EP0036432B1 - Contactor, particularly a power or control or starter contactor - Google Patents

Abstract

In a switch, in particular a power, control or starter switch, a contact system and a magnetic system are provided in a housing whereby the magnetic system actuates the contact system. The contact system is provided with contact bars having rigid contact pieces, as well as actuable bridges with movable contact pieces which are actuated by means of a common bridge, whereby each bridge and the associated contact bars are mounted in a switch chamber. Furthermore, a switch-on contact with a self-locking contact is provided. In switches of this type, it is typically required to hold a switching operation for a longer time period, without necessitating the manually pushing down of a push key. The required separate switch-on contact is typically mounted in a separate large housing. In order to reduce the structural and space requirements and to permit a simple wiring, a contact yoke is structurally integrated with the switch for the switch-on contact which can be actuated from the outside by means of an actuating element and which cooperates with the common bridge support.

Description

The invention relates to a contactor, in particular power or control or starter contactor, with a contact system accommodated in a housing and a magnet system actuating the contact system, the contact system being able to operate contact rails with fixed contact pieces and by means of a common bridge girder, as openers and / or has normally-acting bridges with movable contact pieces, each bridge and the associated contact rails being accommodated in a switching chamber, a switch-on contact and a switch-off contact for the magnet system and a switch-on contact for holding the magnet system in place.

These types of contactors can be used both as single contactors and in combinations of contactors.

Contactors of the aforementioned type are known in practice in various types. In these contactors, a plunger is generally provided, which can be actuated from the outside, for example by hand using a push button, and which acts on a common bridge girder and causes it to move, so that when the contactor is energized, a certain switching operation with the provided opener - And / or make contacts can be made. After releasing the push button, the contactor returns to the original position and the switching process is finished. In practice, however, it is necessary to hold a switching operation for a longer period of time without the push button being constantly pressed by hand during this time. For this purpose, a special switch-on contact is provided and it has been proposed to use a normally open contact of the contactor for the self-holding of the contactor. Another separate switch-off contact is provided to switch off the contactor.

According to the prior art, these two switch-on and switch-off contacts are each housed in a separate switch housing, which are connected to the contactor via electrical connecting lines. These separate device parts require a lot of construction and a large amount of space and also a complicated, at least costly, wiring.

From DE-U-1 813 182 a contactor with double break and a latching contact is known, which is designed as a closing contact and can be actuated by means of a push button. This contactor requires a relatively complicated construction with two coil springs between the manually operated push button and a switch bracket. The switching bridge with double interruption is guided downwards when the push button is pressed and an electrical connection is established between the fixed contact pieces, which can attract the magnet system and the switching bridge can be locked. Switching off on the contactor itself is not possible; a special external switch with corresponding additional wiring is required.

In the known electromagnetic contactor with auxiliary switch according to DD-A-95 051 it is possible to switch on, hold the switch contact and switch it off, but here too the construction work is very large. Auxiliary switches for manual operation of auxiliary switch contacts located in the coil circuit are used for the aforementioned switching functions. For this purpose, attachments and push buttons are placed on the auxiliary switch. To switch on the contactor, a push button is pressed, the plunger of which acts on the auxiliary switch plunger, which takes the normally open contact in the form of a contact bridge, so that the movable contact pieces of the contact bridge come into contact with fixed contact rails, the control circuit is closed and the magnetic coil system is attracted . The auxiliary switch plunger is then held in its switching position by the armature. To switch off the contactor, a similar but separate construction is required, namely with a push button, a plunger and an auxiliary switch plunger, which again interacts with the armature and with the contact bridge as a break contact. In this construction, not only two push buttons with plungers and auxiliary switch plungers, both of which interact with the armature, are provided, but also two contact bridges each, as a total of four contact bridges, which force a total of eight connections for the wiring. The construction effort and also the wiring effort are therefore quite considerable, apart from the fact that the auxiliary switches which are used for these functions are practically lost for other switching purposes.

Another known electromagnetic contactor according to DE-B-1 167 948 is about plugging an additional housing onto the normal contactor housing, the additional housing being intended to have push-button switches and connecting terminals for the control line of the contactor. From the type of arrangement of the connection terminals, it can be concluded that movable contact bridges with contact pieces on both sides, etc., are to be provided within the push-button switch. Although there is talk of a mechanical switching on and off and of a self-holding contact, constructive details are not disclosed.

The invention has for its object to provide a contactor which the functions switch, self-holding and switching off directly fulfilled and in which the construction effort and space requirements are significantly reduced and simple wiring is made possible.

The object is achieved according to the invention in that a contact clip for the switch-on contact and a further contact clip for the switch-off contact are provided in a structural unit, that at the free ends of the contact clip there is provided a contact piece which can move with them and which controls the switching on and off. and self-holding contacts form that the unit is connected to the housing of the contactors, that the contact bracket for the switch-on contact cooperates with the common bridge carrier in such a way that after switching on the switch system provides self-retention of the magnet system, and that the two contact brackets from the outside by means of separate actuators are actuated.

In this way, there is the essential advantage that three functions are realized in a contact track, namely switching on, holding and switching off the contactor without the need for additional separate switches or switch housings and corresponding wiring.

This previously explained operating principle permits a number of further advantageous ones. Refinements that are characterized in the dependent claims.

• Figur 1 ein Schaltschema für ein Schütz,
• Figur 2 einen Vertikalschnitt durch ein vereinfacht dargestelltes Schütz mit integrierten Schaltkammer für Einschalt- und Ausschaltkontakte in Ruhestellung,
• Figur 3 ein Schnitt gemäß Figur 2, wobei der Einschaltkontakt betätigt ist,
• Figur 4 ein Schnitt gemäß Figur 2, wobei das Schütz durch den Einschaltkontakt in Selbsthaltung gegangen ist,
• Figur 5 einen Schnitt gemäß Figur 2 im Augenblick der Betätigung des Betätigungselementes für den Ausschaltkontakt,
• Figur 6 einen Vertikalschnitt mit fertigungsmäßig vereinfachter symmetrischer Ausgestaltung und Gleichheit der Teile für Einschalt-und Ausschaltkontakt sowie für die beiden Betätigungselemente,
• Figur 7 einen Schnitt durch eine Schaltkammer mit anderes gestalteten, ebenfalls symmetrisch angeordneten und gleichen Teilen für die Kontaktbügel der Ein- und Ausschaltkontakte und Betätigungselemente,
• Figur 8 eine andere Ausbildung, wobei das Betätigungselemente des Einschaltkontaktes in Baueinheit mit dem Stößel des Brückenträgers ausgebildet ist,
• Figur 9 einen Querschnitt hierzu,
• Figur 10 eine perspektivische Ansicht eines Schützes,
• Figur 11 eine Explosionszeichnung mit perspektivischer Ansicht auf den Einzelteile des Schützes gemäß Figur 10, wobei Magnetanker und Magnetkern nicht dargestellt sind,
• Figur 12 einen Längsschnitt durch eine andere Ebene des Schützes gemäß Schnittlinie XII-XII in Figur 10,
• Figur 13 eine Seitenansicht auf ein Schütz mit Vertikalschnitt durch die Schaltkammer der Ein- und Ausschaltkontakte mit einem vorgesetzten Motorschutzschalter,
• Figur 14 eine Draufsicht zu Figur 13, und
• Figur 15 eine andere Ausgestaltung des Schützes gemäß Figur 13 mit Motorschutzschalter.

In the drawing, embodiments of the invention are shown in the diagram, namely show

• 1 shows a circuit diagram for a contactor,
• 2 shows a vertical section through a contactor, shown in simplified form, with an integrated switching chamber for make and break contacts in the rest position,
• FIG. 3 shows a section according to FIG. 2, the switch-on contact being actuated,
• FIG. 4 shows a section according to FIG. 2, the contactor being held in a self-holding manner by the switch-on contact
• 5 shows a section according to FIG. 2 at the moment of actuation of the actuating element for the switch-off contact,
• FIG. 6 shows a vertical section with a production-related simplified symmetrical design and identical parts for the switch-on and switch-off contact and for the two actuating elements,
• 7 shows a section through a switching chamber with a differently designed, likewise symmetrically arranged and identical parts for the contact bracket of the switch-on and switch-off contacts and actuating elements,
• 8 shows another embodiment, the actuating elements of the switch-on contact being formed in a structural unit with the plunger of the bridge girder,
• FIG. 9 shows a cross section for this,
• FIG. 10 shows a perspective view of a contactor,
• FIG. 11 shows an exploded view with a perspective view of the individual parts of the contactor according to FIG. 10, the magnet armature and magnet core not being shown,
• FIG. 12 shows a longitudinal section through another plane of the contactor according to section line XII-XII in FIG. 10,
• FIG. 13 shows a side view of a contactor with a vertical section through the switching chamber of the on and off contacts with a motor protection switch in front,
• Figure 14 is a plan view of Figure 13, and
• 15 shows another embodiment of the contactor according to FIG. 13 with a motor protection switch.

Figure 1 shows a simplified circuit diagram for a contactor, which is connected to a power network with lines 1 and 2. When the main switch 20 is closed, the contactor 3 can pull in first when the switch-on contact 8 is also actuated. A further contact 4 is connected in parallel with this switch-on contact 8 via lines 5, 6, which can be designed as a contact of the contactor 3 and also closes after the contactor has closed and keeps the contactor energized, even when the switch-on contact 8 is opened again. The dash-dotted line 7 indicates that the contact 4 is one of the contacts of the contact system of the contactor 3. A switch-off contact 9 is used to switch off the contactor, which interrupts the circuit and allows the contactor to drop out again. A conventional fuse is also designated by reference number 10. According to the prior art, as explained at the beginning, the two contacts 8 and 9 are housed as a switch-on contact and a switch-off contact in separate switch housings.

An exemplary embodiment of the invention is shown in FIGS. 2 to 5 in different switching positions. A magnet system with a magnetic core 36, a coil 37 and with a magnet armature 45 is located in the simplified housing of the contactor 3. A common bridge support 38 is connected to the magnet armature and is explained in more detail below with reference to FIGS. 11 and 12. In the upper part of the contactor housing there is a switching chamber 35, in which a contact bracket 39 for the switch-on contact and a contact bracket 41 for the switch-off contact are arranged. As can be seen from the figures, the contact bracket 41 is provided in a structural unit with the contact bracket 39 of the switch-on contact. In this embodiment, the contact bracket of the on and off contacts with associated fixed contact rails 40 and 42 are housed in the common switching chamber 35. In this exemplary embodiment, the contact brackets are designed as U-shaped spring brackets which are fastened to the contact rails 40 and 42 with their one end 39b or 41b. At at its other end, the spring clips carry overlapping movable contact pieces 39a and 41a. The contact bracket 39 of the closing contact engages in an opening 38a of the bridge girder 38.

The contact bracket 39 can be actuated by an actuating element 43 or a push button, while a further actuating element 44 or a further push button is provided for actuating the contact bracket 41 of the switch-off contact.

The operation of the above-mentioned contactor is essentially as follows. In the rest position, the contact brackets 39, 41 of the switch-on and switch-off contacts and the actuating elements 43, 44 or pusher buttons are in the position shown in FIG. 2, the movable contact pieces 39a and 41a being at a distance from one another. When actuating the actuating element 43 from the outside, the free leg of the U-shaped contact bracket 39 of the switch-on contact is moved downward, so that the contact piece 39a comes into contact with the contact piece 41a, as shown in FIG. 3. This causes the contactor to switch on. When the contactor is switched on, the armature 45 with the common bridge carrier 38 is pulled downward, so that the web 38b comes to rest on the free leg of the contact bracket 39 of the switch-on contact. This allows the contactor to keep itself energized. This switching position is shown in FIG. 4. The contactor is switched off by means of the actuating element 44, which bends the free leg of the spring clip of the switch-off contact downward, so that the movable contact piece 41 lifts off the contact piece 39a. The armature 45 with the bridge support 38 is returned by spring force from the switching position according to FIG. 5 back to the original position according to FIG. 2. The construction explained above has essentially four functions, namely switching on, switching the contactor self-holding, switching off and also using the integrated contact device for normal closing, such as those explained below with reference to FIGS. 11 and 12 Bridge or NO contacts. It is understood that in the latter case the actuators 43 and 44 are not actuated. Another advantage of the embodiment according to the. Figures 2 to 5 is that the switching chamber 35 is housed in the contactor housing corresponding to the other switching chambers 12d (Figure 11), which brings about a significant simplification of manufacture.

Figure 6 shows another embodiment of a contactor, which is constructed similar to that of Figures 2 to 5, so that the same reference numerals have been used for parts acting in the same way. In this exemplary embodiment, however, the U-shaped contact brackets 46, 47 of the switch-on contact on the one hand and the switch-off contact on the other hand are completely identical or symmetrical, which also applies to the fixed contact rails 40, 42. The only difference between the two spring clips is that, in the rest position, their legs are bent to different extents, as can be seen from FIG. This different bending is done during pre-assembly. For production, however, there is the advantage that the spring clips and the contact rails are dimensioned in the same way. In this case, the movable contact pieces 46a and 47a overlap in the area of the opening 38a of the bridge support 38. The operation of this contactor corresponds to that of the contactor according to FIGS. 2 to 5.

In another exemplary embodiment according to FIG. 7, the contact brackets 48, 49 of the switch-on and switch-off contacts with their movable contact pieces are essentially designed as flat spring brackets which are fastened at one end. The movable contact pieces at the other end advantageously overlap in the area of the opening 38a of the bridge girder 38, so that even in this embodiment the spring clips are dimensioned completely identically and symmetrically to one another, which in turn simplifies production.

The further exemplary embodiment according to FIG. 8 corresponds essentially to that of FIG. 7, so that the contact brackets 50, 51 of the switch-on and switch-off contacts are again essentially designed as flat spring brackets in the switching chamber 35. In this case, a further simplification is achieved in that the actuating element 52 of the switch-on contact is constructed in a structural unit with the plunger of the bridge girder which can be actuated from the outside. This means that there is no need for a separate actuating element or a push button for the switch-on contact. The switching chamber 35 of this exemplary embodiment according to FIGS. 8 and 9 is particularly suitable as a special chamber, i.e. this switching chamber can first be produced as a separate chamber and then optionally arranged on the contactor housing or laterally on the contactor housing. With a directly integrated lateral arrangement of the switching chamber on the housing, a connecting web 52a is then provided to the common bridge support 38 of the contactor, so that all functions, i.e. Switching on and off of the contacts, self-holding of the contactor and usability as normal NO contact are guaranteed. When the switching chamber is arranged on the housing of the contactor, the connecting web to the bridge girder can be designed differently.

For a better understanding of the overall structure of a contactor, a further embodiment is based on FIGS. 10, 11 and 12 Example explained. The housing of the contactor consists of several housing parts 11, 12 and 13, which are made of tough plastic. The housing part 11 is used with its base plate 11 a for attachment to a mounting level, for example on a board or in a control cabinet. For fastening, the lateral projections 11 e with bores can be used, or a bolt 11 h (under pressure of a spring 11 k (FIG. 12)) can be provided, which together with a counter-stop in a not shown profiled rail of the control panel or the control cabinet intervenes. In the interior of the housing part 11, the magnet system is housed, which consists of a coil 16 with connecting lines 17 and connectors 18, 19 and a magnetic core 34 and a movable armature 31. The coil 16 and the magnetic core can be fastened with the aid of a Bracket 14 can only be done by simply inserting it with a clamping effect.

On the top and bottom of the housing part 11 resilient tongues 11c are provided, which cooperate with recesses and locking points 12b of the housing part 12. On the two side surfaces of the housing part 12, tongue-like projections 12c are also provided, which engage in recesses with locking points 11d of the housing part 11. Thus, the housing parts 11 and 12 are firmly connected to each other by simply pushing them together by hand.

The housing part 12 contains a contact system. For this purpose, four switching chambers 12d are provided in parallel next to each other within the predetermined width between the two side surfaces 12a. One of these switching chambers, preferably the switching chamber 12f shown in FIG. 11 near the front edge, is designed in accordance with the switching chamber 35 explained above. The interrupters as such are essentially designed as U-shaped grooves with open end faces. The U-shaped channels open towards the side away from the mounting level. In the switching chambers 12d there are two contact rails 24 with fixed contact pieces 24a, which are inserted into guides 26, 27 of the housing part 12 and in substantially rectangular ones. Frame 30 are held by contact terminal screws 21. The contact connection screws 21 simultaneously hold the electrical connection lines 28.

A bridge 25 with movable contact pieces 25a cooperates with the two contact rails 24 in the switching chambers 12d. The illustrated embodiment is a make contact, but can also be converted as a break contact, in that the two contact rails 24 of the relevant switching chamber are rotated by 180 °, so that the contact pieces 24a point towards the mounting plane. Furthermore, the bridge 25 together with the contact spring 33 is removed from the opening 38c of the bridge girder 38 common to all bridges and, after being turned through 180 °, is reinserted into the opening 38e.

The common bridge support 38 consists essentially of a plate, one end of which is connected to the armature 31 of the magnet system. In addition, compression springs 32 are provided which, when the coil 16 is not switched on, press the armature 31 and the common bridge support 38 back into the rest position shown. At the end remote from the fastening plane, the bridge support 38 has a projection 38d which projects through an opening 13d of the housing part 13 serving as a cover. The housing part 13 covers the contact system in the housing part 12. In this housing part, two rows of holes 13b are provided, through which a screwdriver can be inserted, which is simultaneously guided by the wall of the hole concerned and which allows the contact connection screws 21 and 22 to be tightened in a freely accessible manner.

In addition to the described switching chambers 12d and 12f of the housing part 12, a further channel-like space 12e is provided within the predetermined width between the side walls 12a, in which the two connection screws 22 for the coil of the magnet system are accommodated. The housing part 13 can also be attached to the housing part 12 by sliding and clamping.

FIGS. 13 and 14 show a further exemplary embodiment of the invention, namely a contactor 53 with contact connection screws 56, 57 and further connection screws 58 and 67 for the coil and with an integrated switching chamber 54, which essentially corresponds to the configuration according to FIGS 5 matches. The same reference numerals have therefore been used for parts with the same effect. The common bridge girder has an extension 55 which protrudes outwards from the housing and can be used as a push button. Furthermore, actuating elements 43, 44 are again provided. A motor protection device 59 is connected upstream of the contactor 53 and is connected to the contactor 53 via electrical lines 60 and 61. The motor protection device has an adjusting lever 62 in relation to a scale 63, so that the trigger sensitivity of this device can be set. This motor protection device also has contact connection screws 64, 65 and 66. In addition, pusher buttons 68 and 69 are provided, the pusher button 68 also being usable as a switch-off button since it acts on a switch-off contact. In this version of the combined device, the actuating elements 44 or the can optionally be switched off Push button 68 are operated. Under certain circumstances, the actuating element 44 can then also be omitted.

FIG. 15 shows a further exemplary embodiment, which essentially corresponds to that according to FIG. 13, but here the movable contact clip 70 of the switch-on contact is designed as a C-shaped spring clip with two resilient, movable contact pieces 70a, 70b. These contact pieces cooperate with fixed contact pieces 71a, 72a, of contact rails 71, 72. The C-shaped spring clip 70 is held in an opening of the actuating element 74 or the common bridge girder by means of a compression spring 73. By means of a fork-shaped tappet 75, the C-shaped spring clip 70 can be pressed in the direction of the fixed contact rails 71, 72 and the switching on can be carried out. Switching off can take place in accordance with the exemplary embodiment according to FIGS. 13 and 14 by means of a plunger 76 via a pushbutton 68 of the motor protection switch 59.

Claims (8)

1. A contactor, more especially a power or control or starter contactor provided with a contact system, which is accommodated in a housing, and a magnet system (36, 37, 45), which actuates the contact system, the contact system comprising contact bars (40, 42) with stationary contact members as well .as bridges, which are actuable by means of a common bridge carrier (38) and act as break contacts and/or make contacts and are provided with movable contact members (39a, 41 a), and each bridge and the associated contact bars being accommodated in a switch chamber (35), and there being provided a switch-on contact and a switch-off contact for the magnet system and a switch-on contact for the self-holding of the magnet system, characterised in that there are provided a sliding bow (39; 46; 48; 50) for the switch-on contact and another sliding bow (41; 47; 49; 5-1) for the switch-off contact in one constructional unit, and in that there is provided at the free ends of the sliding bows respectively one contact member (39a, 41a; 46a, 47a), which are movable with the sliding bows and form the switch-on, switch-off and self-holding contacts, and in that the constructional unit is connected to the housing of the contactor and in that the sliding bow (39; 46; 48; 50) for the switch-on contact co-operates with the common bridge carrier (38) in such a way that when the switching-on has been effected by this switch-on contact the self-holding of the magnet system is given, and in that the two sliding bows (39, 41; 46, 47; 48, 49; 50, 51) are actuatable from the outside by means of separate actuating elements (43, 52; 44).

2. A contactor as claimed in Claim 1, characterised in that the ends which are remote from the free ends of the sliding bows are connected to associated contact bars (40, 42) and are accommodated in a common switch chamber (35; 54).

3. A contactor as claimed in Claim 2, characterised in that the switch chamber (35; 54) is accommodated in the contactor housing in accordance with the other switch chambers (12d).

4. A contactor as claimed in Claim 2, characterised in that the switch chamber (35) is optionally provided on top of the housing of the contactor or on the side of the housing and in that there is provided a connecting web (52a) to the bridge carrier (38).

5. A contactor as claimed in one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the actuating element (52) of the sliding bow (50) of the switch-on contact is designed as a constructional unit with the tappet of the bridge carrier (38), which tappet is actuatable from the outside.

6. A contactor as claimed in one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the sliding bows (39, 41; 46, 47) are designed as U-shaped spring clips which, at one end, are fastened to the contact bars (40, 42) and, at the other end, carry the movable contact members (3.9a, 41 a; 46a, 47a) which overlap each other.

7. A contactor as claimed in Claim 6, characterised in that the spring clip of the switch-on contact engages in an aperture (38a) in the bridge carrier (38).

8. A contactor as claimed in one of Claims 1 to 5, characterised in that the sliding bows (48, 49) are substantially designed as flat spring clips which, at one end, are fastened and, at the other end, carry the movable contact members which are overlapped in the zone of an aperture (38a) in the bridge carrier (38).

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