snap switch

Abstract

The present invention relates to a quick-acting switch (100), comprising a housing (1) and an actuating rod (2) having two switching positions. The actuating rod has at least one contact bridge (31, 32) for electrically connecting at least one first fixed contact pair (23, 24) in the switching position and quick-acting springs (8, 9) supported substantially symmetrically on an actuating element (3) and the actuating rod (2) in a preloaded manner. The line of action of the quick-acting springs is movable by the actuating element (3) such that the actuating rod (2) can be quickly switched from a first switching position in which the actuating rod (2) is substantially stationary to a second switching position in which the actuating rod (2) is substantially actuated. The quick-acting switch (100) further includes a forced disconnection device by which, when the force acting on the actuating element (3) exceeds a certain limit, the actuating rod (2) can be quickly disconnected from the actuating element (3). When the disconnection force is applied, a switching from at least the first switch position to the second switch position is forced, wherein at least one contact bridge (31, 32) has at least two contact points (17, 18, 19, 20) at one end and the other end respectively for electrically parallel contacting the first fixed contact pair (23, 24), wherein each contact point (17, 18, 19, 20) is designed to be able to fully switch the rated power of the quick-action switch (100), and (as shown in FIG3) the actuating rod (2) has at least one first stop (41) at least in the closing direction of the first fixed contact pair (23, 24), the first stop interacting with a first mating stop (51) to limit the movement of the actuating rod (2) in the closing direction of the first fixed contact pair (23, 24).

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a quick-acting switch according to the preamble of claim 1. Background Technology

[0002] Quick-acting switches are generally well-known in the prior art and typically include a housing and a contact bridge having two switching positions. This contact bridge can be switched by an actuating rod and is used to electrically connect fixed contacts, specifically at least one first fixed contact pair in the first switching position and at least one second fixed contact pair in the second switching position. Two quick-acting springs are supported substantially symmetrically on the actuating element and the actuating rod in a preloaded manner. The lines of action of these quick-acting springs can be moved by the actuating element, allowing the actuating rod to rapidly switch from a first switching position where the actuating rod is substantially stationary to a second switching position where the actuating rod is substantially actuated.

[0003] A common feature of quick-acting switches is their use of a bistable quick-acting spring mechanism, which triggers a rapid switching motion when a specific switching point is exceeded. This rapid switching motion is designed to minimize flashover and thus damage to the contact elements. Whether the spring arm is integrally formed with the contact bridge or designed as a separate component is irrelevant to providing this function.

[0004] Figure 9 A fast-acting switch known in the prior art is shown.

[0005] The quick-acting switch shown includes a rectangular housing 1 that houses the various components of the quick-acting switch. An actuating rod 2 is arranged at the center of the housing 1. This actuating rod 2 has a stop step portion inside the housing 1, which abuts against the inner wall of the housing 1 in its rest position. A compression spring 4 presses the actuating rod 2 upwards to its rest position, causing the stop step portion 3 to reliably abut. The actuating rod 2 is abutted in a sleeve-shaped receiving portion within the region of the compression spring 4, and at the end opposite the compression spring 4, the actuating rod 2 is abutted in a groove within the housing 1.

[0006] At approximately half the height of the longitudinal extension of the actuating rod 2 located within the housing 1, the actuating rod 2 has two radially opposing receiving recesses 7, i.e., in this exemplary embodiment, two mirror-image receiving recesses 7, each receiving recess 7 being designed to support a V-shaped quick-acting spring 8, 9 on one side. The contact bracket 10 is held on the actuating rod 2 in a preloaded manner by the quick-acting springs 8, 9.

[0007] The other ends of the quick-acting springs 8 and 9 are respectively received in the receiving recesses 11 and 12 of the insulating spacers 13 and 14. The spacers 13 and 14 hold the upper contact arm 15 and the lower contact arm 16 so that they are aligned parallel to each other and spaced apart. When viewed from above, the contact arms 15 and 16 are approximately O-shaped. This holding is achieved by arranging the quick-acting springs 8 and 9 in a preloaded manner between the actuating rod 2 and the spacers 13 and 14, such that the spacers 13 and 14 press against the contact arms 15 and 16, and thus fix the spacers 13 and 14 in their positions.

[0008] Contact arms 15 and 16 have contact points 17, 18, 19, and 20 arranged at their ends. The contact points 17, 18, 19, and 20 arranged on the contact arms 15 and 16 are respectively assigned fixed contacts 21, 22, 23, and 24 arranged opposite to each other, such that one contact arm 15 or 16 in the actuated position of the quick-acting switch and the other contact arm 16 or 15 in the rest position of the quick-acting switch are in contact with their assigned fixed contacts 21, 22, 23, and 24, and are electrically connected to each other.

[0009] The first contact point 17 is assigned a first fixed contact 21, and the second contact point 18 is assigned a second fixed contact 22. Therefore, the first fixed contact 21 and the second fixed contact 22 can be electrically connected to each other via the upper contact bridge 15, forming a first contact pair. Similarly, the third contact point 19 is assigned a third fixed contact 23, and the fourth contact point 20 is assigned a fourth fixed contact 24, such that the third fixed contact 23 and the fourth fixed contact 24 can be electrically connected to each other via the lower contact bridge 16, forming a second contact pair.

[0010] Because thermal overload can cause undesirable welding between the contact points of the contact arm and the contacts of the contact pair (i.e., the fixed contacts) in such quick-acting switches, lever elements for forced disconnection are provided in some applications. The DIN EN 60947-5-1 standard specifies in Annex K that standardized quick-acting switches, in addition to the quick-acting spring mechanism, must have this rigid, shape-locking forced disconnection device to reliably disconnect the normally closed contacts when the actuating element of the quick-acting switch is operated for safety reasons. This forced disconnection device can disconnect contacts welded due to overcurrent by applying appropriate force. These lever elements are typically rotatable via a switch lever, with one end resting against a contact bracket or contact arm. When sufficient force is applied to the switch lever, these lever elements cause the contacts to be pushed away from the fixed contacts, thus forcibly disconnecting the switch position. To achieve a stationary position for one of the switch positions, such as... Figure 9As shown in the example, an additional spring element can be integrated into the quick-acting switch so that the position of the contact bracket in the rest position is stabilized by the force of the spring element.

[0011] Known quick-acting switches are highly reliable and suitable for safety-critical applications. However, a drawback is that they are susceptible to electrical failure due to various factors, namely, the contact arm may fail to establish a conductive connection between the stationary contacts, or may only establish an insufficient conductive connection. Causes of such failures may include excessive contact resistance due to dirt buildup or ablation on the contacts, and breakage of the quick-acting spring or contact bridge due to mechanical and / or thermal loads.

[0012] One reason for the degradation of these contacts 17-19 is the so-called "prellen" phenomenon that occurs when the contact bridge moves from one switching position to another. In this context, "prellen" refers to the interference effect triggered by mechanical action during quick-action switching.

[0013] Unlike immediate and continuous electrical contact, the high-speed switching of the contact bridge and its collision with the fixed contacts cause the electrical connection to close and open repeatedly in a short period of time. This is because the contact bridge elastically bounces back from the fixed contacts. At voltages exceeding 16V and currents reaching hundreds of amperes, each of these repeated closing and opening of the electrical connection generates an electric arc, which acts on the contact points 17-20 at temperatures of 10,000°C to 15,000°C, thus accelerating ablation. This ablation leads to contamination of the contact points, resulting in increased contact resistance and shortening the lifespan of the contact points 17-20. Summary of the Invention

[0014] Therefore, the object of the present invention is to improve known quick-acting switches so that they have a longer service life and higher availability or higher reliability when the contact point is in contact with the fixed contact point.

[0015] This objective is achieved by a quick-acting switch having the features of claim 1. Advantageous examples of improvements are the subject of the dependent claims and the following description.

[0016] The quick-acting switch according to the invention includes a housing and an actuating rod having two switching positions. The actuating rod has at least one contact bridge for electrically connecting at least one first fixed contact pair in the switching position and a quick-acting spring that is preloaded and substantially symmetrically supported on an actuating element and the actuating rod. The line of action of the quick-acting spring can be moved by the actuating element, such that the actuating rod can be quickly switched from a first switching position where the actuating rod is substantially stationary to a second switching position where the actuating rod is substantially actuated. The quick-acting switch also includes a forced-disconnection device by which a switching from at least the first switching position to the second switching position is forced when the force acting on the braking element exceeds the forced-disconnection force. The actuating rod has at least one first stop in the closing direction of the first fixed contact pair, which interacts with a first mating stop to limit the movement of the actuating rod in the closing direction of the first fixed contact pair.

[0017] By employing the first stop and the first mating stop, a structure is achieved that decelerates the movement of the actuator rod not only through the contact bridge but also through the stop itself. Here, the material and structure of the first stop and / or the first mating stop absorb the kinetic energy generated by the movement of the actuator rod and dissipate it through the housing. Through this absorption and dissipation of energy, the kinetic energy of the actuator rod is reduced and is not transmitted back to the actuator rod. In this way, the bouncing phenomenon of the actuator rod and the contact bridge arranged thereon can be reduced, which extends the overall service life of the contact points and the contact bridge, thereby extending the service life of the entire quick-acting switch.

[0018] By reducing bounce, the service life of the contact points is extended because the frequency of contact point closure and reopening decreases, thus reducing the frequency of arcing and reducing contact point erosion. On the other hand, the service life of the contact bridge is also extended by forming a stop and reducing bounce, because the bending degree of the contact bridge is reduced due to the stop impacting the mating stop, and the reduced number of bounce processes also reduces the number of alternating bending loads acting on the contact bridge.

[0019] Due to the continuous alternation of stress states under the cyclical application of alternating bending loads, especially the corresponding tensile stress, indentations and cracks may appear on the surface of the contact bridge. These indentations and cracks will eventually lead to component fracture during the alternating bending load process. In this case, the time of fracture depends on the magnitude of the bending force and the resulting alternating elastic deflection of the component, as well as the number of consecutive alternating loads. By reducing the bounce of the contact bridge, the stability of the contact bridge will increase accordingly. For example, the number of bounce processes can be reduced from 5 to 2, preferably to 1, and ideally to 0, thereby proportionally improving the stability, that is, increasing the stability to three, four, or five times the original value.

[0020] Because some of the kinetic energy of the actuator rod is absorbed and dissipated by the stop, the contact bridge can be designed to be lighter than existing technologies, thus reducing its mass. As the contact bridge becomes lighter, bouncing is also reduced.

[0021] A quick-acting switch can be designed as a normally closed contact (Öffner) or a normally open contact (Schließer), where the resting position of the actuating rod determines whether the quick-acting switch is a normally closed or normally open contact.

[0022] In an advantageous embodiment, the quick-acting switch has two contact bridges for electrically connecting at least a first fixed contact pair and at least a second fixed contact pair, wherein the actuating rod has a second stop in the closing direction of the second fixed contact pair, the second stop interacting with a second mating stop to limit the movement of the actuating rod in the closing direction of the second fixed contact pair.

[0023] By using two contact bridges with opposite closing directions, the following structure is achieved: when the electrical contact of the first fixed contact pair is open, the electrical contact of the second fixed contact pair is closed, and vice versa. Therefore, two different electrical contacts can be switched, where one contact is closed while the other is open. If the quick-acting switch is designed such that the first fixed contact pair is connected in the first switch position and the second fixed contact pair is connected in the second switch position, then depending on which fixed contacts are externally contacted, the quick-acting switch can be implemented as normally open or normally closed contacts.

[0024] By setting stop parts in both closing directions, the bouncing of the actuator rod in both directions is reduced, thereby enabling the two contact bridges to achieve the aforementioned positive effects.

[0025] By using two contact bridges with the same closing direction, a double-pole normally closed contact or a double-pole normally open contact can be realized. Correspondingly, by using two contact bridges for each closing direction, a double-pole normally closed contact or a double-pole normally open contact can be realized simultaneously.

[0026] In the context of this disclosure, the term "closing direction" should be understood as the direction of movement of the actuator rod for each pair of fixed contacts, in which the actuator rod moves such that electrical contact is established through the contact bridge for the corresponding pair of fixed contacts.

[0027] The term "contact point" should be understood to include not only point-like contact but also linear or surface-like contact. It is self-evident to those skilled in the art that pure point-like contact is impossible and always involves at least a small area.

[0028] Preferably, at least one contact bridge has at least two contact points at one end and the other end for electrically parallel contacting the first fixed contact pair, wherein each contact point is designed to fully switch the rated power of the quick-acting switch.

[0029] This embodiment achieves electrical and mechanical redundancy, ensuring the quick-acting switch remains usable even if up to two contact points fail. The contact bridge can be implemented using electrically and mechanically parallel conductors, where, for example, in the case of two parallel conductors, an electrical or mechanical failure in one conductor can be compensated for; that is, in this case, an electrical or mechanical failure at the two contact points assigned to that conductor can be compensated.

[0030] In an advantageous embodiment, the quick-acting switch includes a housing and an actuating rod having two switching positions. The actuating rod has at least two contact bridges and a quick-acting spring. The at least two contact bridges are used to electrically connect at least one first fixed contact pair in a first switching position and at least one second fixed contact pair in a second switching position. The quick-acting spring is supported substantially symmetrically on the actuating element and the actuating rod in a preloaded manner. The line of action of the quick-acting spring is movable by the actuating element, allowing the switching rod to rapidly switch from a first switching position where the actuating rod is substantially stationary to a second switching position where the actuating rod is substantially actuated. The quick-acting switch also includes a forced-disconnect device, by which, when the actuating element is engaged... When the force on the element exceeds the forced disconnection force, a forced switching from at least a first switch position to a second switch position is achieved. The feature is that at least two contact bridges each have at least two contact points at one end and the other end, the at least two contact points being used to electrically connect in parallel to a first contact pair in the first switch position and to electrically connect in parallel to a second contact pair in the second switch position. Each contact point is designed to fully switch the rated electrical power of the quick-acting switch. The actuating rod has a stop portion and a cooperating stop portion interacting with the corresponding stop portion in both the closing direction of the first fixed contact pair and the closing direction of the second fixed contact pair, the cooperating stop portion restricting the movement of the actuating rod in the closing direction of the corresponding fixed contact pair.

[0031] The advantage of embodiments with contact bridges having at least two contact points is that this allows for electrical parallel contact of fixed contacts. Therefore, each switch bridge can compensate for a failure at one switching point of each contact, meaning that even if a contact point fails at one end of the contact bridge due to contamination, ablation, or mechanical defects, the quick-acting switch function can still be maintained. This provides additional redundancy and improves switching reliability, thereby enhancing the availability of the quick-acting switch.

[0032] In embodiments with two contact points at each end of the bridge, when the components of the contact bridge are in lateral contact—that is, when the contact bridge is designed so that all contact points are electrically connected to each other—the following contact patterns may exist: Ideally, both contact points on both sides are in contact. If one of the contact points on the input side and / or the output side fails in any way, at least one contact point on each side will still function normally.

[0033] In this paper, the term "contact point" is used only to distinguish different locations of contact. Therefore, contact points are not necessarily designed as points, but can also be designed as lines or flat surfaces.

[0034] In this application, the term "contact pair" is also used. A contact pair is always the contact portion of corresponding fixed contacts arranged at opposite ends of a switch bridge. A contact pair includes at least two contact portions, i.e., a pair of contact portions, but may also include multiple contact portions. However, preferably, the fixed contacts at both ends of the contact bridge include the same number of contact portions.

[0035] In the improved example of the quick-acting switch, each contact bridge is integrally formed. In this context, "integrally" means that the contact bridge is made entirely of the same material, which possesses both energy transfer and static load-bearing properties. Therefore, compared to existing technologies, the contact bridge is characterized by its simple structure. For this purpose, the material of the contact bridge is preferably designed to be both conductive and load-bearing.

[0036] For the contact bridge embodiment, it is particularly suitable to use metals or metal alloys with elastic properties. For example, spring steel can be used, while bronze, brass, nickel-silver, or copper alloys are preferred due to their higher electrical conductivity. Copper-beryllium alloys are particularly preferred because they combine excellent electrical, thermal, and mechanical properties. Copper-nickel-silicon alloys can also be used because they achieve good electrical and thermal conductivity and have good mechanical properties. Through this embodiment, the contact bridge can maintain mechanical stability even with a small material cross-section, and its size is sufficient to accommodate the switching current.

[0037] The elastic properties of the contact bridge can be selected and the size of the contact bridge can be determined so that the movement of the actuator rod can be buffered before the stop part hits the mating stop part.

[0038] In a preferred embodiment, the contact bridge is designed as a double H-bridge, wherein each H-bridge has two bridge arms on both sides of the actuation rod and at least one transverse tab.

[0039] In this context, the term "H-bridge" refers to a contact bridge with an "H"-shaped structure. This structure provides two parallel contact paths for contacting opposing fixed contacts, where lateral contact from one arm of the H-bridge to the other arm can be achieved simultaneously via lateral tabs.

[0040] Furthermore, the H-bridge embodiment has the advantage that each arm of the H-bridge can be designed to be flexible in the closing direction, thereby enabling height compensation at each contact point at one end of the bridge. Therefore, the H-bridge can, for example, compensate for height differences caused by particles existing between the contact points at one end of the H-bridge.

[0041] The contact bridge can also be designed such that, on either side of the actuating rod, one arm is designed to proceed first, while the other arm is designed to proceed second. This embodiment enables a contact bridge in which the contact points arranged on the proceeding arm are primarily affected by the switching arc and the resulting ablation.

[0042] In this context, "leading" means that the leading arm of the switch bridge, or the contact point arranged on the leading arm, makes contact with the fixed contact first in the closing direction of the contact bridge, and establishes a conductive connection. Only when a conductive connection already exists through the leading arm will the subsequent contact point make contact with the fixed contact.

[0043] Conversely, when disconnected, this means that the following arm of the contact bridge disconnects the electrical connection first, and then the leading arm disconnects. Since the leading contact switches a larger current compared to the following contact, this ensures that the switching arc only occurs at the leading contact, and only the leading contact has a tendency to fuse with the stationary contact.

[0044] Therefore, in a preferred embodiment, the material of each contact point can be adapted accordingly. In particular, the contact points on the leading arm can be designed to be more resistant to ablation. Suitable materials for the contact points of the leading arm are, for example, silver, gold, or silver or gold alloys.

[0045] Conversely, the rear axle arm can have contact points made of a material with high conductivity but poor wear resistance (e.g., gold).

[0046] In mixed load scenarios, the leading contact is responsible for switching the larger current and correspondingly bears the higher load. When the transition resistance of the leading contact becomes too high under low current, the subsequent contact takes over the switching. Since the subsequent contact does not need to switch high loads, its contact material can be more suitable for low loads.

[0047] In another embodiment, the contact bridge is designed to be spring-resilient. This allows for compensation for manufacturing tolerances and, for example, for height compensation in the presence of particles, achieves reliable contact. Furthermore, the spring-resilient design of the contact bridge supports the disconnection of the quick-acting switch. The metals and metal alloys mentioned above for the contact bridge embodiments are particularly suitable materials. The spring-resilient design of the contact bridge also ensures reliable contact between the contact point and the fixed contact. Preferably, the switching position of the actuating rod is matched to the dimensions of the contact bridge such that, in the rest position of the actuating rod, the stop does not contact the corresponding mating stop. The geometry of the contact bridge and the spring constant are determined such that, in the rest position, the force exerted by the contact bridge in the opposite direction to the closing direction is greater than the force exerted by the quick-acting spring in the closing direction.

[0048] The resting position of the actuator rod refers to its static position when it is in the switch position. This means the stable position of the actuator rod when the switching process is complete and the forces are balanced.

[0049] Furthermore, reliable contact can also be supported if the design of the contact bridge, the arrangement of the contact points, and the arrangement of the contact points relative to the fixed contact points enable the contacts to be self-cleaning.

[0050] For example, self-cleaning of contacts can be achieved by designing the contact point and the stationary contact and arranging them relative to each other such that lateral movement occurs between the contact point and the stationary contact, at least when the contact is closed.

[0051] This lateral movement allows for the removal and clearing of deposits, such as those produced by ablation, during the process, thus ensuring reliable contact at all times.

[0052] For example, if the contact bridge is made of a spring-elastic material, when an electrical connection is already in place, i.e. when the contact point is already against the fixed contact, further movement of the contact bridge in the closing direction will cause the contact point and the fixed contact to move laterally relative to each other, thereby grinding away deposits and simultaneously pushing them away from the contact.

[0053] In one embodiment, at least one contact bridge may be provided with a reinforcing device in the disconnection direction. The reinforcing device allows the at least one contact bridge itself to be smaller in size while still maintaining sufficient stability. This reinforcing device is particularly advantageous in the disconnection direction, as welding that may be caused by heat load must be eliminated in this direction. Furthermore, if the reinforcing device acts only in the disconnection direction, it achieves both flexibility in the closing direction and sufficient stability in the disconnection direction.

[0054] For example, such a reinforcing device can be arranged on the actuating rod, or in particular, formed integrally with the actuating rod.

[0055] Alternatively, a multi-component design can be considered, in which the reinforcement is designed as a separate component.

[0056] By arranging a reinforcing device, and in particular by forming the reinforcing device integrally with the actuating rod, a particularly space-saving and easily implemented method can be achieved.

[0057] For example, the actuator rod can be designed such that a contact bridge is inserted as a component into a receiving portion of the actuator rod, and is secured in that receiving portion by a second portion of the actuator rod.

[0058] For example, the reinforcing device can be designed as a forming portion extending from the actuating rod along the extension direction of the contact bridge. Preferably, the forming portion and the receiving portion are designed such that the contact bridge is held in a preloaded direction opposite to the closing direction when the actuating rod is inserted. Viewed from the side, in the inserted state, the contact bridge preferably contacts the actuating rod and the forming portion at three positions. By employing the support of three supports, a statically determinate state is achieved, ensuring that the support of the contact bridge does not become statically indeterminate. Furthermore, a defined preload can be applied to the contact bridge via the three supports. Preferably, the contact bridge is supported on support devices on both sides of the actuating rod and receives preload through a third support inside the actuating rod. For this purpose, the support formed by the support devices acts on one side of the contact bridge, while the support formed inside the actuating rod acts on the opposite side of the contact bridge.

[0059] Applying a preload to the contact bridge offers several advantages. Since the contact bridge is positioned in a defined location via the forming section, manufacturing tolerances can be compensated for without post-processing. Furthermore, this design allows the contact bridge to have a defined preload, enabling a greater force to be directly applied in the disconnection direction to break the contact.

[0060] This type of molding part can be easily achieved during the manufacturing process of the actuator rod, such as in plastic injection molding, and can be produced in the required size.

[0061] Preferably, the support formed by the molding part is symmetrically designed with respect to the actuating rod, and in the non-contact state, the contact bridge is supported at a position at least 1 / 5, preferably at least 1 / 4, more preferably at least half, and particularly preferably at least 3 / 4 of its projection, wherein the projection is the projection of the contact bridge onto a straight line that is perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the actuating rod and parallel to the longitudinal extension direction of the contact bridge.

[0062] To determine the distance, the contact bridge is projected vertically onto a line that is perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the actuator rod and parallel to the longitudinal extension direction of the contact bridge.

[0063] The further out the support is on the contact bridge, the shorter the portion of the contact bridge that extends beyond the support and undergoes elastic deformation when the contact point breaks, thus allowing for a greater force to be transmitted in the breaking direction. Practice has shown that, in the breaking direction, it is advantageous to arrange the support within 3 / 4 to 4 / 5 of the distance perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the actuator rod, where this distance is determined perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the actuator rod, and the point where the contact bridge abuts against the fixed contact in the contact state is considered the endpoint of the contact bridge. The support is preferably designed as a linear support. These supports are preferably movable supports.

[0064] Therefore, the breaking force acting on the actuating rod can be transmitted to the contact bridge closer to the contact point, while shortening the free cantilever length of the contact bridge. Forces acting in the opposite direction of breaking (such as the force generated by the welding of the contact part to the fixed contact) are generated by the reduced lever arm, thus reducing the risk of the contact bridge bending.

[0065] To prevent the contact bridge from sliding relative to the actuating rod, it can be fixed in the receiving portion using a fixed support. Practice has shown that fixing can be achieved particularly easily by forming a molded portion on the contact bridge and engaging it with a corresponding groove formed in the receiving portion.

[0066] The contact bridge can be specially designed as a stamped and bent part. Stamped and bent parts are low in manufacturing cost and of excellent quality.

[0067] Alternatively, especially for small-batch production, other manufacturing methods can be used. For example, various cutting processes, such as waterjet cutting or laser cutting, can be employed before the bending process.

[0068] To reliably transmit the specified breaking force for forcibly disconnecting the stationary position, the dimensions of the support device are determined such that a breaking force of at least 10 N, preferably 20 N, and more preferably 30 N, can be transmitted to the contact points of the contact bridge. In this way, it can be ensured that the quick-acting switch according to this application also conforms to the DIN EN 60947-5-1 standard. However, through the molding section, a forced breaking force exceeding the standard requirement of 20 N can also be transmitted, thereby enabling the transmission of forces exceeding 30 N.

[0069] For example, the actuator rod can be designed to consist of at least two parts, such that a contact bridge can be inserted between the two parts of the actuator rod and thus fixed in place.

[0070] In an alternative embodiment, the contact bridge and the actuator rod are injection molded as a single unit. This embodiment has the advantage of being implemented at a particularly low cost, reducing the number of components in the quick-acting switch, and providing exceptionally good retention of the contact bridge because it is fixed in the actuator rod region by both form-locking and force-locking mechanisms.

[0071] In one embodiment, the first distance between the contact point and its assigned fixed contact is smaller than the second distance between the stop and its assigned mating stop. This means that during closing, the contact point has already established electrical contact with the fixed contact before the stop contacts the mating stop. Since the actuator rod approximately overtravels during closing, self-cleaning of the contacts is ensured because the additional axial movement of the actuator rod causes lateral movement of the contact points of the contact bridge.

[0072] Practice has shown that the difference between the first and second gaps (e.g., between 0.1 mm and 0.3 mm) yields particularly good results in terms of cleaning effectiveness and reduced contact point bounce. Since the actuator rod initially overtravels and rebounds from the mating stop, the contact bridge can utilize its elastic properties to compensate for a portion of the traveled during the rebound. This means that the reduction in bounce is achieved not only through the dissipation of kinetic energy, but also because the contact bridge compensates for part of the travel through elastic rebound during the reverse movement of the actuator rod.

[0073] By optimizing the design, the number of bounces can be significantly reduced, thereby maximizing the lifespan of the quick-acting switch. In a preferred embodiment, the quick-acting spring used to operate the actuator, the spring force of the contact bridge, and the differential are matched to minimize the number of bounces, particularly to 1 or 0.

[0074] For quick-acting switches designed as turnout switches, the number of bounces can be reduced to 1 to 2 times because their quick-acting springs are larger than those of other quick-acting switches. However, since a stronger quick-acting spring significantly increases the kinetic energy required for the actuator to switch, it is currently impossible to further reduce the number of bounces.

[0075] All contacts, whether on a contact bridge or fixed contacts, can be constructed as cylindrical, flat, or spherical / elliptical (contact rivets). In the case of spherical contacts, the contact surface is point-like; in the case of cylindrical contacts, the contact surface is line-like; and in the case of double-sided contacts, the contact surface is flat.

[0076] In this application, the phrase "two elements mutually dependent" is used to describe interacting elements, particularly elements that interact electrically or mechanically. In this sense, two elements that establish an electrical connection through mechanical contact are mutually dependent. For example, these two elements could be a contact point and a fixed contact, which are electrically in contact with each other in a switching position of the actuating rod. Similarly, two mechanical elements that interact mechanically (e.g., by impact or support) are mutually dependent. For example, these two elements could be a stop and a mating stop, the mating stop being arranged such that when the actuating rod switches from one switching position to another, the stop impacts the mating stop. Likewise, the contact arms of a contact bridge are provided with reinforcing devices that support the contact arms.

[0077] The self-cleaning mechanism of the switching points can be designed as either push-type or pull-type. The relative movement between the contacts, either pushing or pulling, occurs depending on the angle at which the contact point and the stationary contact come into contact. Further details will be provided in the exemplary embodiments described below.

[0078] Advantageous embodiments and variations of the invention are derived from the dependent claims and the following description. Features listed individually in the dependent claims may be combined with each other in any technically reasonable manner, or with features set forth in more detail in the following description, and may represent other advantageous variations of the invention. Attached Figure Description

[0079] The present invention will now be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings and exemplary embodiments.

[0080] Figure 1 A simplified illustration shows a first exemplary embodiment of a quick-acting switch according to this application.

[0081] Figure 2 A schematic diagram is shown showing the actuator rod together with the first contact bridge and its assigned fixed contacts.

[0082] Figure 3 a) to d) show the results according to Figure 2 The closing process of the contact bridge of the fast-acting switch.

[0083] Figure 4 a) to c) show Figure 3 The process of disconnecting the contact bridge in the process.

[0084] Figure 5 Shown in sectional view Figure 3 and Figure 4 An exemplary embodiment of the actuator rod shown is illustrated.

[0085] Figure 6 A third embodiment of the contact bridge is shown.

[0086] Figure 7 A fourth embodiment of the contact bridge is shown.

[0087] Figure 8 a) and b show contact bridges with leading and trailing arms.

[0088] Figure 9 A quick-acting switch (already illustrated) according to the prior art is shown. Detailed Implementation

[0089] In the accompanying drawings, unless otherwise specified, the same reference numerals denote the same or corresponding parts having the same function.

[0090] Figure 1 A first exemplary embodiment of a quick-action switch 100 according to this application is shown.

[0091] The quick-action switch 100 is simplified in the diagram shown and displayed with its housing open, so that the functions of the components within the quick-action switch 100 can be more clearly seen. The basic function of the quick-action switch 100 is achieved by an actuating lever 2 having at least two switching positions, wherein the actuating lever 2 can be activated by an actuating element 3 in the first switching position (e.g., ...). Figure 1 The actuator 2 switches between the first switch position (shown) and the second switch position, in which the actuator 2 is in a position that can move relative to the first switch position toward the actuator 3. The switch element 3 is connected to the actuator 2 via two quick-acting springs 8 and 9 that are parallel to each other on the switch element 3 and the actuator 2. Therefore, operating the actuator 3 will cause the characteristic curves of the quick-acting springs 8 and 9 to shift, so that the actuator 2 quickly switches from the first switch position to the second switch position. In this exemplary embodiment, the actuator 3 is also subjected to the action of the compression spring 4, so that... Figure 1 The first switch position shown is stabilized by the compression spring 4.

[0092] Figure 1 The quick-acting switch 100 also includes a forced-disconnect device consisting of a first forced-disconnect lever 5 and a second forced-disconnect lever 6. One end of the forced-disconnect levers 5 and 6 is supported on the annular collar of the actuating lever 2, and the other end is slidably mounted in the housing of the quick-acting switch 100. If a predetermined actuating force is applied by the actuating element 3, the actuating element 3 will contact the forced-disconnect levers 5 and 6, and by tilting the forced-disconnect levers 5 and 6, the actuating element 3 will be indirectly mechanically coupled to the actuating lever 2 via the forced-disconnect levers 5 and 6, thereby achieving mechanical forced switching when the actuating lever 2 cannot quickly switch from the first switch position to the second switch position.

[0093] As shown with reference to the prior art, if the contacts of the quick-acting switch 100 are in the switching position (the first switching position in this embodiment) for example, due to thermal load, and therefore the quick-acting springs 8 and 9 cannot release the contacts and switch the switching position, such a forced disconnection device may be required.

[0094] exist Figure 1 In the quick-acting switch 100 shown, the first contact bridge 31 and the second contact bridge 32 are arranged on the actuating rod 2, wherein... Figure 1 In the first switching position of the actuating lever 2 shown, the first contact bridge 31 is not in contact with its assigned fixed contacts 21 and 22, and the second contact bridge 32 electrically connects the third fixed contact 23 and the fourth fixed contact 24 to each other. To make contact with the corresponding fixed contacts 21, 22, 23, and 24, the contact bridges 31 and 32 have contact points 17, 18, 19, and 20 arranged at their ends, which reinforce the contact bridges 31 and 32 and make them wear-resistant.

[0095] Reinforcing arms 25 and 26 are arranged on the actuating rod 2, and they support the contact bridges 31 and 32 in the disconnection direction as integrally formed molded parts. The reinforcing arms 25 and 26 extend outward from both sides of the actuating rod 2. On the side facing the contact bridges 31 and 32, the reinforcing arms 25 and 26 have a certain inclination, such that the contact bridges 31 and 32 only contact the reinforcing arms 25 and 26 at their ends. The side of the reinforcing arms 25 and 26 facing away from the contact bridges 31 and 32 is perpendicular to the longitudinal axis and the direction of movement of the actuating rod 2. In this exemplary embodiment, this side serves as a stop 41 and 42 to restrict the movement of the actuating rod 2 in the closing direction.

[0096] By employing the design of the stop portions 41 and 42, the closing motion of the actuator rod 2 is restricted by impacting the mating stop portions 51 and 52 formed in the housing 1 in the closing direction. By causing the stop portions 41 and 42 to impact the mating stop portions 51 and 52, a portion of the kinetic energy of the actuator rod 2 is absorbed, thereby reducing the bounce of the actuator rod 2 itself.

[0097] from Figure 1It can be clearly seen that the first distance s1 between the contact points 17, 18, 19, 20 on the contact bridges 31, 32 and their respective assigned fixed contacts 21, 22, 23, 24 is smaller than the second distance s2 between the stop portions 41, 42 and their respective assigned mating stop portions 51, 52. This design ensures that electrical contact is established before the stop portions 41, 42 impact the mating stop portions 51, 52. This achieves two things: firstly, the elastically designed contact bridges 31, 32 absorb some kinetic energy before the stop portions 41, 42 impact the mating stop portions 51, 52; secondly, after the contact points 17, 18, 19, 20 impact the fixed contacts 21, 22, 23, 24, the actuating rod 2 continues to move in the closing direction, causing the contact points 17, 18, 19, 20 to perform lateral movement relative to the fixed contacts 21, 22, 23, 24, thereby achieving self-cleaning of the contact area.

[0098] The stop portions 41 and 42 further reduce the mechanical load on the contact bridges 31 and 32 because the kinetic energy of the actuator rod 2 does not need to be completely absorbed by the contact bridges 31 and 32, but is mainly dissipated through the collision between the stop portions 41 and 42 and the mating stop portions 51 and 52. Therefore, with Figure 9 Compared to the prior art shown, contact bridges 31 and 32 can be designed to be lighter, thereby reducing their mass. Because contact bridges 31 and 32 are lighter, their bouncing phenomenon is also reduced.

[0099] Since electrical contact is established between contact points 17, 18, 19, 20 and the assigned fixed contacts 21, 22, 23, 24, until the stop parts 41, 42 hit the mating stop parts 51, 52, the contact bridges 31, 32 are elastically compressed through the difference Δs between the first distance s1 and the second distance s2. Therefore, even if the actuator rod 2 rebounds, the mechanical contact and electrical contact can remain unchanged within this difference range.

[0100] Figure 2 The schematic diagram shows the actuator 2 in the second switch position, together with the first contact bridge 31 and its assigned fixed contacts 21, 22.

[0101] The descriptions in the following figures regarding the second fixed contact pairs 21, 22 and the first contact bridge 31, and their assigned first stop 41 and first mating stop 51, are merely exemplary and, with necessary modifications, equally applicable to the opposite direction of movement and the fixed contact pairs 23, 24, the second contact bridge 32, and the second stop 42 and second mating stop 52 designed for this direction of movement.

[0102] Figure 2The illustrations in the diagram have been greatly simplified, with the main purpose of explaining the working principle of the illustrated embodiment in more detail. On the actuating rod 2, the first contact bridge 31, now shown in detail, is held in a groove within the actuating rod 2. In the illustrated embodiment, the first contact bridge 31 is designed as a so-called H-bridge, wherein, when viewed from above, the contact bridge 31 resembles the letter "H" and has two parallel extending bridge arms 311, 312, which connect via... Figure 2 The invisible transverse tabs 313 are interconnected. Reinforced contact points 314, 315, 316, and 317 are arranged at the ends of the bridge arms 311 and 312, which strengthen the contact bridge 31 and make it more wear-resistant. In the exemplary embodiment shown here, contact points 314-317 are designed as cylindrical shell-shaped reinforcing surfaces welded to the ends of the bridge arms 311 and 312. Through the cylindrical shape extending transversely to the extension direction of the bridge arms 311 and 312, linear contact surfaces through which current flows are formed between the fixed contacts 21 and 22 (flat in this exemplary embodiment) and the contact points 314-317, respectively.

[0103] The contact bridge 31 is designed as a concave, curved leaf spring, which is supported in the disconnection direction (i.e., when the electrical contacts closed between contact points 314-317 and fixed contacts 21, 22 are disconnected again) by a reinforcing device in the form of reinforcing arms 25, 26 arranged on the actuating rod 2. In this exemplary embodiment, the reinforcing arms 25, 26 are integrally formed with the actuating rod 2 as molded parts, and will be combined as follows. Figure 3 In more detail, the reinforcing arms 25 and 26 support the contact bridge 31 in the disconnection direction.

[0104] In this exemplary embodiment, the reinforcing arms 25 and 26 are also designed as first stop portions 41. The actuating rod 2 impacts the first mating stop portion 51 through the first stop portion 41 in the closing direction. The first mating stop portion 51 is designed integrally with the fixed contacts 21 and 22 in this embodiment. The illustrated embodiment is particularly easy to manufacture because there is no need to design an additional mating stop portion 51 separately. However, at the same time, the fixed contacts 21 and 22 must be designed to be significantly more robust so that these fixed contacts can dissipate the transmitted kinetic energy.

[0105] Figure 3 In sub-figures a) to d), the front view shows the contact closure between the first contact bridge 31 and the first fixed contact pair 21, 22. Figure 2 A device similar to the one shown. The device shown is... Figure 2 The difference in the illustrated embodiment is that the first mating stop 51 and the fixed contacts 21 and 22 are formed separately.

[0106] Figure 3a) shows how the actuator 2 moves from a first switch position to a second switch position, in which the actuator 2 moves from a first switch position (e.g., ...) Figure 1 (As shown) The second contact bridge 32 contacts the fixed contacts 23 and 24. In this second switch position, the first contact bridge 31 establishes contact with the fixed contacts 21 and 22. The direction of movement of the actuator 2 is... Figure 3 As indicated by the arrow in a). In the first sub-figure, it can be clearly seen that the bridge arms 311, 312 (the forward-facing bridge arm 312 in this figure) extending on both sides of the actuating rod 2 abut against the reinforcing devices in the form of reinforcing arms 25, 26. The shape of the first contact bridge 31 is such that the bridge arms 311, 312 abut only against the ends of the reinforcing arms 25, 26. By designing the first contact bridge 31 to clamp and support only in the middle at the ends of the reinforcing arms 25, 26, a statically determinate design of the first contact bridge 31 with a defined preload can be formed.

[0107] Figure 3 (b) shows the point in time when contact points 315-317 of contact bridge 31 come into contact with fixed contacts 21, 22. In principle, the movement of actuator 2 can stop at this point because there is contact between the second fixed contact pair 21, 22 and contact points 314-317, thus establishing a conductive path between the first fixed contact 21 and the second fixed contact 22. However, to further improve the reliability of the quick-acting switch according to this application, the contact area formed by contact points 314-317 and fixed contacts 21, 22 is designed to be self-cleaning, meaning that particles, deposits, or deposits generated by material ablation located on fixed contacts 21, 22 or contact points 314-317 are mechanically loosened and pushed away. In this exemplary embodiment, this is achieved by: from Figure 3 Starting from the situation shown in b) (where contact points 314-317 are already in contact with fixed contacts 21, 22), the actuating rod 2 is moved further in the indicated direction. This causes the spring-loaded contact bridge 31 to bend slightly, resulting in lateral movement between the fixed contacts 21, 22 and contact points 314-317. This lateral movement guides contact points 314-317 along the fixed contacts 21, 22, causing friction at the contact points to loosen and push deposits and particles outwards. In this way, a consistently low contact resistance is ensured between contact points 314-317 and the fixed contacts 21, 22, thereby improving the reliability of the quick-acting switch 100.

[0108] Furthermore, the contact bridges 31 and 32, consisting of individual bridge arms 311 and 312, ensure that when deposits and particles appear on one of the contacts, the spring elastic design of the contact bridges can provide high compensation (even between the individual bridge arms 311 and 312 used to contact the fixed contacts 21 and 22), thereby making the closure of the electrical contacts more reliable.

[0109] exist Figure 3 In section d), the motion end state of the actuator 2 is shown. In the position shown, after the actuator 2 reaches the first engagement stop 51, it moves to the stable position due to the rebound of the first engagement stop 51 and the spring force of the first contact bridge 31. It will only leave the stable position again through a switching operation.

[0110] Figure 4 a) to c) show Figure 3 The disconnection process of contact bridge 31 in the middle.

[0111] Figure 4 a) shows Figure 3 After the first contact bridge 31 in the middle is completely closed Figure 3 The situation reached in d). Figure 4 As indicated by the arrows in a) to c), the actuating rod 2 now moves downwards, away from the fixed contacts 21, 22, thereby breaking the electrical connection between the fixed contacts 21, 22 and the contact points 314-317 of the contact bridge 31 again. In this case, it is assumed that the contact points 314-317 are fused to the fixed contacts 21, 22 due to the thermal load caused by the flowing current, thus adhering to the fixed contacts 21, 22, and will not immediately release when the contact bridge 31 abuts against the reinforcing arms 25, 26.

[0112] Figure 4 (b) shows the position of the actuating rod 2, in which the bridge arms 311, 312 of the contact bridge 31 abut against the reinforcing arms 25, 26 of the actuating rod 2, and then, by further movement of the actuating rod 2 away from the fixed contacts 21, 22, the contact points 314-317 disengage from the fixed contacts 21, 22. Through further movement of the actuating rod 2, the force in the direction of movement is transmitted to the contact bridge 31 through the reinforcing arms 25, 26. The reinforcing arms 25, 26 further reinforce and support the contact bridge 31 in this direction. In this way, as... Figure 4 As shown in c), the spring elasticity design of the contact bridge 31 can be overcome, and a greater breaking force can be applied to the welded contact area, thereby reliably breaking it.

[0113] In this embodiment, the contact points 314-317 are pulled away from the fixed contacts 21 and 22, that is, the pulling force is applied to the contact bridge 31.

[0114] Figure 5 An alternative embodiment of the actuator rod 2 is shown in a longitudinal sectional view.

[0115] exist Figure 5 In the diagram shown, the preload of the first contact bridge 31 is achieved through three supports 61, 62, and 63. On one hand, the first contact bridge 31 abuts against reinforcing arms 25 and 26 extending from both sides of the actuating rod 2. These reinforcing arms 25 and 26 constitute the first support 61 and the second support 62, respectively. The first support 61 and the second support 62 act on the surface of the first contact bridge 31 facing the reinforcing arms 25 and 26 and located in front of it in the closing direction. On the other hand, the first contact bridge 31 is supported in the middle by a third support 63, which acts on the opposite side of the first contact bridge 31 and applies a preload force to the concave curved first contact bridge 31. To ensure that the first contact bridge 31 obtains a defined clamping force and preload force, a reverse support is arranged on the opposite side of the third support 63, such that the first contact bridge 31 is clamped between the third support 63 and the reverse support in the position shown. The reverse support ensures that the contact bridge 31 has a defined preload force at the desired position.

[0116] The second contact bridge 32 and the first contact bridge 31 are arranged symmetrically with respect to a mirror plane perpendicular to the direction of movement of the actuator rod 2 and passing through the center of the actuator rod 2, and the second contact bridge 32 is held and pre-tightened in the same manner.

[0117] exist Figure 5 The ends of the contact bridges 31 and 32 in the illustrated embodiment are provided with contact rivets, which are used to strengthen the contact points 17, 18, 19, and 20 and make them more resistant to ablation and mechanical stress.

[0118] Figure 6 Another embodiment of the contact bridge 31, which can also be used, is shown in more detail. Figures 1 to 5 In the device shown.

[0119] Figure 6 The contact bridge 31 shown is designed as an H-bridge with a first bridge arm 311 and a second bridge arm 312. The bridge arms 311 and 312 are interconnected at the center by a transverse tab 313, and each bridge arm 311 and 312 is divided into two bridge arm portions 311a, 311b, 312a, and 312b extending from the transverse tab 313.

[0120] In this exemplary embodiment, the transverse tab 313 is centrally located, such that the bridge arm portions 311a, 311b, 312a, and 312b extend symmetrically from the transverse tab 313 at right angles to it. The bridge arms 311 and 312 are designed to extend initially with a positive curvature and then with a negative curvature, such that the contact bridge 31 is designed to be concave in the central region and convex at the end regions of the bridge arms 311 and 312. Contact points 314-317 are located at the ends of the bridge arms 311 and 312, wherein in this exemplary embodiment, contact points 314-317 are designed as contact rivets. Compared to welded contact points, contact rivets have the advantage of being able to be manufactured using other manufacturing methods. This means that other combinations of materials can be used. As the name "contact rivet" suggests, contact points 314-317 are fixed to the respective bridge arm ends by rivets, or are designed themselves as rivets.

[0121] In this exemplary embodiment, the transverse tab 313 is designed to extend linearly between the bridge arms 311 and 312, and has semi-circular shaped portions on both sides of the bridge arms 311 and 312. These shaped portions can be used to align and center the contact bridge 31 within the actuating rod 2, and thus serve as an installation aid.

[0122] Figure 7 Another exemplary embodiment of the contact bridge 31 is shown, wherein, Figure 7 The contact bridge 31 shown has a fully convex profile.

[0123] Figure 8 a) and b) show Figure 6 A modified embodiment of the contact bridge 31 in the diagram.

[0124] and Figure 6 The embodiment of the first contact bridge 31 shown differs from that in this embodiment, the two bridge arms 311 and 312 are designed to extend in parallel, and according to Figure 8 An exemplary embodiment of the first contact bridge 31 of a) is designed such that one bridge arm 311 is preceding and the other bridge arm 312 is following.

[0125] In this context, "leading" means that during the movement in the closing direction, the contact points 314 and 316 arranged on the leading bridge arm 311 will contact their assigned fixed contacts before the contact points 315 and 317 arranged on the following bridge arm, thereby establishing a conductive connection before the contact points 315 and 317. Conversely, when the switch is in the open position, the following bridge arm 312 and its assigned contact points 315 and 317 first disengage from their respective assigned fixed contacts, while the leading bridge arm 311 in the closing direction acts as the second to disconnect.

[0126] exist Figure 8In the exemplary embodiment shown, in the closing direction, the first bridge arm 311 and its assigned contact points 314, 316 are configured to proceed first, while the second bridge arm 312 and its assigned contact points 315, 317 are configured to proceed second. Figure 8 A) illustrates the entire contact bridge. This embodiment causes the increased current density, and the associated flashover and resulting ablation, to primarily affect the contact points 314, 316 of the leading first bridge arm 311 when the contacts are disconnected. Therefore, by selecting suitable materials, for example, the leading bridge arm can be equipped with contact points made of a more ablation-resistant material, while the contact points 315, 317 of the following bridge arm 312 can be provided with a material that has very good conductivity but suffers significantly more ablation in the event of flashover, thus allowing for the use of more sensitive materials.

[0127] Figure 8 b) shows Figure 8 The enlarged view of part a) shows particularly clearly how the leading and trailing arms 311 can be implemented. In this exemplary embodiment, the arms 311 and 312 are bent such that the first arm portion 311b shown herein is higher than the second arm portion 312b by a height Δh in the closing direction, thereby being leading in the closing direction.

[0128] In an alternative embodiment, the contact rivets used can also have different heights, so that although the bridge arms 311 and 312 have the same degree of curvature, the contact rivets used for the leading contact points 314 and 316 have a greater height than the contact rivets for the subsequent contact points 315 and 317. This embodiment can provide a greater material thickness for the leading contact points 314 and 316, so that the leading contact points have an additional material thickness that can be worn away, in addition to using a more ablation-resistant material.

[0129] List of reference numerals 1. Shell 2 Actuating rod 3 Actuating elements 4. Compression spring 5 First forced disconnect lever 6 Second forced disconnect lever 8 First fast-acting spring 9 Second quick-acting spring 11, 12 Accommodating notches Spacers 13 and 14 15 Upper contact arm 16 Lower contact arm 17 First contact point 18 Second contact point 19 Third contact point 20 Fourth contact point 21 First fixed contact 22 Second fixed contact 23 Third fixed contact 24 Fourth fixed contact 25, 26 Reinforcing Arm 31 First Contact Bridge 32 Second Contact Bridge 41 First stop section 42 Second stop section 51 First mating stop part 52 Second mating stop part 61 First Support 62 Second Support 63 The Third Branch 100 Quick-acting switch 311 First Bridge Arm 311a and 311b bridge arm sections 312 Second Bridge Arm 312a and 312b bridge arm sections 313 Lateral splicing 314-317 Contact Points 324-327 Contact Points Δh height s1 First spacing s2 Second Spacing Δs difference

Claims

1. A quick-acting switch (100) comprising a housing (1) and an actuating rod (2) having two switching positions, the actuating rod comprising at least one contact bridge (31, 32) and quick-acting springs (8, 9) supported substantially symmetrically on an actuating element (3) and the actuating rod (2) in a preloaded manner, the contact bridges (31, 32) for electrically connecting at least one first fixed contact pair (23, 24) in the switching positions, and contact points (314-317) arranged at one end and the other end of the contact bridges (31, 32), the line of action of the quick-acting spring being movable by the actuating element (3) such that the actuating rod (2) can be quickly switched from a first switching position in which the actuating rod (2) is substantially stationary to a second switching position in which the actuating rod (2) is substantially actuated, wherein, The quick-acting switch (100) also includes a forced-disconnect device (5, 6), which, when the force acting on the actuating element (3) exceeds the forced-disconnect force, forces a switch from at least the first switch position to the second switch position. Its features are, The actuating rod (2) has at least one first stop (41) in the closing direction of the first fixed contact pair (23, 24), the first stop interacting with the first mating stop (51) to restrict the movement of the actuating rod (2) in the closing direction of the first fixed contact pair (23, 24).

2. The quick-acting switch (100) according to claim 1. Its features are, The quick-acting switch (100) has two contact bridges (31, 32) for electrically connecting at least the first fixed contact pair (23, 24) and at least one second fixed contact pair (21, 22), wherein the first fixed contact pair (23, 24) is connected in the first switch position and the second fixed contact pair (21, 22) is connected in the second switch position, and wherein the actuating rod (2) has a second stop (42) in the closing direction of the second fixed contact pair (21, 22), the second stop interacting with a second mating stop (52) to restrict the movement of the actuating rod (2) in the closing direction of the second fixed contact pair (21, 22).

3. The quick-acting switch (100) according to any one of the preceding claims. Its features are, The contact bridges (31, 32) are designed to be spring-elastic.

4. The quick-acting switch (100) according to any one of the preceding claims. Its features are, The design of the contact bridges (31, 32), the arrangement of the contact points (17, 18, 19, 20), and the arrangement of the contact points relative to the fixed contacts (21, 22, 23, 24) enable the contacts to be self-cleaning.

5. The quick-acting switch (100) according to claim 4. Its features are, The contact points (17, 18, 19, 20) and the fixed contacts (21, 22, 23, 24) are designed and arranged relative to each other such that, at least when the contacts are closed, lateral movement occurs between the contact points (17, 18, 19, 20) and the fixed contacts (21, 22, 23, 24).

6. The quick-acting switch (100) according to any one of the preceding claims. Its features are, At least one of the contact bridges (31, 32) is provided with reinforcing devices (25, 26) at least in the disconnection direction.

7. The quick-acting switch (100) according to claim 6. Its features are, The reinforcing devices (25, 26) are arranged on the actuating rod (2).

8. The quick-acting switch (100) according to claim 6 or 7. Its features are, The reinforcing device (25, 26) is integrally formed with the actuating rod (2).

9. The quick-acting switch (100) according to any one of claims 6 to 8. Its features are, The reinforcing device (25, 26) is designed as a shaped portion extending from the actuating rod (2) along the extension direction of the contact bridge (31, 32), the shaped portion being in the form of a reinforcing arm (25, 26).

10. The quick-acting switch (100) according to claim 9. Its features are, The contact bridges (31, 32) are arranged in the receiving portion of the actuating rod (2), and the forming portion is designed to keep the contact bridges (31, 32) in a pre-tightened state.

11. The quick-acting switch (100) according to claim 9 or 10. Its features are, The molding parts respectively form supports (61, 62), which support the contact bridges (31, 32) at least 1 / 5, preferably at least 1 / 4, more preferably at least half, and particularly preferably between 3 / 4 and 4 / 5 of the distance from the projection of the contact bridges (31, 32), at least in the contact state. The projection is the projection of the contact bridges onto a straight line that is perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the actuating rod (2) and parallel to the longitudinal extension direction of the contact bridges (31, 32).

12. The quick-acting switch (100) according to any one of claims 7 to 11. Its features are, The dimensions of the reinforcing devices (25, 26) are determined such that a breaking force of at least 10N, preferably at least 20N, more preferably at least 30N, can be transmitted to the contact point of the contact bridge.

13. The quick-acting switch according to any one of the preceding claims, Its features are, In the rest position of the actuating rod (2), the first distance (s1) between the contact points (17, 18, 19, 20) and the assigned fixed contacts (21, 22, 23, 24) is smaller than the second distance (s2) between the stop (41, 42) and the assigned mating stop (51, 52).

14. The quick-acting switch according to any one of the preceding claims, Its features are, The difference (Δs) between the first spacing (s1) and the second spacing (s2) is between 0.1 mm and 0.3 mm.

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