The electromagnetic relay comprises an auxiliary fixed terminal that has a configuration different from that of a fixed terminal and includes an auxiliary external input/output terminal and an auxiliary external output/input terminal that can be electrically connected to the auxiliary external input/output terminal. The electromagnetic relay comprises an auxiliary movable terminal that has a configuration different from that of a movable terminal and can electrically connect the auxiliary external input/output terminal and the auxiliary external output/input terminal.

A relay control method is provided for controlling an in-vehicle motor that includes a steering angle main control module. The main control module has a power supply relay is connected to a battery, a motor drive circuit connected to a fixed contact of the power supply relay via a bus bar, and a phase relay connected to the motor drive circuit via a bus bar. The motor drive circuit contacts a heat radiation part that has a higher thermal conductivity than the power supply relay. After the ignition is turned off and with the switches for the power supply relay and the phase relay remaining in the on state, a motor energization control is performed for maintaining a rotation stop state in the motor for a predetermined time, and after the predetermined time has elapsed, the switch of the power supply relay is switched to off.

A system (100) and method is provided that facilitates functional safety monitoring of relay contacts. The system may include a contactless sensor circuit (108) that includes: an output signal antenna (110) positioned in the contactless sensor circuit to extend between at least two contacts (116, 118) of a relay (120); and first and second input signal antennas (112, 114) positioned in the contactless sensor circuit respectively adjacent the at least two contacts of the relay, such that the output signal antenna and the at least two contacts of the relay are positioned between the first and second input signal antennas. The system may also include a processor (102) configured to cause the output signal antenna to output a wireless signal (122) capable of being received by the first and second input signal antennas while the processor monitors wireless signals received by the first and second input signals antennas. The processor may be configured to determine that the relay has a fault based on the wireless signals received by the first and second input signal antennas, and responsive thereto output at least one communication (126) indicative of a fault with the relay being detected.

A switching arrangement comprises a switching device with a contact bridge, a magnetic drive coupled to the contact bridge and a control circuit. The control circuit comprises a current sensing unit configured to measure a load current flowing through the switching device, a trigger level detector having an input coupled to an output of the current sensing unit, a reset circuit having an input coupled to an output of the trigger level detector, a timer having a reset input coupled to an output of the reset circuit and a driver having a control input coupled to an output of the timer. A terminal of the driver is coupled to a first terminal of the magnetic drive.

A method and a system for detecting an adhesion of a relay are disclosed. In a high voltage circuit, a voltage is measured across a load multiple times within a specified time period when a first relay and a second relay are open and a third relay is closed, where the second relay may be a main negative relay of the high voltage circuit. The second relay is declared to have an adhesion malfunction when a change in the value of the measured load voltage satisfies a specified condition. Using the change in the sampled load voltages external to the main negative relay, the adhesion malfunction of the main negative relay may be diagnosed, so that corrective action may be taken. The potential safety hazard caused by the adhesion malfunction of the main negative relay may be prevented, such as may occur in an electric vehicle high voltage circuit.

A power control apparatus according to the present disclosure includes a first interconnection relay and a second interconnection relay configured to interconnect or parallel off an inverter to or from a power grid, a reference potential relay configured to set a neutral phase of an independent operation output system to a reference potential, voltage sensors respectively installed between the first interconnection relay and the inverter and between the first interconnection relay and the power grid, voltage sensors respectively installed between the second interconnection relay and the inverter and between the second interconnection relay and the power grid, and a controller configured to turn the reference potential relay on to set the neutral phase to the reference potential and then to judge whether a state of each interconnection relay is normal on the basis of voltage values measured by the voltage sensors.

A relay is disclosed. In an embodiment a relay includes a first switching contact having a first main contact, a second main contact and a first movable contact; a second switching contact having a third main contact, a fourth main contact and a second movable contact, wherein the second switching contact is electrically isolated from the first switching contact; and an actuator configured to move both the first and second movable contacts from a first switching state into a second switching state by moving a drive element of the actuator from a first position into a second position.

[Object] To provide a switching device in which it is possible to suppress an occurrence of an arc while preventing a contact welding of a switch.

[Solution] Provided is the switching device including: a first circuit breaker mechanism provided in a path of current output from a direct current power supply; a second circuit breaker mechanism that is provided in parallel with the first circuit breaker mechanism in the path of current output from the direct current power supply, and is connected and disconnected with a time lag from the first circuit breaker mechanism; a capacitor provided between the direct current power supply and the second circuit breaker mechanism; and a discharging unit that is connected in parallel with the capacitor. A disconnection speed when the first circuit breaker mechanism is disconnected and a capacitance of the capacitor are set such that a dielectric strength voltage rises faster than a rising speed of a charging voltage of the capacitor, in a case where resistance of a load that receives a supply of the current from the direct current power supply is minimal.

A diagnosis device diagnoses current cutoff devices connected in parallel and disposed on an energization path to an energy storage device mounted on a vehicle. The diagnosis device performs switch processing of switching one of the current cutoff devices to be diagnosed from an opened state to a closed state or from the closed state to the opened state and closing the other current cutoff device while an engine of the vehicle is stopped. The diagnosis device detects end-to-end voltage of the current cutoff device when current larger than a threshold flows through the current cutoff device after the switch processing, and diagnoses the current cutoff device based on the detected end-to-end voltage.

A relay control method is provided for controlling an in-vehicle motor that includes a steering angle main control module. The main control module has a power supply relay is connected to a battery, a motor drive circuit connected to a fixed contact of the power supply relay via a bus bar, and a phase relay connected to the motor drive circuit via a bus bar. The motor drive circuit contacts a heat radiation part that has a higher thermal conductivity than the power supply relay. After the ignition is turned off and with the switches for the power supply relay and the phase relay remaining in the on state, a motor energization control is performed for maintaining a rotation stop state in the motor for a predetermined time, and after the predetermined time has elapsed, the switch of the power supply relay is switched to off.