AU2009202174B9

AU2009202174B9 - Control device of an electrical switchgear unit comprising a device for indicating welding of the contacts, and an electrical switchgear unit comprising one such device

Info

Publication number: AU2009202174B9
Application number: AU2009202174A
Authority: AU
Inventors: Yves Belin
Original assignee: Schneider Electric Industries SAS
Current assignee: Schneider Electric Industries SAS
Priority date: 2008-06-03
Filing date: 2009-06-02
Publication date: 2015-04-23
Anticipated expiration: 2029-06-02
Also published as: BRPI0902025A2; BRPI0902025B1; AU2009202174A1; ES2534633T3; CN101599394A; ZA200902898B; CN101599394B; RU2009120937A; RU2502149C2; EP2131378B1; FR2931998A1; AU2009202174B2; EP2131378A1; EG25279A

Description

Po01 Section 29 Regulation 3.2(2) AUSTRALIA Patents Act 1990 COMPLETE SPECIFICATION STANDARD PATENT Application Number: Lodged: Invention Title: Control device of an electrical switchgear unit comprising a device for indicating welding of the contacts, and an electrical switchgear unit comprising one such device The following statement is a full description of this invention, including the best method of performing it known to us: P111ABAU/1207 CONTROL DEVICE OF AN ELECTRICAL SWITCHGEAR UNIT COMPRISING A DEVICE FOR INDICATING WELDING OF THE CONTACTS, AND AN ELECTRICAL SWITCHGEAR UNIT COMPRISING ONE SUCH DEVICE. 5 The present invention relates to a control device of an electrical switchgear unit housed in an insulating case, comprising at least one movable contact supported by a contact-support designed to operate in conjunction with at least one stationary contact that is fixed with respect to the case, said movable contact being able to be actuated either manually by means of a handle mounted rotating around a swivel-pin of the case or automatically 0 between an open position and a closed position of the stationary and movable contacts, and a high-speed closing device, said device being designed to retain the movable contact in the open position storing energy at the beginning of the manual closing operation of the handle and over a certain travel of the latter, and to release said movable contact after this travel of the handle so that the previously stored energy causes high-speed closing of the stationary 5 and movable contacts, said high-speed closing device comprising a ratchet mounted rotating around the swivel-pin of the handle, said ratchet being biased by a spring against a stop of the handle, being driven by the handle in the closing direction of the stationary and movable contacts and operating in conjunction with the contact-support so as to perform high-speed closing of said movable contact, and also relates to an electrical switchgear unit !0 comprising one such device. The document FR 2 616 583 is known describing an operating mechanism of a miniature electric circuit breaker, said mechanism comprising a handle coupled to a transmission rod to form a toggle, a movable contact support device having a plate mounted rotating on a 25 pivot, and a mechanical link able to be broken by the action of a trip lever. The link is formed by a retaining catch of the trip lever operating in conjunction with a latching hook mounted pivoting on a swivel-pin of the plate. The rod is coupled directly to the latching hook, the assembly forming a gearing-down stage enabling the tripping force to be reduced. This mechanism advantageously comprises a device for high-speed closing of the contacts 30 comprising a blocking arm arranged on the insulating support lever of the contact arm and operating in conjunction with a ratchet mounted pivoting on the swivel-pin of the handle. This ratchet is associated with a return spring that biases the ratchet in the counter- 2 clockwise direction against a stop of the handle. This device does not comprise any means for indicating welding of the contacts. The document EP 0 342 133 is also known describing a miniature circuit breaker 5 operating control mechanism with a welded contacts indicator. In this document, the device for indicating welding of the contacts comprises a stop provided on the contact support and designed to interfere with a blocking nose provided on the base of the handle so as to retain the handle in an intermediate position in the event of welding of the contacts. This mechanism also comprises a visual indicator of opening of the circuit 10 breaker arranged on the base of the handle near the joint of the toggle in such a way as to be visible from outside the case via the opening when the handle reaches the open position. In this document, when the contacts are welded and the operator presses on the handle, the operator acts directly on the indication. The indication can then be made visible whereas the contacts are welded. This can induce the operator into error and lead 15 to him placing himself in a dangerous situation. And the document FR 2 660 794 is also known describing a miniature circuit breaker mechanism comprising a bistable indicator mounted rotating freely on the swivel-pin of the handle between an active position and an inactive position. The indicator comprises a 20 first indicating arm equipped with an indicator and a second driving arm movable between two end-of-travel stops and having a ledge cooperating with the nose of the contact-support to latch the indicator in the inactive position when the handle is actuated from the closed position to the open position in case of welding of the contacts. 25 The present invention desirably addresses the problems set out above and proposes a control device of an electrical switchgear unit including a device for indicating welding of the contacts of simple design including a small number of parts and for which operation of the handle when the contacts are welded does not move the indicator erroneously to the open position of the contacts. 30 According to an aspect of the invention there is provided a control device for an electrical switching unit housed in an insulating casing, having: at least one mobile contact carried by a contact holder intended to cooperate with at least one fixed contact with respect to 3 the casing, said mobile contact being able to be actuated either manually by way of a lever handle mounted so as to rotate about an axis of the casing, or automatically between an open position and a closed position of the fixed contact and mobile contact, and a sudden closure device, said device being intended, at the start of a manual closing manoeuvre of 5 the lever handle and over a particular travel thereof, to keep the mobile contact in the open position by storing energy and, after said travel of the lever handle, to release said mobile contact such that the energy previously stored causes the sudden closure of the fixed contact and mobile contact, said sudden closure device having a detent that is mounted so as to rotate about the axis of the lever handle, said detent being returned by a spring 10 against an abutment of the lever handle, being driven by the lever handle in the direction of closure of the fixed contact and mobile contact and cooperating with the contact holder so as to ensure the sudden closure of said mobile contact, wherein the detent has an indicator, said indicator being visible from the outside through an opening in the casing only when the fixed contact and mobile contact are open. 15 In a particular embodiment of the invention, the the detent is made in one piece with the indicator. Preferably the detent has an outer surface, known as the first surface, in the form of a 20 portion of a cylinder, which cooperates with a ramp belonging to the contact holder such that the latter is kept in the open position of the contacts during the closure of the lever handle for a particular period of time corresponding to the time for which the detent slides along the ramp of the contact holder. 25 It is desirable that, the detent has at the end of the outer surface a surface portion, wherein the surface portion extends substantially perpendicularly to the outer surface and is intended to cooperate with a nose-forming part formed at the end of the ramp of the contact holder so as to keep the detent in a position in which the indicator is not visible from the outside, when the lever handle is driven towards the open position of the 30 contacts, when the contacts are joined together. Preferably, the indicator is formed by a strip of material extending from the surface portion.

4 It is further desirable that a base of the lever handle has a base outer surface in the form of a portion of a cylinder, and wherein: the base has a material depression; and the base outer surface is complementary to that of an internal surface of the strip of material forming the 5 indicator, the internal surface directed towards the axis of the lever handle, so that in the open position of the contacts, the base outer surface and the internal surface of the strip of material forming the indicator are superposed on one another, said strip of material forming the indicator having an indicator outer surface which extends from the base outer surface. 10 This control device preferably includes a transmission rod coupled to the lever handle, a support device for the mobile contact having a mounting plate mounted so as to rotate on a pivot and having a breakable mechanical connection to the transmission link rod, and a release lever controlled by a tripping device for breaking the mechanical connection in the 15 event of a fault, causing the mechanism to trip automatically independently of the lever handle and causing the contacts to separate, wherein: the breakable mechanical connection having a retaining catch for the release lever cooperating with a catching hook mounted so as to pivot on an axis X of the mounting plate; and the breaking of the mechanical connection corresponding to the unlocking of the catching, wherein it has an 20 abutment secured to the mounting plate and able to cooperate with the hook so as to ensure the position of the lever handle in an intermediate position of the lever handle in which the contacts are joined together. The present invention desirably provides an electrical switching unit having a control 25 device including the above-mentioned features taken alone or in combination. Comprises/comprising and grammatical variations thereof when used in this specification are to be taken to specify the presence of stated features, integers, steps or components or groups thereof, but do not preclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, 30 integers, steps, components or groups thereof.

4a But other advantages and features of the invention will become more clearly apparent from the following detailed description which refers to the appended drawings given for example purposes only and in which: 5 -Figure 1 is a perspective view illustrating the internal part of a switchgear unit according to the invention comprising a control device according to the invention in the open position of the contacts, -Figure 2 is a partial perspective view more particularly illustrating the handle in this 10 position of the switchgear unit contacts, -Figure 3 is a top view of the switchgear unit in this same position of the contacts, -Figure 4 is a perspective view illustrating the rear part of the same switchgear unit in this 15 same position, -Figure 5 is a perspective view illustrating the internal part of the same switchgear unit in a position corresponding to beginning of closing of the switchgear unit, 20 5 -Figure 6 is an identical view to the previous figure, in a position of the device corresponding to high-speed closing of the switchgear unit, -Figure 7 is an identical view to the previous figures, the switchgear unit being in a closed 5 position, -Figure 8 isa plan view illustrating the internal part of the switchgear unit, in a position of the latter in which its contacts are welded, 0 -Figure 9 is a partial view and comprising a cut-away view, more particularly illustrating the handle in a welded position of the contacts, and -Figure 10 is a top view of a switchgear unit, in a welded position of the contacts, after a force has been applied on the handle. 5 In figures 1 and 4 to 8, a miniature electric circuit breaker can be seen with a moulded insulating case B comprising a control device 1 according to the invention. This control device I is of the type described in European Patent application n' 86 402 267 filed by the applicant. The device actuates a contact-support 2 comprising a contact part 3 operating in t0 conjunction with a stationary contact 4. An opening 5 is arranged in the front panel 6 of the case for passage of a handle 7 mounted with limited pivoting on a swivel-pin X between a closed position in which contacts 3,4 are closed and an open position corresponding to separation of contacts 3,4. Handle 7 is equipped with an internal base 8 coupled to a transmission rod 9 to form a toggle device, the articulation joint 10 of which toggle being 25 eccentric with respect to the axis of swivel-pin X of handle 7. Handle 7 is biased in a direction corresponding to opening of the contacts by a return spring 11 illustrated in figure 2. Stationary contact 4 is securedly affixed to the housing core of an electromagnetic trip unit 12. Contact-support 2 made from insulating material is articulated around a pivot 14 belonging to a rotatable plate 15 driving contact-support 2. 30 6 A trip lever 16 driven by the striker 17 of the electromagnetic trip unit and the bimetal strip 18 of the thermal trip device is mounted swivelling on a swivel-pin Y supported by plate 15 with a predetermined offset with respect to the above-mentioned pivot 14. 5 A breakable mechanical link is arranged between transmission rod 9 and drive plate 15 of contact-support 2. In the latched position, the link enables manual control of the mechanism via handle 7. Movement of trip lever 16 to the tripped position due to action of the trip unit causes momentary breaking of the mechanical link resulting in automatic tripping of the mechanism independently from the handle. Trip lever 16 is associated with [0 a return spring 19 designed to perform automatic re-establishment of the mechanical link when handle 7 is actuated to the open position following tripping of the mechanism on a fault. The breakable mechanical link comprises a latching hook 20 mounted pivoting on a 15 swivel-pin Z of plate 15. Opposite this swivel-pin Z, a nose 21 of the latching hook (not visible in the figures) operates in the latched position of the link in conjunction with a retaining catch 22 (not visible in the figures) situated on the arm of trip lever 16. Transmission rod 9 is coupled to latching hook 20 and to plate 15 at an articulation point that is liable to move in two consecutive openings 23,24 of plate 15 when tripping takes 20 place. This articulation point is located between swivel-pin Z articulating latching hook 20 on plate 15 and nose 21 of the latching hook. It should also be noted that the device further comprises a stop 33 (fig.8) securedly affixed to plate 15 and designed to operate in conjunction with latching hook 20 so as to guarantee the position of handle 7 in an intermediate position of handle 7 in which contacts 3,4 are 25 welded. This control device I also comprises a ratchet 25 mounted rotating around swivel-pin X of handle 7 and biased by the above-mentioned spring I1 in the counter-clockwise direction against a stop 7a of base 8 of handle 7 (fig.2). 30 As illustrated in figure 9, this spring 1 1 comprises a first branch I la fixed in enclosure 26 and a second branch I lb pressing on a stop 25a of the ratchet and also designed to bias 7 handle 7 to the open position by pressing on stop 7a of the handle and on stop 25b of the ratchet (fig.2). This ratchet 25 presents an external surface 27, called first surface, in the form of a portion of cylinder designed to operate in conjunction with a ramp 28 provided at the end of 5 contact-support 2 so that this contact-support 2 is held in the open position of the contacts during closing of handle 7, for a certain duration corresponding to the time during which ratchet 25 slides along ramp 28 of contact-support 2. At the end 29 of above-mentioned external surface 27 in the form of a portion of cylinder, 0 this ratchet 25 comprises a portion of surface 30, called second portion of surface, extending substantially perpendicularly to portion of surface 27, called first portion of surface, and from which a strip of material forming indicator 31extends. This portion of surface 30, called second portion of surface, comprises a part 30a (fig.2) designed to operate in conjunction with a part forming a nose 32 formed at the end of ramp 28 of 5 above-mentioned contact-support 2, so as to retain the ratchet against its return spring 1I in a position in which indicator 31 is not visible from the outside when handle 7 is driven from the closed position of the contacts to the open position of the contacts when the contacts are welded. !0 As illustrated in figure 2, base 8 of handle 7 presents an external surface 34 also in the form of a portion of cylinder, and this base presents a material clearance 35 the external shape of which is complementary to that of internal surface 37 of strip of material 31 forming the indicator so that, in the open position of the contacts, the latter two surfaces are superposed, said strip of material 3 1 forming an indicator presenting an external surface 38 25 situated in the extension of external surface 34 of the above-mentioned base 8. Operation of the control device according to the invention will be described hereafter with reference to the figures: 30 In figures 1 to 4, contacts 3,4 of the switchgear unit are open. Return spring I1 of the handle biases ratchet 25 and its associated indicator 3 1 against base 8 of handle 7, the assembly formed by handle 7 and ratchet 25 being biased to the open position by said 8 spring 11. In this position, handle 7 is situated to the left of the switchgear unit and indicator 3 1 appears through opening 5 of the case. In figure 5, handle 7 has started to be moved manually to the closed position by a 5 movement from left to right. At the beginning of closing travel, the kinematic link system of handle 7 to plate 15 drives contact-support 2 towards stationary contact 4. When moving, handle 7 drives ratchet 25 in its movement, as indicator 31 is pressing on base 8 of handle 7 in the open position. Ratchet 25 rotates with handle 7 and moves closer to the contact-support which rotates in 0 the opposite direction. Engagement of ratchet 25 with ramp 28 of contact-support 2 stops rotation of the contact-support and keeps contact part 3 of contact-support 2 at a predetermined distance from stationary contact 4. Contact-support 2 then remains immobile, but ratchet 25 can nevertheless slide along ramp 28, allowing a closing movement of handle 7. During this movement of handle 7, the latter continues actuating .5 the mechanism which stretches the contact pressure spring. This results in a energy being stored in the contact pressure spring until the end of the sliding movement of the ratchet on the ramp, a position represented in figure 6. Final movement of handle 7 to the closed position illustrated in figure 7 causes contact support 2 to be released by ratchet 25, followed by high-speed closing of contact-support 2 !0 due to the action of the kinematic system and in particular of the contact pressure spring. During movement of handle 7 from the open position illustrated in figure 1 to the closed position illustrated in figure 7, indicator 31 moves from the position in which it is visible from outside to the retracted position inside the switchgear unit. When manual opening of the circuit breaker is performed as represented in figure 8, the 25 ratchet comes up against the stop formed by nose 32 of the contact-support without hindering free swivelling of the plate and of the contact-support. The ratchet then remains in position and the handle and its mechanism continue their rotation. When the opening distance between contacts 3 and 4 is greater than 1.5mm, the ratchet escapes from stop 32 and is urged to press against face 7a of base 8 of the handle due to the effect of return 30 spring 11, until the open position of the handle illustrated in figure 5 is reached and indicator 31 becomes apparent through opening 5 of the case, as represented in figure 1.

9 When the contacts are welded and it is desired to move from the closed position represented in figure 7 to the open position represented in figure 1, handle 7 can move up to a certain point but does not drive the plate as the contacts are welded. During this movement, ratchet 25 is urged towards the handle in the clockwise direction by its return 5 spring 1 1. When this movement of ratchet 25 takes place, the latter comes into contact with nose 32 of the contact-support via its surface called second surface forming ramp 30, and is held by this contact-support in an intermediate position in which indicator 3 1 is retracted inside the unit as represented in figure 8. When a force is applied on handle 7 to attempt to move the latter to the open position, indicator 31 remains in this intermediate position so [0 long as the contacts are welded. According to the invention, indicator 3 1 is thus supported by ratchet 25 which serves the purpose of high-speed closing. This ratchet is disabled in the intermediate position by contact-support 2 when the contacts are welded. The kinematic system of the indicator is thus independent from external actions on the handle. 15 The present invention applies to any electrical switchgear unit such as a circuit breaker, a switch or a disconnecting switch etc., the contacts of which can be actuated by a handle or the like and comprising a high-speed closing device, said high-speed closing device comprising a ratchet mounted rotating around the swivel-pin of the handle. 0 A control device has thus been achieved according to the invention in which the kinematic system of the indicator is independent from operator actions on the handle without additional parts having to be provided. Whatever the force applied on the handle, the indicator only becomes apparent when the contacts are welded. 25 Naturally the invention is not limited to the embodiments described and illustrated which have been given for example purposes only. On the contrary, the invention extends to encompass all the technical equivalents of the means described as well as combinations thereof if the latter are performed according to 30 the spirit of the invention.

Claims

1. A control device for an electrical switching unit housed in an insulating casing, having: at least one mobile contact carried by a contact holder intended to cooperate with at least one fixed contact with respect to the casing, said mobile contact being able to be actuated either manually by way of a lever handle mounted so as to rotate about an axis of the casing, or automatically between an open position and a closed position of the fixed contact and mobile contact; and a sudden closure device, said device being intended, at the start of a manual closing manoeuvre of the lever handle and over a particular travel thereof, to keep the mobile contact in the open position by storing energy and, after said travel of the lever handle, to release said mobile contact such that the energy previously stored causes the sudden closure of the fixed contact and mobile contact, said sudden closure device having a detent that is mounted so as to rotate about the axis of the lever handle, said detent being returned by a spring against an abutment of the lever handle, being driven by the lever handle in the direction of closure of the fixed contact and mobile contact and cooperating with the contact holder so as to ensure the sudden closure of said mobile contact, wherein the detent has an indicator, said indicator being visible from the outside through an opening in the casing only when the fixed contact and mobile contact are open.

2. The control device according to claim 1, wherein the detent is made in one piece with the indicator.

3. The control device according to claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the detent has an outer surface, known as the first surface, in the form of a portion of a cylinder, which cooperates with a ramp belonging to the contact holder such that the latter is kept in the open position of the contacts during the closure of the lever handle for a particular period of time corresponding to the time for which the detent slides along the ramp of the contact holder. 11

4. The control device according to claim 3, wherein the detent has at the end of the outer surface a surface portion, wherein the surface portion extends substantially perpendicularly to the outer surface and is intended to cooperate with a nose-forming part formed at the end of the ramp of the contact holder so as to keep the detent in a position in which the indicator is not visible from the outside, when the lever handle is driven towards the open position of the contacts, when the contacts are joined together.

5. The control device according to claim 4, wherein the indicator is formed by a strip of material extending from the surface portion.

6. The control device according to claim 5, wherein a base of the lever handle has a base outer surface in the form of a portion of a cylinder, and wherein: the base has a material depression; and the base outer surface is complementary to that of an internal surface of the strip of material forming the indicator, the internal surface directed towards the axis of the lever handle, so that in the open position of the contacts, the base outer surface and the internal surface of the strip of material forming the indicator are superposed on one another, said strip of material forming the indicator having an indicator outer surface which extends from the base outer surface. 12

7. The control device according to any one of claims 1 to 6, having: a transmission link rod coupled to the lever handle, a support device for the mobile contact having a mounting plate mounted so as to rotate on a pivot and having a breakable mechanical connection to the transmission link rod, and a release lever controlled by a tripping device for breaking the mechanical connection in the event of a fault, causing the mechanism to trip automatically independently of the lever handle and causing the contacts to separate, wherein: the breakable mechanical connection having a retaining catch for the release lever cooperating with a catching hook mounted so as to pivot on an axis X of the mounting plate; and the breaking of the mechanical connection corresponding to the unlocking of the catching, wherein it has an abutment secured to the mounting plate and able to cooperate with the hook so as to ensure the position of the lever handle in an intermediate position of the lever handle in which the contacts are joined together.

8. An electrical switching unit having a control device according to any one of the preceding claims. SCHNEIDER ELECTRIC INDUSTRIES SAS WATERMARK PATENT & TRADE MARK ATTORNEYS