Panelboard enclosure with improved external power cutoff switch

• US 8,902,570 B2
• Filed: 12/23/2010
• Issued: 12/02/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 12/23/2010
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Diversified Control, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Diversified Control, Inc.
• Inventors: Cosley, Michael R., Amoroso, Alan, King, Aron J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Vortman, Anatoly
• Application Number:
  US12/977,889
• Publication Number:
  US 20120162862A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,440 Days
• Field of Search: 361/631, 361/632, 361/634, 361/635, 361/643, 361/644, 361/616, 200/50.32, 200/50.33, 200/50.4
• US Class Current: 361/632
• CPC Class Codes: H02B 1/42 Mounting of devices therein

Abstract

An electrical panelboard enclosure includes an enclosure housing with an interior equipment chamber accessible by way of a service entrance door. A service panel is configured to receive power from a main power source. A main power breaker has a main power breaker toggle switch and is positionable between a power-on state and a power-off state to selectively activate and deactivate the main power. A power cutoff switch mechanism is operable from outside the service entrance door and is positionable between a power-on state and a power-off state to mechanically engage and deactivate the main power breaker toggle switch and cutoff the main power without opening the service entrance door. A lockout system is operable to prevent the service entrance door from being secured in a closed position unless the main power breaker and the power cutoff switch mechanism are in the same state.

Claims

1. An electrical panelboard enclosure, comprising:

an enclosure housing having an interior equipment chamber accessible via an opening in said housing;

a service entrance door mounted on said housing and positionable between a closed position wherein said opening is covered and an open position wherein said opening is exposed;

a service panel in said equipment chamber configured to receive main power from a main power source;

a main power breaker in said equipment chamber having a main power breaker toggle operable to selectively activate and deactivate said main power, said main power breaker being positionable between a power-on state and a power-off state;

a power cutoff switch mechanism operable from outside said service entrance door to mechanically engage and deactivate said main power breaker toggle and cutoff said main power without opening said service entrance door, said power cutoff switch mechanism being positionable between a power-on state and a power-off state;

a lockout system comprising a first lockout component movably mounted on an inside of said service entrance door as part of said power cutoff switch mechanism, and a second lockout component movably mounted on said service panel to actuate said main power breaker toggle;

said first lockout component being arranged to engage said second lockout component as said service entrance door is being closed; and

said lockout system being operable to prevent said service entrance door from being secured in said closed position unless said main power breaker and said power cutoff switch mechanism are in the same state and said first lockout component is aligned with said second lockout component as said service entrance door is being closed, and if said main power breaker and said power cutoff switch mechanism are not in said same state as said service entrance door is being closed, said first lockout component will be in misalignment with and hit against said second lockout component such that said service entrance door will not be fully closable when said first lockout component hits against said second lockout component.

2. The panelboard enclosure of claim 1, wherein said first lockout component and said second lockout component are configured for nested engagement with each other when said main power breaker and said power cutoff switch mechanism are in said same state, and are configured for non-nested engagement with each other when said main power breaker and said power cutoff switch mechanism are not in said same state.

3. The panelboard enclosure of claim 2, wherein one of said first lockout component and said second lockout component comprises a protrusion and the other of said first lockout component and said second lockout component comprises a recess.

4. The panelboard enclosure of claim 3 wherein said protrusion engages said recess when said first lockout component and said second lockout component are in said nested engagement, and wherein said protrusion does not engage said recess when said first lockout component and said second lockout component are in said non-nested engagement.

5. The panelboard enclosure of claim 4, wherein said first lockout component comprises a slidable switch bar formed with a cross bar that provides said protrusion, and wherein said second lockout component comprises a slidable main breaker position indicator formed as a channel having a pair of rigid sidewalls with mutually aligned notches that provide said recess.

6. The panelboard enclosure of claim 5, wherein said cross bar engages said notches when said first lockout component and said second lockout component are in said nested engagement, and wherein said cross bar engages said rigid sidewalls when said first lockout component and said second lockout component are in said non-nested engagement.

7. The panelboard enclosure of claim 4, wherein said first lockout component comprises a slidable switch bar formed with an aperture that provides said recess, and wherein said second lockout component comprises a slidable main breaker position indicator formed with a flange that engages said recess.

8. The panelboard enclosure of claim 7, wherein said flange engages said aperture when said first lockout component and said second lockout component are in said nested engagement, and wherein said flange engages a body portion of said slidable switch bar when said first lockout component and said second lockout component are in said non-nested engagement.

9. An electrical panelboard enclosure, comprising:

an enclosure housing having a front, a back, first and second sides, a top, a bottom, an opening in said front, and an interior equipment chamber accessible via said front opening;

a service entrance door pivotally mounted on said housing and positionable between a closed position wherein said front opening is covered and an open position wherein said front opening is exposed;

a primary service panel in said equipment chamber configured to receive power from a main power source and an alternate power source;

a main power source wireway in said equipment chamber arranged for routing main power source wiring to deliver main power from said main power source to said primary service panel;

an alternate power source connector array in said equipment chamber accessible from outside said enclosure housing and configured to detachably connect to alternate power source cables;

an alternate power source wireway in said equipment chamber arranged for routing alternate power source wiring;

alternate power source wiring disposed in said alternate power source wireway and interconnecting said alternate power source connector array and said primary service panel;

a distribution service panel in said equipment chamber operable to selectively receive said main or alternate power from said primary service panel and distribute said power to one or more subsidiary load circuits;

a service transfer switch unit associated with said primary service panel, said service transfer switch unit being operable to selectively delivery said main power and said alternate power to said distribution service panel;

a main power breaker in said service transfer switch unit having a main power breaker toggle operable to position said main power breaker between a power-on state and a power-off state to selectively activate and deactivate said main power to said distribution service panel;

an alternate power breaker in said service transfer switch unit having an alternate power breaker toggle operable to selectively activate and deactivate said alternate power to said distribution service panel;

an interlock in said service transfer switch operable to prevent simultaneous activation or deactivation of both said main power breaker toggle and said alternate power breaker toggle;

a power cutoff switch mechanism operable from outside said service entrance door to mechanically engage and deactivate said main power breaker toggle and cutoff said main power without opening said service entrance door, said power cutoff switch mechanism being positionable between a power-on state and a power-off state;

a lockout system comprising a first lockout component movably mounted on an inside of said service entrance door as part of said power cutoff switch mechanism, and a second lockout component movably mounted on said service panel to actuate said main power breaker toggle;

said first lockout component being arranged to engage said second lockout component as said service entrance door is being closed; and

said lockout system being operable to prevent said service entrance door from being secured in said closed position unless said main power breaker and said power cutoff switch mechanism are in the same state and said first lockout component is aligned with said second lockout component as said service entrance door is being closed, and if said main power breaker and said power cutoff switch mechanism are not in said same state as said service entrance door is being closed, said first lockout component will be in misalignment with and hit against said second lockout component such that said service entrance door will not be fully closable when said first lockout component hits against said second lockout component.

10. The panelboard enclosure of claim 9, wherein said first lockout component and said second lockout component are configured for nested engagement with each other when said main power breaker and said power cutoff switch mechanism are in said same state, and are configured for non-nested engagement with each other when said main power breaker and said power cutoff switch mechanism are not in said same state.

11. The panelboard enclosure of claim 10, wherein one of said first lockout component and said second lockout component comprises a protrusion and the other of said first lockout component and said second lockout component comprises a recess.

12. The panelboard enclosure of claim 11 wherein said protrusion engages said recess when said first lockout component and said second lockout component are in said nested engagement, and wherein said protrusion does not engage said recess when said first lockout component and said second lockout component are in said non-nested engagement.

13. The panelboard enclosure of claim 12, wherein said first lockout component comprises a slidable switch bar formed with a cross bar that provides said protrusion, and wherein said second lockout component comprises a slidable main breaker position indicator formed as a channel having a pair of rigid sidewalls with mutually aligned notches that provide said recess.

14. The panelboard enclosure of claim 13, wherein said cross bar engages said notches when said first lockout component and said second lockout component are in said nested engagement, and wherein said cross bar engages said rigid sidewalls when said first lockout component and said second lockout component are in said non-nested engagement.

15. The panelboard enclosure of claim 12, wherein said first lockout component comprises a slidable switch bar formed with an aperture that provides said recess, and wherein said second lockout component comprises a slidable main breaker position indicator formed with a flange that engages said recess.

16. The panelboard enclosure of claim 15, wherein said flange engages said aperture when said first lockout component and said second lockout component are in said nested engagement, and wherein said flange engages a body portion of said slidable switch bar when said first lockout component and said second lockout component are in said non-nested engagement.

17. A method of using a panelboard enclosure, said panelboard enclosure comprising:

an enclosure housing having an interior equipment chamber accessible via an opening in said housing;

a service entrance door mounted on said housing and positionable between a closed position wherein said opening is covered and an open position wherein said opening is exposed;

a service panel in said equipment chamber configured to receive power from a main power source;

a main power breaker in said equipment chamber having a main power breaker toggle operable to selectively activate and deactivate said main power, said main power breaker being positionable between a power-on state and a power-off state;

a power cutoff switch mechanism operable from outside said service entrance door to mechanically engage and deactivate said main power breaker toggle and cutoff said main power without opening said service entrance door, said power cutoff switch mechanism being positionable between a power-on state and a power-off state;

a lockout system comprising a first lockout component movably mounted on an inside of said service entrance door as part of said power cutoff switch mechanism, and a second lockout component movably mounted on said service panel to actuate said main power breaker toggle;

said first lockout component being arranged to engage said second lockout component as said service entrance door is being closed; and

said lockout system being operable to prevent said service entrance door from being secured in said closed position unless said main power breaker and said power cutoff switch mechanism are in the same state and said first lockout component is aligned with said second lockout component as said service entrance door is being closed, and if said main power breaker and said power cutoff switch mechanism are not in said same state as said service entrance door is being closed, said first lockout component will be in misalignment with and hit against said second lockout component such that said service entrance door will not be fully closable when said first lockout component hits against said second lockout component;

said method comprising;

opening said service entrance door;

if said main power breaker is in said power-off state, actuating said main power breaker to its power-on state;

initiating closure of said service entrance door;

if said first lockout component hits against said second lockout component to prevent said service entrance door from being fully closed due to said misalignment, actuating said power cutoff switch mechanism to its power-on state;

if said first and second lockout component are aligned, closing and securing said service entrance door so that said power cutoff switch mechanism engages said main power breaker toggle to allow said power cutoff switch mechanism to deactivate said main power breaker.