Plug-in GMT fuse block

• US 6,560,123 B1
• Filed: 06/02/2000
• Issued: 05/06/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 06/04/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Emerson Network Power Energy Systems North America Incorporated (Emerson Electric Company)
• Original Assignee: Astec International Limited (Emerson Electric Company)
• Inventors: Lafontaine, Rejean, de Varennes, Christian, Mayer, Denis, Ghanem, Imad
• Primary Examiner(s): Martin, David
• Assistant Examiner(s): Bui, Hung S
• Application Number:
  US09/585,909
• Time in Patent Office: 1,068 Days
• Field of Search: 361/807, 361/833, 361/835, 361/637, 361/644, 361/648, 361/652, 361/627, 361/633, 361/636, 361/639, 361/837, 361/824, 361/822, 361/823, 174/59, 174/708, 174/99.B, 174/133.B
• US Class Current: 361/807
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2071/086 Low power connections for auxiliary switches, e.g. shunt trip
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 73/08 Plug-in housings
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 9/2425 Structural association with built-in components for coupling parts H01R13/66
• CPC Class Codes: H02B 1/056 Mounting on plugboards

Abstract

An assembly for mechanically mounting and providing electrical connections to overcurrent protection devices having first and second male power plugs includes a non-conductive main structural support member having a plurality of plug passageways formed therein and one or more load busbar modules mounted thereon and also including a plug passageway formed therein, to enable the male electrical plugs to mate with sockets disposed in a conductive line busbar member mounted on said support member and with a socket disposed in a load busbar member included in each load busbar module. Each load busbar module includes a non-conductive housing and a releasable cover within which is mounted the load busbar member. A printed circuit board substrate is preferably also mounted to said support member to provide a support surface for auxiliary signal clip connectors disposed on one side of the substrate. Additional passageways enable auxiliary contact terminals that are preferably also included on each overcurrent protection device to extend through the substrate. Clip connectors disposed on the substrate are used to make electrical contact to the auxiliary terminals. Each set of sockets and clips are shaped and dimensioned to mate with the power plugs and alarm contact terminals of a plug-in circuit breaker or fuse module. In the preferred embodiment, the assembly is used in combination with one or more overcurrent protection devices in the nature of a ten-position plug-in GMT fuse block, and one or more fuse modules and circuit breakers.

Claims

1. An assembly for mechanically mounting and providing electrical connections to a plurality of overcurrent protection devices each having first and second male electrical plugs, and including at least one fuse block, comprising:

a support member formed of non-conducting material and having a front portion, said support member including a plurality of spaced apart first plug passageways formed in said front portion;

at least one conductive line busbar member mounted on said support member and having at least one first socket shaped and positioned to mate by a friction fit with a corresponding first male plug extending through a corresponding one of said first plug passageways; and

at least one load busbar module including a non-conductive housing having a second plug passageway formed therein, and a conductive load busbar member, wherein said support member includes means for retaining said load busbar module in an operative position relative thereto, said conductive load busbar member having a second socket shaped and positioned to mate by a friction fit with a corresponding second male plug extending through said second plug passageway,

wherein respective said first and second plug passageways are shaped and spaced apart from each other to permit passage of the electrical plugs of each said overcurrent device through said passageways so as to mate with corresponding said first and second sockets, and wherein each said fuse block includes a plurality of receptacles for fuses, a terminal block for enabling the electrical linking of fuses inserted in said receptacles to external devices, and first and second plugs positioned to be inserted into said first and second passageways in the same manner as said overcurrent protection devices.

2. The assembly of claim 1, wherein said fuse block is a plug-in GMT fuse block.

3. The assembly of claim 2, wherein said GMT fuse block comprises a ten position terminal block, ten fuses, and a plurality of spare fuses.