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:
Nov. 12, 2002
Filed:
Apr. 25, 2002
William J. Bentley, North Attleboro, MA (US);
Eric W. Morrison, Pawtucket, RI (US);
Christian V. Pellon, Norton, MA (US);
Nicholas V. Pellon, Norton, MA (US);
Texas Instruments Incorporated, Dallas, TX (US);
Abstract
An electric circuit breaker ( ) has a toggle mechanism ( ) having two movable over center joints ( ) connected between a push-button ( ) and a movable contact mechanism ( ). When the push-button is depressed a first link rotates bringing the first movable over center joint ( ) across a center position represented by a first imaginary straight line ( ) to a stop surface ( ). A spring member ( ) provides a bias which acts on the second movable over center joint ( ) normally maintaining the second movable joint against the stop surface so that with the two movable over center joints biased against the stop surface the movable contact mechanism is moved to a closed contact position when the push-button is depressed. An overload responsive member transfers motion to the second movable over center joint ( ) upon the occurrence of a selected overload and moves the second over center joint across a center position represented by a second imaginary straight line ( ) allowing the contacts opening spring ( ) to move the movable contact mechanism to the open contacts position providing a trip free operation. The circuit breaker can be formed for a single phase or it can be formed for multiphase operation in which additional ganged phases have no toggle mechanism but do have separate ambient temperature compensated trip arms and overload responsive members which operate through the single toggle mechanism.