Vacuum circuit breaker operating mechanism
AssigneeEaton Intelligent Power Limited
InventorsMark A. Juds, Paul R. Rakus, Michael Slepian, Steven Chen
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An operating mechanism for a circuit breaker including an opening, first actuator assembly and a closing, second actuator assembly. The first actuator assembly is structured to operatively engage at least one movable contact and is structured to move the at least one movable contact from a first configuration to a second configuration. The second actuator assembly is structured to operatively engage the at least one movable contact and is structured to move the at least one movable contact from the second configuration to the first configuration. The first actuator assembly and the second actuator assembly are split cooperative actuator assemblies.
Claims18
An operating mechanism for a circuit breaker assembly, said circuit breaker assembly including a first contact and a second contact, wherein at least one of said first contact and said second contact is a movable contact, said at least one movable contact structured to move between an open, first configuration, wherein the contacts are spaced from each other and are not in electrical communication, and a closed, second configuration, wherein the contacts are directly coupled to each other and are in electrical communication, said operating mechanism comprising:
- an opening, first actuator assembly;
- said first actuator assembly structured to operatively engage said at least one movable contact and structured to move said at least one movable contact from said second configuration to said first configuration;
- a closing, second actuator assembly;
- said second actuator assembly structured to operatively engage said at least one movable contact and structured to move said at least one movable contact from said first configuration to said second configuration;
- wherein said first actuator assembly and said second actuator assembly are split cooperative actuators;
- wherein said first contact is a movable contact and said second contact is a movable contact, said first contact movable between a withdrawn, first position and an extended, second position, said second contact movable between a withdrawn, first position and an extended, second position, and wherein;
- said first actuator assembly includes a first contact opening actuator assembly and a second contact opening actuator assembly;
- said first contact opening actuator assembly structured to move said first contact from said second position to said first position;
- said second contact opening actuator assembly structured to move said second contact from said second position to said first position;
- said second actuator assembly includes a first contact closing actuator assembly and a second contact closing actuator assembly;
- said first contact closing actuator assembly structured to move said first contact from said first position to said second position;
- and
- said second contact closing actuator assembly structured to move said second contact from said first position to said second position.
An operating mechanism for a circuit breaker assembly, said circuit breaker assembly including a first contact and a second contact, wherein at least one of said first contact and said second contact is a movable contact, said at least one movable contact structured to move between an open, first configuration, wherein the contacts are spaced from each other and are not in electrical communication, and a closed, second configuration, wherein the contacts are directly coupled to each other and are in electrical communication, said operating mechanism comprising:
- an opening, first actuator assembly;
- said first actuator assembly structured to operatively engage said at least one movable contact and structured to move said at least one movable contact from said second configuration to said first configuration;
- a closing, second actuator assembly;
- said second actuator assembly structured to operatively engage said at least one movable contact and structured to move said at least one movable contact from said first configuration to said second configuration;
- wherein said first actuator assembly and said second actuator assembly are split cooperative actuators;
- wherein said second actuator assembly includes a housing assembly, a closing coil, a closing armature, and an elongated stem;
- wherein said second actuator assembly closing armature fixed to said second actuator assembly stem;
- wherein said second actuator assembly closing coil fixed to said second actuator assembly housing assembly;
- wherein said second actuator assembly closing armature and said second actuator assembly stem movably disposed in said second actuator assembly housing assembly;
- wherein a longitudinal axis of said second actuator assembly stem is generally aligned with a longitudinal axis of first actuator assembly stem;
- and
- wherein said second actuator assembly closing armature is structured to move between a first position, wherein said second actuator assembly closing armature is disposed adjacent to said second actuator assembly closing coil, and a second positon, wherein said second actuator assembly closing armature is spaced from said second actuator assembly closing coil;
- and wherein:
- said second actuator assembly includes a biasing device;
- said second actuator assembly biasing device is a spring;
- said second actuator assembly biasing device spring operatively coupled to said second actuator assembly closing armature;
- and
- said second actuator assembly biasing device spring structured to move said second actuator assembly closing armature from said second position to said first position.
A circuit breaker assembly comprising:
- a first contact and a second contact, wherein at least one of said first contact and said second contact is a movable contact;
- said at least one movable contact structured to move between an open, first configuration, wherein the contacts are spaced from each other and are not in electrical communication, and a closed, second configuration, wherein the contacts are directly coupled to each other and are in electrical communication;
- an operating mechanism including an opening, first actuator assembly and a closing, second actuator assembly;
- said first actuator assembly structured to operatively engage said at least one movable contact and structured to move said at least one movable contact from said second configuration to said first configuration;
- said second actuator assembly structured to operatively engage to said at least one movable contact and structured to move said at least one movable contact from said first configuration to said second configuration;
- and
- wherein said first actuator assembly and said second actuator assembly are split cooperative actuator assemblies;
- and wherein:
- said first contact is a movable contact;
- said second contact is a movable contact;
- said first contact movable between a withdrawn, first position and an extended, second position;
- said second contact movable between a withdrawn, first position and an extended, second position;
- said first actuator assembly includes a first contact opening actuator assembly and a second contact opening actuator assembly;
- said second actuator assembly includes a first contact closing actuator assembly and a second contact closing actuator assembly;
- said first contact opening actuator assembly structured to move said first contact from said second position to said first position;
- said second contact opening actuator assembly structured to move said second contact from said second position to said first position;
- said first contact closing actuator assembly structured to move said first contact from said first position to said second position;
- and
- said second contact closing actuator assembly structured to move said second contact from said first position to said second position.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.