Title of Invention

ELECTRICAL COUPLING DEVICE BETWEEN SWITCHROOMS

Abstract

The invention relates to an electrical coupling device for connecting disconnectable connecting lines between at least two switchroome, in particular for medium voltage switchgear and controlgear, the connecting lines being led through container walls and being surrounded by a rotationally symmetrical insulating element, said walls and element being surrounded by an insulating-material collar which is common to both of them, and their connecting lines being connected to one another in an electrically conductive fashion by means of a contacting device. The conductor studs (DB1, DB2) are provided on the end-face-shaped sides with a multicontact (MK) which serves as an annular contact element for receiving a contact stud (KB). The contact stud (KB) is in one piece and is also of spherical design in the region of the Multicontacts (MK). The contact stud (KB) is surrounded by the sleeve (HS) which is designed to arch inwards in the longitudinal centre region of the contact bolt (KB) and is electrically conductively connected thereto. The degrees of freedom in the angular, lateral and axial regions are compensated with this electrical coupling device. Electrical coupling devices of this type are used in medium voltage switchgear and controlgear.

Full Text

Description Electrical coupling device between switchrooms The invention relates to an electrical coupling device for connecting disconnectable connecting lines between at least two switchrooms, in particular for medium voltage switchgear and controlgear, the connecting lines being led through container walls and being sur-rounded by a rotationally symmetrical insulating element, said walls and element being surrounded by an insulating-material collar which is common to both of them, and their connecting lines being connected to one another in an electrically conductive fashion by means of a contact-ing device. An electrical coupling device which is defined in this way is disclosed by EP 0 199 249 B1. In said publication, two electrical conductors are each surrounded by rotationally symmetrical insulating elements which are located one opposite the other with spacing in the region of the free conductor ends and whose insulating elements have a central depression. The cavity which is formed by the spacing between the insulating elements and by their central depression is formed by a collar which is matched to the external contour of the insulating element, the cavity being terminated in its centre region by a bead of the collar. In the cavity there is a contacting device which surrounds the two conductor ends with a wave-shaped cross-sectional contour. The contacting device is pressed on at each end to the ends of the conductors by means of an annular spring with a radially acting force component. As a result of the presence of the cavity which is increased further by the circumferential bead, the contacting device is capable of compensating mis-alignments between the ends of the conductors within certain limits. The object on which the invention is based is, while maintaining the compensation of misalign-ments of the ends of the conductors with respect to one OR 96 P 4234 DE - 2 - another, to define a coupling device between the conductors which can be realized with considerably simpler physical means in comparison with the known devices and in which, in particular, the compensation of misalignment is ensured within the broadest possible limits without adversely affecting the formation of contact and, without changing physical means. Furthermore, the intention is additionally to improve the formation of contact between the conductors and also the stressing as a result of the electrical fields within the insulating medium. According to the invention this is achieved by the features 1.1 the free ends of the connecting lines which protrude out of the switchrooms are realized by means of a first conductor stud and by means of a second con-ductor stud which have, on the sides which are turned towards one another in the form of end faces, an annular hollow element, provided with a multi-contact, for receiving a contact stud, 1.2 the contact stud is in one piece and is of spherical shape in the region of the multicontacts, 1.3 the insulating-material collar is formed by means of a sleeve which is composed of silicon rubber and is of arcuate design in the longitudinal centre region of the contact stud, 1.4 the sleeve is provided in the arcuate part, up to the respectively adjoining conductor stud, with a potential-conducting layer and forms with the con-tact stud an annular potential contact point, 1.5 the position of the sleeve is secured in the region of the housings by means of a press-on sleeve, 1.6 the sleeve has in the outwardly directed circum-ferential region an earth-potential-conducting layer which conductively connects the container walls. The contact stud, which is provided between the two conductor studs as a one-piece compact component which is of spherical design at the free ends and is mounted in the correspondingly annular hollow elements of the conductor studs, provides a coupling device which OR 96 P 4234 DE - 3 - provides optimum conditions for the compensation of tolerances between the conductors. Thus, for example, both conductors which are connected to the respective conductor studs can be joined to one another in the permissible limit range at any desired angles without additional adaptations of the electrical coupling devices being provided. At the same time, lateral deviations, i.e. deviations from the idealized centre axis of the respective conductor studs, are also easily compensated with this electrical coupling device. Length tolerances between the switchrooms can also be compensated without difficulty by means of the relatively large bearing faces between the end regions of the respective conductor studs and the contact stud which is of spherical design at its ends. In this context, it is to be considered also particularly advantageous for the invention that the sleeve with the potential-conducting layer always forms in the arcuate region, independently of the deviations prevailing in the angular, lateral and/or axial directions, an electrically conductive connection to the annular potential contact point of the contact stud. As a result of this measure there is always, in addition to the contact formed between the conductor studs in the region of the multicontact, a further contact region which contributes considerably to increasing the overall reliability of the formation of contact between the conductors. In this context, an advantageous refinement of the invention also provides that 2 .1. the prosseon sleeves are positioned between the container walls in a frictionally locking fashion by means of a compression spring. As result of this measure a very stable connection is produced between the switchrooms irrespective of the misalignments due to tolerances. A further advantageous refinement of the inven-tion provides the claims 3.1 the sleeve is connected in the region of the free OR 96 F 4234 DE - 4 - ends of the arcuate part to a first and second field control electrode potential of annular design, 3.2 the first and the second field control electrode potentials are electrically conduatively connected to the potential-conducting layer of the sleeve. In this way, the boundary region between the external circumference of the housing and the sleeve formed from silicon rubber is protected, with its so-called snug-fit joint, particularly against the damaging influences of the electrical fields which are formed. The invention is explained in mora detail by means of an exemplary embodiment which is illustrated figuratively in two figures, in which Figure 1 shows what is in principle the position of the electrical coupling device between the two switchrooms of a piece of medium voltage switchgear and controlgear, and Figure 2 illustrates more details of the electrical coupling unit. Figure 1 shows the electrical coupling device EK which electrically connects two switchrooms SR1, SR2 of a piece of medium voltage switchgear and controlgear to one another. The switchrooms SR1, SR2 of the medium voltage switchgear and controlgear can be filled with protective gas so that the electrical coupling devices are led through the corresponding container walls BW1, BW2 in a gas-tight fashion. Figure 2 shows more details of the electrical coupling device EK, in which essentially the two con-ductor studs DB1, DB2 produce, in conjunction with the contact stud KB, the electrically conductive connection between the conductor studs DB1, DB2 which are led through the corresponding container walls BW1, BW2. In addition, it is apparent that the conductor studs DBl, DB2 are each surrounded by the appropriate housing GH1, GH2, it being possible to manufacture the housings GH1, GH2 from casting resin, for example. The housings GH1, GH2 have a circumferential recess which is connected to earth potential as field control electrode earth- GR 96 P 4234 DE - 5 - potential FE1, FE2. The flanges FL1, FL2 which are, if appropriate, connected in a gas-tight fashion to the respective container wall BW1, BW2 of the appropriate switchroom SR1, SR2 (Figure 1) are welded in within the field control electrode earth-potentials FE1, FE2 . Furthermore, it is clear that the contact stud KB contains - spherical regions as a one-piece component at its ends, said regions being mounted in the corresponding recesses of the conductor studs DB1, DB2. An annular, so-called multicontact KK1, MK2, which ensures the formation of contact between the conductor studs DB1, DB2 and the contact stud KB even when the conductor studs DB1, DB2 are not aligned with one another, is provided as a contact bridge within the recesses of the conductor studs DB1, DB2. Furthermore, it is apparent that the housings GH1, GH2 are surrounded in their inwardly pointing cone region by the sleeve HS which has an annular taper in the centre region of the contact stud KB. The annular taper simultaneously forms the potential contact point KS, so that the potential can be transmitted directly both between the end regions of the conductor studs DB1, DB2 and via the field control electrode potentials FP1, FP2. The potential contact point KS which is produced at the contact stud KB always forms, independently of possible tolerance displacements of the conductor studs DB1, DB2 with respect to one another, two mutually independent contact regions which ensure that there is electrical contact between the conductor studs DB1, DB2 . In addition, Fioure 2 illustrates that the longi-tudinal centre axis LA, and thus the conductor studs DB1, DB2, can deviate from one another in the angular region a, a' and also in the longitudinal tolerance region 1, 1' without the formation of contact between the conductor studs DB1, DB2 being adversely affected. In addition, it is apparent that the longitudinal centre axes LA of the conductor studs DB1, DB2 can also be displaced parallel to one another in the alignment direction. In this case, too, the electrical coupling device adjusts itself automatically in such a way that the electrical GR 96 P 4234 DE - 6 - connection between the conductor stude DB1, DB2 to maintained without faults. The so-called snug-fit joint EF1, EF2, which is protected by the field control electrode potentials FP1, FP2 and by the internal region of the sleeve HS which is connected -to the potential-conducting layer LP, in particular against electrical fields and thus against sparkover fed the adjacent rogions, for example of the container walls BW1, BW2, is formed between the housing GH1, GH2 and the sleeve HS which is common to the two housings GH1, GH2. The external region of the sleeve HS is provided with the earth-potential-conducting layer LE and consti-tutes the earth-potential connection between the con-tainer walls BW1, BW2. The sleeve HS which is common to the two housings GH1, GH2 is pressed onto the appropriate housing GH1, GH2 by means of the press-on sleeves AH1, AH2 in the region of the respective snug-fit joint EF1, EF2. In addition, it is apparent that a compression spring DF between the two container walls BW1, BW2 presses the respective press-on sleeves AH1, AH2 against the container walls BW1, BW2 and thus ensures, for the formation of contact, a stabilised position of the electrical coupling device EK between the container walls BW1, BW2. 7 We claim: 1. Electrical coupling device for connecting disconnectable connecting lines between at least two switch-rooms in particular for medium voltage switchgear and control gear, the connecting lines being led through container walls and being surrounded by a rotationally symmetrical insulating element, said walls and element being surrounded by an insulating-material collar which is common to both of them, and their connecting lines being connected to one another in an electrically conductive fashion by means of a contacting device, characterized by the features. - the free ends to the connecting lines which protrude out of the switch rooms ( SR1, 2) are realized by means of a first conductor stud ( DB1) and by means of a second conductor stud (DB2) which have, on the sides which are turned towards one another in the form of end faces, an annular hollow element, provided with a mulficontact ( MK), for receiving a contact stud (KB) - the contact stud (KB) is in one piece and is of spherical shape in the region of the multicontacte (MK), - 8 the insulating-material collar Is formed by means of a sleeve (HS) which is composed of silicon rubber and is of arcuate design in the longitudinal centre region of the contact stud (KB). the sleeve (HS) is provided in the arcuate part, up to the respectively adjoining conductor stud ( DB1, 2), with a potential-conducting layer (LP) and forms with the contact stud (KB)an annular potential contact point (KS). the position of the sleeve (HS) is secured in the region of the housings (GH1, 2) by means of a press-on sleeve (AH1,2), - the sleeve (HS) has in the outwardly directed circumferential region an earth -potential-conducting layer (LE) which conductively connects the container wa(is(BW1,2). 3 2, Electrical coupling device for connecting disconnectable connecting lines between at least two switch-rooms as claimed in claim 1, wherein the press-on sleeves ( AH1, 2) are positioned between the container walls ( BW1, 2) in a frictionally locking fashion by means of a compression spring (DF). 3. Electrical coupling device for connecting disconnectable connecting lines between at least two switch-rooms as claimed in claims 1 and 2, wherein the sleeve (HS) is connected in the region of the free ends of the arcuate part to a first and second field control electrode potential ( FP1, 2) of annular design, and wherein the first and the second field control electrode potentials are electrically conductively connected to the potential-conducting layer (LP) of the sleeve (HS). OF LS.DAVAR & CO, APPLICANTS' AGENT. Dated this 15th day of December, 1997. The invention relates to an electrical coupling device for connecting disconnectable connecting lines between at least two switchroome, in particular for medium voltage switchgear and controlgear, the connecting lines being led through container walls and being surrounded by a rotationally symmetrical insulating element, said walls and element being surrounded by an insulating-material collar which is common to both of them, and their connecting lines being connected to one another in an electrically conductive fashion by means of a contacting device. The conductor studs (DB1, DB2) are provided on the end-face-shaped sides with a multicontact (MK) which serves as an annular contact element for receiving a contact stud (KB). The contact stud (KB) is in one piece and is also of spherical design in the region of the Multicontacts (MK). The contact stud (KB) is surrounded by the sleeve (HS) which is designed to arch inwards in the longitudinal centre region of the contact bolt (KB) and is electrically conductively connected thereto. The degrees of freedom in the angular, lateral and axial regions are compensated with this electrical coupling device. Electrical coupling devices of this type are used in medium voltage switchgear and controlgear.

Documents:

02369-cal-1997 abstract.pdf

02369-cal-1997 claims.pdf

02369-cal-1997 correspondence.pdf

02369-cal-1997 description(complete).pdf

02369-cal-1997 drawings.pdf

02369-cal-1997 form-1.pdf

02369-cal-1997 form-2.pdf

02369-cal-1997 form-3.pdf

02369-cal-1997 form-5.pdf

02369-cal-1997 gpa.pdf

02369-cal-1997 priority document.pdf

2369-cal-1997-granted-abstract.pdf

2369-cal-1997-granted-acceptance publication.pdf

2369-cal-1997-granted-claims.pdf

2369-cal-1997-granted-correspondence.pdf

2369-cal-1997-granted-description (complete).pdf

2369-cal-1997-granted-drawings.pdf

2369-cal-1997-granted-form 1.pdf

2369-cal-1997-granted-form 2.pdf

2369-cal-1997-granted-form 3.pdf

2369-cal-1997-granted-form 5.pdf

2369-cal-1997-granted-gpa.pdf

2369-cal-1997-granted-letter patent.pdf

2369-cal-1997-granted-priority document.pdf

2369-cal-1997-granted-reply to examination report.pdf

2369-cal-1997-granted-specification.pdf

2369-cal-1997-granted-translated copy of priority document.pdf