Replaceable electrical protection system for equipment under load

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10680431-B2
Application number	US-201715693784-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 1, 2017
Priority date	Sep 2, 2016
Publication date	Jun 9, 2020
Grant date	Jun 9, 2020

Abstract

The present disclosure relates to an electrical protection system , including a breaker enclosure and associated terminals, and the methods of use therefor that allow for a circuit breaker or other electrical protection device to be safely added or removed from a circuit while power is supplied to at least one of the terminals. The disclosed enclosure and terminals include a series of interrelated safety features that prevent a user from accidentally completing the circuit from one terminal to another when the electrical protection system would be in an unsafe state. The combination of features described herein allow for a replaceable electrical protection device for equipment under load to be realized, thus improving user safety.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An electrical protection system operable to be safely installed and removed with equipment under load, comprising:
a protection device enclosure including:
a trip unit, operable to move the electrical protection system between an open state to a closed state;
a toggle interlock, in physical communication with the trip unit and operable to move laterally in response to the electrical protection system moving between the open state and the closed state;
a first contact assembly in electrical communication with the trip unit on an anode side of the trip unit and protruding from the protection device enclosure;
a second contact assembly in electrical communication with the trip unit on a cathode side of the trip unit and protruding from the protection device enclosure;

wherein the first contact assembly and second contact assembly are operable to rotate between an insertion state and a conductible state;
wherein the first contact assembly and second contact assembly each define interlock tabs as depressions along the length of the contact assembly, the interlock tabs allowing the toggle interlock to move freely when all contact assemblies are in the conductible state and mechanically preventing the trip unit from being in the closed state via the toggle interlock when at least one of the contact assemblies is in the insertion state;
a first terminal, in electrical communication with the first contact assembly and an upstream portion of a circuit which the electrical protection system is to protect;
a second terminal, in electrical communication with the second contact assembly and a downstream portion of the circuit which the electrical protection system is to protect;
wherein the first terminal and the second terminal each include installation collars, the installation collars preventing insertion or removal of an associated contact assembly in the conductible state; and
wherein the first terminal and the second terminal each include contact blocks, the contact blocks establishing electrical communication between the circuit and the associated contact assembly when the associated contact assembly is in the conductible state.

2. The electrical protection system of claim 1 , wherein the protection device enclosure further includes:
a first cowl, through which the first contact assembly protrudes;
a second cowl, through with the second contact assembly protrudes;
a first cowl cavity defined in the first terminal superficial to the contact collar, shaped to accept the first cowl and into which the first cowl extends;
a second cowl cavity defined in the second terminal superficial to the contact collar, shaped to accept the second cowl and into which the second cowl extends; and
wherein the first cowl and the second cowl are constructed of a non-conductive material.

3. The electrical protection system of claim 2 , wherein the first cowl and the second cowl are partially retracted into the protection device enclosure when the first cowl and the second cowl are accepted into the first cowl cavity and the second cowl cavity.

4. The electrical protection system of claim 1 , wherein the first contact assembly and second contact assembly each define non-conductive insertion tabs extending perpendicularly from a shaft of the associated contact assembly, wherein the insertion tabs are cooperatively sized and shaped with an insertion channel defined in an associated terminal and its installation collar for allowing insertion or removal of the associated contact assembly while in the insertion state.

5. The electrical protection system of claim 4 , wherein the first terminal defines a cowl cavity superficial to the contact collar and defines a contact cavity deep to the contact collar in the first terminal, wherein the contact cavity defines a rotation channel sized to allow free rotation of the insertion tabs and thereby the associated contact assembly between the insertion state and the conductible state.

6. The electrical protection system of claim 1 , wherein the protection device enclosure further includes:
a first detent in communication with the first contact assembly, operable to prevent the first contact assembly from over rotating between the insertion state and the conductible state; and
a second detent in communication with the second contact assembly, operable to prevent the second contact assembly from over rotating between the insertion state and the conductible state.

7. The electrical protection system of claim 6 , wherein the first detent prevents the first contact assembly from over rotating between the insertion state and the conductible state by making contact with the protection device enclosure or the trip unit when the first contact assembly is in the insertion state or the conductible state, and wherein the second detent prevents the second contact assembly from over rotating between the insertion state and the conductible state by making contact with the protection device enclosure or the trip unit when the first contact assembly is in the insertion state or the conductible state.

8. The electrical protection system of claim 6 , wherein the first detent and the second detent are defined on the contact blocks, wherein the contact blocks prevent the over rotation of the first contact assembly and the second contact assembly by providing a stop to engage contact leads of the first contact assembly and the second contact assembly.

9. The electrical protection system of claim 6 , wherein the first detent is a rotation channel defined in the first terminal cooperatively sized and positioned to prevent over rotation of the first contact assembly via installation tabs extending perpendicularly from a shaft of the first contact assembly, and wherein the second detent is a rotation channel defined in the second terminal cooperatively sized and positioned to prevent over rotation of the second contact assembly via installation tabs extending perpendicularly from a shaft of the second contact assembly.

10. The electrical protection system of claim 1 , wherein the installation collar is non-conductive.

11. The electrical protection system of claim 1 , wherein the contact blocks define arced contact surfaces, operable to engage and establish electrical communication with arced contact leads extending perpendicularly from the first contact assembly and the second contact assembly when in the conductible state.

12. A method for assembling an electrical protection system, the electrical protection system including a first contact and a second contact rotatable between first and second rotational states, the first contact and second contact electrically connecting to corresponding terminals when in the second rotational state and not electrically connecting to the corresponding terminals when in the first rotational state, and a trip unit for opening and closing an electrical connection between the first contact and the second contact, the method comprising:
mechanically preventing the first contact and the second contact from being loaded into the electrical protection system unless the trip unit is open and the first contact and the second contact are in the first rotational state;
inserting the first contact and the second contact into the electrical protection system while the trip unit is open and the first contact and the second contact are in the first rotational state;
mechanically preventing the trip unit from being closed while the first contact and the second contact are inserted and are in the first rotational state;
rotating the inserted first contact and the second contact from the first rotational state to the second rotational state;

Assignees

• Eaton Intelligent Power Ltd

Inventors

• Manahan Joseph Michael
• Freer Benjamin Avery

Classifications

• H01H71/025

  Constructional details of housings or casings not concerning the mounting or assembly of the different internal parts · CPC title

• H01H71/2445

  using a reed switch (for current measuring G01R19/16509) · CPC title

• H02H3/38 Primary

  responsive to both voltage and current; responsive to phase angle between voltage and current · CPC title

• H01H71/08

  Terminals; Connections · CPC title

• H02H1/0061

  concerning transmission of signals (transmission of measured quantities or switching orders; sectionalised protection involving signal transmission between at least two stations H02H7/261; comparison of the voltage or current values at two spaced portions of a single system H02H3/28; transferring the output of a sensing member to another variable G01D5/00; electrical measuring arrangements using modulation of electromagnetic waves, e.g. light beams G01R15/24, G01R15/26) · CPC title