Electrical fuse, method of operating an electrical fuse and electrical traction network

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2018147941-A1
Application number	US-201715669185-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Aug 4, 2017
Priority date	Nov 28, 2016
Publication date	May 31, 2018
Grant date	—

Abstract

An electrical circuit breaker, method for operating an electrical circuit breaker, and an electrical traction supply system, including an electro-pyrotechnic igniter, a severing element that moves by the electro-pyrotechnic igniter, and a current rail having a separation section, wherein the movable severing element is arranged in relation to the electro-pyrotechnic igniter and the separation section of the current rail so that, after the electro-pyrotechnic igniter is triggered, the movable severing element is set in motion and severs the current rail in the separation section, wherein the electrical circuit breaker includes at least one triggering apparatus configured to provide an ignition current necessary for triggering the electro-pyrotechnic igniter. Also disclosed are an associated method and an electrical traction supply system.

First claim

1 . An electrical circuit breaker, comprising:
an electro-pyrotechnic igniter; a movable severing element movable by the electro-pyrotechnic igniter; and a current rail having a separation section, wherein the movable severing element is arranged in relation to the electro-pyrotechnic igniter and the separation section of the current rail so that, after the electro-pyrotechnic igniter is triggered, the movable severing element is set in motion and severs the current rail in the separation section, and wherein the electrical circuit breaker further comprises at least one trigger configured to provide an ignition current necessary for triggering the electro-pyrotechnic igniter based on a current supplied by at least one section of the current rail or based on a temporal change in the current in response to the current supplied on the at least one section of the current rail or the temporal change of the current exceeds a limit value.

2 . The electrical circuit breaker of claim 1 , wherein the electrical circuit breaker is a pyro element in which the at least one trigger is integrated.

3 . The electrical circuit breaker of claim 1 , wherein the at least one trigger comprises induction loop, wherein the inductance of the induction loop is defined so the induction loop provides the necessary ignition current by an inductive coupling with at least one section of the current rail.

4 . The electrical circuit breaker of claim 3 , wherein the at least one trigger comprises an iron core that is moved into the induction loop and the inductance is changed by said iron core.

5 . The electrical circuit breaker of claim 1 , wherein the at least one trigger comprises a coupling element, wherein a capacitance that corresponds to the coupling element is defined so the coupling element provides the necessary ignition current by a capacitive coupling with at least one section of the current rail.

6 . The electrical circuit breaker of claim 1 , wherein the at least one trigger comprises a PTC thermistor, wherein the PTC thermistor is dimensioned and arranged in or on the current rail so a voltage that is dropping across the PTC thermistor and is produced as a result of the current that is flowing through the PTC thermistor provides the necessary ignition current.

7 . The electrical circuit breaker of claim 1 , wherein at least two triggers are provided, wherein a first section of the current rail is allocated to the first trigger and a second section of the current rail is allocated to the second trigger, wherein the currents flowing through the first section and the second section are different.

8 . A method for operating an electrical circuit breaker, the method comprising:
providing an ignition current for an electro-pyrotechnic igniter; triggering the electro-pyrotechnic igniter; moving a movable severing element by the triggered electro-pyrotechnic igniter; and severing a separation section of a current rail by the movable severing element, wherein the ignition current necessary for triggering the electro-pyrotechnic igniter is provided by at least one trigger based on a current supplied on at least one section of the current rail or based on a temporal change in the current in response to the current that is supplied on the at least one section of the current rail or the temporal change of the current exceeds a limit value.

9 . An electrical traction supply system in a motor vehicle, the electrical traction supply system comprising:
a high voltage supply source; an electric motor; and at least one additional high voltage component, wherein the electric motor is connected to the high voltage supply source by master cables and the at least one additional high voltage component is connected to the high voltage supply source by auxiliary cables, wherein the master cables and/or the auxiliary cables respectively include an electrical circuit breaker that includes an electro-pyrotechnic igniter, a movable severing element movable by the electro-pyrotechnic igniter, and a current rail having a separation section, wherein the movable severing element is arranged in relation to the electro-pyrotechnic igniter and the separation section of the current rail so that, after the electro-pyrotechnic igniter is triggered, the movable severing element is set in motion and severs the current rail in the separation section, and wherein the electrical circuit breaker further comprises at least one trigger configured to provide an ignition current necessary for triggering the electro-pyrotechnic igniter based on a current supplied by at least one section of the current rail or based on a temporal change in the current in response to the current supplied on the at least one section of the current rail or the temporal change of the current exceeds a limit value, or wherein a common electrical circuit breaker that includes at least two triggers is provided, wherein a first section of the current rail is allocated to the first trigger and a second section of the current rail is allocated to the second trigger, wherein the currents flowing through the first section and the second section are different, wherein the common electrical circuit breaker is allocated to the master cables and the auxiliary cables, wherein the first trigger is allocated to the master cables and the second trigger is allocated to the auxiliary cables.

Assignees

• Volkswagen Ag

Inventors

• Kube Roland

Classifications

• B60L3/04 Primary

  Cutting off the power supply under fault conditions (protective devices and circuit arrangements in general H01H; H02H) · CPC title

• B60L3/0046

  relating to electric energy storage systems, e.g. batteries or capacitors · CPC title

• H01H2039/008

  using the switch for a battery cutoff · CPC title

• B60L50/64

  Constructional details of batteries specially adapted for electric vehicles · CPC title

• B60R16/03

  for supply of electrical power to vehicle subsystems {or for (circuit arrangements for charging batteries H02J7/00)} · CPC title