EP1040499A1

EP1040499A1 - Coupling device

Info

Publication number: EP1040499A1
Application number: EP99944376A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Dietmar Hillebrand; Jens Oppel
Original assignee: AEG Niederspannungstechnik GmbH and Co KG
Current assignee: AEG Niederspannungstechnik GmbH and Co KG
Priority date: 1998-10-20
Filing date: 1999-08-11
Publication date: 2000-10-04
Anticipated expiration: 2019-08-11
Also published as: HUP0100614A2; ATE320659T1; HUP0100614A3; CN1155976C; NO318943B1; NO20003167L; AU753977B2; EP1040499B1; PL341232A1; CN1287676A; DE19848264C1; WO2000024022A1; DE59913232D1; TR200001769T1; NO20003167D0; BR9906882A; HU223888B1; AU5733499A

Abstract

Disclosed is a coupling device that is located on the actuating member of a switching device (1) such as one as used in a power circuit breaker. The coupling device has a through hole (33) on the actuating member. A coupling element (40) can be inserted into said through hole. When the coupling element (40) is assembled, a first end section (47) thereof protrudes from one end (35) of the through hole (33). A second end section (47) thereof is flush with the opposite end (34) of the through hole (33). In this position, the coupling element (40) forms a recess (25) on one end of the actuating member and the end section (47) of the coupling element (40) protrudes on the other end. Said protruding end section (47) is embodied in such a way that it fits into the recess (25).

Description

COUPLING DEVICE

DESCRIPTION

The invention relates to a coupling device of an actuating element of a switching device according to the preamble of patent claim 1.

Such a coupling device is provided, for example, on the actuating element of a single-pole line, fault current or motor protection switch. Switching devices such as accessory switches, remote releases or auxiliary switches are often attached or stacked to these switches. For the synchronous actuation of the switches, the actuating elements of switches stacked in this way can be connected with the aid of a coupling part.

Such is known from the prior art

To form the coupling part as a rotary axis which is displaceable through through holes of actuating elements of adjacent switches. For example, an auxiliary switch can be attached to a circuit breaker, such a rotary axis through the through holes in the

Actuators of both switches is pushed. Since the rotary axis is inserted within the through holes of the actuating elements, the rotary axis cannot be used to add additional devices to the auxiliary switch already installed.

It is also known from the prior art to form a projection serving as a coupling part on the actuating element of an auxiliary switch. If the auxiliary switch is attached to a circuit breaker, for example, this projection is in a suitable recess in the Actuator of the circuit breaker retractable, whereby the two switches are coupled together. Such actuating elements of auxiliary switches provided with a projection, however, can only be attached to either the left or the right side of the actuating element of a circuit breaker by design.

The invention is therefore based on the object of providing a coupling device for an actuating element of a switch, with the aid of which simple and rapid coupling of actuating elements of further switching devices is possible on both sides of the actuating element. The coupling device should also allow stacking of a plurality of switching devices.

The above-mentioned object is achieved by the features of the characterizing part of patent claim 1. Preferred exemplary embodiments are specified in the subclaims.

The invention is based on

Exemplary embodiments explained with reference to drawings.

Show it:

Figure 1 is a schematic side view of a switch;

2a shows a sectional view of an actuating element of the switch with a coupling part;

2b to 2d are sectional views of coupled actuating elements of switches;

3a shows a sectional view of the actuating element without a coupling part; 3b shows a side view of the coupling part;

4 is a perspective view of the coupling part and the actuating element;

5a shows a side view of a circuit breaker;

5b shows a spatial view of a release lever of the circuit breaker, which is connected to a corresponding element of a switching device; and

6a and 6b are spatial views of further embodiments of the coupling part according to the invention.

1 shows a schematic side view of a single-pole switch 1. The switch 1 has a toggle 10, which is normally made of plastic, e.g. a thermoplastic. This toggle is mounted in the switch 1 and can be pivoted about a pivot axis 11 into an on and off position. The gag 10 has an actuating element 20 which is attached to the gag 10 via a plug connection 2 indicated in FIG. 2a. Furthermore, a through hole 33 running parallel to the pivot axis 11 is formed in the actuating element 20.

Opposite the toggle 10, the switch 1 shown in FIG. 1 has a mounting section 12, by means of which the switch 1 can be attached to a holding rail, not shown.

Fig. 2a shows a sectional view of the above. Actuating element 20. To form the coupling device, a coupling part 40 described later is inserted into the through hole 33 of the actuating element. The through hole 33 of such an actuating element 20 is - as shown in FIG. 4 - formed at right angles with inner walls 21 to 24. Furthermore, the through hole 33 is generally divided into an insertion area 36 and a clamping area 37, as illustrated in FIG. 3a.

With the aid of the insertion area 36, an insertion of the coupling part 40 into the through hole 33 is facilitated, starting from an insertion 34 on the left in FIG. 3a. For this purpose, the distance between the upper and lower inner walls 21 and 22 from the introducer 34 is increased in the insertion region 36.

Clamping area 37 adjoins insertion area 36, which secures coupling part 40 against falling out of the through hole. A right exit end 35 of the through hole 33 according to FIG. 3a is assigned to the clamping area 37.

In the clamping area 37, a latch 26 is provided on the inner wall 21 of the through hole 33 according to FIG. 3 a, which is used for latching with the coupling part 40, which will be described later. Arranged opposite the latching lug 26 is a shoulder 27 which, according to FIG. 3a, is offset from the outlet end 35 in the interior of the through hole 33 and on the lower one

Inner wall 22 of the through hole 33 is formed. The shoulder 27 has a boundary surface 28 and a contact surface 29. Here, the boundary surface 28 faces the introducer 34 of the through hole 33.

The coupling part 40 is shown in detail in Fig. 3b. Accordingly, the coupling part 40 has a substantially rectangular base section 51, which is delimited by dashed lines in FIG. 3b. The base section 51 is closed by a front end section 47 on the right in FIG. 3b and a rear end on the left End section 50 on. Both on the front end section 47 and on the rear end section 50, projections 41, 42 and recesses 43, 44 are provided.

More specifically, the protrusion 41 disposed at the rear end portion 50 and the protrusion 42 disposed at the front end portion 47 point in opposite directions along an axis of symmetry X of the base portion 51. In addition, the projections 41 and 42 are arranged offset to one another in the direction perpendicular to the axis of symmetry X. That is, the projection 41 located at the rear end portion 50 is opposed to the recess 44 located at the front end portion 47. Correspondingly, the recess 43 located at the rear end section 50 is opposite the projection 42 located at the front end section 47.

According to FIG. 3b, the recess 44 of the front end section 47 is followed by a step 45 which is arranged on the lower longitudinal side 49 of the coupling part 40. Opposing the step 45, two depressions 46a, 46b are provided on the upper longitudinal side 48, which are spaced apart in the direction of the axis of symmetry X.

The insertion of the coupling part 40 into the through hole 33 of the actuating element 20 is shown in the spatial view from FIG. 4. Accordingly, the front end section 47 of the coupling part 40 is first inserted in the arrow direction A through the entry end 34 into the insertion region 36 of the through hole 33. In this case, the front end section 47 of the coupling part 40 can move freely through the insertion area 36 of the through hole 33 until the front end section 47 abuts the locking lug 26 or the shoulder 27 of the clamping area 37.

So that the coupling part 40 overcome the resistance presented by the locking lug 26 and the clamping area 37 can penetrate, the pushing force exerted on the rear end section 50 of the coupling part must be markedly increased. With sufficient pushing force, the front end section 47 of the coupling part 40 can then penetrate into the clamping area 37 and be brought into the first assembly position shown in FIG. 2a.

In this first assembly position, the projection 41 of the coupling part 40 is recessed in the through hole 33 in such a way that it abuts the entry end 34 of the through hole 33. Furthermore, the recess 43 of the coupling part together with the inner walls 21, 23 and 24 of the through hole 33 results in a recess 25. In contrast to the recessed projection 41, the opposite projection 42 protrudes from the outlet end 35 of the through hole 33.

To fix the first assembly position shown in FIG. 2a, the locking lug 26 present in the through hole 33 is snapped into a 46a of the depressions 46a, 46b. In addition, in the first

Mounting position - as shown in Fig. 2a - the step 45 of the coupling part 40 with the boundary surface 28 of the shoulder 27 are in contact.

Starting from the first mounting position according to FIG. 2a, the coupling part 40 can be moved into a second mounting position. For this purpose, only a pressure force has to be exerted on the projection 42 of the coupling part 40 against the insertion direction pointing in the direction of arrow A. As a result, the latching between the latching lug 26 and the depression 46a can first be released, whereupon the coupling part 40 can be displaced until the latching lug 26 snaps into the further depression 46b. This latching fixes the second mounting position, corresponding to the first mounting position. The distance traveled by the coupling part 40 between the first and second mounting position corresponds to the distance between the depressions 46a, 46b.

In the second assembly position - as mentioned above - the projection 42 of the coupling part 40 is recessed in the through hole 33 such that it abuts the outlet end 35 of the through hole 33. Furthermore, the recess 44 of the coupling part together with the inner walls 22, 23 and 24 of the through hole results in a recess. In contrast, the projection 41 protrudes from the entry end 34 of the through hole 33.

As can further be seen from FIG. 2a, the gradation 45 is adapted to the contour of the shoulder 27. The result of this is that the coupling part 40 can only be inserted into the through hole 33 in the correct direction.

If, on the other hand, the coupling part 40 is not pushed into the through hole 33 in the correct direction, the coupling part 40 cant in the clamping region 37 of the through hole. It is therefore not possible to properly clamp the incorrectly inserted coupling part in the through hole 33.

Below is considered the case where additional auxiliary switches or accessory switches for synchronous actuation are mounted on a circuit breaker mounted on the holding rail, not shown.

For this purpose, in Figs. 2b to 2d the actuators of stacked switches shown. More precisely, it is shown in Fig. 2b that further accessory switches or auxiliary switches are stacked on the left side of a (in Fig. 2b right) circuit breaker.

For this purpose, the coupling part 40 is first in each actuating element 20 of the accessory switch to be fitted the first assembly position shown in Fig. 2a has been brought, whereas the (right in Fig. 2b) actuating element of the circuit breaker does not have to be provided with such a coupling part 40.

The accessory switches are then stacked one after the other via their mounting sections 12 on the left side of the actuating element 20 of the circuit breaker, as a result of which the protrusion 42 of the actuating element of the first accessory switch into the through hole 33 of the

Actuator of the circuit breaker is sunk. The projection 42 of the actuating element of the second accessory switch (in Fig. 2b the left switch) is inserted in a form-fitting manner in the recess 25 of the first accessory switch.

According to the invention, the actuating elements of such accessory switches can be modified in a simple manner in such a way that they are not only stackable, as shown in FIG. 2b, on the left side of the circuit breaker, but also on the right side of the circuit breaker, such as it is illustrated below with reference to FIG. 2c.

2c shows how the actuating element 20 of a first accessory switch is mounted on the right side of an actuating element 20 (in FIG. 2c left) of the circuit breaker. For this purpose, the coupling part 40 in the actuating element of the accessory switch is shifted from the first mounting position shown in FIG. 2b to the second mounting position shown in FIG. 2c. As can be seen in FIG. 2c, in the second mounting position the projection 41 of the coupling part 40 projects into the through hole 33 of the actuating element of the circuit breaker.

According to the invention, it is also not necessary in Fig. 2c, the actuating element 20 of the circuit breaker for mounting or To stack the accessory switch with a coupling part.

According to FIG. 2d, a second accessory switch is stacked on the right side of the first accessory switch from FIG. 2c. The coupling part 40 of this second accessory switch is - like the coupling part 40 of the first accessory switch - in the second mounting position. Accordingly, in the second mounting position, the projection 41 of the second accessory switch protrudes into a recess in the first accessory switch, which is formed by the recess 44 of the coupling part and the inner walls 22, 23 and 24 of the through hole 33 of the first accessory switch.

According to FIGS. 2b to 2d, the actuating elements 20 of auxiliary switches can only be adapted by moving their coupling parts 40 in order to on the right or on the left - to be stackable at the circuit breaker. Such an installation-friendly

As shown in FIG. 2d, stacking is also possible between the actuating elements of the accessory switches.

Furthermore, this of course makes it possible to mount auxiliary devices on both sides of a circuit breaker and to connect their actuating elements to the actuating element of the circuit breaker.

Another embodiment of the invention is shown in FIGS. 5a and 5b.

5a shows a circuit breaker with a toggle 10, an actuating element 20 and a trigger lever 60. The trigger lever 60 can be pivoted about an axis of rotation 62 and has a hole 61. The hole 61 can be a through hole 3a and have the same shape as the through hole 33 according to FIG. 3a, or blind holes can be provided on both sides of the release lever, which have the same shape as the end portions of the through hole 33. Alternatively, such a blind hole can have any shape that is suitable for receiving the first or second end section 47, 50.

A lever comparable to the trigger lever 60 is also provided in the switching device to be fitted. FIG. 5b shows a section 70 of this lever which has a through hole 33 which has the shape of the through hole 33 according to FIG. 3a. A coupling part 40 can be inserted into this through hole in the same way as was explained above in connection with the first exemplary embodiment.

In addition, openings are provided in the left and right housing walls of the circuit breaker and the switching device (not shown) which expose the holes 61 and 33 over their entire path of movement.

In order to achieve a coupling between the switching device to be fitted and the circuit breaker, a coupling part 40 is inserted into the through hole 33 of the switching device to be fitted. Thus, a simultaneous switching of the circuit breaker and the attached switching device can be achieved in the second embodiment.

Of course, in this exemplary embodiment too, a plurality of switching devices can be installed on one side of the circuit breaker on one side of the circuit breaker, or switching devices can be installed on both sides of the circuit breaker at the same time. In order to minimize wear of the coupling parts 40, the material of the coupling part 40 is expediently metal. The coupling part can therefore be punched out of a metal sheet extremely simply and inexpensively in a process suitable for mass production. In such a case, the basic structure of the coupling part is cuboid.

Instead of the coupling part used in FIGS. 1 to 5, other configurations are also possible which allow a form fit between adjacent actuating elements 20 acting perpendicular to the pivot axis 11. Thus, the parallelepiped-shaped coupling part 40 shown in FIG. 6a has recesses 44a, 44b at the end section 47 above and below the axis of symmetry X, which form a projection 42 located symmetrically on the axis of symmetry X. On the opposite end section 50, projections 41a, 41b are provided above and below the axis of symmetry X, which form a recess 43 located symmetrically on the axis of symmetry X, so that the projection 42 fits into the recess 43.

Alternatively, it would also be conceivable to form the coupling part 40 according to FIG. 6b in a cylindrical shape. Accordingly, an end section 47 adjoins the base section 51, which is designed as a pin 42 protruding from the base section 51 along the axis of symmetry X. Accordingly, the recess 43 is provided in the opposite end section 50 along the axis of symmetry X. In such a case, the recess 43 is formed independently of the inner walls of the through hole 33, so that the positive connection acting perpendicular to the pivot axis 11 is only produced between adjacent coupling parts 40.

Claims

claims

1. Coupling device of a movable element of a switching device, having a through hole (33) transverse to the direction of movement of the movable element and a coupling part (40) which can be inserted into the through hole (33) and has first and second end sections (47, 50) at opposite ends of the coupling part (40), the first end section being in the inserted state

(47) protrudes from one end (35) of the through hole (33) and the second end section (50) abuts the opposite end (34) of the through hole (33), characterized in that the second end section (50) has a recess (43) has, through which a recess (25) is formed at the end (34) of the corresponding through hole (33), and that the first end portion (47) is designed such that it fits into the recess (25).

2. Coupling device according to claim 1, characterized in that the coupling part (40) has a substantially rectangular base portion (51) that the first end portion (47) above one

The axis of symmetry (X) of the base section (51) has a projection (42) and below the axis of symmetry (X) a recess (44) and that the second end section (50) above the axis of symmetry (X) has the recess (43) and below the axis of symmetry (X) has a projection (41).

3. Coupling device according to claim 1, characterized in that the coupling part (40) has a substantially rectangular base portion, that the recess (43) of the second end portion as

Recess (25) along the axis of symmetry (X) in the second

End portion (50) protrudes, and that the first end portion (47) a along the

Axis of symmetry (X) protruding from the base section (51)

Has pin (42).

4. Coupling device according to one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the through hole (33)

Has clamping area (26, 27) in which the coupling part (40) used is held.

5. Coupling device according to claim 4, characterized in that the clamping region (26, 27) has a latching lug (26) which can be latched into one of two recesses (46a, 46b) formed on the coupling part (40), so that the coupling part used is fixable in a first mounting position and in a second mounting position.

6. Coupling device according to claim 4, characterized in that in the second mounting position, the second end portion (50) protrudes from the end (34) of the through hole (33) and the first end portion (47) at the opposite end (35) of the through hole (33 ) pending.

7. Coupling device according to one of claims 4 to 6, characterized in that the clamping region (26, 27) has on one of the locking lug (26) opposite inner wall (22) of the through hole formed shoulder (27).

8. Coupling device according to claim 7, characterized in that for the correct insertion in the insertion direction (A) into the through hole (33), the coupling part has a step (45), the contour of which is adapted to the contour of the shoulder (27).

9. Coupling device according to claim 8, characterized in that for the fixing of the coupling part in the first assembly position, the gradation (45) of the coupling part with a boundary surface (28) of the shoulder (27) can be brought into contact.

10. Coupling device according to one of claims 1 to 9, characterized in that the coupling part (40) has a cuboid basic structure and is punched out of a metal sheet.

11. Coupling device according to one of claims 1 to 9, characterized in that the coupling part has a cylindrical basic structure.

12. Coupling device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the movable element Actuating element for manual actuation of the switching device is.

13. Coupling device according to claim 12, characterized in that the actuating element is attached to a knob (10) of the switching device (1).

14. Coupling device according to claim 13, characterized in that the actuating element is connected via a plug connection (2) with the knob (10) of the switching device (1).

15. Coupling device according to one of claims 1 to 11, characterized in that the movable element is a lever within the switching device, which is accessible from both sides of the switching device via a housing opening.