The present invention relates to an electric circuit breaker device.
An electric circuit may be provided with a breaker device that is actuated when an abnormality occurs in a device constituting the electric circuit or when an abnormality occurs in a system in which the electric circuit is mounted, thereby urgently interrupting the continuity of the electric circuit. As one aspect thereof, there has been proposed an electric circuit breaker device that forcibly and physically cuts a conductor piece forming a portion of an electric circuit by moving a projectile at high speed by energy applied from an igniter or the like (see, for example, Patent Document 1). Further, in recent years, electric circuit breaker devices applied to electric vehicles equipped with a high-voltage power source are becoming increasingly important.
The electric circuit breaker device includes, for example, as an outer shell member, a housing enclosing an accommodating space extending in one direction, an igniter provided in the housing, a projectile that is projected from one end side of the accommodating space by energy received from the igniter and moves along the extending direction of the accommodating space, and a conductor piece that is disposed crossing the space and is cut by the projectile. The housing includes a housing body that holds the conductor piece and an igniter-side housing portion provided with the igniter. The igniter-side housing portion is attached with it being in contact with a first surface of the housing body. The igniter-side housing portion includes an internal space communicating with the accommodating space in the housing body and forming one end on the igniter side of the accommodating space, and also includes a peripheral wall defining an outer periphery of the accommodating space and provided along the extending direction of the accommodating space, and a flange portion extending from a contact portion of the peripheral wall with the first surface toward an outer side of the igniter-side housing portion along the first surface.
In the electric circuit breaker device having the above configuration, when a high-pressure gas is generated by ignition of the igniter and the projectile is projected by this energy, the flange portion may be distorted by the pressure at the time of ignition. When the flange portion is distorted, there arises a possibility that a gap is formed between the flange portion and the housing body to leak the high-pressure gas. Thus, it has been desired to improve the reliability of the electric circuit breaker device by suppressing the distortion of the flange portion at the time of ignition to prevent the leakage of the high-pressure gas.
An object of the technique of the present disclosure is to provide a technique for improving the reliability of an electric circuit breaker device.
To solve the above-mentioned problems, an electric circuit breaker device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure includes:
In the electric circuit breaker device,
In the electric circuit breaker device, the top-side rib portion may be extended from the outer side edge of the top-side flange portion toward a side of the conductor piece along the extending direction.
In the electric circuit breaker device, the top-side rib portion may be extended from the outer side edge of the top-side flange portion toward a side of the conductor piece along the extending direction.
In the electric circuit breaker device, the top-side rib portion may be extended from the outer side edge of the top-side flange portion toward a side opposite to the conductor piece along the extending direction.
In the electric circuit breaker device,
In the electric circuit breaker device, the second surface of the housing body is provided with a groove portion into which the bottom-side rib portion of the bottom housing portion is fitted.
In the aforementioned electric circuit breaker device,
According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, a technique for improving the reliability of an electric circuit breaker device may be provided.
An electric circuit breaker device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure will be described below with reference to the drawings. Note that each of the configurations, combinations thereof, and the like in an embodiment is an example, and various additions, omissions, substitutions, and other changes may be made as appropriate without departing from the spirit of the present disclosure. The present disclosure is not limited by an embodiment and is limited only by the claims.
The breaker device 1 includes a housing 10, an igniter 20, a projectile 40, a conductor piece 50, and coolant material 60. The housing 10, as an outer shell member, encloses an accommodating space 13 extending in a direction from a first end portion 11 on an upper end side toward a second end portion 12 on a lower end side. This accommodating space 13 is a space formed linearly, making the projectile 40 movable, and extends along a vertical direction of the breaker device 1. As illustrated in
The housing 10 includes a housing body 100, a top holder (top housing portion) 110, and a bottom container (bottom housing portion) 120. The top holder 110 and the bottom container 120 are bonded to the housing body 100, thereby forming the housing 10 that is integrated.
The housing body 100 is divided in the vertical direction with the position where the conductor piece 50 is disposed as a boundary, and includes an upper housing body 130 in an upper portion and a lower housing body 140 in a lower portion. In the present embodiment, the upper side of the housing 10 including this upper housing body 130 and the top holder 110 is also referred to as a first housing, and the lower side of the housing 10 including the lower housing body 140 and the bottom container 120 is also referred to as a second housing. Note that the housing body is not limited to the divided configuration, and may be integrally formed from the upper end connected to the top holder 110 to the lower end connected to the bottom container 120.
The housing body 100 in a state where the upper housing body 130 and the lower housing body 140 are combined has, for example, a substantially rectangular columnar outer shape. However, the shape of the housing body 100 is not particularly limited. The housing body 100 includes a cavity portion formed therethrough along the vertical direction. This cavity portion forms a portion of the accommodating space 13. Furthermore, the housing body 100 includes an upper surface (first surface) 101, to which a flange portion (top-side flange portion) 111 of the top holder 110 is fixed, and a lower surface (second surface) 102, to which a flange portion (bottom-side flange portion) 121 of the bottom container 120 is fixed. An upper tubular wall 103 having a tubular shape is provided erected upward from the upper surface 101 on the outer circumferential side of the upper surface 101 in the housing body 100. In the present embodiment, the upper tubular wall 103 has a rectangular tubular shape, for example, but may have other shapes. On the outer circumferential side of the lower surface 102 in the housing body 100, a lower tubular wall 104 having a tubular shape is provided suspended downward from the lower surface 102. In the present embodiment, the lower tubular wall 104 has a rectangular tubular shape, for example, but may have other shapes.
As illustrated in
As illustrated in
Next, the top holder 110 will be described.
The contour of the flange portion 111 in the top holder 110 has a substantially quadrangular shape that fits inside the upper tubular wall 103 in the housing body 100. A bolt passing hole 116 is provided passing through the flange portion 111 in the vertical direction. A fastening bolt is made to pass through the bolt passing hole 116. The four edges of the flange portion 111 are each provided with the rib portion 115 extended toward the conductor piece 50 side along the extending direction (Y direction) of the accommodating space. The rib portion 115 has a flat plate shape formed longitudinally along the outer edge of the flange portion 111. The rib portion 115 can be formed by bending each of the four sides of the flange portion 111 downward. The size of the rib portion 115 is not particularly limited. For example, the length thereof along an outer side of the flange portion 111 (hereinafter also referred to as a “rib length”) may be 10 mm to 30 mm, and the length thereof protruding downward from the lower surface of the flange portion 111 (hereinafter also referred to as a “rib height”) may be 1 mm to 10 mm.
The cavity portion formed inside the small diameter cylinder portion 112 in the top holder 110 functions as an accommodating space for accommodating a portion of the igniter 20 as illustrated in
Next, the bottom container 120 will be described.
Note that the above aspect regarding the shape of the bottom container 120 is an example, and other shapes may be adopted. The cavity portion (internal space) formed inside the bottom container 120 communicates with the housing body 100 located on the upper side, and forms a portion of the accommodating space 13. The bottom container 120 configured as described above can be formed using an appropriate metal member, such as stainless steel or aluminum, having excellent strength and durability, for example. However, a material for forming the bottom container 120 is not particularly limited. Further, the bottom container 120 may have a multilayer structure. For example, in the bottom container 120, an exterior portion facing the outside may be formed using an appropriate metal member, such as stainless steel or aluminum, having excellent strength and durability, and an interior portion facing the accommodating space 13 may be formed using an insulating member such as a synthetic resin. Of course, the entire bottom container 120 may be formed using an insulating member.
As described above, the housing 10 in the present embodiment is configured by vertically integrally assembling the top holder 110, the upper housing body 130, the lower housing body 140, and the bottom container 120. In the process of this assembly, the conductor piece 50 is disposed through the inside of the housing body 100. For example, the conductor piece 50 is fitted into a conductor piece holding portion 144 of the lower housing body 140, and the conductor piece is disposed crossing the cavity portion 145. The lower surface of the upper housing body 130 abuts against the upper surface of the lower housing body 140 and thus the bolt passing hole 142 of the lower housing body 140 and the bolt passing hole 132 of the upper housing become coaxial in this state. Furthermore, the flange portion 111 of the top holder 110 is inserted inside the upper tubular wall 103 of the upper housing body 130 to dispose the top holder 110 on the upper housing body 130, and the flange portion 121 of the bottom container 120 is inserted inside the lower tubular wall 104 of the lower housing body 140 to dispose the bottom container 120 under the lower housing body 140. Then, bolts are passed through the bolt passing holes of the top holder 110, the upper housing body 130, the lower housing body 140, and the bottom container 120 to fasten the respective portions. Note that the bolt is not necessarily used for the fastening, and the fastening may be performed with other fastening means such as a rivet.
Each portion may be bonded in a state where a sealant is applied between the top holder 110 and the upper housing body 130, between the upper housing body 130 and each of the lower housing body 140 and the conductor piece 50, between the lower housing body 140 and the conductor piece 50, and between the lower housing body 140 and the bottom container 120. This can increase airtightness of the accommodating space 13 formed in the housing 10. The airtightness of the accommodating space 13 may be enhanced by interposing a packing or a gasket between the portions in place of the sealant or in combination with the sealant. This accommodating space 13 accommodates the igniter 20, the projectile 40, a cutoff portion 53 of the conductor piece 50, the coolant material 60, and the like described in detail below.
Next, the igniter 20 will be described. The igniter 20 is an electric igniter that includes an ignition portion 21 with an ignition charge, and an igniter body 22 including a pair of electro-conductive pins (not illustrated) connected to the ignition portion 21. The igniter body 22 is surrounded by an insulating resin, for example. Further, tip end sides of the pair of electro-conductive pins in the igniter body 22 are exposed to the outside, and are connected to a power source when the breaker device 1 is used.
The igniter body 22 includes a body portion 221 having a substantially circular columnar shape and accommodated inside the small diameter cylinder portion 112 in the top holder 110, and a connector portion 222 positioned on the body portion 221. The igniter body 22 is fixed to the small diameter cylinder portion 112 by, for example, the body portion 221 being pressed to an inner circumferential surface of the small diameter cylinder portion 112. Further, a constricted portion having an outer circumferential surface recessed as compared with other locations is annularly formed along a circumferential direction of the body portion 221 at an axially intermediate portion of the body portion 221. An O-ring 223 is fitted into this constricted portion. The O-ring 223 is formed of, for example, rubber (silicone rubber, for example) or a synthetic resin, and functions to increase airtightness between the inner circumferential surface in the small diameter cylinder portion 112 and the body portion 221.
The connector portion 222 in the igniter 20 is disposed protruding to the outside through an opening 112A formed at an upper end of the small diameter cylinder portion 112. The connector portion 222 has, for example, a cylindrical tubular shape covering sides of the electro-conductive pins, allowing connection with a connector of a power source.
As illustrated in
In actuation of the igniter 20, when an actuating current for igniting the ignition charge is supplied from the power source to the electro-conductive pins, the bridge wire in the ignition portion 21 generates heat, and as a result, the ignition charge in the igniter cup is ignited and burns, generating a combustion gas. Then, the pressure in the igniter cup increases along with the combustion of the ignition charge in the igniter cup of the ignition portion 21, a rupture surface 21A of the igniter cup ruptures, and the combustion gas is discharged from the igniter cup into the accommodating space 13. More specifically, the combustion gas from the igniter cup is discharged into a recess 411 in a piston portion 41 described later of the projectile 40 disposed in the accommodating space 13.
Next, the projectile 40 will be described. The projectile 40 is formed using an insulating member such as a synthetic resin, for example, and includes the piston portion 41 and a rod portion 42 connected to the piston portion 41. The piston portion 41 has a substantially circular columnar shape and has an outer diameter substantially corresponding to an inner diameter of the large diameter cylinder portion 113 in the top holder 110. For example, the diameter of the piston portion 41 may be slightly smaller than the inner diameter of the large diameter cylinder portion 113. The shape of the projectile 40 can be changed as appropriate according to the shape of the housing 10 and the like.
Further, the recess 411 having a circular columnar shape, for example, is formed in an upper surface of the piston portion 41. This recess 411 receives the ignition portion 21. A bottom surface of the recess 411 is formed as a pressure receiving surface 411A that receives energy received from the igniter 20 during actuation of the igniter 20. Further, a constricted portion having an outer circumferential surface recessed as compared with other locations is annularly formed along a circumferential direction of the piston portion 41 at an axially intermediate portion of the piston portion 41. An O-ring 43 is fitted into this constricted portion. The O-ring 43 is formed of, for example, rubber (silicone rubber, for example) or a synthetic resin, and functions to increase airtightness between an inner circumferential surface in the large diameter cylinder portion 113 and the piston portion 41.
The rod portion 42 of the projectile 40 is a rod-shaped member having an outer circumferential surface smaller in diameter than the piston portion 41, for example, and is integrally connected to a lower end side of the piston portion 41. A lower end surface of the rod portion 42 is formed as a cutoff surface 420 for cutting off the cutoff portion 53 from the conductor piece 50 during actuation of the breaker device 1. Note that although the rod portion 42 in the present embodiment has a substantially cylindrical tubular shape, the shape thereof is not particularly limited, and can be changed in accordance with the shape and size of the cutoff portion 53 to be cut off from the conductor piece 50 during actuation of the breaker device 1. The rod portion 42 may have a columnar shape such as a circular column or a rectangular column, for example. Note that at the initial position of the projectile 40 illustrated in
As described in detail later, the projectile 40 configured as described above is projected from the initial position illustrated in
Next, the conductor piece 50 will be described. As illustrated in
In one aspect illustrated in
The conductor piece 50 is cut at a position overlapping the inside surface (inner wall surface) of an inner wall 143 defining the cavity portion 145 of the housing body 100, that is, a position overlapping the outer circumferential surface of the rod portion 42, and thus the cutoff portion 53 is cut off. In the first connection end portion 51 of the conductor piece 50, a boundary portion with the cutoff portion 53 from which the cutoff portion 53 is cut off is defined as a first cutting edge portion 511, and in the second connection end portion 52, a boundary portion with the cutoff portion 53 from which the cutoff portion 53 is cut off is defined as a second cutting edge portion 521.
Here, various forms of the conductor piece 50 can be adopted, and a shape thereof is not particularly limited. In the example illustrated in
Next, the coolant material 60 disposed in the accommodating space 13 in the housing 10 will be described. As illustrated in
The arc-extinguishing region R2 of the accommodating space 13 is a region (space) for receiving the cutoff portion 53 cut off by the rod portion 42 of the projectile 40 projected during actuation of the breaker device 1 (igniter 20). In this arc-extinguishing region R2, the coolant material 60 as an arc-extinguishing material is disposed. The coolant material 60 is a coolant material for removing thermal energy of the arc generated and the cutoff portion 53 when the projectile 40 cuts off the cutoff portion 53 of the conductor piece 50, and cooling the arc and the cutoff portion 53, thereby suppressing arc generation during cutting off of a current or thereby extinguishing (eliminating) the generated arc.
The arc-extinguishing region R2 in the breaker device 1 is a space for receiving the cutoff portion 53 cut off from the first connection end portion 51 and the second connection end portion 52 of the conductor piece 50 by the projectile 40, and at the same time, has a meaning as a space for effectively extinguishing an arc generated when the projectile 40 cuts off the cutoff portion 53. Then, to effectively extinguish the arc generated when the cutoff portion 53 is cut off from the conductor piece 50, the coolant material 60 is disposed as an arc-extinguishing material in the arc-extinguishing region R2.
As one aspect of the embodiment, the coolant material 60 is solid. As one aspect of the embodiment, the coolant material 60 is formed of a shape retaining body. The shape retaining body herein is, for example, a material that can keep a constant shape when no external force is applied and can hold the integrity (does not come apart), even if deformation can occur, when an external force is applied. For example, examples of the shape retaining body include a fibrous body formed into a desired shape. In the present embodiment, the coolant material 60 is formed of a metal fiber that is a shape retaining body. Here, examples of the metal fiber forming the coolant material 60 include an aspect in which at least any one of steel wool or copper wool is included. However, the above aspects in the coolant material 60 are examples, and the coolant material 60 is not limited to the above aspects.
The coolant material 60 is formed into a substantially disk shape, for example, and is disposed at a bottom portion of the bottom container 120.
Next, operation content when the breaker device 1 is actuated to interrupt the electric circuit will be described. As described above,
Furthermore, the breaker device 1 according to the embodiment further includes an abnormality detection sensor (not illustrated) that detects an abnormal state of a device (such as a vehicle, a power generation facility, or a power storage facility) to which an electric circuit to be cut off is connected, and a control unit (not illustrated) that controls the actuation of the igniter 20. The abnormality detection sensor may be capable of detecting an abnormal state on the basis of a voltage or a temperature of the conductor piece 50 in addition to the current flowing through the conductor piece 50. Further, the abnormality detection sensor may be, for example, an impact sensor, a temperature sensor, an acceleration sensor, a vibration sensor, or the like, and may detect an abnormal state such as an accident or fire on the basis of an impact, a temperature, acceleration, or vibration in a device such as a vehicle. The control unit of the breaker device 1 is a computer capable of performing a predetermined function by executing a predetermined control program, for example. The predetermined function of the control unit may be achieved by corresponding hardware. Then, when excessive current flows through the conductor piece 50 forming a portion of the electric circuit to which the breaker device 1 is applied, the abnormal current is detected by the abnormality detection sensor. Abnormality information regarding the detected abnormal current is passed from the abnormality detection sensor to the control unit. For example, the control unit is energized from an external power source (not illustrated) connected to the electro-conductive pins of the igniter 20 and actuates the igniter 20, based on the current value detected by the abnormality detection sensor. Here, the abnormal current may be a current value that exceeds a predetermined threshold value set for protection of a predetermined electric circuit. Note that the abnormality detection sensor and the control unit described above need not be included in the constituent elements of the breaker device 1, and may be included in a device separate from the breaker device 1, for example. Further, the abnormality detection sensor and the control unit are not essential components of the breaker device 1.
For example, when an abnormal current of the electric circuit is detected by an abnormality detection sensor that detects an abnormal current of the electric circuit, the control unit of the breaker device 1 actuates the igniter 20. That is, an actuating current is supplied from the external power source (not illustrated) to the electro-conductive pins of the igniter 20, and as a result, the ignition charge in the ignition portion 21 is ignited and burns, generating a combustion gas. Then, the rupture surface 21A ruptures due to rise in pressure in the ignition portion 21, and the combustion gas of the ignition charge is discharged from the inside of the ignition portion 21 into the accommodating space 13.
Here, the ignition portion 21 of the igniter 20 is received in the recess 411 of the piston portion 41, and the rupture surface 21A of the ignition portion 21 is disposed facing the pressure receiving surface 411A of the recess 411 in the projectile 40. Therefore, the combustion gas from the ignition portion 21 is discharged to the recess 411, and the pressure (combustion energy) of the combustion gas is transmitted to the upper surface of the piston portion 41 including the pressure receiving surface 411A. As a result, the projectile 40 moves downward in the accommodating space 13 in the extending direction (axial direction) of the accommodating space 13.
Then, as illustrated in the lower stage of
In the above-described embodiment, the example is given in which the rib portions 115 and 125 extend from the edges of the flange portions 111 and 121, respectively, toward the conductor piece side along the extending direction of the accommodating space 13. However, the rib portions are not limited to the above configuration, and may be extended toward the opposite side to the conductor piece.
The rib portion (bottom-side rib portion) 125A is extended from the outer side edge of the bottom-side flange portion 121 toward the opposite side to the conductor piece 50 along the extending direction of the accommodating space 13. Therefore, in the present variation, the groove portion 141, into which the rib portion is fitted, is not provided in the lower surface 102 of the lower housing body 140. Other configurations are the same as those of the above-described embodiment.
As described above, when the breaker device 1 is actuated, the ignition charge in the ignition portion 21 is ignited and burns, and the combustion gas is discharged into the accommodating space 13, whereby the pressure in the accommodating space 13 increases. At this time, when the flange portions 111 and 121 of the top holder 110 and the bottom container 120, respectively, which are contact portions with the housing body 100, are distorted, a gap is formed between the housing body 100 and each of the top holder 110 and the bottom container 120, and the combustion gas may leak out. For this reason, in the present embodiment, the rib portions 115 and 125 are provided at the edges of the flange portions 111 and 121, respectively, to reinforce the flange portions 111 and 121, thereby suppressing the distortion of the flange portions 111 and 121. As a result, the breaker device 1 of the present embodiment can prevent the leakage of the combustion gas and improve the reliability.
For example, Table 1 shows comparison of the magnitude of distortion after actuation between the breaker device 1 of the present embodiment and a comparative example. In Table 1, samples No. 3 and No. 4 are each a case of the breaker device 1 of the present embodiment. In sample No. 3, the rib length of the rib portion 115 of the top holder 110 is 27 mm, the rib height of the rib portion 115 is 3 mm, and the interval between the bolt passing holes through which the fastening bolts are made to pass (hereinafter referred to as a hole interval) is 27.5 mm. In this case, the distortion of the flange portion 111 in the Y direction was 0.054 mm. In sample No. 4, the rib length of the top holder 110 is 20 mm, the rib height is 3 mm, and the hole interval is 30 mm. In this case, the distortion of the flange portion 111 in the Y direction was 0.151 mm.
On the other hand, sample No. 1 is a case of a breaker device in the related art in which no rib portion is provided, and the hole interval of the top holder is 30 mm. In this case, the distortion of the flange portion in the Y direction was 0.492 mm.
Sample No. 2 is a case of the variation (
As described above, when the rib portion is not provided in the flange portion, the distortion of the flange portion was largest. In the case where the rib portion 115A is provided facing upward (No. 2), the distortion was smaller than that of the case where no rib portion is provided, and larger than those of samples No. 3 and No. 4. The following can be suggested from the above results. In the top holder, when the rib portion 115A facing upward is provided, the pressure at the time of actuation acts in a direction of expanding the rib portion 115A, whereas when the rib portion 115 facing downward is provided as in samples No. 3 and No. 4, the pressure at the time of actuation acts in a direction of contracting the rib portion 115. Accordingly, the rib portion 115 facing downward can presumably suppress the distortion of the flange portion 111 more effectively. Similarly, also in the bottom container 120, it can be suggested that the rib portion 125 facing upward can suppress the distortion of the flange portion 121 more effectively than the rib portion formed facing downward from the flange portion 121. As described above, according to the present embodiment and the variation, it is possible to suppress the distortion of the flange portion and improve the reliability of the breaker device 1. As illustrated in
While the embodiment of the electric circuit breaker device according to the present disclosure has been described above, each of the aspects disclosed in the present specification can be combined with any other feature disclosed in the present specification.
Number | Date | Country | Kind |
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2021-168885 | Oct 2021 | JP | national |
Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind |
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PCT/JP2022/034399 | 9/14/2022 | WO |