US 6,559,743 B2Granted

Stored energy system for breaker operating mechanism

AssigneeGeneral Electric Company

InventorsJanakiraman Narayanan, Mahesh Jaywant Rane, ShachiDevi Tumkur Krishnamurthy, Biranchi Narayana Sahu, Dantuluri Varma, Ramalingam Prem Anand, Tirumani Govinda Phaneendra, Satish Sahoo

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Abstract

An operating mechanism for a circuit breaker is provided. The operating mechanism includes a holder assembly being positioned to receive a portion of an operating handle of the circuit breaker. The holder assembly is capable of movement between a first position and a second position wherein the first position corresponds to a closed position of the circuit breaker and the second position corresponds to an open position of the circuit breaker. The operating mechanism further includes a drive plate being movably mounted to a support structure of the operating mechanism. The drive plate is coupled to the holder assembly. The operating mechanism also includes an energy storage mechanism for assuming a plurality of states, each state having a prescribed amount of energy stored in the energy storage mechanism. When the energy stored in the energy storage mechanism is released it provides an urging force to the drive plate causing the holder assembly to travel in the range defined by the first position to the second position.

Claims23

Dependent claims

An operating mechanism for a circuit interrupter mechanism, comprising:

a holder assembly being configured, dimensioned and positioned to receive a portion of an operating handle of said circuit interrupter mechanism;
a drive plate being mounted to a support structure of said operating mechanism, said drive plate being coupled to said holder assembly and said drive plate being adapted to manipulate said holder assembly between a first position and a second position, said first position corresponding to a closed position of said circuit interrupter mechanism and said second position corresponding to an open position of said circuit interrupt mechanism;
and
an energy storage mechanism for assuming a plurality of states, each state having a prescribed amount of energy stored in said energy storage mechanism, said energy storage mechanism providing an urging force to said drive plate when said holder assembly is in said first position, said urging force causing said holder assembly to travel from said first position to said second position when said urging force is released by said operating mechanism, wherein said energy storage mechanism further comprises:
i) a first elastic member;
ii) a first fixture having a plurality of slots therein, said first fixture positioned in said first elastic member;
iii) a second fixture having a plurality of members defining an aperture;
and
a second elastic member engaged to said second fixture and positioned within said aperture, wherein said second fixture is engaged with said first fixture.

6 more elements

An operating mechanism for a circuit interrupter mechanism, comprising:

a holder assembly being configured, dimensioned and positioned to receive a portion of an operating handle of said circuit interrupter mechanism, said holder assembly comprises:
i) a carriage;
ii) a retaining bar, said retaining bar being rotatably mounted to said carriage;
and
iii) a plurality of springs being secured to said retaining bar at one end and said carriage at the opposite end;
a drive plate being movably mounted to a support structure of said operating mechanism, said drive plate being coupled to said holder assembly and said drive plate being adapted to manipulate said holder assembly between a first position and a second position, said first position corresponding to a closed position of said circuit interrupter mechanism and said second position corresponding to an open position of said circuit interrupt mechanism;
and
an energy storage mechanism for assuming a plurality of states, each state having a prescribed amount of energy stored in said energy storage mechanism, said energy storage mechanism providing an urging force to said drive plate when said holder assembly is in said first position, said urging force causing said holder assembly to travel from said first position to said second position when said urging force is released by said operating mechanism;
a mechanical linkage system coupled to said energy storage mechanism and to said drive plate wherein said carriage is designed to assume a plurality of positions corresponding to each of said plurality of states of said energy storage mechanism, said mechanical linkage system comprises:
i) a cam rotatable about a cam shaft, said cam shaft being coupled to a motor drive assembly;
ii) a pair of side plates;
iii) a pair of drive plates rotatably secured to said side plate for movement about a drive plate axis, each of said pair of drive plates include an elongated opening for receiving a portion of said cam shaft, said drive plates are positioned in between said pair of side plates;
iv) a latch system being configured, dimensioned and positioned to retain said energy storage mechanism in a stable position;
v) a drive plate pin connected at one end to one said pair of drive plates and coupled to said energy storage mechanism at the other end;
and
vi) a connecting rod coupling said pair of drive plates;
and
an energy release mechanism coupled to said mechanical linkage system for releasing the energy stored in said energy storage mechanism.

15 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 09/681,277Filed 12 Mar 2001 · continuation in part
Priority: 17 Mar 2000
Published: US 2001/0027959 A111 Oct 2001
Granted: 6 May 2003
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification7 codes

H01H 71/70
Power reset mechanisms: actuated by electric motor
H01H 3/3015
Charging means: using cam devices
H01H 2003/3063
Using spring motor: decoupling charging handle or motor at end of charging cycle or during charged condition
H01H 2003/3089
Using spring motor: devices for manual releasing of locked charged spring motor; Devices for remote releasing

Family

Application60/190,298Us provisional application · filed 17 Mar 2000
Application09/595,728Parent of this continuation-in-part · filed 15 Jun 2000
US 2001/0027959 A1Pre-grant publication · published 11 Oct 2001
Application60/190,765Us provisional application · filed 20 Mar 2002
US 6,316,781 B1Related patent
US 6,559,743 B2This patent

From the US filing history. Foreign family members aren’t listed.