The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
May. 15, 2001
Filed:
Sep. 16, 1999
Roger Castonguay, Terryville, CT (US);
Stefan Kranz, Eutin, DE;
Randy Greenberg, Granby, CT (US);
Dave Christensen, Sandy Hook, CT (US);
General Electric Company, Schenectady, NY (US);
Abstract
A rotary double-break circuit breaker includes a case defining a circuit breaker enclosure with a rotatable bridge and contact arm arrangement. The contact arm having movable contacts which is rotatable between a closed position and an open position. A pair of stationary contacts cooperate with the movable contacts, and a conductor is operatively connected to each of the stationary contacts for current input thereto. Each of the movable contacts includes a heel portion and a toe portion, the heel portion contacting one of the stationary contacts and the toe portion spaced from the stationary contact when the contact bridge is in closed position, the movable contact being angled or curved relative to the stationary contact such that upon the contact bridge rotating to disengage the movable contacts from the stationary contacts, an electric arc formed between the movable contact and the stationary contact runs to the toe portion of the movable contact thereby protecting the heel portion from substantial damage.