Frictionless switching device for opening and closing an electrical line, with improved operating accuracy

Abstract

A switching device for opening and closing an electrical line, including: two fixed contact terminals separated from one another, an operating member, comprising a contact piece, at least one flexible strip comprising at least one end part attached to a fixed support, the flexible strip or strips being adapted to exert a return force on the contact piece to return it from its closed position to its open position in the absence of a motive force on the operating member, the operating member comprising two electrically insulating pusher arms, spaced apart from one another and each attached to an end part of the contact piece; each flexible strip comprising two other end parts, each attached to one of the two push arms or to a part of the operating member that is itself attached to, or forms an integral part of, one of the pusher arms.

Claims

1. Switching device for opening and closing an electrical line, comprising: two fixed contact terminals separated from one another, an operating member, comprising a contact piece adapted to be moved axially between a closed position in which the contact piece is applied simultaneously to the two contact terminals, connecting them electrically, and an open position in which the contact piece is separated from the two contact terminals, at least one flexible strip comprising at least one end part comprising an attachment part attached to a fixed support, the flexible strip or strips being adapted to exert a return force on the contact piece to return it from its closed position to its open position in the absence of a motive force on the operating member, wherein the operating member comprises two electrically insulating pusher arms, spaced apart from one another and each attached to an end part of the contact piece, wherein the fixed support comprises a shaft arranged laterally offset from one side of the plane formed by the two pusher arms, wherein each flexible strip comprises two other end parts arranged opposite from each other, and each attached to one of the two push arms or to a part of the operating member that is itself attached to, or forms an integral part of, one of the pusher arms, and wherein the attachment part of the at least one flexible strip is located between and laterally offset from an axis connecting the two other end parts, and the attachment part is attached to the shaft on said one side of the plane formed by the two pusher arms.

2. Switching device according to claim 1, wherein it comprises two flexible strips kept spaced parallel to one another on each fixed support as well as on each of the two pusher arms or each part of the operating member, which is itself attached to, or forms an integral part of, one of the pusher arms.

3. Switching device according to claim 1, wherein the contact piece is a rigid flat strip, and in that each of the two pusher arms is of straight elongate shape and is attached to the rigid flat strip and orthogonal thereto.

4. Switching device according to claim 1, wherein the operating member is a single piece consisting of a rod connected to a connecting beam connecting the two pusher arms.

5. Switching device according to claim 1, wherein the operating member comprises only the two pusher arms.

6. Switching device according to claim 5, wherein the contact piece comprises two openings, each formed in one of its end parts, and wherein the two pusher arms comprise hooks that can each engage in one of the two openings of the contact piece so as to form a removable joint.

7. Switching device according to claim 1, wherein the contact piece is attached to the two pusher arms by a removable joint, preferably a clip-fitting joint, or by a permanent joint.

8. Switching device according to claim 1, wherein each other end part of the at least one flexible strip is attached to each of the two pusher arms, or to each part of the operating member that is itself attached to or forms an integral part of one of the pusher arms, by a removable joint, preferably a bearing and centring joint or a clip-fitting joint.

9. Switching device according to claim 1, wherein the fixed support is arranged parallel to the axis of movement of the operating member.

10. Switching device according to claim 9, wherein the shaft of the support is arranged substantially orthogonally to the rigid flat contact strip.

11. Switching device according to claim 1, wherein it comprises an axially moving actuator adapted to move at least one flexible strip, called the drive strip, arranged substantially orthogonally to the axis of movement of the operating member and adapted to transmit the movements of the actuator to the two pusher arms.

12. Switching device according to claim 11, wherein it comprises a single flexible drive strip having a free end bearing against the rod of the operating member, to transmit the movements of the actuator to the two pusher arms.

13. Switching device according to claim 11, wherein it comprises two flexible drive strips, each having a free end bearing against one of the two pusher arms to transmit the movements of the actuator to them.

14. Switching device according to claim 1, wherein it comprises an electrically conductive closure plate, the contact piece of the operating member and the two contact terminals being arranged on one side of said closure plate, while the greater part of the two pusher arms, together with the flexible strip or strips and the fixed supports are arranged on the other side of the closure plate.

15. Switching device according to claim 14, wherein the closure plate comprises two openings, each allowing the passage and frictionless axial movement of one of the two pusher arms.

16. Switching device according to claim 1, wherein in the open position of the operating member, the contact piece bears on the closure plate.

17. Switching device according to claim 1, wherein each flexible strip has an external shape substantially in the form of an isosceles triangle or a parallelogram, wherein the attachment part comprises a single end part attached to the shaft and extending orthogonally to the contact piece, each other end part of each flexible strip being attached to one of the two pusher arms.

18. Switching device according to claim 1, wherein each flexible strip has an external shape substantially in the form of a lozenge, comprising two end parts attached to a fixed support arranged in a plane perpendicular to the plane formed by the two pusher arms and extending orthogonally to the contact piece, each other end part of each flexible strip being attached to one of the two pusher arms or to a part of the operating member attached to the two pusher arms, forming a cross.

19. Switching device according to claim 1, wherein each flexible strip is in the general shape of a lozenge, comprising two end parts, each attached to a fixed support arranged in the plane formed by the two pusher arms and extending orthogonally to the contact piece, each other end of each flexible strip being attached to one of the two pusher arms.

20. Switching device according to claim 1, wherein each flexible strip has an external shape substantially in the form of a lozenge, comprising two end parts, each attached to a fixed support arranged in the plane formed by the two pusher arms and extending orthogonally to the contact piece, each other end part of each flexible strip being attached to a part of the operating member attached to the two pusher arms, forming a cross.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) The invention may be more clearly understood from a perusal of the following detailed description of non-limiting exemplary embodiments of the invention, and from an examination of the attached drawing, in which:

(2) FIG. 1 shows a partially cut-away perspective view of a switching device according to a first embodiment of the invention, in the open position;

(3) FIG. 2 is a partially cut-away perspective view of a variant of the device according to FIG. 1;

(4) FIG. 3 shows a partially cut-away perspective view of a switching device according to a second embodiment of the invention, in the open position;

(5) FIGS. 3A and 3B are views in longitudinal section along the plane P of the device of FIG. 3, in the open and closed position respectively;

(6) FIG. 4 shows, in longitudinal section, the switching device according to FIG. 3 in the open position, this figure showing the actuator with the movement driving strip of the operating member;

(7) FIGS. 5 and 6 show perspective views of an operating member with its pusher arms according to the invention, respectively before and after the fixing of the contact piece by clip-fitting, the operating member being shown in a configuration which is the inverse of its operating configuration in which the contact strip is at the bottom;

(8) FIGS. 7, 7A and 7B show, in a partially cut-away perspective view, in a top view and in a longitudinal sectional view respectively, a variant of the switching device according to the second embodiment;

(9) FIGS. 8 and 8A show, in a perspective view and in a top view respectively, a switching device according to a third embodiment of the invention;

(10) FIGS. 9 and 9A show, in a perspective view and in a top view respectively, a switching device according to a fourth embodiment of the invention;

(11) FIG. 10 shows, in a top view, a variant arrangement of two switching devices according to the invention, in which the connecting beams of the pusher arms of the devices are aligned with one another;

(12) FIG. 11 shows, in a top view, a variant arrangement of four switching devices according to the invention, in which the connecting beams of the pusher arms of the devices are parallel in pairs, forming a square; and

(13) FIG. 12 shows, in a top view, a variant arrangement of six switching devices according to the invention, in which the connecting beams of the pusher arms of the devices are arranged radially about an axis to form a star.

DESCRIPTION OF EXAMPLE EMBODIMENTS

(14) Throughout the present application, the terms lower, upper, vertical, bottom, top, below and above are to be interpreted with reference to a switching device in which the operating member is above the contact terminals with the axis of movement of the operating member arranged vertically.

(15) The switching device for opening and closing an electrical line shown in the drawing comprises an operating member 1, which comprises an electrically conductive contact piece 2 and an electrically insulating operating member 3.

(16) As illustrated for all the embodiments, the contact piece 2 advantageously takes the form of a rigid flat metal strip, substantially rectangular in shape. As illustrated, the contact strip 2 comprises a central part 20 and two end parts 21, 22 on either side of the central part 20. Other geometries of the contact piece may be equally suitable.

(17) The contact piece 2 is adapted to bear simultaneously on two contact terminals 4, 5, fixed and separate from one other, and having contact surfaces 4a, 5a, located in the same plane parallel to the contact piece 2. HF signals may be transmitted through the two contact terminals 4, 5.

(18) As is clearly shown in FIGS. 3, 3A and 3B, each of the contact terminals 4 and 5 is located in a housing formed for this purpose in an electrically conductive body 6, at a distance from the wall of the housing, said terminals being electrically insulated from said body. The conductive body 6 comprises an electrically conductive closure plate 7 in which are formed two openings 7a, 7b, each allowing the passage and movement of one of the two pusher arms 31, 32 of the operating member 3 according to the invention.

(19) The electrical line formed by the two contact terminals 4, 5 and the contact piece 2 is thus protected against any electromagnetic radiation external to the switching device.

(20) According to the invention, the operating member 3 is attached to at least one flexible strip 8, or preferably two flexible strips 8 and 9 kept spaced parallel to one another. Each of the flexible strip or strips 8, 9 is adapted to exert a return force on the contact piece 2 to return it from its closed position, as shown in FIG. 3B, to its open position in the absence of a motive force on the operating member, as shown in FIG. 3A.

(21) The general external shape of a flexible strip 8, 9 is preferably either an isosceles triangle as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, or a lozenge as shown in FIGS. 3, 3A, 3B, 4, 7A, 7B, 8A and 9A. Other shapes may be suitable.

(22) Each flexible strip 8, 9 comprises at least one end part 80, 90 attached to a fixed support 10. As illustrated in all the embodiments, a fixed support is preferably a shaft 10 arranged parallel to the axis of movement of the operating member 3, and preferably also arranged substantially orthogonally to the rigid flat contact strip 2.

(23) Each shaft 10 preferably has a shoulder at its lower end and is mounted so as to bear with its shoulder in a hole formed in the conductive body 6.

(24) As shown in FIGS. 3, 7, 7A, 7B, 8 and 9, each shaft 10 may also have a shoulder in a central part and/or at its upper end, so that the end part of a flexible strip 8, 9, preferably in the form of a hole, is mounted solely by fitting around the shaft, and by bearing against the shoulder.

(25) Other attachment solutions may equally well be provided. For example, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, ultrasonic welding of the shaft 10 around an end part 80, 90 may be provided.

(26) It is also possible to provide positive connections with grooves on the support, enabling an end part of the flexible strip to be placed inside a groove and to be immobilized by its dimensions which are very slightly smaller than those of the groove. In this case, however, each end part 80, 90 may be free to emerge from a groove in which it is housed.

(27) According to the invention, the operating member 3 comprises two electrically insulating pusher arms 31, 32, spaced apart from one another and each attached to an end part 21, 22 of the contact piece 2. The two pusher arms 31, 32 are advantageously each of straight elongate shape and attached to the rigid flat contact strip 2 while being orthogonal thereto.

(28) In the embodiment shown in FIGS. 1 to 6 and 8 to 9, the operating member is a single piece consisting of a rod 30 connected to a connecting beam 33 connecting the two pusher arms 31, 32. Preferably, the identical pusher arms 31, 32 are arranged symmetrically on either side of the axis X of the rod 30.

(29) In the embodiment shown in FIGS. 7, 7A and 7B, the operating member consists solely of two pusher arms 31, 32.

(30) The contact piece 2 may be attached to the two pusher arms 31, 32 by a removable joint, preferably a clip-fitting joint. The connection may also be permanent, as in the case of ultrasonic welding, for example. As shown more fully in FIGS. 5 and 6, the proposed clip-fitting may be provided by hooks 31a, 32a formed at the lower ends of the arms 31, 32, each being clip-fitted into one of the two openings 21a, 22a formed in the contact strip 2.

(31) Additionally, according to the invention, each flexible strip 8, 9 comprises two other end parts 81, 82 and 91, 92, each attached to one of the two pusher arms 31, 32 or to a part 36, 37; 38, 39; 300 of the operating member that is itself attached to, or forms an integral part of, one of the pusher arms. Preferably, this attachment is provided by a removable joint, preferably a bearing and centring joint of the mortise and tenon type. The joint may, if necessary, be provided by clip-fitting. However, other solutions, such as ultrasonic welding, are feasible.

(32) In the embodiment shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the end parts 81, 82; 91, 92 are directly centred in, and bear inside, pusher arms 31, 32. The centring and bearing may also take place outside the pusher arms as shown in FIGS. 5 and 6.

(33) In the embodiment shown in FIGS. 7, 7A and 7B, the end parts 81, 82; 91, 92 are directly centred on, and bear around, pusher arms 31, 32. As can be seen more clearly in FIGS. 7A and 7B, an operating play j is advantageously provided between the hole forming the end part 81, 82; 91, 92 of each flexible strip 8, 9 and the corresponding pusher arm 31, 32, so that the latter does not interfere with the deformation of the strip 8, 9 during switching.

(34) In the embodiment shown in FIGS. 3 to 6, and in FIGS. 8 and 8A, the end parts 81, 82; 91, 92 are clipped on to clipping protrusions 36, 37, 38, 39 which extend radially from the pusher arms 31, 32.

(35) In the embodiment shown in FIGS. 9 and 9A, the end parts 81, 82; 91, 92 are held on a connecting beam 300 forming a cross with the single piece 3 consisting of the rod 30 connected to a connecting beam 33 connecting the two pusher arms 31, 32.

(36) Being supported by the strips 8 and 9, the two pusher arms 31, 32 are correctly guided, since they can only move with an axial translational movement during which the flexible strip or strips 8, 9 flex while remaining parallel to one another.

(37) The flexible strips may be kept parallel to one another on the support shafts 10 by a spacer formed on the shaft itself by a change in diameter, or by a spacer adjusted on, or force-fitted on to, the shaft 10.

(38) The flexible strips may be kept parallel to one another on the pusher arms 31, 32 by protrusions 34, 35 as shown in FIG. 2, or simply by the design of the spacing of the clip-fitting means between the hooks 36, 38 and 37, 39, as shown in FIGS. 3, 3A, 3B and 5, 6.

(39) Because of the two pusher arms 31, 32 according to the invention, which are held by the flexible strips and are attached to the end parts 21, 22 of the contact strip 2, very high accuracy is achieved in the rotational positioning of the operating member 3 relative to the fixed support(s) 10 of the flexible strip or strips 8, 9.

(40) Consequently, the accuracy of the positioning of the flexible strip or strips which cause the axial movement of the pusher arms supported by them is very good, and the accuracy of the axial guidance of the contact piece relative to the fixed contact terminals 4, 5 is therefore also very good.

(41) FIG. 3A shows a switching device according to the invention in the open position of the operating member 3, the contact piece 2 being separated from the contact terminals 4 and 5.

(42) In this embodiment, the flexible strips 8, 9 have been pre-shaped during manufacture with a bend corresponding to that shown in FIG. 3A. Thus the flexible strips 8, 9 constantly exert a force on the pusher 3, along its axis of movement in the direction indicated by the arrow R in FIG. 3B. The pusher arms 31, 32 transmit this force to the contact piece 2, which is thus suitably applied against the closure plate 7. In other words, in this position the pusher arms 31, 32 are located, for practical purposes, above the closure plate 7, with the contact strip 2 bearing against the lower face of the plate. Thus the contact piece 2 is prevented from creating a coupling between the contact terminals 4 and 5 in the open position of the operating member 3.

(43) In the position of the switching device shown in FIG. 3B, the pusher arms 31, 32 are located in the closed position of the operating member, the contact piece 2 being applied against the contact terminals 4 and 5.

(44) An actuator 11, for example an electromagnetic actuator, is capable of moving along an axis parallel to that of the pusher arms 31, 32.

(45) If the operating member 3 comprises a rod 30 with a connecting beam 33 between the pusher arms 31, 32, as shown in FIG. 4, a single drive strip 12 is provided, this strip having a free end attached to a support 13 and running across the lower end of the actuator 11. The other free end of the drive strip 12 bears against the free end of the rod 30.

(46) If the operating member 3 consists solely of the two pusher arms 31, 32, as shown in FIG. 7, two drive strips may be provided, each having a free end bearing against the upper end of one of the two pusher arms 31, 32.

(47) The drive strip or strips 12 are capable of transmitting to the pusher arms 31, 32, directly or indirectly via the rod 30, the translational movements of the actuator 11 in the direction of the arrow F shown on FIG. 4, to move the operating member 1 to its closed position.

(48) Conversely, when the actuator 11 moves in the opposite direction to that of the arrow F shown on FIG. 4, the drive strip 11 releases the pusher arms 31, 32 and moves slightly away from them, enabling the pre-bent flexible strips 8, 9 to return the pusher arms 31, 32 to the open position. As explained above, the presence of the drive strip or strips 2 makes it possible to use an actuator 11 whose axial play is slightly too large as compared with that of the operating member 3, enabling an optimal contact to be made between the contact terminals 4, 5 and the contact piece 2.

(49) An anti-rotation connection may advantageously be provided between the pusher arms 31, 32 and the flexible operating strips 8, 9, by making the connecting beam 33 with a minimal length, or by providing a minimal distance between the arms 31, 32, so as to minimize the separation of the two connecting points between the end parts 81, 82 or 91, 92 of the flexible strips and the pusher arms 31, 32, thereby further improving the rotational positioning of the contact piece 2.

(50) For the production of a piece of switching equipment such as an SPnT switch, incorporating a plurality of switching devices according to the invention, different variant arrangements may be used.

(51) For example, as shown in FIG. 10, it is possible to provide two identical switching devices 1.1, 1.2 adjacent to one another with all the pusher arms 31, 32 arranged in the same plane.

(52) In the configuration of FIG. 11, four identical switching devices 1.1, 1.2, 1.3, 1.4 are arranged with the connecting beams 33 of the pusher arms parallel to one another in pairs, thus forming a square.

(53) In the configuration of FIG. 12, six identical switching devices 1.1 to 1.6 are arranged with the connecting beams 33 of the pusher arms placed radially about an axis, thus forming a square. This configuration is advantageous in that it allows a high degree of compactness to be achieved, notably for an SPnT switch.

(54) Clearly, the invention is not limited to the exemplary embodiments described above.

(55) Other variants and improvements would be feasible without departure from the scope of the invention.