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US 10,320,162 B2Granted
Motor control center units with retractable stabs and interlocks
AssigneeEaton Intelligent Power Limited
InventorsStephen William Oneufer, Robert Allan Morris, Daniel Boyd Kroushl
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Motor control centers have units or buckets with one or more sliding shutters that controllably block access to a stab isolation port based on position of the operator disconnect handle using attached cams that slide the shutter right and left. A front panel of the unit or bucket may also be configured to pivot out about a long axis associated with a bottom long side thereof.
Claims20
A bucket assembly, comprising:
- a unit housing having a stab isolation access portal and laterally spaced apart right and left sidewalls;
- an operator handle coupled to the unit housing;
- an inwardly extending shaft in the unit housing coupled to the operator handle;
- an interlock member held in the unit housing, wherein the interlock member is configured to laterally extend and retract, wherein, when extended, the interlock member extends out an aperture in at least one of the right or left sidewall of the unit housing, and when retracted, the interlock member does not extend out the aperture in the at least one of the right or left sidewall of the unit housing;
- retractable power stabs held by the unit housing, wherein the retractable power stabs are configured to be able to extend out of a rear of the unit housing when in an extended position, and the retractable power stabs are configured to be able to retract into the rear of the unit housing when in a retracted position;
- and
- a laterally slidable shutter residing in the unit housing and comprising a shutter portal that laterally slides between first and second positions, wherein, in the first position, the shutter portal is aligned with and behind the stab isolation access portal, and wherein, in the second position, the shutter portal is laterally offset from the stab isolation access portal and blocks access to the stab isolation access portal;
- wherein the interlock member is retracted into the unit housing when the shutter portal is in the first position and the retracted power stabs are in the retracted position, and
- wherein the interlock member extends out the aperture in the at least one of the right or left sidewall of the unit housing when the shutter portal is in the second position and the retracted power stabs are in the extended position.
6 more elements
A motor control center (MCC), comprising:
- a cabinet with first and second sidewalls defining an enclosure with a plurality of compartments, the compartments configured to removably receive a plurality of bucket assemblies, wherein at least one of the bucket assemblies comprises:
- a unit housing having a stab isolation access portal and laterally spaced apart right and left sidewalls;
- an operator handle coupled to the unit housing;
- an inwardly extending shaft in the unit housing coupled to the operator handle;
- an interlock member configured to laterally extend and retract, wherein, when extended the interlock member extends out an aperture in at least one of the right or left sidewall of the unit housing, and when retracted, the interlock member does not extend out the aperture in the at least one of the right or left sidewall of the unit housing;
- retractable power stabs held by the unit housing, wherein the retractable power stabs are configured to be able to extend out of a rear of the unit housing to engage one or more bus bars when in an extended position, and the retractable power stabs are configured to be able to retract into the rear of the unit housing when in a retracted position;
- and
- at least one shutter with a shutter portal in the unit housing, wherein the at least one shutter laterally slides right and left between aligned and misaligned positions relative to the stab isolation access portal,
- wherein, when in the misaligned position, the shutter portal is misaligned with the stab isolation access portal to block access to the stab isolation access portal when the retractable power stabs are in the extended position and the operator handle is in an ON position associated with electric current being conducted through at least one stab of the retractable power stabs, and
- wherein, when in the aligned position, the shutter portal aligns with the stab isolation access portal to allow access to the stab isolation access portal when the retractable power stabs are in the retracted position and the operator handle is in an OFF position associated with non-electric conduction through the retractable power stabs.
7 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.