CN111834170A

CN111834170A - Compact protection switch device

Info

Publication number: CN111834170A
Application number: CN202010304841.7A
Authority: CN
Inventors: F.博伊科; P.卡尔; G.诺尔; S.皮尔柯; B.施米德
Original assignee: Siemens AG
Current assignee: Siemens AG
Priority date: 2019-04-17
Filing date: 2020-04-17
Publication date: 2020-10-27
Also published as: DE202019001746U1; EP3726560A1

Abstract

The compact protective switching device of the invention has an insulating material housing with a front side, a fixed side and a first and a second narrow side and a wide side only at a width of one division unit. The circuit breaker arrangement has a first current path which can be interrupted by means of a first switching contact and which has a first input connection and a first output connection. The circuit breaker arrangement has a second current path which can be interrupted by means of a second switching contact and which has a second input connection and a second output connection. The protective switching device has a device for detecting a short circuit and a device for detecting an overload, which are associated with the first current path in order to interrupt the first current path in the event of a short circuit or an overload. In the region of the first narrow side, only the first input-side connection can contact the phase conductor, while in the region of the second narrow side the remaining connections can be contacted, wherein the second input connection leads out of the insulating material housing. In this way, the protective switching device can be integrated more simply into the bus bar network.

Description

Compact protection switch device

Technical Field

The invention relates to a compact protective switching device having an insulating material housing which has only a width of one division unit, the insulating material housing having a front side, a fastening side opposite to the front side, and a first and a second narrow side and a wide side connecting the front side and the fastening side, a first current path for contacting a first connecting conductor and a second current path for contacting a second connecting conductor being arranged in the protective switching device. In this case, the first current path having the first input-side connection and the first output-side connection can be interrupted by means of a first switching contact arranged in the first current path. Correspondingly, the second current path having the second input-side connection and the second output-side connection can be interrupted by means of a second switching contact arranged in the second current path.

Background

Electromechanical protective switching devices, such as circuit breakers, line protection switches, fault current protection switches and arc or fire protection switches, are used for monitoring and protecting electrical circuits and are used in particular as switches and safety elements in electrical supply and distribution networks. In order to monitor and protect the electrical circuit, the protective switching device is connected in an electrically conductive manner to the electrical line of the electrical circuit to be monitored via two or more connection terminals in order to interrupt the current in the respective monitored line if necessary. For this purpose, the protective switching device has at least one switching contact which can be opened when a predefined state occurs, for example when a short circuit or a fault current is detected, in order to disconnect the monitored circuit from the power network. The protective switching device is also used as a batch installation device in the field of low-voltage technology

And are known.

Circuit breakers are specifically designed for high currents. Line protection switches (so-called LS switches), also called "Miniature circuit breakers" (MCBs), are so-called overcurrent protection devices in electrical installations (elektronisetralization) and are used in particular in the field of low-voltage networks. Circuit breakers and line protection switches ensure a safe disconnection in the event of a short circuit and protect the consumers and systems from overload. In this way, for example, the electrical lines are protected against damage due to too intense heating as a result of excessive currents.

A fault current protection switch is a protection device for ensuring protection against dangerous fault currents in electrical equipment. Such fault currents, also referred to as current differences, occur when the live line sections are in electrical contact with earth. This is the case, for example, when a person touches a live part of an electrical apparatus: in this case, the current flows as a fault current through the body of the person concerned to ground. In order to protect against such body currents, fault current protection switches must quickly and reliably separate the electrical device from all poles of the power network when such fault currents occur. In the general expression, instead of the term "fault Current protection switch", the terms "FI protection switch" (shortly: FI switch), "Current difference protection switch" (shortly: DI switch) or RCD ("Residual Current Protective Device") are equally used.

Furthermore, there are also device configurations which combine the functionality of a fault current protection switch with the functionality of a line protection switch: such combined protective switching devices are called FI/LS in german or RCBO (residual current operated Circuit-Breaker with Overcurrent protection, leakage current operated Circuit Breaker with Overcurrent protection) in english. These combined devices have the advantage, compared to separate fault current and line protection switches, that each circuit has its own fault current protection switch: generally, one fault current protection switch is used for a plurality of circuits. Thus, if a fault current occurs, all protected circuits are continuously shut off. By using RCBO only the respectively relevant circuit is switched off.

In order to detect such fault currents or current differences, the magnitude of the current in the line leading to the consumer (e.g. the phase conductor) is compared with the magnitude of the current in the line returning from the consumer (e.g. the neutral conductor) by means of a so-called total current transformer. The overall current transformer has a toroidal core through which the primary conductors (outgoing and return electrical lines) pass. The magnetic core itself is surrounded by a secondary conductor or secondary winding. In the state of no fault current, the sum of the currents flowing to the consumers is equal to the sum of the currents flowing back from the consumers. If the currents are added vectorially, i.e. in a direction-dependent manner or in a signed manner, then it follows that, in the state of no fault current, the signed sum of the currents in the outgoing and return lines is equal to zero: no induced current is induced in the secondary conductor. In contrast, in the case of a fault current or a current difference to ground, the sum of the outgoing and the return currents detected in the overall current transformer is not equal to zero. The current difference occurring here results in a voltage being induced on the secondary winding which is proportional to the current difference, as a result of which a secondary current flows in the secondary winding. This secondary current serves as a fault current signal and, after exceeding a predetermined value, causes the protective switching device to be triggered, thus breaking the correspondingly protected circuit by opening at least one switching contact of the protective switching device.

For interrupting a single phase conductor, a single-pole line protection switch is usually used, which usually has a width of one division unit (corresponding to about 18 mm). For a three-phase junction, a three-pole line protection switch is used (as an alternative to three single-pole switching devices), which correspondingly has a width of three division units (corresponding to about 54 mm). In this case, each of the three phase conductors is associated with a pole, i.e. a switching point. If, in addition to three phase conductors, the neutral conductor is to be interrupted further, this is a so-called four-pole device, which has four switching points: three for three phase conductors and one for a common neutral conductor. For single-phase applications, there are correspondingly so-called "1 + N" devices which have two switching points, a first switching point for interrupting the phase conductor and another switching point for interrupting the neutral conductor associated with the phase conductor.

Since the installation space available is usually very limited in the case of applications in electrical installation technology systems, for example in electrical installation distributors, there is a need to design the protective switchgear as compactly as possible, for example by using compact "1 + N" systems having a width of only one division unit. In principle, compact protective switching devices with a narrow design are known in advance, for example from documents EP 1191562B 1, EP 1473750 a1 or DE 102004034859 a 1. On the other hand, more and more functions are integrated into the device, or a combined device is developed that covers the functional range of a plurality of single devices: thus, for example, there are the FI/LS protection switching devices already mentioned above, which combine the functional range of a conventional fault current protection switch (FI) with the functional range of a line protection switch (LS). Attempts are likewise made to integrate the function of the fire protection switch into existing devices, for example MCBs, RCDs or RCBO/FILS. Such combined devices with a narrow construction are known, for example, from documents DE 102014208564 a1, EP 3358594 a1 or WO 2018/141866 a 1. In addition, higher and higher rated current intensities are to be achieved in order to expand more application areas. These developments all lead to the fact that, with an ever increasing functional range, less and less structural space is available inside the switchgear. Furthermore, it is to be noted that during the reinstallation or when the protective switching device is replaced, the installation effort is kept as small as possible.

Disclosure of Invention

The object of the present invention is therefore to provide a compact switching device which at least partially improves the above-mentioned problems.

According to the invention, the above technical problem is solved by a compact protection switching device according to the invention. Advantageous embodiments of the protective switching device according to the invention are the subject matter of the following description.

The compact protective switching device according to the invention has an insulating material housing which has a width of only one division unit. The insulating material housing has, in terms thereof, a front side, a fastening side opposite the front side, and first and second narrow sides and first and second wide sides connecting the front side and the fastening side. The protective switching device also has a first current path which, in terms of the first current path, has a first input-side terminal for contacting the phase conductor and a first output-side terminal, wherein the first current path can be interrupted by means of the first switching contact. The protective switching device also has a second current path which, in terms of the second current path, has a second input-side connection for contacting the neutral conductor and a second output-side connection, wherein the second current path can be interrupted by means of a second switching contact. The protective switching device also has a device for detecting a short circuit and a device for detecting an overload, which are associated with the first current path in order to interrupt the first current path in the event of a short circuit or an overload. In the region of the first narrow side, only the first input-side connection can contact the phase conductor associated therewith, while in the region of the second narrow side, the second input-side connection, which is an electrical conductor, can contact both the second input-side connection and the two output-side connections, the second input-side connection leading out of the insulating material housing.

The insulating material housing is constructed in a narrow structural manner, i.e. with a width of only 1 division unit (corresponding to approximately 18mm), and with four connections, respectively two input-side connections and two output-side connections, which are provided for contacting two external connection conductors, namely a phase conductor and a neutral conductor. In this case, the terminals are each arranged in the region of the narrow side in such a way that they are accessible from the outside, so that the external connecting conductor can be guided there to the insulating material housing and connected in an electrically conductive manner to the respectively associated terminal. Two current paths are formed inside the insulating material housing, each of which connects one of the input-side terminals to the output-side terminal associated with the terminal in an electrically conductive manner. Each of the two current paths has a switching contact which is arranged in the respective current path and can be opened and closed in order to interrupt the respective current path if required. In this case, the two switching contacts are accommodated and held in an insulating material housing and can be operated by means of a switching mechanism.

In the region of the first narrow side, only one of the four joints is formed, while the remaining three joints are formed in the region of the second narrow side arranged opposite the first narrow side. The following advantages are thereby obtained: one of the connections arranged in the region of the first narrow side can be designed to be larger, in particular wider, so that the busbar can also touch, i.e. can be connected to, the connection, if necessary. In this way, the protective switching device according to the invention can be installed in a bus bar network together with other mass-installed devices. Thereby, the installation overhead is significantly reduced. The phases are typically connected via a bus bar. The first current path can thus be contacted, i.e. connected, on the input side via the first input-side connection with a phase conductor, which is provided, for example, via a busbar. Correspondingly, the second current path serves for contacting and interrupting the neutral conductor, wherein the electrical conductor leading out of the insulating material housing usually serves as an input connection.

The embodiment of the second input-side terminal as an electrical conductor also has the following advantages: it is not necessary to arrange three connection terminals in the region of the second narrow side, which would lead to a significantly higher complexity due to the narrow space conditions in particular in compact protective switching devices. This problem can be avoided by configuring the second input-side connection as a so-called "Pigtail" (Pigtail), i.e. a conductor leading out of the housing. Construction and installation costs are thereby reduced.

In an advantageous embodiment of the protective switching device, the protective switching device also has a device for detecting a fault arc, which is accommodated and held in the insulating material housing. By means of the device for detecting a fault arc, the function of a fire protection switch can be integrated into the compact protection switching device in order to interrupt the first and second switching contacts in the event of a fault arc. In this way, a compact combination device can be realized which extends the functionality of the fire protection switch over the functionality of a "1 + N" type fault current protection switch.

In a further advantageous embodiment of the protective switching device, the protective switching device also has a device for detecting fault currents, which is accommodated and held in the insulating material housing. By means of the device for detecting a fault current, the function of a fault current protection switch can be integrated into the compact protection switching device in order to interrupt the first and second switching contacts in the event of a fault current. In this way, a compact combination device, such as an RCBO/FILS or LSDI, can be realized, to which the function of the fire protection switch is extended if necessary.

In a further advantageous embodiment of the protective switching device, the protective switching device also has a means for communication with a receiving unit arranged outside the protective switching device. By means of the communication device, data can be transmitted to and received from an external receiving unit. In this way, the compact protection switching device can be provided with communication capabilities and incorporated into corresponding communication and data models to obtain raw or summary data of the distribution network defined by the electrical installation.

In a further advantageous embodiment of the protective switching device, the second input-side connection is designed as a flexible litz wire. In this way, the installation overhead is further reduced.

In a further advantageous embodiment of the protective switching device, the first input-side connection is designed as a screw connection. Through the use of the screw terminal, the following advantages are obtained: the screw terminal is suitable not only for contacting a busbar, but also for contacting a flexible connecting conductor. In this way, different connection modes can be considered according to the application.

In a further advantageous embodiment of the protective switching device, the first narrow side has a first opening for the phase conductor to pass through in order to bring the phase conductor into electrically conductive contact with the first current path by means of a screw terminal arranged behind it. The opening formed on the narrow side, which is only of the size of the connection conductor to be connected to the protective switching device, serves as a safe touch protection in order to effectively avoid unintentional contact with a possibly live connection terminal arranged behind it. According to the invention, only one opening is formed in the region of the first narrow side, since only the first input-side connection is arranged here, so that the first connection conductor is connected in an electrically conductive manner to the first current path on the input side.

In a further advantageous embodiment of the protective switching device, the output-side terminal, which can be contacted in the region of the second narrow side, is designed as a screw terminal or as a screwless terminal. The two output-side connections are arranged in the region of a second narrow side opposite the first narrow side. For this purpose narrow connection terminals can be used as already used in existing compact devices. Development, warehousing and logistics costs can be significantly reduced by the resulting use of identical parts in the sense of modular design.

In a further advantageous embodiment of the protective switching device, the insulating material housing has a first section for the first current path and a second section for the second current path. The two sections are arranged next to one another and each extend from a first narrow side to a second narrow side, wherein the first switching contact and the device for detecting a short circuit and the device for detecting an overload are arranged in the first section. The first current path substantially passes through the first segment while the second current path substantially passes through the second segment. By means of the device for detecting a short circuit and/or an overload arranged in the first section, the first current path can be interrupted quickly and safely by means of the first switching contact in the event of a short circuit and/or overload situation. In this way, the function of a line protection switch can be implemented in the first section.

In a further advantageous embodiment of the protective switching device, the device for detecting a fault arc is arranged on a circuit board, which is arranged in the first section or in the second section or in both sections. The use of circuit boards makes it possible to design the measuring devices, evaluation logic and, if appropriate, triggering devices required for fault arc detection in a compact manner. Depending on the size, the circuit board can be arranged in one of the two sections of the insulating material housing or in both sections, thereby considerably simplifying the spatial distribution of the individual components of the compact protective switching device.

In a further advantageous embodiment of the circuit breaker arrangement, the means for detecting fault currents and/or the means for communicating are arranged completely or partially on the circuit board. By integrating the device for detecting fault currents and/or the device for communication on a circuit board which is otherwise required for carrying out fault arc detection, a compact design can be achieved, thereby making better use of the available installation space.

Drawings

Hereinafter, embodiments of the compact protection switching apparatus will be described in more detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. In the drawings:

fig. 1 shows a schematic topology of a compact protection switching device according to the present invention;

fig. 2 shows a schematic topology of the protection switching device of fig. 1 with extended functionality;

fig. 3 and 4 show schematic block diagrams of a compact protection switching device in different side views;

in different ones of the drawings, the same reference numerals are always provided for the same parts. The description applies to all the figures in which corresponding parts are likewise visible.

Detailed Description

Fig. 1 schematically shows a top view of the topology of a compact protection switching device 1 according to the invention. The term "topology" is to be understood here as the principle division of the protective switching device 1 and the arrangement of the basic components. The protective switching device 1 has an insulating material housing 2, the insulating material housing 2 having a front side 3, a fastening side 4 opposite the front side (see fig. 2 and 3) and narrow sides 5-1, 5-2 and wide sides 6-1, 6-2 connecting the front side 3 and the fastening side 4. The insulating material housing 2 has a width of only one division unit (1TE) and is divided into a first section 2-1 and a second section 2-2, the first section 2-1 and the second section 2-2 extending in the longitudinal direction L from the first narrow side 5-1 to the second narrow side 5-2 and being arranged in sequence in the width direction B. The dividing line shown in dashed lines between the first section 2-1 and the second section 2-2 is not to be understood here as a dividing wall running parallel to the broad sides 6-1 and 6-2, but merely as a schematic imaginary dividing line. More precisely, the partition wall to be formed between the sections 2-1 and 2-2 will face the space requirement for protecting the various components of the switchgear 1 to be arranged in the insulating material housing 2.

A first current path 10 is arranged in the first section 2-1, the first current path 10 connecting in an electrically conductive manner a first input-side connection 11 arranged in the region of the first narrow side 5-1 and a first output-side connection 12 arranged in the region of the second narrow side 5-2. The first input-side terminal 11 and the first output-side terminal 12 serve to electrically conductively connect a first external connection conductor, i.e. the phase conductor P, to the first current path 10 of the protective switching device 1. In the protection switch device 1 shown in fig. 1, the first input side terminal 11 is configured as a connection terminal 7-1, the first output side terminal 12 is configured as a connection terminal 7-2, and the phase conductor P is inserted into the connection terminal 7-2 so as to be clamped by tightening a bolt, and thus reliably connected to the first current path. For this purpose, the first narrow side 5-1 has a first opening 8-1 (see fig. 2 and 3) and the second narrow side 5-2 has a second opening 8-2 (see fig. 3), through which second opening 8-2 an end of the first phase conductor P is correspondingly passed for contacting by means of the connection terminals 7-1 and 7-2 arranged behind the openings 8-1 and 8-2.

A second current path 20 is arranged in the second section 2-2, the second current path 20 connecting the second input-side connection 21 and the second output-side connection 22 in an electrically conductive manner. The second input-side terminal 21 and the second output-side terminal 22 serve to electrically conductively connect a second external connection conductor, i.e. the neutral conductor N, to the second current path 20 of the protective switching device 1. Although the second output-side terminal 22 is likewise designed as a screw terminal 7-3 arranged in the region of the second narrow side 5-2, the second input-side terminal 21 is not designed as a connecting terminal arranged in the region of the first narrow side 5-1, but instead is led out of the insulating material housing 2 as a conductor in the region of the second narrow side 5-2.

By means of this asymmetrical division of the

connections

11, 12, 21 and 22 on the two narrow sides 5-1 and 5-2, the advantage is obtained that only the connection terminal 7-1, which is designed to be larger, is arranged in the region of the first narrow side 5-1, and the connection terminal 7-1 can accordingly also be used for contacting a conventional busbar. Such a bus bar has pin-like connection elements at equidistant intervals of one division unit (1TE), with which pin-like connection elements a batch of installation devices arranged side by side can be contacted together quickly and simply. In this way, by means of the arrangement of the connection terminals according to the invention, it is also possible to integrate bipolar compact protective switching devices having a width of only one division unit (1TE) into the busbar network (sammelschinen busbar) and clamped (versent) to one another, whereby the installation effort is significantly simplified. For this purpose, the connection terminal can be designed, for example, as a plug terminal or as a screw terminal, which is, however, not essential to the invention.

Furthermore, a first switching contact 13 is arranged in the first current path 10, with which first switching contact 13 the first current path 10 can be interrupted. For this purpose, the first switching contact 13 has a first fixed contact 13-1 which is connected in an electrically conductive manner to the first input-side connection 11 and a first moving contact 13-2 which is connected in an electrically conductive manner to the first output-side connection 12. By means of a switching mechanism (not shown) of the protection switching device 1, the first moving contact 13-2 can be moved relative to the first fixed contact 13-1, whereby the switching contact 13 can be opened and closed. Correspondingly, a second switching contact 23 is arranged in the second current path 20, with which second switching contact 23 the second current path 20 can be interrupted. For this purpose, the second switching contact 23 has a second fixed contact 23-1 and a second moving contact 23-2, the second fixed contact 23-1 and the second moving contact 23-2 being connected in an electrically conductive manner to the second input-side terminal 21 and the second output-side terminal 22. By means of the switching mechanism of the protection switching device 1, the second moving contact 23-2 can be moved relative to the second stationary contact 23-1, whereby the switching contact 23 can be opened and closed.

Furthermore, in the first section 2-1 associated with the first current path 10, the means 15 for detecting a short circuit and the means 16 for detecting an overload are arranged and held in an insulating material housing. These means 15 and 16 serve to detect a short circuit or an electrical overload in the electrical circuit connected via the phase conductor P to the first current path 10 and to interrupt the first electrical circuit 10 by opening the first switching contact 13, thereby separating the relevant electrical circuit from the electrical power network. In this way, a compact protection switching device of the "1 + N" type can be realized.

Fig. 2 shows the topology of the protective switching device 1 shown in fig. 1, however with expanded functionality. For this purpose, means 15 for detecting short circuits or means 16 for detecting electrical overloads must be fitted in the second section 2-2. As an alternative thereto, means 25 for detecting fault currents and/or means 26 for detecting fault arcs may be arranged in the second section 2-2 (as shown in dashed lines in fig. 1). Means 27 for communication with other protective switchgear or with a superordinate unit, for example a control center, can likewise be arranged in the insulating material housing 2.

The

devices

25 and 26 serve to detect dangerous fault currents and/or fault arcs and to disconnect the switching

contacts

13 and 23 by activating the switching mechanism of the protection switching device 1, thereby separating the associated circuit connected to the protection switching device 1 from the supply network. If only the device 25 for detecting fault currents is accommodated in the insulating material housing 2, a combined protective switching device, for example FI/LS or RCBO, can be formed in this way. The functionality of the fire protection switch can be extended to the functionality of such a combined device by further adding means 26 for detecting a fault arc. However, it is likewise possible to additionally integrate only the device 26 for detecting a fault arc into the insulating material housing 2 and in this way to implement a line protection switch of the type "1 + N" with an extended fire protection function.

In fig. 3 and 4, a compact combined protective switchgear 1 is schematically shown in two side views, wherein the two broad sides 6-1 and 6-2 of the insulating material housing 2 are omitted to enable the interior of the housing to be seen. With regard to its principle topology, the protection switching device 1 corresponds to the compact protection switching device 1 shown in fig. 2 and described in detail above. Fig. 3 therefore shows an internal overview of the second section 2-2, while fig. 4 shows the first section 2-1 of the insulating material housing 2. In the illustrations of fig. 3 and 4, the implementation of the means 15 for detecting a short circuit, the means 16 for detecting an overload, the means 25 for detecting a fault current and the means 26 for detecting a fault arc can be seen in particular:

in the first section 2-1 (see fig. 4) there are arranged means 15 for detecting a short circuit and means 16 for detecting an electrical overload. In particular a magnetic coil 15-1 and a plunger movably mounted in the magnetic coil 15-1

15-2 belong to the means 15 for detecting short circuits. The magnetic coil 15-1 is electrically connected between the first connection terminal 7-1 and the second connection terminal 7-2, and in normal operation, the current flowing in the first current path 10 flows through the magnetic coil 15-1, without thereby operating the push rod 15-2. However, when a short circuit occurs, the current flowing in the first current path 10 increases sharply, so that the magnetic field generated by the magnetic coil 15-1 moves the push rod 15-2 in the direction of the closed first switching contact 13, thereby opening the first switching contact 13 to interrupt the current flow in the first current path 10.

The means 16 for detecting an electrical overload have a bimetallic thermocouple (thermobetall) which is likewise electrically connected (in series with the magnetic coil 15-1) between the first connection terminal 7-1 and the second connection terminal 7-2. In the event of an overload current above a predefined threshold value, the overload current deforms the bimetallic thermocouple due to the temperature, which triggers the switching mechanism of the protective switching device 1, thus opening the first switching contact 13. Thereby, the current flow in the first current path 10 is likewise interrupted, separating the protected circuit from the supply network.

The means 25 for detecting a fault current comprise a total current transformer 25-1 through which a first current path 10 associated with the phase conductor P and a second current path 20 associated with the neutral conductor N pass. In the event of a fault, i.e. when a current difference occurs between the two

current paths

10 and 20, this current difference is detected by means of the overall current transformer 25-1. The triggering coil 25-2 is connected to the main current transformer 25-1, the triggering coil 25-2 is energized in the event of a fault current, and the triggering coil 25-2 operates a movably supported tappet in order to activate the switching mechanism in this way and to open the first switching contact 13 and the second switching contact 23. In these illustrations, the means 25 for detecting a fault current are arranged in the second section 2-2. In this way, compact combination devices such as RCBO/FILS or LSDI can be realized which combine the function of a line protection switch with the function of a fault current protection switch and are arranged here in the insulating material housing 2 in a narrow structural manner with a width B of only one division unit (1 TE).

The device 26 for detecting a fault arc has a measuring unit for current and/or voltage measurement and an evaluation unit for evaluating the measured current and/or voltage signals. If a fault arc is detected, the switching mechanism is activated again in order to open the switching

contacts

13 and 23 in such a way that the circuit is separated from the supply network. The means 26 for detecting a fault arc may be arranged wholly or partly on a circuit board equipped with various electronic components for current and voltage analysis, so as to enable analysis and evaluation in terms of the presence of a fault arc.

In the illustration of fig. 2 and fig. 3 and 4, the arrangement of the device 26 for detecting a fault arc is shown in the second section 2-2. However, it is likewise possible to arrange the device 26 wholly or partly in the first section 2-1, depending on the space requirements of the individual components of the protective switchgear 1. For example, so-called rigid-flexible printed circuits can be envisaged, the rigid parts of which are connected to one another by flexible sections, in order to achieve greater flexibility in terms of the spatial arrangement of the printed circuit board and the remaining components of the switching device 1. Furthermore, parts of the device 25 for detecting fault currents and/or the device 27 for communication can also be integrated on the circuit board. In this way, a compact combination device, such as RCBO/FILS or LSDI, can be realized which extends the functionality of the fire protection switch and, if necessary, additional communication functions.

List of reference numerals:

1 protective switching device

2 insulating material housing

2-1 first section

2-2 second section

3 front side

4 fixed side

5-1 first narrow side

5-2 second narrow side

6-1 first broad side

6-2 second broad side

7-1 connecting terminal

7-2 connection terminal

7-3 connecting terminal

8-1 first opening

8-2 second opening

8-3 third opening

10 first current path

11 first input side terminal

12 first output side joint

13 first switching contact

13-1 first fixed contact

13-2 first moving contact

15 device for detecting short-circuits

15-1 push rod

16 device for detecting overload

20 second current path

21 second input side terminal

22 second output side terminal

23 second switching contact

23-1 second fixed contact

23-2 second moving contact

25 device for detecting fault current

25-1 total current transformer

25-2 trigger coil

26 device for detecting a fault arc

27 apparatus for performing communication

Width B

Length of L

Pfirst connecting conductor/phase conductor

N second connecting conductor/neutral conductor

Claims

1. A compact protection switch device (1),

-having an insulating-material housing (2) with a width (B) of only one division unit, having a front side (3), a fixation side (4) opposite to the front side (3) and a first and a second narrow and wide side (5-1, 5-2, 6-1, 6-2) connecting the front and fixation sides (3, 4),

-having a first current path (10) with a first input-side connection (11) for contacting a phase conductor (P) and a first output-side connection (12), wherein the first current path (10) can be interrupted by means of a first switching contact (13),

-having a second current path (20) with a second input-side connection (21) for contacting the neutral conductor (N) and a second output-side connection (22), wherein the second current path (20) can be interrupted by means of a second switching contact (23),

-having means (15) for detecting a short circuit and means (16) for detecting an overload, which means are associated with the first current path (10) in order to interrupt the first current path in the event of a short circuit or an overload,

-wherein in the region of a first narrow side (5-1) only the first input side contact (11) can contact a phase conductor associated with the first input side contact,

-wherein in the region of a second narrow side (5-2) the second input-side connection (21) and the two output-side connections (12, 22) can be contacted,

-wherein the second input side contact (21) as an electrical conductor is led out from the insulating material housing (2).

2. The protection switching device (1) as claimed in claim 1, further having means (26) for detecting a fault arc, which are accommodated and held in the insulating-material housing (2).

3. Protection switching device (1) according to any of the preceding claims, further having means (25) for detecting a fault current, which are accommodated and held in the insulating material housing (2).

4. Protection switching device (1) according to any of the preceding claims, further having means (xx) for communicating with a receiving unit (xx) arranged outside the protection switching device (1).

5. Protection switch device (1) according to one of the preceding claims, in which the second input-side connection (21) is constructed as a flexible litz wire.

6. Protection switch device (1) according to one of the preceding claims, in which the first input-side connection (11) is configured as a threaded terminal (7-1).

7. Protection switching device (1) according to claim 6, in which the first narrow side (5-1) has a first opening (8-1) for passing a phase conductor through in order to bring the phase conductor into contact with the first current path (10) by means of a threaded terminal (7-1) arranged behind the phase conductor.

8. Protection switch device (1) according to one of the preceding claims, in which the output-side connection (12, 22) that can be contacted in the region of the second narrow side (5-2) is configured as a threaded terminal (7-2, 7-3) or as a connection terminal without threads.

9. The protection switching device (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, in which the insulating-material housing (2) has a first section (2-1) for the first current path (10) and a second section (2-2) for the second current path (20), wherein the two sections (2-1, 2-2) are arranged side by side and each extend from a first narrow side (3-1) to a second narrow side (3-2), wherein the first switching contact (13) and the means for detecting a short circuit (15) and the means for detecting an overload (16) are arranged in the first section (2-1).

10. The protection switching device (1) according to claim 9 when dependent on claim 2, in which the means (26) for detecting a fault arc are arranged on a circuit board arranged in the first section (2-1) or in the second section (2-2) or in both sections (2-1, 2-2).

11. The protection switching device (1) according to claim 10 when dependent on claim 3 or 4, in which the means (25) for detecting fault currents and/or the means (xx) for communicating are also arranged wholly or partly on the circuit board.