JP2008066038A - Circuit breaker - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a circuit breaker capable of further miniaturization and thinning. <P>SOLUTION: A separator 21 movable to a prescribed direction is installed in the main body case 4 and a movable metal fitting 23 having a movable contact 23a is mounted on the separator 21. If an abnormality such as earth leakage, overcurrent, and short circuit occurs, by moving the movable fitting 23 to a prescribed direction together with the separator 21, a fixed contact 11a and the movable contact 23a are dissociated. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2008,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a circuit breaker installed in a distribution board, for example.

  Conventionally, a circuit breaker has a fixed metal fitting having a fixed contact and a movable metal fitting having a movable contact, and when a leakage occurs, the movable metal fitting is opened so that the fixed contact and the movable contact are separated from each other, thereby causing the main circuit. Is configured to shut off. Here, as a movable metal fitting, a thin plate-like metal piece having elasticity is generally employed. Then, a movable contact is provided at one end of the metal piece, while the other end is fixed to the circuit breaker case, and a separately provided switch member is moved up and down to press / release the movable bracket, thereby fixing the movable contact to the fixed contact. The main electric circuit is operated to be turned on / off by contacting / dissociating the main circuit (for example, Patent Document 1).

Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2000-3659

  In recent years, there has been an increasing demand for smaller and thinner circuit breakers. However, since the conventional circuit breaker adopts the main circuit ON / OFF mechanism as described above, it is necessary to use a metal piece of a certain length as a movable metal fitting. There is a problem that the demand for thinning cannot be sufficiently satisfied. Further, there is a limit to downsizing of the switch member when trying to press / release a plurality of movable metal fittings simultaneously.

  Therefore, the present invention has been made to solve the above-described problem, and an object of the present invention is to provide a circuit breaker that can be further reduced in size and thickness.

In order to achieve the above object, the invention according to claim 1 of the present invention is a circuit that disconnects a main contact from a fixed contact and a movable contact when an abnormality such as leakage, overcurrent, or short circuit occurs. In the circuit breaker, a separator that is movable in a predetermined direction is provided in the circuit breaker case, and a movable metal fitting having the movable contact is attached to the separator, and the movable metal fitting is predetermined together with the separator when the abnormality occurs. The fixed contact and the movable contact are dissociated by moving in a direction.
According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the first aspect of the invention, the movable contact is positioned in the separator, and an insertion hole into which the fixed contact can be inserted is opened in the separator. The movable contact and the fixed contact are brought into contact with each other.
According to a third aspect of the present invention, in the invention of the second aspect, the movable fitting is provided with a projecting attachment portion, while the separator is provided with an attachment hole into which the movable fitting can be inserted, and the attachment. A locking step portion capable of locking the mounting portion is provided in the hole.

According to the present invention, a separator that is movable in a predetermined direction is provided in the circuit breaker case, and a movable metal fitting having a movable contact is attached to the separator, and when an abnormality such as leakage, overcurrent, or short circuit occurs, the movable metal fitting Is moved together with the separator in a predetermined direction to dissociate the fixed contact and the movable contact. Therefore, it is possible to reduce the size of the movable metal fitting as compared with the prior art, and thus to further reduce the size and thickness of the circuit breaker. In addition, for example, when a malfunction occurs, the fixed contact and the movable contact do not dissociate despite the fact that the movable bracket is caught by a protrusion in the breaker case, etc. The fixed contact and the movable contact can be reliably dissociated.
According to the invention described in claim 2, the movable contact is positioned in the separator, and an insertion hole through which the fixed contact can be inserted is opened, and the movable contact and the fixed contact are contacted in the separator. I tried to make it. Therefore, compared with the conventional one, the space in the circuit breaker case can be effectively used, and the circuit breaker can be further reduced in size and thickness.
In addition, according to the third aspect of the present invention, the movable fitting is provided with a protruding attachment portion, while the separator is provided with an attachment hole into which the movable fitting can be inserted, and the attachment is provided in the attachment hole. The latching step part which can latch a part was provided. Accordingly, it is possible to effectively prevent the movable metal fitting attached to the separator from falling off.

Hereinafter, a circuit breaker according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.
FIG. 1 is a perspective explanatory view showing an external appearance of the circuit breaker 1, and FIG. 2 is a perspective explanatory view showing an internal mechanism of the circuit breaker 1. 3A and 3B are explanatory views showing the internal mechanism of the circuit breaker 1 from the side, in which FIG. 3A is a state in which the operation handle 5 is turned on, and FIG. 3B is a state in which the operation handle 5 is the main circuit. The internal mechanism in the state which operated OFF is shown. The load side terminal 3 side of the circuit breaker 1 will be described as the front side of the circuit breaker 1.

  The circuit breaker 1 is used for a single-phase three-wire circuit, and a leakage detection circuit for detecting the occurrence of a leakage in a synthetic resin breaker case 4 formed by assembling a pair of case members. , A trip coil 8 that shuts off the occurrence of leakage, a zero-phase current transformer 41, a movable contact 23a with respect to the fixed contact 11a, 11a,. A separator 21 or the like for connecting / disconnecting 23a.

  Further, a power supply side terminal 2 formed by arranging three terminals P1, P2, and P3 in a vertical line is arranged at the rear part of the circuit breaker case 4. In the power supply side terminal 2, the upper terminal P1 is a neutral electrode terminal, the center terminal P2 and the lower terminal P3 are voltage electrode terminals, each of the terminals P1 to P3 has a U-shaped terminal fitting 13, It is formed as a plug-in type terminal that can be connected by simply inserting a conductor bar (not shown) disposed in a distribution board or the like. In the vicinity of the terminals P1 to P3, bimetal pieces 42 and 42 that perform a cutoff operation when an overcurrent is generated, and movable electromagnetic pieces 43 and 43 that perform an instantaneous cutoff operation when a short-circuit current occurs are installed.

  Further, the front surface of the circuit breaker case 4 has an inclined surface that descends forward, and on the inclined surface, a load side terminal comprising three terminals L1, L2, and L3 into which load wiring (not shown) can be inserted and connected. 3 is arranged. The terminals L1 to L3 are arranged in a line in the vertical direction on the inclined surface, the central terminal L2 is a neutral electrode terminal, and the upper terminal L1 and the lower terminal L3 are voltage electrode terminals. Each of the terminals L1 to L3 has a fixing bracket 11 provided with a fixed contact 11a and a locking bracket 16 capable of locking the electric wire portion of the load wiring. It is formed as a quick connection terminal that can be connected by simply inserting the portion into the circuit breaker case 4. Reference numeral 14 denotes a support holder for supporting the fixing bracket 11, and 17 denotes a release lever for releasing the locking by the locking bracket 16 when the electric wire connected to the load side terminal 3 is pulled out. .

  Furthermore, an operation handle 5 is provided on the upper surface of the circuit breaker case 4 to operate the separator 21 by turning it in the front-rear direction to turn on / off the main electric circuit. When the main electric circuit is turned on, the operation handle 5 is tilted to an angle substantially parallel to the upper surface of the circuit breaker case 4 as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3A, and the main electric circuit is turned off. When operating, as shown in FIG.3 (b), it will be in the state protruded upwards.

In addition, on the upper part of the circuit breaker case 4, a test button 6 for testing the printed circuit board 20, a leakage detection circuit, a test circuit operated by the test button 6, and the like are provided. The test circuit is formed on the printed circuit board 20, and the switch unit for turning on / off the test circuit includes a protruding contact 19 projecting from the back surface of the printed circuit board 20 and one end electrically connected to the printed circuit board 20. It is formed by a pin-shaped contact member 51 that is connected and extends forward where the load-side terminal 3 is provided and is further folded back into a substantially U shape. When the test button 6 is pushed in, the tip 51a of the pin-shaped contact member 51 comes into contact with the protruding contact 19 and the switch portion is turned on, so that a pseudo-leakage current flows through the test circuit.
A pair of protective walls 7 and 7 are provided on the upper surface of the circuit breaker case 4 so as to be parallel to the rotation direction of the operation handle 5 on the left and right of the operation handle 5. 5 is accommodated and protected.

Next, the separator 21 of the circuit breaker 1 that is a main part of the present invention will be described. 4 is a perspective explanatory view showing the separator 21 and the open / close portion of the main electric circuit, and FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional explanatory view showing the separator 21 and the open / close portion of the main electric circuit.
The separator 21 is formed in a cylindrical shape and is installed behind the load side terminal 3 in parallel with the arrangement of the terminals L1 to L3, that is, in parallel with the inclination of the front surface of the circuit breaker case 4. Accordingly, it can slide in the vertical direction parallel to the inclination. In the front surface of the separator 21, three openings are arranged in the vertical direction, and serve as an insertion hole 22 into which a rear end portion (installation portion of the fixed contact 11 a) of the fixture 11 can be inserted. Each insertion hole 22 is opened long in the vertical direction (note that the lowermost insertion hole 22 is a notch), and the separator 21 slides upward while the fixing bracket 11 is inserted. It is possible to move.

  Also, the rear surface of the separator 21 is provided with three openings in parallel in the vertical direction, and serves as an attachment hole 24 for attaching the movable metal fitting 23 having the movable contact 23a. Further, the inner wall surface of the separator 21 is provided with three sets of concave grooves 25, 25,. Each concave groove 25 is engraved across each insertion hole 22 and mounting hole 24, and at a substantially intermediate position in the front-rear direction, a crank-shaped step where the rear side (mounting hole 24 side) becomes higher. A portion (locking step portion) 26 is provided. The following movable fitting 23 is attached to the separator 21 using the concave grooves 25, 25.

  The movable metal member 23 is a plate-like member having an L-shaped side cross-section formed by bending the rear part upward or downward, and the rear part bent upward or downward is formed wider than the attachment hole 24, to the separator 21. It is comprised so that it may contact | abut to the back surface of the separator 21 at the time of attachment, and may become a stopper. Further, a movable contact 23a is provided at the front end of the movable metal fitting 23, and convex portions (attachment portions) 27, 27 formed by projecting left and right side edge portions of the movable contact 23a installation position to the left and right respectively. Is provided. Then, the convex portions 27 and 27 are engaged with the concave grooves 25 and 25 from the mounting hole 24 side, are slid forward in the concave grooves 25 and 25, and are further slid downward at the step portion 26. The movable metal fitting 23 can be attached to the separator 21 by being engaged with the portion 26. By attaching the movable metal fittings 23, 23,... To the separator 21, the movable contacts 23a, 23a,. When the movable bracket 23 is attached to the separator 21, as shown in FIG. 3, a pressing spring 28 for urging the movable contact 23a downward in the installed state to generate contact pressure to the fixed contact 11a is provided. Installed inside.

Further, a projecting piece 30 is provided on the rear surface of the separator 21 so as to abut a blocking spring 32 that urges the separator 21 upward. In addition, an opening / closing mechanism 31 having a first cam member 33 and a second cam member 34 in a locked state is provided on the upper portion of the separator 21. In the opening / closing mechanism 31, the link member connected to the operation handle 5 is kept pressed against the upper surface of the separator 21 at one end of the protruding second cam member 34, thereby separating the separator 21 from the cutoff spring 32. It is maintained at an energized position that resists the urging force (FIG. 3A). Further, when the occurrence of leakage or the like is detected, the movable member 35 that moves upward by the operation of the trip coil 8 accompanying the occurrence of the leakage pushes up one end of the first cam member 33. The locking with the cam member 34 is once released. Therefore, since the pressing operation of the link member by the second cam member 34 is also released, the separator 21 slides upward by the biasing force of the cutoff spring 32 (FIG. 3B), and the fixed contact 11a and the movable contact 23a. Dissociates and the main circuit is interrupted.
The first cam member 33 and the second cam member 34 are urged in the locking direction by a torsion spring (not shown) so that they automatically return to the locked state after the locking by the movable member 35 is released. It has become. Further, on the side surface of the opening / closing mechanism 31, when the separator 21 slides upward, the pin contact member 51 is pushed up from below to prevent contact between the tip 51 a and the protruding contact 19 of the test circuit (test circuit A protrusion 52 for prohibiting the ON operation is provided.

The separator 21 as described above is provided with the insertion holes at the rear positions of the fixed fittings 11, 11... With the movable fittings 23, 23... Attached (moving contacts 23 a, 23 a. The fixed contacts 11a, 11a,... And when it exists in an energization position, the fixed contact 11a and the movable contact 23a contact in the separator 21, and it is in the state which can energize the main electrical circuit.
Here, when the occurrence of an abnormality such as electric leakage, overcurrent, or short circuit is detected, the opening / closing mechanism 31 is operated by the movement of the movable member 35 accompanying the operation of the trip coil 8, and the separator 21 is moved by the biasing force of the cutoff spring 32. Slide upward (blocking operation). Due to the upward sliding of the separator 21, the movable contact 23a moves upward together with the separator 21, so that the movable contact 23a and the fixed contact 11a are dissociated, and the main electric circuit is interrupted.

  According to the circuit breaker 1 having the above-described configuration, the separator 21 for turning the main electric circuit ON / OFF is formed in a cylindrical shape, and the movable contacts 23a, 23a,. 21 are provided with insertion holes 22, 22... Into which the fixing brackets 11, 11... Can be inserted, and a main electric circuit opening / closing portion including a fixed contact 11 a and a movable contact 23 a is provided in the separator 21. Therefore, the effective use of the space in the circuit breaker case 4 is compared with the conventional one in which the movable metal fitting whose one end is fixed to the circuit breaker case is pressed / released by the switch member and the main circuit is turned on / off. Thus, the circuit breaker 1 can be reduced in size and thickness.

  Further, by attaching the movable metal fittings 23, 23,... To the separator 21, the movable metal fitting is caught by a protrusion in the breaker case, etc. The situation where the contact does not dissociate does not occur, and the fixed contact 11a and the movable contact 23a can be reliably dissociated with the main circuit OFF operation by the separator 21. Furthermore, the movable bracket 23 can be reduced in size as compared with a metal piece that has been conventionally used, and as a result, the circuit breaker 1 can be further reduced in size and thickness.

  Furthermore, a crank-shaped step portion 26 is provided in the concave grooves 25, 25 in the mounting hole 24 (that is, in the separator 21), and the convex portions 27, 27 of the movable metal fitting 23 are engaged with the step portion 26, thereby separating the separator 21. It is trying to be attached to. Therefore, the situation where the movable metal fitting 23 falls off from the separator 21 can be effectively prevented.

  Further, since the pressing spring 28 for pressing the movable contact 23a toward the fixed contact 11a is provided in the separator 21, the installation space for the pressing springs 28, 28,. 1 can be further reduced in size and thickness, and the contact pressure between the movable contact 23a and the fixed contact 11a can be sufficiently generated, so that contact failure between the contacts does not occur.

  In addition, when the main electric circuit is turned off (i.e., sliding upward), the pin-like contact member 51 is pushed up from below to prevent contact between the tip 51a and the protruding contact 19 of the test circuit. A protrusion 52 is provided. Therefore, there is no fear that the test circuit is turned on even when the main circuit is turned off, and the circuit breaker 1 can be made highly safe, and the test circuit is turned on when the main circuit is turned off. Compared with a configuration in which a member for prohibiting the operation is separately provided, the circuit breaker 1 can be further reduced in size and thickness.

  The configuration related to the circuit breaker of the present invention is not limited to the aspect described in the above embodiment, and the configuration related to the circuit breaker case, the breaking mechanism, each metal fitting, each terminal, etc. As long as it does not deviate from the above, it can be changed as necessary.

For example, in the above embodiment, the mounting portion for mounting the movable metal fitting to the separator is provided integrally with the movable metal fitting. However, the movable metal fitting may be attached to the separator via a separate attachment member. .
Further, the configuration related to the sliding direction of the separator and the ON / OFF operation of the main electric circuit is not limited to the aspect described in the above embodiment, the front surface of the circuit breaker is formed vertically, and the separator is vertically There is no problem even if the main electric circuit is turned ON / OFF by sliding it in the direction, and the design is appropriately changed, such as a configuration in which the main electric circuit is turned OFF by sliding the separator downward. Can do.

It is perspective explanatory drawing which showed the external appearance of the circuit breaker. It is perspective explanatory drawing which showed the internal mechanism of the circuit breaker. It is explanatory drawing which showed the internal mechanism of the circuit breaker from the side, Comprising: (a) is the state which operated the main electric circuit ON, (b) shows the internal mechanism in the state which operated the main electric circuit OFF. It is perspective explanatory drawing which showed the opening / closing part of the separator and the main electrical circuit. It is sectional explanatory drawing which showed the opening / closing part of the separator and the main electrical circuit.

Explanation of symbols

  1 ... Circuit breaker 2 ... Power supply side terminal 3 ... Load side terminal 4 ... Circuit breaker case 5 ... Operation handle 11 ... Fixing bracket 11a ... Fixed contact 20 ... Print Substrate, 21 ... Separator, 22 ... Insert hole, 23 ... Movable metal fitting, 23a ... Movable contact, 24 ... Mounting hole, 25 ... Groove, 26 ... Step, 27 ... Projection, 28 .... Pressing spring, 30 ... Projection piece, 31 ... Opening / closing mechanism, 32 ... Interrupting spring, 33 ... First cam member, 34 ... Second cam member, 35 ... Moveable member.

Claims (3)

A circuit breaker that breaks the main circuit by dissociating the fixed contact and the movable contact when an abnormality such as leakage, overcurrent, or short circuit occurs.
A separator that is movable in a predetermined direction is provided in the circuit breaker case, and a movable metal fitting having the movable contact is attached to the separator, and the movable metal fitting is moved together with the separator in a predetermined direction when the abnormality occurs. A circuit breaker characterized by dissociating a fixed contact and the movable contact.   The movable contact is positioned in the separator, and an insertion hole into which the fixed contact can be inserted is opened in the separator, and the movable contact and the fixed contact are brought into contact with each other in the separator. Circuit breaker described in. While providing a mounting part on the movable bracket,
3. The circuit according to claim 2, wherein an attachment hole into which the movable metal fitting can be inserted is formed in the separator, and a locking step portion capable of locking the attachment portion is provided in the attachment hole. Circuit breaker.

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