EA016525B1 - Molded case circuit breaker comprising a processing unit with data visualization means - Google Patents

Abstract

Molded case circuit breaker (1) comprising: - a case body (2) with a front face (5) provided with a front portion (6) projecting with respect to said face (5), the projecting front portion (6) being provided with an opening (7), which acts as a passage for an operating lever (8) of the circuit breaker (1); - a processing unit (15) comprising electronic visualization means (16) for displaying data representing operating parameters and/or status information of circuit breaker (1). The electronic visualization means (16) are disposed on said projecting front portion (6) in a lateral position with respect to said opening (7) and said operating lever (8).

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to the field of electrical switches and, in particular, to a molded case electrical switch equipped with a processor comprising a data visualization device.

State of the art

Today, molded case electric switches are already known, equipped with electronic processors containing data visualization devices for presenting operating parameters and / or circuit breaker status information, and, moreover, equipped with means, for example, keys, for selecting data for presentation by means of a visualization device and / or adjusting and changing the operating parameters of these switches.

For example, US Pat. No. 4,945,433 describes a molded case circuit breaker equipped with a visualization device or a liquid crystal display and an interface keyboard, respectively, for visualizing and adjusting operating parameters related to the automatic opening of the circuit breaker. These display and keyboard are placed on the front surface of the housing under the protruding portion of this surface, having an opening through which the rotary control lever passes so that the switch can be controlled manually.

A disadvantage of the known switches is that the display and possibly also the keyboard are closed and therefore become invisible when an additional front device is installed on the front of the switch, for example a motor, which must interact with the control lever of the switch.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

An object of the present invention is to provide a molded case circuit breaker that does not have the above drawback, in contrast to known circuit breakers.

This goal is achieved by means of a molded case circuit breaker according to the first paragraph of the attached claims, which describes the circuit breaker in the most general form, and the dependent clauses of this formula, which describes specific circuit breaker options.

The present invention also relates to an assembly according to claim 11 of the attached formula.

List of drawings

The present invention will become more apparent with the help of the following detailed description of some of its variants in illustrative and therefore non-limiting form in combination with the accompanying figures, which represent:

FIG. 1 is an isometric view of a particularly preferred embodiment of a molded case circuit breaker according to the present invention comprising an electronic processor;

FIG. 2 - electronic processor of the circuit breaker shown in FIG. one;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged view of a portion of a switch according to FIG. one;

FIG. 4 is a view of a portion of the switch shown in FIG. 3, from a different angle;

FIG. 5 is an assembly comprising a switch shown in FIG. 1, and an additional device used in some embodiments, mounted on the front of this switch;

FIG. 6 is a view of the assembly of FIG. 5, which shows another additional front device.

In these drawings, the same or similar elements have the same reference numerals.

Information confirming the possibility of carrying out the invention

In FIG. 1 shows a particularly preferred illustrative and non-limiting embodiment of an electric molded case circuit breaker according to the present invention. This switch is generally indicated by pos. one.

In a particular embodiment of FIG. 1, the considered switch 1 is, for example, a magnetic thermal switch with an integrated differential protection module. The molded case circuit breaker, unlike the so-called air circuit breaker, has a housing 2 made of insulating material, inside of which there are internal mechanisms and circuit breakers. Today molded case circuit breakers are used in the sectors of industrial automation, maintenance and service, for example, to interrupt electric currents up to 1500 A.

In the above example, the switch 1 is presented, non-limitingly, in the form of an automatic four-pole molded case circuit breaker with an integrated differential protection module.

The housing 2 is created by connecting two parts, in particular the base 3 and the cover 4. These base 3 and the cover 4 are connected to each other and attached to one another by means of fasteners not shown in these drawings, for example rivets, screws or bolts.

The front surface 5 of the housing 2 in question, having a substantially square shape, has a protruding front portion 6, commonly defined as ΌΙΝ-front (ΌΙΝ ίϊοηΐ). This section 6 has an opening 7 through which the pivoting lever 8 passes to control the switch manually. Typically, as in the example shown, the protruding central portion 6 occupies

- 1 016525 new central position on the front surface 5 and is formed by a horizontal protruding strip extended between opposite edges 13, 14 of the front surface 5. In a particularly preferred embodiment, a removable cap 12 is attached to the protruding front section 6 in the form of a shield of thin material (hereinafter simply referred to as the shield 12).

This shield 12 is preferably made of an insulating and substantially transparent material, for example transparent plastic. More preferably, the shield 12 extends over the entire width of the protruding front portion 6. In FIG. 4 it can be seen that in the shown example, the shield 12 is detachably secured to the switch 1, for example, by means of an engagement system comprising protruding teeth 30 on the protruding front portion 6 and corresponding holes 31 on the edge of the shield 12. Similar engagement elements not shown, can be created on the other edge 35 of the shield 12.

As seen in FIG. 1, four screw clamps 9 or linear terminals 9 are created on the upper side of the housing 2 for connecting the circuit breaker 1 to the mains in front of the circuit breaker. Similar terminals 10 or load terminals are created on the underside of the housing 2 for connecting the switch 1 to the electrical circuits after the switch.

On the back side of the housing 2, fasteners are made, not shown in the drawing, for attaching the switch 1 to the electrical panel. For example, but not limited to, such fasteners allow you to attach the switch 1 to the ΌΙΝ-rail by means of an installation device similar to that described in the application for the grant of Italian patent IM 2006 A 000145.

The composition of the switch 1 in the molded case also includes a processor 15 containing a microprocessor and / or microcontroller and an electronic visualization device 16, which will hereinafter be called display 16, for outputting data representing operating parameters and / or information about the state of switch 1 to this display in a molded case. The display 16 is preferably located on the protruding front portion 6 of the switch 1 on the side of the hole 7 and the control lever 8. Preferably, the display 16 is a liquid crystal display for displaying information in alphanumeric form. As shown in FIG. 1, the display 16 is substantially horizontally aligned with the hole 7 and the control lever 8.

In a particularly preferred embodiment, the processor 15 and the display 16 are housed in a separate housing, pos. 17 in FIG. 2 attached to the protruding front portion 6 of the switch 1 to the side of the hole 7 and the control lever 8. This separate housing is preferably made of insulating material, for example plastic.

As shown in FIG. 2, in a particularly preferred embodiment, the processor contains two keys or buttons 18, 19, one of which, for example, key 18, allows you to select the operating parameter and / or information about the status of the switch 1 for display 16. For example, each time you press the key 18 a new parameter appears on the display 16, so that repeatedly pressing the key 18, you can sequentially and individually display the various parameters of the switch 1. On the other hand, the key 19 is used to configure / change the operating parameters of the switch 1 in lit. m enclosure. For example, such displayed and / or modifiable parameters may be adjustable parameters of the differential protection module, for example, differential response delay, differential protection limit, and the like.

In addition, the processor 15 preferably has a communication port for establishing a data connection between the processor 15 and an external processor, such as a personal computer. More preferably, this communication port is a ϋδΒ port, not shown in FIG. 2, since it is closed by a protective plug 21. In a particularly preferred, but not limiting, embodiment, such a data connection to an external processor serves only to read data regarding operating parameters and / or all information about the state of switch 1, but does not allow changing / adjusting operating switch parameters 1. In an alternative embodiment, such a change / setting becomes possible only after entering, by the remote processor, a suitable password corresponding, for example, to the password recorded y in the processor 15. In addition, the connection with the external processor can also be used to transmit a history report or a logbook to the external processor, for example, about the actions of maintenance personnel on the maintenance / regulation of circuit breaker 1.

In some embodiments, the processor 15 may have one or more indicator lights, such as LEDs.

In FIG. Figures 3 and 4 show two different enlarged views of a portion of a switch 1 in a molded case, on which a flap 12 is better visible. In a particularly preferred embodiment, this flap 12 has a shape corresponding to the shape of the protruding front portion 6 of the switch 1, and comprises an opening 24 for the passage of the control lever 8 and the mainly annular wall 22, located laterally relative to the hole 24, for installing and placing the processor 15. More preferably, the wall 22 has an upper edge 23, bent back to the right lenii wall 22 inward a limited space in order to hold in place a generally flat protective member 29 is inserted between the upper edge of the walls 22 and 23 processor 15. This protective

- 2 016525 element 29, made of a transparent material, for example in the form of a small plate of plexiglass or glass, protects the display 16, while maintaining the ability to read information from the display from the outside.

In a particularly preferred embodiment, the security element 29 is shaped so as to prevent access to the setting key 19 of the processor 15, but to leave access to the communication port, which is invisible in the drawing, since it is closed by a plug 21, and to the key 18 to select the information presented on the display. Preferably, an indicator for protection against unauthorized access can be provided in order to attach the security element 29 to the wall 22. For example, an opening 25 can be created in the security element 29 for engaging with the corresponding side hole not shown in the drawing 22 in order to snap the security element 29 to the wall 22 by means of a seal formed, for example, by a ring of metal wire sealed with a lead seal.

In a particularly preferred embodiment, the switch 1 in the molded case also contains a test key 26 for checking the insulation of the system and a trimmer 27 for adjusting the operating temperature of the switch 1. As shown in FIG. 3, a suitable hole 28 may be provided in the shield 12 for accessing the test key 26 and the trimmer 27. Through the hole 28, the trimmer 27 can also be connected to the switch 1 by means of an unauthorized access indicator. It is possible, for example, to perform on the switch 1 one or more projections 33 in the region of the hole 28 with the corresponding hole 34, where the wire seal is inserted.

In FIG. 5 shows an assembly comprising a switch 1 according to FIG. 1 and used in some embodiments, an additional device 40 mounted on the front surface 5 of the switch

1. In the shown specific example, the auxiliary device 40 is an engine that interacts with the control lever 8 of the switch 1. As is easy to see, due to the display 16 being in the shown specific position on the front surface 5 of the switch 1, the installation of the additional front device 40 does not impair display visibility 16.

As shown in FIG. 5, in a particularly preferred embodiment, the additional front device 40 used in some embodiments has a housing with a central portion 41 adjacent to the processor and two parallel portions 42, 43 extending from the central portion 41 to form a recess 44 extending perpendicular to the front surface 5 and at least partially enclosing processor 15.

As shown in FIG. 6, it is also possible to apply an additional removable cover 45 mounted on an additional front device 40 to form an internal channel located in the recess 44 perpendicular to the front surface 5. This channel has an end portion where the processor 15 enters and is closed at the opposite end with a transparent window 46, for example, from transparent plastic, to make the display 16 visible through this channel. In this embodiment, it is preferable to use a backlit display as the display 16.

On the cover 45, bendable pins 47, 48 can be made, interacting with the data selection key 18 for visualization and the test key 26, so that these keys 18, 26 can be pressed even when the optional front device 40 and the cover 45 are in place.

Alternatively, the cover 45 and the additional front device 40 can be made in the form of a single element mounted on the front surface of the switch 1, but only if a closed channel is created, passing through the case of such an element in the position corresponding to the display 15, extended under the direct angle to the front surface 5 and provided with a transparent window 46. At the same time, the option with two separate parts 40, 45 is preferable, since in this case it is enough to produce an additional front e device 40 of only one type, which is connected to one small lid corresponding recess 44 to close the recess 44 and may be attached to the front known circuit breaker having no display 16;

connected to cover 45 of FIG. 6 type and can be attached in front to the switch 1, equipped with a display 16 according to the previous description.

As is apparent from the foregoing description, a circuit breaker according to the present invention is able to overcome the above-described disadvantage of known circuit breakers. In fact, according to the present invention, the display 16 is always visible and does not prevent the installation of an additional front device on the switch.

It is obvious that specialists in the field under consideration can make various modifications and changes to the design of the circuit breaker discussed above to fulfill specific tasks and meet specific needs, without going beyond the scope of protection limited by the following claims.

Claims (12)

CLAIM 1. The switch (1) in a molded case containing a control lever (8); a housing (2) having a front surface (5) with a front portion (6) corresponding to the standard ΌΙΝ protruding from said surface (5), so that said protruding front section (6) has an opening (7) for passing the lever (8) control switch (1); a processor (15) comprising an electronic imaging device (16) for outputting data representing operating parameters and / or information about the state of the switch (1), characterized in that said imaging device (16) is located on the side of the protruding front section (6) from the specified hole (7) and the specified control lever (8), the specified switch (1) is configured to use an additional front device designed to interact with the specified control lever (8) and attach to the front surface in such a way that said imaging device (16) remains visible, and the electronic processor (15) and said imaging device (16) are housed in a separate housing (17) located to the side of said opening (7) and said lever (8) ) control, the switch (1) further comprises a shield-shaped cap (12) mounted on the specified protruding section (6) and having a wall (22) located on the side of the specified hole (7) and the specified control lever (8), so inside the circuit bounded by the specified wall (22), you can insert the specified case (17) of the specified processor (15). 2. The switch (1) in the molded case according to claim 1, in which said protruding front section (6) is formed by a strip extended between two opposite edges (13, 14) of said front surface (5). 3. The switch (1) in a molded case according to any one of claims 1, 2, in which the specified lever is a rotating lever. 4. The switch (1) in a molded case according to any one of claims 1 to 3, in which said processor (15) contains at least two keys (18, 19), one of which serves to select the data presented on the display, and the other is for setting / changing the operating parameters of the switch (1). 5. The switch (1) in the molded case according to claim 4, in which said wall (22) has an upper edge (23), bent towards the inside of the contour bounded by this wall (22) in order to hold in place a generally shaped plate a protective element (29) placed between the specified upper edge (23) of the wall and the specified case (17) of the specified processor (15). 6. The switch (1) in the molded case according to claim 3 or 5, in which the specified protective element (29) is shaped so as to close access to the specified key (19) settings of the specified processor (15). 7. The switch (1) in the molded case according to claim 6, also containing an unauthorized access indicator to connect the specified protective element (29) with the specified wall (22). 8. The switch (1) in a molded case according to any one of claims 1 to 7, in which the considered switch (1) is a magnetic thermal switch with a differential protection module. 9. The assembly of the switch (1) and the additional front device (40), in which the switch is made according to any one of claims 1 to 8, and the additional front device (40) is designed for removable attachment to the specified front surface (5) in order to interact with the control lever (8), and the additional front device (40) contains a body of such a shape that you can see the specified device (16) visualization. 10. The assembly (1, 40) according to claim 9, wherein said housing of the additional front device (40) comprises an internal channel extended substantially at right angles to said front surface (5) and having a first end for receiving said processor (15) and the opposite end with a transparent window (46), so that the specified device (16) visualization is visible through the specified channel. 11. The assembly (1, 40) according to claim 9, wherein said additional front device housing (40) comprises a central portion (41) mounted next to the processor (15) and two protruding sections parallel to one another (42, 43) which protrude from the central portion (41) to form a recess (44) extended substantially at right angles to said front surface (5) and at least partially enclosing said processor (15). 12. The assembly (1, 40, 45) according to claim 11, further comprising a removable cover (45) attached to an additional front device (40) for forming an internal channel extended substantially at a right angle in said recess (44) to the specified front surface (5).