Motor starter

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10720859-B2
Application number	US-201716327342-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 22, 2017
Priority date	Sep 23, 2016
Publication date	Jul 21, 2020
Grant date	Jul 21, 2020

Abstract

A motor starter includes: a motor circuit breaker which has an electronic tripping device; a contactor which is correspondingly interconnected to the motor circuit breaker for forming the motor starter; and at least one control line disposed between the motor circuit breaker and the contactor, via which control line a control signal, which is generated depending upon a switching signal for switching the contactor, is transmitted from the contactor to the electronic tripping device. The electronic tripping device generates a tripping signal for switching off a current flow across the switching contact or switching contacts of the motor circuit breaker, depending upon the control signal and current flow across one or more switching contacts of the motor circuit breaker.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A motor starter, comprising:
a motor circuit breaker which has an electronic tripping device;
a contactor which is correspondingly interconnected to the motor circuit breaker for forming the motor starter; and
at least one control line disposed between the motor circuit breaker and the contactor, via which control line a control signal, which is generated depending upon a switching signal for switching the contactor, is transmitted from the contactor to the electronic tripping device,
wherein the electronic tripping device is configured to generate a tripping signal for switching off a current flow across the switching contact or switching contacts of the motor circuit breaker, depending upon the control signal and current flow across one or more switching contacts of the motor circuit breaker.

2. The motor starter according to claim 1 ,
wherein
the motor starter has an electrical energy storage configured to supply power to the electronic tripping device.

3. The motor starter according to claim 2 ,
wherein
the contactor has the electrical energy storage which is charged by the switching signal, and an auxiliary power line is provided between the motor circuit breaker and contactor, via which the electrical energy storage is configured to supply the electronic tripping device with power, or
wherein the motor circuit breaker has the electrical energy storage that is charged by the control signal generated for switching the contactor.

4. The motor starter according to claim 1 ,
wherein
the contactor comprises has a programmable unit and control electronics, coupled to the programmable unit, configured to control one or more switching contacts of the contactor, depending upon the switching signal, and
wherein the programmable unit is configured to generate the control signal for the electronic tripping device, depending upon data of the control electronics for switching the switching contact or contacts of the contactor, and to transmit the control signal via the at least one control line, according to a predetermined data communication protocol, to a data interface, provided for data communication and coupled with the electronic tripping device, of the motor circuit breaker.

5. The motor starter according to claim 1 ,
wherein
the contactor has, per phase, at least one semiconductor switch as a switching contact.

6. The motor starter according to claim 1 ,
wherein
the contactor has a first fastening ement, on its front side, to which the motor circuit breaker is fastenable with its underside, and
wherein a cooling module is provided that has a second fastening element, on its rear side, for a switch cabinet mounting, and, on its front side, has a third fastening element to which the contactor is fastenable with its underside.

7. The motor starter according to claim 1 ,
wherein
the motor circuit breaker has at least one current flow measuring device and a measuring and power supply circuit, fed on an input side by the at least one current flow measuring device, for supplying power to the electronic tripping device, and an actuator configured to actuate the switching contact or switching contacts of the motor circuit breaker.

8. A contactor configured for use in the motor starter according to claim 1 , comprising:
an interface for the at least one control line configured to transmit a control signal, the control signal being generated depending upon a switching signal for switching the contactor, to the electronic tripping device of the motor circuit breaker; and
an electrical energy storage that is charged by the switching signal,
wherein the interface has a terminal for an auxiliary power line between the motor circuit breaker and contactor, via which the electrical energy storage is configured to supply the electronic tripping device with energy.

9. The contactor according to claim 8 ,
further comprising a programmable unit and control electronics, coupled to the programmable unit, configured to control one or more switching contacts of the contactor, depending upon the switching signal,
wherein the programmable unit is configured to generate the control signal for the electronic tripping device, depending upon data of the control electronics for switching the switching contact or contacts of the contactor, and to transmit the control signal via the at least one control line, according to a predetermined data communication protocol, to a data interface, provided for data communication and coupled with the electronic tripping device, of the motor circuit breaker.

10. The contactor according to claim 8 ,
further comprising, per phase, at least one semiconductor switch as a switching contact, and/or
a fastening element on its front side to which the motor circuit breaker is fastenable with its underside.

Assignees

• Eaton Intelligent Power Ltd

Inventors

• Reidt Georg

Classifications

• H01H71/1045 Primary

  Multiple circuits-breaker, e.g. for the purpose of dividing current or potential drop · CPC title

• H02P1/16

  for starting dynamo-electric motors or dynamo-electric converters · CPC title

• H01H2071/124

  with a hybrid structure, the solid state trip device being combined with a thermal or a electromagnetic trip · CPC title

• H01H89/06

  Combination of a manual reset circuit with a contactor, i.e. the same circuit controlled by both a protective and a remote control device · CPC title

• H02P1/26

  for starting an individual polyphase induction motor · CPC title