WO2018206270A1

WO2018206270A1 - Pyrotechnic disconnector

Info

Publication number: WO2018206270A1
Application number: PCT/EP2018/060207
Authority: WO
Inventors: Martin Burger; Peter Steiner
Original assignee: Leoni Bordnetz-Systeme Gmbh
Priority date: 2017-05-08
Filing date: 2018-04-20
Publication date: 2018-11-15
Also published as: DE102017207735B3; EP3622547A1; EP3622547B1

Abstract

The invention relates to a pyrotechnic disconnector (2), particularly for an on-board power supply system of a motor vehicle, comprising a conductor structure (8) provided with two connection arms (10) and one linking arm (12) that electroconductively links the two connection arms (10), and also comprising a pyrotechnic unit and a separating body (4) for severing the linking arm (12) when triggered, a retention element (16) consisting of an insulating material adhering to the conductor structure (8), and the separating body (4) and/or the linking arm (12) being designed such that, when triggered, a separating part (14) is detached from the linking arm (12), the separating part (14) being held by the retention element (16).

Description

description

Pyrotechnic disconnector

The invention relates to a pyrotechnic circuit breaker, in particular for an electrical system of a motor vehicle, comprising a conductor structure with two connecting arms and a connecting arm connecting the two connecting arms electrically conductive and comprising a pyrotechnic unit and a separating body for severing the connecting arm in the event of triggering.

In a pyrotechnic circuit breaker, also called pyrotechnic fuse element, it is not a protection device for securing a current path against overcurrents, as is the case for example with fuses. Instead, the pyrotechnic circuit breaker, also pyrotechnic circuit breaker, pyrotechnic safety switch, pyrotechnic separator or short pyrotechnic switch called to a type of emergency stop switch the stop category 0 (EN ISO 13850: 2008 Pkt. 4.1 .4 and EN 60204-1: 2006 Pt. 9.2.2), which can be triggered manually and / or automatically triggered and triggered under predetermined conditions.

Here, the pyrotechnic circuit breaker is constructed according to a principle known per se. It comprises a pyrotechnic propellant which is typically ignited by an electrical ignition signal, in particular a sensor signal of a connected sensor, and as a result accelerates a separating body, usually a wedge or a bolt, so that it mechanically cuts through an electrical conductor, usually a conductor strip. As a result, the electrical connection given by the electrical conductor, for example between an electrical energy source, for example a battery in a motor vehicle tool, and a connected current path with various consumers interrupted. Due to this principle of operation, such a pyrotechnic circuit breaker is sometimes referred to as a battery disconnector.

Proceeding from this, the present invention seeks to provide an advantageously designed pyrotechnic circuit breaker.

This object is achieved by a pyrotechnic circuit breaker with the features of claim 1. Preferred developments are contained in the dependent claims.

A corresponding pyrotechnic disconnect switch is preferably designed for a vehicle electrical system of a motor vehicle and has a conductor structure with two connecting arms and with a connecting arm connecting the two connecting arms in an electrically conductive manner. In this case, at least in the installed state of the pyrotechnic disconnector, one of the two connection arms forms an input connection for a power supply line and the other of the two connection arms forms an output connection for a current discharge line, so that the power supply line can then be connected or connected to the current discharge line via the connection arm.

Next, the pyrotechnic circuit breaker on a pyrotechnic unit and a separating body for the transection of the connecting arm and thus for the separation of the connecting arms in the event of triggering. The pyrotechnic unit is expediently constructed according to a principle known per se and accommodated, for example, together with the separating body in a housing. In addition, the pyrotechnic circuit breaker is designed such that on the conductor structure, which is configured for example as a one-piece, one-piece current guide plate or busbar, a retaining fuse made of an insulating material, such as a plastic, adheres and that in the case of release a separator is separated from the connecting arm, wherein the separator is held by the retaining fuse, ie in particular in a fixed relative position to the rest of the conductor structure. The holding structure thus prevents a separating piece which has been separated out in the event of triggering from wandering through subsequently occurring forces and consequently causing damage, for example a short circuit.

The separation of a separator in turn serves primarily to avoid arcs or at least reduce the risk that forms an arc after a triggering event. The essential idea here is to see that instead of a single separation point several, so at least two separation points are generated in the event of triggering. The multiplication of the separation points means that an optionally present after a triggering case over the conductor structure residual stress distributed to the individual separation points. For ease of understanding, this can be thought of as a series connection with a plurality of switches or loads, with the overall voltage drop across the series connection resulting from the sum of the partial voltages across the individual switches or loads according to the Kirchhoff mesh rule. Thus, if the number of separation points is increased, then in principle a higher voltage can be applied between the connection arms, without this increasing the risk of an arc effect. Basically, it can be assumed that an arc, depending on the material of the conductor structure, only arises at a voltage of about 13 volts. It follows that the number of separation points must be designed so that in a tripping case, the voltage at the individual separation points remains below the critical voltage of about 13 volts.

The idea to realize a plurality of separation points and to separate, for example, a separator from the conductor structure is to be regarded as an independent inventive approach, which is independent of the idea to provide a support structure. All embodiments of the pyrotechnic circuit breaker described here can therefore be realized in principle without a corresponding retaining fuse and for some applications, appropriate embodiments are also realized. The submission of an application for this purpose is therefore expressly reserved. Preferably, the separator is further held by the retaining fuse such that it remains in its original position even after a triggering event. It is essential in this case in particular that the separating piece, which is separated out of the connecting frame in the event of triggering, is subsequently electrically insulated but is still mechanically retained and thus is not present as a loose element or part.

Here, in particular, an embodiment is expedient in which the retaining fuse is connected to the separator on the one hand and to the other conductor structure on the other hand, that is, for example adhering to the conductor structure in a mechanical and / or planar manner.

According to an advantageous embodiment, the retaining fuse is in this case formed by a casting compound, which adheres to the conductor structure and, for example, molded onto the conductor structure or glued to the conductor structure. In this way, the retaining fuse can be realized with relatively little technical effort.

According to an advantageous development, the conductor structure is then formed as a stamped sheet metal, for example made of aluminum or a copper alloy, and the retaining fuse is molded onto the corresponding stamped sheet metal.

If the conductor structure is formed by a corresponding stamped sheet, then it is further advantageous if the stamped sheet has at least one recess and in particular at least one recess penetrating the stamped sheet and if the at least one recess for forming the retaining fuse is at least partially filled with the insulating material. In this case, corresponding insulating material is further preferably positioned only in corresponding recesses of the stamped sheet, so that no insulating material or any part of the retaining fuse is arranged on the upper side and / or on the underside of the stamping sheet. In the case of such a variant, the retention device is then reapplied by means of a very small amount of insulating material. lisiert and also no outer projections are attached to the stamped sheet in such a case, so that the outer dimensions of the stamped sheet with retaining fuse correspond to the outer dimensions of the punching plate without retaining fuse.

According to an alternative embodiment, the conductor structure is applied to the retaining fuse, wherein the retaining fuse with the conductor structure, for example, forms a type of printed circuit board or printed circuit board. Such a configuration is particularly useful when the conductor structure is designed for lower currents.

Depending on the application, the connecting arm is further formed by a conductor strip or a conductor track, in particular a single, continuous conductor strip or a corresponding conductor track, which preferably has a curved and in particular a U-shaped course in a section. In such a case then typically also in a trigger case separated separator has a curved and in particular a U-shaped course. The retaining device is further preferably positioned on the inside of the bent portion and in particular between the legs of the U-shaped course in such a configuration.

According to a further embodiment variant of the connecting arm has an S-shaped and in particular a meandering course, wherein the connecting arm is formed in this case by a conductor strip or a conductor track, in particular a single, continuous conductor strip or a corresponding conductor track.

The idea of realizing a pyrotechnic circuit breaker having a conductor structure with two connecting arms and with a connecting arm electrically connecting the two connecting arms, wherein the connecting arm has a meandering course, is again to be regarded as an independent inventive approach, which is independent of the previously described ideas. Specifically, the combination of the features of the generic term of the Claim 1 with the features of one or more of claims 5 to 9 as an independent invention considered. The submission of an application for this purpose is therefore expressly reserved. In this case, at least in the installed state of the pyrotechnic disconnector, one of the two connection arms forms an input connection for a power supply line and the other of the two connection arms forms an output connection for a current discharge line, so that the power supply line can then be connected or connected to the current discharge line via the connection arm.

Another advantage is an embodiment of the pyrotechnic circuit breaker, in which the separating body cuts through the connecting arm in the event of triggering along a single dividing line and in particular also separates the separator from the connecting arm. In this case, the connecting arm is then typically U-shaped, S-shaped or meandering. As a result, the separation line then cuts the conductor strip at at least two spatially separated positions along the course of the conductor strip and the conductor strip is severed in the event of triggering at least two spatially separated positions along the course of the conductor strip.

Regardless of the design of the connecting arm, the two connecting arms are positioned on the same side of the pyrotechnic unit and / or the separating body according to a variant adapted to a corresponding application. For other applications, the two connecting arms are positioned at different, for example, opposite sides of the pyrotechnic unit and / or the separating body.

In this case, an embodiment of the conductor structure in which it has only two connection arms as an input connection and an output connection and no further connection is preferred. Accordingly, the conductor structure is then kept relatively simple.

According to a further embodiment of the pyrotechnic circuit breaker is designed such that in the case of triggering several separate separators from the Verbindungsarm be separated, each separator is held by the retaining fuse or by its own retaining fuse in a fixed position relative to the rest of the conductor structure.

Next, the pyrotechnic unit of the pyrotechnic circuit breaker is preferably kept simple and constructed according to a known principle. The pyrotechnic unit expediently comprises a pyrotechnic propellant charge and an electrical detonator with a signal input, so that a triggering signal or ignition signal can be fed into the detonator via the signal input, which activates the detonator and thus triggers the ignition of the pyrotechnic propellant charge. The ignited pyrotechnic propellant in turn accelerates the separating body, which is typically configured wedge-like or thorn-like and thus has a kind of cutting edge or cutting edge, so that it is driven onto the connecting arm and as a result the separating piece is cut out. Thus, the feeding of a trigger signal ultimately causes a galvanic isolation of the connecting arms.

As part of the installation of the pyrotechnic circuit breaker, ie in the context of integration into a current path or circuit, the signal input of the igniter is signal technically connected to a signal generator, by which the triggering condition for the pyrotechnic circuit breaker is specified, ie when a predetermined condition, the Tripping case, a trigger signal generated and transmitted to the pyrotechnic switch. Now, if a corresponding pyrotechnic circuit breaker is installed, for example, in a motor vehicle, for example, an airbag control unit in the motor vehicle serves as a signal generator, so that in the event of triggering of an airbag in the motor vehicle and the pyrotechnic circuit breaker is triggered, so the pyrotechnic propellant is ignited. The triggering of the pyrotechnic circuit breaker then takes place, in the case of a traffic accident, the pyrotechnic circuit breaker is typically involved in such a way in the electrical system of the motor vehicle that are virtually isolated by the triggering electrical energy sources of the motor vehicle after a traffic accident and separated from the rest of the motor vehicle electrical system , This prevents accidentally exposed and / or damaged electrical cable connections or exposed and / or damaged electronic components constitute a risk, in particular for rescue workers, ie ignite leaking oil or gasoline, for example.

Embodiments of the invention will be explained in more detail with reference to a schematic drawing. Show:

1 shows a perspective view of a pyrotechnic circuit breaker with a partially embedded in a housing conductor structure,

2 shows a perspective view of the conductor structure together with a separating body,

3 shows a perspective view of the conductor structure,

4 shows a perspective view of a second embodiment of the conductor structure,

5 shows a perspective view of a third embodiment of the conductor structure and FIG

6 shows a perspective view of a fourth embodiment of the conductor structure.

Corresponding parts are provided in all figures with the same reference numerals.

A pyrotechnic disconnector 2 described below by way of example and shown in FIG. 1 is designed for use in a vehicle electrical system of a motor vehicle and is accordingly used in a vehicle electrical system of a motor vehicle which is not illustrated. Here, the pyrotechnic circuit breaker 2 comprises a not explicitly shown and constructed according to a known principle pyrotechnic unit and a separator 4, wherein the pyrotechnic unit and the separator 4 are housed in a direction indicated in Fig. 1 housing 6.

Part of the pyrotechnic circuit breaker 2 is further a conductor structure 8, which is formed in the embodiment by a stamped sheet metal and is accordingly formed in one piece and in one piece. In this case, the conductor structure 8 can be subdivided into three different functional areas, specifically into two connecting arms 10 and into one connecting arm 12, which mechanically and electrically conductively connects the two connecting arms 10 in an initial state.

The two connecting arms 10 protrude in the embodiment of FIG. 1 out of the housing 6 and are positioned on opposite sides of the pyrotechnic circuit breaker 2. According to an alternative embodiment variant, the two connecting arms 10 are positioned on the same side of the pyrotechnic unit 2, wherein the conductor structure 8 is then designed, for example, according to FIG. 5 or according to FIG. 6. Regardless of the positioning of the two connecting arms 10 forms in the installed state of the pyrotechnic circuit breaker 2, one of the two connecting arms of an input terminal for a Stromzuflussleitung and the other of the two connecting arms 10 an output terminal for a Stromabführleitung.

When triggered, so in the case of activation or release of the pyrotechnic unit, according to a known principle, a transection of the connecting arm 12 through the separating body 4, whereby the connecting arms 10 are mechanically and electrically separated from each other, which eventually leads to a separation of power supply line and Stromabführleitung leads. The pyrotechnic circuit breaker 2 is in this case designed such that in the case of release, a separator 14 is separated out of the connecting arm 12. In this way, several disconnection points are realized along a potential current path in the event of tripping or disconnection and in this way the danger of training An arc is additionally reduced or it is ensured in this way that no arc can form.

So that the separated in the case of release separator 14 can not wander around as a loose element in the sequence, the pyrotechnic circuit breaker 2 is further designed such that the conductor structure 8 a retaining fuse 16 of an insulating material, such as a plastic, adheres to the separator 14 after a Trigger case holds. This separator 14 is expediently held in a fixed relative position to the rest of the conductor structure 8 and accordingly the separator 14 is preferably connected via the retaining fuse 16 with the rest of the conductor structure 8. In this case, the retaining fuse 16 is further preferably formed by a casting compound, which adheres to the conductor structure 8 and, for example, molded onto the conductor structure 8 or glued to the conductor structure 8.

In the case of the exemplary embodiments according to FIGS. 3 to 6, the conductor structure 8 is formed by a stamped sheet metal, which has at least one recess 18 passing through the stamping sheet in the region of the connecting arm 12. Those recesses 18 are at least partially filled with a casting material made of a plastic for the formation of the retaining fuse 16 and further preferably completely filled. In this case, the casting material is only in the recesses 18, so that the respective punching plates are otherwise free of appropriate casting material, ie in particular on the top and on the bottom have no casting material. So there are almost only spaces filled with the appropriate casting material.

As indicated in the illustrations according to FIGS. 2 to 6, the separating body 4 is designed such that the connecting arm 12 is severed only along a single separating line 20. In the case of the exemplary embodiments according to FIGS. 2 to 4, a continuous cut along the dividing line 20 takes place with a continuous cutting edge in which both the conductor structure 8 and the insulating material of the retaining fuse 16 are severed. In contrast, in the case of the two embodiments shown in FIG. 5 and FIG. 6, ie in particular in the case of embodiments of the pyrotechnic circuit breaker 2, in which the connecting arms 10 are positioned on one side of the pyrotechnic circuit breaker 2, such that only the conductor structure 8 is severed is, but not the insulating material of the retaining fuse 16. This can be easily realized by a suitably designed cutting with interruptions on the separator body 4.

Next, the conductor structure 8 in the embodiments shown here on a curved at least in the region of the connecting arm 12 course, wherein the connecting arm 12 is formed by a single, continuous conductor strip 22, which then, for example, a U-shaped, an S-shaped or a meandering History has. As a result, then takes place in the case of triggering by the separator, a separation of the conductor strip 22 at a plurality of spatially spaced positions, so that in any case at least one separator 14 is disconnected in the event of triggering. That is, the parting line 20 intersects the conductor strip in at least two spatially separated portions along the course of the conductor strip 22. In this case, the course of the conductor strip 22 corresponds to a good approximation to the potential current path and accordingly the potential current path is then interrupted at several points in the event of tripping.

The invention is not limited to the embodiment described above. Rather, other variants of the invention can be derived therefrom by the person skilled in the art without departing from the subject matter of the invention. In particular, all the individual features described in connection with the exemplary embodiment can also be combined with each other in other ways, without departing from the subject matter of the invention. LIST OF REFERENCE NUMBERS

2 pyrotechnic disconnector

4 separating body

6 housing

8 ladder structure

10 connecting arm

12 connecting arm

14 separator

16 retaining fuse

18 recess

20 dividing line

22 conductor strips

Claims

claims

1 . Pyrotechnic circuit breaker (2), in particular for a vehicle electrical system of a motor vehicle, comprising a conductor structure (8) with two connecting arms (10) and with a connecting arm (12) electrically connecting the two connecting arms (10) and comprising a pyrotechnic unit and a separating body ( 4) for severing the connecting arm (12) in the case of triggering,

characterized,

in that a retaining securing means (16) made of an insulating material adheres to the conductor structure (8) and that the separating body (4) and / or the connecting arm (12) is / are designed in such a way that, in the event of triggering, a separating piece (14) from the connecting arm (14) 12) is separated out, wherein the separator (14) by the retaining fuse (16) is held.

2. Pyrotechnic disconnect switch (2) according to claim 1,

characterized,

in that the retention fuse (16) adheres to the conductor structure (8) as a casting compound, is injection-molded onto the conductor structure (8) or is glued to the conductor structure (8).

3. pyrotechnic circuit breaker (2) according to claim 1 or 2,

characterized,

a stamped sheet forms the conductor structure (8) and that the retaining fuse (16) is molded onto the stamped sheet metal.

4. pyrotechnic circuit breaker (2) according to one of claims 1 to 3,

characterized,

a stamped sheet forms the conductor pattern (8), that the stamped sheet has at least one recess (18) and that the at least one recess (18) for forming the retaining fuse (16) is at least partially filled with the insulating material. Pyrotechnic circuit breaker (2) according to one of claims 1 to 4, characterized

in that the connecting arm (12) is formed by a conductor strip (22) which has a curved and in particular U-shaped profile in a section.

Pyrotechnic circuit breaker (2) according to one of claims 1 to 5, characterized

in that the connecting arm (12) is formed by a conductor strip (22) which has an S-shaped and, in particular, meandering course in a section.

Pyrotechnic circuit breaker (2) according to one of claims 1 to 6, characterized

in that the separating body (4) cuts through the connecting arm (12) along a dividing line (20) in the event of a release and in particular also separates the separating piece (14) from the connecting arm (12).

Pyrotechnic circuit breaker (2) according to claim 5 or 6,

characterized,

in that the separating body (4) cuts through the connecting arm (12) along a single dividing line (20) and that the connecting arm (12) is formed by a conductor strip (22) with a curved and / or meandering course, so that the dividing line (20) intersects the conductor strip (22) in at least two spatially separated sections along the course of the conductor strip (22).

Pyrotechnic circuit breaker (2) according to one of claims 1 to 8, characterized

the two connecting arms (10) are positioned on the same side of the pyrotechnic unit and / or of the separating body (4). Pyrotechnic circuit breaker (2) according to one of claims 1 to 9,

characterized,

in that a retaining securing means (16) made of an insulating material adheres to the conductor structure (8) and that the separating body (4) and / or the connecting arm (12) is or are designed such that, in the case of triggering, a plurality of separate separating pieces (14) from the connecting arm (12) are separated out, wherein each separator (14) is held by the retaining fuse (16) in a fixed relative position to the rest of the conductor structure (8).