Electric circuit breaker

Abstract

To provide a technique capable of increasing strength of a housing for holding a conductor piece in an electric circuit breaker.SOLUTION: A housing of an electric circuit breaker includes: a conductor holding member made of resin through which a hollow portion extending in a predetermined direction and forming part of a housing space is penetrated, the conductor holding member holding a conductor piece such that a cut portion being located inside the hollow portion; and a reinforcing member for reinforcing the conductor holding member. The reinforcing member is connected to the conductor holding member so as to surround a periphery of the hollow portion.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to an electrical circuit interruption device. [Background technology]

[0002] An electric circuit may be provided with a circuit breaker that operates when an abnormality occurs in a device that constitutes the electric circuit or in a system in which the electric circuit is installed, thereby emergency cutting off continuity in the electric circuit. As one aspect of such an electric circuit breaker, an electric circuit breaker has been proposed that uses energy applied from an ignition device or the like to move a projectile at high speed to forcibly and physically cut off a conductor piece (bus bar) that forms part of the electric circuit. In addition, in recent years, the importance of electric circuit breakers applied to electric vehicles equipped with a high-voltage power source has been increasing. In an electric circuit breaker, a housing that holds the conductor piece is made of a resin material to ensure electrical insulation performance after activation. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] International Publication No. 2020 / 099486 [Patent Document 2] Patent No. 6684170 specification Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] In an electric circuit breaker, if the resin housing that holds the conductor is deformed or damaged by the impact generated when the projectile cuts the conductor, the electrical insulation performance may be affected. For this reason, it is preferable that the housing has a higher strength.

[0005] The technology disclosed herein has been made in consideration of the above-mentioned situation, and its purpose is to provide a technology that can increase the strength of a housing that holds a conductor piece in an electrical circuit breaker device. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] (Aspect 1) In order to solve the above problems, an electrical circuit breaker according to one embodiment of the present disclosure employs the following configuration. That is, the electrical circuit interruption device according to the present disclosure comprises a housing forming an internal storage space extending in a predetermined direction, an igniter provided in the housing, a projectile arranged in the storage space, the projectile being fired along the storage space by receiving energy from the igniter when the igniter is activated, and a conductor piece provided in the housing so as to cross the storage space and forming part of an electrical circuit, the conductor piece having a cut-out portion in a part of the conductor piece that is formed so as to be cut off by the projectile fired by activation of the igniter to interrupt the electrical circuit, the conductor piece being arranged so that the cut-out portion is located on the path of the projectile in the storage space, the housing being a conductor holding member made of resin and penetrated by a hollow portion that extends in the predetermined direction and forms part of the storage space, the conductor holding member holding the conductor piece so that the cut-out portion is located inside the hollow portion, and a reinforcing member that reinforces the conductor holding member, the reinforcing member being connected to the conductor holding member so as to surround the periphery of the hollow portion.

[0007] (Aspect 2) In the above first aspect, the reinforcing member may be made of metal.

[0008] (Aspect 3) In the above first or second aspect, the reinforcing member may be made of aluminum.

[0009] (Aspect 4) In the above-mentioned first or second aspect, the reinforcing member may be made of an iron-based material.

[0010] (Aspect 5) In any one of the above aspects 1 to 4, the reinforcing member may be integrally formed with the conductor holding member.

[0011] (Aspect 6) In any one of the above aspects 1 to 4, the reinforcing member that is separate from the conductor holding member may be fastened to the conductor holding member by a fastening member.

[0012] (Aspect 7) In any of the above aspects 1 to 6, the housing may have a housing member that is attached to the conductor holding member to cooperate with the conductor holding member to form the accommodating space, the reinforcing member may have an exposed portion exposed to the outside of the conductor holding member, and a mounting hole may be formed in the exposed portion for mounting the housing member to the conductor holding member using a fastening member.

[0013] (Aspect 8) In the above-mentioned seventh aspect, the mounting hole may be formed as a screw hole, the fastening member may be formed as a male screw member, and the housing member may be fastened to the conductor holding member by screwing the screw hole into the male screw member.

[0014] (Aspect 9) In the above-mentioned eighth aspect, the mounting hole may be formed as a self-locking screw hole having an anti-loosening structure.

[0015] (Aspect 10) In any of the above aspects 1 to 9, the conductor holding member may have a pair of holding portions formed to sandwich the conductor piece from the specified direction, and at least one of the reinforcing members may be provided on each of the pair of holding portions.

[0016] (Aspect 11) In any of the above aspects 1 to 10, the housing may have a housing member that is attached to the conductor holding member to cooperate with the conductor holding member to form the accommodating space, and the housing member may have nuts for attaching the housing member to the conductor holding member using bolts integrally molded from a resin material. Effect of the Invention

[0017] According to the present disclosure, it is possible to increase the strength of a housing that holds a conductor piece in an electrical circuit breaker device. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0018] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is an overall perspective view showing an initial state before operation of an electric circuit breaker device (hereinafter, also simply referred to as a "breaker device") according to an embodiment. [Diagram 2] FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view taken along line AA in FIG. 1, and is a vertical cross-sectional view showing the internal structure of the breaking device according to the embodiment in an initial state before activation. [Diagram 3] FIG. 3 is a top view of the reinforcing frame according to the embodiment. [Figure 4] FIG. 4 is a bottom view of the reinforcing frame according to the embodiment. [Diagram 5] FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view taken along line BB of FIG. [Figure 6] FIG. 6 is a top view of the conductor piece according to the embodiment. [Figure 7] FIG. 7 is a top view of the conductor piece assembly according to the embodiment. [Figure 8] FIG. 8 is a bottom view of the conductor piece assembly according to the embodiment. [Figure 9] FIG. 9 is a cross-sectional view taken along line CC of FIG. [Figure 10] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing an operation state of the cutoff device according to the embodiment. [Figure 11] FIG. 11 is a vertical cross-sectional view showing an internal structure of a breaking device according to the first modification of the embodiment in an initial state before activation. [Figure 12] FIG. 12 is a vertical cross-sectional view showing an internal structure of a breaking device according to the second modification of the embodiment in an initial state before activation. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0019] <Embodiment> Hereinafter, an electric circuit breaker according to an embodiment of the present disclosure will be described with reference to the drawings. Note that each configuration and their combinations in the embodiments are merely examples, and addition, omission, substitution, and other modifications of the configurations are possible as appropriate within the scope of the present disclosure. The present disclosure is not limited by the embodiments, but is limited only by the claims.

[0020] <Configuration> FIG. 1 is an overall perspective view showing an initial state before operation of an electric circuit breaker (hereinafter, also simply referred to as "breaker") 1 according to an embodiment. FIG. 2 is an AA cross-sectional view of FIG. 1, which is a vertical cross-sectional view showing an internal structure of the breaker 1 according to an embodiment in the initial state before operation. In FIG. 1 and FIG. 2, a state before operation of the breaker 1 (referred to as "initial state before operation") is shown. The breaker 1 is a device that operates when an abnormality occurs in an electric circuit included in, for example, an automobile, a home appliance, a solar power generation system, or a system including a battery (e.g., a lithium-ion battery) of the electric circuit, and prevents serious damage by interrupting the electric circuit. Hereinafter, the direction along the storage space indicated by the reference numeral 13 (i.e., the extension direction of the storage space 13, which is an example of the "predetermined direction" according to the present disclosure) is referred to as the "upper-lower direction (height direction)" of the breaker 1, the igniter side indicated by the reference numeral 20 is referred to as the "upper side" in the vertical direction, and the bottom container side indicated by the reference numeral 120 is referred to as the "lower side" in the vertical direction. Also, a cross section along the vertical direction is referred to as a vertical cross section of the circuit breaker 1, and a cross section perpendicular to the vertical direction is referred to as a horizontal cross section of the circuit breaker 1. Also, viewing along the vertical direction is referred to as a "plan view." Here, as shown in FIG. 2, in the circuit breaker 1, a conductor piece indicated by reference numeral 50 crosses the accommodation space 13 so as to be perpendicular to the vertical direction. Hereinafter, the extension direction of the conductor piece 50 is referred to as the "width direction" of the circuit breaker 1. In FIG. 2, a cross section parallel to the vertical direction and the width direction is illustrated. However, in this specification, the vertical direction and the width direction of the circuit breaker 1 merely indicate the relative positional relationship of each element in the circuit breaker 1 for the convenience of explaining the embodiment.

[0021] As shown in FIG. 2, the circuit breaker 1 includes a housing 10 as an outer shell member, an igniter 20, a projectile 40, a conductor piece 50, a coolant material 60, and a fastening member 70. The housing 10 has an accommodation space 13 that is a space extending from a first end 11 on the upper end side toward a second end 12 on the lower end side. The accommodation space 13 accommodates a projectile 40. This accommodation space 13 is formed in a straight line (cylindrical in this example) so that the projectile 40 can move, and extends along the up-down direction of the circuit breaker 1. The circuit breaker 1 launches the projectile 40 downward by the energy of the igniter 20, and cuts off a part of the conductor piece 50 with the projectile 40, thereby interrupting the electric circuit. Here, the projectile 40 before the operation of the circuit breaker 1 shown in FIG. 2 is This position is referred to as an “initial position.” The direction in which the projectile 40 is launched (in this example, downward) is referred to as a “launch direction.” Each component of the interrupter 1 will now be described.

[0022] [housing] The housing 10 is an outer shell member that houses various parts and elements that constitute the cutoff device 1. The housing 10 includes a housing main body 100 (an example of a "holding member" according to the present disclosure), a top holder 110 (an example of a "housing member" according to the present disclosure) provided on the upper side of the housing main body 100, a bottom container 120 (an example of a "housing member" according to the present disclosure) provided on the lower side of the housing main body 100, and a reinforcing frame 130 (an example of a "reinforcing member" according to the present disclosure) formed integrally with the housing main body 100. The top holder 110 and the bottom container 120 are joined to the housing main body 100 by a fastening member 70, thereby forming an integral housing 10. In addition, the reinforcing frame 130 is embedded in the housing main body 100.

[0023] [Housing body] The housing body 100 is a member that holds the conductor piece 50. The housing body 100 is formed of an insulating resin material in order to ensure electrical insulation of the circuit breaker 1. Examples of the resin material that can be used to form the housing body 100 include synthetic resins such as nylon, which is a type of polyamide synthetic resin, polycarbonate, polyamide, and ABS resin. The housing body 100 may also be formed of a fiber-reinforced resin in which glass fiber is added to nylon. However, the resin material of the housing body 100 is not particularly limited.

[0024] The housing body 100 according to the present embodiment has an outer shape of a roughly rectangular column extending in the up-down direction. Therefore, the axial direction of the housing body 100 coincides with the up-down direction of the blocking device 1. However, the shape of the housing body 100 is not particularly limited. In addition, a hollow portion 106 (an example of a "hollow portion" according to the present disclosure) is formed so as to penetrate along the up-down direction in the housing body 100. This hollow portion 106 is a hole that penetrates the housing body 100 in the up-down direction, and forms a part of the storage space 13. In the present embodiment, the shape of a cross section of the hollow portion 106 perpendicular to the up-down direction (firing direction) is circular (see FIG. 8). However, the cross-sectional shape of the hollow portion according to the present disclosure is not particularly limited. The hollow portion may have, for example, a rectangular cross section.

[0025] Furthermore, the housing body 100 has an upper surface 101 to which the top holder 110 is fixed, and a lower surface 102 to which the bottom container 120 is fixed. A cylindrical upper tube wall 103 is provided on the outer periphery of the upper surface 101 of the housing body 100 so as to extend upward from the upper surface 101. A cylindrical lower tube wall 104 is provided on the outer periphery of the lower surface 102 of the housing body 100 so as to extend downward from the lower surface 102. In this embodiment, the upper tube wall 103 and the lower tube wall 104 have, for example, a rectangular tube shape, but may have other shapes.

[0026] Here, a pair of conductor piece holding holes 105A, 105B are formed in the housing body 100. The pair of conductor piece holding holes 105A, 105B extend in a cross-sectional direction (i.e., width direction) perpendicular to the up-down direction (axial direction) of the housing body 100. More specifically, the pair of conductor piece holding holes 105A, 105B extend in a straight line along the width direction with a hollow portion 106 (accommodation space 13) of the housing body 100 in between.

[0027] 2, the housing body 100 is divided into upper and lower parts by a pair of conductor piece holding holes 105A, 105B that cross the width direction of the housing body 100. In the housing body 100, a portion above the pair of conductor piece holding holes 105A, 105B is referred to as an upper holding portion 100A, and a portion below the pair of conductor piece holding holes 105A, 105B is referred to as a lower holding portion 100B. 100A and 100B, and the combination thereof is referred to as a pair of holding portions 100A and 100B. The pair of holding portions 100A and 100B is an example of a "pair of holding portions" according to the present disclosure.

[0028] [Top holder] The top holder 110 is a member that is attached to the upper surface 101 of the housing main body 100 to cooperate with the housing main body 100 to form the accommodation space 13. The top holder 110 has a stepped, generally cylindrical shape and extends in the vertical direction. The inside of the top holder 110 is hollow. The top holder 110 includes a small diameter cylinder portion 112 located on the upper side, a large diameter cylinder portion 113 located on the lower side, a connection portion 114 that connects them, and a flange portion 111 that extends outward from the lower end of the large diameter cylinder portion 113. The small diameter cylinder portion 112 and the large diameter cylinder portion 113 are arranged coaxially, and the large diameter cylinder portion 113 has a larger diameter (larger diameter) than the small diameter cylinder portion 112. The upper end portion of the small diameter cylinder portion 112 constitutes the first end portion 11 of the housing 10, and an opening portion 112A to which the igniter 20 is attached is formed at the upper end portion.

[0029] The flange portion 111 of the top holder 110 has a generally rectangular outline that fits inside the upper cylindrical wall 103 of the housing body 100. The flange portion 111 has a through hole through which the shaft portion of a bolt 701 described later can be inserted. In this embodiment, the flange portion 111 is fastened to the upper surface 101 of the housing body 100 by the fastening member 70 in a state in which it is disposed inside the upper cylindrical wall 103. The top holder 110 may be joined to the housing body 100 in a state in which a sealant is applied between the upper surface 101 of the housing body 100 and the lower surface of the flange portion 111. This can increase the airtightness of the accommodation space 13 formed in the housing 10. In addition, instead of or in combination with the sealant, an O-ring or a metal gasket may be interposed between the upper surface 101 of the housing body 100 and the flange portion 111 of the top holder 110 to increase the airtightness of the accommodation space 13.

[0030] Moreover, a cavity formed inside the top holder 110 communicates with the cavity 106 of the housing body 100 located below, and forms a part of the storage space 13. The top holder 110 configured as described above can be formed from an appropriate metal member such as stainless steel or aluminum that has excellent strength and durability. However, the material forming the top holder 110 is not particularly limited. Also, the above-mentioned embodiment of the shape of the top holder 110 is merely an example, and other shapes may be adopted.

[0031] [Bottom container] The bottom container 120 is a member that is attached to the lower surface 102 of the housing main body 100 to cooperate with the housing main body 100 to form the storage space 13. The bottom container 120 has a generally cylindrical shape with a bottom and extends in the vertical direction. The inside of the bottom container 120 is hollow. The bottom container 120 includes a cylindrical side wall portion 122 that extends in the vertical direction, a bottom wall portion 123 that closes the lower end of the side wall portion 122, and a flange portion 121 that extends outward from the upper end of the side wall portion 122. The bottom wall portion 123 constitutes the second end portion 12 of the housing 10.

[0032] The flange portion 121 of the bottom container 120 has a generally rectangular outline that fits inside the lower cylindrical wall 104 of the housing main body 100. A through hole is formed in the flange portion 121 into which the shaft portion of a bolt 701 described below can be inserted. In this embodiment, the flange portion 121 is fastened to the lower surface 102 of the housing main body 100 by a fastening member 70 in a state in which it is disposed inside the lower cylindrical wall 104. The bottom container 120 may be joined to the housing main body 100 in a state in which a sealant is applied between the lower surface 102 of the housing main body 100 and the upper surface of the flange portion 121. This forms an accommodating space within the housing 10. In addition, instead of or in combination with the sealant, an O-ring or a metal gasket may be interposed between the lower surface 102 of the housing main body 100 and the flange portion 121 of the bottom container 120 to increase the airtightness of the storage space 13.

[0033] The cavity formed inside the bottom container 120 communicates with the cavity 106 of the housing body 100 located above, and forms a part of the storage space 13. The bottom container 120 configured as described above can be formed of an appropriate metal member such as stainless steel or aluminum having excellent strength and durability. However, the material forming the bottom container 120 is not particularly limited. The bottom container 120 may have a multi-layer structure. For example, the exterior part of the bottom container 120 facing the outside may be formed of an appropriate metal member such as stainless steel or aluminum having excellent strength and durability, and the interior part facing the storage space 13 may be formed of an insulating material such as synthetic resin. Of course, the entire bottom container 120 may be formed of an insulating material. The above-mentioned embodiment regarding the shape of the bottom container 120 is an example, and other shapes may be adopted.

[0034] As described above, the housing 10 in the embodiment includes the housing body 100, the top holder 110, and the bottom container 120, which are assembled together, and inside thereof, an accommodating space 13 is formed extending in the vertical direction from the first end 11 to the second end 12. The accommodating space 13 accommodates the igniter 20, the projectile 40, the cut portion 53 of the conductor piece 50, the coolant material 60, etc., which will be described in detail below.

[0035] [Reinforcement frame] The reinforcing frame 130 is a metal frame body that is integrally joined with the housing main body 100 to reinforce the strength of the housing main body 100. As shown in FIG. 2, in this embodiment, the reinforcing frame 130 is embedded in the housing main body 100. More specifically, one reinforcing frame 130 is provided in each of a pair of holding parts 100A, 100B that are divided into upper and lower parts by a pair of conductor piece holding holes 105A, 105B. Hereinafter, the reinforcing frame 130 provided in the upper holding part 100A will be referred to as an upper reinforcing frame 130A, and the reinforcing frame 130 provided in the lower holding part 100B will be referred to as a lower reinforcing frame 130B. When there is no need to distinguish between them, they will simply be referred to as reinforcing frames 130.

[0036] The reinforcing frame 130 according to the present embodiment is made of aluminum. However, the reinforcing frame 130 may be made of a metal material other than aluminum, for example, stainless steel or the like. From the viewpoint of improving the strength of the housing 10, it is preferable that the reinforcing frame 130 is made of metal. The material of the reinforcing member according to the present disclosure is not particularly limited, and in addition to a metal material, a resin material or the like may be used. As the resin material forming the reinforcing member, for example, a fiber-reinforced resin such as a carbon fiber-reinforced resin may be used.

[0037] FIG. 3 is a top view of the reinforcing frame 130 according to the embodiment, and FIG. 4 is a bottom view of the reinforcing frame 130 according to the embodiment. FIG. 5 is a BB cross-sectional view of FIG. 3. As shown in FIGS. 3 to 5, the reinforcing frame 130 is formed as a ring-shaped frame body that is continuous in the circumferential direction. In this specification, the term "ring" is not particularly limited as long as it is a closed shape that is continuous around the entire circumference so that an opening is formed, and includes a circular ring having a circular shape such as a perfect circle or an ellipse, and a polygonal ring having a polygonal shape such as a square or a triangle. The shape of the reinforcing member according to the present disclosure is not limited to a ring. The reinforcing member is not limited to a shape that is continuous around the entire circumference, and may have a part that is not continuous, or may have an intermittent shape or an intermittent shape.

[0038] The reinforcing frame 130 has a generally rectangular shape in a plan view and is The reinforcing frame 130 has a plate-like main body 131 that is perpendicular to the main body 131, a plurality of upper surface protrusions 132 provided on the upper surface 131a of the main body 131, and a plurality of lower surface protrusions 133 provided on the lower surface 131b of the main body 131. The main body 131 has a through hole 134 that penetrates the main body 131 in the vertical direction. More specifically, the through hole 134 penetrates the main body 131 from the upper surface 131a to the lower surface 131b at the center position of the main body 131. As a result, the reinforcing frame 130 is formed in a ring shape with the through hole 134 as an opening. As shown in FIG. 3 and FIG. 4, the through hole 134 according to this embodiment has a circular shape in a cross section perpendicular to the vertical direction (firing direction). However, the shape of the through hole 134 is not particularly limited. The upper surface protrusions 132 are parts that protrude upward from the upper surface 131a, and are provided at each of the four corners of the main body 131. The lower surface convex portion 133 is a portion that protrudes downward from the lower surface 131b, and is provided at each of the four corners of the main body portion 131. The upper surface convex portion 132 and the lower surface convex portion 133 are examples of the "exposed portion" according to the present disclosure. The shape of the exposed portion according to the present disclosure is not particularly limited, and does not have to be convex. Here, the main body portion 131 is formed with a mounting hole 135 that penetrates from the top surface of the upper surface convex portion 132 to the top surface of the lower surface convex portion 133. The mounting hole 135 is provided at each of the four corners of the main body portion 131. In this embodiment, the mounting hole 135 is formed as a through hole into which the shaft portion of the bolt 701 described later can be inserted. The mounting hole according to the present disclosure is not limited to a through hole, and various modes can be selected depending on the mode of the fastening member, and may be, for example, a screw hole. The mounting hole may be a non-through hole. The above mode regarding the shape of the reinforcing frame 130 is one example, and other shapes may be adopted.

[0039] [Igniter] 2, igniter 20 is an electric igniter that includes ignition part 21 containing an ignition charge and igniter body 22 having a pair of conductive pins (not shown) connected to ignition part 21, and that releases combustion gas into accommodation space 13 when activated. Igniter 20 is attached to housing 10 with a portion of it accommodated in accommodation space 13 (more specifically, in a hollow portion formed inside small diameter cylinder portion 112).

[0040] The igniter main body 22 has a generally cylindrical main body portion 221 that extends in the vertical direction and is housed inside the small diameter cylinder portion 112 of the top holder 110, and a connector portion 222 located on the upper portion of the main body portion 221, and is surrounded by, for example, insulating resin. The igniter main body 22 is fixed to the small diameter cylinder portion 112, for example, by pressing the main body portion 221 into the inner peripheral surface of the small diameter cylinder portion 112. In addition, a constricted portion whose outer peripheral surface is recessed compared to other places is formed in an annular shape along the circumferential direction of the main body portion 221 at the axial intermediate portion of the main body portion 221, and an O-ring 223 is fitted into this constricted portion. The O-ring 223 is formed of, for example, rubber (e.g., silicone rubber) or synthetic resin, and functions to increase the airtightness between the inner peripheral surface of the small diameter cylinder portion 112 and the main body portion 221.

[0041] Connector portion 222 has a cylindrical shape extending in the vertical direction, and is disposed so as to protrude to the outside of housing 10 through opening 112A formed at the upper end of small-diameter cylinder portion 112. A pair of conductive pins connected to ignition portion 21 are disposed inside connector portion 222. Connector portion 222 is configured so as to be connectable to a power source connector (not shown), and by connecting connector portion 222 of igniter 20 to the power source connector, the pair of conductive pins are connected to the power source. This allows an operating current to be supplied to igniter 20.

[0042] The ignition section 21 of the igniter 20 is disposed so as to face the accommodation space 13 of the housing 10 (more specifically, a hollow portion formed inside the large diameter cylinder portion 113). The ignition section 21 is configured, for example, in a form in which an ignition charge is accommodated in an ignition cup. For example, the ignition charge is accommodated in the ignition cup of the ignition section 21 in a state in contact with a bridge wire (resistor) that is connected so as to connect the base ends of a pair of conductive pins together. The ignition charge may be, for example, For example, ZPP (zirconium potassium perchlorate), ZWPP (zirconium tungsten Alternatively, titanium hydride-potassium perchlorate (THPP), lead tricinate, etc. may be used. The lower surface of the igniter cup in the ignition portion 21, that is, the surface on the firing direction side, is formed as a cleavage surface 21A that cleaves when the igniter 20 is activated.

[0043] When the igniter 20 is operated, an operating current for igniting the ignition charge is supplied from the power source to the conductive pin, and as a result, the bridge wire in the ignition section 21 heats up, causing the ignition charge in the igniter cup to ignite and burn, generating combustion gas. Then, as the ignition charge in the igniter cup of the ignition section 21 burns, the pressure in the igniter cup rises, the cleavage surface 21A of the igniter cup cleaves, and the combustion gas is released from the igniter cup into the accommodation space 13. More specifically, the combustion gas from the igniter cup is released toward a recessed portion 411 in a piston portion 41 of the projectile 40 arranged in the accommodation space 13, which will be described later.

[0044] [Projectile] The projectile 40 is a member that is disposed in the accommodation space 13, and when the igniter 20 is activated, it receives energy from the igniter 20 and is launched in the launch direction (downward in this example) along the accommodation space 13, thereby cutting off a part of the conductor piece 50. The projectile 40 is formed of an insulating material such as a synthetic resin, and includes a piston portion 41 and a rod portion 42 connected to the piston portion 41.

[0045] The piston portion 41 has a generally cylindrical shape extending in the vertical direction, and has an outer diameter that generally corresponds to the inner diameter of the large-diameter cylinder portion 113 in the top holder 110. For example, the diameter of the piston portion 41 may be slightly smaller than the inner diameter of the large-diameter cylinder portion 113. In addition, a cylindrical recessed portion 411 is formed on the upper surface of the piston portion 41, that is, the surface opposite to the firing direction, and the ignition portion 21 is received in this recessed portion 411. The bottom surface of the recessed portion 411 is formed as a pressure-receiving surface 411A that receives energy from the igniter 20 when the igniter 20 is activated. In addition, a constricted portion whose outer circumferential surface is recessed compared to other places is formed in an annular shape along the circumferential direction of the piston portion 41 in the axial middle portion of the piston portion 41, and an O-ring 43 is fitted into this constricted portion. The O-ring 43 is made of, for example, rubber (such as silicone rubber) or synthetic resin, and functions to increase the airtightness between the inner circumferential surface of the large diameter cylinder portion 113 and the piston portion 41.

[0046] The rod portion 42 of the projectile 40 is, for example, a rod-shaped member having an outer circumferential surface with a smaller diameter than that of the piston portion 41 and extending in the vertical direction, and is integrally connected to the lower end side of the piston portion 41. The lower end surface of the rod portion 42 (i.e., the end surface on the launching direction side) is formed as a cutting surface 421 for cutting the cut portion 53 from the conductor piece 50 when the interrupter 1 is activated. Note that, although the rod portion 42 in this embodiment has a roughly cylindrical shape, the shape is not particularly limited, and can be changed according to the shape and size of the cut portion 53 to be cut from the conductor piece 50 when the interrupter 1 is activated. The rod portion 42 may have, for example, a cylindrical shape or a columnar shape such as a rectangular column. Note that, in the initial position of the projectile 40 shown in FIG. 2, the tip side region including the cutting surface 421 in the rod portion 42 of the projectile 40 is positioned in the hollow portion (forming a part of the storage space 13) of the housing main body 100. The diameter of the rod portion 42 is, for example, slightly smaller than the inner diameter of the inner circumferential surface of the housing body 100, and is configured so that the outer circumferential surface of the rod portion 42 is guided along the inner circumferential surface when the projectile 40 is launched.

[0047] The projectile 40 configured as described above will be described in detail later, but when the igniter 20 is activated, the upper surface of the piston portion 41, including the pressure receiving surface 411A, receives energy from the igniter 20, so that the projectile 40 is launched from the initial position shown in FIG. 2 and moves at high speed in the launch direction (downward) along the accommodation space 13. Specifically, as shown in FIG. 2, the piston portion 41 of the projectile 40 is accommodated inside the large diameter cylinder portion 113 of the top holder 110. and is capable of sliding in the axial direction along the inner wall surface of the large diameter cylinder portion 113. The shape of the projectile 40 is not limited to the above-mentioned shape, and can be appropriately changed depending on the shape of the housing 10, etc.

[0048] [Conductor strip] 6 is a top view of a conductor piece 50 according to an embodiment. The conductor piece 50 is a conductive metal body that constitutes a part of the components of the circuit breaker 1 and forms a part of a specific electric circuit when the circuit breaker 1 is attached to the electric circuit. The conductor piece 50 is called a bus bar. The conductor piece 50 may be formed of a metal such as copper (Cu). However, the conductor piece 50 may be formed of a metal other than copper, or may be formed of an alloy of copper and another metal. Examples of metals other than copper contained in the conductor piece 50 include manganese (Mn), nickel (Ni), platinum (Pt), aluminum (Al), brass, gold (Au), silver (Ag), and duralumin.

[0049] In one embodiment shown in FIG. 6, the conductor piece 50 is formed as a long and narrow flat piece as a whole. The conductor piece 50 includes a first connection end 51, which is one end in the extending direction of the conductor piece 50, and a second connection end 52, which is the other end. The conductor piece 50 also has a cut-out portion 53 in a part thereof. The cut-out portion 53 is located between the first connection end 51 and the second connection end 52 (in this example, the middle part). The first connection end 51 and the second connection end 52 are provided with connection holes 51A and 52A, respectively. These connection holes 51A and 52A are used to connect to other conductors (e.g., lead wires) in an electric circuit. The cut-out portion 53 is a portion that is forcibly and physically cut by the rod portion 42 of the projectile 40 and cut off from the first connection end 51 and the second connection end 52 when an abnormality such as an excessive current occurs in the electric circuit to which the breaker 1 is applied. The cut-out portion 53 is formed so as to interrupt the electric circuit by being cut off by the projectile 40 fired by the activation of the igniter 20. More specifically, the cut-out portion 53 is formed as a portion that, when cut off from the conductor piece 50, divides the conductor piece 50. At both ends of the cut-out portion 53 in the conductor piece 50, cuts (slits) 54 are formed so that the cut-out portion 53 can be easily cut off.

[0050] The conductor piece 50 may have various shapes, and the shape is not particularly limited. In the example shown in FIG. 6, the surface of the first connection end 51, the surface of the second connection end 52, and the surface of the cut-out portion 53 form the same plane, but this is not limited. For example, the conductor piece 50 may be connected such that the cut-out portion 53 is orthogonal to the first connection end 51 and the second connection end 52, or inclined. In addition, the planar shape of the cut-out portion 53 in the conductor piece 50 is not particularly limited. Of course, the shapes of the first connection end 51 and the second connection end 52 in the conductor piece 50 are not particularly limited. In addition, the cut 54 in the conductor piece 50 may be omitted as appropriate.

[0051] The conductor piece 50 configured as described above is held in the housing body 100 in a state in which it is inserted into a pair of conductor piece holding holes 105A and 105B formed in the housing body 100. In the example shown in FIG. 6, the first connection end 51 of the conductor piece 50 is held in a state in which it is inserted into the conductor piece holding hole 105A, and the second connection end 52 is held in a state in which it is inserted into the conductor piece holding hole 105B. In this state, the cut-out portion 53 of the conductor piece 50 is positioned in the hollow portion (the accommodation space 13) of the housing body 100. As a result, the conductor piece 50 is provided in the housing 10 so as to cross the accommodation space 13 in the width direction. The conductor piece 50 attached to the housing body 100 is arranged so that the cut-out portion 53 is located on the path of the projectile 40 in the accommodation space 13 (i.e., below the projectile 40), and is held in a position perpendicular to the extension direction (launch direction) of the accommodation space 13. The first connection end 51 and the second connection end 52 of the conductor piece 50 are exposed to the outside of the housing 10, and other conductors (such as lead wires) that form an electric circuit are connected to the connection holes 51A and 52A. 1 shows the outer circumferential position of the rod portion 42 located on the upper part of the conductor piece 50 when the conductor piece 50 is attached to the housing body 100 of the device 1. In this embodiment, the conductor piece 50 is installed so that the outer circumferential position L1 of the rod portion 42 roughly overlaps with the positions of the notches 54 located on both ends of the cut-out portion 53. In this embodiment, for example, the cross-sectional area of ​​the accommodation space 13 is larger than the cross-sectional area of ​​the cut-out portion 53, so that a gap is formed on the side of the cut-out portion 53.

[0052] Here, as shown in FIG. 2, before the operation of the interrupter 1 (igniter 20), the cut-out portion 53 of the conductor piece 50 held in the pair of conductor piece holding holes 105A, 105B in the housing main body 100 is horizontally arranged across the accommodation space 13 of the housing 10. Hereinafter, in the accommodation space 13 in the housing 10, the region (space) where the projectile 40 is arranged across the cut-out portion 53 of the conductor piece 50 is referred to as the "projectile initial arrangement region R1", and the region (space) located on the opposite side to the projectile 40 (i.e., the launch direction side) is referred to as the "arc-extinguishing region R2". As described above, since a gap is formed on the side of the cut-out portion 53 arranged to cross the accommodation space 13, the projectile initial arrangement region R1 and the arc-extinguishing region R2 are not completely isolated by the cut-out portion 53, but are connected to each other. Of course, depending on the shape and size of the cut-out portion 53, the projectile initial placement region R1 and the arc-extinguishing region R2 may be completely isolated by the cut-out portion 53. The projectile initial placement region R1 accommodates the projectile 40, and the arc-extinguishing region R2 accommodates a coolant material 60 as an arc-extinguishing material. The arc-extinguishing region R2 is a region (space) for receiving the cut-out portion 53 that is cut off by the rod portion 42 of the projectile 40 that is launched when the cut-out device 1 (igniter 20) is activated.

[0053] [Coolant material] The coolant material 60 is a cooling material for suppressing the generation of an arc when a current is interrupted or for extinguishing (extinguishing) the generated arc by removing and cooling the arc and the thermal energy of the excised portion 53 generated when the projectile 40 excises the excised portion 53 of the conductor piece 50. As shown in FIG. 2, the coolant material 60 is disposed in the arc extinguishing region R2 in the accommodation space 13.

[0054] The arc-extinguishing region R2 in the circuit breaker 1 is a space for receiving the cut-off portion 53 cut off from the first connection end 51 and the second connection end 52 of the conductor piece 50 by the projectile 40, and at the same time, serves as a space for effectively extinguishing an arc generated when the projectile 40 cuts off the cut-off portion 53. In order to effectively extinguish an arc generated when the cut-off portion 53 is cut off from the conductor piece 50, a coolant material 60 is disposed in the arc-extinguishing region R2 as an arc-extinguishing material.

[0055] In one aspect of the embodiment, the coolant material 60 is solid. In another aspect of the embodiment, the coolant material 60 is formed by a shape-retaining body. The shape-retaining body here is, for example, a material that maintains a certain shape when no external force is applied, and can maintain its integrity (does not fall apart) even if deformation occurs when an external force is applied. For example, a fibrous body molded into a desired shape can be exemplified as a shape-retaining body. In this embodiment, the coolant material 60 is formed by metal fibers, which are shape-retaining bodies. Here, examples of the metal fibers forming the coolant material 60 include at least one of steel wool and copper wool. The coolant material 60 may include inorganic oxides such as zeolite, silica, and alumina. However, the above aspects of the coolant material 60 are merely examples, and are not limited thereto.

[0056] The coolant material 60 is formed, for example, in a bowl shape and is arranged along the inner wall and bottom of the bottom container 120 (the arc-extinguishing region R2 of the accommodation space 13). The coolant material 60 may also be formed in a disk shape and arranged along the bottom of the bottom container 120.

[0057] The coolant material 60 may be a modified resin material that functions as an arc-extinguishing material. When the igniter 20 is activated, the modified resin material is modified by the arc generated by the projectile 40 cutting the cut-out portion 53 of the conductor piece 50 and the heat of the cut-out portion 53, and this modification consumes thermal energy, thereby contributing to the extinguishing (extinguishing) of the arc. The modification of the modified resin material is mainly performed by the heat of the arc, but it is also affected by other heat such as the heat generated when the cut-out portion 53 is cut and the heat of combustion of the ignition charge, and the heat received from the ignition of the ignition charge to the completion of extinguishing the arc is referred to as the heat associated with the activation of the igniter 20.

[0058] The modified resin material is a synthetic resin containing silicone. The modified resin material is not limited to silicone, and may be made of other resins such as polyurethane, polyethylene, polypropylene, polyamide, and nitrile rubber. The modified resin material may be at least partially modified by heat, and may be made of a composite material containing glass or ceramic fillers. The modified resin material is made of a material that is easily modified by heat, such as decomposition or volatilization, compared to other resin materials such as the housing 10 and the projectile 40, and this modification can effectively consume the heat of the arc. In addition, the modified resin material of this embodiment has a high resistance value due to components such as silica generated by thermal decomposition, and the scattering of these components contributes to improving the insulation after cutting.

[0059] The modified resin material is not limited to a solid member formed into a predetermined shape, but may be a gel-like material or a highly viscous liquid material applied to the wall surface in the storage space 13. The modified resin material may be a synthetic resin melted in an organic solvent such as toluene and then applied to the wall surface in the storage space 13, and then fixed to the wall surface by volatilizing the organic solvent.

[0060] [Conductor strip assembly] In this embodiment, the housing body 100, the reinforcing frame 130, and the conductor piece 50 are integrally molded by injection molding (more specifically, insert molding). Hereinafter, an assembly formed by the housing body 100, the reinforcing frame 130, and the conductor piece 50 as shown in Fig. 2 will be referred to as a conductor piece assembly 80.

[0061] FIG. 7 is a top view of the conductor piece assembly 80 according to the embodiment, and FIG. 8 is a bottom view of the conductor piece assembly 80 according to the embodiment. Also, FIG. 9 is a cross-sectional view taken along CC in FIG. 7. As shown in FIGS. 7 and 8, the upper reinforcing frame 130A and the lower reinforcing frame 130B are embedded in the housing body 100 so that the cavity 106 of the housing body 100 is located inside the through hole 134. Therefore, the cavity 106 is surrounded by the reinforcing frame 130. In other words, the reinforcing frame 130 is provided on the outer periphery of the cavity 106 so as to extend along the circumferential direction of the cavity 106. Since the reinforcing frame 130 according to the present embodiment is made of metal, it is embedded in the housing body 100 so as not to be exposed to the pair of conductor piece holding holes 105A, 105B and the cavity 106 of the housing body 100 from the viewpoint of ensuring electrical insulation performance after the operation of the breaker 1. However, the present disclosure is not limited thereto.

[0062] 7, the top surface of the upper surface protrusion 132 of the upper reinforcement frame 130A, which is the opening surface of the mounting hole 135 (the surface where the mounting hole 135 is open), is exposed to the outside of the housing body 100 from the upper surface 101 of the housing body 100. That is, the upper reinforcement frame 130A is embedded inside the housing body 100 except for the top surface of the upper surface protrusion 132. Similarly, as shown in FIG. 8, the top surface of the lower surface protrusion 133 of the lower reinforcement frame 130B, which is the opening end surface of the mounting hole 135, is exposed to the outside of the housing body 100 from the lower surface 102 of the housing body 100. That is, the lower reinforcement frame 130B is embedded inside the housing body 100 except for the top surface of the lower surface protrusion 133. Furthermore, and the lower reinforcement frame 130B are disposed in the housing main body 100 so that their mounting holes 135 overlap each other in a plan view (in other words, when viewed along the launch direction). That is, in a plan view, the position of the mounting hole 135 of the upper reinforcement frame 130A and the position of the mounting hole 135 of the lower reinforcement frame 130B coincide with each other. As shown in Figs. 7 to 9, the conductor piece assembly 80 is formed with a bolt insertion hole 801 that penetrates from the top surface of the upper surface convex portion 132 of the upper reinforcement frame 130A to the top surface of the lower surface convex portion 133 of the lower reinforcement frame 130B. The bolt insertion hole 801 is a through hole that penetrates the upper reinforcement frame 130A, the housing main body 100, and the lower reinforcement frame 130B in the up-down direction, and is formed as a through hole through which the shaft portion of the bolt 701 can be inserted. A portion of the bolt insertion hole 801 is formed by the mounting hole 135 of the upper reinforcing frame 130A and the mounting hole 135 of the lower reinforcing frame 130B.

[0063] In the present embodiment, the reinforcing frame 130 is integrally molded with the housing main body 100, but the present disclosure is not limited thereto. The reinforcing member according to the present disclosure may be molded separately from the conductor holding member. In the present embodiment, the reinforcing frame 130 is embedded in the housing main body 100 except for a part thereof, but the present disclosure is not limited thereto. The reinforcing member according to the present disclosure may be completely embedded in the conductor holding member, or may be coupled to the conductor holding member so that a part or all of the reinforcing member is exposed on the surface of the conductor holding member.

[0064] [Fastening material] The fastening member 70 is a member for attaching the top holder 110 and the bottom container 120 to the housing main body 100. As shown in FIG. 2, the fastening member 70 according to this embodiment is configured to include a bolt 701 provided on the upper side and a nut 702 provided on the lower side. The bolt 701 has a head 701a and a shaft portion 701b extending from the head 701a. The head 701a is disposed on the upper side of the flange portion 111 of the top holder 110. The shaft portion 701b is inserted through a through hole formed in the flange portion 111 of the top holder 110, a bolt insertion hole 801 formed in the conductor piece assembly 80, and a through hole formed in the flange portion 121 of the bottom container 120. The nut 702 is screwed onto the shaft portion 701b of the bolt 701 protruding downward from the flange portion 121 of the bottom container 120. As a result, the flange portion 111 of the top holder 110 is sandwiched between the head 701a of the bolt 701 and the housing main body 100, and the flange portion 121 of the bottom container 120 is sandwiched between the nut 702 and the housing main body 100. In this manner, the top holder 110 and the bottom container 120 are attached to the housing main body 100.

[0065] The fastening member according to the present disclosure is not limited to a combination of a bolt and a nut. For example, the mounting hole may be a screw hole (female thread), the fastening member may be a male thread member, and the housing member may be fastened to the conductor holding member by screwing the screw hole and the male thread member. This eliminates the need for a nut, so that the number of parts can be reduced, and the manufacturing equipment can be simplified and the cost can be reduced. In addition, when adopting the above-mentioned embodiment, the reinforcing member may be formed as a self-locking nut by processing a self-locking tap in the mounting hole. Here, the "self-locking screw hole" means a screw hole provided with a structure for preventing loosening against vibration, etc., and the "self-locking nut" means a nut provided with a self-locking screw hole. By forming the mounting hole as a self-locking screw hole, the housing member can be more reliably fixed to the conductor holding member. In addition, for example, the mounting hole may be a through hole, the fastening member may be a rivet, and the housing member may be fastened to the conductor holding member by crimping the rivet inserted into the mounting hole.

[0066] As described above, in the upper reinforcing frame 130A, the top surface of the upper surface protrusion 132, which is the opening surface of the mounting hole 135, is exposed to the outside of the housing body 100 from the upper surface 101 of the housing body 100. The flange portion 111 of the holder 110 abuts against the top surface of the upper surface convex portion 132. Similarly, in the lower reinforcing frame 130B, the top surface of the lower surface convex portion 133, which is the opening surface of the mounting hole 135, is exposed to the outside of the housing body 100 from the lower surface 102 of the housing body 100, so that the flange portion 121 of the bottom container 120 fastened to the lower surface 102 of the housing body 100 abuts against the top surface of the lower surface convex portion 133. In this manner, by fastening the top holder 110 and the bottom container 120 to the housing body 100 while being in contact with the reinforcing frame 130, deformation (such as collapse) of the resin housing body 100 due to the fastening force of the fastening member 70 is suppressed.

[0067] In this embodiment, the bolt 701 is inserted into the bolt insertion hole 801 from above to fasten the various components, but the bolt 701 may be inserted into the bolt insertion hole 801 from below to fasten the various components. That is, the flange portion 121 of the bottom container 120 may be sandwiched between the head 701a of the bolt 701 and the housing main body 100, and the flange portion 111 of the top holder 110 may be sandwiched between the nut 702 and the housing main body 100.

[0068] [Operation] Next, the operation content when the circuit breaker 1 is operated to break the electric circuit will be described. As described above, Fig. 2 shows the initial state before operation of the circuit breaker 1. In this initial state before operation, the projectile 40 in the circuit breaker 1 is set to an initial position in which the piston portion 41 is positioned on the first end 11 side (upper end side) in the accommodation space 13 and the cut surface 421 formed on the lower end of the rod portion 42 is positioned on the upper surface of the cut portion 53 of the conductor piece 50.

[0069] Here, the circuit breaker 1 according to the embodiment further includes an abnormality detection sensor (not shown) that detects an abnormal state of a device (such as a vehicle, a power generation facility, or a power storage facility) to which the electric circuit to be interrupted is connected, and a control unit (not shown) that controls the operation of the igniter 20. The abnormality detection sensor may be capable of detecting an abnormal state based on the voltage or the temperature of the conductor piece 50 in addition to the current flowing through the conductor piece 50. The abnormality detection sensor may be, for example, an impact sensor, a temperature sensor, an acceleration sensor, or a vibration sensor, and may detect an abnormal state such as an accident or a fire based on an impact, temperature, acceleration, or vibration in a device such as a vehicle. The control unit of the circuit breaker 1 is, for example, a computer that can perform a predetermined function by executing a predetermined control program. The predetermined function of the control unit can also be realized by corresponding hardware. Then, when an excessive current flows through the conductor piece 50 that forms a part of the electric circuit to which the circuit breaker 1 is applied, the abnormal current is detected by the abnormality detection sensor. Abnormality information regarding the detected abnormal current is transferred from the abnormality detection sensor to the control unit. For example, the control unit receives electricity from an external power source (not shown) connected to a conductive pin of the igniter 20 based on a current value detected by the abnormality detection sensor, and activates the igniter 20. Here, the abnormal current may be a current value exceeding a predetermined threshold value set for protecting a predetermined electric circuit. The abnormality detection sensor and control unit described above do not need to be included as components of the circuit breaker 1, and may be included in, for example, a device other than the circuit breaker 1. Furthermore, the abnormality detection sensor and control unit are not essential components of the circuit breaker 1.

[0070] For example, when an abnormal current in the electric circuit is detected by an abnormality detection sensor that detects abnormal current in the electric circuit, the control unit of the breaker 1 activates the igniter 20. That is, as a result of an operating current being supplied from an external power source (not shown) to the conductive pin of the igniter 20, the ignition charge in the ignition portion 21 is ignited and burned, and combustion gas is generated. Then, due to a pressure increase in the ignition portion 21, the cleavage surface 21A cleaves, and the combustion gas of the ignition charge is released from the ignition portion 21 into the accommodation space 13.

[0071] Here, the ignition portion 21 of the igniter 20 is received in the recess portion 411 in the piston portion 41. The cleavage surface 21A of the ignition part 21 is disposed opposite to the pressure receiving surface 411A of the recessed part 411 of the projectile 40. Therefore, the combustion gas from the ignition part 21 is released into the recessed part 411, and the pressure of the combustion gas (combustion energy) is transmitted to the upper surface of the piston part 41 including the pressure receiving surface 411A. As a result, the projectile 40 is launched in the launch direction (downward) along the accommodation space 13.

[0072] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing an operating state of the circuit breaker 1 according to the embodiment. The upper part of FIG. 10 shows a state during the operation of the circuit breaker 1, and the lower part of FIG. 10 shows a state after the operation of the circuit breaker 1 is completed. As described above, the projectile 40, which receives the pressure (combustion energy) of the combustion gas of the ignition charge by the operation of the igniter 20, is pushed down with force and collides with the cut-out portion 53 of the conductor piece 50 located on the path of the projectile 40. As a result, the cut-out surface 421 formed on the lower end side of the rod portion 42 cuts off the boundaries between the first connection end 51 and the second connection end 52 of the conductor piece 50 and the cut-out portion 53 by shearing. As a result, the cut-out portion 53 is cut off from the conductor piece 50. Furthermore, the shape and dimensions of the projectile 40 can be freely determined as long as the projectile 40 can move smoothly along the extension direction (axial direction) of the storage space 13 when the igniter 20 is activated. For example, the outer diameter of the piston portion 41 in the projectile 40 may be set to a dimension equal to the inner diameter of the large diameter cylinder portion 113 in the top holder 110.

[0073] 10, the projectile 40 moves downward in the extension direction (axial direction) of the accommodation space 13 by a predetermined stroke until the lower end surface of the piston portion 41 abuts (collides) against the upper surface 101 of the housing main body 100. In this state, the cut-out portion 53 cut off from the conductor piece 50 by the rod portion 42 of the projectile 40 is received in the arc-extinguishing region R2 in which the coolant material 60 is disposed. By cutting off the cut-out portion 53 from the conductor piece 50, the first connection end 51 and the second connection end 52 located at both ends of the conductor piece 50 become electrically disconnected, and a predetermined electric circuit to which the circuit breaker 1 is applied is forcibly cut off.

[0074] In the circuit breaker 1 according to the embodiment, the coolant material 60 is disposed in the arc-extinguishing region R2. Therefore, the cut-out portion 53 received in the arc-extinguishing region R2 is rapidly cooled by the coolant material 60. As a result, even if an arc occurs on the cut surface of the cut-out portion 53 of the conductor piece 50 when the cut-out portion 53 is cut from the conductor piece 50 constituting a part of a predetermined electric circuit by the projectile 40, the generated arc is rapidly and effectively extinguished.

[0075] [Actions and Effects] As described above, the interrupter 1 according to this embodiment includes the housing 10 that defines the storage space 13 extending in a predetermined direction (up and down in this example), the igniter 20 provided in the housing 10, the projectile 40 that is disposed in the storage space 13 and is fired along the storage space 13 by receiving energy from the igniter 20 when the igniter 20 is activated, and the conductor piece 50 that is provided in the housing 10 so as to cross the storage space 13 and forms part of an electric circuit. The conductor piece 50 has a cut-out portion 53 formed in a part thereof so as to be cut off by the projectile 40 fired by activation of the igniter 20 to cut off the electric circuit, and the cut-out portion 53 is disposed so as to be located on the path of the projectile 40 in the storage space 13. Furthermore, the housing 10 of the interrupter 1 according to this embodiment has a resin housing main body 100 extending in the vertical direction and penetrated by a hollow portion 106 forming a part of the accommodation space 13, and a reinforcing frame 130 that reinforces the housing main body 100, and the housing main body 100 holds the conductor piece 50 such that the cut portion 53 of the conductor piece 50 is located inside the hollow portion 106. The reinforcing frame 130 is joined to the housing main body 100 so as to surround the periphery of the hollow portion 106.

[0076] In the electric circuit breaker, if the resin housing that holds the conductor is deformed or damaged by the impact generated when the projectile cuts the conductor, the electrical insulation performance after the circuit breaker is activated may be affected. For example, the resin of the housing may crack when the conductor is cut, and the copper evaporated from the conductor may enter the cracks in the resin, causing a decrease in the insulation resistance. In addition, for example, in order to suppress thermal deformation of the housing, it is preferable to use a resin material with high heat resistance for the housing, but from the viewpoint of impact resistance when the conductor is cut, even a resin material with high heat resistance may not be usable for the housing, which narrows the range of resin material choices.

[0077] In contrast, in the circuit breaker 1 according to the present embodiment, the reinforcing frame 130 is joined to the housing body 100 so as to surround the periphery of the cavity 106. Since the reinforcing frame 130 is disposed around the cavity 106, the housing body 100, which is a member defining the cavity 106, is suitably reinforced. This increases the strength of the housing 10. As a result, deformation and damage of the housing body 100 caused by the impact when the conductor piece 50 is cut is suppressed, and thus the deterioration of the electrical insulation performance of the circuit breaker 1 after operation can be suppressed. Furthermore, in the present embodiment, since the reinforcing frame 130 is formed in a continuous ring shape so as to surround the periphery of the cavity 106, the strength of the housing 10 can be more suitably increased. Here, the impact load acting on the housing body 100 when the conductor piece 50 is cut is high in the vicinity of the conductor piece 50 (i.e., in the vicinity of the pair of conductor piece holding holes 105A, 105B). Therefore, it is preferable that the reinforcing frame 130 is disposed in the vicinity of the conductor piece 50. Moreover, the reinforcing frame 130 is preferably disposed at least in a region overlapping with the conductor piece 50 in a plan view (i.e., when viewed along the emission direction). This makes it possible to suitably suppress deformation and damage of the housing main body 100 in the vicinity of the conductor piece 50.

[0078] Furthermore, according to the breaking device 1 of this embodiment, by reinforcing the housing body 100, even a material with a relatively low impact resistance can be used as the material for the housing body 100. For example, in a high-temperature environment, when the resin of the housing reaches 175°C or higher during normal current flow in an electric circuit, nylon, which has a heat-resistant temperature of 200°C or higher, can be used as the material for the housing body 100 instead of polycarbonate, which is thermally deformed at 175°C or lower.

[0079] Furthermore, the reinforcing frame 130 according to this embodiment is made of metal, which makes it possible to more suitably reinforce the housing body 100 made of resin.

[0080] Furthermore, in this embodiment, by making the reinforcing frame 130 from aluminum, it is possible to suppress an increase in the weight of the housing 10 while increasing the strength of the housing 10. However, the reinforcing member of the present disclosure may be formed from an iron-based material such as stainless steel or carbon steel. By using an iron-based material, it is possible to suppress the cost of the reinforcing member. Examples of carbon steel that is used as the material for the reinforcing member include S25C.

[0081] Furthermore, the reinforcing frame 130 according to this embodiment is integrally formed with the housing body 100 by injection molding. This allows the housing body 100 and the reinforcing frame 130 to be firmly joined together, thereby enabling the housing body 100 to be suitably reinforced.

[0082] Furthermore, the housing 10 according to this embodiment has a top holder 110 and a bottom container 120 which are attached to the housing main body 100 to cooperate with the housing main body 100 to form the accommodation space 13. The reinforcing frame 130 has an upper surface convex portion 132 and a lower surface convex portion 133 exposed to the outside of the housing main body 100, and the upper surface convex portion 132 and the lower surface convex portion 133 are formed with mounting holes 135 for mounting the top holder 110 and the bottom container 120 to the housing main body 100 using a fastening member 70. As a result, the top holder 110 and the bottom container 120 are attached to the housing main body 10 in a state of abutting against the reinforcing frame 130. 0, it is possible to prevent the resin housing main body 100 from being deformed (deformed, for example, collapsed) by the fastening force of the fastening member 70. The top holder 110 and the bottom container 120 correspond to examples of "housing members" according to the present disclosure, but the housing members according to the present disclosure are not limited to these. The housing member may be, for example, only one of the top holder 110 and the bottom container 120, or may include other members.

[0083] Furthermore, the housing main body 100 according to the present embodiment has a pair of holding parts 100A, 100B formed to sandwich the conductor piece 50 from a predetermined direction (vertical direction in this example), and one reinforcing frame 130 is provided on each of the pair of holding parts 100A, 100B. Specifically, the upper holding part 100A is provided with an upper reinforcing frame 130A, and the lower holding part 100B is provided with a lower reinforcing frame 130B. In this way, by providing at least one reinforcing frame 130 on each of the pair of holding parts 100A, 100B, the conductor piece 50 is sandwiched from above and below by the reinforcing frame 130. As a result, the housing main body 100 can be reinforced more suitably. Note that in the present disclosure, the number of reinforcing members is not particularly limited. Only one reinforcing member may be provided, or three or more reinforcing members may be provided. For example, only one of the upper reinforcing frame 130A and the lower reinforcing frame 130B may be provided.

[0084] <Modification> Hereinafter, an electric circuit breaker according to a modified example of the embodiment will be described. In the description of the modified example, differences from the circuit breaker 1 described in Fig. 1 to Fig. 10 will be mainly described, and detailed description of the similarities to the circuit breaker 1 will be omitted.

[0085] [Variation 1] 11 is a vertical cross-sectional view showing an internal structure of the shutoff device 1A according to the first modification of the embodiment in an initial state before operation. The shutoff device 1A according to the first modification is different from the shutoff device 1 described above in that the upper reinforcing frame 130A and the lower reinforcing frame 130B are not integrally molded with the housing main body 100, and the housing main body 100 is sandwiched between the upper reinforcing frame 130A and the lower reinforcing frame 130B from above and below. In the first modification, the upper reinforcing frame 130A is sandwiched between the upper surface 101 of the housing main body 100 and the flange portion 111 of the top holder 110, and the lower reinforcing frame 130B is sandwiched between the lower surface 102 of the housing main body 100 and the flange portion 121 of the bottom container 120, and the respective members are fastened by the fastening member 70. That is, in the first modification, the upper reinforcing frame 130A and the lower reinforcing frame 130B, which are separate from the housing main body 100, are fastened to the housing main body 100 by the fastening member 70.

[0086] According to the interrupter 1A of the first modification, the housing body 100 can be suitably reinforced by sandwiching the housing body 100 from above and below with the pair of reinforcing frames 130. Furthermore, in the interrupter 1A of the first modification, the upper reinforcing frame 130A is interposed between the upper surface 101 of the housing body 100 and the flange portion 111 of the top holder 110, and the lower reinforcing frame 130B is interposed between the lower surface 102 of the housing body 100 and the flange portion 121 of the bottom container 120, so that the pair of reinforcing frames 130 function as a gasket. This can increase the airtightness of the accommodation space 13. Note that, like the interrupter 1A of the first modification, the reinforcing member according to the present disclosure does not have to be integrally formed with the conductor piece holding member.

[0087] [Variation 2] 12 is a vertical cross-sectional view showing the internal structure of a cutoff device 1B according to a second modification of the embodiment in an initial state before activation. The cutoff device 1B according to the second modification differs from the above-mentioned cutoff device 1B in that the bottom container 120 of the housing 10 and the nut 702 of the fastening member 70 are integrally molded from a resin material. The breaking device 1 is different from the breaking device 1. In the breaking device 1, the bottom container 120 and the nut 702 are integrally molded with a resin material in a state where the bottom container 120 is not attached to the housing main body 100 and the bolt 701 is not screwed into the nut 702. In the breaking device 1B according to the second modification, the nut 702 is disposed on the outer surface of the flange portion 121 of the bottom container 120, and the outer surface of the flange portion 121 is coated with a resin material. Reference numeral 90 in FIG. 12 indicates a resin coating that integrates the bottom container 120 of the housing 10 and the nut 702 of the fastening member 70. According to the breaking device 1B according to the second modification, since the bolt 701 is fixed to the bottom container 120 by the resin coating 90, when the bottom container 120 is attached to the housing main body 100, the bolt 701 can be screwed into the nut 702 in the fixed state, and therefore the assembly work of the housing 10 can be facilitated. In addition, the nut 702 can be made less likely to loosen in a state where the housing 10 is assembled. The resin coating 90 covers the entire outer surface of the bottom container 120. This provides the bottom container 120 with electrical insulation properties. The material of the resin coating 90 is not particularly limited, and may be, for example, a synthetic resin such as nylon, polycarbonate, polyamide, or ABS resin. In addition, in the second modification, the top holder 110 of the housing 10 and the nut 702 may be integrally molded from a resin material. That is, in the second modification, it is sufficient that the nut for attaching the housing member to the conductor holding member using a bolt is integrally molded from a resin material.

[0088] Although the embodiments of the electrical circuit interruption device according to the present disclosure have been described above, each aspect disclosed herein may be combined with any other feature disclosed herein. [Explanation of symbols]

[0089] 1: Circuit breaker 10: Housing 13: Containment space 20:Igniter 40: Projectile 50: Conductor piece 53: Part to be excised 60: Coolant material 70: Fastening members 100: Housing body (an example of a conductor piece holding member) 110: Top holder (an example of a housing member) 120: Bottom container (an example of a housing member) 130: Reinforcement frame (an example of a reinforcing member)

Claims

1. A housing forming an internal storage space extending in a predetermined direction; an igniter provided in the housing; a projectile disposed in the storage space, the projectile being launched along the storage space by receiving energy from the igniter when the igniter is activated; a conductor piece provided in the housing so as to cross the storage space and forming a part of an electric circuit, the conductor piece having a cut-out portion formed so as to be cut off by the projectile fired by activation of the igniter to interrupt the electric circuit, the conductor piece being disposed so that the cut-out portion is located on a path of the projectile in the storage space; the housing is a conductor holding member made of resin and having a hollow portion extending in the predetermined direction and forming a part of the accommodation space therethrough, the conductor holding member holding the conductor piece such that the cut-out portion is located inside the hollow portion, and a reinforcing member reinforcing the conductor holding member; The reinforcing member is coupled to the conductor holding member so as to surround the periphery of the cavity. Electrical circuit interrupter.

2. The reinforcing member is made of metal.

2. An electrical circuit interruption device according to claim 1.

3. The reinforcing member is made of aluminum.

3. An electrical circuit interruption device according to claim 2.

4. The reinforcing member is formed of an iron-based material.

3. An electrical circuit interruption device according to claim 2.

5. The reinforcing member is integrally formed with the conductor holding member.

3. An electrical circuit interruption device according to claim 1 or 2.

6. the reinforcing member being separate from the conductor holding member and fastened to the conductor holding member by a fastening member; 3. An electrical circuit interruption device according to claim 1 or 2.

7. the housing includes a housing member that is attached to the conductor holding member to cooperate with the conductor holding member to form the accommodation space, the reinforcing member has an exposed portion exposed to an outside of the conductor holding member, The exposed portion has a mounting hole for mounting the housing member to the conductor holding member using a fastening member.

3. An electrical circuit interruption device according to claim 1 or 2.

8. The mounting hole is formed as a screw hole, The fastening member is formed as a male screw member, The housing member is fastened to the conductor holding member by screwing the male screw member into the screw hole.

8. An electrical circuit interruption device according to claim 7.

9. The mounting hole is formed as a self-locking screw hole having an anti-loosening structure.

9. An electrical circuit interruption device according to claim 8.

10. the conductor holding member has a pair of holding portions formed to sandwich the conductor piece from the predetermined direction, At least one of the reinforcing members is provided on each of the pair of holding portions.

3. An electrical circuit interruption device according to claim 1 or 2.

11. the housing includes a housing member that is attached to the conductor holding member to cooperate with the conductor holding member to form the accommodation space, The housing member is integrally formed with a nut made of a resin material for attaching the housing member to the conductor holding member using a bolt.

3. An electrical circuit interruption device according to claim 1 or 2.

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