HIGH-VOLTAGE DIRECT-CURRENT THERMAL FUSE

Abstract

A high-voltage direct-current thermal fuse comprising a high-voltage low-current thermal fuse connected to a high-voltage direct-current circuit. The high-voltage low-current thermal fuse comprises a casing, fusible alloy wires, wherein the fusible alloy wires are connected between the two leads. One of the leads is sequentially sleeved with an arc extinguishing sleeve and a spring. One end of the arc extinguishing sleeve is in contact with the fusible alloy wires; and the other end of the arc extinguishing sleeve is in contact with the spring. One end of the spring is connected to the inner end face of the casing; and the spring is in a compressed state. The high-voltage direct-current thermal fuse further comprises a conventional thermal fuse; or further comprises a current. The high-voltage direct-current thermal fuse solves the problem of timely arc cutting-off and can be directly applied to a high-voltage direct-current circuit.

Claims

1. A high-voltage direct-current thermal fuse, comprising a high-voltage low-current thermal fuse connected to a high-voltage direct-current circuit; wherein the high-voltage low-current thermal fuse comprising a casing, a fusible alloy wire, encapsulated inside the casing, and a first lead and a second lead, and the first lead and the second lead extending outside the casing, wherein the fusible alloy wire is connected between the first lead and the second lead; either the first lead or the second lead being sequentially sleeved with an arc extinguishing sleeve and a spring; one end of the arc extinguishing sleeve contacting the fusible alloy wire; the other end of the arc extinguishing sleeve contacting the spring; one end of the spring being connected to an internal end face of the casing; and wherein, the spring is in a compressed state.

2. The high-voltage direct-current thermal fuse according to the claim 1, wherein the high-voltage direct-current thermal fuse further includes a second thermal fuse, the second thermal fuse is connected in series with the high-voltage direct-current circuit; the high-voltage low-current thermal fuse being connected in parallel to of the second thermal fuse; the fusing temperature of the high-voltage low-current thermal fuse being higher than that of the second thermal fuse.

3. The high-voltage direct-current thermal fuse according to the claim 2, wherein the high-voltage low-current thermal fuse is further connected in series with a current fuse to form a primary branch, the primary branch being connected in parallel to second thermal fuse; wherein the resistance of the current fuse is more than that of the high-voltage low-current thermal fuse.

4. The high-voltage direct-current thermal fuse according to the claim 3, wherein the current fuse is a tube fuse, which includes a metal fusing wire inside the tube and a tube body with both ends having a metal connecting terminal.

5. The high-voltage direct-current thermal fuse according to the claim 3, wherein the current fuse is N-type current fuse, wherein the current fuse includes a fuse-link and two leads which being connected to the fuse-link; the two leads extending from the end of the N-type fuse-link, which have a segment in parallel to each other.

6. The high-voltage direct-current thermal fuse according to the claim 2, wherein the second thermal fuse is provided with at least one fusible alloy wire; the at least one fusible alloy wire is provided between the two leads.

7. The high-voltage direct-current thermal fuse according to the claim 6, wherein the second thermal fuse includes at least two pieces of fusible alloy wires; the at least two pieces of fusible alloy wires are provided in parallel or crossways between the two leads.

8. The high-voltage direct-current thermal fuse according to claim 3, wherein the high-voltage direct-current thermal fuse also includes N secondary branches; the secondary branches including high-voltage low-current thermal fuse and the current fuse that are connected in series sequentially; wherein, when N equals to 1, the secondary branch is connected in parallel to the high-voltage low-current thermal fuse in the primary branch; and when N is more than 1, the Nth secondary branch is connected in parallel to the high-voltage low-current thermal fuse in the (N-1)th secondary branch.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0019] Referring to the following drawings, further descriptions are made to the invention, wherein:

[0020] FIG. 1 is a perspective partial profile diagram of Embodiment 1 of the invention.

[0021] FIG. 2 is a perspective explosive view of Embodiment 1 of the invention.

[0022] FIG. 3 is a circuit schematic diagram of Embodiment 1 of the invention.

[0023] FIG. 4 is a circuit schematic diagram of Embodiment 2 of the invention.

[0024] In the text, the same reference numbers denote the same parts. When describing the drawings, not all the parts or components shown need to be discussed together with the corresponding drawings. Among others, the reference numbers are as follows: [0025] 100another thermal fuse/conventional temperature fuse, 101insulating base, 102small casing, 103large casing, 104fusible alloy wires, 105left lead of the thermal fuse, 106right lead of the thermal fuses; [0026] 200current fuse, 201casing of current fuse, 202cover plate, 203fuse, 204left lead of the current fuse, 205right lead of the current fuse; [0027] 300high-voltage low-current thermal fuse, 301casing of high-voltage low-current thermal fuse, 102base, 303fusible alloy wires, 304arc extinguishing sleeve, 305compressing spring, 306left lead of the high-voltage low-current thermal fuse, 307right lead of the high-voltage low-current thermal fuse.

DETAIL DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS

[0028] Hereinafter, embodiments of the invention will be described more completely by means of embodiments referring to the drawings. Among others, only some embodiments have been shown. However, in practice, embodiments of the invention can be embodied in many different forms, but not limited to the embodiments in the text. These embodiments are provided for the purpose of better understanding of the invention.

Embodiment 1

[0029] FIG. 1 and FIG. 2 respectively show the perspective partial profile diagram and the perspective explosive view of Embodiment 1 of the invention. As FIG. 1, FIG. 2 shows, the high-voltage direct-current thermal fuse of the embodiment of the invention includes insulating base 101 and a large casing 103 provided thereon. Regular thermal fuse 100, current fuse 200, and high-voltage low-current thermal fuse 300 are provided inside a cavity formed between insulating base 101 and large casing 103. Among others, high-voltage low-current thermal fuse 300 is connected in series to current fuse 200 sequentially to form a primary branch. Then, the primary branch is connected in parallel to thermal fuse 100. Next, thermal fuse 100 is connected in series into the high-voltage circuit to be protected, to provide the over-temperature protection for the high-voltage circuit.

[0030] Please refer to FIG. 2, thermal fuse 100 specifically includes small casing 102 which is arranged on insulating base 101. Right lead of thermal fuse 105 and left lead of thermal fuse 106 are fixedly provided on both sides of insulating base 101. Fusible alloy wire 104 is provided inside the closed cavity formed by insulating base 101 and small casing 102. Fusible alloy wires 104 are welded between left lead 106 and right lead 105 which in the thermal fuse. As FIG. 2 shows, in the embodiment, two pieces of fusible alloy wires 104 provided in parallel are included specifically. In other embodiments, one or two or more pieces of fusible alloy wires that are in parallel or crossways can also be provided if necessary. It should be noted that in specific implementation process, the number of pieces of fusible alloy wires and the specific cross-sectional area of each piece of fusible alloy wires can be adaptively adjusted by one skilled in the art according to various current flow rates of the thermal fuse. In the embodiment, left lead 106 and right lead 105 presents an L-shape, which are arranged along the central vertical axis of fusible alloy wires 104 symmetrically, and are injected to form a whole together with base 101. Two pieces of fusible alloy wires 104 in parallel are connected between two L-shape left leads 106 and right leads 105 to form a bridge-type connection. Also, the terminals of left lead 106 and right lead 105 reach out of insulating base 101, extending in the direction which is opposite to fusible alloy wires 104 respectively. Fusible alloy wires 104 are made of low-melting conductive alloy material which is sensitive to temperature, and is coated by the fusing agent. When the temperature reaches the fusing temperature of fusible alloy wires 104, fusible alloy wires 104 is fused. With the effects of surface tension and fusing agent, fusible alloy wires 104 shrink towards both ends to become a ball and attach to the ends of two leads, so as to be the fusing switch point in the application circuit, cutting off the circuit.

[0031] Current fuse 200 includes casing of current fuse 201 and cover plate 202. Fuse 203 is arranged inside the cavity formed between casing of current fuse 201 and cover plate 202. Among others, Fuse 203 is in a shape of bending N-type. Left lead 204 and right lead 205 are connected to both ends of fuse 203 respectively. Left lead 204 and right lead 205 are shaped to extend from the top of the N-type of fuse 203 and have a segment in parallel with each other. Left lead 204 and right lead 205 pass through the via holes on casing of current fuse 201 respectively, extending out of casing of current fuse 201 and exposing to the outside, so as to be electric connection point connecting fuse 203 to outside. Fuse 203 suspends in the N-type cavity, without contacting internal cavity wall of the N-type cavity. Since fuse 203 inside current fuse 200 is in a shape of bending N-type, current fuse 200 is called N-type current fuse. in order to improve the effectiveness of extinguishing arc, the N-type cavity also can be filled with arc extinguishing materials such as quartz sand, to make heat balance of fuse 203 become stable. Among others, when the high-voltage low-current thermal fuse is used to be connected in series to N-type current fuse, the breaking current of the high-voltage low-current thermal fuse is less than that of the N-type current fuse.

[0032] When current fuse 200 is powered on, the temperature of fuse 203 will increase because of the heat generated from current conversion. When loading normal working current or allowed over-loading current, the heat generated by the current, and the heat which is dissipated by means of radiating, convecting, conducting, and etc. through fuse 203, casing of current fuse 201, and surrounding environment can reach a balance gradually. If the heat dissipating speed cannot keep up with the heat generating speed, those heat will accumulate on the fuse-link to make the temperature of fuse 203 increase. Once the temperature reaches or goes beyond the melting point of fuse 203, it will be liquefied or vaporized to cut off the circuit.

[0033] At the fusing moment of fuse 203, usually, the breaking is from the center point of the N-type towards both sides. An arc is inevitably generated at the breaking point of fuse 203, such that a large number of charged particles are generated from the arc. At the same time, the electric field intensity generated by left lead 204 and right lead 205 that are in parallel in the current fuse is more than multiple times. The diffusion and recombination process of charged particles are more rapid under high electric field intensity, making the gap between electrode leads quickly recover to the insulation state, achieving the aim of extinguishing the arc. Thus, the arc extinguishing protection effect which is multiple times more than that of the normal fuse is achieved, and a safety protection for circuit and human is realized.

[0034] Please refer to FIG. 2, high-voltage low-current thermal fuse 300 is a disposable non-resettable fusing device. In the embodiment, the square-shell type thermal fuse is used, which includes the shell consisting of casing of high-voltage low-current thermal fuse 301 and base 302, temperature sensing member sealed inside the casing (e.g., fusible alloy wires 303 which has a low melting point and a good temperature sensitivity, wherein fusible alloy wires 303 is coated with fusing agent), and two leads extending outside the shell. The reference numbers of the two leads are 306, 307 respectively. Among others, fusible alloy wires 303 are welded between left lead 306 and right lead 307. As FIG. 2 shows, left lead 306 and right lead 307 are provided in parallel with each other. The axes of two leads are perpendicular to fusible alloy wires 303 respectively. Fusible alloy wires 303 are specifically welded on the top of axes of left lead 306 and right lead 307. After the left lead 306 and right lead 307 pass through the via, holes on base 302 in axial direction, they are bent and extend along the direction which is away from fusible alloy wires 303. Each extending lead is exposed to outside base 302 as an external electric connection point.

[0035] A round cavity is further provided inside base 302 where compressing spring 305 and arc extinguishing sleeve 304 are located. Are extinguishing sleeve 304 and compressing spring 305 are positioned to surround the axis of high-voltage left lead 306. One end of compressing spring 305 which in a compressed state is connected to internal end face of the round cavity of base 302, and the other end contacts are extinguishing sleeve 304. The end opposite to compressing spring 305 of arc extinguishing sleeve 304 contacts fusible alloy wires 303. Since fusible alloy wires 303 has a certain stiffness under normal temperature, arc extinguishing sleeve 304 pushes against fusible alloy wires 303 under the effect of compressing spring 305. The elasticity of the compressing spring, which is configured in the compressed state, is not sufficient to destroy the welding strength of fusible alloy wires 303 and high-voltage left lead 306 and high-voltage right lead 307.

[0036] High-voltage low-current thermal fuse 300 mainly functions as over-temperature and high-voltage cutting off protection. When the temperature of the region where high-voltage low-current. thermal fuse 300 is located reaches the fusing temperature of fusible alloy wires 303 inside high-voltage low-current thermal fuse 300, fusible alloy wires 303 melt. Also, with the help of surface tension and a fusing agent (e.g. special resin), fusible alloy wires 303 shrink towards both ends and become a ball, attaching to the ends of two leads (whose reference numbers are 306 and 307 respectively). Since the circuit where it is located is a high-voltage circuit, the speed of shrinkage of fusible alloy wires 303 is too slow and the gap between high-voltage left lead 306 and right lead 307 is too short, an arc is likely to be generated. With the generation of a high-voltage arc, liquefied fusible alloy wires 303 has a good fluidity. With the help of the elasticity of compressing spring 305, arc extinguishing sleeve 304 moves along the axis to cut off fusible alloy wires 303. Arc extinguishing sleeve 304 covers high-voltage left lead 306 to insulate the discharging gap between high-voltage left lead 306 and high-voltage right lead 307. Thus, the current circuit is cut off to prevent further damage to other components in the circuit resulting from abnormal increases of temperature or burning caused by the arc.

[0037] FIG. 3 shows a circuit diagram of Embodiment 1 of the invention. As FIG. 3 shows, current fuse 200 is connected in series to high-voltage low-current thermal fuse 300, and is subsequently connected in parallel to regular thermal fuse 100. Then the left and right leads of regular thermal fuse 100 are connected in series in the high-voltage circuit to be protected to provide the over-temperature protection for the high-voltage circuit. More specifically, after left lead 204 of current fuse 200 is connected to right lead 307 of high-voltage low-current thermal fuse 300 to form electric connection in series. Right lead 205 of current fuse 200 and left lead 306 of high-voltage low-current thermal fuse 300 are respectively connected to right lead 105 and left lead 106 of thermal fuse 100 to form an electric connection in parallel. Right lead 105 and left lead 106 of regular thermal fuse 100 is connected to the high-voltage circuit, to be in series in the circuit which needs protection, so as to provide the over-temperature protection for the high-voltage circuit.

[0038] Furthermore, in order to realize the work of high-voltage direct-current thermal fuse in the embodiment of the invention, the fusing temperature of traditional thermal fuse 100 should be configured to be less than the fusing temperature of high-voltage low-current thermal fuse 300. The resistance of fuse-link in the current fuse should be configured to be more than that of high-voltage low-current thermal fuse.

[0039] Thus, when the circuit is a high-voltage high-current circuit, if the outside temperature reaches the fusing temperature of thermal fuse 100, with the help of surface tension and fusing agent, fusible alloy wires 104 fuse off and shrink towards left and right leads on both ends. Due to the existence of the parallel circuit, the cutting off of fusible alloy wires 104 will not generate arcing. The current will go through the primary branch which is connected in parallel with thermal fuse 100, that is, the branch formed by current fuse 200 connected in series with high-voltage low-current thermal fuse 300. Since the resistance of fuse 203 in current fuse 200 is more than that of high-voltage low-current thermal fuse 300, fuse 203 fuses off first to cut off the parallel circuit. Since current fuse 200 with respect to the linear type fuse, at the fusing-off moment, the electric field intensity generated by the leads in parallel is more than multiple times, the diffusion and recombination process of the charged particles are more rapid under high electric field intensity, making the gap between the electrode leads quickly recovery to the insulation state, achieving the aim of extinguishing the arc. It has an arc extinguishing protection which is multiple times more than that of the normal fuse.

[0040] When the circuit is a high-voltage low-current circuit, if the outside temperature reaches the fusing temperature of thermal fuse 100, after fusible alloy wires 104 fuse off, the current goes through the parallel circuit which is formed by current fuse 200 and high-voltage low-current thermal fuse 300. Since the current which goes through the parallel circuit is not sufficient to fuse off current fuse 200, the parallel circuit is not cut off and the outside temperature keeps increasing. When it reaches the fusing temperature of fusible alloy wires 303 of high-voltage low-current thermal fuse 300, fusible alloy wires fuse off, and shrink towards both ends to become a ball, attaching to ends of two leads 306, 307. Since the circuit is a high-voltage circuit, the speed of shrinkage of fusible alloy wires 303 is too slow and the gap between high-voltage left lead, right lead 306, 307 is too short, an arc is likely to be generated. With the generation of the high-voltage arc, liquefied fusible alloy wires 303 has a good fluidity. With the help of the elasticity of compressing spring 305, arc extinguishing sleeve 304 moves along the axis to cut off fusible alloy wires 303. Arc extinguishing sleeve 304 covers high-voltage left lead 306 to insulate the discharging gap between high-voltage left lead 306 and high-voltage right lead 307, so as to cut off the parallel circuit to prevent further damages to the electric appliance resulted from abnormal increasing of temperature or burning caused by the arc.

Embodiment 2

[0041] FIG. 4 shows the circuit schematic diagram of Embodiment 2 of the invention. As an expanded solution, in this Embodiment 2, the high-voltage direct-current thermal fuse is composed of thermal fuse 100, current fuse 200, and high-voltage low-current thermal fuse 300 as the same as those in Embodiment 1. Among others, high-voltage low-current thermal fuse 300 is sequentially connected in series to current fuse 200 to form the primary branch. Next, the primary branch is connected in parallel to thermal fuse 100. Thermal fuse 100 is connected in series to the high-voltage circuit to be protected, so as to provide the over-temperature protection for the high-voltage circuit, which is not explained again here.

[0042] The differences between Embodiment 1 and Embodiment 2 lie in that: the high-voltage direct-current thermal fuse also includes N secondary branches, and each secondary branch includes the high-voltage low-current thermal fuse sequentially connected in series to the current fuse. Among others, the structure of the high-voltage low-current thermal fuse and that of the current fuse are the same as those of the primary branch, which is not explained again here. When N is equal to 1, the secondary branch is connected in parallel to the high-voltage low-current thermal fuse in the primary branch. When N is more than 1, the Nth secondary branch is connected in parallel to the high-voltage low-current, thermal fuse which in the (N-1)th secondary branch. As FIG. 4 shows, FIG. 4 includes two secondary branches. N is equal to 2. The first secondary branch includes high-voltage low-current thermal fuse 300 and current fuse 200 that are connected to each other in series sequentially. The second secondary branch includes high-voltage low-current thermal fuse 300 and current fuse 200 that are connected to each other in series sequentially. Among others, the first secondary branch is connected in parallel to high-voltage low-current thermal fuse 300 in the primary branch. The second secondary branch is connected in parallel to high-voltage low-current thermal fuse 300 in the first secondary branch.

[0043] In fact, as an expanded solution, the number of the secondary branches is not limited to two in Embodiment 2, and can also be more. The next level of secondary branch is connected in parallel to the high-voltage low-current thermal fuse in the last level of secondary branch. Using the manner of multi-parallel to the high-voltage low-current thermal fuse, the high-voltage low-current thermal fuse can be expendably applied in lightning protection module. Thus, the protection circuit is separated more effectively and timely to meet effective cutting off of the voltage.

[0044] In additional, as another application solution, the high-voltage low-current thermal fuse in above Embodiment 1 and Embodiment 2 can both use the porcelain-tube type thermal fuse. The porcelain-tube type thermal fuse includes insulated porcelain tube, inside which fusible alloy wires that can melt at a predetermined temperature are encapsulated. The fusible alloy wires are welded between the right lead and left lead that are axisymmetric. The ends of two leads respectively extend outside the insulated porcelain tube in the direction which is away from the fusible alloy wires. Among others, any of the two leads can be sleeved by an arc extinguishing sleeve and a compressing spring. One end of the arc extinguishing sleeve contacts the fusible alloy wires, and the other end contacts the spring. One end of the spring is connected to the internal end face of the insulated porcelain tube in the compressed state. The elasticity of the spring which in configured in a compressed state is not sufficient to destroy the welding strength between the fusible alloy wires and left, right leads. Other settings are the same as those in Embodiment 1 or 2, which is not explained again here.

[0045] Furthermore, as a basic application solution, high-voltage low-current thermal fuse 300 in the embodiment of the invention can be used in the high-voltage direct-current circuit alone (e.g. connecting in series into the high-voltage direct-current circuit). When the circuit to be protected is the high-voltage direct-current circuit, if the outside temperature reaches the fusing temperature of fusible alloy wires 303 in the high-voltage direct-current thermal fuse 300, fusible alloy wires 303 fuse off and shrink towards both ends to become a ball, attaching to the ends of the leads whose reference numbers are 306, 307 respectively. With the generation of high-voltage arc, liquidized fusible alloy wires 303 has a good fluidity. Arc extinguishing sleeve 304 moves along the axis to cut off fusible alloy wires 303 under the effect of the elasticity of compressing spring 305. Arc extinguishing sleeve 304 covers high-voltage left lead 306 to insulate the special discharging gap between the high-voltage left lead 306 and the high-voltage right lead 307, so as to cut off the parallel circuit to prevent further damages to other components in the circuit resulted from the abnormal increasing of temperature or burning caused by the arc.

[0046] As another expanded solution, the manner of using a regular thermal fuse connected in parallel to a current fuse can also be used to apply in the high-voltage direct-current circuit. Although the effect of the manner may not be optimal, it can realize the function of circuit cutting-off and arc extinguishing. If outside temperature reaches the fusing temperature of thermal fuse 100, the cutting-off of fusible alloy wires 104 fuse off and shrink towards the right and left leads at both ends. Due to the existence of parallel circuit, the cutting-off of fusible alloy wires 104 will not generate the arc. The current will go through the current fuse connected in parallel to thermal fuse 100. When the current reaches a certain intensity and a certain temperature, fuse 203 of current fuse 200 will fuse off automatically to cut off the current, so as to achieve the function of protecting the circuit to operate safely.

[0047] For persons skilled in the art, it is easy to conceive of many modifications and other embodiments of the invention. In the invention, contents shown in the above descriptions and associated drawings have useful technical motivations. Thus, the embodiments of the invention only disclose preferable embodiments, and are not limited to specific embodiments disclosed, but also include various modifications and other embodiments within the scope of the claims. Although in the context, certain specific terms are used, they are only used for a general and descriptive sense, and do not constitute a limitation.