EP2492941B1 - Device for controlling at least one mobile contact and multipolar electronic switchgear comprising such a device - Google Patents

Abstract

The device has a grenade (8) including a projecting element (10) and another projecting element respectively cooperating with openings (6, 7). The projecting elements, the openings and end portions (4b) of one of cranks (4, 5) are shaped in a manner such that the elements are introduced into the openings when a movable rod (14b) is extended in a plane (P) passing through a longitudinal axis (X) of a shaft (1) and the cranks, and are maintained in the openings after rotation of bar portions (9) in the openings at an angle between 30 and 150 degrees with respect to an axis of the bar portions. An independent claim is also included for an electric switchgear.

Description

The present invention relates to a device for controlling at least one movable contact comprising at least one shaft journalled around a first fixed geometric axis with respect to a support and, for the or each movable contact, a movable driving rod of said mobile contact, a transmission lever pivoting about a second geometrical axis parallel to the first and fixed relative to said support, said transmission lever being mechanically connected on the one hand to (x) said (s) shaft (s) and d on the other hand, to the aforementioned rod by connecting means, so that the rotation of the shaft causes the displacement of the movable contact towards the fixed contact, these connecting means comprising for each moving contact, a grenade mechanically connecting the rod driving the movable contact to the transmission lever, and a multipolar electrical protection device comprising such a device.

We know the document EP 0 346 603 , describing a three-pole switchgear with three polar cut-off modules, each module comprising a vacuum interrupter provided with a movable control rod in translation. A spring drive mechanism of known type having a pole shaft, allows the driving of the control rods of the three vacuum bulbs. Each control rod is connected to the pole shaft via an independent linkage, specific to the corresponding cut-off module. This linkage consists of a transmission lever, arranged between two connecting rods, one of the connecting rods connecting the lever to a crank of the pole shaft and the other connecting the lever to the control rod of the bulb to empty.

The document is also known EP 1 139 368 describing a multipole electrical apparatus comprising a plurality of breaking modules, wherein each breaking module comprises a vacuum interrupter having a movable contact mu by a movable rod articulated to a transmission lever, the poles being connected to the transmission levers via a connecting rod.

In these known devices, the connection between the one-piece shaft and the movable contacts is made with axes and stop and hold systems in position. All these devices have the disadvantage of multiplying the number of pieces per phase while creating games, which will often increase with mechanical endurance.

The present invention solves these problems and proposes a device for controlling at least one moving contact, as well as a multipolar electrical cut-off device comprising such a device, of simple design, implementing a reduced number of parts, hence reduced manufacturing and assembly cost, increasing the kinematic reliability of the assembly by reducing the gaps between the parts thus improving the endurance characteristics.

For this purpose, the subject of the present invention is a device for controlling at least one moving contact of the kind mentioned above, this device being characterized in that this grenade has a shape of bar portion and comprises, at its two opposite ends a protruding element, these two protruding elements being intended to cooperate respectively with openings respectively provided in two end portions respectively belonging to two cranks extending on either side of the driving rod of the moving contact. , substantially parallel to one another and substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of 1 '(the) shaft (s), said cranks forming the aforesaid transmission lever, these projecting elements, these openings and the parts d the aforesaid ends being shaped such that these protruding elements can be introduced into the openings when the rod (s) extend (s) in the plane passing through the longitudinal axis of the shaft and the cranks of (the) lever (s) transmission, and are maintained in said openings after rotation of the portion (s) of bar (s) in said openings at an angle of between 30 ° and 150 ° with respect to the axis of the bar portion 9.

According to a particular characteristic, the first and second geometric axes are merged and the cranks are secured in rotation with the aforementioned shaft.

According to a particular feature, the openings provided in the end portions of the cranks comprise a first portion of circular shape extended by an oblong portion, the latter having a width smaller than the diameter of the circular portion, said circular portion being located on the side of the shaft, and these end portions are folded consecutively twice substantially square, so that for each of the cranks, the end portion and the main portion connected to the shaft extend in two planes substantially parallel to one another, the main part connected to the shaft having the circular opening portion and the end portion and the intermediate portion between the main portion and the end portion comprising the opening portion of oblong shape.

According to another characteristic, these projecting elements each comprise a first part of partially cylindrical shape having a first diameter, this part being extended by a second portion in the form of a cylinder portion having a second larger diameter than the first, the whole formed by these two parts having two opposite planar faces separated by a distance slightly less than the width I of the aforementioned oblong apertures, said protruding elements can thus be introduced into the openings of the cranks through the oblong openings, then in the circular openings position from which said bar portions can be rotated at an angle of between 30 and 150 ° within the circular openings, the diameter of the first portion being slightly less than the diameter of the aforesaid circular portion, so that the power bar e turn without play while being held firmly in the circular openings.

According to another characteristic, this device comprises, for each movable contact, a rod passing through said bar, which bar is slidably mounted relative to said rod between two stop elements integral with said rod, with interposition of a spring between the bar and said second stop member located on the side of the movable contact, said rod being hollow, having at one of its ends a tapping, and being intended to receive a connecting rod of the movable contact on the side of this second element; stopping, said connecting rod passing through said rod and being screwed to said rod by means of the aforementioned tapping so as to make it possible to adjust the length of this rod and therefore the stroke of the movable contact before the two contacts come into contact.

According to another feature, this device comprises a screw passing through said bar, which bar is slidably mounted relative to said screw between the head of the screw and a washer integral with the screw, with the interposition of a pressure spring of contact between said bar and said washer.

According to another feature, this device also comprises a support cup interposed between one of the ends of the spring and the bar.

According to another characteristic, the drive shaft is in one piece.

According to another characteristic, the cranks of the transmission arms are welded or attached to the shaft.

The subject of the invention is also a multipole electrical breaking device comprising a support, at least one breaking module, each breaking module comprising a pair of separable contacts comprising at least one moving contact, this device being characterized in that it comprises a driving device comprising the previously mentioned features taken alone or in combination.

According to another characteristic, said second geometric axis is common to all of the clipping modules.

According to another characteristic, the or each cutoff module comprises a vacuum interrupter comprising an enclosure in which the separable contacts are located.

According to another characteristic, this device comprises a double crank mechanically connecting the shaft to the control mechanism of the apparatus.

According to yet another characteristic, this device is a switch or a medium voltage circuit breaker.

• La figure 1 est une vue partielle en perspective, illustrant l'arbre de commande des pôles d'un appareillage de coupure électrique, équipé des grenades permettant le déplacement et la mise en pression de contact des contacts mobiles,
• La figure 2 est une vue partielle en perspective, illustrant le montage d'une grenade sur l'arbre de commande,
• Les figures 3 et 4 sont des vues respectivement de côté et de dessus de la figure 2,
• La figure 5 est une vue partielle en perspective identique à la figure 2, après la réalisation d'une première étape de montage de la grenade sur l'arbre, et
• les figures 6 et 7 sont des vues respectivement de côté et de dessus de la figure 5.

But other advantages and features of the invention will become more apparent in the detailed description which follows and refers to the accompanying drawings given solely by way of example and in which:

• The figure 1 is a partial perspective view, illustrating the control shaft of the poles of an electrical switchgear, equipped with grenades for moving and putting into contact pressure of the movable contacts,
• The figure 2 is a partial perspective view illustrating the mounting of a grenade on the control shaft,
• The Figures 3 and 4 are respectively side and top views of the figure 2 ,
• The figure 5 is a partial perspective view identical to the figure 2 after carrying out a first step of mounting the grenade on the tree, and
• the Figures 6 and 7 are respectively side and top views of the figure 5 .

On the figure 1 , we see a pole shaft 1 belonging to a multipolar electrical switchgear, said apparatus consisting mainly of a drive mechanism and several cutoff modules, three in this particular embodiment.

The drive mechanism can be of any known type having a pole shaft. It may be for example a mechanism of the type described in the document EP-A-0 222 645 , provided with a subassembly of arming and closure comprising a closing spring, and an opening subassembly comprising an opening spring.

Each breaking module comprises a vacuum interrupter comprising an enclosure in which are located the separable contacts respectively a fixed contact and a movable contact.

This shaft is monobloc, and fixedly connected by one end 1a, one of the ends 2a of a double crank 2 whose other end 2b is hingedly connected to a control lever 3. Ce control lever 3 controlled by the control mechanism, is intended to cause the rotation of the shaft so as to make the opening or closing of the movable contacts, as well as the contact pressure of said movable contacts. According to the invention, this shaft 1 comprises for each phase, two cranks 4,5 fixed by welding on the shaft and extending parallel to one another and substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the tree.

These two cranks 4,5 each comprise an end portion bent twice substantially square and thus having a main portion 4a mounted around the shaft extending in a first plane, an end portion 4b s' extending in a plane said second parallel to the first and extending outwardly of the main portion relative to the associated moving contact, and an intermediate portion 4c connecting the main and end portions 4a, 4b. Each of these cranks has an opening 6.7 having a first circular portion 6a followed by a second oblong portion 6b, the oblongly shaped opening portion 6b being located in the intermediate portion 4c and in the end portion. 4b of the crank, while the circular portion 6a is located in the main portion 4a of the crank.

This shaft is intended to be mechanically connected to a mobile unit E comprising a grenade 8 formed mainly by a portion of bar 9 having at its two opposite ends a projecting element 10, 11, these two projecting elements 10, 11 being intended for cooperate with the openings 6.7 provided respectively in the two cranks.

As this can also be observed on Figures 2 to 7 these projecting elements 10, 11 each consist of a first portion 10 a of partially cylindrical shape having a first diameter d 1 ( fig.4 ), followed by a second portion 10b of partially cylindrical shape having a second diameter d2, the value of the second diameter d2 being greater than that of the first diameter d1, the assembly formed by the two portions having two opposed faces 12, 13 flattened separated by a distance e slightly smaller than the width 1 of the oblong portions 6b of the openings 6.7 made in the cranks.

It will also be noted that the diameter d1 of the first portion 10a of the projecting element is slightly smaller than the diameter d3 of the circular portion 6a of the opening.

This mobile unit E also comprises a hollow screw 14 and having at its end situated on the side of the head 14a of the screw 14, a tapping for screwing the end of a connecting rod to the movable contact mounted inside the the opinion. This screw passes through the bar portion 9, said bar portion being slidably mounted between the head 14a of the screw and a washer 15 secured to the end of the rod 14b of the screw, with the interposition of a contact pressure spring. 16 between a cup 17 resting on one side of the bar and the aforementioned washer 15.

The assembly of mobile crews will be described in the following with reference to the figures.

First of all, the moving equipments E corresponding to the different phases are mounted on the shaft of the poles 1 by introducing the protruding elements 10, 11 of the bar portions 9 into the oblong shaped portions 6b of the openings 6.7 provided in FIG. the cranks 4,5, this introduction being possible only if the moving element E is placed in such a way that the longitudinal axis y of projecting elements 10,11 extends in a plane P passing through this axis X longitudinal axis of the shaft 1 and the two longitudinal axes respectively of the two oblong opening portions 6b provided in the cranks 4,5.

When these protruding elements 10, 11 are introduced into the openings, as illustrated in FIGS. Figures 5 to 7 , the moving element E is rotated about the axis of the circular portions 6a of the openings, this axis corresponding to the axis of the bar portion when it is introduced into the openings. After this rotation, the mobile assembly E is fixedly held inside the cranks 4,5, this position being illustrated on the Figures 5 to 7 this being due to the fact that the diameter d1 of the first portions 10a is slightly smaller than the diameter d3 of the circular portions 6a of the openings.

It has therefore been realized according to the invention a drive device of a simple design shaft for simplifying the control function of the mechanical connection rods of the movable contacts of vacuum bulbs. Thanks to this trick, the assembly is easier, and it is possible to use a one-piece Meccano-welded shaft.

The number of parts used is reduced, part and assembly costs are also reduced, and the assembly has increased kinematic reliability given the reduction of the games presented by this solution, which improves the characteristics of the components. 'endurance.

The present invention therefore makes it possible to improve the robustness over time of this mechanical connection function, to minimize the gaps between the parts, to eliminate the risk of loosening and disassembly, that is to say of being uncoupled from to the tree, to remove the risk of forgetting an element during assembly.

It will be noted that a one-piece shaft is preferably used, but the invention could also be applied to shafts consisting of several assembled parts, said shaft comprising welded cranks (welded technology) or reported.

All these advantages are due to the fact that these cranks have shapes and orifices of particular shape making it easy to assemble the crews in the orifices of the cranks.

The invention also has the advantage of reducing the number of necessary adjustments, to guarantee the simultaneity (with reduced adjustment) of closure of the contacts.

The reduction of the overall cost of the function is achieved by reducing the number of parts, reducing the price of parts given the reduced machining performed on them, and reducing assembly time.

Of course, the invention is not limited to the embodiments described and illustrated which have been given by way of example.

For example, that the fixing of the grenades in the orifices after introduction of the projecting elements in the orifices could be achieved by a latching system.

Claims (14)

1. An operating device of at least one movable contact comprising at least one shaft pivoting around a first geometric axis that is fixed with respect to a support and, for the or each movable contact, a movable drive rod of said movable contact, a transmission lever pivoting around a second geometric axis parallel to the first axis and fixed with respect to said support, said transmission lever being mechanically connected on the one hand to said shaft(s) and on the other hand to the above-mentioned rod by connecting means, so that rotation of the shaft brings about movement of the movable contact towards the stationary contact, these connecting means comprising a trunnion, for each movable contact, mechanically connecting the drive rod of the movable contact to the transmission lever,
   characterized in that this trunnion (8) presents the shape of a portion of bar (9) and comprises a salient element (10,11) at the two opposite ends thereof, these two salient elements (10,11) being designed to respectively collaborate with openings (6,7) respectively provided in two end parts (4b) respectively belonging to two cranks (4,5) extending on each side of the drive rod of the movable contact, in substantially parallel manner to one another and substantially perpendicularly to the longitudinal direction of the shaft(s) (1), said cranks (4,5) forming the above-mentioned transmission lever, these salient elements (10,11), these openings (6,7) and the above-mentioned end parts (4b) being shaped in such a way that these salient elements (10,11) can be inserted into the openings (6,7) when the rod(s) (14b) extend(s) in the plane P passing via the longitudinal axis X of the shaft (1) and the cranks (4,5) of the transmission lever(s), and are secured in said openings after rotation of the portion(s) of bar(s) (9) in said openings (6,7) through an angle comprised between 30° and 150° with respect to the axis of the portion of bar (9).
2. The operating device according to claim 1, characterized in that the first and second geometric axes are identical and in that the cranks (4,5) are secured in rotation with the above-mentioned shaft (1).
3. The operating device according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the openings (6,7) provided in the end parts (4b) of the cranks (4,5) comprise a first part (6a) of circular shape extended by a part of oblong shape (6b), the latter presenting a width I that is smaller than the diameter d3 of the circular part, said part of circular shape being located on the same side as the shaft (1), and in that these end parts (4b) are consecutively folded twice substantially into a bracket so that, for each of the cranks (4,5), the end part (4b) and the main part (4a) connected to the shaft (1) extend in two planes substantially parallel with respect to one another, the main part (4a) connected to the shaft (1) comprising the circular part of opening and the end part (4b) as well as the intermediate part (4c) between the main part (4a) and the end part (4b) comprising the part of opening (6b) of oblong shape.
4. The operating device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the salient elements (10,11) each comprise a first part (10a) of partially cylindrical shape presenting a first diameter d1, this part being extended by a second part (10b) in the form of a portion of cylinder presenting a second diameter d2 larger than the first diameter, the assembly formed by these two parts presenting two opposite flat surfaces (12,13) separated by a distance (e) that is slightly smaller than the width I of the above-mentioned openings of oblong shape (6b), said salient elements (10,11) thereby being able to be inserted into the openings of the cranks (4,5) via the oblong-shaped openings, and then into the circular openings (6a), a position from which said portions of bars (9) can be driven in rotation through an angle comprised between 30 and 150° inside the circular openings (6a), the diameter d1 of the first part (10a) being slightly smaller than the diameter d3 of the above-mentioned circular part (6a), so that the bar (9) can rotate without clearance while at the same time being firmly secured in the circular openings (6a).
5. The operating device according to any one of the foregoing claims, characterized in that, for each movable contact, it comprises a rod (14b) passing through said bar (9), which bar being mounted sliding with respect to said rod (14b) between two stop parts (14a,15a) integral to said rod, a spring (16) being fitted between the bar (9) and said second stop part (15) located on the movable contact side, said rod being hollow, comprising a bored hole at one of its ends and being designed to receive a connecting pin of the movable contact on the side where this second stop part (15) is located, said connecting pin passing through said rod and being screw-fastened to said rod by means of the above-mentioned bored hole so as to enable adjustment of the length of this connecting pin, and therefore the travel of the movable contact before the two contacts come into contact.
6. The operating device according to claim 5, characterized in that it comprises a screw (14) passing through said bar (9), which bar is mounted sliding with respect to said screw between the head (14a) of the screw and a stop washer (15) integral to the screw, a contact pressure spring (16) being fitted between said bar (9) and said washer (15).
7. The operating device according to claim 5 or 6, characterized in that a support cup (17) is fitted between one of the ends of the spring (16) and the bar (9).
8. The operating device according to any one of the foregoing claims, characterized in that the drive shaft (1) is monoblock.
9. The operating device according to claim 8, characterized in that the cranks (4,5) of the transmission arms are welded or secured to the shaft (1).
10. A multipole electric switchgear apparatus comprising a support, at least one breaking module, each breaking module comprising a pair of separable contacts comprising at least one movable contact, characterized in that it comprises an operating device according to any one of claims 1 to 9.
11. The multipole electric switchgear apparatus according to claim 10 comprising several breaking modules, characterized in that said second geometric axis is common to all the breaking modules.
12. The multipole electric switchgear apparatus according to claim 10 or 11, characterized in that the or each breaking module comprises a vacuum cartridge comprising an enclosure in which the separable contacts are located.
13. The multipole electric switchgear apparatus according to any one of claims 10 to 12, characterized in that it comprises a double crank (2) mechanically connecting the shaft (1) to the operating mechanism of the apparatus.
14. The electric switchgear apparatus according to any one of claims 10 to 13, characterized in that it is a medium-voltage switch or circuit breaker.

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