CH683468A5 - Switching device electromagnetically controlled opening poles. - Google Patents

Description

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Description

The present invention relates to an electromagnetic control switch device of the contactor type, comprising in a housing:

- an electromagnet composed of an excitation coil and a magnetic circuit formed by a fixed armature and a movable armature urged by a return spring;

- A plurality of opening poles each provided with a bridge of movable contacts cooperating with fixed contacts;

- A contact carrier block having a row of identical parallel recesses, in number equal to or greater than the number of opening poles, in which the movable contact bridges are engaged, each subject to a contact pressure spring, the contact carrier being integral with the movable armature of the electromagnet and being movable in translation between a rest position in which the contacts are normally closed and a working position in which the contacts open by attraction of the movable armature the fixed armature during excitation of the coil.

Such a switch device with several openings, for example four in number, is described in patent FR-1,523,839. According to this patent, the recesses of the contact carrier have a rectangular shape and house, for each pole when opened, an auxiliary part fixed relative to the housing and to which one of the ends of the contact pressure spring is applied, the other end of said spring being applied to the bridge of movable contacts. These auxiliary parts have the function of constituting fixed supports for the associated contact pressure springs and therefore of wedging the contact bridges so as to annihilate, at the start of the displacement of the contact carrier actuated by the electromagnet and before opening of the contacts, the resistant forces due to the contact pressure springs.

However, these individual auxiliary parts, in number equal to the number of poles with opening, are generally mounted manually one by one in the recesses of the contact carrier, hence a relatively long overall assembly time. In addition, the mounting of the auxiliary parts as well as that of the contact pressure springs and of the movable contact bridges in housings of rectangular shape each time constitute a particularly difficult operation to execute.

The object of the invention is to remedy these drawbacks and to produce a switch with several poles with opening of the type mentioned above by equipping it with the same piece of simple structure which is common to all the poles with opening to serve fixed support for the contact pressure springs associated with movable opening contact bridges, and which allows, by its design and that of the contact carrier, easy mounting, capable of automation, opening contact bridges and their respective springs in the recesses of the contact carrier.

According to the invention, an electromagnetic control switch device of the type described above, is more particularly characterized in that:

- The recesses of the contact carrier are U-shaped opening outwards, on the side of the movable frame of the electromagnet, these U-shaped recesses forming between them isolation partitions;

a plate for wedging the movable contact bridges is interposed between the contact carrier and the movable armature of the electromagnet, so as to cap the U-shaped recesses of the contact carrier, this plate being fixedly mounted in the housing in order to constitute a fixed support for the contact pressure springs housed in the recesses and placed in support of the associated movable contact bridges, and being pierced with cells allowing the passage of the isolation partitions of the contact carrier during the movement of the latter, which contact carrier being linked to the movable armature of the electromagnet by suitable assembly means.

Other characteristics and advantages of the invention will appear more clearly in the detailed description which follows and which refers to the appended drawings given solely by way of example and in which:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the housing of a multipole contactor according to the invention;

Fig. 2 is an exploded perspective view, after removal of the housing cover, of the components of the contactor;

Fig. 3 is a schematic front elevation view of the contactor in the rest position, a closing pole being shown in dashes;

Fig. 4 is a side elevation view of the contact carrier / electromagnet assembly, in the rest position of the contactor of FIG. 3;

Figs. 5 and 6 are identical views respectively in FIGS. 3 and 4, the contactor being in the working position;

Fig. 7 is an exploded perspective view on a larger scale of the contact carrier / wedge plate assembly of the opening contact bridges;

Fig. 8 is a schematic elevation view of the contactor housing in the assembly phase of its cover with its base; and

Fig. 9 shows, as a function of the travel of the movable armature of the electromagnet, the diagram of the resistant forces in the case of the opening contacts once set and for a given motor torque of the electromagnet.

In an exemplary embodiment, the electromagnetic control switch device illustrated in the figures is a four-pole contactor with two opening poles and two closing poles.

For the sake of clarity for the remainder of the description, we will first describe the constitution of the two opening poles and the two closing poles, referring to FIGS. 3 and 4.

Each of the two opening poles is made up of a contact bridge denoted PR and constituted by a bar 1 biased by a contact pressure spring 2 and carrying in bridge two movable contacts with opening R occupying a so-called normal position5

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closed with two fixed contacts R 'when the contactor is in the rest state (electromagnet not energized).

As for the two closing poles, each of them consists of a contact bridge noted PP and constituted by a bar 3 biased by a contact pressure spring 4 and carrying in bridge two movable closing contacts P occupying a so-called position normally open with two fixed contacts P 'when the contactor is in the rest state.

The four-pole contactor illustrated in fig. 1 comprises a modular housing 10 composed of a base 11 and a cover 12 molded in plastic material and mutually snap-on. The base 11 of the housing comprises a bottom 13 provided with means suitable for mounting in particular on a standardized profile.

The housing 10 is moreover provided with power terminals A1-A4 and B1-B4, and control terminals As, B5.

In fig. 2, the cover 12 has been removed and the various constituent elements of the contactor can be seen, namely mainly a control electromagnet 15 and a movable contact carrier block 16.

The power terminals A1-A4 and B1-B4 and of control As, Bs have screw clamping parts 17 secured with fixed contact parts 18 (fig. 3 and 5) and separated from each other by partitions 20 of the base. 11.

As seen in fig. 2, the electromagnet 15 is composed of a coil 22 wound on a molded carcass 23 and a magnetic circuit formed by a fixed armature 24 and a movable armature 25. The two armatures 24, 25 are identical , have an E shape and are formed from magnetic sheets cut and assembled, for example by rivets. A spiral return spring 26 is mounted between the movable frame 25 and the coil holder carcass 23.

The contact block 16, better visible in FIGS. 4, 6 and 7, comprises a molded insulating cage 28 of approximately parallelepiped shape having two superimposed rows of recesses or windows, four in number per row in this embodiment.

The recesses in the lower row, identified at 30 in FIGS. 4, 6 and 7, have a rectangular shape and are intended to receive the two movable contact bridges with PP closure. In this example, the two contact bridges PP are engaged respectively in the two intermediate recesses 30 of said row, contacts P directed upwards, and are each supported by the associated contact pressure spring 4 hooked on a stud 31 provided at the base of the recess 30.

On the other hand, the recesses in the upper row, identified at 34 in FIGS. 4, 6 and 7, are U-shaped opening outwards, as visible in FIG. 7, and are intended to receive the two movable contact bridges with opening PR. In this example, the two PR contact bridges are engaged respectively in the two end recesses 34 of said row, contacts R directed downwards, and each support, by their face opposite to the contacts, the associated contact pressure spring 2.

As shown in fig. 7, the cage 28 of the contact carrier 16 is bordered laterally by two external walls 35 extending vertically and comprises vertical internal isolation partitions 36, here three in number, separating between them the recesses 34 in U.

The U-shape of these recesses 34 of the contact carrier has the advantage of facilitating the mounting, by simple descent, of the movable contact bridges with opening PR and of the compression springs 2 in these recesses, as can be seen in the fig. 7.

According to the invention, an insulating plate 39, for example of rectangular shape, is arranged in the form of a cap or cap over the recesses 34 in U of the contact carrier 16 and is fixedly mounted in the housing 10, so that the contact pressure springs 2 associated with the movable contact bridges with opening PR each bear, on the one hand, on the contact bridge PR, on the other hand, on the underside 39a of the fixed plate 39.

As seen in fig. 7, the plate 39 is pierced with cells 40, here three in number, of the same shape as the isolation partitions 36 of the contact carrier 16 and intended to allow the free passage of these during a displacement in translation of the contact carrier 16 under the action of the electromagnet.

As shown in fig. 3 and 5, the perforated plate 39 extends on either side of the contact holder 16 and is applied flat by its lower face 39a to fixed supports 42 provided in the base of the housing. In one embodiment, the cover 12 of the housing, fig. 8, is internally provided with vertical retaining tabs 44 which are applied to the upper face 39b of the plate 39 during fitting of the cover so as to hold the plate 39 in place, see fig. 3 and 5.

It should be noted that the plate 39 could be made integral with the base of the housing using other suitable means of fixing such as, for example, screws, without thereby departing from the spirit of the invention .

The plate 39 therefore constitutes a simple piece serving as a fixed support common to the contact pressure springs associated with the movable contact bridges with opening PR, which opening contact bridges are thus wedged, in order to allow a reduction in the forces resistant to start of contact carrier movement.

When assembling the contactor, fig. 2, the movable armature 25 at E of the electromagnet 15 is mounted over the plate 39 while being oriented in the lengthwise direction of the base 11 of the housing and is made integral with the contact carrier 16 to the using appropriate means of assembly.

In an exemplary embodiment illustrated in FIGS. 3, 4, 5 and 6, these assembly means comprise a transverse key 46 (fig. 3, 5) which is mounted integrally in a groove 47 provided at the foot of the central branch of the movable frame 25 at E and which is provided with two appropriate support conformations 48 (fig. 4, 6) projecting on either side of the frame 25 and being housed in abutment

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under two retaining wings 49 respectively surmounting two isolation partitions 36 of the contact carrier 16.

It should be noted that an insulating film (not shown) can be interposed between the movable armature 25 of the electromagnet and the plate 39 in order to increase the vanishing lines.

As shown in fig. 2, the wafer 39 further comprises, on either side of the contact carrier 16, retaining orifices 51 intended to receive latching lugs 52 molded with the coil holder carcass 23. Thus, the wafer 39 also acts as a support for fixing the bobbin case 23.

In fig. 2, there is shown at 54 a pivoting display lever having an arm carrying at the end a display element 55 capable of appearing opposite a window 56 (fig. 1) formed in a prominent central part or nose 12a of the cover. 12 and intended to indicate the operating state of the contactor. The pivoting lever 54, fig. 2, is mounted, on the one hand, by means of two pins 58 on a piece in the shape of a fork 59 secured to the assembly key provided on the movable frame 25 and, on the other hand, by means of two pins 60, of which only one is visible in FIG. 2, on a hooking piece 61 with two claws 61a vertically surmounting the plate 39 by being integral with the latter; the pivoting lever 54 is shaped so that a displacement in translation of the movable armature 25 of the electromagnet of the contactor causes a rotation of the display element 55 in order to bring it opposite the window 56 or clear it from this window.

Preferably, the hooking part 61 integral with the perforated plate 39 comes from molding with the latter. Thus, the plate 39 therefore also serves, by its attachment piece 61, as a support for the display lever 54.

During the assembly of the contactor, the contact holder 16 housing the movable contact bridges with PP closure and with PR opening associated with their respective compression springs is capped by the perforated plate 39, which is immobilized by the joining of the movable frame 25 at E with the contact carrier 16 using the assembly key 46; the pivoting display lever 54 is mounted on the parts 59, 61 and the spiral return spring 26 is engaged around the central branch of the movable frame 25 at E, see fig. 2.

The subassembly thus formed is then introduced into its housing of the base 11, the plate 39 lying flat on the fixed supports 42 of the base (fig. 3 and 5); the bobbin case 23, fig. 2, is placed on the spring 26 and is then snapped on with the elements 51, 52 on the plate 39 with compression of the spring 26.

After fitting the fixed frame 24 at E on the carcass 23, the central branch of the E being introduced into a recess 63 (fig. 2) provided in the carcass 23, and introduction of the fixed contact parts 18 and of the clamping parts 17 in their housings in the base, the cover 12 is placed as indicated by the arrow A in FIG. 8 with the holding tabs 44 applying to the plate 39 (fig. 3

and 5); at the end of mounting the cover on the base, the fixed frame 24 at E is housed in the nose 12a of the cover 12.

It will be indicated that the plate 39 may also include insulating skirts (not shown) acting as partitions between breaking chambers in order to establish a baffle effect at the level thereof.

In the rest position illustrated in fig. 3, the contacts R, R 'are normally closed with a contact pressure exerted by the springs 2, and the contacts P, P' are normally open.

The contactor reaches the working position shown in fig. 5 when the coil 22 of the electromagnet 15 is excited. By this excitation, the fixed armature 24 of the magnetic circuit attracts towards it the mobile armature 25 which rises and drives, in translation, the contact carrier 16 and therefore the PR and PP bridges, the partitions 36 of the contact carrier passing through the cells 40 of the fixed plate 39, until the contacts R, R 'are opened and the contacts P, P' are closed, then the crushing of springs 2, 4 associated respectively with PR, PP bridges.

Fig. 9 shows, as a function of the stroke C of the movable armature of the electromagnet, the forces F to be overcome to move the contactor from its rest position (fig. 3) to its working position (fig. 5 ) by attaching only to the movable contacts with opening R, and this, for a given motor torque of the electromagnet as shown in I in FIG. 9.

In this same fig. 9, there is shown in II the corresponding diagram of the resistant forces to be overcome by the electromagnet which firstly decompose into a first force Fi due only to the spiral spring 26 at the start of the displacement of the contact carrier driven by the 'movable armature, and this until the opening of the contacts R, R' at the point noted O in fig. 9; the movable contact bridges with opening being wedged, that is to say supported by the contact pressure springs mounted in fixed support on the plate, the forces due to these springs are completely annihilated at the start of the movement of the contact carrier .

It should be noted that, thanks to the fixed wedging plate of the movable contacts with opening, a resistant force is obtained at the start of the electromagnet which is strictly identical to that of a movable contact with closure, which allows d '' use a single return spring of the electromagnet whatever the composition of the contacts retained for the contactor.

After opening of the contacts R, R ', the electromagnet must then overcome a second force noted F2 in fig. 9 and equal to the sum of the force due to the spiral spring 26 and the forces due to the compression springs 2 associated with the movable contact bridges with opening PR.

It goes without saying that the invention described above is not limited to a four-pole contactor with two opening poles and two closing poles. It also applies to a four-pole four-pole contactor with opening and, more generally, to any multipole electromagnetic switch comprising several opening poles with or without mixed closing poles.

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Claims (6)

Claims 1. Electromagnetic control switch device, comprising in a housing: - an electromagnet (15) composed of an excitation coil 5 (22) and a magnetic circuit formed by a fixed armature (24) and a movable armature (25) urged by a return spring (26); - A plurality of opening poles each provided with a movable contact bridge (PR) cooperating with fixed contacts (R '); - a contact-carrying block (16) having a row of identical parallel recesses (34), in number equal to or greater than the number of opening poles, in which the movable contact bridges (PR) are engaged, each subject to a spring contact pressure (2), the contact carrier (16) being integral with the movable frame (25) of the electromagnet and being movable in translation between a rest position in which the contacts (R, R ' ) are normally closed and a working position in which the contacts (R, R ') open does not attract the movable armature (25) by the fixed armature (24) during the excitation of the coil (22 ); characterized in that: - The recesses (34) of the contact carrier (16) are U-shaped opening towards the outside, on the side of the movable frame of the electromagnet, these U-shaped recesses forming isolation partitions between them. (36); - a plate (39) for wedging the movable contact bridges (PR) is interposed between the contact carrier (16) and the movable frame (25) of the electromagnet, so as to cap the recesses (34) U-shaped contact carrier, this plate (39) being fixedly mounted in the housing to form a fixed support for the contact pressure springs (2) housed in the recesses (34) and placed in support of movable contact bridges associated (PR), and being pierced with cells (40) allowing the passage of the isolation partitions (36) of the contact carrier (16) during movement of the latter, which contact carrier being linked to the movable frame of the electromagnet by suitable means of assembly. 2. Switching device according to claim 1, for which the housing consists of a base (11) and a cover (12), characterized in that the plate (39) extends on either side of the contact carrier (16), in a plane perpendicular to the direction of movement of the contact carrier, that the base (11) of the housing has fixed supports (42) on which is applied flat, on either side of the door -contacts, a first face (39a) of the plate (39) located on the contact side, and that the cover (12) has internally retaining tabs (44) applying to a second face (39b) of the plate (39) opposite the first. 3. Switching device according to claim 2, in which the fixed (24) and mobile (25) armatures of the electromagnet are E-shaped, characterized in that the E-shaped armatures (24, 25) are arranged in the direction of the length of the base (11), and that the means for assembling the movable armature (25) at E with the contact carrier (16) comprise a transverse key (46) which is mounted integrally in a groove (47) provided at the foot of the central branch of the frame (25) at E and which is provided with two appropriate conformations (48) projecting on either side of the frame (25) and being housed in abutment under two retaining wings (49) respectively surmounting two isolation partitions (36) of the contact carrier (16). 4. Switching device according to claim 3, wherein the cover (12) of the housing has a front face (12a) provided with a window (56) for viewing the state of the device, characterized in that a pivoting viewing lever (54) is carried by two attachment members (59, 61), one of which (59) is integral with one of the conformation of the key (46) of the movable frame (25) in E and the other (61) of which is integral with the plate (39), said lever (54) being provided with a display element (55) capable of being carried opposite the window (56) or of be free from it. 5. Switching device according to one of claims 2 to 4, in which the excitation coil (22) is carried by a carcass (23), characterized in that the plate (39) further comprises, on either side of the contact carrier, retaining orifices (51) into which lugs are introduced. 'snap (52) formed on the coil holder carcass (23), so that the plate (39) also serves as a support for fixing the carcass (23). 6. Switching device according to claims 4 and 5, characterized in that the perforated plate (39) and the attachment member (61) which is integral with it, constitute a single piece made by molding in an insulating material. 5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40 45 50 55 60 65 5