EP1178509A2 - Disjoncteur magnéto-thermique - Google Patents

Disjoncteur magnéto-thermique Download PDF

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Publication number
EP1178509A2
EP1178509A2 EP01116009A EP01116009A EP1178509A2 EP 1178509 A2 EP1178509 A2 EP 1178509A2 EP 01116009 A EP01116009 A EP 01116009A EP 01116009 A EP01116009 A EP 01116009A EP 1178509 A2 EP1178509 A2 EP 1178509A2
Authority
EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
circuit breaker
magnetothermal
lever
electric circuit
contacts
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Withdrawn
Application number
EP01116009A
Other languages
German (de)
English (en)
Other versions
EP1178509A3 (fr
Inventor
Domenico Bosatelli
Sergio Pianezzola
Augusto Contardi
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Gewiss SpA
Original Assignee
Gewiss SpA
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Gewiss SpA filed Critical Gewiss SpA
Publication of EP1178509A2 publication Critical patent/EP1178509A2/fr
Publication of EP1178509A3 publication Critical patent/EP1178509A3/fr
Withdrawn legal-status Critical Current

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Classifications

    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01H—ELECTRIC SWITCHES; RELAYS; SELECTORS; EMERGENCY PROTECTIVE DEVICES
    • H01H73/00—Protective overload circuit-breaking switches in which excess current opens the contacts by automatic release of mechanical energy stored by previous operation of a hand reset mechanism
    • H01H73/02—Details
    • H01H73/04—Contacts
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01H—ELECTRIC SWITCHES; RELAYS; SELECTORS; EMERGENCY PROTECTIVE DEVICES
    • H01H73/00—Protective overload circuit-breaking switches in which excess current opens the contacts by automatic release of mechanical energy stored by previous operation of a hand reset mechanism
    • H01H73/02—Details
    • H01H73/18—Means for extinguishing or suppressing arc
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01H—ELECTRIC SWITCHES; RELAYS; SELECTORS; EMERGENCY PROTECTIVE DEVICES
    • H01H9/00—Details of switching devices, not covered by groups H01H1/00 - H01H7/00
    • H01H9/30—Means for extinguishing or preventing arc between current-carrying parts
    • H01H9/40—Multiple main contacts for the purpose of dividing the current through, or potential drop along, the arc

Definitions

  • the present invention relates to a magnetothermal electrical circuit breaker.
  • the present invention relates in particular to circuit breakers for high currents, up to 125 A.
  • Magnetothermal electrical circuit breakers use mechanisms which allow to open and close the moving contact both by actuating an external lever, which can be accessed by the user, and by means of the automatic tripping of the protection devices provided internally.
  • Another fundamental problem is to improve the performance of circuit breakers while maintaining small dimensions and in any case within the standards.
  • the aim of the present invention is to provide a magnetothermal electrical circuit breaker having improved electrical characteristics.
  • Another object of the present invention is to provide an electrical circuit breaker which can be manufactured more cheaply than conventional ones and at the same time has an improved performance.
  • Another object of the present invention is to provide a circuit breaker which is more reliable in use.
  • a magnetothermal electric circuit breaker comprising a casing which contains at least two fixed electrical contacts in a parallel arrangement and separated by an insulating partition, each contact being associated with an arc quenching chamber, an electrical protection component associated with a magnetic tripping mechanism, a mechanism for the actuation of at least two electrical moving contacts in a parallel arrangement, a thermal tripping mechanism, a connection means for the external electrical connections, characterized in that each of said electrical moving contacts comprises a double contact.
  • the magnetothermal circuit breaker according to the invention generally designated by the reference numeral 100, comprises a casing 101, which has the typical standardized shape, and, at the rear face 102, defines a means 103 for coupling to an omega-shaped guide (not shown) according to DIN standards.
  • the casing 101 has, at its front face, a protrusion 104 in which the actuation component, or actuation lug 105, is arranged.
  • the casing 101 contains an electrical protection component 106 which is associated with a magnetic tripping mechanism 107, a mechanism for actuating the electric moving contact 108, a thermal tripping mechanism 109, and electrodes 110 for the external electrical connections.
  • the casing 101 has front panels 111 which slide off upward along guides 112 which are formed in the casing 101, so as to expose the electrodes 110.
  • Figure 2 shows a front panel 111 which has been slid off the casing 101 in order to access an electrode 110 to which it is possible to apply, by means of an Allen screw, a cable terminal 113 for a connecting cable.
  • the front panel 111 allows the cable terminal to exit through a lower opening.
  • Figure 3 illustrates a front panel 111 which has been slid off the casing 101 in order to access an electrode 110 to which it is possible to apply a removable terminal 114 which can be directly connected to an end of an electrical cable.
  • the front panel 111 allows the cable to exit through a lower opening.
  • a blade 115 is electrically connected to the electrodes 110 and is adapted to receive a connector 121 of the Faston type through an opening in the front panel 111 for the connection of auxiliary means such as for example voltmeters, luminous indicators, and minimum-voltage relays.
  • the circuit breakers can be paired, as shown in Figure 4.
  • Safety insulating partitions 116 separate two adjacent terminals. The partitions are inserted by sliding one side 117, which has a T-shaped profile, in a slot 118 formed in the lateral edge of the front panels 111.
  • There is also a reinforcement bar which has a triangular profile 119 and allows to actuate the lugs so as to simultaneously open and close all the connected circuit breakers.
  • Gas vent channels 120 are provided at the base of the casing and their arrangement is shown in the figures.
  • each of the moving contacts is a double moving contact according to the invention: in particular, as shown in Figure 5, the two fixed contacts, which are identical, are arranged side by side and are connected, as shown in Figure 1, to two independent arc quenching chambers 3 which are separated by an insulating partition 4.
  • a curved transfer electrode 5 is arranged in front of the fixed electrode 1 in order to transfer the arc in case of tripping.
  • the two electrical moving contacts 2, according to the invention, are split, as shown in particular in Figures 5, 7, 8 and 10.
  • splitting is achieved by assembling two individual forks so as to provide a double fork.
  • there is a first single fork 6 in which the arms 7 and 8 form the moving contacts 2; the fork 6 further includes a tab 9.
  • the fork 10 comprises a tab 13, and an arc-like connecting member 14 is provided between the arms 11 and 12.
  • the arc-like connecting member 14 of the second fork 10 is arranged so that the arm 11 lies inside the arm 7 while the arm 12 lies outside the arm 8.
  • the tab 13 of the fork 10 lies exactly to the side of the tab 9 of the form 6.
  • the two forks 6 and 10 are sized so as to have a single profile laterally, as shown in Figure 9, particularly with two fully symmetrical split contacts 2.
  • the two forks 6 and 10 are fixed to a locking member 15 by means of an actuation pivot 16 which enters slots 17, formed in the tabs 9 and 13 of the forks 6 and 10, and holes 18, formed in the locking member 15.
  • the locking member 15 is pivoted, by means of holes 19, to a guiding pivot 20 which is rigidly coupled to the casing 101, around which it can rotate together with the forks 6 and 10.
  • Each of two actuation springs 21 is coupled at one end to a hollow 22, provided in the tabs 9 and 13 of the forks 6 and 10, and, at the other end, to a per se known thermal tripping adjustment support 23, associated with the casing 101, as shown in Figure 9.
  • the actuation springs 21 are loaded, as described in detail hereinafter. If one of the two double contacts 2 wears abnormally with respect to the other, the forks 6 and 10 in any case ensure contact, since they can oscillate about the pivot 16 by virtue of the play provided by the slots 17.
  • the actuation springs 21 are also adapted to compensate for this play, thus rendering the forks 6 and 10 self-centering.
  • the forks 6 and 10, the locking member 15 and the actuation springs 21 are an integral part of the mechanism for actuating the electrical moving contact.
  • the circuit breaker is shown in the position in which the contact is closed; in this position, the moving contact 2 rests on the fixed contact 1.
  • the disengagement lever 29 ends its rotation by approaching, with its protrusion 33, an arm 34 of a motion lever 35.
  • the actuation springs 21 cannot be released by opening the contacts, since the position of the lug crossbar 24, by using as a lever the lug 105 that has reached the end of its stroke, prevents the clockwise rotation of the forks 6 and 10.
  • a bimetallic member 36 moves toward the inside of the circuit breaker, moving with it a thermal linkage 37 which makes contact with an inclined plane 59 of the disengagement lever 29, causing its clockwise rotation about a center 20, kept in position by the casing 101.
  • the rotation allows the wedge 26 of the engagement lever 25 to move beyond the step-like recess 27 of the disengagement lever 29 and to slide along the protruding surface 28, thus causing the mutual uncoupling of the engagement lever 25 and the disengagement lever 29.
  • the action of the actuation springs 21 cannot be contrasted, and accordingly the contacts open with a snap action.
  • the engagement lever 25, which is no longer contrasted, turns clockwise, striking a tab 39 of the motion lever 35 so as to accelerate its motion.
  • the motion lever 35 is provided with a hole which can be engaged by a pivot for the operational connection of a separate electrical module, allowing the cascade tripping of the module or modules associated with the circuit breaker.
  • the disengagement lever 29 is returned to its position by a contact spring 40. Also, the motion lever 35 is returned to the position that it had prior to tripping by a double spring 60.
  • the initial position of the thermal linkage 37 can be adjusted by means of the thermal unit adjustment screw 41 which, by acting on the thermal unit adjustment support 23, by means of a threaded plate 42, can raise or lower the thermal linkage 37, which moves toward or away from the inclined plane 61 of the bimetallic component 36. It is thus possible to obtain an effective preliminary positioning of the thermal linkage 37.
  • a magnetic pusher 43 actuated by the electrical protection member 106, moves upward, pushing a lower portion of the disengagement lever 29.
  • the consequent clockwise rotation of the disengagement lever 29 causes the uncoupling of the engagement lever 25, as described in the preceding paragraph, thus activating the previously described disengagement sequence.
  • the disengagement lever 29 strikes, with its end 44, the lower part of the moving contacts 2, accelerating their opening, as shown in Figure 16.
  • the magnetic pusher 43 is repositioned by means of a magnetic spring which is released during tripping and is present in the electrical protection component.
  • the circuit breaker according to the invention further includes a device for signaling the position of the moving contact 45.
  • the circuit breaker has two moving contacts arranged in parallel which are actuated by means of the same mechanism; each moving contact is capable of closing the circuit independently of the other on the two fixed contacts, each of which is connected to an arc quenching chamber.
  • each one of the two moving contacts is a double contact.
  • This solution allows to halve the heating power that is dissipated when the contacts close.
  • a split moving contact in fact closes on each fixed contact, and therefore each one of the two contact surfaces is crossed by half the current with respect to a single moving contact; as a result, the dissipated power is reduced to one quarter, and since the contact is split, the total dissipated power is half that of a single double moving contact.
  • Another advantage consists of the possibility to extract the terminals, allowing to connect the cables to the electrodes more rapidly and easily.
  • circuit breaker according to the invention is susceptible of numerous modifications and variations, within the scope of the appended claims. All the details may be replaced with technically equivalent elements.
  • the materials used, as well as the dimensions, may of course be any according to requirements and to the state of the art.

Landscapes

  • Breakers (AREA)
  • Push-Button Switches (AREA)
  • Surgical Instruments (AREA)
EP01116009A 2000-07-21 2001-07-02 Disjoncteur magnéto-thermique Withdrawn EP1178509A3 (fr)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
ITMI001665 2000-07-21
IT2000MI001665A IT1318215B1 (it) 2000-07-21 2000-07-21 Interruttore elettrico magnetotermico

Publications (2)

Publication Number Publication Date
EP1178509A2 true EP1178509A2 (fr) 2002-02-06
EP1178509A3 EP1178509A3 (fr) 2002-02-27

Family

ID=11445529

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
EP01116009A Withdrawn EP1178509A3 (fr) 2000-07-21 2001-07-02 Disjoncteur magnéto-thermique

Country Status (2)

Country Link
EP (1) EP1178509A3 (fr)
IT (1) IT1318215B1 (fr)

Cited By (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US7863534B2 (en) 2008-04-15 2011-01-04 General Electric Company Spring discharge mechanism for circuit breaker
CN104835699A (zh) * 2015-04-29 2015-08-12 浙江天正电气股份有限公司 一种设有双动触头的断路器
CN116646207A (zh) * 2023-07-26 2023-08-25 广东米勒电气有限公司 一种全绝缘全密封气体绝缘柜电动式两工位隔离开关

Citations (8)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3106627A (en) * 1960-03-04 1963-10-08 Heinemann Electric Co Circuit breaker with arc chute assembly
US3213327A (en) * 1962-04-03 1965-10-19 Fed Pacific Electric Co Circuit breaker and panelboard
US3790911A (en) * 1971-09-30 1974-02-05 Maier & Cie C Electrical circuit-breaker
EP0053973A1 (fr) * 1980-12-09 1982-06-16 Merlin Gerin Disjoncteur miniature à haut pouvoir de coupure
US4492941A (en) * 1983-02-18 1985-01-08 Heinemann Electric Company Circuit breaker comprising parallel connected sections
US4945327A (en) * 1989-09-05 1990-07-31 General Electric Company Molded case circuit breaker variable arc exhaust shield
EP0418786A2 (fr) * 1989-09-18 1991-03-27 Mitsubishi Denki Kabushiki Kaisha Disjoncteur
EP0961306A2 (fr) * 1998-05-26 1999-12-01 AEG Niederspannungstechnik GmbH & Co. KG Disjoncteur pourvu d'un système de contact modulaire pour des chassis à dimensions différentes

Patent Citations (8)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3106627A (en) * 1960-03-04 1963-10-08 Heinemann Electric Co Circuit breaker with arc chute assembly
US3213327A (en) * 1962-04-03 1965-10-19 Fed Pacific Electric Co Circuit breaker and panelboard
US3790911A (en) * 1971-09-30 1974-02-05 Maier & Cie C Electrical circuit-breaker
EP0053973A1 (fr) * 1980-12-09 1982-06-16 Merlin Gerin Disjoncteur miniature à haut pouvoir de coupure
US4492941A (en) * 1983-02-18 1985-01-08 Heinemann Electric Company Circuit breaker comprising parallel connected sections
US4945327A (en) * 1989-09-05 1990-07-31 General Electric Company Molded case circuit breaker variable arc exhaust shield
EP0418786A2 (fr) * 1989-09-18 1991-03-27 Mitsubishi Denki Kabushiki Kaisha Disjoncteur
EP0961306A2 (fr) * 1998-05-26 1999-12-01 AEG Niederspannungstechnik GmbH & Co. KG Disjoncteur pourvu d'un système de contact modulaire pour des chassis à dimensions différentes

Cited By (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US7863534B2 (en) 2008-04-15 2011-01-04 General Electric Company Spring discharge mechanism for circuit breaker
CN104835699A (zh) * 2015-04-29 2015-08-12 浙江天正电气股份有限公司 一种设有双动触头的断路器
CN116646207A (zh) * 2023-07-26 2023-08-25 广东米勒电气有限公司 一种全绝缘全密封气体绝缘柜电动式两工位隔离开关
CN116646207B (zh) * 2023-07-26 2023-11-21 广东米勒电气有限公司 一种全绝缘全密封气体绝缘柜电动式两工位隔离开关

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
IT1318215B1 (it) 2003-07-28
ITMI20001665A0 (it) 2000-07-21
EP1178509A3 (fr) 2002-02-27
ITMI20001665A1 (it) 2002-01-21

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