EP0440953B1 - Reset lock for a relay - Google Patents

Abstract

The relay has a pivoted operating element (2) lying in the path of movement of the relay armature and supporting the movable contacts (4,5) of 2 contact sets (6,7). The operating element (2) incorporates a guide slot (8) cooperating with a pin (9) to block the movement of the operating element (2) when the forces acting on the latter are not symmetrical, e.g. due to welding of one of the contact sets (6,7). Pref. the guide slot (8) is symmetrical and has 2 rounded edges for locking the pin (9) upon pivoting of the operating element (2) to one or other side.

Description

According to the preamble of claim 1, the invention relates to a reclosing lock in a relay, wherein a pivotable actuating element is provided which lies in the path of movement of the armature and is connected to movable contacts of two contact arrangements, and a recess is arranged in the actuating element with which it engages a peg-shaped element is pivotally and displaceably guided (DE-A-36 02 692).

Relays of this type are used, for example, in household appliances for multi-pole switching of electrical circuits, high currents flowing through the contacts of the relay when, for example, the heating of washing machines or dishwashers is switched. If one of the movable contacts is welded or glued in the event of an overload, the circuit in question is only switched off with one pole, which is not readily apparent when the device is in operation.
With the restart lock in a relay according to the invention, a renewed closing of the circuit is now prevented if both contacts have not previously opened.

In the absence of a restart lock, there is also the disadvantage that the other contact could also weld later, so that the circuit is not interrupted even when the excitation circuit of the relay is switched off, which could form a considerable source of danger. In the relay according to the invention it should also be achieved that the full function of the relay is given again when the welded contact is released again.

A restart lock in a relay of the type mentioned is already known from DE-OS 36 02 692. There is a pivotable actuating element is provided for actuating the contact arrangement, which is pivoted when a pair of contacts is glued to a pin, so that an actuating surface provided on the actuating element is brought outside the engagement of a shift finger moved by the armature becomes.

However, this known reclosing lock is relatively complex with its actuating surface lying on a pointer of the actuating element, which has to be brought into engagement with a shift finger. Furthermore, it could be considered a disadvantage that the armature can still be operated in the known restart lock despite a fault present in the relay.

The object of the present invention is therefore to develop a reclosing lock of the type mentioned in such a way that, with a structurally simple design and high operational reliability, the blocking of the entire relay arrangement is achieved, the function being to be fully achieved again when the welded contact is released again.

According to the invention the object is achieved in that the recess in the actuating element is designed as a setting such that after pivoting the actuating element by opening only one contact arrangement, this is supported on the pin-shaped element in the manner of a lock as long as the asymmetry of the acting forces consists.

The essence of the invention is therefore that the locking elements are arranged within the actuating element itself in the form of a backdrop. When a pair of contacts is glued, the actuating element pivots, the link then being supported on a pin-shaped element at a rounding, which element extends through the link, whereby the longitudinally moving actuating element is completely locked both upwards and downwards. In connection with this locking of the actuating element, the actuating movement of the armature is also restricted, as a result of which a possible malfunction in the relay can be easily recognized.

The lock acts as long as a contact is welded. As soon as the e.g. weak welding due to any mechanical influences, the locking is released by the sliding out of the pin-shaped element from the rounding of the setting, so that the relay is fully functional again. If you press the button again, the previous lock will still be canceled.

In an advantageous embodiment it is provided that the link is arranged symmetrically in the longitudinal direction of the actuating element and rounded recesses are provided for locking the link on the peg-shaped element and a slot-like recess is also arranged in the longitudinal direction of the actuating element.

Furthermore, the recesses are advantageously provided for the locking of the link, pointing obliquely outward, the pin-shaped element being encircled in a rounded manner in a rounding so that the link is supported on the pin-shaped element in the actuating direction of the armature. As soon as the welding ceases to exist, the backdrop slides back into the rest position due to the guidance on rounded surfaces. The relay is then fully functional again.

In this embodiment, the locking of the actuating element in the area of the link is achieved in a particularly simple constructive manner with semicircular recesses, the armature advantageously being included in the locking, so that in the event of a malfunction in the actuation of the relay, the armature is also actuated is inhibited. In a further advantageous embodiment, it is provided that the actuating element directly surrounds the respective movable contact in the area of the contact springs, holding pins being arranged opposite one another on the actuating element, which form a slot between them which engages around the contact springs.

It is provided that triangular bearing surfaces are formed opposite each other in the area of the slot, the actuating element engaging around the contact spring with knife-shaped bearings.

In this embodiment of the actuating element, an advantageous mounting on the contact springs is achieved, and in connection with the knife-like mounting of the actuating element, an accurate pivoting of the link for locking on the peg-shaped element is achieved.

In a further embodiment of the invention it is provided that between the actuating element and the contact arrangement an intermediate member, e.g. a slide which carries the movable contacts is provided, the intermediate member being rotatably connected to the actuating element in the region of a bearing.

In this embodiment, the actuating element detects the contacts via a slide, which results in special advantages in terms of design. Thus, the contacts to be switched can be arranged at a greater distance from the actuating element via the slide arrangement, and several different contact arrangements can also be switched via the slide in connection with engagement surfaces on the slide.

Figur 1

eine Wiedereinschaltsperre nach der Erfindung in schematischer Darstellung mit Ansicht auf die Stirnseite des Relais, wobei die Kontaktanordnungen störungsfrei vorliegen,

Figur 2

die Wiedereinschaltsperre nach Figur 1, wobei durch Verschweissen eines beweglichen mit einem feststehenden Kontakt eine Störung vorliegt, wodurch sich das Betätigungselement verriegelt,

Figur 3

eine Wiedereinschaltsperre in einer anderen Ausführungsform im störungsfreien Zustand mit Stirnansicht auf das Relais, wobei vom Betätigungselement ausgehend Schieber zur Kontaktbetätigung vorgesehen sind,

Figur 4

die Wiedereinschaltsperre nach Figur 3 im verriegelten Zustand.

The invention will now be described in more detail below on the basis of exemplary embodiments in conjunction with drawings, additional advantages and configurations resulting from the following description. The drawings show:

Figure 1

a restart lock according to the invention in a schematic representation with a view of the end face of the relay, the contact arrangements being present without interference,

Figure 2

the restart lock according to Figure 1, wherein there is a malfunction by welding a movable with a fixed contact, whereby the actuating element locks,

Figure 3

a restart lock in another embodiment in the fault-free state with a front view of the relay, slides starting from the actuating element being provided for contact actuation,

Figure 4

the restart lock according to Figure 3 in the locked state.

From Figure 1, the relay 1 can be seen in an end view, the armature 3 abutting the actuating element 2 and the actuating element 2 itself with retaining pins 15, 16, which form a slot 17 between them according to Figure 2, the contact springs 13, 14, which the wear movable contacts 4.5, embraces.

The movable contacts 4, 5 are assigned to a contact arrangement 6, 7 of the relay and are opposed to fixed contacts, not specified.

The actuating element 2 guides the movable contacts 4, 5 on the holding pins 15, 16 in the region of a triangular bearing acting from above and below against the contact springs 13, 14, with a knife-like bearing 18 of the actuating element 2 on the movable contacts 4 according to FIG. 5 is formed.

In connection with the mounting of the actuating element on the contact springs 13, 14, it can be seen in particular from FIG. 2 that when the actuating element 2 is pivoted, the holding pins 15, 16 form triangular pivoting surfaces between them, in the area of which the actuating element 2 is directed both to the left and to the left the right side is freely pivotable.

From FIG. 1 in conjunction with FIG. 2, the mode of operation of the link 8 can also be seen, with the aid of which the actuating element 2 is supported on a stationary pin-shaped element 9 when pivoting.

In the idle state of the relay according to FIG. 1 - insofar as there is no fault in the relay due to welding of contacts - the link 8 is arranged symmetrically with respect to the peg-shaped element 9, the link 8 being supported symmetrically with the underside on the element 9. As soon as the relay switches and as long as there is no fault, the link 8 moves symmetrically in the longitudinal direction of the actuating element 2, as a result of which the link 8 is guided in the region of a slot-like recess 12 on the peg-shaped element 9.

The link 8 furthermore has semicircular recesses 10, 11 offset obliquely to the longitudinal axis, it being apparent from FIG. 2 that when the contact arrangement 7 is welded, the actuating element is pivoted about the welding point and the link is pivoted out of the plane of symmetry and the recess 10 of the backdrop is supported on the peg-shaped element 9, this element 9 being encompassed in a semicircle.

When pivoting the actuating element according to Figure 2, the link 8 comes into engagement with one of the recesses 10, 11 of the link, the direction of the support coinciding with the direction of the armature movement of the armature 3, so that the movement of the armature 3 with the Locking the actuator 2 is blocked. With the pivoting of the actuating element 2 when welding or gluing the movable contacts 4 to a fixed contact, not only the further actuation of the movable contact 5 of the contact arrangement 6 is prevented, but the relay 1 as a whole - in particular the armature 3 - is blocked, so that an effective restart lock of the relay is created, which is also visible to the outside due to the lack of movement of the hinged armature.

1 and 2, the actuating element 2 directly surrounds the movable contact 4, 5, an embodiment is provided in accordance with FIGS. 3 and 4, where the actuating element 2 contacts 4 and 5 via an intermediate member 19, e.g. detected by a slide, the slide carrying the movable contacts 4 and 5.

In Figure 3, the restart lock is shown in the normal position, i.e. unlocked and normal actuation of the relay can take place with the actuating element 2 in the area of the link 8.

From Figure 3 it can be seen that in a trouble-free situation the actuating element 2 is displaced downwards in the longitudinal direction by the armature 3, bearings 20, 21 being provided on the actuating element, on which the slides 19 attach, with the relay in the normal position in the longitudinal direction the setting 8 a symmetrical displacement of the actuating element 2 and the slide 19 takes place.

In the event of a fault according to FIG. 4, where the movable contacts 4 of the contact arrangement 7 are welded to the fixed contacts, it can be seen that the actuating element 2 pivots about the bearings 20, 21 and in this case the link 8 in the region of the recess 10 engages with the pin-shaped Element 9 arrives, whereby the unlocking of the actuating element 2 takes place in the manner of a restart lock.

From FIG. 4, where the actuating element 2 detects the contacts 4, 5 via slide, it can be seen that, like in FIG. 2, this is a locking of two contacts, in such a way that the non-opening of a contact - here the movable contact 4 - a new closing of the other contact - here the further movable contact 5 - prevented.

The function of the restart lock according to Figure 4 is based on the Link guide accordingly on the same principle as according to Figure 2, for example two contacts are provided which switch the same circuit and a renewed closing is prevented if both contacts 4, 5 have not previously opened.

In FIG. 4, too, with the slide arrangement, the function of the reclosing lock is achieved by a link 8 accommodated in the actuating element 2, the link 8 being supported in the event of a fault on an element 9, for example in the form of a peg, and thus forcibly moving the actuating element 2 in the manner of a Locking hindered.

The locking according to Figure 2 and Figure 4 is particularly effective when a contact is welded. As soon as the welding is released by any mechanical influences, the link 8 slides out of the engagement area of the pin 9 because of the rounding of the recess 10, 11, so that the function of the relay 1 is fully restored when the link 8 is pivoted into the rest position .

Claims (6)

1. Reclosing lockout for a relay, in which there is provided a pivotable operating element (2) which lies in the movement path of the armature (3) and is connected with movable contacts of two contact arrangements, and in the operating element (2) is arranged a recess (8) with which it is pivotably and displaceably guided on a peg-shaped element (9), characterised in that the recess in the operating element (2) is constructed as a link (8) in such a way that after the pivoting of the operating element (2), by opening only one contact arrangement, this rests on the peg-shaped element (9) in the manner of a lock for as long as the dissymmetry of the active forces is maintained.
2. Reclosing lockout according to claim 1, characterised in that the link (8) is symmetrically arranged in the longitudinal direction of the operating element (2) and is provided with rounded-off recesses (10, 11) for the locking of the link (8) on the peg-shaped element (9), and furthermore an elongated hole-like recess (12) is arranged in the longitudinal direction of the operating element (2).
3. Reclosing lockout according to the claims 1 and 2, characterised in that for the locking of the link (8) the recess (10, 11) is provided pointing diagonally towards the outside and when locked the peg-shaped element (9) is engaged in a curve, so that the link (8) in the operating direction of the armature (3) is supported by the peg-shaped element (9), the link (8) being released again from the peg-shaped element (9) when the welded state of a pair of contacts is ended (Figure 2, Figure 4).
4. Reclosing lockout according to claim 1, characterised in that the operating element (2) embraces directly the respective movable contact (4, 5) in the region of the contact springs (13, 14), oppositely arranged retaining lugs (15, 16) being arranged on the operating element (2) in between which there is formed a slot (17) which embraces the contact springs (13, 14).
5. Reclosing lockout according to claim 4, characterised in that oppositely arranged, triangular bearing surfaces are constructed in the region of the slot (17), the operating element (2) embracing the contact spring (13, 14) with bearings (18) constructed like knives (Figure 2).
6. Reclosing lockout according to claim 1, characterised in that between the operating element (2) and the contact arrangement (6, 7) there is provided an intermediate member (19), e.g. a slider which carries the movable contacts (4, 5), the intermediate member (19) being rotatably connected with the operating element (2) in the region of a bearing (20, 21) (Figure 3, Figure 4).

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