Switch, in particular power switch, for low voltages

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10147566-B2
Application number	US-201414652869-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 18, 2014
Priority date	Mar 8, 2013
Publication date	Dec 4, 2018
Grant date	Dec 4, 2018

Abstract

A switch is disclosed, in particular a power switch, for low voltages. The switch includes mechanically separable contact elements, in abutment when the switch is closed and via which a current to be monitored flows through the switch, an electronic trigger unit, which triggers a respective contact mechanics unit if a current condition is satisfied. In the event of triggering, the contacts are separated and the switch is switched on via the contact mechanics unit. A supply unit is included to extract a first electric energy from the current flowing through the switch to supply the trigger unit with energy. To guarantee energy supply even when switching to a short-circuit, the contact mechanics unit is coupled to a conversion unit, which converts a portion of the mechanical energy to be provided during switching-on into a second electric energy that supplies the trigger unit with electric energy during switching-on.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A breaker, comprising:
a fixed contact and a displaceable contact, the fixed contact and the displaceable contact being mechanically separable contact elements, in abutment when the breaker is closed and via which a current to be monitored can flow through the breaker;
a contact mechanics unit to switch on the breaker and to separate the contact elements in the event of triggering, wherein the contact mechanics unit is in the form of a breaker latching mechanism which is tensioned using a spring energy store and wherein the breaker latching mechanism has a breaker shaft which is mounted rotatably about the longitudinal axis of the breaker latching mechanism and in order to tension the breaker latching mechanism, the breaker shaft is rotated about the longitudinal axis of the breaker shaft, against the force of the spring energy store in the rotational direction of the breaker shaft, and latched in its end position;
an electronic trigger unit to trigger the contact mechanics unit upon a current condition being met, wherein, in the event of triggering, the contact elements are separated and the breaker is activated via the contact mechanics unit;
a supply unit to draw a first electric power from the current flowing through the breaker via a power transformer, to supply the electronic trigger unit with power during running operation; and
an electric generator, including a stationary and a displaceable part, arranged at the breaker shaft such that the displaceable part is directly fixed to the breaker shaft, the electric generator being coupled to the contact mechanics unit and configured to convert some of the mechanical energy to be applied during switching-on into a second electric power to supply the trigger unit with electric power during switching-on, and wherein a rotary movement of the breaker shaft occurring during switching-on of the breaker leads to the conversion of mechanical rotary-movement energy into the second electric power.

2. The breaker of claim 1 , wherein the generator charges an energy store.

3. The breaker of claim 2 , wherein the energy store is designed as a capacitor.

4. The breaker of claim 1 , wherein the second electric power is sufficient to check during switching-on whether the current condition has been met and, if the current condition has been met, to trigger the breaker.

5. The breaker of claim 2 , wherein the second electric power is sufficient to check during switching-on whether the current condition has been met and, if the current condition has been met, to trigger the breaker.

6. The breaker of claim 3 , wherein the second electric power is sufficient to check during switching-on whether the current condition has been met and, if the current condition has been met, to trigger the breaker.

Assignees

• Siemens Ag

Inventors

• Dankert Mario

Classifications

• H01H9/54 Primary

  Circuit arrangements not adapted to a particular application of the switching device and for which no provision exists elsewhere · CPC title

• H01H71/127

  using piezoelectric, electrostrictive or magnetostrictive trip units · CPC title

• H01H71/125 Primary

  characterised by sensing elements, e.g. current transformers (for differential protection H01H83/144) · CPC title