Patent Application
20250140498
The present invention relates to an electrical circuit switching device.
Electrical equipment may be provided with a relay that is provided in the electrical equipment (or an electrical facility) and protects the electrical equipment by switching a specific electrical circuit from a disconnection state (interruption state) to a conduction state when an abnormality occurs in the electrical equipment. As a relay, an electromagnetic relay that switches opening and closing of an electrical circuit using an electromagnet is known. However, in the known electromagnetic relay, it takes time to switch to the conduction state, and therefore there is a problem that electrical equipment fails due to an influence of an overcurrent, for example.
Patent Document 1: US 2015/248979 A
Patent Document 2: WO 2016/169612
Patent Document 3: WO 2020/164871
A technology of the present disclosure is to provide a technology capable of shortening a time required for switching in an electrical circuit switching device for switching a predetermined electrical circuit from a disconnection state to a conduction state.
In order to solve the above problem, the electrical circuit switching device of the present disclosure adopts the following configuration. That is, the technology of the present disclosure is an electrical circuit switching device for switching a predetermined first electrical circuit from a disconnection state to a conduction state, the electrical circuit switching device including a housing; an igniter provided in the housing; a discharge chamber in which a combustion gas from the igniter is discharged when the igniter is actuated;
The electrical circuit switching device according to the present disclosure adopts a configuration in which a first electrical circuit is switched from a disconnection state to a conduction state using the energy of a combustion gas generated by actuation of an igniter, that is, the first electrical circuit is switched from the disconnection state to the conduction state by pyroelectric driving, and therefore, it is possible to shorten the time required for switching as compared with the known electromagnetic relay. This can quickly protect the electrical equipment in which the electrical circuit switching device is installed and avoid failure. By adopting a configuration in which the casing is expansively deformed to bring the first electrical circuit into the conduction state, the electrical circuit switching device can further shorten the time for switching the first electrical circuit.
The electrical circuit switching device according to the present disclosure may be configured in which, the casing includes a tubular conductor portion formed in a tubular shape, the pair of first conductor pieces are disposed outside the tubular conductor portion in a manner that each of the pair of first conductor pieces faces an outer circumferential surface of the tubular conductor portion, and when the igniter is actuated, the tubular conductor portion is deformed and thus widened by energy generated by actuation of the igniter, and thus the tubular conductor portion and each of the pair of first conductor pieces are brought into a state of being in contact with each other.
The electrical circuit switching device according to the present disclosure may further include a projectile disposed between the igniter in the discharge chamber and the tubular conductor portion in a manner that the projectile receives a pressure of a combustion gas discharged from the igniter, in which when the igniter is actuated, the projectile moves along the tubular conductor portion while pushing and widening the tubular conductor portion by pressure of the combustion gas, and thus the tubular conductor portion and each of the pair of first conductor pieces are brought into a state of being in contact with each other.
In the electrical circuit switching device according to the present disclosure, the pair of first conductor pieces are disposed in a manner that the pair of first conductor pieces are positioned on opposite sides to each other across the tubular conductor portion, and a width of the projectile is larger than a width of an inner region of the tubular conductor portion in an array direction of the pair of first conductor pieces.
The electrical circuit switching device according to the present disclosure may be configured in which, the casing further includes a lid wall portion closing an end part on a destination side of the projectile of both end parts of the tubular conductor portion, and the projectile moving along the tubular conductor portion when the igniter is actuated is received by the lid wall portion, and thus a state in which the tubular conductor portion is pushed and widened is maintained.
In the electrical circuit switching device according to the present disclosure, the pair of first conductor pieces are disposed in a manner that the pair of first conductor pieces are positioned on opposite sides to each other across the tubular conductor portion, a slit is formed in the casing, and the slit includes a first region extending in a direction orthogonal to an array direction of the pair of first conductor pieces over an entirety of the lid wall portion, and a second region extending along the tubular conductor portion from both ends of the first region.
The electrical circuit switching device according to the present disclosure may further include a pair of second conductor pieces arranged in a state of being separated from each other, each of the pair of second conductor pieces forming a part of a predetermined second electrical circuit, in which the projectile has conductivity,
The electrical circuit switching device according to the present disclosure may be configured in which, the casing is disposed in a manner that the casing receives a pressure of a combustion gas discharged from the igniter, and when the igniter is actuated, the casing is deformed and thus expands to an outside of the discharge chamber by the pressure of the combustion gas, and thus the casing and each of the pair of first conductor pieces are brought into a state of being in contact with each other.
In the electrical circuit switching device according to the present disclosure, the casing is made of a metal.
According to the electrical circuit switching device according to the present disclosure, it is possible to shorten the time required to switch a predetermined electrical circuit from the disconnection state to the conduction state.
Hereinafter, an electrical circuit switching device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure will be described with reference to the drawings. Note that each of configurations, combinations thereof, and the like in the embodiments is an example, and various additions, omissions, substitutions, and other changes of the configurations may be made as appropriate without departing from the spirit of the present disclosure. The present disclosure is not limited by the embodiments, but only limited by the claims.
The electrical circuit switching device according to the first embodiment is installed in electrical equipment (or an electrical facility), and protects the electrical equipment by urgently switching a predetermined electrical circuit (first electrical circuit) from a state in which the electrical circuit is interrupted (hereinafter, also called a disconnection state) to a state in which the electrical circuit is conducted (hereinafter, also called a conduction state) when an abnormality occurs in the electrical equipment that is an installation target. Note that “conduction” means that the electrical circuit is electrically connected and a current can flow, and “disconnection” means that the electrical circuit is not electrically connected and a current cannot flow.
The electrical circuit switching device according to the first embodiment prevents a failure due to an overcurrent or the like by switching the first electrical circuit, which is a predetermined electrical circuit, from a disconnection state to a conduction state, for example, at a time of an abnormality in an electrical circuit included in an automobile, a household electrical appliance, a photovoltaic system, or the like, or a system including a battery (e.g., lithium-ion battery) of the electrical circuit. Note that the configuration and application of the first electrical circuit in the present disclosure are not particularly limited. For example, the first electrical circuit may be configured as a short circuit that intentionally short-circuits a current by switching to a conduction state for the purpose of releasing charge accumulated in a circuit or a component that is a protection target. The first electrical circuit may be configured in a manner that a failed site is bypassed by switching the first electrical circuit to a conduction state in a case where any of circuits constituting an electrical facility, such as a semiconductor element and a cell of a battery, fails.
As illustrated in
As illustrated in
As illustrated in
The igniter 2 is actuated by power supplied to each of the conductive pins 22 and 22 via the connector of the external power source. In actuation of the igniter 2, when an operating current for igniting the ignition charge is supplied from the power source to the conductive pins 22, a bridge wire (not illustrated) of the ignition portion 21 generates heat, whereby the ignition charge accommodated in the ignition portion 21 is ignited and a combustion gas is generated. Then, when the pressure inside the ignition portion 21 increases with the combustion of the ignition charge, the ignition portion 21 is ruptured, whereby the combustion gas is discharged from the igniter 2.
As illustrated in
As illustrated in
As illustrated in
The casing 5 has conductivity. The casing 5 is made of a metal, and can be formed of copper (Cu), for example. However, the casing 5 may be formed of a metal other than copper, or may be formed of an alloy of copper and another metal.
As illustrated in
The casing 5 is fixed to the housing 1 by fitting the second tubular portion 52 to the wall surface of the accommodation portion 15 and engaging the flange portion 54 with the collar member 3. In the first embodiment, the first tubular portion 51, the second tubular portion 52, the connection portion 53, and the lid wall portion 55 define the discharge chamber 6 having a substantially circular columnar shape extending in the up-down direction. Here, W1 in
Note that the shape of the casing 5 is not limited to that described above. The shape of the casing 5 may be, for example, a cylindrical tubular shape or a rectangular tubular shape. In the technology of the present disclosure, the second tubular portion 52, the connection portion 53, the flange portion 54, the lid wall portion 55, and the slit S1 are not essential components.
The pair of first conductor pieces 7A and 7B are conductive metal bodies that constitute a part of the constituent elements of the switching device 10, and each of the pair of first conductor pieces 7A and 7B forms a part of the predetermined first electrical circuit in electrical equipment when the switching device 10 is installed in the electrical equipment that is an installation target. The pair of first conductor pieces 7A and 7B are sometimes called bus bars. The first electrical circuit is formed of the pair of first conductor pieces 7A and 7B and a circuit component included in the electrical equipment.
As illustrated in
Each of the pair of first conductor pieces 7A and 7B includes a contact piece 71 and a connection piece 72. The contact piece 71 extends in the up-down direction in a manner that it is orthogonal to the array direction. The connection piece 72 extends to the side away from the first tubular portion 51 along the array direction from the upper end part of the contact piece 71. Each of the pair of first conductor pieces 7A and 7B is held by the housing 1 in a state where the contact piece 71 is disposed in the accommodation portion 15 and the connection piece 72 is sandwiched from above and below by the upper housing 11 and the lower housing 12. In the pair of first conductor pieces 7A and 7B, the contact piece 71 faces the outer circumferential surface of the first tubular portion 51, and the end part of the connection piece 72 protrudes to the outside of the housing 1. Another conductor (e.g., a lead wire) is connected in the first electrical circuit to a portion protruding to the outside of the housing 1 of the connection piece 72.
The pair of first conductor pieces 7A and 7B can be formed of a metal such as copper (Cu), for example. However, the pair of first conductor pieces 7A and 7B may be formed of a metal other than copper, or may be formed of an alloy of copper and another metal. Note that examples of a metal other than copper that can be contained in the pair of first conductor pieces 7A and 7B include manganese (Mn), nickel (Ni), and platinum (Pt).
As illustrated in
The projectile 8 includes a fitting portion 81, a widened portion 82, and an inclination portion 83. The fitting portion 81 has a cross-sectional shape corresponding to the cross-sectional shape of the inner region of the first tubular portion 51 of the casing 5, and is fitted to the first tubular portion 51 before actuation of the igniter 2. The widened portion 82 is formed on an upper side relative to the fitting portion 81, has a cross-sectional shape corresponding to the cross-sectional shape of the inner region of the second tubular portion 52 of the casing 5, and is fitted to the second tubular portion 52 before actuation of the igniter 2. In the array direction of the pair of first conductor pieces 7A and 7B, the widened portion 82 is larger in width than the fitting portion 81. The inclination portion 83 is a portion connecting the fitting portion 81 and the widened portion 82, has a cross-sectional shape corresponding to the cross-sectional shape of the inner region of the connection portion 53 of the casing 5, and is fitted to the connection portion 53 before actuation of the igniter 2. The inclination portion 83 is inclined and thus gradually widens upward. The upper end surface of the projectile 8 faces the ignition portion 21 of the igniter 2. Therefore, the upper end surface of the projectile 8 is formed as a pressure receiving surface 8a that receives the energy (pressure of the combustion gas discharged from the igniter 2) generated by actuation of the igniter 2. When the igniter 2 is actuated, the projectile 8 moves downward inside the first tubular portion 51 along the extending direction of the first tubular portion by the pressure of the combustion gas received by the pressure receiving surface 8a. Hereinafter, a “downward direction” may be called a “moving direction of the projectile 8”.
The projectile 8 has conductivity. The projectile 8 can be formed of a metal such as copper (Cu), for example. However, the projectile 8 may be formed of a metal other than copper, or may be formed of an alloy of copper and another metal. In the first embodiment, the projectile 8 need not have conductivity, and may be formed of an insulating member such as synthetic resin, for example.
Here, W2 in
Next, details of the operation when the switching device 10 is actuated to switch the first electrical circuit from the disconnection state to the conduction state will be described. As described above,
Here, the switching device 10 according to the first embodiment further includes an abnormality detection sensor (not illustrated) that detects an abnormal state of electrical equipment (a vehicle, a power generation facility, a power storage facility, and the like) in which the switching device 10 is installed, and a control unit (not illustrated) that controls actuation of the igniter 2. The abnormality detection sensor may detect an abnormal state such as an overcurrent based on a current flowing through a circuit that is a protection target in the electric equipment, for example. 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 switching device 10 is a computer that can exhibit a predetermined function by executing a predetermined control program, for example. The predetermined function of the control unit may be realized by corresponding hardware. For example, when an overcurrent flows through a circuit that is a protection target of the electrical equipment in which the switching device 10 is installed, the overcurrent 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, based on the current value detected by the abnormality detection sensor, the control unit receives energization from an external power source (not illustrated) connected to the pair of conductive pins 22 and 22 of the igniter 2, and actuates the igniter 2. Here, the overcurrent may be defined by a current value exceeding a predetermined threshold set for protecting the electrical circuit that is a protection target. Note that the abnormality detection sensor and the control unit described above need not be included in the constituent elements of the switching device 10, and may be included in a device different from the switching device 10, for example. The abnormality detection sensor and the control unit are not essential components of the switching device 10.
At this time, as described above, since the relationship between the width W1 of the inner region of the first tubular portion 51 and the width W2 of the widened portion 82 is W1<W2, the projectile 8 moves downward along the first tubular 15 portion 51 while pushing and widening the first tubular portion 51 by the widened portion 82. Due to this, the first tubular portion 51 is deformed and thus widens in the array direction of the pair of first conductor pieces 7A and 7B. Since the pair of first conductor pieces 7A and 7B are arranged on opposite sides to each other across the first tubular portion 51, the first tubular portion 51 is widened in the array direction of 20 the pair of first conductor pieces 7A and 7B, whereby the first tubular portion 51 of the casing 5 and the contact piece 71 of each of the pair of first conductor pieces 7A and 7B are brought into a state of being in contact with each other as illustrated in
In this manner, the switching device 10 according to the first embodiment causes the casing 5 to deform and thus the casing 5 expands to the outside of the discharge chamber 6 by the energy of the combustion gas generated by the actuation 35 of the igniter 2, whereby each of the pair of first conductor pieces 7A and 7B arranged outside the discharge chamber 6 and the casing 5 can be brought into a state of being in contact with each other. As a result, the first electrical circuit can be quickly switched from the disconnection state to the conduction state. For example, in a case where the first electrical circuit is a short circuit that intentionally short-circuits a current, the first electrical circuit is brought into a conduction state, charge accumulated in the electrical circuit or a component to be protected can be passed to the first electrical circuit and released, and failure of electrical equipment due to an overcurrent can be avoided. In this manner, it is possible to quickly protect the electrical equipment that is a target in which the switching device 10 is installed.
Here, as illustrated in
As described above, the switching device 10 according to the first embodiment includes the housing 1, the igniter 2 provided in the housing 1, the discharge chamber 6 in which a combustion gas from the igniter 2 is discharged when the igniter 2 is actuated, the casing having conductivity and defining at least a part of the discharge chamber 6, and the pair of first conductor pieces 7A and 7B arranged outside the discharge chamber 6 in a state of being separated from each other. Each of the pair of first conductor pieces 7A and 7B forms a part of the first electrical circuit. In the switching device 10 according to the first embodiment, before actuation of the igniter 2, the casing 5 and at least one of the pair of first conductor pieces 7A and 7B are in a non-contact state with each other and thus the first electrical circuit is in a disconnection state, and when the igniter 2 is actuated, the casing 5 is deformed and thus expands to the outside of the discharge chamber 6 by the energy of the combustion gas generated by actuation of the igniter 2, the casing 5 and each of the pair of first conductor pieces 7A and 7B are brought into a state of being in contact with each other, and thus the first electrical circuit is brought into a conduction state.
The electrical circuit switching device 10 according to the first embodiment adopts a configuration in which the first electrical circuit is switched from a disconnection state to a conduction state using the energy of a combustion gas generated by actuation of the igniter 2, that is, the first electrical circuit is switched from the disconnection state to the conduction state by pyroelectric drive, and therefore, it is possible to shorten the time required for switching as compared with the known electromagnetic relay. This can quickly protect the electrical equipment in which the switching device 10 is installed and avoid failure. By adopting a configuration in which the casing 5 is expansively deformed to bring the first electrical circuit into a conduction state, the switching device 10 can further shorten the time for switching the first electrical circuit and can further downsize the switching device 10.
In the switching device 10 according to the first embodiment, the pair of first conductor pieces 7A and 7B is disposed outside the first tubular portion 51 in a manner that they face the outer circumferential surface of the first tubular portion 51 of the casing 5. The switching device 10 has a configuration in which, when the igniter 2 is actuated, the first tubular portion 51 is deformed and thus widened by the energy generated by the actuation of the igniter 2, whereby the first tubular portion 51 and each of the pair of first conductor pieces 7A and 7B are brought into a state of being in contact with each other. Due to this, the first electrical circuit can be switched from the disconnection state to the conduction state. Note that in the present embodiment, the configuration in which the first tubular portion 51 having a tubular shape is widened and deformed is adopted, but the technology of the present disclosure is not limited to this. For example, the pair of first conductor pieces 7A and 7B may be arranged below the lid wall portion 55 of the casing 5, and the lid wall portion 55 and each of the pair of first conductor pieces 7A and 7B may be brought into contact with each other by pushing and extending downward the first tubular portion 51 by the energy generated by the actuation of the igniter 2, and the first electrical circuit may be brought into the conduction state. The casing according to the present disclosure need not have a tubular shape, and may have a spherical shape, for example.
The switching device 10 according to the first embodiment further includes the projectile 8 that is disposed between the igniter 2 and the first tubular portion 51 in the discharge chamber 6 in a manner that the projectile 8 receives the pressure of the combustion gas discharged from the igniter 2. The switching device 10 has a configuration in which, when the igniter 2 is actuated, the projectile 8 moves along the first tubular portion 51 while pushing and widening the first tubular portion 51 by the pressure of the combustion gas, whereby the first tubular portion 51 and each of the pair of first conductor pieces 7A and 7B are brought into a state of being in contact with each other. That is, the energy of the combustion gas generated by the actuation of the igniter 2 is converted into the propulsive force of the projectile 8, and the first tubular portion 51 is widened and deformed by the propulsive force of the projectile 8. This can largely widen and deform the first tubular portion 51. Therefore, even when the gap between the first tubular portion 51 of the casing 5 and each of the pair of first conductor pieces 7A and 7B is large in the pre-actuation initial state, the first electrical circuit can be brought into a conduction state by bringing the first tubular portion 51 into contact with each of the pair of first conductor pieces 7A and 7B. This makes it possible to ensure a large distance between the first tubular portion 51 of the casing 5 and each of the pair of first conductor pieces 7A and 7B in the pre-actuation initial state. This is advantageous when the first electrical circuit is a high-voltage circuit, for example. However, in the technology of the present disclosure, the projectile is not an essential component. The technology of the present disclosure may directly expand the casing by the pressure of the combustion gas without using a projectile, as in a modification described later.
Furthermore, in the switching device 10 according to the first embodiment, the pair of first conductor pieces 7A and 7B are arranged in a manner that they are positioned on opposite sides to each other across the first tubular portion 51, and in the array direction of the pair of first conductor pieces 7A and 7B, the width W2 of the projectile 8 is larger than the width W1 of the inner region of the first tubular portion 51. Due to this, the first tubular portion 51 can be pushed and widened by the projectile 8 when the projectile 8 moves along the first tubular portion 51.
The casing 5 of the switching device 10 according to the first embodiment includes the lid wall portion 55 closing the end part (i.e., the lower end part) on the destination side of the projectile 8 of both end parts of the first tubular portion 51. The switching device 10 has a configuration in which, when the igniter 2 is actuated, the projectile 8 moving along the first tubular portion 51 is received by the lid wall portion 55, whereby a state in which the first tubular portion 51 is pushed and widened is maintained. This can maintain, after the actuation of the igniter 2, a state in which the first tubular portion 51 of the casing 5 and the contact piece 71 of each of the pair of first conductor pieces 7A and 7B are in contact with each other, that is, the conduction state of the first electrical circuit. However, in the technology of the present disclosure, the lid wall portion 55 is not an essential component. For example, the projectile 8 may be received by the lower plate 14 in place of the lid wall portion 55.
Furthermore, in the switching device 10 according to the first embodiment, the pair of first conductor pieces 7A and 7B are arranged in a manner that they are positioned on opposite sides to each other across the first tubular portion 51, and the slit S1 is formed in the casing 5. The slit S1 includes the first region S11 extending in a direction orthogonal to the array direction of the pair of first conductor pieces 7A and 7B over the entirety of the lid wall portion 55, and the second region S12 extending along the first tubular portion 51 from each of the ends of the first region S11. This makes it easy for the first tubular portion 51 to deform and thus widen in the array direction of the pair of first conductor pieces 7A and 7B when the projectile 8 moves downward along the first tubular portion 51. As a result, the first electrical circuit can be more reliably switched from the disconnection state to the conduction state. However, in the technology of the present disclosure, the slit S1 is not an essential component.
A switching device 10A according to a modification of the first embodiment will be described below. In the description of the switching device 10A, differences from the switching device 10 will be mainly described, and points similar to those of the switching device 10 will be denoted by identical reference signs, and detailed description thereof will be omitted.
In the switching device 10A according to the modification, the casing 5 is disposed in a manner that it receives a pressure of a combustion gas discharged from the igniter 2 when the igniter 2 is actuated. As illustrated in
When the igniter 2 is actuated in the switching device 10A according to the modification, the combustion gas is discharged from the igniter 2 to the discharge chamber. At this time, in the switching device 10A, since the above-described slit S1 or a hole is not formed in the casing 5, the combustion gas does not escape to the outside of the discharge chamber 6, and the internal pressure of the discharge chamber 6 rises. As a result, as illustrated in
Also, the switching device 10A according to the modification can have effects similar to those of the switching device 10 described above. That is, the first electrical circuit is switched from the disconnection state to the conduction state by pyroelectric drive, and therefore, it is possible to shorten the time required for switching as compared with the known electromagnetic relay. This can quickly protect the equipment in which the switching device 10 is installed and avoid failure. Since the casing 5 is expansively deformed to bring the first electrical circuit into a conduction state, it is possible to further shorten the time for switching the first electrical circuit and downsize the switching device 10. Note that in the switching device 10A according to the modification, the first tubular portion 51 is widened and deformed, but, also in the aspect in which the energy (pressure) of the combustion gas directly acts on the casing as in the modification, the portion deformed in the casing is not limited to the first tubular portion 51 (tubular conductor portion). The technology of the present disclosure deforms, by the energy of the combustion gas, the casing in a manner that it expands to the outside of the discharge chamber.
Next, a switching device 20 according to the second embodiment will be described. In the description of the switching device 20, differences from the switching device 10 will be mainly described, and points similar to those of the switching device 10 will be denoted by identical reference signs, and detailed description thereof will be omitted.
The pair of second conductor pieces 9A and 9B are conductive metal bodies constituting a part of the constituent elements of the switching device 10 and each forming a part of the second electrical circuit in predetermined electrical equipment when the switching device 20 is installed in the electrical equipment that is an installation target. The second electrical circuit is formed of the pair of second conductor pieces 9A and 9B and a circuit component included in the electrical equipment.
The switching device 20 according to the second embodiment protects the electrical equipment by urgently switching the second electrical circuit from the conduction state to the disconnection state and urgently switching the first electrical circuit from the disconnection state to the conduction state when an abnormality occurs in the electrical equipment that is an installation target.
The configuration and application of the second electrical circuit in the present disclosure are not particularly limited. The second electrical circuit may be a circuit that is a protection target in the electrical equipment that is a target in which the switching device 20 is installed, for example. For example, the target in which the switching device 20 is installed is an automobile, and the second electrical circuit may be a circuit for supplying electric power from a battery of the automobile to an external component. The switching device 20 according to the second embodiment may, for example, when a unit for controlling a battery fails, switch the second electrical circuit from the conduction state to the disconnection state to cut off power supply from the battery to the outside, thereby suppressing a failure of an external component due to an overcurrent, and switch the first electrical circuit from the disconnection state to the conduction state to release charge accumulated in the second electrical circuit from the first electrical circuit, thereby protecting the second electrical circuit.
As illustrated in
Similarly to the pair of first conductor pieces 7A and 7B, the pair of second conductor pieces 9A and 9B can be formed of a metal such as copper (Cu), for example. However, the pair of first conductor pieces 7A and 7B may be formed of a metal other than copper, or may be formed of an alloy of copper and another metal
As illustrated in
As illustrated in
As described above, using the energy of the combustion gas generated by actuation of the igniter 2, the switching device 20 according to the second embodiment urgently switches the second electrical circuit from the conduction state to the disconnection state, and urgently switches the first electrical circuit from the disconnection state to the conduction state. That is, the switching device 20 can switch the electrical circuit to be brought into the conduction state from the second electrical circuit to the first electrical circuit by pyroelectric drive. Since the switching device 20 of the second embodiment performs switching from the first electrical circuit to the second electrical circuit by the pyroelectric drive, the time required for the switching can be shortened as compared with the known electromagnetic relay. This can quickly protect the electrical equipment in which the switching device 20 is installed and avoid failure. By adopting the configuration in which the pair of second conductor pieces 9A and 9B are electrically connected by the projectile 8, the switching device 20 according to the second embodiment can achieve, by one actuation of the igniter 2, switching of the second electrical circuit from the conduction state to the disconnection state and switching of the first electrical circuit from the disconnection state to the conduction state.
Note that in the switching device 20 according to the second embodiment, the projectile 8 and each of the pair of second conductor pieces 9A and 9B are formed as separate members, but the technology of the present disclosure is not limited to this. For example, the projectile and each of the pair of second conductor pieces may be formed as an integral member (one member). In a state before actuation of the igniter, the projectile and each of the pair of second conductor pieces may be one member, and when the igniter is actuated, the projectile may be separated and moved from the member by the pressure of the combustion gas, whereby connection of the pair of second conductor pieces via the projectile may be disconnected.
While the embodiments of the electric circuit breaker device according to the present disclosure have been described above, each of the aspects disclosed in the present specification can be combined with any other feature disclosed in the present specification.
| Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| PCT/JP2022/005456 | 2/10/2022 | WO |
