FR2674986A1 - IMPROVED MODULAR SINGLE POLE CIRCUIT BREAKER AND MOUNTING METHOD THEREOF. - Google Patents

Abstract

The circuit breaker comprises a first assembly (11) comprising a first terminal with its bimetallic strip, a support part and a first fixed contact, together which are placed in a housing half-shell (1), a second assembly ( 12) comprising the second fixed contact, the electromagnetic disconnection coil and the second terminal, said second assembly being mountable, as well as arc extinguishing chambers and their sheets, on a middle insulating wall (23) to form an assembly (35) which is then put in place in the half-shell before the installation of a mechanism assembly (36), after which the housing is closed by placing a second half shell.

Description

Advanced modular single pole circuit breaker and sound

mounting process.

  The present invention relates to an improvement to modular unipolar circuit breakers, and in particular those which can be coupled to perform multipole functions. Unipolar circuit breakers have been known for a long time having, inside an insulating housing, a circuit comprising, between the two terminals, a trip bimetal strip, a trip coil with its core, and a single movable contact in the form of a fork cooperating with two fixed contacts arranged on either side of a central insulating partition also delimiting two volumes each receiving an arc extinguishing chamber associated with its fixed contact and with the corresponding branch of the movable contact. Such circuit breakers are for example described in the

document DE-A-2 234 423.

  Circuit breakers of this type are intended to provide line protection against short circuits by tripping of the magnetic trip coil as well as against overcurrents by tripping by

  thermal deformation of the bimetallic strip.

  To this end, in a conventional manner, the movable contact is part of a circuit breaker and resettable mechanism at

from an operating device.

  Circuit breakers of this type must be able to be mass produced at as low a cost price. Furthermore, users have variable requirements both with regard to the nominal currents, the tripping thresholds and the performance of the circuit breaker means. magnetic, on the one hand, and thermal, on the other hand Finally, the mechanism itself can be brought to present differences according to the particular requirements. This results, for the manufacturer, significant difficulties, both in terms of manufacturing and component storage as well as assembly and storage of circuit breakers combining, as required by the

  customers, the different components.

  The present invention proposes to remedy these drawbacks and to provide a single-pole circuit breaker, in particular a 100 amp circuit breaker, allowing easy assembly and allowing the implementation, at the last moment, of the desired variants of the various components, thereby simplifying the problems. storage and improving

the delivery time.

  Another object of the invention is to provide such an assembly method which also allows the use of a single assembly line with unique tools.

  likely to implement the different variants.

  The subject of the invention is a single-pole circuit breaker of the type comprising, in an insulating housing provided with a top revealing the operating member of a resettable and disjunctible lock mechanism, of a base having means of attachment to a standard rail, and two narrow faces perpendicular to the base and respectively presenting the two terminals of the single-pole circuit breaker, an electrical circuit comprising, between the two terminals, a bimetallic strip connected to one of the terminals by a braid, a coil of disjunction with its movable core, a movable fork-shaped contact, actuated by said mechanism, two fixed contacts cooperating with the branches of the movable contact and arranged on either side of a median insulating partition delimiting two volumes in which are arranged respectively two arc extinguishing chambers, characterized in that said circuit comprises a first so-called thermal assembly capable of being housed d '' in one piece in the housing, and comprising, for example, successively, a first terminal or terminal part, a braid, the bimetallic strip, a conductive bimetal support and the first fixed contact carried at the end of said support, a second said magnetic assembly capable of being housed in one piece in the housing and comprising for example the second terminal or terminal part, a coil yoke containing the coil with its core, and the second fixed contact and a third assembly, called mechanism, comprising the movable fork-shaped contact and the associated mechanism, said assemblies being able to be placed separately in the housing, the thermal assembly and the magnetic assembly being arranged longitudinally on either side of the part

  of the mechanism presenting the movable contact.

  In a preferred embodiment of the magnetic assembly, the intermediate partition divides, at one of its ends, to form a housing receiving said second terminal, the upper part of the partition being arranged to receive and support the cylinder head coil and the second fixed contact, the terminal, cylinder head, coil and fixed contact assembly can be installed in one piece

  in and on said intermediate partition.

  Preferably, the mechanism is arranged so that it can be placed in the housing by being arranged above and in front of the coil by presenting one, and preferably two springs which are arranged in housings of the housing to be able be tensioned, preferably by extension after fitting through corresponding slots in the housing after assembly and fixing of two half-shells forming the housing In this way the springs exert no stress on

  the mechanism during installation in the housing.

  The invention also relates to a method of mounting this single-pole circuit breaker characterized in that one carries out, separately, said three sets, so as to be able to store separately sets having different nominal characteristics, then in that the we

  mount said assemblies in the housing.

  Preferably, the assembly is carried out using automatic means comprising gripping means capable of gripping the assemblies at the level of parts not undergoing any geometric modification in the

different variants.

  In a preferred embodiment, successively, in a housing half-shell, the thermal assembly comprising the bimetallic strip, then the magnetic assembly carried by the intermediate partition, then the mechanism assembly , after which we close the

  housing by the installation of the second half-shell.

  Preferably, the arc extinguishing chambers, preferably pre-assembled, are previously placed on the intermediate partition to form an assembly

  magnetic incorporating the breaking chambers.

  Other advantages and characteristics of the invention

  will appear on reading the following description, made

  by way of nonlimiting example and referring to the appended drawing in which: FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the circuit breaker

without the second half-shell.

  Figure 2 is an elevational view of the circuit breaker seen along a sectional plane passing through the extinguishing chamber

  arc close to the second half-shell.

  Figure 3 is a sectional view of the circuit breaker by a

  shot through the other arc extinguishing chamber.

  Figure 4 shows the assembly diagram of

the assembly carrying the bimetallic strip.

  Figure 5 shows this set once made. Figure 6 shows a view of the different elements

  composing the assembly comprising the coil.

  FIG. 7 represents this assembly in the assembled state.

  Figure 8 shows the assembly diagram of this

together on the middle wall.

  Figure 9 shows the circuit diagram of the circuit breaker. The circuit breaker according to the invention comprises a box whose external shape is standard for a modular unipolar circuit breaker and which consists of two half-shells 1, 2 The box has, towards one of its narrow faces, a housing 3 for the first terminal At its upper part, the half-shells have means for receiving the mechanism of the escapement lock type which will not be detailed, the

  circuit breaker that can receive various mechanisms.

  We now refer to Figures 4 and 5.

  A first assembly, called thermal assembly, comprises the first terminal 4 to which is welded one end of a flexible braid 5 the other end of which is welded, approximately halfway up, to a bimetallic strip 6 whose lower end is welded to an arm 7 of a conductive part in the general form of a square 8, the other arm of which also carries an extension 9 on which the first fixed contact is welded 10 During assembly, the terminal 4 is pivoted in space so as to cause a fold in hairpin of the braid 5 We see in Figure 4 the different individual components of the parts forming the first set it thus formed and we see that the terminal of the cage type, has its stirrup usual tightening with the clamping screw, while the bimetallic strip carries a thread in which a bimetal adjusting screw can be screwed in the position allowing it to request a mechanism triggering part in the event of deformation. on thermal of the bimetallic strip caused by an electrical anomaly We also see that the contact 10 receives, by welding, a contact plate properly

says usual alloy.

  We now refer to Figures 6 and 7.

  The second assembly 12 comprises a second terminal piece 13 with a first striated tab and a second tab 14, the upper end of which is inclined backwards. On the slightly downwardly facing face of this second tab 14, a end 15 of a conductor wound in the form of a coil 16, the other end 17 of which is welded against a second fixed contact 18 similar to the first and receiving its contact plate by welding A carcass or frame 19 in the general shape of a U receives at its inside, with the interposition of an insulating piece 20 conforming to the inside shape of the carcass, the coil 16 inside which passes an insulating guide tube 21 extending axially by a tubular riveting piece 22, the piece 21 being intended at

  receive the sliding ferromagnetic core from the coil.

  We see that the compact magnetic assembly 12 thus produced has a coil axis slightly inclined relative to the base of the housing so that the axis is perpendicular to the movable contact assembly in the closed contact position. The two sets Il and 12 can be produced either

  manually or automatically, at least in part.

  Furthermore, it is understood that one can use coils 16 and / or bimetallic strips 6 having different characteristics depending on the different variants provided

  of the range of circuit breakers according to the invention.

  We now refer to Figure 8.

  The circuit breaker according to the invention comprises an insulating central partition piece 23 whose rear end is divided in the form of a fork with two branches 24 delimiting between them a housing in which the second cage terminal 25 which can be inserted and positioned

  came to surround the lug 13 of the assembly 12.

  The part 23 carries at its upper part a housing 26 in which is disposed the lower part of the carcass 19 of the assembly 12, which has received its core 27 extended by the disjunction rod 28 which emerges from the coil In this position, fixed contact 18 emerges

  out of the housing 26 by a notch thereof.

  Against the central part 23, two metal shield plates 29 are applied on either side against which the arc extinguishing chambers 30 are applied, with their successions of deions 31 Two sheets 32 are also positioned, in being guided in suitable ribs, on either side of the part 23 at the upper part of the chambers 30 while the part 23 receives towards its anterior part and on both sides of its median wall, a connecting plate conductive whose two branches 33, which extend parallel and are suitably arched upward, are joined by a bridge 34 The different parts shown in Figure 8, when mounted

  together form an assembly 35 visible in FIG. 9.

  Another assembly 36, which will only be described briefly, is constituted by a toggle lock mechanism and which comprises a movable contact carrier 37 on

  which is placed a movable contact in the form of a fork 38.

  This assembly also comprises a pawl, a trigger lever, return springs as well as an actuator 39 with its lever 40 and its rod 41, the assembly being arranged so as to allow arming or manual resetting firmly applying the branches of the movable contact 38 against the fixed contacts 10, 18 under the action of two tensioned return springs 42, the mechanism also allowing the manual opening of the contacts by action in the opposite direction on the lever 40, as well as the disjunction by action on the pawl, followed by an escape of the rod under the influence of a movement of the bimetallic strip 6, or the disjunction under the effect of percussion of the percussion rod 28 actuated by the coil, also causing the release of the pawl and the exhaust of the rod The general principle of

  operation of these mechanisms is well known.

  To mount the circuit breaker according to the invention, the half-shell 1 is used, serving as a mounting plate, on a suitable conveyor passing in front of different stations. In a first station, a second shielding sheet 43 is applied against the internal face. of the half-shell 1 At the next station, the assembly 11, which also includes an insulating part 44, is put in place, the first terminal being positioned in the

housing 3.

  At the next post, the magnetic assembly is put in place At the next post, the mechanism assembly 36 is put in place with its two springs 42, so that the movable fork contact comes to be placed in the vicinity

of the two fixed contacts.

  At the next station, we come to set up the second half-shell 2, which has previously received a sheet

  similar to sheet 43, the assembly then being completed.

  Of course, the half-shells have different reliefs and axis holes ensuring the exact positioning of the different fixed or mobile components, reliefs and holes whose arrangement appears on the drawing and which

are in the domain of the performer.

  Once the assembly is complete, the free end of the springs 42 is hooked, by putting them under tension, on two small lugs presented on either side of the upper end of the carcass 19 using, for this, an instrument passing through the light provided on the upper part of the circuit breaker This light is then closed by clipping a part carrying

  a marking or label relating to the device.

  It will be appreciated that it is thus possible to produce, at an extremely reduced cost price, on a unit of

  single mounting, all varieties of single circuit breakers

  polar by supplying the various stations with preconstituted sets having the characteristics

nominal ratings.

Claims (10)

  1 Single-pole circuit breaker of the type comprising, in an insulating housing provided with a top revealing the handle of a resettable and disjunctible lock mechanism, of a base having means of fixing to standard rail, and of two narrow faces perpendicular to the base and having respectively the two terminals (4, 25) of the circuit breaker, an electrical circuit comprising, between the two terminals (4, 25), a bimetallic strip (6) connected to one of the terminals (4) by a braid (5), a disjunction coil (16) with its movable core, a movable contact (38) in the form of a fork, actuated by said mechanism, two fixed contacts (10, 18) cooperating with the branches of the movable contact (38 ) and arranged on either side of a central insulating partition (23) delimiting two volumes in which two arc extinguishing chambers (30) are respectively disposed, characterized in that said circuit comprises a first thermal assembly ( 11) known capable of being housed in one piece in the housing, a second magnetic assembly (12) capable of being housed in one piece in the housing and a third set of mechanisms, comprising the movable fork-shaped contact and the associated mechanism, said assemblies being capable of being placed separately in the housing, the thermal assembly and the magnetic assembly being arranged longitudinally on either side of the part of the mechanism having the mobile contact.   2 Circuit breaker according to claim 1, characterized in that the thermal assembly (11) comprises, successively, a first terminal or terminal part (4), the braid (5), the bimetallic strip (6), a conductive bimetallic support (8) and a fixed contact (10) carried at the end of said support.   3 Circuit breaker according to one of claims 1 and 2,   characterized in that said magnetic assembly comprises, successively, the second terminal or terminal part (25), a coil yoke (19) containing the coil (16) with its core, and the second fixed contact (18). 4 Circuit breaker according to any one of   Claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the connection   electrical between the two thermal (11) and magnetic (12) assemblies is effected by the movable contact in fork shape.   Circuit breaker according to any one of   claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the set of   mechanism has one or more return springs arranged so that they can be tensioned by hooking through a lumen of the housing after the installation of the mechanism assembly and closing of the housing. 6 Circuit breaker according to claim 5, characterized in that said light is closed by a piece carrying a marking.   7 Circuit breaker according to any one of   Claims 1 to 6, characterized in that it comprises   pre-assembled arch chambers, capable of being placed on the central partition (23) on either side of   this, and forming part of the magnetic assembly.   8 Circuit breaker according to any one of the claims.   tions 1 to 7, characterized in that the intermediate partition (23) divides, at one of its ends, to form a housing receiving said second terminal (25), the upper part of the partition (23) being arranged to receive and support the cylinder head (19) of the coil and the second fixed contact (18), the terminal, cylinder head, coil and fixed contact assembly can be fitted in one piece   in and on said intermediate partition (23).   9 Circuit breaker according to any one of the claims.   1 to 8, characterized in that the assembly (36) is   arranged mainly above and in front of the coil.   Method of mounting the single-pole circuit breaker according to   any one of claims 1 to 9, characterized in   which is carried out, separately, said assemblies (11, 12, 36) so as to be able to store separately assemblies having different nominal characteristics, then in   what we mount said assemblies in the housing.   11 Method according to claim 10, characterized in   what we do the assembly by automatic means ticks.   12 mounting method according to one of claims   and 11, characterized in that the first assembly (11) is placed in a housing half-shell (1)   comprising the bimetallic strip, then the second set (12) comprising   the disjunction coil on the intermediate partition   (23), then the mechanism assembly (36), after which we re-   closes the case by placing the second half shell (2).   13 Method according to claim 12, characterized in that one places the arc extinguishing chambers on the movable partition (23) of the front magnetic assembly mounting it.   14 Method according to claim 13, characterized in that one also sets up on the central partition (23) two screen plates (29) on either side of this partition, arc horns (32) of on either side of this partition at the top of the area receiving the   arc extinguishing chambers (30) and a short conductor circuit (33) with a bridge (34).