Remote controlled overload protective switch

• US 5,381,121 A
• Filed: 03/31/1993
• Issued: 01/10/1995
• Est. Priority Date: 03/31/1992
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Ellenberger & Poensgen GmbH
• Original Assignee: Ellenberger & Poensgen GmbH
• Inventors: Meckler, Peter, Peter, Josef, Endner, Gerhard, Krasser, Fritz
• Primary Examiner(s): DONOVAN, LINCOLN D
• Application Number:
  US08/041,216
• Time in Patent Office: 650 Days
• Field of Search: 335/14, 335/20, 335/35
• US Class Current: 335/20
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2071/048 containing non-mechanical switch position sensor, e.g. HALL sensor
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2071/467 with history indication, e.g. of trip and/or kind of trip, number of short circuits etc.
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 47/226 for bistable relays
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 50/10 Electromagnetic or electrostatic shielding casings H01H50/02
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 51/2209 with rectilinearly movable armature
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 71/04 Means for indicating condition of the switching device by means of an auxiliary contact H01H71/46
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 71/16 with bimetal element combined with detection of imbalance of two or more currents H01H83/223
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 71/43 Electrodynamic release mechanisms
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 71/46 having means for operating auxiliary contacts additional to the main contacts
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 71/68 actuated by electromagnet

Abstract

A circuit breaker which is remote controllable by an external remote control switch by way of an electronic control unit and an electromagnetic switch drive controlled by the electronic control unit. The switch drive switches the electric circuit by a switch lock, which is latched to it and which, during an overload, is unlatched and opened by way of the release of the bimetal of switch drive and, as a result, interrupts the electric circuit. During bimetal release, an auxiliary switch is actuated, which by way of the electronic control unit turns the remote control switch off and re-latches switch drive with the opened switch lock.

Claims

1. A remotely controllable circuit breaker comprising:

a remote-control switch;

an electronic control unit coupled to the remote-control switch;

an electromagnetic switch drive, controlled by the electronic control unit, for switching an electric circuit;

a switch lock for latching the electromagnetic switch drive in a first switching position when the electric circuit is closed;

a bi-metal, coupled to the electric circuit, for providing a bi-metal release of the electromagnetic switch drive by unlatching the switch lock from the electromagnetic switch drive in response to an overcurrent condition of the electric circuit so that the electric circuit is interrupted; and

an auxiliary switch, actuated by the switch lock in response to the bi-metal release, for providing a signal to the electronic control unit for turning off the remote control switch and for re-latching the electromagnetic switch drive by the switch lock in a second switching position of the electromagnetic switch drive.

2. A remotely controllable circuit breaker according to claim 1, wherein the electromagnetic switch drive moves into the second switching position in response to the remote control switch when the remote control switch is turned off.

3. A remotely controllable circuit breaker according to claim 2, wherein the switch lock re-latches the electromagnetic switch drive when the electromagnetic switch drive moves to the second switching position in response to the remote control switch when the remote control switch is turned off.

4. A remotely controllable circuit breaker according to claim 1, further comprising a booster switch for indicating a switching position of the electromagnetic switch drive.

5. A remotely controllable circuit breaker according to claim 4, wherein when the booster switch indicates that the electromagnetic switch drive is in the second switching position, the electromagnetic switch drive is enabled to be moved to the first switching position in response to a control signal from the electronic control unit.

6. A remotely controllable circuit breaker according to claim 1, further comprising:

a contact lever, pivotable between a first and a second switching position for switching the electric circuit;

a contact compression spring for applying a force to the contact lever;

a toggle lever forming a component of the switch lock and having a toggle joint, a first end and a second end, the first end being coupled to a housing of the remotely controllable circuit breaker and the second end being coupled to the contact lever, the toggle lever having a lock position for holding the contact lever in the first switching position of the contact lever by opposing the force of the compression spring and a release position for releasing the contact lever to the second switching position of the contact lever;

a latch lever, coupled to the toggle joint and latchable to the electromagnetic switch drive, for displacing the toggle joint and moving the toggle lever between the lock position and the release position of the toggle lever, the latch lever actuating the auxiliary switch when the toggle lever is in the release position.

7. A remotely controllable circuit breaker according to claim 6, wherein the latch lever includes a latch arm for latching the electromagnetic switch drive and a switch arm for actuating the auxiliary switch

8. A remotely controllable circuit breaker according to claim 7, wherein the switch arm is configured as a stop member.

9. A remotely controllable circuit breaker according to claim 6, wherein the latch lever pivots around an axis of the toggle level joint and unlatches the electromagnetic switch drive in response to the overcurrent condition detected by the bimetal.

10. A remotely controllable circuit breaker according to claim 7, wherein the electromagnetic switch drive includes

a switching rod slidable between the first and second position of the electromagnetic switch drive;

and

a drive lever coupled to the switching rod and to the latch arm of the latch lever.

11. A remotely controllable circuit breaker according to claim 10, wherein the drive lever has a first end and a second end and is mounted to the housing and pivotable around a drive lever axis, the drive lever axis being parallel to the axis of the toggle lever, the first end of the drive lever being coupled to the switching rod, and the second end of the drive lever being latchable to the latch arm.

12. A remotely controllable circuit breaker according to claim 11, wherein the second end of the drive lever rests in a latch notch of the latch arm of the latch lever.

13. A remotely controllable circuit breaker according to claim 11, wherein the drive lever further includes a pressure arm;

and

wherein when the electromagnetic switch drive is in the second position, the pressure arm of the drive lever actuates the booster switch.

14. A remotely controllable circuit breaker according to claim 6, further comprising;

a viewing window in the housing; and

an indicator lever having a first arm and a second arm, the first arm being coupled to the contact compression spring, the indicator lever pivoting between a first and second position for indicating the lock and the release positions of the switch lock, respectively, as a function of the a compressed size of the compression spring, the second arm being viewable through the viewing window when the indicator lever is in the second position.

15. A remotely controllable circuit breaker according to claim 10, wherein

the switching rod, the latch lever, and the contact lever are arranged approximately parallel to one another;

the drive lever and the toggle lever are each arranged approximately at a right angle to the switching rod, the latch lever and the contact lever; and

a plane defined by the switching rod, the latch lever, the contact lever, the drive lever and the toggle lever is a movement plane of the switching rod, the latch lever, the contact lever, the drive lever and the toggle lever.

16. A remotely controllable circuit breaker according to claim 1, further comprising a sensor, connected electrically in parallel with the auxiliary switch, for providing a trip-free release of the electromagnetic switch drive in response to an overcurrent condition of the electric circuit.

17. A remotely controllable circuit breaker according to claim 1, the electronic control unit includes a hybrid circuit.

18. A remotely controllable circuit breaker according to claim 1, wherein the electronic control unit is coupled to a connector block with a plurality of connecting lines, and wherein the connector is fastened to the housing.

19. A remotely controllable circuit breaker according to claim 18, wherein the connecting lines couple the connector block to a status indicator.

20. A remotely controllable circuit breaker according to claim 19, wherein the status indicator is a microswitch and is switched together with the auxiliary switch by the latch lever.

21. A remotely controllable circuit breaker according to claim 18, wherein the connector block includes a plurality of connector sockets which are each connected to a respective connecting line,

and wherein the remote control switch is coupled to the electronic control unit through the connector block, and an external indicator device is coupled to the status indicator through the connector block.

22. A remotely controllable circuit breaker according to claim 21, wherein the connector sockets are coupled to connector sockets of at least one additional remotely controllable circuit breaker forming a multi-pole circuit breaker.

23. A remotely controllable circuit breaker according to claim 1, wherein an input and an output of a circuit board of the electronic control unit are connected to an input and an output of an electronic control unit of another remotely controllable circuit breaker by connecting leads which traverse the housing.

24. A remotely controllable circuit breaker according to claim 1, further comprising:

two connecting pins for connecting to the electrical circuit; and

a separating wall projecting from the housing and arranged between the two connecting pins, the separating wall having a lateral extension projection from the housing for insulating the connecting pins from connecting pins of adjacent circuit breakers.

25. A remotely controllable circuit breaker according to claim 1, wherein the electromagnetic switch drive includes a mechanical coupling which acts on a switch lock of another circuit breaker.