It is known that low-voltage electrical systems normally use protection devices and/or circuit breakers whose basic task is to protect the system and the loads and users that it powers against any electrical faults or malfunctions, for example against short circuits, overloads, et cetera; these interventions are provided by producing the separation of suitable electrical contacts and consequently interrupting the flow of current that circulates in the system.

Typical examples of circuit breakers normally used in low-voltage systems are constituted by magnetothermal or residual-current circuit breakers. In practice, these circuit breakers can be used both individually and in combination with accessory devices that allow to perform additional protection functions with respect to the basic ones provided by circuit breakers alone. Examples of protection devices that are used in association with a circuit breaker are the so- called shunt tripping relay, which causes the tripping of the switch depending on a remotely issued opening command, the so-called under-voltage relay, which is conceived so as to cause the circuit breaker to trip when the supply voltage drops below a preset threshold value, devices for signaling the state of the contacts of the associated circuit breaker that indicate, by means of an appropriate system, that the circuit breaker has tripped.

In these protection devices and/or circuit breakers, the separation of the contacts and the consequent interruption of the flow of current, as well as the reclosing

of said contacts and the restoring of the normal operating conditions, occur by using a suitable kinematic mechanism that facilitates the transmission of the movement and of the forces between the actuation components and the moving contacts, thus allowing the movement of said moving contacts.

In many of the devices currently in use, a functionally important part of the kinematic mechanisms used is constituted by a pair of levers, which are arranged either coaxially on a same mounting axis or on two parallel axes and are operatively mutually coupled by a dedicated torsion spring.

An example of a kinematic mechanism that uses said pair of levers with the corresponding spring is shown in Figure 1, which illustrates schematically an automatic circuit breaker of a known type, wherein: the reference numeral 1 designates the fixed contact of the circuit breaker, the reference numeral 2 designates the moving contact, the reference numeral 5 designates the arm for actuating the circuit breaker that acts on a retention lever 6 of the moving contact; the pair of levers with the corresponding torsion spring mentioned above are shown in greater detail in Figure 2 and are designated by the reference numerals 3,4 and 7 respectively. In the specific application to a circuit breaker of the type of Figure 1, by virtue of the functions performed, said levers 3 and 4 are generally termed respectively"tripping lever"and "moving contact holder lever".

In normal operating conditions, for example when the circuit breaker is opened by virtue of the action of an operator on the actuation arm 5, the two levers 3 and 4 are kept together by the spring 7 in the position in which they trap an element 8, for example a U-shaped member or a linkage, for connection to said arm. In this case, the two levers can be considered as a single rigid body and constitute, together with the connecting element and the arm, an articulated mechanism with four rods.

In case of a possible fault event, for example a short circuit, a suitable

protection device, such as an electromagnetic relay with a release element, schematically designated by the reference numeral 9 in Figure 1, acts on the kinematic mechanism, and particularly on the trip lever 3, which rotates with respect to the contact-carrying lever 4, allowing the release of the U-shaped member 8, which in turn slides within a seat of the lever 4. From this moment, the mechanism is divided into two parts, which are temporarily mutually disconnected. The combined action of the torsion spring 7 and of an additional spring 10, which push on the lever 4, in addition to the impact effect of the relay, cause the entire mechanism to rotate rapidly, allowing rapid separation of the moving contact from the fixed contact.

Once the operation has ended, the actuation of the arm 5 allows, by virtue of the U-shaped member 8, to reengage and drag simultaneously the levers 3 and 4, which are mutually coupled also by virtue of the spring 7, and to return the entire mechanism into the initial position with closed contacts.

A similar situation occurs when the above described kinematic mechanism, and particularly the two levers with the corresponding spring, are used in an accessory device that can be coupled to a circuit breaker. In these cases, the pair of levers with the corresponding spring, the actuation arm and the U-shaped member operate in a manner that is substantially similar to what has been described above, one of the levers being operatively coupled to the kinematic mechanism of the associated circuit breaker so as to transmit thereto the movement required for the movement of the moving contacts, or so as to receive from it the movement and therefore perform its intended function.

In any case, the use of such a kinematic mechanism in the various kinds of protection device and/or circuit breaker, despite allowing to achieve the intended aim, has some critical points.

In particular, the use of two separate levers plus the corresponding coupling torsion spring, in addition to affecting costs owing to the number of

components used, entails problems both during design and most of all during assembly, since it requires correct positioning and precise calibrations; moreover, sensitivity to working tolerances is high and damaging clearance and vibration can occur.

The aim of the present invention is to provide a kinematic mechanism for a low-voltage protection and/or current interruption device that allows to obviate the above cited drawbacks and in particular can be produced with a smaller number of components than the known art while maintaining its functional performance.

Within the scope of this aim, an object of the present invention is to provide a kinematic mechanism for a low-voltage protection and/or current interruption device that allows to reduce considerably the difficulties and time required for assembly.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a kinematic mechanism for a low-voltage protection and/or current interruption device that allows to reduce significantly, if not eliminate, the presence of any clearance, as well as vibration and noise.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a kinematic mechanism for a low-voltage protection and/or current interruption device that is highly reliable, relatively simple to manufacture and at competitive costs.

This aim, these objects and others that will become apparent hereinafter are achieved by a kinematic mechanism for a low-voltage protection and/or current interruption device, comprising actuation means that are operatively associated with moving contact means that can be coupled/uncoupled with respect to corresponding fixed contact means, the moving contact means comprising at least one moving contact and the fixed contact means comprising at least one fixed contact, said actuation means comprising means for actuating and releasing the moving contact which are operatively connected to an actuation

arm by virtue of connection means, characterized in that said means for the actuation and release of the moving contact comprise a single body that has a first portion, which is operatively associated with said moving contact means and with said connection means, and a second portion, which is operatively associated with said connection means, the first and second portions being arranged coaxially on a common rotation axis and being connected by virtue of a third portion that comprises at least one first elastic and resilient element, said third portion allowing a mutual rotation of the first and second portions with respect to said common rotation axis.

Further characteristics and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the description of preferred but not exclusive embodiments of the kinematic mechanism according to the present invention, illustrated only by way of non-limitative example in the accompanying drawings, wherein: Figure 1 is a schematic view of a portion of an automatic circuit breaker with a kinematic mechanism according to the background art; Figure 2 is a schematic view of the release lever and moving contact-carrying lever, with the torsion spring, according to the background art, for the circuit breaker shown in Figure 1; and Figure 3 is a perspective view of a first embodiment of means for the actuation and release of moving contacts of the kinematic mechanism according to the present invention.

In the description that follows, the kinematic mechanism according to the invention is illustrated with particular reference to its use in an automatic low- voltage circuit breaker, without thereby intending to limit the scope of its application in any way.

As mentioned, Figure 1 is a schematic view of components of an automatic low-voltage circuit breaker with the corresponding kinematic mechanism.

According to embodiments that are widely known in the art, said kinematic

mechanism comprises actuation means, which are operatively associated with moving contact means for coupling/uncoupling with respect to corresponding fixed contact means; the moving contact means comprise at least one moving contact 2 and the fixed contact means comprise at least one corresponding fixed contact 1. The actuation means comprise means for the actuation and release of the moving contact, which are operatively connected to means for the actuation or switching of the state of the circuit breaker by virtue of suitable connection means; in particular, the switching means are constituted by the arm 5 for actuating the circuit breaker, which is available to the action of an operator, while the connection means can be constituted by the U-shaped member 8 or by a linkage or by any other element suitable for the purpose.

In the embodiment of the kinematic mechanism according to the invention, the means for the actuation and release of the moving contact 2 comprise a single body, designated by the reference numeral 11 in Figure 3, provided with a first portion 12, which is suitable to be operatively associated with the moving contact means and with the connection means 8, a second portion 13, which is suitable to be operatively associated with the connection means 8, and a third portion 15 for connection between the first two portions.

Advantageously, as shown in Figure 3, the first and second portions 12 and 13 are arranged coaxially on a common rotation axis 20 and are connected to each other by virtue of a third portion 15, which comprises at least one first elastic and resilient element. In this manner, the third portion 15 allows a mutual rotation of the first and second portions 12 and 13 with respect to the common rotation axis 20, with recovery of the non-deformed configuration at the end of the operation. The single body 11 therefore integrates monolithically the structure and the functions performed in the known art by two or more levers with corresponding springs, and can be considered as a compliant mechanism, <BR> <BR> i. e. , as a mechanism that when subjected to mechanical stress undergoes

deformation and then resumes the initial configuration once the operation has ended.

In particular, in the embodiment shown in Figure 3, the body 11 is made entirely of plastic, with a first portion 12 that has a hollow cylindrical element 14 on which the moving contact 2 is arranged and is suitable to facilitate the mounting of the body 11 on a pivot of the enclosure of the circuit breaker, and a seat 16 that is suitable to receive one end of the U-shaped member 8 ; the second portion 13 has a first end 17, which is hook-shaped and suitable to interact with said U-shaped member 8, and a second end in which there is a slot 18 for optional coupling to the kinematic mechanism of an additional protection device and/or circuit breaker.

In turn, the third portion 15 comprises at least one rod-like body that lies transversely to the axis 20 and comprises at least one first elastic and resilient element 15a and at least one first rigid element 15b; the thickness of the first elastic and resilient element 15a is different, particularly lower, than the thickness of the first rigid element 15b. Said elastic and resilient element 15a can be arranged so that it is contiguous to one of the two portions 12 (or 13) and so that the rigid element 15b connects it to the other portion 13 (or 12); as an alternative, the rod-like body can be shaped so as to have a first elastic and resilient element 15a arranged in a central position and first and second rigid elements 15b that are different in thickness, particularly thicker, than the element 15a and protrude on mutually opposite sides with respect to the element 15a and connect it respectively to the first portion 12 and to the second portion 13. Clearly, it is possible to provide the third portion 15 with a combination of the preceding solutions and by using embodiments that differ from those of a rod-like body, so long as said third portion in any case has at least one elastic and resilient element suitable to facilitate the mutual movement of the two portions 12 and 13 and resumption of the non-deformed

configuration once the operation has been completed.

In a preferred embodiment, shown in Figure 3, the third portion 15 comprises two rod-like bodies that lie transversely with respect to the common rotation axis 20 and both have a first elastic and resilient element 15a connected to the first portion 12, for example to the cylindrical element 14, a second elastic and resilient element 15a connected to the second portion 13, and a rigid element 15b that connects the two corresponding elastic and resilient elements 15a. The two elastic and resilient elements 15a have different thicknesses, and in particular are thinner, with respect to the rigid element 15b.

With this solution, the body 11, by virtue of the configuration of the third portion 15, forms an articulated mechanism with four rods, in particular an articulated parallelogram that allows to perform its intended task in a functionally fully efficient manner, in practice replacing the functions performed in the known art by two levers with the corresponding coupling spring, in the specific case the release lever 3, the contact-carrying lever 4, and the torsion spring 7. If the body 11 is used in the circuit breaker of Figure 1, if a possible fault occurs the intervention of a protection device, for example a relay, in fact causes the impact of the release element 9 on the second portion 13, which by virtue of the deformability of the third portion 15 rotates with respect to the first portion 12, temporarily disengaging the U-shaped member 8 ; in this situation, and in a manner that is functionally fully similar to the background art, the body 11, under the action of the spring 10, is free to rotate together with the moving contact 2 about the axis 20, causing the separation of the contacts; at the end of the actuation, the body 11, by virtue of the resilience and elastic return characteristics of the third portion 15, has resumed its non- deformed configuration, with the hook-shaped end 17 reengaged with the U- shaped member 8. In this position, the circuit breaker can be reset by acting on the arm 5, which by virtue of the U-shaped member 8 drags the body 11 and

returns the entire assembly to the initial position with coupled contacts.

As an alternative, the third portion 15 can be provided by means of a metallic insert provided with a part that is at least partially embedded in the first portion 12 and a part that is at least partially embedded in the second portion 13. With this solution also, the metallic insert is an integral part of the body 11, which thus remains monolithic.

The kinematic mechanism according to the invention, provided by using the single body 11, can be used not only in the automatic circuit breaker of Figure 1 but also, with the same purposes and advantages and without requiring substantial modifications, in various kinds of low-voltage protection device and/or circuit breaker, for example magnetothermal circuit breakers, miniature circuit breakers, automatic fast-opening circuit breakers, residual current- operated circuit breakers, current limiting circuit breakers, et cetera, and in accessory devices that can be coupled to said circuit breakers, such as under- voltage relays, shunt tripping relays, circuit breaker status indicators, et cetera.

Accordingly, the present invention also relates to a low-voltage circuit breaker and to an auxiliary or accessory device for a low-voltage circuit breaker associated therewith, each characterized in that it comprises a kinematic mechanism according to the present invention.

Examples of accessory or auxiliary device are described in European Patent applications no. 99200908.4, 99200905.0, 99204054.3, 99204335.6 whose description is assumed included by reference; these devices, both when they transmit a motion to the associated circuit breaker and when they receive it, generally have a kinematic mechanism that substantially replicates the kinematic mechanism of the associated circuit breaker and normally also comprise an actuation arm, which is generally controlled by the arm of the associated circuit breaker, a pair of levers that are mutually coupled by a dedicated spring, and a U-shaped member or linkage for connection between

the pair of levers and said arm.

According to the present invention, the body 11, used in the accessory device instead of the pair of levers and of the dedicated spring, keeps entirely unchanged the above described functions and can be associated operatively with the moving contact means of the circuit breaker, for example by inserting a pivot of the kinematic mechanism of the circuit breaker in the slot 18 or by providing, on said body 11, a pivot for connection to the mechanism of the circuit breaker, for example instead of the slot 18 ; in these cases, the part designated by the reference numeral 13 in Figure 3 would constitute the first <BR> <BR> portion of the body 11, i. e. , the portion that is operatively associated with the connection means 8 and with the moving contact means, while the part designated by the reference numeral 12 would constitute the second portion operatively connected only to the connection means 8; in these accessory devices, since the moving contact means are provided inside the associated circuit breaker, the cylindrical element 14 is specifically meant to be fitted on the corresponding pivot for fixing to the corresponding enclosure and does not also act as moving contact support.

In practice it has been found that the kinematic mechanism according to the present invention fully achieves the intended aim and objects, since it allows to reduce the number of components required and in particular to replace with a single body the functions that in the known art required the use of two levers plus a dedicated spring. This solution also allows to facilitate the design, calibration and setting of the mechanism and most of all to simplify the assembly of the various parts and to reduce significantly, or even eliminate, any clearance, vibration and noise that might occur.

The kinematic mechanism thus conceived is susceptible of numerous modifications and variations, all of which are within the scope of the inventive concept. Thus, for example, as mentioned, in addition to being able to modify

the constructive configuration of the third portion 15 by adopting a body that is shaped differently with respect to a rod-like configuration, the remaining parts of the two portions 12 and 13 might also have different shapes, so long as this occurs in a manner that is compatible with the application.

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

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