US 12,148,588 B2
Method of controlling electromagnetic relay, and control apparatus
Shunsuke Ikeda, Tokyo (JP)
Assigned to SUBARU CORPORATION, Tokyo (JP)
Filed by SUBARU CORPORATION, Tokyo (JP)
Filed on Aug. 12, 2022, as Appl. No. 17/886,796.
Claims priority of application No. 2021-149605 (JP), filed on Sep. 14, 2021.
Prior Publication US 2023/0083969 A1, Mar. 16, 2023
Int. Cl. H01H 47/22 (2006.01); H01H 50/14 (2006.01); H01H 50/44 (2006.01)
CPC H01H 47/22 (2013.01) [H01H 50/14 (2013.01); H01H 50/44 (2013.01)] 6 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
5. A control apparatus for an electromagnetic relay, the control apparatus being configured to control the electromagnetic relay by supplying a voltage to an exciting coil to bring a movable terminal into contact with a fixing terminal, the control apparatus comprising:
a voltage supply circuit configured to supply a first voltage to the exciting coil of the electromagnetic relay;
a booster circuit configured to boost the voltage to be supplied to the exciting coil from the first voltage to a second voltage higher than the first voltage;
a temperature detector configured to measure temperatures of the electromagnetic relay at predetermined time intervals and store the temperatures measured;
a coupling state determination unit configured to determine that a coupling failure is detected in a case where the movable terminal is not brought into contact with the fixing terminal and the electromagnetic relay is not turned on despite the supplying the first voltage to the exciting coil;
a freezing state determination unit configured to determine that the electromagnetic relay has a frozen portion in a case where the coupling state determination unit determines that the coupling failure is detected and where a temperature of the electromagnetic relay measured at predetermined time before the supplying the first voltage to the exciting coil is determined to be lower than a predetermined temperature on a basis of data stored in the temperature detector; and
a control unit configured to switch the exciting coil from being supplied with the first voltage from the voltage supply circuit to being supplied with the second voltage from the booster circuit in a case where the coupling state determination unit determines that the coupling failure is detected and where the freezing state determination unit determines that the electromagnetic relay has the frozen portion.