AU753977B2

AU753977B2 - Coupling device

Info

Publication number: AU753977B2
Application number: AU57334/99A
Authority: AU
Inventors: Dietmar Hillebrand; Jens Oppel
Original assignee: AEG Niederspannungstechnik GmbH and Co KG
Current assignee: AEG Niederspannungstechnik GmbH and Co KG
Priority date: 1998-10-20
Filing date: 1999-08-11
Publication date: 2002-10-31
Anticipated expiration: 2019-08-11
Also published as: AU5733499A; TR200001769T1; NO20003167L; HUP0100614A3; CN1287676A; DE59913232D1; CN1155976C; EP1040499A1; NO318943B1; EP1040499B1; NO20003167D0; WO2000024022A1; DE19848264C1; HUP0100614A2; BR9906882A; ATE320659T1; PL341232A1; HU223888B1

Abstract

Disclosed is a coupling device that is located on the actuating member of a switching device (1) such as one as used in a power circuit breaker. The coupling device has a through hole (33) on the actuating member. A coupling element (40) can be inserted into said through hole. When the coupling element (40) is assembled, a first end section (47) thereof protrudes from one end (35) of the through hole (33). A second end section (47) thereof is flush with the opposite end (34) of the through hole (33). In this position, the coupling element (40) forms a recess (25) on one end of the actuating member and the end section (47) of the coupling element (40) protrudes on the other end. Said protruding end section (47) is embodied in such a way that it fits into the recess (25).

Description

Coupling Device Specification The invention relates to a coupling device of an actuating member of a switching means in accordance with the preamble of claim 1.

A coupling device of this type is provided, for instance, on the actuating member of a single-pole automatic cut-out, residual current operated device or a protective motor switch.

Frequently switching means such as accessories switches, remote releases or auxiliary switches are mounted on or stacked to such switches. For a synchronous actuation of the switches the actuating members of switches stacked in such manner can be connected with the aid of a coupling element.

It is known from prior art to design such a coupling element as a circular axis movable through through holes of actuating members of adjacent switches. An auxiliary switch, for instance, can be mounted on an LS switch, said circular axis being moved through the through holes of the actuating members of both switches. As the circular axis is inserted inside the through holes of the actuating members, the circular axis cannot be used for mounting further additional means on the already attached auxiliary switch.

It is furthermore known from prior art to integrally form a projection serving as coupling element on the actuating member of an auxiliary switch. When the auxiliary switch is mounted, for instance, on an LS switch, this projection can be embedded in a suitable recess in the actuating member of the LS switch, whereby the two switches are coupled to each other. Due to their design, such actuating members of auxiliary switches provided with a projection can only be mounted either on the P:\WPDOCS\LMB\Lcsta Milla\o~ificatiofls\7493l40 spm.do-05fO 9

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2 -2left or on the right side of the actuating member of an LS switch, however.The present invention seeks to alleviate one or more of the above-mentioned disadvantages.

According to one aspect of the present invention there is provided a coupling device for a movable member of a switching means, the coupling device comprising a through hole which extends transversely with respect to the direction of movement of the movable member, a coupling element for operatively coupling the movable member of one coupling device to the movable member of an adjacent coupling device in a coupled position, said coupling element having first and second end sections at opposite ends thereof, the coupling element arranged such that when in the coupled position said first end section protrudes from one end of said through hole and said second end section is generally aligned with the opposite end of said through hole, said second end section including an offset portion by which a recess is formed at the end of the corresponding 0000 through hole and the arrangement being such that said first end section of the coupling element of one coupling device is receivable within said recess of the adjacent movable member of the adjacent device.

C The invention is hereinafter described in more detail by way of embodiments with e~g reference to the drawings, in which Figure 1 shows a schematic side view of a switch; Figure 2a is a sectional view of an actuating member of the switch including a coupling element; *.:Figures 2b to 2d are sectional views of coupled actuating members of switches; Figure 3a is a sectional view of the actuating member without a coupling element; Figure 3b is a side view of the coupling element; Figure 4 is a space diagram of the coupling element and the actuating member; Figure 5a is a side view of an LS switch; Figure 5b is a space diagram of a release lever of the LS switch connected to a respective member of a switching means; and Figures 6a and 6b are space diagrams of further embodiments of the coupling device according to the invention.

Fig. 1 shows a schematic side view of a single-pole switch 1.

The switch 1 comprises a toggle 10 usually made of synthetic resin, e.g. a thermoplast. This toggle is supported in the switch 1 and is movable about a swiveling axis into an onposition and an off-position. The toggle 10 includes an actuating member 20 attached to the toggle 10 via a plug-in connection 2 indicated in Fig. 2a. Moreover in the actuating member 20 a through hole 33 extending in parallel to the swiveling axis 11 is formed.

Opposite to the toggle 10 the switch 1 shown in Fig. 1 includes a mounting portion 12 by means of which the switch 1 can be attached to a holding rail not shown.

Fig. 2a shows a sectional view of the above-mentioned actuating member 20. For forming the coupling device a coupling element described further below is inserted in the through hole 33 of the actuating member.

The through hole 33 of such an actuating member 20 has a rectangular shape with inner walls 21 to 24 as.illustrated in Fig. 4 Moreover the through hole 33 is generally divided into an inserting portion 36 and a clamping portion 37, as shown in Fig. 3a.

With the aid of the inserting portion 36 the insertion of the coupling element 40 into the through hole 33 starting out from an inserting end 34 on the left in Fig. 3a is facilitated. To this end, the distance of the upper and lower inner walls 21 and 22 toward the inserting end 34 is enlarged in the inserting portion 36.

The clamping portion 37 securing the coupling element against falling out of the through hole is adjacent to the inserting portion 36. An outlet end 35 of the through hole 33 on the right according to Fig. 3a is assigned to the clamping portion 37.

In the clamping portion 37 a catching nose 26 is provided at the upper inner wall 21 of the through hole 33 according to Fig. 3a, which catching nose serves for the locking with the coupling element 40 described further below. A shoulder 27 which is offset with respect to the outlet end 35 in the interior of the through hole 33 and is formed at the lower inner wall 22 of the through hole 33. The shoulder 27 has a periphery 28 and a bearing surface 29. The periphery 28 faces the inserting end 34 of the through hole 33.

The coupling element 40 is represented in detail in Fig. 3b.

Accordingly, the coupling element 40 includes a substantially rectangular base portion 51 confined by hatched lines in Fig.

3b. The base portion 51 is connected to a front end section 47 on the right in Fig. 3b and a rear end section 50 provided on the left. Projections 41, 42 and set-offs 43, 44 are provided both on the front end section 47 and on the rear end section To put it more exactly, the projection 41 disposed at the rear end section 50 and the projection 42 disposed at the front end section 47 point into opposite directions along an axis of symmetry X of the base portion 51. Moreover the projections 41 and 42 in a direction normal to the axis of symmetry X are arranged to be offset with respect to each other. I.e. that the projection 41 provided at the rear end section 50 is opposite to the set-off 44 provided at the front end section 47.

Correspondingly, the set-off 43 provided at the rear end section 50 is opposite to the projection 42 provided at the front end section 47.

According to Fig. 3b, a graduation 45 arranged at the lower longitudinal side 49 of the coupling element 40 follows to the set-off 44 of the front end section 47. Opposite to the graduation 45 on the upper longitudinal side 48 there are provided two recesses 46a, 46b spaced apart from each other in the direction of the axis of symmetry X.

The insertion of the coupling element 40 into the through hole 33 of the actuating member 20 is illustrated in the space diagram of Fig. 4. Accordingly, at first the front end section 47 of the coupling element 40 is inserted in the direction of arrow A through the inlet end 34 into the inserting portion 36 of the through hole 33. The front end section 47 of the coupling element 40 can move freely through the inserting portion 36 of the through hole 33, until the front end section 47 abuts against the catching nose 26 or the shoulder 27 of the clamping portion 37.

In order to ensure that the coupling element 40 overcomes the resistance held by the catching nose 26 and penetrates the clamping portion 37, the shearing force exerted on the rear end section 50 of the coupling element has to be considerably increased. With a sufficient shearing force, then the front end section 47 of the coupling element 40 can penetrate the clamping portion 37 and can be brought into the first assembly position shown in Fig. 2a.

In this first assembly position the projection 41 of the coupling element 40 is embedded in the through hole 33 such that it is in alignment with the inlet end 34 of the through hole 33. Furthermore the set-off 43 of the coupling element forms a recess 25 together with the inner walls 21, 23 and 24 of the through hole 33. In contrast to the embedded projection 41, the opposite projection 42 protrudes from the outlet end of the through hole 33.

To determine the first assembly position shown in Fig. 2a the catching nose 26 provided in the through hole 33 is locked in one 46a of the recesses 46a, 46b. In addition, in the first assembly position as illustrated in Fig. 2a the graduation of the coupling element 40 may be in contact with the periphery 28 of the shoulder 27.

Starting out from the first assembly position according to Fig.

2a, the coupling element 40 is movable to a second assembly position. To this effect, merely a pressing force has to be exerted on the projection 42 of the coupling element opposite to the inserting direction pointing in the direction of arrow A. Thereby first the locking between the catching nose 26 and the recess 46a can be released, whereupon the coupling element 40 can be displaced until the catching nose 26 locks in the further recess 46b. By this locking the second assembly position corresponding to the first assembly position is determined. The displacing distance covered by the coupling element 40 between the first and second assembly positions corresponds to the distance of the recesses 46a, 46b.

In the second mounting position the projection 42 of the coupling element 40 is as aforementioned embedded in the through hole 33 in such a manner that it is in alignment with the outlet end 35 of the through hole 33. Furthermore the setoff 44 of the coupling element forms a recess together with the inner walls 22, 23 and 24 of the through hole. On the other hand, the projection 41 protrudes from the inlet end 34 of the through hole 33.

As can moreover be taken from Fig. 2a, the graduation 45 is adapted to the contour of the shoulder 27. It is resulting therefrom that the coupling element 40 can be inserted into the through hole 33 only from the correct side.

If the coupling element 40 is inserted into the through hole 33 from the wrong side, the coupling element 40 jams in the clamping portion 37 of the through hole. Therefore it is not possible to correctly clamp the wrongly inserted coupling element in the through hole 33.

Hereinafter there will be considered the case according to which additional auxiliary switches or accessories switches for synchronous actuation are attached to an LS switch mounted on the holding rail not shown.

In this context, the actuating members of switches stacked to each other are shown in the Fig. 2b to 2d. To put it more exactly, it is represented in Fig. 2b that further accessories switches or auxiliary switches are stacked to the left side of an LS switch (on the right in Fig. 2b).

To this end, in each actuating member 20 of the accessories switches to be mounted first the coupling element 40 has been brought into the first assembly position shown in Fig. 2a, whereas the actuating member (on the right in Fig. 2b) of the LS switch need not be provided with any such coupling element Subsequently the accessories switches are stacked one after the other via the assembly portions 12 thereof to the left side of the actuating member 20 of the LS switch, whereby the projection 42 of the actuating member of the first accessories switch is embedded in the through hole 33 of the actuating member of the LS switch. The projection 42 of the actuating member of the second accessories switch (the left switch in Fig. 2b) is inserted with positive fit in the recess 25 of the first accessories switch.

According to the invention, the actuating members of such accessories switches can be modified in a simple manner such that they can be stacked not only as shown by way of Fig. 2b to the left side of the LS switch but also to the right side of the LS switch, as it is illustrated in the following by way of Fig. 2c.

It is shown in Fig. 2c how the actuating member 20 of a first accessories switch is mounted on the right side of an actuating member 20 (on the left in Fig. 2c) of the LS switch. To this end, the coupling element 40 in the actuating member of the accessories switch is displaced from the first assembly position shown in Fig. 2b to the second assembly position shown in Fig. 2c. As can be seen from Fig. 2c, in the second assembly position the projection 41 of the coupling element 40 protrudes into the through hole 33 of the actuating member of the LS switch.

In accordance with the invention, it is not necessary in Fig.

2c either to provide the actuating member 20 of the LS switch with a coupling element for mounting and/or stacking the accessories switch.

According to Fig. 2d, a second accessories switch is stacked to the right side of the first accessories switch from Fig. 2c.

The coupling element 40 of this second accessories switch is just as the coupling element 40 of the first accessories switch in the second assembly position. Consequently, in the second assembly position the projection 41 of the second accessories switch protrudes into a recess of the first accessories switch which is formed by the set-off 44 of the coupling element and the inner walls 22, 23 and 24 of the through hole 33 of the first accessories switch.

In accordance with the Figures 2b and 2d, consequently the actuating members 20 of auxiliary switches can be adapted merely by displacing their coupling elements 40 so as to be stacked to both sides i.e. to the right side or to the left pide of the LS switch. Such an installation-friendly stacking is also possible as shown by way of Fig. 2d between the actuating members of the accessories switches.

Further it is possible hereby, of course, to mount auxiliary devices on both sides of an LS switch and to connect the actuating members thereof with the actuating member of the LS switch.

Another embodiment of the invention is shown in Figures 5a and Fig. 5a illustrates an LS switch comprising a toggle 10, an actuating member 20 and a release lever 60. The release lever is movable about a swiveling axis 62 and includes a hole 61.

The hole 61 may be a through hole and may have the same shape as the through hole 33 according to Fig. 3a, or on both sides of the release lever blind holes having the same shape as the end sections of the through hole 33 can be provided. As an alternative hereto, such a blind hole may have any shape suited for receiving the first or second end section 47, A lever comparable to the release lever 60 is also provided in the switching means to be mounted. Fig. 5b shows a portion of such lever having a through hole 33 which has the shape of the through hole 33 according to Fig. 3a. A coupling element as described in the foregoing in connection with the first embodiment can be inserted into this through hole in the same way.

Moreover in the left and right housing walls of the LS switch and the switching means to be mounted openings (not shown) are provided which uncover the holes 61 and/or 33 over their entire motion track.

In order to obtain a coupling between the switching means to be mounted and the LS switch, a coupling element 40 is inserted into the through hole 33 of the switching means to be mounted.

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PAWPDOCS\LMB\Lcst MilleSpdikfiais\74934O spmeidm-O51D9102 Thus in the second embodiment, too, a simultaneous switching of the LS switch and the mounted switching device can be achieved.

Also in this embodiment, of course, a plurality of switching means can be mounted on one side of the LS switch or switching means can be mounted simultaneously on both sides of the LS switch.

For minimising the wear of the coupling elements 40 the material of the coupling element 40 advantageously is metal. The coupling element therefore can be punched extremely easily and inexpensively of a metal sheet in a process suited for mass production. In such case the basic structure of the coupling element is cuboid-shaped.

Instead of the coupling element used in the Figures 1 to 5, also other embodiments permitting a positive locking between adjacent actuating members 20 which are acting normal to the swiveling axis 11 are possible. The coupling element 40 in the shape of a ocuboid shown in Fig. 6a includes, at the end section 47 above and beneath the axis of symmetry X, set-offs 44a, 44b forming a projection 42 positioned symmetrically on the 15 axis of symmetry X. At the opposite end section 50 projections 41a, 41b forming a set-off S" 43 positioned symmetrically on the axis of symmetry X are provided above and beneath the axis of symmetry X so that the projection 42 fits in the set-off 43.

As an alternative, it would also be possible to design the coupling element according to Fig. 6b in the form of a cylinder. Accordingly, an end section 47 shaped as a journal 42 protruding from the base portion 51 along the axis of symmetry X is connected to the base portion 51. In the opposite end section 50 correspondingly the recess 43 is S provided along the axis of symmetry X. In such case the recess 43 is formed independently of inner walls of the through hole 33 so that the positive fit acting normal to the swiveling axis 11 is produced merely between adjacent coupling elements Throughout this specification and the claims which follow, unless the context requires otherwise, the word "comprise", and variations such as "comprises" or "comprising", will be understood to imply the inclusion of a stated integer or step or group of integers or steps but not the exclusion of any other integer or step or group of integers or steps.

Claims

1. A coupling device for a movable member of a switching means, the coupling device comprising a through hole which extends transversely with respect to the direction of movement of the movable member, a coupling element for operatively coupling the movable member of one coupling device to the movable member of an adjacent coupling device in a coupled position, said coupling element having first and second end sections at opposite ends thereof, the coupling element arranged such that when in the coupled position said first end section protrudes from one end of said through hole and said second end section is generally aligned with the opposite end of said through hole, said second end section including an offset portion by which a recess is formed at the end of the corresponding through hole and the arrangement being such that said first end section of 909: the coupling element of one coupling device is receivable within said recess of the adjacent movable member of the adjacent device. *S

2. A coupling device according to claim 1 wherein said coupling element includes a substantially rectangular base portion having an axis of symmetry said first end section So"includes a projection to one side an axis of symmetry and the offset to the other side the axis of symmetry and said second end section includes an offset to said one side of the axis of symmetry and a projection to said other side the axis of symmetry.

3. A coupling device according to claim 1, wherein said coupling element includes a substantially rectangular base portion, having an axis of symmetry said offset of the second Send section protrudes into said second end section as a recess along the axis of symmetry, and said first end section includes a journal protruding from said base portion along the o axis of symmetry.

4. A coupling device according to any one of the claims 1 to 3, wherein said through hole includes a clamping portion in which said inserted coupling element is caught.

A coupling device according to claim 4, wherein said clamping portion includes a P:\WPDOCSkLMB\Lcsta MilIcSpifictions749340 spidc-0509O2 -12- catching nose adapted to be locked in either of two recesses formed on said coupling element so that said inserted coupling element can be fixed in a first assembly position and in a second assembly position.

6. A coupling device according to claim 4, wherein in the second assembly position said second end section protrudes from the end of said through hole and said first end section is in alignment with the opposite end of said through hole.

7. A coupling device according to any one of the claims 4 to 6, wherein said clamping portion includes a shoulder formed at an inner wall of said through hole opposite to said catching nose. 0 0000

8. A coupling device according to claim 7, wherein said coupling element includes a graduation portion having a contour adapted to the contour of said shoulder for inserting 0 15 the coupling element from the correct side in an inserting direction into said through hole. 0 0 S"

9. A coupling device according to claim 8, wherein said graduation of said coupling element can be brought into contact with a periphery of said should for fixing said coupling element in the first assembly position.

10. A coupling device according to any one of the claims 1 to 9, wherein said coupling element has a cuboid basic structure and is punched out of metal sheet.

S11. A coupling device according to any one of the claims 1 to 9, wherein said coupling 25 element has a cylindrical basic structure.

12. A coupling device according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein said movable member is an actuating member for manually actuating said switching means.

13. A coupling device according to claim 12, wherein said actuating member is SAU tached to a toggle of said switching means. PAWPDOCS\LMB\Lestu MillerkSpoificatims\749340 spocidoc-5/09/02 13-

14. A coupling device according to claim 13 wherein said actuating member is connected with said toggle of said switching means by a plug-in connection.

15. A coupling device according to any one of the claims 1 to 11, wherein the movable member is a lever inside said switching means which is accessible from both sides of said switching means via an opening in the housing.

16. A coupling device substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings. DATED this 4 th day of September, 2002 AEG Niederspannungstechnik GmbH Co KG By its Patent Attorneys 15 DAVIES COLLISON CAVE 0 0:00