103results about "Switches with electromagnetic opening" 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.

A GFCI device includes a latch assembly provided with a rigid electrically conducting bar connected thereto such that when a user presses a reset button the latch assembly is moved toward a pair of contacts provided as part of a reset circuit to initiate a reset operation. When the electrically conducting bar on the latch assembly connects the pair of contacts, the reset circuit is closed and an actuator is activated to place the GFCI device in the latched, reset, condition. If the GFCI device is correctly wired, the latch assembly enters the latched state. If the device is not properly wired no power is provided to the actuator and the device remains in the tripped, or open, state.

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 current limiting device includes first and second contact members, each contact member having, at a first end, contacts defining a contact pair; a contacting pressure is applied to said contact pair; and a cylindrical insulator cylindrically surrounding the contacts when the contacts are closed. The device is arranged such that at least one of the first and second contact members is rotatably supported at a second end. Also, an electrical path is defined through which currents flow in substantial opposition to the first and second contact members and in opposite directions to each other. The first ends of the first and second contact members are positioned within the space defined by the cylindrical insulator in the closed contact state. The contact of at least one of the rotatably supported contact members is positioned outside of the space defined by the cylindrical insulator when the contacts are open.

A circuit interrupting device having a dual-coil solenoid for delivering an increased magnetic field to the solenoid plunger when a fault is detected and it is desired to place the device into a tripped condition. Independent switching devices control the flow of current through the respective coils of the solenoid and a third switching device controls the operation of the two coil driving switch devices. A detection circuit detects faults and controls the third switching device to activate the coil driving switching devices when a fault is detected. A programmable device runs a self-test program to determine whether the device is operating properly and faults can be detected. The programmable device can also independently control the operation of the two coil driving switching devices.

A circuit-breaker is provided for switching medium-voltage to high-voltage circuits. The circuit breaker includes a pole part having a cup-shaped housing made of insulating material for accommodating an interrupter insert operated by a drive rod. The cup-shaped housing is divided into an upper housing part in which the interrupter insert is arranged, and a lower housing part for accommodating a magnetic actuator. The drive rod of the interrupter insert is coaxially arranged to an armature of the magnetic actuator.

A magnet switch for a starter of the present invention includes a plunger and a switch frame. The plunger has a stepped part at the outer peripheral surface thereof. The switch frame has a projection at an end face thereof, the end face being opposed to the outer peripheral surface of the plunger. Engagement of the stepped part of the plunger with the projection of the switch frame can lock forward movement of the plunger, so that no impact force is imposed on the movable contact and the insulator. Thus, deformation of the movable contact and breakage of the insulator can be prevented, and the axial length of the magnet switch can be reduced to reduce the size of the magnetic switch.

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 fault interrupter and load break switch includes a trip assembly configured to automatically open a transformer circuit electrically coupled to stationary contacts of the switch upon the occurrence of a fault condition. The fault condition causes a Curie metal element electrically coupled to at least one of the stationary contacts to release a magnetic latch. The release causes a trip rotor of the trip assembly to rotate a rotor assembly. This rotation causes ends of a movable contact of the rotor assembly to electrically disengage the stationary contacts, thereby opening the circuit. The switch also includes a handle for manually opening and closing the electrical circuit in fault and non-fault conditions. Actuation of the handle coupled to the rotor assembly via a spring-loaded rotor causes the movable contact ends to selectively engage or disengage the stationary contacts.

A circuit breaker and method includes a mechanical pole moveable between a latched position and an unlatched position to open an electrical connection between a pair of electrical contacts. An electronic tripping device is configured to respond to a sensor signal. The sensor signal is output from a condition sensor wherein upon receiving the sensor signal the electronic tripping device trips the mechanical pole into the unlatched position.

A user adjustment assembly for translating user-adjustable dial settings to tripping levels of an electronic trip unit includes a potentiometer and an adjustment button. The potentiometer is positioned inside a cover of the trip unit and includes a potentiometer button. The adjustment button is coupled to the potentiometer for mechanically adjusting it and includes an insulation disc for increasing resistance to electrostatic discharge, preventing contaminants from entering the printed wire assembly components, and preventing application of downward force to the potentiometer button. The insulation disc has a bottom surface that is dimensioned to be larger than the potentiometer button. The adjustment button includes one or more stops that trigger a fail safe operation mode where the tripping levels are automatically adjusted to higher or predetermined protective levels when the adjustment button is moved to those stop positions. Switch calibration is obviated and the simplified design reduces overall cost.

The present invention provides an electromagnetic tripping device. The device has a cradle (1) supporting a U-shaped armature (2) whose ends form polar surfaces cooperating with a palette (3). The palette is brought on the surfaces to close a magnetic circuit formed by the armature and the palette. A trip coil (4) is mounted around a yoke frame surrounding the magnetic circuit and can thwart the force of a magnet to move the palette. A resetting top cap (7) of the palette is mounted slidingly in a support (12) included in the cradle. The palette (3) pivots with respect to the U-shaped armature. The feature of the electromagnetic tripping device is that the cradle (1) includes the said top cap (7) and support (12).

A switching device is provided that includes a switching mechanism unit and a switch drive control circuit. In the switching device, an operating member is maintained in an ON position by the sucking force of a permanent magnet and a yoke, despite the pushing force of a biasing unit, when the permanent magnet is in an ON position. The yoke is magnetized in such a manner as to reduce the magnetic force of the permanent magnet, when a coil wound around the yoke is energized by the switch drive control unit. The operating member and a switching member are moved from the ON position to the OFF position by virtue of the pushing force of the biasing unit, thereby shutting a feed line.

A fault interrupter and load break switch includes a trip assembly configured to automatically open a transformer circuit electrically coupled to stationary contacts of the switch upon the occurrence of a fault condition. The fault condition causes a Curie metal element electrically coupled to at least one of the stationary contacts to release a magnetic latch. The release causes a trip rotor of the trip assembly to rotate a rotor assembly. This rotation causes ends of a movable contact of the rotor assembly to electrically disengage the stationary contacts, thereby opening the circuit. The switch also includes a handle for manually opening and closing the electrical circuit in fault and non-fault conditions. Actuation of the handle coupled to the rotor assembly via a spring-loaded rotor causes the movable contact ends to selectively engage or disengage the stationary contacts.

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.

A divided armature for the trip mechanism of a circuit breaker especially useful for low trip current breakers allows for two independent adjustments: first of the magnetic air gap between the yoke and the armature and second of the clearance between the trip bar and the back plate of the armature. The divided armature allows the force of a return spring of the trip mechanism to be unchanged while adjusting the magnetic air gap to set the trip current point.

A circuit breaker includes a vacuum valve, an electromagnet including a first coil for driving an operating shaft of the vacuum valve toward an opening direction by electromagnetic repulsion, a movable core and a permanent magnet. Further, an operating mechanism is provided which excites the first coil to close the vacuum valve, holds the vacuum valve closed by an attractive force of the permanent magnet and excites the first coil in a direction reverse to an excitation direction in closing operation to open the vacuum valve. In the circuit breaker, together with the first coil, a second coil is disposed which is excited simultaneously with an electromagnetic repulsion coil for a quick opening operation by electromagnetic repulsion is provided in the electromagnet.

A circuit breaker includes a case having an opening, separable contacts housed within the case, and an operating mechanism for opening and closing the separable contacts. The operating mechanism includes a pivot and a pair of extension springs for moving the operating mechanism to close the separable contacts. The operating mechanism also includes an operating handle for operating the operating mechanism. The operating handle includes a first handle portion extending through the opening of the case and a second portion having a pair of elongated arms within the case. The extension springs extend between the elongated arms and the pivot.

An actuating unit or actuating mechanism and release for a circuit breaker. The magnetic mechanism of the release includes a magnet armature, which can move linearly in a magnet coil, is in the form of a tripping plunger and can be moved towards a permanent magnet counter to the force of a storage compression spring and is held fixedly by said permanent magnet in the case of a magnet coil through which no current is flowing. The tripping unit is in the form of a mechanical force store. After a tripping action, the mechanical force store needs to be reset manually again. For this purpose, a rotary movement of the drive shaft with an angular displacement of from 20 to 30 degrees takes place in the opposite direction to the ON switching rotary movement.

A user adjustment assembly for translating user-adjustable dial settings to tripping levels of an electronic trip unit includes a potentiometer and an adjustment button. The potentiometer is positioned inside a cover of the trip unit and includes a potentiometer button. The adjustment button is coupled to the potentiometer for mechanically adjusting it and includes an insulation disc for increasing resistance to electrostatic discharge, preventing contaminants from entering the printed wire assembly components, and preventing application of downward force to the potentiometer button. The insulation disc has a bottom surface that is dimensioned to be larger than the potentiometer button. The adjustment button includes one or more stops that trigger a fail safe operation mode where the tripping levels are automatically adjusted to higher or predetermined protective levels when the adjustment button is moved to those stop positions. Switch calibration is obviated and the simplified design reduces overall cost.

The present invention relates to an alternating-current power supply device which can improve a power factor of an alternating-current load, realizes low cost and miniaturization, and recovers magnetic energy. The alternating-current power supply device includes a bridge circuit composed of four reverse conducting semiconductor switches, a capacitor that is connected between direct-current terminals of the bridge circuit and absorbs the magnetic energy at the time of cutting off the current, an alternating-current voltage source that is connected to the induction load in series and is inserted between alternating-current terminals of the bridge circuit, and a control circuit that gives a control signal to gates of the respective reverse conducting semiconductor switches and controls on / off states of the respective reverse conducting semiconductor switches. The control circuit simultaneously controls the on / off operation of the paired reverse conducting semiconductor switches positioned on a diagonal line of the four reverse conducting semiconductor switches composing the bridge circuit, makes a control so that when one pair of the two pairs is ON, the other pair is OFF, and switches the control signal in synchronization with a voltage of the alternating-current voltage source.

Embodiments provide an electronic circuit breaker. The electronic circuit breaker has a moveable contact arm having a moveable main electrical contact, and a lockout mechanism operable to contact the moveable contact arm and block motion of thereof, the lockout mechanism having a lockout latch with one or more pivot joints, a moveable stop, and an offset engagement portion, the moveable stop adapted to contact the moveable contact arm, and an unlock actuator providing an unlock force at the engagement portion causing lockout latch pivoting and release of the moveable contact arm. Also disclosed are secondary electrical contacts configured to engage each other in the ON configuration, with a leaf spring operably supporting a moveable one of the secondary contacts, the leaf spring configured to be flexed to close the secondary contacts. A method of operating the electronic circuit breaker is provided, as are other aspects.

An electromagnetically actuated adjusting apparatus for lens is disclosed. The adjusting apparatus comprises a body capable of furnishing a lens inside, at least one permanent magnet, a first magnetic conductor and a second magnetic conductor. The first and the second magnetic conductors are respectively wound with a plurality of coils. The permanent magnet is adjoined to the body and has a first polarity and a second polarity opposing each other. The first magnetic conductor has at least a first extension member provided opposite to the first polarity. The second magnetic conductor has at least a second extension member provided opposite to the second polarity. The first extension member and the second extension member can better converge magnetic flux lines emanating from the coils when charged to the positions nearing the two polarities of the permanent magnet so high-efficiency focusing and zooming of lens can be achieved.

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. In some embodiments, the fuse devices can comprise pyrotechnic features.

Disclosed herein are contactor devices, for example, devices that can be utilized as switching elements, comprising fixed contacts that are electrically isolated from one another and one or more moveable contacts that are configured to electrically contact the fixed contacts to provide an electrical connection between them. Movement of the fixed contacts into and out of electrical contact with the fixed contacts controls flow of electricity through the devices. The contactor devices also include pyrotechnic disconnect elements, which function as a circuit break or fuse-like element to protect against overcurrent. When the electrical current through the contactor device reaches a threshold level, a pyrotechnic charge activates, permanently forcing the moveable contacts out of electrical contact with the fixed contacts.

A method and magnetic trip unit for actuating a latching mechanism to trip a circuit breaker upon an overcurrent condition, the magnetic trip unit including: a first electrically conductive strap configured to conduct an electrical current; a first magnet yoke disposed proximate to the first electrically conductive strap; and a first armature pivotally disposed proximate to the first magnetic yoke in operable communication with the latching mechanism; the first armature providing a magnetic path having a reluctance to magnetic flux; and the reluctance is adjusted to prevent saturation of the magnetic flux when the current through the strap is a first number times a rated current of the circuit breaker and the reluctance is adjusted to promote saturation of magnetic flux when the current through the strap is a second number times the rated current of the circuit breaker, wherein the first number is a number smaller than the second number.

A motor protection trip unit for a circuit breaker includes an electrically conductive strap, a yoke including a body including a first side wall, a second side wall, a third side wall, and a fourth side wall. The third side wall extends between the first and second side walls, the fourth side wall extending from the first and second side walls and comprising a yoke gap extending therethrough. A motor protection trip unit for a circuit breaker also includes a flapper holder coupled to the strap, a flapper pivotally coupled to the flapper holder, and a biasing mechanism coupled between the flapper holder and the flapper. The biasing mechanism is configured to maintain the flapper a distance from the yoke such that a yoke-flapper gap is defined between the yoke and the flapper.