Compact plug and socket unit isolator systems for motor control centers (mcc) and related mcc cabinets

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016372874-A1
Application number	US-201615253507-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Aug 31, 2016
Priority date	Apr 30, 2015
Publication date	Dec 22, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

Circuit breakers with cooperating plug and socket assemblies which are configured as separate spaced apart components, with plugs and sockets held spaced apart from the circuit breaker body, typically above the top of the circuit breaker body. The plug assembly can have a short compact profile and can include pairs of plugs held by an insulated support with a compact spacing between adjacent pairs and upper and lower plugs of each plug pair. The plug assembly can be attached to a racking frame to allow the plug assembly to be retracted during a rack-out action of the unit from a motor control center.

First claim

1 . An electrical plug assembly configured to cooperate with a socket assembly with electrical contacts, comprising:
a laterally extending insulated support; a plurality of laterally spaced apart vertically oriented conductive bars held by the insulated support, having a length sufficient to extend above and below the insulated support; a plurality of line side conductive plugs held by the conductive bars above the insulated support; and a plurality of load side conductive plugs held by the conductive bars below the insulated support.

2 . The plug assembly of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of conductive bars comprises first, second and third bars, and wherein the line side and load side conductive plugs have a vertical separation distance of between about 2 and about 4 inches.

3 . The plug and socket assembly of claim 1 , wherein each conductive bar holds a first pair of line side plugs and a second pair of load side plugs, the first and second pairs of plugs extending rearward a distance from the insulated support, and wherein the first and second pairs of plugs are arranged as parallel, adjacent plugs.

4 . The plug assembly of claim 1 , wherein, in position in a unit of motor control center cabinet having a line side and a load side, a first load side plug pair of the plurality of load side plugs is configured to electrically engage the load side before a first line side pair of the plurality of line side plugs electrically engages the line side.

5 . The plug assembly of claim 1 , wherein the plug assembly is operably associated with a molded case circuit breaker (MCCB).

6 . The plug assembly of claim 1 , further comprising a frame having a racking portal on a frontward facing end portion thereof, wherein the frame is attached to the plug assembly and configured to move the plug assembly toward and away from at least one pair of sockets.

7 . The plug assembly of claim 6 , wherein the racking portal resides in a medial location of the frame and extends down a distance below a primary surface of the frame.

8 . The plug and socket assembly of claim 1 , wherein at least some of the plugs have a common outwardly extending length.

9 . The plug assembly of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of plugs are arranged as three or four line corresponding line and load side pairs of laterally spaced apart plugs held by a corresponding three or four conductive bars, each of the corresponding line and load side pairs for a different phase.

10 . The plug assembly of claim 1 , wherein a first set of the plugs is associated with a center phase and is sized and configured to electrically engage first before other sets of the plugs to thereby reduce racking forces on initial plug and socket contact.

11 . An electrical plug assembly configured to cooperate with a socket assembly with electrical contacts, comprising:
a frame having a frame body and holding a racking portal on a forward facing portion thereof; an insulated support attached to the frame body and residing rearward of the racking portal, wherein the frame is configured to move the plug assembly toward and away from at sockets of the socket assembly; a plurality of laterally spaced apart vertically oriented conductive bars held by the insulated support; plurality of line side conductive plugs extending rearward of and held by the conductive bars; and a plurality of load side conductive plugs extending rearward of and held by the conductive bars.

12 . The plug assembly of claim 11 , wherein the plurality of conductive bars comprises at least first, second and third conductive bars, and wherein the line side and load side conductive plugs have a vertical separation distance of from about 2 inches to about 4 inches.

13 . The plug assembly of claim 11 , wherein each conductive bar holds a first pair of line side plugs and a second pair of load side plugs, and wherein respective pairs of plugs are arranged as parallel, adjacent plugs.

14 . The plug assembly of claim 11 , wherein the racking portal resides in a medial location of the frame and extends down a distance below a primary surface of the frame body.

15 . The plug assembly of claim 11 , wherein at least some of the line side plugs have a common rearwardly extending length.

16 . The plug assembly of claim 11 , wherein at least some of the load side plugs have a common rearwardly extending length.

17 . The plug assembly of claim 11 , wherein the plurality of line side plugs and the plurality of load side plugs are arranged as three or four pairs of laterally spaced apart line side and three or four pairs of laterally spaced apart load side plugs for different phases.

18 . The plug assembly of claim 11 , wherein a first pair of line side and a corresponding second pair of load side plugs held by one of the conductive bars is associated with a center phase and is sized and configured to electrically engage first to thereby reduce racking forces on initial plug and socket contact.

Assignees

• Eaton Corp

Inventors

• Morris Robert Allan

Classifications

• H01R13/73 Primary

  Means for mounting coupling parts to apparatus or structures, e.g. to a wall · CPC title

• H01H9/22

  for interlocking between casing, cover, or protective shutter and mechanism for operating contacts {(explosion-proof cases H01H9/045; built-in fuses and interlocking mechanisms H01H9/104; by automatic release of circuit breakers H01H71/126)} · CPC title

• H01H71/0264

  Mountings or coverplates for complete assembled circuit breakers, e.g. snap mounting in panel · CPC title

• H02B1/36 Primary

  with withdrawable units · CPC title