Abstract:
The present invention relates to an automatic control device for a padlock which enables automatic control of the padlock connected to a circuit breaker installed in a distribution board of semiconductor or LCD equipment. In the present invention, a pair of cylinders, which can supply and cut off electric power to and from a load terminal, is directly installed on top of the circuit breaker installed in the distribution board, so that a switch of the circuit breaker is turned on/off as the pair of cylinders selectively operates according to an external control signal. As a result, it is unnecessary to separately install the padlock for switching on/off the circuit breaker.

Description:
REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This is a continuation of pending International Patent Application PCT/KR2014/011982 filed on Dec. 8, 2014, which designates the United States and claims priority of Korean Patent Application No. 10-2014-0005539 filed on Jan. 16, 2014, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. 
    
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to an automatic control device for a padlock, and more particularly, to an automatic control device for a padlock that is capable of automatically controlling the padlock connected to a circuit breaker disposed on a distribution board of semiconductor or LCD equipment. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Generally, a circuit breaker disposed on a distribution board of semiconductor or LCD equipment is a device having a function of cutting off, when fault current such as leakage current or overcurrent occurs on a line, the supply of the fault current to the distribution board. The circuit breaker has a padlock (external manipulating handle) operating cooperatively with a door of the distribution board to cut off electric power when the door is open and to supply electric power when the door is closed. 
     As shown in  FIG. 1 , a conventional padlock, which is disclosed in Korean Patent Registration No. 10-2004-0107303 (entitled ‘external manipulating handle device of circuit breaker for distribution’), includes: a handle case  50  serving as a support for internal components thereof upon the operations of the internal components and having a handle fastenedly assembled to a circuit breaker for distribution; a manipulating handle  20  attached to top of the handle case  50  to allow the handle to be manipulated to the outside by means of the rotation thereof; a pinion gear  80  connected to the manipulating handle  20  to transmit the rotary force of the manipulating handle  20 ; a rack gear  90  engaged with the pinion gear  80  to transfer a rotary motion to a linear motion and thus to manipulate the handle; and guide rails  100  fixed to the handle case  50  to guide the operation of the rack gear  90 . 
     According to the external manipulating handle device of the circuit breaker for distribution, the manipulating handle  20  mounted on the door of the distribution board is operated so that the pinion gear  80 , the rack gear  90 , the guide rails  100 , and the handle  70  are cooperatively operated with each other, thereby turning on/off the circuit breaker for distribution. That is, the conventional external manipulating handle device is disposed separately from a circuit breaker for the distribution board and is manually manipulated to the outside of the distribution board. 
     In addition, the circuit breaker for the distribution board is disposed near to the door by means of the manipulating handle  20 , thereby making it difficult to ensure the space of the distribution board itself, and a separate device for the manual manipulation of the manipulating handle  20  is needed, thereby making the whole configuration complicated and lowering the reliability of the external manipulating handle device. 
     Further, as shown in  FIG. 2 , there is proposed a motor interlock device of a circuit breaker for distribution, which is disclosed in Korean Utility Model Registration No. 20-2005-0030166, including: a motor  302  for generating a rotary motion; an axle  304  connected to the motor  302  in such a manner as to move forward and backward in left and right directions according to the rotary directions of the motor  302 ; and an operator  306  adapted to apply a force to one of two handles  310  of the circuit breaker for distribution in a direction of power supply and to apply a force to the other handle in a direction of power cut-off according to the left and right motions of the axle  304 . 
     According to the conventional motor interlock device of the circuit breaker for distribution, the inconveniences caused by the manual manipulation of the circuit breaker are removed, but the motor  302  operating by an external control signal, the axle  304  driven by the motor  302 , and the operator  306  manipulating the handles  310  through the driving of the axle  304  should be disposed separately from the circuit breaker for distribution. Further, the circuit breaker for the distribution board is disposed near to the door, thereby making it difficult to ensure the space of the distribution board itself. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     Accordingly, the present invention has been made in view of the above-mentioned problems occurring in the prior art, and it is an object of the present invention to provide an automatic control device for a padlock that is capable of directly disposing the padlock on a circuit breaker for a distribution board, thereby removing inconveniences caused by separate installation of the padlock from the circuit breaker. 
     It is another object of the present invention to provide an automatic control device for a padlock that is capable of disposing the padlock on a circuit breaker for a distribution board, thereby making the padlock simplified in configuration and ensuring the sufficient space of a distribution board. 
     To accomplish the above-mentioned objects, according to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided an automatic control device for a padlock, the device including: a circuit breaker having a power terminal disposed on one side thereof, a load terminal disposed on the other side thereof, and a switch disposed on the center thereof in such a manner as to be switchedly driven from the power terminal to the load terminal; a pair of cylinders disposed on one side and the other side of the switch of the circuit breaker in such a manner as to drive cylinder rods thereof by means of an external control signal to conduct the switching operation for the switch of the circuit breaker; and operating parts adapted to push and switch the switch of the circuit breaker by means of the operations of the cylinders, each operating part having a rectangular plate-shaped push rod disposed on the front end periphery of each cylinder rod, the push rod having a coupler open upwardly from the center thereof, and a fastener having one side insertedly fastened to the coupler of the push rod and the other side fastened to each cylinder rod. 
     According to the present invention, desirably, the circuit breaker has a base plate disposed on top thereof, the base plate being bent downwardly on one side end and the other side end thereof, having the end portions of the downwardly bent one side end and the other side end bent outwardly and fixed to the circuit breaker, and having a guide hole formed on the center thereof in such a mariner as to insert the switch of the circuit breaker thereinto to guide the switching operation of the switch, and the base plate has one pair of fixing brackets fixed at one side and the other side on top thereof, respectively, to fix the pair of cylinders thereto. 
     According to the present invention, desirably, each pair of fixing brackets has both side plates larger as the fixing brackets go toward the lower portions thereof and having lower ends bent inwardly in such a manner as to be fixed to top of the base plate and fixing holes formed on the upper portions of the both side plates to fix the lower portion of each cylinder thereto. 
     According to the present invention, desirably, one pair of cylinders has fixing portions formed on the edge portions thereof in such a manner as to be fixed to the fixing holes of the fixing brackets and air injection holes formed on one side periphery thereof to inject air thereinto. 
     According to the present invention, desirably, one pair of cylinders is operated by means of pneumatic pressure. 
     To accomplish the above-mentioned objects, according to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided an automatic control device for a padlock, the device including: a circuit breaker having a power terminal disposed on one side thereof, a load terminal disposed on the other side thereof, and a switch disposed on the center thereof in such a manner as to be switchedly driven from the power terminal to the load terminal; a pair of cylinders disposed on one side and the other side of the switch of the circuit breaker in such a manner as to drive cylinder rods thereof by means of an external control signal to conduct the switching operation for the switch of the circuit breaker; a switch block disposed between the cylinder rods in such a manner as to insert the switch of the circuit breaker thereinto to conduct the switching operation for the switch of the circuit breaker by mean of driving of the cylinder rods, the switch block having slide holes formed on both sides of the upper portions of one side surface and the other side surface thereof; and guide bars adapted to guide the movements of the switch block, each guide bar being passed through the slide holes of the switch block in such a manner as to allow one end thereof to be fastened to any one of the pair of cylinders and to allow the other end thereof to be fastened to the other cylinder. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The above and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments of the invention in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which: 
         FIG. 1  is an exploded perspective view showing a conventional external manipulating handle device of a circuit breaker for distribution; 
         FIG. 2  is a perspective view showing a conventional motor interlock device of a circuit breaker for distribution; 
         FIG. 3  is a perspective view showing an automatic control device for a padlock according to a first embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 4  is an exploded perspective view showing the automatic control device for a padlock according to the first embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 5  is a sectional view showing the operating state of power supply of the automatic control device for a padlock according to the first embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 6  is a sectional view showing the operating state of power cut-off of the automatic control device for a padlock according to the first embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 7  is a perspective view showing an automatic control device for a padlock according to a second embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 8  is a sectional view showing the operating state of power supply of the automatic control device for a padlock according to the second embodiment of the present invention; and 
         FIG. 9  is a sectional view showing the operating state of power cut-off of the automatic control device for a padlock according to the second embodiment of the present invention. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     Hereinafter, an explanation on an automatic control device for a padlock according to the present invention will be in detail given with reference to the attached drawing. 
       FIG. 3  is a perspective view showing an automatic control device for a padlock according to a first embodiment of the present invention. 
     As shown in  FIG. 3 , an automatic control device  100  for a padlock according to a first embodiment of the present invention includes: a circuit breaker  110  having a switch  111  adapted to supply and cut off electric power to and from a load terminal; a base plate  120  fixedly mounted on top of the circuit breaker  110  to guide the switching operation of the switch  111 ; two pairs of fixing brackets  130  fixedly disposed at one side and the other side of top of the base plate  120 ; a pair of cylinders  140  and  150  having cylinder rods  141  and  151  fixedly disposed correspondingly on the two pairs of fixed brackets  130  and selectively operated by an external control signal to conduct the switching operation for the switch  111 ; and operating parts  145  coupled to the front end peripheries of the cylinder rods  141  and  151  to push and switch the switch  111  of the circuit breaker  110  by means of the operations of the cylinders  140  and  150 . 
       FIG. 4  is an exploded perspective view showing the automatic control device for a padlock according to the first embodiment of the present invention. 
     As shown in  FIG. 4 , the circuit breaker  110  includes a power terminal disposed on one side end thereof to receive the power from the outside, the load terminal disposed on the other side end thereof to output the power received to the power terminal therefrom, and the switch  111  disposed between the power terminal and the load terminal to supply and cut off the power received from the power terminal to and from the load terminal by means of the switching operation from the power terminal to the load terminal. 
     The base plate  120  is bent downwardly on one side end and the other side end thereof, and the end portions of one side end and the other side end bent downwardly of the base plate  120  are bent outwardly and fixed to the circuit breaker  110 . The base plate  120  has a guide hole  121  formed on the center thereof in such a manner as to insert the switch  111  of the circuit breaker  110  thereinto and to guide the switching operation of the switch  111 . 
     Accordingly, the base plate  120  is fixedly spaced apart from top of the circuit breaker  110  by means of the outwardly bent end portions thereof, while fixedly inserting the switch  111  of the circuit breaker  110  into the guide hole  121 . As a result, the base plate  120  maintains the insulation state from the circuit breaker  110 , and further, the switch  111  conducts the switching operation by means of the guide of the guide hole  121 , so that the base plate  120  induces the accurate switching operation of the switch  111 . 
     Each pair of fixing brackets  130  includes both side plates  131  larger as they go toward the lower portions thereof and having lower ends bent inwardly in such a manner as to be fixed to top of the base plate  120  and fixing holes  132  formed on the upper portions of the both side plates  131  to fix the lower portion of each cylinder thereto. 
     Accordingly, the inwardly bent portions of each pair of fixing brackets  130  are fixed to the base plate  120 , and the fixing holes  132  formed on the upper portions thereof are adapted to fix the lower portion of each cylinder thereto. 
     One pair of cylinders  140  and  150  includes one pair of cylinder rods  141  and  151 , fixing portions  142  and  152  formed on the outer edges thereof, and air injection holes  143  and  153  formed on one side periphery thereof to inject air thereinto. 
     One pair of cylinders  140  and  150  is a single acting pneumatic cylinder and forwardly moves the cylinder rods  141  and  151  by means of the air injected into the air injection holes  143  and  153 . 
     Each operating part  145  includes a rectangular plate-shaped push rod  147  having a coupler  146  open upwardly from the center thereof and a fastener  148  having one side insertedly fastened to the coupler  146  of the push rod  147  and the other side fastened to each cylinder rod. 
     Accordingly, the operating parts  145  are operated together with the cylinder rods  141  and  151  of the pair of cylinders  140  and  150  and push the switch  111  of the circuit breaker  110  by means of the push rods  147  to conduct the switching operation for the switch  111 , so that the power terminal and the load terminal of the circuit breaker  110  are connected or disconnected to supply or cut off the power to or from the load terminal. 
       FIG. 5  is a sectional view showing the operating state of power supply of the automatic control device for a padlock according to the first embodiment of the present invention, and  FIG. 6  is a sectional view showing the operating state of power cut-off of the automatic control device for a padlock according to the first embodiment of the present invention. 
     The base plate  120  and the two pairs of brackets  130  are fixedly mounted on top of the circuit breaker  110  disposed on a distribution board, and one pair of cylinders  140  and  150  having one pair of cylinder rods  141  and  151  are fixedly mounted on the two pairs of brackets  130  so as to conduct the switching operation for the switch  111  supplying or cutting off the power to the load terminal from the power terminal. In this state, air is injected into any one of the air injection holes  143  and  153  formed on the pair of cylinders  140  and  150 , and the cylinder  140  or  150  into which the air is injected operates the cylinder rod  141  or  151  to allow the operating part  145  coupled to the cylinder rod  141  or  151  to operate the switch  111 , so that the power is supplied or cut off to or from the load terminal. 
     Accordingly, as shown in  FIG. 5 , if a door of the distribution board is closed, a solenoid (not shown) is operated by an external control signal, and air is injected into the air injection hole  153  of the cylinder  150  by means of an air pump (not shown). The cylinder  150  into which the air is injected operates the cylinder rod  151  to allow the push rod  147  of the operating part  145  coupled to the front end periphery of the cylinder rod  151  to push the switch  111  of the circuit breaker  110 , and the switch  111  is guided by means of the guide hole  121  formed on the base plate  120  to allow the power terminal and the load terminal to be connected to each other, so that the power is supplied to the load terminal. 
     On the other hand, as shown in  FIG. 6 , if the door of the distribution board is open, the solenoid is operated by an external control signal, and while air supply to the cylinder  150  is being cut off, air is injected into the air injection hole  143  of the cylinder  140  by means of the air pump. The cylinder  140  into which the air is injected operates the cylinder rod  141  to allow the push rod  147  of the operating part  145  coupled to the front end periphery of the cylinder rod  141  to push the switch  111  of the circuit breaker  110 . 
     At this time, the switch  111  is pushed by means of the guide of the guide hole  121  formed on the base plate  120  to push the cylinder rod  151  of the cylinder  150 , and accordingly, the cylinder rod  151  being pushed upon the supply of power is restored to its original state to allow the switch  111  to be switched from the load terminal to the power terminal, so that the power terminal and the load terminal of the circuit breaker  110  are separated from each other, thereby cutting off the power supply to the load terminal. 
       FIG. 7  is a perspective view showing an automatic control device for a padlock according to a second embodiment of the present invention. 
     As shown in  FIG. 7 , an automatic control device  100  for a padlock according to a second embodiment of the present invention includes: a circuit breaker  110  having a switch  111  adapted to supply and cut off power to and from a load terminal; abase plate  120  fixedly mounted on top of the circuit breaker  110  to guide the switching operation of the switch  111 ; two pairs of fixing brackets  130  fixedly disposed at one side and the other side of top of the base plate  120 ; a pair of cylinders  140  and  150  having cylinder rods  141  and  151  fixedly disposed correspondingly on the two pairs of fixed brackets  130  in such a manner as to be selectively reciprocated to conduct the switching operation for the switch  111 ; a switch block  160  disposed between the pair of cylinders  140  and  150  to conduct the switching operation for the switch  111  of the circuit breaker  110 ; and guide bars  170  insertedly passed through the switch block  160  in such a manner as to be fastened to the pair of cylinders  140  and  150  at their both sides thereof to slidingly guide the switch block  160  therealong. 
     The switch block  160  has a rectangular body and includes a switch hole  161  penetrated up and down in the interior thereof to insert the switch  111  of the circuit breaker  110  thereinto and slide holes  162  formed on both sides of the upper portions of one side surface and the other side surface of the rectangular body to slidingly insert the guide bars  170  thereinto. 
     One side end and the other side end of each guide bar  170  are insertedly passed through the slide holes  162  of the switch block  160  into which the switch  111  of the circuit breaker  110  is inserted and then insertedly fixed to fixing portions  142  and  152  of the pair of cylinders  140  and  150 . 
     Accordingly, the switch  111  of the circuit breaker  110  is inserted into the switch hole  161  of the switch block  160 , and the guide bars  170  are inserted slidingly into the slide holes  162  formed on both sides of the upper portion of the switch block  160  to allow the switch  111  to be switched so that the switching operation of the switch  111  is conducted accurately by means of the switch block  160  and the guide bars  170 . 
       FIG. 8  is a sectional view showing the operating state of power supply of the automatic control device for a padlock according to the second embodiment of the present invention; and  FIG. 9  is a sectional view showing the operating state of power cut-off of the automatic control device for a padlock according to the second embodiment of the present invention. 
     As shown in  FIG. 8 , if a door of the distribution board is closed, a solenoid (not shown) is operated by an external control signal, and air is injected into the air injection hole  153  of the cylinder  150  by means of an air pump (not shown). The cylinder  150  into which the air is injected operates the cylinder rod  151  to allow the switch block  160  into which the guide bars  170  are slidingly inserted and having the lower portion into which the switch  111  of the circuit breaker  110  is inserted to push forwardly. 
     Accordingly, the switch block  160  is slidingly guided by means of the guide bars  170  and moves forwardly to allow the power terminal and the load terminal to be connected to each other, so that the power is supplied to the load terminal. 
     As shown in  FIG. 9 , if the door of the distribution board is open, air supply to the cylinder  150  is cut off, and air is injected into the air injection hole  143  of the cylinder  140  by means of the air pump. The cylinder  140  into which the air is injected operates the cylinder rod  141  to allow the switch block  160  into which the guide bars  170  are slidingly inserted and having the lower portion into which the switch  111  of the circuit breaker  110  is inserted to push forwardly. 
     At this time, the switch  111  of the circuit breaker  110  inserted into the switch block  160  is switched from the load terminal to the power terminal by means of the switch block  160 , and at this time, the switch block  160  pushes the cylinder rod  151  of the cylinder  150 , and accordingly, the cylinder rod  151  is restored to its original state to allow the switch  111  to separate the power terminal and the load terminal from each other, thereby cutting off the power supply to the load terminal. 
     As described above, the automatic control device for a padlock according to the present invention is configured wherein one pair of cylinders is fixedly mounted on top of the circuit breaker to supply and cut off power to and from the load terminal, and thus, the cylinders are operated selectively according to the external control signal to turn on and off the switch of the circuit breaker, so that there is no need to separately provide the padlock for turning on and off the circuit breaker, thereby removing inconveniences caused by separate installation of the padlock from the circuit breaker. 
     In addition, the automatic control device for a padlock according to the present invention is configured wherein the padlock is disposed on the circuit breaker, thereby making the circuit board and the padlock simplified in configuration and ensuring the sufficient space of the distribution board. 
     While the present invention has been described with reference to the particular illustrative embodiments, it is not to be restricted by the embodiments but only by the appended claims. It is to be appreciated that those skilled in the art can change or modify the embodiments without departing from the scope and spirit of the present invention.