Electricity: electrical systems and devices – Housing or mounting assemblies with diverse electrical... – For electrical power distribution systems and devices
Reexamination Certificate
2001-06-22
2002-06-04
Tolin, Gerald (Department: 2835)
Electricity: electrical systems and devices
Housing or mounting assemblies with diverse electrical...
For electrical power distribution systems and devices
C307S147000, C361S611000, C439S215000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06400559
ABSTRACT:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION
This is application claims the benefit of German Patent Application 100 30 954.2 filed Jun. 24, 2000 by Klaus Werner Köhler et al. entitled CURRENT DISTRIBUTOR.
The present invention concerns a current distributor comprising a bus bar, at least one plug socket which is connected to the bus bar, at least one contact element which comprises an access connection, a consumer tapping and an element connecting the access connection and the consumer tapping, at least one plug connection for the plug contacts of a protective switch, wherein the plug connection has a plug socket of the bus bar and an access socket of a contact element, and at least two signalling lines.
A current distributor of that kind is known for example from DE 44 40 602. The current distributor serves to provide at least one fuse-protected tapping from the bus bar. The current distributor is used for example in telecommunication engineering, in particular in 60V direct-current telephone systems. Frequently the current distributor has a whole series of plug connections for flat protective switches which can be arranged in a row. The individual protective switches are connected on the one hand to the bus bar by way of a respective plug socket and on the other hand are connected to a contact element by way of the access connection. When the protective switch is switched on, the contact element is connected to the bus bar so that it is possible to access the bus bar by way of the consumer tapping of the contact element. In that case each contact element is individually safeguarded with its own protective switch, in relation to the bus bar.
The neutral conductor or earth potential can be fed separately to the consumers. It is however also possible to provide a second bus bar which provides the earth potential.
The signalling lines only serve to signal a triggered protective switch to a corresponding signalling element so that, without each individual protective switch having to be manually checked, it is possible to register whether a protective switch has triggered because of an overload. In the embodiment described in DE 44 40 602 the signalling lines have plug contacts. The protective switches are of such a design configuration that they have additional blade contacts for the signalling lines and an auxiliary switch. If the protective switch is triggered, in other words, if the connection between the bus bar and the contact element or the consumer connected to the contact element is broken because of an overload, at the same time the auxiliary switch of the protective switch switches and connects the two signalling lines. The resulting short-circuit between the two signalling lines can be detected at another location. Equipping the protective switches with auxiliary switches and equipping the signalling lines of the current distributor with plug contacts represents a considerable complication and expenditure. In addition, the arrangement of the four plug contacts for the protective switch must be very precise in order to permit assembly of the protective switch. Just minor deformation of the flat plug contacts of the protective switch, which frequently occurs, can result in incorrect assembly and thus malfunctioning of the component.
The plug connections for the contact elements and the signalling lines are combined on a printed circuit board in the known construction. In that construction therefore the contact element is formed from an access connection which is soldered into the circuit board, a consumer tapping which is soldered into the circuit board and an element in the form of a conductor track, which connects the access connection and the consumer tapping. While the contact element can be loaded with the full consumer load, that is to say for example with currents of up to 63 amperes in the case of two protective elements switched in parallel, in general a current of less than 1 ampere flows through the signalling circuit. In the known current distributor therefore the copper lining of the substrate of the circuit board must be designed for the full current load. As the circuit board is lined in a unitary or uniform manner, accordingly the copper lining of the signalling circuit is also designed for the full load, although here there is only a small load to be expected. The costs for that circuit board are therefore disproportionately high. As the embodiment of DE 44 40 602 has two consumer tappings which extend perpendicularly from the circuit board in opposite directions, the circuit board must in addition be lined on both sides. In the equipment assembly procedure it is then additionally necessary for at least one side to be equipped and soldered by hand. The consequence is high production costs for the known current distributor. In addition it has been found that, in a situation involving a short-term overload, due to the generation of heat at the contact element, the access connection and/or the consumer tapping can come unsoldered before the protective conductor triggers. The consequence of this is that that plug location cannot be used again for a protective switch.
The known structure has a second bus bar which supplies the neutral or earth potential. The second bus bar has connection contacts which extend perpendicularly from the bus bar in opposite directions. For the purposes of fixing the connection contacts on the second bus bar the connection contacts have legs which are fitted into bores in the bus bar and then soldered. In this case also automatic component fitment and soldering is only possible from one side. The other side has to be soldered by hand. In a situation involving a short-term overload, the region of the connection contacts also involves a generation of heat which can result in unsoldering and subsequent detachment of the connection contacts from the second bus bar before the protective switch triggers.
Therefore the object of the present invention is to provide a current distributor which can be inexpensively produced and which ensures reliable operation, in particular overcoming the above-indicated disadvantages.
In accordance with the invention that object is attained in that the contact element comprises a one-piece member. In other words, the access connection, the consumer tapping and the element connecting the access connection and the consumer tapping comprise a single member. That ensures that for example in the case of a temporary overload current, unsoldering of the access connection or the consumer tapping is prevented. Particularly in the case of ac networks the overload current can assume very high values. The one-piece design configuration also affords the advantage that there is no need to have recourse to the copper lining of the circuit board for making the connection between the access connection and the consumer tapping. The contact element can admittedly be fitted onto the circuit board, but it is preferably completely separate therefrom. Accordingly the copper lining can be selected to be markedly thinner as it only has to be designed for the load of the signalling circuit in which only currents of less than 1 ampere flow. In addition, lining is only required on one side, thereby permitting automatic component fitting and soldering. The manufacturing costs of the circuit board are therefore considerably less.
For many situations of use, it may be advantageous for the access connection of the contact element to have a secondary or separate plug which is fitted thereinto, being for example soldered in or pressed in. That permits individual adaptation of the contact element to the protective switch used. That also provides an optimum plug-in force for the flat or blade contact of the protective switch. Another possible option involves ac uses and the like in other current distribution arrangements, in a stationary situation or in vehicles.
It is particularly preferred if the access connection is in the form of an access socket. In that case therefore the access socket is also produced in one piece with the contact elemen
Fischbach Jürgen
Horaczek Günther
Köhler Klaus Werner
Kölbel Christian
EFEN Elektrotechnische Fabrik GmbH
Killworth, Gottman Hagan & Schaeff, L.L.P.
Tolin Gerald
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