Patents
Search within
Search within the title, abstract, claims, or full patent document: You can restrict your search to a specific field using field names.
Use TI= to search in the title, AB= for the abstract, CL= for the claims, or TAC= for all three. For example, TI=(safety belt).
Search by Cooperative Patent Classifications (CPCs): These are commonly used to represent ideas in place of keywords, and can also be entered in a search term box. If you're searching forseat belts, you could also search for B60R22/00 to retrieve documents that mention safety belts or body harnesses. CPC=B60R22 will match documents with exactly this CPC, CPC=B60R22/low matches documents with this CPC or a child classification of this CPC.
Learn More
Title
Abstract
Claims
Full Document
Find patents
Keywords and boolean syntax (USPTO or EPO format): seat belt searches these two words, or their plurals and close synonyms. "seat belt" searches this exact phrase, in order. -seat -belt searches for documents not containing either word.
For searches using boolean logic, the default operator is AND with left associativity. Note: this means safety OR seat belt is searched as (safety OR seat) AND belt. Each word automatically includes plurals and close synonyms. Adjacent words that are implicitly ANDed together, such as (safety belt), are treated as a phrase when generating synonyms.
Learn More
Search by
Chemistry searches match terms (trade names, IUPAC names, etc. extracted from the entire document, and processed from .MOL files.)
Substructure (use SSS=) and similarity (use ~) searches are limited to one per search at the top-level AND condition. Exact searches can be used multiple times throughout the search query.
Searching by SMILES or InChi key requires no special syntax. To search by SMARTS, use SMARTS=.
To search for multiple molecules, select "Batch" in the "Type" menu. Enter multiple molecules separated by whitespace or by comma.
Learn More
Patent numbers
Search specific patents by importing a CSV or list of patent publication or application numbers.
Automatic reset device for untimely trippings of circuit breakers and electrical safety equipment in general
EP1487003A1
European Patent Office
- Other languages
German French - Inventor
Domenico Bosatelli Sergio Pianezzola Augusto Contardi - Current Assignee
- Gewiss SpA
Worldwide applications
Application EP04002045A events
2004-01-30
2004-12-15
2007-07-25
Application granted
2007-07-25
2024-01-30
Anticipated expiration
Status
Expired - Lifetime
Description
translated from
-
[0001] The present invention relates to an automatic reset device for untimely trippings of circuit breakers and electrical safety equipment in general. -
[0002] Conventional circuit breakers and residual current-operated devices use mechanisms that allow to open and close the moving contact both by operating an external handle, that can be accessed by the user, and by means of the automatic action of protection devices provided inside it. -
[0003] It is known that protection devices may trip in an untimely fashion, i.e., when no actual anomaly of the circuit has occurred. -
[0004] The untimely tripping of the device naturally causes inconvenience to the user, who has to reach the electrical panel and restore the circuit by operating the appropriately provided levers. -
[0005] The problem becomes severe if the user is not present and electric power is interrupted for hours or even days. -
[0006] For example, if lightning strikes in the vicinity of the house the circuit breakers may trip and the circuit remains open until it is reactivated by the user. If the user is not present for several days, damage can be substantial: one merely needs to consider refrigerators, freezers or other critical appliances. -
[0007] An aim of the present invention is to provide a reset device for untimely trippings of circuit breakers and electrical safety equipment in general, which is capable of automatically restoring the circuit even without human intervention. -
[0008] An object of the invention is to provide a device that is capable of distinguishing between an untimely tripping and tripping due to an actual circuit anomaly. -
[0009] A further object of the invention is to provide a device that can be applied to existing electrical equipment and is absolutely compatible with them. -
[0010] A further object is to provide a device that has components that are easily commercially available and at low costs. -
[0011] This aim and these and other objects that will become better apparent hereinafter are achieved by an automatic reset device for untimely trippings of circuit breakers and electrical safety equipment in general, as claimed in the appended claims. -
[0012] Further characteristics and advantages of the invention will become better apparent from the following detailed description of preferred but not exclusive embodiments thereof, illustrated by way of non-limiting example in the accompanying drawings, wherein: - Figure 1 is a sectional side view of the device according to the invention, shown in the position in which the circuit breaker is closed, the microswitch is open, the actuator is deactivated, the mechanism is in overtravel and the actuation spring is not loaded;
- Figure 2 is a sectional plan view, taken along the line II-II of Figure 1, of the device shown in the position of Figure 1;
- Figure 3 is a sectional side view of the device according to the invention, shown in the position in which the circuit breaker has tripped, the microswitch is closed, the actuator is activated, the mechanism is in the engagement/release position, and the actuation spring is loaded;
- Figure 4 is a sectional plan view, taken along the line IV-IV of Figure 3, of the device shown in the position of Figure 3;
- Figure 5 is a sectional side view of the device according to the invention, shown in the position in which the circuit breaker is reset, the microswitch is open, the actuator is deactivated, and the actuation spring returns the accumulated energy;
- Figure 6 is a sectional plan view, taken along the line VI-VI of Figure 5, of the device shown in the position of Figure 5;
- Figure 7 is a sectional side view of the device according to the invention, illustrated in the position in which the device is locked;
- Figure 8 is a sectional plan view, taken along the line VIII-VIII of Figure 7, of the device shown in the position of Figure 7;
- Figure 9 is a sectional side view of the device, with its swinging flap open and the device deactivated;
- Figure 10 is a perspective view of the device;
- Figure 11 is a plan view of the device;
- Figure 12 is a detail view of the region that corresponds to the connection of the actuation bar to the actuation drum, with the device in the position that corresponds to Figure 1;
- Figure 13 is a view of the thermal actuator;
- Figure 14 is a detail view of the region that corresponds to the connection of the actuation bar to the actuation drum, with the device in the position that corresponds to Figure 3;
- Figure 15 is a detail side view of the actuation drum of the device in the position that corresponds to Figure 5;
- Figure 16 is a partially cutout detail view of the actuation drum of the device, shown in the position that corresponds to Figure 7;
- Figure 17 is a sectional side view of the device according to the invention, provided with a flap that can slide instead of swinging, shown in the open position;
- Figure 18 is a plan view of the device, illustrating the sliding flap in the open position;
- Figure 19 is a sectional side view of the device according to the invention, provided with a flap that can slide instead of swinging, shown in the closed position;
- Figure 20 is a plan view of the device, illustrating the sliding flap in the closed position.
-
-
[0013] With reference to the cited figures, a device according to the invention, generally designated by thereference numeral 1, includes acasing 2 that has the classic standardized shape and forms, at itsrear face 3, a means for coupling to other pieces of equipment that are associated with an omega-shaped rail (not shown), according to DIN standards. -
[0014] Thecasing 2 has, at its front face, aprotrusion 4 in which anactuation drum 5 is positioned. The actuation drum is associated with anactuation lever 6 by means of abar 7 that is pivoted to thelever 6 and has one end that can slide in aslot 8 of thedrum 5. -
[0015] Anactuation spring 9 has one end that is fixed to aslider 10, in which the actuation spring is accommodated, and another end that is rigidly coupled to theactuation lever 6. -
[0016] Theslider 10 accommodates, in a position that is parallel to theactuation spring 9, areturn spring 11, in which one end is in abutment against a wall of theslider 10 and the other end is in abutment against afixed abutment 12 that is rigidly coupled to thecasing 2. -
[0017] Athermal actuator 13, of a per se known type and preferably of the commonly commercially available type, is applied to thecasing 2 so that itsactuation piston 14 can act on theslider 10. -
[0018] The thermal actuator includes aheating member 15 that is supplied with power by an electric circuit that includes amicroswitch 16. -
[0019] Themicroswitch 16 opens or closes the power supply circuit of theheating member 15 of thethermal actuator 13 by way of the action of anelastic rocker 17 that acts on apushbutton 116 of themicroswitch 16. -
[0020] -
[0021] Thelocking lever 18 actuates anindicator lever 19, also associated with thedrum 5, at an opening 20 that is formed in theprotrusion 4. -
[0022] As mentioned, thedevice 1 is constituted by a casing that has a standardized shape so that it can be arranged side-by-side with respect to other standard modules and in particular with respect to acircuit breaker 101. -
[0023] The mechanism of the reset device is connected to the mechanism of thecircuit breaker 101 by means of a bar that has a triangular cross-section and constitutes the rotation axis of thedrum 5, so that the rotation of thedrum 5 exactly matches the rotation of the drum of thecircuit breaker 101, which is provided with the usual external actuation lever. -
[0024] Thereset device 1 comprises anoscillating flap 50 or asliding flap 150 that covers theactuation lever 70 of the circuit breaker when theflap -
[0025] The function of theflap -
[0026] Theflap projection flap deactivation lever 21 that is associated with theelastic rocker 17, so that theelastic rocker 17 remains, by virtue of the elastic member included therein, in a position in which the contact is open and therefore the circuit is open, so that themicroswitch 16 is not supplied with power. -
[0027] Therefore, since it is necessary to act on theactuation lever 70 by opening theflap circuit breaker 101, the opening of the flap automatically deactivates the automatic reset device. -
[0028] When the flap is open and the circuit breaker lever is in the open position, it is not possible to close the flap except by first closing the circuit breaker, since as shown more clearly in Figure 17, theprojection 151 interferes with thedeactivation lever 21. Moreover, it should be noted that the cover also covers the test button of a residual current-operated device, in the closed position, forcing the user to open the cover and then deactivate the system before opening the circuit even if he intends to do so by using the test button. -
[0029] The operation of the automatic reset device when activated is now described. -
[0030] The steady-state condition of the system is shown in Figures 1 and 2, in which thedrum 5, which is rigidly coupled to the drum of the actuation lever of the circuit breaker, is in the position that corresponds to the condition in which the circuit breaker is closed. -
[0031] Themicroswitch 16 is open, since theelastic rocker 17 in fact does not act on thepushbutton 116 of themicroswitch 17 and therefore the thermal actuator is deactivated, since theheater 15 does not receive power. The mechanism is in an overtravel position and theactuation spring 9 is not loaded. -
[0032] When the circuit breaker trips, thedrum 5 rotates clockwise, with reference to the figures, and thelocking lever 18 acts on theelastic rocker 17, which actuates thepush button 116 of themicroswitch 16, accordingly activating thethermal actuator 13. -
[0033] -
[0034] -
[0035] During the motion of the slider, thespring 9 is loaded, because one of its ends is rigidly coupled to the slider and the other end is coupled to theactuation lever 6, which instead remains motionless in the position assumed upon tripping by way of the action of arelease lever 22 that is pivoted to theactuation lever 6 and is provided with atooth 23 that engages afixed abutment 24 of thecasing 2; these components are shown more clearly in Figures 12 and 14. -
[0036] When theactuator 13 reaches the end of its stroke, theslider 10 trips therelease lever 22, which frees theactuation lever 6 which, by being pulled by theactuation spring 9, acts on theactuation bar 7, turning thedrum 5 into the position in which the circuit breaker is again closed. -
[0037] The reset time of the circuit breaker depends substantially on the time taken by the thermal actuator to reach the end of its stroke and can be for example approximately 1-1.5 minutes. -
[0038] The operating time of the actuator is used in order to obtain a reset delay that is considered ideal, but it is obvious that the delay can be reduced or increased according to the specific requirements by varying the reset mechanism. -
[0039] For example, the thermal actuator might be actuated before tripping in order to arm the actuation spring, which would be always loaded and ready to act in order to reset the system instantly or a few seconds after tripping instead of after over one minute, as in the illustrated example. -
[0040] System resetting is in this case performed advantageously by means of an external control. -
[0041] During the reset stroke of theslider 10, thereturn spring 11 is loaded, because it is compressed between the fixedabutment 12 and the wall of theslider 10 that moves to the left with reference to Figures 4 and 6. -
[0042] The condition in which the circuit breaker is reset is shown in Figures 5 and 6, which also show that themicroswitch 16 is open, since the rotation of thedrum 5, and therefore of the lockinglever 18, has released theelastic rocker 17 and therefore thepushbutton 116 of themicroswitch 16. -
[0043] Once theactuator 13 has been deactivated, the previously loadedreturn spring 11 pushes theslider 10 to the right with reference to the figures and therefore also pushes thepiston 14 of the thermal actuator, restoring the initial condition shown in Figures 1 and 2. -
[0044] The device as described above prevents subsequent resetting if, after the first resetting after a first tripping, the system trips immediately after resetting has occurred during a persistent fault. The device in fact enters a lockout mode if the system trips immediately after resetting and no longer performs any resetting unless the operator intervenes manually. -
[0045] The reset device can be provided with an additional safety system that prevents the automatic resetting in the presence of an actual and continuous anomaly of the circuit that would make any further reset attempt dangerous. -
[0046] The automatic reset device would therefore be provided with an electronic system suitable to detect the fault on the line and to place the reset device in lockout mode, indicating this lockout externally by virtue of a signal that appears at thewindow 20. -
[0047] If the device is provided with an electronic control unit, the mechanical signal can of course be replaced with one or more visual and/or acoustic signals of the electronic type, such as LEDs, buzzers, et cetera, actuated by the auxiliary electronic control circuit. -
[0048] Figures 7 and 8 illustrate the lockout condition of the device, in which substantially themicroswitch 16 is not operated, preventing theelastic rocker 17 from actuating thepushbutton 116. -
[0049] Theelastic rocker 17 is locked by the lockinglever 25, actuated by means of a pivot, not shown, that is part of the mechanism of thecircuit breaker 101 and enters thecasing 2 through theslot 26. -
[0050] The lockout condition of the device is indicated by means of theindicator lever 19, which is actuated by the lockinglever 18, for example by means of a colored indicator that becomes visible through theopening 20. -
[0051] -
[0052] In practice, it has been found that the invention achieves the intended aim and objects, a device having been provided which is capable of automatically resetting, after a reasonable time interval, a circuit breaker that has tripped needlessly. -
[0053] An important advantage of the invention is due to the use of a simple thermal actuator, which constitutes a reliable and extremely cheap motor, in addition to providing, by its very own nature, an ideal automatic reset time. -
[0054] The device 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. -
[0055] The materials used, as well as the dimensions, may of course be any according to requirements and to the state of the art.
Claims (18)
Hide Dependent
translated from
Claims (18)
Hide Dependent
translated from
- An automatic reset device for untimely trippings of circuit breakers and electrical safety equipment in general, comprising a mechanism for the automatic actuation of the reset lever of an electrical device that is suitable to automatically reset said electrical device a preset time after tripping, characterized in that it comprises a thermal actuator that acts on the mechanism when the electrical device has tripped so that the mechanism resets said electrical device.
- The device according to claim 1, characterized in that it comprises a casing that has a standardized shape and forms, at its rear face, a means for coupling to an electrical device that is associated with an omega-shaped rail according to DIN standards.
- The device according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that said casing has, at its front face, a protrusion in which an actuation drum is positioned, said actuation drum being associated with an actuation lever by means of an actuation bar that is pivoted to the lever and has an end that can slide in a slot of said drum.
- The device according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that it comprises an actuation spring in which one end is fixed to a slider, which accommodates said actuation spring, and a second end is rigidly associated with said actuation lever, said slider accommodating, parallel to said actuation spring, a return spring in which one end abuts against a wall of the slider and the other end abuts against a fixed abutment that is rigidly coupled to said casing.
- The device according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that said thermal actuator is applied to said casing so that its actuation piston can act on the slider and comprises a heating member that is supplied with power by an electric circuit that comprises a microswitch.
- The device according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that said microswitch closes or opens said power supply circuit of the heating member of the thermal actuator by way of the action of an elastic rocker that acts on a pushbutton of the microswitch.
- The device according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that said elastic rocker is actuated by a locking lever that is associated with said drum.
- The device according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that said locking lever actuates an indicator lever that is associated with the drum at an opening provided in said protrusion.
- The device according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that its mechanism is connected to the mechanism of an electrical device by means of a bar that has a triangular cross-section and constitutes the rotation axis of the drum, so that the rotation of the drum of the reset device exactly matches the rotation of the drum of the electrical device, which is provided with the usual external actuation lever.
- The device according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that it comprises an oscillating or sliding flap that covers said actuation lever of the electrical device when said flap is in the closed position, in order to clearly indicate the activation or deactivation of the device and prevent any accidental activation thereof.
- The device according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that said flap deactivates the device when it is in the open position by means of a projection, which when the flap is in the open position does not retain a deactivation lever that is associated with said elastic rocker, so that the elastic rocker remains, by the elastic member comprised therein, in a position in which the contact is open and therefore the circuit is open, so that the microswitch is not supplied with power.
- The device according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that said flap cannot be moved from its open position to its closed position without first moving to the closed position the lever of said electrical device.
- The device according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that it comprises a release lever that is pivoted to said actuation lever and is provided with a tooth that engages a fixed abutment of said casing.
- The device according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that it comprises a safety system that prevents automatic resetting in the presence of an actual and continuous anomaly of the circuit that would make any further reset attempt dangerous.
- The device according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that in the condition in which the device is in lockout mode, said microswitch is not actuated, preventing said elastic rocker from actuating the pushbutton of the microswitch.
- The device according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that said elastic rocker can be released by virtue of the locking lever actuated by means of a pivot that is part of the mechanism of the electrical device and enters said casing through a slot.
- The device according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that the lockout condition of the device is indicated by means of said indicator lever, which is actuated by the locking lever, by means of a colored indicator that becomes visible through an opening of said casing.
- The device according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that said safety system comprises an electronic device that is suitable to detect the fault on the line and to place said reset device in lockout mode, indicating said lockout mode externally by means of a signal.