electrically operated mechanism

Abstract

The present disclosure relates to an electrically operated mechanism for driving a circuit breaker handle, characterized by a housing (1), an electric motor, a drive shaft (2) rotatably connected to the housing and in driving connection with the circuit breaker handle, a driving wheel (3) in driving connection with the electric motor, a driven wheel (4) rotatable in synchronism with the drive shaft and movable along the axis of the drive shaft between an engaged position, in which the driven wheel is engaged with the driving wheel, and a disengaged position, in which the driven wheel is disengaged from the driving wheel, wherein the driving wheel and the driven wheel are arranged coaxially with respect to the drive shaft, the electrically operated mechanism being configured to be switchable between an automatic mode, in which the driven wheel is moved to the engaged position, so that the electric motor can drive the drive shaft in rotation via the driving wheel and the driven wheel, thereby driving the circuit breaker handle, and a manual mode, in which the driven wheel is moved to the disengaged position, so as to allow manual driving of the circuit breaker handle.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This disclosure relates to the electrical field, and more specifically to an electric operating mechanism. Background Technology

[0002] Currently, the manual-automatic mode switching of the electric operating mechanism is achieved by controlling the motor's power supply through auxiliary contacts. In manual mode, the auxiliary contacts are triggered, and the motor is de-energized.

[0003] However, this implementation method has risks: if the auxiliary contacts fail, the motor cannot be de-energized, which means that the remote control signal can still control the electric operating mechanism when the user operates it manually, which may pose a certain danger to the operator. Utility Model Content

[0004] The purpose of this disclosure is to at least address the shortcomings of existing technologies. This disclosure proposes an electric operating mechanism for driving a circuit breaker handle, comprising: a housing; an electric motor; a drive shaft rotatably connected to the housing and driven by the circuit breaker handle; a drive wheel driven by the electric motor; and a driven wheel that rotates synchronously with the drive shaft and is movable along the axial direction of the drive shaft between an engaged position and a disengaged position. In the engaged position, the driven wheel engages with the drive wheel; in the disengaged position, the driven wheel disengages from the drive wheel. The drive wheel and the driven wheel are arranged coaxially relative to the drive shaft. The electric operating mechanism is configured to switch between an automatic mode and a manual mode. In the automatic mode, the driven wheel is moved to the engaged position, enabling the electric motor to drive the drive shaft to rotate via the drive wheel and the driven wheel, thereby driving the circuit breaker handle. In the manual mode, the driven wheel is moved to the disengaged position, allowing manual operation of the circuit breaker handle.

[0005] Thus, the clutch mechanism consisting of the driving wheel and the driven wheel achieves mechanical isolation between the electric motor and the drive shaft, eliminating the aforementioned risks and making it safer.

[0006] In some examples, the driven wheel has a central mounting hole, and the drive shaft has a shaft segment that matches the shape of the mounting hole. The driven wheel is axially movable but non-rotatably fitted onto the shaft segment through the mounting hole.

[0007] In some examples, the electric operating mechanism further includes an actuator having an actuating portion, a driving portion, and a connecting portion between the actuating portion and the driving portion; the driven wheel has an engaging section, a limiting section, and a connecting section between the engaging section and the limiting section along the axial direction, the diameter of the connecting section being smaller than the diameter of the engaging section and the limiting section to form an annular groove, the driving portion being engaged in the annular groove such that when the actuating portion is operated, the driven wheel can be moved axially by the driving portion.

[0008] In some examples, the engaging sections of the driving wheel and the driven wheel each have an annular body and a plurality of teeth formed on one end face of the body. The plurality of teeth are evenly distributed circumferentially, and each tooth has two circumferentially opposite sides that extend perpendicular to the end face of the body. A tooth groove is formed between the opposite sides of two adjacent teeth, and the circumferential width of the tooth groove is equal to the circumferential width of the tooth. The toothed end faces of the driving wheel and the driven wheel face each other. The two sides of the teeth are inclined at their free ends to form two first guide slopes, which are connected by a curved tooth tip. When the driven wheel engages with the driving wheel, the teeth of the driven wheel engage in the tooth groove of the driving wheel, and the teeth of the driving wheel engage in the tooth groove of the driven wheel.

[0009] In some examples, the driving wheel and the driven wheel each have six teeth and six tooth slots, with the two first guide ramps of each tooth inclined at 45° relative to the corresponding side.

[0010] In some examples, the driving wheel includes an inner ring and an outer ring spaced apart from each other, and two bridge portions connecting the inner and outer rings and radially opposite each other, thereby forming two circumferential grooves; the driven wheel has an annular body and two rod portions extending axially from one end face of the body, the two rod portions being radially opposite each other, and the rod portions having rounded free ends; in the engagement position, the two rod portions are respectively inserted into the corresponding circumferential grooves, such that when the driving wheel rotates, its bridge portions can push the rod portions of the driven wheel, thereby causing the driven wheel to rotate together, and the bridge portions have a wedge-shaped portion formed on the side facing the driven wheel, the wedge-shaped portion having two opposing second guide slopes for guiding when the rod portions are axially inserted into the corresponding circumferential grooves.

[0011] In some examples, the actuator is a lever with its two ends forming an actuating part and a driving part, respectively; the housing has a first bracket, and the lever is hinged to the first bracket by a pin, which is mounted on the connecting part and is closer to the driving part than the actuating part.

[0012] In some examples, the electric operating mechanism also includes a limiting device for holding the driven wheel in an engaged or disengaged position. The limiting device includes: a baffle movably mounted on the housing along the axial direction of the drive shaft, the baffle having a central hole through which the lever passes. In the assembled state, the baffle is located between the actuating part of the lever and the pin. When the lever is actuated, it can move the baffle together. The baffle also has a first protrusion and a second protrusion, located on the side of the baffle facing the housing and distributed on both sides of the central hole; an elongated hole extending in the housing along the moving direction of the baffle, the elongated hole ensuring that the stroke of the lever is not obstructed; a first stop rib and a second stop rib, located on the same side of the housing as the baffle and at both ends of the elongated hole, the extension direction of the two stop ribs being perpendicular to the moving direction of the baffle. When the driven wheel is driven to the engaged position by the lever, the first protrusion reaches the position past the first stop rib; when the driven wheel is driven to the disengaged position by the lever, the second protrusion reaches the position past the second stop rib.

[0013] In some examples, the driving part is a driving rod, and the actuating part is a cylindrical knob; the connecting part is cylindrical with a diameter smaller than that of the knob, and is concentrically fixed to the knob, while the driving rod is eccentrically fixed to the side of the connecting part facing away from the knob; the knob is supported on the outer surface of the panel of the housing of the electric operating mechanism by its annular end face adjacent to the connecting part and not covered by the connecting part; the panel has mounting holes adapted to the connecting part, and the periphery of the connecting part has a buckle for engaging with the inner surface of the panel to prevent the actuating element from dislodging from the housing along the axial direction of the knob.

[0014] In some examples, the electric operating mechanism also includes a limiting device for holding the driven wheel in an engaged or disengaged position. The limiting device includes: a protrusion that is fixed to the annular end face of the knob, protruding radially outward relative to the periphery of the connecting portion; a first groove and a second groove, provided on the periphery of the mounting hole of the housing. When the driven wheel is moved to the engaged position by rotating the knob, the protrusion is embedded in the first groove, and when the driven wheel is moved to the disengaged position by rotating the knob, the protrusion is embedded in the second groove. The periphery of the connecting portion is provided with a receiving portion. When the protrusion is rotated to the intermediate position between the first groove and the second groove, the protrusion is elastically deformed due to radial inward compression by the periphery of the mounting hole and retracts into the receiving portion of the connecting portion. Attached Figure Description

[0015] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions of the embodiments of this disclosure, the accompanying drawings of the embodiments will be briefly described below.

[0016] Figure 1a and Figure 1b A perspective view and a side view of the electric operating mechanism according to at least one embodiment of the present disclosure in automatic mode are shown respectively; Figure 2a and Figure 2b A perspective view and a side view of the electric operating mechanism according to at least one embodiment of the present disclosure in manual mode are shown respectively; Figure 2c A side view showing the driven wheel in the middle position during engagement; Figure 3a and Figure 3b A perspective view and an end view of the driven wheel according to at least one embodiment of the present disclosure are shown respectively; Figure 4a and Figure 4c Cross-sectional views of the electric operating mechanism according to at least one embodiment of the present disclosure in manual mode and automatic mode are shown respectively; Figure 4b Show Figure 4a A magnified view of a portion of the image; Figure 4d Show Figure 4c A magnified view of a portion of the image; Figure 5a A perspective view of a baffle according to at least one embodiment of the present disclosure is shown; Figure 5b A plan view of the retaining rib and mounting groove according to at least one embodiment of the present disclosure is shown; Figure 6a and Figure 6b A perspective view and a side view of the electric operating mechanism according to at least one embodiment of the present disclosure in automatic mode are shown respectively; Figure 7a and Figure 7b A perspective view and a side view of the electric operating mechanism according to at least one embodiment of the present disclosure in manual mode are shown respectively; Figure 8a A perspective view of a driven wheel according to at least one embodiment of the present disclosure is shown; Figure 8b A perspective view of a drive wheel according to at least one embodiment of the present disclosure is shown; Figure 9a and Figure 9c Another side view of the electric operating mechanism according to at least one embodiment of the present disclosure is shown in automatic mode and manual mode, respectively; Figure 9b A cross-sectional view of an electric operating mechanism according to at least one embodiment of the present disclosure in automatic mode is shown; Figure 10a A panel of a housing according to at least one embodiment of the present disclosure is shown; Figure 10b A perspective view of an actuator according to at least one embodiment of the present disclosure is shown; Figure 10c A cross-sectional view of an actuator according to at least one embodiment of the present disclosure is shown. Detailed Implementation

[0017] To make the objectives, technical solutions, and advantages of this disclosure clearer, the technical solutions of the embodiments of this disclosure will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. The same reference numerals in the drawings represent the same components. It should be noted that the described embodiments are only some, not all, of the embodiments of this disclosure. All other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art based on the described embodiments of this disclosure without creative effort are within the scope of protection of this disclosure.

[0018] Unless otherwise defined, the technical or scientific terms used herein shall have the ordinary meaning understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this disclosure pertains. The terms “first,” “second,” and similar terms used in this patent application specification and claims do not indicate any order, quantity, or importance, but are merely used to distinguish different components. Similarly, “an” or “a” and similar terms do not necessarily indicate a quantity limitation. Terms such as “comprising” or “including” mean that the element or object preceding the word encompasses the element or object listed following the word and its equivalents, without excluding other elements or objects. Terms such as “connected” or “linked” are not limited to physical or mechanical connections, but can include electrical connections, whether direct or indirect. Terms such as “upper,” “lower,” “left,” and “right” are used only to indicate relative positional relationships, which may change accordingly when the absolute position of the described object changes.

[0019] Various embodiments according to this disclosure will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. It should be noted that, in the drawings, the same reference numerals are assigned to components having substantially the same or similar structure and function, and repeated descriptions of them are omitted. For ease of description, the drawings of the embodiments shown in this disclosure omit some elements, such as electric motors, circuit breaker handles, etc.

[0020] Compared to the embodiments shown in the accompanying drawings, feasible embodiments within the scope of this disclosure may have fewer components, other components not shown in the drawings, different components, components arranged differently, or components with different connections, etc. Furthermore, without departing from the spirit of this disclosure, two or more components in the drawings may be implemented in a single component, or a single component shown in the drawings may be implemented as multiple separate components.

[0021] According to the electric operating mechanism disclosed herein, for driving a circuit breaker handle, as shown in the figure, the electric operating mechanism includes: a housing 1; an electric motor (not shown); a drive shaft 2 rotatably connected to the housing 1 and drivenly connected to the circuit breaker handle; a drive wheel 3 drivenly connected to the electric motor; and a driven wheel 4, which rotates synchronously with the drive shaft 2 and is movable along the axial direction of the drive shaft between an engaged position and a disengaged position. In the engaged position, the driven wheel 4 engages with the drive wheel 3, and in the disengaged position, the driven wheel 4 disengages from the drive wheel 3. The drive wheel 3 and the driven wheel 4 are arranged coaxially relative to the drive shaft 2. The electric operating mechanism is configured to switch between an automatic mode and a manual mode. In the automatic mode, the driven wheel 4 is moved to the engaged position, allowing the electric motor to drive the drive shaft 2 to rotate via the drive wheel 3 and the driven wheel 4, thereby driving the circuit breaker handle. In the manual mode, the driven wheel 4 is moved to the disengaged position, allowing manual operation of the circuit breaker handle.

[0022] In automatic mode, the driving wheel 3 and driven wheel 4 are engaged, and the driving torque of the electric motor is transmitted to the drive shaft 2 via the driving wheel 3 and driven wheel 4. In manual mode, the driving wheel 3 and driven wheel 4 are disengaged, and the driving torque of the electric motor cannot be transmitted.

[0023] like Figure 4a As shown, the drive shaft 2 is rotatably connected to the second bracket 12 of the housing 1. The drive shaft 2 can be connected to the circuit breaker handle (not shown) via a transmission device (not shown) known in the prior art, for example, consisting of a gear structure and a cam.

[0024] like Figure 4a As shown, the driving gear 3 is concentrically fixed to the first cylindrical gear 81 on the side opposite to the driven gear 4, and the first cylindrical gear 81 and the driving gear 3 are rotatably supported on the drive shaft 2. In one example, the first cylindrical gear 81 meshes with a second cylindrical gear (not shown) mounted on the output shaft of the motor, thereby enabling the motor to drive the driving gear 3 to rotate.

[0025] According to an embodiment of this disclosure, the driven wheel 4 has a central mounting hole 40, and the drive shaft 2 has a shaft segment 20 that mates with the shape of the mounting hole 40. The driven wheel 4 is axially movable but non-rotatably fitted onto the shaft segment 20 through the mounting hole 40. In one example, the mounting hole 40 and the shaft segment 20 have the following characteristics: Figure 3b The cross-sectional profile shown allows the drive shaft 2 to rotate synchronously with the driven wheel 4. Alternatively, the mounting hole 40 and the shaft segment 20 can also be connected by a key to form a form-fit connection. Preferably, the fit between the driven wheel 4 and the drive shaft 2 is a clearance fit to facilitate the engagement process between the driven wheel 4 and the driving wheel 3 (described in detail below).

[0026] According to embodiments of this disclosure, such as Figure 1bAs shown, the electric operating mechanism actuator 5 has an actuating part 51, a driving part 53, and a connecting part 52 located between the actuating part 51 and the driving part 53. Figure 3a As shown, the driven wheel 4 has an engaging section 41, a limiting section 43, and a connecting section 42 located between the engaging section and the limiting section along the axial direction. The diameter of the connecting section 42 is smaller than the diameters of the engaging section 41 and the limiting section 43 to form an annular groove. The driving part 53 is engaged in the annular groove, so that when the actuating part 51 is operated, the driven wheel 4 can be driven to move axially via the driving part 53. Here, the engaging section 41 refers to the section of the driven wheel 4 that engages with the driving wheel 3.

[0027] The following is for reference Figures 1a to 5b A first embodiment of the clutch mechanism, namely the driving wheel 3 and the driven wheel 4, and a first embodiment of the actuator 5 are described.

[0028] In the example shown, the driving wheel 3 has a central bore through which it is fitted onto the drive shaft 2. The drive shaft 2 passes through the driving wheel 3 and is supported by a section extending to the right as illustrated, for the first cylindrical gear 81. Due to the central bore, the engagement section 41 of the driving wheel 3 and the driven wheel 4 each has an annular body 60. Except for the outline of the central bore, the engagement section 41 of the driving wheel 3 and the driven wheel 4 are constructed substantially the same. The engagement section 41 of the driving wheel 3 and the driven wheel 4 each has a plurality of teeth 61 formed on one end face of the main body. The plurality of teeth 61 are evenly distributed circumferentially. Each tooth 61 has two circumferentially opposite side faces 611. The side faces 611 extend perpendicular to the end face of the main body. A tooth groove 62 is formed between the opposite side faces 611 of two adjacent teeth 61. The circumferential width of the tooth groove 62 is equal to the circumferential width of the tooth 61. The end faces of the driving wheel 3 and the driven wheel 4 with the teeth 61 face each other. The two side faces 611 of the teeth 61 are inclined towards each other at the free end to form two guide slopes 612. The two guide slopes 612 are connected by a curved tooth tip surface 613. When the driven wheel 4 engages with the driving wheel 3, the teeth 61 of the driven wheel 4 engage in the tooth grooves 62 of the driving wheel 3 and the teeth 61 of the driving wheel 3 engage in the tooth grooves 62 of the driven wheel 4.

[0029] like Figure 3a and Figure 3b As shown, the driving wheel 3 and the driven wheel 4 each have six teeth 61 and six tooth grooves 62, and the two guide slopes 612 of each tooth 61 are inclined at 45° relative to the corresponding side surface 611.

[0030] The actuator 5 is a lever, with its two ends forming an actuation part 51 and a drive part 53, respectively. The housing 1 has a first bracket 11, and the lever is hinged to the first bracket 11 by a pin 520. The pin 520 is mounted on the connecting part 52 and is closer to the drive part 53 than the actuation part 51. This forms a lever device.

[0031] The following describes the engagement and disengagement processes of the driving wheel 3 and the driven wheel 4 with reference to the figures. Both engagement and disengagement processes are carried out when the electric motor is not running.

[0032] exist Figure 2a and Figure 2b In the middle, the driven wheel 4 is in the disengaged position. In order to move the driven wheel 4 to the engaged position, the actuating part 51 of the lever is actuated to the left or counterclockwise, so that the driving part 53 of the lever is engaged in the annular groove and moves the driven wheel 4 to the right.

[0033] In the simplest case, in the separated position, the tooth 61 of the driving wheel 3 is exactly aligned axially with the tooth groove 62 of the driven wheel 4, or in other words, the tooth groove 62 of the driving wheel 3 is exactly aligned axially with the tooth 61 of the driven wheel 4. In this case, in order to insert the tooth 61 of the driven wheel 4 into the corresponding tooth groove 62 of the driving wheel 3, it is only necessary to overcome the friction between the driven wheel 4 and the drive shaft 2.

[0034] In contrast, if the teeth 61 of the driven wheel 4 are not aligned with the tooth grooves 62 of the driving wheel 3 in the separated position, i.e., they are misaligned, then during engagement, the driven wheel 4 still needs to drive the driving wheel 3 to rotate, thereby driving the motor rotor to rotate. That is to say, the driving wheel 3 and the driven wheel 4 first come into contact with each other through the guide slopes 612 of their respective teeth 61. Subsequently, due to the actuating force, the driven wheel 4 pushes the driving wheel 3 to rotate through its guide slopes 612. During this process, the guide slopes 612 of the driving wheel 3 and the driven wheel 4 slide on each other and eventually reach the position where the teeth 61 of the driven wheel 4 are aligned with the tooth grooves 62 of the driving wheel 3.

[0035] In an extreme case, in the disengaged position, the teeth 61 of the driven wheel 4 are aligned with the teeth 61 of the driving wheel 3. In this case, since there is a clearance fit between the driven wheel 4 and the drive shaft 2, the driven wheel 4 can wobble relative to the drive shaft 2 at a certain angle, so that the driven wheel 4 can still abut against the guide ramp 612 of the driving wheel 3, thereby applying a circumferential force to the driving wheel 3.

[0036] The six-tooth, six-groove design of the driving wheel 3 and the driven wheel 4 represents a good trade-off between the strength of a single tooth and the rotation angle of the driving wheel 3 during engagement. If the number of teeth is large, the strength of a single tooth is insufficient, while if the number of teeth is small, the driven wheel 4 needs to push the driving wheel 3 to rotate a larger angle. In the case of six teeth and six grooves, in order to complete engagement, the driven wheel 4 needs to push the driving wheel 3 to rotate a maximum of 15°.

[0037] exist Figure 1a and Figure 1bIn the middle, the driven wheel 4 is in the engaged position. In order to disengage and switch to manual mode, it is only necessary to overcome the friction between the driven wheel 4 and the drive shaft 2 to actuate the actuating part 51 of the lever to the right or clockwise until the driven wheel 4 and the driving wheel 3 no longer interfere with each other.

[0038] According to one embodiment of this disclosure, the electric operating mechanism further includes a limiting device for holding the driven wheel 4 in an engaged or disengaged position. The limiting device includes a baffle 71, which is movably mounted on the housing 1 along the axial direction of the drive shaft. The baffle 71 has a central hole 710 through which the lever passes. In the assembled state, the baffle 71 is located between the actuating portion 51 of the lever and the pin 520. When the lever is actuated, it can drive the baffle 71 to move together. The baffle 71 also has a first protrusion 711 and a second protrusion 712, which are provided on the side of the baffle 71 facing the housing 1 and distributed in the central hole 71. On both sides of 0; an elongated hole 100 extending along the moving direction of the baffle is opened in the housing 1, which ensures that the stroke of the lever is not obstructed; a first baffle 101 and a second baffle 102 are provided on the housing 1 on the same side as the baffle 71 and located at both ends of the elongated hole 100. The extending direction of the two baffles is perpendicular to the moving direction of the baffle 71. When the driven wheel 4 is moved to the engagement position by the lever, the first protrusion 711 reaches the position that passes the first baffle 101. When the driven wheel 4 is moved to the disengagement position by the lever, the second protrusion 712 reaches the position that passes the second baffle 102.

[0039] The baffle 71 is movably mounted on the housing 1 via a mounting groove fixed to the housing 1. The mounting groove is formed by fixing a pair of L-shaped strips 103 on the housing 1. The two strips 103 extend along the axial direction of the drive shaft 2, i.e., perpendicular to the first baffle 101 and the second baffle 102, and are arranged in a mirror-symmetrical manner, such that the space enclosed by the L-shape of the two strips 103 is opposite to each other, thereby forming a mounting space, i.e., a mounting groove, for the baffle 71 with the housing 1.

[0040] After the driven wheel 4 enters the engaged position, the first protrusion 711 is blocked by the first stop rib 101, preventing the baffle 71 and the lever from moving towards the disengaged position without external force, thus locking the engaged state. Similarly, after the driven wheel 4 reaches the disengaged position, the second protrusion 712 is blocked by the second stop rib 102, preventing the baffle 71 and the lever from moving towards the engaged position without external force, thus locking the disengaged state.

[0041] The following is for reference Figures 6a to 10c The description refers to a second embodiment of the driving wheel 3 and the driven wheel 4, as well as a second embodiment of the actuator 5.

[0042] like Figure 8a and 8bAs shown, the driving wheel 3 includes an inner ring 31 and an outer ring 32 spaced apart from each other, and two bridge portions 33 connecting the inner ring 31 and the outer ring 32 and radially opposite each other, thereby forming two circumferential grooves 34. The engaging section 41 of the driven wheel 4 has an annular body 60 and two rod portions 411 extending axially from one end face of the body 60. The two rod portions 411 are radially opposite each other and have rounded free ends. In the engaging position, the two rod portions 411 are respectively inserted into the corresponding circumferential grooves 34, so that when the driving wheel 3 rotates, its bridge portion 33 can push the rod portion 411 of the driven wheel 4, thereby driving the driven wheel 4 to rotate together. The bridge portion 33 has a wedge-shaped portion on the side facing the driven wheel 4. The wedge-shaped portion has two opposing guide slopes 331 for guiding when the rod portion 411 is axially inserted into the corresponding circumferential groove 34.

[0043] like Figure 10b As shown, the driving part 53 is a driving rod, and the actuating part 51 is a cylindrical knob. The connecting part 52 is cylindrical, and its diameter is smaller than that of the knob. This also forms a lever device to achieve the purpose of saving effort. The connecting part 52 is concentrically fixed to the knob, and the driving rod is eccentrically fixed to the side of the connecting part 52 facing away from the knob. The knob is supported on the outer surface of the panel 13 of the housing 1 of the electric operating mechanism by its annular end face 510 adjacent to the connecting part 52 and not covered by the connecting part 52. The panel 13 has a mounting hole 130 adapted to the connecting part 52, and the periphery of the connecting part 52 has a buckle 521 for engaging with the inner surface of the panel 13 to prevent the actuating member 5 from dislodging from the housing 1 along the axial direction of the knob.

[0044] The engagement and disengagement processes of the driven wheel 4 and the driving wheel 3 are similar to those in the first embodiment. For example, through the cooperation between the wedge-shaped portion of the driving wheel 3 with the guide slope 331 and the rounded free end of the rod portion 411 of the driven wheel 4, the driving wheel 3 and the driven wheel 4 can engage with each other at any relative rotational position. The difference lies in the fact that, in the second embodiment, due to the different design of the actuator 5, the driven wheel 4 is moved axially by rotating the actuator 51. That is, because the drive portion 53 is engaged in the annular groove of the driven wheel 4, the rotational motion of the actuator 5 is converted into the linear motion of the driven wheel 4. Another difference is that, since there are two rods 411 and two bridges 33, after the rod 411 of the driven wheel 4 is inserted into the circumferential groove 34 of the driving wheel 3, that is, after switching to automatic mode, the rod 411 may not be in circumferential contact with the corresponding bridge 33. In this case, when the motor is running, the driving wheel 3 is first rotated to the position where its bridge 33 contacts the rod 411 of the driven wheel 4, and then the power is transmitted to the driven wheel 4, and then to the drive shaft 2.

[0045] In the second embodiment of the actuator 5, the electric operating mechanism further includes a limiting device for holding the driven wheel 4 in an engaged or disengaged position, such as... Figures 10a to 10cAs shown, the limiting device includes: a protrusion 511, which is fixed to the annular end face 510 of the knob, protruding radially outward relative to the periphery of the connecting portion 52; a first groove 131 and a second groove 132, which are provided on the periphery of the mounting hole 130 of the housing 1; when the driven wheel 4 is moved to the engagement position by rotating the knob, the protrusion 511 is embedded in the first groove 131; when the driven wheel 4 is moved to the disengagement position by rotating the knob, the protrusion 511 is embedded in the second groove 132; and a receiving portion 522 is provided on the periphery of the connecting portion 52. When the protrusion 511 is rotated to the middle position between the first groove 131 and the second groove 132, the protrusion 511 is elastically deformed due to being radially pressed inward by the periphery of the mounting hole 130 and retracts into the receiving portion 522 of the connecting portion 52.

[0046] The elastic deformation of the protrusion 511 and the receiving portion 522 allow the knob to smoothly pass through the middle area, avoiding interference. When the protrusion 511 is rotated to align with the first groove 131 or the second groove 132, it elastically resets itself and embeds into the corresponding groove, achieving limiting or positioning.

[0047] Although the present disclosure has depicted and described combinations of the first embodiment of the driving wheel 3 and the driven wheel 4 and the first embodiment of the actuator 5, as well as combinations of the second embodiment of the driving wheel 3 and the driven wheel 4 and the second embodiment of the actuator 5, it is self-evident that the first embodiment of the driving wheel 3 and the driven wheel 4 may also be combined with the second embodiment of the actuator 5, and the second embodiment of the driving wheel 3 and the driven wheel 4 may also be combined with the first embodiment of the actuator 5.

[0048] The exemplary embodiments of the electric operating mechanism proposed in this disclosure have been described in detail above with reference to preferred embodiments. However, those skilled in the art will understand that various modifications and alterations can be made to the above specific embodiments without departing from the spirit of this disclosure. Furthermore, various combinations of the technical features and structures proposed in various aspects of this disclosure are possible without exceeding the protection scope of this disclosure, which is determined by the appended claims.

Claims

1. An electrically operated mechanism for driving a circuit breaker handle, characterized in that, include: Shell (1); Electric motor; A drive shaft (2) is rotatably connected to the housing (1) and driven to the circuit breaker handle; The drive wheel (3) is connected to the electric motor for transmission. The driven wheel (4) rotates synchronously with the drive shaft (2) and can move between an engaged position and a disengaged position along the axial direction of the drive shaft. In the engaged position, the driven wheel (4) engages with the drive wheel (3), and in the disengaged position, the driven wheel (4) disengages from the drive wheel (3). Among them, the driving wheel (3) and the driven wheel (4) are arranged coaxially with respect to the drive shaft (2). The electric operating mechanism is configured to switch between automatic and manual modes. In automatic mode, the driven wheel (4) is moved to the engaged position, so that the motor can drive the drive shaft (2) to rotate via the driving wheel (3) and the driven wheel (4), thereby driving the circuit breaker handle. In manual mode, the driven wheel (4) is moved to the disengaged position, allowing the circuit breaker handle to be driven manually.

2. The electric operating mechanism according to claim 1, characterized in that, The driven wheel (4) has a central mounting hole (40), and the drive shaft (2) has a shaft section (20) that matches the shape of the mounting hole (40). The driven wheel (4) is axially movable and non-rotatably mounted on the shaft section (20) through the mounting hole (40).

3. The electric operating mechanism according to claim 1, characterized in that, It also includes an actuator (5), which has an actuation part (51), a drive part (53) and a connecting part (52) located between the actuation part (51) and the drive part (53); The driven wheel (4) has an engagement section (41), a limiting section (43), and a connecting section (42) located between the engagement section and the limiting section along the axial direction. The diameter of the connecting section (42) is smaller than the diameter of the engagement section (41) and the limiting section (43) to form an annular groove. The driving part (53) is fitted into the annular groove so that when the actuating part (51) is operated, the driven wheel (4) can be driven to move axially through the driving part (53).

4. The electric operating mechanism according to claim 3, characterized in that, The drive wheel (3) and driven wheel engagement section (41) each have an annular body (60) and multiple teeth (61) formed on one end face of the body (60), the multiple teeth (61) being evenly distributed circumferentially. Each tooth (61) has two circumferentially opposite side surfaces (611) that extend perpendicular to the end face of the body. A tooth groove (62) is formed between the opposite sides (611) of two adjacent teeth (61), and the circumferential width of the tooth groove (62) is equal to the circumferential width of the tooth (61). The toothed ends (61) of the driving wheel (3) and the driven wheel (4) face each other. The two sides (611) of the tooth (61) are inclined towards each other at the free end to form two first guide slopes (612), which are connected by a curved tooth tip surface (613). When the driven wheel (4) engages with the driving wheel (3), the teeth (61) of the driven wheel (4) engage in the tooth grooves (62) of the driving wheel (3) and the teeth (61) of the driving wheel (3) engage in the tooth grooves (62) of the driven wheel (4).

5. The electric operating mechanism according to claim 4, characterized in that, The driving wheel (3) and the driven wheel (4) have six teeth (61) and six tooth grooves (62) respectively, and the two first guide slopes (612) of each tooth (61) are inclined at 45° relative to the corresponding side (611).

6. The electric operating mechanism according to claim 3, characterized in that, The drive wheel (3) includes an inner ring (31) and an outer ring (32) spaced apart from each other, and two bridge portions (33) connecting the inner ring (31) and the outer ring (32) and radially opposite each other, thereby forming two circumferential grooves (34); The engaging section (41) of the driven wheel (4) has an annular body (60) and two rods (411) extending axially from one end face of the body (60), the two rods (411) being radially opposite each other, and the rods (411) having rounded free ends; At the engagement position, the two rods (411) are respectively inserted into the corresponding circumferential grooves (34), so that when the driving wheel (3) rotates, its bridge (33) can push the rod (411) of the driven wheel (4), thereby driving the driven wheel (4) to rotate together. The bridge section (33) has a wedge-shaped portion on the side facing the driven wheel (4), which has two opposing second guide ramps (331) for guiding when the rod section (411) is axially inserted into the corresponding circumferential groove (34).

7. The electric operating mechanism according to claim 3, characterized in that, The actuator (5) is a lever, with its two ends forming an actuation part (51) and a drive part (53) respectively; the housing (1) has a first bracket (11), and the lever is hinged to the first bracket (11) by a pin (520). The pin (520) is mounted on the connecting part (52) and is closer to the drive part (53) than the actuation part (51).

8. The electric operating mechanism according to claim 7, characterized in that, It also includes a limiting device for holding the driven wheel (4) in the engaged or disengaged position, the limiting device comprising: A baffle (71) is movably mounted on the housing (1) along the axial direction of the drive shaft. The baffle (71) has a central hole (710) through which the lever passes. In the assembled state, the baffle (71) is located between the actuating part (51) of the lever and the pin (520). When the lever is actuated, it can drive the baffle (71) to move together. The baffle (71) also has a first protrusion (711) and a second protrusion (712) located on the side of the baffle (71) facing the housing (1) and distributed on both sides of the central hole (710). An elongated hole (100) extending in the direction of movement of the baffle is provided in the housing (1), which ensures that the travel of the lever is not obstructed; The first baffle (101) and the second baffle (102) are provided on the same side of the housing (1) as the baffle (71) and located at both ends of the elongated hole (100). The extension direction of the two baffles is perpendicular to the moving direction of the baffle (71). When the driven wheel (4) is moved to the engagement position by the lever, the first protrusion (711) reaches the position that passes the first stop rib (101). When the driven wheel (4) is moved to the disengagement position by the lever, the second protrusion (712) reaches the position that passes the second stop rib (102).

9. The electric operating mechanism according to claim 3, characterized in that, The drive unit (53) is a drive rod, and the actuation unit (51) is a cylindrical knob; The connecting part (52) is cylindrical and its diameter is smaller than that of the knob. The connecting part (52) is concentrically fixed on the knob, and the drive rod is eccentrically fixed on the side of the connecting part (52) opposite to the knob. The knob is supported on the outer surface of the panel (13) of the housing (1) of the electric operating mechanism by its annular end face (510) adjacent to the connecting part (52) and not covered by the connecting part (52); The panel (13) has a mounting hole (130) adapted to the connecting part (52), and the periphery of the connecting part (52) is provided with a buckle (521) for engaging with the inner surface of the panel (13) to prevent the actuator (5) from coming out of the housing (1) along the axial direction of the knob.

10. The electric operating mechanism according to claim 9, characterized in that, It also includes a limiting device for holding the driven wheel (4) in the engaged or disengaged position, the limiting device comprising: The protrusion (511) is fixed to the annular end face (510) of the knob, which protrudes radially outward relative to the periphery of the connecting part (52); The first groove (131) and the second groove (132) are provided on the periphery of the mounting hole (130) of the housing (1). When the driven wheel (4) is moved to the engaged position by rotating the knob, the protrusion (511) is inserted into the first groove (131). When the driven wheel (4) is moved to the disengaged position by rotating the knob, the protrusion (511) is inserted into the second groove (132). The periphery of the connecting part (52) is provided with a receiving part (522). When the protrusion (511) rotates to the middle position between the first groove (131) and the second groove (132), the protrusion (511) is elastically deformed due to being radially pressed inward by the periphery of the mounting hole (130) and retracts into the receiving part (522) of the connecting part (52).

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