Power distributor

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11088514-B2
Application number	US-201815876786-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 22, 2018
Priority date	Jul 21, 2015
Publication date	Aug 10, 2021
Grant date	Aug 10, 2021

Abstract

A power distributor having a plurality of power distribution modules arranged in a row, for directly mounting on a carrier rail, having a supply module arranged on one end face and a signal module arranged on the opposite end face, and having at least one connection module arranged therebetween. The supply module has a supply connection for a main power line for tapping off a supply power. The connection module is fitted or can be fitted with a protective switch that can be actuated and a plurality of load connections for connecting to an interruptible load circuit by means of the protective switch. The signal module has a first signal connection for a switch signal actuating the protective switch, and the power distribution modules are or can be coupled to each other in an electrically conductive manner.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A power distributor comprising a plurality of power distribution modules, arranged in a row, for directly mounting on a mounting rail, the power distributor comprising:
a supply module arranged on an end face of the power distributor, the supply module having a supply connection for a main power line for tapping off a supply power;
a signal module arranged opposite the supply module;
at least one connection module arranged between the supply module and the signal module, the at least one connection module including a plurality of load connectors configured for wiring a multichannel load circuit; and
an actuatable protective switch configured to be fitted to the at least one connection module, the connection module having a plurality of load connections for connecting to a load circuit, the actuatable protective switch comprising a thermal circuit breaker, a thermal-magnetic circuit breaker, an electronic device circuit breaker, a switch relay or an overcurrent protection device,
wherein the actuatable protective switch is configured to interrupt the load circuit,
wherein the signal module has a first signal connection for a switch signal actuating the actuatable protective switch for interrupting the load circuit in an event of an overload,
wherein the plurality of power distribution modules is adapted to be coupled to each other in an electrically conductive manner,
wherein each of the supply module, the signal module and the at least one connection module comprise an individual housing having a groove disposed on a back on the housing such that the supply module, the signal module and the at least one connection module are configured to be individually, directly snapped onto the mounting rail, and
wherein the at least one connection module has a contact opening on a load output side for a plug-in contact of the actuatable protective switch, wherein the contact opening is configured as a multi-divided plug base contact, wherein plug base partial contacts formed thereby are galvanically separated from one another, and wherein each plug base partial contact is coupled to a separate load connection.

2. The power distributor according to claim 1 , wherein the supply module and the at least one connection module comprise:
the supply connection for feeding in the supply power with a first coupling contact;
a ground connection with a second coupling contact; and
a return connection for returning the supply power with a third coupling contact,
wherein the first, second and third coupling contacts are arranged in a respectively associated housing slot on a housing front side, which slot passes completely through a housing of a respective module in a row direction.

3. The power distributor according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a communication line formed by the plurality of power distribution modules for conducting a communication signal,
wherein the supply module has a first communication connection for supplying the communication signal,
wherein the at least one connection module is coupled in an electrically conductive manner to a communication contact of the actuatable protective switch,
wherein protective switches of a plurality of connection modules, arranged in a row, are connected in series with respect to the communication contact,
wherein the signal module has a second communication connection for tapping off the communication signal, and
wherein the plurality of power distribution modules is coupled in an electrically conductive manner on housing end faces of adjacent respective power distribution modules in the row direction via second contact elements.

4. The power distributor according to claim 3 , wherein the actuatable protective switch is configured to be actuated remotely via the communication line.

5. The power distributor according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a display module for a visual monitoring of the switch signal line connected to the signal module.

6. The power distributor according to claim 5 , wherein the display module has a display LED and an additional circuit that amplifies the switch signal.

7. The power distributor according to claim 6 , wherein the additional circuit has an internal power supply unit as a voltage supply and an electronic evaluation unit, and wherein the display LED is a double LED.

8. The power distributor according to claim 7 , wherein the display module is configured to change a color of the display LED based on the switch signal detected by the electronic evaluation unit.

9. The power distributor according to claim 6 , wherein the display module is configured to turn off the display LED when an interruption of the switch signal line occurs.

10. The power distributor according to claim 6 , further comprising an internal power supply unit having a separate power supply for the display LED.

11. A protective switch for fitting the power distributor according to claim 1 , comprising:
a control unit for actuating a switching element as a function of the switch signal;
two plug-in contacts for connecting to the main power line and to the load circuit;
two signal contacts for connecting to the switch signal line; and
at least one communication contact for connecting to a communication line.

12. The power distributor according to claim 1 , wherein the protective switch comprises:
a switching element; and
an internal control unit configured to actuate the switching element as a function of a switch signal.

13. The power distributer according to claim 1 , wherein the protective switch comprises two signal contacts configured to connect the protective switch to slots in the at least one connection module.

14. The power distributer according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one connection module comprises a latch tab for engaging a latch receptacle on an adjacent connection module.

15. A power distributor comprising a plurality of power distribution modules, arranged in a row, for directly mounting on a mounting rail, the power distributor comprising:
a supply module arranged on an end face of the power distributor, the supply module having a supply connection for a main power line for tapping off a supply power;
a signal module arranged opposite the supply module;
at least one connection module arranged between the supply module and the signal module;
an actuatable protective switch configured to be fitted to the at least one connection module, the connection module having a plurality of load connections for connecting to a load circuit, the actuatable protective switch comprising a thermal circuit breaker, a thermal-magnetic circuit breaker, an electronic device circuit breaker, a switch relay or an overcurrent protection device; and
a switch signal line formed by the plurality of power distribution modules for conducting the switch signal,
wherein the actuatable protective switch is configured to interrupt the load circuit,
wherein the signal module has a first signal connection for a switch signal actuating the actuatable protective switch for interrupting the load circuit in an event of an overload,
wherein the plurality of power distribution modules is adapted to be coupled to each other in an electrically conductive manner,
wherein the supply module has a second signal connection for supplying the switch signal,
wherein the at least one connection module is coupled in an electrically conductive manner to two signal contacts of the actuatable protective switch,
wherein protective switches of a plurality of connection modules, arranged in a row, are connected in series with respect to the two sign

Assignees

• Ellenberger & Poensgen

Inventors

• Fischer Erich
• Werner Klaus

Classifications

• H02B1/056

  Mounting on plugboards · CPC title

• H01R9/2675 Primary

  Electrical interconnections between two blocks, e.g. by means of busbars · CPC title

• H01H71/082

  Connections between juxtaposed circuit breakers · CPC title

• H05K7/1465

  Modular PLC assemblies with separable functional units · CPC title

• H01H71/08

  Terminals; Connections · CPC title