FR3072510A1 - ASSEMBLY COMPRISING A MODULAR ELECTRICAL APPARATUS AND A MODULAR AUXILIARY FIT TO BE ASSOCIATED WITH THIS APPARATUS ON A MOUNTING RAIL - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to an assembly comprising a modular electrical apparatus and a modular auxiliary adapted to be associated with said apparatus on a mounting rail, said electrical apparatus being housed in a substantially shaped box. parallel piped and having on one of its faces, a set of terminals said upstream, and on a face opposite to the previous relative to the rail, a set of terminals said downstream. This assembly is characterized in that the aforesaid housing said first (3) comprises a recess (i) able to receive the aforementioned auxiliary module (2) or a piece forming a hubcap having substantially the same footprint as the aforementioned auxiliary (2), and in that one (5) of the sets of terminals, said first, comprises terminals having a pitch corresponding to that a standard comb and extends over substantially the entire width of the device (1), while the other (6) of the two sets of terminals (5,6), said second, has terminals A step reduced with respect to the above and extends over only a part of the width of the electrical apparatus (1), so that the association of this auxiliary module ( 2) to the aforementioned electrical device (1), does not increase the size of the device with which it is associated, and allows the electrical connection of the terminals of said pr first set (5) of terminals to a standard comb.

Description

TECHNICAL AREA

The present invention relates to an assembly comprising a modular electrical device and a modular auxiliary adapted to be associated with said device on a mounting rail, said electrical device being housed in a housing of substantially parallelepiped shape and comprising on one of its faces, a set of so-called upstream terminals, and on a face opposite the previous one with respect to the rail, a set of so-called downstream terminals.

STATE OF THE PRIOR ART

Modular contactors are known, having a width of 54 mm, which can be fitted on their right with an auxiliary module for signaling the open or closed state of the device, called auxiliary OF, with a width of 9 mm, all with a length of 63mm.

In this type of assembly, the starting devices are electrically connectable to the contactor either directly by cables, or by cables connected to a connection comb, which comb is electrically connected to said starting devices.

It is therefore not possible to connect these starting devices directly to the contactor using a standard comb.

STATEMENT OF THE INVENTION

The present invention solves these problems and proposes an assembly comprising a modular electrical device and an auxiliary module intended to be associated with said device, this association not increasing the size of the device and allowing the connection of the starting devices to the downstream of the electrical appliance via a standard connection comb.

To this end, the subject of the present invention is an assembly of the aforementioned kind, this assembly being characterized in that the aforementioned housing said first comprises a recess capable of receiving the aforementioned auxiliary module, and in that one of the sets of terminals, said first, comprises terminals having a pitch corresponding to that of a standard comb and extends over substantially the entire width of the device, while the other of the two sets of terminals, said second, comprises terminals having a reduced pitch compared to the previous one and extends over only part of the length of the electrical appliance, so that the association of this auxiliary module with the aforementioned electrical appliance does not increase the size of the device with which it is associated, and allows the electrical connection of the terminals of said first set of terminals to a standard comb.

According to a particular characteristic, the aforementioned recess is capable of receiving, in place of the aforementioned auxiliary, a part forming a hubcap having substantially the same size as the above-mentioned auxiliary, when this auxiliary is not intended to be used.

According to a particular characteristic, the so-called first housing comprises a connection part housing the set of terminals known as the first, this connection part extending parallel to the rail beyond the lateral face of the so-called first housing, said face being intended to be attached to the auxiliary module.

According to another characteristic, this auxiliary module is housed in a so-called second housing of substantially parallelepipedal shape intended to be mounted on the aforementioned rail, this so-called second housing having a lateral face capable of being attached to the lateral face of the said aforementioned first housing, a so-called upper face capable of being brought against a so-called inner face belonging to the aforementioned connection part, and a so-called lower face comprising electrical connection terminals.

According to another characteristic, the aforementioned auxiliary module or hubcap is associated to the right of the aforementioned electrical appliance.

According to a particular characteristic, this electrical device is an electrical contactor.

According to a particular characteristic, the auxiliary module is an auxiliary for signaling the open or closed position of the electrical appliance.

According to another characteristic, this auxiliary module is actuated by means for transmitting the movement of a contact-carrying shaft belonging to the electrical appliance.

According to another characteristic, the electrical appliance is of the three-pole or tetra-polar type.

According to another characteristic, the connection terminals of the so-called first assembly are the downstream terminals of the device.

According to another characteristic, the aforementioned standard comb is of the tripolar or tetra polar type, with the interposition of a neutral tooth between two successive phase teeth.

The present invention also relates to an assembly comprising the above-mentioned characteristics taken alone or in combination, the electrical appliance being a contactor.

The present invention also relates to an electrical panel comprising at least one assembly comprising the previously mentioned characteristics taken alone or in combination.

The present invention also relates to an auxiliary signaling module in an assembly comprising the aforementioned characteristics taken alone or in combination, this module being characterized in that it is housed in a housing of substantially parallelepipedal shape called second, said housing containing two electrical circuits each comprising a switch, each electrical circuit being electrically connected by one of its ends, to an electrical supply terminal, and by its opposite end, to a terminal for connection to a signaling means, these two means signaling being intended to signal for one, an open state of the device, and for the other, a closed state of the device, the two aforementioned switches being controlled by a means of transmitting the movement of the shaft drive the contacts of the electrical appliance, so that this means of transm ission is movable between a first position in which the first electrical switch is closed and the second open, and a second position in which the first switch is open and the second closed.

The present invention also relates to a modular electrical device housed in a housing of substantially parallelepiped shape and comprising on one of its faces, a set of so-called upstream terminals, and on a face opposite to the previous one with respect to the rail, a set of so-called downstream terminals, this device being characterized in that the aforementioned housing includes a recess capable of receiving an auxiliary module or else a part forming a cover having substantially the same size as the aforementioned auxiliary module, and in that one sets of terminals, said first, comprises terminals having a pitch corresponding to that of a standard comb and extends over substantially the entire length of the device, while the other of the two sets of terminals, said second, includes terminals having a reduced pitch compared to the previous one and extends over only part of the length of the electrical appliance, from so that this auxiliary module, after association with the aforementioned electrical device, does not increase the size of the device with which it is associated, and allows the electrical connection of the terminals of said first set of terminals to a standard comb.

According to a particular characteristic, this device is a contactor.

According to another particular characteristic, this device has a width of approximately 63 mm.

However, other advantages and characteristics of the invention will appear better in the detailed description which follows and refers to the appended drawings given solely by way of example and in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view illustrating an assembly according to a particular embodiment of the invention comprising a contactor associated with an auxiliary module for signaling the open or closed state of the contactor,

FIG. 1a is a view similar to FIG. 1, illustrating the contactor and the auxiliary module separately,

FIG. 2 is a view similar to the previous figure, illustrating an assembly according to a second embodiment of the invention, in which the signaling auxiliary is replaced by an element forming a trim,

FIG. 3 is a perspective view illustrating an assembly according to the first embodiment of the invention mounted alongside a number of starting devices on a mounting rail, the devices being electrically connected by means of a comb standard,

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of an auxiliary module alone,

FIG. 5 is a plan view, illustrating the interior part of such an auxiliary module.

In FIG. 1, an assembly E is seen comprising, in a manner known per se, a contactor 1 of the tetra polar type associated with an auxiliary signaling module 2, the whole being intended to be mounted on a mounting rail.

This contactor 1 and this auxiliary module 2 are each mounted in a housing 3,4, all of the two housings joined during the association having a substantially parallelepiped shape.

This contactor 1 comprises on one side of the mounting rail, a set 5 of so-called first connection terminals, intended to allow the electrical connection of the contactor 1 to starting devices D intended to be mounted to the right of the contactor, and of the on the other side of the rail, a set 6 of so-called second connection terminals, intended to be electrically connected to electrical supply cables, this contactor therefore being of the type supplied from below.

According to the invention, the terminals of the set of terminals 5 called first, have a pitch allowing them to be connected to a connection comb P said standard of the tetra polar type, while the terminals of the set 6 of so-called second connection, have a pitch specific to that of the contactors, that is to say not allowing to be connected to a connection comb P of standard type.

Thus, this connection part R comprising the set 5 of connection terminals called first, comprises a first neutral terminal 7 intended to receive a first neutral tooth of the comb P, then three phase terminals 8, 9, 10 intended for receive respectively three phase p teeth of the comb P, with between two successive phase terminals, a recess e intended to receive a neutral tooth n of the comb P, said comb comprising in a manner known per se a set of consecutive phase p teeth with the interposition of a neutral tooth n between two successive phase p teeth.

In order to allow this connection to a standard comb P, the so-called first connection part R, comprising the set of so-called first terminals 5, has a width greater than the width of the so-called second connection part S housing the terminals of the set 6 of so-called second terminals, so that this first connection part R extends beyond the connection face a of the housing 3 of the contactor 1 intended to be attached to the auxiliary module 2. Thus, the housing 3 of the contactor 1, said first, has a recess i of substantially parallelepipedal shape intended to receive the said second housing 4 of corresponding shape belonging to the auxiliary module 2, this second said housing bearing on the housing 3 of the contactor 1 by means of on the one hand, from a lateral face b able to be brought into contact with the lateral face a situated on the same side belonging to the contactor 1, and on the other hand, from a face said upper c capable of being brought into contact with an internal face d situated opposite the rail U, belonging to the first connection part R of the contactor.

Thus, it can be seen that the auxiliary module 2 only has connection terminals on one side of the mounting rail U.

Advantageously, the assembly thus formed has a width of 63 mm, the lower part of this assembly corresponding to that of an assembly according to the prior art, only the upper part of this assembly being different so as to allow the electrical connection of the downstream terminals of device 1 to a standard comb P.

In this particular embodiment of the invention, the auxiliary module 2 is a module for signaling the open or closed state of the modular electrical appliance 1 which is an electrical contactor.

According to another embodiment of the invention illustrated in FIG. 2, this assembly E according to the invention comprises, in place of the auxiliary signaling module 2, a part forming a trim 14, intended to replace this auxiliary modular 2 when none auxiliary modular is not intended to be used. This part is constituted by a housing 15 having substantially the same shape as that of the aforementioned auxiliary module 2, and is able to be placed in the aforementioned recess i in such a way that the size of the contactor 1 is not increased, like this is already the case when an auxiliary module is associated with the contactor.

In FIG. 3, an assembly is seen comprising, mounted on the same mounting rail U, a contactor 1 with which has been associated on the right, an auxiliary signaling module 2, this assembly being intended to be supplied from below at means of cables, and being intended to be electrically connected downstream to a certain number of starting devices D such as circuit breakers or others, by means of a standard three-pole and neutral connection comb P.

In FIGS. 4 and 5, it can be seen that the auxiliary signaling module 2 is housed in a housing 4 having a face f comprising a recess g allowing the housing to be mounted on the rail U, the auxiliary module 2 being intended to be fixed on the housing 3 of the contactor 1. This housing 4 comprises a connection part T comprising three terminals 11, 12, 13 situated on one side of the aforementioned recess g, these terminals being presented in a tiered manner, so as to facilitate the connection.

These three terminals, respectively first, second and third, are intended to be electrically connected respectively to a means of signaling the open state of the modular electrical appliance, to a means of electrical supply, and to a means of signaling the closed state of the modular device, these different means not being shown in these figures.

This so-called second box 4 contains two electrical circuits 16,17 each comprising a switch 18,19, the first 16 of these circuits being connected at one of its ends, to the terminal called first 11 and at its other end, to the so-called second terminal 12, while the second circuit 17 is connected by one of its ends to the so-called third terminal 13 and by its other end to the so-called second terminal 12,

This so-called second box 4 also contains a means of transmission 20 of the movement of the contact-carrying shaft of the contactor 1 to the auxiliary module 2, this transmission means comprising a support 21 mounted to slide relative to the so-called second box 4 and capable of actuating the two switches 18, 19 so that when the contacts of the contactor are closed, the switch 19 of the second circuit 17 is closed while the switch 18 of the first circuit 16 is open, and that when the contacts of the contactor are open, the switch 18 of the first circuit 16 is open while that 19 of the second circuit 17 is closed. This support 21 is advantageously formed by two flanges 22,23 secured to one another by means of crosspieces 24 distributed over the length of the flanges, said crosspieces 24 being able to cooperate with the switches 18,19, this support 21 being mechanically connected to the aforementioned shaft.

Thus, thanks to the invention, an auxiliary module 2 can be associated to the right of a modular contactor 1 so as to signal the open or closed position of the contactor 1. This auxiliary module after association, does not increase the size of the contactor 1 with which it is associated and allows the connection of the starting devices D by a comb P downstream of the contactor 1.

This signaling auxiliary 2 for the state of the contacts can advantageously be combined to the right of the contactors 1, after having removed the cover.

14. These contactors are advantageously of the three-pole or tetra-polar type. However, it could be envisaged to apply the invention to a contactor comprising two poles and two terminals, the comb being in this case of the phase and neutral type.

The invention advantageously applies to any equipment, such as an electrical panel, incorporating modular group head contactors.

This new contactor retains the possibility of being connected by cables upstream and downstream.

This device does not modify the operating principle of current contactors. The means of measurement, control, verification and validation will be the same as those of the current contactor.

Of course, the invention is not limited to the embodiments described and illustrated which have been given only by way of example.

On the contrary, the invention includes all the technical equivalents of the means described as well as their combinations if these are carried out according to the spirit.

Claims (13)

5 1. Assembly comprising a modular electrical appliance and an auxiliary module able to be associated with said appliance on a mounting rail, said electrical appliance being housed in a housing of substantially parallelepiped shape and comprising on one of its faces, a set of so-called upstream terminals, and on a face opposite to the previous one with respect to the rail, a set of so-called downstream terminals, characterized in that the aforementioned housing said first (3), comprises a recess (i) capable of receiving the auxiliary module aforementioned (2) and in that one (5) of the sets of terminals, called first, comprises terminals having a pitch corresponding to that of a standard comb P and extends 15 over substantially the entire width of the device (1), while the other (6) of the two sets of terminals (5,6), said second, comprises terminals having a reduced pitch compared to the previous one and extends over only part of the length of the device electric (1), so that the association of this auxiliary module (2) with the aforementioned electrical device (1), 20 does not increase the size of the device with which it is associated, and allows the electrical connection terminals of said first set (5) of terminals to a standard comb P. . 2. Assembly according to claim 1, characterized in that the aforementioned recess (i) is capable of receiving, in place of the aforementioned auxiliary module (2), a part forming an embellishment (14) having substantially the same size as the Above-mentioned auxiliary module (2), when this auxiliary module (2) is not intended to be used. 30 3. An assembly according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the so-called first housing (3) comprises a connection part R. housing the set (5) of terminals said first, this connection part R extending parallel to the rail U, beyond the lateral face (a) of the so-called first housing 3, said face being intended to be attached to the auxiliary module (2). 5 4. An assembly according to claim 3, characterized in that this auxiliary module (2) is housed in a so-called second housing (4) of substantially parallelepiped shape intended to be mounted on the aforementioned rail U, this so-called second housing (4) comprising a lateral face (b) capable of being attached to the lateral face (a) of the aforesaid first case (3), a so-called upper face (c) 10 capable of being brought against a so-called inner face (d) belonging to the aforementioned connection part R, and a so-called lower face (f) comprising electrical connection terminals (11,12,13). 5. Assembly according to any one of the preceding claims, 15 characterized in that the auxiliary module (2) or the aforementioned trim (14), is associated to the right of the aforementioned electrical appliance (1). 6. Assembly according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the auxiliary module (2) is an auxiliary of 20 signaling of the open or closed position of the electrical appliance (1). 7. An assembly according to claim 6, characterized in that this auxiliary module (2) is actuated by means of transmission (20) of the movement of a contact carrier shaft belonging to the electrical appliance 25 (1). 8. Assembly according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the electrical device (1) is of the three-pole or tetra-polar type. 9. Assembly according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the connection terminals of the so-called first assembly (5) are your terminals downstream of the device (1). 10. An assembly according to any one of claims 1 to 9, characterized in that the aforementioned standard comb P is of the tripolar or tetra polar type, with the interposition of a neutral tooth n between two teeth 5 successive p phases. 11. Assembly according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that this electrical device (1) is an electrical contactor. 12. Electrical panel comprising at least one assembly according to claim 11. 13. Auxiliary signaling module in a set according to one 15 according to any one of claims 1 to 11, characterized in that it is housed in a housing (4) of substantially parallelepiped shape, known as the second, said housing containing two electrical circuits (16,17) each comprising a switch (18,19), each electrical circuit (16,17) being electrically connected by one of its ends, to a supply terminal 20 electric (12), and by its opposite end, to a connection terminal (11,13) to a signaling means, these two signaling means being intended to signal for fun, an open state of the device, and for the other, a closed state of the device, the two aforementioned switches (18,19) being controlled by a transmission means (20) of the 25 movement of the drive shaft of the contacts of the electrical appliance (1), so that. this transmission means (20) is movable between a first position in which the first electrical switch (18) is closed and the second (19) open, and a second position in which the first switch (18) is open and the second ( 19) closed. 14. Modular electrical appliance housed in a housing (3) of substantially parallelepiped shape and comprising on one of its faces, a set (6) of so-called upstream terminals, and on a face opposite the previous one with respect to the rail U, a set so-called downstream terminals (5), characterized in that the aforementioned housing (3) comprises a recess (i) capable of receiving an auxiliary module (2) or else a part forming a cover 5 (14) having substantially the same dimensions as the aforementioned auxiliary module (2), and in that one (5) of the terminal assemblies, said first, comprises terminals having a pitch corresponding to that of a standard comb P and extends over substantially the entire length of the device, while the other (6) of the two sets of terminals, called the second, 10 comprises terminals having a reduced pitch compared to the previous one and extends over only part of the width of the electrical appliance (1), so that this auxiliary module (2), after association with the aforementioned electrical appliance (1), does not increase the size of the device with which it is associated, and allows the electrical connection of the terminals of said first set (5) of terminals to a standard comb P. 15. Electrical device according to claim 14, characterized in that it is a contactor (1). 16. An electrical appliance according to claim 15, characterized in that it has a width of approximately 63mm.