DE20311394U1 - Electrical protective circuit for electric equipment in house or vehicle has switch contact and manually released test switching circuit fitted inside housing - Google Patents

Abstract

The switch assembly has a housing (3) containing electrical contacts (7,8) and an operating system (6) for a switch contact (E) between them. The test switch assembly (4) includes a resistor (5) and connections (11,12) to further circuits. The switch may be used with direct current, alternating current and three-phase circuits.

Description

Law firm in Rhe'ine "* _T * _ELEP0N .

Hansaallee 36 05971 986650

Patent attorney fax:

48429 Rheine Dipl.-Phys. Harald Busse 05971 991464

European Patent and Trademark e-mail:

Attorney BUSSEPAT@AOL.COM

Applicant:

Stefan Goethe

Wilhelm-Busch-Str. 1b

49525 Lengerich

Description:

Protective device

The invention relates to an electrical protection device with at least one residual current circuit breaker, according to the preamble of claim 1 and according to the preamble of claim 11.

It is known that residual current circuit breakers, often referred to as FI switches, are used to protect electrical systems, for example in households, vehicles or commercial and production units. These are triggered when there is an imbalance between incoming and outgoing electrical currents, i.e. when a residual current is present, and the system thus protected is de-energized. Such residual current circuit breakers have a very short response time and can therefore switch particularly quickly in the event of danger. They can therefore offer a high level of safety for users of the electrical system.

It is also known to assign a test circuit with a manually operated actuator, such as a push button, to a residual current circuit breaker in order to be able to check the function of the residual current circuit breaker. The actuator and test circuit are usually integrated into the housing of the

residual current circuit breaker and firmly connected to each other, which limits flexibility. Such a housing can be mounted on a so-called top hat rail in a control cabinet, for example.

Because it is integrated into the housing, manual testing can only be carried out at the installation location of the residual current circuit breaker, such as a control cabinet, and is usually only carried out by an electrician at very long intervals - if at all. The functionality of a residual current circuit breaker is therefore often not known for long periods of time.

In order to protect various other devices and circuits, in addition to the residual current circuit breaker, a control cabinet often contains a large number of individual fuses that do not offer the short response times of the residual current circuit breaker and that must each be provided in the appropriate size.

The invention is based on the problem of being able to exploit the advantages of a residual current circuit breaker better than before.

The invention solves this problem by a protective device with the features of claim 1 and by a protective device with the features of claim 11, which

can be implemented individually or in combination with one another. With regard to advantageous embodiments of the invention, reference is made to the further claims 2 to 10.

According to the invention, the design according to claim 1 creates the possibility of easily expanding the residual current circuit breaker to include a large number of possible uses. By connecting the additional triggering option(s) in parallel, they can actuate the test circuit just like a known manually operated button and thus trigger the residual current circuit breaker. Such a triggering unit can fulfil a large number of possible functions. By additionally providing at least one detachable mechanical support on the housing of the residual current circuit breaker, the additional triggering unit(s) can be easily attached to the residual current circuit breaker.

The reliability of the connection of the parts to one another can be ensured in particular by a positive connection of the support and the holding elements.

If a quick-release fastener, such as a plug-in or dovetail connection, is provided, assembly and disassembly, for example to change different trigger units, is considerably accelerated and can also be done without tools.

This makes both the manufacture of the parts and the assembly on site particularly easy if the mechanical connecting parts also serve as electrical contacts. For example, simply plugging the parts together can then be the only

required assembly step and provide both their mechanical hold and their electrical contact.

An arrangement of sockets in the housing of the residual current circuit breaker advantageously ensures that these can be live for the tripping unit to be attached without there being a risk that live parts could be touched.

In particular, it is advantageous for the arrangement of several trip units if they are all designed in the same way in terms of their connecting means and, for example, have sockets on one side and protruding complementary contact and/or retaining pins on the opposite side. A range of different trip units can be kept in stock and thus adaptation to changing requirements can be carried out easily at any time, even in existing electrical systems.

The invention can advantageously be used to integrate a smoke detector in the control cabinet, which triggers the residual current device in the event of smoldering fires in the electrical system, which are often unnoticed. Another trigger unit can also advantageously be formed by a radio receiver, which receives signals from various spatially distributed detectors and, if necessary, triggers the residual current device.

According to the invention, a tripping unit can be formed by a proximity switch according to claim 11. This ensures that, for example, when a person opens the switch cabinet, the residual current device is automatically triggered and thus the entire electrical system is de-energized. For the

For example, a radio receiver can be provided for re-switching, which only allows re-switching if the person maintains a sufficient safety distance from the control cabinet. This significantly reduces the risk of electrical accidents for laypeople. A proximity switch blocking function can be provided for skilled workers.

Further advantages and features of the invention will become apparent from embodiments of the subject matter of the invention shown in the drawing and described below.

In the drawing shows:

Fig. 1 a schematic diagram of the test circuit

a residual current circuit breaker with its own connection option to various lines and additional parallel connection option for at least one further tripping unit,

Fig. 2 shows the circuit diagram according to Fig. 1 when connecting the test circuit to a first line of a two-pole circuit of the residual current device,

Fig. 3 shows the circuit diagram according to Fig. 1 when connecting the

test circuit to a line of a four-pole circuit of the residual current device,

Fig. 4 a circuit diagram similar to Fig. 1 with additional

indicated two further parallel

Trigger units,

Fig. 5 is a schematic view of the housing of the

Residual current circuit breaker in mounted position with dashed supports for a tripping unit,

Fig. 6 is a view similar to Fig. 5 of a housing of a trip unit,

Fig. 7 is a perspective view of the assembled

Residual current circuit breaker with an attached

Module of a trip unit.

The electrical protective device, designated overall by 1, comprises at least one residual current circuit breaker 2, which is arranged in a housing 3, for example made of plastic and/or aluminum.

The housing 3 also contains a test circuit 4 with a series resistor 5, which is connected in series with a manually triggered actuating element 6, here a push button. Two electrical contacts 7, 8 are tapped parallel to the push button 6 and are accessible through recesses 9, 10 in the housing 3. The contact 7 is branched off between the series resistor 5 and the actuating element 6.

It is therefore irrelevant for the contacts 7, 8 to which conductor the ends 11, 12 of the test circuit 4 are connected.

In Figures 2 and 3, these ends 11, 12 are connected to different conductor tracks 1, 3 in the two-pole embodiment according to Fig. 2 or to L2 in the four-pole embodiment according to Fig. 3. Despite the different connections, the test circuit 4

and thus also at the contacts 7, 8 lying parallel to the actuating element 6 the same conditions apply.

In the exemplary embodiment, the electrical contacts 7, 8 are designed as metal sockets that are accessible through the recesses 9, 10 of the housing 3. They also serve as mechanical supports for complementary contact and holding pins 13, 14 of trigger units 15, 16, 17. This is not mandatory. For example, two plug connections can be provided for electrical contact and one or two more for mechanical support. However, the dual function of mechanical and electrical connection shows the above-mentioned advantages in the manufacture (material savings) and assembly (simplicity) of the components. With the design of the holding elements 13, 14 complementary to the sockets 7, 8, a positive engagement can be achieved, which can be secured, for example, by additional spring-loaded locking hooks or other pull-out locks. The mechanical connection can hold a module with a housing 18 of at least one tripping unit 15, 16, 17 to the housing 3 of the residual current circuit breaker 2 like a quick-release fastener. In any case, separate cabling of loose wires can be dispensed with when mounting a module.

An attachable module of at least one trigger unit 15, 16, 17 comprises a housing 18, whereby several trigger units can share a common housing (Fig. 6). A first trigger unit 15 can be designed, for example, as a detector for one or more gases and can comprise an entry window 19 for this purpose. In Fig. 6, a second trigger unit 16 is arranged in the same housing 18 and comprises a radio receiver 20. The second trigger unit can thus be used by several decentralized signal transmitters, for example

For example, smoke detectors, can be controlled and, if triggered, switch the residual current device 2 off. A third trigger unit 17 can comprise a temperature and/or pressure sensor, a humidity sensor or another sensor sensitive to another gas, a proximity switch with the purpose described above or any other sensor. Each sensor can have a blocking option that can be used to prevent unintentional triggering, e.g. during installation, when

&iacgr;&ogr; the blocking is only lifted after contact has been established with the residual current device 2.

Depending on requirements, a tripping unit 15, 16, 17 can receive a voltage supply via, for example, contacts 25, 26 in the housing 3 of the residual current device 2, which are also designed as sockets (Fig. 2, Fig. 3, Fig. 5). The supply voltage for the respective tripping unit 15, 16, 17 can be tapped via the engagement of contacts 27, 28, which are designed as pins.

Alternatively, the individual housings 18 of the trip units 15, 16, 17 can each be provided with contacts 29, 30 (Fig. 4) and can be connected via this to an external voltage source (not shown).

The housings 18 of the trigger units 15, 16, 17 are modular and can therefore be exchanged for one another and mounted in different numbers and sequences. For this purpose, for example, each housing 18 has two pins 13, 14 on one side as holding elements and complementary receptacles 21, 22 on the opposite side for holding pins 13, 14 of further housings of sensor units, switching elements or

Detectors 15, 16, 17. The recordings 21, 22 are similar ··· ···· · ···· · ···· · ···· · · · · ·

-9- · JJ _# JJ _# · ··

to the contacts 7, - 8 in the recesses 9, 10 of the housing 3. As a result of this and the parallel connection, a module of at least one trip unit 15, 16, 17 can be mounted either on the housing 3 or on a housing 18 of another trip unit. The order in which several trip units are attached one after the other is therefore also arbitrary. They are all parallel to the actuating element 6 of the test circuit 4. If the housing 3 of the residual current device 2 has contacts 7, 8 on both sides, for example, modules can also be attached to both sides of this housing 3.

In the case of a voltage supply to the trip units 15, 16, 17 via the housing 3 of the residual current device 2, each housing 18 can be provided with further recesses 31, 32 analogously to the contacts 25, 26 of the housing 3, into which corresponding complementary pin contacts 27, 28 of a further housing 3 can engage to pass on the supply voltage (Fig. 6, Fig. 7). It is also possible for the contacts 21 and 31 or 22 and 32 to each be located in a common socket into which corresponding complementary double-assigned plug contacts with concentric, mutually insulated conductors can engage.

When using a top hat rail 23 as a holder for the housings 3, 18 (Fig. 5 to Fig. 7), the respective housings 3, 18 can simply be placed on this rail and then the housing 18 can be pushed onto the housing 3 in the direction of the arrow 24, whereby the pins 13, 14, 27, 28 mechanically engage in recesses with contacts 9, 10, 25, 26 or 21, 22, 31, 32 and are simultaneously electrically contacted.

It is understood that, in addition or as an alternative, external sensor units, switches, detectors or the like can be connected in parallel via, for example, the connection sockets 7, 8 or 21, 22 5 shown or other contacts of a housing 3 or 18 that are not shown, and can thus cause remote triggering.

Claims (11)

1. Electrical protection device ( 1 ) with a residual current circuit breaker ( 2 ) arranged in a housing ( 3 ) and at least one test circuit ( 4 ) for the residual current circuit breaker that can be manually triggered via an actuating element ( 6 ), characterized in that the housing ( 3 ) is assigned at least one detachable mechanical support ( 9 ; 10 ) of a trigger unit ( 15 ; 16 ; 17 ) for the test circuit ( 4 ) that can be electrically connected in parallel to the actuating element ( 6 ). 2. Protection device according to claim 1, characterized in that the mechanical support ( 9 ; 10 ) is designed for positive connection with holding elements ( 13 ; 14 ) of the trigger unit(s) ( 15 ; 16 ; 17 ). 3. Protection device according to one of claims 1 or 2, characterized in that the connection ( 9 , 10 ; 13 , 14 ) of the housing ( 3 ) of the residual current circuit breaker ( 2 ) and the tripping unit(s) ( 15 ; 16 ; 17 ) is designed in the manner of a quick-release fastener. 4. Protection device according to one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the mechanical support ( 9 , 10 ; 13 , 14 ) serves a dual function for electrical contacting ( 7 ; 8 ). 5. Protection device according to one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the mechanical support has bushings ( 9 ; 10 ) pointing into the housing for receiving complementary pins ( 13 ; 14 ) of the trigger unit(s) ( 15 ; 16 ; 17 ). 6. Protection device according to one of claims 1 to 5, characterized by an assortment of release units ( 15 ; 16 ; 17 ) which are similar with regard to their mechanical holding elements ( 13 ; 14 ). 7. Protection device according to claim 6, characterized in that each tripping unit is provided both with holding members ( 13 ; 14 ) and with complementary supports ( 21 ; 22 ) corresponding to those ( 9 ; 10 ) of the housing ( 3 ) of the residual current circuit breaker ( 2 ). 8. Protection device according to one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that the trigger units ( 15 ; 16 ; 17 ) have housings ( 18 ) which are similar to one another with regard to their mechanical design and are each of modular design. 9. Protection device according to one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that the test circuit ( 4 ) comprises at least one series resistor ( 5 ) connected in series with the triggering element ( 6 ) and an electrical connection ( 7 ) for the parallel triggering unit ( 15 ; 16 ; 17 ) is arranged between the series resistor ( 5 ) and the actuating element ( 6 ) and a second electrical connection ( 8 ) is arranged at the end of the actuating element ( 6 ) facing away from the series resistor ( 5 ). 10. Protection device according to one of claims 1 to 9, characterized in that a trigger unit ( 15 ; 16 ; 17 ) comprises a gas sensor, a smoke sensor, an optical sensor, a pressure switch, a humidity or temperature sensor. 11. Electrical protection device ( 1 ) with a residual current circuit breaker ( 2 ) arranged in a housing ( 3 ) and at least one test circuit ( 4 ) for the residual current circuit breaker ( 2 ) that can be manually triggered via an actuating element ( 6 ), in particular according to one of claims 1 to 10, characterized in that the residual current circuit breaker ( 2 ) is assigned at least one proximity switch that can be electrically connected in parallel to the actuating element ( 6 ) and that de-energizes the electrical system thus protected when a person approaches the electrical protection device ( 1 ).