JP2000195396A - Circuit breaker - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To positively operate a circuit breaker without using a subbattery, even if it receives a strong shock or the like or a battery voltage is reduced, by applying an FL(fusible link) structure in heavy usage as a vehicle circuit breaker to the circuit breaker. SOLUTION: This circuit breaker 4 has an FL main body 10, within which an FL fuse-element 9 for connecting a vehicle battery and a vehicle electric component is stored and disposed, a cutter blade 11 incorporated in the FL main body 10 such that the cutter blade 11 has a moving stroke range in a direction intersecting to the longitudinal direction of the FL fuse-element 9, and a cylinder mechanism 12 as a cutter blade launch means charged with a starting agent injecting gas when ignited, for launching the cutter blade 11 to the FL fuse-element 9 though the use of a gas pressure obtained by ignition of the starting agent caused by the input of a circuit breaking signal. The launching of the cutter blade 11 to the FL fuse-element 9 cuts the FL fuse- element 9, to forcibly break between an input terminal 4a and an output terminal 4b in the circuit breaker 4.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a circuit breaker which cuts off a circuit in a vehicle collision or the like to prevent burnout due to a short circuit of an electric system, and more particularly to a circuit breaker of this kind. The present invention relates to a circuit breaker that applies a known FL (fusible link) structure and operates reliably even when subjected to a strong shock or when the battery voltage is reduced.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art As an electrical system provided in a vehicle,
Conventionally, a system shown in FIG. 6 is known.

An electrical system 101 shown in FIG. 1 has a battery 10 having a negative terminal connected to a vehicle body or the like.
2 and the input terminal 103a, the battery 10
A power cut relay device 103 for receiving the battery voltage output from the plus terminal of the power supply terminal 2 and outputting the battery voltage from the output terminal 103b when the circuit cutoff signal is not input to the control terminal 103c; A wire harness 105 composed of a plurality of electric wires 104 connecting the output terminal 103b of 103 and each load (not shown), and a vehicle receives a shock, and a shock detection signal is output from an airbag acceleration sensor or the like. And an ECU 106 for generating a circuit cutoff signal, supplying the signal to the control terminal 103c of the power cut relay device 103, and cutting off the circuit.

[0004] When the vehicle equipped with the electric system 101 collides with another vehicle or the like and a collision detection signal is output from an acceleration sensor for airbag, the electric system 101 performs an EC.
The power cut relay device 103 is operated by U106 and the input terminal 10 of the power cut relay device 103 is operated.
3a and the output terminal 103b are cut off so that a vehicle fire or the like does not occur even if the core wire of each electric wire 104 constituting the wire harness 105 comes into contact with the body of the vehicle.

[0005] The power cut relay device 103 used in the electric component system 101 is, as shown in FIG.
7, a slide bearing 108, a conductive shaft 109,
A cylindrical contact terminal 110, a compression spring 111,
Rotating shaft 112, locking mechanism 113, plunger 11
4 and a solenoid 115, and operates as follows.

[0006] The slide bearing 108 is fixed to the substrate 107 formed of an insulating member, and receives the battery voltage input to the input terminal 103a. Conductive shaft 109
Is constituted by a metal rod or the like slidably supported by the slide bearing 108, and the slide bearing 108
Battery voltage supplied from the Contact terminal 11
0 indicates that the conductive shaft 109 is slidably inserted,
When the conductive shaft 109 is in the initial position, it receives a battery voltage from the conductive shaft 109 and supplies it to the output terminal 1.
03b. The compression spring 111 urges the conductive shaft 109 against the slide bearing 108. The lock mechanism 113 is rotatably attached to a rotation shaft 112 vertically suspended on the substrate 107, and regulates the movement of the conductive shaft 109 urged by the compression spring 111. The solenoid 115
When a circuit cut-off signal is output from the ECU 106, the plunger 114 is retracted, the lock mechanism 113 is rotated to unlock the conductive shaft 109, and the input terminal 103a and the output terminal 103b are fixed.
Is shut off.

Therefore, the power cut relay device 103
When the circuit cutoff signal is not output from the ECU 106, the solenoid 115 is deactivated, the lock mechanism 113 locks the conductive shaft 109, and the input terminal 1
The slide bearing 108 connected to 03a and the contact terminal 110 connected to the output terminal 103b are made conductive, and the battery voltage input to the input terminal 103a is output from the output terminal 103b.

In this state, when a circuit cutoff signal is output from the ECU 106, the solenoid 115 is operated to
By rotating the lock mechanism 113 connected to the plunger 114, the lock of the conductive shaft 109 is released, and the state between the input terminal 103a and the output terminal 103b is cut off.

[0009]

However, the above-mentioned conventional electrical system 101 has the following problems.

First, a power cut relay device 1 inserted between a battery 102 and a wire harness 105
As shown in FIG. 7, the power cut relay device 103 using the plunger 114 having a certain mass is used as the power cut relay device 103 as shown in FIG.
When a certain impact is applied to the plunger 3, even if a circuit cutoff signal is not input from the ECU 106, acceleration acts on the mass of the plunger 114 and the like, and the plunger 114 is pushed into the solenoid 115, whereby the locking mechanism 113 is unlocked and input terminal 1
03a and the output terminal 103b may be cut off.

Further, such a power supply cut relay device 1
When operating the solenoid 115 used in the battery 03, a certain amount of power is required.
The short circuit of the electric wire connecting the plus terminal of the power cut relay device 103 and the input terminal 103a of the power cut relay device 103, the short circuit of each electric wire 104 constituting the wire harness 105 and the like, the short circuit of each load, etc. Is reduced to, for example, 1.9 V, the operating power of the solenoid 115 may be insufficient, and the solenoid 115 may not operate even if the circuit cutoff signal is output from the ECU 106.

Further, in such a power cut relay device 103, the solenoid 1 having a certain capacity and weight is used.
15 is used to interrupt the circuit, it is difficult to reduce the size and weight of the entire device, and
There have been problems that the number of parts increases and a dedicated vehicle mounting space is required.

Conventionally, as in the circuit shown in FIG.
The starter circuit 202 connected to the battery 201
L (fusible link) 203 is inserted and connected.
In this case, when a large current flows between the battery 201 and the starter circuit 202 due to a short circuit of the wire harness due to a collision of the vehicle, the FL 203 is blown to cut off the starter circuit 202 from the battery 201, and This is to prevent the burnout of the harness. However, when the battery voltage is reduced to, for example, 1.9 V for the above-described reason, the FL 203 does not melt and the wire harness is burned.

Conventionally, there has been proposed a method of using a sub-battery so that a load circuit including the FL can be forcibly cut off even when the battery voltage is low.
There is a problem that the circuit configuration of the electrical system becomes complicated.

In view of the above circumstances, the present invention employs an FL (fusible link) structure, which is widely used as a circuit breaker for a vehicle, and can be used even when it receives a strong impact or when the battery voltage drops. It is another object of the present invention to provide a circuit breaker that can operate reliably without using a sub-battery.

[0016]

According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a circuit interrupting device which is disposed between a battery of a vehicle and an electric component of a vehicle and receives a circuit interrupting signal. A circuit breaker for interrupting continuity between the battery and the vehicle component, wherein an FL body housing and arranging an FL fusible connecting the battery of the vehicle and the vehicle electrical component; A cutting blade incorporated in the FL main body with a direction intersecting the longitudinal direction of the FL as a moving stroke area, an activator that releases gas by ignition, and an ignition agent that is ignited by the input of the circuit cutoff signal. With the pressure of the gas obtained by
Cutting blade firing means for firing toward the L-fusible material.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the circuit breaker of the first aspect, the FL body has a tension adjusting means for adjusting a tension in the longitudinal direction with respect to the FL fusible body.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, in the circuit breaker according to any one of the first and second aspects, the FL main body forms a housing by a case and a cover, and the cover of the housing moves the cutting blade along the stroke. It is characterized by forming a guide serving as an area.

According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, in the circuit breaker according to any one of the first to third aspects, the cutting blade firing means is inserted into the cylinder cylinder and the cylinder blade, and the cutting blade is inserted into the cylinder cylinder. A shaft attached to the distal end of the shaft, the starting agent set on the base end side of the shaft, and ignition means for generating heat when the circuit cutoff signal is input, and igniting the starting agent, A cylinder mechanism for firing the cutting blade attached to the shaft together with the shaft toward the FL fusible body by the pressure of the gas generated from the igniter ignited by the ignition means.

According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, in the circuit breaker of the fourth aspect, the cylinder mechanism is integrated with a cap which can be fitted and fixed to a housing of the FL main body.

In the above configuration, according to the first aspect of the present invention, when a circuit cutoff signal generated due to a collision of a vehicle with another vehicle is input to the cutting blade firing means,
Since the activating agent is ignited in the cutting blade firing means, the cutting blade firing means fires the cutting blade toward the FL fusible using the pressure of the gas generated from the activating agent. Thereby, the FL fusible body is cut by the cutting blade in the FL main body, and the battery between the vehicle and the vehicle electrical components is forcibly shut off. Therefore, even if a strong impact is received or the battery voltage drops, the power supply to the load can be reliably shut off without using a sub-battery, and burnout due to a short circuit in the electrical system, etc. Thus, it is possible to provide a circuit breaker capable of preventing such a problem.

Further, since the circuit breaker has a structure in which the function of forcibly interrupting the electric system is added to the existing FL, the constituent parts of the FL currently in use are not substantially changed. It can be mounted on FL.

According to the second aspect of the present invention, by adjusting the tension of the FL fusible body by the tension adjusting means, it is possible to easily secure a state in which the operation of cutting the FL fusible body by the cutting blade is reliably performed.

According to the third aspect of the present invention, when the cover is combined with the case, the moving range of the cutting blade can be set, and the cutting blade is guided by the guide to reach the FL fusible material. Therefore, a state in which the operation of cutting the FL fusible body by the cutting blade is reliably performed can be easily secured. Further, the moving stroke area of the cutting blade can be isolated from other parts.

According to the fourth aspect of the present invention, since the entire cutting blade firing means is a cylinder mechanism, the handling of the cutting blade firing means is facilitated, and assembly to the FL can be performed simply and reliably.

According to the fifth aspect of the present invention, the cutting blade firing means can be mounted on the FL main body simply by fitting and fixing the cap to the housing of the FL main body. Workability is remarkably improved.

[0027]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS FIG. 1 is a system configuration diagram showing an embodiment of a vehicle electrical system to which a circuit breaker of the present invention is applied, and FIG. 2 is a main part side of the circuit breaker in the electrical system of FIG. FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view, and FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing a main configuration of the circuit breaker of FIG.

The electrical system 1 shown in FIG. 1 includes a battery 3 having a negative terminal connected to a vehicle body 2 or the like.
It has an input terminal 4a, an output terminal 4b, and a control terminal 4c,
The battery voltage output from the plus terminal of the battery 3 is received by the input terminal 4a, and the control terminal 4
a circuit breaker 4 that outputs a battery voltage from an output terminal 4b when a circuit break signal is not input to c.
A wire harness 6 composed of a plurality of electric wires 5 connecting the output terminal 4b of the circuit breaker 4 and each load.
When a shock detection signal is output from an airbag acceleration sensor or the like, a circuit cutoff signal (ground signal) is generated,
And an ECU 8 for supplying the control signal to the control terminal 4c to cut off the circuit. When a shock is applied to the vehicle and an impact detection signal is output from an airbag acceleration sensor or the like, the circuit breaker 4 is operated by the ECU 8 and the circuit breaker 4 is connected between the input terminal 4a and the output terminal 4b. To the shut-off state.

As shown in FIG. 2, a circuit breaker circuit 4, which is a main part of the electrical system 1, includes an FL body 10 in which a FL fusible body 9 for connecting a battery of a vehicle and a vehicle electric component is housed and arranged. , A cutting blade 11 incorporated in the FL body 10 with a direction intersecting the longitudinal direction of the FL fusible body 9 as a movement stroke area, an activator 19 which releases gas when ignited, and the circuit cutoff signal. The pressure of the gas by the starting agent obtained by igniting the starting agent by the input of
And a cylinder mechanism 12 as cutting blade firing means for firing 1 toward the FL fusible body 9.

In each of these parts, the FL body 10
A fusible body tension block (tension adjusting means) 13 capable of adjusting the tension of the L fusible body 9 in the longitudinal direction is provided. The fusible material tension block 13 adjusts the tension of the FL fusible material 9 so that the cutting blade 11 can adjust the FL.
A state in which the operation of cutting the fusible body 9 is reliably performed can be easily ensured (the effect of claim 2). In addition,
In the present embodiment, the fusible tension block 13 has an insulator structure using ceramics as a material.

Further, the FL body 10 itself forms a housing by the case 14 and the cover 15, and the cover 15 of the housing forms a guide 16 which is a moving stroke area of the cutting blade 11. The guide 16 can set a moving stroke area of the cutting blade 11 when the cover 15 is combined with the case 14.
6 and reaches the FL fusible member 9, it is possible to easily secure a state in which the operation of cutting the FL fusible member 9 by the cutting blade 11 is reliably performed. Further, the moving stroke area of the cutting blade 11 can be isolated from other parts (the effect of claim 3).

As shown in FIG. 3, the cylinder mechanism 12 includes a cylinder cylinder 17, a shaft 18 that is inserted into the cylinder cylinder 17, and has the cutting blade 11 attached to its distal end, and a shaft 18. And a nichrome wire (ignition means) 20 that generates heat when the circuit cutoff signal is input and ignites the start agent 19. Due to the pressure of the gas generated from the ignited activator 19, the cutting blade 1 attached to the shaft 18 together with the shaft 18
1 can be fired toward the FL fusible material 9.

Therefore, a circuit cutoff signal generated due to the collision of the vehicle with another vehicle is transmitted to the cylinder mechanism 12.
Is input to the nichrome wire 20 of the cylinder mechanism 1
Since the activating agent 19 is ignited in 2, the cylinder mechanism 12 fires the cutting blade 11 attached to the shaft 18 together with the shaft 18 toward the FL fusible member 9 with the pressure of the gas generated from the activating agent 19. become.

As a result, in the FL main body 10, the cutting blade 11 reaches the FL fusible body 9 as shown in FIG. 4A, and at the same time, the FL fusible body is moved by the cutting blade 11 as shown in FIG. 9 is cut off, and the connection between the input terminal 4a and the output terminal 4b (between the battery of the vehicle and the electric components of the vehicle) in the circuit breaker 4 is forcibly cut off (effects of claims 1 and 4).

Therefore, according to the conventional example in which the power supply is cut off by the operation of the solenoid, if a strong shock is applied, or if the battery voltage decreases, the power supply can be cut off without using the sub-battery. Although not possible, according to the present embodiment, there is provided a circuit breaker 4 that can surely shut off power supply to a load and prevent burnout due to a short circuit in an electric system and the like. be able to.

The circuit breaker 4 is an existing FL.
Since it has a structure in which a function of forcibly interrupting the electric system is added to the FL, it is possible to mount the FL in use without substantially changing the components of the FL currently in use.

Further, since the entire cutting blade firing means is the cylinder mechanism 12, the handling of the cutting blade firing means becomes easy, and the assembly to the FL can be performed simply and reliably.

Further, as shown in FIG. 2, the cylinder mechanism 12 is integrated with a cap 21 which can be fitted and fixed to the housing of the FL body 10. For this reason, in this embodiment, the cylinder mechanism 12 can be mounted on the FL main body 10 only by performing the operation of fitting and fixing the cap 21 to the housing of the FL main body 10. The workability of (1) is significantly improved (the effect of claim 5). In the work of fixing the cap 21 in place, it is preferable that the screw 22 is ultrasonically fastened and fixed.

FIG. 5 is a circuit diagram schematically showing a main part of another embodiment of a vehicle electrical system to which the circuit breaker of the present invention is applied.

The electric component system 1 A shown in FIG.
The circuit breaker 33 having the L structure is inserted and connected. In this case, a large current flows between the battery 31 and the starter circuit 32 due to a short circuit of the wire harness or the like, and the FL fusible body of the circuit breaker 33 is blown to cut off the starter circuit 32.
From the battery 31.

On the other hand, in the case of a so-called rare short in which a short circuit occurs intermittently in a short time, the FL soluble material may not be blown. However, the FL of the circuit breaker 33
Since the starting agent is ignited by the input of the circuit shut-off signal and a mechanism for forcibly cutting the FL fusible material by the cutting blade by the gas pressure is incorporated in the main body, power to the load is generated by cutting the FL fusible material. The supply is cut off, and burnout of the wire harness can be prevented. As a result, a vehicle fire due to a short circuit of the electric system at the time of a collision can be prevented.

[0042]

As described above, according to the present invention, the FL (fusible link) structure, which is widely used as a circuit breaker for a vehicle, is applied, and even if a strong impact is received, the battery voltage is reduced. It is possible to provide a circuit breaker that can operate reliably without using a sub-battery even when the battery is lowered.

Further, it is possible to mount the presently used FL on the FL without substantially changing the constituent parts thereof, and since the entire cutting blade firing means is a cylinder mechanism, the cutting blade is used. Handling of the launching means is facilitated, and assembly to the FL can be performed easily and reliably.

Further, the cylinder mechanism can be mounted on the FL body simply by fitting and fixing the cap to the housing of the FL body, so that workability in assembling and maintenance of the circuit breaker is greatly improved. Has the effect of

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a system configuration diagram showing an embodiment of a vehicle electrical system to which a circuit breaker of the present invention is applied.

FIG. 2 is a side sectional view of a main part of a circuit breaker in the electrical system of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing a main configuration of the circuit breaker of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is an operation explanatory view of the circuit breaker of FIG. 2;

FIG. 5 is a circuit configuration diagram showing a schematic configuration of another embodiment of a vehicle electrical system to which the circuit breaker of the present invention is applied.

FIG. 6 is a system configuration diagram showing an example of a conventional vehicle electrical system.

FIG. 7 is an explanatory diagram of a power cut relay device used in the vehicle electrical system of FIG. 6;

FIG. 8 is a circuit diagram schematically showing another example of a conventional vehicle electrical system.

[Explanation of symbols]

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1, 1A Electrical system 2 Body 3 Battery 4 Circuit breaker 4a Input terminal 4b Output terminal 4c Control terminal 5 Electric wire 6 Wire harness 7 Transistor 8 ECU 9 FL fusible body 10 FL body 11 Cutting blade 12 Cylinder mechanism (cutting blade firing means) Reference Signs List 13 soluble body tension block (tension adjusting means) 14 case 15 cover 16 guide serving as moving range of cutting blade 17 cylinder cylinder 18 shaft 19 activator 20 nichrome electric wire (ignition means) 21 cap 22 screw 31 battery 32 starter circuit 33 circuit Shut-off device

Claims (5)

[Claims] 1. A circuit breaker disposed between a battery of a vehicle and a vehicle electrical component and configured to cut off conduction between the battery and the vehicle component when a circuit break signal is input. An FL main body in which an FL fusible body for connecting between a battery and a vehicle electric component is housed and arranged; and a cutting blade incorporated in the FL main body as a moving stroke area in a direction intersecting a longitudinal direction of the FL fusible body; A cutting blade firing, in which a starting agent that releases gas by ignition is loaded, and the cutting blade is fired toward the FL fusible body at a gas pressure obtained by igniting the starting agent by inputting the circuit cutoff signal. Means, comprising: a circuit breaker; 2. The circuit breaker according to claim 1, wherein the FL body has tension adjusting means for adjusting a tension of the FL fusible body in a longitudinal direction. 3. The circuit breaker according to claim 1, wherein the FL main body forms a housing with a case and a cover, and the cover of the housing is a moving stroke area of the cutting blade. A circuit breaker characterized by forming a guide. 4. The circuit breaker according to claim 1, wherein said cutting blade firing means is inserted into said cylinder cylinder and said cutting blade is connected to a tip end of said cylinder cylinder. A shaft attached to the shaft, the activator set on the proximal end side of the shaft, and an ignition unit that generates heat when the circuit cutoff signal is input, and ignites the activator,
A circuit mechanism for firing the cutting blade attached to the shaft together with the shaft toward the FL fusible body by a pressure of a gas generated from a starting agent ignited by the ignition means. . 5. The circuit breaker according to claim 4, wherein the cylinder mechanism is integrated with a cap that can be fitted and fixed to a housing of the FL body.