CN106449195B - Device for actuating a control element and electrical switch - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to a device (100) for operating an actuating element (910) of an electrical switch (900) having electrical contacts (920, 921). The device (100) comprises an arm (130) for operating a control element (910) of the electrical switch (900), the arm (130) being operatively connected to a mechanical bridge (200), The bridge (200) is capable of a linear movement along a fixed axis (500), wherein the bridge (200) consists of a first part (210) and a second part (220) in two parts, and The two parts ( 210 , 220 ) are movable along a fixed axis ( 500 ), the first part ( 210 ) of the bridge ( 200 ) is in operative connection with the arm ( 130 ), and the second part ( 210 ) The part (220) is held by a spring (600) on the first part (210), and wherein the second part (220) of the bridge (200) is held by a mechanical mechanism along a fixed axis (500) drive.

Description

Devices and electrical switches for operating controls

technical field

The present invention relates to a device for operating an actuating member of an electrical switch having electrical contacts, and an electrical switch having such a device.

Background technique

Electrical switches, in particular electrical power switches, are usually switched on and off using actuating elements. The actuating element here has at least one "off" and "on" position. The manipulator is usually operated by an operator. To remotely operate the actuating member of such an electrical switch, a motor drive is used, which can be mounted on the electrical switch and can actuate the actuating member. A distinction is made between motor drives, which are mounted directly on the front face of the actuating element, or which are formed laterally on the actuating element and actuate the actuating element by means of arms.

The electrical contacts of the switch can be switched on and off by manipulating the actuating member. The electrical contacts of the switch melt due to an overcurrent or overload condition so that the switch can no longer be switched to the "off" position. A hazardous situation has occurred in the motor drive such that a command to switch the electrical switch to the "off" position results in damage to the motor drive or the mechanical mechanism of the electrical switch.

There is also the danger that the switch will remain in a position adjacent to the "off" position, giving the operator the impression that the electrical switch has been switched off and no more current is flowing. In this case, safe control of the electrical switch is not possible for the operator.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The technical problem to be solved by the present invention is therefore to provide an improved device which enables particularly safe control by the operator of the electrical switch even in the event of melting of the contacts.

Said technical problem is solved according to the invention by a device for actuating an actuating element of an electrical switch with electrical contacts. Provision is made here for the device to comprise an arm for actuating the actuating element of the electrical switch, which arm is operatively connected to a mechanical bridge which is able to carry out a linear movement along a fixed axis, wherein the bridge is formed in two parts from a first part and a second part, and these two parts are movable along a fixed axis, the first part of the bridge is operatively connected to the arm, and The second part is held by a spring on the first part, and wherein the second part of the bridge is driven along a fixed axis by a mechanical mechanism.

The advantage of the device according to the invention is that in the event of a jamming or locking of the arm for actuating the actuating element (for example due to melting of the electrical contacts), due to the spring in the first position of the bridge A closed connection is formed between one part and the second part, thereby avoiding damage to the arm.

In one design of the device, the spring is designed to have a spring constant that allows the force applied during switching operations to be greater than the reaction force of the electrical switch, but not to exceed the maximum allowable switching force .

In one design of the device, the first part overcomes the spring force and is in contact with the electrical switch when the switching operation by the arm actuated by the bridge exceeds the reaction force of the electrical switch. The second part separates and the arm does not continue to move in the first direction. It is advantageous here to avoid damage to the arm or to the device or to the electrical switch.

In another design of the device, the spring is designed as a compression spring, and when the switching operation of the arm member driven by the bridge member exceeds the reaction force of the electrical switch, Energy is stored in the compressed compression spring. Alternatively, the spring can also be designed as a tension spring, and when the switching operation of the arm driven by the bridge exceeds the reaction force of the electrical switch, energy is stored in the stretched tension spring.

In one design of the device, the energy stored in the spring causes the arm to move in a second direction opposite to the first direction. This ensures, for example, that the actuating element is also moved into the "on" position when the contacts are melted, and thus the operator does not read an incorrect state of the actuating element of the electrical switch.

In another design of the device, the movement of the arm member in the first direction causes the operating member of the electrical switch to move toward the "off" position, and the movement of the arm member in the second direction causes all the The control member of the electrical switch is moved toward the "on" position.

In one configuration of the device, the mechanical mechanism comprises a driven wheel with a pin, wherein the pin cooperates with a projection on the second part of the bridge in order to drive the all The bridge described above.

According to the invention, the technical problem is also solved by an electrical switch having an actuating element for switching the electrical switch and the aforementioned device according to the invention, wherein the arm part of the device surrounds the surrounding area. the manipulation member, whereby movement of the arm member in a first direction moves the manipulation member of the electrical switch toward the "off" position, and movement of the arm member in a second direction causes the manipulation member of the electrical switch to move Move towards the "on" position.

Description of drawings

The above-mentioned nature, technical features and advantages of the present invention, as well as, for example, the manner and method of implementing said invention, will be more clearly and clearly described with the aid of the following detailed description of the embodiments with the aid of the accompanying drawings. In the attached image:

FIG. 1 shows a device for operating an operating element, said device having an arm and a bridge consisting of a first part and a second part;

Fig. 2 shows the device for operating the control element when the reaction force of the electrical switch is exceeded;

FIG. 3 shows a device for operating an actuating element with a compressed compression spring;

Figures 4A and 4B show a device for operating a handle with a compressed compression spring;

Figure 5 shows the apparatus for operating the handle after the stored energy causes the arm to move in the opposite direction; and

Figure 6 shows an electrical switch with a handle and an arm.

Detailed ways

A device 100 is shown in FIG. 1 for operating an actuating member 910 of an electrical switch 900 having electrical contacts 920 , 921 . The device 100 includes an arm member 130 for operating a manipulation member 910 of an electrical switch 900 . The controls are shown in detail in Figure 6, which shows the switch 900 with the electrical contacts 920, 921 and the controls 910. The electrical switch 900 can be switched to the "on" position or the "off" position by manipulating the manipulation member 910 . According to FIG. 6 , the actuating element 910 is, for example, in the “on” position in the right position, and switches to the left into the “off” position. The manipulator 910 is thus actuated by the device 100 , ie the arm 130 surrounds the manipulator 910 and the arm 130 performs a movement to the right or to the left. The arm member 130 has an opening 131 into which the manipulation member 910 protrudes.

According to FIG. 1 , the arm 130 corresponding to FIG. 6 is operatively connected with a mechanical bridge 200 which can perform a linear movement along a fixed axis 500 . The bridge 200 consists of a first part 210 and a second part 220 in two parts. The first part 210 and the second part 220 can thus also be moved along the fixed axis 500 . The first part 210 of the bridge part 200 is operatively connected to the arm part 130 . According to FIG. 1 , the arm 130 is mechanically rigidly mounted on the first part 210 of the bridge 200 .

The first part 210 of the bridge 200 is connected to the second part 220 , ie the spring 600 holds the second part 220 on the first part 210 . The spring 600 according to FIG. 1 pulls to the right and acts to press the first part 210 and the second part 220 together. As a complement, the device 100 also includes a mechanical mechanism that causes the second part 220 of the bridge 200 to be driven along the fixed axis 500 . According to FIG. 1 , the mechanical mechanism comprises a drive wheel 800 with a pin 810 , wherein the pin 810 cooperates with the projection 221 on the second part 220 of the bridge 200 . The projections 221 protrude from the lower part of the second part 220 of the bridge 200 according to FIG. 1 so that the pin 810 can push the bridge 200 in the first direction 510 according to FIG. 1 when the drive wheel 800 is rotated.

The spring constant of the spring 600 is designed such that the force applied when the switching operation is performed by the spring 600 is greater than the reaction force of the electrical switch 900 . This means that the selected spring constant is such that the first part 210 and the second part 220 of the bridge 200 are pressed by the spring 600 in the event that eg the contacts 920, 921 do not melt during normal and faultless switching together. In the event that the force at which the switch is operated is higher than the reaction force of the electrical switch 900 (such as occurs when the electrical contacts 920, 921 melt), the spring constant is configured such that the maximum allowable switching force is not exceeded. That is, when the electrical contacts 920 , 921 are melted, the first part 210 of the bridge 200 is disengaged with respect to the second part 220 .

This is shown in more detail in Figure 2, where the first part 210 of the bridge 200 is separated relative to the second part 220 as depicted. For example, the melted electrical contacts 920, 921 cause the manipulation member 910 to not fully switch to the "off" position based on the melted electrical contacts 920, 921. In this case, it may occur that the first part 210 is separated from the second part 220 when the compression spring 600 is squeezed. This means that the arm member 130 is no longer moved in the first direction 510 , but stores energy in the compressed compression spring 600 .

The second part 210 of the bridge 200 is shown in FIG. 3 further away from the first part 210 than in the view of FIG. 2 . This allows more energy to be stored in the spring 600, which is compressed further as a compression spring.

Figure 4A also shows the bridge 200 having a first part 210 and a second part 220 that are separated based on the contacts 920, 921 being stuck (eg due to melting).

Figure 4B shows a view of the arm 130 that can operate the actuating member 910 of the electrical switch 900, and also shows the bridge 200 with the first part 210 and the second part 220 separated from each other.

As shown in FIG. 5 , the energy previously stored in the spring 600 is released and the bridge 200 moves along the fixed axis 500 in the second direction 520 opposite to the first direction 510 . The pin 810 no longer interacts with the projection 221 on the second part 220 of the bridge 200 because the pin 810 is spatially distant from the bridge 200 due to the circular movement of its drive wheel 800 , so that interaction is no longer achieved.

The energy in the compressed compression spring 600 is already so great that the arm member 130 pulls the manipulation member 910 back to the original position. This is typically the "on" position, thereby indicating to the operator that the device 100 cannot switch the electrical switch 900 to the "off" position. The position of the actuating member 910 thus corresponds to the state of the electrical contacts 920, 921 which cannot be separated from each other due to melting. The operator then knows that the electrical switch 900 has a functional failure and can purposefully overcome the functional failure.

The device 100 may have a tension spring instead of a compression spring, wherein the energy of the driven arm 130 is stored in the form of tension spring tension.

Advantageously, in order to actuate the actuating element 910 of the electrical switch 900 it is avoided that the device 100 exerts an excessive force on the actuating element 910 by means of the motor drive, so that the switching mechanism of the electrical switch 900 is damaged. Likewise, the device 100 also ensures that the position of the handle 910 corresponds to the actual physical state of the contacts 920, 921. Damage to the motor drive when the contacts 920 , 921 melt is also avoided by the device 100 . For example, the arm 130 has a certain length when the device 100 is mounted sideways on the switch 510, and thus also has a certain degree of leverage, allowing the switch to deform or bend. From the state of FIG. 5 it is clearly shown to the operator that there is a fault in the electrical switch 900 . In addition, the fault can also be queried via the microswitch, so that it can be shown in the remote access that the electrical switch 900 has a functional fault.

Claims (8)

1. A device (100) for operating a lever (910) of an electrical switch (900) having electrical contacts (920, 921), characterized in that the device (100) comprises an arm (130) for operating the lever (910) of the electrical switch (900), the arm (130) being in operative connection with a mechanical bridge (200), the bridge (200) being capable of performing a linear movement along a fixed axis (500), wherein the bridge (200) is formed in two parts from a first part (210) and a second part (220), and both parts (210, 220) are movable along the fixed axis (500), the first part (210) of the bridge (200) being in operative connection with the arm (130), and the second part (220) being held by a spring (600) on the first part (210), and wherein, the second part (220) of the bridge (200) is driven along a fixed axis (500) by a mechanical mechanism, wherein, in case a reaction force of the electrical switch (900) is exceeded when a switching operation is performed by the arm (130) driven by the bridge (200), the first part (210) is separated from the second part (220) against a spring force, and the arm (130) no longer continues to move in the first direction (510).

2. The device (100) according to claim 1, wherein the spring (600) is designed with a spring constant that allows for an applied force that is larger than the reaction force of the electrical switch (900) but does not exceed a maximum allowed switching force when performing a switching operation.

3. Device (100) according to claim 1, wherein the spring (600) is designed as a pressure spring and energy is stored in the compressed pressure spring in case the reaction force of the electrical switch (900) is exceeded when the arm (130) driven by the bridge (200) performs a switching operation.

4. The device (100) according to claim 1, wherein the spring (600) is designed as a tension spring and energy is stored in the stretched tension spring in case the reaction force of the electrical switch (900) is exceeded when the arm (130) driven by the bridge (200) performs a switching operation.

5. The apparatus (100) of claim 3 or 4, wherein the arm (130) is moved in a second direction (520) against the first direction (510) by energy stored in the spring (600).

6. The apparatus (100) of claim 5, wherein movement of the arm (130) in a first direction (510) moves the handle (910) of the electrical switch (900) toward an "off" position, and movement of the arm (130) in a second direction (520) moves the handle (910) of the electrical switch (900) toward an "on" position.

7. The device (100) according to claim 1, wherein the mechanical mechanism comprises a driven wheel (800) with a peg (810), wherein the peg (810) co-acts with a protrusion (221) on the second part (220) of the bridge (200) in order to drive the bridge (200).

8. An electrical switch (900) having a control member (910) for switching the electrical switch (900) and an apparatus (100) according to any of the preceding claims, wherein an arm member (130) of the apparatus (100) surrounds the control member (910) such that movement of the arm member (130) in a first direction (510) moves the control member (910) of the electrical switch (900) towards an "off" position and movement of the arm member (130) in a second direction (520) moves the control member (910) of the electrical switch (900) towards an "on" position.

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