Interruption device

Abstract

An interruption device (1) comprises: a housing (for example, an upper housing (20) and a lower housing (30)); an electrical conductor (50) which includes an ignitor (10) disposed in the housing and a separation portion (51) disposed under the ignitor (10); a pusher (60) which is disposed in a first position between the separation portion (51) and the ignitor (10), and which breaks the separation portion (51) from the first position and moves toward a second position positioned lower than the first position; and a coolant (120) which is disposed under the pusher (60) and has a recess or a through-hole.

Description

Circuit breaker

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

[0002] Conventionally, a circuit breaker that is connected to an electric circuit is known. The circuit breaker includes a housing and a pusher disposed in the housing. The pusher moves from a first position to a second position by gas generated when an igniter is ignited. When the pusher moves from the first position to the second position, it breaks the electric circuit by breaking a conductor. Since an arc may occur when the conductor breaks, Patent Document 1 discloses a circuit breaker that includes a coolant inside the housing for extinguishing the arc (see Patent Document 1).

[0003] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2021-61147

[0004] From the viewpoint of improving arc extinguishing performance, it is desirable to improve the cooling performance of the circuit breaker.

[0005] A shutoff device according to one aspect of the present disclosure includes a housing, an igniter disposed within the housing, a conductor having a separation portion disposed below the igniter, a pusher disposed at a first position between the separation portion and the igniter and configured to break the separation portion from the first position and move toward a second position located below the first position, and a coolant disposed below the pusher and having a recess or a through hole.

[0006] A shutoff device according to one aspect of the present disclosure comprises a housing, an igniter disposed within the housing, a conductor having a separation portion disposed below the igniter, a pusher disposed at a first position between the separation portion and the igniter and configured to break the separation portion from the first position and move toward a second position located below the first position, and a coolant disposed below the pusher, wherein the coolant is constructed by stacking multiple layers and is positioned so that an end face of each of the multiple layers faces the underside of the pusher.

[0007] According to one aspect of the present disclosure, it is possible to realize a shutoff device that can improve cooling performance compared to conventional devices.

[0008] FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing an isolating device according to a first embodiment. FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the isolating device according to the first embodiment cut along the YZ plane. FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of the isolating device according to the first embodiment cut along the XZ plane. FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing a coolant according to the first embodiment. FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing a manufacturing process of the isolating device according to the first embodiment. FIG. 6 is a perspective view showing a coolant according to a first modified example of the first embodiment. FIG. 7 is a perspective view showing a coolant according to a second modified example of the first embodiment. FIG. 8 is a perspective view showing a coolant according to a third modified example of the first embodiment. FIG. 9 is a perspective view showing a coolant according to a fourth modified example of the first embodiment. FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view of the isolating device according to the second embodiment cut along the XZ plane. FIG. 11A is a perspective view showing another example of the coolant. FIG. 11B is a perspective view showing another example of the coolant. FIG. 11C is a perspective view showing another example of the coolant.

[0009] A shutoff device according to one aspect of the present disclosure includes a housing, an igniter disposed within the housing, a conductor having a separation portion disposed below the igniter, a pusher disposed at a first position between the separation portion and the igniter and configured to break the separation portion from the first position and move toward a second position located below the first position, and a coolant disposed below the pusher and having a recess or a through hole.

[0010] This increases the area of ​​contact between the arc or gas generated at ignition and the coolant compared to when the coolant does not have a recess or through-hole. This increased area promotes heat exchange between the arc or gas and the coolant, making it easier to absorb the heat of the arc or gas. Therefore, the circuit breaker can improve cooling performance compared to conventional circuit breakers.

[0011] Furthermore, for example, the recess or the through-hole may be one of a plurality of recesses or a plurality of through-holes provided in the coolant.

[0012] As a result, since there are a plurality of recesses or through holes, the cutting device can further improve the cooling performance.

[0013] Also, for example, it is preferable that the separation portion has a hole penetrating the separation portion, and the recess or the through hole of the coolant overlaps with the hole of the separation portion in a top view.

[0014] This allows gas generated during ignition to easily flow from the hole in the separation part to the recess or through-hole, facilitating heat exchange in the recess or through-hole, thereby improving the cooling efficiency of the cutoff device in the recess or through-hole.

[0015] Also, for example, it is preferable that the coolant has the recessed portion formed therein, the recessed portion being open upward and facing the lower surface of the pusher.

[0016] This allows gas flowing from the first position to the second position to easily flow into the recess during ignition, thereby promoting heat exchange in the recess, and thus the cutoff device can improve cooling efficiency in the recess.

[0017] Furthermore, for example, it is preferable that the coolant has the through-hole formed therein, and the through-hole penetrates the coolant from the upper surface to the lower surface of the coolant.

[0018] This allows the gas flowing from the first position to the second position to easily flow into the through hole during ignition, thereby promoting heat exchange in the through hole, and thus the cutoff device can further improve the cooling performance of the through hole.

[0019] Also, for example, it is preferable that the coolant is located below the separation portion, and the width of the opening of the recess or the width of the opening of the through-hole is larger than the width of the separation portion.

[0020] This makes it possible to prevent the opening of the recess or the opening of the through-hole from being blocked by the separating portion during ignition, thereby making it possible to more reliably perform heat exchange in the recess or the through-hole.

[0021] Also, for example, it is preferable that the coolant be configured by stacking a plurality of layers, and that an end face of each of the plurality of layers be disposed so as to face the lower surface of the pusher.

[0022] This makes it easier for gas flowing from the first position to the second position to flow into each interface of the multiple layers when ignition occurs, thereby enabling the cutoff device to further improve cooling performance compared to conventional devices.

[0023] Furthermore, for example, the recess may be provided on a side surface of the coolant, or the through-hole may penetrate through the side surface of the coolant.

[0024] This allows the gas flowing in from the side of the coolant to be effectively cooled at the time of ignition.

[0025] In addition, an interrupting device according to one aspect of the present disclosure includes a housing, an igniter disposed within the housing, a conductor having a separation portion disposed below the igniter, a pusher disposed at a first position between the separation portion and the igniter and configured to break the separation portion from the first position and move toward a second position located below the first position, and a coolant disposed below the pusher, wherein the coolant is configured by stacking multiple layers and is positioned so that an end face of each of the multiple layers faces the underside of the pusher.

[0026] As a result, during ignition, the gas flowing from the first position to the second position is more likely to flow into the interfaces of the layers, and the shutoff device can improve cooling performance compared to conventional devices. For example, the shutoff device improves cooling performance compared to a device in which a coolant is provided so that the gas flows perpendicularly to the interfaces of the layers.

[0027] Hereinafter, each embodiment will be specifically described with reference to the drawings.

[0028] Note that the embodiments described below are all comprehensive or specific examples. The numerical values, shapes, components, component placement and connection configurations, steps, and order of steps 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.

[0029] 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.

[0030] In this specification and drawings, the X-axis, Y-axis, and Z-axis represent 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, "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 the Z-axis 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, for the sake of convenience in describing each embodiment, the up-down direction of the interrupter in this specification merely indicates the relative positional relationship of each element in the interrupter. For example, in this specification, the terms "up" and "down" do not refer to the up (vertically upward) and down (vertically downward) directions in absolute spatial recognition, but are used as terms defined by relative positional relationships based on the direction of movement of the pusher. Furthermore, the orientation of the interrupter when installed is not limited to the direction shown in the drawings.

[0031] 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 also mean a substantially equivalent range, for example, including a difference of about several percent (or about 10%).

[0032] 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 for the purpose of avoiding confusion and distinguishing between components of the same type.

[0033] (First Embodiment) Hereinafter, a circuit breaking device according to the present embodiment will be described with reference to Figs.

[0034] [1-1. Configuration of the interrupter] First, the configuration of the interrupter according to this embodiment will be described with reference to Figs. 1 to 4. Fig. 1 is a perspective view showing the interrupter 1 according to this embodiment. Fig. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the interrupter 1 according to this embodiment cut along the YZ plane. Fig. 3 is a cross-sectional view of the interrupter 1 according to this embodiment cut along the XZ plane.

[0035] Fig. 1 is a view of the circuit breaker 1 rotated from the front view state around the Z axis as a rotation axis, with the view from the X axis direction being considered as a front view. Fig. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the circuit breaker 1 when not performing a circuit breaker operation (initial state) cut along the YZ plane, and Fig. 3 is a cross-sectional view of the circuit breaker 1 when not performing a circuit breaker operation (initial state) cut along the XZ plane.

[0036] As shown in FIGS. 1 to 3 , 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 a coolant 120. The circuit breaker 1 is mounted on an object having an electrical circuit and is activated in the event of an abnormality in the electrical circuit, system, or the like within the object, thereby interrupting the electrical circuit and preventing further damage from the abnormality. The circuit breaker 1 is mounted on, for example, a vehicle, which is an example of the object, and is connected between a motor and a battery (e.g., a lithium-ion battery) that drives the motor. The circuit breaker 1 interrupts the electrical connection between the motor and the battery in the event of an emergency such as an abnormality or accident. The object may be other than a vehicle, and examples include, but are not limited to, home appliances and solar power generation systems.

[0037] The igniter 10 holds explosives therein, has a lid 11 provided between the explosives and a pusher 60, is placed in the recess 61, and generates gas. For example, the igniter 10 is an electric igniter having an explosive part containing the explosives and a conductive pin for conducting electricity to the explosive part. When activated, an operating current for igniting the explosives is supplied to the conductive pin from an external power source, thereby igniting and burning the explosives and generating gas (combustion gas). Note that the formation of the recess 61 allows the circuit breaker 1 to be made more compact.

[0038] The igniter 10 is fixed to the upper small diameter portion 21 of the upper housing 20 .

[0039] The upper housing 20 and the lower housing 30 are components 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 coolant 120. 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).

[0040] The upper housing 20 and the lower housing 30 are each formed of a metal such as stainless steel (SUS), but may also be formed of other metals such as aluminum. The upper housing 20 and the lower housing 30 have a cylindrical outer shape, but the shape is not limited to this. The upper housing 20 and the lower housing 30 are directly connected and fixed by, for example, welding. The upper housing 20 and the lower housing 30 are an example of a housing.

[0041] The upper housing 20 is, for example, a cylindrical member having a stepped cylindrical shape and a hollow interior. The upper housing 20 has a small diameter portion 21 located at the top, a large diameter portion 23 located at the bottom, a connecting portion 22 connecting these, and a first fixing portion 24. The small diameter portion 21, connecting portion 22, large diameter portion 23, and first fixing portion 24 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. The small diameter portion 21, connecting portion 22, and large diameter portion 23 form a first main body portion 20a.

[0042] The first fixing portion 24 is a portion for fixing the upper housing 20 and the lower housing 30 together, and is provided so as to protrude downward from the first main body portion 20a (for example, the large diameter portion 23).

[0043] The lower housing 30 is a hollow, bottomed, cylindrical member having a protrusion 30a that protrudes upward. Specifically, the lower housing 30 has the protrusion 30a, a bottom 33, a sidewall 34, and a second fixing portion 35. The protrusion 30a, the bottom 33, the sidewall 34, and the second fixing portion 35 are integrally formed. A coolant 120 is disposed inside the lower housing 30. The protrusion 30a, the bottom 33, and the sidewall 34 form a second main body portion 30b.

[0044] In this specification, integral formation means that each component is formed from the same material, formed simultaneously, or is the same (single) object.

[0045] 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 come into contact with the pusher 60 that has moved downward due to the gas generated by the igniter 10, and to be pressed by the pusher 60 and deformed downward. In other words, the protrusion 30a has the function of absorbing the impact (stress) from the pusher 60 by deforming.

[0046] Furthermore, when the interrupter 1 is viewed from the negative side of the Z axis toward the positive side of the Z axis, the convex portion 30a forming the recess of the lower housing 30 is exposed when viewed from the outside of the interrupter 1. In this embodiment, the convex portion 30a has a shape that tapers upward in the space 70, but the shape is not limited to this.

[0047] In this specification, "contact" means that stress can be transmitted from one of the two members to the other. This may refer to direct contact between the two members, or to a configuration in which stress can be transmitted from one of the two members to the other via another member disposed between the two members. For example, "contact" here may refer to direct contact between the protruding portion 30 a and the separating portion 51, or may refer to a configuration in which stress from the protruding portion 30 a can be transmitted to the separating portion 51 via another member disposed between the protruding portion 30 a and the separating portion 51. In the latter example, for example, an arc-extinguishing agent (e.g., coolant 120) may be disposed between the protruding portion 30 a and the separating portion 51, or the separating portion 51 may be disposed between the protruding portion 30 a and the pusher 60.

[0048] 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.

[0049] 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 disposed 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.

[0050] The second 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 second main body portion 30b (e.g., the side wall portion 34). The second fixing portion 35 is provided at a position corresponding to the first fixing portion 24, and is arranged so as to overlap at least a portion of the first fixing portion 24 when viewed in the radial direction (the X-axis direction in the example of FIG. 3).

[0051] In the present embodiment, the second fixing portion 35 is directly connected (joined) to the first fixing portion 24, for example, by welding. The second fixing portion 35 is joined to the first fixing portion 24 by a welded portion 110. The welded portion 110 is the location where the first fixing portion 24 and the second fixing portion 35 are welded. The welding is performed by laser welding, but may be achieved by any method such as TIG (Tungsten Inert Gas) welding or projection welding.

[0052] The second fixing portion 35 may be connected to the first fixing portion 24 by a method other than welding, for example, by direct connection by soldering. Furthermore, the second fixing portion 35 is not limited to being directly connected to the first fixing portion 24, and may be connected by a fastening member such as a screw.

[0053] In this embodiment, the thicknesses of the protrusion 30a, the bottom 33, the side wall 34, and the second fixing portion 35 are the same, but may be different from one another, for example.

[0054] The resin member 40 is a member that covers a portion of the conductor 50. 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.

[0055] The embedded portion 41 is a portion of the resin member 40 in which the conductor 50 is embedded. For example, a portion of the embedded portion 41 is exposed from the housing. The embedded portion 41 has a through-hole formed therein in which the conductor 50 (specifically, the holding portion 52) is disposed.

[0056] The first cylindrical portion 42 is a portion of the resin member 40 that is disposed within the housing, and the pusher 60 is disposed inside the first cylindrical portion 42 when no cutoff operation is performed (when no gas is 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. The position of the pusher 60 shown in Figures 2 and 3 indicates the initial position when no cutoff operation is performed.

[0057] The second cylindrical portion 43 is a portion of the resin member 40 that is disposed inside the housing, and is located below the first cylindrical portion 42. The second cylindrical portion 43 has a larger inner diameter than the first cylindrical portion 42. This allows the volume of the lower side of the space 70 to be increased. Therefore, an increase in pressure inside the housing due to the gas generated by the igniter 10 and the resulting movement of the pusher 60 can be suppressed, and deformation of the cutoff device 1 can be suppressed.

[0058] In this manner, the pusher 60 moves within the space 70 formed by the first cylindrical portion 42 and the second cylindrical portion 43. Note that 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.

[0059] The resin member 40 also has an inner wall 40 a, a first outer wall 40 b, and a second outer wall 40 c. The first outer wall 40 b and the second outer wall 40 c are walls within a recess formed in the outer wall of the resin member 40 in the circumferential direction.

[0060] The inner wall 40 a is the inner surface of the resin member 40 and faces the outer wall 60 b of the pusher 60 .

[0061] The first outer wall 40b is disposed above the separation portion 51 within the housing, and is a portion covered by the upper housing 20. The first outer wall 40b is provided circumferentially so as to face the large diameter portion 23 in a cross-sectional view.

[0062] The second outer wall 40c is a portion that is disposed below the separation portion 51 within the housing and is covered by the lower housing 30. The second outer wall 40c is provided in a circumferential shape so as to face the side wall portion 34 in a cross-sectional view.

[0063] 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.

[0064] The conductor 50 can be formed of a metal such as copper (Cu). However, the conductor 50 may be formed of a metal other than copper, or may be formed of an alloy of copper and another metal. For example, the conductor 50 may be configured to include manganese (Mn), nickel (Ni), platinum (Pt), etc.

[0065] The separation portion 51 is a portion of the conductor 50 that is separated by the pusher 60 when pressure from the gas generated by the igniter 10 is applied, and is located below the pusher 60 in its initial position. The separation portion 51 has a hole 51a (through hole) formed therethrough. There is, for example, one hole 51a, but there may be multiple holes 51a. The shape of the hole 51a in a top view is, for example, circular, but may also be rectangular or the like, and the shape is not particularly limited. It is noted that the hole 51a does not necessarily have to be formed.

[0066] The holding portion 52 is a portion of the conductor 50 that 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, such as 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.

[0067] 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. In this manner, the pusher 60 is arranged at a first position (see FIGS. 2 and 3 ) between the separation portion 51 and the igniter 10, and moves from the first position toward a second position located below the first position after 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 30 a.

[0068] The pusher 60 is formed of an insulating material such as synthetic resin. In this embodiment, the pusher 60 is formed of nylon. The pusher 60 is cylindrical and has an outer diameter corresponding to the inner diameter of the small diameter portion 21 of the upper housing 20. The pusher 60 also has a recess 61, inside which the igniter 10 is disposed. Note that the shape of the pusher 60 is not limited to the above and can be changed as appropriate depending on the shapes of the upper housing 20 and the lower housing 30, etc. The recess 61 is the upper portion of the pusher 60, and is also the portion where a downwardly oriented recess is provided.

[0069] In addition, in the example of Figures 2 and 3, the recess 61 is a portion whose lateral surface is surrounded by the small diameter portion 21 and the connection portion 22 when the blocking device 1 is not performing the blocking operation (the state shown in Figures 2 and 3).

[0070] 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.

[0071] Protective portion 80 is a component that prevents pusher 60 from being damaged by lid portion 11 of igniter 10 when igniter 10 generates gas. Specifically, protective portion 80 acts as a barrier to prevent a portion of lid portion 11 from opening too wide, thereby preventing the portion that opens when igniter 10 generates gas from coming into contact with pusher 60 and damaging recess 61 of pusher 60.

[0072] 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.

[0073] 2 and 3, the protection portion 80 has a first cylindrical portion 81 and a second cylindrical portion 82. The first cylindrical portion 81 and the second cylindrical portion 82 are integrally formed.

[0074] The first cylindrical portion 81 is a cylindrical portion that surrounds the side of the igniter 10 and has a shape that fits the igniter 10. In the present embodiment, the first cylindrical portion 81 is formed in a stepped shape (e.g., a two-step stepped shape) in which the diameter (e.g., 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.

[0075] 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.

[0076] 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 from the upper end of the first cylindrical portion 81 in a top view, 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.

[0077] 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.

[0078] The protective portion 80 is formed of a metal such as stainless steel (SUS), but may also be formed of other metals such as aluminum, or may be formed of resin (for example, a resin different from that of the pusher 60).

[0079] 2 and 3, the elastic members 90, 92, 94, and 96 are elastic members such as rubber, and are O-rings formed in an annular shape. Each of the elastic members 90, 92, 94, and 96 is disposed in a compressed state (deformed state).

[0080] 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.

[0081] The elastic member 92 is positioned between the housing and the pusher 60 and is pressed against the housing to press against the outer surface (e.g., outer wall 60b) of the pusher 60. The elastic member 92 is also arranged to fit along the outer surface of the pusher 60. In the present 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, which would otherwise cause a decrease in the gas pressure in the recess 61.

[0082] 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.

[0083] The cross-sectional shape of the elastic member 92 when pressed is triangular, but is not limited to this. 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 (e.g., rectangular), or elliptical.

[0084] 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.

[0085] 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 the housing (e.g., 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 first outer wall 40b of the resin member 40 and the large diameter portion 23, respectively, and is pressed by the first outer wall 40b of the resin member 40 and the large diameter portion 23, for example.

[0086] 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 (e.g., the side wall 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 second outer wall 40c and the side wall 34 of the resin member 40, and is pressed by the second outer wall 40c and the side wall 34 of the resin member 40, for example.

[0087] 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.

[0088] The coolant 120 is preferably a laminated body made of fiber materials such as glass fiber. In particular, a laminated body made of glass wool is preferable. That is, the coolant 120 has a plurality of layers 121, and interfaces are formed at the boundaries between the plurality of layers 121. Note that in FIG. 3, each layer 121 is illustrated so that adjacent layers 121 are hatched differently from each other. Furthermore, the number of layers of the coolant 120 is not particularly limited.

[0089] 3, the multiple layers 121 are stacked along the X-axis direction, and the end surface 121a of each of the multiple layers 121 is disposed to face the lower surface 60a of the pusher 60. The end surface 121a forms the end surface (upper end surface) of the coolant 120 in a direction (positive Z-axis direction in the example of FIG. 3) perpendicular to the stacking direction of the layers 121 (X-axis direction in the example of FIG. 3).

[0090] The coolant 120, which is composed of multiple layers 121, is less permeable to gas flowing in the stacking direction of the layers 121 (in the example of Figure 3, the X-axis direction), but is more permeable to gas flowing in directions perpendicular to the stacking direction of the layers 121 (in the example of Figure 3, the Z-axis direction and Y-axis direction).

[0091] Furthermore, in the shutoff device 1, gas flows mainly from above downward (from the first position to the second position) during the shutoff operation. Therefore, by arranging the coolant 120 as shown in Fig. 3, the high-temperature gas that flows downward during the shutoff operation can easily pass through the inside of the coolant 120. This can effectively lower the temperature of the gas, thereby improving the cooling effect of the coolant 120.

[0092] The coolant 120 is disposed below the pusher 60, and in an initial state, is disposed in the space 70 in a compressed state, and is in contact with the protrusion 30a, the resin member 40, the conductor 50, and the pusher 60. The coolant 120 also has a recess or a through-hole 122.

[0093] The coolant 120 is configured to come into contact with the arc or gas generated during ignition, thereby absorbing the heat of the arc or gas and cooling the arc and gas. This suppresses an increase in pressure in the space 70 due to the generation of the arc. The gas here is gas that has become hot due to the generation of the arc. The gas may also include gas generated by the igniter 10.

[0094] The coolant 120 is not limited to being fibrous, such as glass fiber, and may be particulate. For example, the coolant 120 may be configured to include a large number of particles. The particles may be, for example, metal oxide particles such as alumina particles, or inorganic oxide particles such as silica.

[0095] Although the example in which the coolant 120 is disposed above the vicinity of the upper surface of the convex portion 30a has been described, at least a portion of the coolant 120 may be disposed below the vicinity of the upper surface of the convex portion 30a. For example, the coolant 120 may be disposed below the vicinity of the upper surface of the convex portion 30a, and in at least a portion of the annular space formed by the convex portion 30a, the bottom portion 33, and the sidewall portion 34.

[0096] The configuration of the coolant 120 will now be described with reference to Fig. 4. Fig. 4 is a perspective view showing the coolant 120 according to this embodiment. Note that, for convenience, Fig. 4 omits the illustration of the boundaries between the layers 121.

[0097] 3 and 4 , in this embodiment, a through-hole 122 is provided in the coolant 120. The through-hole 122 penetrates the coolant 120 from the upper surface of the coolant 120 toward the lower surface of the coolant 120 (from the positive side of the Z axis toward the negative side of the Z axis). The through-hole 122 is, for example, a cylindrical through-hole, but the shape is not particularly limited.

[0098] The through-hole 122 is provided at a position overlapping the hole 51a of the separation section 51 in a top view. For example, the through-hole 122 is formed concentrically with the hole 51a of the separation section 51 in a top view and has a larger diameter than the hole 51a. The coolant 120 is located below the separation section 51, and the opening width W2 of the through-hole 122 is larger than the width W1 of the separation section 51. Note that it is sufficient that the through-hole 122 and the hole 51a at least partially overlap in a top view.

[0099] The through hole 122 is a part of the space 70. The width W1 is the length of the separation portion 51 in the X-axis direction. The width W1 is the dimension of the coolant 120 when compressed by the protrusion 30 a, the resin member 40, the conductor 50, and the pusher 60.

[0100] With this type of coolant 120, the surface area of ​​the coolant in contact with the gas can be increased compared to when the through holes 122 are not formed. This allows more heat from the arc or gas to be absorbed, and the arc or gas to be cooled more effectively. By providing the through holes 122 in the coolant 120 in this way, it is possible to improve the cooling performance while suppressing an increase in the size of the circuit breaker 1 and an increase in the number of parts.

[0101] Furthermore, when the circuit breaker includes a resin member (e.g., resin member 40), carbonized gas may be generated from the resin member during the circuit breaker operation. This carbonized gas adheres to the surface of the coolant. This reduces the area of ​​contact between the arc or gas and the coolant, thereby reducing the cooling performance of the coolant. On the other hand, in this embodiment, the through-holes 122 are formed in the coolant 120, and the surface area of ​​the coolant 120 is large, so the impact of the carbonized gas on the cooling performance can be mitigated. Furthermore, since the arc or internal gas passes through the inside of the coolant 120, the interior of the coolant 120 can be effectively utilized. As a result, the coolant 120 according to this embodiment can improve cooling performance compared to conventional coolants.

[0102] 4 and 6 has a cylindrical outer shape, but as shown in FIGS. 11A to 11C, the outer shape of the coolant 320 may be a quadrangular prism. The outer shape of the coolant 320 may be other cylindrical shapes such as a triangular prism, a hexagonal prism, or an elliptical prism. Even when the outer shape of the coolant 320 is other than a cylindrical shape, the through-holes 322a and the recesses 322b are formed in the coolant 320 in the same manner as in the above-described embodiment.

[0103] Note that a plurality of through holes 322 a and a plurality of recesses 322 b may be formed in the coolant 320. The extending direction of the through holes 322 a and the recesses 322 b does not have to be the left-right direction or the up-down direction, and they may extend in an oblique direction.

[0104] [1-2. Method of Manufacturing Circuit Breaker] Next, a method of manufacturing the circuit breaker 1 configured as above will be described with reference to Fig. 5. Fig. 5 is a flowchart showing the manufacturing process of the circuit breaker 1 according to this embodiment.

[0105] 5, the upper housing 20 is produced by molding or the like (S10), and the lower housing 30 is produced by molding or the like (S20). In step S10, a protective portion 80 is further provided on the upper housing 20. For example, the protective portion 80 is fixed to the upper housing 20 by welding or the like. In step S20, the protrusion 30a is formed simultaneously with the molding of the lower housing 30.

[0106] Next, the coolant 120 is produced from the raw sheet for the coolant (S30). The raw sheet is a large sheet that is a laminate having a plurality of layers 121. In the raw sheet, the plurality of layers 121 are laminated in the thickness direction.

[0107] In step S30, the raw sheet is cut into individual pieces, for example, rectangular, and the cut surface, which is the surface (side surface) on which multiple layers are stacked, is punched out using a mold corresponding to the through hole 122, thereby forming the through hole 122.

[0108] The order of steps S10, S20 and S30 is not limited to this and may be reversed.

[0109] 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 fixed together 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 coolant 120 housed inside. At this time, the coolant 120 is in contact with the protrusion 30a, the resin member 40, the conductor 50, and the pusher 60, and is disposed in the space 70 in a compressed state by these. In this way, the above-described circuit breaking device 1 is produced.

[0110] (Various Modifications of First Embodiment) In the above embodiment, a coolant having through holes formed in the vertical direction has been described using FIG. 4, but the coolant is not limited to the shape shown in FIG. 4. Various modifications of the coolant will be described below with reference to FIGS. 6 to 9. FIGS. 6 to 9 are perspective views showing coolant according to various modifications of the first embodiment. The shutoff device according to the modifications may include any of the coolant according to the various modifications instead of the coolant 120 according to the first embodiment.

[0111] 6 to 9 are perspective views showing the coolant disposed in the housing. The layers 121 are not shown in FIGS. 6 to 9. The depth and shape of the recesses shown in FIGS. 6, 8, and 9, and the shape of the through-holes shown in FIG. 7 are not particularly limited as long as they allow gas to flow in.

[0112] 6, the shutoff device may include a coolant 120a having a recess 122a formed therein. The recess 122a opens upward (toward the positive side of the Z axis) and faces the lower surface 60a of the pusher 60. A width W3 of the opening of the recess 122a is greater than the width W1 of the separation portion 51, for example.

[0113] 7, the shutoff device may include a coolant 120b having a through-hole 122b penetrating the side surface thereof. The through-hole 122b is provided in a direction perpendicular to the moving direction (up-down direction) of the pusher 60.

[0114] 8, the shutoff device may include a coolant 120c having a recess 122c formed on a side surface thereof. The recess 122c is formed so as to open to the side (in a direction perpendicular to the Z axis).

[0115] 9, the shutoff device may include a coolant 120d having a plurality of recesses 122d formed on the upper surface thereof. The recess 122d constitutes one of the plurality of recesses 122d.

[0116] 9 shows an example in which the coolant 120d has five recesses 122d, but the number of recesses 122d in the coolant 120d is not limited to five and may be two or more. The shapes (e.g., top view shapes) and depths of the recesses 122d may be the same or different from each other. The recesses 122d may be provided on the side surfaces of the coolant 120d.

[0117] The coolant 120d may have a plurality of through holes instead of the plurality of recesses 122d, and the through hole constitutes one of the plurality of through holes.

[0118] As described above, even when the coolant according to the various modified examples is used, the surface area of ​​the coolant can be increased compared to when no recess or through hole is formed, thereby realizing a shutoff device that can improve cooling performance compared to conventional devices.

[0119] (Embodiment 2) A shutoff device according to this embodiment will be described below with reference to Fig. 10. The following description will focus on differences from embodiment 1, and descriptions of content that is the same as or similar to embodiment 1 will be omitted or simplified.

[0120] FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view of the blocking device 2 according to this embodiment taken along the XZ plane.

[0121] 10, the shutoff device 2 according to the present embodiment includes a coolant 220 instead of the coolant 120 of the shutoff device 1 according to the first embodiment. The coolant 220 differs from the coolants described in the first embodiment and its modified examples mainly in that the coolant 220 does not have any recesses or through holes formed therein.

[0122] The coolant 220 has a plurality of layers 221 stacked in the X-axis direction, and is arranged such that an end surface 221a of each of the plurality of layers 221 faces the lower surface 60a of the pusher 60. The coolant 220 is also provided at a position overlapping the separation portion 51 in a top view. The coolant 220 is also provided at a position overlapping the separation portion 51 and the hole 51a in a top view. For example, the coolant 220 is provided at a position overlapping the pusher 60 in a top view. The material of the layers 221 is the same as in the first embodiment.

[0123] Coolant 220 is provided so as to be above the upper surface of convex portion 30a and to fill the space below lower surface 60a of pusher 60 or the lower surface of separation portion 51 without any gaps. In other words, coolant 220 is not provided with any recesses or through-holes. Here, "not provided" means that no recesses or through-holes are intentionally provided when coolant 220 is manufactured, and does not include, for example, a recess formed by another member when coolant 220 is compressed and disposed within a housing.

[0124] In this way, the stacking direction of the multiple layers 221 is perpendicular to the movement direction of the pusher 60, that is, the boundaries between adjacent layers among the multiple layers 221 are parallel to the movement direction of the pusher 60, thereby improving the cooling performance of the coolant 220 without forming recesses or through holes in the coolant.

[0125] (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 each embodiment, 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 embodiments constructed by combining components of different embodiments may also be included in the present disclosure.

[0126] For example, in each of the above embodiments, an example has been described in which the housing is made of metal, but this is not limited to this, and for example, the lower housing of the housing may be made of a resin that has deformable properties.

[0127] Furthermore, in each of the above embodiments, the recesses or through holes are arranged to extend in a straight line, but their shapes are not limited to those that extend in a straight line, and they may also be wavy or L-shaped, for example.

[0128] Furthermore, the order of the steps in the manufacturing method for a circuit breaker described in each of the above embodiments may be interchanged. Furthermore, the steps in the manufacturing method for a circuit breaker described in the above embodiments may be performed in a single process or in separate processes. "Performed in a single process" is intended to include the cases where each process is performed using a single device, where each process is performed consecutively, or where each process is performed at the same location. "Separate processes" is intended to include the cases where each process is performed using a separate device, where each process is performed at a different time (e.g., on a different day), or where each process is performed at a different location.

[0129] The present disclosure is useful for a circuit breaker disposed in an electric circuit or the like.

[0130] REFERENCE SIGNS LIST 1, 2 Circuit breaker 10 Igniter 11 Lid 20 Upper housing 20a First main body 21 Small diameter portion 22 Connection portion 23 Large diameter portion 24 First fixing portion 30 Lower housing 30a Convex portion 30b Second main body 33 Bottom 34 Side wall 35 Second fixing portion 40 Resin member 40a Inner wall 40b First outer wall 40c Second outer wall 41 Embedded portion 42, 81 First cylindrical portion 43, 82 Second cylindrical portion 50 Conductor 51 Separation portion 51a Hole 52 Holding portion 60 Pusher 60a Lower surface 60b Outer wall 61 Recess 62 First portion 63 Second portion 70 Space 80 Protective portion 83 Flange portion 90, 92, 94, 96 Elastic member 100 Fixing member 110 Welded portion 120, 120a, 120b, 120c, 120d, 220, 320 Coolant 121, 221 Layer 121a, 221a End surface 122, 122b, 322a Through hole 122a, 122c, 122d, 322b Recess W1, W2, W3 Width

Claims

1. The housing and an igniter disposed within the housing; a conductor having a separation portion disposed below the igniter; a pusher that is disposed at a first position between the separation portion and the igniter, and that moves from the first position to a second position that is lower than the first position by breaking the separation portion; a coolant disposed below the pusher and having a recess or a through hole; Equipped with Shut-off device.

2. The coolant is provided with a plurality of recesses or a plurality of through holes, the recess is one of the plurality of recesses, The through hole is one of the plurality of through holes. The shutoff device according to claim 1 .

3. The separation portion is provided with a hole penetrating the separation portion, The recess of the coolant or the through hole of the coolant overlaps with the hole of the separation portion in a top view. The shutoff device according to claim 1 or 2.

4. the coolant is provided with the recess, The recessed portion is open upward and faces the lower surface of the pusher. The shutoff device according to claim 1 or 2.

5. the through hole is provided in the coolant, The through-hole penetrates the coolant from an upper surface to a lower surface of the coolant. The shutoff device according to claim 1 or 2.

6. the coolant is located below the separation portion, a width of the opening of the recess or a width of the opening of the through hole is larger than a width of the separation portion; The shutoff device according to claim 1 or 2.

7. The coolant is configured by stacking a plurality of layers, and is arranged so that an end surface of each of the plurality of layers faces the lower surface of the pusher. The shutoff device according to claim 1 or 2.

8. the recess of the coolant is provided on a side surface of the coolant, or the through-hole penetrates the side surface of the coolant. The shutoff device according to claim 1 or 2.

9. The housing and an igniter disposed within the housing; a conductor having a separation portion disposed below the igniter; a pusher that is disposed at a first position between the separation portion and the igniter, and that moves from the first position to a second position that is lower than the first position by breaking the separation portion; a coolant disposed below the pusher; Equipped with The coolant is configured by stacking a plurality of layers, and is arranged so that an end surface of each of the plurality of layers faces the lower surface of the pusher. Shut-off device.

10. The shutoff device according to claim 1 , 2 or 9 , wherein the coolant is a fibrous material.

11. The isolating device according to claim 10, wherein the fiber member is glass fiber.

12. 10. The shutoff device according to claim 1, wherein the coolant has a cylindrical outer shape.

13. 10. The shutoff device according to claim 1, wherein the coolant has an outer shape of a polygonal column.