JP2024110555A - Cutoff device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a cutoff device that can improve the insulation performance.

SOLUTION: A cutoff device 1 includes an igniter 10 that generates gas, a pusher 60 located below the igniter 10, a conductor 50 having a separation portion 51 located below the pusher 60 and a holding portion 52 connected to the separation portion 51, a lower housing 30 that is located below the separation portion 51 and is made of metal, an insulating member 110 that is located inside the lower housing 30 and below the separation portion 51, and a resin member 40 whose at least a portion is located inside the lower housing 30 and holds the holding portion 52, and the pusher 60 is configured to separate the separation portion 51 from the conductor 50 under pressure of the gas generated by the igniter 10, and the resin member 40 and the insulating member 110 cover the inner surface of the lower housing 30, an end 113 of the insulating member 110 overlaps with an end 43a of the resin member 40, and a lower end 43b of the end 43a of the resin member 40 is located below an upper end 113a of the end 113 of the insulating member 110.

SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2A

COPYRIGHT: (C)2024,JPO&INPIT

Description

This disclosure relates to a blocking device.

Conventionally, a circuit breaker that is connected to an electric circuit is known. Patent Document 1 discloses a circuit breaker in which a reinforcing frame is disposed inside the housing of the circuit breaker.

International Publication No. 2018/003594

In the case of electrical circuits in electric vehicles and other devices, the importance of circuit-breaking devices that can more reliably shut off electrical circuits is increasing in order to prevent major damage.

Therefore, this disclosure provides a circuit breaker that can improve insulation performance.

The interrupter according to one aspect of the present disclosure includes an igniter that generates gas, a conductor having a pusher located below the igniter, a separation portion located below the pusher, and a holding portion connected to the separation portion, a cover member that is located below the separation portion and is made of metal, an insulating member located inside the cover member and below the separation portion, and a resin member at least a portion of which is located inside the cover member and holds the holding portion, the pusher is configured to separate the separation portion from the conductor under pressure of the gas generated by the igniter, the resin member and the insulating member cover the inner surface of the cover member, an end of the insulating member overlaps an end of the resin member, and a lower end of the end of the resin member is located below an upper end of the end of the insulating member.

According to one aspect of the present disclosure, it is possible to realize a circuit breaker that can improve insulation performance.

FIG. 1A is a front view showing a blocking device according to a first embodiment. FIG. 1B is a perspective view showing the blocking device according to the first embodiment. FIG. 2A is a cross-sectional view showing the configuration of the circuit breaker according to the first embodiment before a circuit breaker operation. FIG. 2B is a cross-sectional view showing the configuration of the circuit breaker according to the first embodiment after a circuit breaker operation. FIG. 3A is a perspective view showing the insulating member according to the first embodiment as viewed from above. FIG. 3B is a front view showing the insulating member according to the first embodiment. FIG. 3C is a perspective view showing the insulating member according to the first embodiment as viewed from below. FIG. 4A is a perspective view showing the lower housing according to the first embodiment as viewed from above. FIG. FIG. 4B is a front view showing the lower housing according to the first embodiment. FIG. 4C is a perspective view showing the lower housing according to the first embodiment as viewed from below. FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view showing a configuration of the circuit breaker according to the second embodiment before a circuit breaker operation. FIG. 6A is a perspective view showing an insulating member according to the second embodiment as viewed from above. FIG. 6B is a front view showing the insulating member according to the second embodiment. FIG. 6C is a perspective view showing the insulating member according to the second embodiment as viewed from below. FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view showing a configuration of a circuit breaker according to a modification of the second embodiment before a circuit breaker operation. FIG. 8 is a front view showing an insulating member according to a modified example of the second embodiment. FIG. 9 is a cross-sectional view showing a configuration of a circuit breaker according to the third embodiment before a circuit breaker operation. FIG. 10A is a perspective view showing an insulating member according to the third embodiment as viewed from above. FIG. 10B is an exploded perspective view showing the insulating member according to the third embodiment as viewed from above. FIG. 11 is a flowchart showing a manufacturing process of the cutoff device according to the embodiment and the like.

The interrupter according to one aspect of the present disclosure includes an igniter that generates gas, a conductor having a pusher located below the igniter, a separation portion located below the pusher, and a holding portion connected to the separation portion, a cover member that is located below the separation portion and is made of metal, an insulating member located inside the cover member and below the separation portion, and a resin member at least a portion of which is located inside the cover member and holds the holding portion, the pusher is configured to separate the separation portion from the conductor under pressure of the gas generated by the igniter, the resin member and the insulating member cover the inner surface of the cover member, an end of the insulating member overlaps an end of the resin member, and a lower end of the end of the resin member is located below an upper end of the end of the insulating member.

As a result, the end of the insulating member and the end of the resin member are arranged so as to overlap, so that the arc or the conductive gas (hereinafter also referred to as conductive gas, etc.) generated by the arc is cooled as it flows between the end of the insulating member and the end of the resin member, and the conductivity of the conductive gas, etc. can be reduced. In other words, the conductive gas, etc. comes into contact with the metal cover member, and it is possible to prevent the current that was interrupted when the separation part was cut by the pusher from being re-conducted through the cover member. Therefore, from the viewpoint of preventing re-conduction, it is possible to improve the insulating performance of the circuit breaker.

Also, for example, the end of the insulating member may be located between the end of the resin member and the cover member.

As a result, because the end of the insulating member is between the end of the resin member and the cover member, the creepage distance of the arc from the cut surface of the separation section to the cover member can be extended, making it easier to extinguish the arc. In addition, the high-temperature conductive gas generated during the interruption operation causes the resin member to move (or deform) the insulating member in a direction toward the outside (radially outward) of the interrupter, making it possible to further reduce the gap between the insulating member and the resin member and effectively reduce the conductivity of the conductive gas, etc. This makes it possible to more reliably prevent the interrupter from becoming conductive again.

Also, for example, the end of the resin member may be located between the end of the insulating member and the cover member.

As a result, the end of the resin member is between the end of the insulating member and the cover member, which extends the arc's creepage distance from the cut surface of the separation section to the cover member, making it easier to extinguish the arc and more reliably preventing re-conduction.

Also, for example, the cover member may have a convex portion located below the insulating member, the convex portion protruding upward, and being pressed by the pusher.

As a result, the convex portion of the cover member is positioned below the insulating member (i.e., the insulating member is positioned between the separation portion and the cover member), which extends the path along which the arc occurs and, as a result, makes it possible to more reliably prevent re-conduction.

Also, for example, a gap may be provided between the cover member and the insulating member, and the gap may be located below the insulating member.

As a result, when the insulating member is pressed by the pusher, it is possible to move downward by the amount of the gap, thereby preventing the insulating member from being damaged by pressure from the pusher. Therefore, from the viewpoint of preventing damage to the insulating member, the insulating performance of the circuit breaker can be improved.

Also, for example, a gap may be provided between the cover member and the insulating member, the insulating member may have a first portion covering the top of the convex portion of the cover member and a second portion located below the first portion, the second portion covering the inner surface of the bottom of the cover member, and the gap may be located between the bottom of the cover member and the lower surface of the second portion.

As a result, when the convex portion is pressed by the pusher, the insulating member can move downward by the amount of the gap, which prevents the insulating member from being damaged by pressure from the pusher. Therefore, from the viewpoint of preventing the insulating member from being damaged, the insulating performance of the circuit breaker can be improved.

Also, for example, the insulating member may have a first member that covers the top of the convex portion of the cover member and a second member that is arranged so as to overlap a part of the first member, and the second member may cover the inner surface of the bottom of the cover member, and the first member and the second member may be separate bodies.

As a result, by configuring the insulating member from two parts, the stress applied to the insulating member when the convex portion is pressed by the pusher can be dispersed, making it possible to prevent the insulating member from being damaged. Therefore, from the viewpoint of preventing the insulating member from being damaged, the insulating performance of the circuit breaker can be improved.

For example, the resin member may have an embedded portion in which the holding portion is embedded, a first cylindrical portion in which the pusher is disposed, and a second cylindrical portion located below the first cylindrical portion and having a larger diameter than the first cylindrical portion, and the inner diameter of the second cylindrical portion may be smaller than the inner diameter of the insulating member.

As a result, the insulating member covers the inner surface of the cover member, so it is possible to prevent re-conduction while maintaining the size of the space in which the arc extends (preventing the circuit breaker from becoming too large).

Note that each of the embodiments described below is either a comprehensive or specific example. The numerical values, shapes, components, component placement and connection forms, steps, and order of steps shown in each of the embodiments are merely examples and are not intended to limit the present disclosure. Furthermore, among the components in the following embodiments, components that are not described in an independent claim are described as optional components.

In addition, each figure is a schematic diagram and is not necessarily an exact illustration. Therefore, for example, the scales of each figure do not necessarily match. In addition, in each figure, substantially the same configuration is given the same reference numerals, and duplicate explanations are omitted or simplified.

In addition, in this specification and drawings, the X-axis, Y-axis, and Z-axis indicate the three axes of a right-handed three-dimensional Cartesian coordinate system. In each embodiment, the Z-axis direction is the movement direction of the pusher, the Y-axis direction is the extension direction of the conductor, and the X-axis direction is the width direction of the conductor. In addition, in this specification, "front view" means viewing from the X-axis positive side toward the X-axis negative side, "top view" means viewing from the Z-axis positive side toward the Z-axis negative side, "cross-sectional view" means viewing a cut surface of the cutoff device cut on a plane that passes through the Z-axis and is parallel to the Z-axis, and side means a direction perpendicular to the Z-axis direction. In this specification, the Z-axis direction is also described as the up-down direction. However, in this specification, the up-down direction of the cutoff device merely indicates the relative positional relationship of each element in the cutoff device for the convenience of explaining each embodiment. For example, in this specification, the terms "upper" and "lower" do not refer to the upper direction (vertically upward) and lower direction (vertically downward) in absolute spatial recognition, but are used as terms defined by a relative positional relationship based on the direction of movement of the pusher. In addition, the orientation of the blocking device when installed is not limited to the direction shown in the drawings.

In addition, in this specification, terms indicating the relationship between elements, such as equal and orthogonal, terms indicating the shape of an element, such as circle, as well as numerical values and numerical ranges, are not expressions that express only the strict meaning, but are expressions that include a substantially equivalent range, for example, a difference of about a few percent (or about 10%).

In addition, in this specification, ordinal numbers such as "first" and "second" do not refer to the number or order of components, unless otherwise specified, but are used for the purpose of avoiding confusion and distinguishing between components of the same type.

(Embodiment 1)
The configuration of the shutoff device according to the present embodiment will be described below with reference to Figures 1A to 4C. Figure 1A is a front view showing the shutoff device 1 according to the present embodiment. Figure 1B is a perspective view showing the shutoff device 1 according to the present embodiment. Figure 2A is a cross-sectional view showing the configuration of the shutoff device 1 according to the present embodiment before the shutoff operation. Figure 2B is a cross-sectional view showing the configuration of the shutoff device 1 according to the present embodiment after the shutoff operation. Figure 1B is a view in which the shutoff device 1 shown in Figure 1A has been rotated about the Y-axis direction as the rotation axis to create a perspective view of the shutoff device 1 as seen from below.

In addition, in the perspective view, if there are axes that have the same orientation when the three axes of the three-dimensional Cartesian coordinate system are drawn on the paper, only one of the axes is shown. For example, in Figure 1B, the orientation of the X-axis and the Z-axis are the same on the paper, so only the Z-axis is shown.

As shown in Figs. 1A to 2B, the cutoff device 1 includes an igniter 10, an upper housing 20, a lower housing 30, a resin member 40, a conductor 50, a pusher 60, a protective part 80, elastic members 90, 92, 94, 96, and an insulating member 110. The cutoff device 1 is mounted on an object having an electric circuit, and is activated when an abnormality occurs in an electric circuit, system, or the like in the object, thereby preventing the damage caused by the abnormality from becoming greater by cutting off the electric circuit. The cutoff device 1 is mounted on a vehicle, which is an example of an object, for example, and is connected between a motor and a battery (e.g., a lithium-ion battery) for driving the motor, and cuts off the electrical connection between the motor and the battery for driving the motor in the event of an emergency such as an abnormality or accident. The object may be something other than a vehicle, and examples include, but are not limited to, home appliances and solar power generation systems.

The igniter 10 holds explosives inside, has a lid 11 provided between the explosives and a pusher 60, is placed in the recess 61, and generates gas. For example, the igniter 10 is an electric igniter having an explosive part having an explosive, and a conductive pin for conducting electricity with the explosive part. When in operation, an operating current for igniting the explosive is supplied to the conductive pin from an external power source, which ignites and burns the explosive, generating gas (combustion gas). The formation of the recess 61 allows the circuit breaker 1 to be made smaller.

The igniter 10 is fixed to the small diameter portion 21 above the upper housing 20.

The upper housing 20 and the lower housing 30 are members that form the outer shell of the cutoff device 1, and house the igniter 10, the resin member 40, part of the conductor 50, the pusher 60, the protective part 80, the elastic members 92, 94, 96, and the insulating member 110. Inside the upper housing 20 and the lower housing 30, a space 70 is formed that extends in the vertical direction. The space 70 is formed in a cylindrical shape so that the pusher 60 can move. The pusher 60 is housed at the top end side (positive side of the Z axis) of the space 70 in the vertical direction (Z axis direction).

The upper housing 20 and the lower housing 30 are each formed from a metal such as stainless steel (SUS), but may also be formed from other metals such as aluminum. For example, the upper housing 20 and the lower housing 30 are made of metal. Note that it is sufficient that at least the lower housing 30 is made of metal, and the upper housing 20 may be made of, for example, resin.

The upper housing 20 and the lower housing 30 have a cylindrical outer shape, but the shape is not limited to this. The upper housing 20 and the lower housing 30 are directly connected and fixed, for example, by welding. The lower housing 30 is an example of a cover member. The upper housing 20 and the lower housing 30 are an example of a housing.

The upper housing 20 is, for example, a cylindrical member having a stepped cylindrical shape, and is hollow inside. The upper housing 20 has a small diameter section 21 located at the top, a large diameter section 23 located at the bottom, and a connection section 22 that connects them. The small diameter section 21, the connection section 22, and the large diameter section 23 are integrally formed. The small diameter section 21 and the large diameter section 23 are arranged coaxially, and the large diameter section 23 has a larger diameter than the small diameter section 21.

The lower housing 30 is located below the separation section 51, is a hollow cylindrical member with a bottom, and has a protrusion 30a that protrudes upward. Specifically, the lower housing 30 has the protrusion 30a, a bottom 33, and a side wall 34. The protrusion 30a, the bottom 33, and the side wall 34 are integrally formed.

In this specification, integral formation means that each component is made of the same material, is formed simultaneously, and is the same (single) object.

The protrusion 30a is located below the separation portion 51 and is configured to protrude upward in the space 70. The protrusion 30a is connected to one end of the bottom 33 and protrudes upward (towards the positive side of the Z axis) from the bottom 33 in the space 70. The protrusion 30a is configured to be pressed by the insulating member 110 that comes into contact with the pusher 60 that has moved downward due to the gas generated by the igniter 10 and deforms downward. In other words, the protrusion 30a has the function of absorbing the impact (stress) from the pusher 60 by being pressed and deformed by the pusher 60. The protrusion 30a is also located below the insulating member 110.

In addition, when the interrupter 1 is viewed from the negative side of the Z axis toward the positive side of the Z axis, the protrusion 30a forming the recess of the lower housing 30 is exposed when viewed from the outside of the interrupter 1. In this embodiment, the protrusion 30a has a shape that tapers upward in the space 70, but the shape is not limited to this.

The bottom 33 connects the convex portion 30a and the side wall portion 34. In other words, the convex portion 30a and the side wall portion 34 are connected via the bottom 33. The outer surface and the inner surface of the bottom 33 are each inclined upward from the convex portion 30a toward the side wall portion 34.

The side wall portion 34 is connected to the other end of the bottom portion 33 and is formed to extend upward from the bottom portion 33. The side wall portion 34 has a tubular shape, and in this embodiment, has a cylindrical shape. The side wall portion 34 is arranged coaxially with the small diameter portion 21 and the large diameter portion 23. The side wall portion 34 has, for example, the same diameter as the large diameter portion 23.

In this embodiment, the thicknesses of the convex portion 30a, the bottom portion 33, and the side wall portion 34 are the same, but may be different from each other, for example.

The resin member 40 is a member at least partially located inside the lower housing 30, and covers a portion of the conductor 50 (specifically, the holding portion 52). It can also be said that the resin member 40 holds the holding portion 52. The resin member 40 is also a part of the components that form the space 70. The resin member 40 has an embedded portion 41, a first cylindrical portion 42, and a second cylindrical portion 43.

The embedded portion 41 is a portion of the resin member 40 in which the conductor 50 (specifically, the holding portion 52) is embedded. For example, a portion of the embedded portion 41 is exposed from the housing. The embedded portion 41 has a through hole in which the conductor 50 (specifically, the holding portion 52) is disposed. The embedded portion 41 constitutes a portion of the first tube portion 42.

The first cylindrical portion 42 is the portion of the resin member 40 that is disposed within the housing, and the pusher 60 is disposed inside when the cutoff operation is not being performed (when gas is not being generated by the igniter 10). In other words, the first cylindrical portion 42 is located between the housing and the pusher 60. The first cylindrical portion 42 has a smaller inner diameter than the second cylindrical portion 43.

The second cylindrical portion 43 is a portion of the resin member 40 that is disposed in the housing, and is a portion that is located below the first cylindrical portion 42. The second cylindrical portion 43 has a larger diameter than the first cylindrical portion 42. For example, the inner diameter d2 (see FIG. 2A) of the second cylindrical portion 43 is larger than the inner diameter d1 (see FIG. 2A) of the first cylindrical portion 42. This allows the lower volume of the space 70 to be increased. Therefore, the increase in pressure inside the housing due to the gas generated by the igniter 10 and the resulting movement of the pusher 60 downward can be suppressed, and deformation of the cutoff device 1 can be suppressed. The inner diameter d2 of the second cylindrical portion 43 is smaller than the inner diameter d3 of the insulating member 110. In other words, the inner diameters increase in the order of the first cylindrical portion 42, the second cylindrical portion 43, the insulating member 110, and the lower housing 30.

The second cylindrical portion 43 has an end portion 43a on the lower side. The end portion 43a is disposed inside the lower housing 30, and is, for example, a portion below the elastic member 96. The end portion 43a is formed, for example, in a tapered shape in which the inner diameter increases toward the bottom, but the shape of the end portion 43a is not limited to being tapered.

In this manner, the pusher 60 moves within the space 70 formed by the first tubular portion 42 and the second tubular portion 43. Note that the first tubular portion 42 and the second tubular portion 43 are not limited to having different inner diameters, and may have the same inner diameter.

The conductor 50 is a conductive metal body, a portion of which is located inside the upper housing 20 and the lower housing 30. The conductor 50 also forms part of a specific electric circuit when the interrupter 1 is attached to the electric circuit, and is also called a bus bar. The conductor 50 is a flat member held by the resin member 40 and disposed so as to cross the inside of the upper housing 20 and the lower housing 30. The conductor 50 has a separation portion 51 and a holding portion 52.

The separation portion 51 is the portion of the conductor 50 that is separated by the pusher 60 under the pressure of the gas generated by the igniter 10, and is located below the pusher 60 in the initial position.

The holding portion 52 is a portion of the conductor 50 that is connected to the separation portion 51 and is held by the resin member 40. The holding portion 52 is a portion that does not overlap the pusher 60 in a top view, for example, a portion that overlaps with the resin member 40 in a top view and a portion that is located outside the housing. The holding portion 52 remains held by the resin member 40 even after the separation portion 51 is separated.

The conductor 50 can be formed of a metal such as copper (Cu). However, the conductor 50 may be formed of a metal other than copper, or may be formed of an alloy of copper and another metal. For example, the conductor 50 may be composed of manganese (Mn), nickel (Ni), platinum (Pt), etc.

The pusher 60 is located below the igniter 10 and is arranged to be movable downward, and by moving downward when an abnormality occurs in the system, the pusher 60 cuts the conductor 50 and emergency cuts off the continuity in the electric circuit. In this way, the pusher 60 is configured to separate the separation part 51 from the conductor 50 by receiving the pressure of the gas generated by the igniter 10. In this way, the pusher 60 is arranged at a first position (see FIG. 2A) between the separation part 51 and the igniter 10, and moves from the first position toward a second position (see FIG. 2B) that is located lower than the first position by breaking the separation part 51. The second position is, for example, the position of the pusher 60 when the pusher 60 moves downward together with the separation part 51 and the separation part 51 comes into contact with the protrusion 30a.

The pusher 60 is formed of an insulating material such as synthetic resin. In this embodiment, the pusher 60 is formed of nylon. The pusher 60 has a cylindrical shape and an outer diameter corresponding to the inner diameter of the small diameter portion 21 of the upper housing 20. The pusher 60 also has a recess 61, and the igniter 10 is disposed inside the recess 61. Note that the shape of the pusher 60 is not limited to the above, and can be changed as appropriate depending on the shapes of the upper housing 20 and the lower housing 30. The recess 61 is the upper part of the pusher 60, and is also the part where a recess facing downward is provided.

When viewed from above, the recess 61 has a first portion 62 having a larger diameter (e.g., inner diameter) than the first cylindrical portion 81 of the protective portion 80, and a second portion 63 located below the first portion 62 and having a larger diameter (e.g., inner diameter) than the second cylindrical portion 82. When viewed from above, the diameter of the first portion 62 is larger than the diameter of the second portion 63. For example, when viewed from the cross section, the inner wall of the first portion 62 is tapered so that the diameter decreases toward the second portion 63, but it may also be stepped, for example, so that the diameter decreases in stages.

The protective part 80 is a component for preventing the pusher 60 from being damaged by the opening 11a (see FIG. 2B) of the cover part 11 of the igniter 10 when the igniter 10 generates gas. Specifically, the protective part 80 is a member for preventing the opening 11a from opening too wide and preventing the opening 11a, which opens when the igniter 10 generates gas, from coming into contact with the pusher 60 and damaging the recess 61 of the pusher 60.

The protective part 80 is provided on the housing (e.g., the upper housing 20) or the igniter 10, and has a portion located inside the recess 61. In this embodiment, the protective part 80 is provided on the housing (specifically, the small diameter part 21). The protective part 80 is fixed to the small diameter part 21 by welding, for example, but the fixing method is not limited to this.

As shown in Figures 2A and 2B, the protective section 80 has a first cylindrical section 81 and a second cylindrical section 82. The first cylindrical section 81 and the second cylindrical section 82 are integrally formed.

The first cylindrical portion 81 is a cylindrical portion that surrounds the side of the igniter 10 and has a shape that conforms to the igniter 10. In this embodiment, the first cylindrical portion 81 is formed in a stepped shape (e.g., a two-step stepped shape) in which the diameter (e.g., the inner diameter) gradually decreases toward the bottom when viewed in cross section. Note that the shape of the first cylindrical portion 81 is not limited to this, and for example, the first cylindrical portion 81 may be tapered so that the diameter decreases toward the bottom, or may have another shape.

The first cylindrical portion 81 may be in at least partial contact with the igniter 10. The second cylindrical portion 82 is disposed at the lower end of the first cylindrical portion 81.

The first cylindrical portion 81 also has a flange portion 83 on the upper side. The flange portion 83 is an annular portion (e.g., a plate-shaped member) formed so as to protrude outward in a top view from the upper end of the first cylindrical portion 81, and is fixed to the small diameter portion 21 by welding or the like. For example, at least a portion of the flange portion 83 is disposed between the first portion 62 and the small diameter portion 21. In this way, the first cylindrical portion 81 has a portion that connects to the housing and is fixed to the housing.

The second cylindrical portion 82 is an annular portion located below the first cylindrical portion 81 and has a smaller diameter (e.g., inner diameter) than the first cylindrical portion 81. The second cylindrical portion 82 protrudes linearly from the lower end of the first cylindrical portion 81 toward the negative Z-axis side, and is the portion that comes into contact with the lid portion 11 when gas is generated. The lower end (the end on the negative Z-axis side, e.g., the lowest end) of the second cylindrical portion 82 is located below (on the negative Z-axis side) the lower end (the end on the negative Z-axis side, e.g., the lowest end) of the lid portion 11 when no gas is generated (the end on the negative Z-axis side, e.g., the lowest end).

The protective part 80 is formed of a metal such as stainless steel (SUS), but may also be formed of other metals such as aluminum, or may be formed of resin (e.g., a resin different from that of the pusher 60).

As shown in Figures 2A and 2B, the elastic members 90, 92, 94, and 96 are elastic members such as rubber, and are O-rings formed in an annular shape. Each of the elastic members 90, 92, 94, and 96 is disposed in a pressed state (deformed state).

The elastic member 90 is disposed in a space formed between the fixing member 100 for fixing the igniter 10 disposed in the recess 61, the igniter 10, and the small diameter portion 21. The elastic member 90 is in contact with each of the fixing member 100, the igniter 10, and the small diameter portion 21, and is pressed, for example, by each of the fixing member 100, the igniter 10, and the small diameter portion 21.

The elastic member 92 is positioned between the housing and the pusher 60, and is pressed against the housing to press the outer surface of the pusher 60. The elastic member 92 is also arranged to follow the outer surface of the pusher 60. In this embodiment, the elastic member 92 is arranged in a space formed between the housing (e.g., the connection portion 22), the pusher 60, and the resin member 40 in order to prevent the internal space of the recess 61 from being spatially connected to the space outside the internal space (e.g., the space between the pusher 60 and the resin member 40). The elastic member 92 prevents the gas generated by the igniter 10 from leaking from the internal space of the recess 61 to the external space. This prevents the gas generated by the igniter 10 from escaping from the internal space of the recess 61, and the pressure of the gas in the recess 61 from decreasing.

In this embodiment, the elastic member 92 is in contact (e.g., surface contact) with the housing, the pusher 60, and the resin member 40, and is pressed by, for example, each of the housing, the pusher 60, and the resin member 40.

As shown in FIG. 2A, the elastic member 92 has a triangular cross-sectional shape when pressed, but is not limited to this. Furthermore, the cross-sectional shape of the elastic member 92 when not pressed is not particularly limited as long as it can spatially separate the internal space of the recess 61 and the conductor 50 after pressing, and may be circular, polygonal (e.g., rectangular), or elliptical.

In this specification, "pressing" refers not only to one member pressing another member, but also to the pressing of the one member or another member by the repulsive force generated by the elastic deformation of the other member.

The elastic member 94 is disposed in a space formed above the conductor 50 between a circumferential recess formed in the resin member 40 and the housing (e.g., the large diameter portion 23) in order to prevent spatial connection between the space above the conductor 50 and the external space. In this embodiment, the elastic member 94 is in contact with the resin member 40 and the large diameter portion 23, and is pressed by, for example, the resin member 40 and the large diameter portion 23.

The elastic member 96 is disposed below the conductor 50 in a space formed between a circumferential recess formed in the resin member 40 and the lower housing 30 (e.g., side wall portion 34) in order to prevent spatial connection between the space below the conductor 50 and the external space. In this embodiment, the elastic member 96 is in contact with the resin member 40 and the side wall portion 34, and is pressed by, for example, the resin member 40 and the side wall portion 34.

The elastic members 94 and 96 are not limited to being arranged without gaps in the circumferential recess, and may have gaps in at least one of the upper and lower directions.

The insulating member 110 is an insulating member located inside the lower housing 30 and below the separation section 51. The shape of the insulating member 110 preferably follows the shape of the lower housing 30. For example, if the lower housing 30 has an inclined portion (e.g., the bottom 33), the insulating member 110 also preferably has an inclined portion (e.g., a portion of the second section 112 that is inclined). In this embodiment, the insulating member 110 is provided in a layer having a certain thickness along the inner surface of the lower housing 30. The thickness of the insulating member 110 may be thinner than the thickness of the lower housing 30, for example.

The insulating member 110 has a first portion 111 and a second portion 112.

The first portion 111 is a portion of the insulating member 110 that has a shape that conforms to the convex portion 30a, and covers the inner surface of the convex portion 30a. The first portion 111 is provided, for example, so as to cover the top of the convex portion 30a. In this embodiment, the first portion 111 is provided so as to contact the inner surface of the convex portion 30a.

The second part 112 is located below the first part 111 and covers the inner surface of the bottom 33. In this embodiment, the second part 112 is provided without contacting the bottom 33 before the interruption operation. As a result, a gap 72 (see FIG. 2A) located below the insulating member 110 is provided between the insulating member 110 and the lower housing 30 (e.g., the bottom 33) (between the lower surface of the second part 112 and the bottom 33). The gap 72 is an example of a gap.

By providing the gap 72, the insulating member 110 can move (deform) into the gap 72 when the convex portion 30a is deformed, so that the insulating member 110 can be prevented from being damaged by stress. The second portion 112 also covers a part of the inner surface of the side wall portion 34. If the portion of the second portion 112 that is provided along the inner surface of the side wall portion 34 is defined as the end portion 113, in the example of FIG. 2A, the inner diameter d3 of the insulating member 110 is the distance in the Y-axis direction between the ends 113 that face each other in the radial direction.

The size of the gap 72 may be determined according to the expected deformation of the protrusion 30a, for example by making the height (length in the Z-axis direction) of the protrusion 30a greater than the height of the protrusion of the insulating member 110.

The first part 111 and the second part 112 are integrally formed. The insulating member 110 is formed, for example, from a resin having insulating properties (for example, a synthetic resin). For example, the insulating member 110 is formed by molding a resin.

The insulating member 110 may be realized by applying an insulating material to the inner surface of the lower housing 30. For example, the insulating member 110 may be formed by coating the inner surface of the lower housing 30 with an insulating material. In this case, the insulating member 110 and the lower housing 30 are provided integrally.

2A and 2B, the resin member 40 and the insulating member 110 cover the inner surface of the lower housing 30 before and after the interruption operation. For example, the resin member 40 and the insulating member 110 may cover the inner surface of the lower housing 30 so that the inner surface of the lower housing 30 is not exposed. In addition, the resin member 40 and the insulating member 110 overlap in part when viewed in the radial direction. Specifically, the end 113 of the insulating member 110 and the end 43a of the resin member 40 overlap in the radial direction. More specifically, the lower end 43b of the end 43a of the resin member 40 is located below the upper end 113a of the end 113 of the insulating member 110. The lower end 43b is located below the upper end 113a along the circumferential direction. In addition, since the end 113 is provided outside the end 43a, the end 113 is located between the end 43a and the lower housing 30.

Note that end 113 and end 43a may overlap, for example, by 1 mm or more in the Z-axis direction, more preferably by 3 mm or more, and even more preferably by 5 mm or more. 1 mm, 3 mm, and 5 mm are lengths in the Z-axis direction.

A gap 74 is provided between the end 113 and the end 43a. The gap 74 may be provided over the entire circumferential direction, or may be provided over a portion of the circumferential direction. The gap 74 is a narrow gap that can cool the high-temperature conductive gas generated by the arc during the interruption operation while the conductive gas passes through. The width of the gap 74 (the distance between the end 113 and the end 43a, which is the length in the Y-axis direction in the example of FIG. 2A) is 1 mm or less, for example, 0.5 mm or less. The width of the gap 74 is the average value of the distance between the end 113 and the end 43a in the circumferential direction, but may be a maximum value, a minimum value, a mode value, a median value, or the like.

As a result, when the high-temperature conductive gas flows into the gap 74, the conductive gas is cooled, and the conductivity of the conductive gas can be reduced. Since the conductive gas that flows out of the gap 74 has a reduced conductivity, even if the conductive gas comes into contact with the lower housing 30, the conductor 50 is prevented from becoming conductive again.

The gap 74 does not have to be provided. In other words, the end 113 and the end 43a may be in contact over the entire circumferential direction.

The configuration of the insulating member 110 and the lower housing 30 will now be described with further reference to Figures 3A to 4C. Figure 3A is a perspective view showing the insulating member 110 according to this embodiment as viewed from above. Figure 3B is a front view showing the insulating member 110 according to this embodiment. Figure 3C is a perspective view showing the insulating member 110 according to this embodiment as viewed from below. Figure 3A is a view in which the insulating member 110 is rotated about the Y-axis direction as the axis of rotation to obtain a perspective view of the insulating member 110 shown in Figure 3B as viewed from above, and Figure 3C is a view in which the insulating member 110 is rotated about the Y-axis direction as the axis of rotation to obtain a perspective view of the insulating member 110 shown in Figure 3B as viewed from below.

As shown in Figures 3A to 3C, the first portion 111 of the insulating member 110 is a hollow, bottomless, truncated cone-shaped member. The second portion 112 has an end portion 113 and a portion that slopes to connect the end portion 113 and the first portion 111. The sloped portion is tapered, with the inner diameter increasing toward the end portion 113. The end portion 113 is a bottomless tubular member that extends in the Z-axis direction.

Figure 4A is a perspective view of the lower housing 30 according to this embodiment as viewed from above. Figure 4B is a front view of the lower housing 30 according to this embodiment. Figure 4C is a perspective view of the lower housing 30 according to this embodiment as viewed from below. Figure 4A is a view of the lower housing 30 rotated about the Y-axis direction as the axis of rotation to obtain a perspective view of the lower housing 30 shown in Figure 4B as viewed from above, and Figure 4C is a view of the lower housing 30 rotated about the Y-axis direction as the axis of rotation to obtain a perspective view of the lower housing 30 shown in Figure 4B as viewed from below.

As shown in Figures 4A to 4C, the convex portion 30a of the lower housing 30 is a hollow, bottomless truncated cone-shaped member. The bottom portion 33 is tapered so that the inner diameter increases toward the side wall portion 34. The side wall portion 34 is a bottomless tubular member extending in the Z-axis direction. The length of the side wall portion 34 in the Z-axis direction is longer than the length of the end portion 113 in the Z-axis direction. The inner diameter of the side wall portion 34 is also larger than the inner diameter d3 of the end portion 113. The side wall portion 34 is configured to cover the end portion 113 from the outside. The fixing portion 35 is a portion for fixing the upper housing 20 and the lower housing 30, and is provided so as to protrude upward from the side wall portion 34. The fixing portion 35 is joined by welding or the like to a fixing portion (not shown) provided so as to protrude downward in the upper housing 20.

As described above, the interrupter 1 has a configuration in which the inner surface of the lower housing 30 is not exposed, and the insulating resin members (resin member 40 and insulating member 110) partially overlap when viewed in the radial direction.

(Embodiment 2)
The configuration of the interrupter according to the present embodiment will be described below with reference to FIGS. 5 to 6C. FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view showing the configuration of the interrupter 2 according to the present embodiment before the interruption operation. FIG. 6A is a perspective view showing the insulating member 210 according to the present embodiment as viewed from above. FIG. 6B is a front view showing the insulating member 210 according to the present embodiment. FIG. 6C is a perspective view showing the insulating member 210 according to the present embodiment as viewed from below. FIG. 6A is a view in which the insulating member 210 is rotated about the Y-axis direction as a rotation axis to obtain a perspective view of the insulating member 210 shown in FIG. 6B as viewed from above, and FIG. 6C is a view in which the insulating member 210 is rotated about the Y-axis direction as a rotation axis to obtain a perspective view of the insulating member 210 shown in FIG. 6B as viewed from below.

The following description will focus on the differences from embodiment 1, and will omit or simplify the description of the same or similar content as embodiment 1. The isolating device 2 according to this embodiment differs from the isolating device 1 according to embodiment 1 in that the lower housing 230 does not have a protruding portion 30a and has a flat bottom surface.

As shown in FIG. 5, the interrupter 2 has a lower housing 230 instead of the lower housing 30 of the interrupter 1, and has an insulating member 210 instead of the insulating member 110.

The lower housing 230 has a plate-shaped portion 230a, a bottom portion 33, and a side wall portion 34. The plate-shaped portion 230a, the bottom portion 33, and the side wall portion 34 are integrally formed.

The plate-shaped portion 230a is a flat member, and in this embodiment, is disk-shaped. The inner surface of the plate-shaped portion 230a is flat.

As shown in Figures 5 to 6C, the insulating member 210 has a shape that conforms to the shape of the lower housing 230. The insulating member 210 has a first portion 211 and a second portion 112.

The first portion 211 is disposed opposite the plate-shaped portion 230a and covers the inner surface of the plate-shaped portion 230a. The first portion 211 is a flat plate-shaped member, and in this embodiment, is disk-shaped. In this embodiment, the first portion 211 is disposed at a predetermined distance from the plate-shaped portion 230a without contacting the plate-shaped portion 230a before the interruption operation.

The second portion 212 is located above the first portion 211 and covers the inner surface of the bottom portion 33 and a part of the inner surface of the side wall portion 34. In this embodiment, the second portion 112 is provided without contacting the bottom portion 33 before the interruption operation.

This creates a gap 74 between the insulating member 210 and the lower housing 230.

In this embodiment, an example has been described in which the end 113 of the insulating member 210 is disposed between the end 43a of the resin member 40 and the lower housing 230 in the radial direction, but the end of the resin member may be disposed between the end of the insulating member and the lower housing. A cutoff device having such a configuration will be described in the following modified example.

(Modification of the second embodiment)
The configuration of the interrupter according to this modification will be described below with reference to Fig. 7 and Fig. 8. Fig. 7 is a cross-sectional view showing the configuration of the interrupter 2a according to this modification before the interrupting operation. Fig. 8 is a front view showing an insulating member 210a according to this modification.

As shown in FIG. 7, the interrupter 2a includes an insulating member 210a instead of the insulating member 210 of the interrupter 2, and a resin member 40 having an end 243a instead of the end 43a. As described above, the interrupter 2a is configured such that the end 243a of the resin member 40 is located between the end 213a of the insulating member 210a and the lower housing 230.

The end 243a has an outer surface that contacts the lower housing 230 and an inner surface that is inclined.

As shown in Figures 7 and 8, the insulating member 210a has a shape that conforms to the shape of the lower housing 230 and the end portion 243a. The insulating member 210a has a first portion 211 and a second portion 212a.

The second portion 212a is located above the first portion 211 and covers the inner surface of the bottom portion 33 and the inner surface (inclined surface) of the end portion 243a. In this embodiment, the second portion 212a is provided so that it does not contact the bottom portion 33 before the interruption operation and the end portion 213a contacts the inner surface of the end portion 243a. The end portion 213a has a shape that follows the shape of the inner surface of the end portion 243a and contacts the inner surface of the end portion 243a over the entire circumferential direction. The end portion 213a is tapered such that the inner diameter decreases toward the top.

As described above, the interrupter 2a has a configuration in which the inner surface of the lower housing 230 is not exposed, and parts of the insulating resin members (resin member 40 and insulating member 210a) overlap in the circumferential outward direction in the order of insulating member 210a and resin member 40.

(Embodiment 3)
The configuration of the interrupter according to the present embodiment will be described below with reference to Figures 9 to 10B. Figure 9 is a cross-sectional view showing the configuration of the interrupter 3 according to the present embodiment before the interrupting operation. Figure 10A is a perspective view showing an insulating member 310 according to the present embodiment as viewed from above. Figure 10B is an exploded perspective view showing an insulating member 310 according to the present embodiment as viewed from above.

The following description will focus on the differences from embodiment 1, and will omit or simplify the description of the same or similar content as embodiment 1. The interrupter 3 of this embodiment differs from the interrupter 1 of embodiment 1 in that the insulating member 310 is composed of multiple members.

As shown in FIG. 9, the interrupter 3 has an insulating member 310 instead of the insulating member 110 of the interrupter 1.

As shown in Figures 9 to 10B, the insulating member 310 has a first member 320 and a second member 330. The first member 320 and the second member 330 are separate members. Separate here means that the first member 320 and the second member 330 are physically separated in the installed state. Separate may mean that the first member 320 and the second member 330, which are separate members, are not fixed together. Separate may also mean that the first member 320 and the second member 330 are manufactured separately in the manufacturing process.

The first member 320 covers the protruding portion 30a of the lower housing 30. The first member 320 covers, for example, the top of the protruding portion 30a. The first member 320 has a shape that conforms to the protruding portion 30a, and its cross-sectional shape is a U-shape rotated 180 degrees. The end of the first member 320 is a free end, and can be deformed by stress from the pusher 60.

The second member 330 covers the bottom 33 of the lower housing 30. The second member 330 covers the bottom 33, the side wall 34, and a part of the protrusion 30a. The second member 330 has a shape that mainly follows the shape of the bottom 33 and the side wall 34, and has a cross-sectional shape with two U-shaped portions.

The second member 330 is arranged so as to overlap a portion of the first member 320 when viewed in the radial direction. This makes it possible to prevent the inner surface of the lower housing 230 from being exposed, even when the insulating member 310 is composed of the first member 320 and the second member 330, which are separate bodies.

The second member 330 is not in contact with the first member 320 at the overlapping portion. In other words, a gap 76 is provided between the first member 320 and the second member 330. Like the gap 74, the gap 76 is a narrow gap through which the high-temperature conductive gas generated by the arc during the interruption operation can be cooled while passing through. In addition, since the second member 330 is not in contact with the first member 320, the stress that the first member 320 receives from the pusher 60 can be prevented from being transmitted to the second member 330. In other words, the second member 330 can be prevented from being damaged by the stress from the pusher 60.

The second member 330 has an end 113, which constitutes the end of the insulating member 310.

As shown in Figures 10A and 10B, the first member 320 and the second member 330 are detachable. The first member 320 is, for example, simply placed on the second member 330. In other words, the first member 320 is simply placed on the second member 330 so as to cover the opening 331 formed at the top of the portion where the second member 330 protrudes toward the internal space.

(Method of manufacturing the cutoff device)
Next, a method for manufacturing the interrupter according to each embodiment configured as described above will be described with reference to Fig. 11. Fig. 11 is a flow chart showing the manufacturing process of the interrupter 1 according to embodiment 1. Fig. 11 shows the manufacturing process of the interrupter 1 according to embodiment 1, but the same applies to the interrupters 2, 2a, and 3 according to the other embodiments and modified examples.

As shown in FIG. 11, an upper housing 20 made of resin or metal is produced by resin molding, metal molding, or the like (S10), a lower housing 30 made of metal is produced by metal molding, or the like (S20), and an insulating member 110 is produced by resin molding, or the like (S30). Note that the order of steps S10 to S30 may be reversed, or at least two of them may be performed simultaneously.

Next, the upper housing 20 and the lower housing 30 are fixed (S40). For example, the upper housing 20 and the lower housing 30 are joined by welding or the like with the igniter 10, the resin member 40, the conductor 50, the pusher 60, the protective part 80, the elastic members 90, 92, 94, 96, and the insulating member 110 housed inside. At this time, the upper housing 20 and the lower housing 30 are joined without any gaps with the insulating member 110 housed so as to cover the inner surface of the lower housing 30. In this way, the above-mentioned interrupter 1 is produced.

(Other embodiments)
Although the blocking device according to one or more aspects has been described based on each embodiment, the present disclosure is not limited to each of these embodiments, etc. As long as it does not deviate from the gist of the present disclosure, various modifications conceived by a person skilled in the art to this embodiment and forms constructed by combining components in different embodiments may also be included in the present disclosure.

The order of each process in the manufacturing method of the interrupter device described above may be changed. Furthermore, each process in the manufacturing method of the interrupter device described in the above embodiment may be performed in one process or in separate processes. Note that "performed in one process" is intended to include each process being performed using one device, each process being performed consecutively, or each process being performed at the same location. Furthermore, "separate processes" is intended to include each process being performed using separate devices, each process being performed at different times (e.g., different days), or each process being performed at different locations.

This disclosure is useful for circuit breakers placed in electrical circuits, etc.

REFERENCE SIGNS LIST 1, 2, 2a, 3 Shut-off device 10 Igniter 11 Lid 11a Opening 20 Upper housing 21 Small diameter portion 22 Connection portion 23 Large diameter portion 30, 230 Lower housing (cover member)
30a: convex portion 33: bottom portion 34: side wall portion 35: fixing portion 40: resin member 41: embedded portion 42, 81: first cylindrical portion 43, 82: second cylindrical portion 43a, 113, 213a, 243a: end portion 43b: lower end 50: conductor 51: separation portion 52: holding portion 60: pusher 61: recess 62, 111, 211: first portion 63, 112, 212, 212a: second portion 70: space 72: gap (gap)
74, 76 Gap 80 Protective portion 83 Flange portion 90, 92, 94, 96 Elastic member 100 Fixing member 110, 210, 210a, 310 Insulating member 113a Upper end 230a Plate-shaped portion 320 First member 330 Second member 331 Opening d1, d2, d3 Inner diameter

Claims (8)

An igniter for generating gas;
a pusher located below the igniter;
a conductor having a separation portion located below the pusher and a holding portion connected to the separation portion;
A cover member located below the separation portion and made of metal;
an insulating member located inside the cover member and below the separation portion;
a resin member at least a portion of which is located inside the cover member and which holds the holding portion;
Equipped with
The pusher is configured to separate the separation portion from the conductor under pressure of the gas generated by the igniter,
the resin member and the insulating member cover an inner surface of the cover member,
an end portion of the insulating member overlaps an end portion of the resin member,
a lower end of the end portion of the resin member is positioned lower than an upper end of the end portion of the insulating member. The circuit breaker according to claim 1 , wherein the end of the insulating member is located between the end of the resin member and the cover member. The circuit breaker according to claim 1 , wherein the end of the resin member is located between the end of the insulating member and the cover member. the cover member has a protrusion located below the insulating member,
The breaking device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the protrusion protrudes upward and is pressed by the pusher. A gap is provided between the cover member and the insulating member,
The circuit breaker according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the gap is located below the insulating member. A gap is provided between the cover member and the insulating member,
The insulating member is
a first portion covering the top of the protrusion of the cover member;
A second portion located below the first portion;
having
The second portion covers an inner surface of a bottom portion of the cover member,
The isolating device according to claim 4 , wherein the gap is located between a bottom of the cover member and a lower surface of the second portion. The insulating member is
a first member for covering a top portion of the protrusion of the cover member;
A second member disposed so as to overlap a portion of the first member;
having
the second member covers an inner surface of a bottom portion of the cover member,
The breaking device according to claim 4 , wherein the first member and the second member are separate bodies. The resin member is
a buried portion in which the holding portion is buried;
a first cylindrical portion in which the pusher is disposed;
A second cylindrical portion is located below the first cylindrical portion and has a larger diameter than the first cylindrical portion;
having
The circuit breaker according to claim 1 , wherein an inner diameter of the second cylindrical portion is smaller than an inner diameter of the insulating member.

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