EP0576259A2 - Elektrische Schaltel - Google Patents

Elektrische Schaltel Download PDF

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Publication number
EP0576259A2
EP0576259A2 EP93304873A EP93304873A EP0576259A2 EP 0576259 A2 EP0576259 A2 EP 0576259A2 EP 93304873 A EP93304873 A EP 93304873A EP 93304873 A EP93304873 A EP 93304873A EP 0576259 A2 EP0576259 A2 EP 0576259A2
Authority
EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
contact
movement
cam
switch
assembly
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.)
Withdrawn
Application number
EP93304873A
Other languages
English (en)
French (fr)
Other versions
EP0576259A3 (en
Inventor
Trevor Nigel Jubilee House Welch
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.)
Crabtree Electrical Industries Ltd
Original Assignee
Crabtree Electrical Industries Ltd
Priority date (The priority date 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 date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Crabtree Electrical Industries Ltd filed Critical Crabtree Electrical Industries Ltd
Publication of EP0576259A2 publication Critical patent/EP0576259A2/de
Publication of EP0576259A3 publication Critical patent/EP0576259A3/en
Withdrawn legal-status Critical Current

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Classifications

    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01H—ELECTRIC SWITCHES; RELAYS; SELECTORS; EMERGENCY PROTECTIVE DEVICES
    • H01H23/00—Tumbler or rocker switches, i.e. switches characterised by being operated by rocking an operating member in the form of a rocker button
    • H01H23/02—Details
    • H01H23/12—Movable parts; Contacts mounted thereon
    • H01H23/16—Driving mechanisms
    • H01H23/20—Driving mechanisms having snap action
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01H—ELECTRIC SWITCHES; RELAYS; SELECTORS; EMERGENCY PROTECTIVE DEVICES
    • H01H23/00—Tumbler or rocker switches, i.e. switches characterised by being operated by rocking an operating member in the form of a rocker button
    • H01H23/02—Details
    • H01H23/12—Movable parts; Contacts mounted thereon
    • H01H23/16—Driving mechanisms
    • H01H23/168—Driving mechanisms using cams
    • 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
    • H01H1/2083—Bridging contact surfaces directed at an oblique angle with respect to the movement of the bridge

Definitions

  • This invention is concerned with improvements relating to electric switches, particularly those carrying high current and/or those carrying direct current.
  • Arcing occurs primarily on opening of a circuit. On closing an arc is not established until the contacts are in very close proximity. However on opening an arc is formed and stretched at the moment the contacts separate, creating an ionised region in the vicinity of the contacts, allowing the arc to be maintained for a longer period. Thus, it is desirable for contact opening movement of the switch to be as fast as possible. This is especially so in DC switches where the current wave form has no zero point to allow the arc to extinguish.
  • an electric switch comprising means to urge the moving contacts towards an open position, and retaining means to prevent such movement of the moving contacts upon initial opening movement of the switch.
  • an electric switch comprising:-
  • the switch member in closing the switch, the switch member may be moved from its "off” to its "on” position in a normal manner.
  • the movable contact assembly on initial movement of the switch member the movable contact assembly is retained in its first, contact closed position, by the restraining means. After further travel of the switch member towards its "off' position, the restraining means is rendered inoperative, and the movable contact assembly may be moved from its contact closed position without any significant restraint, allowing high speed of contact separation to be attained.
  • the operating mechanism comprises a cam member to move the movable contact assembly from its second to its first position
  • the restraining means comprises a latch member to hold the movable contact assembly in its contact closed position.
  • the latch member is moved to a retracted position by a trailing surface of the cam member.
  • the latch member is mounted on the cam member of the operating mechanism, and is preferably spring urged into a rest position in relation to said cam member.
  • the switch member is moved to its "on" position and the movable contact assembly is moved to its contact closed position, engagement between the latch member and the cam member retains the latch member in a position to prevent the movable contact assembly moving from its contact closed position, preferably by a means which includes an over centre mechanism.
  • the latch member retains the movable contact assembly in its first position, until the cam member has moved some distance towards the "off' position, whereupon the latch member is rendered inoperative, being moved into an out-of-the-way position, allowing the movable contact assembly to move quickly from its first to its second position.
  • the latch member is in the form of a second cam member mounted alongside the primary cam member, preferably having a somewhat similar cam profile.
  • the latch member (secondary cam) may be omitted to enable the switch to be utilised in a normal mode, when a fast break is not required.
  • Another problem is that arcing will cause erosion of the surfaces of the contact elements, which may increase the resistance at the interface of the contact elements, creating hot spots.
  • an electric switch comprising:-
  • the movement of approach and separation between the contact elements is linear, preferably rectilinear, and preferably the rotational movement occurs whilst the contact elements are in engagement, and is preferably about an axis extending at right angles to the direction of approach between the two contact elements.
  • one of the contact elements is provided by a contact member which is inclined to the plane of approach and separation, and which is permitted to "roll” into such plane from said inclined position on engagement between the two contact elements, e.g. against the action of a restraint such as a spring.
  • conductive engagement between the contact member and the bus-bar relies primarily on face-to-face contact, and on occasion such contact may be of lower quality than is desirable.
  • an electrical device for use with a mounting rail providing a flat surface against which the electrical device may be located, a supply assembly comprising a supply member for the supply of electricity to the electrical device mounted on the mounting rail, the electrical device comprising a recess which may be located over the mounting rail and the supply member providing a contact surface and the supply assembly comprising means to urge a contact member of the electrical device against said contact surface, wherein the contact member is deformed from one side so as to present to the supply member a protrusion for the improvement of electrical contact between the contact member and the supply member.
  • the protrusion may be elongate in the direction of movement of the contact member into engagement with the supply member, but may be circular in profile, to cater for misalignment in mutually perpendicular directions.
  • the switch which is the preferred embodiment of the invention comprises a housing 6 made up of a base part 6a and a cover 6b, the cover having been removed from Figure 1.
  • a fixed contact assembly comprising a first fixed contact member 8 and a second fixed contact member 10, each of said contact members comprising a contact element 8a, 10a respectively.
  • a movable contact assembly 12 comprising a moulded housing 14 mounted for linear sliding movement within channels (only one, 16, being shown) provided on the base 6a, said housing 14 being generally open-sided, and through which extends a movable contact member 18, said movable contact member 18 comprising contact elements 18a, 18b positioned opposite the fixed contact elements 10a, 8a respectively.
  • the movable contact assembly 12 is urged to a first position, shown in Figure 1 a by a spring 20 acting between the housing 6 and the housing 14.
  • the housing 6 also carries switch operating mechanism 24 comprising an operating member afforded by a primary cam 26, from which a switch member or handle 28, located for manual operation, extends.
  • the cam 26 comprises a cam surface having a central, convex portion 26a located between two concave portions 26b and 26c, the portion 26b being radially further spaced from the axis of the cam than the portion 26c.
  • restraining means in the form of a second cam 40, a coil spring 42 being operative between the cam 40 and the cam 26.
  • the cam 40 has a cam face similar to that of the cam 26, over the portions 26a, 26b and 26c thereof, although the cam 40 has a cam surface portion 46 d of greater radius than the corresponding portion 26 d of the cam 26.
  • the spring 42 urges the cam 40 into a position in which said cam surfaces are in alignment, an end face 46 of the cam 40 abutting against a flange 27 of the cam 26.
  • a nose portion 15 of the housing 14 is seated against the concave portion 26c of the cam 26.
  • the two cams move as one, the nose 15 of the housing 14 being engaged progressively by the cam surface 26c, 26a, 26d and 26b, and simultaneously by corresponding surface portions 40 c , 40a, 40d and 40b of the cam 40 (see Figure 1 b ).
  • the portion 26a of the cam surface depresses the housing 14 against the action of the spring 20, moving the contact elements 18a and 18b into engagement with the contact elements 10a and 8a.
  • the switch is stable with the movable contact assembly in either of its first, contact closed position or its second, contact open position.
  • the second cam member 40 could be removed, and movement of the movable contact assembly achieved under the action of the cam member 26 alone.
  • a link 52 is provided between the cam 26 and the movable contact assembly, so that in the event of the contacts welding together, it is not possible to move the switch member to its open position, whilst the contacts remain closed. In general, either the positive drive which is effected by the link 52 will break the weld, or the switch member is prevented from being moved fully to its "off" position.
  • the contact member 18 of the moving contact assembly 12 is in the form of a flat strip having terminal portions bent up, as illustrated. However the contact member is mounted in the housing 14, and is seated on a lower surface 14a of the housing which is inclined to the direction of movement of the contact assembly between its open and closed positions (see Figure 4).
  • each of the fixed contacts 10a, 8a will be engaged initially by an edge portion of the one of the moving contact elements 18a, 18b ( Figure 5), and when such engagement has taken place, and on terminal movement of the switch member 28 the moving contact member 18 moves relative to the housing 12 against the action of the spring 19, the seating 14a moves away from the contact member 18, allowing the contact member to roll around to its normal, flat position in the direction indicated in Figure 5 and causing the contact element 18a, 18b to roll over the surfaces of the contact elements 10a, 8a to the normal working position.
  • the switch assembly which is the preferred embodiment of this invention is for use in an electricity supply assembly of the kind illustrated in said co-pending application, and is provided on its underside with a recess 60 adapted to be located over a mounting rail of the "din-rail" type, indicated by the numeral 62 in Figure 1, with the contact member 8 being brought into face-to-face engagement with a contact surface 64 a of a bus-bar 64, to which a supply of electricity is connected.
  • the contact member 8 is provided with a protrusion 8a, formed by causing an indentation 8b from the opposite side (see Figures 6 and 7) to ensure good contact between the contact member 8 and the bus-bar 64.
  • the projection 8a may be elongate, in the direction of insertion of the contact member into engagement with the bus-bar, but if desired the protrusion may be in the form of a circular pimple (or dimple as seen from the other side).

Landscapes

  • Mechanisms For Operating Contacts (AREA)
  • Push-Button Switches (AREA)
EP19930304873 1992-06-24 1993-06-22 Electric switches Withdrawn EP0576259A3 (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
GB9213448A GB2268830A (en) 1992-06-24 1992-06-24 Electric switches and other electric devices
GB9213448 1992-06-24

Publications (2)

Publication Number Publication Date
EP0576259A2 true EP0576259A2 (de) 1993-12-29
EP0576259A3 EP0576259A3 (en) 1994-05-25

Family

ID=10717690

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
EP19930304873 Withdrawn EP0576259A3 (en) 1992-06-24 1993-06-22 Electric switches

Country Status (2)

Country Link
EP (1) EP0576259A3 (de)
GB (1) GB2268830A (de)

Cited By (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
FR2727786A1 (fr) * 1994-12-06 1996-06-07 Legrand Sa Interrupteur a bascule a boitier modulaire
GB2585098A (en) * 2019-06-18 2020-12-30 Eaton Intelligent Power Ltd Switch-disconnector with current detection

Citations (7)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
FR731123A (fr) * 1932-02-06 1932-08-29 Eclairage General L Perfectionnements apportés aux interrupteurs électriques à rupture brusque
FR1092639A (fr) * 1953-11-18 1955-04-25 Perfectionnements aux interrupteurs de courant
FR1153835A (fr) * 1956-06-20 1958-03-21 Interrupteur genre tumbler
GB857659A (en) * 1956-07-20 1961-01-04 Wandsworth Electrical Mfg Comp Improvements in, or relating to, electric tumbler switches
GB2169143A (en) * 1984-12-25 1986-07-02 Mitsubishi Electric Corp Switch with contact wiping arrangement
EP0252285A1 (de) * 1986-06-03 1988-01-13 Aktieselskabet Laur. Knudsen Nordisk Elektricitets Selskab Elektrischer Schalter
DE3714632A1 (de) * 1987-05-02 1988-11-17 Asea Brown Boveri Elektrisches schaltgeraet

Family Cites Families (7)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
GB358228A (en) * 1929-09-06 1931-10-08 Rhodes Inc M H Improvements in or relating to delayed-action electric switches
DE1210069B (de) * 1962-10-19 1966-02-03 Standard Elektrik Lorenz Ag Momentschalter fuer die Betaetigung durch den Skalenschnurlauf von motorisch betriebenen Sendersucheinrichtungen in Fernseh- und Rundfunkgeraeten
US3563102A (en) * 1969-08-01 1971-02-16 S & C Electric Co Spiral spring operating mechanism for high voltage switch
GB1493942A (en) * 1974-08-29 1977-11-30 Cutler Hammer World Trade Inc Electrical contact unit
JPS6155821A (ja) * 1984-08-25 1986-03-20 松下電工株式会社 遅延スイツチ
GB2171559B (en) * 1985-02-22 1989-06-21 Mitsubishi Electric Corp Operating apparatus for a switch
WO1993007632A1 (en) * 1991-09-30 1993-04-15 Delta Schoeller Limited Rotary switch mechanism

Patent Citations (7)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
FR731123A (fr) * 1932-02-06 1932-08-29 Eclairage General L Perfectionnements apportés aux interrupteurs électriques à rupture brusque
FR1092639A (fr) * 1953-11-18 1955-04-25 Perfectionnements aux interrupteurs de courant
FR1153835A (fr) * 1956-06-20 1958-03-21 Interrupteur genre tumbler
GB857659A (en) * 1956-07-20 1961-01-04 Wandsworth Electrical Mfg Comp Improvements in, or relating to, electric tumbler switches
GB2169143A (en) * 1984-12-25 1986-07-02 Mitsubishi Electric Corp Switch with contact wiping arrangement
EP0252285A1 (de) * 1986-06-03 1988-01-13 Aktieselskabet Laur. Knudsen Nordisk Elektricitets Selskab Elektrischer Schalter
DE3714632A1 (de) * 1987-05-02 1988-11-17 Asea Brown Boveri Elektrisches schaltgeraet

Cited By (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
FR2727786A1 (fr) * 1994-12-06 1996-06-07 Legrand Sa Interrupteur a bascule a boitier modulaire
EP0716437A1 (de) 1994-12-06 1996-06-12 Legrand Kippschalter mit Modulgehäuse
GB2585098A (en) * 2019-06-18 2020-12-30 Eaton Intelligent Power Ltd Switch-disconnector with current detection

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
GB9213448D0 (en) 1992-08-05
GB2268830A (en) 1994-01-19
EP0576259A3 (en) 1994-05-25

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