EP3168851B1 - Isolation device and electromechanical protection switching device - Google Patents

Description

The invention relates to an insulation device for covering a conductive contact element of an electro-mechanical protection switching device, in particular a circuit breaker, a residual current circuit breaker or a circuit breaker. Furthermore, the invention relates to an electromechanical protective switching device, which is designed in particular as a circuit breaker, as a residual current circuit breaker or as a circuit breaker and having at least one such isolation device.

Protective switching devices, such as circuit breakers or circuit breakers are used in particular as switching and safety elements in electrical energy supply networks. Circuit breakers are specially designed for high currents. A circuit breaker is an overcurrent protection device in the electrical installation and is used in particular in the field of low-voltage networks. Circuit breakers and miniature circuit breakers guarantee a safe shutdown in the event of a short circuit and protect consumers and systems from overload. They also protect cables from damage due to excessive heating as a result of excessive electrical current.

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 concerned 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.

Circuit-breakers such as circuit breakers, miniature circuit breakers or residual current circuit breakers are designed to switch off the circuit automatically in the event of a short circuit, overload or fault current, thus disconnecting it from the mains. For this purpose, they have a switching contact pair with a stationary switching contact and a switching contact which can be moved relative thereto, which is opened when necessary in order to interrupt the flow of current. For electrical contacting with one or more external connection conductors, these devices have one or a plurality of connection terminals into which the connection conductor can be inserted. By pressing a corresponding clamping screw, the connection conductor can be securely clamped, so that the protective switching device is securely connected to the electrical connection conductor.

In the electrical equipment of buildings usually a variety of protection devices is needed, which in a so-called electrical distribution manifold, also referred to as distribution box or short as a distributor, summarized and arranged side by side. When equipping such a distribution box, sometimes different national safety regulations must be observed and adhered to. In order to meet the requirements with regard to the clearances and creepage distances to be complied with, in some countries it is necessary to partition off the protective switching devices arranged side by side in a distribution box in the region of their electrical connections, ie electrically from one another to isolate. This is the case in particular with narrow housing designs of the protective switching devices, since here the electrical connections of the individual protective switching devices are close to each other. The publication JP2010027334A discloses an electrical switching device having a plurality of juxtaposed electrical connections, which can be isolated by means of attachable to a housing of the switching device partitions against each other.

On electrical protective switching devices, cables are fixed by terminals, usually by screw terminals. For this purpose, the insulating material of the protective device on openings, behind which are the terminals. In order to clamp even conductors larger cross-section, it is unavoidable to dimension the terminal and thus the opening of the circuit breaker so large that internal metal parts can be touched with a finger, whereby the person concerned can suffer an electric shock. This danger is particularly present when conductors are clamped with a much smaller cross-section than the maximum possible cross-section of the circuit breaker: in this case, a large part of the terminal cross-section by a conductive element, such as a clamping screw or a clamping pressure piece, closed. This clamping screw or the clamping pressure piece lies directly behind the housing opening and can be touched by an installer or user, if this example. other devices are mounted in the distribution, dismantled or connected or disconnected.

From the EP 1 069 578 A1 . DE 10 2011 082 191 A1 and EP 1 519 396 A2 are known protective devices, which have an insulation device to prevent inadvertent contacting a conductor terminal. These circuit breakers have the disadvantage that flexibility with regard to the use of connecting conductors of different cross sections is limited.

It is therefore the object of the present invention to provide an insulation device for a protective switching device, in particular a circuit breaker, a residual current circuit breaker or a circuit breaker, for electrical insulation of the protective device in the region of its electrical terminal, and a protective switching device with such an isolation device, which is a safe To ensure protection against electric shock while allowing ease of use when connecting an electrical connection conductor.

This object is achieved by the electro-mechanical protection device according to the independent claim. Advantageous embodiments are the subject of the dependent claims.
The insulation device according to the invention is provided to cover a conductive contact element of an electro-mechanical protection device, in particular a circuit breaker, a residual current circuit breaker or a circuit breaker, wherein the conductive contact element is arranged behind a housing opening of the protective device. For this purpose, the insulation device has a main body, which can be fastened to a housing of the protective switching device and has an opening for passing at least one electrical connection line. The opening is divided by a web into two partial openings, wherein a connecting line can be passed through each of the partial openings, so that in the mounted state of the insulation device on the protective switching device, a manual contact of the contact element is excluded.

The insulation device, if national safety requirements - for example, with regard to the creepage distances and creepage distances to be complied with - require this, be attached to a protective switching device in the region of the electrical connection terminal. In this case, the opening of the isolation device is divided by the web into two partial openings, which in turn are dimensioned too small than that a manual contact of the behind arranged contact element would be possible. The term "manual contact" is understood to mean a contact of the electrically conductive contact element with the fingers through the partial openings. Unintentional contact with a contact element, for example The terminal, the pressure piece or the contact is thus effectively prevented, so that with the help of the insulation device, a reliable protection against electric shock can be realized. In this way, in the field of terminals of the protective switching device with the help of the insulation device, a simple and cost-effective contact protection of IP20 degree of protection can be realized.
In an advantageous development of the isolation device, the web is integrally connected to the base body. Due to the one-piece embodiment of the base body with the web no time-consuming assembly is required, which is why the isolation device is relatively inexpensive to produce. According to the invention, the web is designed as a thin-walled hollow profile. A thin-walled design of the web as a hollow profile allows easier mounting of the connection conductor to the protection device. In addition, a thin-walled hollow profile has a greater elasticity, whereby fluctuations in the manufacturing tolerances can be more easily compensated.
In a further advantageous embodiment, the isolation device is designed plugged or pushed onto the protective switching device. A plugging or pushing the isolation device on the circuit breaker allows easy to perform mounting the insulation device, especially when retrofitting existing electrical installations. The assembly effort is significantly reduced.
In a further advantageous embodiment of the isolation device, the main body is substantially U-shaped, wherein a first leg of the U-shaped main body of a first partition and a second leg of the U-shaped base body formed by a second partition are. The first and the second leg serve to electrically isolate the protective switching device in the region of its electrical terminal against a neighboring arranged protective switching device, for example in a distribution box. When arranged in a distribution box, the electrical connections of adjacent protection devices can be close to each other, so that the prescribed clearances and creepage distances can not be met without additional insulation. The first and the second partition wall, which are arranged between the electrical terminals adjacent to each other arranged protective switching devices, represents such insulation. About a base of the U-shaped body, which connects the two legs together, the insulation device to the protection device can be fastened.

In a further advantageous embodiment of the isolation device, the outer distance of the first partition to the second partition substantially corresponds to a width of the protective switching device. Thus, the insulation device is substantially flush with the broad sides, which define the width of the protective device, from. In this way, several equipped with an isolation device protection devices without additional space in a row next to each other can be arranged, for example in a distribution box.

The electromechanical protective switching device according to the invention, which is designed in particular as a circuit breaker, as a residual current circuit breaker or as a circuit breaker, has at least one insulation device of the type described above. With regard to the advantages of the electromechanical protective switching device, reference is made to the above statements on the advantages of the insulation device according to the invention.

In an advantageous development, the protective switching device is arranged in a busbar network, wherein the insulation device for electrically insulating the protective switching device against at least one adjacent arranged protective switching device is used. Especially with an arrangement in the busbar assembly, in which a plurality of protective switching devices are arranged side by side, a simple way to implement retrofitting the individual protective switching devices with the insulation devices according to the invention is particularly advantageous.

Figuren 1A und 1B

schematische Darstellungen der erfindungsgemäßen Isolationsvorrichtung in verschiedenen Ansichten;

Figur 2

eine schematisierte, perspektivische Darstellung des erfindungsgemäßen elektromechanischen Schutzschaltgerätes mit daran befestigter Isolationsvorrichtung;

Figuren 3A und 3B

schematische Schnittdarstellungen des erfindungsgemäßen Schutzschaltgerätes mit daran befestigter Isolationsvorrichtung.

In the following, an embodiment of the isolation device according to the invention and of the electromechanical protection switching device according to the invention will be explained in more detail with reference to the accompanying figures. In the figures are:

Figures 1A and 1B

schematic representations of the insulation device according to the invention in different views;

FIG. 2

a schematic perspective view of the electromechanical protective device according to the invention with attached insulating device;

FIGS. 3A and 3B

schematic sectional views of the protective switching device according to the invention with attached insulating device.

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 the Figures 1A and 1B the isolation device 100 according to the invention is shown schematically in different views. The insulation device 100 has a base body with a U-shaped cross section, wherein a connection region 103 of the U-shaped base body connects a first partition 101 formed as a first leg to a second partition wall 102 designed as a second leg. In the connection region 103, an opening for passing an electrical connection line is formed in order to secure it in the mounted state of the insulation device 100 to a protective switching device 1 (see FIG FIG. 2 ) with a contact element (see FIGS. 3A and 3B ) of the protective switching device 1 to connect electrically conductive. The opening is divided by a web 107 into a first partial opening 105 and a second partial opening 106. The web 107 extends from the first partition wall 101 to the second partition wall 102. The attachment of the isolation device 100 to a protective switching device 1 can be done for example by pushing, but also by plugging or latching. For this purpose, the isolation device 100 has a plurality of fastening elements 104, which are formed in the region of the connection region 103 on the base body. For stiffening the U-shaped main body, the insulating device 100 has a plurality of stiffening ribs 108, which extend from the first partition wall 101 and the second partition wall 102 toward the connection region 103 in order to give the base body a higher rigidity.

FIG. 2 schematically shows a perspective view of the inventive electro-mechanical protection device 1 with attached insulation device 100. The protective switching device 1 has a housing 2. On a front side 4 of the housing 2, an actuating element 3 for manual actuation of the protective switching device 1 is arranged. The front side 4 opposite is a mounting side 5, are provided on the fastening means (not shown) for fastening the housing 2 to a so-called support or top hat rail. In addition to the front side 4 and the fastening side 5, the housing 2 still has the front and the attachment side 4 and 5 interconnecting narrow and broad sides 6 and 7. At its narrow sides 6, the housing 2 in each case has a housing opening 8 for insertion of an electrical connecting line (not shown).

In the region of the two narrow sides 6, an insulating device 100 is attached to the housing 2 of the protective switching device 1 respectively. In the illustrated, assembled state of the insulation device 100 on the housing 2, the first partial opening 105 and the second partial opening 106 are in the region of the housing opening 8, so that an electrical connection line passes through the first partial opening 105 or the second partial opening 106 into the housing opening 8 can be plugged to there with an electrically conductive contact element (see FIGS. 3A and 3B ) of the protective switching device 1 to be contacted.

The FIGS. 3A and 3B show the protective switching device 1 according to the invention with the insulating device 100 attached thereto in two sectional views. FIG. 3A shows the protective switching device 1 with an attached isolation device 100 without bridge, while in FIG. 3B the protective switching device 1 is shown with an attached insulating device 100 with web 107. With the help of a so-called test finger 200, the difference between the two variants should be clearly illustrated.

In the housing 2 of the protective switching device 1 behind the housing opening 8 electrically conductive contact elements, such as a terminal body of the terminal 9, a pressure piece 10 of the terminal 9 or the electrical contact 11 are arranged. At the in FIG. 3A it is clear that the test finger 200 can reach through the opening of the insulating device 100 and through the housing opening 8 and touch one of the electrically conductive contact elements. In the event of a manual touch of one of these internal metal parts could cause the person concerned to be shocked. Such a risk should be excluded under all circumstances.

In contrast to FIG. 3A has the in FIG. 3B illustrated isolation device 100 has a web 107, which divides the opening formed in the connection region 103 into a first partial opening 105 and a second partial opening 106. Since the two partial openings 105 and 106 are dimensioned by the web 107 significantly smaller than the original opening, is achieved in this way that the test finger 200 not so deep in the partial openings 105 and 106 - and thus in the housing opening 8 - can penetrate. In this way, a contact of the electrically conductive contact elements, for example, the terminal body of the terminal 9, the pressure piece 10 or the electrical contact 11, effectively prevented. The risk of electric shock by manual contact of one of the mentioned contact elements is thus excluded.

The structural design of the isolation device 100 allows the contacting of electrical connection conductors with both large and small conductor cross-section. Furthermore, it is also possible to electrically connect other electrical connection elements, for example a busbar or a feed element, to the protective switching device 1 while at the same time ensuring the IP20 contact protection.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMBERS

1

Protection device

2

casing

3

jig

4

front

5

mounting side

6

narrow side

7

broadside

8th

housing opening

9

terminal

10

Pressure piece

11

Contact

100

isolation device

101

first partition

102

second partition

103

connecting area

104

fastener

105

first partial opening

106

second partial opening

107

web

108

stiffening rib

200

test finger

Claims (6)

1. Electromechanical protective switching device (1), in particular line circuit breaker, residual-current circuit breaker or power breaker, which has at least one insulating apparatus (100) for covering a conductive contact element (9, 10, 11) of the electromechanical protective switching device (1), wherein the conductive contact element (9, 10, 11) is arranged behind a housing opening (8) in the protective switching device (1),

   - comprising a main body which can be fastened to a housing (2) of the protective switching device (1) and has an opening for at least one electrical connection line to pass through,

   - wherein the opening is subdivided into two partial openings (105, 106) by a web (107) in such a way

   - that a connection line can be passed through each of the partial openings (105, 106),

   - wherein, in the state in which the insulating apparatus (100) is mounted on the protective switching device (1), manual contact with the contact element (9, 10, 11) is precluded,

   characterized
   in that the web (107) is in the form of a thin-walled hollow profile.
2. Protective switching device (1) according to Claim 1,
   characterized
   in that the web (107) is integrally connected to the main body.
3. Protective switching device (1) according to either of the preceding claims,
   characterized
   in that the insulating apparatus is designed such that it can be plug-mounted or pushed onto the protective switching device (1).
4. Protective switching device (1) according to one of the preceding claims,
   characterized
   in that the main body is of substantially u-shaped design, wherein a first limb of the u-shaped main body is formed by a first separating wall (101), and a second limb of the u-shaped main body is formed by a second separating wall (102).
5. Protective switching device (1) according to Claim 4,
   characterized
   in that the outer distance of the first separating wall (101) from the second separating wall (102) corresponds substantially to a width of the protective switching device (1).
6. Protective switching device (1) according to one of the preceding claims,
   characterized
   in that the protective switching device (1) is arranged in a busbar assembly, wherein the insulating apparatus (100) serves to electrically insulate the protective switching device (1) from at least one protective switching device which is arranged adjacent to it.

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