EP0104981B1 - Electric circuit breaker with a remotely controlled static switching device - Google Patents

Electric circuit breaker with a remotely controlled static switching device Download PDF

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Publication number
EP0104981B1
EP0104981B1 EP83401751A EP83401751A EP0104981B1 EP 0104981 B1 EP0104981 B1 EP 0104981B1 EP 83401751 A EP83401751 A EP 83401751A EP 83401751 A EP83401751 A EP 83401751A EP 0104981 B1 EP0104981 B1 EP 0104981B1
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EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
static switch
contacts
circuit
breaker
arc
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
EP83401751A
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German (de)
French (fr)
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EP0104981A1 (en
Inventor
Jean-Luc Mertz
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Merlin Gerin SA
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Merlin Gerin SA
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Publication of EP0104981A1 publication Critical patent/EP0104981A1/en
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    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01H—ELECTRIC SWITCHES; RELAYS; SELECTORS; EMERGENCY PROTECTIVE DEVICES
    • H01H83/00—Protective switches, e.g. circuit-breaking switches, or protective relays operated by abnormal electrical conditions otherwise than solely by excess current
    • H01H83/20—Protective switches, e.g. circuit-breaking switches, or protective relays operated by abnormal electrical conditions otherwise than solely by excess current operated by excess current as well as by some other abnormal electrical condition
    • 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
    • H01H9/54—Circuit arrangements not adapted to a particular application of the switching device and for which no provision exists elsewhere
    • H01H9/548—Electromechanical and static switch connected in series

Definitions

  • the invention relates to an electrical connection and protection device according to the preamble of claim 1.
  • a circuit breaker is generally equipped with a manual opening and closing control handle and is capable of automatically interrupting fault currents. It does not lend itself well to a remote control and its mechanism is not suitable for a large number of operations.
  • the object of the present invention is to remedy these drawbacks and to allow the production of a mixed circuit breaker - static switch device of simple and inexpensive design.
  • the invention as characterized in claim 1 makes use of a static switch, in particular a triac, to provide the remote control, the mechanism of the circuit breaker and its contacts not involved in this operation.
  • FIG. 1 and 2 there is shown a pole of a miniature electric circuit breaker 10 used in an AC low voltage network.
  • the housing 12 of molded insulating material comprises a rear base 14 adaptable to a support rail by means of a latch 16, and a front face 18 provided with an opening for passage of a control handle 20.
  • Each pole comprises a pair of separable contacts 22, 24, a breaking chamber 26 with plates 28 for deionizing the arc and a maneuvering mechanism 30 associated with the lever 20 for manual control and with an automatic magnetothermal trip device 32.
  • the latter is electrically inserted in the main trip circuit and is formed by a bimetal thermal trip unit 34 and an electromagnetic trip unit with coil 36 connected in series with the pair of contacts 22, 24 in electrical connection with the connection terminals 38.40 of the pole .
  • the breaking chamber 26 is framed by two lower arc 39 and upper arc horns 41 extending parallel to the sheets 28 and at the bottom of the base 14.
  • the movable contact 24 is integral with a contact arm 42 actuated by the operating mechanism 30.
  • the contact arm 42 is pivotally mounted on a rocker arm 44 mechanically coupled to a toggle switch 46 associated with the lever 20.
  • a release lever 48 pivoting on an axis 50 cooperates with the end of the contact arm 42 opposite the movable contact 24, so as to secure the arm 42 to the rocker arm 44.
  • a latch 52 ensures the engagement of the trigger lever 48 in position lock.
  • the automatic opening of the contacts 22, 24 of the pole is caused by a pivoting of the latch 52 towards an unlocked position which releases the trigger lever 48 driving under the action of a spring the contact arm 42 pivoting towards the position of opening.
  • the latch 52 is actuated towards the unlocked position either by the deflection of the bimetallic strip 34 in the event of overload, or by the displacement of the movable core of the electromagnetic trip device 36 during the appearance of a short circuit.
  • a static switching member formed by a controlled semiconductor element in particular a triac 56 or two thyristors in parallel head to tail, is electrically connected in the main trip circuit, in series with the pair of contacts 22 , 24 and the bimetal 34 and electromagnetic coil 36 releases.
  • the triac 56 ignition electrode is connected to a connection socket 57 arranged in the housing 12 and capable of receiving a conduc tor 58 outside in connection with a remote control device 60 (fig. 2).
  • the triac 56 is electrically connected in the main circuit between the fixed contact 22 and one 40 of the pole connection terminals.
  • the movable contact 24 is in electrical connection with the other terminal 38 through the coil 36 and the bimetallic strip 34.
  • the upper arc horn 41 is connected to the base of the bimetallic strip 34 connected to the terminal 38.
  • the lower arc horn 39 is extended to the vicinity of the fixed contact 22 and is connected by a connecting conductor 62 at a point 64 located between triac 56 and terminal 40 of the main circuit.
  • the arcing horn 39 is separated from the fixed contact 22 by a small gap 66 so as to allow rapid switching of the arcing to the extension of the lower horn 39 from the start of the opening stroke of the contact arm 42 .
  • the operating mechanism 30 ensures, in a well known manner, the displacement of the contact arm 42 towards the open position. The same is true when the fault current is a significant short circuit involving the electromagnetic trip device 36 when the instantaneous trip threshold is exceeded.
  • the driver triac 56 is short-circuited by the driver 62 as soon as the arc switches to the lower horn 39 at the start of the opening stroke of the movable contact 24 (dotted line). The triac 56 is thus protected against any overcurrent upon separation of the contacts 22, 24 and switches off automatically on the next zero crossing of the current.
  • the conventional switching of the arc on the upper horn 41 takes place, the arc then being anchored between the two horns 39, 41 of the chamber 26, so as to shunt the bimetallic strip 34 and the coil 36 of the thermal and electromagnetic triggers.
  • the arc is extinguished in the chamber 26 thanks to the deionization plates 28.
  • the circuit breaker 10 then operates as a static switch remotely controlled by blocking and unblocking of the triac 56 ensuring respectively the interruption and the establishment of the nominal current in the main circuit of the pole without intervention of the mechanism 30 of the circuit breaker.
  • the overcurrent protection function is provided by the magnetothermal release 32 cooperating with the mechanism 30 to open the contact arm 42, the triac 56 being in the conductive state.
  • the switching of the arc on the horn 39 short-circuits the triac 56 which goes out, the latter being protected against the fault current as soon as the contacts 22, 24 separate.
  • the remote control function of the circuit breaker 10 results exclusively from the intervention of the device 60 for remote control of the triac 56 while the mechanism 30 remains inactive in the closed position of the contacts 22, 24.
  • the variant of fig. 3 shows an electrical connection different from the triac 56 in the main pole trip circuit. All the other elements of the circuit breaker 10 are identical to that of FIGS. 1 and 2, with the exception of the lower horn 39 connected directly to the fixed contact 22.
  • the triac 56 is inserted between the movable contact 24 and the terminal 38 in series with the bimetallic strip 34 and the coil 36 of the magnetothermal trip device 32.
  • the fixed contact 22 is directly connected to terminal 40.
  • the operation of the remote-controlled circuit breaker 10 according to FIG. 3 is similar to that of FIGS. 1 and 2, only the shunting time of the triac 56 is modified during the shutdown phase.
  • the shunting occurs at the end of opening stroke of the contact arm 42 (in dotted lines) when the arc is switched on the upper horn 41.
  • the series circuit formed by the triac 56, the bimetallic strip 34 and the coil 36 is then short -circuited by the upper horn 41.

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  • Breakers (AREA)
  • Arc-Extinguishing Devices That Are Switches (AREA)
  • Keying Circuit Devices (AREA)

Description

L'invention est relative à un appareil électrique de connexion et de protection selon le préambule de la revendication 1.The invention relates to an electrical connection and protection device according to the preamble of claim 1.

Un disjoncteur est généralement équipé d'une manette de commande manuelle d'ouverture et de fermeture et il est capable d'interrompre automatiquement des courants de défaut. Il se prête mal à une télécommande et son mécanisme n'est pas adapté à un grand nombre de manoeuvres.A circuit breaker is generally equipped with a manual opening and closing control handle and is capable of automatically interrupting fault currents. It does not lend itself well to a remote control and its mechanism is not suitable for a large number of operations.

La présente invention a pour but de remédier à ces inconvénients et de permettre la réalisation d'un appareil mixte disjoncteur - commutateur statique de conception simple et bon marché. L'invention telle qu'elle est caractérisée dans la revendication 1 fait usage d'un commutateur statique, notamment d'un triac, pour assurer la télécommande, le mécanisme du disjoncteur et ses contacts n'intervenant pas dans cette ma- nœuvre.The object of the present invention is to remedy these drawbacks and to allow the production of a mixed circuit breaker - static switch device of simple and inexpensive design. The invention as characterized in claim 1 makes use of a static switch, in particular a triac, to provide the remote control, the mechanism of the circuit breaker and its contacts not involved in this operation.

Les propriétés et avantages des commutateurs statiques sont bien connus mais leurs possibilités d'emploi sont limitées par leur grande sensibilité aux surcharges qui provoquent leur destruction. Il a déjà été proposé dans le document US-A-4272687 d'associer un disjoncteur et un contacteur ou interrupteur, notamment un commutateur statique à triac, la protection sur court- circuit étant assurée par le disjoncteur, tandis que le triac permet une télécommande. Le temps de réponse de ce disjoncteur connu est trop long pour protéger efficacement le semi-conducteur du commutateur statique et ce disjoncteur est inutilisable dans les circuits de distribution à courants de courtcircuit élévés.The properties and advantages of static switches are well known, but their possibilities of use are limited by their great sensitivity to overloads which cause their destruction. It has already been proposed in document US-A-4272687 to associate a circuit breaker and a contactor or switch, in particular a static triac switch, short-circuit protection being provided by the circuit breaker, while the triac allows a remote control . The response time of this known circuit breaker is too long to effectively protect the semiconductor of the static switch and this circuit breaker is unusable in distribution circuits with high short-circuit currents.

Le principe de shuntage par commutation de l'arc pour la protection du bilane d'un déclencheur contre les courants de court-circuit est connu selon les documents FR-A-2360977 et US-A-2134565. Le déclencheur constitue néanmoins une partie intégrante du disjonctuer.The principle of shunting by switching the arc to protect the balance sheet of a trip device against short-circuit currents is known from documents FR-A-2360977 and US-A-2134565. The trigger nevertheless forms an integral part of the circuit breaker.

En utilisant selon l'invention, la commutation de l'arc pour shunter le contacteur, le disjoncteur protège en même temps le commutateur statique. L'ensemble peut être logé dans un même boîtier de dimension standard ou dans une juxtaposition de boîtiers élémentaires ce qui facilite les connexions et le montage. Le disjoncteur peut être unipolaire ou multipolaire, pour un réseau à courant alternatif. Le commutateur statique selon l'invention est formé avantageusement par un élément semi-conducteur commandé, notamment un triac ou deux thyristors en tête-bêche. D'autres avantages et caractéristiques ressortiront plus clairement de l'exposé qui va suivre de deux modes de mise en oeuvre de l'invention, donnés à titre d'exemples et représentés aux dessins annexés, dans lesquels:

  • la figure 1 est une vue en coupe verticale d'un pôle de disjoncteur magnétothermique équipé d'un commutateur statique télécommandé selon l'invention, les contacts du pôle étant en position de fermeture;
  • la figure 2 représente le schéma électrique du disjoncteur de la fig.1;
  • la figure 3 est une vue analogue à la fig. 2, d'une variante de réalisation.
By using, according to the invention, the switching of the arc to shunt the contactor, the circuit breaker simultaneously protects the static switch. The assembly can be housed in the same standard size box or in a juxtaposition of elementary boxes which facilitates connections and mounting. The circuit breaker can be unipolar or multipolar, for an alternating current network. The static switch according to the invention is advantageously formed by a controlled semiconductor element, in particular a triac or two thyristors upside down. Other advantages and characteristics will emerge more clearly from the description which follows of two embodiments of the invention, given by way of examples and represented in the appended drawings, in which:
  • Figure 1 is a vertical sectional view of a magnetothermal circuit breaker pole equipped with a remote controlled static switch according to the invention, the pole contacts being in the closed position;
  • Figure 2 shows the circuit diagram of the circuit breaker in fig.1;
  • FIG. 3 is a view similar to FIG. 2, of an alternative embodiment.

Sur les figures 1 et 2, est représenté un pôle d'un disjoncteur 10 électrique miniature utilisé dans un réseau alternatif à basse tension. Le boîtier 12 en matériau isolant moulé comporte un socle 14 postérieur adaptable à un rail support au moyen d'un verrou 16 d'encliquetage, et une face avant 18 munie d'une ouverture de passage d'une manette 20 de commande. Chaque pôle comprend une paire de contacts 22, 24 séparables, une chambre de coupure 26 à tôles 28 de désionisation de l'arc et un mécanisme de manceuvre 30 associé à la manette 20 de commande manuelle et à un déclencheur automatique magnétothermique 32. Ce dernier est inséré électriquement dans le circuit principal de déclenchement et est formé par un déclencheur thermique à bilame 34 et un déclencheur électromagnétique à bobine 36 connectés en série avec la paire de contacts 22, 24 en liaison électrique avec les bornes de raccordement 38,40 du pôle. La chambre de coupure 26 est encadrée par deux cornes d'arc inférieure 39 et supérieure 41 s'étendant parallèlement aux tôles 28 et au fond du socle 14.In Figures 1 and 2, there is shown a pole of a miniature electric circuit breaker 10 used in an AC low voltage network. The housing 12 of molded insulating material comprises a rear base 14 adaptable to a support rail by means of a latch 16, and a front face 18 provided with an opening for passage of a control handle 20. Each pole comprises a pair of separable contacts 22, 24, a breaking chamber 26 with plates 28 for deionizing the arc and a maneuvering mechanism 30 associated with the lever 20 for manual control and with an automatic magnetothermal trip device 32. The latter is electrically inserted in the main trip circuit and is formed by a bimetal thermal trip unit 34 and an electromagnetic trip unit with coil 36 connected in series with the pair of contacts 22, 24 in electrical connection with the connection terminals 38.40 of the pole . The breaking chamber 26 is framed by two lower arc 39 and upper arc horns 41 extending parallel to the sheets 28 and at the bottom of the base 14.

Le contact mobile 24 est solidaire d'un bras de contact 42 actionné par le mécanisme de manoeuvre 30. Le bras de contact 42 est monté à pivotement sur un culbuteur 44 accouplé mécaniquement à une genouillère 46 associée à la manette 20. Un levier de déclenchement 48 pivotant sur un axe 50 coopère avec l'extrémité du bras de contact 42 à l'opposé du contact mobile 24, de manière à solidariser le bras 42 au culbuteur 44. Un verrou 52 assure l'accrochage du levier de déclenchement 48 en position de verrouillage. L'ouverture automatique des contacts 22, 24 du pôle est provoquée par un pivotement du verrou 52 vers une position déverrouillée qui libère le levier de déclenchement 48 entraînant sous l'action d'un ressort le bras de contact 42 pivotant vers la position d'ouverture. Le verrou 52 est actionné vers la position dèverrouillée soit par la déflexion du bilame 34 en cas de surcharge, soit par le déplacement du noyau mobile du déclencheur électromagnétique 36 lors de l'apparition d'un court- circuit.The movable contact 24 is integral with a contact arm 42 actuated by the operating mechanism 30. The contact arm 42 is pivotally mounted on a rocker arm 44 mechanically coupled to a toggle switch 46 associated with the lever 20. A release lever 48 pivoting on an axis 50 cooperates with the end of the contact arm 42 opposite the movable contact 24, so as to secure the arm 42 to the rocker arm 44. A latch 52 ensures the engagement of the trigger lever 48 in position lock. The automatic opening of the contacts 22, 24 of the pole is caused by a pivoting of the latch 52 towards an unlocked position which releases the trigger lever 48 driving under the action of a spring the contact arm 42 pivoting towards the position of opening. The latch 52 is actuated towards the unlocked position either by the deflection of the bimetallic strip 34 in the event of overload, or by the displacement of the movable core of the electromagnetic trip device 36 during the appearance of a short circuit.

Le fonctionnement d'un tel disjoncteur est bien connu des spécialistes et est décrit dans le elocu- ment FR-A-2468202, auquel on se reportera pour de plus amples détails.The operation of such a circuit breaker is well known to specialists and is described in elocution FR-A-2468202, to which reference will be made for further details.

Selon l'invention, un organe de commutation statique formé par un élément semi-conducteur commandé, notamment un triac 56 ou deux thyristors en tête-bêche parallèle, est connecté électriquement dans le circuit principal de déclenchement, en série avec la paire de contacts 22, 24 et les déclencheurs à bilame 34 et à bobine électromagnétique 36. L'électrode d'amorçage du triac 56 est reliée à une prise de connexion 57 agencée dans le boîtier 12 et pouvant recevoir un conducteur 58 extérieur en liaison avec un dispositif de télécommande 60 (fig. 2).According to the invention, a static switching member formed by a controlled semiconductor element, in particular a triac 56 or two thyristors in parallel head to tail, is electrically connected in the main trip circuit, in series with the pair of contacts 22 , 24 and the bimetal 34 and electromagnetic coil 36 releases. The triac 56 ignition electrode is connected to a connection socket 57 arranged in the housing 12 and capable of receiving a conduc tor 58 outside in connection with a remote control device 60 (fig. 2).

En référence aux fig. 1 et 2, le triac 56 est connecté électriquement dans le circuit principal entre le contact fixe 22 et l'une 40 des bornes de raccordement du pôle. Le contact mobile 24 est en liaison électrique avec l'autre borne 38 à travers la bobine 36 et le bilame 34. En position de fermeture des contacts 22, 24, le courant nominal circulant dans le circuit principal, traverse le triac 56 dans l'état débloqué, la bobine 36 du déclencheur électromagnétique et le bilame 34 du déclencheur thermique. La corne d'arc supérieure 41 est raccordée à la base du bilame 34 reliée à la borne 38. La corne d'arc inférieure 39 est prolongée jusqu'au voisinage du contact fixe 22 et est connectée par un conducteur de liaison 62 à un point de raccordement 64 situé entre le triac 56 et la borne 40 du circuit principal. La corne d'arc 39 est séparée du contact fixe 22 par un faible intervalle 66 de manière à autoriser la commutation rapide de l'arc sur le prolongement de la corne inférieure 39 dès le début de la course d'ouverture du bras de contact 42.With reference to fig. 1 and 2, the triac 56 is electrically connected in the main circuit between the fixed contact 22 and one 40 of the pole connection terminals. The movable contact 24 is in electrical connection with the other terminal 38 through the coil 36 and the bimetallic strip 34. In the closed position of the contacts 22, 24, the nominal current flowing in the main circuit, passes through the triac 56 in the unlocked state, the coil 36 of the electromagnetic trip device and the bimetallic strip 34 of the thermal trip device. The upper arc horn 41 is connected to the base of the bimetallic strip 34 connected to the terminal 38. The lower arc horn 39 is extended to the vicinity of the fixed contact 22 and is connected by a connecting conductor 62 at a point 64 located between triac 56 and terminal 40 of the main circuit. The arcing horn 39 is separated from the fixed contact 22 by a small gap 66 so as to allow rapid switching of the arcing to the extension of the lower horn 39 from the start of the opening stroke of the contact arm 42 .

Le fonctionnement du disjoncteur 10 magnétothermique à télécommande selon les fig. 1 et 2 est le suivant:

  • En fonctionnement normal de surveillance du disjoncteur, le triac 56 est conducteur et les contacts 22, 24 se trouvent en position de fermeture. Le courant du pôle circule dans le circuit principal comprenant le bilame 34, la bobine 36 et le triac 56.
The operation of the remote-controlled magnetothermal circuit breaker 10 according to FIGS. 1 and 2 is as follows:
  • In normal circuit breaker monitoring operation, the triac 56 is conductive and the contacts 22, 24 are in the closed position. The pole current flows in the main circuit comprising the bimetallic strip 34, the coil 36 and the triac 56.

Lors de l'apparition d'un courant de surcharge s'opère la déflexion du bilame 34 susceptible de provoquer le déverrouillage du verrou 52 après dépassement du seuil de déclenchement thermique. Le mécanisme de manoeuvre 30 assure d'une manière bien connue le déplacement du bras de contact 42 vers la position d'ouverture. Il en est de même lorsque le courant de défaut est un court-circuit important faisant intervenir le déclencheur électromagnétique 36 lors du dépassement du seuil de déclenchement instantané. Le triac 56 conducteur est court-circuité par le conducteur 62 dès que l'arc commute sur la corne inférieure 39 au début de la course d'ouverture du contact mobile 24 (en pointillé). Le triac 56 est ainsi protégé contre toute surintensité dès la séparation des contacts 22, 24 et s'éteint automatiquement au prochain passage à zéro du courant. En fin de course d'ouverture du bras de contact 42, intervient la commutation classique de l'arc sur la corne supérieure 41, l'arc étant alors ancré entre les deux cornes 39, 41 de la chambre 26, de manière à shunter le bilame 34 et la bobine 36 des déclencheurs thermique et électromagnétique. L'extinction de l'arc s'opère dans la chambre 26 grâce aux tôles 28 de désionisation.When an overload current appears, deflection of the bimetallic strip 34 can cause the latch 52 to be unlocked after the thermal tripping threshold has been exceeded. The operating mechanism 30 ensures, in a well known manner, the displacement of the contact arm 42 towards the open position. The same is true when the fault current is a significant short circuit involving the electromagnetic trip device 36 when the instantaneous trip threshold is exceeded. The driver triac 56 is short-circuited by the driver 62 as soon as the arc switches to the lower horn 39 at the start of the opening stroke of the movable contact 24 (dotted line). The triac 56 is thus protected against any overcurrent upon separation of the contacts 22, 24 and switches off automatically on the next zero crossing of the current. At the end of the opening stroke of the contact arm 42, the conventional switching of the arc on the upper horn 41 takes place, the arc then being anchored between the two horns 39, 41 of the chamber 26, so as to shunt the bimetallic strip 34 and the coil 36 of the thermal and electromagnetic triggers. The arc is extinguished in the chamber 26 thanks to the deionization plates 28.

En l'absence de défaut sur le réseau, l'ouverture et la fermeture du disjoncteur connecté au réseau s'effectue de deux manières distinctes:

  • - soit par action manuelle de la manette 20 de commande du mécanisme 30 qui entraîne mécaniquement le bras de contact 42 vers la position d'ouverture ou de fermeture. Le disjoncteur 10 fonctionne alors en interrupteur mécanique susceptible d'établir et d'interrompre le courant nominal du pôle;
  • - soit par commande à distance du triac 56 au moyen du dispositif 60, la manette 20 du mécanisme 30 et les contacts 22, 24 restant immobiles en position de fermeture.
In the absence of a fault on the network, the opening and closing of the circuit breaker connected to the network is carried out in two distinct ways:
  • - Or by manual action of the lever 20 for controlling the mechanism 30 which mechanically drives the contact arm 42 to the open or closed position. The circuit breaker 10 then operates as a mechanical switch capable of establishing and interrupting the nominal current of the pole;
  • - Or by remote control of the triac 56 by means of the device 60, the lever 20 of the mechanism 30 and the contacts 22, 24 remaining stationary in the closed position.

Le disjoncteur 10 fonctionne alors en interrupteur statique télécommandé par blocage et déblocage du triac 56 assurant respectivement l'interruption et l'établissement du courant nominal dans le circuit principal du pôle sans intervention du mécanisme 30 du disjoncteur.The circuit breaker 10 then operates as a static switch remotely controlled by blocking and unblocking of the triac 56 ensuring respectively the interruption and the establishment of the nominal current in the main circuit of the pole without intervention of the mechanism 30 of the circuit breaker.

On remarque que la fonction protection contre les surintensités est assurée par le déclencheur magnétothermique 32 coopérant avec le mécanisme 30 pour ouvrir le bras de contact 42, le triac 56 étant dans l'état conducteur. La commutation de l'arc sur la corne 39 court-circuite le triac 56 qui s'éteint, ce dernier étant protégé contre le courant de défaut dès que les contacts 22, 24 se séparent. La fonction télécommande du disjoncteur 10 résulte exclusivement de l'intervention du dispositif 60 de commande à distance du triac 56 pendant que le mécanisme 30 reste inactif en position de fermeture des contacts 22, 24.It is noted that the overcurrent protection function is provided by the magnetothermal release 32 cooperating with the mechanism 30 to open the contact arm 42, the triac 56 being in the conductive state. The switching of the arc on the horn 39 short-circuits the triac 56 which goes out, the latter being protected against the fault current as soon as the contacts 22, 24 separate. The remote control function of the circuit breaker 10 results exclusively from the intervention of the device 60 for remote control of the triac 56 while the mechanism 30 remains inactive in the closed position of the contacts 22, 24.

La variante de la fig. 3 montre une connexion électrique différente du triac 56 dans le circuit principal de déclenchement du pôle. Tous les autres éléments du disjoncteur 10 sont identiques à celui des fig. 1 et 2, à l'exception de la corne inférieure 39 raccordée directement au contact fixe 22. Le triac 56 est inséré entre le contact mobile 24 et la borne 38 en série avec le bilame 34 et la bobine 36 du déclencheur magnétothermique 32. Le contact fixe 22 est relié directement à la borne 40.The variant of fig. 3 shows an electrical connection different from the triac 56 in the main pole trip circuit. All the other elements of the circuit breaker 10 are identical to that of FIGS. 1 and 2, with the exception of the lower horn 39 connected directly to the fixed contact 22. The triac 56 is inserted between the movable contact 24 and the terminal 38 in series with the bimetallic strip 34 and the coil 36 of the magnetothermal trip device 32. The fixed contact 22 is directly connected to terminal 40.

Le fonctionnement du disjoncteur télécommandé 10 selon la fig. 3 est similaire à celui des fig. 1 et 2, seul est modifié l'instant de shuntage du triac 56 pendant la phase de coupure. Le shuntage intervient en fin de course d'ouverture du bras de contact 42 (en pointillé) lorsque l'arc est commuté sur la corne supérieure 41. Le circuit série formé par le triac 56, le bilame 34 et la bobine 36 est alors court-circuité par la corne supérieure 41.The operation of the remote-controlled circuit breaker 10 according to FIG. 3 is similar to that of FIGS. 1 and 2, only the shunting time of the triac 56 is modified during the shutdown phase. The shunting occurs at the end of opening stroke of the contact arm 42 (in dotted lines) when the arc is switched on the upper horn 41. The series circuit formed by the triac 56, the bimetallic strip 34 and the coil 36 is then short -circuited by the upper horn 41.

Claims (5)

1. Electrical switching device and protection device for an alternating current system, comprising a case (12) or an association of cases for the housing of a mixed group, composed of a current-breaker and a static switch, comprising per pole:
- a pair of connecting terminals (38,40),
- a circuit-breaker, comprising a pair of separating contacts (22, 24), an operating mechanism (30) of the movable contact (24), a fault tripping device (34, 36), co-operating with the mechanism (30), when an overload current or a short-circuit appears, in order to provoke the automatic opening of the contacts (22, 24) and an arc-extinguishing chamber (26), aimed at cutting the elcetric arc drawn between the separating contacts (22, 24),
- a static switch (56) electrically connected in series with the contacts (22, 24) and the tripping device (34, 36) of the circuit-breaker, said static switch being designed to interrupt or establish the nominal currrent, in the pole, when the contacts (22, 24) of the circuit-breaker are in a closed position,
- and operating means (60), being able to send a controlling signal of opening and closing, to the static switch (56), characterized in that each pole comprises, in addition, an arc guiding horn (39, 41), inserted in a shunt circuit, being able to shunt and protect the static switch (56), as soon as the arc switches on said guiding horn, during the opening movement of the contacts (22, 24) of the circuit-breaker.
2. Electrical device according to claim 1, characterized in that the static switch (56) is made with a controlled alternating current semiconductor element, particularly a triac or two thyristors, in parallel head to tail.
3. Elcetrical device according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the static switch (56) is electrically connected between the stationary contact (22) and one of the associated connection terminal (40), and that the guiding horn (39) is separated from the stationary contact (22) by a small interval (66), being connected by a connection conductor (52) of said shunt circuit to a connecting point (64), situated between the static switch (56) and said connection terminal (40), to provoke the shunting of the static switch (56) after the separation of the contacts (22, 24), from the beginning of the opening movement of the movable contact (24).
4. Electrical device, according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the static switch (56) is electrically connected in series with the tripping device (34, 36), between the movable contact (24) and the other connection terminal (38) and that the guiding horn (41) is connected to this last terminal (38), in order to insure the shunting of the static switch (56) at the end of the opening movement of the movable contact (24).
5. Electrical device according to anyone of claims 2 to 4, characterized in that the controlled static switch (56) is linked to a connection terminal (57) of the case (12), being able to co-operate with an external remote control device.
EP83401751A 1982-09-17 1983-09-06 Electric circuit breaker with a remotely controlled static switching device Expired EP0104981B1 (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
FR8215841A FR2533363B1 (en) 1982-09-17 1982-09-17 AC CIRCUIT BREAKER EQUIPPED WITH A MAGNETOTHERMAL TRIGGER AND A STATIC SWITCHING MEMBER WITH REMOTE CONTROL
FR8215841 1982-09-17

Publications (2)

Publication Number Publication Date
EP0104981A1 EP0104981A1 (en) 1984-04-04
EP0104981B1 true EP0104981B1 (en) 1987-01-28

Family

ID=9277596

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
EP83401751A Expired EP0104981B1 (en) 1982-09-17 1983-09-06 Electric circuit breaker with a remotely controlled static switching device

Country Status (7)

Country Link
US (1) US4531172A (en)
EP (1) EP0104981B1 (en)
JP (1) JPS5966030A (en)
CA (1) CA1200305A (en)
DE (1) DE3369597D1 (en)
ES (1) ES525452A0 (en)
FR (1) FR2533363B1 (en)

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Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
FR2533363A1 (en) 1984-03-23
ES8404757A1 (en) 1984-05-16
JPS5966030A (en) 1984-04-14
CA1200305A (en) 1986-02-04
US4531172A (en) 1985-07-23
EP0104981A1 (en) 1984-04-04
ES525452A0 (en) 1984-05-16
DE3369597D1 (en) 1987-03-05
JPH0338694B2 (en) 1991-06-11
FR2533363B1 (en) 1985-11-08

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