The invention relates to the field of high- and medium-voltage hybrid circuit breakers having an arc-control device and a vacuum switch in which the movable contacts are actuated by a single control. In particular, the invention relates to a mechanical control that enables the arc-control device and the vacuum switch to open simultaneously, followed by early closing of the vacuum switch prior to the arc-control device being put back into operation.
In that type of hybrid circuit breaker, a single mechanical arrangement controls the movements of the movable contacts of each of the switches, which contacts follows its own movement profile over time. That makes it possible, among other things, to protect the vacuum switch while the arc-control device is opening.
With reference to
More precisely, in that type of system, when the control mechanism, moves along the longitudinal axis A, A′ of the arc-control device 10, besides operating the opening mechanism of the arc-control device 10, that movement causes the vacuum switch 20 to open. Under the action of the sliding plate 154, the control rod 23 of the vacuum switch moves, by means of the wheel 155. Once the wheel 155 has reached the end ramp 140 of the sliding plate 55, extending parallel to the longitudinal axis A, A′, the control rod 23 of the vacuum switch 20 is urged, in part by a spring 138, to return to an initial position in which the stationary and movable contacts 21, 22 are put back into contact inside the vacuum switch 20. Another cycle may then be effected.
It is pointed out that, in
However, that type of mechanical control requires numerous stationary and movable mechanical elements, which requires a large amount of machining.
The object of the invention is to avoid those drawbacks that, result from the complexity of the mechanical system and from its manufacturing cost.
To this end, the main object of the invention is a hybrid circuit breaker comprising:
According to the invention, the hybrid circuit breaker has a holding system for holding the control rod of the second switch and an energy accumulation system pressing against the movable contact rod and relative to a fixed point and being designed to be loaded up to a certain value at which the holding system deforms under the force and separates the control rod from the movable contact rod and enables the movable contact to return towards the stationary contact.
In a first embodiment of the invention, the holding system for holding the control rod is a flexible toroidal helical spring placed in a groove of the movable contact rod and in a groove of a control rod of the second switch and an energy accumulation system pressing against the movable contact rod relative to a fixed point, and being designed to be loaded up to a certain value at which the flexible toroidal helical spring deforms under the force and releases the control rod from the movable contact rod and enables the movable contact to return towards the stationary contact.
In a second embodiment of the holding system for the control rod, the system comprises both a ball thrust outwards from a radial non-through hole in the movable contact rod by a spring placed inside said hole and a corresponding notch made in the inside surface of an end of the control rod, said end having a length that is greater than the stroke of the movable contact rod in the end of the control rod so that the ball does not escape from said end.
In a first embodiment of the circuit breaker of the invention the first switch is an arc-control device in which there is a control groove having a sloping portion between two portions parallel to the longitudinal axis A, A′, which sloping portion is designed to constitute a control ramp for the control rod of the second switch that is a vacuum switch, by longitudinal movement of the groove along the longitudinal axis A, A′.
In a second embodiment, the first switch is an arc-control device placed along a longitudinal axis C, C′ parallel to the second longitudinal axis of the second switch that is a vacuum switch. In this event, the control rod of the vacuum switch has a perpendicular portion with its end mounted to slide in a longitudinal groove of the arc-control device.
The invention and its various technical characteristics can be better understood on reading the following description. The description is accompanied by several figures in which, respectively:
With reference to
More precisely, this makes it possible to open the vacuum switch 20 and then to re-close it, under the effect of a spring 39, while continuing the stroke of a control rod 31. The spring 39 performs the role of an energy accumulation system. In this system, the control rod 31 pulls the movable contact 22 of the vacuum switch 20, via a flexible toroidal helical spring 38 that temporarily holds together the control rod 31 and a movable contact rod 32 having its end fastened to the movable contact 22. Simultaneously, the spring 39 is compressed until the moment when the flexible toroidal helical spring 38 gives way in compression, thus releasing the movable contact rod 32, which closes under the action of the spring 39.
Such an arrangement makes it possible, while having a relatively large stroke for the control rod 31, to avoid moving the movable contact 22 too far apart from the stationary contact 21 of the vacuum switch 20. In other words, the movable contact 22 returns towards the movable contact 21, while the control rod 31, continues its stroke, being actuated by the mechanical actuator system of the vacuum switch 20 and or the arc-control device 110.
It should be understood that, if the control rod 31 is urged with sufficient force towards the bottom, of
With reference to
When the traction supplied by the spring 39 (
The automatic system for temporary release of the movable contact rod relative to the control rod of the vacuum switch as described above makes it possible to envisage other hybrid circuit breaker architectures.
With reference to
Number | Date | Country | Kind |
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10 51679 | Mar 2010 | FR | national |
Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind | 371c Date |
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PCT/EP2011/053472 | 3/8/2011 | WO | 00 | 2/25/2013 |
Publishing Document | Publishing Date | Country | Kind |
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WO2011/110561 | 9/15/2011 | WO | A |
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Number | Date | Country | |
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20130233831 A1 | Sep 2013 | US |