Rotary contact assembly for high ampere-rated circuit breakers

• US 6,114,641 A
• Filed: 05/29/1998
• Issued: 09/05/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 05/29/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: ABB Schweiz AG (ABB Limited)
• Original Assignee: General Electric Company
• Inventors: Christensen, Dave, Castonguay, Roger N., Greenberg, Randall L.
• Primary Examiner(s): FRIEDHOFER, MICHAEL A
• Application Number:
  US09/087,038
• Time in Patent Office: 830 Days
• Field of Search: 200/6 R, 200/11 R, 200/1 R, 200/17 R, 200/400, 200/401, 200/501, 200/244, 200/248, 200/287, 200/323, 200/324, 200/325, 200/336, 200/337, 200/50.01, 200/50.32 , 200/50.33-50.35, 218/22, 218/30-33, 218/146, 335/16
• US Class Current: 200/244
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 1/205 Details concerning the elastic mounting of the rotating bridge in the rotor
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 1/2058 Rotating bridge being assembled in a cassette, which can be placed as a complete unit into a circuit breaker
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 1/221 and a contact pressure spring acting between the pivoted member and a supporting member
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 73/045 Bridging contacts
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 77/104 with a stable blow-off position

Abstract

A circuit breaker rotary contact assembly employs a common pivot between the rotor assembly and the rotary contact arm. A pair of off-center expansion springs directly engage the rotor at one end and engage the rotary contact arm via a linkage arrangement at an opposite end thereof.

Claims

1. A circuit breaker moveable contact assembly comprising:

a circular rotor having a rotor aperture through a central portion thereof;

a moveable contact arm having a moveable contact arranged on opposite ends and a contact aperture through a central portion thereof;

a pivot pin extending through said rotor aperture and said contact aperture for allowing rotation of said movable contact arm with respect to said rotor; and

a first linkage having a first end and a second end, for preventing re-closure of the movable contact with a fixed contact, pivotally attached to said contact arm at first end and to said rotor at the second end for connecting said contact arm to said rotor.

2. The contact assembly of claim 1 including a second linkage having a first end and a second end, pivotally attached to said contact arm at first end and to said rotor at the second end for connecting said contact arm to said rotor.

3. The contact assembly of claim 2 wherein said contact arm includes a second V-shaped slot on said opposite end, said second linkage being positioned within said second V-shaped slot.

4. The contact assembly of claim 2 further including:

a first pair of pins engaging said rotor, one of said first pair of pins further engaging said first linkage for attaching said contact arm to said rotor;

a first spring secured between said first pair of pins;

a second pair of pins engaging said rotor, one of said second pair of pins further engaging said second linkage for attaching said contact arm to said rotor; and

a second spring secured between said second pair of pins.

5. The contact assembly of claim 4 wherein one of said first pair of pins is disposed in a first slot in said rotor, and one of said second pair of pins is disposed in a second slot in said rotor.

6. The contact assembly of claim 1 further including a first spring on a one side of said rotor and a first pair of pins attaching said contact arm to said rotor on said one side.

7. The contact assembly of claim 6 further including a second spring on a opposite side of said rotor, said first pair of pins attaching said contact arm to said rotor on said opposite side.

8. The contact assembly of claim 7 including a third spring on said one side of said rotor and a second pair of pins attaching said contact arm to said rotor on said one side.

9. The contact assembly of claim 8 including fourth spring on said opposite side of said rotor, said second pair of pins attaching said contact arm to said rotor on said opposite side.

10. The contact assembly of claim 8 wherein one of said second pair of pins further extends through said second linkage.

11. The contact assembly of claim 8 wherein said second pair of pins are disposed in a first pair of opposing slots in said rotor.

12. The contact assembly of claim 11 wherein said first pair of pins are disposed in a second pair of opposing slots in said rotor, one of said first pair of opposing slots extends further than the other of said first pair of opposing slots, and one of said second pair of opposing slots extends further than the other of said second pair of opposing slots.

13. The contact assembly of claim 6 wherein one of said first pair of pins further extends through said first linkage.

14. The contact assembly of claim 6 wherein said first pair of pins are disposed in a first pair of opposing slots in said rotor.

15. The contact assembly of claim 14 wherein one of said first pair of opposing slots extends further than the other of said first pair of opposing slots.

16. The contact assembly of claim 1 wherein said contact arm includes a first V-shaped slot on said one end, said first linkage being positioned within said first V-shaped slot.

17. A circuit breaker movable contact assembly comprising:

a rotor having first and second slots formed thereon,

a movable contact arm having a movable contact at one end arranged for moving in and out of contact with a fixed contact and a pivot at an opposite end, said pivot being movable attached to said rotor;

a linkage having a first end and a second end, for preventing re-closure of the movable contact with a fixed contact, attached to a top part of said movable contact arm at the first end and having the second end attached to a first pin arranged in said first slot within said rotor; and

an expansion spring extending between said first and second slots, said spring being attached to said first pin at one end and to a second pin within said second slot at an opposite end thereof.

18. The movable contact assembly of claim 17 further including a contact braid connecting between said contact arm and a load strap.

19. The movable contact assembly of claim 17 wherein said expansion spring exerts a first force between said contact arm and said rotor defining a first line of force parallel with said linkage on one side of said pivot when said movable contact is in contact with said fixed contact.

20. The movable contact assembly of claim 19 wherein said rotor defines a circular surface on a front part and a planar surface on a rear part thereof.

21. The movable contact assembly of claim 19 wherein said first slot extends further than said second slot.

22. The movable contact assembly of claim 17 wherein said expansion spring exerts a second force between said contact arm and said rotor defining a second line of force parallel with said linkage on another side of said pivot when said movable contact is out of contact with said fixed contact.

23. A circuit breaker comprising:

a case and a cover;

a rotor assembly within said case interconnecting with an operating mechanism and a movable contact arm having a first contact at one end and a second contact at an opposite end thereof, said first movable contact being arranged for moving in and out of contact with a corresponding first fixed contact and said second movable contact being arranged for moving in and out of contact with a corresponding fixed second contact;

said rotor assembly including a circular rotor having a rotor aperture through a central portion thereof;

a moveable contact arm having a moveable contact arranged on opposite ends and a contact aperture through a central portion thereof;

a pivot pin extending through said rotor aperture and said contact aperture for allowing rotation of said movable contact arm with respect to said rotor; and

a first linkage having a first end and a second end, for preventing re-closure of the movable contact with a fixed contact, pivotally attached to said contact arm at the first end and to said rotor at the second end for connecting said contact arm to said rotor.

24. The circuit breaker of claim 23 wherein said pivot pin movably attaches said rotor to said case.

25. The circuit breaker of claim 24 including a second linkage having a first end and a second end pivotally attached to said contact arm at the first end and to said rotor at the second end for connecting said contact arm to said rotor.

26. The circuit breaker of claim 25 wherein said contact arm includes a second V-shaped slot couple to said second end, said second linkage being positioned within said second V-shaped slot.

27. The circuit breaker of claim 23 further including a first spring on a one side of said rotor and a first pair of pins attaching said contact arm to said rotor on said one side.

28. The circuit breaker of claim 27 further including a second spring on said an opposite side of said rotor, said first pair of pins attaching said contact arm to said rotor on said opposite side.

29. The circuit breaker of claim 28 including a third spring on said one side of said rotor and a second pair of pins attaching said contact arm to said rotor on said one side.

30. The circuit breaker of claim 29 including fourth spring on said opposite side of said rotor, said second pair of pins attaching said contact arm to said rotor on said opposite side.

31. The circuit breaker of claim 29 wherein one of said second pair of pins further extends through said second linkage.

32. The circuit breaker of claim 29 wherein said second pair of pins are disposed in a first pair of opposing slots in said rotor.

33. The contact assembly of claim 32 wherein said first pair of pins are disposed in a second pair of opposing slots in said rotor, one of said first pair of opposing slots extends further than the other of said first pair of opposing slots, and one of said second pair of opposing slots extends further than the other of said second pair of opposing slots.

34. The circuit breaker of claim 27 wherein one of said first pair of pins further extends through said first linkage.

35. The circuit breaker of claim 27 wherein said first pair of pins are disposed in a first pair of opposing slots in said rotor.

36. The contact assembly of claim 35 wherein one of said first pair of opposing slots extends further than the other of said first pair of opposing slots.

37. The circuit breaker of claim 23 wherein said contact arm includes a first V-shaped slot coupled to said first end, said first linkage being positioned within said first V-shaped slot.

38. A circuit breaker comprising:

a case and a cover;

a rotor assembly within said case interconnecting with an operating mechanism and a movable contact arm having a movable contact at one end thereof and a pivot at an opposite end, said pivot being movable attached to said rotor, said movable contact being arranged for moving in and out of contact with a corresponding fixed contact, said rotor including a first and second slot on opposing perimeters;

a linkage having a first end and a second end, for preventing re-closure of the movable contact with a fixed contact, attached to a top part of said movable contact arm at the first end and having the second end attached to a first pin arranged in said first slot within said rotor; and

an expansion spring extending between said first and second slots, said spring being attached to said first pin at one end and to a second pin within said second slot at an opposite end thereof.

39. The circuit breaker of claim 38 wherein said pivot moveably attaches said rotor to said case.

40. The circuit breaker of claim 38 further including a contact braid connecting between said contact arm and a load strap.

41. The circuit breaker of claim 38 wherein said expansion spring exerts a first force between said contact arm and said rotor defining a first line of force parallel with said linkage when said movable contact is in contact with said fixed contact.

42. The circuit breaker of claim 38 wherein said expansion spring exerts a second force between said contact arm and said rotor defining a second line of force parallel with said linkage when said movable contact is out of contact with said fixed contact.

43. The circuit breaker of claim 38 wherein said rotor defines a circular surface on a front part and a planar surface on a rear part thereof.

44. The circuit breaker of claim 38 wherein said first slot extends further than said second slot.