Switching power connector and electrical connection element with safety interlock

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9819118-B2
Application number	US-201615331960-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 24, 2016
Priority date	Jul 16, 2015
Publication date	Nov 14, 2017
Grant date	Nov 14, 2017

Abstract

An electrical connection element is for a power connector. The power connector includes an electrical component having a number of first electrical mating members. The electrical connection element comprises: a housing including a number of second electrical mating members structured to be electrically connected to the number of first electrical mating members; a contact assembly enclosed by the housing and being electrically connected to the number of second electrical mating members; and an operating mechanism for opening and closing the contact assembly. The contact assembly is structured to electrically connect and disconnect power while the number of first electrical mating members remain mechanically coupled to the number of second electrical mating members.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An electrical connection element for a power connector, said power connector comprising an electrical component, said electrical connection element comprising:
a housing;
a contact assembly enclosed by said housing;
a toggle operating mechanism structured to open and close said contact assembly,
wherein said contact assembly is structured to electrically connect and disconnect power while a number of first electrical mating members remain mechanically coupled to a number of second electrical mating members;
said contact assembly electrically connected to said number of second electrical mating members;
said contact assembly includes a number of line-side contacts, a number of load-side contacts, and a number of movable conductor members, each conductor member associated with one line-side contact and one load-side contact;
each said conductor member movable between a first position, wherein said associated line-side contact and said associated load-side contact are not electrically connected, and a second position, wherein said associated line-side contact and said associated load-side contact are electrically connected;
said toggle operating mechanism includes a toggle linkage, said toggle linkage defining a line of action and a toggle line;
said toggle linkage operatively coupled to said conductor members and structured to move said conductor members between said first and second positions;
said toggle linkage movable between a first configuration, wherein each said conductor member is in its first position, and a second configuration wherein, each said conductor member is in its second position; and
wherein when said toggle linkage line of action is on a first side of said toggle line, said toggle linkage is biased toward said toggle linkage first configuration, when said toggle linkage line of action is on a second side of said toggle line, said toggle linkage is biased toward said toggle linkage second configuration, and when said toggle linkage line of action moves from one side of said toggle line in a direction to be aligned with said toggle line, said toggle linkage line of action continues to move in the same direction until said toggle linkage line of action is on the other side of said toggle line.

2. The electrical connection element of claim 1 wherein:
said toggle linkage includes a knee joint having an axis of rotation; and
said toggle line extending through said knee joint axis of rotation.

3. The electrical connection element of claim 1 wherein:
said toggle linkage includes an elongated spring;
said toggle linkage spring including a first end and a second end; and
wherein said toggle linkage line of action extends between said toggle linkage spring first end and said toggle linkage spring second end.

4. The electrical connection element of claim 1 wherein:
said toggle linkage includes an elongated handle link, an elongated upper link, an elongated lower link, and an elongated spring;
said handle link including a first end and a second end;
said upper link including a first end and a second end;
said lower link including a first end and a second end;
said toggle linkage spring including a first end and a second end;
said handle link second end rotatably coupled to said housing;
said upper link first end rotatably coupled to said housing;
said upper link second end rotatably coupled to said lower link first end defining a knee joint;
said lower link first end rotatably coupled to contact assembly conductor members;
said toggle linkage spring first end coupled to said handle link first end;
said toggle linkage spring second end coupled to said knee joint.

5. A power connector comprising:
an electrical component having a number of first electrical mating members;
an electrical connection element comprising:
a housing including a number of second electrical mating members electrically connected to said number of first electrical mating members,
a contact assembly enclosed by said housing and being electrically connected to said number of second electrical mating members;
a toggle operating mechanism for opening and closing said contact assembly;

wherein said contact assembly is structured to electrically connect and disconnect power while said number of first electrical mating members remain mechanically coupled to said number of second electrical mating members;
said contact assembly includes a number of line-side contacts, a number of load-side contacts, and a number of movable conductor members, each conductor member associated with one line-side contact and one load-side contact;
each said conductor member movable between a first position, wherein said associated line-side contact and said associated load-side contact are not electrically connected, and a second position, wherein said associated line-side contact and said associated load-side contact are electrically connected;
said toggle operating mechanism including a toggle linkage, said toggle linkage defining a line of action and a toggle line;
said toggle linkage operatively coupled to said movable conductor members and structured to move said movable conductor members between said first and second positions;
said toggle linkage movable between a first configuration, wherein said conductor member is in its first position, and a second configuration wherein, said conductor member is in its second position; and
wherein when said toggle linkage line of action is on a first side of said toggle line, said toggle linkage is biased toward said toggle linkage first configuration, when said toggle linkage line of action is on a second side of said toggle line, said toggle linkage is biased toward said toggle linkage second configuration, and when said toggle linkage line of action moves in a direction to a position aligned with said toggle line, said toggle linkage line of action continues to move in the same direction until said toggle linkage line of action is on one of said first side of said toggle line or said second side of said toggle line.

6. The power connector of claim 5 wherein:
said toggle linkage includes an elongated handle link, an elongated upper link, an elongated lower link, and an elongated spring;
said handle link including a first end and a second end;
said upper link including a first end and a second end;
said lower link including a first end and a second end;
said toggle linkage spring including a first end and a second end;
said handle link second end rotatably coupled to said housing;
said upper link first end rotatably coupled to said housing;
said upper link second end rotatably coupled to said lower link first end defining a knee joint;
said lower link first end rotatably coupled to contact assembly conductor members;
said toggle linkage spring first end coupled to said handle link first end;
said toggle linkage spring second end coupled to said knee joint.

7. An interlock assembly for a power connector, said power connector including a contact assembly, a first housing and a second housing, said contact assembly including a number of line-side contacts, a number of load-side contacts, and a number of movable conductor members, each conductor member associated with one line-side contact and one load-side contact, each said conductor member movable between a first position, wherein said associated line-side contact and said associated load-side contact are not electrically connected, and a second position, wherein said associated line-side contact and said associated load-side contact are electrically connected, said power connector first housing and said power connector second housing movable between a first configuration, wherein said power connector first housing and said power connector

Assignees

• Eaton Corp

Inventors

• Juds Mark Allan
• Rollmann Paul Jason
• Hastings Jerome Kenneth
• Eckroth Kurt Von
• Johnson Jeffrey Troy
• Briggs Roger James
• Kona Kaushik Naidu
• Satyanarayanan Karthik
• Rathi Abhijeet

Classifications

• H01F7/06

  Electromagnets; Actuators including electromagnets {(electric coils H01F5/00; devices for holding workpieces using electric force B23Q3/15; load-engaging elements for lifting articles electromagnetically B66C1/06; electromagnetic couplings F16D27/00; magnetic brakes F16D63/002; electromagnetically operated valves F16K11/24, F16K31/00; analysing materials by magnetic means G01N27/72, G01N27/80; electromagnets for winding mechanical clocks G04C1/02; electromagnetic relays H01H51/00; windings for salient poles of dynamo-electric machines H02K3/18; electromagnets for telegraphic communication H04L; for arc lamps H05B31/28)} · CPC title

• H01R13/62977

  Pivoting levers actuating linearly camming means · CPC title

• H03K17/28

  Modifications for introducing a time delay before switching (modifications to provide a choice of time-intervals for executing more than one switching action H03K17/296) · CPC title

• H01R2105/00

  Three poles · CPC title

• H01R24/28

  Coupling parts carrying pins, blades or analogous contacts and secured only to wire or cable · CPC title