Circuit breaker module

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9245699-B2
Application number	US-201213633194-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 2, 2012
Priority date	Oct 2, 2012
Publication date	Jan 26, 2016
Grant date	Jan 26, 2016

Abstract

A circuit breaker module includes a breaker circuit connected to a first electrical lead and a second electrical lead, a housing surrounding the breaker circuit, wherein said first and second electrical leads extend through the housing, and wherein the housing is at least partially constructed of a thermally conductive polymer, and a heat dissipation feature contacting the housing, wherein the heat dissipation feature is operable to dissipate heat from the breaker circuit.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A circuit breaker module comprising:
a breaker circuit connected to a first electrical lead and a second electrical lead;
a breaker housing surrounding said breaker circuit, wherein said first and second electrical leads extend through said breaker housing, and wherein said breaker housing is at least partially constructed of a thermally conductive polymer; and
a socket body at least partially constructed of a first thermally conductive polymer;
a plurality of openings on a first side of said socket body, each of said openings operable to receive a respective one of said first and second electrical leads;
a plurality of socket leads extending from a second side of said socket body, each of said socket leads being electrically connected to one of the first and second electrical leads when each of said openings receives the respective one of said first and second electrical leads; and
the socket body including a surface contacting a surface of the breaker housing such that said socket body is operable to dissipate heat from said breaker circuit through said socket body; and
a thermally conducting cooling shell having an interior surface, the interior surface of said cooling shell contacting said breaker housing and a portion of said cooling shell contacting a panel such that a thermal path is established from said breaker housing to said panel through said cooling shell.

2. The circuit breaker module of claim 1 , wherein said socket body is constructed at least partially of one of said first thermally conductive polymer or a second thermally conductive polymer.

3. The circuit breaker module of claim 1 , wherein said socket body further comprises a plurality of heat fins extending from the socket body.

4. An aircraft power distribution system comprising:
a generator operable to generate electric power;
a power distribution panel operable to distribute said electric power, wherein said power distribution panel includes a plurality of circuit breaker modules, each of said circuit breaker modules comprising:
a breaker circuit connected to a first electrical lead and a second electrical lead;
a breaker housing surrounding said breaker circuit, wherein said first and second electrical leads extend through said breaker housing, and wherein said breaker housing is at least partially constructed of a thermally conductive polymer; and
a thermally conductive cooling shell disposed about said breaker housing, an interior surface of said cooling shell contacting an exterior surface of said breaker housing and a portion of said cooling shell contacts a panel, wherein said thermally conductive cooling shell is operable to dissipate heat from said breaker circuit.

5. The aircraft power distribution system of claim 4 , further including a socket having a plurality of openings on a first side of said socket, each of said openings being operable to receive one of said first and second electrical leads, and a plurality of socket leads extending from a second side of said socket, each of said plurality of socket leads being electrically connected to a corresponding one of said first and second electrical leads, wherein said first side of said socket contacts said breaker housing.

6. The aircraft power distribution system of claim 5 , wherein said socket is constructed at least partially of a thermally conductive polymer.

7. The aircraft power distribution system of claim 5 , wherein said socket further comprises a socket body and a plurality of heat fins extending from said socket body.

8. The aircraft power distribution system of claim 4 , further including a plurality of heat fins extending outward from said breaker housing, and wherein said heat fins are integral to said breaker housing and are constructed primarily of a thermally conductive polymer.

9. The aircraft power distribution system of claim 8 , wherein said heat fins are adhered to said breaker housing.

10. The aircraft power distribution system of claim 4 , further including a plurality of heat fins extending from said breaker housing and a thermally conductive socket connecting said breaker housing to a circuit board.

11. The aircraft power distribution system of claim 4 , wherein the cooling shell extends partially along said breaker housing, and wherein the breaker housing further includes a plurality of heat fins extending outward from the breaker housing.

12. The aircraft power distribution system of claim 11 , further comprising a thermally conductive socket connecting said breaker housing to a circuit board.

Assignees

• Horowy John
• Pal Debabrata
• Hamilton Sundstrand Corp

Inventors

• Horowy John
• Pal Debabrata

Classifications

• H01H9/52 Primary

  Cooling of switch parts (cooling of contacts H01H1/62) · CPC title

• H02J4/00

  Circuit arrangements for mains or distribution networks not specified as AC or DC; Circuit arrangements for mains or distribution networks combining AC and DC sections or sub-networks (arrangements using intermediate DC-AC-DC conversion H02J1/002; arrangements using high-voltage DC [HVDC] links H02J3/36) · CPC title

• H01H2009/523

  by using heat pipes · CPC title