Shaft assemblies suitable for circuit breakers and related circuit breakers

A shaft comprising:

• an elongate shaft body having first and second longitudinally opposing tubular segments with an intermediate segment residing therebetween, wherein the intermediate segment comprises a plurality of closely spaced apart circumferentially extending external notches with wall segments having a greater outer diameter than an outer diameter of the notches residing therebetween, wherein the notches have a width that is between about 0.010 inches to about 0.020 inches, on average, and a depth that is between about 0.001 inches to about 0.010 inches, on average,
• wherein the shaft body is non-ferromagnetic, wherein the notches have a depth of about 0.005 inches, average, and a width between about 0.010 inches and about 0.015 inches, average, and wherein adjacent ones of the wall segments are parallel and have an outer diameter that is co-planar.

A shaft assembly, comprising:

• an elongate shaft body having first and second longitudinally opposing tubular segments with an intermediate segment residing therebetween, wherein the intermediate segment comprises a plurality of closely spaced apart circumferentially extending external notches with wall segments having a greater outer diameter than an outer diameter of the notches residing therebetween, and wherein the notches have a width that is between about 0.010 inches to about 0.020 inches, on average, and a depth that is between about 0.001 inches to about 0.010 inches, on average;
• and
• at least one self-retaining locking ring with radially inwardly extending spaced apart fingers that engage at least one of the notches to axially lock into position on the shaft body and provide a pull out force that is between about 100 lbf to about 1000 lbf.

A shaft comprising:

• an elongate shaft body having first and second longitudinally opposing tubular segments with an intermediate segment residing therebetween, wherein the intermediate segment comprises a plurality of closely spaced apart circumferentially extending external notches with wall segments having a greater outer diameter than an outer diameter of the notches residing therebetween, and wherein the notches have a width that is between about 0.010 inches to about 0.020 inches, on average, and a depth that is between about 0.001 inches to about 0.010 inches, on average,
• wherein at least some of the circumferentially extending external notches are discontinuous about a circumferentially extending perimeter of the shaft body with diametrically opposing perimeter portions of a respective notch being separated by at least one flat segment.

A shaft and cam assembly comprising:

• an elongate shaft body having first and second longitudinally opposing tubular segments with an intermediate segment residing therebetween, wherein the intermediate segment comprises a plurality of closely spaced apart circumferentially extending external notches with wall segments having a greater outer diameter than an outer diameter of the notches residing therebetween, and wherein the notches have a width that is between about 0.010 inches to about 0.020 inches, on average, and a depth that is between about 0.001 inches to about 0.010 inches, on average;
• and
• a cam assembly held on the shaft body, wherein the cam assembly comprises a plurality of cooperating abutting axially aligned components held in axial position on the shaft body by a self-retaining locking ring directly coupled to a single one of the notches, and wherein the cam assembly is non-ferromagnetic and comprises cast metal or metal alloy components.

A shaft comprising:

• an elongate shaft body having first and second longitudinally opposing tubular segments with an intermediate segment residing therebetween, wherein the intermediate segment comprises a plurality of closely spaced apart circumferentially extending external notches with wall segments having a greater outer diameter than an outer diameter of the notches residing therebetween, wherein the notches have a width that is between about 0.010 inches to about 0.020 inches, on average, and a depth that is between about 0.001 inches to about 0.010 inches, on average,
• wherein the wall segments have a respective width measured in a longitudinal direction that is less than at least some of the notches.

A shaft comprising:

• an elongate shaft body having first and second longitudinally opposing tubular segments with an intermediate segment residing therebetween, wherein the intermediate segment comprises a plurality of closely spaced apart circumferentially extending external notches with wall segments having a greater outer diameter than an outer diameter of the notches residing therebetween, wherein the notches have a width that is between about 0.010 inches to about 0.020 inches, on average, and a depth that is between about 0.001 inches to about 0.010 inches, on average,
• wherein the wall segments have a respective width measured in a longitudinal direction that is greater than at least some of the width of the notches.

A shaft comprising:

• an elongate shaft body having first and second longitudinally opposing tubular segments with an intermediate segment residing therebetween, wherein the intermediate segment comprises a plurality of closely spaced apart circumferentially extending external notches with wall segments having a greater outer diameter than an outer diameter of the notches residing therebetween, wherein the notches have a width that is between about 0.010 inches to about 0.020 inches, on average, and a depth that is between about 0.001 inches to about 0.010 inches, on average,
• wherein at least some of the notches are discontinuous about a circumferentially extending perimeter of the shaft body with opposing perimeter portions of a respective notch being separated by diametrically opposing flat segments of the shaft body.

A shaft comprising:

• an elongate shaft body having first and second longitudinally opposing tubular segments with an intermediate segment residing therebetween, wherein the intermediate segment comprises a plurality of closely spaced apart circumferentially extending external notches with wall segments having a greater outer diameter than an outer diameter of the notches residing therebetween, wherein the notches have a width that is between about 0.010 inches to about 0.020 inches, on average, and a depth that is between about 0.001 inches to about 0.010 inches, on average,
• wherein the notches reside on the intermediate tubular segment with at least one flat outer wall segment extending through the notches, and wherein the first tubular segment has a smaller outer diameter than the intermediate tubular segment with the notches and the at least one flat segment.

A shaft comprising:

• an elongate shaft body having first and second longitudinally opposing tubular segments with an intermediate segment residing therebetween, wherein the intermediate segment comprises a plurality of closely spaced apart circumferentially extending external notches with wall segments having a greater outer diameter than an outer diameter of the notches residing therebetween, wherein the notches have a width that is between about 0.010 inches to about 0.020 inches, on average, and a depth that is between about 0.001 inches to about 0.010 inches, on average,
• wherein the plurality of notches is between 5-50, wherein the shaft body is non ferromagnetic, wherein the notches reside on the intermediate tubular segment with at least one flat outer wall segment extending through the notches, and wherein the first tubular segment has a smaller outer diameter than the intermediate tubular segment with the notches and the at least one flat segment.

A shaft comprising:

• an elongate shaft body having first and second longitudinally opposing tubular segments with an intermediate segment residing therebetween, wherein the intermediate segment comprises a plurality of closely spaced apart circumferentially extending external notches with wall segments having a greater outer diameter than an outer diameter of the notches residing therebetween, wherein the notches have a width that is between about 0.010 inches to about 0.020 inches, on average, and a depth that is between about 0.001 inches to about 0.010 inches, on average;
• and
• a circumferentially extending hub on the second tubular segment of the shaft body with an outer diameter that is greater than that of the intermediate tubular segment.