Panel device

#The present invention relates to panel devices, such as breaker panels and control panels, incorporating an interlocking mechanism that provides protection against electric shock from any live part in conjunction with ON/OFF movement of a molded case circuit breaker knob.

#A device is known as a conventional breaker panel, in which protective covers of molded case circuit breakers (hereinafter referred to as breakers) are attached to an inner door in the housing side, the inner door is locked by a tool-operating knob but can be opened by releasing the tool-operating knob, and when the inner door is opened, all of the protective covers of the breakers are brought into an open state regardless of the ON/OFF state of the breakers. Moreover, a control center has been known which is configured in such a way that breakers are provided with a handle for interlocking linked with a safety door, the safety door is prohibited from opening when the breakers are in the ON state, but when in the OFF state, the safety door can be opened with the internal interlock released (see Patent document 1, for example).

#Patent document 1: Japanese laid-open Patent Publication No. S61-236312 (see pp. 2-3, FIGS. 1-4)

#FIGS. 1A and 1B are views showing the entire configuration of a panel device according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention;

#FIGS. 2A, 2B, and 2C are views for explaining an interlocking mechanism of a protective cover of the panel device according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention;

#FIGS. 3A, 3B, 3C, and 3D are views for explaining in detail the essential part of the interlocking mechanism shown in FIGS. 2A, 2B, and 2C;

#FIGS. 1A and 1B are views showing the entire configuration of a panel device according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention; FIG. 1A is a plan view and FIG. 1B is a perspective view. FIGS. 2A, 2B, and 2C are views for explaining an interlocking mechanism of a protective cover of the panel device according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention; FIG. 2A is a perspective view showing a state of a breaker being ON and a protective cover closing; FIG. 2B is a perspective view showing a state of the breaker being OFF and the protective cover sliding outward; and FIG. 2C is a perspective view showing a state of the breaker being OFF and the protective cover opening. In FIGS. 1A and 1B, a breaker panel 1 as the panel device is configured using a housing 11 with an opening/closing door 11a at its front part, breakers 2, which are a plurality of molded case circuit breakers housed inside the housing 11, and a protective cover 3 that individually covers an exposed live part of each of the breakers 2.

#Additionally, the paired breakers 2 arranged right and left are disposed in this example point-symmetrically to each other in such a way that one of the breakers becomes ON when its ON/OFF knob 21 is moved inward (toward the other breaker of the breakers 2 arranged right and left) and becomes OFF when the ON/OFF knob 21 is moved outward of the breaker panel 1. Additionally, for the sake of convenience, when the paired breakers 2 are arranged right and left so that ON/OFF directions of the ON/OFF knob 21 become the right and left directions, a direction toward the other breaker viewed from any one of the breakers is referred to as the “inward” direction and the opposite direction of that is referred to as the “outward” direction in this document.

#FIGS. 3A, 3B, 3C, and 3D are views for explaining in more detail the interlocking mechanism shown in FIGS. 2A, 2B, and 2C; the protective cover 3 is formed in a U-shape in cross section as shown in FIG. 3C; elongated holes 3a through which the turning central axis for opening and closing the protective cover passes are made vertically symmetrically in the upper side and lower side sections shown in FIG. 3C; in addition, round holes 3b (holes for circling screws, hereinafter referred to as the same) are similarly made vertically symmetrically, through which sems screw 92a that engages with a cover support member 4 described later is inserted; and in the front section of the cover is provided an insertion hole 3c through which the ON/OFF knob, an ON/OFF lever of the breakers 2, is inserted. Furthermore, engaging parts 31, which are tongue-shaped protrusions, are formed as shown in FIG. 3C symmetrically facing each other at upper and lower end portions in the opposite side of the elongated holes 3a (outer side of the panel) in the upper side and lower side sections of the protective cover 3; a monitoring window 32 for monitoring the live part is formed in the front section in the side of the elongated holes 3a (inner side). The engaging parts 31 can be provided in predetermined portions decided at suitable required locations distant from the turning center of the protective cover 3 so as to match with the location and shape of locking parts 51 of a cover locking member 5 described later.