimed but is presented as illustrative purposes. When high voltage cord set and low voltage cord set are routed together at certain location in a vehicle, when the requirement demands, the susceptibility of the low voltage cord set getting effected due to high voltage cord set increases. Due to environmental factor such as light, heat, resistance or unwanted elements like rodents may damage the cord set. This may lead to the wires within the high voltage cord set and low voltage cord set getting exposed to dangers like short circuiting due to the proximity of the exposed wires. The input switches from plurality of loads connected to the signal conditioning circuit if not protected from the high voltage due to short circuit the signal conditioning circuit and the microcontroller may fail. The electronic control unit (ECU) comprising the signal conditioning unit and the microcontroller needs replacement in case of damage and hence that spikes the cost of replacement as the entire ECU along with the microcontroller may need replacement. Hence, the present subject matter provides a system to detect a short circuit and prevent the signal conditioning circuit from short circuit by disabling the vehicle. This enables the user of the vehicle to know that if any of the wire getting short to a high voltage of 48V or more wire& thereby ensure safety of his own & any potential fire accident on the vehicle. Another aspect of the present subject matter provides an ECU (electronic control unit) which can detect the short circuit between high voltage wire and one or more input switches having a high voltage battery for traction purpose with non-isolated designed electronic control unit (ECU). Another embodiment of the present subject matter is to provide a system for plurality of mod