Title of Invention

A DIFFERENTIAL SWITCH DESIGNED TO BE CONNECTED IN SERIES TO ONE OR MORE PROTECTIVE ELEMENTS

Abstract

The present invention relates to a differential switch associated to one or more circuit protection elements. The differential switch (I) and circuit breakers (E, D) are housed in case (1,2,3) presenting two opposite narrow faces (la, 1b,2a, 2b; 3a, 3b) comprising input connection terminals (4 to 7,12,13) and output connection terminals (8 to 11; 14,15), and two opposite side walls (lc, Id; 2c, 2d; 3c, 3d) via which the cases (1,2,3), are adjoined two by two. The output terminals (14,15) of the switch (I) are located on the same side of the cases (1,2,3), and separated two by two by the same distance (a), as the input terminals (4 to 7) of the protective elements (E, D), so as to enable the above-mentioned terminals (4,5,6,7,14,15 ) to be connected to a connecting comb (P) located on the same side as the power supply of the protective elements (E, D). PRICE: THIRTY RUPEES

Full Text

The present invention relates to a differential switch connected in series to one or more protective elements such as fuse cut-outs or circuit breakers, the switch and the above-mentioned protective elements being housed in cases presenting two opposite narrow side faces comprising input or output connection terminals, and two opposite side walls via which said cases are adjoined two by two, the downstream connection terminals of the switch being electrically connected to the upstream connection terminals of the protective elements. Power supply of the switch and protective elements of the kind previously mentioned is achieved in state-of-the-art manner, via the top or via the bottom depending on the country of use, by means of cables. And, when all these elements are fitted on the same rail, connection of the output terminals of the switch to the input terminals of the protective elements requires a tricky passage of the cables from the bottom to the top (or in the reverse direction from top to bottom, in case of power supply via the bottom), resulting in the assembly occupying a large space and not being easy to fit. The present invention overcomes these problems and proposes a differential switch associated to one or more protective elements of small dimensions and which make the fitter's job easier. For this purpose, the object of the present invention is to achieve a differential switch designed to be connected in series to one or more protective elements such as fuse cut¬outs or circuit breakers, the switch and the above-mentioned protective elements being housed in cases presenting two opposite narrow faces comprising input or output connection terminals, and two opposite side walls via which said cases are adjoined two by two, the output terminals of the switch being electrically connected to the input terminals of the protective elements, this switch being characterized in thai: the output terminals of the switch and the input terminals of the protective elements are located on the same side of the cases, the above-mentioned output terminals being separated two by two by a preset distance corresponding to the distance separating the input terminals of the protective elements, so as to enable said terminals to be connected to a connecting comb located on the same side as the power supply of the protective elements. According to a particular embodiment of the invention, the output terminals of the switch and the input terminals of the protective elements are located on the same side as the power supply of the switch. Advantageously, the case of the switch comprises the same number of output terminals on its two opposite faces, so as to enable the comb to be connected on either side of the cases. According to a particular feature, the case of the switch comprises in addition the same number of input terminals on its two opposite narrow faces. According to another feature, the above-mentioned protective elements comprise at least one fuse cut-out and/or at least one circuit breaker. According to another feature, the switch and the protective elements are of the single-pole and neutral type. 2 8 FEB 2003 Accordingly the present invention provides a differential switch designed to be connected in series to one or more protective elements, notably fuse cut¬outs or circuit breakers, the switch and protective elements being housed in cases presenting two opposite narrow faces comprising input or output connection terminals, and two opposite side walls via which said cases are adjoined two by two, the output terminals of the switch being electrically connected to the input terminals of the protective elements, characterized in that the case of the switch comprises the same number of output terminals on its two opposite feces, these output terminals being separated two by two by a preset distance corresponding to the distance separating the input terminals of the protective elements, so as to enable said output terminals to be connected to said input terminals by means of a standard connecting comb located on either side of the cases. But other advantages and features of the invention will become more clearly apparent from the following detailed description referring to the accompanying drawings given as an example only and in which : Figure 1 illustrates in a schematic view a single-pole and neutral differential switch associated to two single-pole and neutral circuit breakers, according to a particular embodiment of the invention. Figures 2, 3 and 4 illustrate respectively, also in schematic views, three other embodiments of the differential switch according to the invention. In figure 1, a single-pole and neutral switch I can be seen of the kind generally used for protection of several electrical circuits, associated to two single-pole and neutral circuit breakers D, E. This switch I and its associated circuit breakers D, E are each housed in a case 1, 2, 3 of parallelepipedic shape comprising two opposite narrow faces la, lb; 2a, 2b; 3a, 3b on which connection terminals are located, and two opposite side faces lc, Id; 2c, 2d; 3c, 3d via which the different elements are coupled. Thus, the two circuit breakers D, E comprise two phase and neutral input connection terminals 4, 5 and 6, 7 located on their upper narrow face 2a, 3a and two phase and neutral output connection terminals 8, 9 and 10, 11 located on their lower narrow face 2b, 3b. According to an embodiment of the invention, the upper face la of the case 1 of the switch I comprises two input terminals 12, 13 respectively phase and neutral and two output terminals 14, 15 also phase and neutral, and these two output terminals 14, 15 are separated by a distance (a) corresponding to the distance separating the input terminals 4, 5 and 6, 7 of the circuit breakers D, E, which terminals are located on the upper narrow faces 2a, 3a of the cases 2, 3. When mounting takes place, the assembly is placed on a DIN rail (not represented). The electrical connection between the output terminals 14, 15 of the switch I and the input terminals 4, 5 and 6, 7 of the circuit breakers E, D is achieved by means of a standard single-pole plus neutral connecting comb P connected to the output terminals 14, 15 of the switch I and the input terminals 4 to 7 of the circuit breakers E, D. The output terminals 8 to 11 of the circuit breakers E, D are connected to the corresponding terminals of the electrical switchgear located downstream (not represented), and the input terminals 12, 13 of the switch I are connected to power supply cables C. In figure 2, we can see a differential switch whose two input terminals 12, 13 and output terminals 14, 15 are arranged on the lower narrow face lb of the case 1, enabling connection of the comb P and power supply of said switch I via the bottom. In figure 3, according to another embodiment of the invention, the differential switch I comprises four connection terminals 12 to 15 on its upper narrow face la and four connection terminals 12a to 15a on its lower narrow face lb, so as to enable power supply of said switch I and of the circuit breakers E, D, via the top or the bottom as required. This embodiment of a switch with double terminals enables swift connection in a modular enclosure. In figure 4, according to yet another embodiment of the invention, the differential switch I comprises two input terminals 12, 13 and two output terminals 14, 15 on the upper narrow face la of the case 1, and two output terminals 14a, 15a on the lower narrow face lb of said case 1. In this way, if power supply of the switch I has to be performed via the top, connection of the comb P and therefore power supply of the circuit breakers E, D can be achieved either via the top or via the bottom as desired. It will be noted that other protective elements than circuit breakers could have been used in association with a differential switch, such as fuse cut-outs or others for example. A differential switch associated to circuit protection elements has thus been achieved by means of the invention enabling existing standard combs to be used without the help of other difficult to wire connections, which reduces the dimensions of the assembly and makes the fitter's job easier. Naturally, the invention is not limited to the embodiments described and illustrated herein which have been given as examples only. On the contrary, the invention comprises all the technical equivalents of the means described as well as their combinations if the latter are achieved according to the spirit of the invention. WE CLAIM: 1. A differential switch designed to be connected in series to one or more protective elements, notably fuse cut-outs or circuit breakers, the switch and protective elements being housed in cases presenting two opposite narrow faces comprising input or output connection terminals, and two opposite side walls via which said cases are adjoined two by two, the output terminals of the switch being electrically connected to the input terminals of the protective elements, characterized in that the case (1) of the switch (I) comprises the same number of output terminals (14, 15 and 14a, 15a) on its two opposite faces (la, lb), these output terminals (14, 15, 14a, 15a) being separated two by two by a preset distance (a) corresponding to the distance separating the input terminals (4 to 7) of the protective elements (E, D), so as to enable said output terminals (14, 15, 14a, 15a) to be connected to said input terminals (4 to 7)1?y means of a standard connecting comb (P) located on either side of the cases (1,2,3). 2. The switch according to claim 1, wherein the case (1) of the switch (I) additionally comprises the same number of input terminals (12, 13, 12a, 13a) on its two opposite narrow faces (la, lb). 3. The switch according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the above-mentioned protective elements (E, D) comprise at least one fuse-holder. 4. The switch according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the above-mentioned protective elements comprise at least one circuit breaker (E, D). 5. The switch according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the switch (I) and protective elements (E, D) are of the single-pole and neutral type. 6. A differential switch designed to be connected in series to one or more protective elements substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

Documents:

1342-mas-2008 abstract.jpg

1342-mas-2008 abstract.pdf

1342-mas-2008 claims.pdf

1342-mas-2008 correspondence-others.pdf

1342-mas-2008 correspondence-po.pdf

1342-mas-2008 description(complete).pdf

1342-mas-2008 drawings.pdf

1342-mas-2008 form-1.pdf

1342-mas-2008 form-26.pdf

1342-mas-2008 form-4.pdf

1342-mas-2008 form-9.pdf

1342-mas-2008 petition.pdf