Title of Invention

A COMPACT CIRCUIT BREAKER WITH INCREASED PROTECTIVE FUNCTIONALITY

Abstract The invention relates to a compact circuit breaker with increased protective functionality, comprising a house (1) and, the housing having therein a switching device (2) for switching at least one electrical contact, a short-circuit tripping device (3) for tripping the switching device (2) in the event of a short circuit, and a residual-current tripping device (5) for tripping the switching device in the event of a residual current and/or differential current, the center of the switching device (2), the center of the short-circuit tripping device (3) and the center of the residual-current tripping device (5) are arranged substantially in one plane. {FIGURE-1}
Full Text FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a circuit breaker having a housing and, arranged
therein: a switching device for switching at least one electrical contact, a short-circuit
tripping device for tripping the switching device in the event of a short circuit, and a
residual-current tripping device for tripping the switching device in the event of a
residual current or differential current.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Such a circuit breaker is known from EP 0 962 952 A1. When discussing the prior art in
this document, it is disclosed that, in such circuit breakers, the short-circuit tripping
service and the residual-current tripping device can be arranged in one module and in
one plane.
Generally, circuit breakers in installation engineering are implemented in the form of, for
example, line circuit breakers, residual - current circuit breakers. In this case, a short -
circuit release and an overload release are often integrated in the line circuit breakers.
The circuit breakers are either line circuit breakers, residual-current devices or known as
the device combinations (modular devices) residual-current devices/line circuit breakers,
line circuit breakers/differential-current devices or a line circuit breaker + residual-
current device block.
In addition, circuit breakers are often in the form of modular devices. In this case, the
individual components are generally available as modules. For example, line circuit
breakers and residual-current circuit breakers are each available with fixed module
widths. The width of such modular electromechanical breakers is given in pitch units
corresponding to a relevant standard. For example, a pitch unit (PU) corresponds to the
dimension of 18 mm.
If a combined circuit breaker such as, for example, a line circuit breaker with a
differential-current circuit breaker or residual-current circuit breaker with a line circuit
breaker is now intended to be installed, two devices are required for this purpose so as

to give a total width of more than 1 PU. This means that such a circuit breaker
combination requires more installation space than a single line circuit breaker with a
width of 1 PU. However, this also means that the protective function of a line circuit
breaker installed in a switchgear cabinet cannot easily be increased since it cannot in all
cases be replaced by a combined circuit breaker having a width of 2 PU.
The physical height, for example owing to the clearance between rows of the fixing rails,
and the physical depth, for example owing to the size of the distribution board, of a
modular circuit breaker are also generally subject to restrictions. The physical depth
should typically be a maximum of 70 mm, and the physical height a maximum of 90
mm.
WO 03079388 (A1) describes a circuit breaker for automatically interrupting an
electrical flow of current (I), comprising a trip element (4), which has a tappet (26) for
actuating a switching mechanism (3) and a coil (10) for generating an electromagnetic
tripping force that moves the tappet (26) out of a first position and into a tripping
position. A second coil (12) is arranged coaxial to the first coil (10), whereby the second
coil (12) is flown through by a current (i) that is controlled according to a signal output
by a summation current transformer (42) as a response to the detection of fault-
currents.
US 4608546 (A) describes an arc-quenching automatic switch which includes an impact-
armature tripping device, comprised of an armature core and an armature rod, a set of
deionization plates, a thermostatic element, and a secondary circuit-breaking device
which switches off said automatic switch in response to an external event. This event
can be remotely sensed and registered by a current or voltage signal corresponding to
said event whereby said event can be pre-arranged to trigger the open-circuit. This
additional circuit-breaking device is comprised of an operating device for a coupling rod
which projects into the armature core of the impact-armature tripping device.
EP 0074576 (A2) describes a combined protective fault-current switch and protective
circuit breaker (1), the individual poles (3) of which are allocated to magnetic trip

devices (2) for tripping in response to short-circuits, and which operates with an
electronic amplifier (8) for tripping in the event of a fault current. According to the
invention it is provided that the magnetic trip device (2) is provided with two windings: a
first winding (6), which is connected in the line of the conductor (3, 4) to be monitored,
and a second winding (7), which is connected to the amplifier output (18).
OBJECT OF THE INVENTION
The object of the present invention consists in proposing a compact circuit breaker
having increased functionality in terms of protection.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
According to the invention, this object is achieved by a circuit breaker having a housing
and, arranged therein: a switching device for switching at least one electrical contact, a
short-circuit tripping device for tripping the switching device in the event of a short
circuit, and a residual-current tripping device for tripping the switching device in the
event of a residual current and/or differential current, the center of the switching device,
the center of the short-circuit tripping device and the center of the residual-current
tripping device being arranged substantially in one plane. That is to say the residual-
current tripping device has the function of a residual-current circuit breaker and/or
differential-current circuit breaker. In this case, this plane is preferably at right angles to
a fixing rail.
A circuit breaker including residual-current tripping can advantageously be implemented
in a single module having a width of 1 PU by the arrangement according to the
invention of the switching device, the short-circuit tripping device and the residual-
current tripping device. It is thus possible for the protective functions to be increased in
existing installations by, for example, a conventional line circuit breakers being replaced
by a combined circuit breaker having the same width.

Owing to the more compact design of the circuit breakers, it is also possible, however,
for distribution boards to be decreased in size. Equally, the number of outgoing feeders
can also be increased with a high combined protective function given conventional sizes
for distribution boards. Finally, the compact arrangement according to the invention in
the combined circuit breaker makes it possible to achieve an improvement in selectivity.
The width of the housing, as mentioned, preferably corresponds to a standard
dimension. This standard dimension can be defined especially by a pitch unit having a
dimension of 18 mm. this results in a likewise specified advantage that individual
modules can easily be replaced since they have the same width.
The circuit breaker according to the invention may have the functionalities of a line
circuit breaker and of a residual-current circuit breaker. Furthermore, the circuit breaker
can also have the functionalities of a line circuit breaker and of a differential-current
circuit breaker, however. This means that these two functionalities can be combined in a
single device, and the width of this device should not go beyond that of a single line
circuit breaker.
In addition, an overload tripping device can be arranged at the switching device. In
principle, this overload tripping device can likewise be positioned, with its center, on the
plane on which the centers of the other components are also positioned. Since,
however, an overload release generally has smaller dimensions than the mentioned
components of the circuit breaker, it can also easily be arranged at other points between
these components.
Particularly advantageously, the present invention can be used for circuit breakers which
are in the form of a modular device. In this case, the abovementioned advantages are
even more relevant.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE ACCOMPANYING DRAWINGS
The present invention will be explained in more detail with reference to the
accompanying drawings, in wherein:

Figure 1 shows a sectional view of a circuit breaker according to the invention, and
Figure 2 shows a side view of the circuit breaker shown in figure 1.
DETAIL DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
The exemplary embodiments described in more details below represent preferred
embodiments of the present invention.
In accordance with one particularly preferred embodiment of the present invention, a
switching mechanism 2 having at least one electrical contact is arranged in a housing 1
of a circuit breaker, which switching mechanism can be tripped by a short-circuit release
3, an overload release 4 and a residual-current release 5. The release are symbolized by
square components, and the associated tripping levers are indicated by dashed lines. At
one edge 6, the two halves of the circuit breaker housing 1 abut one another.
Connection terminals L and N are illustrated at the front sides of the housing 1.
As can be seen in the basic sketch in figure 1, the components short-circuit release 3,
switching mechanism 2 and residual-current release 5 have the greatest extent among
the components relevant here. The overload release 4, on the other hand, has
comparatively small dimensions. According to the invention, the large components 2, 3
and 5 are now arranged such that their respective centers lie substantially on one plane.
In the present example, this plane passes through the center line 7 along the
longitudinal extent of the housing 1 and therefore at right angles to a fixing rail (not
illustrated), onto which the device can be snapped with the cutout indicated in figure 2.
The overload release 4 has smaller dimensions in comparison with the other
components 2, 3 and 5, with the result that it can be arranged more easily between
them. In the present examples, it is positioned with a slight lateral offset between the
overload release 4 and the residual-current release 5.
In a two-dimensional projection of the essential components 2, 3 and 5 onto the basic
area of the circuit breaker, these components are positioned one behind the other in a

row. As a result, a housing width can be ensured which corresponds to one pitch unit
PU.
In figure 2, the circuit breaker in figure 1 is illustrated in cross section. Here, the two-
dimensional distribution of the switching mechanism 2, the short-circuit release 3 and
the residual-current release 5 can be seen in the abovementioned plane. The
arrangement of the overload release 4 beneath the switching mechanism 2 is also
reproduced in figure 2. Furthermore, dashed lines in this case also symbolize the
individual tripping levers on the switching mechanism 2. The section line for the section
in figure 1 is identified by A.
The components essential to the present case, the switching mechanism 2, the short-
circuit release 3 and the residual-current release 5, lie, with their centers, precisely on
one plane, corresponding to the example in figure 1, the release acting on the common
switching mechanism 2. In accordance with the design of the switching mechanism 2
and the tripping levers, however, it may be necessary for the centers of these
components to be jolted slightly out of the plane. Nevertheless, the essence of the
arrangement according to the invention consists in utilizing the third dimension at right
angles to the mentioned plane as little as possible. A circuit breaker having voluminous
functional components, such as magnetic releases and transformers, for example, as
well as functional components which have a smaller volume requirement, such as
thermal releases, for example, can thus be implemented with a narrow design. In this
case, the width of the combined device is preferably restricted to 1 PU, the physical
depth is below 70 mm and the physical height is below 90 mm. It is thus possible to
accommodate the sensors and actuators required for the combined protective function
of overload, short circuit and residual current uniformly in the available structural
volume.

WE CLAIM
1. Circuit breaker having a housing (1) and disposed therein:
- a switching device (2) for switching at least one electrical contact,
- a short-circuit triggering device (3) for triggering the switching device
(2) in the event of a short circuit and
- a fault current triggering device (5) for triggering the switching device
in the event of a fault current and/or residual current,
characterised in that
- the centre of the switching device (2), the centre of the short-circuit
triggering device (3) and the centre of the fault current triggering
device (5) are disposed essentially in a plane, and that
- the switching device (2) is disposed between the short-circuit
triggering device (3) and the fault current triggering device (5).

2. The circuit breaker as claimed in claim 1, wherein the width of the
housing (1) corresponds to that of a known housing.
3. The circuit breaker as claimed in claim 2, wherein the width of the
housing (1) corresponds to a pitch unit of 18 mm.
4. The circuit breaker as claimed in one of the preceding claims wherein the
functional features of the circuit breaker correspond to that of a line
circuit breaker and a residual-current circuit breaker.

5. The circuit breaker as claimed in one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the
functional features of the circuit breaker correspond to that of a
differential-current circuit breaker.
6. The circuit breaker as claimed in one of the preceding claims, comprising
an overload tripping device (4) arranged at the switching device (2).
7. The circuit breaker as claimed in one of the preceding claims which is
manufactured in a modular configuration.


ABSTRACT

TITLE "A COMPACT CIRCUIT BREAKER WITH INCREASED
PROTECTIVE FUNCTIONALITY"
The invention relates to a compact circuit breaker with increased protective
functionality, comprising a house (1) and, the housing having therein a switching
device (2) for switching at least one electrical contact, a short-circuit tripping
device (3) for tripping the switching device (2) in the event of a short circuit, and
a residual-current tripping device (5) for tripping the switching device in the
event of a residual current and/or differential current, the center of the switching
device (2), the center of the short-circuit tripping device (3) and the center of
the residual-current tripping device (5) are arranged substantially in one plane.
{FIGURE-1}

Documents:

00172-kolnp-2007-correspondence-1.1.pdf

00172-kolnp-2007-form-18.pdf

0172-kolnp-2007-abstract.pdf

0172-kolnp-2007-assignments.pdf

0172-kolnp-2007-claims.pdf

0172-kolnp-2007-correspondence others.pdf

0172-kolnp-2007-description (complete).pdf

0172-kolnp-2007-drawings.pdf

0172-kolnp-2007-form1.pdf

0172-kolnp-2007-form2.pdf

0172-kolnp-2007-form3.pdf

0172-kolnp-2007-form5.pdf

0172-kolnp-2007-international publication.pdf

0172-kolnp-2007-international search authority report.pdf

0172-kolnp-2007-pct form.pdf

0172-kolnp-2007-priority documents.pdf

172-KOLNP-2007-(30-05-2012)-AMANDED CLAIMS.pdf

172-KOLNP-2007-(30-05-2012)-CORRESPONDENCE.pdf

172-KOLNP-2007-ABSTRACT 1.1.pdf

172-KOLNP-2007-AMANDED CLAIMS-1.1.pdf

172-KOLNP-2007-AMANDED PAGES OF SPECIFICATION-1.1.pdf

172-KOLNP-2007-AMANDED PAGES OF SPECIFICATION.PDF

172-KOLNP-2007-CLAIMS.pdf

172-KOLNP-2007-CORRESPONDENCE 1.2.pdf

172-KOLNP-2007-CORRESPONDENCE-1.1.pdf

172-KOLNP-2007-DESCRIPTION (COMPLETE) 1.1.pdf

172-KOLNP-2007-DRAWING 1.1.PDF

172-KOLNP-2007-EXAMINATION REPORT.pdf

172-KOLNP-2007-FORM 1 1.1.pdf

172-KOLNP-2007-FORM 18.pdf

172-KOLNP-2007-FORM 2 1.1.pdf

172-KOLNP-2007-FORM 3 1.1.pdf

172-KOLNP-2007-FORM 3 1.2.pdf

172-KOLNP-2007-FORM 5.pdf

172-KOLNP-2007-GPA.pdf

172-KOLNP-2007-GRANTED-ABSTRACT.pdf

172-KOLNP-2007-GRANTED-CLAIMS.pdf

172-KOLNP-2007-GRANTED-DESCRIPTION (COMPLETE).pdf

172-KOLNP-2007-GRANTED-DRAWINGS.pdf

172-KOLNP-2007-GRANTED-FORM 1.pdf

172-KOLNP-2007-GRANTED-FORM 2.pdf

172-KOLNP-2007-GRANTED-SPECIFICATION.pdf

172-KOLNP-2007-OTHERS 1.1.pdf

172-KOLNP-2007-OTHERS.pdf

172-KOLNP-2007-REPLY TO EXAMINATION REPORT 1.1.pdf

172-KOLNP-2007-REPLY TO EXAMINATION REPORT.pdf

172-KOLNP-2007-TRANSLATED COPY OF PRIORITY DOCUMENT.pdf

abstract-00172-kolnp-2007.jpg


Patent Number 253841
Indian Patent Application Number 172/KOLNP/2007
PG Journal Number 35/2012
Publication Date 31-Aug-2012
Grant Date 29-Aug-2012
Date of Filing 15-Jan-2007
Name of Patentee SIEMENS AKTIENGESELLSCHAFT
Applicant Address WITTELSBACHERPLATZ 2, 80333 MUNCHEN
Inventors:
# Inventor's Name Inventor's Address
1 ECKERT, GUNTHER AM DORFWEIHER 8 A, 93142 MAXHUTTE-HAODHOF
2 LEITL, WOLFGANG SCHLEHENWEG 19, 93173 WENZENBACH
PCT International Classification Number H01H83/22
PCT International Application Number PCT/EP2005/053412
PCT International Filing date 2005-07-15
PCT Conventions:
# PCT Application Number Date of Convention Priority Country
1 102004034859.6 2004-07-19 Germany