Classifications

• • H—ELECTRICITY
  • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
  • H01H—ELECTRIC SWITCHES; RELAYS; SELECTORS; EMERGENCY PROTECTIVE DEVICES
  • H01H71/00—Details of the protective switches or relays covered by groups H01H73/00 - H01H83/00
  • H01H71/10—Operating or release mechanisms
  • H01H71/50—Manual reset mechanisms which may be also used for manual release
  • H01H71/52—Manual reset mechanisms which may be also used for manual release actuated by lever
  • H01H71/522—Manual reset mechanisms which may be also used for manual release actuated by lever comprising a cradle-mechanism
  • H01H71/524—Manual reset mechanisms which may be also used for manual release actuated by lever comprising a cradle-mechanism the contact arm being pivoted on handle and mechanism spring acting between cradle and contact arm
• • H—ELECTRICITY
  • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
  • H01H—ELECTRIC SWITCHES; RELAYS; SELECTORS; EMERGENCY PROTECTIVE DEVICES
  • H01H71/00—Details of the protective switches or relays covered by groups H01H73/00 - H01H83/00
  • H01H71/10—Operating or release mechanisms
  • H01H71/50—Manual reset mechanisms which may be also used for manual release
  • H01H71/52—Manual reset mechanisms which may be also used for manual release actuated by lever
  • H01H71/522—Manual reset mechanisms which may be also used for manual release actuated by lever comprising a cradle-mechanism
  • H01H71/525—Manual reset mechanisms which may be also used for manual release actuated by lever comprising a cradle-mechanism comprising a toggle between cradle and contact arm and mechanism spring acting between handle and toggle knee

Definitions

• the present invention relates to an electrical line protection apparatus, of the circuit breaker type, whose mechanical lock is shifted relative to the transverse median plane of the apparatus on either side of which develops substantially symmetrically the path of the joystick operable by a user.
• the apparatus comprises, in a conventional manner:
• a cut-off device controlled by a control lever of a movable contact fixed to a rotary contact bar driving said movable contact at a distance or to a fixed contact, said handle being connected to the bar by means of a lock mechanical able to switch by causing the opening / closing of the contacts following a manual action on the joystick;
• a triggering device comprising at least one actuator adapted to pass on to the lock of the cut-off device an electrical fault on a line to switch it.
• the axis of rotation of the bar and that of the handle are substantially aligned, and located in the same transverse plane of the device.
• the rotational movement of the handle is in this case transmitted directly to the bar via the lock.
• the cutoff device composes the upper part of the apparatus, while the triggering device composes the lower part of the apparatus when the latter is in the position of use in a distribution box.
• the front of the device has a shoulder centered on the height of the device and a width generally between 40mm and 90mm, from which the handle moves which moves in an opening itself substantially centered in the shoulder.
• the size of the trigger device varies and is likely to move the moving contact assembly / bar / lock towards the top of the device, thereby off-centering the device. together relative to the shoulder.
• the object of the present invention is to provide a simple mechanism of implementation, able to postpone the rotational movement of the lever to the bar, cooperating with the lock, while compensating for the difference between the handle and the bar at within the device, so that the lever protrudes from the shoulder of the front panel of the device centrally.
• this mechanism must be compact enough to fit into a standard line protection device box.
• the bar is rotatable about an X axis offset from the median transverse plane (P) of the housing of the apparatus, while said lever protruding from the front facade of the device, is mobile according to a race whose halfway is centered by relative to the median transverse plane of the apparatus, the latter also comprising means for transforming the translational movement of the handle in rotational movement of the bar.
• the controller thus no longer has a rotary movement as is customary in conventional devices, but a translational movement.
• the fact that the movable handle no longer needs an axis of rotation within the housing allows considerable space saving in the direction of the depth of the housing.
• transformation means consist of guide means in translation of the joystick combined with means for driving in rotation an intermediate piece constituting, with a lever pivotally mounted in the bar and with spring means connecting the intermediate piece to the lever, a knee-type mechanism forming the lock.
• This knee-type mechanism is movable between two stable positions, corresponding to the positions of closing and manual opening of the contacts.
• the intermediate piece is pivotally mounted relative to fixed elements in the housing, the lever is pivotally mounted at the periphery of the bar, and the spring means are mounted between:
• said guide means of the joystick consist of a mobile carriage on which is fixed the lever, and guided in translation in slides made in two symmetrical flanges mounted fixed in the housing and delimiting the size of the lock, said joystick being movable between two extreme positions abutting against a first end of the slideways corresponding to a closed position of the contacts and against a second end of the slideways corresponding to an open position of the contacts.
• the trolley is positioned almost flush with the front of the device so as to free up all the space in depth.
• the sliding movement of the carriage in the slideways corresponds to the translational movement of the lever since it is secured to the carriage.
• the carriage is guided in said slides by means of shafts connecting the two flanges and inserted in holes of the carriage provided for this purpose.
• the carriage could also be guided in the slides by means of projections protruding from the carriage for example.
• the slides are rectilinear, giving the carriage a rectilinear translational movement.
• said slides are curved, giving the carriage a curvilinear translational movement with a very large radius of curvature.
• the advantage is that the theoretical center associated with such a radius of curvature does not interfere in the operation of the lock, unlike the center of rotation of a traditional joystick that is part of the lock mechanism, and that it must therefore be contained in the volume of the housing of the apparatus.
• the rotary drive means consist of arms extending from the carriage in the direction of the bar and coming into slots in the intermediate piece which is pivotally mounted relative to the flanges, the respective forms edges of the ends of the arms and cuts allowing on the one hand a relative angular movement between the carriage and the intermediate piece and on the other hand supports providing a mutual drive in two substantially opposite directions.
• the rotary drive means consist of: edges of the lateral sides of the carriage which come into contact with edges of the lateral sides of the intermediate piece;
• the carriage When a user actuates the joystick to open or close the contacts, the carriage is translated with the handle and causes the pivoting of the intermediate piece relative to the flanges. Due to this pivoting, the spring means fixed to the intermediate piece pass on either side of the axis of rotation of the intermediate piece, driving the bar via the lever. In the case of manual opening and closing of the contacts, the lever remains almost fixed relative to the bar, although it is pivotally mounted on the bar.
• FIGS 1, 2 and 3 show a switching device according to the invention, with the handle respectively in the ON position, OFF and TRIP;
• FIG. 4 shows the switchgear without its front panel
• Figure 5 is a perspective view of the cut-off device
• FIGS. 7a and 7b, 8a and 8b, 9a and 9b illustrate the switching device with the handle respectively in ON, OFF and TRIP position according to the first possible configuration
• Figures 10a and 10b show the cut-off device according to a second possible configuration.
• Figure 1 shows a line breaking device according to the invention, as it would be positioned in a distribution box for example.
• the front panel (8) of the device housing has a shoulder (26) centered in the height (h) of the device.
• the thickness (e) of the device is defined as being the distance between the rear plate fixing the device in the distribution box and the front panel (8) at the shoulder (26). This thickness (e) is in principle standard.
• a joystick (4) is located in the center of the shoulder (26), and protrudes from the front panel (8). It is intended to control a mechanism for actuating the electrical contacts.
• the handle (4) is raised to the ON position, that is to say that the contacts are closed.
• the handle (4) is lowered to the OFF position with the contacts open following a manual action on the handle (4), unlike FIG. 3 where the handle (4) is in the median transverse plane (P). of the device in the TRIP position with the contacts open following a tripping of the circuit-breaker.
• P median transverse plane
• the handle (4) is thus movable on a race defined by a window (27) in the shoulder (26), the mid-race being centered with respect to the median transverse plane (P) of the apparatus.
• Figure 4 shows the inside of the protection device, which consists of a three-pole circuit breaker in this example. It comprises three cutoff blocks (3) aligned in a row inside the housing delimiting the apparatus, a cut-off device (1) housed in the center of the apparatus and able to close / open simultaneously the contacts of the three blocks of cutoff (3), and a triggering device (2) located at the bottom of the apparatus.
• the breaking blocks (3) and the tripping device (2) have upstream (28) and downstream (29) connection terminals on the line.
• FIGS 5 and 6 illustrate more precisely the cut-off device (1) according to the invention.
• a contact bar (6) is rotatable about an axis of rotation (X) located above the median transverse plane (P) of the apparatus, and carries, for each cutoff block (3), two contacts movable (5) preferably arranged symmetrically with respect to the axis of rotation (X).
• the bar (6) is rotatable between an open position of the contacts where the movable contacts (5) are away from fixed contacts (7), and a closed position of the contacts where the movable contacts (5) bear against each other. the fixed contacts (7).
• the handle (4) consists of a handle lever and a base on which the ON and OFF positions are written.
• the handle (4) is fixed to a carriage (9) by clipping a lug (14) (visible in Figures 7b, 8b and 9b) in a hole (15) provided for this purpose in the carriage (9).
• This carriage (9) has a base almost flush with the base of the handle (4) and two lateral sides perpendicular to the base and extending towards the bar (6). Two orifices (13) are formed in each lateral side, at the front and rear ends of the carriage (9), in which two shafts (12) are inserted. Each shaft (12) thus traverses the carriage (9) from one lateral side to the other, and is inserted into slides (10) made in the flanges (1 1).
• the carriage (9) can slide in the slides (10) by means of the shafts (12).
• This sliding of the carriage (9) finally corresponds to the translational movement of the handle (4) according to the arrow T.
• the slides (10) have a slightly curved shape, giving the handle (4) a curvilinear translation movement. However, the slides (10) could very well be rectilinear.
• the travel of the handle (4) along the slides (10) is not located in front of the bar (6), but is shifted downwards from the apparatus with respect to the axis (X) of rotation of the bar (6), so that it is centered in the shoulder (26) of the front panel (8) of the device.
• the handle (4) is in the middle of its stroke, it is in the transverse median plane of the device, unlike the bar (6) whose axis (X) of rotation is in a transverse plane above the transverse median plane of the device.
• the carriage (9) can rotate the intermediate piece (18), and the intermediate piece (18) can translate the carriage (9) in translation, the drive being made by contact between edges located on lateral sides of the carriage (9) and corresponding edges of the intermediate piece (18).
• the lateral sides of the carriage (9) consist of arms (16) which fit into cutouts (17) formed in the intermediate piece (18).
• the respective forms of ends of the arms (16) and cutouts (17) allow a relative angular movement between the carriage (9) and the intermediate piece (18), but also supports providing a mutual drive in certain relative positions of the carriage (9) and the intermediate piece (18).
• the intermediate piece (18) has an inverted U shape, with a base and two branches, the cuts (17) being made in the two branches.
• the ends of the two branches have cylindrical lugs (33) adapted to fit in the orifices (34) of the flanges (1 1) for the pivot connection of the intermediate piece (18).
• the springs (20) are attached to the base of the intermediate piece (18) at their first end, and to the lever (21) at their second end.
• the lever (21) remains fixed relative to the bar (6) between the open position of the contacts (5, 7) by manual action on the handle (4) (OFF position) and the closed position of the contacts (5, 7) (ON position).
• the lever (21) consequently follows the rotational movement of the bar (6).
• the springs (20) are brought into stable equilibrium points when the handle (4) is in the ON / OFF position, that is to say at the closing positions of the contacts (5, 7) and manual opening contacts (5, 7).
• Figures 7a and 7b show the handle (4) in the ON position, the contacts (5, 7) closed.
• the handle (4) is at the very beginning of the race, the carriage (9) being in abutment against the ends (10a) of the slides (10).
• the arms (16) are inserted throughout their length into the cutouts (17), and the springs (20) are in a first equilibrium position between the intermediate piece (18) and the lever (21).
• the lateral sides of the carriage (9) each consist of two tabs (30) whose edges come into contact with the edges of the intermediate piece (18), as illustrated in FIG. mutual training between the two pieces.
• the intermediate piece (18) is provided with a hook (31) configured to fit into a hole (32) provided for this purpose in the base of the carriage (9), as shown in FIGS. 10a and 10b, in order to achieve a mechanical coupling between the carriage (9) and the intermediate piece (18).
• the clearance between the hook (31) and the orifice (32) and the shape of the edges allow a relative angular movement between the carriage (9) and the intermediate piece (18).
• Figures 9a and 9b illustrate the cut-off device during an automatic opening of the contacts (5, 7) following a trip. In this case, the lock switches, not by a manual action on the handle (4), but by an automatic action of an actuator (not shown).
• said actuator switches the lock during a trigger by means of a mechanical system connecting the actuator to the lock, said mechanical system being composed (see also Figure 6):
• a pawl (22) adapted to be moved by the actuator and movable between a first neutral position ( Figures 7b, 8b) and a release position (Figure 9b);
• rocker (24) connecting the bar (19) to the lever (21) of the bar (6) by pivotal connections.
• the pawl (22) in ON and OFF positions, the pawl (22) is always in neutral position and the bar (19) abuts.
• the rocker (24) for its part moves between the ON position and OFF position because it is driven by the rotation of the lever (21) following the tilting of the toggle lever by actuating the handle (4).
• the rocker (24) In the OFF position, the rocker (24) is remote from the bar (19), while in the ON position, the rocker (24) pivots until it comes to a stop (23) with the bar (19), thus limiting the movement of the lever (21).
• the rocker (24) therefore exerts a force on the bar (19) able to rotate it when it is no longer in abutment against the pawl (22) following a tripping TRIP.
• the rocker (24) follows this pivoting remaining in abutment (23) against the bar (19), and takes with it the lever (21) for opening the contacts (5, 7).
• the springs (20) are led by the lever (21) on the other side of the axis of rotation of the intermediate piece (18), thereby causing a tilting of the toggle joint.
• the handle (4) is in a TRIP position with the carriage (9) halfway in the slides (10), the contacts (5, 7) are open, and the lever (21) has pivoted relative to the bar (6) following the movement of the rocker (24), the bar (19) and the intermediate piece (18).

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• Mechanical Control Devices (AREA)
• Breakers (AREA)

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• 2012
  • 2012-01-31 FR FR1250898A patent/FR2986366B1/fr active Active
• 2013
  • 2013-01-31 JP JP2014555286A patent/JP6169617B2/ja active Active
  • 2013-01-31 EP EP13706601.5A patent/EP2810294B1/de active Active
  • 2013-01-31 WO PCT/FR2013/050198 patent/WO2013114044A1/fr active Application Filing

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