EP0431994A1 - Adapter for auxiliary contact casing - Google Patents

Abstract

This casing (6) is associated in a precise geometrical fashion with a contactor appliance whose control member (2) cooperates with a lever (7), one end (25) of which is equipped with a groove (20) able to receive this member, whereas the other end (9) is coupled up to an auxiliary switch (3). <??>This casing is advantageously used when the working travel of the contactor is greater than that required to actuate the auxiliary contacts. <IMAGE>

Description

The invention relates to an adaptation device placed between one of a multiplicity of contactor devices having coupling members performing separate strokes from which it receives a first movement and an auxiliary switch box which is associated to this device for receiving a second movement and which has movable contact parts having a working stroke less than or equal to the previous ones.

We have already proposed, for example in French patent application No. 87 09342 of the Applicant, a rotary cam device in which the rotation of the latter is transmitted in a non-linear fashion so as not to reflect all the movements received these measures.

This device is suitable when, for a given overall size thereof, certain proportions between the input movement and the output movement must not be exceeded.

To ensure proper breaking of the arcs, the contactors are called upon to execute working strokes which increase with the size of the currents passing through their main switches. On the other hand, the strokes of the auxiliary switches intended to operate electrical interlocks and to retransmit comparable signals are similar, since the loads which they supply always have similar characteristics.

If the implementation of specific and costly provisions is excluded, these auxiliary switches cannot therefore be directly coupled to the moving parts of the contactor devices with which it is desired to associate them.

If one of the possible solutions to this problem may consist in the supply of a range of custom-made auxiliary switch devices for the range of corresponding contactors, such a choice is likely to unnecessarily increase the various technical manufacturing costs and management arising from the manufacture of a multiplicity of molds, the management of stocks of multiple parts, etc. Furthermore, it also involves the publication in catalog and the provision of a set of devices including neighboring external forms may cause confusion for the user.

The invention therefore proposes to overcome the drawbacks of the prior means and to provide users with an adaptation device which will allow mounting on any contactor device of a range, auxiliary switch devices having the size and minimum working strokes required for a combination of these with a contactor device whose nominal rating is the lowest in the range.

According to the invention, the aim is achieved thanks to the fact that in an envelope of the adaptation device, having suitable indexing means with the body of the associated contactor, is pivoted a transmission lever having, on the one hand , an arm which is provided with a groove in S shape to cooperate with each of the coupling members and having, on the other hand, an external coupling claw adapted to be associated with a control slide belonging to an auxiliary switch, this groove comprising, between two portions of non-aligned ends, an intermediate connection portion of which the length and the orientation are sufficient to communicate to the lever a tilting capable of giving the claw a determined displacement for a fraction of the working stroke of the contactor having the working stroke the highest in the range.

Such an arrangement has additional advantages if the association claw is accessible when the intermediate device is already associated with the body of the contactor, a replacement of the auxiliary switch devices can then be easily operated without the need to disassemble the adaptation device.

Furthermore, a widening of the functions of the adaptation device can be obtained by means of the installation of several levers in order to have two claws capable of thus actuating a couple of auxiliary devices which can perform distinct functions such as, for example, closing and instantaneous or delayed opening of auxiliary contacts.

• A la figure 1: une vue en perspective éclatée d'un contacteur de gros calibre et du dispositif d'adaptation utilisé pour lui associer des boîtiers de contacts auxiliaires;
• A la figure 2: une vue en élévation coupée par un plan médian PP′ d'un dispositif d'adaptation destiné à l'association d'un seul boîtier de contacts auxiliaires et lorsque le contacteur est au repos;
• A la figure 3: une vue en élévation, coupée par le même plan, d'un dispositif d'adaptation propre à recevoir deux boîtiers de contacts auxiliaires ayant différentes fonctions;
• A la figure 4: une vue en coupe partielle par le plan QQ′ de la figure 2 d'un boîtier de contact auxiliaire accouplé à son levier de commande;
• A la figure 5: un diagramme établissant la relation entre les courses possibles d'armatures et celle que doit recevoir un contact mobile du boîtier d'interrupteurs auxiliaires.

The invention as well as other measures likely to facilitate its implementation, or to increase its interest or even to adapt it to contactors of a particular type will be better understood on reading the description below. below and to the examination of the appended figures which accompany it by illustrating:

• In FIG. 1: an exploded perspective view of a large gauge contactor and of the adaptation device used to associate it with auxiliary contact boxes;
• In Figure 2: an elevational view cut through a median plane PP 'of an adaptation device intended for the association of a single auxiliary contact box and when the contactor is at rest;
• In Figure 3: an elevational view, cut by the same plane, of a suitable adaptation device to receive two auxiliary contact boxes having different functions;
• In Figure 4: a partial sectional view through the plane QQ ′ of Figure 2 of an auxiliary contact box coupled to its control lever;
• In FIG. 5: a diagram establishing the relationship between the possible armature strokes and that which a movable contact must receive from the housing of auxiliary switches.

A large-caliber contactor device 1, visible in FIG. 1, includes an internal electromagnet whose non-visible movable armature performs a certain stroke during its excitation and de-excitation. A lateral coupling member such as a pin or stud 2, being connected directly or not to this armature simultaneously performs a substantially rectilinear displacement of direction F which is exploited to cause the switching of associated auxiliary switches such as 3 which are , in the context of the present invention, generally intended to be combined with contactors of lower ratings. These auxiliary switches, whose stroke of the moving parts is substantially less than the previous one, could not be coupled to this pin without the putting into service of an appropriate adaptation device such as 4.

Other types of auxiliary switches, such as, for example, a timed switch 5, can also be combined with the contactor 1 thanks to this same adaptation device when their sizes and the strokes of their moving parts were also initially designed as part of an association with a contactor of lower rating.

As can best be seen in FIG. 2, the adaptation device 4 comprises a hollow envelope 6 in which are symmetrically pivoted concentrically about an axis YY ′ two levers 7, 8 substantially identical, but turned 180 °. The pivot can advantageously be materialized by a cylindrical rod coming from a part with the envelope.

Given the size of the contactor device, two levers have been implemented here in the same envelope of suitable dimensions whereas a single lever could be used if this size had a smaller volume. Each of the levers such as 7 comprises two perpendicular arms 9, 11 on either side of the common pivot 12, one of these 9 having a claw 15 respectively 16 for example in the form of a dovetail, while the other has a light 20 respectively 30. The latter takes the general form of an S, two end portions 17, 18 of which are connected by an intermediate central portion 19.

This lever can oscillate by a value - alpha -, during a movement whose origin will be described later, and whose amplitude is such that the claw 15 can, for example, engage a certain amount in the internal volume 21 of the envelope for an extreme working position - T -, see FIG. 3, while it protrudes by another quantity - e - the surface 22 of the envelope for an opposite extreme position of rest - R - through an opening O, see Figure 1. The bottom 23 of the casing 6 has a notch 24 opposite which come the ends 25, 26 of the two levers, while a side wall 27 has two holes 28, 29 placed so precise with respect to the axis XX ′ and with respect to a central oblong opening 31 directed towards this axis. This oblong opening has a length - d - which is at least equal to the stroke that the coupling member 2 which can cross it can make when the envelope is precisely associated against the lateral face 32 of the contactor device. . The precision of this association, which is obtained here thanks to two openings, threaded on this wall such as, for example, 33, 34, see FIG. 1, receiving fixing screws which circulate through the holes 28, 29, can also use other indexing means well known per se.

During their pivoting, the various portions of the slots 20 and 30 move opposite the oblong opening 31.

These displacements will be obtained as a result of substantially rectilinear movements of the coupling member 2 between active and inactive positions, when the latter has been introduced into the two openings after having passed through the oblong opening when the wall 27 thereof. this is placed against the lateral face 32. These penetrations are established at the moment when the envelope 6 is associated with the contactor device 1 in the rest state, see FIG. 2.

As seen in Figures 2 and 3, the substantially straight stroke of the coupling member 2 is less than the total length of each light so that for each of the rest positions - R - and work - T - clearances - j1 - and - j2 - remain at both ends thereof for said active and inactive positions of the contactor.

As can be seen in these two figures, the angular displacements of the levers occur when the coupling member 2 circulates in the intermediate portion 19 inclined which connects the two non-aligned portions and substantially rectilinear ends.

In practice, it is advantageous to give these end portions rectilinear directions converging towards the axis XX ′ so that the rest and working positions of the levers are well determined even if the amplitude of the stroke of the member slightly varies in each of the two active and inactive contactor positions.

When, during assembly, and therefore for the de-energized state of the contactor device, the coupling member must be introduced into the two lumens of the levers, these can be moved manually through the notch 24 so that s 'more easily establish an alignment allowing this introduction.

Once associated with the contactor, the various moving parts are in the rest state shown in FIG. 1 and the protrusion of the claws 15, 16 allows the establishment of an auxiliary contact block, timed or not. This positioning, which is guided and ensured by projections 41, 42 placed externally on the surface 22 to engage in clearances 43, 44 of suitable shapes, coming with the housing of the auxiliary switches see FIG. 4, is carried out by a directional movement - G - substantially parallel to the surface 22, see FIG.

During this movement, the claw 15 engages around a suitable extension 45 belonging to a control rod 46 of the auxiliary switches, to communicate to the latter a determined movement - b - substantially constant.

If we refer to the diagram in FIG. 5, where we have plotted on the abscissa the possible strokes of the armatures of different contactor devices C1, C2, C3, C4 (or of control parts which could be directly to them connected), and where we find on the ordinate the angular displacements of the transmission levers, we note that only a central fraction AB of the curve D is devoted to the actuation of the auxiliary switches, so that we are at protected from significant variations in manufacturing tolerances.

These precautions are important when auxiliary switches I1, I2 must perform electrical locking functions, as is the case, for example, in direction-of-travel reversing arrangements for three-phase motors, where it is necessary to prevent overlapping of the periods d 'excitation of the two corresponding electromagnet coils, these two switches can not have simultaneous closing phases.

Claims (6)

Adaptation device placed between one of a multiplicity of contactor devices having coupling members performing separate strokes from which it receives a first movement and an auxiliary contact box which is associated with this device to receive a second movement and which has movable contact parts having a working stroke less than or equal to the previous ones, characterized in that in an envelope (6) of the adaptation device (4), having suitable indexing means (28, 29 ) with the body of the associated contactor (1), there is pivoted a transmission lever (7) having, on the one hand, an arm (9) which is provided with an S-shaped groove (20) to cooperate with a coupling member (2) and having, on the other hand, an external coupling claw (15) capable of being associated with a control slide (46) belonging to an auxiliary switch device (3) respectively (5 ), this groove comprising, between two non-aligned end portions (17, 18), an intermediate connection portion (19) whose length and orientation are sufficient to communicate to the lever a tilting capable of giving the claw a determined displacement for a fraction of the stroke of the contactor with the highest working stroke in the range. Adaptation device according to claim 1, characterized in that the external claw (15) projects beyond a surface (22) of the casing (6) by an amount - e - sufficient to allow it to be coupled with a control drawer ( 46) when the associated contactor (1) is inactive. Adaptation device according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the length - d - of the groove is greater than the longest working stroke effected by a coupling member (2). Adaptation device according to claim 1, 2 or 3, characterized in that the end portions (17, 18) of the groove (20) are directed towards a pivot axis XX ′ of the lever (9). Adaptation device according to one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that two identical levers (8, 9) turned 180 ° are pivoted about the same axis XX ′ of the casing (6). Adaptation device according to one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that one or respectively of the ends (25, 26) of the levers (9) respectively (8), adjacent to the grooves (20), move opposite a notch (24) of the casing (6) which is accessible to an operator when, at the time of its association with the contactor, the latter must align the groove or grooves with the coupling member (2).

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