Fusible switching disconnect modules and devices with tripping coil

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11804350-B2
Application number	US-202217839299-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 13, 2022
Priority date	Sep 13, 2004
Publication date	Oct 31, 2023
Grant date	Oct 31, 2023

Abstract

A fusible switch disconnect device includes a housing adapted to receive at least one fuse therein, and a switchable contact for connecting the fuse to circuitry. A tripping mechanism and control circuitry are provided to move the switchable contact to an open position in response to a predetermined electrical condition.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A fusible switch disconnect device comprising:
a disconnect housing adapted to receive and engage a removable electrical fuse;
wherein the removable electrical fuse includes a housing, a first terminal and a second terminal both attached to the disconnect housing, and a fusible element defining a circuit path electrically connected between the first and second terminals, the fusible element being configured to permanently open the circuit path in response to a predetermined electrical overcurrent condition;

a line side terminal and a load side terminal both in the disconnect housing and completing an electrical connection to the first and second terminals of the removable electrical fuse, respectively, when the removable electrical fuse is received and engaged by the disconnect housing;
a mechanical switch assembly comprising:
a switch actuator partially projecting from the disconnect housing and being rotatably movable relative to the disconnect housing between a first position and a second position; and
a pair of switchable contacts in the disconnect housing at a location between the line side terminal and the removable electrical fuse, the pair of switchable contacts being attached to the switch actuator by an actuator link and also being linked to one another for a simultaneous movement thereof along a first linear axis by the actuator link as the switch actuator is rotatably moved between the first and the second positions, the pair of switchable contacts being selectively positionable between an open position and a closed position to respectively disconnect or connect an electrical connection between the line side terminal and the circuit path of the fusible element;

a trip mechanism for the mechanical switch assembly, the trip mechanism located inside the disconnect housing and including:
an electromagnetic actuator;
an elongated actuator arm having a first end and a second end, the first end of the elongated actuator arm pivotally mounted to the disconnect housing;
a first mechanical link having a first end and a second end, the first end of the first mechanical link fastened to the switch actuator and the second end of the first mechanical link fastened to the elongated actuator arm;
wherein the electromagnetic actuator is operationally responsive to a predetermined electrical condition to produce a mechanical force on the elongated actuator arm at a location between the first end and the second end of the elongated actuator arm, the mechanical force causing the elongated actuator arm to pivot about the first end of the elongated actuator arm, thereby causing displacement of the first mechanical link in the disconnect housing and in turn causing the switch actuator to rotatably displace and move the pair of switchable contacts from the closed position to the open position.

2. The fusible switch disconnect device of claim 1 , wherein the electromagnetic actuator comprises a coil and a plunger that is extendable and retractable along an axis of the coil.

3. The fusible switch disconnect device of claim 2 , wherein the plunger mechanically engages the pivotally mounted actuator arm only when the plunger is extended.

4. The fusible switch disconnect device of claim 2 , wherein the axis of the coil extends perpendicular to the first linear axis.

5. The fusible switch disconnect device of claim 3 , further comprising an interlock element movable along a second linear axis within the disconnect housing, the second linear axis extending substantially parallel to the axis of the coil.

6. The fusible switch disconnect device of claim 5 , wherein the removable electrical fuse includes plug-in terminal blades, the interlock element acting upon one of the terminal blades to prevent removal of the removable electrical fuse while the pair of switchable contacts are in the closed position.

7. The fusible switch disconnect device of claim 1 , further comprising a detecting element and a control circuitry configured to perform a time-based and magnitude-based comparison of a detected electrical parameter with a predetermined time-based and magnitude-based parameter while the pair of switchable contacts are in the closed position.

8. The fusible switch disconnect device of claim 7 , wherein the predetermined time-based and magnitude-based parameter is derived from a time-current curve that corresponds to an expected permanent opening of the fusible element in the removable electrical fuse.

9. The fusible switch disconnect device of claim 1 , further comprising a processor-based control element in communication with the electromagnetic actuator, the processor-based control element configured to undertake a time-based and magnitude-based comparison of a sensed electrical condition in the circuit path and a predetermined time-based and magnitude-based electrical condition performance baseline of the removable electrical fuse, and in response to a result of the comparison, decide whether to operate the electromagnetic actuator.

10. The fusible switch disconnect device of claim 9 , wherein the sensed electrical condition is an electrical current condition.

11. The fusible switch disconnect device of claim 10 , further comprising a detecting element which is configured to sense current flowing through the pair of switchable contacts while in the closed position.

12. The fusible switch disconnect device of claim 11 , wherein the predetermined time-based and magnitude-based electrical condition performance baseline comprises a set of current magnitude values and time values for each current magnitude value in the set.

13. The fusible switch disconnect device of claim 12 , wherein the set of current magnitude values and time values is derived from a time-current curve for the removable electrical fuse.

14. The fusible switch disconnect device of claim 1 , further comprising an interlock element linked to the elongated actuator arm, the interlock element preventing removal of the removable electrical fuse while the pair of switchable contacts are in the closed position, and the pivoting of the elongated actuator arm by the electromagnetic actuator causing the interlock element to release and permit removal of the removable electrical fuse.

15. A fusible switch disconnect device comprising:
a disconnect housing adapted to receive and engage at least a portion of a removable electrical fuse, wherein the removable electrical fuse comprises a rectangular fuse module having a pair of plug-in terminal blades and a fusible element electrically connected therebetween, the fusible element defining a first circuit path and being configured to permanently open the first circuit path in response to predetermined electrical current conditions experienced in the first circuit path;
a second circuit path defined in the disconnect housing, the second circuit path including a line side terminal and a load side terminal both of which electrically connecting to the respective pair of plug-in terminal blades of the removable electrical fuse and to the first circuit path when the removable electrical fuse is received and engaged to the disconnect housing;
wherein the second circuit path further includes a mechanical switch comprising:
a switch actuator accessible through the disconnect housing for a manual operation by a user, the switch actuator movable relative to the disconnect housing between a first position and a second position;
a pair of switchable contacts in the disconnect housing and linked to the switch actuator, the pair of switchable contacts provided between the line side terminal and one of the pair of plug-in termi

Assignees

• Eaton Intelligent Power Ltd

Inventors

• Darr Matthew Rain
• Kamath Hundi Panduranga

Classifications

• H01H71/20 Primary

  with fusible mass · CPC title

• H01H1/20 Primary

  Bridging contacts {(for circuit breakers H01H73/045)} · CPC title

• H01H7/16

  Devices for ensuring operation of the switch at a predetermined point in the AC cycle (circuit arrangements H01H9/56) · CPC title

• H01H9/10

  Adaptation for built-in fuses (mounting switch and fuse separately on, or in, common support H02B1/18) · CPC title

• H01H9/104

  with interlocking mechanism between switch and fuse · CPC title