ARRANGEMENT WITH A HEAT-INSULATING SWITCH AND A HEAT INSULATION

Abstract

An assemblage having a thermally insulating switch and a thermal insulator for constituting an electrical conductor passthrough through the thermal insulator. The thermal insulator insulates an inner space from an outer space, the assemblage having inner connector on the side of the inner space and outer connector on the side of the outer space, which are electrically conductively connectable by the switch. The assemblage has a control unit for controlling the thermally insulating switch, a current flowing through the switch is detectable by the control unit, the switch is controllable by the control unit in such a way that the switch is actuatable only in a substantially zero-current state, and the switch is disposed in the thermal insulator in such a way that thermal insulation between the inner connector and the outer connector is accomplished by way of the switch in the open state.

Claims

1-10. (canceled)

11. An assemblage, comprising: a thermally insulating switch and a thermal insulator for constituting an electrical conductor passthrough through the thermal insulator for electrical connection of a thermally insulated electrochemical battery to a load, the thermal insulator thermally insulating an inner space from an outer space the assemblage having inner connector on a side of the inner space, the assemblage having outer connector on a side of the outer space, and the switch, in a closed state electrically conductively connecting the inner connector to the outer connector, and in an open state electrically disconnecting the inner connector from the outer connector; and a control unit to control the thermally insulating switch, a current flowing through the switch being detectable by the control unit, the switch being controllable by the control unit in such a way that the switch is actuatable only in a substantially zero-current state; wherein the switch is disposed in the thermal insulator in such a way that thermal insulation between the inner connector and the outer connector is accomplished by way of the switch in the open state.

12. The assemblage as recited in claim 11, wherein at least one of the inner connector and the outer connector are at least partly recessed into the thermal insulator.

13. The assemblage as recited in claim 11, wherein the switch is disposed inside the thermal insulator in such a way that the thermal insulator is disposed in part between the switch and at least one of the inner space and the outer space.

14. The assemblage as recited in claim 11, wherein the thermal insulator has an inner wall and an outer wall having a cavity disposed therebetween.

15. The assemblage as recited in claim 14, wherein at least one of: (i) the inner connector is passed through the inner wall, and (ii) the outer connector is passed through the outer wall.

16. The assemblage as recited in claim 14, wherein the switch is disposed in the cavity.

17. The assemblage as recited in claim 14, wherein a partial vacuum is in the cavity.

18. The assemblage as recited in claim 11, wherein the switch is of multiple-pole configuration.

19. The assemblage as recited in claim 11, wherein the switch is one of a trapezoidal or a conical construction, and has switching contacts that are disposed along the cone.

20. A thermally insulated electrochemical battery and a battery management system for controlling the thermally insulated battery, the thermally insulated battery having an assemblage having a thermally insulating switch and a thermal insulator for constituting an electrical conductor passthrough through the thermal insulator for electrical connection of the battery to a load, the thermal insulator thermally insulating an inner space from an outer space the assemblage having inner connector on a side of the inner space, the assemblage having outer connector on a side of the outer space, and the switch, in a closed state electrically conductively connecting the inner connector to the outer connector, and in an open state electrically disconnecting the inner connector from the outer connector, and a control unit to control the thermally insulating switch, a current flowing through the switch being detectable by the control unit, the switch being controllable by the control unit in such a way that the switch is actuatable only in a substantially zero-current state, wherein the switch is disposed in the thermal insulator in such a way that thermal insulation between the inner connector and the outer connector is accomplished by way of the switch in the open state; wherein the thermally insulated battery has an energy reservoir that is disposed inside the inner space surrounded by the thermal insulator, the energy reservoir being connected in the inner space to the inner connector, the thermally insulated battery being at least one of chargeable and dischargeable via the outer connector in a closed state of the switch, and the function of the control unit being executable by the battery management system.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0021] FIG. 1 shows an assemblage having a switch in a thermal insulator, according to the existing art.

[0022] FIG. 2 shows a first exemplifying embodiment of an assemblage according to the present invention having a thermally insulating switch inside a thermal insulator, and having a control unit for actuating the switch.

[0023] FIG. 3 shows a second exemplifying embodiment of an assemblage according to the present invention, in which the thermal insulator is embodied with an inner and an outer wall.

[0024] FIG. 4 shows a third exemplifying embodiment of an assemblage according to the present invention, in which the thermal insulator is embodied with an inner and an outer wall, the switch is disposed between the walls, and the switch has a conical configuration.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EXAMPLE EMBODIMENTS

[0025] FIG. 1 shows, as existing art, a switch 300, embodied as a disconnecting switch, on electrical supply conductors or connector means 401, 501 of thermally insulated electrochemical units, switch 300 disconnecting electrical supply conductors or connector means 401, 501 in the region of the passage of supply conductors or connector means 401, 501 through thermal insulator 100, and, in addition to interrupting the electrical connection, also considerably reducing heat flows via the electrical supply conductor.

[0026] FIG. 2 shows a first exemplifying embodiment of an assemblage 1 according to the present invention having a thermally insulating switch 300 inside a thermal insulator 100, and having a control unit 600 for actuating switch 300. Assemblage 1 shown in FIG. 2 serves to constitute an electrical conductor passthrough through thermal insulator 100, as necessary, e.g., for electrical connection of a thermally insulated electrochemical battery to a load. Thermal insulator 100 insulates an inner space 5 from an outer space 4. Assemblage 1 has inner connector means 501 on the side of inner space 5, and outer connector means 401 on the side of outer space 4. In a closed state, switch 300 connects inner connector means 501 to outer connector means 401 in electrically conductive fashion; with switch 300 in an open state, inner connector means 501 are electrically disconnected from outer connector means 401.

[0027] Assemblage 1 has a control unit 600 for controlling thermally insulating switch 300 via a first signal conductor 602, a current flowing through switch 300 being detectable by control unit 600 via a measuring means 300 and a second signal conductor 601. Switch 300 is controllable by control unit 600, via first signal conductor 602, in such a way that switch 300 is actuatable only in a substantially zero-current state. Switch 300 is furthermore disposed in thermal insulator 100 in such a way that thermal insulation between inner connector means 501 and outer connector means 401 is effected via switch 300 in the open state.

[0028] Inner connector means 501 and outer connector means 401 are also at least partly recessed into thermal insulator 100, 200. Switch 300 is disposed inside thermal insulator 100 in such a way that thermal insulator 100 is disposed between switch 300 and inner space 5, and between switch 300 and outer space 4. Switch 300 is thereby completely surrounded by thermal insulator 100, so that a thermal bridge is also not constituted by the housing of switch 300 or by switch 300 as a unit.

[0029] FIG. 3 shows a second exemplifying embodiment of an assemblage 1 according to the present invention. The exemplifying embodiment shown in FIG. 3 corresponds substantially to the exemplifying embodiment described previously and shown in FIG. 2. In contrast to the previous exemplifying embodiment, in this exemplifying embodiment thermal insulator 200 has an inner wall 205 and an outer wall 204 having a cavity disposed therebetween. Inner connector means 501 are passed through inner wall 205, and outer connector means 401 are passed through outer wall 204. The cavity between inner wall 205 and outer wall 204 is embodied as an open space, i.e. with no insulating material. Switch 300 is disposed in that cavity, which otherwise, aside from connector means 501, 401 and signal conductor 602, exhibits a partial vacuum in order to improve thermal insulation.

[0030] Control unit 600 is disposed in outer space 4 in a region outside thermal insulator 200. The energy required for actuation of switch 300 is deliverable to switch 300 by control unit 600 via first signal conductor 602.

[0031] FIG. 4 shows a third exemplifying embodiment of an assemblage 1 according to the present invention, in which thermal insulator 200 is embodied with an inner wall 205 and outer wall 204, switch 300 is disposed between walls 204, 205, and switch 300 has a conical configuration. Aside from the configuration of switch 300, the exemplifying embodiment shown in FIG. 4 corresponds substantially to the exemplifying embodiment described above and shown in FIG. 3. In addition to the configuration of switch 300, FIG. 4 differs from FIG. 3 in that the measuring means for detecting a current flowing through switch 300 are embodied integrally with outer connector means 400, 401, 402. Inner connector means 500, 501, 502 and outer connector means 400, 401, 402 are each embodied for two poles.

[0032] Switch 300 shown in FIG. 4 is of conical configuration and has switching contacts that are disposed along the cone. The conically configured switch 300 is of double-pole configuration and permits inner connector means 501, 502 to be connected to outer connector means 401, 402, and allows them to be disconnected from one another, in such a way that thermal insulation is ensured.

[0033] Inner connector means 501, 502 and outer connector means 401, 402 have for that purpose, on their respective ends, planar contacts that are disposed, in accordance with their shape, opposite one another on an outer cone. Two bridge contacts 301 and 302 are disposed on an inner cone in such a way that upon introduction of the inner cone into the outer cone, the contacts of the outer cone are electrically connectable by way of bridge contacts 301 and 302. The contacts are embodied in planar fashion, so that upon closure of switch 300, large contact surfaces are produced for substantially loss-free passage of high currents.

[0034] Placement of the contacts along the rotation axis of a cone allows both cascading and the constitution of planar contacts.

[0035] Upon a translational movement 306 of the inner cone along the rotation axis, a cavity of variable width is produced between the inner and outer cone and ensures not only electrical but also thermal insulation.

[0036] Switch 300 has an effector in the form of bridge contacts 301, 302 and an actuator in the form of a solenoid 305, which are connected to one another via a plunger 303, 304.