CLIAMS:We Claim:

1. A modular switch disconnector (100) comprising:
• a mechanism (10) capable of being operated to any of OFF and ON
positions;
• a contact assembly (40) having a multi pole contact system (35), each pole
contact system (35A, 35B, 35C, 35D) of the multi pole contact system (35) being positioned on a right side of the mechanism (10), each pole contact system (35A, 35B, 35C, 35D) having
a housing (30),
a first terminal assembly (20) positioned on a left side of the housing
(30),
a second terminal assembly (22) positioned on a right side of the
housing (30),
a pair of phase barriers (23) positioned on either side of the housing
(30) for providing isolation between adjacent poles.
a rotor assembly (24) positioned in a first slot (30f) configured at a
centre of the housing (30),
a pair of venting plates (26) positioned in a second slot (30g) of the
housing (30), and
a pair of de-ion plates (28) positioned in corresponding third slots (30h) of the housing (30);
• at least three stacking means (50) for assembling the multi pole contact
system (35) of the contact assembly (40) with the mechanism (10); and
• a pair of din clips (70) for mounting the contact assembly (40) along with
the mechanism (10) on a din rail (110),
characterized in that, the housing (30) of the first pole contact system (35A) of the multi pole contact system (35) is covered by the mechanism (10) and the housing (30) of each subsequent pole contact system (35B, 35C, 35D) is covered by the housing (30) of each preceding pole contact system (35A, 35B, 35C) thereby forming a multi pole assembly of the modular switch disconnector (100) having a single common housing.

2. The modular switch disconnector (100) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the pair
of din clips (70) is a spring loaded din clip.
,TagSPECI:Modular Switch Disconnector

Field of the invention

The present invention relates to a modular device and more particularly, to a multi pole assembly of a modular switch disconnector constructed using a single common housing.

Background of the invention

Modular devices such as a modular switch disconnector are used in distribution and building segments for switching and isolating purpose. The modular switch disconnector is capable of making, carrying and breaking currents under normal circuit conditions which may include specified operating overload conditions and also, carrying for specified time currents under specified abnormal circuit conditions, such as those of short circuit.

In general, the modular device consists of a separate housing and a cover which has several limitations. In order to mold the housing and the cover, two different plastic molds as well as more number of press tools are required that increases the mold cost and hence, reduces the productivity. Further, it becomes difficult to commonize internal components such as terminals, source separator and the like with two different cassettes. Moreover, such modular devices involve high chances of wrong assembly and hence, cannot be assembled without poka-yoke and special instructions.

Accordingly, there is a need of a modular switch disconnector that is constructed using a single common housing and overcomes the drawbacks of the prior art.
Object of the invention

An object of the present invention is to achieve low cost multi pole construction using a single common housing and thus fewer components that are easy and quick to assemble.

Summary of the invention

Accordingly, the present invention provides a modular switch disconnector. The modular switch disconnector comprises a mechanism, a contact assembly, at least three stacking means and a pair of din clips.

The mechanism is capable of being operated to any of OFF and ON positions. The contact assembly includes a multi pole contact system. Each pole contact system of the multi pole contact system is positioned on a right side of the mechanism. Each pole contact system includes a housing, a first terminal assembly, a second terminal assembly, a pair of phase barriers, a pair of venting plates and at least five pair of de-ion plates. The first terminal assembly is positioned on a left side of the housing. The second terminal assembly is positioned on a right side of the housing. The pair of phase barriers is positioned on either side of the housing for providing isolation between adjacent poles. The rotor assembly is positioned in a first slot configured at a centre of the housing. The pair of venting plates is positioned in a second slot of the housing. The at least five pair of de-ion plates is positioned in corresponding third slots of the housing.

The housing of the first pole contact system of the multi pole contact system is covered by the mechanism and the housing of each subsequent contact system is covered by the housing of each preceding contact system thereby forming a multi pole assembly of the modular switch disconnector having a single common housing.

The at least three stacking means are adapted for assembling the multi pole contact system of the contact assembly with the mechanism. The pair of din clips for example, spring loaded din clips is adapted for mounting the contact assembly along with the mechanism on a din rail.

Brief description of the invention

The objectives and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following description read in accordance with the accompanying drawings wherein,

Figures 1a and 1b are perspective views showing an overall dimension of a four pole modular switch disconnector, in accordance with the present invention;

Figure 2 shows an exploded view of the four pole modular switch disconnector of figure 1;

Figures 3a, 3b and 3c illustrate steps of assembling the four pole modular switch disconnector, in accordance with the present invention;

Figure 4a shows a front view of a first pole contact system of the four pole modular switch disconnector of figure 2;

Figure 4b shows an exploded side view of the first pole contact system of figure 4a;

Figures 5a and 5b show front and side views of a housing of the first pole contact system of figure 4a;

Figure 6a shows a front perspective view of a rotor assembly of the first pole contact system of figure 4a;

Figure 6b shows a side view of the rotor assembly of figure 6a; and

Figures 7a-c show a venting plate, a terminal and a de-ion plate of the first pole contact system of figure 4a.

Detailed description of the invention

The foregoing objects of the present invention are accomplished and the problems and shortcomings associated with the prior art, techniques and approaches are overcome by the present invention as described below in the preferred embodiment.

The present invention provides a modular switch disconnector. The modular switch disconnector includes a single common housing that acts as a housing as well as a cover. The modular switch disconnector achieves a low cost multi pole construction using a single common housing and thus fewer components that are easy and quick to assemble.

The present invention is illustrated with reference to the accompanying drawings, throughout which reference numbers indicate corresponding parts in the various figures.

Referring now to figures 1a-11, there is shown a modular switch disconnector (100), in accordance with the present invention. Specifically, the modular switch disconnector (100) is a multi pole modular switch disconnector and more particularly, a four pole modular switch disconnector (refer figures 1a-2) having dimensions of width = 87.5 mm (1-Mod), height = 90 mm, depth = 61 mm and a pole pitch of 17.5 mm (1-Mod) and having a current rating of 63A, a voltage rating of 690 VAC and a termination capacity of 16 sq.mm in case of flexible termination and 25 sq.mm in case of rigid termination. However, it is understood that the modular switch disconnector (100) can be designed as a single pole assembly, a two pole assembly, or other multi pole assembly as per alternate embodiments of the present invention.

In accordance with the present invention, a four pole assembly of the modular switch disconnector (100) comprises a mechanism (10), a contact assembly (40), at least three stacking means (50) and a pair of din-clips (70) as shown in figure 2.

The mechanism (10) is capable of being operated to any of OFF and ON positions. The contact assembly (40) includes a multi pole contact system (not numbered). Specifically, the contact assembly (40) includes a four pole contact system (35). Each pole contact system (35A, 35B, 35C, 35D) of the four pole contact system (35) is positioned on a right side (not numbered) of the mechanism (10). Each pole contact system (35A, 35B, 35C, 35D) includes a first terminal assembly (20), a second terminal assembly (22), a pair of phase barriers (23), a rotor assembly (24), a pair of venting plates (26), at least five pair of de-ion plates (28) and a housing (30). The housing (30) (refer figures 5a and 5b) includes various portions indicated by 30a-30j for accommodating the above mentioned components of each single pole contact system (35A, 35B, 35C, 35D).

The first terminal assembly (20) is positioned on the portion indicated by (30a) on a left side (not numbered) of the housing (30). The second terminal assembly (22) is positioned on the portion indicated by (30b) on a right side (not numbered) of the housing (30). Each terminal assembly (20, 22) includes a terminal (2) (figure 7b), a termination screw (4) (figure 4a) and a termination nut (6) (figure 4a). The termination features (not numbered) of each terminal assembly (20, 22) are fitted in portions indicated by (30c and 30d) of the housing (30). In an embodiment, the termination features are selected from any of Cu/Al lugs and cables. The pair of phase barriers (23) is positioned on the portions indicated by (30e) on either side of the housing (30). The pair of phase barriers (23) is adapted for providing isolation between adjacent poles.

The rotor assembly (24) (refer figures 6a-6b) is positioned in the portion indicated by (30f) of the housing (30). The portion indicated as (30f) is a first slot configured at a centre (not numbered) of the housing (30). The rotor assembly (24) includes a rotor (8), a pair of moving contacts (12), a pair of magnetic claddings (14) and a pair of leaf springs (16) as shown in figure 6a. The rotor (8) includes a male feature (8a) and a female feature (8b) as shown in figure 6b. The pair of venting plates (26) (figure 7a) is positioned in the portion indicated by (30g) that acts as a second slot of the housing (30). The at least five pair of de-ion plates (28) (figure 7c) is positioned in the portions indicated as (30h) that act as third slots in the housing (30).

The at least three stacking means (50) (herein after ‘the stacking means (50)’) are adapted for fitting into the portions indicated by (30i) of the housing (30) for assembling the multi pole contact system of the contact assembly (40) with the mechanism (10). The portions indicated by (30i) are three numbers of fourth slots configured in the housing (30). The pair of din clips (70) is adapted for fitting into the portion indicated by (30j) in the housing (30) for mounting the contact assembly (40) along with the mechanism (10) on a din rail (110). In an embodiment, the stacking means (50) is rivets and the pair of din clips (70) is spring loaded din clips.

In accordance with the present invention, the four pole assembly of the modular switch disconnector (100) is constructed as illustrated in figures 3a to 3c using following steps:

At first step, each pole contact system (35A, 35B, 35C, 35D) of the four pole contact system (35) is constructed. Each pole contact system (35A, 35B, 35C, 35D) is constructed by placing the first terminal assembly (20) in the portion (30a) on the left side of the housing (30), then placing the second terminal assembly (22) in the portion (30b) on the right side of the housing (30), followed by placing the rotor assembly (24) in the first slot (30f) at the centre of the housing (30), placing the pair of venting plates (26) in the second slot (30g) of the housing (30) and then placing the at least five de-ion plates (28) in the corresponding third slots (30h) in the housing (30).

At second step, the first pole contact system (35A) constructed in the first step is placed on the right side of the mechanism (10) as shown in figure 3a such that the male feature (8a) of the rotor (8) gets assembled with a female feature (not shown) of the mechanism (10).

At third step, the second pole contact systems (35B) (forming a two pole assembly as shown in figure 3b) and subsequent pole contact systems (35C, 35D) are placed on the right side of the mechanism (10) such that the housing (30) of the first pole contact system (35A) of the four pole contact system (35) is covered by the mechanism (10) and the housing (30) of each subsequent contact system (35B, 35C, 35D) is covered by the housing (30) of each preceding contact system (35A, 35B, 35C) thereby forming the four pole assembly of the modular switch disconnector (100) having a single common housing.

At fourth step, each pole contact system (35A, 35B, 35C, 35D) of the multi pole contact system (35) of the contact assembly (40) is assembled with the mechanism (10) using the stacking means (50) that is inserted through the portion (30i) of the housing (30) to form the four pole assembly of the modular switch disconnector (100) as shown in figure 3c.

However, it is understood that the above mentioned steps can be adaptably modified for constructing the multi pole assembly of the modular switch disconnector (100).

Advantages of the invention

1. The housing (30) due to unique and simplified construction covers the other poles and minimizes use of side core in tool thereby reducing the number of components and the tooling investment for the modular switch disconnector (100).
2. The common housing (30) makes communization of some of the components like terminals (2), source separators (not shown) and the like very easy.
3. As the modular switch disconnector (100) uses single housing (30), only single common mold is required that reduces the overall tooling cost. Further, the housing (30) is created from a multi-cavity mold that increases the productivity and reduces the cost of the modular switch disconnector (100).
4. The construction of the housing (30) is such that only single housing (30) is sufficient for the single pole contact system (35A/35B/35C/35D) in the modular switch disconnector (100).
5. Due to the single housing (30), the modular switch disconnector (100) is assembled easily and in less amount of time without need of poka yoke that otherwise is required to avoid wrong assembly when a pole is constructed using two housings.
6. The pole size is accommodated into 1-mod that is 17.5mm. This type of pole construction allows termination with all types of Cu/Al lugs and cables.

The foregoing objects of the invention are accomplished and the problems and shortcomings associated with prior art techniques and approaches are overcome by the present invention described in the present embodiment. Detailed descriptions of the preferred embodiment are provided herein; however, it is to be understood that the present invention may be embodied in various forms. Therefore, specific details disclosed herein are not to be interpreted as limiting, but rather as a basis for the claims and as a representative basis for teaching one skilled in the art to employ the present invention in virtually any appropriately detailed system, structure, or matter. The embodiments of the invention as described above and the methods disclosed herein will suggest further modification and alterations to those skilled in the art. Such further modifications and alterations may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.