EP2100318A2

EP2100318A2 - Electrical switching device with a rotating knob

Info

Publication number: EP2100318A2
Application number: EP07856731A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Ralf MÜLLER; Frank Hustert
Original assignee: ABB AG Germany
Current assignee: ABB AG Germany
Priority date: 2006-12-14
Filing date: 2007-12-14
Publication date: 2009-09-16
Also published as: CN101663722B; WO2008071435A3; CN101663722A; DE102006058987B4; DE102007060932B4; DE102006058987A1; WO2008071435A2; DE102007060932A1

Abstract

The invention describes an electrical switching device (1) in particular a motor circuit breaker and/or circuit breaker, at least with a rotary knob (10), which is mounted on the front face of the housing (9), for operation of at least one contact point via a switching mechanism, with the rotary knob (10) having a circular pot section (12) and a grip section (13), and being able to assume an initial position and a connected position, and being lead-sealable in the initial position. A slide (14) is mounted such that it can be moved radially in the grip section (13), can be pulled radially out of the grip section (13) when the rotary knob (10) is in the initial position, and can thus be moved from its released position to its locked position, and when in its locked position projects radially beyond the rotary knob (10). A holding wall (18) is integrally formed on the front face of the housing (9), with which the slide can be brought into contact in its locked position, thus preventing the rotary knob from being rotated from the initial position to the connected position when the slide is pulled out, and such that the slide can be lead-sealed in its locked position.

Description

Electrical switching device with a twist grip

description

The invention relates to an electrical switching device, in particular a motor protection switch and / or a circuit breaker, according to the preamble of claim 1. Generic switching devices have at least one mounted on the housing surface rotary handle for actuating at least one contact point in the interior of the switching device via a switching mechanism. By the rotary handle, the switching device is brought into its functional position, that is, that the switching device is switched on or off. By turning a mechanical power storage, preferably a rotary or coil spring is usually stretched, and the provision of the rotary handle is carried out at a release by a magnetic release or by a thermal release by releasing the stored spring energy. Due to the position of the rotary handle, the switch position is visually displayed to the operator. The rotary handle can be a starting position, which is the off position, and take a closed position.

The rotary handle comprises a circular pot portion and a handle portion. In generic switching devices of the rotary handle can be sealed in the starting position, so that unauthorized switching on the rotary handle is prevented by the sealing device. In known switching devices, a slider can be pulled out on the rotary handle in the radial direction in the starting position. By pulling out the slide, a locking device is activated in the interior of the rotary handle, which via a Nuf- and-pin mechanism, in cooperation with the protruding from the housing surface axis of rotation for the rotary handle or the housing upper side itself, a rotation of the Rotary handle prevented from the initial position, as long as the slider is in the pulled-out position. This locking device is by a complicated structure, connected to a high Space required for the groove and tenon mechanism inside the rotary handle and allows only a weak lock.

It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a generic electrical switching device in which the locking of the rotary handle in the initial position is simplified and improved.

The object is achieved by a generic switching device with the characterizing features of claim 1.

According to the invention in the handle portion in the initial position of the rotary handle radially out of the handle portion and thereby removable from its release position can be brought into its locking position slide radially slidably mounted, which projects beyond the rotary handle radially in its locking position, and on the front side of the housing is a Formed retaining wall against which the slide in its locking position can be brought into abutment, so that a rotation of the rotary handle from the starting position is prevented in the closed position with the slide pulled out, and the slide is sealable in its locking position.

In a switching device according to the invention, the locking device for the rotary handle is thus no longer located exclusively in the interior of the rotary handle, but displaced outwards. As a result, more space is available inside the rotary handle, the rotary handle itself is easier to produce. The retaining wall, which cooperates with the outside of the handle of the slider for locking, can be designed so that a very strong and resistant locking of the rotary handle takes place.

According to an advantageous embodiment of the invention, the slider engages with the part projecting the rotary handle into a holding groove located on the housing surface and corresponding to the rotary handle in the starting position and can be sealed in the pulled-out state.

According to a further advantageous embodiment, the retaining groove is formed by in the form of a one-sided open quadrangle mounted on the housing surface retaining walls. The opening of the quadrilateral advantageously points to the rotary handle. The retaining walls themselves can advantageously be designed so high and wide that a non-destructive rotation of the rotary handle, when the slider in the holding nut engages, is no longer possible. In a particular embodiment, the retaining walls are constructed by beads formed on the housing surface, for example of the same material as that of the housing.

Advantageously, the handle portion is cuboid. In the initial position, when the switching device is switched off, its longitudinal direction extends transversely to the longitudinal direction of the switching device, and in the closed position extends its longitudinal extension direction parallel to the longitudinal direction of the switching device.

According to a further advantageous embodiment, the retaining wall is attached to the front side of the housing in such a way that it also points at least partially into the interior of the housing.

According to a further advantageous embodiment, the slider carries a guide pin, and the front side of the housing has a guide groove which is mounted relative to the rotary handle so that in the initial position of the Drehgrif- fes of the guide pin in the guide guidable and thereby the slide in his Locking position can be brought, with blocked in any other position of the rotary handle of the guide pin in cooperation with the front of the housing displacement of the slider in the locked position. The guide pin on the slider prevents the slider from being pulled out when the unit is switched on. The guide pin then abuts, for example, inside on the front side of the housing.

If then also the retaining wall is designed so that it also partially into the housing interior, then a particularly robust locking of the rotary handle on the slider can be achieved, because then turning the Drehgrif- fes by the in the starting position in its locking position pulled out slider due to the interaction of the guide bar with the retaining wall very effectively prevented.

In a further advantageous embodiment of the switching device according to the invention, the slider is in the pulled-out state with its inside the handle portion remaining part locked in the rotary handle, so that too far pulling out and thereby losing the slide is prevented.

According to a further advantageous embodiment, the slider comprises first and the handle portion of the rotary handle second latching means, which cooperate latching both in the release and in the locking position. For example, can be provided as the second locking means on the handle portion of the rotary handle outwardly facing nubs or an outwardly facing formation, and as the first locking means on the slide two recesses are provided whose inner contour are matched to the outer contour of the molding, so that the shape in each of the wells can snap releasably latching. The depressions on the slide are then advantageously mounted so that the recess is latched to the handle portion of the rotary handle in its release position with the first recess, and locked in its locking position with the second recess. Thus, both the release and the locking position are precisely defined, and it is ensured that the slider does not move itself constantly from one to the other position or slip.

According to a further advantageous embodiment, the slider comprises a bore. Through this hole, a sealing device can be inserted, for example, a sealing wire, a sealing rod or a sealing lock. Thus, the slide can be prevented in its withdrawn position by the sealing device to unauthorized pushing back, so that in conjunction with the retaining groove of the rotary handle is plumbed and held in its initial position.

Reference to the drawings, in which four embodiments of the invention are shown, the invention and further advantageous embodiments and improvements of the invention will be explained and described in detail.

Show it:

1 shows a view of a first embodiment of a switching device according to the invention, 2 shows schematically a plan view of the front side of a switching device according to the invention according to the first embodiment with a locked rotary handle,

3 shows a schematic longitudinal section through an unlocked rotary handle of a switching device according to the invention according to the first embodiment,

FIG. 4 shows a schematic longitudinal section through a locked rotary handle of a switching device according to the invention according to the first embodiment,

5 shows schematically a plan view of the front side of a switching device according to the invention according to a second embodiment with locked rotary handle,

6 shows schematically a longitudinal section through an unlocked rotary handle of a switching device according to the invention according to the second embodiment,

FIG. 7 shows a schematic longitudinal section through a locked rotary handle of a switching device according to the invention according to the second embodiment,

8 shows a schematic longitudinal section through a locked rotary handle of a switching device according to the invention according to a third embodiment,

9 shows schematically a longitudinal section through an unlocked rotary handle of a switching device according to the invention according to a fourth embodiment, as well as

FIG. 10 shows schematically a longitudinal section through a locked rotary handle of a switching device according to the invention according to the fourth embodiment.

In FIGS. 1 to 10, identical or equivalent elements or assemblies are designated by the same reference numerals.

Now consider FIG. 1. This shows a switching device 1 according to the invention, for example a motor protection switch, according to a first embodiment. This has a current path between an input terminal 2 and an output terminal 3 for each phase. The input and output terminals 2,3 are on opposite narrow sides 4 of the insulating material 5 of the switching device and can be actuated by clamping screws 6 from the rear front sides 7 forth.

By a connecting wall 8, the rear front sides 7 are connected to a front front side 9. On the front front side 9, a rotary handle 10 is rotatably mounted on an axis of rotation 11 projecting upwards from the front front side 9 (not visible in FIG. 1, see FIG. 3, 4). The rotary handle 10 is partially embedded in the front front side 9 of the switching device housing and thus rotatably supported.

The rotary handle 10 includes a circular pot portion 12 and a rectangular handle portion 13. In the illustration of Figure 1, the rotary handle (10) is in its initial position, that is, located in the interior of the switching device housing 5 rear derailleur and thus the contact points are through the rotary handle 10 has been turned off.

In the handle portion 13, a slide 14 which can be withdrawn radially outwards is displaceably mounted in a link 23 (see FIGS. 3 and 4). In the position shown in Figure 1, the slider 14 is radially pulled out and is in engagement with the retaining groove 15. Thereby, an inadvertent rotation of the rotary handle 10th prevented from the starting position in the closed position.

2 shows a schematic plan view of the front front side 9 of the instalation Schaltgerätes the rotary handle 10 and the retaining groove 15. This is formed by three retaining walls 16, 17, 18, which is a one-sided open quadrilateral with the slider 14 facing open side represent on the front front 9.

As can be seen from FIGS. 3 and 4, the retaining walls 18, 17, 16 are integrally formed on the front front side 9. For example, they can also be molded in the same production process in which the insulating material housing 5 is produced, which is usually done by injection molding. Of course, they can also be subsequently welded, glued, screwed or attached in another way on the front front side 9 of the housing.

Figure 4 shows the slider 14 in the radially pulled-out locking position in engagement with the retaining groove 15. In the slide 14 is a bore 19, which is accessible when the slide is pulled out. Through this hole 19 can Plombierungsmittel are pushed, for example, a sealing rod or a sealing lock. If this happens, then the slider 14 can no longer be pushed back in the handle portion 13 without violence. He remains engaged with the retaining groove 15, and thus the rotary handle 10 is held in a very simple and effective manner in its initial position.

Further details regarding the mechanical coupling of the rotary handle 10 with a latching mechanism located in the interior of the switching device 1, the switching mechanism and the contact points are not shown in the figures. Realization possibilities for this are known in the art in principle, these are not affected by the subject matter of the present invention.

At its side facing the pot portion 12, with which the slider 14 slidably slides in the rotary handle 10, the slider 14 comprises a latching tongue 20 with a locking lug 21 at its free end. In the pulled-out state, the detent 21 corresponds with a retaining lug 22 on the link 23, on which the slider 14 slides in the grip portion 13. The slider 14 can only be pulled out until the locking lugs 21 meets the retaining lug 22. As a result, too far pulling out a loss of the slider 14 is prevented.

Let us now consider Figure 5. This shows, in a modification of the embodiment of Figure 2, in a schematic plan view of the front front side 9 of a service switching device, the rotary handle 10, wherein the slider 14 is pulled out and located in its locking position. He is in this case on a retaining wall 18, which blocks a rotation of the rotary handle 10 in its closed position, indicated by the arrow P. The difference from the embodiment shown in Figure 2 is that instead of the retaining only a simple retaining wall 18 is sufficient to block the rotary handle.

Let us now consider Figure 6. This shows a further embodiment of a switching device according to the invention in a schematic longitudinal sectional view.

In the front front side 9 of the switching device housing, a rotary handle 10 is inserted and rotatably supported. The bearing point and the axis of rotation are not shown in FIG. 6 for the sake of clarity. The rotary handle 10 comprises a circular pot portion 12 and a cuboid handle portion 13. The rotary handle in the in the 6 gur position shown is in its initial position, that is, located in the interior of the switching device housing rear derailleur and thus the contact points have been turned off by the rotary handle 10.

In the handle portion 13, a radially outwardly extractable slider 14 is slidably mounted in a link 23. The slider 14 is pushed in the representation of Figure 6 largely in a slot-shaped recess in the handle portion 13 into it. He is in the retracted position, also referred to as release position.

A part of a front edge 141 of the slider 14 is visible from the outside. The slider 14 is slidably coupled to its longitudinal side opposite the link 23 via a coupling groove 143 in the manner of a spring - groove connection 142 with the handle portion 13. The handle portion 13 carries on the narrow side at which the slider 14 is pushed into it, an approximately semicircular recess 131. The bore 19 in the slider 14 overlaps partially with the semicircular recess 131, so that from the bore 19 an elliptical segment is visible.

At the backdrop 23 facing the longitudinal side of the slider carries this one pointing in the direction of the pot portion 12 guide pin 25 which terminates flush in the embodiment shown in Figure 6 with the front edge 141 of the slider 14. The guide pin 25 is received in the pot portion 12 of the rotary handle 10 in a recess introduced in a corresponding position.

On the front front side 9 of the switching device, then, following the leading edge 141 of the slider 14 in its release position, a retaining wall 18 is formed.

In the front front side 9 of the switching device is a guide groove 26 with a boundary wall 27, which is relative to the guide pin 25 on the slider 14 so arranged that the guide pin 25 when pulling the slider 14 from the handle portion 13 in the guide groove 26 received. and is feasible when the rotary handle 10 is in its initial position. The displacement of the slider 14 is limited when pulling out of the handle portion 13 by the limita- tion wall 27 in the guide groove 26. If in the rotary handle 10 is not in its initial position, but in another position, for example, the switch position, so the guide pin 25 abuts the slider 14 on the rotary handle 10 receiving circumferential inner edge of a rotary handle 10 receiving circular recess in the front - ren front side 9 of the housing, when trying to pull the slider 14 from the release position and bring in the locked position. Only when the rotary handle 10 is in its initial position, a displacement of the slider is possible, which only then is in the front side 9 of the housing, the guide groove 26 in the direction of displacement of the slider 14 with this aligned. The withdrawn position of the slider 14 is shown in FIG. There, the slider 14 is pulled out so far that it is in abutment with the boundary wall 27. The boundary wall 27 allows the withdrawal of the slider 14 only to the extent that it does not fall out of the gate 23. In particular, the slider 14 is pulled out so far that the bore 19 in the slider 14 is completely visible. The peripheral contour of the semicircular recess 131 is adapted to the peripheral contour of the bore 19. In the position of the slide 14 shown in FIG. 7, a sealing device can now be inserted through the bore 19. This can for example be the bar of a padlock or simply a round bar, which in turn is fixed with a lock. The sealing device is dimensioned in an advantageous manner so that it fills the inner diameter of the bore 19 and a pushing back of the slider 14 in the handle portion 13 is prevented.

By the leadership of the guide pin 25 in the guide groove 26 and a rotation of the rotary handle 10 is prevented when the slide 14 is pulled out. In addition, the rotation of the rotary handle 10 is blocked when the slide 14 is pulled out by the stop of the guide pin 25 on the retaining wall 18. The rotary handle 10 is thus effectively blocked when pulled out slider 14 in its initial position.

Now, FIG. 8 will be considered. FIG. 8 shows, as a variant with respect to FIG. 7, an embodiment in which the retaining wall 18 is attached to the front front side 9 of the housing in such a way that it points into the interior of the housing. The advantage is one Space savings on the housing surface. The function of the retaining wall 18 for blocking the rotary handle 10 is not affected thereby.

Now, FIGS. 9 and 10 will be considered. These show a variant of an embodiment of the switching device according to the invention, in which the slider 14 can be latched by latching means both in the pushed-in position (Figure 9), as well as in the pulled-out position (Figure 10). By locking is prevented that the slider 14 moves automatically to another position, which could happen, for example, when the switching device experiences a vibration or tilted. At the backdrop 23 facing away from the longitudinal side of the slider 14, where in this coupled with the spring-groove connection 131 slidably connected to the handle portion 13, the handle portion 131 carries an outwardly facing hump 28, which is also referred to as knobs or molding can. The bump 28 is mounted on the slidably coupled to the slider 14 upper edge 132 of the handle portion 13. At the upper edge 132 of the handle portion 13 facing side of the coupling groove 143 at the top of the slider 14, spaced from each other in the longitudinal displacement direction of the slider 14, two recesses 29,30 introduced. In the release position of the slide 14 (FIG. 9), the bump 28 locks with the first recess 30, and in the locking position of the slide 14 (FIG. 10) the bump 28 locks with the second recess 29, which extends from the first recess 30 in the direction of the rear edge 144 of the slider 14 is spaced apart.

As a result, it is prevented both in the release position and in the locking position of the slider 14, an inadvertent slipping of the slider 14 in the other position due to the latching. Of course, more than one bump and more than two wells can be provided. The hump could also be attached to the slider 14 and the recesses on the handle portion 13. Other equivalent latching means should also be covered by the present invention within the scope of equivalence.

All further realization possibilities which are familiar to the person skilled in the art after disclosure of the inventive functions described here are, of course, to be included within the scope of equivalence of the invention. LIST OF REFERENCE NUMBERS

1 switching device

2 input terminal

3 output terminal

4 narrow side

5 insulating housing

6 clamping screw

7 Rear front

8 connecting wall

9 front front

10 rotary handle

11 axis of rotation

12 pot section

13 handle section

14 slides

15 holding groove

16 retaining wall

17 retaining wall

18 retaining wall

19 hole

20 snap-in tongue

21 latch

22 retaining nose

23 scenery

25 guide pins

26 guide groove

27 boundary wall

28 humps

29 deepening

30 deepening

131 semicircular recess

132 upper edge

141 leading edge

142 spring - groove connection

143 coupling groove

144 trailing edge

Claims

claims

1. Electrical switching device (1), in particular motor protection switch and / or circuit breaker, at least one on the front side of the housing (9) mounted rotary handle (10) for actuating at least one contact point via a switch lock, wherein the rotary handle (10) has a circular pot portion ( 12) and a handle portion (13) and can assume a starting position and a closed position, and is sealable in the starting position, characterized in that in the handle portion (13) in the starting position of the rotary handle (10) radi ally from the handle portion (13) can be pulled out and thereby brought from its release position into its locking position slide (14) is radially displaceable, the rotary handle (10) projects radially beyond in its locking position and that on the front side of the housing (9) has a retaining wall (18) is formed , against which the slider is engageable in its locking position in abutment, so that a Rotation of the rotary handle from the starting position is prevented in the closed position when the slide is pulled out, and that the slide is sealable in its locking position.

2. Electrical switching device according to claim 1, wherein the slide with the rotary handle (10) superior part in one on the housing surface (9) and with the rotary handle (10) in the starting position corresponding retaining groove (15) engages and sealable in the pulled-out state is.

3. Electrical switching device (1) according to claim 2, characterized in that the retaining groove (15) by in the form of a one-sided open quadrangle mounted on the housing surface retaining walls (16, 17,18) is formed.

4. Electrical switching device according to claim 1, wherein the retaining wall (18) on the front side of the housing (9) is mounted so that it faces into the housing interior.

5. Electrical switching device according to claim 1, wherein the slide carries a guide pin, and the front side of the housing (9) has a guide groove which is mounted relative to the rotary handle so that in the starting position of the rotary handle of the guide pin in the guide guidable and thereby the slide About can be brought into its locking position, and that blocked in any other position of the rotary handle of the guide pin in cooperation with the front side of the housing (9), a displacement of the slider in the locked position.

6. Electrical switching device (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that the slide (14) in the pulled-out state in the rotary handle (10) can be latched, so that too far withdrawal of the slide (14) from the handle portion (13) is.

7. Electrical switching device according to claim 1, wherein the slide (14) first (30, 29) and the handle portion (13) of the rotary handle (10) second latching means (28), which both in the release and in the Interlock locking position interacting.

8. Electrical switching device (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the slide (14) comprises a bore (19) through which a slide (14) holding in its pulled-out position Plombierungsvorrich- device is pluggable.