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US 10,504,668 B1Granted
Circuit breaker with snap action contacts
AssigneeCarling Technologies, Inc.
InventorMichael Fasano
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A circuit interrupter includes a stationary contact and a moveable contact disposed on a moveable contact arm, the moveable contact being configured to be pivotable into and out of physical contact with the stationary contact by pivoting of the moveable contact arm about an axis. The moveable contact arm defines a pivot angle with respect to the stationary contact as the moveable contact arm pivots about the axis. A biasing member exerts a biasing force on the moveable contact arm which pivotally biases the moveable contact toward the stationary contact when the pivot angle is less than a zero-bias angle and which pivotally biases the moveable contact away from the stationary contact when the pivot angle is greater than a zero-bias angle.
Claims21
A circuit interrupter having a housing within which components of the circuit interrupter are contained, the circuit interrupter comprising:
- a line terminal connectable to a source of electrical power;
- a load terminal connectable to a load;
- a stationary contact being mounted in a fixed fashion with respect to the housing;
- a moveable contact arm having a first end and a second end, said moveable contact arm having a moveable contact positioned on the first end and being pivotably connected at the second end with respect to an axis, said moveable contact configured to be pivotable into and out of physical contact with said stationary contact by pivoting of said moveable contact arm about the axis;
- wherein, when said moveable contact and said stationary contact are in physical contact, said line terminal and said load terminal are in electrical communication, and when said moveable contact and said stationary contact are out of physical contact, said line terminal and said load terminal are electrically isolated from one another;
- wherein said moveable contact arm defines a pivot angle with respect to said housing as said moveable contact arm pivots about the axis;
- and
- a tension spring having a first end connected to a point fixed with respect to said housing and having a second end connected to said moveable contact arm, wherein said tension spring exerts a pulling force on said moveable contact arm which pivotally biases said moveable contact toward said stationary contact when the pivot angle is less than a zero-bias angle and exerts a pulling force on said moveable contact arm and which pivotally biases said moveable contact away from said stationary contact when the pivot angle is greater than a zero-bias angle.
5 more elements
A circuit interrupter having a housing within which components of the circuit interrupter are contained, the circuit interrupter comprising:
- a line terminal connectable to a source of electrical power;
- a load terminal connectable to a load;
- a stationary contact being mounted in a fixed fashion with respect to the housing;
- a moveable contact arm having a first end and a second end, said moveable contact arm having a moveable contact positioned on the first end and being pivotably connected at the second end with respect to an axis, said moveable contact configured to be pivotable into and out of physical contact with said stationary contact by pivoting of said moveable contact arm about the axis;
- wherein, when said moveable contact and said stationary contact are in physical contact, said line terminal and said load terminal are in electrical communication, and when said moveable contact and said stationary contact are out of physical contact, said line terminal and said load terminal are electrically isolated from one another;
- and
- a tension spring having a first end connected to a point fixed with respect to said housing and having a second end connected to said moveable contact arm, wherein said tension spring exerts a pulling force on said moveable contact arm, wherein when said moveable contact and said stationary contact are in physical contact, said tension spring pulls said moveable contact toward said stationary contact, and wherein as said moveable contact arm is pivoted so as to move said moveable contact away from said stationary contact, an angular position of said contact arm is reached after which said tension spring pulls said moveable contact away from said stationary contact.
4 more elements
A circuit interrupter comprising:
- a stationary contact;
- a moveable contact disposed on a moveable contact arm;
- wherein said moveable contact is configured to be pivotable into and out of physical contact with said stationary contact by pivoting of said moveable contact arm about an axis;
- wherein said moveable contact arm defines a pivot angle with respect to said stationary contact as said moveable contact arm pivots about the axis;
- and
- a tension spring having a first end connected to a point fixed with respect to said housing and having a second end connected to said moveable contact arm, wherein said tension spring exerts a pulling force on said moveable contact arm which pivotally biases said moveable contact toward said stationary contact when the pivot angle is less than a zero-bias angle and exerts a pulling force on said moveable contact arm and which pivotally biases said moveable contact away from said stationary contact when the pivot angle is greater than a zero-bias angle.
3 more elements
A circuit interrupter having a housing within which components of the circuit interrupter are contained, the circuit interrupter comprising:
- a line terminal connectable to a source of electrical power;
- a load terminal connectable to a load;
- a stationary contact being mounted in a fixed fashion with respect to the housing;
- a moveable contact arm having a first end and a second end, said moveable contact arm having a moveable contact positioned on the first end and being pivotably connected at the second end with respect to an axis, said moveable contact configured to be pivotable into and out of physical contact with said stationary contact by pivoting of said moveable contact arm about the axis;
- wherein, when said moveable contact and said stationary contact are in physical contact, said line terminal and said load terminal are in electrical communication, and when said moveable contact and said stationary contact are out of physical contact, said line terminal and said load terminal are electrically isolated from one another;
- wherein said moveable contact arm defines a pivot angle with respect to said housing as said moveable contact arm pivots about the axis;
- a biasing member exerting a biasing force on said moveable contact arm which pivotally biases said moveable contact toward said stationary contact when the pivot angle is less than a zero-bias angle and which pivotally biases said moveable contact away from said stationary contact when the pivot angle is greater than a zero-bias angle;
- a first linkage having a first end and a second end, the first end of said first linkage being pivotably connected with respect to said housing and said second end having an elongated channel formed therein;
- a second linkage having a first end and a second end, the first end of said second linkage being pivotably connected with respect to said housing and said second end having a pin slideably disposed within the elongated channel formed in said first linkage;
- wherein the second end of said moveable contact arm is pivotably connected to said second linkage;
- a handle pivotably connected to said housing, wherein actuation of said handle causes said moveable contact to be pivotable into and out of physical contact with said stationary contact by causing pivoting of said moveable contact arm about the axis about which said moveable contact arm pivots;
- and
- an escapement mechanism having a first end pivotably connected to said handle and a second end pivotably connected to said first linkage.
10 more elements
A circuit interrupter having a housing within which components of the circuit interrupter are contained, the circuit interrupter comprising:
- a line terminal connectable to a source of electrical power;
- a load terminal connectable to a load;
- a stationary contact being mounted in a fixed fashion with respect to the housing;
- a moveable contact arm having a first end and a second end, said moveable contact arm having a moveable contact positioned on the first end and being pivotably connected at the second end with respect to an axis, said moveable contact configured to be pivotable into and out of physical contact with said stationary contact by pivoting of said moveable contact arm about the axis;
- wherein, when said moveable contact and said stationary contact are in physical contact, said line terminal and said load terminal are in electrical communication, and when said moveable contact and said stationary contact are out of physical contact, said line terminal and said load terminal are electrically isolated from one another;
- a biasing member exerting a biasing force on said moveable contact arm, wherein when said moveable contact and said stationary contact are in physical contact, said biasing member biases said moveable contact toward said stationary contact, and wherein as said moveable contact arm is pivoted so as to move said moveable contact away from said stationary contact, an angular position of said contact arm is reached after which said biasing member biases said moveable contact away from said stationary contact;
- a first linkage having a first end and a second end, the first end of said first linkage being pivotably connected with respect to said housing and said second end having an elongated channel formed therein;
- a second linkage having a first end and a second end, the first end of said second linkage being pivotably connected with respect to said housing and said second end having a pin slideably disposed within the elongated channel formed in said first linkage;
- wherein the second end of said moveable contact arm is pivotably connected to said second linkage;
- a handle pivotably connected to said housing, wherein actuation of said handle causes said moveable contact to be pivotable into and out of physical contact with said stationary contact by causing pivoting of said moveable contact arm about the axis about which said moveable contact arm pivots;
- and
- an escapement mechanism having a first end pivotably connected to said handle and a second end pivotably connected to said first linkage.
9 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.