Electricity: magnetically operated switches – magnets – and electr – Electromagnetically actuated switches – Automatic circuit-interrupting devices
Reexamination Certificate
1999-08-27
2001-01-16
Donovan, Lincoln (Department: 2832)
Electricity: magnetically operated switches, magnets, and electr
Electromagnetically actuated switches
Automatic circuit-interrupting devices
C335S167000, C218S022000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06175288
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to rotary circuit breakers, and, more particularly to a Supplemental Trip Unit for Rotary Circuit Interrupters.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,616,198 entitled Contact Arrangement for a Current Limiting Circuit Breaker, describes an early use of a first and second pair of circuit breaker contacts arranged in series to substantially reduce the amount of current let-through upon the occurrence of an overcurrent condition.
When the contact pairs are arranged upon one movable contact arm such as described within U.S. Pat. No. 4,910,485 entitled Multiple Circuit Breaker with Double Breaker Rotary Contact, some means must be provided to insure that the opposing contact pairs open rapidly upon occurrence of a short circuit overcurrent condition within the protected circuit.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,672,501 entitled Circuit Breaker and Protective Relay Unit, describes electronic circuits employed to determine the occurrence of an overcurrent condition and current transformers are employed to sense circuit current. However, when rotary contacts are employed with electronic circuits, the current transformer cores can become saturated upon occurrence of a short circuit overcurrent and an auxiliary trip unit must be employed to insure short circuit overcurrent protection.
Short circuit overcurrent protection in rotary contact circuit breakers is described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,103,198 entitled Instantaneous Trip Device of a Circuit Breaker, wherein the overpressure developed within the circuit breaker arc chamber upon contact separation in one pole drives a piston against the operating mechanism trip bar to actuate contact separation in the remaining circuit breaker poles. It has since been determined that the overpressure response is sensitive to voltage levels upon arc occurrence, and less sensitive to short circuit current values.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, a supplemental magnetic trip unit is arranged on the load strap of an industrial-rated circuit breaker to interrupt circuit current upon occurrence of a short circuit fault. The trip unit employs a U-shaped magnet and a hinged armature that articulates the circuit breaker operating mechanism latch to allow the circuit breaker contacts to become separated upon the urgence of the powerful circuit breaker operating mechanism springs. A return spring mounted between the trip slide and the circuit breaker operating mechanism sideframe allows the armature to return automatically to a home position. Thus providing a low cost auxiliary trip unit for use with circuit breakers employing rotary contacts for short circuit overcurrent protection.
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Castonguay Roger N.
Greenberg Randall L.
Hassan Girish
Papallo Thomas F.
Cantor & Colburn LLP
Donovan Lincoln
General Electric Company
Horton Carl B.
Nguyen Tuyen
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