Bucket assemblies for motor control centers (mcc) with disconnect assemblies and related mcc cabinets and methods
AssigneeEaton Corporation
InventorsStephen W. Oneufer, Robert A. Morris, Daniel B. Kroushl
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Circuit breakers with a rotary handle attached to an inwardly oriented shaft that connects to a gear assembly that translates rotational input to linear input also include a trip assist spring in communication with the rack gear so that, in operation, the trip assist spring applies a force to the operator slider and forces the handle to a consistent trip position.
Claims22
A bucket assembly, comprising:
- an external rotary handle having a defined ON position and OFF position associated with conduction and non-conduction;
- a shaft attached to the rotary handle and extending into the bucket assembly;
- an operator mechanism cooperably engaging the shaft, the operator mechanism comprising a gear assembly with a rack gear that linearly moves an operator slider;
- a circuit breaker in the bucket assembly having a lever in communication with the operator slider;
- and
- a trip assist spring that cooperates with the rack gear to move the external rotary handle to a defined consistent orientation when the circuit breaker trips.
A bucket assembly, comprising:
- a rotary handle attached to an inwardly oriented shaft;
- a drive gear in communication with the shaft so that rotation of the rotary handle rotates the drive gear;
- a pinion gear in communication with the drive gear;
- a rack gear in communication with the pinion gear;
- an operator slider in communication with the rack gear;
- a stationary operator base in communication with the operator slider and attached to a circuit breaker;
- a breaker lever in communication with the operator slider;
- and
- a trip assist spring in communication with the rack gear and slider,
- wherein the trip assist spring applies a force to bias the operator slider to reside at a location that is at a medial position of its sliding travel path to thereby provide a trip assist force to move the rotating handle to a consistent OFF position when the circuit breaker trips.
A bucket assembly, comprising:
- a rotary handle attached to an inwardly oriented shaft;
- a gear assembly attached to the shaft configured to translate rotational input to linear input;
- an operator slider in communication with the gear assembly;
- a breaker lever in communication with the operator slider;
- and
- a trip assist spring held by a laterally extending guide rod in communication with the gear assembly,
- wherein, during a trip event, the trip assist spring forces the rotary handle to a consistent trip position.
A motor control center (MCC) cabinet with bucket units having external rotary handles, wherein one or more bucket units are configured so that the rotary handle communicates with a fused disconnect switch and one or more bucket units are configured so that the rotary handles communicate with an operator mechanism for a circuit breaker disconnect, and wherein all the rotary handles have the same configuration and the same ON/OFF positions.
22-38. (canceled)
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.