Title of Invention

AN ELECTRICAL SWITCHGEAR UNIT

Abstract

The switchgear apparatus is composed of a single apparatus or two modular electrical apparatuses, such as a differential circuit breaker or a circuit breaker associated with a contactor. These apparatuses are designed to be adjoined and electrically connected to an adjacent apparatus on a fitting rail and are housed in cases, each case comprising two opposite lateral faces (9, 10) at least one of which, called the connection face, comprises connection terminals, the connection face of the apparatus when a single apparatus is involved, or the connection face formed by the two adjoined connection faces (8, 10) of the two apparatuses when there are two apparatuses, comprises both a set of orifices (13 to 16) housing input terminals and a set of orifices (17 to 20) housing output terminals. This connection face (8, 10) comprises, between the set of input terminals (13 to 16 and 36 to 43) and the set of output terminals (17 to 20, 22 to 27, 28 to 35), a portion of free wall E whose width I parallel to the alignment of said apparatuses is such that this portion of wall E acts as a stop for the teeth of a comb connector so as to prevent unscheduled connection by means of said comb connector between an input terminal and an output terminal.

Full Text

The invention relates to an electrical switchgear unit composed of a single apparatus or of two modular electrical apparatuses, such as a differential circuit breaker or a circuit breaker associated with a contactor, said apparatus or apparatuses being designed to be adjoined and electrically connected to an adjacent apparatus on a fitting rail and being housed in cases, each case comprising a rear face by which the case is fitted on the rail, a front face, two parallel main faces by which the cases are adjoined two by two, and two opposite lateral faces at least one of which, called the connection face, comprises connection terminals arranged on at least one depth level, the connection face of the apparatus when a single apparatus is involved, or the connection face formed by the two adjoined connection faces of the two apparatuses when there are two apparatuses, comprises both a set of orifices housing input terminals and a set of orifices housing output terminals. The invention applies both to switchgear of the monoblock type such as a differential circuit breaker, comprising on the same face input terminals and output terminals, and to switchgear formed by two adjoined apparatuses fitted on a rail such as a circuit breaker associated with a contactor, one of the apparatuses comprising input terminals on a lateral face whereas the other apparatus comprises output terminals on a lateral face situated in the extension of that of the first apparatus. In both these cases, there is in fact a risk by inadvertence, and in unscheduled manner, of two distinct teeth of a comb connector engaging respectively an input terminal and an output terminal situated at the same depth level, which would lead to damage to the apparatuses and therefore to the required electrical safety not being ensured. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention solves this problem and proposes an electrical switchgear unit preventing electrical connection of an input terminal and an output terminal of the same depth level, by means of a power supply bar. For this purpose the object of the present invention is to achieve a switchgear unit of the previously mentioned type, this switchgear unit being characterized in that said connection face comprises, between the set of input terminals and the set of output terminals, a portion of free wail whose width parallel to the alignment of the terminals of the same depth level is such that this portion of wall acts as a stop for the teeth of a comb connector, so as to prevent unscheduled connection by means of the comb connector between an input terminal and an output terminal. The object of the present invention is also to achieve an electrical switchgear unit, this switchgear unit being characterized in that said connection face comprises, between the set of input terminals and the set of output terminals, a portion of free wall E situated between two adjacent modules and whose width parallel to the alignment of the terminals of the same depth level is greater than or equal to 9 mm. Thus, due to the invention, two consecutive teeth of a comb connector cannot be engaged at the same time respectively in an input terminal and in an output terminal. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Other advantages and features will become more clearly apparent from the following description of particular embodiments of the invention, given as non-restrictive examples only and represented in the accompanying drawings in which : - Figure 1 is a schematic representation of an electrical switchgear unit according to the invention, seen from the front, - Figures 1a, 1b and 1c respectively illustrate, in identical views to the previous one, three other embodiments of a switchgear unit according to the invention, - Figure 2 illustrates, in a similar views to the previous ones, a switchgear unit according to the invention comprising two sets of output terminals, - Figures 3 and 3a illustrate the switchgear unit of figure 2, to which a blanking flap of certain of the terminals has been associated. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT In the figures, an electrical switchgear unit A can be seen composed of two apparatuses, i.e. a circuit breaker 1 and a differential unit 2, said apparatuses being fitted in series on a fitting rail and adjoined by one 4, 5 of their side faces. These apparatuses 1, 2 are housed in modular cases of appreciably parallelepipedic shape each comprising a rear face (not visible) by which the apparatuses are fitted onto the rail, two parallel faces called main faces 3, 4 and 5, 6 by which the cases are adjoined two by two, two parallel, respectively bottom and top, lateral faces 7, 8 and 9, 10, called connection faces, and a front face 11,12 parallel to the rear face. In figure 1, the two apparatuses are of the three-phase plus neutral type and are both formed by four modules respectively comprising a neutral circuit and three phase circuits. The first apparatus 1 comprises four input terminals 13 to 16, respectively a neutral terminal 13 and three phase terminals 14 to 16 on its top connection face 8. The output terminals (not represented) of the first apparatus 1 are electrically connected to the input terminals of the second apparatus 2 by rigid conductors 21. The first apparatus 1 is supplied line-side by a comb connector PI comprising teeth spaced equally apart and delivering successively and in repetitive manner the neutral N and the three phases pi, p2, p3. The second apparatus 2 supplies other apparatuses (not represented) situated down-line, by means of a comb connector P2, of the same type as the previous one. The pitch of the comb connectors, corresponding to the distance between two consecutive teeth, is 18 mm. The pitch of the apparatuses, corresponding to the distance between two input terminals 13 to 16 for the first apparatus, and to the distance between two output terminals 17 to 20 for the second apparatus, is also 18 mm. It should be noted that in the case where the terminals are distributed over two (or more) depth levels, the pitch will correspond to the distance between two consecutive terminals (or two teeth) considered in a plane parallel to the alignment of the terminals of the same depth level. According to the invention, the case of the second apparatus 2 comprises, extending in the direction of the first apparatus 1, an extension forming an overthickness S of the case and whose width I is advantageously 18 mm. This overthickness S enables a portion of free wall E to be created on the connection face 10 of the second apparatus 2, In this way, when a connection operation is performed, when an operator inadvertently attempts to electrically connect the input terminals and the output terminals, one of the teeth of the comb connector will come up against the stop formed by the above- mentioned wall E, which will prevent other teeth from being inserted in the tenninals and will therefore prevent electrical connection of an input terminal and an output terminal. In figure 1a, two electrical apparatuses can also be seen able to be a circuit breaker 1 and a differential unit 2, the two apparatuses being of the three-pole plus neutral type. The first apparatus 1 is the same as the one previously described in figure 1, but the second apparatus 2 comprises three 18 mm modules only, each module comprising a combination of terminals and housings 22 to 27. In each module, the first location corresponds to the neutral whereas the second location corresponds to a phase. Thus the first module comprises a terminal 22 for the neutral and a terminal 23 for phase 1; the second module comprises a housing 24 designed to house an unused neutral tooth of the comb connector and a terminal 25 of phase 2; and the third module comprises a housing 26 for a neutral tooth and a terminal 27 for phase 3. The first apparatus 1 comprises terminals 13 to 16 (respectively a neutral terminal 13 and three phase terminals 14 to 16) spaced 18 mm apart from each other. This apparatus is therefore supplied by a comb connector whose pitch is 18 mm. The second apparatus 2 supplies a comb connector P3 of the phase/neutral type whose teeth successively distribute the neutral and the different phases 1, 2 and 3, in repetitive manner along the comb connector P3. According to the invention, the case of the second apparatus 2 also comprises a part forming an overthickness S extending beyond the outside edge of the first module and forming a part of free wall E on the connection face 10 of the second apparatus 2. The width t of this overthickness S is advantageously 18 mm. Thus, neither a comb connector presenting a pitch of 9 mm nor a comb connector presenting a pitch of 18 mm can perform unscheduled electrical connection of an input terminal and an output terminal. According to the embodiment of figure 1b, the second apparatus 2, also of the three-pole and neutral type, comprises four modules. This arrangement in four modules may be necessary for example when the apparatus presents a large heat dissipation. The first of these modules comprises a terminal 28 for the neutral and a housing 29 for an unused phase tooth. The second module comprises a housing 30 for an unused neutral tooth and a terminal 31 of phase 1. The third module comprises a housing 32 for an unused neutral tooth and a terminal 33 of phase 2. And the fourth module comprises a housing 34 for an unused neutral tooth and a terminal 35 of phase 3. The first apparatus 1 is supplied by a comb connector PI with a pitch of 18 mm, whereas the second apparatus 2 supplies a comb connector P3 whose pitch is 9 mm. The protruding part S of the case of the second apparatus 2 being of a width of about 18 mm, the distance between the last terminal 16 of the first apparatus 1 and the first terminal 28 of the second apparatus 2 is about 31.5 mm (9+18+4.5), which results in neither a comb connector with a pitch of 18 mm nor a comb connector with a pitch of 9 mm being able to perform unscheduled connection of an input terminal of the first apparatus 1 and an output terminal of the second apparatus 2. According to the embodiment illustrated in figure 1c, the two apparatuses are of the three-pole and neutral type in four modules and are supplied by a comb connector of the phase plus neutral type comprising a neutral tooth N between two successive phase teeth p1, p2, p3. The first apparatus 1 successively comprises a neutral terminal 36, two recesses 37, 38, a terminal 39 of phase 1, a recess 40, a terminal 41 of phase 2, a recess 42 and a terminal 43 of phase 3. The second apparatus 2 comprises, arranged successively, a neutral terminal 28, two housings 29, 30, a temninal 31 of phase 1, a housing 32, a terminal 33 of phase 2, a housing 34 and a terminal 35 of phase 3. According to this embodiment, the width I of the overthickness S being 18 mm, the distance between the last phase terminal 43 of the first apparatus 1 and the first neutral terminal 28 of the second apparatus 2 is about 27 mm (4.5+18+4.5). which results in neither a comb connector with a pitch of 9 mm nor a comb connector with a pitch of 18 mm being able to be used to electrically connect an input terminal and an output terminal. In figure 2, the second apparatus 2 is formed by four 18 mm modules. It comprises, on one 10 of its connection faces, four terminals 17 to 20, respectively a neutral terminal 17 and three phase terminals 18 to 20. This apparatus comprises in addition, on its bottom face 9, the same number of output terminals 44 to 47 designed to supply another^series of apparatuses (not represented) situated down-line, by means of cables. In figure 3, the second apparatus 2 comprises the same number of output terminals 17 to 20 and 44 to 47 on its two opposite faces 9, 10. It also comprises a directable flap V formed by two half-flaps in the form of a rake and maneuvered by a lever with two stable positions. This apparatus 2 also comprises an overthickness S corresponding to a half-module and housing a part of the directable flap mechanism. This half-module is designed according to the invention to act as an error preventer, i.e. to prevent unscheduled connection between an input terminal and an output terminal. In figure 3, the flap V allows access to the upper terminals 17 to 20, but prevents access to the lower terminals 44 to 47. In figure 3a, the flap V blocks access to the upper terminals 17 to 20, but frees access to the lower terminals 44 to 47 which are connected to cables. The invention applies particularly to switchgear comprising a main apparatus such as a circuit breaker or a switch, differential or not, said main apparatus being associated down-line to an apparatus designed to be protected by the main apparatus such as a contactor or a remote-controlled switch. Although the different figures of this patent illustrate association of two apparatuses, the invention also applies to monobiock apparatuses such as differential circuit breal In more general manner, the invention applies to any apparatus or association of apparatuses presenting input terminals and output terminals on the same connection face, the or at least one of said apparatuses being designed to be electrically connected to other apparatuses by means of a comb connector, or as required, with cables or a comb connector. The invention is naturally in no way limited to the embodiments described and illustrated which have been given for example purposes only. Thus, for example, the part of free wall can be formed by an independent intermediate module fitted between two adjoined modules. On the contrary, the invention encompasses all the technical equivalents of the means described as well as combinations thereof if the latter are achieved according to the spirit of the invention. 1. An electrical switchgear unit composed of a single apparatus or of two modular electrical apparatuses, such as a differential circuit breaker or a circuit breaker associated with a contactor, said apparatus or apparatuses being designed to be adjoined and electrically connected to an adjacent apparatus on a fitting rail and being housed in cases, each case comprising a rear face by which the case is fitted on the rail, a front face, two parallel main faces by which the cases are adjoined two by two, and two opposite lateral faces at least one of which, called the connection face, comprises connection terminals arranged on at least one depth level, the connection face of the apparatus when a single apparatus is involved, or the connection face formed by the two adjoined connection faces of the two apparatuses when there are two apparatuses, comprises both a set of orifices housing input terminals and a set of orifices housing output terminals, characterized in that said connection face (8, 10) comprises, between the set of input terminals (13 to 16 and 36 to 43) and the set of output terminals (17 to 20, 22 to 27, 28 to 35). a portion of free wall E whose width I parallel to the alignment of said terminals of the same depth level is such that this portion of wall acts as a stop for the teeth of a comb connector so as to prevent unscheduled connection by means of said comb connector between an input terminal and an output terminal. 2. An electrical switchgear unit composed of a single apparatus or of two modular electrical apparatuses, such as a differential circuit breaker or a circuit breaker associated with a contactor, said apparatus or apparatuses being designed to be adjoined and electrically connected to an adjacent apparatus on a fitting rail and being housed in cases, each case comprising a rear face by which the case is fitted on the rail, a front face, two parallel main faces by which the cases are adjoined two by two. and two opposite lateral faces at least one of which, called the connection face, comprises connection terminals an-anged on at least one depth level, the connection face of the apparatus when a single apparatus is involved, or the connection face formed by the two adjoined connection faces of the two apparatuses when there are two apparatuses, comprises both a set of orifices housing input terminals and a set of orifices housing output terminals, characterized in that said connection face (8, 10) comprises, between the set of input terminals and the set of output terminals, a portion of free wall E situated between two adjacent modules and whose width parallel to the alignment of the terminals of the same depth level is greater than or equal to 9 mm. 3. The switchgear apparatus according to claim 2, characterized in that the switchgear apparatus being composed of two apparatuses 1, 2, the portion of free wall E is formed by an overthickness S of the case of one of the apparatuses. 4. The switchgear apparatus according to any one of the foregoing claims, characterized in that it comprises a first electrical protection apparatus (1) comprising the above-mentioned input terminals (13 to 16) and a second apparatus (2) connected in series with the first apparatus (1) so as to be protected by the first apparatus, and comprising the above-mentioned output terminals (17 to 20). 5. The switchgear apparatus according to claim 4, characterized in that the first apparatus (1) is a switch, a differential switch, a circuit breaker or a differential circuit breaker. 6. The switchgear apparatus according to claim 4 or 5, characterized in that the second apparatus (2) is a contactor or a remote-controlled switch. 7. The switchgear apparatus according to any one of the claims 4 to 6, characterized in that the input terminals (13 to 16) of the first apparatus (1) are supplied by cables, whereas the output terminals (17 to 20) of the second apparatus (2) supply a comb connector P2 formed by at least one power supply bar and designed to perform power supply of other apparatuses. 8. The switchgear apparatus according to any one of the foregoing claims, characterized in that the second apparatus (2) comprises on its lateral face (9) opposite the previous face (10), another set of output terminals (44 to 47) designed to act in conventional manner as feeders. 9. The switchgear apparatus according to any one of the claims 4 to 8, characterized in that the second apparatus (2) is reversible on the rail so that its output terminals (17 to 20 and 44 to 47) perform either power supply of a comb connector on one side of the rail or power supply by cables of another series of apparatuses on the other side of the rail, 10. The switchgear apparatus according to any one of the foregoing claims, characterized in that the output terminals (28 to 35) of the second apparatus (2) and/or respectively the input terminals (36 to 43) of the first apparatus (1) are electrically connected to a comb connector PI, P3 successively distributing the neutral and different phases p1, p2, p3, in repetitive manner, with a tooth N distributing the neutral N interposed between two successive phase teeth, said teeth being separated two by two by a distance of 9 mm. 11. The switchgear apparatus according to any one of the foregoing claims, characterized in that the width I of the portion of free wall E parallel to the alignment of the terminals of the same depth level is appreciably 18 mm. 12. An electrical switchgear unit substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings. 13. The switchgear apparatus substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

Documents:

1142-mas-1999-abstract.pdf

1142-mas-1999-claims filed.pdf

1142-mas-1999-claims granted.pdf

1142-mas-1999-correspondnece-others.pdf

1142-mas-1999-correspondnece-po.pdf

1142-mas-1999-description(complete)filed.pdf

1142-mas-1999-description(complete)granted.pdf

1142-mas-1999-drawings.pdf

1142-mas-1999-form 1.pdf

1142-mas-1999-form 26.pdf

1142-mas-1999-form 3.pdf

1142-mas-1999-form 5.pdf

1142-mas-1999-other document.pdf

abs-1142-mas-1999.jpg