An electric circuit breaker comprising a switch, an arc extinguishing chamber and a fuse configured to be electrically connected between first and second terminals after the switch has tripped, further comprises a connection device comprising a gate configured to be broken after the switch has tripped only when at least one of the temperature, the pressure inside the arc extinguishing chamber or the intensity of an electrical arc present in the arc extinguishing chamber passes a predefined threshold, the connection device being configured to connect an electrode of the fuse to one of the terminals of the electrical conductor only once the gate is broken.

Methods and systems for protection/disconnect of airborne high-power/energy high-voltage modular multi-string battery packs (such as battery packs for airborne electric propulsion systems). The methods and systems are based on a dissimilar/redundant distributed battery pack protection architecture and use a smart mid-point battery disconnect in conjunction with centralized battery management system. The resulting battery disconnect/protection system is configured to detect bus faults, load faults and string faults and then take appropriate action to isolate the detected fault. For example, in response to a short circuit in one battery string, the faulty battery string may be disconnected from the positive and negative busbars while the remaining battery strings continue to provide power.

A mobile application including a motive power circuit including a power storage device and an electrical load; a power distribution unit (PDU) electrically interposed between the power storage device and the electrical load, wherein the PDU includes a breaker/relay positioned on one of a high side and a low side of the power storage device; wherein the breaker/relay includes: a fixed contact electrically coupled to the power bus; a movable contact selectively electrically coupled to the fixed contact; an armature operationally coupled to the movable contact; a first biasing member biasing the armature into one of the first position or the second position; and a means for selecting a down force value of the movable contact, thereby providing for a physical opening response of the breaker/relay in response to a selected current value.

A system including a vehicle having a motive electrical power path; a power distribution unit including a current protection circuit disposed in the motive electrical power path, the current protection circuit including a breaker/relay, the breaker/relay including: a fixed contact, a moveable contact, and a physical opening response portion responsive to a current value; a current source circuit electrically coupled to the breaker/relay and structured to inject a current across the fixed contact; and a voltage determination circuit electrically coupled to the breaker/relay and structured to determine at least one of an injected voltage amount and a contactor impedance value, wherein the voltage determination circuit comprises an analog hardware filter having a cutoff frequency selected in response to a frequency of the injected current.

A multi-port power converter including a housing including a plurality of ports structured to electrically interface to a plurality of loads; a plurality of solid-state components configured to provide selected electrical power outputs and to accept selected electrical power inputs; a plurality of solid-state switches configured to provide selected connectivity between the plurality of solid-state components and the plurality of ports; and a controller, the controller including: a component bank configuration circuit structured to interpret a port electrical interface description of the multi-port power converter from an external tool communicatively coupled to the controller, the port electrical interface description comprising a description of at least a portion of distinct electrical characteristics; and a component bank implementation circuit structured to provide solid switch states in response to the port electrical interface description, and wherein the plurality of solid-state switches are responsive to the solid switch states.

A system includes a vehicle having a motive electrical power path; a power distribution unit comprising a current protection circuit disposed in the motive electrical power path, the current protection circuit comprising a thermal fuse and a contactor in a series arrangement; a current source circuit electrically coupled to the thermal fuse and structured to determine that a load power throughput of the motive electrical power path is low, and to inject a current across the thermal fuse in response to the load power throughput of the motive electrical power path being low; a voltage determination circuit electrically coupled to the thermal fuse and structured to determine at least one of an injected voltage amount and a thermal fuse impedance value; and wherein the current source circuit determines the load power throughput of the motive electrical power path is low in response to the vehicle being in a shutdown state.

An integrated inverter assembly including a main cover and an opposing back cover, a coolant channel, wherein power electronics of the inverter assembly are thermally coupled to the coolant channel, and wherein at least one of a coolant inlet or a coolant outlet of the coolant channel comprises a quick connector without a locking element.

A system includes a housing; and a breaker/relay device positioned in the housing, wherein the breaker/relay device is configured to interrupt a motive power circuit for an electrical vehicle system, where the housing is disposed on the electrical vehicle system, where the breaker/relay device includes a physical opening response portion responsive to a first current value in the motive power circuit, and a controlled opening response portion responsive to a second current value in the motive power circuit, where the physical opening response portion is structured to be adjustable to at least one adjustment operation.

A system includes a vehicle including a motive electrical power path; a power distribution unit having a current protection circuit disposed in the motive electrical power path, the current protection circuit comprising a fuse; a controller, comprising: a fuse status circuit structured to determine a fuse event value; a fuse management circuit structured to provide a fuse event response based on the fuse event value; and a fuse life description circuit structured to determine a fuse life remaining value, wherein the fuse event value comprises a representation that the fuse life remaining value is below a threshold value, and wherein the fuse management circuit is further structured to provide the fuse event response further based on the fuse life remaining value.

A mobile application including a motive power circuit including a power storage device and an electrical load electrically coupled through a power bus; a power distribution unit (PDU) electrically interposed between the power storage device and the electrical load, wherein the PDU comprises a breaker/relay positioned on one of a high side and a low side of the power storage device; wherein the breaker/relay comprises: a fixed contact electrically coupled to the power bus; a movable contact selectively electrically coupled to the fixed contact; an armature operationally coupled to the movable contact; a first biasing member biasing the armature into one of the first position or the second position; and a means for adjusting a down force value of the movable contact during run-time operations of the motive power circuit, wherein the down force value biases the moveable contact into electrical coupling with the fixed contact.