Circuit breaker with improved trip mechanism
US5844188A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Dec 19, 1996 |
| Grant date | Dec 1, 1998 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Dec 19, 2016 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
- CPC primaryH01H71/504
- WIPO fieldElectrical machinery, apparatus, energy
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
A circuit breaker mechanism has a contact arm (56) forming a portion of an interruptable load current path through the circuit breaker and mounted with respect to a pivot (110) for swinging motion to break the current path. A spring-loaded, over-center operating mechanism includes a toggle mechanism having an upper toggle (74) and a lower toggle (122) coupled by a spring pin (128) to form a toggle joint about which the toggles can relatively pivot. The spring pin has a circular groove (128b) at which it operatively connects to the toggle joint, and a circular surface (128a) adjacent the groove is disposed in the path of travel of the contact arm as the contact arm swings to break the current path. A V-shaped notch (56a, 56b) in the contact arm, acts between the toggle joint and the contact arm to locate the toggle joint radially of the contact arm pivot and thereby cause the toggle joint to be displaced by the swinging contact arm along an arc such that a principal component of the contact arm force is directed in a sense that fully, or at least approximately, maximizes the effect of the swinging contact arm force on the toggle mechanism.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.