Electromagnetic relay deicing system including control circuit

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10930457-B2
Application number	US-201916436596-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 10, 2019
Priority date	Sep 26, 2018
Publication date	Feb 23, 2021
Grant date	Feb 23, 2021

Abstract

An electromagnetic relay deicing system includes an electromagnetic relay that includes a common terminal, a normally open terminal, and a normally closed terminal and that supplies electric power from an electric power supplier to an electrical apparatus when the common terminal and the normally open terminal are connected, and a control circuit that controls an on-state and an off-state of the electromagnetic relay. During the on-state of the electromagnetic relay, the common terminal and the normally open terminal are connected by a movable piece. During the off-state of the electromagnetic relay, the common terminal and the normally closed terminal are connected by the movable piece. The control circuit deices the electromagnetic relay by causing, during the off-state of the electromagnetic relay, electric conduction between the common terminal and the normally closed terminal connected by the movable piece so that ice on a surface of the normally open terminal melts.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. An electromagnetic relay deicing system comprising:
an electromagnetic relay comprising a common terminal, a normally open terminal, and a normally closed terminal, and the electromagnetic relay configured to supply electric power from an electric power supplier to an electrical apparatus when the common terminal and the normally open terminal are connected; and
a control circuit configured to control an on-state and an off-state of the electromagnetic relay,
wherein during the on-state of the electromagnetic relay, the common terminal and the normally open terminal are connected by a movable piece and during the off-state of the electromagnetic relay, the common terminal and the normally closed terminal are connected by the movable piece, and
wherein the control circuit deices the electromagnetic relay by causing, during the off-state of the electromagnetic relay, electric conduction between the common terminal and the normally closed terminal connected by the movable piece so that ice on a surface of the normally open terminal melts.

2. The electromagnetic relay deicing system according to claim 1 ,
wherein the electromagnetic relay further comprises an exciting coil configured to, when excited, switch a coupling partner of the movable piece from the normally closed terminal to the normally open terminal, and
wherein the control circuit causes the electromagnetic relay to be in the on-state by exciting the exciting coil.

3. The electromagnetic relay deicing system according to claim 2 ,
wherein the normally closed terminal of the electromagnetic relay is connected to an electric resistor via a switch, and
wherein the control circuit causes electric conduction between the common terminal and the normally closed terminal of the electromagnetic relay so as to deice the electromagnetic relay by closing the switch during the off-state of the electromagnetic relay.

4. The electromagnetic relay deicing system according to claim 2 ,
wherein the normally closed terminal of the electromagnetic relay is connected to a redundancy wire of the control circuit,
wherein the control circuit comprises an internal circuit connected to the redundancy wire, and
wherein the control circuit causes electric conduction between the common terminal and the normally closed terminal of the electromagnetic relay so as to deice the electromagnetic relay by activating the internal circuit during the off-state of the electromagnetic relay.

5. The electromagnetic relay deicing system according to claim 2 ,
wherein two of the electromagnetic relay are individually connected to the electrical apparatus and the two electromagnetic relays are each configured to supply electric power to the electrical apparatus when in the on-state, and
wherein the control circuit causes electric conduction between the common terminal and the normally closed terminal of a first electromagnetic relay of the electromagnetic relays so as to deice the first electromagnetic relay by turning on a second electromagnetic relay of the electromagnetic relays during the off-state of the first electromagnetic relay so as to supply electric power from the second electromagnetic relay to the electrical apparatus so that current flows to the first electromagnetic relay via the electrical apparatus.

6. The electromagnetic relay deicing system according to claim 1 ,
wherein the normally closed terminal of the electromagnetic relay is connected to an electric resistor via a switch, and
wherein the control circuit causes electric conduction between the common terminal and the normally closed terminal of the electromagnetic relay so as to deice the electromagnetic relay by closing the switch during the off-state of the electromagnetic relay.

7. The electromagnetic relay deicing system according to claim 1 ,
wherein the normally closed terminal of the electromagnetic relay is connected to a redundancy wire of the control circuit,
wherein the control circuit comprises an internal circuit connected to the redundancy wire, and
wherein the control circuit causes electric conduction between the common terminal and the normally closed terminal of the electromagnetic relay so as to deice the electromagnetic relay by activating the internal circuit during the off-state of the electromagnetic relay.

8. The electromagnetic relay deicing system according to claim 1 ,
wherein two of the electromagnetic relay are individually connected to the electrical apparatus and the two electromagnetic relays are each configured to supply electric power to the electrical apparatus when in the on-state, and
wherein the control circuit causes electric conduction between the common terminal and the normally closed terminal of a first electromagnetic relay of the electromagnetic relays so as to deice the first electromagnetic relay by turning on a second electromagnetic relay of the electromagnetic relays during the off-state of the first electromagnetic relay so as to supply electric power from the second electromagnetic relay to the electrical apparatus so that current flows to the first electromagnetic relay via the electrical apparatus.

Assignees

• Subaru Corp

Inventors

• Kato Daisuke

Classifications

• H01R2201/26

  for vehicles · CPC title

• H01H47/00 Primary

  Circuit arrangements not adapted to a particular application of the relay and designed to obtain desired operating characteristics or to provide energising current · CPC title

• H01H45/12

  Ventilating; Cooling; Heating (for operating electrothermal relays H01H61/013) · CPC title

• H01H47/02 Primary

  for modifying the operation of the relay · CPC title

• H01H2047/025

  with taking into account of the thermal influences, e.g. change in resistivity of the coil or being adapted to high temperatures · CPC title