Abstract
A switching device and apparatus for switching on suddenly has an actuating mechanism element operatively connected to a latching mechanism by a transmission mechanism, The latching mechanism operates a switching lever through a further transmission mechanism. A contact assembly has a fixed switching piece facing a moveable switching piece that is guided in a contact slide. In the latching mechanism, a lever is arranged in operative connection with a locking part that is operatively connected to a transmission element which acts on the moveable switching piece.
Claims
1. A switching device configured for sudden switching-on operation and including an operating mechanism having an operating element and connected by a first transmission mechanism to a latching mechanism for operating a switching lever via a second transmission mechanism, and a contact arrangement formed of a fixed switching piece having first contacts and arranged opposite a moveable switching piece having second contacts and guided for movement in a contact slide, the switching device further comprising: a device for sudden switching-on of the switching device, arranged in the latching mechanism and comprising a locking part, a lever arranged in operative connection with the locking part, said lever having first and second limbs connected by a connecting web, the first limb defining two larger passage holes and two smaller passage holes arranged respectively above and below one of the larger passage holes, and a transmission element operatively connected to the locking part and arranged to act on the moveable switching piece of the contact arrangement.
2. The switching device of claim 1, wherein the lever has a limb and a passage hole defined in the lever limb; wherein the locking part has a limb and a passage hole defined in the locking part limb; and wherein the locking part is positioned on the lever by aligning the passage hole on the limb of the locking part and the passage hole on the limb of the lever so that the lever and the locking part are mounted on a common axis through the locking part passage hole and the lever passage hole.
3. The switching device of claim 1, wherein the switching device comprises a circuit breaker.
4. The switching device of claim 1, wherein the first and second limbs are arranged at a 90° angle relative to each other.
5. The switching device of claim 1, wherein the lever has a third limb arranged between the first and second limbs and connected to the first limb by a second connecting web.
6. The switching device of claim 5, wherein the third limb is disposed in parallel relation to the first and second limbs and defines a further passage hole that, in an assembled condition of the switching device, is aligned with one of the two larger passage holes in the first limb.
7. The switching device of claim 1, wherein the locking part has a wedge-shaped component from which two limbs project on a same side of the wedge-shaped component.
8. The switching device of claim 7, wherein one of the limbs of the locking part defines a limb passage hole therethrough.
9. The switching device of claim 1, wherein the locking part has a wedge-shaped component; and wherein the transmission element has a side wall with a beveled surface that is operatively connected to the wedge-shaped component of the locking part.
10. The switching device of claim 9, wherein the locking part has a limb; and wherein, in an operating state of the switching device, a tip of the wedge-shaped component of the locking part slides over the beveled surface of the transmission element and then, in a switched-on position, a rear face of the locking part limb comes to rest on the side wall of the transmission element.
11. The switching device of claim 10, wherein the contact arrangement further includes a contact load spring, and wherein the beveled surface of the side wall of the transmission element defines a distance and, thereby, a predetermined time period in which the switching device is moved to the switched-on position so that closing of a current path switchable by the switching device is determined independently of an operator of the switching device by dynamics of the contact arrangement and of the contact load spring.
Description
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
(1) In the drawings:
(2) FIG. 1 is an elevated front perspective view of a lever in accordance with the invention of the device for sudden switching-on;
(3) FIG. 2 is a perspective side view of the lever of FIG. 1;
(4) FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the lever of FIGS. 1 and 2;
(5) FIG. 4 is an elevated perspective front view of a locking part according to the invention of the device for sudden switching-on;
(6) FIG. 5 is an elevated perspective side view of the locking part of FIG. 4;
(7) FIG. 6 is a side view of the locking part of FIGS. 4 and 5;
(8) FIG. 7 is an elevated perspective side view of the locking part of FIGS. 4 to 6;
(9) FIG. 8 is an elevated perspective front view of a transmission element according to the invention of the device for sudden switching-on of a switching device;
(10) FIG. 9 is an elevated perspective top view of the transmission element of FIG. 8;
(11) FIG. 10 is a perspective side view of the transmission element of FIGS. 8 and 9;
(12) FIG. 11 is a rear view of the transmission element of FIGS. 8 to 10;
(13) FIG. 12 is a sectional view of a latching mechanism of a switching device that is operatively connected to a device according to the invention for sudden switching-on, and a contact arrangement in the switched-off position;
(14) FIG. 13 is a sectional view of the latching mechanism and the contact arrangement of FIG. 12 in the switched-off position;
(15) FIG. 14 is a schematic depiction of a device according to the invention for sudden switching-on having a contact arrangement shown in the switched-off position;
(16) FIG. 15 is a sectional view of a latching mechanism of a switching device that is operatively connected to a device according to the invention for sudden switching-on, and a contact arrangement in the hold-open position;
(17) FIG. 16 is a sectional view of the latching mechanism and the contact arrangement of FIG. 15 in the hold-open position;
(18) FIG. 17 is a schematic depiction of a device according to the invention for sudden switching-on with the contact arrangement shown in the hold-open position;
(19) FIG. 18 is a sectional view of a latching mechanism of a switching device that is operatively connected to a device according to the invention for sudden switching-on, and a contact arrangement shown in the switched-on position;
(20) FIG. 19 is a sectional view of the latching mechanism and the contact arrangement of FIG. 18 in the switched-on position; and
(21) FIG. 20 is a schematic depiction of a device according to the invention for sudden switching-on with the contact arrangement shown in the switched-on position.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
(22) FIG. 1 depicts a lever 1 in accordance with the invention of a device for suddenly switching on a switching device. The lever 1 preferably has two limbs 2, 3 that are connected to one another by a connecting web 4. The limbs 2, 3 are preferably oriented at a 90° angle in relation to the connecting web 4. The limb 2 has two relatively large passage holes 5, 6 and two relatively smaller passage holes 7, 8, the two relatively smaller passage holes preferably being arranged above and below the larger passage hole 6. The limb 3 at the end of connecting web 4 is preferably formed with a full surface area relative to the limb 2. A further relatively small limb 9 that is connected, by a further connecting web 10, to the limb 2 that does not have a full surface area is preferably arranged between the limbs 2, 3. This third limb 9 is preferably oriented in parallel relation to the two limbs 2, 3 and has a passage hole 11 which, in the assembled state of the switching device, is arranged in the same position as the lower, relatively large passage hole 5 in the limb 2 that does not have a full surface area.
(23) FIG. 2 shows a side view of the lever 1 of the invention, and more clearly depicts the passage holes 5, 6, 7, 8 in the limb 2 and the positions of the limbs 2, 3 in relation to one another.
(24) FIG. 3 similarly illustrates a further side view of the lever 1. The passage holes 7, 8 in limb 2 are used to receive the two ends of a spring element in the assembled state of the switching device.
(25) FIG. 4 depicts a locking part 12 according to the invention of the device for sudden switching-on. The locking part 12 has a wedge-shaped component 13 from which preferably two limbs 14, 15 project, preferably toward the same side, wherein one of the limbs 14 has a passage hole 16 and is slightly rounded, and the other limb 15 is formed with a full surface area and is slightly wedge-shaped. A preferably semi-concentric projection 17 is arranged at the tip of the limb 15 that has a full surface area. The locking part 12 is positioned on the lever 1 by aligning the passage hole 16 in the limb 14 of locking part 12 with the passage hole 11 in the small limb 9 of lever 1, so that lever 1 and locking part 12 are mounted at the same mounting point. By virtue of this identical mounting, the limb 15 of locking part 12 that has a full surface area is positioned below the limb 3 of lever 1 that has a full surface area.
(26) FIGS. 5 to 7 show different side views of locking part 12. These figures clearly show, in particular, the passage hole 16 in limb 14, the semi-cylindrical projection 17 of limb 15, and the wedge-shaped design of the wedge-shaped component 13.
(27) FIG. 8 depicts a transmission element 18 according to the invention of the device for sudden switching-on. Transmission element 18 has a rear wall surface area 19 which is preferably virtually planar and from which two side walls 20, 21 project toward the same side. The side walls 20, 21 each have a respective region 22, 23 disposed at a distance from and in parallel relation to one another, and in each case a respective tapering region 24, 25 in which the side walls 20, 21 are oriented so that they taper toward one another. A connecting web 26 is formed at the transition between the parallel regions 22, 23 of the side walls 20, 21 and the tapering regions 24, 25 of the side walls 20, 21. The tapering regions 24, 25 of the side walls 20, 21 open into two relatively short limbs 27, 28 that are arranged in parallel relation to one another and two relatively long limbs 29, 30 that are arranged in parallel relation to and at a distance from one another and are below the connecting web 26, and that are formed in the switching device in the direction of the contact arrangement.
(28) The regions 22, 23 of the side walls 20, 21 that are oriented in parallel relation to one another are arranged above the connecting web 26 in the direction of the latching mechanism. The side wall 21 is smaller than the side wall 20 and has a beveled surface 31 that is operatively connected in the switching device to the wedge-shaped component 13 of locking part 12. The tip of the wedge-shaped component 13 of locking part 12 passes across the beveled surface 31 of the side wall 21 of transmission element 18 until, in the switched-on position of the switching device, the rear face of the limb 15 of locking part 12 that has a full surface area comes to rest on the beveled surface 31 of the side wall 21 of transmission element 18.
(29) FIGS. 9 to 11 depict different views of transmission element 18 of the invention; FIGS. 9 and 10 in particular show the beveled surface 31.
(30) FIG. 12 illustrates a latching mechanism 32 of a switching device that is operatively connected to the inventive device for sudden switching-on, and a contact arrangement in the switched-off position. The contact arrangement has a fixed switching piece 33 and a moveable switching piece 34 that is guided in a contact slide 35. The lever 1 is arranged in the latching mechanism 32, and is operatively connected to the locking element 12 which is disposed at a distance from transmission element 18 in the switched-off position. The moveable switching piece 34 is also disposed at a distance from fixed switching piece 33 in the switched-off position.
(31) FIG. 13 shows the latching mechanism 32 that acts on the switching lever 36 that is operatively connected to the moveable switching piece 34. The switched-off state of the switching device is depicted in FIG. 13.
(32) FIG. 14 is a schematic illustration of the inventive device for sudden switching-on, including a contact arrangement. FIG. 14 shows the defined distance “a” which is defined by the spacing between the moveable switching piece 34 and the fixed switching piece 33. The figure further shows that the locking part 12 passes through a rotation angle to the transmission element 18 in the event of a release.
(33) FIG. 15 depicts the latching mechanism 32 with the inventive device for sudden switching-on and the contact arrangement in the hold-open position. In this position, the moveable switching piece 34 is still disposed at a distance from fixed switching piece 32, although that distance has been reduced in comparison to the switched-off position of the switching device. The lever 1 that is arranged in latching mechanism 32 executes a rotary movement in the hold-open position, the locking part 12 also being moved by this rotary motion, specifically in the direction of the beveled surface 31 of transmission element 18. In the hold-open position, the tip of the wedge-shaped component 13 of locking part 12 passes across the beveled surface 31 of transmission element 18.
(34) In FIG. 16, the operative connection of latching mechanism 32 to switching lever 36 is seen in the hold-open position. The relatively short distance or spacing between the switching pieces 33, 34 is also evident in this figure.
(35) FIG. 17 is a schematic illustration of the inventive device for sudden switching-on including the contact arrangements. The defined distance “b” being the reduced distance between the moveable switching piece 34 and the fixed switching piece 33 is shown in the hold-open position. Also apparent in this figure is that the locking part 12 has now moved onto the beveled surface 31 of transmission element 18. FIG. 17 additionally depicts the defined distance “c” of the beveled surface 31 of transmission element 18.
(36) FIG. 18 depicts the latching mechanism 32 of the switching device that is operatively connected to the inventive device for sudden switching-on, and the associated contact arrangement in the switched-on position. In this position, the moveable switching piece 34 now lies on the fixed switching piece 33. Lever 1 has now executed a further rotary movement on account of which locking part 12 has also been further rotated. Owing to the rotary motion of locking part 12, the rear face of the limb 15 of locking part 12 now lies on the beveled surface 31 of transmission element 18.
(37) FIG. 19 shows the latching mechanism 32 that acts on switching lever 36, specifically so that switching lever 36 now no longer has any point of switching lever contact with the contact slide. The moveable switching piece 34 now lies on the fixed switching piece 33.
(38) FIG. 20 is a schematic illustration of the inventive device for sudden switching-on and having a contact arrangement. As there seen, the further rotary movement of locking part 12 now leads to locking part 12 being arranged behind the beveled surface 31 in the switched-on position.
(39) The present invention is distinguished in that the switch-on process takes place independently of the rotary movement on the operator control part. By reason of the sudden switching-on operation, the contact load springs determine the dynamics of the moveable switching pieces and not the rotary movement of the operator control part. By virtue of the narrow tolerance band of the contact load spring, the approximately constant weight of the bridges and of the contact slide, the current paths are closed at virtually the same time. As a result, arcs and welding phenomena can be avoided. The forced guidance provided by the invention between the lever and the locking part leads to a constant time sequence of the switching-on process and to a small tolerance chain. The locking part of the invention can be designed in a device-specific manner.
