An interlocked circuit breaker

Abstract

The application provides an interlocked circuit breaker, which comprises a first circuit breaker and a second circuit breaker, the first circuit breaker is internally provided with a first operating mechanism, the second circuit breaker is internally provided with a second operating mechanism, the first operating mechanism comprises a first contact support rotatably installed on a first shell, the second operating mechanism comprises a second lock catch, and the interlocked circuit breaker further comprises an interlocking part rotatably installed on the first shell, which has a first position corresponding to a tripping state of the first circuit breaker and a second position corresponding to a closing state of the first circuit breaker, the interlocking part comprises a lock rod and first and second lock blocks separately arranged at two ends of the lock rod, the first lock block is in linkage with the first contact support, and the second lock block is in linkage with the second lock catch; when the first circuit breaker is closed, the first contact support drives the interlocking part to rotate to the second position through the first lock block, the second lock block drives the second lock catch of the second circuit breaker to be unlocked, so that the second circuit breaker is tripped or cannot be closed.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of low-voltage electrical technology, and more specifically to an interlocking circuit breaker. Background Technology

[0002] Dual power transfer switches are used in power supply systems to switch to a backup power source when the primary power source fails, ensuring normal equipment operation. They are widely used in important locations such as high-rise buildings, fire stations, hospitals, airports, and docks. However, dual power transfer switches are relatively expensive. Therefore, some people use two miniature circuit breakers for switching operations. Since the two miniature circuit breakers cannot interlock, short circuits can easily occur due to misoperation, resulting in lower safety performance. Summary of the Invention

[0003] Therefore, the technical problem to be solved by the present invention is to overcome the defects of the prior art where miniature circuit breakers cannot interlock and are prone to short circuits due to misoperation, thereby providing a high-safety-performance interlocking circuit breaker.

[0004] To address this, the present invention provides an interlocked circuit breaker, comprising a first circuit breaker and a second circuit breaker. The first circuit breaker has a first operating mechanism, and the second circuit breaker has a second operating mechanism. The first operating mechanism includes a first contact support rotatably mounted on a first housing, and the second operating mechanism includes a second latch. The interlocking component is rotatably mounted on the first housing and has a first position corresponding to the open state of the first circuit breaker and a second position corresponding to the closed state of the first circuit breaker. The interlocking component includes a locking rod and a first locking block and a second locking block disposed at both ends of the locking rod. The first locking block can be linked with the first contact support, and the second locking block can be linked with the second latch. When the first circuit breaker is closed, the first contact support drives the interlocking component to rotate to the second position via the first locking block, and the second locking block drives the second latch of the second circuit breaker to unlock.

[0005] The first contact is supported by a lock hole for the second locking block to be inserted into and for its movement.

[0006] The first housing is further provided with a first elastic element that positions the interlocking element at the first position.

[0007] The first elastic element is a torsion spring, which includes a first mounting foot and a second mounting foot extending outward. The first mounting foot abuts against the first housing, and the second mounting foot abuts against the locking rod, so that the second locking block abuts against the wall of the lock hole.

[0008] The first circuit breaker and the second circuit breaker are respectively formed with a first through hole and a second through hole that are interconnected. After the second locking block of the interlocking member passes through the first through hole and the second through hole, it engages with the second latch.

[0009] The second latch is formed with a mounting groove for the second locking block to be inserted and for the second locking block to move relative to it; when both the first circuit breaker and the second circuit breaker are in the open state, the second locking block is disposed near the lower end of the mounting groove; when the first circuit breaker is in the closed state and the second circuit breaker is in the open state, the second locking block abuts against the upper end of the mounting groove, so that the second latch remains in the unlocked state; when the first circuit breaker is in the open state and the second circuit breaker is in the closed state, the second latch is disposed near the upper end of the mounting groove.

[0010] The second operating mechanism includes a second handle and a second contact support pivotally mounted on the second housing of the second circuit breaker, and a second trip latch and a second lock latch pivotally mounted on the second contact support. The second handle is drivenly connected to the second trip latch via a second link, and the second lock latch is locked to the second trip latch. The first operating mechanism has the same structure as the second operating mechanism, including a first handle and a first contact support pivotally mounted on the first housing of the first circuit breaker, and a first trip latch and a first lock latch pivotally mounted on the first contact support. The first handle is drivenly connected to the first trip latch via a first link.

[0011] Both the first and second latches are provided with a first locking tooth, and the first and second snap latches are respectively provided with a second locking tooth that can be fastened into the first locking tooth.

[0012] The first operating mechanism further includes a tension spring adapted to drive the first contact support to rotate from the closed position to the open position. The tension spring is located between the first handle and the short-circuit tripping mechanism, with one end hooked to the first housing and the other end hooked to the first contact support.

[0013] The technical solution of this invention has the following advantages:

[0014] 1. The interlocking circuit breaker provided by the present invention, when the first circuit breaker is closed, the first contact supports the interlocking component to rotate to the second position through the first locking block, and the second locking block drives the second latch of the second circuit breaker to unlock, so that the second circuit breaker is opened or cannot be closed, thereby realizing the one-way locking of the first circuit breaker to the second circuit breaker, avoiding misoperation and greatly improving safety performance.

[0015] 2. The interlocking circuit breaker provided by the present invention has a locking hole formed on the first contact for inserting and moving the second locking block. When the first contact is rotated, the inner wall of the locking hole abuts against the first locking block, thereby driving the interlocking component to rotate. The locking hole supported by the first contact has the advantage of simple structure.

[0016] 3. The interlocking circuit breaker provided by the present invention further includes a first elastic element in the first housing for positioning the interlocking component in a first position. The first elastic element is a torsion spring, which includes a first mounting foot and a second mounting foot extending outward. The first mounting foot abuts against the first housing, and the second mounting foot abuts against the locking rod, so that the second locking block abuts against the wall of the locking hole, thereby limiting the position of the interlocking component and preventing the position of the interlocking component from shifting when the first circuit breaker and the second circuit breaker are assembled, thus improving the assembly reliability. Attached Figure Description

[0017] To more clearly illustrate the specific embodiments of the present invention or the technical solutions in the prior art, the drawings used in the description of the specific embodiments or the prior art will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are some embodiments of the present invention. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained from these drawings without creative effort.

[0018] Figure 1 This is a first exploded view of the first circuit breaker and the second circuit breaker of the present invention;

[0019] Figure 2 This is a second exploded schematic diagram of the first circuit breaker and the second circuit breaker;

[0020] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the assembly of the first circuit breaker and the second circuit breaker;

[0021] Figure 4 Front view of the interlocked circuit breaker after removing part of the first housing;

[0022] Figure 5 for Figure 4 A schematic diagram of the structure after removing the first link, the first jumper, and the first lock;

[0023] Figure 6 A schematic diagram of the structure in which the interlocking component and the first elastic component are installed on the first housing;

[0024] Figure 7 A perspective view of the first operating mechanism, the second operating mechanism, and the interlocking components;

[0025] Figure 8 for Figure 7 A schematic diagram of the structure after removing the first link, the first jumper, and the first lock;

[0026] Figure 9 This is an assembly diagram of the first contact support and interlocking components.

[0027] Explanation of reference numerals in the attached drawings: 1. First circuit breaker; 2. Second circuit breaker; 3. First housing; 4. First contact support; 5. Second latch; 6. Interlocking element; 7. Locking rod; 8. First locking block; 9. Second locking block; 10. Lock hole; 11. First mounting foot; 12. Second mounting foot; 13. First elastic element; 14. First through hole; 15. Second through hole; 16. Mounting groove; 17. Second housing; 18. Second handle; 19. Second contact support; 20. Second trip latch; 21. Second connecting rod; 22. Tension spring; 23. Short-circuit tripping mechanism; 24. First handle; 25. First trip latch; 26. First latch; 27. First connecting rod. Detailed Implementation

[0028] The technical solution of the present invention will now be clearly and completely described with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some, not all, of the embodiments of the present invention. Based on the embodiments of the present invention, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without creative effort are within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0029] In the description of this invention, it should be noted that the terms "center," "upper," "lower," "left," "right," "vertical," "horizontal," "inner," and "outer," etc., indicate the orientation or positional relationship based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings. They are used only for the convenience of describing the invention and for simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation. Therefore, they should not be construed as limitations on the invention. Furthermore, the terms "first," "second," and "third" are used for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance.

[0030] In the description of this invention, it should be noted that, unless otherwise explicitly specified and limited, the terms "installation," "connection," and "linking" should be interpreted broadly. For example, they can refer to a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral connection; they can refer to a mechanical connection or an electrical connection; they can refer to a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium; and they can refer to the internal connection of two components. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of the above terms in this invention based on the specific circumstances.

[0031] Furthermore, the technical features involved in the different embodiments of the present invention described below can be combined with each other as long as they do not conflict with each other.

[0032] Example

[0033] This embodiment provides an interlocking circuit breaker, such as Figure 3 As shown, it includes a first circuit breaker 1 and a second circuit breaker 2, which are arranged side by side and fixed together by multiple rivets.

[0034] The first circuit breaker 1 includes a first housing 3, and a first operating mechanism, an interlocking member 6, and a first elastic member 13 disposed within the first housing 3. Figure 4 As shown, the first operating mechanism includes a first handle 24 and a first contact support 4 pivotally mounted on the first housing 3 of the first circuit breaker 1, and a first trip latch 25 and a first locking latch 26 pivotally mounted on the first contact support 4. The first handle 24 is drivenly connected to the first trip latch 25 via a first connecting rod 27. The first locking latch 26 is provided with a first locking tooth, and the first trip latch 25 is provided with a second locking tooth that latches into the first locking tooth. In this embodiment, as shown... Figure 5 and 6 As shown, the first contact support 4 has a locking hole 10 for the second locking block 9 to be inserted and moved. When the first contact support 4 rotates clockwise or counterclockwise, the inner wall of its locking hole 10 abuts against the first locking block 8, thereby driving the interlocking member 6 to rotate clockwise or counterclockwise accordingly. Figure 1 As shown, the first housing 3 has a first through hole 14 formed on it for one end of the interlocking component 6 to extend out. The first operating mechanism also includes a tension spring 22 adapted to drive the first contact support 4 to rotate from the closed position to the open position. The tension spring 22 is located between the first handle 24 and the short-circuit tripping mechanism 23, with one end hooked to the first housing 3 and the other end hooked to the first contact support 4. It should be noted that the short-circuit tripping mechanism 23 is a mature existing technology, so its internal structure and working principle will not be described in detail.

[0035] The second circuit breaker 2 includes a second housing 17 and a second operating mechanism disposed on the second housing 17, such as... Figure 7 As shown, the second operating mechanism includes a second handle 18 and a second contact support 19 pivotally mounted on the second housing 17 of the second circuit breaker 2, and a second trip latch 20 and a second locking latch 5 pivotally mounted on the second contact support 19. The second handle 18 is drivenly connected to the second trip latch 20 via a second connecting rod 21, and the second locking latch 5 is locked in place with the second trip latch 20. The first operating mechanism and the second operating mechanism have the same structure. The second locking latch 5 is provided with a first locking tooth, and the second trip latch 20 is provided with a second locking tooth that can be fastened into the first locking tooth. Figure 2 As shown, the second housing 17 has a second through hole 15 formed opposite to the first through hole 14. Figure 8As shown, the second latch 5 is formed with a mounting groove 16 for the second locking block 9 to be inserted and for the second locking block 9 to move relative to it; when both the first circuit breaker 1 and the second circuit breaker 2 are in the open state, the second locking block 9 is disposed near the lower end of the mounting groove 16; when the first circuit breaker 1 is in the closed state and the second circuit breaker 2 is in the open state, the second locking block 9 abuts against the upper end of the mounting groove 16, so that the second latch 5 remains in the unlocked state; when the first circuit breaker 1 is in the open state and the second circuit breaker 2 is in the closed state, the second latch 5 is disposed near the upper end of the mounting groove 16.

[0036] Interlocking component 6 is rotatably mounted on the first housing 3, and has a first position corresponding to the open state of the first circuit breaker 1, and a second position corresponding to the closed state of the first circuit breaker 1, as shown below. Figure 6 and 9 As shown, the interlocking component 6 includes a locking rod 7, and a first locking block 8 and a second locking block 9 respectively disposed at both ends of the locking rod 7. The first locking block 8 can be linked and cooperated with the first contact support 4. After the second locking block 9 passes through the first through hole 14 and the second through hole, it can cooperate with the second latch 5. When the first circuit breaker 1 is closed, the first contact support 4 drives the interlocking component 6 to rotate to the second position through the first locking block 8, and the second locking block 9 drives the second latch 5 of the second circuit breaker 2 to unlock.

[0037] A first elastic element 13 is disposed within the first housing 3, adapted to position the interlocking element 6 at the first position. The first elastic element 13 is a torsion spring, such as... Figure 6 As shown, it includes a first mounting foot 11 and a second mounting foot 12 extending outward. The first mounting foot 11 abuts against the first housing 3, and the second mounting foot 12 abuts against the locking rod 7, so that the second locking block 9 abuts against the wall of the lock hole 10.

[0038] The working principle of the interlocking circuit breaker of the present invention is as follows:

[0039] 1) such as Figure 7 and 8 As shown, both the first circuit breaker 1 and the second circuit breaker 2 are in the open state. At this time, the interlocking component 6 is in the first position. Under the elastic force of the first elastic component 13, the first locking block 8 of the interlocking component 6 abuts against the inner wall of the locking hole 10 of the first contact support 4, and the second locking block 9 is set near the lower end of the mounting groove 16 of the second latch 5.

[0040] 2) When the first circuit breaker 1 is in the open state and the second circuit breaker 2 switches from the open state to the closed state, the second handle 18 rotates clockwise, and the second connecting rod 21, the second latch 5 and the second contact support 19 rotate clockwise. When the second latch 5 is in the closed position, the second locking block 9 is set near the upper end of the second latch 5 mounting groove 16.

[0041] 3) When the second circuit breaker 2 is in the closed state, and the first circuit breaker 1 switches from the open state to the closed state, the first contact support 4 rotates clockwise under the drive of the first handle, and the inner wall of the lock hole 10 abuts against the first locking block 8. The interlocking component 6 is driven to rotate counterclockwise from the first position to the second position. At this time, the second locking block 9 abuts against the upper end of the mounting groove 16 of the second latch 5, and drives the second latch 5 to rotate counterclockwise and unlock the second trip latch 20. In this way, the second circuit breaker 2 switches from the closed state to the open state. Since the second latch 5 and the second trip latch 20 are always kept in the unlocked state, that is, when the first circuit breaker 1 is in the closed state, the second circuit breaker 2 cannot be closed.

[0042] The interlocking circuit breaker provided by the present invention, when the first circuit breaker 1 is closed, the first contact support 4 drives the interlocking component 6 to rotate to the second position through the first locking block 8, and the second locking block 9 drives the second latch 5 of the second circuit breaker 2 to unlock, so that the second circuit breaker 2 is open or cannot be closed, thereby realizing the one-way locking of the first circuit breaker to the second circuit breaker, avoiding misoperation and greatly improving safety performance.

[0043] Obviously, the above embodiments are merely illustrative examples for clear explanation and are not intended to limit the implementation. Those skilled in the art will recognize that other variations or modifications can be made based on the above description. It is neither necessary nor possible to exhaustively list all possible implementations here. However, obvious variations or modifications derived therefrom are still within the scope of protection of this invention.

Claims

1. An interlocking circuit breaker, comprising a first circuit breaker (1) and a second circuit breaker (2), wherein the first circuit breaker (1) is provided with a first operating mechanism, and the second circuit breaker (2) is provided with a second operating mechanism, wherein the first operating mechanism includes a first contact support (4) rotatably mounted on a first housing (3), and the second operating mechanism includes a second latch (5), characterized in that, Also includes: An interlocking component (6) is rotatably mounted on the first housing (3). It has a first position corresponding to the open state of the first circuit breaker (1) and a second position corresponding to the closed state of the first circuit breaker (1). The interlocking component (6) includes a locking rod (7) and a first locking block (8) and a second locking block (9) respectively disposed at both ends of the locking rod (7). The first locking block (8) can be linked with the first contact support (4), and the second locking block (9) can be linked with the second latch (5). When the first circuit breaker (1) is closed, the first contact support (4) drives the interlocking component (6) to rotate to the second position through the first locking block (8), and the second locking block (9) drives the second latch (5) of the second circuit breaker (2) to unlock. The first contact support (4) is formed with a lock hole (10) for the first locking block (8) to be inserted and for its movement. The first circuit breaker (1) and the second circuit breaker (2) are respectively formed with a first through hole (14) and a second through hole (15) that are interconnected. After the second locking block (9) of the interlocking member (6) passes through the first through hole (14) and the second through hole (15), it cooperates with the second latch (5). The second latch (5) is formed with a mounting groove (16) for the second locking block (9) to be inserted and for the second locking block (9) to move relative to it; When both the first circuit breaker (1) and the second circuit breaker (2) are in the open state, the second locking block (9) is disposed near the lower end of the mounting groove (16); When the first circuit breaker (1) is in the closed state and the second circuit breaker (2) is in the open state, the second locking block (9) abuts against the upper end of the mounting groove (16), so that the second latch (5) remains in the unlocked state; When the first circuit breaker (1) is in the open state and the second circuit breaker (2) is in the closed state, the second latch (5) is set near the upper end of the mounting groove (16).

2. The interlocking circuit breaker according to claim 1, characterized in that, The first housing (3) is also provided with a first elastic element (13) that positions the interlocking element (6) at the first position.

3. The interlocking circuit breaker according to claim 2, characterized in that, The first elastic element (13) is a torsion spring, which includes a first mounting foot (11) and a second mounting foot (12) extending outward. The first mounting foot (11) abuts against the first housing (3), and the second mounting foot (12) abuts against the locking rod (7) so that the second locking block (9) abuts against the hole wall of the mounting groove (16).

4. The interlocking circuit breaker according to claim 1, characterized in that, The second operating mechanism includes a second handle (18) and a second contact support (19) pivotally mounted on the second housing (17) of the second circuit breaker (2), and a second trip latch (20) and a second latch (5) pivotally mounted on the second contact support (19). The second handle (18) is driven to connect with the second trip latch (20) via a second link (21), and the second latch (5) is locked to the second trip latch (20). The first operating mechanism has the same structure as the second operating mechanism, including a first handle (24) and a first contact support (4) pivotally mounted on the first housing (3) of the first circuit breaker (1), and a first trip latch (25) and a first latch (26) pivotally mounted on the first contact support (4). The first handle (24) is driven to connect with the first trip latch (25) via a first link (27).

5. The interlocking circuit breaker according to claim 4, characterized in that, The first latch (26) and the second latch (5) are each provided with a first locking tooth, and the first snap buckle (25) and the second snap buckle (20) are respectively provided with a second locking tooth that can be fastened in the first locking tooth.

6. The interlocking circuit breaker according to claim 4 or 5, characterized in that, The first operating mechanism further includes a tension spring (22) adapted to drive the first contact support (4) to rotate from the closed position to the open position. The tension spring (22) is located between the first handle (24) and the short-circuit tripping mechanism (23), with one end hooked to the first housing (3) and the other end hooked to the first contact support (4).

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