Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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The present invention relates to an electrical device with
means for rendering the device e1ectrically inoperative upon the occur-
rence of a predetermined condition, and~ more particularly, to means for
rendering the device electrically inoperative upon the occurrence of
predetermined movement by at least one of the components with respect
to another component of the device.
The present invention is applicable to an electrical device
which, under certain circumstances, is capable of generating or evolv-
ing fluid during storage and/or operation. Usuallyj the evolution
or generation of fluid up to a certain amount can be accommodated
within the housing of the electrical device; however, accumulation of
excess fluid within the housing rnay cause the appearance of a rupture
: ir, a wall of the housing -through which fluid and, perhaps, o-ther mat-
ter of the electrical device may be ejec:ted. Loss of fluicl and/or
other matter of the electrical device through the rupture may have a
harmFul effect on the desired operational characteristics of the device.
The ejection oF a Fluid -that is combustible From the electrical
device is undesirable for obvious reasons. Furthermore, ejected
fluid which contacts an adjacent electrical component may adverse1y
: 20 react with the contacted component or may cause the contactèd com-
ponent to operate intermittently.
U.S. patent 3,248,617 discloses nonbursting capacitor where-
in electrically conductive tabs, projecting from a capacitor section
and connected to the bottom of terminals, have such a length between a
non-flexible member and the terminals such that progressive doming of
a cover of the capacitor housing will be stopped short of bursting by
separation of the tab along its length thereby rendering the capacitor
: inoperative. As illustrated in Figure 4 oF U.S. patent 3,248,617,
the method of separation of a tab tends to result in separated tab
sections with sharply uneven edge surfaces in close proximity to each
._ _ _ ~ . ~ . . . .. . .__ . . . _ _. . __ _ . __ _. . .. ... _ . .... .
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; other. The uneven edge surfaces of the separated tab
sections may come into electrical contact with each other
thereby rendering the capacitor operative to generate or
evolve additional fluid within the capacitor housing. The
accumulation of additional fluid within the capacitor housing
may result in a rupture appearing in the housing through
which liquid may be ejected.
U.S. patent 3,377,510 discloses a circuit brea]cer
~; mechanism for a capacitor which avoids the possibility of
electrical reconnection between parts of the disconnected
electrical circuit. The circuit breaker disclosed in that
patent includes a bridge member which flexes in the direction
of a bulge in the capacitor housing until the stress of the
flex exceeds the strength of the electrical connection between
a tab projecting from the capacitor body and a terminal
thereby breaking the connection. The bridge member then
returns to its initial position to increase the gap separa-tlon
between the terminal and the tab. The length time for the
circuit breaker mechanism disclosed in U~S. patent 3,377,510
to react to the generation or evolution of fluid within the
capacitor housing may be significant because of the required
flexing of the bridge member prior to breaking the electrical
connection between the terminal and the tab of the capacitor.
; The reaction time required to break the electrical connection
between the terminal and the tab may be intolerable under
some storage and/or operation conditions.
.
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Accordingly, it is a feature of the present
invention to provide means for electrically interrupting
the circuit of an electrical device whereby chance contact
is minimized between the connection to the electrical compo-
nent and the terminal after separation of the connection and
the terminal, and wherein there is less reaction time to
separate the connection and the terminal than heretofore
exhibited by a commercially available circuit breaker
; mechanism.
According to a further feature of the present
invention, from a broad aspect, there is provided an
electrical device comprising a housing having a wall retain-
ing at least one terminal. An electrical component with at
~, least two connections is provided within the housing. An
; apertured non-flexible member is retained between the
electrical component and the wall of the housing in spaced
relationship to the connections. The terminal extends through
an adjacent aperture in the non-flexible member in a direction
toward the component. One of the connections is electrically
, 20 coupled to the terminal at its end in spaced relation to the
adjacent surface of the non-flexible member whereby displace-
ment of the terminal relative to the non-flexible member, due
to slight dooming of the wall, causes delayed engagement of
the connection with the adjacent surface of the non-flexible
member and upon engagement due to further dooming of the wall
the connection and the terminal are electrically uncoupled
rendering the electrical device inoperative.
The above and other features and advantages
of the present invention will be made obvious
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to those skilled in the art by the fo110wing description which con-
sidered in relation to the accompanying drawing, of which:
FIGURE 1 is a side view, partly in section, of an electrical
device showing the circuit breaker of the present invention;
FIGURE 2 is a side view, partly in section, of the electrical
device of this invention wherein the connection and the terminal are
electrically uncoupled rendering the electrical device inoperative;
FIGURE 3 is a side view of the non-flexible member shown in
FIGURE 1 and FIGURE 2;
FIGURE 4 is a partial side view of a three terminal electri-
cal device showing an embodiment of the circuit breaker of the present
invention; and
FIGURE 5 is a side view of the non-flexible member shown in
FIGURE 4.
General~ly speaking, the present invention relates to an
e1ectrical device comprising a housing having a wall retaining at
least one terminal. Within the housing is an electrical componen-t with
anode and cathode connectiolls. An aperlured, substantially non-flexible
melnber is retained between the electrical component and a wall of the
housing. A protrusion of the terminal extends through an adjacent
aperture in the non-flexible member. One of the connections is electri-
cally coupled to the protrusion of the terminal. The connection elec-
trically coupled to the protrusion of the terminal has such a con-
figuration in rela-tion to the adjacent aperture of the non-flexible
melnber whereby displacement of the protrusion of the terminal relative
to the non-flexible member causes the connection and the terminal to
electrically uncouple rendering the electrical device inoperative.
Referring now to FIGURE 1 of the drawing, an electrical
device 10 includes a housing 11, terminal assemblies 12 and 13, an
electrical conlponent 14, and a li~uid (not shown) in the housing and
contac-ting the elec-trical component. The liquid may be a dielectric
liquid such as dioctyl phthalate, or chlorinated diphenyl, or the like.
In the interest of disclosing the concepts of the present invention
in its presently preferred embodinlent, the illustrated electrical
:~ component 14 is a convolutely wound capacitor roll including anode and
cathode metallic foils (not shown) with a dielectric cellulosic paper
. separator (not shown) between and separating each of the metallic
: foils. The metallic foils are of any suitable material such as
aluminuln or the like. The cellulosic paper is any suitable paper such
as Kraft paper. The paper is impregnated with dioctyl phthalate
dielectric liquid with or without additives such as an epoxide.
The housing 11 includes wall or cover 16 which is retained in place
` by crimping or rolling area 17 of the cover over edge 18. The
.; housing 11 including its cover 16 are fabricated From any suitable
material such as.-aluminulll or -the like.
Terminal assembly 12 inclucles a rivet 19 having a shank
20 prt)~iectin~ througil aperture 21 in the cover lG. An external
terminal end 22 is sui-tably attached to the shank 20. An electrically
insulating washer 23 retains the rivet 19 spaced from electrical con-
- 20 tact with the cover 16. The rivet 19 includes a protrusion 25 which
will be discussed more fully hereinlater. Terminal assembly 13 is
constructed in an analoguous manner to that of terminal assembly 14
and includes a rivet 26 projecting through aperture 27 in the cover
16, an external terminal end 28 suitably attached to the end of shank
29, an electrically insulating washer 30 retaining the rivet 26 in
spaced relationship from electrical contact with cover 16, and a pro-
trusion 32. Terminal assembly 12 and terminal assembly 31 are further
retained in place by electrically insulating means 33.
An apertured, substantially non-flexible member 34 is adja-
30 cent to the cover 16. ~rhe memoer 34 includes length and width dimen-
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sions tha-t approximate the corresponding dimensions of the cover 16.
The dimensions of the melnber 34 as well as the dimensions of the
cover 16 may be -those associated with an oval or circle or rectangle
or square or the like. As shown in FIGURE 1, the member 34 includes
a peripherial reinforcing means or rib 35 which engages or contacts
an area adjacent edge 18 of the housing 11. The rib 35 reinforces
and thereby helps to render the menlber 34 non-flexible. FIGURE 3
of the drawing is a side view of the non-flexible menlber 34 illu-
: strated in FIGURE 1 of the drawing. An appropriate network (not
;~ lo shown) of additional reinforcing means or ribs 35 may be formed in
the member 34 and/or the member may be of suitable thickness so as to
further help minimize any tendency of the member to flex in any di-
rection. Member 3~ is fabricated from any suitable non-flexible
and electrically insulating material such as glass reinforced poly-
amide, or a phenolformaldehyde resin, or the like.
Again re-Ferring to FIGURE 1, apertures37 and 38 are formed
in melllber 34. Each of the apertures 37 and 3~ hasa cross-sectional
configuration that is slightly (Jreater than the cross-sectional
configurat;on of the respective protrusions (either 25 or 32 as the
case may be) of the respective terminal assemblies (either 12 or 13
as the case may be). Each of the protrusions projects through its
respective aperture in menlber 34 and extends a very short distance
beyond the member 34 in the direction toward the capacitor electri-
cal component 14.
Anode connection 39, a metallic lead or tab strip suitably
attached to and extending from the anode foil (not shown3 of the capa-
citor electrical component 14, is bonded, such as by welding or the
like, to the end of the protrusion 25 extending through the aperture
37 and slightly beyond the adjacen-t surface 41 of the non-flexible
melnber 34. Cathode connection 40, a metallic lead or tab strip suitably
attached to and extending from the ca-thode foil (not shown) of the
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capacitor electrical component 14, jc bonded, such as by welding or
the like, to the end of the protrusion 32 extending through the aper-
ture 38 and slightly beyond the adjacent surface 41 of the non-flexible
member 34. As illustrated in FIGURE 1, the width configuration of
each of the connections 39 and 40 is different than the cross-sectional
configuration of the adjacent aperture formed in member 34 so that
neither of the connections 39 and 40 is'able to freely move into its
adjacent aperture. The difference illustrated in the several FIGURES
of the drawing is that the width of a tab strip 39 and 40 is greater
than the cross-sectional configuration of its associated aperture
37 and 38.
Upon doming of the cover 16 due to the generation or evolu-
tion of fluid within the housing 11, pro-trusion 25 or protrusion 32
or both are clisplaced re'lative to the non-flexible melllber 34 causing
the anocle conrleGtion 39 and/or the cathode connection 40 to engage
with adjacent surface 41 of the non-flexible menlber 34. Further
clomillg of the cover 16 causes further disp'lacement of one or both o-f
the protrusions 25 ancl 32 relative to the non-flexible menlber 34 and
the connections 39 and 40. Such displacement of one or both of the
protrusions 25 and 32 relative to the non-flexible member 34 and the
; connections 39 and 40 causes either one or both of the connections to
electrical'ly ullcouple from its heretofore electrically associated
protrusion thereby rendering the electrical device 10 inoperative.
FIGURE 2 of the drawing shows protrusions 25 and 32 electrically se-
parated from the anode and cathode connections 39 and 40 respectively.
The electrically insulating, non-flexible member 34 is thereafter
used to help avoid the possibllity of electrical reconnection between
the protrusions 25 and/or 32 and anode and/or cathode connections 39
and 40 (as the case may be).
Referring now to FIGURE 4 of the drawing, a three terminal
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electrical device 50 is shown. The three terminal electrical device
50 includes a housing 11~ terminal assemblies 12, 13 and 51, two elec-
trical components (not shown) having an electrically common cathode
connection 40 and anode connections 39 and 52, and a dielectric li-
quid (not shown) in the housing and contacting each of the electrical
.; components. Each of the electrical components (not shownj may be a
-. convolutely wound capacitor roll of the type described hereinbefore in
the discussion of FIGURE 1.
Each of the terminal assemblies 12, 13 and 51 is constructed
in an analoguous manner and as described in the description of terminal
assemblies 12 and 13 shown in FIGURES 1 and 2.
- The non-flexible member 34 of FIGURES 4 and 5 of the draw-
in~ includes an appropriate network of rein-forcing means or ribs 35
formed therein so as to further help minilllize any tendency of the member
to flex in any direction. In adclition to apertures 37 ancl 38, the member
34, as shown in FIGURES 4 and 5, includes a third aperture 53 to
accomlllodate protrusion 54 of terminal assembly 51. Anode connection
52 is bonded to the encl of protrusion 54 extending throuyh aperture 53.
Electrically insulating washer 55 retains the terminal assembly 51
in spaced relationship from electrical contact with cover 16.
: Upon doming the cover 16, protrusion 25 or protrusion 32
or protrusion 54 or any two protrusions or all protrusions are dis-
placed relative to the non-flexible !nember causing the anode connec-
tion 39 and/or the cathode connection 40 and/or the anode connection
52 to engage with adjacent surFace 41 of the non-flexible member 34.
Further doming of the wall or cover 16 causes further displacement of
-: one or more of the protrusions relative -to the non-flexible member
and the connections 39, 40 and 52. Such displacement of one or more
of the protrusions 25, 32 and 54 relative to the non-flexible member
34 and the connections 39, 40 and 52 causes one or more of the connec-
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tions to electrically uncouple from its heretofore electrically
associated protrusion in the manner as discussed in FIGURES 1 and
2 of the drawing thereby rendering the electrical device 50 inopera-
tive. The electrically insulating, non-flexible member 34 is there-
after used to help avoid the possibility of electrical reconnection
; between a protrusion and the anode and cathode connections. Whenusing a three terminal device as shown in FIGURE 4, it is desirable
that at least two protrusions separate from their cooperatively as-
sociated connection so that the electrical device is inoperative
thereafter across any combination of terminals.
The term "electrical device" as used herein means and in-
cludes, but is not limited to, any electrical device adapted for
storing electrical energy such as a capacitor as well as any electri-
cal device adapted for dischar~e of electrical energy by an electro-
chemical reaction between positive and negative electrodes such as a
battery.
The term "flu;d" as used herein medns and includes, but is
not limited to, gases and liquids.
While the invention has been disclosed with respect to the
presently preferred embodiments thereof, numerous modifications may be
made by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit
thereof. Therefore, it is intended that -the appended claims cover
modifications and variations which come within the spirit and scope
of the claimed invention.
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