Parallel contact circuit breaker
AssigneeAirpax Corporation, LLC
InventorDaniel Runyan
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A parallel pole magnetohydraulic circuit breaker (10), having a single trip element (271) and a pair of trip mechanisms (101, 102), achieving an increased current carrying capacity with reduced nuisance trips. The tip mechanisms (101, 102) are contained within separate housings (14, 16), with electrical connections (30, 40) and multipole trip mechanism (101, 102) communicating through apertures in the common wall (14′). Preferably, the armature (260) of the trip element (271) acts on a single trip mechanism (101, 102), which multiplies the available force to trigger a trip of the other tip mechanism.
Claims17
A circuit breaker, comprising:
- (a) a common magnetohydrodynamic load sensor;
- and
- (b) at least two sets of interruptable electrical contacts, each having an associated trip mechanism and a rated load capacity,
- wherein said magnetohydrodynamic load sensor responds to a sensed load by tripping at least one set of interruptable electrical contacts, and is adapted to sense a load exceeding said rated capacity of a single set of interruptable electrical contacts and within a composite load capacity of said at least two sets of interruptable electrical contacts in parallel.
A circuit breaker, comprising:
- (a) a master breaker, having within a first sub-housing a common magnetohydrodynamic load sensor having a trip load and a first set of interruptable electrical contacts, having a first trip mechanism and a first rated load capacity, wherein said trip load exceeds said first load capacity;
- and
- (b) a slave breaker, having within a second sub-housing a second set of interruptable electrical contacts, having a second trip mechanism and a second rated load capacity,
- wherein
- said magnetohydrodynamic load sensor responds to a load exceeding said trip load by tripping said first trip mechanism;
- a trip of said first set of interruptable electrical contacts results in a tripping of said second set of interruptable electrical contacts;
- and
- a composite load capacity of said first set of interruptable electrical contacts and said second set of interruptable electrical contacts exceeds said trip load.
A method for providing a high load capacity circuit breaker having a desired load capacity, comprising the steps of:
- (a) providing a magnetodynamic load sensor at the desired load capacity;
- (b) providing at least two set of electrical switch elements, each having a load capacity insufficient to meet the desired load capacity, but which in parallel meet the desired load capacity;
- (c) wiring the sets of electrical switch elements in parallel;
- (d) when the load exceeds the desired load capacity, causing an interrupter of the first of the electrical switch elements to trip and thereby to cease conducting;
- and
- (e) sensing a trip of the first of the electrical switch elements to cause an interrupter of a second of the electrical switch elements to trip and thereby to cease conducting,
- to thereby block current to the load.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.