EP0083051A1

EP0083051A1 - A timed control apparatus for an electrical user requiring "manual" connection and disconnection

Info

Publication number: EP0083051A1
Application number: EP82111793A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Arrigo De Martin
Original assignee: Italora SpA
Current assignee: Italora SpA
Priority date: 1981-12-24
Filing date: 1982-12-19
Publication date: 1983-07-06
Also published as: IT8123904V0; EP0083051B1; DE3271071D1

Abstract

This invention relates to a timed control apparatus for an electrical user requiring a manual connection and disconnection comprising at least one gear element (10) associated with the timing device, at least one gear element (12) associated with the acoustical signalling device, according to which both said gear elements (10, 12) meshing during timing period, provide zones (5a, 5b) of the profile without toothing.

Description

This invention relates to an apparatus comprising a mechanical timer, an acoustic signalling device, and a one- or multi-way switch. The apparatus is so implemented as to enable both timed and manual operation of the switch connected to an electrical user.
Various manually operable timing devices are known, in which a timer is provided for connection and disconnection of the electric circuit and acoustically signalling the end of the timing cycle.
The timed connection or disconnection of the electrical user is generally provided starting from the device at rest position and rotating the knob in a determined direction.
Reference is now made to Figs, la, lb and lc, schematically illustrating the different positions for the knob (not shown) of the timer operation. The rest position is indicated at A. In order to wind up the timer, said knob is made to rotate in one direction, generally clockwise direction, until it reaches the maximum timing position B. During timing period the arc BA is described. The acoustical signalling occurs during the angular period FA.
Some known devices (see Fig. la) provide the end-of-cycle position at D, i.e. not coincident with the rest position at A. Upon timing completion, acoustical signalling simultaneously starts and continues until the knob reaches the location A. During such a path the switch changes its state. For manual insertion, said knob must be rotated again in the same winding up direction, that is in clockwise direction, however stopping at C. A device of this type is complex and expensive.
Other devices (see Fig. lb) provide the position of manual insertion C beyond the position of maximum timing B. In such devices, the rest position and the end-of-cycle position coincide at A. Therefore, for manual insertion, said knob must still be rotated in winding up (or clockwise direction) until overtaking the maximum timing position B and stopping at C. In this case, the two timing and acoustical signalling gears are interacting and integrated in the same functional volume. These two solutions do not facilitate the functional approach since for both manual and timed operation of the switch, the knob must be always rotated in the same direction, stopping however at different locations.
Further devices (see Fig. lc) provide the manual insertion position between the rest position A (coincident with the end-of-cycle position) and the maximum timing position B. Such a position is reached by rotating the knob in the opposite direction to the winding up direction, that is in counterclock-wise direction. At present such a solution is most widely commercially accepted. The commercially available devices of this latter type however provide that the gears associated with the timing and acoustical signalling devices should occupy additional volumes. This increases costs for the device implementation.
Therefore, it is the object of the present invention to provide a device meeting the market requirements, but having more moderate overall sizes and costs. Thus, the goal is to provide a timer device, in which all the wheel works related to timer mechanism and acoustical signalling mechanism share the same volume and in which the manual insertion position is reached by rotating the knob in a direction opposite to the rotary direction for winding up.
Fig. lc is a view showing an unrestrictive example for such a solution, in which the manual opening or closing of the multi-way switch can be effected by counterclock-wise rotating the timer control axis from the rest position A.
This object is achieved by providing a device in which at least part of the gear elements associated with the timer mechanism and acoustical signalling mechanism, respectively, has a zone of the profile without toothing.
A solution of the invention particularly provides that the portion without toothing is proportional to the required angle of rotation for moving from the rest position to the manual connection or disconnection position for the user.
A particular variation contemplates that the gear element associated with the acoustical signalling device is provided with a stop to limit the rotation of. said element once the rest position has been reached.
A further embodiment provides that the switch, normally comprising at least one pair of contacts and at least one snap actuation means, is provided with an element characterized by lugs or projections, coaxial with the gear associated with the timing mechanism, and which interacts with at least one slider prearranged at the rest position of the timer. In said embodiment the sliders act as stop- devices (at rest condition and manual insertion position), ease the snap transition between the rest condition and the manual insertion position, and viceversa, so as to prevent the quick switch opening. They do not directly take part in the contact operation. Said contact operation is made by the cam element.
A particular solution provides that said sliders are in engagement with a resilient means, such as a spring.
A further variation contemplates a cam device, which is however coaxial with the lug or projection-fitted element and engaged therewith by a pin and slot device so as to enable a free and well defined relative rotation between the two elements. Particularly, said lugs or projections are arranged on different planes, so that the same can rotate by more than 180°.
The invention will now be further explained with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figs. la, lb and lc schematically show the positions taken by the control knob of known timers; particularly Fig. lc is a view showing the positions reached by the device according to the preferred embodiment.
Fig. 2 is a view showing some elements of the device according to the invention, shown at the rest position (position A of Fig. lc);
Fig. 3 is a view illustrating some constituent elements shown at manual opening or closing position of the switch (position C of Fig. lc);
Fig. 4 shows the switch state during the timing period;
Fig. 5 shows the switch state at the end-of-cycle position;
Fig. 6 shows an intermediate period during the knob operation at the position of manual insertion;
Fig. 7 is a view showing the switch at the position of manual insertion; and
Fig. 8 is an elevational view showing the element provided with lugs or projections arranged on different planes for enabling the rotation thereof through an angle exceeding 180°.

The device according to the invention essentially comprises the timing mechanism, the acoustical signalling device, and devices relating to both manual and timed operation of the switch, so as to cause a quick opening and closing of the switch.
Figs. 2 and 3 show the mutual interaction position for the gear 10, relatively to the timing mechanism, and gear 12 relatively to the acoustical signalling device. The latter is clamped at rest position by a stop 11. Thus, the timer and ringer wheel works associated with the two gears share the same volumes. That is the two gears mesh during the timing.
Fig. 2 shows the engagement of gears 10 and 12 at the end-of-cycle or rest position, that is after the completion of the timing period, acoustical signalling and change of state for the switch. In order to wind up the timer, gear 10 must be rotated in the arrow direction. This gear in turn will drive gear 12. The gears are connected to the respective wheelworks by a friction device which semirigidly connects said gears and relevant wheelworks.
Fig. 3 shows the interengagement of said gears 10 and 12 at the attained position of manual opening or closing of the switch. Therefrom it will be appreciated that gear 10 has been rotated in counterclock-wise direction, that is in opposite direction to arrow Y direction, so as to engage with gear 12 at tooth 10a, owing to the provision on both gears of zones 5a and 5b of the profile without toothing. Due to stop 11, said gear 12 has maintained the rest position. During the operation to bring the timing device from the position shown in Fig. 2 to that of Fig. 3, the only resistance of the friction associated with gear 10 is overcome.
Figs. 4 to 8 show the device for quickly opening and closing the switch.
In this example a two-way switch is shown, so that two pairs of contacts 24 and 25 are provided, each of which comprising a fixed contact 24a and 25a and a movable contact 24b and 25b.
The basic elements of this switch are as follows: the lug or projection-fitted device 14 or nib, coaxially mounted with the axis of gear 10 of the timing device, the cam element 19 provided with seats 20 and 21 for the foils, which are also coaxially mounted with the nib axis, the sliders 15 and 16 respectively connected to the springs 17 and 18. The nib 14 and cam 19 are engaged by a pin 23 and a slot 22, which can slide relatively to each other through a maximum angle X (see Fig. 6).
Reference is now made to the several steps for the opening and closing of the switch. Fig. 4 shows the state of the switch during the timing period, that is while the timer knob describes arc BA of Fig. lc. In this case, the pairs of contacts 24 and 25 are closed, while the nib device 14 rotates in the direction indicated by the arrow (see Fig. 4). Fig. 5 shows the subsequent step, where the rest position A has been attained. The nib is arrested by the sliders 15 and 16. At the same time, the cam 19, by rotating with the nib 14, enables the foils 30 and 31 to snap into their seats 20 and 21 owing to the free slide of pin and slot through an angle X, thus instantaneously opening the switch. When desiring to manually insert the switch, rotation should be caused for the knob connected to the gear 10 of the timing device, moving it to position C. During this step, the gear 10 of the timing mechanism rotates without interengaging with the gear 12. On the other hand, the gear 12 does not rotate due to the stop 11. At the same time, during its rotation, said nib 14 causes the sliders 15 and 16 to move away from each other, compressing the springs 17 and 18, as shown in Fig. 6. Now, the cam element 19 remains still or stationary until the nib 14 describes again an angle X owing to the provision of the slot 22 and pin 23 engagement.
Said cam 19 is moved only when the nib 14 has rotated of an X angle if compared with the rest conditions (fig. 5), passes over the tip of the two sliders and finally automatically reaches the fixed manual insertion position owing to the action of said springs 17 and 18 engaged with sliders 15 and 16. Thus, a closing is provided for the contacts 24 and 25 of the switch with a velocity depending on rotation velocity of the nib 14, biased by springs 17 and 18. The rotation of the nib in the opposite direction, that is along the arc CA of Fig. lc, similarly causes a quick opening of the switch. In fact nib 14 during rotation causes the sliders 15 and 16 to move away from each other compressing the springs 17 and 18. Said cam 19 remains stationary until the nib 14 describes again an angle X, owing to the provision of the slot 22 and pin 23 engagement. After this, cam 19 rotates fixedly with nib 14. In this way when parts 20a and 21a a of cam 19 are situated at foil 30 and 31 respectively, due to the flexure of said foils cam 19 freely and quickly rotates in the same direction of said angle X, causing the instant and contemporary opening of the contacts. Subsequentely nib 14 reaches its rest condition, pulled by springs 17 and 18. In this case, the opening velocity of the contacts is independent on rotation velocity of nib 14. The same sequence of events, with the opposte directions, takes place at the end of the timing period. Of course, the function of the switch can be reversed.
Friction couples are associated with said two gears 10 and 12. The rotation of only gear 10 from the rest position A to the manual insertion position C does not draw gear 12, and accordingly during such an operation the switch snap device in this case is only loaded by the friction couple associated with the gear 10. Therefore, the rotational couple given to the nib 14 by the two sliders 15 and 16 is higher than the friction couple of gear 10 opposing to the opening and closing snap of the switch.
Fig. 8 is an elevational view showing the device comprising the nib 14 coaxial with the cam. This figure shows the sliders 15 and 16 acting on two different planes, so as to enable said nib 14 to rotate through a wider angle than 180°.

Claims

1. A timed control apparatus for an electrical user requiring a "manual" connection and disconnection, comprising at least one gear element (10) associated with the timing device, at least one gear element (12) associated with the acoustical signalling device, characterized in that both said gear elements (10 and 12) which mesh during the timing period are provided with zones (5a and 5b) of the profile without toothing so that these gears and their associated wheels can share the same volume.

2. An apparatus according to Claim 1, characterized in that the extension of said zones (5a and 5b) is proportional to the angle of rotation required for moving from the rest position (A) to the manual connection or disconnection position (C) of the user.

₃. An apparatus according to Claim 1, characterized in that a stop means (11) is provided for the gear (12) associated with the acoustical signalling device, for holding said gear (12) at rest position during the manual connection or disconnection of the electrical user.

4. An apparatus according to Claim 1, characterized in that the switch is provided with at least one element having at least one lug or projection (14) for interacting with at least one slider element (15, 16).

5. An apparatus according to Claim 4, characterized in that said slider element (15, 16) is respectively connected to at least one resilient element (17 and 18) to provide a stop means of end-of-cycle and a snap or release means for manual, not timed, quick connection and disconnection of the user.

6. An apparatus according to Claim 4, characterized in that the device fitted with lugs or projections (14) and the cam element (19) are coaxial.

7. An apparatus according to Claim 6, characterized in that the device fitted with lugs or projections (14) and the cam element (19) are in engagement by means of a slot and pin element (22, 23) to enable the free and well defined relative rotation between the two elements.

8. An apparatus according to Claim 4, characterized in that the lugs or projections on the cam element (19) are arranged on different planes so as to enable a rotation thereof through a wider angle than 180°.