EP1412956B1 - Circuit breaker for low-voltage currents - Google Patents
Circuit breaker for low-voltage currents Download PDFInfo
- Publication number
- EP1412956B1 EP1412956B1 EP02794733A EP02794733A EP1412956B1 EP 1412956 B1 EP1412956 B1 EP 1412956B1 EP 02794733 A EP02794733 A EP 02794733A EP 02794733 A EP02794733 A EP 02794733A EP 1412956 B1 EP1412956 B1 EP 1412956B1
- Authority
- EP
- European Patent Office
- Prior art keywords
- circuit breaker
- rigid element
- contact
- flexible hinge
- moving contact
- 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.)
- Expired - Lifetime
Links
- 230000007246 mechanism Effects 0.000 claims abstract description 17
- 230000008878 coupling Effects 0.000 claims description 9
- 238000010168 coupling process Methods 0.000 claims description 9
- 238000005859 coupling reaction Methods 0.000 claims description 9
- 239000004020 conductor Substances 0.000 claims description 2
- 230000008901 benefit Effects 0.000 description 4
- 238000000926 separation method Methods 0.000 description 4
- 230000009471 action Effects 0.000 description 2
- 230000006872 improvement Effects 0.000 description 2
- 238000004519 manufacturing process Methods 0.000 description 2
- 230000015556 catabolic process Effects 0.000 description 1
- 230000002860 competitive effect Effects 0.000 description 1
- 238000006731 degradation reaction Methods 0.000 description 1
- 230000000694 effects Effects 0.000 description 1
- 230000003628 erosive effect Effects 0.000 description 1
- 230000036961 partial effect Effects 0.000 description 1
- 230000001681 protective effect Effects 0.000 description 1
- 230000004044 response Effects 0.000 description 1
Images
Classifications
-
- H—ELECTRICITY
- H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
- H01H—ELECTRIC SWITCHES; RELAYS; SELECTORS; EMERGENCY PROTECTIVE DEVICES
- H01H1/00—Contacts
- H01H1/12—Contacts characterised by the manner in which co-operating contacts engage
- H01H1/14—Contacts characterised by the manner in which co-operating contacts engage by abutting
- H01H1/24—Contacts characterised by the manner in which co-operating contacts engage by abutting with resilient mounting
-
- H—ELECTRICITY
- H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
- H01H—ELECTRIC SWITCHES; RELAYS; SELECTORS; EMERGENCY PROTECTIVE DEVICES
- H01H1/00—Contacts
- H01H1/12—Contacts characterised by the manner in which co-operating contacts engage
- H01H1/14—Contacts characterised by the manner in which co-operating contacts engage by abutting
- H01H1/24—Contacts characterised by the manner in which co-operating contacts engage by abutting with resilient mounting
- H01H2001/247—Contacts characterised by the manner in which co-operating contacts engage by abutting with resilient mounting using an elastic hinge, the contact being composed of rigid parts connected by thinned flexible hinge parts
-
- Y—GENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
- Y10—TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC
- Y10T—TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER US CLASSIFICATION
- Y10T29/00—Metal working
- Y10T29/43—Electric condenser making
-
- Y—GENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
- Y10—TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC
- Y10T—TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER US CLASSIFICATION
- Y10T29/00—Metal working
- Y10T29/49—Method of mechanical manufacture
- Y10T29/49002—Electrical device making
- Y10T29/49117—Conductor or circuit manufacturing
- Y10T29/49124—On flat or curved insulated base, e.g., printed circuit, etc.
- Y10T29/49128—Assembling formed circuit to base
-
- Y—GENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
- Y10—TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC
- Y10T—TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER US CLASSIFICATION
- Y10T29/00—Metal working
- Y10T29/49—Method of mechanical manufacture
- Y10T29/49002—Electrical device making
- Y10T29/49117—Conductor or circuit manufacturing
- Y10T29/49124—On flat or curved insulated base, e.g., printed circuit, etc.
- Y10T29/49155—Manufacturing circuit on or in base
- Y10T29/49165—Manufacturing circuit on or in base by forming conductive walled aperture in base
Definitions
- the present invention relates to a circuit breaker for low-voltage currents having improved characteristics; more particularly, the invention relates to an automatic low-voltage circuit breaker in which the contact force between the moving contact and the fixed contact of the circuit breaker is kept constant over time by virtue of a solution that is structurally simple and functionally effective.
- circuit breakers are protective devices which, when an electrical fault occurs in the circuit in which they are inserted, trip and interrupt the flow of current; for this purpose, they are provided with electrical contacts constituted by two conducting metallic parts, one of which is fixed and termed fixed contact or stationary contact, the other one being movable and being termed moving contact.
- the moving contact is actuated by a kinematic chain that allows its coupling or separation with respect to the corresponding fixed contact, accordingly closing or opening the circuit.
- a very important parameter for correct operation of the circuit breaker is constituted by the contact force, i.e., the force that occurs between the contacts when they are mutually coupled.
- the value of this force, which in the closed condition must ensure adequate pressure between the coupled parts, on the one hand is inversely proportional to the contact resistance, i.e., to the electrical resistance produced by physical contact between the conducting parts, and on the other hand is directly proportional to the contact opening time, i.e., the time that elapses between the beginning of the separation of the contacts and their complete separation. Since a fundamental requirement of circuit breakers is contact separation speed, which must be as high as possible, due to the above explained reason it is necessary to have a low contact force; this leads to a high contact resistance, for which a small value is instead desirable.
- the contact force is obtained by means of the action of the kinematic chain, whose components are designed specifically to ensure that it has a predefined value; moreover, in order to maintain the performance of the circuit breaker, said force must remain constant and equal to the intended value throughout the useful life of the circuit breaker.
- the components of the circuit breaker are subject to variations with respect to the initial design conditions; in particular, the electrical contacts are subjected to significant wear and erosion, due mainly to the presence of electrical arcs generated during opening and closure operations. These effects are so important that the shape of the contacts changes over the useful life of the circuit breaker and can lead to an insufficient electrical coupling between the parts in contact.
- the kinematic chain In order to obviate this at least partially and ensure adequate electrical coupling, even in the presence of worn contacts, the kinematic chain must be able to compensate for the variations that have occurred. This compensation is usually performed by using one or more springs. Accordingly, even though it is possible to have an adequate contact between the electrical parts, the contact force does not remain constant throughout the useful life of the circuit breaker, thus affecting directly the opening time and the resistance of the contacts and ultimately causing a general degradation of the electrical performance of the circuit breaker.
- the aim of the present invention is to provide a low-voltage automatic circuit breaker in which the contact force between the moving contact and the fixed contact can be kept substantially constant throughout the useful life of the circuit breaker.
- an object of the present invention is to provide a circuit breaker for low-voltage currents in which the contact opening time and the electrical resistance of the contacts do not vary over the useful life of the circuit breaker.
- Another object of the present invention is to provide a circuit breaker for low-voltage currents whose performance is substantially invariant over time.
- Another object of the present invention is to provide a circuit breaker for low-voltage currents in which a constant contact force is maintained throughout the life of the circuit breaker without affecting negatively the complexity of the kinematic chain that is used.
- Another object of the present invention is to provide a circuit breaker for low-voltage currents that is highly reliable, relatively simple to manufacture and at competitive costs.
- a circuit breaker for low-voltage currents comprising an enclosure that contains moving contact means and fixed contact means, the moving contact means comprising at least one moving contact, the fixed contact means comprising at least one fixed contact, a kinematic chain that comprises a plurality of levers that move the moving contact between an open position, in which the contacts are separated, and a closed position, in which they are coupled, and a mechanism that ensures a substantially constant force between the contacts in the closed position, characterized in that said mechanism comprises a single body that has a first rigid element, which is associated with at least one of said fixed and moving contacts, and a second rigid element, which is arranged adjacent to said first rigid element and is connected thereto by virtue of a flexible hinge constituted by a first elastic and resilient element.
- Figure 1 partially illustrates an automatic circuit breaker for low-voltage currents of a per se known type, which comprises an enclosure 9 that contains moving contact means and fixed contact means.
- the fixed contact means comprise at least one fixed contact 1 that has a conducting body 1a on which a contact plate 1b is fixed; in turn, the moving contact means comprise a moving contact 2 that has a contoured conducting body 2a on which a contact plate 2b, suitable for electrical coupling to the corresponding plate 1b, is fixed.
- the moving contact 2 is actuated by an appropriate kinematic chain, generally designated by the reference numeral 15 in Figure 1, which comprises, according to embodiments that are widely known in the art and are therefore not described in detail, multiple levers that move the moving contact 2 between an open position, in which the contacts are separated, and a closed position, in which they are coupled and the plates 1b and 2b are in physical contact with each other.
- an appropriate kinematic chain generally designated by the reference numeral 15 in Figure 1
- circuit breaker is provided with a suitable constant-force mechanism, i.e., a mechanism that is suitable to generate a substantially constant force in response to a stress in the form of a linear and/or rotational movement.
- a suitable constant-force mechanism i.e., a mechanism that is suitable to generate a substantially constant force in response to a stress in the form of a linear and/or rotational movement.
- a conventional constant-force mechanism is constituted, for example, by two rigid link rods connected by means of a rotational hinge; the end of a first link rod is pivoted to a fixed part by means of an additional rotational hinge and the end of the second link rod is connected to a slider by virtue of another rotational hinge.
- a torsion spring acts on the rotational hinge that connects the second link rod to the slider.
- said mechanism suitable to generate a substantially constant force comprises a single body that has a first rigid element, which is associated with at least one of the fixed or moving contacts 1 and 2, and a second rigid element, which is arranged adjacent to the first rigid element and is connected thereto by virtue of a flexible hinge constituted by an elastic and resilient element.
- said single body is made of an electrically conducting material and the flexible hinge is provided by reducing the thickness of one part of said body with respect to the thickness of the adjacent parts that constitute the rigid elements.
- the mechanism suitable to generate a constant force between the contacts is provided by using a single body in which the flexible hinge, by virtue of its resiliency and elasticity characteristics, fully replaces in functional terms the rotational hinge and the corresponding torsion spring; the appropriate choice of the thickness of the elastic and resilient element in fact corresponds to the choice of a torsion spring having a preset elastic constant.
- the single body can be associated with the fixed contact or with the moving contact, with the great advantage of being able to simplify the kinematic chain 15 or in any case of not having to act thereon in order to obtain a constant force over the useful life of the circuit breaker; furthermore, the single body, by virtue of its elasticity and resiliency characteristics, is capable of compensating for any variations with respect to the ideal design behavior, for example due to contact wear.
- Figure 2 illustrates a preferred embodiment of the constant-force mechanism in which the single body is associated with the moving contact 2 of the circuit breaker.
- said single body generally designated by the reference numeral 20, is integrated in the structure of the contoured body 2a of the moving contact 2, at its region for coupling to the fixed contact 1, and comprises a first rigid element 3 and a second rigid element 5, which are mutually connected by virtue of a first flexible hinge 6.
- the first rigid element 3 is connected to the remaining part of the body 2a by virtue of a second flexible hinge 4; in turn, the second rigid element 5 is connected, by virtue of a third flexible hinge 8, to an additional conducting element 7 that is suitable for electrical coupling to the fixed contact 1 and in particular to the plate 1b.
- Said element 7 which can be constituted by the plate 2b itself or in any case replaces it functionally, abuts, when the circuit breaker is closed, against the end of the fixed contact 1, so that under the action of the body 20 there is a constant contact force between the coupled parts.
- the body 20 can be integrated into the structure of the contoured body 2a at a certain distance from the plate 2b or can be used as a component that is structurally separate from the moving contact and is operatively associated therewith by virtue of an appropriate connection.
- Figure 3 illustrates a second embodiment, in which the body 20 that constitutes the mechanism for maintaining the contact force is associated with the structure of the fixed contact 1.
- the body 20 is integrated in the structure of the body 1a of the fixed contact 1 and comprises a first rigid element, which is connected to the remaining part of the body 1a by virtue of a flexible hinge 4, and a second rigid element 5, which is connected to the first element 3 by virtue of a flexible hinge 6; in turn, the second rigid element 5 is connected to an additional conducting element 7 by virtue of a third flexible hinge 8.
- the conducting element 7 can be constituted by said plate 1b or in any case by an element that is part of the body 20 and replaces it functionally, coupling electrically to the moving contact 2.
- the body 20 can be integrated into the structure of the contoured body 1a at a certain distance from the region of contact with the moving contact 3, or can be used as a component that is structurally separate from the fixed contact and is operatively associated therewith by virtue of an appropriate connection.
- Figure 4 illustrates a third embodiment of the mechanism suitable to ensure a constant contact force between the fixed contact 1 and the moving contact 2.
- the body 20 is substantially Y-shaped and is fixed to one end of the fixed contact 1 at the region where the contact plate 1b is provided.
- the body 20 comprises a first rigid element 10, which is connected to the body 1a of the fixed contact 1 and lies along a reference axis 16, and a second rigid element, which has a first rigid portion 11 and a second rigid portion 12 that are arranged symmetrically to each other with respect to the reference axis 16 and are connected to the rigid element 10 by virtue of a flexible hinge 13.
- the hinge 13 is substantially fork-shaped; the element 10 can be preferably fixed to the body of the fixed contact 1, as shown in Figure 3, or can be connected thereto by virtue of an additional flexible hinge.
- the two rigid portions 11 and 12 functionally replace the plate 1b and are suitable to make contact with the moving contact 2, which can have, in the contact region, a hemispherical portion 14.
- the body 20 as a whole ensures that the force applied along the axis of symmetry 16 is constant for a wide range of axial movements.
- the body 20 in the configuration of Figure 4 can be associated with the moving contact 2, optionally adopting a spherical configuration for the fixed contact 1 and particularly for its plate 1b; furthermore, the shape of the elements that constitute the body 20 can be changed, so long as it is changed in a manner that is compatible with the application.
- the circuit breaker according to the invention fully achieves the intended aim and objects, providing a series of advantages with respect to the known art.
- the contact force between the fixed contact and the moving contact is substantially constant over the useful life of the circuit breaker, regardless of the variations in the behavior of the various components and in particular of the wear to which the contacts are inevitably subjected.
Landscapes
- Breakers (AREA)
- Electronic Switches (AREA)
- Control Of Eletrric Generators (AREA)
- Emergency Protection Circuit Devices (AREA)
Abstract
Description
- The present invention relates to a circuit breaker for low-voltage currents having improved characteristics; more particularly, the invention relates to an automatic low-voltage circuit breaker in which the contact force between the moving contact and the fixed contact of the circuit breaker is kept constant over time by virtue of a solution that is structurally simple and functionally effective.
- As is known, circuit breakers are protective devices which, when an electrical fault occurs in the circuit in which they are inserted, trip and interrupt the flow of current; for this purpose, they are provided with electrical contacts constituted by two conducting metallic parts, one of which is fixed and termed fixed contact or stationary contact, the other one being movable and being termed moving contact. The moving contact is actuated by a kinematic chain that allows its coupling or separation with respect to the corresponding fixed contact, accordingly closing or opening the circuit.
- A very important parameter for correct operation of the circuit breaker is constituted by the contact force, i.e., the force that occurs between the contacts when they are mutually coupled. The value of this force, which in the closed condition must ensure adequate pressure between the coupled parts, on the one hand is inversely proportional to the contact resistance, i.e., to the electrical resistance produced by physical contact between the conducting parts, and on the other hand is directly proportional to the contact opening time, i.e., the time that elapses between the beginning of the separation of the contacts and their complete separation. Since a fundamental requirement of circuit breakers is contact separation speed, which must be as high as possible, due to the above explained reason it is necessary to have a low contact force; this leads to a high contact resistance, for which a small value is instead desirable.
- It is therefore evident that during the design of the circuit breaker it is necessary to pay particular attention in deciding the value of this contact force, taking into account the contrasting requirements of short opening time and low contact resistance.
- In current circuit breakers, the contact force is obtained by means of the action of the kinematic chain, whose components are designed specifically to ensure that it has a predefined value; moreover, in order to maintain the performance of the circuit breaker, said force must remain constant and equal to the intended value throughout the useful life of the circuit breaker.
- Unfortunately, during the normal operating cycle the components of the circuit breaker are subject to variations with respect to the initial design conditions; in particular, the electrical contacts are subjected to significant wear and erosion, due mainly to the presence of electrical arcs generated during opening and closure operations. These effects are so important that the shape of the contacts changes over the useful life of the circuit breaker and can lead to an insufficient electrical coupling between the parts in contact.
- In order to obviate this at least partially and ensure adequate electrical coupling, even in the presence of worn contacts, the kinematic chain must be able to compensate for the variations that have occurred. This compensation is usually performed by using one or more springs. Accordingly, even though it is possible to have an adequate contact between the electrical parts, the contact force does not remain constant throughout the useful life of the circuit breaker, thus affecting directly the opening time and the resistance of the contacts and ultimately causing a general degradation of the electrical performance of the circuit breaker.
- One solution to the problem cited above is currently to act on the configuration of the kinematic chains, but although this allows partial improvements, it usually leads to greater complexity of the circuit breaker, with a consequent increase in production and assembly costs.
- The aim of the present invention is to provide a low-voltage automatic circuit breaker in which the contact force between the moving contact and the fixed contact can be kept substantially constant throughout the useful life of the circuit breaker.
- Within the scope of this aim, an object of the present invention is to provide a circuit breaker for low-voltage currents in which the contact opening time and the electrical resistance of the contacts do not vary over the useful life of the circuit breaker.
- Another object of the present invention is to provide a circuit breaker for low-voltage currents whose performance is substantially invariant over time.
- Another object of the present invention is to provide a circuit breaker for low-voltage currents in which a constant contact force is maintained throughout the life of the circuit breaker without affecting negatively the complexity of the kinematic chain that is used.
- Another object of the present invention is to provide a circuit breaker for low-voltage currents that is highly reliable, relatively simple to manufacture and at competitive costs.
- This aim, these objects and others that will become apparent hereinafter are achieved by a circuit breaker for low-voltage currents, comprising an enclosure that contains moving contact means and fixed contact means, the moving contact means comprising at least one moving contact, the fixed contact means comprising at least one fixed contact, a kinematic chain that comprises a plurality of levers that move the moving contact between an open position, in which the contacts are separated, and a closed position, in which they are coupled, and a mechanism that ensures a substantially constant force between the contacts in the closed position, characterized in that said mechanism comprises a single body that has a first rigid element, which is associated with at least one of said fixed and moving contacts, and a second rigid element, which is arranged adjacent to said first rigid element and is connected thereto by virtue of a flexible hinge constituted by a first elastic and resilient element.
- Further characteristics and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the description of preferred but not exclusive embodiments of the automatic low-voltage circuit breaker according to the present invention, illustrated by way of non-limitative example in the accompanying drawings, wherein:
- Figure 1 is a schematic view of a portion of an automatic low-voltage circuit breaker, illustrating in particular the moving and fixed contacts, according to a known type of configuration;
- Figure 2 is a view of a first embodiment of the fixed and moving contacts that can be used in the circuit breaker according to the present invention;
- Figure 3 is a view of a second embodiment of the fixed and moving contacts that can be used in the circuit breaker according to the present invention; and
- Figure 4 is a view of a third embodiment of the fixed and moving contacts that can be used in the circuit breaker according to the present invention.
- Figure 1 partially illustrates an automatic circuit breaker for low-voltage currents of a per se known type, which comprises an
enclosure 9 that contains moving contact means and fixed contact means. In the illustrated embodiment, the fixed contact means comprise at least one fixed contact 1 that has a conducting body 1a on which a contact plate 1b is fixed; in turn, the moving contact means comprise a movingcontact 2 that has a contoured conducting body 2a on which a contact plate 2b, suitable for electrical coupling to the corresponding plate 1b, is fixed. The movingcontact 2 is actuated by an appropriate kinematic chain, generally designated by thereference numeral 15 in Figure 1, which comprises, according to embodiments that are widely known in the art and are therefore not described in detail, multiple levers that move the movingcontact 2 between an open position, in which the contacts are separated, and a closed position, in which they are coupled and the plates 1b and 2b are in physical contact with each other. - Furthermore, the circuit breaker is provided with a suitable constant-force mechanism, i.e., a mechanism that is suitable to generate a substantially constant force in response to a stress in the form of a linear and/or rotational movement.
- Generally, these mechanisms are provided by using rigid elements that are mutually connected by appropriate hinges, with which springs, usually of the torsion type, are associated. A conventional constant-force mechanism is constituted, for example, by two rigid link rods connected by means of a rotational hinge; the end of a first link rod is pivoted to a fixed part by means of an additional rotational hinge and the end of the second link rod is connected to a slider by virtue of another rotational hinge. A torsion spring acts on the rotational hinge that connects the second link rod to the slider. In this configuration, as a consequence of a movement of the slider that tends for example to move it toward the link rod connected to the fixed element, the mechanism reacts by generating a substantially constant force.
- In the circuit breakers currently in use, mechanisms of this kind are suitable to ensure a substantially constant force between the contacts in the closed position, and this function is generally entrusted to the components of the kinematic chain.
- Advantageously, in the embodiment of the circuit breaker according to the present invention, said mechanism suitable to generate a substantially constant force comprises a single body that has a first rigid element, which is associated with at least one of the fixed or moving
contacts 1 and 2, and a second rigid element, which is arranged adjacent to the first rigid element and is connected thereto by virtue of a flexible hinge constituted by an elastic and resilient element. - Preferably, said single body is made of an electrically conducting material and the flexible hinge is provided by reducing the thickness of one part of said body with respect to the thickness of the adjacent parts that constitute the rigid elements.
- In this manner, the mechanism suitable to generate a constant force between the contacts is provided by using a single body in which the flexible hinge, by virtue of its resiliency and elasticity characteristics, fully replaces in functional terms the rotational hinge and the corresponding torsion spring; the appropriate choice of the thickness of the elastic and resilient element in fact corresponds to the choice of a torsion spring having a preset elastic constant.
- Furthermore, as mentioned, the single body can be associated with the fixed contact or with the moving contact, with the great advantage of being able to simplify the
kinematic chain 15 or in any case of not having to act thereon in order to obtain a constant force over the useful life of the circuit breaker; furthermore, the single body, by virtue of its elasticity and resiliency characteristics, is capable of compensating for any variations with respect to the ideal design behavior, for example due to contact wear. - Figure 2 illustrates a preferred embodiment of the constant-force mechanism in which the single body is associated with the moving
contact 2 of the circuit breaker. In particular, in the illustrated embodiment, said single body, generally designated by thereference numeral 20, is integrated in the structure of the contoured body 2a of the movingcontact 2, at its region for coupling to the fixed contact 1, and comprises a firstrigid element 3 and a secondrigid element 5, which are mutually connected by virtue of a first flexible hinge 6. The firstrigid element 3 is connected to the remaining part of the body 2a by virtue of a secondflexible hinge 4; in turn, the secondrigid element 5 is connected, by virtue of a third flexible hinge 8, to an additional conductingelement 7 that is suitable for electrical coupling to the fixed contact 1 and in particular to the plate 1b. Saidelement 7, which can be constituted by the plate 2b itself or in any case replaces it functionally, abuts, when the circuit breaker is closed, against the end of the fixed contact 1, so that under the action of thebody 20 there is a constant contact force between the coupled parts. - As an alternative, the
body 20 can be integrated into the structure of the contoured body 2a at a certain distance from the plate 2b or can be used as a component that is structurally separate from the moving contact and is operatively associated therewith by virtue of an appropriate connection. - Figure 3 illustrates a second embodiment, in which the
body 20 that constitutes the mechanism for maintaining the contact force is associated with the structure of the fixed contact 1. - In this configuration, too, the
body 20 is integrated in the structure of the body 1a of the fixed contact 1 and comprises a first rigid element, which is connected to the remaining part of the body 1a by virtue of aflexible hinge 4, and a secondrigid element 5, which is connected to thefirst element 3 by virtue of a flexible hinge 6; in turn, the secondrigid element 5 is connected to an additional conductingelement 7 by virtue of a third flexible hinge 8. Like the previous embodiment, theconducting element 7 can be constituted by said plate 1b or in any case by an element that is part of thebody 20 and replaces it functionally, coupling electrically to the movingcontact 2. - In this case also, as an alternative to the embodiment shown in Figure 3, the
body 20 can be integrated into the structure of the contoured body 1a at a certain distance from the region of contact with the movingcontact 3, or can be used as a component that is structurally separate from the fixed contact and is operatively associated therewith by virtue of an appropriate connection. - Finally, Figure 4 illustrates a third embodiment of the mechanism suitable to ensure a constant contact force between the fixed contact 1 and the moving
contact 2. In this case, thebody 20 is substantially Y-shaped and is fixed to one end of the fixed contact 1 at the region where the contact plate 1b is provided. - In particular, the
body 20 comprises a firstrigid element 10, which is connected to the body 1a of the fixed contact 1 and lies along areference axis 16, and a second rigid element, which has a first rigid portion 11 and a secondrigid portion 12 that are arranged symmetrically to each other with respect to thereference axis 16 and are connected to therigid element 10 by virtue of aflexible hinge 13. In the specific case, thehinge 13 is substantially fork-shaped; theelement 10 can be preferably fixed to the body of the fixed contact 1, as shown in Figure 3, or can be connected thereto by virtue of an additional flexible hinge. - In this configuration, the two
rigid portions 11 and 12 functionally replace the plate 1b and are suitable to make contact with the movingcontact 2, which can have, in the contact region, ahemispherical portion 14. In this manner, when therigid parts 11 and 12 are coupled to the movingcontact 2, thebody 20 as a whole ensures that the force applied along the axis ofsymmetry 16 is constant for a wide range of axial movements. - As an alternative, and in a manner that is fully similar from the functional standpoint, the
body 20 in the configuration of Figure 4 can be associated with the movingcontact 2, optionally adopting a spherical configuration for the fixed contact 1 and particularly for its plate 1b; furthermore, the shape of the elements that constitute thebody 20 can be changed, so long as it is changed in a manner that is compatible with the application. - In practice it has been found that the circuit breaker according to the invention fully achieves the intended aim and objects, providing a series of advantages with respect to the known art. By virtue of the adoption of the
body 20, the contact force between the fixed contact and the moving contact is substantially constant over the useful life of the circuit breaker, regardless of the variations in the behavior of the various components and in particular of the wear to which the contacts are inevitably subjected. This leads to an improvement in performance with respect to known kinds of circuit breaker, with the simultaneous advantage of reducing the complexity and high costs of improved kinematic chains.
Claims (7)
- A circuit breaker for low-voltage currents, comprising an enclosure that contains moving contact means and fixed contact means, the moving contact means comprising at least one moving contact, the fixed contact means comprising at least one fixed contact, a kinematic chain that comprises a plurality of levers that move the moving contact between an open position, in which the contacts are separated, and a closed position, in which they are coupled, and a mechanism that ensures a substantially constant force between the contacts in the closed position, characterized in that said mechanism comprises a single body (20) that has a first rigid element (3), which is associated with at least one of said fixed and moving contacts, and a second rigid element (5), which is arranged adjacent to said first rigid element and is connected thereto by virtue of a flexible hinge (6) constituted by a first elastic and resilient element.
- The circuit breaker according to claim 1, characterized in that said single body is made of electrically conducting material, said flexible hinge having a reduced thickness with respect to said first and second rigid elements.
- The circuit breaker according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that said single body is integrated in the structure of the moving contact.
- The circuit breaker according to claim 3, characterized in that said single body comprises a first rigid element and a second rigid element, which are mutually connected by means of said first flexible hinge, said first rigid element being connected to a portion of the moving contact by means of a second flexible hinge and said second rigid element being connected, by means of a third flexible hinge, to an additional conducting element that is suitable for electrical coupling to said fixed contact.
- The circuit breaker according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that said single body is integrated in the structure of the fixed contact.
- The circuit breaker according to claim 5, characterized in that said single body comprises a first rigid element and a second rigid element that are mutually connected by means of said first flexible hinge, said first rigid element being connected to a portion of the fixed contact by means of a second flexible hinge, said second rigid element being connected, by means of a third flexible hinge, to an additional conducting element suitable for electrical coupling to said moving contact.
- The circuit breaker according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that said single body comprises a first rigid element, which is connected to said fixed contact or to said moving contact, and a second rigid element, which has a first rigid portion and a second rigid portion that are arranged symmetrically with respect to each other relative to a reference axis, said first rigid part being arranged along said axis of symmetry and being connected to said first and second portions by means of said first flexible hinge.
Applications Claiming Priority (3)
Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
---|---|---|---|
IT2001MI001573A ITMI20011573A1 (en) | 2001-07-23 | 2001-07-23 | LOW VOLTAGE CURRENT SWITCH WITH PERFECT CHARACTERISTICS |
ITMI20011573 | 2001-07-23 | ||
PCT/EP2002/008214 WO2003017302A1 (en) | 2001-07-23 | 2002-07-23 | Circuit breaker for low-voltage currents |
Publications (2)
Publication Number | Publication Date |
---|---|
EP1412956A1 EP1412956A1 (en) | 2004-04-28 |
EP1412956B1 true EP1412956B1 (en) | 2007-09-19 |
Family
ID=11448120
Family Applications (1)
Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
---|---|---|---|
EP02794733A Expired - Lifetime EP1412956B1 (en) | 2001-07-23 | 2002-07-23 | Circuit breaker for low-voltage currents |
Country Status (6)
Country | Link |
---|---|
EP (1) | EP1412956B1 (en) |
CN (1) | CN100470698C (en) |
AT (1) | ATE373867T1 (en) |
DE (1) | DE60222560T2 (en) |
IT (1) | ITMI20011573A1 (en) |
WO (1) | WO2003017302A1 (en) |
Families Citing this family (2)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
GB2557692A (en) * | 2016-10-22 | 2018-06-27 | Eaton Ind Austria Gmbh | Circuit breaker with reduced number of components |
GB2569669B (en) * | 2017-12-22 | 2022-02-09 | Eaton Ind Austria Gmbh | Self-compensating mechanism for circuit breaker |
Family Cites Families (4)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
US3015876A (en) * | 1957-06-18 | 1962-01-09 | Gen Electric | Method of making resilient switch contacts |
NL297517A (en) * | 1963-09-01 | |||
US3866007A (en) * | 1973-10-09 | 1975-02-11 | Shlesinger Jr Bernard E | Contact reed with foil-thin intermediate section |
US4238656A (en) * | 1979-03-01 | 1980-12-09 | Heyrana Pablo M | Waterproof multiple electrical switch assembly |
-
2001
- 2001-07-23 IT IT2001MI001573A patent/ITMI20011573A1/en unknown
-
2002
- 2002-07-23 CN CNB028025539A patent/CN100470698C/en not_active Expired - Fee Related
- 2002-07-23 AT AT02794733T patent/ATE373867T1/en not_active IP Right Cessation
- 2002-07-23 WO PCT/EP2002/008214 patent/WO2003017302A1/en active IP Right Grant
- 2002-07-23 EP EP02794733A patent/EP1412956B1/en not_active Expired - Lifetime
- 2002-07-23 DE DE60222560T patent/DE60222560T2/en not_active Expired - Lifetime
Also Published As
Publication number | Publication date |
---|---|
ITMI20011573A0 (en) | 2001-07-23 |
CN100470698C (en) | 2009-03-18 |
ATE373867T1 (en) | 2007-10-15 |
WO2003017302A1 (en) | 2003-02-27 |
EP1412956A1 (en) | 2004-04-28 |
DE60222560T2 (en) | 2008-06-19 |
DE60222560D1 (en) | 2007-10-31 |
ITMI20011573A1 (en) | 2003-01-23 |
CN1465080A (en) | 2003-12-31 |
Similar Documents
Publication | Publication Date | Title |
---|---|---|
US6259048B1 (en) | Rotary contact assembly for high ampere-rated circuit breakers | |
US7646269B2 (en) | Electrical switching apparatus, and conductor assembly and shunt assembly therefor | |
KR100505188B1 (en) | Contact structure for DC load and relay thereof | |
US6215378B1 (en) | Circuit breaker with dual function test button remote from test circuit | |
EP1109189B1 (en) | Circuit breaker rotary contact arm arrangement | |
US6590172B1 (en) | Circuit breaker mechanism for a rotary contact system | |
EP1412956B1 (en) | Circuit breaker for low-voltage currents | |
US4594567A (en) | Circuit breaker contact arm assembly having a magnetic carrier | |
US6879227B2 (en) | Switching contact arrangement | |
US4273979A (en) | Low-voltage circuit breaker with means for limiting contact lifting | |
EP1036396A1 (en) | Fuse disconnector | |
US2774836A (en) | Snap switch | |
EP1430499B1 (en) | Low-voltage automatic circuit breaker with reduced number of components | |
CN105206438B (en) | A kind of push type travel switch of adverse environment resistant | |
US3792216A (en) | Anti blow-off means for circuit breaker contacts | |
US2691086A (en) | Circuit breaker contact structure | |
CN116544075A (en) | Low-voltage circuit breaker | |
CN213340263U (en) | Moving contact assembly and electrical switch | |
GB2085658A (en) | Electric circuit breaker | |
KR20210138296A (en) | Switching mechanism for circuit breake | |
US2423381A (en) | Two-position switch | |
WO2024193851A1 (en) | Indicator mechanism for a switch and switch | |
GB2628436A (en) | Indicator mechanism for a switch and switch | |
ITMI20011574A1 (en) | KINEMATIC MECHANISM FOR A LOW VOLTAGE PROTECTION AND / OR INTERRUPTION DEVICE | |
CN108352264A (en) | Electric switch equipment and its riveted joint component |
Legal Events
Date | Code | Title | Description |
---|---|---|---|
PUAI | Public reference made under article 153(3) epc to a published international application that has entered the european phase |
Free format text: ORIGINAL CODE: 0009012 |
|
17P | Request for examination filed |
Effective date: 20040220 |
|
AK | Designated contracting states |
Kind code of ref document: A1 Designated state(s): AT BE BG CH CY CZ DE DK EE ES FI FR GB GR IE IT LI LU MC NL PT SE SK TR |
|
AX | Request for extension of the european patent |
Extension state: AL LT LV MK RO SI |
|
RAP1 | Party data changed (applicant data changed or rights of an application transferred) |
Owner name: ABB SERVICE S.R.L |
|
GRAP | Despatch of communication of intention to grant a patent |
Free format text: ORIGINAL CODE: EPIDOSNIGR1 |
|
GRAS | Grant fee paid |
Free format text: ORIGINAL CODE: EPIDOSNIGR3 |
|
GRAA | (expected) grant |
Free format text: ORIGINAL CODE: 0009210 |
|
AK | Designated contracting states |
Kind code of ref document: B1 Designated state(s): AT BE BG CH CY CZ DE DK EE ES FI FR GB GR IE IT LI LU MC NL PT SE SK TR |
|
REG | Reference to a national code |
Ref country code: GB Ref legal event code: FG4D |
|
REG | Reference to a national code |
Ref country code: CH Ref legal event code: EP |
|
REF | Corresponds to: |
Ref document number: 60222560 Country of ref document: DE Date of ref document: 20071031 Kind code of ref document: P |
|
REG | Reference to a national code |
Ref country code: IE Ref legal event code: FG4D |
|
PG25 | Lapsed in a contracting state [announced via postgrant information from national office to epo] |
Ref country code: FI Free format text: LAPSE BECAUSE OF FAILURE TO SUBMIT A TRANSLATION OF THE DESCRIPTION OR TO PAY THE FEE WITHIN THE PRESCRIBED TIME-LIMIT Effective date: 20070919 |
|
PG25 | Lapsed in a contracting state [announced via postgrant information from national office to epo] |
Ref country code: LI Free format text: LAPSE BECAUSE OF FAILURE TO SUBMIT A TRANSLATION OF THE DESCRIPTION OR TO PAY THE FEE WITHIN THE PRESCRIBED TIME-LIMIT Effective date: 20070919 Ref country code: AT Free format text: LAPSE BECAUSE OF FAILURE TO SUBMIT A TRANSLATION OF THE DESCRIPTION OR TO PAY THE FEE WITHIN THE PRESCRIBED TIME-LIMIT Effective date: 20070919 Ref country code: CH Free format text: LAPSE BECAUSE OF FAILURE TO SUBMIT A TRANSLATION OF THE DESCRIPTION OR TO PAY THE FEE WITHIN THE PRESCRIBED TIME-LIMIT Effective date: 20070919 |
|
NLV1 | Nl: lapsed or annulled due to failure to fulfill the requirements of art. 29p and 29m of the patents act | ||
PG25 | Lapsed in a contracting state [announced via postgrant information from national office to epo] |
Ref country code: BE Free format text: LAPSE BECAUSE OF FAILURE TO SUBMIT A TRANSLATION OF THE DESCRIPTION OR TO PAY THE FEE WITHIN THE PRESCRIBED TIME-LIMIT Effective date: 20070919 |
|
REG | Reference to a national code |
Ref country code: CH Ref legal event code: PL |
|
PG25 | Lapsed in a contracting state [announced via postgrant information from national office to epo] |
Ref country code: NL Free format text: LAPSE BECAUSE OF FAILURE TO SUBMIT A TRANSLATION OF THE DESCRIPTION OR TO PAY THE FEE WITHIN THE PRESCRIBED TIME-LIMIT Effective date: 20070919 Ref country code: ES Free format text: LAPSE BECAUSE OF FAILURE TO SUBMIT A TRANSLATION OF THE DESCRIPTION OR TO PAY THE FEE WITHIN THE PRESCRIBED TIME-LIMIT Effective date: 20071230 Ref country code: GR Free format text: LAPSE BECAUSE OF FAILURE TO SUBMIT A TRANSLATION OF THE DESCRIPTION OR TO PAY THE FEE WITHIN THE PRESCRIBED TIME-LIMIT Effective date: 20071220 |
|
ET | Fr: translation filed | ||
PG25 | Lapsed in a contracting state [announced via postgrant information from national office to epo] |
Ref country code: PT Free format text: LAPSE BECAUSE OF FAILURE TO SUBMIT A TRANSLATION OF THE DESCRIPTION OR TO PAY THE FEE WITHIN THE PRESCRIBED TIME-LIMIT Effective date: 20080219 Ref country code: CZ Free format text: LAPSE BECAUSE OF FAILURE TO SUBMIT A TRANSLATION OF THE DESCRIPTION OR TO PAY THE FEE WITHIN THE PRESCRIBED TIME-LIMIT Effective date: 20070919 Ref country code: SK Free format text: LAPSE BECAUSE OF FAILURE TO SUBMIT A TRANSLATION OF THE DESCRIPTION OR TO PAY THE FEE WITHIN THE PRESCRIBED TIME-LIMIT Effective date: 20070919 |
|
PG25 | Lapsed in a contracting state [announced via postgrant information from national office to epo] |
Ref country code: SE Free format text: LAPSE BECAUSE OF FAILURE TO SUBMIT A TRANSLATION OF THE DESCRIPTION OR TO PAY THE FEE WITHIN THE PRESCRIBED TIME-LIMIT Effective date: 20071219 |
|
PLBE | No opposition filed within time limit |
Free format text: ORIGINAL CODE: 0009261 |
|
STAA | Information on the status of an ep patent application or granted ep patent |
Free format text: STATUS: NO OPPOSITION FILED WITHIN TIME LIMIT |
|
PG25 | Lapsed in a contracting state [announced via postgrant information from national office to epo] |
Ref country code: DK Free format text: LAPSE BECAUSE OF FAILURE TO SUBMIT A TRANSLATION OF THE DESCRIPTION OR TO PAY THE FEE WITHIN THE PRESCRIBED TIME-LIMIT Effective date: 20070919 |
|
26N | No opposition filed |
Effective date: 20080620 |
|
GBPC | Gb: european patent ceased through non-payment of renewal fee |
Effective date: 20080723 |
|
PG25 | Lapsed in a contracting state [announced via postgrant information from national office to epo] |
Ref country code: MC Free format text: LAPSE BECAUSE OF NON-PAYMENT OF DUE FEES Effective date: 20080731 |
|
PG25 | Lapsed in a contracting state [announced via postgrant information from national office to epo] |
Ref country code: EE Free format text: LAPSE BECAUSE OF FAILURE TO SUBMIT A TRANSLATION OF THE DESCRIPTION OR TO PAY THE FEE WITHIN THE PRESCRIBED TIME-LIMIT Effective date: 20070919 |
|
PG25 | Lapsed in a contracting state [announced via postgrant information from national office to epo] |
Ref country code: GB Free format text: LAPSE BECAUSE OF NON-PAYMENT OF DUE FEES Effective date: 20080723 |
|
PG25 | Lapsed in a contracting state [announced via postgrant information from national office to epo] |
Ref country code: IE Free format text: LAPSE BECAUSE OF NON-PAYMENT OF DUE FEES Effective date: 20080723 Ref country code: CY Free format text: LAPSE BECAUSE OF FAILURE TO SUBMIT A TRANSLATION OF THE DESCRIPTION OR TO PAY THE FEE WITHIN THE PRESCRIBED TIME-LIMIT Effective date: 20070919 |
|
PG25 | Lapsed in a contracting state [announced via postgrant information from national office to epo] |
Ref country code: BG Free format text: LAPSE BECAUSE OF FAILURE TO SUBMIT A TRANSLATION OF THE DESCRIPTION OR TO PAY THE FEE WITHIN THE PRESCRIBED TIME-LIMIT Effective date: 20071219 |
|
REG | Reference to a national code |
Ref country code: FR Ref legal event code: TP |
|
PG25 | Lapsed in a contracting state [announced via postgrant information from national office to epo] |
Ref country code: LU Free format text: LAPSE BECAUSE OF NON-PAYMENT OF DUE FEES Effective date: 20080723 |
|
PG25 | Lapsed in a contracting state [announced via postgrant information from national office to epo] |
Ref country code: TR Free format text: LAPSE BECAUSE OF FAILURE TO SUBMIT A TRANSLATION OF THE DESCRIPTION OR TO PAY THE FEE WITHIN THE PRESCRIBED TIME-LIMIT Effective date: 20070919 |
|
PGFP | Annual fee paid to national office [announced via postgrant information from national office to epo] |
Ref country code: DE Payment date: 20100723 Year of fee payment: 9 Ref country code: FR Payment date: 20100805 Year of fee payment: 9 Ref country code: IT Payment date: 20100726 Year of fee payment: 9 |
|
REG | Reference to a national code |
Ref country code: FR Ref legal event code: ST Effective date: 20120330 |
|
PG25 | Lapsed in a contracting state [announced via postgrant information from national office to epo] |
Ref country code: DE Free format text: LAPSE BECAUSE OF NON-PAYMENT OF DUE FEES Effective date: 20120201 Ref country code: FR Free format text: LAPSE BECAUSE OF NON-PAYMENT OF DUE FEES Effective date: 20110801 |
|
REG | Reference to a national code |
Ref country code: DE Ref legal event code: R119 Ref document number: 60222560 Country of ref document: DE Effective date: 20120201 |
|
PG25 | Lapsed in a contracting state [announced via postgrant information from national office to epo] |
Ref country code: IT Free format text: LAPSE BECAUSE OF NON-PAYMENT OF DUE FEES Effective date: 20110723 |