EP2050115B1 - Switching unit - Google Patents

Description

The invention relates to a switching unit for selectively switching off at least one consumer.

For cascades of miniature circuit breakers or circuit breakers, selectivity is crucial. In the event of an error, only the protective device closest to the location of the fault should be switched off. This ensures that only the faulty branch fails in the event of an error. From the prior art, for example from the DE 32 31 194 A1 , For this main line circuit breaker are known which have a selectivity. However, the purchase of these Haugtleitungs circuit breakers is associated with high costs. In addition, it could be used for this electronic units, which are not yet available because of their high cost but not in the market.

The invention has for its object to overcome the disadvantages of the prior art.

This object is achieved by the features specified in claim 1. The essence of the invention is that the unlatching of the switching mechanism takes place after the opening of the contact point.

FIG 1

eine schematische Ansicht einer erfindungsgemäßen Schalt-Einheit gemäß einem ersten Ausführungsbeispiel, die sich in einem störungsfreien Betriebszustand befindet;

FIG 2

eine schematische Ansicht der in FIG 1 dargestellten Schalt-Einheit, wobei der Schlaganker durch einen Kurzschluss betätigt worden ist;

FIG 3

eine schematische Ansicht der in FIG 1 dargestellten Schalt-Einheit, wobei der Schlaganker durch einen nicht-abgeschalteten Kurzschluss betätigt worden ist und ein Entklinkungs-Stift den Auslösehebel betätigt; und

FIG 4

eine schematische Ansicht eines weiteren Ausführungsbeispiels der erfindungsgemäßen Schalt-Einheit.

The invention will be described in more detail below with reference to preferred embodiments in conjunction with the drawings. Showing:

FIG. 1

a schematic view of a switching unit according to the invention according to a first embodiment, which is in a trouble-free operating condition;

FIG. 2

a schematic view of in FIG. 1 shown switching unit, wherein the impact armature has been actuated by a short circuit;

FIG. 3

a schematic view of in FIG. 1 shown switching unit, wherein the impact armature has been actuated by a non-disconnected short circuit and a unlatching pin actuates the release lever; and

FIG. 4

a schematic view of another embodiment of the switching unit according to the invention.

The following is with reference to the 1 to 3 a first embodiment of the invention described. A switching device comprises a self-switching switching unit 1 according to the invention, to the output of which a plurality of line trains are connected. In each line is another self-switching switching unit, which in turn is in each case downstream of a consumer. Consumers may be commonly used building installations.

The upstream switching unit 1 comprises a carrier plate 2, on which a release lever 3, a contact arm 4 and a pawl 5 are pivotally mounted. The carrier plate 2, the release lever 3 and the pawl 5 are components of a switching mechanism 6. The contact arm 4 is larger than the release lever 3 is formed.

Furthermore, the switching unit 1 comprises an actuatable impact armature 7 and a movably mounted Entklinkungs-pin 8, which rests against the impact armature 7. The unlatching pin 8 is fixed by the impact armature 7 in a normal, trouble-free operating state of the switching unit 1 in its position and is pressed by a compression spring 9 in the direction of the release lever 3. In the event of a short circuit, the impact armature 7 is set in motion and hits it against the contact arm 4. As a result, the contact arm 4 is pivoted and thereby opens a contact point to which the contact arm 4 belongs. After the impact armature 7 has been displaced, the unlatching pin 8 is no longer fixed in its position and is accelerated by the compression spring 9 in the direction of the release lever 3. By a suitable choice of the mass of Entklinkungs-pin 8 and by a suitable choice of the spring force of the compression spring 9 results for the Entklinkungsweg the Entklinkungs-pin 8 a predetermined period by which the unlatching is delayed in time over the opening of the contact point. Due to the pivoting of the release lever 3, the pawl 5 is released from the arresting release lever 3.

However, if the short circuit is switched off by a downstream switching unit within a certain time, there is no unlatching, since the impact armature 7 is returned to its rest position and thereby takes the Entklinkungs-pin 8 with before it can unlatch.

In the following, the structural design of the switching unit 1, which is in a fault-free state, will now be discussed in greater detail. The carrier plate 2 has a front side 10 and a rear side opposite the front side 10.

In a lower storage area 11 of the carrier plate 2, the release lever 3 is pivotally mounted. For a round in cross-section bearing pin 12 is provided which penetrates correspondingly adapted recesses in the trigger lever 3 and the carrier plate 2. The bearing pin 12 defines a bearing axis A. The recess formed in the release lever 3 for receiving the bearing pin 12 is assigned the reference numeral 13. The carrier plate 2 is also pivotally mounted on the bearing pin 12. The release lever 3 faces the front side 10 of the carrier plate 2, while the contact arm 4 is located on the rear side of the carrier plate 2. The contact arm 4 is in a closed switch position.

Above the storage area 11, the carrier plate 2 has a storage area 14, in which the pawl 5 is pivotally mounted. For this purpose, a circular cross-section bearing pin 15 is provided, which passes through correspondingly adapted recesses in the pawl 5 and the carrier plate 2. The bearing pin 15 defines a bearing axis B. The recess for receiving the bearing pin 15 in the pawl 5 is assigned the reference numeral 16. The bearing axes A and B are parallel to each other. The pawl 5 is located on the same side of the support plate 2 as the release lever 3. So it is also the front 10 of the support plate 2 faces. The contact arm 4 is also pivotally mounted on the bearing pin 15.

The release lever 3 has a central bearing portion 17 in which the circular recess 13 is located. From the bearing portion 17, a trigger arm 18 extends in a first direction substantially downwards. The release arm 18 has a release surface 19 which is provided at a distance from the recess 13.

From the bearing portion 17 also extends a Entklinkungsarm 20 in a second direction, which is substantially opposite to the first direction of the trigger arm 18 upwards. The Entklinkungsarm 20 has a flat locking surface 21 which is again spaced from the recess 13. The locking surface 21 is substantially perpendicular to the straight flat release surface 19. The pawl 5 has a recessed locking portion 25 on which the locking surface 21 of the trigger lever 3 in the trouble-free state rests securely. The locking portion 25 is arranged at a distance from the recess 16.

On the contact arm 4 engages below the bearing pin 15, a tension spring 23 which is fixed to a fixed bearing surface 24 and pulls the contact arm 4 in a closed position.

In the region of the locking portion 25, a connecting rod 26 is connected to the pawl 5, which couples the pawl 5 rigidly with a handle 39. The handle 39 is manually operable. The connecting rod 26, the handle 39 and the tension spring 23 are further components of the switching mechanism. 6

Further, the switching unit 1 has a fixed guide plate 27 arranged below the carrier plate 2 with a lower guide opening 28 and an upper guide opening 29, which are parallel to each other and perpendicular to the axes A, B of the bearing pins 12 or 15 run. The release arm 18 of the release lever 3 extends into the region of the guide opening 29, while the contact arm 4 extends beyond the guide opening 28.

On the guide plate 27 is located on a first side 30 an electric coil 31 at. The impact anchor 7 has a longitudinal center axis C and is displaceable along its longitudinal center axis C. Furthermore, the impact armature 7 comprises a magnetic holding head 32 and an elongated impact projection 33 acting as a tappet projecting from the holding head 32. The holding head 32 faces the side 30. The impact projection 33 passes through the coil 31 and the guide opening 28. It protrudes from the guide plate 27 and ends in the direction of the longitudinal center axis C spaced from the contact arm 4. The holding head 32, however, is spaced from the guide plate 27 and protrudes from the coil 31. It is designed such that it does not fit through the guide opening 28. By a compression spring 42 which bears against the side 30 and the holding head 32, the impact armature 7 is held in its rest position.

Through the guide opening 29 of the unlatching pin 8 is slidably guided, which has a parallel to the longitudinal center axis C of the impact armature 7 longitudinal center axis D. Furthermore, the unlatching pin 8 has an elongate unlatching portion 34 with a front planar unlatching surface 35, one of the unlatching portion 34 laterally projecting abutment arm 36 and a loading head 37, on which the compression spring 9 abuts. The compression spring 9 is supported against a fixed support surface 38 and exerts a pressure force on the Entklinkungs-pin 8 in the direction of the trigger surface 19 via the Beaufschlagungs-head 37. The attachment arm 36 extends to the impact anchor 7 and is flat on the holding head 32.

The function of the switching unit 1 will now be described in the case of a short circuit which is not switched off within a certain period of time by a downstream switching unit. In a normal, short-circuit-free operating condition, which is in FIG. 1 is shown, the contact arm 4 is in a closed position and the corresponding contact point is closed; a contact piece 45 which is in direct contact with the movable contact arm 4 bears against a fixed contact piece (not shown). The contact point is thus formed by the contact arm 4 with the contact piece 45 and the fixed contact piece. Based on the current flow through the switching unit 1, the contact point of the coil 31 is connected in series, with the fixed contact piece is in front of the contact piece 45.

The tension spring 23 ensures that the contact arm 4 is pulled with the contact piece 45 in the direction of the fixed contact point. Further, the compression spring 9 presses over the loading head 37 the abutment arm 36 with a holding head 32 facing abutment surface 40 against the holding head 32. By the holding head 32, acts on the compression spring 42, the unlatching pin 8 but in his Position determined.

In the event of a short circuit, the impact armature 7 is displaced along its longitudinal center axis C against the compression spring 42 by the coil 31, which is now under short-circuit current, which is connected to an input, the retaining head 32 of the guide plate 27 approaches. The impact projection 33 strikes against the contact arm 4 facing club face 41 against the contact arm 4, whereby it is pivoted about the bearing axis B and thereby opens the contact point. The movable contact piece 45 is thus lifted from the fixed contact piece, whereby the downstream switching units are de-energized. The abutment arm 36 is no longer resting on the holding head 32 because of the offset impact armature 7. Due to the mass-spring system, which is formed by the Entklinkungs-pin 8 and the compression spring 9, the now free Entklinkungs-pin 8 along the axis D is accelerated in a predetermined manner. Since the unlatching pin 8 is not magnetic, it is not affected by the field of the coil 31. The unlatching pin 8 may for example consist of plastic, ceramic or graphite.

If the short circuit is switched off by a downstream switching unit in a certain time, the impact armature 7 is in the output by means of the compression spring 42 arranged in the coil 31, which is supported on the guide plate 27 on the side 30 and the holding head 32 Position pushed back. If necessary, the unlatching pin 8 is also pushed back. Namely, the holding head 32 is pressed against the abutment surface 40 of the abutment arm 36. The contact point is closed again.

If there is no shutdown of the short circuit by a downstream switching unit within a certain period of time, the Entklinkungs-pin 8 is moved by the compression spring 9 in the same direction as the impact armature 7 and pressed against the trigger surface 19 of the release lever 3, whereby the release lever. 3 is pivoted about the bearing axis A. The unlatching pin 8 lays down a Entklinkungsweg, which is essentially the distance between the Entklinkungsfläche 35 and the trigger surface 19 in the rest position. By pivoting the release lever 3 and the Entklinkungsarm 20 is pivoted so that the locking surface 21 is out of engagement with the locking portion 25 of the pawl 5 passes. The pawl 5 is no longer locked. The carrier plate 2 with the pawl 5 and the release lever 3 is rotated by the force of the tension spring 23 about the bearing axis A in the counterclockwise direction, so that the contact arm 4 remains in the open position. The contact point remains open.

After switching off the short circuit of the impact armature 7 by the compression spring 42 back into his in FIG. 1 shown starting position moves back and takes the Entklinkungs-pin 8 with. The release lever 3 is pivoted by a torsion spring, not shown, back to its original position, so that a renewed switching on the circuit is possible. The pawl 5 is swung back by pivoting the handle 39 in the exhibition back to its original position.

According to an alternative embodiment, the non-magnetic unlatching pin 8 is disposed in and passes through the coil 31. As a result, an extremely space-saving design of the switching unit 1 is possible. The coil 31 has no influence on the unlatching pin 8, since this - as already mentioned - is non-magnetic.

Instead of the specified springs and other springs or elements can be used, which generate corresponding forces. It is only important that the elements, which are associated with the springs used, are acted upon or pressed in the respective directions in order to interact with the respective components. Torsional springs can also be used, for example. The fixed surfaces may form parts of a housing in which the switching unit 1 is arranged.

The following is with reference to FIG. 4 a further embodiment of the invention described. Identical parts are given the same reference numerals as in the previous embodiment, the description of which is hereby incorporated by reference. Structurally different, but functionally similar parts receive the same reference numerals with a high set stroke.

In contrast to the previously described embodiment, the embodiment according to FIG. 4 no separate unlatching pin 8. For this purpose, the release lever 3 'at the free end of the release arm 18' on an inertial mass approach 43, so that it has a particularly high inertia. On the trigger arm 18 'also a tension spring 44 is connected, which is also attached to the contact arm 4.

Upon the occurrence of a short circuit of the impact armature 7 again strikes against the contact arm 4, causing it pivots and the contact point is opened. As a result, the tension spring 44 is stretched more. Due to the inertial mass approach 43, the release lever 3 'has a particularly high inertia and responds with a time delay to the pivoting of the contact arm 4. If the short circuit is not turned off by a downstream switching unit, the release lever 3' to the pivoted position of the Contact arm 4 pulled by the tension spring 44. In this case, the Entklinkungsarm 20 is actuated, so that the pawl 5 is released from the locking surface 21 of the Entklinkungsarms 20. The pawl 5 can then be actuated by the handle 39.

If the short circuit is switched off within the delay by a downstream switching unit, the impact armature 7 is moved back to its rest position by the compression spring 42. The contact point is closed again by the contact arm 4 and the tension spring 44 relaxes again. The switch lock 6 is not unlatched. Instead of the tension spring 44 also other springs, such as a compression spring or torsion spring, can be used with changed attachment. According to a further development, the position or tension of the tension spring 44 can be adjusted from the outside. As a result, the time selectivity can be set as desired, so that even in multi-stage cascades selectivity is consistently achievable. The position of the tension spring 44 can be variably changed by an adjusting screw, an eccentric wheel or a sliding wedge.

The switching unit requires no electronic components. It is mechanical. Therefore, it has a particularly high reliability.

Claims (7)

1. Switching unit for the selective switching-off of at least one consumer, with

   a) at least one contact point, comprising a moveably mounted contact arm (4),

   b) an actuatable hammer armature (7) for opening the contact point by moving the contact arm (4),

   c) a switching lock (6), which includes

   d) a moveably mounted latch (5), and

   e) a moveably mounted tripping lever (3) assigned to the latch, which can be moved between

   f) a latch-release position, in which the latch (5) is released, and

   g) a latch-locking position, in which the latch (5) is locked,

   h) with the release of the latch (5) by the tripping lever (3, 3') taking place in a time-delayed fashion compared with the actuation of the contact arm (4) by the hammer armature (7),
   characterised by

   i) an unlatching pin (8), which

   j) is moveable in an actuation direction,

   k) has an unlatching surface (35) for supporting the tripping lever (3), and

   l) a support surface (40) for support against the hammer armature (7), as a result of which the unlatching pin (8) is defined in a failure-free operating state of the switching unit in its position in the actuation direction.
2. Switching unit according to claim 1, characterised in that the unlatching pin (8) is applied with a spring (9) in the actuation direction in order to actuate the tripping lever (3).
3. Switching unit according to one of the preceding claims, characterised by an electrical coil (31) for actuating the hammer armature (7).
4. Switching unit according to claim 3, characterised in that the unlatching pin (8) passes through the coil (31).
5. Switching unit according to one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the unlatching pin (8) is not magnetic.
6. Switching unit according to one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the unlatching pin (8) for unlatching the switching lock (6) covers an unlatching path, with the operating time of the unlatching pin (8) being predetermined for the unlatching path by means of its mass.
7. Switching unit according to one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the unlatching pin (8) for unlatching the switching lock (6) covers an unlatching path, with the operating time of the unlatching pin (8) for the unlatching path being predetermined by the spring (9).

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