Circuit disconnect assembly

• US 7,530,850 B2
• Filed: 06/12/2007
• Issued: 05/12/2009
• 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
• Primary Examiner(s): HARVEY, JAMES R
• Application Number:
  US11/761,631
• Publication Number:
  US 20070235313A1
• Time in Patent Office: 700 Days
• Field of Search: 439/516, 439/620.21, 439/620.26, 439/620.27, 439/620.28, 439/620.29, 439/620.3, 439/620.33, 439/620.34, 439/698, 439/830
• US Class Current: 439/620.28
• 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 includes a handle, a fuse and a detent. The handle is manually manipulated within a housing of a circuit between a locked position and an unlocked position. The fuse includes a first terminal and a second terminal which are moveable by the handle between the locked position to close the circuit and the unlocked position to open the circuit. The detent prevents shifting of the handle until a predetermined force is applied to the handle.

Claims

1. A circuit disconnect assembly, comprising:

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

a fuse having a first terminal and a second terminal, wherein the first terminal and the second terminal are movable by the handle between the locked position to close the circuit and the unlocked position to open the circuit; and

a detent, the detent preventing shifting of the handle until a predetermined force is applied to the handle, wherein the detent includes a pair of retainers that selectively engage with corresponding openings of the housing, and a first portion of the corresponding openings of the housing include a generally elongate shape and the pair of retainers are shiftable via rotation between the locked position and the unlocked position.

2. The assembly as recited in claim 1, wherein the handle is shiftable within the circuit via rotation.

3. The assembly as recited in claim 1, wherein the handle includes a grip portion and a fuse holder portion.

4. The assembly as recited in claim 3, wherein the fuse is at least partially enclosed by the fuse holder portion and the first terminal and second terminal remain exposed outside of the fuse holder portion.

5. The assembly as recited in claim 1, wherein the handle includes at least two high voltage pins connected to the first terminal and the second terminal, and the at least two high voltage pins are received within corresponding holes of the housing where the handle is received within the housing.

8. The assembly as recited in claim 1, wherein a second portion of the corresponding openings of the housing are separate from the generally elongate shaped openings and the pair of retainers are received within the second portion of the corresponding openings in a service position.

9. The assembly as recited in claim 1, wherein the pair of retainers are resiliently biased to shift the handle within the housing.

10. The assembly as recited in claim 1, wherein the pair of retainers include a generally T-shaped body and include a neck that secures the pair of retainers within the corresponding openings of the housing.

6. A circuit disconnect assembly, comprising:

a housing;

a disconnect assembly that is manually shiftable within the housing between a locked position and an unlocked position; and

wherein the disconnect assembly includes at least one high voltage pin connected to a fuse the disconnect assembly being adapted to operably connect the fuse in response to shifting of the disconnect assembly between the locked position and the unlocked position, the at least one high voltage pin in communication with the electrical storage device in the locked position;

wherein the disconnect assembly includes a pair of retainers that selectively engage with corresponding openings of the housing, and a first portion of the corresponding openings of the housing include a generally elongate shape and the pair of retainers are shiftable via rotation between the locked position and the unlocked position.

7. The assembly as recited in claim 6, wherein a second portion of the corresponding openings of the housing are separate from the generally elongate shaped openings and the pair of retainers are received within the second portion of the corresponding openings in a service position.

14. The assembly as recited in claim 6, wherein the pair of retainers are resiliently biased to shift the disconnect assembly within the housing.

11. A circuit disconnect assembly, comprising:

a housing;

a disconnect assembly that is manually shiftable within the housing between a locked position and an unlocked position; and

wherein the disconnect assembly includes at least one high voltage pin connected to a fuse, the disconnect assembly being adapted to electrically connect the fuse in response to shifting of the disconnect assembly between the locked position and the unlocked position, the at least one high voltage pin in communication with the disconnect assembly in the locked position,

wherein the disconnect assembly includes a pair of retainers having a generally T-shaped body.

12. The assembly as recited in claim 11, wherein the disconnect assembly is shiftable via rotation.

13. The assembly as recited in claim 11, wherein the disconnect assembly includes a grip portion and a fuse holder portion.