EP1587125B1 - Installation switchgear - Google Patents

Abstract

The switch device has a main current path containing a series connection of a secondary contact point (4) with associated deionization chamber (9), a magnetic armature system (5) which can be opened by the secondary contact point (4), a main contact point (2), and a main thermal bimetallic trigger (3). Parallel to the secondary contact point is a parallel or selective current path containing a selective resistance (13) and a selective bimetallic trigger (12) which acts on the switch lock. The two triggers can permanently open the main contact point (2) via a switch lock. The main contact point has an associated extinguishing chamber (7) with extinguishing plates (8) arranged close to the dionization chamber. The main bimetallic trigger is arranged perpendicular to a fastening plane as is the main contact point.

Description

The invention relates to a service switching device according to the preamble of claim 1.

Such a service switching device is, for example, a selective protection switch, with a main current path comprising a series connection of a first main contact point, a striking armature system, a secondary contact point and a main thermostatic bimetal release. Furthermore, a generic service switching device has a parallel to the secondary contact point arranged parallel current path (selective circuit) comprising a current-limiting resistor (selective resistor) and a second, acting on the switch lock, thermal release (selective bimetal trigger), wherein the main and / or The selective bimetallic release can open the second contact point via a switch lock, so that it is permanently opened.

Such generic selective circuit breakers are used in a domestic installation for the selective protection of downstream circuits. The thermal overload protection is provided by a thermal release with a relatively slow tripping characteristic.

Selective shutdown means that "small" short-circuit currents that occur behind the downstream circuit breakers and do not exceed 6kA in general, should be switched off by these and not by the generic selective circuit breaker. Only when after a certain time the "small" short-circuit current is not switched off, should the generic selective circuit breaker switch off. "Large" short-circuit currents that occur before the downstream circuit breakers and about 6kA and more, however, should be turned off immediately by the generic Selective.

It is the object of the present invention to be able to produce a generic service switching device smaller and less expensive.

The object is solved by the characterizing features of claim 1.

According to the invention, the main contact point is associated with an additional extinguishing chamber arranged spatially close to the deionization chamber with additional extinguishing plates, and the deionization chamber with the auxiliary extinguishing chamber, the auxiliary contact point and the impact armature system are arranged approximately in a row in the region of the fastening plane of the service switching device; Furthermore, the main bimetallic shutter is arranged in the region of a front device narrow side approximately perpendicular to the mounting plane, and the main contact point is in the region of the other front narrow side, approximately perpendicular to the mounting plane extending.

This inventive arrangement of the modules and elements in the housing of the service switching device best possible space utilization is achieved in compliance with all prescribed thermal and electrical constraints, so that a total of a generic service switching device with the inventive arrangement of the components and components can be made very compact and inexpensive.

The individual modules and elements can be further developed individually or in interplay with each other still advantageous.

The additional extinguishing chamber can be made very small, they must normally absorb only the arc that may arise when switching the normal load current arc.

Thus, advantageously, the main thermostatic bimetal trigger comprise a main bimetallic element and an additional lever, wherein due to the magnetic effect of the main bimetallic a force acting on the additional lever so that when exceeding a threshold value of the main bimetallic the additional lever on the Switch lock permanently opens the main contact point. To this It is achieved that when the threshold value of the main bimetallic current is exceeded, for example in the case that a "large" short-circuit current of more than 6kA flows, the main bimetallic trigger very quickly, approximately in the range of 0.1s, via the switch lock the main contact point opens permanently and thus shuts off the short-circuit current. Without this additional lever, the main thermostatic bimetallic actuator would switch with its characteristic thermal delay time, which according to the current state of the art can not be made faster than about 1 to 2 seconds. The introduction of the additional lever thus allows a much faster shutdown of large short-circuit currents through the main bimetallic shutter release. This reduces the short-circuit current load when the main contact point is switched off, because it is proportional to the square of the short-circuit current multiplied by the time in which the short-circuit current is present. This very low short-circuit current load also makes it possible to keep the additional extinguishing chamber small. Overall, the short-circuit current load of the service switching device decreases and this can therefore be made more compact.

The selective bimetallic actuator may comprise a U-shaped thermo-bimetal whose deflection is perpendicular to the bimetallic plane defined by the two legs of the U-shaped thermo-bimetal and perpendicular to the mounting plane of the service switching device. As a result, a short construction of the selective bimetal is possible, while still a large force can be applied. Because the partial forces of each of the two legs of the U-shaped bimetal add up. This compact design of the selective bimetallic release contributes to the compact overall design.

Advantageously, the switch lock is arranged near the front front side. It can be used as a prefabricated module or constructed of individual parts inserted into the device housing. The detailed structure of the switch lock is not essential to the invention, moreover. With a handle that can be operated from the outside, the main contact point can be permanently opened and closed via the switch lock.

The main bimetallic element, the U-shaped thermo-bimetal and the auxiliary lever can be parallel to each other and in the area of a front narrow side in be arranged approximately perpendicular to the mounting plane. This also creates a spatial proximity of the three triggering elements to the switching mechanism arranged close to the front front.

Due to this spatial proximity of the three triggering elements to one another and to the switch lock, it is possible to make all three triggering elements act on the switch lock via a common release slide. The ways to be overcome are very short. This is also a contribution to a very compact design of the service switching device.

The additional quenching plates can be held in grooves in or as a preassembled additional splitter stack on the housing inner wall. Their area is less than half of the Deionisierungsbleche.

The spaces for the Deionisierungskammer and the additional chamber may be formed in a, approximately cuboid quenching chamber module body. This is oriented with its broad sides perpendicular to the mounting plane of the service switching device and divided by a parallel to the broad sides extending center partition in a Deionisierungs- subspace and an additional subspace. The Deionisierungsbleche are located in the Deionisierungs- subspace, and the additional quenching plates are located in the additional subspace.

Since the auxiliary extinguishing plates can be made very small, as described above, it is possible to put them next to the Deionisierungskammer in the common extinguishing chamber module body. This saves space and a very compact design possible, which is also manufactured inexpensively by the aforementioned modular design.

Furthermore, the deionization subspace and the additional subspace may have exhaust channels to the outside. These are formed between the back of Deionisierungsbleche or additional extinguishing plates and the side facing away from the rear narrow side of the device by parallel to the mounting plane extending webs on the central partition of the quenching chamber module body. The exhaust channels assist rapid decompression in the deionization chamber by preventing turbulence.

A further fluidic optimization can be achieved by using in the exhaust ducts, oriented perpendicular to the mounting plane, having a number of smaller holes pinholes. The thus optimized flow guidance contributes not insignificantly to a compact design of the overall device.

Further advantageous embodiments and improvements of the invention and further advantages can be taken from the further subclaims.

The document DE 102 03 443 discloses a device according to the preamble of claim 1.

Reference to the drawings, in which an embodiment of the invention is shown, the invention and further advantageous refinements and improvements of the invention will be explained and described in detail.

Fig. 1

ein Schaltschema eines erfindungsgemäßen Installationsschaltgerätes

Fig. 2

eine schematische Einsicht in ein Installationsschaltgerät, bei dem das Schaltschema nach Fig. 1 verwirklicht ist,

Fig. 3

eine schematische Ansicht des Löschkammer-Aufbaus, gesehen in einer schematischen Schnittansicht auf die Schmalseite an der Eingangsklemme, und

Fig. 4

eine schematische Ansicht der Bimetall-Anordnung, gesehen in Richtung der Geräteschmalseite.

Show it:

Fig. 1

a circuit diagram of a service switching device according to the invention

Fig. 2

a schematic view of an installation switching device, in which the circuit diagram of FIG. 1 is realized,

Fig. 3

a schematic view of the quenching chamber structure, seen in a schematic sectional view on the narrow side at the input terminal, and

Fig. 4

a schematic view of the bimetal arrangement, seen in the direction of the device narrow side.

Fig. 1 shows a circuit arrangement for a selective circuit breaker according to the invention. In a main current path between an input terminal 1 and an output terminal 6 is a main contact point 2, formed from a fixed and a Hauptkontakthebelarm attached movable main contact piece, with this associated additional extinguishing chamber 7 with additional extinguishing plates 8, and a secondary contact point 4, formed from a fixed and a mounted on a Nebenkontakthebelarm movable sub-contact piece, with one of these associated Deionisierungskammer 9 with Deionisierungsblechen 10. Both are connected in series.

Also in the main current path and connected in series with the two contact points 2, 4, there is a main bimetallic trigger 3, the trigger lever on the 36th a switching mechanism 20 acts, as well as a magnetic impact armature 5, which can open the secondary contact point 4.

Instead of a main thermostatic bimetal actuator, a main shape memory alloy actuator could also be employed. Overall, in the context of the invention, the terms "bimetallic release" and "bimetallic element" in each occurring word connection as synonymous with "thermal release" and "thermal release element" to read, so that also triggers and triggering elements are detected, which include, for example, shape memory alloys.

In the main bimetallic trigger 3, an additional lever 11 is arranged, which likewise acts on the release lever 36 of the switch lock 20 via a line of action 17 (see FIG. 2).

The magnetic impact armature 5 is connected via the line of action 14 with the auxiliary contact point 4. He puts it in the open position when it is traversed by a short-circuit current.

Parallel to the sub-contact point 4, a parallel-current path is connected, in which a resistance body 13 is arranged. Connected electrically in series with the resistance body 13 is located in the parallel current path a Selektivthermobimetall 12, which also acts on the switching mechanism 20.

The switching mechanism 20 is connected via the line of action 18 with the main contact point 2. The lines of action of the thermostatic bimetals 3, 12 on the switching mechanism 20 are denoted by the reference numerals 16 and 15.

If the switch according to FIG. 1 is intended to switch off a short circuit in a downstream circuit, then the secondary contact point 4 is first opened via the magnetic impact armature 5, specifically via the action line 14. The resulting arc is extinguished in the deionization chamber 9. In this case, the current is then commutated in the parallel current path and limited by the resistor body 13, wherein the main contact point 2 is still closed. The current limited by the resistor 13 flows through the coil of the magnetic impact armature 5 and this keeps the auxiliary contact point 4 open.

As long as the short-circuit current is not switched off, the selective thermal bimetal 12 heats up and, after expiry of its delay time, in this way permanently switches off the main contact point 2, as a result of which the current flow in the line protected by the selective circuit breaker is completely interrupted.

If, in a downstream circuit breaker, the short circuit is switched off before the delay time of the selective bimetallic strip 12 has expired, then the current flow through the magnetic impact armature 5 again drops below the triggering threshold and the secondary contact point 4 closes.

If the short-circuit current rises above a defined threshold value, for example above 6 kA, which means a "large" short-circuit current, which as a rule can only occur in front of a downstream circuit breaker, then the resulting due to the current flow in the main bimetallic tripping device 3 Magnetic field of the additional lever 11 attracted to the main bimetallic element 72 toward. The additional lever 11 then triggers the switching mechanism 20 via the trip slider 38 and the release lever 36, whereby the main contact point 2 is permanently opened and the short-circuit current is switched off. The shutdown by the additional lever 11 is done immediately and without delay, since the additional lever 11 has a small inertia. The shutdown by the additional lever 11 is done much faster than through the main bimetallic element 72. Thus, the "large" short-circuit current of more than 6 kA flows only for a very short time through the selective circuit, correspondingly low is the thermal load of the selective circuit and the burden of the main contact point 2. To delete a resulting at the main contact point 2 arc then the small additional extinguishing plates 8 are sufficient.

Fig. 2 shows a schematic view of an installation switching device, in which the circuit diagram of FIG. 1 is realized.

The device housing has a T-shape, with a front front side 132, two rear front sides 134, 136, two front and two rear narrow sides 138, 140, 142, 144 and a fastening plane 146 defining mounting side.

On the mounting side, a snap fastener for snapping the electrical service switching device is mounted on a top hat rail 180, with a Recess 160 on the mounting side of the service switching device, which has a fixed nose 162, and with a resiliently pressed into the recess 160 in the mounting position and thereby beyond the rear device narrow side 144 projecting slide 170, which in the locked state with a movable nose 172 behind a longitudinal edge the hat profile support rail engages

The main contact point 2 is associated with an additional extinguishing chamber 7 arranged next to the deionization chamber 9 with additional extinguishing plates 8 (see FIG. 3).

The deionization chamber 9 with the auxiliary extinguishing chamber 7, the auxiliary contact point 4 and the impact armature system 5 are arranged approximately in a row in the region of the fastening plane 146. The main bimetallic trigger 3 is arranged in the region of a front device narrow side 138 approximately perpendicular to the mounting plane 146. The main contact point 2 is arranged in the region of the other front narrow side 140, approximately perpendicular to the mounting plane 146.

The main thermostatic bimetallic actuator 3 comprises a main bimetallic element 72 (see also Fig. 4) and an additional lever 11. Due to the magnetic effect of the main bimetallic a force acts on the auxiliary lever 11 so that when a threshold value of Main Thermobimetallstromes the auxiliary lever 11 is attracted to the main bimetallic element 72, so that an integrally formed on the free end of the auxiliary lever 11 extension 11a acts on a trip slider 38, before the main bimetallic element 72 reaches the trip slider 38. The release slide 38 shifts toward the front narrow side 138 when actuated and thereby moves by means of an extension formed on it 34, the release lever 36 of the switching mechanism 20, so that the switching mechanism 20, the main contact point 2 permanently opens.

The additional lever 11 is mounted near the fixing point 76 of the main bimetallic element 72 at this pivotally. The fixation point 76 is connected to the housing of the striking anchor system 5.

Selective bimetallic actuator 12 includes a U-shaped thermo-bimetal 74 (see FIG. 4) whose deflection is perpendicular to that through the two legs 78, 80 of the U-shaped one Thermo-bimetal 18 fixed bimetallic plane and perpendicular to the mounting plane 146 takes place.

The main bimetallic element 72, the U-shaped thermo-bimetal 74 and the additional lever 11 are arranged parallel to each other and in the region of the front device narrow side 138 approximately perpendicular to the mounting plane 146. In Fig. 2, the U-shaped bimetallic strip 74 is covered by the main bimetallic strip 72, in Fig. 4, the mutual arrangement in the direction perpendicular to the front narrow side 138 can be seen more clearly.

In Fig. 4 it is also clear that the main bimetallic element 72, the U-shaped thermo-bimetal 74 and the additional lever 11 act on the parallel to the mounting plane 146 extending shutter slide 38.

The trip slider 38 is, as well as the switch latch 20, disposed near the front front side 132.

With an externally operable handle 22, the main contact point 2 can be permanently opened and closed via the switching mechanism 20.

By the release slider 38, the switch latch is brought from a Verklinkungs- in a Entklinkungszustand.

Inside the service switching device is on the front front side 132 a trigger lever actuator 50 is arranged in the form of a cylindrical body with an eccentrically mounted to the central axis 51 extension 53 which is adjustable from outside the service switching device between a switch-on and a switch-off that in the Switch-off position of the trigger slide 38 holds the trigger lever 36 in Entklinkungsstellung. Fig. 2 shows this switch-off position. The trip slider 38 is prevented by the blockage of its extension 32 by the extension 53 of the cylindrical body 50 to slide in the direction of the front narrow side 140, whereby then the extension 34 on the release slider 38 would release the release lever 36 of the switch latch 20.

3 schematically shows a view of the extinguishing chamber arrangement of deionization chamber 10 and additional chamber 7, seen from the direction of the rear narrow side 144. The Zusatzlöschbleche 8 are held in grooves formed by webs 148 150 in the housing inner wall.

Each of the auxiliary extinguishing plates 8 has an area less than half as large as the deionization plates 10.

The Deionisierungskammer 9 is separated by a wall of insulating material from the additional chamber 7.

The spaces for the Deionisierungskammer 9 and the additional chamber 7 are in a, approximately cuboid, oriented with its broad sides perpendicular to the mounting plane, extending through a parallel to the broad sides center partition 102 in a deionization subspace 104 and an additional subspace 106 divided extinguishing chamber Module body 100 formed. The Deionisierungsbleche 10, prefabricated as splitter stack, are located in the Deionisierungs- subspace 104, and the additional quenching plates 8 are located in the additional subspace 106th

The deionization subspace 104 and the additional subspace 106 have between the back of Deionisierungsbleche 10 and the additional extinguishing plates 8 and the secondary contact remote rear narrow side 144 of the device by parallel to the mounting plane 146 extending webs 152 on the center partition wall 102 in the rear Device narrow side 144 toward open exhaust ducts 154 on.

In the exhaust channels 154 are perpendicular to the mounting plane 146 oriented, a number of smaller holes having perforated diaphragms 156 used, so that the exhaust channels 154 are separated from the outside world fluidically optimized.

The selective resistor 13 is formed as a ceramic resistor body. It is located in the space between the sub-contact 4, the rear derailleur 20, the main bimetallic element 72 and the main contact point 4.

The terminals 1 and 2 are indicated in Fig. 2 only schematically. They are realized in a manner otherwise known.

On the front front is still a switch position indicator attached. It includes an opening 40 in the front front and an inside behind the device guided, slidably mounted plate 42 with two differently colored areas marked 44, 46. A display lever 48 of the switching mechanism is connected to the plate 42 so that it either one or the other color-coded area 44, 46 before the., depending on the switching state of the switching mechanism Opening 40 pushes, so that the switching position is visible from the outside. The opening can be covered by a viewing window.

Claims (21)

1. An installation switchgear, especially a selective circuit-breaker, comprising a main current path which comprises a series connection from a secondary contact point (4) with an associated deionization chamber (9), a magnetic armature system (5) through which the secondary contact point (4) can be opened, a main contact point (2) and a main thermal bimetallic trigger (3), and further comprising a parallel current path (selective current path) which is arranged parallel to the secondary contact point (4) and comprises a selective resistor (13) and a selective bimetallic trigger (12) which acts on a latching mechanism (20), with the main and/or selective bimetallic trigger (3, 12) being capable of permanently opening the main contact point (2) via the latching mechanism (20),
   characterized in that

   - the main contact point (2) is associated with an additional extinguishing chamber (7) with additional extinguishing plates (8) which is arranged close to the deionization chamber (9);

   - the deionization chamber (9) with the additional extinguishing chamber (7), the secondary contact point (4) and the armature system (5) are arranged approximately in a row in the region of the fastening plane (146);

   - the main thermal bimetallic trigger (3) is arranged in the region of a front narrow side of the device (138) approximately perpendicular to the fastening plane (146);

   - the main contact point (2) is arranged in the region of the other front narrow side (140), extending approximately perpendicular to the fastening plane (146).
2. An installation switchgear according to claim 1, characterized in that the main thermal bimetallic trigger (3) comprises a main thermal bimetallic element (72) and an additional lever (11), with a force acting upon the additional lever as a result of the magnetic effect of the main thermal bimetallic current in such a way that when a threshold value of the main thermal bimetallic current is exceeded the additional lever (11) opens the main contact point (2) via the latching mechanism.
3. An installation switchgear according to claim 2, characterized in that close to the fixing point (76) of the main thermal bimetallic element (72) the additional lever (11) is held in a swivelable manner on the same.
4. An installation switchgear according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the selective bimetallic trigger (12) comprises a U-shaped thermal bimetal (74) whose bending occurs perpendicular to the bimetal plane determined by the two legs (78, 80) of the U-shaped thermal bimetal (18) and perpendicular to the fastening plane (146).
5. An installation switchgear according to claim 4, characterized in that the main thermal bimetallic element (74), the U-shaped thermal bimetal (74) and the additional lever (11) are arranged parallel with respect to each other and in the region of a front narrow side (138) of the device approximately perpendicular to the fastening plane (146).
6. An installation switchgear according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the main thermal bimetallic element (72), the U-shaped thermal bimetal (74) and the additional lever (11) act upon a trigger slide (38) extending parallel to the fastening plane (146).
7. An installation switchgear according to claim 6, characterized in that the trigger slide (38) is arranged close to the forward front side (132).
8. An installation switchgear according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the latching mechanism (20) is arranged close to the forward front side (132).
9. An installation switchgear according to claim 8, characterized in that the main contact point (2) can be permanently opened or closed via the latching mechanism (20) with a handle (22) that can be actuated from the outside.
10. An installation switchgear according to one of the claims 6 to 9, characterized in that the latching mechanism (20) can be brought from a latching to an unlatching state by the trigger slide (38).
11. An installation switchgear according to claim 10, characterized by a trigger-lever actuating apparatus (50) which is arranged in the interior of the installation switchgear on the forward front side 132 and which can be adjusted from the outside of the installation switchgear between a switch-on and a switch-off position in such a way that in the switch-off position the trigger slide (38) is held in the unlatching position.
12. An installation switchgear according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the additional extinguishing plates (8) are held in grooves (150) in the inside wall of the housing.
13. An installation switchgear according to one of the claims 1 to 11, characterized in that the additional extinguishing plates (8) are held on the inside wall of the device as a preassembled package of additional extinguishing plates.
14. An installation switchgear according to claim 12 or 13, characterized in that the additional extinguishing plates (8) have a surface area which is half as large as the deionization plates (10).
15. An installation switchgear according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the deionization chamber (9) is separated by a wall made of insulating material from the additional chamber (7).
16. An installation switchgear according to claim 15, characterized in that the chambers for the deionization chamber (9) and the additional chamber (7) are formed by an approximately block-shaped extinguishing-chamber modular body (100) which is oriented with its broad sides perpendicular to the fastening plane and is divided by a middle separating wall (102) extending parallel to the broad sides into a deionization partial chamber (104) and an additional partial chamber (106), and that the deionization plates (10) are located in the deionization partial chamber (104) and the additional extinguishing plates (8) in the additional partial chamber (106).
17. An installation switchgear according to claim 16, characterized in that the deionization partial chamber (104) and the additional partial chamber (106) comprise waste gas ducts (154) which are open towards the rear narrow side (144) of the device by means of webs (152) extending parallel to the fastening plane (146) between the rear side of the deionization plates (10) and the additional extinguishing plates (8) and the rear narrow side (144) of the device averted from the secondary contact.
18. An installation switchgear according to claim 17, characterized in that perforated baffles (156) which comprise a number of smaller holes and are oriented into the waste gas ducts (154) perpendicular to the fastening plane (146) are used so that the waste gas ducts (154) are separated from the ambient environment in an optimized manner as regards flow.
19. An installation switchgear according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the selective resistor is arranged in the space between the ancillary contact point (4), the latching mechanism (20), the main thermal bimetallic element (72) and the main contact point (4).
20. An installation switchgear according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the device housing is T-shaped, comprising a front side (132) and two rear front sides (134, 136), two front and two rear narrow sides (138, 140, 142, 144) and a fastening plane (146).
21. An installation switchgear according to one of the preceding claims, comprising a quick-action fastener for latching the electric installation switchgear onto a top-hat carrier rail, with a recess (160) on the fastening side (146) of the installation switchgear which comprises a nose (162), and a slide (170) which is pressed in a first latching position, i.e. the fastening position, in a resilient manner into the recess (160) and projects in the first latching position beyond the rear narrow side (144) of the housing and engages in the unlatched state with a movable nose (172) behind a longitudinal edge of the top-hat carrier rail.

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