JPH11111095A - Circuit breaker - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To obviate rivet calking, and reduce restriction of a structure and parts arrangement by forming a structure that an engaging part of a cover is fitted/ joined to an engaging part formed in one or both of a terminal metal fitting of a casing. SOLUTION: A wedge-shaped engaging projection 14K is arranged in a cover 14 in the shape of removing a wall on the side into which a flat terminal fixed to a casing 13 is inserted. A wedge-shaped engaging groove hole 15K corresponding to the engaging projection 14K is also arranged in a U-shaped terminal 15 fixed to the casing 13. When the casing 13 is covered by sliding the cover 14 in the sideways arrow direction, it can be covered without striking on the U-shaped terminal 15, a terminal screw 4, the flat terminal, its terminal frame and an internal constitutive part, and the engaging groove hole 15K of the terminal 15 and the engaging projection 14K of the cover 14 are fitted/joined together. Therefore, a rivet 11 in the vicinity of the terminal 15 is omitted, and a dimension of the casing 13 can be adjusted to a bus bar, and a problem of a creeping distance between a power source side terminal and the rivet 11 can also be eliminated.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a device mounting rail (generally DIN) installed inside a distribution board, for example.
The present invention relates to a relatively small circuit breaker, such as a circuit breaker for a distribution board used by being mounted on a rail).

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art FIGS. 9 to 13 show a conventional circuit breaker and its components, and FIG. 9 is a partially cutaway side view. FIG. 10 is an exploded perspective view showing the structure of the housing and its cover. FIG. 11 is a perspective view of the housing, and FIG.
2 is a perspective view of a cover, and FIG. 13 is a perspective view of a U-shaped terminal. In the figure, reference numeral 1 denotes a casing molded with an insulating material, and reference numeral 2 denotes a cover thereof. Reference numeral 3 denotes a U-shaped terminal, and a portion of the upper terminal plate 3a is connected to a connection conductor 6 described later. Reference numeral 4 denotes a terminal screw, and reference numeral 5 denotes a terminal frame formed in a rectangular frame shape, and a screw hole is provided on an upper side. The lower terminal plate 3b of the U-shaped terminal 3 is integrated with the upper terminal plate 3a via the intermediate terminal plate 3c, and is inserted into the terminal frame 5 as shown in FIG. The terminal screw 4 is fitted into a screw hole of the terminal frame 5 through a through hole 3d formed in the upper terminal plate 3a. Reference numeral 6 denotes a connection conductor that is connected to the upper terminal plate 3 a of the U-shaped terminal 3 and allows a current to flow through the internal constituent elements 12. The connection between the upper terminal plate 3a and the connection conductor 6 is the housing 1
Is press-fitted and fixed in the press-fitting groove 1a formed at the bottom. The U-shaped terminal 3, terminal screw 4, and terminal frame 5 described above are usually
Used as power supply terminal.

Reference numeral 8 denotes a flat terminal connected to the internal component element 12, and 9 denotes a terminal frame into which the flat terminal 8 is inserted. The terminal frame has a screw hole on the upper side similarly to the terminal frame 5 of the power supply side terminal. 1
Reference numeral 0 denotes a terminal screw, which is fitted in a screw hole of the terminal frame 9. Flat terminal 8, terminal frame 9, terminal screw 10 described above
Is usually used as a load side terminal. 11 is the housing 1
Rivets which are swaged to connect the cover and the cover 2, and are provided at four places in this embodiment. 12
Are internal components required as a circuit breaker, such as a tripping mechanism and an opening / closing mechanism, and are incorporated in the housing 1.

Next, the procedure for assembling the circuit breaker having the above configuration will be described. First, the internal component 12 is fitted into the housing 1, and the power supply terminal and the load terminal connected to the internal component 12 are also fitted at the same time. That is, U-shaped terminal 3, terminal screws 4 and 10, terminal frames 5 and 9,
The connection conductor 6, the flat terminal 9, and the like are fitted. afterwards,
The cover 2 is covered from the direction in which the internal component element 12, the power supply side terminal, and the load side terminal are fitted, and the rivet 11 is passed through the rivet 11 through a caulking hole that penetrates both the housing 1 and the cover 2, thereby forming the housing 1. The cover 2 is combined to form a circuit breaker.

The power supply side terminal of this circuit breaker is, for example,
When connecting to the bus bar inside the distribution board,
A bus bar (not shown) is connected to the upper terminal plate 3 of the U-shaped terminal 3.
a and tightened with the terminal screw 4. When the circuit on the power supply side is an electric wire, an electric wire (not shown) is inserted into the terminal frame 5 and tightened with the terminal screw 4. The load side terminal is the terminal frame 9
An electric wire (not shown) is inserted into the connector and tightened with the terminal screw 10.

[0006]

A conventional circuit breaker is:
As described above, the housing 1 and the cover 2 are divided in the direction in which the rivet 11 is passed (in the direction perpendicular to the main surfaces of the housing 1 and the cover 2). When fastening to the terminal, there was a problem that the housing 1 and the cover 2 were separated to form a gap. That is, when the electric wire inserted into the terminal frame 5 is tightened using the terminal screw 4, the housing 1 or the cover 2 is pushed out from the inside by the rotation of the terminal frame 5 or the protrusion of the electric wire, so that the housing 1 and the housing 1 are separated. In some cases, a gap was formed between the covers 2. A similar problem may occur when connecting a bus bar. In order to solve this problem, it is necessary to install the rivet 11 near the power supply side terminal and the load side terminal. Due to the installation of the rivet 11, the structure of the power supply side terminal or the load side terminal is restricted. May occur. In addition, the installation space of the internal component 12 may be limited, or the arrangement of parts may be restricted.
There was a problem related to an increase in cost.

That is, since the rivet 11 is formed of a metal material, it is necessary to secure a creepage distance between the power supply side terminal and the load side terminal. Therefore, the rivet 11 can be installed near the power supply side terminal and the load side terminal. There was a limit. Therefore, the rivet 11 having a large mechanical strength is required in order to obtain a sufficient caulking strength even at a position distant from the power supply side terminal and the load side terminal. Due to the rivet 11, there is another problem that the dimension A of the housing 1 and the cover 2 becomes large, the dimension B of the bus bar insertion portion becomes small, and the size of the bus bar is easily restricted. Was.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made to solve the above-described problems, and does not require rivet caulking near a U-shaped terminal, increases the dimension B of a bus bar insertion portion, and furthermore, It is an object of the present invention to obtain a circuit breaker in which the problem that the housing 1 or the cover 2 is pushed out from the inside by the rotation of the terminal frame 5 or the protruding of the electric wire to form a gap.

[0009] Further, it is possible to obtain a circuit breaker in which the installation space of the internal components is not limited due to the installation of the rivet and the creepage distance between the rivet and the power supply terminal and the load terminal can be easily secured. With the goal.

[0010]

A circuit breaker according to the present invention is provided with terminal fittings at both ends of a housing made of an insulating material, and accommodates a tripping mechanism and an opening / closing mechanism in an intermediate portion.
In a circuit breaker in which a side surface of a housing is covered with a cover made of an insulating material, the cover is configured to cover by sliding in a direction parallel to the side surface of the housing, and is formed on one or both of terminal fittings. The engaging portion formed on the cover and the engaging portion formed on the cover are fitted and connected by sliding the cover.

The engaging portion of the cover is provided with a molding die-opening window which communicates with the engaging portion from the outer surface side of the cover.

[0012]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

Embodiment 1 FIG. 1 to 5 show a circuit breaker according to a first embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 1 is a partially cutaway side view. FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view showing the structure of the housing and its cover. FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the housing, and FIG.
FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a cover. FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the terminal fitting. In the figure, 4 is a terminal screw, 5 is a terminal frame, 6 is a connection conductor, 8 is a flat terminal, 9 is a terminal frame, 10 is a terminal screw, 1
1 is a rivet and 12 is an internal component, which are the same as those shown in the above-mentioned prior art. Reference numeral 13 denotes a casing molded from an insulating material (for example, a polyamide resin), and the height H of the wall 13b on the side where the flat terminal 8 is inserted is slightly smaller than the height of the internal component 12 as shown in FIG. It is formed to be higher. Reference numeral 14 denotes a cover formed of the same insulating material as that of the housing 13, and FIG.
As shown in (1), the flat terminal 8 side wall is removed, and a wedge-shaped engaging projection 14k is provided on the U-shaped terminal 3 side wall 14a. Reference numeral 15 denotes a U-shaped terminal, which has an upper terminal plate 15a, a lower terminal plate 15b, and an intermediate terminal plate 15c as shown in FIG. 5, and a portion of the intermediate terminal plate 15c corresponding to the engaging projection 14k. A wedge-shaped engagement slot 15k is provided.

The circuit breaker constructed as described above has a shape in which the wall of the cover 14 on the side where the flat terminal 8 is inserted is removed, so that the cover 14 has the U-shaped terminal 15, the terminal screw 4, As shown in FIG. 2, the terminal frame 5, the flat terminal 8, the terminal frame 9, the terminal screws 10, the internal components 12, and the like can be slid and covered from the lateral direction (the direction of the arrow) as shown in FIG. At the time of this slide, the U-shaped terminal 1
The engagement groove 15k of No. 5 and the engagement protrusion 14k of the cover 14 are fitted and connected. With this configuration, the housing 13
The cover 14 can be easily attached to the camera. Further, the U-shaped terminal 15 is connected to the press-fit groove 13 a of the housing 13 together with the connection conductor 6.
Since the housing 13 and the cover 14 are fixed to each other via the U-shaped terminal 15, the housing 13 and the cover 14 are firmly connected to each other at the U-shaped terminal 15. Will be fixed. The other parts are caulked with rivets 11 as in the prior art.

As described above, the U-shaped terminal 15 and the cover 1
4, the rivet 11 near the U-shaped terminal 15 is omitted, and the size A of the housing 13 is reduced.
Can be reduced and the dimension B can be increased. Thereby, the restriction on the size of the bus bar is reduced. Further, the housing 1 is rotated by rotating the terminal frame 5 or protruding the electric wire.
There is no problem that the space 3 or the cover 14 is pushed out from the inside to form a gap. Further, since there is no rivet 11 near the U-shaped terminal 15, the power supply side terminal and the rivet 11 are not provided.
The problem of the creepage distance between them is also eliminated.

Embodiment 2 The cover 14 in the first embodiment is formed by, for example, injection molding of a polyamide resin. However, since the engagement protrusion 14k has a wedge shape, the injection molding die has a complicated structure having a core. It became a mold, and the work efficiency of injection molding was poor. The second embodiment is an improvement on this point. That is, FIG.
FIG. 9 is an enlarged view of a main part of a cover 16 according to the second embodiment.
In the drawing, reference numeral 16k denotes a wedge-shaped engaging projection, which is provided on the wall 16a on the side of the U-shaped terminal 3 as in the first embodiment. Reference numerals 16b and 16c denote die-cut windows, which are formed so as to communicate with the engaging projections 16k from the outer surface side of the cover 16. These die-cut windows 16b, 16
By providing c, the wedge-shaped engaging projection 16k can be formed without using a core in the injection mold.

Embodiment 3 Although the engagement protrusion 14k formed on the cover 14 in the first embodiment and the engagement protrusion 16k formed on the cover 16 in the second embodiment each have a wedge shape, a prismatic engagement protrusion is shown. You can also That is, FIG. 7 is an enlarged view of a main part of the cover 17 showing the third embodiment. FIG. 8 is a perspective view of a U-shaped terminal. In the figure, reference numeral 17k denotes an engagement projection formed in a prismatic shape, and is provided on the wall 17a on the side of the U-shaped terminal 3 as in the first embodiment. Reference numeral 17b denotes a cutout window, which is formed so as to communicate with the engaging projection 17k from the outer surface side of the cover 17. By providing the die-cutting window 17b, the prismatic engaging projection 17k can be formed without using a core in the injection molding die. In this case, the engagement slot 18k of the U-shaped terminal 18 is a square hole as shown in FIG. According to this configuration, as compared with the second embodiment, the number of the die-cutting window 17b is one, and the engagement projection 17k is also a prismatic shape. However, the configuration becomes easier and suitable for mass production.

Embodiment 4 Embodiments 1 to 3 above
In the above, a mechanism for fitting the U-shaped terminal on the power supply side and the cover together by sliding the cover is shown,
This coupling mechanism can be configured between the terminal on the load side and the cover. It is also possible to provide an engaging portion corresponding to the engaging projection on the U-shaped terminal side and to provide an engaging portion corresponding to the engaging slot on the cover side.

[0018]

Since the present invention is configured as described above, it has the following effects.

Although the U-shaped terminal having both the busbar connection and the electric wire connection has a small space and it is difficult to secure a rivet insertion position, the rivet is not required. The size of the part to be formed can be increased, and the arrangement of the internal constituent elements becomes easy.

Further, the problem that the housing and the cover are pushed out from the inside to form a gap is eliminated, and it is easy to secure the creepage distance between the rivet and the power supply terminal and the load side terminal. Can be easily resolved.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a partially cutaway side view of a circuit breaker according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view showing the circuit breaker of FIG.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing a housing of the circuit breaker of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing a cover of the circuit breaker of FIG. 1;

FIG. 5 is a perspective view showing a U-shaped terminal of the circuit breaker of FIG. 1;

FIG. 6 is a perspective view showing a cover of the circuit breaker according to the second embodiment.

FIG. 7 is a perspective view showing a cover of the circuit breaker according to the third embodiment.

FIG. 8 is a perspective view showing a U-shaped terminal of the circuit breaker according to the third embodiment.

FIG. 9 is a partially cutaway side view showing a conventional circuit breaker.

FIG. 10 is an exploded perspective view showing the circuit breaker of FIG.

FIG. 11 is a perspective view showing a housing of the circuit breaker shown in FIG. 9;

FIG. 12 is a perspective view showing a cover of the circuit breaker of FIG. 9;

FIG. 13 is a perspective view showing a U-shaped terminal of the circuit breaker shown in FIG. 9;

[Explanation of symbols]

4 terminal screws, 5 terminal frames, 6 connection conductors, 8 flat terminals, 9 terminal frames, 10 terminal screws, 11 rivets, 1
2 internal components, 13 housing, 14 cover, 14
k, 16k, 17k engagement protrusion, 15 U-shaped terminals,
15k, 18k engagement slots, 16b, 16c, 17b
Die-cut window.

Claims (2)

[Claims] A terminal fitting is provided at each end of a housing made of insulating material, a trip mechanism and an opening / closing mechanism are housed in an intermediate portion, and the side surface of the housing is covered with a cover made of insulating material. In the circuit breaker, the cover is configured to cover by sliding in a direction parallel to a side surface of the housing, and is formed on an engagement portion formed on one or both of the terminal fittings and the cover. A circuit breaker, characterized in that the circuit breaker is configured to be fitted and coupled with the engaging portion by sliding the cover. 2. The circuit breaker according to claim 1, wherein the engaging portion of the cover is provided with a molding die-opening window communicating with the engaging portion from the outer surface side of the cover.