EP2485237B1 - Residual current protection switch - Google Patents

Description

The invention relates to a residual current circuit breaker for detecting fault currents, which has at least one switching contact, which is opened when a fault current occurs by means of a switching mechanism of the residual current circuit breaker. For this purpose, the residual current circuit breaker on a trip relay with a movably mounted release plunger, which is moved in the occurrence of a fault current from a starting position in a tripped position. For this purpose, the switching mechanism is kinematically coupled to the release plunger. Furthermore, the residual current circuit breaker on a rotatably mounted application lever to return the release plunger from the released position back to the starting position.

A residual current circuit breaker is a protective device to ensure protection against a dangerous fault current in an electrical system. Such a fault current, which is also referred to as differential current, occurs when a live line part has an electrical contact with earth. This is for example the case when a person touches a live part of an electrical system: in this case, the current flows as a fault current through the body of the person against the ground. To protect against such body currents of the residual current circuit breaker must occur when such a fault current, the electrical system quickly and safely disconnect all poles from the mains. In general parlance, the terms residual current circuit breaker (RCD) or RCD (Residual Current Protective Device) are also used equivalently.

The differential current is determined with the aid of a so-called summation current transformer, which adds all the currents flowing to and from an electrical load with the correct sign. If a current is diverted to earth at any point in the circuit, the sum of currents flowing back and forth in the summation current transformer is not equal to zero. The determined current difference then leads to the triggering of the residual current circuit breaker and thus to the shutdown of the power supply in the relevant circuit. Since the differential currents determined are usually comparatively small, they also have only a low energy density. Therefore, the fault current can not, for example, in a circuit breaker, directly for triggering a switching mechanism, for example by means of a magnetic coil and a shock absorber in the event of a short-circuit release, can be used. Instead, a trip relay is usually used, which, however, has only a comparatively low release force because of the usually small residual current. Due to the low tripping energy such tripping relays therefore react comparatively sensitive to shocks and / or vibrations.

In residual current circuit breakers, however, usually high tripping forces are required because when tripping all poles of the residual current circuit breaker must be disconnected from the network by the switching mechanism. For this purpose, residual current circuit breakers are known from the prior art, which have a so-called toggle lever mechanism for the realization of correspondingly high release forces. In this case, the so-called toggle lever effect is used, after which the introduced force can be strongly amplified in the region of the almost straight-through knee, while previous movements with little force and thus can be done with relatively high speed. When switching on the residual current circuit breaker by hand via an actuator, the movement is transmitted via an upper and a lower link of the toggle mechanism to a shift shaft, whereby the coupled to the shift shaft Switching contacts are closed. Such a toggle mechanism for a residual current circuit breaker is for example from the document DE 8702467 U1 known.

Furthermore, residual current circuit breakers are known in which the application lever is coupled via a clamping yoke with the switching mechanism. For this purpose, on the one hand, additional components are required. Since the drawbar is mounted at one end in a kind of freewheel kidney, on the other hand, there is the danger that in a highly dynamic shutdown of the switching mechanism of the drawbar in the freewheel kidney available path is insufficient, and thus shocks from the switching mechanism on the clamping yoke on the Anlegehebel be transmitted. A gentle reset of the trigger plunger of the relatively sensitive trip relay is therefore not guaranteed in a highly dynamic switching contact system.

Furthermore, residual current circuit breakers are known which have a tripping relay, which is less sensitive to shocks, such as those caused when the trigger plunger is reset by the contact lever. In this case, the entire energy of the fast-rotating switching shaft, directly damped by a spring, transmitted to the trip relay. However, it is disadvantageous that the force that is transmitted from the switching shaft to the tripping relay, with the number of poles of the residual current circuit breaker, ie with the switching of the switching shaft switching contacts varies. Furthermore, the force acting on the trip relay on the apply lever for resetting the trigger plunger strong fluctuations due to varying cut-off conditions of the residual current circuit breaker is subjected, depending on how much energy from the switching shaft must be applied to open the possibly glued switch contacts. The force acting on the application lever to reset the trigger plunger is hardly predictable in these individual cases under these conditions.

FR 2 858 109 A1 describes a locking arrangement for an automatic fuse switch off an electrical installation. The arrangement comprises a spring mechanism and a lever with a stop area. This area and a coupling surface define walls that form a stop when a coupling lever is in a stable position. A coupling end of a hand lever acts against the stop. The coupling surface is formed so that at each point of the surface, a surface normal coincides with a rotational axis direction of the lever.

DE 10 2007 010 270 B3 describes a residual current circuit breaker with a handle element to which a tension spring acts eccentrically. The torque exerted by the tension spring on the grip element increases up to the off position and is relatively low in the region of the on position. On the handle member further comprises a cam is formed, which presses on the transition to the off position on a leaf spring. The leaf spring pushes back a plunger of a holding magnet in its original position.

WO 98/53473 A1 describes a kinematic system for actuating a moving contact of an automatic load switch. An actuating mechanism has a rotatably mounted on the body of a switch and connected to a cross member actuator. The cross member is connected to an actuating lever which is operatively connected to an actuating spring having a first common axis of rotation. The actuating lever is further operatively connected to a return spring which is connected to the first common axis of rotation. A relay has a mushroom-shaped element which acts on a return lever, which is kinematically connected to a hook which is supported by a second common axis of rotation. An engagement lever, which is held by the hook, is intended to cooperate with the rear portion of a pull lever, thereby enabling the triggering of the system.

GB 2 026 244 A describes a differential circuit breaker in which a trigger mechanism is connected via a single kinematic coupling with moving contacts. The coupling comprises a first two-armed lever, which is latched to a release lever and connected by means of two connections with a second two-armed lever. The latter is attached to an axle which carries a movable contact arm and is urged by a spring into an open position.

EP 0 327 460 A1 describes an electric differential circuit breaker with automatic shutdown. A control handle is rotatably mounted. A contact holder is also rotatably mounted and carries a contact. A quick release mechanism is driven by a cam provided coaxially with the control handle, which is freely rotatably mounted with respect to the control handle. Latches activate the cam and hold it back. A slider engages with a finger in the cam and in a latch lever, which is rotatably mounted and can engage in the contact holder. The latch lever has a ramp by which it interacts with the path of a pin integral with the slider. On the slider supported contact pressure means act in a closing mode on the contact holder.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a residual current circuit breaker having a trip relay with a trip rod, which can be reset bumplessly by means of a predefined restoring force regardless of the contact force of the switch contacts and regardless of the number of poles of the residual current circuit breaker.

This object is achieved by the residual current circuit breaker according to the invention according to claim 1. Advantageous embodiments are the subject of the dependent claims.

The residual current circuit breaker according to the invention is designed to detect fault currents and has a tripping relay, with a tripping plunger, which is moved on the occurrence of a fault current from a starting position to a tripped position. Furthermore, the residual current circuit breaker has a switching mechanism which is kinematically coupled to the release plunger so that when a fault current occurs with the switching mechanism coupled switching contact is opened, and a rotatably mounted application lever to the release plunger via a restoring force from the tripped position in the Reset initial position. In this case, the application lever is held in closed position by the switching mechanism against the restoring force in a first position and released when triggering the residual current circuit breaker of the switching mechanism, wherein the application lever is kinematically coupled to the switching mechanism that when triggering the residual current circuit breaker arranged on the switching mechanism control slides on a trained as a control cam portion of the Anlegehebels along until the landing lever is released.

By the control slide on the control cam of the landing lever along until the landing lever is released, It avoids that shocks or vibrations, which can occur during a highly dynamic shut-down process, are transferred from the switching mechanism to the contact lever - and thus to the sensitive tripping relay. The movement of the application lever is kinematically decoupled from the highly dynamic movement of the switching mechanism. In this way, the release plunger is gently - ie largely bum-free and without bouncing effects - returned to its original position. Damage to the trip relay are thus reliably prevented.

The interaction of the arranged on the switching mechanism control with the trained as a control cam portion of the Anlegehebels represents a cam control. This has the advantage that the coupling of the switching mechanism with the Anlegehebel has a freewheel: in a highly dynamic triggering operation, the control of the switching mechanism runs along the control curve under the Anlegehebel away until it is free, ie Control and control cam are no longer in contact with each other. The apply lever is now no longer held in the first position and is thus rotatable, so that the restoring force, the rotation of the apply lever can cause the return of the trigger plunger from its tripped position to its original position.

The control is formed on a rotatably mounted switching shaft of the switching mechanism and cooperates with the control cam that when triggering the residual current circuit breaker the switching shaft is rotated to open the switching contact and release the Anlegehebel, and when closing the switch contact of the Anlegehebel by a Rotation of the shift shaft is spent in the first position and held there.

The arrangement of the control on the switching shaft of the residual current circuit breaker provides a simple way to constructively implement the curve control, ie the interaction An additional mechanical coupling of the docking lever to the switching mechanism - for example via a drawbar or a linkage - is not required, whereby the number of parts can be reduced and the assembly costs can be reduced.

In an advantageous development of the fault current circuit breaker, the control cam interacts with the control element formed on the selector shaft such that the contact lever reaches its first position already within a first rotational angle range of the selector shaft when the switch contact closes.

This ensures that the contact lever when switching on the residual current circuit breaker reaches its first position before the switching contact is closed by the further rotation of the switching shaft by a further rotation angle range. This results in the advantage that the application lever is already in its first position and thus "ready" even if a fault current occurs immediately after switching on the residual current circuit breaker. The size of the first rotation angle range is characterized by the structural design of the cam control, i. adjustable by the shape of the control cam and the control and their interaction.

In a further advantageous development of the residual current circuit breaker, the first rotation angle range of the switching shaft is approximately 15 ° to 20 °.

In a further advantageous embodiment of the residual current circuit breaker to be applied by the application lever restoring force is realized by means of a mechanical spring.

Since the force for resetting the trigger plunger is not applied by the switching mechanism triggered to open the switch contact, but by a mechanical spring, which is supported for example against a housing element of the residual current circuit breaker, this restoring force is independent of the contact force of the switch contacts and thus independent of the Number of poles or switching contacts of the residual current circuit breaker. The movement of the Anlegehebels is kinematically decoupled from the highly dynamic movement of the switching mechanism or the shift shaft, whereby a gentle return of the release plunger is made possible.

In a further advantageous development of the residual current circuit breaker, the mechanical spring is designed as a torsion spring. A torsion spring provides a simple and cost-effective way to apply the restoring force for the rotational movement of the docking lever.

In a further advantageous development of the residual current circuit breaker, a contact region of the control element with the control cam is pressurized. By kinematically coupling the apply lever to the shift shaft via cam control under pressure due to the restoring force, it is possible to drive the trip rod as smoothly as possible, i. bumpless and without the transfer of bouncing effects of the switching mechanism on the application lever to return to its original position.

In a further advantageous development of the residual current circuit breaker, the application lever has a bayonet contour for safe storage of the application lever. With the help of the bayonet contour of the application lever is secured to a journal of the residual current circuit breaker in the axial direction against unintentional disassembly. The reliability of the residual current circuit breaker is thereby further improved.

In a further advantageous development of the residual current circuit breaker on another switching contact, which can be actuated by means of the switching mechanism.

Usually, a fused by means of a residual current circuit breaker electrical system is disconnected when a fault current all poles from the mains. For this reason, a fault current circuit breaker, for example, be formed 4-pin: this includes, inter alia, a switching mechanism, a trip relay and four switching contacts (for Unterberechung the three phase lines and the neutral conductor) on. Since the movement of the application lever is kinematically decoupled from the highly dynamic movement of the switching mechanism or the selector shaft, a change in the number of poles of the residual current circuit breaker to be switched does not affect the restoring force for resetting the trigger plunger.

Figur 1

eine schematische Darstellung des erfindungsgemäßen Fehlerstromschutzschalters in einer Seitenansicht;

Figur 2

schematische Darstellungen des erfindungsgemäßen Anlegehebels in mehreren Ansichten;

Figuren 3A bis 3D

schematische Darstellungen des Zusammenwirkens der Schaltmechanik mit dem Anlegehebel während verschiedener Schaltzustände des Fehlerstromschutzschalters;

Figuren 4A bis 4E

schematische Darstellungen des Montageablaufs des erfindungsgemäßen Anlegehebels in mehreren Montageschritten.

In the following, an embodiment of the residual current circuit breaker will be explained in more detail with reference to the accompanying figures. In the figures are:

FIG. 1

a schematic representation of the residual current circuit breaker according to the invention in a side view;

FIG. 2

schematic representations of the application lever according to the invention in several views;

FIGS. 3A to 3D

schematic representations of the interaction of the switching mechanism with the application lever during various switching states of the residual current circuit breaker;

FIGS. 4A to 4E

schematic representations of the assembly process of the application lever according to the invention in several assembly steps.

In the various figures of the drawing, like parts are always provided with the same reference numerals. The description applies to all drawing figures in which the corresponding part can also be recognized.

In FIG. 1 the fault current circuit breaker 10 according to the invention is shown schematically in a side view. The residual current circuit breaker 10 has a housing 11 with a front side 16 and a rear side 17 arranged opposite the front side 16. At the front 16, an operating element 12 for manual operation of the residual current circuit breaker 10 is formed. With the back 17 of the residual current circuit breaker 10 on a mounting rail (not shown) are attached. For this purpose, a movable locking element 14 is arranged for engaging behind the support rail on the housing 11, which is manually operable to release the residual current circuit breaker 10 of the support rail via a slider 13.

In the interior of the housing 11, the residual current circuit breaker 10 has a switching contact (not shown) with a relative to the housing 11 fixedly arranged contact piece and a relatively movable contact piece. When a fault current occurs, the switching contact is opened by means of a switching mechanism of the residual current circuit breaker 10. The movable contact piece of the switch contact is kinematically coupled to a rotatably mounted in the housing 11 shift shaft 30 of the switching mechanism, that the switching contact 30 is opened or closed by a rotational movement of the switching shaft. Furthermore, the residual current circuit breaker 10, a trip relay 20 with a movably mounted Trigger plunger 21, which is also kinematically coupled to the switching mechanism. If a fault current is detected, the tripping relay 21 is moved from a starting position to a tripped position via the tripping relay 20, whereby the switching mechanism of the residual current circuit breaker 10 is triggered and the switching contact is opened. To reset the release plunger from its released position to its starting position, the residual current circuit breaker 10 has a so-called application lever 40, which is rotatably mounted in the housing 11. Depending on the application, the residual current circuit breaker 10 may also have a plurality of switching contacts, all of which can be actuated by means of the switching mechanism of the residual current circuit breaker 10.

In FIG. 2 the landing lever 40 according to the invention is shown schematically in several perspective views. The application lever 40 has a bearing bore 44, via which it in the mounted state on a housing 11 formed on the journal 18 (see FIGS. 3A and 3B ) is rotatably mounted. With the help of a trained on Anlegehebel 40, arcuate bayonet contour 43, the storage of the landing lever 40 is secured to the bearing pin 18 in the axial direction. On a finger-like cantilever 47, an actuating surface 45 is formed for returning the release plunger 21 from the released position to the starting position. Furthermore, a mounting snaphook 52 is eye-shaped on the application lever 40, which for securing the application lever 40 during assembly to a latching edge 53 (see FIGS. 4A to 4D ) of the residual current circuit breaker 10 can be latched. For the kinematic coupling with the switching shaft 30, the application lever 40 has a cam 41 formed on a pin-like projection 48.

The outer surface of the bearing bore 44 is formed as a bearing mandrel 46 for receiving and supporting a contact spring 42. The application spring 42 is designed as a torsion spring and serves to provide the required to reset the release plunger 21 restoring force. Since the restoring force of the Applying spring 42 is provided, it is possible to kinematically decouple the return movement of the engaging lever 40 from the highly dynamic rotational movement of the switching shaft 30, as occurs when opening the switching contact or the switching contacts of the residual current circuit breaker 10. The restoring force is thus independent of the contact force of the switch contacts and regardless of the number of poles or the number of switching contacts of the residual current circuit breaker 10. In this way, a gentle, largely shock-free resetting of the trigger plunger 21 in its initial position by a gentle rotational movement of the landing lever 40 allows.

In the FIGS. 3A to 3D is the interaction of the switching mechanism with the application lever 40 during various switching states of the residual current circuit breaker 10 - each in a side view - shown schematically. In FIG. 3A an OFF position of the residual current circuit breaker 10 is shown. The switching contact is open, the switching shaft 30 with the movable contact piece coupled thereto is in an open position corresponding to the OFF position. In this open position, the movable contact piece and the stationarily arranged contact piece of the switching contact are not in contact with each other, so that no current flows through the switching contact. Furthermore, in the OFF position of the residual current circuit breaker 10 of the application lever 40 with its actuating surface 45 on so-called ram plate 22 of the trip relay 20 at. The ram plate 22 is fixed to a lower end of the release ram 21. Due to the restoring force applied by the torque of the application spring 42, the actuation surface 45 of the application lever 40 bears against the plunger plate 22 with a constant force, so that false triggering of the release relay 20 is prevented from the outset due to vibrations. The control element 31, which is formed on a cam 32 which is fixedly connected to the switching shaft 30, is not in contact with the cam 41 of the application lever 40 formed on the molding 48.

FIG. 3B shows the interaction of the switching shaft 30 with the application lever 40 during a switch-on of the residual current circuit breaker 10. For this, the actuator 12 (see Fig. 1 ) is brought from the OFF position to an ON position. The switching shaft 30 is thereby counter-clockwise rotated in rotation. From a certain predefined angle of rotation of the switching shaft 30, the formed on the cam 32 of the shift shaft 30 control member 31 formed on the Anformung 48 of the Anlegehebels 40 control cam 41. Upon further rotation of the shift shaft 30 in the counterclockwise direction is by the contact of the control element 31 with the Control cam 41, the pin-like Anformung 48 driven by the cam 32, so that the application lever 40 is also offset in the counterclockwise direction in a rotary motion. As a result, the actuating surface 45 of the application lever 40 moves away from the ram plate 22 of the tripping relay 20; the application lever 40 is thus in its first position, shown in FIG Fig. 3B , Furthermore, the application spring 42 (see Fig. 2 ) is wound up by the rotational movement of the application lever 40.

The kinematic interaction of the control element 31 with the control cam 41 is carried out by a corresponding shaping of the control element 31 and / or the control curve 41 such that the application lever 40 its complete stroke, ie its complete rotational movement, which is required to the release plunger 21 with to reset the desired force, already within a first rotational angle range α of the shift shaft 30 performs. The application lever 40 thus reaches its first position already at an early point in time, even before the switching contact is closed by the further rotation of the switching shaft 30 by a further rotation angle range β (see FIG Fig. 3C ). This has the advantage that the application lever 40 is already in its first position when the residual current circuit breaker 10 is switched on and is therefore "ready", even if a fault current occurs Immediately after switch-on. The size of the first rotation angle range α is also adjustable by the structural design of the cam control, ie by the shape of the control cam 41 and the control element 31 and their interaction.

In FIG. 3C is the switching shaft 30 in a position in which the switching contact is closed. Since the control cam 41 of the application lever 40 is formed flatter in this area, the rotational movement of the shift shaft 30 in the further rotation angle range β has no noticeable effect on the rotational position of the application lever 40. Since the application lever 40 its first position within the first rotation angle range α of Switching shaft 30 has reached, the further rotation angle range β of the shift shaft 30 thus only leads to the closing of the switch contact.

In Figure 3D the fault current circuit breaker 10 is shown in its tripped position as it occurs after tripping of the residual current circuit breaker 10 due to a fault current. If a fault current is detected, this leads to a tripping of the tripping relay 20 and thus to a movement of the tripping plunger 21. In this way, the switching mechanism of the residual current circuit breaker 10 is actuated, whereby a highly dynamic shutdown is initiated. In this case, the switching contact of the residual current circuit breaker 10 is opened by a rotational movement of the switching shaft 30 in a clockwise direction, whereby the current flow is interrupted via the switching contact. The shift shaft 30 is doing in their in Fig. 3D shown OFF position moves. In this position, the application lever 40 is no longer supported on the pin-like Anformung 48 by the cam 32 of the shift shaft 30, resulting in a kinematic degree of freedom of the application lever 40 results. Due to the restoring force applied by the application spring 42, this leads to a rotational movement of the application lever 40 in the clockwise direction. In this case, the release plunger 21 via the contact the actuating surface 45 is returned to the plunger plate 22 back to its original position.

Since the application lever 40 with the switching mechanism or the shift shaft 30 has no fixed coupling, but only via the control cam 41 pressurized with the control element 31 of the shift shaft 30 is in contact, the highly dynamic tearing movement of the shift shaft 30 is not transmitted to the application lever 40. During the highly dynamic tearing movement, the cam 42 of the shift shaft 30 passes under the formed on the Anformung 48 cam 41 away, until the contact between the control cam 42 and the control member 31 is interrupted, whereby the application lever 40 is released for its rotational movement. The trip relay 20 is thereby protected from shocks and / or shocks, as they can be caused by the highly dynamic tearing movement of the switching shaft 30 to open the switch contact.

In the FIGS. 4A to 4E the sequence of mounting the landing lever 40 according to the invention is shown schematically - each in a side view of the residual current circuit breaker 10 - in several assembly steps. In FIG. 4A is shown a position for attaching the docking lever 40. The application lever 40 is used together with the pre-mounted on the bearing mandrel 46 apply spring 42 (see FIG. 2 ) in the FIG. 4A shown position with its bearing bore 44 mounted on the formed in an inner wall 19 of the residual current circuit breaker 10 bearing pin 18. The bayonet contour 43 of the docking lever 40 is not yet engaged. Also, a spring leg 49 of the application spring 42, which later rests against a housing contour of the housing 11 of the residual current circuit breaker 10 to exert the restoring force on the application lever 40 is still free. The actuating surface 45 for resetting the trigger plunger 21 on the plunger plate 22 is located at the beginning of the installation of the application lever 40 in the space of the trip relay 20. An assembly of the trip relay 20 is therefore only after the installation of the docking lever 40th possible. When mounted trip relay 20 thereby disassembly of the docking lever 40 is no longer possible.

In contrast to FIG. 4A is the application lever 40 in FIG. 4B a piece far in the counterclockwise direction on the bearing pin 18 is rotated. In this case, the spring leg 49 of the application spring 40 comes into engagement with a formed on the inner wall 19 housing contour 50. If the application lever 40 further rotated counterclockwise on the bearing pin, so the spring leg 49 is supported on the housing contour 50, whereby the application spring 40 is biased ,

In FIG. 4C the application lever 40 is shown in a position in which the bayonet contour 43 already partially engages behind a projection 51 formed in the inner wall 19 and is therefore already partly covered by the projection 51. The application lever 40 is secured in this rotational position against axial detachment from the bearing pin 18. During normal operation of the residual current circuit breaker 10, ie during various switch-on and switch-off operations, the bayonet contour 43 permanently engages behind this projection 51 at least partially. A further axial securing of the application lever 40, for example by a cover plate, is therefore no longer necessary. The bearing pin 18 for supporting the landing lever 40 requires no further support and is designed as a flying journal. A trained on Anlegehebel 40 mounting snap hook 52 is about to latch with the formed on the inner wall 19 locking edge 53rd

Figure 4D shows the application lever 40 in a locked position of the mounting snap hook 52. The mounting snap hook 52 is latched to the locking edge 53, so that the application lever 40 can not be rotated in the clockwise direction. This results in the advantage that when not mounted trip relay 20 of the application lever 40 is not affected by the applied by the application spring 42 restoring force in the direction of the original, in FIG. 4A shown, mounting position for attaching the application lever 40 is moved to the bearing pin 18. This ensures that the bayonet contour 43 remains permanently engaged and the application lever 40 is thus secured against axial movement on the bearing journal 18. The assembly process is significantly simplified. The mounting snap hook 52 is shaped such that a release of the latching connection of the mounting snap hook 52 is possible at the locking edge 53 only by a manual pushing away of the mounting snap hook 52.

In Figure 4E the position of the docking lever 40 during assembly of the trip relay 20 is shown. In order for the trip relay 20 to be mounted, the apply lever 40 is moved over its first position (see FIG FIGS. 3B and 3C ) into the in Figure 4E shown rotated position. The actuating surface 45 of the Anlegehebels 40 for resetting the trigger plunger 21 is far away from the trip relay 20 and releases the space required for mounting the trip relay 20 space. This is necessary because the trip relay 20 has at its lower end a hook 24 for limiting the plunger stroke of the trigger plunger 21. In the Figure 4E illustrated position of the apply lever 40 represents an end position for a rotation of the apply lever counterclockwise, which is limited by a formed on the housing 11 stop for the apply lever. Another pivoting of the docking lever 40 in the counterclockwise direction is thus no longer possible. The bayonet contour 43 of the application lever 40 thus remains in engagement with the projection 51 formed on the inner wall 19, so that the application lever is also secured axially in this position. The application spring 42 is dimensioned such that it is not damaged even at this maximum deflection. If the application lever 40 is released from this position again, it rotates, driven by the restoring force applied by the application spring 42, as far as in the clockwise direction until the actuation surface 45 of the application lever 40 rests against the plunger plate 22 of the release relay 20.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMBERS

10

Residual Current Device

11

casing

12

actuator

13

pusher

14

locking element

15

terminal

16

front

17

back

18

pivot

19

inner wall

20

Tripping relay

21

Actuation tappet

22

tappet disc

24

hook

30

shift shaft

31

control

32

cam

40

landing lever

41

cam

42

Applying spring / torsion spring

43

bayonet contour

44

bearing bore

45

actuating surface

46

bearing mandrel

47

cantilever

48

conformation

49

spring leg

50

housing contour

51

head Start

52

Mounting Snap hooks

53

catch edge

α

first rotation angle range

β

further rotation angle range

Claims (8)

1. Residual-current circuit breaker (10) for detecting residual currents, comprising

   - a tripping relay (20) which has a tripping tappet (21) which is moved from a starting position to a tripped position when a residual current occurs,

   - a switching mechanism which is kinematically coupled to the tripping tappet (21) in such a way that a switching contact which is coupled to the switching mechanism is opened when a residual current occurs,

   - a rotatably mounted positioning lever (40) in order to reset the tripping tappet (21) from the tripped position to the starting position by means of a restoring force,

   - wherein the positioning lever (40) is held in a first position against the restoring force by the switching mechanism when the switching contact is closed, and is released by the switching mechanism when the residual-current circuit breaker (10) is tripped,

   - wherein the positioning lever (40) is kinematically coupled to the switching mechanism in such a way that, when the residual-current circuit breaker (10) is tripped, a control element (31) which is arranged on the switching mechanism slides along a region of the positioning lever (40), which region is in the form of a control cam (41), until the positioning lever is released,

   characterized in that
   the control element (31) is formed on a rotatably mounted switching shaft (30) of the switching mechanism and interacts with the control cam (41) in such a way that the switching shaft (30) is set in rotation when the residual-current circuit breaker (10) is tripped, in order to open the switching contact and to release the positioning lever (40), and the positioning lever (40) is moved to the first position by rotation of the switching shaft (30) when the switching contact is closed, and held there.
2. Residual-current circuit breaker (10) according to Claim 1, in which the control cam (41) interacts with the control element (31), which is formed on the switching shaft (30), in such a way that the positioning lever (40) reaches its first position as early as within a first rotation angle range (α) of the switching shaft (30) when the switching contact is closed.
3. Residual-current circuit breaker (10) according to Claim 2, wherein the first rotation angle range (α) of the switching shaft is approximately 15° to 20°.
4. Residual-current circuit breaker (10) according to one of the preceding claims, in which the restoring force which is to be applied by the positioning lever (40) is realized with the aid of a mechanical spring.
5. Residual-current circuit breaker (10) according to Claim 4, in which the mechanical spring is in the form of a torsion spring (42).
6. Residual-current circuit breaker (10) according to one of the preceding claims, in which a contact region of the control element (31) is designed such that pressure is applied to it by the control cam (41).
7. Residual-current circuit breaker (10) according to one of the preceding claims, in which the positioning lever (40) has a bayonet contour (43) for securely mounting the positioning lever (40).
8. Residual-current circuit breaker (10) according to one of the preceding claims, having a further switching contact which can be operated by means of the switching mechanism.

Images