FR2531565A1 - MODULAR CURRENT LIMITATION DEVICES - Google Patents

Abstract

1. A circuit breaker device comprising at least one polar unit mounted in a open case (8) comprising a connection direction (82) defined by a first (6) and a second (3) connection means, an arc extinguishing structure (11) made from a multiplicity of parallel plates spaced apart from each other and located on the extension of a mobile contact lever (2) pivotably mounted in the case and electrically connected by a conducting means to the first connecting means (6), this mobile contact with a first portion (31) of the second connecting means, this first portion (31) extending in a direction substantially perpendicular to the direction of connection between the extinguishing structure (11) and the pivoting point (5) of the contact lever (2) and forming with the said lever a current loop and a magnetic structure (10) partly surrounding said current loop according to an axis parallel to said perpendicular direction, characterized in that the plates (110) of the extinguishing structure (11) form a first angle (beta) with respect to said orthogonal direction, ghat the said first portion (31) is extended by a second portion (32) forming the same angle (beta) with said first portion (31), so as to be parallel to the plates (110) of the extinguishing structure (11), and that the mobile contact lever (2) forms a second predetermined angle (gamma) with respect to the first portion (31), when the device is in the "contact closed" position.

Description

MODULAR CURRENT LIMITATION DEVICES

  The present invention relates to modular devices

  current limitation and their use in series

  with a circuit breaker or an automatic circuit breaker

  Such devices are already known and described, for example in patent application FR 73 42831, filed Nov. 30.

  1973 by Westinghouse Electric Corporation, but did not

  The design of these unipolar limiters can only be mounted on a single type of multipolar device whose poles are not simple to manufacture, economical, automatable and mass-produced and as compact as possible. When the contact is opened, the electric arc penetrates the fins unevenly and the spring retaining torque increases as the angle of rotation of the support lever of the moving contact. such a limiter is associated with a current switch or an automatic circuit breaker, it can not be mounted on a profile

in Q normalized.

  The aim of the invention is therefore to mitigate one or more

  disadvantages listed above.

  According to the invention, a circuit interrupter device -2-

  having at least one polar unit mounted in a shoemaker

  green, including a connection direction defined by a

  first and second means of connection, a structure of

  arc extinguishing arranged in the extension of a pivotally mounted movable contact arm, connected by a braid or other means to the first connection means and held in contact with the second connection means by a spring and a magnetic structure, is characterized in that the movable contact arm and the first portion of the second

  means of connection coming into contact with the arm are

  laid in a substantially perpendicular direction

  to the connection direction, and form a loop of

  rant; this first portion extending between the extinguishing structure and the point of pivoting of the contact arm, a second portion of which extends parallel to the plane of the

  plates of the extinguishing structure.

  Other features and advantages of the invention appear

  more clearly on reading the description below,

  made with reference to the accompanying drawings in which

  FIG. 1 is a diagrammatic view of a trolley

  associated with limiter boots and a

  vercle; Figure 2 is a schematic view of a device

  modular combination with housing-cover

  keys; Figures 3 to 5 are partially sectional views of embodiments of the limiter device; Figures 6 to 11 are perspective views of the magnetic structures; Figure 12 is a top view of the housing;

2531565.

-3-

  FIG. 13 is a partial sectional view of a boundary

  associated with a snap-on device; and

  Figures 14 to 16 show the path of the magnetic flux

  tick. FIG. 1 shows a three-pole apparatus 14, the screws of which connection means are arranged at a pitch Q of each other. Each connection terminal is associated with a casing 8 of this casing; open, fits into the next, from the left to the right and the last housing is closed by a cover 12 of thickness ZO Each stacker has a useful depth X + Y, X being the distance separating the bottom of the housing plan of symmetry of the connection terminal of a pole of the apparatus 14 and Y the distance of the

  plane of symmetry at the bottom of the adjacent case or cover

key.

  FIG. 2 represents another form of assembly, in the

  a three-pole modular apparatus 13 is associated with three sets of housing / cover 8, 12, so that the plane of symmetry of the tongues of each limiter coincides with the symmetry aure of the screws of the connection terminals of

  each module of the device 13 u each module has a thick-

  Puer Q and the screws being arranged in the plane of

symmetry.

We deduce that O

X = P / 2; Y = Q Z = P

  An arrangement of the housings and covers symmetrical of the previous one, may also be adopted. FIGS. 3 to 5 and 12 represent the limiter 1, mounted in a housing whose useful dimensions in depth are fixed by the relationships listed above. modularity and compatibility with several devices aims to increase the number of devices,

  to automate manufacturing and reduce costs.

  The polar unit comprises an insulating casing 8 of essentially square contour. A fixed contact 3 is mounted in a groove 86 (FIG. 12), provided in a boss 84. This boss serves as a means of centering the modular unit relative to at a connection of a device 13 or 14 This fixed contact 3 penetrates in a direction perpendicular to the side face of the housing provided with the boss 84, then has a portion 31 folded perpendicularly in a direction parallel to the housing, to finally end with a portion 32 making an angle f with respect to this direction, so as to be parallel to the fins 110 of the extinguishing chamber

  11 and the wall 85 (Figure 12) of the housing.

  A contact arm 2 is mounted to move between open and closed positions by rotating about a pivot pin 5 integral with the casing, the contact arm being constituted by a sheet of conductive metal.

  The contact arm 2 is provided with a hook

  chage 21, which cooperates with a torsion spring 4,

  both the contact arms 2 in the trigonometric direction to the closed position and disposed on a boss 80 or in a recessed form (Figure 12) of the housing, at a distance (a) from the pivot pin 5 The fulcrum the end of the spring is at a distance (b) from the spindle, so that when the lever pivots by an angle Y, the torsion force applied by the spring varies according to a value proportional to Y a + b The contact arm makes, when the contact is closed, an angle Y relative to the direction of the fixed contact portion 31 parallel to the side of the housing 8 provided with the boss 84, and is in a direction substantially orthogonal to the direction of connection, that is to say parallel to the

  portion 31 when the contact is open.

  The contact arm 2 ends with a horn-shaped portion 22 near the point of contact and forming an angle 6 with a direction parallel to the portion 31. As can be seen in FIGS. 3 to 5, this arm of FIG. contact 2

  forms with the portion 31 a current loop.

  A cage connection terminal 6, without solder, is mounted in a housing 81 of the housing 8 and clamps the line conductor against a conductor 9 which is housed in a groove 810 and rests on a shoulder 811 (FIG. 3 to 5 and 12) In another version, shown in FIGS. 4 and 6 to 8,

  an extended conductor 92, bypasses the terminal 6 'and the housing

  8, with two folds, and at its end 4, is crimped the axis 5 of the contact 2 In this case, the axis is made of a good conductor material Figure 5 shows the mounting of the axis 5

  in a form provided in the bottom of the housing; it is now

  held on the other side by the end of the piece 920 A flexible conductor 7, preferably in the form of a braid

  (Figure 4), is connected at one of its ends to the

  9 while its other end is connected to the contact arm 2. As shown in FIGS.

  is provided with an opening 82 for the passage of an

  Line driver to connect to terminal 6 v and materializes

  a connection direction parallel to the directions 82 and 3.

  The housing 8 also has an opening 83 (FIG. 12) for introducing a tool intended to act on a connecting screw 60 in order to fix this line conductor in the

cage terminal 6.

  A magnetic device 10 is disposed in a housing provided for this purpose in the housing 8 so as to facilitate its mounting, it consists of one or two thick tales whose shapes, obtained by folding, allow to partially surround the loop formed by the contact arm 2 and the portion 31 These sheets are magnetically soft material such as iron and can take e is the shape of an "L" or a "J"; either two 'L' placed upside down (figures

9, 10, 11).

  As can be seen from these figures, these forms allow a front and separate mounting of the parts, first of the magnetic structure (n Lu or "J"), then of the contact arm 2 and the spring, then the adaptation piece and,

  possibly the second "L", while keeping

  Magnetic positive a good operation.

  On the other hand, it is possible in certain configurations to provide one or more insulating parts, not shown in FIGS. 6 to 11, which isolate the magnetic device 10 from the

conductive parts 3, 2, 7, 9.

  Finally, the arch structure It is placed and maintained by known means in a housing 87 This structure is of a

  well known type and includes a series of rectangular plates

  The plates 110, which have a notch IV "", are stacked by being arranged face to face, at a distance from each other, their notches being aligned so that

  the end of the contact arm 2 can pass into the

  when moving to the open position

  plates are arranged in a plane parallel to the

  85 (Figure 12), which makes an angle e with the lateral face

  of the housing 8, provided with the centering boss 84.

  The housing 8 also comprises a channel 88 (FIG. 3) for guiding the hot gases, which originates in the housing of the extinguishing chamber and opens through an orifice situated below the orifice 82 for introducing the conductor C. channel is provided with a boss 801 serving as a baffle for the gases and allowing the passage, through a hole 800, means for assembling several housings together or a

boot with its lid.

  A second hole 800 is placed in a boss 802 disposed to

  the angle of the boot, opposite the exhaust channel.

  On the other hand, the open housing 8, with its bottom, the wall and the bottom of the upper housing or a cover, forms a channel 134 for discharging gases from the channel 132 of the apparatus 13 or 14, with which the limiter 8 is mounted in series, as can be seen in FIG. 13. This box 8 has a side wall 804 which makes an angle α with a

  direction parallel to the direction of the connections.

  When the limiter is connected in series with a device 13 or 14 by means of a connection device 131 of the type

  known, the apparatus 13 or 14 being provided with a device for

  ratchet 133 on a profile 15 of known type, as shown in Figure 13, the angle allows to mount the assembly on the section, without a portion of the limiter 1 comes abut against the bottom 16 of the cabinet or platinum

of support.

  As an example, we can give a ,, y, 6 the -7-

  respective values o 7.1; 24; 31; 30.

  In operation, the current flowing in the loop formed by the movable contact 2 and the portion 31 creates a magnetic flux tending to push the two parts against the action of the spring 4 O When the intensity of the current is sufficient, the contact

opens and a bow is established.

  The magnetic device 10, by channeling this flow as shown in FIGS. 6 to 10, maintains the repulsion field between the two parts until the full opening, and cancels the antagonistic force that could be created by the contact arm 2 and the connecting conductor between connection and

mobile contacts.

  On the other hand, during the opening of the contact, the angular disposition of the plates 11 OD of the horn 22 and the fixed contact 31 D 32 promotes good penetration of the electric arc

  throughout the cooling structure 11.

  It goes without saying that any modification within the reach of man

  of the art is also part of the invention.

8-

Claims (9)

Patent claims   1 circuit interrupter device having at least   a pole unit mounted in an open housing (8), comprising   a connection direction (82) defined by a first (6) and second (3) connection means, an arc extinguishing structure (11) arranged in the extension of a   movable contact arm (2) pivotally mounted, connected electrically   trially by means of the first connecting means (6), and kept in contact with the second connecting means (3) by a spring (4) and a magnetic structure (10), characterized in that the movable contact arm ( 2) and the first portion (31) of the second connection means (3) coming into contact with the arm (2) are arranged in a direction substantially perpendicular to the connection direction, and form a current loop; this first portion extending between the extinguishing structure (11) and the pivot point of the contact arm (2), a second portion (32) of which extends parallel to the plane of contact   plates (110) of the extinguishing structure (11).   2 Device according to claim 1, characterized in that the contact arm (2) makes a first   predetermined angle (Y: gamma) with said direction per-   pendiculaire. 3 Device according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the extinguishing structure (11) is oriented at a second predetermined angle $) by   relative to said perpendicular direction.   4 Device according to claim 1, 2 or 3, characterized in that the magnetic structure (10) partially surrounds the current loop along the axis parallel to said perpendicular direction.   Device according to Claim 4, characterized in that the magnetic structure (10) consists of one or two thick sheet metal parts folded into   shape of "L" or "J", whose short branch is skewed.   Device according to one of Claims 1 to 5,   characterized in that the spring (4) is a torsion spring positioned on a boss or in a form (80) of   housing, located at a given distance (a) from the pivot point   contact arm (2) in a direction parallel to the connection direction.   Apparatus according to one of the preceding claims   characterized in that the arm of the contact (2) is extended at its end close to the contact by a horn-shaped portion making a given third angle (y + 6 + 1800) with the general direction of the contact arm ( 2) and, at its second end near the pivot point, by a   pin (21) for anchoring the spring (4).   8 Device according to one of the preceding claims dentes,   characterized in that the extinguishing structure (11)   on an exhaust channel (88), having at least one   baffle, and of which a partition is formed by a side wall   of the case making a given fourth angle (a) with   a direction parallel to the connection direction.   Device according to one of the preceding claims dentes,   characterized in that the open housing (8), of parallel shape,   the elepiped, has a wall (85) making a second   given angle 3 with respect to said perpendicular direction lar.   Apparatus according to one of the preceding claims   characterized in that the connection between the connection means (6) and the movable contact arm (2) is provided by the axis - (5) of the contact arm, the latter being held on one side by a shape in the bottom of the box, the other by the extended portion of the driver (92)   11 Apparatus according to one of the preceding claims   dentes, characterized in that the open box (8) has a given thickness (X + Y) and can be associated with a thickness cover (Z) defined by the following relations: X = P / 2; Y = Q P; z = P Q, X being the distance separating the bottom of the casing from the plane of symmetry of the connection terminal of a pole of the device, Y the distance from the plane of symmetry of the bottom of the adjacent casing or the cover and Q   the pitch of the screws of the connection means.