Circuit breaker

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12311784-B2
Application number	US-202218081974-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 15, 2022
Priority date	Dec 17, 2021
Publication date	May 27, 2025
Grant date	May 27, 2025

Abstract

A circuit breaker having a mechanical switch introduced into a main current path, which comprises a fixed contact and a moving contact connected to a movably mounted contact bridge. The circuit breaker comprises a drive, which is in active connection with the contact bridge, and which comprises a first drive unit and a second drive unit. The first drive unit is energized via a control circuit, and the second drive unit is connected in parallel to a resistor element introduced into the main current path. The invention also relates to a motor vehicle.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A circuit breaker comprising:
a mechanical switch provided in a main current path, the mechanical switch having a fixed contact and a moving contact, the moving contact being connected to a movably mounted contact bridge; and
a drive, which is in active connection with the contact bridge, the drive having a first drive unit and a second drive unit,
wherein the first drive unit is energized via a control circuit,
wherein the second drive unit is connected in parallel to a resistor element provided in the main current path, and
wherein between the second drive unit and the main current path, a Zener diode and/or a second switch is connected.

2. The circuit breaker according to claim 1 , wherein the second drive unit is connected via a rectifier to the main current path.

3. The circuit breaker according to claim 1 , further comprising a control unit fed from the control circuit, via which the first drive unit is energized.

4. The circuit breaker according to claim 1 , wherein the drive comprises a moving magnet actuator via which the two drive units are formed.

5. A circuit breaker comprising:
a mechanical switch provided in a main current path, the mechanical switch having a fixed contact and a moving contact, the moving contact being connected to a movably mounted contact bridge; and
a drive, which is in active connection with the contact bridge, the drive having a first drive unit and a second drive unit,
wherein the first drive unit is energized via a control circuit,
wherein the second drive unit is connected in parallel to a resistor element provided in the main current path, and
wherein the resistor element comprises an additional switch, which is controlled via an additional control unit.

6. The circuit breaker according to claim 1 , wherein, a fuse is connected in parallel to the mechanical switch.

7. The circuit breaker according to claim 1 , wherein a semiconductor switch is connected in parallel to the mechanical switch or to the series connection from the mechanical switch and the resistor element.

8. A circuit breaker comprising:
a mechanical switch provided in a main current path, the mechanical switch having a fixed contact and a moving contact, the moving contact being connected to a movably mounted contact bridge; and
a drive, which is in active connection with the contact bridge, the drive having a first drive unit and a second drive unit,
wherein the first drive unit is energized via a control circuit,
wherein the second drive unit is connected in parallel to a resistor element provided in the main current path, and
wherein the mechanical switch comprises an arcing chamber, the arcing chamber comprising a plurality of flat arcing strips arranged in parallel to each other and stacked on top of each other in a stacking direction, wherein the arcing strips are made of a ceramic.

9. A motor vehicle comprising:
a high-voltage electrical system,
a low-voltage electrical system, and
a circuit breaker according to claim 1 ,
wherein the control circuit of the circuit breaker is electrically connected to the low-voltage electrical system, and
wherein the high-voltage electrical system has the main current path.

Assignees

• Ellenberger & Poensgen

Inventors

• Koepf Hendrik-Christian
• Hofmeister Lothar
• Engewald Manuel
• Miklis Markus
• Pimenta Ricardo
• Watzlawick Michael
• Hiereth Fabian

Classifications

• H01H71/10

  Operating or release mechanisms · CPC title

• H01H3/32

  Driving mechanisms, i.e. for transmitting driving force to the contacts (snap-action arrangements H01H5/00; introducing a predetermined time delay H01H7/00) · CPC title

• H02H5/041

  additionally responsive to excess current (H02H5/048 takes precedence) · CPC title

• H02H3/087

  for DC applications · CPC title

• H01H71/125

  characterised by sensing elements, e.g. current transformers (for differential protection H01H83/144) · CPC title