EP2276048B1 - Switching device with rotary handle - Google Patents

Description

The invention relates to a switching device with a rotary handle for actuating a switching mechanism of an installation switching device having at least one upper housing wall, wherein the switching mechanism comprises a latch mechanism with a latch lever displaceable between an actuator and a unlatching position, the rotary handle corresponding to the switch position of the switch mechanism being switched on and off In the switch-on position, the force of a spring acts on the rotary handle in the direction of the switch-off position, and the latch mechanism can be unlatched and the latch lever can be brought into the unlatched position and the latch mechanism can be latched again when the rotary handle is returned to the switch-off position is, wherein interacts with the pawl lever and the rotary handle a displaceable between a Ver - and a Entklinkungslage control pin which when triggered from his Ver - i n his Entklinkungslage can be brought, in which he holds the rotary handle in a triggering position between the on and off position and prevents the latch lever from returning to the Verklinkungsstellung, the control pin a Entklinkungs- and a Verklinkungszone and the upper housing by radical pen extension and the upper housing wall facing side of the rotary handle has a pin extension receiving receiving pocket, according to the preamble of claim 1.

The invention further relates to an installation switching device, in particular a motor protection switch, with a switching device with a rotary handle for actuating a switching mechanism of the service switching device with at least one upper housing, wherein the switching mechanism a latch mechanism with a between a Ver - and a Entklinkungsstellung displaceable latch lever comprises, wherein the rotary handle according to the switching position of the switch latch can take a switch - and a switch-off position and applied in the on position, the force of a spring the rotary handle toward switch-off, and wherein unlatched when triggered the latch mechanism and the Ratchet lever from the Ver - is brought into the Entklinkungsstellung and latched when resetting the rotary handle in the off position of the latch mechanism again, with the latch lever and the rotary handle a displaceable between a Ver - and a Entklinkungslage control pin cooperates when triggered from his Ver - Is brought into its Entklinkungslage in which he holds the rotary handle in a triggering position between the on and off position and prevents the ratchet lever to return to the Verklinkungsstellung, the control pin ei ne Entklinkungs- and a Verklinkungszone and the upper housing wall by radical pen extension and the upper housing wall facing side of the rotary handle has a pin extension receiving female pocket.

Electrical service switching devices, such as motor protection switch, u. a. a contact point arrangement with a fixed and a movable contact piece arrangement, a thermal and / or electromagnetic release and a switch lock, which cooperates on the one hand with the one or more triggers and on the other hand with the movable contact piece arrangement. In the case of a resolution, a latch mechanism is unlatched by the trigger, and the contact opening is usually via a lever system, such as a toggle lever system, which in conjunction with other levers and tabs transmits the movement of the switching mechanism on the contacts and this opens permanently.

The lever system can be moved via a rotary movement of a rotary handle and placed in an over-center position. The rotary handle is then in its ON position. By this movement of the lever system, which is usually supported on the latch mechanism, a power storage is stretched. The latching mechanism acts on transmission parts and thus on the contact point arrangement. When switching on, it is closed via the switch lock and opened when switched off.

Triggering unlocks the latch mechanism by overriding the latch support so that the lever system can collapse. The switch lock acts in the collapse of the lever system due to the spring force in an opening manner.

When resetting the rotary knob to the original position (switch-off position), the latch mechanism is reactivated so that the switch lock can be switched on again. In known service switching devices, for example as in the DE 101 39 917 A1 shown, the return of the rotary handle to the off position when triggered automatically by the force of a force acting on the rotary handle toward switch-off spring is released, see DE 202 14 578 U1 , By the position of the rotary handle the switch position is visually displayed to the operator. However, the operator does not see whether the rotary handle has automatically reached the switch-off position due to a release, or whether the rotary handle was intentionally moved out of the switch-on position to the switch-off position by another person.

The switch lock can be released when the handle is held in the switch-on position without being affected. In contact welding, the rotary handle must not enter the switch-off position and thereby notify the operator of a contact opening which, in actual fact, does not exist when the contact is welded.

It is desirable that the operator be indicated by an intermediate position of the rotary handle between the on position and the off position when a trip has occurred and therefore the latch mechanism is unlatched to distinguish this state from the state of conscious switch off.

A generic switching device, in which the rotary handle is held after release in an intermediate position, is in the DE 10 2006 057 649 A1 shown. In the intermediate position of the rotary handle is held with a low locking shoulder on the pin extension of the control pin. If the rotary handle is to be reset from the intermediate position by hand in the off position, the resistance of Rastabsatzes is overcome by applying a torque on the rotary handle, and the rotary handle can be moved back to the off position, at the same time on the subsequent to the locking shoulder control slope of Control pin is pushed back into its Verklinkungslage. It may happen that the rotary handle even without manual operation, so to speak by itself, slips over the locking shoulder and thus inadvertently enters the open position

It is therefore an object of the present invention to improve a generic switching device with a rotary handle for actuating a switching mechanism so that the rotary handle when a triggering has taken place in a triggering position between the switch-on and the switch-off reliably remains, as well as to enable a service switching device with such a switching device.

The object is achieved with respect to the switching device according to the invention by a switching device with the characterizing features of claim 1.

With respect to the service switching device, the object is achieved by an installation switching device according to claim 11.

According to the invention, the receiving pocket has a clamping device for releasably holding the pin extension and a subsequent to the clamping device in the direction of rotation of the rotary handle control slope, the mutual arrangement of the control pin, the rotary handle and the latch lever is set so that jammed in a triggering the pin extension with the clamping device and thereby holds the rotary handle in the triggering position, and wherein upon movement of the rotary handle from the trigger - in the off position, the clamping device releases the pin extension and the rotary handle over the control slope pushes the pin extension so far into the housing that the pawl lever into engagement with the Verklinkungszone of the shaft can get into its Verklinkungsstellung.

The clamping device on the rotary handle ensures a secure blocking of the pin extension of the control pin in the release position. The clamping force with which the pin extension holds the rotary handle is so great that accidental slippage of the rotary handle from the release position to the OFF position is thus prevented. In order to move the rotary handle from the release position to the OFF position, it must be further rotated according to the invention with some effort in the direction of the OFF position. The force for further rotation must be so great that it overcomes the clamping force, so that the control pin escapes from the clamping device and then the rotary handle is released from the control pin again. The rotary handle with the control slope presses the control pin back down into its Verklinkungslage. Here comes the latch lever in the Verklinkungsstellung in which he holds the control pin in its Verklinkungslage. In the closed position of the rotary handle this holds by pressing its underside on the pin extension the control pin in its Verklinkungslage.

An advantageous embodiment of the invention is characterized in that the clamping device is at least partially elastic. As a result, on the one hand, the clamping of the control pin and on the other hand, the forced release the control pin from the clamping device during further rotation of the rotary handle easier.

According to an advantageous embodiment, the clamping device may comprise a stop and an elastic pressure means, which define a clamping space between them.

In order to ensure a reliable hold of the rotary handle by the clamping device, according to an advantageous embodiment, the distance between the stop and the pressing means against the direction of rotation of the rotary handle, which extends from the switch-on in the off position, taper, so that it at a Clamping point is smaller than the outer diameter of the pin extension.

According to an advantageous embodiment, the stop may be a fixed wall which protrudes perpendicular to the outside of the rotary handle from the inside of the receiving pocket.

A good jamming is to achieve according to an advantageous embodiment in that the pressure means is a pressure wall which protrudes perpendicular to the outside of the rotary handle from the inside of the receiving pocket and is resiliently formed towards the stop.

According to a further advantageous embodiment, the pressure wall can be designed in the form of a beam resiliently clamped on one side at its clamping point.

The reliability of the holding action by the nip can be increased according to an advantageous embodiment of the invention, when the stop carries a protruding into the terminal compartment nose.

According to a further advantageous embodiment of the invention, the stopper is resilient.

According to a further advantageous embodiment of the invention, the stopper is a stop wall which protrudes perpendicularly to the outside of the rotary handle from the inside of the receiving pocket and is resiliently formed towards the pressure means. 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.

Figur 1:

einer Aufsicht auf die obere Gehäusewand eines Installationsschaltgerä- tes mit einer erfindungsgemäßen Schaltvorrichtung,

Figur 2a-c:

schematisch das Zusammenwirken zwischen dem Steuerzapfen, dem Drehgriff und dem Klinkenhebel in der Einschalt -, Auslöse - und Aus- schaltposition,

Figur 3:

eine Ansicht auf die in Einbaulage der oberen Gehäusewand zugewandte Seite des Drehgriffs einer erfindungsgemäßen Schaltvorrichtung, sowie

Figur 4:

eine Ansicht auf die in Einbaulage der oberen Gehäusewand zugewandte Seite des Drehgriffs einer weiteren Ausführungsform einer erfindungsge- mäßen Schaltvorrichtung

Show it:

FIG. 1:

a plan view of the upper housing wall of a Installationsschaltgerä- tes with a switching device according to the invention,

Figure 2a-c:

schematically the interaction between the control pin, the rotary handle and the latch lever in the switch-on, trip and switch-off position,

FIG. 3:

a view of the installation position of the upper housing wall facing side of the rotary handle of a switching device according to the invention, and

FIG. 4:

a view of the installation position of the upper housing wall facing side of the rotary handle of another embodiment of a switching device according to the invention

In the FIGS. 1 to 4 each identical or equivalent elements or assemblies are each denoted by the same reference numerals.

It is referred to the FIG. 1 , On the upper housing wall 12 of a service switching device 10 is a bearing pin 14 which is mounted perpendicular projecting on the upper housing wall 12. The rear front sides 16, 18 of the service switching device 10 with screw connection terminals 20 can also be seen.

In the upper housing wall 12, an opening 22 is mounted, which is penetrated by the pin extension 24 of a control pin 26 (see also Figure 2a-c ). In the illustration after FIG. 1 is the control pin 26 in its Entklinkungslage. Therefore, the pin extension 24 projects so far out of the upper housing wall 12, that he put on the bearing pin 14 rotary handle 28 (see FIG. 3 . FIG. 4 and FIG. 2b ) in its triggering position, as will be explained below.

The nose 30 of a ratchet lever 32 abuts the lateral surface of the cylinder-like base body 34 of the control pin 26. Thereby, the latch lever 32 in the Entklinkungslage of the control pin 26 according to FIG. 1 held in its Entklinkungsstellung, the latch mechanism of the switching mechanism, which is located inside the service switching device and is not shown here, thereby remains in its unlatched position.

It is now referred to the Figures 2a-c , These show a schematic representation of the interaction of the control pin 26 with the latch lever 32 and the rotary handle 28 in the on position ( FIG. 2a ), the trigger position ( FIG. 2b ), and the switch-off position ( Figure 2c ).

The control pin 26 comprises an elongated, cylindrical base body 34. At its one narrow side, a likewise elongate, cylindrical functional body 38 is integrally formed. At the free end of the functional body 38 of the pin extension 24 is formed, here as a cylindrical body with hemispherical conclusion and with a functional body 38 corresponding diameter. At the transition between the functional body 38 and the pin extension 24, the control pin 26 carries a circumferential collar 40. The functional body 38 and the pin extension 24 are shown here with the same diameter. That can be so, it does not have to. Also, different diameters of functional body 38 and pin extension 24 are conceivable.

The control pin 26 is arranged with its longitudinal extension direction approximately perpendicular to the upper housing wall 12 of the service switching device 10. It is shown on the narrow side opposite the functional body 38 by a spring 56, here as a cylindrical spring, but it could also be a different type of spring, acted upon in the direction of the upper housing wall 12. The control pin 26 corresponds to an opening 22 in the upper housing wall 12 so that the pin extension 24 can penetrate the opening 22 to the outside.

On the upper housing wall 12 of the rotary handle 28 is placed. He is in the upper part of the Figures 2 a - c in the supervision, and in the lower part of the Figures 2 a - c shown schematically in longitudinal section. It has an approximately circular pot portion 42 and a handle portion 44.

The upper housing wall 12 facing side of the rotary handle 28 has a receiving pocket 46 which is arranged so that it can receive the pin extension 24 of the control pin 26. The arrow P in Fig. 2 a - c and Fig. 3 and Fig. 4 denotes the direction of rotation when the rotary handle 28 is rotated from its on position to its off position. On the in the Fig. 2 a - c right side, the boundary of the receiving pocket 46 is formed by a ramp-shaped control slope 50, from the inside 51 of the receiving pocket 46 to the housing wall 12 facing outside 49 of the rotary handle 28, just to the level of the upper housing wall 12, runs, ie opposite to the direction of the arrow P. In the direction of arrow P seen in front of the control slope 50, in Fig. 2 a - c thus left of the control slope 50, protruding from the inner side 51 of the receiving pocket 46, starting vertically downward pointing to the upper housing wall 12 toward a clamping device 48. This is in Fig. 2 a - c is shown schematically as a wall and designed so that it can jam with the pin extension 24 when the rotary handle 24 from its on position, see Fig. 2a is moved to its off position, so that the rotary handle 28 then by the pin extension 24 in its release position according to Fig. 2b is held.

As the FIG. 3 respectively. FIG. 4 shows, the control slope 50 extends in the interior of the edge region of the circular pot portion 42 as an inclined plane. For the sake of greater clarity of presentation is in the lower part of the Figures 2a-c the displacement of the longitudinal section of the rotary handle 28 during the transition between the switch-on, the triggering and the switch-off position is shown as a lateral displacement parallel to the upper housing wall 12. It is understood that functionally the same effect is achieved when the rotary handle 28 is rotated about the pivot pin 14.

The rotary handle 28 is in the schematic representation in the lower part of Figures 2a-c by a cylindrical spring 25, and in one embodiment according to FIG. 3 by a spring inserted in the pot portion 42, at one end of a tangentially extending leg protrudes (not shown in FIG Fig. 3 ), in the direction of its switch-off position. With regard to the further details on the storage, arrangement and functional use of the coil spring in the rotary handle 28 is to the already mentioned DE 202 14 578 U1 directed.

In the switch-on position according to FIG. 2a the latch mechanism of the latch is latched and the latch and thus the switching device is turned on. The latch lever 32 is connected by a pawl spring 52 in the in FIG. 2a shown Verklinkungsstellung pressed. The switching mechanism and the connection of the ratchet lever 32 with the switching mechanism is not shown here.

The control pin 26 is blocked by the latch lever 32. If the rotary handle were held in a triggering in its closed position, so would still be triggered. This is called a free release. Then, when the handle is released, it should stop in the trigger position, and not immediately turn to the off position. How this is realized is explained below.

The force acting on the rotary handle 28 of the spring 25 is blocked in the closed position by known in principle constructive measures, so that the rotary handle 28 remains in its on position, which is indicated to the operator by the upwardly facing handle portion 44, see the upper part of FIG. 2a ,

If a trip takes place, then the latch mechanism of the latch mechanism is briefly unlatched, whereby the latch lever is moved against the force of the pawl spring 52 in its Entklinkungsstellung. In the unlatching position, the pawl lever 32 releases the control pin 26, so that it can be accelerated upward in the direction of the upper housing wall 12 due to the force exerted on it by the spring 56.

At the same time, the force of the spring 25 acting on the rotary handle 28 is released by a further mechanism connected to the pawl mechanism, which is not shown here, so that the rotary handle 28 is acted upon in the direction of its switch-off position and begins to move there. As a result, the opening of the receiving pocket 46 reaches the region of the opening 22 in the housing wall 12.

Due to the low mass of the control pin 26 moves this under the influence of the force exerted by the spring 56 on him very quickly upwards. Its upward movement is blocked by the abutment of the collar 40 on the upper housing wall 12. The control pin has now reached its Entklinkungslage in which the pin extension 24 projects so far beyond the upper housing wall 12 that he can get into coupling with the clamping device 48 and clamped in the clamping device 48. This clamping thus represents an obstacle for the further movement of the rotary handle 28.

The pin extension 24 holds due to the jamming with the clamping device 48, the rotary handle 28 on its way between the on position and the off position in an intermediate release position, see FIG. 2b , In this position, the handle portion 44 assumes an angle between 0 and 90 ° to the vertical, in the FIG. 2b an angle of about 30 ° is shown. An operator recognizes at this position of the rotary handle 28 that a tripping of the switching device has taken place.

As the FIG. 2b shows further, in the Entklinkungslage the control pin 26 of the base body 34 is pushed so far up that he can hold the pawl lever 32 in its Entklinkungslage due to its larger diameter. This prevents the control pin 26 that the latch mechanism can latch again. In order to switch on the rear derailleur, the control pin must be brought back into its Verklinkungslage. For this purpose, the operator must turn the handle 28 from the release position FIG. 2b move further towards the switch-off position. He has to overcome the clamping force, so that the pin extension 24 can be released from the clamping device 48, the pin extension then releases the knob 28 again. Upon further rotation of the rotary handle 28 of the control pin 26 is pressed by the control slope 50 back into the interior of the switching device housing until it comes to lie approximately flush with the upper housing wall 12.

In this position, the main body 34 of the control pin 26 is again below the nose 30 of the ratchet lever 32. The latch lever 32 is thus released again and can pass through the force of the pawl spring 52 back into its Verklinkungsstellung, so that thereby the latch mechanism is latched again.

In the switch-off position according to Fig. 2c The control pin is pressed by the part of the bottom 49 of the rotary handle 28, which adjoins the control slope 50, down and held in its Verklinkungslage. The nose 30 of the pawl lever 32 is released again from the shoulder 54, so that no force can be exerted by the control pin 26 on the pawl lever 32.

The latch mechanism has now been reset to its Verklinkungsstellung, so to speak; Therefore, this switch-off position of the rotary handle 28 is also referred to as a reset position.

From the reset position or switch-off can now be closed with latched latch mechanism by turning the knob 28 in the closed position the contact point arrangement on the switch lock.

FIG. 3 shows an implementation form of a clamping device 48 according to the invention. This is formed by a fixed stop 481. The stopper 481 is an Anformung on the inside 51 of the receiving pocket 46. The Anformung has approximately the shape of a cylindrical pad. Its lateral lateral surface extends inwardly into the receiving pocket 46 and forms the first, inner boundary of the receiving pocket 46. Opposite thereto, the other, outer lateral boundary of the receiving pocket 46 is formed by an elastically resilient wall section 482. This is integrally formed on a clamping point on the outer edge of the pot portion 42. He presses resiliently in the manner of a one-sided resiliently clamped beam inwardly against the stop 481. In this way, between the stop 481 and the pressure means, the wall portion 482, a counter to the arrow P tapered guide channel for the pin extension 24 is formed. The guide channel acts like a terminal space for the pin extension. At its entrance, its opening cross-section is larger than the outer diameter of the pin extension 24, so that it is guided in a funnel shape into the clamping space 483. Towards the end, the opening cross section tapers so that it becomes smaller than the outer diameter of the pin extension 24. The pin extension 24 is then resiliently clamped between the stopper 481 and the pressure means 482. The further rotational movement of the rotary handle 28 is inhibited by the clamping. The escapement is further assisted by a nose 484, which is formed near the nip 485 at the exit of the funnel-shaped clamping space to the stop 481. The nose 484 is created here by molding a further cylindrical body. This results in a stop edge for the pin extension, which causes a reliable inhibition of the further movement of the rotary handle 28.

However, when the rotary handle is further rotated by the operator with force, the pin extension 24 slides over the stop edge of the nose 484 and presses the pressure wall 482 to the outside. The rotary handle 28 comes free again and is pressed on further rotation of the rotary handle 28 by the control slope 50, which adjoins opposite to the direction of rotation P, down again, as described above.

The rotary handle 28 with the clamping device 48 is advantageously designed as a single injection molded part.

FIG. 4 shows another possible embodiment for a clamping device 48. Here, the stopper 481 is not as a solid body as in Fig. 3 shown, but designed as a fixed stop wall 486. The side surface of the abutment wall 486 has a curvature which is convexly bent inwardly into the terminal space. Thus, by the abutment wall 486 and the elastic wall 482 a funnel-shaped clamping opening, such as a trap, formed.

Another conceivable embodiment possibility is that the stop wall is formed elastically resilient.

Finally, it should be noted that in the description of the present invention, the basic technical teaching to solve the underlying technical problem of the invention and a schematic, functionally illustrated implementation option were presented. All further concrete implementation possibilities known to the person skilled in the art after disclosure of the teaching according to the invention described here are, of course, to be encompassed by the invention.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMBERS

10

Service switching device

12

Upper housing wall

14

pivot

16

Behind front

18

Behind front

20

Screw terminal

22

opening

24

Post extension

25

cylinder spring

26

control pin

28

rotary handle

30

nose

32

ratchet lever

34

body

38

function body

40

collar

42

pot section

44

handle portion

46

receiving pocket

48

clamping device

49

Outside of the twist grip

50

control slope

51

Inside of the receiving bag

52

pawl spring

54

paragraph

56

feather

481

attack

482

Elastic pressure agent

483

terminal space

484

nose

485

nip

486

abutment wall

487

clamping

Claims (11)

1. Switching apparatus having a rotary knob (28) for operating a latching mechanism of an installation switching device having at least one upper housing wall (12) wherein the latching mechanism comprises a catch mechanism with a catch lever (32) which can be moved between a latched and an unlatched position, wherein the rotary knob (28) can assume a switched-on and a switched-off position corresponding to the switch position of the latching mechanism and, in the switched-on position, the force of a spring (25) acts on the rotary knob (28) in the direction of the switched-off position, and wherein, on tripping, the catch mechanism is unlatched and the catch lever (32) can be moved from the latched position to the unlatched position, and, when the rotary knob (28) is reset to the switched-off position, the catch mechanism is latched again, wherein a control journal (26), which can be moved between a latched position and an unlatched position, interacts with the catch lever (32) and the rotary knob (28) and, on tripping, can be moved from its latched position to its unlatched position, in which it holds the rotary knob (28) in a trip position between the switched-on and the switched-off position, and prevents the catch lever (32) from returning to the latched position, wherein the control journal (26) has an unlatching and a latching zone (34, 38) as well as a pin projection (24) which passes through the upper housing wall (12), and that side of the rotary knob (28) which faces the upper housing wall (12) has a holding pocket (46) which holds the pin projection (24),
   characterized in that the holding pocket (46) has a clamping apparatus (48) for detachably holding the pin projection (24), and has a control incline (50) which is adjacent to the clamping apparatus (48) in the twisting direction of the rotary knob (28), wherein the mutual arrangement of the control journal (26), of the rotary knob (28) and of the catch lever (32) is designed such that, during tripping, the pin projection (24) is clamped by the clamping apparatus (48) and thus holds the rotary knob (28) in the trip position, and that, when the rotary knob (28) is moved from the trip position to the switched-off position, the clamping apparatus (48) releases the pin projection (24) and the rotary knob pushes the pin projection (24) via the control incline (50) so far into the housing that the catch lever (32) can engage with the latching zone (38) of the shaft in its latched position.
2. Switching apparatus according to Claim 1, characterized in that the clamping apparatus (48) is at least partially elastic.
3. Switching apparatus according to Claim 2, characterized in that the clamping apparatus (48) comprises a stop (481) and an elastic contact-pressure means (482), which bound a clamping area (483) between them.
4. Switching apparatus according to Claim 3, characterized in that the distance between the stop (481) and the contact-pressure means (482) tapers from the switched-on position to the switched-off position in the opposite direction to the rotation direction P of the rotary knob (28) such that it is smaller at a clamping point (485) than the external diameter of the pin projection (24).
5. Switching apparatus according to Claim 4, characterized in that the stop (481) is a stationary wall which projects from the inner face (51) of the holding pocket (46) at right angles to the outer face (49) of the rotary knob (28).
6. Switching apparatus according to Claim 5, characterized in that the contact-pressure means (482) is a contact-pressure wall which projects from the inner face (51) of the holding pocket (46) at right angles to the outer face (49) of the rotary knob (28) and is sprung towards the stop (481)
7. Switching apparatus according to Claim 6, characterized in that the contact-pressure wall is a beam which is clamped in a sprung manner at one end at its clamping-in point (487).
8. Switching apparatus according to Claim 4, characterized in that the stop (481) is fitted with a tab (484) which projects into the clamping area (483).
9. Switching apparatus according to Claim 4, characterized in that the stop is resilient.
10. Switching apparatus according to Claim 9, characterized in that the stop is a stop wall (486) which projects from the inner face (51) of the holding pocket (46) at right angles to the outer face (49) of the rotary knob (28) and is sprung towards the contact-pressure means (482).]
11. Installation switching device, in particular a motor circuit breaker, having a switching apparatus according to one of Claims 1 to 10.

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