EP4614541A1

EP4614541A1 - Operating apparatus for switching device and switching device

Info

Publication number: EP4614541A1
Application number: EP25305306.0A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Xuefeng Jl; Yangyang ZHUANG
Original assignee: Schneider Electric Industries SAS
Current assignee: Schneider Electric Industries SAS
Priority date: 2024-03-08
Filing date: 2025-03-07
Publication date: 2025-09-10
Also published as: CN221994331U

Abstract

Embodiments of the disclosure provide an operating apparatus for a switching device and a switching device. The operating apparatus includes: a bracket including a pair of support plates arranged oppositely; a side operating unit includes: a driving block coupled to a moving contact assembly of a switching device and rotating about a first axis of the driving block, the driving block being formed with a first portion of conical teeth; and the connecting rod energy storage assembly adapted to store and release energy during a switching process of the moving contact assembly between a closed position and an open position; and a front operating unit, including a second portion of conical teeth, coupled to the first portion of conical teeth and adapted to be driven to rotate about a second axis perpendicular to the first axis, so as to drive the driving block to rotate about the first axis.

Description

FIELD

Example embodiments of the present disclosure generally relate to the field of switching apparatuses and, in particular to an operating apparatus for a switching device and a switching device.

BACKGROUND

A switching device, such as an isolating switch, is a device that can break current in all or part of a circuit to achieve electrical isolation. Its primary function is to ensure that an electrical device or power system is maintained, inspected or replaced in the case of power outage or disconnection, ensure the safety of an operator, and prevent accidental electric shock.
However, when an operating mechanism is contained in the interior of a conventional switching device, the operating apparatus can only meet side operation requirements, but cannot meet front operation requirements.
In addition, when the interior of the conventional switching device includes two operating mechanisms, the two operating mechanisms are respectively used for front operation and side operation, and the switch can be operated conveniently no matter from the front face or the side face. However, due to its large volume, it becomes unsuitable for certain application scenarios.

SUMMARY

The purpose of the present disclosure is to provide an operating apparatus for a switching device and a switching device to at least partially solve the above-described problems and/or other potential problems with conventional operating apparatus.
In a first aspect of the present disclosure, an operating apparatus for a switching device is provided, the operating apparatus comprises: a bracket comprising a pair of support plates arranged oppositely; a side operating unit comprising: a driving block coupled to a moving contact assembly of the switching device and adapted to be driven to drive the moving contact assembly to rotate about a first axis of the driving block between a closed position and an open position, the driving block being formed with a first portion of conical teeth; and a connecting rod energy storage assembly adapted to store and release energy during a switching process of the moving contact assembly between the closed position and the open position; and a front operating unit comprising a second portion of conical teeth coupled to the first portion of conical teeth and adapted to be driven to rotate about a second axis perpendicular to the first axis, so as to drive the driving block to rotate about the first axis.
According to embodiments of the present disclosure, by coupling the first portion of conical teeth with the second portion of conical teeth, the synchronization of the front operation and the side operation of the operating apparatus can be improved, so that the operation is more smooth and stable. Meanwhile, since the first portion of conical teeth and the body of the driving block are integrally formed, there is no need to separately arrange an intermediate gear as in a conventional operating apparatus, so that components in the operating apparatus can be reduced. Therefore, the reliability of the driving block can be improved and the installation cost can be reduced. Meanwhile, the whole operating apparatus can be made more compact and stable, so that the volume of the operating apparatus can be reduced and the space utilization rate can be improved. In particular, for a relatively large switching device, by using the operating apparatus in embodiments of the present disclosure will be more suitable for use in space-constrained situations, and other advantages will be described hereinafter in conjunction with corresponding embodiments.
In some embodiments, the side operating unit further comprises: a pair of fixing pillars, axes of which are parallel to a direction of the first axis and arranged on the driving blocks, and the pair of fixing pillars located respectively on opposite sides of the first axis in a radial direction of the driving blocks; and a pair of limiting rods arranged between the pair of support plates along the direction of the first axis; wherein the connecting rod energy storage assembly comprises a pair of connecting rods and a pair of elastic members, the connecting rod and the elastic member are arranged between the fixing pillar and the corresponding limiting rod, and the elastic member is adapted to store and release energy during a switching process of the moving contact assembly between the closed position and the open position.
In some embodiments, a first end of each of the pair of connecting rods is rotatably coupled to the corresponding fixing pillar, and a second end opposite to the first end comprises a limiting elongated hole adapted to allow the limiting rod to be arranged therein.
In some embodiments, the first end is formed with a radial opening, to allow the fixing pillar to be coupled to the connecting rod.
In some embodiments, the side operating unit further comprises: a side operating interface plate coaxially coupled to the driving block at least via a central shaft extending along the first axis, and adapted to be driven to drive the driving block to rotate about the first axis.
In some embodiments, the driving block further comprises: a driving rod arranged between the driving block and the side operating interface plate, and extending axially at least from the side operating interface plate by a predetermined distance to drive the driving block to rotate about the first axis.
In some embodiments, the support plate further comprises: an operating hole adapted to allow the driving rod to pass through and move therein.
In some embodiments, the operating hole comprises: an arc-shaped hole adapted for the driving rod to move between the closed position and the open position about the first axis of the driving block.
In some embodiments, the side operating unit further comprises: a side operating handle coupled to the side operating interface plate and adapted to be driven to rotate about the first axis to drive the side operating interface plate to rotate.
In some embodiments, the front operating unit further comprises: a front operating handle coupled to the second portion of the conical teeth and adapted to be driven to rotate about the second axis to drive the second portion of the conical teeth to rotate.
In some embodiments, the elastic member comprises a compression spring and the compression spring is adapted to be compressed to a maximum energy storage state when the moving contact assembly reaches a predetermined position between the closed position and the open position.
In some embodiments, the elastic member abuts between the connecting rod and the corresponding limiting rod.
In a second aspect of the present disclosure, a switching device is provided. The switching device comprises: a pair of static contacts arranged to be electrically connected to a power supply side and a load side of the switching device respectively; a pair of moving contacts; and an operating apparatus according to the first aspect, coupled to the pair of moving contacts to drive the pair of moving contacts to respectively contact or disengage with the pair of static contacts.
It should be understood that the content described in this content section is not intended to limit the key features or important features of the embodiments of the present disclosure, nor is it intended to limit the scope of the present disclosure. Other features of the present disclosure will become readily understood from the following description.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The above and other features, advantages, and aspects of various embodiments of the present disclosure will become more apparent from the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. In the drawings, the same or similar reference numbers refer to the same or similar elements, wherein:

FIG. 1 illustrates an exploded view of an operating apparatus according to embodiments of the present disclosure;
FIGS. 2 to 5 illustrate schematic structural views of an operating apparatus at a closed position according to embodiments of the present disclosure; and
FIGS. 6 to 9 illustrate schematic structural views of an operating apparatus at an open position according to embodiments of the present disclosure.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Embodiments of the present disclosure will be described in more detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Although certain embodiments of the present disclosure are shown in the accompanying drawings, it should be understood that the present disclosure may be implemented in various forms and should not be construed as limited to embodiments set forth herein. Rather, these embodiments are provided for a more thorough and complete understanding of the present disclosure. It should be understood that the accompanying drawings and embodiments of the present disclosure are only for illustrative purposes and are not intended to limit the scope of protection of the present disclosure.
In the description of embodiments of the present disclosure, the term "comprise" and similar terms should be interpreted as open inclusion, that is, "including but not limited to". The term "based on" should be interpreted as "based at least in part on". The term "an embodiment" or "the embodiment" should be interpreted as "at least one embodiment". The term "some embodiments" should be interpreted as "at least some embodiments". Other explicit and implicit definitions may also be included below. The terms "first", "second", etc. may refer to different or identical objects. Other explicit and implicit definitions may also be included below.
As mentioned briefly above, conventional switching device has problems in that it cannot meet the requirements of front operation and has a large volume. Below, the problem of a conventional switching device will now be explained by way of example with regard to the isolating switches. Firstly, for the isolating switches of the DC 1500V 250A, only the side operation requirements are fulfilled. Even if front operations is additionally provided, it may be unstable to operate or unreasonably installed under existing volume due to the increase in space and mechanical complexity.
In addition, for the isolating switch of the INS L3, the requirements of the two operations of front operation and side operation can be met at the same time, and this is mainly because the internal space caused by its large volume is enough to accommodate the operation components required by the front operation and the side operation. However, such bulky isolating switches may not be suitable for some application scenarios, for example, for small-volume devices internally, or in installations within compact space, it is impossible to install it in place.
Therefore, although the isolating switch of DC1500V 250A has a relatively small volume, it can only provide side operation. However, the isolating switch of INS3, while fully functional and capable of providing front operation and side operation, has a large volume that may limit its application in some scenarios. Therefore, conventional isolating switches cannot meet the requirements of small volume while being able to provide front operation and side operations.
The conventional solution and the existing problems are described below. Firstly, the conventional operating apparatus achieves the operation of the disconnector by means of a two-stage cam transmission, thereby avoiding the use of gear transmission. Therefore, with regard to a traditional gear transmission structure, the size of the cam transmission structure is smaller and more compact, and an efficient operation can be performed in a smaller space environment.
However, since the operating apparatus has a large friction coefficient between the two-stage cams, the amount of force required during the operation is relatively large. This not only affects the convenience of operation, but also affects the durability of the operating apparatus to some extent. Friction between the two-stage cams will cause more wear, resulting in shortened service life of the operating apparatus.
In addition, a traditional operating apparatus can also achieve an operation by directly using a gear to push a torsion spring. By means of the combination of the gear and the torsion spring, the operating apparatus can have a symmetrical transmission structure, so that the whole structure thereof is stable, and the gear transmission stability is high, so that the operating apparatus has a relatively strong stability and reliability in the operation process.
However, the stability of the torsion spring is relatively poor, which may have an impact on the stability of the operating apparatus, thereby affecting the performance and service life of the isolating switch. In particular, during operation, the stresses to which the torsion spring is subjected increase with the service time, which leads to a deformation of the torsion spring and affects the reliability and stability of the entire operating apparatus.
In addition, the rotation angle of the torsion spring structure is not adjustable. In some applications, the adjustability of the angle is an important requirement, for example, in a scenario requiring fine-tuning. However, due to the inherent property of the torsion spring, the rotation angle thereof is not adjustable, which limits the application range thereof to a certain extent.
In order to solve or at least partially solve the described problems or other potential problems of the operating apparatus of conventional solutions, embodiments of the present disclosure provide an operating apparatus solution for a switching device, such as an isolating switch. In the operating apparatus, the bracket of the operating apparatus includes a pair of support plates arranged opposite to each other, which provide support for the components in the operating apparatus.
Further, the driving block of the side operating unit of the operating apparatus is connected to the moving contact assembly of the switching device, and can drive the moving contact assembly to rotate about the first axis of the driving block between the closed position and the open position. In order to perform inertial transmission with other components, the driving block has a first portion of conical teeth. Meanwhile, since the first portion of conical teeth and the body of the driving block are integrally formed, there is no need to separately arrange an intermediate gear in a conventional operating apparatus, so that components in the operating apparatus can be reduced, thereby achieving that the volume of the operating apparatus can be reduced, and the reliability of the driving block is improved and the installation cost is reduced. Further, the fixing pillar of the side operating unit is arranged along the direction of the first axis of the driving block and distributed on both sides of the first axis in the radial direction. The limiting rod of the side operating unit is also arranged along the first axis direction and distributed between the pair of support plates.
Further, the connecting rod energy storage assembly of the side operating unit is adapted to store and release energy during a switching process of the moving contact assembly between the closed position and the open position. The connecting rod energy storage assembly, such as the side operating unit, may include a pair of connecting rods and a pair of elastic members, which are arranged between the fixing pillar and the respective limiting rod. During the switching process of the moving contact assembly between the closed position and the open position, the elastic member stores and releases energy.
At the same time, the front operating unit of the operating apparatus includes a second portion of the conical teeth, which is coupled to the first portion of the conical teeth and can be driven to rotate about a second axis which is perpendicular to the first axis. In this manner, the driving block may be caused to rotate about the first axis as the second axis rotates. At the same time, the synchronization of the front operation and the side operation of the operating apparatus can be improved, so that the operation is more fluent and stable.
Thus, the operating apparatus incorporates both side and front operating units, making it convenient to operate the switching device from any angle. At the same time, the connecting rod energy storage assembly can store energy during operation and release energy when required, increasing the efficiency of the operating apparatus. Meanwhile, the engagement mode of the first portion of conical teeth and the second portion of conical teeth enables the operating apparatus to be more compact and stable. In particular, for a relatively large switching device, the operating apparatus in embodiments of the present disclosure will be more suitable for use in space-constrained situations.
Example structures of operating apparatus 100 of the switching device will be described below in conjunction with FIGS. 1-9. According to embodiments of the present disclosure, the switching device may include an isolating switch and may include any suitable other switching device that includes a moving contact and a static contact in addition to the isolating switch. In the following, the concept of the present disclosure will be described mainly by taking the case that the switching device is an isolating switch as an example. It should be understood that, the case that the switching device is another device is also similar, and will not be described in detail hereinafter.
A switching device according to embodiments of the present disclosure includes a pair of static contacts, a pair of moving contacts, and an operating apparatus 100. The pair of static contacts are arranged to be electrically connected to a power supply side or a load side of a switching device respectively. A pair of moving contacts in the switching device are coupled to the operating apparatus 100, and driven to connect to or separate from the static contacts respectively. When the isolating switch is in a closed state (for example, in a connected state), the moving contact and the static contact are connected to form a path to enable a current to flow normally, so as to connect the power supply side and the load side. When the switching device is in an open state (for example, in a separated state or in a locked state), the moving contact quickly separates and cuts off the current path.
As shown in FIGS. 1 and 9, the operating apparatus 100 according to embodiments of the present disclosure generally includes a bracket 110, a side operating unit 120, and a front operating unit 130. The side operating unit 120 and the front operating unit 130 are arranged in a mutually linked manner inside the bracket 110. Specifically, the bracket 110 is used to provide bearing and support for components of the operating apparatus 100. Further, the bracket 110 in embodiments of the present disclosure has sufficient strength and stiffness to support the weight of the operating apparatus 100, and also has good corrosion resistance and wear resistance to ensure long-term use.
The operating apparatus 100 in embodiments of the present disclosure can be operated from the front or the side according to actual needs and operating habits, so that the flexibility of the operation can be increased and the operation becomes more free and convenient. Compared with the conventional single operation mode, the layout of the dual operation mode is more convenient.
In addition, the two operating units are arranged inside the bracket 110, so that the appearance of the operating apparatus 100 is more compact and neat, and the occupied space is reduced. Meanwhile, the bracket 110 also provides stable support for the two operating units to ensure the safety of the operating apparatus 100 during use.
Therefore, the operating apparatus 100 can realize the linkage of a side operation and a front operation, while its internal arrangement also enables the operating apparatus 100 to have a smaller volume, to be strong and durable, and also enables the operating apparatus 100 to better meet the practical requirements of the operation.
A specific structure of the operating apparatus 100 will be described below with reference to FIGS. 1 and 9. According to embodiments of the present disclosure, the bracket 110 includes a pair of support plates arranged opposite to each other. Specifically, the pair of support plates corresponds to each other in terms of spatial positions, and are opposite to each other in a mirror or parallel manner, so that the balance and symmetry of the whole operating apparatus 100 can be ensured. Thus, stability and rationalization of the interaction of the entire operating apparatus 100 can be ensured. For example, the pair of support plates includes a first support plate 111 and a second support plate 112.
Further, as mentioned above, the operating apparatus 100 may have both side operation and front operation. First, for side operations, the side operating unit 120 includes a driving block 1201, a pair of fixing pillars 1202, a pair of limiting rods 1203, and a connecting rod energy storage assembly 1204. The above-mentioned parts cooperate to achieve precise control and operation of the side operation of the operating apparatus 100.
In particular, the driving block 1201 is coupled to the moving contact member 140 of the switching device along its own first axis A. The driving block 1201 may be driven to rotate the moving contact assembly 140 around the first axis A between the closed position and the open position, so as to implement switching of the switch state.
Meanwhile, the driving block 1201 is formed with the first portion of conical teeth 1211 (for example, the first portion of conical teeth 1211 and the body of the driving block 1201 are integrally formed), so as to ensure accurate and stable transmission. For example, the first portion of conical teeth 1211 are integrally formed on the body of the driving block 1201 and located on the body on the side close to the moving contact component 140, thereby reducing components in the operating apparatus, reducing the volume of the operating apparatus, improving the reliability of the driving block and reducing the installation cost.
Further, the axial line of the fixing pillars 1202 is arranged on the driving block 1201 along the direction parallel to the first axis A, and the pair of fixing pillars 1202 are respectively located on both sides of the first axis A along the radial direction of the driving block 1201. Meanwhile, the limiting rod 1203 is arranged between the pair of support plates along the direction of the first axis A. For example, the fixing pillars 1202 are configured to be fixed between the first block and second block of the driving block 1201, so that the first driving block and second driving block can be formed as a whole through the fixing pillars 1202. Meanwhile, the connecting rod energy storage assembly 1204 is coupled by using the fixing pillar 1202. Therefore, the fixing pillar 1202 not only can implement formation of the driving block 1201, but also can serve as a connecting point of the connecting rod energy storage assembly 1204. Secondly, the limiting rod 1203 serves as a physical barrier for position limitation, and is used to limit the movement position of the connecting rod energy storage assembly 1204. In addition, in embodiments of the present disclosure, the fixing manner between the driving block 1201 and the fixing pillars 1202 avoids the use of riveting. For example, the fixing pillar may be a pin shaft and assembled on the driving block 1201.
Further, the connecting rod energy storage assembly 1204 can be at least suitable for the moving contact assembly 140 to store energy and release energy during the switching process between the closed position and the open position, and can be realized by an elastic member 1215 of the connecting rod energy storage assembly 1204 as described below. Exemplarily, the connecting rod energy storage assembly 1204 includes a pair of connecting rods 1214 and a pair of elastic members 1215, which are respectively arranged between the fixing pillars 1202 and the corresponding limiting rods 1203, so as to ensure that the connecting rods 1214 and the elastic members 1215 can withstand corresponding pressure and expansion while ensuring stability, and provide a required force. The elastic element 1215 is configured to store energy and release energy during the switching process of the moving contact component 140 between the closed position and the open position, so as to implement the functions of storing energy and releasing energy.
During a switching process of the moving contact component 140 between a closed position and an open position, the elastic member 1215 is compressed and released, and storing energy and releasing energy, so that the moving contact component 140 can smoothly perform closed operation and open operation, which will be further described below.
Further, for the front operation, the front operating unit 130 includes a second portion of conical teeth 1311 which intermeshes with the first portion of conical teeth 1211 of the side operating unit 120.
Specifically, by driving the second portion of conical teeth 1311, the control of the driving block 1201 can be realized, and by driving the second portion of conical teeth 1311 to rotate around the second axis B perpendicular to the first axis A, the driving block 1201 is driven to rotate around the first axis A. That is to say, the second portion of conical teeth 1311 rotate along its own second axis B and are engaged with the first portion of conical teeth 1211.
Therefore, the operating apparatus 100 can realize the linkage of the side operation and the front operation, and also make the operating apparatus 100 better meet the practical requirements of the operation.
It should be emphasized that the first portion of conical teeth 1211 and the second portion of conical teeth 1311 are only a part of a complete bevel gear. For example, it may be only a segment, or it may be a sector area of the bevel gears. This special configuration provides more flexibility. Although the first portion of conical teeth 1211 and the second portion of conical teeth 1311 have only a portion of conical teeth, they retain the basic features of the bevel gear, such as a conical main axis and pointed ridges for contact and transmission, etc. These characteristics enable a part of the bevel gears to fully utilize the advantages of the bevel gears, such as achieving a larger output with a smaller force, and being able to transmit a force in a plurality of directions, etc.
In some embodiments, the side operating unit 120 also includes a side operating interface plate that is coaxially coupled with the driving block 1201 at least via the first axis A. Further, a central shaft 1221 is arranged on the driving block 1201 and located in the direction of the first axis A. For example, the side operating interface plate is coupled to the central shaft 1221, so that the side operating interface plate can be coaxially connected to the driving block 1201 and can be coaxially rotated.
Specifically, the side operating interface plate can be driven, thereby driving the driving block 1201 to rotate along the first axis A. In addition, the moving contact component 140 is driven, thereby implementing switching between a closed state and an open state of the switching device. Therefore, the side operating interface plate can provide the convenience and accuracy of the operation of the switching device, so that the operation of the switching device is more efficient and reliable.
In some embodiments, in order to achieve control of the side operating interface plate, the side operating unit 120 further includes a side operation handle. The handle is directly coupled to the side operating interface plate, which can be driven to rotate about the first axis A during operation. When the handle is rotated by an operator or a driving source (such as an operator or a mechanical device), the power of the handle is directly transmitted to the side operating interface plate, so as to drive the side operating interface plate to rotate. Thus, the operator can easily control the rotation of the interface plate, and further control the rotation of the driving block 1201, thereby realizing the opening and closing control operation of the switching device.
Similarly, the front operating unit 130 also has a similar operation manner, i. e., includes a front operating handle which is directly coupled to the second portion of the conical teeth 1311. When the operating handle is driven to rotate about the second axis B, its power translates into rotation of the second portion of conical teeth 1311. In this way, the front operating handle enables an operator to conveniently and accurately drive the second portion of conical teeth 1311 to rotate, and then the first portion of conical teeth 1211 is engaged by the second portion of conical teeth 1311, so that the driving block 1201 rotates.
Therefore, the side operating handle and the front operating handle are intended to provide an effective means for a driving source (such as an operator or a mechanical device), so that the driving source can smoothly drive the rotation of a critical component (for example, the side operating interface plate or the second portion of conical teeth 1311). In this way, the whole operation process is accurate and smooth, thereby improving the operation efficiency and accuracy of the switching device.
Referring to FIGS 1, 5, and 9, the driving block 1201 described above continues to be described. In some embodiments, the driving block 1201 includes a driving rod 1222. The driving rod 1222 is arranged at one end of the driving block 1201 close to the side operating interface plate. The driving rod 1222 is located between the driving block 1201 and the side operating interface plate, so that the driving rod 1222 can be directly associated with the side operating interface plate and the driving block 1201, thereby providing direct power for rotation. For example, the driving rod 1222 can be arranged on the driving block 1201 parallel to the first axis A, and offset from the first axis A by a predetermined distance.
Further, the driving rod 1222 protrudes from the side operation interface plate at least by a predetermined distance in the direction of the axis A, thereby making it easier for the driving rod 1222 to be operated. Since the protruding portions may directly contact the side operation interface plate, driving efficiency and effect are increased.
When a driving source (such as an operator or a mechanical device) acts on the driving rod 1222 via the side operating interface plate, the driving block 1201 will be driven to rotate about the first axis A by the transmission of the driving rod 1222. This rotational action may further trigger the moving contact assembly 140 to realize the switching between the closed state and open state of the switching device.
In such embodiments, the support plate includes an operating hole 1111 that provides sufficient space for the movement of the driving rod 1222. For example, the operating hole includes an arc-shaped hole, and when the driving rod moves around the first axis A of the driving block 1201 between the closed position and the open position, the arc-shaped hole can provide a moving channel for the path of the driving rod moving around the first axis.
Specifically, the size and position of the operating hole 1111 can be determined according to practical requirements, which is not limited in embodiments of the present disclosure. The operating hole 1111 may be fully adapted to drive the passage of the rod 1222 and free to move therein.
When the driving source acts on the driving rod 1222 via the side operating interface plate, the driving rod 1222 moves within the operating hole 1111, which is actually the rotation of the driving block 1201 about the first axis A. This rotational motion will be transmitted to the moving contact assembly 140, thereby realizing the switching between the closed state and open state of the switching device.
Therefore, the operating hole 1111 on the support plate provides an appropriate passage for the driving rod 1222 to smoothly move and operate when the driving block 1201 needs to rotate, thereby improving the efficiency and accuracy of the operation of the switching device.
Referring to FIGS 5 and 9, the pair of connecting rods 1214 continue to be described above. In some embodiments, a first end of each connecting rod 1214 of the pair of connecting rods 1214 may be rotatably coupled to a corresponding fixing pillar 1202 such that the connecting rod 1214 may undergo a controllable rotational movement over the fixing pillars 1202.
It is worth mentioning that the second end of the connecting rod 1214 opposite to the first end includes a limiting elongated hole 1216, which is an elongated hole in which the limiting rod 1203 can be arranged. The presence of the limiting rod 1203 effectively limits the range of rotation of the connecting rod 1214, ensuring that it rotates within a fixed range, preventing possible damage due to excessive rotation.
Specifically, the limiting elongated hole 1216 provides an accommodating space for the limiting rod 1203. When the limiting rod 1203 is placed therein, under the action of the elastic member 1215, the operating apparatus 100 can realize precise rotation control by the cooperation between the limiting rod 1203 and the connecting rod 1214, thereby ensuring the stability and the operation precision of the operating apparatus 100.
Further, the first end of the connecting rod 1214 is formed with a radial opening 1217. The radial opening 1217 is to facilitate coupling of the fixing pillar 1202 with the stem 1214. Therefore, the fixing pillar 1202 can be easily inserted into the first end of the connecting rod 1214, and the stable coupling between the fixing pillar 1202 and the connecting rod 1214 is achieved by a simple fixing and locking manner.
It can be understood that, the radial opening 1217 is intended to adapt to a diameter of the fixing pillar 1202, so that the fixing pillar 1202 can smoothly pass through the opening and tightly couple with the connecting rod 1214, thereby ensuring that the connecting rod 1214 can be conveniently connected to the fixing pillar 1202 during an assembly process, thereby reducing the workload of an operator.
The presence of the radial opening 1217 not only simplifies the connection process between the connecting rod 1214 and the fixing pillar 1202, but also enables the fixing pillar 1202 to rotate on the connecting rod 1214, thereby further increasing the flexibility and stability of the operating apparatus 100.
As shown in FIGS. 1 to 9, in some embodiments, the elastic member 1215 may be a compression spring. Specifically, the compression spring may store energy when subjected to pressure, and may release the stored energy when the pressure is removed, thereby driving a corresponding part or component (such as the connecting rod energy storage assembly 1204 described above) to move.
In operation of the moving contact assembly 140, the compression spring provides a critical pushing action. When the moving contact assembly 140 is in a predetermined position between the closed position and the open position, the compression spring will be compressed to a maximum energy storage state. That is, the predetermined position may be such that the compression spring is maximally compressed, i.e. maximally stored. It should be noted that the predetermined position is a certain position during the switching process of the moving contact component 140 between the closed position and the open position. The predetermined position is determined according to the closing angle and the opening angle, so as to realize rapid opening and slow closing.
Once the moving contact assembly 140 starts to move in the direction of a closing or opening, the compression spring is gradually compressed before the predetermined position. After a predetermined position, the compression spring will begin to release the previously stored energy, allowing the moving contact assembly 140 to successfully complete the closed operation or open operation. Therefore, the working manner of the compression spring ensures smooth and stable operation of the moving contact component 140 during the operation process, and at the same time avoids a sudden impact force, thereby improving the safety and reliability of the device.
Further, the elastic member 1215 abuts between the connecting rod 1214 and the corresponding limiting rod 1203. Specifically, when the elastic member 1215 abuts between the connecting rod 1214 and the limiting rod 1203, the elastic feedback of the relative movement between the two can be effectively adjusted, thereby ensuring the smooth movement of the connecting rod 1214 and preventing possible damage to the operating apparatus 100 due to excessive pressure or impact.
Meanwhile, the limiting rod 1203 has a limiting function in the limiting elongated hole 1216, which also means that during the movement of the connecting rod 1214, the elastic element 1215 can act as a buffer to reduce the shock or impact generated during the opening or closing process.
Implementations of the present disclosure have been described above. The above description is illustrative, not exhaustive, and is not limited to the disclosed implementations. Many modifications and variations will be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art without departing from the scope and spirit of the described implementations. The terminology used herein is chosen to best explain the principles, practical applications, or improvements to the technology in the market, or to enable other persons of ordinary skill in the art to understand the various implementations disclosed herein.

Claims

An operating apparatus for a switching device, characterized by comprising:
a bracket (110) comprising a pair of support plates arranged oppositely;

a side operating unit (120) comprising:
a driving block (1201) coupled to a moving contact assembly (140) of the switching device and adapted to be driven to drive the moving contact assembly (140) to rotate about a first axis (A) of the driving block (1201) between a closed position and an open position, the driving block (1201) being formed with a first portion of conical teeth (1211); and

a connecting rod energy storage assembly (1204) adapted to store and release energy during a switching process of the moving contact assembly (140) between the closed position and the open position; and

a front operating unit (130) comprising a second portion of conical teeth (1311) coupled to the first portion of conical teeth (1211) and adapted to be driven to rotate about a second axis (B) perpendicular to the first axis (A), so as to drive the driving block (1201) to rotate about the first axis (A).
The operating apparatus of claim 1, characterized in that the side operating unit (120) further comprises:
a pair of fixing pillars (1202), axes of which are parallel to a direction of the first axis (A) and arranged on the driving blocks (1201), and the pair of fixing pillars (1202) located respectively on opposite sides of the first axis (A) in a radial direction of the driving blocks (1201); and

a pair of limiting rods (1203) arranged between the pair of support plates along the direction of the first axis (A);

wherein the connecting rod energy storage assembly (1204) comprises a pair of connecting rods (1214) and a pair of elastic members (1215), the connecting rod (1214) and the elastic member (1215) are arranged between the fixing pillar (1202) and the corresponding limiting rod (1203), and the elastic member (1215) is adapted to store and release energy during a switching process of the moving contact assembly (140) between the closed position and the open position.
The operating apparatus of claim 2, characterized in that a first end of each of the pair of connecting rods (1214) is rotatably coupled to the corresponding fixing pillar (1202), and a second end opposite to the first end comprises a limiting elongated hole (1216) adapted to allow the limiting rod (1203) to be arranged therein.
The operating apparatus of claim 3, characterized in that the first end is formed with a radial opening (1217), to allow the fixing pillar (1202) to be coupled to the connecting rod (1214).
The operating apparatus of any of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the side operating unit (120) further comprises:
a side operating interface plate coaxially coupled to the driving block (1201) at least via a central shaft (1221) extending along the first axis (A), and adapted to be driven to drive the driving block (1201) to rotate about the first axis (A).
The operating apparatus of claim 5, characterized in that the driving block (1201) further comprises:
a driving rod (1222) arranged between the driving block (1201) and the side operating interface plate, and extending axially at least from the side operating interface plate by a predetermined distance to drive the driving block (1201) to rotate about the first axis (A).
The operating apparatus of claim 6, characterized in that the support plate further comprises:
an operating hole (1111) adapted to allow the driving rod (1222) to pass through and move therein.
The operating apparatus of claim 7, characterized in that the operating hole (1111) comprises:
an arc-shaped hole adapted for the driving rod to move between the closed position and the open position about the first axis (A) of the driving block (1201).
The operating apparatus of claim 7, characterized in that the side operating unit (120) further comprises:
a side operating handle coupled to the side operating interface plate and adapted to be driven to rotate about the first axis (A) to drive the side operating interface plate to rotate.
The operating apparatus of any of claims 1 to 4 and claims 6 to 9, characterized in that the front operating unit (130) further comprises:
a front operating handle coupled to the second portion of the conical teeth (1311) and adapted to be driven to rotate about the second axis (B) to drive the second portion of the conical teeth (1311) to rotate.
The operating apparatus of claim 2, characterized in that the elastic member (1215) comprises a compression spring and the compression spring is adapted to be compressed to a maximum energy storage state when the moving contact assembly (140) reaches a predetermined position between the closed position and the open position.
The operating apparatus of claim 2, characterized in that the elastic member (1215) abuts between the connecting rod (1214) and the corresponding limiting rod (1203).
A switching device, characterized by comprising:
a pair of static contacts arranged to be electrically connected to a power supply side and a load side of the switching device, respectively;

a pair of moving contacts; and

an operating apparatus of any of claims 1 to 12, coupled to the pair of moving contacts to drive the pair of moving contacts to respectively contact or disengage with the pair of static contacts.