Pluggable circuit breaker mounting system

Details Pluggable circuit breaker mounting system Pluggable circuit breaker mounting system

1998-09-03

2001-11-13

Thompson, Gregory (Department: 2835)

Electricity: electrical systems and devices

Housing or mounting assemblies with diverse electrical...

For electrical power distribution systems and devices

C361S644000, C361S648000, C361S652000

Reexamination Certificate

active

06317311

ABSTRACT:

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to pluggable circuit breakers, and particularly to a method and apparatus for mounting pluggable circuit breakers in a power distribution system.
2. Description of Related Art
Illustrated in
FIG. 1
is a prior art pluggable circuit breaker
30
, having two circuit breaker posts
32
(only one shown) and a signaling module
33
having pins
35
for providing signals indicative of the status of the circuit breaker
30
—that is, whether the circuit breaker has been tripped or not. To create a pluggable circuit breaker, internally threaded circuit breaker pins
34
are threaded onto each of the threaded circuit breaker posts
32
. On the exterior of each circuit breaker pin
34
is attached a resilient electrical contact band
36
. The electrical contact band
36
is typically a thin metallic band with resilient fingers having an arcuate configuration and extending outward from the circuit breaker pin outer diameter. The addition of the circuit breaker pins
34
with outer electrical contact bands
36
to the circuit breaker
30
allows for pluggability of the circuit breaker
30
into a circuit breaker panel (not shown). Although this prior art configuration has some advantages, the outer electrical contact bands
36
are known to become damaged, loosened, or become completely removed from the pin
34
. In addition, there are many inherent costs in placing the electrical contact band
36
on the circuit breaker pin
32
which results in the circuit breaker going from a relatively economical, throw-away part to a more expensive part.
As a result of these limitations and disadvantages, there is a long-felt need in the art for a more robust, versatile, and cost effective design for pluggable circuit breakers and circuit breaker panels.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention provides a pluggable circuit breaker mounting system in which electrical contact bands are protected within a housing. In addition, the present invention provides convenient modularity in the design of the circuit breaker panel and the attendant electrical contacts thereto.
In an arrangement in accordance with the preferred embodiment of the invention, the mounting system comprises one or more electrically connected circuit breaker bus bar assemblies, with each assembly comprising a panel having first and second housings mounted thereon. The housings each correspond to a post of a pluggable circuit breaker, the posts plugging into first and second contact bands respectively mounted in the first and second housings. A third contact band is also mounted in the second housing co-extensively with the second contact band, and the two contact bands in the second housing may be supported electrically and structurally within the second housing by a conductive sleeve.
In an arrangement in accordance with a second embodiment of the invention, the sleeve is replaced by a pin contact having a socket portion and a post portion, with only a second contact band, housed in the socket portion, being used in addition to the contact band in the first housing.
In an arrangement in accordance with a third embodiment of the invention, the sleeve which houses the second contact band is electrically connected to a one or more posts mounted outside the second housing to thereby provide electrical access to the second contact band and the second post of the circuit breaker from the exterior of the second housing.


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