EP0318344B1 - Additional fault indicator for electrical switch device - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a signaling additive which can be housed in a removable manner in an electrical multipolar protection device such as a motor circuit breaker.

• au moins deux contacts séparables par pôle,
• un ensemble déclencheur magnétique et/ou thermique qui détecte les défauts tels que surcharges ou courts-circuits affectant l'un ou l'autre pôle,
• un mécanisme d'ouverture et de fermeture des contacts comprenant une serrure actionnable par le déclencheur, ainsi qu'un bouton-poussoir marche et un bouton-poussoir arrêt pour la commande manuelle de l'appareil.

To ensure fault reporting, it is known to mount an additive in a motor circuit breaker of the type having in a housing:

• at least two separable contacts per pole,
• a magnetic and / or thermal trip unit which detects faults such as overloads or short-circuits affecting one or the other pole,
• a mechanism for opening and closing of the contacts comprising a lock actuable by the trigger, as well as an on push button and an off push button for manual control of the device.

• un organe de signalisation électrique qui présente un équipage mobile entre une position armée et une position de signalisation, l'équipage mobile étant armé par le bouton-poussoir marche,
• et un mécanisme de blocage associé à l'équipage mobile et assujetti au mécanisme d'ouverture-fermeture de manière à maintenir l'équipage en position armée lors d'un actionnement manuel du bouton-poussoir arrêt et à libérer l'équipage mobile lors d'un déclenchement sur défaut.

The additive then comprises, in a manner analogous to that described in patent FR-A-2,179,766,

• an electrical signaling member which has a moving element between an armed position and a signaling position, the moving element being armed by the on push-button,
• and a locking mechanism associated with the moving element and subject to the opening-closing mechanism so as to keep the element in the armed position during manual actuation of the stop push-button and to release the moving element during '' a trip on fault.

The known signaling additives housed in motor circuit breakers have the disadvantage of being devoid of any display device which would allow the user to see that the device has tripped following an overcurrent fault.

To overcome this drawback, it has been proposed, in particular by patent DE-A-3603945, a mechanical signaling device involving a toothed wheel, in cooperation with a pawl and a pivoting lever. It turns out that this device is complicated and fulfills a counting function that the invention does not seek to obtain.

A device corresponding to the preamble of claim 1 is for example described in document DE-A-3 014 553.

The object of the invention is in particular to allow the user to visually observe on the protection device a trip on fault, in conjunction with local or remote electrical signaling of this fault, and to distinguish between such a trigger and manual opening.

It also aims to produce an additive which can be accommodated in a multi-pole protective device, combining electrical signaling and visualization of electrical faults in a simple and inexpensive manner, this combination being ensured by coupling a small number of component parts and easy assembly.

• au moins deux contacts séparables par pôle,
• un ensemble déclencheur magnétique et/ou thermique,
• un mécanisme d'ouverture et de fermeture des contacts comprenant une serrure actionnable par le déclencheur, ainsi qu'un bouton-poussoir marche et un bouton-poussoir arrêt pour la commande manuelle de l'appareil,
  l'additif comportant :
• un organe de signalisation électrique qui présente un équipage mobile entre une position armée et une position de signalisation,
• l'équipage mobile étant déplaçable par le bouton-poussoir marche au moyen d'un élément palpeur pour assurer le réarmement de l'organe de signalisation électrique,
• un mécanisme de blocage associé à l'équipage mobile et assujeti au mécanisme d'ouverture-fermeture de manière à maintenir l'équipage en position de repos lors d'un actionnement manuel du bouton-poussoir arrêt et libérer l'équipage mobile lors d'un déclenchement sur défaut, cet additif de signalisation étant caractérisé en ce qu il est logé sous un capot de l'appareil de protection et en ce qu'il comprend, à l'intérieur dudit boîtier, un indicateur visuel mécanique de défaut couplé à l'organe de signalisation électrique, distinct des boutons-poussoirs marche-arrêt et constitué par un levier pivotant, coudé et articulé sur un axe et dont le mouvement, couplé à celui de l'équipage mobile, le rend visible directement depuis l'extérieur dudit capot, grâce à une première ouverture et à une deuxième ouverture respectivement prévues dans ledit boîtier et dans ledit capot.

To achieve this result, the invention provides a signaling additive for a multi-pole protective device having in a housing:

• at least two separable contacts per pole,
• a magnetic and / or thermal trip unit,
• a mechanism for opening and closing of the contacts comprising a lock actuatable by the trigger, as well as an on push button and an off push button for manual control of the device,
  the additive comprising:
• an electrical signaling member which has a moving element between an armed position and a signaling position,
• the moving part being movable by the push button works by means of a feeler element to reset the electrical signaling member,
• a blocking mechanism associated with the moving element and subject to the opening-closing mechanism so as to keep the element in the rest position during manual actuation of the stop push-button and release the moving element during a trip on fault, this signaling additive being characterized in that it is housed under a cover of the protective device and in that it comprises, inside said housing, a mechanical visual fault indicator coupled to the electrical signaling device, distinct from the on-off push-buttons and constituted by a pivoting lever, bent and articulated on an axis and whose movement, coupled to that of the moving assembly, makes it visible directly from outside said cover, thanks to a first opening and to a second opening respectively provided in said housing and in said cover.

The user can thus see directly on the protective device that an automatic triggering has occurred, while a remote control or signaling can be undertaken using the electrical signaling device.

The indicator lever can be driven by at least one bearing of the moving element, this bearing possibly advantageously constituting the pivot axis of the lever.

The movable assembly is preferably movable parallel to the direction in which the push button is pressed; the coupling of the indicator lever with the moving element is then such that the viewing range approaches the openings provided in the additive housing and in the cover of the device when the moving element moves away from it.

The following description will explain the characteristics and advantages of a particular embodiment of the invention.

• La figure 1 représente en élévation un disjoncteur-moteur équipé de l'additif de signalisation selon l'invention ;
• La figure 2 est une vue de côté du disjoncteur-moteur de la figure 1 ;
• La figure 3 en est une vue de dessus ;
• La figure 4 montre en perspective le disjoncteur-moteur et l'additif désencliqueté ;
• La figure 5 est une vue en élévation de l'additif du côté de la serrure du disjoncteur-moteur ;
• La figure 6 est une vue de côté de l'additif de la figure 5 ;
• La figure 7 est une élévation de l'additif ouvert du côté opposé à la serrure du disjoncteur-moteur ;
• Les figures 8 à 10 représentent schématiquement le disjoncteur-moteur, respectivement à l'état marche, à l'instant où se produit un défaut de surintensité et à l'état déclenché ;
• Les figures 11 à 13 montrent schématiquement l'additif de signalisation dans les mêmes phases respectives de fonctionnement ;
• La figure 14 est une vue coupe selon A-A de la figure 11 ;
• La figure 15 représente une variante de couplage du levier indicateur avec l'interrupteur de signalisation électrique.

In the attached drawing:

• Figure 1 shows in elevation a motor circuit breaker equipped with the signaling additive according to the invention;
• Figure 2 is a side view of the motor circuit breaker of Figure 1;
• Figure 3 is a top view;
• Figure 4 shows in perspective the motor circuit breaker and the disengaged additive;
• Figure 5 is an elevational view of the additive from the side of the motor circuit breaker lock;
• Figure 6 is a side view of the additive of Figure 5;
• Figure 7 is an elevation of the additive open on the side opposite the lock of the motor circuit breaker;
• Figures 8 to 10 schematically represent the motor circuit breaker, respectively in the running state, at the time when an overcurrent fault occurs and in the tripped state;
• Figures 11 to 13 schematically show the signaling additive in the same respective operating phases;
• Figure 14 is a sectional view along AA of Figure 11;
• FIG. 15 represents a variant of coupling of the indicator lever with the electrical signaling switch.

The protective device shown in the figures is a three-pole motor circuit breaker 10; it could of course be a protective device of a different type ensuring the functions of circuit breaker and / or thermal relay.

The motor circuit breaker 10 includes a base 11 and a cover 12 removably attached to the base. A thermal and magnetic trip device 13 is provided on a first side of a flat block 14 which houses in a metal envelope a mechanism 15 for opening and closing of contacts 16. These contacts 16 are only illustrated in FIGS. 8 and 9 .

The mechanism 15 includes a trigger lock secured to the trigger 13, as well as a push button "on" 17 and a "stop" push button 18; the buttons 17, 18 can be moved in a direction defined by the arrow F (see Figures 1 and 4).

The motor circuit breaker is armed and the contacts are closed when button 17 is pressed; the contacts are open when button 18 is pressed.

A signaling additive 20 is added in the device 10, more precisely on the base 11, being covered by the cover 12 when the latter is fixed on the base. The additive 20 has a housing 21 and, in this housing, on the one hand, an electrical fault signaling member 22 constituted by a switch and, on the other hand, a visual fault indicator 23 (see FIG. 7) coupled at the switch.

The additive 20 is removably attached to the compartment 14 of the circuit breaker using snap-fastening elements, not shown.

The additive has on the compartment side a first finger or other feeler element 24 movable in a direction parallel to the arrow F through a slot 25 in the housing 21 and a window 26 in the compartment; the movement of the finger 24 downwards is caused by the direct pressing of a bearing 17a of the start button 17 (FIGS. 8-10); its upward movement is produced by a return spring 27 applied to the movable part of the switch 22 (Figures 11 - 13).

The signaling additive 20 comprises on the compartment side a second finger or other feeler element 28 movable along a curved path in a slot 29 formed in the housing 21 and in a corresponding window 30 in the compartment.

The displacement of the finger 28 takes place in the event of a fault exclusively and it is produced by percussion on this finger of a lever 31 belonging to the lock of the opening - closing mechanism 15 (see Figures 8 - 10). The lever 31 only moves in the event of a fault detected by the trigger and it is subject, on the one hand, to a hook pin 32 associated with the trigger 13 and, on the other hand, to a balance 33 bracing the two push buttons 17, 18; the lever 31 controls via a pivoting lever 34 a contact carrier 35, which contact carrier ensures in the high position the closing of the contacts 16 (FIG. 8) and in the low position the separation of the contacts (FIGS. 9 and 10). It goes without saying that the mechanism 15 can be constituted differently.

The housing 21 of the additive also has an opening 36 (FIGS. 4 and 7) in which a pellet or display area specific to the fault indicator 23 may appear. When the housing 21 is enclosed under the cover 12, l opening 36 is located opposite another opening 37 (see FIG. 3) formed frontally on the cover; in this way, the user observes by observing the opening 37 the appearance of an automatic triggering which is certain to come from a fault.

The electrical signaling switch member 22 housed in the housing 21 of the additive comprises a movable assembly 40 provided with a substantially vertical bar 41 (FIGS. 7 and 11-14) which is integral, on the one hand, with the feeler finger 24, on the other hand, of a contact holder 42, and which is urged upwards by the return spring 27. The contact holder 42 contains a contact bridge 43 which cooperates with fixed contacts 44 connected to the exterior of the box by electrical conductors 45. The contact carrier 42 has a plane of symmetry XX parallel to the direction F and moves in this plane (FIG. 13); the bar 41 is offset laterally to one side 46 of the housing 21 along an axis YY parallel to XX to facilitate the installation of the visual indicator 23 (Figure 13).

The signaling switch 22 is presently of the closing type in the event of a fault; it can also be of the opening type in the event of a fault, and this by simply changing the position of the contact bridge 43 and the fixed contacts 44.

The signaling additive comprises a blocking mechanism 50 associated with the moving element 40 and subject to the opening-closing mechanism 15 via the second feeler finger 28.

The locking mechanism 50 (see FIGS. 11-14) comprises a lever 51 capable of pivoting about an axis 52 and integral with the finger 28, the circular slot 29 for guiding the finger being consequently centered on the axis 52. Au lever 51 is articulated at one end of a bar 53, the other end of which carries a spout 54 which cooperates with a hooking surface 55 provided on the movable assembly 40. A ramp 56 adjacent to the surface 55 cooperates with an inclined face of the spout 54. A hairpin spring 57 urges the bar 53 towards its hooking position in the armed position (see FIG. 11) of the switch 22 - visual indicator 23 fault assembly.

According to the invention, the switch member 22 is coupled with the visual fault indicator 23, the latter being constituted by a bent lever 60. The lever 60 carries at one end at least one display area 61 capable of coming opposite opening 36 of housing 21 and light 37 of cover 12; at the other end, the lever 60 is articulated at 62 to a boss 63 of the bar 41 located on one side of this bar. On the other side of the bar 41, two fixed stops 64, 65 are provided which respectively limit the pivoting of the bent lever 60 in the normal position (FIG. 11) and in the fault signaling position (FIGS. 12, 13).

In the alternative embodiment of FIG. 15, the bent lever 60 is articulated on a fixed axis 66 and linked to the housing 21, and its pivoting is generated by drive pins 67, 68 provided on the bar 41. The pin 67 drives the bar towards the normal position indicated in dashes, while the pin 68 puts the bar in its signaling position of fault indicated in solid lines. It goes without saying that stops can be provided at other points of the housing 21 for the lever 60, for example at the level of the track 61 and the opening 36. The arrangements shown avoid the use of a spring specific reminder for lever 60.

The operation of the signaling additive will now be explained with reference to FIGS. 8 to 13.

In the on state (FIG. 8), the on push button 17 is pressed, the stop push button 18 is protruding and the lever 31 of the lock is retained by the hook 32. In this way, the pivoting lever 34 maintains the contact carrier 35 in the high position and the contacts 16 are therefore closed; in addition, the feeler finger 28 remains to the right of the window 30. As a result, for the signaling additive (see FIG. 11), the assembly formed by the lever 51 and the bar 53 remains pushed to the right by the spring. 57; the spout 54 therefore remains attached to the bearing surface 55 to keep the moving element 40 in the low position, the contacts 43, 44 being consequently separated. The indicator lever 60 is constrained by the stop 64 towards a position where the track 61 is hidden (FIG. 11).

When an overload or short-circuit fault occurs (see Figure 9), the hook 32 pivots and releases the lever 31 which is biased by a spring not indicated to pivot counterclockwise; therefore the lever 31, on the one hand, drives the lever 34 which lowers the contact carrier 35 and opens the main contacts 16, on the other hand, drives the feeler finger 28 which descends into the slot 30 of the compartment 14 and into the slot 29 of the additive along a circular path defined by the slot 29 and the lever 51 of the additive. As can be seen in FIG. 12, the bar 53 is retracted to the left and its spout 54 frees the range 55 of the mobile assembly 40, so that the latter rises rapidly under the effect of the spring 27. The lever 60 is then constrained by the stop 65 to pivot counterclockwise towards the position of FIG. 12, the track 61 appearing at the level of the opening 36.

In the tripped state, the motor circuit breaker lock comes in the state illustrated in FIG. 10, while the push buttons 17 and 18 are respectively removed and erased relative to compartment 14. In the signaling additive ( see Figure 13), the bar 53 returns quickly with the finger 28 and the lever 51 in a position substantially identical to that of Figure 11, except that the inclined face of the spout 54 is applied against the ramp 56 of the crew mobile.

The circuit breaker is reset by depressing the button 17 to return to the "on" position in FIGS. 8 to 13; resetting the additive is easy since the range 17a of the button 17 drives down the feeler finger 24 and the moving element 40; the ramp 56 slides on the face 54, so that the bar 53 disappears slightly and then immediately comes to hang on the seat 55 under the effect of the spring 57. The angled viewing lever 60 automatically returns to its position of Figure 11.

It will be noted that the axes of movement of the locking bar 53 and of the movable assembly 40 are substantially coplanar. The electrical conductors 45 which connect the additive to the outside can be connected to terminals B (FIG. 12) provided on a wall of the housing 21 of the additive and accessible from the outside of the cover 12. Finally, it will be observed that the additive 20 is housed under the cover 12 in a small volume defined between a wall of the envelope of the block 14 and a wall of the cover, this volume having a thickness e comparable to that reserved for the trigger 13 and a height h adapted to the projection of the nose of the camera.

In another variant not shown, the switch 22 can be associated directly with the bar 53 of the locking mechanism by being provided for this purpose with a bistable retaining member.

Claims (7)

1. A signalling additive for a multipolar protecting device having in a box:

   - at least two separable contacts (16) per pole,

   - a magnetic and/or thermal triggering assembly (13),

   - a mechanism (15) for opening and closing of the contacts comprising a lock that can be activated by the triggering assembly, and an ON push-button (17) and an OFF push-button (18) for manual controlling of the device,

   said additive (20) comprising:

   - an electrical signalling unit (22) which has an element (40) moving between an armed position and a signalling position,

   - the moving element being movable by the ON push-button by means of a feeling element (24) for ensuring a resetting of the electrical signalling unit,

   - a blocking mechanism (50) associated with the moving element (40) and subjected to the opening-closing mechanism (15) so as to maintain the element in the position of rest during manual activating of the OFF push-button and to release the moving element upon a triggering on default,

   characterized in that it is housed under a cover (12) of the protecting device and in that it comprises, inside said box (21), a mechanical visual indicator of default (23) coupled to the electrical signalling unit (22), distinct from the ON-OFF push-buttons (17, 18) and constituted by a pivoting lever (60), elbowed and articulated on an axis (62) and whose motion, coupled to that of the moving element (40), renders it directly visible from the exterior of said cover (12), thanks to a first opening (36) and to a second opening (37) respectively provided in said box (21) and in said cover (12).
2. The signalling additive according to claim 1, characterized in that said axis (62) is interdependent with the moving element (40), and in that at least one set stop (64, 65) is provided in the box (21) of the additive to limit the pivoting of the lever.
3. The signalling additive according to claim 1, characterized in that the elbowed pivoting lever is articulated on a set axis (66) of the box (21) of the additive, the moving element (40) comprising at least one drive span (67, 68) associated with the lever.
4. The signalling additive according to claim 3, characterized in that the moving element comprises two drive spans (67, 68) associated with the elbowed pivoting lever (60) to drive the latter in both directions.
5. The signalling additive according to claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the moving element (40) of the electrical signalling unit (22) is movable according to an axis parallel to the direction F of displacement of the ON push-button (17):

   - the blocking mechanism (50) comprises a bar (53) substantially transversal to the moving element and fitted with a tip (54) cooperating with a catching span (55) provided on the moving element,

   - the blocking bar (53) being solicited by a spring (57) towards its position catching the moving element and being linked to a feeling element (28) movable in the case of default by the opening - closing mechanism (15) in order to undergo a cancellation of catching in the case of triggering on default.
6. The signalling additive according to claim 5, characterized in that the axes of displacement of the blocking bar (53) and of the moving element (40) are substantially coplanar.
7. The signalling additive according to either of claims 5 or 6, characterized in that the tip (54) of the blocking bar (53) has an inclined side applicable against a ramp (56) of the moving element (40) in the working position of the electrical signalling unit.

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