Arcless switching device for circuit breaker and circuit breaker

Abstract

Embodiments of the present disclosure provide an arcless breaking device for a circuit breaker and the circuit breaker. The arcless breaking device comprises a light sensor arranged adjacent to a handle of the circuit breaker and comprising a transmitter and a receiver arranged at intervals; a shield coupled to the handle and adapted to rotate with the handle during breaking of the handle and to pass through a shielding stroke, in which the shield is located between the transmitter and the receiver and shields a light signal emitted by the transmitter to the receiver; and a semiconductor switch arranged in a power supply line where contacts of the circuit breaker are located and adapted to cut off the power supply line before the handle completes breaking in the case that the shield meets a predetermined condition in the shielding stroke. Thus, the electric arc generated during the action of the contacts of the circuit breaker can be eliminated.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The exemplary embodiments disclosed herein generally relate to the field of electrical equipment, and particularly to arc-free breaking devices and circuit breakers for circuit breakers. Background Technology

[0002] A circuit breaker is a device that controls the connection or disconnection of a circuit. When an electrical abnormality occurs in a circuit (e.g., overload, short circuit), the circuit breaker quickly disconnects the circuit to ensure the safety of the line and the load. Furthermore, circuit breakers can be manually controlled by the user to disconnect or connect the appropriate circuit according to the power distribution needs of the actual scenario. Utility Model Content

[0003] In a first aspect of this disclosure, an arc-free breaking device for a circuit breaker is provided. The arc-free breaking device includes: a photosensitive sensor arranged adjacent to the handle of the circuit breaker and including a transmitter and a receiver arranged at intervals; a blocking member coupled to the handle and adapted to rotate with the handle and pass through a blocking stroke during the opening of the circuit breaker, wherein the blocking member is located between the transmitter and the receiver during the blocking stroke and blocks an optical signal transmitted from the transmitter to the receiver; and a semiconductor switch arranged in the power supply line where the contacts of the circuit breaker are located, and adapted to disconnect the power supply line before the handle opening is completed if the blocking member meets predetermined conditions during the blocking stroke.

[0004] In some embodiments, the size of the blocking member is configured such that the travel time of the blocking member within the blocking stroke is at least equal to or greater than a predetermined time.

[0005] In some embodiments, the arc-free disconnection device further includes a controller coupled to a light sensor and a semiconductor switch to acquire the light signal from the light sensor and control the conduction of the semiconductor switch.

[0006] In some embodiments, the semiconductor switch includes a metal-oxide-semiconductor field-effect transistor disposed on a circuit board.

[0007] In some embodiments, the receiver includes a phototransistor disposed on a circuit board.

[0008] In some embodiments, the transmitter is arranged to emit a pulsed light signal to allow the controller to determine the duration of the blocking stroke based on information obtained from the receiver about the pulsed light signal.

[0009] In some embodiments, the arc-free disconnection device further includes a drive circuit disposed between the controller and the transmitter, and adapted to provide a pulse drive signal to the transmitter so that the transmitter emits a pulsed light signal.

[0010] In some embodiments, the arc-free disconnection device further includes: an early warning module coupled to the controller, and adapted to issue an early warning signal if the receiver does not acquire a pulse light signal within a predetermined detection period.

[0011] In some embodiments, the arc-free disconnecting device further includes: a detection circuit connected in parallel to the power supply line and arranged on both sides of the contact to obtain electrical parameter information on both sides of the contact, so as to allow the controller to turn on the semiconductor switch based on the electrical parameter information.

[0012] When the user rotates the handle to open the circuit breaker, the blocking element rotates with the handle and travels through its blocking stroke. During this stroke, the blocking element is positioned between the transmitter and receiver of the optical sensor, blocking the optical signal emitted from the transmitter to the receiver. The semiconductor switch can disconnect the power supply line before the handle completes the opening process, provided the optical signal is blocked and predetermined conditions are met. In this way, the current in the power supply line can be preemptively cut off (i.e., reduced to zero current) before the circuit breaker contacts separate (i.e., before the opening is complete), thus preventing arcing at the contacts. This protects the internal components of the circuit breaker and extends its service life.

[0013] In a second aspect of this disclosure, a circuit breaker is provided. The circuit breaker includes: contacts coupled to a power supply line; a handle coupled to the contacts and adapted to rotate about a rotation axis to cause the contacts to contact and separate; and an arc-free breaking device according to a first aspect of this disclosure, coupled to the handle and adapted to disconnect the power supply line before the handle causes the contacts to separate.

[0014] It should be understood that the content described in this content section is not intended to limit the key or essential features of the embodiments of this disclosure, nor is it intended to restrict the scope of this disclosure. Other features of this disclosure will become readily apparent from the following description. Attached Figure Description

[0015] The above and other features, advantages, and aspects of the embodiments of this disclosure will become more apparent from the accompanying drawings and the following detailed description. In the drawings, the same or similar reference numerals denote the same or similar elements, wherein: Figure 1 A simplified structural schematic diagram of a circuit breaker according to some embodiments of the present disclosure is shown; Figure 2 A schematic diagram of the structure of an arc-free disconnecting device according to some embodiments of the present disclosure is shown; Figure 3 A schematic diagram showing the connection relationship between the shield and the handle according to some embodiments of the present disclosure is shown; Figure 4 A partial circuit diagram of an arc-free disconnecting device according to some embodiments of the present disclosure is shown; and Figure 5 The operation of an arc-free disconnecting device according to some embodiments of the present disclosure is shown. Detailed Implementation

[0016] Embodiments of this disclosure will now be described in more detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. While some embodiments of this disclosure are shown in the drawings, it should be understood that this disclosure can be implemented in various forms and should not be construed as limited to the embodiments set forth herein. Rather, these embodiments are provided to provide a more thorough and complete understanding of this disclosure. It should be understood that the accompanying drawings and embodiments of this disclosure are for illustrative purposes only and are not intended to limit the scope of protection of this disclosure.

[0017] It should be noted that the headings of any section / subsection provided herein are not limiting. Various embodiments are described throughout this document, and embodiments of any type may be included under any section / subsection. Furthermore, embodiments described in any section / subsection may be combined in any way with any other embodiments described in the same section / subsection and / or different sections / subsections.

[0018] In the description of embodiments of this disclosure, the term "comprising" and similar terms should be understood as open-ended inclusion, i.e., "including but not limited to". The term "based on" should be understood as "at least partially based on". The term "one embodiment" or "the embodiment" should be understood as "at least one embodiment". The term "some embodiments" should be understood as "at least some embodiments". Other explicit and implicit definitions may also be included below. The terms "first", "second", etc., may refer to different or the same objects. Other explicit and implicit definitions may also be included below.

[0019] As briefly mentioned earlier, when a circuit breaker performs a disconnection operation, an electric arc is generated between the contacts. This arc can cause erosion of the circuit breaker, thus affecting its service life. For solid-state circuit breakers, although no arc is generated during circuit disconnection via power electronic devices (such as thyristors and IGBTs), solid-state circuit breakers often require electrical isolation via mechanical contacts after the power electronic devices have disconnected the circuit. In some applications, users often need to manually disconnect the circuit using a handle. This forced disconnection operation may cause erosion of the mechanical contacts.

[0020] This disclosure provides an arc-free breaking device and circuit breaker for use in circuit breakers, addressing or at least partially addressing the aforementioned problems or other potential problems existing in the conventional art. According to some embodiments of the arc-free breaking device of this disclosure, during the user's rotation of the handle to control the circuit breaker to open, a blocking member rotates with the handle and passes through a blocking stroke. During the blocking stroke, the blocking member is located between the transmitter and receiver of a light sensor, blocking the light signal emitted by the transmitter to the receiver. A semiconductor switch can disconnect the power supply line before the handle opening is completed, provided that the light signal is blocked and predetermined conditions are met. In this way, the current in the power supply line can be preemptively cut off by the semiconductor switch before the circuit breaker contacts separate (i.e., before the opening is completed), thereby preventing the formation of an electric arc on the contacts. This further protects the internal components of the circuit breaker and improves its service life.

[0021] Figure 1 A simplified structural schematic diagram of a circuit breaker according to some embodiments of the present disclosure is shown. Figure 1 As shown, the circuit breaker 1 provided in some embodiments of this disclosure generally includes a housing, contacts 2 arranged within the housing, a handle 3 coupled to the contacts 2, and an arc-free breaking device 4 coupled to the handle 3. The arc-free breaking device 4 can interrupt the current in the power supply line before the handle 3 controls the contacts 2 to open based on the opening action of the handle 3, thereby avoiding the generation of an electric arc. The arc-free breaking device 4 will be described in more detail below.

[0022] In some embodiments, contact 2 is coupled to a power supply line and includes at least one pair of contacts. Contact 2 can be driven by handle 3 to make or break contact (i.e., at least one pair of contacts remains in contact or spaced apart by a predetermined distance), thereby enabling circuit breaker 1 to perform closing and opening operations. When contact 2 is in the contact state, the power supply line is conducting, and the power supply line can supply power to the load on the power consumption side of circuit breaker 1. When contact 2 is in the open state, the paired contacts in contact 2 are spaced apart by a predetermined distance to establish electrical isolation on the power supply line, thereby disconnecting the power supply to the load.

[0023] In some embodiments, the handle 3 is rotatably connected to the housing of the circuit breaker 1 and coupled to the contacts 2 via a mechanism. The handle 3 can rotate about a rotation axis between a closed position and an open position. In the closed position, the contacts 2 coupled to the handle 3 remain in contact, and the power supply line is connected to the load. In the open position, the contacts 2 remain in the open position, and the power supply line is disconnected. In some embodiments, the handle 3 can be operated by a user and rotated from the closed position to the open position (also referred to as the opening or opening action of the handle 3), causing the paired contacts in the contacts 2 to separate from each other, thereby disconnecting the power supply line. The handle 3 can also be driven by a user to rotate from the open position to the closed position (also referred to as the closing or closing action of the handle 3), causing the paired contacts to remain in contact, thereby connecting the power supply line. In some other embodiments, the handle 3 can also be driven by other suitable drive components (e.g., a motor) to rotate about a rotation axis. This disclosure will not elaborate further.

[0024] Figure 2 A schematic diagram of the structure of an arc-free disconnecting device according to some embodiments of the present disclosure is shown. Figure 3 A schematic diagram illustrating the connection relationship between the shield and the handle according to some embodiments of the present disclosure is shown. For example... Figure 2 and Figure 3 As shown, the arc-free disconnecting device 4 generally includes a photosensitive sensor 5 arranged adjacent to the handle 3, a blocking member 6 coupled to the handle 3, and a semiconductor switch 7 coupled to the power supply line. The blocking member 6 can move with the rotation of the handle 3 about its rotation axis (e.g., from the closed position to the open position). In some embodiments, the blocking member 6 can be coupled to the handle 3 through fasteners, snap-fit ​​members, or other connecting members, and rotate with the handle 3 about its rotation axis. In some other embodiments, the blocking member 6 can also slide along a predetermined trajectory as the handle rotates under the constraint of a transmission structure such as a gear rack, connecting rod, or cam.

[0025] The optical sensor 5 includes a transmitter 51 and a receiver 52. A predetermined gap is maintained between the transmitter 51 and the receiver 52 to form a sensing area. The range of motion of the blocking member 6 as it moves with the handle 3 partially overlaps with the sensing area (the overlapping portion is the blocking stroke mentioned above). Therefore, by detecting whether the optical signal changes and whether the change in the optical signal meets a predetermined condition, it can be determined whether the handle 3 has rotated. In some embodiments, if the receiver 52 does not receive an optical signal for a period of time as the blocking member 6 moves, it can be assumed that the blocking member 6 has completed the blocking stroke during this period, and thus it can be determined that the handle 3 has performed a closing or opening action.

[0026] In some embodiments, depending on the internal structure and spatial layout of the circuit breaker 1, the optical sensor 5 can be arranged at any suitable position adjacent to the handle 3 such that the sensing area of ​​the optical sensor 5 can overlap with the range of motion of the blocking member 6. For example, in some embodiments, the optical sensor 5 can be arranged in the radial direction of the handle 3 perpendicular to the rotation axis, and the transmitter 51 and receiver 52 of the optical sensor 5 can be arranged in a direction parallel to the rotation axis of the handle 3. In this arrangement, the blocking member 6 can extend in the radial direction. In some other embodiments, the optical sensor 5 can also be arranged at one end of the handle 3 along the rotation axis, and the transmitter 51 and receiver 52 can be arranged in the radial direction. Accordingly, the blocking member 6 can extend in a direction parallel to the rotation axis.

[0027] A semiconductor switch 7 is coupled to the power supply line containing the contact 2 of the circuit breaker 1 and is connected in series with the contact 2. In some embodiments, the semiconductor switch 7 may be connected in series on the power supply side of the contact 2 away from the load. The semiconductor switch 7 can be driven to control the on or off of the power supply line. In some embodiments, the semiconductor switch 7 may include a metal-oxide-semiconductor field-effect transistor (MOSFET) disposed on a circuit board. The source (S) and drain (D) of the MOSFET are coupled to the power supply line, respectively. Furthermore, the MOSFET can control the on / off state of the power supply line based on a control signal at its gate (G).

[0028] In some embodiments, the arc-free disconnection device 4 further includes a controller 8. The controller 8 is coupled to both the transmitter 51 and the receiver 52. On one hand, the controller 8 can control the transmitter 51 to transmit optical signals; on the other hand, the controller 8 can also acquire information related to acquiring optical signals from the receiver 52. For example, the controller 8 can acquire information from the receiver 52 indicating that an optical signal has been acquired. The controller 8 can also acquire information from the receiver 52 indicating that an optical signal has not been acquired. In some embodiments, information related to the optical signal can be represented by high and low voltage levels. For example, a high voltage level can indicate that the receiver 52 has not received an optical signal, and a low voltage level can indicate that the receiver 52 has received an optical signal.

[0029] The controller 8 is also coupled to the gate of the metal-oxide-semiconductor field-effect transistor. The controller 8 can quickly control the semiconductor switch 7 to cut off the power supply line when the blocking member 6 meets predetermined conditions during the blocking stroke. That is, the semiconductor switch 7 cuts off the power supply line before the tripping is completed (e.g., the contacts 2 separate from each other).

[0030] In some embodiments, the predetermined condition may be related to the time the blocking member 6 remains within the blocking travel distance. If the blocking member 6 enters the blocking travel distance and blocks the light signal, the controller 8 receives information from the receiver 52 indicating a loss of the light signal. At this time, the controller 8 starts timing. If the information indicating a loss of the light signal is continuously received within the next predetermined time, the controller 8 may control the semiconductor switch 7 to cut off the power supply line. In some embodiments, the blocking member 6 may have an appropriate width so that the travel time of the blocking member 6 within the blocking travel distance is at least equal to or greater than the predetermined time. For example, by increasing the width of the blocking member 6, the blocking member 6 can have a larger blocking travel distance, thereby ensuring that the travel time of the blocking member 6 within the blocking travel distance meets the predetermined time requirement.

[0031] In some embodiments, the predetermined time can be determined based on the opening time of the handle 3. For example, the predetermined time can be shorter than the opening time of the handle 3. For instance, if the opening time of the handle 3 under the action of the main spring inside the circuit breaker 1 is 4ms, and since the operating time of the metal-oxide-semiconductor field-effect transistor is extremely fast, it can completely cut off the current within 1ms (or even tens of μs), then the predetermined time of the controller 8 can be 3ms. In this way, it can be ensured that the semiconductor switch 7 can cut off the power supply line before the handle 3 completes the opening.

[0032] Figure 4 A partial circuit diagram of an arc-free disconnecting device according to some embodiments of the present disclosure is shown. Figure 4 As shown, in some embodiments, the arc-free disconnecting device 4 further includes a drive circuit 9, which is arranged between the controller 8 and the transmitter 51. The drive circuit 9 can transmit pulse signals to the transmitter 51 under the control of the controller 8, so that the optical signal emitted by the transmitter 51 is a pulsed optical signal. For example, the pulse signal can be a square wave signal with a frequency of 1000Hz. In some embodiments, the drive circuit 9 can be at least partially printed on a circuit board.

[0033] In some embodiments, the driving circuit 9 further includes a transistor switch 91, the source (S) and drain (D) of which are coupled to the light-emitting diode (LED) of the transmitter 51. A pulse signal is input as an enable signal to the gate (G) of the transistor switch 91. If the pulse signal outputs a high-level signal to the transistor switch 91, the source and drain of the transistor are turned on, the circuit containing the LED of the transmitter 51 is turned on, and the transmitter 51 can transmit an optical signal to the receiver 52. If the pulse signal outputs a low-level signal to the transistor switch 91, the source and drain of the transistor remain open, the LED of the transmitter 51 does not work, that is, the transmitter 51 does not transmit an optical signal to the receiver 52.

[0034] In some embodiments, the receiver 52 includes a phototransistor disposed on a circuit board. One end of the phototransistor is coupled to a power supply, and the other end is grounded. If the illuminance on the phototransistor does not meet a predetermined threshold (e.g., when the transmitter 51 does not emit a light signal, or when the light signal emitted by the transmitter 51 is blocked by the blocking element 6), the phototransistor is not turned on, and the end of the phototransistor near the power supply responds to a high level. If the receiver 52 receives a light signal emitted by the transmitter 51, the phototransistor is turned on, and the end of the phototransistor near the power supply responds to a low level. Thus, the controller 8 can determine whether the receiver 52 is receiving a pulsed light signal by detecting the level change at the end of the phototransistor near the power supply.

[0035] Figure 5 The operation 500 of an arc-free disconnection device according to some embodiments of the present disclosure is shown. For example... Figure 5 As shown, the following will exemplarily illustrate the operation of the arc-free disconnecting device 4 based on a scenario where the user manually operates the handle 3 to perform a disconnecting operation. The transmitter 51 emits a pulsed light signal at a predetermined frequency (e.g., 1000Hz). The controller 8 receives pulse information related to the pulsed light signal fed back by the receiver 52 and determines that the light sensor 5 is working normally. In block 510, if the user operates the handle 3 to rotate about the rotation axis, the blocking member 6 moves with the handle 3. When the blocking member 6 enters the blocking stroke and blocks the light signal, in block 520, the controller 8 does not receive pulse information from the receiver 52 (because the blocking member 6 blocks the receiver 52, the information collected by the controller 8 from the receiver 52 is all high-level signals), and the controller 8 starts timing. In block 530, if the controller 8 does not receive a pulse signal for three consecutive pulse cycles (e.g., 3ms), then the controller 8 can determine that the position of the handle 3 has moved. In block 540, the controller 8 immediately disconnects the semiconductor switch 7. Because the semiconductor switch 7 disconnects the circuit very quickly (e.g., less than 1ms). Therefore, the semiconductor switch 7 can cut off the power supply line before the contact 2 separates, thereby avoiding the generation of electric arc.

[0036] If the receiver 52 loses a pulse signal for less than three pulse cycles (for example, the receiver 52 loses a pulse signal in the first two pulse cycles and detects a pulse signal again in the third pulse cycle), the controller 8 will not process the semiconductor switch 7. This avoids the semiconductor switch 7 from malfunctioning due to fluctuations in the pulse signal.

[0037] If circuit breaker 1 is in the open state, the user operates handle 3 to perform a closing operation. During this process, since semiconductor switch 7 is in the open state, the closing of the handle will not generate an electric arc. After handle 3 has closed, controller 8 can then control semiconductor switch 7 to turn on, thereby allowing circuit breaker 1 to supply power to the load.

[0038] In some embodiments, the arc-free disconnection device 4 further includes an early warning module. The early warning module is coupled to the controller 8 and is adapted to issue an early warning signal when the optical sensor 5 malfunctions. If the optical sensor 5 fails, the receiver 52 cannot receive the pulsed light signal emitted by the transmitter 51. At this time, if the phototransistor is in the on state, the transmitter 51 outputs a continuous low level to the controller 8. If the phototransistor is in the off state, the transmitter 51 outputs a continuous high level to the controller 8. That is, the controller 8 cannot receive the pulse signal at this time. In this case, the controller 8 can drive a predetermined unit to issue an early warning signal so that maintenance personnel can promptly repair the fault. In some embodiments, the early warning module can send early warning information to remote devices via wired networks, wireless networks, etc. In some other embodiments, the early warning module can also warn on-site maintenance personnel via sound, light, etc.

[0039] In some embodiments, the arc-free disconnecting device 4 further includes a detection circuit. The detection circuit is coupled to the power supply line and connected in parallel across the contact 2. Thus, the detection circuit can acquire electrical parameter information across the contact 2. The detection circuit is also coupled to a controller 8, which can determine the current position state of the contact 2 (i.e., whether the contact 2 is currently in contact or separated) based on the electrical parameter information across the contact 2. In some embodiments, the electrical parameter information can be voltage information. By detecting the voltage difference across the contact 2, the current position state of the contact 2 can be determined.

[0040] Various implementations of this disclosure have been described above. These descriptions are exemplary and not exhaustive, nor are they limited to the disclosed implementations. Many modifications and variations will be apparent to those skilled in the art without departing from the scope and spirit of the described implementations. The terminology used herein is chosen to best explain the principles, practical applications, or improvements to technology in the market, or to enable others skilled in the art to understand the various implementations disclosed herein.

Claims

1. An arc-free disconnecting device for circuit breakers, characterized in that, include: The optical sensor (5) is arranged adjacent to the handle (3) of the circuit breaker (1) and includes a transmitter (51) and a receiver (52) arranged at intervals. A blocking element (6) is coupled to the handle (3) and adapted to rotate with the handle (3) and pass through a blocking stroke during the opening of the handle (3). During the blocking stroke, the blocking element (6) is located between the transmitter (51) and the receiver (52) and blocks the optical signal emitted by the transmitter (51) to the receiver (52). as well as A semiconductor switch (7) is arranged in the power supply line where the contacts (2) of the circuit breaker (1) are located, and is adapted to disconnect the power supply line before the handle (3) completes the tripping when the blocking member (6) meets a predetermined condition during the blocking stroke.

2. The arc-free disconnection device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The size of the blocking member (6) is set such that the travel time of the blocking member (6) within the blocking stroke is at least equal to or greater than a predetermined time.

3. The arc-free disconnection device according to claim 1, characterized in that, Also includes: The controller (8) is coupled to the optical sensor (5) and the semiconductor switch (7) to obtain the optical signal from the optical sensor (5) and control the conduction of the semiconductor switch (7).

4. The arc-free disconnecting device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The semiconductor switch (7) includes a metal-oxide-semiconductor field-effect transistor arranged on a circuit board.

5. The arc-free disconnection device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The receiver (52) includes a phototransistor arranged on a circuit board.

6. The arc-free breaking device according to claim 3, characterized in that, The transmitter (51) is arranged to emit a pulsed light signal, allowing the controller (8) to determine the duration of the blocking element (6) during the blocking stroke based on information about the pulsed light signal obtained from the receiver (52).

7. The arc-free disconnecting device according to claim 6, characterized in that, Also includes: A drive circuit (9) is arranged between the controller (8) and the transmitter (51) and is adapted to provide a pulse drive signal to the transmitter (51) so that the transmitter (51) emits the pulse light signal.

8. The arc-free disconnecting device according to claim 7, characterized in that, Also includes: The warning module is coupled to the controller (8) and is adapted to issue a warning signal when the receiver (52) does not acquire the pulse light signal within a predetermined detection period.

9. The arc-free disconnecting device according to any one of claims 3, 7 and 8, characterized in that, Also includes: A detection circuit is connected in parallel to the power supply line and arranged on both sides of the contact (2) to obtain electrical parameter information on both sides of the contact (2) so that the controller (8) can turn on the semiconductor switch (7) based on the electrical parameter information.

10. A circuit breaker, characterized in that, include: Contact (2) is coupled to the power supply line; Handle (3), coupled to the contact (2), adapted to rotate about a rotation axis to drive the contact (2) to contact and separate; and The arc-free disconnecting device according to any one of claims 1-9 is coupled to the handle (3) and is adapted to disconnect the power supply line before the handle (3) drives the contact (2) to separate.

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