FR2758903A1 - Inverter circuit for use with contactor or circuit-breaker - Google Patents

Abstract

The inverter system operates with a multi-polar electromechanical interrupter with a main control electromagnet, such as a contactor or contactor-circuit breaker. The appts. offers several current channels between the source and load terminals, and has main contacts separately controlled by a main electromagnet. The inverter contact are distributed between two switches (I4, I5) whose common point (14C,15C) is connected to the respective load terminals (T'1, T'3). The inversion control device (21) has a mechanical system (21a) urging the two switches (I4, I5) into the function of the state of the inverter electromagnet (E2), the coils' supply circuit being such that the switching of the inverter contacts is effected under tension. A mechanical element (M1) controlled by the main electromagnet (E1) locks the inversion mechanical equipment (21a) when the main coil (C1) is supplied.

Description

The present invention relates to a reversing system for a multi-pole electromechanical switch device with a main control electromagnet such as a contactor or contactor-circuit breaker.

Motor reversing systems are well known and generally include two identical contactor devices coupled and wired to reverse the direction of operation of a motor by crossing two of its supply phases in response to a command order. direct or reverse.

 It is moreover already known, for example by patent FR-2,664,763, to associate with a main contactor-circuit breaker device a four-pole reversing contactor having a pair of closing switches and a pair of opening switches to allow to cross two of the polar paths of the device. The switches in question are acted upon by the electromagnet of the reversing contactor, this electromagnet forming part of an electrical reversing control device which responds to a direct or reverse running control member located at a distance. It would be desirable on the one hand to simplify this known reversing system, on the other hand to make it safer under certain circumstances of use, in particular in the event of welding of one of the contacts of the reversing contactor.

The invention aims to simplify the production of a direction reversing system while making this system more reliable. Another aim is to produce such a system by adding to an interrupting device designed to operate with a single direction of travel an additive device provided with most of the electrical means necessary to effect the desired reversal.

The invention relates to an inverter system for a multi-pole electromechanical switch device with a main control electromagnet such as a contactor or contactor-circuit breaker, this device having several polar current paths arranged between source terminals and charging terminals and provided with separable main contacts. controlled by a main electromagnet; two of the polar paths can be crossed to produce the desired reversal and for this purpose comprise crossed conductors on which are located reversing contacts controlled by a reversing control device comprising a remote reversing control member, as well as a local reversing electromagnet and a supply circuit for the coils of the main electromagnet and the reversing electromagnet according to the state of the reversing control member.

According to the invention,
- the change-over contacts belong to two switches, the common point of which is connected to the respective charging terminals,
the reversing control device has a mechanical assembly requesting the two switches as a function of the state of the reversing electromagnet, the supply circuit of the coils being such that the switching of the reversing contacts is carried out without voltage,
- a mechanical member controlled by the main electromagnet locks the mechanical reversing equipment when the main coil is supplied.

This same mechanical member, or the crew which drives it, can advantageously participate in the combined signaling of the states of the main electromagnet and of the reversing electromagnet. Preferably, the main apparatus and the reversing control device are housed in separate housings which are easy to assemble and to make dialogue by means of the abovementioned mechanical member and compact electrical connections.

The description is made below of an embodiment of the invention with reference to the accompanying drawings.

FIG. 1 schematically represents a contactor-circuit breaker equipped with the reversing system according to the invention, the reversing control device being switched to direct operation.

Figure 2 shows the reverse control device switched to reverse.

FIGS. 3 and 4 illustrate the corresponding manual controls respectively for a two-wire control and for a three-wire control with self-supply.

The device indicated in FIG. 1 is a contactor-circuit breaker 10 with separable main contacts. In the embodiment shown, it is a three-pole device, the housing H1 of which houses current paths 11, 12, 13 arranged between respective terminals of source L1, L2, L3 connected to the alternating network and terminals. respective load T1, T2, T3 of said housing, connected to a load such as a motor. Each current path has a main switch 11, 12, 13 with separable main contacts, preferably with double breaking, as well as a triggering device with overcurrent detection J1, J2, J3 acting, when the intensity of at least one pole reflects a fault such as a short circuit or an overload, on a mechanical lock mechanism 14 capable of acting on the main contacts to open these. The triggering device preferably comprises a magnetic trigger sensitive to short-circuit currents and a thermal trigger sensitive to overload currents and to imbalances between phases.

An alternating current main electromagnet El, of which only the coil Ci is represented, is provided in the apparatus for opening and closing the main contacts under the effect of an electrical control signal S applied to control terminals A1, A2 of the housing Hi connected respectively to a first end Cia and a second end Clb of the coil by a conductor 17a, respectively 17b; the control signal does not supply the coil (stop) and the contacts are then open, or else supplies the coil (direct operation or reverse operation) and the contacts are then closed.

A manual control button 15 associated with the housing H1 is connected to the lock 14 for voluntarily opening the contacts and resetting the lock; on the other hand, the button 15 acts on a switch 16 disposed on the conductor 17b.

The reversing system comprises a reversing control device 21 and reversing switches 14, 15 with separable contacts; the switches 14,15 are controlled by the device 21 and are associated with the current paths il and 13, the conductors of these paths 11,13 being suitably crossed to allow them to be swapped, load side with respect to 11-13, without modifying the current path 12. Although the reversing system may be located in the same housing as the main unit, it will preferably be located in an additive appliance 20 attached to the main housing 10 and having in a separate housing H2 terminals of source L'1, L'2, L'3 connected to the charging terminals T1, T2, T3 of the main unit and the charging terminals T'i, T'2, T'3 to be connected to the load. In direct operation, Li is connected to T'1 and L3 to T'3, while in reverse operation L1 is connected to
T'3 and L3 to T'i, L2 remaining in both cases connected to T'2. It should be noted that the common points 14C, 15C of the switches 14,15 are connected to the charging terminals T'1, T'3.

 The reversing control device 21 has a reversing electromagnet E2, of monostable type and with alternating current, of which only the coil C2 is indicated here, and it comprises an electrical circuit arranged to excite the main coil CI in direct operation and in operation reverse, as well as to de-energize the inverting coil C2 in direct operation and excite it in reverse operation; the device ensures a supply sequence of the coils such that the supply of the main coil is interrupted before switching the supply of the inverting coil, that is to say on the one hand to excite the latter when a direct-on-reverse switching operation is commanded, and on the other hand to de-energize it when an inverse-direct-on switching operation is commanded.

 It is provided for this purpose in the housing H2 of the additive 20 of the supply terminals A'1, A'2 and B'1, B'2, B'2 being interconnected with A'2. Terminal A'2 is connected directly by a conductor 27 to terminal A2. A switch 22 controlled by the electromagnet E2 ensures in a first position the connection of the terminal A'1 (contact 22a) with the terminal Ai, and in a second position the connection of the terminal B'1 (contact 22b) with the Aille terminal common point 22c of the switch being directly connected by a conductor 28 to terminal Ai of the main housing H1.

Terminal B'1 is also connected to a first end C2a of the coil C2 by a conductor 23 with a switch 24 for closing and by a conductor 25 with a switch 26 for opening, while the second end C2b of the coil C2 is connected by a conductor 29 to a terminal 18 'of the housing H2 of the additive, connected to a terminal 18 of the main housing Hi and from there by a conductor 17c of the main unit at the second end Cib of coil C1. The switch 24 is controlled by the electromagnet E2 and the switch 26 is controlled by the electromagnet El by means of a mechanical control element
Mi interfacing and ensuring a dialogue between the boxes 10 and 20. This same control element M1 performs a mechanical locking of the reversing control device 21 to mechanically prevent the switching of the device 21 as long as the main mechanism is in the on state .

A signaling contact 30 (see Figures i and 2) is provided in the housing H2 and connected to terminals f ′, g ′ thereof. Contact 30 is controlled by the electromagnet
E2 so as to be opened in direct operation and closed in reverse operation and thus to signal the direction of reverse operation.

Another signaling contact 31 is provided in the housing H1 and connected to terminals d, e of the latter, themselves connected by conductors of H2 to terminals d ', e' of H2. The contact 31 is controlled by the electromagnet El to indicate the situation of the main contacts.

Another signaling contact 32 is also provided in the housing H1 and connected to terminals i, j themselves connected to terminals i ', j' of the housing H2. The contact 32 is subject to a mechanical member 33 which performs the logic combination C1. C2 of the closing states of the main electromagnet El and of the opening of the reversing electromagnet E2. The member 33 can be a lever connected on the one hand to the member Mi and on the other hand to the movable assembly of the electromagnet E2. When the housing H2 of the reversing additive is put in place on the main device, the contact 32 thus makes it possible to signal the direction of direct travel when the coils Ci and C2 are respectively energized and de-energized. When the H2 box is not fitted on the main unit, contact 32 signals the state of the main contacts.

It can be noted that the auxiliary connection points required on the housing H2 are only six in number: d ', e', f ', g', i ', j', which allows the use of a space-saving connector.

FIG. 3 illustrates the control of the reversing system by means of a remote control switch 34 located at a distance and connected by two conductors 35, 36 to the respective terminals A'1, B1 of the housing 20 to request the terminal in direct operation. A'i and in reverse operation reverses terminal B1. A common conductor 37 is connected to terminal A'2.

FIG. 4 illustrates the control of the reversing system by means of a pulse device 40, for example composed of pulse push buttons 41, 42. The contact of button 41 is connected to terminals A'i and d ', the contact of button 42 is connected to terminals B'i and g'. The control signal S is applied between a common conductor 43 and a conductor 44 comprising an opening switch 45 and connected in parallel to the contacts 41, 42 and to a conductor 46 connected to the terminals e ', f'.

The operation of the reversing system will be explained with reference to FIGS. I and 2. When the local on-off button 15 is in the stop or triggered position,
The switch 16 is open and the lock 14 is placed in its open state of the main contacts 11-13. The electric circuit C1, 17a, 17b between the terminals A1, A2 is therefore open and it results therefrom that the coil Ci remains de-energized and that its auxiliary contact 26 is closed. In this way, the coil C2 remains de-energized, the contacts 22 and 24 and the reversing switches occupying the positions indicated in FIG. 1.

When the button 15 is put in the on position, it arms the lock and closes the switch 16.

If a signal for closing the main contacts is present at the terminals A'1-A'2 (direct drive), the coil C1 is supplied, so that the electromagnet El causes the closing of the main contacts 11-13. Under the effect of the connection M1, the auxiliary contact 26 controlled by the electromagnet El opens, so that the coil C2 of the reversing electromagnet E2 cannot be supplied.

If a closing signal is present at terminals B'I-A'2 (reverse operation), or if direct switching from reverse to reverse is controlled by switching the control voltage to these terminals, the coil C1 is de-energized , so that on the one hand the main contacts 11-13 open and on the other hand the auxiliary contact 26 closes. The coil C2 is then supplied via the terminal B'i, the conductor 25, the switch 26, the conductors 29 and 17c, the interrupter 16, the conductor 17b, the terminal A2, the conductor 27 and the terminal A '2. As a result, the electromagnet E2 closes, on the one hand by switching the reversing contacts 14, 15 and on the other hand by closing the contact 24 and passing the switch 22 to its position 22b (see FIG. 2), in this way, the supply of the coil C1 is now ensured by the path: terminal B'i, contact 22b, conductors 28 and 17a, switch 16, conductor 17b, terminal A'2. It follows that on the one hand the main contacts 11-13 close and on the other hand the contact 26 opens. The supply of the coil C2 continues, however, thanks to the self-sustaining contact 24 which is closed, the two coils therefore being supplied in parallel. Switching from reverse to direct operation will be carried out in reverse, the de-energization of the coil C1 preceding that of the coil C2.

 It should be observed that the reversing mechanical assembly 21a remains locked by the member Mi subject to the main electromagnet El - that is to say by the movable armature of the electromagnet or by an element of transmission of movement to the supports of the contacts of the switches 11-13 or by these supports - as long as the main coil Ci is supplied, in order to confirm the electrical locking effected by the control device 21. The locking member M1 also prohibits inadvertent switching of the reversing switches in the event of an impact.

If one of the switches 14,15 remains soldered, for example after a short-circuit current, the closing of the second switch has no unfortunate consequence, since one of the thermal actuators with differential operation of the main device will be able to detect the anomaly.

Claims (7)

Claims  1. Inverter system for a multi-pole electromechanical switch device with a main control electromagnet such as a contactor or circuit breaker contactor, this device having several polar current paths arranged between source terminals and load terminals and provided with separable main contacts controlled by a main electromagnet (and), two of the polar paths being able to be crossed to produce the desired reversal and comprising for this purpose crossed conductors on which are located reversing contacts piloted by a reversing control device comprising a reversing control member at distance, as well as a local reversing electromagnet (E2) and a supply circuit for the coils of the main electromagnet and the reversing electromagnet depending on the state of the reversing control member,  characterized by the fact that:  - the change-over contacts belong to two switches (14,15) whose common point (14C, 15C) is connected to the respective charging terminals (T'1, T'3),  - the reversing control device (21) has a mechanical assembly (21a) urging the two switches (14,15) as a function of the state of the reversing electromagnet (E2), the supply circuit for the coils being such that the switching of the change-over contacts takes place without voltage,  - A mechanical member (Ml) controlled by the main electromagnet (El) locks the mechanical reversing equipment (21a) when the main coil (Cl) is supplied. 2. Inverter system according to claim 1, characterized in that it comprises a first housing (H1) housing the main contacts (11-13) and the main electromagnet (El) of the switching device, and a second housing (H2) fixed to the first housing and housing the two switches (14,15) and the reversing control device (21). 3. Inverter system according to claim 2, characterized in that the coil supply circuit located in the second housing (H2) houses a contact (26) subject to the mechanical member (Ml) which interfaces the first and the second housing for closing a supply path (25) of the inverting coil (C2) when the main coil (C1) is not supplied. 4. Inverter system according to claim 3, characterized in that the coil supply circuit located in the second housing (H2) houses a contact (24) for self-supply of the inverter coil (C2) providing a connection of self-supply (23), parallel to its supply path (25), between the terminal (C2a) of the inverting coil which is located on the load side and a reverse control terminal (B1) of the second housing. 5. Inverter system according to claim 2, characterized in that the coil supply circuit located in the second housing (H2) houses a switch (22) whose common point (22c) is connected to the terminal (Cia) of the main coil (C1) which is located on the load side and whose changeover contacts (22a, 22b) are respectively connected to a first direct control terminal (A'1) and to a reverse control terminal (B'1) of the second box. 6. Inverter system according to claim 5, characterized in that the second housing (H2) has a second direct control terminal (A'2) connected, via a switch (16) controlled by a manual control button (15) from the first box (H1), to the terminal (cil) of the main coil (Ci) which is located on the source side. 7. reversing system according to claim 2, characterized in that a mechanical member (33) is subject on the one hand to the mechanical locking member (M1) and on the other hand to the movable reversing assembly (21a) to perform the logical combination C1. ('2 of the states of the electromagnets (El) and (E2) and controls a contact (32) connected to signaling terminals (i, j) of the first housing (H1) and through the second housing (H2) to terminals signaling (i ', j') thereof.