Circuit disconnect assembly

• US 20060019541A1
• Filed: 07/23/2004
• Published: 01/26/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 07/23/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Inventors: Mathews, Jacob, Sankaran, Venkateswa, Maguire, Pax
• Granted Patent: US 7,244,148 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 439/620.340
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 3/0069 relating to the isolation, e.g. ground fault or leak current
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 3/04 Cutting off the power supply under fault conditions protective devices and circuit arrangements in general H01H; H02H
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 85/542 the intermediate or auxiliary part being provided with bayonet-type locking means
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 9/102 Fuses mounted on or constituting the movable contact parts of the switch
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 9/104 with interlocking mechanism between switch and fuse

Abstract

A circuit disconnect assembly for a high-voltage electrical storage device in a vehicle integrates a grip portion and a fuse holder portion into one unit. The handle is easily manipulated manually within a housing of the storage device to open a high-voltage circuit and allow quick replacement of the fuse. The handle is manually shiftable between a locked state and an unlocked state to connect and disconnect the fuse from the circuit.

Claims

1. An electrical storage device assembly for a vehicle, comprising:

a housing disposed on a vehicular electrical storage device;

a grip portion that is manually shiftable within the housing between a locked position and an unlocked position; and

a fuse holder portion integrated with the grip portion, wherein the fuse holder portion is adapted to operably connect a fuse to the grip portion such that shifting of the grip portion shifts the fuse between the locked position and the unlocked position, the fuse in communication with the vehicular electrical storage device in the locked position.

2. The assembly of claim 1, wherein the grip portion and the fuse holder portion are shiftable via rotation.

3. The assembly of claim 1, wherein the fuse holder portion includes a fuse retainer that at least partially encloses the fuse.

4. The assembly of claim 1, wherein the grip portion includes a retention feature, the retention feature preventing shifting of the fuse portion to at least one of the locked position and the unlocked position until a predetermined force is applied to the retention feature in a direction different from a direction of shifting.

5. The assembly of claim 4, wherein the retention feature prevents shifting from both the locked position and the unlocked position until the predetermined force is applied to the retention feature.

6. The assembly of claim 4, wherein the retention feature has one of a protrusion and a hole to receive the protrusion and the housing has the other of the protrusion and the hole, the protrusion preventing shifting of the fuse portion in the housing when in the hole.

10. The assembly of claim 1, wherein the grip portion and the fuse holder portion are removable from the housing.

11. The assembly of claim 10, further comprising a stowage feature engaging the grip portion to the housing when the fuse portion is no longer in communication with the vehicle electrical storage device, the stowage feature precluding shifting of the fuse portion into at least one of the locked position and the unlocked position when the grip portion is at least partially disposed in the housing.

13. The assembly of claim 10, wherein the housing has a profile to accommodate the grip portion in the housing in a service position that blocks the grip portion from shifting within the housing from the service position to the unlocked position and the locked position.

28. The assembly of claim 1, wherein the housing is disposed on an access cover of the vehicular electrical storage device, the grip portion at least partially securing the access cover to the vehicular electrical storage device.

7-9. -9. (canceled)

12. (canceled)

14. An electrical storage device assembly for a vehicle, comprising:

an electrical storage device housing;

a positive mating terminal spaced from a negative mating terminal, the positive mating terminal and the negative mating terminal in communication with the electrical storage device; and

a handle having a grip portion and a fuse holder portion, the grip portion manually shiftable within the electrical storage device housing between a locked position and an unlocked position, the fuse holder portion integrated with the grip portion, wherein the fuse holder portion is adapted to operably connect a fuse to the grip portion such that shifting of the grip portion shifts the fuse between the locked position, in which the fuse connects the positive mating terminal and the negative mating terminal to form a closed circuit with the electrical storage device and the unlocked position, in which the fuse disconnects the positive mating terminal from the negative mating terminal to form an open circuit with the electrical storage device.

15. The device of claim 14, wherein the electrical storage device comprises a plurality of batteries, wherein the plurality of batteries are divided between the positive mating terminal and the negative mating terminal into two portions, and wherein the handle connects and disconnects the two portions.

16. The device of claim 14, wherein the fuse has a first fuse terminal and a second fuse terminal, the positive mating terminal and the negative mating terminal both contacting the first fuse terminal when the fuse is in the locked position.

17. The device of claim 14, wherein the grip portion has one of a protrusion and a hole to receive the protrusion and the electrical storage device housing has the other of the protrusion and the hole, the hole and protrusion preventing shifting from at least one of the locked position and the unlocked position.

18. The device of claim 14, further comprising a detent in at least one of the electrical storage device housing and the handle to engage the handle with the electrical storage device housing in at least one of the unlocked position and the locked position, wherein the detent disengages when a force is applied to the handle in a direction different from a direction of shifting of the handle.

19. The device of claim 14, including a limit switch to detect when the handle is engaged in the electrical storage device housing.

20. The device of claim 14, wherein the handle is removable from the housing.

21. The device of claim 14, further comprising a stowage feature for storing the handle, the stowage feature preventing shifting of the handle into at let one of the unlocked position and the locked position.

29. The assembly of claim 14, wherein the electrical storage device housing includes an access cover, the handle at least partially securing the access cover to the electrical storage device.

22. A circuit disconnect assembly, comprising:

a handle that is manually shiftable within a circuit between a locked position and an unlocked position;

a circuit connector movable by the handle between the locked position to close the circuit and the unlocked position to open the circuit;

a detent, the detent preventing shifting of the handle until a predetermined force is applied to the handle in a direction different from a direction of shifting.

23. The assembly of claim 22, wherein the handle is shiftable within the circuit via rotation.

24-27. -27. (canceled)

30. A method of assembling an electrical storage device for a vehicle, comprising the steps of:

disposing a housing on a vehicular electrical storage device;

mounting a fuse for the vehicular electrical storage device to a handle;

placing the fuse in the housing; and

shifting the fuse in the housing through the handle between a locked position and an unlocked position, the locked position forming a closed circuit with the vehicular electrical storage device and the unlocked position forming an open circuit with the vehicular electrical storage device.

31. The method of claim 30, wherein the fuse is shifted by rotating the handle on the housing.

32. The method of claim 30, including the step of providing a retention feature on the handle, the retention feature preventing shifting of the handle between the locked position and the unlocked position until a predetermined force is applied to the handle in a direction different from a direction of shifting.

33. The method of claim 30, including a plurality of batteries, wherein the open circuit has a positive mating terminal and a negative mating terminal, and wherein the plurality of batteries are divided between the positive mating terminal and the negative mating terminal.