285results about "Switches with electrothermal release" patented technology

A circuit breaker including a pyrotechnic element configured to ablate or cut a portion of the circuit so as to break the circuit, thereby breaking the circuit. The portion of the circuit to be broken may be specially formed to be readily ablated or cut, and / or may be a current load-based fuse.

A circuit breaker including a pyrotechnic element configured to ablate, tear, or cut a portion of the circuit. The portion of the circuit to be broken may be formed to be readily broken and / or may be a current load-based fuse. Also, the circuit breaker may be configured to ensure predictable progressive lateral tearing of the portion of the circuit to be broken; the circuit breaker may optionally be configured so that substantially all of the pyrotechnic element's output is focused on breaking the circuit; and the circuit breaker may optionally include a positive displacement mechanism that, after actuation of the pyrotechnic igniter, prevents the circuit breaker from inadvertently re-closing.

An electric circuit breaker apparatus is used in a vehicle including an electric circuit having a converter and a storage battery. The electric circuit breaker apparatus interrupts power supply from the storage battery to the converter when a collision of the vehicle is detected. The electric circuit breaker apparatus includes a power supply circuit breaker driven by a low explosive type actuator, which is actuated when a collision of the vehicle is detected. Actuation of the power supply circuit breaker interrupts a power supply path connecting a positive terminal of the storage battery to the converter and grounds a portion of the power supply path closer to the converter than the interrupted portion.

A current sensor 73 detects a current flowing through a first buss bar 11. When a current value detected by the current sensor 73 became equal to or greater than a threshold current value, a CPU 74 outputs a driving control signal to a driving circuit 77, and the driving circuit 77 operates an, ignitor 29 through a second substrate 65 and a terminal 50. Therefore, the ignitor 29 ignites, a second projection 41 is melted by heat of a heating agent 27, a compression spring 34 is expanded and a thermite case 26 jumps up. Thus, electrical connection between the thermite case 26 and the first and second buss bars 11, 19 is interrupted. Further, since an outer container 61 in which the current sensor 73, the CPU and the driving circuit 77 are accommodated is integrally assembled with the cap 14a and the resin case 14b in which the thermite case 26, the ignitor 29, the compression spring 34 and the second projection 41 are accommodated, non-operational state of the ignitor 29 due to disconnection of electric wire is not generated.

An electric circuit breaker apparatus is used in a vehicle including an electric circuit having a converter and a storage battery. The electric circuit breaker apparatus interrupts power supply from the storage battery to the converter when a collision of the vehicle is detected. The electric circuit breaker apparatus includes a power supply circuit breaker driven by a low explosive type actuator, which is actuated when a collision of the vehicle is detected. Actuation of the power supply circuit breaker interrupts a power supply path connecting a positive terminal of the storage battery to the converter and grounds a portion of the power supply path closer to the converter than the interrupted portion.

A fuse box system and method providing for visual and / or remote sensing of interrupted fusing elements is disclosed. The system incorporates LEDs and / or remote sensing apparatus to permit indication of a “blown” fuse and / or circuit protection breaker. This system may be configured for both polarized and / or non-polarized applications and generally provides for indicator illumination when a fuse / breaker is blown. Some preferred embodiments may incorporate current sourcing technologies to permit operation of the system over wide range of system voltages, as well as provisions for wired and / or RF / wireless interrogation of the fuse / breaker status. Alternate embodiments including systems / methods to permit remote sensing of fuse status and / or circuit current monitoring, and may be retrofit within existing fuse / breaker panel systems in some configurations.

A fast acting switching mechanism for a circuit breaker includes a drive rod articulated to a drive module and supporting at an end thereof a contact bridge having at opposite ends thereof respective moveable contacts for switchably engaging a pair of fixed contacts of the circuit breaker. A contact spring unit is operatively coupled to the drive module for applying closing pressure in the order of 200 Kg; and a latch latches the drive rod in an open or closed position after operation of the circuit breaker and prevents rebounds. The contact bridge includes a pair of side conductors supporting on upper edges thereof an armature having an exposed upper surface that supports the moveable contacts at opposite ends of the armature; and a reinforcing element inserted between the side conductors.

A circuit breaker including a pyrotechnic element configured to ablate or cut a portion of the circuit so as to break the circuit, thereby breaking the circuit. The portion of the circuit to be broken may be specially formed to be readily ablated or cut, and / or may be a current load-based fuse.

A thermally compensated circuit breaker has a movable contact assembly (24) which mounts a movable electrical contact (24m) for movement between open and closed contacts positions with a stationary electrical contact (26). The contacts are maintained in the closed circuits position by a latching mechanism (24b, 28g) which prevents opening of the contacts through an opening contacts force provided by a spring (24e). A current carrying trip arm (40a, 44a) deflects upon sufficient I.sup.2 R heating to transfer motion to the latch to separate the latch (24b) from the latch receiving catch (28g) to trip the circuit breaker. The trip arm (40a, 44a) is part of a pivotably mounted actuator assembly (40, 44) having a movable end portion spaced from the pivot disposed adjacent a motion transfer member (28c). A calibration screw (42a) is located so that the longitudinal axis is in line with a movable end portion of the actuator assembly and the motion transfer member. In one embodiment the head of the calibration screw is captured in a slot in the free end of a calibration base (42d) attached to the trip arm so that deflection of the trip arm directly transfers motion to the motion transfer member and in another embodiment the calibration screw head is captured in a slot in the free end of the trip arm so that a bowing deflection of the trip arm causes a calibration base (46) to which it is attached at an end thereof to rotate with the calibration base directly transferring motion to the motion transfer member.

A circuit breaker including a pyrotechnic element configured to ablate, tear, or cut a portion of the circuit. The portion of the circuit to be broken may be formed to be readily broken and / or may be a current load-based fuse. Also, the circuit breaker may be configured to ensure predictable progressive lateral tearing of the portion of the circuit to be broken; the circuit breaker may optionally be configured so that substantially all of the pyrotechnic element's output is focused on breaking the circuit; and the circuit breaker may optionally include a positive displacement mechanism that, after actuation of the pyrotechnic igniter, prevents the circuit breaker from inadvertently re-closing.

The response time of a melting fuse is controlled or influenced by temporarily boosting a threshold level from a first constant value (I1) to a second dynamic value (I2) which is then caused to decay in a controlled manner during a fixed time between (t1) and (t2) and in accordance with a selectable decay function. If a current (m) flowing through the fuse exceeds the decaying threshold value a fuse blowing current is generated and supplied to the fuse, whereby the fuse blows sooner than it would have, if the excess current had prevailed for a long enough time between (t1) and (tX). On the other hand, the fuse does not blow in response to short duration transient excess currents that occur, for example at starting an engine. The engine start impulse which may be used to temporarily raise the threshold value from (I1) to (I2) and then cause said controlled decay.

In a circuit breaker, a rotary-operating handle is linked with an opening and closing mechanism via a driving gear so that main circuit contacts can be opened and closed by rotating an opening and closing lever. A vertically moving handle lock lever is arranged between a tip of the opening and closing lever and the driving gear directly coupled to the operating handle, so that when the main circuit contacts are opened after being welded, the lock lever abuts against the driving gear to restrain the operating handle to the vicinity of the ON position, thereby restricting the movement to a contact-open indicating position. Further, an upward-inclined surface is formed in a stopper section located at a tip of the lock lever, so that if the contact welding is not severe, the lock lever can be pushed down to forcibly open the contacts.

A pyromechanical disconnecting device having an improved electric current conductor rail. The electric current conductor rail includes a center section perpendicular to the path of a disconnecting tool, and a first and second side section extending perpendicular from the center section. The electric current conductor rail further includes a first and second end piece connected respectively to the first and second side sections apart from the center section. Each of the end pieces is connected along a fold perpendicular to the center section and includes a bore for receiving a fastener to attach the electric current conductor rail to a housing.

In order to provide a current fuse with high solderability without containing harmful materials, solder chips containing 30 to 60 percent by weight of zinc, 0.1 to 2 percent by weight of copper, 0.1 to 1 percent by weight of nickel, and the remainder percent by weight being tin, or further containing 0.01 to 0.5 percent by weight of aluminum are inserted into the interior of the electrodes before pressing the electrodes into the ends of the substrate of the fuse, the exterior of the electrodes is heated to melt the solder chips, thereby connecting between the electrodes and the fuse wire.

A thermal overload relay includes an inversion operation mechanism that is driven by a releasing lever to open or close a contact. The inversion operation mechanism includes a movable plate supported at one end so as to be inverted, and a tension spring for driving the movable plate for inversion. The releasing lever presses a middle of a wire of the tension spring to drive the movable plate for inversion. A projection is formed in the middle of the wire of the tension spring to contact with the releasing lever. Thus, a stable inversion operation can be made regardless of the positioning of an adjustment dial.

The invention relates to a pyromechanical disconnecting device having a housing (2) in which an electrical conductor (3) is arranged, having a cutting plunger (5) and a cutting chisel (8) made of plastic arranged thereon for severing the electrical conductor (3), and having a pyrotechnic igniter (1) in which a pyrotechnic charge is arranged for driving the cutting plunger (5), the cutting chisel (8) having an edge that slides along a mating edge of the housing (2) or of a component (4) of the housing (2) when the cutting plunger (5) or the cutting chisel (8) is driven and when the electrical conductor (3) is severed.In order to achieve better cutting power, it is proposed that the edge of the cutting chisel (8) and / or the mating edge of the housing (2) or of a component (4) of the housing (2) comprise an inserted structural element (6, 7) having a greater hardness than plastic.

A protection mechanism for a switch device includes a disk rotatably connected to an inside of the case and two ends of a pull member are pivotably connected between the disk and the switch member pivotably connected to an open top of the case. One of the two ends of the pull member lifts the bimetallic plate to set the “OFF” status when pivoting the switch member. A push member has one end movably engagged with an upward groove in an inside of the case so as to push the bimetallic plate to contact one of two terminals, and the other end of the push member is pivotably connected to the disk. The push member is pivoted an angle to produce a space between the push member and the bimetallic plate when the switch member is pivoted to “ON” position and the space allows the bimetallic plate to be completely deformed when overload.

A pyromechanical disconnecting apparatus, in particular for battery shutoff in a motor vehicle, includes a housing (4) in which there is arranged an electrically conductive conductor bus (2), which is fashioned so as to be severable at a predetermined cut position (1) by a cutting chisel (6) driven by a pyrotechnic propellant charge. The conductor bus (2) is clamped in on its side facing away from the cutting chisel (6) by a locking bolt (5) inserted into the housing (4), and a receiving space (15) is arranged in the locking bolt (5) in the region of the predetermined cut position (1), into which receiving space the cutting chisel (6) bends the region of the conductor bus (2) severed by it, and the locking bolt (5) forms an external surface of the housing (4). In order to diminish cracking of the locking bolt and housing and for purposes of inspection to determine whether the disconnecting apparatus has tripped, it is proposed that a recess (13) be arranged in the locking bolt (5), which recess transpicuously connects the receiving space (15) with the atmosphere.

An adjusting device is for a thermal trip of a switchgear. It includes a bimetal, which is held in a fixed manner on a bimetal support, whose free end is located at a distance from a tripping lever, and which increasingly acts upon this tripping lever in a tripping direction as a result of thermal deformation. A distance can be adjusted by deforming the bimetal support. The adjusting device is particularly suited for use in circuit-breakers or the like.

A mold cased circuit breaker is disclosed that enables a user to easily discern an actually connected state between stationary contactors and movable contactors and forcibly separates a connection therebetween if there arises electrical fault, wherein the circuit breaker comprises: a first isolation link hinged at a lower end thereof to a shaft unit and selectively engaged at an upper end thereof with a lateral surface of a lever; a second isolation link centrally formed with an oblong hole for accommodating a guide pin protruded on a side plate and linked at one end thereof to an upper end of the first isolation link; and an isolation lever adjacently positioned at one end thereof to the other end of the second isolation link, and so positioned at the other end thereof as to selectively engage with a nail, and rotatably mounted at the side plate to rotate the nail by way of operation of the second isolation link.

An operation unit for controlling and protecting switch appliance includes an installing plate and a face shell marked with positions of automatic control trip, section, reset and isolation, a push rod, a push pedal, a rocker arm, a pull rod parallel to a pyromagnetic stripper, a master circuit contact set, an electromagnetic device unit and an isolation unit of KBO control and protection switch appliance are set in the installing plate, a manual operated indication button set at the positions mentioned above, a side cam, a trip cam, an intermediate cam, a middle retainer, a side retainer and a spring are in mounted in the installing plate.

A circuit protector is connected in a circuit to protect the circuit from overloading. The circuit protector includes a casing inside which first and second terminals electrically connected to the circuit are fixed. A first cantilever member is fixed to the first terminal and has a cantilever arm that assumes a first shape in a normal condition and is convertible into a second shape in an overloading condition. A second member is supported in the casing by a pivot and has one end fixed to the second terminal by a fastener and an opposite end forming a contact engageable with the cantilever arm in the first shape and separable from the cantilever arm in the second shape. The fastener has a low melting point whereby an overloading causes the fastener to melt and break and thus allowing the second member to rotate and separating the contact from the cantilever arm. The second member is biased by a spring to facilitate separation of the contact from the second member when the fastener is broken.

A switch structure comprises a control element, which comprises an alloy piece and a swinging device. The swinging device has an actuating element used to actuate the swinging device when the actuating element is pushed. When the alloy piece is overheated due to overloading of current, it will deform toward the actuating element so as to eject the actuating element, which causes the swing device to swing outwards and is released from the supporting of the stopper in the switch body. Then, the swing device moves towards the original closing position, and the elastic contacting piece is released from the pressing of the swing device to eject upwards. Two joints connected in an electric loop are tripped. The object of rapid response, cutting power source, and safety is therefore achieved.

A load drive controller for controlling a heat generating member by a switching element includes a temperature detection portion for detecting a physical quantity of a level corresponding to a temperature of the switching element, a protection function portion for outputting an abnormality signal corresponding to an overheated state of the switching element when the physical quantity detected by the temperature detection portion is larger than a value, a control portion for causing the heat generating member to generate heat by driving the switching element via a driving portion. Furthermore, the control portion causes a temperature adjustment portion to increase the temperature of the heat generating member when the abnormality signal is input from the protection function portion.

Fuse state indicators for use with disconnect devices having a fuse are provided. Fuse state indicators include a housing having circuitry, a detecting means for detecting an open circuit condition, conductors adapted for electrical connection to a disconnect device so as to complete a circuit connecting the detecting means with a fuse of the disconnect device, and a signal transmitting means. The detecting means is configured to transmit a signal to the signal transmitting means for determining an operational state of the fuse. The signal transmitting means, in turn, is configured to transmit a signal to a remote device the state of the fuse.

A circuit breaker includes a bimetallic plate that has a first end fixed to one terminal and a second end which can be lowered to contact the other terminal by pushing the pushbutton on top of the case of the breaker. The second end of the bimetallic plate is movably supported in a slot of a support member that is connected to an end of the pushbutton and is movable along an inclined surface of a protrusion in the case. The slot has a shorter upper edge so that when the support plate is shifted to a side when the pushbutton is set to its close-circuit position, the second end of the bimetallic plate can be deformed upward without any barrier by the upper edge of the slot.