Circuit breaker crossbar assembly

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016343528-A1
Application number	US-201514717250-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	May 20, 2015
Priority date	May 20, 2015
Publication date	Nov 24, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

A circuit breaker crossbar assembly includes a crossbar having a first and second segment, the first and second segment each operatively coupled to a respective moveable contact arm assembly. Also included is a coupling segment disposed between the first and second segment, the crossbar and the coupling segment rotatable about an axis. Further included is at least one support assembly operatively coupled to the coupling segment. The support assembly includes a bushing coupled to the coupling segment and rotatable with the crossbar and the coupling segment. The support assembly also includes a support bracket configured for affixation to a stationary structure and disposed adjacent to the bushing, the bushing rotatable relative to the support bracket. The support assembly further includes a fixing bracket engaged with the support bracket and disposed adjacent to the bushing, the bushing rotatable relative to the fixing bracket.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A circuit breaker crossbar assembly comprising:
a crossbar having a first segment and a second segment, the first segment and the second segment each operatively coupled to a respective moveable contact arm assembly; a coupling segment disposed between the first segment and the second segment, the crossbar and the coupling segment rotatable about an axis; and at least one support assembly operatively coupled to the coupling segment, the at least one support assembly comprising:
a bushing coupled to the coupling segment and rotatable with the crossbar and the coupling segment;
a support bracket configured for affixation to a stationary structure and disposed adjacent to the bushing, the bushing rotatable relative to the support bracket; and
a fixing bracket engaged with the support bracket and disposed adjacent to the bushing, the bushing rotatable relative to the fixing bracket, the support bracket and the fixing bracket together at least partially surrounding the bushing.

2 . The circuit breaker crossbar assembly of claim 1 , wherein the stationary structure that the support bracket is configured for affixation to comprises a base structure.

3 . The circuit breaker crossbar assembly of claim 1 , wherein the stationary structure that the support bracket is fixed to comprises a cover located over a base structure.

4 . The circuit breaker crossbar assembly of claim 1 , wherein the coupling segment comprises a coupling segment groove, the bushing at least partially disposed within the coupling segment groove.

5 . The circuit breaker crossbar assembly of claim 1 , wherein the bushing comprises a bushing groove, the support bracket and the fixing bracket each comprising an engagement portion disposed within the bushing groove.

6 . The circuit breaker crossbar assembly of claim 1 , wherein the bushing comprises at least one protrusion extending from the bushing, the at least one protrusion fixedly disposed within a recess of the coupling segment, the recess formed of a geometry corresponding to the geometry of the at least one protrusion.

7 . The circuit breaker crossbar assembly of claim 1 , wherein the crossbar comprises at least three segments each operatively coupled to a moveable contact arm assembly, the circuit breaker crossbar assembly further comprises a plurality of coupling segments, each of the plurality of coupling segments disposed between an adjacent pair of segments of the at least three segments.

8 . The circuit breaker crossbar assembly of claim 7 , wherein the at least one support assembly comprises a single support assembly operatively coupled to one of the plurality of coupling segments.

9 . The circuit breaker crossbar assembly of claim 7 , wherein the at least one support assembly comprises a plurality of support assemblies, each of the plurality of coupling segments operatively coupled to one of the plurality of support assemblies.

10 . The circuit breaker crossbar assembly of claim 7 , wherein the at least one support assembly comprises a plurality of support assemblies, less than all of the plurality of coupling segments operatively coupled to one of the plurality of support assemblies.

11 . The circuit breaker crossbar assembly of claim 1 , further comprising a ball bearing arrangement disposed between the bushing and the support bracket.

12 . A circuit breaker crossbar assembly comprising:
a crossbar having a first segment, a second segment and a third segment, each segment operatively coupled to a respective moveable contact arm assembly; a first coupling segment disposed between the first segment and the second segment; a second coupling segment disposed between the second segment and the third segment, the crossbar, the first coupling segment and the second coupling segment rotatable about an axis; a first support assembly operatively coupled to the first coupling segment and comprising:
a first bushing coupled to the first coupling segment, the first bushing having a protrusion extending therefrom into a first coupling segment recess, the first bushing including a first circumferentially extending groove;
a first support bracket configured for affixation to a stationary structure and disposed in the first circumferentially extending groove of the first bushing to be disposed adjacent to the first bushing, the first bushing rotatable relative to the first support bracket; and
a first fixing bracket engaged with the first support bracket and disposed in the first circumferentially extending groove to be disposed adjacent to the first bushing, the first bushing rotatable relative to the first fixing bracket, the first support bracket and the first fixing bracket together at least partially surrounding the first bushing;
a second support assembly operatively coupled to the second coupling segment and comprising:
a second bushing coupled to the second coupling segment, the second bushing having a protrusion extending therefrom into a second coupling segment recess, the second bushing including a second circumferentially extending groove;
a second support bracket configured for affixation to the stationary structure and disposed in the second circumferentially extending groove of the second bushing to be disposed adjacent to the second bushing, the second bushing rotatable relative to the second support bracket; and
a second fixing bracket engaged with the second support bracket and disposed in the second circumferentially extending groove to be disposed adjacent to the second bushing, the second bushing rotatable relative to the second fixing bracket, the second support bracket and the second fixing bracket together at least partially surrounding the second bushing.

13 . The circuit breaker crossbar assembly of claim 12 , wherein the stationary structure that the first support bracket and the second support bracket are configured for affixation to comprises a base structure.

14 . The circuit breaker crossbar assembly of claim 12 , wherein the stationary structure that the first support bracket and the second support bracket are configured for affixation to comprises a cover located over a base structure.

15 . The circuit breaker crossbar assembly of claim 12 , wherein the first coupling segment comprises a first coupling segment groove, the first bushing at least partially disposed within the first coupling segment groove, the second coupling segment comprising a second coupling segment groove, the second bushing at least partially disposed within the second coupling segment groove.

16 . The circuit breaker crossbar assembly of claim 12 , further comprising:
a first ball bearing arrangement disposed between the first bushing and the first support bracket; and a second ball bearing arrangement disposed between the second bushing and the second support bracket.

17 . A circuit breaker comprising:
at least one moveable contact arm assembly configured to conduct current through the circuit breaker; a mechanism configured to actuate movement of the at least one moveable contact arm assembly; a crossbar having at least one segment, the crossbar rotatable between a first rotational position and a second rotational position and operatively coupled to the mechanism and to the at least one moveable contact arm assembly to rotate the at least one moveable contact arm assembly; a coupling segment disposed adjacent to the at least one segment, the crossbar and the coupling segment rotatable about an axis; and at least one support assembly operatively coupled to the coupling segment, the at l

Assignees

• Gen Electric

Inventors

• Barbera Christie Marie
• Fonseca Shawn Couceiro
• Jacobs Linda Yvonne
• Tiwari Dhirendra Kumar
• Tumu Nagesh Venkata

Classifications

• H01H1/226 Primary

  having a plurality of parallel contact bars · CPC title

• H01H2205/002

  fixed to operating part · CPC title

• H01H71/10 Primary

  Operating or release mechanisms · CPC title

• H01H71/0207 Primary

  Mounting or assembling the different parts of the circuit breaker · CPC title

• H01H2009/0094

  Details of rotatable shafts which are subdivided; details of the coupling means thereof · CPC title