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EP-4742291-A1 - ELECTRICAL DEVICE WITH MOVABLE HARDSTOP

EP4742291A1EP 4742291 A1EP4742291 A1EP 4742291A1EP-4742291-A1

Abstract

A contactor device includes a movable contact configured to selectively open/close an electrical circuit. The movable contact is coupled to a shaft, and the shaft is retained by a latch in the closed position. A movable member is biased away from the latch. During an event, the biasing force biasing the movable member away from the latch is overcome. The movable member causes the latch to disengage the shaft, allowing the shaft to move to an open position. In examples, the movable member is disposed over an opening in a housing of the contactor device.

Inventors

  • VANCE, Wyles Griffin
  • MUNGUIA LOZANO, Guillermo

Assignees

  • Sensata Technologies, Inc.

Dates

Publication Date
20260513
Application Date
20251107

Claims (15)

  1. A switching device comprising: a housing (102) defining a volume (108); one or more fixed contacts (110) disposed at least partially in the volume defined by the housing; a movable contact (112) disposed in the volume (108); a shaft (114) coupled to the movable contact (112) and movable between a first position that configures the switching device in a closed configuration in which the movable contact (112) contacts the one or more fixed contacts (110) and a second position that configures the switching device in an open configuration in which the movable contact (112) is spaced from the one or more fixed contacts (110); a spring (124) applying a biasing force that biases the shaft (114) toward the second position; a latch (122) movable between a retention position retaining the shaft (114) in the first position against the biasing force and a release position in which the shaft (114) is movable by the biasing force; a first biasing member (126) biasing the latch (122) into the retention position; a movable member (140); a second biasing member (144) biasing the movable member (140) away from the latch (122); and an actuator (128) configured to selectively force the movable member (140) against the second biasing member (144) to cause the latch (122) to move, against the first biasing member (126), to the release position.
  2. The switching device of claim 1, further comprising: a plunger (142) disposed between the movable member (140) and the latch (122), wherein the second biasing member (144) biases the plunger (142) away from the latch (122) and into contact with the movable member (140).
  3. The switching device of claim 2, wherein: the movable member (140) comprises a recess configured to retain at least a portion of the plunger (142).
  4. The switching device of claim 1, wherein the second biasing member (144) comprises a plurality of compression springs.
  5. The switching device of claim 1, wherein the second biasing member (144) biases the movable member (140) against an inner surface of the housing (102).
  6. The switching device of claim 5, wherein: the housing (102) includes an opening (138); the second biasing member (144) biases the movable member (140) against an inner surface of the housing (102) to occlude the opening (138); and the actuator (128) is disposed at least partially outside the housing (102) at a position to apply a force to the movable member (140) through the opening (138).
  7. The switching device of claim 1, wherein: the shaft (114) is moved between the first position and the second position in an axial direction; and the latch (122) moves between the retention position and the release position at an angle relative to the axial direction.
  8. The switching device of claim 7, wherein the latch (122) moves between the retention position and the release position at an angle that is substantially 90-degrees relative to the axial direction.
  9. The switching device of claim 7, wherein: the shaft (114) includes a radial undercut (220); and the latch (122) engages the radial undercut (220) in the retention position.
  10. The switching device of claim 1, wherein: the actuator (128) is a pyrotechnic actuator including a pyrotechnic charge (134) and a movable piston (136), and detonation of the pyrotechnic charge causes the movable piston (136) to contact the movable member (140) to force the movable member (140) against the second biasing member (144).
  11. An electrical device comprising: a housing (102) defining a volume; fixed contacts (110) coupled to the housing (102) and extending into the volume, a shaft (114), a movable contact (112) coupled to the shaft, a latch (122) configurable between a retention position in which the latch (122) contacts the shaft (114) to retain the shaft (114) in a closed position in which the movable contact (112) contacts the fixed contacts (110) and a release position in which the latch (122) is spaced from the shaft (114); a movable member (140) biased away from the latch (122); and an actuator (128) configured to selectively force the movable member (140) toward the latch (122) and cause the latch (122) to move to the release position.
  12. The electrical device of claim 11, further comprising: a plunger (142) disposed between the movable member (140) and the latch (122), and a biasing member (144) biasing the plunger (142) away from the latch (122) and into contact with the movable member (140).
  13. The electrical device of claim 12, further comprising: an interior housing (146) disposed within the volume, the interior housing (146) defining a shaft opening into which the shaft at least partially extends, wherein the biasing member (144) extends between the interior housing (146) and the plunger (142).
  14. The electrical device of claim 12, wherein: the housing includes an opening (138); the biasing member biases the movable member (140) against an inner surface of the housing (102) to occlude the opening (138); and the actuator (128) is disposed at least partially outside the housing (102) at a position to apply a force through the opening (138) to move the movable member (140).
  15. The electrical device of claim 14, wherein: the shaft (114) is moved between a closed position and an open position in an axial direction; and the latch (122) moves between the retaining position and the release position at an angle relative to the axial direction.

Description

FIELD OF THE TECHNOLOGY The subject disclosure relates to electrical switching devices, such as electrical fuse devices, and more particularly to improved passive and/or active fuse devices with a movable hardstop. BACKGROUND OF TECHNOLOGY Many conventional devices are known to selectively power on or off electrical devices. Electrical contactors, e.g., high-voltage DC contactors, and fuses, e.g., electrical fuses and/or pyrotechnic fuses, are conventionally available and used in electrical systems. Contactors may be configured to interrupt or complete a circuit to control electrical power to and/or from a device. In many conventional systems, a fuse is configured as a type of switch, e.g., to selectively allow/disallow current flow. In some examples, a fuse includes a movable contact coupled to a shaft. In a normally-closed fuse, the shaft may be normally positioned such that the movable contact is in contact with one or more fixed contacts. In these examples, the shaft (and the movable contact(s)) may be biased away from the fixed contact(s), e.g., to "open" the fuse and prevent current flow through the contactor. For example, a return spring may bias the shaft to an open position. Thus, in the closed configuration, the movable contact is held against the biasing force of the return spring. In some conventional examples, the shaft and/or the movable contact may be held against the biasing force of the spring by a mechanical feature. In these examples, during an event, such as a surge, an overcurrent event, a short, or the like, the mechanical feature may be reconfigured, e.g., moved or destroyed, to cease holding the shaft/movable contact. However, in these conventional fuse devices, the actuation of the mechanical feature can be unreliable, may be relatively costly to manufacture, and/or may suffer from other shortcomings. Accordingly, there is a need in the art for improved fuse devices and methods of making and assembling those devices. There also is a need in the art for improved devices with increased reliability and/or reduced complexity and/or cost. SUMMARY OF THE TECHNOLOGY The subject technology relates to improved electrical devices and methods of making and using those devices. In examples, aspects of this disclosure relate to improved fuse devices with features for reliably opening a circuit via passive (e.g., on-device) and/or active (e.g., remote) triggering. For example, aspects of this disclosure can relate to features and/or systems that use a movable hardstop to position an armature assembly rest angle and/or that are movable during triggering, e.g., by a pyrotechnic actuator. The movable hardstop may be more reliable than conventional designs that used a fixed hardstop. Devices including the mechanical hardstop can also be easier to manufacture, e.g., because they obviate the need for one or more fasteners. In some examples, devices using the features and techniques described herein may be more readily reusable. According to one aspect the invention refers to a switching device comprising: a housing defining a volume;one or more fixed contacts disposed at least partially in the volume defined by the housing;a movable contact disposed in the volume;a shaft coupled to the movable contact and movable between a first position that configures the switching device in a closed configuration in which the movable contact contacts the one or more fixed contacts and a second position that configures the switching device in an open configuration in which the movable contact is spaced from the one or more fixed contacts;a spring applying a biasing force that biases the shaft toward the second position;a latch movable between a retention position retaining the shaft in the first position against the biasing force and a release position in which the shaft is movable by the biasing force;a first biasing member biasing the latch into the retention position;a movable member;a second biasing member biasing the movable member away from the latch; andan actuator configured to selectively force the movable member against the second biasing member to cause the latch to move, against the first biasing member, to the release position. In a preferred embodiment the switching device comprises: a plunger disposed between the movable member and the latch,wherein the second biasing member biases the plunger away from the latch and into contact with the movable member. In a preferred embodiment the movable member comprises a recess configured to retain at least a portion of the plunger. In a preferred embodiment the second biasing member comprises a plurality of compression springs. In a preferred embodiment the second biasing member biases the movable member against an inner surface of the housing. In a preferred embodiment the housing includes an opening; the second biasing member biases the movable member against an inner surface of the housing to occlude the opening; andthe actuator is disposed at least partially