EP0922315A1

EP0922315A1 - Electromechanical connecting device

Info

Publication number: EP0922315A1
Application number: EP97942880A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Achim Bullinger; Klaus-Dieter Fritsch; Hermann Neidlein
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1996-08-29
Filing date: 1997-08-26
Publication date: 1999-06-16
Anticipated expiration: 2017-08-26
Also published as: EP0922315B1; JP2000517097A; WO1998009346A1; US6231349B1; JP3886540B2; DE29615005U1; ES2149007T3; AU4455897A; DE59701779D1

Abstract

An electromechanical connecting device can be connected to a switching device provided with switching magnets, arranged on a working carriage and connectable to a current source by means of current supply contacts, and can also be connected to a triggering device provided with triggering magnets and electrically connectable to a consumer. The switching magnets can be moved from a rest position to a working position against a restoring force, establishing a contact among pairs of contacts and thus an electric connection between the switching device and the triggering device. The switching magnets work by means of a special coding together with the triggering magnets arranged in the triggering device to generate particular magnetic fields for the switching process. In the switching device, at least one safety part designed as a safety magnet or ferromagnetic material can be moved in the direction of the triggering device from a rest position into a live position by a matching magnet or ferromagnetic part arranged in the triggering device, so that when the safety part returns to its rest position it causes an intentional short-circuit between the poles of the pair of contacts of the switching device even when the triggering device is removed, whereas the working carriage remains in the live state.

Description

Electromechanical connection device

The invention relates to an electromechanical connecting device according to the kind defined in the preamble of claim 1.

A connection device of this type is described in EP 0 573 471 B1. The known connecting device, which consists of a switching device, which takes over the function of a socket of a conventional type, and a trigger device, which takes over the function of a plug, creates a connecting device which has a very low overall depth and which also meets high safety requirements .

In the electromechanical connection device according to EP 0 573 471 B1, both the mechanical and the electrical contact take place via magnets. For this purpose, both a work slide, which can be connected to power supply contacts, and the switching magnets are electrically conductive. The power connection is conducted directly to the release magnets in the release device, which are also electrically conductive. A disadvantage of this current supply is, however, that an electrical conductivity in the event of a short circuit leads to a loss of the heat-sensitive magnetic components. In addition, the known device is still relatively wide due to the voltage and current conduction via the contact hats and the magnets. Coded magnets mean that several small magnetic parts with different polarities are connected to form an overall magnet. A magnetic attraction can only be achieved by magnetically oppositely polarized and coded in the same way. This is achieved by the interaction of the magnets in the switching device and in the triggering device. No magnetic attraction is generated compared to known magnets.

In this way it is ensured that the work carriage is lifted from its rest position and brought into the electrical switching position only when the triggering device approaches or is placed on the switching device, in which current is applied to the two poles of the contact pair of the switching device. This current is then conducted to the consumer via the poles of the contact pair of the triggering device. After the triggering device has been lifted off, and thus after the magnetic force has been removed, the work carriage falls back into the rest position, as a result of which the power supply to the two poles of the contact pair is interrupted.

The known electro-mechanical connection device works very securely, in particular if the electrical contact pairs and thus their poles are arranged separately from the coded magnets. If very high and unexpected overvoltages occur, for example a short circuit, in extreme situations, however, parts could become stuck or welded in the release device. In such a case, it could happen that the work slide does not fall off after removal of the trigger device, which means that current on the exposed current-carrying pole. There is therefore a risk of electrical accidents.

Even if such a situation could hardly occur in practice with proper handling, the present invention is nevertheless based on the object of improving the electro-mechanical connecting device mentioned at the outset in such a way that even in an extreme situation in which the work carriage sticks in the current-switched situation could come to avoid electrical accidents, in particular nevertheless to achieve a power cut to the poles.

According to the invention, this object is achieved by the features mentioned in the characterizing part of claim 1.

The inventive securing point in the switching device in cooperation with the corresponding opposite in the trigger device reliably prevents the current-carrying pole of the switching device from remaining energized when the work carriage sticks in the current-switched position. The inventors proceeded from the knowledge that a correspondingly “normal” magnet, in cooperation with a ferromagnetic material or another magnet, has its own and - if necessary - more extensive magnetic field, in particular if correspondingly high-quality magnets are used, compared to the coded ones This means that the securing point in the switching device is always first attracted by its counterpart in the triggering device and then remains longer in the position than the coded switching magnet on the work slide the switching magnet and also from the Power supply is independent, it will fall back to its rest position when the trigger device is disconnected. If the work carriage now remains in its current-switched position and does not fall back into its idle position, the securing point returning to the idle position alone can ensure a deliberate short circuit and thus a current interruption to the exposed contact elements. It is only necessary to provide suitable power lines for this purpose. So z. B. if there is no consumer, the current is passed through the welded carriage from the top to the bottom of the contact points. However, since the securing part has moved back into its rest position and is therefore under the work carriage, it can bridge the two poles of the contact pair of the switching device in this position. In this way there is a short circuit, which interrupts the entire power supply at a corresponding point.

This can be done in a simple manner in that a glow protection device is arranged in the switching device or in a part connected to the switching device and burns out in the event of a short circuit. Such glow plugs, which are correspondingly located in current-carrying lines, are generally known.

A simple constructive and space-saving arrangement and design of the securing part can consist in the fact that the securing point lies in a recess in the working carriage, preferably in a central area.

For a simple and trouble-free function of the security part, one is under or behind the security part on the side facing away from the trigger device Provide magnets or a part made of a ferromagnetic material, by means of which the securing part is returned safely to the rest position. It is only necessary to ensure that the magnetic attraction between the securing part and the magnet or the ferromagnetic material arranged behind or below it is less than the magnetic attraction due to the counterpart in the trigger device. This can be achieved in a simple manner by the magnetic strength of the magnet and / or the respective distances.

A very advantageous development of the invention can be that the securing point is provided on the circumference with protruding knobs or pins, the securing part performing a rotary movement about its longitudinal axis during its movement from the rest position into the electrically switched position, and the working carriage also carrying the Has knobs or pin size and shape-matched recesses that receive the knobs or pins in the powered position of the work carriage.

Additional security is achieved by rotating the safety part during its movement. For this purpose, it is only necessary to control the rotation so that in the switched-on state the knobs or pins are in such a position that they lie in the corresponding recesses in the work slide. Normally, when the trigger device is disconnected, the coded switching magnets first return to their rest position, especially if they are supported by return springs. The securing part follows accordingly with a twist. This twisting ensures that the knobs or pins in the rest position no longer align with the recesses. Rather, print in this location the knobs or pins on the work sled and hold it in its rest position. This means that undesired vibrations of the work slide, for example due to external shocks or vibrations, cannot occur in the rest position. Rather, the work carriage is firmly clamped between the knobs or pins of the securing part and the lower or rear wall of the switching device.

Conversely, when activated, it is achieved in this way that the securing point must first move into the current-switched position and only then can the work carriage follow. Only by rotating the securing part on the way to the electrically switched position can the cutouts of the work carriage slide over the knobs or pins and thus be aligned, after which the electrical switching takes place.

Advantageous further developments and refinements result from the other subclaims and from the exemplary embodiment described below with reference to the drawing.

It shows:

1 shows a section along the line I-I through the switching device and the trigger device placed thereon

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the switching device

Fig. 3 is a section along the line III-III of Fig. 2 with the work carriage in the rest position Fig. 4 shows a section corresponding to that of FIG. 3 with the release device in section and the work carriage in the current-switched state

Fig. 5 shows a section through the switching device

Fig. 6 shows a section along the line VI-VI of Fig. 5 through the upper housing part of the switching device

Fig. 7 shows a section along the line VII-VII of Fig. 5 through the upper housing part of the switching device

Fig. 8 is a section along the line VIII-VIII of Fig. 5 through the upper housing part of the switching device

Fig. 9 is a plan view of the work carriage

10 is a section along the line X-X of FIG .. 9

11 shows a section along the line XI-XI of FIG. 9

Fig. 12 is an enlarged view of the securing part with a helical pin for guiding it

The electromechanical connection device consists of a switching device 1, which replaces the function of a conventional socket and which is generally permanently installed at a desired location, unless it serves as an adapter for connection to conventional sockets or as an extension cable, and a release device 2, which replaces the function of a conventional connector, which is generally connected to a consumer or which is arranged directly on a consumer. Once an electrically conductive connection is created between the switching device 1 and the triggering device 2, the respective consumer connected to the triggering device 2 is correspondingly supplied with current.

Basically, this switching device 1 and the associated trigger device 2 are of the same structural principle as the electromechanical connecting device described in EP 0 573 471 B1. The Schaltemnchtung 1 has a closed unit, which consists of a housing and a cover in a manner not shown. A cable connection 3 flows into the switching device 1 for connection to a power source. The trigger device is also generally of two parts and is provided with a cable connector 6, provided the trigger device 2 is not itself part of a consumer or is built directly into the consumer.

In the idle state, ie when the trigger device 2 is not placed on the switching device 1, a working slide 4, on which switching magnets 5 in the form of coded magnetic parts 5a-5d are arranged, is held on the bottom of the housing by a ferromagnetic retaining plate 7. The ferromagnetic retaining plate can also be a magnetic ring. As can be seen from FIG. 2, two coded switching magnets 5, each with four coded magnet parts 5a-5d, lie diametrically opposite one another. Each coded magnet 5, consisting of the group of four, each has two north and two south poles, the poles being arranged with respect to one another in such a way that different polarities adjoin each other. The coded magnets 5 are arranged in the interior of the switching device 1 on the work carriage 4 so that they are at their Movement is carried out in corresponding holes (see for example Fig. 1).

Two diametrically opposed return springs 8, which are also guided in bores of the switching device, ensure that the working slide 4 is additionally held on the ferromagnetic plate 7 in the non-switched state by a corresponding spring force. At the same time, they ensure that after removal of the trigger device 2 from the switching device 1, the working carriage 4 is brought back into contact with the ferromagnetic plate 7. FIGS. 5 to 11 show the current conduction in the switching device up to a current-carrying pole 9 and a zero pole 10 as a neutral conductor. The poles 9 and 10 are formed as pins and project from the top of the Schaltemnch ^¬ tung, substantially flush with the upper side of this freely out.

The current le device from the Kabelverbmdung takes place to a contact element 11 (neutral) and a contact element 12 (phase) in the upper housing area. For reasons of clarity, the current profile over bridges and contact elements is shown below only for the input contact 12. Under the input contact 12 there is a contact element 13 on the work slide which conducts the current via an electrical bridge to a further contact element 14 on the work slide. A further contact element 15 is located above the contact element 14 in the upper part of the housing, which in turn is in electrical contact via a curved bridge 16 with a contact 17, which is also located in the upper part of the housing. Under the contact element 17 there is a contact element 18 on the work slide 4 which which is connected via an electrically conductive bridge to a contact element 19 on the work slide. The contact element 19 is located below the pole 9 leading to the surface of the switching device. As can be seen from FIGS. 9 and 11, the contact elements 13, 14 and 18, 19 are located on elastic tongues of the working carriage, which are formed by corresponding slots in the working carriage are. In this way, a correspondingly rich contact is given when the current is carried.

In principle, the current supply from the upper part of the housing of the switching device over the work carriage and back to the upper part of the housing and thus to pole 9 could also be carried out via a simple bridge. The execution over the two bridges and the arched bridge part 16 in the upper housing part have the advantage, however, that in this way the distances required due to the high current can be reduced by half in the idle state or non-switched state. The semicircular bridge 16 is only necessary for design reasons in this case in order to "get past" the pole 9 or 10. 9 also shows the contact elements and bridges on the work carriage for the current supply to the pole 10. 5, the ring-shaped bridge for this can also be seen in the upper part of the drawing.

In addition to this mode of operation, which is basically mentioned in the European patent mentioned at the beginning, the present electromechanical connecting device has a securing point 20. The securing part 20 is either designed as a securing magnet that works with corresponding ferromagnetic plates or counterparts, or it consists of a disk ferromagnetic material. In the present exemplary embodiment, the securing part 20 is formed from a disk made of a ferromagnetic material and in the triggering device 2 there is a magnet 21 which cooperates with the securing point 20. Another return magnet 22 is located in the lower part of the switching device 1 As can be seen in the figures, the securing point 20 is located in the central area of the switching device and the magnet 21 in the triggering device 2 lies directly above it when the triggering device is placed on the switching device 1. In the same way, the return magnet 22 lies directly under the securing part 20 (see in particular FIGS. 1, 3 and 4).

The mode of operation of the securing part 20 can be seen in particular from FIGS. From the curved contacts 16, safety lines 23a and 23b lead on both sides down to the lower housing area of the switching device 1 and from there along the floor inwards to the area of the securing part 20. The securing part 20 has a central bore Mistake. This bore serves as a guide on a mandrel 24. The mandrel 24 has a helical shape on its circumference. This helical shape works together with a corresponding counter helix of the central bore m, correspondingly helical, for this purpose, the securing point 20. The securing part 20 is further provided on its circumference with two diametrically opposite knobs or pins 25. The mandrel 24 is firmly connected to the lower region of the housing of the switching device 1. Due to the helical shape of the mandrel 24 and the helical bore in the securing point 20, the securing part moves up and down with a corresponding rotation. In this way, the scope of the security part 20 protruding two pins 25 rotated accordingly in their circumferential position. The securing part now works in the following way:

In the idle state, see FIG. 3, the securing part lies on the working carriage 4 and thus prints the working carriage 4 on the underside of the housing of the switching device 1 due to the magnetic force of the securing part 20 in cooperation with the magnet 22. The trigger device 2 becomes the switching device 1 placed, the magnet 21 attracts the securing part 20, with which the securing point 20 moves upwards together with a slight rotary movement. The work carriage 4 follows, with the coded magnets 5 for this, which cooperate with correspondingly coded magnets 26 in the trigger device 2. In order to develop the required magnetic force, the coded magnets 26 are combined in the same way in two groups of four, each with four individual magnets, the individual magnets being polarized in opposite directions corresponding to the individual magnets 5a-5c of the switching device.

With the tightening of the working carriage to the underside of the upper housing part of the switching device 1, the connection from the input contacts 11 and 12 to the poles 9 and 10 is also created via the contact elements. The current path for the phase arriving at the input contact 12 is from the input contact 12 to the contact element 13 on the work slide and there to the contact element 14, then back to the upper part of the housing to the contact element 15 and via the arch-shaped bridge 16 to the contact element 17. From since the current comes again to the contact element 18 on the work carriage and from there via the contact element 19 back to the In the upper housing part arranged pole 9. The current flow from the input contact 11 to the pole 10 takes place in an equivalent manner.

If the trigger device 2 is removed from the switching device 1, the work carriage 4 first drops due to the lower magnetic force of the coded magnets, thus interrupting the circuit. The securing point 20 then also drops with a corresponding rotation, since it is attracted by the magnet 22. This results in a slight twisting, as a result of which the pins 25 projecting over the circumference rest on the work slide in the lower position. In the switched state, the protruding pins 25 do not interfere with the movement of the working carriage 4, because in this position they are located in recesses 27 in the working carriage 4, which are adapted to the larger shapes of the pins 25. This situation can be seen from FIG.

If for some reason the work carriage now remains in its upper position, for example by gluing, even when the trigger device 2 is removed, this means that the current flow is passed on to the poles 9 and 10. In the normal case, the poles 9 and 10 would make the current contact to corresponding counter contacts 28 and 29 in the triggering direction in order to supply the desired consumer with current. In the absence of the trigger device 2, there would now be a risk of electrical accidents due to the exposed poles 9 and 10. The fuse part 20 is provided so that in this case no current comes to the poles 9 and 10. After the release device 2 has been removed, the securing part 20, which works independently of the work carriage 4, is inserted in a corresponding hole in the work tens can move freely, attracted by the magnet 22. This means that it returns to its rest position and sits on the lower part of the housing. However, since - in contrast to the normal rest position of the working carriage 4 in its lower position according to FIG. 3 - in such a case, when the working carriage 4 has remained on the underside of the upper part of the housing of the securing part 1, 16 current flows on the arch contacts. The current from the two arcing contacts 16 is conducted downward via the fuse line 23a and 23b to below the fuse part 20. This means that as soon as the securing part 20 returns to its rest position after the triggering device 2 has been removed, a desired short circuit is created between the two poles 9 and 10. This short circuit can then be used to interrupt the entire power supply. This can be done, for example, by providing a known glow fuse 30 in the cable feed 3 or on the input side in the switching device 1 for the current feed, which in this case burns out and thus reliably interrupts the power connection.

The securing part 20 lies in a central recess in the work slide 4.

Claims

P a te n ta n s p ru c h e

Electromechanical connecting device with a switching device that can be connected to a power source via current supply contacts and has switching magnets arranged on a working slide, and can be connected to a triggering device that has release magnets and can be electrically connected to a consumer, by means of which the switching magnets can be brought from a rest position against a restraining force and a working position the contact of contact pairs and thus the electrical connection between the switching device and the triggering device can be established, the switching magnets cooperating by means of a special coding with the triggering magnets arranged in the triggering device for realizing certain magnetic fields for the switching process, characterized in that in the switching device (1) at least one securing part (20) in the form of a securing magnet or a ferromagnetic material in this way from a rest position into a current switch It can be displaced by a counter magnet (21) or a ferromagnetic part in the direction of the release device (2) arranged in the release device (2) in such a way that the securing part (20) when the work carriage (4) remains in the current-switched state, even when the device is removed When the safety part (20) returns to the rest position, a triggering short-circuit (2) causes a desired short circuit between the poles (9, 10) of the contact pair of the switching device (1).

2. Electromechanical connecting device according to claim 1, d a d u r c h g e k e n n e e c e n that that in the switching device (1) or a part connected to the Schaltemnchtung (1) a glow plug (30) is arranged, which blows in the event of a short circuit.

3. Electromechanical connecting device according to claim 1, so that the securing part (20) lies in a central recess in the working carriage (4).

4. Electromechanical connecting device according to claim 3, that a restraining magnet (22) or a ferromagnetic retaining part is arranged behind or below the securing part (20) on the side of the switching device (1) facing away from the triggering device (2).

5. Electromechanical connecting device according to claim 1, d a d u r c h g e k e n n e e c h n e t that the securing point (20) is provided on the circumference with protruding knobs or pins (25), the securing point

(20) during its movement from the rest position m the electrically switched position performs a rotary movement about its longitudinal axis and the working carriage (4) with recesses adapted to the knobs or pin size and shape

(27), which receive the knobs or pins (25) in the switched position of the work carriage (4).

6. Electromechanical connection device according to claim 5, characterized in that the securing point (20) can be moved helically or spirally during its movement from the rest position into the electrically switched position. Electromechanical connecting device according to claim 6, characterized in that the securing part (20) is mounted on a mandrel (24), the rotational movement of the securing part (20) being effected by a spiral groove and pin connection between the mandrel (24) and the securing part (20) .