Surge protector, and release mechanism and base thereof

Abstract

A release mechanism for surge protectors includes a first electrical connection pin soldered with a varistor's second electrode, a function rotating member sheathed on a fixed column and installed between a varistor and a bridge bracket, an elastic driving device fixed into an internal box body, and a bridge bracket fixed to a second electrical connection pin in the internal box body (2). If the varistor is not released, then the bridge bracket will be passed through a soldering window and soldered with a varistor's first electrode, or else the elastic driving device will drive the function rotating member to rotate around the fixed column. An arc shield plate shields between the bridge bracket and electrode. A failure status indicating area is exposed and a remote linkage rod is triggered.

Claims

1. A release mechanism of a surge protector, the release mechanism comprising an internal box body (2), a function rotating member (3), an elastic driving device (4), a first electrical connection pin (6), a second electrical connection pin (7) and a bridge bracket (8) accommodated in a varistor (5), and the first electrical connection pin (6) and the second electrical connection pin (7) being plugged into the internal box body (2), and a varistor's second electrode (5B) and the first electrical connection pin (6) being soldered, and the internal box body (2) having a fixed column (2B), and the function rotating member (3) having an arc shield plate (3F) and a soldering window (3C), and the function rotating member (3) being sheathed on the fixed column (2B) and disposed between the varistor (5) and the bridge bracket (8), and the elastic driving device (4) having an end coupled to the function rotating member (3) and another end fixed to the internal box body (2), wherein an end of the bridge bracket (8) is directly fixed and coupled to the second electrical connection pin (7), such that when the varistor (5) is situated at a normal status, the function rotating member (3) is situated at a first position, and another end of the bridge bracket (8) is passed through the soldering window (3C) and soldered with a varistor's first electrode (5A) at low temperature, and when the varistor (5) is situated at a release status, the elastic driving device (4) drives the function rotating member (3) to rotate around the fixed column (2B), so that when the function rotating member (3) is rotated to a second position, the arc shield plate (3F) provides a shielding effect between the bridge bracket (8) and the varistor's first electrode (5A).

2. The release mechanism of claim 1, wherein the soldering window (3C) has a shear slope (3E) disposed on a side of the soldering window (3C), and the internal box body (2) has a panel (2A), and the panel (2A) has a varistor's first electrode passing hole (2K) aligned precisely with the soldering window (3C), and the varistor's first electrode passing hole (2K) has a shear plane (2M), so that when the function rotating member (3) is rotated, the shear slope (2M) and the shear plane (3E) of the soldering window (3C) are moved with respect to each other.

3. The release mechanism of claim 2, wherein when the function rotating member (3) is rotated to the second position, an inner wall and the shear plane (2M) of the varistor's first electrode passing hole (2K), the arc shield plate (3F) of the function rotating member (3), and a surface of the varistor's first electrode (5A) form a closed area.

4. The release mechanism of claim 1, wherein the release mechanism has an external box body (1), and the external box body (1) has a monitoring hole (1A), and the internal box body (2) has a failure status indicating area (2N), and the function rotating member (3) has a normal status indicating area (3G), and the color of the normal status indicating area (3G) and the color of the failure status indicating area (2N) are different, and the function rotating member (3) is situated at the first position, and the normal status indicating area (3G) is exposed from the monitoring hole (1A), and the function rotating member (3) is rotated to the second position, so that the failure status indicating area (2N) is disposed at and exposed from the monitoring hole (1A).

5. The release mechanism of claim 1, wherein the elastic driving device (4) is a spring, and when the varistor (5) is situated at the normal status, the function rotating member (3) is situated at the first position, and the spring is situated at a stretched status, and when the varistor (5) is situated at the release status, the spring is contracted, and the function rotating member (3) is rotated from the first position to the second position around the fixed column (2B) under the effect of the spring.

6. The release mechanism of claim 5, wherein both of the function rotating member (3) and the internal box body (2) are made of a temperature resisting, insulating, and flame retardant material.

7. A surge protector, comprising: at least one varistor (5); a base; and at least one release mechanism, including an internal box body (2), a function rotating member (3), an elastic driving device (4), a first electrical connection pin (6), a second electrical connection pin (7) and a bridge bracket (8), accommodated in the varistor (5), and the first electrical connection pin (6) and the second electrical connection pin (7) being plugged in the internal box body (2), and a varistor's second electrode (5B) and the first electrical connection pin (6) being soldered, and the internal box body (2) having a fixed column (2B), and the function rotating member (3) having an arc shield plate (3F) and a soldering window (3C), and the function rotating member (3) being sheathed on the fixed column (2B) and disposed between the varistor (5) and the bridge bracket (8), and the elastic driving device (4) having an end coupled to the function rotating member (3) and another end fixed to the internal box body (2), wherein an end of the bridge bracket (8) is directly fixed and coupled to the second electrical connection pin (7), and when the varistor (5) is situated at a normal status, the function rotating member (3) is situated at a first position, and another end of the bridge bracket (8) is passed through the soldering window (3C) and soldered with a varistor's first electrode (5A) at low temperature, and when the varistor (5) is situated at a release status, the elastic driving device (4) drives the function rotating member (3) to rotate around the fixed column (2B), such that when the function rotating member (3) is rotated to a second position, the arc shield plate (3F) provides a shielding effect between the bridge bracket (8) and the varistor's first electrode (5A).

8. The surge protector of claim 7, wherein the soldering window (3C) has a shear slope (3E) disposed on a side of the soldering window (3C), and the internal box body (2) has a panel (2A), and the panel (2A) has a varistor's first electrode passing hole (2K) aligned precisely with the soldering window (3C), and the varistor's first electrode passing hole (2K) has a shear plane (2M), so that when the function rotating member (3) is rotated, the shear slope (2M) and the shear plane (3E) of the soldering window (3C) are moved with respect to each other.

9. The surge protector of claim 8, wherein when the function rotating member (3) is rotated to the second position, an inner wall and the shear plane (2M) of the varistor's first electrode passing hole (2K), the arc shield plate (3F) of the function rotating member (3), and a surface of the varistor's first electrode (5A) form a closed area.

10. The surge protector of claim 7, wherein the release mechanism has an external box body (1), and the external box body (1) has a monitoring hole (1A), and the internal box body (2) has a failure status indicating area (2N), and the function rotating member (3) has a normal status indicating area (3G), and the color of the normal status indicating area (3G) and the color of the failure status indicating area (2N) are different, and the function rotating member (3) is situated at the first position, and the normal status indicating area (3G) is exposed from the monitoring hole (1A), and the function rotating member (3) is rotated to the second position, so that the failure status indicating area (2N) is disposed at and exposed from the monitoring hole (1A).

11. The surge protector of claim 10, wherein the elastic driving device (4) is a spring, and when the varistor (5) is situated at the normal status, the function rotating member (3) is situated at the first position, and the spring is situated at a stretched status, and when the varistor (5) is situated at the release status, the spring is contracted, and the function rotating member (3) is rotated from the first position to the second position around the fixed column (2B) under the effect of the spring.

12. The surge protector of claim 11, wherein both of the function rotating member (3) and the internal box body (2) are made of a temperature resisting, insulating, and flame retardant material.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) FIG. 1 is a schematic view of the overall structure of a surge protector of this disclosure;

(2) FIG. 2a is a schematic view of the structure of several release mechanisms of a surge protector of this disclosure;

(3) FIG. 2b is a schematic view of the structure of a base of a surge protector of this disclosure;

(4) FIG. 3a is a schematic view of the structure of an external box body of a surge protector of this disclosure;

(5) FIG. 3b is a schematic view of the structure of a release mechanism of this disclosure;

(6) FIG. 3c is a schematic view of the structure of an internal box body a release mechanism of this disclosure;

(7) FIG. 4a is a front view of the structure of an internal box body a release mechanism of this disclosure;

(8) FIG. 4b is a back view of the structure of an internal box body a release mechanism of this disclosure;

(9) FIG. 5a is a front view of the structure of a varistor of this disclosure;

(10) FIG. 5b is a back view of the structure of a varistor of this disclosure;

(11) FIG. 6 is a schematic view of the structure of a bridge bracket of a release mechanism connected to a second electrical connection pin in accordance with this disclosure;

(12) FIG. 7 is a schematic view of the structure of a release mechanism of a first electrical connection pin of this disclosure;

(13) FIG. 8a is a front view of the structure of a function rotating member of a release mechanism of this disclosure;

(14) FIG. 8b is a back view of the structure of a function rotating member of a release mechanism of this disclosure;

(15) FIG. 9a is a schematic view showing a normal operation status of a release mechanism of this disclosure;

(16) FIG. 9b is a schematic view showing a release status of a release mechanism of this disclosure;

(17) FIG. 10a is a schematic view of the structure of a cover of a surge protector of this disclosure;

(18) FIG. 10b is a schematic view of the structure of a metal claw of a base of a surge protector of this disclosure;

(19) FIG. 10c is a schematic view of the structure of a seat of a base of a surge protector in accordance with this disclosure;

(20) FIG. 11 is an exploded view of a remote device installed in a base in accordance with this disclosure;

(21) FIG. 12a is a front view of a remote linkage rod of a remote device of this disclosure;

(22) FIG. 12b is a back view of a remote linkage rod of a remote device of this disclosure;

(23) FIG. 13a is a front view of a combination of a slider and a slider spring of a base of a remote device in accordance with this disclosure;

(24) FIG. 13b is a back view of a slider of a seat of a remote device in accordance with this disclosure;

(25) FIG. 14 is a schematic view showing the status of a remote device before the release mechanism is released in accordance with this disclosure;

(26) FIG. 15 is a schematic view showing the status of a remote device after the release mechanism is released in accordance with this disclosure;

(27) FIG. 16 is a schematic view showing the linkage of a base before the release mechanism is released in accordance with this disclosure; and

(28) FIG. 17 is a schematic view showing the linkage of a base after the release mechanism is released in accordance with this disclosure.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

(29) The technical contents of the present invention will become apparent with the detailed description of preferred embodiments accompanied with the illustration of related drawings as follows. It is noteworthy that the preferred embodiments are provided for illustrating this disclosure rather than restricting the scope of the disclosure.

(30) Preferred embodiments of the release mechanism, the base and the surge protector of this disclosure will be described and illustrated according to the accompanied drawings as follows.

(31) With reference to FIGS. 1-7 for a release mechanism of a surge protector, the release mechanism comprises an external box body 1, an internal box body 2, a function rotating member 3, an elastic driving device 4, a first electrical connection pin 6, a second electrical connection pin 7, and a bridge bracket 8.

(32) With reference to FIGS. 4a and 4b, the internal box body 2 comprises: a panel, a function rotating member placement slot 2A, a fixed column 2B, a second electrical connection pin fixing slot 2C, a remote linkage rod passing hole 2D, a first electrical connection pin fixing slot 2E, a spring fixing column 2F, a varistor placement slot 2G, a varistor's second electrode slot 2H, a varistor's first electrode passing hole 2K, a shear plane 2M and a failure status indicating area 2N, where the shear plane 2M has a slope 2M-2 formed with a smaller acute angle and a plane 2M-1; the varistor's first electrode passing hole 2K and the fixed column 2B are disposed on the panel 2A.

(33) With reference to FIGS. 8a and 8b, the function rotating member 3 has a function rotating member fixing hole 3A, a spring connecting ring 3B, a soldering window 3C, a remote linkage rod contact wall 3D, a shear slope 3E, an arc shield plate 3F, a normal status indicating area 3G and a remote linkage notching 3H, where the color of the normal status indicating area 3G is different from the color of the failure status indicating area 2N of the internal box body 2, and the shear slope 3E has a slope 3E-1 formed with a smaller acute angle and a plane 3E-2, and the shear slope 3E is disposed on a side of the soldering window 3C.

(34) In FIG. 3a, the external box body 1 has a monitoring hole 1A and a lock 1B.

(35) In FIGS. 3a-8b, the internal box body 2 is made of an insulating, temperature resisting and flame retardant material. The first electrical connection pin 6 is disposed in a first pin fixing slot 2E electrically coupled to the internal box body 2 and has two positioning recesses 6A latched with a protruded member in the first pin fixing slot 2E. The second electrical connection pin 7 is fixed and installed in the fixing slot 2C of the second electrical connection pin 7, and the varistor 5 is installed into the varistor placement slot 2G of the internal box body 2, and the varistor's second electrode 5B is installed in the varistor's second electrode slot 2H and soldered with the first electrical connection pin 6 in the soldering area 6B, and the soldering area 6B is processed with a special surface treatment.

(36) The function rotating member 3 is made of an insulating, temperature resisting, and flame retardant material, installed in the function rotating member placement slot 2A, and sheathed on the fixed column 2B, and the function rotating member 3 is installed between the varistor 5 and the bridge bracket 8 and coupled to the elastic driving device 4, wherein the elastic driving device 4 is preferably a spring 4. The spring of the elastic driving device 4 has an end coupled to the spring connecting ring 3B and the other end coupled to the spring fixing column 2F of the internal box body. A fixing end 8B of the bridge bracket 8 is fixed and coupled to the second electrical connection pin 7 directly. The bridge bracket 8 is preferably pivotally coupled to the second electrical connection pin 7 in order to save the conductive wire coupled between them, so as to simplify the structure and reduce the quantity of components.

(37) With reference to FIGS. 8a-9b, when the varistor 5 is situated at a normal status, the function rotating member 3 is situated at the first position, and the spring of the elastic driving device 4 is situated at the stretched status, and a soldering end 8A of the bridge bracket 8 is deformed by forces and then soldered with the soldering window 3C, the varistor's first electrode passing hole 2K and the varistor's first electrode 5A at low temperature, and the bridge bracket 8 is made of metal with an elasticity, so that the soldered bridge bracket 8 is capable of producing a restoring force according to the elastic deformation of the elastic body; and the normal status indicating area 3G of the function rotating member 3 is exposed from the monitoring hole 1A to indicate a normal status, and the remote linkage rod 9 of the surge protector is pressed down by the remote linkage rod contact wall 3D.

(38) When the varistor 5 is situated at the release status, the elastic driving device 4 drives the function rotating member 3 to rotate around the fixed column 2B. In other words, the spring is contracted to its original status, and the function rotating member is rotated counterclockwise around the fixed column 2B under the effect of the spring of the elastic driving device 4, and the function rotating member 3 is rotated to the second position, so that the failure status indicating area 2N of the internal box body 2 is situated at the monitoring hole 1A and exposed from the monitoring hole 1A to indicate that the varistor 5 is situated at the release status, and the function rotating member 3 is rotated from the remote linkage rod contact wall 3D to the remote linkage notching 3H with respect to the point of action of the remote linkage rod 9, so as to release the remote linkage rod 9. The bridge bracket 8 will not rotate with the function rotating member 3, and the arc shield plate 3F provides a shielding effect between the bridge bracket 8 and the varistor's first electrode 5A, so that the wiring can be cut off more completely to prevent the conventional ceramic shielding body and release electrode plate from moving together. If distance between them is too short, the wiring cannot be cut off completely.

(39) Preferably, the shear plane 2M is disposed on the varistor's first electrode passing hole 2K, and the shear slope 3E of the function rotating member 3 is matched with the shear plane 2M of the varistor's first electrode passing hole 2K and rotated with the rotation of the function rotating member 3 to produce a shear movement, so as to cut off the soldering wiring more completely and quickly. When the function rotating member 3 is rotated to the second position, the inner wall and the shear plane 2M of the varistor's first electrode passing hole 2K, the arc shield plate 3F of the function rotating member 3, and a surface of the varistor's first electrode 5A form a closed area, so that the electric arc can be eliminated more completely and quickly.

(40) With reference to FIGS. 10a and 3a, the base is a pluggable structure having a cover 10, an electrical connection member and a remote device, and a latch slot 10A is formed on an inner sidewall of the U-shaped plug slot of the cover 10. When the release mechanism is plugged, the latch slot 10A and the lock 1B of the external box body 1 are latched with each other, and the release mechanism and the base can be coupled conveniently and quickly, and such arrangement prevents the release mechanism from being loosened or falling out, so as to improve the product safety.

(41) With reference to FIGS. 10b and 3b, the electrical connection member has a metal claw 11 and a conductive strip 12. The metal claw 11 and the conductive strip 12 are soldered by point soldering, and the metal claw 11 is clamped and coupled to the first electrical connection pin 6 and the second electrical connection pin 7 of the release mechanism to form a conducting channel.

(42) With reference to FIGS. 10c and 11, the remote device has a seat 13, a remote linkage rod 9, a remote linkage rod spring 17 and a remote connection terminal 20, and the remote connection terminal 20 may be coupled to a control system.

(43) With reference to FIGS. 11-13b, the multi-stage surge protector is a two-stage surge protector, and the base of the surge protector of each stage is an independent linkage mechanical connection structure, and the remote device has as seat 13 with an end surface 13C, a sidewall 13E, a slider 14, a group of slide slots 13A, and the surge protector of each stage has a limit point 13B, a slider spring 16, a spring placement hole 13D, a bump 9B and a remote linkage rod internal hole 9C. The resultant force of two slider springs 16 is smaller than the elasticity of the single remote linkage rod spring 17. The slider 14 has a driven slope 14A, a micro switch driven block 14B, two spring fixing columns 14C and two positioning claws 14D, and the slider 14 is installed onto the slide slot 13A. The positioning claw 14 blocks the end surface 13C, and the two spring fixing columns 14C have a slider spring 16 each, and an end of the slider spring 16 abuts a sidewall 13E, so that the sidewall 13E provides a continuous pushing force to the slider 14. Both of the remote linkage rod 9 and the remote linkage rod spring 17 are installed into the spring placement holes 13D of the surge protector of each stage respectively, and the remote linkage rod spring 17 is installed into the remote linkage rod internal hole 9C. With the effect of the bump 9B and the limit point 13B, the installed remote linkage rod 9 will not be popped out by the link rod spring 17. The micro switch 15 and the terminal block 19 are soldered onto the circuit board 18, and the circuit board 18 with the micro switch 15 and the terminal block 16 are installed into the seat 13.

(44) With reference to FIGS. 14 and 16 for a varistor 5 situated at the normal operation status, the remote linkage rod 9 is pressed down by the remote linkage rod contact wall 3D of the function rotating member 3, and the remote linkage rod spring 17 is situated at a maximum compression status. Under the pushing effect of the slider spring 16, the driven slope 14A of the slider 14 is stopped at the right end of the slide slot 13A by the driving slope 9A of the remote linkage rod 9. Now, the micro switch driven block 14B on the slider has no action on the micro switch button 15A, and the micro switch button 15A is situated at a naturally pop-up status which indicates that the varistor is situated at a normal operation status.

(45) With reference to FIGS. 15 and 17 for a varistor 5 situated at the release status, the function rotating member 3 is rotated counterclockwise to the second position, and the function rotating member 3 is rotated from the remote linkage rod contact wall 3D to the remote linkage notching 3H with respect to the point of action of the remote linkage rod 9. When the functional rotating member 3 is rotated to a position above the remote linkage rod 9, the remote linkage rod 9 has an upward movement space and pops upward under the pushing effect of the remote linkage rod spring 17 to indicate that the varistor 5 is situated at the release status (which is the failure status). Under the elastic effect of the driving slope 9A, the driven slope 14A drives the slider 14 to move leftward along the slide slot 13A. After the remote linkage rod 9 has been popped completely, the slider 14 is situated at a maximum displacement of the stroke, and the slider spring 16 is compressed, and the micro switch driven block 14B presses down the micro switch button 15A. Since the resultant force of two slider springs 16 is smaller than the elasticity of a single remote linkage rod spring 17, just a micro switch and a slider can release the surge protector of any level, and then the remote device will issue a failure warning signal to the control system to assure an effective feedback to the control end for each time of release and remind maintenance people to replace the surge protector timely, so as to achieve the effects of improving the safety and reliability of the surge protector, reducing the quantity of components, facilitating the manufacturing process, and lowering the cost.

(46) In summation of the description above, the release mechanism of this disclosure is capable of cutting off the electric arc and the soldering wiring between the varistor pin and the bridge bracket completely and quickly, while providing a status indication and a remote function.

(47) The base of this disclosure simply adopts a micro switch and a slider component, such that when a surge protector of any level is released, the remote device will issue a signal to improve the safety and reliability of the surge protector.