Hot melting cutter

Abstract

The utility model relates to the technical field of hot melting cutters, in particular to a hot melting cutter. The hot melting cutter comprises a shell, a first main electrode, a second main electrode, fusible alloy and an energy absorption part. An accommodating space is formed in the shell; the fusible alloy is located in the containing space, and the fusible alloy is electrically connected with the first main electrode and the second main electrode. The energy absorption part is arranged in the containing space and located above the fusible alloy. And a gap is formed between the energy absorption part and the fusible alloy. By means of the arrangement, the function that the hot melting cutter can be safely disconnected in the breaking process can be effectively achieved, and meanwhile the stability and performance of products can be improved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This utility model relates to the field of circuit protection technology, and in particular to a thermoelectric cut-off device. Background Technology

[0002] A thermoelectric cut-off switch is an over-temperature protection device, typically used as secondary protection to ensure timely operation in the event of overcurrent or overcharge risks, thus protecting the circuit. A typical thermoelectric cut-off switch contains a fusible alloy. When external temperature transfers heat to the fusible alloy and reaches its melting point, the alloy rapidly contracts towards the electrodes with the help of the surface tension of the flux, thus breaking the circuit.

[0003] Currently, most thermoforming cutters on the market have large vents in their housings. This is intended to allow internal gases to escape smoothly during material cutting, preventing a decrease in cutting force due to gas expansion and thus improving cutting performance. However, this large vent design also makes it susceptible to moisture and water vapor entering the thermoforming cutter, which can corrode and oxidize its internal components, affecting product performance.

[0004] Furthermore, the arc-extinguishing material of most thermomelt cutters on the market is wrapped around the surface of the melting point. When the melt is heated by overcurrent, the arc-extinguishing material will oxidize, thus affecting the performance of the thermomelt cutter. Utility Model Content

[0005] This invention provides a thermoplastic cutter that can solve at least one problem in the prior art to improve the performance of thermoplastic cutters.

[0006] In a first aspect, this utility model provides a thermoforming cutter, comprising: a housing, a first main electrode, a second main electrode, a fusible alloy, and an energy-absorbing component; an accommodating space is formed inside the housing; the fusible alloy is located within the accommodating space, and the fusible alloy is electrically connected to the first main electrode and the second main electrode respectively; the energy-absorbing component is disposed within the accommodating space and located above the fusible alloy; a gap exists between the energy-absorbing component and the fusible alloy.

[0007] In some embodiments, the energy-absorbing component has a porous structure or a multi-groove structure formed inside.

[0008] In some embodiments, the energy-absorbing component is made of metal or a metal alloy.

[0009] In some embodiments, the inner sidewall of the housing is provided with a protrusion that divides the accommodating space, the energy-absorbing component is located on the protrusion, and the fusible alloy is located below the protrusion.

[0010] In some embodiments, a support is also included, which extends from a protrusion on the inner sidewall of the housing toward the center of the accommodating space such that the accommodating space forms a second accommodating space and a first accommodating space that are interconnected, the second accommodating space being used to mount an energy-absorbing component, and the first accommodating space accommodating a fusible alloy.

[0011] In some embodiments, a bracket is also included, which is mounted on the protrusion so that the accommodating space forms a second accommodating space and a first accommodating space that are interconnected. The second accommodating space is used to mount the energy-absorbing component, and the first accommodating space contains the fusible alloy.

[0012] In some embodiments, the housing is provided with a pressure relief hole.

[0013] In some embodiments, the support is one or a combination of a hollowed-out flat plate, a straight line, a cross, a grid, or a boss.

[0014] In some embodiments, the heating element further includes a heating substrate and a heating electrode located on the heating substrate; the heating electrode is in contact with the fusible alloy.

[0015] In some embodiments, the housing includes an outer shell cavity and a cover plate, the bottom surface of the outer shell cavity being in contact with the heating element; and the top surface of the outer shell cavity being encapsulated and connected to the cover plate.

[0016] The thermoelectric cutter provided by this utility model, through the design of the energy-absorbing component in the housing, can absorb the electric arc generated during breaking, effectively achieving the function of safe disconnection during breaking. Simultaneously, by setting a gap between the energy-absorbing component and the fusible conductor, the problem of direct contact between the energy-absorbing component and the fusible alloy, which could lead to oxidation of the material due to overcurrent, is avoided, effectively reducing the impact of circuit current on the energy-absorbing material and further improving its service life.

[0017] Furthermore, in order to ensure that the internal components of the thermomelt cutter are not oxidized while still being able to cut safely, the thermomelt cutter provided by this utility model is designed with energy-absorbing components in addition to the absence of a pressure relief hole or the presence of a small pressure relief hole.

[0018] Other features and beneficial effects of this invention will be set forth in the following description, and will be apparent in part from the description, or may be learned by practicing this invention. Attached Figure Description

[0019] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of this utility model or the prior art, the drawings used in the description of the embodiments or the prior art will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are some embodiments of this utility model. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained from these drawings without creative effort.

[0020] Figure 1 A perspective view of a thermoplastic cutter provided in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0021] Figure 2 A cross-sectional view of a thermoplastic cutter provided in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0022] Figure 3 An exploded perspective view of a thermoplastic cutter provided in an embodiment of this utility model;

[0023] Figure 4 , Figure 5 Top views of different variations of the energy-absorbing component;

[0024] Figure 6 A top view showing the housing and energy-absorbing components in tandem;

[0025] Figure 7 This is a three-dimensional diagram showing the connection between the shell and the support frame;

[0026] Figure 8 , Figure 9 Top view connection diagram of different deformation examples of the bracket;

[0027] Figure 10 This is a top view of the connection between the housing and the protrusion.

[0028] Figure label:

[0029] 10-Housing shell; 101-Accommodation space; 101a-First accommodation space; 101b-Second accommodation space; 11-Outer shell cavity; 12-Cover plate; 21-First main electrode; 22-Second main electrode; 30-Fuseable alloy; 40-Fuse flux; 50-Energy absorbing component; 13-Support; 14-Limiting component; 15-Protrusion; 60-Heating element; 61-Heating substrate; 62-Heating electrode. Detailed Implementation

[0030] To make the objectives, technical solutions, and advantages of the embodiments of this utility model clearer, the technical solutions of the embodiments of this utility model will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. The technical features designed in the different embodiments of this utility model described below can be combined with each other as long as they do not conflict with each other. All other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art based on the embodiments of this utility model without creative effort are within the scope of protection of this utility model.

[0031] In the description of this utility model, it should be noted that all terms used in this utility model (including technical and scientific terms) have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this utility model pertains, and should not be construed as limiting this utility model; it should be further understood that the terms used in this utility model should be understood to have the same meaning as those in the context of this specification and in the relevant field, and should not be understood in an idealized or overly formal sense, except as expressly defined in this utility model.

[0032] Please see Figures 1-3 This utility model provides a thermoplastic cutter, which includes a housing 10, a first main electrode 21, a second main electrode 22, and a fusible alloy 30.

[0033] The material of the shell 10 includes, but is not limited to, insulating materials such as plastics or ceramics. The structural shape of the shell 10 can be reasonably designed according to actual needs, and this embodiment is not limited thereto. By preferably using engineering plastics or thermosetting materials as the outer shell, the shell has better temperature resistance.

[0034] The first main electrode 21 and the second main electrode 22 are made of materials with good conductivity, and can be in the form of wire, sheet or irregular shape.

[0035] In this embodiment, a receiving space 101 is formed inside the housing 10, and the fusible alloy 30 is located within the receiving space 101. The first main electrode 21 is electrically connected to the second main electrode 22 through the fusible alloy 30, so that a conductive circuit is formed between the first main electrode 21 and the second main electrode 22 through the fusible alloy 30.

[0036] The fusible alloy 30 is a low-melting-point alloy to ensure that it rapidly heats up and melts due to its own thermal effect under a preset overload current, thereby breaking the conductive circuit and protecting the circuit. The structure of the fusible alloy 30 can be a rectangular sheet or an irregularly shaped sheet. As an example, the material of the fusible alloy 30 includes, but is not limited to, metals such as indium, bismuth, antimony, and tin, and their alloys.

[0037] The thermoforming cutter also includes a fluxing agent 40, which is formed in the accommodating space 101 by injection molding or spraying and covers the fusible alloy 30. The fluxing agent 40 is designed to facilitate the melting of the fusible alloy 30, promote its retraction towards the first main electrode 21 and the second main electrode 22, and improve the efficiency of cutting off the conductive circuit. The material and structure of the fluxing agent 40 can be any existing product capable of achieving a fluxing effect, and are not limited here.

[0038] In other embodiments, such as Figure 3 As shown, the hot melt cutter includes a heating element 60 disposed between a first main electrode 21 and a second main electrode 22. The heating element 60 includes a heating substrate 61 and a heating electrode 62 located on the heating substrate 61. The heating electrode 62 is in contact with the fusible alloy 30. The first main electrode 21 and the second main electrode 22 are respectively attached to opposite sides of the heating substrate 61.

[0039] The heating substrate 61 is made of a high-temperature resistant material, such as ceramic, to improve the electrical insulation strength between the two main electrodes after separation. Heating wires may be arranged inside the heating substrate 61, and these wires are connected to the heating electrode 62. The heating electrode 62 is typically made of a conductive and high-temperature resistant material, such as a nickel-chromium alloy. The heating electrode 62 is located in the middle of the heating substrate 61 and is in contact with the fusible alloy 30, ensuring that the heat generated by the heating element 60 can be effectively transferred to the fusible alloy 30, thereby accelerating the melting process of the fusible alloy 30 under overcurrent conditions.

[0040] For a better option, please continue reading. Figure 1 The housing 10 includes an outer shell cavity 11 and a cover plate 12. The bottom surface of the outer shell cavity 11 is in contact with the heating element 60; the top surface of the outer shell cavity 11 is encapsulated and connected to the cover plate 12. The bottom surface of the outer shell cavity 11 is in contact with the heating element 60, and there is no pressure relief hole between the outer shell cavity 11 and the heating element 60. Meanwhile, the top surface of the outer shell cavity 11 is encapsulated and connected to the cover plate 12, forming a sealed internal space to protect the internal components from the influence of the external environment. More preferably, the shortest dimension of the provided pressure relief hole does not exceed 0.4 mm, which can minimize the entry of water vapor into the thermoelectric cutter while relieving pressure. The cover plate 12 and the outer shell cavity 11 can be fixed by ultrasonic welding or resin bonding.

[0041] In this embodiment, the housing 10 preferably has a pressure relief hole (not shown in the figure) with a minimum dimension of less than 0.4 mm. This serves to relieve pressure and effectively reduce the impact of external moisture on the internal components of the thermoelectric cutter. Due to the reduced size of the pressure relief hole, the energy generated inside the housing 10 during breaking is difficult to process, significantly reducing the breaking capacity of the thermoelectric cutter. Therefore, this embodiment can improve the breaking capacity of the thermoelectric cutter by designing the energy-absorbing component 50 to absorb the energy generated during breaking.

[0042] Furthermore, in order to effectively ensure the breaking performance of the thermoelectric cutter, such as Figures 1-3 As shown, this embodiment also includes an energy-absorbing component 50, which is disposed within the accommodating space 101 and located above the fusible alloy 30. A gap exists between the energy-absorbing component 50 and the fusible alloy 30 to prevent contact between the energy-absorbing component 50 and the fusible alloy 30. The energy-absorbing component 50 absorbs the energy generated during disconnection, reducing the shock wave generated during melting, effectively ensuring the safe disconnection of the thermoelectric cutter and protecting surrounding circuits and devices from damage. Compared to existing techniques where arc-extinguishing materials are directly filled onto the alloy surface, the energy-absorbing component 50 of this invention does not directly adhere to the surface of the fusible alloy 30. Instead, it concentrates the electric arc onto the energy-absorbing material through its conductivity, thereby solving the problem of the energy-absorbing material being oxidized due to overcurrent, thus affecting its performance.

[0043] In actual operation, when the current in the circuit exceeds the preset safety value, the fusible alloy 30 melts due to the thermal effect of the current, causing the electrical connection between the first main electrode 21 and the second main electrode 22 to break, thereby cutting off the circuit and preventing overcurrent from damaging the circuit and equipment. At the same time, the energy-absorbing component 50 can effectively absorb the electric arc generated during the melting process, causing the material sprayed during the breaking to adhere to the energy-absorbing component 50, reducing the impact on the housing 10, and improving the service life and safety of the thermal melt cutter.

[0044] Preferably, the energy-absorbing component 50 has a porous structure or a multi-groove structure inside, for example... Figure 4 The image shows a hole-like structure. Figure 5 The diagram shows a groove-like structure. This design helps increase the energy absorption space, disperse absorbed electrical energy, and reduce the vibration and intensity of the electric arc. The porous or grooved arrangement also better disperses heat energy, reduces thermal shock, and ensures the stability and safety of arc absorption. More preferably, the outer contour of the energy-absorbing component 50 is a filamentous structure (such as a steel wool ball) or a block-like structure. This structural design effectively fixes the position of the energy-absorbing component 50, preventing it from moving or shaking during use, thereby ensuring the contact stability between the energy-absorbing component 50 and the fusible alloy 30 and the uniformity of heat release.

[0045] It should be noted that the porous and slotted structure inside the energy-absorbing component 50 is not limited to the attached... Figure 4 , Figure 5 The circular or elongated groove shape shown, and the outer contour of the energy-absorbing component 50 are not limited to a filamentous or block structure. According to this concept, those skilled in the art can also replace it with other shapes of holes, grooves or outer contours, all of which fall within the protection scope of this utility model.

[0046] Preferably, the energy-absorbing component 50 is made of metal or metal alloy, such as stainless steel, a material with high strength and high conductivity, ensuring stable performance under high current density. At the same time, the metal alloy has high thermal stability, effectively coping with the rapid release of heat energy and extending the service life of the thermoelectric cutter.

[0047] Better, such as Figure 6 As shown, the projected area of ​​the energy-absorbing component 50 on the XOY plane is greater than or equal to the projected area of ​​the fusible alloy 30, ensuring that there is always energy-absorbing material above the fusible alloy 30, thus guaranteeing the arc-extinguishing effect.

[0048] In an alternative implementation, such as Figure 10 As shown, the inner wall of the housing 10 is provided with protrusions 15, which divide the accommodating space 101. The energy-absorbing component 50 is located on the protrusions 15, and the fusible alloy 30 is located below the protrusions 15. The number of protrusions 15 can be one or more, and the shape and structure of the protrusions 15 can be arbitrary to divide the accommodating space 101, allowing the energy-absorbing component 50 to be confined on the protrusions 15, thereby ensuring that the energy-absorbing component 50 and the fusible alloy 30 have a gap rather than direct contact. For example... Figure 10 The protrusions designed in the design are polygons located at the four corners.

[0049] Please see Figure 2 , Figure 7 The thermoplastic cutter also includes a bracket 13, which is connected to the inner wall of the housing 10, and the energy-absorbing component 50 is fixed on the bracket 13. More preferably, a fixing component, such as a limiting post (not shown in the figure), can also be provided on the bracket 13. The energy-absorbing component 50 is engaged with the fixing component or spatially limited, thereby more firmly mounting the energy-absorbing component on the bracket 13 and enhancing the stability of the thermoplastic cutter.

[0050] In this embodiment, the bracket 13 preferably extends from the protrusion 15 on the inner sidewall of the housing 10 towards the center of the accommodating space 101, so that the accommodating space 101 forms a second accommodating space 101b and a first accommodating space 101a that are interconnected. The second accommodating space 101b is used to support the energy-absorbing component 50, and the first accommodating space 101a accommodates the fusible alloy 30. The shape of the bracket 13 can be as follows: Figure 7 , Figure 8 The hollowed-out flat plate shape shown can also be like... Figure 9 The boss-shaped protrusion extending from the inner wall of the housing 10 towards the center of the accommodating space 101, as shown, can also be other regular or irregular limiting shapes that can mount the energy-absorbing component 50 on the bracket 13. This embodiment is not limited to these. In this embodiment, it is more preferable that the bracket 13 is integrally formed with the housing 10.

[0051] In other embodiments, the bracket 13 can be mounted on the protrusion 15 on the inner sidewall of the housing 10, and the energy-absorbing component 50 is placed on the bracket 13. The structure of the bracket 13 can be straight, cross-shaped, grid-shaped, etc., and can be varied according to the number and size of the energy-absorbing component 50, making it suitable for various occasions.

[0052] Through the aforementioned design of the bracket 13 and the energy-absorbing component 50, the fusible alloy 30 is effectively isolated from the energy-absorbing component 50, preventing direct contact between them. This arrangement achieves energy absorption while effectively preventing oxidation of the energy-absorbing component 50 when the fusible alloy 30 heats up and melts due to overcurrent, thus extending its service life. Furthermore, mounting the energy-absorbing component 50 on the bracket 13, rather than directly contacting the circuit, effectively reduces the direct impact of circuit current on the energy-absorbing component 50 and ensures that its operation does not interfere with circuit operation.

[0053] Preferably, please refer to Figure 2 The bracket 13 has a limiting member 14 on the side near the first receiving space 101a, the limiting member 14 allowing the flux 40 to be confined within the limiting member 14 of the first receiving space 101a. And / or, at least a portion of the surface of the bracket 13 on the side near the first receiving space 101a abuts against the flux 40 to prevent the flux 40 from accidentally moving due to vibration or other external forces during the operation of the thermosetting cutter. The limiting member 14 can be a groove, protrusion, mesh, or other mechanical structure, its size and shape rationally designed according to the structure of the flux 40.

[0054] Example 2

[0055] Unlike Embodiment 1, the accommodating space 101 is a sealed space and / or the housing 10 does not have a pressure relief hole. It should be understood that the sealed space mentioned in this embodiment does not mean a completely sealed or enclosed space. That is, when the housing 10 is assembled and connected, a slit is allowed to form between it and the heating element 60. This slit prevents the accommodating space 101 from being completely sealed, but it can prevent or effectively slow down the entry of moisture, thereby reducing the oxidation and corrosion of the internal components of the thermoelectric cutter and extending its service life.

[0056] Similarly, by designing the housing 10 without a pressure relief hole, the entry of moisture can be further reduced, thus mitigating its impact on the internal components of the thermoelectric cutter. Although the housing 10 lacks a pressure relief hole, the energy-absorbing component 50 within it provides a relatively large internal accommodating space 101. This space is sufficient to accommodate the gas generated after the cut, and some of the solids generated after the cut adhere to the energy-absorbing component. Even without a pressure relief hole, good cutting and pressure relief are achieved. Furthermore, the combined design of the absence of a pressure relief hole and the presence of the energy-absorbing component 50 not only reduces corrosion and oxidation of internal components, improving product reliability and stability, but also ensures safe disconnection during the cut.

[0057] It should be noted that, based on the above concept, and depending on the actual needs of the thermomelt cutter, those skilled in the art may also add other internal components to the thermomelt cutter, all of which fall within the protection scope of this utility model.

[0058] In summary, the thermofusion cutter provided by this utility model, through the design of the energy-absorbing component, can effectively replace a cutter that lacks a large exhaust port while still achieving good breaking capacity. Simultaneously, it reduces the ingress of moisture and water vapor that is easily caused by a large exhaust port design, preventing corrosion and oxidation of the internal components of the thermofusion cutter. This not only improves the reliability and stability of the thermofusion cutter but also extends its service life, demonstrating promising application prospects.

[0059] Furthermore, those skilled in the art should understand that although many problems exist in the prior art, each embodiment or technical solution of this utility model can be improved in only one or a few aspects, without necessarily solving all the technical problems listed in the prior art or background art simultaneously. Those skilled in the art should understand that any content not mentioned in a claim should not be construed as a limitation on that claim.

[0060] Although this document frequently uses terms such as shell, outer shell cavity, cover plate, first main electrode, second main electrode, fusible alloy, fluxing agent, energy-absorbing component, support, heating element, heating substrate, and heating electrode, the possibility of using other terms is not excluded. These terms are used merely for the convenience of describing and explaining the essence of this utility model; interpreting them as any kind of additional limitation would contradict the spirit of this utility model. The terms "first," "second," etc. (if present), in the description, claims, and accompanying drawings of the embodiments of this utility model are used to distinguish similar objects and are not necessarily used to describe a specific order or sequence.

[0061] Finally, it should be noted that the above embodiments are only used to illustrate the technical solutions of this utility model, and are not intended to limit it. Although the utility model has been described in detail with reference to the foregoing embodiments, those skilled in the art should understand that modifications can still be made to the technical solutions described in the foregoing embodiments, or equivalent substitutions can be made to some or all of the technical features therein. Such modifications or substitutions do not cause the essence of the corresponding technical solutions to deviate from the scope of the technical solutions of the embodiments of this utility model.

Claims

1. A thermoforming cutter, characterized in that, include: The casing, the first main electrode, the second main electrode, the fusible alloy, and the energy-absorbing component; The housing has an internal accommodating space; the fusible alloy is located within the accommodating space and is electrically connected to the first main electrode and the second main electrode respectively; the energy-absorbing component is disposed within the accommodating space and above the fusible alloy; there is a gap between the energy-absorbing component and the fusible alloy.

2. The thermosetting cutter according to claim 1, characterized in that: The energy-absorbing component has a porous or grooved internal structure.

3. The thermosetting cutter according to claim 1, characterized in that: The energy-absorbing component is made of metal or metal alloy.

4. The thermosetting cutter according to claim 1, characterized in that: The inner wall of the housing is provided with a protrusion, which divides the accommodating space. The energy-absorbing component is located on the protrusion, and the fusible alloy is located below the protrusion.

5. The thermosetting cutter according to claim 4, characterized in that: It also includes a support that extends from the protrusion on the inner sidewall of the housing toward the center of the accommodating space so that the accommodating space forms a second accommodating space and a first accommodating space that are interconnected. The second accommodating space is used to mount the energy-absorbing component, and the first accommodating space contains the fusible alloy.

6. The thermosetting cutter according to claim 4, characterized in that: It also includes a bracket mounted on the protrusion, such that the accommodating space forms a second accommodating space and a first accommodating space that are interconnected. The second accommodating space is used to mount the energy-absorbing component, and the first accommodating space contains the fusible alloy.

7. The thermosetting cutter according to claim 5 or 6, characterized in that: The bracket is one of the following: hollow flat plate, straight line, cross, grid, or protrusion, or a combination thereof.

8. The thermosetting cutter according to claim 1, characterized in that: The housing is provided with a pressure relief hole.

9. The thermosetting cutter according to claim 1, characterized in that: It also includes a heating element, which includes a heating substrate and a heating electrode located on the heating substrate; the heating electrode is in contact with the fusible alloy.

10. The thermosetting cutter according to claim 9, characterized in that: The housing includes an outer shell cavity and a cover plate. The bottom surface of the outer shell cavity is in contact with the heating element. The top surface of the outer shell cavity is encapsulated and connected to the cover plate.

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