Cutout gear

Abstract

To provide a cutout gear capable of improving insulation performance.SOLUTION: A cutout gear 2a includes: an igniter 10 that generates a gas; a pusher 60 positioned below the igniter 10; a conductor 50 that has a separation part 51 located below pusher 60 and a holding part 52 connected to the separation part 51; a first housing (e.g., upper housing 20) with the pusher 60 is disposed; an insulating material 210a located under the holding part 52; a second metal housing (e.g., lower housing 230) within which insulating material 210a is disposed; and a resin member 40 for holding the holding part 52. The pusher 60 is configured to receive a pressure from the gas generated by the igniter 10 and push the separation part 51 below the holding part 52. The insulating material 210a covers the inside surface of the second housing. The end 213a of the insulating material 210a is in contact with the end 243a of the resin member 40, and the end 243a is located between the end 213a and the holding portion 52.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 7

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present disclosure relates to an isolating device. [Background technology]

[0002] Conventionally, there has been known a circuit breaker that is connected to an electric circuit for use. Patent Document 1 discloses a circuit breaker in which a reinforcing frame is arranged inside a housing (casing) of the circuit breaker. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] International Publication No. 2018 / 003594 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] Incidentally, in the electrical circuits of electric vehicles and the like, from the viewpoint of preventing serious damage before it occurs, the importance of a circuit breaker that can more reliably break the electrical circuit is increasing.

[0005] Therefore, the present disclosure provides a circuit breaker that can improve insulation performance. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] A circuit breaking device according to one embodiment of the present disclosure comprises an igniter that generates gas, a conductor having a pusher located below the igniter, a separation portion located below the pusher, and a holding portion connected to the separation portion, a first housing in which the pusher is disposed, an insulating member located below the holding portion, a metal second housing in which the insulating member is disposed, and a resin member that holds the holding portion, wherein the pusher is configured to press the separation portion downward below the holding portion under the pressure of the gas generated by the igniter, the insulating member covers the inner surface of the second housing, an end of the insulating member is in contact with an end of the resin member, and the end of the resin member is located between the end of the insulating member and the holding portion. [Effects of the Invention]

[0007] According to one aspect of the present disclosure, it is possible to realize a circuit breaker that can improve insulation performance. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0008] [Figure 1A] FIG. 1A is a front view showing a blocking device according to a first embodiment. [Figure 1B] FIG. 1B is a perspective view showing the blocking device according to the first embodiment. [Figure 2A] FIG. 2A is a cross-sectional view showing the configuration of the circuit breaking device according to the first embodiment before the circuit breaking operation. [Figure 2B] FIG. 2B is a cross-sectional view showing the configuration of the circuit breaking device according to the first embodiment after the circuit breaking operation. [Figure 3A] FIG. 3A is a perspective view showing the insulating member according to the first embodiment as viewed from above. [Figure 3B] FIG. 3B is a front view showing the insulating member according to the first embodiment. [Figure 3C] FIG. 3C is a perspective view showing the insulating member according to the first embodiment as viewed from below. [Figure 4A] FIG. 4A is a perspective view showing the lower housing according to the first embodiment as viewed from above. [Figure 4B] FIG. 4B is a front view showing the lower housing according to the first embodiment. [Figure 4C] FIG. 4C is a perspective view showing the lower housing according to the first embodiment as viewed from below. [Figure 5] FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view showing the configuration of the circuit breaker according to the second embodiment before the circuit breaker performs a circuit breaker operation. [Figure 6A] FIG. 6A is a perspective view showing an insulating member according to the second embodiment as viewed from above. [Figure 6B] FIG. 6B is a front view showing the insulating member according to the second embodiment. [Figure 6C] FIG. 6C is a perspective view showing the insulating member according to the second embodiment as viewed from below. [Figure 7] FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view showing the configuration of a circuit breaking device according to a modification of the second embodiment before the circuit breaking operation. [Figure 8] FIG. 8 is a front view showing an insulating member according to a modified example of the second embodiment. [Figure 9] FIG. 9 is a cross-sectional view showing the configuration of the circuit breaking device according to the third embodiment before the circuit breaking operation. [Figure 10A] FIG. 10A is a perspective view showing an insulating member according to the third embodiment as viewed from above. [Figure 10B] FIG. 10B is an exploded perspective view showing the insulating member according to the third embodiment as viewed from above. [Figure 11] FIG. 11 is a flowchart showing a manufacturing process of the interrupter according to the embodiment and the like. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0009] A circuit breaking device according to one aspect of the present disclosure comprises an igniter that generates gas, a conductor having a pusher located below the igniter, a separation portion located below the pusher, and a retaining portion connected to the separation portion, a cover member located below the separation portion and made of metal, an insulating member located inside the cover member and below the separation portion, and a resin member at least a portion of which is located inside the cover member and holds the retaining portion, wherein the pusher is configured to separate the separation portion from the conductor under pressure of the gas generated by the igniter, the resin member and the insulating member cover the inner surface of the cover member, an end of the insulating member overlaps an end of the resin member, and a lower end of the end of the resin member is located lower than an upper end of the end of the insulating member.

[0010] As a result, the end of the insulating member and the end of the resin member are arranged so as to overlap, and therefore, when an arc or a conductive gas (hereinafter also referred to as conductive gas, etc.) generated by the arc flows between the end of the insulating member and the end of the resin member, it is cooled, thereby reducing the conductivity of the conductive gas, etc. In other words, when the conductive gas, etc. comes into contact with the metal cover member, it is possible to prevent the current interrupted when the separator is cut by the pusher from being re-conducted through the cover member. Therefore, from the viewpoint of preventing re-conduction, it is possible to improve the insulating performance of the circuit breaker.

[0011] Furthermore, for example, the end of the insulating member may be located between the end of the resin member and the cover member.

[0012] As a result, the end of the insulating member is located between the end of the resin member and the cover member, which increases the creepage distance of the arc from the cut surface of the separation part to the cover member, making it easier to extinguish the arc. Furthermore, the high-temperature conductive gas generated during the interruption operation causes the resin member to move (or deform) the insulating member in a direction toward the outside (radially outward) of the circuit breaker, thereby further reducing the gap between the insulating member and the resin member and effectively reducing the conductivity of the conductive gas, etc. Therefore, the circuit breaker can be more reliably prevented from re-conducting.

[0013] Furthermore, for example, the end of the resin member may be located between the end of the insulating member and the cover member.

[0014] As a result, since the end of the resin member is located between the end of the insulating member and the cover member, the creeping distance of the arc from the cut surface of the separation part to the cover member can be extended, making it easier to extinguish the arc and more reliably preventing re-conduction.

[0015] Furthermore, for example, the cover member may have a convex portion located below the insulating member, the convex portion protruding upward and being pressed by the pusher.

[0016] This means that the convex portion of the cover member is positioned below the insulating member (i.e., the insulating member is positioned between the separating portion and the cover member), thereby extending the path along which the arc occurs and, as a result, more reliably preventing re-conduction.

[0017] Furthermore, for example, a gap may be provided between the cover member and the insulating member, and the gap may be located below the insulating member.

[0018] This allows the insulating member to move downward by the gap when pressed by the pusher, thereby preventing the insulating member from being damaged by the pressure from the pusher, thereby improving the insulating performance of the circuit breaker from the viewpoint of preventing the insulating member from being damaged.

[0019] Also, for example, a gap may be provided between the cover member and the insulating member, the insulating member having a first portion covering the top of the convex portion of the cover member and a second portion located below the first portion, the second portion covering the inner surface of the bottom of the cover member, and the gap may be located between the bottom of the cover member and the lower surface of the second portion.

[0020] This allows the insulating member to move downward by the gap when the protrusion is pressed by the pusher, thereby preventing the insulating member from being damaged by the pressure from the pusher, thereby improving the insulating performance of the circuit breaker from the viewpoint of preventing the insulating member from being damaged.

[0021] Also, for example, the insulating member may have a first member that covers the top of the convex portion of the cover member and a second member that is arranged to overlap a part of the first member, and the second member covers the inner surface of the bottom of the cover member, and the first member and the second member may be separate bodies.

[0022] As a result, since the insulating member is made up of two parts, the stress applied to the insulating member when the protrusion is pressed by the pusher can be dispersed, thereby preventing the insulating member from being damaged, and therefore, the insulating performance of the circuit breaker can be improved from the viewpoint of preventing the insulating member from being damaged.

[0023] Also, for example, the resin member may have an embedded portion in which the holding portion is embedded, a first cylindrical portion in which the pusher is disposed, and a second cylindrical portion located lower than the first cylindrical portion and having a larger diameter than the first cylindrical portion, and the inner diameter of the second cylindrical portion may be smaller than the inner diameter of the insulating member.

[0024] As a result, the insulating member covers the inner surface of the cover member, so that it is possible to prevent re-conduction while maintaining the size of the space in which the arc extends (while preventing the circuit breaker from becoming larger).

[0025] Note that the embodiments described below are all comprehensive or specific examples. The numerical values, shapes, components, component placement and connection configurations, steps (processes), and order of steps (processes) shown in the following embodiments are merely examples and are not intended to limit the present disclosure. Furthermore, among the components in the following embodiments, components not described in independent claims are described as optional components.

[0026] Furthermore, each figure is a schematic diagram and is not necessarily an exact illustration. Therefore, for example, the scales of the figures do not necessarily match. Furthermore, in each figure, substantially the same components are given the same reference numerals, and redundant explanations are omitted or simplified.

[0027] In this specification and drawings, the X-axis, Y-axis, and Z-axis refer to the three axes of a right-handed three-dimensional Cartesian coordinate system. In each embodiment, the Z-axis direction is the direction of movement of the pusher, the Y-axis direction is the direction of extension of the conductor, and the X-axis direction is the width direction of the conductor. In this specification, "front view" refers to a view from the positive side of the X-axis toward the negative side of the X-axis, "top view" refers to a view from the positive side of the Z-axis toward the negative side of the Z-axis, "cross-sectional view" refers to a view of a cross section of the interrupter taken along a plane passing through and parallel to the Z-axis, and "side" refers to a direction perpendicular to the Z-axis. In this specification, the Z-axis direction is also referred to as the up-down direction. However, in this specification, the up-down direction of the interrupter merely indicates the relative positional relationship of each element in the interrupter for the convenience of explaining each embodiment. For example, in this specification, the terms "upper" and "lower" do not refer to the upper direction (vertical upper) and lower direction (vertical lower) in absolute spatial recognition, but are used as terms defined by a relative positional relationship based on the moving direction of the pusher. Also, the posture when installing the blocking device is not limited to the direction shown in the drawings.

[0028] Furthermore, in this specification, terms indicating the relationship between elements, such as equal and orthogonal, terms indicating the shape of elements, such as circle, as well as numerical values and numerical ranges, are not expressions that express only the strict meaning, but are expressions that mean that a substantially equivalent range is included, for example, a difference of about several percent (or about 10%).

[0029] Furthermore, in this specification, ordinal numbers such as "first" and "second" do not refer to the number or order of components unless otherwise specified, but are used to avoid confusion and distinguish between components of the same type.

[0030] (Embodiment 1) The configuration of the shutoff device according to this embodiment will be described below with reference to Figs. 1A to 4C. Fig. 1A is a front view showing the shutoff device 1 according to this embodiment. Fig. 1B is a perspective view showing the shutoff device 1 according to this embodiment. Fig. 2A is a cross-sectional view showing the configuration of the shutoff device 1 according to this embodiment before the shutoff operation. Fig. 2B is a cross-sectional view showing the configuration of the shutoff device 1 according to this embodiment after the shutoff operation. Fig. 1B is a view in which the shutoff device 1 shown in Fig. 1A has been rotated around the Y-axis direction as the rotation axis to create a perspective view of the shutoff device 1 as seen from below.

[0031] In the perspective view, if there are axes that are in the same direction when the three axes of the three-dimensional Cartesian coordinate system are drawn on the paper, only one of the axes is shown. For example, in Figure 1B, the X-axis and Z-axis are in the same direction on the paper, so only the Z-axis is shown.

[0032] As shown in FIGS. 1A to 2B , the circuit breaker 1 includes an igniter 10, an upper housing 20, a lower housing 30, a resin member 40, a conductor 50, a pusher 60, a protective portion 80, elastic members 90, 92, 94, 96, and an insulating member 110. The circuit breaker 1 is mounted on an object having an electric circuit, and is activated in the event of an abnormality in the electric circuit, system, or the like within the object to interrupt the electric circuit, thereby preventing damage from becoming greater due to the abnormality. The circuit breaker 1 is mounted, for example, on a vehicle, which is an example of the object, and is connected between a motor and a battery (e.g., a lithium-ion battery) for driving the motor, and interrupts the electrical connection between the motor and the battery for driving the motor in the event of an emergency such as an abnormality or accident. Note that the object may be something other than a vehicle, and examples thereof include, but are not limited to, home appliances and solar power generation systems.

[0033] Igniter 10 holds explosives therein, has a lid 11 provided between the explosives and a pusher 60, is placed in recess 61, and generates gas. For example, igniter 10 is an electric igniter having an explosive part having an explosive and a conductive pin for conducting electricity to the explosive part. When activated, an operating current for igniting the explosive is supplied to the conductive pin from an external power source, thereby igniting and burning the explosive, generating gas (combustion gas). Note that the formation of recess 61 allows for the miniaturization of circuit breaker 1.

[0034] The igniter 10 is fixed to the upper small diameter portion 21 of the upper housing 20.

[0035] The upper housing 20 and the lower housing 30 are members that form the outer shell of the circuit breaker 1, and house the igniter 10, the resin member 40, part of the conductor 50, the pusher 60, the protective part 80, the elastic members 92, 94, 96, and the insulating member 110. A space 70 extending in the vertical direction is formed inside the upper housing 20 and the lower housing 30. The space 70 is a cylindrical space that allows the pusher 60 to move. The pusher 60 is housed at the upper end side (positive side of the Z axis) of the space 70 in the vertical direction (Z axis direction).

[0036] The upper housing 20 and the lower housing 30 are each made of a metal such as stainless steel (SUS), but may also be made of other metals such as aluminum. For example, the upper housing 20 and the lower housing 30 are made of metal. Note that it is sufficient that at least the lower housing 30 is made of metal, and the upper housing 20 may be made of, for example, resin.

[0037] Furthermore, the upper housing 20 and the lower housing 30 have a cylindrical outer shape, but the shape is not limited to this. Furthermore, the upper housing 20 and the lower housing 30 are directly connected and fixed by, for example, welding. The lower housing 30 is an example of a cover member. Furthermore, the upper housing 20 and the lower housing 30 are an example of a housing.

[0038] The upper housing 20 is, for example, a cylindrical member having a stepped cylindrical shape, and is hollow inside. The upper housing 20 has a small diameter portion 21 located at the top, a large diameter portion 23 located at the bottom, and a connecting portion 22 that connects these. The small diameter portion 21, connecting portion 22, and large diameter portion 23 are integrally formed. The small diameter portion 21 and large diameter portion 23 are arranged coaxially, and the large diameter portion 23 has a larger diameter than the small diameter portion 21.

[0039] The lower housing 30 is located below the separation portion 51, is a hollow cylindrical member with a bottom, and has a protrusion 30a that protrudes upward. Specifically, the lower housing 30 has the protrusion 30a, a bottom 33, and a side wall 34. The protrusion 30a, the bottom 33, and the side wall 34 are integrally formed.

[0040] In this specification, integral formation means that each component is formed from the same material, formed simultaneously, or is the same (single) object.

[0041] The protrusion 30a is located below the separation portion 51 and is configured to protrude upward in the space 70. The protrusion 30a is connected to one end of the bottom portion 33 and protrudes upward (toward the positive Z-axis) from the bottom portion 33 in the space 70. The protrusion 30a is configured to be pressed and deformed downward by the insulating member 110 that comes into contact with the pusher 60 that has moved downward due to the gas generated by the igniter 10. In other words, the protrusion 30a has the function of absorbing the impact (stress) from the pusher 60 by being pressed and deformed by the pusher 60. The protrusion 30a is also located below the insulating member 110.

[0042] Furthermore, when the interrupter 1 is viewed from the negative side of the Z axis toward the positive side of the Z axis, the protrusion 30a forming the recess of the lower housing 30 is exposed when viewed from the outside of the interrupter 1. In this embodiment, the protrusion 30a has a shape that tapers upward in the space 70, but the shape is not limited to this.

[0043] The bottom 33 connects the protrusion 30a and the side wall 34. In other words, the protrusion 30a and the side wall 34 are connected via the bottom 33. The outer surface and the inner surface of the bottom 33 are each inclined upward from the protrusion 30a toward the side wall 34.

[0044] The side wall portion 34 is connected to the other end of the bottom portion 33 and extends upward from the bottom portion 33. The side wall portion 34 has a tubular shape, and in this embodiment, has a cylindrical shape. The side wall portion 34 is arranged coaxially with the small diameter portion 21 and the large diameter portion 23. The side wall portion 34 has, for example, the same diameter as the large diameter portion 23.

[0045] In this embodiment, the thicknesses of the protrusion 30a, the bottom 33, and the sidewall 34 are the same, but may be different from one another, for example.

[0046] At least a portion of the resin member 40 is located inside the lower housing 30, and is a member that covers a portion of the conductor 50 (specifically, the holding portion 52). It can also be said that the resin member 40 holds the holding portion 52. The resin member 40 is also a part of the components that form the space 70. The resin member 40 has an embedded portion 41, a first cylindrical portion 42, and a second cylindrical portion 43.

[0047] The embedded portion 41 is a portion of the resin member 40 in which the conductor 50 (specifically, the holding portion 52) is embedded. For example, a portion of the embedded portion 41 is exposed from the housing. A through-hole is formed in the embedded portion 41 in which the conductor 50 (specifically, the holding portion 52) is disposed. The embedded portion 41 constitutes a portion of the first cylindrical portion 42.

[0048] The first cylindrical portion 42 is a portion of the resin member 40 that is disposed inside the housing, and the pusher 60 is disposed inside the first cylindrical portion 42 when the cutoff operation is not performed (when gas is not generated by the igniter 10). In other words, the first cylindrical portion 42 is located between the housing and the pusher 60. The first cylindrical portion 42 has a smaller inner diameter than the second cylindrical portion 43.

[0049] The second cylindrical portion 43 is a portion of the resin member 40 that is disposed within the housing and is located lower than the first cylindrical portion 42. The second cylindrical portion 43 has a larger diameter than the first cylindrical portion 42. For example, the inner diameter d2 (see FIG. 2A) of the second cylindrical portion 43 is larger than the inner diameter d1 (see FIG. 2A) of the first cylindrical portion 42. This increases the volume of the lower side of the space 70. This suppresses an increase in pressure within the housing due to the gas generated by the igniter 10 and the resulting downward movement of the pusher 60, thereby suppressing deformation of the cutoff device 1. The inner diameter d2 of the second cylindrical portion 43 is smaller than the inner diameter d3 of the insulating member 110. In other words, the inner diameters increase in the order of the first cylindrical portion 42, the second cylindrical portion 43, the insulating member 110, and the lower housing 30.

[0050] The second cylindrical portion 43 has an end portion 43a on the lower side. The end portion 43a is disposed inside the lower housing 30, and is, for example, a portion below the elastic member 96. The end portion 43a is formed, for example, in a tapered shape such that the inner diameter increases downward, but the shape of the end portion 43a is not limited to being tapered.

[0051] In this way, the pusher 60 moves within the space 70 formed by the first cylindrical portion 42 and the second cylindrical portion 43. The first cylindrical portion 42 and the second cylindrical portion 43 are not limited to having different inner diameters, and may have the same inner diameter.

[0052] The conductor 50 is a conductive metal body, a portion of which is located inside the upper housing 20 and the lower housing 30. The conductor 50 also forms part of a predetermined electric circuit when the circuit breaker 1 is attached to the electric circuit, and is also called a bus bar. The conductor 50 is a flat plate-like member that is held by the resin member 40 and is arranged so as to traverse the inside of the upper housing 20 and the lower housing 30. The conductor 50 has a separation portion 51 and a holding portion 52.

[0053] The separation portion 51 is a portion of the conductor 50 that is separated by the pusher 60 when it receives the pressure of the gas generated by the igniter 10, and is located below the pusher 60 in the initial position.

[0054] The holding portion 52 is a portion of the conductor 50 that is connected to the separation portion 51 and is held by the resin member 40. The holding portion 52 is a portion that does not overlap with the pusher 60 in a top view, for example, a portion that overlaps with the resin member 40 in a top view and a portion that is located outside the housing. The holding portion 52 remains held by the resin member 40 even after the separation portion 51 is separated.

[0055] The conductor 50 may be made of a metal such as copper (Cu). However, the conductor 50 may be made of a metal other than copper, or may be made of an alloy of copper and another metal. For example, the conductor 50 may be made of manganese (Mn), nickel (Ni), platinum (Pt), etc.

[0056] The pusher 60 is located below the igniter 10 and is arranged to be movable downward. When a system abnormality occurs, the pusher 60 moves downward to cut the conductor 50 and emergency shut down the electrical circuit. In this manner, the pusher 60 is configured to separate the separation portion 51 from the conductor 50 under the pressure of gas generated by the igniter 10. The pusher 60 is arranged at a first position (see FIG. 2A) between the separation portion 51 and the igniter 10, and moves from the first position toward a second position (see FIG. 2B) that is lower than the first position by breaking the separation portion 51. The second position is, for example, the position of the pusher 60 when the pusher 60 moves downward together with the separation portion 51 and the separation portion 51 comes into contact with the protrusion 30a.

[0057] Pusher 60 is formed of an insulating material such as synthetic resin. In this embodiment, pusher 60 is formed of nylon. Pusher 60 has a cylindrical shape and an outer diameter corresponding to the inner diameter of small diameter portion 21 of upper housing 20. Pusher 60 also has a recess 61, inside which igniter 10 is disposed. Note that the shape of pusher 60 is not limited to the above and can be changed as appropriate depending on the shapes of upper housing 20 and lower housing 30, etc. Recess 61 is the upper portion of pusher 60, and is the portion where a downwardly oriented recess is provided.

[0058] In a top view, the recess 61 has a first portion 62 having a larger diameter (e.g., inner diameter) than the first cylindrical portion 81 of the protective portion 80, and a second portion 63 located below the first portion 62 and having a larger diameter (e.g., inner diameter) than the second cylindrical portion 82. In a top view, the diameter of the first portion 62 is larger than the diameter of the second portion 63. For example, in a cross-sectional view, the inner wall of the first portion 62 has a tapered shape in which the diameter decreases toward the second portion 63, but it may also have a stepped shape in which the diameter decreases in stages.

[0059] Protective portion 80 is a component that prevents pusher 60 from being damaged by opening 11a (see FIG. 2B) of lid portion 11 of igniter 10 when igniter 10 generates gas. Specifically, protective portion 80 acts as a barrier to prevent opening 11a from opening too wide, and is a member that prevents opening 11a, which opens when igniter 10 generates gas, from coming into contact with pusher 60 and damaging recess 61 of pusher 60.

[0060] Protective portion 80 is provided on a housing (e.g., upper housing 20) or igniter 10, and has a portion located inside recess 61. In the present embodiment, protective portion 80 is provided on the housing (specifically, small diameter portion 21). Protective portion 80 is fixed to small diameter portion 21 by, for example, welding, but the fixing method is not limited to this.

[0061] 2A and 2B, the protection part 80 has a first cylindrical part 81 and a second cylindrical part 82. The first cylindrical part 81 and the second cylindrical part 82 are integrally formed.

[0062] The first cylindrical portion 81 is a cylindrical portion that surrounds the side of the igniter 10, and has a shape that follows the igniter 10. In the present embodiment, the first cylindrical portion 81 is formed in a stepped shape (for example, a two-step stepped shape) in which the diameter (for example, the inner diameter) gradually decreases toward the bottom in a cross-sectional view. Note that the shape of the first cylindrical portion 81 is not limited to this, and for example, the first cylindrical portion 81 may be tapered so that the diameter decreases toward the bottom, or may have another shape.

[0063] The first cylindrical portion 81 may be in at least partial contact with the igniter 10. The second cylindrical portion 82 is disposed at the lower end of the first cylindrical portion 81.

[0064] The first cylindrical portion 81 also has a flange portion 83 on its upper side. The flange portion 83 is an annular portion (e.g., a plate-shaped member) formed so as to protrude outward in a top view from the upper end of the first cylindrical portion 81, and is fixed to the small diameter portion 21 by welding or the like. For example, at least a portion of the flange portion 83 is disposed between the first part 62 and the small diameter portion 21. In this way, the first cylindrical portion 81 has a portion that connects to the housing and is fixed to the housing.

[0065] The second cylindrical portion 82 is located below the first cylindrical portion 81 and is an annular portion having a smaller diameter (e.g., inner diameter) than the first cylindrical portion 81. The second cylindrical portion 82 protrudes linearly from the lower end of the first cylindrical portion 81 toward the negative Z-axis side and is the portion that comes into contact with the lid portion 11 when gas is generated. The lower end (the end on the negative Z-axis side, for example, the lowest end) of the second cylindrical portion 82 is located below (on the negative Z-axis side) the lower end (the end on the negative Z-axis side, for example, the lowest end) of the lid portion 11 when no gas is generated.

[0066] The protective portion 80 is formed of a metal such as stainless steel (SUS), but may be formed of other metals such as aluminum, or may be formed of a resin (for example, a resin different from that of the pusher 60).

[0067] 2A and 2B, the elastic members 90, 92, 94, and 96 are elastic members such as rubber, and are annular O-rings. Each of the elastic members 90, 92, 94, and 96 is disposed in a compressed state (deformed state).

[0068] Elastic member 90 is disposed in a space formed between fixing member 100 for fixing igniter 10 disposed in recess 61, igniter 10, and small diameter portion 21. Elastic member 90 is in contact with each of fixing member 100, igniter 10, and small diameter portion 21, and is pressed by, for example, each of fixing member 100, igniter 10, and small diameter portion 21.

[0069] The elastic member 92 is positioned between the housing and the pusher 60 and is pressed against the housing to press the outer surface of the pusher 60. The elastic member 92 is also arranged to fit along the outer surface of the pusher 60. In this embodiment, the elastic member 92 is arranged in the space formed between the housing (e.g., the connecting portion 22), the pusher 60, and the resin member 40 to prevent the internal space of the recess 61 from being spatially connected to the space outside the internal space (e.g., the space between the pusher 60 and the resin member 40). The elastic member 92 prevents the gas generated by the igniter 10 from leaking from the internal space of the recess 61 to the external space. This prevents the gas generated by the igniter 10 from escaping from the internal space of the recess 61 and causing a decrease in the gas pressure in the recess 61.

[0070] In this embodiment, the elastic member 92 is in contact (for example, surface contact) with the housing, the pusher 60, and the resin member 40, and is pressed by, for example, the housing, the pusher 60, and the resin member 40, respectively.

[0071] 2A, the cross-sectional shape of the elastic member 92 when pressed is triangular, but is not limited to this. Furthermore, the cross-sectional shape of the elastic member 92 when not pressed is not particularly limited as long as it can spatially separate the internal space of the recess 61 and the conductor 50 after pressing, and may be circular, polygonal (for example, rectangular), or elliptical.

[0072] In this specification, "pressing" includes not only one member pressing another member, but also the pressing of the one member or another member by the repulsive force generated by the elastic deformation of the other member.

[0073] The elastic member 94 is disposed above the conductor 50 in a space formed between a circumferential recess formed in the resin member 40 and a housing (for example, the large diameter portion 23) in order to prevent spatial connection between the space above the conductor 50 and the external space. In this embodiment, the elastic member 94 is in contact with the resin member 40 and the large diameter portion 23, and is pressed by the resin member 40 and the large diameter portion 23, for example.

[0074] The elastic member 96 is disposed below the conductor 50 in a space formed between a circumferential recess formed in the resin member 40 and the lower housing 30 (for example, the side wall portion 34) in order to prevent spatial connection between the space below the conductor 50 and the external space. In this embodiment, the elastic member 96 is in contact with the resin member 40 and the side wall portion 34, and is pressed by, for example, the resin member 40 and the side wall portion 34.

[0075] The elastic members 94 and 96 are not limited to being arranged without gaps in the circumferential recess, and gaps may be formed in at least one of the vertical directions.

[0076] The insulating member 110 is an insulating member located inside the lower housing 30 and below the separation portion 51. The insulating member 110 preferably has a shape that matches the shape of the lower housing 30. For example, if the lower housing 30 has an inclined portion (e.g., the bottom portion 33), the insulating member 110 preferably also has an inclined portion (e.g., a portion of the second portion 112 that is inclined). In this embodiment, the insulating member 110 is provided in the form of a layer having a constant thickness along the inner surface of the lower housing 30. Furthermore, the thickness of the insulating member 110 may be thinner than the thickness of the lower housing 30, for example.

[0077] The insulating member 110 has a first portion 111 and a second portion 112 .

[0078] The first portion 111 is a portion of the insulating member 110 having a shape that conforms to the protrusion 30a, and covers the inner surface of the protrusion 30a. The first portion 111 is provided, for example, to cover the top of the protrusion 30a. In this embodiment, the first portion 111 is provided so as to contact the inner surface of the protrusion 30a.

[0079] The second part 112 is located below the first part 111 and covers the inner surface of the bottom part 33. In the present embodiment, the second part 112 is provided without contacting the bottom part 33 before the interruption operation. As a result, a gap 72 (see FIG. 2A ) located below the insulating part 110 is provided between the insulating part 110 and the lower housing 30 (e.g., the bottom part 33) (between the lower surface of the second part 112 and the bottom part 33). The gap 72 is an example of a gap.

[0080] Providing the gap 72 allows the insulating member 110 to move (deform) into the gap 72 when the protrusion 30a is deformed, thereby preventing the insulating member 110 from being damaged by stress. The second portion 112 also covers a part of the inner surface of the side wall portion 34. If the portion of the second portion 112 that is provided along the inner surface of the side wall portion 34 is defined as the end portion 113, in the example of Fig. 2A, the inner diameter d3 of the insulating member 110 is the distance in the Y-axis direction between the radially opposing end portions 113.

[0081] The size of the gap 72 may be determined to match the expected deformation size of the convex portion 30a, for example, by making the height (length in the Z-axis direction) of the convex portion 30a greater than the height of the convex shape of the insulating member 110.

[0082] The first portion 111 and the second portion 112 are integrally formed. The insulating member 110 is made of, for example, a resin having insulating properties (for example, a synthetic resin). For example, the insulating member 110 is formed by molding a resin.

[0083] The insulating member 110 may be realized by applying an insulating material to the inner surface of the lower housing 30. For example, the insulating member 110 may be formed by coating the inner surface of the lower housing 30 with an insulating material so as to cover the inner surface. In this case, the insulating member 110 and the lower housing 30 are provided integrally.

[0084] As shown in FIGS. 2A and 2B , the resin member 40 and the insulating member 110 cover the inner surface of the lower housing 30 before and after the interruption operation. For example, the resin member 40 and the insulating member 110 may cover the inner surface of the lower housing 30 so that the inner surface of the lower housing 30 is not exposed. The resin member 40 and the insulating member 110 partially overlap each other when viewed in the radial direction. Specifically, the end 113 of the insulating member 110 and the end 43a of the resin member 40 overlap each other in the radial direction. More specifically, the lower end 43b of the end 43a of the resin member 40 is located below the upper end 113a of the end 113 of the insulating member 110. The lower end 43b is located below the upper end 113a in the circumferential direction. Furthermore, since the end 113 is located outside the end 43a, the end 113 is located between the end 43a and the lower housing 30.

[0085] The ends 113 and 43a may overlap, for example, by 1 mm or more in the Z-axis direction, more preferably by 3 mm or more, and even more preferably by 5 mm or more, where 1 mm, 3 mm, and 5 mm are lengths in the Z-axis direction.

[0086] Furthermore, a gap 74 is provided between the end 113 and the end 43a. The gap 74 may be provided over the entire circumferential direction, or may be provided over a portion of the circumferential direction. The gap 74 is a narrow gap that can cool the high-temperature conductive gas generated by the arc during the interruption operation while the conductive gas passes through. The width of the gap 74 (the distance between the end 113 and the end 43a, which is the length in the Y-axis direction in the example of FIG. 2A) is 1 mm or less, for example, 0.5 mm or less. The width of the gap 74 is the average value of the distance between the end 113 and the end 43a in the circumferential direction, but may also be the maximum value, minimum value, mode value, median value, etc.

[0087] As a result, when the high-temperature conductive gas flows into the gap 74, the conductive gas is cooled, and the conductivity of the conductive gas can be reduced. Since the conductivity of the conductive gas that has flowed out of the gap 74 has been reduced, even if the conductive gas comes into contact with the lower housing 30, the conductor 50 is prevented from becoming conductive again.

[0088] It is not necessary to provide the gap 74. In other words, the end 113 and the end 43a may be in contact over the entire circumferential direction.

[0089] Here, the configurations of insulating member 110 and lower housing 30 will be further described with reference to FIGS. 3A to 4C. FIG. 3A is a perspective view showing insulating member 110 according to the present embodiment as viewed from above. FIG. 3B is a front view showing insulating member 110 according to the present embodiment. FIG. 3C is a perspective view showing insulating member 110 according to the present embodiment as viewed from below. FIG. 3A is a view of insulating member 110 rotated about the Y-axis direction to obtain a perspective view of insulating member 110 shown in FIG. 3B as viewed from above, and FIG. 3C is a view of insulating member 110 rotated about the Y-axis direction to obtain a perspective view of insulating member 110 shown in FIG. 3B as viewed from below.

[0090] 3A to 3C, the first portion 111 of the insulating member 110 is a hollow, bottomless, truncated cone-shaped member. The second portion 112 has an end portion 113 and a sloping portion that connects the end portion 113 and the first portion 111. The sloping portion is tapered, with an inner diameter that increases toward the end portion 113. The end portion 113 is a bottomless, tubular member that extends in the Z-axis direction.

[0091] Fig. 4A is a perspective view of the lower housing 30 according to the present embodiment as viewed from above. Fig. 4B is a front view of the lower housing 30 according to the present embodiment. Fig. 4C is a perspective view of the lower housing 30 according to the present embodiment as viewed from below. Fig. 4A is a view in which the lower housing 30 has been rotated about the Y-axis direction as the axis of rotation to create a perspective view of the lower housing 30 shown in Fig. 4B as viewed from above, and Fig. 4C is a view in which the lower housing 30 has been rotated about the Y-axis direction as the axis of rotation to create a perspective view of the lower housing 30 shown in Fig. 4B as viewed from below.

[0092] As shown in FIGS. 4A to 4C , the protrusion 30a of the lower housing 30 is a hollow, bottomless, truncated cone-shaped member. The bottom 33 is tapered such that the inner diameter increases toward the side wall 34. The side wall 34 is a bottomless, tubular member extending in the Z-axis direction. The length of the side wall 34 in the Z-axis direction is longer than the length of the end 113 in the Z-axis direction. The inner diameter of the side wall 34 is larger than the inner diameter d3 of the end 113. The side wall 34 is configured to cover the end 113 from the outside. The fixing portion 35 is a portion for fixing the upper housing 20 and the lower housing 30 together, and is provided so as to protrude upward from the side wall 34. The fixing portion 35 is joined by welding or the like to a fixing portion (not shown) provided in the upper housing 20 so as to protrude downward.

[0093] As described above, the circuit breaker 1 has a configuration in which the inner surface of the lower housing 30 is not exposed and the insulating resin members (the resin member 40 and the insulating member 110) partially overlap when viewed in the radial direction.

[0094] (Embodiment 2) The configuration of the interrupting device according to this embodiment will be described below with reference to FIGS. 5 to 6C. FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view showing the configuration of interrupting device 2 according to this embodiment before the interrupting operation. FIG. 6A is a perspective view showing insulating member 210 according to this embodiment as viewed from above. FIG. 6B is a front view showing insulating member 210 according to this embodiment. FIG. 6C is a perspective view showing insulating member 210 according to this embodiment as viewed from below. FIG. 6A is a view of insulating member 210 rotated about the Y-axis direction to obtain a perspective view of insulating member 210 shown in FIG. 6B as viewed from above, and FIG. 6C is a view of insulating member 210 rotated about the Y-axis direction to obtain a perspective view of insulating member 210 shown in FIG. 6B as viewed from below.

[0095] The following description will focus on the differences from embodiment 1, and will omit or simplify the description of the same or similar content as embodiment 1. The isolating device 2 according to this embodiment differs from the isolating device 1 according to embodiment 1 in that the lower housing 230 does not have the convex portion 30a and has a flat bottom surface.

[0096] As shown in FIG. 5, the circuit breaker 2 includes a lower housing 230 instead of the lower housing 30 of the circuit breaker 1, and an insulating member 210 instead of the insulating member 110.

[0097] The lower housing 230 has a plate-shaped portion 230a, a bottom portion 33, and a side wall portion 34. The plate-shaped portion 230a, the bottom portion 33, and the side wall portion 34 are integrally formed.

[0098] The plate-shaped portion 230a is a flat member, and in this embodiment is disk-shaped. The inner surface of the plate-shaped portion 230a is flat.

[0099] 5 to 6C, insulating member 210 has a shape that fits the shape of lower housing 230. Insulating member 210 has first portion 211 and second portion 112. Insulating member 210 has first and second portions 211 and 112. As shown in FIG.

[0100] The first portion 211 is disposed opposite the plate-shaped portion 230a and covers the inner surface of the plate-shaped portion 230a. The first portion 211 is a flat plate-shaped member, and in this embodiment, is disk-shaped. In this embodiment, the first portion 211 is disposed at a predetermined distance from the plate-shaped portion 230a without contacting the plate-shaped portion 230a before the interruption operation.

[0101] The second portion 212 is located above the first portion 211, and covers the inner surface of the bottom portion 33 and part of the inner surface of the side wall portion 34. In the present embodiment, the second portion 112 is provided without contacting the bottom portion 33 before the interruption operation.

[0102] As a result, a gap 74 is provided between the insulating member 210 and the lower housing 230.

[0103] In the present embodiment, an example has been described in which end 113 of insulating member 210 is disposed between end 43a of resin member 40 and lower housing 230 in the radial direction, but the end of the resin member may be disposed between the end of the insulating member and the lower housing. A circuit breaker configured in this manner will be described in the following modified example.

[0104] (Modification of the second embodiment) The configuration of the interrupter according to this modification will be described below with reference to Fig. 7 and Fig. 8. Fig. 7 is a cross-sectional view showing the configuration of an interrupter 2a according to this modification before the interrupting operation. Fig. 8 is a front view showing an insulating member 210a according to this modification.

[0105] 7, the circuit breaker 2a includes an insulating member 210a instead of the insulating member 210 of the circuit breaker 2, and a resin member 40 having an end portion 243a instead of the end portion 43a. As described above, the circuit breaker 2a is configured such that the end portion 243a of the resin member 40 is located between the end portion 213a of the insulating member 210a and the lower housing 230.

[0106] The end portion 243a has an outer surface that contacts the lower housing 230 and an inner surface that is inclined.

[0107] 7 and 8, the insulating member 210a has a shape that fits the shapes of the lower housing 230 and the end portion 243a. The insulating member 210a has a first portion 211 and a second portion 212a.

[0108] The second portion 212a is located above the first portion 211 and covers the inner surface of the bottom portion 33 and the inner surface (inclined surface) of the end portion 243a. In the present embodiment, the second portion 212a is provided so that it does not contact the bottom portion 33 before the blocking operation and the end portion 213a contacts the inner surface of the end portion 243a. The end portion 213a has a shape that follows the shape of the inner surface of the end portion 243a and contacts the inner surface of the end portion 243a over the entire circumferential direction. The end portion 213a has a tapered shape with an inner diameter that decreases upward.

[0109] As described above, the interrupter 2a has a configuration in which the inner surface of the lower housing 230 is not exposed, and portions of the insulating resin members (the resin member 40 and the insulating member 210a) overlap in the order of the insulating member 210a and the resin member 40 in a direction toward the outside in the circumferential direction.

[0110] (Embodiment 3) The configuration of the circuit breaker according to this embodiment will be described below with reference to Figs. 9 to 10B. Fig. 9 is a cross-sectional view showing the configuration of circuit breaker 3 according to this embodiment before circuit breaking operation. Fig. 10A is a perspective view showing insulating member 310 according to this embodiment as viewed from above. Fig. 10B is an exploded perspective view showing insulating member 310 according to this embodiment as viewed from above.

[0111] The following description will focus on the differences from embodiment 1, and will omit or simplify the description of the same or similar content as embodiment 1. The circuit breaker 3 according to this embodiment differs from the circuit breaker 1 according to embodiment 1 in that the insulating member 310 is composed of multiple members.

[0112] As shown in FIG. 9, the circuit breaker 3 includes an insulating member 310 instead of the insulating member 110 of the circuit breaker 1.

[0113] As shown in FIGS. 9 to 10B, insulating member 310 has first member 320 and second member 330. First member 320 and second member 330 are separate members. Separate members here mean that first member 320 and second member 330 are physically separated in an installed state. Separate members may mean that first member 320 and second member 330, which are separate members, are not fixed together. Separate members may also mean that first member 320 and second member 330 are manufactured separately in a manufacturing process.

[0114] The first member 320 covers the protrusion 30a of the lower housing 30. For example, the first member 320 covers the top of the protrusion 30a. The first member 320 has a shape that follows the protrusion 30a, and its cross section is a U-shape rotated 180 degrees. The end of the first member 320 is a free end, and can be deformed by stress from the pusher 60.

[0115] The second member 330 covers the bottom 33 of the lower housing 30. The second member 330 covers the bottom 33, the side wall 34, and part of the protrusion 30a. The second member 330 has a shape that mainly follows the shape of the bottom 33 and the side wall 34, and has a cross-sectional shape with two U-shaped portions.

[0116] The second member 330 is disposed so as to overlap, as viewed in the radial direction, a portion of the first member 320. This makes it possible to prevent the inner surface of the lower housing 230 from being exposed, even when the insulating member 310 is configured from the first member 320 and the second member 330, which are separate members.

[0117] The second member 330 does not contact the first member 320 at the overlapping portion. In other words, a gap 76 is provided between the first member 320 and the second member 330. Like the gap 74, the gap 76 is a narrow gap that can cool the high-temperature conductive gas generated by the arc during the breaking operation while the conductive gas passes through. Furthermore, because the second member 330 does not contact the first member 320, it is possible to prevent the stress that the first member 320 receives from the pusher 60 from being transmitted to the second member 330. In other words, it is possible to prevent the second member 330 from being damaged by the stress from the pusher 60.

[0118] The second member 330 has an end 113 , which constitutes an end of the insulating member 310 .

[0119] 10A and 10B, the first member 320 and the second member 330 are detachable. The first member 320 is simply placed on the second member 330. In other words, the first member 320 is simply placed on the second member 330 so as to cover an opening 331 formed at the top of the portion of the second member 330 that protrudes toward the internal space.

[0120] (Method of manufacturing the circuit breaker) Next, a method for manufacturing the interrupter device according to each of the embodiments configured as described above will be described with reference to Fig. 11. Fig. 11 is a flowchart showing the manufacturing process of the interrupter device 1 according to embodiment 1. While Fig. 11 shows the manufacturing process of the interrupter device 1 according to embodiment 1, the same applies to the interrupters 2, 2a, and 3 according to the other embodiments and modifications.

[0121] 11, an upper housing 20 made of resin or metal is produced by resin molding, metal molding, or the like (S10), a lower housing 30 made of metal is produced by metal molding, or the like (S20), and an insulating member 110 is produced by resin molding, or the like (S30). Note that the order of steps S10 to S30 may be reversed, or at least two of them may be performed simultaneously.

[0122] Next, the upper housing 20 and the lower housing 30 are fixed together (S40). For example, the upper housing 20 and the lower housing 30 are joined by welding or the like with the igniter 10, the resin member 40, the conductor 50, the pusher 60, the protective part 80, the elastic members 90, 92, 94, 96, and the insulating member 110 housed inside. At this time, the upper housing 20 and the lower housing 30 are joined without any gaps with the insulating member 110 housed so as to cover the inner surface of the lower housing 30. In this way, the above-mentioned circuit breaker 1 is produced.

[0123] (Other embodiments) Although the blocking device according to one or more aspects has been described above based on each embodiment, etc., the present disclosure is not limited to these embodiments, etc. As long as it does not deviate from the spirit of the present disclosure, various modifications that a person skilled in the art can conceive of to this embodiment and forms constructed by combining components of different embodiments may also be included in the present disclosure.

[0124] The order of the steps in the method for manufacturing an interrupter device described above may be interchanged. Furthermore, the steps in the method for manufacturing an interrupter device described in the above embodiment may be performed in a single step or in separate steps. "Performed in a single step" is intended to include the steps being performed using a single device, being performed consecutively, or being performed at the same location. "Separate steps" is intended to include the steps being performed using separate devices, being performed at different times (e.g., on different days), or being performed at different locations. [Industrial Applicability]

[0125] The present disclosure is useful for a circuit breaker disposed in an electric circuit or the like. [Explanation of symbols]

[0126] 1, 2, 2a, 3 Circuit Breaker 10 Igniter 11 Lid 11a opening 20 Upper housing 21 Small diameter section 22 Connection 23 Large diameter section 30, 230 Lower housing (cover member) 30a convex part 33 Bottom 34 Side wall 35 Fixed part 40 Resin parts 41 Buried section 42, 81 First cylinder part 43, 82 Second cylinder part 43a, 113, 213a, 243a end 43b Bottom end 50 Conductors 51 Separation section 52 Holding part 60 Pusher 61 Recess 62, 111, 211 Part 1 63, 112, 212, 212a 2nd part 70 space 72 Gap 74, 76 gap 80 Protection Department 83 Flange 90, 92, 94, 96 Elastic members 100 Fixing member 110, 210, 210a, 310 insulating member 113a top end 230a Plate-shaped part 320 First member 330 Second member 331 Aperture d1, d2, d3 inner diameter

Claims

1. an igniter for generating gas; a pusher located below the igniter; a conductor having a separation portion located below the pusher and a holding portion connected to the separation portion; a first housing in which the pusher is disposed; an insulating member located below the holding portion; a second housing made of metal in which the insulating member is disposed; a resin member that holds the holding portion; Equipped with the pusher is configured to receive pressure of the gas generated by the igniter and push the separating portion downward below the holding portion, the insulating member covers the inner surface of the second housing, an end of the insulating member contacts an end of the resin member; The end of the resin member is located between the end of the insulating member and the holding portion. Shut-off device.

2. The end of the resin member is disposed inside the second housing. The shutoff device according to claim 1 .

3. The end of the resin member overlaps the end of the insulating member. The shutoff device according to claim 1 .

4. the second housing has a protrusion located below the insulating member, The protrusion protrudes upward and is pressed by the pusher. The shutoff device according to any one of claims 1 to 3.

5. a gap is provided between the second housing and the insulating member, The gap is located below the insulating member. The shutoff device according to any one of claims 1 to 3.

6. The insulating member is a first portion covering the underside of the separation portion; a second portion connected to the first portion and covering a side surface of the second housing; and The second portion covers the inner surface of the bottom of the second housing. The shutoff device according to any one of claims 1 to 3.

7. The insulating member is a first member that covers a bottom of the separation portion of the second housing; a second member having an overlapping portion arranged to overlap a portion of the first member in a top view, the overlapping portion being arranged below the first member; and the second member covers an inner surface of a bottom portion of the second housing, the second member covers an inner surface of a side portion of the second housing, The first member and the second member are separate members. The shutoff device according to any one of claims 1 to 3.

8. The resin member is a buried portion in which the holding portion is buried; a first cylindrical portion in which the pusher is disposed; a second cylindrical portion located below the first cylindrical portion and having a larger diameter than the first cylindrical portion; and The inner diameter of the second cylindrical portion is smaller than the inner diameter of the insulating member. The shutoff device according to any one of claims 1 to 3.

9. the first housing is made of metal, The first housing and the second housing are fixed together. The shutoff device according to claim 1 .

Images