WO2015118189A1

WO2015118189A1 - High-speed distributed system for checking electrical circuits

Info

Publication number: WO2015118189A1
Application number: PCT/ES2014/070088
Authority: WO
Inventors: Joan SERRA GÓMEZ; Josep María FERRE GÓMEZ
Original assignee: Creasoft, S.L.
Priority date: 2014-02-07
Filing date: 2014-02-07
Publication date: 2015-08-13

Abstract

The invention relates to a set of at least one device comprising casings connected in series to a test server which in turn is connected to the operator stations wherein the various elements constituting a bundle of cables are checked, the housing containing the power electronics formed by double-sided, sandwich-type integrated circuit cards, as the main element, and, on the outside, contacts (24) are centralised and pins (128) are aligned, allowing the connection of each of the counter-parts to said contacts, and the checking of the various circuits, connectors and terminals of said bundle of cables.

Description

"HIGH-SPEED DISTRIBUTED SYSTEM FOR CHECKING

OF ELECTRICAL CIRCUITS "

- Descriptive memory -

Object of the Invention

More specifically, the invention relates to improvements introduced in the systems for checking electrical circuits, such as the wiring harness used to connect between different points of the car that require voltage, which is done with the help of the cables of said mallet at the ends of which the corresponding terminals and / or connectors are mounted.

These connectors and cables must be verified before they are installed in the car, in order to avoid the inconveniences that a bad assembly of the wiring harness implies, in the fact that, in the manufacture of the same, errors or defective contacts occur that can cause leaving open circuits, short circuits, or installing a wiring harness cable in the wrong position.

State of the Technique

There are in the market and therefore can be considered as state of the art, different systems for checking and detecting failures in the wiring harness, intended for powering the different parts of the car, such as by way of illustration but not limiting the different interior and exterior lights, the electric motors for seating assistance, cooling and heating equipment, windshield wipers, exterior mirrors, Cd radio and others, which connect the voltage source such as the battery with the various services listed.

The basis of these systems is the use of one or more desks where are incorporated counterpieces, which connect the connectors and terminals that are at the ends of the cables forming a bundle of cables, which are subjected to tension and with the help of one or more "Pe", and a test server, on the screen of the mentioned "Pe" appear the detail of the errors on your screen, so that after the check can be repaired in case that it is possible to dispose of the cable harness in its entirety.

By the Patent of Invention of the same holder n ° 200501846 "Circuit of maneuver for against piece" is known a system of verification of electrical circuits, which consists as it is indicated in the first claim of those that are used for the verification of cables provided with the corresponding terminals, male and female plugs, terminal connectors, and the like forming a wiring harness to be checked in a test desk provided with a counter-piece which can be a fixed block or the union of a fixed block and movable block, characterized in that the physical circuit of maneuver of the counter-piece is formed by a voltage supply means such as the source that feeds the connectors, and the source for the excitation of the error LED; means for detecting the presence of a piece to be tested in the counter-piece, such as the input blocks and the output blocks, electronic control and storage means such as the microprocessor and the EEPROM memory and the pushbutton detector, a piece selection means such as the micro-selector, some means of connection to the outside such as the block of communications and means for controlling the actuator of the electro-valve and connection means such as connectors.

Purpose of the invention.

Centralize the contacts and functions of the system, reduce the weight and size of the material elements of the aforementioned system, and increase its capacity, and speed of verification to cope with the multiplication of services that have been incorporated over time in the automobile, while facilitating the location of defects and errors in the assembly of the different parts that make up the cable harness.

Description of the invention.

The proposed invention consists of a set of one or more equipment equipped with housings, connected in series to a test server, and the latter to the operator's stations where the different elements that make up a cable harness are verified, inside which , that of the casing, a power electronics is centralized, consisting of double-sided integrated circuit cards, sandwich type as the main element, and on the outside a centralization of contacts 24, and alignment of pins 128, which allows the connection of each of the counter-pieces to said contacts., and the check of the different circuits, connectors and terminals, for which the system has one or more workstations each formed of a screen connected to a "Pe" and its corresponding keyboard that receive the signals from the test server, and the corresponding equipment.

The operator has exact knowledge at all times of the errors involved in their control area given that each of the defined zones is assigned an information screen. In this way, if we have a checkpoint where several operators intervene, each one receives the detailed information of the area that affects them, facilitating the correction of the problem without having to involve the rest of the workers and so the wiring as a whole can be repaired Too much faster.

Cable harnesses and more specifically their different parts, such as terminal cables and connectors, are applied to the counter-parts inserted in the control desks to check the different circuits covered by the cables that integrate the cable harness, in order to detect a bad assembly, short-circuit connection faults that the system is included in the interior of the equipment and its preferably metallic housing.

It is also possible that the equipment and more specifically the housing that houses it can be injected in plastic materials by injection molding techniques, whose configuration, that of the housing is substantially prismatic commands the connections of the cables and connectors of said harness cables in two levels, presenting the upper part of the housing, so that each level groups different functions, the lower level an alignment of pins, and a provision of test points for the connection of said connectors twenty-four or more in the intermediate level , the rear face being used for the grouping of:

- data bus CAN controller area network;

- letter identifiers;

- confirmation or error LEDs, for 128 letters or more;

- electric configuration jumpers;

- electrical input and output power;

and in the lower part of the casing, respective profiles for the incorporation of the same to a work area, this section being part of a work bench in which the equipment connected in series is placed, depending on the checking capacity that is necessary to check the wiring harness.

The government of the equipment is entrusted to a microcontroller, which receives the power through a short-circuit protection, some DC / DC regulators, by means of a controlled feeding of the different counter-parts. Likewise, the microcontroller receives information from one or more communication channels of the different counter-parts by means of a LIN circuit, and from a data bus by means of a CAN circuit.

Also forming part of the equipment circuit, the microcontroller has connected thereto, an ID selector, an I / O address, a comparator circuit and an ADC circuit. The I / O address is connected to an output driver, a multiplexed circuit of inputs and a ground writing circuit, and these last three elements combine information, with the input and output modules of the equipment.

The signal comparator circuit is connected to the threshold configurator circuit, and the latter to the microcontroller, in turn the multiplexed input circuit receives information from an external measuring channel. With this scheme described in the previous paragraphs, the micro-controller and each one of the different equipment is used only for a single letter, instead of a micro-controller for "Pe".

The reduction of space in the equipment is achieved based on a miniaturization of all the components of the electronics, designing the system in 3D, to facilitate the connection between the aforementioned sandwich plates, eliminating the flat connection tapes known in the current art . On the other hand, unlike the conventional system, the equipment scans all the circuits at the same time, instead of checking the different circuits one by one, with what is achieved that the verification work, in time, of said circuits is considerably reduced.

On the other hand, the equipment's electronics are able to make the voltages compatible so that the same equipment can operate in different peripheral suppliers, which use different voltages, as well as the voltages used by the different manufacturers of demagnetics checking devices. of cables.

With the characteristics of the invention indicated above, the following advantages are also obtained: - Important increase in the speed of the test. The time it takes to verify a wiring is reduced.

- Higher test capacity, up to 65,000 test points compared to the old 4,096.

- Reduction of sizes, ease of connection, elimination of flat tape.

- Improves the internal distribution of a control panel.

- Reuse of cable bundles, reduction of stocks.

- Protection of overloads during the verification of the cable harness. Protection of the power electronics and the entire connected assembly.

- Reduction of the rework time, improvement in the repair time, ease for the operator in locating the diagnostic errors.

Other details and characteristics will become apparent in the course of the description that follows, in which reference is made to the drawings that accompany this report, in which a representation is shown by way of illustration but not limitation. graph of the invention. Description of the figures.

Following is a list of the different parts of the invention, which is identified in the figures that follow by the help of the corresponding numbers; (10) system, (10a) housing of (10), (11) lower base, (12) intermediate base, (13) alignment of pins, (14) upper base, (15) connection points to the counter-parts , (16) clamp, (17) pins, (18) back of (10), (19) plate connection via "Daisy Chain", (20) CAN data bus, (21) card identifiers, (22 - 23) LEDs, (24) jumpers, ( 25) power supply, (26) system support profiles (10), (27) flat cables, (28) card housing, (29) housing (10), (30) conventional equipment, (31) front major base , (32) cards, (33) connectors, (34) power circuit, (35) pins, (36) data bus, (37) counter communication bus, (38) external measurement channel, ( 39) external power line, (40) input and output module, (41) microcontroller, (42-43-44) additional circuitry to the microcontroller (41), (45) input and output addressing module , (46) output driver, (47) multiplexing circuit, (48) ground write circuit, (49) comparator circuit, (50) threshold configurator circuit, (51) ID selector block, (52) circuit controlled power supply, (53) DC / DC module, (54) p module protection against circuit breakers, (55) test server, (56) work stations, (57) "PC's", (58) screen, (59) drivers, (60) output driver, (61) multiplexed circuit, (62) mass writing circuit,

Figure 1 is a representation of a conventional equipment manufactured by the owner by way of example of the state of the art, in which a housing of the equipment (30) can be seen, on whose side base connectors are incorporated (33) at the end of the tape (28) and two cards (32) outside said casing.

Figure 2 is a perspective view of the system (10), comprising a housing (29), in the upper part of which are the pin alignments (13) formed by pins (35), the connection points (15) and in the lower part the profiles (26).

Figure 3 is a perspective of the system (10) seen from another point in which it is shown on the back (18) of (10), the elements that are incorporated such as the CAN data buses (20), the card identifiers, (21) control leds, jumpers (24), and power supply (25).

Figures 4 and 5 are a perspective of the upper part of the system (10).

Figure 6 is a perspective of the support profiles (26) of the casing (29) of the system (10).

Figure 7 is a diagram of the arrangement to which the high-speed distributed system (10) is incorporated, in which a set of several housings (10a) can be seen, connected in series by conductors.

Figure n ° 8 is a block diagram of the system electronics (10).

Description of an embodiment of the invention.

In one of the conventional embodiments prior to the present application, and manufactured by the same owner, it can be seen in figure 1, a conventional distribution equipment (30), whose configuration and elements comprises inside a substantially prismatic housing , a set of cards (32), which operate in combination with connectors (33) located on one of the smaller side bases on which the flat cable straps (27) that electrically connect the equipment (30) are mounted, with a desk equipped with counter-pieces which receive respective connectors incorporated to the set of cables that are part of the wiring harness.

The conventional distribution equipment (30) is connected to the corresponding PC in whose screen the result of the check of the cable assembly and its associated connectors forming part of said cable bundle appears.

The high-speed system for checking electrical circuits recommended (10), comprises a housing (10a), as shown in figures 1 and 2, which has been designed in order to centralize the functions entrusted to the system , so that the power electronics remain in the vicinity of the connection points (15) to the counter-parts located in the corresponding desk not shown in the figures, and grouped said power electronics in the upper part of the housing ( 10a), and more specifically in the base (12) of the housing (10a), while in the lower base (11) the alignment (13) of pins is incorporated, two, with a total of 128 connection points.

In the rear part (18) of the casing (10a) there are the data buses (20), two, the card identifiers (21), the control lights (22-23), the jumpers (24). ) and finally the electric power points (25). of the system (10).

The power electronics is mainly made up of two double-sided printed circuit boards, sandwich type, that is, the components of the circuit are incorporated into the plate on both sides, thereby achieving a reduction in space and integration of a number of components in said plates.

As detailed below, the systems (10) can use one or more housings (10a), connected in series by conductors (59) as detailed schematically in figure 7, so that a through the test server (55) connected in turn to a housing (10a), the information detected by the system (10) is sent from respective desks, not represented in the attached figures, given that they are elements conventional, where they are incorporated respective counter-parts, once checked all the circuits attached to the wiring harness, the cables and connectors incorporated to them and the work stations (56) of the operators, they can visualize using the timely "PC's". (57) and for its screens (58), the results of the check and the information of the points of the wiring and connectors where there is a failure of assembly or a defective component.

Referring to the electronics that are part of the system (10) and more specifically of the equipment and as can be seen in figure n ° 8, the data bus (36) interconnects the system charts and the "PC's" (57), through a CAN communication protocol that incorporates a bus (37) for communication with the counter-pieces, which (37) allows the micro-controller (41) to communicate with the counter-pieces not shown in the figure, which are incorporated into respective desks, through the communication protocol LIN.

Also inside the block diagram shown in figure n ° 8 can be seen the external measurement channel (38) which is used to transmit the signal of one or several pins in the alignments (13) of the input and output modules (50), present (13) in the lower base (11) of the housing (10a). The input and output modules (50) consist of a connector, on whose pins the elements to be measured are connected, or activated by the application of a ground or zero potential reference, in collaboration with the multiplexing circuit (47), whose function is to connect one or several of the pins of the input and output module to the same channel that it shares with the comparator circuit and the digital analog converter, so that this same channel can also be connected to the external measurement channel.

The government of the system (10) is operated by the microcontroller (41) which includes, among others, the functions of the communication modules CAN, LIN and SPI, and has (41) a digital analog converter for the realization of measurements, signals, coming from the input and output modules (50).

In turn, the microcontroller (41) has an additional circuitry (2-43), necessary first to perform CAN communication between the cards and the other nodes of the data bus, and the second circuitry for the purpose of adapting the signal coming from the input and output module (50) for its correct measurement in the digital analog converter.

Attached to the microcontroller (41) and as can be seen in the diagram of figure n ° 8 is the input and output addressing module (45), which works in conjunction with the modules:

- Output driver (60). - Multiplexing circuit (61).

- Ground writing circuit (62).

The function of the module (45) is to activate these modules to be able to perform any of the functions that these modules come from. So that the functions can be applied in one to several pins of the input and output module and separately or jointly.

The function of the output driver (60) consists of a circuit whose function is to activate or deactivate external devices. To do this, this element connects one or more of the pins of the input and output module to ground or a zero reference potential. To provide power to these devices, an array of transistors in Darlington configuration is used.

The function of the multiplexing circuit (61) is to connect one or several pins of the input and output modules to the same channel shared by the comparator circuit and the digital analog converter. You can also connect this external measurement channel.

The function of the grounding circuit (62) is to connect one or more of the pins of the input and output module to a ground or reference of zero potential. Unlike the output driver, the objective of this module is to cause a potential difference in the elements connected to the aforementioned input and output module (40), for later evaluation by means of the comparator circuit (49), the digital analog converter or the circuits for the measurement, which could use another plate through the external measurement channel.

In turn, the comparator circuit has the additional function of applying voltage through a pull-up resistor to the channel coming from the circuit multiplexed However, its main function is to compare voltage that is in this channel, and therefore, comes initially from the input and output module (40), with a known reference voltage.

The function of the threshold configurator circuit

(50) is to vary the reference voltage that is applied to the comparator circuit. For this reason, voltage dividers with digital potentiometers are used. The latter connected via an SPI bus to the microcontroller, for automatic adjustment.

Connected directly to the microcontroller (41) and as can be seen in the block diagram of figure n ° 8, the ID selector block consists of several mechanical selectors connected to the general purpose pins of said micro- controller (41). Using these selectors, the system installer can configure a numerical value as an identifier on each card. The identifier is mainly used to sign an address to each element connected to the data bus.

Through the controlled feeding circuit

(52) connected to the microcontroller (41) and to the counter-part short-circuit protection (54), said micro-controller (41), can control the power supply to the counter-part, and also control the drive devices in this such as relays and LEDs. To carry out this drive, a ground or zero potential reference is applied, in the same way that it is done in the output driver.

In turn through the DC / DC module and regulators

(53) connected to the previous circuit (52) and to the feed (39) you get different feeds you need to operate, from a single external power line. Its function is to supply feeds of different value, and at the same time regulate these to obtain stable feeds to possible signal variations of the external power line.

Finally, the short circuit protection module (54) fulfills the function of protecting the system from possible short circuits caused in the counter-part controlled supply, it can not destroy any other element of the system.

Having sufficiently described the present invention in correspondence with the appended figures, it is easy to understand that any modifications of detail that may be considered convenient may be made therein, provided that the essence of the invention summarized in the following claims is not altered.

Claims

R E I V I N D I C A C I O N E S:

I ^a - "HIGH-SPEED DISTRIBUTED SYSTEM FOR CHECKING ELECTRIC CIRCUITS" of those that use a protocol of electric currents that are applied to the service wiring harness several electrical installations, electrical appliances, trains, airplanes and others, to check the different circuits covered by the cables that said wire bundle integrates, in order to detect a bad assembly, short-circuit connection faults and others in combination with one or more desks in the, characterized in that the system is included in the interior of the equipment and its preferably metallic casing but which can be injected in plastic materials by molding injection techniques, whose prismatic configuration commands the connections of the cables and connectors of said cable harness, with the upper part of the casing having two or more levels, so that each level groups different functions, the lower one an alignment of pins, and a of test points for the connection of said connectors twenty-four or more in the intermediate level, the rear face being used for the grouping of:

- data bus CAN controller area network;

- letter identifiers;

- electric power or error confirmation LEDs;

- electric configuration jumpers;

- electrical input and output power;

and in the lower part of the housing, respective profiles for the incorporation of the same to a working strip, being incorporated in the interior of the housing a power electronics comprising, among others, two integrated circuit boards on both sides.

2 ^a - "HIGH-SPEED DISTRIBUTED SYSTEM FOR CHECKING ELECTRIC CIRCUITS" according to the first claim characterized in that the systems can use one or more housings, connected in series by conductors, so that through the test server connected to their Once with a housing, the information detected by the system is sent from respective desks where respective counter-pieces are incorporated, once all the circuits attached to the wiring harness have been checked, the cables and connectors incorporated to them and the Operators work stations, they can visualize through the appropriate "PC's", and by their screens the results of the check and the information of the points of the wiring and connectors where there is a failure of assembly or a defective component.

3 ^a - "HIGH-SPEED DISTRIBUTED SYSTEM FOR CHECKING ELECTRIC CIRCUITS" according to the preceding claims characterized in that each screen of the "PCs" receives a group of incidents in each one of them.

4 - "S STEMA DISTRIBUTED HIGH SPEED FOR CHECKING ELECTRICAL CIRCUITS" according to the first ^to claim characterized in that each workstation includes a keyboard a screen and a center unit connected latter to a server test which in turn It is connected in series to one or more verification systems. 5 to _ ^« HIGH-SPEED DISTRIBUTED SYSTEM FOR CHECKING ELECTRIC CIRCUITS" according ^to claim I characterized in that each power electronics comprises as elements the following:

- Micro-controller.

- Power supply with short circuit protection and DC / DC regulators.

- Controlled feeding for the counter-pieces located in the respective boards that receive the respective wire harness and its connectors mounted on the ends of said cables.

- Channel of communication of counter-pieces, connected to the micor-controller by means of a circuit CAN.

- Bus of data in series with the micro-controller through a CAN circuit.

- ID selector, connected to the micro-controller.

- I / O addressing connected to the micro-controller.

- Comparator circuit, connected to the micro-controller. And to an ADC circuit.

- Threshold configurator circuit connected to the microcontroller.

- Input and output module connected to an output driver, a multiplexed circuit and a ground writing circuit.

6 - "DISTRIBUTED SYSTEM FOR HIGH SPEED ELECTRIC CIRCUIT TESTING" according to I and 5th claim , characterized in that, attached to a module micro controller addressing inputs and outputs, which works in conjunction with is the Modules:

- Output driver.

- Multiplex circuit. -Circuit writing to mass.

7 - "DISTRIBUTED SYSTEM HIGH SPEED FOR CHECKING ELECTRICAL CIRCUITS" according to I and 6th claims , characterized in that the output driver is a circuit whose function is to enable or disable external devices, for it, this element connects one or several of the pins of the input and output module to ground or a zero reference potential, to provide power to these devices, an array of transistors in Darlington configuration is used.

ga _ "DISTRIBUTED SYSTEM HIGH SPEED FOR CHECKING ELECTRICAL CIRCUITS" according to claims I and 6th characterized in that the multiplexing circuit, connecting one or more pins of input modules and output to a same channel sharing circuit comparator and the digital analog converter, and can also connect this external measurement channel.

9 to _ "HIGH-SPEED DISTRIBUTED SYSTEM FOR CHECKING ELECTRIC CIRCUITS" according to I ^a and 6 ^to claims characterized in that the earth-writing circuit is connected to one or several of the pins of the input and output module to a ground or zero potential reference causing a potential difference in the elements connected to the aforementioned input and output module, for later evaluation by means of the comparator circuit, the digital analog converter or the circuits for the measurement, which could use another plate through the channel external measurement. 10 - "DISTRIBUTED SYSTEM HIGH SPEED FOR CHECKING ELECTRICAL CIRCUITS" according to claims I and 6th claims , characterized in that in turn the comparator circuit has the additional function of applied voltage by a resistor pull-up channel provinente of the multiplexing circuit,

11 ^a - "HIGH-SPEED DISTRIBUTED SYSTEM FOR CHECKING ELECTRIC CIRCUITS" according to the previous claim, characterized in that the main function of the comparator circuit is to compare the voltage that is in this channel, and therefore, comes initially from the input module and outputs, with a known reference voltage.

12 ^a - "HIGH-SPEED DISTRIBUTED SYSTEM FOR CHECKING ELECTRIC CIRCUITS" according ^{to the} claim characterized in that the threshold configurator circuit varies the reference voltage applied to the comparator circuit, therefore, voltage dividers with potentiometers are used digital

13 ^a - "HIGH-SPEED DISTRIBUTED SYSTEM FOR CHECKING ELECTRIC CIRCUITS" according to the preceding claim characterized in that the voltage dividers are connected by an SPI bus to the microcontroller, for automatic adjustment.

14 ^a - "HIGH-SPEED DISTRIBUTED SYSTEM FOR CHECKING ELECTRIC CIRCUITS" according to claim 1 characterized in that directly connected to the micro-controller is the ID selector block, which consists of several mechanical selectors connected to the general purpose pins of said microcontroller, by means of these selectors, the system installer can configure in each chart a numeric value as an identifier, the identifier is used mainly to sign an address to each element connected to the bus. data.

15 ^a - "HIGH-SPEED DISTRIBUTED SYSTEM FOR CHECKING ELECTRIC CIRCUITS" according ^{to the} claim characterized in that the controlled supply circuit connected to the micro-controller and to the counter-part short-circuit protection, allows said micro-controller , can control the power supply to said counter-part, and also control the actuation of devices in it such as relays and LEDs, to perform this actuation a mass or reference of zero potential is applied, in the same way as performed on the output driver.

16 ^a - "HIGH-SPEED DISTRIBUTED SYSTEM FOR CHECKING ELECTRIC CIRCUITS" according ^to claim I, characterized in that, in turn, by means of the DC / DC module and regulators connected to the previous circuit and to the supply, different feeds are obtained that it needs to operate , from a single external power line, supplying different value feeds, and at the same time regulate these to obtain stable feeds to possible signal variations of the external power line. 17 ^a - "HIGH-SPEED DISTRIBUTED SYSTEM FOR CHECKING ELECTRIC CIRCUITS" according ^{to the} claim characterized in that the short-circuit protection module fulfills the protection of the system against possible short-circuits caused in the counter-controlled controlled supply so that it can not destroy any other element of the system.