Device for electrical connection having an auxiliary output, and switching appliance having such a device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9660362-B2
Application number	US-201514950135-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 24, 2015
Priority date	Dec 8, 2014
Publication date	May 23, 2017
Grant date	May 23, 2017

Abstract

A device connects an electrical conductor to an area for electrical connection of an electrical switching device, the switching device having an electrical switching module connected to the area for electrical connection. The connecting device has at least one primary unit for electrically connecting a primary conductor to the area for connection, and an insulating shell receiving each primary connecting unit. The connecting device additionally has at least one secondary unit for connecting a secondary electrical conductor, and, for each secondary unit, an electrically conductive link piece connected between the secondary unit and a respective primary unit.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A connecting device for connecting an electrical conductor to an area for electrical connection of an electrical switching device, the switching device including an electrical switching module connected to the area for electrical connection and an auxiliary module, the connecting device being removable from the electrical switching device and comprising:
at least one primary connecting unit for electrically connecting a primary conductor to the area for connection;
an insulating shell receiving each primary connecting unit, adapted to insulate electrically each primary connecting unit from outside of the connecting device when the primary conductor is connected to the corresponding area for connection;
means for fixing the shell to the switching device;
at least one secondary unit for connecting a secondary electrical conductor adapted to supply electrical power to the auxiliary module; and
for each secondary unit, an electrically conductive link piece connected between said secondary unit and a respective primary unit, the link piece including a primary connecting tongue and a secondary connecting tongue that are oriented in opposite directions,
wherein the insulating shell further receives each secondary unit and each link piece and the insulating shell is adapted to insulate electrically each secondary unit from the outside of the connecting device when the secondary conductor is connected to the secondary unit.

2. The connecting device according to claim 1 , wherein each primary unit includes a primary cage including a primary clamping wall and a primary mobile clamping plate adapted to clamp a respective primary conductor against the primary clamping wall.

3. The connecting device according to claim 2 , wherein the primary cage includes primary clamping means for clamping the primary clamping plate, the primary clamping means being mobile between a primary unclamped position in which the primary conductor is mobile relative to the primary cage and a primary clamped position in which the primary clamping plate is configured to clamp the primary conductor against the primary clamping wall, and the connecting device further includes means for retaining the primary clamping means in the primary unclamped position in the absence of activation of the primary clamping means.

4. The connecting device according to claim 3 , wherein the primary clamping means include a retaining portion co-operating with at least one flexible branch of the retaining means to retain the primary clamping means in their primary unclamped position.

5. The connecting device according to claim 4 , wherein each secondary unit includes a secondary cage including a secondary clamping wall and secondary mobile clamping means adapted to damp their respective secondary conductor against the secondary clamping wall.

6. The connecting device according to claim 2 , wherein each secondary unit includes a secondary cage including a secondary clamping wall and secondary mobile clamping means adapted to clamp their respective secondary conductor against the secondary clamping wall, the primary clamping plate and the secondary mobile clamping means are movable independently of each other.

7. The connecting device according to claim 5 , wherein the link piece includes the primary connecting tongue adapted to be disposed between the primary conductor and the primary clamping wall and the secondary connecting tongue adapted to be disposed between the secondary conductor and the secondary mobile clamping means.

8. The connecting device according to claim 1 , wherein each primary unit includes a primary opening configured to receive a respective primary conductor and primary blocking means for partially blocking the primary opening,
the primary blocking means being adapted to prevent the insertion of objects having a section of greater than 12.5 mm diameter into the primary opening.

9. The connecting device according to claim 1 , wherein each secondary unit includes a secondary opening configured to receive a respective secondary conductor and secondary blocking means for partially blocking the secondary opening.

10. The connecting device according to claim 9 , wherein the secondary blocking means are mobile between a blocking position preventing the insertion of objects into the secondary opening and an open position enabling the insertion of objects into the secondary opening.

11. The connecting device according to claim 1 , wherein the connecting device is manually removable from the electrical switching device.

12. An electrical switching appliance comprising an electrical switching device provided with at least one area for connecting an electrical conductor and the connecting device according to claim 1 .

13. The electrical switching appliance according to claim 12 , wherein the electrical switching device is a circuit-breaker.

14. The electrical switching appliance according to claim 12 , wherein the switching device further includes an auxiliary module, the auxiliary module being electrically connected to the corresponding secondary unit via the corresponding secondary conductor.

15. A connecting device for connecting an electrical conductor to an area for electrical connection of an electrical switching device, the switching device including an electrical switching module connected to the area for electrical connection and an auxiliary module, the connecting device being removable from the electrical switching device and comprising:
a primary connector to electrically connect a primary conductor to the area for connection;
an insulating shell to receive the primary connector, insulate electrically the primary connector from outside of the connecting device when the primary conductor is connected to the corresponding area for connection;
a fixing member to fix the shell to the switching device;
a secondary connector to connect a secondary electrical conductor that supplies electrical power to the auxiliary module; and
for the secondary connector, an electrically conductive link piece connected between the secondary connector and a respective primary connector, the link piece including a primary connecting tongue and a secondary connecting tongue that are oriented in opposite directions,
wherein the insulating shell further receives the secondary connector and the link piece, and the insulating shell is adapted to insulate electrically the secondary connector from the outside of the connecting device when the secondary conductor is connected to the secondary connector.

Assignees

• Schneider Electric Ind Sas

Inventors

• Grumel Christophe

Classifications

• H01H71/08

  Terminals; Connections · CPC title

• H01R13/447

  Shutter or cover plate · CPC title

• H01R4/36

  Conductive members located under tip of screw · CPC title

• H01R4/302

  having means for preventing loosening of screw or nut, e.g. vibration-proof connection · CPC title

• H01R4/38

  utilising a clamping member acted on by screw or nut (H01R4/50 takes precedence) · CPC title