Control and protection device for low-voltage electrical appliance

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9350157-B2
Application number	US-201214369077-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 25, 2012
Priority date	Dec 26, 2011
Publication date	May 24, 2016
Grant date	May 24, 2016

Abstract

Disclosed is a control and protection device for a low-voltage electrical apparatus, comprising a pedestal and a control and protection module. The control and protection module may be plugged into the pedestal and is replaceable. The pedestal comprises a base and a housing, and is further provided with a moving contact, a static contact, and a current conductor connected to a main circuit current; a control electromagnet operation mechanism for controlling close and open of the moving contact and the static contact according to a control signal, and maintaining a close or open status of the moving contact and the static contact; a manual operation knob providing a control signal for controlling the close and open of the moving contact and the static contact; a control contact connected to the manual operation knob; and a current sensor for detecting a current that flows through the main circuit current conductor and generating a sensing signal. The control and protection device further comprises: a signal processing unit for controlling a state of the control electromagnet according to the sensing signal via an electrical circuit; and a tripping device for controlling actions of the operation mechanism with a mechanical connection in response to the signal processing unit. The current sensor has a secondary circuit connection detection device.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A control and protection device of a low-voltage electrical apparatus, comprising:
a pedestal, the pedestal having a base and a housing, the pedestal including therein:
a moving contact, a static contact, and a current conductor connecting to a main circuit;
a control electromagnet and an operation mechanism, the control electromagnet and the operation mechanism controlling the moving contact and the static contact to close or open in response to a control signal, the control electromagnet and the operation mechanism maintaining the close or open statuses of the moving contact and the static contact;
a manual operation knob, providing the control signal for controlling the close or open of the moving contact and the static contact;
a control contact connected to the manual operation knob;
a current sensor, detecting a current that flows through the current conductor connecting to the main circuit and generating a sensing signal;

a control and protection module, the control and protection module being pluggable and replaceable, the control and protection module being plugged in the pedestal, the control and protection module including therein:
a signal processing unit, controlling the status of the control electromagnet by electrical circuits in response to the sensing signal;
a tripping device, controlling operations of the operation mechanism through mechanical connection in response to the signal processing unit.

2. The control and protection device of a low-voltage electrical apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the base comprises therein:
a multi-polar contact including a static contact and a moving contact;
a contact bridge on which the moving contact is disposed;
a spring connected to the contact bridge, the spring applying a spring force to the contact bridge so as to drive the contact bridge and the moving contact to move towards the static contact and make the moving contact and the static contact close;
a contact support connected to the contact bridge, the contact support making the static contact and the moving contact open;
a first current conductor and a second current conductor connecting to the main circuit, the static contact being disposed on the first current conductor and the second current conductor connecting to the main circuit, a power supply terminal being disposed on the first current conductor while a load terminal being disposed on the second current conductor;
arc extinction chambers being disposed on both sides of the moving contact and the static contact.

3. The control and protection device of a low-voltage electrical apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein the base comprises therein:
baffle plates disposed on the first current conductor and the second current conductor, the baffle plates isolating the moving contact, the static contact, the contact bridge, the contact support, the arc extinction chamber, the first current conductor, and the second current conductor within the base.

4. The control and protection device of a low-voltage electrical apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the housing is connected to the base, the housing is isolated with the base via the baffle plates, the housing comprises therein:
the current sensor being secured on the baffle plates, the current sensor connecting to a second power supply conductor to form a primary loop, a secondary loop of the current sensor outputting a sensing signal to the signal processing unit;
the control electromagnet comprising a coil and a counterforce spring, the counterforce spring connecting to the contact support via a transmission member, the counterforce spring applying a spring force to the contact support via the transmission member so as to make the moving contact and the static contact open;
the operation mechanism, the operation mechanism connecting to the contact support through a connection rod and the transmission member, the operation mechanism applying a maintenance force to the contact support via the connecting rod and the transmission member so as to maintain the moving contact and the static contact open;
a control contact, the control contact connecting to the manual operation knob, the status of the control contact being associated with the status position of the manual operation knob.

5. The control and protection device of a low-voltage electrical apparatus according to claim 4 , wherein the housing further comprises therein an auxiliary contact, a signaling contact, and an alarm contact, where the auxiliary contact, the signaling contact, and the alarm contact outputting status signals.

6. The control and protection device of a low-voltage electrical apparatus according to claim 4 , wherein the base has a wiring terminal disposed thereon, the wiring terminal controls a power supply voltage, an end of the wiring terminal is connected to the control contact.

7. The control and protection device of a low-voltage electrical apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein,
the manual operation knob rotates clockwise or anticlockwise, the manual operation knob connects to the operation mechanism via a driving mechanism, the status position of the manual operation knob is associated with the positions of the moving contact and the static contact, a releaser component in the operation mechanism is reset by rotating the manual operation knob anticlockwise;
the status position of the manual operation knob is associated with the control and protection module, the status position of the manual operation knob is in a position that makes the moving contact and the static contact open while the control and protection module is in a pluggable status, the manual operation knob is in a position that makes the moving contact and the static contact close while the control and protection module is in a locked status.

8. The control and protection device of a low-voltage electrical apparatus according to claim 7 , wherein,
the manual operation knob is clamped into the control and protection module; or
the manual operation knob comprises a handle, when the manual operation knob makes the moving contact and the static contact close, the handle is clamped onto the control and protection module so that the control and protection module is locked, when the manual operation knob makes the moving contact and the static contact open, the handle is separated from the control and protection module so that the control and protection module is pluggable.

9. The control and protection device of a low-voltage electrical apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the control and protection module comprises therein:
a signal input connected to the current sensor, the signal input receiving the sensing signal output from the current sensor;
the signal processing unit connected to the signal input, the signal processing unit receiving the sensing signal of the current sensor from the signal input and outputting a tripping instruction;
the tripping device connected to the operation mechanism via a mechanical member, the tripping device actuating a releaser component in the operation mechanism via the mechanical member in response to the tripping instruction so as to make the moving contact and the static contact open.

10. The control and protection device of a low-voltage electrical apparatus according to claim 9 , wherein the signal processing unit comprises:
an electrical protection device for protecting the tripping device;
an electrical control device connected to the control electromagnet, the electrical control device connecting to a coil of the electromagnet via connection wires and converting the status of the control electromagnet.

11. The control and protect

Assignees

• Seari Electric Technology Co Ltd
• Zhejiang Chint Electrics Co Ltd

Inventors

• Xi Hong
• Zeng Ping
• Ji Huiyu
• Jia Feng
• Gu Changxun
• Zhang Di
• Huang Beiming
• Lin Jianrong

Classifications

• H01H71/123 Primary

  using a solid-state trip unit (circuits H02H) · CPC title

• H02H3/04

  with warning or supervision in addition to disconnection, e.g. for indicating that protective apparatus has functioned {(watching of pilot wires H02H1/0084; protection of protective arrangements H02H7/008; indication of the state of electronic switches H03K17/18)} · CPC title

• H01H71/24

  Electromagnetic mechanisms · CPC title

• H01H89/08

  with both devices using the same contact pair · CPC title

• H01H71/0228

  having provisions for interchangeable or replaceable parts · CPC title