Switchgear arrangement

Abstract

Switchgear arrangement (1) comprising: a switching device (2) with a housing (4), wherein at least one connection contact (6, 7) is arranged in the housing (4), and an additional module (3) which is mechanically detachably connected to the housing (4) of the switching device (2) and which has at least one plug contact (8, 9) for electrically connecting to the at least one connection contact (6, 7), wherein a switching bridge (10) is provided which is arranged so as to be adjustable between an open position and a closed position in the housing (4) of the switching device (2), wherein the switching bridge (10) in the closed position electrically connects the at least one connection contact (6, 7) to the at least one plug contact (8, 9) by means of a bridge contact (13, 14), characterized in that actuating means (15) are provided for adjusting the switching bridge (10), wherein the actuating means (15) are arranged on the additional module (3) so as to be adjustable between an "on" position and an "off" position.

Description

The invention relates to a switching device arrangement which comprises a switching device in a housing, wherein at least one connection contact is arranged in the housing, and an additional module which is mechanically detachably connected to the housing of the switching device and which has at least one plug contact for electrical connection to the at least one connection contact.For example, DE 10 2006 018 852 B3 discloses a manually operated circuit breaker for motor protection and / or line protection, which can be extended in modular fashion by plugging on replaceable additional modules. Modular assembly of the circuit breaker is only possible when the operating switch is in the OFF position, since a blocking device is provided which can be activated by the operating shaft of the switch. For this purpose, a comparatively complex mechanical construction is necessary, which not only increases the manufacturing effort but also the susceptibility to errors.Furthermore, such a switching device arrangement is known, for example, from EP 2 219 199 A1. This is a switching device in the form of a circuit breaker with an additional module in the form of a trip module. For electrically connecting the additional module to the switching device, a plurality of plug contacts are provided on the additional module, which plug contacts are brought into contact with complementary connection contacts, generally in the form of clamping contacts, by being pushed in. The attachment of the additional module or the removal thereof is effected manually. Depending on the number of plug contacts and connection contacts, high plugging-on or pulling-off forces occur in this case.The object of the present invention is to provide a switching device arrangement in which a high exertion of force for connecting or disconnecting the additional module to the switching device is avoided.The object is achieved according to the invention by a switching device arrangement according to claim 1. Preferred embodiments are evident from the dependent claims.According to the invention, a switching bridge is provided which is arranged in the housing of the switching device such that it can be adjusted between an open position and a closed position. Via the jumper and with bridge contacts provided thereon, the connection contacts are connected to the plug contacts. Thus, no clamping contacts are provided which would represent a high frictional resistance during the plugging-on and contacting. The contact between the connection contacts and the plug contacts is established by adjusting the jumper and not already when the additional module is plugged onto the switching device. Thus, regardless of the number of terminal contacts and plug contacts, no increased frictional forces and insertion forces result which would have to be overcome.For adjusting the jumper, actuating means can be provided which are adjustably arranged on the additional module and are adjustable between an "on" position and an "off" position. In principle, it is also conceivable for the actuating means to be provided on the switching device.The switching device can have a plurality of connection contacts. The additional module can have a number of plug contacts corresponding to the number of connection contacts, wherein one bridge contact is provided for each connection contact. In the closed position of the bridge contact, a bridge contact connects a connection contact to a plug contact. In principle, other connections are also possible, in which, for example, different numbers of connection contacts and plug contacts are provided and / or, if appropriate, a plurality of plug contacts are connected to one and the same connection contact or vice versa.Preferably, the jumper comprises a frame made of an electrically insulating material, to which frame the bridge contacts are fastened in an electrically separated manner.The additional module can be plugged onto the switching device in a plug-on direction, wherein the switching bridge can be adjusted transversely to the plug-on direction. The bridge contacts can thus be pressed laterally, with respect to the plug-on direction, against the connection contacts and the plug contacts in order to produce an electrical contact. In principle, other directions of movement are also conceivable here, for example an adjustment of the bridge contacts in a direction opposite to the plug-on direction, in order to produce a contact if the connection contacts and plug contacts are shaped accordingly.In order to prevent the additional module from being released from the housing of the switching device in the closed position of the jumper, locking means can be provided which are effective between the jumper and the additional module when the jumper is in the closed position. This ensures that the additional module cannot be unintentionally removed from the switching device if an electrical contact has been established.The locking means can in this case comprise at least one locking recess on one of the components, namely the additional module or the jumper, wherein a locking protrusion is provided on the respective other component, namely the jumper or the additional module. Preferably, a locking projection is provided on each of the bridge contacts, which locking projection engages in a locking recess of the respective plug contact when the jumper is in the closed position. In the open position, the locking projections are located outside the respective locking recesses.For adjusting the jumper, the latter preferably has a switching projection with which the jumper can protrude, for example, from the housing of the switching device. The switching bridge can be adjusted by means of the actuating means between the closed position and the open position.The actuating means may comprise a lever which is pivotably fastened to the additional module between the "on" position and the "off" position. A slide which can be displaced would also be conceivable here. In the case that a lever is provided, it is operatively connected to the switching projection in order to adjust the switching bridge. To ensure this, the lever can have a fork section with a first fork arm and a second fork arm. When the lever is adjusted in the direction of the "on" position, the first fork arm is supported against the switching projection. When the lever is adjusted in the direction of the "off" position, the second fork arm bears against the switching projection, wherein the switching projection is located between the two fork arms and is thus pushed either in one direction or in the other.For manual actuation of the lever, the latter has an actuating section. The actuating section can preferably be covered by a cover on the additional module. In this case, it can be provided that the cover has a lock which is designed in such a way that the cover can be transferred into a position covering the actuating section only when the lever has previously been completely transferred into the "on" position or into the "off" position. Thus, via the cover, e.g. in the form of a flap, it is additionally recognizable whether the lever is in one of its end positions. The lock can also be configured such that when the cover is closed, in which the actuating portion is covered, the lever cannot be transferred from one position to the other position. This ensures that unintentional adjustment of the lever and thus unintentional opening or closing of the electrical connection between the connection contacts and the plug-in contacts is avoided.Preferred exemplary embodiments are explained in more detail below with reference to the drawings. Shown herein is FIG. 1 shows a perspective illustration of a switching device arrangement; FIG. 2 shows a perspective view of a cross section through the switching device arrangement according to FIG. 1 ; FIG. 3 shows the jumper and the connection contacts and the plug contacts of the switching device arrangement according to FIG. 1, without showing the housings; FIG. 4 shows a perspective illustration of a switching bridge of the switching device according to the preceding figures; FIG. 5 shows a side view of the switching device arrangement according to FIG. 1 without a housing with the jumper in an open position; FIG. 6 shows the switching device arrangement according to FIG. 5 with the switching bridge in a closed position, and FIG. 7 shows a perspective illustration of a cross section of an additional module of the switching device arrangement according to FIG. 1 with cover for covering the actuating section of the lever.FIG. 1 shows a perspective illustration of a switching device arrangement 1, which has a switching device 2 and an additional module 3 fastened thereto. The switching device 2 can be a circuit breaker, for example, wherein the additional module 3 can be a trip block. The switching device 2 comprises a housing 4, onto which a housing 5 of the additional module 3 is plugged in the plug-on direction A. On a side of the additional module 3 facing away from the switching device 2, an actuating section 16 of a lever can be seen, with which, as will be explained in more detail below, the additional module 3 can be electrically connected to the switching device 2. The actuating section 16 can also be covered with a cover, not shown here, in the form of a flap, as will be explained in more detail later.FIG. 2 shows the switching device arrangement 1 according to FIG. 1 in a cross section and likewise in a perspective illustration. Here, the lever 15 can be seen with the actuating section 16, which is fastened on the housing 5 of the additional module 3 such that it can pivot about a pivot axis S, wherein the lever 15 is accommodated in an accommodation chamber 22 of the housing 5. As already mentioned with reference to FIG. 1, the actuating section 16 of the lever 15 protrudes out of the receiving chamber 22 in a direction facing away from the switching device 2. In the direction of the switching device 2, the lever 15 projects with a fork section 17 out of the receiving chamber 22. The receiving chamber 22 is aligned with an actuating chamber 23 in the housing 4 of the switching device 2, wherein the fork section 17 dips into the actuating chamber 23 in the plugged-on state of the additional module 3. The fork section 17 comprises a first fork arm 18 and a second fork arm 19. The switching bridge projects with its switching projection 11 through a passage opening 12 into the actuating chamber 23. By actuating the lever 15 in the direction of an "off" position, the second fork arm 19 is supported against the switching projection 11 and adjusts the jumper in the adjustment direction V. For this purpose, the lever 15 is rotated counterclockwise in FIG. 2, so that the switching projection 11 and thus the jumper in FIG. 2 is moved to the right.FIG. 3 shows the internal structure of the switching device arrangement according to FIGS. 1 and 2, wherein the housings are not shown in FIG. 3. First connection contacts 6, 6', 6" and second connection contacts 7, 7', 7" are arranged in the housing 4 (not shown) of the switching device 2. The first connection contacts 6, 6', 6" are arranged side by side forming a row. Likewise, the second connection contacts 7, 7', 7" are arranged next to one another and form a row. The two rows of contacts are arranged opposite each other. First plug-in contacts 8, 8', 8" and second plug-in contacts 9, 9', 9", which are arranged in the housing (not shown) of the additional module and which, in the plugged-on state of the additional module 3, project into the housing of the switching device 2, project between the two rows. In the plugged-on state, a first connection contact 6 is arranged adjacent to one of the first plug-in contacts 8 and a second connection contact 7 is arranged adjacent to one of the second plug-in contacts 9, wherein none of the contacts touches one another, so that initially no electrical connection is provided.In the housing of the switching device 4, a switching bridge 10 is arranged so as to be displaceable along the displacement direction V. The jumper 10 is depicted in FIG. 4 in a perspective illustration. The jumper 10 has a frame 24 made of electrically insulating material. A total of 6 bridge contacts, namely three first bridge contacts 13, 13', 13" and three second bridge contacts 14, 14', 14", are fastened to the frame 24 in an electrically insulated manner from one another. The bridge contacts 13, 13', 13", 14, 14', 14" are electrically conductive, as are the connection contacts 6, 6', 6", 7, 7', 7" and the plug-in contacts 8, 8', 8", 9, 9', 9".In FIG. 3, the jumper 10 is in its closed position. In this position, the first bridge contacts 13, 13', 13" are each in contact with one of the first connection contacts 6, 6', 6" and in contact with one of the first plug-in contacts 8, 8', 8". Likewise, the second bridge contacts 14, 14', 14" are each in contact with one of the second connection contacts 7, 7', 7" and with one of the second plug-in contacts 9, 9', 9". Thus, an electrical contact is established between one of the first connection contacts 6, 6', 6" and one of the first plug-in contacts 8, 8', 8" and between a second connection contact 7, 7', 7" and a second plug-in contact 9, 9', 9". This position of the jumper 10 is also shown in FIG. 6, which shows a side view of the arrangement according to FIG. 3, wherein the connection contacts 6, 6', 6", 7, 7', 7" are not shown here for the sake of clarity.Each bridge contact 13, 13', 13", 14, 14', 14" comprises a locking projection 20 which, in the closed position of the jumper 10, engages in a locking recess 21 of the plug-in contacts 8, 8', 8", 9, 9', 9". The locking projections 20 each project in the direction of the adjustment direction V from the respective bridge contact 13, 13', 13", 14, 14', 14". Since the adjustment direction is arranged perpendicular to the plug-on direction A, removal of the additional module 3 from the switching device 2 is thus prevented, since the locking projections 20 are supported in the locking recesses 21. Thus, the jumper 10 simultaneously serves as a fuse to prevent unintentional detachment of the additional module 3 from the switching device 2 when there is contact between the connection contacts 6, 6', 6", 7, 7', 7" and the plug-in contacts 8, 8', 8", 9, 9', 9".In the open position of the jumper 10 shown in FIG. 5, it can be seen that the locking projections 20 are located outside the locking recesses 21, so that the additional module 3 can be removed from the switching device 2 counter to the plug-on direction A.FIG. 7 shows the additional module 3 in a representation like FIG. 2, and FIG. 7 shows a cover 25 which is fastened to the housing 5 of the additional module 3 so as to be pivotable about an axis of rotation D. The axis of rotation D runs transversely to the pivot axis S of the lever 15 and crosses the latter at an angle of 90° at a distance. The cover 25 covers the operating portion 16 of the lever 15. Directed inwards, the cover 25 has a lock 26 in the form of a rib which projects into the pivot region of the actuating section 16. In the setting of the lever 15 shown in FIG. 7, the latter is located at a first end of a recess 27 in the housing 5 of the additional module and is almost completely accommodated therein. In the "off" position of the lever 15, the actuating portion 16 would be located at a second end of the recess 27 and would likewise be accommodated approximately completely in the recess 27. In intermediate positions, the actuating section 16 projects further out of the recess 27 due to the pivoting movement of the lever 15. In order to be able to actuate the lever 15, the cover 25 must first be opened by pivoting it about the axis of rotation D in such a way that the cover 25 stands vertically upward. Then, if the lever 15 is not moved to either one of the end positions, i.e., not to the "on" position or to the "off" position, but is moved to a position therebetween, upon attempting to close the cover 25, the stopper 26 would abut against the operating portion 16 of the lever 15, so that the cover 25 could not be closed. This ensures that, in principle, the lever 15 is completely transferred into one of the end positions.List of reference characters1 Switching device arrangement 2 Switching device 3 Additional module 4 Housing of the switching device 5 Housing of the additional module 6 First connection contact 7 Second connection contact 8 First plug-in contact 9 Second plug-in contact 10 Jumper 11 Switching projection 12 Passage opening 13 First bridge contact 14 Second bridge contact 15 Lever 16 Actuating section 17 Fork section 18 First fork arm 19 Second fork arm 20 Locking projection 21 Locking recess 22 Receiving chamber 23 Actuating chamber 24 Frame 25 Cover 26 Lock 27 Recess A Plug-on direction D Axis of rotation S Pivot axis V Direction of adjustment

Claims

Switching device arrangement (1) comprising: a switching device (2) having a housing (4), wherein at least one connection contact (6, 7) is arranged in the housing (4), and an additional module (3) which is mechanically detachably connected to the housing (4) of the switching device (2) and which has at least one plug contact (8, 9) for electrical connection to the at least one connection contact (6, 7), wherein a jumper (10) is provided which is arranged in the housing (4) of the switching device (2) so as to be adjustable between an open position and a closed position, wherein the jumper (10), in the closed position, electrically connects the at least one connection contact (6, 7) to the at least one plug contact (8, 9) by means of a bridge contact (13, 14), characterized in that actuating means (15) are provided for adjusting the jumper (10), wherein the actuating means (15) are arranged on the additional module (3) so as to be adjustable between an "on" position and an "off" position.Switching device arrangement (1) according to Claim 1, characterized in that the switching device (2) has a plurality of connection contacts (6, 7), in that the additional module (3) has a number of plug contacts (8, 9) corresponding to the number of connection contacts (6, 7) and in that the jumper (10) has a bridge contact (13, 14) for each connection contact (6, 7), wherein the bridge contacts (13, 14) electrically connect in each case one of the connection contacts (6, 7) to one of the plug contacts (8, 9) in the closed position of the jumper (10).Switching device arrangement (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the switching bridge (10) has a frame (24) made of an electrically insulating material, to which frame the bridge contacts (13, 14) are fastened in an electrically separated manner.Switching device arrangement (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the additional module (3) can be plugged onto the switching device (2) in a plug-on direction (E) and in that the jumper (10) can be adjusted transversely with respect to the plug-on direction (E).Switching device arrangement (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that, in the closed position, locking means (20, 21) are effective between the jumper (10) and the additional module, which locking means prevent the additional module (3) from being released from the housing (4) of the switching device (2).Switching device arrangement (1) according to Claim 5, characterized in that the locking means comprise at least one locking recess (21) on one of the components from the group comprising the additional module (3) and the jumper (10) and at least one locking projection (20) on the other component from the group comprising the additional module (3) and the jumper (10).Switching device arrangement (1) according to Claim 6, characterized in that the bridge contacts (13, 14) each have a locking projection (20), and the plug contacts (8, 9) each have a locking recess (21).Switching device arrangement (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the jumper (10) has a switching projection (11), by means of which the jumper (10) can be adjusted between the closed position and the open position by means of the actuating means (15).Switching device arrangement (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the actuating means comprise a lever (15) which is pivotably fastened to the additional module (3) between the "on" position and the "off" position.Switching device arrangement (1) according to Claim 9, characterized in that the lever (15) is operatively connected to the switching projection (11) for adjusting the jumper (10).Switching device arrangement (1) according to Claim 10, characterized in that the lever (15) has a fork section (17) with a first fork arm (18) and a second fork arm (19), wherein the first fork arm (18) is supported against the switching projection (11) when the lever (15) is adjusted in the direction of the "on" position and the second fork arm (19) is supported against the switching projection (11) when the lever (15) is adjusted in the direction of the "off" position.Switching device arrangement (1) according to one of Claims 9 to 11, characterized in that the lever (15) has an actuating section (16) for manual actuation, which actuating section can be covered by a cover (25) on the additional module (3), the cover (25) having a lock (26), it being possible for the cover (25) to be transferred into a position covering the actuating section (16) only when the lever (15) is completely in the "on" position or in the "off" position.

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