General Electric Company

Abb Schweiz Ag

Javier I Larranaga

Joseph Criniti

Farshid Attarian

Alberto Anibal Figueroa

Esteban Santos

Edward E Kim

Thomas Randolph Campbell

Joe Criniti

Peter James Greenwood

Jeremy Robert Baillargeon

Dennis James Rehmer

Kevin J Fuhr

John Matthew Hutson

Nathaniel B Vicente

Pedro Acevedo

William A Newton, Jr

Joseph B Kalaita

Roger N Castonguay

Raymond K Seymour

Joseph G Nagy

Joseph B Kelaita

David A Reid

Alan Joseph Messerli

Dennis C Zuffelato

Erich J Pannenborg

Michael Gerard Tobin

Charles Stephan Pitzen

Gregory Mathias Probert

Anilkumar Dinker Pandit

Walter Felden

James Robert Scanlon

Thuong Phung

Lee A Wambolt

Mark Howard Thomson

Zhiqun Brenda Zhang

Stephen L Wuest

Gregory Mathais Probert

Tom Campbell

Manfred Schulz

Volkman Henschel

Jose Velez

Tony Hui Haugh

Jaymin Sharad Patel

Patrick McGill

Marshall Aurnou

Anupam Gyaneshwardayal Tiwari

Gerardo Rosario

Mani Natarajan

Agali Ramadevi

Michael J Fraser

Vito William Santoro

Dennis Rehmer

An electrical distribution apparatus includes a bus bar assembly including a first surface. The electrical distribution apparatus also includes a backplane including a second surface. The electrical distribution apparatus further includes a plurality of engagement features and a plurality of openings for receiving the plurality of engagement features. The plurality of engagement features couple the bus bar assembly to the backplane. The plurality of engagement features extend from at least one of the first surface and the second surface. The plurality of openings are defined by at least one of the first surface and the second surface.

Electrical distribution apparatus and methods of assembling same

An electrical distribution apparatus includes a backplane for supporting a plurality of electrical devices, a bus bar assembly coupled to the backplane, and a frame that supports the backplane. The electrical distribution apparatus also includes at least one positioning member that facilitates positioning the backplane relative to the frame. The at least one positioning member at least partially supports the backplane such that the backplane is positionable between a first position and a second position. The backplane contacts the frame in the second position.

An electrical device includes an enclosure having an interior surface, at least one bus bar, and an element enclosing at least a portion of the bus bar, wherein the element includes a first surface contacting the interior surface and is configured to transfer heat from the bus bar to the enclosure and configured to provide electrical isolation between the enclosure and the bus bar.

Heat transfer apparatus for use with electrical devices

A circuit breaker lock-out device having a generally U-shaped cross section, configured to mount on a switch having a housing having a recess is provided. Device comprises a first leg connected with a second leg, said second leg having a first aperture configured to receive a blocking member, wherein at least one of said first and second legs has a protrusion configured to engage with said switch housing.

Circuit breaker lock-out device

A circuit breaker having a housing, a pair of separable contacts, a current sensor strap in electrical communication with the contacts, an operating mechanism for operating the contacts, an electronic trip unit in operable communication with the sensor strap and the mechanism, and a current transformer is disclosed. The current transformer has a mixed material magnetic core having a first layer of material having a relatively high magnetic permeability, and a second layer of material having a relatively low magnetic permeability abutting the first layer of material. The core has a profile with an opening therethrough for accepting the sensor strap. A signal generator is disposed proximate the core to provide an output signal representative of a magnetic flux associated with the sensor strap. The mixed material magnetic core exhibits a dynamic range greater than a dynamic range of a similar shaped magnetic core having only one material of the first layer of material and the second layer of material.

Compact low cost current sensor and current transformer core for circuit breakers having improved dynamic range

A method for restricting travel of a moving contact in a lighting contactor is provided. The lighting contactor includes the moving contact and a contact carrier. The method includes the steps of providing a spacer, and a biasing member and positioning the biasing member though the spacer. The method also includes installing the biasing member and the spacer in the contact carrier.

Method for limiting movement in electrical contactors

A current sensor and current transformer for monitoring electrical current is provided with a magnetic core having a mixture of magnetic materials to provide a low cost design in a compact configuration with an expanded dynamic range. The mixed material core can be fabricated either from stamped laminations or from coil stock and may include an air gap for activating a magnetic flux sensor. Multiple core configurations, including Figure-O, Figure-C, and Figure-8, having mixed material construction are disclosed and offer advantages over non-mixed material cores where dynamic range and frequency response characteristics are a consideration.

Compact low cost current sensor and current transformer core having improved dynamic range

A removable cover for a an electrical component box includes a pair of side walls having hinge edges including a hook and an engagement surface extending from the hook. The hook slides over and engages the hinge members of a box, and the engagement surface forms a sliding surface that allows rotation of the cover about the hinge elements. The hinge is easily installed and removed by orienting the cover at a selected angle relative to a longitudinal axis of the box, and lifting the hook over the hinge member to either engage or disengage the hook from the hinge members.

Electric component box with removable cover

A transformer includes a core having an aperture formed therein and a conductive bar extending through the core. The aperture in the core has a centroidal axis The conductive bar includes: a first surface extending generally parallel to the centroidal axis, a second surface opposite the first surface and extending generally parallel to the centroidal axis, the first surface being closer than the second surface to said centroidal axis. The conductive bar also includes means for diverting electrical current flowing through the conductive bar towards said first surface.

Primary conductor for a transformer

Electrical distribution equipment generally includes a housing defining an enclosed space and a conductor in the enclosed space. A current transformer utilizing current in the conductor induces current in a secondary winding thereof, and a fan assembly is electrically connected to the secondary winding. The fan assembly includes a fan motor in driving relation to a fan.

Self powered cooling fan and method

A molded case circuit breaker that includes a double headed calibration screw. The calibration screw has a first and second end with identical convex tip surfaces and screw driver engagement surfaces. The convex tip surface is suitable for engaging a bi-metal thermal overload element. The screw driver engagement surface is suitable for applying a screw driver to adjust the calibration screw position in order to adjust the deflection of the bimetal and calibrate the thermal overload protection. At least one calibration screw planar surface allows for improved sealant injection to permanently fix the screw position and associated calibration setting following adjustment.

Circuit breaker calibration screw

A temperature sensor for use in a circuit breaker is disclosed. The temperature sensor is included in the circuit breaker and detects temperature of a target within the current path of the breaker. If the temperature of the target falls within a preselected critical range, a trip signal is triggered in a trip processor board which actuates a solenoid to trip the circuit breaker. A bridge is provided in the current path to continue normal function of the circuit breaker outside the critical range of temperatures.

Circuit protective device with temperature sensing

A method permits calibration of a current sensor having a conductor that comprises at least two conductor branches electrically connected in parallel. The method comprises passing a predetermined electrical current through the conductor, measuring a fraction of the current that passes through a measured conductor branch, which is one of the two conductor branches, comparing the measured current against a predetermined target current, trimming a calibrating conductor, which is one of the at least two conductor branches, the trimming taking place when said measured current and said predetermined target current are not equal.

Calibrated current sensor

A Hall effect sensor is transported to and away from a conductor to vary the sensitivity range of the sensor to current flow in the conductor. The device comprises a bracket supported on the conductor which holds a jack screw. At the lower end of the jack screw is a sensor block which holds the Hall effect sensor. The sensor block translates in a slide guide of the bracket, but is prevented from rotating. At the upper end of the jack screw is a knob for rotating the jack screw. Rotating the jack screw causes the sensor block to slide closer or farther from the conductor, which varies its sensitivity in measuring a magnetic field generated by a current in the conductor.

Flux concentration adjustment mechanism and method for hall effect sensors and circuit breaker using same

A contact arm assembly is provided having an electrical contact for making and breaking an electrical current, a contact arm for supporting the electrical contact, and a bond surface on the contact arm that is conditioned for improving the bond between the electrical contact and contact arm. Also provided is an electrical circuit breaker that utilizes the improved contact arm assembly. The bond surface of the contact arm is provided with pyramid-shaped serrations that serve to more uniformly distribute the electrical current during brazing, provide multiple areas of localized current constriction during brazing, and provide collector pockets for accumulating the molten braze alloy during brazing. The uniform distribution of electrical current during brazing serves to generate a uniform temperature gradient across the braze area for uniform melting of braze alloy. The multiple areas of localized current constriction during brazing serves to temporarily elevate the temperature of the braze joint during brazing by localizing the heat generation proximate the braze alloy, thereby effectively reducing annealing of the contact arm. The collector pockets for accumulating the molten braze alloy during brazing effectively eliminates the overflow of braze alloy onto the edges of the contact and contact arm. A contact arm assembly having uniform melting of braze alloy, reduced annealing of the contact arm, and reduced overflow of braze alloy onto the edges of the contact and contact arm results in an improved bond of contact to contact arm.

Electrical contact arm assembly for a circuit breaker

Growing community of inventors

Bristol, CT, United States of America

Javier I Larranaga