Circuit interrupter with thermal trip adjustability
US6445274B1 · kind B1 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Nov 10, 2000 |
| Grant date | Sep 3, 2002 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Jan 2, 2021 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
- CPC primaryH01H71/7445
- WIPO fieldElectrical machinery, apparatus, energy
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
A circuit interrupter including a housing, separable main contacts within the housing, and an operating mechanism within the housing and interconnected with the separable main contacts. A trip mechanism is disposed within the housing that includes a trip bar assembly rotatable about an axis and that, when rotated, generates a tripping operation causing the operating mechanism to open the contacts. The trip bar assembly includes a trip member translatable along the axis. The trip mechanism includes a tripping actuator movable along a predetermined path of travel as a function of electrical current. The tripping actuator contacts a contact area of the trip member at a predetermined location along the predetermined path of travel of the tripping actuator and causes the trip bar assembly to rotate and generate the tripping operation upon a predetermined current threshold. When the trip member is translated along the axis, the contact area is contacted by the tripping actuator at a different location along the predetermined path of travel of the tripping actuator whereby the predetermined current threshold is changed.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.