A circuit breaker with reclosing mechanism

Abstract

The application relates to the technical field of circuit breakers, in particular to a circuit breaker with a reclosing mechanism, which comprises a shell, a circuit breaker handle is rotationally arranged in the shell, an operating rod and at least three gear wheels which are sequentially engaged are also rotationally arranged in the shell, the number of teeth of each gear wheel is sequentially increased, two gear wheels located on both sides are respectively a pinion and a gear wheel, the number of teeth of the pinion is smaller than that of the gear wheel, the operating rod is fixedly connected with the pinion, and the gear wheel is in transmission connection with the circuit breaker handle. The gear train is used for realizing deceleration and torque increase, so that the force required to be applied by a user when manually operating the circuit breaker handle is significantly reduced, the operation strength is reduced, the convenience of manual reclosing is improved, and the application is especially suitable for large-current circuit breakers or occasions requiring large operation torque.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the field of circuit breakers, and more particularly to a circuit breaker with a reclosing mechanism. Background Technology

[0002] A circuit breaker is an automatically operating electrical switch used to disconnect a circuit when a fault is detected (such as an overload or short circuit) to protect the circuit from damage. Its core functions are protection and control. Unlike a fuse, a circuit breaker can be manually reset (reclosed) after a fault has been cleared without needing to be replaced.

[0003] With the development of my country's smart grid, the need for intelligent control of electrical appliances is becoming increasingly urgent, while ensuring the safe operation of the power grid. To cope with these new changes, existing miniature circuit breakers should be equipped with automatic reclosing functionality. The reclosing mechanism of a circuit breaker is an accessory used for remote electric opening and closing of circuit breakers.

[0004] In related technologies, the reclosing mechanism in a circuit breaker includes a motor drive module and a manual drive module. When using the manual drive module to perform reclosing operations, a large force is usually required, especially for large-sized high-current circuit breakers, which results in laborious operation and inconvenience. Summary of the Invention

[0005] To save manpower, this application provides a circuit breaker with a reclosing mechanism.

[0006] This application provides a circuit breaker with a reclosing mechanism, which adopts the following technical solution:

[0007] A circuit breaker with a reclosing mechanism includes a housing, a circuit breaker handle rotatably disposed within the housing, and an operating lever and at least three sequentially meshing gears rotatably disposed within the housing. The number of teeth of each gear increases sequentially, with two gears located on both sides being a pinion and a large gear, respectively. The number of teeth of the pinion is less than the number of teeth of the large gear. The operating lever is fixedly connected to the pinion, and the large gear is kinetically connected to the circuit breaker handle.

[0008] By adopting the above technical solution, an operating lever is rotatably mounted inside the housing, connected to at least three sequentially meshing gears as a manual drive module. The number of teeth on the gears increases sequentially, with the smallest pinion fixedly connected to the operating lever and the largest gear drivingly connected to the circuit breaker handle, forming a reduction transmission mechanism. When the user operates the operating lever, the pinion drives the entire gear system to rotate. Due to the increasing number of teeth, the torque is amplified, significantly reducing the force required for the user to manually operate the circuit breaker handle. This reduces operational intensity and improves the convenience of manual reclosing, making it particularly suitable for high-current circuit breakers or applications requiring large operating torque.

[0009] Optionally, the housing also includes a crank and a connecting rod, the crank being fixedly connected to a large gear, and the two ends of the connecting rod being rotatably connected to the crank and the circuit breaker handle, respectively.

[0010] By adopting the above technical solution, a crank and connecting rod are used to transmit the rotational motion of the large gear to the circuit breaker handle, forming a reliable transmission connection. The crank is fixed to the large gear, converting the rotational motion of the large gear into the oscillation of the crank, which is then transmitted to the circuit breaker handle via the connecting rod, driving it to rotate and thus completing the closing or opening operation of the circuit breaker. This mechanical connection structure is simple and robust, effectively transmitting torque, ensuring a smooth transmission of manual operating force, and improving the reliability and service life of the mechanism.

[0011] Optionally, the housing may also include a drive source capable of driving a large gear to rotate.

[0012] By adopting the above technical solution, a drive source is installed inside the housing to drive the rotation of the large gear, thus realizing the automatic reclosing function of the circuit breaker. As the power source for automatic operation, the drive source can receive remote or automatic control signals, drive the large gear to rotate, and then drive the circuit breaker handle to complete the closing. This allows the circuit breaker to automatically restore power supply after fault clearance, improving the equipment's intelligence level and remote control capabilities, and meeting the automation requirements of smart grids for circuit breakers.

[0013] Optionally, the driving source is a drive motor. The large gear is sleeved on the output shaft of the drive motor and can rotate relative to the output shaft of the drive motor. A ratchet is fixedly connected to the output shaft of the drive motor. A fixed plate is fixedly connected to the large gear. A slider is slidably arranged on the fixed plate. An elastic element is connected between the slider and the fixed plate to allow the slider to slide into the tooth groove of the ratchet. An inclined sliding surface is formed on the surface of the slider near the ratchet. The sliding surface is used to slide against the ratchet teeth, driving the slider to slide away from the ratchet.

[0014] By adopting the above technical solution, using a drive motor as the driving source, and setting up a unidirectional transmission structure consisting of a ratchet, a fixed plate, a slider, and a sliding surface, coordination and interlocking between motor drive and manual drive are achieved. When the motor drives, the elastic element drives the slider to engage with the ratchet teeth, driving the large gear to rotate; when manually operated, the ratchet teeth contact the sliding surface of the slider, pushing the slider to retract against the elastic force of the elastic element, allowing the large gear to rotate relative to the motor output shaft. This avoids reverse drive or damage to the motor caused by manual operation, and also prevents the ratchet from rotating with the motor output shaft during manual operation, thus saving effort. This design ensures both the effectiveness of automatic drive and the ease of manual operation, improving the safety and compatibility of the mechanism.

[0015] Optionally, the gears are provided in three parts, and the ratio of the number of teeth of the three gears is 1:2:4.

[0016] By adopting the above technical solution, the gear ratio of the three gears is set to 1:2:4, providing an optimized reduction ratio configuration. This gear ratio makes the deceleration effect and torque amplification more significant and reasonable during manual operation. Users can obtain a large torque at the output end (large gear) with a small force applied to the operating lever, further reducing the operational intensity, while ensuring the smoothness and accuracy of the transmission process, which is conducive to improving the operational efficiency and user experience of manual reclosing.

[0017] Optionally, the housing is provided with a pad, on which a convex disk and a convex ring are formed. The convex disk is for placing the central gear, and the convex ring is for placing the large gear.

[0018] By adopting the above technical solution, a pad with a convex disc and a convex ring is installed inside the housing, providing precise installation positioning and support for the intermediate gear and the large gear. The convex disc is used to position and support the intermediate gear, and the convex ring is used to position and support the large gear, maximizing the meshing area between the gears. Even if the gears wobble during rotation, stable meshing is guaranteed. This structure ensures the concentricity and stability of each gear during rotation, reduces gear meshing deviation and wear, improves transmission efficiency, extends gear service life, simplifies the assembly process, and enhances the rigidity of the overall structure.

[0019] Optionally, a movable contact is rotatably disposed within the housing, and the movable contact includes multiple contact blades.

[0020] By adopting the above technical solution, a moving contact containing multiple blades is rotatably arranged within the housing, improving the circuit breaker's current-carrying capacity and contact reliability. The design of multiple blades increases the contact area between the moving and stationary contacts, allowing current to be transmitted through multiple paths, reducing contact resistance and heat generation, and improving the circuit breaker's breaking capacity and electrical life. It is particularly suitable for high-current applications, ensuring stable conductivity of the circuit breaker in the closed state.

[0021] Optionally, the housing is provided with an arc-extinguishing chamber, the contact blade is divided into a main contact blade and an arc contact blade, the number of the arc contact blade is at least one, the arc contact blade is provided with an arc-initiating block, and the arc-initiating block extends into the arc-extinguishing chamber.

[0022] By adopting the above technical solution, the contact blades are divided into main contact blades and arc contact blades, and an arc-initiating block extending into the arc-extinguishing chamber is installed on the arc contact blade, thus optimizing the arc-extinguishing performance of the circuit breaker. During circuit breaking, the arc is preferentially generated on the arc contact blade and guided to the arc-extinguishing chamber by the arc-initiating block, where it is efficiently extinguished. This protects the main contact blade from arc erosion, maintains good contact condition of the main contact blade, extends contact life, and simultaneously improves the breaking reliability and safety of the circuit breaker.

[0023] Optionally, the housing may also include a conductive plate electrically connected to the moving contact, and the conductive plate has current-carrying holes formed thereon.

[0024] By adopting the above technical solution and setting current-carrying holes on the conductive plate, the heat dissipation performance and current-carrying capacity of the circuit breaker are enhanced. The presence of current-carrying holes increases the surface area of ​​the conductive plate, improves the current carrying capacity, facilitates heat dissipation when current passes through, prevents local overheating, optimizes current distribution, reduces the impact of the skin effect, and enables the conductive plate to carry a larger current, thereby improving the overall electrical performance and operational stability of the circuit breaker.

[0025] Optionally, the housing is provided with a stationary contact, which is formed by casting copper parts.

[0026] By adopting the above technical solution, the stationary contact is cast from copper parts. Compared with stamping the stationary contact, this reduces surface damage to the material during processing, ensuring that the stationary contact has good conductivity, mechanical strength, and processing consistency. The casting process allows the stationary contact to form a complex internal structure and optimized shape, improving the current carrying capacity and anti-welding performance of the contact, while ensuring the stability and reliability of contact with the moving contact. This helps to reduce contact resistance and temperature rise, and extend the electrical life of the circuit breaker.

[0027] In summary, this application includes at least one of the following beneficial technical effects:

[0028] 1. By using a gear system to reduce speed and increase torque, the force required for the user to manually operate the circuit breaker handle is significantly reduced, thereby reducing the intensity of operation and improving the convenience of manual reclosing. It is especially suitable for high-current circuit breakers or occasions requiring large operating torque.

[0029] 2. A one-way transmission structure consisting of a ratchet, a fixed plate, a slider, and a sliding surface is set up to achieve coordination and interlocking between motor drive and manual drive. This ensures both the effectiveness of automatic drive and the ease of manual operation, thereby improving the safety and compatibility of the mechanism.

[0030] 3. The presence of current-carrying holes increases the surface area of ​​the conductive plate, improves the current carrying capacity of the conductive plate, facilitates heat dissipation when current passes through, prevents local overheating, and enhances the overall electrical performance and operational stability of the circuit breaker. Attached Figure Description

[0031] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of this application.

[0032] Figure 2 This is a structural schematic diagram highlighting the reclosing mechanism in this application.

[0033] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the reclosing mechanism that highlights the pinion gear in this application.

[0034] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the pad in this application.

[0035] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the assembly of the ratchet and the large gear, which highlights the present application.

[0036] Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the moving contact highlighted in this application.

[0037] Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram of the conductive plate structure of this application.

[0038] Explanation of reference numerals in the attached drawings: 1. Housing; 2. Circuit breaker handle; 3. Operating lever; 4. Gear; 41. Pinion; 42. Gear; 5. Crank; 6. Connecting rod; 61. Strip hole; 7. Drive source; 8. Ratchet; 9. Fixed plate; 100. Slider; 101. Sliding surface; 110. Elastic element; 120. Pad; 121. Protrusion; 122. Protrusion ring; 130. Moving contact; 131. Contact blade; 132. Arc ignition block; 140. Arc extinguishing chamber; 150. Conductive plate; 151. Current-carrying hole; 160. Stationary contact; 170. Bracket; 180. Handle clamp; 181. Transmission rod. Detailed Implementation

[0039] The following combination Figures 1-7 This application will be described in further detail.

[0040] This application discloses a circuit breaker with a reclosing mechanism. (Refer to...) Figure 1 The circuit breaker with reclosing mechanism includes a housing 1, and a circuit breaker handle 2 is rotatably mounted inside the housing 1.

[0041] Reference Figure 2 and Figure 3Inside the housing 1, an operating lever 3 and at least three sequentially meshing gears 4 are rotatably mounted, with the number of teeth on each gear 4 increasing sequentially. The two gears 4 located on either side are a small gear 41 and a large gear 42, with the small gear 41 having fewer teeth than the large gear 42. The small gear 41 is fixedly connected to the operating lever 3, and the large gear 42 is drive-connected to the circuit breaker handle 2, forming a speed reduction transmission mechanism that amplifies torque and reduces the intensity of manual operation.

[0042] Reference Figure 2 The rotation shaft of the circuit breaker handle 2 extends along the width direction of the housing 1. In this embodiment, three gears 4 are provided, arranged axially along the rotation shaft of the circuit breaker handle 2, and the rotation shafts of the three gears 4 all extend along the depth direction of the housing 1. The gear ratio of the three gears 4 is 1:2:4. This configuration makes the deceleration effect and torque amplification factor more significant and reasonable during manual operation. In addition to common cylindrical gears, special gears such as bevel gears and worm gears can also be used according to actual needs to achieve transmission in different directions or more precise reduction ratios.

[0043] Reference Figure 2 and Figure 3 A bracket 170 is fixedly installed inside the housing 1 by a bolt assembly, and a pinion 41 is rotatably mounted on the bracket 170.

[0044] Reference Figure 3 The operating lever 3 is a slender rod-shaped component, usually made of metal or high-strength plastic, possessing a certain degree of rigidity and toughness. The operating lever 3 has a hexagonal operating groove, and the housing 1 has an operating hole for inserting the operating lever 3, allowing the user to rotate the operating lever 3 by inserting a hexagonal wrench into the operating groove.

[0045] Reference Figure 3 The operating lever 3 and the pinion 41 are coaxially arranged. The pinion 41 is sleeved on the operating lever 3 and fixedly connected to it. This allows the operating lever 3 to rotate, thereby driving the pinion 41 to rotate. The pinion 41 can be fixed to the operating lever 3 via a key connection, interference fit, or other means to ensure that the rotation of the operating lever 3 drives the pinion 41 to rotate synchronously. In practical applications, the pinion 41 can also be replaced by other types of transmission components, such as sprockets or pulleys, but the transmission method will need to be changed accordingly.

[0046] Reference Figure 3 and Figure 4A pad 120 is fixedly installed inside the housing 1 by a bolt assembly. The pad 120 is typically made of plastic or metal and has a certain degree of hardness and wear resistance. A cam 121 and a cam 122 are formed on the pad 120 by stamping. The cam 121 and cam 122 are designed for the precise installation of the intermediate gear and the large gear 42. The shape and size of the cam 121 match the intermediate gear, ensuring its accurate positioning. The cam 122 is used to house the large gear 42, ensuring its stable rotation. The cam 121 and cam 122 reduce the wobbling and deviation of the gear 42 during rotation, improving transmission efficiency and stability.

[0047] Reference Figure 2 and Figure 3 The housing 1 also includes a crank 5, a connecting rod 6, and a handle clamp 180. The crank 5 is fixedly connected to the large gear 42 by rivets. Both ends of the connecting rod 6 are rotatably connected to the crank 5 and the handle clamp 180, respectively, typically using a pin connection to allow the connecting rod 6 to rotate freely. The connecting rod 6 is usually made of high-strength metal to ensure it does not deform during torque transmission. The handle clamp 180 is fixedly mounted on the circuit breaker handle 2 by a bolt assembly, thus transmitting the rotational motion of the large gear 42 to the circuit breaker handle 2.

[0048] Reference Figure 3 The handle clamp 180 includes a transmission rod 181, and the connecting rod 6 has a strip hole 61 for the transmission rod 181 to be inserted and slid.

[0049] In other embodiments, the crank-connecting rod mechanism can be replaced by other forms, for example: an internal gear is fixedly connected to the large gear 42, the inner ring of the internal gear is meshed with an external gear, one end of the connecting rod 6 is rotatably connected to the handle clamp 180, and the other end is eccentrically connected to the external gear.

[0050] Reference Figure 3 A drive source 7 is also fixedly mounted on the pad 120 by bolts. The drive source 7 can drive the large gear 42 to rotate. The drive source 7 can be a drive motor, hydraulic motor, pneumatic motor, etc., as long as it can provide power to drive the large gear 42 to rotate. In this embodiment, the drive source 7 is a drive motor.

[0051] Reference Figure 5 A ratchet 8 is mounted on the output shaft of the drive motor, and the ratchet 8 is fixedly connected to the output shaft of the drive motor. A large gear 42 is mounted on the output shaft of the drive motor and can rotate relative to the output shaft of the drive motor. The ratchet 8 is a component with unidirectional transmission function, and its surface has a series of teeth to achieve unidirectional transmission.

[0052] Reference Figure 5A fixing plate 9, which can be a metal plate, is fixedly connected to the large gear 42 by rivets. A sliding groove is formed on the fixing plate 9, and a slider 100 is slidably installed within the groove. An elastic element 110 connects the slider 100 to the fixing plate 9, allowing the slider 100 to slide naturally until it engages with the teeth of the ratchet 8. The elastic element 110 is a compression spring, pressed between the slider 100 and the bottom wall of the groove. When the drive motor drives the ratchet 8 to rotate, the slider 100 abuts against the ratchet teeth, causing the fixing plate 9 to rotate, thereby driving the large gear 42 to rotate.

[0053] Reference Figure 5 The slider 100 has an inclined sliding surface 101 on its surface near the ratchet 8. When operated manually, the circumferential sidewall of the ratchet teeth contacts the sliding surface 101, which pushes the slider 100 to slide away from the ratchet 8, allowing the large gear 42 to rotate relative to the motor output shaft, thus avoiding reverse drive or damage to the motor caused by manual operation.

[0054] Reference Figure 2 A stationary contact 160 is fixedly installed inside the housing 1. The stationary contact 160 is cast from copper, a process that ensures good conductivity, mechanical strength, and machining consistency. The casting process allows the stationary contact 160 to form a complex internal structure and optimized shape, improving its current-carrying capacity and resistance to welding. The surface of the stationary contact 160 is typically finely machined and treated to ensure contact stability and reliability, and to reduce contact resistance and temperature rise.

[0055] Reference Figure 6 The casing 1 contains an arc-extinguishing chamber 140, which is composed of multiple arc-extinguishing plates fixedly installed inside the casing 1. The arc-extinguishing chamber 140 is an important component in the circuit breaker used to extinguish electric arcs, and is usually made of materials with good high-temperature resistance and insulation properties, such as ceramics and glass fiber.

[0056] Reference Figure 6 A moving contact 130 is rotatably mounted inside the housing 1. The moving contact 130 includes multiple contact blades 131; in this embodiment, the number of contact blades 131 is seven. The multiple contact blades 131 can be arranged in parallel or in a reasonable layout according to the actual structure. The contact blades 131 are generally made of a metal material with good conductivity, such as copper alloy. The shape and size of the contact blades 131 are designed according to the rated current and usage requirements of the circuit breaker to ensure sufficient current carrying capacity and contact reliability.

[0057] Reference Figure 6The seven contact blades 131 are divided into main contact blades and arc contact blades, with at least one arc contact blade. In this embodiment, there is only one arc contact blade. An arc-initiating block 132 is integrally formed on the arc contact blade, extending into the arc-extinguishing chamber 140. The arc-initiating block 132 on the arc contact blade is a component with a special shape and material, generally made of copper or copper alloy. Its function is to guide the arc into the arc-extinguishing chamber 140 when the circuit is broken, so that the arc is quickly extinguished in the arc-extinguishing chamber 140, protecting the main contact blade from arc erosion.

[0058] Reference Figure 6 Inside the housing 1, a conductive plate 150 that is electrically connected to the moving contact 130 is also fixedly installed. The conductive plate 150 is flexibly connected to the moving contact 130 via a wire (not shown in the figure). The conductive plate 150 is an important conductive component that connects the moving contact 130 and other circuit components, and is usually made of metals such as copper or aluminum.

[0059] Reference Figure 7 The conductive plate 150 has current-carrying holes 151 formed on it. These holes 151 can be circular, square, or other shapes, and their number and distribution are designed according to the size of the conductive plate 150 and the current-carrying requirements. In this embodiment, the conductive plate 150 is formed by combining two plates, each with a current-carrying groove on its facing surface. The groove walls of the two grooves enclose the current-carrying holes 151. In other embodiments, the current-carrying holes 151 can be directly formed on the conductive plate 150. The presence of the current-carrying holes 151 increases the surface area of ​​the conductive plate 150, which is beneficial for heat dissipation when current passes through, while also optimizing the current distribution and reducing the influence of the skin effect.

[0060] The implementation principle of a circuit breaker with a reclosing mechanism in this application embodiment is as follows: By setting a gear system with reduction transmission, the small force applied by the user to the operating lever 3 is converted into a larger torque on the large gear 42, thereby reducing the force required to manually operate the circuit breaker handle 2, which is especially suitable for high-current circuit breakers and other applications requiring large operating torque. The cooperation of the crank 5 and the connecting rod 6 effectively transmits the rotational motion of the large gear 42 to the circuit breaker handle 2, realizing reliable mechanical transmission. The setting of the drive source 7 enables the circuit breaker to have an automatic reclosing function, improving the intelligence level and remote control capability of the equipment. The pad 120 provides precise installation positioning and support for the gear 4, ensuring the stability and efficiency of the gear 4 transmission. The design of the multi-contact blade 131 of the moving contact 130, the cooperation between the arc-extinguishing chamber 140 and the arc-starting block 132, the setting of the current-carrying hole 151 on the conductive plate 150, and the casting process of the stationary contact 160 all optimize the electrical performance and reliability of the circuit breaker from different aspects, extend the service life of the circuit breaker, and represent a significant improvement and enhancement compared to the prior art.

[0061] The above are all preferred embodiments of this application and are not intended to limit the scope of protection of this application. Therefore, all equivalent changes made in accordance with the structure, shape and principle of this application should be covered within the scope of protection of this application.

Claims

1. A circuit breaker with reclosing mechanism, characterized by: The utility model provides a circuit breaker, including shell (1), the circuit breaker handle (2) is rotationally arranged in shell (1), the operating lever (3) is rotationally arranged in shell (1) with at least three successive meshing gear (4), the gear number of each gear (4) is successively increased, two gear (4) on both sides are pinion (41) with gear (42) respectively, the gear number of pinion (41) is less than the gear number of gear (42), the operating lever (3) is fixedly connected with pinion (41), gear (42) is transmission connection with circuit breaker handle (2), the drive source (7) is further provided with in shell (1), the drive source (7) can drive gear (42) rotation, the drive source (7) is drive motor, gear (42) is set on the output shaft of drive motor and can rotate relative to the output shaft of drive motor, the output shaft of drive motor is fixedly connected with ratchet wheel (8), gear (42) is fixedly connected with fixed plate (9), the sliding block (100) is slidably arranged on fixed plate (9), the elastic member (110) of making sliding block (100) slide to the tooth slot of ratchet wheel (8) is connected between sliding block (100) and fixed plate (9), the surface of sliding block (100) close to ratchet wheel (8) forms the sliding surface (101) of inclined arrangement, the sliding surface (101) is used for sliding with ratchet wheel tooth and drives sliding block (100) to slide to the direction away from ratchet wheel (8), the movable contact (130) is rotationally arranged in shell (1), the movable contact (130) includes a plurality of contact knives (131), the shell (1) is equipped with arc extinguishing chamber (140), the contact knife (131) is divided into main contact knife and arc contact knife, the number of arc contact knife is at least one, arc contact knife is equipped with arc block (132), arc block (132) extends into arc extinguishing chamber (140), the conductive plate (150) of electric connection with movable contact (130) is further provided with in shell (1), the current-carrying hole (151) is formed on the conductive plate (150).

2. A circuit breaker with reclosing mechanism according to claim 1, characterized in that: The crank (5) and connecting rod (6) are further provided in the shell (1), the crank (5) is fixedly connected with the gear (42), and two ends of the connecting rod (6) are rotationally connected with the crank (5) and the circuit breaker handle (2) respectively.

3. A circuit breaker with reclosing mechanism according to claim 1, characterized in that: The gear (4) is provided with three, and the gear number ratio of the three gears (4) is 1:2:

4.

4. The circuit breaker with reclosing mechanism of claim 1, wherein: The shell (1) is provided with a backing plate (120), the backing plate (120) is provided with a convex disc (121) and a convex ring (122), the convex disc (121) is used for placing the middle gear (4), and the convex ring (122) is used for placing the gear (42).

5. The circuit breaker with reclosing mechanism of claim 1, wherein: The shell (1) is provided with a static contact (160), and the static contact (160) is formed by copper casting.

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