Break away door, trip unit and circuit breaker assembly including same

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9679732-B2
Application number	US-201414577376-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 19, 2014
Priority date	Dec 19, 2014
Publication date	Jun 13, 2017
Grant date	Jun 13, 2017

Abstract

A hinge assembly includes a first portion having first and second receptacles and a second portion having first and second cylindrical members extending in opposite directions along a hinge axis and a thickened portion having a contoured outer surface disposed adjacent the cylindrical members. The second portion is moveable from: a first state wherein the first and second cylindrical members are disposed in the first and second receptacles such that the second portion is coupled to the first portion and generally free to rotate about the hinge axis through at least a predetermined degree range, and a second state in which the second portion is decoupled from the first portion responsive to the second portion being rotated beyond the predetermined degree range and the contoured outer surface interacting with a portion of the first portion.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A hinge assembly comprising:
a first portion having a first receptacle and a second receptacle; and
a second portion having a first cylindrical member extending along a hinge axis in a first direction, a second cylindrical member extending along the hinge axis in a second direction opposite the first direction, and a thickened portion having a contoured outer surface disposed adjacent the first cylindrical member and the second cylindrical member,
wherein the second portion is moveable from:
(i) a first state wherein the first cylindrical member is disposed in the first receptacle and the second cylindrical member is disposed in the second receptacle such that the second portion is coupled to the first portion and generally free to rotate about the hinge axis through at least a predetermined degree range, and
(ii) a second state in which the second portion is decoupled from the first portion responsive to the second portion being rotated beyond the predetermined degree range and the contoured outer surface interacting with a portion of the first portion,

wherein each of the first receptacle and the second receptacle comprises a main portion defined at least in-part by a curved surface disposed generally a radial distance about the hinge axis, and wherein when disposed in the first state, the first cylindrical member is disposed in the main portion of the first receptacle and the second cylindrical member is disposed in the main portion of the second receptacle,
wherein each of the first receptacle and the second receptacle further includes an opening which extends outward from the main portion and is positioned generally about a central reference line,
wherein the opening of each of the first receptacle and the second receptacle includes a first portion defined by generally parallel surfaces which extend outward from the main portion and define a minimum opening width of each of the first receptacle and the second receptacle, and wherein when moving from the first state to the second state at least one of the first cylindrical member passes through the first portion of the first receptacle or the second cylindrical member passes through the first portion of the second receptacle,
wherein the opening of each of the first receptacle and the second receptacle further includes a flared portion extending outward from the first portion in which the opening widens from the minimum opening width, and
wherein each of the first cylindrical member and the second cylindrical member are defined by an outer diameter which is greater than the minimum width and less than twice the radial distance.

2. A trip unit comprising:
a housing including a first receptacle and a second receptacle formed thereon or therein; and
an access door having a first cylindrical member extending along a hinge axis in a first direction, a second cylindrical member extending along the hinge axis in a second direction opposite the first direction, and a thickened portion having a contoured outer surface disposed adjacent the first cylindrical member and the second cylindrical member,
wherein the access door is moveable from:
(i) a first state wherein the first cylindrical member is disposed in the first receptacle and the second cylindrical member is disposed in the second receptacle such that the access door is coupled to the housing and generally free to rotate about the hinge axis through at least a predetermined degree range, and
(ii) a second state in which the access door is decoupled from the housing responsive to the access door being rotated beyond the predetermined degree range and the contoured outer surface interacting with a portion of the housing,

wherein each of the first receptacle and the second receptacle comprises a main portion defined at least in-part by a curved surface disposed generally a radial distance about the hinge axis, and wherein when disposed in the first state, the first cylindrical member is disposed in the main portion of the first receptacle and the second cylindrical member is disposed in the main portion of the second receptacle,
wherein each of the first receptacle and the second receptacle further includes an opening which extends outward from the main portion and is positioned generally about a central reference line oriented at an angle about the hinge axis to a reference plane disposed parallel to the a front face of the housing and in which the hinge axis lies,
wherein the opening of each of the first receptacle and the second receptacle includes a first portion defined by generally parallel surfaces which extend outward from the main portion and define a minimum opening width of each of the first receptacle and the second receptacle, and wherein when moving from the first state to the second state at least one of the first cylindrical member passes through the first portion of the first receptacle or the second cylindrical member passes through the first portion of the second receptacle,
wherein the opening of each of the first receptacle and the second receptacle further includes a flared portion extending outward from the first portion in which the opening widens from the minimum opening width, and
wherein each of the first cylindrical member and the second cylindrical member are defined by an outer diameter which is greater than the minimum width and less than twice the radial distance.

3. A circuit breaker comprising:
a housing including a front cover selectively coupled to the housing, the front cover including an opening defined therethrough; and
a trip unit selectively coupled to the housing, the trip unit comprising:
a trip unit housing including a first receptacle and a second receptacle formed thereon or therein and a front face accessible via the opening of the front cover when the front cover is coupled to the housing, the front face having a number of adjustment mechanisms for adjusting one or more characteristics of the trip unit; and
an access door having a first cylindrical member extending along a hinge axis in a first direction, a second cylindrical member extending along the hinge axis in a second direction opposite the first direction, and a thickened portion having a contoured outer surface disposed adjacent the first cylindrical member and the second cylindrical member,

wherein, when the front cover is uncoupled from the housing, the access door is moveable from:
(i) a first state wherein the first cylindrical member is disposed in the first receptacle and the second cylindrical member is disposed in the second receptacle such that the access door is coupled to the housing and generally free to rotate about the hinge axis through at least a first predetermined degree range, and
(ii) a second state in which the access door is decoupled from the housing responsive to the access door being rotated beyond the first predetermined degree range and the contoured outer surface interacting with a portion of the housing, and

wherein, when the access door is disposed in the first state and the front cover is coupled to the housing, the front cover restricts rotation of the access door about the hinge axis to a second predetermined degree range less than the first predetermined degree range.

4. The circuit breaker of claim 3 , wherein each of the first receptacle and the second receptacle comprises a main portion defined at least in-part by a curved surface disposed generally a radial distance about the hinge axis, and wherein when disposed in the first state, the first cylindrical member is disposed in the main portion of the first receptacle and the second cylindrical member is disposed in the main portion of the second receptacle.

5. The circuit breaker of claim 4 , wherein each of the first receptacle and the second receptacle further includes an open

Assignees

• Eaton Corp

Inventors

• Whitaker Thomas Alan
• Basta Jason Eric
• Collazo Doel Jafeth
• Rakus Paul Richard

Classifications

• E05D7/1061

  in a radial direction (E05D7/1005 takes precedence) · CPC title

• H01H2009/0292

  Transparent window or opening, e.g. for allowing visual inspection of contact position or contact condition · CPC title

• H05K5/0226

  Hinges · CPC title

• H01H71/123 Primary

  using a solid-state trip unit (circuits H02H) · CPC title

• H01H71/0257 Primary

  Strength considerations · CPC title