Motor control center subunit having moveable line contacts and method of manufacture
AssigneeEaton Intelligent Power Limited
InventorsEdgar Yee, Robert A. Morris, Scott E. McPherren, Neal Edward Rowe
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A system and method for connecting supply power to motor control components includes use of a motor control center subunit with moveable supply power contacts. After a motor control center subunit is secured into a motor control center compartment, the supply power contacts may be advanced to engage supply power buses. For disconnection, the supply power contacts may be retracted and isolated from the buses before physical removal of the subunit.
Claims18
A bucket removable from an enclosure defined within a motor control center, the bucket comprising:
- a housing having a pair of side panels and a front panel;
- an isolator assembly positioned at a rear surface of the housing;
- an actuating mechanism disposed within the housing between the pair of side panels;
- and
- at least one stab coupled to the actuating mechanism;
- wherein the actuating mechanism translates the at least one stab between a disengaged position and an engaged position independent of movement of the pair of side panels and the front panel of the housing;
- and
- wherein the at least one stab is positioned within the housing in the disengaged position and extends through the isolator assembly to engage a power bus of the motor control center in the engaged position.
A motor control center comprising:
- a frame having a plurality of compartments defined therein;
- and
- a bucket comprising:
- a housing sized to be received within one of the plurality of compartments of the frame, the housing having a door positioned on a front surface thereof;
- an actuating mechanism positioned between a pair of side panels of the housing;
- at least one stab coupled to the actuating mechanism and moveable between a disengaged position wherein the at least one stab is within the housing and an engaged position wherein the at least one stab extends outside the bucket to engage a power bus of the motor control center;
- and
- an isolator assembly coupled to a rear surface of the housing between the pair of side panels and moveable between an open position and an electrically isolating position, wherein the at least one stab is electrically isolated from the power bus;
- wherein the at least one stab extends through an opening in the isolator assembly to engage the power bus when the isolator assembly is in the open position and at least one stab is in the engaged position;
- and
- wherein the door and the pair of side panels of the housing remain stationary with respect to the frame during movement of the at least one stab between the disengaged position and the engaged position.
A control module sized for insertion into a compartment defined within a motor control center, the control module comprising:
- a housing;
- a stab assembly comprising at least one conductive contact;
- an actuating mechanism coupled to the stab assembly to translate the at least one conductive contact between a retracted position, wherein the at least one conductive contact is positioned within the housing, and an extended position, wherein the at least one conductive contact extends outside the housing;
- and
- an isolator assembly moveable between a closed position and an open position;
- wherein the at least one conductive contact extends through an opening in the isolator assembly when the isolator assembly is in the open position;
- wherein the at least one conductive contact is positioned entirely within the housing when the isolator assembly is in the closed position;
- and
- wherein the actuating mechanism comprises the only structure within the housing for moving the at least one conductive contact between the retracted position and the extended position.
18-20. (canceled)
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.