EP1045411B1 - Push-button switch for emergency shut-down - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to an electrical switch of the push button type. latching, intended for emergency stops and comprising a body and a control button mounted on a cylindrical body and biased by a spring reminder.

A push-button type switch for hooking allows actuation electrical contacts when an operator presses the push button at when to cause an emergency stop. The operation push button is mounted on a body in which a mobile piston and a mobile pusher are housed, this the latter used to actuate electrical contacts. This piston and this pusher are capable of sliding and pivoting in the body, along an axis, while being relatively fixed relative to each other. The piston is retained in position "Walking" by a lock. When an operator presses the push button maneuver, the piston moves, under the effect of an arming spring, to a tripping or stopping position, position in which it is held by this same lock, after actuating the electrical contacts.

After triggering following an emergency stop, the push button remains pressed, in trigger or stop position. He can be unlocked so as to return to the operating position, using an inserted key in a barrel or by rotation of the head.

The engagement dimension is variable mainly because of the stacking of the ribs and the coefficient of friction which influences negative on security.

The document FR 2521768 describes a switch according to the preamble of claim 1.

The object of the invention is to provide a snap-on push-button whose security is improved.

The switch according to the invention is characterized in that the piston is provided with a susceptible control member, when the button is pushed, to actuate the first so-called stop lock immobilizing the pusher in position "Rest" and then release the pusher which can come in the hanging position where it is immobilized by the second lock used for hanging.

According to one characteristic, the control pusher has means guide which are guided on helical ramps formed in the body.

According to another characteristic, the body has a ramp used for recoil of the bolt when the pusher pivots about its axis of rotation and a boss allowing indexing of the pusher and the piston in position hooking.

• la figure 1 est une coupe axiale de la tête du bouton-poussoir selon l'invention représentée en position « repos »;
• la figure 2 est une coupe axiale de la tête de bouton-poussoir de la figure 1 représentée pendant la course de déclenchement faisant suite à un arrêt d'urgence;
• la figure 3 est une coupe transversale de la tête des figures 1 et 2 ;
• la figure 4 est une demi-coupe selon IV-IV de la figure 1 ;
• la figure 5 est un coupe axiale d'une variante sans serrure de la tête illustrée à la figure 1.

The invention will now be described in more detail with reference to the embodiments given by way of nonlimiting examples and with reference to the appended drawings in which:

• Figure 1 is an axial section of the head of the push button according to the invention shown in the "rest"position;
• Figure 2 is an axial section of the push button head of Figure 1 shown during the trigger stroke following an emergency stop;
• Figure 3 is a cross section of the head of Figures 1 and 2;
• Figure 4 is a half section along IV-IV of Figure 1;
• FIG. 5 is an axial section of a variant without lock of the head illustrated in FIG. 1.

The push button head which is illustrated in FIGS. 1 to 5 is associated with electrical contact blocks which are not shown. It includes, at front, a manual control push button 1 on which the operator can press when triggering the emergency stop. This push button 1 mounts sliding on a body 2 in which are housed the different constituents and which is used for fixing to a not shown fixing panel.

The body 2 which has a tubular and cylindrical shape around an axis XX ′, is consists of a front part 21 and a rear part 22, the latter being moreover small diameter and separated from the front part by a shoulder. This body 2 is committed by its rear part 22 in an opening of a fixing panel to which it can be tightly fixed by an external seal, by an anti-rotation plate 91 and by a fixing nut 92.

The manual control push-button 1 has a cylindrical shape in mushroom, the upper part 11 serving as a pusher and the lower part 12, shaped skirt, covering the body 2. Immobilization means provided on the body 2 and on button 1 oppose their relative rotation. These means can be formed by internal grooves of the skirt which slide on grooves external of the body or by a sliding keying. Button 1 is also stopped in the high position, relative to the body 2, by pins 61A, 61B which come into abutment, upwards, against helical ramps 28A, 28B formed in the body 2.

A coil spring 3 is mounted so as to be compressed between the body 2 and button 1 and to communicate to it a restoring force. One of his ends is housed in an annular housing of the body 2 while the other end is housed in an annular housing of button 1.

The push button 1 receives, in an axial housing, a lock barrel 93 which can turn and be actuated by a key not shown. Barrel 93 can turn in its housing when the key is present.

The barrel 93 is linked in rotation and in translation to a piston 4 which is housed and guided so as to slide and pivot along the axis XX 'in a bore 24 of the body 2. A seal is mounted around the piston 4 so as to ensure sealing with the body.

The piston 4 cooperates with an internal control pusher 6 used to activate the electrical contacts. This pusher 6 is also housed and guided in translation along the axis X-X 'in a bore 23 of the body 2 while remaining free to pivot around this axis. The piston 4 and the internal pusher 6 can slide one by relative to each other but they have means 42 linking them in rotation around the axis XX '. These means can be constituted by a keying or by grooves and grooves which are conjugated and formed respectively on the piston and on the pusher.

A coil arming spring 5 is mounted so as to be compressed between the piston 4 and the internal control pusher 6. Its ends are housed on one side in a housing of the piston 4 and on the other side in a housing of the interior pusher 6.

The interior pusher 6 carries a first sliding lock 7 serving as a stop in on position and a second lock 8 used for latching in the stop position, after triggering. The latching lock 8 can slide along an axis perpendicular to X-X 'and it is subjected to a return spring tending to push it back out of the pusher. The stop latch 7 can slide along an axis perpendicular to XX ' and is also subjected to a return spring tending to push it out of the button.

In the rest position, the stop latch 7 can abut against the shoulder 25 so as to immobilize the pusher 6 (at the end of the front stroke). This latch 7 is provided with a support ramp 71 which can cooperate with a finger unlocking 41 of piston 4. When this unlocking finger 41 comes to rest on the ramp 71, he pushes the lock 7 into its housing, counteracting the action of the associated spring, which releases the pusher 6 from the on position.

In the "rest" position, the latching bolt 8 remains pressed while compressing the associated spring. After pressing the stop latch 7 and releasing the pusher 6, the latter can descend under the action of the arming spring 5. The head of the lock hooking 8 slides into the bore 23 of the body 2. When it reaches the level of the shoulder 26, the head of the bolt 8 comes out and comes to bear against this shoulder 26 which has the effect of immobilizing the pusher 6 in the hooking and stopping position. Simultaneously the pusher 6 acts on the electrical contact blocks.

The internal pusher 6 has, projecting, reset pins 61A and 61B which are guided upwards against helical rearming ramps 28A and 28B formed in the body 2. The rearming takes place after triggering and stopping, by rotation of the 4-push piston 6 assembly which has the effect of reassemble pusher 6 to the "rest" position (front limit switch).

The pusher 6 sinks into the bore of the body 2 along the axis XX 'in response to a pressure exerted on its front part of the push button 1, at against the effort of a return spring 3. During this emergency stop phase, it is immobilized in rotation around X-X 'and moves from the rest position (end limit switch) in the latching and release position (limit switch back).

The body 2 has, in its bore 27, a ramp 27A serving to depress the latching lock 8 when the operator pivots the pusher 6 around of the axis XX '. This unlocking of the lock 8 has the effect of releasing the pusher 6 from its hooking and stopping position and allows it to go back to the running position. On the other hand, a boss 27B is formed before the recoil ramp 27A so as to allow the pusher 6 and the piston 4 to be indexed in the stop position and hooking.

The push button head which has just been described above operates from the next way.

The initial rest position is illustrated in Figure 1. In this position, the push button 1 abuts against a part of the body. Posts 61A and 61B abut up against the ramps 28A, 28B. Stop lock 7 is immobilized on the shoulder 25 and the pusher 6 is in the "high" position.

When an operator triggers the emergency stop, he manually pushes on push button 1 from the front. The piston 4 goes down and with it the finger of unlocking 41. This finger, coming on the head of the lock 7 (FIG. 2), presses it in his home. The latch 7 by disengaging from the abutment shoulder 25 releases the pusher 6 which sinks under the effect of the spring 5. As soon as the head of the latch 8 crosses shoulder 26, this lock is extracted from its housing and immobilizes the pusher 6 in the hooking and stopping position. Pusher 6 operates simultaneously the electrical contacts. The stroke is limited by pressing the lock 7 against the stop 29 so as not to strike the electrical contacts with the pusher 6.

To reset the device, the user must engage the key and rotate, in the direction r, the barrel, the piston 4 and the pusher 6. This rotation brings in the lock 8 in its housing which releases the pusher 6 which can then go up under the effect of return spring 3. The rise of the pusher 6 during rotation is caused by the studs 61A-61B and the conjugate ramps 28A-28B. It has the effect of compress the spring 5 which maintains the spacing between the piston and the pusher. from as the head of the stop latch 7 crosses the shoulder 25, this latch 7 is extracted from its housing and immobilizes the pusher 6 in the "rest" position (Figure 1). The rotation pusher 6 and piston 4 is limited by studs 61A and 61B which abut upwards against ramps 28A and 28B.

It is understood that one can without departing from the scope of the invention imagine variations and refinements of detail and even consider the use of equivalent means.

Claims (6)

1. Push button type switch comprising electrical contacts actuated by a head constituted by a command button (1) associated with a body (2) within which are housed a piston (4) and a push rod (6) for moving electrical contacts, the piston and the push are capable of sliding and pivoting within the body (2) along an axis (X-X') without being able to pivot relative to one another, the push rod (6) being fitted with a first catch (7) and a second catch (8), characterized by the fact that the piston (4) is fitted with a command device (41) capable, when the button (1) is pushed, of actuating the first catch (7) called the stop catch, immobilizing the push rod (6) in the "stand-by" position and of then releasing the push rod (6) which can come into a held position where it is immobilized by the second catch (8) used to hold it.
2. Switch according to Claim 1, characterized by the fact that the command push rod (6) has guide means (61A and 61B) which are guided onto helical ramps (28A and 28B) made in the body (2).
3. Switch according to Claim 2, characterized by the fact that it comprises a cocking spring (5) mounted in such a way that it is compressed between the piston (4) and the push rod (6).
4. Switch according to Claim 1 or 2, characterized by the fact that the body (2) has a ramp (27A) used to move the catch (8) back when the push rod pivots about its axis of rotation (X-X') and a boss (27B) that permits the indexing of the push rod (6) and the piston (4) in the trip position.
5. Switch according to any one of the preceding Claims, characterized by the fact that the holding catch (8) is driven into the "stand-by" position and, after release of the push rod (6) immobilizes the latter in the held position.
6. Switch according to Claim 1, characterized by the fact that the command button (1) receives, in a housing, a locking barrel (93) that turns with a key and is connected in rotation and in translation to the piston (4).

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