EP2590198A1 - Circuit breaker with internal voltage measurement - Google Patents

Abstract

The switch has a switch housing (1) and an electronic module (2), where a contact is provided to tap a voltage at a primary conductor (3). An adapter (4) is provided within the switch housing for reducing the measured voltage of the primary conductor, where the adapter is arranged outside of the electronic module. The adapter comprises a contact plate that is connected as the contact for performing voltage tap with the primary conductor. The contact plate is commonly fastenable with the primary conductor at the switch housing by an attaching unit (6).

Description

The invention relates to a circuit breaker with a switch housing and with an electronic module, wherein at least one contact for tapping a voltage to a primary conductor is provided.

For a power measurement on a circuit breaker, for example for an energy consumption analysis, a voltage tap is needed. So far, an external device was used outside of the circuit breaker. In order to perform the energy measurement in the switch itself, an internal voltage tap in the switch is necessary. From the publication US 2009/0190289 A1 is known a circuit breaker, in which a voltage tap is integrated in the circuit breaker itself, so that can be dispensed with an external module. The tap of such a high voltage, as applied to a primary conductor of a circuit breaker, requires a reduction of the voltage by means of voltage dividers to a tolerable for a measuring electronics measure. Leading the high voltage signal through tracks, wires, adapters, and contacts causes problems of contamination, high temperatures, potential creepage distances, and interfering with electronics through electrical or electromagnetic effects. In addition, there is the problem of creating sufficient space for additional elements in a switch housing.

It is an object of the invention to provide an internal voltage tap circuit breaker improved with respect to said problems.

The object is achieved by the circuit breaker according to the main claim. In the dependent claims preferred embodiments, and advantageous developments are given.

The circuit breaker according to the invention has a switch housing and an electronic module. The switch housing according to the invention represents the outer boundary of the circuit breaker and includes all essential components. Thus, an optionally separate present converter housing is covered by the switch housing. The electronic module essentially comprises the electronics controlling the switch, as well as measuring electronics for evaluating the voltage of a primary conductor reduced by voltage dividers, which is tapped according to the invention by at least one contact on the primary conductor. According to the invention, an adapter for reducing the abge-picked voltage of the primary conductor is provided within the switch housing, said adapter being disposed outside of the electronic module. The circuit breaker according to the invention advantageously makes it possible to place the adapter sufficiently far away and / or sufficiently shielded from the electronic module so that a disruptive influence on the electronics can be substantially reduced by electrical or electromagnetic effects of the high voltage. The term electronic module refers to the summarized in the range of one or more printed circuit boards electronic components of a circuit breaker, which usually includes a separate housing for the electronic components. According to the invention, the reduction of the tapped voltage takes place outside of the electronic module.

According to a first preferred embodiment it is provided that the adapter has a contact plate, which is connected as a contact for the voltage tap with the primary conductor, in particular detachably connected. Particularly preferably, the contact plate is fastened together with the primary conductor by fastening means on the switch housing. The fasteners are usually screws that serve to attach the primary conductor. The contact plate can be advantageously fastened with, without a change would have to be made to the circuit breaker. The fastening screws do not need to be replaced, since the contact plate in particular has an extremely small compared to the primary conductor material thickness.

Nevertheless, the contact plate allows by its stability, a further advantageous embodiment, according to which the adapter is fastened exclusively by the contact plate on the switch housing. Thus, the question of the positioning of the adapter in the switch housing is answered in an advantageous manner. Visible, this embodiment is particularly well suited for retrofitting an existing construction of a circuit breaker. Furthermore, the embodiment is optimized in terms of electromagnetic compatibility (EMC), since no high-voltage conductive tracks must be routed from the contact to the primary conductor through the switch housing.

According to a second preferred embodiment it is provided that the adapter is connected via a conductor track to the contact for the voltage tap on the primary conductor. In particular, the conductor track is shielded and / or guided away from the electronics module by the switch housing in order to minimize the electromagnetic interaction. This embodiment has the advantage that existing free spaces can be utilized within the switch housing for the positioning of the adapter. In addition, several adapters can be combined in one position with a multi-pole switch.

According to a third preferred embodiment, it is provided that the adapter has a contact element, wherein the contact for the voltage tap on the primary conductor can be produced by the contact element. In accordance with this embodiment, some freedom with regard to the positioning of the adapter is advantageous. This is limited only by the requirement that the primary conductor must be contactable by the contact element. With regard to the EMC is again advantageous to note that in this third embodiment no high-voltage conductor tracks must be routed through the connector housing. According to one embodiment of the third embodiment, it is provided that the contact element has a spring or is designed as a spring, whereby a tolerance compensation during the contacting is advantageously ensured.

According to a further preferred embodiment, which is particularly applicable to the second and third embodiment, it is provided that the adapter in a Side wall of the switch housing is arranged. Since existing circuit breaker constructions usually have hardly usable free spaces, an exploitation of the wall areas would be advantageous, as long as the stability and protective function is further ensured. Particularly preferably, the adapter is arranged in that side wall of the switch housing, through which the primary conductor is guided in the switch housing. As a result, the above-described use of contact elements is again possible, or at least requires only a short trace for the high voltage.

In the case of a multi-pole circuit breaker, provision is made in particular for a corresponding number of adapters to be assigned to a plurality of primary conductors, so that advantageously an internal voltage tapping of all conductors is possible. Depending on the embodiment, each adapter may have a separate adapter housing. Alternatively, the plurality of adapters could be located in a common adapter housing outside the electronics module.

The invention will be explained in more detail by means of embodiments with reference to the drawings. The embodiments are merely exemplary and do not limit the general inventive concept.

Show it

• FIG. 1 an embodiment of a three-pole circuit breaker according to the invention;
• FIG. 2 a detailed view of an adapter according to the embodiment according to FIG. 1 ;
• FIG. 3 the adapter according to FIG. 2 with cover;
• FIG. 4 a further embodiment of the circuit breaker according to the invention with three different embodiments of a contact element;
• FIG. 4a an adapter housing for receiving the adapter according to FIG. 4 ;
• FIG. 5 a contact element according to FIG. 4 in detail;
• FIG. 6 another contact element according to FIG. 4 in detail;
• FIG. 7 still another contact element according to FIG. 4 in detail;
• FIG. 8 a further embodiment of the circuit breaker according to the invention;
• FIG. 9 a detail of the embodiment according to FIG. 8 ,

The FIGS. 1 to 3 refer to a first embodiment of a circuit breaker according to the invention. In the FIG. 1 is a partial view of the circuit breaker shown, with a part of a switch housing 1, within which a converter of the circuit breaker is located. The converter, which is not visibly arranged within the housing 1 in the exemplary embodiment shown, may, in the case of deviating types of circuit breakers, have its own converter housing, which is arranged, for example, on the outside of the actual switch housing 1. For the purposes of the invention, the converter housing should also be understood as part of the switch housing in the case. Primary conductors 3 lead into the interior of the switch housing 1, extend through the transducer block and then continue into the actual switching chamber (not shown) of the circuit breaker. The primary conductors 3 are fastened by fastening means 6, usually screws, to the transducer. An electronic module 2 is arranged on the converter. The electronic circuits arranged therein serve to control the circuit breaker on the basis of the signals transmitted by the converter.

According to the invention, the power switch has at least one contact for tapping a voltage on one of the primary conductors 3. Here are within the Switch housing 1 three adapter 4 to reduce the tapped voltages of the three primary conductor 3 is provided. The Figures 2 and 3 show one of the adapters 4 in detail, without adapter cover 16 in FIG. 2 and with adapter cover 16 in FIG. 3 , The voltage is reduced by voltage dividers 14. The resistors provided for this purpose are arranged on a printed circuit board 12 within an adapter housing 9. On the circuit board 12, a contact plate 5 is further attached via contact feet 15. According to the invention, the adapters 4 are arranged outside the electronics module 2, in order to reduce the influence of the electronics on electrical or electromagnetic effects. The adapters 4 are fixed by means of the contact plates 5 by the fastening means 6 to the primary conductors 3, so that the contact of the primary conductors 3 to the adapters 4 is made safe. By the adapter housing 9 and the adapter cover 16, the adapter 4 is additionally shielded, whereby the electromagnetic compatibility (EMC) is additionally increased. The reduced voltage signal is transmitted, for example by means not shown interconnects to the electronics block 2 and processed there, for example.

In the FIG. 4 a further embodiment of the circuit breaker according to the invention is shown in a partial view. Visible is the side wall 8 of the switch housing 1, through which the primary conductors 3 are guided in the switch housing 1. The embodiment illustrates a variant of the positioning of the adapters 4, which are arranged here within the side wall 8, preferably in a common adapter-collecting housing 10, which in the FIG. 4a is shown individually. For this purpose, the side wall 8 is shown partially broken. This position is particularly advantageous, since a contacting of the primary conductor 1 can take place via the surface or by fastening means of the primary conductor. For this purpose, the side wall 8 corresponding channels or holes between the adapters 4 and the primary conductors 3 have. In addition, the transmission of the reduced voltage signal to the electronic module 2 can take place directly, as described below in connection with FIGS Figures 5 . 6 and 7 is explained. The various adapters 4 are merely illustrative of possible embodiments here. As a rule, similar adapters 4 are used in a circuit breaker.

In the Figures 5 . 6 and 7 is in each case one of the adapter 4 according to FIG. 4 shown in detail. The adapters 4 essentially differ in their contact elements 7, which make contact with the respective primary conductor 3. Otherwise, the adapter 4 are exemplified voltage divider 14 on the respective circuit board 12.

The contact element 7 according to FIG. 5 includes a fixed to the circuit board 12 and connected compression spring in the form of a spiral which is biased against the surface of the primary conductor 3 or against a mounting screw of the primary conductor 3 and transmits the high voltage from the primary conductor 3 to the adapter 4.

The contact element 7 according to FIG. 6 includes a fixed to the circuit board 12 and connected leaf spring, which is biased against the surface of the primary conductor 3 or against a mounting screw of the primary conductor 3 and transmits the high voltage from the primary conductor 3 to the adapter 4.

The contact element 7 according to FIG. 7 includes a fixed to the circuit board 12 and connected so-called spring-load contact whose two particular telescopic contact pins 22 are biased by spring force against the surface of the primary conductor 3 or against a mounting screw of the primary conductor 3 and the high voltage of the primary conductor 3 to the adapter 4th transfer. The position of the contact pins 22 is only indicated by lines.

Comparable contact elements 7 can also be used to transmit the reduced voltage signal to the electronic module 2. The contacts to the electronic module are in the FIGS. 5 to 7 designated by the reference numeral 21.

The FIGS. 8 and 9 show a further embodiment of the circuit breaker according to the invention. In the FIG. 8 the converter 17 is shown without the switch housing 1. A receptacle 18 is for the insertion of the electronic module. 2 prepared. Furthermore, a potting compound is not shown for better visibility, so that inserts 19 can be seen, through which the primary conductor 3 are inserted. A resilient comb contact 20 is only in the detail view according to FIG. 9 recognizable in which also the primary conductor 3 has been omitted. The contact is made permanently in the assembly of the primary conductor 3 in the converter 17. The adapters 4 for reducing the voltage are located in the illustrated embodiment in an adapter collecting housing 10 and are connected via printed conductors, not shown, with the resilient comb contacts 20.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMBERS

1

switch housing

2

electronic module

3

primary conductor

4

adapter

5

contact sheet

6

fastener

7

contact element

8th

Side wall

9

adapter housing

10

Adapter collecting case

11

drilling

12

circuit board

14

voltage divider

15

contact feet

16

adapter cover

17

converter

18

admission

19

insertion

20

Springy comb contact

21

Contact to the electronic module

22

contact pins

Claims (12)

Circuit breaker with a switch housing (1) and with an electronic module (2), wherein at least one contact for tapping a voltage to a primary conductor (3) is provided, characterized in that within the switch housing (1) has an adapter (4) for reducing the tapped voltage of the primary conductor (3) is provided, wherein the adapter (4) outside of the electronic module (2) is arranged. Circuit breaker according to claim 1, characterized in that the adapter has a contact plate (5), which is connected as a contact for the voltage tap with the primary conductor (3). Circuit breaker according to claim 2, characterized in that the contact plate (5) together with the primary conductor (3) by fastening means (6) on the switch housing (1) can be fastened. Circuit breaker according to claim 3, characterized in that the adapter (4) exclusively by the contact plate (5) on the switch housing (1) can be fastened. Circuit breaker according to Claim 1, characterized in that the adapter (4) is connected via a conductor track to the contact for the voltage tap on the primary conductor (3). Circuit breaker according to claim 1, characterized in that the adapter (4) has a contact element (7, 20), wherein the contact for the voltage tap on the primary conductor (3) by the contact element (7, 20) can be produced. Circuit breaker according to claim 6, characterized in that the contact element (7, 20) has a spring. Circuit breaker according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the adapter (4) in a side wall (8) of the switch housing (1) is arranged. Circuit breaker according to claim 8, characterized in that the adapter (4) in that side wall (8) of the switch housing (1) is arranged, through which the primary conductor (3) in the switch housing (1) is guided. Circuit breaker according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that a plurality of primary conductors (3) in a multi-pole circuit breaker, a corresponding number of adapters (4) is associated. Circuit breaker according to claim 10, characterized in that each adapter (4) has a separate adapter housing (9). Circuit breaker according to claim 10, characterized in that a plurality of adapters (4) in a common adapter collecting housing (10) is arranged.

Images