Remote control device for an electrical device in an electrical enclosure

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10366846-B2
Application number	US-201715400385-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 6, 2017
Priority date	Feb 19, 2016
Publication date	Jul 30, 2019
Grant date	Jul 30, 2019

Abstract

A remote control device includes a rotary control member that can be selectively moved between first and second configurations, a transmission system suitable for mechanically linking the rotary member to a control lever of an electrical device. The movement of the rotary control member drives the control lever to move respectively between first and second positions. The rotary control member is to be mounted on a side walls of a housing, the transmission system includes a first pinion, secured in rotation with the rotary control member about a first axis, a second pinion, meshed with the first pinion and rotationally mobile about a second fixed axis at right angles to the first fixed axis and intended to be coupled mechanically with the control lever to move this lever when the second pinion is moved in rotation.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A remote control device for an electrical device in an electrical enclosure, said electrical enclosure including a bottom wall and side walls extending at right angles to the bottom wall and delimiting a housing, an electrical device being fixed, on the bottom wall, inside the housing, said remote control device comprising:
a rotary control member that is fixed onto a wall of the enclosure outside the housing at a right angle to a face of the electrical device, the rotary control member remaining at a same orientation relative to the face of the electrical device when the electrical enclosure is open and when the electrical enclosure is closed, said rotary control member being selectively movable between first and second configurations,
a transmission system that mechanically links the rotary control member to a control lever of the electrical device, said control lever movable between the first and second positions, the transmission system moving the control lever between the first and second positions based on movement of the rotary control member between the first and second configurations,
wherein:
the rotary control member is mountable on one of the side walls of the housing and is rotationally mobile,
the transmission system comprises:
a first pinion, secured in rotation with the rotary control member about a first fixed axis, at right angles to the side walls,
a second pinion, meshed with the first pinion and rotationally mobile about a second fixed axis at right angles to the first fixed axis, said second pinion being coupled mechanically with the control lever to move said control lever between the first and second positions when the second pinion is moved in rotation.

2. The remote control device according to claim 1 , wherein the rotary control member comprises a rotary handle mounted on the side wall and a shaft extending along a third axis and which secures, in rotation about the first axis, a mobile portion of the rotary handle with the first pinion.

3. The remote control device according to claim 2 , wherein the rotary control member comprises a connecting end fitting with the first pinion, said connecting end fitting being secured, with no degree of freedom, with an end of the shaft and having a head received in a housing of complementary form formed on the first pinion to secure the shaft in rotation with the first pinion.

4. The remote control device according to claim 3 , wherein the head of the connecting end fitting comprises a snug protruding from said head in a direction at right angles to the third axis and in that the first pinion comprises a cavity of complementary form to receive said snug when the end fitting is received in the housing.

5. The remote control device according to claim 3 , wherein the head of the connecting end fitting comprises a ball joint, and the first pinion comprises another housing of complementary form to receive said ball joint.

6. The remote control device according to claim 5 , wherein the third axis exhibits an angular offset of angle α relative to the first axis, the angle α having a value less than or equal to 10°.

7. The remote control device according to claim 1 , wherein:
the control lever is moveable between the first and second positions by movement in a direction parallel to a plane containing the bottom wall of the housing;
the transmission system comprises a third pinion meshed with the second pinion and rotationally mobile about a fourth fixed axis parallel to the second fixed axis, said third pinion comprising claws configured to be arranged on either side of the control lever.

8. The remote control device according to claim 1 , wherein the transmission system comprises a casing inside which are arranged the first and second pinions, said casing being configured to be fixed onto the electrical device to control the movement of the control lever thereof.

9. The remote control device according to claim 8 , wherein the casing includes a window configured to permit viewing of an indicator of a state of the electrical device.

10. The remote control device according to claim 9 , wherein the state of the electrical device includes an on state and an off state.

11. The remote control device according to claim 9 , wherein the casing is configured to attach to the face of the electrical device.

12. An electrical enclosure, comprising:
a bottom wall and side walls extending at right angles relative to the bottom wall, these walls delimiting a housing,
an electrical device, fixed inside the housing on the bottom wall and comprising a control lever that can be moved between first and second positions, and
a remote control device according to claim 1 for the electrical device.

13. The electrical enclosure according to claim 12 , comprising:
a door configured that is selectively movable between positions of opening and of closing of the housing, and
a locking system that locks the door in a closed position, said locking system comprising a hook and a ring, one or other of the hook and of the ring being fixed onto an inner wall of the door, the other of the hook and of the ring being mounted on the transmission system and being secured in rotation about the third axis with the rotary control member, between:
a locking position, in which, when the door is in the closed position, the hook penetrates into the ring and prevents the movement of the door to its open position, and
an unlocking position, in which, when the door is in the closed position, the hook and the ring are remote from one another and allow the movement of the door to its open position.

14. The electrical enclosure according to claim 13 , wherein the device is mounted on and secured in rotation with the shaft.

Assignees

• Schneider Electric Ind Sas

Inventors

• Sinthomez Daniel
• Pitis Florent

Classifications

• H01H2071/565

  using a add on unit, e.g. a separate rotary actuator unit, mounted on lever actuated circuit breakers · CPC title

• H01H2003/105

  with compensation of misalignment in the link between the operating part, the driving mechanism and the switch, e.g. misalignment between two axis · CPC title

• H01H71/56

  actuated by rotatable knob or wheel · CPC title

• H01H9/223 Primary

  Defeatable locking means · CPC title

• H01H9/22 Primary

  for interlocking between casing, cover, or protective shutter and mechanism for operating contacts {(explosion-proof cases H01H9/045; built-in fuses and interlocking mechanisms H01H9/104; by automatic release of circuit breakers H01H71/126)} · CPC title