Method of electrically grounding a circuit breaker and circuit breaker panel employing a grounding member

• US 6,490,150 B1
• Filed: 10/29/2001
• Issued: 12/03/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 10/29/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Labinal (Safran SA)
• Original Assignee: Eaton Corp. (Wisconsin) (Eaton Corporation PLC.)
• Inventors: McCormick, James Michael, Theisen, Peter J.
• Primary Examiner(s): CHERVINSKY, BORIS LEO
• Application Number:
  US10/038,244
• Time in Patent Office: 400 Days
• Field of Search: 361/628, 361/632, 361/634, 361/635, 361/644, 361/647, 361/652, 361/656, 361/673, 174/51, 200/296
• US Class Current: 361/673
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2083/201 the other abnormal electrical condition being an arc fault
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 71/02 Housings; Casings; Bases; Mountings
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 9/12 Means for earthing parts of switch not normally conductively connected to the contacts
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/648 Protective earth or shield arrangements on coupling devices , e.g. anti-static shielding coaxially arranged shields H01R24/38

Abstract

A circuit breaker panel includes a panel having a surface; an electrically conductive grounding member, such as a grounding strip, adapted for electrical connection to ground; a circuit breaker having an electrically conductive surface; and one or more fasteners fastening the circuit breaker to the panel. The electrically conductive grounding member is sandwiched between the surface of the panel and the electrically conductive surface of the circuit breaker. The electrically conductive circuit breaker surface electrically engages the electrically conductive grounding member.

Claims

1. A method of electrically grounding a circuit breaker, said method comprising the steps of:

employing a panel having a surface;

grounding an electrically conductive grounding member;

employing a circuit breaker having an electrically conductive surface;

employing the electrically conductive grounding member between the surface of the panel and the electrically conductive surface of said circuit breaker;

mounting the circuit breaker to the panel; and

electrically engaging the electrically conductive grounding member with the electrically conductive surface of the circuit breaker.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising

employing an aircraft circuit breaker as said circuit breaker.

3. The method of claim 1 further comprising

employing an alternating current circuit breaker as said circuit breaker.

4. The method of claim 1 further comprising

employing a circuit breaker having a bezel and a pair of mounting holes;

employing a first opening in the panel corresponding to the bezel of the circuit breaker and a pair of second openings in the panel corresponding to the mounting holes of the circuit breaker;

passing the bezel of the circuit breaker through the first opening in the panel; and

fastening the circuit breaker to the panel with a pair of fasteners, which engage the panel at the second openings thereof and the circuit breaker at the mounting holes thereof.

5. The method of claim 4 further comprising

employing screws as said fasteners.

6. The method of claim 4 further comprising

employing the pair of second openings in the panel on opposite sides of the first opening thereof;

employing a first opening in the electrically conductive grounding member corresponding to the bezel of the circuit breaker and a pair of second openings in the electrically conductive grounding member on opposite sides of the first opening thereof; and

passing the bezel through the first opening of the electrically conductive grounding member.

7. The method of claim 1 further comprising

grounding the panel.

8. The method of claim 1 further comprising

attaching the electrically conductive grounding member to the surface of the panel.

9. The method of claim 1 further comprising

employing as said electrically conductive grounding member a silver-plated copper strip.

10. The method of claim 1 further comprising

employing as the electrically conductive surface of the circuit breaker a mounting member having a raised surface;

and

electrically engaging said electrically conductive grounding member with the raised surface of the mounting member.

11. The method of claim 10 further comprising

sandwiching the electrically conductive grounding member between the panel and the mounting member of the circuit breaker, thereby electrically engaging the electrically conductive raised surface of the circuit breaker with the electrically conductive grounding member.

12. The method of claim 10 further comprising

employing a brass mounting member;

plating the brass mounting member with silver;

employing a copper grounding strip as said electrically conductive grounding member;

plating the copper grounding strip with silver; and

electrically engaging the silver-plated raised surface of the brass mounting member with the silver-plated copper grounding strip.

13. The method of claim 1 further comprising

employing said circuit breaker with a bezel;

employing an opening in the panel corresponding to the bezel of the circuit breaker;

passing the bezel of the circuit breaker through the opening in the panel; and

fastening the bezel of the circuit breaker to the panel with a fastener.

14. The method of claim 13 further comprising

employing a nut and a lock washer as said fastener.

15. The method of claim 13 further comprising

employing a first opening in the panel as the opening in the panel corresponding to the bezel of the circuit breaker, and a second opening in the panel proximate the first opening thereof;

employing a first opening in the electrically conductive grounding member corresponding to the bezel of the circuit breaker and a second opening proximate the first opening thereof;

passing the bezel through the first opening of the electrically conductive grounding member;

employing a stop proximate the bezel of the circuit breaker; and

passing the stop through the second opening of the electrically conductive grounding member and the second opening of the panel.

16. The method of claim 1 further comprising

employing with said circuit breaker a bezel having an electrically conductive engagement surface as the electrically conductive surface of the circuit breaker;

and

electrically engaging said electrically conductive grounding member with said electrically conductive engagement surface.

17. The method of claim 16 further comprising

sandwiching the electrically conductive grounding member between the panel and said electrically conductive engagement surface, thereby electrically engaging the electrically conductive surface of the circuit breaker with the electrically conductive grounding member.

18. The method of claim 16 further comprising

employing a brass bezel as the bezel of said circuit breaker;

silver plating the electrically conductive engagement surface of said brass bezel;

employing a copper grounding strip as said electrically conductive grounding member;

silver plating the copper grounding strip; and

electrically engaging the silver-plated electrically conductive engagement surface of the brass bezel with the silver-plated copper grounding strip.

19. A circuit breaker panel comprising:

a panel having a surface;

an electrically conductive grounding member adapted for electrical connection to ground;

a circuit breaker having an electrically conductive surface; and

at least one fastener fastening the circuit breaker to the panel, with the electrically conductive grounding member between the surface of the panel and the electrically conductive surface of said circuit breaker, and with the electrically conductive surface of said circuit breaker electrically engaging said electrically conductive grounding member.

20. The circuit breaker panel of claim 19 wherein said circuit breaker has a bezel and a pair of mounting holes;

wherein said panel has a first opening corresponding to the bezel of said circuit breaker and a pair of second openings corresponding to the mounting holes of said circuit breaker;

wherein the bezel of said circuit breaker passes through the first opening in said panel; and

wherein said at least one fastener is a pair of fasteners, which engage the panel at the second openings thereof and the circuit breaker at the mounting holes thereof.

21. The circuit breaker panel of claim 20 wherein the second openings of said panel are on opposite sides of the first opening;

wherein said electrically conductive grounding member has a first opening corresponding to the bezel of the circuit breaker and a pair of second openings on opposite sides of the first opening thereof; and

wherein the bezel of said circuit breaker passes through the first opening of said electrically conductive grounding member and the first opening of said panel.

22. The circuit breaker panel of claim 19 wherein said electrically conductive grounding member is a silver-plated copper strip;

wherein the electrically conductive surface of said circuit breaker is a mounting plate having a raised surface; and

wherein the said silver-plated copper strip is sandwiched between said panel and the mounting plate of said circuit breaker, thereby electrically engaging the electrically conductive raised surface of the mounting plate of said circuit breaker with said silver-plated copper strip.

23. The circuit breaker panel of claim 19 wherein said circuit breaker has a bezel;

wherein said panel has an opening corresponding to the bezel of said circuit breaker;

wherein the bezel of said circuit breaker passes through the opening in said panel; and

wherein said at least one fastener is a fastener fastening the bezel of said circuit breaker to said panel.

24. The circuit breaker panel of claim 19 wherein said circuit breaker has a bezel with an electrically conductive engagement surface, which is the electrically conductive surface of said circuit breaker;

wherein said panel has a first opening corresponding to the bezel of said circuit breaker and a second opening proximate the first opening;

wherein said electrically conductive grounding member has a first opening corresponding to the bezel of said circuit breaker and a second opening proximate the first opening thereof;

wherein the bezel passes through the first opening of said electrically conductive grounding member and the first opening of said panel;

wherein the circuit breaker further has a stop proximate the bezel of said circuit breaker; and

wherein the stop passes through the second opening of said electrically conductive grounding member and the second opening of said panel.

25. The circuit breaker panel of claim 19 wherein said circuit breaker has a bezel with an electrically conductive engagement surface, which is the electrically conductive surface of said circuit breaker;

and wherein said electrically conductive grounding member is sandwiched between said panel and said electrically conductive engagement surface, thereby electrically engaging the electrically conductive engagement surface of the bezel of said circuit breaker with the electrically conductive grounding member.