Switch device and energy storage system

Abstract

The present invention relates to a switch device, which is capable of providing stable open or closed states, and to an energy storage system comprising the switch device. The switch device (100, 200, 300) comprises a contact arrangement, which includes at least a first fixed contact (110', 210', 310') and a first deflectable bus (108', 208', 308'). A first deflectable contact region (142) of the first deflectable bus (108', 208', 308') is configured to deflect elastically between an interruption position, in which the first deflectable bus bar (108, 208, 308) is electrically isolated from the first fixed contact (110', 210', 310'), and an electrically conductive position, in which the first deflectable bus bar (108', 208', 308') is conductively coupled to the first fixed contact (110', 210', 310'). An electric motor (124, 224, 324) is configured to switch a state of the contact arrangement at least between an interruption state and an electrically conductive state and a transmission unit, which comprises a driven member (130, 230, 330), which is rotationally driven by the electric motor (124, 224, 324), and an output member (136, 236, 336), which is rotationally driven by the driven member (130, 230, 330), and which is configured to cause a translational movement of the first deflectable contact region (142) of the first deflectable bus bar (108', 208', 308'), when the electric motor (124, 224, 324) switches the state of the contact arrangement.

Description

[0001] The present invention relates to a switch device, in particular a bi-stable switch device, which is capable of providing stable open or closed states in the event of a control circuit power loss, and to an energy storage system comprising the switch device.

[0002] The use of contactor devices for connecting and disconnecting electronic circuits in a power supply system is known state of the art. With the advanced development of electric vehicles (EV) or hybrid electric vehicles (HEV), high voltage (HV) power supply systems become more and more common in vehicles. For example, such HV power supply systems are supplied by HV battery packs, which comprise 80 to 300 battery cells connected in series and / or in parallel, to be capable of supplying high voltages in a range between 400 V and 1000 V. In future applications, even more battery cells may be used and higher voltages may be supplied by the HV battery packs. In addition, in order to connect and disconnect the HV battery packs on the positive terminal and on the negative terminal to a high voltage DC bus that connects the HV battery packs to external loads (or to a charger), disconnection switch devices, which are controlled by the battery management system (BMS), are electrically connected in series with the terminals of the HV battery packs. Conventional disconnection switch devices, like electromechanical contactors or relays, are capable of reversibly changing a state between a closed state, where current flow through the disconnection switch device is possible and an open state, where current flow through the disconnection switch device is prevented, usually by moving at least one moveable contact point.

[0003] For example, moveable contact points of a disconnection switch device may be arranged on an electrically conducting contact bridge, which in the closed state of the disconnection switch electrically connects two fixed contacts and in the open state is galvanically isolated from the fixed contacts. For moving the contact bridge, commonly an electromagnetic actuator is arrangend in the disconnection switch device, which in a powered state moves and holds the contact bridge in the closed state (or closed position), while in an unpowered (idle) state of the electromagnetic actuator, the contact bridge remains in the open state.

[0004] In this respect, the inventors of the present inventors have found that there is still room for improvement of such disconnection switch devices, since the known disconnection switch devices have a relative high weight and permanently consume power when being driven in the closed state. Further, such disconnection switch devices necessarily change the state to the open state when experiencing a power failure, for example by a control circuit power loss.

[0005] Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a (disconnection) switch device, which can overcome the above described disadvantages and in particular can provide stable open or closed states in the event of power loss, especially in the control circuit, which controls the state of the switch device. Furthermore, it is an object of the present invention to provide a compact and economic solution.

[0006] At least one of these objects is solved by the present invention as defined in the independent claims.

[0007] In particular, a switch device according to a first aspect comprises a contact arrangement, which includes at least a first fixed contact and a first deflectable bus bar, wherein the first deflectable bus bar has a first inflexible connection region and a first deflectable contact region, wherein the first deflectable contact region is configured to deflect elastically between an interruption position, in which the first deflectable bus bar is electrically isolated from the first fixed contact, and an electrically conductive position, in which the first deflectable bus bar is conductively coupled to the first fixed contact. An electric motor is configured to switch a state of the contact arrangement at least between an interruption state, in which the first deflectable contact region is in the interruption position, and an electrically conductive state, in which the first deflectable contact region is in the electrically conductive position, and a transmission unit, which comprises a driven member, which is rotationally driven by the electric motor, when the electric motor switches the state of the contact arrangement, and an output member, which is rotationally driven by the driven member, is configured to cause a translational movement of the first deflectable contact region of the first deflectable bus bar, when the electric motor switches the state of the contact arrangement.

[0008] By the provision of the electric motor, the switch device only consumes electric power when the state of the switch device (i.e. the position of the deflectable contact region) is changed, while in an unpowered state of the electric motor, a state of the switch device is not changed. In this manner, the switch device facilitates to provide bi-stable switching states. Especially, a state of the switch device is not changed when the electric motor experiences a sudden loss of power, like a control circuit power loss, for example resulting from a single point fault, another damage event or a communication error, but the switch device stays in its prior state. Furthermore, the switch device according to the first aspect facilitates to provide a weight-, space- and cost-optimized solution.

[0009] According to a second aspect, the contact arrangement includes a second fixed contact and a second deflectable bus bar, wherein the second deflectable bus bar has a second inflexible connection region and a second deflectable contact region. The second deflectable contact region is configured to deflect elastically between an interruption position, in which the second deflectable bus bar is electrically isolated from the second fixed contact, and an electrically conductive position, in which the second deflectable bus bar is conductively coupled to the second fixed contact. In the interruption state of the bus bar arrangement the second deflectable bus bar is in the interruption position, and in the electrically conductive state of the bus bar arrangement the second deflectable bus bar is in the electrically conductive position. Such configuration of the switch devices, allows to provide a dual pole combination switch device, which provides the functionality of two single contactor devices.

[0010] According to a third aspect, the transmission unit is configured to cause a simultaneous movement of the first deflectable contact region and of the second deflectable contact region, when the electric motor switches the state of the contact arrangement. In this manner, the switch device facilitates to disconnect positive and negative circuit sides simultaneously, which is beneficial especially for auxiliary units, charging units or the main battery connection in an electric vehicles.

[0011] According to a fourth aspect, the driven member is a transmission gear, which is selectively driven by the electric motor in either clockwise or counterclockwise directions, and the switch device further comprises a worm gear, which is driven by the electric motor and which is mechanically coupled to the transmission gear, so as to transmit a rotation of the electric motor to the transmission gear. Hereby, the worm gear facilitates a locking of the moveable bus bar arrangement in the first switching position or in the second switching position. Further, by its gear transmission ratio the worm gear contributes in providing the efficient force transmission from the electric motor to the transmission gear.

[0012] According to a fifth aspect, the output member is a camshaft, which mechanically interacts with a lever arm, wherein the lever arm is adapted to cause a translational movement of the first deflectable contact region, and optionally to cause a translational movement of the second deflectable contact, in response to a rotation of the camshaft. In this manner, the switch device allows for an efficient and space-saving force transmission mechanism for converting the torque provided by the motor into a linear force, which moves the deflectable contact region between the electrically conductive position and the interruption position.

[0013] According to a sixth aspect, the lever arm actuates a common support bridge, which supports both the first deflectable contact region and the second deflectable contact region, wherein the first deflectable contact region and the second deflectable contact region are supported on opposite ends of the support bridge, and wherein a working point of the lever arm is arranged substantially at the center region of the support bridge between the two opposing ends. In this manner, the switch device facilitates to disconnect positive and negative circuit sides simultaneously, for example when the switch device is used for switching auxiliary units, charging units or the main battery connection in an electric vehicles.

[0014] According to a seventh aspect, the lever arm is rotatable mounted around a hinge, which is fixed to a case of the switch device or to a frame, which supports the contact arrangement. This facilitates, by the lever principle, to provide higher efficiency for the force transmission between the electric motor and the deflectable contact region.

[0015] According to an eighth aspect, the output member is a threaded shaft, which mechanically interacts with a threaded nut, wherein the threaded nut is adapted to cause a translational movement of the first deflectable contact region, in response to a rotation of the threaded shaft. In this manner, the switch device allows for an efficient and space-saving force transmission mechanism for converting the torque provided by the motor into a linear force, which moves the deflectable contact region between the interruption position and the interruption position.

[0016] In an optional implementation of the eighth aspect, the threaded shaft interacts with a first threaded nut and with a second threaded nut, wherein the first threaded nut is adapted to cause a translational movement of the first deflectable contact region and the second threaded nut is adapted to cause a translational movement of the second deflectable contact region, in response to a rotation of the threaded shaft, and wherein the first threaded nut and the second threaded nut are arranged on opposite ends of the threaded shaft. In this manner, the switch device facilitates to disconnect positive and negative circuit sides simultaneously, for example when the switch device is used for switching auxiliary units, charging units or the main battery connection in an electric vehicles.

[0017] According to a ninth aspect, the first deflectable bus bar is resiliently supported by a contact spring, which biases the first deflectable bus bar towards the electrically conductive position. In an optional implementation of the ninth aspect, the second deflectable bus bar is resiliently supported by the contact spring, which biases the second deflectable bus bar towards the electrically conductive position. In this manner, the contact spring may enhance the holding force for holding the switch device in the closed state, so that the switch device may be capable of withstanding the repulsion forces generated by current flow through the contact points of the switch device (e.g. when a overcurrent occurs) for a longer time.

[0018] According to a tenth aspect, the switch device further comprises at least one temperature sensing element, which is thermally coupled with the bus bar arrangement, and temperature sensing terminals, which are configured to connect the temperature sensor to an external controller. Hereby, the temperature sensor may for example be an NTC sensor or another kind of resistance temperature sensor attached to one of the bus bars of the bus bar arrangement. In this manner, it can be facilitated to monitor the temperature of the switch device and operate the switch device only within uncritical temperature limits. This facilitates the thermal management of a HV power supply system, which is becoming more and more important when trying to achieve faster charge times in automotive applications.

[0019] According to an eleventh aspect, the switch device further comprises a motor control circuit, which is configured to control the operation of the electric motor in accordance with control commands received from an external entity. This allows an external entity like a BMS to control the state of the switch device by communicating with the internal motor control circuit.

[0020] According to a twelfth aspect, the switch device further comprises a detection circuit, which configured to detect at least one operational parameter of the switch device; and a motor control circuit, which is configured to control the operation of the electric motor in accordance with the at least one operational parameter detected by the detection circuit. In other words, the twelfth aspects is based on the idea of integrating the motor control circuit as an internal controller into the switch device. In this manner, it is possible to transfer control and detection functions for controlling the operation of the switch device, which are usually performed by an external controller like a main controller of a BMS ("BMS main controller") or an electronic control unit (ECU) of a vehicle to the internal controller of the switch device. Depending on the level of functional integration of the assembled circuit, it may become even possible that the motor control circuit of the switch device can replace an external BMS main controller.

[0021] According to a thirteenth aspect, the switch device further comprises at least one temperature sensing element, which is thermally coupled with the bus bar arrangement, and the motor control circuit is configured to determine a temperature of the temperature sensor as an operational parameter of the switch device. In this manner, the motor control circuit can directly determine the temperature of the bus bar arrangement. Further, by using integrated internal control functions, the motor control circuit can control opening and closing of the switch device based on the determined temperature for operating the switch device only within uncritical temperature limits. This facilitates the thermal management of a HV power supply system, which is becoming more and more important when trying to achieve faster charge times in automotive applications.

[0022] According to a fourteenth aspect, the switch device further comprises a back-up power supply, which is configured to supply the electric motor in case of a failure of a main power supply. In this manner, the electric motor can be enabled to change the state of the switching device, even in the case of an unexpected failure of a main power supply of the switch device.

[0023] According to a fifteenth aspect, there is provided an energy storage system, which comprises at least one energy storage device and the switch device according to any one of the aspects and / or the optional implementations thereof.

[0024] In an optional implementation, the energy storage system further comprises a controller, which is adapted to control the electric motor to switch the state of the contact arrangement. The controller may be, for example, a BMS of the energy storage system.

[0025] Throughout this document, the term "terminal" is meant to describe a point at which a conductor from an electric device, an electric circuit or an electric component ends, and where a point is provided for electrically connecting an external electric device, an external electric circuit or an external electric component to this conductor. The term "node" may refer to a point where the terminals of one or more circuit components meet or may refer to the entire wire, which conductively couples the terminals of one or more electric circuit components. Further, the terms "electrically connected" and "conductively coupled" describe the establishing of an electrical connection between at least two electric devices, electric components or electric conductors, which allows the flow of electric current. Hereby the electrical connection should not be restricted to a direct coupling of the terminals of the at least two electric devices, electric components or electric conductors, but other electric devices, electric components or electrical conductors may be coupled in between.

[0026] The accompanying drawings are incorporated into the specification and form a part of the specification to illustrate several examples of the present disclosure. These drawings, together with the description serve to explain the principles of the disclosure. The drawings are merely for the purpose of illustrating the preferred and alternative examples of how the disclosure can be made and used, and are not to be construed as limiting the disclosure to only the illustrated and described examples. Furthermore, several aspects of the examples may form-individually or in different combinations-solutions according to the present disclosure. The following described examples thus can be considered either alone or in an arbitrary combination thereof. Further features and advantages will become apparent from the following more particular description of the various examples of the disclosure, as illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which like references refer to like elements, and wherein: FIG. 1 shows a schematic perspective view of a first exemplary switch device; FIG. 2 shows a schematic top view of the internal structure of the first exemplary switch device; FIG. 3 shows a sectional view the first exemplary switch device, taken along line III-III in FIG. 2; FIG. 4 shows a sectional view the first exemplary switch device, taken along line IV-IV in FIG. 2; FIG. 5 shows a sectional view the first exemplary switch device, taken along line V-V in FIG. 2; FIG. 6 shows a schematic perspective view of the internal structure of a second exemplary switch device; FIG. 7 shows a schematic top view of the internal structure of the second exemplary switch device; FIG. 8 shows a sectional view the second exemplary switch device, taken along line VIII-VIII in FIG. 7; FIG. 9 shows a sectional view the second exemplary switch device, taken along line IX-IX in FIG. 7; FIG. 10 shows a schematic perspective view of the internal structure of a third exemplary switch device; FIG. 11 shows a schematic top view of the internal structure of the third exemplary switch device; FIG. 12 shows a sectional view the third exemplary switch device, taken along line XII-XII in FIG. 11; FIG. 13 shows a sectional view the third exemplary switch device, taken along line XIII-XIII in FIG. 11; FIG. 14 shows a sectional view the third exemplary switch device, taken along line XIV-XIV in FIG. 12.

[0027] The present disclosure will now be further explained referring to the Figures and firstly referring to Figs. 1 to 5. Hereby, Fig. 1 shows a schematic perspective view of a first exemplary switch device 100 (also referred to as "switching device" throughout this document). Figs. 2 to 5 schematically illustrate the internal structure of the first exemplary switch device 100, wherein Fig.2 shows a schematic top view and Figs. 3 to 5 show sectional views respectively taken along lines III-III, IV-IV, and V-V in Fig. 2. For illustration purposes, in Figs. 2 to 5 the housing cover of the switch device 100 is not illustrated.

[0028] In an application scenario exemplarily assumed in the following the switch device 100 may be used in a high voltage (HV) power supply system of an electric vehicle for controlling the switching of auxiliary units, charging units or the switching of the main battery connection in an electric vehicles. However, the switch device 100 may also be used in other application scenarios, which require the storage and / or supply of high voltage energy in one or a plurality of high voltage batteries, like an energy storage system used in an electrical power grid or similar.

[0029] Fig. 1 shows a schematic perspective view of the first exemplary switch device 100. The switch device 100 comprises a housing 102, which exposes connection terminals 104, 104', 104" and 106, 106', 106". Exemplarily, the housing comprises two parts, a housing base portion 112, which holds the internal components of the switch device 100 and a housing cover 114, which covers an opening of the housing base portion 112. In some exemplary implementation, a seal may be provided at the contact area between the housing base portion 112 and the housing cover 114, so that the housing 102 may be implemented as a sealed housing. In such exemplary implementations, an under pressure (compared to normal pressure) or an electronegative gas may be provided in the space encompassed by the housing 102, to support the quick suppression of sparks or arcing when switching the switching device 100. In other exemplary implementations, the housing 102 may be provide without a seal between the housing base portion 112 and the housing cover 114 as an unsealed housing.

[0030] In some exemplary implementations, the switch device 100 may additionally comprise arc suppressing elements, in order to support the quick suppression of sparks or arcing, which may be generated by the break of the current carrying path, when the switch device 100 is switched from the electrically conductive state into the interruption state. For example, the switch device 100 may comprise one or more arc blowout magnets, which are used to control the development of arcing, or may comprise an array of arc splitting plates, which are configured for splitting and cooling the arc into multiple individual arcs having lower energy.

[0031] In the illustrated example, the connection terminals 104, 104', 104" and 106, 106', 106" are formed as cut-outs (to form "terminal threads"), which can receive a holding member, like a screw or bolt, to be fixed and electrically connected to a respective external electric component, such as a terminal clamp of a battery or a bus bar, which electrically connects the switch device 100 to another external electric component, like a drivetrain of an electric vehicle. Alternatively, the connection terminals 104, 104', 104" and 106, 106', 106" may for example be formed as welding or soldering joints, which allow to weld or solder the switching device to the external electric components.

[0032] As for example illustrated in Figs. 2, 3 and 5, a contact arrangement of the switch device 100 comprises two deflectable bus bars (which may be also signified as "moveable bus bars") 108, 108', 108" and two fixed contacts (which may be also signified as "fixed bus bars") 110, 110', 110". In this manner, the switch device 100 can function as a dual-pole combination contactor. Hereby, the dual-pole configuration allows the switch device 100 to disconnect positive and negative circuit sides simultaneously, as for example the first deflectable bus bar 108' and the first fixed contact 110' can function as a first main contactor on the positive circuit side of a (power supply) circuit and the second deflectable bus bar 108" and the second fixed contact 110" can function as a second main contactor on the negative circuit side of the same (power supply) circuit. However, the number of two deflectable bus bars 108, 108', 108" and two fixed contacts 110, 110', 110" is not essential for the functionality of switch device 100, but switch device 100 may have more than two deflectable bus bars and two fixed contacts, or may have only one deflectable bus bar and one fixed contact.

[0033] The deflectable bus bars 108, 108', 108" are formed to be able to deflect elastically between an interruption position (or "open position"), in which the deflectable bus bars 108, 108', 108" are electrically isolated from the fixed contacts 110, 110', 110" (not shown), and an electrically conductive position (or "closed position"), in which the deflectable bus bars 108, 108', 108" are conductively coupled to the fixed contacts 110, 110', 110" (see e.g. Figs. 2, 3 and 5). For this purpose, the deflectable bus bars 108, 108', 108" may be formed of a multi-layer structure, which comprises, for example, 10 to 50 layers of copper, aluminum or other suitable electrically conducting material. In addition, each of the deflectable bus bars 108, 108', 108" may comprise a bulge 116 (see Fig. 5), for supporting the deflection capability of the deflectable bus bars 108, 108', 108".

[0034] When the deflectable bus bars 108, 108', 108" are in the interruption position, the switch device 100 is in an interruption state (or "open state"), where the current flow from the deflectable bus bars 108, 108', 108" to the fixed contacts 110, 110', 110", or vice versa, is interrupted. When the deflectable bus bars 108, 108', 108" are in the electrically conductive position, the switch device 100 is in an electrically conductive state (or "closed state"), where current flow from the deflectable bus bars 108, 108', 108" to the fixed contacts 110, 110', 110", or vice versa, is enabled.

[0035] For reducing a contact resistance between the deflectable bus bars 108, 108', 108" and the fixed contacts 110, 110', 110" in the electrically conductive position, the deflectable bus bars 108, 108', 108" may be equipped with silver-platted moveable contact elements 118, 118', 118". The moveable contact elements 118, 118', 118" may form contact points 122 together with silver platted fixed contact elements 120, 120', 120", which are arranged on the fixed contacts 110, 110', 110". Hereby, respectively one moveable contact element 118 and one fixed contact element 120 may form a contact pair together and may generate in the electrically conductive state a contact point or contact region 122 (see Figs. 3 and 5). In some exemplary implementations, each of the deflectable bus bars 108 may comprise more than one moveable contact element 118 and each of the fixed contacts 110 may comprise more than one fixed contact element 120, so that between each pair of deflectable bus bars 108 and fixed contacts 110 several contact points 122 may exist.

[0036] Here, it should be noted that the deflectable bus bars 108 respectively comprise an inflexible connection region 140 (i.e. a "fixed region"), which is immobile during the movement of the deflectable bus bars 108 from the interruption position to the electrically conductive position, or vice versa, and a deflectable contact region 142, which is deflected ("moved") during the movement of the deflectable bus bars 108 from the interruption position to the electrically conductive position, or vice versa (see Fig. 5). The inflexible connection region 140 includes at least the region of the deflectable bus bar 108 around the respective connection terminals 104, and the deflectable contact region 142 includes at least the region around the respective moveable contact elements 118.

[0037] The switch device 100 comprises an electric motor 124, which serves as an actuation element for generating the transmission force required to reversibly switch the switch device 100 between the interruption state and the electrically conductive state. As shown in Figs 2 to 5, the electric motor 124 is mounted on and fixed to the housing base portion 112 of the switch device 100, and a worm gear 126 is rotationally fixed mounted (or "frictionally engaged") on a rotation shaft 128 of the electric motor 124. A driven gear (or "first transmission gear") 130 is engaged (or "meshed") with the worm gear 126, and a first spur gear (or "second transmission gear") 132 is fixedly secured to this driven gear 130. A second spur gear (or "third transmission gear") 134 is engaged (or "meshed") with the first spur gear 132. A camshaft 136, which mechanically interacts with a lever arm 138 (see Fig. 5), is rotationally fixed mounted (or "frictionally engaged") with the second spur gear 134. In this manner, the driven gear 130, the first and second spur gears 132 and 134, and the camshaft 136 form a transmission unit of the switch device 100.

[0038] In the transmission unit of the switch device 100, the driven gear 130 acts as a driven member, which, by its mechanical interaction with the worm gear 126 is rotationally driven by the electric motor 124 in either clockwise or counterclockwise directions during the switching of the state of the switch device 100. In addition, in the transmission unit of the switch device 100 the camshaft 136 acts as an output member, which by its mechanical interaction with the lever arm 138 as an operational member of the first switch device 100 translates the torque, which drives the elements of the transmission unit, into a linear force. The linear force acts upon the deflectable regions of the deflectable bus bars 108, 108', 108" to (linearly) move the moveable contact elements 118, 118', 118" along a translational movement direction 144 (see Figs. 3 to 5). The camshaft 136 as output member of the transmission unit is rotated, by the torque transmitted the driven gear 130 as driven member of the transmission unit through the engaged first and second spur gears 132 and 134, which act as a gear set (or "gear train") of the transmission unit. In this respect, it should be noted that the number of two spur gears in the gear set of the transmission unit is just an example and could be altered (e.g. increased) depending on the intended gear ration of the gear set (or the intended transmission ratio of the transmission unit). Further, in some exemplary implementations of the first switch device 100, the camshaft 136 may be directly rotationally fixed mounted to the driven gear 130, so that the number of spur gears may be zero.

[0039] Furthermore, it should also be noted that the provision of the worm gear 126 is not essential for the switching device 100, but in alternative implementations the driven gear 130 may be rotationally fixed mounted to the rotation shaft 128 of the electric motor 124. Nevertheless, the use of the worm gear 126 has the advantage to prevent a reversible force transmission from the contact points 122 to the rotation shaft 128 of the electric motor 124 when the electric motor 124 is not powered. Accordingly, the switch device 100 with the worm gear 126 has a self-locking function (i.e. acts as a "bi-stable switch"), where it is only necessary to power the electric motor 124, when changing the switching position of the switch device 100.

[0040] The lever arm 138, which mechanically interacts with the camshaft 136, is rotatable mounted around a hinge 146 at a base portion 147, which defines a rotational axis for the movement of the lever arm 138. The hinge 146 can, for example, be fixed to the housing 102 (in particular, to the housing base portion 112) of the switch device 100 or to a frame, which supports the contact arrangement of the switch device 100. On the side opposite to the hinge 146, the lever arm comprises a lifting portion 148, which extends from the base portion 147 of the lever arm 138 along the direction 144. The lifting portion 148 carries a support bridge 152, which extends laterally from the lifting portion 148 towards the deflectable bus bars 108, 108', 108". Hereby, the support bridge 152 may be integrally formed with the lever arm 138 or may be formed as a separate component, which is mechanically engaged with the lever arm 138.

[0041] In the illustrated exemplary implementation, each of the deflectable bus bars 108, 108', 108" has a lug 153, which is respectively engaged within a supporting recess 154 (see Fig.5) provided on the support bridge 152, so that the lugs 153 are forced to follow the motion of the support bridge 152, when moving the deflectable bus bars 108, 108', 108" between the electrically conductive position and the interruption position (and vice versa). The lugs 153 are respectively arranged at an end of the deflectable bus bars 108, 108', 108" opposite to the inflexible connection region 140 of the deflectable bus bars 108, 108', 108".

[0042] In the illustrated example, the support bridge 152 supports the deflectable contact region 142 of the first deflectable bus bar 108' (i.e. the first deflectable contact region) and the deflectable contact region 142 of the second deflectable bus bar 108" (i.e. the second deflectable contact region) on opposite ends of the support bridge 152, wherein a working point of the lifting portion 148 of the lever arm 138 is arranged substantially at the center region of the support bridge 152 between the two opposing ends. This facilitates efficient force transmission when simultaneously moving the first deflectable bus bar 108' and the second deflectable bus bar 108" to and from the electrically conductive position and to and from the interruption position by the rotational force of the electric motor 124.

[0043] In the example of Figs. 2 to 5, the deflectable bus bars 108 are in the electrically conductive position, where the lifting portion 148 reaches its maximum height position with respect to the housing cover 114. In the electrically conductive position, the deflectable bus bars 108 rest on the support bridge 152. As illustrated in Fig. 4, the lifting portion 148, which through its interaction with the support bridge 152 determines the position of the deflectable bus bars 108, 108', 108", is resiliently supported by a contact spring 156, which biases the deflectable bus bars 108, 108', 108" towards the electrically conductive position. In this manner, the contact spring 156 can contribute to providing the holding force for holding the contact arrangement of the switch device 100 in the electrically conductive state.

[0044] In order to bring the deflectable bus bars 108 into the interruption position, the electric motor 124 rotates the camshaft 136 through the transmission unit in the clockwise direction around the rotational axis 150. Hereby, the advancing rotation of the camshaft 136 presses the base portion 147 of the lever arm 138, along the translational direction 144 downwards towards the housing base portion 112, and consequently the base portion 147 pushes the lifting portion 148 attached to the base portion 147, along the translational direction 144 downwards towards the housing base portion 112. By this movement of the lifting portion 148 of the lever arm 138, the deflectable bus bars 108, which are held by the lugs 153 within the supporting recess 154 of the support bridge 152, which in turn is mechanically engaged with the lifting portion 148, are also moved along the translational direction 144 downwards towards the housing base portion 112 into the interruption position (i.e. away from the fixed contacts 110). In the interruption position the lifting portion 148 reaches its closest position with respect to the housing base portion 112 and by the movement of the deflectable bus bars 108, the moveable contact elements 118 are electrically isolated from the fixed contact elements 120.

[0045] In order to bring the deflectable bus bars 108 back into the electrically conductive position, the electric motor 124 rotates the camshaft 136 through the transmission unit further in the clockwise direction around the rotational axis 150. Then, the advancing rotation of the camshaft 136 releases the base portion 147 of the lever arm 138, and accordingly the base portion 147 lifts the lifting portion 148 attached to the base portion 147 by the support of the contact spring 156, along the translational direction 144, towards the housing cover 114. By this movement of the lifting portion 148 of the lever arm 138, the deflectable bus bars 108, which are hold by the support bridge 152, which is mechanically engaged with the lifting portion 148, are also moved along the translational direction 144 upwards towards the fixed contact elements 120, so that the deflectable bus bars 108 are brought into the electrically conductive position, where the moveable contact elements 118 are pressed against the fixed contact elements 120.

[0046] While in the illustrated example, the camshaft 136, and in particular the form of the camshaft 136, is designed to be rotated clockwise for moving the deflectable bus bars 108 from the electrically conductive position to the interruption position and from the interruption position to the electrically conductive position, in other implementation examples, the camshaft 136, and in particular the form of the camshaft 136, can be designed to be rotated counterclockwise for moving the deflectable bus bars 108 from the electrically conductive position to the interruption position and from the interruption position to the electrically conductive position.

[0047] Consequently, by the mechanically interaction between the camshaft 136 and the lever arm 138 the transmission unit of the switch device 100 and the lever arm 138 as operational member of the first switch device 100 facilitate the transformation of the rotational movement of the electric motor 124 into around 3 to 5 mm of translational movement of the moveable contact elements 118, 118', 118", which is required for either bringing together the moveable contact elements 118, 118', 118" with the fixed contact elements 120, 120', 120" or galvanically separating the moveable contact elements 118, 118', 118" from the fixed contact elements 120, 120', 120".

[0048] Figs. 6 to 9 show different views of the internal structure of a second exemplary switch device 200, wherein Fig.6 shows a schematic perspective view of the internal structure of the second exemplary switch device 200, Fig. 7 shows a schematic top view of the internal structure of the second exemplary switch device 200 and Figs. 8 and 9 show sectional views respectively taken along lines VIII-VIII, and IX-IX in Fig.7. The second exemplary switch device 200 differs from the first exemplary switch device 100 by the force transmission mechanism, which is implemented to transmit the rotational force provided by the electric motor 224 of the switch device 200 to the deflectable bus bars 208 of the switch device 200. The remaining components of the switch device 200, especially the electronic parts of the switch device 200 like the deflectable bus bars 208 and the fixed contacts 210, have a similar design and a similar functioning as the like components of the first exemplary switch device 100, so that explanations of those components and their functions, which have been already explained for the first exemplary switch device 100, will be omitted in the following.

[0049] The switch device 200 comprises an electric motor 224, which serves as an actuation element for generating the transmission force required to reversibly switch the switch device 200 between the interruption state (where the deflectable bus bars 208 are in the interruption position) and the electrically conductive state (where the deflectable bus bars 208 are in the electrically conductive position). As shown in Figs 6 to 9, the electric motor 224 is mounted on and fixed to the housing base portion 212 of the switch device 200, and a worm gear 226 is rotationally fixed mounted (or "frictionally engaged") on a rotation shaft 228 of the electric motor 224. A driven gear (or "first transmission gear") 230 is engaged (or "meshed") with the worm gear 226. In the illustrated example, two threaded shafts (or "threaded spindles") 236 (i.e. a first threaded shaft 236' and a second threaded shaft 236") are rotationally fixed mounted (or "frictionally engaged") with the driven gear 230. The threaded shafts 236 respectively mechanically interact (or "cooperate") with threaded nuts (or "spindle nuts") 238 (i.e. a first threaded nut 238' and a second threaded nut 238" - see Fig. 9), in particular the first threaded shafts 236' interacts (or "cooperates") with a first threaded nut 238' and the second threaded shaft 236" interacts (or "cooperates") with a second threaded nut 238". Hereby a number of the threaded shafts 236 and of the threaded nuts 238 is equal to the number of deflectable bus bars 208 of the switch device 200. In this manner, the driven gear 230 and the threaded shafts 236 form a transmission unit of the switch device 200.

[0050] In the transmission unit of the switch device 200, the driven gear 230 acts as a driven member, which, by its mechanical interaction with the worm gear 226 is rotationally driven by the electric motor 224 in either clockwise or counterclockwise directions during the switching of the state of the contact arrangement. In addition, in the transmission unit of the switch device 200 the threaded shafts 236, 236', 236" act as output members, which by its mechanical interaction with the threaded nuts 238, 238', 238" as operational members of the second switch device 200 translate the torque, which drives the elements of the transmission unit, into a linear force. The linear force acts upon the deflectable region of the deflectable bus bars 208, 208', 208" to move the moveable contact elements 118, 118', 118" along the translational movement direction 144 (see Figs. 7 and 9). The threaded shafts 236, 236', 236" as output members of the transmission unit are rotated, by the torque transmitted from the driven gear 230 as driven member of the transmission unit. In this respect, it should be noted that similar as in the first exemplary switch device 100, in some exemplary implementations of the switch device 200 a gear set with spur gears may be provided between the driven gear 230 and the threaded shafts 236, 236', 236" depending on the intended gear ratio (or the intended transmission ratio of the transmission unit).

[0051] Furthermore, it should also be noted that the provision of the worm gear 226 is not essential for the switching device 200, but in some alternative implementations the driven gear 230 may be rotationally fixed mounted to the rotation shaft 228 of the electric motor 224. Nevertheless, the use of the worm gear 226 has the advantage to prevent a reversible force transmission from the contact points 122 to the rotation shaft 228 of the electric motor 224 when the electric motor 224 is not powered. Accordingly, the switch device 200 with the worm gear 226 has a self-locking function (i.e. acts as a "bi-stable switch"), where it is only necessary to power the electric motor 224, when changing the switching position of the switch device 200.

[0052] The threaded nuts 238, 238', 238" which mechanically interact with the corresponding threaded shafts 236, 236', 236", are engaged with the corresponding one of the deflectable bus bars 208, 208', 208", by respective carrier arms 253, 253', 253", which respectively encompass the deflectable contact region of the deflectable bus bars 208, 208', 208" at an end of the deflectable bus bars 208, 208', 208" opposite to the inflexible connection region of the deflectable bus bars 208, 208', 208". In particular, in the illustrated example, the first threaded nut 238' is engaged with and acts upon the first deflectable bus bar 208' and the second threaded nut 238'" is engaged with and acts upon the second deflectable bus bar 208". Hereby, the first threaded nut 238' is capable of deflecting (or "moving") the deflectable contact region of the first deflectable bus bar 208' (i.e. the first deflectable contact region), which carries the first moveable contact elements 118', and the second threaded nut 238" is capable of deflecting (or "moving") the deflectable contact region of the second deflectable bus bar 208" (i.e. the second deflectable contact region), which carries the second moveable contact elements 118". In the illustrated example, the first threaded shaft 236' and the second threaded shaft 236" extend laterally in opposite directions from the driven gear 230, and the first threaded nut 238' and the second threaded nut 238" are arranged on opposite ends of the threaded shafts 238' and 238". This facilitates efficient force transmission when simultaneously moving the first deflectable bus bar 208' and the second deflectable bus bar 208" to and from the electrically conductive position and to and from the interruption position by the rotational force of the electric motor 224.

[0053] In the example of Figs. 6 to 9, the deflectable bus bars 208 are in the electrically conductive position, where the threaded nuts 238 are maximally screwed towards the end face 258 of the threaded shafts 236 (away from the driven gear 230). As illustrated in Fig. 9, the threaded nuts 238, 238', 238", which through their interaction with the threaded shafts 236, 236', 236", define the position of the deflectable bus bars 208, 208', 208", are resiliently supported on the deflectable bus bars 208, 208', 208" by contact springs 256, which biases the deflectable bus bars 208, 208', 208" towards the electrically conductive position. In this manner, the contact spring 256 can contribute to providing the holding force for holding the contact arrangement of the switch device 200 in the electrically conductive state.

[0054] In order to bring the deflectable bus bars 208 into the interruption position, the electric motor 224 rotates the threaded shafts 236, 236', 236" through the transmission unit in the clockwise direction (or in the counterclockwise direction, depending on the handiness of the threaded shafts) around their rotational axis 250 (see Fig. 8 and line IX-IX in Fig. 7), which corresponds to the rotational axis of the driven gear 230. Hereby, the advancing rotation of the threaded shafts 236, 236', 236" linearly moves the threaded nuts 238, 238', 238" along the translational direction 144 towards the center part of the housing base portion 212, in other words, towards the driven gear 230. By this movement of the threaded shafts 236, the moveable contact elements 118 of the deflectable bus bars 208, which are mechanically engaged with the threaded nuts 238, 238', 238" by the respective carrier arms 253, 253', 253", are also moved (or "carried") by the respective carrier arms 253, 253', 253" along the translational direction 144 towards the center part of the housing base portion 212 (in other words towards the driven gear 230) away from the fixed contact elements 120. Consequently, the deflectable bus bars are brought into the interruption position (i.e. away from the fixed contact elements 120), where the threaded nuts 238, 238', 238" reaches its closest position with respect to the center part of the housing base portion 212 (or the driven gear 230).

[0055] In order to bring the deflectable bus bars 208 back into the electrically conductive position, the electric motor 224 rotates the threaded shafts 236, 236', 236" through the transmission unit in the counterclockwise direction (or in the clockwise direction, depending on the handiness of the threaded shafts) around the rotational axis 250. Then, the advancing rotation of the threaded shafts 236, 236', linearly moves the threaded nuts 238, 238', 238" along the translational direction 144 towards the end face 258 of the threaded shafts 236 (away from the driven gear 230), where the deflectable bus bars 208, 208', 208"are arranged. By this movement of the threaded nuts 238, 238', 238", the carrier arms 253, 253', 253" release the deflectable bus bars 208, 208', 208', so that the moveable contact elements 118 of the deflectable bus bars 208 are pushed (or "moved") along the translational direction 144 away from the center part of the housing base portion 212 (i.e. away from the driven gear 230) by the force applied by the contact springs 256 back into the electrically conductive position, where the moveable contact elements 118 are pressed against the fixed contact elements 120.

[0056] Consequently, by the mechanically interaction between the threaded shafts 236, 236', 236" and the threaded nuts 238, 238', 238", the transmission unit of the switch device 200 and the threaded nuts 238, 238', 238" as operational members of the second switch device 200 facilitate the transformation of the rotational movement of the electric motor 224 into around 3 to 5 mm of translational movement of the moveable contact elements 118, 118', 118", which is required for either bringing together the moveable contact elements 118, 118', 118" with the fixed contact elements 120, 120', 120" or galvanically separating the moveable contact elements 118, 118', 118" from the fixed contact elements 120, 120', 120".

[0057] Figs. 10 to 14 show different views of the internal structure of a third exemplary switch device 300, wherein Fig. 10 shows a schematic perspective view of the internal structure of the third exemplary switch device 300, Fig. 11 shows a schematic top view of the internal structure of the third exemplary switch device 300, Figs. 12 and 13 show sectional views respectively taken along lines XII-XII, and XIII-XIII in Fig. 11, and Fig. 14 shows a sectional view taken along line XIV-XIV in FIG. 12. The third exemplary switch device 300 differs from the first exemplary switch device 100 and the second exemplary switch device 200 by the force transmission mechanism, which is implemented to transmit the rotational force provided by the electric motor 324 of the switch device 300 to the deflectable bus bars 308 of the switch device 300. The remaining components of the switch device 300, especially the electronic parts of the switch device 300 like the deflectable bus bars 308 and the fixed contacts 310, have a similar design and a similar functioning as the like components of the first exemplary switch device 100 and of the second exemplary switch device 200, so that explanations of those components and their functions, which have been already explained for the first exemplary switch device 100 and / or the second exemplary switch device 200, will be omitted in the following.

[0058] The switch device 300 comprises an electric motor 324, which serves as an actuation element for generating the transmission force required to reversibly switch the switch device 300 between the interruption state (where the deflectable bus bars 308 are in the interruption position) and the electrically conductive state (where the deflectable bus bars 308 are in the electrically conductive position). As shown in Figs 10 to 14, the electric motor 324 is mounted on and fixed to the housing base portion 312 of the switch device 300, and a first spur gear 332 is rotationally fixed mounted (or "frictionally engaged") on a rotation shaft 328 of the electric motor 324. A second spur gear 334 is engaged (or "meshed") with the first spur gear 332. A worm gear 326 is rotationally fixed mounted (or "frictionally engaged") to the second spur gear 334, and a driven gear (or "first transmission gear") 330 is engaged (or "meshed") with the worm gear 326. The driven gear 330 is provided with an internal thread 359, where the driven gear is engaged (or "meshed") with a threaded shaft 336. A support bridge 352 is mechanically engaged with the threaded shaft 336 by a fixation member 360 (like a bolt or screw). In this manner, the driven gear 330 with the internal thread 359 and the threaded shaft 336 form a transmission unit of the switch device 300.

[0059] In the transmission unit of the switch device 300, the driven gear 330 acts as a driven member, which, by its mechanical interaction with the worm gear 326 is rotationally driven by the electric motor 324 in either clockwise or counterclockwise directions during the switching of the state of the contact arrangement. In addition, in the transmission unit of the switch device 300 the threaded shaft 336 acts as the output member, which by its mechanical interaction with the support bridge 352 as an operational member of the third switch device 300 translates the torque, which drives the elements of the transmission unit, into a linear force. The linear force acts upon the deflectable region of the deflectable bus bars 308, 308', 308" to move the moveable contact elements 118, 118', 118" along the translational movement direction 144 (see Figs. 12 and 13). The threaded shaft 336 as output member of the transmission unit is linearly moved by the rotation transmitted from the driven gear 230 through the internal thread 359. In this respect, it should be noted that similar as in the first exemplary switch device 100, in other implementation examples of the switch device 300 a gear set with spur gears may be provided between the driven gear 330 and the threaded shaft 336 depending on the intended gear ratio (or the intended transmission ratio of the transmission unit), while on the other hand the gear set provided between the electric motor 324 and the worm gear 326 may be omitted or altered.

[0060] Furthermore, it should also be noted that the provision of the worm gear 326 is not essential for the switching device 300, but in alternative implementations the driven gear 330 may be rotationally fixed mounted to the rotation shaft 328 of the electric motor 324 or to the second spur gear 334. Nevertheless, the use of the worm gear 326 has the advantage to prevent a reversible force transmission from the contact points 122 to the rotation shaft 328 of the electric motor 324 when the electric motor 324 is not powered. Accordingly, the switch device 300 with the worm gear 326 has a self-locking function (i.e. acts as a "bi-stable switch"), where it is only necessary to power the electric motor 324, when changing the switching position of the switch device 300.

[0061] The support bridge 352, which mechanically interacts with the threaded shaft 336, is engaged with the deflectable bus bars 308, 308', 308". For example, each of the deflectable bus bars 308, 308', 308" may have a lug, which is respectively engaged within a supporting recess (see Fig.5) provided on the support bridge 352, so that the deflectable bus bars 308, 308', 308" (or more precisely their deflectable contact region) are forced to follow the motion of the support bridge 352, similar as it was described for the first exemplary switch device 100 for the support bridge 152. In other exemplary implementations, the support bridge 352 may be engaged with the deflectable bus bars 308, 308', 308", by respective carrier arms, which respectively encompass the deflectable contact region of the deflectable bus bars 308, 308', 308" so that the deflectable bus bars 308, 308', 308" (or more precisely their deflectable contact region) are forced to follow the motion of the support bridge 352, similar as it was described for the second exemplary switch device 200 for the threaded nuts 238, 238', 238". In the illustrated example, the support bridge 352 extends laterally in opposite directions from the rotational axis 350 of the threaded shaft 336. This facilitates efficient force transmission when simultaneously moving the first deflectable bus bar 308' and the second deflectable bus bar 308" to and from the electrically conductive position and to and from the interruption position by the rotational force of the electric motor 324.

[0062] In the example of Figs. 10 to 14, the deflectable bus bars 308 are in the electrically conductive position, where the threaded shaft 338 is maximally screwed into the internal thread 359 towards the end face 362 of the driven gear 330. As illustrated in Fig. 12, the support bridge 352, which through its interaction with the deflectable bus bars 308, 308', 308", defines the position of the deflectable bus bars 308, 308', 308", is resiliently supported on the driven gear 330 by a contact spring 356, which biases the deflectable bus bars 308, 308', 308" towards the electrically conductive position. In this manner, the contact spring 356 can contribute to providing the holding force for holding the contact arrangement of the switch device 300 in the electrically conductive state.

[0063] In order to bring the deflectable bus bars 308 into the interruption position, the electric motor 324 rotates the driven gear 330 in the clockwise direction (or in the counterclockwise direction, depending on the handiness of the threaded shaft 336) around the rotational axis 350 of the threaded shaft 336 (see Fig. 12), which corresponds to the rotational axis of the driven gear 330. Hereby, the advancing rotation of the driven gear 330 linearly moves the threaded shaft 336, and accordingly the support bridge 352, away from the driven gear 330 along the translational direction 144. By this movement of the threaded shaft 336 and the support bridge 352, the moveable contact elements 118 of the deflectable bus bars 308, which are hold by the support bridge 352 are pushed (or "moved") along the translational direction away from the fixed contact elements 320, 320', 320" and the deflectable bus bars are brought into the interruption position.

[0064] In order to bring the deflectable bus bars 308 back into the electrically conductive position, the electric motor 224 rotates the driven gear 330 in the counter-clockwise direction (or in the clockwise direction, depending on the handiness of the threaded shaft 336) around the rotational axis 350. Then, the advancing rotation of the driven gear 330 linearly moves the threaded shaft 336, and accordingly the support bridge 352, towards the driven gear 330. By this movement of the threaded shaft 336 and the support bridge 352, the moveable contact elements 118 of the deflectable bus bars 308, which are hold by the support bridge 352 are pushed (or "moved") along the translational direction 144 towards the fixed contact elements 120 by the force applied by the contact spring 356 back into the electrically conductive position, where the moveable contact elements 118 are pressed against the fixed contact elements 120.

[0065] Consequently, by the mechanically interaction between the driven gear 330 and the threaded shaft 236 the transmission unit of the switch device 300 facilitates the transformation of the rotational movement of the electric motor 224 into around 3 to 5 mm of translational movement of the moveable contact elements 118, 118', 118", which is required for either bringing together the moveable contact elements 118, 118', 118" with the fixed contact elements 120, 120', 120" or galvanically separating the moveable contact elements 118, 118', 118" from the fixed contact elements 120, 120', 120".

[0066] As for example illustrated in Figs. 4, and 6 to 8, the above described switch devices 100, 200, 300 may comprise a circuit board 164, 264, which is accommodated inside the housing 102, 202, 302 of the switch device 100, 200, 300. The circuit board 164, 264 may be assembled with a motor control circuit, which as an internal controller of the switch device100, 200, 300 is configured to control the operation of the electric motor 124, 224, 324 of the switch device 100, 200, 300. As described above, by controlling the electric motor 124, 224, 324, the motor control circuit can control the switching of the state of the switch device 100, 200, 300. In particular, the motor control circuit may control the operation of the electric motor 124, 224, 324 based on one or more operational parameter(s), which the motor control circuit may receive from an external controller, which is arranged external to the switch device 100, 200, 300, like a BMS or a vehicle ECU, or based on one or more operational parameter(s), which the motor control circuit may determine internally.

[0067] Accordingly, in some exemplary implementations, the operational parameter may be a control command, which is received by the motor control circuit from the external controller for changing the state of the switch device 100, 200, 300 by operating the electric motor 124, 224, 324. To enable the communication between the external controller and the motor control circuit, the circuit board 164, 264 may comprise ("be assembled with") several peripheral circuits, like a communication circuit, which enables communication between the motor control circuit and the external controller, which can in turn monitor the operation of the switch device 100, 200, 300. The external controller may for example be communicatively coupled to the switch device at a communication interface provided by a switch connector (see e.g. reference numeral 266 in Fig. 8 and reference numeral 366 in Fig. 13). Communication between the motor control circuit and the external controller may for example be performed, by using a CAN (Controller Area Network) bus and the CAN protocol, by using an isoSPI (isolated Serial Port Interface) interface and the isoSPI protocol, or by using Ethernet. However, also other known on-board networks and industrial communication protocols may be used.

[0068] In other exemplary implementations, the switch device 100, 200, 300 may receive the control command as a PWM-modulated signal from a switch device control circuitry (or "switch device driving circuitry") and the motor control circuit may comprise circuitry, which converts the received PWM-modulated signals into control signals for controlling the switch device 100, 200, 300 in accordance with the received PWM-modulated signals. This facilitates using the switch device 100, 200, 300 with conventional switch driving circuits ("contactor drivers"), which are used to control the operation of electro-magnetically actuated switch devices ("contactor devices").

[0069] In other exemplary implementations, the operational parameter may be an internally detected value, which is directly determined by the motor control. To detect the operational parameter, the circuit board 164, 264 may further comprise ("be assembled with") a detection circuit. For example, the switch device may comprise one or more temperature sensor(s), such as an NTC thermistor or other suitable temperature sensor, which is thermally coupled (or "attached") to one (or more) among the deflectable bus bars 108, 208, 308 and the fixed contacts 110, 210, 310 of the switch device 100, 200, 300 and / or a temperature sensor, which is thermally coupled (or "attached") to the circuit board 164, 264. The detection circuit, for example detects a temperature indicating voltage, which drops across the temperature sensor(s) and the motor control circuit may determine the internal temperature of the switch device 100, 200, 300 based on the detected voltage.

[0070] Based on the determined temperature of the switch device 100, 200, 300, the motor control circuit may then control the state of the switch device 100, 200, 300. For example, if the motor control circuit determines that the determined temperature of the switch device 100, 200, 300 exceeds a temperature threshold, which indicates an overheating of the switch device 100, 200, 300 by high currents, the motor control circuit may transmit a warning signal to the external controller (e.g. a BMS), which may in turn control to interrupt the current flow through the switch device 100, 200, 300 by controlling the electric motor 124, 224, 324 to bring the bus bar assembly of the switch device 100, 200, 300 in the interruption state. This facilitates the avoidance of an overheating of the switch device, in particular during a charging operation of an energy storage system, in which the switch device 100, 200, 300 may be provided.

[0071] Alternatively or in addition, the circuit board 164, 264 may further comprise ("be assembled with") detection circuitry, which enables the detection of a switch current flowing through the switch device 100, 200, 300, a switch voltage, which indicates a voltage dropping between a pair of one deflectable bus bar and one corresponding fixed contact of the switch device 100, 200, 300, or a leakage path resistance, which exists between a grounding terminal (or voltage reference terminal) of the circuit board 164, 264 and at least one of the deflectable bus bars or the fixed contacts of the switch device 100, 200, 300 as operational parameters of the switch device. Examples and further details of the operation of such detection circuitry and the motor control circuit as processing circuitry as well as examples for implementing such functionalities in the switch device 100, 200, 300 can be found in Figs. 7 to 13 and paragraphs

[0082] to

[0100] of European patent application EP 4 390 999 A1 and are omitted here.

[0072] To protect the operation of the switch device 100, 200, 300 against failure of power supply, the switch device 100, 200, 300 may comprise a stand-by power supply as an internal energy reserve. The stand-by power supply may be assembled to the circuit board 164, 264 and may for example comprise a low voltage energy storage device, like a low voltage primary battery, and suitable electronics, for example, a linear transistor, or a (DC-DC) voltage converter, for converting a voltage of the low voltage energy storage device to a voltage level, which is suitable for driving the electric motor, in case of a failure of a main power supply of the electric motor.

[0073] Notably, the motor control circuit, which may also have the function of a main processing circuit of the switch device 100, 200, 300 may be realized by software, hardware, or software in cooperation with hardware. For this purpose, the motor control circuit may comprises a processor, like a microcontroller and a memory, like a ROM (Read Only Memory), or a RAM (Random Access Memory). For example, the motor control circuit may be realized by using general-purpose processors, special-purpose processors, or FPGAs (Field Programmable Gate Array) that can be programmed. Moreover, it has to be noted that the above described circuits, which are assembled to the circuit board 164, 264 to form an assembled circuit, can be realized as dedicated integrated circuits. Alternatively, the functionalities of the above described circuits may be integrated into a common integrated circuit, which is assembled to the circuit board 164, 264 to form an assembled circuit board. The detection circuits (or "detection circuitry") of the assembled circuit may, for example, be formed by dedicated analog to digital converters (ADC-converters), or may be formed by a single ADC converter, which performs the individual voltage detections as described above in a serial order.

[0074] The present disclosure also relates to a high voltage (HV) power supply system (or "energy storage system"), which comprises at least one of the exemplary switch devices 100, 200, 300 described so far and an energy storage device (like a driving battery of an electric vehicle). The HV power supply system may further comprise the external controller, for example a BMS of the energy storage device or the vehicle ECU, which controls the operation of the HV power supply system. As described above, the external controller may control the operation of the switch device 100, 200, 300 in interplay with an internal controller (in particular the motor control circuitry) of the switch device 100, 200, 300. Hereby, it is possible that the internal controller can overtake at least a part of the functionalities of the external controller and accordingly can at least partly control the switch device 100, 200, 300 independently from the external controller. In some implementation examples, the internal controller (in particular the motor control circuitry) of the switch device 100, 200, 300 may even replace, for example, the main controller of the BMS and control the operation of the switch device autonomously (or partly autonomously with the external controller only taking over some high-level monitoring functions).REFERENCE NUMERALS

[0075] 100, 200, 300Switch device102, 202, 302housing104, 104', 104", 106, 106', 106", 204, 204', 204", 206, 206', 206", 304, 304', 304", 306, 306', 306"Connection terminals108, 108', 108", 208, 208', 208", 308, 308', 308"Deflectable bus bar110, 110', 110", 210, 210', 210", 310, 310', 310"Fixed contacts112, 212, 312Housing base portion114Housing cover116Bulge118, 118', 118"Moveable contact elements120, 120', 120"Fixed contact elements122Contact point124, 224, 324(Electric) motor126, 226, 326Worm gear128, 228, 328Rotation shaft130, 230, 330Driven gear132, 134, 332, 334Spur gears136Camshaft138Lever arm140Connection region of the deflectable bus bar142Deflectable region of the deflectable bus bar144Movement direction of the moveable contact elements146Hinge of the lever arm147Base portion of the lever arm148Lifting portion of the lever arm150Rotational axis of the camshaft152, 352Support bridge153Lug154Support recess156, 256Contact spring164, 264,Circuit board236, 236', 236", 336Threaded shaft238, 238', 238"Threaded nuts250, 350Rotational axis of the threaded shaft(s)253, 253', 253"Carrier arm258End face of the threaded shaft266, 366switch connector359Internal thread of the driven gear360Fixation member362End face of the driven gear

Claims

1. A switch device (100, 200, 300) comprising: a contact arrangement, which includes at least a first fixed contact (110', 210', 310') and a first deflectable bus bar (108', 208', 308'), wherein the first deflectable bus bar (108', 208', 308') has a first inflexible connection region (140) and a first deflectable contact region (142), wherein the first deflectable contact region (142) is configured to deflect elastically between an interruption position, in which the first deflectable bus bar (108', 208', 308') is electrically isolated from the first fixed contact (110', 210', 310'), and an electrically conductive position, in which the first deflectable bus bar (108', 208', 308') is conductively coupled to the first fixed contact (110', 210', 310'); an electric motor (124, 224, 324), which is configured to switch a state of the contact arrangement at least between an interruption state, in which the first deflectable contact region (142) is in the interruption position, and an electrically conductive state, in which the first deflectable contact region (142) is in the electrically conductive position, and a transmission unit, which comprises a driven member (130, 230, 330), which is rotationally driven by the electric motor (124, 224, 324), when the electric motor (124, 224, 324) switches the state of the contact arrangement, and an output member (136, 236, 336), which is rotationally driven by the driven member (130, 230, 330), and which is configured to cause a translational movement of the first deflectable contact region (142) of the first deflectable bus bar (108', 208', 308'), when the electric motor (124, 224, 324) switches the state of the contact arrangement.

2. The switch device (100, 200, 300) according to claim 1, wherein the contact arrangement includes a second fixed contact (110", 210", 310") and a second deflectable bus bar (108", 208", 308"), wherein the second deflectable bus bar (108", 208", 308") has a second inflexible connection region (140) and a second deflectable contact region (142), wherein the second deflectable contact region (142) is configured to deflect elastically between an interruption position, in which the second deflectable bus bar (108", 208", 308") is electrically isolated from the second fixed contact (110", 210", 310"), and an electrically conductive position, in which the second deflectable bus bar (108", 208", 308") is conductively coupled to the second fixed contact (110", 210", 310"); wherein in the interruption state of the bus bar arrangement the second deflectable bus bar (108", 208", 308") is in the interruption position, and in the electrically conductive state of the bus bar arrangement the second deflectable bus bar (108", 208", 308") is in the electrically conductive position.

3. The switch device (100, 200, 300) according to claim 2, wherein the transmission unit is configured to cause a simultaneous movement of the first deflectable contact region (142) and of the second deflectable contact region (142), when the electric motor (124, 224, 324) switches the state of the contact arrangement.

4. The switch device (100, 200, 300) according to one of claims 1 or 2, wherein the driven member is a transmission gear (130, 230, 330), which is selectively driven by the electric motor (124, 224, 324) in either clockwise or counterclockwise directions, and wherein the switch device (100, 200, 300) further comprises a worm gear (126, 226, 326), which is driven by the electric motor (124, 224, 324) and which is mechanically coupled to the transmission gear (130, 230, 330), so as to transmit a rotation of the electric motor (124, 224, 324) to the transmission gear (130, 230, 330).

5. The switch device (100) according to one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the output member is a camshaft (136), which mechanically interacts with a lever arm (138), wherein the lever arm (138) is adapted to cause a translational movement of the first deflectable contact region (142), and optionally to cause a translational movement of the second deflectable contact region (142), in response to a rotation of the camshaft (136).

6. The switch device (100) according to claim 2 and according to claim 5, wherein the lever arm (138) actuates a common support bridge (152), which supports both the first deflectable contact region (142) and the second deflectable contact region (142), wherein the first deflectable contact region (142) and the second deflectable contact region (142) are supported on opposite ends of the support bridge (152), and wherein a working point of the lever arm (138) is arranged substantially at the center region of the support bridge (152) between the two opposing ends.

7. The switch device (100) according to one of claims 5 or 6, wherein the lever arm (138) is rotatable mounted around a hinge (146), which is fixed to a case (102, 112) of the switch device (100) or to a frame, which supports the contact arrangement.

8. The switch device (200) according to one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the output member is a threaded shaft (236), which mechanically interacts with a threaded nut (238), wherein the threaded nut (238) is adapted to cause a translational movement of the first deflectable contact region (142), in response to a rotation of the threaded shaft (236); optionally, wherein the threaded shaft (236, 236', 236") interacts with a first threaded nut (238') and with a second threaded nut (238"), wherein the first threaded nut (238') is adapted to cause a translational movement of the first deflectable contact region (142) and the second threaded nut (238") is adapted to cause a translational movement of the second deflectable contact region (142), in response to a rotation of the threaded shaft (236, 236', 236"), and wherein the first threaded nut (238') and the second threaded nut (238") are arranged on opposite ends of the threaded shaft (236, 236', 236").

9. The switch device (100, 200, 300) according to one of claims 1 to 8 wherein the first deflectable bus bar (108', 208', 308') is resiliently supported by a contact spring (156, 256), which biases the first deflectable bus bar (108', 208', 308') towards the electrically conductive position; optionally, wherein the second deflectable bus bar (108", 208", 308") is resiliently supported by the return spring (156, 256), which biases the second deflectable bus bar (108", 208", 308") towards the electrically conductive position.

10. The switch device (100, 200, 300) according to one of claims 1 to 9, further comprising at least one temperature sensing element, which is thermally coupled with the bus bar arrangement, and temperature sensing terminals (266, 366), which are configured to connect the temperature sensor to an external controller.

11. The switch device (100, 200, 300) according to one of claims 1 to 10, further comprising a motor control circuit, which is configured to control the operation of the electric motor (124, 224, 324) in accordance with control commands received from an external entity.

12. The switch device (100, 200, 300) according to one of claims 1 to 9, further comprising a detection circuit, which configured to detect at least one operational parameter of the switch device (100, 200, 300); and a motor control circuit, which is configured to control the operation of the electric motor (124, 224, 324) in accordance with the at least one operational parameter detected by the detection circuit.

13. The switch device (100, 200, 300) according to claim 12, further comprising at least one temperature sensing element, which is thermally coupled with the bus bar arrangement, wherein the motor control circuit is configured to determine a temperature of the temperature sensor as an operational parameter of the switch device (100, 200, 300).

14. The switch device (100, 200, 300) according to one of claims 1 to 13, further comprising a back-up power supply, which is configured to supply the electric motor (124, 224, 324) in case of a failure of a main power supply.

15. An energy storage system, which comprises at least one energy storage device and the switch device (100, 200, 300) according to any of claims 1 to 13; optionally, wherein the energy storage system further comprises a controller, which is adapted to control the electric motor (124, 224, 324) to switch the state of the contact arrangement.

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