EP2479846B1 - Contact system for current conductors - Google Patents

Description

The invention relates to the connection of two electrical conductors, in particular electrical conductors for guiding high currents.

In switchgear occasionally electrical connections between relatively movable, high-current leading electrical conductors must be provided. Such movable conductors are usually connected to each other by a plurality of successively and / or parallel connected contact devices, such as coil spring contacts, fin contacts or the like.

At high currents due to the current displacement leads to an uneven current distribution in two or more contact systems connected in series. The current sharing is highly dependent on the geometry of the interconnected conductors and the geometry of the contact transition. Symmetrization by clever arrangement of the contact devices is not readily possible.

The asymmetrical division leads to the fact that the individual contact devices or individual contact elements of the contact devices experience a different heating during operation. The possible heating determines the design and dimensioning of the contactors substantially, as overheating of the contact device in question must be avoided in any case.

In contact systems with a plurality of contact devices, the contact devices are made similar for the sake of ease of manufacture, with their design and dimensioning therefore usually depends on the highly loaded contact device. The contact devices are designed so that their respective heating remains within predetermined limits. This means that even the weaker loaded contact devices are designed as the highest loaded contact device. The preparation of such a contact system therefore represents a higher cost than necessary.

EP 1 584 350 A2 discloses a contact device according to the preamble of claim 1.

It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a contact system which has a plurality of contact devices, wherein a current distribution to the contact devices is uniform.

This object is achieved by the contact device according to claim 1 and by the contact system for the connection of two electrical conductors according to the independent claims.

Further advantageous embodiments of the present invention are specified in the dependent claims.

According to a first aspect, a contact device is provided for connecting conductors, in particular current conductors, for conducting high currents of more than 100 A. The contact device according to the invention can be arranged, for example, between a rod-shaped and a tubular conductor. According to another aspect, there is provided a contact system for connecting two conductors, in particular power conductors for carrying currents greater than 100 A, with two or more above contact means arranged between two conductors. The conductors are designed to be slidable into one another, wherein the contact devices of the conductors are designed to be received at a distance between the mutually displaceable conductors.

The contact device has a first and a second element, in particular a first and a second ring, which has an inner recess for receiving a first conductor and an outer contour for receiving in a hollow cylindrical second conductor, wherein the elements each have around the inner circumferential contact elements which protrude from the respective element in a direction perpendicular to the enclosed by the elements inner recess and between each of which a recess is provided to pick up the contact elements of the other element.

According to a further aspect, there is provided a contact system comprising a first conductor and a second conductor which are electrically connected to each other by means of the above contactor by inserting the first conductor into the inner recess and inserting the contactor into the second conductor.

One idea of the above contact systems is to connect two power conductors movably via contact devices with each other and to ensure that the current distribution on the contact devices of the conductors as evenly as possible over the peripheral region of the conductors to be joined together and as evenly as possible on the two contact devices. For this purpose, it is provided that the contact system is constructed with contact devices with interlocking contact elements which engage tooth-like in one another. The contact means of the elements each comprise contact elements which are adapted to interlock in the connected state and contact the first and second conductors. In this case, the contact elements of the first element engage between two contact elements of the second element.

Due to the design of the contact system in the manner described above, previous geometries of the conductors can continue to be used, and a current transmission through the contact system can thus be achieved as uniformly as possible and with the lowest possible ohmic losses. The proposed contact system can also be used for fixed contact ladder contact systems as well as contact systems for moving conductors installed in circuit breakers, earthing switches and the like, for example.

Furthermore, the contact elements of both elements may have the same width in the circumferential direction and be uniformly spaced from each other.

According to one embodiment, the contact elements may have a first contact surface for making electrical contact with the first conductor, and a second contact surface for making electrical contact with the second conductor, wherein the contact elements have a slope substantially parallel to the first contact surface is opposite and which extends in the direction of the inner recess of the elements and in a direction perpendicular thereto.

Furthermore, the contact elements can widen in the direction of the first contact surface.

In particular, the elements can be designed identically.

According to a further embodiment of the contact system, the first and the second element may each be firmly connected to the first conductor or the second conductor.

In a preferred embodiment, one of the conductors is rod-shaped and one of the conductors is tubular. At the surfaces where the respective contact elements of the conductors touch between the conductors is preferably a spring element or a component having spring characteristics provided to compensate for offset tolerances between the conductors and to allow a relative movement (axially) during assembly or dynamic contacts ,

For fixing the contact elements between the conductors and against each other, for example, radially turned grooves in the conductors, retaining rings and / or spacers made of insulating material are used. The fixation of the contact elements is important in dynamic contacts such as circuit breakers, earthing switches and static contacts during assembly.

Figur 1

eine perspektivische Darstellung eines Kontaktsystems zum Verbinden von zwei elektrischen Leitern;

Figuren 2a und 2b

eine schematische Querschnittsdarstellung von ineinandergreifenden Kontaktelementen;

Figur 3

eine schematische Darstellung des Aufbaus eines Kontaktsystems für ineinandergesteckte Leiter.

Preferred embodiments of the present invention will be explained in more detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. Show it:

FIG. 1

a perspective view of a contact system for connecting two electrical conductors;

FIGS. 2a and 2b

a schematic cross-sectional view of interlocking contact elements;

FIG. 3

a schematic representation of the structure of a contact system for nested ladder.

FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of a contact system 1, by which two conductors 2, a first conductor 21 and a second conductor 22, are connected to each other by means of an electrically conductive contact means. The conductors 21, 22 have a cross-section suitable for carrying high currents, ie currents of several hundred amperes. The interconnected conductors 21, 22 have in the embodiment shown a circular cross section or a corresponding cross section.

Fig. 3 shows a cross-sectional view of an exemplary structure of the contact system 1 for nested ladder 21, 22nd

The first conductor 21 has in the present embodiment, a first diameter. The second conductor 22 is formed tubular or hollow cylindrical with a second diameter, wherein the inner diameter of the second conductor 22 has a size, so that one end of the first conductor 21 in the second conductor 22 is slidable or insertable. If the conductors 21, 22 are pushed into one another, then an outer surface 71 of the first conductor 21 and an inner surface 72 of the second conductor 22 are spaced apart from one another in order to receive a contact device. The cross section of the ladder is preferably round, but other corresponding cross sections may be provided.

Between the conductors 21, 22, the contact system 1 is arranged. The contact system 1 comprises a first ring 31 and a second ring 32 which are not fixed, i. fasteners are connected together. The rings 31, 32 have the same inner diameter and the same outer diameter. The width of the rings 31, 32 in the radial direction corresponds to the distance between the lateral surface of the first conductor 21 and the inner surface of the second conductor 22 in the assembled state. The rings 31, 32 surround the first conductor 21 in the contacting state as shown.

Each of the rings 31, 32 is provided with a plurality of contact elements 4 protruding in the axial direction. The contact elements 4 are arranged on a circumferential part 8 of the rings 31, 32, which also forms the outer circumference of the rings 31, 32, wherein the contact elements 4 protrude in a radial direction inwardly from the peripheral part 8. The rings 31, 32 are placed on each other so that the contact elements 4 face each other and intermittently engage each other. The contact elements 4 on the rings 31, 32 are spaced apart. Between the contact elements 4 of the rings 31, 32, respectively recesses are therefore arranged, into which the corresponding contact elements 4 of the respective other ring 31, 32 protrude in the assembled state, so as to form the contact system 1. The distance of the contact elements 4 is chosen so that touch the arranged on the respective rings 31 and 32 contact elements 4 at any point. In an advantageous embodiment, the distance between the contact elements 4 of the first conductor 21 substantially corresponds to the width of a contact element 4 of the second conductor 22 to be accommodated between them. Analogously, the distance between the contact elements 4 of the second conductor 22 corresponds essentially to the width of one to be accommodated between them Contact element 4 of the first conductor 21st

The contact system 1 in the connected state is in the FIGS. 2a and 2b shown in more detail, sections are shown along sections along paraxial lines. The contact elements 4 each have a first inner contact surface 61 and a second, outer contact surface 62, with which the contact elements 4 in the connected state of the conductors 21, 22 on the outer surface 71 of the first conductor 21 and on the inner surface 72 of the second conductor 22nd issue. The contact elements 4 are shaped such that the first contact surface 61 is smaller than the second contact surface 62.

In the contacting state, the contact elements 4 may be biased in the radial direction, so that they rest with a force on the outer surface 71 of the first conductor 21 so as to provide an improved electrical connection.

In order to simplify the joining of the rings 31, 32, the contact elements 4 may be provided with a bevel 9 respectively at one of the first contact surface 61 opposite surface, which allows for a relative tilting movement of the conductors 21, 22 and on the other hand a positioning aid during manufacture represents the connection. The bevel 9 extends in the axial direction of the rings 31, 32 and in a radial direction inwards and can connect directly to the peripheral part 8. Instead of the bevel 9 and curved surfaces can be provided.

In FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view through two connected to the contact system 1 conductor shown.

In an alternative embodiment, the rings 31, 32 may be fixedly attached to the first and second conductors 21, 22, respectively. The rings 31, 32 thereby form flanges on the conductors 21, 22. The first conductor 21 then has on its lateral surface a circumferential first flange 31, which protrudes in the radial direction from the first conductor 21 to the outside. Accordingly, the second conductor 22 on its inner circumferential surface on a corresponding flange 32 which projects in the radial direction of the second conductor 22 inwardly. The outer diameter of the first flange 31 is equal to or smaller than the inner diameter of the second conductor 22. Accordingly, the inner diameter of the second flange 32 is equal to or larger than the outer diameter of the first conductor 21, so that the conductors 21, 22 can be pushed into each other.

In order to avoid a direct contact of the contacts 4 of the respective rings 31, 32, a spacer made of insulating material, preferably annularly configured, is provided.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMBERS

1

Contact system

21.22

ladder

31, 32

ring

4

contact element

61.62

contact surfaces

71

outer surface

72

palm

8th

circulating part

9

chamfer

Claims (7)

1. Contact device for connecting conductors (21, 22), in particular current conductors for carrying high current intensities, wherein the contact device has an element, in particular a ring, which element has an inner recess for holding a first conductor (21) and an outer contour in order to be held in a hollow-cylindrical second conductor (22), characterized in that the contact device has a first and a second element (31, 32), in particular a first and a second ring, and in that the elements (31, 32) each have contact elements (4) which run around the inner recess and project from the respective element (31, 32) in a direction perpendicular to the inner recess which is surrounded by the elements (31, 32) and between which a recess is provided in each case in order to hold the contact elements of the respectively other element.
2. Contact device according to Claim 1, wherein the contact elements (4) of the two elements (31, 32) have the same width in the circumferential direction and are uniformly spaced apart from one another.
3. Contact device according to either of Claims 1 and 2, wherein the contact elements (4) have a first contact area (61), in order to establish electrical contact with the first conductor (21), and a second contact area (62), in order to establish electrical contact with the second conductor (22), wherein the contact elements (4) have a slope (9) which is situated substantially opposite the first contact area (61) and which extends in the direction of the inner recess in the elements (31, 32) and in a direction perpendicular thereto.
4. Contact device according to Claim 3, wherein the contact elements (4) are widened in the direction of the first contact area (61).
5. Contact device according to one of Claims 1 to 4, wherein the elements (31, 32) are identical.
6. Contact system (1) having a first conductor (21) and having a second conductor (22), which conductors are electrically connected to one another with the aid of a contact device according to one of Claims 1 to 5 by the first conductor (21) being inserted into the inner recess and the contact device being inserted into the second conductor (22).
7. Contact system according to Claim 6, wherein the first and the second element (31, 32) are each firmly connected to the first conductor (21) or to the second conductor (22).

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