Auxiliary/control switches kit box for a medium voltage switching device

Abstract

An auxiliary/control switches kit box for a Medium Voltage switching device including one or more movable contacts operated between a contact open position and a contact closed position by a kinematic chain connected to a contact actuator. The auxiliary/control switches kit box includes: a shaped enclosure adapted to be inserted into and removed from a dedicated volume inside the Medium Voltage switching device; the shaped enclosure housing one or more auxiliary/control switches electrically connected to corresponding one or more terminal boards; the one or more terminal boards facing toward the outside of the shaped enclosure from a first face of the shaped enclosure; the one or more auxiliary/control switches each including a pair of auxiliary/control switch contacts that can be linearly operated by an auxiliary/control switch actuator between a normally open (NO) position and a normally closed (NC) position; a mechanical coupling system mechanically connected to the auxiliary/control switch actuator to linearly displace it between the NO position and the NC position; the mechanically coupling system having one or more operating levers protruding outside the shaped enclosure from a second face thereof and being adapted to cooperate with the kinematic chain of the Medium Voltage switching device and follow it during the movement from the contact open position and the contact closed position.

Claims

1. An auxiliary/control switches kit box for a Medium Voltage switching device comprising one or more movable contacts operated between a contact open position and a contact closed position by a kinematic chain connected to a contact actuator, the auxiliary/control switches kit box comprising: a shaped enclosure adapted to be inserted at least partially into and removed from a dedicated volume inside said Medium Voltage switching device; said shaped enclosure housing one or more auxiliary/control switches electrically connected to corresponding one or more terminal boards; said one or more terminal boards facing toward the outside of said shaped enclosure from a first face of said shaped enclosure; said one or more auxiliary/control switches each comprising a pair of auxiliary/control switch contacts that are linearly operated by an auxiliary/control switch actuator between a normally open (NO) position and a normally closed (NC) position; the auxiliary/control switches kit box further comprising a mechanical coupling system having one or more operating levers mechanically connected to respective ones of said auxiliary/control switch actuators within said shaped enclosure to linearly displace said respective auxiliary/control switch actuator between said NO position and said NC position; and said one or more operating levers protruding outside said shaped enclosure from a second face thereof and being adapted to cooperate with the kinematic chain of said Medium Voltage switching device and follow it during the movement from said contact open position and said contact closed position.

2. The auxiliary/control switches kit box, according to claim 1, wherein said first and second face of said shaped enclosure are substantially opposite to each other.

3. The auxiliary/control switches kit box, according to claim 1, wherein said shaped enclosure houses a set of two or more linearly actuated auxiliary/control switches.

4. The auxiliary/control switches kit box, according to claim 1, wherein said shaped enclosure comprises snap-fitting means and/or sliding means and/or fixing means for guiding the insertion of said auxiliary/control switches kit box inside the dedicated volume of said Medium Voltage switching device and/or for fixing said shaped enclosure in its operative position inside said dedicated volume.

5. The auxiliary/control switches kit box, according to claim 1, wherein said one or more auxiliary/control switches are pre-wired to a corresponding one or more terminal boards before they are placed in said shaped enclosure.

6. The auxiliary/control switches kit box, according to claim 1, wherein said one or more auxiliary/control switches are adapted to be positively driven by the kinematic chain of said Medium Voltage switching device in both directions between said normally open (NO) position and said normally closed (NC) position.

7. A medium Voltage switching device comprising an auxiliary/control switches kit box according to claim 1.

8. The Medium Voltage switching device, according to claim 7, comprising a Medium Voltage contactor.

9. The Medium Voltage switching device, according to claim 8, said Medium Voltage switching device comprises a contact actuator that is a linear actuator comprising an operating element linearly moving between a contact open position and a contact closed position.

10. The Medium Voltage switching device, according to claim 9, wherein an operating element of said contact actuator comprises a number of slots into which said one or more operating levers are inserted.

11. An auxiliary/control switches kit box for a Medium Voltage switching device comprising one or more movable contacts operated between a contact open position and a contact closed position by a kinematic chain connected to a contact actuator, the auxiliary/control switches kit box comprising: a shaped enclosure adapted to be inserted at least partially into and removed from a dedicated volume inside said Medium Voltage switching device; said shaped enclosure housing one or more auxiliary/control switches electrically connected to corresponding one or more terminal boards; said one or more terminal boards facing toward the outside of said shaped enclosure from a first face of said shaped enclosure; said one or more auxiliary/control switches each comprising a pair of auxiliary/control switch contacts that can be linearly operated by an auxiliary/control switch actuator between a normally open (NO) position and a normally closed (NC) position; the auxiliary/control switches kit box further comprising a mechanical coupling system mechanically connected to said auxiliary/control switch actuators to linearly displace it between said NO position and said NC position; said mechanically coupling system having one or more operating levers protruding outside said shaped enclosure from a second face thereof and being adapted to cooperate with the kinematic chain of said Medium Voltage switching device and follow it during the movement from said contact open position and said contact closed position, wherein said one or more auxiliary/control switches are double break switches each comprising a casing into which corresponding auxiliary/control switch contacts are housed, each of said double break switches being associated with at least a corresponding operating lever which is operatively connected through a corresponding auxiliary/control switch actuator with the auxiliary/control switch contacts housed in said casing.

12. The auxiliary/control switches kit box, according to claim 11, wherein said one or more auxiliary/control switches are double break switches, and in that said auxiliary/control switch actuator comprises a linearly moving driving pin for said auxiliary/control switch contacts which is operatively connected to said auxiliary/control switch contacts and to a corresponding operating lever.

13. The auxiliary/control switches kit box, according to claim 12, wherein said first and second face of said shaped enclosure are substantially opposite to each other.

14. The auxiliary/control switches kit box, according to claim 13, wherein said shaped enclosure houses a set of two or more linearly actuated auxiliary/control switches.

15. The auxiliary/control switches kit box, according to claim 14, wherein said shaped enclosure comprises snap-fitting means and/or sliding means and/or fixing means for guiding the insertion of said auxiliary/control switches kit box inside the dedicated volume of said Medium Voltage switching device and/or for fixing said shaped enclosure in its operative position inside said dedicated volume.

16. The auxiliary/control switches kit box, according to claim 15, wherein said one or more auxiliary/control switches are pre-wired to a corresponding one or more terminal boards before they are placed in said shaped enclosure.

17. The auxiliary/control switches kit box, according to claim 16, wherein said one or more auxiliary/control switches are adapted to be positively driven by the kinematic chain of said Medium Voltage switching device in both directions between said normally open (NO) position and said normally closed (NC) position.

18. The auxiliary/control switches kit box, according to claim 11, wherein said first and second face of said shaped enclosure are substantially opposite to each other.

19. The auxiliary/control switches kit box, according to claim 11, wherein said shaped enclosure houses a set of two or more linearly actuated auxiliary/control switches.

20. An auxiliary/control switches kit box for a Medium Voltage switching device comprising one or more movable contacts operated between a contact open position and a contact closed position by a kinematic chain connected to a contact actuator, the auxiliary/control switches kit box comprising: a shaped enclosure adapted to be inserted at least partially into and removed from a dedicated volume inside said Medium Voltage switching device; said shaped enclosure housing one or more auxiliary/control switches electrically connected to corresponding one or more terminal boards; said one or more terminal boards facing toward the outside of said shaped enclosure from a first face of said shaped enclosure; said one or more auxiliary/control switches each comprising a pair of auxiliary/control switch contacts that can be linearly operated by an auxiliary/control switch actuator between a normally open (NO) position and a normally closed (NC) position; the auxiliary/control switches kit box further comprising a mechanical coupling system mechanically connected to said auxiliary/control switch actuators to linearly displace it between said NO position and said NC position; said mechanically coupling system having one or more operating levers protruding outside said shaped enclosure from a second face thereof and being adapted to cooperate with the kinematic chain of said Medium Voltage switching device and follow it during the movement from said contact open position and said contact closed position, wherein said one or more auxiliary/control switches are double break switches, and in that said auxiliary/control switch actuator comprises a linearly moving driving pin for said auxiliary/control switch contacts which is operatively connected to said auxiliary/control switch contacts and to a corresponding operating lever.

Description

(1) Further features and advantages of the invention will emerge from the description of preferred, but not exclusive embodiments of an auxiliary/control switches kit box and a Medium Voltage switching device, according to the invention, non-limiting examples of which are provided in the attached drawings, wherein:

(2) FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a first embodiment of an auxiliary/control switches kit box according to the invention;

(3) FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a second embodiment of an auxiliary/control switches kit box according to the invention;

(4) FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a third embodiment of an auxiliary/control switches kit box according to the invention;

(5) FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a fourth embodiment of an auxiliary/control switches kit box according to the invention;

(6) FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a first phase of the positioning of an auxiliary/control switches kit box according to the invention into a dedicated volume inside a Medium Voltage switching device;

(7) FIG. 6 is a perspective view of a second phase of the positioning of an auxiliary/control switches kit box according to the invention into a dedicated volume inside a Medium Voltage switching device;

(8) FIG. 7 is a perspective view of a third phase of the positioning of an auxiliary/control switches kit box according to the invention into a dedicated volume inside a Medium Voltage switching device;

(9) FIG. 8 is a perspective view of a fourth phase of the positioning of an auxiliary/control switches kit box according to the invention into a dedicated volume inside a Medium Voltage switching device;

(10) FIG. 9 is a perspective view of an auxiliary/control switches kit box according to the invention inserted into a dedicated volume inside a Medium Voltage switching device and in a first operating position;

(11) FIG. 10 is a perspective view of an auxiliary/control switches kit box according to the invention inserted into a dedicated volume inside a Medium Voltage switching device and in a second operating position.

(12) With reference to the attached Figures, an auxiliary/control switches kit box according to the invention—designated by the reference numeral 1—is adapted to be used with a Medium Voltage switching device, preferably a Medium Voltage contactor or vacuum contactor-designated by the reference numeral 100.

(13) The Medium Voltage switching device 100 generally comprises one or more movable contacts (not shown) which are operated between a contact open position (as partially shown in FIG. 9) and a contact closed position (as partially shown in FIG. 10).

(14) Movement of the contact is generally carried out by a contact actuator 102 (only partially shown in some figures) connected to the movable contact(s) through a kinematic chain 101 (only partially shown in some figures).

(15) The auxiliary/control switches kit box 1 according to the invention comprises in its more general definition, a shaped enclosure 2 which is adapted to be inserted into and removed from a dedicated volume 105 inside said Medium Voltage switching device 100.

(16) The shaped enclosure 2 houses one or more auxiliary/control switches 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26. The number of auxiliary/control switches 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26 can vary depending on the needs. For instance, in the relatively simple execution of FIG. 1, only a pair of auxiliary/control switches 21, 22 is used, while in the embodiments of FIGS. 2-4, six, four and six auxiliary/control switches are respectively used.

(17) Said auxiliary/control switches 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26 are electrically connected to corresponding one or more terminal boards 61, 62, 63 which provide an interface for the users. To this purpose, said one or more terminal boards 61, 62, 63 are positioned so as to face toward the outside of said shaped enclosure 2 from a first face 41 of said shaped enclosure 2.

(18) In practice, as shown in the attached figures, when the auxiliary/control switches kit box 1 is inserted into a Medium Voltage switching device, the terminal boards 61, 62, 63 can advantageously lay on the front face of said Medium Voltage switching device and are easily accessible by an operator.

(19) In the kit box 1 according to the invention, the auxiliary/control switches 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26 comprise corresponding auxiliary/control switch contacts that can be linearly operated by an auxiliary/control switch actuator 51, 52, 53 between a normally open NO position and a normally closed NC position.

(20) The actuation of the auxiliary/control switches 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26 (i.e. commutation of the included NC and NO switches) is carried out by a mechanically coupling system 3 having one or more operating levers 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36 which protrude outside said shaped enclosure 2 from a second face 42 thereof.

(21) The operating levers 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36 are connected, on one side, to a corresponding auxiliary/control switch actuators 51, 52, 53, 54 to linearly displace it between said NO position and said NC position, and on the other side, are adapted to cooperate with the kinematic chain 101 of said Medium Voltage switching device 100 and follow it during the movement from said contact open position and said contact closed position.

(22) In this way, the one or more auxiliary/control switches 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26 can be positively driven by the kinematic chain 101 of said Medium Voltage switching device 100 in both directions between said normally open NO position and said normally closed NC position, with no need of return means, e.g. spring means.

(23) According to a preferred embodiment of the kit box 1 of the present invention, said one or more auxiliary/control switches 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26 are double break switches or microswitches each comprising a casing 200 into which corresponding auxiliary/control switch contacts are housed. A switch or microswitch actuator 51, 52, 53, 54 is positioned on the casing 200 to drive the auxiliary/control switch contacts housed in said casing 200. Each actuator 51, 52, 53, 54 of said double break switches 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26 is associated with at least a corresponding operating lever 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36 which is connected to the kinematic chain of the Medium Voltage switching device as previously described.

(24) For example, said one or more auxiliary/control switches are double break switches 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, which are actuated by a linearly moving driving pin 51, 52, 53, 54 which is operatively connected to the auxiliary/control switch contacts and to a corresponding operating lever 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36.

(25) In general, the electrical connection of the auxiliary/control switches is carried out through electrical terminals (e.g., 210, 221; 220, 221) and the whole system of said one or more auxiliary/control switches 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26 is advantageously pre-wired to a corresponding one or more terminal boards 61, 62, 63 before they are placed in said shaped enclosure 2.

(26) As shown in the attached figures, claims, said first 41 face (from which the terminal boards 61, 62, 63 protrude) and second face 42 (from which the operating lever 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36 protrude) of said shaped enclosure 2 are substantially opposite to each other.

(27) In a particular embodiment of the auxiliary/control switches kit box 1 of the present invention, said shaped enclosure 2 comprises snap-fitting means 7 and/or sliding means 8 and/or fixing means 9 for guiding the insertion of said auxiliary/control switches kit box 1 inside the dedicated volume 105 of said Medium Voltage switching device 100 and/or for fixing said shaped enclosure 2 in its operative position inside said dedicated volume 105.

(28) In practice, with reference to FIGS. 5-8, the operative coupling of the takes place by linear insertion in the horizontal direction of the shaped enclosure 2 into a dedicated volume 105 inside the Medium Voltage switching device 100, with the second face 42 laying forward. In this way, the operating lever 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36 (which protrude from said second face 42) can be coupled with the kinematic chain 101 of said Medium Voltage switching device 100, as better described hereinafter.

(29) At the same time, once the shaped enclosure 2 is inserted into the dedicated volume 105, the first face 41 (and consequently the terminal boards 61, 62, 63) lays on the front side of the Medium Voltage switching device 100 and is therefore easily accessible by an operator.

(30) Insertion of the shaped enclosure 2 inside the dedicated volume 105 of said Medium Voltage switching device 100 can be made easier by using e.g. sliding means 8 adapted to slide in corresponding means (e.g. a shaped slot 81) provided in the Medium Voltage switching device 100. Similarly, fixing can be carried out by using snap-fitting means 7 and/or fixing means 9 provided on the surface of the shaped enclosure 2 and/or on tabs protruding therefrom, adapted to be coupled with complementary snap-fitting and/or fixing means 71, 91, provided in the Medium Voltage switching device 100.

(31) In a further aspect, the present invention also relates to a Medium Voltage switching device 100 comprising an auxiliary/control switches kit box 1 as described in the present disclosure.

(32) In particular, the present invention also relates to a Medium Voltage contactor, e.g. a vacuum contactor, 100 comprising an auxiliary/control switches kit box 1 as described in the present disclosure.

(33) In such a case, with reference to the attached FIGS. 9 and 10, a Medium Voltage contactor, e.g. a vacuum contactor, 100 generally comprises one or more movable contacts which are operated between a contact open position and a contact closed position by a contact actuator 102 which is connected to said one or more movable contacts through a kinematic chain 101 to carry out the opening and closing operations of the Medium Voltage switching device.

(34) In the embodiment of a Medium Voltage contactor 100 shown in the attached FIGS. 9 and 10, the contact actuator 102 is a linear monostable electromagnetic actuator which comprises a coil, a fixed armature and a movable plunger, where the plunger is linearly moving to actuate the opening/closing operations of the contactor and is connected to the one or more contact(s) of the contactor via the mechanical link 101.

(35) The Medium Voltage contactor 100 further comprises a linearly moving operating element 103 that is connected to the mechanical link 101 and is operatively coupled with the operating levers 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36 of the previously described auxiliary/control switches 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26 of the kit box 1.

(36) In the embodiment shown, the auxiliary/control switches 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26 are positioned on two superimposed rows of auxiliary/control switches pairs (first row: switches 21, 23 25; second row: switches 22, 24, 26). Different numbers and different layouts for the auxiliary/control switches 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26 are also possible according to the needs.

(37) In the present embodiment, the operating element 103 is rigidly fixed to the mechanical link 101 and follows it in its linear moving between the contact open position (FIG. 9) and the contact closed position (FIG. 10).

(38) As shown in FIGS. 9 and 10 in this possible embodiment, the operating element 103 connected to the mechanical link 101 of the contact actuator 102 comprises a two parallel slots 104 spaced apart in the vertical direction. The operating levers 31, 33, 35 of the first row of switches 21, 23, 25 are inserted in the upper slot, while the operating levers 32, 34, 36 of second row of switches 22, 24, 26 are inserted in the lower slot.

(39) Thus, as shown in FIGS. 9 and 10 when the closing operation of the contact(s) of the Medium Voltage contactor 100 is carried out, the mechanical link 101 of the Medium Voltage contactor 100 moves upward and the operating element 103 follows such movement. The ends of the operating levers 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36 which are inserted in a corresponding slot 104 of the operating element 103 are also forced to move upwardly and transmit the motion to the corresponding auxiliary/control switch actuator 51, 52, 53, 54 connected to the other end of the operating levers 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, thereby commuting the switches 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26 of the auxiliary/control switches kit box 1.

(40) The opposite sequence takes place when the contact(s) of the Medium Voltage switching device 100 are moved from the closed position to the open position.

(41) Depending on the needs, different layouts of the operating element 103 and different ways of coupling it with the operating levers 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36 of the switches 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26 can be devised.

(42) Several variations can be made to the auxiliary/control switches kit box for a Medium Voltage switching device and to the Medium Voltage switching device thus conceived, all falling within the scope of the attached claims. In practice, the materials used and the contingent dimensions and shapes can be any, according to requirements and to the state of the art.