EP0127533B1 - Fuses of electrical installations - Google Patents

Abstract

1. A circuit-breaker for electrical installations comprising a casing (1) equipped with an input terminal (3) adapted to be connected directly to a first voltage (4) of the supply network, an output terminal (5) adapted to be connected to a second voltage (7) of the network, by means of a consumer circuit (6), a seating adapted to receive a fuse cartridge (8) in series with the input (3) and output (5) terminals and an indicator bulb (9), a normally open individual test contactor (12) being connected in series with this bulb (9), with a resistor (13) and possibly with a diode, between the output terminal (5) and the second voltage (7) of the network, the illumination of the bulb (9) being visible outside the casing (1) through a translucent wall element (17), characterised in that the bulb (9) is housed, with the resistor (13) and the optional diode, inside a support (16) of translucent material which is itself mostly housed inside the casing (1) of opaque material, emerging from this through a portion (17) constituting said wall element and which constituted the control member, which is movable against the action of a return spring (19), of the individual test contactor (12) of which it carries the movable contact (20), the fixed contact (23) of this test contactor (12) being carried by the casing (1).

Description

The invention relates to circuit breakers, for electrical installations, which comprise a box provided with an input terminal intended to be connected directly to a first voltage of the supply network, with an output terminal intended to be connected to a second network voltage, via a consumer circuit, and a housing for a fuse cartridge, the assembly being such that this cartridge is interposed between the two input and output terminals when 'it is placed in its housing.

In direct current, the first and second network voltages are formed by two different polarities. In alternating current, it can be two different phases or a phase and a neutral.

When several circuit breakers are grouped on a panel, it often happens that the installer of the installation has not identified, by labels or by indelible conventional signs, the various consumer circuits (lighting, sockets for power supply (household or heating appliances, radio or television sets, or other) to which these circuit breakers respectively correspond. When a fuse cartridge melts following an abnormal overcurrent, the user is warned by the failure of the corresponding consumer circuit but he cannot then identify directly, on the table, that of the circuit breakers whose cartridge is to be replaced. He is therefore obliged to remove the cartridges one by one in order to check them until he has found the one that needs to be replaced. This operation is difficult for the vast majority of users.

To simplify this operation, it has already been proposed, in FR-A-2 373 146 and in FR-A-2 414 249, to install in series, between the output terminal and the second network voltage, a bulb LED intended to signal the melting of the cartridge and a normally open control contactor as well as possibly a resistor and a diode. The bulb can be housed inside the housing, so as to be mechanically protected, but be located in front of a transparent or translucent zone making it possible to ascertain whether it is lit or not. In such a circuit breaker, the indicator bulb is normally off since the control switch is normally open. In the event of a failure of one of the consumer circuits, the user only has to close either the control switch on the switchboard, if it is common to all the circuit breakers, or successively the individual control contactors. circuit breakers, which signals the cartridge to be replaced by the fact that the corresponding bulb is the only one that cannot be lit. Indeed, in each circuit breaker, one of the terminals of the indicator light bulb is connected to the first network voltage via the input terminal and the fuse cartridge, connected in series, and l the other of its terminals is connected to the second network voltage via the control contactor. In this situation, either the current can pass normally through the fuse cartridge and the bulb lights up, or the current is prevented from passing through the fuse cartridge by melting thereof, and the bulb does not light up. As explained in the aforementioned FR-A-2 414 249, the diode has the effect of preventing the bulbs from lighting dimly when the cartridge of one of the circuit breakers of the switchboard melts and that the switch of the corresponding circuit is closed, without the control switch being pressed.

The invention aims to facilitate the construction and mounting of circuit breakers of the type mentioned above.

The invention therefore essentially relates to a circuit breaker, for electrical installations, which comprises a box provided with an input terminal intended to be connected directly to a first voltage of the supply network, of an output terminal intended to be connected to a second network voltage, via a consumer circuit, a housing intended to receive a fuse cartridge in series with the input and output terminals, and a light bulb , a normally open individual control contactor being mounted in series with this bulb, with a resistor and possibly with a diode, between the output terminal and the second mains voltage, the illumination of the bulb being visible outside of the housing through a translucent wall element, characterized in that the bulb is housed, with the resistance and the diode if any, inside a support made of translucent material which is itself housed for the most part inside casing made of opaque material, emerging from it by a part constituting the aforesaid wall element, and which constitutes the movable control member, against the action of a return spring, of the individual control contactor which it carries the movable contact, the fixed contact of this control switch being carried by the housing. Preferably, the support is guided in translation, like a drawer, inside the housing. In this case, its return spring is advantageously constituted by an elastic blade coming from molding with the plastic drawer.

In this way, it is possible to separately produce a control sub-assembly comprising in particular the bulb, the resistance, the possible diode and their support in translucent material and then adapt this sub-assembly to the circuit breaker housing. The bulb is mechanically protected by the support, as soon as it is incorporated into the sub-assembly. Despite this, it is easy to check whether it is lit or not by examining whether the emerging part of the translucent support emits a glow or not.

In addition, the combination of the support with the control switch facilitates the construction and mounting of the circuit breaker, more particularly when the support is in the form of a drawer.

It should be noted that DE-A-1 939 953 describes a circuit breaker, for electrical installations, which includes the characteristics listed in the preamble of claim 1, with the exception of the essential characteristic according to which a control switch normally open individual is connected in series with the indicator bulb and with a resistor between the output terminal and the second network voltage. According to this document, in fact, the indicator bulb (28) and the resistor (29) are constantly mounted in parallel with the fuse (11) so that this bulb (28) automatically lights up in the event of a fuse blowing ( 11). In this known circuit breaker, the bulb (28) and the resistor (29) are housed inside a support (15) made of translucent material which emerges from the housing (3) in which it is guided in translation, this translational guidance being intended simply to allow the insertion or removal of this support (15) depending on whether the circuit breaker must or is not equipped with the control bulb.

• La figure 1 montre, en perspective, la partie de ce coupe-circuit qui est voisine de son organe de manoeuvre basculant.
• La figure 2 montre, en perspective éclatée, la même partie de ce coupe-circuit.
• La figure 3 montre le support ou tiroir de ce coupe-circuit, vu de profil à partir de la droite de la figure 2.
• La figure 4 est une coupe selon la ligne IV-IV de la figure 3.
• La figure 5 montre le schéma électrique d'un ¹ tableau comprenant plusieurs coupe-circuit analogues à celui des figures 1 à 4.
• La figure 6, enfin, représente une variante de la figure 4.

The invention will now be described in more detail using the appended drawings which schematically illustrate a circuit breaker according to a preferred embodiment of the invention.

• Figure 1 shows, in perspective, the part of this circuit breaker which is close to its tilting operating member.
• Figure 2 shows, in exploded perspective, the same part of this circuit breaker.
• FIG. 3 shows the support or drawer of this circuit breaker, seen in profile from the right of FIG. 2.
• Figure 4 is a section along line IV-IV of Figure 3.
• FIG. 5 shows the electrical diagram of a ¹ panel comprising several circuit breakers similar to that of FIGS. 1 to 4.
• FIG. 6, finally, represents a variant of FIG. 4.

As shown in Figures 1 to 3, the invention relates to a circuit breaker which comprises a housing 1, closed by a cover 2, both made of relatively opaque plastic. This box 1 is provided with an input terminal 3 (see FIG. 5) intended to be connected directly to a first voltage of the supply network which is brought by a conductor 4, an output terminal 5 intended to be connected, via a consumer circuit 6, to a second voltage supplied by a conductor 7, a housing (not shown) intended to receive a fuse cartridge 8 in series with the input 3 and output terminals 5, and a light bulb 9.

The construction of the circuit breaker proper having no direct relation to the invention, it was not considered useful to describe it and represent it in detail. As shown diagrammatically in FIG. 5, the circuit breaker is generally equipped with a tilting operating member (or handle) 10 which comprises the above-mentioned housing for the fuse cartridge 8. When this operating member 10 occupies its closed position of the circuit , it engages one of the conductive caps of the cartridge 8 in a clamp 11 (FIG. 2) which is permanently connected to the output terminal 5. For more detail, reference may be made to the two documents mentioned above for recall the state of the art as well as FR-A-2 514 942 and FR-A-2 528 623.

According to the diagram in FIG. 5 which has no limiting character, the first voltage (conductor 4) is a phase and the second voltage (conductor 7) is a neutral and the tilting operating member 10 acts so as to cut the phase and neutral.

An individual control switch 12, normally open, is mounted in series with the indicator bulb 9, a resistor 13 and possibly a diode (not shown), in each circuit breaker.

FIG. 5 represents two such circuit breakers which are grouped with others on a table. Usually, each consumer circuit 6 is provided with a switch 15.

However, in accordance with the invention, the bulb 9 is housed, with the resistor 13 and the possible diode, inside a support 16 made of translucent plastic and this support 16 is itself housed for the most part. inside the housing 1 emerging from it through a portion 17 through a window 18. The housing 1 and its cover 2 are molded parts of relatively opaque plastic. Preferably, the window 18 is formed for the most part on the housing 1, ending on the cover 2, which facilitates the mounting of the support 16.

The support 16 constitutes the mobile control member, against the action of a spring 19, of the individual control contactor 12 of which it carries the mobile contact 20. Preferably, the support 16 is guided in translation in the manner of a drawer inside the housing 1, by elements 21 thereof.

According to the embodiment of Figures 1 and 4, the movable contact 20 is constituted by a metal piece in the form of a square to one of the branches 20a which is connected to the outlet 14 of the resistor 13, for example by welding to using a hollow metal rivet 22. The other branch 20b of this metal part 20 is arranged so as to make contact with a metal blade 23 permanently connected to the output terminal 5 and advantageously carrying the clamp 11. The control circuit of the fuse cartridge 8 comprises a second metal blade 24, connected to a second output terminal 25 intended to be itself connected to the second conductor (neutral) 7 of the network. The metal strip 24 is connected by a flexible conductor 26 to one of the terminals of the bulb 9, the other terminal of which is connected, via the possible diode and of the resistor 13, to the movable contact 20 of the contactor 12.

Preferably, the return spring 19 of the drawer 16 is constituted by an elastic blade coming from molding with this drawer 16, the latter being made of translucent plastic, as explained above. The drawer 16 also comprises a housing 27 for the bulb 9, this housing preferably being arranged transversely relative to the axis of translation (vertical according to FIGS. 2 and 3) of the drawer 16, as well as a cavity 28 intended for receive the resistor 13 and the possible diode.

It is understood that by pressing the emerging part 17 of the drawer 16 (from top to bottom according to FIGS. 1 to 4) against the action of the spring 19, the control circuit of the bulb 9 is closed, by application of movable contact 20 on the blade or fixed contact 23, which causes the supply of the bulb 9 only if the cartridge 8 is in good condition, as explained above. The light emitted by the bulb 9 is transmitted inside the translucent material of the drawer 16 and causes a glow to appear on the emerging part 17 of the drawer 16, in contrast to the housing 1 which is opaque and therefore unlit.

To facilitate the vision of this glow, it is advantageously made two improvements to the drawer 16. According to the first of these improvements, the emerging part 17 of the drawer 16 is stepped so as to provide a localized key 29 projecting, intended to receive the user's finger, and a recessed signaling zone 30, preferably striated, which therefore does not risk being masked by the finger in question.

According to a second improvement, the drawer 16 comprises oblique reflecting surfaces 31, which, taking into account the refractive index of the material constituting this drawer 16, reflect the light emitted by the lamp 9 towards the signaling area 30, with the minimum loss of light through the walls of the drawer 16. These reflective surfaces 31 can be polished or covered with a reflective paint. Preferably, the oblique reflecting surfaces 31 are arranged to offset laterally the body of the drawer 16, where the housing 27 of the bulb 9 is formed, relative to a narrowed part 32 leading to the emerging part (see FIGS. 2 and 3 ); this creates a shoulder 33 which, by abutment with a transverse surface 34 of the housing 1, limits the height from which the emerging part 17 of the drawer 16 can extend.

The invention is of course not limited to the embodiment which has just been described with reference to Figures 1 to 5. In particular, as shown in Figure 6, the movable contact member 20 could be constituted, not not by an additional metal part associated with a rivet 22, but directly by the stripped end 35 of the outlet 14 of the resistor 13, this end being advantageously wound in a loop around a stud 36 of the drawer 16.

Claims (6)

1. A circuit-breaker for electrical installations comprising a casing (1) equipped with an input terminal (3) adapted to be connected directly to a first voltage (4) of the supply network, an output terminal (5) adapted to be connected to a second voltage (7) of the network, by means of a consumer circuit (6), a seating adapted to receive a fuse cartridge (8) in series with the input (3) and output (5) terminals and an indicator bulb (9), a normally open individual test contactor (12) being, connected in series with this bulb (9), with a resistor (13) and possibly with a diode, between the output terminal (5) and the second voltage (7) of the network, the illumination of the bulb (9) being visible outside the casing (1) through a translucent wall element (17), characterised in that the bulb (9) is housed, with the resistor (13) and the optional diode, inside a support (16) of translucent material which is itself mostly housed inside the casing (1) of opaque material, emerging from this through a portion (17) constituting said wall element and which constitutes the control member, which is movable against the action of a return spring (19), of the individual test contactor (12) of which it carries the movable contact (20), the fixed contact (23) of this test contactor (12) being carried by the casing (1).

2. A circuit-breaker as claimed in claim 1, characterised in that the support (16) is guided in translation, in the manner of a drawer, inside the casing (1).

3. A circuit-breaker as claimed in claim 2, characterised in that the return spring (19) consists of a resilient tongue moulded integrally with the drawer (16) of plastics material.

4. A circuit-breaker as claimed in any one of the claims 1 to 3, characterised in that the emergent portion (17) of the drawer (16) is stepped in such a manner as to form a projecting localised key (29) adapted to receive the user's finger and a recessed signalling region (30).

5. A circuit-breaker as claimed in any one of the claims 1 to 4, characterised in that the drawer (16) comprises oblique reflecting surfaces (31).

6. A circuit-breaker as claimed in claim 5, characterised in that the oblique reflecting surfaces (31) are adapted to off-set laterally the body of the drawer (16) where the seating (27) for the bulb (9) is formed, in relation to a reduced portion (32) ending at the emergent portion (17), creating a stop shoulder (33) which cooperates with a transverse surface (34) of the casing (1).

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