FR2974663A1 - ELECTRIC CURRENT CUTTING DEVICE WITH SIMPLIFIED STRUCTURE - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to an electric power cut-off device, such as an isolating switch, comprising a housing (1), a fixed contact (21), a sliding carriage (3) carrying a movable contact (22), means actuation (5) for moving the carriage by moving the movable contact closer to the fixed contact, and retaining means (6) for transiently retaining the carriage in a position for which the fixed and moving contacts are separated from each other while the actuating means compresses a spring, then to suddenly release the carriage and allow the mutual support of the fixed and movable contacts. According to the invention, the retaining means comprise a shoulder (61) of the housing and a pawl (62) pivotally mounted on the carriage (3), the pawl cooperating with the shoulder to retain the carriage during compression of the spring, and pivoting allowing it to escape the shoulder once the spring is sufficiently compressed.

Description

ELECTRIC CURRENT CUTTING DEVICE WITH SIMPLIFIED STRUCTURE. The invention relates generally to the field of electrical equipment.

More specifically, the invention relates to an electric current cut-off device, such as a disconnect switch, comprising: a housing; at least one fixed contact secured to the housing; A carriage slidably mounted in the housing in an axial direction between an inactive position and a final latching position through a retaining position; a movable contact slidably mounted in the carriage in the axial direction, resting on a stop of the carriage in the inactive and retaining positions of the carriage, and applied on each fixed contact in the final position of engagement of the carriage; a first spring housed in the carriage, prestressed in compression, and having a first end exerting on the moving contact, in the axial direction, an elastic force directed towards the fixed contact; actuating means comprising an eccentric and a rod whose first end is connected to the eccentric, these actuating means being operable outside the casing from a rest position to a final latching position in passing through an engagement position and an exhaust position, and being designed to selectively exert, in the axial direction 2, on a second end of the first spring, and through a second end of the link, a force directed towards the fixed contact in a direction to increase the compression of the first spring; - and retaining means comprising a retaining member connected to the housing and designed to maintain the carriage in its retaining position for any position of the actuating means between their engagement position and their exhaust position, and to release the carriage crossing, by the actuating means, their exhaust position, the carriage then being abruptly moved to its final position of engagement by partial expansion of the first spring.

A device of this type is for example described in US Pat. No. 7,115,829.

In this type of device, the realization of the retaining means is subject to two antinomic constraints which represent on the one hand the need to provide this device with a reliable and reproducible operation, and on the other hand the desire to obtain this quality. operating with a structure as simple as possible.

In this context, the purpose of the present invention is to propose an electric current cut-off device, such as a disconnect switch, whose retaining means respond very satisfactorily to this need.

To this end, the cut-off device of the invention, moreover in accordance with the generic definition given in the preamble above, is essentially characterized in that the retaining member connected to the casing is constituted by a shoulder of the housing, in that the retaining means further comprises a pawl pivotally mounted on the carriage about a pivot axis, in that said pawl comprises at least one first cam extending obliquely with respect to the direction axial and a bearing surface cooperating with said shoulder to maintain the carriage in its retaining position, in that the second end of the link cooperates with the first cam to cause, in passing means for actuating their position of engagement to their exhaust position, a corresponding pivoting of the pawl in a first direction about its pivot axis, and in that said pawl bearing surface escapes the shoulder of u casing crossing, by the actuating means, their exhaust position.

In known manner, the first spring may be constituted by a helical spring.

Preferably, the second end of the rod extends transversely to the axial direction and bears directly on the second end of the first spring.

In addition, the shoulder may be integral with the bottom wall which is traditionally provided with the housing.

In this case in particular, the carriage may have a rear face which is disposed facing the bottom wall of the housing, and on which the pawl is pivotally mounted. 4 It is then advisable to provide that the rear face of the carriage has a slot parallel to the axial direction, the second end of the link passes through this slot, and that this slot is designed, at least by its dimensions, to guide the second end of the link in the axial direction.

The carriage may also have an anterior face disposed parallel to and at a distance from its posterior face, and this anterior face may also be traversed by the second end of the link.

In the preferred embodiment of the invention, it is provided that the first cam of the pawl is disposed between the pivot axis and the bearing surface of this pawl, that this pawle comprises a second cam extending substantially parallel. to the first cam and disposed between said first cam and the pivoting axis of the pawl, and that the second end of the link cooperates with the second cam to cause, as the carriage passes from its final latching position to its inactive position , a corresponding pivoting of the pawl in a second direction about its pivot axis, replacing the pawl bearing surface latent position of engagement with the shoulder of the housing.

The pawl has for example a light delimited by a closed edge and disposed between the pivot axis and the bearing surface of the pawl, each cam of the pawl can then be defined by a portion of the edge of said light. In a manner known per se, this electric current cut-off device may also comprise a second spring prestressed in compression between the housing and the carriage, this second spring constantly urging the carriage towards its inactive position.

Other characteristics and advantages of the invention will emerge clearly from the description which is given hereinafter, by way of indication and in no way limiting, with reference to the appended drawings, in which:

- Figure 1 is an exploded perspective view of a device according to a possible embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged perspective view of a functional subassembly of the device of FIG. 1, this subassembly comprising in particular the carriage seen on the side of its anterior face;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged perspective view of a functional subassembly of the device of FIG. 1, this subassembly notably comprising the carriage seen from the side of its rear face equipped with the pawl;

- Figure 4 is a view illustrating the subset visible in Figure 3, as it is before mounting the pawl on the carriage;

- Figure 5 is a partial elevational view of a device according to a possible embodiment of the invention, observed in the rest position of the actuating means, and the side of the front face of the carriage; 6 - Figure 6 is a partial elevational view of the device of Figure 5, observed in the rest position of the actuating means, and the side of the rear face of the carriage;

- Figure 7 is a partial elevational view of the device of Figures 5 and 6, observed in the engagement position of the actuating means, and the side of the front face of the carriage;

- Figure 8 is a partial elevational view of the device of Figure 5 to 7, observed in the engagement position of the actuating means, and the side of the rear face of the carriage;

- Figure 9 is a partial elevational view of the device of Figures 5 to 8, observed in a position of the intermediate actuating means between their engagement position and their exhaust position, and the side of the front side of the carriage ;

- Figure 10 is a partial elevational view of the device of Figure 5 to 9, observed in a position of the intermediate actuating means between their engagement position and their exhaust position, and the side of the rear face of the carriage;

- Figure 11 is a partial elevational view of the device of Figures 5 to 10, observed in a very transient state corresponding to the exhaust position of the actuating means, and the side of the front face of the carriage; Figure 12 is a partial elevational view of the device of Figures 5 to 11, observed in a very transient state corresponding to the exhaust position of the actuating means, and the side of the rear face of the carriage;

- Figure 13 is a partial elevational view of the device of Figures 5 to 12, observed in the final position of engagement of the actuating means, and the side of the front face of the carriage; and

- Figure 14 is a partial elevational view of the device of Figures 5 to 13, observed in the final position of engagement of the actuating means, and the side of the rear face of the carriage.

The main elements illustrated in these figures and invoked in the present description are identified by references in parentheses or not, references in parentheses being assigned to the sets to which belong to the elements identified by references without parentheses.

As previously announced, the invention relates to an electric current cut-off device, such as a disconnect switch.

Such a device comprises, in known manner, a housing 1, one or more fixed contacts 21 integral with the housing 1, a movable contact 22, a carriage 3, a spring 41, actuating means 5, and retaining means 6 The carriage 3 is slidably mounted in the casing 1, in an axial direction Z shown vertically in FIGS. 2 to 14, between an inactive position visible in FIGS. 5 and 6 and a final latching position visible in FIGS. 13 and 14. , through a retaining position visible in FIGS. 7 to 10.

Incidentally, such a device generally also comprises a second spring 42 prestressed in compression between the housing 1 and the carriage 3, this second spring 42 being for example constituted by a helical spring and continuously urging the carriage 3 to its inactive position.

The movable contact 22 is slidably mounted in the carriage 3 in the axial direction Z.

This movable contact 22, which bears on an abutment 30 of the carriage 3 in the inactive position (FIGS. 5 and 6) and in the retaining position (FIGS. 7 to 10) of this carriage 3, is however applied to each contact. fixed 22 in the final position of engagement of the carriage 3 (FIGS. 13 and 14).

The spring 41, which is also preferably constituted by a helical spring, is housed in the carriage 3 and prestressed in compression.

The end 411 of the spring 41, that is to say the lower end of this spring in the figures, thus exerts, on the movable contact 22 and in the axial direction Z, an elastic force directed towards the fixed contact 21 This elastic force is therefore antagonistic to that exerted by the spring 42, but of higher value.

The actuating means 5, which comprise an eccentric 51 and a rod 52, have the function of making it possible to increase the compression of the spring 41 in order to be able to move the carriage 3 from its inactive position to its final engagement position with the against the antagonistic restoring force exerted on the carriage 3 by the second spring 42.

To do this, the eccentric 51, which is rotatably mounted in the housing 1 around its hub 510, has a handle 511 for operating from outside the housing 1.

Moreover, the rod 52 has an end 521 kinematically connected to the eccentric 51 and an end 522 acting on the end 412 of the spring 41, that is to say on the upper end of this spring 41 in the arrangement illustrated in Figures 2 to 14.

An action on the handle 511, exerted outside the casing 1, thus makes it possible to cause a rotation of the eccentric 51 around its hub 510 and a sliding of the rod 52.

More precisely, the eccentric 51 and the rod 52 can thus be simultaneously moved from a rest position visible in FIGS. 5 and 6, to a final latching position visible in FIGS. 13 and 14, in particular passing through a position of FIG. visible engagement 10 in Figures 7 and 8, and by an exhaust position visible in Figures 11 and 12.

During this movement, the actuating means 5 exert, on the end 412 of the spring 41, via the end 522 of the rod 52, and in the axial direction Z, a force which is directed towards the fixed contact 21, that is to say downwards in FIGS. 2 to 14, and which has the effect of increasing the compression of the spring 41 from the engagement position of these actuating means, illustrated in Figures 7 and 8.

The retaining means 6, which comprise a retaining member 61 connected to the casing 1, are designed to hold the carriage 3 in its retaining position (FIGS. 7 to 10) for any position of the actuating means 5 between their position d engagement (Figures 7 and 8) and their exhaust position (Figures 11 and 12), and to release the carriage 3 crossing, by the actuating means 5, their exhaust position (Figures 11 and 12) .

During the crossing, by the actuating means 5, of their exhaust position, the carriage 3 is abruptly moved towards its final position of engagement by partial expansion of the spring 41, previously significantly prestressed by these actuating means 5.

In this context, the contribution of the invention mainly concerns the simplification of the retaining means 6. According to the invention, the retaining member connected to the casing 1 is constituted by a shoulder 61 of the casing, and these retaining means 6 further comprise a pawl 62 pivotally mounted on the carriage 3 about a pivot axis X, preferably transverse to the axial direction Z.

The pawl 62 comprises (Figure 3) a cam 621 which extends obliquely with respect to the axial direction Z, and a bearing surface 623 which cooperates with the shoulder 61 to keep the carriage 3 in its retaining position.

Between the rest position (FIGS. 5 and 6) and the engagement position (FIGS. 7 and 8) of the actuating means 5, the spring 42 is gradually compressed and the bearing surface 623 of the pawl 62 approaches the shoulder 61 to come into contact with it in the engagement position of these actuating means 5.

Then, the support of the bearing surface 623 on the shoulder 61 keeps the carriage 3 in its retaining position while the actuating means 5, having exceeded their engagement position, continue their movement towards their position. exhaust position, as shown in Figures 9 and 10, and gradually compress the spring 41.

Furthermore, the end 522 of the rod 52 cooperates with the cam 621 to cause, during the passage of the actuating means 5 from their engagement position to their exhaust position, a corresponding pivoting of the pawl 62 in the direction of a clearance D about its pivot axis X (Figure 10). This pivoting is dimensioned so that, when the actuating means 5 pass through their exhaust position (FIG. 12), the bearing surface 623 of the pawl 62 escapes the shoulder 61 of the casing 1, thus enabling the spring 41 to suddenly move the carriage 3 to its final latching position.

In fact, as shown in Figures 8, 10 and 12, the cam 621 can be shaped so that the end 522 of the rod 52 causes the pivoting of the pawl 62 only from the intermediate position illustrated in FIG. 10, that is to say only in the vicinity of the end of the passage of the actuating means 5 from their engagement position to their exhaust position.

Preferably, as shown in particular in Figure 1, the ends 521 and 522 of the link 52 extend both transversely to the axial direction Z, and transversely to the median portion of the link connecting these ends.

It is thus possible to provide that the end 522 of the link 52 bears directly on the end 412 of the spring 41 without the use of an additional piece.

Advantageously, the shoulder 61 may be integral with the bottom wall 10 of which the housing 1 is provided.

The pawl 62 is for example pivotally mounted on the rear face 31 of the carriage 3, that is to say on the face of the carriage 3 which is disposed facing the bottom wall 10 of the housing 1. In this case , it is preferable that the end 522 of the rod 52 also crosses the front face 32 of the carriage 3, that is to say the face of this carriage which is arranged parallel and remote from the rear face 31.

It may also be wise to provide that the rear face 31 of the carriage 3 has a slot 310 parallel to the axial direction Z, and that this slot 310 is traversed by the end 522 of the rod 52 to be able to guide this end 522.

To optimize the stability of the pawl 62 and reduce the bulk of the retaining means 6, the cam 621 of the pawl 62 is advantageously arranged between the pivot axis X and the bearing surface 623 of this pawl 62.

The pawl 62 may also comprise another cam 622, which extends at least approximately parallel to the cam 621 and which is disposed between this cam 621 and the pivot axis X of the pawl 62.

The end 522 of the rod 52 can then cooperate with this second cam 622 to cause, when the carriage 3 passes from its final inoperative position to its inactive position, a corresponding pivoting of the pawl 62 in the direction of an armament A around its pivot axis X (Figure 3), this pivoting to replace the bearing surface 623 of the pawl 62 latent engagement with the shoulder 61 of the housing 1 without requiring the use of an additional spring.

14 As also shown in Figure 3, the pawl 62 may have a light 620 delimited by a closed edge and disposed between the pivot axis X and the bearing surface 623 of the pawl 62, so that each of the cams 621 and 622 of this pawl can be defined by a corresponding portion of the edge of this light 620.

Claims (10)

CLAIMS. An electric power cut-off device, such as a disconnect switch, comprising: a housing (1); - At least one fixed contact (21) integral with the housing (1); a carriage (3) slidably mounted in the housing (1) in an axial direction (Z) between an inactive position and a final latching position through a retaining position; a movable contact (22) slidably mounted in the carriage (3) in the axial direction (Z), bearing on a stop (30) of the carriage (3) in the inactive and retaining positions of the carriage, and applied on each fixed contact (22) in the final position of engagement of the carriage (3); a first spring (41) housed in the carriage (3), prestressed in compression, and having a first end (411) exerting on the movable contact (22), in the axial direction (Z), an elastic force directed towards the fixed contact (21); - Actuating means (5) comprising an eccentric (51) and a connecting rod (52), a first end (521) is connected to the eccentric (51), these actuating means (5) being operable at the outside of the housing (1) from a rest position to a final engagement position through an engagement position and an exhaust position, and being designed to selectively exert in the axial direction (Z) on a second end (412) of the first spring (41), and via a second end (522) of the link (52), a force directed towards the stationary contact (21) 16 in a proper sense increasing the compression of the first spring (41); - and retaining means (6) comprising a retaining member (61) connected to the housing (1) and designed to hold the carriage (3) in its retaining position for any position of the actuating means (5) between their engagement position and their exhaust position, and to release the carriage (3) crossing, by the actuating means (5), their exhaust position, the carriage (3) then being abruptly moved to its final position of engagement by partial expansion of the first spring (41), characterized in that the retaining member connected to the housing (1) is constituted by a shoulder (61) of the housing, in that the retaining means ( 6) further comprise a pawl (62) pivotally mounted on the carriage (3) about a pivot axis (X), in that said pawl (62) comprises at least a first cam (621) extending obliquely with respect to the axial direction (Z) and a bearing surface (623) cooperating with said shoulder (61) to maintain the carriage (3) in its retaining position, in that the second end (522) of the link (52) cooperates with the first cam (621) to cause, at the passage of the actuating means (5) their engagement position at their exhaust position, a corresponding pivoting of the pawl (62) in a first direction (D) about its pivot axis (X), and in that said bearing surface (623) of the pawl (62) escapes from the shoulder (61) of the housing (1) at the crossing, by the actuating means (5), their exhaust position. 17 2. Electrical power cut-off device according to claim 1, characterized in that the first spring (41) is a helical spring. 3. Electrical current cut-off device according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the second end (522) of the rod (52) extends transversely to the axial direction (Z) and bears directly on the second end (412) of the first spring (41). Electric power cut-off device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the housing (1) has a bottom wall (10), and that the shoulder (61) is made of material with the bottom wall (10). Electric power cut-off device according to Claim 4, characterized in that the carriage (3) has a rear face (31) arranged facing the bottom wall (10) of the housing (1), and in that the pawl (62) is pivotally mounted on the rear face (31) of the carriage (3). Electric power cut-off device according to claims 3 and 5, characterized in that the rear face (31) of the carriage (3) has a slot (310) parallel to the axial direction (Z), in that the second end (522) of the link (52) passes through this slot (310), and in that this slot (310) is adapted to guide the second end (522) of the link (52) in the axial direction (Z). 18 Electric power cut-off device according to Claim 6, characterized in that the carriage (3) has an anterior face (32) arranged parallel to and at a distance from its posterior face (31), and in that this front face ( 32) is also traversed by the second end (522) of the rod (52). Electric power cut-off device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the first cam (621) of the pawl (62) is arranged between the pivot axis (X) and the bearing surface ( 623) of said pawl (62), in that said pawl (62) comprises a second cam (622) extending substantially parallel to the first cam (621) and disposed between said first cam (621) and the pivoting (X) of the pawl (62), and in that the second end (522) of the rod (52) cooperates with the second cam (622) to cause, when the carriage (3) passes from its final position of engagement with its inactive position, a corresponding pivoting of the pawl (62) in a second direction (A) about its pivot axis (X), replacing the bearing surface (623) of the pawl (62) in the latent position of engagement with the shoulder (61) of the housing (1). Electrical power cut-off device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the pawl (62) has a slot (620) delimited by a closed edge and arranged between the pivot axis (X) and the bearing surface (623) of this pawl (62), and in that each cam (621, 622) of the pawl (62) is defined by a portion of the edge of said light (620). 19 10. Electrical power cut-off device according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that it comprises a second spring (42) prestressed in compression between the housing (1) and the carriage (3), the second spring ( 42) continuously urging the carriage (3) to its inactive position.