Circuit breakers and power supply systems

Abstract

A circuit breaker and power supply system are disclosed, which improve the switching performance of the circuit breaker. The circuit breaker includes a mechanical switching circuit comprising a busbar, a power module, and a drive module. The power module includes a moving contact and a stationary contact. The stationary contact is electrically connected to the busbar, and the moving contact is movable. When the moving and stationary contacts are in contact, the mechanical switching circuit is activated; when the moving and stationary contacts are disconnected, the mechanical switching circuit is deactivated. The drive module includes a switching circuit, a moving coil, and a stationary coil. The moving and stationary coils are placed adjacent to each other. The switching circuit controls the current direction in the moving and stationary coils. The moving and stationary coils attract or repel each other depending on whether the current directions are the same, causing the moving coil to drive the moving and stationary contacts to make or break contact.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the electrical field, and more particularly to circuit breakers and power supply systems. Background Technology

[0002] Current power supply systems are widely used, and circuit breakers are frequently required in these systems to perform functions such as power distribution and protection. Circuit breakers can be used in both DC and AC power supply systems. Traditional circuit breakers include mechanical circuit breakers and solid-state circuit breakers, but both have their own shortcomings. Mechanical circuit breakers require many linkage devices during the switching process, such as springs, hooks, levers, and armatures, resulting in a long linkage time. Furthermore, mechanical circuit breakers use contacts to break the circuit, and an electric arc is generated in the contact gap when the circuit is broken, resulting in a long arcing time. An electric arc refers to the cylindrical gas that emits strong light and conducts electricity when the mechanical circuit breaker breaks. The circuit breaker is only disconnected after the arc extinguishes and the contact gap becomes an insulating medium. The arcing time refers to the time interval during which an electric arc appears in each phase during the circuit breaker's breaking process. For these reasons, mechanical circuit breakers can only achieve breaking times in the millisecond (ms) range, resulting in a slow short-circuit breaking speed. Solid-state circuit breakers use electronic power devices instead of switches to make and break circuits. Solid-state circuit breakers can achieve extremely fast turn-off times. However, due to the limitations of current power electronic switch manufacturing processes, their conduction losses are relatively high, and water-cooled heat sinks are often required, which increases their size and cost.

[0003] Therefore, the industry urgently needs circuit breakers that can achieve faster short-circuit breaking speed, lower conduction loss, and lower cost. Summary of the Invention

[0004] This application provides a circuit breaker and a power supply system that can improve the switching performance of the circuit breaker.

[0005] In a first aspect, a circuit breaker is provided, characterized in that it includes a mechanical switching circuit, the mechanical switching circuit comprising: a busbar; a power module including a moving contact and a stationary contact, the stationary contact being electrically connected to the busbar, the moving contact being movable, wherein the mechanical switching circuit is turned on when the moving contact and the stationary contact are in contact, and the mechanical switching circuit is turned off when the moving contact and the stationary contact are disconnected; and a drive module including a switching circuit, a moving coil, and a stationary coil, the moving coil and the stationary coil being placed adjacent to each other, the switching circuit being used to control the current direction of the moving coil and the stationary coil, the moving coil and the stationary coil attracting or repelling each other depending on whether the current directions are the same, so that the moving coil drives the moving contact and the stationary contact to contact or disconnect.

[0006] Circuit breakers include mechanical switching circuits. The switching circuits within these circuits control the current direction in the moving and stationary coils, causing them to attract or disconnect from each other. The moving coil then drives the moving contact to make or break contact with the stationary contact, ultimately achieving the switching on and off of the mechanical circuit. This switching method simplifies the linkage mechanism and optimizes the switching performance of the circuit breaker. For example, it can reduce the switching time of the mechanical switching circuit, thereby reducing the switching time of the circuit breaker itself.

[0007] In conjunction with the first aspect, in one possible implementation, the moving coil and the moving contact are fixedly connected, or a linkage structure is provided between the moving coil and the moving contact.

[0008] The moving coil and the moving contact are fixed structures, or there is a linkage structure between them, so that when the moving coil moves, it can drive the moving contact to move together, thereby realizing the opening and closing of the mechanical switching circuit. This switching method simplifies the linkage device, reduces the switching time of the mechanical switching circuit, and thus reduces the switching time of the circuit breaker.

[0009] In conjunction with the first aspect, one possible implementation further includes: a solid-state switching circuit connected in parallel with the mechanical switching circuit, wherein when the circuit breaker is turned on, the solid-state switching circuit turns on before the mechanical switching circuit, and when the circuit breaker is turned off, the mechanical switching circuit turns off before the solid-state switching circuit.

[0010] The circuit breaker uses a combination of mechanical and solid-state switching circuits in parallel. Using solid-state switching circuits can prevent the contacts of the mechanical switching circuit from generating an electric arc when opening or closing, thereby shortening the arcing time, improving the switching speed of the circuit breaker, and extending the life of the mechanical switching circuit.

[0011] In conjunction with the first aspect, in one possible implementation, the moving coil is used to: move away from the stationary coil and cause the moving contact to disconnect from the stationary contact when the current flowing through the moving coil and the stationary coil are in opposite directions; and move closer to the stationary coil and cause the moving contact to contact the stationary contact when the current flowing through the moving coil and the stationary coil are in the same direction.

[0012] In conjunction with the first aspect, in one possible implementation, the switching circuit includes a first switch S1 to a fourth switch S4, wherein a first end of the driving module is connected to a first end of the first switch S1 and a first end of the second switch S2, a second end of the first switch S1 is connected to a first end of the stationary coil, a second end of the second switch S2 is connected to a second end of the stationary coil, a first end of the third switch S3 is connected to a first end of the stationary coil, a second end of the third switch S3 is connected to a first end of the moving coil, a first end of the fourth switch S4 is connected to a second end of the stationary coil, a second end of the fourth switch S4 is connected to a first end of the moving coil, and a second end of the moving coil is connected to a second end of the driving module.

[0013] The switches S1~S4, the stationary coil, and the moving coil in the switching circuit constitute the driving circuit. By controlling the opening and closing of the switches S1~S4, the current directions in the stationary coil and the moving coil can be made to be the same or opposite, thereby realizing the opening and closing of the mechanical switching circuit.

[0014] In conjunction with the first aspect, in one possible implementation, when the first switch S1 and the fourth switch S4 are turned on, and the second switch S2 and the third switch S3 are turned off, the current flowing through the moving coil and the stationary coil is in the same direction, the moving coil and the stationary coil attract each other, and drive the moving contact and the stationary contact to connect.

[0015] In conjunction with the first aspect, in one possible implementation, when the second switch S2 and the third switch S3 are turned on, and the first switch S1 and the fourth switch S4 are turned off, the current flowing through the moving coil and the stationary coil are in opposite directions, the moving coil and the stationary coil repel each other, and cause the moving contact and the stationary contact to disconnect.

[0016] In conjunction with the first aspect, in one possible implementation, the drive module further includes an energy storage module for providing current to the drive module.

[0017] In conjunction with the first aspect, in one possible implementation, the energy storage unit includes a capacitor C1, wherein a first end of the capacitor C1 is connected to a first end of the drive module, and a second end of the capacitor C1 is connected to a second end of the drive module.

[0018] In conjunction with the first aspect, in one possible implementation, the energy storage module further includes a diode D5, the anode of which is connected to the second terminal of the capacitor C1, and the cathode of which is connected to the first terminal of the capacitor C1.

[0019] Connecting diode D5 in parallel across C1 can improve the discharge efficiency of C1, thereby increasing the switching speed of the mechanical switching circuit.

[0020] In conjunction with the first aspect, in one possible implementation, the moving coil and the stationary coil are connected in series during operation.

[0021] In a second aspect, a power supply system is provided, which includes a circuit breaker as described in the first aspect or any possible implementation thereof. Attached Figure Description

[0022] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of a circuit breaker 100 according to an embodiment of this application.

[0023] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the working state of a mechanical switch circuit 200 according to an embodiment of this application.

[0024] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the working state of a mechanical switch circuit 200 according to an embodiment of this application.

[0025] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of a circuit breaker 100 according to another embodiment of this application.

[0026] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a solid-state switch circuit 60 according to an embodiment of this application.

[0027] Figure 6 and Figure 7 The following diagrams show the conduction of the solid-state switch circuit 60 under different current directions.

[0028] Figure 8 This is a three-dimensional cross-sectional schematic diagram of a mechanical switch circuit 20 according to an embodiment of this application.

[0029] Figure 9 This is a cross-sectional schematic diagram of the mechanical switch circuit 20 in an embodiment of this application when it is in the on state.

[0030] Figure 10 This is a cross-sectional schematic diagram of the mechanical switch circuit 20 in an embodiment of this application when it is in the on state.

[0031] Figure 11 This is a top view of a moving coil 210 according to an embodiment of this application.

[0032] Figure 12 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the moving contact 211 and the stationary contact 222 according to an embodiment of this application. Detailed Implementation

[0033] The technical solutions in this application will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0034] To facilitate understanding, we will first introduce some terms used in this application.

[0035] Circuit breakers: Applicable to DC or AC power supply systems, circuit breakers are switching devices capable of closing, carrying, and interrupting current under normal circuit conditions and closing, carrying, and interrupting current under abnormal circuit conditions within a specified time. Circuit breakers have overload, short-circuit, and undervoltage protection functions, and are capable of protecting lines and power supplies.

[0036] Solid-state circuit breakers, also known as solid-state switching circuits, refer to circuit breakers that use transistors as switching elements. They are controlled through contactless switching. The switching module mainly consists of power electronic devices, which control the interruption of current in the normal circuit by opening and closing these devices.

[0037] Mechanical circuit breakers, also known as mechanical switching circuits, are circuit breakers that use mechanical linkage devices to achieve switching functions. Mechanical circuit breakers typically include a contact system, an arc-extinguishing system, an operating mechanism, and a trip unit.

[0038] Short-circuit breaking capacity: refers to the highest current value that a circuit breaker can interrupt without being damaged.

[0039] An insulated-gate bipolar transistor (IGBT) is a composite, fully controllable, voltage-driven power semiconductor device composed of a bipolar junction transistor (BJT) and an insulated-gate field-effect transistor (MOSFET). It combines the advantages of the high input impedance of a MOSFET and the low on-state voltage drop of a BJT.

[0040] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of a circuit breaker 100 according to an embodiment of this application. Figure 1 As shown, the circuit breaker 100 includes a mechanical switching circuit 20.

[0041] The mechanical switch circuit 20 includes a busbar 201, a power module 30, and a drive module 40. The busbar 201, also known as a busbar, refers to the main power supply line in electrical equipment, which has a high current carrying capacity and is usually made of copper or aluminum.

[0042] The power module 30 includes a moving contact 211 and a stationary contact 222. The stationary contact 222 is electrically connected to the busbar 201, and the moving contact 211 is movable. When the moving contact 211 and the stationary contact 222 are in contact, the mechanical switch circuit 20 is turned on; when the moving contact 211 and the stationary contact 222 are disconnected, the mechanical switch circuit 20 is turned off. Optionally, the moving contact 211 and the stationary contact 222 can also be collectively referred to as a moving contact system.

[0043] Optionally, busbar 201 may include a first busbar 201-1 and a second busbar 201-2, and stationary contact 222 may include a first stationary contact 222-1 and a second stationary contact 222-2. The first stationary contact 222-1 is connected to the first busbar 201-1, and the second stationary contact 222-2 is connected to the second busbar 201-2. The first stationary contact 222-1 and the second stationary contact 222-2 are in an electrically disconnected state. Therefore, when the stationary contact 222 and the moving contact 211 are disconnected, the first busbar 201-1 and the second busbar 201-2 are in an open state, that is, the mechanical switching circuit 20 is in an open state. When the stationary contact 222 and the moving contact 211 are in contact, the moving contact 211 connects the first stationary contact 222-1 and the second stationary contact 222-2, providing a low-resistance path between the first busbar 201-1 and the second busbar 201-2, so that the first busbar 201-1 and the second busbar 201-2 are electrically connected, that is, the mechanical switch circuit 20 is in the conducting state.

[0044] In some examples, the stationary contact 222 and the busbar 201 are an integrated structure, or the stationary contact 222 is part of the busbar 201.

[0045] The drive module 40 includes a switching circuit, a moving coil 210, and a stationary coil 220. The moving coil 210 and the stationary coil 220 are placed adjacent to each other. The switching circuit is used to control the current direction of the moving coil 210 and the stationary coil 220. The moving coil 210 and the stationary coil 220 attract or repel each other depending on whether the current directions are the same, so that the moving coil 210 drives the moving contact 211 and the stationary contact 222 to contact or disconnect.

[0046] The moving coil 210 is designed to drive the moving contact 211 to move. For example, the moving contact 211 and the moving coil 210 are fixedly connected, or a linkage structure is provided between the moving contact 211 and the moving coil 210.

[0047] The specific connection method between the moving contact 211 and the moving coil 210 is not limited in this application embodiment, as long as the moving coil 210 can drive the moving contact 211 to move when it moves.

[0048] Optionally, the moving contact 211 and the moving coil 210 can be connected by an insulating material, meaning they are electrically insulated from each other. As an example, the insulating material may include epoxy resin.

[0049] In other words, the switching circuit can control the current direction of the moving coil 210 and the stationary coil 220 to be the same or opposite.

[0050] Optionally, the specific placement of the moving coil 210 and the stationary coil 220 is not limited in the embodiments of this application, as long as the distance between the two can produce mutual repulsion or mutual attraction.

[0051] In some examples, the moving coil 210 and the stationary coil 220 are placed side by side. When the current flowing through the moving coil 210 and the stationary coil 220 is in the same direction, the moving coil 210 moves closer to the stationary coil 220, causing the moving contact 211 and the stationary contact 222 to make contact. When the current flowing through the moving coil 210 and the stationary coil 220 is in opposite directions, the moving coil 210 moves away from the stationary coil 220, causing the moving contact 211 and the stationary contact 222 to open.

[0052] It should be understood that when the currents in two coils are in the same direction, the magnetic fields generated between the two coils are in the same direction, thus the coils attract each other. When the currents in two coils are in opposite directions, the magnetic fields generated between the two coils are in opposite directions, thus the coils repel each other.

[0053] This can be understood as follows: the switching circuit, the moving coil 210, and the stationary coil 220 constitute the driving system, and the moving coil 210, the moving contact 211, and the stationary contact 222 constitute the armature system. This application utilizes electromagnetic principles to enable the moving coil 210 to drive the moving contact system to achieve contact and disconnection, thereby reducing the switching time of the mechanical switching circuit 20.

[0054] It should be understood that the switching time of the mechanical switch circuit 20 is related to the distance between the moving coil 210 and the stationary coil 220. Taking the mechanical switch circuit 20 being disconnected as an example, the shorter the distance between the moving coil 210 and the stationary coil 220, the faster the moving contact 211 separates from the stationary contact 222, the shorter the delay time between the start of the drive module 40 and the separation of the contacts, and thus the shorter the switching time of the mechanical switch circuit 20. By adjusting the distance between the moving coil 210 and the stationary coil 220, the switching time of the mechanical switch circuit 20 can be modulated.

[0055] The mechanical switch circuit 20 utilizes electromagnetic principles to cause the moving coil 210 to drive the moving contact 211 to contact or disconnect with the stationary contact 222. This switching method simplifies the linkage device in the traditional mechanical switching circuit and can optimize the switching performance of the mechanical switch circuit 20. For example, it can reduce the switching time of the mechanical switch circuit 20, thereby reducing the switching time of the circuit breaker 100.

[0056] See also Figure 1 The switching circuit may include multiple switches (S1~S4), and the direction of current through the moving coil 210 and the stationary coil 220 can be controlled by controlling the multiple switches to be turned on or off.

[0057] In some examples, the aforementioned multiple switches can be controllable switches. Specifically, the controllable switches can include fully controlled switches or semi-controlled switches. Fully controlled switches, also known as self-turn-off devices, are power electronic devices that can be controlled to both turn on and off via a control signal. Fully controlled switches include, but are not limited to, the following: gate-turn-off thyristors (GTOs), MOSFETs, and IGBTs.

[0058] A semi-controlled switch is a power electronic device that can only be controlled to turn on, not off, by a control signal. Semi-controlled switches include, but are not limited to, the following: thyristors.

[0059] As an example, Figure 1 The switching circuit includes a first switch S1 to a fourth switch S4. The first end of the drive module 40 is connected to the first end of the first switch S1 and the first end of the second switch S2. The second end of the first switch S1 is connected to the first end of the stationary coil 220. The second end of the second switch S2 is connected to the second end of the stationary coil 220. The first end of the third switch S3 is connected to the first end of the stationary coil 220. The second end of the third switch S3 is connected to the first end of the moving coil 210. The first end of the fourth switch S4 is connected to the second end of the stationary coil 220. The second end of the fourth switch S4 is connected to the first end of the moving coil 210. The second end of the moving coil 210 is connected to the second end of the drive module 40.

[0060] exist Figure 1 In the process, the moving coil 210 and the stationary coil 220 are connected in series and placed side by side.

[0061] It should be understood that Figure 1 The switching circuit in this application is merely an example. Other implementations of the switching circuit are also possible, as long as they have the function of controlling the current direction of the moving coil 210 and the stationary coil 220.

[0062] It should be understood that Figure 1The circuit breaker 100 in the example is merely an example. With appropriate modifications, the circuit breaker 100 may include more or fewer functional modules and circuit components.

[0063] It should be understood that the connection between two devices in the embodiments of this application can refer to a direct connection or an indirect connection. In the case of an indirect connection, other units, modules or devices may also be provided between the two devices.

[0064] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the working state of a mechanical switch circuit 200 according to an embodiment of this application. Figure 2 The moving coil 210 and the stationary coil 220 in the coil attract each other. For example... Figure 2 As shown, when it is necessary to activate the mechanical switch circuit 20, the first switch S1 and the fourth switch S4 can be turned on, and the second switch S2 and the third switch S3 can be turned off. Current flows sequentially through the first switch S1, the stationary coil 220, the fourth switch S4, and the moving coil 210. The currents through the moving coil 210 and the stationary coil 220 are in the same direction; therefore, the moving coil 210 and the stationary coil 220 attract each other, and the moving coil 210 drives the moving contact to contact the stationary contact.

[0065] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the working state of a mechanical switch circuit 200 according to an embodiment of this application. Figure 3 The moving coil 210 and the stationary coil 220 in the coil repel each other. For example... Figure 3 As shown, when it is necessary to disconnect the mechanical switch circuit 20, the second switch S2 and the third switch S3 can be controlled to be turned on, and the first switch S1 and the fourth switch S4 can be controlled to be turned off. Current flows sequentially through the second switch S2, the stationary coil 220, the third switch S3, and the moving coil 210. The currents through the moving coil 210 and the stationary coil 220 are in opposite directions; therefore, the moving coil 210 and the stationary coil 220 repel each other, and the moving coil 210 causes the moving contact and the stationary contact to disconnect.

[0066] Optionally, the switching on and off of the switch in the above-mentioned switching circuit can be controlled by a control module. The control module can be located in the mechanical switching circuit 20 or can be independent of the mechanical switching circuit 20. This application embodiment does not limit this.

[0067] Optionally, such as Figure 1 As shown, the mechanical switch circuit 20 also includes an energy storage module 50, which is used to provide current to the drive module 40, or in other words, to provide current flowing through the moving coil 210 and the stationary coil 220 to the drive module 40.

[0068] In some examples, the energy storage module 50 may include a capacitor C1 for storing charge and providing current. As an example, capacitor C1 may draw power from busbar 201 and store charge. Alternatively, capacitor C1 may draw power from other sources, such as a battery, which is not limited in this application. Capacitor C1 can provide a large transient current to facilitate rapid switching of the mechanical switching circuit 20.

[0069] Optionally, the first end of capacitor C1 is used to connect to the first end of the driving module 40, and the second end of capacitor C1 is used to connect to the second end of the driving module 40.

[0070] Optionally, capacitor C1 can be an electrolytic capacitor or a film capacitor, or it can be other types of capacitors.

[0071] Furthermore, the energy storage module 50 also includes a diode D5, which is connected in parallel with the capacitor C1. The anode of the diode D5 is connected to the second terminal of the capacitor C1, and the cathode of the diode D5 is connected to the first terminal of the capacitor C1. Connecting the diode D5 in parallel across C1 can improve the discharge efficiency of C1, thereby increasing the switching speed of the mechanical switching circuit 20.

[0072] Alternatively, the energy storage module 50 can also be implemented in other ways, as long as it can provide current to the moving coil 210 and the stationary coil 220. For example, the energy storage module 50 can also include a battery and provide current through the battery. Alternatively, the energy storage module 50 can also include a boost converter or a buck converter to level-shift the received voltage and then output current to the moving coil 210 and the stationary coil 220.

[0073] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of a circuit breaker 100 according to another embodiment of this application. Optionally, as... Figure 4 As shown, the circuit breaker 100 may also include a solid-state switch circuit 60, which is connected in parallel with the mechanical switch circuit 20. When the circuit breaker 100 is turned on, the solid-state switch circuit 60 turns on before the mechanical switch circuit 20; when the solid-state switch circuit 60 is turned off, the mechanical switch circuit 20 turns off before the solid-state switch circuit 60.

[0074] In this embodiment of the application, the circuit breaker 100 adopts a parallel connection of mechanical switch circuit 20 and solid-state switch circuit 60. Using solid-state switch circuit 60 can avoid the generation of electric arcs by the contacts of mechanical switch circuit 20 when opening or closing, thereby shortening the arcing time, improving the switching speed of circuit breaker 100, and also extending the life of mechanical switch circuit 20.

[0075] Optionally, the specific structure of the solid-state switch circuit 60 is not limited in the embodiments of this application, as long as it can realize the function of the solid-state switch circuit 60. As an example, the following description is in conjunction with the appendix. Figures 5-7 This section presents a specific example of a solid-state switching circuit 60.

[0076] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a solid-state switch circuit 60 according to an embodiment of this application. Figure 5 As shown, the solid-state switching circuit 60 includes a main switching circuit 61, an absorption circuit 62, and a buffer circuit 63.

[0077] The main switching circuit 61 includes diodes D1 to D4 and a switching transistor K1. The switching transistor K1 can be an IGBT, an integrated gate-commutated thyristor (IGCT), a MOSFET, a BJT, or other types of switching devices.

[0078] like Figure 5 As shown, the first terminal of the solid-state switch circuit 60 is connected to the anode of diode D1 and the cathode of diode D2, and the second terminal of the solid-state switch circuit 60 is connected to the anode of diode D3 and the cathode of diode D4. The cathodes of diodes D1 and D3 are connected to the first terminal of the switching transistor K1, and the anodes of diodes D2 and D4 are connected to the second terminal of the switching transistor K1.

[0079] If the switching transistor K1 is an IGBT, then the first terminal of the switching transistor K1 is the collector of the IGBT, and the second terminal of the switching transistor K1 is the emitter of the IGBT.

[0080] The main switch circuit 61 is used to control the solid-state switch circuit 60 by controlling the switching transistor K1, and the main switch circuit 61 can realize bidirectional control function.

[0081] Figure 6 and Figure 7 The following diagrams illustrate the conduction of the solid-state switch circuit 60 under different current directions. Figure 6 As shown, diode D1, switch K1, and diode D4 can form a current path in one direction, as... Figure 7 As shown, diode D3, switch K1, and diode D4 can realize a current path in another direction.

[0082] The absorption circuit 62 can be used to absorb the energy when the switch K1 is turned off. The absorption circuit 62 typically includes a varistor. The varistor can be connected in parallel in the circuit. When the circuit is in normal use, the varistor has a high impedance and a very small leakage current, and can be considered an open circuit with almost no effect on the circuit. However, when a very high sudden voltage occurs, the resistance of the varistor drops instantaneously, allowing a large current to flow through it, while clamping the overvoltage to a certain value.

[0083] The buffer circuit 63 is used to protect the switching transistor K1 from damage due to overvoltage during turn-off, and at the same time reduce the turn-off loss of the switching transistor K1. This application does not limit the specific structure of the buffer circuit 63, as long as it can achieve the above functions. Optionally, the solid-state switching circuit 60 may not include the buffer circuit 63.

[0084] Next, the structure of the mechanical switch circuit 20 according to an embodiment of this application will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. Figure 8 This is a three-dimensional cross-sectional schematic diagram of a mechanical switch circuit 20 according to an embodiment of this application. Figure 8 As shown, the mechanical switch circuit 20 includes a busbar 201, a power module (not labeled in the figure), and a drive module (not labeled in the figure).

[0085] The power module includes a moving contact 211 and a stationary contact 222. The stationary contact 222 is electrically connected to the busbar 201. The moving contact 211 is movable. When the moving contact 211 and the stationary contact 222 are in contact, the mechanical switch circuit 20 is turned on. When the moving contact 211 and the stationary contact 222 are disconnected, the mechanical switch circuit 20 is turned off.

[0086] The drive module includes a moving coil 210 and a stationary coil 220, which are placed adjacent to each other so that the moving coil 210 and the stationary coil 220 repel or attract each other depending on whether the current directions are the same. The moving coil 210 is used to drive the moving contact 211 to disconnect or make contact with the stationary contact 222.

[0087] The moving coil 210 is designed to drive the moving contact 211 to move. For example, the moving contact 211 and the moving coil 210 are fixedly connected, or a linkage structure is provided between the moving contact 211 and the moving coil 210.

[0088] The specific connection method between the moving contact 211 and the moving coil 210 is not limited in this application embodiment, as long as the moving coil 210 can drive the moving contact 211 to move when it moves.

[0089] Optionally, the moving contact 211 and the moving coil 210 can be connected by an insulating material, meaning they are electrically insulated from each other. As an example, the insulating material may include epoxy resin.

[0090] Depend on Figure 8 As can be seen, the aforementioned busbar 201 comprises two unconnected parts, which can be referred to as the first busbar 201-1 and the second busbar 201-2, respectively. The stationary contact 222 comprises the first stationary contact 222-1 and the second stationary contact 222-2 (see...). Figure 12 The first stationary contact 222-1 is connected to the first busbar 201-1, and the second stationary contact 222-2 is connected to the second busbar 201-2. The first stationary contact 222-1 and the second stationary contact 222-2 are electrically disconnected. Therefore, when the stationary contact 222 and the moving contact 211 are disconnected, the first busbar 201-1 and the second busbar 201-2 are electrically disconnected, meaning the mechanical switch circuit 20 is open. When the stationary contact 222 and the moving contact 211 are in contact, the moving contact 211 connects the first stationary contact 222-1 and the second stationary contact 222-2, providing a low-resistance path between the first busbar 201-1 and the second busbar 201-2, thus electrically connecting the first busbar 201-1 and the second busbar 201-2, meaning the mechanical switch circuit 20 is closed.

[0091] like Figure 8 As shown, in some examples, the moving coil 210 is coaxial with the moving contact 211, and the moving coil 210 can drive the moving contact 211 to move up and down axially. Furthermore, the stationary coil 220 is also coaxial with the moving coil 210.

[0092] Figure 9 This is a cross-sectional schematic diagram of the mechanical switch circuit 20 in an embodiment of this application when it is in the ON state. Figure 9 As shown, the moving coil 210 and the stationary coil 220 are placed close to each other and side by side. When the mechanical switch circuit 20 is in the conducting state, the current in the moving coil 210 and the stationary coil 220 flows in the same direction. The moving coil 210 moves closer to the stationary coil 220, causing the moving contact 211 and the stationary contact 222 to make contact, thereby turning on the mechanical switch circuit 20. Figure 9 F in contact This indicates the downward attractive force acting on the moving coil 210 and the moving contact 211.

[0093] Optionally, the mechanical switch circuit 20 also includes a holding device. The holding device can be used to maintain the moving contact 211 and the stationary contact 222 in a contact state after they have made contact, and to maintain the moving contact 211 and the stationary contact 222 in an open state after they have opened. For example, Figure 9 The holding device is an electromagnet, and the attraction force (F) generated by the electromagnet is... magnetThis allows the moving contact 211 and the stationary contact 222 to remain in contact. It should be understood that the above-described maintaining device is merely an example, and other implementations are possible. In some examples, the maintaining device may also be implemented using a mechanical structure, such as a latch, etc., which is not limited in this application embodiment.

[0094] Figure 10 This is a cross-sectional schematic diagram of the mechanical switch circuit 20 in an embodiment of this application when it is in the ON state. Figure 10 As shown, when the mechanical switch circuit 20 is in the conducting state, the current directions of the moving coil 210 and the stationary coil 220 are opposite. The moving coil 210 moves away from the stationary coil 220 and drives the moving contact 211 and the stationary contact 222 to disconnect, thereby turning on the mechanical switch circuit 20. Figure 10 F in open This indicates the upward repulsive force experienced by the moving coil 210 and the moving contact 211.

[0095] Optionally, the moving coil 210 is wound using a first conductive material, and the stationary coil 220 is wound using a second conductive material, wherein the density of the first conductive material is less than the density of the second conductive material. For example, the conductive material of the moving coil 210 can be aluminum, and the conductive material of the stationary coil 220 can be copper.

[0096] In this embodiment, the coil of the moving coil 210 can be made of a low-density conductive material to reduce the mass of the moving coil 210, thereby reducing the energy required for the moving coil 210 to move, so as to save the power of the mechanical switching circuit 20.

[0097] For example, the cross-section of the moving coil 210 can also be smaller than the cross-section of the stationary coil 220, so that the mass of the moving coil 210 is smaller than the mass of the stationary coil 220.

[0098] Figure 11 This is a top view of a moving coil 210 according to an embodiment of this application. Figure 11 As shown, the winding coil of the moving coil 210 can be led out through a flexible wire, so that the armature system can move automatically without causing damage.

[0099] Figure 12 This is a schematic diagram of the moving contact 211 and the stationary contact 222 according to an embodiment of this application. The stationary contact includes a first stationary contact 222-1 and a second stationary contact 222-2. (See attached diagram.) Figure 12As shown, the moving contact 211 ensures that the moving contact system connects the stationary contacts 222 on both sides when closed, and provides a low-resistance path. When the armature system is activated, the moving coil 210 moves upward along its axis, thus moving the moving contact 211 along with it. It should be noted that the switching speed of the mechanical switching circuit 20 is related to the distance between the moving coil 210 and the stationary coil 220. Taking the opening of the mechanical switching circuit 20 as an example, the longer the distance between the two coils, the longer the delay time between the start-up of the mechanical switching circuit 20 and the separation of the contacts. Therefore, by reducing the distance between the two coils, a faster disengagement speed of the moving contact 211 can be achieved, thereby increasing the switching speed of the mechanical switching circuit 20, for example, a switching speed of several hundred μs (microseconds) can be achieved.

[0100] like Figure 12 As shown, in some examples, the moving contact 211 has a protrusion along its first surface to ensure a reliable connection between the moving and stationary contacts, thereby improving the switching sensitivity of the mechanical switching circuit 20. The first surface of the moving contact 211 is used to contact the stationary contact 222.

[0101] As used in this specification, the terms "component," "module," "system," etc., are used to refer to computer-related entities, hardware, firmware, combinations of hardware and software, software, or software in execution. For example, a component can be, but is not limited to, a process running on a processor, a processor, an object, an executable file, an execution thread, a program, and / or a computer. As illustrated, applications running on computing devices and computing devices can both be components. One or more components may reside in a process and / or an execution thread, and components may be located on a single computer and / or distributed among two or more computers. Furthermore, these components can be executed from various computer-readable media on which various data structures are stored. Components can communicate, for example, via local and / or remote processes based on signals having one or more data packets (e.g., data from two components interacting with another component between a local system, a distributed system, and / or a network, such as the Internet interacting with other systems via signals).

[0102] Those skilled in the art will recognize that the units and algorithm steps of the various examples described in conjunction with the embodiments disclosed herein can be implemented in electronic hardware, or a combination of computer software and electronic hardware. Whether these functions are implemented in hardware or software depends on the specific application and design constraints of the technical solution. Those skilled in the art can use different methods to implement the described functions for each specific application, but such implementation should not be considered beyond the scope of this application.

[0103] Those skilled in the art will understand that, for the sake of convenience and brevity, the specific working processes of the systems, devices, and units described above can be referred to the corresponding processes in the foregoing method embodiments, and will not be repeated here.

[0104] In the several embodiments provided in this application, it should be understood that the disclosed systems, apparatuses, and methods can be implemented in other ways. For example, the apparatus embodiments described above are merely illustrative; for instance, the division of units is only a logical functional division, and in actual implementation, there may be other division methods. For example, multiple units or components may be combined or integrated into another system, or some features may be ignored or not executed. Furthermore, the coupling or direct coupling or communication connection shown or discussed may be through some interfaces; the indirect coupling or communication connection between apparatuses or units may be electrical, mechanical, or other forms.

[0105] The units described as separate components may or may not be physically separate. The components shown as units may or may not be physical units; that is, they may be located in one place or distributed across multiple network units. Some or all of the units can be selected to achieve the purpose of this embodiment according to actual needs.

[0106] In addition, the functional units in the various embodiments of this application can be integrated into one processing unit, or each unit can exist physically separately, or two or more units can be integrated into one unit.

[0107] If the aforementioned functions are implemented as software functional units and sold or used as independent products, they can be stored in a computer-readable storage medium. Based on this understanding, the technical solution of this application, in essence, or the part that contributes to the prior art, or a portion of the technical solution, can be embodied in the form of a software product. This computer software product is stored in a storage medium and includes several instructions to cause a computer device (which may be a personal computer, server, or network device, etc.) to execute all or part of the steps of the methods described in the various embodiments of this application. The aforementioned storage medium includes various media capable of storing program code, such as USB flash drives, portable hard drives, read-only memory (ROM), random access memory (RAM), magnetic disks, or optical disks.

[0108] The above description is merely a specific embodiment of this application, but the scope of protection of this application is not limited thereto. Any variations or substitutions that can be easily conceived by those skilled in the art within the scope of the technology disclosed in this application should be included within the scope of protection of this application. Therefore, the scope of protection of this application should be determined by the scope of the claims.

Claims

1. A circuit breaker, characterized in that, Includes a mechanical switching circuit, the mechanical switching circuit comprising: Mother bar; A power module includes a moving contact and a stationary contact. The stationary contact is electrically connected to the busbar. The moving contact is movable. When the moving contact and the stationary contact are in contact, the mechanical switch circuit is turned on. When the moving contact and the stationary contact are disconnected, the mechanical switch circuit is turned off. The driving module includes a switching circuit, a moving coil, and a stationary coil. The moving coil and the stationary coil are placed adjacent to each other. The winding of the moving coil uses a first conductive material, and the winding of the stationary coil uses a second conductive material. The density of the first conductive material is less than that of the second conductive material. The switching circuit is used to control the current direction of the moving coil and the stationary coil. The moving coil and the stationary coil attract or repel each other depending on whether the current directions are the same, so that the moving coil drives the moving contact and the stationary contact to make or break contact.

2. The circuit breaker as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The moving coil and the moving contact are fixedly connected, or a linkage structure is provided between the moving coil and the moving contact.

3. The circuit breaker as described in claim 1, characterized in that, Also includes: A solid-state switching circuit is provided, wherein the solid-state switching circuit is connected in parallel with the mechanical switching circuit, wherein when the circuit breaker is turned on, the solid-state switching circuit is turned on before the mechanical switching circuit, and when the circuit breaker is turned off, the mechanical switching circuit is turned off before the solid-state switching circuit.

4. The circuit breaker as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The moving coil is used to: move away from the stationary coil and cause the moving contact to disconnect from the stationary contact when the current flowing through the moving coil and the stationary coil are in opposite directions; and move closer to the stationary coil and cause the moving contact to contact the stationary contact when the current flowing through the moving coil and the stationary coil are in the same direction.

5. The circuit breaker as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that, The switching circuit includes a first switch S1 to a fourth switch S4. Wherein, the first end of the drive module is connected to the first end of the first switch S1 and the first end of the second switch S2, the second end of the first switch S1 is connected to the first end of the stationary coil, the second end of the second switch S2 is connected to the second end of the stationary coil, the first end of the third switch S3 is connected to the first end of the stationary coil, the second end of the third switch S3 is connected to the first end of the moving coil, the first end of the fourth switch S4 is connected to the second end of the stationary coil, the second end of the fourth switch S4 is connected to the first end of the moving coil, and the second end of the moving coil is connected to the second end of the drive module.

6. The circuit breaker as described in claim 5, characterized in that, When the first switch S1 and the fourth switch S4 are turned on, and the second switch S2 and the third switch S3 are turned off, the current flowing through the moving coil and the stationary coil is in the same direction, the moving coil and the stationary coil attract each other, and drive the moving contact and the stationary contact to connect.

7. The circuit breaker as described in claim 5, characterized in that, When the second switch S2 and the third switch S3 are turned on, and the first switch S1 and the fourth switch S4 are turned off, the current flowing through the moving coil and the stationary coil are in opposite directions, the moving coil and the stationary coil repel each other, and cause the moving contact and the stationary contact to disconnect.

8. The circuit breaker as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that, The drive module also includes an energy storage module, which provides current to the drive module.

9. The circuit breaker as claimed in claim 8, characterized in that, The energy storage module includes a capacitor C1, wherein a first end of the capacitor C1 is used to connect to a first end of the drive module, and a second end of the capacitor C1 is used to connect to a second end of the drive module.

10. The circuit breaker as claimed in claim 9, characterized in that, The energy storage module also includes a diode D5, the anode of which is connected to the second terminal of the capacitor C1, and the cathode of which is connected to the first terminal of the capacitor C1.

11. The circuit breaker as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 10, characterized in that, The moving coil and the stationary coil are connected in series during operation.

12. A power supply system, characterized in that, The power supply system includes a circuit breaker as described in any one of claims 1 to 11.

Images