Rotary handle construction of an electrical switch

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11222758-B2
Application number	US-202016879036-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 20, 2020
Priority date	Nov 22, 2017
Publication date	Jan 11, 2022
Grant date	Jan 11, 2022

Abstract

The construction comprises a rotary handle with a first pivot axis, a locking latch with a second pivot axis, a fixed bottom ring, a locking pin movable with the locking latch between a first position in which the rotary handle can be turned in relation to the bottom ring and a second position in which the locking pin prevents turning of the rotary handle in relation to the bottom ring, a shaft adapter rotationally movable against a spring force in relation to the rotary handle. The shaft adapter comprises a protrusion having a locking member which locks the locking pin into the first position when the torsional moment acting on the rotary handle exceeds the spring force acting on the shaft adapter causing a limited rotational movement of the shaft adapter in relation to the rotary handle.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A rotary handle construction of an electrical switch comprises:
a rotary handle being turnable around a first pivot axis between at least an open- and a closed-position,
a locking latch being adapted in a first space formed into the rotary handle and being turnable around a second pivot axis between a locked position and a released position,
a bottom ring being fixed in relation to the rotary handle,
a locking pin also being adapted into the first space in the rotary handle and being movable in a longitudinal direction with the locking latch between a first position and a second position, the locking pin being in the first position positioned at a distance from the bottom ring allowing turning of the rotary handle in relation to the bottom ring, the locking pin protruding in the second position into a first opening in the bottom ring preventing turning of the rotary handle in relation to the bottom ring,
a shaft adapter being adapted with a play in a nest formed in the rotary handle and receiving a drive shaft leading from the rotary handle to the electrical switch, the shaft adapter comprising a protrusion having a locking member,
a torsion spring extending between the shaft adapter and the rotary handle, wherein the play in the nest permits a restricted rotational movement of the shaft adapter against the spring force of the torsion spring in relation to the rotary handle, wherein
the locking pin comprises a groove, wherein the locking member in the protrusion of the shaft adapter settles in the groove thereby locking the locking pin in the first position in a situation in which the torsion moment acting on the rotary handle exceeds the spring force of the torsion spring acting on the shaft adapter in relation to the rotary handle.

2. The rotary handle construction according to claim 1 , wherein the locking member in the protrusion in the shaft adapter is formed of the second opening extending through the protrusion, wherein the locking pin is adapted to move through the second opening so that the groove of the locking pin is at the second opening in the first position of the locking pin, wherein an edge of the second opening settles in the groove thereby locking the locking pin in the first position in a situation in which the torsion moment acting on the rotary handle exceeds the spring force acting on the shaft adapter causing a limited rotation of the shaft adapter in relation to the rotary handle.

3. The rotary handle construction according to claim 1 , wherein the groove extends around the perimeter of the locking pin.

4. The rotary handle construction according to claim 3 , wherein a return spring has been arranged in connection with the locking pin, said return spring returning the locking pin to the first position when the locking latch is released.

5. The rotary handle construction according to claim 4 , wherein the return spring is arranged around the locking pin.

6. The rotary handle construction according to claim 1 , wherein the torsion spring is formed of a leaf spring.

7. The rotary handle construction according to claim 1 , wherein the torsion spring extends in a transverse direction in relation to the first pivot axis.

8. The rotary handle construction according to claim 1 , wherein the torsion spring is supported from an end in slots formed in the rotary handle and from its middle portion in a groove in the shaft adapter.

9. The rotary handle construction according to claim 2 , wherein the groove extends around the perimeter of the locking pin.

10. The rotary handle construction according to claim 9 , wherein a return spring has been arranged in connection with the locking pin, said return spring returning the locking pin to the first position when the locking hatch is released.

11. The rotary handle construction according to claim 10 , wherein the return spring is arranged around the locking pin.

12. The rotary handle construction according to claim 1 , wherein a return spring has been arranged in connection with the locking pin, said return spring returning the locking pin to the first position when the locking latch is released.

13. The rotary handle construction according to claim 1 , wherein the spring force acting on the shaft adapter is achieved with a torsion spring extending between the shaft adapter and the rotary handle.

14. The rotary handle construction according to claim 13 , wherein the torsion spring is formed of a leaf spring.

15. The rotary handle construction according to claim 14 , wherein the torsion spring extends in a transverse direction in relation to the first pivot axis.

16. The rotary handle construction according to claim 7 , wherein the torsion spring is supported from its end in slots formed in the rotary handle and from its middle portion in a groove in the shaft adapter.

17. The rotary hand construction according to claim 1 , wherein the spring force acting on the shaft adapter is achieved with a torsion spring extending between the shaft adapter and the rotary handle.

18. The rotary handle construction according to claim 1 , wherein a return spring has been arranged in connection with the locking pin, said return spring returning the locking pin to the first position when the locking latch is released.

Assignees

• Abb Schweiz Ag

Inventors

• Soldan Juha
• Knuuttila Matti

Classifications

• H01H9/282

  and a separate part mounted or mountable on the switch assembly and movable between an unlocking position and a locking position where it can be secured by the padlock · CPC title

• H01H9/22

  for interlocking between casing, cover, or protective shutter and mechanism for operating contacts {(explosion-proof cases H01H9/045; built-in fuses and interlocking mechanisms H01H9/104; by automatic release of circuit breakers H01H71/126)} · CPC title

• H01H19/14 Primary

  Operating parts, e.g. turn knob · CPC title

• H01H19/03

  Means for limiting the angle of rotation of the operating part · CPC title

• H01H3/04

  Levers (tumblers H01H23/14) · CPC title