Electromagnetic switch interlock system and method

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10018676-B2
Application number	US-201514832762-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 21, 2015
Priority date	Nov 6, 2014
Publication date	Jul 10, 2018
Grant date	Jul 10, 2018

Abstract

One embodiment describes an interlock for an electromechanical switching system, which includes a housing; a first camming lockout member disposed in the housing and that contacts an auxiliary operator of a first electromechanical switching device; a second camming lockout member disposed in the housing and that contacts an auxiliary operator of a second electromechanical switching device, which the first camming lockout members contacts the second camming lockout member when the first camming lockout member is moved to an actuated position by the first electromechanical switching device to prevent movement of the second camming lockout member to an actuated position.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. An interlock to be used in an electromechanical switching system, comprising:
a housing;
a first camming lockout member disposed in the housing, the first camming lockout member comprising a first actuating element extending in an axial direction and configured to contact an auxiliary operator of a first electromechanical switching device, wherein the first camming lockout member pivots in a plane within the housing, wherein the axial direction is perpendicular to the plane and extends into the first electromechanical switching device when the housing is attached to the first electromechanical switching device; and
a second camming lockout member disposed in the housing, the second camming lockout member comprising a second actuating element extending in the axial direction and configured to contact an auxiliary operator of a second electromechanical switching device;
wherein the first camming lockout member contacts the second camming lockout member when the first actuating element is moved to an actuated position by the first electromechanical switching device to block movement of the second camming lockout member to an actuated position;
wherein the first actuating element and the second actuating element are disposed though a common axis in the axial direction to align co-axially such that a center of the first actuating element and a center of the second actuating element align through the common axis when neither the first actuating element is actuated by the first electromechanical switching device or the second actuating element is actuated by the second electromechanical switching device.

2. The interlock of claim 1 , wherein the housing comprises two substantially identical housing halves.

3. The interlock of claim 1 , wherein the first camming lockout member and the second camming lockout member are substantially identical.

4. The interlock of claim 1 , wherein the housing has apertures on sides thereof to:
enable mechanical connection of the first camming lock member with the first auxiliary operator of the first electromechanical switching device; and
enable mechanical connection of the second camming lockout member with the second auxiliary operator of the second electromechanical switching device.

5. The interlock of claim 1 , wherein the housing is configured to be sandwiched between the first electromechanical switching device and the second electromechanical switching device.

6. The interlock of claim 1 , wherein the first camming lockout member and the second camming lockout member are pivotally mounted within the housing.

7. An electromechanical switching system, comprising:
a first electromechanical switching device having a first auxiliary operator accessible from a side thereof and energizable to shift from an open configuration to a closed configuration to facilitate conducting electrical current from a source to a load;
a second electromechanical switching device having a second auxiliary operator accessible from a side thereof energizable to shift from an open configuration to a closed configuration to facilitate conducting electrical current from the source to the load; and
an interlock sandwiched between the first electromechanical switching device and the second electromechanical switching device; wherein the interlock comprises a housing, a first camming lockout member disposed in the housing; wherein the first camming lockout member comprises a first actuating element extending in an axial direction contacting the first auxiliary operator, and a second camming lockout member disposed in the housing, wherein the first camming lockout member pivots in a plane within the housing, wherein the axial direction is perpendicular to the plane and extends into the first electromechanical switching device; wherein the second camming lockout member comprises a second actuating element extending in the axial direction contacting the second auxiliary operator; wherein the first actuating element and the second actuating element are disposed through a common axis in the axial direction to align co-axially such that a center of the first actuating element and a center of the second actuating element align through the common axis when neither the first actuating element is actuated by the first electromechanical switching device or the second actuating element is actuated by the second electromechanical switching device thereby allowing modularity between the interlock and electromechanical switching devices in multiple configurations; and
wherein the first camming lockout member contacts the second camming lockout member when the first actuating element is moved to an actuated position by movement of the first electromechanical switching device to the closed configuration to block movement of the second camming lockout member to an actuated position and thereby to block movement of the second electromechanical switching device to the closed configuration.

8. The system of claim 7 , wherein the first camming lockout member and the second camming lockout member are substantially identical.

9. The system of claim 7 , wherein the housing has apertures on sides thereof to:
enable mechanical connection of the first camming lock member with the first auxiliary operator of the first electromechanical switching device; and
enable mechanical connection of the second camming lockout member with the second auxiliary operator of the second electromechanical switching device.

10. The system of claim 7 , wherein the first camming lockout member and the second camming lockout member are pivotally mounted within the housing.

11. The system of claim 7 , wherein each of the first electromechanical switching device and the second electromechanical switching device comprises a single pole, single current-carrying path device.

12. The system of claim 7 , wherein the first electromechanical switching device and the second electromechanical switching device are substantially identical.

13. An electromechanical switching system, comprising:
a first electromechanical switching device having a first auxiliary operator accessible from a side thereof and energizable to shift from an open configuration to a closed configuration to facilitate conducting electrical current from a source to a load;
a second electromechanical switching device having a second auxiliary operator accessible from a side thereof energizable to shift from an open configuration to a closed configuration to facilitate conducting electrical current from the source to the load; and
an interlock sandwiched between the first electromechanical switching device and the second electromechanical switching device; wherein the interlock comprises a housing, a first camming lockout member disposed in the housing, wherein the first camming lockout member comprises a first actuating element extending in an axial direction contacting the first auxiliary operator, and a second camming lockout member disposed in the housing, wherein the first camming lockout member pivots in a plane within the housing, wherein the axial direction is perpendicular to the plane and extends into the first electromechanical switching device; wherein the second camming lockout member comprises a second actuating element extending in the axial direction contacting the second auxiliary operator; wherein the first actuating element and the second actuating element are disposed though a common axis in the axial direction to align co-axially such that a center of the first actuating element and a center of the second actuating element align through the common axis when neither the first actuating element is actu

Assignees

• Rockwell Automation Tech Inc

Inventors

• Bock Christopher H
• Wieloch Christopher J
• Kinsella James J
• Dziekonski Stefan T

Classifications

• H01H47/02

  for modifying the operation of the relay · CPC title

• G01R31/327 Primary

  Testing of circuit interrupters, switches or circuit-breakers · CPC title

• H01H50/323

  for interlocking two or more relays · CPC title

• H01H9/26

  for interlocking two or more switches ({H01H13/568 takes precedence;} by a detachable member H01H9/28 {; for electromagnetic relays H01H50/323}) · CPC title

• G01R31/3274

  Details related to measuring, e.g. sensing, displaying or computing; Measuring of variables related to the contact pieces, e.g. wear, position or resistance (measuring contact resistance G01R27/205) · CPC title