DE-102024133059-A1 - Terminal block system for DC voltage distribution

Abstract

The invention relates to a terminal block system for DC voltage distribution comprising a base element (G), wherein the base element (G) is suitable for receiving at least two pluggable elements, wherein the terminal block system further comprises a current measuring element (S) that can be plugged into the base element, wherein the current measuring element (S) is configured to measure a current (I) flowing through the current measuring element (S) regardless of the current direction, wherein the current measuring element (S) has a local display (DIS) for displaying the currently measured current, and wherein the current measuring element (S) can be supplied by means of the current (I) flowing through the current measuring element (S).

Inventors

• Beate RHEKER-SAGEBIEL

Assignees

• PHOENIX CONTACT GMBH & CO. KG

Dates

Publication Date

20260513

Application Date

20241112

Claims (16)

1. A terminal block system for DC voltage distribution comprising a base element (G), wherein the base element (G) is suitable for receiving at least two pluggable elements, wherein the terminal block system further comprises a current measuring element (S) that can be plugged into the base element, wherein the current measuring element (S) is configured to measure a current (I) flowing through the current measuring element (S) regardless of the current direction, wherein the current measuring element (S) has a local display option (DIS) for displaying the currently measured current, and wherein the current measuring element (S) can be supplied by means of the current (I) flowing through the current measuring element (S).
2. Terminal block system according to Claim 1 , characterized in that the current measuring element (S) has an adjustable threshold current, wherein a warning can be issued when the adjustable threshold current is reached or exceeded.
3. Terminal block system according to Claim 2 characterized in that the threshold current can be adjusted via one or more coding switches (K1, K2).
4. Terminal block system according to Claim 2 , characterized in that the current threshold can be set via a button using a predefined switching pattern.
5. Terminal block system according to Claim 4 characterized by the fact that the warning can be reset.
6. Terminal block system according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the display option (DIS) can also be used to display a set current value simultaneously or alternately with a current value.
7. Terminal block system according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the DC voltage to be distributed is approximately 24 and/or 48 volts in nominal operation.
8. Terminal block system according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the maximum rated current is 40 amperes or less.
9. Terminal block system according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that pluggable elements have a width of less than 9 mm, in particular 8 mm.
10. Terminal block system according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the current measuring element (S) has a remote communication interface (FM).
11. Terminal block system according to Claim 10 , characterized in that the telecommunications interface provides a measured current and/or a warning signal as a digital signal, in particular as a Manchester-coded digital signal, when an adjustable threshold current is reached or exceeded.
12. Terminal block system according to Claim 10 , characterized in that the telecommunications interface provides a warning signal as an analog signal when an adjustable threshold current is reached or exceeded.
13. Terminal block system according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the current measuring element (S) can still be connected for operation with a ground potential.
14. Terminal block system according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that a current direction of the currently measured current is also provided as information.
15. Terminal block system according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the local display option (DIS) comprises a plurality of LEDs and/or a graphic display.
16. The assembly comprises the terminal block system according to one of the preceding claims and • at least one terminal block adjacent to the base element, wherein the terminal block is connected to the base element and, via a jumper, to the pluggable current measuring element (S), and/or • at least one pluggable circuit breaker in an adjacent base element, wherein the circuit breaker is connected to the pluggable current measuring element (S) via a jumper in the base elements, and/or • at least one pluggable thermal fuse in the base element or in a terminal block with a plug-in zone, wherein the thermal fuse is connected to the base element and, via a jumper, to the pluggable current measuring element (S), and/or • at least one pluggable thermo-magnetic circuit breaker in an adjacent base element, wherein the thermo-magnetic circuit breaker is connected to the pluggable current measuring element (S) via a jumper in the base elements.

Description

The invention relates to a terminal block system for DC voltage distribution. background In many electrical installations, there is a need not only to provide protection for devices against overload or short circuit, but also – especially for installations with the highest availability requirements – a need to know the current flowing from a power supply into the circuit breakers or even just into the potential distribution/loads (e.g., for monitoring redundancy). Against this background, one of the aims of the invention is to offer a cost-effective, flexible solution. The problem is solved by a terminal block system according to claim 1 or an ensemble according to claim 16. Further advantageous embodiments are in particular the subject of the dependent claims. The invention is explained in more detail below with reference to the figures. These show: 1 a top view of an embodiment of the invention when used with (thermomagnetic) circuit breakers, 2 a perspective view of an embodiment of the invention when used with (thermomagnetic) circuit breakers, 4 a perspective view of an embodiment of the invention without a circuit breaker for pure current measurement of the consumers at the terminal blocks, 3 a top view of an embodiment of the invention without a circuit breaker for pure current measurement of the consumers at the terminal blocks, 6 a perspective view of an embodiment of the invention when used with (thermal) circuit breakers, 5 a top view of an embodiment of the invention when used with (thermal) circuit breakers, 7 a side view of an embodiment of the invention when used with a circuit breaker with a symbolized signal/current circuit, and 8 A side view of an embodiment of the invention when used with one or more terminal blocks with a symbolized signal/current circuit. Detailed description of the invention The invention will now be described in more detail with reference to the figures. It should be noted that different aspects are described, each of which can be used individually or in combination. That is, each aspect can be used with different embodiments of the invention, unless explicitly presented as a pure alternative. Furthermore, for the sake of simplicity, reference will generally be made to only one entity at a time. Unless explicitly stated otherwise, the invention may also include several of the entities concerned. Therefore, the use of the words "a," "an," and "one" should only be understood as an indication that at least one entity is used in a simple embodiment. Unless explicitly stated otherwise, the individual steps of a procedure described below can be arranged and/or combined in any order. Furthermore, the procedures can be combined with each other unless expressly indicated otherwise. Information with numerical values should generally not be understood as exact values, but also include a tolerance of +/- 1% to +/- 10%. References to standards or specifications are to be understood as references to standards or specifications that are valid or were valid at the time of filing and/or – insofar as priority is claimed – at the time of the priority filing. However, this does not imply a general exclusion of applicability to subsequent or superseding standards or specifications. With reference to the figures, embodiments of the invention are explained below. According to embodiments of the invention, a terminal block system for DC voltage distribution is provided ( 1-6 ). The terminal block system has, for example, a basic element G, wherein the basic element G is suitable for receiving at least two different pluggable elements. The terminal block system further comprises a current measuring element S which can be inserted into the base element, wherein the current measuring element S is configured to measure a current I flowing through the current measuring element S independently of the current direction, wherein the current measuring element S has a local display option DIS for displaying the currently measured current, and wherein the current measuring element S can be supplied by means of the current I flowing through the current measuring element S. The invention provides a pluggable current measuring element S which can be added to a modular circuit breaker system or a potential distribution system using standard bridge material, e.g. to determine the total current flowing into the circuit breakers/loads/potential distribution system. For example, the pluggable current measuring element S can be designed so that it can be plugged into a CLIPLINE compatible base element of the applicant's PTCB TM family. In principle, the current I can follow two different paths in the base element and flow forwards or backwards through the pluggable current measuring element S; i.e., it makes no difference to the invention whether, for example, the current I in 7 - as shown - from the right (or, in the case of standard mounting on a mounting rail T, from above) or from the left (or, in the case