Electrical switching apparatus and opening assembly having an engagement lug

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9362064-B2
Application number	US-201414548455-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 20, 2014
Priority date	Nov 27, 2013
Publication date	Jun 7, 2016
Grant date	Jun 7, 2016

Abstract

An opening assembly is provided for an electrical switching apparatus having a housing, separable contacts enclosed by the housing, and an operating mechanism for opening and closing the separable contacts. The operating mechanism includes a poleshaft. The opening assembly includes a spring link comprising a first portion structured to be pivotably coupled to the poleshaft, and a second portion disposed generally opposite of the first portion. A number of opening springs each include a stationary end coupled to the housing, and a movable end coupled to the second portion of the spring link. The spring link is movable between an open position, wherein the opening springs bias the spring link and poleshaft to maintain full separation of the separable contacts, and a closed position, wherein the opening springs either do not bias the poleshaft or bias the poleshaft with a low level of torque.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An opening assembly for an electrical switching apparatus, the electrical switching apparatus including a housing, a set of separable contacts enclosed by the housing, and an operating mechanism structured to move the separable contacts between and OPEN condition and a CLOSED condition, the operating mechanism including a poleshaft, said opening assembly comprising:
a spring link comprising a first portion structured to be pivotably coupled to said poleshaft, and a second portion disposed generally opposite of the first portion, the spring link being movable between an open position and a closed position; and
a number of opening springs each including a stationary end structured to be coupled to the housing, and a movable end coupled to the second portion of said spring link,
wherein in the OPEN condition the number of opening springs and the spring link are structured to apply a first torque to bias the poleshaft to maintain full separation of said separable contacts,
wherein in a transitional position situated between the OPEN and CLOSED conditions the number of opening springs and the spring link are structured to bias the poleshaft at an intermediate torque that is less than the first torque in magnitude, and
wherein in the closed position of the spring link the number of opening springs are structured to bias the poleshaft with another torque that is greater than the intermediate torque but less than the first torque.

2. The opening assembly of claim 1 wherein said spring link further comprises an intermediate portion that extends between the first portion and the second portion and further comprises an engagement lug disposed on the intermediate portion; wherein in the transitional position the engagement lug is structured to engage the poleshaft; and wherein the engagement lug engaged with the poleshaft is structured to increase a moment arm of a tensile force of the number of opening springs applied to the poleshaft.

3. An electrical switching apparatus comprising:
a housing;
separable contacts enclosed by the housing;
an operating mechanism for opening and closing said separable contacts, said operating mechanism including a pole shaft; and
the opening assembly of claim 1 .

4. The opening assembly of claim 1 wherein said poleshaft includes an arm extending outwardly therefrom; and wherein the first portion of said spring link is structured to be pivotably coupled to said arm.

5. The opening assembly of claim 4 wherein said spring link is formed from a pair of substantially identical planar members disposed opposite and spaced apart from one another; and wherein a portion of said arm of said poleshaft is structured to be disposed between said pair of substantially identical planar members.

6. The opening assembly of claim 4 wherein said poleshaft further includes a pivot pin; and wherein the first portion of said spring link is structured to be pivotably coupled to said arm of said poleshaft by said pivot pin.

7. The opening assembly of claim 6 wherein said spring link further comprises a projection extending laterally outwardly from the second portion of said spring link; and wherein the movable end of each of said number of springs is coupled to said projection.

8. The opening assembly of claim 7 wherein said spring link further comprises a first side and a second side; wherein said projection is a pin; and wherein said pin extends laterally outwardly from the first side of said spring link in a first direction and laterally outwardly from the second side of said spring link in a second direction opposite the first direction.

9. The opening assembly of claim 8 wherein said number of opening springs comprises a first opening spring and a second opening spring; wherein the movable end of said first opening spring is coupled to said pin on the first side of said spring link; and wherein the movable end of said second opening spring is coupled to said pin on the second side of said spring link.

10. The opening assembly of claim 8 wherein the housing of said electrical switching apparatus includes a side plate and at least one protrusion extending outwardly from said side plate; and wherein the stationary end of each of said number of opening springs is structured to be coupled to a corresponding one of said at least one protrusion.

11. The opening assembly of claim 10 wherein, when said spring link is disposed in said closed position, the first portion and the second portion are structured to be disposed on opposite sides of said poleshaft and said pivot pin, said poleshaft, and said number of opening springs are substantially aligned.

Assignees

• Eaton Corp

Inventors

• Gottschalk Andrew Lawrence

Classifications

• H01H3/42

  using cam or eccentric · CPC title

• H01H3/38

  using spring or other flexible shaft coupling · CPC title

• H01H2235/00

  Springs · CPC title

• H01H71/505

  Latching devices between operating and release mechanism · CPC title

• H01H3/3031 Primary

  Means for locking the spring in a charged state · CPC title