Electromagnetic actuators
First Claim
1. A circuit breaker comprising:
- a pair of relatively moveable contacts;
a primary actuator coupled to at least one of said contacts by a link mechanism and providing closing and holding forces to the contacts of the circuit breaker; and
a secondary, faster acting, actuator which, on tripping thereof, provides sufficient force to at least initiate opening of the contacts by modifying the configuration of said link mechanism;
wherein the secondary actuator comprises a stored energy latch which includes a permanent magnet flux circuit for providing a holding force and a coil connected to receive a trigger signal to overcome said permanent magnet flux to trip said latch.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An electromagnetic actuator for a circuit breaker having a pair of relatively moveable contacts is disclosed. The actuator includes primary actuator coupled to at least one of the contacts by a link mechanism operable to provide closing and holding forces to the contacts of the circuit breaker and a secondary, faster acting actuator which, on tripping thereof, provides sufficient force to at least initiate opening of the contacts by the configuration of the link mechanism. The secondary actuator includes a stored energy latch which has a permanent magnet flux circuit for providing a holding force and a coil connected to receive a trigger signal to overcome the permanent magnet flux to trip the latch.
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Citations
21 Claims
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1. A circuit breaker comprising:
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a pair of relatively moveable contacts;
a primary actuator coupled to at least one of said contacts by a link mechanism and providing closing and holding forces to the contacts of the circuit breaker; and
a secondary, faster acting, actuator which, on tripping thereof, provides sufficient force to at least initiate opening of the contacts by modifying the configuration of said link mechanism;
wherein the secondary actuator comprises a stored energy latch which includes a permanent magnet flux circuit for providing a holding force and a coil connected to receive a trigger signal to overcome said permanent magnet flux to trip said latch. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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7. A circuit breaker according to claim 7 in which the secondary actuator mechanism accelerates the movement of the drive shaft from a first position to a second position by absorbing a snatch gap in the primary actuator mechanism substantially prior to movement of the primary actuator mechanism during an opening stroke.
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14. An actuator for a circuit breaker comprising:
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a drive shaft system for coupling at one end to a moveable contact of a circuit breaker;
a primary actuator mechanism coupled to another end of the drive shaft;
a secondary actuator mechanism operable to, upon receiving a trigger signal, modify the configuration of the drive shaft;
wherein the drive shaft system further comprises;
an actuator rod coupled to an armature in said primary actuator mechanism which actuator mechanism is operable to drive the actuator rod in a direction substantially parallel to its longitudinal axis, and link mechanism, coupled at a first end to the actuator rod and having a second end for coupling to the moveable contact of the circuit breaker, the link mechanism having first and second link members each having a respective first angular relationship with said actuator rod in a first position, and each having a respective second angular relationship with said actuator rod in a second position, wherein the change in said angular relationships modifies the effective length of the link mechanism between the primary actuator mechanism and said moveable contact, the primary and secondary actuators between them being capable of imparting a linear displacement of said link mechanism for effecting movement of the moveable contact. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
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Specification