A low voltage switching device

Abstract

A low voltage switching device including: one or more electric poles having one or more movable contacts and corresponding fixed contacts adapted to be coupled to or uncoupled from each other, a movable contact assembly including the mobile contacts and a main supporting and operating shaft reversibly movable between a first contact position, at which the movable contacts and the fixed contacts are uncoupled, a second contact position, at which the movable contacts and the fixed contacts are coupled, and a third contact position, at which the movable contacts and the fixed contacts are coupled and kept pressed; an operating assembly including a handle mechanism having a handle adapted to be reversibly moved by a user or a motor operated actuator (MOE) between a first, open, position and a second, closed, position; a driving assembly operatively connected to the operating assembly and to the movable contact assembly and including a kinematic chain and at least a driving spring, the driving assembly reversibly moving the movable contact assembly following a movement of the operating assembly from the open position to the closed position, and vice-versa. In the low voltage switching device the driving assembly includes a latching mechanism which is operatively coupled to the operating assembly and to the movable contact assembly, the latching mechanism interacting with the movable contact assembly and latching it in the first contact position during a first phase of the movement of the operating assembly between the first, open, position and the second, closed position, then unlatching the movable contact assembly when the operating assembly is in an intermediate position between the first, open, position and the second, closed position, thereby allowing the quick passage of the movable contact assembly from the first contact position to the third contact position in which the movable contacts and the fixed contacts are coupled and kept pressed.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.