# US 8,465,305 B2 · Electrical system having withdrawable electrical apparatus and shutter assembly with ramped engagement surfaces > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 8,465,305 B2 - Document ID: US8465305B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 13/085,570 - Filed: 2011-04-13 - Published: 2012-10-18 - Granted: 2013-06-18 - Earliest claimed: 2011-04-13 - Assignees: Eaton Corporation - Applicants: William Edward Wilkie; Michael Howard Abrahamsen; Michael Davis Pearce - Inventors: William Edward Wilkie; Michael Howard Abrahamsen; Michael Davis Pearce - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US8465305B2 ## CPC - H02B 11/24: Shutters or guards - H01R 13/447: Shutter or cover plate - H02B: BOARDS, SUBSTATIONS OR SWITCHING ARRANGEMENTS FOR THE SUPPLY OR DISTRIBUTION OF ELECTRIC POWER - H01R: ELECTRICALLY-CONDUCTIVE CONNECTIONS; STRUCTURAL ASSOCIATIONS OF A PLURALITY OF MUTUALLY-INSULATED ELECTRICAL CONNECTING ELEMENTS; COUPLING DEVICES; CURRENT COLLECTORS ## Abstract A shutter assembly is provided for an electrical system including at least one withdrawable electric apparatus, such as a circuit breaker, and an electrical bus member. A protruding structure of the circuit breaker is removably coupled to a corresponding primary contact of the electrical bus member to electrically connect the circuit breaker and the electrical bus member. The shutter assembly includes a pair of cover members that each have a ramped engagement surface and that are movable between a first position in which the corresponding primary contact of the electrical bus member is isolated and a second position in which the cover members are offset from the primary contact to allow the circuit breaker to be connected with the primary contact and the electrical bus member. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A shutter assembly for an electrical system, the electrical system being structured to cooperate with at least one withdrawable electric apparatus and a number of electrical bus members, at least some of the number of electrical bus members being structured to include a primary contact, the withdrawable electric apparatus being structured to include a number of protruding structures, the withdrawable electric apparatus being structured to be coupled with the primary contact of an electrical bus member of the number of electrical bus members to electrically connect together the at least one withdrawable electric apparatus and the electrical bus members, the shutter assembly comprising: a support apparatus comprising an elongated structure and being structured to be situated adjacent at least a portion of the primary contact of a bus member of the number of bus members; and a cover apparatus disposed on the support apparatus and being movable between a first position and a second position, the cover apparatus in the first position being structured to overlie at least a portion of the primary contact, the cover apparatus in the second position being structured to be offset from the primary contact, the cover apparatus comprising at least a first cover member comprising an engagement structure having a ramped engagement surface that is structured to be engaged by the protruding structure of the withdrawable electric apparatus to translate the cover apparatus on the elongated structure between the first and second positions. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The shutter assembly of claim 1 wherein the cover apparatus further comprises a second cover member comprising another engagement structure having another ramped engagement surface that is structured to be engaged by the protruding structure of the withdrawable electric apparatus to move the cover apparatus between the first and second positions, the at least first and second cover members being in contact with one another in the first position, the at least first and second cover members being spaced apart from one another in the second position. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The shutter assembly of claim 2 wherein the ramped engagement surface and the another ramped engagement surface face generally toward one another. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The shutter assembly of claim 1 wherein the support apparatus comprises a biasing element which biases the at least first cover member toward the first position. ### Claim 5 A shutter assembly for an electrical system, the electrical system being structured to cooperate with at least one withdrawable electric apparatus and a number of electrical bus members, at least some of the number of electrical bus members being structured to include a primary contact, the withdrawable electric apparatus being structured to include a number of protruding structures, the withdrawable electric apparatus being structured to be coupled with the primary contact of an electrical bus member of the number of electrical bus members to electrically connect together the at least one withdrawable electric apparatus and the electrical bus members, the shutter assembly comprising: a support apparatus structured to be situated adjacent at least a portion of the primary contact of a bus member of the number of bus members; and a cover apparatus disposed on the support apparatus and being movable between a first position and a second position, the cover apparatus in the first position being structured to overlie at least a portion of the primary contact, the cover apparatus in the second position being structured to be offset from the primary contact, the cover apparatus comprising at least a first cover member comprising an engagement structure having a ramped engagement surface that is structured to be engaged by the protruding structure of the withdrawable electric apparatus to translate the cover apparatus between the first and second positions; wherein the support apparatus comprises a biasing element which biases the at least first cover member toward the first position; and wherein the support apparatus further comprises a track apparatus that comprises a pair of track elements oriented substantially parallel to one another, the at least first cover member further comprising a pair of mounting elements that cooperate with the pair of track elements to slidably mount the at least first cover member to the pair of track elements. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The shutter assembly of claim 5 wherein the pair of track element each have an elongated channel formed therein, and wherein a portion of each of the pair of mounting elements are slidably situated in the elongated channels. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The shutter assembly of claim 6 wherein the biasing element comprises a pair of elongated biasing elements situated in the elongated channels. ### Claim 8 A shutter assembly for an electrical system, the electrical system being structured to cooperate with at least one withdrawable electric apparatus and a number of electrical bus members, at least some of the number of electrical bus members being structured to include a primary contact, the withdrawable electric apparatus being structured to include a number of protruding structures, the withdrawable electric apparatus being structured to be coupled with the primary contact of an electrical bus member of the number of electrical bus members to electrically connect together the at least one withdrawable electric apparatus and the electrical bus members, the shutter assembly comprising: a support apparatus comprising an elongated structure and being structured to be situated adjacent at least a portion of the primary contact of a bus member of the number of bus members; and a cover apparatus disposed on the support apparatus and being movable between a first position and a second position, the cover apparatus in the first position being structured to overlie at least a portion of the primary contact, the cover apparatus in the second position being structured to be offset from the primary contact, the cover apparatus comprising at least a first cover member comprising an engagement structure having a ramped engagement surface that is structured to be engaged by the protruding structure of the withdrawable electric apparatus to translate the cover apparatus on the elongated structure between the first and second positions; and wherein the cover apparatus in the first position is structured to overlie at least a portion of each of a plurality of primary contacts of a plurality of electrical bus members of the number of electrical bus members, the plurality of primary contacts being aligned along an axis, the support apparatus being movable between the first and second positions along a direction oblique to the axis. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The shutter assembly of claim 8 wherein the cover apparatus further comprises a second cover member comprising another engagement structure having another ramped engagement surface that is structured to be engaged by the protruding structure of the withdrawable electric apparatus to move the cover apparatus between the first and second positions, and wherein the support apparatus further comprises a track apparatus that comprises at least one elongated track element that cooperates with the at least first cover member and at least one other elongated track element that cooperates with the second cover member, the at least one elongated track element and the at least one other elongated track element being oriented substantially parallel with one another. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The shutter assembly of claim 9 wherein the at least one elongated track element and the at least one other elongated track element are shifted from another in a direction lateral to the longitudinal extent of the elongated track elements. ### Claim 11 An electrical system structured to cooperate with at least one withdrawable electric apparatus and a number of electrical bus members, at least some of the number of electrical bus members being structured to include a primary contact, the withdrawable electric apparatus being structured to include a number of protruding structures, the withdrawable electric apparatus being structured to be coupled with the primary contact of an electrical bus member of the number of electrical bus members to electrically connect together the at least one withdrawable electric apparatus and the electrical bus members, the electrical system comprising: a switchgear enclosure; a shutter assembly comprising a support apparatus and a cover apparatus; the support apparatus comprising an elongated structure and being structured to be situated adjacent at least a portion of the primary contact of a bus member of the number of bus members; and the cover apparatus disposed on the support apparatus and being movable between a first position and a second position, the cover apparatus in the first position being structured to overlie at least a portion of the primary contact, the cover apparatus in the second position being structured to be offset from the primary contact, the cover apparatus comprising at least a first cover member comprising an engagement structure having a ramped engagement surface that is structured to be engaged by the protruding structure of the withdrawable electric apparatus to translate the cover apparatus on the elongated structure between the first and second positions. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The electrical system of claim 11 wherein the cover apparatus further comprises a second cover member comprising another engagement structure having another ramped engagement surface that is structured to be engaged by the protruding structure of the withdrawable electric apparatus to move the cover apparatus between the first and second positions, the at least first and second cover members being in contact with one another in the first position, the at least first and second cover members being spaced apart from one another in the second position. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The electrical system of claim 12 wherein the ramped engagement surface and the another ramped engagement surface face generally toward one another. ### Claim 14 (depends on 11) The electrical system of claim 11 wherein the support apparatus comprises a biasing element which biases the at least first cover member toward the first position. ### Claim 15 An electrical system structured to cooperate with at least one withdrawable electric apparatus and a number of electrical bus members, at least some of the number of electrical bus members being structured to include a primary contact, the withdrawable electric apparatus being structured to include a number of protruding structures, the withdrawable electric apparatus being structured to be coupled with the primary contact of an electrical bus member of the number of electrical bus members to electrically connect together the at least one withdrawable electric apparatus and the electrical bus members, the electrical system comprising: a switchgear enclosure; a shutter assembly comprising a support apparatus and a cover apparatus; the support apparatus structured to be situated adjacent at least a portion of the primary contact of a bus member of the number of bus members; the cover apparatus disposed on the support apparatus and being movable between a first position and a second position, the cover apparatus in the first position being structured to overlie at least a portion of the primary contact, the cover apparatus in the second position being structured to be offset from the primary contact, the cover apparatus comprising at least a first cover member comprising an engagement structure having a ramped engagement surface that is structured to be engaged by the protruding structure of the withdrawable electric apparatus to move the cover apparatus between the first and second positions; wherein the support apparatus comprises a biasing element which biases the at least first cover member toward the first position; and wherein the support apparatus further comprises a track apparatus that comprises a pair of track elements oriented substantially parallel to one another, the at least first cover member further comprising a pair of mounting elements that cooperate with the pair of track elements to slidably mount the at least first cover member to the pair of track elements. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The electrical system of claim 15 wherein the pair of track element each have an elongated channel formed therein, and wherein a portion of each of the pair of mounting elements are slidably situated in the elongated channels. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The electrical system of claim 16 wherein the biasing element comprises a pair of elongated biasing elements situated in the elongated channels. ### Claim 18 An electrical system structured to cooperate with at least one withdrawable electric apparatus and a number of electrical bus members, at least some of the number of electrical bus members being structured to include a primary contact, the withdrawable electric apparatus being structured to include a number of protruding structures, the withdrawable electric apparatus being structured to be coupled with the primary contact of an electrical bus member of the number of electrical bus members to electrically connect together the at least one withdrawable electric apparatus and the electrical bus members, the electrical system comprising: a switchgear enclosure; a shutter assembly comprising a support apparatus and a cover apparatus; the support apparatus comprising an elongated structure and being structured to be situated adjacent at least a portion of the primary contact of a bus member of the number of bus members; the cover apparatus disposed on the support apparatus and being movable between a first position and a second position, the cover apparatus in the first position being structured to overlie at least a portion of the primary contact, the cover apparatus in the second position being structured to be offset from the primary contact, the cover apparatus comprising at least a first cover member comprising an engagement structure having a ramped engagement surface that is structured to be engaged by the protruding structure of the withdrawable electric apparatus to move the cover apparatus on the elongated structure between the first and second positions; and wherein the cover apparatus in the first position is structured to overlie at least a portion of each of a plurality of primary contacts of a plurality of electrical bus members of the number of electrical bus members, the plurality of primary contacts being aligned along an axis, the support apparatus being movable between the first and second positions along a direction oblique to the axis. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The electrical system of claim 18 wherein the cover apparatus further comprises a second cover member comprising another engagement structure having another ramped engagement surface that is structured to be engaged by the protruding structure of the withdrawable electric apparatus to move the cover apparatus between the first and second positions, and wherein the support apparatus further comprises a track apparatus that comprises at least one elongated track element that cooperates with the at least first cover member and at least one other elongated track element that cooperates with the second cover member, the at least one elongated track element and the at least one other elongated track element being oriented substantially parallel with one another. ### Claim 20 (depends on 19) The electrical system of claim 19 wherein the at least one elongated track element and the at least one other elongated track element are shifted from another in a direction lateral to the longitudinal extent of the elongated track elements.