ES2674136T3 - Electrical appliance in modular format - Google Patents

Abstract

Electrical apparatus in modular format, globally parallelepipedic with two main faces (30) and side faces (31-34) that extend from one to the other of the main faces (30), and with a width, that is, the separation between the two main faces (30), equal to an integer number of times a predetermined distance, called a module, the upper and the lower part of said apparatus comprising, each, two connection terminals (11, 12), respectively , a first terminal, located on the left, for a first electrical pole and a second terminal, located on the right, for a second electrical pole different from the first electrical pole, each of said connection terminals being configured to receive a section of bare end of an electric cable or a tooth of a horizontal distribution comb, said side face (34) of the upper part or said side face (32) of the lower part, each, two insertion holes ón (37, 42) that give access, respectively, to the first terminal and the second terminal; whose electrical apparatus comprises at least a part of an annular armature (20) of an electrical transformer (18), which is located in the existing space, according to a left-right direction, between said first terminal (12) and said second terminal ( 12) of one of said lower part and upper part of the apparatus, referred to below as the first connection part; said transformer (18) comprises two windings (17) each formed by a conductor, one of whose ends is connected, respectively, to the first terminal (12) and the second terminal (12) of said first connection part; whose electrical apparatus is characterized in that said apparatus comprises, to the right and to the left of said annular armature (20), a thermal activation component (16), said annular armature (20) of the transformer (18) is located in the space existing, according to a left-right direction, between the two thermal activation components (16), each winding (17) having a second end connected to a respective one of said thermal activation components (16).

Description

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DESCRIPTION

Electrical apparatus in modular format FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The invention relates to electrical appliances in modular format. BACKGROUND OF THE TECHNIQUE

It is known that electrical appliances in modular format are globally parallelepipedic with two main faces and side faces extending from one to the other of the main faces, the width of such apparatus being, that is, the separation between its two main faces, equal to an integer of a base width, called "module", which is of the order of 18 mm.

It is also known that the modular devices are intended to belong to a row in which they are arranged in juxtaposition, being fixed at the rear on a horizontally arranged support rail.

In general, electrical devices in modular format that are bipolar comprise an upper part and a lower part each provided with two connection terminals, respectively, a first terminal for a first electrical pole and a second terminal for a second electrical pole different from the first electric pole.

Each connection terminal is configured to receive a bare end section of an electric cable or a tooth of a horizontal distribution comb. The side face of the upper part (upper face) and the lateral face of the lower part (lower face) each have, in general, two insertion holes that give access, respectively, to the first terminal and the second terminal.

When the modular electrical apparatus must simultaneously perform several functions, for example, at the same time, a circuit breaker function against short circuits and overcurrents and a differential protection function, the number of components to be disposed inside the apparatus is relatively high and said apparatus can therefore become relatively bulky, that is, have a width of a large number of modules.

Solutions to arrange the components of the apparatus so as to minimize their size have already been proposed, particularly in French patent applications 2,731,837 and 2,777,110.

These two documents propose to subdivide the device into compartments, each one putting into practice one of the functions of the device, in this case a circuit breaker function or a differential function, each compartment extending between a terminal of the upper part and the corresponding terminal of the part lower. EP 0017818 A1 discloses an electrical apparatus according to the preamble of claim 1. Other approaches that distribute different functions within the apparatus differently are particularly proposed in PCT applications WO 98/02896, WO 98/53473 and WO 2009/071552.

OBJECT OF THE INVENTION

The purpose of the invention is to provide a similar electrical device in a modular format, but simpler, more comfortable and more economical.

The invention proposes for this purpose an electrical apparatus in modular format according to claim 1.

Contrary to the above modular devices, and in particular the devices described in the aforementioned documents, the connecting part of the apparatus according to the invention is not exclusively occupied by the first terminal and the second terminal, but also comprises at least a part of the armature or the annular magnetic circuit of the electrical transformer.

The fact of arranging this component, generally bulky, in the connection part, up to this case entirely reserved for the first terminal and the second terminal, certainly implies some requirements on the location and arrangement of the first terminal and the second terminal, but allows free space in the other areas of the device.

This results in that the electrical apparatus according to the invention may comprise other relatively bulky components.

In particular, this offers the advantage of avoiding having to miniaturize these other components excessively, that is, to the point of reducing behavior, and / or that the assembly of the apparatus becomes excessively complex.

The electrical apparatus according to the invention is thus particularly simple, convenient and economical.

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According to the advantageous characteristics of its implementation:

- the other of said lower part and upper part of the apparatus, referred to in the following second connection part, has a separation between its two introduction holes which is smaller than the separation between the two introduction holes of the first part of Connection;

- said first terminal and said second terminal of said second connection part are configured to receive a bare end section of an electric cable, which has a maximum section greater than the maximum section for which the first terminal and the second terminal are configured of the first connection part;

- said annular reinforcement has an axial orientation according to a back-front direction of said apparatus;

- said electric transformer is a differential defect detection transformer;

- the first terminal and the second terminal of the other of said lower and upper part of the apparatus, hereinafter referred to as the second connection part, are each arranged above an arc extinguishing chamber and a component magnetic activation;

- said arc extinguishing chamber is arranged behind the magnetic activation component;

- said apparatus comprises a sensitive relay in the existing space, according to a left-right direction, between the magnetic activation component located below the first terminal of the second connection part and the magnetic activation component located below the second terminal of the second connection part;

- said apparatus comprises a closing element comprising, below each mentioned arc extinguishing chamber, a partial assembly to cooperate with a mobile contact and, between said partial assemblies, another partial assembly to cooperate with said sensitive relay; I

- said apparatus constitutes a bipolar differential circuit breaker with two protected poles, with a width of two modules.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The exposition of the invention will follow with the detailed description of embodiments,

provided in the following by way of illustration and not limitation, with reference to the attached drawings, in which:

- Figure 1 shows in a very schematic way the electrical circuit of an electrical apparatus according to the invention and the control mechanism of the mobile contacts comprising this electrical circuit;

- Figures 2 and 3 are elevational views of this apparatus, taken, respectively, in front and to the right of the same, schematically showing the location of the components of the electrical circuit and of the control mechanism of the mobile contacts of this apparatus;

- Figure 4 is a perspective view showing in detail the front part, the top part and the right side of an electrical apparatus according to the invention, in which the left side part and the right side part of the housing;

- Figure 5 is a view similar to Figure 4, but in which the housing of the apparatus is not shown;

- Figure 6 is a perspective view similar to Figure 4, but showing the lower part, the front part

and the left side of the apparatus;

- Figure 7 is an elevation view showing the left side of the apparatus according to the invention, the left side part of the housing having been removed;

- Figure 8 is a view similar to Figure 6, but in which the housing of the apparatus is not shown;

- Figure 9 is an elevation view showing the front side of the apparatus, the housing not being shown;

- Figure 10 is a perspective view of certain components of the electrical apparatus, which intervene in the routing of the current between the terminals of the upper part and the terminals of the lower part; Y

- Figure 11 is a perspective view of certain components of the apparatus according to the invention, which are involved in the differential protection provided by this apparatus.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EXAMPLES OF EMBODIMENT

The electrical apparatus 10 shown in the drawings is a bipolar differential circuit breaker with two protected poles, that is, it has a current routing circuit for each pole, which performs a short circuit and overcurrent detection (circuit breaker function) in each one of the two routing circuits (two protected poles) and which carries out a detection of difference in currents of the current flowing in one and the other of the routing circuits (differential function).

The electrical apparatus 10 comprises, in its upper part, two connection terminals 11 and, in its lower part, two connection terminals 12.

Each of the connection terminals 11 and 12 is provided to receive a bare end section of an electric cable or a tooth of a horizontal electricity distribution comb.

The terminal 11 (upper part) located on the left and the terminal 12 (lower part) located on the left are provided for one of the poles of the electrical installation, in general one of the phases, while the other terminals 11 and 12 (located on the right) are provided for the other pole of the electrical installation, in general another phase.

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The current routing circuit between terminals 11 and 12 on the left comprises, in series, a magnetic activation component 13, a fixed contact 14, a movable contact 15, a thermal activation component 16 and a winding 17 forming part of a differential defect detection transformer 18.

The routing circuit between the connection terminals 11 and 12 on the right is identical.

The transformer 18 comprises, in addition to the winding 17 of the routing circuit between terminals 11 and 12 located on the left and the winding 17 of the routing circuit between terminals 11 and 12 located on the right, which form the primary windings, a winding secondary 19 and an armature (magnetic circuit) 20 around which the primary windings 17 and the secondary winding 19 are made.

In this case, as seen well in Figures 8 to 11, the armature 20 is annular and comprises at least a part located in the existing space, according to a left-right direction, between the two terminals 12 of the lower part.

The secondary winding 19 of the transformer 18 is connected by two electrical conductors to a sensitive relay 21.

To control the movable contacts 15, the apparatus 10 comprises a mechanism 22, generally referred to as a closing element.

A lever 23 located outside the apparatus 10 allows to act manually on the closing element 22.

The two magnetic activation components 13, the two thermal activation components 16 and the sensitive relay 21 are configured to act, if necessary, on the closing element 22.

The closure element 22 is configured to have two stable positions, respectively, a position of

sectioning, in which the two mobile contacts 15 are each separated from the fixed contact 14

corresponding, and a deactivation position, in which each of the two mobile contacts 15 is supported

over the corresponding fixed contact 14.

The lever 23 allows to act manually on the closing element 22 to move from the sectioning position to the deactivation position, or vice versa.

Each of the two magnetic activation components 13, each of the two thermal activation components 16 and the sensitive relay 21 are configured to act on the closing element 22 in order to move from the deactivation position to the sectioning position , in case of need.

The magnetic activation components 13 act on the closing element in case of short circuit, the thermal activation components 16 act in case of overcurrent and the sensitive relay 21 acts in case of differential defect.

In practice, each magnetic activation component 13 is formed by a coil arranged around a mobile core that controls a firing pin that acts, if necessary, on the closure element 22. Each thermal activation component 16 is formed by an element bimetallic that deforms in case of prolonged overcurrent and that acts due to its deformation on the closing element 22. The sensitive relay 21 is fed by the secondary winding 19 of the transformer 18 in case of difference between the current flowing in one of the windings 17 and the intensity that circulates in the other winding 17, that is, in case of differential defect. When the relay 21 is powered in this way, it activates a finger that comes into contact with the closing element 22 to start the passage from the deactivation position to the sectioning position.

In practice, the closure element 22 is subdivided into three partial sets, respectively, two partial assemblies 25 to cooperate, each, with one of the movable contacts 15 and a partial assembly 26 to cooperate with the sensitive relay 21. The assembly partial 26 is arranged, according to a left-right direction, between the two partial sets 25.

In addition, each of the two current routing circuits between a terminal 11 and a terminal 12 comprises an arc extinguishing chamber 27 (not shown in Figure 1) associated with the fixed contact 14 and the corresponding mobile contact 15.

Next, with the help of Figures 2 and 3, the conformation of the electrical apparatus 10 and the manner in which the different components are arranged inside the apparatus 10 will be described.

The electrical apparatus 10 has a globally parallelepipedic shape.

It has two main faces 30 and side faces extending from one to the other of the main faces 30, that is, a rear face 31, a bottom face 32, a front face 33 and an upper face 34.

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The rear face 31 has a recess 35 for mounting the apparatus 1 on a standard support rail profile in □ (not shown).

The front face 33 has, in a central position, about half its length, a peak portion 36 having the lever 23.

In this case, the apparatus 10 is of the modular type, that is to say that in addition to its globally parallelepipedic shape, its width (distance between the two main faces 30) is a multiple of a normalized value, known under the name "module", which is of the order of 18 mm.

In this case, the apparatus 10 has a width of two modules.

As indicated above, at least one part, in this case the lower half, of the annular armature 20 of the transformer 18 is located in the existing space, according to a left-right direction, between the two terminals 12 of the lower part of the apparatus 10.

On the other hand, there is no component of the apparatus 10 located in the existing space, according to a left-right direction, between the two terminals 11 of the upper part of said apparatus 10.

In the space below each terminal 11, an arc extinguishing chamber 27 and a magnetic activation component 13 are disposed, with the arc extinguishing chamber 27 on each side, which is behind the magnetic activation component 13 .

As seen well in Figures 2 and 5, the magnetic activation components 13 are less wide than the arc extinguishing chambers 27 and are each located close to one of the main faces 30.

The sensitive relay 21 is located in the existing space, according to a left-right direction, between the two magnetic activation components 13 and in front of the arc extinguishing chambers 27.

In general, the arc extinguishing chambers 27, the magnetic activation components 13 and the sensitive relay 21 are arranged in the same area.

The closure element 22 is disposed below this zone with each partial assembly 25, which is disposed below an arc extinguishing chamber 27, and the partial assembly 26, which is disposed below the sensitive relay 21.

Each of the thermal activation components 16 is disposed above one of the two terminals 12 and below the closure element 22, and more precisely below one of the partial assemblies 25 of the closure element 22.

In general, as seen well in Figure 3, the thermal activation components 16 are elongated and are inclined towards the bottom and back.

Each of the thermal activation components 16 is close to a main face 30.

In the existing space, according to a left-right direction, between the two thermal activation components 16, a part of the annular armature of the transformer 18 is located, in this case the upper half.

In general, in this case, the internal space in the electrical apparatus 10 is subdivided into four zones, that is, from the bottom to the top:

- a first zone comprising the transformer 18, and on each side thereof, one of the terminals 12 and one of the thermal activation components 16, the terminals 12 being below the thermal activation components 16;

- a second zone, located above the first zone, comprising the closing element 22, in which the partial assembly 26 is arranged, according to a left-right direction, between the two partial assemblies 25;

- a third zone, arranged above the second zone, comprising the two arc extinguishing chambers 27, the two magnetic activation components 13 and the sensitive relay 21, the two arc extinguishing chambers 27 being at the rear , while the two magnetic activation components 13 and the sensitive relay 21 are in the front; Y

- a fourth zone comprising the two terminals 11 of the upper part.

The electrical apparatus 10 will be described in more detail below with the help of Figures 4 to 11.

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As seen in FIG. 4, the upper face 34 has two insertion holes 37 that each give access to one of the terminals 11.

Above the peak portion 36 are two holes 38, each giving access to the screw 39 of one of the terminals 11.

Each terminal 11 (see Figure 5) comprises a contact cover 40 that is fixed and a housing 41 that is movable by the effect of the screw.

The bare end section or the tooth of the comb to be connected is inserted into the housing delimited by the contact cover 40 and by the box 41, and is maneuvered in the screw 39 to approximate the wall of the box 41 relative to the cover 40 in order to tighten the bare end section or the tooth.

It will be noted that, in this case, the separation between the two holes 37 of the upper face 34 is of the order of a module and that the terminal housing 11 delimited by the contact cover 40 and by the box 41 is sized to receive the conductive core (bare end section) of a cable of very considerable section or, then, of two cables of considerable section or, also, a comb tooth and the conductive core of a cable of considerable section.

As seen in Figure 6, the lower face 32 has two insertion holes 42 that each give access to one of the terminals 12. Below the peak portion 36, there are two holes 43 that give each one, access to screw 44 of one of terminals 12.

Each terminal 12 is arranged in a manner similar to terminals 11, that is, each terminal 12 comprises (see Figure 8) a contact cover 45 that is fixed and a housing 46 that is movable by the effect of screw 44; and the bare end section of an electric cable or the comb tooth to be connected is inserted into the housing delimited by the contact cover 45 and by the box 46, and is maneuvered in the screw 44 to approximate the wall of the box 46 in relation to the cover 45 in order to tighten the bare end section or the tooth.

It will be noted that, in this case, the separation between the two insertion holes 42 of the lower face 32 is of the order of a module and a half and that the housing delimited by the contact cover 45 and by the box 46 is sized to receive the conductive core (bare end section) of a cable of considerable section, but less than the terminal housing 12.

In this case, the terminals 11 are sized to receive, each, a cable whose conductive core has a section such that it could transmit a current of 63 A, while the terminals 12 are sized to receive, each, a cable that has such a section that could transmit a current of 40 A.

The fact that the terminals 12 are smaller than the terminals 11 and are further separated from each other is of course due to the presence of the armature 20 of the transformer 18 between said terminals 12.

The weaker capacity of terminals 12 is not annoying in practice, since said terminals 12 remain large enough to receive a cable having the nominal intensity of the electrical apparatus 10 (in this case 40 A).

The larger separation between the terminals 12 does not allow the use of a usual horizontal distribution comb, whose passage between two successive teeth is of one module, but they are mainly, in practice, the terminals of the upper part (in this case terminals 11) which are likely to cooperate with a horizontal distribution comb since, in principle, in certain countries such as France, it is the input terminals that are located at the top.

As seen well in Figures 8 to 11, the annular armature 20 of the transformer 18 has an axial orientation in a back-front direction of the apparatus 10.

Armor 20 has a relatively considerable axial extension.

It will be noted that the winding 17 on the left and the winding 17 on the right are implemented by a conductor of relatively considerable section, whose upper end is connected (in this case by welding) to the corresponding thermal activation component 16 and whose end bottom is connected (in this case by welding) to the corresponding terminal 12 (see more particularly figure 7).

The arrangement of the transformer 18 with, on each of the left and right sides, a terminal 12 and a thermal activation component 16 is thus particularly comfortable.

It will be noted that arc extinguishing chambers 27 are relatively bulky and therefore offer relatively considerable cutting power.

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It will be noted that the magnetic activation components 13 have a relatively small size, thanks to their rectangular conformation. For more details on the magnetic activation components 13, the European patent application EP 1 254 475 may be considered.

It will be noted that the transformer 18 is relatively far from the arc extinguishing chambers 27. Consequently, the transformer 18 does not introduce magnetic disturbances, or very few, that hinder the operation of the arc extinguishing chambers 27.

As seen more particularly in Figures 10 and 11, there exists between the two arc extinguishing chambers 27, according to a left-right direction, a space 50 (Figure 10) that allows the rigid conductor 51 to pass (Figure 11) that It is part of a test circuit of the differential function, activated manually by the key 52 located on the front face 33 of the apparatus 10.

In a variant not shown, the transformer, such as 18, is arranged not between the terminals 12 of the lower part, but between the terminals 11 of the upper part.

In the variants not shown, the electrical apparatus is of another nature, for example a differential switch with thermal activation components.

In the variants not shown, the transformer, such as 18, configured to feed itself (without the power of the mains) a sensitive relay, such as 21, is replaced by a transformer of another nature, for example a transformer for provide differential defect information to a relay powered by the mains.

In the variants not shown, the arrangement of the components other than the electric transformer, such as 18, is different, for example by placing the magnetic activation components, such as 13, behind the arc extinguishing chambers, such as 27; and / or in each routing circuit, the magnetic activation component, such as 13, and the thermal activation component, such as 16, are replaced by a magnetothermal activation component.

In the variants not shown, the electrical device has a different width and / or a number of different poles, for example a four-pole device, with a width of four modules, comprising four terminals at the top and four terminals at the bottom , with the armor, such as 20, arranged between two terminals.

In the variants not shown, the connection terminals 11 and 12 are shaped differently, for example with a spring to tighten the bare end section of an electric cable or the tooth of a horizontal distribution comb.

Numerous different variants are possible depending on the circumstances, and it is recalled, in this regard, that the invention is not limited to the examples described and represented.

Claims (10)

5 10 fifteen twenty 25 30 35 40 Four. Five fifty 55 60 1. Electrical apparatus in modular format, globally parallelepipedic with two main faces (30) and side faces (31-34) that extend from one to the other of the main faces (30), and with a width, that is to say , the separation between the two main faces (30), equal to an integer number of times a predetermined distance, called a module, the upper and lower part of said apparatus comprising, each, two connection terminals (11, 12) , respectively, a first terminal, located on the left, for a first electrical pole and a second terminal, located on the right, for a second electrical pole different from the first electrical pole, each of said connection terminals being configured to receive a bare end section of an electric cable or a tooth of a horizontal distribution comb, said side face (34) of the upper part or said side face (32) of the lower part, each, two introducing holes ction (37, 42) that give access, respectively, to the first terminal and the second terminal; whose electrical apparatus comprises at least a part of an annular armature (20) of an electrical transformer (18), which is located in the existing space, according to a left-right direction, between said first terminal (12) and said second terminal ( 12) of one of said lower part and upper part of the apparatus, referred to below as the first connection part; said transformer (18) comprises two windings (17) each formed by a conductor, one of whose ends is connected, respectively, to the first terminal (12) and the second terminal (12) of said first connection part; whose electrical apparatus is characterized in that said apparatus comprises, to the right and to the left of said annular armature (20), a thermal activation component (16), said annular armature (20) of the transformer (18) is located in the space existing, according to a left-right direction, between the two thermal activation components (16), each winding (17) having a second end connected to a respective one of said thermal activation components (16). 2. Apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that the other of said lower part and upper part of the apparatus, referred to below as the second connection part, has a separation between its two insertion holes (37) which is smaller than the separation between the two insertion holes (42) of the first connection part. 3. Apparatus according to claim 2, characterized in that said first terminal (11) and said second terminal (11) of said second connection part are configured to receive a bare end section of an electric cable, which has a larger maximum section that the maximum section for which the first terminal (12) and the second terminal (12) of the first connection part are configured. 4. Apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that said annular reinforcement (20) has an axial orientation according to a back-front direction of said apparatus. 5. Apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that said electrical transformer (18) is a differential defect detection transformer. 6. Apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the first terminal (11) and the second terminal (11) of the other of said lower part and upper part of the apparatus, hereinafter referred to as the second part of connection, are each arranged above an arc extinguishing chamber (27) and a magnetic activation component (13). 7. Apparatus according to claim 6, characterized in that said arc extinguishing chamber (27) is arranged behind the magnetic activation component (13). Apparatus according to any one of claims 6 or 7, characterized in that it comprises a sensitive relay (21) in the existing space, according to a left-right direction, between the magnetic activation component (13) located below the first terminal (11) of the second connection part and the magnetic activation component (13) located below the second terminal (12) of the second connection part. 9. Apparatus according to claim 8, characterized in that it comprises a closing element (22) comprising, below each arc extinguishing chamber (27) mentioned, a partial assembly (22) for cooperating with a mobile contact (15 ) and, between said partial sets (22), another partial set (26) to cooperate with said sensitive relay (21). 10. Apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 9, characterized in that it constitutes a two-pole protected circuit breaker with a width of two modules.