Patent · US Expired

Circuit breaker

US6483420B1 · kind B1 · utility

16Cited by
20References
14Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateAug 2, 2000
Grant dateNov 19, 2002
Priority date
Expiry dateDec 15, 2020

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
  • CPC primaryH01H2085/466
  • WIPO fieldElectrical machinery, apparatus, energy
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

When an ignitor 29 is ignited by an abnormal signal sent from outside, a heating agent 27 charged into a thermite case 26 is heated, a retainer 45 is melted by the heat, a compression spring 39a is expanded to allow the thermite case 26 to move up. Therefore, electrical connection between the thermite case 26 and each of a first bus bar 11a and a second bus bar 19a is interrupted. Thus, it is possible to reliably interrupt a circuit within a short time. Further, a low-melting metal 28 mounted to an intermediate portion of the second bus bar 19a is blown out by heat caused by a current flowing through the second bus bar 19a to interrupt the circuit. Therefore, even if an abnormal signal is not sent to the ignitor 29 due to failure of a control circuit or the like, it is possible to reliably interrupt the circuit.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.