Device for Switching an Electrical Circuit
AssigneeBayerische Motoren Werke Aktiengesellschaft
InventorsAlexander DOERR, Thomas HAMMERSCHMIDT
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A device is provided for switching an electrical circuit for electrical power levels of from 500 watts to 10 megawatts, which has two or more pyrotechnic disconnecting devices, which are connected in series between a terminal point and a load in order to interrupt the electrical circuit. The device also has at least one closing mechanism, wherein the number of closing mechanisms is less than the number of pyrotechnic disconnecting devices and wherein each closing mechanism is arranged in a parallel connection with a single pyrotechnic disconnecting device in order to bridge the one pyrotechnic disconnecting device and thereby close an interrupted electrical circuit.
Claims13
A device for switching an electrical circuit for electric power levels of between 500 watts and 10 megawatts, comprising:
- at least two pyrotechnic disconnecting devices, which are connected in series between a terminal point of an electrical energy supply and a contact point of an intermediate circuit of a load, in order to interrupt the electrical circuit;
- and
- at least one closing mechanism;
- wherein a number of closing mechanisms is lower than a number of pyrotechnic disconnecting devices;
- and
- wherein the at least one closing mechanism is arranged in a parallel connection with a single one of the pyrotechnic disconnecting devices in order to bridge the single pyrotechnic disconnecting device and close an interrupted electrical circuit.
A method for operating a device in a vehicle that switches an electrical circuit for electric power levels of between 500 watts and 10 megawatts, the device including at least two pyrotechnic disconnecting devices, which are connected in series between a terminal point of an electrical energy supply and a contact point of an intermediate circuit of a load, in order to interrupt the electrical circuit;
- and at least one closing mechanism;
- wherein a number of closing mechanisms is less than a number of pyrotechnic disconnecting devices;
- and wherein the at least one closing mechanism is arranged in a parallel connection with a single one of the pyrotechnic disconnecting devices in order to bridge the single pyrotechnic disconnecting device and close an interrupted electrical circuit that was interrupted by tripping one of the at least two pyrotechnic disconnecting devices in response to a specific event, the method comprising:
- checking whether the specific event has been terminated;
- closing the at least one closing mechanism which is connected in parallel with the tripped pyrotechnic disconnecting device, in order to bridge the tripped pyrotechnic disconnecting device and close the interrupted electrical circuit;
- and
- generating a status notification of the device for a driver of the vehicle.
A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing a program incorporating instructions which, upon execution thereof by a computer, cause the computer to:
- check whether a specific event, which tripped at least one pyrotechnic disconnecting device disposed in a device in a vehicle that switches an electrical circuit for electric power levels of between 500 watts and 10 megawatts, has been terminated;
- close at least one closing mechanism which is connected in parallel with the tripped pyrotechnic disconnecting device, in order to bridge the tripped pyrotechnic disconnecting device and close the interrupted electrical circuit;
- and
- generate a status notification of the device for a driver of a vehicle.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.