ADAPTER FOR INSTALLING AN ACCESSORY PART AND ELECTRICAL SWITCH HAVING SUCH AN ADAPTER

Abstract

An adapter for installing at least one accessory part into an electrical switch. The accessory part has at least one interface and the electrical switch has a housing and at least one actuation element. The adapter has at least one deflection gear mechanism, which, when the adapter is installed in the housing of the electrical switch, is arranged in an operatively connecting manner between the at least one interface of the accessory part and the at least one actuation element of the electrical switch.

Claims

1. An adapter for installing at least one accessory part into an electrical switch, the switch having a housing and at least one actuation element, and the at least one accessory part having at least one interface, the adapter comprising: at least one deflection gear mechanism, which, when the adapter is installed in the housing of the electrical switch, is operatively connected between the at least one interface of the at least one accessory part and the at least one actuation element of the electrical switch.

2. The adapter according to patent claim 1, further comprising an adapter housing configured for installation into the housing of the electrical switch.

3. The adapter according to claim 2, wherein said adapter housing has a one-part design.

4. The adapter according to claim 2, wherein said adapter housing has a two-part design, with a lower part to be releasably installed into the housing of the electrical switch, and an upper part to be installed on said lower part.

5. The adapter according to claim 4, wherein, when said upper part is installed, said upper part blocks said lower part from being released from the electrical switch.

6. The adapter according to claim 2, wherein said adapter housing is formed with pockets and said at least one accessory part is configured for installation in at least one of said pockets of said adapter housing.

7. The adapter according to claim 1, wherein said at least one deflection gear mechanism is configured to transmit forces or travels in a ratio of 1:1, with a boosting effect, or with a reducing effect.

8. The adapter according to claim 1, wherein said at least one deflection gear mechanism is configured to simultaneously actuate at least two interfaces of the accessory part.

9. The adapter according to claim 1, wherein said at least one actuation element is at least one element selected from the group consisting of a tripping shaft, a breaker shaft, and a lever.

10. The adapter according to claim 1, wherein the adapter is configured to accommodate, as an accessory part, at least one switch selected from the group consisting of an ON/OFF auxiliary switch, a trip alarm switch, a leading changeover switch, an electrical alarm switch, and a short-circuit alarm switch.

11. The adapter according to claim 1, wherein the adapter is configured to accommodate, as an accessory part, at least one element selected from the group consisting of an undervoltage release, a shunt release, a communication module, and a power supply module.

12. The adapter according to claim 1, wherein the adapter is configured to accommodate, as an accessory part, a cylinder locking mechanism that is used to lock an actuator in an ON position or an OFF position of the electrical switch.

13. An electrical switch, comprising: a housing formed with a recess; and an adapter according to claim 1 installed in said recess of said housing.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

[0031] FIG. 1 shows an old-generation electrical switch having auxiliary switches;

[0032] FIG. 2 shows a new-generation electrical switch having a multiplicity of different accessory parts;

[0033] FIGS. 3A and 3B show a new-generation electrical switch having an auxiliary switch and an old-generation electrical switch having a larger auxiliary switch in a recess or pocket;

[0034] FIG. 4 shows an old-generation electrical switch having an adapter according to the invention and new-generation accessory parts;

[0035] FIGS. 5A and 5B show an adapter according to the invention having a two-part housing and a deflection gear mechanism;

[0036] FIGS. 6A and 6B show a lower part of the adapter according to the invention having a deflection gear mechanism and an upper part installed on the lower part of the adapter;

[0037] FIGS. 7A and 7B show an electrical switch having a recess for an adapter and installed lower part of the adapter installed in the electrical switch;

[0038] FIGS. 8A and 8B show an installed upper part and accessory parts installed in the adapter;

[0039] FIGS. 9A and 9B show an alternative adapter according to the invention having an upper part and a lower part before installation and after installation; and

[0040] FIGS. 10A and 10B show an electrical switch having an adapter according to the invention and installed accessory parts to the right and to the left of the actuator.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0041] Referring once more to FIG. 1 of the drawing, there is shown an old-generation electrical switch 1000. The electrical switch 1000 can be switched between the ON and the OFF positions by way of an actuator 1060. Next to the actuator 1060, there are recesses or pockets in which accessory parts such as auxiliary switches, for example, can be installed. In order to be able to install these auxiliary switches 201 in the recesses or pockets, an installation adapter 100′; 100″ is required depending on whether the auxiliary switches 201 are intended to be used as ON/OFF auxiliary switches or as trip alarm switches. The recesses or pockets for the auxiliary switches 201 can be closed off or covered by way of a housing cover 1050.

[0042] FIG. 2 likewise shows an electrical switch 1000 which, in contrast with FIG. 1, is a new-generation electrical switch 1000. In this case, there is a miniaturization of the accessory parts and a wide variety of different accessory parts 201, 202, 203, . . . , 215.

[0043] The accessory parts may be auxiliary switches, shunt trips, communication accessories, or locking mechanisms. On account of the ongoing miniaturization of the electrical switches 1000, these accessory parts 201, 202, 203, . . . , 215, and therefore the recesses or pockets in which these parts are installed, are physically smaller than in the case of the old-generation switch 1000 of FIG. 1.

[0044] This is illustrated schematically in FIGS. 3A and 3B. FIG. 3A shows a new-generation electrical switch 1000 with an accessory part 201 that is operatively connected to an actuation element 1501 of the electrical switch 1000 via an interface 301. The same applies to the old-generation electrical switch 1000 according to FIG. 3B, except that the installation space of the accessory part 201 is correspondingly greater.

[0045] FIG. 4 also shows the old-generation electrical switch 1000 with an actuation element 1501 and an inserted and installed adapter 100, according to the invention, in which an accessory part 201 is installed. The adapter comprises a deflection gear mechanism 601, which, if an adapter 100 is installed in the housing 1010 of the electrical switch 1000, is arranged in an operatively connecting manner between the interface 301 of the accessory part 201 and the actuation element 1501 of the electrical switch 1000.

[0046] The deflection gear mechanism 601 can transmit the forces or the travels in a ratio of 1:1, with a boosting effect or with a reducing effect. By way of example, the deflection gear mechanism 601 can act as a booster that boosts the forces of an accessory part 201 and therefore trips an electrical switch of a relatively large assembly. In the case of a transmission of the forces or the travels in a ratio of 1:1 of the deflection gear mechanism 601, this means a spatial adaptation as is also shown schematically by the displacement of the actuation element 1501 to the interface 301 in FIG. 4. The interface 301 and the actuation element 1501 can therefore be arranged so as to be offset and the deflection gear mechanism 601 arranged between them can effect this spatial implementation.

[0047] FIG. 5A shows an embodiment of an adapter 100 according to the invention. The adapter 100 comprises an adapter housing 110 that can be installed into the housing 1010 of the electrical switch 1000. According to the depiction in FIG. 5A, the adapter housing 110 has a two-part design, with a lower part 111 that can be releasably installed into the housing 1010 of the electrical switch 1000, and with an upper part 112 that can be installed on this lower part 111.

[0048] Furthermore, the adapter 100 comprises deflection gear mechanisms 601; 602, 602′. The deflection gear mechanism 601 is mounted so as to be rotatable about an axis and interacts with an actuation element of the electrical switch 1000. The deflection gear mechanism 601 can be designed in such a way that at least two interfaces 301; 302 of the accessory parts 201; 202 are actuated at the same time. According to the depiction in FIG. 5A, this is realized by virtue of the deflection gear mechanism 601 having a wide lever 601′, by means of which the plurality of accessory parts 201; 202 can be actuated.

[0049] The further deflection gear mechanism 602, 602′, which is shown in more detail in FIG. 5B, has a two-part design. By means of a pin 602″ running in a race contour 602—, there is in this case likewise a transmission of the force or of the travel between the interface 301 of the accessory part 201 and the actuation element 1501 of the electrical switch 1000. A latching lever 602″ that interacts with an actuation element of the electrical switch 1000 can be provided on the deflection gear mechanism 602.

[0050] The adapter 100 according to the invention is shown in FIG. 6A with deflection gear mechanisms 601; 602 installed on the lower part 111. According to the depiction in FIG. 6B, the upper part 112 of the adapter 100 can be installed on the lower part 111. This upper part 112 has pockets 801; 802; 803; 804 into which accessory parts 201; 202; 203; 204 can be inserted. According to the depiction in FIG. 6B, the interfaces 301; 302; 303; 304 of the accessory parts 201; 202; 203; 204 are directed downward in the direction of the deflection gear mechanisms 601; 602 of the adapter 100, such that an operative connection is produced.

[0051] FIGS. 7A, 7B, 8A and 8B show the installation of the adapter 100 according to the invention in a recess or pocket 1011 of the housing 1010 of an electrical switch 1000.

[0052] FIG. 7A shows the electrical switch with the recess or pocket 1011. FIG. 7B shows the adapter 100 according to the invention or the lower part 111 thereof installed in the recess 1011 of the electrical switch 1000. The deflection gear mechanisms 601; 602 are installed on the lower part 111. FIG. 8A shows that the upper part 112 is installed on the lower part 111 such that accessory parts 201; 202 can be inserted and installed therein according to the depiction in FIG. 8B.

[0053] FIGS. 9A and 9B show a further embodiment of an adapter 100 according to the invention. FIG. 9A shows the adapter 100 with a lower part 111, an upper part 112, a deflection gear mechanism 601 and a further deflection gear mechanism 602. FIG. 9B shows the installed adapter 100 according to the invention. In FIGS. 9A and 9B, the adapter 100 according to the invention has pockets 801; 802; 803 in the adapter housing 110; 111, 112, in which accessory parts 201; 202; 203 can be installed.

[0054] In a plan view of an electrical switch 1000, FIG. 10A shows a left-hand recess or pocket of the electrical switch 1000, in which recess or pocket the adapter 100 according to the invention is installed. According to the depiction in FIG. 10A, the upper part 112 of the adapter 100 is visible. Accessory parts 201; 202; 203 are inserted in the pockets of the adapter 100 according to the invention.

[0055] In the case of an electrical switch 1000 from a relatively large series or a multi-pole variant, pockets to the left and to the right of the actuator can be provided with an adapter 100 according to the invention. According to FIG. 10B the left-hand adapter 100 can, for example, accommodate four accessory parts 201; 202; 203; 204 The right-hand adapter 100 can, for example, accommodate three accessory parts 201; 202; 203.

[0056] By way of example, the actuation element or elements 1501 may be a tripping shaft of the electrical switch 1000, a breaker shaft of the electrical switch 1000, or a lever of the electrical switch 1000.

[0057] In the case of a two-part adapter 100, according to the invention, with a lower part 111 and an upper part 112, when the upper part 112 is installed, the upper part can block the lower part 111 from being released from the electrical switch 1000. By way of example, the lower part 111 can be installed in a latching manner on the electrical switch 1000 using a snap-fit connection, wherein a latch lever 111′ (cf. FIGS. 5A, 6A) can no longer be opened once the upper part 112 has been installed.

[0058] The adapter housing 110 can also have a one-part design and, for example, can be produced by means of an additive manufacturing method such as the 3D printing method.

[0059] The adapter 100 according to the invention can be designed to accommodate, as an accessory part 201; 202; 203; . . . ; 215, an ON/OFF auxiliary switch (AUX), a trip alarm switch (TAS), a leading changeover switch (LCS), an electrical alarm switch (EAS) or a short-circuit alarm switch (SAS).

[0060] The adapter 100 according to the invention can also be designed to accommodate, as an accessory part 201; 202; 203; . . . ; 215, an undervoltage release (UVR, UNI), a shunt release (SHT, STL, STF), a communication module (COM module) or a power supply module (24 V module).

[0061] The adapter 100 according to the invention can also be designed to accommodate, as an accessory part 201; 202; 203; . . . ; 215, a cylinder locking mechanism that makes it possible to lock an actuator 1060 in the ON or OFF position of the electrical switch 1000.

[0062] An adapter 100 according to the invention is realized, which externally geometrically fits into the accessory pocket or recess 1011 of an old-generation electrical switch 1000, and internally is configured such that it can accommodate new-generation accessory parts 201; 202; 203; . . . ; 215. Furthermore, there are deflection gear mechanisms 601; 602 . . . situated within the adapter 100 that can output forces and travels from actuation elements 1501 . . . of the electrical switch 1000 to new-generation accessory parts 201; 202; 203; . . . ; 215. The adapter 100 according to the invention also functions in a reverse mode of operation if forces and travels are output from the internal accessory to the circuit breaker 1000. By way of example, this is the case for shunt trips, in which case a plunger of the shunt trip has to trip the switch. If the force of the shunt trip is too weak, the force of the plunger can be boosted in this case using a booster unit (booster).