Patent Application
20160036202
This application is related to and claims the benefit of French Patent Application Number 14/57489 filed on 1 Aug. 2014, the contents of which are herein incorporated by reference in their entirety.
The present invention relates to the protection of electrical installations and more specifically to the connection of a cartridge comprising an active protection component to the electrical circuit.
The active component of a lightning arrester can be a varistor or spark gap. The varistors, or current variable resistors are composed of zinc oxide assembled by sintering in the shape of a ceramic block. A varistor block has a nonlinear voltage/current characteristic: beyond a certain voltage threshold, the impedance of the varistor drops to allow the evacuation of the current responsible of the overvoltage. When the voltage returns to its normal level, the impedance of the varistor resumes its value at the standby state.
The spark gaps are in turn constituted of two electrodes facing one another in any medium (ambient air or specific gas). Beyond a certain value of current voltage, an electrical arc is established between the electrodes, which allows to evacuate the overvoltage.
In a lightning arrester, the spark gap or the varistor are frequently disposed in a cartridge also comprising two connectors, electrically connected to the electrical installation to be protected.
When a very high current intensity flows through the electrical circuit, electromagnetic forces are generated and can cause the tearing of the cartridge. It is known from the prior art to mechanically reinforce the connection between the cartridge and the electrical installation in order to overcome the forces leading to the tearing of the cartridge. The risk of tearing is thus reduced but not canceled. In addition, the mechanical reinforcements of the connections between the cartridge and the electrical circuit are expensive and generate a lengthening of the cartridge replacement duration.
The present invention aims to resolve all or part of the drawbacks mentioned above.
To this end, the present invention concerns a protection device cartridge of an electrical installation intended to be brought on a base, the protection device cartridge comprising:
a protection active component comprising a first terminal and a second terminal;
a first connector forming a first electrical circuit portion electrically connected to the first terminal and a second connector forming a second electrical circuit portion electrically connected to the second terminal, the first portion of the electrical circuit being intended to be electrically connected to the base by means of a first bearing portion and the second electrical circuit portion being intended to be electrically connected to the base by means of a second bearing portion,
the first connector and the second connector being arranged to allow the connection of the protection device cartridge on the base according to an insertion direction,
the first bearing portion and the second bearing portion presenting a spacing determined according to a direction transverse to the insertion direction,
characterized in that the first electrical circuit portion comprises a first end point according to the direction transverse to the insertion direction and the second portion of the electrical circuit comprises a second end point according to the direction transverse to the insertion direction, the first end point and the second end point presenting a spacing determined according to the direction transverse to the insertion direction, greater than the spacing according to the direction transverse to the insertion direction between the first bearing portion and the second bearing portion,
in that the first bearing portion is disposed between the second bearing portion and the second end point according to the direction transverse to the insertion direction,
and in that the second bearing portion is disposed between the first end point and the first bearing portion according to the direction transverse to the insertion direction.
Thanks to the dispositions according to the invention, the electrical flow flowing through the circuit portion of the base and passing through the active component by means of connectors induces magnetic fields between the cartridge and the base which thereby attract one another. Thus, the tearing phenomena of the cartridge during the passage of a high intensity current in the circuit are avoided or limited, the cartridge is on the contrary attracted towards the base. The mechanical reinforcements of the connections between the cartridge and the base are no longer necessary.
According to the dispositions of the cartridge according to the invention, by direction transverse to the insertion direction is meant a direction oriented according to an angle comprised between 45° and 90° with respect to the insertion direction.
Preferably, the direction transverse to the insertion direction is a direction oriented according to an angle comprised between 60° and 90° with respect to the insertion direction.
Preferably, the direction transverse to the insertion direction is a direction oriented according to an angle comprised between 80° and 90° with respect to the insertion direction.
Preferably, the direction transverse to the insertion direction is a direction oriented perpendicular with respect to the insertion direction.
Following optional characteristics of the cartridge according to the invention:
a first segment of the first connector, defined between the first end point and the second bearing portion, and a second segment of the second connector, defined between the first bearing portion and the second end point, are transversely oriented with respect to the insertion direction, by transversely oriented is meant an orientation according to an angle comprised between 45° and 90°;
preferably, the first segment and the second segment are oriented according to an angle comprised between 60° and 90° with respect to the insertion direction;
preferably, the first segment and the second segment are oriented according to an angle comprised between 80° and 90° with respect to the insertion direction;
preferably, the first segment and the second segment are perpendicularly oriented with respect to the insertion direction;
the first bearing portion and the second bearing portion of are oriented according to an angle comprised between 0° and 45° with respect to the insertion direction;
preferably the first bearing portion and the second bearing portion are oriented according to an angle comprised between 0° and 30° with respect to the insertion direction;
preferably the first bearing portion and the second bearing portion are oriented according to an angle comprised between 0° and 10° with respect to the insertion direction;
preferably, the first bearing portion and the second bearing portion are oriented in parallel with respect to the insertion direction;
for example, the bearing portions are pins;
the first connector intersects the second connector in an intersection area at which the first connector is located in a plane offset with respect to a plane in which the second connector is located;
the intersection area is comprised between the first bearing portion and the second bearing portion in the direction transverse to the insertion direction;
for example, the bearing portions are pins;
the active protection element is selected in the group comprising a spark gap and a varistor.
The invention also relates to a protection device of an electrical installation comprising a protection device cartridge in accordance with any one of the aforementioned characteristics and a base comprising a first electrical circuit range and a second electrical circuit range, the protection device cartridge being able to be electrically connected to the first range by means of a first electrical contact and to the second range by means of a second electrical contact.
According to one aspect of the protection device of an electrical installation according to the invention, the first and second electrical circuit ranges of the base are able to be traversed by an electrical flow in a determined direction.
Following optional characteristics of the protection device of an electrical installation according to the invention:
the first electrical circuit portion is electrically connected to the second electrical contact by mans of the first bearing portion, and the second electrical circuit portion is electrically connected to the first electrical contact by means of the second bearing portion;
the first segment of the first connector extends facing the first range and the second segment of the second connector extends facing the second range;
the first range and the second range are transversely oriented with respect to the insertion direction of the cartridge, by transversely oriented is meant an orientation according to an angle comprised between 45° and 90°;
preferably, the first range and the second range are oriented according to an angle comprised between 60° and 90° with respect to the insertion direction;
preferably, the first range and the second range are oriented according to an angle comprised between 80° and 90° with respect to the insertion direction;
preferably, the first range and the second range are perpendicularly oriented with respect to the insertion direction;
the first electrical contact comprises a first elastic contact device and the second electrical contact comprises a second elastic contact device, the first bearing portion being able to bear against the second elastic contact device and the second bearing portion being able to bear against the first elastic contact device;
the protection device cartridge is able to be connected to the base in a removable manner;
the distance between the first and second segments of the first and second connectors and the first and second ranges of the base is variable.
Other characteristics and advantages of the present invention will appear in the light of the description which will follow and with the examination of the appended figures, in which:
On all of these figures, identical or similar references designate identical or similar members or sets of members.
On
The elements disposed in the cartridge 2 are represented in
The base 15 is represented in
The cartridge 2 is able to be removably brought on the base 15. Indeed, the pins 11 and 13 are arranged to be electrically connected to the electrical contacts 23 and 25 of the ranges 19 and 21 of the base 15.
The electrical contacts 23, 25 each comprise an elastic contact device 24, 26, ensuring the electrical connection between the electrical contacts 23, 25 and the pins 11, 13. In addition, the establishment and the removal of the cartridge 2 in the base 15 is facilitated by these elastic contact devices 24, 26.
The cartridge is able to be brought on the base according to an insertion direction 20, substantially parallel to the pins 11, 13.
According to a direction 30 transverse to the insertion direction 20, the electrical contacts 23 and 25 present a spacing which is smaller than the spacing present between the end points 8 and 10 of the electric circuit portions of the connectors 7, 9.
The pin 11 of the connector 7 is disposed between the pin 13 and the end point 10 according to the direction 30 transverse to the insertion direction 20. The pin 11 is electrically connected to the electrical contact 23 of the range 19. The pin 13 of the connector 9 is disposed between the end point 8 and the pin 11 according to the direction 30 transverse to the insertion direction 20. The pin 13 is electrically connected to the electrical contact 25 of the range 21. The connectors 7 and 9 intersect at an intersection area 27. At the intersection area 27, the connectors 7, 9 present an offset according to the axis z. The terminals 3 and 5 of the active component 1 present substantially the same offset according to the axis z.
A first segment 29 of the connector 7 defined between the end point 8 and the pin 13 extends facing the range 19 of the base 15. The orientation of the segment 29 is substantially transverse to the insertion direction 20.
A segment 31 of the connector 9 defined between the pin 11 and the end point 10 extends facing the range 21 of the base 15. The orientation of the segment 31 is substantially transverse to the insertion direction 20.
Thus, during a high rise of the voltage at the cartridge, the current is able to flow through the varistor 1. The current circulation is represented by the arrows 33. A very high current intensity therefore flows through the first range 19 of the base 15, passes by the electrical contact 23 then reaches the cartridge by the pin 13. The current flows through the electric circuit portion of the connector 9, passes through the varistor 1 then flows through the electrical circuit portion of the connector 7 till the pin 11. The current then passes through the electrical contact 25 to join the range 21 of the base 15. Magnetic fields are induced by the current circulation on the one hand in the ranges 19, 21 and in the portions 29, 31 of the connectors 7, 9 on the other hand. These magnetic fields generate an attraction according to the insertion direction 20 between the portion 29 of the connector 7 and the range 19 of the base 15 on the one hand, and between the portion 31 of the connector 9 and the range 21 of the base 15 on the other hand.
During the passage of a high intensity current, the pin 13 and the electrical contact 23 on the one hand, and the pin 11 and the electrical contact 25 on the other hand, repel each other. The elastic contact devices 24, 26 allow to ensure the electrical contact between the base 15 and the cartridge 2 even in the case of the passage of a high intensity current.
The tearing phenomena due to the currents circulation of opposite directions between the portions 29, 31 of the attachment elements 7, 9 and the ranges 19, 21 of the base 15 are thus avoided or limited.
Of course, the present invention is not limited to the described and represented embodiment, provided as an illustrative and non-limiting example. For example, the distance between the attachment elements 7, 9 and the ranges 19, 21 of the base 15 can be modified in order to obtain a more or less strong attraction between the cartridge 2 and the base 15 in case of overvoltage.
| Number | Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 14/57489 | Aug 2014 | FR | national |
