ELECTRICAL POWER SUPPLY CABLE COMPRISING A FUSE AND AN OVERMOLDED FUSE PROTECTION ELEMENT WITH OVERTHICKNESS

Abstract

The invention relates to an electrical power supply cable (10) for a photovoltaic installation, comprising an electrical conductor (12) having at least two electrical conductor portions (20, 22) and a fuse (24) arranged between said at least two electrical conductor portions, said at least one fuse electrically linking said at least two electrical conductor portions, the cable (10) further comprising a protection element (30, 40, 50, 60) overmolded around said fuse and forming an electrical insulation layer, said protection element comprising at least one overthickness at at least one end portion (34, 36) of the protection element (30).

Claims

1. An electrical power supply cable for a photovoltaic installation, comprising: an electrical conductor having at least two electrical conductor portions and a fuse arranged in between said at least two electrical conductor portions, said at least one fuse electrically linking said at least two electrical conductor portions, the cable further comprising a protection element overmolded around said fuse and forming a layer of electrical insulation, said protection element comprising at least one overthickness at at least one end portion of the protection element.

2. The electrical power supply cable as claimed in claim 1, further comprising an insulating sheath arranged around said at least electrical conductor portions, said protection element at least partially overlapping said insulating sheath.

3. The electrical power supply cable as claimed in claim 1, wherein the protection element is made of polymer material.

4. The electrical power supply cable as claimed in claim 1, wherein each of said at least two electrical conductor portions extends along a main axis of the power supply cable, the protection element extending along this main axis, said at least one overthickness extending transversely to this main axis.

5. The electrical power supply cable as claimed in claim 4, wherein said at least one overthickness extends at least partially around the main axis.

6. The electrical power supply cable as claimed in claim 4, wherein said fuse has two ends each linked to an electrical conductor portion, the protection element extending along said main axis beyond the two ends of said fuse.

7. The electrical power supply cable as claimed in claim 1, wherein said at least one overthickness has a maximum transverse dimension at least 20% greater than the maximum transverse dimension of a central portion of the protection element arranged on said fuse.

8. The electrical power supply cable as claimed in claim 1, wherein the protection element has a cross-section at least partially increasing from a central portion arranged on said fuse to said at least one end portion.

9. The electrical power supply cable as claimed in claim 1, wherein the protection element has an outer surface having a plurality of reliefs.

10. The electrical power supply cable as claimed in claim 3, wherein the protection element is made of polyamide.

11. The electrical power supply cable as claimed in claim 7, wherein said at least one overthickness has a maximum transverse dimension at least 50% greater than the maximum transverse dimension of a central portion of the protection element arranged on said fuse.

12. The electrical power supply cable as claimed in claim 7, wherein said at least one overthickness has a maximum transverse dimension at least 70% greater than the maximum transverse dimension of a central portion of the protection element arranged on said fuse.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0043] The attached drawings illustrate the invention:

[0044] FIG. 1 schematically represents a perspective view of an electrical power supply cable comprising a fuse and a first embodiment of an overmolded protection element.

[0045] FIG. 2 schematically represents a distribution of the temperatures inside the electrical power supply cable comprising the first embodiment of the protection element.

[0046] FIG. 3 schematically represents a side view of a second embodiment of the overmolded protection element.

[0047] FIG. 4 schematically represents a side view of a third embodiment of the overmolded protection element.

[0048] FIG. 5 schematically represents a side view of a fourth embodiment of the overmolded protection element.

DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENT(S)

[0049] The design of the invention is described more fully hereinbelow with reference to the attached drawings, in which embodiments of the design of the invention are shown. In the drawings, the size and the relative sizes of the elements may be exaggerated for the purposes of clarity. Similar numbers refer to similar elements in all the drawings. However, this design of the invention can be implemented in many different forms and should not be interpreted as being limited to the embodiments explained here. Instead, these embodiments are proposed such that this description is comprehensive, and communicate the extent of the design of the invention to the person skilled in the art.

[0050] A reference throughout the specification to “one embodiment” means that a functionality, a structure, or a particular feature described in relation to one embodiment is included in at least one embodiment of the present invention. Thus, the appearance of the expression “in one embodiment” at various locations throughout the specification does not necessary refer to the same embodiment. Furthermore, the functionalities, the structures, or the particular features can be combined in any appropriate manner in one or more embodiments. Furthermore, the term “comprising” does not exclude other elements or steps.

[0051] Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, an electrical power supply cable 10 for a photovoltaic installation comprises an electrical conductor 12 and an insulating sheath 14 arranged around the electrical conductor 12. The electrical power supply cable 10 extends along a main axis A.

[0052] The electrical conductor 12 comprises a first 16 and a second 18 electrical conductor portions. The insulating sheath 14 also comprises a first 20 and a second 22 insulating sheath portions respectively arranged around first 16 and second 18 electrical conductor portions.

[0053] The electrical power supply cable 10 also comprises a fuse 24 arranged and electrically connected between the first 16 and second 18 electrical conductor portions.

[0054] The electrical power supply cable 10 further comprises a first embodiment of a protection element 30 overmolded around the fuse 24. The protection element 30 comprises a central portion 32 arranged around the fuse 24. The central portion 32 is of constant circular section.

[0055] The protection element 30 also comprises a first 34 and a second 36 end portions arranged on either side of the central portion 32. The first 34 and second 36 end portions are of increasing circular cross-section along the main axis A from the central portion 32 to the ends of the protection element 30. This increasing section thus forms an overthickness. In particular, the first 34 and second 36 end portions each form a tapered portion, the maximum cross-section of which is formed at the ends of the protection element 30. The base of each of the first 34 and second 36 end portions begins at an end 38 of the fuse 24, along the main axis A.

[0056] Referring to FIG. 2, it can be seen that the maximum temperature determined is approximately 50° C. at the interface between the fuse 24 and the electrical conductor 12 when the protection element 30 is in use. In particular, it has been observed that, for ambient temperature values of between 30° C. and 90° C., the protection element 30 observes the requisite constraints.

[0057] A second embodiment of the protection element is presented in FIG. 3. A protection element 40 differs from the first embodiment of the protection element 30 in that a plurality of reliefs 42 is formed on an outer surface 44 of the protection element 40. The reliefs 42 are, here, formed over all of the outer surface 44. The reliefs 42 are formed by a plurality of local circular overthicknesses.

[0058] The protection element 40 combines a cross-section increasing toward its ends and a plurality of reliefs on all of its outer surface 44. It has been observed that, of the embodiments presented, the protection element 40 exhibits the best heat dissipation.

[0059] Referring to FIG. 4, a third embodiment of the protection element is presented. A protection element 50 differs from the protection element 40 in that the increase of section of the first 34 and second 36 end portions is discontinuous. In other words, the first 34 and second 36 end portions form a stepped cross-section.

[0060] Referring to FIG. 5, a third embodiment of the protection element is presented. A protection element 60 comprises first 34 and second 36 end portions, the cross-section of which is successively increasing then decreasing to form a plurality of disks along the main axis A.