DISPOSITIF DE PROTECTION D'INSTALLATION ELECTRIQUE

ELECTRIC INSTALLATION PROTECTING MEANS

Abrégé français

La présente invention concerne un dispositif de protection (10), intégré au système de l'installation électrique, et conçu pour éviter que l'installation ne subisse un incendie, au tout autre sinistre, par suite d'une coupure électrique soudaine ou d'une élévation soudaine de la température au voisinage du système. A cet effet, un composant court-circuite la phase avec le neutre (ou la terre) dès que la température dépasse un certain niveau.

Abrégé anglais

A protective arrangement (10) for inclusion in an electric installation system
designed to prevent the cause of fire or damage to the installation due to the
sudden electrical failure or rise of temperature in the vicinity of the
system. A component short circuits between phase and zero or earth whenever
the temperature rises to a predetermined level.

Revendications

5
CLAIMS
1. A protective means for electric installation comprising as a component of
the
respective electric system a heat sensitive component.
2. A protective means as claimed in claim 1 characterized thereby that said
means
being a bi-metallic make and break switch.
3. A protective means as claimed in claim 1 characterized thereby that said
means
being a thermic fuse.
4. A protective means as claimed in claim 1 characterized thereby that said
means
being a thermic switch.
5. An electric installation system according to claim 1 wherein a wall socket
is
included the "earth", "zero" and "phase" terminals of which are connected to
two terminals of the protection means as claimed in claim 1.
6. An electric installation system according to claim 1 comprising a complex
socket or a complex plug two terminals thereof are respectively connected to
two terminals of the said means as claimed in claim 1.

Description

CA 02295668 2000-O1-06
WO 99/04474 PCT/IL9?/00244
ELECTRIC INSTALLATION PROTECTING MEANS
Field and Background of Invention
The present invention relates to a protective arrangement for inclusion in an
electric installation system, especially the new arrangement is designed to
prevent
the cause of fire or damage to the installation due to the sudden electrical
failure or
rise of temperature in the vicinity of the assembly of integers constituting
the
arrangement.
The existing protective means designed for inclusion in conventional electric
installations are targeted to prevent harm to humanity by electrification. The
conventional means do not consider at all the likelihood of damage to goods
and/or
premises caused by a short and likely thereby caused spark, or rise of
temperature.
The heating up of electric wires is a common phenomenon and the consequences
are well known and need no further elaboration.
The new protective arrangement construction is based on the recognition that
harm
could be prevented if, whenever the temperature rises within or at the
vicinity of
the new protective means, the new means would be actuated and disconnects the
whole circuit from the grid.
SUBSTITUTE SHEET {RULE 26)

CA 02295668 2000-O1-06
WO 99/04474 PCT/IL97/00244
2
Scope of Invention
This object, according to the invention is obtained by inclusion into a
constitutive
portion of the respective electric system, a new component which is assigned
to
short circuit between "phase" and "zero" or "earth" whenever the temperature
rises
to a predetermined level.
According to the invention the new arrangement, relates to component such as
bi-
metallic make and break or thermic fuse or switch and the like members of
generally known type destined for different purposes.
Such a device could be included e.g., into a wall socket by fixedly connecting
its
two terminals to the "earth" and "zero" or "zero" and "phase" or "phase and
earth"
etc., terminals of such a wall socket.
It is also within the scope of the invention to include said component or
device
within the electric plug.
As stated above a large number of components could be used for utilizing the
invention in the following description, reference is made by example to a bi-
metallic made and break device.
SUBSTITUTE.SHEET (RULE 26)

CA 02295668 2000-O1-06
WO 99/04474 PCT/IL97/00244
Short Description of Drawings
The invention will now be described in detail with reference to the
accompanying
drawings thereof:
Figure 1 is a schematic, perspective view of a conventional bi-metallic make -
and
break device.
Figure 2 being a frontal view thereof.
Figure 3 illustrates in a schematical manner the function of the device of
Figures
1 and 2.
Figure 4 illustrates diagramatically by way of example an electric
installation
comprising a socket in which the new means is inserted.
Description of Preferred Embodiment
Turning first to Figures 1 and 2 the generally know bi-metallic make and break
device comprises a box shaped casing 10 from which extend two terminal wires
11. As shown in Figure 3 the casing includes two terminals 11' and 11" of
metals
of different heat expansion coefficient. At normal flow of current terminals
11' and
11" are distant from each other, i.e. the contact if "open". At rise of
temperature in
whatever part of the system the terminals 11' and 11" snap towards each other
the
contact is closed.
SUBSTITUTE SHEET (RULE 26)

CA 02295668 2000-O1-06
WO 99/04474 PCT/IL97/00244
4
In the example of Figure 4 the outlay of an electric installation is shown,
comprising a main conduit 1 leading from the respective grid and feeding the
systems which includes a main switch 2, making or breaking contact via a
leakage
relay 3 with a consumer switch 4 and a consumer line 5 leading to an electric
implement, e.g. a wall socket 6. Into the latter is inserted the bi-metallic
component 7 of Figure 3 comprising the terminals 11' and 11 ". Terminals 11'
and
11 " are connected according to the example to the "earth" and "zero"
terminals of
wall socket 6 respectively.
At normal flow of current there is no contact between "earth" and "zero"
terminals
of sockets 6 in case - however - of a rise of temperature at socket 6 the bi-
metallic
implement 10 establishes a short circuit 11' - 11" actuation the leakage relay
3, i.e.,
the whole consumer installation, from the main line 1.
It is quite obvious that the device could be installed also between any other
two
terminals.
Those skilled in the art will see that in every system comprising a leakage
relay
intermediate a main line from the grid and a consumer line can be protected be
including the new means in whatever consumer outlet.
Whereas by way of examples of use of the new safety means has been described
in
connection with a wall socket, it is obvious that such a means could equally
be
included in different implement, e.g., coupler sockets (popularly also called
"receptacles") or coupler plugs, lamp housing, and the like.
SUBSTITUTE SHEET (RULE 26)

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