Resetting RCD mechanism by the handle

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12308193-B2
Application number	US-202418405304-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 5, 2024
Priority date	Jan 17, 2023
Publication date	May 20, 2025
Grant date	May 20, 2025

Abstract

An electrical protection device, including a switching mechanism configured to switch between a set configuration and a tripped configuration, and a slide movable between a set position and a disengaged position. The electrical protection device further includes a resetting hook kinematically linked to a switching lever, and the slide supports a slide hook. When the slide is in the disengaged position, the resetting hook and the slide hook are ready to be engaged, and when the slide is in the set position, the slide hook and the resetting hook are spaced apart from each other and resetting of the electrical protection device results in engagement of the slide hook and the resetting hook and in a displacement of the slide.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. An electrical protection device, comprising:
a casing;
a first conduction path, which comprises a first movable contact housed in the casing and movable between a conduction position and an isolation position;
a switching mechanism, which is housed in the casing and which is configured to switch between:
a set configuration, in which the switching mechanism places the movable contact in the conduction position; and
a tripped configuration, in which the switching mechanism places the movable contact in the isolation position;
a first tripping device, which is housed in the casing and which is configured to trip switching of the switching mechanism from the set configuration to the tripped configuration when the first tripping device is initiated by a first type of electrical fault;
a switching lever;
rotatable about a lever axis;
operable by a user between an open position, for placing the switching mechanism in the tripped configuration, and a closed position, for placing the switching mechanism in the set configuration; and
operable by the switching mechanism from its closed position to its open position, when the switching mechanism is switched to the tripped configuration under the effect of the first tripping device;
a slide, which comprises a locking relief and which is movable relative to the casing, between a set position and a disengaged position;
a slide spring, which applies an actuating force to the slide, tending to move the slide from the set position to the disengaged position;
a latch, which comprises a blocking relief configured to block the slide in the set position, the latch being movable between a holding position, in which the latch holds the slide in the set position by means of the blocking relief, which engages with the locking relief when the slide is in the set position, and an unlocked position, in which the blocking relief and the locking relief are offset relative to each other and the latch allows the slide to be moved from its set position to its disengaged position, the first tripping device being configured to move the latch from the holding position to the unlocked position when the first tripping device is initiated;

wherein
the electrical protection device further comprises a resetting hook, kinematically linked to the switching lever, such that it moves with the switching lever when the switching lever rotates about the lever axis between its open position and its closed position;
the slide supports a slide hook;
when the slide is in the disengaged position:
the resetting hook and the slide hook face each other and are ready to be engaged by rotating the switching lever between its open position and its closed position;
the latch is held in the unlocked position by the slide;
when the slide is in the set position, the slide hook and the resetting hook are spaced apart from each other; and
the transition of the switching lever from its open position to its closed position causes the slide hook and the resetting hook to engage and the switching lever to move the slide until the electrical protection device is reset, with the slide transitioning from its disengaged position to its set position and the switching mechanism switching to the set configuration.

2. The electrical protection device as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the casing comprises a ramp for guiding the resetting hook configured to disengage the resetting hook and the slide hook when the switching lever transitions from its open position to its closed position.

3. The electrical protection device as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the electrical protection device further comprises an indicator that is housed in the casing and that is movable relative to the casing between a visible position and a position not visible from outside the casing, and wherein the slide is adapted to place the indicator in the visible position when it is in the disengaged position, and to place the indicator in the non-visible position when the slide is in the set position.

4. The electrical protection device as claimed in claim 1 , wherein:
the latch is rotatable between its holding position and its unlocked position about a latch axis;
the latch is subjected to the action of a return spring that returns it to its holding position;
the blocking relief is a lug that radially extends relative to the latch axis; and
the locking relief is a notch in the slide configured to receive the blocking relief in the position for holding the latch.

5. The electrical protection device as claimed in claim 1 , wherein:
the electrical protection device further comprises a second conduction path, which is electrically isolated from the first conduction path and which comprises a second movable contact housed in the casing and movable between a conduction position and an isolation position; and
the first tripping device is a differential tripping device, which comprises:
a differential sensor, configured to be initiated when a differential current exceeds a predetermined threshold; and
a relay, configured to drive the latch from the holding position to the unlocked position, by the sole action of electrical energy from the differential sensor, and generated under the effect of the differential current, while the differential current exceeds the predetermined threshold.

6. The electrical protection device as claimed in claim 5 , wherein the first conduction path is a neutral conduction path, the second conduction path is a phase conduction path and the transition of the switching lever from its open position to its closed position causes the first movable contact to transition to its conduction position before the second movable contact transitions to its conduction position.

7. The electrical protection device as claimed in claim 6 , further comprising a snap-closing pawl, configured to hold the second movable contact in its isolation position over a first portion of a displacement stroke of the switching lever between its open position and its closed position and to release the second movable contact on passing a predetermined point of the displacement stroke of the switching lever.

8. The electrical protection device as claimed in claim 1 , comprising a second and a third tripping device and wherein the first tripping device is a differential tripping device, the second tripping device is an electrical overload tripping device and the third tripping device is a short-circuit tripping device.

9. The electrical protection device as claimed in claim 8 , wherein the casing is less than 25 mm wide, preferably less than 20 mm wide, preferably equal to 18 mm wide.

10. A method for resetting the electrical protection device of claim 1 , by actuating the switching lever so as to rotate about the lever axis, with this method comprising at least the following, which successively occur when the switching lever is actuated by the user:
a) engaging between the resetting hook and the slide hook;
b) translationally moving the slide from the disengaged position to the set position under the action of the resetting hook, until the latch is released from its unlocked position;
c) moving the latch from its unlocked position to its holding position;
d) disengaging the resetting hook and the slide hook; and
e) switching the switching mechanism to the set configuration.

Assignees

• Schneider Electric Ind Sas

Inventors

• Burnot Claude

Classifications

• H01H75/02

  Details · CPC title

• H01H71/1072

  Release mechanisms which are reset by opening movement of contacts · CPC title

• H01H71/505

  Latching devices between operating and release mechanism · CPC title

• H01H83/226

  with differential transformer · CPC title

• H01H83/144 Primary

  with differential transformer · CPC title