EP0954873A1

EP0954873A1 - Load disconnecting switch, in particular for the load circuit of a motor vehicle battery

Info

Publication number: EP0954873A1
Application number: EP98907840A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Thomas HÄHNEL; Jürgen BREITLOW-HERTZFELDT; Thomas BÜSCHER; Heiko Reiss
Original assignee: Siemens AG
Current assignee: TE Connectivity Solutions GmbH
Priority date: 1997-01-21
Filing date: 1998-01-21
Publication date: 1999-11-10
Also published as: JP2000508472A; KR20000070343A; WO1998032144A1; US6049265A; DE19701933C1; BR9807501A

Abstract

The load disconnecting switch is connected with a contact installation (14, 15, 36) between a pole terminal (4) and a main circuit (8). By means of a manually operated switch arm (45), the contact installation can be locked in the closed state, whereby the locking takes place by means of a ratchet (39). This ratchet (39) is, on the other hand, coupled with the armature (28) of an electro-magnetic system (26, 27). In this way, in the case of a dysfunction, the contact installation can be unlocked by means of the electro-magnetic system, and the circuit interrupted. With this disconnecting switch, the electrical system of a motor vehicle can, in the case of an accident or a short circuit, be connected quickly and without current, so as to reduce fire risk, or in the case of another dysfunction, to prevent discharging of the battery.

Description

description

Switch disconnectors, in particular for the load circuit of a vehicle battery

The invention relates to a load break switch, in particular for the load circuit of a vehicle battery, the load circuit being automatically disconnectable via an electromagnetic system.

In motor vehicles, it is desirable in certain fault situations to switch off the electrical system abruptly as close as possible to the battery. Such cases are, for example, a short circuit in the load circuit, which can lead to battery discharge or a vehicle fire, reverse polarity when starting aid, which can damage the battery, but also lead to destruction of the electronic systems in the vehicle electrical system, or an impact accident , which can also result in short circuits with a resulting fire hazard.

From DE 41 10 240 Cl a device for protecting a main current path in a motor vehicle is already known. Here, a short circuit situation is determined by various sensors and comparison means and evaluated to separate the circuit. An explosive device or an electromagnetic actuator are mentioned as shutdown means, for example, without going into detail about the construction and function of such an actuator.

A safety device for a power line in vehicles is also known from EP 0 725 412 A2, in which a current intensity sensor controls a downstream separating means with which the power line is interrupted in the case of Uberstro. In particular there are release agents with a detonator named, whereby a cable is cut or a plug is printed out of the housing when the release agent is drawn. After the release of such separating means, a restart is not readily possible even after the fault has been eliminated; rather, the fuse element must be replaced.

The aim of the present invention is to provide a switch disconnector, in particular for disconnecting the vehicle battery in artistic situations, which has a compact structure so that it can be accommodated directly in the area of the battery terminal in a confined space. In addition, this switch-disconnector should enable the electrical system to be switched on again manually as soon as the fault has been remedied. It should also be possible to design the switch disconnector so that the load circuit can also be switched off manually, for example before the vehicle has been at a standstill for a long time.

According to the invention, this goal is achieved with a switch disconnector with the following features:

an electromagnetic system, the armature of which is coupled to a pawl,

an input conductor that can be connected to a pole terminal of a battery, an output conductor that can be connected to the load circuit,

a movable contact element for establishing a switching connection between the input conductor and the output conductor,

a contact carrier carrying the movable contact element, which can be pivoted between a closed position and an open position and is biased by a tear-open spring,

an actuating arm which can be brought into engagement with the contact carrier and can be articulated by the switching pawl on the contact carrier, a manual actuating element for moving the actuating arm in the direction of the contact carrier and for locking it in a switch-on position,

- The contact carrier (34), the actuating arm (45) and the manual actuating member (49) interact in such a way

- That the pawl when the magnet system is not excited

Actuator arm locked on the contact carrier and the actuating arm m its switching position pretensions the contact carrier m the closed position and - that when the magnet system is excited, the switching pawl unlocks the actuating arm and the contact carrier is brought into the open position by the tear spring m.

In an advantageous embodiment, the input conductor and the output conductor each have fixed contacts which are in alignment with one another, the movable contact piece being a bridge contact piece connecting the two fixed contacts. However, an embodiment with a single contact would also be possible, the movable contact piece or the contact carrier being electrically connected to the receiving conductor or the output conductor via a wire.

The contact carrier can be a spring clamped on one side or a contact rocker. In an advantageous embodiment, such a contact rocker is rotatably mounted, and it has a first lever arm carrying the movable contact piece and a second lever arm interacting with the actuating arm. The first lever arm can be entirely or partially formed by a leaf spring attached to the contact rocker. In one embodiment of the invention, the second lever arm has a guide slot which runs approximately in its direction of rotation and which is engaged by an adjusting pin of the adjusting arm; the switching pawl coupled to the armature is preferably pivotally mounted on the second lever arm about a pawl axis parallel to its axis of rotation, such that, when the magnet system is not energized, it locks the adjusting pin with a locking hook against displacement in the foot. Locked slot. The pawl is preferably biased into its locking position with a pawl spring. This pivotable mounting of the switching pawl on the contact rocker makes it possible for the switching pawl to follow the movements of the contact rocker while maintaining its position in relation to the adjusting pin, for example, when the disconnector switch is operated manually, the locking of the adjusting pin is kept closed while the contact rocker m is in the closed position is rotated.

On the other hand, the pawl is actuated via the magnet system regardless of the switch position of the contact rocker. A magnet system with a lifting armature is preferably used, the latter being engaged with the switching pawl via a release pin. This intervention expediently takes place via an elongated hole m in the switching pawl, which runs approximately along the rotational movement of the contact rocker, so that the position of the magnet system or the lifting armature is always transferred to the locking state of the adjusting pin regardless of the rotational position of the contact rocker.

The actuating arm itself forms a preferred embodiment, together with the actuating member, of a toggle lever system which, in the stretched state, acts approximately m in the closing direction of the contact rocker on its second lever arm and whose pivot point is biased against a stop by the pull-open spring when the dead center is exceeded. In this way, after the dead center is exceeded by the knee lever, the closed state of the contact system is kept stable as long as the adjusting pin remains locked with the contact rocker.

The disconnector can be controlled via known sensors, for example an acceleration sensor serving as an impact sensor or a current sensor serving as a short-circuit sensor, an electronic evaluation switch being used. device can be housed together with the disconnector in a housing directly on the battery terminal.

The invention is described below using an exemplary embodiment with reference to the drawing. Show it

1 shows a battery disconnector designed according to the invention with its main assemblies in a perspective view, FIG. 2 shows the actual switch assembly from FIG. 1 in an exploded view,

3 and FIG. 4 the battery isolating switch from FIG. 1 in the assembled state (without a housing cap) in a perspective view and a top view, FIG. 5 and FIG. 6 the switch assembly with its essential functional elements in a top view in different switching states.

According to FIG. 1, the battery isolating switch shown in FIGS. 1 to 4 consists of a base group 1 with a housing base 11, furthermore the actual switch assembly 2 and a housing cap 3. The housing formed from the housing base 11 and the cap 3 has a recess 12 for a battery terminal 4, which has a known structure and can be clamped by means of a screw 5 on a battery pole, normally the positive pole of a vehicle battery. An extension 6 of the battery terminal protrudes through a recess m into the housing cap 3 and is connected electrically and mechanically in the interior of the housing to an input conductor 7. Both the battery terminal 4 and the input conductor 7 are made of highly conductive metal in order to be able to carry the current for the entire vehicle electrical system.

An output conductor 8 is arranged in a switch space 13 of the housing and bears a fixed contact 14 at a bent section. This is aligned on one level with a fixed contact 15 of the input conductor 7. The two fixed contacts are connected by the disconnector, as will be described later. From the output conductor 8, two connections 9 are connected to the outside for connection to the vehicle circuits. In addition, an emergency power connection 10 is branched off from the input conductor 7 and, bypassing the isolating switch, is likewise led out of the housing. This is used to supply a supply of the safety-relevant functions, for example warning light, car phone, etc. with a low power requirement even after the main circuits have been disconnected from the battery.

The actual switch assembly 2, which is shown in FIG. 2 m in its individual parts, is arranged in the switch space 13 on the output conductor 8. It has an insulating base plate 21 made of insulating material with three connecting pieces 22, 23 and 24, which carry a frame-shaped cover plate 25 via screw fastenings. An electromagnet system 26 with a coil 27 and a lifting armature 28 is also fastened on the base plate 21. The lifting armature 28 is pulled into the coil when the magnet system m is excited, a release pin 29 arranged at its end perpendicular to the axis also being actuated in this direction.

A trigger signal is fed to the magnet system via coil connections 30, which is not shown further here. This trigger signal can come from any sensor in the vehicle, for example from an impact acceleration sensor or a current or short-circuit sensor or the like, and can be supplied to the coil 27 via an evaluation device (not shown). A current sensor with a ferrite ring 31 and a Hall sensor 32 is shown in FIG. 1 without the connection of the connection elements of the Hall element to an evaluation circuit being shown. Such an evaluation circuit could, for example, be arranged in an additional circuit space 33 of the housing (FIG. 1). The LOPS 24 on the base plate 21 serves as a rotational axis for a ^¬ contact rocker 34, which is mounted in this way about a vertical axis rotatably to the coil axis. The contact rocker 34 carries a contact spring 35, which extends as a lever arm in a direction next to the axis of rotation and carries a bridge contact piece 36 at its end. This bridge contact piece 36 faces the fixed contacts 14 and 15 and connects the input conductor 7 to the output conductor 8 in the closed state.

In addition, the contact rocker 34 has a second lever arm 37 which extends approximately parallel to the armature 28. On this second lever arm 37, a pawl 39 is mounted by means of a screw pin 38 as a pivot axis, which engages with the release pin 29 m via an elongated hole 40. In addition, the pawl 39 has a Verπegelungshaken 41, the function of which will be explained. The pawl, whose pivot axis extends parallel to the axis of rotation of the contact rocker, is biased clockwise away from the armature 28 via a pawl spring 42.

The elongated hole 40 extends approximately along a circle around the axis of rotation or support 24 of the contact rocker 34, so that the pawl can be pivoted with the contact rocker without the armature 28 with its release pin 29 moving. The contact rocker 34 itself is biased via a strong release spring 43 m in the direction of an open position of the contact bridge 36, that is to say counterclockwise. This strong tear-open spring ensures that the load circuit is opened quickly and reliably in an emergency.

On the support 22, which is provided with a corresponding spacer and with gradations, a switching bracket 44 is rotatably mounted for manual actuation. An actuating arm 45 m in the form of a cropped, stable wire is pivotably mounted in it eccentrically and axially parallel, the actuating arm 45 moving itself from the switching bracket 44 m in the direction of the contact rocker extends, while its bearing pin 46 on the switching bracket 44 and a hook portion 47 at its movable end each extend perpendicularly thereto. The hook section 47 engages in a guide slot 48 of the second lever arm 37 of the contact rocker 34, which extends approximately in the direction of rotation of this contact rocker, ie approximately on a circular section around its axis of rotation or the support 24. If the hook end 47 m is moved inwards of the guide slot 48, it engages behind the locking hook 41 and is held by the locking hook 41 of the switching pawl 39 m in the innermost region of the guide slot 48 as long as the switching pawl 39 is held by its pawl spring 42 (when the magnet system is not excited) is held in their resting position. A switch button 49 is also mounted on the support 22 and is fixedly connected to the switch bracket 44, so that the switch bracket 44 can be rotated via the switch button 49 in order to take the actuating arm 45 accordingly. Due to the eccentric mounting of the actuating arm 45 via the bearing pin 46 m the switching bracket 44, the actuating arm 45 and the switching bracket 44 together form a toggle lever system, the joint of which is formed by the bearing pin 46. The toggle lever is extended when the support 22 as a bearing axis for the switching bracket 44, the bearing pin 46 and the hook section 47 m lie in a line. This position forms a dead center for the movement of the

Switch button. Rotation of the switch knob clockwise causes a pulling force on the second lever arm 37 of the contact rocker m in the direction of its opening via the actuating arm 45. A movement of the switch button over the dead center counterclockwise causes a stop cam 50 to strike a stop 51 of the cover plate 50 immediately after the dead center has been exceeded, as a result of which a pressure force is exerted on the lever arm 37 m in the closing direction of the contact rocker via the actuating arm ( as long as the hook section 47 m is locked to the guide slot 48). Figure 3 shows m perspective view of the built together quantitative ^¬ circuit breaker of clarity without Gehausekappe and with only indicated by broken lines covering plate 25. Figure 4 shows half a plan view of the circuit breaker in the same state. In these representations, the engagement of the actuating arm 45 m, the guide slot 48 of the lever arm 37 and the locking of the hook section 47 by the locking hook 41 of the pawl 39 can be seen in particular. This locking takes place in that the locking hook 41 partially covers the guide slot 48.

The function of the disconnector according to the invention will now be explained with reference to the switching positions shown in FIGS. 5 and 6. FIG. 5 shows the normal state, that is to say with the contact rocker 34 in the closed position, as a result of which the battery is connected to the vehicle electrical system. The switch button 49 is rotated counterclockwise beyond the dead center m the clamping position; In the clamping position shown, the stop cam 50 bears against the stop 51 of the cover plate. The actuating arm 45 locked with the second lever 37 of the contact rocker exerts pressure in a clockwise direction on the switching rocker, against the restoring force of the tear spring 43 and against the spring force of the contact spring 35. The bridge contact piece 36 is pressed against the fixed contacts 14 and 15 with a corresponding pressing force . The magnet system 26 is not excited, so that the state shown in FIG. 5 is maintained.

The contact can also be opened by turning the switch knob 49. The switch button is adjusted clockwise by about a quarter turn, the actuating arm taking the contact rocker 34 along with the lever arm 37, so that the bridge contact element 36 is lifted off the fixed contacts 14 and 15. This results in the state shown in FIG. 6; the contact rocker 34 rests with its lever arm 37 on a stop pin 52. The magnet system is located here in the idle state as before. Through the slot 40 m of the pawl 39, the relative movement of the pawl with respect to the release pin 29 is possible. The force of the tear-open spring also keeps this open idle state stable, regardless of whether the magnet system is excited or not. The load circuit can be opened and closed using the manual switch button.

If, however, in the closed state according to FIG. 5, the magnet system 26 is excited by a control signal on the coil 27, the lifting armature 28 m in the illustration of FIG. 5 is drawn in to the left m of the coil, as a result of which the release pin 29 via the elongated hole 40 engages the pawl 39 m the position shown in dashed lines is pivoted. As a result, the locking of the actuating arm 45 is released, since the locking hook 41 releases the guide slot 48. Now the switching rocker is rotated clockwise by the spring forces of the tear spring 43, so that the contact opens. The relative movement between the contact rocker on the one hand and the actuating arm or its hook section 47 is possible because the guide slot 48 approximately follows a circle around the axis of rotation of the switching rocker. Switching off via the magnet system is therefore always possible, even if the manual rotary switch with the switch button remains 49 m from the switch-on position according to FIG. 5.

If the magnet is no longer excited because, for example, a short-circuit fault has been remedied, the pawl 39 is brought back to its starting position according to FIG. 5 by the spring force of its pawl spring 42. If you then turn the switch knob m the switch-on position according to FIG. 6 (solid lines), the actuating arm 45 couples again via the hook section 47 into the guide slot 48 of the contact rocker; it snaps into place on the spring-loaded pawl and is locked again by it. When the switch knob is turned back clockwise, the actuating arm can then take the rocker switch with it and close the contact. As before was mentioned, instead of the bridge contact shown, a single contact could also be used, the movable contact, for example the contact spring, being able to be connected to the associated current conductor via a wire, for example. The illustrated current conductors 7 and 8 are designed as stamped and bent parts. It would also be conceivable, for example, to manufacture the input current conductor in one piece with the pole terminal 4. In addition, it is possible not to use the current conductors subsequently in the base 11 in a series production, but rather to embed them in the manufacture of this base by rinsing.

As has also already been mentioned, the disconnection switch can be triggered, inter alia, by a signal from an acceleration sensor, for example from an airbag trigger which is present anyway. It would also be conceivable, however, to use the lifting armature 28 of the magnet system itself as an acceleration sensor, which of course then had to be installed in a corresponding direction and both the mass and the preload of a return spring had to be adapted to the intended release value.

Claims

claims

1. switch disconnector, in particular for the load circuit of a vehicle battery, with the following features:

- an electromagnetic system (26), the armature (28) of which is coupled to a pawl (39),

an input conductor (7) which can be connected to a pole terminal (4) of a battery,

- An output conductor that can be connected to the load circuit

- a movable contact piece (36) for producing a switching connection between the input conductor (7) and the output conductor (8),

a contact carrier (34) carrying the movable contact piece (36), which can be pivoted between a closed position and an open position and is biased by an opening spring (43),

- An actuating arm (45) which can be brought into engagement with the contact carrier (34) and can be articulated by the switching pawl (39) on the contact carrier (34) and

- A manual actuator (49) for moving the actuating arm (45) in the direction of the contact carrier (34) and to it

Locking in a switching position,

- That the pawl when the magnet system is not excited

Actuator arm locked on the contact carrier and the actuating arm m its switching position pretensions the contact carrier m the closed position and - that when the magnet system is excited, the switching pawl unlocks the actuating arm and the contact carrier is brought into the open position by the tear spring.

2. Switch according to claim 1, characterized in that the input conductor (7) and the output conductor (8) each have aligned fixed contacts (14, 15) and that the loading wegliche contact piece (36) is the two fixed contacts ver ^¬ binding bridge contact piece.

3. Switch according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the contact carrier in the form of a contact rocker (34) is rotatably mounted and a movable lever (36) carrying the first lever arm (35) and with the actuating arm (45) cooperating second lever arm ( 37).

4. Switch according to claim 3, so that the first lever arm (35) is formed by a leaf spring attached to the contact rocker (34).

5. Switch according to claim 3 or 4, characterized in that the second lever arm (37) has an approximately in its direction of rotation guide slot (48), in which an adjusting pin (47) of the actuating arm (45) engages, and that with the armature (23) coupled pawl (39) is mounted on the second lever arm (37) so as to be pivotable about a pawl axis (38) parallel to its axis of rotation (24), in such a way that when the magnet system (26, 28) is not excited, it is secured with a locking hook ( 41) the adjusting pin (47) is locked against displacement in the guide slot (48).

6. Switch according to claim 5, so that the pawl (39) is biased into its locking position by means of a pawl spring (42).

7. Switch according to claim 5 or 6, characterized in that the magnet system has a lifting armature (28) which is perpendicular to its longitudinal axis and parallel to the pivot axis of the Switch pawl (39) standing release pin (29) is engaged with the switch pawl (39).

8. Switch according to claim 7, d a d u r c h g e k e n n z e i c h n e t that the trigger pin (29) engages an elongated hole (40) of the pawl (39) which extends approximately in the direction of the rotational movement of the contact rocker (34).

9. Switch according to one of claims 3 to 8, characterized in that the actuating arm (45) together with the manual actuating member (44,49) forms a toggle lever system, the m stretched state approximately m closing direction of the contact rocker (34) on the second lever arm (37 ) acts and its hinge point (46) is biased against a stop (51) when the dead center is exceeded by the tear spring (43).

10. Switch according to claim 9, d a d u r c h g e k e n n z e i c h n e t that the manual actuator is a rotary switch (44,49), on the circumference of which a pivot point (46) is provided for the actuating arm (45), which also forms the hinge point of the toggle lever system.

11. Switch according to one of claims 1 to 10, d a d u r c h g e k e n n z e i c h n e t that the magnet system can be controlled via an external sensor.

12. Switch according to one of claims 7 to 10, so that the lifting armature (28) is designed as an acceleration sensor due to its mass and preload.

13. Switch according to one of claims 1 to 12, characterized in that on the input conductor (7) or the output conductor (8) em current sensor (31,32) is arranged, which causes the excitation of the magnetic system (26,27,28) when a current threshold value is exceeded.

14. Switch according to claim 13, d a d u r c h g e k e n n z e i c h n e t that the current sensor comprises a magnetic flux sensor (32).

15. Switch according to one of claims 1 to 14, ^■ characterized in that the input conductor (7) is a rigidly connected to the pole terminal (4) metal rail.

16. Switch according to claim 15, d a d u r c h g e k e n n z e i c h n e t that it is enclosed in a to the pole terminal (4) adapted, this self-saving housing (11,3).

17. Switch according to one of claims 1 to 16, d a d u r c h g e k e n n z e i c h n e t that an emergency exit conductor (10) is guided outwards from the input conductor parallel to the circuit connection of the disconnector.

18. Switch according to claim 16, so that a separate space (33) is provided for an electronic control circuit in the housing.