EP0669633B1 - Protective switching device - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a protective switch device consisting of power poles having movable and fixed contacts, of a protection assembly to magnetic and / or thermal release and a lock that can be operated by a manual control button. See for example EP-A-0 486 389.

A motor circuit breaker or manual starter integrates, in the same housing, a manual control function and protection function. Triggers thermal and magnetic of each phase act on a common lock. In case electrical fault on one of the poles, the magnetic trip assembly and / or which provides the protective function causes the contacts to open. It acts on the contacts by means of the lock which can also be actuated manually by a manual control button.

A contactor-circuit breaker has both a contactor function and a circuit breaker function. It includes, for moving the contacts, control means manual, magnetic and / or thermal release and control electromagnet automatic normal. The motor circuit breaker or manual starter we talked about more top includes, for moving the contacts, similar means, but not electromagnet.

The present invention aims to provide a lock capable of being mounted indifferently in a contactor-circuit breaker, a motor circuit breaker or starter manual.

The apparatus according to the invention is characterized in that the lock has means for controlling, by manual control, either the direct opening of the power of a motor circuit breaker, i.e. the opening of an auxiliary contact allowing to interrupt the current in the coil of the control solenoid of a contactor-circuit breaker.

According to one characteristic, the lock consists of a mounted trigger stage on a plate and actuated by the protection assembly and a motor stage mounted on a plate and actuating the movable contacts, these two stages being superimposed.

• la figure 1 est un schéma d'un contacteur-disjoncteur muni de la serrure selon l'invention;
• la figure 2 est un schéma d'un disjoncteur-moteur ou démarreur manuel muni de la serrure selon l'invention;
• la figure 3 est une vue en élévation de la serrure;
• la figure 4 est une coupe selon IV-IV de la figure 3 (étage déclencheur de la serrure);
• la figure 5 est une coupe selon V-V de la figure 3 (étage moteur de la serrure);
• la figure 6 représente l'étage déclencheur de serrure en différentes positions (arrêt, marche, déclenché);
• la figure 7 représente l'étage moteur de serrure pour la version contacteur-disjoncteur, en positions "marche" et "arrêt";
• la figure 8 représente l'étage moteur de serrure pour la version contacteur-disjoncteur, en position "déclenché";
• la figure 9 représente l'étage moteur de serrure pour la version démarreur, en positions "marche" et "arrêt";
• la figure 10 représente l'étage moteur de serrure pour la version démarreur, en position "déclenché";

The invention will now be described in more detail with reference to embodiments given by way of examples and represented by the appended drawings in which:

• FIG. 1 is a diagram of a contactor-circuit breaker provided with the lock according to the invention;
• Figure 2 is a diagram of a motor circuit breaker or manual starter provided with the lock according to the invention;
• Figure 3 is an elevational view of the lock;
• Figure 4 is a section on IV-IV of Figure 3 (trigger stage of the lock);
• Figure 5 is a section along VV of Figure 3 (engine stage of the lock);
• FIG. 6 represents the stage triggering the lock in different positions (stop, on, triggered);
• FIG. 7 represents the lock motor stage for the contactor-circuit breaker version, in the "on" and "off"positions;
• FIG. 8 represents the lock motor stage for the contactor-circuit breaker version, in the "tripped"position;
• FIG. 9 represents the lock motor stage for the starter version, in the "on" and "off"positions;
• FIG. 10 represents the lock motor stage for the starter version, in the "tripped"position;

The control mechanism according to the invention is intended to equip an apparatus protection switch of the contactor-circuit breaker type such as that of FIG. 1 or of the type manual starter or motor circuit breaker such as that of FIG. 2.

Such an apparatus comprises power poles 1 capable of cutting the current on current paths ending in connection terminals used for connection. A single pole 1, of double cut type, is shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 so as to simplify the drawings.

For each pole 1, conductors 3 connect the connection terminals to fixed contacts, the associated mobile contacts being carried by a bridge of mobile contacts 4. This movable contact bridge 4 cooperates with the fixed contacts to establish or interrupt the flow of current between the connection terminals.

A contact carrier assembly 5 carrying the contact bridges 4 slides in the box 2, perpendicular to the plane passing through the fixed contacts.

A protective assembly 7 with magnetic and / or thermal release is housed in the housing to detect overloads or overcurrents on each path current associated with a pole. When this protective assembly 7 detects an overcurrent or overload on a current path, it controls, via a lock 8 and of a lifting beam 10, the opening of the movable contacts.

In the contactor-circuit breaker illustrated in FIG. 1, the contact carrier assembly 5 comprises a sliding support 51 and slides 52 guided in this sliding support and each capable of moving in translation a contact bridge 4. A spring of contact pressure tends to move each contact bridge 4 relative to the support 51, in the closing direction of the contacts. The return horn 10 is capable of move the slides 52.

An electromagnet 11 is housed in the housing 2 to move the contact carrier 5. This electromagnet includes a fixed magnetic circuit, a movable armature and a coil electrically connected to terminals by separable contacts also called contacts of coil. These can be operated by lock 8 or by manual action on the rotary control button 12 or, in the event of a fault, by the protection assembly 7. The moving armature of the electromagnet is subject to a return spring and moves a return pendulum 6 which is directly coupled to the support 51. The contact carrier assembly 5 is therefore subject to the return spring of the electromagnet. If the excitation stops coil, the return spring moves the movable armature which via the balance of return 6 moves the contact carrier 5 to the open position (contacts open).

In the motor circuit breaker illustrated in Figure 2, the lifter 10 is linked to the end upper of the contact carrier 5 via a hinge, so as to drive this contact carrier either in the opening direction or in the closing direction.

The lock 8 which is shown in detail in Figures 3 to 10, includes means for moving the lifter 10 in manual starter version or for controlling the solenoid coil contacts in contactor-circuit breaker version. She is composed a trip stage 91 mounted on a plate 22 and a motor stage 92 mounted on a plate 14, these two stages being superimposed. The trigger stage 91 is actuated by the manual control button 12 and the protection assembly 7 while the engine stage 92 operates the movable contacts.

The lock 8 is actuated in manual mode by the rotary control button 12 manual disposed on the front of the housing. This manual control button 12 is integral with a rotary main shaft 13 which is guided in rotation in the lock and can rotate so as to occupy three main positions: a "on" position (contacts closed), a "stop" position (contacts open) or an intermediate "tripped" position (contacts open on default).

The motor stage 92 (FIG. 5) is mounted between the lower plate 14 and the plate intermediate 22 which are substantially parallel. It includes a slider or striker carriage 15 used to actuate the lifter 10 and a slide or reset carriage 16, both guided in translation on the lower plate 14 so as to slide along an axe. The reset carriage 16 is provided with a pivoting hook 21 which can be coupled to the striker carriage 15 or release said striker carriage 15. This hook is subjected to a spring (not shown) tending to bring it into the hooking position.

The striker carriage 15 is subjected to a spring (not shown) which tends to move it apart of the resetting carriage 16 when the hook 21 releases it and to move it from the position "on" or "off" in the "tripped" position. By moving the striker carriage 15 made pivot the lifting beam 10.

A reset crank 17 which is free to rotate around the main shaft 13 is connected by an articulation to a rearming link 18 so as to form a knee pad. When the toggle is unfolded, the end of the link 18 can immobilize the reset carriage 16 in the "on" or "off" position.

The button 12 is integral in rotation with a reset lever 19 which, by pivoting around the axis 13 rotates, by means of a pin 191, the reset crank 17. It is also integral with a cam 33 which acts on a sliding part of trip 29 (in motor circuit breaker) and on a coil contact (in contactor-circuit breaker version). The cam 33 acts on the clutch part 29 by means of a pin 331. It actuates the coil contact via levers 32 and 31. It also serves to reset the trigger stage 91.

A locking piece 20 is capable of sliding relative to the plate 14. It is likely to immobilize the toggle 18-19 in the "off" or "on" position. It ensures the abrupt closure by keeping the lifter 10 in the open position as long the knee lifter has not returned to the "on" position.

In the manual starter version, the trigger part 29 allows you to go from "on" to "off". It acts directly on the hook 21 via the part 28 by turning the button 12, this clutch part 29 is moved by the pawn 331.

The trip stage 91 (FIG. 4) is mounted above the motor stage 92, between the intermediate plate 22 and an upper plate 23.

This trigger stage 91 is used to trigger a trigger lever 26 which is mounted pivoting about an axis 27. This trigger lever 26 is stopped in position on-off (Figure 6) by a trigger spoiler 24 which is likely to be actuated in rotation by the protective assembly 7. After being released by the spoiler 24, the trigger lever 26 which is subjected to a spring (not shown) can pivot and come to the "triggered" position by rotating, via a part 28, the hook 21. The spoiler 24 is also subjected to a spring (not represented).

The operation of the lock in a contactor breaker will now be explained with particular reference to Figures 4 to 8.

In the "stop" position marked A in FIGS. 6 and 7, the striker carriage 15 is attached to the rearming carriage 16. The knee lever 17-18 which is unfolded keeps the reset carriage in "on" position. The coil contact is open.

To go from "stop" to "on", the operator turns the button 12 from "stop" to "market". During this rotation, the cam 33 which is integral with the axis 13 actuates, by the levers 32 and 31, the coil contact which closes. The electromagnet 11 which is then supplied causes the contact carrier 5 to move (contact closure).

To go from "on" to "off", the operation is reversed.

In the event of a fault (overload or short circuit), a trip order from the magnetic or thermal trigger 7 is applied to the spoiler 24. The latter pivots and releases the release lever 26 which, via the drive part 28, rotates the hook 21. By pivoting the hook 21 releases the striker carriage 15 which moves in translation under the effect of the spring associated with it. The striker carriage 15 operates the lifter 10 as well as the slides 52. The knee lever 7-8 folds, the lever resetting 19 pivots and drives the button 12 in rotation (Figure 8). Levers 31-32 in operating the coil contact cut the coil supply. The fallout of the electromagnet 11 results therefrom.

The reset carriage 16 is freed from the fact that the toggle 17-18 is folded. he can then move and pick up the striker carriage 15. At the end of the race, the hook 21 is hooked onto the striker carriage 15.

To go from "triggered" to "stop", the operator by rotating button 12, rotates the reset lever 19 to the "stop" position shown in phantom in FIG. 7. The resetting carriage 16 can end its stroke to hang the striker carriage 15. The button 12 by turning rotates the cam 33 which rotates the lever trigger 26 so as to reset it on spoiler 24. Contacts are always open. The lifter 10 is maintained by the locking piece 20 so as to produce the abrupt closure.

To go from "off" to "on" (reset after fault), all springs. Using the rearming lever 19 and its pin, you reset the toggle 17-18 and the two carriages return to the running position.

Note that in this case the trigger part 29 is inoperative.

The operation of the lock mechanism in a motor circuit breaker will now be explained with particular reference to Figures 4, 5 and 9 and 10.

Triggering takes place in the same way as in the previous case.

The rearming carriage 16 is rearmed by the toggle 17-18. The piece of trigger 29 is used for triggering. It acts on the hook 21.

In this version, it will be noted that the coil contact is not operational.

The lock which has just been described allows the forced opening of the contacts.

Claims (9)

1. A protective switch apparatus fitted with power poles the mobile contacts of which are carried by a contact carrier (5), a protection assembly (7) with magnetic and/or thermal tripping capable of detecting overloads or overcurrents on the current path of each pole and a lock (8) that can be operated by a manual command knob (12), characterized by the fact that the lock comprises means of commanding by manual command, either the direct opening of the power contacts of a circuit breaker motor, or the opening of an auxiliary contact that allows the current in the coil of the command electromagnet of a contactor-circuit breaker to be switched off.
2. An apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized by the fact that the lock (8) is made up of a tripping stage (91) mounted on a plate(22) actuated by the manual command knob (12) and the protection assembly (7) and a motor stage (92) mounted on a plate (14) which acts on the mobile contacts, these two stages being superimposed.
3. An apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized by the fact that the motor stage (92) comprises a actuating pin carriage (15) used to actuate the contact carrier (5) and a recocking carriage (16), both being guided in translation, the recocking carriage (16) being capable of being coupled to the actuating pin carriage (15) or of releasing said actuating pin carriage (15) which is subject to the action of a spring which tends to move it away from the recocking carriage.
4. An apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized by the fact that the lock comprises a tripping component (29) moved by the knob (12) and which acts directly on the hook (21) in the circuit breaker-motor version, this component being inoperative in the contactor-circuit breaker version.
5. An apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized by the fact that the motor stage (92) comprises a recocking crank (17) which is free in rotation about the main shaft (13) and is connected through a coupling to a recocking crank link (18) capable of immobilizing the recocking carriage (16) in the "on" or "off" position.
6. An apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized by the fact that the knob (12) is rigidly fixed in rotation with a recocking lever (19) which, on pivoting about the axis of rotation (13) of said knob, causes the recocking crank (17) to pivot.
7. An apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized by the fact that the manual command knob (12) is integral with a cam (33) which acts on the tripping component (29) in the circuit breaker-motor version and on the coil contact in the contactor-circuit breaker version and is also used to recock the tripping stage (91).
8. An apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized by the fact that the lock comprises a locking component (20) which is capable of sliding and immobilizing the knuckle joint (18-19) in the "off" or "on" position and of causing immediate closure by holding the contact carrier in the open position as long as the knuckle has not returned to the "on" position.
9. An apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized by the fact that the tripping stage (91) comprises a tripping lever (26) which is arrested in the on-off position and is capable of being released by the protection assembly (7) in order to move into the "tripped" position to release the motor carriage (15).

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