Molded case circuit breaker

Abstract

The invention discloses a molded case circuit breaker, which comprises a circuit breaker shell, and is characterized in that the upper surface of the circuit breaker shell is provided with a control hole for one end of a handle to penetrate out and a button hole for exposing a tripping button; each operating hole corresponds to one button hole, and the button holes are arranged in an area right below the corresponding operating holes when viewed from the direction perpendicular to the upper surface of the circuit breaker shell; the tripping button comprises a control part and a trigger part which are arranged in a linkage mode, the control part is exposed out of the button hole to be operated by a user, the trigger part corresponds to the locking assembly, the control part is pressed to drive the trigger part to drive the locking assembly to be unlocked, and the operation mechanism is promoted to be tripped; in the first direction, the control part is always positioned right above one part of the handle; the triggering part deviates from the axis of the operating part, so that the triggering part is positioned on one side of the handle to avoid the handle; the method has the characteristic of being more convenient for user identification.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present application relates to the field of low-voltage electrical appliances, and specifically to a molded case circuit breaker. Background Art

[0002] In molded case circuit breakers, a forced trip button structure is often used, so that even when the circuit breaker is in the closed state, the tripping operation can be achieved by pressing the trip button (specifically, the trip button is pressed, causing the traction rod to rotate, resulting in the steady state of tripping, locking, and re-locking being broken, and the operating mechanism performs the tripping operation).

[0003] For example, a molded case circuit breaker disclosed in CN217061966U adopts such a forced opening button (test button). However, the existing molded case circuit breakers generally contain multiple phases (which can be understood as multiple sets of moving and static contacts, each set of moving and static contacts corresponds to a phase line), and multiple sets of moving and static contacts are controlled by an operating mechanism to be connected, disconnected and tripped at the same time. Since there is only one operating mechanism, no matter where the forced opening button is set, the user can know that the forced opening button is the button that realizes the tripping of the operating mechanism.

[0004] With the market segmentation and the gradual optimization of products, molded case circuit breakers with independent control of three-phase moving and static contacts have emerged on the market. For example, CN116565704A discloses an intelligent measuring switch. This type of molded case circuit breaker includes three independently controlled operating mechanisms and three groups of moving and static contacts. Each operating mechanism corresponds to a group of moving and static contacts. Compared with the traditional one operating mechanism controlling three phase lines, this independent control of three phase lines can make the control method more flexible. At the same time, each of these three independent operating mechanisms is also equipped with a corresponding trip button.

[0005] However, the existing molded case circuit breaker with three phases independently controlled also has a drawback. As can be seen from the attached figure, the trip button of each operating mechanism is set very far away. Taking the trip button of the first operating mechanism (from the left) as an example, it is located below the first operating handle (part of the first operating mechanism) and the second operating handle (part of the second operating mechanism). With such a structure, it is difficult for users to distinguish at a glance which trip button corresponds to which operating mechanism. They can only count one by one from one side, count the trip button of the expected phase, and then press it to trip the phase line. As a protective switch, if the circuit breaker cannot be identified and pressed at a glance, the passage time of the phase line is artificially extended. At the same time, if the user counts the trip button corresponding to the wrong phase line, the expected phase line will not trip, and the unexpected phase line will trip instead, which is also extremely disadvantageous.

[0006] Although CN116565704A intentionally arranges three shallow grooves on the surface of the cover so that the corresponding first operating handle and the trip button are in the same shallow groove to improve user recognition, the molded case circuit breaker is generally installed in a box or cabinet, and its cover is basically a single color (common colors such as black, white, and gray), and the cover faces the user, so even if there are shallow grooves, it is difficult to recognize them at a glance with the naked eye.

[0007] Therefore, how to design a more effective method to enable users to quickly distinguish the corresponding relationship of the forced tripping buttons is a question worth considering. Summary of the invention

[0008] In view of this, the purpose of this application is to overcome the deficiencies in the prior art and to provide a molded case circuit breaker.

[0009] The present application provides: a molded case circuit breaker, comprising a circuit breaker housing, a contact structure corresponding to each phase line, and an operating mechanism corresponding to each phase line, wherein the number of phase lines is at least one; an operating mechanism is only used to control the contact and separation of a group of contact structures, thereby realizing the passage and circuit breaking of one phase line; each operating mechanism comprises a locking assembly, a trip button, and a handle arranged in a rotating manner; the trip button is arranged in a sliding manner, and the sliding direction is parallel to the first direction; wherein a manipulation hole for one end of the handle to pass through and a button hole for the trip button to be exposed are provided on the upper surface of the circuit breaker housing; each One operating hole corresponds to one button hole. When viewed from a direction perpendicular to the upper surface of the circuit breaker housing, the button hole is arranged in an area directly below the corresponding operating hole. The trip button includes an operating part and a trigger part which are arranged in linkage. The operating part is exposed from the button hole for user operation. The trigger part corresponds to the locking assembly. By pressing the operating part, the trigger part drives the locking assembly to unlock, thereby causing the operating mechanism to trip. In a first direction, the operating part is always directly above a part of the handle. The trigger part is arranged to deviate from the axis of the operating part so that the trigger part is on one side of the handle to avoid the handle.

[0010] In some embodiments of the present application, the circuit breaker housing includes a base, a middle cover and a first cover; the middle cover is located above the base, and all components of the operating mechanism except the trip button and the handle are arranged in the accommodation space formed by the middle cover and the base; a first accommodation groove is arranged on the middle cover, and the first cover is arranged on the middle cover to close the first accommodation groove; the operating hole and the button hole are both opened on the first cover, and one end of all the handles are exposed to the outside through the corresponding operating hole after passing through the first accommodation groove; one end of the trigger part penetrates the first accommodation groove, extends into the accommodation space and corresponds to the locking assembly; the operating part is installed in the first accommodation groove and is always located above the accommodation space.

[0011] In some embodiments of the present application, a mounting portion is provided in the first receiving groove, a mounting space is provided in the mounting portion, the operating portion is slidably provided in the mounting space, and the upper end of the operating portion protrudes out of the mounting space and extends into the button hole.

[0012] In some embodiments of the present application, the upper end of the mounting portion has a mounting opening, the mounting opening is communicated with the mounting space, and the operating portion is installed into the mounting space through the mounting opening.

[0013] In some embodiments of the present application, a first guide structure is provided on the mounting portion, and a second guide structure is provided on the operating portion. The first guide structure and the second guide structure are matched in a concave-convex manner to guide the sliding of the release button.

[0014] In some embodiments of the present application, a reset spring for resetting the trip button is further included. The reset spring is arranged in the installation space to cooperate with the operating part or the reset spring is sleeved on the section of the trigger part in the first receiving groove.

[0015] In some embodiments of the present application, the mounting portion is a columnar structure, and the trigger portion is disposed outside the mounting portion.

[0016] In some embodiments of the present application, a heightened boss is provided on the bottom of the first receiving groove, and the triggering portion penetrates the first receiving groove from the heightened boss.

[0017] In some embodiments of the present application, the operating part is higher than the trigger part in the first direction, and the operating part and the trigger part are offset in the third direction to form an axial setting of the trigger part deviating from the operating part, and the third direction is perpendicular to the first direction.

[0018] In some embodiments of the present application, the handle includes a grip and a main body, one end of the grip extends out of the operating hole, the main body is connected to the other end of the grip, and in a first direction, the operating portion is directly above a portion of the main body.

[0019] In some embodiments of the present application, each phase line also includes an electromagnetic release and a bimetallic strip, the electromagnetic release is at least used to implement electronic overload protection and / or electronic short-circuit protection, and the bimetallic strip is used to implement mechanical overload protection; the locking structure includes a traction rod, and in the second direction, the movable end of the bimetallic strip and the electromagnetic release are arranged on both sides of the traction rod; the traction rod is provided with an active part and an adjusting screw, the adjusting screw passes through the active part, one end of the adjusting screw is arranged close to the bimetallic strip, and the other end is arranged away from the bimetallic strip, and the tool slot of the adjusting screw is located on the end away from the bimetallic strip, and when the phase line is overloaded, the bimetallic strip is bent by heat to drive the adjusting screw to rotate the traction rod, thereby unlocking the locking assembly.

[0020] In some embodiments of the present application, the second cover is also included, and a second receiving groove is arranged on the middle cover, and the second cover is arranged on the middle cover for closing the second receiving groove; a partition wall is arranged on the middle cover, and the partition wall is a groove wall shared by the first receiving groove and the second receiving groove, and the first receiving groove and the second receiving groove are separated from each other by the partition wall; the second receiving groove is used to set the control component and / or the communication component.

[0021] In some embodiments of the present application, the operating mechanism has a closing state, an opening state and a tripping state, and the handle has a closing position, an opening position and a tripping position corresponding to the three states; it also includes a control component and an electromagnetic release corresponding to the phase line one by one, each electromagnetic release is individually controlled by the control component, and when any phase line is abnormal, the control component controls the electromagnetic release of the abnormal phase line to actuate, drives the corresponding locking component to unlock, so that the corresponding operating mechanism is changed to a tripping state; the handle has a reset part, and the actuating rod of the electromagnetic release is arranged in the second direction of the handle of the corresponding phase line; when the handle is in the closing position, the reset part is located directly below the operating part of the corresponding phase line; when the handle is performing the re-tripping action, the handle moves from the tripping position to the opening position, and the reset part pushes the actuating rod of the corresponding electromagnetic release to reset.

[0022] In some embodiments of the present application, the number of phase lines is two or three, and also includes a sampling circuit board corresponding to the phase lines one by one, and a first sampling component corresponding to the phase lines one by one, and the first sampling component, the sampling circuit board, and the control component are all electrically connected; each phase line independently supplies power to the control component through the first sampling component, and as long as any phase line is in a connected state, the power required for the operation can be provided to the control component.

[0023] In some embodiments of the present application, a control component and a sampling circuit board corresponding to each phase line are also included. A position detection switch is provided on the sampling circuit board. The position detection switch is electrically connected to the control component through the sampling circuit board. The position detection switch is arranged near the contact structure of the corresponding phase line and is triggered by the contact structure to feedback a signal to the control component. The control component identifies the on / off status of each phase line based on the feedback signal.

[0024] In some embodiments of the present application, a control component and a metering transformer corresponding to each phase line are also included. The metering transformer is electrically connected to the control component. The metering transformer samples the power parameters in the corresponding phase line and feeds them back to the control component. The control component calculates the power consumption of the corresponding phase line based on the power parameters.

[0025] In some embodiments of the present application, a control component is further included. The control component also includes a parameter setting unit. The parameter setting unit is used to set the protection thresholds of all phase lines. The protection threshold of each phase line is set independently.

[0026] In some embodiments of the present application, a control component and a sampling circuit board corresponding to each phase line are also included. A temperature sensor is provided on the sampling circuit board. The temperature sensor is used to sample the temperature of the terminal of the corresponding phase line and feed back the temperature information to the control component.

[0027] Compared with the prior art, the present invention has the following advantages: The inventor has found through research that the reason why the trip button is relatively offset in the prior art is that the trip button may interfere with the movement of the handle.

[0028] The inventors have overcome the technical prejudice in the field (the technical prejudice is that the trip button is a coaxial button as a whole. When viewed from a direction perpendicular to the upper surface of the circuit breaker housing, if the trip button is directly below the handle, it will interfere with the handle. Therefore, the trip button must be set away from the handle as a whole, so that its setting position is very offset), and adopt a non-coaxial line for the trigger part and the operating part of the trip button (so that the operating part is always directly above a part of the handle in the first direction, and the trigger part is on one side of the handle to avoid the handle) combined with the button hole being arranged in the area directly below the corresponding operating hole. The user can naturally know which phase handle (operating mechanism) the trip button specifically corresponds to. Especially in the case of a multi-phase structure, this structure can accurately and quickly identify, which is conducive to the user to operate the expected phase line in time, greatly avoiding the possibility of misoperation, and improving the efficiency of operation. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0029] In order to more clearly illustrate the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present application, the drawings required for use in the embodiments will be briefly introduced below. It should be understood that the following drawings only show certain embodiments of the present application and therefore should not be regarded as limiting the scope. For ordinary technicians in this field, other related drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative work.

[0030] Figure 1 A front view (perpendicular to the upper surface of the circuit breaker housing) of a molded case circuit breaker according to an embodiment of the present application is shown; Figure 2 An explosion diagram of a molded case circuit breaker according to an embodiment of the present application is shown; Figure 3 A schematic diagram of a first cover and a handle in an embodiment of the present application is shown; Figure 4 A diagram showing the position relationship between the trip button and the handle in an embodiment of the present application is shown; Figure 5 A schematic diagram of an implementation of a trip button in an embodiment of the present application is shown; Figure 6 Another schematic diagram of an implementation of a trip button in an embodiment of the present application is shown; Figure 7 The middle cover and its partial enlarged view in the embodiment of the present application are shown; Figure 8 A partial enlarged view of the mounting column in the middle cover in the embodiment of the present application is shown; Fig. 9 A cross-sectional view of a release button and a mounting column in the middle cover in an embodiment of the present application is shown; Fig.10 A schematic diagram showing components such as an operating mechanism and a contact structure of a phase line in an embodiment of the present application is shown; Fig.11 A schematic diagram of a sampling circuit board in an embodiment of the present application is shown; Fig.12 The diagram shows the position relationship of the handle, electromagnetic release, traction rod and other components when the circuit breaker is in the closed state in the embodiment of the present application; Fig.13 The diagram shows the position relationship of the handle, electromagnetic release, traction rod and other components when the circuit breaker is in the tripped state in the embodiment of the present application; Fig.14 The diagram shows the position relationship of the handle, electromagnetic release, traction rod and other components when the circuit breaker is in the open state (after the re-tripping action) in the embodiment of the present application; Fig.15 A schematic diagram of sampling a circuit board from the rear view direction of the base in an embodiment of the present application is shown; Fig.16 A diagram showing the position relationship of a bimetallic strip, a traction rod, and an electromagnetic release of a phase line in an embodiment of the present application is shown; Fig.17 A schematic diagram showing an operating mechanism of a phase line in an embodiment of the present application is shown; Fig.18 A cross-sectional view of an operating mechanism of a phase line in an embodiment of the present application is shown. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0031] The embodiments of the present application are described in detail below, and examples of the embodiments are shown in the accompanying drawings, wherein the same or similar reference numerals throughout represent the same or similar elements or elements with the same or similar functions. The embodiments described below with reference to the accompanying drawings are exemplary and are only used to explain the present application, and cannot be understood as limiting the present application.

[0032] In the description of the present application, it should be understood that the terms "center", "longitudinal", "lateral", "length", "width", "thickness", "up", "down", "front", "back", "left", "right", "vertical", "horizontal", "top", "bottom", "inside", "outside", "clockwise", "counterclockwise", "axial", "radial", "circumferential" and the like indicate orientations or positional relationships based on the orientations or positional relationships shown in the accompanying drawings, and are only for the convenience of describing the present application and simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the referred device or element must have a specific orientation, be constructed and operated in a specific orientation, and therefore should not be understood as a limitation on the present application.

[0033] In addition, the terms "first" and "second" are used for descriptive purposes only and should not be understood as indicating or implying relative importance or implicitly indicating the number of technical features indicated. Therefore, the features defined as "first" and "second" may explicitly or implicitly include one or more of the features. In the description of this application, "multiple" means two or more, unless otherwise clearly and specifically defined.

[0034] In this application, unless otherwise clearly specified and limited, the terms "installed", "connected", "connected", "fixed" and the like should be understood in a broad sense, for example, it can be a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral connection; it can be a mechanical connection or an electrical connection; it can be a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium, it can be the internal connection of two elements or the interaction relationship between two elements. For ordinary technicians in this field, the specific meanings of the above terms in this application can be understood according to specific circumstances.

[0035] In the present application, unless otherwise clearly specified and limited, a first feature being "above" or "below" a second feature may mean that the first and second features are in direct contact, or the first and second features are in indirect contact through an intermediate medium. Moreover, a first feature being "above", "above" or "above" a second feature may mean that the first feature is directly above or obliquely above the second feature, or simply means that the first feature is higher in level than the second feature. A first feature being "below", "below" or "below" a second feature may mean that the first feature is directly below or obliquely below the second feature, or simply means that the first feature is lower in level than the second feature. Example

[0036] like Figure 1-18 As shown, an embodiment of the present application is a molded case circuit breaker, which includes a circuit breaker housing 100.

[0037] The circuit breaker housing 100 is used to accommodate the operating mechanism 200 and the contact structure 300. In this embodiment, the circuit breaker is a three-pole circuit breaker (that is, the number of phase lines P is 3), including 3 contact structures 300 and 3 operating mechanisms 200, each operating mechanism 200 can independently drive a contact structure 300 to connect and disconnect, so each phase line P can be opened and closed independently.

[0038] Since the structures of each operating mechanism 200 and the contact structure 300 are basically similar, one of the operating structures is taken as an example to introduce the structures such as the trip button 210: The operating mechanism 200 includes a frame 201, a lever 202, a handle 203, a trip button 204, a lock button 205, an upper connecting rod 206, a lower connecting rod 207, a re-fastening member 208, a traction rod 209, and a main tension spring (not shown in the figure). The lever 202 is rotatably arranged with the frame 201, and the handle 203 is fixed on the lever 202. Since the frame 201 is stationary relative to the circuit breaker housing 100, the handle 203 is also equivalent to rotating. The trip button 204 is rotatably arranged with the frame 201, the upper connecting rod 206 is rotatably arranged with the trip button 204, the lower connecting rod 207 is hinged with the upper connecting rod 206, and the hinged position of the upper and lower connecting rods 207 is connected to the lever 202 through the main tension spring, and the other end of the lower connecting rod 207 is connected to the rotating shaft of the contact structure 300. The lock catch 205 is rotatably arranged on the frame 201, the re-fastener 208 is arranged on the traction rod 209, and the traction rod 209 is rotatably arranged with the frame 201. The trip catch 204, the lock catch 205, the re-fastener 208, and the traction rod 209 constitute a locking mechanism. This operating mechanism 200 has three states, namely, a closing state, a tripping state, and a closing state. Similarly, the handle 203 also has three corresponding positions, namely, a closing position ON, a tripping position TRIP, and an opening position OFF.

[0039] When the molded case circuit breaker is in the closed state, the operating mechanism 200 is in the closed state. At this time, the trip button 204, the lock button 205, and the re-fastener 208 maintain a stable state (also called the locked state of the locking mechanism), and the main tension spring is in a stretched state. When the stable state of the three is released (also called the unlocked state of the locking mechanism), the operating mechanism 200 will trip under the action of the main tension spring, and the lower connecting rod 207 drives the rotating shaft to rotate so that the corresponding phase line P is disconnected. There are many ways to contact the three stable states, such as the trip button 210 being pressed, the bimetallic strip 600 being bent, the electromagnetic release 420 being actuated, the backup protection device moving, etc.

[0040] After the stable state of the three is released, the operating mechanism 200 is in the tripped state, and the handle 203 is in the tripped position TRIP. If it is necessary to make the tripping latch 204, the lock latch 205, and the re-fastener 208 maintain a stable state again, it is necessary to re-fasten the operating mechanism 200, that is, drive the handle 203 from the tripping position TRIP to the opening position OFF, so that the tripping latch 204, the lock latch 205, and the re-fastener 208 maintain a stable state again, and then manual opening and closing operations can be realized.

[0041] The transmission principle of the above operating mechanism 200 is a conventional method for those skilled in the art and will not be described in detail here.

[0042] Each operating mechanism 200 is provided with a trip button 210, and the trip button 210 includes an operating portion 210a and a trigger portion 210b which are arranged in linkage. The trip button 210 is arranged to slide, and the sliding direction is the first direction, which is also the height direction H of the molded case circuit breaker (hereinafter referred to as the height direction H). In the first direction, the operating portion 210a is always directly above a part of the handle 203. Since the trigger portion 210b is arranged to deviate from the axis S of the operating portion 210a, the trigger portion 210b can be located on one side of the handle 203. Such a setting deviating from the axis S can form a space M1 to avoid the handle 203, so that the operating portion 210a will not hinder the movement of the handle 203 even if it is directly above the handle 203.

[0043] Three operating holes 1031 and three button holes 1032 are provided on the upper surface of the circuit breaker housing 100. From a direction perpendicular to the upper surface of the circuit breaker housing 100, each button hole 1032 is arranged in a region M2 (the virtual frame in the figure) directly below the corresponding operating hole 1031. Here, the operating hole 1031 is for one end of the handle 203 to extend out, and the button hole 1032 is for the operating portion 210a to be exposed.

[0044] In this way, the technical bias in the field can be overcome by combining the arrangement of the button hole 1032 in the area directly below the operating hole 1031, the arrangement of the operating portion 210a always being directly above a portion of the handle 203, and the arrangement of the trigger portion 210b deviating from the axis S of the operating portion 210a. The combined features thus formed can make it easier for the user to distinguish which trip button 210 corresponds to which operating mechanism 200, which is beneficial for the user to operate the expected phase line P in time, greatly avoiding the possibility of misoperation, and improving the efficiency of operation.

[0045] Here, the operating part 210a is higher than the trigger part 210b in the height direction H, and is misaligned with the trigger part 210b in the third direction, so that the trigger part 210b is set away from the axis S of the operating part 210a. The width direction D of the circuit breaker is adopted here. In addition, there are many forms of the third direction, as long as it can be ensured to be perpendicular to the first direction and the trigger part 210b does not interfere with the movement of the handle 203.

[0046] The handle 203 includes a grip 2030 and a body 2031. One end of the grip 2030 extends out of the manipulation hole 1031 for user operation, and the body 2031 is connected to the other end of the grip 2030 (and to the lever 202). In the first direction, the manipulation portion 210a is always located directly above a portion of the body 2031.

[0047] Such an arrangement can make the structure between the trip button 210 and the handle 203 more compact, and greatly reduce the occupied space in the height direction H.

[0048] As for the operating part 210a and the triggering part 210b, they are integrated in the present embodiment, and are connected by an integrally formed connecting part 210c between the operating part 210a and the triggering part 210b. Of course, in addition to this, they can also be separated. For example, a linkage part 210d is fixed on the operating part 210a, and the linkage part 210d and the triggering part 210b have an intersection in the first direction, so when the operating part 210a is pressed, the linkage part 210d can push the triggering part 210b to move. Alternatively, a linkage part 210d is fixed on the triggering part 210b, and the linkage part 210d and the operating part 210a have an intersection in the first direction, so when the operating part 210a is pressed, the linkage part 210d can push the triggering part 210b to move.

[0049] For a molded case circuit breaker, its circuit breaker housing 100 may be a form having only two insulating shells, such as a base 101 and a middle cover 102 (in this case, the upper surface of the circuit breaker housing 100 is the upper surface of the middle cover 102), or a form having more than two insulating shells. Due to the structure of the circuit breaker housing 100 including the base 101, the middle cover 102 and the top cover, the internal space of the circuit breaker housing 100 is larger, and more other components (such as the control assembly 400, etc.) can be accommodated.

[0050] In this embodiment, the circuit breaker housing 100 is in the form of more than two insulating shells and includes a base 101 , a middle cover 102 and a first sealing cover 103 .

[0051] The middle cover 102 is fixed on the base 101 by bolts. The middle cover 102 and the base 101 form a receiving space, in which most of the components of the operating mechanism 200 are located, and the contact structure 300 is also located.

[0052] The middle cover 102 is provided with a first receiving groove 1020, and the opening of the first receiving groove 1020 is upward. The first cover 103 is fixed to the middle cover 102 to close the opening of the first receiving groove 1020. The upper operating hole 1031 and the button hole 1032 are both provided on the first cover 103, that is, one end of the handle 203 is exposed to the outside through the corresponding operating hole 1031 after passing through the first receiving groove 1020. For the release button 210, its operating part 210a is installed in the first receiving groove 1020. The installation in the first receiving groove 1020 here does not mean that it is directly exposed in the first receiving groove 1020, but its installation structure is in the first receiving groove 1020, so that it is installed in the first receiving groove 1020. The lower end of its trigger part 210b penetrates the bottom of the first receiving groove 1020, extends into the receiving space and corresponds to the locking component, that is, corresponds to the protrusion on the traction rod 209.

[0053] The first receiving groove 1020 is provided with a mounting portion 1021, and the mounting portion 1021 has a mounting space 1022 therein, and the operating portion 210a is slidably arranged with the mounting space 1022. The upper end of the operating portion 210a protrudes from the mounting space 1022 and extends into the button hole 1032 for user operation.

[0054] Disposing the mounting portion 1021 in the first receiving groove 1020 in this way will facilitate the installation of the release installation and enable the operating portion 210a to always be above a portion of the main body 2031 (because the main body 2031 is located in the receiving space, that is, below the first receiving groove 1020).

[0055] An installation opening 1023 is formed at the upper end of the installation portion 1021 . The installation opening 1023 is communicated with the installation space 1022 . The operating portion 210 a is installed into the installation space 1022 through the installation opening 1023 .

[0056] The installation opening 1023 is provided to facilitate the installation of the operating part 210a, and the operating part 210a only needs to be installed in alignment with the installation opening 1023. As a more preferred mode, the mounting opening 1023 is directed upward, which is more conducive to the assembly of the operating part 210a.

[0057] For the mounting portion 1021, a concave-convex matching guiding structure can be provided between it and the operating portion 210a, which will facilitate the sliding of the operating portion 210a. Here, a first guiding structure 1024 is provided on the mounting portion 1021, and a second guiding structure 210a1 is provided on the operating portion 210a. The first guiding structure 1024 and the second guiding structure 210a1 are concave-convex matching. For the first guiding structure 1024, it can be a groove, and for the second guiding structure 210a1, it can be a protrusion. Of course, in addition to this, a reversed structure can also be adopted.

[0058] For the trip button 210, it can be reset by a reset spring 211, that is, each time the user presses it, the trip button 210 can be reset by the reset spring 211. In this embodiment, the reset spring 211 is a compression spring, which is located in the installation space 1022 and abuts against the operating part 210a. Of course, in addition to this, the reset spring 211 can also be selected to be sleeved on the section where the trigger part 210b is located in the first receiving groove 1020. In addition to the compression spring, the reset spring 211 can also be a spring leaf, a torsion spring, a tension spring, and other elastic components.

[0059] As for the trigger portion 210b, it can be arranged inside the mounting portion 1021 like the operating portion 210a, or it can be arranged outside the mounting portion 1021. In this embodiment, the trigger portion 210b is arranged outside the mounting portion 1021, and the mounting portion 1021 adopts a columnar structure, and such a columnar structure only needs to match the operating portion 210a, which can make the injection molding process of the middle cover 102 simpler.

[0060] A heightened boss 1025 is provided on the bottom of the first receiving groove 1020, and the trigger portion 210b penetrates the first receiving groove 1020 from the heightened boss 1025. Such a design of the heightened boss 1025 can reduce the portion of the trigger portion 210b exposed in the first receiving groove 1020, and improve the matching stability between the trigger portion 210b and the middle cover 102. Here, the heightened boss 1025 refers to a boss connected to the bottom of the first receiving groove 1020, and does not mean that the heightened boss 1025 must be higher than the bottom of the first receiving groove 1020 at any point.

[0061] The middle cover 102 is also provided with a second receiving groove 1030. The first receiving groove 1020 and the second receiving groove 1030 are arranged adjacent to each other. The two are separated by a partition wall 102a, which is a groove wall shared by the first receiving groove 1020 and the second receiving groove 1030. Here, the opening of the second receiving groove 1030 is also upward, and the second receiving groove 1030 can be closed by fixing the second cover 104 to the middle cover 102. Here, the second receiving groove 1030 is used to set the control component 400 and the communication component 500.

[0062] The control component 400 can be understood as being able to receive some sampling information and realize some electronic functions. The electronic functions include over-temperature protection, phase loss protection, electronic overload protection, electronic short circuit protection, over-voltage and under-voltage protection, metering and other functions of the terminal board. For this field, the circuits for realizing these functions are conventional technical means in this field and will not be described here.

[0063] The communication component 500 can realize the communication function between circuit breakers, or between circuit breakers and a host computer, or between circuit breakers and a cloud. There are many ways to implement the communication component 500. In this embodiment, it is a measurement module, that is, a power line carrier module. Of course, it can also be WIFI, 4G, 5G, Bluetooth, CAN bus, Modbus, etc., or a combination of these methods.

[0064] The control component 400 and the communication component 500 mentioned here can be pluggable or integrated. In this embodiment, the control component 400 and the communication component 500 are both pluggable. In order to achieve this pluggable mode, a part of the electronic components are arranged in the accommodation space in the form of a transfer circuit board.

[0065] For the control component 400, its power supply is independent of each other in multiple phases, that is, as long as any phase line P is in a connected state, it can supply power to the control component 400. Specifically, each phase line P has a first sampling component and a sampling circuit board 410, and the first sampling component, the sampling circuit board 410, and the control component 400 are all electrically connected. The first sampling component directly draws power from the main circuit conductor and feeds it back to the control component 400. Here, the first sampling component uses a current transformer (not shown in the figure). Of course, the first sampling component can also use a sampling resistor. Regardless of the method, for this multi-phase circuit breaker, each phase line P can independently supply power to the control component 400 to ensure that it can work stably, laying the foundation for independent protection between multiple phases.

[0066] Of course, in addition to this, a backup battery may also be added to the control component 400 to provide power for the control component 400 .

[0067] The electronic overload protection and the electronic short circuit protection are realized by the electromagnetic release 420 and the protection transformer 430. Here, each phase line P has an electromagnetic release 420 and a protection transformer 430.

[0068] The actuating rod 421 of the electromagnetic release 420 is arranged in the second direction of the handle 203 corresponding to the phase line P, which can also be said to be the second direction of the corresponding locking assembly. Here, the second direction can be understood as the length direction L of the molded case circuit breaker.

[0069] The protection transformer 430 is mounted on the main circuit conductor of the corresponding phase line P to collect the current information of the main circuit conductor. Since the protection transformer 430 and the control component 400 are electrically connected, the current information sampled by the protection transformer 430 will be fed back to the control component 400, and the control component 400 will compare the sampled information with the corresponding threshold value. When the threshold value is reached or exceeded, it is considered that the phase line P is abnormal (overload or short circuit), and the control component 400 controls the electromagnetic release 420 of the abnormal phase line P to actuate it, and the actuating rod 421 of the electromagnetic release 420 pushes the lock assembly to trip the operating mechanism 200.

[0070] Here, each electromagnetic release 420 is individually controlled by the control component 400. When any phase line P is abnormal, the control component 400 controls the electromagnetic release 420 of the abnormal phase line P to actuate, driving the corresponding locking component to unlock, so that the corresponding operating mechanism 200 is transformed into a tripped state. In other words, the protection between each phase line P is independent of each other.

[0071] After actuation, the electromagnetic release 420 is reset by the handle 203. For the handle 203, one end of its main body 2031 is the reset part 2031a. After the mechanism trips, the handle 203 is in the tripping position TRIP. During the process of the handle 203 performing the re-locking action, the handle 203 moves from the tripping position TRIP to the opening position OFF, and the reset part 2031a moves toward the actuating rod 421 of the electromagnetic release 420 and pushes the actuating rod 421 to reset. Here, when the handle 203 is in the closing position ON, the reset part 2031a is located directly below the corresponding operating part 210a, that is, the avoidance space M1 formed by the trip button 210 for the handle 203 is also for avoiding the reset part 2031a. Such a structure can make the structure of the electromagnetic release 420, the reset button, and the handle 203 more compact, which is conducive to a more compact and miniaturized design of the circuit breaker.

[0072] The above examples are electronic overload protection and electronic short circuit protection. For over-temperature protection, its actuator can also be an electromagnetic release 420, and its sampling structure is no longer a protection transformer 430, but a temperature sensor 440. Specifically, each phase line P contains a sampling circuit board 410, and the sampling circuit board 410 is electrically connected to the control component 400, and the temperature sensor 440 is arranged on the sampling circuit board 410. The temperature sensor 440 here uses a thermocouple, and the sampling points are two points, which are the incoming terminal and the outgoing terminal in each main circuit conductor. The temperature sensor 440 samples the temperature of the corresponding terminal, and feeds back the temperature information (actually an electrical signal, and the control component 400 can calculate the temperature according to the electrical signal) to the control component 400. When the preset threshold is reached, the control component 400 can drive the corresponding electromagnetic release 420 to cause the corresponding operating mechanism 200 to trip. Here, the electromagnetic release 420 can be the same electromagnetic release 420 as the above-mentioned electronic overload and section roadbed protection, or a separate release can be used. In addition, the sampling points can also be more points, and the temperature sensor 440 used can also be other temperature sampling devices (as long as it can be fed back to the control component 400). Here, the overtemperature protection of each phase line P is also independent of each phase line P.

[0073] It is worth mentioning that the above-mentioned temperature sensor 440 can also be used for other functions. It can be used by the control component 400 or the host computer to make other logical judgments. For example, it is only used to determine the specific temperature of each phase line P for user query without protection.

[0074] Similarly, the over-voltage and under-voltage protection of each phase is completed by the control component 400, the sampling component and the actuator, which will not be described in detail here. Here, the over-voltage and under-voltage of each phase line P are also independent of each other.

[0075] Since it has been mentioned that the control component 400 can realize the above-mentioned protection function, its protection parameters can also be adjusted for the above-mentioned protection function. The control component 400 has a parameter setting unit, and the user can set the thresholds of various protection types (electronic overload protection, electronic short circuit protection, over-voltage and under-voltage protection, over-temperature protection, etc.) of each phase line P through the parameter setting unit. The setting method can be through the communication component 500, so that the terminal components such as the host computer or mobile terminal establish a connection with the control component 400 and then set it. It can also be that a human-machine interaction interface is set on the second cover 104, and a display screen, setting buttons, etc. are set on the human-machine interaction interface to directly drive the parameter setting unit for setting. No matter which setting method is used, as long as the protection parameter setting of each phase line P can be realized.

[0076] In addition to the protection function, the metering function is realized by the metering chip in the control component 400 and the metering transformer 450 of each phase line P. Here, the metering transformer 450 is electrically connected to the control component 400, and the metering transformer 450 samples the power parameters in the corresponding phase line P and feeds them back to the control component 400. The metering chip of the cover 102 in the control component 400 can calculate the power consumption of the corresponding phase line P according to the power parameters. It is worth mentioning that the power consumption between each phase line P here can also be calculated independently and stored in the memory of the control component 400.

[0077] Of course, in addition to the protection and metering functions, it also has the function of judging the opening and closing signals of each phase line P. The judgment of this opening and closing signal relies on the position detection switch 460. For each phase line P, its sampling circuit board 410 is provided with a position detection switch 460, and the position detection switch 460 is electrically connected to the control component 400 through the sampling circuit board 410. The position detection switch 460 is arranged near the contact structure 300 of the corresponding phase line P, and is triggered by the contact structure 300 to feedback a signal to the control component 400, and the control component 400 identifies the on-off status of each phase line P according to the feedback signal.

[0078] In this embodiment, the position detection switch 460 is a micro switch, which is arranged under the rotating shaft of each contact structure 300. Since the position of the rotating shaft is different when opening and closing, the micro switch is triggered or not triggered by this difference, so that the micro switch generates a feedback signal to the control component 400, and the control component 400 identifies the on-off status of each phase line P according to the feedback signal. Here, the micro switch can be set to be normally open, and the micro switch is triggered to become a closed state when the rotating shaft rotates to close the switch, thereby completing the triggering of the micro switch. Of course, the micro switch can be set to be normally closed, and the micro switch is triggered to become an open state when the rotating shaft rotates to close the switch, thereby completing the triggering of the micro switch. No matter which method is used, as long as the control component 400 can obtain a feedback signal according to the state change of the micro switch, the on-off status of each phase line P can be determined.

[0079] Of course, there are many options for the position detection switch 460. In addition to micro switches, travel switches, Hall components, photoelectric sensors, and other switches can also be used.

[0080] Regardless of the type of position detection switch 460, as long as the control component 400 can know the on-off status of each phase line P by means of the position detection switch 460, such a structure can provide a basis for other operation logics of the control component 400. For example, the user can determine the on-off status of each phase line P through a terminal such as a host computer or a mobile phone.

[0081] As for the sampling circuit board 410 , as a preferred embodiment, it is disposed on the bottom surface of the base 101 .

[0082] For each phase line P, in addition to electronic overload and short-circuit protection, it also has mechanical overload and short-circuit protection. Mechanical overload and short-circuit protection serves as backup protection for electronic overload and short-circuit protection. The backup protection here can be understood as a bottom-line function. Taking overload protection as an example, the protection threshold of mechanical overload protection needs to be greater than the protection threshold of electronic overload protection, that is, mechanical overload protection requires a larger fault current than electronic overload protection. Similarly, mechanical short-circuit protection also requires a larger fault current than electronic short-circuit protection.

[0083] The mechanical overload protection here is accomplished by the bimetallic strip 600, that is, each phase line P has a bimetallic strip 600. The bimetallic strip 600 is in contact with the main circuit conductor of each phase line P in a circumferentially heated manner (circumferentially heated means that the bimetallic strip 600 does not belong to the main circuit conductor, but is bent due to heat). When the phase line P is overloaded, the main circuit conductor heats up and the bimetallic strip 600 is bent due to heat. The bimetallic strip 600 can drive the locking structure to unlock, thereby tripping the operating mechanism 200. Of course, in addition to the circumferentially heated method, the direct heated method can also be used. The direct heated method means that the bimetallic strip 600 is part of the main circuit conductor.

[0084] Here, from the length direction L of each phase line P, the movable end 600a of the bimetallic strip 600 and the electromagnetic release 420 are arranged on opposite sides of the traction rod 209, and the traction rod 209 is provided with a passive part 2090, and the passive part 2090 is provided with an adjustment hole 2091, and the adjustment screw 610 is installed on the adjustment hole 2091. The adjustment screw 610 passes through the adjustment hole 2091, one end of which is opposite to the bimetallic strip 600, and the other end is far away from the bimetallic strip 600. The tool groove 610a on the adjustment screw 610 (a groove for the tool to be inserted to realize the rotation of the adjustment screw 610) is located at the end far away from the bimetallic strip 600. When the bimetallic strip 600 is bent, the adjustment screw 610 is triggered to drive the traction rod 209 to rotate, so as to unlock the locking structure. The user can realize the protection threshold setting of the mechanical overload protection through the adjustment screw 610. Compared with the bimetallic strip 600 structure in the prior art (in the prior art, the bimetallic strip 600 and the electromagnetic release 420 are arranged on the same side of the traction rod 209, and the adjusting screw 610 is arranged on the bimetallic strip 600), this structure can make full use of the space on both sides of the traction rod 209, making the overall structure more compact. At the same time, the setting position of the adjusting screw 610 is transferred, making the parameter adjustment of the mechanical overload protection more convenient.

[0085] The mechanical short-circuit protection here is accomplished by an armature, an iron core, and a reset spring. Each phase line P has an armature and an iron core. The main circuit conductor of each phase line P is arranged in the space formed by the armature and the iron core. When the current flowing through the main circuit is too large (short circuit), the attraction of the iron core to the armature is greater than the resistance of the reset spring, and the armature can move to hit the traction rod 209, so that the operating mechanism 200 trips. Here, in the height direction H, the structure composed of the armature, the iron core, and the reset spring is located below the traction rod 209 and the electromagnetic release 420.

[0086] In the description of this specification, the description with reference to the terms "one embodiment", "some embodiments", "example", "specific example", or "some examples" means that the specific features, structures, materials or characteristics described in conjunction with the embodiment or example are included in at least one embodiment or example of the present application. In this specification, the schematic representation of the above terms does not necessarily refer to the same embodiment or example. Moreover, the specific features, structures, materials or characteristics described may be combined in any one or more embodiments or examples in a suitable manner. In addition, those skilled in the art may combine and combine different embodiments or examples and features of different embodiments or examples described in this specification without contradiction.

[0087] Although the embodiments of the present application have been shown and described above, it can be understood that the above embodiments are exemplary and cannot be understood as limitations on the present application. Ordinary technicians in this field can change, modify, replace and modify the above embodiments within the scope of the present application.

[0088] In the description of this specification, the description with reference to the terms "one embodiment", "some embodiments", "example", "specific example", or "some examples" means that the specific features, structures, materials or characteristics described in conjunction with the embodiment or example are included in at least one embodiment or example of the present application. In this specification, the schematic representation of the above terms does not necessarily refer to the same embodiment or example. Moreover, the specific features, structures, materials or characteristics described may be combined in any one or more embodiments or examples in a suitable manner. In addition, those skilled in the art may combine and combine different embodiments or examples and features of different embodiments or examples described in this specification without contradiction.

[0089] Although the embodiments of the present application have been shown and described above, it can be understood that the above embodiments are exemplary and cannot be understood as limitations on the present application. Ordinary technicians in this field can change, modify, replace and modify the above embodiments within the scope of the present application.

Claims

1. A molded case circuit breaker, comprising a circuit breaker housing, a contact structure corresponding to each phase line, and an operating mechanism corresponding to each phase line, wherein the number of phase lines is at least one; an operating mechanism is only used to control the contact and separation of a group of contact structures, thereby realizing the passage and disconnection of one phase line; each operating mechanism comprises a locking assembly, a trip button, and a handle arranged in a rotating manner; the trip button is arranged in a sliding manner, and the sliding direction is parallel to the first direction; characterized in that: An operating hole for one end of the handle to pass through and a button hole for the trip button to be exposed are provided on the upper surface of the circuit breaker housing; each operating hole corresponds to a button hole, and the button holes are arranged in the area directly below the corresponding operating hole from the direction perpendicular to the upper surface of the circuit breaker housing; the trip button includes an operating part and a trigger part which are arranged in linkage, the operating part is exposed from the button hole for user operation, the trigger part corresponds to the locking assembly, and the operating part is driven by pressing the operating part to drive the trigger part to drive the locking assembly to unlock, thereby causing the operating mechanism to trip; in the first direction, the operating part is always directly above a part of the handle; the trigger part is arranged to deviate from the axis of the operating part, so that the trigger part is on one side of the handle to avoid the handle.

2. A molded case circuit breaker according to claim 1, characterized in that: The circuit breaker housing includes a base, a middle cover and a first cover; the middle cover is located above the base, and all components of the operating mechanism except the trip button and the handle are arranged in the accommodation space formed by the middle cover and the base; the middle cover is provided with a first accommodation groove, and the first cover is arranged on the middle cover to close the first accommodation groove; the operating hole and the button hole are both opened on the first cover, and one end of all the handles are exposed to the outside through the corresponding operating hole after passing through the first accommodation groove; one end of the trigger part penetrates the first accommodation groove and extends into the accommodation space to correspond to the locking component; The operating part is installed in the first receiving groove and is always located above the receiving space.

3. A molded case circuit breaker according to claim 2, characterized in that: The first receiving groove is provided with a mounting portion, the mounting portion is provided with a mounting space, the operating portion is slidably arranged in the mounting space, and the upper end of the operating portion protrudes out of the mounting space and extends into the button hole.

4. A molded case circuit breaker according to claim 3, characterized in that: The upper end of the mounting portion has a mounting opening, the mounting opening is connected to the mounting space, and the operating portion is installed in the mounting space through the mounting opening; and / or, a first guide structure is provided on the mounting portion, and a second guide structure is provided on the operating portion, and the first guide structure and the second guide structure are matched in a concave-convex manner to guide the sliding of the trip button; and / or, it also includes a reset spring for resetting the trip button, and the reset spring is arranged in the mounting space to cooperate with the operating portion or the reset spring is sleeved on the section of the trigger portion in the first accommodating groove.

5. A molded case circuit breaker according to claim 3, characterized in that: The mounting portion is a columnar structure, and the trigger portion is arranged outside the mounting portion; and / or a heightened boss is arranged on the bottom of the first receiving groove, and the trigger portion penetrates the first receiving groove from the heightened boss.

6. A molded case circuit breaker according to claim 1, characterized in that: In the first direction, the operating part is higher than the trigger part, and in the third direction, the operating part and the trigger part are offset to form an axial setting of the trigger part that deviates from the operating part, and the third direction is perpendicular to the first direction; and / or, the handle includes a handle and a main body, one end of the handle extends out of the operating hole, and the main body is connected to the other end of the handle, and in the first direction, the operating part is directly above a part of the main body.

7. A molded case circuit breaker according to claim 1, characterized in that: Each phase line also includes an electromagnetic release and a bimetallic strip, wherein the electromagnetic release is at least used to implement electronic overload protection and / or electronic short-circuit protection, and the bimetallic strip is used to implement mechanical overload protection; the locking structure includes a traction rod, wherein in the second direction, the movable end of the bimetallic strip and the electromagnetic release are arranged on both sides of the traction rod; the traction rod is provided with a driven part and an adjusting screw, wherein the adjusting screw passes through the driven part, wherein one end of the adjusting screw is arranged close to the bimetallic strip, and the other end is arranged away from the bimetallic strip, and a tool groove is provided on the end of the adjusting screw away from the bimetallic strip; when the phase line is overloaded, the bimetallic strip is bent by heat to drive the adjusting screw to rotate the traction rod, thereby unlocking the locking assembly.

8. A molded case circuit breaker according to claim 2, characterized in that: The invention also includes a second cover, a second receiving groove is arranged on the middle cover, and the second cover is arranged on the middle cover for closing the second receiving groove; a partition wall is arranged on the middle cover, and the partition wall is a groove wall shared by the first receiving groove and the second receiving groove, and the first receiving groove and the second receiving groove are separated from each other by the partition wall; the second receiving groove is used to set the control component and / or the communication component.

9. The molded case circuit breaker according to claim 1, characterized in that: The operating mechanism has a closing state, an opening state and a tripping state, and the handle has a closing position, an opening position and a tripping position corresponding to the three states; it also includes a control component and an electromagnetic release corresponding to the phase line, each electromagnetic release is individually controlled by the control component, when any phase line is abnormal, the control component controls the electromagnetic release of the abnormal phase line to actuate, drives the corresponding locking component to unlock, so that the operating mechanism of the abnormal phase line is changed to a tripping state; the handle has a reset part, and the actuating rod of the electromagnetic release is arranged in the second direction of the handle of the corresponding phase line; when the handle is in the closing position, at least a part of the reset part is located directly below the operating part of the corresponding phase line; when the handle is performing a re-tripping action, the handle moves from the tripping position to the opening position, and the reset part pushes the actuating rod of the corresponding electromagnetic release to reset.

10. The molded case circuit breaker according to claim 1, characterized in that: The number of phase lines is two or three, and also includes sampling circuit boards corresponding to the phase lines one by one, and first sampling components corresponding to the phase lines one by one, and the first sampling components, the sampling circuit boards, and the control components are all electrically connected; each phase line supplies power to the control component through the first sampling component, and any phase line in a connected state can provide the control component with the power required for operation; and / or, also includes a control component and sampling circuit boards corresponding to the phase lines one by one, and a position detection switch is provided on the sampling circuit boards, and the position detection switch is electrically connected to the control component through the sampling circuit boards, and the position detection switch is arranged near the contact structure of the corresponding phase line, and is triggered by the contact structure to feedback a signal to the control component, and the control component identifies the position of each phase line according to the feedback signal. On / off status; and / or, also includes a control component and a metering transformer corresponding to the phase line one by one, the metering transformer is electrically connected to the control component, the metering transformer samples the power parameters in the corresponding phase line and feeds them back to the control component, and the control component calculates the power consumption of the corresponding phase line according to the power parameters; and / or, also includes a control component, the control component also includes a parameter setting unit, the parameter setting unit is used to set the protection threshold of all phase lines, and the protection threshold of each phase line is set independently; and / or, also includes a control component and a sampling circuit board corresponding to the phase line one by one, the sampling circuit board is provided with a temperature sensor, the temperature sensor is used to sample the temperature of the terminal block of the corresponding phase line, and feed back the temperature information to the control component.

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