Combined trip unit and accessory module for electronic trip circuit breakers
AssigneeGeneral Electric Company
InventorsFrank A. Todaro, Richard A. Dziura, Roger N. Castonguay
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A combined trip actuator and accessory module for molded case circuit breakers is accessible in the field for user selected accessory options. The trip actuator includes a U-shaped stator with a permanent magnet at the end of one leg. A spring-loaded armature member extends across both legs to form a closed-loop magnetic circuit. The over-current trip coil and shunt trip coil are arranged on one leg with the undervoltage coil arranged on the other leg. The accessory module is accessible from the top surface of the breaker cover for field installation of the undervoltage and shunt trip coils to provide the corresponding undervoltage and shunt trip functions.
Claims8
A combined trip actuator and accessory module for circuit interruption devices comprising:
- an enclosure
- a magnetic stator within said enclosure having a first and a second leg joined by bight;
- a removable armature pivotally arranged on said first leg and extending across said first and second legs, said armature comprising a linear bar terminating in opposing first and second offset ends;
- a permanent magnet attached to said first leg and providing a closed loop magnetic flux path through said magnetic stator and said removable armature for holding said armature in a latched position;
- a trip spring within said enclosure for biasing said armature in a tripped position;
- a trip coil arranged on said second leg to oppose said magnetic flux and allow said trip spring to move said armature to said tripped position;
- a holding coil removably arranged on said first leg to provide a holding magnetic flux to said stator and said armature to hold said armature in said latched position;
- and
- a latch arm springingly attached to said armature and extending over said second offset end.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.