EP0818798B1 - Electric apparatus with differential protection - Google Patents

Abstract

The output terminals (14P, 14N) of the phase and neutral supply circuits (12P, 12N) are on the same exterior surface (22) of the insulating case (11) as their input terminals (13P, 13N). Between the inputs and the insulating partition (15) is the cut-off section (18) which has a space (58) for an electromagnetic circuit breaker (59) with or without a thermal circuit breaker (60). A hole in the side wall (22) at right angles to the cut-off section allows access to the terminals. The transformer core (41) is part of a subassembly comprising an insulating body which is flush with the side face (22) of the case and which has a fork piece to hold output terminal on the primary turns.

Description

The present invention relates generally to devices differential protection electrics of the kind comprising, in an insulating housing, a phase circuit and a neutral circuit which each extend between two terminals, one inlet, the other outlet, with, each arranged respectively on the side and on the other side of an insulating partition through which the phase and neutral each pass through a crossing, on the one hand, a breaking part, in which, on each of the phase and neutral circuits, is interposed a switch comprising at least one movable contact, and which, for controlling this movable contact, includes a circuit breaker mechanism, and, on the other hand, a differential protection part in which a transformer intervenes differential comprising a torus over which at least two windings have passed primary and a secondary winding, said primary windings being one formed by the phase circuit, the other by the neutral circuit, and said differential transformer driving, by its secondary winding, a mechanism trigger mechanically coupled with the circuit breaker mechanism the breaking part, the insulating housing comprising two parallel main faces to each other, and, perpendicular to these main faces, two lateral faces parallel to each other, the insulating partition extending parallel to the faces main of this insulating housing, from one to the other of the side faces thereof.

This type of differential protection electrical device is located in particular described in the French patent application which, filed on February 2 1994 under No. 94 01134, was published under No. 2 715 767.

In this French patent application, the electrical appliance differential protection in question is more specifically a differential circuit breaker, its breaking part comprising, in association with the phase circuit, two triggers, namely a thermal, bimetal type trigger and a electromagnetic type trigger, with excitation coil, which both control the circuit breaker mechanism.

In addition, in this French patent application, the input terminals and of the phase and neutral circuits extend on two opposite faces of the insulating housing, being in practice all arranged on the side of the part of cut.

More specifically, in the present case, a modular electrical device, i.e. a device electric whose insulating housing is in a form general parallelepiped, with two main faces parallel, and, on the edge, a rear face, two faces side, and a front face, the input terminals intervene on one of the side faces of this insulating housing and the output terminals on the other of these.

Now it turns out that, at least for some installations, it can be advantageous, especially for facilitate wiring, as input and output terminals operate on the same side face of the insulating housing.

The present invention generally has for object a provision which, while allowing, the benefit some standardization, and therefore a reduction in costs, to keep the general organization of the device differential protection electric described in the request French Patent No. 94,01134 mentioned above, allows also that the output terminals of the phase and neutral are on the same side of the insulating box and conduit in addition to other advantages.

More specifically, it relates to a device differential protection electric of the kind described above and characterized in that the output terminals of the phase and neutral circuits intervene in the part of differential protection, on the other side of the toroid of the differential transformer with respect to the crossings by which these phase and neutral circuits pass through through the insulating wall, and open on the outside on the same side face of the case insulating as their input terminals.

In other words, the toroid of the differential transformer extends between these crossings and the output terminals.

In addition, instead of four when these terminals of outlet are on the cut-off side, it is no longer only need two crossings for the passage of the circuits of phase and neutral through the insulating partition, to the benefit a simplification of construction, and therefore a cost reduction.

Finally, and in particular because of the removal of two of these crossings, the cutting part comprises, between the input terminals of the phase and neutral circuits and the remaining crossings, enough space for there to be be installed, if desired, in association with the phase, at least one electromagnetic type trigger.

The electrical device according to the invention is then a Differential Switch.

But the space in the cut-off part is also sufficient for it to be implanted there, if desired, a another trigger, thermal type.

The electrical device according to the invention is then a differential circuit breaker.

Thus, the arrangement according to the invention allows advantageously to carry out, with the choice, with the same basic organization, and therefore with common constituents, either a differential switch or a circuit breaker differential.

In the case of a differential switch, this differential switch can also very simply result from a residual current device whose trip device thermal type has been eliminated or deactivated, deactivation which can for example result from a simple cutting of the active end of its bimetallic strip.

In all cases, among the common constituents, figure, in particular, the cover of the insulating housing, this cover can advantageously present each time the same dimensions, only being placed accordingly the holes giving access to the cable entries of the input and output terminals of the phase and neutral circuits and those giving access to the head of their clamping screws.

Preferably, these input and output terminals acting on the same side face of the insulating housing, it is planned, in the vicinity of the holes giving access to the head of their tightening screws, a mark to distinguish those of these terminals which are the input terminals and those which are the output terminals.

Preferably, also, the torus of the differential transformer belongs to a subset to which also belong, on the one hand, the windings of the phase and neutral circuits passed on this torus, and, on the other hand, a terminal block comprising, in a body insulation which is flush with the corresponding side face of the insulating box, the output terminals of the phase circuits and neutral, already connected, each respectively, to primary windings of these.

By the prior concretization of such sub-assembly, the assembly of the assembly is advantageously simplified.

If in the protected electrical appliance differential which is the subject of the German patent application No DE 44 17 897 A, the various terminals are all arranged on the same side, we do not find in this request for German patent, any insulating partition compartmentalizing into two distinct parts, namely a part and a part of differential protection, the interior volume of any enclosure, so that the general configuration of the protected electrical appliance differential concerned is very different from that of the differential protection electrical appliance making the object of the present invention.

Similarly, electrical devices with protection differential described in the French patent application No. FR 2 375 740 A, in American patent No. US 5 446 431 A, and in French patent application No FR 2 588 998 A have very different general configurations from that to which the differential protection electrical device belongs forming the subject of the present invention.

If, moreover, in the European patent application No EP 0 530 392 A, there is indeed an insulating partition between a breaking part and a protection part differential, this insulating partition does not extend over all the length of the box concerned, so that the terminals of exit do not intervene in the protection part differential but in separate compartments of it.

Furthermore, in this European patent application, no find explicit or any mechanism for circuit breaker or any tripping mechanism coupled with this one.

la figure 1 est, avec un arrachement local, une vue en perspective d'un appareil électrique à protection différentielle suivant l'invention ;

la figure 2 en est, également avec un arrachement local, et de manière schématique, une vue en plan, suivant la flèche II de la figure 1 ;

la figure 3 est, à échelle supérieure, et suivant la flèche III de la figure 1, une vue en élévation du sous-ensemble impliquant le tore du transformateur différentiel que comporte cet appareil électrique, représenté isolément ;

la figure 4 est une vue de dessus de ce sous-ensemble, suivant la flèche IV de la figure 3 ;

la figure 5 en est une autre vue en élévation, suivant la flèche V de la figure 4.

The characteristics of the differential protection electrical device which is the subject of the present invention will emerge from the description which follows, by way of example, with reference to the appended schematic drawings in which:

Figure 1 is, with a local cutaway, a perspective view of an electric device with differential protection according to the invention;

Figure 2 is, also with a local cutaway, and schematically, a plan view, along arrow II of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is, on a larger scale, and along arrow III of Figure 1, an elevational view of the sub-assembly involving the toroid of the differential transformer that includes this electrical device, shown in isolation;

Figure 4 is a top view of this sub-assembly, along arrow IV of Figure 3;

FIG. 5 is another view in elevation thereof, along arrow V of FIG. 4.

Figures 1 and 2, we recognize a device electric of the type described in the patent application French No 94 01 134.

It is an electrical device 10 with protection differential.

This electrical appliance 10 comprises, overall, in an insulating housing 11, a phase circuit 12P and a circuit of neutral 12N which each extend between two terminals, one input 13P, 13N, the other output 14P, 14N, with, arranged each on each side of a partition insulator 15 through which the 12P phase circuits and neutral 12N each pass through a crossing 16P, 16N, a breaking part 18 and a protection part differential 19, which will be detailed later.

The electrical apparatus 10 falling, in practice, from modular electrical appliances, its insulating housing 11 has a general parallelepiped shape, with two main faces 20 parallel to each other, and, perpendicular to these main faces 20, on the edge of the assembly, one face rear 21, two lateral faces 22 parallel to each other, and a front face 23 which, in its median zone, forms a front extension 24, with, on either side thereof, two shoulders 25 parallel to the rear face 21.

Overall, the insulating housing 11 includes a base 26, which forms one of its main faces 20, and a cover 27, which forms the other of its main faces 20 and the face before 23.

In a manner known per se, the rear face 21 has a notch 28, through which the electrical appliance 10 is suitable to be engaged on any support rail, not represented, and in which means intervene attachment, also not shown, specific to its securing to this support rail.

In a manner also known per se, the partition insulator 15 extends parallel to the main faces 20, to each other of the side faces 22, but on a fraction only from the height of these from the face rear 21.

In practice, in the embodiment shown, the insulating partition 15 extends to the shoulders 25 of the front 23.

The crossings 16P, 16N which pass through the partition insulating 15 are for example constituted by parts metal bends at right angles, these metal parts each having a leg 30, through which they pass the insulating partition 15 substantially perpendicular to this, and a wing 31, which extends parallel to this insulating partition 15 in the differential protection part 19.

The input terminals 13P, 13N of the phase circuits 12P and neutral 12N intervene in the cut-off part 18, by opening to the outside on one of the side faces 22 of the insulating housing 11.

On the side of this cut-off part 18, the housing insulator 11 comprises, on the one hand, on its lateral face 22 concerned, two holes 32P, 32N, which each give respectively access to the cable entries of the input terminals 13P, 13N, and, on the other hand, on the corresponding shoulder 25 of the front face 23, two holes 33P, 33N, which, in turn, give each respectively access to the head of the tightening screw 34P, 34N of these input terminals 13P, 13N.

In the breaking part 18, the phase circuits 12P and neutral 12N consist of conductive elements, which generally extend from input terminals 13P, 13N to crossings 16P, 16N, and which, of conventional construction, do not will not be detailed here.

But, in this cut-off part 18, there is interposed, on each of these 12P, 12N phase circuits, a 35P, 35N switch comprising at least one movable contact 36P, 36N, and, for controlling this mobile contact 36P, 36N, the cutting part 18 comprises, as shown diagrammatically in lines interrupted by its outline in Figure 2, a mechanism circuit breaker 38.

In practice, this circuit breaker mechanism 38 is under control, in particular, of an interlock lever and trigger 39, which, projecting from the extension front 24 of the front face 23 of the insulating housing 11, is at available to the user.

Jointly, intervenes, in the part of differential protection 19, a differential transformer 40 comprising a torus 41 over which, on the one hand, two primary windings 42P, 42N, one formed by the phase circuit 12P, the other by the neutral circuit 12N, and, on the other hand, as partially visible in Figure 1 and as shown in dashed lines in Figure 2, a secondary winding 43.

By this secondary winding 43, the transformer differential 40 drives a trigger mechanism 44, which is mechanically coupled to the circuit breaker mechanism 38 of the cutting part 18, through the insulating partition 15, and which, like this one, was only schematized in lines interrupted by its outline in Figure 2.

Overall, in the protection part differential 19, 12P phase and 12N neutral circuits are reduced to the primary windings 42P, 42N which they form.

The foregoing provisions are well known by themselves, in particular by the French patent application No. 94 01 134, and will therefore not be described further in detail here.

According to the invention, the output terminals 14P, 14N of the 12P phase and 12N neutral circuits are involved in the differential protection part 19, on the other side of the toroid 41 of the differential transformer 40 with respect to the bushings 16P, 16N by which these 12P phase and neutral circuits 12N pass through the insulating partition 15.

In other words, according to the invention, the torus 41 of differential transformer 40 extends between bushings 16P, 16N and the output terminals 14P, 14N.

Thus, and as shown, the output terminals 14P, 14N of 12P phase and 12N neutral circuits can advantageously lead to the same lateral face 22 of the insulating housing 11 as their input terminals 13P, 13N.

The insulating housing 11 therefore comprises, as previously, but on the protective part side differential 19, on the one hand, on its lateral face 22 concerned, two holes 45P, 45N, which each give respectively access to the cable entries of the output terminals 14P, 14N, and, on the other hand, on the corresponding shoulder 25 from the front face 23, two holes 46P, 46N which, in turn, give access to the head of the clamping screw 47P, 47N from these terminals exit 14P, 14N.

In the embodiment shown, the holes 32P, 45P extend on the same level, and, similarly, the holes 32N, 45N, which are offset from the previous ones by direction of the rear face 21, also extend to the same level.

Preferably, and this is the case in the form embodiment shown, the insulating housing 11 includes marks 48E, 48S for distinguishing the input terminals 13P, 13N of the output terminals 14P, 14N.

In practice, in the embodiment shown, these marks 48E, 48S are constituted by arrows, which are carried by the shoulder 25 of the front face 23 on which open holes 33P, 33N and 46P, 46N.

These arrows, which are for example in relief, extend parallel to the main faces 20, being facing inwards, for that which constitutes the benchmark 48E, and outwards for that which constitutes the benchmark 48S.

In addition, in the embodiment shown, the insulating housing 11 present, externally, projecting on its side face 22 concerned, between the input terminals 13P, 13N and the output terminals 14P, 14N, and, therefore, between the holes 32P, 32N and 45P, 45N corresponding, a partition wall 49.

For example, and as shown, this wall of partition 49 is in one piece with the insulating partition 15.

Anyway, it extends significantly parallel to the main faces 20 of the insulating housing 11, and it is therefore substantially perpendicular to the face side 22 of this insulating housing 11 on which it is projection.

In practice, and as shown, the wall of separation 49 only extends over a fraction of the height of this lateral face 22, limited to the portion thereof with holes 32P, 32N and 45P, 45N.

Preferably, and this is the case in the form shown in embodiment, the toroid 41 of the transformer differential 40 belongs to a subset 50 to which also belong, on the one hand, to the windings primary 42P, 42N of 12P phase and 12N neutral circuits passed on this toroid 41, and, on the other hand, a terminal block 51 comprising, in an insulating body 52 which is flush with the face side 22 concerned of the insulating housing 11, the terminals of 14P, 14N output of these 12P phase and 12N neutral circuits, already connected each respectively to these windings primary 42P, 42N.

Of course, the secondary winding 43 of the differential transformer 40, not visible in Figures 3 to 5, can also be part of this subset 50.

The insulating body 52 of the terminal block 51 is sandwiched between, on the one hand, the insulating partition 15, and, on the other hand, the cover 27 of the insulating housing 11, and it therefore has two main faces 53, which, generally parallel one to the other, are parallel to the main faces 20 of the housing insulator 11.

Its realization falling within the skill of the art, this body insulator 52 will not be described in full detail here.

It will suffice to indicate that, in the form of embodiment shown, it forms, for half, the hole 45P, the other half of this hole 45P being jointly formed by the cover 27, and, for half, the hole 45N, the other half of this hole 45N being formed by the insulating partition 15, and that, to receive the output terminals 14P, 14N, it presents, in hollow, back to back, on its main faces 53, housings 54P, 54N.

Like the 13P, 13N input terminals, the exit 14P, 14N are of classical constitution, and they do not will therefore not be described in detail here.

It will suffice to indicate that they each have a fixed contact piece 55P, 55N against which, when connected, the electrical conductor concerned, not shown, is found clamped by a movable contact piece 56P, 56N controlled by displacement by the corresponding tightening screw 47P, 47N.

In the embodiment shown, for one at least output terminals 14P, 14N, and, preferably, for each of these, the fixed contact piece 55P forms, at its internal end, i.e. on the side of the torus 41 of the differential transformer 40, a range 57P, 57N per which it is clamped on the corresponding end, suitably stripped, from primary winding 42P, 42N concerned of this differential transformer 40.

At their other end, also suitably stripped, the primary windings 42P, 42N are simply welded on bushings 16P, 16N.

By construction, the cutting part 18 comprises, between the input terminal 13P of the phase circuit 12P and the crossing 16P by which this phase circuit 12P passes through through the insulating partition 15, a space 58 sufficient for that it can be installed there, if desired, in association with the phase circuit 12P, and as shown in lines continuous in FIG. 2, at least one trigger 59, of the type electromagnetic, which, as shown in lines interrupted in Figure 2, is able to intervene on the circuit breaker mechanism 38, for control thereof leading to the opening of switches 35P, 35N.

Such a trigger 59 being well known in itself, it will not be described here.

It will suffice to indicate that, as shown on the Figure 2, it essentially comprises an excitation coil.

When the electrical device 10 according to the invention is thus equipped with a trip device 59 of the electromagnetic type, even when it is not, it constitutes a simple Differential Switch.

But, in practice, the space 58 in the part of break 18 of the electrical device 10 according to the invention is sufficient so that between the input terminal 13P of the phase 12P and the corresponding crossing 16P thereof, can also be installed, if desired, in association with this phase circuit 12P, another trip device 60, of the type thermal, which, in parallel to the trigger 59 of the type electromagnetic, also controls the circuit breaker mechanism 38 for a command thereof leading to the opening of switches 35P, 35N.

This thermal type trigger 60 is also well known by itself, it will therefore not be described here.

It will suffice to indicate that it essentially comprises a bimetallic strip.

When the electrical device 10 according to the invention is thus fitted with an electromagnetic release 59 and a thermal type trigger 60, it constitutes a differential circuit breaker.

But when, as before, it constitutes a differential switch, this differential switch can result from a differential circuit breaker whose trip unit 60 thermal type has been removed or disabled.

It suffices, for example, to deactivate this thermal type trigger 60, to cut off accordingly the active end of its bimetallic strip.

As will be noted, the insulating housing 11 of the electrical device 10 according to the invention can advantageously be devoid, on its opposite side face 22 to that on which the terminals open out input 13P, 13N and output 14P, 14N of the phase circuits 12P and neutral 12N, and at least to the right of the part of cut 18, of any hole likely to provide any access to any terminal.

Of course, the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described and shown, but includes any variant of execution contained in the framework demands.

Claims (10)

1. An electrical apparatus with balanced protection, of the kind comprising, in an insulating casing (11), a phase circuit (12P) and a neutral circuit (12N) which each extend between two terminals, one being an input terminal (13P, 13N) and the other an output terminal (14P, 14N), with, each disposed respectively on respective sides of an insulating partition (15) through which the phase circuit (12P) and the neutral circuit (12N) each pass by way of a passage (16P, 16N), on the one hand, a break portion (18) in which there is interposed on each of the phase and neutral circuits (12P and 12N respectively) a switch (35P, 35N) comprising at least one movable contact (36P, 36N) and which, for pilot control of said movable contact (36P, 36N), comprises a circuit-breaking mechanism (38), and on the other hand, a balanced protective portion (19) in which there is operatively disposed a differential transformer (40) comprising a core (41) around which are passed two primary windings (42P, 42N) and a secondary winding (43), one of said primary windings (42P, 42N) being formed by the phase circuit (12P) and the other by the neutral circuit (12N), and said differential transformer (40) by means of its secondary winding (43) providing for pilot control of a triggering mechanism (44) mechanically coupled to the circuit-breaking mechanism (38) of the break portion (18), the insulating casing (11) comprising two mutually parallel main faces (20) and perpendicularly to said main faces (20) two mutually parallel lateral faces (22), the insulating partition (15) extending parallel to the main faces (20) of said insulating casing (11) from one of the lateral faces (22) thereof to the other, characterised in that the output terminals (14P, 14N) of the phase and neutral circuits (12P, 12N) are operatively disposed in the balanced protective portion (19) on the other side of the core (40) of the differential transformer (41) with respect to the passages (16P, 16N) by way of which the phase and neutral circuits (12P, 12N) pass through the insulating partition (15), and open to the exterior on the same lateral face (22) of the insulating casing (11) as their input terminals (13P, 13N).
2. An electrical apparatus according to claim 1 characterised in that, between the input terminals (13P, 13N) of the phase and neutral circuits (12P, 12N) and the passages (16P, 16N) by way of which said phase and neutral circuits (12P, 12N) pass through the insulating partition (15), the break portion (18) comprises a sufficient space (58) that it is possible to install there if desired in association with the phase circuit (12P) at least one triggering means (59) of electromagnetic type.
3. An electrical apparatus according to claim 2 characterised in that said space (58) is sufficient for it to be possible to install there if desired another triggering means (60) of thermal type.
4. An electrical apparatus according to claim 1 characterised in that, involving a balanced protective switch, it results from a balanced protective circuit breaker whose triggering means (60) of thermal type has been eliminated or deactivated.
5. An electrical apparatus according to claim 1 characterised in that, on its lateral face (22) opposite to that at which the input terminals (13P, 13N) and output terminals (14P, 14N) of the phase and neutral circuits (12P, 12N) open to the exterior, the insulating casing (11) is at least in line with the break portion (18) without any hole capable of affording any access to any terminal.
6. An electrical apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 4 characterised in that the core (41) of the differential transformer (40) belongs to a sub-assembly (50) to which there also belong on the one hand the primary windings (42P, 42N) of the phase and neutral circuits (12P, 12N) passed around said core (41) and on the other hand a terminal array (51) comprising in an insulating body (52) which is flush with the lateral face (22) in question of the insulating casing (11) the output terminals (14P, 14N) of said phase and neutral circuits (12P, 12N) which are each already respectively connected to said primary windings (42P, 42N).
7. An electrical apparatus according to claim 6 characterised in that, the output terminals (14P, 14N) comprising a fixed contact piece (55P, 55N), said fixed contact piece (55P, 55N) forms at its inward end for one at least of said output terminals (14P, 14N) a fork (57P, 57N) by way of which it is clamped on the corresponding end of the primary winding (42P, 42N) in question.
8. An electrical apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 7 characterised in that, between the input terminals (13P, 13N) of the phase and neutral circuits (12P, 12N) and their output terminals (14P, 14N), the insulating casing (11) has a separating wall (49) in projecting relationship on its lateral face (22) in question.
9. An electrical apparatus according to claim 8 characterised in that the separating wall (49) is in one piece with the insulating partition (15).
10. An electrical apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 9 characterised in that the insulating casing (11) has markers (48E, 48S) which make it possible to distinguish the input terminals (13P, 13N) from the output terminals (14P, 14N).

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