Pre-wiring device for contactors

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a pre-wiring device allowing a logic function such as an inverter function or a star-delta start function to be created between at least two multi-pole contactors intended to be used particularly in electrical control equipment of motors.

2. Discussion of the Background

The use of a pre-wiring device to create a logic function between several multi-pole contactors is well known. For example in the case of an inverter function effected on two three-pole contactors, this pre-wiring device must connect two by two the input poles of the two contactors by direct connections and must connect two by two the output poles by connections by making a permutation of two contactors relative to the input order. Such a device thus simplifies the task of installers by offering them a pre-wired function, ready to be connected to the contactors and which may be created from terminal bars installed upstream and/or downstream of several contactors located one next to the other.

Nonetheless these pre-wiring devices are generally adapted to the size of the contactors for which they are intended so as to enable easy and safe mechanical and electrical connections. This therefore involves different mechanical components for each size of contactor. The purpose of the invention is to offer a pre-wiring device which will make it possible to connect in an identical way to several sizes of contactor which will reduce accordingly the number of different terminal bars to be designed and manufactured and which will also simplify component stock control by the manufacturer and by the installer.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

According to a characteristic of the invention, the pre-wiring device to create a logic function between at least two multi-pole contactors located side by side includes an upstream pre-wiring terminal bar coated in insulating material, installed above the contactors and fitted with metal pins able to be inserted in the housings of the upstream wiring terminal blocks of the contactors. This upstream terminal bar includes on its lower face stop means which come into support on the upper plane surface of the upstream terminal blocks of a first type of contactors and which are shielded on a second type of contactors the upper face of which has adapted notches. The pre-wiring device also includes a downstream pre-wiring terminal bar installed under the contactors, constituted by a comb coated in an insulating material and equipped with teeth from which emerge, along a direction approximately perpendicular to the plane of the downstream terminal bar, metal pins able to be inserted in the housings of the downstream wiring terminal blocks of the contactors. The teeth of this downstream terminal bar come into support against the lower plane face of the downstream terminal blocks of a first type of contactor and in notches provided on the lower face of the downstream terminal blocks of a second type of contactors.

Other characteristics and advantages will emerge in the following detailed description with reference to embodiments given as examples and shown in the appended drawings in which:

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

FIG. 1

shows a composite connection example of electrical devices used to make the power circuit for controlling a three-pole bi-directional device,

FIGS. 2 and 3

show in detail in rear view the mode of assembly of an upstream pre-wiring terminal bar on two types of contactors of different size,

FIG. 4

shows the coupling of an upstream prewiring terminal bar on a contactor/circuit breaker interface component,

FIGS. 5 and 6

show in detail the mode of assembly of a downstream pre-wiring terminal bar on two types of contactors of different size.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

FIG. 1

shows a composite connection example of different electrical devices used to make the power circuit for controlling a three-pole device

80

, such as a bi-directional motor. In this figure, the electrical power supply is provided by three conductors

59

which are connected to the upstream terminal block

52

of a protective device, such as a motor circuit breaker

50

. Downstream from this circuit breaker, there is an interface component

40

between circuit breaker and contactor intended to facilitate for the installer the mounting and the wiring of the contactor/circuit breaker unit. This interface component is fitted on one side with an upstream row of pins

42

connected to the downstream terminal block

51

of the breaker

50

, and on the other side with a downstream row of pins

41

connected to the upstream terminal block

11

of a first contactor

10

. A second identical contactor

20

is placed next to the first contactor

10

. These two contactors are used to control the motor

80

, along a first direction when the contactor

10

is closed and the contactor

20

is open and along a second direction when the contactor

20

is closed and the contactor

10

is open, the two contactors being controlled by means of a control circuit not shown in this figure.

A pre-wiring device intended to create a function inverting the power phases between the two contactors

10

,

20

is constituted by an upstream pre-wiring terminal bar

30

and by a downstream pre-wiring terminal bar

60

.

The upstream pre-wiring terminal bar

30

, of a width approximately equal to the width of the two contactors, is pinned against the upper faces

12

,

22

of the upstream terminal blocks

11

,

21

of the contactors

10

,

20

, so as to be located between the interface component

40

and the contactors

10

,

20

. This terminal bar has metal pins

31

which come to insert themselves in the housings of the upstream terminal blocks

11

,

21

of the contactors

10

,

20

. Moreover, the upstream terminal bar

30

has cavities

35

allowing the downstream pins

41

of the interface component

40

to be able to pass through it so as to connect also to the upstream terminal block

11

. In the case of an inverter function, the role of the upstream terminal bar is to connect two by two the upstream terminals of the two contactors

10

,

20

.

The downstream pre-wiring terminal bar

60

, of a width approximately equal to the width of the two contactors, is pinned against the lower faces

16

,

26

of the downstream terminal blocks

15

,

25

of the contactors

10

,

20

. It has metal pins

61

which come to insert themselves in the housings of the downstream terminal blocks

15

,

25

of the contactors

10

,

20

. In the case of an inverter function, the role of the downstream terminal bar is to connect two by two the downstream terminals of the two contactors

10

,

20

, by making an inversion between two poles.

To the downstream terminal block

15

of the contactor

10

, may be connected the pins

71

of an attachment

70

, such as a thermal relay intended to protect the motor

80

, in such a way that the downstream terminal bar

60

is located between this attachment

70

and the two contactors

10

,

20

. To this end, the downstream terminal bar

60

has cavities

65

allowing the pins

71

of the attachment

70

to be able to pass through it to connect directly to the downstream terminal block

15

of the contactor

10

. Lastly, three conductors

79

connect the downstream terminal block

72

of the attachment

70

to the motor

80

.

It is of course possible to make other power circuits for controlling a motor. It is possible, for example, for there to be no need for a circuit breaker

50

, nor for the interface component

40

; in this case the power supply conductors

59

pass through the cavities

35

of the upstream terminal bar

30

to connect directly to the upstream terminal block

11

of the contactor

10

. It is also possible to have no need for an attachment

70

, if thermal protection is incorporated into the circuit breaker

50

; in this case, the conductors

79

pass through the cavities

65

of the downstream terminal bar

60

to connect directly to the downstream terminal block

12

of the contactor

10

.

Furthermore, it is important to note that the role of the contactors

10

and

20

is symmetrical, which means that it is conceivable in an equivalent way, in

FIG. 1

, to make the upstream connections of the contactors to the upstream terminal block

21

instead of the terminal block

11

or the downstream connections of the contactors to the downstream terminal block

25

instead of to the terminal block

15

.

FIG. 2

shows, in rear view, an upstream pre-wiring terminal bar

30

mounted on two contactors

10

,

20

of a first type T

1

.

FIG. 3

shows, in rear view, a same upstream terminal bar

30

mounted on two contactors

10

′,

20

′ of a second type T

2

. The upstream terminal bar

30

is coated in insulating material, has an approximately parallelepiped shape, has no great height and a width approximately equal to that of the two contactors placed side by side. It has an upper face

33

and a lower face

37

from which emerge the metal pins

31

intended to be inserted in the housings of the upstream terminal blocks of the contactors. The two types of contactors T

1

and T

2

are for example of different gauges which entails different dimensions; hence, if the widths of the two types of contactors are approximately the same, the type T

2

contactors are, on the other hand, greater in height than the type T

1

contactors. Consequently, the upstream terminal blocks

11

′,

21

′ of the type T

2

contactors

10

′,

20

′ are also greater in height than the upstream terminal blocks

11

,

21

of the type T

1

contactors

10

,

20

, which could necessitate different lengths of the pins

31

of the upstream terminal bar

30

in order to provide a tight fit in the two types of contactors.

Furthermore, the upper face

12

,

22

of an upstream terminal block

11

,

21

of a type T

1

contactor is plane whereas the upper face of an upstream terminal block

11

′,

21

′ of a type T

2

contactor has rounded notches

13

′,

23

′. In the example shown in

FIG. 3

, each contactor

10

′,

20

′ comprises one rounded notch

13

′,

23

′ per contact pole, and raised flats

14

′,

24

′ between each notch. The purpose of the invention is to be able irrespectively for the two types of contactors to:

tighten appropriately the pins

31

of an upstream terminal bar

30

in each terminal of the upstream terminal block of the contactors while,

pinning the upstream terminal bar

30

against the upper face of the upstream terminal block of each contactor, so as to provide a solid and reliable connection.

To this end, the upstream terminal bar

30

includes stop means which come into support against the upper face

12

,

22

of the upstream terminal block of the type T

1

contactors, and which are shielded for the type T

2

contactors. These stop means may be to advantage at least two transverse ribs

36

approximately perpendicular to an axis X passing through the housings of the upstream terminal blocks of the contactors, and distributed along the lower plane face

37

of the upstream terminal bar

30

. When it is desired to pin an upstream terminal bar on type T

1

contactors

10

,

20

, the ribs

36

of the upstream terminal bar

30

therefore come into support against the upper face

12

,

22

of the upstream terminal blocks. When it is desired to pin an upstream terminal bar on type T

2

contactors

10

′,

20

′, these ribs

36

come to be positioned in the notches

13

′,

23

′ and it is directly the lower plane face

37

of the upstream terminal bar

30

which comes into support on the flats

14

′,

24

′ located between each notch

13

′,

23

′.

Apart from the fact that it provides a support for the upstream terminal bar which is equivalent for the two types of contactors, this arrangement has the advantage of modulating the length of the pins

31

inserted in the housings of the upstream terminal blocks of the contactors. Indeed, for type T

1

contactors, the lower face

37

of the upstream terminal bar is raised relative to the upstream terminal blocks

11

,

21

by a height equal to the height of the ribs

36

, which, seeing that they are not as high as the terminal blocks

11

′,

21

′, allows the pins

31

not to stop in the bottom of the housings of the upstream terminal blocks

11

,

21

of the type T

1

contactors.

Moreover, the upstream terminal bar

30

has cavities

35

which pass through it on either side in an upwards direction, these cavities being able to be for each contact pole a hole which is cylindrical, rectangular or the like in shape, in such a way that rigid or flexible conductors may freely pass through the upstream terminal bar and be connected directly to the upstream terminal blocks of the contactors.

In the event of the power circuit comprising, upstream from the contactors, a circuit breaker

50

combined with an interface component

40

between circuit breaker and contactor, the upstream terminal bar may, prior to its connection to the contactors, be coupled by appropriate means to this interface component. As shown in

FIG. 4

, the interface component

40

has a lower face

46

fitted with a recess

45

of a size adapted to house an upstream terminal bar

30

. From this recess

45

emerge the downstream pins

41

which are to be connected to the upstream terminal blocks of the contactors, and the appropriate upstream terminal bar coupling means, these means being, for example, a clip-on mounting

44

coming to engage with a corresponding slot

34

in the upstream terminal bar

30

. However, to provide an effective fixing of the upstream terminal bar

30

on the upper face of the upstream terminal blocks

11

,

21

of the contactors, the interface component

40

also comprises, in the recess

45

of its lower face

46

, resilient means acting as a spring, these means being able to be at least two plastic tabs

43

one end of which is fixed to the interface component

40

and the other end of which is free. When the upstream terminal bar

30

is coupled to the interface component

40

, the free ends of the tabs

43

come into contact and exert pressure on the upper face

33

of the upstream terminal bar

30

, thus facilitating its pinning on the upstream terminal blocks of the contactors. In the event of the power circuit not comprising a circuit breaker

50

or an interface component

40

, the pinning of the upstream terminal bar

30

on the upstream terminal blocks of the contactors may easily be effected by manual pressure on the upper face

33

of the upstream terminal bar before tightening the terminals of the contactors.

FIG. 5

shows, in front view, a downstream pre-wiring terminal bar

60

installed under two contactors

10

,

20

of a first type T

1

.

FIG. 6

shows, in front view, a same downstream terminal bar

60

installed under two contactors

10

′,

20

′ of a second type T

2

. The downstream terminal bar

60

is in the shape of a comb coated in insulating material, comprising a body

62

of a width approximately equal to that of the two contactors placed side by side, and teeth

63

. From these teeth

63

emerge metal pins

61

along an axis Y approximately perpendicular to the plane of the downstream terminal bar

60

. These metal pins

61

are intended to be inserted in the housings of the downstream terminal blocks of the contactors.

As in the case of the upstream terminal blocks, the downstream terminal blocks

15

′,

25

′ of the type T

2

contactors

10

′,

20

′ are greater in height than the downstream terminal blocks

15

,

25

of the type T

1

contactors

10

,

20

. Furthermore, the lower face

16

,

26

of a downstream terminal block

15

,

25

is plane whereas the lower face

16

′,

26

′ of a downstream terminal block

15

′,

25

′ has rounded notches

18

′,

28

′. In the example shown in

FIG. 6

, each contactor

10

′,

20

′ comprises one rounded notch

18

′,

28

′ per contact pole, and flats

17

′,

27

′ raised between each notch. The purpose of the invention is to be able irrespectively for the two types of contactors to:

tighten appropriately the pins

61

of a downstream terminal bar

60

in each terminal of the downstream terminal block of the contactors while,

pinning the downstream terminal bar

60

against the lower face of the downstream terminal block of each contactor, so as to provide a solid and reliable connection.

To this end, the dimensions of the teeth

63

of the downstream terminal bar

30

are adapted so that they can just as well come into support against the lower plane face

16

,

26

of the downstream terminal blocks of the type T

1

contactors

10

,

20

and so that they can come into support in the notches

18

′,

28

′ provided on the lower face

16

′,

26

′ of the downstream terminal blocks of type T

2

contactors

10

′,

20

′.

Apart from the fact that it provides a support for the downstream terminal bar which is equivalent for the two types of contactors, this arrangement has the advantage of modulating the length of the pins

61

inserted in the housings of the downstream terminal blocks of the contactors. Indeed, for type T

2

contactors, since the teeth

63

are pinned in the notches

18

′,

28

′ and not against the lower face

16

′,

26

′ of the downstream terminal blocks

15

′,

25

′, the pins

61

are inserted more deeply than in type T

1

contactors, the difference being about equal to the height of the notches

18

′,

28

′ relative to the lower face

16

′,

26

′. This allows there to be in both cases a sufficient insertion of the pins

61

of the downstream terminal bar

60

to provide a reliable connection.

Between each tooth

63

, the downstream terminal bar

60

has cavities

65

of sufficient width to allow rigid or flexible conductors to pass freely through the downstream terminal bar and thus to connect directly to the downstream terminal blocks of the contactors.

In the event of the power circuit comprising, downstream from the contactors, an attachment

70

, the downstream terminal bar

60

comprises resilient means which facilitate its pinning against the lower face of the downstream terminal blocks of the contactors. In the example shown in

FIGS. 5 and 6

, these resilient means are constituted by at least one plastic tab

68

acting as a spring, one end of which is fixed on the body

62

of the downstream terminal bar

60

and the other end of which is free and is supported on the attachment

70

thus exerting pressure on the downstream terminal bar

60

. In the event of the power circuit not comprising an attachment

70

, the pinning of the downstream terminal bar

60

against the downstream terminal blocks of the contactors may easily be effected by manual pressure on the downstream terminal bar before tightening the terminals of the contactors.