Classifications

• • H—ELECTRICITY
  • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
  • H01H—ELECTRIC SWITCHES; RELAYS; SELECTORS; EMERGENCY PROTECTIVE DEVICES
  • H01H71/00—Details of the protective switches or relays covered by groups H01H73/00 - H01H83/00
  • H01H71/10—Operating or release mechanisms
  • H01H71/50—Manual reset mechanisms which may be also used for manual release
  • H01H71/60—Manual reset mechanisms which may be also used for manual release actuated by closure of switch casing

Definitions

• Electrical switch protection device for an electrical circuit comprising a housing, a tilting drawer articulated with respect to the housing so as to be able to manually switch from a closed position to an open position and vice versa, a switch having, on the one hand, a contact fixed and, on the other hand, a movable contact associated mechanically with the drawer so as to be open when the latter is open, and means for automatic cutting of the electrical circuit comprised between two terminals of the housing, these means intervening during the passage of excessive current in the circuit, the movable contact being separable from the fixed contact under the effect of a spring device and magnetizable part cooperating with a coil placed in the circuit, the device being reset during a manual opening and closing movement of the drawer.
• Such devices are used for line protection and, when placed in narrow century modu ⁇ lar enclosures, then equip frequent domestic distribution boxes.
• 3,030,470 relates to a protective device which comprises a fixed box, provided with a fixed contact and a manually operable tilting cover, articulated on the fixed box and provided with a movable contact, the box and the cover comprising magnetothermic means for opening the movable contact.
• This protective device does not, however, allow the user to ensure with ease and certainty that the contacts have been separated during a magnetic or thermal trip or during a manual opening of the drawer.
• the invention therefore proposes to provide a protective device which does not have the faults mentioned above.
• the desired result is obtained by virtue of the fact that the movable contact of the switch is carried by the drawer, so as to be separated from the fixed contact by a distan ⁇ ce of sufficient sectioning B d ⁇ visible from l outside when the drawer is opened manually.
• a mobile contact with a single cut-out will be associated with the internal electrical circuit using means which will give it total isolation in order to avoid the danger of its accidental contact. by staff.
• FIGS. 1a, 1b represent it schematically the constitutions of three alternative embodiments of the invention
• Figure 2 shows in elevation and in a sectional view through the plane PP 'of Figure 3, a first embodiment of the invention implementing an insulating screen and a double break contact;
• Figure 3 shows, in a left side view, the apparatus shown in Figure 2;
• FIG. 4 illustrates a view of the apparatus according to Figure 2 in a partial sectional view through the plane SS ';
• FIG. 5 shows, in a partial perspective, a view of the members used to accelerate the cutting of the arc;
• Figure 6 shows, in a partial perspective view, of the elements carried by the drawer
• Figure 7 illustrates a second embodiment of a switch according to the invention in an elevational view in section through a median plane, where the interrupter is closed.
• FIG. 8 shows in elevation a detail of execution of the removable coupling means between the contact lever of the switch, being here in the closed position, and one of the connection terminals;
• FIGS. 9 " and 10 show in detail two successive phases of an automatic opening of the switch
• FIG. 11 illustrates a third embodiment of a switch according to the invention in a view in elevation and in section through a median plane, where the switch is closed;
• Figure 12 shows a detail of the switch according to Figure 11 in the open position and after automatic opening
• Figure 13 shows a detail of the switch according to Figure 11 in the closed position
• FIG. 14 shows, in a partial left view in broken section of the housing by the planes SS 'S "S''' of Figure 13, a detail of the elastic device producing the opening of the switch.
• a first device 1a according to the invention which is shown diagrammatically in FIG.
• an electrical circuit 10 comprising in series: a switch 5 having a movable contact 7 and two fixed contacts 6a, 6b, thus that an automatic opening device 9 comprising a coil 11, a magnetizable core or pallet 12 with which is associated an insulating screen 13 capable of being propelled by this core between the contacts 7 and 6; an elastic device 14, of abrupt opening of the movable contact 7 of the switch 5, is triggered by the movement of the core or of the screen when a significant overcurrent flows in the circuit, and in such a way that the contacts of the 'switch 5 are barely open when the screen moves between them.
• a drawer 8, movable on the front face 44, has coupling means 24 which allow it to voluntarily open the switch 5 by acting on the movable contact 7; this same drawer allows, when it is opened, to make visible the position of this movable contact so that the user can on the one hand ensure that the line is electrically isolated and on the other hand can reset the device 14 when it has been triggered automatically.
• FIG. 3 which shows a particular embodiment of the invention according to Figure la, where a single pole switch 'is arranged in a modular housing (2) of small modular width "e", for example equal to 8.5 mm, the terminals 3 and 4 are placed in a median plane PP 'parallel to two lateral faces 51, 52 belonging respectively to two half-housings 2a, 2b assembled for example along a joint plane contained in the PP 'plan.
• the components of the circuit 10, which are visible in Figure 2, include a folded conductor 37, connected at one end to the terminal 3, and carrying at its other end, a fixed contact pad 6a.
• An intermediate part of the conductor is held in a groove 39 of an insulating block 35, better visible in FIG. 5, which has another opposite groove 38, capable of receiving one end of a folded conductor 36 on which is placed a second fixed contact pad 6b; an " insulating partition 29 of this block separates the two fixed contacts.
• the conductor 36 is also connected to a winding end 11a of the coil 11, the latter cooperating " with a magnetizable yoke 9a and with a magnetizable plunger core 12 to which a spring 12a gives a visible rest position" I " in FIG. 2, the other end 11b of the coil 11 is also connected to the terminal 4.
• a fork-shaped contact bridge 28 carries two movable contact pads 7a, 7b placed at the ends of the branches 28a, 28b, and is held with an angular play by an insulating contact carrier 17 able to pivot about an axis ZZ r perpendicular to the plane of the figure.
• the contact carrier has for this purpose a pin 24a which is engaged in two bearings 24b placed in parallel cheeks of a tilting drawer 8, such as those shown in 8a, 8b in FIG. 6 and in FIG. 4.
• the contact carrier 17 also has a heel 15a placed in the vicinity of the contact pads 7a, 7b and a spout 16 which is opposite to it.
• the spout 16 rests on an abutment surface 19 of a part 20 able to pivot around an axis YY 'parallel to ZZ'.
• This part which also has an inclined ramp or cam surface 22 leading to the abutment surface 19,
• WIPO also comprises a surface 32a able to cooperate for a certain angular position with a support 32 of the housing 2, - and a radial arm 20a receiving the clockwise thrust of a compression spring 21; the thrust of this spring is balanced by the action of the spout against the surface 19.
• the contact carrier 17, the spring 18, the part 20 and the spring 21 are carried by the slide 8 which swings around the axis YY 'placed concentrically with a stud 41 on which pivots a bore 42 of this part 20, see also FIG. 6; the drawer 8 is itself pivoted in half-housings using surfaces or means not visible in the figures.
• This screen which is guided with a slight play by this groove in one direction, also receives a complementary guidance thanks to the surface 35a of the insulating block 35 see FIG. 5 and to a groove 35b of the partition 29; these guides orient the screen so that a movement of direction F in its plane causes the ends of the branches 30a and 30b to penetrate with zero or extremely reduced play in two notches placed opposite each other.
• the plunger core 12 which is instantly attracted towards the center of the coil 11, communicates a very fast movement on the screen
• the contact bridge 28 is associated with a clearance limited to the contact holder 17 by means of oscillating means 17b and a finger 15b. These means make it possible, depending on the value of this clearance, to first separate the contact bridge from the fixed contacts very quickly, and then to confirm -30 this opening by the snap-action device 14, which notably comprises the part 20 and the spring 21.
• the relative positions of the edges 30a, 30b of the screen and the bosses 15, as well as that of the movable contacts 7a, 7b and of the heel 15a are chosen so that the end of the screen
• the groove bottoms 31a and 31b are connected to channels or vents which connect them to the atmosphere and thus allow the gases released during the shearing of the arc not to slow down the movement and not to subject the housing to an exaggerated constraint. Thanks to the grooves and baffles of the housing, not shown, the lateral edges 13c, 13b of the screen (see FIG. 5) move by operating, at least temporarily, total isolation between the two spaces placed on either side. other of the screen.
• the space containing the movable contact can also be connected to the atmosphere by a dimensioned vent to prevent an overpressure from opening the drawer.
• the closing of the switch 5 is carried out first by a movement of alpha direction, which is given to the drawer to reset the part 20, and then by a folding of the drawer in its housing.
• a second device 1b according to the invention which is represented in FIG. 1b, comprises a housing 2 'having a front face 44' and a rear face 43 'provided for example with
• O PI fastening means cooperating with standardized profiles.
• an electric circuit 10 ′ comprising in series; a switch 5 'having a movable contact 7' and a fixed contact 6 ', and a removable electrical coupling device 81 able to connect the movable contact to an automatic opening device 9' comprising a coil 11 'cooperating with a magnetizable core or paddle (12 ') capable of striking the movable contact 7' to cause the instantaneous opening of the switch when a large overcurrent flows in the circuit; a deformable elastic mechanism 14 ′, triggered by the core 12 ′, serves to confirm the opening of the movable contact by keeping it in a position remote from the fixed contact.
• a drawer 8 *, movable on the front face 44 ′, has coupling means 24 ′ which allow it to voluntarily cause the opening of the switch 5 ′ by acting on the movable contact 7 ′; this same drawer makes it possible, when it is opened, to make the position of this movable contact visible to ensure that the line is electrically isolated and to reset the device 14 'when the latter has been triggered automatically.
• FIG. 7 An exemplary embodiment of the device according to FIG. 1b is illustrated in detail in FIG. 7 where the same references represent parts having the same functions.
• the circuit 10 * circulates from terminal 3 'to terminal 4' passing by the coil 11 which is then connected to a conductor 37 'carrying the fixed contact 6', then by the simple movable contact 7 'which is placed at the end of a contact lever 28 'pivoting around a pin 24'a, and by two parallel return conductors such as 60 and 60' which receive the pin 24a and which lead to terminal 4 ' , see also Figure 8.
• Each of the conductors 60, 60 ' has for this purpose the shape of an L in the interior corner of which is placed an open notch 63 adapted to receive one of the ends of the pin 24'a and the short branch 61 of which has an inclined surface 62, see in particular FIG. 10.
• a tension spring 21 ' having a fixed end 67, engaged in a support 66 of the drawer and a movable end 68 which is connected to a link 69; the latter has a hooking point 70 which is opposite the end 68 and which connects it to a point 71 of the contact lever 28 'remote from the pin 24'a.
• the spring 21 ' In the closed state of the switch 5 visible in FIG. 7, the spring 21 'communicates to the lever 28 * a couple of counterclockwise directions which provides the pressure, from the movable contact 7' to the fixed contact 6 *.
• an arc extinguishing chamber 76 which is placed opposite the cut-off zone of the switch 5 ', communicates with the outside by means of vents such as 77.
• the members 21 ', 28', 69, 70, 24'b, 79 and 80 constitute the elements of the deformable and resettable elastic mechanism men ⁇ tioned by 14 'in Figure lb.
• the operation which is illustrated in Figures 8, 9 and 10, begins when the switch is closed, Figures 7 and 8.
• the drawer When to carry out the resetting of the mechanism 14 ′, the drawer is opened by hand in the alpha direction, the grooves 24 * b come into contact with the ends of the pin 24 ′ a and drive it with it, causing it to disengage from the notches 63 , which isolates the lever 28 'from terminal 4', see the drawer in dashed lines in position A in Figure 10.
• the contact lever 28 ' which has just been described is therefore electrically connected to terminal 4' and mechanically connected to the conductors 60, 60 ′ in the closed position of the drawer by a removable coupling, referenced by 81 in FIG. 1b, which releases it for the open position of the drawer.
• a further rotation of the drawer 8 1 which brings it to position B shown in dotted lines in FIG.
• Pi contact is established as soon as the mobile contact comes to bear on the fixed contact when the drawer closes.
• the switching device performs the function of a disconnector in which the electrical connection part, that is to say the movable contact 7 'is separated from the fixed contact 6' by a distance "d"important; moreover the movable contact is made visible which constitutes for the user a guarantee that this operation of sec ⁇ tioning has indeed been carried out; moreover, the lever 28 'being separated from the other conductive parts 60, 60' accidental contact with this lever does not present any danger.
• the ends of the pin 24'a appear opposite the inclined surfaces 62, and slide thereon until they are opposite the notches 63, in which they then penetrate; the ends of the pin 24'a are again separated from the grooves 24'b * when the drawer reaches its closed position.
• the stability of the support of the pin 24'a, either in the notches 63, or in the grooves 24'b, is due to the fact that the latter are open in a direction opposite to the attachment point 67 of the spring 21 '.
• a third device which is shown diagrammatically in Figure le, comprises a housing 82 having a front face 124 and a rear face 125 provided for example with fastening means cooperating with standardized profiles.
• an electrical circuit 90 comprising in series: a switch 85 having a movable contact 87 and a fixed contact 86 with single break, and an automatic opening device 89 comprising a coil 91 cooperating with a magnetizable core or pallet 92 capable of causing rapid activation of an elastic device 94 of abrupt opening of the movable contact when the coil is crossed by a significant overcurrent; a screen insulator 93, able to be placed quickly between the contacts, as soon as they open, is associated with the core 92 and also serves as a movement transmission member between the latter and the snap-action elastic device 94.
• FIG. 11 which represents a particular embodiment of FIG. 1 a where a unipolar interrup ⁇ tor device is arranged in a modular box of small width, the terminals 83, 84 are placed in a median plane which is that of the figure parallel to two lateral faces separated by a small thickness "e".
• the same interrup ⁇ tor which is here in its closed position, is used to carry out the automatic opening or the voluntary opening of sectioning of the line.
• two half-housings such as 123a, 123b forming after association the housing 82, see FIGS. 14 and 11, are maintained in a lower region:
• a magnetic yoke 112 which cooperates with the coil 91 and a movable core 92 being associated with a fork transmission part 129;
• a transmission lever 130 having one end 114 pivoted in an extension 128 of the cylinder head, an association pin 116 placed in the fork, and a return spring 117 holding the core in the rest position;
• An insulating screen 93 able to move substantially parallel to the axis of the coil in guide grooves of the half-housings 123a, 123b such as 131a, 131b see FIG. 14;
• a tilting drawer 88 mobile, thanks to a pin 120, around an axis ZZ 'perpendicular to the plane of the figure;
• a contact lever 97 carrying a pin 104 capable of pivoting around an axis W and of sliding in oblong grooves of this drawer such as 103 ( see figure 12); this lever has a first arm 134 at the end of which is the movable contact 87, a second arm 135 which is connected by a flexible and conductive braid 119 to the terminal 84, and a third arm 136 which is placed in the vicinity of the first and which has at its end a retaining notch 96.
• a contact pressure spring 100 (see FIGS.
• a retaining link 106 which is for example made with a metal wire and takes the form of a U, see FIG. 14, has ends of folded branches 105 which are pivoted in the drawer 88, and has a portion 99 parallel to the pivot axis playing the role of a hook when the latter is engaged in the retaining notch 96 (see FIG. 13). This link is subjected to a low elastic return torque K, counterclockwise, by means which have not been shown to clarify the figures.
• the lever 97 will first pivot slightly counterclockwise around the hooking point 96, 99 until when the pin 104 will meet the left end 103g of the groove 103, then will be driven by the drawer 88, until the lever 97 will meet a stop or reach a particular equilibrium position for which the cutting is operated.
• the rapid rotation of the contact lever 97 which is made possible by the fact that after its separation from the notch 96, the hook 99 is placed in the interval 137, ends when the lever abuts by example against a support 108 belonging to the housing and penetrating into the internal volume 133.
• the device is rearmed by tilting the drawer in an alpha direction, clockwise, which is made possible by the presence of an open groove 107 surrounding the support 108 in a side wall of the drawer.
• the region 121 of the lever 97 remains substantially stationary while the pin 104, which is driven by the groove 103, performs an angular stroke giving the contact lever and the drawer respective positions such that the hook 99 can snap into the notch 96.
• the screen must not be subject to any particular rearming due to the presence of a weak return spring, not visible in the figures, which allows it to follow the lever 130 movements; it is also possible to associate
• the angular strokes made by the drawers and by the movable contacts of these devices are chosen so that the sectioning distances "d" imposed by standards for the categories of jobs provided, are respected.
• the transparent portion 109 of the drawer 88 is located at the upper part of the latter in the embodiment shown in FIGS. 11 and 12.
• At least one of the lateral faces of the drawer can be transparent, or that -this can be integrally molded in a transparent material, it is advantageous that the pivoting axis of the tilting drawer is located at a distance from the rear face of the housing making it possible to house the coil device and magnetizable piece between said axis and the face rear of the housing, the fixed contact and the movable contact being located in front of said device, this helping to improve the visibility of the movable contact.

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• Push-Button Switches (AREA)
• Breakers (AREA)

Priority Applications (1)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Publications (2)

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ID=9285857

Family Applications (1)

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• 1983
  • 1983-02-08 FR FR8302273A patent/FR2540667B1/fr not_active Expired
• 1984
  • 1984-02-03 US US06/666,084 patent/US4650937A/en not_active Expired - Fee Related
  • 1984-02-03 EP EP84900622A patent/EP0136290B1/de not_active Expired
  • 1984-02-03 DE DE8484900622T patent/DE3466126D1/de not_active Expired
  • 1984-02-03 BR BR8405172A patent/BR8405172A/pt not_active IP Right Cessation
  • 1984-02-03 WO PCT/FR1984/000024 patent/WO1984003173A1/fr active IP Right Grant
  • 1984-02-03 JP JP59500719A patent/JPS60500740A/ja active Pending
  • 1984-02-03 AU AU24379/84A patent/AU568836B2/en not_active Ceased
  • 1984-02-07 CA CA000446884A patent/CA1227827A/fr not_active Expired
  • 1984-02-07 ZA ZA84904A patent/ZA84904B/xx unknown
  • 1984-02-08 ES ES529553A patent/ES529553A0/es active Granted
  • 1984-02-08 IT IT19502/84A patent/IT1175316B/it active
  • 1984-02-08 GR GR73752A patent/GR81764B/el unknown
  • 1984-10-08 DK DK481384A patent/DK481384D0/da not_active Application Discontinuation

Non-Patent Citations (1)

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