(19)
(11) EP 2 665 076 A1

(12) EUROPEAN PATENT APPLICATION

(43) Date of publication:
20.11.2013 Bulletin 2013/47

(21) Application number: 13002774.1

(22) Date of filing: 29.10.2010
(51) International Patent Classification (IPC): 
H01H 21/16(2006.01)
(84) Designated Contracting States:
AL AT BE BG CH CY CZ DE DK EE ES FI FR GB GR HR HU IE IS IT LI LT LU LV MC MK MT NL NO PL PT RO RS SE SI SK SM TR

(30) Priority: 05.11.2009 SI 200900342
12.04.2010 SI 201000121

(62) Application number of the earlier application in accordance with Art. 76 EPC:
10014120.9 / 2320445

(71) Applicant: ETI ELEKTROELEMENT D.D.
1411 Izlake (SI)

(72) Inventor:
  • Benko, Peter
    1410 Zagorje ob Savi (SI)

(74) Representative: Borstar, Dusan 
Nova ulica 11
1230 Domzale
1230 Domzale (SI)

 
Remarks:
This application was filed on 29-05-2013 as a divisional application to the application mentioned under INID code 62.
 


(54) Seurity electric switch with a melting member


(57) Security electric switch with a melting member (6) comprises at least one phase unit (1), which is furnished with a casing (3) and connectors (33, 34) placed thereon and adapted for being connected with each disposable phase wire in the electric circuit, as well as at least one neutral unit (2), which is also furnished with a casing (3) and connectors (33, 34) placed thereon and adapted for establishing connection with each disposable neutral wire of the electric circuit, wherein a bearing member (51) together with a melting member (6) inserted therein and furnished with a protrusion (360) adapted to cooperate with said circular guide (36) in the casing (3) is embedded within said casing (3) of the phase unit (1) with the possibility of being pivoted in the circular direction and in its initial position also linearly displaced in the radial direction, while a bearing member (52) without any melting member (6) but also furnished with a protrusion (360) adapted to cooperate with said circular guide (36) in the casing (3) is embedded within said casing (3) of the neutral unit (2) with the possibility of being pivoted in the circular direction and in its initial position linearly displaced in the radial direction, and wherein said casing (3) of each neutral unit (2) is mechanically connectable with a casing (3) of cach disposable phase unit (1), which is adapted for establishing an electric circuit in cooperation of said neutral unit (2), where at the same time each bearing member (52) of each neutral unit (2) is in the area of its outside of the casing (3) located end portion (520) mechanically connectable with the outside of the casing (3) located end portion (510) of the bearing member (51) of each disposable phase unit (1), which is adapted for establishing an electric circuit in cooperation of said neutral unit (2), so that each displacing of the bearing member (52) of the neutral unit (2) is feasible only by simultaneously displacing bearing members (51) of each disposable phase units (51).




Description


[0001] The present invention belongs to electricity, namely to basic electric components and in particular to details of electric switches, which are adapted to receive a melting member i.e. a fuse.

[0002] The purpose of the invention is to create a security electric switch with a melting member, namely with a standardized and essentially cylindrical fuse type D0-(NEOZED), in particular type D01, wherein such switch would have to be attachable to a standardized ledge within electric switch panels without amending of its shape or overall dimensions, and by which a sequence of steps for activation of phase connectors and neutral connector during each switching-on and switching-off procedure should be determined in a reliable manner in order to prevent formation of electric arc, and at the same time some further simplifying of such switch in the sense of reducing the number of required parts would be desired by simultaneously introducing as much as possible universally created parts, which might be used in each disposable phase unit or neutral unit either in monophase of three-phase electric circuits, in which such switch could be introduced.

[0003] A security electric switch with a melting member i.e. a fuse is described in DE 29 03 826 C2 (Lindner GmbH). Such switch consisting of a casing in form of a box, in which a bearing member for a melting member inserted therein is pivotally embedded, wherein said bearing member is furnished with an actuating lever, which is located on its outside of the casing protruding end portion. Said casing is adapted for mounting onto a standardized ledge of an electric switchboard for the purposes of establishing a detachable connection of the casing with said ledge. Moreover, said casing is furnished on each end portion with an electric connector, which is electrically connected with a corresponding electric contact member, which is available within said casing and by means of which an electric circuit is optionally established throughout appropriately positioned melting member, which may, when desired, also he interrupted by means of appropriate displacement of said melting member and removing thereof apart from corresponding contact members. To this aim, said casing is formed by two shell-like parts, which are upon assembling mutually interconnected, in particular by means of riveting. Appropriate guiding members are foreseen on the inner surface of each aforementioned part, which are adapted to cooperate with appropriate guides on the surface of said fuse bearing member such that said bearing member may be pivoted at a pre-determined angle from its initial position, in which an electric circuit through the melting member inserted therein may be established, into its end position, in which said circuit through the melting member is interrupted. Due to appropriately shaped guiding members, said bearing member is maintained in its initial position and in its end position by means of arresting thereof. In addition to that, said guiding members on the inner surface of the casing and on the outer surface of the fuse bearing member are conceived in such a manner that in such end position, in which the circuit through the fuse is interrupted, said bearing member is also displaceable in its radial direction with respect to previously mentioned rotation, namely outwardly from said casing or inwardly into the casing, at minimum in such extent that the melting member can be inserted therein or removed there-from, by which replacement of said fuse is enabled. When said connectors of such switch are connected with a phase wire and the melting member is inserted into said bearing member, upon which said bearing member is displaced in a radial direction towards the interior of the casing, said bearing member is located in such position that the electric circuit through the melting member is interrupted. By activating the switch by means of shifting the actuating lever and pivoting the bearing member into its opposite end position, the melting member is brought into contact with each disposable contact members, which are connected with said connectors, by which the electric circuit through the melting member is established. When electric overload arises, said melting member should interrupt the electric circuit without any need on displacing said bearing member. Upon that, the fuse normally needs to be replaced. The main deficiency of such solution is impossibility of identifying, whether the melting member, which is inserted within said bearing member, is still operative or not. If e.g. interruption of an electric circuit occurs, in which such switch is incorporated, then the user needs to inspect practically the complete circuit in order to state, if the reason for interruption is an inoperative melting member, or anything else.

[0004] Said deficiency has been avoided by proposing a switch according to DE 31 26 500 A1 (Lindner GmbH), where an indicating opening is foreseen on the front side of the outside from the casing protruding melting member, and checking of operating capability of the fuse is then enabled by means of said opening. There is however an essentially more problematic deficiency, which concerns pretty uncontrolled establishing or interruption of each electric circuit, in which said melting member is integrated.

[0005] When the electric circuit is established, in the stage of interruption thereof, the melting member is gradually displaced apart from the contact members, which results in essential increasing of density of electric current in contact points on the melting member, and sometimes even in occurring an electric arc. A quite similar effect may occur by approaching of the melting member to contact members just prior to establishing of electric circuit. Those skilled in the art will understand that such overloading of electric wires and related surfaces generally hinder contact between the melting member and each corresponding contact members, which results in damages of contact surface, and often also to such overloads in the circuit that the melting member interrupts the circuit by itself and must upon that be replaced. As evident, all these effects are absolutely undesired.

[0006] The proposed invention relates to a security switch with a melting member, wherein such switch comprising at least one casing, which consists of electric insulating material and is on its back side furnished with a rest and an arresting means intended for attachment to a standardized ledge, as well as with connectors adapted for establishing interconnection with each supplying wire for the purposes of integrating such switch into each disposable electric circuit comprising in addition to at least one phase wire also a neutral wire. A bearing member is embedded inside of said casing in appropriate guides, and is adapted to receive a typical at least approximately cylindrical melting member with electrically conductive end portions, which may be via appropriate contact members within said casing electrically interconnected with said connectors. Said bearing member together with said melting member is on the one hand allowed to be pivoted thanks to said guide from its initial position, in which the electric circuit through the switch is interrupted, into its end position, in which the electric circuit through the switch is established, and on the other hand thanks to a further guide, to be in its initial position linearly moved in the radial direction outwardly from said casing or oppositely at least in such extent that a melting member may be inserted into said bearing member or removed there-from.

[0007] In accordance with the present invention, said switch comprises at least one phase unit, which is furnished with a casing and connectors placed thereon, and is adapted for establishing interconnection with each disposable phase wire of each disposable electric circuit, as well as at least one neutral unit, which is also furnished with a casing and connectors placed thereon, and is also adapted for establishing interconnection with each disposable neutral wire of each disposable electric circuit, wherein a bearing member together with a melting member inserted therein and furnished with a protrusion adapted to cooperate with said circular guide in the casing is embedded within said casing of the phase unit with the possibility of being pivoted in the circular direction and in its initial position linearly displaced in the radial direction, while a bearing member without any melting member, but also furnished with a protrusion adapted to cooperate with said circular guide in the casing, is embedded within said casing of the neutral unit with the possibility of being pivoted in the circular direction and in its initial position linearly displaced in the radial direction. The casing of each neutral unit is mechanically connectable with a casing of each disposable phase unit, which is adapted for establishing an electric circuit in cooperation of said neutral unit, where at the same time each bearing member of each neutral unit is in the area of its outside of the casing located end portion mechanically connectable with the outside of the casing located end portion of the bearing member of each disposable phase unit, which is adapted for establishing an electric circuit in cooperation of said neutral unit, so that each displacing of the bearing member of the neutral unit is feasible only by simultaneously displacing bearing members of each disposable phase units.

[0008] The casing of each phase unit is preferably identical to the casing of each disposable neutral unit, and in addition to that, throughout openings are foreseen on each casing of the phase unit and the neutral unit, which are intended for establishing a mechanical interconnection between/among each disposable casings of said units.

[0009] Moreover, each outside of the casing located end portion of the bearing member of the phase unit is, analogously like each outside of the casing located end portion of the bearing member of the neutral unit, furnished with a throughout opening, and thanks to said openings said bearing members of each disposable phase units and neutral units available in each electric circuit are mechanically connectable to each other for the purposes of synchronized and simultaneous displacing of bearing members of each mutually cooperating phase and neutral units.

[0010] Furthermore, two contact members are mounted within said casing of each phase unit, which are each per se electrically interconnected with corresponding connectors and are connectable with each other via the melting member, when the last is together with the bearing member located in the end position of said bearing member. Two contact members are also mounted within said casing of the phase unit, which are each per se electrically connected with corresponding connectors on said casing, so that the elastically supported first contact member is either maintained at certain distance apart from the second contact member, or may optionally be pressed towards the second contact member by means of appropriate resting edge on the inside of the casing located end portion of the bearing member of the neutral unit when said bearing member is pivoted into its end position for the purposes of establishing electric circuit throughout the neutral unit, namely in such a manner that thanks to such established mechanical connection between the casings on the one hand and the bearing members on the other hand in each disposable phase units and the neutral unit by pivoting said bearing members towards the end position thereof corresponding to switched-on status of the switch, first of all both contact members of the neutral unit are brought into mutual contact by means of said resting edge on the bearing member of the neutral unit in order to establish electric circuit throughout the neutral unit, upon which appropriate contact is established between the melting member and corresponding contact members of each phase unit, while by pivoting said bearing members from their end position corresponding to switch-on status of the switch back to their initial position corresponding to switch-off status of the switch the melting member, which is inserted within a corresponding bearing member of the phase unit, is displaced apart from the contact members, by which the electric circuit throughout said phase unit is interrupted, upon which and as a consequence of displacement of the resting edge of the bearing member in the neutral unit, the elastically supported first contact member is shifted apart from the second contact member of the neutral unit, by which upon previously interrupting the electric circuit of the phase unit also the electric circuit throughout the neutral unit is then interrupted.

[0011] The invention further provides that an elastically supported first contact member is mounted within a phase unit in the form of a cantilever in the area of the first connector, and extends along the area between the back wall of the casing and the bearing member with inserted melting member, and is moreover on said back wall of the casing supported by means of springs, while the second contact member is electrically connected with the second connector on the casing an extends towards the position, in which the electrically conductive portion of the melting member is located in the end position of the bearing member, so that on the one hand in said end position of the bearing member adjacent to said previously mentioned position, the melting member is pressed towards the elastically supported contact member and on the other hand also towards the second contact member, while in any other position of the bearing member the melting member is displaced apart from at least one of said contact members.

[0012] Still further, the invention provides that an elastically supported first contact member in form of cantilever is mounted within the neutral unit in the area of the first connector and extends along the area between the back wall of the casing and the bearing member, and is moreover supported on said back wall of the casing by means of springs, while the second contact member, which is electrically connected with the second connector on the casing and is fixedly mounted within the casing, extends towards the area between said elastically supported first contact member and the back wall of the casing, so that said elastically supported contact member is by means of said spring maintained apart from the second contact member until the resting edge of the bearing member is rest thereon in order to press it against the force of said spring towards said fixedly mounted second contact member.

[0013] The invention will be described in more detail on the basis of an embodiment, which is shown in the enclosed drawing, wherein
Fig. 1
is a schematically shown phase unit of the switch according to the invention in the switched-off position during replacement of a melting member;
Fig. 2
is a schematically shown neutral unit of the switch according to the invention in the switch-off position analogously to Fig. 1;
Fig. 3
is a schematically shown phase unit of the switch according to the invention in its intermediate state between the switch-on and switch-off position e.g. prior to replacement of the melting member;
Fig. 4
is a schematically shown neutral unit of the switch according to the invention in its intermediate state between the switch-on and switch-off position, i.e. when the circuit is connected or disconnected;
Fig. 5
is a schematically shown phase unit of the switch according to the invention in the switched-on position upon establishing an electric circuit through said phase unit; and
Fig. 6
is a schematically shown neutral unit of the switch according to the invention in the switched-on position analogously like in Fig. 5 i.e. upon establishing an electric circuit through said neutral unit.


[0014] A switch according to the invention comprises at least one phase unit 1 and at least one neutral unit 2, which are mechanically interconnected and adapted for simultaneous and correlated functioning in each disposable electric circuit. More precisely, each disposable number of phase units 1 corresponds to each disposable phase wires, wherein a single neutral unit 2 should normally be sufficient.

[0015] Each of said units 1, 2 comprises a casing 3, which consists of an electric insulating material and may be identical either for said neutral unit 2 or said phase unit 1. In the shown embodiment according to Figs 1 - 6, the casing 3 is a standardized casing of a switch with a melting member i.e. a fuse type D0-(NEOZED), in particular type D-01, consisting of two assembled shells, of which only one is presented in Figs. 1 - 6. Such casing 3 is adapted for attaching onto a not-shown standardized ledge and is of that reason furnished with a rest 31, which is located on its back surface 30, and also with a not-shown arresting element, which is arranged within appropriate arresting assembly 32 located at appropriate distance apart from said rest 31. Moreover, two commonly known connectors 33, 34 are available on said casing 3, by which two within said casing 3 located electric contact members 41', 41" of the phase unit 1 and two within said casing 3 located electric contact members 42', 42" of the neutral unit 2 are electrically interconnected. Besides, each casing 3 is furnished with throughout openings 38, 38', 38", 38''', which are intended for the purposes of joining each neighboring casings 3 of phase units 1 and neutral units 2 to each other.

[0016] A bearing member 51 consists of electric insulating material and is intended to for bearing of a melting member 6, and is embedded within the casing 3 of a phase unit (Fig. 1), whilst a quite analogously conceived bearing member 52 without any melting member is embedded within the casing 3 of the neutral unit 2. Each bearing member 51, 52 of said phase unit 1 and neutral unit 2 is designed and mounted within said casing 3 in such a manner, that it is displaceable in two directions and is allowed to be pivoted in its circular direction and in its initial position according to Figs. 1 and 2. and moreover also linearly displaced in the radial direction with respect to said rotation. In addition to that, each of said bearing members 51, 52 is furnished with an actuating protrusion 511, 521 which is arranged on its outwardly from the casing 3 protruding end portion 510, 520, and moreover with a throughout bore 512, 522, wherein said bores 512, 522 are identically arranged on said bearing members 51, 52, so that the bores 512, 522 of two units 1, 2, when arranged on each corresponding ledge and being mechanically interconnected by means of appropriate bolts or rivets extending throughout said openings 38, 38', 38", 38"', extend coaxially with respect to each other. Consequently, a pin or a rivet or any other suitable interconnecting means may be inserted throughout the bore 512 of the bearing member 51 of the phase unit 1 and at the same time also throughout the bore 522 of the bearing member 52 of the neutral unit 2 in order to establish a desired interconnection of each disposable bearing members 51 of each disposable phase units 1 and the bearing member 52 of each corresponding neutral unit 2.

[0017] As shown in Figs. 1 and 2, said bearing members 51 and 52 are located in their initial position, where a linear displacement of bearing members 51, 52 in the radial direction either inwardly into the casing 3, or also outwardly is allowed at least in such extent that the melting member 6 may be inserted into the bearing member 51 of the phase unit 1, or removed from said bearing member 51. As mentioned, said bearing member 51 of the phase unit I may be displaced in each desired direction only together with the bearing member 52 of the neutral unit 2 i.e. simultaneously therewith. For such purpose, two guides 36, 37 are foreseen on each lateral surface 35 within the casing 3, namely a circular guide 36, which is adapted to cooperate with a protrusion 360 on each bearing member 51, 52, as well as a radial guide 37. Whenever each of said bearing members 51, 52 is located within the casing 3, it is on the one hand by means of said protrusion 360 embedded within said circular guide 36, while on the other hand in its initial position according to Figs. 1 and 2 it may also be displaced along said radial guide 37. When each of said bearing members 51, 52 is extracted outwardly from the casing 3 and disengaged from said circular guide 36, each pivoting of said bearing member 51, 52 in such position is disabled. By displacing said bearing member 51, 52 inwardly into the casing 3, and by entering said circular guide 36, pivoting thereof towards its end position (Figs. 5 and 6) or in the opposite direction towards its initial position (Figs. 1 and 2) is enabled, where during pivoting along said circular guide 36 said extraction of the bearing members 51, 52 in the radial direction is not possible.

[0018] As mentioned, each casing 3 comprises connectors 33, 34, wherein the first connector 33 is located on that end portion 30' of the casing 3, towards which each bearing member 51, 52 is pivoted in its initial position (Fig. 1 and 2), in which it may be extracted from the casing 3. The other connector 34 is located on the opposite end portion 30" of said casing 3, towards which each bearing member 51, 52 is pivoted in its end position (Fig. 5 and 6), in which it cannot be extracted from the casing 3. Also said connectors 33, 34 on the casing 3 of the phase unit 1 and on the casing 3 of the neutral unit 2 are, similarly like the casings 3 as such, preferably conceived identically with respect to each other.

[0019] As also mentioned, each connector 33, 34 in the casing 3 of the phase unit 1 is electrically interconnected with each corresponding contact members 41', 41 " of the phase unit 1, while in the neutral unit 2, each connector 33, 34 on the casing 3 is electrically interconnected with each corresponding contact members 42', 42" of the neutral unit 2. Each disposable phase wire of a not shown electric circuit is connectable to said connectors 33, 34 of the phase unit 1, and by establishing each desired mutual engagement of the contact members 41', 41 ", a circuit through said phase wire is then established, while upon disengagement of said contact members 41', 41" said circuit is interrupted. Quite analogously, each disposable neutral wire of a not shown electric circuit is connectable to said connectors 33, 34 of the neutral unit 2, and by establishing each desired mutual engagement of the contact members 42', 42" a circuit through said neutral wire is then established, while upon disengagement of said contact members 42', 42" said circuit is interrupted.

[0020] Said contact members 41', 41" of the phase unit 1 are in this particular embodiment created in such a manner that the first contact member 41' in the form of cantilever is embedded in the area of the first connector 33 and extends towards the rear surface 30 of the casing 3, on which it is in the area below the bearing member 51 of the melting member 6 in the shown embodiment additionally supported by means of springs 39, 39', whereupon which it further extends in a direction towards the second connector 34, to which however it is not directly connectable. The other contact member 41" is electrically interconnected with the second connector 34 and is located in such position, into which the melting member 6 is shifted, as soon as said bearing member 51 together with the melting member 6 has been pivoted from its initial position according to Fig. 1 into its end position according to Fig. 5. Whenever the bearing member 51 of the phase unit 1 is located in its initial position (Fig. 1), the electric circuit via said contact members 41', 41" and connectors 33, 34 of the phase wire is interrupted, since in such situation the melting member 6 is located apart from said contact members 41', 41". As soon as the bearing member 51 is then pivoted into its end position according to Fig. 5, the melting member 6, which is placed within said bearing member 51, namely the first end portion 61 thereof is rest onto the surface of the elastically supported first contact member 41, while the second end portion 62 thereof is rest onto the second contact member 41", so that appropriate electric circuit of the phase unit 1 is then established via said melting member 6, contact members 41', 41" and said connectors 33, 34.

[0021] Contact members 42', 42" in the neutral unit 2 are conceived quite analogously like said contact members 41', 41" of the phase unit 1. The first contact member 42' of the neutral unit 2 can be identical to the first contact member 41' of the phase unit 1 and is in form of cantilever attached in the area of the first connector 33 and supported by means of a spring 39 on the back surface 30 of the casing 3 in the area of the bearing member 52 of the neutral unit 2, which is furnished with a resting edge 525, upon which it extends towards the second contact member 42", which is fixedly attached to the casing 3 and electrically interconnected with the second connector 34, so that the first contact member 42' ends in the area above the second contact member 42' and is by means of said spring 39 maintained at certain distance apart from said second contact member 42" always when possible. Namely, the first contact member 42' of the neutral unit 2 is maintained at said distance apart from the second contact member 42' of said neutral unit 2 always when the bearing member 52 of the neutral unit 2 is located in its initial position (Fig. 2), by which the electric circuit of the neutral wire is interrupted. On the contrary, upon pivoting said bearing member 52 from its initial position according to Fig. 2 into its end position according to Fig. 6, said resting edge 525 on the bearing member 52 abuts the surface of the first contact member 42', by which the last is pushed opposite to the force of the spring 39 and in a direction towards the second contact member 42", by which the electric circuit through the neutral wire is established as soon as said contact members 42', 42" are brought into contact with each other.

[0022] As already mentioned, each casing 3 of each disposable phase unit 1 is attached onto a not shown ledge adjacent to the casing 3 of each belonging neutral unit 2, and at the same time the bearing member 52 of the neutral unit 2 is mechanically interconnected with each disposable phase units 1 and is displaceable together with them. In accordance with the invention, said resting edge 525 is placed on that end 520' of the bearing member 52, which is located within the casing 3, so that by simultaneously displacing the bearing members 51, 52 of the phase unit 1 and the neutral unit 2 from their initial position according to Figs. 1 and 2, by which the circuit throughout both units 1, 2 is interrupted, towards the end position according to Figs. 5 and 6, by which the circuit throughout both units 1, 2 is established, prior to resting the melting member 6 onto the first contact member 41' and the second contact member 41" of the phase unit 1, said resting edge 525 of the bearing member 52 of the neutral unit 2 is rest onto the first contact member 42', which has been previously by means of the spring 39 maintained at certain distance apart from the second contact member 42", in order to push it to its end position, so that the electric circuit of the neutral unit 2 is established before the bearing members 51, 52 arrive to their end position according to Figs. 5 and 6.

[0023] On the contrary, by shifting the bearing members 51, 52 from their end position according to Figs. 5 and 6 back to their initial position according to Figs. 1 and 2, as long as the melting member 6 due to elastic support of the first contact member 41' is maintained in the electric contact with the belonging contact members 41', 41" of the phase unit 1, said resting edge 525 on the bearing member 52 of the neutral unit 2 is pressed towards the first contact member 42', by which the neutral circuit is maintained in its established state. As soon as the bearing members 51, 52 are pivoted towards the initial position according to Figs. 1 and 2 in such extent that the melting member 6 is moved apart from the contact members 41', 41" and the circuit throughout the phase unit 1 is interrupted, then said resting edge 525 on the bearing member 52 starts moving apart from the contact member 42', so that the last is allowed to move apart from the contact member 42", by which the electric circuit throughout the neutral unit 2 is interrupted.

[0024] By activating the switch, namely by displacing the bearing members 51, 52 from their initial position according to Figs. 1 and 2, in which the electric circuit throughout each disposable phase unit 1 and also the neutral unit 2 is interrupted, into the end position according to Figs. 5 and 6, on which the electric circuit throughout each disposable phase unit 1 and also the neutral unit 2 is established, during said switch-on procedure the, circuit is firstly established in the neutral unit 2 and after that also in each disposable phase unit 1. On the contrary, during the switch-off procedure, in which said bearing members 51, 52 are displaced from the end position according to Figs. 5 and 6 back to the initial position according to Figs. 1 and 2, the circuit is firstly interrupted in each phase unit 1 and after that also in the neutral unit 2.

[0025] As soon as in the phase unit 1 the bearing members 51, 52 together with the melting member 6 are returned back to their initial position according to Figs. 1 and 2, by which the circuit throughout the phase unit 1 is interrupted, in such position the bearing members 51, 52 are then allowed to be pulled out from the casing 3, by which the melting member 6 may be removed and replaced by another one, if required, upon which said bearing members 51, 52 may be radially displaced back towards the interior of the casing 3 into their initial position.


Claims

1. Security electric switch with a melting member (6), comprising at least one casing (3), wherein said casing (3) consists of electric insulating material and is on its back side furnished with
a rest (31) and an arresting means (32) which is intended for attachment to a standardized ledge,
as well as with connectors (33, 34) which are adapted for establishing interconnection with each supplying wire for the purposes of integrating such switch into each disposable electric circuit, which in addition to at least one phase wire comprises also a neutral wire,
and wherein inside of said casing (3) a bearing member (51, 52) is embedded in appropriate guides (36, 37), namely a circular guide (36), which is adapted to cooperate with a protrusion (360) on each beating member (51, 52), as well as a radial guide (37),
and wherein said bearing member (51, 52) being adapted to receive a typical at least approximately cylindrical melting member (6) with electrically conductive end portions (61, 62), which are via appropriate contact members (41, 42) within said casing (3) electrically interconnectable with said connectors (33,34),
and wherein said bearing member (51, 52) together with said melting member (6) is
on the one hand allowed to be pivoted thanks to said guide (36)
from its initial position, in which the electric circuit through the switch is interrupted,
into its end position, in which the electric circuit through the switch is established,
and on the other hand thanks to a further guide (36) said bearing member (51, 52) can be in its initial position linearly moved in the radial direction outwardly from said casing (3) or in the opposite-direction at least in such extent that a melting member (6) may be inserted into said bearing member (51) or removed there-from, said switch further comprising
at least one phase unit (1), which is furnished with a casing (3) and connectors (33, 34), which are placed thereon and are adapted for establishing interconnection with each disposable phase wire of each disposable electric circuit, as well as at least one neutral unit (2), which is also furnished with a casing (3) and connecturs (33, 34) placed thereon and adapted for establishing interconnection with each disposable neutral wire of each disposable electric circuit,
wherein said bearing member (51) of the phase unit (1) is furnished with a protrusion (360) which is adapted to cooperate with said circular guide (36) in the casing (3) and is together with a melting member (6), which is inserted therein, embedded within said casing (3) of the phase unit (1) with the possibility of being pivoted in the circular direction and in its initial position also linearly displaced in the radial direction,
and wherein a bearing member (52) of the neutral unit (2), although being without any melting member (6), is also furnished with a protrusion (360), which is adapted to cooperate with said circular guide (36) in the casing (3) of the neutral unit (2), and is embedded within the casing (3) of the neutral unit (2) with the possibility of being pivoted in the circular direction and in its initial position also linearly displaced in the radial direction,
characterized in that
the casing (3) of each neutral unit (2) is mechanically connected with a casing (3) of each disposable phase unit (1), which is adapted for establishing an electric circuit in cooperation of said neutral unit (2),
and each end portion (520) of the bearing member (52) of each neutral unit (2), which is located outside of the casing (3) of the neutral unit (2), is mechanically connected with the end portion (510) of the bearing member (51) of the phase unit (1), which is located outside of the casing (3) of the phase unit (1), namely connected in such manner that said bearing member (51) of the phase unit (1) may be displaced in each desired direction only together i.e. simultaneously with the bearing member (52) of the neutral unit (2),
and in that two contact members (41', 41") are mounted within said casing (3) of each phase unit (1), which are each per se electrically interconnected with corresponding connectors (33, 34) and are connectable with each other via the melting member (6), when the last is together with the bearing member (51) located in the end position of said bearing member (51), and in that two contact members (42', 42") are mounted within said casing (3) of the phase unit (2), which are each per se electrically connected with corresponding connectors (33, 34) on said casing (3), so that the elastically supported first contact member (42') is either maintained at certain distance apart from the second contact member (42"), or may optionally be pressed towards the second contact member (42") by means of appropriate resting edge (525) on the inside of the casing (3) located end portion (520') of the bearing member (52) of the neutral unit (2) when said bearing member (52) is pivoted into its end position for the purposes of establishing electric circuit throughout the neutral unit (2), namely in such a manner that thanks to established mechanical connection between the casings (3) on the one hand and the bearing members (51, 52) on the other hand in each disposable phase units (1) and the neutral unit (2) by pivoting said bearing members (51, 52) towards the end position thereof corresponding to switched-on status of the switch, first of all both contact members (42', 42") of the neutral unit (2) are brought into mutual contact by means of said resting edge (525) on the bearing member (52) of the neutral unit (2) in order to establish electric circuit throughout the neutral unit (2), upon which appropriate contact is established between the melting member (6) and corresponding contact members (41', 41") of each phase unit (1), while by pivoting said bearing members (51, 52) from their end position corresponding to switch-on status of the switch back to their initial position corresponding to switch-off status of the switch, the melting member (6), which is inserted within a corresponding bearing member (51) of the phase unit (1), is displaced apart from the contact members (41', 41 "), by which the electric circuit throughout said phase unit (1) is interrupted, upon which and as a consequence of displacement of the resting edge (525) of the bearing member (52) in the neutral unit (2) the elastically supported first contact member (42') is shifted apart from the second contact member (42") of the neutral unit (2), by which upon previously interrupting the electric circuit of the phase unit (1) also the electric circuit throughout the neutral unit (2) is then interrupted.
 
2. Switch according to Claim 1, characterized in that the casing (3) of the phase unit (1) is identical to the casing (3) of each disposable neutral unit (3) and that throughout openings (38) arc foreseen on each casing (3) of the phase unit (1) and the neutral unit (2) for the purposes of establishing a mechanical interconnection between/among each disposable casings (3) of said units (1, 2).
 
3. Switch according to Claim 1 or 2, characterized in that each outside of the casing (3) located end portion (510) of the bearing member (51) of the phase unit (1) is analogously like each outside of the casing (3) located end portion (520) of the bearing member (52) of the neutral unit (2) furnished with a throughout opening (512, 522), and thanks to said openings (512, 522) said bearing members (51, 52) of each disposable phase units (1) and neutral units (2) available in each electric circuit are mechanically connectable to each other for the purposes of synchronized and simultaneous displacing of bearing members (51, 52) of each cooperating phase and neutral units (1, 2).
 
4. Switch according to anyone of the preceding claims, characterized in that elastically supported first contact member (41') is mounted within a phase unit (1) in the form of a cantilever in the area of the first connector (33), and extends along the area between the back wall (30) of the casing (3) and the bearing member (51) with inserted melting member (6), and is moreover on said back wall (30) of the casing (3) supported by means of springs (39, 39'), while the second contact member (41 ") is electrically connected with the second connector (34) on the casing (3) an extends towards the position, in which the electrically conductive portion of the melting member (6) is located in the end position of the bearing member (51), so that on the one hand in said end position of the bearing member (51) adjacent to said previously mentioned position the melting member (6) is pressed towards the elastically supported contact member (41') and on the other hand also towards the second contact member (41"), while in any other position of the bearing member the melting member is displaced apart from at least one of said contact members (41', 41 ").
 
5. Switch according to anyone of the preceding claims, characterized in that elastically supported first contact member (42') in form of cantilever is mounted within the neutral unit (2) in the area of the first connector (33) and extends along the area between the back wall (30) of the casing (3) and the bearing member (52), and is moreover supported on said back wall (30) of the casing (3) by means of springs (39), while the second contact member (42"), which is electrically connected with the second connector (34) on the casing (3) and is fixedly mounted within the casing (3), extends towards the area between said elastically supported first contact member (41') and the back wall (30) of the casing (3), so that said elastically supported contact member (41') is by means of said spring (39) maintained apart from the second contact member (42") until the resting edge (525) of the bearing member (52) is rest thereon in order to press it against the force of said spring (39) towards said fixedly mounted second contact member (42").
 




Drawing













Search report









Search report




Cited references

REFERENCES CITED IN THE DESCRIPTION



This list of references cited by the applicant is for the reader's convenience only. It does not form part of the European patent document. Even though great care has been taken in compiling the references, errors or omissions cannot be excluded and the EPO disclaims all liability in this regard.

Patent documents cited in the description