Disconnecting device with arc extinguishing

Abstract

Disconnecting device for an energy conductor comprising at least one first connection part, at least one second connection part, at least one disconnection point arranged between the first and second connection parts, the disconnection point forming a current path between the first and second connection parts in a closed state and disconnecting a current path between the first and second connection parts in an open state, the disconnecting device having a flowable medium which is arranged in a guide housing and separates the disconnection point driven by a drive, the flowable medium at least partially surrounding the disconnection point at the moment of disconnection, and the disconnecting device having a bolt which is moved into the disconnection point immediately after the disconnection of the disconnection point by the flowable medium.

Claims

1. A disconnecting device for an energy conductor comprising: at least a first connection part; at least a second connection part; at least one disconnection point arranged between the first and the second connection part; the at least one disconnection point in a closed state forms a current path between the first and second connection parts and in an open state disconnects the current path between the first and second connection parts; and the disconnecting device has a flowable medium, wherein the flowable medium is an electrical insulation material having a specific electrical conductivity of less than 10.sup.5 S*cm.sup.1, which is arranged in a guide housing and disconnects the at least one disconnection point driven by a drive, the flowable medium at least partially surrounds the at least one disconnection point at a moment of disconnection, wherein the disconnecting device has a bolt which moves into the at least one disconnection point immediately after disconnection of the at least one disconnection point by the flowable medium.

2. The disconnecting device according to claim 1, wherein the bolt within the disconnecting device suppresses formation of arcs by moving into the at least one disconnection point and/or extinguishes arcs which have ignited by moving into the at least one disconnection point.

3. The disconnecting device according to claim 1, wherein the bolt is formed from an electrical insulation material having a specific electrical conductivity of at least less than 10.sup.5 S*cm.sup.1, wherein the insulation material is formed with a dielectric strength of at least more than 5 kV/mm.

4. The disconnecting device according to claim 3, wherein the bolt is formed from the electrical insulation material having the specific electrical conductivity of at least less than 10.sup.10 S*cm.sup.1.

5. The disconnecting device according to claim 3, wherein the bolt is formed from the electrical insulation material having the specific electrical conductivity of at least less than 10.sup.15 S*cm.sup.1.

6. The disconnecting device according to claim 3, wherein the insulation material is formed with the dielectric strength of at least more than 20 kV/mm.

7. The disconnecting device according to claim 3, wherein the insulation material is formed with the dielectric strength of at least more than 50 kV/mm.

8. The disconnecting device according to claim 1, wherein the disconnecting device has a counter bearing in addition to the bolt, the bolt and the counter bearing being arranged in the closed state of the disconnecting device on opposite sides of the at least one disconnection point which are separated by the at least one disconnection point.

9. The disconnecting device according to claim 8, wherein the bolt and the counter bearing are arranged on a common axis with the disconnection point.

10. The disconnecting device according to claim 8, wherein the bolt and the counter bearing are arranged equidistantly to the disconnection point in the closed state of the disconnecting device.

11. The disconnecting device according to claim 8, wherein the bolt and the counter bearing move relative to one another when the disconnecting device is opened, the bolt moving towards the counter bearing.

12. The disconnecting device according to claim 8, wherein contact regions of the bolt and the counter bearing have complementary, fitting, cross-sectional profiles, the bolt having a V-shaped cross-sectional profile, while the counter bearing has a complementary, V-shaped cross-sectional profile.

13. The disconnecting device according to claim 8, wherein the bolt and the counter bearing are substantially perpendicular to the current path between the first and second connection parts.

14. The disconnecting device according to claim 1, wherein the flowable medium is moved by the drive in a direction of the at least one disconnection point and exerts a pressure effecting the disconnection and/or the flowable medium is in contact with the at least one disconnection point at the moment of disconnection.

15. The disconnecting device according to claim 1, wherein the bolt is arranged so as to be displaceable along an axial direction of propagation of the guide housing, the bolt being driven by the drive, accelerating the flowable medium in a direction of the at least one disconnection point and/or increasing a pressure within the flowable medium.

16. The disconnecting device according to claim 1, wherein the flowable medium is at least one of a liquid or a free-flowing bulk material.

17. The disconnecting device according to claim 1, wherein the flowable medium is formed from an insulating material, the insulating material having a specific electrical conductivity of less than 10.sup.10 S*cm.sup.1.

18. A method for disconnecting an energy conductor comprising the steps of: receiving at least one disconnection signal; triggering of at least one signal; disconnecting a connection between a first and a second connection part arranged at a disconnection point by a flowable medium driven by a drive, wherein the flowable medium is an electrical insulation material having a specific electrical conductivity of less than 10.sup.5 S*cm.sup.1; and moving a bolt into the disconnection point, immediately after disconnection of the disconnection point by the flowable medium.

19. The method for disconnecting the energy conductor according to claim 18, wherein an ignition of electric arcs is suppressed by moving the bolt into the disconnection point and/or ignited electric arcs are extinguished by moving the bolt into the disconnection point.

20. The method for disconnecting the energy conductor according to claim 18, wherein the triggering of the disconnecting device further comprises the triggering of an airbag.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) In the following, the subject is explained in more detail using a drawing showing embodiments. The drawings show:

(2) FIG. 1 a first disconnecting device according to a first embodiment in the non-activated state;

(3) FIG. 2 the disconnecting device according to FIG. 1 in the activated state;

(4) FIG. 3 a second disconnecting device according to a second embodiment in the non-activated state;

(5) FIG. 4 the disconnecting device according to FIG. 3 in the activated state;

(6) FIG. 5 a third disconnecting device according to a third embodiment in a non-activated state;

(7) FIG. 6 the disconnecting device according to FIG. 5 in the activated state;

(8) FIG. 7 an electric vehicle with a disconnecting device according to the subject matter.

DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

(9) FIG. 1 shows a disconnecting device 2 with a housing 14. Two connection parts 4a and 4b protrude into the housing 14, which are connected to each other at a disconnecting point 6awhich is formed here as a solder joint. The connection parts 4a, b may preferably be made of an electrically conductive material such as copper or aluminium. The connection parts 4a, b can also be made of different materials.

(10) A pyrotechnic drive 8b that can be controlled via an ignition wire 8a is arranged at the housing 14. In addition, a piston 12 is arranged between the pyrotechnic drive 8b and the disconnection area 6, which is movable along the axial direction of the guide housing 14 in a channel of the guide housing 14 and has a seal 12, with the aid of which penetration of gaseous or liquid particles into the channel is prevented. The intermediate space 16 between the piston 12 and the disconnection area 6 is completely filled with a flowable medium 10.

(11) The flowable medium 10 can be a liquid, a gel or a free-flowing bulk material. For example, the flowable medium 10 can be silicone or sand.

(12) In addition, a bolt 20a projecting into the flowable medium and having a V-shaped recess at its front end is attached to the piston 12. The bolt 20a is preferably made of an electrical insulation material, in particular plastic or ceramic.

(13) A room 18 is also provided on the side of the disconnection point 6a facing away from the actuator 8b, in which an opening 22 can also be arranged. It can be seen that notches 6b can be provided in the disconnection area 6 in the area of the inner circumference of the guide housing 14, defining the predetermined bending lines along which the connection parts 4a, b are to be bent.

(14) In addition, it can be seen that space 18 has a radially increasing volume into which the connection parts 4a, b can be bent.

(15) Furthermore, the disconnecting device has a further bolt 20b projecting into the space 18 as counter bearing, which is arranged substantially on an axis running together with the first bolt 20a and the disconnecting point 6a, which axis runs substantially perpendicular to the connecting axis of the first and second connection part 4a, b according to FIG. 1. The bolt 20b also has a V-shaped projection on its end face, which is preferably complementary to the V-shaped recess on the bolt 20a on the end face.

(16) The end faces of bolts 20a, 20b are preferably complementary to each other. The end faces of bolts 20a, 20b preferably have corresponding cross-section profiles. Preferably, the first and second bolts have complementary shapes on the end faces, in particular a perfect fit.

(17) FIG. 2 shows the disconnecting device 2 according to FIG. 1 in the triggered state. In the triggered state, an ignition pulse was transmitted to the drive 8b via the ignition wire 8a, which then explodes. The explosion energy acts as a pressure pulse on the piston 12 arranged in the housing. The piston 12 together with the bolt 20a is then accelerated in the direction of the disconnection point 6a.

(18) The piston 12 accelerates part of the flowable medium arranged between the piston and the disconnection point 6a in the direction of the disconnection point 6a. As can be seen, the pressure and the impulse of the flowable medium 10 are sufficient to break open the disconnection point 6a so that a gap is created between the connection parts 4a, 4b. The flowable medium 10 penetrates into this gap.

(19) At the moment the connection parts 4a, 4b are disconnected via the disconnection point 6a, an arc is ignited across the gap. This arc can already be extinguished via the flowable medium 10 surrounding the disconnection point 6a immediately after disconnection. However, since it has been recognized that reliable extinguishing of an arc by means of a flowable medium is not sufficiently safe and reliable, the arrangement of the bolt 20a, which safely and reliably separates an arc by moving it into the disconnection point 6a immediately after the disconnection of the connection parts, is additionally provided in the disconnecting device 2 according to the subject matter, whereby the movement into the disconnection point 6a is carried out in accordance with FIG. 2 in such a way that the first bolt 20a is arranged as accurately as possible on the second bolt 20b. In addition, moving the bolt 20a into the disconnection point 6a causes a final extinction of an arc.

(20) The excess pressure created in the housing 18 by bending the connection parts 4a, b and the inlet of the flowable medium 10 previously arranged in the intermediate space 16 can escape through the opening 22. The opening 22 can be so small that the flowable medium arranged in room 18 cannot escape from the opening when the disconnecting device 2 is inactive. Alternatively, the opening can also be closed with a bursting disc not shown here, which only bursts at a certain pressure and then allows the flowable medium 10 to escape.

(21) With the help of bolt 22a and bolt 22b it is possible to extinguish an arc. To extinguish an arc, the second bolt 20b does not necessarily have to be present. It is also conceivable that the prevention of the ignition or extinction of an arc can only take place via the bolt 20a, whereby the bolt 20a is then preferably moved further through the disconnection point, so that a resulting arc breaks off.

(22) FIG. 3 shows another embodiment of a disconnecting device 2 in which the flowable medium 10 is also arranged on the side of the disconnection point 6a facing away from the actuator 8b in room 18. It can also be seen that, in contrast to the embodiment shown in FIG. 1, the disconnection point 6a is not soldered but only tapered.

(23) Furthermore, the bolt 20a attached to the piston 12 is sickle-shaped or semi-circular in the cross-sectional profile on the end face, whereas the second bolt 20b arranged in space 18 has a complementary cross-sectional profile on the end face.

(24) When the disconnection device 2 is triggered according to FIG. 3, the disconnection point 6a is also separated as shown in FIG. 4.

(25) FIG. 4 shows the disconnecting device 2 according to FIG. 3 in the triggered state. It can be seen that the actuator 8b was ignited and the flowable medium 10 was accelerated to the disconnection point 6a in such a way that it separates the disconnection point 6a and there a gap is created between the first and the second connection part 4a, b into which the flowable medium 10 penetrates.

(26) At the moment the connection parts 4a, b are disconnected, an arc may also ignite here, which can either already be extinguished via the flowable medium 10 surrounding the point of disconnection 6a immediately after disconnection or finally safely and reliably by the immediate subsequent insertion of the first bolt 20a into the point of disconnection 6a. Also according to the design example shown in FIG. 4, the bolt 20a is moved into the disconnection point in such a way that the bolt 20a lies against the bolt 20b at the end face. Thus, an arc can be safely and reliably cut off.

(27) FIG. 5 shows another embodiment of a disconnecting device 2 in which the flowable medium 10 is arranged exclusively on the side of the disconnection point 6a remote from the actuator 8b. According to this example, not the first 20a, but the second bolt 20b is arranged on the piston 12. In addition, the second bolt 20b has a serrated cross-sectional profile on the face side, while the first bolt 20a, which is fixed to the housing, has a complementary cross-sectional profile on the face side. In the example shown in FIG. 5, the disconnection point 6 also has a predetermined breaking point 6a which is designed as a taper. The actuator 8b is such that it implodes when activated and causes a vacuum in room 16.

(28) An activated disconnecting device according to FIG. 5 is shown in FIG. 6. It can be seen that the negative pressure created in room 16 breaks up disconnection point 6 and creates a gap between connection parts 4a and 4b. The flowable medium 10 penetrates into this gap at the moment of disconnection and the bolt 20b immediately afterwards. Gas can enter the interior of room 18 via opening 22, so that the negative pressure in room 16 causes the disconnection point 6 to break open and form a gap. Here, too, it can be seen that both the flowable medium 10 and the bolt 20b are arranged in the area of the gap, so that a resulting arc can be extinguished safely and reliably by the bolt 20b, if not already via the flowable medium 10. According to the embodiment shown in FIG. 6, the bolt 20b is also moved into the disconnection point in such a way that the bolt 20b is arranged as accurately as possible on the bolt 20a.

(29) FIG. 7 shows an electric vehicle 30 with a drive battery 32 and an electric drive train 34. The disconnecting device 2 is arranged between the drive battery 32 and the electric drive train 34. In the event of an accident of the vehicle 30, the electrical disconnecting device 2 can be activated and the current path between the battery 32 and the drive train 34 can be disconnected. The disconnecting device 2 can be arranged particularly close to the battery 32, for example directly at the battery poles. This ensures that the danger to occupants and rescue personnel is minimised.