Electronically controlled fusible switching disconnect modules and devices

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12191099-B2
Application number	US-202217936285-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 28, 2022
Priority date	Jan 19, 2011
Publication date	Jan 7, 2025
Grant date	Jan 7, 2025

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

The invention claimed is:

1. A fusible switch disconnect device comprising:
a housing;
line side and load side terminals in the housing and configured to be electrically connected to first and second terminal elements of a removable overcurrent protection fuse;
at least one movable switch contact in the housing, the at least one movable switch contact configured between the line side terminal and the first terminal element of the removable overcurrent protection fuse;
a disconnect switch actuator coupled to the at least one movable switch contact via an actuator link and a sliding bar, wherein the disconnect switch actuator is configured for placing the at least one movable switch contact in either an open position or a closed position to respectively disconnect or connect an electrical connection between the line side terminal and the load side terminal and through the removable overcurrent protection fuse; and
a trip mechanism in the housing and comprising:
a trip actuator;
an elongated pivot arm having a first end and a second end, the first end being rotatably mounted to the housing at a distance from the disconnect switch actuator, and the second end being positioned proximate the trip actuator; and
a first mechanical link having a first end and a second end, the first end being non-releasably connected to the elongated pivot arm and the second end being non-releasably connected to the disconnect switch actuator;
wherein when the second end of the elongated pivot arm is automatically displaced by the trip actuator in response to a predetermined electrical condition, the disconnect switch actuator is simultaneously displaced via the elongated pivot arm and the connected second end of the first mechanical link to place the at least one movable switch contact in the open position.

2. The fusible switch disconnect device of claim 1 , wherein the disconnect switch actuator is rotatably movable relative to the housing.

3. The fusible switch disconnect device of claim 1 , further comprising:
a movable interlock element in the housing, the movable interlock element independently provided from the elongated pivot arm and preventing removal of the overcurrent protection fuse when the at least one movable switch contact is in the closed position; and
wherein the trip mechanism further comprises a second mechanical link interconnecting the elongated pivot arm and the movable interlock element;
wherein the movable interlock element and the elongated pivot arm are simultaneously displaced via the second mechanical link.

4. The fusible switch disconnect device of claim 1 , wherein the disconnect switch actuator is rotatably mounted in the housing, and the device further comprises:
a movable interlock element in the housing at a location spaced from each of the disconnect switch actuator and the elongated pivot arm, the movable interlock element locking the removable overcurrent protection fuse in place when the at least one movable switch contact is in the closed position;
wherein the sliding bar carries the at least one movable switch contact;
wherein the actuator link mechanically interconnects the disconnect switch actuator and the sliding bar;
wherein the trip mechanism further comprises a second link mechanically interconnecting the elongated pivot arm and the movable interlock element;
wherein the disconnect switch actuator, the movable interlock element, and the sliding bar are simultaneously displaced when the trip actuator is displaced.

5. The fusible switch disconnect device of claim 1 , wherein the device further comprises an interlock element preventing removal of the overcurrent protection fuse when the at least one movable switch contact is in the closed position;
wherein the sliding bar carries the at least one movable switch contact;
wherein displacement of the elongated pivot arm simultaneously displaces the disconnect switch actuator and at least one of the sliding bar and the interlock element.

6. The fusible switch disconnect device of claim 1 , wherein the trip actuator comprises an electromagnetic coil and a cylinder extendable and retractable along a linear axis in the housing.

7. The fusible switch disconnect device of claim 1 , further comprising:
an interlock element locking the removable overcurrent protection fuse in place when the at least one movable switch contact is in the closed position and releasing the removable overcurrent protection fuse when the at least one movable contact is in the open position; and
wherein the trip mechanism further comprises a second mechanical link interconnecting the elongated pivot arm and the interlock element;
wherein via the second mechanical link a rotation of the elongated pivot arm simultaneously produces a linear motion of the interlock element to lock or unlock the removable overcurrent protection fuse.

8. The fusible switch disconnect device of claim 1 , wherein the sliding bar carries the at least one movable switch contact, and wherein the actuator link extends between the disconnect switch actuator and the sliding bar, wherein via the actuator link a rotational motion of the disconnect switch actuator simultaneously produces a linear motion of the sliding bar.

9. The fusible switch disconnect device of claim 8 , wherein an end of the first mechanical link and an end of the second mechanical link are attached to the disconnect switch actuator at a common location.

10. The fusible switch disconnect device of claim 1 , further comprising a controller, a memory, and time-current curve data loaded in the memory, the trip actuator operable by the controller to displace the pivot arm as directed by the time-current curve data, the time-current data representing a baseline expectation of a permanent opening of the removable overcurrent protection fuse.

11. The fusible switch disconnect device of claim 1 , further comprising:
an interlock element configured to lock and unlock the removable overcurrent protection fuse with respect to the housing, wherein the disconnect switch actuator and the interlock element are mechanically linked such that the interlock element and the disconnect switch actuator are simultaneously movable relative to the housing.

12. The fusible switch disconnect device of claim 1 , further comprising:
an in-line detecting element configured to sense an actual operating condition of the removable overcurrent protection fuse; and
a processor-based control element configured to undertake, in response to the sensed actual operating condition, a time-based and magnitude-based comparison of the sensed actual operating condition and a predetermined time-based and magnitude-based electrical operation baseline in order to assess an operating performance of the fuse.

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

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

15. A fusible switch disconnect device comprising:
a housing;
line side and load side terminals configured to be electrically connected to respective first and second terminal blades of a removable overcurrent protection fuse received in the housing, the removable overcurrent protection fuse including a fusible element defining a circuit path between the first and second terminal blades;
a pair of switchable contacts electrically

Assignees

• Eaton Intelligent Power Ltd

Inventors

• Darr Matthew Rain
• Kamath Hundi Panduranga

Classifications

• H01H83/10

  operated by excess voltage, e.g. for lightning protection · CPC title

• H01H85/0241

  Structural association of a fuse and another component or apparatus (switches with built-in fuses H01H9/10, spark-gap arresters H01H85/44, transformers and inductances H01F27/402, capacitors H01G2/14, lamps H01K1/66, semiconductors H10W20/493 or H10W42/80) · CPC title

• H01H9/102

  Fuses mounted on or constituting the movable contact parts of the switch · CPC title

• H01H2071/0278

  with at least one of juxtaposed casings dedicated to an auxiliary device, e.g. for undervoltage or shunt trip · CPC title

• H01H83/12

  operated by voltage falling below a predetermined value, e.g. for no-volt protection · CPC title