Patent DE-102009030158-A1 (DE)
Title: Multipolar electric automatic switch e.g. multipolar line circuit breaker useful in household- and industrial distributions to protect cables and engines, comprises automatic switches, and electrothermal trigger device, and switch latch
Inventor: FLOHR PETER
IPC: H01H71/40
Filed: 2009-06-24
Abstract: The multipolar electric automatic switch such as a multipolar line circuit breaker comprises two automatic switches arranged next to each other, where each switch has a series connection (10) from a main current path (16), a normally closed first switch (12) and an electromagnetic trigger device (13) that is connected between first and second electrical connections (14, 15), an electrothermal trigger device that is connected in parallel to the main current path having normally closed second switch (17), so that the electrothermal trigger device is normally bridged by the main current path. The multipolar electric automatic switch such as a multipolar line circuit breaker comprises two automatic switches arranged next to each other, where each of the switches has a series connection (10) from a main current path (16), a normally closed first switch (12) and an electromagnetic trigger device (13) that is connected between first and second electrical connections (14, 15), an electrothermal trigger device that is connected in parallel to the main current path having a normally closed second switch (17), so that the electrothermal trigger device is normally bridged by the main current path, and a switch latch, which is provided for opening the first switch and for actuating a driver and transfers the switching movements of the switch latch of the one automatic switch to the switch latch of the other automatic switch. The electromagnetic trigger device has a first armature for opening the second switch upon reaching a first threshold current, and a second armature for opening the first switch and for actuating the switch latch upon reaching a second threshold current, which is greater than the first threshold current. The electromagnetic trigger device is designed, so that electromagnetic trigger device impinges the switch latch for opening the first switch after a predetermined time when device is flowed by an overcurrent, which is equal or higher than the first threshold current. The rotatably mounted driver has a connecting shaft coaxial to its rotating axis, where the connecting shaft is rotatably arranged in the driver. Each of the two adjacent automatic switches comprises a pivotably mounted switching knob, which has connecting shaft coaxial to a pivoting axis of the switching knob, where the connecting shaft is rotatably arranged in the switching knob. The connecting shaft is axially displaceably mounted in the driver or the switching knob and has a triangular profile. The driver arranged to the switch latch has a first lever arm, which is impinged by a switch lever of the switch latch, and a second lever arm, which operates a latch of the switch latch. The two adjacent automatic switches are aligned against each other by the connecting shafts of the driver and the switching knob, and are flatly adhered together with double-sided adhesive strip. The electromagnetic trigger device has a bimetal-actuating device with a first bimetal located between the first connection and the first switch, where the operating temperature of the bimetal is 200[deg] C. The electromagnetic trigger device has a common coil for actuating the first and second armatures.