Title of Invention

ELECTROMAGNETIC TRIP DEVICE AND ELECTRICAL SWITCHGEAR APPARATUS COMPRISING SAME

Abstract The present invention relates to an electromagnetic trip device in particular for a differential switch or circuit breaker, comprising a L-shaped armature A the ends whereof form two polar surfaces (7,8). a vane (1) pivoting with respect to the armature A and able to be moved onto said polar surfaces (7,8) to close the magnetic circuit formed by the armature A and vane (1), a permanent magnet for polarizing the magnetic circuit designed to hold the vane on the polar surfaces (7,8), a trip coil surrounding the magnetic circuit and able to counteract the force of the magnet so as to move the vane (1), a resetting pin (15) of the vane (1), and a blade (10) fixed on the vane (1) designed to dampen the impact of the resetting forces. This trip device is characterized in that the above-mentioned blade (10) comprises articulation pivots (25) for articulation of the vane (1) with respect to the armature A. The blade (10) also comprises a part in the form of a latch (30) designed to enable latching of a spring (9) performing biasing of the vane (1) away from the polar surfaces (7,8) of the armature A against the action of the permanent magnet.
Full Text

ELECTROMAGNETIC TRIP DEVICE AND ELECTRICAL SWITCHGEAR APPARATUS COMPRISING SAME.
Background of the invention
The present invention relates to an electromagnetic trip device comprising a U-shaped armature the ends whereof form two polar surfaces, a vane pivoting with respect to the armature and able to be moved onto said polar surfaces to close the magnetic circuit formed by the armature and vane, a permanent magnet for polarising the magnetic circuit, a trip coil surrounding the magnetic circuit and able to counteract the force of the magnet so as to move the vane, a resetting pin of the vane, a blade designed to dampen the impact of the resetting forces and a return spring of the vane.
State of the art
Many electromagnetic trip devices such as those described in the documents EP 911,850, EP 829,895 and DE 4,110,660 do not have devices designed to dampen the impact of the resetting forces.
The document DE 3,528,470 describes a trip device comprising a damping device with a blade. However, in this device, swivelling of the vane is achieved by means of an add-on part placed between the vane and the armature, and the spring is fixed onto a salient part formed on the vane, the assembly therefore presenting a complicated structure.
Object of the invention
The present invention proposes a trip device of simplified design and a switchgear
apparatus comprising same.
For this purpose, it is an object of the present invention to provide a trip device of the
previously mentioned kind, this trip device being characterized in that the above-mentioned
blade comprises articulation pivots of the vane with respect to the armature.
According to a particular embodiment of the invention, the blade comprises two lugs
extending on each side of the vane and comprising articulation pivots.

According to a particular feature, the lugs extend in substantially perpendicular planes to the main plane of the blade.
Advantageously, the lugs and articulation pivots are cast with the blade.
According to another feature, the above-mentioned two lugs are housed in a housing provided at the end of one of the wings of the armature.
According to another feature, the above-mentioned pivots are formed by angular parts formed on the lugs and operating in conjunction with an inside wall situated in the above-mentioned housing.
According to another feature, the angle of the above-mentioned angular parts is chosen so as to limit opening of the vane during assembly of the trip device.
According to another feature, the blade comprises a part in the form of a latch designed to enable latching of a spring performing biasing of the vane away from the polar surfaces of the armature and against the action of the permanent magnet.
According to another feature, the blade comprises a stop limiting the movement of the vane towards the side opposite the articulation.
Advantageously, the stop is formed by two edges of the blade respectively belonging to two recesses provided on each side of the blade and designed to respectively receive two branches situated at the end of one of the wings of the armature with respect to which said vane is articulated.
According to another feature, the blade presents the shape of an arc of a circle the radius whereof is defined so as to bias the vane onto its rear articulation stop when resetting is performed via the pin.

According to another feature the above-mentioned lugs respectively comprise two bosses opposite one another, located respectively on the internal face of said lugs and housed in the above-mentioned recesses of the blade, said bosses being designed to perform lateral positioning of the vane and blade with respect to the armature.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a switchgear apparatus comprising an electromagnetic trip device comprising the above-mentioned features taken either alone or in combination.
Brief description of the drawings
But other advantages and features of the invention will become more clearly apparent from
the following detailed description which refers to the accompanying drawings given for
example purposes only and in which:
-Figure 1 is a side view of an electromagnetic trip device according to the invention, in the
loaded position,
-Figure 2 is a top view of the blade called the damper blade, and
-Figure 3 is a side view of the previous view.
Detailed description of a preferred embodiment
In figure 1, a high-sensitivity electromagnetic trip device can be seen designed to be integrated in a differential switch. This trip device comprises a U-shaped armature A and a pivoting vane 1. This armature A is formed by a base 2 and two wings 5,6. The vane 1 is articulated on the end 8 of one 6 of the wings 5,6 of the armature A and, in the loaded position of the trip device D, said vane 1 presses on the ends 7,8 of the wings 5,6 forming two polar surfaces. The shell of a coil B is arranged around one of the wings of the armature A. A permanent magnet P for polarising the armature A is fitted between said wings 5,6 to keep the vane 1 in the position attracted against the polar surfaces 7,8 against the return force of a spring 9. Such a trip device is well known, and it merely has to be recalled that release of the vane 1 is caused by excitation of the coil cancelling the attraction of the vane 1 by the permanent magnet, thereby causing the vane 1 to be biased

by means of the return spring to a position away from the polar surfaces 7,8 of the armature A, this movement of the vane 1 resulting in interruption of the electric circuit. This trip device D also comprises a resetting blade 10 fixed onto the vane 1 at the level of one 12 of the opposite ends 11,12 thereof. The two ends 13,14 of the blade 10 press on the vane 1 at the level of the polar zones 7,8 so as to distribute the resetting forces and thus prevent deformation of the vane 1 which is detrimental to the functional properties of the trip device D. This blade 10 enables the impact of the resetting forces generated by means of the resetting pin 15 during resetting operations to be dampened so that the vane 1 reverts to its initial functional position after the resetting operation.
Referring more particularly to figures 2 and 3, it can be seen that, according to the invention, this blade 10 is formed by a part of slightly convex shape 16 from which part there extend two lugs 17,18 in a plane substantially perpendicular to the main plane of the blade 10. This blade 10 also comprises two recesses 19,20 opposite one another with respect to the axis of the blade 10 and each extending from one 21,22 of the longitudinal edges of the blade 10 in the direction of the central axis of the blade 10 over a part only of the length of said blade 10. Referring again to figure 1, it can be seen that one 6 of the wings 5,6 of the armature A, whereon the vane 1 is articulated, is terminated by two branches 23 only one 23 whereof is represented. The above-mentioned recesses 19,20 of the blade 10 are designed to each house one 23 of these branches 23 of the armature 6. The two above-mentioned lugs 17,18 of the blade 10 each comprise an angular part 24,25 forming a pivot designed to operate in conjunction with the internal face 32 of the above-mentioned branches 23 and are housed in a recess 31 provided at the end of said wing 6. One 26,27 of the edges of each recess 19,20, situated on the same side as the articulation, formed by a rear stop 28 designed to limit the forward movement of the vane 1, i.e. movement towards the side opposite the articulation. Optimum positioning of the vane 1 on its articulation and with respect to the polar surfaces 7,8 is thus guaranteed. The lugs 17,18 also each comprise, on their internal face, a boss 29,34 extending in the direction of the central axis of the blade 10 and performing lateral positioning of said blade 10.
Lateral positioning is thus performed by points on a flat surface plate, without any polar surface and without any resulting cutting burrs.

This blade 10 is also extended by a part of specific shape 30 designed to enable latching of the above-mentioned return spring 9. This blade 10 is made of a material chosen for its flexible, non-magnetic, non-corrosive, and laser-weldable properties. It can also be seen that the lugs 17,18 supporting the articulation pivots 24,25 present an angle 35 chosen so as to limit opening of the vane 1 during assembly. The blade 10 presents the shape of an arc of a circle the radius whereof is chosen, for example R35, so as to bias the vane 1 onto its rear articulation stop 28 when resetting is performed via the pin 15.
The shapes of the blade 10 are obtained by cutting, folding and stamping on a single part. This part is assembled to the vane of the relay by a laser welding process. In normal operation, the vane is kept against the polar surfaces of the armature by the permanent magnet. When an electric fault occurs in the electric circuit wherein the trip device is integrated, there flows through the coil a current that opposes the attraction of the magnet. The vane is then biased to a position away from the armature by the return spring. During this movement, the vane pivots around an axis materialised by the articulation pivots formed on the lugs of the blade, operating in conjunction with a face of the above-mentioned branches of one of the wings of the armature. When the resetting operation is performed, the vane is biased onto its rear articulation stop, said vane reverting to its initial functional position due to the action of the blade.
An electromagnetic trip device of simple design comprising a device to prevent deformation of the vane when resetting of the relay is performed via the pin has therefore been achieved by means of the invention, this device achieving with a single part the functions of spring attachment, articulation, stop, lateral positioning, longitudinal positioning, limiting of the opening angle, damper device, and force distributor on the magnetic poles.
The invention is naturally not limited to the embodiments described and illustrated which have been given for example purposes only.
On the contrary, the invention extends to encompass all the technical equivalents of the means described as well as combinations thereof if the latter are achieved according to its spirit.



CLAIMS
1. Electromagnetic trip device comprising a U-shaped armature the ends whereof form
two polar surfaces, a vane pivoting with respect to the armature and able to be moved
onto said polar surfaces to close the magnetic circuit formed by the armature and
vane, a permanent magnet for polarising the magnetic circuit, a trip coil surrounding
the magnetic circuit and able to counteract the force of the magnet so as to move the
vane, a resetting pin of the vane, a blade fixed on the vane designed to dampen the
impact of the resetting forces and a return spring of the vane, characterized in that the
above-mentioned blade (10) comprises articulation pivots (24,25) of the vane (1)
with respect to the armature A.
2. Trip device according to claim 1, characterized in that the blade (10) comprises two
lugs (17,18) extending on each side of the vane (1) and comprising the articulation
pivots (24,25).
3. Trip device according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the lugs (17,18) extend in
planes substantially perpendicular to the main plane of the blade (10).
4. Trip device according to claim 2 or 3, characterized in that the lugs (17,18) and
articulation pivots (24,25) are cast with the blade (10).
5. Trip device according to any one of the claims 2 to 4, characterized in that the above-
mentioned two lugs (17,18) are housed in a housing (31) provided at the end of one
(6) of the wings (5,6) of the armature A.
6. Trip device according to claim 5, characterized in that the above-mentioned pivots
(24,25) are formed by angular parts formed on the lugs (17,18) and operating in
conjunction with an inside wall (32) situated in the above-mentioned housing (31).

7. Trip device according to claim 6, characterized in that the angle (35) of the above-
mentioned angular parts (24,25) is chosen so as to limit opening of the vane (1)
during assembly of the trip device D.
8. Trip device according to any one of the foregoing claims, characterized in that the
blade (10) comprises a part in the form of a latch (30) designed to enable latching of
a spring (9) performing biasing (1) of the vane away from the polar surfaces (7.8) of
the armature A and against the action of the permanent magnet.
9. Trip device according to any one of the foregoing claims, characterized in that the
blade (10) comprises a stop (28) limiting the movement of the vane (1) towards the
side opposite the articulation (24,25,32).
10. Trip device according to claim 9, characterized in that the above-mentioned stop (28)
is formed by two edges (26,27) of the blade (10) respectively belonging to two
recesses (19,20) provided on each side of the blade (10) and designed to respectively
receive two branches (23) situated at the end of one (6) of the wings (5,6) of the
armature A with respect to which said vane (10) is articulated.
11. Trip device according to any one of the foregoing claims, characterized in that the
blade (10) presents the shape of an arc of a circle the radius whereof is defined so as
to bias the vane (1) onto its rear articulation stop (24,25,32) when resetting is
performed via the pin (15).
12. Trip device according to claim 10, characterized in that the above-mentioned lugs
(17,18) respectively comprise two bosses (29,34) opposite one another, located
respectively on the internal face of said lugs (17,18) and housed in the above-
mentioned recesses (19,20), said bosses (29,34) being designed to perform lateral
positioning of the vane (1) and blade (10) with respect to the armature A.
13. Electrical switchgear apparatus comprising a trip device according to any one of the
foregoing claims.

14. Differential switch comprising a trip device according to any one of the foregoing claims.


Documents:

1223-che-2005 amended claims 13-10-2010.pdf

1223-CHE-2005 EXAMINATION REPORT REPLY RECEIVED 15-07-2010.pdf

1223-che-2005 form-3 15-07-2010.pdf

1223-CHE-2005 POWER OF ATTORNEY 15-07-2010.pdf

1223-CHE-2005 AMENDED CLAIMS 15-07-2010.pdf

1223-CHE-2005 CORRESPONDENCE 13-10-2010.pdf

1223-CHE-2005 CORRESPONDENCE-OTHERS 10-11-2009.pdf

1223-CHE-2005 PCT SEARCH REPORT 10-11-2009.pdf

1223-che-2005-abstract.pdf

1223-che-2005-claims.pdf

1223-che-2005-correspondnece-others.pdf

1223-che-2005-description(complete).pdf

1223-che-2005-drawings.pdf

1223-che-2005-form 1.pdf

1223-che-2005-form 26.pdf

1223-che-2005-form 3.pdf

1223-che-2005-form 5.pdf

1223-che-2005-others.pdf


Patent Number 243721
Indian Patent Application Number 1223/CHE/2005
PG Journal Number 45/2010
Publication Date 05-Nov-2010
Grant Date 02-Nov-2010
Date of Filing 01-Sep-2005
Name of Patentee SCHNEIDER ELECTRIC INDUSTRIES SAS
Applicant Address 89 BOULEVARD FRANKLIN ROOSEVELT, F-92500 RUEIL MALMAISON FRANCE
Inventors:
# Inventor's Name Inventor's Address
1 SERRANO, NADINE 13, RUE SAINT NICOLAS, F-71150 FONTAINES, FRANCE
2 OLIVIER, AUDREY 21, RUE DES CADOLLES, F-71530 SASSENAY FRANCE
3 KARCZEWSKI, ALAIN 10, CITE FIEUX, F-71100 SAINT REMY, FRANCE
PCT International Classification Number H01H71/14
PCT International Application Number N/A
PCT International Filing date
PCT Conventions:
# PCT Application Number Date of Convention Priority Country
1 0409304 2004-09-02 France