The present invention relates to a modular automatic electric breaker with optimization of used spaces.

It is known that electrical panels currently use automatic breakers and in any case components which have a substantially standardized external casing.

This module has a substantially flat box-like body which is 18 mm wide and has , to the rear, a means for coupling to an omega-shaped bar which is standardized ac cording to DIN standards .

In the front part there is a protruding part where the actuation handle or lever is located.

This box-like casing is currently used to contain an automatic breaker which affects a single pole , so that in case of protection of two or more poles one uses modules , or i n any c ase box- l i ke component s , whose width i s proportional to the number of modules, starting from the 18-mm size for each pole .

If differential breakers are combined, one obtains adjacent arrangement s o f othe r devi c e s whi ch c an be direct ly integrated or constituted by separate modules and in any case maintain the characteristic of occupying a width unit for each pole .

This arrangement causes problems in some cases, both because the resulting electrical panels have considerable dimensions and therefore require significant construction work, and because mutual connection of the components can be complicated.

The aim of the invention is to eliminate the above described drawbacks. A further aim of the invention is to provide a modular automatic electric breaker with optimization of used spaces, which allows, while maintaining a box-like body which has a standardized external shape, to significantly reduce the spaces used internally, thus allowing to considerably reduce overall dimensions in the case of multi-pole protection devices.

An object of the invention is to provide an automatic electric breaker in which the dimensions entailed by the coupling of the various protection devices are practically halved, furthermore achieving a functional improvement, since by using kinematic disengagement systems which are smaller than conventional ones it is possible, by having reduced masses involved, to achieve higher movement speeds and therefore faster breaking of the generated electric arc.

A further object of the invention is to provide an automatic electric breaker which is particularly versatile and allows to introduce, in the standard width of the module, the magnetothermal protection of two poles or the thermal protection; it is also possible to use, for other

functional parts, the empty spaces that become available by virtue of the new structural setup of the automatic electric breaker.

A further object of the invention is to provide an automatic electric breaker which, by virtue of its particular constructive characteristics, is capable of giving the greatest reliability and safety in use.

These aims, these objects and others which will become apparent hereinafter are achieved by a modular automatic electric breaker with optimization of used spaces, which includes a flat box-like body which has, on its rear face, a means for coupling to an omega-shaped guide and, on its front face, a central protrusion at which it is possible to access an actuation part, characterized in that it includes, inside the box-like body, at least one electrical protection part, at least one kinematic system for actuating the moving electrical contact, and at least one snuffer cell, which are mutually operatively interconnected and occupy no more than half of the internal volume formed by the box-like body.

Further characteristics and advantages will become apparent from the description of a preferred but not exclusive embodiment of a modular automatic electric breaker with optimization of used spaces, illustrated only by way of non-limitative example in the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Fig. 1 is a schematic side view of the electric breaker, showing the volume occupied by the components of the breaker;

Fig. 2 is a schematic view of the mutual arrangement of the components of the breaker;

Fig. 3 is a side view of the breaker, with a wall of the box-like body removed in order to show the components;

Fig. 4 is a front view of the electric breaker;

Fig. 5 is a top plan view of the electric breaker;

Fig. 6 is a schematic perspective view of the electric breaker with a side wall removed;

Fig. 7 is an exploded perspective view of the kinematic system for actuating the moving contact;

Fig. 8 is a view of the kinematic system for actuating the moving contact in the open position;

Fig. 9 is a view of the kinematic system for actuating the moving contact in the closed position;

Fig. 10 is a schematic view of the kinematic system for actuating the moving contact, which has been released because of the intervention of a protection device, with the actuation part still in the closed position.

With reference to the above figures, the modular automatic electric breaker with optimization of used spaces, according to the invention, includes a box-like body 1 which has the classic standardized shape with 18-mm spacing and forms, at the rear face, a means 2 for coupling to the omega-shaped guide according to DIN standards; the coupling means can be of a per se known kind and therefore they are not described here in detail.

The box-like body 1 has, at the front face, a protrusion 3 in which the actuation part or handle 4 is arranged; this part or handle also has a conventional configuration.

The important particularity of the invention is constituted by the fact that a new structural arrangement is provided which allows to accommodate the electric protection device 10, the kinematic system for actuating the moving electric contact 11, and the snuffer cell 12 inside the box-like casing so that no more than half of the internal volume formed by the box-like body is occupied.

As shown schematically in Fig. 1, the occupied volume is in practice delimited by the median axis, which passes at the actuation part, and by the space toward the upper or lower ends, so that in practice one obtains, inside a same module constituted by the box-like body, spaces which can be used for example to insert an automatic breaker for protecting another pole, to provide a neutral pole, to provide differential protection of the protected poles or to introduce any other devices which might be necessary.

It should be stressed that in practice an automatic electric breaker is provided which, by occupying only one half of the space typically occupied by conventional-type automatic breakers, allows to significantly reduce total space occupation, allowing to halve the number of modules used to provide conventional protections.

In order to achieve this advantage, the mutual arrangement of the various parts is important, as shown schematically in Fig. 2.

In particular, it has been noted that the electrical protection must be located at the central protrusion, in the half provided between the edge of the protrusion and the median horizontal axis that passes through the pivoting point of the actuation part, while the snuffer cell is arranged at the rear face of the box-like body and the kinematic system is interposed between the protection and the snuffer cell.

From a structural point of view, as shown more clearly in Fig. 3, magnetothermal protection is provided by virtue of the coils 20a and the bimetallic part 20b, while the snuffer cell is constituted by twelve parts 21 with a high breaking capacity which are arranged so that the moving contact 30, during opening, in practice pushes the arc toward the cell, accelerating its elimination.

The embodiment of the kinematic actuation system is also particularly significant: it is provided by virtue of very

compact parts, so that it is possible to use faster disengagement speeds, with the obvious related advantages.

According to a preferred but non-limitative embodiment, the kinematic system for actuating the moving contact 30, generally designated by the reference numeral 11, is constituted by a bracket 41 which is articulated in a recess 42 formed in the body 43, from which the actuation part or lever 4 extends.

The bracket 41 engages the arm 44 of a movement lever, generally designated by the reference numeral 45, which is pivoted at 46 to a first pivot connected to the box-like body 1.

The other arms 47 of the movement lever 45 are articulated to a pair of linkages 50 which are articulated, at their other end, to the end 51 of a cross-member 52.

The ends 51 can slide in slots 53 formed by an engagement lever 54 which is U-shaped and pivoted to a second pivot 56 which is rigidly coupled to the box-like body.

The lever for engagement with the locking lug 59 interacts with the locking tab 60 of a control part 61 which oscillates about a third pivot 62 and is provided, in a downward region, with an extension 63 for engagement with the thermal disengagement device, while magnetic intervention is provided at the hook 66.

To the side of the pivot 62, the control part 61 has the hook 66, which interacts with the moving contact 30.

An expansion of the moving core of the magnetic breaker engages a fold 17 of the moving contact 30 in order to provide faster opening.

A connecting portion 70 is arranged opposite the hook 66 and interacts with a driving lever 71 which in practice has the purpose of combining the disengagement of two breakers which are arranged in the same box-like body and are arranged symmetrically to each other with respect to the central axis and optionally also of actuating the components of a laterally adjacent box-like body.

The other end of the cross-member 52 engages a recess 75 formed in a spring guide 76 which is pivoted to the moving contact 30 by a riveted pivot 78 and is pushed by a contact pressure spring, designated by the reference numeral 77.

In practical operation, starting from the open position, shown in Fig. 6, and by turning the actuation part 4, the movement lever 45 is made to oscillate clockwise, with a consequent rotation of the linkages 50 which by interacting with the end 51 of the cross-member 52 located on the engagement lever 54 causes the rotational thrust of the moving contact 30, consequently arranging the locking lug 59 of the engagement lever 54 so that it engages the locking tab 60, which maintains the closed position of the contact.

In case of automatic disengagement, as shown in Fig. 10, the oscillation of the control part 61 causes the rotation of the engagement lever 54, which is no longer retained by the tab 60, with the consequent lifting of the moving contact, which is moved by a driving spring 68.

It should of course be noted that the actuation part 4 also changes position; in Fig. 10, this part is still shown in the closed position.

From the above description it is thus evident that the invention achieves the intended aims and objects, and in particular the fact is stressed that the provision of a structure, which allows to arrange the magnetic and thermal protection device, the snuffer cell, and the kinematic system for actuating disengagement in a single half of the standardized box-like body normally used to produce electrical panels, allows to introduce a highly practical and versatile system, with the advantage of being able to provide the most disparate solutions.

It is in fact possible to provide, in the half of the box¬ like body which is substantially not used, a neutral pole, a second protected pole, the differential protection of the protected poles, thus allowing in practice to halve the spaces used in the direction of width, since a single module allows to double functionality with respect to the modules that are conventionally commercially available.

The invention thus conceived is susceptible of numerous

modifications and variations, all of which are within the scope of the inventive concept.

All the details may furthermore be replaced with other technically equivalent items.

In practice, the materials employed, so long as they are compatible with the specific use, as well as the dimensions and the contingent shapes, may be any according to the requirements.