CN1979955B - Electrical connection terminal and circuit breaker device with such a terminal - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to an electrical connection terminal for an electrical switching device, designed to electrically connect a terminal strip (2) of said switching device to a connection comb (3) and/or a power supply cable (4), which The connecting terminal comprises a contact clip (8), which is electrically connected to the terminal board (2) and is designed to clamp the teeth (15) of the comb (3) in the connecting position, and a clamping terminal (6) It is designed to clamp the cable (4) towards the connection terminal strip of the switching device in the clamping position. The terminal is characterized in that it comprises a means for electrically connecting the cable, the tooth (15) and the A terminal plate such that the current flowing from the cable (2) flows through the terminal plate (2) and into the teeth (15) without flowing through the movable part (10) of the contact clip (8).

Description

Electrical connecting terminals and electrical switching devices incorporating one such terminal

technical field

The invention relates to an electrical connection terminal for an electrical switching device, designed to connect a terminal board of said device to a connection comb and/or a power supply cable, the electrical connection terminal comprising a contact clip electrically connected to to the terminal board and designed to clamp the teeth of the comb in the connection position, and comprising a clamping screw designed to clamp the cable towards the connection terminal board of the device in the clamping position, and also It relates to an electric switching device comprising such a terminal.

Background technique

In document EP1505692 is described a known modular switchgear powered by a distribution comb comprising teeth designed to be connected to a quick-connect device using contact clips belonging to the switch device. These devices also include clamping terminals of the conventional type for the cables, which are able to supply the comb and thus the entire row of devices installed in the electrical switchgear. In these devices, the total current of the row is input by the cable to the terminals of the device by clamping to the connection terminal board, then the total current of the row flows through the contact clips, and the row is connected by elastic clamping of the teeth. The total current input to the comb to power other devices. The contact clip then receives the total current for the bank, which means that the manufacturer has to oversize the contact clip for all devices.

Another disadvantage of these systems is that the contact clips have to take the supply current and the tapped current when the current tapped from a device in the row has to flow.

Another disadvantage of such terminals is that, in the event of a short circuit, miswiring causes all contact clips in series to be subjected to the entire electrical short circuit stress limited only by the circuit breaker on the line side.

Contents of the invention

The present invention solves these problems and provides an electrical terminal and a switchgear incorporating the same, wherein it is not necessary to provide contact clips of a larger size for when the terminal is connected to a cable and a comb when tapping and when a short circuit occurs. Withstand current.

To this end, it is an object of the present invention to provide an electrical connection terminal for an electrical switching device of the above-mentioned type, which terminal is characterized in that it comprises a means for passing in the clamped position of the terminal towards the A terminal plate clamps the tooth to electrically connect the cable, the tooth and the terminal plate such that current from the cable flows through the terminal plate and into the tooth without flowing through the movable part of the contact clip.

According to a particular embodiment, the terminal comprises an electrically conductive intermediate portion electrically connected to the terminal board and at the clamping position of the tooth, said tooth is clamped towards the intermediate portion by the above-mentioned means.

According to a particular feature, the intermediate portion forms an integral part of the fixing portion of the contact clip.

According to a particular embodiment of the invention, the terminal is of the tube and movable screw type, the hole for inserting the cable is located between the tube and the contact terminal board, and the hole for inserting the tooth is located at the end of the terminal board and the screw between, so that when the connecting operation is performed, the cable is clamped between the pipe and the terminal plate and the tooth is clamped between the terminal plate and the end of the screw.

According to a particular characteristic of the invention, the foot of the screw passes through a hole provided in the movable part of the contact clip.

According to another embodiment, the terminal is of the type comprising a pipe and a movable screw, the hole for inserting a cable is located between the connecting terminal plate and the end of the screw, and the hole for inserting the tooth is located between the pipe and the intermediate portion between, so that in the clamped position of the terminal, the cable is clamped between the terminal plate and the end of the screw and the tooth is clamped between the pipe and the intermediate part.

According to particular characteristics, the middle part comprises a U-shaped part comprising two branches folded towards each other, the two U-shaped branches clamping the fixed part of the contact clip, the cable being clamped in the middle part One of the branches and the screw, and the tooth is clamped between the other branch of the middle and the pipe.

According to another particular embodiment of the invention, the terminal is of the tube and movable screw type, the hole for inserting the cable is located between the middle part and the tube, and the hole for inserting the tooth is located between the middle part and the clip between the clamping screw caps so that in the clamped position of the terminal the cable is clamped between the intermediate part and the pipe and the tooth is clamped between the intermediate part and the clamping screw cap.

According to a particular feature of the invention, a clamping screw cap is passed through the hole provided in the movable part of the contact clip, the clamping screw cap clamps the tooth towards the middle part, and the pipe is in clamped position clamp the cable towards the middle.

According to another feature, the middle part consists of a closed U-shaped part in which the branches making up the small sides are folded relative to each other and clamped respectively towards the cable and the tooth when performing the clamping operation of the terminal, the rotation of the screw makes Pipe moves.

According to another feature, the terminal comprises a means for electrically connecting the cable, the tooth and the terminal plate by clamping the tooth towards the terminal plate at the terminal clamping position so that the current flowing from the cable flows through the terminal strip and into the teeth without flowing through the contact clip.

According to another embodiment, the electrical connection terminal is of the type comprising a screw, into which the screw is screwed, and a movable duct, said duct comprising three openings serving respectively as passages for the teeth, the terminal board and the cable , tightening the screw causes the pipe to move upwards, this action of the pipe causes the cable to be clamped towards the terminal board and the tooth to be clamped towards said terminal board, the end of the tooth is designed to be inserted into the contact clip, said The contact clips are located on the outside of the pipe.

Another object of the present invention is to provide an electrical switching device comprising the above-mentioned features singly or in combination.

Description of drawings

However, the advantages and features of the present invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description, which reference may be made to the accompanying drawings, for example, in which:

Figures 1 and 2 are two partial cross-sectional views of a switching device according to the present invention, the switching device comprising terminals according to a specific embodiment of the present invention, Figures 1 and 2 correspond to the position where the terminal is connected to the comb teeth and the terminal connection to the location of the cables and combs,

Figures 3 and 4 are two views similar to Figures 1 and 2, but showing a terminal according to a second embodiment,

Figures 5 and 6 are two views similar to Figures 1 and 2, but showing a terminal according to a third embodiment,

Figures 7, 8 and 9 respectively show three terminals according to the above three embodiments in perspective views,

Figures 10 and 11 are two partial cross-sectional views of a switchgear according to the invention comprising a terminal according to a fourth embodiment, corresponding to the position of the connection to the comb and the position of the connection to the cable, respectively.

Detailed ways

In the figures, it can be seen that the connection terminal 1 is embedded in the housing B of the circuit breaker and is designed to connect the connection terminal plate 2 of the device to the comb 3 , which is powered by the cable 4 .

According to the embodiment shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 and as represented in FIG. 7 , the terminal 1 comprises a pipe 5 , a screw 6 , and a contact clip 8 comprising a fixed part 9 and a movable part 10 . The screw 6 is screwed into the top 11 of the pipe 5 and through a hole 12 provided for this purpose in the movable part 10 of the contact clip 8. This terminal strip 2 is formed as a U-shaped part comprising two branches 13, 14 which are folded towards each other, one branch 13 being connected to the contact clip 8 and constituting the fixing part 9 of said contact clip 8, and the other The branch 14 extends in a direction parallel to the first branch 13 . The screw 6 and the pipe 5 fit together in the housing B such that by tightening the screw 6 the screw 6 moves downward and the pipe 5 moves upward. A spring 24 placed in the form of a tile at the opening of the housing and counter-stressing the screw cap is arranged to bias the screw towards a higher position and keep open the hole for inserting the tooth.

In FIG. 1 , the terminal screw 6 is in the unclamped position and is in a higher position, which allows the teeth 15 of the comb 3 to be inserted into the holes 23 inside the contact clip 8 . A switch comprising such terminals is powered by the comb 3, through the teeth 15 of which the current is input to the connection terminal board 2 of the device. When the power supply comb 3 has to be powered by the cable 4, as shown in Figure 2, the cable is inserted in the hole 16 between the first branch 14 of the terminal board 2 and the pipe 5 and clamps the terminal screw 6, resulting in the screw 6 is inserted into the aforementioned hole 12 of the contact clip 8 . The terminal screw 6 presses on the tooth 15 and by tightening the screw 6 the pipe 5 is moved upwards. This causes the tooth 15 to be clamped between the end of the screw 6 and the terminal board 2 (first branch 13 ) and the cable 4 to be clamped between the terminal board 2 (second branch 14 ) and the pipe 5 .

According to the embodiment shown in FIGS. 3 and 4 and as shown in FIG. 8 , the terminal 1 comprises a duct 5 , a screw 6 clamped in the top 11 of the duct 5 , a contact comprising a fixed part 9 and a movable part 10 . clip 8 , and an electrically conductive intermediate portion 7 comprising a U-shaped portion electrically connected to the connection terminal board 2 . This U-shaped part comprises two branches 13a, 14a clamped to each other, between which branches the fixing part 9 of the contact clip 8 is clamped. The conduit 5 is located inside the contact clip 8 . The terminal also includes a serpentine spring 24 which is placed between the housing and the tube and biases the tube towards a lower position in order to keep open the holes for the teeth of the comb. It may be noted that there is a clip 25 comprising a portion inside the pipe.

In FIG. 3 , the screw 6 is not clamped, the hole 16 for inserting the cable is open, and the tooth 15 can be inserted into the hole 23 inside the contact clip 8 between the conductive middle part 7 (first branch 13a) and the pipe 5 . The current then flows through the comb teeth 3 via the teeth 15 and through this intermediate portion 7 in the direction of connecting the terminal board 2 .

In Fig. 4, the screw 6 is not clamped and the cable 4 has been inserted into the hole 16 between the end of the screw 6 and the conductive middle part 7 (branch 14a). When the screw 6 is tightened, the latter presses this clamp 25 and then the cable 4, and moves the pipe 5 upwards, which causes the pipe to be clamped between the end of the screw 6 and the conductive middle part 7 (branch 14a) by means of the above-mentioned clamp 25 Tightly, the teeth 15 of the comb 3 are clamped between the middle part 7 (branches 13 a ) and the pipe 5 .

In Figure 5, the terminal comprises a screw 6 screwed into the top 11 of the conduit 5, and a contact clip 8 comprising a fixed element 9 and a movable element 10 comprising a screw 18 capped through The through hole 17, and the closed U-shaped conductive middle part 7. This middle part comprises a base 19 , two wings 20 , 21 and a portion 22 which closes the U-shape of the fixing element 9 constituting the contact clip 8 . The screw 6 passes through the contact clip 8 and the tooth 15 and engages with the pipe 5 and moves the latter. The pipe can move in parallel in a direction parallel to the screw axis.

The terminal also includes a blade-shaped return spring 24 firmly fixed in translation to the screw and fixed in the housing. The spring 24 biases the screw upwards and keeps the opening of the terminal open for insertion of the teeth.

In FIG. 5 , the screw 6 is unclamped and is in a higher position, the teeth 15 of the comb 3 can be inserted into the holes 23 provided in the contact clip 7 and clamped.

In FIG. 6 , the teeth 15 are inserted into the contact clip 7 and the cable 4 is inserted into the space 16 between this middle part 7 (bottom 19 ) and the pipe 5 . When the screw 6 is tightened, the screw cap 18 passes through the movable part 10 of the contact clip 8 and clamps the tooth 15 towards the conductive intermediate part 7 . When the screw 6 is tightened, the pipe 5 moves upwards, causing the cable 4 to be clamped between this middle part 7 (bottom 19 ) and the pipe 5 .

According to the embodiment shown in FIGS. 10 and 11 , the connecting terminal 1 is of the screw and movable pipe type, the screw 6 being screwed into a pipe 11 comprising three openings serving respectively as the tooth 15 , the terminal plate 2 and the passage of the cable 4, the pipe 11 is moved upwards by tightening the screw 6, this action of the pipe 11 causes the cable 4 to be clamped towards this terminal board 2, and the teeth 15 are clamped towards said terminal board 2, the teeth The end of 15 is designed to be inserted into the contact clip 8 which is located on the outside of the pipe 11 .

In this embodiment, the current flows from the cable through the terminal strip and into the teeth without flowing through the contact clips.

In all these embodiments, the switching device, whose terminals receive the cable, receives the total current supplied to the comb teeth via the cable, and clamps so that the current flows from the cable to the tooth.

By means of the present invention it is possible to obtain an electrical connection terminal and an electrical switching device comprising it, making it possible to connect the electrical switching device to a connecting rod without screwing, which terminal is also capable of accommodating cables requiring conventional clamping in a small volume , the terminal does not require an oversized contact clip. The object of the invention is achieved by the fact that, in the case of connection to the comb, the tooth is clamped via the contact clip and when the cable is inserted into the terminal to feed the comb, the comb is fed by the cable and The assembly formed by the teeth is clamped via a clamping terminal which electrically releases the contact clamp.

With the invention, the current flows directly from the connection part to the connection terminal strip of the switching device, and the contact clip no longer needs to take up the feeder current from the other feeder devices of the row. In the case of a tapped feed from one device, the contact clip does not have to carry both the feeder current and the tap current. Contact quality no longer depends on contact clips.

In the event of a wiring error, i.e. a short circuit between two phases and between two teeth of the same comb, the direct contacts on this terminal board will not be activated before the protection of the circuit breaker on the upstream line is activated. Quality will prevent damage and welding.

In fact, the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described and shown above, which are provided by way of example only. On the contrary, the invention also encompasses technical equivalents of said means and combinations thereof, provided they operate according to the spirit of the invention.

Claims (13)

1. Electrical connection terminals for electrical switching devices designed to electrically connect the terminal strips of said devices to connection combs and power cables, the electrical connection terminals comprising: a U-shaped contact clip comprising a fixed part and a movable part, said contact clip being electrically connected to said terminal board and designed to grip the teeth of said comb in a connected position, and a clamping terminal designed to clamp the cable towards said terminal strip of the device in a clamping position, It is characterized in that the electrical connection terminal comprises a means for electrically connecting the cable (4) by clamping the tooth (15) towards the terminal board (2) in the clamping position of the electrical connection terminal (1) ), the tooth (15) and the terminal plate (2), the tooth (15) is clamped between the fixed part of the contact clip and the movable part of the contact clip so that the flow from the cable (4) Current flows through the terminal strip (2) and into the teeth (15) without flowing through the movable part (10) of the contact clip (8). 2. Connecting terminal according to claim 1, characterized in that it comprises an electrically conductive intermediate part (7) which is electrically connected to the terminal board (2) and which, in the clamping position of the tooth (15), passes through the above-mentioned means Said tooth (15) is clamped towards this middle part (7). 3. Connecting terminal according to claim 2, characterized in that the intermediate part (7) forms an integral part of the fixing part (9) of the contact clip (8). 4. The connection terminal according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the electrical connection terminal (1) is of the type comprising a pipe (5) and a movable screw (6), wherein the cable (4) is inserted ) hole (16) is located between the pipe (5) and the terminal plate (2), and the hole for inserting the tooth (15) is located between the terminal plate (2) and the end of the movable screw (6), so that when the connecting operation is performed, the cable (4) is clamped between the pipe (5) and the terminal board (2) and the tooth (15) is clamped between the terminal board (2) and the movable screw ( 6) between the ends. 5. Connecting terminal according to claim 4, characterized in that the foot of the movable screw (6) passes through a hole (12) provided in the movable part (10) of the contact clip (8). 6. The connecting terminal according to claim 2 or 3, characterized in that the electrical connecting terminal (1) is of the type comprising a pipe and a movable screw (6), and the hole (16) for inserting the cable (4) is located at Between the terminal plate (2) and the end of the movable screw (6), and the hole for inserting the tooth (15) is located between the pipe (5) and the middle part (7), so that in the electrical connection In the clamped position of the terminal (1), the cable (4) is clamped between the terminal plate (2) and the end of the movable screw (6) and the tooth (15) is clamped between the pipe (5) and between the middle part (7). 7. The connection terminal according to claim 6, characterized in that the middle part (7) comprises a U-shaped part comprising two branches (13a, 14a) folded relative to each other, the two U-shaped Branches (13a, 14a) clamp the fixed part (9) of the contact clip (8), the cable (4) is clamped in one branch (14a) and between the movable screw (6) and the tooth (15) is clamped between the other branch (13a) of the middle part (7) and the pipe (5). 8. The connection terminal according to claim 2 or 3, characterized in that the electrical connection terminal (1) is of the type comprising a pipe and a movable screw, and the hole (16) for inserting the cable (4) is located in the middle part (7) and the pipe (5), and the hole for inserting the tooth (15) is located between the middle part (7) and the movable screw (6), so that in the electrical connection terminal (1) In clamped position, the cable (4) is clamped between the middle part (7) and the pipe (5) and the tooth (15) is clamped between the middle part (7) and the screw cap (18) . 9. The connecting terminal according to claim 8, characterized in that the screw cap (18) passes through the hole (17) provided in the movable part (10) of the contact clip (8), and the movable screw (6 ) clamps the tooth (15) towards the middle part (7) and the pipe (5) clamps the cable (4) towards the middle part (7) in a clamped position. 10. The connecting terminal as claimed in claim 8, characterized in that the middle part (7) comprises a closed U-shaped part in which the branches (20, 21) forming the small sides are folded relative to each other and when performing the electrical connection The clamping operation of the terminal (1) is clamped towards the cable (4) and the tooth (15) respectively, and the rotation of the movable screw (6) moves the pipe (5). 11. Connecting terminal as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that it is of the type comprising a screw and a movable duct into which the screw is screwed, said duct comprising three openings serving respectively as teeth, the Passage for the terminal board and the cable, tightening the screw causes the pipe to move upwards, this action of the pipe causes the cable to be clamped towards the terminal board and the tooth to be clamped towards said terminal board, the end of the tooth is designed to be inserted into the In a contact clip, the contact clip is located outside the pipe. 12. Electrical switching device comprising an electrical connection terminal according to any preceding claim. 13. A circuit breaker comprising an electrical connection terminal according to any one of claims 1-11.

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