Protective switch

• US 5,233,321 A
• Filed: 11/14/1991
• Issued: 08/03/1993
• Est. Priority Date: 11/15/1990
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Telemecanique (Schneider Electric SE)
• Original Assignee: Telemecanique (Schneider Electric SE)
• Inventors: Vigouroux, Didier, Lauraire, Michel, Blanchard, Christian
• Primary Examiner(s): DONOVAN, LINCOLN D
• Application Number:
  US07/797,480
• Time in Patent Office: 628 Days
• Field of Search: 335/131-132, 335/202, 335/6, 335/14, 335/20
• US Class Current: 335/132
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 1/20 Bridging contacts for circuit breakers H01H73/045
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 71/2409 combined with an electromagnetic current limiting mechanism
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 73/045 Bridging contacts
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 89/08 with both devices using the same contact pair

Abstract

A protective switch device such as a contactor/circuit-breaker comprises double-contact switch poles. Contact bridges are housed in a mobile support. Slide members guided in slots of the support and commanded by a tripping mechanism can be applied to the bridges. The mobile support can be actuated by a solenoid without the contact pressure springs transmitting any reaction force to the armature of the solenoid.

Claims

1. Circuit-breaker or contactor/circuit-breaker type protective switch comprising:

at least one double-contact switch pole provided with a contact bridge cooperating with two fixed contacts,

a mobile support for said contact bridge slidably housing said bridge and which bears at least a contact pressure spring which supports said bridge,

an operating mechanism adapted to open and close said contacts by displacement of said mobile support, and

a tripping mechanism comprising a magnetic and/or thermal tripping device adapted to operate in response to an electrical fault on at least one of said contact bridges via a control part to open said contacts,

wherein each contact bridge is fastened in translation to a respective slide member which is housed movably in said support and which can be entrained by said control part.

2. Protection switch according to claim 1 wherein said slide member has a window to accommodate a contact bridge opening onto a corresponding window of said support when said contacts are closed and an insulative area appearing in said window of said support when said contacts are opened by said control part or by electrodynamic repulsion of said contact bridge.

3. Protective switch according to claim 1 wherein said contact bridge is immobilized in translation in a window of said slide member by means of cooperating members allowing angular movement of said bridge relative to said slide member.

4. Protective switch according to claim 1 wherein said contact pressure spring is mounted on said slide member away from the contact opening area.

5. Protective switch according to claim 4 wherein said slide member has a window away from the contact opening area and separated from said window which houses said contact bridge by said insulative area.

6. Protective switch according to claim 1 wherein a control part actuated by a mobile armature of a solenoid is coupled directly to said mobile support.

7. Protective switch according to claim 1 wherein said magnetic tripping device of said tripping mechanism operates said control part in response to a fault to entrain said slide member and an additional lever to strike said slide member.

8. Protective switch according to claim 1 wherein each slide member is guided in a slideway of said casing of said switch.