Circuit breaker

Abstract

To obtain a circuit breaker in which a display device shows an open state only when a plurality of fixed contacts and a plurality of movable contacts corresponding to each fixed contact are all opened.SOLUTION: A circuit breaker includes a plurality of fixed contact conductors 3 each having fixed contacts 30, a plurality of movable contact conductors 4 each having a movable contact 40 that is provided corresponding to each fixed contact 30 and can come into contact with the fixed contact 30, a display device 7 that displays the contact state or open state of the fixed contacts 30 and the movable contact 40, and a detection member 8 that detects that the plurality of fixed contacts 30 and the plurality of movable contacts 40 are all in an open state and transmits this to the display device 7. The display device 7 displays the open state when the detection member 8 detects that the plurality of fixed contacts 30 and the plurality of movable contacts 40 are all in an open state.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 4

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a circuit breaker equipped with a display device that displays the contact and separation states of a fixed contact and a movable contact. [Background technology]

[0002] Conventionally, circuit breakers equipped with a display device that displays the contact and disengagement states of fixed and movable contacts have been known. For example, the circuit breaker disclosed in Patent Document 1 has a configuration in which the display device is housed inside a housing consisting of a base and a cover. This display device includes a connecting rod whose lower end abuts against the upper end surface of a pusher plate that drives a movable contact conductor, an indicator piece fixed to the upper end of the connecting rod, and a biasing spring that biases the connecting rod so that the lower end of the connecting rod abuts against the upper end surface of the pusher plate. The indicator piece has a display unit that displays characters such as "on" or "off" in an indicator window formed in the cover. "on" indicates that the multiple fixed contacts and the multiple corresponding movable contacts are all in contact. "off" indicates that the multiple fixed contacts and the multiple corresponding movable contacts are all in an open state. The biasing spring is attached to the connecting rod.

[0003] In the ON state, where all of the fixed contacts and all of the movable contacts are in contact, the pusher plate moves downward together with the movable contact conductor, and the connecting rod, which is biased against the upper end surface of the pusher plate by the biasing spring, is pushed down. As the connecting rod is pushed down, the indicator piece fixed to the connecting rod is also pulled down, and "ON" is displayed in the display window of the cover. On the other hand, in the OFF state, where all of the fixed contacts and all of the movable contacts are separated, the pusher plate moves upward together with the movable contact conductor, and the connecting rod is pushed up by the pusher plate against the biasing force of the biasing spring. As the connecting rod is pushed up, the indicator piece fixed to the connecting rod is also pulled up, and "OFF" is displayed in the display window of the cover. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 11-67047 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] In a circuit breaker, a gap is provided between the base and the push plate to allow the push plate to operate smoothly. Therefore, in a circuit breaker, when a plurality of fixed contacts and a plurality of corresponding movable contacts are all open in an OFF state, if some of the fixed contacts and the movable contacts are welded together, the movable contact conductor may move upward due to the open state of other fixed contacts and the movable contact, causing the push plate to tilt. In a configuration in which the ON state and OFF state are switched by an indicator piece that is linked to the movement of the push plate, as in the technology disclosed in Patent Document 1, the tilted push plate may push up the indicator piece together with the connecting rod, erroneously indicating the OFF state, even though the ON state is actually present.

[0006] The present disclosure has been made in consideration of the above, and aims to obtain a circuit breaker in which a display device displays an open state only when multiple fixed contacts and multiple movable contacts corresponding to each fixed contact are all open. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] In order to solve the above-mentioned problems and achieve the object, the circuit breaker according to the present disclosure includes a plurality of fixed contact conductors each having a fixed contact, a plurality of movable contact conductors each having a movable contact that is provided corresponding to each fixed contact and that is capable of coming into contact with the fixed contact, a display device that displays the contact state or open state of the fixed contacts and the movable contact, and a detection member that detects when the plurality of fixed contacts and the plurality of movable contacts are all in an open state and transmits this information to the display device. The display device displays the open state when the detection member detects that the plurality of fixed contacts and the plurality of movable contacts are all in an open state. [Effects of the Invention]

[0008] The circuit breaker according to the present disclosure has the advantage that the indicator displays the open state only when the plurality of fixed contacts and the plurality of movable contacts corresponding to each of the fixed contacts are all opened. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0009] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a circuit breaker according to a first embodiment; [Figure 2] 1 is a cross-sectional view showing a circuit breaker according to a first embodiment; [Figure 3] FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a state in which a cover of a housing of a circuit breaker according to a first embodiment is removed; [Figure 4] FIG. 1 is an explanatory diagram showing a main part of a circuit breaker according to a first embodiment in an OFF state; [Figure 5] FIG. 1 is an explanatory diagram showing a main part of a circuit breaker according to a first embodiment in an ON state; [Figure 6] FIG. 1 is an explanatory diagram showing a display unit of a display device included in a circuit breaker according to a first embodiment; [Figure 7] FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a detection member included in a circuit breaker according to a first embodiment; [Figure 8] 4 is a perspective view showing the circuit breaker according to the first embodiment with the cover of the housing removed, viewed from the opposite direction to that of FIG. 3; FIG. [Figure 9] FIG. 1 is an explanatory diagram illustrating a state in which a part of a plurality of fixed contacts and a part of a plurality of movable contacts are welded together, which is a main part of the circuit breaker according to the first embodiment; [Figure 10] FIG. 10 is a perspective view showing a modified example of a detection member included in the circuit breaker according to the first embodiment; [Figure 11] FIG. 10 is a perspective view showing a detection member included in the circuit breaker according to the second embodiment; [Figure 12] FIG. 10 is a perspective view showing a circuit breaker according to a second embodiment with a housing cover removed; DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0010] Hereinafter, a circuit breaker according to an embodiment of the present disclosure will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

[0011] Embodiment 1 The circuit breaker 100 according to the first embodiment is a molded case circuit breaker that detects an overcurrent or a short-circuit current and interrupts an electric circuit, or an earth leakage circuit breaker that detects an electric leakage and interrupts an electric circuit. When the circuit breaker 100 is in the on state, the circuit breaker 100 is in the closed state and a current flows in the electric circuit. When the circuit breaker 100 is in the off state, the circuit breaker 100 is in the open state and the current in the electric circuit is interrupted.

[0012] Fig. 1 is a perspective view showing a circuit breaker according to embodiment 1. Fig. 2 is a cross-sectional view showing the circuit breaker according to embodiment 1. As shown in Figs. 1 and 2, the circuit breaker 100 according to embodiment 1 includes a housing 1, an operating handle 2, a fixed contact conductor 3, a movable contact conductor 4, a push plate 5, an opening / closing mechanism 6, a display device 7, and a detection member 8.

[0013] As shown in Figures 1 and 2, a housing 1 forms the outer shell of the circuit breaker 100. The housing 1 has a base 10 and a cover 11 made of insulating material such as plastic. The internal space surrounded by the base 10 and the cover 11 houses a fixed contact conductor 3, a movable contact conductor 4, a push plate 5, a switching mechanism 6, a display device 7, and a detection member 8. In the following description, the direction from the base 10 toward the cover 11 is defined as "upward," and the direction from the cover 11 toward the base 10 is defined as "downward." However, these up-down directions do not dictate the installation posture of the circuit breaker 100.

[0014] As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 , the base 10 is provided with a load-side terminal 12 to which a load-side external electric wire is connected and a power-source-side terminal 13 to which a supply-side external electric wire is connected. The load-side terminal 12 and the power-source-side terminal 13 are arranged opposite each other with the operating handle 2 in between. The load-side terminal 12 and the power-source-side terminal 13 may have two poles as shown in the figure, or may have three or more poles. Each pole formed by the load-side terminal 12 and the power-source-side terminal 13 is provided with at least one fixed contact conductor 3 and one movable contact conductor 4. In other words, the circuit breaker 100 according to the first embodiment has multiple fixed contact conductors 3 and multiple movable contact conductors 4. The cover 11 covers the components of the circuit breaker 100 arranged on the base 10. As shown in FIG. 1 , the cover 11 is formed with a display window 14 that displays the contact / disconnection state of the fixed contact conductor 3 and the movable contact conductor 4. The cover 11 also has an opening 15 through which the operating handle 2 protrudes to the outside.

[0015] The housing 1 is not limited to a structure in which the base 10 and the cover 11 are separated in the vertical direction as shown in Figures 1 and 2, but may also have a structure in which the base 10 and the cover 11 are separated in the width direction of the housing 1, which is the direction in which the load side terminals 12 are arranged in parallel, for example.

[0016] The operating handle 2 is made of an insulating material such as plastic. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the operating handle 2 protrudes to the outside from an opening 15 formed in the cover 11 and is operated by a user. FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing the circuit breaker according to the first embodiment with the housing cover removed. As shown in FIG. 3, the operating handle 2 is attached to the switching mechanism 6 via a rotating shaft 61, and moves the switching mechanism 6 by rotating around the rotating shaft 61. By operating the operating handle 2, the switching mechanism 6 is activated, and the fixed contact conductor 3 and the movable contact conductor 4 come into contact with or separate from each other, thereby changing the circuit breaker 100 from a closed state to an open state or vice versa.

[0017] As shown in FIG. 2, the fixed contact conductor 3 is made of a conductive metal. The fixed contact conductor 3 has a fixed contact 30 and is positioned opposite the movable contact conductor 4. The movable contact conductor 4 is also made of a conductive metal. The movable contact conductor 4 has a movable contact 40 facing the fixed contact 30 at one end on the power supply terminal 13 side. The end of the movable contact conductor 4 on the load terminal 12 side is a fixed end 41 fixed to the base 10, and the movable contact conductor 4 rotates around the fixed end 41. The movable contact conductor 4 has a spring property, and the movable contact 40 is biased in a direction away from the fixed contact 30 of the fixed contact conductor 3.

[0018] The fixed contact 30 and the movable contact 40 are arranged in an arc extinguishing chamber inside the housing 1. When the movable contact 40 comes into contact with the fixed contact 30, the circuit breaker 100 is turned on, and a current flows in the electrical path between the load side terminal 12 and the power supply side terminal 13. When the movable contact 40 separates from the fixed contact 30, the circuit breaker 100 is turned off, and the current in the electrical path between the load side terminal 12 and the power supply side terminal 13 is interrupted. Note that the circuit breaker 100 according to the first embodiment may have a so-called multi-break configuration in which a plurality of fixed contacts 30 are provided on the fixed contact conductor 3, and a plurality of movable contacts 40 are provided on the movable contact conductor 4.

[0019] 2 and 3, the pusher plate 5 is connected to the movable contact conductor 4, and presses the movable contact 40 against the fixed contact 30 by the operation of the switching mechanism 6. The pusher plate 5 is made of an insulating material such as plastic. A groove or hole is formed in the pusher plate 5 for connection to the movable contact conductor 4. The pusher plate 5, while connected to the movable contact conductor 4, is configured to be movable in the up and down direction of the housing 1 along a groove (not shown) formed in the base 10 of the housing 1.

[0020] Fig. 4 is an explanatory diagram showing the main parts of the circuit breaker according to the first embodiment in an OFF state. Fig. 5 is an explanatory diagram showing the main parts of the circuit breaker according to the first embodiment in an ON state. Note that in Fig. 5, the frame 60 is omitted so that the inside of the opening and closing mechanism unit 6 can be shown.

[0021] 4 and 5, the opening / closing mechanism 6 moves the push plate 5 to bring the fixed contact 30 and the movable contact 40 into contact with and separate from each other. The opening / closing mechanism 6 has a frame 60, a rotating shaft 61, a connecting pin 62, and a latch 63. The opening / closing mechanism 6 has the frame 60 fixed to the base 10 connected to the operating handle 2 by the rotating shaft 61, and when the user operates the operating handle 2, the latch 63 moves the push plate 5 up and down, bringing the fixed contact 30 and the movable contact 40 into contact with and separating them from each other.

[0022] The connecting pin 62 is made of resin or metal. One end 62a of the connecting pin 62 is inserted into a connecting hole formed in the operating handle 2. The connecting pin 62 moves in conjunction with the operation of the operating handle 2. The other end 62b of the connecting pin 62 passes through a through hole 60a provided in the frame 60, and then is inserted into a connecting hole provided in the latch 63.

[0023] The latch 63 is made of a strong and durable material such as metal. The latch 63 has a connecting hole into which the other end 62b of the connecting pin 62 is inserted. The latch 63 is linked to the operation of the operating handle 2 by inserting the other end 62b of the connecting pin 62 into the connecting hole. The latch 63 has a contact surface 63a on the power-supply terminal 13 side that comes into contact with the push plate 5. The latch 63 also has an engagement surface 63b on the load-side terminal 12 side that engages with a trip bar (not shown). The trip bar trips the switching mechanism 6 when a current abnormality such as an overcurrent or a short-circuit current is detected. When the circuit breaker 100 detects a current abnormality, the trip bar drives the switching mechanism 6, which releases the pressing state of the switching mechanism 6 against the push plate 5, separating the fixed contact 30 and the movable contact 40, and entering a trip state.

[0024] Here, we will explain the operation of the circuit breaker 100 when it transitions from the OFF state to the ON state. As shown in Figure 4, when the user operates the operating handle 2 while the circuit breaker 100 is in the OFF state, the opening and closing mechanism 6 presses the pusher plate 5 down toward the base 10. In the opening and closing mechanism 6, the connecting pin 62 moves the latch 63 in conjunction with the operation of the operating handle 2, and the contact surface 63a of the latch 63 comes into contact with the pusher plate 5, pressing the pusher plate 5 down toward the base 10. When the pusher plate 5 moves downward, the movable contact conductor 4 connected to the pusher plate 5 also moves downward. As a result, as shown in Figure 5, the opening and closing mechanism 6 presses the pusher plate 5, causing the movable contact 40 to come into contact with the fixed contact 30, and the circuit breaker 100 switches to the ON state.

[0025] Next, we will explain the operation of the circuit breaker 100 when it transitions from the ON state to the OFF state. As shown in Figure 5, when the user operates the operating handle 2 while the circuit breaker 100 is in the ON state, the pressure on the push plate 5 by the switching mechanism 6 is released, and the push plate 5 moves upward together with the movable contact conductor 4 due to the urging force of the movable contact conductor 4. As a result, the fixed contact 30 and the movable contact 40 are separated, and the circuit breaker 100 enters the OFF state, as shown in Figure 4.

[0026] The display device 7 displays the contact / separation state of the fixed contact 30 and the movable contact 40 in the display window 14. As shown in Figures 3 to 5, the display device 7 has a main body 70, a display unit 71, a connecting member 72, a spring bearing 73, a return spring 74, and a bearing portion 75.

[0027] The main body 70 is made of an insulating material such as resin. The main body 70 extends vertically from the base 10 toward the cover 11, and supports a display unit 71, a connecting member 72, a spring receiver 73, a return spring 74, and a receiver 75. The main body 70 is fixed to the base 10 or the cover 11. The main body 70 may be formed integrally with the base 10 or the cover 11.

[0028] The main body 70 has a recess 70a in which the display unit 71 is disposed, formed on an end surface facing the display window 14 formed in the cover 11. The main body 70 also has a guide groove 70b in which the connecting member 72 is disposed, extending from the recess 70a toward the end surface facing the base 10. The main body 70 also has a storage section 70c in which the spring retainer 73 and the return spring 74 are disposed, formed midway between the guide groove 70b. The storage section 70c is large enough to hold the return spring 74 and allow the spring retainer 73 to operate. The main body 70 may have a configuration in which the guide groove 70b has an L-shaped return, for example, to prevent the connecting member 72 disposed in the guide groove 70b from coming off. The main body 70 may also have a configuration in which the guide groove 70b is covered with a separate cover member (not shown) to prevent the connecting member 72 disposed in the guide groove 70b from coming off.

[0029] The display unit 71 is fixed to the connecting member 72 and moves in conjunction with the movement of the connecting member 72 to display the on or off state in the display window 14 formed in the cover 11. This allows the user to visually check the on or off state of the circuit breaker 100 from outside through the display window 14.

[0030] FIG. 6 is an explanatory diagram showing a display unit of a display device included in the circuit breaker according to the first embodiment. As shown in FIG. 6, the display unit 71 is marked with a display symbol "|" representing an "on" contact state and a display symbol "o" representing an "off" open state. Note that instead of the "|" and the "o", characters indicating the contact and separation states of the fixed contact 30 and the movable contact 40 may be printed or engraved on the display unit 71. The display unit 71 may be configured with a red background on the on display side and a green background on the off display side for easy visibility. The display unit 71 may also be configured with multiple components. For example, the display unit 71 may have a high-rigidity display plate (not shown) and low-rigidity display stickers with on and off displays attached to the display plate.

[0031] The connecting member 72 is a single linear wire or tape-shaped member made of an insulating material such as resin or a non-insulating material such as metal. The connecting member 72 is arranged along a guide groove 70b formed in the main body 70. The display unit 71 is fixed to one end of the connecting member 72 on the cover 11 side, and a receiving portion 75 is fixed to the other end on the base 10 side. The connecting member 72 is movable along the guide groove 70b in conjunction with the movement of the detection member 8, and moves the display unit 71. Therefore, the connecting member 72 has a degree of rigidity that allows it to move in conjunction with the movement of the detection member 8 and transmit the movement to the display unit 71.

[0032] The spring bearing 73 is made of resin or metal. The spring bearing 73 is stored in the storage section 70c of the main body 70 together with the return spring 74 and is configured to be movable within the storage section 70c. The spring bearing 73 is fixed to the connecting member 72 and moves in conjunction with the movement of the connecting member 72. The spring bearing 73 is biased toward the base 10 by the return spring 74, and when the spring bearing 73 moves toward the cover 11 in conjunction with the movement of the connecting member 72, it transmits the biasing force of the return spring 74 to the connecting member 72. The spring bearing 73 has sufficient rigidity to transmit the biasing force from the return spring 74 to the connecting member 72. Note that the display device 7 may be configured without the spring bearing 73 by providing a spring hook that hooks the return spring 74 on the connecting member 72 or the display section 71.

[0033] The return spring 74 is made of a compression spring. The return spring 74 biases the spring bearing 73, which has moved toward the cover 11 in conjunction with the movement of the connecting member 72, toward the base 10. Note that the return spring 74 is not limited to a compression spring, and may be any other elastic member, such as a torsion spring or a tension spring.

[0034] The receiving portion 75 is made of resin or metal and is fixed to the end of the connecting member 72 on the base 10 side. The receiving portion 75 is provided above the detecting member 8, and when the circuit breaker 100 is in the OFF state, the receiving portion 75 comes into contact with the detecting member 8 and is pushed by the detecting member 8, moving toward the cover 11.

[0035] Fig. 7 is a perspective view showing a detection member provided in the circuit breaker according to the first embodiment. Fig. 8 is a perspective view showing the circuit breaker according to the first embodiment with the housing cover removed, viewed from the opposite direction to Fig. 3. Note that in Fig. 8, the display device 7 is omitted so that the detection member 8 can be shown.

[0036] 7, the detection member 8 has a rotation shaft 80 and a rotation transmission unit 81 that rotates about the rotation shaft 80 as a central axis, detects when the plurality of fixed contacts 30 and the plurality of movable contacts 40 are all in an open state, and transmits this detection to the display device 7. The detection member 8 is centered around the rotation shaft 80, and a pair of rotation transmission units 81 are provided on both ends of the rotation shaft 80, with the rotation shaft 80 and the rotation transmission unit 81 forming a substantially U-shape. The detection member 8 may be made by molding resin or the like, or may be made by bending a single piece of metal and then applying an insulating paint.

[0037] As shown in Fig. 8, the rotation shaft portion 80 is disposed in a base groove 10a formed in the base 10. The base groove 10a is formed along the width direction of the base 10, which is perpendicular to the direction from the load side terminal 12 to the power supply side terminal 13. When the cover 11 is attached to the base 10, the rotation shaft portion 80 is surrounded on all four sides by the base 10 and the cover 11. This allows the detection member 8 to be rotatable about the rotation shaft portion 80 disposed in the base groove 10a.

[0038] The rotation transmission units 81 rotate in the up-down direction of the housing 1 around the rotation shaft unit 80. As shown in FIG. 7 , each rotation transmission unit 81 has a connecting unit 81a that extends from each end of the rotation shaft unit 80, bending at a substantially right angle, and a contact unit 81b that bends outward at a substantially right angle from the extending tip of the connecting unit 81a. Each rotation transmission unit 81 is substantially L-shaped with the connecting unit 81a and the contact unit 81b. The contact unit 81b of one rotation transmission unit 81 is disposed below one of the two movable contact conductors 4 and is in contact with the movable contact conductor 4. The contact unit 81b of the other rotation transmission unit 81 is disposed below the other of the two movable contact conductors 4 and is in contact with the movable contact conductor 4. The orientation of the contact portion 81b is not limited to the configuration shown in the figure, and may be any orientation that allows it to be placed below the corresponding movable contact conductor 4 and to come into contact with the movable contact conductor 4.

[0039] The detection member 8 rotates around the rotation shaft 80 as the rotation transmission part 81 is urged toward the cover 11 by the urging member 9. The urging member 9 is configured, for example, by a torsion spring. One end of the urging member 9 is arranged on the cover 11 side, which is an upper part of the detection member 8, and the other end is arranged on the base 10 side, which is a lower part of the detection member 8. One end of the urging member 9 arranged on the upper part of the detection member 8 is inserted into and fixed in a fixing hole (not shown) provided in the base 10. The other end of the urging member 9 arranged on the lower part of the detection member 8 is attached to the detection member 8. When the movable contact conductor 4 moves toward the cover 11, the detection member 8 is urged by the urging member 9 to move integrally with the movable contact conductor 4 and rotate around the rotation shaft 80 toward the cover 11.

[0040] As described above, the circuit breaker 100 according to the first embodiment is configured to rotate the detection member 8. Therefore, compared to when the detection member moves in a vertically parallel direction, for example, it is possible to reduce the gap between the detection member 8 and the base groove 10a or the cover 11, thereby enabling the size of the housing 1 to be reduced. When the detection member moves in a vertically parallel direction, the range of motion of the detection member is widened, and large and small gaps are formed due to unevenness of the moving surface, and further gaps are formed due to the influence of the draft angle when the housing is molded using a die.

[0041] In addition, when the load side terminal 12 and the power supply side terminal 13 of the circuit breaker 100 are configured with three or more poles, the detection member 8 is arranged so that the rotating shaft portion 80 faces the opening / closing mechanism portion 6, and the contact portion 81b extends from that position toward the movable contact conductor 4, and one contact portion 81b is configured to come into contact with multiple movable contact conductors 4.

[0042] Next, the operation of the detection member 8 will be described. When the circuit breaker 100 changes from the closed state in which the fixed contact 30 and the movable contact 40 are in contact as shown in FIG. 5 to the open state in which the fixed contact 30 and the movable contact 40 are separated as shown in FIG. 4, the movable contact conductor 4 pushes up the pusher plate 5 due to its own spring-like restoring force and rotates upward toward the cover 11 around the fixed end 41 fixed to the base 10. The detection member 8 is biased by the biasing member 9 to move integrally with the movable contact conductor 4, thereby rotating toward the cover 11, and the contact portion 81b pushes up the receiving portion 75 and the connecting member 72 upward, i.e., toward the cover 11. The display unit 71 fixed to the connecting member 72 moves in conjunction with the movement of the connecting member 72, displaying a circle in the display window 14 of the cover 11, indicating that the circuit breaker 100 is in the OFF state. This allows the user to confirm that the circuit breaker 100 is not conducting.

[0043] On the other hand, when the circuit breaker 100 changes from an open state in which the fixed contact 30 and the movable contact 40 are separated as shown in FIG. 4 to a closed state in which the fixed contact 30 and the movable contact 40 are in contact as shown in FIG. 5, the movable contact conductor 4 is pressed by the push plate 5 and rotates downward toward the base 10 around the fixed end 41 fixed to the base 10. The detection member 8 rotates toward the base 10 by moving integrally with the movable contact conductor 4, overcoming the biasing force of the biasing member 9. As a result, the receiving portion 75 and the connecting member 72 are released from the state in which they are being pushed up by the contact portion 81b and are pushed by the spring bearing 73 to move downward, i.e., toward the base 10. The display unit 71 fixed to the connecting member 72 moves in conjunction with the movement of the connecting member 72 and displays "|" in the display window 14 of the cover 11, indicating that the circuit breaker 100 is in an ON state. This allows the user to confirm that the circuit breaker 100 is in a conductive state.

[0044] 9 is an explanatory diagram showing a state in which some of the fixed contacts and some of the movable contacts are welded to each other in the main part of the circuit breaker according to the first embodiment. As shown in FIG. 9, when the fixed contact 30 and the movable contact 40 of at least one pole among the fixed contacts 30 and the movable contacts 40 are welded to each other, the detecting member 8 cannot rotate toward the cover 11 because it is obstructed by the movable contact conductor 4 of the welded pole. In other words, the detecting member 8 cannot push the receiving portion 75 and the connecting member 72 toward the cover 11 with the contact portion 81b. As a result, the display unit 71 displays "|" in the display window 14 of the cover 11, indicating that the switch is in the ON state.

[0045] The movable contact conductor 4 of a pole where the fixed contact 30 and the movable contact 40 are not fixed to each other rotates toward the cover 11 due to its own spring-like restoring force. A gap is provided between the base 10 and the push plate 5 to allow the push plate 5 to move smoothly up and down. Therefore, the push plate 5 may tilt due to the presence of some poles where the fixed contact 30 and the movable contact 40 remain in contact with each other and other poles where the fixed contact 30 and the movable contact 40 are no longer in contact with each other. In this case, if the circuit breaker is configured such that the on and off states displayed on the display unit are switched in conjunction with the movement of the push plate, a tilted push plate may erroneously display the off state.

[0046] On the other hand, the circuit breaker 100 according to the first embodiment includes a plurality of fixed contact conductors 3 each having a fixed contact 30, a plurality of movable contact conductors 4 each having a movable contact 40 that is provided corresponding to each fixed contact 30 and is capable of coming into contact with the fixed contact 30, a display device 7 that displays the contact state or the open state of the fixed contact 30 and the movable contact 40, and a detection member 8 that detects that all of the plurality of fixed contacts 30 and the plurality of movable contacts 40 are in the open state and transmits this detection to the display device 7. The display device 7 displays the open state when the detection member 8 detects that all of the plurality of fixed contacts 30 and the plurality of movable contacts 40 are in the open state. Therefore, in the circuit breaker 100 according to the first embodiment, the display device 7 displays the open state only when all of the plurality of fixed contacts 30 and the plurality of movable contacts 40 corresponding to each fixed contact 30 are open. Therefore, even if the fixed contact 30 and the movable contact 40 of at least one pole among the plurality of fixed contacts 30 and the plurality of movable contacts 40 are welded together and the push plate 5 is tilted, the display unit 71 of the display device 7 remains in the ON state indicating the contact state. This can prevent the user from misunderstanding the information.

[0047] FIG. 10 is a perspective view showing a modified example of the detection member included in the circuit breaker according to the first embodiment. As shown in FIG. 10, the detection member 8A of the modified example is formed so that a rotation transmission portion 81 extends linearly from an end portion of a rotation shaft portion 80. Specifically, the detection member 8A has a rotation shaft portion 80 serving as a central axis of rotation, and a pair of rotation transmission portions 81 that bend and extend from both ends of the rotation shaft portion 80. The detection member 8A is formed into a substantially U-shape by the rotation shaft portion 80 and the rotation transmission portions 81. The pair of rotation transmission portions 81 are bent at an obtuse angle from the rotation shaft portion 80 and extend in directions away from each other. The tip portions of the rotation transmission portions 81 are disposed below the movable contact conductor 4 and come into contact with the movable contact conductor 4.

[0048] When the detection member 8A changes from a closed state in which the fixed contact 30 and the movable contact 40 are in contact to an open state in which the fixed contact 30 and the movable contact 40 are separated, it is urged by the urging member 9 to move integrally with the movable contact conductor 4, causing it to rotate toward the cover 11, and the rotation transmission part 81 pushes the receiving part 75 and the connecting member 72 upward, i.e., toward the cover 11. At this time, the display part 71 fixed to the connecting member 72 moves in conjunction with the movement of the connecting member 72, and displays "◯" in the display window 14 of the cover 11, indicating that the switch is in the off state.

[0049] On the other hand, when the detection member 8A moves from an open state in which the fixed contact 30 and the movable contact 40 are separated to a closed state in which the fixed contact 30 and the movable contact 40 are in contact, it overcomes the biasing force of the biasing member 9 and moves integrally with the movable contact conductor 4, thereby rotating toward the base 10. This releases the state in which the rotation transmission unit 81 is pushing up the receiving portion 75 and the connecting member 72, and the receiving portion 75 and the connecting member 72 move downward, i.e., toward the base 10. At this time, the display unit 71 fixed to the connecting member 72 moves in conjunction with the movement of the connecting member 72, and displays "|" in the display window 14 of the cover 11, indicating that the switch is in the on state.

[0050] The detection member 8A of the modified example has a rotation transmission part 81 with a simple configuration, which can contribute to reducing the manufacturing effort and cost.

[0051] Embodiment 2 Next, a circuit breaker 101 according to a second embodiment will be described with reference to Fig. 11 and Fig. 12. Fig. 11 is a perspective view showing a detection member provided in the circuit breaker according to the second embodiment. Fig. 12 is a perspective view showing the circuit breaker according to the second embodiment with the housing cover removed. Note that the same components as those described in the first embodiment are denoted by the same reference numerals, and the description thereof will be omitted as appropriate.

[0052] As shown in FIG. 11 , the detection member 8B in the second embodiment includes a rotation shaft 82 and a rotation transmission unit 83 that rotates around the rotation shaft 82 as a central axis to detect when all of the fixed contacts 30 and the movable contacts 40 are open and transmit the detection result to the display device 7. The detection member 8B is configured with the rotation transmission unit 83 at its center, and a pair of rotation shafts 82 provided at both ends of the rotation transmission unit 83. The rotation transmission unit 83 includes contact portions 83b disposed below all of the movable contact conductors 4 and in contact with the movable contact conductors 4, and a pair of connecting portions 83a connecting the contact portions 83b and the rotation shaft 82. The pair of connecting portions 83a and the contact portions 83b form a substantially U-shape in the rotation transmission unit 83. The detection member 8B may be manufactured by molding resin or the like, or by bending a single piece of metal and then applying an insulating coating.

[0053] As shown in FIG. 12 , the pivot shaft 82 is rotatably supported by having its tip inserted into a fixing hole (not shown) provided on the inner wall surface of the base 10. For example, the fixing hole is formed on the inner wall surface of the base 10 in the width direction, perpendicular to the direction from the load terminal 12 to the power terminal 13. The fixing hole may be provided in another location as long as it can rotatably support the pivot shaft 82. A biasing member 9 is provided on each pivot shaft 82. The contact portion 83b of the rotation transmission unit 83 is provided so as to extend along the width direction of the base 10, perpendicular to the direction from the load terminal 12 to the power terminal 13. The base 10 is provided with a groove (not shown) for the pivot transmission unit 83 to rotate around the pivot shaft 82. The pivot transmission unit 83 is rotatable within the groove provided in the base 10.

[0054] Generally, in a four-pole circuit breaker 100, the switching mechanism 6 is disposed so as to face one of the four poles. That is, the switching mechanism 6 is disposed at a position offset from the center in the width direction of the base 10, which is perpendicular to the direction from the load-side terminal 12 to the power-source-side terminal 13. Therefore, when the detection member 8B is disposed so as to face the switching mechanism 6, the detection member 8B is also disposed at a position offset from the center in the width direction of the base 10. Even in such a case, in the circuit breaker 101 according to the second embodiment, the contact portion 83b of the rotation transmission unit 83 is provided so as to extend along the width direction of the base 10, and therefore, it is possible to detect in a balanced manner whether the plurality of fixed contacts 30 and the plurality of movable contacts 40 are all in an open state.

[0055] The configurations shown in the above embodiments are merely examples, and may be combined with other known technologies, or different embodiments may be combined with each other. It is also possible to omit or modify parts of the configurations as long as they do not deviate from the gist of the invention.

[0056] Various aspects of the present disclosure are summarized below as appendices.

[0057] (Appendix 1) a plurality of stationary contact conductors having stationary contacts; a plurality of movable contact conductors each having a movable contact that is provided corresponding to each of the fixed contacts and is capable of coming into contact with the fixed contacts; a display device that displays a contact state or an open state of the fixed contact and the movable contact; a detection member that detects when the plurality of fixed contacts and the plurality of movable contacts are all in an open state and transmits the result to the display device; the display device displays an open state when the detection member detects that the plurality of fixed contacts and the plurality of movable contacts are all in an open state. A circuit breaker characterized by: (Appendix 2) the detection member is in contact with all of the movable contact conductors; When the plurality of fixed contacts and the plurality of movable contacts are all separated, the movable contact conductor moves in conjunction with the movement of the movable contact conductor and transmits the movement to the display device. 2. The circuit breaker according to claim 1, (Appendix 3) The detection member has a rotation shaft portion and a rotation transmission portion that rotates around the rotation shaft portion as a central axis, detects that the plurality of fixed contacts and the plurality of movable contacts are all in an open state, and transmits the detection result to the display device. 3. The circuit breaker according to claim 1 or 2, (Appendix 4) The detection member is configured so that the pair of rotation transmission parts are provided on both ends of the rotation shaft part, with the rotation shaft part being the center. 4. The circuit breaker according to claim 3, (Appendix 5) The detection member is configured so that the rotation transmission unit is at the center and a pair of the rotation shaft units are provided at both ends of the rotation transmission unit. 4. The circuit breaker according to claim 3, (Appendix 6) The display device includes: a display unit indicating a contact state and an open state of the fixed contact and the movable contact; a connecting member connected to the display unit, which moves in conjunction with the movement of the detection member to move the display unit, 6. The circuit breaker according to any one of claims 1 to 5. [Explanation of symbols]

[0058] 1 housing, 2 operating handle, 3 fixed contact conductor, 4 movable contact conductor, 5 push plate, 6 opening / closing mechanism, 7 display device, 8, 8A, 8B detection member, 9 biasing member, 10 base, 10a base groove, 11 cover, 12 load side terminal, 13 power supply side terminal, 14 display window, 15 opening, 30 fixed contact, 40 movable contact, 41 fixed end, 60 frame, 60a through hole, 61 rotating shaft, 62 connecting pin, 62a one end, 62b other end, 63 latch, 63a contact surface, 63b engagement surface, 70 main body, 70a recess, 70b guide groove, 70c storage section, 71 display section, 72 connecting member, 73 spring receiver, 74 return spring, 75 receiving section, 80, 82 rotating shaft section, 81, 83 Rotation transmission part, 81a, 83a connection part, 81b, 83b contact part, 100, 101 circuit breaker.

Claims

1. a plurality of stationary contact conductors having stationary contacts; a plurality of movable contact conductors each having a movable contact that is provided corresponding to each of the fixed contacts and is capable of coming into contact with the fixed contacts; a display device that displays a contact state or an open state of the fixed contact and the movable contact; a detection member that detects when the plurality of fixed contacts and the plurality of movable contacts are all in an open state and transmits the result to the display device; the display device displays an open state when the detection member detects that the plurality of fixed contacts and the plurality of movable contacts are all in an open state. A circuit breaker characterized by:

2. the detection member is in contact with all of the movable contact conductors; When the plurality of fixed contacts and the plurality of movable contacts are all separated, the movable contact conductor moves in conjunction with the movement of the movable contact conductor and transmits the movement to the display device.

2. The circuit breaker of claim 1.

3. The detection member has a rotation shaft portion and a rotation transmission portion that rotates around the rotation shaft portion as a central axis, detects that the plurality of fixed contacts and the plurality of movable contacts are all in an open state, and transmits the detection result to the display device.

3. The circuit breaker according to claim 1 or 2.

4. The detection member is configured so that the pair of rotation transmission parts are provided on both ends of the rotation shaft part, with the rotation shaft part being the center.

4. The circuit breaker according to claim 3.

5. The detection member is configured so that the rotation transmission unit is at the center and a pair of the rotation shaft units are provided at both ends of the rotation transmission unit.

4. The circuit breaker according to claim 3.

6. The display device includes: a display unit indicating a contact state and an open state of the fixed contact and the movable contact; a connecting member connected to the display unit, which moves in conjunction with the movement of the detection member to move the display unit, 3. The circuit breaker according to claim 1 or 2.

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