Patent Application
20060232372
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to thermal fuses employing a thermosensitive pellet that employ thermoplastic resin as a thermosensitive material, and particularly to thermal fuses employing a thermosensitive pellet improved to allow a thermosensitive material's thermoplastic resin to switch rapidly at a prescribed operating temperature.
2. Description of the Background Art
Thermal fuses are generally divided into two types depending on the thermosensitive material used. One is a thermal fu se employing a thermosensitive pellet using a non-conductive thermosensitive substance, and the other is a thermal fuse employing a conductive, low melting point fusible alloy. They are both a so-called non-reset thermal switch. When its surrounding temperature increases and a prescribed temperature is reached, the fuse operates to cut off or electrically connect a current carrying path of equipment and an apparatus to protect them. A thermal fuse employs a thermosensitive pellet formed of 4-methylumbelliferone serving as a pure chemical agent (hereinafter synonymous with an “organic compound”) as indicated in Japanese Patent Laying-Open No. 60-138819. Furthermore, Japanese Patent Laying-Open Nos. 2002-163966 and 62-246217 both disclose that two or more types of known organic compounds are mixed together to provide a mixture having a different melting point for use. Furthermore, Japanese Patent Laying-Open No.2003-317589 also suggests a thermal fuse employing a thermosensitive pellet formed of thermoplastic resin to allow a wide range of operating temperature to be set as desired.
When a thermal fuses employing a thermosensitive pellet of thermoplastic resin are compared with a thermal fuse employing a thermosensitive pellet employing a conventional chemical agent, the former softens, deforms, sublimates and deliquesces less disadvantageously than the latter. As such, the former is less affected by environmental conditions and has more merits in steps of processing the same to produce it and conditions for storing the same as a finished product, and thus more advantageous in practical use. However, at its operating temperature as the pellet softens or melts it tends to slowly respond to switch, and this is considered as an issue to be overcome. There is a demand for a thermal fuse employing a thermosensitive pellet that reliably and rapidly operates at a set operating temperature, and to achieve this there is a demand for improvement in selecting a thermoplastic resin material used to form the pellet, the force exerted by a spring member, the slidability of a movable contact, and the like.
Furthermore, a thermosensitive pellet is not thermally sufficiently stable and is affected by the surrounding environment, and readily cracks, chips and the like while it is handled in its production process. In addition to addressing such defects, a characteristic of operation at an operating temperature as it softens and melts, i.e., quick response is required. In particular, thermal fuses employing thermoplastic resin have an operating temperature set in combination with how the thermoplastic resin softens and melts and a spring's pressure. As such, when they are compared with thermal fuses simply utilizing an operation attributed to a melting point of a thermosensitive material, the former tend to provide a time lag or the like when it operates, and accordingly it is required to faster respond at its operating temperature.
To overcome the above disadvantage, the present inventor has noted a response characteristic at an operating temperature of a thermosensitive pellet employing a thermoplastic resin that softens and melts, and has achieved a thermal fuse employing a thermosensitive pellet novel and improved to allow faster response. More specifically, the present invention provides a thermal fuse employing a thermosensitive pellet having a response characteristic that is compared to a response speed of a thermosensitive pellet employing a conventional, pure chemical substance. Furthermore, the present invention provides a thermal fuse employing a thermosensitive pellet that can be prevented from sublimation around a melting point of an operating temperature to be usable at high temperature and thus thermally stable, and provides a thermal fuse employing a thermosensitive pellet reduced in or prevented from deliquescence in water and alcohol, and enhanced in strength and thus prevented from disadvantageously cracking and chipping. Furthermore the present invention provides a thermal fuse employing a thermosensitive pellet increased in dielectric strength at high temperature as well as in response speed. Furthermore the present invention discloses a thermal pellet covering a wide range of temperature, thermally stable and suitable for mass production, and provides a thermal fuse employing a thermosensitive pellet that is inexpensive and advantageous in practical use.
The present thermal fuse employing a thermosensitive pellet includes a thermosensitive pellet of crystalline thermoplastic resin, a metallic casing accommodating the thermosensitive pellet, a first lead member firmly attached to one end of the casing and having a first electrode formed at an end thereof, a second lead member fixed at the other end of the casing and having a second electrode formed at an internal wall surface of the casing, a switching function member including a spring member disposed internal to the casing and pressing the thermosensitive pellet and a movable conductor disposed internal to the casing, the thermal fuse switching an electrical circuit between the first and second electrodes at an operating temperature as the thermosensitive pellet softens and melts, characterized in that the thermosensitive pellet undergoes a process to facilitate activation to allow the thermal fuse to faster respond to switch at the operating temperature.
The process that facilitates activation is preferably a process providing the thermosensitive pellet with bubbles, a recess, a hollowed portion or similar cavity to reduce the thermosensitive pellet in weight, or a process employing different types of thermosensitive resin material to form the thermosensitive pellet in multiple layers or a mixture. If the thermosensitive pellet is cavitated and thus reduced in weight, a cavitation of 25 vol % or less is preferable. Note that cavitation is calculated as a volume of a pellet without cavitation/an apparent volume of the pellet after it is cavitated, as represented in percentage. Furthermore if the process that facilitates activation utilizes multiple layers or a mixture, preferably, different types of resin materials are laminated to provide the multiple layers or mixed together to provide the mixture. The different types of thermoplastic resin materials preferably include a first resin material that determines the operating temperature and a second resin material having a melting point lower than the first resin material.
Preferably the thermosensitive pellet is produced in a process including the steps of extruding and thus molding melted thermoplastic resin to produce wire and cutting the wire by a predetermined length to produce a pellet and in the step of extruding and thus molding, the process that facilitates activation provides cavitation for reduction in weight, laminates different types of resin materials to provide multiple layers, or mixes the different types of resin materials to provide, a mixture. The step of extruding and thus molding that allows the thermosensitive pellet to undergo the process that facilitates activation allows the thermosensitive pellet to be more suitable for mass production and thus contributes to a more efficient operation for production. Furthermore the process that facilitates activation can also help to use both of cavitating and thus reducing the thermosensitive pellet in weight and employing different types of resin materials in multiple layers and/or a mixture to increase the thermosensitive pellet in strength, and prevent deliquescence as it endures moisture, and thus reduce sublimation at high temperature. Preferably in providing the multiple layers the resin materials are stacked in layers in the thermosensitive pellet's radial or longitudinal direction and relative to the first resin material the second resin material has an occupancy in volume of 30 vol % or less. Preferably in mixing the resin materials, relative to the first resin material the second resin material has an occupancy in volume of 30% or less and for example the second resin material may be a colored additive.
If the process that facilitates activation is to reduce the thermosensitive pellet in weight and provide the thermosensitive pellet in multiple layers or a mixture, then preferably the cavitation for the weight reduction or the second resin material's occupancy in volume relative to the first resin material in providing the multiple layers or the mixture is adjusted to be fall within a specific range. The resin material that is used is suitably ethylene, propylene, butadiene, isoprene or similar olefin or diolefin, or similar polymer or copolymer, or polyolefin. Polyolefin indicates olefin resin or olefin polymer. It is a generic name of alphatic unsaturated hydrocarbons having a molecule with two or more double bonds therein. Preferably polyolefin includes polyethylene (PE), polypropylene (PP), as generally referred to, and is adjusted in melt flow rate (MFR) associated with flowability in softening and melting. Note that the thermosensitive material's base material can have a variety of additives, reinforcements and fillers mixed together or other than a main material selected a resin material can be polymerized copolymerized, plasticized or blended and furthermore resin can be synthesized and purified with a different catalyst toe provide improved physical and electrical a characteristics to reinforce the pellet and reduce defects attributed to cracking and chipping.
In accordance with the present invention the thermosensitive pellet formed of thermoplastic resin can be cavitated and thus reduced in weight or formed of different types of resin materials in multiple layers or a mixture to provide a thermal fuse that can faster respond to switch to resolve delay in response at the operating temperature and reduce variation among products and thus provide highly reliable and inexpensive thermal fuse employing a thermosensitive pellet. In contrast, for conventional thermosensitive materials, while they may have the same melting point, they may be hard or soft material, and if they are slowly increased in temperature their respective operating temperatures provide significant variation. Furthermore, if temperature is rapidly increased, a difference in response time is disadvantageously provided. In the present invention, the process that facilitates activation allows a thermal fuse employing a thermosensitive pellet that can eliminate a varying operating temperature or an effect of response time difference, and thus provide constantly steady responsiveness.
In particular, employing polyolefin having a degree of crystallinity of at least 20% can facilitate pelletization and provide a pellet improved in strength. Furthermore, if the thermal fuse is placed in high humidity or atmosphere or toxic gas and time elapses, the thermal fuse can less vary with time and be prevented from erosion and impaired insulation. Thus not only in storage but also in use it can prevent impaired electrical and other characteristics, reduce secular variation, operate constantly at a prescribed operating temperature accurately, and help to enhance stability and reliability and provide other similar practical effects. Furthermore the pellet is produced such that to be advantageous for mass production, melted thermoplastic resin material extruded and thus molded in wire which can in turn be cut to be enhanced in workability and handleability and contribute to reduced production cost. Furthermore, a thermal fuse employing a thermosensitive pellet can be provided that can respond faster at an operating temperature and be provided inexpensively.
In accordance with the present invention a thermosensitive pellet is processed to facilitate activation to provide a thermal fuse employing the thermosensitive pellet that can respond faster to switch at a prescribed operating temperature, which is set by a temperature allowing the thermosensitive material to be used to thermally deform, and the pressure exerted by a spring member to press. Thermoplastic resin softens or melts at a temperature, which is indicated herein by utilizing “extrapolated initial melting temperature (Tim) and extrapolated ending melting temperature (Tem)” as defined by JIS K7121, and MFR as defined in JIS K7210 and corresponding to a characteristic in flowability. Indicating an operating temperature with reference to such JIS standard terms can indicate a characteristic of operation small in variation, and highly precise and rapid.
The foregoing and other objects, features, aspects and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description of the present invention when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.
The present thermal fuise employing a thermal fuse employing a thermosensitive pellet includes a metallic casing housing a thermosensitive pellet of thermoplastic resin, having a first lead member fixed at one end of the metallic casing via an insulated bushing by a sealer and a second lead member crimped and thus fixed at the other end of the metallic casing, and housing a switching function member. The switching function member includes a spring member, a movable conductor, and a thermosensitive pellet having undergone a process that can help to activate the fuse at an operating temperature. As the thermosensitive pellet is pressed by the spring member's compression or tensile strength, and heated and hence increased in temperature and thus thermally deformed, the movable conductor moves, and an electrical circuit formed by the first and second lead members is thus switched to be electrically disconnected or connected. Note that the thermosensitive pellet desirably employs polyorefin selected from thermoplastic resin and between its extrapolated initial melting temperature (Tim) and peak melting temperature (Tpm) an operating temperature is set.
The process that facilitates activation to provide faster response for switching preferably cavitates and thus reduces the pellet in weight or introduces a different type of resin material to provide the pellet in multiple layers or in a mixture. The thermoplastic resin is preferably polyorefin having a crystallinity of at least 20%. It is melted, extruded and thus molded in wire in the form of a rod having a prescribed diameter, and then cut by a prescribed length and thus pelletized. If the wire is formed in a pipe it can provide a pellet having a hollowed center and hence a reduced unit weight. Note that the pellet's unit weight indicates the pellet's weight relative to its apparent volume.
The present invention has been created as reducing a thermosensitive pellet in weight, or employing a different type of resin material to provide multiple layers or a mixture has been found to be a process that facilitates activation to faster respond at a prescribed operating temperature. More specifically, the pellet is reduced in weight as follows thermoplastic resin is used as thermosensitive material and formed in wire in the form of a pipe hollowed at a center or the resin material is provided with bubbles or similarly cavitated. Alternatively, the thermosensitive pellet has a perimeter recessed to provide a discrete pellet reduced in weight. The pellet is preferably reduced in unit weight by a degree obtained by calculating cavitation and setting it in value at 25% or smaller. Cavitation, operating temperature and response speed has a relationship, which is obtained from a result of providing samples different in cavitation and testing and thus measuring them. In that case, response speed is a time that elapses before samples different in cavitation that are immersed in a heated oil bath and pressed with prescribed force attain a prescribed amount in deformation.
If the thermosensitive pellet is increased in cavitation to some extent, and is pressed with prescribed force, it deforms regardless of at which temperature is softens and melts. As such, there still remains an issue to be addressed in setting the temperature as an operating temperature. The thermal fuse employing the thermosensitive pellet has the pellet thermally deformed at an operating temperature to switch to electrically disconnect or connect between first and second electrodes. A desired operating temperature can be adjusted typically from a selected thermoplastic resin's melting point, extrapolated initial melting temperature (Tim) and ending melting temperature (Tem), as desired, and also by force exerted by a spring. Typically, for low molecular compound, peak melting temperature (Tpm) and extrapolated ending melting temperature (Tem) having a smaller difference therebetween are most suitable for a material for a thermosensitive pellet for a thermal fuse. Operating temperature can be set by providing the extrapolated initial melting temperature (Tim) and the peak melting temperature (Tpm) with a range (preferably a difference in temperature of at least 5° C.) and setting as desired a value of a load exerted on the thermosensitive pellet.
The thermosensitive pellet is cavitated and thus reduced in weight with a resin material implemented by polyethylene (PE) by way of example, as will be described hereinafter. More specifically, the thermosensitive pellet is provided with bubbles, recessed or hollowed. A cavitation of 0% corresponds to no cavitation present, and there is an optimum range used for a thermal fuse. Furthermore, the cavitated thermosensitive pellet that is produced by initially melting, and extruding and thus molding thermoplastic resin in wire in the form of a rod and then cutting the wire by a prescribed length, is advantageous in workability. On the other hand, introducing different types of resin materials to provide multiple layers or mixing them together provides faster response at an operating temperature. In that case preferably the different types of resin materials have different melting points and if a first resin material is a resin material having a desired operating temperature, a different, second resin material has a melting point lower than the first resin material. For example, PE can be classified by density and has a melting point clearly divided by density, as follows:
Furthermore, polyethylene (PE) includes low-density polyethylene (LDPE), linear low-density polyethylene (LLDPE), high-density polyethylene (HDPE), ultrahigh molecular weight polyethylene (ultrahigh molecular weight PE) and very low-density polyethylene (VLDPE), and, as a copolymer, a copolymer of ethylene and acrylic acid (EAA), a copolymer of ethylene and ethylacrylate (EEA), a copolymer of ethylene, methylacrylate (EMA), a copolymer of ethylene and glycidyl methacrylate (GMA), a copolymer of ethylene, methylacrylate and maleic anhydride, and the like. Furthermore, there is a subordinate material for resin classified into an additive, a reinforcement material and a filler for a total of three categories that can be used to adjust an operating temperature.
Metallic casing 12 has one end opening with a first lead member 14 fixed thereto and the other end opening with a second lead member 16 crimped and thus fixed thereto. The first lead member 14, fixed via an insulating bushing 17, is insulated from casing 12 and thus extends therein, and has an end provided with a first electrode 15. The first lead member 14 has an externally guided portion provided with an insulated bushing 18 for protection fixed with resin seal 19 at an opening of casing 12. The second lead member 16 is crimped directly and thus fixed in connection with casing 12 and an internal surface of casing 12 serves as a second electrode. Casing 12 also accommodates a switching function member including thermosensitive pellet 10, a movable conductor 20 having a central contact and a peripheral contact in the form of a star, and a spring member including strong and week springs 24 and 26, respectively.
As shown in
In the present invention the process that facilitates activation is to mix and use different types of resin as thermoplastic resin employed to form a thermosensitive pellet. Preferably the thermoplastic resins used is all crystalline polyolefin and the different types of resin include a first resin material softening and melting and determining an operating temperature and a second resin material having a melting point lower than the first resin material and their melting points preferably have a difference in temperature of at least 20° C. If the process that facilitates activation is to provide a thermosensitive pellet in multiple layers or a mixture, it has been found from an experiment described hereinafter that preferably, relative to the first resin material the second resin material has an occupancy in volume, i.e., the second resin material/the first resin material is 30% or smaller in volume. In the present example thermosensitive pellet 10 employs HDPE having a crystallinity of at least 20% and a melting point of 135° C. with LDPE having a melting point 110° C. mixed together to provide a resin material which is in turn formed in wire and cut by a prescribed length, and processed.
To observe how the thermosensitive pellet employing different types of resin materials provides an effect of occupancy in volume of the different types of resin materials, nine types of thermosensitive pellets different in occupancy in volume were prepared as samples for an experiment and their response speeds and operating temperatures were tested and measured. Table 1 shows measurements in occupancy, response speed and operating temperature for the different types of resin materials, and
Hereinafter will be described a thermosensitive pellet that is processed to facilitate activation by cavitating and thus reducing the pellet in weight. More specifically, the pellet can be cavitated to be reduced in unit weight to provide increased response speed in switching. As an index, a degree of reduction in weight is represented by cavitation (vol%). Cavitation, response speed and operating temperature as measured are indicated in Table 2. Furthermore, cavitation, response speed and operating temperature have a relationship as shown in
If the process that facilitates activation is to provide in multiple layers or mix, thermoplastic resin employed for a thermosensitive pellet, then a first, softening and melting resin material that is selected sets an operating temperature, and the first resin material can be mixed with a second resin material having a melting point lower than the first resin material to provide a thermoplastic resin for the thermosensitive pellet. As shown in
Thus the thermosensitive material can be implemented by orefin having a crystallinity of 20% or higher and if the first resin material is HDPE having a melting point of 135° C. then the second resin material can be implemented by LDPE having a melting point of 110° C. or LLDPE having a melting point of 115° C. Furthermore, the first and second resin materials can be selected from a PP block copolymer, a random PP or an identical PP type relative to homo PP having a melting point of 170° C. If a thermosensitive pellet prepared as a sample is provided in multiple layers, it is preferable that relative to the first resin material the second resin material has an occupancy in volume of 30 vol % or smaller as it can provide increased response speed and steady operating temperature, which is similar to the thermosensitive pellet provided by mixing as indicated in Table 1 and
The thermosensitive pellet is preferably processed to facilitate activation by melting, and extruding and thus molding thermoplastic resin to produce wire (or the step of wiredrawing) while providing cavitation for weight reduction providing a lamination of different types of resin materials to provide multiple layers or mixing the different types of resin materials to provide a mixture, as such allows a more efficient operation for production Furthermore, cavitating a thermosensitive pellet and introducing different types of resin materials in multiple layers or mixing them together can together be effectively applied, and the thermosensitive pellet can respond faster to switch at a prescribed operating temperature.
Although the present invention has been described and illustrated in detail, it is clearly understood that the same is by way of illustration and example only and is not to be taken by way of limitation, the spirit and scope of the present invention being limited only by the terms of the appended claims.
| Number | Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2005-119827(P) | Apr 2005 | JP | national |
