DE9204389U1 - Withdrawable low-voltage switchgear for supplying or distributing electrical energy - Google Patents

Description

Klöckner-Moeller GmbH -1- 0 271 GM

March 9, 1992

Withdrawable low-voltage switchgear for supplying or distributing electrical energy

The invention relates to a withdrawable low-voltage switchgear according to the preamble of claim 1.

In energy distribution, withdrawable low voltage cabinets consisting of withdrawable switch cabinets, also known as motor, energy or MCC distributors, have long been known and proven for the protection of systems and motors.

The delivery and distribution of electrical energy is achieved with common busbars via quickly replaceable inserts that contain the switching and protection components and access the busbars with plug-in contacts.

The switching and protection components can be circuit breakers, motor protection switches, contactors and combinations of these components, such as a reversing, star-delta combination or the like. The system can also be assigned control, regulation and measuring tasks.

The control current lines are routed via separate plug-in devices, as shown and described in WO 91/16 742, for example.

Microprocessor technology is increasingly being used, for example, in complex manufacturing processes in plug-in distributors.

It is known to provide plug-in distributors, i.e. plug-in low-voltage switchgear, with a common bus line, whereby the individual plug-in units access this bus line. This usually involves serial data transmission.

Klöckner-Moeller GmbH -2- 0 271 GM

March 9, 1992

The bus line is connected to a programmable logic controller (PLC) for process control, which can be subordinate to a control system used for process management.

The slots contain intelligent communication modules that are connected to the switching and protection components and enable data exchange via the bus. It is also possible to equip slots with input and display devices.

With the help of microprocessor and bus technology, conventional device families are being replaced by a few functional modules.

PLCs are often connected to each other using a bus cable. One PLC is connected to the next using a plug-in cable. For this purpose, the PLCs are each provided with a bus input and a bus output, i.e. with an input socket and a separate output socket.

Alternatively, it is known to use a common socket instead of two sockets, whereby an adapter piece or T-piece must be used.

It is known in installation technology to connect installation devices such as residual current circuit breakers directly to a bus multiple line, for example as shown and described in DE-OS 37 32 650. The installation devices are snapped onto a hat-like installation rail, with bus conductors arranged in the installation rail, onto which spring-loaded contact elements grip, which are present in the installation devices.

Furthermore, it is also known to provide busbar distributors with bus lines for the distribution and control of electrical energy.

Klöckner-Moeller GmbH -3- 0 271 GM

March 9, 1992

The individual bus conductors are arranged next to each other in a rail channel between busbars for the distribution of electrical energy and are accessible at certain tap-off points using tap-off boxes. A busbar distributor with bus cables of this type is shown and described in FR-OS 2 627 910.

Analogous to the connections of PLCs, it is known and also common to connect the plug-in units of low-voltage switchgear with a common bus line, whereby the bus line is routed behind each plug-in unit in the cable section to the adjacent plug-in unit via the shortest possible route.

To better illustrate the disadvantages of known low-voltage switchgear with a common bus line, a generally known low-voltage switchgear with a common bus line is explained in more detail using Figures 2 and 3.

It shows

Fig. 2 a schematic diagram of a plug-in switch cabinet with plug-in units connected by a bus and

Fig. 3 an alternative to Fig.l.

The plug-in switch cabinet 1 shown in Fig. 2 consists of a customer connection room 2' and a room intended for the plug-in units, the equipment room 3, in which, for example, circuit breakers, auxiliary switches and communication modules for the bus are located.

The slots are usually provided with plug-in contacts on the back that engage the busbars. There are also usually plug-in contacts for the load current output and the control current as well as for the bus, which are also attached to the back.

Klöckner-Moeller GmbH -4- 0 271 GM

March 9, 1992

The counter contacts are often embedded in a bulkhead or behind it, with openings in the bulkhead.

The drawer compartments are separated from each other by shelves.

The individual bus contacts are connected by a bus line, similar to the connection of programmable logic controllers described above, i.e. in the manner shown in Fig. 2, namely from the slot 4' to the slot 5 ■ on the left, then to the slot 7 ¹ located below it and further to the slot 8', etc.

Alternatively, the bus line 4 · can be laid from the slot 7 · over the slots 9 ¹ and II ¹ located underneath, as shown in Fig. 3.

The bus cables are flexible, multi-core shielded cables that are stripped at the connection points 13. The cable ends 14' and 15' are often screwed to the shelf using cable clamps, whereby the cable clamps grip the two metal cable shields and ensure a grounding contact. In a counter contact for the bus connection, two individual conductors are inevitably connected together, for example screwed. Connecting or screwing two individual conductors is disadvantageous and difficult, especially in unfavorable assembly conditions, for example when the assembly of a plug-in switch cabinet is well advanced and changes are still due.

A conductor line described in this way is particularly disadvantageous if the bus cable is laid in front of a bulkhead or between a bulkhead and the drawers, especially if shelves have already been installed. Access is particularly disadvantageous here and is made more difficult by the shelves, because the vertical bus cable laying is blocked by

Klöckner-Moeller GmbH -5- 0 271 GM

March 9, 1992

the shelf is obstructed.

With this bus cable layout, pulling out a plug-in module does not cause an interruption of the bus for the other branches, so replacing a plug-in module is possible without interrupting operation, but subsequently connecting a plug-in module that was not previously connected to the bus is not possible without interrupting operation.

The object of the invention is therefore to provide a withdrawable low-voltage switchgear assembly according to the preamble of claim 1 with a bus using commercially available elements, such that good accessibility to the bus is provided, even when the switch cabinet is partially or completely assembled, and without the disadvantages of the known prior art occurring.

The object of the invention is achieved by the characterizing features of claim 1, while particularly advantageous developments of the invention are characterized in the subclaims.

The invention allows individual plug-in units to be retrofitted with a bus connection in a flexible and simple manner. This is also possible without interrupting operations, i.e. without causing an interruption to the other branches.

A branch line can be laid even if shelves have already been installed.

The invention also offers the advantage that large plug-in units connected to the bus, i.e. plug-in units covering several fields, can be replaced by several smaller plug-in units and connected to the bus in a simple manner.

A further advantage of the invention is that prefabricated

Klöckner-Moeller GmbH -6- 0 271 GM

March 9, 1992

Stub lines can be used because there are only two different lengths, regardless of the number of installed modules. This is particularly advantageous when producing relatively large quantities.

The design of the system is considerably simplified by the invention, in particular by the possibility of subsequent retrofitting and conversion.

It is particularly advantageous if the bus cable is arranged in a separate cable duct, whereby the bus can be arranged relatively freely within the module and independently of other cables or busbars.

It is particularly advantageous if the cable duct is arranged in the customer connection room, because this results in good customer accessibility.

If the features of claim 5 on the one hand achieve simple manufacture and assembly using commercially available elements, then on the other hand an improvement in the insensitivity to electromagnetic interference results.

Ease of manufacture is achieved if the bushings are present on the cover.

The plug-in connection of the communication module or the plug-in unit to the bus conductors is made by means of a control current plug that is shared with the control current lines. This saves additional plugs or the like, and it also has the advantage that the bus connection is retained in a test position if a corresponding device is used, such as one described in WO 91/16 742.

A favourable installation and arrangement of the branch lines is achieved if they are laid in the area of the slots above the shelf

Klöckner-Moeller GmbH -7- 0 271 GM

March 9, 1992

are arranged horizontally.

The spur lines are designed as shielded and flexible cables and can be pre-assembled before installation.

It is also particularly advantageous if sockets are provided on the cable duct for the plug-in connection of the branch lines to the cable duct and the sockets are located in a plane parallel to the bulkhead, with the bulkhead separating the equipment compartment and the customer connection compartment, especially if angled plugs in accordance with DIN 41524 are provided for the plug-in connection of the branch lines to the cable duct, because little installation space is required and the branch lines can easily be routed directly behind the bulkhead.

To simplify the assignment of the spur lines to the sockets during assembly, the sockets are arranged in pairs.

It is also particularly advantageous if the cable duct is attached to the bulkhead at a height by means of a hole in the bottom of the housing, such that a pair of sockets is arranged at approximately the same height as the shelves of the associated inserts, because assembly is simplified and the branch lines can be connected to the cable duct via the shortest route.

In contrast to the state of the art, DIN sockets according to DIN 41524 are available on the cable duct for the pluggable connection of the branch lines with the cable duct, which enables the use of commercially available angled plugs, thus creating a secure pluggable connection at low cost.

It is particularly cost-effective to manufacture if the DIN sockets are riveted to the cover.

Klöckner-Moeller GmbH -8- 0 271 GM

March 9, 1992

Because the DIN sockets are arranged diagonally in the cover, the cable duct can be made relatively narrow.

It is also particularly advantageous that 9-pin D Sub sockets according to DIN 41652 are arranged at the end points of the cable duct, because a standard-compliant connection option is available, which is explained in more detail by the features of claims 18 to 22.

The invention, further refinements and improvements of the invention and further advantages will be described and explained in more detail with reference to the drawing, in which an embodiment is shown.

It shows:

Fig. 1 a schematic diagram of a withdrawable low-voltage switchgear with bus according to DIN 19 245,

Fig. 4 a representation of a pre-assembled stub line with control current line,

Fig. 5 a perspective view of the bus cable duct,

Fig. 6 is a plan view of the bus cable duct shown in Fig. 5,

Fig. 7 a detail Z of Fig. 6,

Fig. 8 a detail Y of Fig. 6 and

Fig. 9 shows the wiring in the bus cable duct.

In Fig. 1, a withdrawable low-voltage switchgear 20 consisting of four withdrawable switch cabinets 21 to 24

Klöckner-Moeller GmbH -9- 0 271 GM

March 9, 1992

The individual switch cabinets are divided into an equipment room 25 and a customer connection room 26, whereby the equipment room contains two rows of slots 27, 28 arranged one below the other.

In addition to display, operating and switching devices such as circuit breakers, motor protection switches and the like, the slots also contain communication modules that enable communication with the bus. In addition to command sequences, the bus can also be used to provide feedback on the operating status, which is then passed on to a higher level. The bus largely complies with the DIN 19 245 standard.

The plug-in units have at least one plug strip on the back, which corresponds to socket strips 29 (Fig. 4) arranged in the control cabinet 21 to 24 and which are part of devices for connecting control current lines, called control current plugs for short. These are explained in more detail in WO 91/16 742.

These control current plugs, or the socket strip 29 shown in Fig. 4, carry the bus conductors 30 in addition to the control current lines 31, with the control current lines 31 being connected at their other end to cable connection terminals 50 located in the customer connection area.

The bus conductors 30 are initially designed as stub lines 32, 33, as shown in Fig. 1, and are arranged horizontally in the area of the slots above the shelf 34.

At the end opposite the socket strip 29, commercially available 5-pin DIN angle plugs 35 according to DIN 41524 are attached, which correspond to corresponding commercially available DIN sockets 39 according to DIN 41524, which are present on the cable duct 37 arranged vertically in the customer connection compartment 26 and separate for the bus line 36.

Klöckner-Moeller GmbH -10- 0 271 GM

March 9, 1992

As can be seen from Fig. 1, only two different cable lengths are required for the spur lines 32, 33 in the switchgear, so that these can easily be prefabricated, i.e. can be manufactured before assembly.

Between the equipment compartment 25 and the customer connection compartment 26 there are bulkheads 38, past which the angled plugs 35 are routed. The angled plugs 35 are accessible in the customer connection compartment 26. For the sake of better illustration, the cable duct 37 in Fig. 3 is shown rotated by 90 degrees. In this embodiment, the sockets 39 are located on a plane parallel to the bulkhead 38, with this bulkhead 38 separating the equipment compartment 25 and the customer connection compartment 26.

Due to the angled shape of the angled connector 35, the branch lines can be routed directly to the rear and bypass the bulkhead 38 in an arc shape without requiring much space in the customer connection compartment 26.

The spur lines are also designed as shielded, flexible cables.

The cable duct 37 is made of a commercially available housing 40 made of metal, which consists of a U-shaped housing part 41 with fastening grooves 42 pressed into the side walls for the positive fastening of an associated cover 43, which is designed with a locking edge 44, as shown in Fig. 5.

The cover 43 is further provided, as shown in Fig. 6 through the openings shown, with DIN sockets 39 arranged in pairs, with one pair corresponding to two slots 27, 28 arranged in the same horizontal plane.

The DIN sockets 39 are connected to the cover 43 at the

Klöckner-Moeller GmbH -11- 0 271 GM

March 9, 1992

The holes 45 provided for fastening are simply riveted in such a way that the DIN sockets 39 or their fastening tabs (not shown) are arranged diagonally, as can be seen in Fig. 7.

The cable duct 37 is attached to the housing base by means of the base holes 46 shown in Fig. 5 on the bulkhead 38 at a height such that a pair of DIN sockets 39 is at approximately the same height as the shelves 34 of the associated inserts 27, 28.

At each end of the cable duct 37, at the level of the DIN plug 39, 9-pin D Sub sockets 47 are arranged according to DIN 41652, mainly for the purpose of connecting the switch cabinets to one another via the bus. These comply with DIN 19 245, and therefore correspond to the bus standard.

These sockets 47 can be used to establish the connection with a PLC, as shown in the control cabinet 21 in Fig. 3, or to extend the bus line to an adjacent control cabinet, as shown in the control cabinets 23 and 24, whereby this can be done by amplifier modules 48, so-called repeaters, located in the customer connection room, as shown in the control cabinet 22. The repeater here enables the number of bus participants to be increased.

Furthermore, a bus termination can be connected via the socket 47, as shown in the control cabinet 24.

Not shown, but conceivable, is the direct connection of personal computers to the bus via socket 47 or via an adapter cable that enables connection to DIN socket 39.

In the cable duct 37, the contacts of the DIN sockets 39 and the socket 47 are connected to each other without interruption, as shown in

Klöckner-Moeller GmbH -12- 0 271 GM

March 9, 1992

which is shown in Fig. 9, whereby the bus conductors 30 are twisted against each other between the DIN sockets 39 or the sockets 47, contrary to the illustration in Fig. 9.

The metal cable duct 37 has a shielding function in addition to the mechanical protection function. The mechanical protection function is important because an interruption of one of these bus conductors 30 is equivalent to an interruption of operation of the entire system.

The cable duct 37 can be provided with cover or end elements on the front sides 51.

Pulling out or interrupting the branch line 32,33 does not affect the operation of the entire system.

Claims (1)

Klöckner-Moeller GmbH -13- 0 k/l GM March 9, 1992 Protection claims 1. Withdrawable low-voltage switchgear for supplying or distributing electrical energy, comprising at least one withdrawable switchgear cabinet, the withdrawable switchgear cabinet having a bus line, in particular in accordance with DIN 19 245, and at least one insert with a communications module, the communications module being pluggably connected to the bus line, characterized in that within the withdrawable switchgear cabinet (21 to 24) there is a cable duct (37) in which the bus line (36) is guided in a protected manner, that spur lines (32, 33) are guided from this cable duct (36) to the individual inserts (27, 28), each spur line (32, 33) being assigned to a insert (27, 28), and that the spur lines (32, 33) can be plugged into the cable duct (36). 2. Withdrawable low-voltage switchgear according to claim 1, characterized in that the bus line (36) is present in a cable duct (37) separate from the bus line (36). 3. Withdrawable low-voltage switchgear according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the cable duct (37) is arranged vertically. 4. Withdrawable low-voltage switchgear according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the cable duct (37) is arranged in the customer connection space (26). Klöckner-Moeller GmbH -14- 0 271 GM March 9, 1992 5. Withdrawable low-voltage switchgear according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the cable duct (37) is made of a housing (40) made of metal, which is made of a U-shaped housing part (41) with fastening grooves (42) pressed into the side walls for the positive fastening of an associated cover (43) with a locking edge (44). 6. Withdrawable low-voltage switchgear according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the plug-in connection of the communication module or the drawer (27, 28) to the bus conductors (30) is made by means of a control current plug common to the control current lines (31). 7. Withdrawable low-voltage switchgear according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the stub lines (32, 33) are arranged horizontally above the compartment floor (34) in the area of the drawers. 8. Withdrawable low-voltage switchgear according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the stub lines (32, 33) are designed as shielded and flexible lines. 9. Withdrawable low-voltage switchgear according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that sockets (39) are provided on the cable duct (37) for the pluggable connection of the spur lines (32, 33) to the cable duct (37). 10. Withdrawable low-voltage switchgear according to claim 9, characterized in that the sockets (39) lie in a plane parallel to a bulkhead (38), the bulkhead (38) separating the equipment compartment (25) and the customer connection compartment (26). Klöckner-Moeller GmbH -15- 0 271 GM March 9, 1992 11. Withdrawable low-voltage switchgear according to claim 9 or 10, characterized in that the sockets are arranged in pairs. 12. Low-voltage plug-in switchgear according to one of claims 9 to 11, characterized in that the cable duct (37) is attached to the bulkhead (38) at a height by means of a bottom hole (46) located in the housing bottom, such that a pair of sockets (39) are arranged at approximately the same height as the compartment floors (34) of the associated plug-in units (27, 28). 13. Withdrawable low-voltage switchgear according to one of claims 9 to 12, characterized in that DIN sockets (39) according to DIN 41524 are provided on the cable duct (37) for the pluggable connection of the spur lines (32, 33) to the cable duct (37). 14. Withdrawable low-voltage switchgear according to one of claims 9 to 13, characterized in that for the pluggable connection of the stub lines (32, 33) to the cable duct (37), the stub lines (32, 33) are provided with angled plugs (35) according to DIN 41524. 15. Withdrawable low-voltage switchgear according to one of claims 13 or 14, characterized in that the DIN sockets (39) are riveted to the cover. 16. Withdrawable low-voltage switchgear according to one of claims 13 to 15, characterized in that the DIN sockets (39) are arranged diagonally in the cover. 17. Withdrawable low-voltage switchgear according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that 9-pin D Sub sockets (47) according to DIN 41652 are arranged at the end points of the cable duct (37). Klöckner-Moeller GmbH -16- 0 271 GM March 9, 1992 18. Withdrawable low-voltage switchgear according to claim 17, characterized in that the sockets (47) are provided for the purpose of the bus connection of the switch cabinets to one another. 19. Withdrawable low-voltage switchgear according to one of claims 17 or 18, characterized in that at least one socket (47) is provided for connection to a programmable logic controller. 20. Withdrawable low-voltage switchgear according to one of claims 17 to 19, characterized in that an amplifier module is present between two sockets (47). 21. Withdrawable low-voltage switchgear according to claim 20, characterized in that the amplifier module (48) is arranged in the customer connection space (26). 22. Withdrawable low-voltage switchgear according to one of claims 17 to 21, characterized in that a personal computer is connected directly to the bus by means of one of the sockets (47) or by means of an adapter cable for the connection to the DIN socket (39).