Electrical interruption contact with a tubular or rod-shaped compression area with varying cross-sectional diameter

Abstract

Electrical interrupting switching element (1), in particular for interrupting high currents at high voltages, (a) with a housing (2) which surrounds a contact unit (3) defining the current path through the interruption switching element (1), and (b) wherein the contact unit (3) has a first and second connection contact (4, 5), a separation region (6) and a compression region (12), (c) wherein the contact unit (3) is designed such that a current can be supplied to it via the first connection contact (4) and discharged from it via the second connection contact (5), or vice versa, (d) wherein the contact unit (3) has a sabot (9) or is connected to a sabot (9) which is designed such that it can be moved from an initial position to an end position by an applied pressure, wherein in the end position of the sabot the separating region (6) is separated and an insulation distance between the first and the second connection contact (4, 5) is achieved, (e) wherein the compression region (12) is designed such that it is compressed during the movement of the sabot (9) from the starting position to the end position, (f) wherein the compression region (12) is designed as a tubular or rod-shaped element whose axial extension direction runs along an axis X, wherein the tubular or rod-shaped element has a taper in its cross-sectional area along the axis X, wherein the cross-sectional area is perpendicular to the axis X, characterized in that the compression region (12) has a region of a minimum cross-sectional area in the taper, which increases in the direction of the two end regions of the compression region (12).

Description

[0001] The invention relates to an electrical interruption switching element, in particular for interrupting high currents at high voltages, having the features of patent claim 1.

[0002] Such interruption switches are used, for example, in power plant and automotive engineering, as well as in general mechanical and electrical engineering in control cabinets of machines and systems, as well as in electromobility in electric and hybrid vehicles, as well as in electrically powered helicopters and aircraft for the defined and rapid disconnection of high-voltage electrical circuits in an emergency. One requirement for such switches is that no hot gas, particles, projectiles, or plasma escape from them. Furthermore, such switches must ensure the insulation resistance after disconnection.

[0003] Other areas of application include the electrical isolation of a component from the vehicle electrical system in the event of a short circuit in the component in question, for example in an electric parking heater or an electric brake, as well as the emergency shutdown of a lithium battery, as is used today in electric and hybrid vehicles, as well as in aircraft. These batteries have a small footprint and a high terminal voltage of up to 1200 V with an extremely low internal resistance. Both of these result in a possible short-circuit current of up to 5000 A, and in some cases and briefly even up to 30 kA, without the source voltage dropping significantly, which can lead to the battery igniting or exploding after just a few seconds. The interruption switch presented here is also very well suited to the emergency shutdown of individual solar cell modules or entire solar cell fields in an emergency because it can be controlled orcan be remotely controlled.

[0004] All of the applications listed here generally involve the interruption of direct current, which, unlike alternating current, does not have a zero crossing. Normally, only the operating voltage is present in an interrupting switch. However, the moment a direct current circuit is interrupted in an interrupting switch, the collapse of the magnetic field of the external circuit causes the voltage to rise so sharply that an arc usually forms between the separated ends of an isolating element of the interrupting switch. A relatively high voltage is generally required to generate an arc. However, much lower voltages are sufficient to maintain it, which is generally the case with typical operating voltages of around 450 V.

[0005] To ensure that the arc is extinguished even after the voltage peak drops to the operating voltage, switching elements with a current-conducting contact tube with a separating area in the form of a hollow cylinder are already being used. To separate the circuit, the hollow cylinder is completely torn, melted, or broken open along its cross-sectional area, and both ends of the hollow cylinder are mechanically separated from each other. To tear open or break open the hollow cylinder, an activatable drive located in the hollow cylinder's cavity is often used. Furthermore, such interrupting switching elements usually contain a sabot, which serves to separate the separated ends of the separating area from each other through a movement. The sabot must compress a compression area of ​​the contact tube.The compression zone is often also tubular or hollow-cylindrical and must be able to fold easily during compression. However, it has been found that the rapid movement of the sabot and the compression of the compression zone often cause it to shatter, potentially creating impermissible electrical contact with the housing. This can bridge the insulation of the already separated connecting element.

[0006] DE 20 2017 106 261 U1 relates to an electrical interruption switch with a compression region that has no taper in its cross-sectional area.

[0007] Based on this prior art, the object of the invention is to provide an interruption switching element, in particular for interrupting high direct currents at high voltages, in which splintering of the material of the compression area is prevented during the transition from the conducting position to the isolating position, so that no splinters can short-circuit the contact of the module, which has already been separated and is then to be kept electrically insulated from the housing, to the housing.

[0008] The invention solves this problem with the features of patent claim 1.

[0009] The present invention relates to an electrical interruption switch which is particularly suitable for interrupting high currents at high voltages. It has a housing which encompasses a contact unit defining the current path through the interruption switch. The contact unit has a first and second connection contact, a separating region and a compression region. The contact unit is designed such that a current can be supplied to it via the first connection contact and discharged from it via the second connection contact, or vice versa. The contact unit has a sabot or is connected to a sabot. The sabot is designed such that it can be moved from an initial position to an end position by an applied pressure, wherein in the end position of the sabot the separating region is separated and an insulating distance is achieved between the first and second connection contacts.The compression area is designed in such a way that it is compressed when the sabot moves from the starting position to the final position.

[0010] The compression region of the interruption switching element according to the invention is designed as a tubular or rod-shaped element whose axial extension direction runs along an axis X, wherein the tubular or rod-shaped element has a taper in its cross-sectional area along the axis X, wherein the cross-sectional area is perpendicular to the axis X, characterized in that the compression region (12) has a region of a minimum cross-sectional area in the taper, which increases in the direction of the two end regions of the compression region (12).

[0011] Unlike with a cross-sectional area that remains constant along the X-axis, the tapered section largely prevents fragments from the compression zone from being torn loose during the transition from the conducting position to the disconnecting position, preventing the already disconnected contact of the interrupting contact element from making electrical contact with the housing. This prevents large fragments from being torn out of the compression zone, but rather causes the compression zone to expand without damaging fragmentation.

[0012] In one embodiment of the present invention, it is preferred that the tubular or rod-shaped element merges at its two opposite end regions into flanges which extend in the direction of the housing and perpendicular to the axis X. These flanges serve to enable a force originating from the sabot to be exerted on the compression region in the direction of the axis X, ie, the compression region can be compressed.

[0013] The cross-sectional area of ​​the rod-shaped or tubular element can have any desired shape, for example, circular, elliptical, any circular shape with or without one or more corners, triangular, square, pentagonal, hexagonal, or polygonal, with a circular cross-sectional area being preferred. If the element is tubular, it is referred to as an annular cross-sectional area rather than a circular cross-sectional area.

[0014] A tapered cross-sectional area is understood here to mean that the cross-sectional area is smaller in one region of the compression zone than in the adjacent regions (in the direction of the X-axis). During the tapered section, the compression zone has a region of minimum cross-sectional area that increases toward the two end regions of the compression zone.

[0015] The increase in the cross-sectional area can be continuous or discontinuous in the axial extension of the rod-shaped or tubular element, e.g., step-like, with a continuous increase being preferred. The continuous increase can be linear or progressive. According to the invention, it is preferred that the cross-sectional area increases conically in the direction of the end regions of the rod-shaped or tubular element. Furthermore, it is preferred that the rod-shaped or tubular element is designed such that it has a cross-sectional area of ​​the same shape (with varying area size) in each plane perpendicular to the axis X. Furthermore, the increase in the cross-sectional area in the two directions towards the end regions of the rod-shaped or tubular element can be different or the same, e.g.run mirror-symmetrically, wherein the mirror plane is arranged in the region of the minimum cross-sectional area perpendicular to the axis X. It is also preferred that the cross-sectional transitions towards the respective end regions of the rod-shaped or tubular element run radially, ie are provided with certain radii in order to avoid excessive notch stresses which could undesirably break or break open the rod-shaped or tubular element at these points, in particular in the event of mechanical loads or vibrations of the assembly or the connecting element.

[0016] In one embodiment of the present invention, it is preferred that the compression region has a plurality of tapers, preferably such that the region of minimum cross-sectional area alternates periodically with regions of maximum cross-sectional area. In this case, the compression region can be formed on the surface in a zigzag, step, or accordion shape. The latter is preferred when the compression region is formed as a tubular element.

[0017] The region of the minimum cross-sectional area of ​​the rod-shaped or tubular element can be formed as a region with a constant cross-sectional area. It is preferred that the cross-sectional transitions from the region with the minimum cross-sectional area to the regions in which the cross-sectional area increases run radially, i.e., are provided with specific radii. In one embodiment, such a region with a constant cross-sectional area can also be omitted, i.e., the regions in which the cross-sectional area increases meet in the region of the minimum cross-sectional area, also preferably with a radial cross-sectional transition.

[0018] In one embodiment, the interruption switching element according to the invention has at least one chamber which is at least partially delimited by the isolating region. The at least one chamber is preferably filled with an extinguishing agent, such that the isolating region is in contact with the extinguishing agent. The at least one chamber is preferably located within a cavity of the isolating region, which is preferably designed as a tubular element, i.e. the at least one chamber is enclosed by the isolating region. Furthermore, the interruption switching element according to the invention can have a further chamber which borders on the outer region of the tubular element of the isolating region. In other words, the tubular element delimits the at least one chamber from the further chamber. The further chamber is preferably delimited in its outer circumference by the housing of the interruption switching element. The further chamber is preferably also filled with an extinguishing agent.

[0019] However, the hollow space of the tubular element in the separation area can also be omitted; in this case, only the additional chamber outside the tubular connecting element is filled with an extinguishing agent. However, for very small currents to be separated in conjunction with very small circuit inductances, the extinguishing agent can be omitted entirely; in this case, the enclosed air is sufficient for the separation process.

[0020] The extinguishing agent can be a solid, powdered, or liquid medium. Preferably, the extinguishing agent is a vaporizable or gasifiable medium (e.g. boric acid; this powder transforms directly from the powdered phase into a gas when exposed to an arc, absorbing energy and thus depleting the arc). Preferably, the extinguishing agent is a liquid medium which transforms completely or partially into a gaseous state upon reaching the boiling or vaporization temperature. At the same time, it is preferred that the extinguishing agent also has good electrical insulating properties so that the arc can be extinguished after sufficient removal of the two separated parts of the separation area, and there is then sufficient insulation between the separated contacts against any undesirable current flow. Preferably, the extinguishing agent is an oil with or without a thickener, for example silicone oil, or a silane orPolysiloxane, for example hexasilane or pentasilane with as little or even better no carbon atom content as possible.

[0021] In the interruption switch according to the invention, the sabot serves to separate the two separate parts of the separation zone from each other by applying pressure to perform a mechanical movement that separates one part of the separation zone from the other part of the separation zone. In this way, a safety distance is established between the two separate parts of the separation zone.

[0022] The triggering of the interruption switching element according to the invention, ie the process of transition from the control position to the disconnected position, can be passive or active.

[0023] If the interruption switching element according to the invention is to be triggered actively, it is preferred that the interruption switching element comprises an activatable material. The activatable material is preferably arranged such that, upon ignition of the pyrotechnic material, the separation region is subjected to a gas pressure or shock wave generated by the activatable material, such that the separation region is torn open, pressed in, or separated, the sabot is moved, and the compression region is compressed. The sabot is preferably designed such that, upon ignition of the activatable material, it is subjected to a gas pressure or shock wave generated thereby, such that the sabot is moved in the housing in one direction of movement from the starting position to the end position, and the separation region is torn open, pressed in, or separated.

[0024] The activatable material can be a pyrotechnic material with a detonating or deflagrating effect. The pyrotechnic material is preferably present in the interrupting switching element according to the invention in a so-called mini-detonator or a primer or squib, but can also be incorporated in another form.

[0025] If the triggering of the interruption switching element according to the invention is to take place passively, ie without an activatable material for the initial severing of the isolating area, it is preferred that the isolating area, the sabot and the extinguishing agent are designed in such a way that the isolating area can be separated into at least two parts by the supplied current when a threshold current is exceeded by heating at or above the melting point of the material of the connecting element, wherein an arc arising between the two parts of the isolating area evaporates the extinguishing agent, so that a gas pressure acting on the sabot is created, whereby the sabot is moved and the compression area is compressed.

[0026] Furthermore, the separation area can also have one or more predetermined breaking points, which can be in the form of a constriction, notch, groove, or bore. Preferably, the predetermined breaking point is in the form of a bore through the wall of the tubular element of the separation area. In this way, the bore connects the at least one chamber with the further chamber. This makes it easier to fill an extinguishing agent into the at least one chamber within the tubular element during manufacture of the interruption switching element according to the invention.

[0027] The inventive design of the upsetting area is particularly advantageous and important when using materials for the upsetting area that are not as ductile as the E-copper commonly used here. For example, machining aluminum as the material for the connecting element requires a hard aluminum, which would immediately break into many small splinters during the folding process, even after annealing the connecting element after its manufacture.

[0028] According to one embodiment of the invention, it is preferred that the upsetting region is designed as a tubular element. The hollow space inside the tubular element is referred to herein as a yet further chamber. Here, the yet further chamber of the upsetting region can also be completely filled with an extinguishing agent. It is preferred that a connection in the form of a channel is present between the yet further chamber and the at least one chamber. Due to the movement of the sabot and / or the upsetting process of the upsetting region, the volume of the yet further chamber is reduced such that the extinguishing agent is injected through the channel between the at least two parts of the separating region. As a result, the extinguishing agent can be pressed from the yet further chamber via the channel into the at least one chamber during the upsetting process and thus effectively suppresses or cools any arc that may still be present in the separating region.At the same time, the extinguishing agent, which may already be partially decomposed in the at least one chamber, is diluted by the newly flowing extinguishing agent, thus also improving the insulating properties of the "stressed" extinguishing agent. In this embodiment of the invention, it may also be preferred that only one chamber and the further chamber, as well as the connecting channel, are filled with an extinguishing agent. Here, it may be preferred that the further chamber not contain any extinguishing agent.

[0029] Further embodiments of the invention are also apparent from the subclaims. The features of the interruption switching element according to the invention presented in the aforementioned embodiments can be combined in any way according to the invention—provided they are not mutually exclusive.

[0030] The invention is explained in more detail below with reference to the embodiments illustrated in the drawings. All individual features described in the figures can also be used independently of one another in an interruption switch according to the invention, provided they are technically feasible. Fig. 1 shows a schematic view of an interruption switching element according to the invention before the compression of the compression region (conducting position), which is in the form of a rod-shaped element with several tapers in its cross-sectional diameter. Fig. 2 to 8 show sections of a contact unit of an interruption switching element according to the invention in the compression area with different shapes of the tapers in the cross-sectional diameter.

[0031] The Fig. The embodiment of an interruption switching element 1 according to the invention shown in Figure 1 comprises a housing 2 in which a contact unit 3 is arranged, which extends through the entire housing 2 and comprises the connection contacts 4 and 5, the isolating region 6, the compression region 12 and the flanges 13 and 14. The housing 2 is designed such that it can withstand a pressure generated within the housing 2, which is generated, for example, during a pyrotechnic triggering of the interruption switching element 1, without there being any risk of damage or even bursting. The housing 2 can in particular be made of a suitable material, preferably steel. In the illustrated embodiment, the contact unit 3 is designed as a switching tube that can be pressurized by the sabot 9 in the compression region 12, so that it is designed as a tube in the isolating region 6 and compression region 12.In the illustrated embodiment, the contact unit 3 has a first connection contact 4. A radially outwardly extending flange 14 is connected to the first connection contact 4 and is supported on an annular insulator element made of an insulating material, for example a plastic, in such a way that the contact unit 3 cannot be moved axially out of the housing 2. The contact unit 3 has a compression region 12 adjoining the flange in the axis of the contact unit 3. The wall thickness of the contact unit 3 in the compression region 12, which has a predetermined axial extent, is selected and matched to the material such that when the interruption switching element 1 is triggered, a plastic deformation of the contact unit 3 in the compression region 12 results in a shortening of the compression region 12 in the axial direction by a predetermined distance.

[0032] Adjacent to the compression region 12 in the axial direction of the contact unit 3 is a flange 13, on which a sabot 9 sits in the illustrated embodiment. The sabot 9 is designed as an electrically insulating element, for example, a suitable plastic, preferably made of ceramic. This element surrounds the contact unit 3 in such a way that an insulating region of the sabot 9 engages between the outer circumference of the flange 13 and the inner wall of the housing 2. If pressure acts on the surface of the sabot 9, a force F is generated, which compresses the compression region 12 of the contact unit 3 via the flange 13.This force F is selected such that during the tripping process of the interrupting switching element 1, the compression area 12 is compressed, whereby the sabot 9 is moved from its initial position (status before the tripping of the interrupting switching element 1 = control position) into an end position (after completion of the switching process = disconnected position).

[0033] As from Fig. 1, the sabot 9 can be selected such that its outer diameter essentially corresponds to the inner diameter of the housing 2, so that an axial guidance of the flange 13 and thus also an axially guided compression movement is achieved during the switching process.

[0034] After the pressing process, the noses of the insulator element and the sabot 9 located near the housing 2 fully engage one over the other, so that the compression region 12, which is pushed together in a meandering shape after the release and the compression process, is fully enclosed by electrically insulating materials.

[0035] A separating area 6 is connected to the sabot 9 or the flange 13 of the contact unit 3. The second connecting contact 5 is then connected to this side of the contact unit 3.

[0036] In the illustrated embodiment, the sabot 9 is pushed onto the contact unit 3 from the side of the connecting contact 5 during assembly of the interrupting switching element 1. This is split for this purpose (not shown). If the second connecting contact 5 is not split or is made in one piece, identical to the contact unit 3, as shown, the sabot 9 must either be molded onto the contact unit or be constructed in multiple parts to enable assembly.

[0037] An activatable material 10 can be provided in the axial end of the contact unit 3 in the area of ​​the second connection contact 5, often housed in a mini-detonator or a detonator screw (drive). Electrical connecting lines for the drive can be routed to the outside through an opening in the interior of the contact unit 3. The drive is preferably provided in a chamber 7 within the tubular element of the separation area 6. A further chamber 8 is located between the outer wall of a separation area 6 and the housing 2.

[0038] The separating area 6 is dimensioned such that it is at least partially ruptured by the generated gas pressure or the generated shock wave of a drive, but preferably completely ruptured, so that the pressure or the shock wave can also spread from the chamber 7 into the outer chamber 8, which is preferably designed as a surrounding annular space. The chambers 7 and 8 are thus connected to one another to form a single volume. The internal pressure required for compressing the contact unit 3 can also be generated such that, at a certain threshold current intensity, the separating area 6 melts and an arc forms between them, which evaporates an extinguishing agent located in the chambers 7 and / or 8. To facilitate rupturing, the wall of the contact unit 3 in the separating area 6 can also have one or more openings or bores and / or grooves (not shown in Fig. 1). It must be ensured that the material of the separation area 6 effectively separates the operating current, i.e., taking heat dissipation into account, does not become too hot, so as not to cause the material to age too quickly or excessively.

[0039] When the interrupting switching element 1 is activated, a pressure or even a shock wave is generated on the side of the sabot 9 facing away from the compression region 12, whereby the sabot 9 is subjected to a corresponding axial force. This force is selected by appropriately dimensioning the activatable material 10 such that the contact unit 3 is plastically deformed or pressed in in the compression region 12, but not torn open, and the sabot 9 is then moved towards the first connection contact 4. The activatable material 10 is dimensioned such that after the separation region 6 is torn open or pressed in, the movement of the sabot 9 moves the two separation halves sufficiently far apart, in conjunction with the evaporation of an extinguishing agent, even to an end position.

[0040] Immediately after the activation of the activatable material 10, the separation area 6 is at least partially torn open or indented, preferably completely torn open. If the tearing or indentation does not occur before the axial movement of the sabot 9 begins over the entire circumference of the separation area 6, a remaining portion of the separation area 6, which still causes electrical contact, is completely torn open by the axial movement of the sabot 9, amplified by the very rapid heating of the then only small remaining cross-section of the conductor due to the high electric current flowing there.

[0041] The interruption switching element 1 according to Fig. 1 is basically structured in the same way as the one in Fig. 1 shown interruption switching element of DE 10 2017 123 021 A1, with the difference according to the invention that the compression region 12 does not represent a tubular element with a consistently uniform wall thickness, but that the tubular element has several tapers in its cross-sectional diameter in a region between the flange-side end regions. In Fig. 1, the tapers are repeated periodically. Furthermore, the tapers are rounded, preferably in such a way that the surface of the tubular element forms a sinusoidal curve in cross-section along the X axis.

[0042] The Fig. 2 to 8 each show a partial area of ​​a contact unit 3, in which the compression area 12 and the adjoining flanges 13 and 14 are present. The compression area 12 is shown in the Fig. 2, 3 and 5 to 8 as a tubular element in Fig. 4 is designed as a rod-shaped element. The length L is the extension of the upsetting region 12 in the direction of the axis X. The upsetting region 12 has an area with a minimum cross-sectional area (area delimited by the outer circumference of the tubular element), which increases in the direction of the flange-side end regions, i.e. towards the flanges 13 and 14. The radii R1 and R2 represent the radii of the cross-sectional transitions between the upsetting region 12 and the adjoining flanges 13 and 14. The radii R3 to R5 represent the radii of the cross-sectional transitions in the area of ​​the minimum cross-sectional area(s) to the areas of the increasing cross-sectional area(s). The force F acts on the upsetting region 12 when the sabot 9 moves. The angles w1-w4 indicate the inclination of the increase in the cross-sectional area to the axis X.

[0043] Fig. Figure 2 shows a compression zone 12 with only a minimal cross-sectional area. The increase in cross-sectional area also occurs uniformly toward both flange ends of the compression zone 12. Consequently, the angles w1 and w2 are equal in this case, in order to achieve the most uniform compression possible, which would not be achieved with unequal angles.

[0044] Fig. Figure 3 shows a compression region 12 that tapers from one flange end to the other. The region of minimum cross-sectional area is adjacent to the flange 13.

[0045] Fig. 4 and Fig. 5 show embodiments with multiple regions of minimum cross-sectional area. Regions of maximum cross-sectional area are located between them. The increase and decrease in cross-sectional areas between these regions follows a zigzag pattern.

[0046] The changes in the cross-sectional areas shown are chosen to allow the length L of the compression area to become longer or to be able to use it before the compression area would not compress but buckle due to the compressive load, which would be completely undesirable here: According to the fourth Euler buckling case (both ends of the buckling bar are firmly clamped and compressive load is applied to the bar), the critical buckling load is calculated as F krit =4*pi 2 / L 2 *E*I with the clamped length L, the elastic modulus of the rod material E, and the axial area moment of inertia I of the rod cross-section. Upon reaching the critical buckling load, the rod would buckle centrally, or bulge in the case of hollow bodies – which is completely undesirable and must be safely avoided, because it would short-circuit a contact of the circuit breaker against the housing and bypass an insulator.

[0047] On the other hand, the greatest possible compression length L is desired in order to be able to plastically convert as much of the energy introduced into the assembly / disconnector as possible.

[0048] Due to the shown changes in the cross-sectional areas in the compression area, the available compression length L is divided into several smaller compression sections, the compression areas of which are then determined by the cross-sectional changes.

[0049] The processes described above apply analogously to all compression bodies, regardless of whether their cross-section is completely filled (here only buckling occurs) or whether a tube-like compression element is present (here buckling and bulging can occur).

[0050] As in Fig. As shown in Figure 6, the region of the minimum cross-sectional area can also be cylindrical over a length t and only then transition into the regions of increase or decrease in the cross-sectional area.

[0051] As in Fig. 7 and Fig. 8, the surface of the compression area 12 can also be accordion-shaped. In Fig. 7, the outer surface of the compression region 12 is wavy and the inner surface is flat. Fig. Figure 8 shows an embodiment in which both inner and outer surfaces have a wave-like shape, in this case with parallel sinusoids. List of reference symbols: 1 interruption contact 2 housings 3 Contact unit 4 first connection contact 5 second connection contact 6 Separation area 7th chamber 8 additional chambers 9 sabots 10 activatable material 12 Compression area 13 Flange at the compression area for pressurization by sabot 14 Flange at the compression area L Length of the compression area in the direction of the X axis R1-R5 radii of the cross-sectional transitions t Length of the cylindrical areas with minimum wall thickness in the compression area w1-w4 Angle of linear increase in wall thickness X axis X z Length of the cylindrical area with minimum wall thickness in the separation area F Force caused by pressure from sabot

Claims

[1] Electrical interrupting switching element (1), in particular for interrupting high currents at high voltages, (a) with a housing (2) which surrounds a contact unit (3) defining the current path through the interruption switching element (1), and (b) wherein the contact unit (3) has a first and second connection contact (4, 5), a separation region (6) and a compression region (12), (c) wherein the contact unit (3) is designed such that a current can be supplied to it via the first connection contact (4) and discharged from it via the second connection contact (5), or vice versa, (d) wherein the contact unit (3) has a sabot (9) or is connected to a sabot (9) which is designed such that it can be moved from an initial position to an end position by an applied pressure, wherein in the end position of the sabot the separating region (6) is separated and an insulation distance between the first and the second connection contact (4, 5) is achieved, (e) wherein the compression region (12) is designed such that it is compressed during the movement of the sabot (9) from the starting position to the end position, (f) wherein the compression region (12) is designed as a tubular or rod-shaped element whose axial extension direction runs along an axis X, wherein the tubular or rod-shaped element has a taper in its cross-sectional area along the axis X, wherein the cross-sectional area is perpendicular to the axis X, characterized bythat the compression region (12) has, during the taper, a region of a minimum cross-sectional area which increases in the direction of the two end regions of the compression region (12). [2] Interruption switching element (1) according to claim 1, wherein the tubular or rod-shaped element merges at its two opposite end regions into flanges (13, 14) which extend in the direction of the housing (2) and perpendicular to the axis X. [3] Interruption switching element (1) according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the increase in the cross-sectional area in the direction of the end regions is mirror-symmetrical, the mirror plane being arranged perpendicular to the axis X in the region of the minimum cross-sectional area. [4] Interruption switching element (1) according to one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the compression region (12) has a plurality of tapers, so that the region of minimum cross-sectional area alternates periodically with regions of maximum cross-sectional area. [5] Interruption switching element (1) according to one of claims 1 to 4, wherein at least one chamber (7) in the interruption switching element (1), which is at least partially delimited by the isolating region (6), is filled with an extinguishing agent, so that the isolating region (6) is in contact with the extinguishing agent. [6] Interruption switching element (1) according to one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the interruption switching element (1) comprises an activatable material (10) which is arranged such that when the activatable material (10) is ignited, the separation region (6) is subjected to a gas pressure or shock wave generated by the activatable material (10), so that the separation region (6) is torn open, pressed in or separated, the sabot (9) is moved and the compression region (12) is compressed. [7] Interruption switching element (1) according to claim 5 or 6, wherein the isolating region (6), the sabot (9) and the extinguishing agent are designed such that the isolating region (6) can be separated into at least two parts by the supplied current when a threshold current is exceeded, wherein an arc arising between the two parts of the isolating region (6) evaporates the extinguishing agent, so that a gas pressure acting on the sabot (9) is created, wherein the sabot (9) is moved and the compression region (12) is compressed.

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