73results about "Electromagnetically operated protective switches" patented technology

A fast acting switching mechanism for a circuit breaker includes a drive rod articulated to a drive module and supporting at an end thereof a contact bridge having at opposite ends thereof respective moveable contacts for switchably engaging a pair of fixed contacts of the circuit breaker. A contact spring unit is operatively coupled to the drive module for applying closing pressure in the order of 200 Kg; and a latch latches the drive rod in an open or closed position after operation of the circuit breaker and prevents rebounds. The contact bridge includes a pair of side conductors supporting on upper edges thereof an armature having an exposed upper surface that supports the moveable contacts at opposite ends of the armature; and a reinforcing element inserted between the side conductors.

Resettable circuit interrupting devices, such as GFCI devices, that include a reset lockout mechanism, an independent trip mechanism and reverse wiring protection. A conical reset plunger is notched to force a successful test before reset.

A parallel pole magnetohydraulic circuit breaker (10), having a single trip element (271) and a pair of trip mechanisms (101, 102), achieving an increased current carrying capacity with reduced nuisance trips. The tip mechanisms (101, 102) are contained within separate housings (14, 16), with electrical connections (30, 40) and multipole trip mechanism (101, 102) communicating through apertures in the common wall (14'). Preferably, the armature (260) of the trip element (271) acts on a single trip mechanism (101, 102), which multiplies the available force to trigger a trip of the other tip mechanism.

A permanent-magnet ground fault circuit interrupter plug with self-diagnosing function having an enclosure and a permanent-magnet mechanism encased in the enclosure. In one embodiment, the permanent-magnet mechanism includes a frame assembly having a crossbeam, a frame pressure post and a core connecting post positioned at each side of the crossbeam, a core attached to the core connecting post and positioned inside a coil assembly, a spring sleeved on the core connecting post and positioned therebetween an inner cam of the coil assembly and the crossbeam of the frame assembly; a circuit-breaking coil and a circuit-connecting coil wound on the coil assembly, respectively, a permanently magnet positioned proximately to the core, a pair of movable contact arms with each having one movable contact positioned at each lateral side of the frame pressure post for communicating with the frame assembly, a pair of fixed contacts positioned above the corresponding movable contacts, and a metal oxide varistor with one end electrically connected to a first terminal of a power source directly and the other end electrically connected to a second terminal of the power source from a load side across a circuit breaker.

A circuit interrupter has a first contact, a second contact, and a trip arm which moves the second contact between a closed position where the second contact is touching the first contact and an open position in which the second contact is spaced apart from the first contact. A first trip mechanism has a first solenoid, a first overcurrent sensor, and a first arm. A second trip mechanism has a second solenoid, a second overcurrent sensor, and a second arm. The first trip mechanism activates the first arm after a first threshold amount of time which actuates the trip arm when the first overcurrent sensor detects a first threshold level. The second trip mechanism activates the second arm after a second threshold amount of time which actuates the trip arm when the second overcurrent sensor detects a second threshold level, the second threshold level being different than the first.

A circuit breaker includes a trip unit and an electronic fault detection unit sharing a common trip latch for causing the circuit breaker to trip upon detection of a fault by either unit. The circuit breaker has an electromagnet for causing the circuit breaker to trip upon detection of a fault by an electronic fault detection unit. The electromagnet is oriented in the housing proximal the trip latch without any components interposed between them, and directly attracts the latch. Advantageously the electromagnet orientation does not impact operation or the range of motion of the latch or other trip unit components. Advantageously the circuit breaker of the present invention does not increase the trip latch mass, its bulk swept volume through its range of motion or require additional linkage components that potentially might increase trip cycle time. In some embodiments the electromagnet core is reciprocable.

Disclosed herein are efficient mechanical fuse devices that are capable of functioning at high current levels. These devices comprise mechanical features configured such that the fuse devices have a non-triggered state, which allows current to flow through the device, and a triggered state, which does not allow current to flow through the device. In some embodiments, the devices are configured such that a certain pre-determined current level flowing through the device will generate a sufficient electromagnetic field to cause the mechanical elements to transition the fuse device into the triggered state and thus interrupt a connected electrical circuit, device or system. In some embodiments, these devices can also comprise hermetically sealed components.

A power supply switch comprising a power input assembly receiving power from a power source, a power output assembly connected to an appliance and a control circuit between the power input assembly and power output assembly. The control circuit comprises a switch having an open position and a closed position and being manually resettable by a user to the closed position, wherein power is supplied from the power input assembly to the power output assembly when the switch is in the closed position; a current detection circuit sensing a current passing from the power input assembly to the power output assembly, the current detection circuit outputting an activation signal indicative of the presence of the sensed current; and a timer circuit receiving the activation signal and automatically activating a timer in response, wherein the timer sends a signal to the switch causing the switch to move to the open position after a delay time.