Molded case circuit breaker with metering function
By using the detection sleeve, liquid metal expansion mechanism and electric push rod in the plastic shell circuit breaker, the overheating problem caused by loose connection points is solved, and the stable operation and fault reminder of the circuit breaker is achieved to ensure equipment performance and safety .
Patent Information
- Application Number
- CN202411537635.5
- Authority / Receiving Office
- CN · China
- Patent Type
- Applications(China)
- Current Assignee / Owner
- Filing Date
- 2024-10-31
- Publication Date
- 2025-01-10
AI Technical Summary
During use, the existing plastic case circuit breakers have increased due to loose connection points, causing overheating of the connection points, making it difficult for operators to detect in time, which may lead to burning and affecting equipment performance.
A plastic shell circuit breaker with metering function was designed, using a detection sleeve to wrap the connection point between the inner interface and the outer joint, and using liquid metal expansion to push the piston to trigger the induction switch, and start the electric push rod to automatically adjust the joint position, detect and correct it in time. Loosen, alerting the operator of potential failures through counters and warning lights.
Timely detection and automatic adjustment of temperature changes of the connection point is realized, performance damage caused by long-term heating is avoided, and operators are reminded to repair in time through warning lights to ensure the stable operation of the circuit breaker.
Smart Images

Figure CN119297046A_ABST
Abstract
Description
Technical Field
[0001] The present invention relates to the technical field of circuit breakers, and more particularly to a molded case circuit breaker with a metering function. Background Art
[0002] A molded case circuit breaker is a common low-voltage power distribution device used to protect circuits from overloads and short circuits. It gets its name from the fact that its casing is usually made of insulating material, which helps reduce weight and improve safety. The metering function means that this circuit breaker can also measure the current passing through it and may have the ability to calculate electrical energy consumption.
[0003] Existing molded case circuit breakers usually have plastic casings, which makes them lighter and easier to install than traditional porcelain bottle circuit breakers. They provide overload and short-circuit protection for circuits, prevent electrical faults from causing fires or damaging equipment, and record power consumption through energy metering to help users monitor power consumption and provide data support for electricity bill settlement. Some high-end models may be equipped with LCD displays or other forms of user interfaces to display information such as current, voltage, and power factor.
[0004] In actual use of the prior art, since the connection points between the components inside the circuit breaker are the main channels for current, when the connection points become loose, the contact resistance will increase, causing the connection points to overheat. During use, it is not convenient for operators to detect the heating of the connection points in time. Long-term heating can easily affect the performance of the circuit breaker, and in severe cases, it may burn out. In view of the above technical problems, it is necessary to provide a molded case circuit breaker with a metering function. Summary of the invention
[0005] The object of the present invention is to provide a molded case circuit breaker with a metering function to solve the above-mentioned problem.
[0006] In order to achieve the above purpose, the technical solution provided by an embodiment of the present invention is as follows:
[0007] A molded case circuit breaker with metering function comprises a circuit breaker housing, a detection component and a counting component, wherein a main contact module is installed at the bottom of the inner cavity of the circuit breaker housing, a control module is installed at the bottom of the inner cavity of the circuit breaker housing, and a metering module is installed at the bottom of the inner cavity of the circuit breaker housing; an inner interface is provided at the middle position of one side of the main contact module, an outer joint is plugged into the inner cavity of the inner interface, a detection sleeve is inlaid on the inner wall of the inner interface, a detection tube is connected to the outer surface of the detection sleeve, an induction switch is fixedly connected to the top of the inner cavity of the detection tube, and a piston is movably connected to the inner cavity of the detection tube; a joint push sleeve is abutted against the lower surface of the outer joint, a pressing block is fixedly connected to the lower surface of the joint push sleeve, a counting button is fixedly connected to one side of the main contact module, and a counter is fixedly connected to the bottom of the inner cavity of the circuit breaker housing.
[0008] As a further improvement of the present invention, the circuit breaker housing is made of insulating plastic material, a wire is provided at one end of the external connector, the external connector is electrically connected to the metering module through the wire, the circuit breaker housing protects the internal components, provides installation support, and prevents the external environment from affecting the internal components, and the wire is used to transmit the detection signal.
[0009] As a further improvement of the present invention, the induction switch is electrically connected to the electric push rod, the counting button is electrically connected to the counter, the induction switch controls the electric push rod to start reciprocating motion, and the counter counts once if the counting button is not pressed once.
[0010] As a further improvement of the present invention, the counter is electrically connected to the control module, a warning light is fixedly connected to the outer surface of the circuit breaker housing, the warning light is electrically connected to the control module, the data recorded by the counter is transmitted to the control module for analysis, and the warning light is turned on by the control module to serve as an early warning.
[0011] As a further improvement of the present invention, the detection sleeve is made of a thermally conductive insulating material, the detection tube is embedded in the main contact module, the detection tube is made of a transparent material, the detection sleeve is filled with liquid metal, the liquid metal is liquid at room temperature, and will expand when heated, the detection sleeve is a thermally conductive material that can quickly transfer heat and maintain electrical isolation, the detection tube is transparent, and the internal changes can be intuitively seen, the liquid metal is liquid at room temperature, and will expand after absorbing heat.
[0012] As a further improvement of the present invention, the piston moves in the inner cavity of the detection tube, and the inner cavity of the upper surface of the piston is inlaid with a sensing block, and the sensing block is made of metal material. The outer surfaces of the sensing switch, the sensing block and the piston are coated with anti-corrosion paint. The piston moves in the detection tube to drive the sensing block to contact the sensing switch and trigger the switch. The anti-corrosion paint can ensure that the sensing switch, the sensing block and the piston are not corroded by liquid metal.
[0013] As a further improvement of the present invention, a fixing plate is fixedly connected to the bottom of the inner cavity of the circuit breaker housing, an electric push rod is fixedly connected to one side of the fixing plate, and the fixing plate serves as a supporting member to provide stable support for the electric push rod.
[0014] As a further improvement of the present invention, one end of the electric push rod is fixedly connected to the joint push sleeve, the joint push sleeve is made of insulating plastic material, the joint push sleeve is a quarter-cylindrical shape with a hollow interior, the electric push rod pushes the joint push sleeve to move, and its insulating material can maintain electrical isolation.
[0015] As a further improvement of the present invention, the side of the pressing block close to the counting button and the side of the joint push sleeve close to the counting button are located on the same horizontal line, the pressing block and the counting button have the same axis, and the pressing block and the joint push sleeve move simultaneously and press the counting button.
[0016] As a further improvement of the present invention, the counting button is a button-type momentary switch, and the induction switch is a proximity induction switch. The counting button connects the circuit when pressed and disconnects when released. The induction switch opens when touched and closes when released.
[0017] Compared with the prior art, the advantages of the present invention are:
[0018] (1) This solution wraps the detection sleeve around the connection point between the inner interface and the outer joint, and transfers the heat from the connection point to the metal liquid inside the detection sleeve. When heated, the metal liquid expands and enters the detection tube to push the piston upward. When the piston moves upward, it drives the sensing block to contact the sensing switch, and triggers the sensing switch to start the electric push rod to move back and forth, pushing the joint push sleeve to move the loose outer joint so that it is in close contact with the inner interface and automatically returns to its original position. By detecting the temperature change of the connection point, it is timely discovered that the connection point is hot due to looseness, and the loose outer joint is automatically driven to move so that it is closely connected with the inner interface, ensuring the stability of the connection and avoiding long-term heating of the connection point due to the loose joint not being handled in time, which affects the performance of the circuit breaker. At the same time, when the metal liquid moves in the detection tube, the contact area with the surrounding environment is increased, which helps to quickly dissipate the absorbed heat.
[0019] (2) This solution uses an electric push rod to push the connector sleeve and the pressing block to move and press the counting button. Pressing the counting button once triggers the counter to count and transmit the recorded data to the control module. When the number of times recorded by the counter exceeds the preset normal number, it means that the circuit breaker has abnormal heating and may have a fault. At this time, the control module controls the warning light to light up, reminding the operator that there may be a fault and that timely inspection or maintenance is required. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0020] Figure 1 It is a schematic diagram of the overall structure of the present invention;
[0021] Figure 2 A half-section schematic diagram of the internal structure of the present invention;
[0022] Figure 3 It is a schematic diagram of the partial structure disassembly of the detection component of the present invention;
[0023] Figure 4 It is a schematic diagram of the structure disassembly of the detection set of the present invention;
[0024] Figure 5 It is a schematic diagram of the structure disassembly of the counting component of the present invention;
[0025] Figure 6 It is a schematic cross-sectional view of the local structure of the present invention.
[0026] Description of the numbers in the figure:
[0027] 1. Circuit breaker housing; 101. Main contact module; 102. Control module; 103. Metering module; 2. Detection component; 201. Internal interface; 202. External connector; 203. Wire; 204. Detection sleeve; 205. Detection tube; 206. Induction switch; 207. Piston; 208. Induction block; 3. Counting component; 301. Fixed plate; 302. Electric push rod; 303. Connector push sleeve; 304. Press block; 305. Counting button; 306. Counter; 307. Warning light. DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0028] The technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention will be clearly and completely described below in conjunction with the drawings in the embodiments of the present invention; it is obvious that the described embodiments are only part of the embodiments of the present invention, rather than all the embodiments, and all other embodiments obtained by ordinary technicians in this field based on the embodiments of the present invention without making creative work are within the scope of protection of the present invention.
[0029] Embodiment 1:
[0030] See also Figure 1 , Figure 2 , Figure 4 and Figure 6 A molded case circuit breaker with metering function, comprising a circuit breaker housing 1, a detection component 2 and a counting component 3, a main contact module 101 is installed at the bottom of the inner cavity of the circuit breaker housing 1, a control module 102 is installed at the bottom of the inner cavity of the circuit breaker housing 1, and a metering module 103 is installed at the bottom of the inner cavity of the circuit breaker housing 1, including an inner interface 201 opened at the middle position of one side of the main contact module 101, an outer connector 202 is plugged into the inner cavity of the inner interface 201, a detection sleeve 204 is inlaid on the inner wall of the inner interface 201, a detection tube 205 is connected to the outer surface of the detection sleeve 204, an induction switch 206 is fixedly connected to the top of the inner cavity of the detection tube 205, and a piston 207 is movably connected to the inner cavity of the detection tube 205.
[0031] Specifically, the circuit breaker housing 1 is made of insulating plastic material, a wire 203 is provided at one end of the external connector 202, the external connector 202 is electrically connected to the metering module 103 through the wire 203, the piston 207 moves in the inner cavity of the detection tube 205, the detection sleeve 204 is made of thermally conductive insulating material, the detection tube 205 is embedded in the main contact module 101, the detection tube 205 is made of transparent material, the detection sleeve 204 is filled with liquid metal, the liquid metal is liquid at room temperature and expands when heated, the inner cavity of the upper surface of the piston 207 is embedded with a sensing block 208, the sensing block 208 is made of metal material, the outer surfaces of the sensing switch 206, the sensing block 208 and the piston 207 are coated with anti-corrosion paint, and the sensing switch 206 is a proximity sensing switch.
[0032] Furthermore, the circuit breaker housing 1 protects the internal components, provides installation support, and prevents the external environment from affecting the internal components. The main contact module 101 is responsible for connecting and disconnecting the circuit and is the main channel for the current. The control module 102 is responsible for various operation controls of the circuit breaker. The metering module 103 measures the current, voltage and other parameters in the circuit and calculates the power consumption. When the internal components are connected, the external connector 202 is inserted into the internal interface 201 through the wire 203 to realize the connection of the internal components of the circuit breaker and transmit the signal to the control module 102 or the metering module 103.
[0033] The inner wall of the inner interface 201 is inlaid with a detection sleeve 204, which is made of insulating heat-conducting material, which can quickly transfer heat and maintain electrical isolation. The detection sleeve 204 is wrapped around the connection between the inner interface 201 and the outer connector 202, and transfers the heat of the connection point to the metal liquid inside the detection sleeve 204. The metal liquid is gallium and its alloys such as gallium indium tin alloy. These metal liquids are liquid at room temperature and will expand when heated, and their volume will increase. When the connection between the inner interface 201 and the outer connector 202 is loose, the contact resistance will increase, causing the connection point to overheat. At this time, the heat will be transferred to the metal liquid, causing the metal liquid to expand. The piston 207 is pushed upward into the detection tube 205. When the piston 207 moves upward and drives the sensing block 208 to contact the sensing switch 206, the sensing switch 206 is triggered. The detection tube 205 is made of a heat-conducting transparent material, which can help the staff to clearly see the changes in the internal metal liquid. Most of the detection tube 205 is exposed to the outside of the main contact module 101. When the metal liquid, which increases in volume after absorbing heat and expanding, moves in the detection tube 205 with good thermal conductivity, the contact area with the surrounding environment is increased through the detection tube 205, which helps to quickly dissipate the absorbed heat. While detecting the heating situation, it can accelerate the heat dissipation of the connection point.
[0034] The outer surfaces of the piston 207, the sensing block 208 and the sensing switch 206 are coated with anti-corrosion paint to prevent them from being corroded by liquid metal. At the same time, the piston 207, the sensing block 208 and the sensing switch 206 are made of materials that are compatible with liquid metal. The sensing switch 206 is a proximity sensing switch that uses changes in the electromagnetic field to detect the presence of the metal object sensing block 208. When the metal object approaches, the magnetic field changes, causing the current in the coil to change, thereby triggering the switch action.
[0035] When the connection point is not loose, but the load in the circuit exceeds the design capacity of the circuit breaker, the current exceeds the rated value, which will also cause the connection point to overheat. The metal liquid in the detection sleeve 204 can promptly detect the heating of the connection point due to other reasons and trigger the switch action in time.
[0036] Embodiment 2:
[0037] See also Figure 1 , Figure 2 , Figure 4 and Figure 5 A molded case circuit breaker with a metering function comprises a joint push sleeve 303 abutting against the lower surface of an external joint 202, a pressing block 304 is fixedly connected to the lower surface of the joint push sleeve 303, a counting button 305 is fixedly connected to one side of a main contact module 101, a counter 306 is fixedly connected to the bottom of an inner cavity of a circuit breaker housing 1, a fixing plate 301 is fixedly connected to the bottom of the inner cavity of the circuit breaker housing 1, an electric push rod 302 is fixedly connected to one side of the fixing plate 301, one end of the electric push rod 302 is fixedly connected to the joint push sleeve 303, the joint push sleeve 303 is made of insulating plastic material, and the joint push sleeve 303 is a quarter-cylindrical shape with a hollow interior.
[0038] Specifically, the induction switch 206 is electrically connected to the electric push rod 302, the counting button 305 is electrically connected to the counter 306, the counter 306 is electrically connected to the control module 102, a warning light 307 is fixedly connected to the outer surface of the circuit breaker housing 1, the warning light 307 is electrically connected to the control module 102, the pressing block 304 is close to the counting button 305 and the side of the joint push sleeve 303 is close to the counting button 305. The pressing block 304 and the counting button 305 have the same axis, and the counting button 305 is a button-type momentary switch.
[0039] Furthermore, when the induction switch 206 is triggered, the electric push rod 302 will be started to move back and forth, and the electric push rod 302 will push the joint push sleeve 303 to move the loose external joint 202 to make it closely contact with the internal interface 201, and automatically return to its original position. By detecting the temperature change of the connection point, it is discovered in time that the connection point is heated due to looseness, and the loose external joint 202 is automatically driven to move by the cooperation of the electric push rod 302 and the joint push sleeve 303 to make it closely connected with the internal interface 201, ensuring the stability of the connection, avoiding long-term heating of the connection point due to the loose joint not being handled in time, affecting the performance of the circuit breaker, and even burning in serious cases.
[0040] The electric push rod 302 will push the joint push sleeve 303 and the pressing block 304 to move. When the pressing block 304 moves, it will press the counting button 305. Pressing the counting button 305 once will trigger the counter 306 to count. The counting button 305 is a button-type momentary switch with a protruding button. When pressed, the circuit is connected and when released, it is disconnected. The counter 306 is an existing mature product and is used in conjunction with the counting button 305. Pressing it once counts once.
[0041] The recorded data will be transmitted to the control module 102. When the number of times recorded by the counter exceeds the preset normal number, this is a clear signal indicating that there may be a hidden fault in the circuit breaker. At this time, the control module 102 controls the warning light 307 to light up, reminding the operator that there may be a fault and that timely inspection or maintenance is required. The warning light 307 can help the operator quickly find the one with the problem among multiple circuit breakers.
[0042] Working principle: During the use of the device, the external connector 202 is inserted into the internal connector 201 through the wire 203 to achieve the connection of the internal components of the circuit breaker, and transmit the signal to the control module 102 or the metering module 103. The inner wall of the internal connector 201 is inlaid with a detection sleeve 204. The detection sleeve 204 is wrapped around the connection between the internal connector 201 and the external connector 202 to transfer the heat of the connection to the metal liquid inside the detection sleeve 204. The metal liquid is liquid at room temperature and expands when heated. It enters the detection tube 205 and pushes the piston 207 upward. When the piston 207 moves upward, it drives the induction block 208 and When the induction switch 206 is in contact, the induction switch 206 is triggered, and the electric push rod 302 is started to move back and forth. The electric push rod 302 pushes the joint push sleeve 303 to move the loose external joint 202 to make it in close contact with the internal interface 201, and automatically returns to its original position. By detecting the temperature change of the connection point, it is discovered in time that the connection point is heated due to looseness, and the loose external joint 202 is automatically driven to move by the cooperation of the electric push rod 302 and the joint push sleeve 303 to make it closely connected with the internal interface 201, thereby ensuring the stability of the connection and avoiding long-term heating of the connection point due to the loose joint not being handled in time.
[0043] The metal liquid in the detection sleeve 204 can timely detect the heating of the connection point due to other reasons, and also send a warning signal to the electric push rod 302 for reciprocating operation. The electric push rod 302 will push the joint push sleeve 303 and the pressing block 304 to move and press the counting button 305. Pressing the counting button 305 once will trigger the counter 306 to count and transmit the recorded data to the control module 102. When the number recorded by the counter exceeds the preset normal number, it means that the circuit breaker has abnormal heating and there may be a fault. At this time, the control module 102 controls the warning light 307 to light up, reminding the operator that there may be a fault and it is necessary to check or repair it in time.
[0044] It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that the invention is not limited to the details of the exemplary embodiments described above and that the invention can be implemented in other specific forms without departing from the spirit or essential features of the invention. Therefore, the embodiments should be considered exemplary and non-limiting in all respects, and the scope of the invention is defined by the appended claims rather than the foregoing description, and it is intended that all variations falling within the meaning and scope of the equivalent elements of the claims be included in the invention. Any reference numeral in a claim should not be considered as limiting the claim to which it relates.
[0045] In addition, it should be understood that although the present specification is described according to embodiments, not every embodiment contains only one independent technical solution. This narrative method of the specification is only for the sake of clarity. Those skilled in the art should regard the specification as a whole. The technical solutions in each embodiment may also be appropriately combined to form other implementation methods that those skilled in the art can understand.
Claims
1. A molded case circuit breaker with metering function, characterized in that: include: A circuit breaker housing (1), wherein a main contact module (101) is installed at the bottom of the inner cavity of the circuit breaker housing (1), a control module (102) is installed at the bottom of the inner cavity of the circuit breaker housing (1), and a metering module (103) is installed at the bottom of the inner cavity of the circuit breaker housing (1); A detection component (2), comprising an inner interface (201) provided at a middle position on one side of a main contact module (101), an outer connector (202) being inserted into an inner cavity of the inner interface (201), a detection sleeve (204) being inlaid on an inner wall of the inner interface (201), a detection tube (205) being connected to an outer surface of the detection sleeve (204), a sensing switch (206) being fixedly connected to the top of the inner cavity of the detection tube (205), and a piston (207) being movably connected to the inner cavity of the detection tube (205); The counting assembly (3) comprises a joint push sleeve (303) abutting against the lower surface of the external joint (202), a pressing block (304) being fixedly connected to the lower surface of the joint push sleeve (303), a counting button (305) being fixedly connected to one side of the main contact module (101), and a counter (306) being fixedly connected to the bottom of the inner cavity of the circuit breaker housing (1).
2. The molded case circuit breaker with metering function according to claim 1, characterized in that: The circuit breaker housing (1) is made of insulating plastic material; a wire (203) is provided at one end of the external connector (202); and the external connector (202) is electrically connected to the metering module (103) via the wire (203).
3. The molded case circuit breaker with metering function according to claim 1, characterized in that: The induction switch (206) is electrically connected to the electric push rod (302), and the counting button (305) is electrically connected to the counter (306).
4. The molded case circuit breaker with metering function according to claim 1, characterized in that: The counter (306) is electrically connected to the control module (102); a warning light (307) is fixedly connected to the outer surface of the circuit breaker housing (1); and the warning light (307) is electrically connected to the control module (102).
5. The molded case circuit breaker with metering function according to claim 1, characterized in that: The detection sleeve (204) is made of a heat-conducting insulating material, the detection tube (205) is embedded in the main contact module (101), the detection tube (205) is made of a transparent material, and the detection sleeve (204) is filled with liquid metal, which is liquid at room temperature and expands when heated.
6. The molded case circuit breaker with metering function according to claim 1, characterized in that: The piston (207) moves in the inner cavity of the detection tube (205); a sensing block (208) is embedded in the inner cavity of the upper surface of the piston (207); the sensing block (208) is made of metal material; and the outer surfaces of the sensing switch (206), the sensing block (208) and the piston (207) are all coated with anti-corrosion paint.
7. The molded case circuit breaker with metering function according to claim 1, characterized in that: A fixing plate (301) is fixedly connected to the bottom of the inner cavity of the circuit breaker housing (1), and an electric push rod (302) is fixedly connected to one side of the fixing plate (301).
8. The molded case circuit breaker with metering function according to claim 7, characterized in that: One end of the electric push rod (302) is fixedly connected to a joint push sleeve (303). The joint push sleeve (303) is made of insulating plastic material. The joint push sleeve (303) is in the shape of a quarter cylinder with a hollow interior.
9. The molded case circuit breaker with metering function according to claim 1, characterized in that: The side of the pressing block (304) close to the counting button (305) and the side of the joint push sleeve (303) close to the counting button (305) are located on the same horizontal line, and the pressing block (304) and the counting button (305) have the same axis.
10. The molded case circuit breaker with metering function according to claim 1, characterized in that: The counting button (305) is a push-button momentary switch, and the induction switch (206) is a proximity induction switch.