Switching device and switching device module

Abstract

The present disclosure relates to the technical field of switching devices, and specifically to a switching device and a switching device module. The switching device comprises a housing and at least two wiring terminals; the housing comprises a mounting end face; each wiring terminal comprises a wiring part; the wiring part of at least one wiring terminal is arranged on the mounting end face of the housing; the wiring part of the wiring terminal arranged on the mounting end face of the housing is a hard conductor and is provided with a mounting structure; mounted and fixed to a mounted object by means of the mounting structure, the switching device is not only mounted and fixed to the mounted object and but also conductively connected to an external loop; a plurality of switching devices are assembled to form a switching device module. In the present disclosure, the mounting structure can not only mount and connect the switching device to the mounted object, but also conductively connect the switching device to the external loop, thereby reducing the operation steps of the switching device during mounting and wiring, simplifying the operation process, and improving the mounting and wiring efficiency.

Description

Switchgear and switchgear modules

[0001] This disclosure claims priority to Chinese patent applications No. 202411782986.2 and 202423000239.7, filed on December 5, 2024, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. Technical Field

[0002] This disclosure relates to the field of switching device technology, specifically to a switching device and a switching device module. Background Technology

[0003] In existing switchgear, the terminals for connecting to external circuits are located on different sides of the switchgear, requiring multiple flipping of the switchgear during wiring. This is especially true for double-pole circuit breakers, each of which has at least four terminals: L-pole incoming, L-pole outgoing, N-pole incoming, and N-pole outgoing. The fact that each terminal is located on a different side of the circuit breaker further complicates installation.

[0004] In practical use, it is often necessary to assemble multiple switching devices into a modular structure. However, the side with wiring terminals cannot be used to install other switching devices, which is not conducive to the modularization of switching devices.

[0005] In the installation of switchgear, the connection between the mounting structure on the switchgear housing and the object being installed (the object including the switchgear's mounting bracket, mounting box, and other mechanical structural components) is achieved. The conductive connection between the switchgear and the external circuit is achieved through terminal blocks. Existing structures typically have separate mounting structures and terminal blocks, which occupy a significant amount of space within the switchgear housing, hindering the miniaturization of the switchgear. Furthermore, this structure requires separating the installation and wiring operations, making the overall operation more cumbersome. Summary of the Invention

[0006] The purpose of this disclosure is to address the aforementioned technical problems by proposing a structurally optimized switchgear and switchgear module to improve the ease of installation, fixation, and operational connection of the switchgear with external circuits.

[0007] To achieve the above objectives, the technical solution disclosed herein includes:

[0008] A switching device includes a housing and at least two terminals. The housing includes a mounting face, which is the side of the housing facing an object to be mounted. Each terminal includes a connecting portion and a wiring portion. The connecting portion is connected to a moving contact or a stationary contact to form an electrical connection between the moving contact or stationary contact and the wiring portion. The wiring portion of at least one of the terminals is disposed on the mounting face of the housing. The wiring portion of the terminal disposed on the mounting face of the housing is a rigid conductor and has a mounting structure. The mounting structure is used to install and fix the switching device to the object to be mounted, so that the switching device is both mounted and fixed to the object to be mounted and electrically connected to an external circuit.

[0009] In one embodiment, the mounting structure is a mounting hole.

[0010] In one embodiment, the mounting hole is a threaded hole.

[0011] In one embodiment, the wiring terminals disposed on the mounting end face of the housing are multiple.

[0012] In one embodiment, the switchgear further includes an exhaust port for discharging gas from the housing, the exhaust port being disposed on the mounting end face.

[0013] In one embodiment, the mounting end face is provided with at least one flange extending toward the bottom, and the flange is respectively arranged circumferentially around the wiring portion and / or the exhaust port, thereby the flange is used to form an isolation structure between the exhaust port and the wiring portion and / or a mounting limiting structure for the wiring portion.

[0014] In one embodiment, the switching device is a double-pole circuit breaker, and the terminals include an L-pole first terminal, an L-pole second terminal, an N-pole first terminal, and an N-pole second terminal, with the wiring portions of the L-pole second terminal, the N-pole first terminal, and the N-pole second terminal disposed on the mounting end face.

[0015] The technical solution disclosed herein also includes:

[0016] A switching device module includes at least two switching devices, wherein the switching devices are one of the aforementioned switching devices, and at least one of the terminals of the switching devices is electrically connected to the corresponding terminals of the remaining switching devices via a conductive connector.

[0017] In one embodiment, the conductive connector is a copper busbar, which is electrically connected to the terminal block via a threaded connection to the mounting structure of the wiring portion, thereby forming an electrical connection between the corresponding terminals of the switching devices.

[0018] In one embodiment, the wiring terminals provided on the mounting end face of the housing are at least three, including a first polarity terminal and a second polarity terminal. The direction in which the middle part of the mounting end face is located relative to the edge is defined as inward, and the first polarity terminal is located inside the second polarity terminal.

[0019] In one embodiment, the switching devices are arranged side by side and the mounting faces of the switching devices face the same side.

[0020] In one embodiment, four switching devices are included, arranged in a rectangular pattern. The four first polarity terminals of the four switching devices are electrically connected by conductive elements, and the four second polarity terminals of the four switching devices are electrically connected by conductive connectors. The conductive connectors connecting the first polarity terminals form a rectangular or similar rectangular ring structure, and the conductive connectors connecting the second polarity terminals are located inside the ring structure.

[0021] The beneficial effects of this disclosure are:

[0022] 1. This disclosure combines the terminal block with the mounting structure by setting the terminal block on the mounting end face and setting the wiring part as a rigid conductor with a mounting structure. The mounting structure can realize both the mechanical connection between the switch and the installed object and the conductive connection between the switch and the external circuit. Thus, the installation and fixing of the switch and the connection to the external circuit are organically combined with the wiring part of the terminal block, reducing the operation steps in the installation and wiring process of the switch, simplifying the operation process, improving the installation and wiring efficiency, and improving the overall operation convenience.

[0023] 2. The wiring section on the mounting end face is configured to be electrically connected to the external circuit via a threaded connection. Furthermore, the external circuit is connected to the wiring section by screw-type threaded connectors screwed into threaded holes or nuts. This eliminates the need to repeatedly flip the switch during the locking operation, improving the convenience of wiring operations.

[0024] 3. When multiple switching devices are assembled into a module, the corresponding terminals are electrically connected through copper busbars. Thus, external circuits only need to connect to the copper busbars or one of the terminals to form an electrical connection with the corresponding terminals of other switching devices in the module. This simplifies wiring operations, reduces the requirements for installation space, and further improves the convenience of wiring operations.

[0025] 4. The copper busbars connecting the corresponding terminals of multiple switching devices are also connected to the mounting structure. Therefore, the mounting structure of the wiring section can realize three functions: terminal connection between switching devices, installation and fixation of switching devices, and electrical connection of switching devices to external circuits. That is, three different connections can be achieved with only one installation, further simplifying the installation and wiring process and further improving the installation and wiring efficiency of switching devices. Attached Figure Description

[0026] Figure 1 is a perspective view of an embodiment of the switching device of this disclosure.

[0027] Figure 2 is an exploded view of the embodiment of the switching device shown in Figure 1.

[0028] Figure 3 is a structural diagram of the installation state of the switch module of this disclosure.

[0029] Figure 4 is a structural diagram of the switch module in Figure 3 without the mounting bracket.

[0030] Figure 5 is a front view of the mounting end face of the switch module of this disclosure.

[0031] Figure 6 is a front view of one side end face of the switch module of this disclosure.

[0032] Figure 7 is a perspective view of another embodiment of the switching device disclosed herein.

[0033] Figure 8 is an exploded view of the embodiment of the switching device shown in Figure 7.

[0034] Figure 9 is a front view of the embodiment of the switching device shown in Figure 8.

[0035] Figure 10 is a left view of the embodiment of the switchgear shown in Figure 7 without the first side cover.

[0036] Figure 11 is the AA sectional view of Figure 9.

[0037] Figure 12 is an installation state diagram of an embodiment of this disclosure.

[0038] Wherein: 1a, housing; 101a, first side cover; 102a, second side cover; 11a, mounting end face; 12a, top end face; 13a, side end face; 20a, terminal block; 21a, first terminal block of L pole; 22a, second terminal block of L pole; 23a, first terminal block of N pole; 24a, second terminal block of N pole; 201a, connecting part; 202a, wiring part; 2021a, threaded hole; 3a, base; 4a, L pole conductive system; 5a, N pole conductive system; 6a, exhaust channel; 60a, exhaust port; 7a, flange; 71a, first flange; 711a, notch; 72a, second flange; J, mounting bracket; W, mounting structure; 100a, circuit breaker; 200a, conductive connector; 210a, first copper busbar; 220a, second... Copper busbar; 300a, N-pole conductive sheet; 400a, L-pole conductive sheet; 100b, mounting bracket; 10b, arc extinguishing chamber; 11b, first side cover; 12b, second side cover; 13b, first base; 131b, first mounting port; 14b, second base; 141b, second mounting port; 142b, mounting part; 200b, top cover; 20b, exhaust channel; 201b, exhaust port; 21b, first exhaust channel; 211b, first exhaust section; 212b, second exhaust section; 22b, second exhaust channel; 221b, third exhaust section; 222b, fourth exhaust section; 223b, fifth exhaust section; 23b, third exhaust channel; 24b, extended air passage; 241b, notch; 30b, L-pole conductive system; 40b, N-pole conductive system; 5b, arc ignition plate. Detailed Implementation

[0039] To further illustrate the various embodiments, this disclosure includes accompanying drawings. These drawings are part of the disclosure and are primarily used to illustrate the embodiments, and can be used in conjunction with the relevant descriptions in the specification to explain the operating principles of the embodiments. With reference to these drawings, those skilled in the art should be able to understand other possible implementations and the advantages of this disclosure. Components in the drawings are not drawn to scale, and similar component symbols are generally used to represent similar components.

[0040] Referring to Figures 1 and 2, the switchgear embodiment 1 disclosed in this disclosure includes a housing 1a and at least two terminals 20a. The switchgear in this embodiment is a circuit breaker 100a, more specifically a double-pole circuit breaker. The double-pole circuit breaker includes four terminals 20a: a first L-pole terminal 21a, a second L-pole terminal 22a, a first N-pole terminal 23a, and a second N-pole terminal 24a. In other embodiments, the circuit breaker can be a three-pole, four-pole, or other multi-pole circuit breaker, with corresponding terminals of two, six, eight, or more; and the terminals are not limited to an L-pole for connecting the live wire and an N-pole for connecting the neutral wire, but may also only have an L-pole terminal for connecting the live wire.

[0041] Referring to Figure 2, the housing 1a includes a first side cover 101a and a second side cover 102a. A base 3a is provided between the first side cover 101a and the second side cover 102a. An L-polar conductive system 4a and an N-polar conductive system 5a are provided between the first side cover 101a and the base 3a. A partition is provided between the L-polar conductive system 4a and the N-polar conductive system 5a. The L-polar conductive system 4a and the N-polar conductive system 5a are respectively provided with moving contacts and stationary contacts. The L-polar first terminal 21a and the L-polar second terminal 22a are respectively connected to the moving contact and the stationary contact of the L-polar conductive system 4a. The N-polar first terminal 23a and the N-polar second terminal 24a are respectively connected to the moving contact and the stationary contact of the N-polar conductive system 5a, thereby controlling the on / off state of the external circuit connected to the terminals through the corresponding conductive systems.

[0042] Referring to Figure 1, the housing 1a includes a mounting end face 11a, which is the side of the housing 1a facing the object to be mounted. The X direction shown in Figure 2 is the bottom direction. In this embodiment, the housing 1a is a square structure with six end faces. The end face away from the bottom direction is the top end face 12a of the housing 1a, and the end face parallel to the bottom direction is the side end face 13a of the housing 1a. The terminal block 20a includes a connecting portion 201a and a wiring portion 202a. The connecting portion 201a is connected to a moving contact or a stationary contact to form an electrical connection between the moving contact or the stationary contact and the wiring portion 202a. At least one wiring portion 202a of the terminal block 20a is provided on the mounting end face 11a of the housing 1a. The wiring portion 202a of the terminal block 20a provided on the mounting end face 11a of the housing 1a is a rigid conductor and has a mounting structure W. The rigid conductor mounting structure W is used to install and fix the circuit breaker to the object to be installed, so that the circuit breaker is both installed and fixed to the object to be installed and electrically connected to an external circuit.

[0043] The object to be installed refers to the mounting bracket J used to install the switchgear. Its specific structure is existing technology. The circuit breaker or other switchgear is fixed in place by connecting to the mounting bracket J. The external circuit refers to the external load controlled by the switchgear. The external load is connected to the mounting structure W of the wiring portion 202a via an external conductive device such as a conductive wire or rod, achieving a conductive connection between the switchgear and the external circuit. The switchgear disclosed herein is fixed to the object to be installed via the mounting structure W of the wiring terminal 20a located on the mounting end face 11a. The wiring portion 202a of the wiring terminal 20a is a rigid conductor and has the mounting structure W. The wiring portion 202a is electrically connected to the external circuit via the mounting structure W, thus achieving both the installation and fixation of the switchgear and the electrical connection between the switchgear and the external circuit. In other words, the wiring terminal 20a has both the function of conductive connection to the external circuit and the installation function.

[0044] In this embodiment, the wiring portions 202a are disposed on the mounting end face 11a and the side end face 13a of the housing 1a. More specifically, the wiring portions 202a of the L-pole second terminal 22a, the N-pole first terminal 23a, and the N-pole second terminal 24a are disposed on the mounting end face 11a of the housing 1a, and the wiring portion of the L-pole first terminal 21a is disposed on the side end face 13a of the housing 1a. This embodiment distributes the wiring portions 202a on two different end faces of the housing 1a (i.e., the mounting end face 11a and the side end face 13a). Compared to schemes where each wiring portion 202a is distributed on different end faces or all wiring portions 202a are distributed on two or more end faces, this embodiment reduces the number of end faces on which the wiring portions 202a are distributed, thereby reducing the number of times the circuit breaker 100a is switched during connection to an external conductive device. In other embodiments, if there is sufficient space on the mounting end face 11a, all wiring terminals can also be disposed on the mounting end face to make the wiring terminal arrangement more concentrated, further reducing the number of times the switching device is switched during wiring.

[0045] In this embodiment, the external conductive device refers to the electrical connection wire, specifically the live wire and the neutral wire. The first L-pole terminal 21a and the second L-pole terminal 22a are used to directly or indirectly connect to the live wire circuit, and the on / off state of the circuit is controlled by the moving and stationary contacts of the L-pole conductive system 4a. The first N-pole terminal 23a and the second N-pole terminal 24a are used to connect to the neutral wire circuit, and the on / off state of the circuit is controlled by the moving and stationary contacts of the N-pole conductive system 5a.

[0046] Referring again to Figures 1 to 3, the wiring portion 202a is disposed on the mounting end face 11a of the housing 1a, and each terminal 20a is connected to an external conductive device via a threaded connection. In this embodiment, the wiring portion 202a is provided with a threaded hole 2021a, through which the wiring portion 202a forms a threaded connection with the external conductive device. Thus, the threaded hole 2021a forms the mounting structure W of the wiring portion 202a, and the threaded hole 2021a is integrally formed on the wiring portion 202a. In other embodiments, a nut disposed on the wiring portion 202a can also be used to achieve the threaded connection between the wiring portion 202a and the external conductive device. The nut and the wiring portion 202a are electrically connected, thus the nut forms the mounting structure W of the wiring portion 202a, and the threaded hole 2021a formed by the nut is separately connected to the wiring portion 202a. More specifically: the nut can be located on one end face of the wiring portion 202a, and the wiring portion 202a has a through hole corresponding to the screw hole of the nut, so that the screw can be inserted into the through hole and the nut; the nut can also be located on one side of the wiring portion 202a and form conductive contact with the wiring portion 202a, in which case the wiring portion 202a does not block the screw hole of the nut, so there is no need to make a hole. During the wiring operation, the external conductive device can be electrically connected to the wiring portion 202a by screwing it into the threaded hole 2021a or the nut, that is, the L-pole second terminal 22a, the N-pole first terminal 23a and the N-pole second terminal 24a are connected by screws.

[0047] Besides the two threaded hole structures mentioned above, the mounting structure W can also be other mounting hole structures, such as insertion holes. Furthermore, the mounting structure W can also be other non-hole structures, such as mounting clip structures.

[0048] The wiring portion 202a of the first terminal 21a of the L pole is provided on the side end face 13a of the housing 1a. The wiring portion 202a has a slot-type structure, which connects to an external conductive device by plugging in. The plugging operation is simple and quick. The live wire, which is an external conductive device, can be inserted into the wiring portion 202a of the first terminal 21a of the L pole without flipping the switch 100a.

[0049] For the wiring portions 202a provided on the mounting end face 11a, namely the wiring portions 202a of the L pole second terminal 22a, the N pole first terminal 23a and the N pole second terminal 24a, a flat surface is provided on the side of these wiring portions 202a away from the connection portion 201a, so that the external conductive device can be positioned through the flat surface and the connection stability can be improved.

[0050] In the above embodiment, three terminals 20a are provided on the mounting end face 11a: the L-pole second terminal 22a, the N-pole first terminal 23a, and the N-pole second terminal 24a. In other embodiments, one or more terminals 20a may be provided on the mounting end face 11a, such as two, four, or more terminals 20a. The more terminals 20a provided on the mounting end face 11a, the more mounting structures W are available to fix the switchgear to the object being installed, which is more beneficial for the stable installation of the switchgear. In this embodiment, the three terminals 20a can form a triangular connection between the switchgear and the object being installed, further improving the stability of the switchgear installation.

[0051] Referring to Figures 1 to 3, the circuit breaker also has a vent 60a, which is connected to the vent channel 6a inside the circuit breaker (see Figure 6) for discharging energized gas from the circuit breaker. In this disclosure, the vent 60a is located on the mounting surface 11a of the switching device, and the discharged gas is directed towards the object being installed, thereby preventing the discharged energized gas from splashing onto surrounding components. The mounting end face 11a is also provided with a plurality of flanges 7a extending towards the bottom (see Figure 5). In this embodiment, the flanges 7a include a first flange 71a and a second flange 72a. The first flange 71a is arranged along the circumferential periphery of the exhaust port 60a, and the second flange 72a is arranged along the circumferential periphery of the wiring portion 202a. Thus, the first flange 71a forms an isolation structure between the exhaust port 60a and the wiring portion 202a, preventing the charged gas discharged from the exhaust port 60a from splashing onto the external conductive device connected to the wiring portion 202a and the devices arranged around the circuit breaker. The second flange 72a forms a mounting limiting structure for the wiring portion 202a. In addition, the presence of the first flange 71a and the second flange 72a can also form a gap between the mounting end face 11a of the switchgear and the object to be mounted, so as to facilitate the conductive connection between the wiring portion 202a and the external conductive device.

[0052] The first flange 71a and the second flange 72a are respectively arranged around the circumferential periphery of the exhaust port 60a and the wiring portion 202a, and are not limited to surrounding the exhaust port 60a or the wiring portion 202a. They can extend around the circumferential portion of the exhaust port 60a or the wiring portion 202a, and this extension is not limited to a continuous extension, but can also be a discontinuous extension. In this embodiment, the first flange 71a extends discontinuously around the exhaust port 60a, and it extends in a roughly U-shape to form a structure surrounding the exhaust port 60a. Because the first flange 71a extends discontinuously, a notch 711a is formed. The notch 711a can form an outlet for charged gas. When the bottom of the first flange 71a forms a closed connection with the object being installed, the notch 711a can discharge the charged gas. The second flange 72a extends continuously and is a semi-enclosed structure that partially surrounds the wiring portion 202a of the N-pole second terminal 24a, thereby forming an accommodating space for accommodating an external circuit on one side of the wiring portion 202a. The second flange 72a of the semi-enclosed structure forms an external circuit limiting structure.

[0053] The L-pole second terminal 22a is disposed between the first flange 71a and the second flange 72a. Therefore, the space between the first flange 71a and the second flange 72a can form a accommodating space for an external circuit connected to the L-pole second terminal 22a. The first flange 71a and the second flange 72a cooperate to form an installation limiting structure for the external circuit.

[0054] The external circuit accommodated in the aforementioned accommodating space is not limited to the external conductive device connected to the external load (such as the N-pole conductive sheet 300a and L-pole conductive sheet 400a described in Embodiment 2), but can also be a conductive connector that electrically connects multiple switching devices (this conductive connector is also an external conductive device), such as the copper busbar described in Embodiment 2. The external circuit is indirectly connected to the wiring portion 202a by connecting to the external conductive device or by connecting to the copper busbar.

[0055] In this embodiment, there are two flanges 7a, namely the first flange 71a and the second flange 72a. In other embodiments, only one or more flanges 7a may be provided. For example, only the first flange 71a may be provided to form an isolation structure between the exhaust port 60a and the wiring portion 202a, and only the second flange 72a may be provided to form a limiting structure for the external circuit connected to the N-pole second terminal 24a.

[0056] The L-pole second terminal 22a is positioned between the N-pole first terminal 23a and the N-pole second terminal 24a. This arrangement keeps the distance between the two terminals 20a of the same polarity (N-pole first terminal 23a and N-pole second terminal 24a) relatively large, preventing external circuits connected to the two terminals 20a of the same polarity from forming an electrical connection. By placing the L-pole second terminal 22a of a different polarity between the two terminals 20a of the same polarity, a more compact layout is achieved using the limited space of the mounting end face 11a.

[0057] Referring to Figures 3 to 6, this disclosure also discloses a switching device module. The switching device module in this embodiment is a circuit breaker module, including at least two circuit breakers 100a. These circuit breakers are double-pole circuit breakers as described in Embodiment 1a, and their specific structures have been explained in Embodiment 1a and will not be detailed here. At least one terminal 20a of any circuit breaker 100a is electrically connected to a corresponding terminal 20a of another circuit breaker via a conductive connector 200a. This terminal 20a electrically connected to the terminal 20a of the other circuit breaker 100a is a terminal 20a disposed on the mounting end face 11a of the housing 1a. In this embodiment, the L-pole second terminal 22a and N-pole second terminal 24a of all circuit breakers 100a within the module are electrically connected via conductive connectors 200a. The conductive connectors 200a connect corresponding terminals in different circuit breakers 100a; that is, the L-pole second terminal 22a of all circuit breakers 100a are electrically connected via one conductive connector 200a, and the N-pole second terminal 24a of all circuit breakers 100a are electrically connected via another conductive connector 200a. Thus, the L-pole second terminal 22a and N-pole second terminal 24a are connected to the external circuit via conductive connectors 200a. The N-pole first terminal 23a of each circuit breaker is individually connected to the external circuit via a conductive piece extending towards one side of the circuit breaker 100a. More specifically, the N-pole first terminal 23a of each circuit breaker 100a is individually connected to the external circuit via an N-pole conductive piece 300a. The first terminal 21a of the L pole of each circuit breaker 100a is connected to the external circuit separately through the L pole conductive piece 400a.

[0058] L-pole first terminal 21a and L-pole second terminal 22a form a first polarity terminal, and N-pole first terminal 23a and N-pole second terminal 24a form a second polarity terminal. In this embodiment, one first polarity terminal (i.e., L-pole second terminal 22a) and two second polarity terminals (i.e., N-pole first terminal 23a and N-pole second terminal 24a) are provided on the mounting end face 11a. The direction of the middle portion of the mounting end face 11a relative to its edge is defined as the inner side. In this embodiment, the direction in which the two second polarity terminals face each other is defined as the inner side. The first polarity terminal is placed inside the second polarity terminal so that the first polarity terminal on the mounting end face 11a and one of the second polarity terminals can be electrically connected through conductive connectors 200a. In this embodiment, the L-pole first terminal 21a is provided on the side end face 13a. In other embodiments, it is also feasible to provide the L-pole first terminal 21a on the mounting end face, only requiring a corresponding change in the structure of the L-pole first terminal 21a.

[0059] In this embodiment, the conductive connector 200a is a copper busbar with threaded holes. It is electrically connected to the terminal block 20a via a screw threaded into the hole, thereby establishing an electrical connection between corresponding terminals 20a of different switching devices 100a. In other embodiments, the conductive connector 200a may also be in other forms, such as a conductive rod.

[0060] The circuit breaker module in this embodiment consists of four circuit breakers 100a arranged in a rectangular pattern, with adjacent circuit breakers 100a abutting each other. The mounting end face 11a and side end face 13a of the wiring section, which has terminals 20a, are exposed to facilitate electrical connection between external conductive devices and the wiring section. The mounting end faces 11a face the same direction to allow for electrical connection of the terminals of each circuit breaker via copper busbars. This also ensures that the wiring sections 202a on the mounting end faces 11a face the same direction, reducing the number of times the circuit breaker 100a needs to be flipped during wiring operations, further simplifying the wiring operation and improving wiring convenience.

[0061] In this embodiment, the housing 1a of the circuit breaker 100a is approximately rectangular. Therefore, the rectangular arrangement of the four circuit breakers 100a makes the circuit breaker module structure more compact, and the abutting connection of the circuit breakers 100a reduces the overall volume of the circuit breaker module and the space occupied by the circuit breaker module. In other embodiments, it is also feasible to adopt other arrangement methods that are conducive to compact layout for circuit breakers 100a with other structures.

[0062] Since this embodiment uses a rectangular arrangement of four circuit breakers 100a to form a module, the copper busbar connecting the second terminal 22a of the L pole (defined as "first copper busbar 210a") is also a ring structure. In this embodiment, to adapt to the structure of the circuit breaker, the copper busbar is formed into a rectangular ring structure with a small number of bends and protrusions, and its shape is roughly close to a rectangle. In other embodiments, if the structure of the circuit breaker and the arrangement of the second terminal 22a of the L pole allow, the copper busbar can also be a rectangular structure. The copper busbar connecting the second terminal 24a of the N pole (defined as "second copper busbar 220a") is located within the ring structure of the first copper busbar 210a, making the overall structural layout more reasonable.

[0063] The first flange 71a forms an installation limiting structure for the first copper busbar 210a. The first flange 71a and the second flange 72a cooperate to form an installation limiting structure for the second copper busbar 220a, which is beneficial for the installation and fixation of the first copper busbar 210a and the second copper busbar 220a.

[0064] In addition to double-pole circuit breakers, the circuit breaker described in Embodiment 2 can also be a single-pole circuit breaker or other multi-pole circuit breakers with more than two poles.

[0065] In the structures described in Embodiments 1a and 2, in addition to circuit breakers, other switching devices, such as disconnecting switches, can also be used. The switching devices described in this disclosure refer to the switching devices defined in GB / T5226.1-2019 / IEC60204-1:2016, that is, electrical appliances used to connect or disconnect one or more circuit currents, and their specific component forms can be circuit breakers, relays, disconnecting switches, etc.

[0066] The arc-extinguishing chamber in a switchgear is used to extinguish the electric arc generated between the moving and stationary contacts. Specifically, it extinguishes the arc through arc-extinguishing grids within the chamber. The ionized gas and residual free arc generated after arc extinguishing are then discharged outside the switchgear through an exhaust channel. Currently, the exhaust port at the end of the exhaust channel is usually located on the side of the switchgear. The ionized gas and free arc discharged from the exhaust port have a significant impact on surrounding components, reducing the safety performance of the switchgear and its surrounding devices. Secondly, existing exhaust channels have many inflection points, resulting in significant airflow losses within the exhaust channel, which is detrimental to the discharge of ionized gas and free arc and the cooling of the arc-extinguishing chamber, posing a risk of arc reignition.

[0067] This disclosure also provides a switching device to solve the problem that the exhaust port located on the side of the switching device has a significant impact on surrounding devices.

[0068] To achieve the above objectives, the technical solution disclosed herein is as follows: a switching device includes a housing assembly with multiple end faces, wherein the housing assembly has an arc-extinguishing chamber and at least one exhaust channel, the exhaust channel being used to discharge the charged gas in the arc-extinguishing chamber to the outside of the housing assembly, the end face of the switching device facing the object to be installed is defined as the lower end face, and the exhaust port at the end of the exhaust channel is located on the lower end face of the housing assembly.

[0069] In one embodiment, the exhaust port is located at the center of the lower end face.

[0070] In one embodiment, the lower end face of the housing assembly has a downwardly extending flange.

[0071] In one embodiment, the flange is disposed around or partially around the outer periphery of the exhaust port, thereby forming an extended air passage.

[0072] In one embodiment, the flange portion is disposed around the outside of the exhaust port, and the sidewall of the extended air passage is formed with a notch.

[0073] In one embodiment, the exhaust passage extends downward or diagonally downward to the lower end face of the housing assembly.

[0074] In one embodiment, the housing assembly includes a first base, the first base having a first mounting port for forming part of the arc-extinguishing chamber, the first mounting port penetrating the first base, the direction in which the first mounting port penetrates the first base being defined as left-right, and there are multiple exhaust channels, the multiple exhaust channels being located on the left or right side of the first base respectively.

[0075] In one embodiment, the direction perpendicular to the left and right direction on the horizontal plane is defined as the front and back direction. The exhaust channel includes a first exhaust channel and a second exhaust channel connected to the outlet side of the arc-extinguishing chamber. The first exhaust channel and the second exhaust channel are located on the left and right sides of the first base, respectively. The air inlet of the first exhaust channel is higher than the air inlet of the second exhaust channel. The second exhaust channel has more bends relative to the first exhaust channel.

[0076] In one embodiment, the first exhaust passage includes a first exhaust section and a second exhaust section along the airflow direction. The first exhaust section extends downward from the sidewall of the first mounting port and toward the edge of the first substrate in a front-back direction. The second exhaust section extends downward from the end of the first exhaust section and toward the middle of the first substrate in a front-back direction. The end of the second exhaust section forms the exhaust port of the first exhaust passage. The second exhaust passage includes a third exhaust section, a fourth exhaust section, and a fifth exhaust section along the airflow direction. The third exhaust section extends downward from the sidewall of the first mounting port. The fourth exhaust section extends forward toward the middle of the first substrate in a front-back direction from the end of the third exhaust section. The fifth exhaust section extends downward from the end of the fourth exhaust section. The end of the fifth exhaust section forms the exhaust port of the second exhaust passage.

[0077] In one embodiment, the exhaust passage further includes a third exhaust passage, which is divided into two parts in the front-to-back direction, thereby increasing the cross-sectional area of ​​the third exhaust passage and improving exhaust efficiency.

[0078] In one embodiment, the switching device is a double-pole circuit breaker.

[0079] The beneficial effects of this disclosure are:

[0080] 1. The exhaust port of the exhaust channel is located on the lower end face of the switchgear. After installation, it can prevent energized gas from splashing onto surrounding devices, thereby improving the safety of surrounding devices.

[0081] 2. The extended air passage is arranged around the exhaust port, so the charged gas discharged from the exhaust passage can be discharged through the gap in the side wall of the extended air passage and the end of the extended air passage, thus dispersing the charged gas and further improving the safety of surrounding devices.

[0082] 3. Each exhaust channel extends downward or diagonally downward, thereby reducing the bends in the exhaust channel, reducing airflow loss, helping the charged gas to be quickly discharged outside the switchgear, preventing arc reignition and reducing the temperature of the arc-extinguishing chamber.

[0083] 4. The air inlet of the second exhaust channel is located at a lower height than the air inlet of the first exhaust channel, and the exhaust outlets of both exhaust channels are located on the lower end face of the switch. Making the second exhaust channel more bends can extend the length of the second exhaust channel, which helps to accelerate the airflow and fully discharge the charged gas.

[0084] Referring to Figures 7 to 12, this disclosure discloses a switching device, more specifically a double-pole circuit breaker, including a housing assembly with multiple end faces. The housing assembly includes a first side cover 11b, a second side cover 12b, a first base 13b, and a second base 14b. The first base 13b and the second base 14b are disposed between the first side cover 11b and the second side cover 12b. The multiple end faces of the circuit breaker are formed by the housing assembly. In this example, the circuit breaker is generally rectangular in appearance, thus having six outer end faces. The direction facing the object to which the switching device is installed is defined as "down," and the opposite direction is defined as "up." That is, the Z2 direction shown in Figure 8 is down, and the Z1 direction is up. The end face of the housing assembly facing the bottom is the lower end face. In this example, when the circuit breaker is installed, the direction of the object to which it is installed is in the direction of the gravity acting on the circuit breaker. In other embodiments, it is also possible for the direction of the object to which it is installed relative to the circuit breaker to be different from the direction of gravity.

[0085] The object to be installed is the circuit breaker mounting bracket 100b. The mounting bracket 100b and the top cover 200b cooperate to form a mounting box. The circuit breaker is installed in the mounting box. The mounting box is existing technology and will not be described in detail here.

[0086] The housing assembly includes an arc-extinguishing chamber 10b and multiple exhaust channels 20b, which are used to discharge the charged gas inside the arc-extinguishing chamber 10b to the outside of the housing assembly. A first base 13b has a first mounting port 131b that forms part of the arc-extinguishing chamber 10b, and the first mounting port 131b penetrates through the first base 13b. A second base 14b has a second mounting port 141b. The first mounting port 131b and the second mounting port 141b together form the arc-extinguishing chamber 10b. Multiple arc-extinguishing grids are provided inside the arc-extinguishing chamber 10b to extinguish the electric arc entering the arc-extinguishing chamber 10b. The ionized gas and free arc remaining after the arc is extinguished (which form the aforementioned charged gas) are discharged through the exhaust channels 20b.

[0087] The direction in which the first mounting port 131b penetrates the first base 13b is defined as the left-right direction, and the X1-X2 direction shown in Figure 8 is the left-right direction. The direction perpendicular to the left-right direction on the horizontal plane is defined as the front-back direction, and the Y1-Y2 direction shown in Figure 8 is the front-back direction.

[0088] The circuit breaker in this example is a double-pole circuit breaker. The space formed by the first side cover 11b and the first base 13b houses an L-pole conductive system 30b. The L-pole conductive system 30b has at least one set of terminals for connecting to the live wire circuit. The on / off state of this circuit connected to the L-pole conductive system 30b is controlled by the closing or opening of its moving and stationary contacts. The space formed by the first base 13b and the second base 14b houses an N-pole conductive system 40b. The N-pole conductive system 40b also has at least one set of terminals for connecting to the neutral wire circuit. The on / off state of this circuit connected to the N-pole conductive system 40b is controlled by the closing or opening of its moving and stationary contacts.

[0089] The exhaust passage 20b is used to discharge energized gas from the arc-extinguishing chamber 10b or energized gas generated during the breaking of the moving and stationary contacts to the outside of the circuit breaker. The exhaust port 201b at the end of the exhaust passage 20b is located on the lower end face of the housing assembly. Placing the exhaust port 201b of the exhaust passage 20b on the lower end face of the circuit breaker prevents energized gas from splashing onto devices located around the circuit breaker, thereby improving the safety of surrounding devices.

[0090] Referring again to Figures 7 through 12, further, the vent 201b is located in the middle of the lower end face. Compared to placing the vent 201b at the edge of the lower end face, this example places the vent 201b in the middle region, extending the movement path of the energized gas after leaving the circuit breaker to other peripheral devices outside the circuit breaker. It should be noted that: the description of the vent 201b being located in the middle of the lower end face in this disclosure means that the vent 201b is at a certain distance from the edge of the lower end face of the circuit breaker, but it does not limit the vent 201b to being located at the exact center of the lower end face. In this example, the vent 201b is located near the left edge of the lower end face of the circuit breaker, and the distance between the vent 201b and this left edge is much greater than the distance to the right edge of the lower end face.

[0091] The lower end face of the housing assembly has a downwardly extending flange, which surrounds or partially surrounds the exhaust port 201b, thereby forming an extended air passage 24b. In this example, the flange is surrounded around the exhaust port 201b, and a notch 241b is formed on the sidewall of the extended air passage 24b. This allows a portion of the charged gas exiting the exhaust port 201b to exit laterally through the notch 241b, and a portion to exit downwards from the end of the extended air passage 24b, preventing excessive accumulation of charged gas below the circuit breaker. In other embodiments, if there is sufficient space below the circuit breaker, it is also feasible for the flange to completely surround the exhaust port 201b. In this case, all the charged gas exiting the exhaust port 201b exits downwards from the end of the extended air passage 24b, further reducing the possibility of charged gas splashing onto surrounding devices and further improving the safety of surrounding devices. Furthermore, the flange located on the lower end face of the housing assembly can also be located at other positions besides the exhaust port 201b, and is not limited to completely or partially surrounding the exhaust port 201b. For example, it can be located at any position on the corner or center of the lower end face of the housing assembly. When the circuit breaker and the object being installed are in a closed fit, the presence of the flange can raise the exhaust port 201b, creating a certain distance between the exhaust port 201b and the surface of the object being installed, thus preventing the exhaust port 201b from being blocked and allowing for compatibility with more installation scenarios. In this case, the flange does not necessarily need to form an extended air passage 24b. Of course, the notch in the extended air passage 24b with the notch 241b can also prevent the exhaust port 201b from being blocked. That is, the extended air passage 24b with the notch 241b can both prevent the exhaust port 201b from being blocked and extend the length of the exhaust channel 20b.

[0092] The exhaust channel 20b extends downward or diagonally to the lower end face of the housing assembly. In addition, the exhaust port 201b at the end of the exhaust channel 20b is located on the lower end face of the circuit breaker. Therefore, the bends of the exhaust channel 20b can be reduced, the airflow loss can be reduced, the gas can be discharged smoothly, the arc can be prevented from reigniting, and the temperature of the arc extinguishing chamber 10b can be reduced, thereby improving the arc extinguishing effect.

[0093] Multiple exhaust channels 20b are located on the left or right side of the first base 13b. More specifically, the exhaust channels 20b include a first exhaust channel 21b, a second exhaust channel 22b, and a third exhaust channel 23b. The first exhaust channel 21b and the second exhaust channel 22b are located on the left and right sides of the first base 13b, respectively, and the third exhaust channel 23b is located on the same side of the first base 13b as the second exhaust channel 22b. In this example, the first exhaust channel 21b is located on the left side of the first base 13b, that is, the first exhaust channel 21b is formed between the first side cover 11b and the first base 13b. The second exhaust channel 22b and the third exhaust channel 23b are located on the right side of the first base 13b, that is, the second exhaust channel 22b and the third exhaust channel 23b are formed between the first base 13b and the second base 14b.

[0094] Referring to Figures 10 and 11, the first exhaust channel 21b and the second exhaust channel 22b are connected to the outlet side of the arc-extinguishing chamber 10b. The air inlets of the first exhaust channel 21b and the second exhaust channel 22b are respectively located on the outlet side of the first mounting port 131b, used to discharge the ionized gas and free arc discharged from the arc-extinguishing chamber 10b to the outside of the circuit breaker. The third exhaust channel 23b is located on one side of the arc-extinguishing chamber 10b and is connected to the space where the moving and stationary contacts of the N-pole conductive system 40b are located, used to discharge the arc generated by the breaking of the moving and stationary contacts of the N-pole conductive system 40b to the outside of the circuit breaker, thereby extinguishing the arc.

[0095] The inlet of the first exhaust channel 21b is higher than the inlet of the second exhaust channel 22b, and the second exhaust channel 22b has more bends than the first exhaust channel 21b. Because the inlet of the first exhaust channel 21b is higher than the inlet of the second exhaust channel 22b, the charged gas discharged from the upper end of the arc-extinguishing chamber 10b can be discharged to the outside of the circuit breaker through the first exhaust channel 21b, while the charged gas discharged from the lower end of the arc-extinguishing chamber 10b is discharged to the outside of the circuit breaker through the second exhaust channel 22b. Since the inlet of the second exhaust channel 22b is set lower, and the exhaust ports 201b of both exhaust channels are located on the lower end face of the circuit breaker, the more bends in the second exhaust channel 22b compared to the first exhaust channel 21b extend the length of the second exhaust channel 22b. This facilitates sufficient cooling of the arc within the second exhaust channel 22b, preventing excessively high temperatures after discharge to the outside of the circuit breaker and thus avoiding potential hazards.

[0096] The specific structures of the first exhaust passage 21b and the second exhaust passage 22b are as follows: The first exhaust passage 21b includes a first exhaust section 211b and a second exhaust section 212b along the airflow direction. The first exhaust section 211b extends downward from the side wall of the first mounting port 131b and along the front-back direction toward the edge of the first base 13b. The second exhaust section 212b extends downward from the end of the first exhaust section 211b and along the front-back direction toward the middle of the first base 13b. The end of the second exhaust section 212b forms the exhaust of the first exhaust passage 21b. The second exhaust passage 22b includes a third exhaust section 221b, a fourth exhaust section 222b, and a fifth exhaust section 223b along the airflow direction. The third exhaust section 221b extends downward from the side wall of the first mounting port 131b. The fourth exhaust section 222b extends from the end of the third exhaust section 221b toward the middle of the first base 13b in the front-back direction. The fifth exhaust section 223b extends downward from the end of the fourth exhaust section 222b. The end of the fifth exhaust section 223b forms the exhaust port 201b of the second exhaust passage 22b.

[0097] The third exhaust channel 23b is divided into two parts in the front-to-back direction, thereby increasing the cross-sectional area of ​​the third exhaust channel 23b and improving exhaust efficiency. Further, the components that divide the third exhaust channel 23b into two parts are the arc-initiating plate 5b and the mounting portion 142b for mounting the arc-initiating plate 5b. The mounting portion 142b protrudes from one side of the second base 14b, which helps guide the electric arc formed by the N-pole conductive system 40b along the exhaust direction of the third exhaust channel 23b, promoting the discharge of the electric arc along the third exhaust channel 23b. In this example, the third exhaust channel 23b extends in a downward angle; in other embodiments, it is also feasible for the third exhaust channel 23b to extend downward in a nearly vertical direction.

[0098] The switching device in the above embodiment is a double-pole circuit breaker. In other embodiments, the switching device can also be a single-pole or other multi-pole circuit breaker, or other switching devices with arc extinguishing and venting requirements, such as disconnecting switches. Furthermore, the venting channel 20b is not limited to three; depending on the actual needs of the switching device, only one, two, or more venting channels 20b can be provided.

[0099] Although this disclosure has been specifically shown and described in conjunction with preferred embodiments, those skilled in the art should understand that the remaining undescribed portions are prior art, and that all changes in form and detail made to this disclosure without departing from the spirit and scope of this disclosure as defined by the appended claims fall within the protection scope of this disclosure.

Claims

1. A switching device, comprising: The housing includes a mounting end face, which is the side of the housing facing the object to be mounted; and At least two terminals are provided, each terminal including a connecting portion and a wiring portion. The connecting portion is connected to a moving contact or a stationary contact to form an electrical connection between the moving contact or stationary contact and the wiring portion. The wiring portion of at least one of the terminals is disposed on the mounting end face of the housing. The wiring portion of the terminal disposed on the mounting end face of the housing is a rigid conductor and has a mounting structure. The mounting structure is used to install and fix the terminal to the object to be installed, so that the switchgear is both installed and fixed to the object to be installed and electrically connected to an external circuit.

2. The switching device according to claim 1, characterized in that: The mounting structure is a mounting hole.

3. The switching device according to claim 2, characterized in that: The mounting hole is a threaded hole.

4. The switching device according to claim 1, characterized in that: The wiring terminals disposed on the mounting end face of the housing are multiple.

5. The switching device according to claim 1, characterized in that: The switchgear is further provided with an exhaust port for discharging gas from the housing, and the exhaust port is located on the mounting end face.

6. The switching device according to claim 5, characterized in that: The mounting end face is provided with at least one flange extending toward the bottom, and the flange is respectively arranged circumferentially around the wiring portion and / or the exhaust port, so that the flange is used to form an isolation structure between the exhaust port and the wiring portion and / or an installation limiting structure for the wiring portion.

7. The switching device according to claim 1, characterized in that: The switching device is a double-pole circuit breaker. The terminals include an L-pole first terminal, an L-pole second terminal, an N-pole first terminal, and an N-pole second terminal. The wiring portions of the L-pole second terminal, the N-pole first terminal, and the N-pole second terminal are located on the mounting end face.

8. A switching device module, comprising at least two switching devices, characterized in that: The switchgear is a switchgear according to any one of claims 1-7, and at least one of the terminals of any one of the switchgears disposed on the mounting end face of the housing is electrically connected to the corresponding terminals of the remaining switchgears through a conductive connector.

9. The switching device module according to claim 8, characterized in that: The conductive connector is a copper busbar, which is electrically connected to the terminal block by means of a threaded connection to the mounting structure of the wiring part, thereby forming an electrical connection between the corresponding terminals of the switching devices.

10. The switching device module according to claim 8, characterized in that: The wiring terminals provided on the mounting end face of the housing are at least three, including one first polarity terminal and two second polarity terminals. The direction in which the middle part of the mounting end face is located relative to the edge is defined as inward, and the first polarity terminal is located inside the second polarity terminal.

11. The switching device module according to claim 10, characterized in that: The switching devices are arranged side by side and the mounting faces of the switching devices face the same side.

12. The switching device module according to claim 11, characterized in that: It includes four switching devices arranged in a rectangular pattern. The four first polarity terminals of the four switching devices are electrically connected by conductive elements, and the four second polarity terminals of the four switching devices are electrically connected by conductive connectors. The conductive connectors connecting the first polarity terminals form a ring structure, and the conductive connectors connecting the second polarity terminals are located inside the ring structure.

Images