Abstract
The present invention relates to a circuit breaker (20, 40) comprising a handle (33) connected to a switching and trip mechanism (25) in the base unit (20a), and capable of opening and closing a system (24) of electrical contacts in normal operation, ensuring the interchangeability between a pluggable electronic trip module (20b) and/or a pluggable thermomagnetic trip module (20b), using the same structural base unit (20a). The device comprises a main electric circuit 1 and a secondary circuit 2 or 2b, wherein the main circuit 1, using a current transformer (29) in the base unit (20a) which converts a current flowing in the main circuit 1 of the power line (23) to power the secondary circuit 2 or 2b, issues a trip command to protect the main circuit 1, opening the contact system (24) when predefined current limits are exceeded.
Claims
1-7. (canceled)
8. A circuit breaker having a pluggable trip module, the circuit breaker comprising: a base unit; a system of electrical contacts; a switching and trip mechanism; and a current transformer for powering the pluggable trip module, wherein the pluggable trip module is one of a pluggable electronic trip module and a pluggable thermomagnetic trip module, the pluggable electronic trip module and the pluggable thermomagnetic trip module being mechanically and electrically interchangeable with one another.
9. The circuit breaker according to claim 8, wherein the pluggable trip module is equipped with a mechanical trip lever.
10. The circuit breaker according to claim 8, wherein the base unit comprises a bottom face and a top face, and the circuit breaker comprises: a drive shaft for driving the switching and trip mechanism, the drive shaft being perpendicular to the top face.
11. The circuit breaker according to claim 9, wherein the switching and trip mechanism comprises an interaction lever for interacting with a driving nose of the mechanical trip lever.
12. The circuit breaker according to claim 8, wherein the current transformer powers a transformer of the pluggable electronic module.
13. A circuit breaker for powering a secondary electrical circuit, the circuit breaker comprising: a main electrical circuit comprising a main transformer configured to convert a current to power the secondary electrical circuit; wherein the secondary electrical circuit comprises at least one of: a pluggable electronic trip module comprising a secondary transformer and an electronic control unit; or a pluggable thermomagnetic trip module comprising a thermomagnetic trip.
Description
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0018] FIG. 1 shows a block diagram with a first preferred embodiment of the invention, wherein a circuit breaker is composed of a base unit and a pluggable electronic trip module installed in the network to be protected.
[0019] FIG. 2 shows a block diagram with a second preferred embodiment of the invention, wherein a circuit breaker comprises a base unit and a pluggable thermomagnetic trip module installed in the network to be protected.
[0020] In FIG. 3, it is shown in a perspective view a first preferred embodiment of the invention of a circuit breaker containing a pluggable thermomagnetic and/or electronic trip module.
[0021] In FIG. 4 it is shown a preferred embodiment of the invention with the base unit of the circuit breaker in the central pole, which is the object of the invention.
[0022] FIG. 4a shows a perspective view of a pluggable thermomagnetic and/or electronic trip module.
[0023] FIG. 5 shows a side view of the circuit breaker in a first preferred embodiment of the invention in partial section view, showing details of a pluggable electronic trip module.
[0024] FIG. 5a shows a detail view of the male-type connection terminals of the pluggable electronic trip module and the female-type connection terminals of the circuit breaker base.
[0025] FIG. 6 shows an exploded perspective view of the details of the pluggable electronic trip module.
[0026] FIG. 6a shows a section view of the auxiliary mechanical trip details of the pluggable electronic trip module.
[0027] FIG. 6b shows a side view of the slot details of the pluggable thermomagnetic and/or electronic trip module.
[0028] FIG. 6c shows a perspective view of the mechanical trip lever details of the pluggable electronic trip module.
[0029] FIG. 7 shows a detail view of the circuit breaker in a second preferred embodiment of the invention with a rupture showing details of the pluggable thermomagnetic trip module.
[0030] FIG. 8 shows an exploded perspective view of the details of the pluggable thermomagnetic trip module.
[0031] FIG. 8a shows a section view of the auxiliary trip mechanism details of the pluggable thermomagnetic trip module.
[0032] FIG. 8b shows a perspective view of the mechanical trip lever details of the pluggable thermomagnetic trip module.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS
[0033] FIG. 1 shows a block diagram with a first embodiment of the invention, wherein a multipolar circuit breaker (20) connected to a primary power source (21) that provides power to a load (22), wherein on the power line (23) there between is installed said circuit breaker (20), formed by a base unit (20a), which is represented in a primary circuit 1, and a pluggable electronic trip module (20b), which is represented in a secondary circuit 2. The circuit breaker (20), through its base unit (20a) is connected in series to said power line (23) and to the coupled load (22), to be protected against overloads and/or short circuits. The system of electrical contacts (24) of circuit breaker (20) establishes or interrupts the current in at least one of the conductors of the power line (23), from a rotating actuator (25a) and the switching and trip mechanism (25), best observed in FIG. 4, ruled by an on/off (ON/OFF) operation handle (33), or from a trip (TRIP) for overcurrent or short-circuit, controlled by a pluggable electronic trip module (20b), wherein a solid-state circuit control unit (28) energizes a magnetic actuator coil (31), displacing the mechanical trip lever (26) and its actuator nose (26b), best seen in FIG. 6c, and the interaction lever (25b), best seen in FIG. 4, which communicate by a displacement movement with the switching and trip mechanism (25), best seen in FIG. 4, of the main circuit 1 of the base unit (20a), or directly from a magnetic actuator coil (32) of the base (20a) in the switching and trip mechanism (25), which drives a rotating actuator (25a), best seen in FIG. 4, which opens the system of electrical contacts (24). The electronic control unit (28) is powered by a first current transformer (29) in the base unit (20a), associated with at least one power line (23), wherein said current transformer (29) generates through a secondary circuit 2 an electrical signal suitable to power the pluggable electronic trip module (20b), this pluggable electronic module (20b) internally having a transformer (30) suitable to power the electronic control unit (28).
[0034] FIG. 2 shows a block diagram with a second embodiment of the invention, wherein a multipolar circuit breaker (40) connected to a primary power source (21), which provides power to a load (22), and on the power line (23) there between is installed said circuit breaker (40), formed by a base unit (20a), which is shown in a primary circuit 1 and a pluggable thermomagnetic trip module (20c), which is represented in a secondary circuit 2b. The circuit breaker (40) through its base unit (20a) is connected in series to said power line (23) and the coupled load (22) to be protected against overloads and/or short circuits. The system of electrical contacts (24) of the circuit breaker (40) establishes or interrupts the current in at least one of the conductors of the power line (23), from a rotating actuator (25a), best observed in FIG. 4, and the switching and trip mechanism (25), better observed in FIG. 4, controlled by an on/off (ON/OFF) operation handle (33) or yet a trip (TRIP) for overcurrent or short-circuit, controlled by a pluggable thermomagnetic trip module (20c) by means of a mechanical trip lever (26d), and its actuator nose (26f) and interaction lever (25b), better observed in FIG. 4, that communicates by a displacement movement of the switching and trip mechanism (25) of the main circuit 1 of the base unit (20a), or even directly from a magnetic actuator coil (32) of the base (20a) in the switching and trip mechanism (25), which moves a rotating actuator (25a), opening the system of contacts (24). The thermomagnetic actuator (28c) is associated and powered by a current transformer (29) in the base unit (20a), connected to at least one power line (23), wherein said current transformer (29) and a primary conductor of the power line (23) generate to the secondary circuit 2b a current suitable to supply the thermomagnetic trip module (20c) directly pluggable to it.
[0035] In FIG. 3, it is shown a perspective view of the two preferred embodiments of the invention of a circuit breaker (20,40) containing a base unit (20a), comprising a bottom face (20f), intermediate housing (20d), cover (20g), inlet and outlet terminals (35,39) and a pluggable trip module (20b,20c).
[0036] In FIG. 4 it is shown a cross-section view in the central pole of a circuit breaker (20,40), comprising the base unit (20a), being structured for a bottom face (20f), fixed to a rail (not represented), an intermediate housing (20d), a cover (20e), an on/off (ON/OFF) operation handle (33), containing a actuator shaft (33a), perpendicular to the operating face (20g), a switching and trip mechanism (25), a rotating actuator (25a), an interaction lever (25b), an auxiliary magnetic lever (25c), an input terminal (35), a shaped conductor (36) that power a safety magnetic trip coil (32), an actuator core (32a), a system of electrical contact (fixed and mobile) (24), an output terminal (39) and a current transformer (29), comprising the circuit primary 1, where the transformer (29) of the base unit (20a) feeds a secondary circuit 2 seen in Figure 1 or a secondary circuit 2b seen in Figure 2, through a system of snap-connect terminals (41), further detailed in FIG. 5a. The system of electrical contact (24) comprising a movable contact (42), a support (27), a fixed input electrical contact (43), arc extinguishing chambers (44), contact springs (46) and a fixed output contact (39a) connected to the fixed output terminal (39).
[0037] FIG. 4a shows in perspective a pluggable trip module (20b,20c) comprising connecting terminals (41a) with the base unit (20a) seen in FIG. 4, engagement rails (47) and a actuator nose (26b, 26f) of a mechanical trip lever (26, 26d) best seen in FIGS. 6c and 8b.
[0038] FIG. 5 shows in side view a first preferred embodiment of the invention, comprising the circuit breaker base unit (20) with a rupture, showing cutting details of the pluggable electronic trip module (20b) coupled to the base (20a), comprising a housing (55), a side cover (56), an operating interface cover (57), a second transformer (30), a mechanical trip lever (26), a actuator nose (26b), a hinge shaft (48), a magnetic actuator coil (31), a solid-state circuit control unit (28), among other components and the indication of the outline FIG. 5a to be shown later.
[0039] FIG. 5a shows, in a larger extended cut, a snap-connect terminal system (41), comprised of a male-type terminal (41a), seen in FIG. 4a of the pluggable trip module (20b, 20c), connected to the female-type connection terminals (41b) of the base unit (20a), seen in FIG. 4.
[0040] FIG. 6 shows in an exploded perspective the details of the pluggable electronic trip module (20b) used in conjunction with the base unit (20a), forming the circuit breaker (20), comprising a housing (55), a side cover (57), a solid-state circuit control unit (28), adjustment devices (58), an auxiliary transformer (30), a magnetic actuator coil (31) and a mechanical trip lever (26).
[0041] FIG. 6a shows in a cross-section the details of the pluggable electronic trip module, comprising a housing (55), side cover (56), magnetic actuator coil (31) and magnetic core (31a), hinge shaft (48), mechanical trip lever (26), a actuator nose (26b), a solid-state circuit control unit (28) and engagement rails (47).
[0042] FIG. 6b shows in a side view the details of the plug limiter (47a) of the pluggable trip module (20b, 20c), as well as insulators (47b) between poles and connecting terminals (41a).
[0043] FIG. 6c shows in a perspective the details of the mechanical trip lever (26) of the pluggable electronic trip module (20b), seen in FIGS. 5, 6, 6a and 6b, comprising a cylindrical through hole (26a), a actuator nose (26b) and a coupling flange (26c) to the core (31a) seen in FIG. 6a.
[0044] FIG. 7 shows in a side view a second preferred embodiment of the invention, the base unit (20a) of the circuit breaker (40) with a rupture, showing section details of the pluggable thermomagnetic trip module (20c) coupled to the base (20a), comprising a housing (55a), operating interface cover (57a), a hinge axis (49a), a bimetallic rod (59), an auxiliary magnetic actuator coil (60), a magnetic actuator core (60a), a mechanical trip lever (26d), a actuator nose (26f), an auxiliary trip mechanism (26e), among other components.
[0045] FIG. 8 shows in a exploded perspective details of the pluggable thermomagnetic trip module (20c) used to form, along with the base unit (20a), the circuit breaker (40), comprising a housing (55a), operation interface cover (57a), a hinge axis (49a), a thermomagnetic trip (28c), consisting of bimetallic rods (59), magnetic coils (60) and cores (60a), among other components and an auxiliary trip mechanism (26e), consisting of a mechanical trip lever (26d), adjustment device (58a), among other components.
[0046] FIG. 8a shows in a cross-section the details of the pluggable thermomagnetic trip module (20c), comprising a housing (55a), an auxiliary trip mechanism (26e), a mechanical trip lever (26d), a actuator nose (26f), a hinge axis (49a) and engaging rails (47).
[0047] FIG. 8b shows in perspective the details of the auxiliary mechanical trip lever (26d) of the pluggable thermomagnetic trip module (20c), comprising a through hole (26i), a actuator nose (26f), a spring locking tooth (26g) and a coupling tooth (26h).
FUNCTIONING OF THE INVENTION
[0048] According to the invention in FIGS. 1 to 8b, a multipolar circuit breaker (20,40) is disclosed, comprising a manually operable handle (33), capable of switching on or off (ON/OFF), or yet indicate a trip (TRIP) of the circuit breaker (20,40), having a switching and trip mechanism (25) that drives a rotating actuator (25a), among other things, that opens and closes the system of electrical contacts (24) in normal operation (ON/OFF) or trip (TRIP), using the same constructive base unit (20a) which is also used for fixing the circuit breaker (20,40) to a rail or operating panel (not shown), enabling the use of a pluggable electronic trip module (20b) or the pluggable thermomagnetic trip module (20c), which are mechanically and electrically interchangeable with each other, allowing the user to simply manage the replacement of modules or adaptation of different ranges of current, to open the system of contacts (24), when predetermined current values are reached. For this, a main electrical circuit 1 and an associated secondary electrical circuit 2 or 2b are conveniently used, where the main circuit 1 is connected in series to the bus bar of the power line (23) to be protected, through power terminals (35,39), using an associated current transformer (29) in the base unit (20a) which converts a current flowing in the main circuit 1 of the power line (23) to supply the associated secondary circuit 2 or 2b, that comprises a pluggable trip module (20b, 20c), comprising adjustment devices (58,58a) which develops a trip command to protect the main circuit 1 through the mechanical trip lever (26,26d) and its actuator nose (26b,26f) and interaction lever (25b), that communicate by a displacement movement of the switching and trip mechanism (25) of the main circuit 1 of the base unit (20a), opening the system of contacts (24), when current pre-set limits are exceeded.
[0049] In a first preferred embodiment, in the specific case of using the pluggable electronic trip module (20b) of the diagram of FIG. 1, with the base unit (20a) of the multipolar circuit breaker (20) during the operation of the handle (33) in the on (ON) mode, wherein in any abnormality of the circulating current on the power line (23) or the load (22) being identified by the solid-state circuit control unit (28), wherein said unit (28) energizes an actuating coil (31) by displacing the magnetic core (31a), and also promoting a turning movement to the mechanical trip lever (26), seen in FIGS. 6a and 6c, through a flange (26c) of the hinge shaft (48) and hole (26a) of bearing, transferring the motion to a actuator nose (26b), which causes the interaction lever (25b) to move and actuate the switching and trip mechanism (25) and rotates the actuator (25a) and pulls the support (27) of the movable contact (42), which opens the system of contact (24) by placing the circuit breaker (20) in a trip (TRIP) position, to protect the power line (23) or its connected load (22). Additionally, the circuit breaker (20) is provided at its base unit (20a) with a trip coil (32), that in the case where any level of circulating current considered safe limitation, higher than that predicted for the operation by the pluggable electronic trip module (20b), acts with a core (32a) on an auxiliary magnetic lever (25c), which also triggers the switching mechanism (25) and rotates the actuator (25a) and pushes the support (27) of the movable contact (42), seen in FIG. 4, opening the system of contacts (24) in the base unit (20a) and stopping the flow of any conductor of the power line (23) or load (22) connected. In normal operation in the ON position of the handle (33), the switch and trip mechanism (25) maintains the system of contacts (24) or any other system of contacts of the base unit (20a) in a normally closed position, due to the action of the contact spring (46), wherein it is only opened by the actuating force of the switching and trip mechanism (25) when actuated by the auxiliary magnetic lever (25c), due to the motion of the core (32a) of the magnetic actuator, or the interaction lever (25b), due to the movement of the mechanical trip lever (26) or through the handle (33), connected to the switching and trip mechanism (25) by means of an shaft (33a) perpendicular to the operating face (20g) when activated by the user.
[0050] In a second preferred embodiment, in the specific case of the use of the pluggable thermomagnetic trip module (20c) with the base unit (20a) of the multipolar circuit breaker (40) in operation of the handle (33) in the (ON) mode, wherein any abnormality of the circulating current in the power line (23) or the load (22) is received by the thermomagnetic trip (28c), composed of a bimetallic rod (59), a magnetic coil (60) and a core (60a) per pole, which acts on a trip mechanism (26e) by using a spring system, which promotes a turning movement of the lever (26d), seen in FIGS. 8, 8a and 8b, where by means of the couplings (26g,26h) and the hinge axis (49a) and bearing (26i), transferring the motion the actuator nose (26f), which causes the interaction lever (25b) to move and trigger the switching and trip mechanism (25) of the base unit (20a), rotating the actuator (25a) and pushing the support (27) of the movable contact (42), seen in FIG. 4, which opens the system of contacts (24) by placing the circuit breaker (40) in a trip (TRIP) position. Additionally, the circuit breaker (40) is provided with a trip coil (32) that acts with a core (32a) on an auxiliary magnetic lever (25c), which also activates the switching and trip mechanism (25), rotates the actuator (25a) and pushes the support (27) of the movable contact (42), seen in FIG. 4, opening the system of contacts (24) in the base unit (20a) and stopping the flow of any conductor of the power line (23) or load (22) connected. In normal operation in the ON position of the handle (33), the switch and trip mechanism (25) maintains the system of contacts (24) or any other system of contacts of the base unit (20a) in a normally closed position, due to the action of the contact spring (46), wherein it is only opened by the actuating force of the switching and trip mechanism (25) when actuated by the auxiliary magnetic lever (25c), due to the motion of the core (32a) of the magnetic actuator or by the interaction lever (25b), due to the movement of the mechanical trip lever (26) or through the handle (33), connected to the switching and trip mechanism (25) by means of an shaft (33a) perpendicular to the operating face (20g) when activated by the user. On the operation of the bimetallic rod (59), its performance is known in the state of the art, but in a simplified way, it has more than one metallic layer, with different coefficients of expansion and, in the event of change of current (consequently increasing the temperature), the assembly bends, acting in longer periods of time, opening the system of the contacts (24) connected thereto, through the trip mechanism (26e) of the mechanical trip lever (26d) seen in FIG. 8, of the lever (25b), and the trip mechanism (25) of the base unit (20a) seen in FIG. 4, of the circuit breaker (40), seen in FIG. 3. In a similar manner, in instantaneous high current periods, the magnetic actuating coil (60) causes the core (60a) to move, also connected to the mechanism (26e) of the mechanical trip lever (26d), of the lever (25b), and the switching and trip mechanism (25) of the base unit (20a) of the circuit breaker (40) seen in FIG. 4 also opens the system of electrical contact (24).
[0051] In one exemplary embodiment of the invention, the effects of modularity between the pluggable trip modules (20b,20c) has been achieved by providing the circuit breaker (40) of a transformer (29) in the base unit (20a), which converts the flowing current, starting from a current in the power line (23) of 125 A, at a current output value of 5 A. This reduction is sufficient to allow a substantial reduction in dimensionality of the bimetallic rods (59) and magnetic actuator coils (60) connected to the pluggable thermomagnetic trip module (20c) of the circuit breaker (40) and allow better aligning of the dimensions between modules (20b) with pluggable thermomagnetic trip modules (20c). To complete the communication between the different modules, the solution provides the circuit breaker (20,40) with at least one mechanical trip lever (26,26d) between the pluggable trip modules (20b,20c) and the base unit (20a) and thereby make compatible the way the pluggable trip modules (20b, 20c) actuate the interaction lever (25b) through the mechanical trip lever (26,26d) and the switching and trip mechanism (25) of the base unit (20a), which open the system of electrical contacts (24) in the same manner, both for pluggable electronic trip modules (20b) and for pluggable thermomagnetic trip modules (20c). Yet, the invention, starting from a current in the example above 5 A, at the output of the transformer (29) of the primary circuit 1, provides the electronic trip module (20b) of the secondary circuit 2 with a second transformer (30), which, by receiving the 5 A current from the first transformer (29) of the base unit (20a), resets the current and voltage ratio, transforming the signal and providing an output voltage at a level of 5V, suitable for the solid-state control unit (28), for example.
[0052] Unlike the state of the art contained in patents U.S. Pat. No. 4,064,469, U.S. Pat. No. 4,037,183 and the like, direct connection of the trip modules, independent of the power terminals (35,39), allows through the transformer (29) in the base unit (20a) of the circuit breaker (20, 40) that the positioning formatting of the connection terminals (41) between the pluggable trip module (20b, 20c) and the base unit (20a) for various current ranges of the power line (23) to be done in a much more flexible way, since the wiring coming out of the transformer winding can be targeted and shaped in a very practical way, keeping the geometry of the trip modules, regardless of the base unit (20a) of the circuit breaker (20, 40), power terminals (35,39), system of electrical contacts (24) and transformer (29), for example, for use in motor protection circuit breakers or also for a molded case circuit breaker or other interruption device.
[0053] Obviously, it should be understood that other modifications and variations made to this invention are considered within the scope of the present invention.
