Indicator light for electrical apparatus and associated switchgear

Abstract

The invention relates to an indicator light (100) for electrical equipment comprising a plate (110) whose front face (110A), elongated along a longitudinal axis (X), supports at least one light element (112) and a cover (140) covering said light element, this cover having a front face (140A) forming the front face of the indicator light. According to the invention, said light element is placed in the immediate vicinity of a lateral end edge of said plate, and the cover has above said light element a bulge (141) forming a projection on the front face of said cover and whose outer face (141A) is convex to direct the luminous flux emitted by said light element along a principal exit direction (X1) forming an angle (A) with said longitudinal axis of a value of less than 60 degrees.

Description

[0001] The present invention relates to an indicator light for electrical equipment which comprises a plate whose front face, elongated along a longitudinal axis, supports at least one luminous element, as well as a cover covering said luminous element, this cover having a front face forming the front face of the indicator light.

[0002] The invention also relates to a switching apparatus which comprises such an indicator light.

[0003] Document FR2998087, belonging to the applicants, already discloses a light indicator of the aforementioned type in which the light element is placed in the center of the plate. This light element emits a light beam in a main direction perpendicular to the plate and the light indicator directly illuminates the front face of a facade element of the electrical equipment with which said light indicator is associated, through small openings provided in this facade element. The lighting thus obtained using this light indicator is limited to specific areas of the facade element of said electrical equipment. Document US-A-2012 / 160642 already discloses a similar light indicator.

[0004] The aim of the present invention is to propose a light indicator capable of illuminating a large area of ​​a facade element of an electrical appliance.

[0005] More particularly, the present invention provides an indicator light according to claim 1.

[0006] Other characteristics of the indicator light according to the invention are described in claims 2 to 7.

[0007] The invention also relates to a switching apparatus according to claim 8.

[0008] Advantageous features of the switching apparatus according to the invention are set out in claims 9 to 13.

[0009] The description which follows with reference to the appended drawings, given as non-limiting examples, will make it clear what the invention consists of and how it can be implemented.

[0010] On the attached drawings: There figure 1 is a perspective view of an indicator light according to the invention, The figure 2 is an exploded view of the figure 1 , There figure 3 is a side view of the figure 1 , There figure 4 is a sectional view along plane BB of the figure 5 , There figure 5 is a top view of the figure 1 , There figure 6 is an exploded perspective view of an electrical assembly comprising a finishing plate, a switching device according to the invention and a device support, The figure 7 is a perspective view of part of the switching apparatus of the figure 6 , There figure 8 is a perspective view of the switchgear of the figure 6 , There figure 9 is a top view of the figure 8 , There figure 10 is a sectional view along plane CC of the figure 9 , There figure 11 is a side view of the control key of the switchgear of the figure 6 , and The figure 12 is a perspective view from below of the figure 11 .

[0011] In the following description, the terms front and rear will be defined with respect to the gaze of a user, the front of an element of the invention being turned towards the user while the rear of this element is turned away from the user.

[0012] It has been represented on the figures 1 à 5 a preferred embodiment of the indicator light 100 according to the invention.

[0013] This indicator 100 is intended to be mounted in a housing 10 of an electrical device 1, for example a switching device as shown in the figures 6 à 12 .

[0014] The indicator 100 has a body of elongated shape along a longitudinal axis X (see figures 2 And 4 ), more particularly of a substantially rectangular parallelepiped shape.

[0015] The body of this indicator 100 comprises an electronic card 150, a base 130 and a cover 140 (see figure 2 ).

[0016] The electronic card 150 comprises a plate 110, a printed electrical circuit 111 and at least one luminous element 112 connected to said printed circuit 111.

[0017] According to the embodiment shown, the electronic card 150 comprises two luminous elements 112.

[0018] The plate 110 is made of an insulating material, for example laminated epoxy.

[0019] This plate 110 has an elongated shape along the longitudinal axis X (see figures 2 And 4 ) of the body of the indicator. Here it has more particularly a rectangular shape delimited by two longitudinal edges 116B and two lateral end edges 116A (see figure 2 ).

[0020] The plate 110 of the electronic card 150 comprises a front face 110A (see figures 2 And 4 ) which supports the printed electrical circuit 111.

[0021] This printed circuit 111 is presented for example in the form of a thin layer of copper etched by a chemical process to obtain a set of tracks (not shown), terminated by pads.

[0022] The printed circuit board tracks can be covered with a layer of colored varnish which protects the tracks from oxidation and possible short circuits.

[0023] Furthermore, the tracks of this printed circuit 111 may possibly extend onto a rear face 110B of the plate 110 opposite said front face 110A of the plate 110.

[0024] The front face 110A of the plate 110 also supports each light element 112 which is connected to certain pads of the tracks of the printed circuit 111.

[0025] As shown more particularly by the figures 2 And 4, the electronic card 150 further comprises various electrical components 113A, 113B electrically connected to the tracks of this printed circuit, on the front face 110A of the plate 110. These other components here comprise two diodes 113A and four resistors 113B.

[0026] According to a remarkable characteristic of the indicator 100 according to the invention, at least one luminous element 112 is placed in the immediate vicinity of a lateral end edge 116A of said plate 110.

[0027] Here, the two light elements 112 of the indicator 100 are arranged at the two opposite ends of said plate 110, each in the immediate vicinity of a lateral end edge 116A of said plate 110 (see figure 2 ).

[0028] As shown in the figure 4 , the body of the indicator light 100 has a substantially symmetrical configuration along a plane of symmetry P perpendicular to the longitudinal axis X. Each light element 112 is arranged in the immediate vicinity of a lateral end edge of the plate 110 and, next to each light element 112, towards the center of this plate, there is provided in order, a diode 113A and two resistors 113B.

[0029] Each light element 112 is, for example, a light-emitting diode. Alternatively, it may be any other luminous electrical component.

[0030] The indicator 100 further comprises two connection pins 120 electrically connected to said printed circuit 111.

[0031] These two pins 120 protrude from the body of the indicator light 100. They each have a generally cylindrical shape and extend parallel to each other and in a direction Y perpendicular to the longitudinal axis X of the body of the indicator light 100 (see figures 1 , 3 et 4 ).

[0032] As shown more particularly by the figure 2 , advantageously, the connection pins 120 pass right through the plate 110 of the indicator 100 so that one of the ends 121 of each pin 120 is electrically connected with the printed circuit 111 arranged on this front face 110A of the plate 110.

[0033] For this purpose, the plate 110 comprises at least two through openings 114 (see figure 2 ) which accommodate said pins 120.

[0034] The end 121 of each pin 120 emerges above the front face 110A of the plate 110, or at least is flush with this front face 110A of the plate 110. The electrical contact between the tracks of the printed circuit 111 and each pin 120 is easily established, for example by soldering said end 121 of the pin, onto a track of the printed circuit 111.

[0035] As shown by the figures 1 à 4 , the base 130 of the body of the indicator light 100 is arranged at the rear of the plate 110 and comprises two sleeves 131 crossed by the two connection pins 120.

[0036] The base 130 has a shape similar to that of the plate 110. This base 130 here comprises a flat part 132 (see figures 2 And 4 ) rectangular. The front main face 132A of the base is applied against the rear face 110B of the plate 110 of the electronic card 150. The surface of this front main face 132A of the base 140 is identical to or slightly smaller than the surface of the rear face 110B of the plate 110.

[0037] The base 130 is electrically insulating. It is made of an insulating plastic material, for example by molding. It makes it possible to electrically insulate the plate 110 when the printed circuit 111 comprises conductive tracks extending on the rear face 110B of this plate 110.

[0038] The base 130 further comprises four sleeves 131 (see figure 2 ) each authorizing the passage of a connection pin 120.

[0039] Each sleeve 131 extends perpendicularly to the flat part 132 of the base 130, from a rear main face 132B around a through opening 133 (see figure 2 ) of the flat part 132 of the base 130.

[0040] Each sleeve 131 has a connected partially cylindrical wall ( figure 3 ) to the partially cylindrical wall of the neighboring sleeve in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal axis X of the body of the indicator 100. The sleeves 131 extend two by two in planes P1, P2 ( figure 3 ) parallel to this longitudinal axis X.

[0041] It is then possible to consider different relative positions of the connection pins 120.

[0042] These can thus be connected to different locations on the printed circuit 111, i.e. to different tracks on the printed circuit, and emerge from the base 130 through different pairs of sleeves 131.

[0043] Here, four through openings 114 are provided for this purpose in the plate 110, adapted to accommodate said pins. These four through openings 114 of the plate 110 are arranged opposite the four sleeves of the base 130.

[0044] It is then possible to envisage in particular that the pins 120 are aligned along one of the two parallel planes P1, P2 to the longitudinal axis X of the body of the indicator 100, defined by the sleeves, as shown in the figure 2 They can also be arranged in a plane extending diagonally between a sleeve extending in one of these two planes P1, P2 and the other plane P1, P2.

[0045] These different possible positions of the pins 120 in the indicator 100 make it possible to operate the corresponding indicator 100 in different ways. Here, the indicator 100 operates as a “luminous” indicator in the sense that it is always on, its luminous elements 112 permanently emitting a luminous flux to illuminate the front of a switching device. According to another positioning of the pins, the indicator could operate as a “control” indicator which would be lit only when the switching device with which it is associated is in the ON position.

[0046] Each sleeve 131 of the base 130 has an inner face 134 provided with a notch 135 (see figure 4 ), and each pin 120 comprises, locally, near its end 121, a section widening (not shown).

[0047] This section widening forms two circumferential bearing surfaces, which extend perpendicular to the longitudinal axis Y of the pins 120.

[0048] A first of these two bearing surfaces rests on the recess 135 of the inner face 134 of the sleeve 131 and a second of these two bearing surfaces is applied against the rear face 110B of the plate 110.

[0049] In this way, the holding of each pin 120 in the indicator 100 is secure because any longitudinal movement (along the Y axis) of the pin is prevented by the stop of the first bearing surface of this pin 120 against the recess 135 of the inner face of the corresponding sleeve 131 in one direction and by the stop of the second bearing surface against the rear face 110B of the plate 110 in the other direction.

[0050] Furthermore, any transverse movement of each pin 120 is also prevented by holding the pin 120 in the corresponding sleeve 131, the internal dimensions of which correspond, within a clearance, to the external dimensions of the pin.

[0051] The cover 140 of the body of the indicator light 100 covers the electronic card 150. It covers more particularly the printed circuit 111 with the other electronic components 113A, 113B and each light element 112 supported by the front face 110A of the plate 110 of this electronic card 150.

[0052] This cover 140 is an insulating envelope made of a transparent or translucent plastic material, for example a thermoplastic material of the transparent polycarbonate type.

[0053] It provides electrical insulation for the printed circuit 111 extending over the front face 110A of the plate 110, protects each light element 112 and also plays the important role of a light diffuser for the light flux emitted by each light element 112 of the indicator light 100.

[0054] As shown by the figures 1 à 5 , said cover 140 covers the front face 110A and the peripheral edge 116 of the plate 110 of the indicator light 100. It has a generally rectangular parallelepiped shape, elongated in the direction of the longitudinal axis X of the body of the indicator light 100, with a front face 140A, forming the front face of the indicator light 100, two parallel end lateral faces 146A and two parallel longitudinal faces 146B. The end lateral faces 146A and the longitudinal faces 146B form the rectangular outline 146 of the body of the indicator light 100.

[0055] In a particularly remarkable manner, the cover 140 comprises above at least one luminous element 112 a bulge 141 forming a projection on the front face 140A of said cover 140 and the external face 141A of which is convex. This bulge 141 is adapted to orient the luminous flux emitted by said luminous element 112 through said cover 140 in a main exit direction X1 forming an angle A with said longitudinal axis X or with the front face 110A of said plate 110, of a value less than 60 degrees, preferably of the order of 45 degrees (see figures 3 et 4 ).

[0056] According to the preferred example shown on the figures 1 à 5 , the cover 140 comprises above each light element 112 provided at each end of the plate 110, a bulge 141 forming a projection on the front face 140A of said cover 140 and the front face of which is convex, the two bulges 141 being adapted to orient the two light fluxes emitted by the two light elements 112 through said cover 140 in two main opposite exit directions X1, X2 (see figure 4 ). Each of the main output directions X1, X2 forms an angle A with the longitudinal axis X of a value less than 60 degrees and preferably of the order of 45 degrees.

[0057] As shown more particularly by the figures 2 And 4, each bulge 141 of the cover 140 is, locally, a convex excess thickness of the insulating envelope constituting said cover. This excess thickness adjoins the corresponding end lateral face 146A of the cover 140. It has the shape of a portion of an ellipsoid. Alternatively, it could have the shape of a portion of a sphere.

[0058] Each bulge 141 of the cover 140 makes it possible to form a sort of light cylinder whose axis is the X1 axis or the X2 axis materialized on the figure 4 .

[0059] In the embodiment of the indicator 100 according to the invention, shown in the figures 1 à 5 , said cover 140 is overmolded onto said plate 110.

[0060] More precisely, the cover 140 is here overmolded onto a subassembly of the indicator light 100 comprising the plate 110 provided with the printed circuit 111 and each light element 112, the base 130, and the ends 121 of the connection pins 120 whose section enlargement is sandwiched between the plate 110 and the base 130.

[0061] The cover 140 more particularly covers the front face 110A of the plate 110 which supports the printed circuit 111, each light element 112 and the other electronic components 113A, 113B, the edge 116 of this plate 110 and the edge 136 of the flat part 132 of the base 130 (see figure 4 ).

[0062] The free edge 142 of the cover 140 is flush with the rear face 132B of the flat part 132 of the base 130 (see figure 4 ).

[0063] It should be noted that, advantageously, the slice 136 of the flat part 132 of the base 130 (see figures 2 And 4) comprises four faces 136A, 136B opposite each other in pairs which connect together the main front face 132A of the base 130 which receives the plate 110 and the main rear face 132B of this base 130, oriented towards the outside of the indicator 100 and from which the sleeves 131 extend. The main front faces 132A and rear faces 132B of the base 130 are parallel.

[0064] Particularly advantageously, the edge 136 of the flat part 132 of the base 130 comprises at least two opposite faces 136A inclined relative to the main front 132A and rear 132B faces of the base 130, so that the surface area of ​​the main front 132A face of the base 130 is larger than the surface area of ​​the main rear 132B face of the base 130.

[0065] Here, the four faces 136A, 136B of the edge 136 of the base 130 are inclined two by two in the manner described previously. Thus, the front main face 132A of the base 130 extends beyond the area located at the peripheral edge of the rear main face 132B of the base 130.

[0066] In this way, the overmolding of the cover 140 on the edge 136 of the base 130 is carried out undercut. Thus, the cover 140 is held securely on the base 130.

[0067] Furthermore, after overmolding the cover 140 onto the base 130, the plate 110 is sandwiched between the cover 140 and the base 130, and therefore effectively held between these two parts.

[0068] In fact, when the overmolded plastic material of the cover 140 cools, a slight shrinkage of this plastic material occurs, that is to say a slight shrinkage, which has the effect of tightening together the cover 140, the plate 110 and the base 130 of the indicator 100.

[0069] The shrinkage of the plastic material forming the cover 140 during cooling then tends to cause the assembly comprising the cover 140, the plate 110 and the base 130 to flex, in the longitudinal direction of these parts. In other words, during the shrinkage of the plastic material, the two ends of the indicator 100 tend to bend towards each other on the side of the cover 140, such that the ends of the pins 120 tend to move apart.

[0070] In order to avoid this phenomenon which could deform the indicator 100, it is planned to provide, in the central part of the cover 140, at least two zones 143 of lesser thickness (see figures 2 à 5 ) in the cover 140, which extend perpendicular to said longitudinal axis X of the body of the indicator light 100.

[0071] The thickness of the cover 140 is understood here as the distance between a front face 140A of the cover 140, oriented towards the outside of the indicator 100, and the front face 110A of the plate 110.

[0072] Thus, the front face 140A of the cover 140 extends at a height relative to the front face 110A of the plate 110 which is non-uniform since it comprises two hollows 143 in a central region and two bumps 141 at the two ends (see figures 3 et 4 ).

[0073] In practice, in order to manufacture the indicator light 100, the base 130 is molded on an injection molding machine, then the plate 110 provided with the pins 120, the printed circuit 111, each light element 112 and the other electronic components 113A, 113B is positioned on this base 130. Then this assembly is placed in another mold of another molding machine and the plastic material forming the cover 140 is injected so as to overmold it onto the assembly comprising the plate 110 and the base 130, as described above.

[0074] In order to hold the plate 110 on the base 130 during the molding of the cover 140, five conical pins are provided, for example, in the mold which come to bear on the front face 110A of the plate 110, so as to press it against the base 130 during molding. These pins leave their imprint 145 in the cover 140 (see figure 5 ).

[0075] The total thickness of the body of the indicator 100 thus obtained is advantageously low because no clearance is provided between the printed circuit 111 and the cover 140. In addition, the diffusion of the light by the cover 140 is improved due to the absence of air between the printed circuit 111 and the cover 140.

[0076] Finally, the assembly of the various parts of the indicator light is solid and there is no risk of them separating. In particular, the risks of the cover 140 becoming detached from the plate 110 and the base 130 are limited.

[0077] Regardless of the embodiment, the other end of each pin 120, which is a free end, projects from the base 130 to allow the electrical connection of the indicator 100 to the switchgear mechanism of a switching device 1 such as that shown in the figures 6 à 12 .

[0078] On the figure 6 , a single-station electrical assembly is shown which comprises the switching apparatus 1 according to the invention, an apparatus support 20 in the central opening 21 of which the switching apparatus 1 must be mounted and a finishing plate 50 to be attached to the front face of the apparatus support 20 around said switching apparatus 1.

[0079] The equipment support 20 is entirely conventional and does not form part of the invention. It will not be described here in detail. Essentially, it is in the form of a flat frame delimited between an outer edge 24 and an inner rim 23. It has a square outer contour. The inner rim 23 delimits a central opening 21 with a square contour. The equipment support 20 has four through openings 25, one in each branch of the frame, which have a keyhole shape and which are used for screw fixing of the equipment support 20 to a flush-mounted box (not shown). The equipment support 20 also has tooth snap-in slots 26 (not visible in the figures) provided on the rear face of the finishing plate 50.

[0080] The 50 finishing plate shown in the figure 6 is an example of a plate that can be mounted on the equipment support 20, around the trim 40 of the switching equipment 1, to complete the finish of the electrical assembly. This finishing plate 50 is also not part of the present invention. It covers the front face of the equipment support 20 by extending beyond the outer edge 24 thereof to bear against the receiving wall (not shown). Here, it has a square outer contour 52 with rounded corners and a central opening 51 whose edge 51A is circular.When the finishing plate 50 is attached to said apparatus support 20 supporting said switching apparatus 1, the trim 40 of the switching apparatus 1 emerges in the central opening 51 of the finishing plate 50, the circular edge 51A of which runs along the circular outer rim 42 of the trim 40 and the outer face 50A of this finishing plate 50 extends flush with the front face 40A of said trim 40.

[0081] Switchgear 1 is a single-station switchgear which includes: a housing 10 comprising a front wall 13 by which it is adapted to be mounted on the equipment support 20, an equipment mechanism housed in the housing 10, a control key 30 of the equipment mechanism, a trim 40 attached to the front face 13A of said front wall 13 of the housing 10 and having an inner edge 41 surrounding the control key 30, and the indicator light 100 described previously, supplied with current via the equipment mechanism, arranged under the control key 30, above said front face 13A of the front wall 13 of the housing 10, so that its luminous element 112 is placed close to said inner edge 41 of the trim 40 (see figure 10 ).

[0082] The housing 10 here comprises a bottom wall 19 and a side wall 11 delimiting a parallelepiped interior volume open at the front (see figure 7 ).

[0083] The front opening 16 of this housing 10 is rectangular in shape.

[0084] It is surrounded by the front wall 13 with the external contour 13C square adapted to close the central opening 21 square of an apparatus support 20 (see figures 6 And 7 ).

[0085] The housing 10 of the switching apparatus 1 comprises latching means allowing the attachment of this housing 10 to the apparatus support 20 when said housing 10 is introduced through the central opening 21 of said apparatus support 20. These latching means comprise two tabs cut out in two opposite sides of the side wall 11 of the housing 10 and each provided with a latching tooth 12. The inner rim 23 of the apparatus support 20 snaps between the rear face 13B of the front wall 13 and the latching teeth 12 of the housing 10. The front wall 13 of the housing 10 which then closes the central opening 21 of the apparatus support 20, then rests on a sidewalk 22 of this apparatus support 20 which runs along said central opening 21.

[0086] As shown in the figure 10 , the apparatus mechanism housed in the housing 10 comprises a driver 15 mounted to tilt on the housing 10 and comprising a barrel 15D which catches a tilting part of a movable brush BM bearing against a yoke C and threaded into a spring R housed in said barrel 15D. The driver 15 is adapted to move said movable brush BM provided with a contact, between a closed position in which said contact is bearing against a fixed contact (not shown) and an open position in which said contact is distant from said fixed contact.

[0087] The switchgear mechanism also comprises, in the bottom of the housing 10, electrical connection terminals (not visible in the figures) connected to the yoke as well as to the fixed contact. Here, for example, four electrical connection terminals are provided for the connection of the switching mechanism. These electrical connection terminals are for example self-connecting terminals, so that each of them can be operated by a disconnection lever which passes through an opening made in the side wall 11 of the housing 10 to act on the spring blade of the corresponding terminal. Each disconnection lever comprises a control handle 17 accessible to the user outside said housing 10 (see figures 6 , 7 And 10 ).

[0088] The driver 15 comprises an upper part in the form of a cradle, two parallel lateral wings 15A of which carry teeth 15B for hooking onto the actuation key 30. Pressing a finger on the control key 30 makes it possible to tilt the driver 15 which moves the movable brush BM.

[0089] The body of the indicator light 100 is housed in the cradle formed by the driver 15: it extends in the longitudinal direction of this cradle, between the lateral wings 15A of the cradle, under the actuation key 30. The pins 120 of the indicator light 100 pass through an opening 15C provided in the bottom of the cradle formed by the driver 15 and are inserted into the housing 10 so as to come into contact with two of the four electrical connection terminals of the switchgear mechanism.

[0090] The indicator 100 is fixedly mounted in the housing 10. Indeed, as shown in the figure 10 , the free ends of the sleeves 131 of the base 130 of the body of the indicator light 100 rest on a fixed internal element 18 of the housing 10 and the free ends of the pins 120 of said indicator light 100 are stuck in the electrical connection terminals at the bottom of the housing 10.

[0091] As shown by the figures 11 et 12 , the control key 30 comprises a support wall 31 for a user's finger, which is generally flat, with an oblong outer contour 31D, a slightly curved front face 31A for the finger to rest on and, opposite, a flat rear face 31B facing the housing 10 of the switching apparatus 1.

[0092] The control key 30 has a mounting wall 32 which extends from the rear face 31B of the support wall 31, perpendicular thereto. This mounting wall 32, located in a central region of the rear face 31B of the support wall 31, follows a generally oblong contour with two parallel longitudinal portions and two curved end portions (see figures 11 et 12 ).

[0093] The mounting wall 32 comprises on an internal face 32B (i.e. a face facing the center of the rear face 31B of the support wall 31) of the two parallel longitudinal parts, notches 32C in which the teeth 15B of the cradle of the driver 15 are hooked to secure the control key 30 to the driver 15 of the switchgear mechanism of the switching device 1 (see figure 12 ).

[0094] Advantageously, on the free edge of the mounting wall 32 of the control key 30, there are provided, at right angles to the notches 32C, chamfers to facilitate the entry of the teeth 15B of the driver 15 into said notches 32C.

[0095] The mounting wall 32 has in each of its two end parts a window 32A with a square outline.

[0096] The control key 30 is advantageously made in a single piece by molding a thermoplastic polymer such as ABS (Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene).

[0097] Each 32A window is closed by a transparent 33A glass.

[0098] The two glasses 33A belong to a strip 33 forming a U. This strip 33 is attached to the rear face 31B of the support wall 31 of the control key 30. It is crimped onto a stud 31E located in the center of said rear face 31B so that it is pressed against this rear face 31B and extends over the internal face 32B of the mounting wall 32, closing said windows 32A (see figures 10 , 11 et 12 ).

[0099] This strip 33 is advantageously made of opalescent polycarbonate.

[0100] The trim 40 is a front element attached to the front face 13A of the front wall 13 of the housing 10 of the switching device 1, around the control key 30. It is in the form of a plate here with a circular outer rim 42 and a central opening 41A delimited by an inner edge 41 which follows an oblong contour. The trim 40 is snapped onto four snap-on teeth 14 provided projecting from the front face 13A of the front wall 13 of the housing 10 (see figures 6 , 8 , 9 et 10 ). For this, the trim 40 has a snap-in notch (not visible in the figures) on the internal face of its external rim 42.

[0101] As shown more particularly by the figure 10 , the trim 40 is mounted on the front wall 13 of the housing 10 of the switching device 1 and the inner edge 41 of the trim 40 surrounds the indicator light 10 attached to the cradle of the driver 15. The light elements 112 surmounted by the bulges 141 of the cover 140 of the indicator light 100 are located as close as possible to said inner edge 41 of the trim 40, practically at the same level as the latter. The central opening 41A of the trim 40 is crossed by the mounting wall 32 of the control button 30 snapped onto the driver 15 of the switchgear mechanism. The section of this central opening 41A is adapted so that the mounting wall 32 of the control button 30 is located as close as possible to the inner edge 41 of the trim 40 which surrounds it. A portion of the mounting wall 32 of the control button 30 is placed directly between the indicator light 100 and the inner edge 41 of the trim 40 (see figure 10 ). More particularly, the end portions provided with the windows 32A of the mounting wall 32 of the control key 30 are interposed between the two ends provided with said bulges 141 of said indicator light 100 and said inner edge 41 of the trim 40.

[0102] As shown more particularly by the figure 10 , the support wall 31 of the control key 30 comprises a part 31C, called the reflector part, which overhangs a part 43, called the illuminated part, of the front face 40A of the trim 40 which adjoins said inner edge 41. The rear face 31B of said reflector part 31C of the control key 30 is adapted to reflect at least a part of the luminous flux emitted by said indicator light 100 to diffuse it onto said illuminated part 43 of the front face 40A of the trim 40.

[0103] Here, the indicator light 100 comprises two light elements 112, the support wall 31 of the control key 30 comprises two corresponding reflector parts 31C and the front face 40A of the trim 40 comprises two illuminated parts 43 located in line with said reflector parts 31C of the control key 30. Said reflector parts 31C alternately overhang said illuminated parts 43 of the front face 40A of the trim 40 depending on the tilting position of the control key 30.

[0104] More particularly, here, in a tilting position of the control key 30 shown in the figure 10 , the reflector part 31C of the support wall 31 of the control button 30 located on the left in the figure is lowered onto the front face 40A of the trim 40 and the mounting wall 32 of the control button 30 is pressed into the housing 10 to block the exit of the luminous flux emitted by said corresponding luminous element 112 of the indicator light 100, while the reflector part 31C of the support wall 31 located on the right in the figure is raised above the illuminated part 43 of the trim 40 and the window 32A closed by the glass 33A of the mounting wall 32 is interposed between the indicator light 100 and the inner edge 41 of the trim 40 so that the luminous flux emitted by the corresponding luminous element 112 of the indicator light 100 through the blister 141 of the cover 140, exits along said main output direction X1 through said window 33A towards the outside of the switching apparatus 1.This luminous flux encounters on its path the rear face 31B of the reflector part 31C of the support wall 31 of the control key 30. It is reflected in the directions X'1 by this rear face 31B and diffused on said illuminated part 43 of the front face 40A of the trim 40.

[0105] If the control key 30 has two stable tilting positions, in the other tilting position of the control key 30, the situations shown on the left and right on the figure 10 are reversed.

[0106] In all cases, in the switching apparatus 1, a single area of ​​the front face 40A of the trim 40 is illuminated by said indicator light 100 to indicate to a user a switching state of said apparatus.

[0107] Thanks to this arrangement, the indicator light 100 illuminates a large area of ​​the front face 40A of the trim 40 located to the right of the control button 30.

[0108] Furthermore, the mounting wall 32 of the control button 30 completely surrounds said indicator light 100 and isolates the electronic and electrical parts of the switching apparatus 1 from the outside in such a way that this apparatus meets the safety standards in force.

[0109] Preferably, said illuminated part of the front face 40A of the trim 40 is a hollow part 43 whose bottom is a concave surface oriented towards the control button 30. Each illuminated part 43 belongs to a concave groove which adjoins the entire inner edge 41 of the trim 40.

[0110] This hollow portion 43 advantageously makes it possible to concentrate the luminous flux transmitted by the rear face 31B of the support wall 31 of the control button 30 and to increase the illumination of this zone of the front face 40A of the trim 40.

[0111] A light could be provided with a single luminous element and a single swelling provided at one end of this light.

[0112] According to a variant (not shown) of the indicator, it is possible to envisage that the pins have a slightly different geometry. More precisely, it is possible to envisage that the pins do not have a widening of section, but a head adapted to bear on the front face of the plate. In this case, the electrical contact between the pin and the tracks of the printed circuit can be made at the level of this head of the pin. The transverse immobilization of each pin is ensured by the sleeves of the base and the longitudinal immobilization of each pin is ensured by the overmolding of the cover on the head of the pin, which prevents any movement of the pin along its axis once the cover is overmolded.

[0113] In addition, the cover can be fixed to the base 230 by snap-fitting or by snap-fastening. The base and the cover can then together form a housing in which the plate is enclosed.

Claims

1. Indicator lamp (100) for electrical equipment, comprising a plate (110) of which the front face (110A), which is elongate along a longitudinal axis (X), supports at least one light-emitting element (112), and a cover (140) covering said light-emitting element (112), this cover (140) having a front face (140A) forming the front face of the indicator (100), wherein the cover (140) comprises, above said light-emitting element (112), a blister (141) that forms a projection on the front face (140A) of said cover (140) and the external face (141A) of which is convex, characterised in that said light-emitting element (112) is placed in the immediate vicinity of an end lateral edge (116A) of said plate (110) and in that this blister (141) is suitable for directing the light flux emitted by said light-emitting element (112) through said cover (140) in a main output direction (X1) forming an angle (A) with said longitudinal axis (X) of a value less than 60°.

2. Indicator (100) according to claim 1, wherein the value of said angle (A) is approximately 45°.

3. Indicator (100) according to any of claims 1 and 2, wherein said blister (141) of the cover (140) is in the shape of a portion of an ellipsoid.

4. Indicator (100) according to any of claims 1 and 2, wherein said blister (141) of the cover (140) is in the shape of a portion of a sphere.

5. Indicator (100) according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the front face (110A) of the plate (110) supports two light-emitting elements (112) arranged at the two opposite ends of said plate (110), each in the immediate vicinity of an end lateral edge (116A) of said plate (110), and wherein the cover (140) comprises, above each light-emitting element (112), a blister (141) that forms a projection on the front face (140A) of said cover (140) and the front face of which is convex, the two blisters (141) being suitable for directing the two light fluxes emitted by the two light-emitting elements (112) through said cover (140) in two opposite main output directions (X1, X2).

6. Indicator (100) according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the front face (110A) of the plate (110) supports a printed circuit (111) to which each light-emitting element (112) is connected, and wherein two connection pins (120) and a base (130) are provided, which base is arranged at the rear of the plate (110) and comprises two sleeves (131) through which the two pins (120) pass, said pins (120) passing right through the plate (110) such that one (121) of the ends of each pin (120) is electrically connected to said printed circuit (111).

7. Indicator (100) according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the cover (140) is overmoulded on the plate (110).

8. Switchgear equipment (1) comprising: - a casing (10) comprising a front wall (13) by which said casing is suitable for being mounted on an equipment support, - an equipment mechanism housed in the casing (10), - a control button (30) for the equipment mechanism, - a trim (40), which is added to the front face (13A) of said front wall (13) of the casing and has an inner edge (41) surrounding the control button (30), and - the indicator lamp (100) according to any of the preceding claims, which is supplied with current via the equipment mechanism and arranged under the control button (30), above said front face (13A) of the front wall (13) of the casing (10), such that its light-emitting element (112) is placed close to said inner edge (41) of the trim (40).

9. Switchgear equipment (1) according to the preceding claim, wherein the control button (30) comprises a part (31C), referred to as the reflector part, which overhangs a part (43), referred to as the illuminated part, of the front face (40A) of the trim (40) adjoining said inner edge (41), said reflector part (31C) of the control button (30) having a rear face (31B) suitable for reflecting at least part of the light flux emitted by said indicator (100) so as to diffuse it onto said illuminated part (43) of the front face (40A) of the trim (40).

10. Switchgear equipment (1) according to the preceding claim, wherein said illuminated part (43) of the front face (40A) of the trim is a recessed part, the bottom of which is a concave surface oriented towards the control button (30).

11. Switchgear equipment (1) according to any of claims 9 to 10, wherein the control button (30) comprises a wall (31) to be pressed by a finger of a user and to which said reflector part (31C) belongs, and a mounting wall (32) which extends from the rear face (31B) of the pressing wall (31), perpendicularly thereto, one part of this mounting wall (32) being interposed between said indicator (100) and said inner edge (41) of the trim (40) and being provided with a window (32A) for the light flux emitted by said indicator (100) to pass through towards said rear face (31B) of said reflector part (31C) of the control button (30).

12. Switchgear equipment (1) according to the preceding claim, wherein said window (32A) is closed by a transparent cover glass (33A).

13. Switchgear equipment (1) according to any of claims 9 to 12, wherein the indicator (100) comprises two light-emitting elements (112), and wherein the control button (30) comprises two reflector parts (31C) in register with said light-emitting elements (112), said control button being mounted so as to tilt on the casing (10) such that, in each of its tilt positions, one of the reflector parts (31C) is raised above the front face (40A) of the trim (30) to allow the light flux emitted by one of the two light-emitting elements (112) of the indicator (100) to exit while the other of the reflector parts (31C) is lowered onto the front face (40A) of the trim (30) to prevent the light flux emitted by the other of the two light-emitting elements (112) of the indicator (100) from exiting.

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