Electrical switching apparatus, and carrier assembly and independent pivot assembly therefor

A pivot assembly for an electrical switching apparatus including a housing having a molded cover and a molded base, a stationary contact assembly, and a movable contact assembly, said movable contact assembly including at least one carrier assembly, and being movable into and out of electrical contact with said stationary contact assembly, said at least one carrier assembly including a pivot, said pivot assembly comprising:

• a plurality of pivot members, each of said pivot members including an aperture structured to pivotably receive said pivot of said at least one carrier assembly in order that said at least one carrier assembly is pivotably coupled between a corresponding pair of said pivot members,
• wherein each of said pivot members is a separate independent component structured to be disposed between said molded cover of said housing of said electrical switching apparatus and said molded base of said housing of said electrical switching apparatus, and
• wherein each of said pivot members comprises at least one protrusion and at least one cut-out portion;
• wherein said at least one protrusion is structured to engage one of said molded cover of said housing of said electrical switching apparatus and said molded base of said housing of said electrical switching apparatus;
• and wherein said at least one cut-out portion is structured to engage the other one of said molded cover and said molded base in order to secure said pivot members therebetween, without requiring the use of separate fasteners.

A carrier assembly for an electrical switching apparatus including a housing having a molded cover and a molded base, a stationary contact assembly having a plurality of stationary electrical contacts, and a movable contact assembly, said carrier assembly comprising:

• a first carrier member;
• a second carrier member;
• a plurality of movable contact arms pivotably coupled between said first carrier member and said second carrier member;
• a plurality of movable electrical contacts coupled to said movable contact arms and being structured to be movable into and out of electrical contact with said stationary electrical contacts of said stationary contact assembly;
• a pivot extending outwardly from said first carrier member of said carrier assembly and said second carrier member of said carrier assembly;
• and
• a pivot assembly comprising:
• a pair of pivot members, each of said pivot members including a substantially circular aperture pivotably receiving said pivot of said carrier assembly in order that said pivot pivots with respect to said pivot members and said carrier assembly is pivotably coupled therebetween, without a separate bearing element,
• wherein each of said pair pivot members is a separate independent component structured to be disposed between said molded cover of said housing of said electrical switching apparatus and said molded base of said housing of said electrical switching apparatus.

A carrier assembly for an electrical switching apparatus including a housing having a molded cover and a molded base, a stationary contact assembly having a plurality of stationary electrical contacts, and a movable contact assembly, said carrier assembly comprising:

• a first carrier member;
• a second carrier member;
• a plurality of movable contact arms pivotably coupled between said first carrier member and said second carrier member;
• a plurality of movable electrical contacts coupled to said movable contact arms and being structured to be movable into and out of electrical contact with said stationary electrical contacts of said stationary contact assembly;
• a pivot extending outwardly from said first carrier member of said carrier assembly and said second carrier member of said carrier assembly;
• and
• a pivot assembly comprising:
• a pair of pivot members, each of said pivot members including an aperture pivotably receiving said pivot of said carrier assembly in order that said carrier assembly is pivotably coupled therebetween,
• wherein each of said pair pivot members is a separate independent component structured to be disposed between said molded cover of said housing of said electrical switching apparatus and said molded base of said housing of said electrical switching apparatus, and
• wherein each of said pivot members of said pivot assembly comprises at least one protrusion and at least one cut-out portion;
• wherein said at least one protrusion is structured to engage one of said molded cover of said housing of said electrical switching apparatus and said molded base of said housing of said electrical switching apparatus;
• and wherein said at least one cut-out portion is structured to engage the other of said molded cover and said molded base in order to secure said pivot member therebetween, without requiring the use of separate fasteners.

An electrical switching apparatus comprising:

• a housing including a molded cover and a molded base;
• a stationary contact assembly having a plurality of stationary electrical contacts;
• and
• a movable contact assembly including at least one carrier assembly, each of said at least one carrier assembly comprising:
• a first carrier member,
• a second carrier member,
• a plurality of movable contact arms pivotably coupled between said first carrier member and said second carrier member,
• a plurality of movable electrical contacts coupled to said movable contact arms and being movable into and out of electrical contact with said stationary electrical contacts of said stationary contact assembly,
• a pivot extending outwardly from said first carrier member and said second carrier member, and
• a pivot assembly comprising:
• a plurality of pivot members, each of said pivot members including a substantially circular pivotably receiving said pivot of a corresponding one of said at least one carrier assembly in order that said pivot pivots with respect to said pivot members and said corresponding one of said at least one carrier assembly is pivotably coupled between a pair of said pivot members, without a separate bearing element,
• wherein each of said pivot members of said pivot assembly is a separate independent component disposed between said molded cover of said housing of said electrical switching apparatus and said molded base of said housing of said electrical switching apparatus.

An electrical switching apparatus comprising:

• a housing including a molded cover and a molded base;
• a stationary contact assembly having a plurality of stationary electrical contacts;
• and
• a movable contact assembly including at least one carrier assembly, each of said at least one carrier assembly comprising:
• a first carrier member,
• a second carrier member,
• a plurality of movable contact arms pivotably coupled between said first carrier member and said second carrier member,
• a plurality of movable electrical contacts coupled to said movable contact arms and being movable into and out of electrical contact with said stationary electrical contacts of said stationary contact assembly,
• a pivot extending outwardly from said first carrier member and said second carrier member, and
• a pivot assembly comprising:
• a plurality of pivot members, each of said pivot members including an aperture pivotably receiving said pivot of a corresponding one of said at least one carrier assembly in order that said corresponding one of said at least one carrier assembly is pivotably coupled between a pair of said pivot members,
• wherein each of said pivot members of said pivot assembly is a separate independent component disposed between said molded cover of said housing of said electrical switching apparatus and said molded base of said housing of said electrical switching apparatus, and
• wherein one of said substantially vertical walls of one of said corresponding pairs of said substantially vertical walls of said circuit breaker housing comprises at least one recess;
• wherein the other of said substantially vertical walls of said one of said corresponding pairs of said substantially vertical walls of said circuit breaker housing comprises at least one protrusion;
• and wherein each of said pivot members of said pivot assembly comprises at least one protrusion received by said at least one recess of said one of said substantially vertical walls, and at least one cut-out portion received by said at least one protrusion of the other one of said substantially vertical walls.