A circuit breaker

Abstract

The application discloses a circuit breaker, which comprises a base, an upper cover, a trip device, a lever, a reset button and a reset spring arranged in the base and the upper cover; the actuating part of the trip device is connected with the lever; the upper cover is provided with a cavity and a hole communicating with the cavity, and the reset button is slidingly arranged in the cavity and can be extended out of the shell through the hole; the upper cover is further provided with an anti-falling structure which limits the reset button in the opening direction of the cavity to prevent the reset button from falling off in the opening direction of the cavity; and the circuit breaker provided by the application is more stable and the reset button is not easy to fall off.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the field of low-voltage electrical technology, and in particular to a terminal circuit breaker, specifically a residual current circuit breaker. Background Technology

[0002] Existing residual current circuit breakers often use a combination of trip unit, lever, and reset button. When the circuit is normal, the reset button is engaged with the lever, which keeps the reset button inside the circuit breaker housing. When a leakage occurs, the trip unit drives the lever to rotate, breaking the engagement between the reset button and the lever. Then, the reset button pops out of the housing under the action of the reset spring, thus indicating the leakage operation.

[0003] For example, patent CN203931980U adopts the above principle and includes the following structure: a reset button device for a residual current circuit breaker, comprising a reset button and a spring, characterized in that the reset button is installed on the base of the residual current circuit breaker, comprising: a button shell adapted to form a cavity with the base and a limiting plate disposed on the base to accommodate the spring; a positioning part disposed on the outer wall of the button shell, adapted to maintain the reset button in a pressed state; and a boss disposed on the inner wall of the button shell, adapted to fix the spring in the cavity; a push rod linked with the moving iron core is provided with a slot adapted to be inserted into the positioning part to maintain the spring in a compressed state; when the circuit of the residual current circuit breaker is disconnected, the push rod, driven by the moving iron core, moves the slot away from the positioning part, and the reset button is disengaged from the control of the push rod and pops out under the force of the spring.

[0004] The aforementioned patent has the following problems: Since the reset button lacks a limiting mechanism after being mounted on the base, the circuit breaker's top cover must be installed to limit the reset button's position and prevent it from shifting. However, since a spring must be installed on the reset button, it is extremely inconvenient to only fully limit its position by covering it with the circuit breaker's top cover. This could easily cause the reset button to shift, which is detrimental to automated production. Summary of the Invention

[0005] In view of this, the purpose of this application is to overcome the shortcomings of the prior art and to provide a circuit breaker that can achieve a more stable structure.

[0006] This application provides: a circuit breaker, comprising a base, a top cover, and a trip unit, a lever, a reset button, and a reset spring disposed in the base and the top cover; the actuating part of the trip unit is connected to the lever; the top cover is provided with a cavity and a hole communicating with the cavity, the reset button is slidably disposed in the cavity and can extend out of the housing through the hole; the top cover is also provided with an anti-disengagement structure, the anti-disengagement structure limits the reset button in the direction of the cavity opening to prevent the reset button from falling off from the direction of the cavity opening.

[0007] In some embodiments of this application, the anti-detachment structure includes a retaining rail, a stop block, and a retaining rib on the reset button, wherein the retaining rib is located between the retaining rail and the bottom surface of the cavity, and the stop block and the retaining rail are spaced apart in the sliding direction of the reset button, and the interval is slightly smaller than the length of the reset button.

[0008] In some embodiments of this application, the surface of the stop block facing the rail is provided with a first mounting surface, and the height of the first mounting surface gradually decreases along the direction facing the rail; during assembly, the reset button can be tilted and inserted between the rail and the bottom surface of the cavity along the first mounting surface.

[0009] In some embodiments of this application, the first mounting surface is an inclined surface or a curved surface.

[0010] In some embodiments of this application, there are two locking rails, which are respectively located on both sides of the reset button; the locking rail includes a first protrusion connected to the bottom surface of the cavity and a second protrusion disposed on the first protrusion, and the locking rib is located between the second protrusion and the bottom surface of the cavity.

[0011] In some embodiments of this application, a spring mounting protrusion is also provided on the bottom surface of the cavity, and a spring cavity is opened inside the reset button. One end of the reset spring abuts against the spring mounting protrusion, and the other end is located inside the spring cavity.

[0012] In some embodiments of this application, the lever and the base are rotatably configured. The lever includes a drive arm, and a first overlapping protrusion is provided on the surface of the drive arm facing the upper cover. The reset button is provided with a matching second overlapping protrusion. The first overlapping protrusion and the second overlapping protrusion overlap so that the reset button is kept in the position where it does not extend out of the upper cover.

[0013] In some embodiments of this application, the drive arm is provided with a notch, the actuating part of the lever is connected to the notch, and the notch and the first overlapping protrusion are distributed on different sides of the drive arm.

[0014] In some embodiments of this application, a reset torsion spring is also included, and the lever further includes a reset arm. One end of the reset torsion spring and the reset arm are used to provide a reset force for the lever. A limiting part is provided in the base, and the limiting part is disposed within the rotation trajectory of the reset arm and located at the initial position of the reset arm.

[0015] In some embodiments of this application, the tripping device includes a frame, a moving and a stationary iron core, and a magnetic yoke; the frame includes left and right baffles and a cylinder located between the left and right baffles; the magnetic yoke includes a first bent portion, a middle portion, and a second bent portion, which are integrally formed and generally U-shaped; a barb is provided at one edge of the left and right baffles, and a notch I is provided at the bend between the first bent portion and the middle portion and the bend between the second bent portion and the middle portion, and the notch I is engaged with the barb to limit the frame and the magnetic yoke in the width direction of the magnetic yoke.

[0016] In some embodiments of this application, the inner cavity is further provided with a reset button, a lever, a reset spring, and a reset compression spring; the reset button is slidably disposed through the upper cover, and the reset compression spring abuts against the reset button and the upper cover to provide a force for the reset button to pop out of the upper cover; the lever is rotatably disposed, and the lever includes a drive arm and a reset arm; the drive arm is connected to the actuating rod, and one side overlaps with the reset button to keep the reset button in the inner cavity; the reset spring is connected to the reset arm to provide a reset force for the reset arm; when an abnormal current occurs, the actuating rod of the circuit breaker moves and drives the drive arm to rotate, so that the overlap of the reset button is released, and the reset button extends out of the upper cover under the action of the reset compression spring.

[0017] Compared with the prior art, the beneficial effects of this application are as follows: This application proposes a circuit breaker, which includes a base, a top cover, and a trip unit, a lever, a reset button, and a reset spring disposed in the base and the top cover; the actuating part of the trip unit is connected to the lever; the top cover is provided with a cavity and a hole communicating with the cavity, and the reset button is slidably disposed in the cavity and can extend out of the housing through the hole; the top cover is also provided with an anti-detachment structure, which limits the reset button in the direction of the cavity opening to prevent the reset button from falling off from the direction of the cavity opening.

[0018] Compared to existing technologies, the above structure, which installs the reset button in the top cover, prevents the reset button from falling out of the top cover from the opening of the cavity due to the anti-detachment structure. This design makes it less likely for the top cover to shift position after installation. For automated assembly, it is only necessary to install the reset button and the top cover together before moving to the next process, which is beneficial for automated assembly. Attached Figure Description

[0019] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions of the embodiments of this application, the accompanying drawings used in the embodiments will be briefly introduced below. It should be understood that the following drawings only show some embodiments of this application and should not be regarded as a limitation of the scope. For those skilled in the art, other related drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative effort. Figure 1 This application shows a schematic diagram of the internal structure of the upper cover of a circuit breaker according to some embodiments; Figure 2 This application shows a schematic diagram of the upper cover structure of a circuit breaker according to some embodiments from another perspective; Figure 3 A schematic diagram of the reset button of a circuit breaker according to some embodiments of this application is shown. Figure 4 This application shows a schematic diagram of the upper cover of a circuit breaker and the reset button in some embodiments; Figure 5 A schematic diagram showing the installation of the reset button of a circuit breaker according to some embodiments of this application is provided; Figure 6 A schematic diagram showing the installation of the reset button of a circuit breaker according to some embodiments of this application is provided; Figure 7 This application shows a schematic diagram of the upper cover, reset button, and reset spring of a circuit breaker according to some embodiments; Figure 8 The diagram shows the interaction of the trip unit, lever, and reset button of a circuit breaker according to some embodiments of this application; Figure 9 The present application shows a schematic diagram of the trip unit of a circuit breaker according to some embodiments; Figure 10 A cross-sectional schematic diagram of the trip unit of a circuit breaker according to some embodiments of this application is shown. Detailed Implementation

[0020] The embodiments of this application are described in detail below. Examples of these embodiments are shown in the accompanying drawings, wherein the same or similar reference numerals denote the same or similar elements or elements having the same or similar functions throughout. The embodiments described below with reference to the accompanying drawings are exemplary and are only used to explain this application, and should not be construed as limiting this application.

[0021] In the description of this application, it should be understood that the terms "center", "longitudinal", "lateral", "length", "width", "thickness", "upper", "lower", "front", "rear", "left", "right", "vertical", "horizontal", "top", "bottom", "inner", "outer", "clockwise", "counterclockwise", "axial", "radial", "circumferential", etc., indicating the orientation or positional relationship based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings, are only for the convenience of describing this application and 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, and therefore should not be construed as a limitation of this application.

[0022] Furthermore, the terms "first" and "second" are used for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance or implicitly specifying the number of technical features indicated. Therefore, a feature defined as "first" or "second" may explicitly or implicitly include one or more of that feature. In the description of this application, "multiple" means two or more, unless otherwise explicitly specified.

[0023] In this application, unless otherwise expressly specified and limited, the terms "installation," "connection," "linking," and "fixing," etc., should be interpreted broadly. For example, they can refer to a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral part; 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; they can refer to the internal communication of two components or the interaction between two components. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of the above terms in this application according to the specific circumstances.

[0024] In this application, unless otherwise expressly specified and limited, "above" or "below" the second feature can mean that the first feature is in direct contact with the second feature, or that the first feature is in indirect contact with the second feature through an intermediate medium. Furthermore, "above," "on top of," and "over" the second feature can mean that the first feature is directly above or diagonally above the second feature, or simply that the first feature is at a higher horizontal level than the second feature. "Below," "below," and "under" the second feature can mean that the first feature is directly below or diagonally below the second feature, or simply that the first feature is at a lower horizontal level than the second feature. Example

[0025] like Figure 1-10 As shown in the embodiment of this application, this application provides a circuit breaker, which includes a base 2 and an upper cover 1. The base 2 and the upper cover 1 are fitted together to form an inner cavity, in which a trip unit 4, a lever 5, a reset button 6 and a reset spring 7 are provided.

[0026] The upper cover 1 includes a top wall 1a, a left side wall 1b, a right side wall 1c, a lower side wall 1d, and a bottom wall 1e. The left side wall 1b, top wall 1a, right side wall 1c, and lower side wall 1d are connected in sequence and surround the bottom wall 1e. At the same time, the top wall 1a, left side wall 1b, right side wall 1c, and lower side wall 1d are also connected to the bottom wall 1e, thereby forming a cavity 11.

[0027] Two retaining rails 111 are provided near the top wall 1a of the cavity 11. Each retaining rail 111 includes a first protrusion 1111 connected to the bottom surface (i.e., bottom wall 1e) of the cavity 11. A second protrusion 1112 is provided on one side of the first protrusion 1111. The second protrusions 1112 of the two retaining rails 111 are designed to be opposite each other, thereby forming a guide structure for the reset button 6 to slide.

[0028] A retaining rib 61 is provided on both sides of the reset button 6. The retaining rib 61 is located between the corresponding second protrusion 1112 and the bottom wall 1e of the cavity 11. This can realize the guide structure for the sliding of the reset button 6. At the same time, since the second protrusion 1112 blocks the retaining rib 61, it also prevents the reset button 6 from falling off from the opening direction of the cavity 11.

[0029] A stop 112 is also provided on the bottom wall 1e. The stop 112 and the retaining rail 111 are spaced apart in the sliding direction of the reset button 6, and the distance between the stop 112 and the retaining rail 111 is slightly less than the length of the reset button 6. This design takes into account that the material of the upper cover 1 is plastic, which has a certain degree of deformation. When installing the reset button 6, the retaining ribs 61 at both ends of the reset button 6 can be engaged into the retaining rail 111 after the stop 112 is slightly deformed by squeezing it. Then, as the stop 112 returns to its original shape, it can be ensured that even if the reset button 6 slides after installation, it will not fall directly out of the opening direction of the cavity 11. Therefore, the retaining rail 111, retaining ribs 61 and stop 112 form an anti-detachment structure to prevent the reset button 6 from falling out of the opening direction of the cavity 11.

[0030] In this embodiment, to facilitate the assembly of the reset button 6 with the rail 111, a first mounting surface 1121 is provided on the surface of the stop block 112 facing the direction of the rail 111. The first mounting surface 1121 is an inclined surface, with the highest point of the inclined surface located on the side away from the rail 111 and the lowest point of the inclined surface located on the side adjacent to the rail 111. That is to say, the height of the inclined surface gradually decreases along the direction of the rail 111. Thus, when assembling the reset button 6, one end of the reset button 6 is placed in the rail 111, and the other end is pressed on the first mounting surface 1121. When the reset button 6 is pressed down, the end of the reset button 6 pressed on the first mounting surface 1121 will slide down with the first mounting surface 1121 until the entire reset button 6 is located between the rail 111 and the stop block 112, and the retaining rib 61 will be located between the second protrusion 1112 and the bottom surface of the cavity 11. In addition to this inclined surface structure, it can also be replaced with a curved surface structure, such as a convex arc surface, a concave arc surface, a combination of a plane and an arc surface, a combination of an inclined surface and an arc surface, etc., as long as it can make the reset button 6 press against the first mounting surface 1121 and slide down along the first mounting surface 1121 to ensure that the reset button 6 is assembled.

[0031] A hole 8 is provided on the top wall 1a, and the hole 8 is connected to the cavity 11. Therefore, after the reset button 6 is slid, the part of the reset button 6 that is not exposed on the top wall 1a will be larger than the hole 8, so that the reset button 6 will not fall out of the top wall 1a. This relationship between the size of the hole 8 and the size of the reset button 1 is already in the prior art, so there is no need to elaborate on it.

[0032] A spring mounting protrusion 113 is also provided on the bottom wall 1e. The spring mounting protrusion 113 is located on the front side of the stop block 112. The reset button 6 has a spring cavity 62 inside. One end of the reset spring 7 abuts against the spring mounting protrusion 113, and the other end is located in the spring cavity 62. When the reset button 6 is retracted into the upper cover 1, the reset spring 7 can be in a compressed state, and the reset spring 7 can provide a force for the reset button 6 to slide outward from the upper cover 1.

[0033] The trip unit 4 is disposed in the base 2. The trip unit 4 includes a frame 41, moving and stationary iron cores 42 and 43, a magnetic yoke 44, an actuating rod 45, an iron core spring 46, and a coil 47. The frame 41 includes left and right baffles 41a and 41b and a cylindrical body 41c located between the left and right baffles 41a and 41b. The coil 47 is sleeved on the outside of the cylindrical body 42. The stationary iron core 43 is fixedly disposed inside the cylindrical body 41c. The moving iron core 42 is slidably disposed inside the cylindrical body 41c. The iron core spring 46 is disposed between the moving and stationary iron cores 42 and 43. The actuating rod 45 is fixed to the moving iron core 42 and slides together with the moving iron core 42. The magnetic yoke 44 includes a first bent portion 441, a middle portion 442, and a second bent portion 443, which are integrally formed and roughly U-shaped. The magnetic yoke 44 partially covers the frame 41. The first bend 441 abuts against the left baffle 41a, and the second bend 443 abuts against the right baffle 41b. The first bend 441 and the left baffle 41a, and the second bend 443 and the right baffle 41b are all provided with a snap-fit ​​limiting structure. The specific limiting structure is as follows: two barbs 411 are provided at one edge of the left and right baffles 41a and 41b. Two notches I 4441 are provided at the bend between the first bend 441 and the middle part 442, and at the bend between the second bend 443 and the middle part 442. The notches I 4441 and the barbs 411 are snap-fitted together to limit the frame 41 and the magnetic yoke 44 in the width direction of the magnetic yoke 44.

[0034] The lever 9 is rotatably mounted to the base 2 and is located next to the trip unit 4 and the reset button 6. The lever 9 includes a drive arm 91 and a reset arm 92, which are arranged in two basically opposite directions. The drive arm 91 is located on the upper side. The surface of the drive arm 91 facing the upper cover 1 has a first overlapping protrusion 911, and the reset button 6 has a matching second overlapping protrusion 63. By the first overlapping protrusion 911 and the second overlapping protrusion 63 engaging, the reset button 6 can be kept in the retracted position in the upper cover 1 (at this time, the reset spring 7 is already compressed). A notch 912 is opened on the surface of the drive arm 91 facing the base 2. The notch 912 is connected to the actuating rod 45. When the actuating rod 45 moves, it can drive the reset arm 92 (lever 9) to rotate, thereby releasing the engagement state of the first overlapping protrusion 911 and the second overlapping protrusion 63. One end of the reset torsion spring 10 is connected to the base 2, and the other end is connected to the reset arm 92. When the reset arm 92 is driven to rotate by the actuator rod 45, it stores energy. When the driving force of the actuator rod 45 disappears, the reset torsion spring 10 can provide a reset force for the reset arm 92 (lever 9), so that the lever 9 returns to its initial position.

[0035] Although this embodiment only uses a residual current circuit breaker as an example, it can also be applied to fault arc protection circuit breakers or reclosing circuit breakers.

[0036] In the description of this specification, the references to terms such as "one embodiment," "some embodiments," "example," "specific example," or "some examples," etc., indicate that a specific feature, structure, material, or characteristic described in connection with that embodiment or example is included in at least one embodiment or example of this application. In this specification, the illustrative expressions of the above terms do not necessarily refer to the same embodiment or example. Furthermore, the specific features, structures, materials, or characteristics described may be combined in any suitable manner in one or more embodiments or examples. Moreover, without contradiction, those skilled in the art can combine and integrate the different embodiments or examples described in this specification, as well as the features of different embodiments or examples.

Claims

1. A circuit breaker comprising a base (2), a top cover (1), and a trip unit (4), a lever (9), a reset button (6), and a reset spring (7) disposed in the base (2) and the top cover (1); wherein the actuating part of the trip unit (4) is connected to the lever (9); Its features are: The upper cover (1) includes a top wall (1a), a left side wall (1b), a right side wall (1c), a lower side wall (1d), and a bottom wall (1e). The left side wall (1b), top wall (1a), right side wall (1c), and lower side wall (1d) are connected in sequence and surround the bottom wall (1e) to form a cavity (11). The upper cover (1) is also provided with a hole (8) communicating with the cavity (11). The reset button (6) is slidably disposed in the cavity (11) and can extend out of the housing through the hole (8). The upper cover (1) is also provided with an anti-detachment structure. The anti-detachment structure limits the reset button (6) in the opening direction of the cavity (11) to prevent the reset button (6) from falling off from the opening direction of the cavity (11). The anti-detachment structure includes a retaining rail (111) on the bottom wall (1e), a retaining rib (61) on the reset button (6), and a stop block (112) on the bottom wall (1e). The retaining rib (61) is located between the retaining rail (111) and the bottom wall (1e) of the cavity (11). The stop block (112) and the retaining rail (111) are spaced apart in the sliding direction of the reset button (6), and the distance between them is less than the length of the reset button (6). There are two locking rails (111), which are respectively located on both sides of the reset button (6). Each locking rail (111) includes a first protrusion (1111) connected to the bottom wall (1e) of the cavity (11) and a second protrusion (1112) provided on the first protrusion (1111). The locking rib (61) is located between the second protrusion (1112) and the bottom wall (1e) of the cavity (11). The second protrusions (1112) of the two locking rails (111) are designed to be opposite to each other, thereby forming a guide structure for the reset button (6) to slide. The stop block (112) has a first mounting surface (1121) on the surface facing the rail (111), and the height of the first mounting surface (1121) gradually decreases along the direction facing the rail (111); during assembly, the reset button (6) can be inserted between the rail (111) and the bottom wall (1e) of the cavity (11) after tilting. A spring mounting protrusion (113) is also provided on the bottom wall (1e) of the cavity (11). A spring cavity (62) is provided inside the reset button (6). One end of the reset spring (7) abuts against the spring mounting protrusion (113), and the other end is located in the spring cavity (62).

2. A circuit breaker according to claim 1, characterized in that... The first mounting surface (1121) is an inclined surface or a curved surface.

3. A circuit breaker according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that: The lever (9) is rotatably mounted to the base (2). The lever (9) includes a drive arm (91). The drive arm (91) has a first overlapping protrusion (911) on its surface facing the upper cover (1). The reset button (6) has a matching second overlapping protrusion (63). The first overlapping protrusion (911) and the second overlapping protrusion (63) overlap to keep the reset button (6) in the position where it does not extend out of the upper cover (1).

4. A circuit breaker according to claim 3, characterized in that: The drive arm (91) is provided with a notch (912), and the actuating part of the trip unit (4) is connected to the notch (912). The notch (912) and the first overlapping protrusion (911) are distributed on different sides of the drive arm (91).

5. A circuit breaker according to claim 3, characterized in that: It also includes a reset torsion spring (10), and the lever (9) also includes a reset arm (92). One end of the reset torsion spring (10) and the reset arm (92) are used to provide a reset force for the lever (9). The base (2) is provided with a limiting part (21), which is set in the rotation trajectory of the reset arm (92) and located at the initial position of the reset arm (92).

6. A circuit breaker according to claim 1, 2, 4, or 5, characterized in that: The trip unit (4) includes a frame (41), moving and stationary iron cores (42, 43), and a magnetic yoke (44); the frame (41) includes left and right baffles (41a, 41b) and a cylindrical body (41c) located between the left and right baffles (41a, 41b); the magnetic yoke (44) includes a first bent portion (441), a middle portion (442), and a second bent portion (443), which are integrally formed into a U-shape; the left and right baffles (41a, 41b) are also included. A barb (411) is provided at one edge of the right baffle (41a, 41b). A notch I (4441) is provided at the bend between the first bend (441) and the middle part (442) and the bend between the second bend (443) and the middle part (442). The notch I (4441) and the barb are engaged to limit the frame (41) and the magnetic yoke (44) in the width direction of the magnetic yoke (44).

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