Patent Grant
7732723
The invention relates to auxiliary contact configurations for a switching device.
Switching devices are equipment used for opening and closing a current circuit. A switching device comprises at least one pole and a control device arranged to open and close the pole. Switching devices include e.g. switches and switch-fuses. Switching devices often comprise auxiliary contacts arranged to open and close e.g. locking, alarming, position indication and auxiliary current circuits. Auxiliary contacts are adapted for currents substantially lower than said at least one pole of a switching device. Auxiliary contacts are controlled by an auxiliary contact control device which, in turn, is usually controlled by the same control device as used for controlling the poles of the switching device.
An auxiliary contact configuration may comprise an auxiliary contact, which is in its first switching position when the control device for the switching device is in a 0-position or in a I-position, and in its second switching position when the control device for the switching device is in a testing position. Alternatively, the auxiliary contact configuration may comprise e.g. an auxiliary contact, which is in its first switching position when the control device for the switching device is in the 0-position, and in its second switching position when the control device for the switching device is in the I-position or in the testing position. A desired change of position of each auxiliary contact of the switching device between its first and second switching position is achieved by designing the auxiliary contact control device appropriately.
A problem with the above-described arrangement is that the auxiliary contact control device has to be designed differently for different configurations, depending on the way in which each auxiliary contact is to change its position between the first and the second position.
An object of the invention is to provide an auxiliary contact configuration for a switching device to enable the above-mentioned problems to be solved. The object of the invention is achieved by an auxiliary contact configuration for a switching device which is characterized by what is disclosed in the independent claim. Preferred embodiments of the invention are disclosed in the dependent claims.
The idea underlying the invention is that the auxiliary contact configuration comprises two auxiliary contact positions situated near one another, and the auxiliary contact control device comprises one control element for each said auxiliary contact position such that the control device is arranged to control the auxiliary contact installed in the first position in a manner different from the manner in which the auxiliary contact installed in the second position is controlled.
An advantage of the auxiliary contact configuration for a switching device according to the invention is that it enables the installation location of the auxiliary contact to influence the manner in which the auxiliary contact changes its position between the first and the second switching position when the auxiliary contact control device is moved. Consequently, the same components enable formation of auxiliary contact configurations which operate in a different manner.
The invention is now described in closer detail in connection with the preferred embodiments and with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which
a to 3c show switching positions of an auxiliary contact installed in a first auxiliary contact position of the auxiliary contact configuration of
a to 4c show switching positions of an auxiliary contact installed in a second auxiliary contact position of the auxiliary contact configuration of
The auxiliary contact configuration of
Each position of the control device corresponds with a certain rotation angle of the control shaft 4. The control device module according to
a to 3c show switching positions of an auxiliary contact 8 installed in a first auxiliary contact position 5 of the auxiliary contact configuration of
When the control device for the switching device is in a testing position T, a push button 16 of the auxiliary contact 8 installed in the first auxiliary contact position 5 is in its outer position, as shown in
When the control device for the switching device is in a testing position T, a push button 16 of an auxiliary contact 8 installed in the second auxiliary contact position 6 is in its outer position, as shown in
In the described embodiment, the auxiliary contact 8 is arranged such that in a switching state wherein the push button 16 is in its outer position, the current circuit coupled to the auxiliary contact 8 is closed. Similarly, in a switching state wherein the push button 16 is in its inner position, the current circuit coupled to the auxiliary contact 8 is open.
In addition to auxiliary contacts 8, the auxiliary contact configuration may be arranged to receive microswitches. The configuration of
The microswitch position 24 is arranged to receive a microswitch whose push button is situated slightly nearer one end. The location of the push button of the microswitch installed in position 24 depends on which way around the microswitch has been installed in the position. The microswitch control element 26 is arranged such that depending on the installation direction of the microswitch, the push button of the microswitch is pressed down either in the 0-position or in the testing position of the control device for the switching device.
The auxiliary contact configuration for a switching device according to
In the auxiliary contact configuration of the invention, auxiliary contacts 8 having two or more switching positions may be used.
The elongated auxiliary contact control device 10 of the configuration of
In the configuration of
When the auxiliary contact 8 has been installed in the first position 5, its one side resides adjacent to a first wall 28 of the frame part 2. When the auxiliary contact 8 has been installed in the second position 6, its other side resides adjacent to a second wall 30 of the frame part 2, opposite to the first wall 28. Each of the auxiliary contact control elements 11, 12 and 13 has a width of about 2 mm, so that the push button 16 of the auxiliary contact 8 falls substantially at a middle of the first control element 11 when the auxiliary contact is installed in the first position 5, and in a middle of the second control element 12 when the auxiliary contact is installed in the second position 6.
In an alternative embodiment, the first 5 and the second 6 auxiliary contact positions are juxtaposed such that each position may simultaneously be provided with an auxiliary contact 8. Such a configuration may be used when the size of the switching device does not have to be minimized.
It is obvious to one skilled in the art that the basic idea of the invention can be implemented in many different ways. The invention and its embodiments are thus not restricted to the above-described examples but may vary within the scope of the claims.
| Number | Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 20040066 | Jan 2004 | FI | national |
| Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind | 371c Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| PCT/FI2005/000029 | 1/18/2005 | WO | 00 | 4/6/2007 |
| Publishing Document | Publishing Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| WO2005/069334 | 7/28/2005 | WO | A |
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| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 20070278077 A1 | Dec 2007 | US |
