Electrical switching apparatus, and operating handle assembly and trip cam therefor

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9928977-B2
Application number	US-201615351591-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 15, 2016
Priority date	Dec 3, 2014
Publication date	Mar 27, 2018
Grant date	Mar 27, 2018

Abstract

A trip cam is for an operating handle assembly of an electrical switching apparatus. The electrical switching apparatus includes a housing and a number of poles. The operating handle assembly has an operating handle partially extending into the housing. The trip cam includes a mounting portion structured to be disposed in the housing, and an operating handle protrusion extending from the mounting portion and being structured to engage the operating handle.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A trip cam for an operating handle assembly of an electrical switching apparatus, said electrical switching apparatus comprising a housing and a number of poles, said operating handle assembly comprising an operating handle partially extending into said housing, said trip cam comprising:
a mounting portion structured to be disposed in said housing; and
an operating handle protrusion extending from the mounting portion and being structured to directly engage said operating handle without any intermediate components.

2. The trip cam of claim 1 wherein said operating handle protrusion is partially cylindrical-shaped.

3. The trip cam of claim 2 wherein said operating handle protrusion comprises a first generally planar side surface, a second generally planar side surface spaced from the first side surface, and a curved surface connecting the first side surface to the second side surface.

4. The trip cam of claim 3 wherein the mounting portion comprises a first generally planar end surface and a second generally planar end surface spaced apart and parallel to the first end surface; and wherein each of the first side surface and the second side surface is generally parallel to each of the first end surface and the second end surface.

5. The trip cam of claim 1 wherein the mounting portion is generally cylindrical-shaped and comprises a first end surface and a second end surface opposite and spaced from the first end surface; and wherein said operating handle protrusion is disposed between the first end surface and the second end surface.

6. The trip cam of claim 5 wherein said operating handle protrusion extends from proximate the first end surface to generally midway between the first end surface and the second end surface.

7. The trip cam of claim 1 wherein said trip cam further comprises a driving leg extending from the mounting portion in a first direction; and wherein said operating handle protrusion substantially extends from the mounting portion in a second direction normal to the first direction.

8. An operating handle assembly for an electrical switching apparatus, said electrical switching apparatus comprising a housing and a number of poles, said operating handle assembly comprising:
an operating handle partially extending into said housing; and
a trip cam comprising:
a mounting portion structured to be disposed in said housing, and
an operating handle protrusion extending from the mounting portion and being structured to directly engage said operating handle without any intermediate components.

9. The operating handle assembly of claim 8 wherein said operating handle assembly further comprises a cradle member cooperating with said operating handle; wherein said cradle member is structured to move from a CLOSED position to a TRIPPED position; wherein said operating handle is structured to move from an ON position to a TRIPPED position; and wherein, responsive to said cradle member moving from the CLOSED position toward the TRIPPED position, said operating handle protrusion drives said operating handle from the ON position toward the TRIPPED position.

10. The operating handle assembly of claim 9 wherein said operating handle comprises an engaging surface structured to engage said operating handle protrusion; wherein said operating handle protrusion comprises a first generally planar side surface, a second generally planar side surface spaced from the first side surface, and a curved surface connecting the first side surface to the second side surface; and wherein the engaging surface of the operating handle is substantially normal to each of the first side surface and the second side surface.

11. The operating handle assembly of claim 10 wherein, responsive to said cradle member moving from the CLOSED position toward the TRIPPED position, the curved surface of said operating handle protrusion engages the engaging surface of said operating handle.

12. The operating handle assembly of claim 8 wherein said mounting portion is generally cylindrical-shaped and comprises a first end surface and a second end surface opposite and spaced from the first end surface; and wherein said operating handle protrusion is disposed between the first end surface and the second end surface.

13. The operating handle assembly of claim 12 wherein said operating handle protrusion extends from proximate the first end surface to generally midway between the first end surface and the second end surface.

14. The operating handle assembly of claim 8 wherein said trip cam further comprises a driving leg substantially extending from the mounting portion in a first direction; and wherein said operating handle protrusion substantially extends from the mounting portion in a second direction normal to the first direction.

15. The operating handle assembly of claim 8 wherein said operating handle protrusion comprises a first generally planar side surface, a second generally planar side surface spaced from the first side surface, and a curved surface connecting the first side surface to the second side surface; wherein the mounting portion comprises a first generally planar end surface and a second generally planar end surface spaced apart and parallel to the first end surface; and wherein each of the first side surface and the second side surface is generally parallel to each of the first end surface and the second end surface.

16. An electrical switching apparatus comprising:
a housing;
a number of poles; and
at least one operating handle assembly comprising:
an operating handle partially extending into said housing, and
a trip cam comprising:
a mounting portion structured to be disposed in said housing, and
an operating handle protrusion extending from the mounting portion and being structured to engage said operating handle,

wherein said electrical switching apparatus is a circuit breaker; wherein said number of poles is a plurality of poles; and wherein said at least one operating handle assembly is a plurality of operating handle assemblies for each of said poles of said circuit breaker.

17. The electrical switching apparatus of claim 16 wherein each of said plurality of operating handle assemblies further comprises a cradle member cooperating with a corresponding operating handle; wherein said cradle member is structured to move from a CLOSED position to a TRIPPED position; wherein said corresponding operating handle is structured to move from an ON position to a TRIPPED position; and wherein, responsive to said cradle member moving from the CLOSED position toward the TRIPPED position, a corresponding operating handle protrusion drives said corresponding operating handle from the ON position toward the TRIPPED position.

18. The electrical switching apparatus of claim 17 wherein said corresponding operating handle comprises an engaging surface structured to engage said corresponding operating handle protrusion; wherein said corresponding operating handle protrusion comprises a first generally planar side surface, a second generally planar side surface spaced from the first side surface, and a curved surface connecting the first side surface to the second side surface; and wherein the engaging surface of said corresponding operating handle is substantially normal to each of the first side surface and the second side surface.

19. The electrical switching apparatus of claim 18 wherein, responsive to said cradle member moving from the CLOSED position toward the TRIPPED position, the curved surface of said corresponding operati

Assignees

• Eaton Corp
• Eaton Intelligent Power Ltd

Inventors

• Gibson Jeffrey Scott

Classifications

• H01H71/04 Primary

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

• H01H71/52

  actuated by lever · CPC title

• H01H21/22 Primary

  Operating parts, e.g. handle · CPC title

• H01H2223/00

  Casings · CPC title

• H01H2069/016

  with single separate parts mountable or insertable in different orientations or positions, e.g. to obtain desired trip conditions · CPC title