Electrical switching apparatus and trip assembly therefor

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9595403-B2
Application number	US-201615154001-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 13, 2016
Priority date	May 7, 2015
Publication date	Mar 14, 2017
Grant date	Mar 14, 2017

Abstract

A trip assembly is for an electrical switching apparatus. The electrical switching apparatus has a housing, an electrical communication assembly coupled to the housing, separable contacts enclosed by the housing, and an operating mechanism for opening and closing the separable contacts. The trip assembly includes an actuating element structured to be coupled to the housing and structured to be electrically connected to the electrical communication assembly; and an indication assembly cooperating with the actuating element in order to electrically communicate a circuit status to the electrical communication assembly.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A trip assembly for an electrical switching apparatus, said electrical switching apparatus comprising a housing, an electrical communication assembly coupled to said housing, separable contacts enclosed by said housing, and an operating mechanism for opening and closing said separable contacts, said trip assembly comprising:
an actuating element structured to be coupled to said housing and structured to be electrically connected to said electrical communication assembly, and
an indication assembly cooperating with said actuating element in order to electrically communicate a circuit status to said electrical communication assembly,
wherein said indication assembly comprises a plunger member and a number of auxiliary switches each structured to be coupled to said housing; and wherein said plunger member is structured to actuate each of said number of auxiliary switches, thereby electrically communicating the circuit status to said electrical communication assembly.

2. The trip assembly of claim 1 wherein said number of auxiliary switches comprises a first auxiliary switch and a second auxiliary switch each comprising a body portion and a deflection member disposed on said respective body portion; wherein said plunger member is structured to move between said first auxiliary switch and said second auxiliary switch; and wherein, responsive to said plunger member moving between said first auxiliary switch and said second auxiliary switch, each of said deflection member of said first auxiliary switch and said deflection member of said second auxiliary switch deflects inwardly with respect to said respective body portion in order to electrically communicate the circuit status to said electrical communication assembly.

3. The trip assembly of claim 1 wherein said plunger member comprises a planar portion and a cylindrical-shaped receiving portion disposed adjacent and perpendicular the planar portion; wherein said indication assembly further comprises a biasing element disposed in the receiving portion; and wherein said biasing element engages the planar portion in order to bias said plunger member away from each of said number of auxiliary switches.

4. The trip assembly of claim 3 wherein said trip assembly further comprises a first mounting member and a second mounting member coupled to said first mounting member by a snap-fit mechanism; wherein each of said first mounting member and said second mounting member is structured to be coupled to said housing; and wherein each of said plunger member, said biasing element, said number of auxiliary switches, and said actuating element is contained by each of said first mounting member and said second mounting member.

5. The trip assembly of claim 4 wherein said number of auxiliary switches comprises a first auxiliary switch and a second auxiliary switch; wherein said first mounting member comprises a body, a first protrusion extending from said body, and a second protrusion extending from said body; wherein said second mounting member comprises a second body, a third protrusion extending from said second body, and a fourth protrusion extending from said second body; wherein said first auxiliary switch has a first hole and a second hole; wherein said second auxiliary switch has a third hole and a fourth hole; wherein said first protrusion extends into the first hole; wherein said second protrusion extends into the second hole; wherein said third protrusion extends into the third hole; and wherein said fourth protrusion extends into the fourth hole.

6. A trip assembly for an electrical switching apparatus, said electrical switching apparatus comprising a housing, a reset assembly coupled to said housing, separable contacts enclosed by said housing, and an operating mechanism for opening and closing said separable contacts, said trip assembly comprising:
an actuating element structured to be coupled to said housing; and
a trip cam structured to cooperate with said reset assembly in order to reset said actuating element,
wherein said trip cam comprises a reset leg; wherein said reset leg is structured to cooperate with said reset assembly in order to reset said actuating element; wherein said trip cam further comprises a transfer leg and a driving leg; wherein said transfer leg is structured to be driven by said actuating element, wherein, responsive to said transfer leg being driven by said actuating element, said driving leg is structured to cooperate with said operating mechanism to trip open said separable contacts; wherein said trip cam further comprises a first recessed retaining portion and a second recessed retaining portion disposed opposite and distal from said first recessed retaining portion; wherein said driving leg extends from said first recessed retaining portion; wherein said reset leg extends from said second recessed retaining portion; wherein said transfer leg is disposed between said reset leg and said driving leg; and wherein said transfer leg is spaced from each of said first recessed retaining portion and said second recessed retaining portion.

7. An electrical switching apparatus comprising:
a housing;
an electrical communication assembly coupled to said housing;
separable contacts enclosed by the housing;
an operating mechanism for opening and closing said separable contacts; and
a trip assembly comprising:
an actuating element coupled to said housing and electrically connected to said electrical communication assembly, and
an indication assembly cooperating with said actuating element in order to electrically communicate a circuit status to said electrical communication assembly,

wherein said indication assembly comprises a plunger member and a number of auxiliary switches each coupled to said housing; and wherein said plunger member is structured to actuate each of said number of auxiliary switches, thereby electrically communicating the circuit status to said electrical communication assembly.

8. The electrical switching apparatus of claim 7 wherein said operating mechanism comprises a trip bar; wherein said trip assembly further comprises a trip cam; and wherein said actuating element is structured to drive said trip cam into said trip bar in order to trip open said separable contacts.

9. The electrical switching apparatus of claim 8 wherein said operating mechanism further comprises a crossbar; and wherein, responsive to said actuating element driving said trip cam into said trip bar, said crossbar drives said plunger member into each of said number of auxiliary switches in order to electrically communicate the circuit status to said electrical communication assembly.

10. The electrical switching apparatus of claim 9 wherein, when said actuating element drives said trip cam into said trip bar, said actuating element moves in a first direction; and wherein, when said actuating element moves in the first direction, said crossbar drives said plunger member in a second direction opposite the first direction.

11. The electrical switching apparatus of claim 9 wherein said number of auxiliary switches comprises a first auxiliary switch and a second auxiliary switch each comprising a body portion and a deflection member disposed on said respective body portion; wherein said electrical communication assembly comprises a first electrical component and a second electrical component each coupled to said housing; wherein said first auxiliary switch is electrically connected to said first electrical component; and wherein said second auxiliary switch is electrically connected to said second electrical component.

12. The electrical switching apparatus of claim 11 wherein said plunger member is str

Assignees

• Eaton Corp

Inventors

• Kline Kameron James
• Janusek Mark
• Devine Jack Edward
• Turner David

Classifications

• H01H2235/01

  Spiral spring · CPC title

• H01H71/04

  Means for indicating condition of the switching device {(by means of an auxiliary contact H01H71/46)} · CPC title

• H01H71/2463

  with plunger type armatures · CPC title

• H01H3/42 Primary

  using cam or eccentric · CPC title

• H01H3/46

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