Pyrotechnic circuit breaker with improved cut of the blade

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2017263403-A1
Application number	US-201515509768-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Sep 8, 2015
Priority date	Sep 9, 2014
Publication date	Sep 14, 2017
Grant date	—

Abstract

A pyrotechnic circuit breaker ( 1 ), comprising a body ( 2 ), an igniter ( 4 ), a piston ( 5 ) and a bus bar ( 6 ), wherein the igniter ( 4 ), the piston ( 5 ) and the bus bar ( 6 ) are adapted to be accommodated within the body ( 2 ), and wherein the piston ( 5 ) comprises a cutting edge ( 51 ) and is adapted move along a normal direction (Z-Z) to cut a portion ( 61 ) of the bus bar ( 6 ), thereby separating the bus bar ( 6 ) into a proximal portion and a distal portion in order to break a circuit,
wherein the cutting edge ( 51 ) of the piston ( 5 ) is stepped so that the portion of the bus bar ( 6 ) is cut sequentially, in at least two successive cutting operations along the movement of the piston ( 5 ) from a raised position to a lowered position,
characterized in that the bus blade ( 6 ) comprises a breakable portion ( 61 ) configured to be cut by the cutting edge ( 51 ) of the piston ( 5 ), wherein said breakable portion ( 61 ) comprises slots ( 62 ) in order to divide the breakable portion ( 61 ) into multiple sub-portions ( 61 a, 61 b, 61 c) that are adapted to be cut sequentially by the stepped cutting edge ( 51 ) of the piston ( 5 ).

First claim

1 . A pyrotechnic circuit breaker, comprising a body, an igniter, a piston and a bus bar, wherein the igniter, the piston and the bus bar are adapted to be accommodated within the body, and wherein the piston comprises a cutting edge and is adapted move along a normal direction to cut a portion of the bus bar, thereby separating the bus bar into a proximal portion and a distal portion in order to break a circuit,
wherein the cutting edge of the piston is stepped so that the portion of the bus bar is cut sequentially, in at least two successive cutting operations along the movement of the piston from a raised position to a lowered position characterized in that the bus blade comprises a breakable portion configured to be cut by the cutting edge of the piston, wherein said breakable portion comprises slots in order to divide the breakable portion into multiple sub-portions that are adapted to be cut sequentially by the stepped cutting edge of the piston.

2 . The pyrotechnic circuit breaker of claim 1 , wherein said slots are arranged along a longitudinal direction of the bus bar.

3 . The pyrotechnic circuit breaker of claim 1 , wherein the bus bar comprises at least one groove arranged along a transversal direction of the bus bar, said at least one groove forming a starting line of a fracture of the bus bar when the cutting edge of the piston moves from its a raised position to its lowered position.

4 . The pyrotechnic circuit breaker of claim 3 , wherein the bus bar comprises two grooves arranged on two opposite sides of the bus bar, said grooves being offset with respect to the longitudinal direction.

5 . The pyrotechnic circuit breaker of claim 4 , wherein both grooves are of identical shape, and each define a portion of reduced thickness of the bus bar where the thickness equals Thmin, and wherein the minimum thickness of the bus bar between said two grooves equals Thmin.

6 . The pyrotechnic circuit breaker of claim 1 , wherein the bus bar comprises means for engaging the bus bar with the body of the pyrotechnic circuit breaker, said means being adapted to lock the bus bar in position with respect to the body of the pyrotechnic circuit breaker.

7 . The pyrotechnic circuit breaker of claim 6 , wherein said means for engaging the bus bar with the body of the pyrotechnic circuit breaker comprise blades and/or notches arranged in the bus bar, adapted to come in contact with the body of the pyrotechnic circuit breaker.

Assignees

• Airbus Safran Launchers Sas
• Leoni Bordnetz Sys Gmbh

Inventors

• Marlin Frédéric
• Nadeau Jean-Paul
• Borg Evrard
• Steiner Peter
• Burger Martin

Classifications

• H01H39/006 Primary

  Opening by severing a conductor · CPC title

• H01H39/00 Primary

  Switching devices actuated by an explosion produced within the device and initiated by an electric current · CPC title

• H01B5/02

  Single bars, rods, wires, or strips · CPC title

• H01H71/10

  Operating or release mechanisms · CPC title