JPH0697590B2 - Breaker - Google Patents

Description

Description: BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to single-pole and multi-pole electrical circuit breakers that maximize contact opening with minimum size breakers. The invention comprises means for controlling the switching means with maximum precision as well as improved safety devices.

DESCRIPTION OF RELATED PRIOR ART U.S. Pat. No. 3,959,755 to Harper et al. And U.S. Pat. No. 4,117,285 to Harper disclose typical conventional circuit breakers. It has a fixed electrical contact, a movable electrical contact attached to the movable contact arm, a means for manually opening and closing the contact, and a means for automatically opening the contact in response to an overcurrent flowing through the breaker. The circuit breaker components are housed in an insulating plastic housing.

Manufacturers of commercial circuit breakers generally produce a complete product line that produces circuit breakers of multiple sizes, each covering a different (and sometimes overlapping) range of operating currents. Up to now, the size of each breaker has been defined by the size of its own components and case. In general, a circuit breaker that combines a component with its own dimensions and a case is effective for circuits with only one current rating range. The need for differently sized components and cases for each current rating has increased the overall cost of such general type circuit breakers. Until now, the size of the circuit breaker has been determined by various factors.

One such factor is to minimize the gap between contacts in order to meet a given current rating when manually opening the circuit breaker contacts and when tripping those contacts to automatically open them. It is about doing.
(Many circuit breakers separate their contacts a certain distance when manually opened and a different distance when automatically tripped.) The minimum gap requirement is for manual and automatic modes. Either way, the breaker needs to be large enough to reduce the gap in either case. This requirement affects the overall size of the circuit breaker.

As the current carrying capability (ie, rating) of the breaker increases, the gap between the breaker's electrical contacts in the OFF (ie, open) position must be proportionately larger. Conventional circuit breakers allow their electrical contacts to be separated by only a relatively limited distance compared to the overall size of the circuit breaker, so that the OFF position required for high current ratings is In order to increase the spacing between the electrical contacts, it was necessary to manufacture ever larger breakers.

The overall size of the circuit breaker is also determined to some extent by the need to meet industrial safety standards. In typical industrial standards such as VDE in Germany and proposed IEC standards, for example, the plastic case of the circuit breaker should be placed within a certain distance of the conductive parts of the circuit breaker to hold an external object such as a human finger. It must be designed so that it cannot be accessed. When using the circuit breaker in a multi-pole arrangement, it is also necessary to maintain a certain distance between the conductive parts of the poles of the adjacent circuit breakers.

A typical multi-pole circuit breaker consists of interconnecting several single pole units located adjacent to each other. The manual switching handles of each circuit breaker can be linked together to manually actuate all poles simultaneously. Alternatively, other than connecting each manual switching handle, if any one pole is tripped, means may be provided to automatically trip and open all the breaker poles at the same time. .

Conventional multi-pole circuit breaker devices have a trip lever mechanism associated with each pole of the multi-pole circuit breaker. Each trip lever has a portion that connects it to an adjacent trip lever. When either pole is tripped and opened due to overcurrent, the circuit breaker mechanism for that pole pivots the trip lever about its mounting axis. By the rotation operation of this one lever, all the levers connected to this lever rotate simultaneously. Each lever may be provided with an armature for each pole, i.e. an arm that strikes a toggle mechanism to trip each pole open.

Although such devices are generally satisfactory, they do have certain drawbacks. When the first pole automatically trips, it requires a series of somewhat longer mechanical movements to trip the poles of each breaker. The tripped pole needs to convey a rotational movement to its associated trip lever, which trip lever needs to convey a similar movement to the other trip levers connected to it. Each trip lever must contact the armature of its associated pole, and the armature must trip to open each pole. Conventional circuit breakers use pins and sockets or similar devices to connect a number of trip levers together. Due to manufacturing tolerances, the engagement between the levers will be somewhat loose, and the movement of some levers will generally slow the movement of other levers behind by a few thousandths of an inch. The effects of such mechanical delays double as the number of poles increases. These mechanical delays temporarily delay the tripping of the circuit breaker, which can ultimately damage the circuit to be protected. For this reason, ideally, tripping of all poles should occur at substantially the same time as any one trips.

In other prior art devices, a rotatable trip bar extends through each pole of a multi-pole circuit breaker. When one pole is tripped, the trip bar rotates to trip and open the remaining poles. Even though this device does not suffer from the backlash delay introduced by the loose-fitting pin coupling means described above, it requires the execution of a lengthy series of mechanical actions to trip and open all the circuit breakers. The first tripped circuit breaker must hit its associated trip lever, which must hit the tab of the rotatable trip bar. The remaining tabs of the trip bar must contact the armatures of the remaining circuit breakers, and these armatures must strike the automatic tripping means of each circuit breaker.

Furthermore, it is common practice to insert pins into the holes in each of the several handles to connect the manual switching handle of the multi-pole circuit breaker. Due to manufacturing tolerances, the pins that pass through each handle will fit slightly. This results in several handles delaying the movement of the other rear handle if all handles are moved together to open or close all poles. Thus, the electrical contacts of several poles will not open or close exactly at the same time.

Another drawback of the manual switching means associated with many conventional circuit breakers is that it requires a fairly long movement to move the switching handle between the ON and OFF positions. The longer the handle "close", the longer the time required to manually open the circuit breaker. Although such a time is only a fraction of a second, such a time difference is important when it is necessary to quickly shut off the electric circuit. Such a problem is compounded by backlash due to loose fitting of the pin that normally connects the handle of the multipolar circuit breaker and delay in operation. To reduce the "make-up" length between the ON and OFF positions of the handle to the desired length is generally by undesirably reducing the maximum separation between the electrical contacts in the OFF position of the circuit breaker. I am doing it.

The present invention seeks to some extent overcome the above-mentioned problems associated with conventional circuit breakers.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention, in one aspect, includes a circuit breaker having a non-conductive case and a non-conductive handle for manually operating the circuit breaker. The cooperating portion of the handle and the case defines a non-linear gap between the outer portion of the handle and the case and the conductive portion of the breaker inside the case. The actual distance (ie, the shortest spark path) from the outer part of the case near the handle through the nonlinear gap to the conductive part of the circuit breaker is at least 0.315.
Inches (8 mm) and between accessible and conductive parts (measured through intervening structures)
The straight line distance should be much shorter than the above dimension.

The construction of the cooperating parts of the case and handle ensure that these parts define a non-linear gap but do not impede the movement of the handle. In the preferred embodiment, the handle and case define a tortuous path, or gap, but the handle and case define an arcuate ridge for rotational movement of the handle.

In another aspect of the invention, the invention includes an improved trip lever for a multi-pole circuit breaker. This improved trip lever is advantageously used in a multi-pole circuit breaker in which each unipolar circuit breaker has a toggle mechanism and means for releasing the toggle to open the circuit breaker. Each lever has two legs that are connected for rotational movement and a portion that connects each lever to a similar lever on an adjacent unipolar circuit breaker so that all levers rotate simultaneously. One of the legs of each lever is positioned so as to be engaged with a part of each circuit breaker, and when the circuit breaker is tripped and opened,
The rotary motion is transmitted to all the levers connected to each other. In this case, the second leg of each lever engages the toggle release means, thereby tripping and opening the remaining breakers.

Each trip lever has a modification that connects the lever to a similar lever on an adjacent unipolar circuit breaker. Each trip lever has a tapered extension and a tapered bore. The extension extends through the alignment opening in the case of the adjacent breaker and is received in the tapered bore of the adjacent lever. By tapering the extension and the hole respectively, the extension can be easily inserted into the hole and securely seated, eliminating the loose fit and backlash associated with the prior art devices.

The invention also includes an improved means for manually operating all individual circuit breakers of a multi-pole circuit breaker. Each interrupter has a manual switching part in its case, such a switching part having a part which is connected to a similar switching part of the adjacent interrupting part. At least one cut-off is also part of the manual switching part and also extends outwardly from the case and forms the handle.

The case of each interrupting part having an outwardly extending handle also has an opening through which the handle passes. The part of the manual switching portion in the case of the remaining breaking part of the multi-pole breaker is in a non-perforated state. The portion that connects the switching portions comprises a somewhat tapered protrusion or extension that passes through the opening in the adjacent cut. These connect each manual switching part without backlash and the attendant drawbacks. Preferably, there are up to four interrupts connected to the multipole assembly to eliminate the mechanical delay problems discussed above.

In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the case wall portion around the opening through which the manual switching portion is inserted is made thick. With such a case structure, since the spark passage that propagates from the conductive element inside to the outside is bent, the distance that the spark propagates becomes equal to or longer than the minimum required condition specified in the industry. This is why such structures meet industry standards such as the German VDE standard.

The present invention may also include a shield that at least partially covers each opening through which the tapered extension of the manual switching portion extends. In this example, the shield is mounted in a recess defined by the outer portion of the case of the adjacent circuit breaker and is movable in response to movement of the manual switching means. The shield defines a biased passage between the inner portions of adjacent cuts. The distance along the biased path between the conductive portions of adjacent cuts should be at least 0.315 inches (8 mm), and the linear distance between the conductive portions should be much less than the above distance. Of course, the tapered extension extending between the cuts is non-conductive.

Each pole of the multipole circuit breaker according to a variant of the invention comprises a case in which at least one wall has a recess. The recesses in the adjacent walls define the cavities in which the aforementioned movable shields are mounted.

The circuit breaker according to the present invention has a handle pivotally attached to and pivotally attached to the first toggle link. The first toggle link is pivotally attached to the second toggle link, and the second toggle ring is pivotally attached to the movable contact arm. The pivotable mounts and pivots described above are substantially aligned with each other when the circuit breaker is in the ON (or closed) position. This alignment minimizes the force acting on the portion of the circuit breaker that keeps the toggle link in the ON position and in the extended position. Therefore, the force required to naturally trip the breaker is minimal and the breaker sensitivity is improved.

The movable contact arm is pivotally attached to the fixed part of the circuit breaker. The latter pivotal attachment and the pivot between the contact arm and the second toggle link define a line substantially perpendicular to the line on which the remaining pivot is located. According to the present invention, the various pivot points arranged in the above-described manner are separated from each other by a distance satisfying a specific proportional relationship. With such an arrangement, essentially the same mechanism can be used for several breakers with different current rating ranges.

The various features and advantages described above may be fully apparent in view of the preferred embodiments of the invention described below and the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a side view of a circuit breaker according to the present invention; FIG. 2 is an end view of a circuit breaker according to the present invention; FIG. 3A is a side view of an operating handle for a circuit breaker according to the present invention; Is a partial sectional view taken along the line BB in FIG. 3A; FIG. 4 is a side view of the toggle mechanism cam link according to the present invention; and FIGS. 5A and 5B are end views of the toggle mechanism housing link according to the present invention, respectively. 6A to 6C are side views, respectively a side view, a top view and an end view of a movable contact arm according to the present invention; and FIG. 7A is a view showing switching means for a circuit breaker according to the present invention in a manually opened state; 7B shows the same switching means in the tripped open state; FIG. 7C shows a frame for breaking according to the invention; FIG. 8 shows a partial sectional view of the actuation handle mounted on the case of the breaker according to the invention; Figure 9A is the main FIG. 9B is a partial cross-sectional view of the circuit breaker case according to the multipole example of FIG. 9B taken along the line AA in FIG. 9B; FIG. 9B is a partial side view of the multipole case according to the present invention; Part of another multipolar case,
10B is a cross-sectional view taken along the line AA of FIG. 10B; FIG. 10B is a partial side view of the other multipolar case structure of FIG. 10A; and FIG. 11A is another case of the circuit breaker used in the multipolar form of the present invention. 11B is a partial cross-sectional view taken along the line AA of FIG. 11B; FIG. 11B is a partial side view of the case of FIG. 11A; and FIGS. 12A and 12B are multipole circuit breakers of the present invention. FIG. 13A and FIG. 13B are end views and side views of the trip lever in the circuit breaker according to the present invention, respectively. FIG. 14 shows the trip lever shown in FIG. 13A and FIG. 13B. FIG. 15A and FIG. 15B are side and end views, respectively, of a hand link according to the present invention; and FIG. 16 is an adjacent case, actuating means, trip lever and Select the selected element from the adjacent poles of the multi-pole circuit breaker according to the present invention that has a shield between the cases. It is the figure shown.

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION With reference to FIGS. 1-2, a preferred example of a circuit breaker according to the present invention is generally designated by reference numeral 10. The circuit breaker comprises a case 12 made of an electrically insulating material such as plastic. The case 12 is formed of a pair of case halves 14 and 16, which are joined together by rivets or similar fasteners (not shown) that pass through the upper and lower fastener holes 18 and 20.

The boss 22 extending from the upper portion of the case 12 is provided with an opening 24 for a toggle handle 26. The handle 26 is also formed of a non-conductive material, typically molded plastic. Both ends of the opening 24 through which the handle 26 passes are provided with a pair of surface portions 28 and 30.
Defined by.

The trip mechanism is collectively referred to by reference numeral 32. This trip mechanism is a one-piece frame fixed inside the case 12.
It has 34. Frame detailed below in Figure 7C
34 carries an overcurrent trip coil 36 whose electrical leads are connected to terminals 40 via wires 38.

The coil 36 surrounds the magnetic core 42. Although not forming an essential part of the present invention, it is preferable to provide the core 42 with a delay tube. For example, a coil and delay tube assembly alone is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,062,052 issued to Harper et al.
The contents disclosed in this document are incorporated as they are in the present specification for reference.

The magnetic core 42 is terminated with a pole piece 44. An armature 46 pivotally attached to a pin 48 fixed to the frame 34 is adjacent to the magnetic pole piece 44. The armature 46 is biased rotatably clockwise (in FIG. 1) by a spring (not shown) and comprises a leg 50 and a counterweight 52. The counterweight 52 comprises an enlarged extension of the armature 46 to which the inertia wheel rotatably mounted on the frame 34.
A slot 54 may be provided that receives the pin 56 of 58. The function of the inertia wheel is described in detail in U.S. Pat. No. 3,497,838 issued to one person outside Melricken.
The contents disclosed in this document are incorporated as they are in the present specification for reference.

The handle 26 is pivotally attached to the pin 60 fixed to the frame 34. The handle 26 is attached to the cam link 68.
A pair of ears 62 and 64 that are perforated to receive rivets or pins 66 that connect them. Cam link
68 is pivotally attached to housing link 72 by rivets or pins 70. A pawl pin 74 is pivotally mounted to the housing link 72, as is well known to those skilled in the art, and is biased clockwise by a spring (not shown). A ratchet pin 76 is fixed to the ratchet pin 74.

The housing link 72 is pivotally attached to the movable contact arm 80 by rivets or pins 78. An arm 80 pivotally attached to a pin 83 fixed to the frame 34 is biased counterclockwise by a spring 81. Arm 80 in the example shown
Is also slidably attached to the pivot pin 83. The contact arm 80 supports a movable contact 82 at one end thereof, and the movable contact is a terminal when the breaker is in the closed or ON position.
It is held in contact with a fixed contact 84 attached to 86.
The circuit breaker is connected to the electrical circuit by terminals 40 and 86 as is well known.

Coil 36 is electrically connected to contact arm 80 by a conductive blade 88. When the circuit breaker is closed, the terminal 40,
Lead wire 38, coil 36, blade 88, contact arm 80, contact 82
And a continuous electrical path is formed through 84 and terminal 86.

Referring to FIGS. 3A and 3B, the handle 26 has a central hole 90 in the hub 91 for pivotally attaching the handle 26 to the pin 60. Ears 62 and 64, as described above.
The rivet 66 is passed through the pair of holes 92 and 94 in the.

A pair of arc-shaped ridges 96 and a pair of arc-shaped recesses 98 are concentrically provided with respect to the central hole 90. A pair of lateral protrusions 100 extend from both sides of the handle 26, and holes 102 are provided in each of these protrusions. As shown in FIG. 3A, from the pivot of the handle 26, a hole 92 for connecting the handle to the cam link 68 and
The center-to-center distance to the center of 94 is represented by the dimension D ₄ .

As shown in FIG. 4, the cam link 68 has an upper pivot opening 104 through which the rivet 66 connecting the link 68 to the handle 26 is passed. A rivet 70 connecting the link 68 to the housing link 72 is passed through the lower pivot opening 106. The cam surface 108 has a seat 110 against which a pawl pin 74 is secured to lock the toggle mechanism links 68 and 72 relative to each other. The distance between the centers of the upper and lower pivot openings 104 and 106 is represented by the dimension D ₃ .

As shown in FIGS. 5A and 5B, the housing link 72 comprises a pair of parallel spaced flat plates 111 and 113 connected by a pair of upper and lower straps 115 and 117. Each of these plates 111 and 113 has an upper pivot opening.
112a and 112b, respectively, into which links 72 are pivotally attached to links 68 through rivets 70.
Plates 111 and 113 have lower pivot openings 114a and 114b, respectively, into which link 72 is pivotally attached to contact arm 80 through rivets 78. Pawl pin 74
Are rotatably mounted in the pair of openings 116a and 116b in the flat plates 111 and 113, respectively.

As shown in FIG. 5B, the right flat plate 113 has an extension 118 which is provided with a tab 120 which projects laterally outward from the housing link 72. As best shown in FIG. 1, tab 120 acts as a stop for pawl pin 74 against stapling bar 76. The distance between the centers of the upper and lower pivot openings 112a and 114a is shown as dimension D ₂ .

As shown in FIGS. 6A to 6C, the movable contact arm 80 is a bottom plate.
It has a pair of side surfaces 122 and 124 connected by 126. The bottom plate 126 has an opening 130 for attaching the movable contact 82 to the arm 80. Sides 122 and 124 have openings 132a and 132b, respectively, for pivotally attaching arm 80 to housing link 72 by rivets 78.

Another pair of openings 134a and
Insert pin 83 into 134b (the latter opening is not shown),
This pivots the arm 80 to the frame 34. The pair of inwardly projecting stop members 136a and 136b are respectively springs.
Acts as a seat for one end of 81. The other end of spring 81 bears on frame 34 (FIG. 1) to bias arm 80 rotatably counterclockwise. A pair of surface parts
138a and 138b are used to abut their surface portions against the frame 34 when the circuit breaker opens to prevent the contact arm 80 from rotating too counterclockwise about its pivot axis. The distance between the pivot of the contact arm 80 and the pivot between the arm 80 and the link 72 is shown in FIG. 6A as dimension D ₁ .

FIG. 7C is a separate side view of frame 34. The main body of this frame is L that stops the coil 36
It has a letter-shaped rear plate 340 and a pair of side members 341 (only one side member is completely shown in FIG. 7C).
Both side members have an arm 342 extending upward,
The arm terminates in a circular section that has an opening 343 through which the pivot pin 60 passes. Each side member also has a downwardly extending leg 344 that terminates at an end 345 that has an opening 346 through which the pivot pin 83 is passed. Both side members 341
Also has an opening 347 through which the armature pivot pin 48 passes. When the breaker opens during operation, the contact arm 80
Rotates about the pin 83 to the point where the surface portions 138a and 138b hit the front surface of the L-shaped rear plate 340.

A feature of the invention that allows the same interrupting mechanism to be used with interrupters of different current ratings is the relative dimensional relationship of each frame element. Openings 343 and 346 for pivot pins
The height, or vertical distance, between the centers of is indicated by dimension D ₅ . The lateral separation between the pin opening 343 and the pivot pin opening 346 is shown by dimension D ₆ . Dimensions D ₅ and D ₆
Represents the two sides of a right triangle, and the hypotenuse of this right triangle is the line connecting the centers of the pivot pin openings 343 and 346.
Includes pivot pin opening 346 and rear plate 340 face, dimension D ₅
The lateral distance between the planes extending parallel to the sides of the right triangle defined by is indicated by the dimension D ₇ . The surface portions 138a and 138b of the contact member 80 abut the surface of the rear plate 340 on the frame 34 to terminate the contact arm 80 from rotating counterclockwise.

For purposes of the following description, the axis of the pin 83 that pivotally attaches the contact arm 80 to the frame 34 is referred to as the first pivot, and the housing link 72
The axis of the rivet 78 pivotally attached to the contact arm 80 is referred to as the second pivot, the axis of the rivet 70 pivotally attached to the cam link 68 to the housing link 72 is referred to as the third pivot, and the handle 26 is rotated to the cam link 68. The axis of the rivet 66 that is mechanically connected is referred to as the fourth axis, and the pivot axis of the handle 26 (through which the pin 60 passes) is referred to as the fifth axis.

When the circuit breaker 10 is in its closed or ON position, the second, third and fifth axes are in a straight imaginary line between the second axis on the rivet 78 and the fifth axis on the pin 60. Located almost along. The fourth axis is slightly offset from the imaginary line (to the left as shown in FIG. 1). Spring 81 biases contact arm 80 counterclockwise. This spring 81 thus biases the toggle mechanism comprising links 68 and 72 towards the tilted position. The absence of a pawl pin, which causes the contact arm 80 to rotate and open the breaker.
In the ON state shown in FIG. 1, that is, in the closed position, the pawl pin 74 is supported by the seat 110 of the cam link 68, so that the toggle mechanism is maintained in its extended state.

As described in more detail below, pawl pin 74 must be rotated counterclockwise to trip and open the circuit breaker. The device according to the invention with several pivots aligned as shown minimizes the forces exerted between the pawl pin 74 and the seat 110 and thus maximizes the sensitivity of the device. If the pivots are not aligned as shown, an unusually large force will be applied between the pawl pin 74 and the seat 110. The greater force required to rotate the pawl pin or trip the circuit breaker reduces the circuit breaker sensitivity.

Although it has been stated that the second, third and fifth pivots are located substantially along the straight line connecting the second and fifth pivots,
It is well known in the art that when the third and fourth pivots are completely aligned, the spring biasing force acting on the toggle mechanism via the contact arm 80 when tripping the circuit breaker will not allow the toggle to tip. For this reason, the third pivot of rivet 70 must be slightly offset from the line connecting the second pivot of rivet 78 and the fourth pivot of rivet 68. This slight bias is enough to defeat the toggle mechanism. Substantially aligning the fourth pivot with the second pivot reduces the force acting between the pawl pin 74 and the seat 110, improving the sensitivity of the circuit breaker. The fourth pivot axis of the rivet 66 is slightly displaced with respect to the line connecting the second and fifth pivot axes, and the handle 26 under the influence of the spring 81, and thus the closing mechanism as a whole, is once closed. It is also necessary to maintain the state, that is, the ON position. The minimum is sufficient to ensure that the bias breaker is in the ON position. Therefore, all axes from the second axis to the fifth axis are considered to be substantially aligned.

In operation, when the current flowing through the breaker exceeds a predetermined limit value, the strength of the magnetic field generated by the coil 36 becomes sufficiently strong to attract the armature 46 toward the pole piece 44.
As a result, the armature 46 rotates around the pin 48, so that the leg portion 50 contacts the pawl hitting bar 76 and rotates the pawl pin 74 counterclockwise. Rotation of the pawl pin 74 disengages it from the seat 110 on the cam link 68. Pawl pin 74
When the restraint imposed by is removed, the toggle mechanism comprising links 68 and 72 is free to tilt and, under the influence of spring 81, contact arm 80 rotates counterclockwise. As a result, the contacts 82 and 84 are separated from each other, and the circuit passing through the breaker 10 is cut off.

The circuit can also be cut off manually. When the handle 26 is rotated counterclockwise about the pivot axis of the pin 60, the rivet 66 which attaches the cam link 68 to the handle 26 pivots or rotates counterclockwise about the pin 60. The pawl pin 74 remains engaged with the seat 110 and the links 68 and 72 remain locked in place as shown in FIGS. 1 and 7A. The rivet 66 pivots in an arc about the axis of the pin 60, so that the links 68 and 72 are at the 7th A
It is lifted and rotated as shown in the figure. The rivet 78 that connects the housing link 72 and the contact arm 80 moves upward and pivots in an arc about the axis of the pin 83.
This causes contact arm 80 to move, separating contacts 82 and 84,
Break the circuit through the breaker.

If the relationship between the various elements of the circuit breaker, which are operatively arranged as described above, is set to a particular relationship, the circuit breaker has various unique results. As previously mentioned, the clearance clearance must be kept to a minimum to achieve the desired amperage rating in the circuit breaker. The gap must be increased as the amperage rating increases. However, in order to widen the gap between the electrical contacts when the circuit breaker is in the open state, it is not necessary to increase the overall size as in the conventional circuit breaker. The particular relationship described above and in more detail below is that the gap between the open breaker contacts in both modes of manual opening and automatic tripping is maximal within a given size limit. It is something to do. This allows breakers for use at relatively high amperage and over a wide range of amperage ratings to be manufactured with generally relatively small dimensions. Further, due to the spatially favorable relationship between the constituent parts of the circuit breaker of the present invention, it is possible to replace contact arms of various sizes and current ratings, or to operate the same toggle mechanism as it is. The results are coming.

According to the invention, the dimensions D _{1 to} D ₇ mentioned above are maintained in a specific relationship to one another so that unique advantageous results are obtained. Therefore, the handle 26, the cam ring 68, the housing link 72, and the contact arm 80 are formed so that a desired relationship is established.

FIGS. 7A and 7B show switching means of the circuit breaker of the present invention, respectively, in the open state and the trip free state, which are manually tripped. To normally trip the circuit breaker, i.e., to manually open the circuit breaker, the handle 26 is rotated counterclockwise about the pivot axis of the pin 60 as shown in Figure 7A. A gap G ₁ is established between the contacts 82 and 84 when the handle is in its counterclockwise position. FIG. 7B shows the circuit breaker of the present invention in a trip free state (ie, the handle is forced on). When the circuit breaker trips,
82 and 84 are separated by a distance defined by gap G ₂ . gap
G ₁ and G ₂ are D ₁ , D ₂ , D ₃ , D ₄ ,
It is the maximum when the dimensions of D ₅ , D ₆ and D ₇ are as follows. That is, D ₃ : D ₁ <D ₄ : D ₁ <D ₂ : D ₁ ; D ₇ : D ₁ <D ₆ : D ₁ <D ₃ : D ₁ <D ₄ : D ₁ <D ₂ : D ₁ < D ₅ : D ₁ ; and D ₇ : D ₅ <D ₆ : D ₅ distance D ₁ , D ₂ , D ₃ , D ₄ , D ₅ , D ₆ and D ₇ The gap G ₁ is maximized not only for the size of the circuit breaker as a whole, but also for the traveling degree of the handle 26. Compared to conventional circuit breakers of similar overall dimensions, the gap G ₁ is sufficiently large, but the arcuate travel range of the handle 26 is reduced to about 31 ° to 32 °, which is characteristic of conventional devices. The mileage of the steering wheel is much shorter than what is shown. Therefore, the device of the present invention forms a manual circuit breaker that operates extremely fast by increasing the gap distance for short movements of the manual control means. With the device according to the invention, a comparable wide range of amperage ratings can be achieved in the open mode of operation with manual opening and automatic tripping. Thus, the mode of operation in no way limits the scope of the invention's utility.

For example, the dimensions of each part of the device according to the invention can be as follows. That is, D ₁ = 0.30 inch; D ₂ = 0.430 inch; D ₃ = 0.330 inch; D ₄ = 0.340 inch; D ₅ = 1.093 inch; D ₆ = 0.240 inch; D ₇ = 0.126 inch. In this example D ₂ : D ₁ is approximately 1.43: 1.00.

D ₃ : D ₁ is almost 1.10: 1.00.

D _4: D ₁ is approximately 1.13: 1.00.

D ₅ : D ₁ is approximately 3.64: 1.00.

D _6: D ₁ is approximately 0.80: 1.00.

D _7: D ₁ is approximately 0.42: 1.00.

D _6: D ₅ is approximately 0.22: 1.00.

D _7: D ₅ is approximately 0.12: 1.00.

Because of this, the gaps G ₁ and G ₂ are approximately 0.53 inches (13.48m
m) is the maximum. This is the German case where the gap between the contacts in the OFF, open position should be only 3 mm.
Sufficient to meet industry safety standards such as VDE and the proposed IEC safety standards. The present invention satisfies these criteria with a minimum size circuit breaker and uses a small circuit breaker to meet the requirements for minimum clearance clearance.

At least 8 m between the “live” (electrically conductive) and accessible parts of the circuit breaker according to the industrial safety standards mentioned above.
Must be separated by m (0.315 inches). The accessible part is the part that can be touched from outside the case of the circuit breaker using a 2 × 4 millimeter probe. The separation distance is the distance measured from the accessible portion through the space or across the surface portion to the live portion. In order to meet this criterion, the parts of the circuit breaker and / or the case of these circuit breakers generally have to be large, i.e. wide. However, according to the present invention, such a requirement can be met without increasing the overall size of the circuit breaker.

In particular, the circuit breaker of the present invention includes a manual actuation means and a case portion which cooperate to define a tortuous path, thereby maximizing the distance between the accessible and outgoing portions of the minimum size circuit breaker. I am. Handle 26 is shown in Figures 3A and 3B.
It includes an arcuate ridge 96 and an arcuate recess 98 as previously described with respect to the figures.

FIG. 8 shows a portion of the handle and case of the circuit breaker of the present invention, such that they provide a proper separation between the outer portion of the circuit breaker and the going conductor portion. The handle 26 has a narrow portion 144 (see FIG. 8) located between the portions 146 of the case 12 extending inward of the boss 22.
The narrow portion 144 extends radially from the wide outer portion 27 toward the inside of the case 12, and terminates at the ridge 96. The case halves 14 and 16 are in many respects substantially mirror-symmetrical to each other. Each case half has an arcuate recess 140 and an arcuate ridge 142. The arc of the recess 140 and the ridge 142 center the handle 26 on the axis of the pin 60 for pivotally mounting. Recesses 140 and ridges 142 are in each case half 14 and 16
Of the non-flat surface of the handle 26 which is formed by the ridge 96 and the recess 98.
The base 148 of the narrow handle portion 144 is at least electrically accessible to the outer portion of the breaker. Base in case
The shortest distance from 148 to the electrically conductive or "live" portion is along a meander path or void 150 leading to the portion of point 152 inside the circuit breaker. The tortuous path through void 150 is much longer than the straight line distance from point 148 to the interior of the case. 3A, 3B configured as described above
With the circuit breaker adjusted as shown in Figures and 8, the distance from the base 148 through the air gap 150 to the point 152 is about 0.33 inches (8.5 mm), but the vertical distance between the points 148 and 152 is Is only about 0.14 inches (3.5 mm).

The handle 26 can be rotated normally by arcing the ridges and recesses 96, 98, 140 and 142. However, the present invention is not limited to the circuit breaker in which the manual operation means is a rotary type. In the circuit breaker based on the principle of the present invention, for example, the operating means can be linearly moved between the OFF and ON positions.

The circuit breaker according to the invention can also be used in multipole circuit breakers. The aforementioned U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,444,488 and 3,786,3
As illustrated by No. 80, a multi-pole circuit breaker can be constructed with a plurality of single pole circuit breakers adjacent to each other and connected in operation. The circuit breaker of the present invention allows it to be used in a multi-pole circuit breaker, overcomes the aforementioned drawbacks associated with conventional multi-pole circuit breakers, and meets industrial safety standards. It is equipped with

9A and 9B show a preferred case of the circuit breaker according to the present invention, which is particularly useful for multipole structures. Multipole breakers require one or more connecting links to pass through adjacent case walls of several pole units. To meet the Industrial Safety Standards, leave a gap of at least 8 mm (0.315 mm) between the outside of the case where the sides are open and the nearest conducting part inside the case.
Inches). The example shown in Figures 9A and 9B incorporates a novel design that meets these needs.

FIG. 9A shows one case half, and the other case half is almost the same except for the following points. The boss 22 extends upward from the case 12. The wall 146 forms the inner wall of the boss 22 which, together with the corresponding wall of the opposite case half, delimits the handle 26. The arcuate recess 140 and the arcuate ridge 142 receive the arcuate ridge 96 and the arcuate recess. The stepped arcuate recess 143 is a raised surface portion on the inner wall of the case 12 for receiving the end of the pivot pin 60.
It is surrounded by a 185 and continues to a recess 188 extending inwardly from it. An arcuate opening 182 is opened in the side wall of the case 12. The cutoff mechanism of the adjacent pole unit is connected to the adjacent opening 182 through the connecting member. The connecting member will be described in detail below.

It is a feature of the present invention that the case inner wall portion at the opening 182 is reinforced with respect to the remaining wall portions. In this way, an almost straight path between the outside of the circuit breaker and the shortest "live" part is equal to or greater than the essential minimum distance of 8 mm. In particular, the wall 187 extends outward from the main inner wall 189. The arcuate passage formed by this outwardly extending wall is much longer than the arcuate passage formed without such a wall.

Another breaker that utilizes a shield attached to the exterior rather than reinforcing the inner wall is shown in Figures 10A-10B.
Figures 10A-10B show the "right" case half. The "left" case half is approximately mirror symmetrical to the one shown. The case of this example has a portion forming the boss 22 ', an inner side surface portion 146', an arcuate recess 140 'and an arcuate ridge 142', which correspond to those described above with reference to FIGS. 9A-9B. Have the same number. It should be noted that the case is provided with an arcuate opening 182 'so that the connecting member associated with the handle mechanism of a certain pole extends through the wall of the adjacent case to the adjacent pole. The arcuate shape of the opening 182 'is designed so that the connecting member can be moved in an arcuate manner as described below. Recess in case wall 18
8'receives the end of the pivot pin 60 as shown in FIG.

The recess 202 can be formed in the outer wall of the case around the opening 182 'as one element of a modification of the present invention described below. A pin 196 extends from the wall near the opening 182 '. The opposite case half (not shown) is shown in Figures 10A-10B.
It is assumed that the pin 196 is unnecessary in the other half portion although it is almost mirror-symmetrical to the one shown in the figure and has the recess 202 of the modified example. The case also has openings 174 'for passing additional connecting members between adjacent poles.

11A and 11B show the case of the second embodiment according to the modified example of the present invention. This example is a handle link (see Figures 15A-15B and the description below).
No. 10 except for adapting to circuit breaker poles with
It is similar to that shown in Figures A and 10B. The parts shown in FIGS. 11A and 11B and corresponding to those in FIGS. 10A and 10B are designated by the same reference numerals. This form of case does not have a handle that extends from the case, so the boss 22 ', the recess 140' and the ridge 142 '.
Is unnecessary, and there is no place that can access the inside of the housing.

Figures 12A and 12B show a shield or cover means 190 which can be inserted into the cavity defined by the recesses 202 in the case of adjacent poles of a multi-pole circuit breaker according to a variant of the invention. It is shown. FIG. 12A shows the shield 190 and the connecting member 180 when the circuit breaker is in its closed or ON state, and FIG. 12B shows the same elements when the circuit breaker is open. .
Virtual line 34 indicates the position of frame 34 within the case.

The shield 190 also has an arcuate slot 198 whose radius center is approximately coincident with the center of the opening 192. The width of arcuate slot 198 is wide enough to pass extension 180 therethrough. The slots 198 in the shield 190 and the slots 182 in the case cooperate to define a tortuous path. These slots interact to maintain the distance between the conductive portions of adjacent poles at an effective distance sufficient to meet industrial safety standards.

FIGS. 13A-13B show an improved trip lever 154 of the circuit breaker of the present invention, and FIG. 14 shows the trip lever attached to the circuit breaker. The lever 154 has a first leg 156 and a second leg 158.
And have. A connecting member 160 connects the legs 156 and 158 at their respective one ends. The flange 162 at the other end of the first leg 156 has a rivet 78 that connects the housing link 72 to the movable contact arm 80 (see FIGS. 2 and 14).
To be engaged by the enlarged end 79. The flange 164 on the other end of the second leg is adapted to strike the pawl bar 76. The connecting member 160 has therein a tapered hole 166 shown in a partial cross section in FIG. 13A. The inner diameter of this hole is reduced toward the outermost part thereof. A complementary tapered extension 168 extends from the connecting portion 160. The diameter of this extension 168 is reduced towards its outermost end. Hole 1
By similarly tapering 66 and the extension 168, the extension 168 of one trip lever can be easily inserted into the hole 166 of the similar adjacent trip lever for secure installation and friction engagement with the adjacent trip lever. To do. leg
156 and 158 are pins 48 on the frame 34 as shown in FIG.
A pair of alignment holes 1 for pivotally attaching the lever 154 to
70 and 172 respectively. A pair of recesses in legs 158
A spring (not shown) is housed in 173 and 175, which biases the lever 154 counterclockwise as shown in FIG. The breaker case has an opening that allows an extension 168 of a breaker pole to extend outwardly from the pole case and extend into the housing of an adjacent breaker pole.
174 (see FIGS. 9B, 10B, and 11B).
The last breaker pole extension 168 is simply cut to prevent it from protruding from the case.

When arranged as described above, the trip lever 15 of the adjacent pole
4 is aligned with the extension 168 and the hole 166. When properly coupled together in this manner, the outer surface of one tapered extension 168 is positively aligned with the similarly tapered inner surface of the adjacent aperture 166. This results in all closely-fitting levers pivoting essentially at the same time, an improvement over prior art devices, where manufacturing tolerances cause play in the alignment mechanism. From this, the pole-to-pole tripping delay is combined.

When either pole of the multipole circuit breaker according to the present invention is tripped and opened by an overcurrent, the upward movement of the contact arm 80 causes the enlarged end 79 of the rivet 78 (Fig. 14) to move into the leg 156.
It comes to hit the flange 162 of. This causes the trip lever of the tripped pole to rotate about pin 48 in a counterclockwise direction (as shown in FIG. 14). The multiple trip levers connected by the improved alignment means 166, 168 according to the present invention will likewise rotate substantially simultaneously. The flange 164 of each trip lever is adapted to strike each pawl bar 76 of the other closed circuit breaker pole. This causes each pole of the multi-pole breaker to trip open.

The trip lever of the present invention is a substantial improvement over similar prior art devices. First, as mentioned above, the tapered bore 166 and the tapered extension 168 substantially align and actuate simultaneously all trip levers associated with all poles of the multipole circuit breaker. This causes all poles to essentially trip at the same time. Furthermore, once the rivet end 79 hits the flange 162 of the trip lever, the motion imparted to all trip levers is directly transmitted to the pawl pin release means of each remaining pole. Therefore,
Eliminates the complex and time-consuming mechanical operating system associated with conventional devices and substantially reduces the time delay between one pole first tripping and all other poles tripping and opening. To be done.

The multi-pole circuit breaker according to the present invention also has an improved manual switching device as described with reference to Figures 3A, 3B, 15A and 15B.

The handle 26 (FIGS. 3A, 3B) has a pair of oppositely extending lateral projections 100 which are perforated with holes 102. These holes are tapered similarly to the holes 166 of the trip lever 154, reducing their inner diameter towards the inner portion.

15A and 15B show the handle link 176 of the circuit breaker according to the present invention. This handle link 176 is operatively similar to handle 26, but extends out of the case, for example handle portion 27, to allow manual operation of the breaker pole associated with handle link 176. It has no parts. The handle link 176 is moved by moving the handle 26 of the associated pole to which it is connected.

In the example of the single handle multipole circuit breaker of the present invention, handle link 176 is used in place of handle 26. The handle link 176 has an opening 90 'in the hub 91' (correspondingly numbered to correspond to a portion of the handle 26) for pivotally attaching it to the pin 60 of its associated pole. Have The ears 62 'and 64' have holes 92 'and 94', respectively. Rivet 66 connects hand link 176 to cam link 68 through holes 92 'and 94'.

A pair of lateral protrusions 178a, 178b extend from opposite sides of the handle link 176. These protrusions 178a, 178b are spaced apart from the opening 90 'and their radial distance corresponds to the radial distance between the center of the hole 102 and the center of the opening 90 of the handle 26. A tapered extension 180 extends from one lateral protrusion 178a. The case of the circuit breaker of the present invention has an arcuate opening 182 that extends the extension 180 to the case of the adjacent pole.

When arranging the poles of a multi-pole circuit breaker adjacent to each other,
The breaker pole extension 180 is friction fit into the pole hole 102 having the handle 26 and is securely seated. Therefore, when the handle 26 is rotated about its axis, all hand links connected to the handle also rotate, which causes the poles to open or close at approximately the same time.
Accurately fitting the extension 180 into the hole 102 in a manner similar to that described above for the hole 166 and the extension 168 allows all the circuit breakers to move at essentially the same time, while still allowing the conventional multipole circuit breaker to move. The time delay during the opening or closing of each breaker pole associated with is substantially reduced.

In order to eliminate the disadvantage of the time delay in the manual operation of the multipole circuit breaker unit, it is necessary to limit the number of circuit breakers connected as a multipole assembly. The two circuit breakers can essentially be controlled simultaneously by a single input which connects their respective handle mechanisms, but when using a multi-pole assembly of four or more circuit breakers, the handle link mechanism of the present invention can be used. If not used, the circuit breaker cannot be activated without all the delay. Therefore, for example, the present invention 4-
In the circuit breaker multi-pole assembly, an externally connected toggle handle activates the two central circuit breaker poles.
The one outer breaker pole is connected to the inner breaker pole via the handle links 176 and their respective tapered portions 180 described above.

FIG. 16 shows adjacent poles of the multi-pole circuit breaker according to the present invention, and shows a method of connecting the handle, the handle link and the trip lever thereof. FIG. 16 also shows a method of using the shield 190 in the modification. One pole has a handle 26 pivotally mounted by a hub 91. The tapered bore 102 in the lateral protrusion 100 of the handle 26 receives the tapered extension 180 of the handle link 176. The handle link 176 is attached so as to rotate around the hub 91 '. First trip lever 15
The tapered extension 168 of the four connecting members 160 is received in the tapered bore 166 'of the other trip lever 154' associated with the other pole. Extensions 180 and 168 extend through openings 182 and 174 in the adjacent wall of each pole, respectively. In a variant, the recesses 202 in the adjacent walls form a cavity 204 in which the shield 190 is accommodated.

When the circuit breaker is manually turned off, i.e. switched to the open position, the extension 180 pivots counterclockwise about the axis of the pivot mount 60 which coincides with the axis of the pin 196 to the position shown in Figure 12A. Once the extension 180 pivots the entire length of the arcuate slot 198, it contacts the end 199 of the slot 198 and rotates the shield 190 counterclockwise to the position shown in Figure 12B.

The extensions 168 and 180 that mechanically connect adjacent poles are made of a non-conductive material, which electrically insulates adjacent poles from each other. Typically handle link 176 and handle 2
The 6 is made entirely of non-conductive molded plastic.
Similarly, the trip lever 154 is formed of a non-conductive plastic material. In order to limit the overall size of the individual poles, and thus the overall size of the multipole circuit breaker, a variant is to use shields 190 to provide adequate separation between the conductive parts of the adjacent poles so that these adjacent poles are as close as possible. Allow them to be in close proximity.

Therefore, the frame 34, which is the conductive element of each pole, has the opening 182.
Near the wall of the pole at the point. The distance between adjacent pole frame members through the opening 182 is the shortest distance between the conductive portions of the adjacent poles. For safety purposes, this distance should be sufficient to prevent arcing between adjacent poles. The aforementioned VDE and IEC standards require that the distance between the conductive parts of adjacent breaker poles be at least 0.315 inches (8 mm). In the preferred embodiment of the invention, the thickness of the case around the tortuous path and the opening 182 provides the required distance between the conductive elements of adjacent poles. The shield 190 in the modification of the present invention is a circuit breaker having the smallest overall size and maintains a required distance between adjacent circuit breaker poles.

In a modification of the invention, there is no shield 190 and the extension 180 is the twelfth
In the position shown in Fig. B, the effective distance between the frames of adjacent poles is the straight line distance between the frames and twice the distance L, where "L" is the frame closest to the opening 182 '. The distance between the edge of 34 and the opening 182 '. The shield 190 increases the total distance between adjacent frames by increasing the distance between the edge of the frame 34 and the case opening. As shown in Figure 12B, "L '" represents the distance between the edge of the case opening 182' and the shield opening 198 when the circuit breaker is in the OFF position. When the extension 180 and the shield 190 are in the position shown in Figure 12B,
The effective distance between adjacent frames 34 is the linear distance between the frames plus twice the distance (L + L '), where (L + L') is the edge of frame 34 closest to arcuate slot 198 and its edges. The distance to the slot 198. Therefore, the shield 190 increases the effective distance between the frames of adjacent poles by a distance corresponding to 2L '. This increased distance allows proper spacing between adjacent frames of the circuit breaker, even shorter than previously possible.

Although we refer to the frame as the conductive elements that are closest to each other, other conductive elements in a specific arrangement other than this frame may
It is clear that it is important to minimize the distance between the neighbors of such other conductive elements when approaching openings such as 2.

While the present invention has been described in various respects with reference to the accompanying drawings,
It is needless to say that the present invention is not limited to the illustrated examples, and many modifications can be made without departing from the scope of the claims.

 ─────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continuation of the front page (56) References JP 39-33507 (JP, Y1) JP 40-2562 (JP, Y1) JP 44-3003 (JP, Y1) US Patent 4266209 (US) , A) US Patent 4347488 (US, A)

Claims (9)

[Claims] 1. A non-conductive case (14, 16), a plurality of conductive elements in the case (14, 16), and a non-conductive handle for operating at least some of these conductive elements ( 26)
(A) a first portion (27) in which the handle (26) extends outside the case (14, 16), and the case (14, 16)
A second portion housed therein, and an intermediate portion (144) interconnecting the first and second portions; (b) the width of the intermediate portion (144) is the first and the second of the handle. Narrower than the second portion; (c) the handle comprises a ridge (96); (d) the case (14, 16) extends laterally toward the handle near the handle middle portion (144). (E) the case has a recess (14) for receiving the ridge (96).
(F) on the second portion of the handle, the handle (2)
6) has at least one ridge (9
6) and at least one recess (98); (g) the case (14, 16) is provided for each case on two surfaces facing the handle (26), A combination of at least one recess (140) and at least one ridge (142); (h) the wall of the case and the face of the middle of the handle are on opposite sides of the handle (26), In any case, the cutoff characterized by forming a curved passage between the inside and outside of the case (14, 16) in cooperation with the ridges (96, 142) and the recesses (98, 140). vessel. 2. The surface of the wall portion of the case and the surface of the intermediate portion of the handle forming the curved passage are separated from each other to form a gap having a substantially uniform width. Breaker described in paragraph. 3. The circuit breaker according to claim 1, wherein the bent passage has a substantially S-shaped cross section. 4. The handle (26) is the case (14,1).
The circuit breaker according to claim 2, wherein the circuit breaker can move in a direction substantially parallel to at least a part of each surface with respect to 6). 5. The handle (26) has the case (14,1).
6. The circuit breaker according to claim 4, which is rotatable with respect to 6). 6. The handle (26) and the case (14,1)
The ridges (96, 142) and the recesses (98, 140) in 6) are arcuate and are separated from the pivot of the handle (26) so that the centers of these arcs substantially coincide with the pivot of the handle (26). The circuit breaker according to claim 5, characterized in that 7. The distance from the first portion of the handle (26) projecting outwardly through the meandering path to one of the conductive elements is at least 8 millimeters. The circuit breaker according to any one of claims 1 to 6. 8. The conductive element comprises a frame (34) and a pin (60) supported by the frame, the second portion of the handle (26) being rotatable relative to the frame on the pin. It is characterized in that the minimum distance from the first portion (27) of the handle (26) which is attached and protrudes outwardly through the bend passage to the frame corresponds to the minimum industrial safety standard value. The circuit breaker according to any one of claims 1 to 7. 9. The handle (26) and case (12,1)
4) The recesses (98,140) and the ridges (96,142) are arcuate, and the ridges and the arcs of the recesses are spaced from and centered on the pivot axis of the handle (26). The circuit breaker according to claim 8.