Circuit breaker with high electrodynamic strength and breaking capacity

• US 6,018,284 A
• Filed: 07/15/1999
• Issued: 01/25/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 07/29/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Square D Company (Schneider Electric SE)
• Original Assignee: Schneider Electric Industries Sa (Schneider Electric SE)
• Inventors: Rival, Marc, Grelier, Claude, Blancfene, Marc
• Primary Examiner(s): Donovan, Lincoln
• Assistant Examiner(s): Nguyen, Tuyen T.
• Application Number:
  US09/353,766
• Time in Patent Office: 194 Days
• Field of Search: 335/6, 335/15, 335/16, 335/147, 335/195, 335/202, 335/201, 218/22, 218/154, 200/401
• US Class Current: 335/16
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2071/507 being collapsible, e.g. yielding elastically, when the opening force is higher than a predetermined value
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 77/101 with increasing of contact pressure by electrodynamic forces before opening
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 9/446 using magnetisable elements associated with the contacts

Abstract

The circuit breaker pole or poles comprise a movable contact means with a support carrier movable with respect to the frame between an open position and a closed position and one or more contact fingers movable with respect to the support carrier between a contact position and a retracted position. Electromagnetic compensation means are designed to apply electromagnetic forces on the contact finger or fingers tending to keep the contact finger or fingers in contact with the stationary contact means. Electromagnetic limiting means are designed to apply electromagnetic forces on the contact finger or fingers tending to drive the finger or fingers to their retracted position. The electromagnetic compensation means and the electromagnetic limiting means are such that when the current intensity flowing in the movable contact means is under a threshold called the limiting threshold, the finger or fingers are kept in contact with the stationary contact means, and that above said threshold, the finger or fingers are driven to their retracted position. The resultant of the forces applied by the carrier on the kinematic connecting means when the current intensity flowing in the movable contact means reaches the limiting threshold is under the ultrafast opening threshold.

Claims

1. A low voltage circuit breaker with high electrodynamic strength comprising:

a frame

one or more poles comprising

a pair of contact means comprising a movable contact means and another contact means, the movable contact means comprising a support carrier movable with respect to the frame between an open position and a closed position, and one or more contact fingers movable with respect to the support carrier between a contact position with the other contact means and a retracted position

electromagnetic compensation means able to apply electromagnetic forces on the contact finger or fingers tending to keep the finger or fingers in contact with the other contact means,

an opening spring designed to be released from a loaded position to an unloaded position,

a kinematic system operating in conjunction with the opening spring and with the pair of contact means in such a way that release of the opening spring drives the support carrier to its open position, this system comprising a kinematic connecting means for connection with the support carrier,

an opening operating mechanism comprising an opening lock designed to take a locking position in which it prevents release of the opening spring and to release the opening spring by leaving its locking position,

actuating means operating in conjunction with the movable contact means and with the opening lock and able to cause ultrafast movement of the opening lock to its unlocked position when the resultant of the forces applied by the carrier on the kinematic connecting means exceeds a preset ultrafast opening threshold, wherein;

the pole or poles comprise in addition electromagnetic limiting means designed to apply electromagnetic forces on the contact finger or fingers tending to drive the finger or fingers to their retracted position,

the electromagnetic compensation means and the electromagnetic limiting means are such that when the current intensity flowing in the pair of contact means is less than a threshold called the limiting threshold, the finger or fingers are kept in contact with the other contact means, and that above said threshold, the finger or fingers are driven to their retracted position,

and the resultant of the forces applied by the carrier to the kinematic connecting means when the current intensity flowing in the movable contact means reaches the limiting threshold is less than the ultrafast opening threshold.

2. The circuit breaker according to claim 1, wherein the actuating means comprise flexible means defining said ultrafast opening threshold.

3. The circuit breaker according to claim 2, wherein the flexible means are calibrated in such a way that ultrafast opening takes place after the limited current intensity has reached its maximum value.

4. The circuit breaker according to claim 1, wherein the pole or poles comprise an arc extinguishing chamber and a magnetic circuit arranged in such a way as to generate a magnetic field according to the current flowing in the other contact means and directed in such a way as to generate forces on the electrical arc arising when separation of the contact means takes place tending to project the electrical arc to the arc extinguishing chamber.

5. The circuit breaker according to claim 1, wherein the support carrier is movable in rotation around a fixed axis with respect to the frame, and the contact finger or fingers pivot around an axis linked to the support carrier and are returned to the contact position by one or more return springs operating in conjunction with the carrier.