EP0030896A1 - Vertical-shaft rotating collectors - Google Patents

Abstract

Multipassages rotating collector intended to operate according about a substantially vertical axis. The electric paths are established by means of multiple contacts as shown (11) (in figure 11), these contacts being located on insulating supports (12) integral with a tubular skirt (13) rotatingly movable with respect to an assembly (14) forming the cover of a shell (15) which is supposed to be fixed, said cover being rotatingly movable with respect to said shell. The contacts (11) provide the electric connection with vertical conducting strips (16) carried by insulating platens (17) and arranged under said platens. Between the various stages of the collector there are arranged deflectors (18). The skirt (13) carrying the contact supports is made integral with the shell (15) by a removable finger (19). The electrical parts may be easily assembled or disassembled when the assembly fixed on the cover (14) is lifted above the shell (15).

Description

The present invention relates to an improvement in rotary manifolds operating along a substantially vertical axis, making it possible to increase safety and reliability, while simplifying their construction, maintenance and repair.

Rotary collectors with vertical axis are used for the transmission of direct or alternating electric currents between a fixed part and a mobile part that can rotate more than 360 °

These collectors transmit power, control, measurement or signaling currents, in direct voltage, or low or high frequency and can have a large number of passages.

They should bring as little disturbance as possible into the transmission of these currents, which is particularly important for low level signals.

In general, they are asked for high operational safety and a long service life.

In some cases, for example for observatory domes, marine turrets or oil platforms, they can be large.

Finally, they are often used in difficult conditions, for example combining use in a marine and tropical environment with a corrosive and explosive atmosphere and harsh vibrational conditions.

According to current conventional techniques, these collectors consist of rings or conductive rings linked either to the fixed part of the installation, or to the mobile part and on which come to rest electrical contacts integral with the other part.

Incidents encountered in use generally result from the presence of internal condensations or dust from the wear of the moving parts, or else from the introduction of solid, liquid or gaseous foreign bodies. This results in electrical disturbances, internal short circuits or other incidents detrimental to safety and the longevity of operation.

On the other hand, in the case of large diameter collectors, the production and protection of crowns or rings poses increasing practical problems with their size whereas their large dimension is generally imposed by the need to mount the collector around other organs occupying the central part.

The present invention is characterized by the use of metal bands in place of rings or crowns and by a particular arrangement of the various constituent bodies.

To understand the object of the present invention, reference will be made to the figures of the plates attached in the appendix.

Figures 1 and 2 give the schematic description of the conventional solutions currently used and the following figures the arrangements according to the present invention to show the essential points by which it differs and the possibilities of realization.

Figure 1 shows the schematic sectional view of a rotating collector with rings of conventional type intended to be used in a substantially vertical position. This rotary manifold comprises a tubular body (1) integral with a base (2), this assembly constituting the internal envelope which we will assume to be fixed to facilitate the present explanation.

The internal tubular body (1) allows passage to various bodies, fixed or mobile, which we will assume contained in a cylindrical volume (3).

The entire collector is enclosed between this fixed internal envelope and a mobile external envelope (4).

The electrical passages, shown to simplify the number of four, are made using conductive rings such as (5) housed in an insulating support (6) mechanically secured to the fixed casing and electrically connected by cables to the part of the general installation.

The electrical connection with the movable part is established by conductive trotters (7) constituted by carbon-metal brushes or contacts made of suitable metals or alloy adapted to the voltages and currents to be transmitted. These wipers are in electrical connection with the cables for transmitting currents to the mobile part by means of supports (8) with which they are in flexible connection.

The friction shoe supports such as (8) are mechanically fixed to an insulating part (9) which allows them to be fixed to the external casing (4) assumed to be mobile.

It can be noted in the present schematic description that the rings such as (5) are separated from each other by insulating partitions such as (10) which have the role of increasing the isolation distance between them in order to remedy in some extent to the disadvantages encountered in practice.

These drawbacks mainly result from the fact that after a certain period of operation, the presence of abrasive and conductive deposits is observed, arising from the normal wear of the rotary contacts, combining with the internal condensations resulting from the breathing of the enclosure as a function of variations of temperature. There may be added the harmful influence of an introduction of conductive liquids (sea water for example) or fatty substances introduced by the lubricating agents of the rotating members. These deposits or runoff mainly follow the path indicated by the arrows (f) and remain partly enclosed in the circular housings of the rings, causing the drawbacks mentioned previously.

Despite all the precautions taken to improve the surface conditions in order to reduce wear and increase sealing, it is very difficult to remove these problems and even the overpressure of the internal atmosphere, a complicated and expensive solution, cannot remedy them. entirely.

FIG. 2 shows the general schematic arrangement of the collectors or crown type, which comprise, as in the previous case, an internal envelope constituted by a tubular body (11) and a sole (12), this internal envelope allowing free passage to a cylindrical volume (13) and being assumed to be fixed.

The outer casing (14) is assumed to rotate relative to the inner casing and the connections between the fixed part and the movable part are established by conductive rings such as (15), mounted on the insulating support (16), on which are supported contacts such as (17) and (18) fixed on the insulating part (19) integral with the rotating part.

Note that this arrangement of contacts above and below the rings results from the need to withstand acceleration in the vertical direction.

What has already been said of the disadvantages due to deposits on the internal surfaces obviously applies to this provision. It will be noted in this regard that the wear problems will be especially important for the upper contacts such as (17) by the fact that these deposits preferably remain at the upper part of the horizontal surfaces.

To understand the improvement in rotary manifolds proposed by the present invention, reference is made to Figure (3) which gives a schematic representation in elevation and in section.

As in the preceding descriptions, the collector comprises an internal envelope (21) and an external envelope (22) rotating relative to the latter. The electrical connections between the fixed part and the mobile part are made by conductive strips such as (24) and (25) embedded in circular positioning grooves established at the bottom of an insulating plate (26). On these bands are supported contacts such as (27) and (28) mounted on insulating supports such as (29) integral with the movable part.

It will be noted that for another strip such as (25) the movable contacts (30) and (31) are mounted on a support (32) remote from the support (29) of the neighboring ring.

Finally, between an upper stage as described above and an identical stage situated below, there is interposed a deflector (33) which does not carry any bare electrical parts and which aims to protect the lower stage from deposits which may come from it. 'above.

FIGS. 4 to 10 give, by way of nonlimiting indication, schematic examples making it possible to better understand the present invention and to see its practical possibilities of implementation.

Figure 4 gives the developed view of a collecting strip which comprises the actual strip (41) on which are brazed, at each end, tabs (42), of the same thickness as the strip, between which are also brazed other tabs such as (43), said tabs used for fixing and electrical connection of the strip as will be explained later.

Figure 5 shows the same band shaped circularly as it will be after mounting in the grooves of the band support plate.

FIG. 6 represents the half-section view of a tray-collector and contacts assembly. The circular insulating plate (51) being fixed by screws such as (52) on a tubular support (53) assumed to be fixed. This plate has, under its lower part (58) circular grooves in which the collector strips (54) to (57) are fitted and between these grooves there are vertical partitions such as 59 intended to lengthen the lines of isolation. between rings and channel deposits and condensations downwards.

For the same purpose insulating deflectors such as that shown in (72) can be placed between the various stages of the collector. To give examples of fixing and connecting the slip rings it can be seen in this figure that the strip (54) is held by elastic conductive keys such as (60) comprising a rolled part (61) in which the conductor is welded (62). Another possibility is given relatively the strip (56) whose legs carry threaded holes where threaded rods are screwed such as (63) under the heads of which are clamped lugs (64) receiving a conductor (65). All of the connections made to the upper part of the plate are blocked and protected by compounding (66).

It will be noted that the strips (54) and (56) receive double contacts (66), (67) and (68), (69) which come to bear on the vertical lateral faces of said strips. The purpose of this arrangement is to ensure good resistance to vibration in the direction perpendicular to the XY axis. On the other hand, if these contacts are, to simplify the description, shown in the cutting plane, they are advantageously offset slightly on either side of it as well. that it will be explained later.

These contacts (66) to (69) are placed on an insulating support (70) fixed on a tubular body (71) which rotates relative to the body (53) along the same vertical axis XY.

The contacts resting on the strips (55) and (57) are mounted on other insulating supports similar to (70) this in order to increase the insulation distance between two successive contacts, such as (67) and ( 68), placed on the same support.

FIG. (7) which gives a schematic elevation view makes it possible to better understand the reasons for a contact arrangement of the kind indicated above, considering that the axis AB corresponds to the section plane of the previous figure and using the same strip marks.

If, for example, the inner strip (54) and the intermediate strip (56) are arranged so that for each of these strips their two ends close in the part marked m, n it can be seen only as a result of their angular offset when one of the contacts such as (66) will pass to the location of the connection, the other contact such as (67) will be released. If on the other hand, another contact support corresponding to these two strips is placed in the symmetrical part p, q, the electrical connections will surely be secured for each strip by at least three contacts.

Finally, if the contact supports of the collector strips (55) and (57) are placed in the parts r, s and t, u of the axis CD we see that, as a result of their distance, it will be easy to ensure good isolation from each other.

The contacts used can be of any known type, for example made of metal alloys or carbon-metallic materials and mounted on elastic blades or suitable supports produced according to the rules of the art, depending on the nature of the currents transmitted. and specific easements imposed.

By way of indication, FIG. 8 gives in developed section an exemplary embodiment making it easier to assemble and disassemble the contacts. We see in this figure that the insulating plate (80) carries the strip (81) housed in the circular groove seen in (82), which strip is fixed there by the elastic key (83) passing through an opening of the tab (84) which key also serves as a current supply. On the part (85) of the strip, released below the groove of the plate, come to bear, on both sides, the contacts (86) and (87) on one side, (88) and (89 ) on the other side. These contacts are mounted on elastic blades held by the insulating supports (90) and (91) which can rotate around the axes 0 and 0 'perpendicular to the plane of the figure.

It is understood that the contacts can be released for disassembly by turning the supports in the directions f and f 'or else engaged by the reverse operation.

It will also be noted that said supports being mechanically fixed to a part (92) movable relative to the plate (80) the contacts mounted on (90) or (91) are arranged in opposite directions so that there there is no chattering phenomenon on the two sets of contacts regardless of the direction of rotation.

The present invention also provides that in order to facilitate the mounting or dismounting of the collector, the strip holder (s) can be made in one piece or in several and that for the same reasons a collecting strip can be shared. in two or more parts placed end to end. In this case, the contacts will be arranged according to the rules of the art to ensure good security of the electrical connections.

It is also intended that the plates and other insulating parts can be produced by any known means of materials suitable and that electrical or mechanical parts can be directly incorporated therein, for example in molding.

Figures 9 and 10 give examples of the possible general arrangement of collectors according to the present invention.

According to Figure 9 the collector comprises an outer casing (100) of cylindrical shape movable in rotation about the vertical axis XY and rotating relative to an internal circular casing (101), these two casings constituting an annular enclosure and leaving in their center a free cylindrical passage (103).

The band support plates are fixed to the tubular part (104) mechanically integral with the envelope (101). The contact supports are mounted on the tubular part (105) which is movable in rotation relative to the envelope (101) and can be driven by the envelope (100) when it is secured thereto by a finger drive (106). We see that with such an arrangement all the internal electrical equipment can be easily assembled on the casing (101), the assembly thus formed then being capped by the outer casing (100) with which the electrical connections are established by cables. flexible. To facilitate the assembly and disassembly of the internal elements, the part (105) has large openings such as (107) and the intermediate parts such as (108) used for fixing the contact supports.

According to the arrangement shown schematically in Figure 10 the arrangements are similar but all the electrical assemblies are arranged on the cover (110) closing the upper part of the tank (111). The plates are mounted on the tubular support (112) integral with the cover (110) and the contact supports on the tubular part (113) supported by a raceway (114) which part can be secured in rotation with the tank (111 ) via a finger (115).

Such a provision is particularly applicable in the case of explosion-proof collectors or filled with an insulating liquid.

• Un premier point réside dans le fait que l'es surfaces collectrices sont constituées par des bandes métalliques mises en forme circulaire et encastrées dans des rainures situées au dessous d'un plateau isolant de telle sorte que leurs faces de contact soient verticales. Il en résulte que les corps étrangers introduits accidentellement, ou bien provenant de dégradations internes et de l'usure des pièces mobiles auront peu de tendance à se déposer et à subsister dans le chemin des contacts.

From schematic descriptions given previously by way of non-limiting indication, it will be understood that a collector according to the present invention differs from those currently produced by the following main points:

• A first point resides in the fact that the collecting surfaces are formed by shaped metal strips. circular and embedded in grooves located below an insulating plate so that their contact faces are vertical. As a result, foreign bodies introduced accidentally, or coming from internal damage and wear of the moving parts will have little tendency to deposit and remain in the contact path.

A second point results from the fact that the movable contacts of two neighboring strips are placed on different supports, which makes it possible to increase the distance between the contacts placed on the same insulating support and to give the latter the most suitable form for lengthen the isolation lines and avoid the presence of harmful deposits.

A third point is the economy of metal resulting from the adoption of strips for conductive surfaces, especially vis-à-vis collectors of the crown type. These strips are moreover easier to supply than large sheets or tubes which must have an excellent surface condition. For large collectors, it should also be noted that it is easier to protect electrolytically. strips of great length than pieces of large area.

Another important difference between the present invention and the conventional solutions lies in the fact that the mounting of the collector no longer consists in a stack of closed parts which results in a significant addition of mechanical tolerances, but in the placing of open parts in place. mechanically well-defined accommodation.

Finally, we must consider the problem posed in the event of repair when it is a conventional type collector whose central passage is occupied by bodies that are difficult to dismantle. Indeed, when, for example as a result of an external short circuit, the rings or crowns of such a collector are damaged. replacement requires disassembly of the entire installation, whereas with a strip collector it suffices to separate the two envelopes vertically and open the damaged strips in order to be able to remove them and replace them.

Claims (4)

1. Rotary electrical collector intended to operate along a substantially vertical axis for transmitting electrical currents between a fixed part and a mobile part, each electrical passage being established by means of several contacts resting on a collecting strip, these connecting devices being able to be protected by electrical screens or arranged on several floors, all of the electrical parts being placed in a sealed, explosion-proof enclosure, pressurized or filled with an insulating liquid, this collector being characterized in that the collector strips, placed in circular shape, are located below an insulating plate, their edge being parallel to the axis of the collector. 2. Collector according to claim 1 characterized in that the contacts corresponding to neighboring electrical passages are placed on different electrical supports in order to increase the isolation paths. 3. Collector sound claims 1 or 2 characterized in that the collector strips and the insulating plates supporting these are divided into several parts to facilitate their assembly and disassembly. 4. Collector according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the band support plates are fixed to a cylindrical piece integral with the cover of a tank, which cover is movable in rotation relative to the latter and that the supports contacts are fixed on a tubular part mechanically connected to the cover in the vertical direction, but movable in rotation relative to the latter, its mechanical connection with the tank being ensured by a locking finger and its electrical connections by flexible cables.

Images