Electricity: magnetically operated switches – magnets – and electr – Electromagnetically actuated switches – Manually or gravity-operated latch with electromagnetic trip
Patent
1997-04-10
1999-03-23
Gellner, Michael L.
Electricity: magnetically operated switches, magnets, and electr
Electromagnetically actuated switches
Manually or gravity-operated latch with electromagnetic trip
335 21, 335 26, 335 27, 335 38, 335166, 335167, 335170, 335171, 335172, 335174, 200318, 200323, 200325, H01H 920
Patent
active
058866035
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
The present inmention relates to trip switches and more particularly to a trip switch which can be used for domestic and light industrial use.
The present invention will be described in relation to the construction and operation of a trip switch incorporated in a residual current device (RCD). This description is for convenience only and it will be appreciated that the construction and operation of the mechanism are suitable for other uses.
We propose to use a detent mechanism as part of the tripping mechanism.
The use of detent mechanisms is common for retaining mechanical parts in a particular relationship to each other. In general teems such a mechanism will comprise a resiliently mounted pawl which under the influence of its resilient mounting will engage a recess on a movable member. That movable member will be retained in position by the detent pawl until such time as a force acting on the movable member to move that member past the pawl rises to a value sufficient to move the detent aside to allow the movable member to pass. Such assemblies are commonly found in car gear boxes and as latches for cupboard doors.
Generally such detent mechanisms provide a fixed holding force or at best a force which can be periodically adjusted by means of increasing the pre-load on a spring which is typically provided in the resilient mounting. As a result in use, such devices provide a constant resilient force which is either overcome or not according to the force applied to the movable member. This means that such mechanisms cannot be used as a control means to retain or release components depending on known external parameters.
A detent mechanism which can respond to extend parameters in disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,409,574. The single button circuit interrupter disclosed therein uses a detent mechanism controlled by a solenoid to selectively latch or release the power contacts depending on whether the circuit being controlled is operating correctly. This device has the disadvantage that the solenoid operating correctly. This device has the disadvantage that the solenoid is connected to the stationary outer shell, while the armature operated on is connected to the moving contact member. This makes it difficult to arrange for the solenoid to control the armature, the armature moving relative to the solenoid during operation.
FR-A-2609838 discloses a tripping mechanism using a detent mechanism. The actuation of the pawl in the detent mechanism described in this publication is carried out mechanically by slots of various shapes all acting on protuberances on the pawl member. The movement of the slots is caused by the action of springs on rotation of a knob. This is a very complicated mechanism for actuating a pawl and would cause great unreliability in the mechanism.
According to the present invention there is provided a detent mechanism comprising of the fixed seating member and a slidable seating member, further comprising spring force, disposed between the other side of said fixed seating member and a second slidable seating, member, whereby the forces of the springs are directed to operate on said first and second slidable members in opposite directions, to move the first slidable seating member from a first position relative to the fixed seating member to a second position against the action of said first spring force, and second slidable seating member when said first sliding member is in its second position and said second slidable member is in a first position, such that when said members are not acted on by said external force, said first slidable member returns towards its first position and said second slidable member is constrained to move with said first slidable member to a second position, the resultant force on both said slidable members in the direction of said first spring force being the difference between said first spring force and said second spring force wherein characterised in that the releasably connecting means seating members, which arrangement includes a pawl and an electrically energised
REFERENCES:
patent: 4409574 (1983-10-01), Misencik
patent: 5408058 (1995-04-01), Homik et al.
Barrera Raymond
Gellner Michael L.
Power Breaker PLC
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