EP0248342A2 - Schalter und Verfahren zur Erhöhung der Ausschaltleistung eines Schalters - Google Patents

Schalter und Verfahren zur Erhöhung der Ausschaltleistung eines Schalters Download PDF

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Publication number
EP0248342A2
EP0248342A2 EP87107697A EP87107697A EP0248342A2 EP 0248342 A2 EP0248342 A2 EP 0248342A2 EP 87107697 A EP87107697 A EP 87107697A EP 87107697 A EP87107697 A EP 87107697A EP 0248342 A2 EP0248342 A2 EP 0248342A2
Authority
EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
arc
runner
circuit breaker
supplementary
transferred
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Withdrawn
Application number
EP87107697A
Other languages
English (en)
French (fr)
Other versions
EP0248342A3 (de
Inventor
Peter William Bowen
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Crabtree Electrical Industries Ltd
Original Assignee
Crabtree Electrical Industries Ltd
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Crabtree Electrical Industries Ltd filed Critical Crabtree Electrical Industries Ltd
Publication of EP0248342A2 publication Critical patent/EP0248342A2/de
Publication of EP0248342A3 publication Critical patent/EP0248342A3/de
Withdrawn legal-status Critical Current

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Classifications

    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01H—ELECTRIC SWITCHES; RELAYS; SELECTORS; EMERGENCY PROTECTIVE DEVICES
    • H01H9/00—Details of switching devices, not covered by groups H01H1/00 - H01H7/00
    • H01H9/30—Means for extinguishing or preventing arc between current-carrying parts
    • H01H9/42—Impedances connected with contacts
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01H—ELECTRIC SWITCHES; RELAYS; SELECTORS; EMERGENCY PROTECTIVE DEVICES
    • H01H9/00—Details of switching devices, not covered by groups H01H1/00 - H01H7/00
    • H01H9/30—Means for extinguishing or preventing arc between current-carrying parts
    • H01H9/46—Means for extinguishing or preventing arc between current-carrying parts using arcing horns
    • H01H9/465—Shunt circuit closed by transferring the arc onto an auxiliary electrode

Definitions

  • This invention is concerned with improvements relating to the circuit breakers, particularly of the kind known as "miniature" circuit breakers.
  • a conventional miniature circuit breaker (hereinafter referred to as being of the kind specified) comprises a first contact (conventionally fixed) and a second contact movable relative to the first between an open position and a closed position, a manually operable control member to move the movable contact between open and closed positions, and a tripping mechanism to move the movable contact from its closed to its open position in the event of an overload.
  • the tripping mechanism comprises two overload devices to open the circuit in the event of overload.
  • the first of these is a bimetal device the temperature of which rises under overload conditions, and which moves in consequence of such temperature rise to open the switch, usually under the action of a spring.
  • Such devices are slow to operate and are used only to open the circuit under moderate overloads.
  • a solenoid device is used, through which current passing through the circuit breaker flows, and which, under short circuit conditions, produces a magnetic field to move a tripping element (conventionally termed a "slug") to open the switch, the slug moving to delatch a tripping mechanism and physically to move the movable contact to an open circuit position.
  • a tripping element conventionally termed a "slug"
  • Circuit breakers are limited by the current overload they can accommodate and still be re-usable, the current overload being known as the "breaking capacity". This however makes it desirable that the circuit breaker be capable of moving to an open circuit condition in a very short time (typically 5 milliseconds).
  • one arc runner is electrically integral with the fixed contact, and the other is engaged by the movable contact on tripping.
  • a circuit breaker of the kind specified wherein the arc is transferred to an arc runner which provides a higher impedence to the flow of electric current.
  • the said arc runner may be electrically connected into the circuit at a point therein on the side of the solenoid which is remote from the fixed contact.
  • the said arc runner may be afforded by a supplementary runner, to which the arc is transferred from a primary runner integral with the fixed contact.
  • This invention is particularly useful in a miniature circuit breaker comprising specifically two arc runners which diverge relative to one another from the contacts, and onto which the arc generated is transferred as the contacts are opened, the arc being stretched as it is moved between the diverging runners towards the arc stack.
  • the are is tansferred onto the supplementary runner from a first runner (so that the arc extends between the supplementary runner and the second runner), and the additional impedence reduces the rate of current build-up immediately prior to entry of the arc into the arc stack.
  • a method of increasing the breaking capacity of a miniature circuit breaker of the kind in which the arc is transferred from the contacts to two divergent runners which stretch the arc as it is moved towards the arc stack, wherein the arc is transferred from a first of said two divergent runners to a supplementary runner so that the arc extends between said supplementary runner and the second of the two divergent runners, the supplementary runner being connected in parallel with the said first runner and having associated therewith a higher impedence whereby the supplementary runner reduced the rate of increase of the arcing current as the arc enters the arc stack.
  • the circuit breaker shown in Figure I is of the kind specified, being a miniature circuit breaker comprising a housing 6 in which is located a fixed contact 8, a movable contact 10, and a manually operable control member 12 to move the contact 10 between its open and closed positions.
  • overload mechanism comprising in series a bimetal device 14 and a solenoid device 16, the solenoid device 16 comprising a coil 18.
  • the circuit breaker Integral with the fixed contact 8 is a first arc runner 20, and engaged by the second contact 10 when it moves to its open position is a second arc runner 22, which runners diverge from their contacts towards an arc stock 24.
  • the circuit breaker comprises terminals 26 and 28, and the primary circuit extends from the terminal 26 to the movable contact 10, the fixed contact 8, the coil 18, the bimetal element i4, and the terminal 28.
  • circuit breaker which is the preferred embodiment of this invention, illustrated in Figures 2 to 4, similar numerals are used to denote like parts.
  • the first arc runner 20 extends towards a supplementary arc runner 30, which is not in direct electrical contact with the runner 20.
  • the supplementary arc runner 30 is (located adjacent to the entry into the arc stack, and is electrically connected into the circuit at a point therein on the side of the solenoid coil l8 which is remote from the fixed contact 8, preferably at a point between the solenoid coil 18 and the bimetal element 14.
  • a high impedence element 32 is provided, specifically in the form of a secondary coil preferably wound around one of the formers of the solenoid 16.
  • the secondary coil 32 is preferably provided of high resistivity ferrous material.
  • the primary runner 20 necessarily passes close to the supplementary runner 30, desirably relatively large gaps (shown at 34) ensure that metal particles carried on the arc do not become fused to the arc runner system to provide a short circuit between the primary and supplementary runner.
  • the arc produced on opening of the contacts is initially transferred between the first and second runners, the arc being stretched as it is moved between the diverging runners towards the arc stack.
  • the arc is transferred between the supplementary runner 30 and the second runner 22, it encounters higher impedence, which is effective to reduce the rate of increase of the arcing current as the arc enters the arc stack.

Landscapes

  • Arc-Extinguishing Devices That Are Switches (AREA)
EP87107697A 1986-05-31 1987-05-26 Schalter und Verfahren zur Erhöhung der Ausschaltleistung eines Schalters Withdrawn EP0248342A3 (de)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
GB8613263 1986-05-31
GB8613263A GB2192096B (en) 1986-05-31 1986-05-31 Circuit breaker

Publications (2)

Publication Number Publication Date
EP0248342A2 true EP0248342A2 (de) 1987-12-09
EP0248342A3 EP0248342A3 (de) 1988-11-23

Family

ID=10598747

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
EP87107697A Withdrawn EP0248342A3 (de) 1986-05-31 1987-05-26 Schalter und Verfahren zur Erhöhung der Ausschaltleistung eines Schalters

Country Status (6)

Country Link
EP (1) EP0248342A3 (de)
DE (1) DE248342T1 (de)
GB (1) GB2192096B (de)
HK (1) HK19691A (de)
SG (1) SG91190G (de)
ZA (1) ZA873795B (de)

Cited By (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
DE4306229A1 (de) * 1993-02-27 1994-09-01 Abb Patent Gmbh Schaltgerät mit einem thermischen und einem magnetischen Auslöser
AT411408B (de) * 1999-09-02 2003-12-29 Felten & Guilleaume Ag Oester Mehrpoliges schaltgerät

Citations (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US1751205A (en) * 1922-09-02 1930-03-18 Westinghouse Electric & Mfg Co Electromagnetic blow-out device
US2639354A (en) * 1950-10-07 1953-05-19 Gen Electric Electric circuit breaker
DE1944143A1 (de) * 1968-09-03 1970-03-12 Gen Electric Lichtbogenkammer mit Lichtbogenhoernern,die mit einem thermisch aufgespritzten feuerfesten Metall ueberzogen sind
EP0205369A1 (de) * 1985-05-29 1986-12-17 Merlin Gerin Niederspannungslastschalter mit Shunt-Effekt

Family Cites Families (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
GB940511A (en) * 1960-03-18 1963-10-30 Ite Circuit Breaker Ltd Improvements in or relating to air-break, magnetic blow-out electric circuit interrupters
CH389732A (fr) * 1960-09-21 1965-03-31 Inst Electrotechnique Chambre à éléments résistants pour l'extinction d'un arc de disjoncteur
GB1008660A (en) * 1962-10-08 1965-11-03 Ass Elect Ind Improvements in or relating to electric circuit interrupters
CH462918A (de) * 1966-12-23 1968-09-30 Oerlikon Maschf Schaltvorrichtung

Patent Citations (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US1751205A (en) * 1922-09-02 1930-03-18 Westinghouse Electric & Mfg Co Electromagnetic blow-out device
US2639354A (en) * 1950-10-07 1953-05-19 Gen Electric Electric circuit breaker
DE1944143A1 (de) * 1968-09-03 1970-03-12 Gen Electric Lichtbogenkammer mit Lichtbogenhoernern,die mit einem thermisch aufgespritzten feuerfesten Metall ueberzogen sind
EP0205369A1 (de) * 1985-05-29 1986-12-17 Merlin Gerin Niederspannungslastschalter mit Shunt-Effekt

Cited By (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
DE4306229A1 (de) * 1993-02-27 1994-09-01 Abb Patent Gmbh Schaltgerät mit einem thermischen und einem magnetischen Auslöser
AT411408B (de) * 1999-09-02 2003-12-29 Felten & Guilleaume Ag Oester Mehrpoliges schaltgerät

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
ZA873795B (en) 1987-11-24
SG91190G (en) 1991-01-18
HK19691A (en) 1991-03-28
DE248342T1 (de) 1988-07-21
GB2192096B (en) 1989-12-06
EP0248342A3 (de) 1988-11-23
GB8613263D0 (en) 1986-07-02
GB2192096A (en) 1987-12-31

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Inventor name: BOWEN, PETER WILLIAM