Patents Assigned to La Telemecanique Electrique
  • Protective switching apparatus
    Patent number: 4677406
    Abstract: A protective switching apparatus is provided comprising in an insulating case an interruptible current path in which cooperating contacts are disposed, one of which is fixed and the other is mobile in response to the actuation of a tripping member. The mobile contact is disposed at a first end of a contact holder arm whose second end is associated with a retractable fulcrum forming the output member of the lock, the contact holder arm being subjected to the action of a resilient quick opening means and to the action of a resilient closure means. The contact holder arm is mounted without fixed fulcrum, so as to pivot either by bearing against a bearing surface of the toggle joint during tripping on a fault, or against a bearing surface of the retractable fulcrum of the lock during voluntary manual or automatic tripping.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 12, 1985
    Date of Patent: June 30, 1987
    Assignee: La Telemecanique Electrique
    Inventors: Jacques Landron, Christian Pichard
  • Device for locking the control member of an electrical appliance of the manual control type
    Patent number: 4677261
    Abstract: The device for locking the manual control lever (14) of an electrical appliance such as a switch comprises two adjacent portions (1) pivotally joined together by means of a hinge portion (2), fastening means (3) each extending along an edge portion located in spaced relation to the hinge portion (2), at least one bearing surface (4) provided on one of the adjacent portions (1) and at least one locking orifice (5) formed in each adjacent portion and so arranged as to come into position in register with the corresponding locking orifice (5) of the other adjacent portion (1) when the device is in the locking position. The device can then be maintained in the locking position by the shackle of a padlock engaged in one of the orifices (5) or by a lead-sealed wire.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 13, 1985
    Date of Patent: June 30, 1987
    Assignee: La Telemecanique Electrique
    Inventor: Daniel Nourry
  • Switch device having an insulating screen inserted between the contacts during breaking
    Patent number: 4677266
    Abstract: A switch in which a screen inserted between the contacts shears the opening arc. The screen is associated with a sheath that surrounds a contact support and slides on the latter when the gas pressure it is subjected to causes it to move at a velocity which is a function of the energy of the arc. The switch is applicable in particular to protective apparatus designed to limit fault current or breaking devices in which steady-state current is fairly high.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 25, 1985
    Date of Patent: June 30, 1987
    Assignee: La Telemecanique Electrique
    Inventors: Elie Belbel, Christian Blanchard, Andre Haury, Michel Lauraire
  • Method and apparatus for generating a control power delivered to a load by a polyphase power line
    Patent number: 4670831
    Abstract: A microprocessor determines the zero cross-over times and direction of the phase voltages of the AC power line; a multiplexer has three parallel inputs which are respectively connected to the three phase conductors of the line and an output delivering a voltage formed by successive portions of the phase voltages; a flip-flop sensitive to the change of sign is connected to the output of the multiplexer; and EXCLUSIVE OR gate has an input connected to the output of the flip-flop and an other input to an output of the processor; and a NAND gate has an input connected to the output of the EXCLUSIVE OR gate and another input which receives a signal formed of a succession of square waves forming enabling windows.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 19, 1985
    Date of Patent: June 2, 1987
    Assignee: La Telemecanique Electrique
    Inventors: Jean-Pierre Fauvet, Jacques Parisel
  • Distribution system and column for electric switching apparatus
    Patent number: 4668035
    Abstract: A distribution system and column for electric switching apparatus is provided comprising a distribution column with bus bars and a protective case disposed about the bars, a plurality of supports which extend laterally to the case and which have at least one bearing wall applicable to a respective fixing face of the case. Each support is adapted to carry at least one switching apparatus and a current tapping and disconnecting member having clips clippable on the distribution bars through traps provided in a side of the case, said member comprises means for connection to the switching apparatus and a manually actuatable mobile disconnection part.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 1985
    Date of Patent: May 26, 1987
    Assignee: La Telemecanique Electrique
    Inventors: G/e/ rard J/e/ go, Jean-Pierre Thierry, Serge Verdenne
  • Protective switch
    Patent number: 4668926
    Abstract: The apparatus of the invention comprises a case housing a fixed contact and a mobile contact carried by a pivoting lever, with resilient return to the closure position, a rocking lever adapted for acting on the pivoting lever in the opening direction in response to an electric fault and a manual control member connected to the pivoting lever. A single spring exerts on the pivoting lever a first torque in the closure direction and on a drive piece blockable by the rocking lever a force adapted to generate on the lever a second torque antagonistic to and greater than the first one. With the manual control member a third torque antagonistic to and greater than the first one is exerted on the pivoting lever.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 12, 1986
    Date of Patent: May 26, 1987
    Assignee: La Telemecanique Electrique
    Inventors: Patrick Comtois, Raymond Ingrain, Luc Moreau, Serge Paggi
  • Switch device having an insulating screen inserted between the contacts during breaking
    Patent number: 4659887
    Abstract: A screened electric switch in which the screen is inserted at high speed between the contacts and in which a mobile shutter with a sealing surface basically fixed relatively to the housing drives the screen with a speed which is a function of the energy of the arc.This switch is applicable to circuit breaking devices designed to check the rise of short-circuit currents or high steady-state rated currents.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 25, 1985
    Date of Patent: April 21, 1987
    Assignee: La Telemecanique Electrique
    Inventors: Elie Belbel, Christian Blanchard, Andre Haury, Michel Lauraire
  • Switch device having an insulating screen inserted between the contacts during breaking
    Patent number: 4659888
    Abstract: An electric switch is provided using an isolating screen for destabilizing the arc. The pieces supporting the contacts are equipped with conducting extensions whose conformation and orientation allow the feet of the arc to circulate there without becoming stationary or coming back towards the contacts when the end of the screen moves towards a slot which receives it and when the mobile support effects an appropriate travel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 23, 1985
    Date of Patent: April 21, 1987
    Assignee: La Telemecanique Electrique
    Inventors: Elie Belbel, Christian Blanchard, Andre Haury, Michel Lauraire
  • Automatic protection switch with visible disconnecting action and manual resetting
    Patent number: 4650937
    Abstract: An electric switch apparatus for protecting an electric circuit, said apparatus comprising a case, a pivoting drawer connected to the case and adapted to be manually pivoted from a closed position to an open position and reversely, a switch having a fixed and a movable contact, the movable contact being mechanically linked to the drawer for simultaneous opening therewith and a breaking member for automatically breaking an electric circuit connected across two terminals of the case, the said breaking member operating in case of an overflow of current in the said circuit, the movable contact being able to be separated from the fixed contact under the action of an actuation member comprising a spring and a magnetizable member, said actuating member cooperating with a coil placed in the circuit and being reset during a manual opening and closing movement of the drawer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 4, 1984
    Date of Patent: March 17, 1987
    Assignee: La Telemecanique Electrique
    Inventors: Elie Belbel, Christian Blanchard, Jacques Cohen, Andre Haury, Michel Lauraire, Luc Moreau
  • Switching device with antiarcing screen
    Patent number: 4647741
    Abstract: The disclosure relates to a switching device which comprises a casing provided with an input terminal, an output terminal and, therebetween, an electric circuit including at least two separable contacts as well as a rotary screen presenting an interposable annular sector between the contacts and displaceable vis-a-vis a wall comprising an opening for the passage of at least one of the contacts. The wall delimits in the casing two volumes as well as a lamellar space enabling to provide for the rolling and cooling of the arc. The space communicates with a chamber which enables the gas expulsion with expansion to the chamber. The invention enables to obtain a simple and inexpensive way of reliably breaking the arc.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 31, 1985
    Date of Patent: March 3, 1987
    Assignee: La Telemecanique Electrique
    Inventors: Elie Belbel, Michel Lauraire, Luc Moreau, Pierre Lemarquand, Serge Paggi, Patrick Comtois
  • Mounting device for a thick layer electronic module
    Patent number: 4648008
    Abstract: A device is provided for mounting a thick layer component, more especially for an electronic module. Said component comprises a thick layer deposited on a face of an electrically insulating support. This face is, in the mounted position, on the same side as a heat sink, whereas the thick layer is separated from the heat sink by an electrically insulating and heat conducting device of a given flexibility which accommodates the imperfections of the thick layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 3, 1985
    Date of Patent: March 3, 1987
    Assignee: La Telemecanique Electrique
    Inventors: Jean Neyroud, Alain Guillier, Abdelkader Mahi
  • Variable composition switching device realizable by the assembling of modular elements
    Patent number: 4644308
    Abstract: A variable composition switching device realizable by the assembling of modular elements and including at least one circuit breaker module i.e. switch module and at least one control and/or protection module. The circuit breaker module consists of a case with two opposing junction sides allowing for assembly by juxtaposition of several circuit breaker modules, one assembly side comprising a duct orifice of the thruster of the curcuit breaker device and two assembly areas of a control and/or protection module. The control modules include suitable means for activating the thruster.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 1985
    Date of Patent: February 17, 1987
    Assignee: La Telemecanique Electrique
    Inventors: Jean-Pierre Guery, Gerald Gashet, Jacques Olifant, Raymond Plumeret
  • Process for manufacturing a mold using three-dimensional computer modelling
    Patent number: 4641270
    Abstract: The process comprises the modelling of the piece and its negative in three dimensions, determination of a main joint plane of the two mold parts, searching for the unstrippable zones by simulating a relative translational movement between the model of the piece and the two parts of the model of its negative defined by the reference plane and by determining the contact zones between the piece and the negative, a determination of the offset joint plane in successive sections of the model of the negative including the zones, modelling of the mobile and fixed impressions as a function of the previously determined joint planes, and manufacture of the mold whose fixed and mobile parts comprise joint planes and impressions in accordance with those previously determined.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 24, 1985
    Date of Patent: February 3, 1987
    Assignee: La Telemecanique Electrique
    Inventors: Paul Lalloz, Hung A. Vo
  • Analog manipulator with proximity detection of a moveable magnetizable mass
    Patent number: 4639668
    Abstract: An analog proximity detector manipulator comprising, in a case with which are associated an electronic case containing the detectors and a piece for fixing to a table, a sub assembly containing an annular elastomer part which serves for pivoting and bringing back to the neutral position the control lever and a mass whose position influences the detectors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 7, 1985
    Date of Patent: January 27, 1987
    Assignee: La Telemecanique Electrique
    Inventors: Pierre Petit, Jean-Marie Periot
  • Circuit for controlling the base of a power transistor used in high tension switching
    Patent number: 4639616
    Abstract: A first transistor (T.sub.2) is connected between the secondary winding of a pulse transformer (TC) and the base of a power transistor (T.sub.6) to be controlled. A second and third transistors (T.sub.3, T.sub.4) are arranged as a latch with dominant reset. The third transistor (T.sub.4) turns on the first (T.sub.2) during the interval of a control pulse, provided that the second (T.sub.3) is off. The second transistor further plays the role of a comparator and is associated with means (R.sub.16, R.sub.15, R.sub.14, R.sub.13, CTN) for tapping a voltage representative of the current delivered by the power transistor to a load and for comparing the said voltage with its base-emitter voltage. A resistor-capacitor circuit (R.sub.17 -C.sub.2) is arranged for supplying a negative bias once a capacitor (C.sub.2) has been energized by the pulse current and associated to a fourth transistor (T.sub.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 1983
    Date of Patent: January 27, 1987
    Assignee: La Telemecanique Electrique
    Inventor: Maurice Gaude
  • Noiseless electromagnet and a contactor using such an electromagnet
    Patent number: 4638279
    Abstract: The electromagnet comprises a fixed magnetic circuit, a mobile magnetic circuit forming, with the fixed magnetic circuit, at least one air gap and a coil. The distance over which the mobile magnetic circuit travels with respect to the fixed magnetic circuit is limited by at least one working position stop determining the working position, this stop being provided with at least one working position damper.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 19, 1985
    Date of Patent: January 20, 1987
    Assignee: La Telemecanique Electrique
    Inventors: Alain Brisson, Jean R. Clement
  • Electric switching unit comprising a gas-tight casing for protection of contacts
    Patent number: 4638275
    Abstract: An electric switching unit for preventing oxidation of copper-base contacts in contactors comprises a body (2), comprises an electromagnet (11) having a stationary yoke (7) and a moving armature (15) in cooperating relation with a plurality of switches (36). A protective casing (42) is fixed on the body so as to contain the switches. The contact-studs (30, 31, 32, 33) of the switches (36) essentially have a base of cuprous materials while a non-oxidizing atmosphere is confined and maintained beneath the protective casing (42) by seals (55, 23, 47). The seals are placed on the one hand between the moving armature (15) and a first face (21) of the body (2) and on the other hand between the casing (42) and a second face (41) of the body which is opposite to the first face.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 22, 1985
    Date of Patent: January 20, 1987
    Assignee: La Telemecanique Electrique
    Inventors: Elie Belbel, Robert Caudron, Louis Fechant, Andre Haury, Michel Lauraire, Jacques Muniesa, Lucien Siffroi
  • Process and device for determining the mean value of the current delivered by a controllable valve rectifier bridge
    Patent number: 4638419
    Abstract: A process and device are provided for determining the mean value of the current delivered by a thyristor rectifier bridge fed by a multiphase AC network. Said device comprises successively an operational amplifier whose inverting input receives a signal representative of the current supplied by the bridge and is connected to its output by a capacitor, a blocking sampler and an analog-digital converter. The switch and the blocking sampler are controlled by a microprocessor so as to obtain an integration cycle and end of cycle sampling during a period zone of value (T/6), (T) being the period of the network.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 19, 1985
    Date of Patent: January 20, 1987
    Assignee: La Telemecanique Electrique
    Inventors: Jean-Pierre Fauvet, Jacques Parisel
  • Additive block couplable to a circuit breaker
    Patent number: 4635013
    Abstract: An additive block is provided which may be coupled to a circuit breaker comprising two separable contacts and a resettable tripping mechanism controlled by a thermal trip and/or a magnetic trip. It comprises an auxiliary tripping and/or signalling member, a connecting mechanism between the tripping mechanism of the circuit breaker and the auxiliary member and a manual resetting member cooperating with the connecting mechanism for resetting the active part of the mechanism associated with said auxiliary member in its original position after tripping of the circuit breaker. The connecting mechanism has an interlocking piece which may assume two positions corresponding to engagement and disengagement of the circuit breaker and cooperating in its first position with the resetting member for preventing manual actuation thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 21, 1985
    Date of Patent: January 6, 1987
    Assignee: La Telemecanique Electrique
    Inventors: Pierre Lemarquand, Henri Pierrot
  • Fuse cut-out cartridge
    Patent number: 4635022
    Abstract: A fuse cartridge for example of the cylindrical type comprising an insulating cylindrical body ending in two conducting end pieces and a fuse element connected electrically to the end pieces, further comprising two pistons housed in the body which are movable in translation in opposite directions to each other and collect the gases released by the electric arc at the time of its appearance, so that the pressure of the gases exerts on each piston a force which causes it to move towards a position in which the arc is totally sheared.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 21, 1986
    Date of Patent: January 6, 1987
    Assignee: La Telemecanique Electrique
    Inventors: Elie Belbel, Thierry Baron, Christian Blanchard, Andre Haury, Michel Lauraire