Auxiliary Switch Kit Box for Medium Voltage Devices
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing auxiliary/control switches for Medium Voltage switching devices, particularly Medium Voltage vacuum contactors, require complex assembly, fine stroke adjustments, and are not easily removable or replaceable, posing challenges in manufacturing, maintenance, and user safety due to direct access to terminals.
Innovation Solution
A pre-wired auxiliary/control switches kit box with a shaped enclosure housing linearly operated switches and a mechanical coupling system that aligns with the kinematic chain of the switching device, allowing for easy installation and removal, eliminating the need for stroke adjustments and multiple lever transmissions, and ensuring positive switching operation without springs.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If fine stroke adjustment is performed during assembling phase, then switching operation reliability is improved, but assembly time increases and manufacturing complexity worsens
Solution Approach 1:
The auxiliary switches are pre-adjusted and pre-assembled into the kit box during manufacturing, so that the stroke adjustment is performed in advance during production rather than during field assembly. This preliminary action ensures reliable switching operation while eliminating time-consuming adjustments during installation and maintenance phases.
2Ease of operation
If auxiliary/control switches are directly accessible by final user, then ease of operation is improved, but safety worsens due to exposure to high voltage terminals
Solution Approach 1:
The auxiliary/control switches are segmented from the main switching device by housing them in a separate kit box with independent access. This allows the final user to operate and maintain the auxiliary switches without direct access to the high voltage terminals of the main switching device, thereby maintaining ease of operation while ensuring safety through physical separation of hazardous components.
3Adaptability or versatility
If multiple lever transmissions are used to operate auxiliary switches, then switching capability is improved, but device complexity and manufacturing cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The complex multiple lever transmission systems are extracted and replaced by a simplified mechanical coupling system within the kit box. The auxiliary switches are directly coupled to the main switch mechanism through a streamlined transmission path that eliminates unnecessary intermediate levers, thereby maintaining full switching capability while reducing device complexity and manufacturing costs.
4Stability of the object's composition
If auxiliary switches are permanently integrated into main switching device, then structural stability is improved, but ease of repair and replacement worsens
Solution Approach 1:
The auxiliary switches are segmented into a removable kit box that can be easily detached from the main switching device. This modular segmentation allows the auxiliary switches to be independently replaced or repaired without affecting the structural integrity or stability of the main switching device, thereby improving ease of maintenance while maintaining stable operation during use.
5Ease of operation
If Rotating auxiliary switches are used, then switching operation is improved, but impact on actuating force of main drive increases
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of using Rotating auxiliary switches that require high rotational strokes and dedicated lever kinematics, the invention inverts the approach by using Linear auxiliary switches that are easily operated by the small linear strokes characteristic of Medium Voltage contactors. This inversion of the switching mechanism type eliminates the need for complex rotational transmission and reduces the impact on the actuating force of the main drive.
Data Source
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AI summary
An auxiliary/control switches kit box 1 for a Medium Voltage switching device 100. The auxiliary/control switches kit box 1 comprises: a shaped enclosure 2 adapted to be inserted into and removed from a dedicated volume inside said Medium Voltage switching device 100; said shaped enclosure 2 housing one or more auxiliary/control switches 21-26 electrically connected to corresponding one or more terminal boards 61-63; said one or more terminal boards facing toward the outside of said shaped enclosure 2 from a first face 41 of said shaped enclosure; said one or more auxiliary/control switches 21-26 each comprising a pair of auxiliary/control switch contacts that can be linearly operated by an auxiliary/control switch actuator 51-54 between a normally open (NO) position and a normally closed (NC) position; the auxiliary/control switches kit box 1 further comprising a mechanical coupling system 3 mechanically connected to said auxiliary/control switch actuator 51-54 to linearly displace it between said NO position and said NC position; said mechanically coupling system 3 having one or more operating levers 31-36 protruding outside said shaped enclosure 2 from a second face 42 thereof and being adapted to cooperate with the kinematic chain 101 of said Medium Voltage switching device 100 and follow it during the movement from said contact open position and said contact closed position.