Adjustable thermal trip assembly for a circuit breaker
AssigneeEaton Corporation
InventorJeffrey S. Gibson
Life of this patent
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Abstract
The circuit breaker current/time characteristic value at which the bimetal in a thermal trip assembly actuates a trip mechanism is adjusted by an adjustable coupler that includes first and second pivoted members separately rotatable about a common pivot axis. Deflection of the bimetal by an overload current causes rotation of the first pivoted member, which is coupled by a coupling member extending parallel to the common axis into the second pivoted member which rotates to actuate the trip mechanism. A positioner moves the coupling member toward and away from the common pivot axis to adjust the amount of deflection of the bimetal needed to actuate the trip mechanism.
Claims9
An adjustable thermal trip assembly for a circuit breaker comprising:
- a bimetal having a fixed end and a free end which deflects in response to heat generated by current;
- a trip mechanism spaced from the free end of the bimetal;
- and
- an adjustable coupler comprising:
- a first pivoted member engageable by the free end of the bimetal for rotation by deflection of the free end of the bimetal;
- a second pivoted member rotatable to actuate the trip mechanism;
- a coupling member positioned between the first and second pivotable members to convert rotation of the first pivotable member by the free end of the bimetal into rotation of the second pivoted member to actuate the trip mechanism after a selected deflection of the free end of the bimetal;
- and
- a positioner adjustably positioning the coupling member relative to the first and second pivoted members to adjust a current/time characteristic value at which the trip mechanism is actuated.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.