State-indicating device for low current applications with wider operating range

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12046435-B2
Application number	US-202318133821-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 12, 2023
Priority date	Apr 12, 2022
Publication date	Jul 23, 2024
Grant date	Jul 23, 2024

Abstract

The present invention relates to a state-indicating device (100) for circuit breaker with test function disclose. The state-indicating device (100) includes signal transmission to plurality of indicating devices (100) from the circuit breaker by means of linking features between the circuit breaker and indicating device and also linkage between one indicating device and other indicating device. Indicating device includes a mechanical linkage comprising an actuator connected to hook member (7) and tripping bar (8) with stainless-steel rod (9) being configured to: operate mechanical plate (6) and lever (10), test function actuator (4); to push the microswitch button (19) of a microswitch assembly (12) by selectively On/Off (OF), Signal Default (SD) and SD+OF causing the circuit to change status from Normally Open (NO) to Normally Close (NC); and to show the trip status of the circuit breaker which is mounted to, say the right side of the invented state-indicating device (100).

First claim

We claim:

1. A state-indicating device ( 100 ) linked to a circuit breaker indicating the status thereof with test function, said circuit breaker having an On/Off (OF) function and a Signal Default (SD) function, wherein said state-indicating device ( 100 ) comprises:
a housing;
a microswitch assembly ( 12 ) attached within said housing, said microswitch assembly ( 12 ) comprising at least one microswitch button ( 19 );
a mechanical linkage linked to said microswitch assembly ( 12 ), and configured to selectively operate said microswitch assembly ( 12 ),
wherein said mechanical linkage comprises:
a mechanical plate ( 6 );
a lever ( 10 ),
a test function actuator ( 4 ) coupled with said lever ( 10 )
a tripping assembly mounted on said mechanical plate ( 6 ); and
an actuator ( 3 ) coupled with said tripping assembly and configured to:
actuate said microswitch button ( 19 ) based on signals corresponding to said On/Off (OF) function, said Signal Default (SD) function and a combination of said SD function and said OF function (SD+OF) that allow said microswitch assembly ( 12 ) to change from Normally Open (NO) state to Normally Close (NC) state, and vice versa; and
indicate the trip status of the circuit breaker linked to said state-indicating device ( 100 ), and

wherein said test function actuator ( 4 ) is configured to actuate said microswitch button ( 19 ) without operating said actuator ( 3 ) to perform a test of a make or break operation with said lever ( 10 ) without switching ON said circuit breaker linked to said state-indicating device ( 100 ).

2. The state-indicating device ( 100 ) as claimed in claim 1 , wherein said tripping assembly comprises a hook member ( 7 ), a tripping bar ( 8 ), and a connecting stainless-steel rod ( 9 ) linking said hook member ( 7 ) with said actuator ( 3 ),
wherein upon actuation of said actuator ( 3 ), said tripping assembly is biased to rotate at a predefined angle through said hook member ( 7 ) and latches with the tripping bar ( 8 ) and locks therein maintaining said predefined angle and thereby said tripping assembly allows to indicate the change of said trip status of said circuit breaker to either On, Off, or Trip.

3. The state-indicating device ( 100 ) as claimed in claim 1 , wherein said mechanical linkage comprises a lever spring ( 11 ) assembled to said lever ( 10 ),
wherein upon actuation of said actuator ( 3 ), said lever ( 10 ) actuates said microswitch button ( 19 ) to transmit a signal to said circuit breaker, indicating said trip status of said circuit breaker, and
wherein said lever spring ( 11 ) provides a biasing force to said lever ( 10 ) to restore the position of said lever ( 10 ) with respect to said mechanical plate ( 6 ) when the state of the circuit breaker has been indicated.

4. The state-indicating device ( 100 ) as claimed in claim 1 , wherein said test function actuator ( 4 ) comprises a test lever arm ( 20 ) such that, when a test current is passed through said state-indicating device ( 100 ), said test lever arm ( 20 ) comes in contact with the lever ( 10 ) to actuate said microswitch assembly ( 12 ) to test said state-indicating device ( 100 ) without switching ON said circuit breaker.

5. The state-indicating device ( 100 ) as claimed in claim 1 , wherein said state-indicating device ( 100 ) comprises an actuator spring ( 2 ) attached with said actuator ( 3 ) providing biasing force to restore the position of the actuator ( 3 ) upon indication of the circuit breaker, such that the restoration of said actuator ( 3 ) is preceded by said restoration of said lever ( 10 ) to its position.

6. The state-indicating device ( 100 ) as claimed in claim 1 , wherein said state-indicating device ( 100 ) comprises a mechanical plate spring ( 5 ) providing biasing force to said tripping assembly preventing from returning to a normal state while maintaining said predefined angle.

7. The state-indicating device ( 100 ) as claimed in claim 1 , wherein said microswitch assembly ( 12 ) comprises a trip microswitch and a switch microswitch, said microswitch assembly ( 12 ) being configured to transmit a signal from a common contact to a Normally Open (NO) or a Normally Close (NC) contact.

8. The state-indicating device ( 100 ) as claimed in claim 7 , wherein said actuator ( 3 ) comprises:
a trip actuator being operably coupled with said trip microswitch; and
a switch actuator being operably coupled with said switch microswitch.

9. The state-indicating device ( 100 ) as claimed in claim 1 , wherein said switch actuator selectively engages with said microswitch button ( 19 ) on said switch microswitch and said trip actuator selectively engages with said microswitch button ( 19 ) to actuate said trip microswitch using the selective function of SD+OF with reset function and test function.

10. The state-indicating device ( 100 ) as claimed in claim 1 , wherein said housing comprises:
a bottom case ( 1 ) having plurality of engraved holding provisions, said bottom case is provided with at least one stationary contact and at least one movable contact; and
a cover member ( 16 ) removably attached to said bottom case ( 1 ).

11. The state-indicating device ( 100 ) as claimed in claim 10 , wherein the bottom case ( 1 ) is provided with plurality of terminal lugs ( 14 ) to facilitate an electrical connection between plurality of output terminals of said microswitch assembly ( 12 ) and said stationary contact and the movable contact of said state-indicating device ( 100 ).

12. The state-indicating device ( 100 ) as claimed in claim 11 , wherein said stationary contact and said movable contact are gold plated contacts having a separation distance of 0.6 mm therebetween.

Assignees

• Schneider Electric Ind Sas

Inventors

• Madhusoodanan Vimal Adithiya Tellicherry
• Shaik Abdul Latheef
• Richhawal Ashok Ramlal
• Veerakariyappa Narasimha Murthy

Classifications

• H01H71/46

  having means for operating auxiliary contacts additional to the main contacts · CPC title

• H01H71/1018

  with only external interconnections · CPC title

• H01H2071/042

  with different indications for different conditions, e.g. contact position, overload, short circuit or earth leakage · CPC title

• G01R31/00

  Arrangements for testing electric properties; Arrangements for locating electric faults; Arrangements for electrical testing characterised by what is being tested not provided for elsewhere ({measuring superconductive properties G01R33/1238;} testing line transmission systems H04B3/46; testing or measuring semiconductors or solid state devices during manufacture {H10P74/00}) · CPC title

• H01H85/30

  Means for indicating condition of fuse structurally associated with the fuse · CPC title