EP3224851B1 - Fast triggering arrangement for cutting a current path in a switching device - Google Patents

Description

The invention relates to a switching device with a contact system, comprising a quick release arrangement for disconnecting a current path in the switching device in the event of a short circuit or overload, with a drive for moving a drive armature from a standby position to a release position, wherein the drive armature is provided so on act at least one moving contact of the switching device that the current path is disconnected, wherein a holding device for holding the drive armature is provided in the release position, and a switching device with a contact system of at least one fixed contact and at least one moving contact, wherein the moving contact for closing and disconnecting a current path is reversibly movable between a closed position and an open position relative to the fixed contact by means of a drive for operational switching.

Such switching devices with corresponding electromagnetic drives are used for example in motor starters. These should be suitable for the operational switching of a load, switching off an overload and switching off in the event of a short circuit. Basically, two separate switching devices, namely a motor protection switch can be used as a circuit breaker and a contactor as a load switch to achieve this functionality. As an alternative, motor starters are known in which the switching and protective function is integrated in a switching device. As a rule, they have a hand-operated, mechanical switch lock.

In the publication WO 2014/023326 A1 is a switching device or a drive for a switching device for a compact and remote-controlled motor starter described with the operational switching of the load, switching off the overload and the switching off of short circuits can be realized with a single device. Other switching devices are from the publications NL 1 008 983 C2 and WO 99/14769 A1 known. The problem with switching off short circuits is the need to open the closed contacts very quickly and permanently, so that a safe extinguishing of the arc is ensured, and a re-ignition of the arc and welding of the contacts can be avoided. The drive has for this purpose a bipolar electromagnetic drive unit with a movable armature and two stationary magnetic coils for reversible movement of the armature between two permanent magnetically stabilized anchor layers, wherein by selective excitation of the first solenoid a moving contact is movable to the closed position and by selectively energizing the second solenoid of the moving contact within a permissible for a short circuit in the current path Maximalabschaltzeit is movable in the open position.

Electromagnetic actuators that are used for switching on and off, have the disadvantage that they have a comparatively large, moving mass, which is necessary for the switch-on. Due to the inertia, however, such a drive has a correspondingly long turn-off time. The switch-off times that can be achieved in this way may be too long to safely switch off a short circuit. In contrast, a quick release independent of the drive for operational switching is provided exclusively for disconnecting a current path in a switching device in the event of a short circuit or overload. The quick release has, for example, an electromagnetic drive with a drive armature and a drive coil, wherein the movement of the drive armature is intended to act directly or indirectly on a moving contact of the switching device, so that the current path is disconnected. In the event of a short circuit, the first movement of the moving contact is due to the electrodynamic effect. The resulting arc is extinguished by means of a suitable arc extinguishing device. Before the thus opened moving contact can fall back and close the current path again, the quick release moves the moving contact further in the direction of its open position. To react very quickly to the short circuit, the drive coil of the quick release is energized with the short circuit current. This drops quickly after opening the contacts, so that a permanent opening of the contact pair is not guaranteed by the quick release.

It is an object of this invention to provide a quick trip arrangement for disconnecting a current path in a switching device that allows for quick and permanent shutdown of shorts and / or overloads.

The object is achieved by the switching device according to the independent claims 1 and 7. In the Dependent claims are each preferred embodiments and advantageous developments specified.

The switching device according to the invention has a drive for moving a drive armature from a standby position to a release position, wherein the drive armature is provided to act on a moving contact of the switching device, that the current path is disconnected. Furthermore, a holding device for holding the drive armature in the release position is provided according to the invention. As a result, a falling back of the open moving contact is prevented even when the exciting current of the drive sinking, which is provided as an electromagnetic drive with a drive armature and a drive coil, so that a reignition of the arc and / or a welding of the contact pair are advantageously avoided.

Under the action of the drive armature on the moving contact is in the context of the invention, any direct or indirect mechanical force to understand, which is suitable to move the moving contact of its associated fixed contact to disconnect and / or this to increase the distance of the contact pair to each other. For this purpose, the drive armature can in particular move an actuator, for example in the form of a striking fork, in order to transmit a driving force directly or indirectly from the drive armature to the moving contact or via a moving contact carrier to the moving contact. A contact system of the switching device may have one or more moving contacts, it is preferably carried out with two interruptions, wherein two moving contacts are connected in particular via a moving contact carrier in order to be movable relative to two fixed contacts of the current path. As far as in the following of the action of the drive armature on the moving contact is mentioned, this is to be understood in the context of the invention that the drive armature acts on a moving contact or on several moving contacts, depending on the design of the switching device whose variants even without explicit mention Specialist are familiar.

According to a first variant of the quick release arrangement according to the invention, it is provided that the holding device has a holding anchor, which is rigidly coupled to the drive armature, as well as a magnet arrangement, wherein the holding armature is replaced by a holding arrangement Magnetic force of the magnet assembly is held in a holding position as soon as the drive armature reaches the triggering position. Particularly preferably, the magnet arrangement has a coil. Alternatively or additionally, the magnet arrangement particularly preferably has a permanent-magnetic system.

According to a preferred variant of the magnet arrangement, with a coil, but without a permanent magnet system, an electromagnetic force of the separately energized coil holds the holding armature in the holding position. The holding anchor is so releasable in particular by switching off the coil, so that a reset of the quick release arrangement in the standby position is advantageously easy to implement, for example by a spring biasing the drive armature in the direction of the ready position.

According to a further preferred variant, the magnet arrangement has a permanent-magnetic system in order to hold the retaining anchor in the holding position, but no coil. A reset of this advantageous simply constructed variant takes place in the case by a force on the retaining anchor, which overcomes the magnetic force of the permanent magnetic system. An origin of the necessary force may be outside the quick release arrangement, for example, the force can be generated by a drive for operational switching of the switching device.

According to a further preferred variant of the magnet arrangement, both a coil and a permanent-magnetic system are provided, the coil being provided for generating an electromagnetic force in order to overcome the magnetic force of the permanent-magnetic system and to release the holding anchor. This embodiment also advantageously allows a particularly simple return of the drive armature in the ready position.

According to a second variant of the quick release arrangement according to the invention it is provided that the holding device has a mechanical locking with a biased against the drive armature locking element, wherein the locking element locks the drive armature in the release position in a form-fitting manner. An advantage of the embodiment is that the holding device acts directly on the drive armature, so that the entrained holding anchor previously described embodiments can be omitted, which reduces the size and / or weight of the fixture particularly advantageous. Particularly preferably, the blocking element engages in a latching recess with an undercut on the drive armature in order to prevent inadvertent unlocking of the latched locking element, for example by vibration or shock. The blocking element can thereby be linearly movable in the manner of a carriage, preferably in a direction perpendicular to the direction of movement of the drive armature. Alternatively, the blocking element can be rotatably mounted, so that the bias is impressed, for example, at one end of the blocking element, while the opposite end is provided for positive engagement in the locking recess.

According to a particularly preferred embodiment of the quick-release arrangement, it is provided that the blocking element has an actuating contour, wherein a deflection of the blocking element via the actuating contour releases the drive armature for movement back into the ready position. The deflection of the blocking element takes place, for example, by a force from outside the quick release arrangement. According to a further preferred embodiment of the quick-release arrangement, it is provided that the holding device can be reset by a drive for operational switching of the switching device, so that the drive armature can be moved back into the ready position. This particularly preferred embodiment relates to all the embodiments described above.

According to the invention, the switching device has a contact system comprising at least one fixed contact, and at least one moving contact, wherein the moving contact for closing and disconnecting a current path by means of a drive for operational switching is reversibly movable between a closed position and an open position relative to the fixed contact. According to the invention, one of the two variants of the quick-release arrangement according to the invention, as described above, is provided, wherein the drive armature acts on the moving contact during movement from the standby position to the release position such that the moving contact passes from the closed position to the open position and there permanently by means of the holding device is held. The switching device according to the invention for switching on and off of a current through the current path has at least one fixed contact and at least one moving contact, wherein the moving contact for closing and separating the current path relative to the fixed contact is movable. Such a contact system may have a single contact pair. It is preferably carried out in a double-interrupting manner, wherein two moving contacts are connected in particular via a moving contact carrier in order to be movable relative to two fixed contacts of the current path. In the following, the terms moving contact and fixed contact will be used without going into the possibility of an embodiment with a double-break contact system, since this is familiar to the person skilled in the art. In this respect, a moving contact carrier with two moving contacts is covered by the term moving contact.

According to a preferred embodiment of the switching device is provided that the holding device can be reset by the drive for operational switching of the switching device at a turn-off. This makes a particularly simple and feasible without manual intervention reset to the initial state possible. A reset is to be understood in the sense of the invention that the drive armature of the quick release arrangement is released after a previous release of the holding device and in particular is moved from the triggering position back to the standby position.

In the holding device with a permanent magnet system without a coil, it is preferably provided that a force of the drive for operational switching during the switch-off operation acts on the holding anchor in order to overcome a holding force of the permanent-magnetic system.

In the holding device with a mechanical lock, it is preferably provided that the drive deflects an actuating contour for operational switching during the switch-off operation.

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

Figur 1

eine schematische Darstellung eines Schaltgeräts mit einer Schnellauslöseanordnung;

Figur 2

eine detaillierte Darstellung eines Teilbereichs eines erfindungsgemäßen Schaltgeräts mit einer ersten Ausführungsform einer erfindungsgemäßen Schnellauslöseanordnung in einer Bereitschaftsposition;

Figur 3

eine detaillierte Darstellung des Teilbereichs des Schaltgeräts gemäß Figur 2 mit der ersten Ausführungsform der Schnellauslöseanordnung in einer Auslöseposition;

Figur 4

eine detaillierte Darstellung eines Teilbereichs eines erfindungsgemäßen Schaltgeräts mit einer zweiten Ausführungsform der erfindungsgemäßen Schnellauslöseanordnung in einer Bereitschaftsposition;

Figur 5

eine detaillierte Darstellung des Teilbereichs des Schaltgeräts gemäß Figur 4 mit der zweiten Ausführungsform der Schnellauslöseanordnung in einer Auslöseposition;

Figur 6

eine detaillierte Darstellung eines Teilbereichs eines erfindungsgemäßen Schaltgeräts in einem ausgeschalteten Zustand, mit einer dritten Ausführungsform der erfindungsgemäßen Schnellauslöseanordnung in einer Bereitschaftsposition;

Figur 7

eine detaillierte Darstellung des Teilbereichs des Schaltgeräts gemäß Figur 6 in einem eingeschalteten Zustand;

Figur 8

eine detaillierte Darstellung des Teilbereichs des erfindungsgemäßen Schaltgeräts gemäß Figur 6, mit der dritten Ausführungsform der erfindungsgemäßen Schnellauslöseanordnung in einer Auslöseposition;

Figur 9

eine detaillierte Darstellung des Teilbereichs des Schaltgeräts gemäß Figur 6 während eines Zurücksetzens der dritten Ausführungsform der Schnellauslöseanordnung von der Auslöseposition in die Bereitschaftsposition;

Figur 10

eine Einzelheit der dritten Ausführungsform der Schnellauslöseanordnung im Detail.

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FIG. 1

a schematic representation of a switching device with a quick release arrangement;

FIG. 2

a detailed representation of a portion of a switching device according to the invention with a first embodiment of a quick release arrangement according to the invention in a standby position;

FIG. 3

a detailed view of the portion of the switching device according to FIG. 2 with the first embodiment of the quick release arrangement in a release position;

FIG. 4

a detailed view of a portion of a switching device according to the invention with a second embodiment of the quick-release device according to the invention in a standby position;

FIG. 5

a detailed view of the portion of the switching device according to FIG. 4 with the second embodiment of the quick-release arrangement in a release position;

FIG. 6

a detailed representation of a portion of a switching device according to the invention in an off state, with a third embodiment of the quick-release device according to the invention in a standby position;

FIG. 7

a detailed view of the portion of the switching device according to FIG. 6 in an on state;

FIG. 8

a detailed view of the portion of the switching device according to the invention according to FIG. 6 with the third embodiment of the quick-release arrangement according to the invention in a release position;

FIG. 9

a detailed view of the portion of the switching device according to FIG. 6 while resetting the third embodiment of the quick release assembly from the trip position to the ready position;

FIG. 10

a detail of the third embodiment of the quick release arrangement in detail.

In the FIG. 1 is a switching device simplified and shown schematically, in which a quick release assembly 2 and a drive 1 are arranged for operational switching in a common housing. The switching device for switching on and off of a current through a current path 10 has for this purpose two fixed contacts 11, 12 which cooperate with two moving contacts 14, 15 on a moving contact carrier 16 for closing and disconnecting the current path 10. The electromagnetic drive 1 is used for operationally moving the Bewegkontaktträgers 16 between a non-illustrated closed position with closed contact pairs 11, 14 and 12, 15 and a Öffiiungsstellung illustrated here. The quick release arrangement 2 for disconnecting the current path 10 in the event of a short circuit or overload is likewise only shown schematically here. Concrete features which characterize the quick release arrangement 2 according to the invention and the switching device according to the invention will be described in more detail with reference to the further figures. The drive 1 for operational switching acts, for example via a mechanism on the Bewegkontaktträger 16, here in the form of a schematically illustrated rocker 34 which is rotatably mounted in a pivot point 6. If the drive 1 acts on the rocker 34 at a distal end, then the moving contact carrier 16 with the moving contacts 14, 15 is moved towards the fixed contacts 11, 12, thus closing the current path 10. A drive 3 of the quick release arrangement 2 acts, for example, in the same direction as the drive 1 for operational switching, but on an actuator 8, which transmits the force of the drive 3 directly to the Bewegkontaktträger 16 with the Bewegkontakten 14, 15 and thereby this of the fixed contacts 11, 12, so that the current path 10 is interrupted. In principle, the drive 3 could also act on the rocker 8 on the opposite side of the pivot point 6, which, however, would require a drop of the inertial drive 1 for operational switching out of the mechanism.

The shutting down of shorts requires on the one hand a very fast and, on the other hand, an ideally permanent disconnection of the moving contacts 14, 15 from the fixed contacts 11, 12. In the case of short-circuit currents, the switch-off is effected by the rapid release arrangement 2, wherein a first lifting of the moving contacts 14, 15 by electrodynamic Lifting forces is caused. By separating the moving contacts 14, 15 of the fixed contacts 11, 12 arcs arise, which are each conducted in extinguishing systems 21. According to the invention with respect to the FIGS. 2 to 8 to be described holding device 20 is provided to keep the separated by the drive 3 moving contacts 14, 15 permanently open to avoid falling back the moving contacts 14, 15 in a reduction of the drive 3 attractive excitation current, due to the deletion. As a result, a flashback of the arcs or even a welding of the moving contacts 14, 15 with the fixed contacts 11, 12 is advantageously avoided.

In the FIGS. 2 to 9 is shown by the switching device in addition to the quick release assembly 2 with the holding assembly 20 each of the current path 10 with the fixed contacts 11, 12 and the Bewegkontakten 14, 15 on the Bewegkontaktträger 16, the latter is biased by a contact pressure spring 5 in the direction of the closed position. The electromagnetic drive 1 for operational switching is for simplicity in the FIGS. 2 to 5 not shown. In the FIGS. 6 to 9 the electromagnetic drive 1 is shown, but for the sake of simplicity, without the mechanism provided for operational switching on and off, which transmits the force to the moving contact carrier 16 in order to carry out the operative switching operations. The construction of a corresponding contactor drive 1 is well known to those skilled in the art. Identical components of the described embodiments have the same reference numerals and will not be repeated below with respect to each figure.

In the FIG. 2 is a detailed view of a portion of a switching device according to the invention with a first embodiment of a quick release device 2 according to the invention shown in a standby position, which in the otherwise identical FIG. 3 is shown in a trip position. That is, the quick trip device 2 triggered by, for example, a short circuit has disconnected the current path 10, not the drive 1 for operational switching. As a result, the moving contacts 14, 15 are or in the open position, when the triggered quick release arrangement 2 in the Triggering position according to FIG. 3 was moved. For this purpose, the rapid release arrangement 2 the electromagnetic drive 3 with an armature 4 and a magnetic coil 7. If an exciter current flows through the magnet coil 7, for example in the case of a short circuit, the armature 4 is attracted, which acts via the actuator 8 and the moving contact carrier 16 on the moving contacts 14, 15 which are usually lifted by the electrodynamic lifting forces already from the fixed contacts 11, 12 and this presses against the force of the contact pressure spring 5 in the open position. In an alternative embodiment, the armature 4 can also act directly on the moving contact carrier 16 or the moving contacts 14, 15. The actuator 8, which is guided here by a core 9 of the drive 3, can be designed as a striking fork. In general, the actuator 8 is independent of the mechanism, not shown, for transmitting the power of the drive 1 for operative switching movable.

According to the invention, the quick release arrangement 2 further comprises a holding device 20 for holding the drive armature 4 in the release position. According to one embodiment, the holding device 20 has a holding armature 19, which is rigidly coupled to the drive armature 4, and a magnet arrangement 18, wherein the holding armature 19 is actuated by a magnetic force of the magnet arrangement 18 in one in the FIG. 3 shown holding position is held as soon as the drive armature 4 reaches the tripping position. In the first embodiment of the quick release arrangement 2, according to Figures 2 and 3 , The magnet assembly 18 only a permanent magnetic system 23, no electromagnet. The retaining anchor 19 is formed by an end portion of an arm 17 which serves as a rigid coupling 17 between the drive armature 4 and the retaining anchor 19. The holding device 20 is preferably by the in FIG. 1 illustrated drive 1 for operational switching of the switching device at a turn-off reset, for example, by the force of the drive 1 for operational switching in the turn-off acts on the retaining armature 19 to overcome a holding force of the permanent magnetic system 23.

In the FIG. 4 is a detailed view of a portion of a switching device according to the invention with a second embodiment of the quick release assembly 2 according to the invention shown in the standby position, which in the otherwise identical FIG. 5 is shown in the trip position. The second embodiment is different from The first embodiment in that the magnet assembly 18 has a coil 22. The retaining anchor 19 is attached here as a separate component at one end of the rigid coupling 17 and is thereby moved in parallel by the drive armature 4. The second embodiment can be realized with two variants of the magnet assembly 18, both in connection with the FIGS. 4 and 5 to be discribed.

According to a variant, the magnet arrangement 18 has the coil 22, but no permanent magnet. The holding armature 19 is thus held by an electromagnetic force of the coil 22 in the holding position. One advantage is that the holding armature 19 can be released by switching off the coil 22, so that a reset of the quick release arrangement 2 in the ready position is particularly easy to implement.

Another variant of the magnet assembly 18 is that a permanent magnetic system 35 is provided to hold the retaining armature 19 in the holding position. The coil 22 is provided to generate an electromagnetic force to overcome the magnetic force of the permanent magnetic system 35 and release the retaining armature 19.

After releasing the retaining armature 19, the drive armature 4 returns to its standby position in both variants, as a result of which the quick release arrangement 2 is reset and ready for use again. For this purpose, the drive armature 4 may be biased for example in a manner not shown in the direction of its standby position. Alternatively, a reset of the quick release assembly 2 by the drive 1 for operational switching.

A third embodiment of the quick release arrangement 2 according to the invention will be described below with reference to FIGS FIGS. 6 to 10 described. In the FIG. 6 a portion of the switching device according to the invention in a turned off state is shown in detail, with the quick release device 2 in a standby position. In the FIG. 7 the switching device is shown in an on state. The FIG. 8 shows the switching device with the quick release assembly 2 in the trip position. In the FIG. 9 the switching device is shown during the resetting of the quick release assembly 2 from the release position to the standby position. In the FIGS. 6 to 9 is the electromagnetic drive 1 shown for operational switching for simplicity without the mechanism provided for switching on and off, which can act on the actuator 8, for example, or performs the switching operation independently thereof. The drive 1 has an armature 30. A person skilled in the art recognizes that a movement of the armature 30 is correspondingly transmitted to the moving contact carrier 16 in order to move the moving contacts 14, 15 between the open position and the closed position during the operational switching, for example with a mechanism corresponding to the rocker 34 (FIG. FIG. 1 ).

The third embodiment of the quick release arrangement 2 differs from the previously described embodiments in that the holding device 20 has a mechanical lock for the drive armature 4, which acts directly on the drive armature 4, so that no entrained retaining anchor is necessary. For this purpose, the holding device 20 has, for example, a blocking element 25, which is prestressed against the drive armature 4 by means of a compression spring 27, which in the FIG. 10 as a detail is shown in detail. The blocking element 25 has an opening 28, through which the drive armature 4 is passed. In the opening projects into a latch 29. Occurs when the current path 10 is closed according to FIG. 7 an overload or a short circuit, the quick release assembly 2 is triggered, so that the drive armature 4 is attracted and is moved from the standby position to the release position and presses on the actuator 8, the moving contacts 14, 15 in the open position, as in FIG. 8 shown. Upon reaching the release position, a latching recess 24 passes on the drive armature 4 in the region of the locking element 25, the latching lug 29 (FIG. FIG. 10 ) is then moved by the bias of the compression spring 27 into the recess 24 into it. The blocking element 25 thus locks the drive armature 4 in a form-fitting manner in the release position, so that a renewed closing of the flow path 10, a reignition of the arc and a welding of the contacts are prevented. The locking element 25 locks in particular with an undercut of the latching recess 24 to prevent inadvertent unlocking of the latched locking element 25.

The resetting of the third embodiment of the quick release arrangement 2 will be described below with reference to FIGS FIG. 9 described. On the armature 30 of the drive 1 for operative switching, an actuating arm 31 is arranged, which is intended to move the locking element 25 against the force of the compression spring 27 to the Lock the drive armature 4 to solve. An impression spring 33 moves the drive armature 4 back to its standby position. For this purpose, the blocking element 25 has an actuating contour 26 which interacts with a mating contour 32 on the actuating arm 31, which is moved by the drive 1 for operative switching with the armature 30 during a switch-off operation. The deflection of the blocking element 25 via the actuating contour 26, in which the drive armature 4 is released, is in the FIG. 9 shown. The reset is thus carried out after a previous release of the quick release device 2 by a switch-off of the drive 1 for operational switching.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMBERS

1

Drive for operational switching of the switching device

2

Quick-release arrangement

3

Drive of the quick release arrangement

4

drive anchor

5

Contact pressure spring

6

pivot point

7

solenoid

8th

actuator

9

Core of the quick release

10

current path

11

fixed contact

12

fixed contact

14

moving contact

15

moving contact

16

Bewegkontaktträger

17

Rigid coupling, arm

18

magnet assembly

19

Restraint ties

20

holder

21

Extinguishing system for electric arc

22

Coil of the holding device

23

Permanent magnetic system

24

recess

25

blocking element

26

actuating contour

27

compression spring

28

opening

29

locking lug

30

Anchor of the drive for operational switching of the switching device

31

actuating arm

32

mating contour

33

impression spring

34

seesaw

35

Permanent magnetic system

Claims (13)

1. Switching device having a contact system, having a fast triggering arrangement (2) for cutting a current path (10) in the switching device in the case of a short circuit or in the case of an overload, having a drive (3) for moving a drive anchor (4) from a readiness position into a trigger position, wherein the drive anchor is provided to act on at least one moving contact (14, 15) of the switching device such that the current path is cut, wherein a holding device (20) is provided for holding the drive anchor (4) in the trigger position, wherein the holding device (20) has a holding anchor (19) rigidly coupled with the drive anchor (4) and a magnet arrangement (18), wherein the holding anchor is held by means of a magnetic force of the magnet arrangement in a holding position as soon as the drive anchor reaches the trigger position, wherein the contact system consists of at least one fixed contact (11, 12) and the at least one moving contact (14, 15), characterised in that the moving contact for closing and cutting the current path (10) by means of a drive (1) for normal switching is reversibly movable with respect to the fixed contact between a closed position and an open position, and that the fast triggering arrangement is provided exclusively for cutting the current path in the switching device in the case of a short circuit or in the case of an overload and is independent from the drive for the normal switching of the switching device.
2. Switching device according to claim 1, characterised in that the magnet arrangement (18) has a coil (22).
3. Switching device according to claim 2, characterised in that an electromagnetic force of the current-carrying coil (22) holds the holding anchor (19) in the holding position.
4. Switching device according to claim 3, characterised in that the holding anchor (19) can be released by a switching-off of the coil (22).
5. Switching device according to any of claims 1 or 2, characterised in that the magnet arrangement (18) has a permanent magnetic system (23, 35) in order to hold the holding anchor (19) in the holding position.
6. Switching device according to claim 5, characterised in that the coil (22) is provided for generating an electromagnetic force in order to overcome the magnetic force of the permanent magnetic system (35) and to release the holding anchor (19).
7. Switching device having a contact system having a fast triggering arrangement (2) for cutting a current path (10) in the switching device in the case of a short circuit or in the case of an overload, having a drive (3) for moving a drive anchor (4) from a readiness position into a trigger position, wherein the drive anchor is provided to act on at least one moving contact (14, 15) of the switching device such that the current path is cut, wherein a holding device (20) is provided for holding the drive anchor (4) in the trigger position, wherein the holding device (20) has a mechanical locking device having a locking element (25) biased against the drive anchor (4), wherein the locking element locks the drive anchor form-fittingly in the trigger position, wherein the contact system consists of at least one fixed contact (11, 12) and the at least one moving contact (14, 15), characterised in that the moving contact for closing and cutting the current path (10) by means of a drive (1) for normal switching is reversibly movable with respect to the fixed contact between a closed position and an open position, and that the fast triggering arrangement is provided exclusively for cutting the current path in the switching device in the case of a short circuit or in the case of an overload and is independent from the drive for the normal switching of the switching device.
8. Switching device according to claim 7, characterised in that the locking element (25) latches in a latch recess (24) having an undercut on the drive anchor (4).
9. Switching device according to any of claims 7 or 8, characterised in that the locking element (25) has an actuating contour (26), wherein a displacement of the locking element via the actuating contour releases the drive anchor (4) for a movement back into the readiness position.
10. Switching device according to any of the preceding claims, characterised in that the holding device (20) can be reset via a drive (1) for the normal switching of the switching device, such that the drive anchor (4) can be moved back into the readiness position.
11. Switching device according to any of the preceding claims, characterised in that the holding device (20) can be reset via the drive (23) for the normal switching of the switching device in the case of a switch-off procedure.
12. Switching device according to claim 11, referring back to any of claims 5 or 6, characterised in that in the case of the holding device (20) having the permanent magnetic system (23) a force of the drive (1) acts on the holding anchor (4) for the normal switching in the case of the switch-off procedure in order to overcome a holding force of the permanent magnetic system.
13. Switching device according to claim 11, referring back to claim 9, characterised in that in the case of the holding device having a mechanical locking system the drive (1) displaces the actuating contour (26) for the normal switching in the case of the switch-off procedure.

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