Square D Company

Schneider Electric USA, Inc.

Duane Lee Turner

Dennis William Fleege

James Arthur Heise

Thomas C Leach

Randy William Blake

Chad Raymond Mittelstadt

Robert F Dvorak

John M Winter

Alexander Filippenko

Thomas A Edds

James V Fixemer

Eugene W Wehr

Matthew D Sortland

George E Burke, Jr

Charles H Wagner

Jeffrey M Kaufman

Rodney J Brune

Darryl Carter

James A Heise

Gregory S Wiese

A circuit breaker includes a base holding an ampoule assembly, a mechanical cover that fits on the base, and a trim cover which fits on the mechanical cover. The circuit breaker can include cover supports positioned between the ampoule assembly and the base. The cover support includes a coupling member that fits within receiving apertures of the mechanical cover and has a threaded through-channel which aligns with apertures of the trim cover. Screws inserted through the trim cover are received in the through-channel to secure the trim cover, the mechanical cover and the base together. The mechanical cover and the base can have interlocking mechanisms which snap-fit together to further support coupling of the cover and base. The circuit breaker can incorporate a retainer clip which engages an ampoule pin, wherein the clip mounts to the mechanical cover to further support holding of the cover and base together.

Circuit breaker cover attachment

Apparatus for providing an accelerated linear motion to a circuit breaker operating handle during ON or OFF operation of the circuit breaker. The accelerated linear motion being applied to the operating handle at a particular point during its movement such that the moveable contacts of the circuit breaker are not delayed in their opening or closing due to slow movement of the circuit breaker operating handle.

Circuit breaker operator

Transfer switch for alternative power sources to a load center

A remotely controllable circuit breaker device for interrupting current in a circuit path between a source and a load includes local and remote monitoring capabilities and a gear mechanism for reliable remote control of the interruption mechanism. The device includes a first contact and a second contact cooperatively arranged in the circuit path so as to provide current from the source to the load. At least one of the contacts is disposed on a contact carrier which is movable for interrupting the current provided to the load. The gear mechanism includes a motor with a rotatable shaft which responds to open and closed control signals generated from a remote location, and a gear, rotatably responsive to the rotatable shaft, for controlling the contact carrier so that the circuit path is interrupted and established, respectively. The gear mechanism controls the contact carrier using a coupling arrangement, which has a first part coupled to the contact carrier and a second part coupled to the gear. A manual override mechanism is utilized to render the coupling arrangement non-responsive to the motor. The manual override mechanism includes a manually operated member interlocked to a slide mechanism which is coupled to the gear. The slide mechanism and gear being in one position to enable the remote control mechanism to be responsive to remote control signals and in another position to disable the remote control mechanism to render it non-responsive to the remote control signals. The manually operated member is biased by a spring so that when it is released from a fixed position it pulls the slide mechanism and thusly the gear into a position where the gear no longer will move the contact carrier in response to rotation of the motor shaft.

Manual override mechanism for a remote controlled circuit breaker

A trip indicator for a circuit breaker in an electrical distribution system. The trip indicator provides a visual indication of the activation of a trip signal caused by arcing fault detector (AFD) or ground fault interrupter (GFI) circuitry. The trip indicator comprises one or more light sources, one or more plungers having a colored tip or one or more bimetal disk having a colored top. In response to activation of a trip signal by the AFD or GFI circuitry, the light source(s) illuminate, the plunger(s) move from a retracted position to an extended position and the bimetal disk(s) move from a generally flat position to a convex position. A conduit is provided within the housing of the protective device for conveying light or the reflection of light between the light source(s), plunger(s) or bimetal disk(s) and an opening of the housing. Where the circuit breaker includes both GFI and AFD circuitry, each generating a respective trip signal in response to the detection of a ground fault or arcing fault, the trip indicator is designed to indicate which of the respective fault conditions activated the trip signal.

Trip indicators for circuit protection devices

A coupling member for securing a spring to a rotatable motor shaft so that the spring rotates with the motor shaft. The coupler has a cylindrical hollow middle which fits snugly onto the motor shaft and includes a main body portion having a smaller cylindrically shaped nose portion extending therefrom for receiving one end of the spring therearound. The main body portion includes a ramp portion, extending upwardly therefrom, a wall behind the ramp portion and a slot therein for receiving a hook portion extending from the spring. The hook portion is snugly secured in the slot and behind the wall so that as the motor shaft rotates, the coupler member causes the spring to rotate with the motor shaft.

Coupling member for securing a spring to a rotatable motor shaft

A circuit breaker device for interrupting current in a circuit path between a source and a load. The device includes a first contact and a second contact cooperatively arranged in the circuit path so as to provide current from the source to the load. At least one of the contacts is disposed on a contact carrier which is movable for interrupting the current provided to the load. A contact status indication arrangement is provided for indicating the status of the contacts. The contact status indication arrangement includes a trip flag, a status insert, a clear plastic lens, a flag guide, and a status flag. The trip flag, status insert and status flag are viewable through the lens, which is disposed in an aperture in the circuit breaker housing. Only one status indicator is viewable through the lens at any one time, each indicating a different circuit breaker status. For example, when the trip flag is visible, the circuit breaker is in the TRIPPED position; when the status insert is visible, the circuit breaker is in the OPEN position; and when the status flag is visible, the circuit breaker is in the CLOSED position. One end of the trip flag is coupled to a trip lever and the other end rides on the flag guide as the trip flag moves forward and back when the circuit breaker moves into the TRIPPED position and is then reset, respectively. The flag guide is a staple-shaped piece of wire disposed in the housing and provides a reliable guide on which the trip flag to travel and maintains separation between the trip flag and the statues flag.

Trip flag guide for a circuit breaker

A circuit breaker device for interrupting current in a circuit path between a source and a load includes a first contact and a second contact cooperatively arranged in the circuit path so as to provide current from a source to a load. A trip mechanism assembly, which includes an armature, a bimetal and a yoke, is provided for interrupting the current. The armature includes an aperture in which a latch point is provided to engage a latching surface of a trip lever for latching the trip lever thereon. The amount of current that is required to cause the trip mechanism to interrupt the circuit path is determined by the amount of overlap between the latching surface and the latch point. This overlap is adjusted by bending a calibration plate by tightening a calibration screw which extends through an aperture in a circuit breaker housing and a slotted aperture in the calibration plate. A substantially square shaped nut secures the calibration screw tightly against the housing. The calibration plate includes a leg portion bent substantially perpendicular thereto which has a rounded end supported in a v-block formed in the housing. The rounded end provides a pivot for which the calibration plate rotates thereabout. The slotted aperture allows the calibration plate to slide horizontally and bend as the calibration screw is tightened into the square nut.

Improved calibration means for a circuit breaker

A conducting spring is provided for exerting a biasing force against a test button to open a circuit interrupter test circuit. The spring includes a one-piece, elongated cantilever having a first and second end. The cantilever is formed from an electrically conducting material. One of the cantilever ends is adapted to directly secure to a first terminal of the test circuit. The other cantilever end is adapted to directly and reversibly contact a second terminal of the test circuit. The spring also includes means for resiliently flexing the second end of the cantilever in relation to the first end. The flexing means is integrally formed with the cantilever. Also provided is a ground fault circuit interrupter and a ground fault circuit module for protecting a circuit interrupter with a push-to-test feature.

Conducting spring for a circuit interrupter test circuit

A ground fault module is provided for protecting a circuit interrupter connected between the load and line terminals of a phase and neutral power line. The module includes a sensor for detecting a current imbalance between the phase and neutral power lines. A phase conductor having a rigid, elongated body made of solid, electrically-conducting material with a first and second end is adapted for connection to the load and line phase power line. A neutral conductor having a rigid, elongated body made of solid, electrically-conducting material with a first and second end is adapted for connection to the load and line neutral power line. Preferably, terminals are used to clamp the ends of the phase and neutral conductors to the load power line and load neutral line. The phase and neutral conductor are operatively connected to the sensor. The present invention also provides a housing assembly for a ground fault circuit interrupter which includes a base made of electrically insulating material with a plurality of cavities for retaining the ground fault module and terminals therein.

Ground fault module conductors and base therefor

An improved miniature circuit breaker is provided which is adapted to improved automatic assembly of all components thereof. Key components of the breaker are individually and collectively designed to be susceptible to total Z-axis assembly. In particular, the trip mechanism including the trip lever, and the associated activation means, tension means and reset means are defined by elements designed to interact in a Z-axis assemblable fashion. The trip mechanism components are also designed for improved trip action and enhanced breaker performance in repeated OPEN, CLOSED, and TRIP operations.

Growing community of inventors

Cedar Rapids, IA, United States of America

Duane Lee Turner