EP0569650B1 - Phase/neutral conductor circuit breaker - Google Patents

Abstract

Phase/neutral conductor circuit breaker, including a modular box of standardised width whose base (1) is devised so as to be fixed in a rail of standard size, and designed such that, with the aim of according the cutoff chambers the largest possible volume, bearing in mind the standardised dimensions of the modular box, and simultaneously to lighten and to reduce the size of the lock mechanism, there is provision for the magnetic means (33, 34) to be situated in the immediate proximity of the operating member (5) and in contact with the spacer, so that on the one hand the distance separating the two parallel planes containing respectively the longitudinal axis of the magnetic means (90) and that of the pivot of the mobile rig is the shortest compatible with the minimum tripping couple for the said mechanism and, on the other hand, the whole of the central part of the volume delimited by the spacer and the shell opposite it, virtually to the top of the said magnetic means, is occupied at each stage by the respective cutoff chamber. <IMAGE>

Description

The present invention relates to a phase and neutral circuit breaker according to the preamble of claim 1 of the termina type, intended both for electrical installations in the housing sector and for installations in the tertiary sector. This circuit breaker offers a particularly high breaking capacity, given its standardized size, and although only using traditional components and materials.

• optimiser les volumes et dimensionnements dévolus aux composants, de sorte que le pouvoir de coupure soit nettement augmenté,
• permettre une fabrication dont le degré d'automatisation soit le plus élevé possible, de façon à réduire au maximum les coûts de production et,
• conserver ce degré d'automatisation tant pour la fabrication de disjoncteurs à neutre à droite que pour celle de disjoncteurs à neutre à gauche, moyennant quelques modifications sur certains constituants. Les normes en vigueur dans certains pays imposent en effet la construction de ces deux types de disjoncteur.

The invention is essentially characterized by a relative arrangement of components and spaces which has been very carefully studied so as to:

• optimize the volumes and sizing allocated to the components, so that the breaking capacity is significantly increased,
• allow manufacturing with the highest possible degree of automation, so as to reduce production costs as much as possible, and
• keep this degree of automation both for the manufacture of circuit-breakers with neutral on the right and for that of circuit-breakers with neutral on the left, with some modifications on certain components. The standards in force in certain countries require the construction of these two types of circuit breaker.

• un levier de commande manuelle,
• un mécanisme de serrure,
• des moyens de disjonction électromagnétiques,
• des moyens de disjonction thermiques,
• des bornes de connexion,
• au moins une chambre de coupure de l'arc électrique apparaissant au moment de la séparation des contacts, et
• des pièces auxiliaires électriques et/ou mécaniques.

Many devices are currently sold in the corresponding range of terminal circuit breakers. La Déposante also puts several models on the market which are different from each other and from that of the present invention. Overall, we can however consider that all are based on the same essential components, namely:

• a manual control lever,
• a lock mechanism,
• electromagnetic disjunction means,
• thermal disjunction means,
• connection terminals,
• at least one arc breaking chamber appearing when the contacts are separated, and
• electrical and / or mechanical auxiliary parts.

One of the essential characteristics of these devices is of course their short-circuit service breaking capacity, which is defined as the effective value of the presumed current that the circuit breaker is capable of interrupting under prescribed conditions of use. .

Verification tests take into account the possibility of attempting, in service, two successive reclosings after tripping following a short circuit. The value assigned by the manufacturer for the breaking capacity is checked by checking, after the test, the dielectric strength (under twice the insulation voltage), the heating and the setting of the releases.

The precise conditions for this type of test are defined by standards which also prescribe other tests aimed at checking other important characteristics, in particular with regard to safety in use. For example, a limit short-circuit breaking capacity is defined, for which the test cycle is limited to a single closing, and after which the dielectric strength and the functioning of the trip devices are also checked.

Having the highest possible breaking capacity in service, while remaining within a price range as usually practiced for domestic circuit breakers, is of course a decisive advantage, because a single type of circuit breaker can then allow access to several markets.

For example, with a breaking capacity twice as high as what is currently done for most domestic circuit breakers complying with legal provisions, we will be able to position the product also in the tertiary, for which the legal texts precisely require a breaking capacity in service double that of domestic installations.

It will also be possible to reach a larger territorial market, due to the disparities noted from one country to another. Thus, certain countries require, for circuit breakers for domestic use, a breaking capacity in service up to twice higher than that which is required in other countries for the same use.

• le perfectionnement technique peut impliquer l'emploi de matériaux plus onéreux et/ou de composants plus complexes, et
• le montage de l'ensemble est souvent d'autant moins facile que les composants sont nombreux et compliqués.

But increasing the breaking capacity generally goes hand in hand with greater technical sophistication, and prices are rising significantly, for at least two main reasons:

• technical development may involve the use of more expensive materials and / or more complex components, and
• the assembly of the assembly is often all the less easy as the components are numerous and complicated.

This second reason poses another essential problem, that of assembly. If, with a higher breaking capacity and therefore with a more sophisticated device, we want to remain in the same range of products, that is to say to have a product at a price substantially equivalent to the others, another parameter on which we can influence is the assembly.

An automated assembly naturally leads to a reduction in the manufacturing cost. Hence a growing tendency to automate as far as possible the mounting of circuit breakers. This can nevertheless come up against technical considerations linked to the rise in breaking capacity, leading to a sophistication increasing the difficulty of automation. The lock mechanisms, for example, are complicated assemblies, necessitating return means most often in the form of springs, which are difficult to assemble and a fortiori to be assembled by robotic tools.

And then automation can only be considered if the series to be produced is large enough. This is obviously the case when the breaking capacity is high enough to allow several markets to be attacked with the same device.

Manufacturers therefore have to compromise between increasing the breaking capacity, making it possible to tackle a wider range of products, and the economic constraints of automating a reasonably sophisticated product.

The concept of breaking capacity, which is at the center of the discussion, is directly linked to that of electric breaking arc, which plays a fundamental role in current disconnecting devices. However, mastering an electric arc results for many from experience and know-how.

In reality, the power cut is entrusted to the arc itself, which adopts a behavior close to that of an ideal switch thanks to its electrothermal characteristics. However, the arc must be cut, which is achieved by moving it outside the contact area to an area where it is elongated and then laminated or split.

Manufacturers are forced, in the final development of their devices, to multiple tests and experiments to find the compromise physically and technically acceptable having regard to the objectives of required breaking capacities. This design must then be adapted to the assembly automation requirement previously set out. This is what makes all the difficulty of the overall design of a new model of circuit breaker.

Among the existing compromises, there is one that already comes from the applicant and the solution of which is the subject of a European patent application No. EP-A-0 403 358.

It is a phase and neutral circuit breaker consisting in particular of a central part acting as an electrically neutral partition comprising on either side a neutral stage and a phase stage, the interior volume of the housing of said circuit breaker being delimited by two side pieces positioned and fixed on either side of said central piece. These three parts, central and lateral, include means for housing and holding the various components of the circuit breaker, as mentioned above.

The main characteristic of this circuit breaker already appears in the relative arrangement of the components, since the spaces, housings and means for holding the magnetic and / or thermal circuit breakers, the mobile phase and neutral contacts, and finally the electrical circuits of phase and neutral with their respective terminals, are placed near the base of the box intended to be fixed on a rail, while the spaces and housings of arc extinguishing cage are placed at a distance from said base.

This configuration, aimed at improving performance by better evacuation of flows, is further improved by the object of the present invention, in particular at the level of the relative arrangement of the electromagnetic disjunction means and of the lock mechanism.

But the importance of the spatial configuration and know-how, which leads to the development of a particular structure, is already clear from this document.

A different compromise was adopted by another manufacturer, consisting in introducing the arc extinguishing cages near the base of the circuit breaker and consequently rejecting the lock mechanism and the contact carrier assembly far from said base.

Said arc quenching cages occupy a reduced volume, each in its respective stage, separated by an insulating part partitioning the phase circuit from the neutral circuit. Near the ends of said cages opposite the base, the magnetic circuit breakers form with them a volume approximately equal to half the central volume of the circuit breaker, the rest being occupied by the lock mechanism combined with the pivoting support of the contacts. mobile.

This configuration makes it possible to achieve a service breaking capacity which is situated above the characteristics of the average switchgear of this range, although still much lower than that of the device of the invention.

• borne de connexion,
• bilame thermique,
• tôle conductrice,
• bobine électromagnétique,
• contact mobile de phase.

However, this advantage is not confirmed by the subsequent assembly because of the existence of overly complex and impractical assemblies. This is the case with the phase electrical circuit, comprising the following elements connected in series in a single sub-assembly:

• connection terminal,
• thermal bimetal,
• conductive sheet,
• electromagnetic coil,
• mobile phase contact.

The connection of these constituents is carried out either by conductive sheets, or by flexible conductive braids which remove any rigidity from said sub-assembly and considerably increase the difficulty of assembling it by an automated operation.

Another drawback of this type of circuit breaker is the large volume occupied by the moving part associated with the lock mechanism: only the residual space, reduced, is therefore available for the electrical elements on which the switching of the 'bow. This residual space is obviously disproportionate to that occupied by the heavy mechanical structure allowing the release of the mobile contacts.

However, the applicant's experience, acquired through the circuit breaker mentioned above as well as other previous models, led him to design a structure where, on the contrary, the mechanical elements are reduced as much as possible while the participating elements on the arc cut and / or at the disjunction are conversely optimized.

This new concept required an in-depth study aimed at simultaneously achieving the objectives defined beforehand, namely schematically a provision providing a breaking capacity greater than what can be found today and authorizing an assembly with a high degree of automation of minus two models. Objectives moreover making it possible to put the circuit breaker of the invention on the market at better or at least as good economic conditions as its predecessors.

This particularly advantageous new configuration results from both multiple experiments and careful observation of the behavior and performance of existing devices. It allows the breaking capacity of the service to be brought to a value much higher than what exists and allows almost total automation of the assembly.

To this end, the phase and neutral circuit breaker which is the subject of the invention conventionally comprises, in a modular housing, in particular of standardized width, the base of which is designed to be fixed in a rail of standard size, phase connection terminals and neutral, pairs of fixed and movable contacts, phase and neutral respectively; two arc breaking chambers, respectively phase and neutral, located near said base; an operating member connected to a lock mechanism allowing the control of the position of the movable assembly carrying the movable contacts relative to the fixed contacts, so that said contacts are alternately in contact and separated; magnetic disjunction means and thermal disjunction means allowing the release of the lock and the spacing of the contacts; two half-shells delimiting, when assembled, the internal volume of the housing, which is partially separated into two spaces by a partition forming an insulating longitudinal central spacer of general direction parallel to said demicoques defining on either side a phase stage and a neutral stage and leaving a common volume remaining near the actuating lever, in which the elements common to the two stages take place, namely the magnetic disjunction means and the lock mechanism.

The circuit breaker which is the subject of the invention is characterized in that, with the aim of giving said breaking chambers the greatest possible volume taking into account the standardized dimensions of the modular housing, and simultaneously lightening and reducing the dimensioning of the lock mechanism , it is provided that the magnetic means are located in the immediate vicinity of the actuating lever and in contact with the spacer, so, on the one hand, that the distance separating the two parallel planes respectively containing the longitudinal axis of said magnetic means and that of the pivot of the mobile assembly is the shortest compatible with the minimum tripping torque of said mechanism and, on the other hand, that the entire central part of the volume delimited by the spacer and the shell facing it practically up to at the height of said magnetic means is occupied on each floor by the respective breaking chamber.

The main relative consequences of the various components of the circuit breaker of the invention are:
- A significant reduction in the size of the lock mechanism, which is confined in a limited portion of the volume common to the phase and to the neutral, located in the axial extension of the magnetic disjunction means.

These magnetic means being placed directly near the actuating lever on the one hand and in contact with the central spacer on the other hand, the latter therefore only grants the minimum space to the common volume and, consequently, the lock mechanism is necessarily small.
- A dimensional reduction of the mobile contacts, in particular because the breaking chambers are larger, resulting in a shortening of the distance separating the fixed contacts - placed next to the magnetic means - of the operating member, therefore also of the lock mechanism.

With a view to improving performance, these results are fundamental. Indeed, for the control of the electric arc, it is important that the extinction volume is as large as possible, and also that the speed of separation of the contacts is increased, so that at the initial moment of separation , the arc is as weak as possible.

This is indeed the case with the arrangement of the invention, since the reduction and lightening of the locking mechanism of the moving assembly contributes to the desired objective, that is to say obtaining a faster contact separation speed. The latter is further reinforced by the relative arrangement of magnetic disjunction means and the lock mechanism.

The parallel planes passing through their respective axes of mobility are as close as possible, so that the contact between the mobile rod of the magnetic assembly and the rounded surface of the part of the mobile assembly facing it takes place very quickly, since the distance separating the initial point from the contact point in the plane of said rod is very small.

It would be even shorter if the two planes in question were merged, so that the movable rod would strike the point closest to this rounded surface. But the moment exerted by the action of this rod at the pivot point of said mechanism would then be zero, hence the need to offset these axes.

Finally, it should be noted that the action of these disjunction means is always in the direction of the separation of the contacts, and that the proximity of the magnetic disjunction means and the lock mechanism also allows optimum recovery of the magnetic energy on the contacts.

The question of the volume of the arc breaking chambers is as essential as that of reducing the size of the lock mechanism of the moving assembly.

It is in these breaking chambers that the arc is moved outside the contact zone to a place where it is lengthened and then split. A first zone allows elongation, before entering a fractionation and extinction cage or "deion" sub-assembly. This cage includes a stack of parallel sheets arranged at regular intervals and perpendicular to the general direction of the portion of arc crossing it. The arc is split between these sheets, then extinguished.

It is easy to understand that if we want to increase the service breaking capacity of the device, the short-circuit current to be cut becoming more important, the resulting arc will be more difficult to extinguish, because stronger.

Consequently, a larger fractionation must be carried out so that extinction is always possible under similar conditions. So add additional sheets: the required volume is obviously proportional to the number of sheets in the arc quenching cage, the volume of the breaking chamber must consequently increase.

This is all the more true since the arc must necessarily be lengthened before it enters the extinguisher cage, so that all the sheets of the latter take part in the process. This elongation takes place in an area forming part of the breaking chamber, between the area of the contacts and said cage. When the contacts open, the arc progresses by looping effect in this zone, and elongates between two arc guide blades delimiting said zone from the contacts to the two ends of the extinguishing cage.

The fact that the cage is larger necessarily results in a greater spacing of said arc guide blades, consequently delimiting a greater volume for the arc elongation zone. The total volume of the arc breaking chamber is thus increased.

This new design makes it possible to obtain a service breaking capacity almost twice as high as that of most circuit breakers currently on the market. The purely technical objective is therefore achieved. In addition, there is the possibility of mounting with a high degree of automation.

Said design therefore simultaneously takes into account the technical objective and the economic requirement and it thus reflects the success of the compromise.

Automation is made possible because all the constituent elements of the circuit breaker are mounted along a single mounting axis on one of the half-shells serving as mounting plate, for a fully automated assembly of the assembly by the through an assembly machine operating along this single axis.

Additionally, some of the components are mounted in sub-assemblies constituting a single element to be assembled. These sub-assemblies, in order to have sufficient compatibility with the assembly process, must be rigid enough to guarantee proper assembly. This is why it is important to carry out a judicious "division" into subsets.

In a particularly advantageous manner, the circuit breaker of the invention is characterized in that a magnetic sub-assembly comprising a magnetic circuit breaker connected to a phase terminal, to the fixed phase contact and to an extending arc guide plate said fixed contact is constituted independently of a thermal sub-assembly comprising a thermal disjunction bimetal connected to the other phase terminal, to the movable phase contact and to an arc guide plate.

In order to respect the qualities of flexibility inherent in the means of disjunction some elements of which can move, there are often found in circuit breakers flexible conductive braids connected to said means or to the movable contacts. However, this goes against the rigidity previously recommended for a largely automated assembly. Hence the fundamental importance of "cutting" in particular to reduce the number of these flexible braids. In one of the possible configurations of the invention, there is only one braid between the thermal bimetallic strip and the movable phase contact.

This full automation is possible not only for left neutral circuit breakers as used in France, but also for right neutral circuit breakers, standardized in other countries. These can be assembled with the same manufacturing unit. This is a major economic advantage, since it avoids considerable double investment, represented by the purchase of two separate automated assembly units.

In fact, the circuit breaker of the invention has a design such that, with a view to using a single assembly machine for circuit breakers with neutral on the right or for circuit breakers with neutral on the left, the relative arrangement of the components in each floor remains the same. The half-shells and the central spacer are however configured according to the two cases respective, as well as the two previously mentioned subsets which are transformed by mirror-type symmetry.

• La figure 1 représente une vue éclatée de l'ensemble des composants et sous-ensembles du disjoncteur placés selon leur axe de montage et dans un ordre possible d'assemblage,
• La figure 2 est une vue en élévation de l'étage de phase de l'invention,
• La figure 3 est une vue en élévation de l'étage neutre de l'invention,
• La figure 4 représente une perspective de l'étage de phase du disjoncteur de l'invention,
• La figure 5 représente une perspective de l'étage neutre du disjoncteur de l'invention,
• La figure 6 est une coupe longitudinale selon A - A,
• La figure 7 est une coupe transversale selon B - B, et
• La figure 8 est une coupe transversale selon C - C.

We will now describe the circuit breaker of the invention in more detail, with reference to the figures accompanying the text, for which:

• FIG. 1 represents an exploded view of all the components and sub-assemblies of the circuit breaker placed along their mounting axis and in a possible order of assembly,
• FIG. 2 is an elevation view of the phase stage of the invention,
• FIG. 3 is an elevation view of the neutral stage of the invention,
• FIG. 4 represents a perspective of the phase stage of the circuit breaker of the invention,
• FIG. 5 represents a perspective of the neutral stage of the circuit breaker of the invention,
• FIG. 6 is a longitudinal section along A - A,
• FIG. 7 is a cross section along B - B, and
• Figure 8 is a cross section along C - C.

We refer to all of the figures, which represent a circuit breaker with neutral on the left.

Figure 1 shows particularly well the succession of elements to be assembled to form a circuit breaker according to the invention. All these elements are placed along vertical parallel axes, the phase half-shell (11) acting as a mounting plate.

The mobile elements in rotation are centered on their pivot shaft, while the others are positioned with respect to reliefs, housings and / or ribs provided for this purpose in the half-shells (10, 11) and / or in the partition. central (12) acting as a spacer.

Schematically, the components of the phase stage are mounted on the phase half-shell (11), the insulating partition (12) is placed and the same operation is repeated, more or less, for the neutral stage: the half-shell (10) closes the housing, and it then suffices to fix said housing by screwing or riveting.

The half-shell (11), made of molded plastic like its counterpart (10) and the central partition (12), comprises in its two lateral ends distant from the base of the half-housings (103a) intended to receive the connection terminals, cage type.

These half-housings cooperate with corresponding half-housings (103c) of the central partition to form a complete housing completely enclosing the terminal and provided with three orifices: a first lateral orifice allows connection with an electric cable; the second orifice, opposite, connects the terminal to an element internal to the circuit breaker and the third orifice, opposite the base, allows adjustment of the terminal fixing screw. Similarly, there are half-housings (103b) in the half-shell (10) cooperating with those of the spacer (12) to form the housings of the cage terminals of the neutral stage.

This half-shell (11) comprises cylindrical barrels (104a) hollow in which are fitted barrels (104c) corresponding projecting from the central partition (12). These barrels (104c) actually protrude symmetrically on either side of the partition (12), so that the same type of fitting can take place with the corresponding hollow cylindrical barrels (104b) of the half-shell (10 ).

When the interlocking of the half-shells (10, 11) with the central partition (12) is carried out, the coaxial drums form piercing channels traversing the entire housing and allowing assembly by rivets.

This interlocking is facilitated by the existence on the central partition (12) of ultrasonic weld studs (105) fitting into orifices (105 ') provided for this purpose in the half-shells, in combination with a finger centering (106) of the half-shell (10) fitting directly into an orifice (106 ') of the other half-shell (11). The ultrasonic welding studs (105) are placed on both sides of the central partition (12), at non-symmetrical positions.

In addition to these reliefs more particularly intended for the assembly and the joining of these three constituent elements of the housing that are the half-shells and the central spacer, these include multiple reliefs, in the form of ribs, housing and / or recesses intended to maintain the various components of the circuit breaker of the invention. In other cases, these ribs or housings have the function of providing insulation between two electrical paths, so that the essential functionalities of the device do not interfere with each other.

The central partition (12) thus comprises an elongated housing (107) extending over its entire width and intended to isolate the thermal bimetallic strip from the neutral floor. This housing (107) is placed next to a half-housing (103c) of a phase connection terminal. It is therefore rather offset towards a small side (7) of the central spacer. At this level, the width of the spacer (12) is greater than in the central area and approximately equal to the width of the other short side (6).

The central notch therefore defines a common volume (100) in the phase stage and in the neutral stage. This volume naturally includes the elements common to these two floors.

The elongated housing (107) defines one of the transverse edges of said volume, the longitudinal edge of which is defined by the central spacer (12) comprises, near said housing (107), a sole (101) parallel to the base (102 ) of the partition (12). Close to the other transverse edge, another housing (108) in the form of a balcony is intended to hold the electromagnetic means.

The face of the central partition (12) visible in FIG. 1 has similarities with the internal face of the half-shell (11), also visible, insofar as they accommodate the components of the neutral stage and those respectively. of the phase stage, along a single mounting axis.

In both cases, there are partitions and / or ribs intended to guide the conductive sheets, to position the arc extinguishing cages, to isolate the connection terminals, etc.

This observation also applies to the hidden faces, which are nevertheless simpler, since their function during assembly is less important for the relative positioning of the components.

Let us now examine the assembly of the phase, which chronologically constitutes the first stage assembled.

In the central area of the half-shell (11), there develops a complex rib (109) comprising several sections, the importance of which for guiding and positioning is essential. In its part close to the base (1), this rib is practically a partition because of its height and it serves to guide the arc guide plate (36) connected to the thermal bimetallic strip (27).

Its slight detachment at the proximal end of the base (1) is also used for positioning the cheeks (93), in combination with the small bent partition (110).

At the base of the part of said rib (109) perpendicular to the base (1), a rail makes it possible to hold said conductive arc guide sheet (36), whose complex shape requires several guide points, or even anchoring points. In its part parallel to the base, it comprises a notch cooperating with a homologous notch of the sole (101) to form a guide slot of the movable phase contact (29), allowing it a greater clearance, in combination with the volume which is allocated to its movement in the phase stage.

This guide slot also exists, of course, for the neutral stage, which is perfectly symmetrical, and also resulting from the combination of two notches in the sole (101) and the neutral half-shell (10).

The thermal sub-assembly (30) appears in FIG. 1, its various elements being connected to form a single constituent which must be assembled. Said conductive arc guide plate (36) is connected to the mobile end of the bimetallic strip (27) close to the base (1), which end is itself connected to a connection terminal (25), while the other end of the bimetallic strip (8) is connected by means of a flexible conductive braid to the mobile phase contact (29).

The end remote from the base (1) of this rib (109) comprises a partition between the zone of the magnetic means (33, 34) of disjunction and that of the lock mechanism. This is combined with the contact carrier mobile assembly, the pivot of which is a shaft end (94) on which the contact carrier (55) is mounted above the mobile phase contact (29) and its spring (76).

The other space delimited by this end portion of the rib (109) corresponds substantially to a parallelepiped in which the magnetic yoke (34) is positioned, surrounding the coil (33) of the magnetic disjunction means.

The magnetic sub-assembly (31), formed of these means connected to the fixed phase contact (35), extended from the conductive arc guide sheet (37) on the one hand, and to the connection terminal (32) on the other hand, also appears as a unified element, in Figure 1.

The fixed contact (35) is a direct extension of the magnetic yoke (34). It wraps around the bent wall (110) to end in a conductive arc guide sheet (37) parallel to the base.

In their end parts, the conductive arc guide sheets (36, 37) have an identical shape. They are parallel and are stuck in two notches perpendicular to the plane of the half-shell (11) framing a low groove (111). The latter and said end portions of the conductive sheets form a housing for the phase arc quenching cage (38) or "deion" sub-assembly.

When the latter is positioned, the cheek (93) can be assembled by virtue of the groove in its oblique part which adjusts in the end notch of the rib (109) and because the edges of the intermediate parts of the sheets conductive cares for him a support.

The positioning is also guided by the bent partition (110) which cooperates with a notch in said cheek.

The area between the two cheeks (93) which are placed symmetrically on either side of these sheets (36, 37), constitutes the arc displacement area, and this is why these cheeks are made of material capable of degas, in order to increase the speed of movement of the electric arc.

In the common area, between the phase stage and the neutral stage, quite opposite to the base, a hollow and low cylindrical pivot (95) is intended for centering the operating member (5) , which pivots in a stroke limited by a terminal (112), cooperating with the edges of the cylinder portion constituting the barrel of said member (5), which is surmounted by a lever (5a).

Near the pivot (95), there is a housing projecting from the half-shell (11) in which a notch is formed perpendicular to the plane of said half-shell (11), in which the end of a spring is clamped with traction with flange (50), which cooperates on the other hand with a similar notch of the contact carrier (55), placed on the face of this which is opposite the half-shell (11).

A relief groove (113) allows said spring (50) to be in contact with the wall during its extension, while the housing of the contact carrier (55) comprising the homologous notch is not in contact with said wall . If it were, the friction forces appearing between this internal wall of the half-shell (11) and the movable contact carrier would be likely to distort the movement and to alter the process of disjunction by braking the movement of removal of fixed and mobile contacts.

When the assembly of the phase stage is carried out, one comes to fit on the half-shell (11) - provided with the elements mentioned above - the central spacer which adjusts in the orifices (105 ′) and (104a).

It should be noted that, if the lateral faces of the two molded elements (11, 12) come in line with one another, the base (102) slides inside the sole (1) forming the base of the half-shell (11), over almost its entire length.

The elements of the first stage constituted, namely the phase stage, are sufficiently maintained in their housings and their holding partitions so as not to oppose the interlocking of the central spacer (12). The thermal bimetallic strip (27) is placed between the complex groove (109) and the inner wall of the housing of the connection terminal (25) and it very naturally takes place in the center of the elongated housing (107) provided for this purpose.

Figures 2 and 4 show all the elements of the phase stage assembled, before mounting the central partition (12). In particular, these views help to understand the mounting of the tension spring (50) between the operating member (5) and the movable contact carrier (55), and its slightly curvilinear path under tension.

This spring (50) is of course stretched in the closed position of the contacts and it powerfully helps to spread the contacts when a tripping takes place.

We also see the transverse position of the thermal bimetallic strip (27) and, in this embodiment, the existence of two flexible braids (26) (28) conductive at the two ends of said bimetallic strip. However, in order to preserve as much as possible the rigidity of the thermal sub-assembly, a variant eliminates the use of the braid placed near the base (1). This is accompanied by a certain loss of flexibility, but this does not seriously affect the functioning.

Finally, these figures also show the existence of certain empty zones, such as the space referenced (114). These zones have in reality their usefulness, because they serve, through the walls which delimit them, to ensure a fitting and correct positioning of the molded parts without there being an overflow of one on the other or crushing of a zone. In addition, they introduce an additional insulating air layer and facilitate thermal evacuation beyond the arc cutting zone.

The section of FIG. 6 is carried out in an approximately median longitudinal plane of the phase stage. The contacts have been shown close together (29, 35), at the upper part of the arc displacement zone limited in particular by the conducting arc guiding blades (36, 37). In this view also appears particularly clearly the means of connection of the electrical conductors coming from the outside in the connection terminals (25, 32): it is a simple screw accessible by the orifice located opposite the base, which screw can be tightened to the stop on the flat surface of the base of the cage connector.

Last important detail illustrated by this section: the bimetal adjustment means, that is to say the screw (115) whose flat end is in contact with the arc guide blade (36) at its secured to the base of the bimetallic strip (27). When the screw setting is changed, pressure is exerted on this base or the pressure is reduced. As a corollary, the orientation of the bimetallic strip (27) is slightly modified, as well as the effect of the latter on the trigger at the time of tripping due to overload.

The second stage or neutral stage is simpler insofar as it is a purely disconnecting stage. We find on the visible face of the spacer (12) a physiognomy similarity with the plate (11), explainable by the proximity of their functionalities and that of some of the characteristic components of this neutral stage.

The sub-assemblies are however somewhat different and certain components to be assembled change. We find, simplified, the equivalent of the complex relief groove (109) which in this case turns into a double partition (116) oblique and perpendicular to the base (102). The oblique partition also has a small notch at its end close to the base, in order to guide the first cheek (93) of the arc displacement volume, in combination with an L-shaped wall (117) equivalent to the bent wall ( 110) from the previous floor.

The sub-assembly placed next to the magnetic sub-assembly of the phase stage comprises only a connection terminal (21) connected to the fixed neutral contact (20), which is extended by a conductive arc guiding blade ( 23).

The second sub-assembly comprises the other connection terminal (14) connected, on the one hand, to an arc guide blade (22) and, on the other hand, to the movable neutral contact (17) by the through a flexible conductive braid (16).

The two conductive sheets (22) and (23) are, when they take place in their housings on the visible face, parallel, exactly as for the phase stage. The layout is also completely identical, as are the attachment means by two notches perpendicular to the plane of the central partition (12) and framing a raised groove (118) intended for positioning the neutral arc extinguishing cage (24).

The shape of the conductive strip (23) of the second sub-assembly is substantially identical to that of the sheet (36), the difference being located at the bimetallic strip (27) which no longer exists on this stage. On the other hand, it is necessary to bypass the elongated housing (107) which forms a relief barring the width of this stage.

This bypass is carried out at the base (102), which is furthermore favored by the fact that the half-housings (103c) of the connection terminals are against the base (102) in this neutral stage, therefore offset with respect to on the phase stage. For the rest, we find the characteristic shape deviating from the base (102), then approaching it again by pressing on the oblique partition.

The arc guide blade (22) extends the fixed contact (20) in a configuration which is also very similar to that of the previous stage, except that the magnetic coil (33) is shunted.

On the mobile contact-holder assembly (55), already installed on the preceding stage, a trigger (43) and its pawl are mounted coaxially on a large-diameter part of a pivot (57) projecting from the contact-holder. (55). The bearing surface of said trip device is therefore placed opposite the axis of the magnetic circuit breaker. This complex part cooperates mechanically with several other surrounding components, in particular to ensure tripping.

The pivot (58) of the contact carrier, in a part of smaller diameter, also receives the neutral movable contact (17) and its spring (76). In this way, if we consider the entire mobile assembly, the two mobile contacts (17, 29) are attached to either side of a core formed by the contact carrier (55) nested with said trigger (43), and they overlap the central partition forming a spacer (12).

A driver (44) has the function of actuating the trip device under the effect of a displacement of the thermal bimetal strip (27) during an overload. For this purpose, it slides, on the one hand, in a transverse lumen (119) of the elongated housing (107) and, on the other hand, in a slide (120) coaxial with said lumen and formed in the central partition (12 ) at the edge longitudinal of the common volume (100) in phase and neutral, between the magnetic coil (33) and the trigger (43). The space between the bottom of said housing (107) and the neutral half-shell (10) is provided wide enough to allow movement of the coach (44). This is clearly seen in Figure 3. This coach (44) (see Figure 1) takes the form of a rod whose two ends perpendicular to the longitudinal axis are engaged, on the one hand, in this light (119), against the external face of the bimetallic strip (27) and, on the other hand, in this slide (120), in contact with an extension of the trigger (43) projecting on this side of the central partition (12), in the neutral stage .

When the bimetallic strip (27) moves, it therefore also moves the driver (43) simultaneously in the light and the slide: the trigger attacked by the end of the driver (43) causes the device to trip.

When there is a short circuit, it is the magnetic circuit breaker which acts, by means of the surface of the trip device (43) facing the coil (33). This comprises a magnetic core extended by a rod or striker (90), movable in rectilinear translation along the axis of the coil. When there is a short circuit, the striker (90) is moved towards the outside of said core and quickly strikes the face of the trigger (43). The device also trips.

The actuator lever (5a) and its operating member (5) are in mechanical connection with the moving element by means of a link (39) and a spring (96), which form with the trigger and the contact holder the lock mechanism. Said spring exerts an action on a protrusion of the trigger, tending to move the movable assembly in the direction of approaching the contacts when a closing operation is carried out by means of the lever (5a). This allows the circuit breaker to be reset.

The rod which rests in a V-shaped slide of the contact carrier (55) is then wedged between the two parts forming the core of the moving assembly, that is to say the contact carrier (41) and the pawl. (42) of the trigger (43), as appears particularly well in Figure 3, and it therefore participates in the effort of bringing the contacts together. The spring (96) makes it possible to reset the circuit breaker by bringing the pawl (42) closer to the contact carrier (41) thus blocking the end of the link (39) in the braced position on a wall of the contact carrier (41). .

At the end of its travel, when the movable contacts and the fixed contacts are brought together, the link (39) has changed orientation and it is braced against the contact carrier (55) and locked by the pawl (42) forcing said contact carrier to keep this contact position between moving contacts and fixed contacts.

A reverse action on the operating lever (5a) amounts to modifying the orientation of the link and loosening the pawl (42), so that the bracing can no longer take place: the contacts separate under the effect of the return spring (31). Similarly, the action of the coach (44) or the striker (90) on the trigger (43) results in the pivoting of the pawl (42) which releases the end of the link (39).

The neutral stage is assembled, it only remains to fit the half-shell (10) so that the device is complete. This half-shell (10) comprises an orifice (121) in which the central lever of the lever (5) adjusts. Furthermore, a finger (not shown) protruding from the half-shell at the level of the mobile assembly comes to center in the end of the shaft (94) forming therewith the rotation shaft of said mobile assembly.

The half-shell (10), in its part farthest from its base (3), comprises an opening (4) with two ramps for guiding the lever (5a), placed symmetrically on either side of said opening ( 4) and referenced (122) and (123).

The detailed description above, as well as the figures, refer only to a left-hand neutral circuit breaker. As mentioned above, the right neutral circuit breakers are also assembled along a single mounting axis, by the same assembly unit, only a few elements being slightly modified.

In this case, in fact, the mounting plate is no longer the half-shell located on the phase side, but that which is located on the neutral side. This neutral half-shell this time acts as a mounting plate after being covered in the neutral version on the left. It is of course drawn very differently in the two cases.

Thus, for example, the spring (50) must be on the side of the plate and therefore on the side of the neutral half-shell. Consequently, the notch and its housing are also placed on the neutral half-shell.

The elongated housing (107) is inverted as well as the balcony-shaped housing (108) intended for magnetic disjunction means.

Generally speaking, the shape of the half-shells (10 ′, 11 ′) and the central spacer (12 ′) change to adapt to these contingencies and for practical assembly reasons. The order of passage of the components, during assembly, is also different, since we start by mounting the neutral stage, followed by the phase stage.

The two thermal and magnetic sub-assemblies are also slightly different, since they are symmetrical to each other when going from a circuit breaker with neutral on the left to a circuit breaker with neutral on the right.

However, this does not in any way change the fundamental characteristics of the invention, namely the particular arrangement giving an excellent breaking capacity and an almost totally automatable assembly.

Claims (9)

1. Phase and neutral circuit-breaker, comprising in a modular housing, in particular of standard size, whose base (1) is intended to be mounted in a rail of standard dimensions, two phase and neutral connecting terminals (25, 32; 14, 21); pairs of phase and neutral fixed contacts (35, 20) and moving contacts (29, 17), respectively; two phase and neutral arc quenching chambers (38, 24) respectively, situated adjacent to said base (1); an operating element (5) comprising a manual actuating lever (52) connected to a locking mechanism permitting control of the position of the moving assembly (55) carrying the moving contacts (29, 17) with respect to the fixed contacts (35, 20), such that said contacts are alternately in contact and separated; magnetic tripping means (33, 34) and thermal tripping means (27) permitting the release of the interlock and the separation of the contacts (17, 20, 29, 35); two halfshells (10, 11) forming, when assembled, the internal space of the housing, which internal space is separated into two spaces by a partition (12) forming the central, longitudinal, insulating separator running in a generally parallel direction to said half-shells (10, 11) defining both a phase and a neutral stage, and leaving a remaining common space (100) situated adjacent to the operating element (5), in which common space (100) are arranged the elements common to the two stages, that is to say the magnetic tripping means (33, 34) and the locking mechanism, characterised in that with a view to giving the arc quenching chambers (24, 38) as large a volume as possible, allowing for the standard dimensions of the modular housing, and at the same time lightening and reducing the size of the locking mechanism, it is intended that the magnetic means (33, 34) are arranged immediately adjacent to the operating element (5) and in contact with the separator (12), such that on the one hand the distance separating the two parallel planes containing the longitudinal axis of the magnetic means (90) and that of the pivot (94) of the moving assembly (55), respectively, is the shortest possible compatible with the minimum tripping torque of said mechanism and, on the other hand, that the entire central part of the space bounded by the partition (12) and the shell (10, 11) facing it, virtually up to the level of said magnetic means (33, 34), is occupied at each stage by the respective arc quenching chamber (24, 38).
2. Phase and neutral circuit-breaker according to Claim 1, characterised in that a magnetic sub-assembly (31) comprising a magnetic switch (33, 34) connected to one phase terminal (32), to the fixed phase contact (35) and to a conducting arc guide blade (37) extending said fixed contact (35), is independently comprised of a thermal sub-assembly (30) containing a thermal bimetal strip (27) connected to the other phase terminal (25), to the moving phase contact (29) and to a second conducting arc guide blade (36).
3. Phase and neutral circuit-breaker according to one of the preceding Claims, characterised in that all the constituent elements of the circuit-breaker are mounted along a single mounting axis on one of the half-shells (10, 11) acting as a mounting plate, with a view to fully automatic assembly of the unit by means of an assembly machine operating along this single axis.
4. Phase and neutral circuit-breaker according to Claim 3, characterised in that with a view to the use of a single assembly machine to assemble right-hand neutral circuit-breakers or left-hand neutral circuit-breakers, the relative arrangement of the components remains the same as defined in Claims 1 and 2, the half-shells (10, 11) and the partition (12) are nevertheless configured according to the two respective cases.
5. Phase and neutral circuit-breaker according to Claim 4, characterised in that for the left-hand neutral circuit-breaker the plate is formed by the phase half-shell (11), whereas for a right-hand neutral circuit-breaker it is the neutral half-shell (10), and in that the magnetic sub-assemblies (31) and the thermal sub-assemblies (30) are respectively symmetrical in the two configurations.
6. Phase and neutral circuit-breaker according to any one of Claims 1 to 5, characterised in that the moving assembly comprises a contact carrier (55) mounted so as to be free to rotate on a shaft end (94) projecting from a half-shell (10, 11), a tripping device (43) mounted coaxially to said contact carrier (55), one support surface of which is positioned opposite the axis of the magnetic switch (33, 34), and two moving contacts (17, 29) arranged on both sides of the core formed by said contact carrier (55) linked to said tripping device (43), said contacts (17, 29) thus straddling the partition (12) forming the insulating separator.
7. Phase and neutral circuit-breaker according to any one of the preceding Claims, characterised in that the partition (12) forming the separator has an elongated recess (107) which extends along its entire width, forming in particular a transverse edge of the space (100) common to the two phases and whose base is situated adjacent to the neutral half-shell (10), said recess (107) being designed to insulate the bimetal strip (27) from the neutral stage.
8. Phase and neutral circuit-breaker according to Claim 7, characterised in that a drive (44) actuating the tripping device (43) under the action of the deflection of the bimetal strip (27) slides on the one hand in a transverse slot (119) of the recess (107) of the bimetal strip (27) and on the other hand in a guide (120) coaxial to said slot (119) and made for this purpose in the partition (12) at the longitudinal edge of the space (100) common to the phase and to the neutral, between the magnetic switch (33, 34) and the tripping device (43).
9. Phase and neutral circuit-breaker according to one of the Claims 1 to 8, characterised in that the elongated recess (107) of the bimetal strip (27) is offset towards the neutral half-shell (10) so as to maintain an adequate space in order that the driver (44) may move between said half-shell (10) and said recess (107), which determines at its face opposite to the common space (100), in combination with contours made in the half-shell which faces it, a recess (103) for a neutral connecting terminal (14) connected to the neutral moving contact (17) by a conducting arc guide blade (22) going around the elongated recess (107) of the bimetal strip (27) at the base of the partition (12), onto which blade is soldered a conducting braid (16) connecting the neutral moving contact (17) and extending between the base (1) and the neutral arc quenching cage (24), which is retained in the ribs (118) of the central partition (12) and the half-shell (10) opposite each other and by a second arc guide blade (23) joining on the one hand the neutral fixed contact (20) opposite the moving contact (17) and on the other hand turning back to connect the second neutral connecting terminal (21) at the other end of the neutral half-shell (10), said two conducting arc guide plates forming in the zone between the contacts (17, 20) and the arc quenching cage (24) a space allowing the electric arc to be displaced from said contacts to said cage, this space being closed on both sides by plates (93) made of material capable of degassing, one of which is placed in a zone defined for this purpose in the central partition (12), whereas the other is positioned in a zone of the opposite half-shell, each being positioned by means of grooves or edges acting in conjunction with the ribs of the half-shell and/or the partition (12), this arc displacement space associated with the quenching cage (24) forming the neutral arc quenching chamber (24) which is placed at the side of the space (100) common to the phase and to the neutral comprising, on the one hand, the magnetic switch (33, 34) adjacent to the arc quenching cage (24) and, on the other hand, the moving assembly whose moving contacts (17, 29) are positioned at the entrance of the arc displacement space at a groove made for each stage in the base (101) which marks the longitudinal border of the central partition (12) where said moving contacts (17, 29) straddle it, while said border has a ledge (108) in which the magnetic switch (33, 34) is accommodated level with the arc quenching cages (24, 38), which switch is formed by a coil (33) enclosed by a magnetic yoke (34) extending perpendicularly to and parallel to the axis of the coil except on the side of said ledge, and extended by the fixed phase contact (35) then by the conducting phase arc guide blade (37) placed adjacent to the coil (33), which coil furthermore is connected to the first phase connecting terminal (32) placed in a recess (103) of the phase stage offset with respect to the corresponding recess of the neutral terminal, said recess (103) likewise being formed by ribs of the central partition (12) and of the phase half-shell (11) which work together in the same way as the recess (103) of the other phase connecting terminal (25) and comprised of half-recesses situated on both sides in the phase half-shell (11) and in the central partition (12), likewise offset with respect to the corresponding neutral terminal (14) situated at the same end, this second phase terminal (25) being connected close to the base on the one hand to the bimetal strip (27) and on the other hand to the conducting blade (36) fitted between the phase arc quenching cage (38) and the base (1), said cage (38) and the phase arc displacement space, however, being identical and placed symmetrically to those of the neutral stage, the bimetal strip (27) itself being connected at its elongated end from the base to the moving phase contact (29), one of the moving contacts being mounted on a shaft end (94) projecting from the half-shell acting as the mounting plate and forming with a peg of the other half-shell the shaft of the moving assembly, the main element of which is the contact carrier (55) containing at its face opposite the half-shell plate a groove in which the end of a spiral spring (50) is trapped, the other end of which is suspended in an equivalent groove emerging from said half-shell, said spring (50) exerting a restoring force in the open position of the contacts, either due to the effect of manual action on the operating lever (5a) connected by a link (39) to a pawl (42) and to a V-groove made in the contact carrier (55), said lever (5a) being placed on a pivot (95), or again due to the effect of a pressure on the support face of the tripping device (43) exerted by the striker (90) at the end of the magnetic core of the coil (33) of the magnetic switch, or by the driver (44) drawn out by the bimetal strip (27), a peg of which sliding in the guide (120) of the central partition (12) meets a projection of the tripping device placed in the extension of said support face of the neutral side of the central partition (12) which is finally assembled into the two half-shells (10, 11) by means of hollow cylindrical barrels projecting from said half-shells (10, 11) and corresponding with hollow cylindrical barrels (104) of the central partition to form pierced channels passing through the entire housing and available for a rivetted assembly.

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