Abstract: A circuit breaker includes, a cylindrical portion having a gunpowder and a exploding unit for exploding the gunpowder by application of electric power to the gunpowder, the cylindrical portion being provided with an opening at at least one end; a base material securing the cylindrical portion, at least the surface of which is made of insulating material; a conductor fixed to the base material and having a break portion located at a position opposite to the opening of the cylindrical portion, the break portion being broken by explosive force of the gunpowder; a first metallic cover portion covering the cylindrical portion and the break portion; and a second metallic cover portion covering the base material from an opposite side to the cylindrical portion, wherein the first and second cover portions are fixed to the base material by directly connecting the first and second cover portions each other.

Abstract: A bus bar is connected between a battery post and a stud bolt to which an electric power supply wire is connected. An opening is provided in a housing in which an explosive sealing portion is accommodated. Just before the opening, a broken portion of the bus bar is provided. In the broken portion, a recess portion is formed, and this portion of the broken portion is thin. On both sides of the broken portion, a cutout portions are formed. In case of emergency, electric current generates in a trigger wire, and an explosive in the explosive sealing portion is exploded. An explosive force is directed to the opening of the housing, and the broken portion located just before the opening receives the explosive force forward. Due to the foregoing, the recess portion is broken and both broken pieces are bent at the cutout portions and opened being separated from each other. In this way, an electric power supply circuit is shut off.

Abstract: A circuit breaking device includes a socket provided on the way of a circuit, a plug movably disposed in a direction that the plug is inserted into and removed from the socket, an explosive exploding in response to a trigger signal given thereto to thereby drive the plug by explosion force to move advanced, and the plug which is normally disposed in a retreated position at where the plug is in a conductive state with said socket, while the plug is in a non-conductive state with said socket when the plug moves to an advanced position.

Abstract: An apparatus for detecting a trouble location in a wire harness can easily detect a location of any trouble such as breakage or short circuit in electric wires in a wire harness and in particular can detect the trouble location by way of a simple structure utilizing a portion with a shield function. In the detecting apparatus, a pulse signal is transmitted in electric wires (2) in a wire harness (1), in which a trouble location is to be detected, and in a sensing line juxtaposed along the electric wires (2) at their ends. A measuring device (20) receives a reflected wave from a transmitted wave and measures a difference in time between the transmitted wave and the reflected wave. A distance from a transmitting end point to a trouble location point is determined in accordance with the difference in time and a signal propagation velocity. Each electric wire (2) in the wire harness (1) is a single wire having no splice portion and a shielded wire having a conductive shield sheath (10).

Abstract: An electric circuit breaker for interrupting an electric circuit of a vehicle includes a circuit break section having an explosive used for exploding a part of an electric circuit by explosion, a detonating device for exploding the explosive by application of electric power to the explosive, a collision detection device for detecting a collision of the vehicle and, a controller which explodes the explosive by supply of an electric current for detonating purposes to the detonating device in response to a detection signal from the collision detection device. The circuit breaker further includes a housing having a cylindrical member, such as an inner cylindrical portion, and a cover for covering the opening of the inner cylindrical portion. Connector terminals are formed on both ends of the conductor and a horizontal target section to be broken is formed in the middle of the conductor.

Abstract: A power supply unit is provided between a car-carried battery and load units, such as a light control unit. The power supply unit is connected to the load units through a multi-signal line. The power supply unit calculates a consumption current consumed by the load unit using an operating state of the load unit which is received through the multi-signal line from the load control unit associated with the load unit. The power supply unit compares the calculated consumption current with a supplying current supplied form the battery. If the supplying current is excessively large, the power supply unit interrupts the supply of current from the battery to the load unit. Therefore, the power supply device can detect a phenomenon, for example, a rare short of an extremely short shorting time.

Abstract: A method for detecting a trouble location in wire harnesses can easily detect a position of trouble such as breakage, short circuit, or the like in the wire harnesses without bringing enlargement and complication into the wire harnesses. This method includes the steps of: setting each of electric wires (2) in a main line part (4) and a branch line part (5) of a wire harness (1) as a sensing line, the wires (2) being juxtaposed to each other in the respective parts (4, 5); transmitting a pulse wave in a measuring line of a trouble electric wire in the wire harness and the sensing line corresponding to the measuring line at their ends by a pulse generating unit (11); receiving a pulse wave reflected at a trouble point and measuring a difference in time between the transmitted pulse wave and the reflected pulse wave by a synchroscope (12); and computing a distance from a measuring point to the trouble point in accordance with the difference in time and a pulse propagation velocity by a computing unit (13).

Abstract: An electric power distribution system is shown where even if supply of electric power is interrupted, other normal electric part systems can be operated. A number of electric power distribution portions are supplied with electric power through at least two systems of electric power lines. The amounts of electric currents in the two systems of the trunk lines respectively are detected and monitored by a sensor and each current detection portion. Moreover, a controller controls a switch corresponding to a sensor which has detected an abnormal value among output values from a number of current detection portions to make non-conductive the trunk line from which the abnormal value has been detected. If a fault takes place in, for example, the trunk line between the electric power distribution portions, the two ends of the trunk line respectively are disconnected by the switch.