EP3555900A1

EP3555900A1 - Electrical interruption switch, in particular for interrupting high currents at high voltages

Info

Publication number: EP3555900A1
Application number: EP17787320.5A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Peter Lell
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2016-12-13
Filing date: 2017-10-04
Publication date: 2019-10-23
Anticipated expiration: 2037-10-04
Also published as: DE102016124176A1; CN110073460A; CN110073460B; DE202017106261U1; US11062865B2; US20200211801A1; WO2018001420A1; EP3555900B1

Abstract

The invention relates to an electrical interruption switch, in particular for interrupting high currents at high voltages, especially high direct currents, comprising a housing that surrounds a contact unit defining the current path through the interruption switch, and comprising a pyrotechnical material that includes a gas-generating and/or shock wave-generating activatable material; the contact unit includes a first terminal contact, a second terminal contact and a disconnection region; the pyrotechnical material and the contact unit are designed in such a way that a current which is to be interrupted can be fed to the contact unit via the first terminal contact and be discharged therefrom via the second terminal contact, or vice versa, and in such a way that the disconnection region is subjected to a gas pressure and/or a shock wave generated by the activatable material when the pyrotechnical material is ignited, causing the disconnection region to tear open, cave in or be severed and the at least one chamber in the interruption switch that is at least partly delimited by the disconnection region to fill at least substantially in its entirety with a filling material, preferably silicone oil, so that the disconnection region comes into contact with the filling material in order for the highest possible bursting pressure to be exerted on the disconnection region using a minimum amount of gas-generating mass or - if a shock wave-generating pyrotechnical compound is used - for said shock wave-generating pyrotechnical compound to be coupled with as little loss as possible to the disconnection region that is to be disconnected. An insertable central electrode relieves the disconnection point and/or indicates the successful triggering of the interruption switch following the initial disconnection.

Description

Electric circuit breaker, in particular for

Interrupting high currents at high voltages

The invention relates to an electrical interrupting switching element, in particular for interrupting high currents at high voltages, having the features of the preamble of patent claim 1.

Such switching elements can be found, for example, in power plant and automotive engineering, as well as in general mechanical and electrical engineering in cabinets of machinery and equipment, and in the context of electromobility in electric and hybrid vehicles, but also in electrically powered helicopters and aircraft to the defined and rapid disconnection of electric power circuits in emergency use. There is a requirement for such a switching element that its triggering and interruption function must be reliably guaranteed even without maintenance even after up to 20 years. Furthermore, such a switching element must not pose any additional danger potential due to hot gas, particles, throwing pieces or emerging plasma.

A possible field of application in motor vehicle technology is the defined irreversible disconnection of the on-board cabling from the car battery or drive battery shortly after an accident or generally after a short circuiting operation caused, for example, by a defective unit or a defective electric motor, to sources of ignition by sparks and To avoid plasma that occur when, for example, cable insulation was scoured by penetrating during the accident body panel or press loose cable ends against each other or against sheet metal parts and scrub. If gasoline runs out in an accident at the same time, such ignition sources can ignite flammable gasoline-air mixtures that collect under the bonnet, for example. Further applications are the electrical separation of an assembly from the electrical system in the event of a short circuit in the relevant module, for example in an electric auxiliary heater or in an electric brake, as well as the emergency shutdown of a lithium battery, such as today in electric and hybrid vehicles, and in aircraft Application come. These batteries have a high clamping voltage of up to 1200V at a small volume extremely low internal resistance. Both result in a possible short-circuit current of up to 5000A, partially and briefly even up to 30kA, without this the source voltage would break sharply, which can lead after just a few seconds to ignite the battery or its explosion. Even for emergency shutdown of individual solar cell modules or whole solar panels in an emergency, the interruption switch presented here is very well suited because it can be formed controllable or remotely controllable. In addition, it may also be designed in addition or instead so that it triggers passively, so can take over the function of a conventional fuse with the same.

All of the applications listed here are usually the switching off of direct current, which unlike alternating current has no zero crossing. This means that an arc, once created in or at the switch, does not extinguish by itself, but remains stable and thereby evaporates all materials in its Wrktungsbereich through its extremely high temperature of several 1000 ° C and in addition to its extreme thermal Wrkung and emitted radiation energy it also produces highly toxic gaseous substances.

Disconnecting high-voltage direct currents is therefore much more difficult than disconnecting high-voltage alternating currents and, more difficultly, the higher the line inductance and the smaller the effective line resistance at the moment of the circuit.

In the prior art pyrotechnic fuses are known, which are actively driven to trigger. For example, DE 2 103 565 describes a circuit breaker which comprises a metallic housing, which is connected to two mutually projecting connection areas, each having a conductor end of a conductor to be protected. The current path runs over the housing. In the housing, a pyrotechnic element is provided, which is formed by an explosive charge. The explosive charge can be activated by an electric igniter, which comprises an ignition element which is vaporized by a feed current. The housing is filled with an insulating liquid. The axially extending housing has a circumferential groove along which the housing ruptures upon ignition of the explosive charge. The Housing is broken into two electrically separate parts, so that the relevant circuit is separated. The resulting in the separation of a circuit with a very high current plasma is extinguished in this circuit breaker by the atomized insulating liquid. The triggering can be done in a car, for example, by the signal of a shock sensor.

A self-triggering for the separation of the circuit in an overload of the conductor to be protected is not provided in this known device, because the entire sleeve would have to be heated to the triggering temperature and then a detonati- ve implementation would not be reached safely. Because an explosive can hardly be ignited by simply heating the sleeve, i. be brought to the detonative implementation. However, this would be e.g. necessary in the housing shape described in DE 2 103 565.

It should be mentioned that in pyrotechnics worldwide is spoken of a detonative implementation when flame front velocities of more than 2000 m / s by definition are achieved.

Another disadvantage of this known device is the problem of approval for devices that have filled with explosives or even detonators assemblies and have effects to the outside. For this reason, such devices find no commercial use so far. They are only used very occasionally in research institutes for special experiments. The causes for this are in addition the very low handling safety and the extremely high danger potential, which can only be limited very severely.

Furthermore, in many cases there is the demand for a self-tripping function of such a switch or a safety device, for example, to protect a cable against overload without additional effort for overload sensors, or failure of the trigger sensor or trip circuit. A corresponding switching element should therefore not only have a controllable triggering possibility, but also the function of a conventional high-current fuse in the form of a melted Have safe, which is safe to handle by anyone, as is the case with conventional fuses.

Such high-current fuses have the disadvantage of fluctuating within a wide bandwidth turn-off after reaching the rated current level of the fuse. A cable secured therewith can therefore only with regard to its current carrying capacity to a very small extent, e.g. 30%, since otherwise, for example, a cable fire may occur in the event of an overload. The most serious disadvantage of fuses, however, is the fact that they form a conductive channel internally around the fusible conductor when switching off very small overcurrents, with the result that, although the fusible conductor melts, but then the current is not switched off, because now the here Current flows over the conductive channel.

From DE 197 49 133 A1 an emergency switch for electrical circuits is known, which allows both a self-triggering and a triggerable triggering. For this purpose, an electrical conductor is used, which has a pyrotechnic soul. This can for example consist of a pyrotechnic material. On the one hand, the pyrotechnic core can be ignited by the heating of the electrical conductor when an admissible current intensity (nominal current intensity) is exceeded. On the other hand, it is provided to ignite the pyrotechnic soul by a controllable ignition device, for example in the form of a filament. DE 197 49 133 A1, however, merely represents the principle of such a device, but does not give any indication of possible structurally advantageously executable embodiments. Because the production of a conductor with such a pyrotechnic soul requires a considerable effort. In addition, a safe, rapid separation of the conductor can be ensured only with the use of a detonative explosive even with such a Notabschalter. In the case of deflagrating substances, ie non-detonating substances such as thermite or nitrocellulose powder, the conductor only bursts open and the remaining gas escapes without the conductor being completely separated. The complete separation is then achieved at best by the melting of the conductor as a result of the current flowing through the fuse. However, this would be at higher voltages, especially at switching voltages of more than 100V, forcibly lead to ion generation and thus plasma formation in the fuse and thus prevent the interruption of the circuit with high probability.

Applicant's DE 100 28 168 A1 discloses an electrical switching element, in particular for switching high currents, which is active, i. by means of a controllable ignition device, as well as passive, i. can be formed activated via the current strength of the current to be disconnected. The switching element has a housing, which comprises a contact unit, wherein the contact unit has two fixedly connected to the housing or integrally formed terminal contacts for supplying and discharging an electrical current to be switched, and wherein the two terminal contacts in the initial state of the switching element within the housing are electrically connected. In the housing an activatable material is provided, which generates after activating a gas pressure for acting on the contact unit, wherein the electrically conductive connection is separated by the application of the gas pressure. The contact unit comprises a relative to the fixed terminal contacts under the action of the gas pressure generated movable contact element which is moved by the application of the generated gas pressure in the direction of the axis of the contact unit from its initial position to an end position in which interrupted the electrical connection via the contact unit is.

This switching element is designed so that no movement of parts occurs to the outside. In addition, no hazardous gases or fractions escape when activated.

However, it has been found that such switching units are only limited suitable for switching off very high DC currents at higher voltages, since the interruption of the separation area due to the disconnection of the circuit here always an arc is drawn, due to the in the line inductance at the moment of Separating stored in the magnetic field and released at the moment of disconnecting the power can not be prevented. Attempts to use an extinguishing agent which separates the separation area in the gangszustand before activating, have shown that this alone does not achieve the desired success, namely to avoid the emergence of an arc or to delete an existing arc safely.

In known pyrotechnic drives, whether integrated into any device or as an independent device, the activatable material, which is provided for generating the pressure or the pressure surge (hereinafter also referred to as shock wave), introduced into a combustion chamber. The volume of the combustion chamber is usually also the volume of the powder chamber and usually includes the volume, which requires the pyrotechnic material for storage in the assembly prior to its release. However, depending on the liveliness or burning rate of the pyrotechnic material, only a small amount of the activatable material is needed or should for reasons of maximum safety in case of failure as little activatable material contained in the assembly, so there is often the problem that the combustion chamber can not be made small enough, or that the activatable material, which is often in solid, such as pressed form, can not be produced with the required tolerance to fill the entire combustion chamber. The residual volume of the combustion chamber, which is not claimed by the activatable material, and the air present therein or the gas present therein limits in particular the steepness of the pressure increase, which is generated after activating the activatable material, requires additional energy, the actual Aufbrechvorgang In addition, the so-called separation area and then the acceleration process of the membrane or the piston is lost and also attenuates any types of shock waves that could have been used to break up the separation area with minimal use of pyrotechnic mass. Thus, the residual volume filled with air or a gas reduces the transmission of a rapid mechanical impulse to the drive element of the pyrotechnic drive device (also referred to below as the sabot).

With regard to safety aspects as well, both the lowest possible mass of pyrotechnic material and, at the same time, the smallest possible void volume in the assembly are desirable: Every void volume can be generated by the pyrotechnic reaction be oppressed by the resulting gaseous reaction products, ie an energy reservoir to be created after the ignition, which discharges when, for example, the assembly was once overloaded and breaks. Thereafter, the thus created "high-pressure gas storage" with corresponding bang and thrown around parts would be discharged - which can not be done if there are no void volumes in the assembly or after the release of the assembly gas-filled volumes.

It should be noted at this point that in the context of this description, any deflagrating or detonatively converting (for example, burning off) material is referred to as an activatable material. This also includes deflagrating material mixtures, such as thermite mixtures or tetrazene. A deflagration-converting material generates, inter alia, gaseous reaction products and a pressure increase or a pressure wave whose propagation velocity is less than or equal to the speed of sound of the medium in question. In contrast, a detonatively converting material additionally generates a pressure change, referred to as a pressure surge or shock wave, in the relevant medium whose propagation velocity is greater than the speed of sound in the loaded medium.

This essentially results in two different types of pyrotechnic drive devices:

By using a deflagrating, ie relatively slowly converting, activatable material, the result is a relatively slow increase in pressure or a relatively slow pressure change or pressure wave in the surrounding medium in the millisecond range. For example, if this relatively "slow" pressure increase causes a sabot or pipe segment to undergo deformation or is moved, both effects on the sabot or pipe segment are possible cause. If a detonatively implementing activatable material is used, then especially the generated pressure surge or the shock wave emanating from it should be exploited to first, for example, a module segment, here a pipe segment or the separation area, ie here the electrical conductor, quickly and violently tear and then produce the output power of the pyrotechnic material.

In this case, the property of detonative materials is exploited to be able to produce a significantly higher energy density compared to deflagrating materials, the effect of which can be implemented more effectively at the desired location while at the same time using much less material. Of particular importance here, however, the coupling of the detonative material or the shock wave generated by it to the desired Wrkungsort.

Furthermore, it is desirable to keep the amount of pyrotechnic material in such interrupting switching elements as small as possible, so that not only detonatively implementing pyrotechnic materials, but also deflagrating pyrotechnic materials can be used, while still causing a sufficient separation of the current path. Furthermore, it is also desirable for safety and cost reasons to minimize the amount of pyrotechnic material.

Based on this prior art, the present invention seeks to provide a pyrotechnic interruption switch, in particular for interrupting high currents at high voltages, in which also the switching off of high currents at high voltages by avoiding or at least effectively damping a safely ensured by an arc maintained current. The amount of pyrotechnic material to be used should be as low as possible and still ensure shutdown. In addition, a switching element is to be created, which is largely harmless to safety and can be produced in a simple and cost-effective manner.

The invention solves this problem with the features of patent claim 1. In the electric circuit breaker according to the invention, a pyrotechnic material can be used in such a small amount for carrying out the switching operation, that the shock wave generated does not damage the housing of the interruption switching element, but can nevertheless interrupt high currents at high voltages. Not only deflagrating pyrotechnic materials but also detonating pyrotechnic materials generating shock waves can be used for this purpose.

The electrical interrupting switching element according to the invention therefore has a housing which surrounds a contact unit defining the current path through the interrupting switching element. There is provided a pyrotechnic material which is a gas generating and / or shockwave generating activatable material. The contact unit has a first and a second connection contact and a separation region. The pyrotechnic material and the contact unit are designed such that a current to be interrupted can be supplied to it via the first connection contact and can be dissipated from it via the second connection contact (or vice versa) and that when the pyrotechnic material is ignited, the separation region with a through the activatable material generated gas pressure and / or shock wave is applied, so that the separation area is torn or pressed and thereby separated. The isolation distance is chosen so that it is well enough for each voltage to be switched, the source voltage after the separation safely, i. discharge-free. At least one chamber in the interruption switching member is at least partially bounded by the separation region and substantially completely filled with a filling material, preferably with silicone oil. In this way, the separation area is in contact with the filling material.

By "substantially completely filled" is meant that apart from unavoidable gas bubbles, which are present for example due to the surface tension of the filling material or due to difficulties in filling, the entire space of the respective chamber is filled with the filling material.

According to one embodiment of the invention, the separation region may be designed so that it surrounds a chamber, preferably a combustion chamber, at least partially, ie the wall of the separation area delimits the one chamber at least partially.

According to one embodiment of the invention, the separation region can separate the one chamber from another chamber. This further chamber preferably surrounds the separation area annularly. If not only the one chamber filled with filling material, but also the space of the other chamber, the separation process of the separation area, takes place completely in the filling material, so that an arc forming during the first breakup is extinguished immediately to quickly and further discharge phenomena are well prevented can. According to one embodiment of the invention can thus be connected to the separation of the separation region, a chamber with the other chamber. According to one embodiment of the invention, therefore, both the one chamber, and the other chamber can be substantially completely filled with the filling material.

According to one embodiment of the invention, the pyrotechnic material may be located in the chamber which is filled with the filling material. In this way, the shock wave can act directly on the filler material with its specific, usually very small shock wave resistance.

The pyrotechnic material is preferably provided with a protective layer, preferably of natural rubber and / or epoxy resin, which prevents the filling material from inactivating the pyrotechnic material before it is activated. The pyrotechnic material is preferably present in the form of a so-called Minidetonators, or a primer or squib, but may also be incorporated in another form the interruption element according to the invention.

According to one embodiment of the invention, the pyrotechnic material is in the one chamber, that is, the one chamber is then the combustion chamber. However, embodiments are also conceivable in which the pyrotechnic material is provided in the further chamber, for example in an outer region of the further chamber within the housing (see FIG. 11) or even outside the housing, in which case the energy generated or the pressure or the shock wave via a pressure line (see Fig.12). acting on the separation area and the sabot. The filling material preferably has an electrically good insulating material. It preferably contains a material which decomposes itself again into an insulator when exposed to energy or its decomposition. However, both properties can also be met by one material alone, as is the case with silicone oils: the well electrically insulating oil is decomposed, for example, by the influence of arcing and in this case to silicon dioxide, which is also a good electrical insulator.

The pyrotechnic material is usually accommodated in one chamber, but embodiments are also conceivable which include the pyrotechnic material in the outer region of the further chamber within the housing (see FIG. 11) or even outside the housing via a pressure line (see FIG ) and supplies the pressure or the shock wave in this way the separation area. Again, all void volumes can successfully be filled with fluid, as can be seen in the two figures. In both latter cases, the web material in the separation area would be either pushed inwards after separation or simply torn longitudinally.

The presence of a filling material in at least one of the chambers also has the advantage that the surface of, for example, the mini-dictator is electrically well insulated against the inner or outer wall of the separation region. The presence of a filling material in the one chamber or the other chamber also has the advantage that the gas content can be greatly reduced therein, so that with little generated by the Minidetonator amount of gas already a high pressure on the separation area and a possible sabot can be exercised. This can be very effective, ie with little gas or reacted pyrotechnic mass, so much pressure generated that even a running with thick material separation area of the contact unit well ruptures and then also oppressed any existing sabot and thus compresses any existing compression area or is folded up. By reduced by the filling material gas volume in the chamber and / or the other chamber can also be achieved that little pressure energy is stored and so occurs when bursting the housing of the interruption switching element after overloading of the assembly no major undesirable effect to the outside. Only in one gas volume could be significantly energy stored, which could then explode when the housing of the breaker switch. Furthermore, the shock wave resistance in the one chamber or the further chamber is greatly reduced by the filling material, or the separation region is acoustically coupled to the mini-detonator as it were. In this case, pressures of far more than 1 kbar are achieved in the shockwave front. The migration of this pressure disturbance or the pressure energy in the direction of the wall of the separation region would be impeded, attenuated or damped by a gas volume. By filling a filling material with a lower shock wave resistance than a gas, the energy generated, for example, by the mini-detonator can be used as unimpaired as possible for the destruction of the separation area and for the application of a possible sabot, and not for the heating and depression of the gas. When using, for example, silicone oils there is an improvement or enhancement of the shock wave against air between 1000x to 4000x.

When the pyrotechnic material is ignited, the presence of the filler material allows the shock wave to propagate with much less damping so that the separation region can be ruptured much more effectively and the sabot can be depressed than when a gaseous material is present. As a result, the interruption switching element according to the invention can switch much more efficiently and faster compared to a switching element which has a gaseous filling material. It has also been found that by using a filling material according to the invention, the thickness of the separating region can be greatly increased, without the need to use a conventional higher amount of pyrotechnic material for successful separation. In this way, the interruption switching element according to the invention can be used for much higher currents at higher voltages, without resulting in an impermissible heating of the separation region.

According to one embodiment of the invention, the contact unit may have an upsetting region. The swage area can be designed such that it surrounds a still further chamber. The swage area can be designed so that it is compressed during the separation process of the separation area. It is preferred that the material of the swaged area is a readily deformable, possibly also annealed material in order to to improve the folding behavior of the compression area.

In experiments with such an assembly, it has also been shown that after the separation of the separation area and the formation of the arc evaporates a small amount of the filler, so that energy withdraws from the arc, but at the same time generates an additional amount of gas, the separation area and the Sabot acts and effectively depresses them. As a result, the separation and compression of the compression area becomes faster and more effective, the higher the current to be disconnected and thus the arc initially generated. This is a very welcome effect, which means that the breaker switch according to the invention can still be used at extremely high currents to be separated.

According to one embodiment of the invention, the still further chamber of the compression area can be completely filled with the filling material. By the movement of the sabot and / or the upsetting operation of the compression region, the volume of the still further chamber is reduced such that the vaporizable medium is injected through the at least one channel between the at least two parts of the separation region. In this case, it is preferred that the still further chamber is connected via a bore (channel) with the one chamber. As a result, the filling material from the still further chamber can be pressed into the one chamber via the channel during the upsetting process and thus prevents or further effectively cools the arc which may still be present at the separation region. At the same time, the extinguishing agent, which may have already been partially decomposed in one chamber, is diluted by the newly flowing medium and thus likewise improves the insulating properties of the "stressed" extinguishing agent. In this embodiment of the invention, it may also be preferred that only the one chamber and the still further chamber and the connecting channel are filled with a filling material. Here it may be preferred that the further chamber contains no filling material.

According to one embodiment of the invention, the swage area can be designed with regard to the material and the geometry such that the wall of the swaged area is folded, preferably meander-shaped, as a result of the swaging movement. In one embodiment of the invention, the swaged portion may have at least one perforation, which allows a connection between the still further chamber with a volume surrounding the still further chamber. In this way, additional filling material can be made available during the swaging operation, and the volume of the one and the further chambers becoming larger by moving the sabot can be refilled with filling material. As a result, there is more extinguishing means for the switching arc and additional work possibility for the magnetic energy stored in the circular inductance at the moment of the separation of the separation region, so that the material of the compression region can be better transformed. By more available extinguishing agent, the resulting arc in the separation area can be better cooled or disturbed. Furthermore, it can also be prevented that a gas space is created in the chamber volume around the separation area. In this case, the amount of gas in the depressed room can be kept as low as possible after triggering, and thus the risk of explosion associated with a highly depressed gas space can be minimized. Furthermore, in this way, the partially converted by the arc filling material can be diluted by the newly injected filler. This results in better insulation values. Also, the filling time of the still further chamber lengthens the extinguishing time by delaying the upsetting process. This ensures that the power shutdown works even with larger time constants of circular inductance and circuit resistance: The compression time determines the time in which the filler is injected into the one chamber and another chamber and thus the arc standing there particularly effectively cools, bothers and passes Material conversion or evaporation can work. If the time constant of load resistance and the circular inductance is greater than the time that is available during or through the upsetting, the interruption switching element can no longer cool the then still flowing at the end of the separation process and thus the then still standing arc , As a result, the internal pressure increases due to vaporized filling material, and it can lead to the unwanted destruction or explosion of the interruption switching element. The magnetic energy stored in the circular inductance at the time of the disconnection or the tripping of the interruption switching element must be converted into other forms of energy. For this conversion, the following options are available according to the invention: Heating and ultimately the evaporation of the filler or its at least partial chemical conversion in the arc contact, upsetting the material of the contact element in the compression region, heating of the filler by flow resistance during compression of the compression region (by the correct design of the overflow may here the compression time to the maximum or real existing time constant of circular inductance and load resistance can be adjusted according to the equation tau = L * R).

The introduction of a perforation in the swaged area has the advantage that the size of the flow resistance of the overflowing here during compression of the swaged area fluid is large enough or can be optimally adjusted for the switching operation. Thereby, the filling material can better absorb the magnetic energy stored in the Kreisinduktiviät at the time of separation or convert it into other forms of energy.

In one embodiment of the invention may be introduced into the filler Thermite. In this case, all embodiments are conceivable: admixture of thermites in the filling material of a chamber, the other chamber and / or the still further chamber. In one embodiment, the further chamber may also contain thermite in powder form.

The at least one channel may be formed like a nozzle. In particular, the channel may be oriented so that it is directed in its direction of extension to the stationary separated end of the separation area.

According to one embodiment of the invention, the separation region may be hollow-cylindrical and preferably annular in cross-section. In this case, the one chamber is located in the interior of the hollow cylinder and is thus partially limited by this. The further chamber surrounds the compression region preferably annular.

The compression region can also be hollow-cylindrical and preferably annular in cross-section. Inside the hollow cylinder, the filling material can thus be inserted. be brought. An annular cross-section favors, over the circumference, uniform folding of the hollow cylinder wall during the upsetting process.

The length of the hollow cylinder in the separation area / the length of the switching land is preferably in the range of 3 mm to 15 mm, more preferably in the range of 5 mm to 10 mm, and even more preferably in the range of 6 mm to 8 mm. For special cases, however, web widths of 1 mm are also an advantage, especially if switching is to be particularly fast. The wall thickness of the hollow cylindrical separation area / the material thickness of the switching bridge can be up to 1000 μηι, preferably here is the range of 400 μηι to 700 μηι. In previous breaker links without filler in the combustion chamber or the other chamber, the wall thickness had to be reduced here to up to 150 μηι, since only then separation in the separation area could be ensured without the amount of pyrotechnic material had to be increased undesirable. Despite the now very large material thickness of the switching bridge, the amount of pyrotechnic material can be kept very low. Thus, according to the invention, only about 30 mg to 100 mg of an activatable material are necessary. Previous breaker elements without fill material in the combustion chamber or the other chamber had to use up to five times the amount of activatable material in order to safely cut through the separation region. According to one embodiment of the invention, the separation region may be formed from a metal which can form an alloy with a soft solder material. Here, the effect is exploited that an alloy has a much lower melting point compared to the metal in the non-alloy state. In this way, from a certain threshold current intensity, a temperature can be reached at which, in combination with the duration of action of this temperature, alloying begins, with the effect that the melting temperature of the separation region at this point is drastically reduced. By lowering the melting temperature occurs much earlier to split the separation area and the formation of the arc between the two ends of the separation area, the assembly can passively switch even at lower currents or just earlier / faster after the action of an overcurrent break the circuit , The soft solder material is preferably disposed on the surface of the metal of the separation region. In the case of a hollow cylindrical or hollow prismatic design of the separation region to be applied to the soft solder material circumferentially. Furthermore, regardless of the design of the separation region, the soft solder material may also be applied to one or more limited surfaces. The soft solder material can also completely wet the separation area. The application of the soft solder material may take place thermally, by pressing or other suitable methods. The base material of the separation region can consist for example of copper. In this case, for example, tin can be used as soft solder material. However, all combinations of materials from which an alloy can be formed are conceivable for the base material and the soft solder material. Two or more different soft solder materials may also be used in combination. Upon reaching the threshold current intensity, the solder atoms can penetrate into the base material and produce there an intercrystalline region in which the melting temperature is lowered. For example, this can be during the heating of the contact unit by the current flowing through them, the melting temperature of a copper used for the contact unit of 1075 ° C to only 175 ° C lowered. This effect is known, it is already in some way

Fuses introduced - and can also be used successfully in the protective element described here.

In one embodiment of the invention, the separation region is preferably designed so that it has predetermined breaking points, for example in the form of constrictions, notches, holes or cross-sectional jumps. In this way, the separation region can be configured so that it is more easily separated into at least two parts, and as a result the interruption switching element faster and cleaner, ie with release as less and, if not avoidable, then at least the smallest possible particles separates the circuit and turns off. According to this embodiment of the invention, therefore, in the separation of the separation region, the one chamber can be connected to the other chamber. In this case, it is preferred that both the one chamber and the other chamber are filled with the filling material. However, the further chamber may also contain a medium which is powdery or in the form of an oil-moist powder. Here, the powder from all conceivable rock types (preferably as rock flour), cements, chamottes, clays, ground or sintered silicates or corundum be. Is it a oil-moist powder, so preferably silicone oil is used here.

According to one embodiment of the invention, the hollow cylindrical separation region may have one or more grooves, which are preferably circumferential grooves. With respect to its width, the separating area may, for example, have a circumferential groove at the outside in order to ensure, at or shortly after the tripping of the interrupting switching element, that it breaks open early even here with a very thick wall thickness through the use of relatively little pyrotechnic material and the two separated ends roll up / flake up pretty well. This ensures that no larger material shreds occur. At the same time both resulting contact ends are reinforced by flaring and thus prevents the resulting arc too much material evaporates the relatively thin web of the separation area and is fed on.

However, the hollow cylindrical separation area may also have two circumferential grooves, preferably one near the geometric beginning of the separation area (e.g., at the end of the radius of the cross-sectional crack) and one near the end of the separation area (e.g., at the end of the radius of the cross-sectional crack). This ensures that during or after the release of the pyrotechnic material after its activation, a sufficiently large part of the web of the separation area breaks out, is thrown within the fuse and is no longer vaporized by the resulting or resulting arc. As a result, significantly less conductive material is generated in the interior of the interruption switching element by the arc, so that the insulation behavior drastically improved by function or separation process and the arc additionally weakened, so this quasi extracted fuel.

Furthermore, the hollow cylindrical separation region can also have further circumferential grooves. Wrd the width of the grooves chosen sufficiently narrow relative to the length of the hollow cylindrical separation area in the direction of extension of the hollow cylinder, then these grooves will not increase the Einschleifwiderstand, but they affect only mechanically as desired. According to one embodiment of the invention, the hollow cylindrical separation region can also have a circumferential thickening, for example in the form of a cuddle. Such a cuddle acts as a heat sink and as a stiffener. Preferably, the hollow cylindrical separation region has two circumferential grooves on both sides of the cuddle. In such an arrangement, it is ensured that the separation area is separated at the grooves, and form two smaller arcs, which can be cooled or deleted more easily.

If the pyrotechnic material is accommodated in the one chamber, then a wall of the combustion chamber opposite the pyrotechnic material, preferably a mini-fan, can be shaped such that shockwave steering occurs, as can be seen above and below in FIG.

As activatable (pyrotechnic) material in the combustion chamber, explosives, in particular detonating substances, e.g. in particular silver azide, which can be brought to implementation by heating or electrical discharge. Silver azide is particularly preferably used, it reacts detonatively and is heavy metal-free. However, flammable gases, in particular liquefied gases or other fuels, may also be used together with liquid, solid or gaseous oxidizers which can be reacted by igniters, electrical discharges, heat wires or explosion wires.

In general, the term "pyrotechnic material" in the sense of the present description is understood to include below all substances or mixtures that produce after activation in any way gases or vapors or shockwaves that break up the separation area and on a possibly existing sabot the desired Pressure or the desired shock wave can exercise.

The filler material having a lower shock wave resistance than a gas is preferably a liquid, gelatinous, pasty, soft rubbery or granular material. Preferably, the filler material is a liquid material, for example an oil, in particular silicone oil, or silanes, in particular hexasilane. The choice of silicone oil has the advantage over many other oils that this in contact with the hot, the molecules of the oil decomposing arc is converted into solid silicon dioxide. In this way, the formation of mostly electrically conductive smoke or torn molecular chains of carbonaceous liquid or solid materials can be avoided. The silicone oil is preferably a low-viscosity silicone oil having a dynamic toughness of less than 150 cp, preferably less than or equal to 100 cp.

In particular, in order to improve the insulation resistance or insulation properties between the two terminal contacts after the separation, in one embodiment of the invention, the filler material for capturing or oxidizing elemental carbon or possibly even by the direct contact of the arc with the filler or else The surrounding materials - even a part of the material of the sabot, the inner insulation, the housing and also the contact unit itself evaporate here - be added or admixed. This has the advantage that the decomposed by the arc contact in electrically conductive substances or elements materials, such as the elemental carbon from the decomposition of a silicone oil used as filler itself (= electrically conductive) captured or too electrically or only extremely weakly conductive materials be oxidized to prevent the electrical conductivity of the filler is increased. For capturing elemental carbon, for example, fumed silica (HDK) can be added. As materials for the oxidation of elemental carbon, for example perchlorates or better permanganates, such as KMn0 ₄ , KCl0 ₄ , KCl0 ₃ or zirconium potassium perchlorate (ZPP) can be used. At the same time, all substances mentioned have the property that they react exothermically during the oxidation. In this way, the distance between the two separated parts of the separation area can be increased faster, resulting in faster extinguishment of the arc. In other words, in one embodiment of the invention, a filler can be added to the filler material, which reacts exothermically in the formation of the arc or releases additional energy for additional heating and vaporization of the filler.

In one embodiment of the invention, a substance can be added to the filling material, which increases the capacity for absorbing mechanical energy of the filling material. In this way, the energy which can be penetrated into the liquid can be effectively dissipatively converted.

In a further embodiment of the invention, one or more substances can be added to the filling material, which increase the insulation strength between the two separated parts of the separation region, in that they can dissipatively absorb very large amounts of energy by their heating, melting and evaporation, without simultaneously - as in the case of silicone oil - to release electrically conductive substances. Here, for example, all conceivable rock types, cements, clays, chamotte, ground or sintered silicates or corundum, preferably dispersed in powder form (rock flour) in the extinguishing medium, are used or mixed.

In one embodiment of the invention, a material may be added in one of the chambers of the interruption switching element, for example in the still further chamber, which locally attenuates the influence of the resulting in the triggering of the interruption switching element shock waves, so as to prevent and locally prevent damage to the materials used , Such a material may for example be a rubber, preferably in the form of a rubber ball. Preferably, this rubber is mounted inside the contact unit on the side of the swaging area to prevent the swaging of the swaging area shortly after initiation of the pyrotechnic material. For this purpose, for example, a rubber ball can be inserted or placed inside in a on the said side the interruption switching element occluding hollow screw.

The at least one channel can be closed by a destructible during the triggering operation of the interruption switching member membrane. This is at least necessary if the filler is to be present only in one chamber, but not in the still further chamber, or vice versa.

However, the at least one channel can also be omitted if the tube of the compression area should not be filled with filler or needs. Here, the contact unit then has neither a channel, nor a membrane. According to one embodiment of the invention, the interruption switching member may comprise a sabot that is acted upon in an ignition of the pyrotechnic material with a gas pressure and / or shock wave generated by the activatable material such that the sabot moves in the housing in a direction of movement from an initial position to an end position and while the compression area is plastically deformed, wherein the separation area is completely separated and in the end position of the sabot an insulation distance between the separated ends of the separation area is reached.

The contact unit may have a straight longitudinal axis, along which the sabot is displaceable. The separation area may then be provided adjacent to the sabot and lying in the longitudinal axis. Likewise, the at least one channel - if present - lie in the longitudinal axis. The contact unit is preferably constructed so that it has a flange between the swage area and the separation area, in which the sabot engage and by the movement of the swaged area can be upset.

If a channel is present, and if this or the still further chamber is filled with filling material, the extinguishing of an arc or obstructing an arc formation is also assisted by the fact that after the separation process of the separation region and the incipient movement of the sabot, a violent flow of liquid forms, which flows over the broken separation area.

The contact unit may be made of an electrically conductive material, preferably copper or aluminum or brass, with copper or aluminum being preferred.

However, switching elements are also conceivable in which the sabot of the contact unit can move in a more or less curved housing, so that switching elements are manufacturable, in which both power connections are at an angle between 1 ° and 300 °, preferably below 30 ° , 45 °, 90 °, 120 ° or 180 °. The sabot would therefore move in a 180 ° bent housing after triggering and breaking the separation area in a semicircle in the housing, so that both power connections come to rest on the same side. The separation region and the pyrotechnic material may be formed so that the separation region is torn open during ignition of the pyrotechnic material or at least partially ruptured and completely and further separated by a sliding movement of the sabot. For example, the pyrotechnic material may be at least partially disposed within the separation area. Upon ignition of the pyrotechnic material, the separation area is torn over the circumference completely or at least partially. In a partial tearing the complete separation is carried out by the sliding movement of the sabot and thus still connected after the separation part of the separation area, whereby at the same time the compression area is upset.

However, the separation region can also be designed so that when igniting the pyrotechnic material two non-destructively separable parts of the separation area are pulled apart by a sliding movement of the sabot.

In one embodiment of the invention, on the internal insulation, i. the inner insulated side of the housing, concentric copper bands, or be embedded in the sabot copper fins or copper discs. In this way, the arc can deliver good and fast energy on this heat conduction and here heat / energy caching. As a result, the resulting arc is extremely strongly cooled in contact or energy quickly withdrawn from the arc or the circular inductance. This effect can be amplified if the arc is pushed by an external magnetic field in the direction of these copper strips or copper lamellae. For the production of the strong magnetic fields required here are the strong permanent magnets available today as well as coils that are traversed in series by the current to be switched itself - but here again with the disadvantage that they increase the line inductance, which is actually undesirable.

In one embodiment of the invention, it is preferred that the one chamber, the further chamber and the still further chamber are filled with a filling material, wherein the filling material in the different chambers may be the same or different. It is preferred that the filling material in the other chamber different from the filling material in the one chamber and the still further chamber. "Different" should also be understood to mean filling materials whose base material is the same but which may contain one or more identical or different substances in different concentrations Preferably, a medium having a higher viscosity is used in the further chamber than in the other two chambers. If silicone oil is used as the base material, to which a substance for capturing or oxidizing elemental carbon is mixed, it is preferred that the silicone oil in the further chamber has a higher concentration of said substance than the silicone oil in one and the other In this case, it is preferred that the concentration be at least 5 times higher, more preferably at least 10 times higher, preferably using fumed silica (HDK), and in a highly preferred embodiment the concentration at HDK in the other chamber in an area 30 g / L up to 70 g / L silicic acid, stronger 45 g / L to 55 g / L silicic acid.

In one embodiment of the invention, the interruption switching member may also comprise a magnet. Such a magnet should be designed so that the arc is deflected. Due to the deflection of the arc, the unwanted current flow between the two separated ends of the separation region can at least be reduced. Such a magnet can be arranged outside or inside the housing of the interruption switching element. For this purpose either permanent magnets or coils can be used. In the arrangement of a magnet outside the housing, a permanent magnet is preferred. If the magnet is a coil, it is preferably arranged in series with the current flow through the interruption switching element. The latter would have the advantage that with increasing overcurrent, the magnetic field would be larger and the arc would deflect more. But such a magnet also has the advantage that the effect of a U-shaped conductor loop could be compensated for the connection of the interruption switching element. If the interruption switch member is part of such a U-shaped conductor loop, then the resulting arc in the breaker switching member would be pushed away by the self-field of the current loop of this. In order not to destroy the internal insulation of the interrupting switching element, such a magnet can be used against this pushing away. However, such a coil or coil arrangement would also increase the circular inductance, which is undesirable in principle.

In a further embodiment of the invention, the interruption switching element according to the invention can be connected in an arrangement parallel to a fuse. In other words, the present invention also relates to a device in which an interruption switching element according to the invention is connected in an arrangement parallel to one or more fuses. In such a circuit, the interrupting circuit member only has the task of turning off the partial current by itself at the then very low switching voltages (on the interruption switch is here only the voltage that is due to the flow of current through the parallel connected to him fuse (s) through which their internal resistance drops), so that then a corresponding overcurrent flows through the fuse and switches it off. The breaker must then hold after switching the fuses only the applied source voltage, but this is not a problem, because here does not have to be switched under current flow. With such an arrangement, the switching capacity of the arrangement can be drastically increased, especially in the direction of medium voltage applications up to 10kV and currents up to 50kADC and above and is then especially for line protection with very high Kreisinduktivitäten used.

In a further embodiment of the invention, the interruption switching element according to the invention can be connected in an arrangement in series with one or two fuses. In other words, the present invention also relates to a device in which an interruption switching element according to the invention is connected in an arrangement in series with one or two fuses. Preferably, in these embodiments, two fuses are used. The two fuses are in this case preferably before and after the interruption switching element, that is connected to the negative and positive terminal of the interruption switching element, switched to protect both terminal poles, as a short circuit can occur in both the negative and the plus circuit loop. In such an arrangement, the fuses have the task of forming a series resistor in heavy overload for the interruption switching element and thus, above all, the voltage applied to the separation area by the voltage in the Si limit the voltage dropping down to the arc voltage. In this way, the shutdown of the interruption switching element can be ensured more secure.

In a further embodiment of the invention, the interruption switching element according to the invention can be connected in an arrangement in series with one or two relays. In other words, the present invention also relates to a device in which an interruption switching element according to the invention is connected in an arrangement in series with one or two relays. Preferably, two relays are used in these embodiments. In this way, the switching capacity of the interruption switching element can be increased. The relays have the task, in addition to their function as ordinary operating switch, in the overload range to limit the overcurrent so far that the current can be safely switched off by the interruption switch. The relays preferably have electrodynamically lifting contacts (levitating contacts) when overloaded. By lifting the contacts in case of overload, the measured at the moment of separation of the separation area voltage increase is lowered to just above the operating voltage and thus similar to the fuses described in series with the breaker circuit at the moment of separation on the module voltage applied or effective reduced. Without such contacts, the voltage increases by discharging the inductance on the load side up to three times the operating voltage. This would ignite a powerful arc that would be much harder to extinguish.

In a further embodiment, line hanger or line angle are electrically and mechanically connected to one or both contacts of the interruption switching element so that the interruption switch can thus be easily screwed or placed on a flat plate and no contact blocks to be used until then must be used more. This is particularly important in the aerospace and automotive sectors because it can save a lot of weight.

In a further embodiment of the interrupting switching element, this is formed as part of a slide with or without handle, which is so easy in a best- existing circuit can be inserted or withdrawn. Can be integrated here also simple safety measures, such as switching off the circuit when pulling the slide by a closed circuit, the fall when pulling before the final separation of the switching element from the circuit when it pulls out, for example, a contactor, so as to safely pull out the assembly to force a de-energized state.

Thus, the inner insulation can be formed as Harteloxalschicht in a housing made of aluminum or as a ceramic or AVC coating of a steel housing. Most O-rings can be injected or sprayed into the plastic parts and then no longer have to be individually wound up and can then no longer be forgotten. All non-movable electrically insulating parts, i. all but the housing and the sabot, the contact unit can also be encapsulated. Thus, the number of parts and the assembly steps, and consequently the manufacturing cost of the assembly can be drastically reduced.

In one embodiment of the invention, the interruption switching element may comprise one or more heat sinks. Heat sinks may be applied in the further chamber, for example on the sabot, and / or on the inner insulation of the housing. As a material for heat sinks come Cu, Ag, brass or steel in question. It is preferred that the heat sinks are coated with Ni in order to prevent corrosion and thus poorer heat transfer. Heat sinks can absorb energy while cooling the breaker switch or arc.

In one embodiment of the invention, the contact element may have a first terminal contact region with the first terminal contact and a second terminal contact region with the second terminal contact, wherein the first terminal contact region lying in the longitudinal axis adjacent to the compression region and the second terminal contact region lying in the longitudinal axis adjacent to the separation region can be. In one embodiment of the invention, the first terminal contact region may be configured as a hollow cylinder and preferably annular in cross section. In this way, in the electric circuit breaker of the invention there may be a third terminal contact or a sensor which is mechanically and / or electrically actuated while the sabot is being moved towards the end position. In this way, the third connection contact or sensor can serve as a detection means for a successful triggering of the interruption switching element. The third connection contact can be brought into electrical connection with the first connection contact. In this way, voltages can be reduced via the third terminal contact, see Fig.9.

The third terminal contact (also called center electrode) is preferably formed as a wire, rod or spring, preferably as a copper or brass wire / rod or copper spring, which preferably extends in the interior formed by the first terminal contact area along the longitudinal direction of the contact unit, and preferably extends from the outside of the interruption switching element into the chamber surrounded by the compression area. In this way it can be ensured that in the upsetting operation of the swaged portion of the compressed swaged portion with the rod, wire or the spring of the third terminal contact comes into connection, whereby the first and the third terminal contact can be conductively connected together. The use of a spring has the advantage that it counteracts the upsetting process less than a stiff wire or rod. If the third connection contact is designed as a rod or wire, it is therefore preferred that its end protruding into the interruption switching element is split into at least two parts.

This so-called center electrode can be used to short-circuit the magnetic energy stored after the separation of the connecting element in the inductance of the load circuit at the moment of switching outside the separation point and thus relieve the separation point energiemäßig, see Fig.9.

However, this center electrode can only serve to give the higher-level system feedback about a once triggered assembly or a once opened connection element. Another embodiment of the present invention is also directed to an electrical circuit breaker according to the invention as described above having the third terminal contact. In this embodiment, the interruption switching element according to the invention may have no filling material in the combustion chamber or the further chamber. In other words, the present invention is also directed to an electrical circuit breaker according to claim 16, which does not have the feature (g) of claim 1. All (preferred) features in connection with the embodiments of the invention with a filling material may also be features of this further embodiment in which no filling material is present.

In a further embodiment of the present invention, the swage area may also be designed as an area that is solid, i. has no further chamber, i. in this case, the sabot is indeed pressurized, but is stationary even after the ignition of the pyrotechnic material. Here, the sabot is referred to as Beaufschlagungselement. All (preferred) features in connection with the embodiments of the invention with an upset region may also be features of this further embodiment (with the exception of the third connection contact), in which this region is present as a solid region.

All of the embodiments of the breaker switch of the invention having a third terminal contact may be used by grounded energy stored in the load (eg, electric motor). In this case, the interruption switching element is installed via the first and the second terminal contact in a circuit having a power source and any consumer. In this case, the first connection contact with the arbitrary consumer and the second connection contact with the power source are preferably connected. If the circuit is interrupted by the switching of the interruption switch member, it may be due to the stored energy in the consumer to form an arc between the separate parts of the separation region of the interruption switching member. If the third connection contact is connected to the other side of the arbitrary consumer as the first connection contact, then, when the interruption switching element according to the invention is switched, the resulting connection of the first and the second connection can be made third terminal contact the stored energy in the consumer are dissipated to ground. In this way, the resulting arc can be quasi "starved", because thereafter, the energy is short-circuited outside the separation point. That is, the third terminal contact or the so-called center electrode is used in this case as a short-circuiting electrode.

As an alternative to this, the interrupt contactor according to the invention with a third connection contact can also be used as a sensor for an already triggered disconnection switching element. For this only the resistance between the second connection contact and the third connection contact needs to be measured. If the resistance is zero ohms then the breaker has already trip. However, other stylus designs (sensors) may also be used here, e.g. electrically isolated to allow a feedback.

In order to create an interruption switching element which realizes a serial multiple interruption, the contact unit can have at least two partial contact units, each of which has an upsetting area, a separating area and a sabot. The partial contact units can then each be designed such that upon ignition of the pyrotechnic material, each sabot is acted upon by a gas pressure or shock wave generated by the gas generating or shock wave generating activatable material that the sabot in question in the housing in a direction of movement from a starting position in moves an end position and thereby the associated compression area is plastically deformed, wherein the respective separation area is completely separated and in the end position of the respective sabot an isolation distance between the separated ends of the respective separation area is reached.

Such a serial multiple interruption has the advantage that during a simultaneously occurring interruption process only a proportionate voltage between the aufzutrennenden ends of the separation regions and thus the energy converted in a partial arc energy is respectively reduced accordingly and so the partial arcs can be damped more effectively and faster. In a preferred embodiment, two partial contact units are provided and the contact unit and the housing are mirror-symmetrical with respect to a central plane, wherein the separation areas and the sabot are preferably provided outside of the upsetting areas arranged therebetween. In addition to the serial separation, there is the advantage here that the mechanical movements run in opposite directions and thus at least largely compensate outwards.

According to one embodiment of the invention, each partial contact unit can be assigned a separate pyrotechnic material and a controllable device can be provided for the active and substantially simultaneous ignition of the separate pyrotechnic materials. In this way, it can be ensured in a simple manner that the advantage of the serially arranged separating regions, namely the occurrence of the only half voltage at the ends of the separating regions during the switching-off process, can also be utilized. It is therefore preferred that such a device has two combustion chambers within two separation areas, both of which may include the features described above.

Outwardly the interruption switching element according to the invention is free of feedback. There are no exhaust fumes, no light and no plasma, the tripping noise can only be heard as a soft click and the two electrical connections of the interruption switch can be firmly clamped, since no movement of one or the other connection is necessary for the function of the switching element.

The housing itself may be provided as a tube with screwed or crimped on both sides lids, preferably from a cup-like part into which a lid is screwed together with the entire contact unit. The housing may also be formed in one piece, provided that its material is well formed, for example by crimping or bending. The housing can also be composed of several parts to a one-piece housing, for example by gluing or welding of the individual parts. An integral arrangement of one or more contact units in a higher-level collecting housing or in a higher-level payload module is also possible.

The example Minidetonator or the triggering element can be completely screwed as a fuse plug, or even only inserted and then connected by rollers, clinching or flanging at the end of the contact unit with the contact unit.

The interruption switching elements according to the invention are preferably coated with a so-called shrink tube, which is insulated to the outside and sits above the housing of the interruption switching element. The heat-shrinkable tube may preferably consist of a well-insulating, preferably transparent, material, for example polyolefin. Thus, the housing / assembly is protected from corrosion and at the same time prevents the metal housing here in the examples from short-circuiting, voltage-carrying parts short-circuiting. Also, labels or labels can be durably and permanently protected against aggressive media.

Of course, the housing may also be made of a non-conductive material, such as ceramic, POM, PA6 or ABS. In all these cases, the use of a shrink tube is unnecessary.

Further embodiments of the invention will become apparent from the dependent claims.

The invention will be explained in more detail below with reference to the embodiments shown in the drawings. All features that are described with respect to a particular figure can also be transferred to the interruption switching elements of the other figures, if technically feasible:

Fig. 1 shows a longitudinal section through an inventive interruption switching element in the initial state, wherein the connecting element has no channel, and one chamber and the further chamber are filled with the filling material; Fig. 2 shows a longitudinal section through an inventive interruption switching element in the initial state as in Figure 1, wherein a third terminal contact, the so-called center electrode, is provided in the first contact area.

Fig. 3 shows a longitudinal section through an inventive interruption switch in the initial state with a third terminal contact, wherein the connecting element has no channel, and only the combustion chamber is filled with the filling material;

Fig. 4 shows a longitudinal section through an inventive interruption switch in the initial state with a third terminal contact, wherein the connecting element has no channel, and only the other chamber is filled with the filling material;

Fig. 5 shows a longitudinal section through an inventive interrupting switch in the initial state with a third terminal contact, wherein the connecting element here has a channel, and both the one chamber, the other chamber, the channel and the tube of the compression area (the still further chamber) with the Filling material are filled;

Fig. 6 shows a longitudinal section through the embodiment in Fig. 5 in the triggered

Status; the separation area is torn open, the sabot has pushed the tube of the compression area meandering and thus significantly increases the separation distance between the two contact points of the separation area;

Fig. 7 shows a longitudinal section through another embodiment of a breaker circuit according to the invention in the initial state, wherein the sabot is installed as a fixed biasing element, there is no upsetting area; Fig. 8 shows a longitudinal section through an inventive interruption switch in the initial state as in Figure 1, wherein a third terminal contact is provided, and in which none of the chambers is filled with a filler.

9 shows an example of the circuit diagram of a circuit with a current source

(Batt 1) and any consumer R2, in which the interruption switching element according to the invention is installed. The state of the interruption switch is drawn before it is triggered, the first contact area (thick) is still connected to the second contact area (thin). From this, the effect of the center electrode as a short-circuit element is recognizable, if it is used;

10 shows the possible embodiment of the example used here by way of example

Minidetonator opposed combustion chamber wall for shock wave steering: concave shaped at the top, convex at the bottom; Cooling or curves are possible and useful instead of the drawn conical tips;

Fig. 1 1 shows the introduction of the pyrotechnic material in the space above the former so designated combustion chamber or the switching bridge, both volumes are filled here again with filling material;

Fig. 12 shows the pressing of the sabot or the separation area by the

Reaction of the pyrotechnic material, which is now housed outside the housing and in which the pressure energy is introduced via a connecting tube in the housing;

Fig. 13 shows an inventive interrupting switch before the release of the pyrotechnic material, which is constructed mirror-symmetrically, and thus has two separation areas and two compression areas on opposite sides; Fig. 14 shows the breaker switch of Fig. 13 after the firing of the firing device.

Fig. 15 shows an arrangement in which an interruption switching element according to the invention is connected in parallel with a fuse.

Fig. 16 shows an arrangement in which a breaker switch according to the invention is connected in series with two fuses.

Fig. 17A shows a separation area of a circuit breaker according to the invention having two circumferential grooves.

FIG. 17B shows an interruption switching element according to the invention with a separation region according to FIG. 17A.

Fig. 18A shows a separation area of a circuit breaker according to the invention with a circumferential thickening (cuddle).

FIG. 18B shows an interruption switching element according to the invention with a separation region according to FIG. 18A.

The illustrated in Fig. 1 embodiment of an interruption switching element 1 according to the invention comprises a housing 3, in which a contact unit 5, also called connecting element, is arranged. The housing 3 is designed such that it withstands a pressure generated within the housing, which is generated during a pyrotechnic activation of the interruption switching element 1, without the risk of damage or even bursting. The housing 3 may in particular consist of a suitable metal, preferably steel. In this case, an insulating layer 7 may be provided on the inner wall of the housing 3, which consists of a suitable insulating material, for example a plastic. As a plastic for this example, polyoxymethylene (POM) can be used. As a result, at higher voltages flashovers or an electrical contact between the contact unit 5, of course, of a conductive metal, at- As a housing material, however, electrically non-conductive materials such as ceramic, POM, PA6 or ABS are possible here, but usually suitable by, for example Ribs must be stiffened. Also, in these cases, the wall thickness of the housing 3 will usually be thicker than in the case of a metallic housing.

The protective cap 85 shown in FIG. 1 is only present when the housing 3 is closed by a closing nut 21. If the housing is tripped after tripping, the housing tube 3 would rise in diameter (the force flow is interrupted here) and the thread will be disengaged here, causing the assembly to burst open. The protective cap 85 prevents this rising and is eliminated if the housing 3 is in one piece or is welded on both sides to the annular disk 21 and the closure 31 then present here.

The contact unit 5 is formed in the illustrated embodiment as a depressed by the sabot 25 b in the compression region switching tube 9, so that it is formed only in the separation 27 and the compression region 23 as a tube. The switching tube 9 has in the illustrated embodiment, a first terminal contact 1 1 with a larger diameter and a second terminal contact 13 with a smaller diameter. The first terminal 11 is followed by a radially outwardly extending flange 15, which is supported on an annular insulator element A 17, which consists of an insulating material, such as a plastic, such that the switching tube 9 is not in the axial direction the housing 3 can be moved out. The plastic used for this purpose can be polyoxymethylene, ABS or nylon, but ceramics are also possible and, in special cases, useful. The insulator element A 17 has for this purpose an annular shoulder on which the flange 15 of the switching tube 9 is supported. In addition, the insulator element A 17 isolates the housing 3 with respect to the switching tube 9. The annular insulator element A 17 has an inner diameter in an axially outer region which essentially corresponds to the outer diameter of the switching tube 9 in the region of the first connection contact 11. As a result, a sealing effect is achieved which is reinforced by an additional, annular sealing element 19, for example an O-ring becomes. The insulator element A 17 may also be connected to the switching tube 9 via a press fit or be sprayed onto this. The insulator element A 17 and thus the switching tube 9 and the contact unit 5 is held on the relevant end face of the interruption switching element 1 by means of a lock nut 21 or a welded-in annular disc 21 in the housing 3 or fixed in this way in the housing 3. The lock nut 21 or the annular disc 21 may be made of metal, preferably steel. This also ensures that the switching tube can not escape from the housing 3 in the event of softening or burning of the plastic parts of the interrupting switching element 1, even if triggering of the interrupting switching element 1 is still effected in this state. Because the outer diameter of the flange 15 is selected to be larger than the inner diameter of the closure nut 21st

Of course, however, the housing 3 can also be formed on the left-hand side shown in FIG. 1 during the assembly of the interrupting switching element 1 in such a way that a part of the housing 3 extending radially inwardly fixes the insulator element 17. If the housing 3 is made of plastic, the insulator element 17 can also be dispensed with.

The switching tube 9 has an adjoining the flange 15 in the axis of the switching tube 9 compression region 23. The wall thickness of the switching tube 9 is in the compression region 23, which has a predetermined axial extent, selected and matched to the material that at a triggering of the interruption switching element 1 due to a plastic deformation of the switching tube 9 in the compression region 23, a shortening of the compression region 23 in the axial Direction by a predetermined distance results.

The compression region 23 is adjoined in the axial direction of the switching tube 9 by a flange 25a on which a sabot 25b is seated in the embodiment shown. The sabot 25b, which in the illustrated embodiment consists of an insulating material, such as a suitable plastic, surrounds the switching tube 9 with its part 25b such that between the outer periphery of the flange 25a and the inner wall of the housing 3, an insulating region of the sabot 25b engages. When pressure is applied to the surface of the sabot 25b, a force is generated This force is selected so that during the triggering operation of the interruption switching member 1, an upsetting of the swaged portion 23 results, wherein the sabot 25 b from its initial position (status before the release of the interruption switching element 1 ) is moved to an end position (after completion of the switching operation).

As can be seen from FIG. 1, the sabot part 25b can be selected such that its outer diameter essentially corresponds to the inner diameter of the housing 3, so that an axial guidance of the flange 25a and thus also an axially guided compression movement is achieved during the switching operation.

After the pressing operation, the noses of the insulator 17 and the sabot 25b lying close to the housing 3 fully engage one over the other, so that the swaged area 23 pushed together in a meandering manner after the triggering and the upsetting process is completely enclosed by electrically insulating materials.

To the sabot 25b and the flange 25a of the switching tube 9 and the contact unit 5, a separation region 27 connects, which in turn preferably in the axial direction to a flange 29 of the switching tube 9 is adjacent. The second connection contact 13 of the switching tube 9 then adjoins the flange 29. The flange 29 in turn serves to securely fix the switching tube 9 or the contact unit 5 in the axial direction in the housing 3. This purpose is served by a radially inwardly extending annular region of the housing 3 (not provided with reference numerals) and a closure 31, which is provided between a corresponding abutment surface of the flange 29, the inner wall of the frontal annular portion 3a of the housing 3 and the axial inner wall of the housing 3 and which surrounds the second terminal contact of the switching tube 9 annular. As shown in FIG. 1, the flange 29 can engage in the closure 31 in the axial direction. Alternatively, it can also be mounted in the axial direction on the closure 31 (see Figures 3 to 6). The closure 31 may be made of metal, in particular steel. If the shutter 31 is not made of a metal or a ceramic, but of a plastic, after the flange 29, a metal disc with a diameter larger than the right opening of the housing must be introduced to prevent fire - in case of fire Yes, the plastic parts are no longer there - that parts escape from the housing.

If the housing 3, the closure 31 and the lock nut / washer 21 are made of steel, it is possible to connect these parts to each other by electron beam or ultrasonic welding. Also a connection by laser beam is possible.

In the illustrated embodiment, the sabot 25 b is pushed during the assembly of the interruption switching element 1 from the side of the terminal 13 forth on the switching tube 9 and must therefore be dimensioned so that its inner diameter is greater than or equal to the outer diameter of the flange 29.

The shutter 31 is configured as an annular member having an outer diameter substantially equal to the inner diameter of the housing 3 and an inner diameter substantially equal to the outer diameter of the flange 29 and the second terminal contact 13, respectively.

In the axial end of the switching tube 9 in the region of the second terminal 13, an ignition device 35 is provided with pyrotechnic material, often referred to here as Minidetonator or ignition plug. The outer periphery of the ignition device 35 is sealed with respect to the inner wall of the switching tube 9 and the second terminal 13 with a sealing element (dark circular element in recess), for example, an O-ring. For axial fixation of the ignition device 35, a small shoulder may be provided in the inner wall of the switching tube 9 or of the second connection contact 13, the ignition device being pushed into the switching tube 9 as far as the assembly of the interruption switching element 1 up to the shoulder. For axial fixing of the ignition device 35, a closure element 39 is then screwed into the second connection contact 13. Through an opening of the annular shutter 31, the electrical connection lines 41 of the ignition devices 35 can be led to the outside. To the complete Sealing and fixing, the interior of the closure element 39 may be potted, in particular with a suitable epoxy resin. This then serves at the same time to strain relief of the connecting lines 41. In the region of the Einmündens of the connecting lines 41 in the ignition device 35, the connecting lines can be fixed with a potting compound 57. The closure element 39 is provided in FIG. 1 with a thread in order to screw it into the second terminal contact 13 of the switching tube 9, however, it is later inserted in a standard version of the assembly for cost reasons only in the preferably designed as a tubular part second terminal contact 13 and then crimped in, clinched or rolled up.

The closure 31 may be made of a metal, in particular steel. This has the advantage of the potential bonding of the housing 3 to the second terminal 13. In this way "the housing knows where it belongs in terms of potential." The latter is important in high-voltage circuits to avoid unwanted arcs with non-potential-bonded parts the housing 3 the inner region of the interruption switching element 1 against electromagnetic radiation, such as a radar beam.

The separation region 27 is dimensioned so that it at least partially ruptures due to the generated gas pressure or the generated shock wave of the mini-dictator 35, so that the pressure or the shock wave also from the one chamber (combustion chamber 61) in the configured as a surrounding annulus further chamber 63 can spread. To facilitate the tearing, the wall of the switching tube 9 in the separation region 27 may also have one or more openings or bores. In addition, an igniting mixture 43 can also be provided on the separating region 27 on the side of the further chamber 63. The breakthroughs and the ignition mixture are preferably coated with a protective varnish 55 (shown by way of example in FIG. 5). The igniter mixture 43 may also be coated with a natural rubber layer for protection against the effects of the filler material. The igniter mixture 43 can be used to cause a passive shutdown in the event of failure of the activation of the mini-fan 35, ie to disconnect the disconnect area 27 without the igniter device 35 being actively triggered: In the event of an overcurrent, the central part of the disconnect area 27 heats up very strongly and very strongly quickly and ignites this when reaching the Ignition the ignition mixture, which then ignites the ignition device 35 and the pyrotechnic material suitable.

The ignition mixture 43 can likewise already be an ignition mixture which already generates a shockwave on its own when heated up to its ignition temperature and thus already ruptures the separation region - here now inwardly - and then depresses the sabot. A participation or ignition of the ignition device 35 and the Minidetonators would not be necessary in this case. If you do not want to trigger the assembly active, even this ignition mixture would be sufficient to separate the switching bridge and to compress the compression region 23 of the switching tube 9.

The ignition device 35 for igniting the pyrotechnic material (ignition device) may consist of a simple, quickly heatable filament. The activation of the ignition device can be done by a corresponding electrical control. Of course, however, the ignition device 35 may be formed in any other way that causes activation of the pyrotechnic material, also in the form of a conventional lighter, a Kindle, a squib or a Minidetonators.

Additionally or instead, a passive activation of the interruption switching element 1 may be provided. For this purpose, the temperature increase of the material of the switching tube 9 in the separation region 27 is utilized. In this case, the most direct possible contact between the pyrotechnic material and the inner wall and / or outer wall of the switching tube 9 should be given in the separation region 27. In addition, an easily activatable material, in particular an igniting or igniting mixture 43, may be provided in the immediate vicinity or applied to the inner wall and / or outer wall of the separating region.

Fig. 1 shows such a layer of an igniting mixture 43, which is pasty applied to the outer wall of the separation area. If a filling material is filled, this ignition mixture must be protected on all sides, for example, by an epoxy resin or natural rubber layer against the filling material. The electrical resistance and thus also the thermal behavior of the separation region 27 can be improved by the provision of apertures in the wall of the separation region 27 (of course in connection with the wall thickness of the separation region and the dimensioning of the radii at the junctions of the separation region, which substantially remove the heat from the Separation area and determine its tear behavior) are influenced. As a result, the current-time integral can be defined or set at which the interruption switching element 1 activates passively. The inertia can also be influenced by such a dimensioning.

Upon activation of the interrupting switching element 1 by means of the ignition device 35 or by means of a passive activation, a pressure or a shock wave is thus generated on the side of the sabot 25b facing away from the swage region 23, whereby a corresponding axial force is applied to the sabot. This force is selected by a suitable dimensioning of the pyrotechnic material so that the switching tube 9 plastically deformed in the swage region 23, torn or pressed and then the sabot is moved in the direction of the first terminal contact 11. The pyrotechnic material is dimensioned so that after breaking or pressing in of the separation region 27 of the switching tube 9, the movement of the sabot 25 b takes place up to the end position shown in FIG.

Immediately after the activation of the pyrotechnic material, therefore, the separation region 27 is at least partially torn or pressed. If the rupture or indentation is not already carried out before the axial movement of the sifting mirror 25b over the complete circumference of the separation region 27, a remaining remainder of the separation region, which still causes an electrical contact, is completely ruptured by the axial movement of the sifting mirror 25b.

Depending on the dimensioning of the separation area and the pyrotechnic material, it is also conceivable that the separation area after activation does not initially rupture, but the gas pressure acts only through corresponding openings in the wall of the separation region in the annular region surrounding the separation region 27. The tearing of the separation region 27 can then essentially only by the axial Force on the sabot 25b done, which also leads to its axial movement.

By appropriate choice of the pyrotechnic material and, if appropriate, the ignition mixture encompassed by this, the break-up behavior can also be further controlled.

In particular, the gas pressure generated by the burnup or the generated shock wave can be well controlled by introducing readily gasifiable liquids or solids into the space in which the pyrotechnic material is contained or in which the generated hot gases enter. In particular, water dissolved in the filler or in the form of microcapsules, gels, etc., increases the gas pressure considerably. Such an increase in the gas pressure can be even more extreme if the introduced into the combustion chamber water is brought to bumping, in particular by the fact that the highly heated water undergoes a pressure drop when breaking the separation region 27.

In the embodiment shown in Fig. 1 is located in the combustion chamber 61 and in the other chamber 63, a filling material 45, which favors the shock wave propagation during the detonation or deflagration of the pyrotechnic material, so that in this way less activatable material must be used and the walls of the separation region 27 can be kept sufficiently thick, so that the assembly can be used even at high operating currents. The filler is preferably at the same time an extinguishing material, so that this after switching of the interruption switching element, the emergence of an arc between the separate ends of the separation region 27 - if not completely prevent - so its training but dampen and cool or can extinguish.

For filling the filling material 45 in the further chamber 63, the interruption switching member may have a housing bore 71 and a threaded bore 73, wherein the threaded bore 73 is present in the closure 31 and adjoins the housing bore, so that a passage through the housing and the closure 31 from the outside is present in the further chamber 63. After filling the others Chamber the holes are closed, for example, with a screw. Of course, these openings can also be closed by another conventional method such as the pressing of a ball, by soldering or welding. Through the use of a membrane, a type of overload valve could additionally be created which rises when the assembly is overloaded, ie when the pressure buildup in the housing 3 is too strong, before the housing 3 is destroyed. In this case, one would possibly also provide more than one bore or membrane in the closure to ensure the necessary in case of overload, exiting mass flow of fluid and gas. In other words, therefore, the interruption switching element according to the invention may have an overload valve which is provided between the exterior of the housing 3 and the further chamber 63.

Fig. 2 shows an inventive interruption switching element 1, which is substantially identical to the interruption switching member 1 in Fig. 1, but inside the switching tube 9 on the first terminal 11 facing the contact side facing an insulating element B 53 as filler, through which from the outer Room of the interruption switching member into the still further chamber 65, a third terminal contact 81, the so-called center electrode, can be guided, which preferably has a splitted or split end 83. The insulator element B 53 also serves as a closure for the still further chamber 65. The insulator element B 53 is preferably formed as a cylindrical part. The insulator element B 53 may be made of a plastic such as PEEK, polyoxymethylene, ABS or nylon. The cylindrical insulator element B 53 is pressed into the hollow cylindrical first terminal contact 1 1. The insulator element B 53 preferably has recesses 37 for receiving sealing elements, which effect a seal between the axial outer wall of the insulator element B 53 and the inner wall of the first connection contact 1 1. In the embodiment shown in FIG. 2, the combustion chamber 61 and the still further chamber 63 are filled with the filling material 45, while the still further chamber 65 is not filled with filling material 45. However, it is also conceivable according to the invention to fill the still further chamber 65 with the filling material 45 as well. It is also conceivable according to the invention that none of the chambers 61, 63 and 65 is filled with a filling material 45. It is also conceivable that instead of the center electrode 81 only a sealing screw (not shown) is used. FIG. 3 shows an interruption switching element 1 according to the invention, which is essentially identical to the interruption switching element 1 of FIG. 2. In the embodiment shown in FIG. 3, only the combustion chamber 61 is filled with the filling material 45. In contrast to the embodiment shown in FIG. 2, there is no filling material 45 in the further chamber 63. If the separation region 27 is torn open as a result of the detonation or deflagration of the pyrotechnic material, then the filling material 45 from the combustion chamber 61 can also be in the still distribute another chamber 65. In this way, the filling material 45 can also act as an extinguishing agent and prevent the generation of an arc between the two separate ends of the separation region 27 or at least severely hindered. For completeness, it should be mentioned that the flange 29 is placed in the embodiment shown in FIG. 3 on the closure 31 and not recessed as in the embodiment of FIG.

The embodiment shown in Fig. 4 is substantially identical to the embodiment shown in Fig. 3, with the only difference that no filling material 45 in the combustion chamber 61, but filling material 45 is present only in the other chamber 63. Here, as a result of the detonation or deflagration of the pyrotechnic material, pressure builds up in the combustion chamber 61, so that the separation region 27 is torn open completely or partially in the direction of the further chamber 63, so that a shockwave can then propagate through the filling material 45. which acts on the sabot 25b. At the same time, filling material 45 can also penetrate into the region of the combustion chamber 61 so that it can serve as an extinguishing agent for preventing or obstructing an arc between the separate ends of the separation region.

The embodiment shown in Fig. 5 shows an inventive interruption switching element 1, which has a channel 49 of the contact unit 5, which extends below the sabot 25 b, in particular in the flange 25 a, preferably centrally in the axial direction and the combustion chamber 61 with the still further chamber 65 combines. Thus, the contact unit 5 is further formed in the illustrated embodiment as a continuous switching tube 9. In this embodiment, both the combustion chamber 61, the channel 49, the still further chamber 65 and the further chamber 63 with be filled 45 of the filling material. All further embodiments of the embodiment shown in FIG. 5 are substantially identical to the embodiments shown in FIGS. 2 to 4. The channel 49 ensures that in the release of the interruption switching member 1 and the associated movement of the sabot 25 from the starting position to the end position, the increasing volume in the region of the combustion chamber 61 and the other chamber 63 is also refilled with filler 45. By the movement of the sabot 25 from the starting position to the end position filling material 45 is compressed in the still further chamber 65 and injected through the channel 49 in the direction of the region of the combustion chamber 61 and here directly to the separation point 27. In this way, it is ensured that no arc is formed between the separated parts of the separation region 27 or at least heavily attenuated.

As can be seen from Fig. 6, which illustrates the final state of the contact unit 5 and the switching tube 9 after a tripping of the interrupting switching element 1, the swage region 23 of the contact unit 5 is preferably formed so that the wall of the contact tube 9 is folded meandering in the swage region 23 , The meander-shaped fold should preferably take place predominantly outside of the still further chamber 65 in order to avoid that a folded area lies in front of the inlet opening of the channel 49 and prevents the filling of the filler 45 from being pressed out. However, folding in an area outside the receiving volume is anyway preferred by the internal pressure of the filler 45 resulting from the compression of the switching tube 9, without the need for additional measures such as predetermined bending points or the like. Of course, however, by such additional measures, the desired folding properties can be generated or optimized. In particular, predetermined bending points can be introduced by appropriate structuring of the swaging region 23 on the outer and / or inner wall. The axially interlocking in the end state axial projections of the insulator element A 17 and the second sabot portion 25b are also designed with respect to their axial length, that by them during the compression process and in the final state, touching the radially outer parts of the folded portion of the wall of the switching tube 9 with the inner wall of the housing 3 is prevented. As a result, damage to the insulating layer 7 is prevented when such is provided on the inner wall of the housing 3.

In variants without such an insulating layer 7, this also prevents a metallic housing 3 from being unintentionally placed on the same electrical potential after the triggering as the first connection contact 11.

6 shows, by way of example only, the final state of a breaker switch of FIG. 5. Apart from the minor changes in construction (absence of channel 49), the final state of the breaker elements of FIGS. 2-4 is identical.

The embodiment of an interruption switching element 1 according to the invention shown in FIG. 7, like the previously described embodiments, comprises a housing 3 in which a contact unit 5 is arranged. The housing 3 is designed such that it withstands a pressure generated within the housing, which is generated during a pyrotechnic activation of the interruption switching element 1, without the risk of damage or even bursting. The housing may in particular consist of a suitable metal. In this case, an insulating layer 7 may be provided on the inner wall of the housing, which consists of a suitable insulating material, for example a plastic. As a result, at higher voltages flashovers or an electrical contact between the contact unit 5, which of course consists of a conductive metal, such as copper, and the housing 3 avoided, especially during and after the release of the interruption switching element 1. The housing can also be a total of an insulating material, in particular of ceramic or a suitable plastic exist. In this case, the wall thickness of the housing 3 will usually be thicker than in the case of a metallic housing, also then usually stiffening ribs must be introduced here.

However, the contact unit 5 is in the illustrated embodiment in the region of the first terminal contact 1 1, in the area 23 and in the region of the biasing element 25, in contrast to the previously executed embodiments made massive. Only in the separation area 27 is the contact unit 5 as in the previous described embodiments designed as a tube.

The advantage of this embodiment, in which no upsetting of the previous compression region 23 is present, is that no fluid is withdrawn from the separation region by the movement of the slosh mirror 25b after the separation region has broken open, so that the entire switching process takes place quasi-stationary. This completes the shutdown process more quickly. Another advantage is that the Einschleifwiderstand the assembly, so the ohmic resistance between the terminal contact areas 11 and 13, here is minimal and even at high operating currents here significantly less heat loss is generated, which would have to be dissipated - that in the other versions of the module relatively thin material in the compression area 23 is here solid metal. The disadvantage here is the relatively small separation distance after the release of the assembly and the relatively low movement of the filler material during the switching process.

The embodiment of an interruption switching element 1 according to the invention shown in FIG. 8 comprises a housing 3 in which a contact unit 5, also called a connecting element, is arranged. The housing 3 is designed such that it withstands a pressure generated within the housing, which is generated during a pyrotechnic activation of the interruption switching element 1, without the risk of damage or even bursting. The housing may in particular consist of a suitable metal, preferably steel. In this case, an insulating layer 7 may be provided on the inner wall of the housing, which consists of a suitable insulating material, for example a plastic. As a plastic for this example, polyoxymethylene can be used here. As a result, at higher voltages flashovers or an electrical contact between the contact unit 5, which of course consists of a conductive metal, such as copper, and the housing 3 avoided, in particular during and after the release of the interruption switching element 1. However, housing material are here Also electrically non-conductive materials such as ceramic, POM, PA6 or ABS possible, but must be stiffened by, for example, suitable ribs. Also, in these cases, the wall thickness of the housing 3 will usually be thicker than in the case of a metallic housing. The contact unit 5 is formed in the illustrated embodiment as a depressed by the sabot 25 b in the compression region switching tube 9, so that it is formed only in the separation 27 and the compression region 23 as a tube. The switching tube 9 has in the illustrated embodiment, a first terminal contact 1 1 with a larger diameter and a second terminal contact 13 with a smaller diameter. To the first terminal contact 1 1 is followed by a radially outwardly extending flange 15, which is supported on an annular insulator element A 17, which consists of an insulating material, such as a plastic, such that the switching tube 9 is not in the axial direction can be moved out of the housing 3. The plastic used for this purpose can be polyoxymethylene, ABS or nylon, but ceramics are also possible and, in special cases, useful. The insulator element A 17 has for this purpose an annular shoulder on which the flange 15 of the switching tube 9 is supported. In addition, the insulator element A 17 isolates the housing from the switching tube 9. The annular insulator element A 17 has an inner diameter in an axially outer region which substantially corresponds to the outer diameter of the switching tube 9 in the region of the first connection contact 11. As a result, a sealing effect is achieved which is reinforced by an additional, annular sealing element 19, for example an O-ring. The insulator element A 17 may also be connected to the switching tube 9 via a press fit or be sprayed onto this. The insulator element A 17 and thus the switching tube 9 and the contact unit 5 is held on the relevant end face of the interruption switching element 1 by means of a lock nut 21 or a welded-in annular disc 21 in the housing 3 or fixed in this way in the housing 3. The lock nut 21 or the annular disc 21 may be made of metal, preferably steel. This also ensures that the switching tube can not escape from the housing in a softening or burning of the plastic parts of the interrupting switching element 1, even if in this state still triggering of the interrupting switching element 1 is effected. Because the outer diameter of the flange 15 is selected to be larger than the inner diameter of the closure nut 21st

Of course, however, the housing 3 can also be formed on the end face shown on the left in FIG. 8 during the assembly of the interrupting switching member 1 in such a way that a part of the housing extending radially inwardly extends the isolator element. ment 17 fixed. If the housing is made of plastic, the insulator element 17 can also be dispensed with.

The switching tube 9 has an adjoining the flange 15 in the axis of the switching tube 9 compression region 23. The wall thickness of the switching tube 9 is in

Upset region 23, which has a predetermined axial extent, chosen and matched to the material that results in a triggering of the interruption switching element 1 due to a plastic deformation of the switching tube 9 in the swage region 23, a shortening of the swaged portion in the axial direction by a predetermined distance.

The compression region 23 is adjoined in the axial direction of the switching tube 9 by a flange 25a on which a sabot 25b is seated in the embodiment shown. The sabot 25b, which in the illustrated embodiment consists of an insulating material, such as a suitable plastic, surrounds the switching tube 9 with its part 25b such that between the outer periphery of the flange 25a and the inner wall of the housing 3, an insulating region of the sabot 25b engages. If a pressure acts on the surface of the slosh mirror 25b, a force is generated which compresses the swage region 23 of the switching tube 9 via the flange 25a. This force is chosen so that during the triggering operation of the interrupting switch member 1, an upsetting of the swaged portion 23 results, wherein the sabot 25 b is moved from its initial position (status before the release switch 1 is triggered) to an end position (after the shift has ended).

As can be seen from FIG. 8, the sabot part 25b can be selected such that its outer diameter essentially corresponds to the inner diameter of the housing 3, so that an axial guidance of the flange 25a and thus also an axially guided compression movement is achieved during the switching operation.

After the pressing operation, the noses of the insulator 17 and the sabot 25b which lie close to the housing fully engage one another, so that this after the triggering and the compression process meandering pushed-together area 23 is fully enclosed by electrically insulating materials.

At the sabot 25b and the flange portion 25a of the switching tube 9 and the contact unit 5 is followed by a separation region 27, which in turn preferably in the axial direction to a flange 29 of the switching tube 9 is adjacent. The second connection contact 13 of the switching tube 9 then adjoins the flange 29. The flange 29 in turn serves to securely fix the switching tube 9 or the contact unit 5 in the axial direction in the housing 3. This purpose is served by a radially inwardly extending annular region of the housing 3 (not provided with reference numerals) and a closure 31, which is provided between a corresponding abutment surface of the flange 29, the inner wall of the frontal annular portion 3a of the housing 3 and the axial inner wall of the housing 3 and which surrounds the second terminal contact of the switching tube 9 annular. As shown in FIG. 8, the flange can engage in the closure 31 in the axial direction. Alternatively, it can also be mounted in the axial direction on the closure 31 (see Figures 3 to 6). The closure 31 may be made of metal, in particular steel.

If the shutter 31 is not made of a metal or a ceramic, but of a plastic, after the flange 29, a metal disc with a diameter greater than the right opening of the housing, be introduced to prevent fire - in case of fire yes, the plastic parts are no longer there - that parts escape from the housing.

If the housing 3, the shutter 31 and the lock nut / washer 23 are made of steel, it is possible to connect these parts to each other by electron beam or ultrasonic welding. Also a connection by laser beam is possible.

In the illustrated embodiment, the sabot 25 b is pushed during the assembly of the interruption switching element 1 from the side of the terminal 13 forth on the switching tube 9 and must therefore be dimensioned so that its inner diameter is greater than or equal to the outer diameter of the flange 29. The shutter 31 is configured as an annular member having an outer diameter substantially equal to the inner diameter of the housing 3 and an inner diameter substantially equal to the outer diameter of the flange 29 and the second terminal contact 13, respectively.

In the axial end of the switching tube 9 in the region of the second terminal 13, an ignition device 35 is provided with pyrotechnic material, often referred to here as Minidetonator or ignition plug. The outer periphery of the ignition device 35 is sealed with respect to the inner wall of the switching tube 9 and the second terminal 13 with a sealing element (dark circular element in recess), for example, an O-ring. For axial fixation of the ignition device 35, a small shoulder may be provided in the inner wall of the switching tube 9 or of the second connection contact 13, the ignition device being pushed into the switching tube 9 as far as the assembly of the interruption switching element 1 up to the shoulder. For axial fixing of the ignition device 35, a closure element 39 is then screwed into the second connection contact 13. Through an opening of the annular shutter 31, the electrical connection lines 41 of the ignition devices 35 can be led to the outside. For complete sealing and fixing, the interior of the closure element 39 may be potted, in particular with a suitable epoxy resin. This then serves at the same time to strain relief of the connecting lines 41. In the region of the Einmündens of the connecting lines 41 in the ignition device 35, the connecting lines can be fixed with a potting compound 57. The closure element 39 is provided in FIG. 8 with a thread in order to screw it into the second terminal contact 13 of the switching tube 9, however, it is later inserted in a standard version of the assembly for cost reasons only in the preferably designed as a tubular part second terminal contact 13 and then crimped in, clinched or rolled up.

The closure 31 may be made of a metal, in particular steel. This has the advantage of the potential bonding of the housing 3 to the second terminal 13. In this way "the housing knows where it belongs in terms of potential." The latter is important in high-voltage circuits to avoid unwanted arcs with non-potential-bonded parts the Housing 3, the inner region of the interruption switching element 1 against electromagnetic radiation, such as a radar beam.

The separation region 27 is dimensioned so that it at least partially ruptures due to the generated gas pressure or the generated shock wave of the mini-dictator 35, so that the pressure or the shock wave also from the one chamber (combustion chamber 61) in the configured as a surrounding annulus further chamber 63 can spread. To facilitate the tearing, the wall of the switching tube 9 in the separation region 27 may also have one or more openings or bores. In addition, an igniting mixture 43 can also be provided on the separating region 27 on the side of the further chamber 63. The breakthroughs and the ignition mixture are preferably coated with a protective varnish 55 (shown by way of example in FIG. 5). The igniter mixture 43 may also be coated with a natural rubber layer for protection against the effects of the filler material. The igniter mixture 43 can serve to cause a passive shutdown in the event of failure of driving the mini-detector 35, i. In the event of an overcurrent, in particular the central part of the separating region 27 heats up very strongly and very quickly, igniting the ignition mixture when the ignition temperature is reached, which then ignites the ignition device 35 or the ignition device pyrotechnic material ignites suitably.

The ignition mixture 43 can likewise already be an ignition mixture which already generates a shockwave on its own when heated up to its ignition temperature and thus already ruptures the separation region - here now inwardly - and then depresses the sabot. A participation or ignition of the ignition device 35 and the Minidetonators would not be necessary in this case. If you do not actively trigger the assembly, even this ignition mixture would already be sufficient to separate the switching bridge and to compress the compression region 23 of the switching tube 9.

The ignition device 35 for igniting the pyrotechnic material (ignition device) may consist of a simple, quickly heatable filament. The activation of the ignition device can be done by a corresponding electrical control. Of course, the ignition device 35, however, also in any be formed in any other way, which causes an activation of the pyrotechnic material, also in the form of a conventional lighter, a Kindle, a squib or a Minidetonators.

Additionally or instead, a passive activation of the interruption switching element 1 may be provided. For this purpose, the temperature increase of the material of the switching tube 9 in the separation region 27 is utilized. In this case, the most direct possible contact between the pyrotechnic material and the inner wall and / or outer wall of the switching tube 9 should be given in the separation region 27. In addition, it is also possible to provide an easily activatable material, in particular an igniting or igniting mixture, in the immediate vicinity or applied to the inner wall and / or outer wall of the separating region.

FIG. 8 shows such a layer of a priming mixture 43, which is applied pasty to the outer wall of the separating region. When filling a filling material, this ignition mixture must be protected on all sides, for example, by an epoxy resin or natural rubber layer against the filling material.

The electrical resistance and thus also the thermal behavior of the separation region 27 can by the provision of openings in the wall of the separation region 27 (of course in conjunction with the wall thickness of the separation area and the dimensioning of the radii at the junctions of the separation region, which substantially the heat flow from the Separation area and determine its tear behavior) are influenced. As a result, the current-time integral can be defined or set at which the interruption switching element 1 activates passively. The inertia can also be influenced by such a dimensioning.

Upon activation of the interrupting switching element 1 by means of the ignition device 35 or by means of a passive activation, a pressure or a shock wave is thus generated on the side of the sabot 25b facing away from the swage region 23, whereby a corresponding axial force is applied to the sabot. This force is selected by a suitable dimensioning of the pyrotechnic material so that the switching tube 9 plastically deformed in the compression region 23 and consequently the Sealing mirror is moved in the direction of the first terminal contact 11. The pyrotechnic material is dimensioned so that after the breaking up of the separation region 27 of the switching tube 9, the movement of the sabot 25 b takes place up to the end position shown in Fig. 6.

Immediately after the activation of the pyrotechnic material, therefore, the separation region 27 is at least partially torn open. If the rupture does not occur even before the axial movement of the slosh mirror 25b begins over the complete circumference of the separation region 27, any remaining remainder of the separation region, which still causes electrical contact, will be completely ruptured by the axial movement of the slosh mirror 25b.

Depending on the dimensioning of the separation area and the pyrotechnic material, it is also conceivable that the separation area after activation does not initially rupture, but the gas pressure acts only through corresponding openings in the wall of the separation region in the annular region surrounding the separation region 27. The rupture of the separation region 27 can then take place substantially only by the axial force on the sabot 25 b, which also leads to its axial movement.

In particular, the gas pressure generated by the burnup or the generated shock wave can be well controlled by introducing readily gasifiable liquids or solids into the space in which the pyrotechnic material is contained or in which the generated hot gases enter. In particular, water dissolved in the filler or in the form of microcapsules, gels, etc., increases the gas pressure considerably. Such an increase in the gas pressure can be even more extreme if the introduced into the combustion chamber water is brought to bumping, in particular by the fact that the highly heated water undergoes a pressure drop when breaking the separation region 27. The interruption switching element shown in Fig. 8 has an inside of the switching tube 9 on the first terminal contact 1 1 facing axial side of an insulator element B 53 as filler, through which from the outer space of the interruption switching member into the still further chamber 65, a third terminal contact 81st , the so-called center electrode, which preferably has a spliced or split end 83. The insulator element B 53 also serves as a closure for the still further chamber 65. The insulator element B 53 is preferably formed as a cylindrical part. The insulator element B 53 may be made of a plastic such as PEEK, polyoxymethylene, ABS or nylon. The cylindrical insulator element B 53 is pressed into the hollow cylindrical first terminal contact 11. The insulator element B 53 preferably has recesses 37 for receiving sealing elements, which effect a seal between the axial outer wall of the insulator element B 53 and the inner wall of the first connection contact 1 1. In the embodiment shown in Fig. 2, the combustion chamber 61 and the still further chamber 63 are filled with the filling material 45, while the still further chamber 65 is not filled with filling material. However, it is also conceivable according to the invention to fill the still further chamber 65 with the filling material 45 as well. It is also conceivable according to the invention that none of the chambers 61, 63 and 65 is filled with a filling material. It is also conceivable that instead of the center electrode 81 only a sealing screw (not shown) is used.

The embodiment shown in FIG. 8 is simpler than the embodiments shown in FIGS. 2 to 5. However, here only material thicknesses in the separation range can be broken up to about 200μηι at 5 to 10 times the amount of necessary pyrotechnic material. The switching limit of this simple design is only about 1000 A DC at 800V. In contrast, the switching limit in embodiments with filler about 30kA DC at 1/5 of the pyrotechnic material used.

9 shows by way of example a circuit diagram of a circuit prior to activation, in which an interruption switching element S1 according to the invention is integrated. In this case, the first connection contact (thick) is connected to the load circuit consisting of R2, L1, C2 and R5, the second connection contact (thin) is connected to the positive pole of the current source (Batt 1). The third connection contact (the so-called center electrode) is here connected to the ground or the negative pole of the power source or to the negative terminal of the consumer. Now, if the circuit is interrupted by the switching of the interruption switching element - the drawn switch contact works from "thin" on the connection of the "center electrode in thick" -, so shortly after the beginning of the compression process in the assembly in the capacitance C2 and above all electrical stored in the entire inductance of the load circuit L1 mechanical energy to ground, bypassing the point of separation via the center electrode, which acts as a short-circuit electrode, dissipated or short-circuited. In this way, the actual separation point is relieved in the assembly and the emergence of an arc there greatly weakened or attenuated, the separation point in the assembly must dissipatively convert significantly less energy, also the high switching voltage generated here when switching off is significantly reduced.

L2 is the inductance of the power source (Batt 1) and the wiring up to the breaker, R1 is the internal resistance of the power source, and C3 is the capacity of the power source. R3 is the loss resistance of the wiring to the breaker. R2 is the load resistance and L1 is the inductance of the load circuit including wiring to the breaker. C2 is the capacity of the entire load circuit and R5 is the loss resistance of the wiring up to the breaker switch. C1 and R4 are an RC combination, i. a so-called spark-extinguishing combination for opening switch contacts, as it is usually used for relay contacts, but it must not necessarily be present in the circuit when using the module, for cost reasons, you will also do without it in the rule.

Fig. 10 shows in the upper part of a part of a switching tube 9 in the region of the combustion chamber 61 with a concave configuration of the combustion chamber wall, which faces the pyrotechnic mass, while in the lower part of the image, this combustion chamber wall is convex. However, the conical tips drawn here can also have a different shape, for example, be rounded accordingly. In particular, when the combustion chamber 61 is filled with filling material, preferably silicone oil, and the pyrotechnic mass is a mini-detonator, this results in a shock shaft deflection, which at an optimal angle α - this is highly dependent on the combustion chamber material, the distance Minidetonator to the wall, the filling material and the type of pyrotechnic material - significantly increased the mechanical impact of the generated shock wave and break up even thicker web material with a minimum of pyrotechnic mass leaves. In the lower part of the figure, Fig. 10 also shows a part of a switching tube 9, with a convex configuration of the combustion chamber wall.

In Fig. 11, the ignition device 35 is not housed in the previous chamber 61, but in the chamber 63, the electrical connections of the ignition device are guided at the top of the housing. The sequence is similar to the embodiments described in Figures 1 to 5, only here is the separation area 27 is not torn from the inside, but compressed from the outside and already depressed the sabot 25 b. The arc suppression or obstruction at the separation point is again by the flowing around filling material, preferably the silicone oil.

This embodiment is intended to be used in very large assemblies in which the required pyrotechnic mass can not be accommodated in chamber 63 - in this case, for example, the Minidetonator would be a normal sized detonator.

In Fig. 12, the ignition device 35 is located just outside the housing: The pressure energy required for the depression of separation area 27 and sabot 25b would be introduced here, for example, with fluid coupling from the outside via a pipe system in the assembly. This embodiment would be suitable for particularly large assemblies or circuit breakers - for all these cases but then other pressure generator would have to be considered, so compressed gas storage, C02 cartridges, chemical gas generators or evaporators, but also carburetors of all kinds.

All sealing elements 19 (or O-rings) in FIGS. 1 to 8 and FIGS. 11 to 12 which may be present in the recesses 37 may be made of nitrile butadiene rubber, Viton or silicone, with nitrile butadiene rubber being preferred. 13 shows an interruption switching element according to the invention with two separating regions 27 on opposite sides in the state before the triggering of the ignition device 35. The interrupting switching element has a mirror-symmetrical design, and therefore also has two compression regions 23. In essence, the operation of each mirror-symmetric part is as described with reference to FIG. The chamber 61 and / or the further chamber 63 and / or the still further chamber 65 may be filled with a filling material (not shown). FIG. 14 shows the interruption switching element from FIG. 13 after triggering of the ignition device 35.

Fig. 15 shows an arrangement in which an interruption switching element 1 according to the invention is connected in parallel with a fuse 87, as described above. The current I divides through the parallel circuit in the partial currents and l ₂ , wherein the current of the fuse 87 and l _{2 is} the current of the interruption switching element 1.

16 shows by way of example an arrangement in which an interruption switching element 1 according to the invention is connected in series with two fuses 87, to which the current I is applied. The two fuses 87 are in this case before and after the interruption switching element 1, i. connected to the negative and positive terminals of the breaker contact 1, switched. In such an arrangement, the fuses have the above-mentioned object.

Further, Figs. 15 and 16 each show an interrupting switch comprising a rubber ball 89 as an example of the above-mentioned material, which locally mitigates the influence of the shock waves generated upon the tripping of the breaker switch. For this purpose, the rubber ball 89 is preferably mounted on the inside of the hollow nut 33.

Fig. 17A shows a hollow cylindrical separation area 27 with two circumferential grooves 91 - as generally described above. Fig. 17B shows an interruption switching element 1 according to the invention with a separation region 27 - as shown in Fig. 17A. Fig. 18A shows a hollow cylindrical separation area 27 with a circumferential thickening (cuddle) 93 - as generally described above. Furthermore, the separating region 27 shown in FIG. 18A has a circumferential groove 91 to the left and to the right of the circumferential thickening 93. Fig. 18B shows an interruption switching element 1 according to the invention with a separation region 27 - as shown in Fig. 18A.

The breaker switch 1 in Figs. 17B and 18B further includes a heat sink 1 95 and a heat sink 2 97 as generally described above. The heat sinks 95 and 97 are shown by way of example only in these figures and may be combined with any other embodiment of the invention. The heat sink 1 95 is preferably mounted in the further chamber on the sabot, and the heat sink 2 97 on the inner insulation of the housing 3. In this case, the heat sink 1 95 circumferentially, ie tubular, or lamellar be formed. The heat sink 2 97 preferably extends on the inside of the housing 3 or its inner insulation circumferentially, ie is tubular.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMBERS

I Breaker, Circuit Breaker, Module

3 housing

5 contact unit

7 insulating layer

9 switching tube, connecting element

I I first connection contact

13 second connection contact

15 flange

17 Insulator element A

19 sealing element (O-ring)

21 lock nut / washer

23 compression area / area

25a flange

25b sabot

27 separation area

29 flange

31 closure

33 Hollow nut / lock

35 Igniter with pyrotechnic material, mini-detonator, lighter

37 recesses for sealing elements

39 closure element

41 electrical connection lines

43 ignition mix

45 filling material

49 channel

53 insulator element B

57 potting compound

61 chamber / combustion chamber

63 more chamber

65 more chamber 71 housing bore

73 tapped hole

81 third connection contact

83 split end of the third terminal

85 protective cap, not required if the housing 3 is welded in one piece or on both sides.

87 fuse

89 rubber ball

91 circumferential grooves

93 circumferential thickening (cuddle)

95 heat sink 1

97 heat sink 2

I electricity

partial flow

l ₂ partial flow

S1 Breaker with first, second and third connection contact

thick first connection contact of the interruption switching element

thin second connection contact of the interrupting switching element

Battl power source

R1 Internal resistance of the power source

C3 capacity of the power source

L2 inductance from power source and wiring to breaker

R3 Loss resistance of the wiring to the breaker

R2 load resistance

L1 Inductance of the load circuit including wiring to the breaker contactor

C2 Capacity of the entire load circuit

R5 Loss of resistance of the wiring to the breaker

C1 + R4 RC combination, so-called spark extinguishing combination for opening switching contacts Center electrode third terminal contact of the interrupting switching element,

Sensor unit, if the state of the circuit breaker is only to be reported back, or

Short circuit electrode.

Claims

Patent claim

1. Electrical interruption switching element (1), in particular for interrupting high currents at high voltages,

(A) with a housing (3) which surrounds a current path through the interruption switching member (1) defining contact unit (5) and

(b) a pyrotechnic material (35) comprising a gas generating and / or shock wave generating activatable material,

(c) the contact unit having first and second terminal contacts (11, 13) and a separation area (27),

(d) wherein the pyrotechnic material (35) and the contact unit (5) are formed so that they can be fed via the first terminal contact (1 1) to be interrupted power and from it via the second terminal contact (13), or vice versa in that, when the pyrotechnic material (35) is ignited, the separating region (27) is acted upon by a gas pressure and / or shock wave generated by the activatable material, so that the separating region (27) is torn, pressed or separated, characterized

(e) that at least one chamber (61) in the interruption switching member (1) which is at least partially delimited by the separation region (27) is substantially completely filled with a filling material (45), preferably with silicone oil, so that the separation region ( 27) is in contact with the filling material (45).

2. Electrical circuit breaker (1), according to claim 1, characterized in that the separating region (27) is designed so that it surrounds a chamber (61), preferably a combustion chamber, at least partially.

3. Electrical interruption switching element (1) according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the separating region (27) which separates a chamber (61) from a further chamber (63) which surrounds the separating region (27) preferably annular.

4. An electrical circuit breaker (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that in the separation of the separation region (27), the one chamber (61) with the further chamber (63) is connected.

5. Electrical interruption switching element (1) according to one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that both the one chamber (61) and the further chamber (63) are substantially completely filled with the filling material (45).

6. An electrical circuit breaker (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the pyrotechnic material (35) is in the chamber (61) which is filled with the filling material (45).

7. An electrical circuit breaker (1) according to any one of claims 2 to 6, characterized in that the one chamber (61) is a combustion chamber in which the pyrotechnic material (35) is located.

8. Electrical circuit breaker (1), according to one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that the contact unit (5) has an upsetting region (23).

9. Electrical interruption switching element (1) according to claim 8, characterized in that the compression region (23) is designed such that it surrounds a still further chamber (63).

10. Electrical interruption switching element (1) according to claim 9, characterized in that the still further chamber (65) via at least one channel (49) with the one chamber (61) is connected.

1 1. Electrical interruption switching element (1) according to claim 10, characterized in that also the still further chamber (65) and the at least one channel (49) are substantially completely filled with the filling material (45).

12. An electrical circuit breaker (1) according to any one of claims 8 to 1 1, characterized in that the swage region (23) is designed with respect to the material and the geometry so that the wall of the swaged portion (23) folded as a result of the compression movement, preferably meandering is folded.

13. Electrical interrupting switching element (1), according to one of claims 1 to 12, characterized in that the separating region (27) is formed as a hollow cylinder and in cross-section preferably annular.

14. Electrical circuit breaker (1) according to any one of claims 8 to 13, characterized in that the compression region (23) is formed as a hollow cylinder and in cross-section preferably annular.

15. Electrical interruption switching element (1) according to one of claims 1 to 14, characterized in that a wall of the separating region (27) is designed so that a shock wave steering can be carried out.

16. An electric circuit breaker (1) according to any one of claims 8 to 15, characterized in that it comprises a sabot (25b), which in an ignition of the pyrotechnic material (35) in such a way with a gas pressure generated by the activatable material and / or shock wave is acted upon, that the sabot (25b) moves in the housing (3) in a direction of movement from an initial position to an end position and thereby the swaged portion (23) is plastically deformed, wherein the separation region (27) completely separated is achieved and in the end position of the sabot (25b) an isolation distance between the separated ends of the separation region (27).

17. An electrical circuit breaker (1) according to claim 16, characterized in that the contact unit (5) has a straight longitudinal axis, along which the sabot (25 b) is displaceable, wherein the separating region (27) and the compression region (23) on each opposite Sides of the sabot (25b) are arranged adjacent to these and lying in the longitudinal axis.

18. Electrical interrupting switching element (1) according to one of claims 1 to 17, characterized in that the contact unit (5) has a first terminal contact area with the first terminal contact (11) and a second terminal contact area with the second terminal contact (13), each on opposite sides of the separation area (27) are arranged.

19. An electrical circuit breaker (1) according to claim 18, characterized in that the first terminal contact region lying in the longitudinal axis adjacent to the compression region (23) and the second terminal contact region in the longitudinal axis lying adjacent to the separation region (27).

20. An electrical circuit breaker (1) according to claim 19, characterized in that the first terminal contact region is designed as a hollow cylinder and in cross-section preferably annular.

21. An electrical circuit breaker (1) according to any one of claims 16 to 20, characterized in that a third terminal contact (81) or a sensor is present, which, when the sabot (25 b) is moved in the direction of the end position, mechanically and / or is electrically actuated and thus serves as a means of detection for a successful triggering of the interruption switching element (1).

22. An electrical circuit breaker (1) according to claim 21, characterized in that the third terminal contact (81) with the second terminal contact (13) is electrically connected.

23. An electrical circuit breaker (1) according to claim 21 or 22, characterized in that the third terminal contact (81) as a wire, rod or spring, preferably copper or brass wire / rod or copper spring is formed, the / in the from the first Interior contact area formed along the longitudinal direction of the contact unit (5), and preferably from the outer region of the interruption switching member (1) extends into the compression region (23) surrounded even further chamber (65).

24. An electrical breaker circuit breaker (1) according to claim 23, characterized in that formed as a wire or rod third terminal contact (81) is split at its in the interruption switching member (1) projecting end into at least two parts to be easily deformed.

25. Electrical interrupting switching element (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that in a housing (3) more than one separation region (27) is present.