Electricity: electrical systems and devices – Housing or mounting assemblies with diverse electrical... – For electrical power distribution systems and devices
Reexamination Certificate
1999-06-30
2001-05-08
Thompson, Gregory (Department: 2835)
Electricity: electrical systems and devices
Housing or mounting assemblies with diverse electrical...
For electrical power distribution systems and devices
C174S068200, C174S09900B, C174S0720TR, C361S638000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06229692
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to circuit breakers, and, more particularly, to a modular circuit breaker and modular lighting panelboard for field assembly.
Lighting panelboards that are modularly assembled in a factory environment are described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,783,718 entitled Lighting Circuit Breaker Panelboard Modular Assembly, wherein the benefits of computer technology relating to the inventory of parts and simplification of manufacture are fully described. Circuit breakers that are modularly assembled in such a factory environment are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,713,728 entitled Lighting Circuit Breaker Panelboard Modular Assembly. It has since been determined that the modular concept of panelboard enclosure assembly and circuit breaker assembly can be extended to field installation of new panelboard assemblies as well as field modification of existing panelboard assemblies.
A more recent example of a field-installable panelboard assembly is described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,343,356 entitled Panelboard, and a recent example of a modular circuit breaker arrangement for field assembly is found in U.S. Pat. No. 5,351,165 entitled Main Circuit Breaker or Other Circuit Protection Device Connector Installation Kit for Panelboards.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In an exemplary embodiment of the invention, a circuit breaker lighting panelboard is adapted for both top and bottom feed connections with no field modification requirements. The panelboard interior accepts a variety of branch circuit breaker mounting arrangements and the mounting rails are interconnected by steel straps to reduce shipment damage. The main circuit breaker support arrangement is not integrated with the branch circuit breaker mounting arrangement to allow field installation of a wide variety of main circuit breakers.
The field panelboard installation design includes facilities for converting the panelboard from top to bottom feed, upgrading the panelboard to a two hundred percent neutral rating and changing the main circuit breaker assemblies. The invention provides a panelboard assembly that is amenable to field installation without requiring complete disassembly. The main circuit breaker of the invention provides a configuration that can be employed within a wide variety of existing panelboard assemblies and facilitate connection between the branch circuit breakers contained therein.
REFERENCES:
patent: 4713728 (1987-12-01), Raabe et al.
patent: 4783718 (1988-11-01), Raabe et al.
patent: 5343356 (1994-08-01), Hancock
patent: 5351165 (1994-09-01), Hancock
Johnson Mitchell E.
Noonan Joseph E.
Stendardo Richard J.
Wall Robert A.
Zuffelato Dennis C.
Cantor & Colburn LLP
General Electric Company
Horton Carl B.
Thompson Gregory
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