FR3031233A1 - REINFORCED SAFETY MODULAR APPARATUS AND SELF-PROTECTED ELECTRICAL ASSEMBLY COMPRISING SUCH A MODULAR APPARATUS ASSEMBLED TO A CIRCUIT BREAKER - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to a modular apparatus comprising a housing provided with a lateral main face (313) for attachment to another modular apparatus, the housing housing state transfer elements, a pin (133) connected to one of these elements, which passes through an opening of said lateral main face to exit to the outside, said pin being adapted to be moved in said opening between a lowered position and a raised position, and a latch (341) for locking the lashing one modular device to another. According to the invention, there is provided inside the housing a control portion (341 C) operable in translation by the latch and having a driving surface (341 E) which, when opening said latch, is able to act directly or indirectly on said pin placed in the raised position to force it to move in said opening to its lowered position.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD TO WHICH THE INVENTION RELATES The present invention relates generally to the field of modular apparatus for use in electrical distribution boards. It relates more particularly to a modular apparatus comprising a housing provided with a lateral main face of attachment to another modular apparatus, the housing housing state transfer elements, a pin connected to one of these state transfer elements , which passes through an opening of said lateral main face to exit outside the housing, said pin being adapted to be moved in said opening between a lowered position and a raised position, and a latch for locking the stowage of a modular device to another. The modular device in question here is advantageously an auxiliary device, such as an adaptable differential block, a fault signal block, or an adaptable surge arrester block. It also relates to a self-protected electrical assembly comprising a transient overvoltage protection device and a circuit breaker assembled with one another by one of their main lateral faces. BACKGROUND ART The pin of this type of auxiliary modular apparatus already known is positioned permanently protruding from the main lateral face by which said apparatus is intended to be attached to the master apparatus, in general, a circuit breaker.

Usually, this pin establishes the mechanical connection between the circuit breaker opening and closing lever and the status transfer elements of the auxiliary modular device so that the latter is able to indicate to the user the state of the device. opening or closing of the circuit breaker. This is why this pawn is frequently referred to as an auxiliary pawn. The tie-down of the circuit breaker to the auxiliary modular apparatus is generally achieved by means of locks provided on the auxiliary modular apparatus, capable of hooking the circuit-breaker box to securely hook it to the housing of the auxiliary apparatus.

3031233 2 In order to ensure the safety of the installer or the user when dismounting the auxiliary modular device, it is recommended to switch on the circuit-breaker in order to isolate the entire circuit of the electrical installation. At present, however, nothing in the previously known auxiliary modular apparatus or in the circuit breakers forces the user or the installer to trip the circuit breaker when dismounting the auxiliary modular apparatus. OBJECT OF THE INVENTION The present invention then proposes a modular device that overcomes this lack of security.

More particularly, according to the invention, a modular apparatus is proposed as defined in the introduction, characterized in that there is provided inside the housing a control part operable in translation by the lock and having a driving surface. which, upon opening said latch, is adapted to act directly or indirectly on said pin placed in the raised position to force it to move in said opening to its lowered position. Thus, advantageously, thanks to the invention, when the modular device is locked against a circuit breaker engaged with its pin connected to the opening and closing device of this circuit breaker so that the pin is in the raised position, the opening the latch of said modular apparatus automatically causes the tripping of the circuit breaker. The user can then disassemble said modular device safely. Other nonlimiting and advantageous features of the modular apparatus according to the invention are the following: the lock is arranged so as to move said control part in a direction parallel to said lateral main face of said casing; said control portion comprises a groove which extends in a direction parallel to said lateral main face through which said pin projects outside the housing, and said pin is connected to a base provided with a mounting tail mounted in the groove of said control portion, the bottom of said groove forming said driving surface; the latch comprises a pushchair mounted in translation inside said casing through an opening provided in a front part of said casing, and adapted to be moved from outside said casing between an unlocked position in which a part said stroller-zipper emerges from outside the housing and a locked position wherein said stroller is fully engaged within the housing; - The stroller-zipper is mounted in translation in a direction perpendicular to the output axis of said pin; 5 - the stroller-zipper carries a rib extending in the direction of translation, slidably engaged in an oblique groove provided in an inner face of the front wall of the housing; at least one hook actuable by said latch is provided, said latch being able to move said hook between two positions, namely a rest position in which it is placed inside the housing and a latching position in which emerges out of the housing projecting from one of the main lateral faces of the housing; said control portion, said stroller and said hook belong to a single molded piece made of plastic; and 15 - it constitutes a modular interface intended to ensure the mechanical and electrical connection in series of a circuit-breaker and a device for protection against temporary overvoltages, in particular of atmospheric origin, interface which comprises: an electric switch connected to a connector capable of transmitting a signal representative of the operating state of the circuit breaker and / or the protection device, and a first mechanical safety element intended to be connected to the opening and closing device of the circuit breaker, movable between an armed position corresponding to the engaged state of the circuit breaker opening and closing device and a triggered position corresponding to the tripped state of the circuit breaker opening and closing device, the first mechanical safety element being suitable in this position triggered to actuate the electrical switch to transmit a signal rep resentative of the tripped state of the circuit breaker, wherein the first mechanical safety element comprises a plate fixedly supporting said pin. The invention also relates to an apparatus for protection against temporary overvoltages, comprising a modular block provided with a receiving housing accommodating at least one plug-in / withdrawable surge arrester cassette containing an overvoltage limiting device and a fusible link which establishes the connection. electrical device of the overvoltage limiting device to an electrical terminal of the modular block, wherein the modular block comprises a housing 3031233 4 which houses a modular interface according to the invention, each actuator associated with a surge arrester cassette being, on the one hand, linked said housing by an elastic return means which tends to position said actuator in a release position where it places said lever in a release position corresponding to the triggered position of the arm of said second mechanical security element, and secondly , held by an element of the surge arrester cassette linked to the link fusible, in a connection position in which said elastic return means is under stress. The invention finally relates to an electrical assembly self-protected against transient overvoltages comprising a device for protection against temporary overvoltages, in particular of atmospheric origin, and a circuit breaker mechanically and electrically connected to each other via an interface. modular according to the invention, the housing comprises a lateral main face junction with the circuit breaker through which said pin which links said first mechanical safety element to the opening and closing device of said circuit breaker, the lowered position of said pin corresponding to the tripped state of the circuit breaker while the raised position of said pin corresponds to the activated state of the circuit breaker. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF AN EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENT The following description with reference to the accompanying drawings, given by way of non-limiting example, will make it clear what the invention consists of and how it can be achieved. In the accompanying drawings: - Figure 1 is a schematic perspective view of an electrical assembly according to the invention; FIG. 2 is a front view of the assembly of FIG. 1; - Figure 3 is an electrical diagram of the assembly of Figure 1; FIG. 4 is a diagrammatic perspective view of the overvoltage protection apparatus of the assembly of FIG. 1; Figure 5 is a front view of the protective apparatus of Figure 4; FIGS. 6 to 11 are different views of a cover-wire protecting and holding the electrical wires coming from the protective device of FIG. 4; FIG. 12 is a diagrammatic perspective view of the protection apparatus of FIG. 4 with its wire cover shown in exploded form; FIGS. 13 and 14 are perspective representations, viewed from two opposite sides, of the base of the wire cover of FIG. 6; Figures 15 and 16 are perspective views, viewed from two opposite sides, of the cover of the wire cover of Figure 6; FIG. 17 is a view identical to that of FIG. 4 without the lightning arrestor cassettes; FIG. 18 is a view identical to that of FIG. 17 without the cover protecting and holding wires of the electrical wires coming from the protection device and without a part of the housing of this protection device to make appearing a preferred embodiment of the mechanism of a modular interface; Fig. 19 is a perspective view from below of a rear portion of the housing of the protective apparatus of Fig. 17; Figure 20 is a three quarter perspective view of the rear portion of the housing of Figure 19 which houses another simplified embodiment of the modular interface mechanism; Figure 21 is a perspective view from below of Figure 20; FIG. 22 is a diagrammatic perspective view of three quarters of the rear portion and the lower portion of the housing of the protection apparatus of FIG. 17, which houses the preferred embodiment of the mechanism of a modular interface. ; FIG. 23 is a schematic exploded perspective view of the preferred embodiment of the mechanism of the modular interface of FIG. 22; Figures 24 and 25 are perspective views assembled, viewed from two opposite sides, of the mechanism of Figure 23; Figures 26 to 29 are side views of the mechanism of Figure 23 assembled in different operating configurations; 30 is a diagrammatic perspective view of the electrical assembly of FIG. 1, seen from the side of the transient overvoltage protection apparatus, on which the front and bottom portions of the housing of the transistors have been removed. protective device and a portion of the casing of a lightning arrester cassette connected to the electrical network, to reveal the surge arrester device of said surge arrester cassette; Figure 31 is a magnified view of a portion of Figure 30; FIG. 32 is a sectional detail view of the actuator associated with the overvoltage limiting device that appears in FIG. 31; FIG. 33 is a view identical to that of FIG. 30 in which the lightning arrester cassette whose housing is open is disconnected from the electrical network; - Figure 34 is a magnifying view of a portion of Figure 33; FIG. 35 is a detail sectional view of the actuator associated with the overvoltage limiting device which appears in FIG. 33; FIG. 36 is a diagrammatic perspective view of the electrical assembly of FIG. 1, seen from the side of the transient overvoltage protection device, on which the circuit breaker is engaged, the wire cover has been removed as well as the housing of the protective device to show the arrester cassettes as well as a first embodiment of a cassette lock shaft in the safety position; FIG. 37 is a magnified view of zone B of FIG. 36; FIG. 38 is a diagrammatic perspective view of the circuit breaker engaged, the mechanism of the modular interface and the first embodiment of the cassette locking shaft of the electrical assembly of FIG. 1, FIG. a view identical to that of FIG. 36 with the circuit breaker tripped and the first embodiment of the cassette locking shaft in the access position; FIG. 40 is a magnified view of zone B of FIG. 39; FIG. 41 is a schematic perspective view of the tripped circuit breaker, the mechanism of the modular interface and the first embodiment of the cassette lock shaft of the electrical assembly of FIG. 1; FIG. schematic perspective view from below of the electrical assembly of Figure 1, on which the circuit breaker is engaged, the cover son-son has been removed and the housing of the protective device to show the cassettes surge arresters and a second embodiment of a cassette locking shaft in the safety position; FIG. 43 is a diagrammatic perspective view of the circuit breaker 3031233 engaged with the mechanism of the modular interface and the second embodiment of the cassette locking shaft of the electrical assembly of FIG. 1; FIG. a view identical to that of FIG. 42 with the circuit breaker tripped and the second embodiment of the cassette locking shaft in the access position; and FIG. 45 is a diagrammatic perspective view of the tripped circuit breaker, the mechanism of the modular interface and the second embodiment of the cassette lock shaft of the electrical assembly of FIG. 1; FIG. 46 is a schematic perspective view of the tripped circuit breaker, of the rear part of the protective device casing without the lightning arrestor cassettes, to display the mechanism of the modular interface and the connecting pin in the retracted position, connected lower open lock; FIG. 47 is a side view of the protection device without its main side wall for joining the circuit breaker, without part of the mechanism of the modular interface to better visualize the connecting pin in the retracted position, connected to the lower open lock; FIG. 48 is a diagrammatic front view of the rear part of the housing of the protection apparatus without the lightning arrestor cassettes, to display the mechanism of the modular interface and the connecting pin in the retracted position, linked to the lower lock. open; FIG. 49 is a diagrammatic perspective view of the tripped circuit breaker, of the rear part of the protective device casing without the arrester cassettes, to display the mechanism of the modular interface and the link pin in the extended position, linked to the lower latch closed on the circuit breaker tripped; FIG. 50 is a side view of the protective device without its main side wall for joining the circuit breaker, without part of the mechanism of the modular interface to better visualize the link pin in the extended position, linked to the lower latch closed on the circuit breaker tripped; FIG. 51 is a diagrammatic front view of the rear part of the protective device casing without the lightning arrestor cassettes, to display the mechanism of the modular interface and the connection pin in the extended position, linked to the 3031233 8 lock. lower closed on the circuit breaker tripped; FIG. 52 is a diagrammatic view in perspective of the circuit breaker engaged, of the rear part of the protective device casing without the lightning arrestor cassettes, to display the mechanism of the modular interface and the link pin in the extended position, linked to the lower latch closed on the circuit breaker engaged; FIG. 53 is a side view of the protection device without its main side wall for joining the circuit breaker, without part of the mechanism of the modular interface to better visualize the link pin in the extended position, linked to the lower latch closed on circuit breaker latched; FIG. 54 is a diagrammatic front view of the rear part of the casing of the protection device without the lightning arrestor cassettes, to display the mechanism of the modular interface and the connection pin in the extended position, linked to the closed lower lock. on the circuit breaker engaged; FIGS. 55 to 57 show in detail the lowering movement of the pin forced by the control part of the lower lock pulled into the open position, which triggers the circuit breaker; FIG. 58 is a schematic perspective view of the tripped circuit breaker and another embodiment of the closed lower latch, connected to the connecting pin fixedly projecting from the side main face of the shielding apparatus; Fig. 59 is a detail sectional view of the pin and lock of Fig. 58; Figure 60 is a view similar to that of Figure 58 with the circuit breaker engaged; FIG. 61 is a detail sectional view of the pin and the lock of FIG. 60; FIG. 62 is a view similar to that of FIG. 60 with the circuit breaker tripped because of the opening of the lock connected to the pin; and FIG. 63 is a detailed sectional view of the pin and the lock of FIG. 62. FIGS. 1, 2 and 3 show an electrical assembly 1 comprising a protection device 300 against temporary overvoltages, in particular of atmospheric origin, and a circuit breaker 200. The protection device 3031233 9 300 is electrically and mechanically connected to the circuit breaker 200 by a modular interface 100. The circuit breaker 200 is in itself quite conventional and it will not not here described in detail.

Essentially, the circuit breaker 200 comprises a housing housing electrical input and output terminals connected by an electrical circuit that can be opened by an opening and closing device 230. The case of the circuit breaker 200 is generally parallelepiped with two parallel main lateral faces 211, a rear face provided with a horizontal groove 202 for its mounting on a rail (not shown) of a cabinet or electrical cabinet, a front face and two opposite transverse faces upper and lower . The rear, front, top and bottom faces are all perpendicular to the main lateral faces of the housing. The case of the circuit breaker 200 has on its rear face latches 201 201 which make it possible to lock the circuit breaker 200 on the rail of the cabinet or of the electrical cabinet. More particularly, here the circuit breaker box 200 is equipped with four latches 201, two at the top (see Figure 2) and two at the bottom (see Figures 36, 38, 42 and 44) of the housing. Each latch 201 is in the form of a plate which slides in a corresponding vertical (not visible) rail of the housing, between a locking position and an unlocking position. There is provided elastic return means (not visible in the figures), generally coming from formation with each latch, which tend to recall each latch in the locking position. One of the ends of each latch 201 emerges in the groove 202 of the rear face of the housing, to engage the rail of the cabinet or electrical cabinet, in the locking position of the latch. The other opposite end of each latch 201 emerges above the top face or below the bottom face of the breaker case 200. This opposite end of each latch 201 is provided with an aperture 201A that allows each slot to be pulled out. latch 201 outwardly of the groove 202 from its locked position to its unlocking position against said resilient biasing means so as to release the latch 201 from its socket with the corresponding mounting rail. The front face of the casing of the circuit breaker 200, has in projecting, in its central zone, a front part through which said casing is intended to emerge from a plastron (not shown), through a window of this type. plastron, when in place on the rail, for example in an electrical cabinet. The facade portion has a front face and two opposite transverse faces that extend at right angles to the front face of the circuit breaker housing. Levers 5 attached to a handle 230 common maneuver protrude from the front face of the facade portion. These levers belong to the opening and closing device of the circuit breaker 200, they can be actuated by the handle 230 to manually open or close the electrical circuit connecting the input and output terminals of the circuit breaker 200 (see FIG. 3). As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, when the circuit-breaker 200 is switched on (closed electrical circuit), its levers and its handle 230 are raised. On the other hand, the levers and the lever 230 are lowered (see FIGS. 39 and 41) when the circuit breaker 200 is tripped (open electrical circuit). The circuit breaker 200 is a modular device in the sense that its housing 15 has a width, measured between its two main lateral faces 211, equal to an integer multiple of a base module M. Here, according to the example shown, the circuit breaker 200 is a three-phase circuit breaker (that is to say comprising three phase terminals L1, L2, L3 and a neutral terminal N) whose housing is quad-module (whose width is equal to 4 times the basic module) M), a module per pole of the circuit breaker 200. There is also provided a pole opening / closing lever of the circuit breaker 200, so four levers attached to the handle 230. The upper face of the circuit breaker box 200 comprises access openings to the input terminals of the circuit breaker 200 and the lower face of the circuit breaker box comprises access openings to the output terminals of the circuit breaker 200. As shown in the diagram of FIG. 3, the phase electrical wires L1, L2, L3 and neutral N (not shown) from the electrical network are connected, via said access openings of the upper face of the housing, to the input terminals of the circuit breaker 200 while the electrical wires F1, F2, F3, FN from the device protection 300 are connected, via said access openings 30 of the lower face of the housing, to the output terminals of the circuit breaker 200. Furthermore, the front face of the circuit breaker box 200 has openings giving access to the terminal screws of the circuit breaker 200. 200. As shown in FIGS. 1, 2, 4, 5, 12 and 17, the transient overvoltage protection device 300 comprises a modular block 310 3031233 11 with two lateral main faces 311D, 313 parallel, a rear face provided with a horizontal groove 311G for mounting on a rail (not shown) of a cabinet or an electrical cabinet, a front face 312A and two opposite transverse faces upper 311B , 312B and lower 311B, 312B.

The rear, front, top and bottom faces are all perpendicular to the main lateral faces of the modular block. The width of the modular block 310, taken between its two main lateral faces 311 D, 313, is here also equal to four times the width of a basic module M. The front face 312A of the modular block 310 of the protective device 300, projecting, in its median zone 10, a front portion 312'A by which said modular block 310 is intended to emerge from a plastron (not shown), through a window of this plastron, when it is in place on the rail, for example in an electrical cabinet. The front portion 312'A comprises a front face and two opposite transverse faces which extend at right angles to the front face 312A of the modular block 310 of the protection apparatus 300. As is more particularly shown in the wiring diagram of FIG. FIG. 3, the modular block is a housing which houses at least one varistor 333 associated with a thermal disconnection means 335, 700, a spark gap E as well as electric wires F1, F2, F3, FN respectively connected to each varistor 333 and 20 to the spark gap E, a portion of said electrical wires emerging outside the housing to be connected to the output terminals L1, L2, L3, N of the circuit breaker 200. According to the example shown, the modular block 310 3 three varistors 333 are connected, at the output, to the phase terminals L1, L2, L3 of the circuit breaker 200, and, at the input, to the neutral terminal N of the circuit breaker 200 which, moreover, is also connected to the spark gap E itself. even connected to Earth. The modular block 310 here comprises a housing rear portion 311 snapped together with a front housing portion 312 (see FIG. 17). The rear housing portion 311 of the modular block 310 shown in isolation in Figures 19 to 22, has a bottom 311A forming the rear wall 30 of the modular block 310, the outer face forms the rear face provided with the groove 311G. The bottom 311A is bordered by four walls 311B, 311D perpendicular to the bottom 311A, namely an upper wall 311B and a lower wall 311 B parallel to each other and two opposite side walls 311 D, parallel to each other and perpendicular to the upper and lower walls 311B .

The upper and lower walls 311B of this rear housing portion 311 are provided near their free edge ratchet teeth 311E and an interlocking groove 311E adapted to cooperate with complementary arrangements 312E of the front part. of housing 312.

The front housing portion 312 of the modular block 310 shown in isolation in FIG. 18, has a front wall 312A forming the front wall of the modular block 310 whose outer face forms the front face 312 of the modular block 310. This front wall 312A forms also the front portion 312'A and it delimits, in the central zone of the modular block 310, a housing 320 in recess of the front face of said block. This housing 320 is intended to accommodate three cassettes lightning arresters 330 (see Figure 4). It is delimited by opposite lower walls 315 and 314 opposite, a side wall which closes one side of the front portion 312'A and a bottom wall 312C which closes said housing 320 at the rear. The bottom walls 315 and above 314 of the housing 320 comprise grooves 315A, 314A for mounting said arrester cassettes 330 which are plug-in / withdrawable into the modular block 310. These lower walls 315 and 314 also include openings 315C through which the pins 801 and 801 engage. 802 of said surge arresters 330 for making the electrical and mechanical connection thereof in the modular block 310 (see FIGS. 30 and 33). In addition, the bottom wall 312C of the housing 320 comprises openings 312D (see FIGS. 17 and 18), the contour of which is adapted to allow the insertion in these openings 312D of polarizing pads 337 provided on the back of the lightning arrestor cassettes 330 ( see FIGS. 31 and 34), when the lightning arrestor cassettes 330 are plugged into the housing 320 of the modular block 310. In this way, the installer or the user is ensured to insert in the modular block 310 the type or rating of The front casing portion 312 has upper and lower walls 312B which extend rearward perpendicular to the front wall 312A. The upper and lower walls 312B of this housing front portion 312 are provided near their free edge with snap edges 312E and an interlocking groove 312E adapted to cooperate with the ratchet teeth 311E and the interlocking groove 311E of the upper and lower walls 311B of the casing front portion 312 for assembling said front and rear housing portions 312, 311 of the modular block 310 (see FIGS. 4 and 18). As best shown in FIGS. 30, 31, 33, 34, each surge arrester cassette 330 includes a housing 331 which houses a varistor 333 (surge arresting device) and a thermal disconnect device 335, 700. The housing 331 of each 330, generally parallelepipedic cassette, has two parallel main lateral faces, a rear face, a front face and two opposite transverse faces upper and lower. The front face has in its central zone a projecting front portion which carries an operating lever 332. The front part comprises a front face and two opposite transverse faces, one upper and the other lower, which is extend at right angles to the front face of the housing 331. The operating lever 332 has two branches which extend from a medial area of the facade portion along both sides of the front face of the facade portion. The operating lever 332 also comprises a gripping portion which extends perpendicular to the two branches, against the upper transverse face of the front portion of the housing 331. The operating lever 332 is incorporated here in the profile of the front face and the upper transverse face of the front portion of the housing 331 of the cassette 20 surge arrester 330. As shown more particularly in Figure 1, when the three lightning arresters 330 are mounted in the receiving housing 320 of the modular block 310, the part of the facade carrying the operating lever 332 of each lightning cassette 330 aligns with the front portion 312'A of the front face 312 of the modular block 310 so that these aligned front parts are intended to emerge out of a plastron (not shown), through a window of this plastron, when modular block 310 is in place on the rail in a cabinet or an electrical cabinet. As shown in FIGS. 3, 30, 31, 33 and 34, the varistor 333 of each lightning arrester cassette 330 is in the form of a block composed of metal oxides such as zinc oxides. This block comprises 333D mounting and wedging tabs 331D in the interior of the casing 331 of the cassette. Block 333 also includes leads 333A, 333B of current conducting material for connecting the varistor to the power grid. One of these conductive tabs 333A is in contact with a conductive plate 800 which leaves the bottom wall 331C of the casing 331 of the cassette to form the pin 801 which establishes the electrical connection with one of the phase electric wires F1, F2 , F3 of the modular block 310. The other of these tabs 333B is clamped in a clip which keeps it in contact with a conductive blade which leaves the upper wall of the casing 331 of the cassette to form the pin 802 which establishes the electrical connection with a conductive pad 500 electrically connected to the neutral wire FN of the modular block 310. Each varistor 333 has an extremely non-linear voltage / current characteristic. Beyond a certain threshold voltage across the varistor 333, the impedance of the varistor 333 drops to allow the evacuation of the current creating the overvoltage. When the voltage returns to an acceptable normal level, the impedance of the varistor 333 returns to its idle state. For large deviated current amplitudes, the voltage across the varistor 15 increases. The life of the varistor 333 is limited, depending on the stresses, the properties of the ceramic blocks are degraded, the leakage current of the varistor in the standby state increases, and the thermal resistance of the varistor decreases. For this reason, a thermal disconnection device 335,700 is provided in each lightning arrester cassette 330 which, if the thermal capacity of the varistor 333 is exceeded, disconnects the varistor 333 from the electrical network to which it is connected. the protection device 300 to avoid the damage related to this thermal overflow. As shown in FIGS. 30, 31, 33 and 34, each thermal disconnect device comprises a fusible link 335 (in the form of an angled wafer of fuse material) which maintains an insulating slider 700 in a position of connection (see Figures 30 and 31) against a tension spring (not visible in the figures). The slider 700 is slidably mounted on a slider 336 and the tension spring is stretched between the slider 700 and a fixed portion of the housing 331 of the arrester cassette 330 so that it tends to slide the slider 700 from its home position. connection to a disconnection position (see FIGS. 33 and 34) in which an insulating wall 710 of the slider 700 is interposed between the conductive tabs 333A of the associated varistor 333 and the conductive strip 800 for connection to the live electrical wire, in order to open the electrical circuit and disconnect the varistor 3031233 33 333 from the electrical circuit to which it is connected. The fuse link 335 is placed in contact with a conductive tab 333C issuing from the varistor 333 so that when the varistor 333 ages and exceeds its thermal capacity, the heat transmitted by conduction by the conductive tab 333C to the fuse link 335 causes its melting and the release of the slider 700 which is pulled by the tension spring to its disconnected position. The modular block 310 of the protection device 300 and the circuit breaker 200 are placed side by side and assembled by one of their lateral main faces. For their assembly, the modular block 310 houses two hooks 340 which emerge out of the modular block 310 through the upper and lower parts of the main lateral face 313 concerned (FIGS. 4 and 5), and is provided in correspondence of the windows ( visible for example in Figures 46 and 49) in the relevant lateral main face of the circuit breaker 200. As shown more particularly in Figures 46, 48, 49, 51, 52, 54, 58 to 63, the hooks 340 are actuated by upper and lower latches 341 which make it possible to lock the hooks 340 hooked on the circuit-breaker 200. Each latch 341 comprises a push-pull stroller 341A mounted in translation inside the modular block 310 through an opening 312'B 20 provided in the front portion of the housing 312. The hooks 340 are here linked to a side of the strollers 341A pulls. Each hook 340 and each 341A stroller-zipper associated are derived from the same integrally molded piece rigid plastic material. As shown more particularly in FIG. 18, there is provided in the front housing portion 312, on the one hand, at the junction of the upper walls 312B and before 312A, an opening 312'B for mounting the stroller-zipper the upper latch 341, and on the other hand, at the junction of the bottom walls 312B and before 312A, an opening 312'B for mounting the stroller-zipper 341A of the lower latch 341 (see Figure 48 for example).

Each pull-stroller 341A is adapted to be translationally displaced from outside the modular block 310 between an unlocked position in which a portion of said pull-stroller 341A emerges outside the modular block 310 (see FIG. 48). a locked position wherein said pull-stroller 341A is fully engaged within the modular block 310 (see Figures 51 and 59). As shown in Fig. 46, the unlocked position of the pull-stroller 341A corresponds to a rest position of said hook 340 (operated by the stroller-zipper) into which it is placed within the modular block 310, in recess. of the main lateral face 313 through which the modular block 310 is attached to the circuit breaker housing. As shown in FIG. 51, the locked position of the pull-stroller 341A corresponds to a hooking position of said hook 340 in which it emerges from the modular block 310 projecting from said lateral main face 313 of the modular block 310 for s hang in the corresponding window of the circuit breaker box. According to the example shown in FIGS. 1 to 54, each pull-stroller 341A is movable in an oblique direction Z (see FIGS. 48, 51 and 54) with respect to the lateral main face 313 of the modular block 310 by which the protection device 300 is attached to the circuit breaker 200. According to the example shown in FIGS. 58 to 63, the stroller 341A of the lower latch 341 can be moved in a direction parallel to the lateral main face 313 of the modular block by which the The protective device is attached to the circuit breaker (see, for example, FIGS. 59 and 63) while the upper latch stroller is movable in an oblique direction relative to the lateral main face of the modular block through which the protective device is attached to the circuit breaker. According to the example shown in the figures, each push-pull 341A projecting a rib 341B extending in said direction of displacement (oblique or straight) slidably engaged in an oblique or straight groove (not visible in the figures) provided in an inner face of the front wall 312A of the modular block 310. To pass each pushchair 341A from its unlocked position to its locked position, simply push on the part of the pushchair 341A emerging to the outside the modular block 310 to slide the rib 341B of the stroller 341A zipper in the corresponding groove of the modular block until the zipper stroller 341A is fully engaged within the latter. To move each stroller 341A from its locked position 3031233 to its unlocked position, simply enter the tip of a tool in the slot provided for this purpose at the end of said stroller 341A and pull on this latter to the outside of the modular block 310 to slide the rib 341 B of the stroller 341A in the corresponding groove of the modular block over the determined cooperation length in order to extract the hook from the window of the circuit breaker and to enter it inside the modular block. As shown in FIGS. 1, 2, 4 and 5, the protection device 300 comprises, outside the modular block 310, a wire-cover 400 of electrically insulating material which encloses the electric wires Fi, F2, F3 , FN which exit outside the modular block 310 passing, in the lower part, the main lateral face 311B, 313 of the modular block 310 by which said modular block 310 is assembled to the circuit breaker 200, to connect electrically to the terminals of the Circuit breaker output 200. This wire cover 400 comprises a base 410 closed by a cover 420 (see FIGS. 6 and 9). It is attached to the underside of the circuit breaker 200 so that the external face of its cap 420 is pressed against the underside of the circuit breaker 200 and the external face of its base 410 extends in the extension of the lower face of the modular block. 310 of the protection device 300. Thus, the electrical assembly 1 consisting of the circuit breaker 200 and the protection device 300 provided with the wire-cap covering 400 forms a unitary block that is generally rectangular parallelepipedal (see FIGS. 2). The free ends El, E2, E3, EN of said electrical wires Fi, F2, F3, FN leave the wire-cover 400 through openings 421 of the cover 420 to be connected to the output terminals of the circuit-breaker 200 (see FIG. Figures 4 and 5).

Advantageously, the base 410 is disjoined from the modular block 310 of the protection device 300 (as shown more particularly in FIG. 5, there is a gap E between the base 410 and the modular block 310) and it is provided with on the one hand, holding means 412A, 412B, 412C, 412D, 414A, 414B, 414C, 414D cooperating with said electrical wires Fi, F2, F3, FN to hold each electrical wire Fi, F2, F3, FN in a determined position, and, secondly, mounting means 415, 415A, 417, 417A, 418, 418A for fixing said base 410 to the circuit breaker 200 (see Figures 6, 7, 9, 10, 13, 14). Said holding means 412A, 412B, 412C, 412D, 414A, 414B, 414C, 414D of the base 410 are arranged to hold the free ends E1, E3, E3, E3, EN of the electric wires F1, F2, F3, FN on a line A at regularly spaced positions (see Figure 4). The base 410 thus advantageously makes it possible to reduce as far as possible the length of the electric wires F1, F2, F3, FN between the varistors 333 of the protection device 300 and the terminals L1, L2, L3, LN of the circuit breaker 200, which allows to avoid the appearance of residual surges and to comply with the provisions of the French standard NF 15/100. The base 410 also ensures the maintenance of electrical son F1, F2, F3, FN in specific positions determined, allowing the use of flexible son rather than rigid, less expensive.

As shown more particularly in FIGS. 6 to 14, the base 410 is a molded piece made of a rigid plastic material, which comprises a base plate 411, here with a rectangular contour, and walls 412, 413, 414 which rise perpendicularly to the base plate 410, from the inner face 411A thereof.

Three of these walls 412, said side walls and front wall, border the base plate 411 on three adjacent sides to form with the base plate 410, a rectangular parallelepiped box, open on one side. Another wall 413, called the rear wall, runs along the fourth side of the base plate 410 while being placed at a distance from the edge of the plate. The other walls 414, said inner walls, are placed inside the space delimited by the side walls 412, the front wall 412 and the rear wall 413 of the base 410. One of the side walls 412 (the one placed opposite of the lateral main face 313 of the modular block 310 of the protection apparatus 300) and the inner walls 414 comprise notches 412A, 412B, 412C, 412D, 414A, 414B, 414D with the rounded bottoms which house said electric wires F1, F2, F3, FN so that they form said holding means. As best shown in FIG. 12, the electrical wires F1, F2, F3, FN coming out of the modular block 310, enter the base 410 through the notches 412A, 412B, 412C, 412D of the corresponding lateral wall 412 of the base 410. then they follow in the base 410 a path 30 determined in particular by the notches 414A, 414B, 414D of the internal walls 414. The neutral wire FN follows the longest path determined by the notches 414D, then in descending order, the wire Phase F1 electric follows the path determined by the notches 414A and phase electric wire F2 follows the path determined by the notches 414B. The phase electric wire F3 follows the shortest path determined by an inner wall 414C bent against which the said electric wire F3 bears. As best shown in FIGS. 15 and 16, the hood 420 is a molded piece made of a rigid plastic material, which is in the form of a rectangular closure plate whose dimensions correspond to the space clearance. internal wall defined by the internal faces of the side walls 412, before 412 and rear 413 of the base 410. As shown in Figures 6, 8 and 9, this closure plate 420 is positioned between the side walls 412, before 412 and rear 413 of the base 410 above the inner walls 414 of said base 410 so that it closes the outlet of the notches 412A, 412B, 412C, 412D of the walls of the base 410 to block the electrical son Fi, F2, F3, FN in the notches . This closure plate 420 has aligned through holes 421 (see FIGS. 4 and 15), here of oblong shape, through which the free ends El, E2, E3, EN of said electric wires Fi, F2, F3, FN exit from the wire cover 400 to be connected to the output terminals of the circuit breaker 200 (see FIGS. 4 and 5). The closure plate 420 also carries, on its inner face 420A turned towards the base 410, means for holding said electrical son Fi, F2, F3, FN. These holding means comprise walls 424, 424A, 424B, 424D which extend from the inner face 420A of the closing plate 420 of said cover, perpendicular to it. The wall 424 of the cover closes the corresponding opening of the side wall 412 of the base 410 just above the outlet of said notches 412A, 412B, 412C (see FIGS. 8 and 14). The other walls 424A, 424B, 424D of the cover 25 guide and hold the electrical wires Fi, F2, F3, FN at the bottom of the corresponding notches of the base 410. The cover 420 and the base 410 comprise latching means adapted to cooperate together for assembling the hood with the base. These latching means comprise teeth 412E provided projecting on the inner face of the side walls and front 412 of the base 410 which cling to the edge 422A of flanges 422 provided on the edge of the closure plate 420 of the cover ( see Figures 12 to 15). The base plate 411 of the base 410 has, at the right of the teeth 412E, openings 419 (see FIG. 8) through which the tip of a tool accesses from the outside of the wire cover 400 to said teeth 3031233. snap 412E to disassemble the base 410 and the cover 420. The latching means also comprise on the cover 420 ratchet teeth 423A carried by tabs 423 provided on an edge of the closure plate 420 and on the base 410 of the 413A windows provided corresponding in the rear wall 413 of the base (see Figures 10 and 14). Finally, there is provided on the hood 420 amounts 426 which rise from the inner face 420A of the closure plate 420, perpendicularly thereto. These amounts 426 are distributed along the edge of the closure plate 420 and are oriented so that one of their edge extends to the right of the edge of the closure plate. These uprights 426 10 bear against the internal face of the walls of the base 410 when the cover 420 is snapped onto the base 410 to reinforce the holding in position of the cover 420 on the base 410. The cover wire 400 (base 410 closed by the cover 420) clings to the circuit breaker 200 via said mounting means of the base 410.

These mounting means of the base 410 are latching means. More particularly, as shown in Figures 13 and 14, said mounting means comprise posts 415, 417 which have at their free ends ratchet teeth 415A, 417A. The posts 415, 417 rise from the inner face 411A of the base plate 411 of the base, perpendicular to it. A pair of internal uprights 415 is located in the internal space delimited between the side walls 412, before 412 and rear 213 of the base 410 and closed by the closure plate 420. Two other pairs of external uprights 417 are located on an edge of the base 410 on the back of the rear wall 413 of the base 410, outside the internal space delimited between the side walls 412, before 412 and rear 213 of the base 410 and closed by the closure plate 420. Each pair of external uprights 417 form a fork with two parallel branches whose two outer sides carry the ratchet teeth 417A oriented in opposite directions. These forks are intended to fit in grooves provided on the rear face of the casing of the circuit breaker 200 and to hook on the edge of notches provided on the walls facing said grooves. The hooking and unhooking of each fork is effected by mutual reconciliation of the branches 417 which bend slightly elastically. As shown in FIG. 4, the closure plate 420 forming the cover has additional orifices 425 which allow the internal posts 415 of the base 410 to pass through so that their free ends provided with the ratchet teeth 415A emerge outside the the wire cover 400 and can hook onto the edge of corresponding openings in the bottom face of the circuit breaker 200 housing. At the foot of the internal uprights 415, the base plate 411 of the base 410 is pierced with openings 419 through which the tip of a tool accesses the ratchet teeth 415A 415A internal uprights to disassemble the base 410 and thus the wire cover 400 circuit breaker 200. Finally, as best shown in Figures 8, 13 and 14, two flexible tongues 411L are cut into the base plate 411 of the base 410 of the wire cover 400. Each of the tongues 411L has a free end, located on an edge of said base plate 411, secured to a pull tab 416 extending perpendicular to said tongue 411 L on either side thereof (in the direction perpendicular to the base plate). Each pull tab 416 is provided with a gripping aperture 416A located in a portion of the pull tab 416 extending on the side of the outer face of said base plate 411 and being secured to a hook 418A which extends a portion 418 of the pull tab 416 located on the inner face 411A side of said base plate 411. Each hook 418A is intended to hook, on the back of the circuit breaker 200, to a mounting tab of the circuit breaker 200 and with the pull tabs 416 of the wire cover 400, it is possible to pull on these mounting tabs of the circuit breaker to disengage the mounting rail on which the circuit breaker 200 is mounted. In the electrical assembly 1 shown in the various figures, it is advantageously provided a modular interface 100 which provides the mechanical and electrical connection in series of the circuit breaker 200 and the protective device 300 against temporary overvoltages. This modular interface 100 is here an integral part of the protection device 300 in the sense that its mechanism, which will be described below, is entirely housed in the housing (modular block 310) of the protection device 300, but in an alternative embodiment not shown, it can be provided that the modular interface has its own housing interposed between the circuit breaker housing and that of the protection device. This modular interface 100 comprises the hooks 340 actuated by the locks 341 (previously described) for the assembly of the modular block 310 3031233 22 of the protection device 300 and the case of the circuit breaker 200. As shown in FIGS. 3, 18, 23 to 29, the modular interface 100 also comprises: an electrical switch 110 connected by electrical wires 111, 112, 113 to a connector 120 capable of transmitting a signal representative of the operating state of the circuit breaker 200 and / or the protection apparatus 300; a first mechanical safety element 130 intended to be connected to the opening / closing levers (forming with the lever 230 an opening and closing device) of the circuit breaker 200, movable between an armed position (FIGS. 26 and 27); corresponding to the on state of the opening and closing device of the circuit breaker 200 and a triggered position (FIGS. 28 and 29) corresponding to the tripped state of the opening and closing device of the circuit breaker 200, the first mechanical element of security 130 being able in this triggered position to actuate the electric switch 110 to transmit a signal representative of the tripped state of the circuit breaker 200; and a second mechanical safety element 140 separate from the first mechanical safety element 130 and operating independently of the latter, intended to be connected to the protection device 300 and movable between a rest position (see FIGS. 26 and 29) corresponding to the normal operating state of the protection device 300 and a triggered position (FIGS. 27 and 28) corresponding to the faulting of a varistor 333 (overvoltage limiting device) of said protection device 300, the second mechanical safety element 140 being adapted in this triggered position to actuate the electric switch 110, without affecting the position of said first mechanical safety element 130, to transmit a signal representative of a malfunction of the protective device 300, being placed on the path (FIG. 28) traversed by the first mechanical safety element 130 since its the triggered position (FIG. 28) towards its armed position (FIG. 27) so that, in this triggered position (FIG. 28), said second mechanical security element 140 forms a stop 143 for the first mechanical safety element 130 preventing this last to reach his armed position from his triggered position. As shown in FIGS. 17 and 20, the connector 120 is attached to the rear face of the rear housing portion 311 of the modular block 310 of the protection device 300, in a housing 311F provided with a recess of this rear face. . In the mounted position on the modular block 310, the connector 120 is accessible from above the modular block 310 to be connected to a signaling interface (not shown) displaying the information transmitted by said connector. The first and second mechanical safety elements 130, 140 are rotatably mounted respectively around two parallel axes X1, X2 of axes A1, A2 (see FIG. 23) fixed in the housing 310 of the protection device 300.

According to the preferred example shown in FIGS. 23 to 29, each of the first and second mechanical safety elements 130, 140 is capable, independently of one another, of pivoting a rocker 150 causing the closure of the electrical switch 110. This flip-flop 150 is a unitary part made of insulating material.

It comprises: a central part 151 mounted to rotate freely around a fixed shaft A3 of axis X3 parallel to the axes X1, X2 of rotation of the first and second mechanical safety elements 130, 140, and provided with a finger control 152 of said electrical switch 110, and 20 - two branches 153, 154 which extend from the central portion 151, substantially opposite each other, one of 153 branches having a surface of support 153A turned towards the first mechanical safety element 130 and the other branch 154 having a bearing surface 154A turned towards the second mechanical safety element 140, said first and second mechanical safety elements 130 respectively bearing on the surfaces support 153A, 154A branches 153, 154 of the flip-flop 150 to rotate it to the electrical switch 110 (see Figures 29 and 27). The first mechanical safety element 130 comprises a unitary piece of insulating material which forms a plate 131, one face of which supports a bearing 132 for receiving the shaft A1 of axis X1. There is provided a pin 133 which protrudes on the other opposite face of said plate 131. This pin 133 is a connecting pin to the opening and closing device (levers attached to the handle 230) of the circuit breaker 200. The link Between the pin 133 and the circuit breaker 200 is made through an opening 313A (bean-shaped) of the lateral main face 313 of the modular block 310 of the protection device 300 which establishes the junction with the circuit breaker 200 (see FIGS. 4, 5, 12 and 17).

The pin 133 is adapted to be moved into said opening 313A between a lowered position and a raised position so that the lowered position of said pin 133 corresponds to the tripped state of the circuit breaker 200 while the raised position of said pin 133 corresponds to the switched state of the circuit breaker 200. As will be described in more detail at the end of the description, according to the embodiment shown in FIGS. 1 to 58, the pin 133 is advantageously displaceable in translation through said plate 131, along an axis X perpendicular to the main lateral face 313 of the modular block 310 of the protection apparatus 300 which establishes the junction with the circuit breaker 200, between a retracted position in which said pin 133 is placed inside the modular block 310 set back from said main lateral face 313 (see FIG. 46) and an extended position in which said pin 133 passes through the plate 131 and said o opening 313A provided in said lateral main face 313 to extend outside said modular block 310 projecting from said lateral main face 313 (see Figure 51).

According to the embodiment shown in FIGS. 59 to 63, the pin 133 comes into formation with the plate 131 or is fixedly attached thereto. The plate 131 comprises an actuating finger 134 for the control of the electric switch 110 and is extended by an arm 135 which extends on the same side as the actuating finger 134 and which has at its free end a return 136 able to abut against said stop 143 of the second mechanical safety element 140 placed in the tripped position (see Figure 28). The second mechanical safety element 140 is a unitary piece of insulating material which comprises an arm 141 which is provided with an actuating finger 142 for the control of the electric switch 110 and which has, on the one hand, an free end 143 forming said abutment for said first mechanical safety element 130, and, on the other hand, opposite said free end 143, an end 144 mounted to freely rotate on the shaft A2 X2 axis which s extends in the housing rear portion 311 of the modular block 310 of the protective device 300, this end 144 being connected to a lever 145 threaded onto the shaft A2 and adapted to be pivoted about this shaft A2 by at least one actuator 160 whose action is released when a varistor 333 (overvoltage limitation device) of said protection device 300 is defective.

As best shown in FIG. 23, the arm 141 of the second mechanical safety element 140 comes into formation with the lever 145 to form a generally L-shaped integral piece. The lever 145 comprises a body formed by a succession of tubular parts. 146 of axis X2 in which is threaded the shaft A2.

The lever 145 and the arm 141 are mounted in interior arrangements 317, 318 of the housing rear portion 311 of the modular block 310 (see FIGS. 19 and 21). These interior arrangements comprise tabs 317 with rounded bottom notches 317A in which the shaft A2 is fitted and a set of walls 318 wedging said lever 145 so that the arm 141 is adequately positioned with respect to the main lateral face. 311 D of the modular block 310 and the other elements (including the first mechanical safety element 130) of the modular interface 100. There is provided an elastic return means which tends to position the second mechanical safety element 140 in its rest position . The elastic return means here is a wire spring 148 wound around the body 146 of said second mechanical safety element 140, one end of the wire spring 148 being attached to said body 146 and another end of the wire spring 148 being locked against a fixed part of the modular interface, here against the inner face of the upper wall 311 B of the rear housing portion 311 (see Figures 21 to 25).

As shown in FIGS. 21 to 25, according to the embodiment shown, three actuators 160 are provided distributed along the body 146 of the lever 145 of the second mechanical safety element 140, each actuator 160 comprises a rear portion 165 ( see FIGS. 32 and 35) which is engaged in a free space 147 provided between two tubular parts of the body 146.

Each actuator 160 is associated with a varistor 333 of a lightning arrester cassette 330 of the protection device 300. More generally, there are provided as many actuators 160 as varistors 333 of the protection device 300. Each actuator 160 is, on the one hand, connected to the rear housing part 3031233 26 311 of the modular block 330 by an elastic return means 170 which tends to position said actuator 160 in a release position where it places said lever 145 in a position of triggering corresponding to the triggered position of the arm 141 of said second mechanical safety element 140, and, secondly, held by an element 600 of the lightning arrester cassette 330 connected to the fuse link 335, in a connection position in which said resilient biasing means 170 is under stress. More particularly, as best shown in FIGS. 30 to 35, each actuator 160 includes a platen, a rear face 161 of which is recessed to conform to the cylindrical outer surface of a tubular portion of the body 146 of the lever 145. In this way, each actuator 160 is pivotally mounted about the shaft A2. A rounded upper edge 162 of the plate of each actuator 160 bears against the lever 145 connected to the arm 141 of the second safety element 140. The rear portion 165 of the actuator 160 extends from the rear face 161 of the platen, between two tubular portions 146 of the body of the lever 145, towards the bottom of the rear housing portion 311 of the modular block 310. This rear portion 165 comprises an orifice 166 in which is attached the end 171 of a helical spring of traction 170 whose other end is attached to a stud 316 carried by the bottom 311A of the rear housing portion 311 (see Figures 21 and 22). In addition, the front face 163 of the plate of each actuator 160 carries a stud 164 projecting. This stud 164 passes through a window 331E of the rear wall of the casing 331 of the associated arrester cassette 330 so that its free end bears against a rear face 602 of an inner element 600 of said lightning arrester cassette 300. FIGS. 31 and 34, this inner element 600 is an elongated strip along the block of the varistor 333 of the lightning arrester cassette 330. This strip 600 comprises a longitudinal groove 603 slidably mounted on an internal rib 331 B of the casing 331 of the cassette 330. In contrast to its rear face 602, the bar 600 comprises a front face 601 bearing against a face 701 of the slider 700 (of the thermal disconnection device of the lightning arrester cassette 330) held in the connection position by virtue of 335. In this connection position shown in FIGS. 31 and 32, the bar 600 bears against the slider 700 held by the link f 335, maintains, via the pad 164, the plate of the actuator 160 downwardly 3031233 27 in said connecting position in which the coil spring 170 is tensioned and the lever 145 and the arm 141 of the second element safety mechanism 140 are placed in the rest position. By cons, as shown in Figures 34 and 35, when the slider 700 takes its disconnected position, because of the melting of the fuse link 335 caused by exceeding the thermal capacity of the varistor 333 of the cassette surge arrester 330 it releases the support of the front face 601 of the bar 600. The bar 600 can then slide freely on the internal rib 331 B and no longer opposes any resistance to the pin 164 of the actuator 160 which is pulled by the spring helical traction 170 10 returning to its original compressed state. The helical coil spring 170 then causes the upward tilting of the actuator 160 which, by pressing the rounded upper edge 162 of its plate, causes the lever 145 and the arm 141 of the second mechanical safety element 140 to pivot from the rest position (lowered) to the triggered (raised) position in which, on the one hand, the actuating finger 142 of the arm 141 actuates via the flip-flop 150 the electrical switch 110 connected to the connector 120, and, on the other hand, on the other hand, the abutment 143 of the arm 141 of the second mechanical safety element 140 is placed on the path of the first mechanical safety element 130 taken between its triggered and armed positions.

Referring to Figures 26 to 29, we will summarize below the operation of the modular interface 100. As shown in Figure 26, in normal operation of the electrical assembly 1 connected to the local electrical installation ( circuit breaker 200 switched on and varistors 333 of the protection device 300 connected to the electrical network), the plate 131 of the first mechanical safety element 130 is raised in the armed position in which its actuating finger 134 is out of contact with the surface of the support 153A of the rocker 150 and the arm 141 of the second mechanical safety element 140 is lowered into the rest position in which the actuating finger 142 of the arm 141 remains in contact with the bearing surface 154A of the rocker 150 whose control finger 152 is in contact with the push button of the electric switch 110. When one of the varistors 333 of the protection device 300 exceeds its thermal capacity. that due to its aging, it causes the fusing of the fuse link 335 of the associated lightning arrester cassette 330, which causes the actuation of a signaling means (not shown in the figures) to put in default on the front side of the surge arrester cassette, and the tilting of the associated actuator 160 from its lowered connection position to its relieved release position. In its tilting, the actuator 160 5 drives the lever 145 and the arm 141 of the second mechanical safety element 140 which pivot about the shaft A2 from the rest position lowered to the raised triggered position in which the actuating finger 142 the arm 141 pushes on the bearing surface 154A to tilt the rocker 150 about its shaft A3 towards the electrical switch 110 so that the control finger 152 of the rocker 150 pushes a pushbutton of the electrical switch 110 (see Figure 27). In this way, the actuating finger 142 of the arm 141 of the second mechanical safety element 140 actuates the electrical switch 110 of the connector 120 which transmits the fault information of the protection device 300 to a processing device and display not shown. As shown in FIG. 27, in the triggered position of the second mechanical safety element 140, the stop 143 provided at the free end of the arm 141 is raised and positioned on the path of the first mechanical safety element 130 taken between its triggered positions. and army. In doing so, as shown in FIG. 27, said first mechanical safety element 130 has not moved and remained in the armed position since the circuit breaker 200 has remained latched (closed electrical circuit). As shown in FIG. 28, in order to be able to replace the defective lightning arrester cassette 330 of the protection device 300 in good safety conditions, the user isolates the electrical assembly 1 from the electrical circuit by opening said electrical circuit. by triggering the circuit breaker 200 (which conventionally amounts to lowering the handle 230 and the levers attached). The lowering of the levers by the actuation of the lever 230 causes, via the pin 133, the downward tilting of the first mechanical safety element 130 around the shaft A1 from its armed position to its tripped position and the finger actuator 134 of the plate 131 is pressed on the surface 153A of the flip-flop 150 to tilt it around the shaft A3 towards the electrical switch 110. The control finger 152 of the flip-flop 150 then depresses the button push-button of the electric switch 110 (see Figure 28). In this way, the actuating finger 134 of the plate 131 of the first mechanical safety element 130 actuates the electrical switch 110 of the connector 120 which transmits the opening or tripping information of the circuit breaker 200 to a device processing and display not shown. It will be noted in FIG. 28 that the second mechanical safety element 140 placed in the tripped position prevents the closing or re-engagement of the circuit breaker 200 because the free end 143 of the arm 141 of the second mechanical safety element 140 is positioned facing the return 136 of the arm 135 of the first mechanical safety element 130. If the user then attempts to raise the lever 230 of the circuit breaker 200 to close the electrical circuit, the return 136 of the first mechanical safety element 130 rotated around its shaft A1 by the levers via the pin 133, from its triggered position to its armed position, abuts against said free end 143 of the arm 141 (forming a stop). The abutment of the return 136 of the first mechanical safety element 130 against the free end 143 of the arm 141 of the second mechanical safety element 140 prevents the first mechanical safety element 130 from reaching its armed position, which prevents the closing the electrical circuit of the circuit breaker 200. Thus, before switching on the circuit breaker 200, the user replaces the defective arrester cassette 330 in the protection device 300. The bar 20 600 of the new arrester cassette 330 lowers, via the counter 164 , the corresponding actuator 160 in the connecting position by tensioning the coil spring 170. The actuator 160 returned in the connecting position releases the lever 145 and the arm 141 of the second mechanical safety element 140 which, under the action of spring wire 148, rocking from its triggered position to its rest position where it deviates from the rocker 150 and the first mechanical safety element 130 (see FIG. 29). In this rest position, the second mechanical safety element 140 is spaced from the path traveled by the first mechanical safety element 130 between its triggered position and its armed position. The user can then reset the levers of the circuit breaker 200 by actuating the lever 230 to close the electrical circuit since the first mechanical safety element 130 can freely pivot or tilt around the shaft Al from its triggered position to its armed position. being driven by the levers of the circuit breaker 200 via the link pin 133. The flip-flop 150 which is no longer pushed towards the electrical switch 110, neither by the first nor by the second mechanical safety element, releases the pressure on the push-button of the electric switch 110. Conventionally this push button then returns to its original stable position under the action of an elastic return means and pushes the rocker 150 which pivots about the shaft A3 towards its original position shown in FIG. 26 It is advantageously noted that the movement and the action of the second mechanical safety element 140 are distinct and independent of the movement and action of the first mechanical safety element 130. Each mechanical safety element 130, 140 acts independently of one another. the other on the electrical switch 110 for the connector 120 to transmit information relating to the operation of the circuit breaker 200 and the protection device 300, but the action of the second The mechanical safety element 140 has no influence on the circuit breaker 200 in the sense that it automatically causes neither the opening nor the closing of the circuit breaker 200. The first and second mechanical safety elements 130, 140 have essential function a function of reporting the operating state (normal or faulty) of the electrical assembly 1 (constituting a self-protected arrester assembly). According to a preferred characteristic of the protection device 300 shown in the various figures, the front housing portion 312 of the modular block 310 houses a shaft 190, 190 'called a "cassette locking shaft" provided with at least one element. 191, 191 'locking, this shaft 190; 190' being movably mounted in the modular block 310 such that its movement is related to the movement of the opening and closing device 230 of the circuit breaker 200, said cassette locking shaft 190 190 'being able to take two distinct positions, namely, firstly, a first position called "safety position" corresponding to the engaged state of the circuit breaker, wherein each locking element 191; 191' cooperates with a supplementary part 334; 334 'of a lightning arrester cassette 330 so as to prohibit the removal and / or insertion 30 of said lightning arrester cassette 330, and, secondly, a second position called "access position" corresponding to the triggered state of the circuit breaker, in which each locking element 191; 191 'leaves said complementary portion 334; 334' of the lightning arrester cassette 330 free so as to allow the withdrawal and / or the insertion of said lightning arrester cassette 330.

Advantageously, there is provided an elastic return means 193; 193 'which tends to place the cassette lock shaft 190; 190' in the safety position. As shown in FIGS. 36 to 45, cassette locking shaft 190 190 'comprises as many locking members 191; 191' as there are lightning arrester cassettes 330 accommodated in said housing 320. Here, cassette locking shaft 190; 190 'comprises three locking elements 191; 191' each associated with a lightning arrester cassette 330. According to a first embodiment shown in FIGS. 36 to 41, the cassette locking shaft 190 has one end 192 which cooperates with a transmission element 180 which is pivotally connected to the first mechanical safety element 130 of the modular interface 100 and which is mounted for free rotation about an axis shaft A4 parallel to the axis X1 of rotation of said first mechanical safety element 130.

The cassette locking shaft 190 carries at least one stud 191 (it has as many studs as there are lightning arrester cassettes in the protective apparatus), here it has three studs 191, and it is intended to take two distinct angular positions, namely: a first position called "safety position" (see FIGS. 36 to 38) corresponding to the armed position of said first mechanical safety element 130 (see FIG. 38); and a second position called "access position" (see Figures 39 to 41) corresponding to the triggered position of said first mechanical safety element 130 (see Figure 41).

More particularly, as shown in FIGS. 18 and 22, the cassette lock shaft 190 is placed under the bottom wall 315 which defines the housing 320 for receiving the lightning arrester cassettes 330 of the front housing portion 312 of the modular block 310. This shaft 190 is pivotally mounted in notches with a rounded bottom of interior arrangements 319B (pivoting bearings) of a lower front housing portion 319. The shaft 190 is held in these bearings 319B by means of lugs 319B. holding 319A from this lower housing portion 319B. As best shown in FIG. 18, there is provided in said bottom wall 315 of the front housing part 312 of the modular block 310, at the bottom of each of the grooves 315A for mounting the lightning arrester cassettes 330, a window 315B located at the right each stud 191 carried by the cassette locking shaft 190. As shown in FIGS. 38 and 41, the transmission element 180 5 is in the form of a butterfly with a cylindrical central body which bears on its external face. two wings 181, 182 extending generally in opposite directions. The cylindrical central body is pierced axially and threaded onto the shaft A4 fixed to the housing of the modular block 310 (see FIG. 23). One of the wings 181 of the transmission element 180 is in permanent support against a wall 137 carried by the inner face of the plate 131 of the first mechanical safety element 130, internal face which also supports the landing 132 of the The other flange 182 of the transmission member 180 is in permanent abutment against said end 192 of the cassette lock shaft 190. This end 192 is in the form of a wafer extending transversely to the longitudinal axis of the shaft 190. In this way, when the first mechanical safety element 130 is pivoted about its shaft A1 by the circuit breaker levers 200 actuated by the lever 230, between the armed position and the position triggered, it drives with it the cassette lock shaft 190 which pivots between the safety position and the access position. Furthermore, the elastic return means, which tends to place the cassette locking shaft 190 in its safety position, is a wire spring 193 wound around the cassette locking shaft 190, one end of which is connected to said shaft and whose other end is locked against a fixed part (the lower housing part 319) of the modular block 310. In the safety position, each stud 191 of the cassette locking shaft 190 protrudes through the window 315B in the mounting groove 315A of the corresponding arrester cassette 330 (see FIG. 18). In this position, each stud 191 is in abutment against the inclined face 334A of a stud 334 carried by the lower face 331C of the housing 331 of each lightning cassette 330 engaged in each groove 315A of the modular block 310 (see FIGS. and 37). The pads 191 in the safety position thus prohibit the removal of the arrester cassettes 330 from the modular block 310 of the protection device 300.

In the access position, each pad 191 of the cassette lock shaft 190 is set back from the opening of said window 315B inside the housing of the modular block 310 so as to allow withdrawal and / or removal. One or more lightning arresters are plugged into the modular block 310 of the protection device 300 (see FIGS. 39 and 40). According to a second embodiment shown in FIGS. 42 to 45, the cassette locking shaft 190 'is in the form of a slider mounted movable in translation along a translation direction T in the modular block.

This strip is provided with at least one notch 191 '(here three notches 191') oriented in the direction of translation T of said strip so that, on the one hand, in said safety position each notch 191 'is engaged on a stud 334 'carried by the lower face 331C of the housing 331 of a lightning arrester cassette 330 to connect this lightning arrester cassette 330 to the cassette locking shaft 190' (see FIG. 42), and, secondly, in said access position each notch 191 'is remote from the stud 334' integral with the corresponding lightning arrester cassette 330 to release the lightning arrester cassette 330 from the cassette lock shaft 190 '(see FIG. 44). The strip 190 'comprises successively from the end located on the side of the circuit breaker 200, a first rectangular notch 191' and two L-shaped notches whose shorter length portions extend in the direction of translation T and constitute the said notches 191 'of engagement on the studs 334' of the arrester cassettes 330. According to this second embodiment, the elastic return means, which tends to place the cassette lock shaft 190 'in its safety position, is a coil spring 193 'interposed between an end portion 192'A of the cassette lock shaft 190' and a fixed portion of the modular block 310. The cassette lock shaft 190 'is also placed under the bottom wall 30 which delimits the receiving housing of the arrester cassettes 330 of the front part of the modular block housing and the studs 334 'which project from the lower faces 331C of the cassettes para Thunders 330 pass through the windows provided at the bottom of the mounting grooves of the arrester cassettes 330 to cooperate with said slots 191 'of the cassette lock shaft 190'.

In addition, according to this second embodiment, as shown more particularly in FIGS. 44 and 45, the first mechanical safety element 130 is adapted, when it moves from the armed position to the triggered position, to bear against an edge 192'B of an end 192 'of the cassette locking shaft 190' to push it into its access position against the biasing action of the coil spring 193 '. The cassette locking shaft 190; 190 'advantageously forces the user to open the electrical circuit to which the electrical assembly 1 is connected, by opening or tripping the circuit breaker 200, to intervene on one of the 10 lightning arrester cassettes 330 of the protection device 300. The protection device 300 then advantageously has a secure access for the user. In normal operation of the electrical assembly 1, the protection device 300 is connected to the electrical network by the circuit breaker 200 which is switched on (the electrical circuit of which is closed) and the first mechanical safety element 130 of the modular interface 100 is placed in an armed position (see Figures 38 and 43). According to the first embodiment, the wire spring 193 holds the cassette locking shaft 190 in its safety position in which the studs 191 which it bears are in abutment against the inclined faces 334A of the studs 334 of the lightning arrestor cassettes 330 of FIG. protection apparatus 300 so as to prevent the user from extracting one of said lightning arrester cassettes 330 from the modular block 310 (FIGS. 36 and 37). According to the second embodiment, the coil spring 193 'pushes the cassette lock shaft 190' into its safety position in which the notches 191 'are engaged on the studs 334' of the lightning arrester cassettes 330 of the protection device. in such a way as to prevent the user 25 from extracting one of said lightning arrester cassettes 330 from the modular block (FIGS. 42 and 43). When the user must replace one of the surge arresters 330 which is malfunctioning because its varistor 333 has aged and exceeded its thermal capacity (the latter having disconnected from the electrical circuit 30 via the device of thermal disconnection), it opens the electrical circuit of the circuit breaker 200 by lowering the handle 230 to operate the levers. This has the effect of tilting the plate 131 of the first mechanical safety element 130 around the shaft Al from its armed position to its tripped position. According to the first embodiment of the cassette locking shaft 3031233, this plate 131 drives in rotation, via the wall 137 which pushes the wing 181, the transmission element 180 whose wing 182 pushes the end 192 of the cassette lock shaft 190 for swinging said shaft 190 from its safety position to its access position against the action of the tensioning wire spring 193. During the tilting of the cassette locking shaft 190 the pads 190 slide against the inclined faces 334A of the pads 334 carried by the lower faces 331C of the lightning arrestor cassettes 330 to be inserted inside the housing of the modular block 310, below the lower wall 315 of the housing 320 in which the lightning arrestor cassettes 330 are inserted. In the access position, the studs 191 are erased under the studs 334 of the arrester cassettes 330 (FIGS. 39 and 40) and the user can retrieve the damaged arrester cassette 330 of the modular block of the protective device and put in a new one. According to the second embodiment of the cassette locking shaft, this plate 131 bears against the edge 192 'B of the end 192' of the cassette locking shaft 190 'to push it in translation in the direction T from its safety position to its access position against the action of the compressive coil spring 193 'which is compressed. During the translation of the cassette locking shaft 190 ', the notches 191' move in the translation direction T away from said pads 334 'of the cassettes 20 surge arresters 330. In the access position, as shown FIG. 44, the notches 191 'are disengaged from the studs 334' of the arrester cassettes 330 and the user can extract the damaged arrester cassette 330 from the modular block of the protective apparatus and insert a new one. When all the surge arresters 330 of the protective device 25 300 are in operating condition, the user can again close the electrical circuit of the circuit breaker 200 by raising the lever 230 which actuates the levers, which has the effect of rotating the plate 131 of the first mechanical safety element 130 from its triggered position to its armed position. According to the first embodiment of the cassette lock shaft, said platen 131 then releases the pressure on the transmission member 180 and the wire spring 193 expands by returning the cassette lock shaft 190 to its safety position. in which the studs 191 that it carries, emerge through said windows 315B above the bottom wall 315 of the housing 320 into which are inserted the lightning arrester cassettes 330, to be placed in abutment against the inclined faces 334A studs 334 of the arrester cassettes 330 (FIGS. 36 and 37). The cassette locking shaft 190 provided with its pads 191 thus blocks the lightning arrester cassettes 330 in the modular block 310 of the protection apparatus 300. According to the second embodiment of the cassette locking shaft, said platen 131 s erases the edge 192'B of the end 192 'of the cassette lock shaft 190' and thus releases its support thereon. The helical spring 193 'of compression relaxes by bringing the cassette locking shaft 190' back into its safety position in which the notches 191 'that it comprises are engaged on the studs 334' of the lightning arrestor cassettes 10 330 (FIG. 42). . The cassette locking shaft 190 'provided with its notches 191' thus blocks the lightning arrester cassettes 330 in the modular block of the protection device. According to the embodiment more particularly shown in FIGS. 46 to 58, as has already been said above, the pin 133 which establishes the connection between, on the one hand, the first mechanical safety element 130 of the modular interface 100 of the protection device 300, and, secondly, the opening and closing device 230 of the circuit breaker 200, is advantageously mounted in axial translation through said plate 131. It is able to be moved along an axis X perpendicular to the main lateral face 313 of the modular block 310 of the protection apparatus 300 which establishes the junction with the circuit breaker 200, between a retracted position in which said pin 133 is placed inside the modular block 310 recessed from said lateral main face 313 (see FIG. 46) and an extended position in which said pin 133 passes through the plate 131 (the pin 133 passes through a sleeve 131A carried by the pl 131 to be properly held thereon) and said opening 313A provided in said side main face 313 to extend outside of said modular block 310 projecting from said side main face 313 (see Fig. 51). In this way, advantageously, the pin 133 being positioned in the retracted position and the latches 341, open in the unlocked position, placing the hooks 340 in the rest position, the lateral main face 313 of the protection device 300, against which must The circuit breaker 200 is no longer supported by the circuit breaker 200, and the installation of the circuit breaker 200 against the protection device 300 can easily be achieved by a simple vertical translational movement along this lateral main face 313.

3031233 37 Once the circuit breaker 200 in its triggered state (handle 230 lowered) is placed against the protection device 300, simply push the strollers 341A inside the modular block 310 to hang the hooks 340 in the corresponding windows of the circuit breaker 200 to lock the docking device 200 to the protection apparatus 300 and to actuate said pin 133 to its extended position so that it emerges outside the modular block 300 through the opening 313A of said lateral main face 313 to engage, through the corresponding wall of the circuit breaker, internal circuit breaker elements connected to said opening and closing device 230 of the latter (in the lowered position) . The pin 133 is then placed in a lowered position in said opening 313A of said lateral main face 313 of the modular block 310 of the protection apparatus 300. Preferentially here, the lower latch 341 serving to lock the lashing of a modular device to the other forms a means of axial displacement 15 of said pin 133 between its retracted and extended positions. As shown in FIGS. 47, 48, 50, 51, 53 and 54, the modular block 310 of the protection device 300 houses a fixed support 351 of L-shaped profile with a right-angle return 351A oriented perpendicular to the main faces. lateral 313 of said block. This fixed support 351 is integral with the side wall 350 which closes one side of the front portion 312'A of the front wall 312A of the modular block 310. More specifically, this side wall 350 carries said fixed support 351 projecting on its internal face turned towards the mechanism of the modular interface 100. In contrast, the outer face of this side wall 350 laterally delimits said housing 320 for receiving the lightning arrester cassettes 330.

The pin 133 further comprises a base 133A which, in the retracted position of said pin 133 (see FIGS. 47 and 48), is placed against a face (the lower face) of the return 351A of said fixed support 351. This lower face of the return 351A of said fixed support 351 forms a guiding surface against which the base 133A of said pin 133 is adapted to slide during the axial displacement of said pin 133 between its retracted and extended positions. In addition, the modular block 310 houses a control portion 341C which has a groove 341 D extending in a direction parallel to said respective main side face 313 of the modular block 310. The base 133A of the pin 3031233 38 133 is provided with a mounting shank 133B mounted in the groove 341D of said control portion 314C. This mounting shank 133B here preferably has a T shape with, on the one hand, a foot extending from the base 133A of the pin 133 5 in a radial direction to pass through the groove 341D of the control portion 341C and, on the other hand, a head perpendicular to the foot which extends outside the groove 341 D therethrough to retain said mounting shank 133B in said groove 341 D (see FIGS. 25, 41 and 47). This control portion 341C is here attached to the zipper stroller 341A of the lower latch 341 laterally bearing said hook 340 (see Figs. 48, 51, 54). Preferably, said control portion 341C, said pull-stroller 341A and said hook 340 corresponding belong to a single piece integrally molded plastic.

Said control portion 341C is then advantageously operable from outside the modular block by means of said stroller 341A of the latch 341 to be displaced in translation in the oblique direction Z of translation of the pushchair 341A. As illustrated in FIGS. 46 to 48, in the retracted position (FIG. 48), the base 133A of the pin 133 is locked against the return 351A of the fixed support 351 in the direction parallel to the lateral main face 313 of the modular block 310 and the control portion 341C is placed in the down position since the stroller 341A to which it is attached is placed in the unlocked position emerging outside the modular block 310. The mounting shank 133B of the base 133A of the pin 133 is then positioned against the bottom of the groove 341D of the control portion 341C. For its part, the circuit breaker 200 is in its triggered state with its operating lever 230 and its levers lowered. Starting from this state, as illustrated in FIGS. 49 to 51, by pushing the pull-stroller 341A inside the modular block 310, the control portion 341C which translates into the oblique direction Z is displaced in translation in translation. translational movement of said pin 133 along the X axis perpendicular to said main side face 313 concerned, to its extended position (Figure 51).

The angle of inclination of the oblique direction Z with respect to the axis X is here of the order of 65.degree. The displacement along the X axis of the pin 133 is about 5 mm for a displacement of about 10 mm from the control portion 341C in the direction Y parallel to the main lateral face 313. The bottom of the groove 341D 5 s is then moved away from the mounting shank 133B of the pin 133 by a distance of about 10 mm. When the pin 133 is in the extended position (FIGS. 49, 50 and 51) and concomitantly placed in the lowered position in said opening 313A, it engages with the elements of the circuit breaker 230 connected to the opening and closing device. 230 lowered in the tripped position (FIG. 49). In this state, the plate 131 of the first mechanical safety element 130 is lowered into the tripped position. As shown in FIGS. 52 to 54, by raising the operating lever 230 to engage the circuit breaker 200, the pin 133 is caused to move in the aperture 313A along a large arc towards its raised position along the groove 341D of the control portion 341C and the tilting of the plate 131 from its triggered position (Figs. 46,49) to its armed position. Advantageously, as illustrated in FIGS. 55 to 57, the bottom 341 E of the groove 341D of said control portion 341C forms a driving surface which, upon opening of said lock 341 causing the displacement of said portion of 341C control in said oblique direction Z (Figure 56), is adapted to press said pin 133 in the extended position to force it, from its raised position in said opening 313A, to move slightly towards its lowered position against the front wafer 351 B of said fixed support 351, in a generally circular arc direction transverse to its direction of axial displacement (along the X axis) so that said pin 133 causes the lowering of said opening and closing device 230 of said circuit breaker 200 to the tripped state of circuit breaker 200.

Thus, advantageously, thanks to the invention, the electrical safety is enhanced since the unlocking of the securing of the circuit breaker 200 to the protection device 300 automatically causes, via the pin 133, the tripping of the circuit breaker 200. FIGS. 58 to 63 show an alternative embodiment of the modular protection device 300 which resembles the embodiment described above, except that the pin 133 which establishes the connection between the opening device and closing 230 of the circuit breaker 200 and the first mechanical safety element 130 is fixed relative to the plate 131.

The pin 133 may be integrally formed with said platen 131 or may be fixedly attached thereto. As shown in particular in Figure 59, the plate 131 carries a front portion of the pin 133 on its side facing the main lateral face 313 of the modular block assembly 310, and on the other opposite side, it bears a part rear of the pin 133 provided at its free end of the base 133A supporting the mounting tail 133B. Since the pin 133 is fixed with respect to the plate 131 of the first mechanical safety element 130 of the modular interface 100, it is permanently positioned in projection of the lateral main face 313 of the modular block 310, through the opening 313A while being able to be moved in said opening 313A between its lowered and raised positions. Thus, here, to join the circuit breaker to this lateral main face 313 of the modular block, it is necessary to approach the circuit breaker slightly at an angle to engage the pin 133 in the corresponding light of its housing and then to straighten the circuit breaker 20 for the electrically connecting to the electrical conductors emerging from the cassette 400. As in the previous embodiment, the mounting shank 133B of the pin 133 is mounted in a right groove 341D of the control portion 341C connected to the stroller-pull 341A of the lock 341 The 341A zipper stroller 341A moves and operates like the pull-stroller of the previously described embodiment, except that it carries a hook 340 for securing the securing of the circuit breaker 200 to the modular block 310 of the protection device 300. here it carries a straight rib 341 B which cooperates with a straight groove (not visible in the figures) provided in the front wall of the block Modular. Thus, this pull-stroller 341A moves parallel to the lateral main face 313 of the modular block 310 between its unlocked and locked positions (its operation has already been described above in the text). The fixed support 351 which appears in FIGS. 59, 61 and 63 is here inactive since the pin 133 is fixed with respect to the plate 131. The base 133A of the pin 133 3031233 41 still remains out of reach of said fixed support 351. According to this embodiment, advantageously, as illustrated in FIGS. 58 to 63, the bottom 341E of the groove 341 D of said control portion 341C forms a driving surface which, upon opening of said lock 341 causing the displacement of said control portion 341C in the vertical direction along the main lateral face 313 (Figure 63), is adapted to press the mounting tail 133B connected to the plate 131 to force the pin 133 placed in the raised position (also linked to platen 131) to move in opening 313A to its lowered position to cause said opening and closing device 230 of said circuit breaker 200 to be de-energized to the tripped state of circuit breaker 200. Thus, advantageously, here too, the electrical safety is enhanced since the unlocking of the securing of the circuit breaker 200 to the protection device 300 automatically causes, via the pin 133, the tripping of the circuit breaker 200. In FIGS. 59, there is shown the circuit breaker 200 in its triggered state with its opening and closing device 230 lowered, connected to the pin 133 in the lowered position emerging from the main side face 313 of the modular block 310 of the protection device 300. In this state, the tie-down of the circuit breaker 200 is locked to the modular block 310 by pushing on the push-pulls 341A of the latches 341 to hook the hooks 340 into the corresponding windows of the circuit-breaker box. The lower latch 341A of the lower latch 341 which sinks inside the modular block 310 vertically moves up the groove 341D of the control portion 341C relative to the base 133A of the pin 133 carried by the platen. 131. The bottom of the groove 341D then moved away from the mounting shank 133B by a distance of about 10 mm. As shown in FIGS. 60 and 61, when, subsequently, the circuit breaker 200 is engaged, by raising the handle 230, the pin 133 is moved in a large arc in the opening 313A towards its raised position and, by the same, the mounting shank 133B is slid into the groove 341D until it comes against the bottom 341E of the groove 341D. This movement of the pin 133 from its lowered position to its raised position causes the plate 131 to tilt from its triggered position towards its armed position (see FIG. 60). If subsequently, the installer or the user unlocks the lower latch 341, as shown in FIGS. 62 and 63, he pulls on the control portion 341C which then presses by its drive surface 341E on the tail of the latch 341C. 133B assembly linked to the plate 131 to slightly move the pin 133 in the opening 313A from its raised position to its lowered position so that it causes the lowering of the joystick 230 and the activation of the circuit breaker 200. L The installer or the user can then safely intervene on the protection device 300 and / or on the circuit breaker 200 which are isolated from the circuit of the electrical installer. The present invention is not limited to the embodiments described and shown, but the skilled person will be able to make any variant consistent with his mind.

According to another embodiment, not shown, of the modular apparatus according to the invention, the pin intended to establish the junction between at least one state transfer element of the modular apparatus and the opening and closing device of the circuit breaker, is fixedly secured to a plate mounted to slide axially and rotatably on a mounting axis (parallel to said pin, that is to say perpendicular to the lateral main face considered of the housing of the modular device) integral a fixed part of the housing of the modular device. An edge of this plate, located for example near the mounting axis, is sandwiched between the two teeth of the head of a fork whose handle carries a pin mounted to slide in a groove of a stroller-zipper. a latch 25 for actuating a lashing hook of the modular device at the circuit breaker. Here the stroller-zipper in question includes a groove with an oblique portion cooperating with an oblique rib provided in correspondence on the inner face of a front wall of the housing of the modular device. At its base, the head of the fork is slidably mounted on an axis integral with said fixed part 30 of the housing of the modular apparatus, this axis extending parallel to said mounting axis of said plate and said pin carried by said plate . Finally, at least one positioning rib secured to a fixed part of the housing of the modular apparatus for positioning the pin, in the lowered position, in the bean-shaped opening of the corresponding lateral main face 3031233 43 of the modular device. In the retracted position of the pin, when the plate is moved back into the housing of the modular apparatus, an edge of this plate is blocked against a slice of the said positioning ribs or said housing. The latch is then in the unlocked position with its pull-stroller that emerges outside the housing of the modular apparatus. The nipple of the handle of the fork is wedged at the bottom of a high end of the groove of the stroller-zipper in the extended position. When a user pushes on the stroller, he pushes it into the housing of the modular apparatus by translating it in the oblique direction of the groove. This has the first effect out of the housing of the modular device, the hook attached to the stroller-zipper so that it clings into a corresponding opening of a side main side of the circuit breaker.

This has the second effect of translational movement of the fork along its axis, perpendicularly to the lateral main face of the housing of the modular device, towards this joining face. In doing so the nipple of the handle of the fork slides in the groove of the stroller-zipper. In its displacement in translation, the fork translates the plate carrying the pin, in translation, along its mounting axis so as to release the pin outside the housing of the modular device through the corresponding opening of the side main face of this housing. It should be noted that the plate driven by the fork can not pivot about its mounting axis since one of its edges is blocked against the edge of the fixed rib or ribs of said housing. At the end of the stroke of the fork, the pin is placed in the extended position and in the lowered position in the opening of the corresponding lateral main face of the housing of the modular apparatus and the plate is advanced so that it is disengaged its cooperation with said ribs of the housing 30 so as to be pivotable about its mounting axis. In this extended and lowered position the pin engages, through an opening of the circuit breaker box, with the opening and closing device of said circuit breaker in the tripped position. The installer can then raise the control handle of this device 3031233 44 opening and closing to engage the circuit breaker, the connecting pin of the modular device navigating in its opening to be placed in the raised position by causing the pivoting of said plate around its mounting axis.

In the opposite direction, to dismantle the modular device, it suffices for the user to trigger the circuit breaker by lowering the control lever of its opening and closing device, which has the consequence of lowering said connecting pin of the modular device in its opening by causing the pivoting in the opposite direction of said plate around its mounting axis.

Then the user unlocks the lock by pulling the stroller-zipper with the tip of a tool that engages in a light provided for this purpose in said stroller-zipper. It then translates said stroller-zipper in the oblique direction of its groove so as to unhook from the circuit breaker the hook attached to the pull-stroller and to move said fork back along its axis and, thereby, to back the plate to inside the housing of the modular apparatus for placing said connecting pin in the retracted position. In this state, the user can safely dismount the modular device.

Claims (11)

REVENDICATIONS1. A modular apparatus (100, 300) comprising a housing (310) having a lateral main face (313) for attachment to another modular apparatus (200), the housing housing state transfer elements, a pin (133) ) connected to one of these state transfer elements, which passes through an opening (313A) of said lateral main face (313) to exit outside the housing (310), said pin being adapted to be moved into said opening (313A) between a lowered position and a raised position, and a lock for locking the securing of a modular device to another, characterized in that there is provided inside the housing (310) a portion control unit (341C) operable in translation by the latch (341) and having a driving surface (341E) which, upon opening of said latch, is adapted to act directly or indirectly on said pin (133) placed in position raised to force it to move in said worm opening (313A) s its lowered position. The modular apparatus (100, 300) of claim 1, wherein the latch (341) is arranged to move said control portion (341C) in a direction parallel to said side main face (313) of said housing (310). ). Modular apparatus (100, 300) according to one of claims 1 and 2, wherein said control portion (341C) has a groove (341D) extending in a direction parallel to said lateral main face (313). whereby said pin (133) protrudes outside the housing (310), and wherein said pin (133) is bonded to a base (133A) provided with a mounting tail (133B) mounted in the groove (341D) ) of said control portion (314C), the bottom (341E) of said groove (341 D) forming said driving surface. 4. Modular device (100, 300) according to one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the latch (341) comprises a stroller-pull (341A) mounted to translation inside said housing (310) through an opening (312'B) provided in a front portion (312) of said housing (310), and adapted to be moved from outside said housing (310) between an unlocked position in which a portion of said stroller-pull (341A ) emerges outside the housing (310) and a locked position wherein said stroller (341A) is fully engaged within the housing (310). 3031233 46 5. Modular device (100, 300) according to the preceding claim, wherein the pull stroller (341A) is mounted in translation in a direction perpendicular to the axis (X) output of said pin (133). 6. A modular apparatus (100, 300) according to one of claims 4 and 5, wherein the stroller-zipper (341A) carries a rib (341B) extending in the direction of translation, slidably engaged in a groove oblique provided in an inner face of the front wall (312A) of the housing (310). 7. Modular device (100, 300) according to one of claims 1 to 6, wherein there is provided at least one hook (340) operable by said latch 10 (341), said latch (341) being adapted to move said hook (340) between two positions, namely a rest position in which it is placed inside the housing (310) and a latching position in which it emerges from the housing (310) projecting from one of the main side faces (313) of the housing (310). The modular apparatus (100, 300) according to claims 1, 4 and 7, wherein said control portion (341C), said pull-stroller (341A) and said hook (340) belong to a single integrally molded piece. plastic material. Modular device (100, 300) according to one of the preceding claims, which constitutes a modular interface (100) for the mechanical and electrical connection in series of a circuit breaker (200) and a protection device. (300) against temporary overvoltages, in particular of atmospheric origin, which interface comprises: - an electrical switch (110) connected to a connector (120) capable of transmitting a signal representative of the operating state of the circuit breaker (200) 25 and / or the protection device (300), and - a first mechanical safety element (130) intended to be connected to the opening and closing device (230) of the circuit breaker (200), movable between a position corresponding to the engaged state of the opening and closing device (230) of the circuit breaker (200) and a tripped position corresponding to the tripped state of the opening and closing device (230) of the circuit breaker (200) , the first mechanical safety element (130) being adapted in this triggered position to actuate the electric switch (110) to transmit a signal representative of the tripped state of the circuit breaker (200), wherein the first mechanical safety element ( 130) comprises a platen (131) fixedly supporting said pin (133). 10. Protective device (300) against temporary surges, comprising a modular block (310) provided with a receiving housing (320) accommodating at least one pluggable (330) plug-in / withdrawable cassette 5 containing a surge limiting device (333) and a fuse link (335) which establishes the electrical connection of the surge arrester (333) to an electrical terminal of the modular block, wherein the modular block comprises a housing (311, 312) which houses a modular interface (100). ) according to claim 9, each actuator (160) associated with a lightning arrester cassette (330) being, on the one hand, connected to said housing (311) by an elastic return means (170) which tends to position said actuator (160) ) in a release position where it places a lever (145,146) in a release position corresponding to the triggered position of the arm (141) of a second mechanical safety element (140), and, alternatively, rt, held by an element (600) of the lightning arrester cassette (330) connected to the fuse link (335), in a connection position in which said elastic return means (170) is under stress. 11. Electrical assembly (1) self-protected against transient overvoltages comprising a protection device (300) against temporary overvoltages, in particular of atmospheric origin, and a circuit breaker (200) 20 mechanically and electrically connected with each other. other by a modular interface (100) according to claim 9, the housing comprises a lateral main face (313) junction with the circuit breaker (200) traversed by said pin (133) which links said first mechanical safety element (130) at the opening and closing device (230) of said circuit breaker (200), the lowered position of said pin (133) corresponding to the tripped state of the circuit breaker (200) while the raised position of said pin (133) corresponds to the switched state of the circuit breaker (200).