FR2805078A1 - MULTIPOLAR SWITCH - Google Patents

Abstract

A multi-pole switch comprises several contacts (11a-d, 12a-d) arranged on a contact support (13, 14) respectively facing corresponding contacts (11a-d, 12a-d). It comprises at least one positionable contact (11a-d) adapted to be positioned on the contact support (13) in a position chosen from a close position and a position remote from the corresponding contact (12a-d). The switch is in particular a four-pole switch

Description

"Multipole switch"

  The present invention relates to a multipole switch.

  Such a switch comprises several electrical poles, each pole consisting of a movable contact, mounted on a switching bar, and

a corresponding fixed contact.

  A control mechanism is adapted, in this type of switch, to actuate the switching rod carrying the movable contacts, so as to

  open and close the switch contacts.

  However, in these switches, compound voltages can appear as soon as two contacts corresponding to phases close before the contact corresponding to neutral, or else when the contact corresponding to neutral opens while contacts corresponding to

phases remain closed.

  It is essential to avoid the appearance of such compound voltages which could be transmitted and damage receivers connected to the circuit

  of the multipole switch.

  To this end, current multipole switches are generally designed so that the contact corresponding to neutral closes before the contacts

  corresponding to the phases and opens after these.

  A relatively simple way to obtain this result consists in making a multipole switch in which the gap in the open position between the movable and fixed contacts which correspond to the neutral is smaller than the gap

  existing between the mobile and fixed contacts corresponding to the phases.

  However, when the poles are arranged in line in the switch, the location of the pole corresponding to the neutral may not be identical from one installation to another, depending in particular on the regulations and uses of

each country.

  Thus, in some countries, the pole corresponding to the neutral is located at the left end of the switch, while in other countries, the pole

  corresponding to neutral is located at the right end of the switch.

  It is then necessary to provide for separate manufacturing and mounting

  multipole switches depending on the market for which they are intended.

  The object of the present invention is to propose a multi-pole switch

  flexible to manufacture and assemble whatever its future use.

  The multipolar switch targeted by the invention comprises several contacts arranged on a contact support opposite respectively of corresponding contacts. According to the invention, the switch comprises at least one positionable contact adapted to be positioned on the contact support in a position chosen from a close position and a position distant from the

corresponding contact.

  By thus providing two positions of the contact on its support, it is easy to modify the difference existing between this contact and its corresponding contact, and thus define a priority order of opening and closing of the

  multi-pole switch contacts.

  It is possible, by a single manufacture, to make multipole switches whose order of opening and closing of the poles can be changed easily, without modifying the elementary elements constituting the switch. According to a preferred characteristic of the invention, the multipolar switch comprises at least two positionable contacts, which in particular makes it possible to alternate the position of the neutral pole according to the standards of the electrical circuit

  on which the switch is mounted.

  Conveniently, in an embodiment particularly well suited to conventional four-pole switches, the switch comprises two

  positionable contacts arranged at the ends of the contact support.

  According to a first embodiment of the invention, the positionable contacts are movable contacts of the switch mounted on a bar

of commutation.

  Alternatively, according to a second embodiment of the invention, the positionable contacts are fixed contacts of the switch arranged on a

support plate.

  Being fixed contacts, it is particularly simple to define two

  fixing positions of these contacts on a support plate.

  According to a preferred characteristic of the invention, this multipole switch is a four-pole switch comprising four movable contacts

  arranged opposite respectively four fixed contacts.

  Other features and advantages of the invention will become apparent

in the description below.

  In the accompanying drawings, given by way of nonlimiting examples - FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a multipolar switch according to a first embodiment of the invention; - Figure 2 is a front view of the multipole switch of Figure 1; - Figure 3 is a cross-sectional view along line 111-111 of Figure 2; FIG 4 is a cross-sectional view along line IV-IV of Figure 2; - Figure 5 is a front perspective view of a multipole switch according to a second embodiment of the invention; - Figure 6 is a rear perspective view of the multipole switch of Figure 5; - Figure 7 is a cross-sectional view along the line VII-VII of Figure 6; - Figure 8 is a cross-sectional view along line VIII-VIII of Figure 6; - Figure 9 is a partial top view of a fixed contact along arrow IX of Figure 7; and - Figure 10 is a partial top view of a fixed contact along the

arrow X in figure 8.

  We will first describe, with particular reference to Figure 1, a multipole switch according to a first embodiment

of the invention.

  In this example, and in a nonlimiting manner, the multipole switch is a four-pole switch, that is to say comprising four poles formed

  each of two electrical contacts arranged opposite one another.

  It thus comprises four movable contacts l1 a, 11b, 11_c, ld arranged in

  look respectively of four fixed contacts 12a, 12b, 12_c, 12d.

  Conventionally, such a four-pole switch 10 is housed in a housing (not shown) provided with four input terminals connected for example to the fixed contacts 12a, 12b, 12c, 12d and four output terminals connected to the

  movable contacts 1 1 a, 1 b, 11_c, 11 d.

  Inside the housing of the four-pole switch, the movable contacts 1 a, 11 b, 11 c, 11 d and the fixed contacts 12 a, 12 b, 12 c, 12 d are mounted on a

contact support.

  Thus the movable contacts 11a, 11b, 11c, 11d are fixed on a switching rod 13 while the fixed contacts 12a, 12b, 12c, 12d are fixed on a

support plate 14.

  The switching rod 13 is rotatable about its axis 15 which is coupled to a control mechanism known per se and which will not be described

more details here.

  The four-pole switch 10 is here illustrated in FIG. 1 and in FIG. 2

in an open position.

  As better illustrated in FIG. 2, the difference existing between each movable contact 11a, 11b, 1c, 1d and each corresponding fixed contact 12a, 12b, 12c, 12d

  is not identical from one pole to the other of the four-pole switch 10.

  Thus, the end poles consisting of the two pairs of contacts 11a, 12a and 11d, 12d located at the ends of the switch 10 have a less difference

  important that the two poles located in the middle of switch 10.

  This difference in spacing between the poles of the switch makes it possible to

  guarantee a certain order of opening and closing of the different poles.

  Thus, the four-pole switch as illustrated in FIG. 2, allows, in a usual configuration in which the neutral is located at one or the other of the ends of the switch, to guarantee a closing sequence of the contacts

  neutral-phase-phase-phase or possibly phase-neutral-phase-

phase.

  Such a four-pole switch thus avoids the formation of

  compound voltages when the switch is opened or closed.

  In order to easily realize these differences in spacing between the different poles, and in accordance with the invention, the contacts can be positioned between a close position and a position distant from the corresponding contact. In this embodiment, and as best illustrated in Figures 3 and 4, the positionable contacts are the movable contacts 11a, llb, 11c, ldd of the switch 10, that is to say the contacts mounted on the bar of

switching 13.

  To this end, the switching bar 13 comprises a set of identical housings such as 16b in FIG. 3 and 16d in FIG. 4 adapted to

  housing the movable contacts 11 a, 11 b, 11 c, 11 d respectively.

  Referring to Figure 3, we will describe more precisely the mounting of a

  movable contact, here movable contact 11b, on the switching rod 13.

  Of course, a similar arrangement is made for the other contacts

  mobile 11 a, lc, ld of the switch.

  The movable contact 11b extending inside the housing 16b is held in abutment against a wall 17b of the housing 16b by a spring of

push 18b.

  This movable contact 11b has substantially a bar shape comprising

  one end 19b projecting from the housing 16b.

  This end 19b is adapted to establish proper contact

  electric with the corresponding fixed contact 12b.

  The movable contact 11b in the form of a bar comprises positioning means 20b, 21b adapted to cooperate with complementary positioning means 22b secured to the wall 17b of the housing 16b. Here, the movable contact 11_ b has two notches 20b, 21b which are

  offset along the longitudinal axis of the movable contact 1b in the form of a bar.

  These notches 20b, 21b have different depths depending on the direction

spring thrust 18b.

  More specifically, the notch 20b closer to the contact end 19b of the movable contact 11b has a depth greater than that of the other

notch 21b.

  Furthermore, the wall 17b of the housing 16b has a complementary lug 22b adapted to cooperate with one of the two notches 20b, 21b under the action of the thrust spring 18b maintaining the movable contact 1 _b against

this wall 17b.

  Thus, this movable contact 1 l1b can take two positions inside the

housing 16b.

  In FIG. 3, the lug 22b of the wall 17b cooperates with the deepest notch 20b so that the movable contact 11b is positioned in a

  position distant from its corresponding fixed contact 12b.

  On the other hand, as illustrated in FIG. 4, the right-hand movable contact 11d is positioned in a position close to the fixed contact

correspondent 12d.

  To this end, the lug 22d of the wall 17d of the housing 16d in which the movable contact of the right end 11d is mounted cooperates with the notch 21d

  shallower of the moving contact 1 d.

  As illustrated in FIG. 3, a difference in spacing d is thus obtained between the contacts 11b, 11c positioned in a position distant from the corresponding fixed contact 12b, 12c, and the end contacts I la, 1 d positioned in a position close to the corresponding fixed contact

12a, 12d.

  In the embodiment described above, all the contacts

  mobile lla, 1 lb, lc, 1 ld are positionable.

  Of course, only one contact or two mobile contacts, for example the

  movable contacts of ends 1 a, 1 ld, could be positionable.

  We will now describe a second embodiment of the invention in

reference to Figures 5 to 10.

  In this second embodiment, and without limitation,

  the multipole switch 30 is also a four-pole switch.

  It thus comprises four movable contacts 31a, 31b, 31c, 31d arranged in

  look respectively of four fixed contacts 32a, 32b, 32c, 32d.

  As in the previous example, the movable contacts 31a, 31b, 31c, 31d are fixed on a switching rod 33 while the fixed contacts

  32a, 32b, 32c, 32d are fixed on a support plate 34.

  The switching rod 33 is, as before, rotatable around

of its axis 35.

  It is coupled to a control mechanism known per se to allow

  opening and closing of switch 30.

  As before, the difference existing between each movable contact 31a, 31b, 31c, 31d and each corresponding fixed contact 32a, 32b, 32c, 32d is not

  not identical from one pole to the other of the four-pole switch 30.

  Thus, in this example, the end poles made up of the two contact pairs 31a, 32a and 31d, 32d located at the ends of the switch 30 have a smaller difference than the two middle poles made up of the two pairs of contacts 31b , 32b and 31c, 32c located in the center of the switch 30. In this embodiment, and as illustrated in FIGS. 7 to 10, the positionable contacts are the fixed contacts 32a, 32b, 32c, 32d of

  The switch 30, that is to say the contacts mounted on the support plate 34.

  In contrast, in this embodiment, the movable contacts 31a, 31b, 31c, 31d of the switch 30 are all positioned in a way

  identical on switch bar 33.

  Referring to Figure 7, we will describe more precisely the mounting of a

  movable contact, here movable contact 31b, on the switching rod 33.

  Of course, an identical assembly is carried out for the other contacts

  moving parts 31a, 31c, 31d of the switch.

  The movable contact 31b extends inside a housing 36b formed on the switching rod 33. It is held in abutment against a wall 37b of the

  housing 36b by a push spring 38b.

  This movable contact 31b has substantially a form of bar comprising

  one end 39b projecting from the housing 36b.

  This end 39b is adapted to establish the electrical contact properly

  said with the corresponding fixed contact 32b.

  In order to keep the movable contact 31b in position in the housing 36b, this movable contact 31b has a notch 40b adapted to cooperate with a

  lug 41b of the wall 37b of the housing 36b.

  However, in accordance with this embodiment of the invention, the fixed contacts 32a, 32b, 32c, 32d can occupy two distinct positions on the

contact support 34.

  To this end, the fixed contacts 32a, 32b, 32c, 32d respectively comprise a fixing lug 42a, 42b, 42c, 42d extending a protruding portion 43a, 43b, 43c, 43d on the support plate 34, this protruding portion being adapted to come into actual contact with the movable contact

correspondent 31a, 31b, 31c, 31d.

  With more specific reference to FIG. 9, there will be described for the fixed contact 32b the means for positioning this contact 32b on the plate of the

support 34.

  Of course, identical means are provided on the other contacts

  fixed 32a, 32c, 32d of the switch.

  The fixing lug 42b comprises positioning means adapted to cooperate with complementary positioning means integral with

the support plate 34.

  In this example, and in a nonlimiting manner, the fixing lug 42b comprises two pairs of notches, 44b, 45b, offset along a longitudinal axis

of the fixing lug 42b.

  These two pairs of notches 44b and 45b are adapted to cooperate with

  a pair of complementary lugs 46b secured to the support plate 34.

  In this exemplary embodiment, the fixing lug 42b is slidably mounted between two rails 47b each carrying a lug 46b adapted to be housed

  in one or the other of the notches 44b, 45b of the fixing lug 42b.

  Each fixed contact 32a, 32b, 32c, 32d can thus occupy two distinct positions on the contact support 34 so that the distance separating

  each fixed contact of the corresponding mobile contact can be adjusted.

  As illustrated in FIG. 7, a difference in spacing e is thus obtained between the fixed contact 32b positioned in a position remote from the corresponding movable contact 31b and the end contact 32a positioned in a

  close position of the corresponding mobile contact 31a.

  Each fixed contact 32a, 32b, 32c, 32d is associated with a flexible conducting element 48a, 48b, 48c, 48d. Each element 48a, 48b, 48c, 48d has one end connected to an electrical connection integral with the support plate 34 and another end connected to the fixing lug 42a, 42b, 42c, 42d, of each

  fixed contact 32a, 32b, 32_c, 32d, positionable.

  In the embodiment described above, all the fixed contacts 32a, 32b, 32c, 32d are positionable. Of course, only one contact or two fixed contacts, for example the

  fixed end contacts 32a, 32d could be positionable.

Claims (10)

  1. Multipolar switch comprising several contacts (11a-d, 12a-d 31a-d, 32a-d) arranged on a contact support (13,14; 33,34) opposite respectively of corresponding contacts, characterized in that it comprises at least one positionable contact (11a-d; 32a-d) adapted to be positioned on the contact support (13; 34) in a position chosen from a position   close and a position distant from the corresponding contact (12a-d 31a-d).   2. Multipole switch according to claim 1, characterized in   which it includes at least two positionable contacts (11 a-d 32a-d).   3. Multipolar switch according to claim 2, characterized in that it comprises two positionable contacts (11a, 11d; 32a, 32d) arranged   at the contact support ends (13; 34).   4. Multipolar switch according to one of claims 1 to 3   characterized in that the positionable contacts are movable contacts   (11 la-d) of the switch (10) mounted on a switching rod (13).   5. Multipolar switch according to claim 4, characterized in that the switching bar (13) comprises housings (16b, 16d) adapted to respectively accommodate the movable contacts (11b, 11d) held in abutment against a wall (17b, 17d) of said housing (16b, 16d) by a thrust spring (18b, 18d), the movable positionable contacts (11b, 11d) having substantially a bar shape having one end (19b, 19d) projecting from the housing (16b, 16d) and positioning means (20b, 21b, 20d, 21d) adapted to cooperate with complementary positioning means   (22b, 22d) integral with said wall (17b, 17b) of the housing (16b, 16d).   6. Multipole switch according to claim 5, characterized in that the positionable movable contacts (1b, 1d) have two notches (20b, 21b, 20d, 21d) offset along a longitudinal axis of the movable contact (l1b, l1d) in the form of a bar and of different depth along the thrust direction of the spring (18b, 18d), the wall (17b, 17d) of the housing (16b, 16d) comprising a complementary lug (22b, 22d) adapted to cooperate with the a of the two notches (20b, 21d).   7. Multipolar switch according to one of claims 1 to 3   characterized in that the positionable contacts are fixed contacts (32a-d)   of the switch (30) arranged on a support plate (34).   8. Multipolar switch according to claim 7 characterized in that the fixed contacts (32b, 32d) include a fixing lug (42b, 42d) extending a projecting portion (43b, 43d) on the support plate (34), the fixing lug (42b, 42d) comprising positioning means (44b, 45b, 44d, 45d) adapted to cooperate with positioning means   complementary (46b, 46d) integral with the support plate (34).   9. Multipolar switch according to claim 8, characterized in that the fixing lug (42b, 42d) comprises two pairs of notches (44b, 45b, 44d, 45d), offset along a longitudinal axis of the fixing lug ( 42b, 42d), adapted to cooperate with a pair of complementary lugs   (46b, 46d) integral with the support plate (34).   10. Multipolar switch according to one of claims 1 to 9,   characterized in that it comprises four movable contacts (11a-d, 31a-d)   arranged opposite respectively four fixed contacts (12a-d, 32a-d).