JPH01117230A - Current breaking device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To open the power source automatically and to prevent the electric shock when an electric product is soaked in the water by providing an electrode connected to a power source circuit in the main body of the electric product, which collects the leak current and makes a gate element permeable by the collected current. CONSTITUTION:When an electric product main body, a hair dryer main body 50, for example, is soaked in the water, the current leaked from a current flowing part flows from an electrode 52 through a cord 54b into a capacitor 56 to charge the capacitor 56. When the charged voltage of the capacitor exceeds the breakover voltage of a DIAC 48 of a gate element 44, the gate signal is input to a TRIAC 46 to flow the current through the TRIAC 46, and the current flows to an electromagnet 28. As a result, a switch piece 14 is absorbed to the electromagnet 28 against the enforcing power of a spring 26, the switch piece 14 and a power source terminal 12 are separated to stop the current flow to the hair dryer main body 50. At the same time, the switch 14 is absorbed also to the magnet 28 as a locking device, and the current flow stopping condition is maintained.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION (Industrial Application Field) The present invention relates to a current interrupting device, and more particularly to a current interrupting device that stops supplying power to an electrical appliance when the main body is immersed in water. .

(Prior art) Conventionally, since water is conductive, parts of electrical products that contain electrical circuits are not used in contact with water because there is a risk of current leaking from non-insulated parts into the water when they come into contact with water. The general rule is not to do so.

(Problem to be solved by the invention) If the purpose is to have a moisture-proof function, there is a method of filling the gaps in the casing etc. with gaskets, etc., but this has little effect if the product is dropped into a bathtub, for example. do not have. Furthermore, some electrical products always require an opening (
e.g. hair dryer).

However, if you accidentally drop a hair dryer into the bathtub while using it in the bathroom, it is very dangerous, and if you put your hand inside the bathtub and pick it up without unplugging the power plug from the outlet,
There is a problem that electric shock can occur through water, and it has been desired to develop a means to solve this problem.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention is to provide a current interrupting device that automatically opens a power circuit when immersed in water to prevent electric shock.

(Means for Solving the Problems) In order to solve the above problems, the present invention has the following configuration.

That is, in a current interrupting device that is connected between an electrical product main body and a power source via an extension cord, and interrupts a circuit to the electrical product main body to prevent electric shock when the electrical product main body is immersed in water, A switch piece inserted in a circuit to the electrical product main body, a biasing means for biasing the switch piece in a direction to close the circuit, and a biasing means connected in parallel to the power supply through a gate element in the circuit. a driving device connected to the switch piece for opening the circuit; and a locking means for holding the switch piece in its state when the switch piece opens the circuit.

and an electrode disposed in the electrical product main body and connected to the circuit via a cord to pick up leakage current when the electrical product main body is immersed in water, and to make the gate element conductive by the leakage current. It is characterized by

(effect) The operation will be explained with reference to the drawings.

When the hair dryer main body 50, which is an electrical product main body, is immersed in water, leakage current leaking from the current-carrying portion passes from the electrode 52 through the cord 54b and enters the capacitor 56, charging the capacitor 56. When the charging voltage of capacitor 56 exceeds the breakover voltage of diac 48 of gate element 44, a gate signal is applied to the gate of triac 46, energizing triac 46 and energizing electromagnet 28. Then, the switch piece 14 is attracted to the electromagnet 28 against the urging force of the spring 26, which is the urging means, and the switch piece 14 is attracted to the electromagnet 28.
Then, the power terminal 12 is separated and the power supply to the hair dryer main body 50 is stopped. At the same time, the switch piece 14 is also attracted to the magnet 28, which is a locking means, so that the energized state is maintained, and it is possible to prevent electric shock even if the hair dryer main body 50 is touched underwater.

(Embodiments) Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

First, the configuration will be explained.

What is shown in FIG. 1 is a plug 10 of a hair dryer, which is an electrical appliance.

Reference numeral 12 denotes power supply terminals, which are provided in pairs.

14 is a switch piece, which is also provided in a pair,
The left end can come into contact with the power supply terminal 12. The switch piece 14 is pivotally supported at both ends by a support piece 16, and is fixed to a rotatable rotating body 18 by passing through the switch piece 14. The rotating body 18 is made of a nonconductor such as resin. Note that the support piece 16 supports a shaft 20 protruding from both end surfaces of the rotating body 18 and is fixed to a circuit board 22. The right end of the switch piece 14 is connected to a circuit on a circuit board 22 via a lead wire 24.

26 is a spring serving as a biasing means, and the switch piece 1
4 is biased so as to bring the left end into contact with the power supply terminal 12. A pair of springs 26 are also provided, one for each switch piece 12. An electromagnet 28 is a driving device, and is fixed above the switch piece 14 in the casing 30.

The size of the electromagnet 28 is such that a pair of switch pieces 1 can be connected at the same time.
It is formed in a size that allows suction of both. The center of the core 32 of the electromagnet 28 is a through hole, in which a reset lever 34 is arranged.

The reset lever 34 is movable in the core 32 in the vertical direction. The reset lever 34 is moved when the flange 36 provided on the body is connected to the inner upper surface of the casing 30 and the core 3.
2 and is regulated by a coil spring 38 fitted externally to the reset lever 34. Reset lever 3
4, the reset lever 34 is connected to the coil spring 3.
8, it always protrudes from the outer surface of the casing 30 through the through hole 40. The lower end of the set lever 34 can push the pair of switch pieces 14 at the same time, but normally it is biased upward by the coil spring 38, so the switch pieces 1
4 so as not to come into contact with each other.

A magnet 42 is a locking means and is fixed above the switch piece 14 on the inner surface of the casing 30. The magnet 42 can also attract the pair of switch pieces 14 at the same time, and its magnetic force does not attract the switch piece 14 biased by the spring 26 in the normal state, but once it attracts the switch piece 14, the magnet 42 absorbs the biasing force of the spring 26. The size is such that the switch piece 14 can be attracted against the pressure.

Next, a description will be given with reference to the circuit diagram shown in FIG.

44 is a gate element, which controls the energization to the electromagnet 28 at 0N1.
0FF. The gate element 44 consists of a triac 46 and a diac 48. An electrode 52 electrically insulated from the hair dryer body 50 is disposed inside the hair dryer body 50 .

The electrode 52 is connected to the power supply terminal 12 via a cord 54b, with a capacitor 56 inserted in series therebetween.

Note that power is supplied to the hair dryer main body 50 using a cord 54.
a, 54c, the plug 10 and the hair dryer main body 50 are connected via the three-core extension cord 54. The other parts of the hair dryer main body 50 are the same as those of a known hair dryer, so a description thereof will be omitted.

Next, the operation will be explained.

The state shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 is a normal state, and when the power terminal 12 is inserted into a commercial power outlet (not shown), the hair dryer main body 50 is energized and can be used.

When the hair dryer main body 50 is accidentally dropped into water during use, leakage current flows from the energized portion of the hair dryer main body 50 to the electrode 52 through the water.

Then, the leakage current charges the capacitor 56, and the charging voltage of the capacitor 56 increases. When the charging voltage of the capacitor 56 exceeds the breakover voltage of the diac 48, current flows through the diac 48, and a gate signal is input to the gate terminal of the triac 46. Then triac 4
6 is turned ON and the triac 46 is energized, the electromagnet 28 is also energized, and the electromagnet 28 is magnetized to form a magnetic field around it and attract the switch piece 14. The magnetic force of the electromagnet 28 that attracts the switch piece 14 is caused by the spring 26
Since the biasing force is set to be larger than the biasing force of , the switch piece 14 separates from the power supply terminal 12. At this time, the rotating body 18
rotates clockwise around the shaft 20. Switch piece 14
At the same time that the switch piece 14 is attracted to the electromagnet 28, the switch piece 14 is also attracted to the magnet 42. Therefore, although the switch piece 14 separates from the power supply terminal 12 and the electromagnet 28 loses its magnetic force, the switch piece 14 is kept separated from the power supply terminal 12 by the magnet 42, so power supply to the hair dryer body 50 is stopped. Therefore, even if you touch the hair dryer main body 50 underwater, you will not get an electric shock.

When using it again, by pushing in the reset lever 34, the lower end of the reset lever 34 pushes down the left ends of the pair of switch pieces 14, so the switch pieces 14 are separated from the magnet 42, are urged by the spring 26, and are turned off again. Since the hair dryer remains in contact with the power terminal 12 and returns to its previous state (the state shown in FIGS. 1 and 2), the hair dryer can be reused.

In the above embodiments, a combination of a triac and a diac was used as the gate element, but in order to operate the triac at the fully charged voltage of the capacitor, a triac alone may be used as the gate element, or S, C, and R may be used instead of the triac. You can.

Various preferred embodiments of the present invention have been described above, but the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above, and it goes without saying that many modifications can be made without departing from the spirit of the invention. be.

(Effects of the Invention) When the current interrupting device according to the present invention is used, even if a live electrical appliance is accidentally dropped into water, the power supply to the dropped appliance will be automatically stopped. It also makes it possible to prevent electric shock accidents, and has great effects such as allowing electrical appliances to be used safely even in places where there is water.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a partially cutaway front view showing an embodiment of the current interrupting device according to the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a circuit diagram of a hair dryer equipped with the current interrupting device. 10...Plug, 12...Power terminal, 14...
・Switch piece, 18... Rotating body, 26... Spring, 28... Electromagnet, 42... Magnet,
44... Gate element, 46... Triac,
48... Diac, 50... Hair dryer main body, 52... Electrode, 54.54a, 54b,
54cm - Extension cord, 56... Capacitor.

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. An extension cord is connected between the main body of the electrical product and a power source, and when the main body of the electrical product is immersed in water, the circuit to the main body of the electrical product is cut off to prevent electric shock. A current interrupting device comprising: a switch piece inserted into a circuit to the electrical product main body; a biasing means for biasing the switch piece in a direction to close the circuit; and a gate element inserted into the circuit. a driving device connected in parallel to a power supply and for causing the switch piece to open the circuit; a locking means for maintaining the state when the switch piece opens the circuit; , an electrode connected to the circuit via a cord, which picks up leakage current when the electrical product body is immersed in water, and makes the gate element conductive by the leakage current.