Circuit interruption device

Abstract

To provide an electric path cutting device that reliably cuts off an electric path when a storage battery or an electric path is immersed in water.SOLUTION: An electric path cutting device 1 is provided in each storage battery module 15 of a plurality of storage battery modules 15 connected in series, and a joint part 6 for connecting / cutting off an electric path includes a pair of fixed terminals 2 provided at the ends of the divided electric path, and a movable conductor 3 hung between the fixed terminals 2 for electrically connecting the fixed terminals 2 to each other, and a float 5 flowing on water is connected to the lower part of the movable conductor 3 to form an integral unit, and the movable conductor 3 also rises and becomes detached from the fixed terminal 2 due to rising of the float 5, thereby cutting off the electrical path.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 9

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to an electric circuit interrupting device, and more particularly to an electric circuit interrupting device that can reliably interrupt an electric circuit to avoid a dangerous situation such as flooding of an electric circuit when such a dangerous situation occurs. [Background technology]

[0002] Storage batteries are becoming popular for storing power generated by solar power generation systems, storing power during the night, and as emergency power sources. Because of their weight, these batteries are often installed at low positions, which means they are prone to flooding during heavy rains and other events. This not only causes the batteries to deteriorate, but can also lead to short circuits in the circuitry during flooding, which can cause fires and other emergencies. Therefore, measures to prevent this are being proposed. For example, in Patent Document 1, a water-swellable material is placed at an opening such as an exhaust port of a box that houses a storage battery, and acts to block the opening when water enters the battery, thereby preventing water from entering the battery and preventing the battery itself from becoming flooded. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2013-131416 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] However, with the technology of Patent Document 1, it was difficult to maintain a good waterproof state when a situation occurred in which the device was submerged due to a flood, etc., because the inundation continued for a long time. Also, although there was no risk of fire when the device was submerged because a power outage occurred, once the water receded and power was restored, fires were likely to occur due to short circuits, etc., so a structure was required that would reliably cut off the electrical circuit when the device was submerged.

[0005] In view of the above problems, the present invention aims to provide an electric circuit interrupting device that reliably interrupts an electric circuit when a storage battery or its electric circuit is submerged in water. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] In order to solve the above problem, the invention of claim 1 is an electric circuit interruption device provided in each storage battery module of multiple storage battery modules connected in series, characterized in that the contact part for connecting / interrupting the electric circuit has a pair of fixed terminals provided at the ends of the divided electric circuit and a movable conductor that is hung between the fixed terminals to electrically connect the fixed terminals, and a float that floats on water is connected to the movable conductor directly or via a connecting member, and when the float rises, the movable conductor separates from the fixed terminals, thereby interrupting the electric circuit. With this configuration, water intrusion causes the float to rise and the contacts to open, so the electrical circuit can be reliably interrupted when water gets in, preventing accidents caused by leakage or short circuits. In addition, because no control circuit or control power supply is required, a configuration that operates reliably can be achieved at low cost. By attaching a circuit breaker to each battery module connected in series, the battery modules can be individually separated even in a power outage, preventing high voltages from occurring in an emergency. This prevents high voltages from occurring even if the battery module is submerged in water, minimizing damage caused by submersion.

[0007] Claim 2 is characterized in that, in the configuration described in claim 1, the fixed terminal is arranged horizontally, while the movable conductor is arranged to span the upper part of the fixed terminal, and further has a guide member to guide the up and down movement of the movable conductor, and the float is connected to the lower part of the movable conductor and formed integrally therewith, so that when the float rises, the movable conductor also rises and becomes detached from the fixed terminal. According to this configuration, the float is directly connected to the movable conductor, so that the configuration can be simple and inexpensive.

[0008] The invention of claim 3 is characterized in that, in the configuration described in claim 2, the guide member has a holding means for holding the movable conductor that has been released in the released position, and the held movable conductor does not descend even if the float descends or is in a state where it can descend. With this configuration, the contacts that open due to submersion or other reasons will not return to their original positions even when the submersion is resolved, because the movable conductor is held by the retaining means. This prevents the circuit from being reconnected when the submersion ceases, and avoids the risk of fire due to leakage or malfunction.

[0009] The invention of claim 4 is characterized in that, in the configuration described in claim 2 or 3, the contact part is housed in a box that is open only downward, and is arranged so that only a part of the float is exposed downward from the box. With this configuration, even if the box is submerged in water, the air pressure inside the box prevents water from reaching the contact points, thereby protecting the contact points.

[0010] The invention of claim 5 is characterized in that, in the configuration described in claim 1, the fixed terminal is arranged horizontally, while the movable conductor is arranged to span the top of the fixed terminal, and further has a guide member to guide the up and down movement of the movable conductor, and the float and the movable conductor are connected by two rod bodies, a first rod body to which the float is connected and a second rod body to which the movable conductor is connected, which are bendably connected, and further, each rod body is arranged to be swingable with a pivot point, and when the float rises, the tip of the second rod body to which the movable conductor is connected rises, and the movable conductor is separated from the fixed terminal. According to this configuration, since the float and the movable conductor are separated, it is easy to arrange the contact portion so that it is not submerged in water.

[0011] The invention of claim 6 is characterized in that, in the configuration described in claim 1, the fixed terminals are arranged vertically, while the movable conductor is arranged vertically so as to span both fixed terminals, and further has a guide member that guides the vertical sliding movement of the movable conductor along the fixed terminals, and the float is connected to the movable conductor and formed integrally therewith, so that when the float rises, the movable conductor also slides upward, thereby releasing the electrical connection with the fixed terminal. With this configuration, when the float rises relative to the vertically arranged contact portion, the movable conductor slides upward, breaking the electrical connection, thereby breaking the electrical path with a simple structure.

[0012] The invention of claim 7 is characterized in that, in the configuration described in claim 1, the fixed terminals are arranged vertically, while the movable conductor is arranged vertically so as to span both fixed terminals, and further has a guide member that guides the vertical sliding movement of the movable conductor along the fixed terminals, and the movable conductor is connected to the float via a connecting member so that its relative position with the float does not change, and when the float rises, the movable conductor also slides upward, thereby releasing the electrical connection with the fixed terminal. With this configuration, when the float rises relative to the vertically arranged contact part, the movable conductor slides upward, breaking the electrical connection, and the electrical circuit can be interrupted with a simple structure. Furthermore, because the float and the movable conductor are separated, it is easy to position the contact part so that it does not become submerged in water. [Effects of the Invention]

[0013] According to the present invention, the float rises when water gets in, opening the contacts, so the electrical circuit can be reliably interrupted when water gets in, preventing accidents caused by leakage or short circuits. In addition, because no control circuit or control power supply is required, a configuration that operates reliably can be realized at low cost. By attaching a circuit breaker to each battery module connected in series, the battery modules can be individually separated even in a power outage, preventing high voltages from occurring in an emergency. This prevents high voltages from occurring even if the battery module is submerged in water, minimizing damage caused by submersion. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0014] [Figure 1] 1A and 1B are explanatory views showing an example of an electric circuit interrupting device according to the present invention, in which (a) is a side view and (b) is a front view. [Figure 2] 2A and 2B show the movable conductor of FIG. 1 in a raised state, with (a) being a side view and (b) being a front view. [Figure 3] 2 is an explanatory diagram showing the circuit interrupting device of FIG. 1 housed in a box. [Figure 4] 10A and 10B are front explanatory views showing another embodiment of an electric circuit interrupting device, in which FIG. 10A shows an energized state and FIG. [Figure 5] 10A and 10B are explanatory views showing another embodiment of an electric circuit interrupting device, in which FIG. 10A is a side view and FIG. [Figure 6] 6A and 6B are explanatory views showing a state in which the movable conductor in FIG. 5 is raised, in which (a) is a side view and (b) is a partial front view. [Figure 7] 10A and 10B are explanatory views showing another embodiment of an electric circuit interrupting device, in which FIG. 10A is a side view and FIG. [Figure 8] 8A and 8B are explanatory views of the state in which the movable conductor in FIG. 7 is raised, in which (a) is a side view and (b) is a partial front view. [Figure 9] 1 is an explanatory diagram showing an electric circuit interrupting device of the present invention attached to an electric circuit equipped with a storage battery module. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0015] Hereinafter, embodiments embodying the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. Fig. 1 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of an electric circuit interrupting device according to the present invention, with (a) being a side view and (b) being a front view. The electric circuit interrupting device 1 comprises a fixed terminal 2, a movable conductor 3, a guide member 4, and a float 5. The fixed terminal 2, the movable conductor 3, and the guide member 4 constitute a contact portion 6. The fixed terminals 2 divide the horizontally arranged electric paths and are arranged at both ends of the divided path with a predetermined distance between them. The movable conductor 3 is arranged above the pair of fixed terminals 2 and is installed so as to bridge them.

[0016] The movable conductor 3 is composed of movable terminals 31, which are contacts provided on both ends and electrically connected to the fixed terminals 2, and a connecting conductor 32 that connects the movable terminals 31 together. When these two movable terminals 31 are connected to the respective fixed terminals 2, the contact section 6 is in a closed state. The connecting conductor 32 is connected to and integrated with the float 5 arranged below. The float 5 is made of, for example, foamed resin and has a cubic shape. It is formed so as to have sufficient buoyancy in water.

[0017] The guide members 4 are members that guide the vertical movement of the movable conductor 3, and are arranged upright on the left and right of both fixed terminals 2, so as to sandwich the movable terminal 31. The guide members 4 are provided with claws 41 that engage with the raised movable conductor 3 and hold it in the raised position. The claws 41 have a horizontal upper surface and an inclined lower surface, are configured so as to be retractable into the guide member 4, and are arranged while being biased in the protruding direction. When the movable conductor 3 rises, the claws 41 are retracted and the movable conductor 3 rises smoothly. On the other hand, the protruding claws 41 are caught on the underside of the raised movable conductor 3, preventing the movable conductor 3 from falling.

[0018] Figure 2 shows the movable conductor 3 in a raised state, with (a) being a side view and (b) being a front view. In Figure 2, W indicates the intruded water. As shown in Figure 2, when the float 5 rises due to buoyancy caused by the intrusion of water W, the movable conductor 3 also rises. The raised movable conductor 3 is prevented from falling by the action of the claw 41.

[0019] 3 shows a configuration in which the contact unit 6 of FIG. 1 is housed in a box body 8, with the movable conductor 3 raised. The entire bottom of the box body 8 is open, and the contact unit 6 is housed therein, with the lower part of the float 5 exposed from the open bottom surface. The box body 8 has a watertight and waterproof structure on each side, and is configured so that even if water W enters from below, the air pressure inside the box body 8 prevents the water W from entering the upper part of the box body 8. Therefore, the amount of water W that enters can be limited, and most of the interior area is made waterproof.

[0020] In this way, the float 5 rises due to the intrusion of water W, causing the contacts 6 to open and interrupting the electrical circuit, thereby reliably interrupting the electrical circuit when water W intrudes, preventing accidents and fires caused by leakage or short circuits. In addition, because it operates using the buoyancy of the float 5, no control circuit or control power supply is required, and a configuration that operates reliably can be realized at low cost. Furthermore, since the float 5 is directly connected to the movable conductor 3, it can be constructed with a simple structure at low cost. Furthermore, the contact 6 that has been opened will not return to its original position even if the submersion is resolved, because the movable conductor 3 is held by the tab 41 provided on the guide member 4. Therefore, the circuit will not be reconnected even if the submersion is resolved, and the risk of fire due to leakage or malfunction can be avoided. In addition, when the box body 8 is provided, even if the circuit interrupting device 1 is submerged, the air pressure inside the box body 8 can prevent water W from reaching the contact portion 6, thereby protecting the contact portion 6.

[0021] 4 is a front view illustrating another embodiment of the circuit interrupting device 1, where (a) shows the energized state and (b) shows the interrupted state. In FIG. 4, a configuration is shown in which the float 5 is separated from the movable conductor. The configuration of the contact unit 6 is the same as that of the embodiment in FIG. 1 above, so a description thereof will be omitted, and the explanation will focus on the connection structure between the float 5 and the contact unit 6. The movable conductor 3 of the contact portion 6 and the float 5 are connected via a rod (connecting member) 11 made of an insulating material. The rod 11 is composed of a first rod 11a connected to the float 5 and a second rod 11b connected to the movable conductor 3, which are swingably connected, and this pair of rods 11 are attached to the front and rear ends of the movable conductor 3, respectively. In this example, the float 5 is cylindrical.

[0022] Furthermore, the first rod body 11a and the second rod body 11b have rotation fulcrums P1 and P2, respectively. The rotation fulcrum P1 of the first rod body 11a is provided and fixed to a fixed member (not shown). The rotation fulcrum P2 of the second rod body 11b is provided to the guide member 4. By connecting the float 5 and the movable conductor 3 with the rod body 11 arranged in this way, when the float 5 rises due to intrusion of water, the movable conductor 3 also rises and, as shown in Figure 4(b), becomes detached from the fixed terminal 2, causing the contact part 6 to perform an interruption operation. Furthermore, since the float 5 and the movable conductor 3 are separated, it is easy to arrange the contact part 6 so that it does not become submerged in water.

[0023] 5 and 6 are explanatory diagrams showing other forms of the circuit interrupting device 1, showing a configuration in which the contact portion 6 is arranged vertically. Fig. 5 shows the conducting state, and Fig. 6 shows the interrupting state, with (a) being a side view and (b) being a front view of the periphery of one of the guide members 4 arranged at the top. As shown in the figure, the movable conductor 3 is also arranged vertically so as to be in close contact with the vertically arranged fixed terminal 2, and is suspended between the two fixed terminals 2. Guide members 4 provided on the left and right sides of the fixed terminal 2 guide the vertical sliding movement of the movable conductor 3, and the movable conductor 3 is configured to slide upward due to the action of a float 5.

[0024] The float 5 is arranged so as to surround the movable conductor 3, and is connected to and integrated with the movable conductor 3. The float 5 is also attached so that the movable conductor 3 can slide upward. In this case, of the two guide members 4 arranged in accordance with both fixed terminals 2 as shown in the figure, a claw piece 41 is placed on the upper one, which slides upward to keep the movable conductor 3 separated from the lower fixed terminal 2 and prevent it from descending.

[0025] In this way, when the float 5 rises relative to the vertically arranged contact portion 6, the movable conductor 3 slides upward and separates from at least one of the fixed terminals 2, thereby breaking the electrical connection. Therefore, the electrical circuit can be broken with a simple structure. In this configuration, part of the contact portion 6 is submerged before the electrical connection is released, but in the event of a large-scale disaster that results in submersion, a power outage will occur in the commercial power supply, etc., and therefore it is more important to prevent a fire caused by electrical current when power is restored than to deal with the problem of leakage due to submersion. For this reason, this configuration is quite effective.

[0026] 7 and 8 are explanatory diagrams showing other configurations of the circuit interrupting device 1, showing a configuration in which the contact unit 6 is arranged vertically. Fig. 7 shows the current-carrying state, and Fig. 8 shows the current-cutting state, with (a) being a side view and (b) being a front view of the area around one of the guide members 4 arranged at the top. As shown in the figures, the fixed terminal 2 and the movable conductor 3 are arranged vertically, as in the configuration of Fig. 5 above, and the movable conductor 3 is configured to slide upward due to the action of the float 5. The float 5 and the movable conductor 3 are connected via a connecting rod (connecting member) 13. The connecting rod 13 is firmly connected to both of them, and is configured so that the relative positions of both of them do not change. The connecting rod 13 may be made of an insulating material such as synthetic resin, or may be made of metal.

[0027] In this way, when the float 5 rises relative to the vertically arranged contact portion 6, the movable conductor 3 rises and at least one of the contacts is separated, thereby making it possible to break the electric circuit with a simple structure. Furthermore, since the float 5 and the movable conductor 3 are separated, the contact portion 6 can be easily arranged so as not to be submerged in water.

[0028] Fig. 9 is an explanatory diagram showing an electric circuit interrupting device 1 of the present invention attached to an electric circuit L1 equipped with a storage battery module 15. Fig. 9 shows a configuration in which a plurality of storage battery modules 15 are connected in series to the electric circuit L1 extending from a commercial power source 16 to a load 17. Reference numeral 18 denotes an input converter that converts the commercial power source 16 to direct current, and reference numeral 19 denotes an output converter that boosts the voltage of the storage battery module 15. An electric circuit interrupting device 1 is attached to each storage battery module 15, and an electric circuit interrupting device 1 is also arranged to interrupt the commercial power source 16 from the electric circuit L1. Since the circuit breaking device 1 does not require a control power supply, by attaching the circuit breaking device 1 to each storage battery module 15 in this way, the storage battery modules 15 connected in series can be individually separated even in a power outage, preventing the generation of high voltage in an emergency. Therefore, the generation of high voltage can be prevented even if the battery module is submerged, and damage caused by submersion can be minimized.

[0029] In the above embodiment, the movable conductor 3 is composed of the movable terminal 31 and the connecting conductor 32, but the entire movable conductor may be formed as a single rod body as a conductor. Furthermore, the shape of the float 5 is cubic or cylindrical, but it may be other shapes such as spherical. [Explanation of symbols]

[0030] 1·· Circuit interrupting device, 2·· Fixed terminal, 3·· Movable conductor, 4·· Guide member, 5·· Float, 6·· Contact part, 8·· Box body (case), 11·· Rod body, 11a·· First rod body, 11b·· Second rod body, 13·· Connecting rod, 15·· Storage battery module, 41·· Claw piece, P1, P2·· Pivot fulcrum, W·· Water.

Claims

1. A circuit breaking device provided in each of a plurality of storage battery modules connected in series, a contact portion for connecting / disconnecting an electric circuit includes a pair of fixed terminals provided at ends of the divided electric circuit, and a movable conductor that is stretched between the fixed terminals to electrically connect the fixed terminals to each other; A float that floats on water is connected to the movable conductor directly or via a connecting member, When the float rises, the movable conductor separates from the fixed terminal, thereby interrupting the electric circuit.

2. The fixed terminal is disposed laterally, and the movable conductor is disposed across the upper portion of the fixed terminal, Further, a guide member for guiding the vertical movement of the movable conductor is provided, 2. The circuit breaking device according to claim 1, wherein the float is integrally connected to a lower portion of the movable conductor, and when the float rises, the movable conductor also rises and separates from the fixed terminal.

3. 3. The circuit breaking device according to claim 2, wherein the guide member has a holding means for holding the movable conductor in the released position after the release operation, and the held movable conductor does not descend even when the float descends or is in a state where it can descend.

4. The contact portion is housed in a box that is open only downward, 4. The circuit breaking device according to claim 2, wherein the float is disposed so that only a portion of the float is exposed downward from the box body.

5. The fixed terminal is disposed laterally, and the movable conductor is disposed across the upper portion of the fixed terminal; Further, a guide member for guiding the vertical movement of the movable conductor is provided, The float and the movable conductor are connected by two rod bodies, a first rod body to which the float is connected and a second rod body to which the movable conductor is connected, which are bendably connected, and each of the rod bodies is arranged to be swingable about a pivot point, 2. The circuit breaking device according to claim 1, wherein when the float rises, the tip of the second rod body to which the movable conductor is connected rises, and the movable conductor is separated from the fixed terminal.

6. the fixed terminals are disposed in a vertical direction, and the movable conductor is disposed in a vertical direction so as to span both the fixed terminals; 2. The circuit interrupting device according to claim 1, further comprising a guide member for guiding the vertical sliding movement of the movable conductor along the fixed terminal, wherein the float is connected to the movable conductor and formed integrally therewith, and when the float rises, the movable conductor also slides upward, thereby breaking the electrical connection with the fixed terminal.

7. the fixed terminals are disposed in a vertical direction, and the movable conductor is disposed in a vertical direction so as to span both the fixed terminals; The movable conductor further includes a guide member for guiding the vertical sliding movement of the movable conductor along the fixed terminal, and the movable conductor is connected to the float via a connecting member so that the relative position of the movable conductor with the float does not change.

2. The circuit breaking device according to claim 1, wherein when the float rises, the movable conductor also slides upward, thereby releasing the electrical connection with the fixed terminal.

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