Eaton Corporation

Rockwell Automation Technologies Incorporated

Rockwell Technologies, Inc.

U.S. Controls Corporation

Richard G Smith

Christopher John Wieloch

Mark A Kappel

Donald F Swietlik

Jeffrey R Annis

Raymond H Hannula

Richard W Waltz

Peter J Theisen

Mark Allan Juds

Jerome Kenneth Hastings

Peter K Moldovan

Daniel A Wycklendt

Bruce C Beihoff

William R Nelson

Kenyon A Hapke

Earl T Piber

James E Hansen

Edward Louis Wellner

Donald A Link

Michael R Larsen

Spencer C Schantz

Robert J Clarey

James R Jaeschke

William E Grass

Robert A Kihn

Herbert R Streich

Andrew R Peret

Kurt L Lindsey

An electromagnetic operator includes first and second coils wound coaxially. An armature partially surrounds the coils for channeling flux during energization of the coils. The armature may be formed of a bent plate and secured to a ferromagnetic support. A control circuit applies energizing signals to the coils during operation. Both coils are energized during an initial phase of operation. One of the coils is subsequently released or de-energized automatically. A timing circuit removes current from the second coil after a variable time period. The time period may be a function of the configuration of the timing circuit, such as an RC time constant, and of the energizing signal.

Electromagnetic operator for an electrical contactor and method for controlling same

A unitary housing structure is provided for an electrical switching device such as a three-phase contactor. The housing includes internal partitions for separating an operator section from contact sections, and for isolating phase sections from one another. The partitions are contiguous with one another and with side walls of the housing, inhibiting plasma flow within the housing cavities. The housing is made of a thermoplastic material which is molded as a single piece. The thermoplastic may be partially protected from plasma and arcs by shields within the phase sections, such as splitter plate supports.

Electric contactor housing

Stationary contact structures for an electrical contactor include a base plate portion, a riser portion and a turnback portion. The riser portion extends substantially perpendicularly from the base plate portion and a stationary contact pad is disposed directly above the riser, reducing the occurrence of mutually opposing flux during closure of movable contacts in the device. A current carrying extension may extend beyond the riser for carrying current during steady state operation. In such case, separate current carrying paths are defined in the stationary contact for transient and steady state operation. The portions of the structure are formed by processes, such as extrusion, which permit the desired geometry to be obtained between the base plate and riser. The turnback portion may descend towards the base plate portion to introduce arcs into an elevated position in a splitter plate stack.

Stationary contact for an electrical contactor and method for conducting current through same

Method for controlling an electromagnetic operator of an electrical device

An electromagnetic operator includes first and second coils wound coaxially An armature partially surrounds the coils for channeling flux during energization of the coils. The armature may be formed of a bent plate and secured to a ferromagnetic support. A control circuit applies energizing signals to the coils during operation. Both coils are energized during an initial phase of operation. One of the coils is subsequently released or de-energized automatically. A timing circuit removes current from the second coil after a variable time period. The time period may be a function of the configuration of the timing circuit, such as an RC time constant, and of the energizing signal.

An electrical contactor includes an electromagnetic operator which may be powered by either AC or DC power. For use with AC power, a rectifier circuit converts AC waveforms to DC waveforms and applies the converted power to DC one or more DC coils. The rectifier circuitry applies DC power directly to a bus. A pair of coils may be used, such as separate pickup and holding coils. The pickup coil may be de-energized after an initial phase of operation. To permit rapid release of the holding coil, a control circuit interrupts an induced current path through the coil upon removal of power from the bus.

Electrical contactor and method for controlling same

A movable contact assembly for contactors and similar devices includes a movable spanner or conductive element biased toward a conducting position by a biasing element. A housing partially surrounds the conductive element and the biasing element. The biasing element and exerts compressive forces against the housing and the conductive element. The assembly may be installed as a modular unit on a carrier which is displaced during operation of the contactor. The housing shields the biasing element from plasma, arcs and debris during operation of the device. Multiple conductive elements and corresponding biasing elements may be includes in each assembly.

Movable contact assembly for an electrical contactor

An acceleration sensitive switch for use in detecting an out-of-balance condition on a residential washing machine, or the like, uses a pendulum activated switch wherein the pendulum is biased against an energy absorbing stop by a predetermined threshold force corresponding to the desired switching acceleration. The geometry of the spring and pendulum are such that the restoring force decreases as the pendulum moves to activate the switch providing positive switching action and permitting simple calibration of the unit.

Out-of-balance control for washing machine

An electrical power switching device employing a rotary disc driven by an actuation means whose position is selected by a control means where disc contacts engage and disengage stationary contacts where the stationary contacts are deflected away from the disc contacts by separation ramps thereby opening the current path and an arc plate is used on the disc to control arc energy. A pair of interrupter contacts are placed in series with the rotary disc contacts where abnormally high currents cause the interrupter contacts to separate and open the current path where slot motors and/or arc plates are used to dissipate the damaging electrical arcs as the contacts make and break.

Electrical contactor and interrupter employing a rotary disc

A bypass contactor usable in a solid state motor starter for shunting current around a fully-conducting solid state switching device comprising an electromagnetic contactor housed in a molded insulating enclosure having a plurality of bridging contacts movable into and out of engagement with a pair of stationary contacts to provide plural parallel current paths within the contactor, the stationary contacts having rigid terminal portions projecting externally of the insulating enclosure connectable to the heat sinks of the solid state motor starter in a preferred manner to suspend the contactor above the panel, permitting other components to be mounted below the bypass contacts. Alternate embodiments have the contactor mounted to the same support as the starter power pole component assembly and electrically connected thereto by rigid preformed connectors or flexible braided straps. Also contemplated is increasing the rated current handling capacity by mounting a pair of the bypass contactors to the heat sinks in parallel to double the parallel current paths.

Bypass contactor for solid state motor starters

An electrical contractor device (80) for controlling the flow of electrical power from a source of electrical power to an electrical device according to a command signal from a controller utilizing a rotary disc assembly (90) rotated by an actuator (169) where the rotary disc assembly (90) is comprised of a rotary disc (100) supporting a disc conductor (102) having a pair of contact pads (106, 108) joined by a pair of conductor legs (109, 113) and a center section (111) where the conductor legs (109, 113) are parallel and offset one from the other straddling an axis of rotation (103) where high flow of electrical current through the disc conductor (102) generates an electro-magnetic torque in the rotary disc assembly (90). The disc contacts (106, 108) make electrical contact with a corresponding number of stationary contacts (110,112) of a 'turn back' design one of which is connected one to a source of electrical power and the second to the device whose operation is to be controlled were as the rotary disc (100) is rotated by the actuator means (169), the disc contacts (106, 108) make electrical connection with the stationary contacts (110, 112) and when the actuator (169) is not energized a return spring (176) causes the rotary disc (100) to rotate in an opposite direction thereby causing the stationary contacts (110, 112) to be forced away from the rotary disc (100) by a separation ramp (140, 142). A disc conductor (102) is formed to induce a rotary torque in the rotary disc (100) when an abnormally high electrical current is conducted thereby breaking the conduction path by rotating the rotary disc (100) in conjunction with the return spring (176) to overcome the spring (180) connecting actuator (169) and open the contactor device (80).

Electrical contactor employing a rotary disc

A remote control residential and commercial lighting and appliance branch circuit breaker provides both overload current protection and load management. Structure is provided enabling packaging in a three-quarter inch width case, including a first set of contacts in the case provided by a pair of separable overload breaker contacts, trip structure in the case for causing separation of the overload breaker contacts in response to overload currents therethrough, a second set of contacts in the case provided by a pair of switching relay contacts having open and closed conditions and electrically connected in series with the overload breaker contacts, and an actuator in the case energizable to mechanically actuate the switching relay contacts. Feedback circuitry is included providing status indication of the condition of the switching relay contacts. Structure is provided for reducing actuator and spring requirements and sizes.

Remote control residential circuit breaker

Molded case circuit breaker having collapsible toggle linkage with rectangular cross section knee pin non-rotatably held within open rectangular slots in upper link, bifurcated movable contact fingers loosely guided for pivotal movement about fixed pin to break contact welds, helical compression springs biasing bifurcations against faces of a stationary connector, trapezoidal cross section shaft biasing shaft against a fixed corner of clamping strap and frame, increasing clamping force and increasing tool clearance, operating handle which changes pivot point moving to RESET position, reducing lateral force component of operating springs for reliable return of handle to OFF position, dual stops for movable contact fingers to spread impact forces along fingers, greater contact separation in poles not containing operating mechanism, slot motor laminations providing metal reinforcement to separate arc chamber housing which is cooperatively interlocked with base to distribute structural strength, terminal cover with arc vent extension angled downwardly, extended lug cover with second arc vent extension interlocked to terminal cover and arc chamber housing for no-fastener securement, trip unit armature pivoted in crested surface of molded pocket and connected to trip bar by wire bail for space-efficient location of parts, and accessory devices supported on and secured to trip unit housing have throw-away pin locking operator lever in correct position during installation.

Case circuit breaker having improved attachment means for accessory

A linear acting ball latch is released by a rotary latch release member in the form of a rotor for a high torque, short stroke rotary electric motor which is electrically energized through a capacitor discharge system to release the latched member for spring biased movement into engagement with a bridging contact, thereby forcing the contact open from stationary contacts. A clapper type armature drives the contacts between open and closed positions through tubes, one of which extends through the latch mechanism. The tubes have spring biased plungers connected with the movable contact member to provide a low gradient spring force to the contacts permitting separation by the latch tube assembly and providing contact pressure when the magnetic operator closes the contacts. A manually operable handle and reset cam are disposed over the rotary latch mechanism and have mechanical connection with the latch release rotor to provide for manual operation of the release and for manual resetting of the latch mechanism. The wearable parts and time dated parts are all housed in a powerhead module which is readily detached from a base module and electronics module.

Growing community of inventors

Caledonia, WI, United States of America

Richard G Smith