EP0612092B1 - Circuit breaker with adaptable remote control unit - Google Patents

Description

• le disjoncteur comporte un premier mécanisme associé à une manette traversant une ouverture de la face avant du boítier , et à un barreau isolant de commutation portant les contacts mobiles des différents pôles, la manette pouvant occuper au moins deux positions extrêmes stables en fonction de l'état ouvert ou fermé des contacts,
• le bloc de télécommande est monté à basculement sur un axe d'une semelle d'adaptation à la face avant du disjoncteur, et renferme un deuxième mécanisme équipé d'un organe moto-réducteur , et comportant :
  • des premiers moyens pour accumuler de l'énergie mécanique dans au moins un ressort d'un système accumulateur,
  • des deuxièmes moyens pour coupler mécaniquement le deuxième mécanisme à la manette du disjoncteur,
  • et des troisièmes moyens de commande d'ouverture et de fermeture des premier et deuxième mécanismes entraínant la rotation du barreau de commutation,
• chacun des premier et deuxième mécanismes étant agencé entre une paire de platines de support.

The invention relates to a remote-controlled circuit breaker formed by the assembly of a remote control unit on the front face of a multipole circuit breaker with insulating casing, in which:

• the circuit breaker comprises a first mechanism associated with a handle passing through an opening in the front face of the housing, and with an insulating switching bar carrying the movable contacts of the different poles, the handle being able to occupy at least two extreme stable positions depending on the open or closed state of the contacts,
• the remote control unit is pivotally mounted on an axis of an adaptation sole to the front face of the circuit breaker, and contains a second mechanism equipped with a gear motor, and comprising:
  • first means for accumulating mechanical energy in at least one spring of an accumulator system,
  • second means for mechanically coupling the second mechanism to the handle of the circuit breaker,
  • and third means for controlling the opening and closing of the first and second mechanisms causing the rotation of the switching bar,
• each of the first and second mechanisms being arranged between a pair of support plates.

In this type of circuit breaker, a remote control unit is attached to the basic device to allow remote maneuvering. The closing energy of the contacts and the operating system of the second mechanism is housed in a module which comes use the joystick to operate the device, and also take the information from the position of the poles to activate the open / closed display devices fixed on the remote control unit. It is therefore imperative to precisely position the block of remote control on the circuit breaker to properly drive the handle, to transmit the local opening order to the first mechanism, and to capture the position contacts.

In known remote-controlled circuit breakers (EP-A-0 427 641), the correct positioning of the remote control unit requires a chain of precise dimensions to obtain good operational safety. The installation on the front of the remote control function poses on the other hand the problem of access to the connection of auxiliaries and the remote control, as well as that of the interchangeability of the auxiliary blocks of the circuit breaker. It is sometimes essential to completely disassemble the remote control unit to remedy certain adaptation modifications. In addition the devices known are not equipped with effective security means allowing to prevent a mismatching of states of the first and second mechanisms.

Document EP-A-38289 mentions a remote-controlled circuit breaker having a support plate with a notch for centering the remote control unit relative to the circuit breaker box.

The object of the invention is to provide a circuit breaker with a block of adaptable remote control, ensuring both positioning and concordance of states of the mechanical control members, and the ease of adaptation, interchangeability and connection of auxiliaries.

The remote-controlled circuit breaker according to the invention is characterized in that the lower part of at least one plate of the second mechanism comprises a first anchoring element intended to cooperate with a second element anchor provided at the top of the corresponding plate of the first mechanism, the arrival in engagement of the first and second elements anchoring at the end of the tilting stroke of the remote control unit, causing automatic centering of the second mechanism on the first mechanism, and that the second mechanism is equipped with a drive drawer the joystick, and a keying device cooperating with the joystick to prevent the limit switch from tipping over case of state mismatch of the first and second mechanisms.

According to a preferred characteristic of the invention, the spacing between the two plates parallels of the second mechanism is identical to that of the plates of the first mechanism.

According to another preferred characteristic, the upper face of the adaptation sole carries a connection terminal block, and is provided with at least one opening lateral access to the housing compartments of the auxiliary blocks provided in the circuit breaker box.

The presence of the anchoring elements on the plates makes it possible to obtain a perfect positioning of the mechanical parts of the two mechanisms, which generates an improvement in the chain of dimensions for mounting. The configuration of the adaptation sole allows after tilting the block remote control, to freely access the connection terminal block and various circuit breaker auxiliary compartments to facilitate interchangeability and auxiliary connection functions for the user.

To this end, the polarization device preferably comprises a protrusion of the drawer, and an indicator to indicate the armed or disarmed state of the system accumulator, and that said indicator comprises a polarization lever having a first end secured to a driving lever arranged between the drawer and the energy storage system, and a second end shaped as blocking spout likely to interfere with the handle when the circuit breaker is open, and the second mechanism in the disarmed state.

Other advantages and characteristics will emerge more clearly from the description which will follow of an embodiment of the invention, given to as an example, and shown in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a remote controlled circuit breaker according to the invention.

Figure 2 shows a schematic sectional view along line 2-2 of the figure 1.

FIG. 3 shows a perspective view of the remote control unit, shown in the tilted position on the upper part of the circuit breaker, the cover of the remote control unit being removed.

Figures 4 and 5 are sectional views of Figure 3, respectively tilted position and in the mounted position of the remote control unit.

Figures 6 to 8 are views similar to Figure 2, and illustrate the operation of the keying device, respectively in the state circuit breaker open and remote control unit disarmed, in circuit breaker state closed and remote control block armed, and in circuit breaker open and block state armed remote control.

Figures 1 to 8 show a remote-controlled circuit breaker 10 formed by the assembly of a remote control block 11 with energy accumulation, and of a circuit breaker 12 with casing 13 molded insulator. The circuit breaker 12 is of the type multipolar containing a separable contact system 14 (FIGS. 6 and 8), whose movable contact 16 of each pole is positioned in an orifice of the switching bar 18.

• une première position fermée (figure 2) correspondant à la fermeture du système de contacts 14, et à l'extension de la genouillère suite à l'intervention du bloc de télécommande 11 après réception d'un ordre de fermeture;
• une deuxième position d'ouverture (fig. 8) correspondant à l'ouverture du système de contacts 14 suite à l'intervention du bloc de télécommande 11 après réception d'un ordre d'ouverture;
• une troisième position de déclenchement (non représentée) correspondant à la séparation des contacts 14 suite à la brisure de la genouillère après déverrouillage du crochet 26 par le verrou 32 suite à l'émission d'un ordre de déclenchement issu du déclencheur 22.

The bar 18 is actuated by a first control mechanism 20 (fig. 2) controlled by a trigger 22 sensitive to an overload current, and cooperating with a pivoting crank pin or handle 24 projecting from the housing 13. The trigger 22 can be electronic or magnetothermal. A trigger hook 26 (Figure 2) is pivotally mounted on a fixed axis 28, and is equipped with a hooking surface 30 cooperating in the locking position with a lock 32 articulated on an axis 34. The lock 32 is held in the locked position by an attachment 36 in the form of a half-moon, controlled by the release 22 so as to cause the automatic opening of the circuit breaker when a fault occurs. The hook 26 is connected to the bar 18 by a toggle joint (not shown), and the lever 24 can occupy three distinct positions comprising:

• a first closed position (FIG. 2) corresponding to the closing of the contact system 14, and to the extension of the toggle switch following the intervention of the remote control unit 11 after reception of a closing order;
• a second open position (fig. 8) corresponding to the opening of the contact system 14 following the intervention of the remote control unit 11 after receipt of an opening order;
• a third tripping position (not shown) corresponding to the separation of the contacts 14 following the breaking of the toggle joint after unlocking the hook 26 by the latch 32 following the issuance of a tripping order originating from the tripping device 22.

The contact system 14 comprises by way of example a rotary contact bridge 16 with double break cooperating with a pair of fixed contacts 38, 40, as described in the document FR-A-2.622.347 from the applicant. It is understood that any other device, in particular with simple cut-off, can be used.

The remote control unit 11 is formed by an adaptable module, attached to the front face of the circuit breaker 12 after removal of a faceplate.

Inside the remote control unit 11 is a second mechanism 42 arranged between two support plates 44, 46, extending in parallel (one to the other in the central part of the block. Mechanism 42 has an energy storage system 48 comprising a closing spring 50 mounted on a telescopic support 52 arranged between a fixed stop 54, and a finger 56 for transmitting a driving lever 58. Such a energy storage system 48 is described by way of example in document EP-A-222,645.

The driving lever 58 is pivotally mounted on an axis 60 integral with the plates 44, 46, and is equipped opposite the axis 60 with a cleat 62 for driving intended to come in engagement with the handle 24 to ensure the closure of the contacts 38, 40, 16 of the circuit breaker 12. The mechanism 42 also includes a reset cam 64 mounted on a transverse drive shaft 66 extending perpendicular to the plates 44, 46 and the driving lever 58. The rearming cam 64 cooperates with a roller 68 mounted for free rotation on the driving lever 58. The profile of the cam 64 has a first sector 70 for arming the closing spring, and a second sector 72 of release of the roller 68 authorizing an abrupt pivoting movement of the driving lever 58 clockwise under the trigger action of the closing spring 50.

The second mechanism 42 is interposed between a motor-reducing member 74, and a manual override 76 (Figure 3).

The reset cam 64 is provided with a third bearing surface 104 arranged between the first sector 70 and the second sector 72 for the stable maintenance of the roller 68 in the armed position of the second remote control mechanism 42.

The second mechanism 42 is equipped with a first control button 94 for closing and a second opening control button 106, the latter cooperating with a release button 108 for hooking 36 of the first mechanism 20. The pusher 108 is interposed between the half-moon of the attachment 36 and the lower end of the push button 106.

The crank pin 24 of the circuit breaker is engaged in a drawer 110 mounted for free translation in straight rails 112 of the two plates 44, 46. The drawer 110 is moved by the cleat 62 of the driving lever 58 between the open and closed positions crankpin 24.

The remote control unit 11 is pivotally mounted on a transverse axis 120 of a sole 122, which is fixed to the front face of the circuit breaker 12 after removal of the chestplate. The sole 122 has a central opening 124 for the passage of the lever. 24, and lateral openings 126 for access to the compartment for housing the blocks circuit breaker auxiliaries 12.

The spacing between the two parallel plates 44, 46 of the second mechanism 42 of the tilting remote control unit 11 corresponds to that of the pair of plates 128, 130 first mechanism 20. As a result, the two plates 44 and 128 on the left are coplanar, as well as the two plates 46 and 130 on the right (the latter being not shown in the figures). At the bottom of each plate 44, 46 of the second mechanism 42 is arranged a first anchoring element 132 intended to cooperate with a second conjugate anchor 134 provided for in the part upper of each plate 128, 130 of the first mechanism 20 (Figure 4).

The first anchoring element 132 is formed by a female part, for example a notch which engages at the end of the tilting stroke of the remote control unit 11 on a male part, in particular a projecting tooth of the second anchoring element 134 (figure 5). It is clear that the male and female parts of the anchoring elements 132, 134 can be reversed on the corresponding plates. The tooth of the second element anchor 134 projects from the front face of the circuit breaker.

The engagement of the anchoring elements 132, 134 makes it possible to adjust the block of remote control 11 on the circuit breaker 12 according to the manufacturing tolerances of the parts of the two mechanisms 20, 42. This results in positioning and centering second mechanism 42 on the first mechanism 20, as well as a improvement of the assembly dimension chain.

Tilting the remote control unit 11 from the mounted position (Figure 5) towards the separated position (figure 4) allows direct access to the connection terminal block 127 as well as to the various compartments of the auxiliaries of the circuit breaker 12 through the openings 126 of the sole 122. This accessibility facilitates the interchangeability of the auxiliaries, including in particular a block of CAOF signaling contacts of the position of the contacts, an SD fault signal block, and auxiliary trip units to lack of voltage MN, with current emission MX.

The second mechanism 42 is designed in such a way that the adaptation of the block of remote control 11 that switches on circuit breaker 12 is only possible if lever 24 and the second mechanism 42 are in agreement of states. For this purpose, the second mechanism 42 is provided with a polarization device cooperating with the lever 24 and comprising a protrusion 136 integral with the drawer 110, and a status indicator 138 armed or disarmed from the energy storage system 48. The protrusion 136 is formed by a simple extension of the left side of the drawer 110. The indicator 138 comprises a polarization lever 140 articulated on an axis 142, and having at one of the ends an oblong groove 144 in which the axis of the roller 68 is engaged integral with the driving lever 58. The other end of the coding lever 140 is arranged in blocking spout 146 liable to interfere with the top of the handle 24 to prohibit the installation of the remote control unit 11 in the event of a discrepancy between the lever 24, the drawer 110 and the lever 140 of the indicator 138.

Figures 6 to 8 show views illustrating different cases likely to arise present during the adaptation of the remote control unit 11 on the circuit breaker 12.

Referring to Figure 6, the handle 24 of the circuit breaker 12 is in the right position corresponding to the open state of contacts 16, 38, 40. The position of the lever coding 140 reflects that of driving lever 58, and indicates the disarmed state of the energy storage system 48, in which the spring 50 is relaxed. In case of attempt to install the remote control unit 11, the locking spout 146 comes stop against the lever 24 before the end of tilting stroke, and thereby prevents adaptation of the remote control unit 11.

In the case of FIG. 7, the lever 24 is in the left position, corresponding to the closed state of contacts 16, 38, 40. The accumulator system energy 48 of the second mechanism 42 is armed following the compression of the spring 50 closing. The protrusion 136 abuts against the lever 24 during a attempt to switch the remote control unit 11 on the circuit breaker 12.

In the two cases of discrepancy of states illustrated in Figures 6 and 7, the establishment of the remote control unit 11 is prohibited by the locking action of the coding 140 or the protrusion 136 of the drawer 110 on the lever 24, respectively in the disarmed state and in the armed state of the second mechanism 42.

FIG. 8 shows a case of concordance of states, in which the contacts of circuit breaker 12 are in the open state, and the remote control unit 11 is armed. In this situation, the insertion of the handle 24 into the drawer 110 is possible, and driving the lever 24 by the second mechanism 42 of the block remote control 11 becomes operational.

It is understood that other keying means representative of the state of the energy storage system 48 and the position of the drawer 110 for driving, could be used to prevent the installation of the remote control unit 11 by case of state mismatch of the two mechanisms 20, 42.

Claims (6)

1. A remote-controlled circuit breaker (10) formed by assembly of a remote control unit (11) on the front panel of a multipole circuit breaker (12) with an insulating case (13), wherein :

   the circuit breaker (12) comprises a first mechanism (20) associated to a handle (24) passing through an opening of the front panel of the case (13), and to an insulating switching bar (18) beanng the movable contacts (16) of the different poles, the handle (24) being able to occupy at least two stable extreme positions according to the open or closed state of the contacts,

   the remote control unit (11) is mounted with rocking on a spindle (120) of a sole (122) fitting on to the front panel of the circuit breaker, and houses a second mechanism (42) equipped with a gearing-down device (74), and comprising :

   first means (64, 58) for storing mechanical energy in at least one spring (50) of an energy storage system (48),

   second means for coupling the second mechanism (42) mechanically to the handle (24) of the circuit breaker (12),

   and third means (94, 106) for commanding opening and closing of the first and second mechanisms (20, 42) resulting in rotation of the switching bar (16),

   both of the first and second mechanisms (20, 42) being arranged between a pair of support plates (128, 130; 44, 46).

   characterized in that

   the bottom part of at least one support plate (44, 46) of the second mechanism (42) comprises a first securing element (132) designed to cooperate with a second securing element (134) provided on the top part of the corresponding support plate (128, 130) of the first mechanism (20), coming into engagement of the first and second securing elements (132, 134) at the end of the rocking travel of the remote control unit (11) causing automatic centring of the second mechanism (42) on the first mechanism (20), and that

   the second mechanism (42) is provided with a slide rack (110) driving the handle (24), and with an error prevention device cooperating with the handle (24) to prevent the end of rocking travel of the remote control unit (11) in case of discrepancy of the states of the first and second mechanisms (20, 42).
2. The remote-controlled circuit breaker according to claim 1, characterized in that the distance separating the two parallel plates (44, 46) of the second mechanism (42) is identical to that separating the support plates (128,130) of the first mechanism (20).
3. The remote-controlled circuit breaker according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the first securing element (132) is formed by a female part cooperating with a conjugate male part of the second securing element (134), said male part comprising a tooth protruding out from the front panel of the circuit breaker.
4. The remote-controlled circuit breaker according to claim 1, characterized in that the upper face of the fitting sole (122) bears a connection terminal block (127) and is provided with at least one lateral opening (126) for access to the compartments housing the auxiliary units provided in the case (13) of the circuit breaker.
5. The remote-controlled circuit breaker according to claim 1, characterized in that the error prevention device comprises a protuberance (136) of the slide rack (110) and an indicator (138) for indicating the loaded or non-loaded state of the energy storage system (48), and that said indicator (138) comprises an error prevention lever (140) having a first end securedly affixed to a drive lever (58) arranged between the slide rack (110) and the energy storage system (48), and a second end in the shape of a blocking nose (146) designed to interfere with the handle (24) when the circuit breaker is open and the second mechanism (42) is in the non-loaded state.
6. The remote-controlled circuit breaker according to claim 5, characterized in that the protuberance (136) of the slide rack (110) is arranged to come up against the stop formed by the handle (24) when the circuit breaker is closed and the second mechanism (42) is in the closed state.

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