Circuit Breaker Projectile Assembly Orthogonal Conductor Cutting

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing electric circuit breaker devices face challenges in efficiently cutting conductors due to the need for a fragile notch portion, which leads to heat build-up and increased complexity, especially when using polymer materials for the housing.

Innovation Solution

The electric circuit breaker device employs a synthetic resin housing with a conductor portion that includes a cut composite made of a projectile, cut portion, and connection portions, where the cut portion is oriented orthogonally and connected via resin pins, allowing for easy cutting without a notch and reducing the igniter's output required for activation.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of manufacture

If a fragile notch portion is used to enable conductor cutting, then the conductor can be cut more easily, but heat build-up occurs and device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveconductor cutting easeVSAvoidstructure complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of manufactureVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The invention extracts and eliminates the fragile notch portion from the conductor design. Instead of relying on a notch to initiate cutting, the patent uses a clean-cut conductor design that eliminates the source of heat build-up and structural complexity while maintaining cutting functionality through the projectile mechanism alone

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The invention changes the physical parameters of the conductor by removing the notch geometry. This parameter change eliminates the stress concentration point that causes heat build-up during cutting, allowing the conductor to be cut without the harmful thermal effects associated with fragile notch portions

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

2Strength

If a metal housing is used, then structural strength is improved, but weight increases and insulation requires additional components

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvehousing strengthVSAvoiddevice weight
Core Design Contradiction:
StrengthVSWeight of moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The invention employs composite material construction by integrating the housing made of synthetic resin with embedded reinforcement structures. This composite approach provides the necessary structural strength while maintaining the weight advantages of polymer materials and eliminating the need for separate insulation components

Inventive Principle:
Principle #40Composite materials

Solution Approach 2:

The housing structure serves multiple functions simultaneously: it provides structural strength, electrical insulation, and mechanical support for the cutting mechanism. This multi-functional design eliminates the need for separate insulation components while maintaining overall device strength

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

3Strength

If a thick housing is used with polymer material, then insulation and strength are improved, but device size increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvehousing strengthVSAvoiddevice size
Core Design Contradiction:
StrengthVSVolume of moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent uses composite material construction that provides high strength-to-volume ratio. The reinforced polymer housing achieves the required structural strength with thinner walls compared to solid metal construction, thereby reducing overall device volume while maintaining strength and insulation properties

Inventive Principle:
Principle #40Composite materials

Solution Approach 2:

The invention employs thin-walled reinforced polymer housing that provides sufficient structural strength and electrical insulation without requiring thick walls. This thin-film approach reduces device volume while maintaining the necessary mechanical and electrical properties through optimized material composition and structural design

Inventive Principle:
Principle #30Flexible shells and thin films

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

This design enables efficient cutting of the conductor portion with reduced force and prevents heat build-up, simplifying the structure and reducing the size of the igniter and circuit breaker device while maintaining effective electrical interruption.

Implementation Method 1

an igniter, a resin projectile, and a conductor portion that forms a portion of an electric circuit disposed in this order from a first end portion side of a cylindrical space of a housing toward an axially opposite second end portion side

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectCombustion: Combustion

Data Source

PatentEP3671796B1Projectile assembly and electrical circuit interrupting device
Publication Date: 2022.04.27 DAICEL CORP
  • EP3671796B1 patent drawingFigure 1A~1C
  • EP3671796B1 patent drawingFigure 2a~2C
  • EP3671796B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

An electric circuit breaker device with a reduced size. A first through hole 22a of a cut portion 20 and a first attachment hole 43 of a first connection portion 40 are placed on a first fixing pin 35 of a projectile 30, and a second through hole 23a of the cut portion 20 and a second attachment hole 48 of a second connection portion 45 are placed on a second fixing pin 36. By deforming an end portion of the first fixing pin 35 and an end portion of the second fixing pin 36, the projectile 30, the cut portion 20, the first connection portion 40, and the second connection portion 45 can be integrally formed together.