Circuit breaker trip blocking apparatus, systems, and methods of operation

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9281150-B2
Application number	US-201214371612-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 12, 2012
Priority date	Mar 12, 2012
Publication date	Mar 8, 2016
Grant date	Mar 8, 2016

Abstract

Embodiments disclose a trip blocking apparatus of a circuit breaker exhibiting no trip at OFF functionality. The trip blocking apparatus effectively blocks tripping of a trip bar when the circuit breaker is in the OFF configuration. The trip blocking apparatus has a trip blocking arm and a blocking lever. A first projection of the blocking lever is configured to contact a handle arm, and a second projection is configured to interfere with the trip blocking arm to block tripping of the trip bar responsive to handle arm motion. Actuator resetting and blocking apparatus and trip blocking assemblies and methods of operating the trip blocking assembly are provided, as are other aspects.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A circuit breaker trip blocking apparatus, comprising:
a trip bar having a trip blocking arm; and
a blocking lever having
a first projection configured and adapted to contact a handle arm, and
a second projection configured and adapted to block tripping of the trip bar responsive to motion of the handle arm,

wherein the blocking lever includes a pivot,
wherein the pivot is mounted for rotation relative to a frame.

2. The circuit breaker trip blocking apparatus of claim 1 , wherein tripping of the trip bar is blocked by the second projection when the handle arm is in an OFF position.

3. The circuit breaker trip blocking apparatus of claim 2 , wherein the handle arm comprises a profile surface adapted to be contacted by the first projection.

4. The circuit breaker trip blocking apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the trip blocking arm comprises a projection from a trip bar shaft.

5. The circuit breaker trip blocking apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the trip blocking arm is located adjacent to a trip arm.

6. The circuit breaker trip blocking apparatus of claim 1 , wherein a first angle between a first midline extending from the pivot through an apex of the first projection and second midline extending from the pivot through an apex of the second projection is between about 100 degrees and about 120 degrees.

7. The circuit breaker trip blocking apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the trip bar comprises a trip arm adapted to be contacted by a kicker when actuated by an actuator of a tripping system.

8. The circuit breaker trip blocking apparatus of claim 7 , comprising a third projection extending from the blocking lever, the third projection being configured and adapted to contact the kicker to reset an actuator of the tripping system.

9. The circuit breaker trip blocking apparatus of claim 8 , comprising a return spring coupled to the third projection.

10. The circuit breaker trip blocking apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the blocking lever comprises a recess adapted to receive a limit stop.

11. A circuit breaker trip blocking apparatus, comprising:
a trip blocking arm;
a tripping system having a kicker adapted to be moved by an actuator; and
a blocking lever having
a blocking projection configured and adapted to block the trip blocking arm, and
a resetting projection configured and adapted to reset the actuator.

12. The circuit breaker trip blocking apparatus of claim 11 wherein the resetting projection remains in contact with the kicker after reset and return to an OFF configuration.

13. A circuit breaker trip blocking apparatus, comprising:
a tripping system having a kicker adapted to be moved by an actuator; and
a blocking lever having
a first projection configured and adapted to contact a handle arm, and
a reset projection configured and adapted to reset the actuator and block actuation of the actuator in an OFF configuration.

14. The circuit breaker trip blocking apparatus of claim 13 wherein the reset projection remains in contact with the kicker after reset and return to an OFF configuration.

15. The circuit breaker trip blocking apparatus of claim 13 wherein the blocking lever has a blocking projection configured and adapted to block a trip blocking arm of a trip bar.

16. A circuit breaker trip blocking assembly, comprising:
a frame;
a handle arm pivotable relative to the frame about a handle arm pivot, the handle arm including a profile surface;
a trip bar having trip arm and a trip blocking arm;
a tripping system having a kicker and an actuator, the trip arm adapted to be contacted by the kicker when moved by the actuator; and
a blocking lever pivotable relative to the frame, the blocking lever having
a first projection configured and adapted to contact the profile surface, and
a second projection adapted to interfere with the trip blocking arm to block tripping of the trip bar responsive to motion of the handle arm.

17. A method of operating a circuit breaker trip blocking assembly, comprising:
providing a trip blocking arm;
providing a blocking lever having a first projection configured and adapted to contact a handle arm, and a second projection configured and adapted to interfere with the trip blocking arm;
blocking tripping of the trip bar by blocking the trip blocking arm with the second projection responsive to motion of the handle arm to an OFF configuration;
providing a tripping system having a kicker and an actuator;
providing a third projection on the blocking lever; and
resetting the actuator by movement of the kicker with the third projection.

18. The method of claim 17 , comprising contacting a cam surface with the third projection to cause the movement of the kicker.

19. The method of claim 17 , comprising rotating the blocking lever to block tripping of the trip bar by contacting and moving the first projection along a profile surface of the handle arm when moving the handle arm towards the OFF configuration.

20. The method of claim 17 , rotating the blocking lever to unblock the trip bar under the action of a return spring as the handle arm is moved to an ON configuration.

21. The method of claim 17 , comprising stopping rotation of the blocking lever by contacting a limit stop with the blocking lever.

22. The method of claim 17 , comprising simultaneously, as the handle arm is moved past the OFF configuration, rotating the blocking lever to
cause blocking of the trip bar, and
resetting an actuator of a tripping system.

23. The method of claim 22 , comprising:
holding the actuator of a tripping system with the blocking lever when returned to the OFF configuration after the resetting.

Assignees

• Warne Kevin R
• Siemens Ag

Inventors

• Warne Kevin R

Classifications

• H01H9/24 Primary

  for interlocking two or more parts of the mechanism for operating contacts · CPC title

• H01H71/521

  Details concerning the lever handle · CPC title

• H01H71/2463 Primary

  with plunger type armatures · CPC title

• H01H71/505

  Latching devices between operating and release mechanism · CPC title

• H01H71/52

  actuated by lever · CPC title