Trip indicator member, and limiter and electrical switching apparatus including a plurality of trip indicator members

A trip indicator member for a current limiter including a plunger, said trip indicator member comprising:

• a first end;
• a second end opposite and distal from said first end;
• a periphery including a number of alignment protrusions, each of said number of alignment protrusions being slidably engageable by a number of corresponding grooves;
• and
• a trip indicator disposed from said first end,
• said second end being engageable by the plunger of said current limiter,
• said trip indicator being disposable through an opening of a housing, and
• said first end being engageable by a spring member.

An electrical switching apparatus comprising:

• a circuit interrupter comprising;
• a housing,
• a plurality of first terminals,
• a plurality of second terminals,
• a plurality of separable contacts, each of said separable contacts being electrically connected between a corresponding pair of said first and second terminals, and
• an operating mechanism structured to open and close said separable contacts;
• and
• a limiter comprising:
• a housing comprising a first surface, a second surface opposite and distal from said first surface, and a plurality of sides disposed between said first surface and said second surface, said second surface including a plurality of openings disposed along a first straight or substantially straight line,
• a plurality of third terminals disposed proximate said first surface,
• a plurality of fourth terminals, each of said fourth terminals comprising a conductor disposed proximate said second surface,
• three current limiters, each of said current limiters comprising a first end disposed proximate said first surface and being electrically connected to a corresponding one of said third terminals, a second end disposed proximate said second surface and being electrically connected to the conductor of a corresponding one of said fourth terminals, an elongated body disposed between said first end and said second end, and a plunger, said first end including an aperture, said plunger being disposable through said aperture, the plunger of a first one of said current limiters and the plunger of a second one of said current limiters defining a second straight or substantially straight line, and the plunger of a third one of said current limiters being offset from said second straight or substantially straight line,
• three indicator members, each of said indicator members comprising a first end, a second end opposite and distal from the last said first end, and an indicator disposed from the last said first cad, the last said second end being engaged by the plunger of a corresponding one of said current limiters, said indicator being disposable through a corresponding one of the openings of the second surface of said housing, and
• three spring members, each of said spring members biasing a corresponding one of said indicator members away from the second surface of said housing,
• wherein said housing is structured to carry two of said indicator members in a first orientation and another one of said indicator members in a different second orientation, in order that the indicator of each of said indicator members is positioned in a third straight or substantially straight line and is disposable through the corresponding one of the openings of the second surface of said housing, and
• wherein for each pair of said first and second terminals, one of said first and second terminals is electrically connected to a corresponding one of said third and fourth terminals.

A limiter comprising;

• a housing comprising a first surface, a second surface opposite and distal from said first surface, and a plurality of sides disposed between said first surface and said second surface;
• a plurality of first terminals disposed proximate said first surface;
• a plurality of second terminals disposed proximate said first surface, each of said second terminals comprising a conductor disposed proximate said second surface;
• a plurality of current limiters, each of said current limiters comprising a first end disposed proximate said first surface and being electrically connected to a corresponding one of said first terminals, a second end disposed proximate said second surface and being electrically connected to the conductor of a corresponding one of said second terminals, and an elongated body disposed between said first end and said second end;
• and
• wherein said plurality of current limiters are a first current limiter, a second current limiter and a third current limiter;
• wherein said elongated body is an elongated generally cylindrical body;
• and wherein the elongated generally cylindrical body of said first current limiter, the elongated generally cylindrical body of said second current limiter and the elongated generally cylindrical body of said third current limiter are disposed in a V-shaped configuration within said housing.

A limiter comprising:

• a housing comprising a first surface, a second surface opposite and distal from said first surface, and a plurality of sides disposed between said first surface and said second surface;
• a plurality of first terminals disposed proximate said first surface;
• a plurality of second terminals disposed proximate said first surface, each of said second terminals comprising a conductor disposed proximate said second surface;
• a plurality of current limiters, each of said current limiters comprising a first end disposed proximate said first surface and being electrically connected to a corresponding one of said first terminals, a second end disposed proximate said second surface and being electrically connected to the conductor of a corresponding one of said second terminals, and an elongated body disposed between said first end and said second end;
• and
• wherein each of said current limiters further comprises a plunger disposed from the second end thereof;
• wherein said plurality of current limiters are a first current limiter, a second current limiter and a third current limiter;
• wherein the plunger of said first current limiter and the plunger of said second current limiter define a straight or substantially straight line;
• and wherein the plunger of said third current limiter is offset from said straight or substantially straight line.