INSULATING ENCLOSURE AND COMPACT CIRCUIT BREAKER

Description

[0001] The invention relates to an insulating housing for a compact miniature circuit breaker. The insulating housing has a front, a mounting side, and narrow and wide sides connecting the front and mounting sides. It is divided into a first and a second current path area, which are arranged side by side in the width direction within the insulating housing and are each configured to accommodate a current path. Each of the two current path areas has a first receiving space, which is designed and configured to accommodate a short-circuit tripping device of the miniature circuit breaker, a second receiving space, which is designed and configured to accommodate a switching contact of the miniature circuit breaker, and a third receiving space, which is designed and configured to accommodate an arc-quenching device of the miniature circuit breaker.Furthermore, the invention relates to a compact circuit breaker with such an insulating housing, wherein in the first current path area a first current path, which can be interrupted by a first switching contact arranged in the second receiving space of the first current path area, and in the second current path area a second current path, which can be interrupted by a second switching contact arranged in the second receiving space of the second current path area, are arranged.

[0002] Electromechanical protective devices – such as circuit breakers, miniature circuit breakers, residual current devices, and arc fault circuit interrupters (AFCIs) – are used to monitor and protect electrical circuits and are primarily employed as switching and safety elements in electrical power supply and distribution networks. To monitor and protect the electrical circuit, the protective device is electrically connected to a conductor of the circuit being monitored via two or more terminals, in order to interrupt the electrical current in the monitored conductor when necessary. For this purpose, the protective device has at least one switching contact that can be opened when a predefined condition occurs – for example, when a short circuit or fault current is detected – in order to disconnect the monitored circuit from the electrical network.Such protective switching devices are also known as DIN rail mounting devices in the field of low-voltage technology.

[0003] Circuit breakers are specifically designed for high currents. A miniature circuit breaker (MCB), also known as a miniature circuit breaker, is an overcurrent protection device used in electrical installations, particularly in low-voltage networks. Circuit breakers and miniature circuit breakers guarantee safe disconnection in the event of a short circuit and protect consumers and equipment from overload, such as damage to electrical wiring caused by excessive heat due to high current. They are designed to automatically disconnect a monitored circuit in the event of a short circuit or overload, thus isolating it from the rest of the electrical network.Circuit breakers and miniature circuit breakers are therefore used in particular as switching and safety elements for monitoring and protecting an electrical circuit in electrical power supply networks. Miniature circuit breakers are known in principle from the publications DE 10 2015 217 704 A1, EP 2 980 822 A1, DE 10 2015 213 375 A1, DE 10 2013 211 539 A1 or EP 2 685 482 B1.

[0004] To interrupt a single phase conductor, a single-pole circuit breaker is typically used, which usually has a width of one module (approx. 18 mm). For three-phase connections, three-pole circuit breakers are used (as an alternative to three single-pole devices), which accordingly have a width of three modules (approx. 54 mm). Each of the three phase conductors is assigned a pole, i.e., a switching point. If, in addition to the three phase conductors, the neutral conductor also needs to be interrupted, four-pole devices are used, which have four switching points: three for the three phase conductors and one for the common neutral conductor. Compact circuit breakers also exist, which, with a housing width of only one module, have two switching contacts, each for one connecting conductor.Provide either for two phase conductors (compact circuit breaker type 1+1) or for one phase conductor and the neutral conductor (compact circuit breaker type 1+N).

[0005] A residual current device (RCD) is a protective device that ensures protection against dangerous residual currents in an electrical installation. Such a residual current – ​​also known as a differential current – ​​occurs when a live part of a conductor makes electrical contact with earth. This happens, for example, when a person touches a live part of an electrical installation: in this case, the current flows as a residual current through the person's body to earth. To protect against such body currents, the residual current device must quickly and reliably disconnect the electrical installation from the power supply on all poles when such a residual current occurs.In common usage, the terms FI-Schutzschalter (abbreviated FI-Schalter), Differenzstromschutzschalter (abbreviated DI-Schalter) or RCD (for "Residual Current Protective Device") are used interchangeably instead of the term "Errorstromschutzschalter".

[0006] Arc fault circuit interrupters (AFCIs) are used to detect arc faults, such as those that can occur at a fault in an electrical conductor – for example, a loose cable clamp or due to a cable break. If the arc fault occurs in series with an electrical load, the normal operating current is usually not exceeded, as it is limited by the load. For this reason, the arc fault is not detected by a conventional overcurrent protection device, such as a fuse or circuit breaker. To determine whether an arc fault is present, the AFCI measures both the voltage and current waveforms over time and analyzes and evaluates them for the characteristic patterns of an arc fault.In (English-language) technical literature, such protective devices for detecting arc faults are referred to as "Arc Fault Detection Devices" (abbreviated: AFDD). In North America, the term "Arc Fault Circuit Interrupter" (abbreviated: AFCI) is common.

[0007] In addition, there are combined device designs that combine the functionality of a residual current circuit breaker (RCCB) with that of a miniature circuit breaker (MCB). These combined protective devices are known as FI / LS (residual current / miniature circuit breaker with overcurrent protection) in German and RCBO (residual current operated circuit breaker with overcurrent protection) in English. Compared to separate RCCBs and MCBs, these combined devices have the advantage that each circuit has its own RCCB. Normally, a single RCCB is used for multiple circuits. If a fault current occurs, all protected circuits are subsequently disconnected. With RCBOs, only the affected circuit is disconnected.

[0008] There is a growing trend towards integrating more and more functionalities into devices, meaning that combined protective switching devices are being developed that cover the functionality of several individual devices: in addition to the RCBOs already described above, which combine the functionality of a conventional residual current device (RCD) with that of a miniature circuit breaker (MCB), there are other designs in which, for example, the functionality of an arc fault circuit interrupter (AFCI) is integrated into existing devices such as MCBs, RCDs or RCBOs / RCBOs.

[0009] From documents US 2007 / 0268097 A1, US 2007 / 0268098 A1 and EP 1 473 750 A1, an insulating housing for a compact circuit breaker with a first and second current path area according to the preamble of independent claim 1 is known.

[0010] Furthermore, from publication WO 2020 / 007659 A1, an electromechanical low-voltage protective switching device with an insulating housing is known, in which a short-circuit release device and an arc extinguishing chamber are arranged in the area of ​​one narrow side, while in the area of ​​the other narrow side a flat assembly with at least two contact points is arranged, which can be contacted through openings formed in the insulating housing in order to enable an update of software stored locally in the protective switching device without having to open the insulating housing.

[0011] Especially with compact miniature circuit breakers – for example, with two protected poles in one module or with four protected poles in two modules – the available design volume is severely limited by the maximum possible external dimensions stipulated by standards, the components and tripping mechanisms required for the individual device functions, and the required or resulting minimum wall thicknesses and cross-sections of the individual parts and functional assemblies. Therefore, no additional design volume is usually available for any further functional enhancements of the protective switching device.

[0012] It is therefore the object of the present invention to provide an insulating housing for a compact circuit breaker and a compact circuit breaker with a corresponding insulating housing, which are characterized by an alternative arrangement of the individual components, so that an additional functional assembly can be arranged in the insulating housing.

[0013] This problem is solved according to the invention by the insulating housing for a compact circuit breaker and the compact circuit breaker with a corresponding insulating housing according to the independent claims. Advantageous embodiments of the insulating housing and the compact circuit breaker according to the invention are the subject of the dependent claims.

[0014] The insulating housing according to the invention for a compact miniature circuit breaker has a front side, a mounting side, and narrow and wide sides connecting the front side and the mounting side. The insulating housing contains a first and a second current path area, which are arranged side by side in the width direction and are each designed to accommodate a current path. Each of the two current path areas has a first receiving space designed and configured to accommodate a short-circuit tripping device of the miniature circuit breaker, a second receiving space designed and configured to accommodate a switching contact of the miniature circuit breaker, and a third receiving space designed and configured to accommodate an arc-quenching device of the miniature circuit breaker.The first two mounting spaces are located on the front side and on one of the narrow sides of the insulating housing, respectively, so that the second two mounting spaces are positioned centrally within the insulating housing between the first two. The third mounting spaces are located between the mounting side and the corresponding first mounting space of the respective current path area. A fourth mounting space, designed and configured to accommodate an additional functional component of the circuit breaker, is located perpendicular to the broad sides, adjacent to the first and / or third mounting space of the first current path area.

[0015] The term "compact circuit breaker" refers to a circuit breaker that has two protected poles per module width, for example, two protected poles in one module width, but also four protected poles in a width of two modules, etc. This also includes circuit breakers with three protected poles in a housing width of 1.5 modules. One module width corresponds to a housing width of approximately 18 mm.

[0016] The first and second current path sections are arranged side by side, each running from one of the two narrow sides to the other. The two current path sections are separated, at least in sections, by a partition wall that also extends from one of the narrow sides to the other, thus running parallel to the two broad sides, at least in sections. However, the partition wall does not run centrally between the two broad sides, but is offset in sections (towards one of the broad sides) to provide sufficient space for the circuit breaker components to be installed in the respective compartments.

[0017] The spatial arrangement of the first two mounting spaces is chosen such that the first mounting space for the first current path area is located on one narrow side, while the first mounting space for the second current path area is located on the other narrow side. This allows the two second mounting spaces to be positioned centrally within the insulating housing between the two first mounting spaces. This opposing arrangement of the two first mounting spaces, each accommodating a short-circuit release device, and the second mounting spaces arranged between them, each accommodating a switching contact, contributes significantly to an extremely compact arrangement of the individual components within the insulating housing of the compact miniature circuit breaker.

[0018] The third receiving spaces assigned to the respective current path are arranged below the first receiving space assigned to the respective current path in the area of ​​the mounting side in the insulating housing, i.e. the third receiving space of the first current path area is arranged in a normal direction of the front side behind the first receiving space of this first current path area, the third receiving space of the second current path area is arranged in this same normal direction behind the first receiving space of the second current path area.

[0019] The arrangement of the fourth receiving space in a normal direction of the broad sides next to the first and / or third receiving space of the first current path area is made possible by the fact that the components to be arranged in the first and / or third receiving space, i.e. the respective short-circuit release device and / or the respective arc extinguishing device, are designed to be narrower in the width direction and therefore do not occupy the entire inner width of the insulating housing.

[0020] The compact design of these components, along with the precisely adapted insulating housing, allows for the provision of a fourth mounting space, which is designed and configured to accommodate an additional functional module of the circuit breaker. This enables the customer's desire for the progressive integration of more and more functions into a single device to be met, even with these compact circuit breakers.

[0021] In an advantageous further development of the insulating housing, a further fourth receiving space, which is provided and designed to receive a further additional functional assembly of the circuit breaker, is arranged in a normal direction of the broad sides next to the first and / or third receiving space of the second current path area.

[0022] The addition of a fourth mounting space allows for the integration of an extra function into the circuit breaker. This function must be implemented identically for both current paths and therefore requires additional space in both the first and second current path sections. Furthermore, the fourth mounting space and the second fourth mounting space allow for the installation of two different additional functional modules, such as sensors or integrated circuits.

[0023] In a further advantageous development, the insulating housing is characterized by the fact that at least one of the fourth receiving spaces extends at least partially from the area next to the first receiving space to an adjacent area next to the third receiving space.

[0024] If both the first mounting space for a short-circuit release device and the third mounting space assigned to the same current path area for an arc quenching device can be designed to be narrower than the maximum possible internal width of the insulating housing, then—since the first and fourth mounting spaces of each current path area are arranged next to each other—it is possible to enlarge the fourth and / or subsequent fourth mounting spaces accordingly, extending downwards towards the mounting side into the area adjacent to the third mounting space. In this way, a larger additional functional assembly—for example, a flat assembly—can also be arranged in the fourth mounting space.

[0025] In a further advantageous embodiment of the insulating housing, the fourth receiving space assigned to the respective current path area is arranged next to the first receiving space of the same current path area.

[0026] Furthermore, in a further advantageous embodiment of the insulating housing, the fourth receiving space assigned to the respective current path area is arranged next to the first receiving space of the other current path area.

[0027] The two aforementioned improvements relate to two alternative embodiments: In the first case, the fourth receiving space, which is arranged next to the first and / or third receiving space of the first current path area, is also assigned to this first current path area. This is particularly advantageous if the additional functional assembly to be arranged in the fourth receiving space is to be assigned to the first short-circuit release device to be arranged in the first receiving space of the first current path area and / or to the first arc extinguishing device to be arranged in the third receiving space of the first current path area. The same applies to the further fourth receiving space, which is then arranged next to and assigned to the first and / or third receiving space of the second current path area.

[0028] In the second case, the fourth recording space, which is located next to the first and / or third recording space of the first current path area, is assigned to the other, i.e., the second, current path area. Similarly, the further fourth recording space, which is then located next to the first and / or third recording space of the second current path area, is assigned to the first current path area.

[0029] The compact circuit breaker according to the invention has an insulating housing of the type described above. A first current path located in the first current path region can be interrupted by a first switching contact located in the second receiving space of the first current path region. A second current path located in the second current path region can be interrupted by a second switching contact located in the second receiving space of the second current path region.Furthermore, the compact circuit breaker according to the invention has a first short-circuit release device which is arranged in the first receiving space of the first current path area, a second short-circuit release device which is arranged in the first receiving space of the second current path area, a first arc extinguishing device which is arranged in the third receiving space of the first current path area, a second arc extinguishing device which is arranged in the third receiving space of the second current path area, and an additional functional assembly which is arranged in the fourth receiving space.

[0030] The compact circuit breaker according to the invention is based, with regard to its topographical structure, on the insulating housing described above. Therefore, with regard to the fundamental advantages of the compact circuit breaker according to the invention, reference is made to the preceding explanations concerning the advantages of the insulating housing according to the invention.

[0031] In an advantageous further development of the compact circuit breaker, the first switching contact and the second switching contact are arranged oppositely and can therefore be operated in opposite directions.

[0032] The opposing arrangement of the switching contacts enables a particularly compact arrangement of the switching contacts between the first and the second short-circuit release device - and thus an extremely compact design of the compact circuit breaker.

[0033] In a further advantageous development of the compact circuit breaker, the additional functional module is assigned to the first and / or the second current path area.

[0034] In a further advantageous development of the compact circuit breaker, an additional functional assembly is arranged in the fourth receiving space.

[0035] By means of the additional functional module, which can be assigned to the first, the second, or both current path areas, the user's requirement for further integration of additional functionalities into the individual protective switching devices is met, even for compact miniature circuit breakers with two protected poles in one module. The same applies to the integration of the further additional functional module into the insulating housing of the compact miniature circuit breaker according to the invention.

[0036] Exemplary embodiments of the insulating housing and the compact circuit breaker according to the invention are explained in more detail below with reference to the accompanying figures. The figures show: Figure 1 shows a first embodiment of the insulating housing according to the invention in several views; Figure 2 shows a second embodiment of the insulating housing according to the invention; Figure 3 shows a third embodiment of the insulating housing according to the invention; Figure 4 shows a perspective sectional view of the compact circuit breaker according to the invention; Figures 5 and 6 show perspective side views of the compact circuit breaker according to the invention.

[0037] In the various figures of the drawing, identical parts are always marked with the same reference symbol. This description applies to all figures in the drawing in which the corresponding part is also recognizable.

[0038] In Figure 1is a first embodiment of the insulating housing 2 according to the invention for a compact circuit breaker 1 (see Figure 4 The diagram is shown schematically in several views. A "compact circuit breaker" is defined as a circuit protection device with two protected, electrically isolated poles or switching points in a common housing with a width of only one module (1 TE corresponds to approximately 18 mm). The two switching points can be switched together or independently.

[0039] The insulating housing 2 according to the invention has a front side 3, a mounting side 4 opposite the front side 3, and narrow sides 5 and wide sides 6 connecting the front side and the mounting sides 3 and 4. The front side 3 is stepped and therefore has a projecting central area and two recessed edge areas. Inside the projecting central area, a switching mechanism receiving chamber 7 is formed, which serves to receive and hold a manually operated switching mechanism of the compact circuit breaker 1.

[0040] The interior of the insulating housing 2 further comprises a first current path area 10 and a second current path area 20, which extend along a longitudinal direction L from one of the two narrow sides 5 to the opposite narrow side 5 and are arranged side by side in a lateral direction B. The first current path area 10 and the second current path area 20 are arranged essentially point-symmetrically to each other within the insulating housing 2. The first current path area 10 comprises a first receiving space 11, a second receiving space 12, and a third receiving space 13; similarly, the second current path area 20 comprises a first receiving space 21, a second receiving space 22, and a third receiving space 23. The first receiving spaces 11 and 21 each serve to receive and hold a short-circuit release device 40 (see Figure 4) of the circuit breaker 1. The second receiving spaces 12, 22 serve to receive and hold one switching contact of the circuit breaker 1 and – if necessary – one thermal release, which, in the event of a thermal overload, acts on the switching mechanism of the compact circuit breaker 1 and thus causes the circuit breaker 1 to trip, i.e., the opening of the switching contacts. The third receiving spaces 13, 23 serve to receive and hold one arc extinguishing device 50 (see Figure 4 ) of the compact circuit breaker 1.

[0041] Furthermore, the first current path area 10 has a first terminal compartment 18 for receiving and permanently fixing a first electrical terminal block, and a second terminal compartment 19 for receiving and permanently fixing a second electrical terminal block. Similarly, the second current path area 20 has a first terminal compartment 28 for receiving and permanently fixing another first electrical terminal block, and a second terminal compartment 29 for receiving and permanently fixing another second electrical terminal block. The electrical terminal blocks are arranged in the first and second terminal compartments 18, 19, 28, and 29 and are fixed in the insulating housing 2 (see Figure 5 u. 6) the compact circuit breaker 1 can be electrically connected to electrical input and output connection lines (not shown).

[0042] The first receiving space 11 of the first current path area 10 and the first receiving space 21 of the second current path area 20 are each formed in the area of ​​one of the two recessed edge areas of the front face 3 and in the area of ​​one of the two narrow sides 5 in the insulating housing 2. In other words, the two first receiving spaces 11, 21 are arranged one behind the other in the longitudinal direction L, with the first receiving space 11 of the first current path area 10 located in the area of ​​one narrow side 5 and the first receiving space 21 of the second current path area 20 located in the area of ​​the other narrow side 5. Between the first receiving spaces 11 and 21 and the respective narrow side 5, only two of the terminal receiving spaces 18, 19, 28, 29 are arranged.

[0043] The third receiving space 13 of the first current path area 10 and the third receiving space 23 of the second current path area 20 are arranged between the mounting side 4 and the first receiving space 11 or 21 assigned to the respective current path area 10 or 20. In other words, the third receiving space 13 of the first current path area 10 is arranged between the mounting side 4 and the first receiving space 11 of the first current path area 10, and the third receiving space 23 of the second current path area 20 is arranged between the mounting side 4 and the first receiving space 21 of the second current path area 20. When viewed orthogonally from the front face 3, the two third receiving spaces 13 and 23 are thus each arranged below the first receiving space 11 or 21 assigned to the same current path area 10 or 20.Since the first current path area 10 and the second current path area 20 are arranged essentially point-symmetrically to each other in the insulating housing 2, the switching contacts arranged in the respective second receiving space are arranged in opposite directions, i.e. their moving contacts can be actuated in opposite directions, for example by the respective short-circuit release device or a thermal release device also arranged in the associated second receiving space.

[0044] Due to this opposing arrangement of the moving contacts, the center planes of the two short-circuit release devices 40 are each positioned at a distance from the center plane of the compact circuit breaker 1. This eccentric, i.e., off-center, arrangement of the two short-circuit release devices 40 creates, in addition to the first receiving spaces 11 and 21 in the area of ​​each of the two broad sides 6, an additional installation space – the fourth receiving space 104 or the further fourth receiving space 204 – which can be hermetically separated from one or the other current path area or functionally open and assigned to the compact circuit breaker 1 as a whole.

[0045] The second receiving space 12 of the first current path area 10 and the second receiving space 22 of the second current path area 20 are arranged adjacent to each other between the two first receiving spaces 11 and 21, centrally located within the insulating housing 2. The two second receiving spaces 12 and 22 each occupy approximately half of the available installation space inside the insulating housing 2 in the width direction B, while the two first receiving spaces 11 and 21 and the two third receiving spaces 13 and 23 each occupy significantly more than half of the available internal width of the insulating housing 2.

[0046] In the lateral direction B, next to the first receiving space 11 and the third receiving space 13 of the first current path area 10, a fourth receiving space 104 is formed inside the insulating housing 2, which is intended to accommodate an additional functional assembly of the circuit breaker 1. The fourth receiving space 104 can be assigned to either the first current path area 10 or the second current path area 20. It is also possible that the fourth receiving space 104 is assigned to both current path areas 10 and 20, for example, because it houses an additional functional assembly that can be assigned to both current path areas 10 and 20.

[0047] Furthermore, in the lateral direction B, in addition to the second receiving space 21 and the third receiving space 23 of the second current path area 20, a further fourth receiving space 204 is formed inside the insulating housing 2, which is intended to accommodate a further additional functional assembly of the circuit breaker 1. This further fourth receiving space 204 can also be assigned to both the first current path area 10 and the second current path area 20. It is also possible that this further fourth receiving space 204 is assigned to both current path areas 10 and 20.

[0048] Figure 1Figure 1 shows the basic structure of the insulating housing 2 for arranging the individual components of a two-pole compact circuit breaker 1 with a housing width B of one module. This basic structure is, however, scalable to circuit breakers with multiple protected poles, for example, four protected poles in an insulating housing with a corresponding housing width of two modules.

[0049] In Figure 2 A second embodiment of the insulating housing 2 according to the invention is shown schematically – again in several views. In contrast to the one in Figure 1In the second embodiment, unlike the first embodiment, the fourth receiving space 104 and the further fourth receiving space 204 do not extend completely to the mounting side 4. Instead, a narrow connecting area 27 is arranged between the mounting side 4 and the fourth receiving space 104, which serves to receive and hold an electrically conductive connection between the second switching contact that can be arranged in the second receiving space 22 of the second current path area 20 and the electrical terminal that can be arranged in the second terminal receiving space 29 of the second current path area 20.Likewise, a further narrow connection area 17 is arranged between the mounting side 4 and the fourth receiving space 204. This connection area serves to receive and hold a further electrically conductive connection between the first switching contact, which can be arranged in the second receiving space 12 of the first current path area 20, and the second electrical terminal, which can be arranged in the second terminal receiving space 19 of the first current path area 10. The electrically conductive connections between the first and second switching contacts and the electrical terminal uniquely assigned to each switching contact can be designed differently, for example, as a rigid conductor, a stranded wire, a metal strip, or the like.

[0050] In Figure 3A third embodiment of the insulating housing 2 according to the invention is shown schematically – again in several views. In this embodiment, the fourth receiving chamber 104 is arranged only in the area adjacent to the first receiving chamber 11 of the first current path area 10. Likewise, the further fourth receiving chamber 204 is arranged only adjacent to the first receiving chamber 21 of the second current path area 20.This embodiment is useful, for example, if the additional functional assembly to be arranged in the fourth receiving space 104 is directly associated with the short-circuit release device to be arranged in the first receiving space 11 of the first current path area 10, and if the additional functional assembly to be arranged in the further fourth receiving space 204 is directly associated with the short-circuit release device to be arranged in the first receiving space 21 of the second current path area 20 - for example, in the form of a shielding plate in each case to reduce the magnetic field generated by the respective short-circuit release device.

[0051] From the in Figure 3The illustrated housing layout also offers the advantage that the third receiving spaces 13 and 23 can be made correspondingly larger, i.e. wider, so that the arc extinguishing devices to be arranged in the third receiving space 13 and in the further third receiving space 23 can also be made larger.

[0052] Figure 4 Figure 1 schematically shows a perspective sectional view of the compact circuit breaker 1 according to the invention, wherein the section plane runs parallel to the narrow sides 5 through the first receiving space 11 and the third receiving space 13 of the first current path area 10. The insulating housing 2 is designed in three parts and has a first housing cover 2-1 and a second housing cover 2-2, which are attached to a housing center part 2-3, for example by means of rivets and / or snap connections.

[0053] In the first receiving space 11, a short-circuit release device 40 of the compact circuit breaker 1 is arranged, i.e., received and held. The short-circuit release device 40 has a magnetic coil 41 and a armature plunger assembly 42 movable relative to it, which, when a short-circuit current occurs, is moved by the magnetic field generated by the magnetic coil 41 in the direction of the switching contact associated with the first current path area 10 in order to open the switching contact and thus interrupt the current flow.

[0054] Below the short-circuit tripping device 40, an arc extinguishing device 50 of the compact circuit breaker 1 is arranged, i.e., mounted and held, in the third receiving compartment 13. The arc extinguishing device 50 has a plurality of extinguishing plates arranged parallel to and spaced apart from one another. When the arc strikes the arc extinguishing device 50, it splits into several partial arcs, which are electrically connected in series between the individual extinguishing plates. Due to the resulting higher arc voltage and the cooling effect of the extinguishing plates, the arc is eventually extinguished.

[0055] In the lateral direction B, next to the first receiving chamber 11 with the short-circuit release device 40 arranged therein and the third receiving chamber 13 with the arc extinguishing device 50 arranged therein, is the fourth receiving chamber 104, in which the additional functional assembly of the circuit breaker 1 can be arranged. The lateral direction B corresponds to the normal direction of the broad sides 6.

[0056] The Figure 5 and 6The figures show perspective side views of the compact circuit breaker 1 according to the invention, with the housing cover 2-1 omitted to allow a view of the fourth receiving compartment 104. In the fourth receiving compartment 104, a cooling element 80 is shown and held as an example of a possible additional functional assembly to be arranged there. Furthermore, in this illustration, the terminal block 9 arranged in the terminal receiving compartment 29 can be seen between the cooling element 80 and the narrow side 5. In this illustration, the terminal block 9 is designed as a screw terminal; however, this is not essential to the invention, and therefore other suitable connection elements can also be used there.

[0057] With the aid of the fourth mounting space 104 and / or the further fourth mounting space 204, it is possible to expand the functionality of the compact circuit breaker by one or more functions. Particularly for compact protective switching devices with two fused poles in a width of one module or four fused poles in a width of two modules, the ability to implement additional functions represents a significant competitive advantage. The following options, for example, are possible as additional functional modules that can be accommodated and held in the fourth mounting space 104 and / or in the further fourth mounting space 204: Inserting one or more shielding plates against the escaping magnetic fields of the short-circuit release device arranged in the adjacent first receiving chamber 11 or 21, in order to influence or minimize the magnetic influence on adjacent protective switching devices; introducing ferromagnetic materials to influence the arc effect in the area of ​​the arc extinguishing device arranged in the adjacent third receiving chamber 13 or 23; introducing heat sinks 80 made of ferromagnetic or non-ferromagnetic, solid, liquid or gaseous materials to cool the short-circuit release device 40 arranged in the adjacent first receiving chamber 11 or 21 and / or the device in the adjacent third receiving chamber 13 or 23.23 arc extinguishing device 50 arranged; utilization of the installation volume provided by the fourth receiving chamber 104 and / or in the further fourth receiving chamber 204 to influence the gas exchange, in particular in the area of ​​the respective switching contact arranged in the respective second receiving chamber 12 or 22: this includes, for example, flow-optimized contours for the targeted guidance of the gas flow during arc interruption / extinguishing. Installation of electronic components that serve to digitize the compact circuit breaker 1, for example, by means of a communication module (wired or wireless), a measuring device, for example, for recording the type of tripping (thermal or magnetic), a counting function, a temperature monitoring system, a failure probability forecast, etc. Due to the structural proximity to the one in the adjacent first receiving chamber 11 or 22,Electronic actuators and / or sensors for condition monitoring and forwarding can advantageously be installed in the fourth receiving space 104 and / or the further fourth receiving space 204, in addition to the short-circuit release device arranged in the third receiving space 13 or 23, and the arc extinguishing device 50 arranged in the adjacent third receiving space 13 or 23. Instead of the connection area 17 or 27, the fourth receiving space 104 and / or the further fourth receiving space 204 can also be used as an alternative connection area between the output terminal 9 and the switching contact arranged in the second receiving space 21 or 22 – optionally via the thermal system also arranged in the second receiving space 21 or 22.Furthermore, the structural volume provided by the fourth receiving chamber 104 and / or the further fourth receiving chamber 204 can also be used as an additional exhaust duct to positively influence the gas exchange in the compact circuit breaker 1 – and here in particular in the area of ​​the arc extinguishing device 50. Reference symbol list

[0058] 1 Compact circuit breaker 2 Insulating housing 2-1 Housing cover 2-2 Housing cover 2-3 Housing center section 3 Front side 4 Mounting side 5 Narrow side 6 Wide side 7 Switching mechanism mounting compartment 9 Connection terminal 10 Current path area 11 First mounting compartment 12 Second mounting compartment 13 Third mounting compartment 17 Connection area 18 First terminal mounting compartment 19 Second terminal mounting compartment 20 Current path area 21 First mounting compartment 22 Second mounting compartment 23 Third mounting compartment 27 Connection area 28 First terminal mounting compartment 29 Second terminal mounting compartment 40 Short-circuit release device 41 Solenoid coil 42 Armature plunger assembly 50 Arc extinguishing device 80 Cooling element 104 Fourth mounting compartment 204 Further fourth mounting compartment B Width direction L Length direction

Claims

1. Insulating-material housing (2) for a compact circuit breaker (1), having a front side (3), a fastening side (4) which lies opposite the front side (3), as well as narrow and wide sides (5, 6) that connect the front side (3) to the fastening side (4), - having a first and a second current path region (10, 20) which in the insulating-material housing in the width direction (B) are disposed next to one another and are configured to receive in each case one current path, wherein each of the two current path regions has: o a first receptacle space (11, 21) which is provided and configured to receive a short-circuit tripping device (40) of the circuit breaker (1), o a second receptacle space (12, 22) which is provided and configured to receive a switching contact of the circuit breaker (1), o a third receptacle space (13, 23) which is provided and configured to receive an arc-quenching device (50) of the circuit breaker (1), - wherein the two first receptacle spaces (11, 21) are disposed in the region of the front side (3) as well as in the region of in each case one of the narrow sides (5) in the insulating-material housing (2), - wherein the two second receptacle spaces (12, 22) are disposed so as to be centric in the insulating-material housing (2), between the two first receptacle spaces (11, 21), - wherein the third receptacle spaces (13, 23) are in each case disposed between the fastening side (4) and the respectively assigned first receptacle space (11, 21) of the respective current path region, characterized in that a fourth receptacle space (104), which is provided and configured to receive an additional functional group of the circuit breaker (1), in a normal direction of the wide sides (6) is disposed next to the first and / or third receptacle space (11, 13) of the first current path region (10).

2. Insulating-material housing (2) according to Claim 1, wherein a further fourth receptacle space (204), which is provided and configured to receive a further additional functional group of the circuit breaker (1), in a normal direction of the wide sides (6) is disposed next to the first and / or third receptacle space (21, 23) of the second current path region (20).

3. Insulating-material housing (2) according to one of Claims 1 to 2, wherein at least one of the fourth receptacle spaces (104, 204) extends at least partially from the region next to the first receptacle space (11, 21) to an adjacent region next to the third receptacle space (13, 23).

4. Insulating-material housing (2) according to one of Claims 1 to 3, wherein the fourth receptacle space (104, 204) assigned to the respective current path region (10, 20) is disposed next to the first receptacle space (11, 21) of the same current path region (10, 20).

5. Insulating-material housing (2) according to one of Claims 1 to 3, wherein the fourth receptacle space (104, 204) assigned to the respective current path region (10, 20) is disposed next to the first receptacle space (21, 11) of the other current path region (20, 10).

6. Compact circuit breaker (1) - having an insulating-material housing (2) configured according to one of Claims 1 to 5, - having a first current path which is disposed in the first current path region (10) and is able to be interrupted by a first switching contact which is disposed in the second receptacle space (12) of the first current path region (10), as well as a second current path which is disposed in the second current path region (20) and is able to be interrupted by a second switching contact which is disposed in the second receptacle space (22) of the second current path region (20), - having a first short-circuit tripping apparatus (40) which is disposed in the first receptacle space (11) of the first current path region (10), as well as a second short-circuit tripping apparatus which is disposed in the first receptacle space (21) of the second current path region (20), - having a first arc-quenching device (50) which is disposed in the third receptacle space (13) of the first current path region (10), as well as a second arc-quenching device which is disposed in the third receptacle space (23) of the second current path region (20), - having an additional functional group (80) which is disposed in the fourth receptacle space (104).

7. Compact circuit breaker (1) according to Claim 6, wherein the first switching contact and the second switching contact are disposed in an opposing manner and thus are activatable in an opposing manner.

8. Compact circuit breaker (1) according to one of Claims 6 or 7, wherein the additional functional group (80) is assigned to the first or to the second current path region.

9. Compact circuit breaker (1) according to one of Claims 6 to 8, wherein a further additional functional group is disposed in the further fourth receptacle space (204).