AU725346B2

AU725346B2 - Device for attaching an electrical switch unit to a bus bar and a mounting rail

Info

Publication number: AU725346B2
Application number: AU65087/96A
Authority: AU
Inventors: Adolf Tetik
Original assignee: Felten and Guilleaume Austria AG
Current assignee: Felten and Guilleaume Austria AG
Priority date: 1996-07-29
Filing date: 1996-07-29
Publication date: 2000-10-12
Anticipated expiration: 2016-07-29
Also published as: WO1998005107A2; HU222637B1; EP0917751A2; WO1998005107A3; ES2172671T3; AU6508796A; HUP0203090A2; EP0917751A3; DE59608812D1; EP0917751B1; ATE213878T1

Abstract

The device for connecting an item of electrical switchgear to a bus bar (3) and for fastening the switchgear to a mounting rail (4) has a support (2) that can be connected to the housing (1) of the item of switchgear, on which retainers (14, 19) for the mounting rail are located. The support (2) is connected to the housing (1) by means of a guiding system (6, 9, 10, 11, 12) running transversely to the mounting rail (4), and has a snap-in connection system (35, 36) in the form of a spring latch (32, 33) located on the support (2), which engages with the housing (1).

Description

Device for attaching an electrical switch unit to a bus bar and a mounting rail The invention concerns an electrical connection device.

A device is known from DE 2 912 076 Al. The attachment device known from DE 2 912 076 Al, however, has the disadvantage that, as a result of the predetermined switch-on direction of the switch on the switch unit upwards), the orientation of the bus bar and that of the spring tab of the snap-in attachment is also predetermined. As a result of this, the spring tab of the snap-in attachment may be difficult or not at all accessible, which in some instances may mean that the application of the currently known attachment device causes difficulties or may not be possible 20 at all.

Known from DE-U 92 13 118 is a base unit that can be attached to a mounting rail, in which an attachment facility can be fixed to said base unit. The base unit comprises two nose-like protrusions that grip around the longitudinal edges of the mounting rail. One of said protrusions is rigid and the other is arranged on an adjustable sliding catch. To be able to connect the attachment facility to the base unit, a centre piece is. provided that features a T-shaped or dovetail-shaped 30 groove into which the two snap-in catches, which are located on spring tabs, are pushed.

For the wall mounting of housings, E? 528 371 A proposes to provide the bottom section of the housing externally with mounting elements that enable the attachment of a removable mounting adaptor. The mounting adaptor LtseLt is attached to a hat-profile type mounting rail by means of one rigid and one ~spring-loaded catch.

la It is an object of the invention to provide a device that ensures a solid and secure attachment of the switch unit on the mounting rail, but at the same time allows for easy attachment and detachment to and from the bus bar.

According to the present invention there is provided an arrangement for connecting an electrical switch unit to a bus bar and for attaching the switch unit to a mounting rail, the switch unit having a housing and a detachable base, the base being removably attachable to the housing by means of a guide that extends transverse to the mounting rail, the base being retained on the housing by a snap-in attachment which includes a spring tab that is arranged on the base and which automatically latches in on the housing, the spring tab extending with its free end beyond the end face of the base when the base is mounted on the housing, the housing being provided with parts that co-operate with the snap-in attachment of the base to latch the housing 20"to the base, the parts being on the side of the housing that faces the base, the parts being provided proximate the two ends of the housing, the arrangement including: retainers adapted to attach the switch unit to longitudinal edges of the mounting rail, the retainers being 25 located at a mounting surface of the switch unit, the retainers including two nose-like projections that clamp the longitudinal edges of the mounting rail upon attachment thereto, the nose-like projections being arranged in the S base of the switch unit; 30 a first of said nose-like projections being arranged in a fixed position on the base; and a second of said nose-like projections being arranged on a sliding catch, the sliding catch being supported by the base, the sliding catch including a handle that extends beyond the end face of the base, Preferably, the guide is in the form of a T-shaped strip on the housing, the T-shaped strip being adapted to be enclosed by a C-shaped portion of the base.

Preferably, said parts that co-operate with the snap-in attachment are in the form of two recesses, the spring tab of the snap-in attachment being provided with a cog that engages at least one of the two recesses when the base is attached to the housing.

Preferably, the base is of approximately the same width as the housing.

Alternatively, the width of the base is a multiple of the width of the housing.

The width of the base may be three times the width of the housing.

The second of said nose-like projections may include a centrally-located sliding catch which facilitates attachment of the base to the mounting rail.

The statements hereafter relate to exemplary embodiments of the invention: 20 In a device according to an embodiment of the invention the attachment of the switch unit to the mounting rail on the one hand and to the bus bar on the other hand is independent from, each other, This means that the base is first attached to the mounting rail and the switch unit is 25 then attached to the base and the bus bar. The advantage in this is that no consideration has to be given to the subsequent connection of the switch unit with the bus bar ::when attaching the base to the mounting rail.

when attaching the base to the mounting rail.

As a result, the fastening facility of the switch unit to the mounting rail is also significantly more robust and simpler in its construction since it is no longer necessary to slide the switch unit directly on the mounting rail to be able to make the connection between switch unit and bus bar. Moreover, the base can be attached to the mounting rail without difficulty and without regard to the connection that has to be made later between switch unit and bus bar.

Due to the "symmetrical" arrangement of the snap-in attachment on the housing, the spring tab may be located on the side of the housing that is opposite the bus bar or on the same side.

An additional advantage is observed in conjunction with an embodiment of a housing, which has slots on both ends of the switch unit for the connection with the bus bar. The advantage here is that the housing can be easily attached to the base and connected to the bus bar irrespective of the predetermined position of the bus bar and irrespective of the predetermined position of the spring tab (at a predetermined switch-on direction of the switch). Detachment is also effected easily.

In order that the invention might be more fully understood, embodiments will be further described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Fig. 1 depicts an embodiment of a device in side elevation, Fig.2 depicts a plan view of the device in Fig.l, Fig.3 to Fig.6 illustrate the attachment section of the switch unit housing with the mounting rail, in which Fig.3 is a side view of the housing, Fig.4 a view from the bottom, Fig.5 a view from the left side and Fig.6 a cross-section along line VI-VI in Fig.3, Fig.7 to 11 show a first embodiment of a base that can be attached to the switch unit housing and to the mounting rail, in which Fig.7 is a front elevation, Fig.8 is a bottom view of the base of Fig.7, Fig.9 is a cross-section along line IX-IX of Fig.8, and Fig.10 and 11 are views from left and right respectively of the base in Fig.7, Fig.12 illustrates a bottom view of the housings of three switch units arranged side by side, Fig.13 depicts a partial view of Fig.12 from the top, Fig.14 shows a cross-section along line XIV-XIV in Fig.13, to 20 depict a further embodiment of a base, which allows the simultaneous attachment of three switch units to a mounting rail, in which Fig.15 shows a top view of the base, from the side on which the switch unit housings are arranged, Fig.16 shows a section through the base of along line XVI-XVI, Fig.17 a view of the base in Fig.15 from the left, Fig.18 a bottom view and Fig.19 a top view of the base, and Fig.20 a view of the base according to Fig.15 but from the opposite side, and Fig.21 and 22 depict a sliding catch in plan view and in longitudinal section.

Fig.l and 2 illustrate schematically a housing 1 of a switch unit, for example of a line circuit breaker, which is connected to a bus bar 3 and attached via a base 2 to a mounting rail 4. After releasing a snap-in attachment between housing 1 and base 2, the housing can be moved relative to the base 2, to the mounting rail 4 and to the bus bar 3 in the direction of the double arrow 5, so that the housing 1 can be released from the bus bar 3 and removed from base 2.

The Fig.3 to 6 show an enlarged representation of the lower section 5 of housing 1, which can be attached to base 2. On the side facing base 2, the housing 1 (as shown in Fig.5 and 6) features an essentially T-shaped strip 6, which forms the guide grooves 9 and 10 on the lateral walls of housing 1, and where said grooves extend essentially along the entire length of housing i.

The guide grooves 9 and 10 engage with the free longitudinal edges 11 and 12 of base 2, which features in the attachment region with housing 1 an essentially C-shaped cross-section (Fig.10 and 11).

As illustrated in Fig.7, base 2 features on the side facing away from housing 1 a recess with a mounting surface 13, which is able to accept mounting rail 4, extending transverse to the centre plane of housing 1. For the purpose of attaching the mounting rail 4 to the mounting surface 13 of housing 1 [sic], base 2 features on one side a buttress 30 with a nose 14 that defines an undercut 15, and on the side opposite nose 14 a buttress 16, which houses a sliding catch 17 that is moveable preferably between two end positions and transverse to the longitudinal axis of the mounting rail 4.

The sliding catch 17 in the embodiment illustrated in Fig.21 and 22 consists of a main body 18. One end of the main body 18 comprises a nose 19 and the other a handle 20. The main body 18 comprises, moreover, spring tabs 21 and 22 with which the sliding catch 17 is retained on base 2 in two positions, i.e., the release position and the fastening position (see Fig.l) The sliding catch 17 is retained at buttress 16 by a cavity 23, and the handle 20 extends out through a slot 24 (Fig.l) N Laterally, the cavity is defined, amongst others, by tapered surfaces 25, 26, along which the lateral spring tabs 21, 22 of the sliding catch 17 slide and find support under spring tension as the sliding catch 17 is moved in and out. By means of a cog 27 on sliding catch 17 and a transverse rail 28, which defines the slot 24, the movement of the sliding catch 17 backwards, to the right in Fig.l, is limited. The movement of the sliding catch 17 forwards, towards nose 14, is limited by a lug 29, which engages into a recess 38 adjacent to cavity 23.

The nose 14 is arranged on buttress 30 of base 2, which features a cavity 31 that accepts a spring tab 32. The tab 32 is preferably manufactured in one piece with base 2, whereby its free end 32 extends beyond the end face 34 of base 2. Tab 32 features on its side facing housing 1 a cog 35, which engages into one of two recesses 36 and 36' (Fig.4 and Fig.6) on housing 1 when base 2 is attached to housing 1.

A recess 36 and 36' each is provided in the vicinity of the end faces on the side of housing 1 that faces base 2. This has the advantage that base 27 [sic] can be slid on from the one (left) side as well as from the other (right) side onto housing 1 and attached through clipping in, which simplifies the installation further.

*r 9 9 9 9 99 *9*9 9 9 The installation of the device according to the embodiment on a mounting rail 4 and a bus bar 3 can be implemented, for example, as follows: After detaching base 2 from housing 1 by applying pressure on the free end of zab 32, thus bending it away from housing 1 so that the cog 35 is retracted from recess 36 or 36', base 2 can be slid off housing 1.

Base 2 can then be placed cnto the mounting rail 4 and attached to it by way of positioning one longitudinal edge of mounting rail 4 into the undercut 15 of nose 14, and the other longitudinal edge of mounting rail 4 between buttress 16 and nose 19 of the sliding catch 17 and the mounting surface 13, in that the sliding catch 17 is pushed back against the force of the spring tabs 21 and 22 and then pushed forward again.

Since the mounting rail 4 is clamped between two solid components, that is, between buttress 30 and its nose 14 and the buttress 16 with its sliding catch 17, a rigid and twistproof attachment of the base 2 on mounting rail 4 is achieved.

Housing 1 can then be simply slid onto base 2 again until the bus bar 3 engages with the connection terminal (not depicted) into slot 37 on the housing, which can then be screwed tight, for example. Cog 35 on the spring tab 32 latches automatically into one of the recesses 36 or 36' on housing 1.

So far an embodiment of the device according to the invention was described, in which the base 2 is of approximately the same with as that of housing i, and one housing 1 can be attached to base 2.

The following describes, with reference to Fig.12 to 20, an embodiment of the invention, in which three housings 1 are attached to a single base 2a, which provides the connection between housings 1 and mounting rail 4.

The base 2a has essentially the shape of three base units 2 as described above, arranged side by side. A cavity 23a for a sliding catch 17 is provided preferably in the centre of buttress 16a of the preferably single-piece base 2a. Moreover, only the external edges are shaped as inward angled edges lla and 12a for engagement with the grooves 9 and 10 in the external side walls 7 and 8 of the two outer housings i.

The three tabs 32a in the embodiment in Fig.12 to 20 are linked by a cross bar 40 so that the tabs 32a for releasing base 2a from the housings 1 can be operated simultaneously.

Particularly the embodiment of base 2a as illustrated in Fig.18 and 19, with the hight of the ribs 41 reduced in the centre, requires that the housings 1 shown in Fig.12 to 14 are linked to each other.

If it is necessary for the housings 1 to be attached separately to base 2a, the hight of the central ribs 41 is not reduced but they will feature the edges lla and 12a according to base 2. This provides three C-shaped guides by means of which each housing 1 can be attached to base 2 separately. In this instance the cross bar 40, which links the spring tabs 32a (Fig.15), becomes obsolete.

The base 2a illustrated in Fig.15 to 20 is not limited to the embodiment shown for three housings 1 but can also, for example, be designed for two or more than three housings i.

The cavity 23a in buttress 16a is preferably always arranged in the centre of base 2a.

In summary, an exemplary embodiment of the invention can be represented, for example, as follows: The device for connecting an electrical switch unit with a bus bar 3, and for attaching the switch unit to a mounting rail 4, comprises a base 2 that can be attached to the housing 1 of the switch unit. Retainers 14 and 19 for the mounting rail 4 are arranged on said base 2.

The base 2 is attached to housing 1 by way of a guide 6, 9, 11 and 12 that extends transverse to mounting rail 4. Said base 2 comprises a snap-in attachment 35 and 36 that takes the form of a spring tab 32 and 33, which is arranged on base 2 and latches in on housing 1.

Claims

1. An arrangement for connecting an electrical switch unit to a bus bar and for attaching the switch unit to a mounting rail, the switch unit having a housing and a detachable base, the base being removably attachable to the housing by means of a guide that extends transverse to the mounting rail, the base being retained on the housing by a snap-in attachment which includes a spring tab that is arranged on the base and which automatically latches in on the housing, the spring tab extending with its free end beyond the end face of the base when the base is mounted on the housing, the housing being provided with parts that co-operate with the snap-in attachment of the base to latch the housing to the base, the parts being on the side of the housing that faces the base, the parts being provided proximate the two ends of the housing, the arrangement including: retainers adapted to attach the switch unit to longitudinal edges of the mounting rail, the retainers being located at a mounting surface of the switch unit, the retainers including two nose-like projections that clamp the longitudinal edges of the mounting rail upon attachment thereto, the nose-like projections being *P arranged in the base of the switch unit; a first of said nose-like projections being arranged in a fixed position on the base; and a second of said nose-like projections being arranged on a sliding catch, the sliding catch being supported by the base, the sliding catch including a handle that extends beyond the end face of the base,

2. The arrangement of claim 1 wherein the guide is in the form of a T-shaped strip on the housing, the T-shaped strip being adapted to be enclosed by a C- shaped portion of the base. 9

3. The arrangement of either claim 1 or 2, wherein said parts that co-operate with the snap-in attachment are in the form of two recesses, the spring tab of the snap-in attachment being provided with a cog that engages at least one of the two recesses when the base is attached to the housing.

4. The arrangement of any one of the preceding claims wherein the base is of approximately the same width as the housing. The arrangement of any one of claims 1 to 3 wherein the width of the base is a multiple of the width of the housing.

6. The arrangement according to claim 5 wherein the width of the base is three times the width of the housing.

7. The arrangement according to either claim 5 or 6 wherein the second of said nose-like projections includes a centrally-located sliding catch which facilitates attachment of the base to the mounting rail. i: The arrangement according to any one of claims 5 to 7 wherein a tab is assigned to each of the housings, and tabs being linked together so as to link the housings together.

9. An arrangement for connecting an electrical switch unit to a bus bar and for attaching the switch unit to a mounting rail, the arrangement being substantially as hereinbefore described and illustrated with reference to Figures 1 to 11 and 21 to 22 of the accompanying drawings. An arrangement for connecting an electrical switch unit to a bus bar and for attaching the switch unit to a mounting rail, the arrangement being substantially as hereinbefore described and illustrated with reference to Figures 12 to 20 and 21 to 22 of the accompanying drawings. DATED this 28h day of July, 2000 FELTEN GUILLEAUME AUSTRIA AG WATERMARK PATENT TRADEMARK ATTORNEYS 290 BURWOOD ROAD HAWTHORN VICTORIA 3122 AUSTRALIA SKP/RJS/MEH P11839AU00.DOC ai.. aa e a.* a a a