Power supply unit and connector connection failure detection method

• US 5,895,989 A
• Filed: 10/23/1997
• Issued: 04/20/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 10/23/1996
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Yazaki Corporation
• Original Assignee: Yazaki Corporation
• Inventors: Hanaoka, Hiromichi, Imaizumi, Nobuhiro, Oniishi, Tatsuaki
• Primary Examiner(s): PALADINI, ALBERT WILLIAM
• Application Number:
  US08/956,432
• Time in Patent Office: 544 Days
• Field of Search: 307/139, 307/125, 307/130, 327/1, 361/88, 324/415, 340/644
• US Class Current: 307/139
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 16/03 for supply of electrical power to vehicle subsystems or for circuit arrangements for charging batteries H02J7/00
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/007 using microprocessors or computers
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/54 Testing for continuity
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/69 of terminals at the end of a cable or a wire harness; of plugs; of sockets, e.g. wall sockets or power sockets in appliances
• CPC Class Codes: H02H 3/087 for dc applications
• CPC Class Codes: H02H 5/10 responsive to mechanical injury, e.g. rupture of line, breakage of earth connection

Abstract

A power supply unit adapted to supply power from a power supply section to a load via a plurality of power supply lines connected by an on/off switch and connectors. The power supply unit includes a load open detection section for detecting an open state between the on/off switch and the load, a monitor section for monitoring the number of times the open state has been entered per unit time based on the detection result of the load open detection section, and a control section for controlling the on/off switch off when the number of times the open state has been entered per unit time is greater than a predetermined number of times.

Claims

1. A power supply unit adapted to supply power from a power supply section to a load via a plurality of power supply lines connected by an on/off switch and connectors, said power supply unit comprising:

load open detection means for detecting an open state of said connectors between said on/off switch and said load;

monitor means for monitoring the number of times said open state has been entered per unit time based on a detection result of said load open detection means; and

control means for controlling said on/off switch off when the number of times said open state has been entered per unit time is greater than a predetermined number of times.

2. The power supply unit as claimed in claim 1, further comprises display means connected to said control means;

wherein said control means controls said display means to display a connection failure of said connectors when the number of times said open state has been entered per unit time is greater than said predetermined number of times.

3. The power supply unit as claimed in claim 1, wherein said on/off switch and said load open detection means are provided in an intelligent power switch.

4. The power supply unit as claimed in claim 1, wherein said on/off switch comprises a transistor and said load open detection means comprises a comparator.

5. A method for detecting a connection failure of connectors when power from a power supply unit is supplied to a load via a plurality of power supply lines connected by an on/off switch and said connectors, said method comprising the steps of:

detecting the number of times an open state has been entered by said connectors between said on/off switch and said load per unit of time; and

determining that a connection failure occurs in said connectors when the number of times the open state has been entered is greater than a predetermined number of times.

6. The method as claimed in claim 5, further comprising the step of controlling the on/off switch off after the determining step.

7. The method as claimed in claim 6, further comprising the step of displaying on a display section that the connection failure occurs in the connectors after the controlling step.