AU2016392770B2 - A button operated circuit breaker with rocking control member - Google Patents

Abstract

1. A push button operated circuit breaker (10) with rocking control member including: a case (20) made of electrically insulating material, having a bottom wall (21), lateral walls (20a, 20b, 20c, 20d) being joined to the bottom wall (21) and an open side (21') opposite to the bottom wall (21); a button (30) that can be operated to command an electrical switching of the circuit breaker (10) and having a body provided with lateral walls (30a, 30b, 30c, 30d) crossing said open side (21'), the push button (10) being adapted to slide with respect to the case (20) along a sliding axis (Z- Z), between a forward position and a backward position; a rocking control member (70) adapted to control an electrical switching; a pressure transmitting member (60) being rotatably fastened to the body of the push button (30) and adapted to rotate with respect to a rest angular position around a rotation axis (Al-Al); an elastic element (61) adapted to bring back the pressure transmitting member (60) in the rest angular position after its rotation; characterized in that the above-mentioned elastic element is, or includes, a wire spring (61).

Description

TITLE

"A button operated circuit breaker with rocking control member"

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

[0001] The present description refers to the technical field

of the electrical installations and, more particularly, it

concerns a push button operated circuit breaker with rocking

control member.

STATE OF THE ART

[0001a] A reference herein to a patent document or any other

matter identified as prior art, is not to be taken as an

admission that the document or other matter was known or that

the information it contains was part of the common general

knowledge as at the priority date of any of the claims.

[0001b] Where any or all of the terms "comprise",

"comprises", "comprised" or "comprising" are used in this

specification (including the claims) they are to be interpreted

as specifying the presence of the stated features, integers,

steps or components, but not precluding the presence of one or

more other features, integers, steps or components.

[0002] Push button operated circuit breakers are known

wherein the control of the electrical switching occurs by means

of a rocking control member. US 4,748,298 discloses a lever

operated switch.

[0003] European patent EP1584096 discloses a push button

operated circuit breaker including a supporting structure made

of insulating material, or case, having the shape of a box and

defining a recessed compartment for housing and for supporting

the electromechanical components being part of the circuit

breaker. The case has an open side. The circuit breaker also

includes a push button slidingly coupled to the case by means

of guide elements in order to close the open side. The mechanical coupling between the push button and the case allows a relative and guided sliding of the push button with respect to the case along a sliding axis. Such sliding is necessary to command by means of the push button an electrical switching of the circuit breaker. A pressure of the push button determines an advancement of the push button with respect to the case. A release of the push button determines a backward movement of the push button with respect to the case. The push button therefore moves between a forward position and a backward position, that represent two opposite stopping positions of the push button. The push button is coupled to a rotatable pressure transmitting member and the circuit breaker includes a rocking control member that controls the switching. The pressure transmitting member is adapted to rotate into two opposite directions starting from an angular resting position and the push button includes at least an elastic element adapted to bring the pressure transmitting member back to the angular resting position after one rotation. The elastic element is for example implemented by means of one or more foil springs, for example made of metal foil, folded and sheared off. By pushing the push button, the rotatable pressure transmitting member contacts the rocking control member in order to make it rotate.

This rotation, in its turn, is such that it moves a mobile

contact element in order to determine an electrical switching.

[0004] In the prior art push button operated circuit

breakers, the aforesaid elastic element opposes a certain

resistance during the pressure of the push button starting from

a certain point on during the push button stroke, particularly

when the pressure transmitting member contacts the rocking

control member. Such resistance is due to the fact that the

elastic elements opposes to the pressure transmitting member

rotation. This resistance determines the user's feeling of lack

of sliding fluidity while pushing the push button.

[0005] It is therefore felt the need for implementing a push

button operated circuit breaker with a rocking control member

being such as to reduce the resistance opposed by the elastic

element associated to the push button pressure transmitting

member.

[0006] It would therefore be desirable to make available a

push button operated circuit breaker with rocking control

member being such as to fulfil the above described need with

reference to the prior art circuit breaker.

[0006a] A first aspect of the present invention provides a

push button operated circuit breaker with rocking control

member including:

- a case made of electrically insulating material, having

a bottom wall, lateral walls being joined to the bottom

wall and an open side opposite to the bottom wall;

- a push button that can be operated to command an

electrical switching of the switch and having a body

provided with lateral walls crossing said open side, the

push button being adapted to slide with respect to the

case along a sliding axis, between a forward position and

a backward position;

- a rocking control member adapted to control an

electrical switching;

- a pressure transmitting member being rotatably

constrained to the body of the push button and adapted to

rotate with respect to a rest angular position around a

rotation axis;

- an elastic element adapted to bring back the pressure transmitting member in the rest angular position after its rotation; wherein:

- the above-mentioned elastic element is, or includes, a

wire spring;

- the body of the push button includes a pass-through

opening, crossed by the pressure transmitting member,

thereby the wire spring is arranged on one side of the

pass-through opening together with at least one a part of

a central portion of the pressure transmitting member,

while the remaining part of the pressure transmitting

member is arranged on the other side of said pass

through opening.

[0007] Preferred and advantageous embodiments of the

aforesaid circuit breaker are defined in the enclosed dependent

claims.

[0008] The invention shall be better understood from the

hereinafter detailed description of particular embodiments

given merely by way of example but not limited to, with

3a embodiments given merely by way of example but not limited to, with reference to the enclosed drawings briefly described in the following paragraph.

BRIEF DESCRIPTON OF THE DRAWINGS.

[0009]Figure 1 shows a perspective view of one

embodiment of a push button operated circuit breaker with

rocking control member including a case, a button

slidingly constrained to the case and a key coupled to

the push button.

[0010] Figure 2 shows a side view of the push button

operated circuit breaker of Figure 1.

[0011]Figure 3 shows a further perspective view of the

circuit breaker of Figure 1 from which the key has been

removed.

[0012]Figure 4 shows a top view of the circuit breaker

case of Figure 1 from which all the components contained

inside the case have been removed.

[0013]Figure 5 shows a top view of the push button of

the circuit breaker of Figure 1.

[0014]Figure 6 shows a perspective view from below of

the push button of the circuit breaker of Figure 1.

[0015]Figure 7 shows a partial cross-section perspective

view of the switch of Figure 1, from which the key and

some of the components contained inside the case have been removed.

[0016]Figure 8 shows a perspective view of the case of

the circuit breaker of Figure 1, wherein some of the

components contained inside the case are visible.

[0017]Figure 9 shows a partial cross-section perspective

view of an enlarged part of the circuit breaker of Figure

1.

[0018] Figure 10 shows a further partial cross-section

perspective view of an enlarged part of the circuit

breaker of Figure 1.

[0019] ]Figure 11 shows a side view of the circuit breaker

of Figure 1 from which the key has been removed.

[0020]Figure 12 shows a partial cross-section

perspective view of the case of the circuit breaker of

Figure 1, wherein a supporting fulcrum inserted in the

case is visible.

[0021]Figure 13 shows a partial cross-section side view

of the case and of the supporting fulcrum of Figure 12.

[0022]Figure 14 shows a perspective view of the

supporting fulcrum of Figures 12 and 13.

[0023] Figure 15 shows a pressure transmitting member of

the push button of the circuit breaker of Figure 1.

[0024] Figure 16 shows a further perspective view from above of the push button of the circuit breaker of Figure

1.

[0025]Figure 17 shows a perspective view of the

supporting fulcrum, of the mobile contact holder support

and of the fixed contact holder support.

[0026]Figure 18 shows a perspective view of the assembly

of Figure 17 wherein it is also shown an elastic element,

operatively coupled to the mobile contact holder support.

[0027]Figure 19 shows a perspective view of the assembly

of Figure 17 wherein a rocking control member is also

shown.

[0028]Figure 20 shows a further perspective view of the

assembly of Figure 19.

[0029]Figure 21 shows a perspective view or the rocking

control member of Figure 19.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0030]With reference to the enclosed figures, it will be

now described a particular non-limiting embodiment of a

push button operated circuit breaker 10 with rocking

control member. By push button operated circuit breaker

it is intended a circuit breaker operated manually

through a push button in order to determine one, or at

least one, electrical switching. Preferably, as in the

illustrated example, the push button operated circuit breaker 10 is of modular type, that is destined to be mounted on a supporting frame for the wall installation beside other modular circuit breakers of the same type or in general other electrical modular appliances, as for example sockets. The circuit breaker 10 can be operated manually and can be used for example for controlling the electric power and/or the lighting in a residential or commercial building.

[0031] In the present description, by the term circuit

breaker it is meant both a device for opening and closing

a single electrical contact and a device for opening an

electrical contact with the contemporary closing of

another electrical contact and vice versa (diverter).

[0032]The push button operated switch 10 with rocking

control member that, for ease of explanation, will be

called in the present description also " circuit breaker"

or "push button circuit breaker", includes a supporting

structure 20 made of electrically insulating material,

e.g. plastic, preferably having, but not restrictively,

approximatively the parallelepiped shape. The supporting

structure 20, hereinafter called case, includes a bottom

wall 21 and four lateral walls 20a, 20b, 20c, 20d joined

to the bottom wall 21. The case 20 includes an open side

21' opposite to the bottom wall 21. The lateral walls

20a, 20b, 20c, 20d and the bottom wall 21 define a recessed compartment adapted for housing the electromechanical components of the circuit breaker 10 and at least two electrical connection terminals Cl, C2,

C3. In the example shown in the Figures the recessed

compartment of the case 20 houses, without any

limitation, three electrical connecting terminals Cl, C2,

C3.

[0033]Preferably, the bottom wall 21 is integrated in

the case 20, however in an alternative embodiment the

bottom wall 21 may be a piece separated from the lateral

walls 20a, 20b, 20c, 20d of the case 20 and coupled to

them.

[0034]The push button operated circuit breaker 10

includes a push button 30, being operated manually to

command an electrical switching of the circuit breaker

10, having a body provided with lateral walls 30a, 30b,

30c, 30d crossing the open side 21' of the case 20. The

push button 10 is adapted to slide with respect to the

case 20 along a sliding axis Z-Z and along a delimited

space between a forward position and a backward position.

For the purposes of the present description, by "forward

position" it is meant an end of stroke position in the

approaching movement of the push button 30 to the case

20, while by "backward position" it is intended an end of

stroke position in the distancing movement of the push button 30 from the case 20. It is therefore clear that the terms "forward" and "backward" refer to the position of the push button 30 with respect to the case 20.

[0035]The push button operated circuit breaker 10

includes a guiding system adapted to guide the sliding of

the push button 30 with respect to the case 20 along the

sliding axis Z-Z.

[0036]Preferably, the guiding system is a system of

spatially distributed guides including first guide

elements 22, 32 operatively interposed between the

lateral walls 20a, 20b, 20c, 20d of the case 20 and the

lateral walls 30a, 30b, 30c, 30d of the body of the push

button 30.

[0037]Preferably, the system of spatially distributed

guides also includes second guide elements 23, 24, 33, 34

spaced apart with respect to the first guide elements 22,

32 and placed with respect to the first guide elements

22, 32 at a lower distance from the bottom wall 21 of the

case 20. Most precisely, friction surfaces cooperating

between them of the first guide elements 22,32, have a

distance from the bottom wall 21 of the case 20 higher

than the distance with respect to the bottom wall 21 of

the case 20 of friction surfaces cooperating between them

of the second guide elements 23,24,33,34.

[0038]According to one advantageous embodiment, the first guide elements 22, 32 include a first plurality of appendices 22 protruding from the lateral walls 20a, 20b,

20c, 20d of the case 20 towards the lateral walls 30a,

30b, 30c, 30d of the push button 30 and a second

plurality of appendices 32 protruding from the lateral

walls of the push button 30 towards the lateral walls

20a, 20b, 20c, 20d of the case 20 and each being adapted

to contact a respective appendix 22 of the first

plurality of appendix 22 in order to slide thereon when

the push button 30 slides with respect to the case 20.

[0039]In the non-limiting exemplary embodiment shown in

the Figures four appendices 22 protruding from the

lateral walls 20a, 20b, 20c, 20d of the case 20 are

provided as well as and four corresponding appendices 32

protruding from the lateral walls 30a, 30b, 30c, 30d of

the push button 30.

[0040]According to one advantageous embodiment, the

first plurality of appendices 22 and the second plurality

of appendices 32 allow the lateral walls 30a, 30b, 30c,

30d of the push button 30 to be spaced from the lateral

walls 20a, 20b, 20c, 20d of the case 20 when the push

button 30 slides with respect to the case 20. Thereby, in

fact, the push button operated circuit breaker 10 is less

vulnerable to an undesired dust or sand intrusion within

the lateral walls 20a, 20b, 20c, 20d of the case 20 and lateral walls 30a, 30b, 30c, 30d of the push button 30 that would otherwise cause a jamming in a circuit breaker wherein, on the contrary, due to a wide overlapping between the lateral walls of the push button 30 and those of the case 20, there are wider friction surfaces.

[0041] According to one preferred embodiment, the

aforesaid protruding appendices 22, 32 are linear

appendices, which in the shown example extend linearly

along axis that are parallel between them and parallel to

the sliding axis Z-Z.

[0042]According to one preferred embodiment, the lateral

walls of button 30 are parallel in twos and define edges

32', each of them being arranged by a pair of adjacent

lateral walls 30a, 30b, 30c, 30d of button 30. Each

appendix 32 of the second plurality of appendices is

arranged on a corresponding edge 32'. Preferably, the

edges 32' are bevelled.

[0043]According to one advantageous embodiment, the

second guide elements 23, 24,33,34 are decentred with

respect to the first guide elements 22, 32. In other

words, the second guide elements 23, 24, 33, 34 are

closer to some of the first guide elements 22, 32 and

further from other first guide elements 22, 32.

[0044]Preferably, with reference to Figures 4, 6 and 7

the second guide elements 23, 24, 33, 34 include a guide seat 23 and a guide pin 33 having an end portion 34 slidable in the guide seat 23. In the non-limiting exemplary embodiment shown in the Figures, the guide pin

33 extends from the body of the push button 30 towards

the bottom wall 21 of the case 20 while the guide seat 23

is fixed to the bottom wall 21 of the case 20.

Preferably, the guide pin 33 is integrated in the push

button 30 and protrudes from the body of the push button

30 towards the bottom wall 21 of the case 20. Preferably,

the body of the push button 30 and the guide pin 33 form

a single piece.

[0045]According to one advantageous embodiment, the

aforesaid end portion 34 of the guide pin 33 has a cross

shaped cross-section. By cross-shaped cross-section, it

is intended a section on a plane that is perpendicular to

the sliding axis Z-Z. In the particular embodiment shown

in the Figures, the aforesaid cross-shaped cross-section

includes a circular central part from which four arms

originate forming a Greek cross.

[0046]According to one advantageous embodiment, the

guide pin 33 does not interfere with the lateral walls

20a, 20b, 20c, 20d of the case 20 during the sliding

movements of the push button 30 with respect to the case

20. In other words, the guide pin 33 is spaced apart from

the lateral walls 20a, 20b, 20c, 20d of the case 20 so as to avoid having friction surfaces among the lateral walls of the case 20 and the guide pin 33 itself.

[0047]With reference to Figures 4 and 7, according to

one embodiment the guide seat 23 includes four lateral

walls 24 parallel in twos. Preferably, the lateral walls

24 of the guide seat 23 are separated from one another

and joined to the bottom wall 21 of the case 20. In one

alternative embodiment the guide seat 33 may be a

continuous collar, having a quadrangular or circular

section. In the particular example shown, the lateral

walls 24 are integrated in the bottom walls 21 of the

case 20, protruding from it towards the push button 30.

[0048] With reference to Figure 8 the push button

operated circuit breaker 10 includes at least one elastic

element 40 adapted to exert a pushing force on the push

button 30 in order to bring back or keep the push button

30 in the backward position in absence of external

forces. In the particular embodiment shown in Figure 8

the circuit breaker 10 includes two elastic elements 40

having the form of two coil springs 40. In particular, in

the shown example, the circuit breaker 10 also includes a

diaphragm 41 housed inside the case 20 and the elastic

elements 40 are operatively inserted between the

diaphragm 41 and the body of the push button 30, each

having for example an end portion inserted in a correspondent recessed seat 39 provided in the body of the push button 30 (Figure 6). Also in the diaphragm 41 recessed seats having the same function may be provided.

[0049]With reference to Figures 8-10, according to one

embodiment, in order to stop the push button 30 in the

backward position, the push button operated circuit

breaker 10 includes a first stopping system including

contact surfaces 251, 351 of the lateral walls of the

case 20 and of the lateral walls of the push button 30

respectively, which are abutting to each other when the

push button 30 is in the backward position. In one

particularly advantageous embodiment, the first stopping

system includes a button alignment system including

alignment elements 250, 350 engaging with each other

starting from a given point on during the sliding

movement of the push button 30 from the forward position

towards the backward position before reaching the

backward position. Such alignment elements 250, 350 allow

to progressively align the push button 30 with respect to

a reference plane RP (Figure 11) that is perpendicular

to the sliding axis Z-Z.

[0050]According to one advantageous embodiment, the

aforesaid alignment elements 250, 350 include at least a

variable cross-section guide 250, and a corresponding

variable cross-section slider 350 adapted to be inserted inside the variable cross-section guide 250, starting from a given point on during the motion of the push button 30 before reaching the backward position and up until reaching it. Preferably the variable cross-section guide 250 is a tapered guide, having a decreasing cross section in the direction towards the reference plane

R_P). In this case, for example, the variable cross

section slider 350 is wedge-shaped.

[0051]According to one advantageous embodiment, in order

to further increase the precision of the alignment of the

push button 30 with respect to the reference plane R_P

and to guarantee a better coupling between the push

button 30 and the case 20, the contact surfaces 251 and

351 are surfaces that, in the backward position of the

push button 30, lie on a plane IP inclined with respect

to the reference plane RP.

[0052]According to one particularly advantageous

embodiment, the circuit breaker 10 includes complementary

snap-fit coupling elements 25, 35 provided on the lateral

walls of the case 20 and on the lateral walls of the body

of the push button 30. The above said snap-fit coupling

elements 25 are shaped in order to ease a forced

insertion of the body of the push button 30 through the

open side 21' of the case 20 in the assembling phase of

the push button-case assembly and, once they pass a snapping position, to make interlocking snap fit coupling between the push button 30 and the case 20, based on which the push button 30 is slidingly constrained to the case 20.

[0053]In the particular example represented in the

Figures, without limitation, said snap-fit coupling

elements 25, 35 include four snap-fit coupling teeth 25

on the lateral walls of the case 20 and four

complementary snap-fit coupling teeth 35 arranged on the

lateral walls of the body of the push button 30.

Preferably the snap-fit coupling teeth 25, 35 are

arranged at the corners of a rectangular or square lying

on a plane that is perpendicular to the sliding axis Z-Z.

[0054]According to one particularly advantageous

embodiment, the above described snap-fit coupling

elements 25, 35 carry the above described alignment

elements 250, 350 and preferably the above described

contact surfaces 251, 351 too.

[0055]According to one preferred embodiment, in order to

stop the push button 20 in the forward position, the push

button operated circuit breaker 10 includes a second

stopping system including contact elements 26, 36

respectively provided on the lateral walls of the case 20

and on the lateral walls of the body of the push button

30. In the particular example shown, the aforesaid contact elements 26, 36 include two small blocks 36 protruding from opposite walls 30b, 30d of the push button body 30 and stopping seats 26 provided on two opposite lateral walls 20b, 20d of the case 20.

[0056]According to one embodiment, the push button

operated switch 10 includes a supporting fulcrum 50

housed inside the case 20. As known, in a circuit breaker

a supporting fulcrum 50 serves as a supporting means for

a mobile electrically conductive switching member, being

in particular rotatable, carrying at least a mobile

electrical contact element. The aforesaid mobile

electrically conductive switching member will be called

in the present description rotatable contact holder

support. The supporting fulcrum 50 is for example made of

metal foil folded and sheared off.

[0057]According to one advantageous embodiment, in order

to guarantee a stable fixing of the supporting fulcrum 50

to the case 20, the case 20 includes a housing seat 27 of

the supporting fulcrum 50 and the push button operated

circuit breaker 10 includes a snap-fit coupling system

adapted to fix the supporting fulcrum 50 to the case 20

in the housing seat 27. Preferably, the housing seat 27

is arranged inside the case 20 on the bottom wall 21 and

the snap-fit coupling system includes at least a coupling

elastic tooth 28 adapted to hook the supporting fulcrum

50 to the bottom wall 21 of the case 20. Preferably the

aforesaid coupling elastic tooth 28 is integrated in the

bottom wall 21 of the case 20 and forms a single piece

with the latter. In the example shown in the Figures, the

snap-fit coupling system includes a plurality of coupling

elastic teeth 28, in particular three coupling elastic

teeth 28.

[0058]According to one advantageous embodiment allowing

to simplify the manufacturing of the case 20, beneath the

coupling elastic tooth 28, the bottom wall 21 of the case

20 has a pass-through opening 28'. Thereby, it is

usefully avoided having to mould in the bottom wall 21 of

the case 20 undercut opposite surfaces.

[0059]According to one preferred embodiment, the

coupling elastic tooth 28 has a free end portion and an

opposite end fastened to the bottom wall 21 of the case

20 and the free end portion is such that it engages with

a peripheral portion of the supporting fulcrum 50.

[0060]According to one advantageous embodiment, at least

two snap-fit coupling teeth 28 are provided, arranged at

opposite sides with respect to the supporting fulcrum 50.

[0061]According to one embodiment, the housing seat 27

of the supporting fulcrum 50 is a recessed seat

implemented in the bottom wall 21 of the case.

Preferably, the fulcrum 50 includes a support and contact portion 51 that is shaped so as to form a groove, for example having a V-shaped cross section, housed inside the recessed housing seat 27. Preferably, the support fulcrum 50 also includes a connecting portion 52, being part of a connecting terminal 50 of the circuit breaker

10. The connecting terminal Cl includes a screw 54 and a

clamping plate 55, and the screw 54 crosses the

connecting portion 53 of the supporting fulcrum 50 to

engage with the clamping plate 55. According to one

advantageous embodiment, between the support and contact

portion 51 and the connecting portion 53, the supporting

fulcrum 50 includes an intermediate portion 52 forming a

connection inclined plane between the support and contact

portion 51 and the connecting portion 53.

[0062]According to one particularly advantageous

embodiment, the circuit breaker 10 also includes an

anchoring system 59, 29 of the supporting fulcrum 50 to

the case 20, in particular to the bottom wall 21 of the

case 20. For example the anchoring system 59, 29 includes

a folded little wing 59 integrated in the supporting

fulcrum 50 and an anchoring seat 29 (visible in Figure 4)

arranged inside the bottom wall 21 of the case 20 housing

the folded little wing 59. This allows to stabilise the

supporting fulcrum 50 position also with respect to the

external stresses that affect for example the supporting fulcrum 50 during the wiring operations of the circuit breaker 10, for example caused by the clamping of the connecting terminal Cl.

[0063]Apart from the specific example shown in the

drawings, more general or more specific embodiments have

been so far described wherein the circuit breaker 10 is a

generic push button operated circuit breaker.

[0064]Hereinafter some embodiments will be described

wherein the circuit breaker 10 is a push button operated

circuit breaker with a rocking mechanism. An embodiment

of a push button operated circuit breaker with rocking

mechanism is for example disclosed in the European patent

EP1866944. Apart from the peculiar embodiment disclosed

in such patent, it must be noted that by button operated

circuit breaker with rocking mechanism it is to be

intended in general a circuit breaker operated by a

sliding button including a rocking element that controls

the switching, hereinafter called, for ease of

explanation, rocking control member.

[0065]With reference to Figures 3, 5, 6, according to

one advantageous embodiment the push button 30 includes a

pressure transmitting member 60 rotatably fastened to the

body of the push button 30. The pressure transmitting

member 60 is adapted to rotate into two opposed

directions starting from a resting position (or central position) and the push button 30 includes at least an elastic element 61 adapted to bring the pressure transmitting member 60 back to the angular resting position after one rotation. Referring to Figures 6 and

15, it must be noted that the pressure transmitting

member 60 is adapted to rotate around the rotation axis

Al-Al (that will be called third rotation axis).

[0066]In order to allow a user to manually operate the

push button 10 perceiving a very limited resistance, the

aforesaid elastic element is, or includes, a wire spring

61 and preferably a rectilinear wire spring. The

aforesaid wire spring 61 is, for example, a wire spring

made of spring steel. It has been observed that a wire

spring 61 with reduced section too, for example with a

diameter included between 0,25 mm and 0,75 mm and for

example equal to 0,5 mm, is able to bring the pressure

transmitting member 60 back to the angular resting

position and is able to resist to the stresses generated

when the push button 30 is manually operated.

[0067]Preferably, the aforesaid wire spring 61 has two

opposite end portions 62 constrained to the push button

30 and a central portion 63 adapted to exert an elastic

strength on the pressure transmitting member 60.

Preferably, referring to Figure 15, the pressure

transmitting member 60 includes a central portion 600 and pressure transmitting member 60, thereby the wire spring 61 is arranged on one side of the pass-through opening 360 together with at least a part of the central portion 600 of the pressure transmitting member 60, while the remaining part of the pressure transmitting member 60 is arranged on the other side of said pass-through opening 360.

[0069] With reference to Figure 15, according to one further

advantageous embodiment, the pressure transmitting member 60

includes two opposite hinge pins 610 that originate from the

central portion 600 of the aforesaid member. For example, the

two hinge pins 610 are cylindrical pins. Such hinge pins 610

are oriented along the rotation axis Al-Al of the pressure

transmitting member 60. According to one advantageous

embodiment, in order to simplify the assembly of the push

button 30, the latter includes two semicircular recesses

(visible in Figure 6), or generally having the shape of an arc

of the circle, aligned along the rotation axis of the pressure

transmitting member 60 each of which is adapted to partially

receive a respective pin 610. In such case, the wire spring 61,

apart from serving as elastic return to make the pressure

transmitting member 60 return into its resting position, also

serves favourably as fixing element of the member 60 to the

push button 30.

[0070] According to one advantageous embodiment, referring circle, aligned along the rotation axis of the pressure transmitting member 60 each of which is adapted to partially receive a respective pin 610. In such case, the wire spring 61, apart from serving as elastic return to make the pressure transmitting member 60 return into its resting position, also serves favourably as fixing element of the member 60 to the push button 30.

[0070]According to one advantageous embodiment,

referring to Figure 16, the push button 30 includes a

fixing seat 361 of the wire spring 61 made in the

thickness of the bottom wall 31 of the push button 30 and

that in the embodiment is placed on top of the pass

through opening 360 of the push button 30. Preferably,

such fixing seat 361 includes two grooves 362 aligned to

each other along the direction of prevalent longitudinal

extension of the wire spring 61 and are crossed by the

end portions 62 of the wire spring 61. Preferably, the

end portions 62 of the wire spring 61 protrude beyond

such grooves 362 from opposite sides with respect to the

central portion 63 of the wire spring 61. Conveniently,

the fixing seat 361 of the wire spring 61 includes

stopping elements 365 adapted to limit or prevent an

undesired translation of the wire spring 31 with respect

to the push button 30. Such translation may in fact

determine and undesired detachment of the wire spring 61 from the push button 30 and, thus, in the embodiment also of the pressure transmitting member 60.

[0071]]With reference to Figure 7, the aforesaid

pressure transmitting member 60 contacts, from a certain

point on during the sliding of the push button 30 from

the backward position to the forward position, a

commutation rocking control member 70, e.g. a bistable

member, included in the push button operated circuit

breaker 10. By rocking control member it is meant a

rocking control member adapted to control the switching.

After such contact, the pressure transmitting member 60

starts rotating with respect to the resting position, and

during a further advancement of the push button 30 it

determines a rotation of the rocking control member 70

starting from a first operative position until it reaches

a second operative position. At this point, if the

pressure of the push button 30 is released, it will be

able to return back to the backward position and the

pressure transmitting member 60 can return back to the

resting position as a result of the elastic return force

of wire spring 61, whilst the control rocking member 70

will be able to remain in the second operative position,

if it is a stable position, or, in the opposite case,

return back to the first operative position (e.g. as a

result of a return force applied by an elastic element)

In case the control rocking member 70 returns in the

first operative position, a further pressure of the push

button 30 will determine a sequence of movements as the

above described one. In case, on the contrary, the

rocking control member 70 remains in the second operative

position, at the moment of a further pressure of the push

button 30 through a sequence of movements similar to the

above described one, it will be able to return in the

first operative position and remain there despite the

push button 30 is released and until a later pressure of

the push button 30.

[0072]With reference to Figures 17-21, the push button

operated circuit breaker (10) includes at least a fixed

electrical contact element 92, 92' (hereinafter also

called fixed contact element) and at least a mobile

element of mobile contact 82, 82' (hereinafter also

called mobile contact element) and the rocking control

member 70, by moving as a result of the pressure

transmitted by the pressure transmitting member 60,

determines a rotation of the rotatable contact holder

support 81 around a rotation axis A3-A3 (hereinafter also

called a first rotation axis) that in its turn, rotates

the mobile electrical contact element 82 between a first

and a second operative position, being angularly spaced

from one another. In the non-limitative embodiment shown in Figures 17-21, the switch 10 includes two opposite mobile electrical elements 82, 82' and two fixed electrical contact elements 92, 92', being spaced apart and each other fronted. In this case the circuit breaker

10 is thus a two-way diverter, whereby in one of the

aforesaid operative positions the mobile contact element

82 is in contact with a fixed contact element 92 and the

mobile contact element 82' is separated from the other

fixed contact element 92' while in the other operative

position the mobile contact element 82 is separated from

the fixed contact element 92 and the mobile contact

element 82' is in contact with the other fixed contact

element 92'. However, it is to be noted that the

teachings of the present description can be easily

applied from an expert in the field even to the case of a

push button operated circuit breaker 10 having a single

fixed electrical contact element and a single mobile

electrical contact element. Thus, it is possible to

generalise by stating that the mobile electrical contact

element is 82, 82' rotates around a rotation axis A3-A3

among two operative positions angularly spaced in order

to interrupt or deviate an electrical circuit. From now

on, reference will be made, without limitation, to the

case wherein the circuit breaker 10 includes two mobile

electrical contact elements 82, 82' and two fixed

electrical contact elements 92, 92'. In such a case the circuit breaker 10 includes two fixed contact holder supports 91, 91' to which the fixed contact elements 92,

92' are respectively fixed, e.g. welded. The fixed

contact holder supports 91, 91' are made of electrically

conductive material, e.g. copper, and each one includes a

connecting portion 93, 93'. Each connecting portion

93,93' is for example part of a corresponding electrical

connecting terminal C2, C3 of the circuit breaker 10.

Each connecting clamp C2, C3 includes a screw 94, 94' and

a clamping plate 95, 95' and each screw 94, 94' crosses

the respective connecting portion 93, 93' for engaging

with an associated clamping plate 95, 95'.

[0073]The mobile electrical contact elements 82, 82' are

for example two opposite electrically conductive pads,

e.g. made of sintered silver, fixed, e.g. welded, at the

opposite sides of an end portion of a mobile contact

holder support 81, also made of electrically conductive

material, e.g. copper. It is thus clear that in this

embodiment the mobile electrical contact elements 82, 82'

are electrically connected between them. The opposite end

portion of the mobile contact support 81 lies on the

supporting fulcrum 50 and in particular on the portion

and support and contact 51 of the supporting fulcrum 50.

The mobile contact holder support 81 rotates around a

first rotation axis A3-A3, in the example defined by the supporting fulcrum 50, in order to rotate the mobile electrical contact element 82, 82' between the first and the second operative portion and vice versa. For example, the mobile contact holder support 81 is an L-shaped plate having a larger base 810 lying on the supporting fulcrum

50 and a more narrow arm 811 than the base 810 that

protrudes from the base 810 and on whose end portion

opposite to the base 810 the mobile electrical contact

elements 82,82' are fixed.

[0074]The rocking control member 70 includes a body 75,

preferably made of electrically insulating material, e.g.

plastic, rotatable with respect to the case 20 so as to

rotate around a rotation axis A2-A2 (herein also called

second rotation axis), parallel to a first rotation axis

A3-A3, in order to rotate the rotatable contact holder

support 81. Preferably, the second rotation axis A2-A2 is

parallel both to the third rotation axis Al-Al and to the

first rotation axis A3-A3. Preferably, the body 75 of the

rocking control member 70 is rotatably hinged to the case

20.

[0075]According to an advantageous embodiment, in order

to further reduce the axial encumbrance of the push

button operated circuit breaker 10, the body 75 of the

rocking control member 70 is shaped in such a way that

the rotatable contact holder support 81 in the rotation around the first rotation axis A3-A3 can cross the second rotation axis A2-A, that is the rotation axis of the body

75 of the rocking control member 70.

[0076]Preferably, the body 75 of the rocking control

member 70 includes a contact portion 72 having two shaped

surfaces 701, 702 intended to be alternatively contacted

and pushed by the pressure transmitting member 60, and in

particular by the two appendices 601,602. Preferably, the

two shaped surfaces 701, 702 are two stepped surfaces.

[0077]According to one embodiment, the body 75 of the

rocking control member 70 includes a bridge portion 71

bypassing an operative space 710 in which the rotatable

contact holder support 81, or an end portion thereof, as

for example an end portion of the arm 811 is free to

rotate. For example, the bridge portion 71 includes at

least a bended bridge arm 711, 712, 713, preferably two

coplanar bended bridge arms 711, 713 originating from two

different points of the body 75 and joining in the same

point. In the particular embodiment shown, the bridge

portion 71 includes three bended bridge arms 711, 712,

713 originating from three different points of the body

75 and joining in the same point to form a cage structure

that defines the operative area 710 within which the

rotatable contact holder support 81, or an end portion

thereof, as for example an end portion of the arm 811, is free to rotate. According to one possible embodiment, the bridge portion 71 may include a continuous bridge wall provided with a recess or a pocket within which the rotatable contact holder support 81, or an end portion thereof, is free to rotate.

[0078]According to one advantageous embodiment, as in

the example shown in the Figures, the bridge portion 71

bypasses also a space occupied by the fixed contact

holder support 91, 91', by the fixed electrical contact

element 92, 92' and by the mobile electrical contact

element 82, 82'. In such a way, the bridge portion 71

bypasses a space region of the circuit breaker 10 in

which the joining and separation between the mobile

electrical contact element 82, 82' and the fixed

electrical contact element 92, 92' occurs.

[0079]According to one embodiment, the rocking control

member 70 includes two opposite coupling elements that

allow the rotatably coupling of the control member 70

with two opposite lateral walls of the case 20. In the

particular example shown in the figures, the aforesaid

coupling elements include two opposite cylindrical shaped

pins 76 protruding from the body 75 along the rotation

axis A2-A2 towards opposite directions. According to one

advantageous embodiment, one of the aforesaid pins 76

protrudes from the contact portion 72 and the other one of said pins protrudes from the bridge portion 71. For example, such pins 76 are inserted in corresponding pass through holes or recesses 276 arranged in two opposite lateral walls of the case 20.

[0080]According to one embodiment, the body 75 of the

rocking control member 70 includes a portion 73

containing an internally hollow seat adapted to receive

an elastic element, e.g. a coil spring 77, operatively

inserted between the rocking control member 70 and the

mobile contact holder support 81. For example, the mobile

contact holder support 81, and in particular its base

810, includes in fact a protruding appendix 87 inserted

inside the coil spring 77.

[0081]According to further embodiments, in the body of

the rocking control member 70 further accessory elements

can be provided, such as a wall 79 with a recess (not

visible in the drawings because it points to the bottom

wall 21 of the case 20) adapted to receive an end of an

elastic element (as for example a coil spring) adapted to

make the rocking control member 70 a monostable member.

[0082]As clearly shown from the above description, the

proposed button operated circuit breaker with rocking

control member 10 allows to fully achieve the planned

scopes in terms of overcoming the drawbacks of the

circuit breakers of the prior art. As a matter of fact, experimental evidence has demonstrated that, thanks to the provision of an elastic element which is or includes a wire spring 61, if compared to the push button circuit breakers of the prior art, it is possible to significantly reduce the resistance perceived when pushing the push button 30 starting from the moment when the pressure transmitting member 60 contacts the rocking control member 70. This contributes to produce a sensation of greater fluidity when pushing the push button.

[0083]Subject to the principle of the invention, the

embodiments and the implementation details shall be

widely varied with respect to what has been said and

shown for exemplary purposes but not limited to, without

detaching from the field of the invention as defined in

the enclosed claims.

Claims (10)

THE CLAIMS DEFINING THE INVENTION ARE AS FOLLOWS:

1. A push button operated circuit breaker with

rocking control member including:

- a case made of electrically insulating material,

having a bottom wall, lateral walls being joined to

the bottom wall and an open side opposite to the

bottom wall;

- a push button that can be operated to command an

electrical switching of the switch and having a

body provided with lateral walls crossing said open

side, the push button being adapted to slide with

respect to the case along a sliding axis, between a

forward position and a backward position;

- a rocking control member adapted to control an

electrical switching;

- a pressure transmitting member being rotatably

constrained to the body of the push button and

adapted to rotate with respect to a rest angular

position around a rotation axis;

- an elastic element adapted to bring back the

pressure transmitting member in the rest angular

position after its rotation;

wherein:

- the above-mentioned elastic element is, or

includes, a wire spring;

- the body of the push button includes a pass-through

opening, crossed by the pressure transmitting

member, thereby the wire spring is arranged on one

side of the pass-through opening together with at

least one a part of a central portion of the

pressure transmitting member, while the remaining

part of the pressure transmitting member is

arranged on the other side of said pass-through

opening .

2. The push button operated circuit breaker according

to claim 1, wherein the wire spring is a rectilinear

wire spring.

3. The push button operated circuit breaker according

to claim 1 or 2, wherein the wire spring has a diameter

between 0.25 mm and 0.75 mm.

4. The push button operated circuit breaker according

to any one of the previous claims, wherein the wire

spring has two opposite end portions constrained to the

body of the push button and a central portion adapted to

exert an elastic force on the pressure transmitting

member.

5. The push button operated circuit breaker according to claim 4, wherein the pressure transmitting member includes two appendices originating from the central portion, wherein the central portion of the pressure transmitting member includes a channel (630) crossed by the central portion of the wire spring.

6. The push button operated circuit breaker according

to any one of the previous claims, wherein the push

button includes a fixing seat of the wire spring made in

the thickness of the bottom wall of the push button and

placed on top of the pass through opening of the push

button.

7. The push button operated circuit breaker according

to any one of the previous claims, wherein:

- the pressure transmitting member includes two

opposite hinge pins directed along the rotation

axis of the pressure transmitting member;

- the body of the push button includes two

semicircular or circular arc shaped recesses, being

aligned along the rotation axis each of them being

adapted to partially receive a respective pin.

8. The push button operated circuit breaker according

to claim 6, wherein the fixing seat of the wire spring

includes two grooves being aligned to each other along

the direction of prevalent longitudinal extension of the wire spring and being crossed by the end portions of the wire spring, wherein the end portions of the wire spring protrude beyond those grooves on opposite sides with respect to the central portion of the wire spring.

9. The push button operated circuit breaker according

to claim 8, wherein the fixing seat of the wire spring

includes stopping elements adapted to limit or prevent

the translation of the wire spring with respect to the

push button.

10.The push button operated circuit breaker according

to any one of the previous claims, wherein the wire

spring is made of spring steel.