Microcontact Actuation With Elastic Blade Timing for Contact Synchronism

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Solution Overview

Problem

In medium and high voltage electrical connection devices, inappropriate or untimely transient movements in the kinematic chain can lead to non-synchronism between main and auxiliary contacts, requiring complex solutions to maintain the position of microcontacts, which increase the size of the kinematic chain and are difficult to implement.

Innovation Solution

A device interacting with a microcontact featuring an actuator that rotates between angular positions, an elastic blade to maintain the movable member in an active position, and a cam to control the transition to a rest position, allowing for adaptive information transmission by deferring the transition of the movable member.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If components are provided to artificially prevent the movement of control parts during the movement of main contacts, then the synchronism between main contacts and auxiliary contacts is maintained, but the complexity of implementation increases and the size of the kinematic chain increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesynchronism between main contacts and auxiliary contactsVSAvoidcomplexity of implementation
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts the position maintenance function from the complex kinematic chain and concentrates it in a single elastic blade element. The elastic blade is directly coupled to the movable member of the microswitch, eliminating the need for multiple artificial constraint components throughout the kinematic chain. This extraction simplifies the overall device complexity while maintaining the required synchronism between main and auxiliary contacts.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent utilizes the elastic properties of the blade as a key parameter change. By designing an elastic blade with specific flexibility characteristics, the system can passively maintain the movable member in the active position during actuator movement without requiring complex mechanical constraints. The elastic deformation of the blade provides the necessary position control, reducing implementation complexity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

2Reliability

If components are provided to artificially prevent the movement of control parts during the movement of main contacts, then the synchronism between main contacts and auxiliary contacts is maintained, but the size of the kinematic chain increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesynchronism between main contacts and auxiliary contactsVSAvoidsize of the kinematic chain
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSVolume of moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts the position maintenance function from the distributed kinematic chain components and concentrates it in a single elastic blade element directly coupled to the microswitch movable member. This consolidation reduces the overall size of the kinematic chain by eliminating multiple artificial constraint components that would otherwise be distributed throughout the mechanism.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent merges the position maintenance function with the existing movable member of the microswitch through direct coupling of the elastic blade. This integration eliminates the need for separate constraint components, thereby reducing the volume of the kinematic chain while maintaining synchronism between main and auxiliary contacts.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

3Speed

If the movable member transitions immediately to the rest position upon actuator movement, then the information transmission is rapid, but the synchronism with main contacts cannot be maintained during transient movements

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveinformation transmission speedVSAvoidsynchronism with main contacts
Core Design Contradiction:
SpeedVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies preliminary anti-action by using the elastic blade to preemptively counteract the tendency of the movable member to transition to the rest position during actuator movement. The elastic blade maintains the movable member in the active position throughout the actuator's movement range, preventing premature contact permutation. This ensures synchronism is maintained while allowing rapid information transmission once the actuator reaches the appropriate position.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #9Preliminary anti-action

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

This solution simplifies the implementation and reduces the complexity of maintaining synchronism between main and auxiliary contacts, enabling economical and efficient information transmission by directly acting on the microcontact, thus adhering to standards while minimizing the size of the kinematic chain.

Implementation Method 1

an elastic blade adapted to maintain the movable member in the active position

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectElasticity: Elasticity

Implementation Method 2

an actuator mounted for rotation about an axis between at least a first angular position and a second angular position

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectMechanical Force: Mechanical Force

Data Source

PatentEP3971934B1Device for controlling a microcontact in an electrical connection apparatus
Publication Date: 2024.10.30 SCHNEIDER ELECTRIC IND SAS
  • EP3971934B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3971934B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3971934B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

A microcontact interaction device is proposed comprising an actuator mounted for rotation about an axis between at least a first angular position and a second angular position; a microcontact comprising a body and a movable member mounted on the body and movable between an active position and a rest position; and an elastic blade adapted to hold the movable member in the active position, such that, when the actuator rotates from the first angular position to the second angular position, the actuator presses on the movable member to hold it in the active position in the first angular position, releases the movable member when it is not in the first angular position, and moves the elastic blade so that it releases the movable member in an intermediate position, thus allowing the movable member to move to the rest position after the release of the movable member by the actuator.