EP2608236A1 - Switch suitable for direct current operation - Google Patents

Abstract

The device has an arc driver arrangement provided for creation of a magnetic field, and an arc guidance arrangement for conducting a light arc between closed contacts (10,11) for a light arc control device (32) i.e. deion delete chamber. The arc guidance arrangement is divided into light arc routes (22, 23) for conducting the arc between the contacts. One of the arc routes is provided in a current direction and another arc route is provided in another current direction opposite to the former current direction. The latter arc route causes reversal of the arc and/or current.

Description

The invention relates to a switching device which is suitable for a DC operation, wherein the switching device has at least one pair of contacts with a first contact and a second contact, wherein at least one of the two contacts is movable and the two contacts in an on state of the switching device in contact with each other and in an off state of the switching device are out of contact, further comprising a Lichtbogentreiberanordnung to generate a magnetic field and an arc guide assembly for conducting an arc occurring between the contacts to a canceling device.

A switching device for DC applications uses a magnetic field with substantially transverse to the separation distance of the current paths field lines. In one housing, one or more receiving areas are provided for each one current path per pole, wherein each current path is associated with a movable switching contact element and, for example, two mutually opposite stationary switching contact elements. The movable switching contact elements may be movable together between a closed position, which corresponds to the switched-on state of the switching device, and an open position, which corresponds to a switched-off state of the switching device. The individual current paths are each associated with two arc quenching devices, which are each in the form of individual stacked, electrically insulated from each other quenching plates are formed. In addition, each current path has one or two separating sections which, when the movable switching contact elements are open, form between the ends thereof and the first and second stationary switching contact elements assigned to these ends. When the switching contact elements are opened, an arc forms along the separating sections, which arc can be extinguished with the aid of the arc-extinguishing devices. Because in DC applications, erasing an arc is not due to a Zero crossing of the current, as in AC applications, can be achieved, it requires in DC applications to provide a magnetic field, which drives the arc in one of the arc quenching equipment. This magnetic field is formed for example by permanent magnets, wherein a magnetic field is established with field lines in an orientation which extend transversely to the separation paths and generate a Lorenz force on these arcs forming along these separation lines, which drives the arcs in the direction of one of the arc extinguishing devices. In this case, an arc is driven between a first contact pair in the direction of a first arc quenching device and the arc between a second contact pair in a second arc quenching device.

Such a switching device is for example from the EP 2 061 053 A2 known. Since the movement of the arcs depends on the current flow direction in the arc, the switching device is suitable only for one direction of current, ie polarity. If the switching device operated with reverse polarity, the arcs would not be driven into the arc extinguishing devices, but in the opposite direction.

An object of the present invention is to provide a switching device that can be operated independently of polarity, which can thus be used for different current directions, in particular resulting arcs can be deleted regardless of the current direction in only one arc quenching device.

The object is achieved by a switching device according to the main claim. In the subclaims preferred embodiments are given.

The switching device according to the invention is suitable for a DC operation, has at least one contact pair with a first contact and a second contact, wherein at least the second contact is movable and the first contact with the second contact in an on state of the switching device in contact and in a switched off state of the switching device out of contact wherein an arc runner arrangement is provided for generating a magnetic field, in particular for generating a substantially homogeneous magnetic field using permanent magnets. An arc guide arrangement is provided for conducting an arc occurring between the first contact and the second contact to a quenching device. The arc guide assembly is divided into a first arc guide path and a second arc conduction path, the first arc guide path for conducting an arc occurring between the first contact and the second contact having a first current direction, and the second arc conducting path for conducting one between the first contact and the second arc Contact occurring arc is provided with one of the first current direction opposite second current direction and wherein the second Lichtbogenleitweg causes a reversal of the arc.

An inversion of the arc according to the invention comprises a change in the position of the arc relative to its surroundings, so that, assuming a homogeneous and unchangeable magnetic field, a change in the direction of force of the Lorentz force results due to the change in the position of the arc. In other words, any change in the position of the arc also means a change in the direction of current flow relative to the homogeneous and unchangeable magnetic field. An inversion of the arc is equivalent to a reversal of the direction of the current in the arc relative to the homogeneous and unchangeable magnetic field. By thus also reversed direction of the Lorentz force is advantageously achieved that each arc is independent of polarity in one and the same extinguishing device feasible. An influence of the Lorentz force by changing the magnetic field is not the subject of the invention.

It is preferably provided that the first arc guide path is designed in such a way that an arc with the first current direction is conducted in the direction of the quenching device and that the second arc conduction path is configured so that an arc with the second current direction in a direction away from the Deletion directed, deflected and directed back towards the extinguishing device.

Furthermore, it is preferably provided that the quenching device is designed as a deion quenching chamber with a plurality of quenching plates arranged in parallel.

Furthermore, it is preferably provided that the first arc run path is formed from two first baffles which start apart from the contact pair and the second arc run path is formed from two second baffles which start apart from the contact pair. Particularly preferably, an upper first guide plate and a lower second guide plate each extend from a contact carrier, wherein the second contact is arranged on the contact carrier. Furthermore, it is particularly preferred that a fixed contact carrier in sections forms an upper first baffle and partially forms a lower second baffle. It is particularly preferred that the upper first baffle extends around the contact area and to the extinguishing device. Furthermore, it is preferably provided that at least one Leitblechfortsatz adds to the further guidance of the arc, the upper first baffle and / or the lower second baffle.

Further preferably, it is provided that the second arc runway has a reverse baffle, wherein an arc on the second arc run along the Umkehrleitblechs reversible and from the second contact to the lower second baffle is conductive.

It is further preferred that the first arc run and the second arc run are at least partially insulated from each other. Furthermore, it is preferably provided that the extinguishing device is divided by an insulating device into two extinguishing areas. Particularly preferably, it is provided that the insulating device is comb-shaped.

The switching device according to the invention is preferably carried out simply interrupting. However, the invention can be readily applied to double-break switching devices, wherein two pairs of contacts, each with a first contact and a second contact, forming a double-breaking switch assembly, wherein the second contacts are arranged on a contact carrier movable to the first contacts and wherein In the on state of the switching device, the second contacts are each in contact with one of the first contacts and the contact carrier electrically connects the two second contacts. It is then particularly preferably provided that the arc guide arrangements for the two contact pairs are arranged in mirror image on opposite sides of the contact carrier. Further preferably, it can be provided that a plurality of single or double interrupting switch assemblies are arranged side by side, wherein the contact carrier of the individual switch assemblies are actuated by a common switching bridge.

Further preferably, it is provided that the arc runner assembly comprises at least one permanent magnet which is arranged between two pole plates, wherein the contact pair is arranged between the pole plates.

The invention will be explained in more detail by means of embodiments with reference to the drawings. The embodiments are merely exemplary and do not limit the general inventive concept.

• Figur 1 eine Ausführungsform eines erfindungsgemäßen Schaltgeräts in einer perspektivischen Teilansicht;
• Figur 2 eine weitere Ausführungsform des Schaltgeräts nach Figur 1,
• Figur 3 eine Seitenansicht des Schaltgeräts nach Figur 1,
• Figur 4 eine Seitenansicht einer weiteren Ausführungsform eines erfindungsgemäßen Schaltgeräts;
• Figur 5 eine perspektivische Teilansicht der Ausführungsform des Schaltgeräts nach Figur 4,
• Figur 6 eine weitere Ausführungsform des Schaltgeräts nach Figur 1,
• Figur 7 eine Lichtbogentreiberanordnung mit einem Permanentmagneten und Poplatten.

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• FIG. 1 an embodiment of a switching device according to the invention in a perspective partial view;
• FIG. 2 a further embodiment of the switching device according to FIG. 1 .
• FIG. 3 a side view of the switching device after FIG. 1 .
• FIG. 4 a side view of another embodiment of a switching device according to the invention;
• FIG. 5 a partial perspective view of the embodiment of the switching device according to FIG. 4 .
• FIG. 6 a further embodiment of the switching device according to FIG. 1 .
• FIG. 7 a Lichtbogentreiberanordnung with a permanent magnet and Poplatten.

The in the FIGS. 1 to 6 shown switching devices are shown for the sake of clarity only in part and without housing or magnet assembly. A single switching track 2 with the terminal 4 is partially shown. The switching path 2 comprises a fixed contact carrier 8, which extends to a contact region 12, where a fixed first contact 10 is arranged, which cooperates with a movable second contact 11 on a contact carrier 18. In the case of closed contacts 10, 11, current flows from the fixed contact carrier 8 into the movable contact carrier 18. The further current flow is known in principle to a person skilled in the art. In a simply interrupting switching device, the current flows from the contact carrier to a second port, not shown. In fact, the switching device according to the invention proves to be particularly effective at a single break, since a particularly low height can be achieved here. In the case of a double-interrupting switching device, the illustrated device would again be connected in mirror image form on the cut surface S. That is, the current flows through the contact carrier 18 to a second contact region, not shown, and further in closed contacts in a further fixed contact carrier with a corresponding connection. In the case of a multi-pole switching device, the described device can be multiplied, wherein the contact carrier 18 are synchronously switchable for a plurality of poles, provided that they are fixed to a common switching bridge. Assuming this in each case, the details of the various embodiments are explained below. A Arc runner assembly 24 for generating a magnetic field is the FIG. 7 refer to.

The FIG. 1 shows a switching device according to the invention, which is suitable for a DC operation. An arc guide arrangement is provided for conducting an arc occurring between the first contact 10 and the second contact 11 to an extinguishing device 32, the arc guide arrangement being divided into a first arc conduction path 22 and a second arc conduction path 23. The first arc guide path 22 is provided for conducting an arc occurring between the first contact 10 and the second contact 11 with a first current direction. Accordingly, the second arc guide path is provided for conducting an arc occurring between the first contact 10 and the second contact 11 with a second current direction opposite to the first current direction. The second Lichtbogenleitweg 23 causes a reversal of the arc, or a reversal of the current direction in the arc, relative to the generated by permanent magnets, substantially homogeneous magnetic field, thereby allowing the arcs regardless of the original flow direction of the current in the arc be performed in a common erasing device 32. The higher mass and surface area of the common erase device 32 over two separate erase devices has the advantage of improved heat dissipation and thus improved erase performance.

The first arc runout 22 is formed from two first baffles 28, 30 extending from the contact pair 12, wherein an upper first baffle 28 extends from the contact carrier 18 to the extinguishing device 32 and a lower first baffle 30 from a portion of the fixed contact carrier 8 is formed. The second arc runout 23 is likewise formed from two second baffles 29, 31 which extend apart from the contact pair 12. A lower second guide plate 29 extends from the contact carrier 18 to the extinguishing device 32, wherein a further portion of the fixed contact carrier 8 forms an upper second guide plate 31. The upper second baffle 31 extends around the contact region 12 and on to the extinguishing device 32. In addition, the second arc run 23 has a reverse baffle 35, wherein an arc on the second arc run 23 along the Umkehrleitblechs 35 reversible and to the lower second baffle 29 is conductive.

Depending on the direction of current flow in the arc, it is driven by a substantially homogeneous magnetic field either directly through the first Lichtbogenleitweg 22 in the extinguishing device 32 and extinguished there, or initially driven in the opposite direction and between the upper second baffle 31 and the reverse baffle 35 and vice versa driven via the second Lichtbogenleitweg 23 in the same extinguishing device 32 and deleted there.

In connection with the FIG. 2 features of an improved switching device are described. In order to prevent a flashover of the arc from the first arc conduction path 22 to parts of the second arc conduction path 23 and vice versa, an insulating partition 6, in particular a part of the housing, is provided between the first arc conduction path 22 and the second arc conduction path 23 extending from the contact region 12 extends to the extinguishing device 32. As an additional safeguard, a comb-shaped insulation 34 can engage the extinguishing device 32, whereby the ionized gases generated by the arc are retained and can not propagate between the extinguishing plates 33.

Based on the side view in FIG. 3 the driving of the arcs with different current flow directions is explained in more detail. Between the open contacts 10, 11 arcs are schematically shown for comparison as arrows J1 and J2, wherein the direction of the arrows J1 and J2 is different in order to illustrate the different current flow directions in the arcs. Of course, never occur two arcs with different current direction at the same time in a switch, the representation is only the comparison of the arc paths 22, 23. A homogeneous magnetic field B is shown, whose field lines point out of the plane. The arcs J1 and J2 are first driven in different directions. As a result, the arc J1 travels directly into the extinguishing device 32, while The arc J2 is first reversed until it is rotated by about 180 degrees. The arc J2 aligned after the reversal as well as the arc J1 is now likewise driven into the single extinguishing device 32. In other words, the current direction in the arc J2 has reversed relative to the magnetic field B, so that the direction of the Lorentz force acting on the arc is also reversed.

In the FIGS. 4 to 6 a further preferred embodiment of the switching device according to the invention is shown, wherein the embodiment is advantageously easier to implement in practice. The in the FIGS. 4 and 5 clearly distinguishable from the previously described embodiment relate to the arc guide, namely the upper first baffle 28 of the first arc guide 22 and the lower second baffle 29 of the second arc guide 23. The baffles 28, 29 are connected to the movable contact carrier 18. The moving parts less expensive, smaller, or easier to make easier to use and in particular the design of the switching device. For this reason, the upper first baffle 28 and the lower second baffle 29 are shortened, they do not extend to the extinguishing device 32. Instead, they are angled end such that the respective end portion of the baffles 28, 29 at a constant distance from the extinguishing device 32 runs. Instead, a first baffle extension 36 and a second baffle extension 37 are provided, which each extend as far as the extinguishing device 32. The first Leitblechfortsatz 36 thus supplements the first Lichtbogenleitweg 22 and the second Leitblechfortsatz 37 the second Lichtbogenleitweg 23. Since the arc in the angled end portion of the baffles 28, 29 this can not follow this, creating a second arc, either between the upper first Guide plate 28 and the first Leitblechfortsatz 36 or between the lower second baffle 29 and the second Leitblechfortsatz 37, depending on which of the arc ducts 22, 23 of the arc is. Then either the first guide plate extension 36 or the second guide plate extension 37 is connected to the respective guide plate 28, 29, ie at the same potential level. The original arc may be between the first baffle extension 36 and the lower first baffle 30 or between the second baffle extension 37 and the upper second baffle 31 are passed on. After extinguishing the arc in the extinguishing device 32, the additional arc extinguishes to the Leitblechfortsatz 36, 37th

In the FIG. 6 is the switching device according to FIG. 5 again with the partition wall 6 and the comb-shaped insulation 34, wherein it can also be seen that the housing part which forms the partition wall 6 is pulled under the extinguishing device 32.

In the switching device according to the invention an arc runner assembly 24 is provided, which in FIG. 7 is shown by way of example. The arc running assembly 24 includes, for example, two permanent magnets 41 each disposed between two pole plates 25, 26, 27. Overall, therefore, three pole plates, namely a middle pole plate 25 between the two permanent magnets 41 and a first outer pole plate 26 and a second outer pole plate 27 are provided. The permanent magnets 41 may, for example, be located above the arc guide arrangement, wherein the pole plates 25, 26, 27 extend vertically downwards and limit the switching chambers laterally. Either the pole plates 25, 26, or the pole plates 26, 27 are arranged in the region of the first contact pairs 12 and preferably cover the entire area of the two arc guide arrangement. This arrangement of the permanent magnets 28 and the pole plates 25, 26, 27 ensures that a homogeneous magnetic field is formed between the pole plates 25, 26, 27, which extends at right angles to the pole plates, the field lines thus transverse to the direction of movement of the contact carrier 18 gone. Thus, the field lines of the magnetic field formed by the arc guiding arrangement 24 also extend transversely to an arc, which can form between the first contact 10 and the second contact 11. Thus, the magnetic field produces a Lorentz force which acts on the arc and, depending on the orientation of the magnetic field and the current direction of the arc, drives it in a specific direction.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMBERS

2

switching rail

4

connection

6

Partition, housing part

8th

Fixed contact carrier

10

First contact

11

Second contact

12

contact pair

18

contact support

22

First arc guide path

23

Second arc conduction path

24

Arc driver arrangement

25

Middle pole plate

26

First outer pole plate

27

Second outer pole plate

28

Upper first baffle

29

Under the second baffle

30

Lower first baffle

31

Upper second baffle

32

extinguishing device

33

splitter

34

Comb-shaped insulation

35

Umkehrleitblech

36

First baffle extension

37

Second baffle extension

41

permanent magnet

S

section

B

magnetic field

J1, J2

Arc, arrows

Claims (14)

Switching device, suitable for a DC operation, with at least one contact pair (12) having a first contact (10) and a second contact (11), wherein at least the second contact (11) is movable and the first contacts (10) with the second contacts (11) are in contact with each other and in a switched-off state of the switching device in a switched-off state of the switching device out of contact, wherein a Lichtbogentreiberanordnung (24) is provided for generating a magnetic field and an arc guide assembly for conducting a between the first contact (10) and the second contact (11) occurring arc is provided to a quenching device (32), characterized in that the arc guide assembly is divided into a first Lichtbogenleitweg (22) and a second Lichtbogenleitweg (23), wherein the first Lichtbogenleitweg for guiding one between the first contact (10) and the second contact (11) occurring arc with a first Current direction is provided and the second Lichtbogenleitweg for conducting an arc between the first contact (10) and the second contact (11) is provided with a first current direction opposite second current direction and wherein the second Lichtbogenleitweg (23) an inversion of the arc and / or the current causes. Switching device according to claim 1, characterized in that the first arc guide path (22) is designed such that an arc with the first current direction in the direction of the extinguishing device (32) is passed and
in that the second arc guide path (23) is designed in such a way that an arc with the second current direction is guided in a direction away from the extinguishing device, deflected and conducted back towards the extinguishing device (32). Switching device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the quenching device (32) is designed as a deion-quenching chambers with a plurality of parallel arranged quenching plates (33). Switching device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the first arc run (22) of two from the contact pair starting apart diverging first baffles (28, 30) is formed and the second arc run (23) of two starting from the pair of contacts starting apart second Guiding plates (29, 31) is formed. Switching device according to claim 4, characterized in that an upper first baffle (28) and a lower second baffle (29) each extend from a movable contact carrier (18), wherein on the contact carrier of the second contact (11) is arranged. Switching device according to claim 5, characterized in that at least one Leitblechfortsatz (36, 37) for further guidance of the arc, the upper first baffle (28) and / or the lower second baffle (29) supplements. Switching device according to one of claims 4 to 6, characterized in that a fixed contact carrier (8) in sections forms a lower first baffle (30) and in sections forms an upper second baffle (31). Switching device according to claim 7, characterized in that the upper second baffle (31) extends around the contact region (12) and to the extinguishing device (32). Switching device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the second arc run (23) has a reverse baffle (35), wherein an arc on the second arc run along the Umkehrleitblechs reversible and from the second contact (11) to the lower second baffle (29 ) is conductive. Switching device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the first arc running path and the second arc running path are at least partially insulated from each other. Switching device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the extinguishing device (32) is divided by an insulating device (34) into two extinguishing areas. Switching device according to claim 11, wherein the insulating device (34) is comb-shaped. Switching device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that a plurality of switches are arranged side by side, wherein the contact carrier (18) of the individual switches are actuated by a common switching bridge. Switching device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the arc runner arrangement (22, 23) comprises at least one permanent magnet (28) which is arranged between two pole plates (25, 26, 27), wherein the contact pair (12, 17) between the two pole plates (25, 26, 27) is arranged.

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