Retaining assembly for a circuit breaker contact system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016365212-A1
Application number	US-201514736474-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jun 11, 2015
Priority date	Jun 11, 2015
Publication date	Dec 15, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

A moveable contact arm assembly includes a moveable contact arm having a moveable contact thereon. Also included is a carrier assembly operatively coupled to the moveable contact arm. Further included is a first end plate operatively coupled to the carrier assembly and a bottom bracket operatively coupled to the first end plate. Yet further included is a first latch member coupled to the bottom bracket, the first latch member comprising a first guiding surface and defining a first recess portion. Also included is a guide pin extending from the carrier assembly and in contact with the first guiding surface of the first latch member during movement of the moveable contact arm assembly. Also included is a first stop pin extending from the carrier assembly and disposed in the first recess portion of the first latch member in the blow open condition of the circuit breaker.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A retaining assembly of a circuit breaker contact system comprising:
a fixed contact; at least one moveable contact arm assembly comprising a moveable contact arm having a moveable contact thereon and moveable with the moveable contact arm, the moveable contact arm moveable to position the moveable contact into engagement with the fixed contact to define a closed condition and out of engagement with the fixed contact to define a blow open condition; a carrier assembly operatively coupled to the moveable contact arm; a first end plate operatively coupled to the carrier assembly; a bottom bracket operatively coupled to the first end plate; a first latch member pivotably coupled to the bottom bracket, the first latch member comprising a first guiding surface and defining a first recess portion; a guide pin operatively coupled to, and extending from, the carrier assembly, the guide pin in contact with the first guiding surface of the first latch member during movement of the moveable contact arm assembly from the closed condition to the blow open condition; and a first stop pin operatively coupled to, and extending from, the carrier assembly, the first stop pin disposed in the first recess portion of the first latch member in the blow open condition of the circuit breaker.

2 . The retaining assembly of claim 1 , further comprising:
a second end plate operatively coupled to the carrier assembly; and a second latch member pivotably coupled to the bottom bracket, the first latch member disposed between the first end plate and the carrier assembly, and the second latch member disposed between the second end plate and the carrier assembly.

3 . The retaining assembly of claim 1 , further comprising a torsion spring disposed to bias the first latch member toward the guide pin.

4 . The retaining assembly of claim 1 , wherein the first guiding surface of the first latch member includes an angled portion operative to pivot the first latch member toward the first stop pin during movement of the moveable contact arm assembly toward the blow open condition.

5 . The retaining assembly of claim 1 , wherein the first latch member is fastened to the bottom bracket.

6 . The retaining assembly of claim 1 , wherein the moveable contact arm comprises a first end and a second end, the moveable contact arm pivotable about an axis located proximate the second end.

7 . The retaining assembly of claim 6 , wherein the moveable contact disposed on the moveable contact arm is located closer in proximity to the first end than the second end of the moveable contact arm.

8 . The retaining assembly of claim 6 , wherein the carrier assembly is operatively coupled to the moveable contact arm with a carrier shaft positioned coaxially with the axis.

9 . The retaining assembly of claim 1 , wherein the first end plate is located at a first side of the carrier assembly and the second end plate is located at a second side of the carrier assembly.

10 . The retaining assembly of claim 9 , further comprising:
a second end plate operatively coupled to the carrier assembly; a second latch member pivotably coupled to the bottom bracket and comprising a second guiding surface and a second recess portion; the guide pin operatively coupled to, and extending from, the second side of the carrier assembly, the guide pin in contact with the second guiding surface of the second latch member during movement of the moveable contact arm assembly from the closed condition to the blow open condition; and a second stop pin operatively coupled to, and extending from, the carrier assembly, the second stop pin disposed in the recess portion of the second latch member in the blow open condition of the circuit breaker to prevent movement of the moveable contact arm assembly toward the closed condition; the first latch member disposed between the first end plate and the first side of the carrier assembly; the second latch member disposed between the second end plate and the second side of the carrier assembly.

11 . A circuit breaker having a mechanism portion, a contact system portion and an arc chamber portion, the circuit breaker comprising:
a plurality of fixed contacts; a moveable contact arm assembly comprising a plurality of moveable contact arms, each of the plurality of moveable contact arms having a moveable contact disposed thereon and moveable with the plurality of moveable contact arms, the moveable contact arm moveable to position each moveable contact into engagement with a respective fixed contact of the plurality of fixed contacts to define a closed condition and out of engagement with the plurality of fixed contacts to define a blow open condition; a carrier assembly operatively coupling the plurality of moveable contact arms to each other, the carrier assembly comprising a plurality of separation brackets operatively coupled to each other, each of the plurality of separation brackets disposed adjacent at least one of the plurality of moveable contact arms; a first end plate operatively coupled to a first side of the carrier assembly; a second end plate operatively coupled to a second side of the carrier assembly; a bottom bracket operatively coupled to the first end plate and the second end plate; a first latch member pivotably coupled to the bottom bracket, the first latch member comprising a first guiding surface and defining a first recess portion; a guide pin operatively coupled to, and extending away from, the first side of the carrier assembly, the guide pin in contact with the first guiding surface of the first latch member during movement of the moveable contact arm assembly from the closed condition to the blow open condition; a first stop pin operatively coupled to, and extending away from, the first side of the carrier assembly, the first stop pin disposed in the first recess portion of the first latch member in the blow open condition of the circuit breaker; a second latch member pivotably coupled to the bottom bracket, the second latch member comprising a second guiding surface and defining a second recess portion; the guide pin operatively coupled to, and extending away from, the second side of the carrier assembly, the guide pin in contact with the second guiding surface of the second latch member during movement of the moveable contact arm assembly from the closed condition to the blow open condition; and a second stop pin operatively coupled to, and extending away from, the second side of the carrier assembly, the second stop pin disposed in the second recess portion of the second latch member in the blow open condition of the circuit breaker to prevent movement of the moveable contact arm assembly toward the closed condition.

12 . The circuit breaker of claim 11 , further comprising a first spring disposed to bias the first latch member toward the guide pin and a second spring disposed to bias the second latch member toward the guide pin.

13 . The circuit breaker of claim 11 , wherein the first guiding surface and the second guiding surface each include an angled portion operative to pivot the first latch member and the second latch member toward the first stop pin and the second stop pin, respectively, during movement of the moveable contact arm assembly toward the blow open condition.

14 . The circuit breaker of claim 11 , wherein the first latch member and the second latch member are each fastened to the bottom bracket.

15 . The circuit breaker of claim 11 , wherein each of the plurality of moveable contact arms comprises a first end and a second end, the plurality o

Assignees

• Gen Electric

Inventors

• Babu Triplicane Gopikrishnan
• Sharma Rajendra Kumar
• Tamboli Tanmay Pralhad

Classifications

• H01H33/08

  Stationary parts for restricting or subdividing the arc, e.g. barrier plate · CPC title

• H01H9/20

  Interlocking, locking, or latching mechanisms · CPC title

• H01H83/20

  operated by excess current as well as by some other abnormal electrical condition · CPC title

• H01H77/104

  with a stable blow-off position · CPC title

• H01H2001/506

  Fail safe contacts, i.e. the contacts being kept in a safe position, usually in an open circuit position, at end of life time of switch · CPC title