EP2023368A1 - Electromechanical power switch with integrated but separately actuating breaker function - Google Patents

Abstract

The switch has a rotary drive (8) twistable between on and off positions. A contact bridge (1) is spring loaded by a pressure spring (4) in a direction of mating contacts (2). The drive gradually releases a guide device (10) during twisting of the on and off positions, and tensions a latch (15) by a drive arrangement (12) so that the spring gradually lowers the bridge on the contacts. The latch is trigged based on the current flowing through the bridge, and lifts the bridge from the contacts during release around an opening distance (d) which is smaller than a separation distance (D).

Description

The present invention relates to an electromechanical circuit breaker, comprising a rotary drive, a drive arrangement, a switching mechanism, a contact bridge, mating contacts, a pressure spring and a protective device. The contact bridge is spring-loaded by means of the pressure spring in the direction of the mating contacts. The rotary drive is rotatable between an on and an off position. When turning from the off to the on position of the rotary drive means of the drive assembly biases the switching mechanism, so that the pressure spring lowers the contact bridge on the mating contacts. When turning from the on to the off position, the rotary drive relaxes the switching mechanism by means of the drive arrangement and gradually lifts the contact bridge away from the mating contacts. In the event that the switching mechanism is tensioned and the contact bridge is lowered onto the mating contacts, the protective device triggers the switching mechanism as a function of a current flowing through the contact bridge. In the event of tripping, the switch lock lifts the contact bridge away from the mating contacts.

Such electromechanical circuit breakers are well known. Each common electromechanical circuit breaker is constructed in this way. By way of example, reference is made to the "Sirius" series of the applicant, for example, the type 3RV102.

From the DE 101 52 425 A1 An electromechanical circuit breaker of the type described above is also known. This electromechanical circuit breaker additionally has a locking lever. The locking lever is held in the event that the contact bridge is welded to the mating contacts, in a position in which he prevents manual rotation of the rotary actuator in the off position.

• Das manuelle Betätigen des Drehantriebs muss auf die Kontaktbrücke übertragen werden.
• Die Schaltstellung der Kontaktbrücke soll zuverlässig außen am Gerät angezeigt werden.
• Im Falle des Auslösens des Schaltschlosses muss die Kontaktbrücke automatisch von den Gegenkontakten abgehoben werden. Dies muss auch dann gelten, wenn der Drehantrieb gewaltsam in der Ein-Stellung gehalten wird. Ein als weitere Anforderung gilt hierbei, dass die Auslösekraft und der Auslöseweg über die Lebensdauer des elektromechanischen Leistungsschalters und über einen hohen Temperaturbereich (typisch von ca. -50°C bis + 120°C) konstant und möglichst klein sein sollen.
• Eventuell soll das Vorliegen einer Auslösung des Schaltschlosses außen am elektromechanischen Leistungsschalter angezeigt werden.

Electromechanical circuit breakers must meet many requirements. Some of these requirements are as follows:

• Manual actuation of the rotary actuator must be transferred to the contact bridge.
• The switching position of the contact bridge should be reliably displayed on the outside of the device.
• In the case of triggering the switching mechanism, the contact bridge must be automatically lifted from the mating contacts. This must also apply if the rotary actuator is forcibly held in the on position. A further requirement here is that the tripping force and tripping path over the life of the electromechanical circuit breaker and over a high temperature range (typically from about -50 ° C to + 120 ° C) should be constant and as small as possible.
• Eventually, the presence of a tripping of the switch lock should be displayed on the outside of the electromechanical circuit breaker.

Preferably, the contact bridge is held in the off position of the mating contacts so far away that overvoltage in the power grid, a rollover to the disconnected circuit is prevented. This situation corresponds to the requirement "disconnector" according to IEC 60947-3. This standard requires an air gap of more than 7 mm.

In order to keep the release force of the switch latch as small as possible and to keep the switching speed as large as possible, it is advantageous if the components in the switch lock and thus the switch lock itself are designed as small as possible. However, as the rated current of the electromechanical circuit breaker increases, the forces that need to be switched increase. Because the contact force is quadratic proportional to the current. It is very much in the art difficult and almost impossible to unite the reluctant requirements high switching forces, small release forces, high opening speed and large contact opening in a single switch lock design. In the prior art, for this reason in particular, a corresponding switching mechanism is usually designed for each size of an electromechanical circuit breaker (rated current), which is optimal taking into account the particular requirements for the occurring forces, paths and speeds. Depending on the design of the switch lock, the switch lock will implement the disconnector functionality according to IEC 60947-3 or not. In one case, the switch lock must be made relatively large, in the other case, it can be made smaller. Applicant's Sirius series electromechanical circuit breakers, for example, meet divider functionality, for example.

The object of the present invention is to develop such an electromechanical circuit breaker of the type mentioned that its switching mechanism is compact and realized the electromechanical circuit breaker nevertheless a disconnector functionality.

The object is achieved by an electromechanical circuit breaker with the features of claim 1. Advantageous embodiments are the subject of the dependent claims 2 to 10.

According to the invention, the electromechanical circuit breaker in addition to the previously mentioned components on a guide device. The rotary drive gradually releases the guide device when turning from the off to the on position. Only the release of the guide device allows (possibly in combination with the tensioning of the switching mechanism) that the pressure spring gradually lowers the contact bridge on the mating contacts. Furthermore, the rotary drive lifts when turning from the on to the off position the contact bridge by means of the guide device gradually to a separation distance from the mating contacts. The separation distance is greater than an opening distance by which the switching mechanism in the case of triggering the contact bridge lifts from the mating contacts.

As far as it relates to the movement of the contact bridge between the mating contacts and the opening distance, the movement of the contact bridge can thus be realized according to the invention at will. As far as it concerns the movement of the contact bridge between the opening distance and the separation distance, this movement, however, takes place exclusively by means of the guide device.

The guide device must realize no function in the inventive embodiment with respect to the triggering in case of failure. It simply has to be designed in such a way that it does not hinder the function of the switch lock. Therefore, the guide device must meet with respect to speed, free release, low tripping forces, etc. no requirements. It can therefore be made very simple and stable. Conversely, the opening distance achievable by the switch lock need not be so great that the disconnector functionality of IEC 60947-3 is realized. The switch lock can therefore be made small and compact.

The separation distance is usually between 1½ times and 4 times the opening distance. For example, with two-sided contact opening, the opening distance may be between 1 and 3 mm, the separation distance at least 3½ mm. With (exceptionally) only one-sided contact opening, the double values must be observed.

Usually, the rotary drive is rotated by about 90 ° to turn the Ausin the on position. However, other twist angles are possible.

Preferably, the rotary drive is kept stable or lockable in the off position. Because of this it is not possible that the contact bridge is brought up to the opening distance to the mating contacts without conscious external influence.

The switching mechanism can act on the contact bridge in the event of tripping over the guide device. Alternatively, it is possible that the switching mechanism acts directly on the contact bridge in the event of tripping. Which of these two alternative embodiments is taken is at the discretion of the person skilled in the art.

In a particularly simple embodiment of the present invention, the guide device is designed as a slide with two ends. One end is intended to rest on the rotary drive, the other end to rest on the contact bridge.

As a rule, the protective device has a short-circuit release and / or an overload release. As a rule, both components are present here. In individual cases, however, it may be sufficient if the protective device has only one of the two components.

In the event of a release, the switch lock preferably transfers the rotary drive into an intermediate position ("trip"), which lies between the on and the off position. In this way it is immediately apparent from outside the circuit breaker that a tripping operation has taken place.

FIG 1

schematisch einen elektromechanischen Leistungsschalter im Schnitt,

FIG 2 und 3

eine Antriebseinrichtung eines elektromechanischen Leistungsschalters in der Aus-Stellung und

FIG 4

die Antriebseinrichtung der FIG 2 und 3 in der Ein-Stellung.

Further advantages and details will become apparent from the following description of exemplary embodiments in conjunction with the drawings. In a schematic representation:

FIG. 1

schematically an electromechanical circuit breaker in section,

FIGS. 2 and 3

a drive device of an electromechanical circuit breaker in the off position and

FIG. 4

the drive device of FIG. 2 and 3 in the on position.

The 1 to 4 show a possible embodiment of an electromechanical circuit breaker according to the invention. They will be described together below.

According to FIG. 1 For example, an electromechanical power switch has at least one contact bridge 1, for example three, four or five such contact bridges 1. Each contact bridge 1 interacts with mating contacts 2 and thus forms a respective electrical switching path. In the context of the present invention, the number of switching paths is not important. The present invention will therefore be explained below in connection with a single switching path. However, it is readily applicable to electromechanical circuit breakers with multiple switching paths.

The contact bridge 1 is fixed in a contact bridge carrier 3. As a rule, a separate contact bridge carrier 3 is present for each contact bridge 1. In principle, however, a common contact bridge carrier 3 could be present for all existing contact bridges 1.

The electromechanical circuit breaker has a pressure spring 4, which acts on the contact bridge 1. The contact bridge 1 is spring-loaded by means of the pressure spring 4 in the direction of the mating contacts 2. It can be lowered onto the mating contacts 2 and can be lifted off from the mating contacts 2. When the contact bridge 1 is lowered onto the mating contacts 2, the switching path is closed. Current can therefore flow from an input terminal 5 via a first of the mating contacts 2, the contact bridge 1 and the other of the mating contacts 2 to a protective device 6 and from there to an output terminal 7. If the contact bridge 1, however, is lifted from the mating contacts 2, the switching path is interrupted.

It is possible that the pressure spring 4 acts on the contact bridge 1 via the contact bridge carrier 3. In general, however, the pressure spring 4 acts directly on the contact bridge 1. The contact bridge carrier 3 may for this purpose have a corresponding recess through which the pressure spring 4 is guided. The recess is in the 1 to 4 but not shown.

The closing of the switching path (ie the lowering of the contact bridge 1 on the mating contacts 2) is usually done manually. In some cases it can be done by motor. It is done by operating a rotary drive 8, the between an off position (see the FIG. 2 and 3 ) and an on position (see FIG. 4 ) is rotatable about a rotation axis 9. A comparison of FIG. 2 and 3 on the one hand, and FIG. 4 On the other hand, this shows that the rotary drive 8 is rotated by about 90 ° to rotate from the off to the on position (or back). This embodiment is the rule, which is usually realized in the prior art. The twist angle of 90 ° is not mandatory. It could also have a different amount, for example 120 ° or 180 °. In some cases, the angle of rotation may also be less than 90 °, for example, be only 60 ° or 75 °.

When the rotary drive 8 is in the off position, the contact bridge 1 of the mating contacts 2 a large distance D, hereinafter referred to as separation distance D. The separation distance D is for example more than 3½ mm. For example, the separation distance D may be between 4 mm and 5 mm or 5½ mm. Due to the opening on both sides of the contact consisting of contact bridge 1 and mating contacts 2, this distance D is sufficient to realize a disconnector functionality according to IEC 60947-3. The contact bridge 1 is held at this distance D by a guide device 10.
The guide device 10 is supported according to the FIGS. 2 to 4 directly on the rotary drive 8 from. It thus has an end 11, which is intended to rest on the rotary drive 8. Alternatively, however, the guide device 10 could also be supported on another element which is actuated by the rotary drive 8, for example on a drive arrangement 12.

Another end 13 of the guide device 10 is supported - directly or via the contact bridge carrier 3 - on the contact bridge 1 from. The other end 13 is thus provided for contact with the contact bridge 1.

In the present case, the guide device 10 is designed as a slide 10. However, the guide device 10 could also be designed differently, for example as a cam, which is rotatably mounted about an axis.

When the rotary drive 8 is rotated from the off to the on position, the rotary drive 8 gradually releases the guide device 10. To realize such a gradual release of the rotary drive 8 according to the embodiment, a sliding plane 14 (hereinafter referred to as ramp 14), which slides on rotation of the rotary drive 8 at the first end 11 of the guide device 10 along.

By turning the rotary drive 8, the contact bridge 1 is gradually lowered to the mating contacts 2. The lowering is effected here by the pressure spring. Furthermore, by turning the rotary drive 8 from the off in the on position, a switching mechanism 15 is tensioned. The switching mechanism 15 represents the usual transmission assembly, which can possibly cause an automatic opening of the current paths. The structure of the switching mechanism 15 corresponds to the usual configuration in the prior art. For the construction of the switching mechanism 15 therefore no detailed explanations are required.

Preferably, the clamping of the switching mechanism 15 begins only from an intermediate position which lies between the on and the off position of the rotary drive 8. The intermediate position can hereby lie at any point between the on and the off position. When the rotary drive 8 is in the intermediate position 8, the contact bridge 1 of the mating contacts 2 has an opening distance d which is smaller than the separation distance D. The separation distance D is thus - conversely spoken - greater than the opening distance d.

The separation distance D is preferably between 1½ times and 4 times the opening distance d. In a typical embodiment, the opening distance d is between 1 mm and 3 mm, for example about 2 mm.

When the rotary drive 8 is completely transferred to the on position, the switching mechanism 15 is fully cocked and ready to fire. Furthermore, the contact bridge 1 is lowered onto the mating contacts 2. This condition is in FIG. 4 shown.

When the rotary drive 8 is rotated back from the on to the off position, the inverse process takes place. It is thus relaxed by means of the drive assembly 12, the switching mechanism 15. Furthermore, the contact bridge 1 is gradually lifted from the mating contacts 2, up to the separation distance D. The lifting of the contact bridge 1 to the separation distance D takes place here by means of the guide device 10th

As already mentioned, lifting the contact bridge 1 up to the separation distance D should ensure that the corresponding switching path remains reliably open. Even when applying an overvoltage should not happen rollover. Preferably, therefore, the rotary drive 8 is held stable or lockable in the off position. For example, the rotary drive 8 may have a small trough into which the guide device 10 is immersed when the rotary drive 8 is in the off position. Alternatively or additionally, the region of the rotary drive 8, on which the first end 11 of the guide device 10 rests in the off position of the rotary drive 8, be encased by two small cams. through This measure ensures that the rotary drive 8 is kept stable in the off position.

Alternatively or additionally, the rotary drive 8 can be locked in the off position. For this purpose, for example, on the rotary drive 8, a pin 16 may be present, which is movable parallel to the axis of rotation 9. The pin 16 can be lowered, for example, in a corresponding receptacle of a housing 17 of the electromechanical circuit breaker. When the pin 16 is lowered into the latter recess, the rotary drive 8 is locked in the off position. The lock can - as also common in the art, for example - be secured by means of a padlock or the like.

As already mentioned, the current flowing through the contact bridge 1 also flows through the protective device 6. If such a current can flow, the switching mechanism 15 must be forcibly tensioned and the contact bridge 1 must be lowered onto the mating contacts 2. The protective device 6 monitors the flowing current. In response to this current, the protection device 6 triggers the switching mechanism 15.

The protective device 6 may have, for example, a magnetically acting short-circuit release 18 for triggering the switching mechanism 15. The short-circuit release 18 triggers the switching mechanism 15 immediately when the current exceeds a limit. The limit is usually a multiple of the rated current of the electromechanical circuit breaker, for example, thirteen times the rated current.

Alternatively or (as a rule) in addition to the short-circuit release 18, the protective device 6 may have an overload release 19. The overload release 19 triggers the switching mechanism 15 when the current is above the nominal current of the electromechanical circuit breaker for a long time, but the short-circuit release 18 does not respond. The tripping characteristic the overcurrent release 19 is defined by relevant standards.

When the protective device 6 triggers the switching mechanism 15, the switching mechanism 15 lifts the contact bridge 1 (directly or via the contact bridge carrier 3) from the mating contacts 2. However, the switch lock 15 causes only a lift by the opening distance d, not a lift to the separation distance D.

According to the FIGS. 2 to 4 the switching mechanism 15 acts on the contact bridge carrier 3 or on the contact bridge 1 in the case of triggering via the guide device 10. Alternatively, it would also be possible for the switching mechanism 15 to act directly on the contact bridge carrier 3 or on the contact bridge 1.

The triggering of the switching mechanism 15 preferably also leads to a deflection of the rotary drive 8 from the on position. It is possible that the triggering of the switching mechanism 15 converts the rotary drive 8 in the off position. Preferably, however, the switching mechanism 15 transfers the rotary drive 8 only in the intermediate position, in the prior art usually called trip position.

The electromechanical circuit breaker according to the invention has many advantages. In particular, it is possible to use one and the same switch lock 15 for different types of electromechanical circuit breakers, since the switch lock 15 only has to realize the opening characteristic, but not the disconnecting property. The variety of components can therefore be reduced, which represents a cost advantage and an advantage in material management. Furthermore, a compact design of the electromechanical circuit breaker can be realized.

The above description is only for explanation of the present invention. The scope of protection of the present On the other hand, the invention should be determined solely by the appended claims.

Claims (10)

Electromechanical circuit breaker, comprising a rotary drive (8), a drive arrangement (12), a guide device (10), a switching mechanism (15), a contact bridge (1), mating contacts (2), a pressure spring (4) and a safety device (6) . - wherein the contact bridge (1) by means of the pressure spring (4) in the direction of the mating contacts (2) is spring-loaded, - wherein the rotary drive (8) is rotatable between an on and an off position, - Wherein the rotary drive (8) during rotation from the off to the on position gradually releases the guide means (10) and by means of the drive assembly (12) biases the switch lock (15), so that the pressure spring (4) the contact bridge (1) gradually lowers to the mating contacts (2), - Wherein the rotary drive (8) when turning from the on to the off position by means of the drive assembly (12) relaxes the switch lock (15) and by means of the guide means (10) the contact bridge (1) gradually to a separation distance (D ) lifts off from the mating contacts (2), - Wherein the protective device (6) in the event that the switching mechanism (15) is stretched and the contact bridge (1) is lowered to the mating contacts (2), the switching mechanism (15) in response to a current flowing through the contact bridge (1) triggers, - wherein the switching lock (15) in the case of triggering the contact bridge (1) of the mating contacts (2) by an opening distance (d) lifts, - The opening distance (d) is smaller than the separation distance (D). Circuit breaker according to Claim 1,
characterized,
that the separation distance (D) is between 1½ times and 4 times the opening distance (d). Circuit breaker according to claim 2,
characterized,
that the opening distance (d) for double-sided contact opening is between 1 mm and 3 mm and that the separation distance (D) is at least 3½ mm. Circuit breaker according to claim 1, 2 or 3,
characterized,
that the rotary drive (8) is rotated by about 90 ° to rotate from the off to the on position. Circuit breaker according to one of the above claims,
characterized,
that the rotary drive (8) is held stable in the off position or can be locked. Circuit breaker according to one of Claims 1 to 5,
characterized,
in that the switching mechanism (15) acts on the contact bridge (1) via the guide device (10) in the event of tripping. Circuit breaker according to one of Claims 1 to 5,
characterized,
that the switching mechanism (15) acts directly on the contact bridge (1) in the event of tripping. Circuit breaker according to one of the above claims,
characterized,
in that the guide device (10) is designed as a slide with two ends (11, 13), that one end (11) is provided for engagement with the rotary drive (8) and that the other end (13) is in contact with the contact bridge (1 ) is provided. Circuit breaker according to one of the above claims,
characterized,
that the protective device (6) has a short-circuit release (18) and / or an overload trigger (19). Circuit breaker according to one of the above claims,
characterized,
that the switching mechanism (15) in the case of triggering the rotary drive (8) transferred to an intermediate position which lies between the on and the off position.

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