FR3093869A1 - Electrical device to power or not a load depending on the on or blocked state of a control device - Google Patents

Abstract

This electrical device is to be connected by cables to an alternating current source for a domestic or tertiary electrical installation, to a load and to a control member, to let or not the said alternating current source supply the said load according to states. passing and blocked taken by the control unit. This device comprises a voltage converter (553, 552) connected at the output to a control member (544) to supply it with a safety voltage, said control member (544) being configured to apply said safety voltage between a first terminal control (522) and a second control terminal (520) when they are electrically isolated from one another externally to said apparatus and not to apply said safety voltage between said first control terminal (522) and said second control terminal (520) when they are put to the same potential externally to said apparatus. (Figure 10)

Description

Electrical device for supplying or not supplying a load depending on the on or off state of a control device

Technical field of the invention

The invention relates to an electrical device to be connected by cables to a source of alternating current, to a load and to a control device, to leave, or not, said current source to supply said load according to on or off states. taken by the controller.

State of the art

It is known from the state of the art of contactors as shown in Figures 1 to 4 of the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a known contactor, taken to the right and in front of this contactor;

Figure 2 is a very schematic representation of the internal electrical circuit of the known contactor;

FIG. 3 is a front view of the known contactor juxtaposed with a small amperage circuit breaker, here 2 A, itself juxtaposed with a fairly high amperage circuit breaker, here 20 A, on a support rail; and

Figure 4 is a schematic representation of the devices shown in Figure 3 and cables connecting them together and to a control member and a load.

The contactor 100 shown in Figure 1 is in modular format, that is to say it has a generally parallelepiped shape with two main faces, respectively a left face 101 and a right face 102, and side faces extending from one to the other of the main faces 101 and 102, namely a rear face 103, an upper face 104, a front face 105 and a lower face 106, the rear face 103 having a notch 107 for mounting the contactor 100 on a support rail such as 112 standardized profile in Ω, particularly visible in Figure 3, a protective envelope such as a cabinet, a box or an electrical box. In accordance with the modular format, the width of the contactor 100, which corresponds to the distance between the left face 101 and the right face 102, is a multiple of a standardized value, known as the " module ", which is 18mm order. Contactor 100 is one module wide.

The front face 105 has, in the central position, a nose 108 having a key 109, which can selectively assume one of three positions, respectively an automatic operating position, a forced operating position and a stop position.

In the automatic operating position, the contactor 100 enables or disables the supply of a load depending respectively on whether a control member is on or blocked. In the forced operating position, contactor 100 permanently supplies the load. In the off position, contactor 100 permanently prevents the load from being supplied.

The upper face 104 of the contactor 100 has two insertion orifices 110 and 111 respectively giving access to a connection terminal 113 and to a connection terminal 114 (FIG. 2). The insertion hole 110 and the connection terminal 113 are located on the left. The insertion hole 111 and the connection terminal 114 are located on the right.

The lower face 106 has four insertion holes 115, 116, 117 and 118, respectively giving access to a connection terminal 119, a connection terminal 120, a connection terminal 121 and a connection terminal 122 (FIG. 2) . Entry port 115, entry port 116, connection terminal 119 and connection terminal 120 are located on the left. Entry port 117, entry port 118, connection terminal 121 and connection terminal 122 are located on the right.

Each of the connection terminals 113, 114, 119, 120, 121 and 122 is provided to receive a stripped end section of an electric cable.

The connection terminals 113 and 114 located at the top are designed to be connected to two poles of an electricity distribution network, here respectively the neutral and the phase, via a circuit breaker such as 300 (figures 3 and 4) protection of the load which the contactor 100 must or must not supply.

Connection terminals 119 and 121 are provided to be connected to this load.

The connection terminal 122 is intended to be connected to a first side of a control member such as 123 (FIG. 4). The second side of the control device is designed to be connected to one of the starting terminals, here the phase terminal, of a protective circuit breaker such as 400 (FIGS. 3 and 4), designed to avoid overcurrents in the circuit comprising the control member such as 123 and a control coil 125 that comprises the contactor 100.

Connection terminal 120 is designed to be connected to the other outgoing terminal of this protection circuit breaker such as 400, here the neutral terminal.

As seen in Figure 2, the internal electrical circuit of the contactor 100 comprises the coil 125 and two pairs of contacts 126 and 127, each of which comprises a fixed contact and a movable contact, the coil 125 being linked to each of the pairs of contacts 126 and 127 via a mechanical control transmission 128, to make them take either a blocked state (moving contact away from the fixed contact) or an on state (moving contact resting on the fixed contact).

A first side of the pair of contacts 126 is connected to the connection terminal 113. The second side of the pair of contacts 126 is connected to the connection terminal 119. A first side of the pair of contacts 127 is connected to the terminal terminal 114. The second side of the pair of contacts 127 is connected to the connection terminal 121. A first side of the coil 125 is connected to the connection terminal 120. The second side of the coil 125 is connected to the terminal connection 122.

When the mains voltage is present between terminals 120 and 122, coil 125 is activated and switches pairs of contacts 126 and 127 to the on state. Terminal 119 is then connected to terminal 113, while terminal 121 is connected to terminal 114, so that the network voltage, which is designed to be permanently present between terminals 113 and 114 (incoming terminals ), is also present between terminals 119 and 121 (outgoing terminals), whereby the load disposed between terminals 119 and 121 is supplied.

In the absence of network voltage between terminals 120 and 122, coil 125 is deactivated, contact pairs 126 and 127 are in the blocked state, so that the load placed between terminals 119 and 121 does not is not powered.

As shown in Figure 3 and in accordance with the modular format, the contactor 100 is configured to belong to a row of modular devices arranged side by side by being fixed from the rear on the support rail 112 arranged horizontally.

Contactor 100 is configured to be connected to a 300 circuit breaker rated here at 20 A and to a 400 circuit breaker rated here at 2 A.

The 300 and 400 circuit breakers conventionally comprise two incoming terminals in the upper part and two outgoing terminals in the lower part, the path of the current between the incoming and outgoing terminals being interrupted if the intensity takes an extremely high value (short -circuit) or if the intensity exceeds the calibrated intensity for a prolonged period.

The connection terminals 113 and 114 located at the top are designed to be connected to the outgoing terminals of the 300 circuit breaker.

The connection terminal 120 is designed to be connected to the starting terminal of the circuit breaker 400 corresponding to the neutral pole. As shown, the circuit breaker 300 and the circuit breaker 400 each have a generally parallelepipedic shape and are in modular format. Each is one module wide.

The wiring of the contactor 100 and the circuit breakers 300 and 400 between them and with a control device 123 and a load 124 is illustrated in figure 4.

The control device 123 can assume two stable states, respectively on and off. In the on state, its two sides are electrically connected so that an electric current can flow from one to the other. In the off state, its two sides are electrically isolated from each other. Here, the control device 123 is part of a set of connection to the electrical distribution network of electricity by which it is controlled: it takes the on state during a time slot when electricity is at a reduced rate, and takes the blocked state during a time slot when electricity is at nominal tariff.

The contactor 100 is provided so that the load 124, for example an electric storage water heater, is supplied during the time slot when the electricity is at reduced rate (control device 123 in the on state) and not supplied during the time slot at nominal rate (control device 123 in the blocked state).

The connection terminal 122 of the contactor 100 is connected by a cable 130 to a first side of the control member 123. The second side of the control member 123 is connected by a cable 129 to one of the terminals of the circuit breaker 400, here the phase pole.

The load 124 is connected on a first side by a first cable 131 to the connection terminal 119 and on the second side by a second cable 132 to the connection terminal 121.

We see that when the control device 123 is in the on state, the network voltage appears between the terminals 120 and 122, the coil 125 is activated, the pairs of contacts 126 and 127 are in the on state and the load 124 is powered. When controller 123 is off, there is no voltage between terminals 120 and 122, coil 125 is de-energized, contact pairs 126 and 127 are off, and the load 124 is not powered.

The circuit breaker 400 is used to protect the circuit comprising the control member 123 and the coil 125, this circuit being between the starting terminals of the circuit breaker 400. Given that a relatively weak intensity circulates in this circuit, the circuit breaker 400 is calibrated at a relatively low current, here 2 A.

The circuit breaker 300 is used to protect the circuit comprising the load 124, this circuit being between the starting terminals of the circuit breaker 300, which is calibrated according to the intensity that the load 124 can consume, here 20 A.

It is also known from the state of the art of remote switches as shown in Figures 5 to 8 of the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a known remote switch, taken to the right and in front of this remote switch;

Figure 6 is a very schematic representation of the internal electrical circuit of the known impulse relay;

FIG. 7 is a front view of the known impulse relay juxtaposed with a small amperage circuit breaker, here 2 A, itself juxtaposed with a fairly high amperage circuit breaker, here 20 A, on a support rail; and

FIG. 8 is a schematic representation of the devices shown in FIG. 7 and of the cables connecting them to each other as well as to a control device and to a load.

Like the contactor 100, the remote switch 200 shown in Figure 5 is in modular format, with a width of one module.

The remote switch 200 thus has a generally parallelepipedic shape with two main faces, respectively a left face 201, a right face 202 and side faces extending from one to the other of the main faces 201 and 202, namely a face rear 203, an upper face 204, a front face 205 and a lower face 206.

The rear face 203 has a notch 207 for mounting the remote switch 200 on a support rail such as 212 standardized with a profile in Ω, in particular visible in FIG. 7, of a protective envelope such as a cabinet, a box or an electrical box.

The front face 205 has, in the central position, a nose 208 having a key 209, which can selectively assume two positions, respectively an operating position and an off position.

In the operating position, the remote switch 200 enables or disables the supply of a load, the transition taking place each time a control member passes from the blocked state to the on state, the control member typically being a push button. In the off position, the remote switch 200 permanently prevents power supply to the load.

The upper face 204 of the remote switch 200 has an insertion hole 211 giving access to a connection terminal 214 (FIG. 6).

The underside 206 has three insertion holes 216, 217 and 218, respectively giving access to the connection terminals 220, 221 and 222 (FIG. 6). The insertion hole 216 and the connection terminal 220 are located on the left. The insertion openings 211, 217 and 218 as well as the connection terminals 214, 221 and 222 are located on the right.

Each of the connection terminals 214, 220, 221 and 222 is provided to receive a stripped end section of an electric cable.

The connection terminal 214 located at the top is designed to be connected to a pole of an electricity distribution network, here the phase, via a circuit breaker 300 (FIGS. 7 and 8) for protecting the load that must or must not be supplied by remote switch 200.

Terminal 221 is intended to be connected to a first side of this load.

One of the outgoing terminals of the 300 circuit breaker, here at the neutral pole, is designed to be connected to the second side of this load. The other outgoing terminal of circuit breaker 300, here at the phase pole, is provided, as just indicated, to be connected to terminal 214.

Terminal 222 is designed to be connected to a first side of a control device such as 223 (FIG. 8). The second side of the control device 223 is designed to be connected to one of the starting terminals of a protection circuit breaker such as 400 (FIGS. 7 and 8), here the starting terminal at the phase pole.

Connection terminal 220 is designed to be connected to the other outgoing terminal of circuit breaker 400, which is at the neutral pole.

As seen in Figure 6, the internal electrical circuit of the remote switch 200 comprises a coil 225 and a pair of contacts 227, comprising a fixed contact and a movable contact, the coil 225 being linked to the pair of contacts 227 via a mechanical transmission steering 228, to make it take either a blocked state (moving contact away from the fixed contact) or an on state (moving contact resting on the fixed contact).

A first side of the pair of contacts 227 is connected to the connection terminal 214. The second side of the pair of contacts 227 is connected to the connection terminal 221. A first side of the coil 225 is connected to the connection terminal 220. The second side of coil 225 is connected to binding post 222.

In the absence of network voltage between terminals 220 and 222, coil 225 is deactivated, which has no effect on contact pair 227, given the arrangement of transmission 228. When the network voltage goes to be present between the terminals 220 and 222, the coil 225 passes from the deactivated state to the activated state and, given the arrangement of the transmission 228, causes the pair of contacts 227 to change state, i.e. that is to say that if the pair of contacts 227 was in the off state it takes the on state whereas if it was in the on state it takes the off state. When the mains voltage begins to be absent between terminals 220 and 221, coil 225 switches to the deactivated state, which has no effect on pair of contacts 227, given the layout of transmission 228.

When the pair of contacts 227 is in the on state, the terminal 221 is connected to the terminal 214, so that the terminal 221 is then at the same potential as the terminal 214, provided to be connected to one of the terminals of outgoing circuit breaker 300, here at the phase pole. The first side of the load, intended to be connected to terminal 221, is then at the same potential, and since the second side of the load is intended to be connected to the other outgoing terminal of circuit breaker 300, the load is supplied. .

When contact pair 227 is off, terminal 221 is not connected to terminal 214, so the load connected to terminal 221 is not powered.

As shown in Figure 7 and in accordance with the modular format, the remote switch 200 is configured to belong to a row of modular devices arranged side-by-side by being fixed from behind on the support rail 212 arranged horizontally.

As just explained, remote switch 200 is configured to be connected to circuit breaker 300, calibrated here at 20 A, and to circuit breaker 400, calibrated here at 2 A.

The 300 and 400 circuit breakers are similar to the circuit breakers presented previously with the 100 contactor.

The wiring of the remote switch 200 and the circuit breakers 300 and 400 between them and with a control device 223 and a load 224 is illustrated in Figure 8.

The control device 223 can assume two states, respectively on or off. In the on state, the two sides of the controller 223 are electrically connected so that an electric current can pass from one to the other. In the off state, the two sides are electrically isolated from each other. The blocked state is taken by default, i.e. in the absence of user action. The on state is taken when a user acts on the control device 223. Here, the control device 223 is a push-button used to control the load 224 which is a light point. As shown, other similar actuators can be wired in parallel.

The connection terminal 222 of the remote switch 200 is connected by a cable 230 to a first side of the control member 223. The second side of the control member 223 is connected by a cable 229 to one of the terminals of the circuit breaker 400, here the phase pole.

The load 224 is connected on a first side by a first cable 231 to the connection terminal 221 and on the second side by a second cable 232 to the corresponding outgoing terminal of the circuit breaker 300.

We see that when the control device 223 is actuated to take the on state, the network voltage appears between the terminals 220 and 222, the coil 225 is activated, so that the pair of contacts 227 changes state. Thus, each time the control member 223 is actuated to take the on state, the load 224 ceases to be powered if it was being powered or it starts to be powered if it is not. was not powered.

The circuit breaker 400 is used to protect the circuit comprising the control member 223 and the coil 225, this circuit being between the starting terminals of the circuit breaker 400. Given that a relatively low intensity circulates in this circuit, the circuit breaker 400 is calibrated at a relatively low current, here 2 A.

The circuit breaker 300 is used to protect the circuit comprising the load 224, this circuit being between the starting terminals of the circuit breaker 300, which is calibrated according to the intensity that the load 224 can consume, here 20 A.

It will be noted that the contactor 100 described above has two pairs of contacts, that is to say that it comprises a current path to the load for each of the two poles of the network and that each of these current paths has a pair of contacts to allow the current to pass through it or not.

There are also single contact pair contactors where, similarly to the 200 impulse relay, there is a single current path to the load for a single pole of the network with a contact pair in that path to pass through. whether or not the current.

Finally, it should be noted that French patent application 2 906 075 describes an embodiment of a remote control switch whose mechanical pilot transmission 228 can be modified, by omitting a link and a spring, to transform this transmission 228 into a transmission 128, so that the device is no longer a teleruptor but a contactor.

The invention aims to provide an electrical device of the same type as the contactor 100 or the remote switch 200, but making it possible to improve the safety of persons while being simple, convenient and economical to integrate into a domestic or tertiary electrical installation.

The invention proposes for this purpose an electrical device to be connected by cables to a source of alternating current for a domestic or tertiary electrical installation, to a load and to a control device, to leave or not said source of alternating current supplying said charging as a function of on and off states taken by the control member, said apparatus comprising:
- an incoming terminal configured to be connected to one pole of said alternating current source;
- a starting terminal configured to be connected to said load;
- a first control terminal configured to be connected to said control member and a second control terminal configured to be brought to a reference potential, said first control terminal and said second control terminal being configured so that they are applied or not a predetermined potential difference as a function of said on and off states taken by the control member;
- a control unit connected to said first control terminal and to said second control terminal, selectively taking an activated state and a deactivated state as a function of the presence or absence of said predetermined potential difference between the first terminal of control and the second control terminal; and
- a switching device connected to said arrival terminal and to said departure terminal, taking either a blocked state where it prohibits the passage of current between the arrival terminal and the departure terminal or an on state where it authorizes the current passage between the arrival terminal and the departure terminal, said switching device being controlled by said control device via a control transmission configured so that the transitions between the off state and the on state of the control device switching follow the transitions between the deactivated state and the activated state of the control device or else configured so that the transitions between the off state and the on state of the switching device follow only the transitions of the deactivated state to activated state;
apparatus characterized in that it comprises another incoming terminal configured to be connected to the other pole of the said alternating current source, and comprises a voltage converter connected at the input to the said incoming terminal and to the said other terminal input in order to be powered by said source of alternating current, and connected at the output to said control device to supply it with a safety voltage, less than 50 V rms in alternating current or less than 120 V in direct current, said device control being configured to apply said safety voltage between said first control terminal and said second control terminal when they are electrically isolated from each other externally to said apparatus and not to apply said safety voltage between said first control terminal and said second control terminal when they are placed at the same potential externally to said apparatus, said control member being in said deactivated state when said first control terminal and said second control terminal are electrically isolated from each other externally to said device and in said activated state when said first control terminal and said second control terminal are set to the same potential externally to said device, said control unit comprising an electrical circuit supplying a logic signal formed by two predetermined voltage thresholds respectively representing the activated state and the deactivated state, said control transmission comprising a logic unit connected to said control unit as well as an electromagnetic actuator of said switching member, connected to said logic unit.

The first control terminal (configured to be connected to the control device) and the second control terminal (configured to be brought to the reference potential) are thus configured so that the safety voltage is applied to them when they are isolated electrically from each other externally to said apparatus, that is to say when the control member is in the blocked state, and so that the safety voltage is not applied to them when they are brought to the same potential external to said device, that is to say when the control member is in the on state.

Thus, unlike known devices, it is not the voltage of the alternating current source which is applied to the control terminals (and therefore to the control device) but the safety voltage supplied by the device thanks to the presence in the device of a voltage converter powered by the AC source.

It is known that a voltage source such as the safety voltage source, i.e. less than 50 V rms in alternating current or less than 120 V in direct current, is much safer for people than for people. alternating current sources for a domestic or tertiary electrical installation, which is generally 230 V alternating current at 50 Hz or 110 V alternating current at 60 Hz.

The device according to the invention thus offers improved personal safety in the part of the installation connected to the two control terminals.

The invention is based on the observation that the predetermined potential difference can be supplied from the device (and not external to it as in known devices), provided that (i) the two control terminals can be same potential (i.e. short-circuited) externally to the device while internally to the device they are connected to a voltage source, and provided that (ii) the conditions of presence and absence of the predetermined potential difference between the two control terminals are reversed, that is to say that instead of having as in known devices the presence of the predetermined potential difference when the control member is in the on state and the absence of the predetermined potential difference when the control member is in the off state, there is on the contrary the presence of the predetermined potential difference when the control member is in the blocked state and the absence of the difference d e predetermined potential when the control device is in the on state.

The invention is also based on the observation that it is possible to satisfy each of the two requirements (i) and (ii) with an appropriate steering member and steering transmission, in a relatively simple and convenient manner.

Requirement (i) can in fact be satisfied with a control device configured to apply the safety voltage between the two control terminals when they are electrically isolated from each other outside the device and not to no longer apply the safety voltage when the two control terminals are short-circuited outside the device, which can be implemented for example thanks to a resistance of relatively high value arranged in series on the current path between one of the poles of the safety voltage source and one of the control terminals: when there is an external short circuit between the two control terminals, the potential difference between the two sides of the resistor is the voltage security and the current crossing the resistor and circulating between the two terminals is minimal since the resistor has a high value.

Requirement (ii) can indeed be satisfied by replacing the coil, which forms the control unit of known devices, by an electric circuit supplying a logic signal, in this case two predetermined voltage thresholds representing the activated state. and the deactivated state; and by replacing the mechanical transmission, which forms the control transmission in known devices, by a logic unit and by an electromagnetic actuator of the switching device, with the logic unit which is connected to the electric circuit supplying the logic signal and with the actuator that is connected to this logic unit.

According to advantageous characteristics:
- said voltage converter is configured so that said safety voltage source is direct current;
- the control unit comprises a current limiting resistor connected on one side to an output pole of said voltage converter and on the other side to said first control terminal;
- said control unit further comprises a bias resistor disposed between said logic unit and the side of said current limiting resistor connected to the first control terminal;
- said device comprises an input protection device, arranged between said arrival terminal and another arrival terminal, on the one hand, and said safety voltage converter, on the other hand, said protection stage of input comprising an overcurrent protection device and an overvoltage protection device;
- Said overcurrent protection device is a positive coefficient thermistor and the overvoltage protection device is a varistor;
- said device comprises an output protection member, arranged between said first control terminal and second control terminal, on the one hand, and said control member, on the other hand, said output protection stage comprising at least one overcurrent protection device and an overvoltage protection device;
- said overcurrent protection device is a positive coefficient thermistor and said overvoltage protection device is a bidirectional Zener diode;
- said apparatus comprises a radiofrequency communication unit connected to said logic unit;
- the switching member is a pair of contacts and is part of an electromagnetic relay comprising a coil and a mechanical transmission between said coil and said pair of contacts;
- the apparatus comprises a current measuring device disposed between said arrival terminal and said departure terminal and connected to said logic unit; and or
- the current measuring device is a shunt.

The invention also relates, in a second aspect, to an electrical circuit comprising an apparatus as described above, at least one control member configured to control at least one load, and a circuit breaker, characterized in that:
- The control member is connected by its first side to the first control terminal and by its second side to the second control terminal of said device;
- The load is connected by its first side to the starting terminal of said device and by its second side to a terminal of the circuit breaker; and
- The arrival terminal and the other arrival terminal of said device are each connected to a terminal of the circuit breaker.

The invention also relates, in a third aspect, to an electrical circuit comprising an apparatus as described above, comprising at least one control member configured to control at least one load, a first circuit breaker and a second circuit breaker, characterized in that :
- The control member is connected by its first side to the first control terminal and by its second side to a terminal of the second circuit breaker;
- The load is connected by its first side to the starting terminal of said device and by its second side to a terminal of the first circuit breaker; and
- The arrival terminal and the other arrival terminal of said device are each connected to a terminal of the first circuit breaker.

The description of the invention will now be continued with the detailed description of exemplary embodiments, given below by way of non-limiting illustration, with reference to the appended drawings, in which:

Figures 1 to 4, described above, illustrate a known contactor and the electrical installation portion associated with it;

Figures 5 to 8, described above, illustrate a known impulse relay and the portion of electrical installation associated with it;

Figure 9 is a perspective view of a first embodiment of an electrical device according to the invention, which is a contactor, taken to the right and in front of this device;

FIG. 10 is a very schematic representation of the internal electric circuit of the contactor according to the invention;

FIG. 11 is a very schematic representation of an input protection stage of the internal electrical circuit of the contactor according to the invention;

FIG. 12 is a very schematic representation of the control device and of an output protection stage that the contactor according to the invention comprises;

FIG. 13 is a representation in perspective of the electronic card of the contactor according to the invention, taken on the left of this apparatus;

FIG. 14 is a representation in perspective of the electronic card of the contactor according to the invention, taken to the right of this device;

FIG. 15 is a schematic representation of the contactor according to the invention, of a circuit breaker, of a control device and of a load as well as the cables connecting them to form an electrical circuit forming part of a domestic electrical installation or tertiary;

Figure 16 is similar to Figure 15, but for a second embodiment of the electrical device according to the invention, which is a remote switch; and

Figure 17 is similar to Figure 16, but for a variant where the remote switch according to the invention replaces a known remote switch which was part of a circuit as illustrated in Figure 8, the remote switch according to invention thus being associated with two circuit breakers of different amperages.

detailed description

The electrical device 500 shown in Figures 9 to 15 is a first embodiment of an electrical device according to the invention, which is a contactor.

A second embodiment of the electrical apparatus according to the invention, described later with reference to FIGS. 16 and 17, is a remote switch, which is identical except that its control transmission, which comprises a logic part, for example based on a microcontroller, is programmed differently: whereas in the contactor the control transmission is programmed so that the transitions of the switching device between the blocked state and the on state follow the transitions between the blocked state and the on state of the control device, in the impulse relay, the control transmission is programmed so that the transitions of the switching device between the blocked state and the on state follow only the transitions from the blocked state to the on-state of the control device.

For simplicity, in the following description, the same reference numeral 500 has been used for the first embodiment of the electrical apparatus (contactor) and for the second embodiment (remote switch).

Like the contactor 100 and the remote switch 200, the electrical device 500 shown in Figure 9 is in modular format, with a width of one module.

The electrical device 500 thus has a generally parallelepipedal shape with two main faces, respectively a left face 501 and a right face 502, and side faces extending from one to the other of the main faces 501 and 502, namely a rear face 503, an upper face 504, a front face 505 and a lower face 506.

The rear face has a notch 507 for mounting the electrical device 500 on a standardized support rail with Ω profile, such as rail 112 (figure 3) or rail 212 (figure 7).

The front face 505 has, in the central position, a nose 508 having a key 509, making it possible to selectively make the device 500, by successive presses on the key 509, one of three configurations, respectively an automatic operating configuration , a forced operation configuration and a shutdown configuration.

In the automatic operating configuration, the electrical device 500 enables or disables the supply of a load depending respectively on whether a control device is on or off. In forced operation configuration, the 500 electrical device permanently enables the load to be supplied. In the shutdown configuration, the 500 electrical device permanently prevents the load from being supplied.

The upper face 504 of the electrical device 500 has two insertion orifices 510 and 511 respectively giving access to a connection terminal 522 and to a connection terminal 520 (FIG. 10). The insertion hole 510 and the connection terminal 522 are located on the left. The insertion hole 511 and the connection terminal 520 are located on the right.

The lower face 506 has three insertion holes 516, 517 and 518, respectively giving access to the connection terminal 513, 521 and 514 (FIG. 10). The insertion hole 516 and the connection terminal 513 are located on the left. Entry ports 517 and 518 and connection terminals 521 and 514 are located on the right.

Each of the connection terminals 513, 514, 520, 521 and 522 is designed to receive a stripped end section of an electric cable.

Terminal 522 is provided to be connected by a cable such as 530 (FIG. 15) to a first side of a control member such as 523, identical to control member 123. Terminal 520 is provided to be connected by a cable such as 531 to the second side of this control member 523.

Terminal 521 is intended to be connected by a cable such as 525 (FIG. 15) to a first side of a load such as 524, identical to load 124. The second side of this load 524 is intended to be connected by a cable such as 526 to an outgoing terminal of a circuit breaker such as 600, identical to the 300 circuit breaker.

The control terminals 513 and 514, located at the bottom, are designed to be connected to two poles of the electricity distribution network, here respectively the neutral and the phase, via this circuit breaker such as 600.

Here, terminal 513 is intended to be connected by a cable such as 527 to the starting terminal of this circuit breaker such as 600 which is at the neutral pole and terminal 514 is intended to be connected by a cable such as 528 to the starting terminal of this circuit breaker such as 600 which is at the phase pole.

The internal electrical circuit of the electrical device 500, implemented by the electronic card 560 shown in Figures 13 and 14, is illustrated in a simplified manner in Figure 10.

The electrical device 500 comprises an input protection stage 547, an output protection stage 540, a control unit 544, a switching unit 557, a control transmission between the control unit 544 and the control unit switch 557, implemented in particular by a logic unit 550 and by an electromagnetic actuator 556, a first direct current power supply 552 which delivers a very low safety voltage (here 3.3 V) and a second current supply 553 which delivers a very low safety voltage (here 12V), a radio frequency communication device 554 and a shunt 555.

The control device 544, the radiofrequency communication device 554 and the logic unit 550 are powered by the power supply 552.

The 556 electromagnetic actuator is powered by the 553 power supply.

The logic unit 550 is respectively connected to the control device 544, to the radio frequency communication device 554, to the electromagnetic actuator 556 and to the shunt 555.

The input protection stage 547 and the output protection stage 540 will be described in detail later on the basis of FIGS. 11 and 12. At this stage, it will be noted that they are arranged so that in normal operation they have no influence, or in any case a minimal influence, on the current path between their inputs and their outputs.

Terminals 513 and 514, input protection stage 547, power supply 553, power supply 552, driver 544, output protection stage 540, and terminals 522 and 520 are arranged one after the other.

Thus, the two inputs of protection stage 547 are respectively connected to terminal 513 and to terminal 514, the two inputs of power supply 553 are respectively connected to one and the other output of the stage protection 547, the two inputs of the power supply 552 are respectively connected to one and the other output of the power supply 553, the two inputs of the control device 544 are connected respectively to one and to the other output of the power supply 552, the two inputs of the output stage 540 are respectively connected to one and the other output of the control device 544, the terminal 522 is connected to one outputs of protection stage 540 and terminal 520 is connected to the other output of protection stage 540.

The reference potential of the internal electrical circuit of the device 500 is that of terminal 514.

Thus, as seen in Figure 10, input protection stage 547, power supply 553, power supply 552, driver 544, and output protection stage 540 are each configured to that its input and its output corresponding to the same pole as terminal 514 are at the same potential.

Therefore, except for the minimal influence that the output protection stage 540 may have, terminal 520 is at the same potential as terminal 514.

Here, the output of the 552 power supply which is at the same potential as terminals 514 and 520 is its negative pole and the other output of the 552 power supply is its positive pole.

The driver 544 is configured so that the terminal 520, with the exception of the minimal influence that the output protection stage 540 is likely to have, is at the same potential as the positive pole of the power supply 552 when the terminals 520 and 522 are electrically isolated from each other outside the device 500, and so that there is no degradation when the terminals 520 and 522 are put at the same potential, c i.e. short-circuited, externally the device 500.

Thus, the control unit 544 is configured to apply to the terminals 520 and 522 the voltage supplied by the power supply 552 when the terminals 520 and 522 are electrically isolated from each other outside the device 500 and not to not apply the voltage supplied by power supply 552 when terminals 520 and 522 are set to the same potential outside device 500.

In practice, the control unit 544 includes a current limiting resistor 545 arranged between its input and its output connected respectively to the positive pole of the power supply 552 and to the terminal 522.

Since resistor 545 has a relatively high value, for example 10 kΩ, upon an external short circuit between terminals 520 and 522, the potential difference between the two sides of resistor 545 is the voltage supplied by power supply 552 whereas the current flowing through resistor 545 and flowing between terminals 522 and 520 is minimal since the resistor has a high value, for example 0.33 mA in the present example where the voltage supplied by power supply 552 is 3.3 V and the value of resistor 545 is 10 kΩ.

The control device 544 also includes a resistor 546 arranged between its output connected to the terminal 522 and its connection point connected to the logic unit 550.

The two resistors 545 and 546 are used to operate the bias required by the logic unit 550.

The potential present on the connection point of the logic unit connected to the control device 544 is thus the potential present on the terminal 522, or in any case this potential with a minimal difference due to the protection stage 540 and resistor 546.

Thus, with respect to the reference potential of the electrical circuit internal to device 500, corresponding to the negative pole of the voltage supplied by power supply 552 which also supplies logic unit 550, the voltage at the connection point of the component driver 544 connected to logic unit 550 is substantially 3.3 V when terminals 520 and 522 are electrically isolated from each other outside of device 500 and 0 V when terminals 520 and 522 are brought to the same potential externally to the device 500.

The control unit 544 thus provides the logic unit 550 with a logic signal formed by two predetermined voltage thresholds, here substantially 3.3 V and substantially 0 V, respectively representing the deactivated state and the activated state of the steering body 544.

Therefore, if terminals 520 and 522 are connected with the controller, for example as shown in Figures 15 to 17, so that when the controller is in the off state, terminals 520 and 522 are isolated electrically from each other outside the device 500, and so that when the control member is in the on state the terminals 520 and 522 are set to the same potential outside the device 500, then the control device 544 is in the deactivated state when the control device is in the blocked state (terminals 520 and 522 electrically isolated from each other outside the device 500) and in the activated state when the control device is in the on state (terminals 520 and 522 set to the same potential externally to the device 500).

It will be observed that the control device 544 then assumes the deactivated state and the activated state in exactly the same conditions vis-à-vis the control device as the coil 125 of the contactor 100 and the coil 225 of the remote switch 200 .

In the device 500, the entirely mechanical transmission 128 of the contactor 100 or 228 of the remote switch 200 is replaced by a partially electronic control transmission, implemented in particular by the logic unit 550 and by the electromagnetic actuator 556.

Thus, the switching device 557 is controlled by the control device 544 via the partially electronic control transmission so that the transitions between the off state and the on state of the switching device 557 follow the transitions between the deactivated state and the activated state of the control device 544.

The control device 544 also includes a capacitor 5400 placed between its two outputs. The 5400 capacitor is useful for the stability of the signal supplied to the 550 logic unit.

The electromagnetic actuator 556 and the switching element 557 are here part of a relay 551 in which the electromagnetic actuator 556 is a coil and the switching element 557 is a pair of contacts with the transmission 568 between the coil 556 and the pair of contacts 557 which is entirely mechanical.

The 557 contact pair has a fixed contact as well as a moving contact. The electromagnetic actuator 556 causes the pair of contacts 557 to assume either a blocked state (moving contact away from the fixed contact), or an on state (moving contact resting on the fixed contact).

One side of contact pair 557 is connected to terminal 521. The second side of contact pair is connected to terminal 514 via shunt 555.

More specifically, a first side of shunt 555 is connected to terminal 514 and the second side of shunt 555 is connected to the input of relay 551 corresponding to the second side of contact pair 557.

As shown above, the 556 electromagnetic actuator, here a coil, is powered by the 553 power supply.

This power supply takes place via a controlled electronic switch 539, implemented for example with a transistor and its bias resistors, the control of the electronic switch 539 being carried out by the logic unit 550, to which the electronic switch 539 is connected. .

When switch 539 is in the off state, coil 556 is not energized and switching device 557 is in the off state. When switch 539 is in the on state, coil 556 is energized and the switching device is in the on state.

The device 500 being a contactor, the logic unit 550 is programmed so that when its connection point connected to the control unit 544 receives the logic signal that the control unit 544 is in the deactivated state then its point connection connected to the switch 539 emits the logic signal putting the switch 539 in the blocked state; and so that when its connection point connected to the driver 544 receives the logic signal that the driver 544 is in the activated state then its connection point connected to the switch 539 emits the logic signal setting the switch 539 in the on state.

Thus, the switching device 557 is controlled by the control device 544 via the partially electronic control transmission comprising the logic unit 550 so that the transitions between the off state and the on state of the switching device 557 follow the transitions between the deactivated state and the activated state of the control device 544.

Logic unit 550 is also connected to shunt 555, here by two dedicated conductive tracks respectively connecting the input of shunt 555 to a connection point of logic unit 550 and the output of shunt 555 to another connection point of logical drive 550.

This allows the logic unit 550 to know the voltage drop in the shunt 555. The value of the resistance of the shunt 555 being known, the logic unit 550 can deduce from this voltage drop the intensity of the current flowing in the shunt 555 and therefore between terminals 513 and 514, and consequently in the load to which these terminals are connected.

The two dedicated conductive tracks connecting the shunt 555 to the logic unit 550 make it possible to avoid taking into consideration a voltage drop which would not be due to the shunt, in order to know the intensity of the current with good precision.

In a variant not shown, only the side of the shunt opposite to that which is connected to terminal 514 is connected to logic unit 550 and this determines the intensity from the voltage drop between the reference potential ( that of terminal 514) and the connection point to which the side of the shunt opposite to that which is connected to terminal 514 is connected.

The intensity determined by the logic unit 550 can be communicated externally to the electrical device 500 by the radio frequency communication device 554.

This allows a user, via a mobile application for example, to find out in real time the electrical consumption of the load associated with the electrical device 500.

The radiofrequency communication unit 554, connected to the logic unit 550, also allows remote control, via a mobile application for example, of the electrical device 500, that is to say to make it take one of the above-mentioned configurations (automatic operation, forced operation and stop).

Key 509 is also linked to logic unit 550, so that successive presses on key 509 cause device 500 to adopt one of these configurations.

As seen in Figures 13 and 14, the electronic card 560 of the electrical device 500 is here of the double-sided type, that is to say it comprises a first face 561 and a second face 562, each of one side of the 560 circuit board.

On the first face 561 of the electronic card 560 is placed in particular the shunt 555.

On the second face 562 of this electronic card 560 are arranged in particular the relay 551, the microcontroller which comprises the logic unit 550, as well as a modem and the antenna 559 which the radiofrequency communication device 554 comprises.

The electronic card 560 is delimited by an upper face 570, a lower face 572, a front face 571 and a rear face. The connection terminals 522 and 520 are connected to the electronic card 560 at the level of the upper face and the connection terminals 513, 521 and 514 are connected to this card 560 at the level of the lower face 572. The key 509 is as for it is connected to the electronic card by its front face 571.

The electronic card 560 is configured to itself protect its internal circuit. Thus, it is not necessary to connect this circuit to a dedicated circuit breaker such as the 400 circuit breaker described above.

Indeed, as indicated above, the internal circuit of the device 500 implemented by the card 560 includes an input protection stage 547, shown generally in Figure 10 and in detail in Figure 11.

The input protection stage 547 includes an overcurrent protection component 549, here a positive coefficient thermistor and an overvoltage protection component 548, here a varistor.

In the input protection stage 547 the component 549 for protection against overcurrents is placed between its input and its output connected respectively to the terminal 513 and to the corresponding input of the power supply 553. The component 548 for protection against overvoltages is arranged between the two outputs of the input protection stage 547.

Input protection stage 547 also includes capacitor 5470 arranged in parallel with component 548. Capacitor 5470 is useful for filtering disturbances that may be present in the AC source to which the terminals 513 and 514.

The resistance of the thermistor 549 increases according to the temperature, which allows the protection of the circuit against short circuits, in particular in the event of a fault in the coil 556. The varistor 548 allows the absorption of fairly large voltage shocks, which allows protection of the circuit in particular against shocks due to lightning.

As indicated above, the internal circuitry of apparatus 500 includes an output protection stage 540, shown generally in Figure 10 and in detail in Figure 12. Output protection stage 540 is connected by a first side to the control device 544 as well as to the terminal 514 and by a second side to the terminals 520 and 522.

The output protection stage 540 includes an overvoltage protection component 543, here a bipolar Zener diode, an overcurrent protection component 541, here a positive coefficient thermistor, and another overcurrent protection component 542 , here a positive coefficient thermistor.

In the output protection stage 540, the overcurrent protection component 541 is arranged between its output and its input connected respectively to the terminal 520 and to the corresponding output of the control unit 544; the overcurrent protection component 542 is arranged between its output and its input connected respectively to terminal 522 and to the corresponding output of the control unit; and the overvoltage protection component 543 is arranged between the two inputs of the output protection stage 540.

The output protection stage 540 is used to protect the internal circuit of the device 500 against wiring errors, for example the application of the mains voltage between the terminals 520 and 522 by connection of one of these terminals to the neutral pole and from the other terminal to the phase pole. Due to the protection offered by the input protection stage 547, in the circuit illustrated in Figure 15, where the electrical device 500 is a contactor, only a circuit breaker 600 is provided identical to the circuit breaker 300 described above. .

It will be noted that in this circuit the terminal 522 is connected by a first cable 530 to a first side of the control device 523 and by a second cable 531 to the second side of the control device 523; and that the terminals 513, 521 and 514 are connected as explained above, by cables, to the circuit breaker 600 and to the load 524.

When the member 523 is in the blocked state, the load 524 is not powered; and when the controller 523 is in the on state, the load 524 is powered.

In the second embodiment illustrated in Figure 16, the device 500 is a remote switch.

As indicated above, this second embodiment is identical to the first embodiment except that the logic unit 550 is programmed differently: whereas in the first embodiment (contactor) the logic unit 550 is programmed so that the transitions of the switching device 557 between the off state and the on state follow the transitions between the off state and the on state of the control device such as 523, in the remote switch the logic unit 550 is programmed so that the transitions of the switching device 557 between the blocked state and the on state follow only the transitions from the deactivated state to the activated state of the control device 544, and therefore only the transitions of the blocked state in the on state of the control member such as 523.

We see that the circuit shown in Figure 16 is identical to that shown in Figure 15, except that the electrical device 500 is a remote switch (and not a contactor) and that the control device 523 is identical to the device control 223 described above (and not to the controller 123).

In the variant shown in Figure 17, the second embodiment of the electrical device 500, which is a remote switch, replaces a known remote switch 200 which was part of a circuit as shown in Figure 8 .

The second embodiment of the electrical device 500, which is a remote switch, is thus associated with two circuit breakers of different amperages, in this case not only with the circuit breaker 600 for load protection 524 (which may be the circuit breaker 300 described above), but also to the circuit breaker 400 described above.

In the circuit shown in Figure 17, terminal 522 is connected by cable 580 to a first side of controller 523. The second side of controller 523 is connected to a starting terminal of circuit breaker 400 , here the terminal at the phase potential.

Terminal 521 is connected by a cable 581 to the first side of load 524. The second side of load 524 is connected by a cable 582 to one of the outgoing terminals of circuit breaker 600, here at neutral potential. Terminal 513 is connected by a cable to the same starting terminal of circuit breaker 600 as the second side of load 524 (here terminal at neutral potential). Terminal 524 is connected by a cable to the other outgoing terminal of circuit breaker 600 (here at phase potential).

We see that the circuit shown in Figure 17 is similar to the circuit shown in Figure 16, including with one side of the controller 523 which is connected by a cable to the terminal 522, but that the other side of control device 523 is connected to the starting terminal of circuit breaker 400 at phase potential, and not to terminal 520.

Since terminal 520 is at phase potential, operation remains the same.

In a variant not shown, the circuit is identical to that shown in FIG. 17, except that the device 500 conforms to the first embodiment, that is to say a contactor, and except that the control member 523 is identical to the controller 123 described above (and not to the controller 223).

In variants not shown:
- the shunt such as 555 is replaced by another current measuring device, for example an ammeter loop (core and winding) or a Hall effect probe;
- the reference pole is different from the phase of the alternating current supply network, for example the neutral;
- the device such as 500 does not include a radio frequency communication device such as 554, and/or a current measuring device such as the shunt 555, and/or a configuration selection key such as the key 509;
- The direct current power supply is single stage, for example with a single output at 5.5 V, rather than having as in the example described two stages such as 553 and 552;
- the safety voltage applied or not by the device to the control terminals such as 520 and 522 is not direct current but alternating current; and more generally the safety voltage is between 0.5 and 120 V in direct current or between 0.5 V and 50 V rms in alternating current; and or
- the device such as 500 is in a format other than modular.

Many other variants are possible depending on the circumstances, and it is recalled in this respect that the invention is not limited to the examples described and represented.

Claims (14)

Electrical device to be connected by cables to a source of alternating current for a domestic or tertiary electrical installation, to a load (524) and to a control device (523), to leave or not said source of alternating current supplying said load ( 524) as a function of on and off states taken by the control member (523), said device (500) comprising:
- an incoming terminal (514) configured to be connected to one pole of said alternating current source;
- a starting terminal (521) configured to be connected to said load (524);
- a first control terminal (522) configured to be connected to said control member (523) and a second control terminal (520) configured to be brought to a reference potential, said first control terminal (522) and said second control terminal (520) being configured so that a predetermined potential difference is applied to them or not as a function of said on and off states taken by the control member (523);
- a control unit (544) connected to said first control terminal (522) and to said second control terminal (520), selectively taking an activated state and a deactivated state according to the presence or absence of said predetermined potential difference between the first control terminal (522) and the second control terminal (520); and
- a switching device (557) connected to said arrival terminal (514) and to said departure terminal (521), taking either a blocked state where it prohibits the passage of current between the arrival terminal (514) and the starting terminal (521) is an on state where it authorizes the passage of current between the arrival terminal (514) and the starting terminal (521), said switching device (557) being controlled by said control device (544) via a control transmission configured so that the transitions between the blocked state and the on state of the switching device (557) follow the transitions between the deactivated state and the activated state of the control (544) or else configured so that the transitions between the off state and the on state of the switching member (557) follow only the transitions from the deactivated state to the activated state;
apparatus characterized in that it comprises another incoming terminal (513) configured to be connected to the other pole of the said alternating current source, and comprises a voltage converter (553, 552) connected at the input to the said terminal input terminal (514) and to said other input terminal (513) in order to be supplied by said alternating current source, and connected at the output to said control unit (544) to supply it with a safety voltage, lower than 50 V rms in alternating current or less than 120 V in direct current, said driver (544) being configured to apply said safety voltage between said first control terminal (522) and said second control terminal (520) when they are electrically insulated from each other externally to said device and so as not to apply said safety voltage between said first control terminal (522) and said second control terminal (520) when they are placed at the same external potential said device, said control member being in said deactivated state when said first control terminal (522) and said second control terminal (520) are electrically isolated from each other externally to said device and in said activated state when said first control terminal (522) and said second control terminal (520) are placed at the same potential externally to said apparatus, said control unit (544) comprising an electric circuit supplying a logic signal formed by two predetermined voltage thresholds respectively representing the activated state and the deactivated state, said piloting transmission comprising a logic unit (550) connected to said piloting member (544) as well as an electromagnetic actuator (556) of said switching member (557), connected to said unit logic (550). Apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that said voltage converter (552, 553) is configured so that said safety voltage source is direct current. Apparatus according to Claim 2, characterized in that the control member (544) comprises a current limiting resistor (545) connected on one side to an output pole of the said voltage converter (552, 553) and on the other side to said first control terminal (522). Apparatus according to claim 3, characterized in that said driver (544) further comprises a bias resistor (546) disposed between said logic unit (550) and the side of said current limiting resistor (545) connected to the first control terminal (522). Device according to any one of Claims 1 to 4, characterized in that it comprises an input protection stage (547), arranged between the said arrival terminal (514) and another arrival terminal (513), on the one hand, and said safety voltage converter (552, 553), on the other hand, said input protection stage (547) comprising a member (549) for protection against overcurrents and a member (548) surge protection. Apparatus according to claim 5, characterized in that the overcurrent protective device is a positive coefficient thermistor (549) and the overvoltage protective device is a varistor (548). Apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that it includes an output protection stage (540), disposed between said first control terminal (522) and second control terminal (520), to one hand, and said control member (544), on the other hand, said output protection stage (540) comprising at least one member (541, 542) for protection against overcurrents and one member (543) for protection against overvoltages. Apparatus according to claim 7, characterized in that said overcurrent protection means is a positive coefficient thermistor (541, 542) and said overvoltage protection means is a bi-directional zener diode (543). Apparatus according to any one of Claims 1 to 8, characterized in that it comprises a radio frequency communication device (554) connected to the said logic unit (550). Apparatus according to any one of Claims 1 to 9, characterized in that the switching member is a pair of contacts (557) and forms part of an electromagnetic relay (551) comprising a coil (556) and a mechanical transmission (568) between said coil (556) and said pair of contacts (557). Apparatus according to any one of Claims 1 to 10, characterized in that it comprises a current measuring device arranged between the said arrival terminal (514) and the said departure terminal (521) and connected to the said logic unit ( 550). Apparatus according to claim 11, characterized in that said current measuring member is a shunt (555). Electric circuit comprising an apparatus according to any one of Claims 1 to 12, at least one control member (523) configured to control at least one load (524), and a circuit breaker (600), characterized in that:
- the control member (523) is connected by its first side to the first control terminal (522) and by its second side to the second control terminal (520) of said device (500);
- the load (524) is connected by its first side to the starting terminal (521) of said device (500) and by its second side to a terminal of the circuit breaker (600); and
- the arrival terminal (514) and the other arrival terminal (513) of said apparatus (500) are each connected to a terminal of the circuit breaker (600). Electrical circuit comprising an apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 12, comprising at least one control member (523) configured to control at least one load (524), a first circuit breaker (600) and a second circuit breaker (400) , characterized in that:
- the control member (523) is connected by its first side to the first control terminal (522) of said apparatus (500) and by its second side to a terminal of the second circuit breaker (400);
- the load is connected by its first side to the starting terminal (521) of said device (500) and by its second side to a terminal of the first circuit breaker (600); and
- the arrival terminal (514) and the other arrival terminal (513) of said device (500) are each connected to a terminal of the first circuit breaker (600).