EP0079819B2 - Mechanically operated switch with automatic opening - Google Patents

Abstract

A mechanically controlled power switch with automatic opening is provided for limiting short circuits. A switch (13), a breaking chamber (30) which is associated therewith, a coil (50), a striker (51) cooperating therewith, and a lock (53) for holding the power switch in open position S after the appearance of a short circuit are placed in a removable cartridge (23) provided with connection terminals (37, 55). This switch cartridge is advantageously used in mechanically controlled protection apparatus or in electromagnetic contactor apparatus having their own protection.

Description

• - un boîtier ;
• - une chambre de coupure pourvue d'ailettes de fractionnement des arcs ;
• - un interrupteur de puissance placé dans cette chambre et ayant au moins un contact fixe et un contact mobile qui est actionné par un poussoir et qui est soumis à l'action d'un ressort de compression fixe tendant à l'appliquer sur le contact fixe ;
• - une bobine qui est placée en série dans un circuit où se trouve l'interrupteur et qui est apte à attirer un percuteur magnétisable lorsque le circuit est parcouru par un courant de court-circuit ;
• - un dispositif de commande ayant une pièce mobile qui coopère par poussée avec le poussoir pour déplacer le contact mobile, et
• - des bornes d'entrée et de sortie pour raccorder l'interrupteur, ce percuteur coopérant avec ce poussoir de façon à déplacer celui-ci lors de son attraction et indépendamment de la pièce mobile, et à l'amener dans une position où un dispositif de verrouillage maintient l'interrupteur une position d'ouverture de sécurité.

The invention relates to a switch with mechanical control and automatic opening for a limiting protective device, device comprising:

• - a housing ;
• - a breaking chamber provided with arc splitting fins;
• - a power switch placed in this chamber and having at least one fixed contact and one movable contact which is actuated by a pusher and which is subjected to the action of a fixed compression spring tending to apply it to the fixed contact ;
• - a coil which is placed in series in a circuit where the switch is located and which is capable of attracting a magnetizable striker when the circuit is traversed by a short-circuit current;
• a control device having a movable part which cooperates by pushing with the pusher to move the movable contact, and
• - input and output terminals for connecting the switch, this striker cooperating with this pusher so as to move the latter during its attraction and independently of the moving part, and to bring it into a position where a device Lock maintains the switch in a safety open position.

Such switches are used in particular in protective devices where the power contacts are used at the same time for establishing and frequently breaking the supply circuits which are usually controlled by contactors.

In known devices of this kind, such as for example that which is described in patent DE-A-3 042 324, no measure is taken to allow replacement of fixed or mobile contacts; such measures which, however, respond to one of the constant concerns of users, encounter in this particular case difficulties due in particular to the relative complexity of the device; it is therefore desirable to make this operation as simple as possible by giving the user means which allow him to carry out such operations quickly and without offering the possibility of incorrect mounting.

It is also desirable to make it possible to change the contacts without it being necessary to separate the terminals of the protection device from the network and the load and to make available to users a range of contacts whose dimensions as well as those of the coil meet different current ratings and different levels of limitation.

• - un boîtier,
• - une chambre de coupure pourvue d'ailettes de fractionnement des arcs,
• - un interrupteur de puissance placé dans cette chambre et ayant au moins un contact fixe et un contact mobile qui est actionné par un poussoir et qui est soumis à l'action d'un ressort de compression fixe, tendant à l'appliquer sur le contact fixe,
• - des bornes d'entrée et de sortie pour raccorder l'interrupteur,
• - un dispositif de commande ayant une pièce mobile qui coopère par poussée avec le poussoir pour déplacer le contact mobile,
• - une bobine qui est placée en série dans un circuit où se trouve l'interrupteur et qui est apte à attirer un percuteur magnétisable lorsque le circuit est parcouru par un courant de court-circuit, ce percuteur coopérant avec une pièce d'actionnement qui agit sur le poussoir de façon à le déplacer indépendamment de la pièce mobile, et
• - un dispositif de verrouillage agissant sur la pièce de transmission pour maintenir l'interrupteur dans une position d'ouverture de sécurité.

To achieve this result, the invention provides a mechanical control switching device with automatic opening of the type comprising:

• - a housing,
• - a breaking chamber provided with arc splitting fins,
• - a power switch placed in this chamber and having at least one fixed contact and one movable contact which is actuated by a pusher and which is subjected to the action of a fixed compression spring, tending to apply it to the contact fixed,
• - input and output terminals for connecting the switch,
• a control device having a movable part which cooperates by pushing with the pusher to move the movable contact,
• - a coil which is placed in series in a circuit where the switch is located and which is capable of attracting a magnetizable striker when the circuit is traversed by a short-circuit current, this striker cooperating with an actuating part which acts on the pusher so as to move it independently of the moving part, and
• - a locking device acting on the transmission part to keep the switch in a safety opening position.

• - un boîtier muni d'un logement et renfermant le dispositif de commande, .Ia pièce mobile de ce dispositif de commande ressortant du boîtier, au droit dudit logement, et
• - une cartouche amovible en matière isolante, apte à venir s'engager dans ledit logement, cette cartouche renfermant la chambre de coupure, l'interrupteur de puissance, la bobine, le percuteur ainsi que, partiellement, le susdit poussoir, le dispositif de verrouillage et la pièce de transmission, cette cartouche présentant en outre, extérieurement, d'une part, deux bornes de raccordement électrique entre lesquelles sont montés en série ladite bobine et ledit interrupteur, ces deux bornes de raccordement étant agencées de manière à coopérer avec deux bornes respectives prévues sur ledit boîtier et, d'autre part, dans une région opposée à la chambre de coupure, une extrémité du poussoir disposée de manière à coopérer avec l'extrémité de la pièce mobile du dispositif de commande qui ressort du boîtier et avec la partie extérieure de la susdite pièce de transmission, et une extrémité du dispositif de verrouillage agencée de manière à pouvoir être déplacée en vue de déverrouiller la pièce de transmission lorsque l'interrupteur est maintenu dans la position d'ouverture de sécurité, ladite cartouche comprenant en outre, à l'extérieur, des moyens de guidage et de maintien qui coopèrent avec des moyens correspondants prévus sur le boîtier, pour placer la cartouche dans une position apte à permettre les susdites coopérations.

According to the invention, this device is more particularly characterized in that it comprises:

• a housing provided with a housing and containing the control device,. moving part of this control device emerging from the housing, in line with said housing, and
• - a removable cartridge of insulating material, capable of coming to engage in said housing, this cartridge containing the breaking chamber, the power switch, the coil, the striker as well as, partially, the aforementioned push button, the locking device and the transmission part, this cartridge also having, externally, on the one hand, two electrical connection terminals between which said coil and said switch are mounted in series, these two connection terminals being arranged so as to cooperate with two terminals respective provided on said housing and, on the other hand, in a region opposite to the cutting chamber, one end of the pusher arranged so as to cooperate with the end of the movable part of the control device which emerges from the housing and with the outer part of the above transmission part, and one end of the locking device arranged so that it can be moved in order to unlock the part d e transmission when the switch is held in the safety open position, said cartridge further comprising, outside, guide and holding means which cooperate with corresponding means provided on the housing, to place the cartridge in a position suitable for enabling the above-mentioned cooperation.

The invention, as well as other complementary measures, will become clear with the aid of the detailed description below.

In the attached drawing:

• la figure 2 montre dans une vue en élévation coupée par un plan médian PP', une cartouche conforme à celle de l'invention, un interrupteur à double coupure étant à l'état « fermé » ;
• la figure 3 illustre une vue de côté gauche de la cartouche coupée par un plan brisé QQ', l'interrupteur étant fermé ;
• la figure 4 représente une vue en élévation de la cartouche avec coupe locale, l'interrupteur étant en position d'ouverture de sécurité ;
• la figure 5 montre une vue de côté de la cartouche avec coupe locale par le plan QQ' lorsque l'interrupteur est en position d'ouverture de sécurité ;
• la figure 6 illustre une vue extérieure en élévation de la cartouche selon l'invention ;
• la fig. 7 représente l'appareil selon la fig. 2 dans l'état d'ouverture commandée de l'interrupteur, et
• la fig. 8 illustre une cartouche selon l'invention utilisant un interrupteur à simple coupure.

FIGS. 1a and 1b schematically represent two protective devices with mechanical and electro-magnetic control respectively in which the object of the invention is implemented;

• Figure 2 shows in an elevational view cut through a median plane PP ', a cartridge according to that of the invention, a double break switch being in the "closed"state;
• Figure 3 illustrates a left side view of the cartridge cut by a broken plane QQ ', the switch being closed;
• FIG. 4 represents an elevation view of the cartridge with local cut, the switch being in the safety opening position;
• FIG. 5 shows a side view of the cartridge with local section through the plane QQ 'when the switch is in the safety opening position;
• FIG. 6 illustrates an external elevation view of the cartridge according to the invention;
• fig. 7 shows the apparatus according to FIG. 2 in the state of controlled opening of the switch, and
• fig. 8 illustrates a cartridge according to the invention using a single cut-off switch.

The limiter switch which will be described below can be used in a protective device shown diagrammatically at 1 in FIG. 1a; this device mainly comprises, in a housing 2, an automatic switch 3 whose safety opening in the event of the occurrence of a fault current, in particular of short circuit, is operated using a coil 4 placed in series with this switch between an input terminal 5 connected to the network R and an output terminal 6 connected to a load C, and a manual control device 7 whose operation produces the rapid opening or closing of the switch thanks to a movable control piece 8 acting on a push-button 9 of the switch, while a fault signaling member 10 associated with the switch acts on the manual control device 7 to give it, when a fault appears , a special state which interrupts the action of the control device and confirms automatic opening. This limiter switch can also be used in a contactor device having additional functions of current limitation (and possibly circuit breaker) shown diagrammatically at 11 in FIG. 1 b; like the previous one, the latter device comprises, in a housing 12, a switch 13 and a coil 14, placed in series between the terminals 15, 16, similar to those of the switch 3, but whose closing and closing control Repeated opening is carried out by an electromagnet 17, a movable control part 18 of which cooperates with the push-button 19 of the switch 13, while the fault signaling member 20 acts directly or indirectly on a control contact 21 placed in series with the coil 22 of the electromagnet so as to confirm, if necessary, the automatic safety opening by a de-excitation of this electromagnet.

Additional terminals 25, 26 are used here to apply a control signal to the electromagnet.

In one or other of the possible applications, the switch 3, 13, which is contained in a removable insulating cartridge 23 which can be separated from the housing 1, 11, can be single or double cut, and it is clear that the number of cartridges used in a device corresponds to the number of network phases.

The insulating cartridge 23, as well as its contents, appears better in FIG. 2 where it is observed that this cartridge takes the general form of an L having a first branch 27 and a second branch 28 substantially perpendicular.

The first branch 27 contains a first volume 29 in which are arranged the switch 3, respectively 13, and a breaking chamber 30 which is associated therewith and which comprises, in known manner, fins 31, 32 for the splitting of the arcs.

This switch comprises, in the example shown, two fixed contacts 33, 34 which are carried by folded conductors 35, respectively 36, one of which leads to a first connection terminal 37 external to the cartridge; a movable bridge contact 38 is carried by a movable contact carrier 39 which can move along an axis ZZ thanks to guide surfaces 40 of the cartridge. The movable contact and the contact carrier are subjected to the action of a fixed compression spring 41 which tends to close the switch by pressing on an internal end 42 of the contact carrier and on a wall 43 of the cartridge. _''

The folded shape of the conductors 35, 36 allows the development of repulsion forces on the movable contact bridge 38 which runs parallel to them.

A second end 44 of the contact carrier 39, opposite the first, is placed outside the first volume and has a first bearing surface 45, directed towards the spring 41, and an elongated opening 46 having a second bearing surface 47 , also directed towards the spring.

The second branch 28 contains a second volume 48 in which are arranged, on the one hand, a magnetizable yoke 49, a coil 50 associated therewith and a magnetizable striker 51 of the plunger core type and, on the other hand, a lever for transmission 52 and a locking lever 53.

The ends of the coil 50 are connected, on the one hand, to the folded conductor 36, for example using a flexible conductor 54, and, on the other hand, to a second external connection terminal 55. The striker , which takes a rest position, visible in fig. 2 (for example using a spring not shown), can move along an axis VV 'which is also that of the coil 50 and which is substantially parallel to the axis ZZ'.

The transmission lever 52, which moves in a median plane PP 'of the cartridge thanks to a pivot or pin 56 whose axis is perpendicular to this plane, has a free end 57 which penetrates into the elongated opening 46 of the door - contact 39 so as to be able to cooperate with the second bearing surface 47, and a central portion 58 placed opposite one end 59 of the striker; a return spring 60 is associated with this transmission lever to hold it elastically against a fixed stop 61 in a rest position R which is that shown in FIG. 2.

The locking lever 53 oscillates around a pivot 62 whose axis YY 'is parallel to the median plane PP' or passes through it; this axis YY 'is substantially perpendicular to the axis W' of the coil. A return spring 63, placed for example around the pivot 62, communicates to this locking lever 53 a torque K counterclockwise, visible in particular in FIG. 3, which makes it apply a first end 64 against a lateral face 65 of the transmission lever and which gives a second end 66 of the locking lever 53, outside the second volume, a particular position I.

Note that the transmission lever 52 is placed between the first volume 29 and the coil 50, and that the outer end 44 of the contact carrier acting as a pusher moves in the vicinity of the second branch 28 of the cartridge in a region 75 opposite the breaking chamber 30, while the outer end 66 of the locking lever 53 moves at the end of this second branch 28 in a region 76 also opposite the breaking chamber.

The cartridge 23 is preferably produced by the association of two insulating half-housings 67 and 68 (see fig. 3) which are applied one on the other along a joint plane coincident with the median plane PP 'and are kept in contact either by elastic hooks coming from molding with the half-housings, or by external metal clamps, or even by rivets.

When the switch must be open and set to position O (see fig. 7), the contact carrier 39 receives on its first bearing surface 45 a thrust of direction F which is given to it by a part 8, 18 of the device mechanical control 7 or electromagnetic control 17; thanks to a clearance j existing between the end 57 of the transmission lever 52 and the elongated opening 46, this movement has no effect on this transmission lever; the switch closes under the effect of the spring 41 when the action on the contact carrier 39 ceases. When the switch is in the closed position and a very intense current flows in the coil, the striker 51 is attracted by the coil and the cylinder head and pushes the transmission lever 52 against the action of its return spring 60, so that its end 57 exerts on the second bearing surface 47 a safety opening action of the contacts of the 'light switch.

As soon as the transmission lever reaches or exceeds a working position T, visible in fig. 4 and 5, for which this current has been sufficiently limited, the internal end 64 of the locking lever passes over an edge 69 of the transmission lever 52 to maintain it in this position T where the switch is now at open security state S.

During this operation, the locking lever 53 takes an active position A, visible in FIG. 5, under the effect of its return spring 63.

The displacement of the outer end 66 of this locking lever is used either to confirm the opening of the switch 3, 13 by a mechanical action provided by the device 7, 8 of FIG. 1a, either to open, directly or not, the switch 20 of the control electromagnet 17, 18, all by means of a transmission part such as 90 (fig. 8).

In both cases, a specific signal can be issued to inform maintenance personnel that the automatic opening is due to the appearance of a short-circuit current.

As seen in particular in FIG. 4, measures can be taken so that the cooperation between the moving parts placed in the second volume 48 takes place under good conditions. Thus the stop 61 of the transmission lever 52 and the pivot 62 of the locking lever 53 are both carried by the cylinder head 49, a cylindrical bush 70 of which serves to guide the striker 51.

The cartridge 33 is also guided in the housing of the device which receives it by means of grooves 71, 72 parallel to the axis ZZ ', which are placed on the opposite external faces 73, 74 parallel to the contact carrier plane ( fig. 6 and 3).

In particular, on examining FIGS. 3 and 5, that the cartridge 23 occupies a small width d, which makes it possible to place several side by side in parallel cells 1 ′, 11 ′, of an apparatus 1 or 11 designed to use them, without for as well give it important dimensions.

The contact carrier 39, shown in the previous figures and acting as a pusher, can also be replaced by another pusher 77 to act on a movable contact with single break 78, visible in FIG. 8, which is returned by a spring 81 and cooperates with a single fixed contact 79 of switch 3.

In this same figure, it can be seen that the cartridge 23 is held in a cell 1 ′, respectively 11 ′, of the device thanks to the cooperation, on the one hand, of surfaces such as 84, 85 with walls 86, 87 of the housing 1, 11 and, on the other hand, of surfaces such as 88 with a cover 89 closing the cell. In this situation, the external terminals 37 and 55 of the cartridge cooperate with the internal terminals 82, 83 of the housing 1 going towards the connection terminals 5, 6, respectively 15, 16, of the device which receives it, while the end 66 of the locking lever transmits its possible displacement to a transmission part 90 whose purpose is to trigger the mechanical device 7 or the control switch 21 of the electromagnetic device 17.

Resetting of the locking 53 and transmission 52 members is obtained by communicating at the end 66, by means of manual or automatic control not described, a movement of direction G (fig. 5).

Claims (6)

1. A mechanically controlled switch device with automatic opening of the type comprising :

- a case,

- a breaking chamber (30) having fins (31, 32) for fractioning the arcs,

- a power switch placed in this chamber and having at least one fixed contact (33, 34) and one movable contact (38) which is actuated by a pusher (39) and subjected to the action of a fixed compression spring (41) tending to apply it against the fixed contact (33, 34),

- input and output terminals for connecting the switch (13, 3),

- a control device having a movable part (8,18) which cooperates by pushing with a pusher (39) for displacing the movable contact (38),

- a coil (50) placed in series in a circuit containing the switch (13, 3) and which is adapted to attract a magnetizable striker (51) when a short-circuit current is flowing through the circuit, this striker (51) cooperating with an actuating member (52) which acts on the pusher (39) so as to move it independently of the movable part (8, 18), and

- a locking device acting on the transmission member for maintaining the switch in an open safety position, characterized in that it comprises :

- a case (1, 11) provided with a housing and including the control device, the movable part (8, 18) of said control device extending from said case opposite said housing, and

- a removable cartridge (23), made of an insulating material, adapted to be engaged in said housing, said cartridge (23) containing the breaking chamber, the power switch (3, 13), the coil (50), the striker (51), as well as, partially, said pusher (39), the locking device (53) and the transmission member (52), said cartridge (23) further having externally, on the one hand, two electrical connection terminals between which are mounted in series said coil and said switch, said two connection terminals being arranged so as to cooperate with two respective terminals (82, 83) provided on said case and, on the other hand, in a region (75) opposite said breaking chamber, one end (44) of the pusher (39, 77) placed so as to cooperate with the end of the movable part (8.18) of the control device (7, 17) extending from the case and with the outer part of said transmission member (52), and one end (66) of the locking device (53) arranged so as to be moved for unlocking the transmission member (52) when the switch is maintained in the open safety position, said cartridge further comprising externally guide (71, 72) and retaining means (84, 85, 88) which cooperate with the corresponding means (86, 87) provided on the case for putting the cartridge into a position adapted to allow said different cooperations.

2. The switch according to claim 1, characterized in that the insulating cartridge (23) is formed by a flat case having two distinct adjacent volumes so as to assume the general shape of an L, in each of the legs (27, 28) of which is located a first volume (29) and respectively a second volume (48), the first volume receiving the switch (3, 13) and the breaking chamber (30), whereas the second volume receives the coil (50), the striker (51) and the locking device (53).

3. The switch according to claim 2, characterized in that the outer end (44) of a contact holder (39) or push button (77) moves parallel to the leg (28) of the cartridge (23) containing the second volume (48) in a region (75) adjacent the two legs (27, 28).

4. The switch according to claim 1, 2 or 3, characterized in that the locking device comprises a transmission lever (52) with resilient return (60) which rocks in a median plane (PP') of the cartridge about a first pivot (56) and one end of which (57) cooperates with an outer end (44) of the contact holder or push button (39, 77), and a resilient locking lever (53, 63) which rocks about a second pivot (62) whose axis (YY') is parallel to said plane (PP'), this transmission lever being disposed between the first volume (29) and the coil (50) so as to receive the action of the striker (51) between the first pivot (56) and the end (57).

5. The switch according to claim 4, characterized in that the locking lever (53) is placed in the vicinity of the outer end (44) of the contact holder or push button (39, 77) and has a second end (66) which is opposite the first end (64) and which is placed outwardly in a region (76) of the second leg (28) opposite the breaking chamber (30) so as to communicate a movement to the mechanical (7) or electromagnetic (17) control device.

6. The switch according to claim 5, characterized in that the first end (64) of the locking lever (62) is resiliently applied against a lateral surface (65) of the transmission lever (52) when this latter is in the rest position (R), and moves above an edge (69) of the transmission lever when this latter takes up a working position (T).

Images