Relayless and fuseless junction box
AssigneeLear Corporation
InventorsChadi Shaya, Jeffrey Battistella
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A relayless and fuseless junction box or power distribution unit. The junction box configured to perform operations associated with fuses and relays without the short-comings associated with the operations thereof.
Claims23
A relayless and fuseless junction box configured to distribute power to at least one output as a function of signals received from one or more inputs, the box comprising:
- at least one switch associated with at least one output, each switch configured to open and close in response to control signals communicated thereto so as to control power distribution to the associated output;
- a processor in communication with each switch to control switch opening and closing as a function of the signals received from the one or more inputs;
- a sensor associated with each switch for sensing switch operating conditions, the sensors being separate from the processor and configured for opening the associated switch if the switch operating conditions are above a threshold, the sensors controlling switch opening independently of processor switch controls;
- and
- wherein current is one of the operating conditions sensed by the sensors and wherein the sensors are configured to automatically adjust the threshold as a function of the sensed current.
A method of operating a relayless and fuseless junction box configured to distribute power to at least one output as a function of signals received by one or more inputs, the method comprising:
- controlling at least one switch to distribute power to at least one output as a function of signals received by the one or more inputs;
- determining a fault condition for at least one switch as a function of operating conditions associated therewith;
- opening the switch associated with the fault condition, the switch opening overriding control of the switch by the one or more inputs;
- and
- testing continued operation of the switch associated with the fault condition, the testing including incrementally reducing power distributed to the faulted switch until persistence of the fault condition ceases.
A relayless and fuseless junction box configured to distribute power to one or more outputs, the junction box comprising:
- a switch associated with each output, the switches having an open and closed state such that switch opening and closing is controllable to control power distributed to the associated outputs;
- a processor configured to control switch opening and closing;
- a sensor associated with each switch for sensing switch operating conditions, the sensors configured to override processor controlled switch closing as a function of the sensed switch operating conditions;
- and
- wherein the processor is configured to determine the sensor override of processor controlled switch closing, and in response thereto, to reduce power distribution of the associated switch until the switch operating conditions allow the sensor to cease overriding the processor controlled switch closing.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.