Electrical switching apparatus and shunt tab assembly therefor

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10242831-B2
Application number	US-201615376962-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 13, 2016
Priority date	Dec 13, 2016
Publication date	Mar 26, 2019
Grant date	Mar 26, 2019

Abstract

A shunt tab assembly is for an electrical switching apparatus, such as a circuit breaker. The electrical switching apparatus includes a housing, separable contacts enclosed by the housing, an operating mechanism for opening and closing the separable contacts, and a number of shunts. The operating mechanism includes a trip unit. The shunt tab assembly includes a shunt tab structured to be electrically connected to the shunts, a biasing element structured to bias the shunt tab toward a predetermined position with respect to the housing, and a fastener structured to mechanically couple and electrically connect the trip unit to the shunt tab.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A shunt tab assembly for an electrical switching apparatus, said electrical switching apparatus including a housing, separable contacts enclosed by the housing, an operating mechanism for opening and closing said separable contacts, and a number of shunts, said operating mechanism including a trip unit, said shunt tab assembly comprising:
a shunt tab structured to be electrically connected to said shunts;
a biasing element structured to bias said shunt tab toward a predetermined position with respect to the housing; and
a fastener structured to mechanically couple and electrically connect said trip unit to said shunt tab,
wherein said biasing element is a leaf spring; and wherein said leaf spring is structured to cooperate with the housing of said electrical switching apparatus to bias said shunt tab toward said predetermined position,
wherein the housing of said electrical switching apparatus comprises a plurality of vertical elements; wherein said shunt tab is structured to be disposed between a corresponding pair of said vertical elements; and wherein said leaf spring is structured to extend between said corresponding pair of said vertical elements, and
wherein said leaf spring comprises a first end, a second end disposed opposite and distal from the first end, and a planar intermediate portion extending between the first end and the second end; wherein said plurality of vertical elements comprises a first vertical element including a first molded projection and a second vertical element including a second molded projection disposed opposite and spaced from said first molded projection; wherein the first end of said leaf spring is structured to be retained by said first molded projection; wherein the second end of said leaf spring is structured to be retained by said second molded projection; and wherein the planar intermediate portion of said leaf spring engages and biases said shunt tab.

2. The shunt tab assembly of claim 1 wherein said shunt tab comprises a first side structured to be disposed proximate said first vertical element, a second side structured to be disposed proximate said second vertical element, a body portion extending between the first side and the second side, and a number of protrusions extending outwardly from said body portion; and wherein the planar intermediate portion of said leaf spring is compressed against said protrusions, thereby biasing said shunt tab toward said predetermined position.

3. The shunt tab assembly of claim 1 wherein said shunt tab comprises an elongated retention edge; and wherein said elongated retention edge cooperates with the planar intermediate portion of said leaf spring in order to retain said leaf spring in position with respect to said shunt tab.

4. The shunt tab assembly of claim 1 wherein said shunt tab is a single piece electrically conductive member comprising an exterior, an interior, and a cavity extending from the exterior to the interior.

5. A shunt tab assembly for an electrical switching apparatus, said electrical switching apparatus including a housing, separable contacts enclosed by the housing, an operating mechanism for opening and closing said separable contacts, and a number of shunts, said operating mechanism including a trip unit, said shunt tab assembly comprising:
a shunt tab structured to be electrically connected to said shunts;
a biasing element structured to bias said shunt tab toward a predetermined position with respect to the housing; and
a fastener structured to mechanically couple and electrically connect said trip unit to said shunt tab,
wherein said shunt tab is a single piece electrically conductive member comprising an exterior, an interior, and a cavity extending from the exterior to the interior, and
wherein said fastener comprises a mounting bolt and a corresponding nut; wherein said nut is retained within said cavity; and wherein said mounting bolt extends from the exterior of said shunt tab to the interior of said shunt tab to engage said nut.

6. The shunt tab assembly of claim 5 wherein said trip unit includes at least one mounting tab having a mounting hole; and wherein said mounting bolt is structured to extend through said mounting hole and fasten to said nut to mechanically couple and electrically connect said mounting tab of said trip unit to said shunt tab.

7. A shunt tab assembly for an electrical switching apparatus, said electrical switching apparatus including a housing, separable contacts enclosed by the housing, an operating mechanism for opening and closing said separable contacts, and a number of shunts, said operating mechanism including a trip unit, said shunt tab assembly comprising:
a shunt tab structured to be electrically connected to said shunts;
a biasing element structured to bias said shunt tab toward a predetermined position with respect to the housing; and
a fastener structured to mechanically couple and electrically connect said trip unit to said shunt tab,
wherein said shunt tab is a single piece electrically conductive member comprising an exterior, an interior, and a cavity extending from the exterior to the interior, and
wherein said single piece electrically conductive member further comprises opposing pivot points and a flange extending laterally between said opposing pivot points; wherein said opposing pivot points are structured to cooperate with the housing of said electrical switching apparatus; and wherein said flange is structured to be electrically connected to said shunts.

8. An electrical switching apparatus comprising:
a housing;
separable contacts enclosed by the housing;
an operating mechanism for opening and closing said separable contacts, said operating mechanism including a trip unit;
a number of shunts; and
at least one shunt tab assembly comprising:
a shunt tab electrically connected to said shunts,
a biasing element biasing said shunt tab toward a predetermined position with respect to the housing, and
a fastener mechanically coupling and electrically connecting said trip unit to said shunt tab,
wherein said biasing element is a leaf spring; and wherein said leaf spring cooperates with the housing to bias said shunt tab toward said predetermined position,
wherein the housing comprises a plurality of vertical elements; wherein said shunt tab is disposed between a corresponding pair of said vertical elements; and wherein said leaf spring extends between said corresponding pair of said vertical elements, and
wherein said leaf spring comprises a first end, a second end disposed opposite and distal from the first end, and a planar intermediate portion extending between the first end and the second end; wherein said plurality of vertical elements comprises a first vertical element including a first molded projection and a second vertical element including a second molded projection disposed opposite and spaced from said first molded projection; wherein the first end of said leaf spring is retained by said first molded projection; wherein the second end of said leaf spring is retained by said second molded projection; and wherein the planar intermediate portion of said leaf spring engages and biases said shunt tab.

9. The electrical switching apparatus of claim 8 wherein said shunt tab comprises a first side disposed proximate said first vertical element, a second side disposed proximate said second vertical element, a body portion extending between the first side and the second side, and a number of protrusions extending outwardly from said body portion; and wherein the planar intermediate portion of said leaf spring is compressed against said protrusions, thereby biasing said shunt tab toward said predetermined position.

10.

Assignees

• Eaton Corp
• Eaton Intelligent Power Ltd

Inventors

• Gottschalk Andrew Lawrence
• Schaltenbrand Brian John
• Rizzo Bradley P

Classifications

• H01H1/5822 Primary

  Flexible connections between movable contact and terminal · CPC title

• H01H2071/086

  Low power connections for auxiliary switches, e.g. shunt trip · CPC title

• H01H71/08

  Terminals; Connections · CPC title

• H01H71/0214

  Housing or casing lateral walls containing guiding grooves or special mounting facilities (H01H71/0221 takes precedence) · CPC title

• H01H2001/5827

  Laminated connections, i.e. the flexible conductor is composed of a plurality of thin flexible conducting layers · CPC title