Contact system for a current limiting unit

A current limiting unit comprising:

• housing means;
• a contact system disposed at least partly within said housing means;
• said contact system comprising:
• first lead means and second lead means;
• said first lead means having means for connecting to first means for conveying electrical current;
• said second lead means having means for connecting to second means for conveying electrical current;
• means for providing electrical communication between said first lead means and said second lead means;
• said means for providing electrical communication comprising:
• wiper means, said wiper means having means for conveying electrical current;
• first connecting means for electrically connecting said first lead means with said wiper means;
• second connecting means for electrically connecting said wiper means with said second lead means;
• means for displaceably mounting said wiper means to permit displacement of said wiper means away from said second lead means, to disengage said first contact portion from said second contact portion, to disrupt the electrical connection between said wiper means and said second lead means;
• said second connecting means comprising:
• a first contact portion disposed on said wiper means;
• and
• a second contact portion disposed on said second lead means;
• said first contact portion and said second contact portion being engageable with one another to electrically connect said wiper means with said second lead means;
• means for biasing said wiper means towards said second lead means, to maintain said first contact portion and said second contact portion in engagement with one another, to maintain the electrical connection between said wiper means and said second lead means;
• and
• means for arresting movement of said wiper means in a direction away from said second lead means, to define a maximium opening of said wiper means with respect to said second lead means and minimize contact between said wiper means and said housing means.

Method of assembling a current limiting unit, said method comprising the steps of:

• providing housing means;
• providing a contact system for being disposed at least partly within the housing means;
• said step of providing a contact system comprising the steps of:
• providing first lead means and second lead means;
• said step of providing first lead means comprising the step of providing means for connecting to first means for conveying electrical current;
• said step of providing second lead means comprising the step of providing means for connecting to second means for conveying electrical current;
• providing means for providing electrical communication between the first lead means and the second lead means;
• said step of providing means for providing electrical communication comprising the steps of:
• providing wiper means, the wiper means having means for conveying electrical current;
• providing first connecting means for electrically connecting the first lead means with the wiper means;
• providing second connecting means for electrically connecting the wiper means with the second lead means;
• providing means for displaceably mounting the wiper means to permit displacement of the wiper means away from the second lead means, to disengage said first contact portion from said second contact portion, to disrupt the electrical connection between said wiper means and said second lead means;
• said step of providing second connecting means comprising the steps of:
• providing a first contact portion and disposing the same on the wiper means;
• and
• providing a second contact portion disposing the same on the second lead means;
• configuring the first contact portion and the second contact portion to be engageable with one another to electrically connect the wiper means with the second lead means;
• providing means for biasing the wiper means towards the second lead means, to maintain the first contact portion and the second contact portion in engagement with one another, to maintain the electrical connection between the wiper means and the second lead means;
• and
• forming the wiper means, the first lead means, the biasing means, the first connecting means and the second connecting means as a single, integral, pre-assembled unit;
• said method further comprising the additional steps of:
• storing the single, integral pre-assembled unit constituted by the wiper means, the first lead means, the biasing means, the first connecting means and the first contact portion;
• and
• installing the single, integral pre-assembled unit at least partly within the housing means.