Drive assembly for an electrical switching apparatus racking assembly

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9438013-B2
Application number	US-201414197300-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 5, 2014
Priority date	Mar 5, 2014
Publication date	Sep 6, 2016
Grant date	Sep 6, 2016

Abstract

A drive assembly for an electrical switching apparatus racking assembly is provided. The drive assembly includes a positioning assembly, a motor assembly, and a control assembly. The positioning assembly is structured to impart movement to said carriage assembly and to move said carriage assembly from said first position to said second position. The motor assembly is structured to impart movement to said positioning assembly. The control assembly is structured to control said motor assembly. The control assembly is in electronic communication with the motor assembly. The motor assembly is operatively coupled to the positioning assembly.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A drive assembly for an electrical apparatus racking assembly, said racking assembly including a carriage assembly structured to be movably disposed in an electrical apparatus housing assembly, said carriage assembly structured to be moved between a first position and a second position, said housing assembly including a number of sidewalls defining a substantially enclosed space, wherein said motor assembly includes an electric motor including a power line and a rotating output shaft, said drive assembly comprising:
a positioning assembly, said positioning assembly structured to impart movement to said carriage assembly and to move said carriage assembly from said first position to said second position;
a motor assembly, said motor assembly structured to impart movement to said positioning assembly;
a control assembly, said control assembly structured to control said motor assembly;
said control assembly in electronic communication with said motor assembly;
said motor assembly operatively coupled to said positioning assembly;
said control assembly includes a control circuit, an output assembly and a number of sensors;
said control circuit in electronic communication with said output assembly, said number of sensors, and said motor assembly;
said control circuit structured to control said motor assembly;
said number of sensors include a current sensor and a torque sensor;
said current sensor structured to detect a current and to provide an output signal relating to said detected current;
said current sensor coupled to, and structured to detect the current in, said electric motor power line;
said torque sensor structured to detect the torque in a rotating shaft and to provide an output signal relating to said detected torque; and
said torque sensor coupled to, and structured to detect the torque in, said electric motor output shaft.

2. The drive assembly of claim 1 wherein:
said positioning assembly includes a number of lead screws, a number of drive blocks, and a transmission assembly;
each said drive block movably coupled to an associated lead screw;
said transmission assembly operatively coupled to said motor assembly and to each said lead screw; and
wherein, actuation of said motor assembly generates a motion, said motor assembly motion transferred to said transmission assembly causing a transmission assembly motion, and, said transmission assembly motion is transferred to each said lead screw.

3. The drive assembly of claim 2 wherein said transmission assembly includes a tension member, said tension member operatively coupled to said motor assembly and to each said lead screw.

4. The drive assembly of claim 3 wherein said tension member is one of a belt, toothed belt or a chain.

5. The drive assembly of claim 2 wherein:
said positioning assembly includes a support assembly;
said support assembly including a generally planar member and a number of generally vertical sidewalls;
said support assembly generally defining the height of the drive assembly; and
wherein said support assembly has a height of between about 1.5 inches and 3.5 inches.

6. The drive assembly of claim 1 wherein:
said control circuit includes a data storage device;
said data storage device includes data representing an acceptable power draw profile;
wherein said control circuit is structured to compare data from said current sensor to said acceptable power draw profile; and
wherein, if said data from said current sensor deviates from said acceptable power draw profile by a first deviation, said control circuit is structured to present an indication on said output assembly.

7. The drive assembly of claim 6 wherein, if said data from said current sensor deviates from said acceptable power draw profile by a second deviation, said control circuit is structured to terminate the operation of said motor assembly.

8. The drive assembly of claim 1 wherein:
said number of sensors include a number of position sensors;
said number of position sensors coupled to at least one of said carriage assembly or said housing assembly; and
said number of position sensors structured to determine the position of said carriage assembly relative to said housing assembly.

9. The drive assembly of claim 1 wherein:
said control assembly includes an input assembly; and
said input assembly is structured to receive input from a remote location.

10. A drive assembly for an electrical apparatus racking assembly, said racking assembly including a carriage assembly structured to be movably disposed in an electrical apparatus housing assembly, said carriage assembly structured to be moved between a first position and a second position, said housing assembly including a number of sidewalls defining a substantially enclosed space, said drive assembly comprising:
a positioning assembly, said positioning assembly structured to impart movement to said carriage assembly and to move said carriage assembly from said first position to said second position;
a motor assembly, said motor assembly structured to impart movement to said positioning assembly;
a control assembly, said control assembly structured to control said motor assembly;
said control assembly in electronic communication with said motor assembly;
said motor assembly operatively coupled to said positioning assembly;
said positioning assembly includes a number of lead screws, a number of drive blocks, and a transmission assembly;
each said drive block movably coupled to an associated lead screw;
said transmission assembly operatively coupled to said motor assembly and to each said lead screw;
wherein, actuation of said motor assembly generates a motion, said motor assembly motion transferred to said transmission assembly causing a transmission assembly motion, and, said transmission assembly motion is transferred to each said lead screw;
said positioning assembly includes a manual override device; and
said manual override device structured to selectively decouple said positioning assembly and said carriage assembly and to allow manual movement of said carriage assembly.

11. The drive assembly of claim 10 wherein:
said manual override includes a selectively couplable coupling assembly;
said manual override coupling assembly including a number of first coupling components and a number of second coupling components;
each said manual override first coupling component coupled to each said lead screw; and
each said manual override second coupling component coupled to said carriage assembly.

12. The drive assembly of claim 11 wherein:
each said manual override first coupling component is a drive block; and
each said manual override second coupling component is a bracket latch assembly;
each said bracket latch assembly including a bracket latch member and a biasing device;
each said bracket latch member structured to move between a first position, wherein each said bracket latch member engages an associated drive block, and a second position, wherein each said bracket latch member does not engage an associated drive block; and
each said bracket latch assembly biasing device coupled to a bracket latch member and structured to bias said bracket latch member to said bracket latch member first position.

13. A drive assembly for an electrical apparatus racking assembly, said racking assembly including a carriage assembly structured to be movably disposed in an electrical apparatus housing assembly, said carriage assembly structured to be moved between a first position and a second position, said housing assembly including a number of sidewalls defining a substantially enclosed

Assignees

• Eaton Corp

Inventors

• Pearce Michael Davis

Classifications

• H02B1/36 Primary

  with withdrawable units · CPC title

• H02B11/127

  Withdrawal mechanism · CPC title

• H02B11/26 Primary

  Arrangements of fuses, resistors, voltage arresters or the like · CPC title