EP0371887B1 - Modular breaker with an auxiliary tripping block with independent or automatic resetting - Google Patents

Description

• un mécanisme de commande coopérant avec une deuxième manette de réarmement et un relais électromécanique à bobine de déclenchement,
• ladite deuxième manette étant déplaçable entre une première position armée R et une deuxième position désarmée D
• une première liaison mécanique de déclenchement transmettant l'ordre de déclenchement issu du relais vers le mécanisme de commutation du bloc disjoncteur,
• et une deuxième liaison mécanique de réarmement qui dérive du mouvement de fermeture du bloc disjoncteur un mouvement de réarmement automatique du bloc auxiliaire.

The invention relates to a modular circuit breaker formed by the assembly of an auxiliary trip block to a circuit breaker block, in particular multipolar, the latter having a switching mechanism associated with a first manual control lever with two stable positions O d 'opening, and F closing, the auxiliary unit comprising:

• a control mechanism cooperating with a second reset handle and an electromechanical relay with trip coil,
• said second lever being movable between a first armed position R and a second disarmed position D
• a first mechanical trip link transmitting the trip order from the relay to the circuit breaker block switching mechanism,
• and a second mechanical reset link which derives from the closing movement of the circuit breaker block an automatic reset movement of the auxiliary block.

Such a circuit breaker is described in document FR-A-2 615 323 according to which the second link can be completely eliminated.

In document FR-A-2,437,692 relating to a modular differential circuit breaker, the control mechanism of the differential trip unit is permanently coupled to the handle of the circuit breaker unit. This results in a second bidirectional mechanical connection between the levers of the two blocks. The second lever of the differential trip unit always follows the opening and closing pivoting movement of the first lever associated with the circuit breaker unit. When a trip is made, restarting takes place by closing the circuit breaker block without any special reset operation for the differential trip block. The auxiliary unit must be fitted with a fault trip indicator differential allowing the user to distinguish the cause of the trip. The establishment of the first and second mechanical triggering and reset links is operated automatically when the two blocks are joined.

According to the modular multipole circuit breaker of document US-A-3,464,045, the levers of certain modules cooperate with a common trip bar. The handle of one of the tripping auxiliaries is housed in an opening in the bar, which causes tripping of the adjacent circuit breaker blocks after the tripping order has been issued by the auxiliary. The assembly is arranged so that the tripping of one of the circuit breaker blocks does not affect the others. The presence of this bar does not make it possible to interrupt the reset link between the circuit breaker block and the trip auxiliary. The auxiliary reset is automatic as soon as one of the handles of a circuit breaker module is returned to the closed position.

In another type of modular differential circuit breaker described in document FR-A-2,430,660, the reset of the differential trip unit is independent of the state of the circuit breaker unit, and takes place manually by depressing a reset button provided on the trigger block. After a differential trip, it is necessary to manually reset the differential trip unit before attempting to close the circuit breaker unit.

Manual reset of the differential circuit breaker unit can also take place by means of a pivoting lever not mechanically linked to the handle of the circuit breaker unit.

The choice between automatic reset or manual reset of the auxiliary unit depends on the usage in the different countries. It is therefore necessary to provide two different ranges of equipment at the factory to cover the needs of the world market. In addition to the complexity of manufacturing management, such a system generates an increase in stocks at the distributor or the user.

The object of the invention is to standardize modular circuit breakers with auxiliary tripping blocks by authorizing the choice of independent or automatic reset mode by the customer.

The modular circuit breaker according to the invention is characterized in that the auxiliary unit is equipped with a control selector capable of occupying an active position and an inactive position, respectively to establish and interrupt said second mechanical reset link between the first and the second controller.

The selector is formed by a slide housed in a slot in the second lever. When the slide remains fully inserted in the inactive position in the light, the two levers are independent of each other, and the rearming of the auxiliary unit must take place manually before closing the circuit breaker unit. When the slide is out of the light, the second mechanical reset link is automatically established when the two blocks are joined.

According to a first embodiment, the selector in the active position is arranged so that said second mechanical reset link is unidirectional in the direction of closing of the first lever.

The selector comprises a branch projecting in the active position to cooperate with a step of the first lever when resetting the auxiliary unit, said second one-way mechanical link being put out of service during the opposite operation of manual or automatic opening of the circuit breaker unit . The advantage of the unidirectional reset link is the absence of a special indicator for tripping, since the armed or disarmed state of the auxiliary unit is signaled directly by the position of the second lever.

According to a second embodiment, the selector in the active position is arranged so that said second mechanical reset link is bidirectional, permanently linking the two levers when the circuit breaker block is closed and opened.

• la figure 1 est une vue schématique en élévation d'un disjoncteur modulaire à bloc auxiliaire de déclenchement à réarmement manuel, le sélecteur étant en position inactive;
• la figure 2 montre une vue partielle en perspective des deux manettes de la figure 1;
• la figure 3 est une vue identique à la figure 1, le sélecteur étant positionné en position active pour un réarmement automatique du bloc auxiliaire;
• la figure 4 représente une vue partielle en perspective des deux manettes de la figure 3;
• la figure 5 est une vue en coupe, à échelle agrandie, selon la ligne V-V de la figure 2.
• la figure 6 est une vue identique à la figure 5 d'une variante de réalisation.

Other advantages and characteristics will emerge more clearly from the description which follows of two embodiments given by way of nonlimiting examples, and represented in the appended drawings in which:

• FIG. 1 is a diagrammatic elevation view of a modular circuit breaker with manual tripping auxiliary block, the selector being in the inactive position;
• Figure 2 shows a partial perspective view of the two levers of Figure 1;
• Figure 3 is a view identical to Figure 1, the selector being positioned in the active position for automatic resetting of the auxiliary unit;
• Figure 4 shows a partial perspective view of the two levers of Figure 3;
• FIG. 5 is a sectional view, on an enlarged scale, along the line VV of FIG. 2.
• Figure 6 is a view identical to Figure 5 of an alternative embodiment.

In FIGS. 1 to 5, an auxiliary tripping unit 10, in particular with differential protection, is coupled and coupled laterally to a bipolar circuit breaker block 12 with molded case of conjugate shape to form a modular circuit breaker.

Each pole 14 of the circuit breaker block 12 includes a switching mechanism (not shown) associated with separable contacts to ensure the interruption or the closing of the electrical circuit arranged between connection terminals 16, 18. A first common pivoting lever 20 for manual operation of the mechanism of the circuit breaker block 12 can occupy two stable positions corresponding to the opening and closing of the pole contacts.

Instead of being bipolar, the circuit breaker block 12 could be three-pole or four-pole with separate modules or with a one-piece housing.

The intensity of the current flowing through each pole is monitored by a main trip device (not shown), in particular a thermal thermal trip device, which causes the automatic switching trip in the event of an overload or a short circuit.

The auxiliary trigger block 10 contains a control mechanism 22 controlled by a second reset lever 24, and an electromechanical relay 26 with trigger coil. The control mechanism 22 transmits the trip order from relay 26 to the circuit breaker block 12, via a first mechanical trip link 28. This first connection is formed by a lug of the mechanism 22 passing through an opening in the housing of the auxiliary unit 10 to cooperate with the automatic trigger bar of the switching mechanism of the neighboring pole 14. The second reset lever 24 is able to pivot between two stable positions, in particular a first armed position R and a second disarmed position D representing the state of the auxiliary unit 10.

The auxiliary unit 10 can be arranged either as a trigger differential with summing transformer for detecting a leakage current, either as an undervoltage release MN, or as an emission release MX. The relay 26 of the control mechanism 22 must be adapted to each type of trip device.

The triggering of the control mechanism 22 by the relay 26 of the auxiliary block 12 causes the circuit breaker block 12 to trip in cascade by means of the first mechanical connection 28. This results in separation of the contacts, and displacement of the first lever 20 towards the open position. The other lever 24 of the control mechanism 22 is then in the disarmed position.

The rearming of the auxiliary unit 10 is effected by rotation of the second lever 24 from the disarmed position to the armed position. This resetting operation can be either independent by manual movement of the second lever 24 towards the armed position, or automatic by the closing operation of the circuit breaker block 12.

In the first reset mode, the two levers 20, 24 are independent of one another.

In the second mode of resetting the auxiliary unit 10, the two handles 20, 24 are connected together by a second mechanical resetting link 30 (see FIGS. 3 and 4), which derives from the closing movement of the circuit breaker unit 12 a movement of automatic reset of the auxiliary unit 10.

According to the invention, the choice between one of these two reset modes can be fixed at the factory or by the operator himself when adapting the auxiliary unit 10 to the circuit breaker unit 12. This voluntary setting is adjusted by means of a selector 32 of control in the form of a U-shaped slide capable of occupying a stable inactive position (FIGS. 1 and 2), and a stable active position (FIGS. 3 and 4) interrupting and establishing respectively the second mechanical connection 30 between the two levers 20.24.

In FIG. 5, it can be seen that the U-shaped selector 32 is housed in an internal lumen 34 of the second lever 24, and has two parallel branches, one of which 36 is longer than the other 38. The passage of the selector 32 from the inactive position (in solid lines in FIG. 5) to the active position (shown in dotted lines) causes the branch 36 to protrude, which cooperates with a step 40 of the first lever 20 to establish the second mechanical connection 30 rearmament. The shortest branch 38 of the selector 32 remains recessed inside the light 34. The second mechanical connection 30 is unidirectional in the direction of closing of the circuit breaker block 12. It is automatically interrupted when the block opens circuit breaker 12.

The operation of the modular circuit breaker according to FIG. 1 to 5 is as follows:

CONTROL SELECTOR 32 IN ACTIVE POSITION.

Referring to Figures 3,4 and 5 (dotted line), the auxiliary unit 10 being in the armed position, manual or automatic opening by the main thermomagnetic trip unit of the circuit breaker unit 12, causes the displacement of the first lever 20 towards the position opening in the direction of arrow 0. The second lever 24 does not follow the movement of the first lever 20 and remains stationary in the first armed position.

In the event of tripping by the auxiliary unit 10, the circuit breaker unit 12 opens, and the second lever 24 comes into the second disarmed position D, indicating the tripped state of the auxiliary unit 10. This movement towards the disarmed position (see arrow D) of the second lever 24 is not due to the second mechanical link 30 which is not operational, but to the action of a return spring and of the energy accumulator integrated in the control mechanism 22, and released on auxiliary block tripping 10.

The auxiliary block 10 is reset during the closing operation of the circuit breaker block 12, by displacement of the first lever 20 in the direction of the arrow F. The second mechanical connection 30 is then operational, and drives in the same direction the branch 36 of the selector 32. The second lever 24 is thus actuated in the rearming direction (see arrow R) as far as the first armed position, indicating the resetting of the auxiliary unit 10.

CONTROL SELECTOR 32 IN INACTIVE POSITION.

Referring to FIGS. 1, 2 and 5 (in strong lines), it is noted that the selector 32 is pushed back completely into the slot 34. A free transverse space "d" of small thickness is permanently provided between the two levers 20, 24 which are independent of each other. The absence of the second mechanical link 30 means that the rearming of the auxiliary unit 10 must be operated manually by the second lever 24 before the circuit breaker unit 12 can be closed by the first lever 20. The signaling of the armed state or disarmed from the auxiliary unit 10 is reflected by one of the R and D positions of the second lever 24.

FIG. 6 shows a variant of control selector 132 shaped as a sliding jumper with two branches 136, 138 of identical lengths. In the inactive position of the selector 132 (shown in strong lines), the two levers 20, 24 remain independent of one another, and the operation is identical to that mentioned above with the selector 32 inactive. The passage of the selector 132 towards the active position creates a second bidirectional mechanical connection 130 between the two levers 20,24.

The second lever 24 is then permanently linked to the first lever 20 whatever the direction of pivoting of the latter.

The rearming of the auxiliary unit 10 takes place automatically by the closing operation of the circuit breaker, that is to say when the first lever 20 is moved by pivoting towards the closing position F.

The return of the second lever 24 to the second disarmed position D is ensured by the link 130 and the first lever 20 of the circuit breaker block 12. A fault indicator is provided on the auxiliary block 10 to signal the tripping of the latter, and not not that of automatic tripping or manual opening of the circuit breaker unit 12.

Claims (8)

1. A modular circuit breaker formed by assembly of an auxiliary trip unit (10) to a circuit breaker unit (12), notably multipole, the latter having a switching mechanism associated with a first manual operating handle (20) with two stable positions, open (O) and closed (F), the auxiliary unit (10) comprising:

   - an operating mechanism (22) cooperating with a second resetting handle (24) and an electromechanical relay (26) with trip coil,

   - said second handle (24) being movable between a first set position (R) and a second disarmed position (D),

   - a first mechanical tripping link (28) transmitting the tripping order coming from the relay (26) to the switching mechanism of the circuit breaker unit (12),

   - and a second mechanical resetting link (30, 130) which derives from the closing movement of the circuit breaker unit (12) an automatic resetting movement of the auxiliary unit (10), characterized in that the auxiliary unit (10) is equipped with a control selector (32, 132) capable of occupying an active position and an inactive position, respectively to establish and interrupt said second mechanical resetting link (30, 130) between the first and the second handle (20, 24).
2. The modular circuit breaker according to claim 1, characterized in that the control selector (32, 132) comprises a slider supported by the second handle (24).
3. The modular circuit breaker according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the selector (32, 132) is housed in an internal aperture of said second handle (24).
4. The modular circuit breaker according to claim 2 or 3, characterized in that the selector (32) in the active position is arranged so that said second mechanical resetting link (30) is unidirectional in the direction of closing of the first handle (20).
5. The modular circuit breaker according to claim 2 or 3, characterized in that the selector (132) in the active position is arranged so that said second mechanical resetting link (130) is bidirectional permanently linking the two handles (20, 24) when closing and opening of the circuit breaker unit (12) take place.
6. The modular circuit breaker according to claim 4, characterized in that the selector (32) comprises a branch (36) protruding out in the active position to cooperate with a cheek (40) of the first handle (20) when resetting of the auxiliary unit takes place, said second unidirectional mechanical link (30) being put out of operation when the opposite operation of manual or automatic opening of the circuit breaker unit (12) takes place.
7. The modular circuit breaker according to one of the claims 1 to 6, characterized in that the auxiliary trip unit (10) comprises a differential trip device having a summing transformer for detection of a leakage current.
8. The modular circuit breaker according to one of the claims 1 to 6, characterized in that the auxiliary trip unit (10) is formed by an undervoltage trip device MN or a shunt trip device MX.

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