Trip-Free DC Switch Structure for Automatic Fault Isolation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing power supply systems lack a mechanism for automatic switch-off in case of a circuit fault, posing safety hazards due to the need for manual operation.
Innovation Solution
A power supply system with a switch featuring a trip-free structure that includes a control unit, a direct current source, and a power conversion unit, where the control unit sends a switch-off signal to the switch upon detecting a fault, utilizing a trip-free structure with a connecting rod mechanism to automatically separate the moving contact from the fixed contact.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a manual switch operation is used in power supply systems, then the switch structure remains simple, but safety hazards occur when circuit faults require immediate disconnection
Solution Approach 1:
A trip-free structure is introduced as an intermediary mechanism between the control unit and the contact component. This structure includes a trip unit that receives switch-off signals and a transmission structure with a cradle and connecting rod that translates this signal into automatic contact separation, eliminating the need for manual operation while maintaining structural simplicity
Solution Approach 2:
The switch is designed to automatically disconnect contacts when a fault occurs, without requiring external manual intervention. The trip-free structure enables the switch to serve itself by automatically detecting fault conditions through the control unit and executing the disconnection action through the transmission mechanism
2Reliability
If a trip-free structure with connecting rod mechanism is added to enable automatic switch-off, then safety is improved, but the switch structure becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The trip-free structure is segmented into distinct functional modules: a trip unit for receiving switch-off signals, a cradle for transmission, and a connecting rod structure for actuation. This segmentation allows each component to perform its specific function independently while maintaining overall structural organization and manageability
Solution Approach 2:
The trip-free structure merges the signal reception function (trip unit), the transmission function (cradle), and the actuation function (connecting rod) into a single integrated mechanism. This combination achieves automatic switch-off capability while minimizing the number of separate components compared to alternative designs
3Ease of operation
If the knob is included in the linkage path for automatic tripping, then manual operation is maintained, but the tripping process is blocked when the knob is stuck
Solution Approach 1:
The knob is extracted from the automatic tripping linkage path. The trip unit and cradle form an independent transmission path that directly connects the trip-free structure to the contact component, separating the manual operation function (knob) from the automatic tripping function. This ensures that knob sticking cannot block the automatic tripping process
Solution Approach 2:
The switch operation is segmented into two independent paths: a manual operation path through the knob and a transmission structure, and an automatic tripping path through the trip unit and cradle. This segmentation allows manual operation to be maintained while ensuring automatic tripping reliability is not affected by knob status
Data Source
AI summary
A switch, a power conversion apparatus, and a power supply system. The power supply system includes a control unit, a switch, a direct current source, and a power conversion unit. The switch is electrically connected between the direct current source and the power conversion unit, and the control unit is configured to send a switch-off signal to the switch when a fault occurs on the direct current source or the power conversion unit. The switch includes a contact component, a trip-free structure, and a knob that are sequentially disposed in a stacked manner in a first direction. A trip unit of the trip-free structure is configured to receive the switch-off signal, to unlock the trip unit from the cradle. The cradle drives the connecting rod structure to move, to separate the moving contact from the fixed contact.