Electronic circuit

• US 9,985,427 B2
• Filed: 09/30/2014
• Issued: 05/29/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 10/01/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: ecom instruments GmbH (Pepperl+Fuchs Se)
• Original Assignee: ecom instruments GmbH (Pepperl+Fuchs Se)
• Inventors: Sack, Norbert
• Primary Examiner(s): Tran, Thienvu
• Assistant Examiner(s): CLARK, CHRISTOPHER JAY
• Application Number:
  US14/502,298
• Publication Number:
  US 20150092310A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,337 Days
• CPC Class Codes: H02H 3/05 with means for increasing reliability, e.g. redundancy arrangements for logic circuits H03K19/003
• CPC Class Codes: H02H 3/06 with automatic reconnection
• CPC Class Codes: H02H 3/08 responsive to excess current responsive to abnormal temperature caused by excess current H02H5/04
• CPC Class Codes: H02H 7/18 for batteries; for accumulators
• CPC Class Codes: H02H 9/008 Intrinsically safe circuits
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00304 Overcurrent protection
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0031 using battery or load disconnect circuits H02J9/002 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0036 using connection detecting circuits H02J7/0034 takes precedence

Abstract

An electronic circuit arrangement may include a first and a second electrical supply line for connecting an electronic device with a rechargeable battery. The first electrical supply line may be connected at one end with the rechargeable electric battery and at the other end with the electronic device for supplying electric energy. At least two switching elements may be provided in the first electrical supply line, which each may be switchable between an open state, in which the respective switching element electrically interrupts the first supply line, and a closed state. The electronic circuit arrangement may include a protective circuit arrangement and a reset circuit arrangement.

Claims

1. An electronic circuit arrangement for use in a potentially explosive atmosphere, comprising:

a first electrical supply line and a second electrical supply line for connecting an electronic device with a rechargeable battery, wherein the first electrical supply line is connected at one end with the rechargeable electric battery and at the other end with the electronic device for supplying electric energy;

at least two switching elements provided in the first electrical supply line, the at least two switching elements each being switchable between an open state, where the respective at least two switching elements electrically interrupt the first supply line, and a closed state;

a protective circuit arrangement, which if an error condition occurs in at least one of the rechargeable battery and the electronic device, the protective circuit arrangement switches the at least two switching elements into the opened state, so that the electric current flow through the first electrical supply line is interrupted;

a reset circuit arrangement configured such that in an electrically interrupted state of the first electrical supply line, when the electronic device is connected to an external charging device, the reset circuit arrangement switches the at least two switching elements into the closed state in response to a signal indicating an electrical connection is present between the electronic device and the external charging device so that the electrical interruption in the first electrical supply line is cancelled;

the reset circuit arrangement including a first partial circuit arrangement, the first partial circuit arrangement including an electric signal connection on an input side and electrically connected with the at least two switching elements on an output side, wherein the first, partial circuit arrangement is configured to cooperate with the at least two switching elements such that, if a reset signal is present at the electrical signal connection, the reset circuit arrangement switches the at least two switching elements into the closed state;

the reset circuit arrangement further including a second partial circuit arrangement, the second particular circuit arrangement including an output connection, a first input connection and a second input connection;

the output connection of the second partial circuit arrangement electrically connected with the electric signal connection of the first partial circuit arrangement;

the first input connection of the second partial circuit arrangement coupled with the at least two switching elements such that a first activation signal is provided at the first input connection if at least one of the at least two switching elements is in the opened state;

the second input connection of the second partial circuit arrangement coupled with the first electrical supply line such that when the electronic device is connected to the external charging device, a second activation signal is provided; and

wherein the second partial circuit arrangement is configured such that when the first activation signal and the second activation signal are present at both of the first input connection and the second input connection, the reset signal is provided at the output connection.

2. The electronic circuit arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the reset circuit arrangement and the protective circuit arrangement are connected to a common electric mass potential.

3. The electronic circuit arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the protective circuit arrangement includes an electric current sensor provided in the first electrical supply line such that the electric current flowing through the first electrical supply line can be determined, and

the protective circuit arrangement cooperates with the electric current sensor and the at least two switching elements such that if a predetermined electric threshold current ascertained via the electric current sensor is exceeded, the protective circuit arrangement switches the at least two switching elements into the opened state, so that the electric current flow through the first electrical supply line is interrupted.

4. The electronic circuit arrangement according to claim 3, wherein the protective circuit arrangement includes:

at least two separate control units for each of the switching elements, wherein each control unit switches the switching element associated with it into the opened state, when the protective circuit arrangement determines that the predetermined electric threshold current in the first electrical supply line has been exceeded, and

a coupling device, which couples the at least two control units with each other such that when one switching element is switched into the opened state by the control unit associated with the switching element, the at least one remaining control unit is controlled via the coupling device to switch the switching element associated with the at least one remaining control unit also into the opened state at a time delay.

5. The electronic circuit arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the first electrical supply line is connected with the second supply line of the rechargeable battery via a voltage divider circuit, and

the voltage divider circuit includes an electrical series connection with a first electrical resistance and a second electric resistance, wherein a connecting element is provided between the two electric resistances, which is electrically connected with the second input connection.

6. The electronic circuit arrangement according to claim 5, wherein the first electric resistance is 1 MOhm and the second electric resistance is 1 kOhm.

7. The electronic circuit arrangement according to claim 1, wherein exactly three electrical series-connected switching elements are provided in the first electrical supply line.

8. The electronic circuit arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the at least two switching elements are configured as field effect transistors, and the first partial circuit arrangement is configured to switch the field effect transistors between the opened and the closed state, and wherein the first partial circuit arrangement is connected electrically with a gate connection of each of the field effect transistors.

9. The electronic circuit arrangement according to claim 2, wherein exactly three electrical series-connected switching elements are provided in the first electrical supply line.

10. An electronic circuit arrangement for use in a potentially explosive atmosphere, comprising:

a first electrical supply line and a second electrical supply line for connecting an electronic device with a rechargeable battery, wherein the first electrical supply line is connected at one end with the rechargeable electric battery and at the other end with the electronic device for supplying electric energy;

at least two switching elements provided in the first electrical supply line, the at least two switching elements each being switchable between an open state, where the respective switching element electrically interrupts the first supply line, and a closed state;

a protective circuit arrangement, which if an error condition occurs in at least one of the rechargeable battery and the electronic device, the protective circuit arrangement switches the at least two switching elements into the opened state, so that the electric current flow through the electrical first supply line is interrupted;

a reset circuit arrangement configured such that in an electrically interrupted state of the first electrical supply line, when the electronic device is connected to an external charging device, the reset circuit arrangement switches the at least two switching elements into the closed state so that the electrical interruption in the first electrical supply line is cancelled;

the reset circuit arrangement including a first partial circuit arrangement, wherein the first partial circuit arrangement on an input side has an electric signal connection and on an output side is electrically connected and respectively cooperates with the at least two switching elements such that, if a reset signal is present at the electrical signal connection, the reset circuit arrangement switches the at least two switching elements into the closed state;

the reset circuit arrangement further including a second partial circuit arrangement, the second partial circuit arrangement including an output connection, a first input connection and a second input connection;

the output connection of the second partial circuit arrangement electrically connected with the electric signal connection of the first partial circuit arrangement;

the first input connection of the second partial circuit arrangement coupled with the at least two switching elements such that a first activation signal is provided at the first input connection if at least one of the switching elements is in the opened state;

the second input connection of the second partial circuit arrangement coupled with the first electrical supply line such that when the electronic device is connected to the external charging device, a second activation signal is provided; and

wherein the second partial circuit arrangement is configured such that when the first activation signal and the second activation signal are present at both of the first input connection and the second input connection the reset signal is generated at the output connection.

11. The electronic circuit arrangement according to claim 10, wherein the protective circuit arrangement includes an electric current sensor provided in the first electrical supply line for sensing electric current flowing through the first electrical supply line, the protective circuit arrangement operatively connected with the electric current sensor and the at least two switching elements;

and

wherein the protective circuit arrangement is configured to switch the at least two switching elements into the opened state if a predetermined electric threshold current detected via the electric current sensor is exceeded, so that a flow of electric current through the first electrical supply line is interrupted.

12. The electronic circuit arrangement according to claim 11, wherein the protective circuit arrangement includes:

at least two separate control units associated with a respective one of the at least two switching elements, wherein each of the at least two separate control units switches the respective one of the at least two switching elements into the opened state when the predetermined electric current threshold is exceeded in the first electrical supply line; and

a coupling device configured to couple the at least two separate control units with each other such that when one of the at least two switching elements is switched into the opened state by an associated one of the at least two control units, the at least one remaining control unit, is controlled via the coupling unit to switch the associated switching element into the opened state at a time delay.

13. The electronic circuit arrangement according to claim 10, further comprising a voltage divider circuit connecting the first electrical supply line with the second supply line, the voltage divider circuit including an electrical series connection with a first electric resistance and a second electric resistance, and a connecting element is provided between the first electric resistance and the second electric resistance, wherein the connecting element is electrically connected with the second input connection.

14. The electronic circuit arrangement according to claim 13, wherein the first electric resistance is 1 MOhm and the second electric resistance is 1 kOhm.

15. The electronic circuit arrangement according to claim 10, wherein the reset circuit arrangement and the protective circuit arrangement are connected to a common electric mass potential.

16. The electronic circuit arrangement according to claim 10, wherein exactly three electrical series-connected switching elements are provided in the first electrical supply line.

17. The electronic circuit arrangement according to claim 10, wherein the at least, two switching elements are configured as field effect transistors.

18. The electronic circuit arrangement according to claim 17, wherein the first partial circuit arrangement for switching the field effect transistors between the opened and the closed state is respectively connected electrically with a gate connection of the field effect transistors.

19. An electronic circuit arrangement for use in a potentially explosive atmosphere, comprising:

an electronic device and a rechargeable battery;

a first electrical supply line and a second electrical supply line for connecting the electronic device with the rechargeable battery, wherein the first electrical supply line is connected at one end with the rechargeable electric battery and at the other end with the electronic device for supplying electric energy;

a voltage divider circuit connecting the first electrical supply line with the second electrical supply line;

at least two switching elements provided in the first electrical supply line, the at least two switching elements each being switchable between an open state that electrically interrupts the first supply line and a closed state;

a protective circuit arrangement configured to switch the at least two switching elements into the opened state if an error condition occurs in at least one of the rechargeable battery and the electronic device, so that the electric current flow through the electrical first supply line is interrupted;

a reset circuit arrangement configured such that in an electrically interrupted state of the first electrical supply line, when the electronic device is connected to an external charging device, the reset circuit arrangement switches the at least two switching elements into the closed state so that the electrical interruption in the first electrical supply line is cancelled, wherein the reset circuit arrangement includes a first partial circuit arrangement and a second partial circuit arrangement;

the first partial circuit arrangement on an input side having an electric signal connection and on an output side is electrically connected and cooperates with the at least two switching elements such that, if a reset signal is present at the electrical signal connection, the reset circuit arrangement switches the at least two switching elements into the closed state;

the second partial circuit arrangement including an output connection, a first input connection and a second input connection;

the output connection of the second partial circuit arrangement electrically connected with the electric signal connection of the first partial circuit arrangement;

the first input connection of the second partial circuit arrangement coupled with the at least two switching elements such that a first activation signal is provided at the first input connection if at least one of the at least two switching elements is in the opened state;

the second input connection of the second partial circuit arrangement coupled with the first electrical supply line such that when the electronic device is connected to the external charging device, a second activation signal is provided; and

wherein the second partial circuit arrangement is configured such that when the first activation signal and the second activation signal are present at both of the first input connection and the second input connection the reset signal is generated at the output connection.

20. The electronic circuit arrangement according to claim 19, wherein the voltage divider circuit includes an electrical series connection with a first ohmic resistance and a second ohmic resistance, and a connecting element provided between the first ohmic resistance and the second ohmic resistance, the connecting element electrically connected with the second input connection, and wherein the voltage divider circuit outputs the second activation signal at the second input connection when the electronic device is connected to the external charging device.