Direct driven latch for ultra-fast switch

A circuit interrupter structured to be electrically connected between a power source and a load, the circuit interrupter comprising:

• a housing;
• a pair of separable contacts comprising a stationary separable contact and a moving separable contact;
• a moving assembly, the moving assembly comprising:
• a moving conductor comprising the moving separable contact;
• and
• a switch shaft operably coupled to the moving conductor;
• an actuator structured to actuate the moving assembly to open and close the separable contacts;
• an electronic trip unit structured to activate the actuator;
• and
• a latching assembly structured to be engaged by the switch shaft and to latch the moving assembly, the latching assembly comprising:
• a latch block fixedly positioned relative to the circuit interrupter housing;
• a driven latch rotatably coupled to the latch block;
• a hammer, the hammer comprising:
• two planar sides disposed parallel to one another;
• and
• a square pin, the square pin being coupled at a first end to a first of the two hammer planar sides and being coupled a second end to a second of the two hammer planar sides;
• and
• a rotation pin structured to fixedly couple the hammer to the circuit interrupter housing and to form a fixed axis about which the hammer can rotate,
• wherein the driven latch is disposed between the two hammer planar sides,
• wherein the driven latch comprises a medial surface structured to face toward the switch shaft and a lateral surface disposed opposite the medial surface structured to face away from the switch shaft, and
• wherein the hammer and the driven latch are structured such that the hammer square pin is always in engagement with the lateral surface of the driven latch.

A latching assembly for latching a moving conductor assembly of a circuit interrupter, the latching assembly being structured to be disposed within a housing of the circuit interrupter and comprising:

• a latch block structured to be fixedly positioned relative to the circuit interrupter housing;
• a driven latch rotatably coupled to the latch block;
• a hammer, the hammer comprising:
• two planar sides disposed parallel to one another;
• a square pin, the square pin being coupled at a first end to a first of the two planar sides and being coupled a second end to a second of the two planar sides;
• and
• a plurality of rounded pins, each of the rounded pins being coupled at a first end to a first of the two planar sides and being coupled a second end to a second of the two planar sides, the plurality of rounded pins comprising:
• a paddle engagement pin coupled to a first end of each of the two planar sides;
• a cam engagement pin coupled to a second end of each of the two planar sides disposed opposite the first end;
• and
• a number of interior hammer pins coupled to the planar sides in between the square pin and the cam engagement pin;
• and
• a rotation pin structured to fixedly position the hammer relative to the circuit interrupter housing and to form a fixed axis about which the hammer can rotate,
• wherein the latching assembly is structured so as to receive a switch shaft of the moving conductor assembly in between the square pin and the interior hammer pins,
• wherein the driven latch is disposed between the two hammer planar sides,
• wherein the driven latch comprises a medial surface structured to face toward the switch shaft and a lateral surface disposed opposite the medial surface structured to face away from the switch shaft,
• wherein the lateral side of the driven latch is formed with a notch structured to receive the hammer square pin, and
• wherein the hammer and the driven latch are structured such that the hammer square pin is always in engagement with the lateral surface of the driven latch.