EP0053973B1 - Miniature circuit breaker with high rupture capacity - Google Patents

Miniature circuit breaker with high rupture capacity Download PDF

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Publication number
EP0053973B1
EP0053973B1 EP19810401899 EP81401899A EP0053973B1 EP 0053973 B1 EP0053973 B1 EP 0053973B1 EP 19810401899 EP19810401899 EP 19810401899 EP 81401899 A EP81401899 A EP 81401899A EP 0053973 B1 EP0053973 B1 EP 0053973B1
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EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
circuit breaker
housing
chambers
arcing
contact
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Expired
Application number
EP19810401899
Other languages
German (de)
French (fr)
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EP0053973A1 (en
Inventor
Gérard Terrier
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Merlin Gerin SA
Original Assignee
Merlin Gerin SA
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Classifications

    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01H—ELECTRIC SWITCHES; RELAYS; SELECTORS; EMERGENCY PROTECTIVE DEVICES
    • H01H1/00—Contacts
    • H01H1/12—Contacts characterised by the manner in which co-operating contacts engage
    • H01H1/14—Contacts characterised by the manner in which co-operating contacts engage by abutting
    • H01H1/20—Bridging contacts
    • H01H1/2066—Fork-shaped bridge; Two transversally connected contact arms bridging two fixed contacts
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01H—ELECTRIC SWITCHES; RELAYS; SELECTORS; EMERGENCY PROTECTIVE DEVICES
    • H01H1/00—Contacts
    • H01H1/02—Contacts characterised by the material thereof
    • H01H1/04—Co-operating contacts of different material
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01H—ELECTRIC SWITCHES; RELAYS; SELECTORS; EMERGENCY PROTECTIVE DEVICES
    • H01H71/00—Details of the protective switches or relays covered by groups H01H73/00 - H01H83/00
    • H01H71/10—Operating or release mechanisms
    • H01H71/1045—Multiple circuits-breaker, e.g. for the purpose of dividing current or potential drop
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01H—ELECTRIC SWITCHES; RELAYS; SELECTORS; EMERGENCY PROTECTIVE DEVICES
    • H01H73/00—Protective overload circuit-breaking switches in which excess current opens the contacts by automatic release of mechanical energy stored by previous operation of a hand reset mechanism
    • H01H73/02—Details
    • H01H73/18—Means for extinguishing or suppressing arc
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01H—ELECTRIC SWITCHES; RELAYS; SELECTORS; EMERGENCY PROTECTIVE DEVICES
    • H01H1/00—Contacts
    • H01H1/02—Contacts characterised by the material thereof
    • H01H1/021—Composite material
    • H01H1/025—Composite material having copper as the basic material
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01H—ELECTRIC SWITCHES; RELAYS; SELECTORS; EMERGENCY PROTECTIVE DEVICES
    • H01H71/00—Details of the protective switches or relays covered by groups H01H73/00 - H01H83/00
    • H01H71/10—Operating or release mechanisms
    • H01H71/12—Automatic release mechanisms with or without manual release
    • H01H71/121—Protection of release mechanisms
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01H—ELECTRIC SWITCHES; RELAYS; SELECTORS; EMERGENCY PROTECTIVE DEVICES
    • H01H9/00—Details of switching devices, not covered by groups H01H1/00 - H01H7/00
    • H01H9/30—Means for extinguishing or preventing arc between current-carrying parts
    • H01H9/34—Stationary parts for restricting or subdividing the arc, e.g. barrier plate
    • H01H9/342—Venting arrangements for arc chutes

Definitions

  • the invention relates to a miniature circuit breaker according to the preamble of claim 1.
  • Miniature circuit breakers are frequently used for the protection of terminal electrical distribution circuits, and the increase in installed power has created the need for circuit breakers with high breaking capacity.
  • An increase in breaking capacity can be obtained by connecting two unipolar circuit breakers in series, but the size and cost are thus doubled.
  • Document DE-A-2 234 423 describes a circuit breaker of the aforementioned type in which a mechanism controls two cut-off intervals belonging either to a common circuit or to separate circuits opening simultaneously, only one of the circuits comprising a trip device .
  • the contacts are fixed on either side of the mechanism on an axis projecting laterally from both sides of the mechanism, which requires a very wide housing.
  • Each mobile contact is connected by a braid to the associated fixed part, an expensive and fragile solution.
  • the two cutoff intervals must be connected in series by an external connection of two opposite terminals, difficult to achieve in a modular switchboard. This solution has the same drawbacks, but to a lesser degree, of connecting two poles in series.
  • Miniature circuit breakers belong to modular systems of electrical devices all having the same profile to be placed side by side on a support in a manner well known to specialists.
  • the structure and the arrangement of the constituent elements of this known miniature circuit breaker, in particular the arrangement of the sheets, of the breaking chambers, perpendicular to the bottom of the housing, do not allow compliance with the standardized dimensions of the modules, and the object of the present invention is to allow the creation of a miniature circuit breaker with reduced overall dimensions and high breaking capacity.
  • the miniature circuit breaker according to the invention retains the general structure of the circuit breaker commercially known as C 32 and described in document FR-A-2 344 949, only the width of the housing being increased and increased to 25 mm, so as to have a Sufficient space for the side by side accommodation of the two breaking chambers and the magnetic release coil of increased section.
  • the auxiliaries, in particular the differential protection unit, the remote opening control of the circuit breaker C 32 or the auxiliary contacts can thus be associated without any modification to the circuit breaker according to the invention, to carry out the differential protection and / or the control of remote opening and signaling.
  • the two breaking chambers are separated by an insulating partition avoiding any untimely initiation and in the insulating partition is inserted a metal plate forming a screen extending to form a fixing lug for a bimetal of the thermal trigger.
  • the dual function of the metal plate, in this case screen and support of the bimetal strip, makes it possible to free the latter of any deformation of the housing subjected to overheating and stresses and to avoid any adjustment of the triggering threshold .
  • the metal plate for separating the breaking chambers is designed to constitute a shunt conductor for the magnetic trip device and the thermal trip device when the arc is drawn between the separated contacts.
  • the metal plate is extended on the side of the contacts and is shaped as an arc horn on which the arc switches as soon as it forms in a manner well known per se.
  • the magnetic trigger which acts by means of a striker directly on the contact fork to accelerate the movement of the latter in the opening direction
  • a magnetic flux closing carcass In order to increase the force of the magnetic trigger, which acts by means of a striker directly on the contact fork to accelerate the movement of the latter in the opening direction, it is known to surround the coil of the trigger by a magnetic flux closing carcass.
  • the metal carcass does not necessarily extend over all the faces of the coil, and according to a development of the invention, the face adjacent to the breaking chambers is open, so as to reduce the overall height.
  • the opposite face is advantageously also open for the same reason.
  • a housing 10 made of molded insulating material, consists of two half-shells 12, 14, assembled by rivets.
  • the housing 10 has a generally parallelepiped shape of small width, in particular of 25 mm.
  • the housing 10 has a bottom 16 for fixing to a symmetrical DIN rail and a front face 18 having a passage opening for a manual control handle 20.
  • On the narrow lateral faces 22, 24 of the housing 10 are terminals 26, 28 input and output of the circuit breaker, housed inside the box (fig. 5).
  • the lower part of the housing 10 adjacent to the bottom 16 is subdivided into two parts by an insulating partition 30 extending in the median plane of the housing 10.
  • an insulating partition 30 extending in the median plane of the housing 10.
  • a metal plate 32 is inserted inside the insulating partition 30 in two adjoining parts.
  • breaking chambers 34, 36 On either side of the insulating partition 30 are symmetrically arranged breaking chambers 34, 36, constituted by a stack of deionization sheets 38 extending parallel to the bottom 16.
  • the insulating partition 30 extends from both sides.
  • another of the interrupting chambers 34, 36 for separating on the one hand two arcing chambers 40, 42, situated in front of the interrupting chambers 34, 36 and on the other hand conduits 44 for exhausting the interrupting gas.
  • Electrodes 56, 58 extend the fixed contacts 46, 48 for connection to the end plates of the breaking chambers 34, 36.
  • the electrode 58 is connected directly to the fixed contact 48 without any continuity solution while the electrode 56 is separated from the fixed contact 46 by an insulating gap 60.
  • the electrode 56 is electrically connected to the plate 32 by means of a folded tab 62 of the latter.
  • the magnetic trigger 64 comprises a coil 68 with an axis parallel to the sheets 38, the coil 68 being surrounded by a metal carcass 70 having two large lateral faces 72, 74, attached to the shells 12, 14 and fixed to the latter by tenons 76 fitted into slots 78.
  • the carcass 70 does not extend on the lower faces and higher of the coil 68, respectively opposite the chambers 34, 36 and of the mechanism 66, so as to reduce the overall dimensions in height of the magnetic trip device 64.
  • a plunger core 80 mounted to slide axially in the coil 68, carries a extractor 82 acting on the contact-carrying fork 54 and actuating a pusher 84 acting on a trigger bar 86 of the mechanism 66.
  • the trigger bar 86 can also be actuated by a thermal trigger, constituted by a bimetallic strip 88.
  • the control mechanism 66 is of the type described in the aforementioned French patent No. 2,344,949, which will advantageously be referred to for further details. Only the dimensions of the component parts of the mechanism 66 have been increased to withstand the increased operating force by the presence of a double cut.
  • the contact-carrying fork 54 is articulated on a cradle 90 mounted for rotation on a fixed axis 92 and controlled by a link 94 articulated by its end opposite to the lever 20.
  • a hook 96 mounted for rotation on a fixed axis 98, cooperates by one of its ends with the trigger bar 86 and by its opposite end with the contact-carrying fork 54 to constitute a hooking.
  • the mechanism 66 naturally includes return and contact pressure springs (not shown), the assembly being arranged in such a way that a pivoting of the lever 20 causes the cradle 90 to tilt and move to the open position. or closing contacts 46, 50; 48, 52, of the contact carrier 54. An actuation of the trigger bar 86 by the magnetic trigger 64 or the bimetallic strip 88 releases the hook 96 and unlocks the contact carrier 54, which moves in the opening direction under the action of a return spring (not shown).
  • the control mechanism and its operation are well known to specialists.
  • the bimetallic strip 88 is fixed by means of a support 100 to a tab 102, constituted by an extension of the plate 32 inserted in the central insulating partition 30.
  • the intermediate piece 100 of elongated shape is fixed by one of its ends, for example by crimping, on the tab 102, while the opposite end cooperates with an adjustment screw 104 screwed into an orifice formed in an extension 106 of the tab 102. It is easy to understand that the screwing or unscrewing of the adjusting screw 104 causes a deformation of the intermediate piece 100, and therefore a displacement of the free end of the bimetallic strip 88 in approach or to separation of the trigger lever 86 in a manner well known to specialists. It should be noted that the fixing of the bimetallic strip 88 and of its adjustment device 104 is independent of the housing 10, the assembly being carried by the longer metal 32.
  • the terminal 26 is connected to the fixed contact 48, the fork 54 constituting a contact bridge cooperating respectively with the fixed contacts 48, 46.
  • the fixed contact 46 is connected to the input of the coil 68, the output of the latter being connected by a braid 108 to the free end of the bimetallic strip 88.
  • the plate 32 is connected to the terminal 28.
  • the circuit breaker according to the invention operates as follows: 1
  • the current enters at a given time via terminal 26 crossing contact 48, movable contact 52, fork 54, movable contact 50, contact 46, coil 68, bimetal strip 88 to exit through opposite terminal 28.
  • the contact-carrying fork 54 pivots in the open position by pulling two arcs, respectively between the contacts 46, 50 and 48, 52.
  • the arcs migrate on the electrodes 56, 58, to penetrate into the interrupting chambers 34, 36 where they are extinguished in the usual manner.
  • the coil 68 and the bimetallic strip 88 are shunted, the current passing from terminal 26, the electrode 58, the first arc, the movable contact 52, the fork 54, the movable contact 50, the second arc, the electrode 56, the lug 62, the plate 32 towards the output terminal 28.
  • the two arcs are connected in series and give the circuit breaker a high breaking capacity .
  • the rapid displacement of the contact-carrying fork 54 by a high-power electromagnetic trip device 64 contributes to the increase in breaking capacity.
  • the magnetic trip device 64 and the control mechanism 66 which are common to the two cut-off intervals, have the entire width of the housing 10, which facilitates their design.
  • the median plane, containing the insulating partition 30, constitutes a plane of symmetry of the circuit breaker.
  • the housing 10 can be made of thermoplastic material, a possible deformation of the housing 10 does not modify the adjustment of the bimetallic strip 88. It is clear that the use of the screen plate 32 as support for the bimetallic strip 88 can be used independently of the function for shunting magnetic and thermal trip devices, this function being either omitted or carried out by different means.
  • the screen plate can be made of a ferromagnetic material.
  • the movable contacts 50, 52 are advantageously made of a tellurium copper alloy and cooperate with fixed contacts 46, 48 made of copper. Tests have confirmed the effectiveness of this solution which saves the usual silver platelets.

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  • Breakers (AREA)

Description

L'invention est relative à un disjoncteur miniature selon le préambule de la revendication 1.The invention relates to a miniature circuit breaker according to the preamble of claim 1.

Les disjoncteurs miniatures sont fréquement utilisés pour la protection des circuits électriques de distribution terminale, et l'augmentation des puissances installées a fait surgir le besoin de disposer de disjoncteurs à pouvoir de coupure élevé. Une augmentation du pouvoir de coupure peut être obtenue par branchement en série de deux disjoncteurs unipolaires, mais l'encombrement et le coût sont ainsi doublés.Miniature circuit breakers are frequently used for the protection of terminal electrical distribution circuits, and the increase in installed power has created the need for circuit breakers with high breaking capacity. An increase in breaking capacity can be obtained by connecting two unipolar circuit breakers in series, but the size and cost are thus doubled.

Le document DE-A-2 234 423 décrit un disjoncteur du genre susmentionné dans lequel un mécanisme commande deux intervalles de coupure appartenant soit à un circuit commun, soit à des circuits séparés s'ouvrant simultanément, seul l'un des circuits comprenant un déclencheur. Les contacts sont fixés de part et d'autre du mécanisme sur un axe faisant saillie latéralement des deux côtés du mécanisme ce qui nécessite un boîtier de grande largeur. Chaque contact mobile est relié par une tresse à la partie fixe associée, solution coûteuse et fragile. Pour réaliser un disjoncteur à double coupure les deux intervalles de coupure doivent être connectés en série par une connexion externe de deux bornes opposées, difficile à réaliser dans un tableau modulaire. Cette solution présente les mêmes inconvénients, mais à un moindre degré, du branchement en série de deux pôles.Document DE-A-2 234 423 describes a circuit breaker of the aforementioned type in which a mechanism controls two cut-off intervals belonging either to a common circuit or to separate circuits opening simultaneously, only one of the circuits comprising a trip device . The contacts are fixed on either side of the mechanism on an axis projecting laterally from both sides of the mechanism, which requires a very wide housing. Each mobile contact is connected by a braid to the associated fixed part, an expensive and fragile solution. To make a double break circuit breaker, the two cutoff intervals must be connected in series by an external connection of two opposite terminals, difficult to achieve in a modular switchboard. This solution has the same drawbacks, but to a lesser degree, of connecting two poles in series.

On a déjà proposé de loger à l'intérieur d'un même boîtier un système de contact assurant une double coupure et permettant une augmentation du pouvoir de coupure (document FR-A-2 154 628). Les disjoncteurs miniatures appartiennent à des systèmes modulaires d'appareils électriques ayant tous le même profil pour être disposés côte sur un support d'une manière bien connue des spécialistes. La structure et la disposition des éléments constitutifs de ce disjoncteur miniature connu, notamment la disposition des tôles, des chambres de coupure, perpendiculairement au fond du boîtier, ne permettent pas le respect des dimensions normalisés des modules, et la présente invention a pour but de permettre la réalisation d'un disjoncteur miniature à encombrement réduit et à pouvoir de coupure elevé.It has already been proposed to house inside a same housing a contact system ensuring double breaking and allowing an increase in breaking capacity (document FR-A-2 154 628). Miniature circuit breakers belong to modular systems of electrical devices all having the same profile to be placed side by side on a support in a manner well known to specialists. The structure and the arrangement of the constituent elements of this known miniature circuit breaker, in particular the arrangement of the sheets, of the breaking chambers, perpendicular to the bottom of the housing, do not allow compliance with the standardized dimensions of the modules, and the object of the present invention is to allow the creation of a miniature circuit breaker with reduced overall dimensions and high breaking capacity.

Ce but est atteint par la mise en oeuvre des caractéristiques mentionnées dans la partie ca- ractérisante de la revendication 1.This object is achieved by the use of the features mentioned in the characterizing part of claim 1.

Le disjoncteur miniature selon l'invention conserve la structure générale du disjoncteur commercialement dénommé C 32 et décrit dans la document FR-A-2 344 949, seule la largeur du boîtier étant augmentée et portée à 25 mm, de façon à disposer d'un espace suffisant au logement côte à côte des deux chambres de coupure et de la bobine du déclencheur magnétique de section accrue. Les auxiliaires, notamment le bloc de protection différentielle, la commande d'ouverture à distance du disjoncteur C 32 oulet des contacts auxiliaires peuvent ainsi être associés sans aucune modification au disjoncteur selon l'invention, pour réaliser la protection différentielle et/ou la commande d'ouverture à distance et la signalisation.The miniature circuit breaker according to the invention retains the general structure of the circuit breaker commercially known as C 32 and described in document FR-A-2 344 949, only the width of the housing being increased and increased to 25 mm, so as to have a Sufficient space for the side by side accommodation of the two breaking chambers and the magnetic release coil of increased section. The auxiliaries, in particular the differential protection unit, the remote opening control of the circuit breaker C 32 or the auxiliary contacts can thus be associated without any modification to the circuit breaker according to the invention, to carry out the differential protection and / or the control of remote opening and signaling.

Les deux chambres de coupure sont séparées par une cloison isolante évitant tout amorçage intempestif et dans la cloison isolante est insérée une plaque métallique formant écran se prolongeant pour constituer une patte de fixation d'un bilame du déclencheur thermique. La double fonction de la plaque métallique, en l'occurrence d'écran et de support de la bilame, permet d'affranchir cette dernière de toute déformation du boîtier soumis à des échauffements et des contraintes et d'éviter tout déréglage du seuil de déclenchement.The two breaking chambers are separated by an insulating partition avoiding any untimely initiation and in the insulating partition is inserted a metal plate forming a screen extending to form a fixing lug for a bimetal of the thermal trigger. The dual function of the metal plate, in this case screen and support of the bimetal strip, makes it possible to free the latter of any deformation of the housing subjected to overheating and stresses and to avoid any adjustment of the triggering threshold .

Selon un autre développement de l'invention, la plaque métallique de séparation des chambres de coupure est agencée pour constituer un conducteur de shuntage du déclencheur magnétique et du déclencheur thermique des la formation de l'arc tiré entre les contacts séparés. A cet effet, la plaque métallique se prolonge du côté des contacts et est conformée en corne d'arc sur laquelle l'arc commute dès sa formation d'une manière bien connue en soi.According to another development of the invention, the metal plate for separating the breaking chambers is designed to constitute a shunt conductor for the magnetic trip device and the thermal trip device when the arc is drawn between the separated contacts. To this end, the metal plate is extended on the side of the contacts and is shaped as an arc horn on which the arc switches as soon as it forms in a manner well known per se.

En vue d'accroitre la force du déclencheur magnétique, qui agit par l'intermédiaire d'un percuteur directement sur la fourche de contact pour accélérer le déplacement de cette dernière en direction d'ouverture, il est connu d'entourer la bobine du déclencheur par une carcasse de fermeture du flux magnétique. La carcasse métallique ne s'étend pas obligatoirement sur toutes les faces de la bobine, et selon un développement de l'invention, la face adjacente aux chambres de coupure est ouverte, de façon à réduire l'encombrement en hauteur. La face opposée est avantageusement également ouverte pour la même raison.In order to increase the force of the magnetic trigger, which acts by means of a striker directly on the contact fork to accelerate the movement of the latter in the opening direction, it is known to surround the coil of the trigger by a magnetic flux closing carcass. The metal carcass does not necessarily extend over all the faces of the coil, and according to a development of the invention, the face adjacent to the breaking chambers is open, so as to reduce the overall height. The opposite face is advantageously also open for the same reason.

D'autres avantages et caractéristiques de l'invention ressortiront plus clairement de la description qui va suivre d'un mode de mise en oeuvre de l'invention, donné à titre d'exemple non limitatif et représenté aux dessins annexés, dans lesquels:

  • la figure 1 est une vue schématique en élévation d'un disjoncteur selon l'invention, la face latérale du boîtier étant supposée enlevée;
  • la figure 2 est une coupe, à échelle agrandie, suivant la ligne II-II de la fig. 1;
  • la figure 3 est une vue partielle, à échelle agrandie, en coupe suivant le plan médian du disjoncteur selon la fig. 1;
  • la figure 4 est une vue en coupe, à échelle agrandie, suivant la ligne IV-IV de la fig. 1;
  • la figure 5 représente le schéma électrique du disjoncteur.
Other advantages and characteristics of the invention will emerge more clearly from the description which follows of an embodiment of the invention, given by way of nonlimiting example and shown in the appended drawings, in which:
  • Figure 1 is a schematic elevational view of a circuit breaker according to the invention, the side face of the housing being assumed removed;
  • Figure 2 is a section, on an enlarged scale, along the line II-II of FIG. 1;
  • Figure 3 is a partial view, on an enlarged scale, in section along the median plane of the circuit breaker according to FIG. 1;
  • Figure 4 is a sectional view, on an enlarged scale, along the line IV-IV of FIG. 1;
  • Figure 5 shows the circuit diagram of the circuit breaker.

Sur les figures, un boîtier 10, en matériau isolant moulé, est constitué de deux demi-coquilles 12, 14, assemblées par des rivets. Le boîtier 10 présente une forme générale parallélépipédique de faible largeur, notamment de 25 mm.In the figures, a housing 10, made of molded insulating material, consists of two half-shells 12, 14, assembled by rivets. The housing 10 has a generally parallelepiped shape of small width, in particular of 25 mm.

Le boîtier 10 présente und fond 16 de fixation sur un rail DIN symétrique et une face frontale 18 présentant une lumière de passage d'une manette de commande manuelle 20. Sur les faces latérales étroites 22, 24 du boîtier 10 sont disposées des bornes 26, 28 d'entrée et de sortie du disjoncteur, logé à l'intérieur du boîtier (fig. 5).The housing 10 has a bottom 16 for fixing to a symmetrical DIN rail and a front face 18 having a passage opening for a manual control handle 20. On the narrow lateral faces 22, 24 of the housing 10 are terminals 26, 28 input and output of the circuit breaker, housed inside the box (fig. 5).

La partie inférieure du boîtier 10 adjacente au fond 16 est subdivisée en deux parties par une cloison isolante 30 s'tendant dans le plan médian du boîtier 10. En se référant plus particulièrement aux figures 2 et 4, on voit qu'une plaque métallique 32 est insérée à l'intérieur de la cloison isolante 30 en deux parties accolées. De part et d'autre de la cloison isolante 30 sont disposées symétriquement des chambres de coupure 34, 36, constituées par un empilage de tôles de désionisation 38 s'étendant parallèlement au fond 16. La cloison isolante 30 se prolonge de part et d'autre des chambres de coupure 34, 36 pour séparer d'une part deux chambres de formation d'arc 40, 42, situées devant les chambres de coupure 34, 36 et d'autre part des conduits 44 d'échappement de gaz de coupure. De part et d'autre de la cloison médiane isolante 30 sont disposés respectivement dans les chambres de formation 40, 42 des contacts fixes 46, 48, susceptibles de coopérer avec des contacts mobiles 50, 52, portés par un support commun en forme de fourche 54. La fourche porte-contacts mobiles 54 chevauche la cloison isolante 30 et est commandée par un mécanisme de commande décrit cidessous, de manière à se débattre suivant une direction sensiblement parallèle aux tôles 38. Des électrodes 56, 58 prolongent les contacts fixes 46, 48 pour se raccorder aux tôles d'extrémité des chambres de coupure 34, 36. L'électrode 58 est raccordée directement au contact fixe 48 sans solution de continuité tandis que l'électrode 56 est séparée du contact fixe 46 par un intervalle isolant 60. L'électrode 56 est reliée électriquement à la plaque 32 par l'intermédiaire d'une patte repliée 62 de cette dernière.The lower part of the housing 10 adjacent to the bottom 16 is subdivided into two parts by an insulating partition 30 extending in the median plane of the housing 10. With particular reference to FIGS. 2 and 4, it can be seen that a metal plate 32 is inserted inside the insulating partition 30 in two adjoining parts. On either side of the insulating partition 30 are symmetrically arranged breaking chambers 34, 36, constituted by a stack of deionization sheets 38 extending parallel to the bottom 16. The insulating partition 30 extends from both sides. another of the interrupting chambers 34, 36 for separating on the one hand two arcing chambers 40, 42, situated in front of the interrupting chambers 34, 36 and on the other hand conduits 44 for exhausting the interrupting gas. On either side of the insulating central partition 30 are disposed respectively in the formation chambers 40, 42 of the fixed contacts 46, 48, capable of cooperating with movable contacts 50, 52, carried by a common support in the form of a fork 54. The movable contact-carrying fork 54 straddles the insulating partition 30 and is controlled by a control mechanism described below, so as to struggle in a direction substantially parallel to the sheets 38. Electrodes 56, 58 extend the fixed contacts 46, 48 for connection to the end plates of the breaking chambers 34, 36. The electrode 58 is connected directly to the fixed contact 48 without any continuity solution while the electrode 56 is separated from the fixed contact 46 by an insulating gap 60. The electrode 56 is electrically connected to the plate 32 by means of a folded tab 62 of the latter.

Dans la partie supérieure du boîtier 10, au-dessus de la cloison isolante médiane 30, sont disposés le déclencheur magnétique 64 et le mécanisme de commande 66. Le déclencheur magnétique 64 comporte une bobine 68 d'axe parallèle aux tôles 38, la bobine 68 étant entourée d'une carcasse métallique 70 ayant deux grandes faces latérales 72, 74, accolées aux coquilles 12, 14 et fixées à ces dernières par des tenons 76 emboîtés dans des lumières 78. La carcasse 70 ne s'étend pas sur les faces inférieures et supérieures de la bobine 68, respectivement en regard des chambres 34, 36 et du mécanisme 66, de manière à réduire l'encombrement en hauteur du déclencheur magnétique 64. Un noyau plongeur 80, monté à coulissement axial dans la bobine 68, porte un extracteur 82 agissant sur la fourche porte-contacts 54 et actionne un poussoir 84 agissant sur une barre de déclenchement 86 du mécanisme 66. La barre de déclenchement 86 peut également être actionnée par un déclencheur thermique, constitué par un bilame 88.In the upper part of the housing 10, above the central insulating partition 30, are arranged the magnetic trigger 64 and the control mechanism 66. The magnetic trigger 64 comprises a coil 68 with an axis parallel to the sheets 38, the coil 68 being surrounded by a metal carcass 70 having two large lateral faces 72, 74, attached to the shells 12, 14 and fixed to the latter by tenons 76 fitted into slots 78. The carcass 70 does not extend on the lower faces and higher of the coil 68, respectively opposite the chambers 34, 36 and of the mechanism 66, so as to reduce the overall dimensions in height of the magnetic trip device 64. A plunger core 80, mounted to slide axially in the coil 68, carries a extractor 82 acting on the contact-carrying fork 54 and actuating a pusher 84 acting on a trigger bar 86 of the mechanism 66. The trigger bar 86 can also be actuated by a thermal trigger, constituted by a bimetallic strip 88.

Le mécanisme de commande 66 est du type décrit dans le brevet français précité N° 2 344 949, auquel on se reportera avantageusement pour de plus amples détails. Seules les dimensions des pièces constitutives du mécanisme 66 ont été augmentées pour résister è l'effort de manoeuvre accru par la présence d'une double coupure. La fourche porte-contacts 54 est articulée sur un berceau 90 monté è rotation sur un axe fixe 92 et commandé par une biellette 94 articulée par son extrémité opposée à la manette 20. Un crochet 96, monté à rotation sur un axe fixe 98, coopère par l'une de ses extrémités avec la barre de déclenchement 86 et par son extrémité opposée avec la fourche porte-contacts 54 pour constituer un accrochage. Le mécanisme 66 comporte bien entendu des ressorts de rappel et de pression de contact (non représentés), l'ensemble étant agencé de telle manière qu'un pivotement de la manette 20 provoque un basculement du berceau 90 et un déplacement en position d'ouverture ou de fermeture des contacts 46, 50; 48, 52, de la fourche porte-contacts 54. Un actionnement de la barre de déclenchement 86 par le déclencheur magnétique 64 ou le bilame 88 libère le crochet 96 et déverrouille la fourche porte-contacts 54, qui se déplace en direction d'ouverture sous l'action d'un ressort de rappel (non représenté). Le mécanisme de commande et son fonctionnement sont bien connus des spécialistes.The control mechanism 66 is of the type described in the aforementioned French patent No. 2,344,949, which will advantageously be referred to for further details. Only the dimensions of the component parts of the mechanism 66 have been increased to withstand the increased operating force by the presence of a double cut. The contact-carrying fork 54 is articulated on a cradle 90 mounted for rotation on a fixed axis 92 and controlled by a link 94 articulated by its end opposite to the lever 20. A hook 96, mounted for rotation on a fixed axis 98, cooperates by one of its ends with the trigger bar 86 and by its opposite end with the contact-carrying fork 54 to constitute a hooking. The mechanism 66 naturally includes return and contact pressure springs (not shown), the assembly being arranged in such a way that a pivoting of the lever 20 causes the cradle 90 to tilt and move to the open position. or closing contacts 46, 50; 48, 52, of the contact carrier 54. An actuation of the trigger bar 86 by the magnetic trigger 64 or the bimetallic strip 88 releases the hook 96 and unlocks the contact carrier 54, which moves in the opening direction under the action of a return spring (not shown). The control mechanism and its operation are well known to specialists.

Le bilame 88 est fixée par l'intermédiaire d'un support 100 à une patte 102, constituée par un prolongement de la plaque 32 insérée dans la cloison isolante médiane 30. La pièce intermédiaire 100 de forme allongée est fixée par l'une de ses extrémités, par exemple par sertissage, sur la patte 102, tandis que l'extrémité opposée coopère avec une vis de réglage 104 vissée dans un orifice ménagé dans une extension 106 de la patte 102. Il est facile de comprendre que le vissage ou le dévissage de la vis de réglage 104 provoque une déformation de la pièce intermédiaire 100, et de ce fait un déplacement de l'extrémité libre du bilame 88 en rapprochement ou à écartement du levier de déclenchement 86 d'une manière bien connue des spécialistes. Il convient de noter que la fixation du bilame 88 et de son dispositif de réglage 104 est indépendante du boîtier 10, l'ensemble étant porté par la plue métallique 32.The bimetallic strip 88 is fixed by means of a support 100 to a tab 102, constituted by an extension of the plate 32 inserted in the central insulating partition 30. The intermediate piece 100 of elongated shape is fixed by one of its ends, for example by crimping, on the tab 102, while the opposite end cooperates with an adjustment screw 104 screwed into an orifice formed in an extension 106 of the tab 102. It is easy to understand that the screwing or unscrewing of the adjusting screw 104 causes a deformation of the intermediate piece 100, and therefore a displacement of the free end of the bimetallic strip 88 in approach or to separation of the trigger lever 86 in a manner well known to specialists. It should be noted that the fixing of the bimetallic strip 88 and of its adjustment device 104 is independent of the housing 10, the assembly being carried by the longer metal 32.

En se référant plus particulièrement à la figure 5, on voit que la borne 26 est raccordé au contact fixe 48, la fourche 54 constituant un pont de contact coopérant respectivement avec les contacts fixes 48, 46. Le contact fixe 46 est relié à l'entrée de la bobine 68, la sortie de cette dernière étant reliée par une tresse 108 à l'extrémité libre du bilame 88. La plaque 32 est connectée à la borne 28.With particular reference to FIG. 5, it can be seen that the terminal 26 is connected to the fixed contact 48, the fork 54 constituting a contact bridge cooperating respectively with the fixed contacts 48, 46. The fixed contact 46 is connected to the input of the coil 68, the output of the latter being connected by a braid 108 to the free end of the bimetallic strip 88. The plate 32 is connected to the terminal 28.

Le disjoncteur selon l'invention fonctionne de la manière suivante: 1 The circuit breaker according to the invention operates as follows: 1

En position de fermeture, représentée aux figures 1 et 5, le courant entre à un instant donné par la borne 26 en traversant le contact 48, le contact mobile 52, la fourche 54, le contact mobile 50, le contact 46, la bobine 68, le bilame 88 pour sortir par la borne opposée 28. Lors d'une ouverture du disjoncteur, commandée soit manuellement par basculement de la manette 20, soit automatiquement par le déclencheur magnétique 64 ou le bilame 88, agissant sur la barre de déclenchement 86, la fourche porte-contacts 54 pivote en position d'ouverture en tirant deux arcs, respectivement entre les contacts 46, 50 et 48, 52. Les arcs migrent sur les électrodes 56, 58, pour pénétrer dans les chambres de coupure 34, 36 où ils sont éteints de la manière usuelle. Dès la commutation de l'arc tiré entre les contacts 46, 50 sur l'électrode 56, la bobine 68 et le bilame 88 sont shuntées, le courant passant de la borne 26, l'électrode 58, le premier arc, le contact mobile 52, la fourche 54, le contact mobile 50, le deuxième arc, l'électrode 56, la patte 62, la plaque 32 vers la borne de sortie 28. Les deux arcs sont connectés en série et confèrent au disjoncteur un pouvoir de coupure élevé. Le déplacement rapide de la fourche porte-contacts 54 par un déclencheur électro-magnétique 64 de grande puissance participe à l'accroissement du pouvoir de coupure.In the closed position, shown in Figures 1 and 5, the current enters at a given time via terminal 26 crossing contact 48, movable contact 52, fork 54, movable contact 50, contact 46, coil 68, bimetal strip 88 to exit through opposite terminal 28. When the circuit breaker opens , controlled either manually by tilting the lever 20, or automatically by the magnetic trigger 64 or the bimetallic strip 88, acting on the trigger bar 86, the contact-carrying fork 54 pivots in the open position by pulling two arcs, respectively between the contacts 46, 50 and 48, 52. The arcs migrate on the electrodes 56, 58, to penetrate into the interrupting chambers 34, 36 where they are extinguished in the usual manner. As soon as the arc drawn between the contacts 46, 50 on the electrode 56 is switched, the coil 68 and the bimetallic strip 88 are shunted, the current passing from terminal 26, the electrode 58, the first arc, the movable contact 52, the fork 54, the movable contact 50, the second arc, the electrode 56, the lug 62, the plate 32 towards the output terminal 28. The two arcs are connected in series and give the circuit breaker a high breaking capacity . The rapid displacement of the contact-carrying fork 54 by a high-power electromagnetic trip device 64 contributes to the increase in breaking capacity.

Il convient de noter que le déclencheur magnétique 64 et le mécanisme de commande 66, qui sont communs aux deux intervalles de coupure, disposent de l'ensemble de la largeur du boîtier 10, ce qui facilite leur conception. Le plan médian, contenant la cloison isolante 30, constitue un plan de symétrie du disjoncteur.It should be noted that the magnetic trip device 64 and the control mechanism 66, which are common to the two cut-off intervals, have the entire width of the housing 10, which facilitates their design. The median plane, containing the insulating partition 30, constitutes a plane of symmetry of the circuit breaker.

Le boîtier 10 peut être réalisé en matière thermoplastique, une déformation éventuelle du boîtier 10 ne modifiant pas le réglage du bilame 88. Il est clair que l'utilisation de la plaque écran 32 comme support de la bilame 88 peut être utilisée indépendamment de la fonction de shuntage des déclencheurs magnétiques et thermiques, cette fonction étant soit omise soit réalisée par des moyens différents. La plaque écran peut être en un matériau ferromagnétique. Les contacts mobiles 50, 52 sont avantageusement réalisés en un alliage cuivre tellure et coopèrent avec des contacts fixes 46, 48 en cuivre. Des essais ont confirmé l'efficacité de cette solution qui permet une économie des plaquettes usuelles en argent.The housing 10 can be made of thermoplastic material, a possible deformation of the housing 10 does not modify the adjustment of the bimetallic strip 88. It is clear that the use of the screen plate 32 as support for the bimetallic strip 88 can be used independently of the function for shunting magnetic and thermal trip devices, this function being either omitted or carried out by different means. The screen plate can be made of a ferromagnetic material. The movable contacts 50, 52 are advantageously made of a tellurium copper alloy and cooperate with fixed contacts 46, 48 made of copper. Tests have confirmed the effectiveness of this solution which saves the usual silver platelets.

Claims (7)

1. Miniature circuit breaker with high rupture capacity with a narrow insulating housing (10) comprising:
- two extinguishing chambers (34, 36) arranged side by side in the lower part of the housing with deionization plates (38) extending parallelly to the bottom (16) of the housing (10), the two arcing chambers being separated by an insulating wall (30) extending in the median line of the housing perpen dicularly to said bottom (16),
- two pairs of contacts (46, 50; 48, 52) each associated to one of said chambers and located in front of said plates (38), the moving contact (50, 52) moving in a way to draw an initial arc extending parallelly to the plates (38) and pivoting by migration on the horns (56, 58) in order to spread out at the entrance perpendicularly to the plates (38),
- an input terminal (26) and an output terminal (28) of the circuit breaker arranged on the two narrow lateral faces of the housing, one of the terminals (26) being connected to one (48) of the stationary contacts,
- a mechanism (66) to control the opening and the closing of the circuit breaker,
- and a magnetic and thermal tripping device, the magnetic tripping device provided with a coil (68) inserted between the arcing chambers (34, 36) and the mechanism (66) and extending parallelly to said plates (38),

characterized in that it comprises a contact carrier in the form of a fork (54) bridging said wall (30) and carrying at the end of each prong a movable contact (50, 52) to connect electrically these movable contacts (50, 52) and to constitute a contact bridge with two series breaking intervals, said fork (54) being controlled by the mechanism to move simultaneously the movable contacts (50, 52) in open and iff closed position, that the two arcing chambers (34, 36), the coil (68) and the mechanism (66) are superposed and fill each the whole width of the housing and that the other terminal (28) is connected to the other stationary contact (46) by means of the said thermal tripping device and the said coil (68).
2. Circuit breaker according to claim 1, characterized by the fact that said insulating wall (30) carries a metal plate (32) inserted between two insulating walls and constituting a screen between the two arcing chambers (34, 36), said metal plate carrying a fastening clamp (102) of a bimetal strip of said thermal tripping device.
3. Circuit breaker according to claim 2, characterized in that said fastening clamp (102) carries a device (104) to adjust said bimetal strip (88).
4. Circuit breaker according to claim 2 or 3, characterized in that said metal plate (32) carries an extension constituting an arcing electrode (62) adjacent to a stationary contact (46) and con-. structed to catch an arcing root as soon as the arc is formed, said plate (32) constituting a shunt circuit of said tripping device as soon as the arc commutates on said electrode (62).
5. Circuit breaker according to claim 4, characterized in that said electrode (62) is extended by a guide horn (56) of the arc connected to the end plate (38) of the associated arcing chamber (34).
6. Circuit breaker according to one of the preceding claims, said coil (66) being surrounded by a metal casing (70) and cooperating with an armature (80) provided with an extractor (82) to accelerate the opening of the movable contacts (50, 52), characterized in that the face of the casing (70) adjacent to the arcing chambers (34, 36) and the opposite face are both open.
7. Circuit breaker according to one of the precedent claims, characterized in that the movable contacts (50, 52) are of a copper-tellurium alloy and cooperate with the stationary copper contacts (46,48).
EP19810401899 1980-12-09 1981-12-01 Miniature circuit breaker with high rupture capacity Expired EP0053973B1 (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
FR8026166 1980-12-09
FR8026166A FR2495826A1 (en) 1980-12-09 1980-12-09 MINIATURE HIGH BREAKING CIRCUIT BREAKER

Publications (2)

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EP0053973A1 EP0053973A1 (en) 1982-06-16
EP0053973B1 true EP0053973B1 (en) 1985-08-21

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EP19810401899 Expired EP0053973B1 (en) 1980-12-09 1981-12-01 Miniature circuit breaker with high rupture capacity

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EP (1) EP0053973B1 (en)
DE (1) DE3171946D1 (en)
ES (1) ES8300415A1 (en)
FR (1) FR2495826A1 (en)

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Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
FR2517465B1 (en) * 1981-11-27 1986-05-02 Merlin Gerin MINIATURE CIRCUIT BREAKER WITH TWO ADJUSTED SWITCHING CHAMBERS
FR2592738B1 (en) * 1986-01-03 1990-05-11 Merlin Gerin MULTIPLE MOBILE CONTACT MINIATURE ELECTRIC CIRCUIT BREAKER
JPH088048B2 (en) * 1989-09-18 1996-01-29 三菱電機株式会社 Current limiting device
FR2674986B1 (en) * 1991-04-08 1996-03-08 Hager Electro IMPROVED MODULAR SINGLE POLE CIRCUIT BREAKER AND MOUNTING METHOD THEREOF.
FR2703821B1 (en) * 1993-04-07 1995-05-12 Merlin Gerin Electric circuit breaker with electrodynamic repulsion of contacts and with double breaking chambers.
EP0649155B1 (en) * 1993-10-15 1997-04-02 Hager Electro S.A. Double arc runner for a circuit breaker arc guide chamber
FR2768856B1 (en) * 1997-09-24 1999-11-12 Schneider Electric Sa ELECTROMAGNETIC CIRCUIT BREAKER WITH MOBILE FORK CONTACT PROPELLER
IT1318215B1 (en) * 2000-07-21 2003-07-28 Gewiss Spa MAGNETOTHERMAL ELECTRIC SWITCH
US8912461B2 (en) * 2012-01-23 2014-12-16 General Electric Company Arc chute assembly and method of manufacturing same
FR2996678B1 (en) 2012-10-05 2014-10-31 Schneider Electric Ind Sas DEVICE FOR CONTROLLING AN ELECTRICAL PROTECTION DEVICE AND ELECTRICAL PROTECTION APPARATUS COMPRISING IT

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DE1180453B (en) * 1962-08-07 1964-10-29 Continental Elektro Ind Ag Circuit breakers, especially installation circuit breakers
CH409092A (en) * 1964-04-11 1966-03-15 Bassani Spa Automatic magnetothermic switch
DE1538677A1 (en) * 1966-07-08 1970-02-19 Licentia Gmbh Mechanism for automatic switch
CH543174A (en) * 1971-09-30 1973-10-15 Carl Maier & Cie Elek Sche Sch Circuit breaker
DE2234423A1 (en) * 1972-07-13 1974-01-24 Bbc Brown Boveri & Cie AUTOMATIC INSTALLATION SWITCH IN SHELL CONSTRUCTION
FR2204872B1 (en) * 1972-10-30 1976-08-20 Legrand Sa
FR2344949A1 (en) * 1976-03-15 1977-10-14 Merlin Gerin Low voltage miniature contact breaker for domestic use - has bimetal strips and solenoid for release and laminated stack for arc blowout

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
DE3171946D1 (en) 1985-09-26
FR2495826B1 (en) 1984-02-03
ES507719A0 (en) 1982-11-01
EP0053973A1 (en) 1982-06-16
ES8300415A1 (en) 1982-11-01
FR2495826A1 (en) 1982-06-11

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