Apparatus for the cutting of an electrical conductor

• US 7,518,483 B2
• Filed: 09/21/2006
• Issued: 04/14/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 09/22/2005
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Autoliv Development AB (Autoliv Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Delphi Technologies, Inc. (BorgWarner Incorporated)
• Inventors: Albrecht, Uwe, Brede, Uwe
• Primary Examiner(s): Gandhi; Jayprakash N
• Assistant Examiner(s): Thomas; Bradley H
• Application Number:
  US11/524,642
• Publication Number:
  US 20070066103A1
• Time in Patent Office: 936 Days
• Field of Search: 337/401, 337/407, 337/409, 439/152, 200/61.08, 102/263
• US Class Current: 337/409
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 39/006 Opening by severing a conductor

Abstract

An apparatus for the cutting of an electrical conductor has an electrical conductor arranged in a housing, a pyrotechnic drive and a cutting device. After the triggering of the drive, the cutting device enters into engagement with the conductor to cut it.

Claims

1. An apparatus for the cutting of an electrical conductor comprising:

a housing;

an electrical conductor arranged in the housing and having a hollow conductor section having a wall;

a pyrotechnic charge disposed within the hollow conductor section;

a spreading sleeve disposed within the hollow conductor section and comprising an open end facing the pyrotechnic charge, said open end comprising a cutting edge inboard the hollow conductor section and adapted to be displaced outwardly to cut the wall of the hollow conductor section; and

a piston disposed within the hollow conductor section intermediate the pyrotechnic charge and the spreading sleeve and comprising a tip adapted to be received in the open end of the spreading sleeve in response to triggering of the pyrotechnic charge and to displace the cutting edge outwardly to cut the wall of the hollow conductor section.

2. An apparatus in accordance with claim 1, characterized in that the hollow conductor section includes segments separated by longitudinal slits, and the spreading sleeve includes segments separated by longitudinal slits that extend from the open end and coincide with the slits in the hollow conductor section.

3. An apparatus in accordance with claim 1, characterized in that the apparatus has a generally tubular shape and comprises connection means for cables at ends thereof, wherein the connection means comprises eyelets or crimp elements.

4. An apparatus in accordance with claim 1, characterized in that the housing comprises a shearing edge adapted to cooperate with the cuffing edge of the spreading sleeve to sever the wall of the hollow conductor section, and defines a reception space disposed about the hollow conductor section adjacent to the spreading sleeve to receive the severed portions of the wall of the hollow conductor section after the cutting.

5. An apparatus in accordance with claim 1, characterized in that the conductor is a stamped part shaped at least sectionally to form a sleeve.

6. An apparatus in accordance with claim 5, characterized in that the stamped part has a plurality of sections which are interconnectable in a shape matched manner and are made complementary to one another.

7. An apparatus in accordance with claim 1, characterized in that the housing comprises a ring-shaped shearing edge.