CN213025882U - Safety interlocking device for switch cabinet and switch cabinet - Google Patents

Abstract

A safety interlock and cubical switchboard for cubical switchboard. The switch cabinet comprises a rack, a cabinet door, a main switch and a safety interlocking device. The safety interlock device includes: a movable cabinet door closing follower which is fixed in a first position by the cabinet door when the cabinet door is mounted to the rack; an interlock plate movable between a first interlock plate position blocking the main switch and a second interlock plate position not blocking the main switch; an interlock plate stopper movable between a stopper position to restrict the interlock plate at a first interlock plate position and a non-stopper position to be disengaged from the interlock plate; a first spring arranged to bias the interlock plate stop towards a stop position; a first cable connected to the cabinet door closure follower and the first spring, wherein in the first position, the cabinet door closure follower tensions the first cable to compress the first spring such that the first spring does not provide a biasing force to the interlock plate stop.

Description

Safety interlocking device for switch cabinet and switch cabinet

Technical Field

The utility model relates to a safety interlock for cubical switchboard, the utility model discloses still relate to the cubical switchboard including safety interlock.

Background

In order to ensure the personal safety of the maintenance personnel, the cable chamber door of the switch cabinet (such as a ring main unit) is opened and maintenance operation is required to be strictly carried out. Taking the current ring main unit as an example, the mechanism operation sequence of the circuit breaker functional unit in the ring main unit is that after the main switch is switched off, the grounding switch is switched on, and at the moment, the cable chamber door can be moved away. However, in some existing interlock systems, the grounding switch may also perform an opening operation after the cable chamber door is removed, and the main switch may perform a closing operation after the grounding switch is opened. This can be a safety hazard for the personnel servicing the maintenance personnel.

Some looped netowrk cabinets are equipped with the interlocking, but the separation blade that is used for sheltering from earthing switch's operation hole can be dialled open by force to can carry out the separating brake operation to earthing switch. There is still a risk of the maintenance personnel operating by mistake and compromising personal safety.

Therefore, the safety of the switch cabinet (e.g. ring main unit) also increases the space, and for example, there is a need to avoid the phenomenon that the main switch cannot be closed when the cable chamber door of the switch cabinet (e.g. ring main unit) is opened.

SUMMERY OF THE UTILITY MODEL

An object of the utility model is to provide a solve the cubical switchboard of above-mentioned problem and the safety interlock who is used for the cubical switchboard.

According to an aspect of the utility model, a safety interlock for cubical switchboard is provided, the cubical switchboard includes the frame, can remove the installation extremely the cabinet door of frame, the main switch of setting in the frame, safety interlock includes:

a cabinet door closure follower mounted on the housing adjacent the cabinet door, the cabinet door closure follower being movable between a first position in which the cabinet door closure follower is secured by the cabinet door when the cabinet door is mounted on the housing and a second position from which the cabinet door closure follower is removed when the cabinet door is removed from the housing;

an interlock plate mounted on the frame adjacent the primary switch, the interlock plate being movable between a first interlock plate position blocking the primary switch and a second interlock plate position unblocking the primary switch;

an interlock plate position limiter movably mounted on the frame adjacent the interlock plate, the interlock plate position limiter movable between a limiting position engaging the interlock plate and limiting the interlock plate in the first interlock plate position and an unrestricting position disengaged from the interlock plate;

a first spring disposed in operable engagement with the interlock plate stop and providing a biasing force to the interlock plate stop to bias the interlock plate stop toward the stop position;

a first cable having a first end connected to the cabinet door closing follower and a second end connected to the first spring,

wherein in the first position, the cabinet door closure follower tensions the first cable to compress the first spring such that the first spring does not provide a biasing force to the interlock plate limiter.

Optionally, in the first position, the interlock plate stop moves to the non-stop position, and in the second position, the biasing force of the first spring moves the interlock plate stop to the stop position.

Optionally, the interlock plate limiter is a flap device rotatably mounted on the frame for rotation between the limiting position and the non-limiting position.

Optionally, the safety interlock device further comprises a U-shaped flap fixedly mounted to the frame, two U-shaped arm portions of the U-shaped flap being arranged on either side of a portion of the flap device for limiting elastic deformation of the flap device.

Optionally, the safety interlock device further comprises a rivet plate comprising a base plate and a plurality of bolts riveted to and extending from the base plate for mounting the flapper device and the U-shaped flapper to the frame.

Optionally, the cabinet door comprises a plurality of hooks, the chassis comprises a door frame having a plurality of openings for receiving the plurality of hooks, at least one hook received in the opening compresses the cabinet door closure follower to secure the cabinet door closure follower in the first position when the cabinet door is mounted to the door frame.

Optionally, the interlock plate is rotatably mounted to the frame for rotation between the first interlock plate position and the second interlock plate position.

Optionally, the switch cabinet further comprises an earthing switch, and the interlocking plate does not shield the earthing switch in the first interlocking plate position and shields the earthing switch in the second interlocking plate position.

Optionally, the safety interlock further comprises an earthing switch linkage movably mounted on the frame and operatively engaged with the earthing switch, a cabinet door opening block movably mounted on the frame and adjacent the cabinet door, and a second cable connected between the earthing switch linkage and the cabinet door opening block,

wherein the cabinet door opening blocking member is movable between a blocking position in which the cabinet door opening blocking member blocks movement of the cabinet door from a rack-mounted mounting position and a non-blocking position in which the cabinet door opening blocking member allows movement of the cabinet door from the rack-mounted mounting position.

Optionally, the closing motion of the grounding switch moves the grounding switch linkage to tension the second cable, thereby moving the cabinet door opening blocking member to the non-blocking position via the second cable.

Optionally, the safety interlock device further comprises a second spring engaged with the door opening block, the second spring providing a biasing force to bias the door opening block toward the blocking position.

Optionally, in the open position of the earthing switch, the second spring biases the cabinet door opening block member to the blocking position.

Optionally, the earthing switch linkage device comprises a pull rod and a crank arm linked with the earthing switch, and the second cable is connected to the crank arm.

Optionally, the cabinet door closing follower and the cabinet door opening blocker are plate-like structures.

Optionally, the switchgear is a ring main unit.

According to another aspect of the utility model, a cubical switchboard is provided, include the frame, can remove and install the cabinet door of frame, set up the main switch in the frame and according to foretell a safety interlock for cubical switchboard.

Drawings

Fig. 1 shows a schematic view of a safety interlock device for a switchgear cabinet according to an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2A shows a perspective view of a switchgear cabinet having a safety interlock device according to an embodiment of the present invention installed therein;

fig. 2B shows a perspective view of a cabinet door of the switchgear cabinet;

FIG. 3A is a perspective view of a first portion of the interlock device and cable located on one of the door frames of the switchgear;

FIG. 3B is an enlarged view showing a first portion of the interlock device;

FIG. 3C is an enlarged view of the hook of the cabinet door;

FIG. 4A shows a second portion of the safety interlock device mounted on the cabinet with the interlock plate in a first interlock plate position;

FIG. 4B is an enlarged view of a portion of FIG. 4A showing the interlock plate stop mounted on the frame;

figure 4C is an exploded view of the interlock plate stop;

FIG. 5 shows a second portion of the safety interlock device mounted on the cabinet with the interlock plate in a second interlock plate position.

Detailed Description

Reference will now be made in detail to embodiments of the present invention, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein like reference numerals refer to the same or similar elements or elements having the same or similar function throughout. The embodiments described below with reference to the drawings are exemplary only for the purpose of explaining the present invention, and should not be construed as limiting the present invention.

Unless defined otherwise, technical or scientific terms used herein shall have the ordinary meaning as understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this invention belongs. In the description of the present invention, it is to be understood that the terms "center", "longitudinal", "lateral", "up", "down", "front", "back", "left", "right", "vertical", "horizontal", "top", "bottom", "inner", "outer", and the like, indicate orientations or positional relationships based on the orientations or positional relationships shown in the drawings, and are used only for convenience of description and simplicity of description, and do not indicate or imply that the device or element being referred to must have a particular orientation, be constructed and operated in a particular orientation, and therefore, should not be construed as limiting the present invention. Furthermore, the terms "first" and "second" are used for descriptive purposes only and are not to be construed as indicating or implying relative importance.

Fig. 1 shows a safety interlock device for a switchgear cabinet according to an embodiment of the present invention, the switchgear cabinet comprising a frame, a cabinet door 12 removably mounted in the frame, a main switch 22 and a grounding switch 30 provided on the frame. The safety interlock device includes a first portion 13 disposed adjacent the cabinet door 12 and a second portion 15 adjacent the main switch 22 and the grounding switch 30. The first portion 13 and the second portion 15 are connected by a first cable 16 and a second cable 26.

As shown in fig. 1, the first portion 13 comprises a cabinet door closing follower 14 and a cabinet door opening blocking member 28. The cabinet door closure follower 14 is movably, preferably rotatably, mounted to the housing so as to be movable between a first position and a second position. The door closure follower 14 engages the door 12 when the door 12 is mounted to the housing and is moved, pressed and held in a first position by the door 12. When the door 12 is removed from the rack, the door 12 no longer presses against and secures the door closure follower 14, so that the door closure follower 14 can be removed from the first position to the second position.

The first portion 13 also comprises a door opening blocking member 28, the door opening blocking member 28 being movable (preferably in translation) between a blocking position and a non-blocking position. In the blocking position, the door opening blocking member 28 engages the door 12 or is in a position of interference with the door 12, thereby blocking the door 12 from being removed from the rack-mounted mounting position. In the non-blocking position, the door opening blocking member 28 is disengaged from the door 12 or out of interference with the door 12, allowing the door 12 to be moved from the rack-mounted position.

The second portion 15 includes an interlock plate 20, an interlock plate stop 18, and a ground switch linkage 24 operably engaged with a ground switch 30. An interlock plate 20 is movably mounted to the frame adjacent the main switch 22. The interlock plate 20 can alternatively block the main switch 22 or the ground switch 30. In some embodiments, the interlock plate 20 is movable (preferably rotationally movable) between a first interlock plate position that blocks the primary switch 22 and does not block the ground switch 30 and a second interlock plate position that blocks the ground switch 30 and does not block the primary switch 22.

Interlocking plate position limiting device 18 is movably (preferably rotatably) mounted on the frame adjacent to interlocking plate 20. Interlock plate position limiting device 18 is movable (preferably rotationally movable) between a limiting position engaging said interlock plate 20 and limiting interlock plate 20 in a first interlock plate position and an unrestricting position disengaging interlock plate 20.

A first end of the first cable 16 is connected to the cabinet door closure follower 14 and a second end extends adjacent the interlock plate stop 18. The second end of the first cable 16 is provided with a first spring. A first spring is disposed in operable engagement with interlock plate stop 18 and provides a biasing force to interlock plate stop 18 to bias interlock plate stop 18 toward the stop position;

when the door 12 is mounted to the rack, the door closure follower 14 engages the door 12 and is biased and held in a first position by the door 12. The cabinet door closure follower 14 now tensions the first cable 16 to compress or retract the first spring so that the first spring does not provide a biasing force to the interlock plate stop. In the first position of the door closure follower 14 (with the door 12 mounted to the housing), the interlock plate stop 18 is naturally moved to the non-stop position, for example by gravity, since the first spring does not provide a biasing force to the interlock plate stop. In the second position of the cabinet door closure follower 14 (cabinet door 12 removed from the rack), the biasing force of the first spring moves the interlock plate position limiter 18 to a limiting position, and the interlock plate position limiter 18 in turn limits or locks the interlock plate 20 in the first interlock plate position in which the interlock plate 20 blocks the primary switch 22 and does not block the grounding switch 30.

That is, when the door 12 is not mounted to the housing, i.e., in the second position of the door closure follower 14, the interlock plate stop 18 is biased and moved to the stop position by the first spring. Interlock plate position limiter 18, in turn, limits or locks interlock plate 20 in the first interlock plate position. In this position, the interlock plate 20 blocks the primary switch 22. Therefore, when the cabinet door 12 is not installed on the rack, the interlocking plate 20 shields the main switch 22, so that the main switch 22 is effectively prevented from being operated by mistake, and the personal safety of overhaul and maintenance personnel is ensured.

In some embodiments, interlock plate stop 18 is rotatably mounted to the housing for rotation between the stop position and the non-stop position. In some embodiments, interlock plate 20 is rotatably mounted to the housing for rotation between the first interlock plate position and the second interlock plate position.

As shown in fig. 1, a second cable 26 is connected between the ground switch linkage 24 and the cabinet door opening block 28. An earthing switch linkage 24 is movably mounted on the frame and operatively engages the earthing switch. A cabinet door opening block 28 is movably mounted on the rack adjacent the cabinet door 12. The door opening blocking member 28 is movable between a blocking position, in which the door opening blocking member 28 blocks the door 12 from being moved from a rack-mounted mounting position, and a non-blocking position. In the non-blocking position, the cabinet door opening blocking member 28 allows the cabinet door 12 to be removed from the rack-mounted mounting position.

The closing action of the grounding switch 30 moves the grounding switch linkage 24 to tension the second cable 26, thereby moving the cabinet door opening blocker 28 to the non-blocking position via the second cable 26.

The safety interlock device further includes a second spring engaged with the door opening block 28, the second spring providing a biasing force to bias the door opening block toward the blocking position.

In the open position of the grounding switch 30, the grounding switch linkage 24 is not tensioning the second cable. At this point, the second spring biases the door opening block 28 to the blocking position so that the door 12 cannot be moved from the rack mounting position.

Therefore, only when the grounding switch 30 is switched on, the cabinet door 12 can be moved away from the installation position installed on the rack, so that the cabinet door is prevented from being moved and the overhaul and maintenance personnel enter when the grounding switch 30 is switched off, and the personal safety of the overhaul and maintenance personnel is ensured.

As shown in fig. 1, the cabinet door opening block 28, the earthing switch linkage 24 and the earthing switch 30 are indicated by broken lines. This means that the cabinet door opening block 28, the earthing switch linkage 24 and the earthing switch 30 are optional. That is, in some embodiments, the safety interlock may not include some or all of the cabinet door opening blocker 28, the grounding switch linkage 24, and the grounding switch 30.

Fig. 2A shows a perspective view of a switchgear cabinet 100 with a safety interlock device according to an embodiment of the present invention installed. The switchgear 100 includes an equipment room, a cable room, and a cabinet housing 110. As shown, the equipment room is located at the rear of the switchgear cabinet, and houses electrical equipment, such as circuit breakers, main switches, grounding switches, and the like. The cable compartment is located at the front of the switchgear cabinet and service and maintenance personnel can remove the cabinet door 12 (also called cable compartment door) to access the cable compartment for maintenance. Fig. 2B shows a perspective view of the cabinet door 12. As shown in fig. 2B, the cabinet door 12 includes a plurality of (six shown) hooks 122, and the hooks 122 extend in one direction from the side of the cabinet door 12 and are bent downward. The cable compartment door frame 126 includes a plurality of openings 124 that are positioned to correspond to the hooks 122 of the cabinet door 12. The cabinet door 12 of the switchgear cabinet is shown as being of the pull-up type. As shown by the hollow arrow on the door 12 in fig. 2A, the operator first raises the door up to a certain height and then can take the door out. When the door 12 is installed on the door frame 126, the door 12 can be installed by aligning the hook 122 of the door 12 with the installation hole 124 of the door frame 126 and then pressing the hook downwards.

The safety interlock of the present invention includes a first portion 13 adjacent the cabinet door 12 and door frame 126 and a second portion adjacent the main switch and ground switch of the switchgear 100, and cables 16, 26 mounted between the first and second portions. For the switchgear cabinet (ring main unit) 100, there may be a plurality of cable chambers and a corresponding plurality of cabinet doors 12, and a corresponding plurality of main switches and grounding switches. In some embodiments, a first portion of the safety interlock device of the present invention may be provided on each of the plurality of cabinet doors 12, and a second portion of the safety interlock device may be provided adjacent the respective main and ground switches. In other embodiments, a first portion of the safety interlock device of the present invention may be provided on at least one of the plurality of cabinet doors 12, and a second portion of the safety interlock device may be provided adjacent the respective main and ground switches. The first and second portions of the safety interlock device have cables 16, 26 mounted therebetween.

Figure 3A is a perspective view of the first part 13 of the interlock and the cables 16, 26 located on one of the door frames 126 of the switchgear. The first portion 13 may be fixedly mounted to the doorframe 126 by a conventional fixing means such as a bolt connection. The cables 16, 26 are mounted at a first end on the first part 13 and at a second end extend in the direction of the equipment room, the two cables being arranged substantially parallel.

Fig. 3B shows an enlarged view of the first part 13 of the interlock device. As shown, the first portion 13 includes a base plate 130 fixedly mounted to the door frame 126, and a door closing follower 14, a door opening blocker 28, and a spring 284, respectively mounted to the base plate 130. The cabinet door closure follower 14 is rotatably mounted to the base plate 130 by a pivot 144 at the lower left corner of the follower 14 so as to be rotatable between a door closed position (first position) when the cabinet door 12 is mounted to the door frame 126 and a home position (second position) when the cabinet door 12 is removed from the door frame. The cabinet door closure follower 14 comprises a projection 142 at its lower right corner and is connected to the first end 16a of the cable 16 near its upper end. When the hook 122 of the cabinet door 12 is placed in the opening 124 of the door frame 126 and the cabinet door 12 is pressed downward to mount the cabinet door 12 in place, the lower end of the hook 122 contacts the projection 142 of the cabinet door closing follower 14 and pushes the projection 142 downward. When the projection 142 is pushed downward by the hook 122, the cabinet door closure follower 14 rotates clockwise about the pivot 144 to a door closed position, pulling the cable 16 in a rightward direction as viewed in fig. 3B. When the cabinet door 12 is lifted or the cabinet door 12 has been removed from the doorframe 126, the cable 16 is pulled in the left direction as viewed in fig. 3B by the spring force of the spring 162 (see fig. 4B) at the second end 16B of the cable 16, so that the cabinet door closing follower 14 rotates counterclockwise about the pivot 144 to the home position.

The cabinet door opening block 28 is movably mounted on the base plate 130. A spring 284 is mounted on the base plate 130 at one end and on the cabinet door opening block 28 at the other end for urging and biasing the cabinet door opening block 28 in the rightward direction of fig. 3B. The first end 26a of the cable 26 is connected to the cabinet door opening blocking member 28 to pull the cabinet door opening blocking member 28 in the leftward direction of fig. 3B when the second end (not shown) of the cable 26 is subjected to a tensile force. Thus, when the cable 26 is not under tension, the spring 284 pushes the door opening blocking member 28 to the right to the position shown in fig. 3B, i.e. the blocking position, in which the blocking portion 282 of the door opening blocking member 28 is located above the hook 122, blocking the upward movement of the hook 122, i.e. preventing the door 12 in the closed position from moving away from its closed position. When the cable 26 is under tension, the cabinet door opening blocking member 28 moves to the left against the spring force of the spring 284 and moves away from the blocking position under the tension of the cable 26, and the blocking portion 282 no longer overlies the hook 122 and no longer blocks the upward movement of the hook 122, and the cabinet door 12 in the closed position can be removed by lifting.

As shown in fig. 4A, interlock plate 20 is rotatably mounted to the frame by pivot 204 so as to be rotatable about pivot 204 between a first interlock plate position, shown in fig. 4A, and a second interlock plate position, shown in fig. 5. The interlock plate 20 can alternatively block the main switch operation hole 202 and the ground switch operation hole 302. In the first interlock plate position shown in fig. 4A, the interlock plate 20 blocks the main switch operation hole 202 and exposes the ground switch operation hole 302, and in the second interlock plate position shown in fig. 5, the interlock plate 20 blocks the ground switch operation hole 302 and exposes the main switch operation hole 202.

The second part of the interlock includes an interlock plate stop 18. As shown in fig. 4B and 4C, interlocking plate restraint 18 includes a tongue arrangement 182 and a U-shaped stop 186. The flap 182 is rotatably connected to the frame by a pivot 184. When the cabinet door 12 is installed in the door frame 126, the first end 16a of the cable 16 is tensioned, so that the spring 162 is compressed and the second end 16b of the cable 16 is retracted. As the second end 16B of the cable 16 and the spring 162 retract, the flapper 182 rotates under the force of gravity about the pivot 184 in a clockwise direction in FIG. 4B, from the position of restraint shown in FIGS. 4A and 4B to the position of non-restraint shown in FIG. 5. When the cabinet door is removed from the door frame 126, the first end 16a of the cable 16 is no longer tensioned, such that the spring 162 expands, thereby extending the second end 16b of the cable 16. As the second end 16B of the cable 16 and the spring 162 extend or expand, the flapper 182 rotates in a counterclockwise direction in FIG. 4B under the influence of the second end 16B of the cable 16 and/or the spring 162 from the non-restraining position shown in FIG. 5 to the restraining position shown in FIGS. 4A and 4B. In the limit position of tongue means 182, as shown in fig. 4A, tongue means 182 abuts interlocking plate 20, thereby lifting interlocking plate 20 to the first position of interlocking plate 20 and/or preventing interlocking plate 20 from moving away from its first position. In the non-limiting position of the tongue means 182, as shown in fig. 5, the tongue means 182 is disengaged from the interlocking plate 20, so that the rotation of the interlocking plate 20 is not restricted.

The second portion of the interlock further includes a pull rod 304 and a crank arm 306 that are linked to the earthing switch (the pull rod 304 and the crank arm 306 may be collectively referred to as an earthing switch linkage). Crank arm 306 is connected to a second end of cable 206. The closing action of the grounding switch drives the pull rod 304, which in turn drives the crank arm 306 to move. This movement of the crank arm 306 tensions the second end (not shown) of the cable 26 so that the door opening blocking member 28 is moved from the blocking position by the pulling force of the first end 26a of the cable 26, at which time the door 12 can be moved by lifting, as described above.

In addition, the opening of the grounding switch drives the pull rod 304, and thus the crank arm 306, such that the second end of the cable 26 is no longer tensioned. The spring 284 now pushes the door opening blocking member 28 into the blocking position, preventing the door 12 in the closed position from being moved from its closed position.

The following describes the operation of the interlock apparatus according to the present invention with reference to the accompanying drawings.

When the cabinet door 12 of the cable chamber needs to be opened for maintenance, the maintenance personnel firstly open the main switch of the breaker of the switch cabinet and then close the grounding switch. The closing action of the earthing switch causes the link 304 and the crank arm 306 to rotate, so that the cable 26, the second end of which is connected to the crank arm 306, is tensioned, so that the door opening blocking element 28 of the first part 13 of the interlock moves out of the blocking position under the pulling force of the first end 26a of the cable 26. At this point, the service maintainer may lift up and then remove the cabinet door 12.

After the door 12 is removed, the downward force of the hook 122 of the door 12 against the protrusion 142 of the door closure follower 14 is removed, and the tension of the door closure follower 14 against the cable 16 is removed. The second end 16b of the cable 16 is stretched or extended under the action of the spring 162 at the second end 16b of the cable 16. Due to the extension or extension of the second end 16B of the cable 16 and the spring 162, the flap device 182 is rotated in a counterclockwise direction in fig. 4B under the action of the second end 16B of the cable 16 and/or the spring 162 from the non-restraining position shown in fig. 5 to the restraining position shown in fig. 4A and 4B. In this limit position, as shown in fig. 4A, tongue arrangement 182 abuts interlocking plate 20, thereby urging interlocking plate 20 to the first position of interlocking plate 20 and/or preventing interlocking plate 20 from moving away from its first position. Since the interlock plate 20 is restricted to the first position blocking the switch operation hole 302, the main switch of the switchgear cannot be operated. The tongue arrangement 182 will bear against the interlocking plate 20 all the way, preventing the interlocking plate 20 from moving away from its first position until the cabinet door 12 is installed. After the door 12 is installed, the hook 122 of the door 12 applies a downward force to the protrusion 142 of the door closure follower 14, and the door closure follower 14 pivots about the pivot 144, thereby tensioning the cable 16, compressing the spring 162 and retracting the second end 16b of the cable 16, such that the tongue arrangement 182 disengages from the interlock plate 20.

Consequently, during cabinet door 12 was put aside, the utility model discloses an interlock is spacing to be sheltering from with interlocking plate 20 always switch operation hole 302's first position to prevented effectively that main switch from being closed a floodgate by accident, ensured maintenance personal's personal safety.

As described above, when the cabinet door 12 is removed, the tongue plate 182 of the interlock device of the present invention can always position the interlock plate 20 at the first position that blocks the switch operation hole 302, thereby effectively preventing the main switch from being accidentally switched on. However, there are cases where a maintenance worker violently malfunctions during the maintenance work. For example, a service maintainer may attempt to violently rotate interlock plate 20 to expose and operate main switch operating aperture 202 while interlock plate 20 is retained in the first position by tongue plate device 182. In this case, the tongue plate 182 may be elastically bent and deformed by an excessive force, so that the interlock plate 20 can be slightly rotated to expose the main switch operation hole 202.

To avoid this, the inventors of the present invention have additionally included a U-shaped stop 186 in interlock plate stop 18. As is clear from fig. 4B, the two U-shaped arm portions of the U-shaped shutter 186 are disposed on both sides of a portion of the flap device 182, which effectively prevents excessive elastic deformation of the flap device 182 when the flap device 182 is subjected to a large force, thereby reliably holding the interlock plate 20 in the first position in which it blocks the switch operation hole 302. Therefore, in the case where the cabinet door 12 is removed, the U-shaped shutter 186 of the interlock plate stopper 18 can reliably ensure that the main switch operation hole 202 is covered and cannot be erroneously operated, even in the case where a maintenance worker violently operates erroneously. Thus, the U-shaped flap 186 of the interlock plate limiter 18 further ensures the safety reliability of the safety cabinet.

In order to facilitate the installation of the interlock plate limiting device 18, the inventors of the present invention have also designed a bolt riveting plate 188. Due to the restriction of the mechanism space, when the bolt is directly used for installation, the wrench cannot be inserted for fixation. If interlocking plate limiting device 18 is preassembled in advance, the process needs to be adjusted, the tooling needs to be designed, the cost is increased, and the production line is disturbed. To avoid these conditions, while increasing the likelihood of field installation, a stud-and-rivet plate 188 is designed. As shown in fig. 4C, the clinch plate 188 includes a base plate and a plurality of (two in fig. 4C) bolts clinched to and extending from the base plate. Thus, when the interlocking plate limiting device 18 is installed, a wrench does not need to be inserted for fixing, and installation is facilitated. Thus, the interlock of the present invention can be easily retrofitted to existing systems without redesigning the installation process.

In the embodiment shown in fig. 3B, the cabinet door closing follower 14 and the cabinet door opening blocking member 28 are plate-like structures, however, the present invention is not limited thereto, and the cabinet door closing follower 14 and the cabinet door opening blocking member 28 may be any suitable structures.

In the embodiment shown in fig. 2A-2B, 3A-3C, the cabinet door comprises a hook of a particular nature, and both the cabinet door closing follower and the cabinet door opening blocker interact with the hook. However, the invention is not limited thereto, the hook of the invention may have any suitable shape as long as it can suitably interact with the hook both with the cabinet door closing follower and with the cabinet door opening stop. Additionally, in some embodiments of the present invention, the cabinet door closing follower and the cabinet door opening blocker may contact and interact with portions of the cabinet door other than the hook. For example, when the door is closed, the door closing follower may be urged by the door body to be fixed in its first position. For example, the door opening blocking member may interfere with the door body to prevent the door from opening.

In the embodiment shown in fig. 4A-4C, the interlocking plate restraint includes a tongue arrangement, a U-shaped stop plate, and a bolt clinch plate. However, the present invention is not limited thereto and, in some embodiments, may not include U-shaped baffles and/or bolt clinching plates. The tongue plate device, U-shaped baffle and bolt clinch plate of the present invention are also not limited to the shapes shown in the drawings, and in some embodiments, the tongue plate device, U-shaped baffle and bolt clinch plate may take any suitable shape.

The above description is only for the purpose of illustrating exemplary embodiments of the principles of the present invention, and is not intended to limit the scope of the present invention. It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications and improvements can be made without departing from the spirit and substance of the invention, and these modifications and improvements are also within the scope of the invention.

Claims (16)

1. A safety interlock device for a switchgear cabinet, the switchgear cabinet including a rack, a cabinet door removably mounted to the rack, a main switch disposed on the rack, the safety interlock device comprising:

a door closure follower mounted on the housing adjacent the door, the door closure follower being movable between a first position in which the door closure follower is held in place by the door when the door is mounted on the housing and a second position from which the door closure follower can be removed when the door is removed from the housing;

an interlock plate mounted on the frame adjacent the primary switch, the interlock plate being movable between a first interlock plate position blocking the primary switch and a second interlock plate position unblocking the primary switch;

an interlock plate position limiter movably mounted on the frame adjacent the interlock plate, the interlock plate position limiter movable between a limiting position engaging the interlock plate and limiting the interlock plate in the first interlock plate position and an unrestricting position disengaged from the interlock plate;

a first spring disposed in operable engagement with the interlock plate stop and providing a biasing force to the interlock plate stop to bias the interlock plate stop toward the stop position;

a first cable having a first end connected to the cabinet door closing follower and a second end connected to the first spring,

wherein in the first position of the cabinet door closure follower, the cabinet door closure follower tensions the first cable to compress the first spring such that the first spring does not provide a biasing force to the interlock plate stop.

2. The safety interlock device for a switchgear cabinet of claim 1, wherein in said first position of said cabinet door closure follower, said interlock plate stop moves to said non-stop position, and in said second position of said cabinet door closure follower, the biasing force of said first spring moves said interlock plate stop to said stop position.

3. A safety interlock device for a switchgear cabinet as claimed in claim 1, wherein said interlock plate limiting device is a flapper device rotatably mounted on said frame for rotation between said limiting position and said non-limiting position.

4. A safety interlock device for a switchgear cabinet according to claim 3, further comprising a U-shaped flap fixedly mounted on the frame, two U-shaped arm portions of the U-shaped flap being arranged on either side of a portion of the flap for limiting the elastic deformation of the flap.

5. The safety interlock device for a switchgear cabinet of claim 4, further comprising a rivet plate comprising a base plate and a plurality of bolts riveted to and extending from the base plate for mounting the flap device and the U-shaped flapper to the rack.

6. The safety interlock device for a switchgear cabinet of claim 1, wherein said cabinet door includes a plurality of hooks, said rack including a door frame having a plurality of openings for receiving said plurality of hooks, at least one hook received in said opening pressing against said cabinet door closing follower to secure said cabinet door closing follower in said first position when said cabinet door is mounted to said door frame.

7. The safety interlock device for a switchgear cabinet of claim 1, wherein said interlock plate is rotatably mounted to said rack for rotation between said first interlock plate position and said second interlock plate position.

8. The safety interlock device for a switchgear cabinet according to any of claims 1-7, wherein the switchgear cabinet further comprises an earthing switch, the interlock plate does not shield the earthing switch in the first interlock plate position and shields the earthing switch in the second interlock plate position.

9. The safety interlock device for a switchgear cabinet according to claim 8, further comprising an earthing switch linkage movably mounted on the rack and operatively engaged with the earthing switch, a cabinet door opening block movably mounted on the rack and adjacent to the cabinet door, and a second cable connected between the earthing switch linkage and the cabinet door opening block,

wherein the cabinet door opening blocking member is movable between a blocking position in which the cabinet door opening blocking member blocks movement of the cabinet door from a rack-mounted mounting position and a non-blocking position in which the cabinet door opening blocking member allows movement of the cabinet door from the rack-mounted mounting position.

10. The safety interlock device for a switchgear panel of claim 9, wherein a closing motion of said ground switch moves said ground switch linkage to tension said second cable to move said door opening blocker to said non-blocking position via said second cable.

11. The safety interlock device for a switchgear panel of claim 10, further comprising a second spring engaged with the door opening block, the second spring providing a biasing force to bias the door opening block toward the blocking position.

12. The safety interlock device for a switchgear panel of claim 11 wherein in the open position of said grounding switch, said second spring biases said door opening blocker to said blocking position.

13. The safety interlock device for a switchgear of claim 9, wherein said earthing switch linkage comprises a lever and a crank arm linked with said earthing switch, said second cable being connected to said crank arm.

14. The safety interlock device for a switchgear cabinet of claim 9, wherein said cabinet door closing follower and said cabinet door opening blocking member are plate-like structures.

15. The safety interlock device for a switchgear cabinet according to claim 14, wherein said switchgear cabinet is a ring main unit.

16. A switchgear cabinet comprising a rack, a cabinet door removably mounted in the rack, a main switch provided on the rack, and a safety interlock device for a switchgear cabinet according to any of claims 1-15.

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