Power line cutting device for cutting a power line

Abstract

The invention relates to a power line cutting device for cutting a power line, comprising a cutting element for cutting the power line and a housing in which the cutting element is arranged so as to be displaceable along a first axis and which comprises a first housing part and a second housing part. The first housing part and / or the second housing part has / has a receptacle extending along a second axis, which is provided for receiving the power line to be cut. Viewed along the second axis, the first housing part has a contact surface on either side of the receptacle, and the second housing part has a contact surface on either side of the receptacle. At least one contact surface of the first housing part and at least one contact surface of the second housing part have a non-planar contact surface section.The contact surfaces of the first housing part are shaped complementarily to the contact surfaces of the second housing part, so that the contact surfaces of the first housing part rest against the corresponding contact surfaces of the second housing part.

Description

[0001] The invention relates to a power line cutting device for cutting a power line according to the preamble of claim 1.

[0002] Particularly in electrically powered vehicles, high electrical currents and voltages occur that pose a danger to vehicle occupants in the event of an accident. For this reason, emergency shutdown devices are used that can interrupt a vehicle's electrical circuit in a short time. For example, line isolators that can sever power lines carrying high electrical currents within a few milliseconds are used as part of an emergency shutdown device. A line isolator of this type is known, for example, from DE 10 2018 125 059 A9. After the power line is severed, an arc can occur at the cutting point with previously known line isolators, which in turn can result in the evaporation of conductive material in the power line.The evaporated material (especially copper) can form conductive layers, which can deteriorate the electrical insulation of the sections of the power line formed after the power line is severed. US 2023 / 0 317 393 A1 discloses a power line disconnection device with a fuse.

[0003] The problem underlying the invention is to ensure the best possible insulation of the sections formed after the power line has been severed.

[0004] This problem is solved by providing the power line disconnecting device with the features of claim 1.

[0005] According to this, a power line disconnection device is provided, which comprises a disconnection element for disconnecting the power line. The power line disconnection device further comprises a housing in which the disconnection element is arranged displaceably along a first axis. Generally, the housing comprises a first housing part and a second housing part.

[0006] The first housing part and / or the second housing part have / have a receptacle extending along a second axis, which is provided for receiving the power line to be severed. For example, the receptacle can serve to receive the power line to be severed in an area between the first housing part and the second housing part.

[0007] The power line disconnection device is characterized in that, viewed along the second axis, the first housing part has a contact surface on either side of the receptacle, and the second housing part also has a contact surface on either side of the receptacle. The contact surfaces of the first housing part are shaped complementarily to the contact surfaces of the second housing part, so that, in the intended state, the contact surfaces of the first housing part abut the corresponding contact surfaces of the second housing part. At least one contact surface of the first housing part and at least one contact surface of the second housing part have a non-planar contact surface section.

[0008] The non-planar contact surface section lengthens the creepage distance for vaporized conductive material between the separated sections of the power line. This makes it difficult or impossible for the vaporized conductive material of the power line to continuously deposit on parts of the power line separating device between the separated sections of the power line, and thus prevents the formation of a conductive layer that can form a conductive connection between the separated sections of the power line. With the help of the power line separating device according to the invention, a high insulation resistance can therefore be achieved between the separated sections of the power line immediately after the power line is severed.

[0009] According to one embodiment, the non-planar contact surface section of the first housing part or of the second housing part has at least one first surface segment that extends at an angle greater than 0° and less than 180° to the first axis, and at least one second surface segment that extends at an angle greater than 0° and less than 180° to the second axis. The first and the second surface segment can each be planar. The first and the second surface segment can each have at least one rectilinear side edge. The at least one first surface segment and the at least one second surface segment can border one another (with the at least one rectilinear side edge), so that a (reciprocal) edge is formed between the at least one first surface segment and the at least one second surface segment.

[0010] Since the first and second axes are not parallel, the at least one first surface segment and the at least one second surface segment may also not be aligned parallel to one another. For example, the first axis and the second axis may enclose an angle of 90°. It is conceivable that the angle between the at least one first surface segment and the first axis lies between 30° and 150° and that the angle between the at least one second surface segment and the second axis lies between 30° and 150°. The at least one first surface segment and the adjacent at least one second surface segment may therefore enclose an angle of less than 90°. Specifically, the angle between the at least one first surface segment and the first axis may be 90° and the angle between the at least one second surface segment and the second axis may also be 90°.In this embodiment, the at least one first surface segment and the at least one second surface segment extend perpendicular to one another, provided that the first axis and the second axis enclose an angle of 90°.

[0011] According to one embodiment, the non-planar contact surface section of the first housing part or the second housing part comprises a plurality of first surface sections and a plurality of second surface sections. These can be arranged alternately. In particular, viewed along the second axis, first and second surface sections can alternate. Consequently, the non-planar contact surface section (the sequence of surface segments) can form a sawtooth profile (with peaks) in a sectional plane parallel to the first axis and the second axis.

[0012] It is conceivable that the first and second surface segments are each not planar, so that, for example, no sharp edge (and thus no point in the sectional plane parallel to the first axis and the second axis) is created at the transition between a first surface segment and an adjacent second surface segment. Instead, a rounded transition area is created between a first surface segment and an adjacent second surface segment.

[0013] It is also possible for the non-planar contact surface section of the first housing part and the non-planar contact surface section of the second housing part to have at least one minimum or maximum in a sectional plane parallel to the first axis and the second axis. In other words, the non-planar contact surface section can map a non-linear function in this sectional plane. The non-linear function can be periodic for a plurality of first and second surface segments, such as a sine function or similar.

[0014] If the non-planar contact surface section has multiple first surface segments, these can extend in two or more planes. The planes can be parallel to one another. If the non-planar contact surface section has multiple second surface segments, these can extend in different planes. The planes can be parallel to one another.

[0015] In order to effectively dissipate the evaporated conductive material, it can be provided that the non-planar contact surface section of the first housing part and the second housing part is formed near the location where the evaporated conductive material is generated. Thus, viewed along the second axis, the non-planar contact surface section of the first housing part and the second housing part can be formed, for example, at the level of the separating element. However, it is also conceivable that, particularly in gas-tight housing designs in which a shielding sleeve extending along the first axis is provided at the level of the separating element, the non-planar contact surface section of the first housing part and the second housing part is formed (immediately) before or after the separating element (or the shielding sleeve), viewed along the second axis.

[0016] According to one embodiment, the first housing part is, for example, an upper housing part and the second housing part is, for example, a lower housing part. The upper housing part and the lower housing part together form the housing. However, it is also conceivable for the housing to have at least one further housing part in addition to the first and second housing parts. The second housing part can, for example, be arranged between the first housing part and the at least one further housing part. The at least one further housing part can, for example, enclose the power line in sections. For this purpose, the power line can be partially overmolded with a material that forms the at least one further housing part.

[0017] The separating element can be designed to separate a section from the power line. For this purpose, the separating element can be set in motion so that it acts on the power line and thereby separates a section from it. For example, the separating element can be at least substantially cylindrical. To set the separating element in motion, a movement-generating device can be provided for generating a movement of the separating element along the first axis. The housing of the power line separating device can guide the movement of the separating element along the first axis.

[0018] The invention also relates to a power line device comprising a power line and a power line cutting device according to the invention for cutting the power line. The power line is arranged in the housing's receptacle.

[0019] The power line can be designed as a metal plate (busbar), which in particular comprises copper. The metal plate can have an elongated shape with two ends. Viewed along the second axis, the ends of the metal plate can protrude beyond the housing. At least one connection option can be formed at each end of the metal plate for electrically connecting at least one electrical line (cable) installed in a vehicle. The at least one connection option can also be provided outside the housing.

[0020] It is possible for the separating element to be designed such that it separates a section from the power line. The separated section of the power line can be held by the housing and / or the separating element, wherein the separated section can be offset along the first axis with respect to the non-planar contact surface section of the first housing part and the non-planar contact surface section of the second housing part. Since the non-planar contact surface section of the first and second housing parts has an extension along the first axis, the separated section can be offset along the first axis with respect to the non-planar contact surface in such a way that it is either located completely outside the extension of the non-planar contact surface section or at least not centrally (with respect to the first axis) within the extension.

[0021] The invention also relates to a vehicle, in particular an electrically powered vehicle, with a power line disconnecting device according to the invention.

[0022] The invention is explained in more detail below using exemplary embodiments with reference to the figures. They show: Fig. 1 a sectional view of a power line device before activation; Fig. 2 the power line device Fig. 1 after activation; Fig. 3 a sectional view of a power line separating device according to an embodiment Fig. 4 a perspective view of a first housing part of the power line separating device from Fig. 3; and Fig. 5 a perspective view of a second housing part of the power line disconnecting device from Fig. 3.

[0023] In Fig. 1 shows an exemplary structure of a power line device comprising a power line separating device 1 and a power line 5.

[0024] The power line separating device 1 comprises a housing 2, e.g. made of a plastic (e.g. PA66), with a first housing part 21 formed as a housing upper part and a second housing part 22 formed as a housing lower part. Furthermore, the power line separating device 1 has a separating element 3 in the form of a piston and a movement generating device 4 in the form of a pyrotechnic unit. In the Fig. In the initial state of the power line isolating device 1 shown in Figure 1 (before ignition of the pyrotechnic unit 4), the piston 3 is located in the first housing part 21 of the housing 2. After ignition, the pyrotechnic unit 4 drives the piston 3 along a first axis A1 in the direction of the power line 5 designed as a busbar. The power line 5 has an elongated shape and extends along a second axis A2.

[0025] The first axis A1 and the second axis A2 form an angle of 90°. The piston 3 strikes the power line 5, causing a section 51, the so-called coin, to be severed from the power line 5, creating two separate end pieces 52a, 52b. The section 51 moves into the second housing part 22 of the housing 2 ( Fig. 2). In conventional power line devices, the arc mentioned above (cf. arcs 6a, 6b) can occur between the severed section 51 and the end pieces 52a, 52b of the power line 5 remaining after the section 51 has been severed.

[0026] Fig. Figure 3 shows a sectional view of a power line separating device 1 according to an embodiment with which the occurrence of arcs after the separation of the section 51 is avoided or at least made more difficult. The sectional plane is spanned by the first axis A1 and the second axis A2. The power line separating device 1 of Fig. 3 may be part of a power line device of the type Fig. 1 and Fig. 2 and in particular replace the power line disconnecting device 1 there.

[0027] The first housing part 21 and the second housing part 22 each have a receptacle 211, 221 on mutually facing sides, which in the assembled state ( Fig. 3) form a cavity 23 for receiving the power line 5 to be severed. Fig. 4 and Fig. 5 shows the mutually facing sides of the first housing part 21 and the second housing part 22 in the separated state. The receptacles 211, 221 each extend along the second axis A2.

[0028] The first housing part 21 and the second housing part 22 each have a contact surface 212, 222 on either side of the receptacle 211, 221, viewed along the second axis A2. The contact surfaces 212 of the first housing part 21 are shaped complementarily to the contact surfaces 222 of the second housing part 22, so that the contact surfaces 212 of the first housing part 21 abut the corresponding contact surfaces 222 of the second housing part 22. Each contact surface 212, 222 has a non-planar contact surface section 213, 223. The non-planar contact surface sections 213, 223 here, for example, directly border the receptacle 211, 221. Viewed along the second axis A2, the non-planar contact surface sections 213, 223 are arranged centrally (at the level of the separating element 3) on the respective contact surface 212, 222.

[0029] The non-planar contact surface sections 213, 223 each have first surface segments 214, 224 which extend at an angle of 90° to the first axis A1, and second surface segments 215, 225 which extend at an angle of 90° to the second axis A2.

[0030] The first surface segments 214, 224 accordingly extend perpendicular to the second surface segments 215, 225. Viewed along the second axis A2, the first surface segments 214, 224 and the second surface segments 215, 225 alternate. Specifically, the non-planar contact surface sections 213, 223 each have three first surface segments 214, 224 and four second surface segments 215, 225. However, a different number is conceivable. The first surface segments 214, 224 extend in two different planes that are parallel to one another. The second surface segments 215, 225 extend in four different planes that are parallel to one another.

[0031] However, the invention is not limited to the Fig. 3. It is also possible for the non-planar contact surface sections 213, 223 to have other shapes.

Claims

[1] Power line separating device (1) for separating a power line (5), with - a separating element (3) for cutting the power line (5), - a housing (2) in which the separating element (3) is arranged displaceably along a first axis (A1) and which comprises a first housing part (21) and a second housing part (22), wherein the first housing part (21) and / or the second housing part (22) has / has a receptacle (211, 221) extending along a second axis (A2) which is provided for receiving the power line (5) to be severed, characterized bythat, viewed along the second axis (A2), the first housing part (21) has a contact surface (212) on either side of the receptacle (211) and the second housing part (22) has a contact surface (222) on either side of the receptacle (221), wherein at least one contact surface (212) of the first housing part (21) and at least one contact surface (222) of the second housing part (22) have a non-planar contact surface section (213, 223), and wherein the contact surfaces (212) of the first housing part (21) are shaped complementarily to the contact surfaces (222) of the second housing part (22), so that the contact surfaces (212) of the first housing part (21) bear against the corresponding contact surfaces (222) of the second housing part (22). [2] Power line separating device (1) according to claim 1, characterized bythat the non-planar contact surface section (213, 223) of the first housing part (21) or of the second housing part (22) has at least one first surface segment (214, 224) which extends at an angle greater than 0° and less than 180° to the first axis (A1), and at least one second surface segment (215, 225) which extends at an angle greater than 0° and less than 180° to the second axis (A2). [3] Power line separating device (1) according to claim 2, characterized by that the angle between the at least one first surface segment (214, 224) and the first axis (A1) is between 30° and 150°, in particular 90°, and the angle between the at least one second surface segment (215, 225) and the second axis (A2) is between 30° and 150°, in particular 90°. [4] Power line separating device (1) according to one of claims 1 to 3, characterized bythat the first axis (A1) and the second axis (A2) enclose an angle of 90°. [5] Power line separating device (1) according to one of claims 2 to 4, characterized by that the non-planar contact surface section (213, 223) of the first housing part (21) or of the second housing part (22) has a plurality of first surface segments (214, 224) and a plurality of second surface segments (215, 225) and that, viewed along the second axis (A2), first and second surface segments (214, 215, 224, 225) alternate. [6] Power line separating device (1) according to claim 5, characterized by that the first surface segments (214, 224) extend in at least two planes which are parallel to each other. [7] Power line separating device (1) according to one of claims 1 to 6, characterized bythat the non-planar contact surface section (213) of the first housing part (21) and the non-planar contact surface section (223) of the second housing part (22) have at least one minimum or maximum in a sectional plane which is parallel to the first axis (A1) and to the second axis (A2). [8] Power line separating device (1) according to claim 7, characterized by that, viewed along the second axis (A2), the non-planar contact surface section (213, 223) of the first housing part (21) and of the second housing part (22) is formed at the level of the separating element (3). [9] Power line separating device (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized by that the separating element (3) is cylindrical. [10] Power line separating device (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized by that the separating element (3) is designed to separate a section (51) from the power line (5). [11] Power line separating device (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized by a movement generating device (4) for generating a movement of the separating element (3) along the first axis (A1). [12] Power line separating device (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized by that the housing (2) guides the movement of the separating element (3) along the first axis (A1). [13] Power line device, with - a power line (5); and - a power line cutting device (1) according to one of the preceding claims for cutting the power line (5), wherein the power line (5) is arranged in the receptacle (211, 221). [14] Power line device according to claim 13, characterized bythat the severed section (51) of the power line (5) is held by the housing (2) and / or the separating element (3), wherein the severed section (51) is offset along the first axis (A1) with respect to the non-planar contact surface section (213) of the first housing part (21) and the non-planar contact surface section (223) of the second housing part (22).

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