Electromagnetically enhanced contact separation in a circuit breaker

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9412549-B2
Application number	US-201414183256-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 18, 2014
Priority date	Feb 18, 2014
Publication date	Aug 9, 2016
Grant date	Aug 9, 2016

Abstract

Various embodiments of a circuit breaker are described where a movable bridge connector is employed as part of the conductive path when the circuit breaker is in a closed configuration. When the circuit is opened, the connector is displaced from the two fixed contacts otherwise bridged by the connector. In one such embodiment, the circuit breaker utilizes the electromagnetic forces generated in response to the opening event to break the circuit.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A circuit breaker comprising:
a latch assembly configured to release and to engage a cradle of the circuit breaker;
a handle yoke configured to move between an open position and a closed position when the latch assembly is engaged to the cradle;
a dual-break linear contact assembly comprising:
a bridge connector configured to conductively connect stationary bus bars;
a guide rod attached to the bridge connector and defining a linear movement path for the bridge connector; and
a magnetic core disposed about the linear movement path and comprising at least a set of arc chute plates;

a linkage assembly mechanically coupling the cradle, the handle yoke, and the guide rod, the linkage assembly comprising a spring which, at an operational current level, holds the bridge connector in place at the stationary bus bars when the latch assembly and cradle are engaged and when the handle yoke is in the closed position.

2. The circuit breaker of claim 1 , wherein the bridge connector comprises a curved connector.

3. The circuit breaker of claim 2 , wherein the curved connector comprises a horseshoe or U-shaped connector.

4. The circuit breaker of claim 1 , wherein the bridge connector comprises an angled connector.

5. The circuit breaker of claim 4 , wherein the angled connector comprises a V-shaped connector.

6. The circuit breaker of claim 1 , wherein the spring is calibrated to overcome repulsion forces acting on the bridge connector and generated at the operational current level when the cradle is engaged with the latch assembly and when the handle yoke is in the closed position.

7. The circuit breaker of claim 1 , further comprising an insulating component attached to the bridge connector opposite the guide rod.

8. The circuit breaker of claim 1 , wherein the magnetic core further comprises a top core comprising a dome structure.

9. The circuit breaker of claim 1 , wherein the cradle, when engaged with the latch assembly and when the handle yoke is in the open position, allows movement of the spring so that the spring does not bias the bridge connector of the linear contact assembly into contact with the stationary bus bars.

10. The circuit breaker of claim 1 , wherein the cradle, when not engaged with the latch assembly, allows movement of the spring so that the spring does not bias the bridge connector of the linear contact assembly into contact with the stationary bus bars.

Assignees

• Gen Electric

Inventors

• Rakuff Stefan
• Shah Manoj Ramprasad
• Gemin Paul Robert
• Krishnamoorthy Ganesh
• Atalla Ashraf

Classifications

• H01H3/222

  using electrodynamic repulsion · CPC title

• H01H77/101 Primary

  with increasing of contact pressure by electrodynamic forces before opening · CPC title

• H01H9/36

  Metal parts · CPC title

• H01H3/38

  using spring or other flexible shaft coupling · CPC title

• H01H3/46 Primary

  using rod or lever linkage, e.g. toggle · CPC title