The invention relates to a thermal overload protection apparatus for protecting an electrical component, in particular an electronic component, said thermal overload protection apparatus having a switching element for short-circuiting connection points of the component or for disconnecting an electrically conductive connection between at least one of the connection points and a current-carrying element of the overload protection apparatus, an actuator apparatus for switching the switching element to an appropriate short-circuiting position or disconnection position, and a tripping element which trips the actuator apparatus on a thermally sensitive basis.
An overload protection apparatus of this type is known for example from Offenlegungsschrift DE 10 2008 022 794 A1. That document describes a thermal overload protection apparatus, which has a short-circuit device with spring-biased shorting bar for short-circuiting electrodes of a surge arrester, and a fusible element tripping the overload protection apparatus. In addition to this embodiment as an overload protection apparatus with switching element of a short-circuit device, an overload protection apparatus with corresponding switching element of a disconnection device is also conceivable.
The overload of electronic components may result in said components operating outside a nominal operating range. In this case, a power conversion at a damaged component, caused for example by a reduced insulation strength of the component, leads to increased heating.
If a heating of the component above a permissible threshold is not prevented, this may lead, for example, to damage of surrounding materials, production of waste gases or to a risk of fire.
These risks are also present with an arrangement of components arranged on a conducting track support, such as surface-mountable components. To construct an arrangement of this type, the conducting track support (the printed circuit board/PCB) is fitted with suitable components and soldered, generally by automatons. Due to this fitting process, there is often only a very limited amount of installation space. At the same time, temperatures are produced locally, which reach at least close to the trip temperature of the tripping element.
The object of the invention is to specify a thermal overload protection apparatus, which requires little installation space, responds reliably to thermal overload and short circuits or disconnects, and can be integrated easily, in spite of the temperatures produced, in a mounting process of a mounting operation, in particular surface-mounting, of components on a conducting track support.
This object is achieved in accordance with the invention by the features in the independent claim. Advantageous embodiments of the invention are disclosed in the dependent claims.
With the overload protection apparatus according to the invention, the actuator apparatus can be switched over for activation from an inactive state, in which the switching element cannot be switched by the actuator apparatus, not even as a result of tripping by means of the tripping element, into a trippable state, in which the switching element can be switched by the actuator apparatus trippable by means of the tripping element. The terms “inactive” and “trippable” thus mean in this context that only the actuator apparatus activated by the switchover applies a force required for short-circuiting or disconnection during a tripping process and the inactivated, that is to say inactive, actuator apparatus does not apply any force, or does not apply a force sufficient, for short-circuiting or disconnection, not even in the event of tripping by means of the tripping element. An overload protection apparatus of this type can be mounted without the risk of tripping, even by means of a mounting type associated with high temperatures, such as soldering. Activation only once an uncritical temperature has been reached or at any other selectable moment in time is thus made possible. In particular, this moment in time may be once mounting of the overload protection apparatus and/or the electrical component is complete.
The component is preferably a component that can be mounted or is mounted via its connection points on a conducting track support comprising conducting tracks. The current-carrying element of the electrically conductive connection in an electrical switching element formed as a disconnection element is, in particular, one of the conducting tracks or a current-carrying element mounted on the conducting track support and connected to one of the conducting tracks. The electrically conductive connection is a connection for connecting the component. The short circuit is, in particular, a short circuit via at least one of the conducting tracks.
The tripping element is advantageously formed as a fusible element tripped by melting. The melting point of the fusible element determines the trip temperature, which can thus be set via the material selection. The fusible element has solder or a hot-melt plastic for example as active material.
Compared to a solder, hot-melt plastic demonstrates a softer transition of its consistency at the melting point. This has the advantage that a tripping element made of hot-melt plastic remains in its original location, even in the event of tripping, and its shape is merely changed by the tripping operation in such a way that the short-circuit device can short circuit the component.
If the switching element is formed as a disconnection device for disconnecting an electrically conductive connection of at least one of the connection points to a current-carrying element, the fusible element is thus preferably a soldered connection within the electrically conductive connection (to be disconnected).
In accordance with a preferred embodiment of the invention, the actuator apparatus is an actuator apparatus that can be switched over by manually changing the outer form of the actuator apparatus or the arrangement of the actuator apparatus relative to the switching element. The switchover is thus a manual switchover by changing the outer, form of the actuator apparatus or by changing the arrangement of the actuator apparatus relative to the switching element. The activation may be undertaken directly at the overload protection apparatus. The moment of the activation can be selected freely by a user.
In accordance with an advantageous embodiment of the invention, the actuator apparatus has at least one spring element, and in particular is a spring element. The actuator apparatus is switched over by biasing the spring element.
In particular, the spring element in this case is a snap dome or has a snap dome. Snap domes are spring elements that function in accordance with the clicker principle. A clicker is a spring element that consists of a strip of spring steel. The steel is stamped such that it has a stable state and a metastable state. It is bent as a result of the influence of force in the stable state until it suddenly springs into the metastable state by denting. The spring element of the clinker generally has a dome-like or dome-portion-like region, which is produced by the stamping process. The two states are preferably used in this embodiment of the invention to produce a relaxed state and a biased state of the spring element. In this case the switchover is a switchover from the untensioned state into the biased state.
As active material, the actuator apparatus may alternatively or additionally advantageously have an intumescent material and/or a shape-memory material and/or a material of chemically changing form.
In particular, the actuator apparatus in the switched-over state is an actuator apparatus mechanically biased by means of a latch at the switching element. Parts of the actuator apparatus and/or of the switching element are therefore latched to one another when the actuator apparatus is switched over or are otherwise actively engaged with one another so as to bias the actuator apparatus.
The actuator apparatus is alternatively or additionally advantageously a device that can be switched over (and therefore activated) by means of reciprocal displacement of parts or regions of the actuator apparatus. If the actuator apparatus has a spring element functioning by the clicker principle (a snap dome), the displacement is thus a denting of a region of this spring element.
In accordance with a development of the invention, the switching element and the actuator apparatus are formed in one piece or at least comprise a common part formed in one piece. This reduces the number of required parts and provides a clear connection between the switching element and actuator apparatus.
In accordance with a preferred embodiment of the invention, the component is a component that can be separated from the overload protection apparatus, in particular from the switching element. The component and overload protection apparatus can therefore be manipulated independently of one another, at least in principle. In particular, this degree of freedom simplifies the mounting of the component and/or overload protection apparatus.
The invention further relates to an arrangement comprising a conducting track support, at least one component arranged thereon and at least one overload protection apparatus as described above. The component is preferably a surge arrester, in particular on a semiconductor basis (suppressor diode, varistor, etc.) or a gas-filled surge arrester or a resistor.
In particular, the component is a surface-mounted component (SMD component), which is preferably mounted on the conducting tracks of the conducting track support by means of a reflow soldering process.
In accordance with a preferred embodiment of the invention, the switching element and/or the actuator apparatus of the overload protection apparatus is supported on the component via the tripping element (that is to say indirectly) or via a conducting track of the conducting track support connected directly to a connection point of the component. In particular, the switching element and/or the actuator apparatus of the overload protection apparatus is alternatively or additionally supported directly on at least one conducting track contacting one of the connection points.
The invention will be explained in greater detail hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawing on the basis of preferred embodiments, in which:
One end region 36 of the spring element 28 is simultaneously an end region 36 of the switching element 12 and, as such, is connected to the connection point 18 in the connected state by means of the fusible element 26 formed as a soldered connection. The other end region 38 of the spring element 28 is simultaneously the other end region 38 of the switching element 12 and, as such, is permanently connected to the current-carrying element 16.
The biased central strip-shaped region 32 of the spring element 28 draws one end region 36 away from the fusible element 26, so that the electrically conductive connection 14 is separated.
The part of the thermal overload protection apparatus 10 shown in
In this case,
The following advantages are provided: The overload protection apparatus 10 is force-free in the mounted state. The overload protection apparatus can be mounted on the support 44 simply by being fitted, in particular by means of a fitting automaton. No fixing or holding-down is necessary for the soldering process. The apparatus can be activated by reciprocal latching (or denting) of the switching element 12 and spring element 28 after the mounting/the soldering process.
In the operating state, the switch formed by the spring element 28 and contacting point with the fusible element 26 on the support 44 is opened. Inadmissible heating of the component 20 above the activation temperature leads to an activation of the apparatus 10 situated in the trippable state. If the activation temperature (solder melting point) is exceeded, the tension of the spring element 28 closes the switch thus formed and the component 20 is thus converted into a safe state.
The electrically conductive switching element 12 is arranged relative to the component 20. The switching element 12 is fastened on the support 44. One end region 36 of the switching element 12 forms an electrical switch together with a contacting point on the support 44.
The following advantages are provided: The overload protection apparatus 10 is force-free in the mounted state. The overload protection apparatus can be mounted on the support 44 simply by being fitted, in particular by means of a fitting automaton. No fixing or holding-down is necessary for the soldering process. The apparatus can be activated by reciprocal latching (or denting) of the switching element 12 and spring element 28 after the mounting/the soldering process.
In the operating state, the switch formed by the spring element 28 and contacting point with the fusible element 26 on the support 44 is closed. Inadmissible heating of the component 20 above the activation temperature leads to an activation of the apparatus 10 situated in the trippable state. If the activation temperature (solder melting point) is exceeded, the tension of the spring element 28 opens the switch thus formed and the component 20 is thus converted into a safe state.
Number | Date | Country | Kind |
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10 2010 036 907 | Aug 2010 | EP | regional |
10 2010 038 070 | Oct 2010 | EP | regional |
Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind | 371c Date |
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PCT/EP11/63517 | 8/5/2011 | WO | 00 | 4/19/2013 |