Method and Contact Slide Unit for a Switch Unit

Abstract

A contact slide unit for a switch unit, where the contact slide unit includes a contact slide with a switching piece displaceably guided therein, and method for mounting the contact slide unit, where the displaceable switching piece is protected on the contact slide against twisting via a separately formed anti-twist stop.

Claims

1.-10. (canceled)

11. A contact slide unit for a switching unit, comprising: a movable switching piece; a contact slide having the movable switching piece guided therein; and a separately configured rotation prevention device; wherein the movable switching piece is positioned in the contact slide in a manner such that it is prevented from rotating by the separately configured rotation prevention device.

12. The contact slide unit as claimed in claim 11, wherein the rotation prevention device is a stamped and bent sheet-metal part.

13. The contact slide unit as claimed in claim 11, wherein the rotation prevention device is configured in a U-shaped manner with a support plate as a central region with two guide webs arranged laterally thereon.

14. The contact slide unit as claimed in claim 12, wherein the rotation prevention device is configured in a U-shaped manner with a support plate as a central region with two guide webs arranged laterally thereon.

15. The contact slide unit as claimed in claim 14, wherein the guide webs of the rotation prevention device have first insertion bevels.

16. The contact slide unit as claimed in claim 15, wherein the first insertion bevels are arranged on the rotation prevention device in a mirror-inverted manner opposite one another.

17. The contact slide unit as claimed in claim 15, wherein second insertion bevels, upon which the first insertion bevels of the rotation prevention device are guided during the positioning of the rotation prevention device in the contact slide, are arranged in the contact slide.

18. The contact slide unit as claimed in claim 16, wherein second insertion bevels, upon which the first insertion bevels of the rotation prevention device are guided during the positioning of the rotation prevention device in the contact slide, are arranged in the contact slide.

19. The contact slide unit as claimed in claim 11, wherein the movable switching piece includes two protrusions arranged in a mirror-inverted manner opposite one another.

20. The contact slide unit as claimed in claim 19, wherein the protrusions are formed on the movable switching piece such that said protrusions hold the rotation prevention device in a manner prevented from rotating in its final mounting position on the movable switching piece.

21. A circuit breaker having a contact slide unit as claimed in claim 11.

22. A method for mounting a contact slide unit for a switching unit having a contact slide with a movable switching piece guided therein, the method comprising: introducing the movable switching piece obliquely between lateral guides of the contact slide; straightening up the movable switching piece on feet of the contact slide; introducing a rotation prevention device into an opening in the contact slide; and aligning the rotation prevention device with the movable switching piece in the contact slide.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0035] Further advantages and embodiments of the invention are explained in more detail in the following text with reference to exemplary embodiments and with reference to the drawing, in which, schematically:

[0036] FIG. 1 shows a perspective illustration of a contact slide unit, having a contact slide, a movable switching piece and a rotation prevention device in accordance with the invention;

[0037] FIG. 2 shows a perspective illustration from below of the contact slide of FIG. 1 with an inserted movable switching piece;

[0038] FIG. 3 shows a perspective illustration from the side of the contact slide of FIG. 1 with an obliquely inserted movable switching piece;

[0039] FIG. 4 shows a perspective illustration from above of the contact slide of FIG. 1 with an inserted movable switching piece;

[0040] FIG. 5 shows a sectional illustration of a contact slide in accordance with the invention;

[0041] FIG. 6 shows a perspective sectional illustration of a contact slide in accordance with the invention;

[0042] FIG. 7 shows a perspective illustration of a movable switching piece in accordance with the invention;

[0043] FIG. 8 shows a perspective side illustration of a movable switching piece with a rotation prevention device in accordance with the invention;

[0044] FIG. 9 shows a perspective illustration from below of a movable switching piece with the rotation prevention device in accordance with the invention;

[0045] FIG. 10 shows a perspective sectional illustration of a contact slide with an inserted movable switching piece and rotation prevention means; and

[0046] FIG. 11 is a flowchart of the method in accordance with the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENTS

[0047] FIG. 1 shows a contact slide unit in accordance with the invention for a switching unit, which has a contact slide 1 with a movable switching piece 2 guided therein. The contact slide 1 is preferably configured in a U-shaped manner with a central region 3 and two lateral guides 4, 5 arranged opposite one another. The lateral guides 4, 5 lead, at their first ends, into the central region 3 and have, at their second ends, feet 6 that are configured as a support surface for the movable switching piece 2. The feet 6 have preferably semiconcentric recesses 7. Openings 8 that serve to receive a rotation prevention device 9 are positioned in a diagonally opposing manner on the feet 6.

[0048] The rotation prevention device 9 is preferably a stamped and bent sheet-metal part, which is preferably configured in a U-shaped manner, having a support plate 10 as the central region and two guide webs 11, 12 arranged laterally thereon. The guide webs 11, 12 of the rotation prevention device 9 have a first insertion bevel 13, where the insertion bevels 13 on the guide webs 11, 12 are positioned in a mirror-inverted manner opposite one another. Here, mirror-inverted means that the insertion bevels 13 are arranged in a rotationally symmetrical manner to one another, where the rotation axis stands perpendicularly on the longitudinal axis of the movable switching piece 2.

[0049] In addition to the insertion bevel 13, the guide webs 11, 12 also have a straight insertion portion 14. In order to position the rotation prevention device 9, the guide webs 11, 12 are introduced into the openings 8, arranged in a diagonally opposing manner, in the contact slide 1. For the final mounting of the rotation prevention device 9, it is rotated into the semiconcentric recess 7 of the feet 6 of the contact slide 1. This is possible because the support plate 10 of the rotation prevention device 9 has semiconcentric convexities 15 on two side edges arranged opposite one another. The insertion bevels 13 of the rotation prevention device 9 are guided into the final mounting position by second insertion bevels that are positioned in the contact slide.

[0050] FIG. 2 shows the arrangement of the contact slide 1 and inserted movable switching piece 2 without the rotation prevention device 9. It is clear from this illustration that the movable switching piece 2 has, on the longitudinal sides, protrusions 16 that are arranged in a mirror-inverted manner opposite one another. The protrusions 16 on the movable switching piece 2 exert a stopper function that results in the movable switching piece not producing any bridge rotator. In the final mounting position of the rotation prevention device 9, the insertion bevels 14 of the guide webs 11, 12 of the rotation prevention device 9 bear against the protrusions 16 that are arranged on the movable switching piece 2. The openings 8, arranged in a diagonally opposing manner, in the contact slide 1 can also be seen in FIG. 2.

[0051] FIG. 3 shows the contact slide 1 with an obliquely inserted movable switching piece 2. During mounting, the movable switching piece 2 is initially introduced obliquely between the guide webs 11, 12 of the contact slide 1 and then rotated through 90 such that the movable switching piece 2 rests on the feet 6 of the contact slide 1.

[0052] FIG. 4 illustrates the final mounting position of the movable switching piece 2 in the contact slide 1, after the movable switching piece 2 has been rotated through 90.

[0053] FIG. 5 shows the contact slide 1 in accordance with the invention in a sectional illustration. It is clear from figure that a second insertion bevel 17 is also formed in the contact slide 1. The first insertion bevels 13 on the guide webs 11, 12 of the rotation prevention means 9 cooperate with the second insertion bevels 17 in the contact slide 1. The insertion bevel 17 of the contact slide 1 in accordance with the invention can also be seen in a perspective sectional illustration in FIG. 6.

[0054] FIG. 7 shows a movable switching piece 2 in accordance with the invention with the protrusions 16 that are arranged in a mirror-inverted manner obliquely opposite one another. Here, mirror-inverted means that the protrusions 16 are arranged with respect to one another in a rotationally symmetrical manner, where the rotation axis extend perpendicularly from the longitudinal axis of the movable switching piece 2.

[0055] FIG. 8 illustrates a movable switching piece 2 with a rotation prevention means 9 in accordance with the invention. It is clear from this illustration that the straight insertion portions 14 on the guide webs 11, 12 of the rotation prevention device 9 bear against the protrusions 16 of the movable switching piece 2.

[0056] FIG. 9 shows the illustration from FIG. 8 from below. It is clear from this illustration that the movable switching piece 2 rests on the support plate 10 of the rotation prevention device 9.

[0057] FIG. 10 shows the arrangement of the movable switching piece 2 and rotation prevention device 9 as positioned in the contact slide 1 in accordance with the invention. In the final mounting position of the rotation prevention device 9, the insertion bevels 14 of the guide webs 11, 12 of the rotation prevention device 9 bear against the protrusions 16 of the movable switching piece 2. These protrusions 16 have the effect that the movable switching piece 2 does not produce any bridge rotator.

[0058] The contact slide unit in accordance with the invention is characterized by the connection of the movable switching piece to the rotation prevention device, with the result that the guide surfaces of the movable switching piece can be considerably increased. Even in the event of eccentric introduction of current constriction forces and current-loop forces, which act on the bridge in the event of a short circuit and throw it against the impact domes in the lower part, the bridge is guided effectively by the metal rotation prevention plate.

[0059] FIG. 11 is a flowchart of a method for mounting a contact slide unit for a switching unit having a contact slide (1) with a movable switching piece (2) guided therein. The method comprises introducing the movable switching piece (2) obliquely between lateral guides (4, 5) of the contact slide (1), as indicated in step 1110.

[0060] Next, the movable switching piece (2) straightened up on the feet (6) of the contact slide (1), as indicated in step 1120.

[0061] Next, a rotation prevention device (9) is introduced into an opening in the contact slide (1), as indicated in step 1130.

[0062] The rotation prevention device (9) is now aligned with the movable switching piece (2) in the contact slide (1), as indicated in step 1140.

[0063] While there have been shown, described and pointed out fundamental novel features of the invention as applied to a preferred embodiment thereof, it will be understood that various omissions and substitutions and changes in the form and details of the methods described and the devices illustrated, and in their operation, may be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit of the invention. For example, it is expressly intended that all combinations of those elements and/or method steps which perform substantially the same function in substantially the same way to achieve the same results are within the scope of the invention. Moreover, it should be recognized that structures and/or elements and/or method steps shown and/or described in connection with any disclosed form or embodiment of the invention may be incorporated in any other disclosed or described or suggested form or embodiment as a general matter of design choice. It is the intention, therefore, to be limited only as indicated by the scope of the claims appended hereto.