Electrical switching apparatus, and interface assembly and display apparatus therefor

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9673013-B2
Application number	US-201514627250-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 20, 2015
Priority date	Feb 20, 2015
Publication date	Jun 6, 2017
Grant date	Jun 6, 2017

Abstract

An interface assembly is for an electrical switching apparatus. The electrical switching apparatus includes a housing, a first handle partially extending through the housing, separable contacts located within the housing, an operating mechanism to open and close the separable contacts, a main printed circuit board located within the housing, and a number of electrical rating settings associated with the main printed circuit board. Each of the electrical rating settings has a magnitude. The interface assembly includes: a base assembly comprising a base, the base being disposed on the housing, the base having a mounting surface; and a second handle coupled to the mounting surface, the second handle and the first handle being structured to drive each other. The mounting surface has at least one port. The magnitude of a corresponding one of the electrical rating settings is visible through the at least one port.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An interface assembly for an electrical switching apparatus, said electrical switching apparatus comprising a housing, a first handle partially extending through said housing, separable contacts disposed within said housing, an operating mechanism structured to open and close said separable contacts, a main printed circuit board disposed within said housing, and a number of electrical rating settings associated with said main printed circuit board, each of said number of electrical rating settings associated with said main printed circuit board, each of said number of electrical rating settings having a magnitude, said interface assembly comprising:
a base assembly comprising a base, said base being structured to be disposed on said housing, said base having a mounting surface; and
a second handle coupled to said mounting surface, said second handle and said first handle being structured to drive each other;
wherein said mounting surface has at least one port;
wherein the magnitude of a corresponding one of said number of electrical rating settings is visible through the at least one port;
wherein said base assembly further comprises at least one window coupled to said mounting surface; wherein said at least one window substantially overlays the at least one port; wherein the magnitude of a corresponding one of said number of electrical rating settings is visible through said at least one window; wherein said base comprises at least one projection extending away from said mounting surface; wherein said at least one window comprises a viewing portion and at least one protrusion extending away from the viewing portion; wherein said base assembly further comprises at least one coupling member; and wherein said at least one coupling member extends through each of said at least one projection and said at least one protrusion in order to couple said at least one window to said mounting surface.

2. The interface assembly of claim 1 wherein the at least one port comprises a first port and a second port; wherein said at least one window comprises a first window and a second window; wherein said first window substantially overlays the first port; and wherein said second window substantially overlays the second port.

3. The interface assembly of claim 1 wherein said at least one projection and said mounting surface are made of a single piece of material; and wherein said at least one protrusion and the viewing portion are made of a single piece of material.

4. The interface assembly of claim 1 wherein said at least one projection comprises a first projection and a second projection; wherein said at least one protrusion comprises a first protrusion and a second protrusion; wherein said at least one coupling member comprises a first coupling member and a second coupling member; wherein said at least one window is disposed between said first projection and said second projection; wherein the viewing portion is disposed between the first protrusion and the second protrusion; wherein said first coupling member extends through said first projection and the first protrusion; and wherein said second coupling member extends through said second projection and the second protrusion.

5. The interface assembly of claim 4 wherein said at least one window has a number of apertures; wherein said base further comprises a number of securing extensions extending away from said mounting surface; and wherein each of said securing extensions is structured to extend into a corresponding one of the number of apertures in order to secure said at least one window to said mounting surface by a snap-fit mechanism.

6. An interface assembly for an electrical switching apparatus, said electrical switching apparatus comprising a housing, a first handle partially extending through said housing, separable contacts disposed within said housing, an operating mechanism structured to open and close said separable contacts, a main printed circuit board disposed within said housing, and a number of electrical rating settings associated with said main printed circuit board, each of said number of electrical rating settings having a magnitude, said interface assembly comprising:
a base assembly comprising a base, said base being structured to be disposed on said housing, said base having a mounting surface; and
a second handle coupled to said mounting surface, said second handle and said first handle being structured to drive each other;
wherein said mounting surface has at least one port;
wherein the magnitude of a corresponding one of said number of electrical rating settings is visible through the at least one port;
wherein said base assembly further comprises at least one window coupled to said mounting surface; wherein said at least one window substantially overlays the at least one port; wherein the magnitude of a corresponding one of said number of electrical rating settings is visible through said at least one window; wherein said at least one window is pivotably coupled to said mounting surface; wherein said base further has a receiving portion structured to extend from said mounting surface toward said housing; wherein said at least one window comprises a viewing portion and a securing member extending away from the viewing portion; and wherein the securing member is coupled to the receiving portion by a snap-fit mechanism.

7. The interface assembly of claim 6 wherein said at least one window further comprises a protrusion extending from the viewing portion; wherein said base further comprises a projection structured to extend from said mounting surface away from said housing; wherein said base assembly further comprises a coupling member; and wherein said coupling member extends through each of said projection and said protrusion in order to couple said at least one window to said mounting surface.

8. An electrical switching apparatus comprising:
a housing;
a first handle partially extending through said housing;
separable contacts disposed within said housing;
an operating mechanism structured to open and close said separable contacts;
a main printed circuit board disposed within said housing;
a number of electrical rating settings associated with said main printed circuit board, each of said number of electrical rating settings having a magnitude; and
an interface assembly comprising:
a base assembly comprising a base, said base being disposed on said housing, said base having a mounting surface, and
a second handle coupled to said mounting surface, said second handle and said first handle being structured to drive each other,

wherein said mounting surface has at least one port;
wherein the magnitude of a corresponding one of said number of electrical rating settings is visible through the at least one port; wherein said electrical switching apparatus further comprises a number of knobs for each of the electrical rating settings; wherein each of said number of knobs is generally disposed internal said housing; wherein said base assembly further comprises at least one window and a number of adjustment assemblies; wherein said at least one window is pivotably coupled to said mounting surface; wherein said at least one window substantially overlays the at least one port; wherein each of said number of adjustment assemblies is structured to adjust a corresponding one of said number of knobs; and wherein each of said adjustment assemblies extends from proximate a corresponding one of said knobs to proximate said mounting surface.

9. The electrical switching apparatus of claim 8 wherein said number of electrical rating settings comprises at least one of a current rating setting and a ground fault setting.

10. The electrical

Assignees

• Eaton Corp

Inventors

• Devine Jack
• Janusek Mark A

Classifications

• H01H2071/006

  Provisions for user interfaces for electrical protection devices · CPC title

• H01H71/126 Primary

  actuated by dismounting of circuit breaker or removal of part of circuit breaker · CPC title

• H01H9/181

  using a programmable display, e.g. LED or LCD · CPC title

• H01H71/06

  Distinguishing marks, e.g. colour coding · CPC title

• H01H71/128 Primary

  Manual release or trip mechanisms, e.g. for test purposes (two similar push buttons for closing or resetting and opening or tripping H01H71/58; test switches for earth fault circuit breakers H01H83/04) · CPC title