Circuit breaking device

• US 6,222,439 B1
• Filed: 02/11/1999
• Issued: 04/24/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 02/17/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Autonetworks Technologies, Ltd. (Sumitomo Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Harness System Technologies Research, Ltd. (Sumitomo Corporation), Sumitomo Electric Industries Limited (Sumitomo Corporation), Sumitomo Wiring Systems Limited (Sumitomo Corporation)
• Inventors: Matsumaru, Akio, Miyazaki, Yoshiyuki, Tanigawa, Mitsuru
• Primary Examiner(s): Picard, Leo P.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Vortman, Anatoly
• Application Number:
  US09/247,861
• Time in Patent Office: 803 Days
• Field of Search: 337/401, 337/402-405, 337/30, 337/31, 337/157, 307/9-- 1, 307/119, 180/271, 180/274, 180/279, 180/281-283, 200/61.08, 200/150.R, 361/115, 280/727
• US Class Current: 337/401
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2039/008 using the switch for a battery cutoff
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 39/006 Opening by severing a conductor

Abstract

A bus bar is connected between a battery post and a stud bolt to which an electric power supply wire is connected. An opening is provided in a housing in which an explosive sealing portion is accommodated. Just before the opening, a broken portion of the bus bar is provided. In the broken portion, a recess portion is formed, and this portion of the broken portion is thin. On both sides of the broken portion, a cutout portions are formed. In case of emergency, electric current generates in a trigger wire, and an explosive in the explosive sealing portion is exploded. An explosive force is directed to the opening of the housing, and the broken portion located just before the opening receives the explosive force forward. Due to the foregoing, the recess portion is broken and both broken pieces are bent at the cutout portions and opened being separated from each other. In this way, an electric power supply circuit is shut off.

Claims

1. A circuit breaking device comprising:

a housing for accommodating an explosive exploding in response to a trigger signal, said housing having an opening for directing an explosive force in one direction, said housing also having a vent hole from which a blast of explosion is released; and

an electric conductor formed as part of a circuit within the circuit breaking device, the electric conductor including a frangible portion capable of being broken by explosive force so as to break the circuit, wherein the frangible portion is opposed to the opening and is broken solely by the explosive force without the explosive force without mechanism between the explosive and the frangible portion.

2. The circuit breaking device according to claim 1, wherein said frangible portion further comprises a cutout portion of said electric conductor, wherein the thickness of said electric conductor is thinned.

3. The circuit breaking device according to claim 1, further comprising a cutout portion provided at a side of said frangible portion for facilitating bending of a broken piece when said electric conductor is broken at said frangible portion.

4. The circuit breaking device according to claim 1, further comprising a restricting wall for restricting movement of said housing provided on a side opposite the opening for directing the explosive force in one direction.

5. The circuit breaking device according to claim 1, wherein said device further comprises, a resetting electric conductor by which both sides of a broken portion of said electric conductor can be reconnected to each other after said electric conductor has been broken.

6. The circuit breaking device according to claim 5, wherein further comprising a lid attached to a case, said resetting electric conductor is provided on said lid, said resetting electric conductor is not contacted with said electric conductor in said case when said lid is normally attached to said case, and said resetting electric conductor is contacted with both sides of said frangible portion of said electric conductor when said lid is shifted from a normal position.

7. The circuit breaking device according to claim 6, wherein said case is provided with a display section for displaying a resetting state of said circuit breaking device at a position capable of being visually checked from the outside when said lid is moved for resetting said circuit breaking device.

8. The circuit breaking device according to claim 1, wherein said circuit breaking device further comprises:

a fastening ring for fastening a battery post of a battery, said fastening ring electrically connecting said battery post to said electric conductor; and

a stud bolt connected to a connection terminal of an electrical power supply wire, said stud bolt being electrically connected to said conductor.

9. The circuit breaking device according to claim 5, wherein said circuit breaking device further comprises:

a fastening ring for fastening a battery post of a battery, said fastening ring electrically connecting said battery post to said electric conductor; and

a stud bolt connected to a connection terminal of an electric power supply wire, said stud bolt being electrically connected to said electric conductor.

10. The circuit breaking device according to claim 1, wherein said electric conductor is located between said explosive and said vent hole in the one direction, said vent hole releasing the blast of explosion after breakage of the frangible portion.