HOUSING FOR ELECTRICAL APPARATUS

Description

[0001] In the electrical supply facilities there are apparatus with automatic current interruption devices as a security and to establish the necessary limitations against overcurrents that surpass the anticipated limits.

[0002] To these effects circuit-breakers are used, which can be installed connected to differential current detecting devices establishing the necessary interconnections between the respective apparatus by means of external cables.

[0003] The external disposition of the connection cables forces to the use of sheathed cables with an insulating cover, which however does not really guarantee the isolation, since the cables remain with their sheathing as their only protection. The latter can be damaged, with the corresponding risk of discharge or short circuit.

[0004] On the other hand, the differential current detecting devices are formed by a structural set in which it is complicated to assemble the corresponding mechanisms, as well as the connection between the parts that determine the respective external housing.

[0005] According to the present invention, a housing is proposed for electrical apparatus and especially for the mentioned differential current detecting devices. With said housing some characteristics are obtained which solve the previously indicated problems in a satisfactory way, bringing essentially about some important constructive and functional advantages.

[0006] This housing, object of the invention consists in a base and a lid, which determine the location for the mechanisms of the apparatus, establishing the connection between the mentioned elements by means of a simple fitting and the fixing by means of the respective hooking adaptors, while in connection with the mentioned set, at the front a piece is connected, which emerges laterally and which determines a prominent structure which fits at the open front of the base, remaining caught by a complementary piece included above the hooking fastening with respect to the housing walls and which determines the connection terminal housing, having the front piece the possibility of a limited insertion and extraction movement, while the mentioned part determines at its outside some grooves that extend partially along the piece, extending along the hooking structure till its end; in these grooves the external connection cables of the apparatus can be housed with the respective disconnector.

[0007] The disposition of the front piece allows its location to situate the disconnector laterally embedded, while with the subsequent movement of the mentioned piece towards the inside of the base, the inclusion of the connector cables is determined in connection with the disconnector terminals.

[0008] On the mentioned front piece a fastening lid is clipped on externally. It covers the cable location grooves; while on the upper edge of the piece that stands out laterally some accessory insertable parts are situated to guide and block by means of a hooking button, from which some lugs located on the disconnector terminal come out in projection, sealing their access.

[0009] On the terminal area of the differential current detecting device itself a lid is in turn situated in a tiltable assembly, which can assure the closing by means of an auxiliary sealing, so as to avoid the access to said terminals by unauthorized people.

[0010] The switching mechanism of the mentioned differential current detecting device is situated on a support, which has included a lug, by means of which the fastening of this support is established by insertion into a fitting groove defined in a lateral wall of the base.

[0011] This way a housing is obtained whose set is very easy to connect when assembling, since all the connections are established by simple matching of the component elements.

[0012] The connection with respect to the corresponding disconnector is in turn easy to be carried out because of the mobility of the piece to house the connection cables; while for the mentioned connection bare cables can be used, remaining these perfectly isolated in their position, without any possibility that they could accidentally contact one another, or that an external contact could be established, thus avoiding the risk of electric discharge.

[0013] In view of this, the preconized housing certainly has some very advantageous characteristics, acquiring own life and preferable character of application in the apparatus for which it is destined.

Figure 1 shows an exploded perspective of the partial housing set formed by the base, the lid and the the external connection cable housing and the complementary piece which determines the terminal locations.

Figure 2 is a perspective of the base and of the external connection cable housing, in a faced disposition of the mentioned elements according to the correlative assembly position.

Figure 3 is a perspective as the one of the previous figure, having the elements coupled. A partial cutting in the base has been carried out so that the insertion of the external cable locating part can be appreciated.

Figure 4 is a perspective of the piece which can be incorporated to cover the access to the application disconnector terminals.

Figure 5 is a perspective of the blocking key of the previous piece.

Figure 6 is a perspective where the inner part of an external lid of the external cable locating piece can be seen.

Figure 7 is a perspective of the lid to access the differential current detector terminals in the preconized housing.

Figure 8 is a perspective of the support of the switch mechanism which can be incorporated in the housing.

[0014] The object of the invention refers to a housing for a differential current detector to be connected to automatic switches, such as disconnectors, which are situated in electrical supply installations, having security and control functions.

[0015] The mentioned housing is made up of a base (1) which forms the location for the corresponding mechanisms for the apparatus. To this housing a lid (2) which closes the whole set can be connected at the upper part.

[0016] The connection between the base (1) and the lid (2) is established by means of a simple union fitting determining the fixing of the installation by the retaining hooks between the respective structures (3) and (4) producing an elastic hooking by mere insertion.

[0017] The housing (1) determines at one end an open front, respect to which a complementary part (5) which determines the location for the terminals, being the mentioned part (5) incorporated in the installation by means of fitting to the respective base (1), while the lid (2) is situated by means of hooking the elastic hooking structures (6) and (7).

[0018] The mentioned complementary piece (5) establishes the closure of the open end of the base (1), leaving at the lowerpart an uncovered opening (8).

[0019] Referring to the previously mentioned set, a piece (9) is connected, which determines a prominent structure (10) which fits in the opening (8) in the base (1).

[0020] Said piece (9) remains in assembly disposition situated frontally before the housing (1), leaving laterally towards one side, while in the connection insertion of the base (1) has the possibility of a certain movement towards the inside and the outside of the opening (8).

[0021] Along its external part, this piece (5) has some grooves (11), which end corresponding to the respective passage openings to the inside, while at the other end they are prolonged along the prominent structure (10), as indicated on figures 2 and 3.

[0022] The disposition of the mentioned piece (9) in the assembly is so that it remains in its position before the base (1) and with the part leaving towards the side before a lateral area where it is possible to incorporate the disconnector of application of the differential current detector that can be located in the preconized housing, so that the electric connection between both apparatus can be carried out by means of cable bridges which can be situated in the grooves (11), with which said cables remain perfectly isolated from each other, even if they are bare cables, since their separation in the grooves (11) assures the necessary isolation in an efficient way.

[0023] The differential current detector and the application disconnector can be incorporated in the installation on the same fastening device, by means of the corresponding assembly items (12), as those situated at the rear part of the base (1), in such a way that the connection cables that leave the differential current detector are housed in the grooves (11) of the piece (9), which moves towards the outside to allow the positioning of the disconnector faced to it and once situated the disconnector in that position said piece (9) is moved towards the inside, with which the ends of the connection cables will be situated correspondingly in the disconnector terminals, being it only necessary to fasten the pressure screws of these terminals to assure the connection.

[0024] For the protection of the cables housed in the grooves (7) of the external part, an external covering lid (13) is incorporated on the piece (5). This lid has some rods divided into two flexible halves with enlarged end, as it can be observed on figure 7, by means of which the fastening in the assembly is carried out by inserting them into corresponding holes (10) in the piece (9).

[0025] On the upper edge of the same piece (9) some accessory pieces (15) as the one represented on figure 7 are also incorporated, they are situated in the assembly on structures (16), which are secured in the installation by anchoring by means of an operation button (17), as the one represented on figure 5. This button is introduced through an opening (18) in the respective piece (15), said button (17) has some dented lugs (19) by means of which it is hooked in a corresponding structure (20) of the piece (9) through pressure, establishing this way a protection that impedes the disassembly.

[0026] The pieces (15) have some lugs (21) that stand out at the rear, so that the mentioned lugs (21) are located correspondingly in the assembly disposition above the manipulation accesses of the terminals of the coupled disconnector, this way establishing a protection seal regarding the mentioned terminals.

[0027] On the housing area (22) for the differential current detector terminals, the disposition of a tiltable cover (23) is foreseen, as the one represented on figure 7. It can be secured by means of an accessory seal through an opening (24), so as to avoid unauthorized manipulations to the mentioned terminals of the apparatus.

[0028] The switch mechanism of the differential current detector can be incorporated in a support (25), as the one represented on figure 8, which is provided with an outstanding lug (26), by means of which the fitting in a groove (27) defined in the lateral wall of the base (1) is possible, with opening towards the top, so that the assembly of the mentioned support (25) of the switch mechanism in the apparatus set can be carried out by means of a simple insertion connection, being it possible to incorporate the elements of the mechanism in the support (25) with the latter outside the housing, to carry out the connection subsequently.

Claims

1. Housing for electrical apparatus, of the type of differential current detectors connectable to automatic switches including a base (1) which locates the mechanisms and a covering lid (2). The set is coupled by fitting and retention by means of hooking between the respective structures (3) and (4), characterized in that in connection with the mentioned set a piece (9) is coupled frontally, which remains outstanding towards one side, determining a prominent structure (10) by means of which it fits at the open front of the base (1), remaining fixed by a complementary piece (5) which is included above it and which determines the connection terminal location, remaining the frontal piece (9) with possibility of a limited introduction and extraction movement, while at the outer part said piece (9) has some grooves (11), which extend along the structure (10). In these grooves the external connection cables of the apparatus can be situated regarding the application disconnector.

2. Housing for electrical apparatus, according to the first claim, characterized in that the piece (5) which determines the locations for the terminals is fixed to the base (1) while the lid (2) is hooked to the mentioned piece (5) by means of the corresponding elastic hooking structures (6) and (7), remaining below the mentioned piece (5) an opening (8) through which the structure (10) of the frontal piece (9) is included.

3. Housing for electrical apparatus, according to the first claim, characterized in that on the external part of the frontal piece (9) a lid (13) is incorporated, which is fitted by means of some rods (14) which are insertable in corresponding openings in the mentioned piece (9) building up this lid (13) a protection cover over the cables housed in the grooves (11).

4. Housing for electrical apparatus, according to the first claim, characterized in that on the upper edge of the frontal piece (9) some parts (15) are incorporated, which are hooked up by means of an operation button (17) incorporated through them; these pieces (15) have some outstanding lugs (21) by means of which the covering assembly of the access to the terminals of the application disconnector is determined, establishing a protection seal regarding the mentioned terminals.

5. Housing for electrical apparatus, according to the first claim, characterized in that in the side wall of the base (1) has a groove (27), open at its upper part, regarding which the support assembly (25) of the switch mechanism of the apparatus can be adapted, and from which a lug (26) comes out that can be inserted in the mentioned groove (27) of the base (1) for the connection during the installation.

6. Housing for electrical apparatus, according to the first claim, characterized in that on the location area (22) of the terminals of the apparatus that can be incorporated to the housing a tiltable lid (23) is situated that can be assured by means of an accessory seat through an opening (24).