Circuit interrupter including a molded case made of liquid crystal polymer
AssigneeEaton Corporation
InventorsPatrick W. Mills, Richard G. Benshoff, James M. McCormick
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A circuit interrupter includes a housing having a molded case made of liquid crystal polymer. Separable contacts are disposed within the housing. An operating mechanism is disposed within the housing and is structured to open and close the separable contacts. A trip mechanism is disposed within the housing and is structured to cooperate with the operating mechanism to trip open the separable contacts. The trip mechanism includes an electronic trip circuit and a rigid, conductive base providing a ground to the electronic trip circuit. The rigid, conductive base is insert molded to a portion of the molded case.
Claims21
1 A circuit interrupter comprising:
- a housing comprising a molded case made of liquid crystal polymer;
- separable contacts disposed within said housing;
- an operating mechanism disposed within said housing and being structured to open and close said separable contacts;
- and
- a trip mechanism disposed within said housing and being structured to cooperate with said operating mechanism to trip open said separable contacts, said trip mechanism comprising an electronic trip circuit and a rigid, conductive base providing a ground to said electronic trip circuit,
- wherein said rigid, conductive base is insert molded to a portion of said molded case.
The circuit interrupter of claim 1 wherein said molded case includes a first cavity, a separate second cavity and a wall separating said first cavity from said separate second cavity;
- wherein said separable contacts and said operating mechanism are disposed within said separate second cavity;
- and wherein said electronic trip circuit comprises a number of printed circuit boards disposed within said first cavity.
The circuit interrupter of claim 1 wherein said rigid, conductive base is made of aluminum.
The circuit interrupter of claim 1 wherein said rigid, conductive base is about 2.25 inches, by about 1.125 inches, by about 0.625 inches in size.
The circuit interrupter of claim 1 wherein said rigid, conductive base includes a planar portion disposed adjacent said molded case, said planar portion including a plurality of openings, said molded case including a plurality of protrusions disposed through said plurality of openings, in order to mechanically interlock said planar portion to said molded case when said rigid, conductive base is insert molded to the portion of said molded case.
The circuit interrupter of claim 1 wherein said circuit interrupter is a circuit breaker.
The circuit interrupter of claim 1 wherein said circuit interrupter is a remote control circuit breaker.
The circuit interrupter of claim 1 wherein said circuit interrupter is a subminiature circuit breaker.
The circuit interrupter of claim 1 wherein said circuit interrupter is an aircraft or aerospace circuit breaker.
The circuit interrupter of claim 1 wherein said circuit interrupter is a remote power controller.
A circuit interrupter comprising:
- a housing comprising a molded case made of liquid crystal polymer, said molded case including a first cavity, a separate second cavity and a wall separating said first cavity from said separate second cavity;
- separable contacts disposed within said separate second cavity;
- an operating mechanism disposed within said separate second cavity and being structured to open and close said separable contacts;
- and
- a trip mechanism disposed within said housing and being structured to cooperate with said operating mechanism to trip open said separable contacts, said trip mechanism comprising a number of printed circuit boards disposed within said first cavity,
- wherein said first cavity is structured as a mold and receives said number of printed circuit boards and a low pressure molding material to encapsulate said number of printed circuit boards within said first cavity.
A circuit interrupter comprising:
- a plurality of poles, each of said poles comprising:
- a housing comprising a molded case made of liquid crystal polymer,
- separable contacts disposed within said housing,
- an operating mechanism disposed within said housing and being structured to open and close said separable contacts, and
- a trip mechanism disposed within said housing and being structured to cooperate with said operating mechanism to trip open said separable contacts, said trip mechanism comprising an electronic trip circuit and a rigid, conductive base providing a ground to said electronic trip circuit,
- wherein said rigid, conductive base is insert molded to a portion of said molded case;
- and
- a plurality of fasteners coupling said plurality of poles together.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.