EP1995754B1 - Electric installation switching device - Google Patents

Description

The invention relates to an electrical service switching device, in particular a circuit breaker, according to the preamble of claim 1.

A generic service switching device usually has a contact point formed by a fixed and a movable contact piece, wherein the movable contact piece is held on a pivotally mounted contact lever. Furthermore, a generic installation switching device comprises a magnetic release with magnet armature and a thermal release, as well as a releasable from the thermal and the magnetic release switch lock with a Verklinkungsstelle. This is formed by a release lever and a stationary rotatably mounted, a slot for guiding a bracket having latch lever. In the event of a short circuit, the magnet armature can act on the opening of the contact point bearing on the movable contact piece contact lever and the switch lock can hold the contact lever permanently in the open position. Next, a generic installation switching device comprises a switch knob for manual operation of the switching mechanism, and an intermediate lever which is hinged at its one end to the contact lever and with its other end to the bracket, wherein the bracket is articulated with at least one leg on the switch knob.

The contact lever is acted upon in generic service switching devices by the force of a contact pressure spring, which is passed to the contact lever, that they in the closed position, the movable contact piece against the presses fixed contact piece, and pushes in the off position, the movable contact piece of the fixed contact piece.

The intermediate lever is the link between the rear derailleur and the contact lever.

In the closed position, the contact lever is held by the interlock lever blocked by the derailleur. A first, displaceable pivot point of the contact lever is blocked by the latched derailleur in a first position, so that the contact pressure spring about the first pivot point can press the contact lever against the fixed contact piece.

In the tripped or off position, the intermediate lever is released by the derailleur. The derailleur is unlatched and releases the first pivot point of the contact lever, so that the contact pressure spring can press the contact lever to a second, fixed pivot point in the open position, in which the movable contact piece is removed from the fixed contact piece.

In thermal or short-circuit current cut-off, the switching mechanism is unlatched by the thermal or the electromagnetic release through the intermediary of a release lever, so that it can go from the switched to the off state. In the case of electromagnetic rapid release, the movable contact lever is additionally directly pushed away by the magnet armature in order to quickly open the contact point, because the switching off via the unlatched rear derailleur is slower because of the mechanical inertia of the components involved than would be permitted with the quick release.

There are generic installation switching devices are known in which the rear derailleur can be mounted with the contact lever in a prefabricated module between two boards and used in the assembly of the device as a whole in the device. To connect the switching mechanism to the thermal and / or the magnetic release is still the onset of a trip slider required. An example shows the EP 0144799 A1 , Manufacturing tolerances during assembly of the circuit board can lead to displacements and tilting between the individual levers of the rear derailleur. If the contact lever on short-circuit release of the quick release then opened Thus, it beats against an abutment within the boards, thus the board parts can continue to move against each other and over time, the game between the various levers of the rear derailleur can be too large for a precise function. A lack of shape and position stability of the contact lever can be the result. In addition, the production of the rear derailleur is quite complex and expensive to manufacture because of the sensitive tolerances and the riveted joints.

DE 10 2004 055 564 A1 shows an installation switching device with a rear derailleur, the items are successively used together with the contact lever in the housing. The rear derailleur with the contact lever is no longer used as a prefabricated module, but it grows up, so to speak, within the housing. The thermal release and the contact lever are, based on the magnetic release, on different sides, so that an extension slide between the thermal release and the rear derailleur must be used separately as an extension of the rear derailleur.

This construction should be suitable for fully automatic production, but it requires a high-precision supply and positioning of a large number of individual parts, which makes the production machine very complicated and expensive.

It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a generic installation switching device that is both manually and fully automatically manufacturable with little effort and thereby has a high dimensional and positional stability of the contact.

The object is achieved by a generic service switching device with the characterizing features of claim 1.

So according to the invention, the contact lever forms a first prefabricated insertable into the housing of the service switching device, which is pivotally mounted after insertion into the housing at a rotationally fixedly connected to the housing axis of rotation, and the switch knob forms with the release lever, the latch lever, the intermediate lever and the bracket a second prefabricated insertable into the housing assembly after insertion at a separation point with the first assembly articulated is connected. The second module is also referred to below as the articulated chain.

According to a particularly advantageous embodiment of the invention, the separation point is formed by a coupling point between a free end of the intermediate lever with a free end of the contact lever. The coupling point can be formed, for example, by an integrally formed on a free end of the contact lever bolt, which engages in a mounted at a free end of the intermediate lever recess.

The two assemblies can be manufactured independently and pre-tested. By separating the "contact closure lever" functionality into two assemblies, each assembly is in itself less complex than an assembly that would incorporate all the functionality into a single assembly. As a result, each of the two assemblies according to the invention is easier and more reliable to manufacture. The assembly takes place in the housing at the separation point. During assembly, only two assemblies need to be inserted into the housing to maintain functionality. This can be done either simply by hand or by means of a production machine. The requirements on the production machines are manageable, since only two modules must be handled and positioned, and not a large number of individual parts.

According to a particularly advantageous embodiment of the invention, the movement path of the contact lever in the open position is limited by abutment against a fixedly connected to the housing stop. When the contact lever is hit by the magnetic release in the event of a short circuit, the stop absorbs the impact of the contact lever. Thus, the rear derailleur itself is not burdened by the impulse of the contact lever, and it can not lead to distortions or displacements between the individual levers constituting the rear derailleur, so that a low-play and permanently precise design is given.

In a further very advantageous embodiment, an installation switching device according to the invention comprises a percussion lever pivotally mounted in a stationary axis, via which both the armature and the thermal release act on the release lever. The hammer thus provides the coupling between the thermal or the magnetic release and the switch lock with the Verklinkungsstelle. The thermal and magnetic triggers can therefore be formed as separate assemblies and used independently and after insertion of the contact lever and the link chain in the housing.

In a very advantageous embodiment of the invention, the hammer may be a double-arm lever, wherein in a very advantageous further embodiment, the armature and the thermal release act on a first arm of the hammer and pivot it on impact, so that the second arm of the hammer on an arm the release lever acts and this pivoted so that the Verklinkungsstelle between the release lever and the latch lever is unlatched.

In almost every contact-opening switching operation, be it under rated current load or be it in case of short circuit, occurs at the contact point for a short time on an arc, which has a local, low erosion of the movable and the fixed contact piece result. Over the lifetime of a generic service switching device thereby reduces the thickness of the contacts. The thickness shrinkage is compensated by the fact that the contact lever sinks, so that even with a reduced thickness of the contact pieces a flat, good contact between the contact pieces is present. However, the closer the contact lever moves to the fixed contact piece when sinking, the lower the contact pressure force that the contact pressure spring is able to apply to the contact lever. Without sufficient contact pressure, there is a risk that the contact resistance at the contact point is too large, so that an inadmissibly high heating at the contact point or even a series of small flashovers takes place. To prevent this, the contact lever is prevented from further sinking when a certain thickness of the contact pieces is exceeded.

In known service switching devices either the contacts are very thick and thus designed oversized, or the sinking of the contact lever is limited by the length of the elongated hole in which the contact lever is mounted on the second, fixed axis of rotation. In the latched state, namely, when the contact lever is pressed by the first pivot point against the fixed contact piece, is the second, fixed axis of rotation in the interior of the slot. The smaller the thickness of the contact pieces, the further the end of the elongated hole approaches the second, stationary axis of rotation. When the second, stationary axis of rotation finally abuts against the edge of the elongated hole, a further pressing of the contact lever to the fixed contact piece is no longer possible, and the sinking is stopped. However, contact pressure is already removed by the abutment of the second, stationary axis of rotation at the edge of the elongated hole, so that the contact pressure force is already reduced in the region of the remaining sink which is still permissible. Second, due to the manufacturing tolerances in the punching of the elongated hole of the boundary point for the Nachsinken differ for individual devices.

To improve this, in a service switching device according to the invention in a further very advantageous embodiment, the sinking of the contact lever towards the fixed contact piece is limited by a fixed stop. This can be formed by a housing projection in a very advantageous embodiment of the invention. It can also be realized by a separate, but with the housing stationary and positive or even cohesively connected attachment. The advantage of the invention limiting the Nachsinkens by a stationary stop is that no contact pressure is lost and an improved reproducibility of the limiting threshold from device to device can be achieved. The function of the limitation of the Nachsinkens is inventively taken away from the slot and a separate component, the stop assigned. This can be optimized in its position and embodiment towards its only function, so that a total of an inventive installation switching device has improved properties.

In a particularly advantageous embodiment of the invention, the position of the stop in the device corresponds to the path of movement of the release lever that the contact lever does not hinder pivoting of the release lever when abutting against the stop.

Further advantageous embodiments and improvements of the invention and further advantages can be taken from the subclaims.

Reference to the drawings, in which an embodiment of the invention is shown, the invention and further advantageous refinements and improvements of the invention will be explained and described in detail.

Figur 1

einen Einblick in ein erfindungsgemäßes Installationsschaltgerät, bei geöffneter Kontaktstelle;

Figur 2

den Einblick gemäß Figur 1, in einem Stadium der Fertigung, in dem die Gelenkkette noch nicht eingesetzt ist;

Figur 3

einen Einblick in ein erfindungsgemäßes Installationsschaltgerät, bei geschlossener Kontaktstelle;

Figur 4

eine Sprengbilddarstellung der Gelenkkette;

Figur 5

die zusammengesetzte Gelenkkette gemäß Figur 4;

Figur 6a-d

einzelne Montageschritte beim Einsetzen des Auslösehebels in den Schaltknebel;

Figur 7

eine schematische Darstellung der Begrenzung des Nachsinkens des Kontakthebels durch eine ortsfesten Anschlag, sowie

Figur 8

eine schematische Darstellung des Zusammenwirkens des Schlagstiftes mit dem Schlaghebel und dessen direkten Einwirkens auf den Kontakthebel.

Show it:

FIG. 1

an insight into an inventive switching device, with open contact point;

FIG. 2

according to the insight FIG. 1 at a stage of manufacture in which the articulated chain has not yet been inserted;

FIG. 3

an insight into an inventive switching device, with closed contact point;

FIG. 4

an exploded view of the articulated chain;

FIG. 5

the composite articulated chain according to FIG. 4 ;

Figure 6a-d

single assembly steps when inserting the release lever in the switch knob;

FIG. 7

a schematic representation of the limitation of the Nachsinkens the contact lever by a stationary stop, and

FIG. 8

a schematic representation of the interaction of the striker with the hammer and its direct action on the contact lever.

Let us first refer to the FIGS. 1 and 4 ,

An installation switching device, here a circuit breaker, which is designated in its entirety by the reference numeral 10, has a housing which is composed of two housing half-shells, of which only the first housing half-shell 11 is partially shown. This housing half shell 11 has like the supplementary, not shown, second housing half shell a front front wall 12 and two rear front walls, of which in the FIG. 1 only a rear front wall 13 can be seen, the front side walls, of which in the figure, only one front side wall 14th can be seen, are interconnected. Further belonging to the housing rear narrow side walls, and a mounting side and broad sides of the housing are in the illustration of FIG. 1 not to be seen.

Of course, it is also possible to use only a housing half shell, which is closed by means of a lid. In the case when two housing half-shells are provided, each housing half-shell has a width which corresponds to one-half the standard module width. In the case when a single housing half shell is closed by means of a lid, the housing half shell has a corresponding dimension, which is selected so that it reaches the module width together with the lid.

In the front front wall 12 there is an opening 17 through which the control handle 18 of a control knob 19 protrudes. The switch knob 19 has an opening which can be regarded as a virtual axis of rotation of the switch knob. On the switching handle 18 diametrically opposite side are two fork-shaped projections 21,22, of which in the illustration of FIG. 1 only one projection 21 is visible. In the perspective view of FIG. 6d Both fork-shaped projections 21, 22 can be seen. The two projections 21, 23 leave between a one-sided open receiving space 23 free. Each of the two projections 21, 22 has at its end remote from the handle 18 an eye-shaped opening 24, 25. The longitudinal center axis of the handle 18 extends through the center of the eye-shaped openings 24, 25th

Into the eye-shaped opening 24 in engages a leg 26 of a U-shaped bracket 27 with its molded guide extension 28, as in detail in the FIG. 4 shown. The second leg 29 of the bracket 27 engages with its guide extension 128 in the eye-shaped opening 25 of the second projection 22 of the switch knob 19 a.

The two U-legs 26,29 connecting the hoop web 30 of the bracket 27 engages in two latching openings 31, 32 of an intermediate lever 33 a. The intermediate lever 33 has at its one end in two fork-shaped projections 34, 35 expiring U-profile, each of the two fork-shaped projections 34,35 each terminal has a detent opening 31,32.

At the same time, the bar web 30 engages in an oblong hole 36 of a latch lever 37 arranged below the intermediate lever 33 and partially in the U-profile recess between the two terminal projections 34, 35 of the intermediate lever 33 and through it. Thus, the U-shaped bracket 27 is guided with its hoop web 30 in the slot 36 of the ratchet lever 37, and at the same time the intermediate lever 33 is articulated with its latching openings 31 and 32 on the hoop web 30. The switch knob 19, the intermediate lever 33 and the latch lever 37 thus form a coupled together by the bracket 27 assembly.

On the latch lever 37, a pin 38, 39 are integrally formed on both sides, with which it is stationary and rotatably mounted in a two-shell housing in two housing halves or in a single-shell housing with cover in the housing shell and the lid.

The longitudinal direction of the intermediate lever 33, the pawl lever 37 and the legs 26, 29 of the bracket 27 are parallel to the broad side of the device housing.

To a fixed axis 20, a release lever 40 is rotatably mounted. This is designed approximately L-shaped, see Fig. 6 , Wherein its first arm 41 has at its free end a joint head with a loop-shaped opening 42, with which it is rotatably mounted on the stationary shaft 20. Its second arm 43 is formed approximately at right angles to the first arm 42. The first arm 41 has approximately in its center a latching surface 44.

At the annular end face of the eye-shaped opening 42, the first arm 41 of the release lever 40 carries a locking lug 45. The release lever 40 is inserted with its first arm 41 into the receiving space 23 between the two fork-shaped projections 21,22 of the control knob 19, so that the central axis its eye-shaped opening 42 coincides with the central axis of the opening of the switch knob 19. In this case, the opening of the shift lever is seated on a bead 120 surrounding the eye-shaped opening 42, on which it is rotatably held. The release lever 40 is pivotally supported on the axis 20, and the switch knob 19 is pivotally supported on the release lever 40.

The detent 45 holds a spring 46 fixed.

In this way, the release lever 40 is added by coupling the switch knob 19, the intermediate lever 33 and the pawl lever 37 formed on the bracket 27 assembly.

The latch lever 37 carries at its one free end a nose 49 which forms the Verklinkungsstelle of the switch lock together with the locking surface 44 on the release lever 40 in the Verklinkungsstellung of the release lever 40. In the FIG. 3 the circuit breaker 10 is shown with latched rear derailleur. In the Verklinkungsstellung the release lever 40 is clockwise in the view after FIG. 3 pivoted on the pawl lever 37 out.

About a preloaded spring assembly 46 with two protruding arms 47,48, of which the arm 47 on the switch knob 19 and the arm 48 engage the release lever 40, the release lever 40 toward its Verklinkungsstellung out, so in the illustration according to the FIG. 3 clockwise, applied and held in the Verklinkungsstellung without the action of a counter force.

The release lever 40, the switch knob 19, the intermediate lever 33 and the pawl lever 37 thus form a coherent, vorfertigbare unit, which is also referred to below as the articulated chain 50. The articulated chain 50 can be prefabricated and pre-tested as a separate unit.

It is now the FIG. 4 considered, in which the individual steps in the assembly of the link chain 50 are shown in the form of an exploded view. In the first step, characterized by the arrow P1, the bracket 27 with a leg 29 through the slot 36 leads, so that the strap web 30 is slidably guided in the slot 36 and the pawl lever 37 between the two legs 26,29 of the Temple 27 runs. In the second step, characterized by the arrow P2, the intermediate lever 33 is clipped with its terminal locking openings 31 on the hoop web 30 so that its terminal projections 34, 35 cover the latch lever 37 and include. In the third step, characterized by the arrow P3, the bracket 27 is inserted with its terminal on the legs 26,29 integrally formed Führungsabsätzen 28, 128 in the eye-shaped in openings 24,25 on the projections 21,22 of the switch knob 19. Finally, in the fourth step, marked by the arrow P4, the release lever into which the spring arrangement 46 was previously inserted is inserted into the receiving space 23 between the fork-shaped projections 21, 22 of the switch knob 19 and locked therein.

The FIGS. 6a to 6d show more details of the spring assembly 46 and the assembly of the link chain 50. The spring assembly 46 is a coil spring which is pushed in the region of the condyle of the free end of the first arm 41 of the trigger lever 40 on the outer peripheral surface of the joint head. The condyle carries a roughly centered on its outer peripheral surface circumferential shoulder 51, which serves as a stop for the coil spring of the spring assembly 46. From the shoulder 51 extends toward the end face of the joint head indicative of a cup-shaped top surface 52, so that between the outer peripheral surface of the condyle and the top surface 52, a gap for receiving and guiding the spring assembly 46 is formed. The front side of the top surface 52 extends in the manner of a slope 53 from the stop edge of the paragraph 51 to the front side of the eye-shaped opening 42 and runs there in an undercut, so that a retaining pocket 54 is formed for the spring arm 47 of the spring assembly 46.

As the FIG. 6a shows, is thus pushed onto the spring assembly 46 on the outer peripheral surface of the eye-shaped opening 42, so that the protruding spring arm 48 is held in a further undercut on the first arm 41 of the release lever 40. The second protruding spring arm 47 forms at a relaxed spring assembly 46 with the first protruding spring arm 48 is approximately a right angle. For biasing the spring assembly 46, the second protruding spring arm 47 is pivoted along the slope 53 in a clockwise direction until it locks in the retaining pocket 54. The spring assembly 46 is now biased. As shown in FIG. 6c is now the release lever 40 with the prestressed spring assembly 46, from which the second spring arm 47 now protrudes radially, pushed into the receiving space 23 between the two projections 21, 22 of the switch knob 19. At the same time, the second protruding spring arm 47 is supported on the middle web 55 of the control knob 19 extending between the two projections 21, 22.

Thus, the link chain 50 is assembled, its individual parts are hinged to each other, and the trigger lever 40 is biased in its Verklinkungsrichtung by the spring assembly 46.

It is now the again FIG. 1 considered. The intermediate lever 33 has at its end remote from the bracket 27 a recess 60. At this recess, it is connected by means of a cylindrical pin 61 hinged to the contact lever 62.

The contact lever 62 is designed as a double-arm lever and rotatably mounted in a slot 66 on a fixedly connected to the first housing half-shell 11 axis 63, so that a first part lever 64 from the stationary axis 63 in the direction of the front front wall 12 points out, and a second Part lever 65 points from the stationary axis 63 in the direction of the attachment side of the housing. At the free end of the first partial lever 64 this carries the positively connected with him pin 61. The pin 61 thus forms the coupling point between the link chain 50 and the contact lever 62nd

The first part lever 64 has a U-shaped contour with a receiving space 67 formed by the leg extending approximately parallel to the broad sides of the housing, which opens in the direction of the front side wall 14, and whose one leg has a recess, so that the receiving space 67 is accessible from the broad side of the removed housing half shell with the housing open.

The second part lever 65 carries at its free end the movable contact piece 68th

In the in the FIG. 1 shown off-press a contact pressure spring 69, which crashes with one end on the front side wall 14 of the housing, and with its second end in the receiving space 67 of the first partial lever 64, the contact lever 62 about the stationary axis 63 in a clockwise direction, so that the movable Contact piece 68 is pushed away from the fixed contact piece 70. In this case, the movement path of the contact lever 62 is limited by a fixedly connected to the first housing half-shell stop 71, in other words, in the off position of the contact lever 62 abuts against the stationary stop 71. The fixed stop 71 is formed by a bolt integrally connected to the housing half shell, which can be produced, for example, together with the housing half-shells in an injection molding process.

It is now the FIG. 3 considered. Here the circuit breaker is shown in the closed position. The switching handle 18 is in the closed position, the nose 49 on the pawl lever 37 is latched to the locking surface 44 on the trigger lever 40. Thereby the intermediate lever is blocked and the pin 61 at the coupling point between the link chain 50 and the contact lever 62 now forms the axis of rotation for the contact lever 62.Um this axis 61 presses the contact pressure spring 69, the contact lever 62 counterclockwise, and thus provides the contact between the movable contact piece 68 and the fixed contact piece 70 safely.

It can also be seen the coil 72 of the magnetic release 73 and a strip 74 of bimetallic or a shape memory alloy as part of the thermal release 75. In the arrangement as shown in the FIGS. 1 and 3 is shown, the contact lever 62 and the formed of the movable and the fixed contact piece 68,70 contact point between the magnetic release 73 and the thermal release 75. In other words, the magnetic release 73 and the thermal release 75 are relative to a through the contact lever 62 extending imaginary plane which is perpendicular to the first housing half shell 11, on different sides.

When triggered, the magnetic release 73 or the thermal release 75 to open the latch 49 formed by the nose 49 on the pawl lever 37 and the locking surface 44 on the release lever, so that the switch lock is unlatched and the contact lever 62 by the contact pressure spring 69 in the in FIG. 1 Switching position shown can go over. For this it is necessary that the magnetic release and the thermal release are mechanically coupled to the release lever 40. In the embodiment of the present invention as shown in FIGS FIGS. 1 and 3 is shown, the mechanical coupling between the magnetic release 73 and the thermal release 75 with the release lever 40 via a stationary rotatably mounted hammer 77 occurs.

For this purpose, at a further fixedly connected to the housing half shell 11 axis 76 designed as a double arm lever whip lever 77 is pivotally mounted.

A first partial arm 78 of the striking lever 77 points from the stationary axis 76 in the direction of the attachment side of the housing. It has an eye-shaped opening 79 in which a first leg of a transmission bracket 80 is movably held.

The second leg of the transfer bracket 80 is guided displaceably in a guide groove 81 of the housing. The side walls 82 of the guide groove 81 are designed so deep, and the second leg of the transfer bracket 80 is accordingly Run so long that the strip 74 of the thermal release 75, when it bends when heated in the direction of arrow R, ie here counterclockwise, the side walls 82 of the guide groove 81 can run over and the transfer bracket 80 on the second leg in the direction of Drag arrow R along.

By the train, the transfer bracket 80 pivots the hammer 77 in a clockwise direction, and this acts with its second arm 83 on the release lever 40, that it pivots counter to the force of the spring assembly 46 and counterclockwise, so that the locking surface 44 itself removed from the nose 49 and thus the Verklinkungsstelle is unlatched.

The same happens with the magnetic release. In the case of a short-circuit current occurs at an opening on the impact lever 77 facing end side of the magnetic release 73 driven by the armature of the magnetic release striker and strikes the first arm 78 of the hammer 77. Since he strikes from right to left, he also pivots the Whip lever 76 clockwise, thereby unlatching the Verklinkungsstelle.

The hammer 76 also has a nose 84 which projects in the direction of the second partial lever 65 of the contact lever 62. Now, if the striker pivots the hammer 77 in a clockwise direction in a magnetic release, then the nose 84 hits after the unlatching of Verklinkungsstelle on the contact lever 62 and proposes this in the in the FIG. 1 shown off position. In this case, the movable contact piece 68 is torn away from the fixed contact piece 70, wherein an arc is formed, which is deleted in a designated here in the figures by the reference numeral 85, only partially indicated arc quenching device. The arc quenching device comprises in a known manner an arc splitter stack with a pre-chamber space which may be bounded by Vorkammer-cover plates parallel to the housing broad sides, and to which the arc is passed by means of two arc guide rails.

The impact movement of the contact lever 62 is limited by the stationary stop 71.

The advantage of the restriction by the stationary stop 71 is that the force transmitted from the striker to the contact lever 62, from the housing is received and not from parts of the switch latch. As a result, excessive mechanical stress on the Schaltschlossteile be avoided so that stress-induced distortions and displacements of Schaltschlossteile also be omitted and the mutual arrangement and location of the individual parts of the switching mechanism is maintained within the required for a reliable function narrow tolerance limits. In particular, this ensures that the contact opening distance can be defined and precisely adjusted and does not change over time due to mechanical distortions.

On the hammer 77 is located in the vicinity of the stationary axis 76, a second projection or a second nose 284, which points to the contact lever 62. The second nose 284 serves to limit the Verschwenkungsweges of the hammer 77 when it is pivoted in a thermal or magnetic release in a clockwise direction. On the inside of the housing broadside a second stop 290 is stationary molded, see FIG. 1 ,

The percussion lever 77 lies in its longitudinal direction approximately in an imaginary plane which is perpendicular to the housing half shell 11 and extends through the contact point formed from the movable and the fixed contact piece 68,70. In this way, a very compact and space-saving mutual arrangement of subassemblies switch lock, magnetic release, thermal release, contact lever with contact point can be realized.

The switch lock, the contact lever 62 with the contact point, the thermal release 75 and the hammer 77, so almost all mechanically moving parts are arranged together in a first half-space of the housing, extending from an imaginary center plane perpendicular to the housing sides through the Center of the axis 20 of the switch knob 19 extends, extending to a narrow side of the housing. In the other half space of the housing, which extends from the imaginary center plane to the opposite narrow side of the housing, the arc quenching device 85 and the magnetic release 73 is housed.

In the closed position, see FIG. 3 , in forming the transmission bracket 80 and the first part of arm 78 of the hammer 77 an angle of approximately 90 °. The second arm 43 of the release lever 40 also forms an angle of approximately 90 ° with the second partial arm 83 of the hammer 77. Furthermore, the first partial arm 78 and the second Part arm 83 of the hammer 77 about the same length. The thus designed lever arrangement ensures a very effective power transmission from the strip 74 of the thermal release 75 via the transmission bracket 80 and the hammer 77 on the release lever 40, because of the prevailing leverage ratio of 1: 1 and the right angle, the tensile force of the transfer bracket 80th undiminished transmitted to the release lever 40.

It will now be the FIG. 2 considered. There, an assembly step is shown in which the contact lever 62 with the contact pressure spring 69 is already inserted into the housing, but not yet the link chain 50. The assembly is done in such a way that the contact lever 62 hinged with its slot 66 to the stationary axis 63 becomes. Then, the contact pressure spring 69 is used. It is helpful that the first part lever 64 of the contact lever 62 has a recess on its one leg of the U-shaped contour. Thereby, the contact pressure spring 69 can be used in a simple way perpendicular to the housing broadside in the receiving space 67 of the first partial lever 64, in particular, this facilitates automatic assembly. The housing side, the contact pressure spring 69 is supported on a wedge-shaped projection 86 on the front side wall 14, wherein the inclination of the support surface 87 relative to the front side wall 14 is selected so that they approximately parallel to the web of the first partial lever 64 in the on position of the contact lever 62 , on which the contact pressure spring 69 is supported on the contact lever side, and thus the contact pressure spring 69 in the closed position of the contact lever 62 extends substantially in a straight line between the front side wall 14 and the contact lever 62. This ensures good force transmission from the contact pressure spring 69 to the contact lever 62 and thus a high contact pressure force at the contact point.

In the in the FIG. 2 shown assembly step, the contact lever is pressed by the contact pressure spring 69 with its second arm part 65 against the stop 71. The contact lever 62 is thus in a clearly defined and stable position. This is important because it facilitates the insertion of the link chain 50 following the next assembly step. The articulated chain 50 is now used so that it is articulated and pivotally mounted once on the stationary axis 20, and further with the recess 60 of the intermediate lever 33 on the pin 61 of the contact lever 62.

The clearly defined position of the contact lever 62, the insertion, especially in an automated assembly, much easier.

After insertion of the link chain 50 finally the hammer 77 is placed on the stationary shaft 76, and the transfer bracket 80 is with its first leg in the opening 79 on the first arm 78 of the percussion lever 77 and with its second leg in the stationary with the housing connected guide groove 81 used.

Overall, the service switching device according to the invention is thus constructed very easy to install. The fact that, in particular when striking the contact point in case of short circuit large power surges are avoided by the contact lever on the articulated chain, the articulated chain, can be made of plastic parts, except for the spring assembly 46, which can be plugged together and clipped together in a simple manner. It eliminates the need to provide screw, solder, weld or rivet connections, as is still necessary in comparable devices according to the prior art.

That will now be the FIG. 7 considered. Here, a variant of a service switching device according to the invention is shown in a schematic representation, in which the sinking of the contact lever 162 toward the fixed contact piece 170 in the event that the thickness of the fixed and / or movable contact piece 168, 170 is greatly reduced by burning through a fixedly connected to the housing half shell 111 stop 90 is limited. The stopper 90 is formed as a housing projection, which protrudes into the interior of the housing at the corresponding location, and is produced in the manufacture of the housing halves by injection molding together with all other Gehäuseanformungen in an injection molding process. It can also be realized by a separate, but with the housing stationary and positive or even cohesively connected attachment.

Reference numerals 162, 168, 170 designate the contact lever, the movable contact piece and the fixed contact piece with the contact point closed and with no reduction in thickness due to erosion. The reference numerals 162a, 168a, 170a and in dashed lines designate the contact lever, the movable contact piece and the fixed contact piece with the contact point closed and with the reduction in thickness due to burnup. You can see that with heavy burnup the contact lever 162a is closer to the impact lever 177 when the contact point is closed than without burnup. By then existing greater distance of the contact lever 162a of the front side wall 114 of the housing, the contact pressure force of the contact pressure spring (in the FIG. 7 not shown). By the stop 90 this Nachsinken the contact lever 162a is limited to those values at which a sufficiently high contact pressure force is still guaranteed by the contact pressure spring. With even greater burnup, the contact point can not be closed, the switching device must be replaced. It can therefore not happen that a switching device is in use, the contact point is closed, but provided with insufficient contact pressure. Because in this case, an increased contact resistance would adjust at the contact point, with the concomitant danger of unduly high heating of the switching device.

Until contact with the stop, the contact pressure spring acts unhindered on the contact lever. The advantage of the invention limiting the Nachsinkens by a stationary stop is that no contact pressure is lost and an improved reproducibility of the limiting threshold from device to device can be achieved.

The position of the stopper 90 relative to the hammer 177 is chosen so that even with concern of the contact lever 162a on the stop 90 nor a sufficiently large strike distance 92 between the contact lever 162a and the nose 184 on the pivotally mounted in its stationary axis 176 hammer 177 is present. The impact distance 92 is so great that in the case of a thermal release, so if the transmission bracket pulls in the opening 179 on the hammer 177 in the direction of arrow P1, the hammer 177 can pivot in the clockwise direction in the direction of arrow P2 still far enough to act on the trigger lever 140 so that it can pivot counterclockwise in the direction of arrow P4, thereby opening the Verklinkungsstelle the switch latch.

In a variant, the hammer 177 could also be designed to be split along an imaginary plane parallel to the sides of the housing. The inner part, which faces the first housing half shell 111, then corresponds to that in the FIG. 7 This part carries the nose 184, and this acts in the case of magnetic release of the striker 173 of the magnetic release 73 in the direction of the arrow P5. In this variant, the nose 184 can then rest directly on the contact lever 162a, without having to maintain a striking distance. For the mechanical coupling to the thermal release would take place via an outer part of the hammer, which has the required impact distance 92 and is mounted pivotably or displaceably relative to the inner part of the hammer. Because the striking distance is only necessary to allow in the case of thermal tripping by the transmission bracket, which acts in the opening 179, caused pivoting of the hammer. Both the outer and the inner part of the percussion lever act with their second arm on the release lever 140 to open the Verklinkungsstelle the switching mechanism in a trip.

The advantage of this variant with a split hammer is that in the case of a magnetic release the impact of the contact point is faster, because the hammer 177 must not first overcome the strike distance 92 to hit the contact lever 162 and 162a.

A further variant, which is not shown by figures, is that the hammer 177 only the movement of the striker 173 of the magnetic release 73 on the contact lever 162 and on the release lever 140 transmits, whereas the transmission of the movement of the thermal release via a transmission bracket directly takes place on the trigger, so without the interposition of the hammer, in otherwise compared to the FIGS. 1 to 3 unchanged arrangement of the link chain and the contact lever. In this variant, the transfer bracket no longer acts as a drawbar, but as a pressure bar. The thermal release is designed in this variant so that it bends in the direction of the contact point when heated. In the in the FIGS. 1 to 3 In the embodiment shown, the strip 74 of the thermal release 75 bends in the direction away from the contact point when heated.

Yet another variant of the mechanical coupling of the thermal and the magnetic release 75, 73 to the release lever shows the FIG. 8 , There, the impact of the contact point is carried out directly by the striker 373 of the trigger 273 without detour via the hammer 277. The unlatching of the Verklinkungsstelle on the trigger lever 240 but takes place here with the interposition of the hammer 277. This provides a very quick and direct opening of the contact point in the event of a short circuit.

The hammer 277 has an opening 285 through which the striker 373 of the magnetic release 273 extends through. On the striker 373, a circumferential collar 374 is integrally formed in the region between the end face of the magnetic release 273 and the hammer 277. If now the case of a short-circuit current of the striker 373, driven by the armature of the magnetic release 273, is accelerated towards the hammer 277 in the direction of the arrow P1, it first encounters with the collar 374 on the first arm 278 of the hammer 277, causing it is pivoted about its stationary axis 276 in the direction of arrow P4 in the clockwise direction and pivoted with its second arm 283 the release lever 240 in the direction of arrow P5 counterclockwise, so that the Verklinkungsstelle the switching mechanism is unlatched.

The striker 373 then moves along with the hammer 277, until it hits the contact lever 262 and beats it in the direction of arrow P3 in the clockwise direction in the open position.

In the case of thermal tripping the movement of the strip of thermal release is transmitted via a transmission bracket 280 in the pulling direction of the arrow P2 on the hammer 277 and also converted into a pivoting thereof in the clockwise direction. The hammer 277 carries in this case no contact lever 262 facing nose, as this, as in the previously described other embodiments so only serves with the hammer. also open the contact lever.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMBERS

10 Circuit breaker 61 pen 11,111,211 first housing half shell 62,162,162a, 262 contact lever 12 front front wall 63 axis 13 Rear front wall 64 First part lever 14, 114 front side wall 65 Second part lever 17 opening 66 Long hole 18 shifter 67 accommodation space 19 toggle switch 68,168,168a Movable contact piece 20 Fixed axis 69 Contact pressure spring 21 head Start 70,170,170a Fixed contact piece 22 head Start 71 attack 23 accommodation space 72 Kitchen sink 24 Eye-shaped opening 73,173,273 magnetic release 25 Eye-shaped opening 74 strip 26 leg 75 Thermal release 27 hanger 76.176 Fixed axis 28, 128 Guide extension 77,177,277 hammer 29 leg 78.278 First partial arm 30 Ironing Steg 79.179 opening 31 latching opening 80.280 transmission bars 32 latching opening 81 guide 33 intermediate lever 82 side walls 34 head Start 83.283 Second partial arm 35 head Start 84,184, 284 nose 36 Long hole 85 Arc quenching arrangement 37 ratchet lever 86 Wedge-shaped projection 38 spigot 87 support surface 39 spigot 90 attack 40,140,240 sear 92 blow distance 41 First arm 173.373 striker 42 Eyelet-shaped opening 120 bead 43 Second arm 121 Recess for receiving 44 Rest area 284 Second nose 45 locking lug 285 perforation 46 spring assembly 290 Second stop 47 spring arm 374 collar 48 spring arm 49 Nose on the pawl lever 50 articulated chain 51 paragraph 52 cover surface 53 slope 54 holding pocket 55 center web 60 recess

Claims (22)

1. Electrical service switching device (10) having a magnetic release (73) with a magnet armature, a thermal release (75), a fixed and moving contact piece (70, 68), a switching mechanism which can be tripped by the thermal and magnetic release and has a latching point which is formed by a tripping lever (40) and a catch lever (37) which is mounted in a fixed position such that it can rotate and has an elongated hole (36) in order to guide a clip (27), wherein the magnet armature can act on the contact lever (62), to which the moving contact piece (68) is fitted, in order to open the contact point in the event of a short, and the switching mechanism can hold the contact lever (62) permanently in the open position, having a switching toggle (19) for manual operation of the switching mechanism, and having an intermediate lever (33) which is articulated at one of its ends with the contact lever (62) and at its other end on the clip (27), wherein the clip (27) is articulated with at least one limb (29) on the switching toggle (19), characterized in that the contact lever (62) forms a first assembly, which can be inserted in a prefabricated form into the housing of the service switching device and, after insertion into the housing, is mounted such that it can pivot on a rotation shaft (61) which is connected to the housing at a fixed position, and in that the switching toggle (19), together with the tripping lever (40), the catch lever (37), the intermediate lever (33) and the clip (27) forms a second assembly, which can be inserted in a prefabricated form into the housing and, after insertion, is connected in an articulated manner at a separation point to the first assembly.
2. Electrical service switching device according to Claim 1, wherein the movement path of the contact lever in the open position can be limited by making contact with a stop which is connected to the housing in a fixed position.
3. Electrical service switching device according to Claim 1 or 2, wherein the separation point is formed by a coupling point between a free end of the intermediate lever and a free end of the contact lever.
4. Electrical service switching device according to Claim 3, wherein the clip is approximately U-shaped, with a clip web which connects the two U-limbs, and with guide projections which are integrally formed at the free ends of the U-limbs.
5. Electrical service switching device according to Claim 4, wherein the clip web is guided such that it can move in the elongated hole in the catch lever.
6. Electrical service switching device according to Claim 5, wherein the switching toggle has two projections diametrically opposite the switching handle, which projections are integrally formed in the form of a fork and leave an accommodation area, which is open on one side, free between them, wherein one of the guide projections of the clip is held such that it can pivot in each of the two projections.
7. Electrical service switching device according to Claim 6, wherein the intermediate lever has a U-profile, which ends in two projections which are arranged in the form of a fork, at its end opposite the separation point, and wherein each of the two projections which are arranged in the form of a fork has latching openings at the end.
8. Electrical service switching device according to Claim 7, wherein the intermediate lever is articulated with the latching openings on the clip web, and its projections which are in the form of a fork clasp the catch lever.
9. Electrical service switching device according to Claim 8, wherein a first arm of the tripping lever latches in an articulated manner with the switching toggle on the rotation axis of the switching toggle, and is surrounded by the two projections, which are in the form of a fork, of the switching toggle.
10. Electrical service switching device according to Claim 9, wherein a projection in the form of a pin is integrally formed on each of the two sides of the catch lever, by means of which projections the electrical service switching device is mounted in both housing half-shells.
11. Electrical service switching device according to Claim 1, having a striking lever, which is mounted such that it can pivot in a fixed-position shaft and by means of which both the magnet armature and the thermal release act on the tripping lever.
12. Electrical service switching device according to Claim 11, wherein the striking lever is a double-armed lever.
13. Electrical service switching device according to Claim 12, wherein the magnet armature and the thermal release act on a first arm of the striking lever and pivot the latter while acting on it, such that the second arm of the striking lever acts on one arm of the tripping lever and pivots it such that the latching point between the tripping lever and the catch lever is unlatched.
14. Electrical service switching device according to Claim 11, wherein the striking lever (77, 177) is split along an imaginary plane parallel to the housing broad faces such that the magnetic release (73) acts on a first, inner part of the striking lever (177) during magnetic tripping, and the thermal release acts on a second, outer part of the striking lever (177) during thermal tripping.
15. Electrical service switching device according to Claim 11, wherein the pivoting movement of the striking lever (77, 177) can be limited by a second, fixed-position stop (290).
16. Electrical service switching device according to Claim 13, wherein the thermal release is connected to the striking lever by means of a strain-relief clamp, and wherein, when the contact lever is in the closed position, a second arm of the tripping lever runs approximately parallel to the strain-relief clamp, and the striking lever with the strain-relief clamp and the second arm of the tripping lever each assume a position approximately at right angles.
17. Electrical service switching device according to Claim 16, wherein the magnet armature strikes the striking lever against the contact lever in order to quickly strike the contact point.
18. Electrical service switching device according to Claim 16, wherein, during tripping, the magnet armature first of all pivots the striking lever against the tripping lever, and then strikes against the contact lever in order to open the contact point.
19. Electrical service switching device according to Claim 12, wherein the magnet armature acts on a first arm of the striking lever and pivots it when influencing it, such that the second arm of the striking lever acts on one arm of the tripping lever and pivots it such that the latching point between the tripping lever and the catch lever is unlatched, and wherein the thermal release acts via a pressure clip directly on the tripping lever in order to unlatch the latching point, or via a pressure clip on the second arm of the striking lever, in order to pivot it.
20. Electrical service switching device according to Claim 1, wherein sinking of the contact lever, which occurs in the event of wear to the moving contact piece, towards the fixed contact piece is limited by a fixed-position stop.
21. Electrical service switching device according to Claim 18, wherein the fixed-position stop is formed by a housing projection.
22. Electrical service switching device according to Claim 19, wherein, in the event of sinking, the contact lever is held by the fixed-position stop in a position such that the pivoting of the tripping lever in the event of tripping is not impeded by the contact lever.

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