Circuit breaker and method for assembling operating mechanism on molded base of circuit breaker

Abstract

The invention relates to a circuit breaker (100) comprising a molded base (200), an operating mechanism (300) and a pair of separable contacts (630, 631) and a molded cover (400). The molded base (200) includes a plurality of grooves (220), a plurality of shoulders (222), and a plurality of through holes (224). The operating mechanism (300) includes a plurality of side plates (310), at least one vertical protrusion (320), and a plurality of legs (330). Each leg (330) includes a tab (364) having a fold line (375), the tab (364) being insertable into the through holes (224) of the at least one pair of grooves (220) of the molded base (200) and being foldable so as to position the at least one pair of grooves (370) on the shoulder (222) of the molded base (200) of the circuit breaker (100). The invention also relates to a method for mounting an operating mechanism (300) on a molded base (200).

Description

Field of the Invention

[0001] The present invention relates to the field of operating mechanisms for fixed electrical contacts. The present invention also falls within the field of fixing the mechanism for operating the contacts to the base of the molded case of a circuit breaker. The present invention relates to a circuit breaker and more particularly to a system for fixing the operating mechanism of a circuit breaker obtained by construction. Background Art

[0002] As is well known to those skilled in the art, molded case circuit breakers have functions based on thermal, magnetic, thermal-magnetic or even electronic principles through the movement of electrical contacts. In particular, they can be used to protect circuits exposed to short circuits and / or electrical overloads, which are caused by current levels exceeding the nominal limits previously established by connecting the input terminals and the output terminals, where the input terminals and the output terminals are connected to the power supply circuit to be protected.

[0003] Therefore, it can be seen that a circuit breaker fundamentally operates in a manner similar to an electrical switch, that is, by changing the conductive state of the circuit between the "ON" and "OFF" states. In addition to automatic operation, conventional circuit breakers also include an operating handle that can be operated by the user. In this type of molded case construction, it is typical for the current-carrying capacity to support relatively high values, up to 1600 A or even higher. In particular, after a fault event occurs, the circuit breaker handle usually remains stationary in the tripped position (TRIP) until a new trigger.

[0004] This type of electrical equipment requires multiple tests to ensure the safety and correct function of each circuit breaker manufactured. Therefore, a solution that can optimize the steps of assembly, testing and replacing defective components should be able to optimize the time and cost involved in manufacturing circuit breakers.

[0005] Known prior art solutions for the circuit breakers discussed herein can be verified in prior art documents such as European document EP1010187, entitled "Power circuit breaker with an actuating shaft", which contemplates, for example, a power circuit breaker that includes contact means, a drive means for operating the contact means, and an actuating shaft for transmitting a driving force from the driving force means to the contact means to open or close the contact means. A bearing means for a drive rod has at least one bearing body that is connected to an electrode assembly group that includes the contact means. According to the solution, a unit that can be tested independently of other circuit breaker assembly groups is configured. In a multi-pole circuit breaker, all contact means or electrode assembly groups can use a common drive rod. The drive rod is mounted at a generally central position within a main bearing body, and its ends are mounted within auxiliary bearing bodies.

[0006] Although a circuit breaker is shown that includes multiple groups of individual mechanism units located at each electrode, and the group can be tested independently of other groups of the interruption assembly, EP1010187 presents a circuit breaker device that uses screws to fix the internal mechanism, and the circuit breaker device can rely on the assembly of the body / cover interface before its internal components are tested.

[0007] Another patent document that can be mentioned for its solution is document US5023582, entitled "Molded case circuit breaker compact latch asssembly", which relates to, for example, a molded case circuit breaker that uses multiple latch assemblies to hold a circuit breaker operating mechanism in a closed state. The multiple latch assemblies include three independent locking rods that are mounted on a common locking support frame.

[0008] Similar to other known solutions, US5023582 particularly describes a device that only aims to seal the internal mechanism of the circuit breaker and fix the internal components by pins, without having to worry about providing a device that can be tested before its complete assembly.

[0009] A circuit breaker mechanism is found in prior art US4894747 that uses leg torsion as a form of fixing to a circuit breaker base.

[0010] Circuit breaker mechanisms that use leg bending as a way of fixing to a circuit breaker base have been tried in prior art US4864263, EP0209054, and US4563557.

[0011] Finally, it is worth mentioning that solutions of several other prior arts can be verified in other patent documents such as JP4126865, EP0395226, US4894632 and EP0188482. These documents also determine that these circuit breakers use pins, screws and the like to fix the internal components of the circuit breaker, and no qualification test is carried out before the complete assembly of the circuit breaker.

[0012] Therefore, the prior art cannot provide a robust, simple and low-cost solution for a circuit breaker that can be pre-tested and does not use pins, screws and the like to fix its internal components before complete assembly.

[0013] Some of these solutions fail because torsional deformation represents internal stress in the material, and the internal stress can cause the fixed end to break. Other solutions fail because the mechanism is not fully locked in different degrees of freedom. Other solutions fail because additional components are used. These solutions also fail because they allow the risk of deformation or fracture of the molded base material that must be supported by a protective washer, or their structure is complex.

[0014] Therefore, the circuit breaker has the following spaces: a) Allow functional and qualification tests to be carried out before the product is fully assembled or closed with a lid, and even critical tests subject to driving force can be carried out when the product is open, without implying design changes or expenditure on auxiliary fixing devices or equipment; b) Ensure high-quality, low-cost products, low raw material consumption and high robustness to the proposed applications; c) Do not use screws, reinforcing washers, pins and equivalent fixing elements dedicated to fixing the operating mechanism in the molded base; d) Allow the locking of the operating mechanism by controlled deformation of at least a pair of tabs of at least two legs of the mechanism, requiring reduced construction force and not deforming the molded base; and e) Require and allow the use of simple construction tools for this pair of tabs; f) The locking achieved by tab deformation is given in two degrees of freedom. Summary of the Invention

[0015] One object of the present invention is to provide a circuit breaker according to the appended claims.

[0016] Another object of the present invention is to provide a method for assembling an operating mechanism on a molded housing of a circuit breaker according to the appended claims.

[0017] Another object of the present invention is to prevent any translation on the X-axis and Y-axis, thereby firmly fixing the operating mechanism on the molded base and preventing the operating mechanism from translating and rotating.

[0018] Another object of the present invention is to allow functional and qualification tests to be carried out in a critical test under a driving force before the product is opened, fully assembled or closed with a lid, without implying a change in the design or expenditure of the auxiliary fixing device or equipment.

[0019] Allow a simple check of the function of the moving parts without damaging the housing assembly, or use transparent or special components for this purpose, and it is even difficult to fill the resin and subsequent cutting components to observe the position in the functional analysis.

[0020] Another object of the present invention is not to use screws, reinforcing washers, pins and equivalent fixing elements dedicated to fixing the operating mechanism of the circuit breaker, and not to deform the molded base.

[0021] Another object achieved by the present invention is to allow the operating mechanism of the circuit breaker to be easily replaced during maintenance.

[0022] Additional features and their details are also given in the claims. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0023] In order to better understand and visualize the above objects, the present invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, which show the technical effects obtained through exemplary embodiments without limiting the scope of the present invention. In the drawings: Figure 1 A top perspective view of a circuit breaker including an operating mechanism according to the present invention is shown; Figure 2 Shows Figure 1 The bottom perspective view of the circuit breaker in, where F represents the details; Figure 3 Shows Figure 1 A view of a partial enlarged detail "F" of the lower recessed area of the circuit breaker in; Figure 4 Shows Figure 3 An enlarged detailed view of one of the grooves in the lower area shown in; Figure 5 A perspective view of the operating mechanism of the circuit breaker according to the present invention is shown; Figure 6 Shows Figure 5 A partial enlarged view of the leg of the operating mechanism in; Figure 7 Shows Figure 1 A cross-sectional side view of the circuit breaker in, including a plurality of tabs of a plurality of legs of the operating mechanism introduced into the molded base; Figure 8 Shows Figure 1Cross-sectional side view of the circuit breaker in which the operating mechanism can be seen in the assembly, including a plurality of tabs of a plurality of legs of the operating mechanism inserted into the molded base, wherein the ends of the plurality of legs can be seen to be constructed; Figure 9 Shows Figure 1 Bottom perspective view of the molded cover of the circuit breaker in; Figure 10 Shows Figure 1 Longitudinal cross-sectional view of the circuit breaker in; and Figure 11 Shows the Figure 1 Top perspective view of the circuit breaker according to the present invention in, wherein the circuit breaker is in an open state and without its molded cover. Detailed description

[0024] Figure 1 Shows the circuit breaker 100 in a top perspective view. The circuit breaker 100 includes a molded base 200, an operating mechanism 300, a molded cover 400, and a cover 500.

[0025] Figure 2 Shows a bottom perspective view of the circuit breaker 100, which includes the molded base 200, the molded cover 400, and the cover 500 seen in Figure 1 Highlighting the bottom of the molded base 200, the bottom of the molded base 200 includes at least one lower region 210, and the lower region 210 includes at least two grooves 220. In addition to the indication of the detail "F" seen in Figure 3 The transverse axis "X", the longitudinal axis "Y", and the vertical axis "Z" are also shown.

[0026] Figure 3 Shows an enlarged detail "F" view of the lower region 210 of the molded base 200 of the circuit breaker 100, wherein the molded base 200 (as shown in Figure 2 Also includes a plurality of upright walls 221, at least two shoulders 222, and at least two inclined surfaces 223. In addition, at least a pair of lower ends 361 of the operating mechanism 300 can be seen from the grooves 220.

[0027] Figure 4 Shows in Figures 1 to 3 An enlarged view of the groove 220 of the lower region 210 of the molded base 200 seen in, wherein the upright walls 221, the shoulders 222, the inclined surfaces 223, and the through holes 224 are highlighted and all are visible from the groove 220, after assembly (as shown in Figure 3As shown), one of the lower ends 361 of the operating mechanism 300 can pass through the groove 220. In addition, in a preferred embodiment, each shoulder 222 has a sharp corner. The through hole 224 is longitudinally arranged along the "Y" axis of the circuit breaker 100 (see Figure 2 ), and can allow multiple legs 330 of the operating mechanism 300 to pass freely (see in detail Figure 5 ).

[0028] Figure 5 Fig. shows a perspective view of the operating mechanism 300 of the circuit breaker 100 according to the present invention, wherein the operating mechanism 300 is preferably an electric tripping mechanism commonly referred to as single-pole, double-pole, triple-pole, quadruple-pole, etc. The operating mechanism 300 includes: a plurality of side plates 310 arranged on opposite sides of the operating mechanism 300; at least one protrusion 320 protruding perpendicularly to the side plates 310 at the upper part; a plurality of legs 330, preferably four legs 330, extending vertically downward from each side plate 310, wherein each leg 330 includes a proximal upper part 340, an intermediate region 350 adjacent to the proximal upper part 340, a side protrusion 351, a distal part 360 protruding in the same direction and manner as the proximal upper part 340, a lower end 361 and a plurality of grooves 370; at least one handle mechanism 380; a plurality of positioning latches 381 protruding perpendicularly with respect to the side plates 310; at least one main spring 382; at least one positioning shaft 383; at least one positioning hole 384; at least one return spring 385; at least one return shaft 386; at least one return hole 387; and at least one handle 388 (see Figure 11 ), the at least one handle 388 is located in the upper region of the operating mechanism 300 and is responsible for the internal movement of the interrupting component of the circuit breaker 100. The side protrusion 351 includes a lower edge 352 protruding from the intermediate region 350 and forming a right angle with the side protrusion 351 and the upper outer edge of the side plate 310. Each groove 370 is located between the distal part 360 and the lower end 361 of each leg 330. The elements 383, 384, 385, 386, 387 are placed in alignment with the transverse axis "X" of the circuit breaker 100 (see Figure 2 ). The vertical protrusion 320 can, for example, have a cut and folded section of the side plate 310, or be a separate element fixed to the side plate 310 by welding and / or adhesives and / or screws and / or rivets and / or other suitable fixing means. The distal part 360 has a thickness 362 preferably equal to the thickness of the leg 330 and the side plate 310 (see Figure 6 ), and a total length 363.

[0029] Figure 6 Fig. shows Figure 5Partial enlarged view of the leg 330 of the operating mechanism 300 therein, wherein the area near the upper edge 371 forms a partial or regional fold where a fold line 375 is formed. From the fold line 375, the distal portion 360 takes the form and function of a tab 364, enabling the tab 364 to pivot around the fold line 375 and thus enabling at least one of the lower end portions 361 to pivot around the fold line 375. The plurality of legs 330 can vary in position and number, depending on the design of the circuit breaker 100. Preferably, at least four legs 330 are distributed around the operating mechanism 300, and each leg 330 includes: a thickness 362 sized according to the actuating force, a total length 363 corresponding to the distance between the lower edge 352 and the lower end portion 361, a tab 364 positioned in the middle or lower region of the leg 330, a width portion 365 determining the width of the tab 364, a through slot 370 having the thickness 362 and provided in the area of the tab 364, an upper edge 371, a lower edge 372, a left edge 373, a right edge 374, a left horizontal edge 376, a right horizontal edge 377, an upper vertical edge 378, and a lower vertical edge 379; wherein the edges 371, 372 are equally opposite and preferably parallel to each other, and the edges 373, 374 are equally opposite and preferably parallel to each other and thus perpendicular to the upper edge 371 and the lower edge 372, and the edges 371, 372, 373, 374 form a polygon (e.g., embodied by the imaginary fold line 375), which fold line 375 corresponds to the area where the leg 330 folds and where the tab 364 is formed. The left horizontal edge 376, the right horizontal edge 377, the upper vertical edge 378, and the lower vertical edge 379 define the position and size of the groove 370 embodied by way of example.

[0030] Figure 7 and Figure 8 shows Figure 1 a cross-sectional side view of the circuit breaker 100, showing that by introducing the leg 330 of the operating mechanism 300 into the groove 224 of the molded base 200 (see Figure 4 ), and the folding of the tab 364 area of the leg 330 of the operating mechanism 300 (see Figure 6 ), the operating mechanism 300 is fixed to the molded base 200, and the tab 364 area is folded so as to position the groove 370 on the shoulder 222 of the molded base 200. Wherein the molded base 200 also includes the corner 225 of the inclined surface 223. Additionally, after the leg 330 of the operating mechanism 300 is introduced and folded, a structural corner 366 is provided for the tab 364 area of the leg 330, specifically referring to Figure 8 . From Figure 8It can also be seen that the positioning and folding of the region of the tab 364 to be provided to the leg 330 allows a part of the shoulder 222 of the molded base 200 to be introduced into the groove 370. In addition, the lower edge 352 (see Figure 6 ) is provided for vertical contact with the abutment surface (not shown) of the molded base 200 to ensure that after the folding line 375 at the lower end 361 of the distal part 360 of the leg 330 of the folding operating mechanism 300, the positioning of the operating mechanism 300 relative to the groove 370 on the shoulder 222 is strictly positioned on the molded base 200. As can be seen from the cross-section, this assembly allows the translation of the operating mechanism 300 in the "Y" and "Z" axes to be restricted.

[0031] Figure 9 Shows Figure 1 The lower perspective view of the molded cover 400 of the circuit breaker 100 of , showing some of its internal details, where the molded cover 400 includes a plurality of holes 410 and at least one vertical cut 420.

[0032] Figure 10 Shows Figure 1 The perspective view of the circuit breaker 100 of , the shown circuit breaker 100 is in the open state, without its molded cover 400 or cover 500, and a plurality of current path electrodes 230 including partition walls 231, a plurality of movable contacts 631, a plurality of fixed contacts 630, the device of connection terminals 640 of fixed electrical connections, and the central operating mechanism 300 and handle 388 can be seen in the upper opening of the molded base 200. Among them, the handle 388 of the circuit breaker 100 can translate relative to the molded cover 400 on the "Y" axis, and can respond to the driving movement of the elements 383, 384, 385, 386, 387 placed on the "X" axis of the circuit breaker 100 and in the internal rotation trajectory on the schematic rotation axis "RX", so as to change the conductive state of the circuit between the "ON" and "OFF" states, and mechanically drive the closing or opening of a plurality of contacts 631 relative to a plurality of fixed contacts 630 controlled by the operating mechanism 300 (see Figure 5 ), or present another state, such as "tripping", which, for example, represents an intermediate position immediately following a circuit fault event from the thermal-magnetic device or electronic device (not shown) of the circuit breaker 100.

[0033] Figure 11 Shows Figure 1 The longitudinal cross-sectional side view of the region of the partition wall 231 of the circuit breaker 100 of (see Figure 10 ), showing the molded base 200 at the bottom, the molded cover 400 and cover 500 above, the operating mechanism 300 and the vertical cut 420 in the center, and the vertical cut 420 presses and holds the vertical protrusion 320 of the operating mechanism 300 (also as Figure 5As shown), it restricts the translation of the operating mechanism 300 on the "Y" axis and "Z" axis.

[0034] The functions of the present invention The circuit breaker 100 according to the present invention includes at least one molded base 200, the molded base 200 receiving and accommodating at least one operating mechanism 300 and several other operating components, the plurality of other operating components being capable of receiving electrical supply from a conducting wire and having at least one current path electrode 230, the circuit breaker 100 including at least one operating mechanism 300 of the circuit breaker 100, a fixed contact 630, and at least one movable contact 631, to interrupt the circuit in the event of a fault (see Figure 10 ), and to change the electrical conduction state between "on" and "off". The circuit breaker 100 has at least one molded cover 400 placed on the molded base 200, and the molded cover 400 encloses the device and locks the operating mechanism 300, and the circuit breaker 100 may optionally have at least one cover 500 and a handle 388 placed on the molded cover 400.

[0035] The molded base 200 includes at least one lower region 210 and at least one through-hole 224, the lower region 210 being provided with at least two, preferably four, grooves 220, each groove 220 including at least one vertical wall 221, at least one shoulder 222 protruding from the vertical wall 221, at least one through-hole 224 being provided between the shoulder 222 and the inclined surface 223, after their assembly, one of the lower end portions 361 in the lower end portion 361 of the operating mechanism 300 being able to pass through the through-hole 224 (as Figure 3 shown).

[0036] The groove 220 is an open area that can have any shape and several different sizes, as long as the combination of the shape and size allows the end of an instrument (such as a punch, a screwdriver, or the like) to be introduced from the groove 220 and move at least partially within the molded base 200, and the inclined surface 223 can be used for this purpose.

[0037] The vertical wall 221 is a surface adjacent to the lower region 210 and preferably perpendicular to the lower region 210 and preferably perpendicular to the projection of the shoulder 222, wherein the vertical wall 221 can act as a stopper for the tab 364 of the leg 330 of the operating mechanism 300, which will be described below.

[0038] The inclined surface 223 is located on the surface opposite to the vertical wall 221, and forms an inclined surface angle 225 with respect to the vertical wall 221 of the circuit breaker 100, the inclined surface angle 225 having a value between 10° and 70°, preferably between 30° and 60°.

[0039] The current path electrode 230 is a chamber that receives and pivotally supports at least one movable contact 631. The at least one movable contact 631 is moved by a drive operating mechanism 300 to bring the movable electrical contact 631 into contact with at least one fixed contact 630 or interrupt the movable electrical contact 631 from the at least one fixed contact 630 between one side of at least one connection terminal 640 of the circuit on the side opposite to the circuit breaker 100 and the other side of the at least one connection terminal 640. In addition, the current path electrode 230 is generally adjacent to an arc extinguishing system (not shown), which is designed to prevent damage to the device caused by the arc formed during the interruption of the circuit during operation caused by the operating mechanism 300, especially in the case of the presence of a large current, as is the case with this type of device described above.

[0040] Although it is preferred or expected that the fold line 375 coincides with the upper edge 371, according to the present invention, the fold line 375 should be understood to be located in a region preferably adjacent to the upper edge 371 and thus may or may not coincide with the upper edge 371.

[0041] In a preferred embodiment, the groove 370 is positioned near the distal portion 360 such that the left edge 373 and the right edge 374 have a left horizontal edge 376 and a right horizontal edge 377 relative to the corresponding left and right edges of the tab 364, respectively, and such that the upper edge 371 and the lower edge 352 have an upper vertical edge 378 and a lower vertical edge 379 relative to at least one lower end portion 361, respectively.

[0042] Although the preferred shape of the groove 370 is polygonal, more preferably a straight polygon, it should be noted that the groove 370 can assume other shapes, such as, for example, circular, ellipsoidal, cylindrical, etc., and one or more grooves 370 of the same operating mechanism 300 can also have the same or different geometric shapes from each other. It should also be noted that the groove 370 can be a notch, a through hole, or a depression or a low-relief polygon formed by punching or extrusion.

[0043] The left horizontal edge 376 and the right horizontal edge 377 each correspond to a value between 5% and 40%, preferably between 10% and 30%, of the width portion 365 of the tab 364. Although for the purpose of the groove 370 being horizontally centered relative to the width portion 365 of the tab 364, the horizontal edges 376, 377 should preferably be equal to each other, the horizontal edges 376, 377 can be different from each other depending on the design and construction characteristics of the circuit breaker 100.

[0044] The thickness 362 and the width portion 365 must be equal to or preferably less than the corresponding dimensions of the through - hole 224, so as to allow the tab 364 of the operating mechanism 300 to pass through the through - hole 224 and remain fully accommodated within the molded base 200. The vertical movement of the insertion of the operating mechanism 300 is preferably limited by the lower edge 352, which can vertically contact the lower abutment surface (not shown) of the molded base 200.

[0045] The lower vertical region 379 corresponds to a value between 5% and 45%, preferably between 10% and 35% of the total length 363 of the distal portion 360.

[0046] The handle mechanism 380 includes at least a positioning latch 381, a main spring 382, a positioning shaft 383, a positioning hole 384, a return spring 385, a return shaft 386, a return hole 387, and a handle 388. The handle mechanism 380 is a mechanism responsible for driving the internal interruption trigger component of the current - path electrode 230 of the circuit breaker 100.

[0047] The positioning latch 381 is a latch located inside the operating mechanism 300 and acts as a stopper to restrict the displacement of the handle mechanism 380 to the "closed position", thereby ensuring that the contacts 630, 631 remain in contact with each other.

[0048] The main spring 382 is a spring located inside the operating mechanism 300 and has the function of keeping the handle mechanism 380 engaged in the "closed" or standby position. The main spring 382 pulls down the handle mechanism 380, causing all elements of the handle mechanism 380 to shift, resulting in the displacement of the fixed and movable electrical contacts 630, 631, and thus the fixed and movable electrical contacts 630, 631 can be pressed against each other.

[0049] The positioning shaft 383 is a shaft that serves as a fixed support for the mechanical transmission of the internal rotating elements of the circuit breaker 100, with the aim of enabling the internal movement of these rotating elements.

[0050] The positioning hole 384 is a hole that receives the positioning shaft 383 and is distributed on the operating mechanism 300, acting as a support for the transmission of forces associated with the rotation of the internal components of the operating mechanism 300.

[0051] The return spring 385 is a spring that is used to assist in resetting the handle mechanism 380 to the "open position" and to prevent the handle mechanism from accidentally entering the "closed position" without an external driving force applied by the user to operate the circuit breaker 100.

[0052] The return shaft 386 and the return hole 387 are elements designed to receive and hold the return spring 385 fixed, and are distributed in corresponding amounts to each other.

[0053] The handle 388 is an electric switch driver that can freely alternate the handle mechanism 380 of the operating mechanism 300 of the circuit breaker 100 between the closed position and the open position by an external driving force executed by the user. Preferably, if there is only one handle 388, as is well known to those skilled in the art, it is preferably centered relative to the molded cover 400 and / or relative to the cover 500 of the circuit breaker 100, but this should not be a limiting factor of the present invention because if the handle 388 is displaced relative to the center of the circuit breaker 100, the operating mechanism 300 can use the same technology and achieve the same technical effects. If there are two or more handles 388, they are preferably adjacent to each other and are generally located at the central position relative to the molded cover 400 and / or relative to the cover 500 of the circuit breaker 100.

[0054] The fixing of the operating mechanism 300 to the molded base 200 occurs by the distal portion 360 of the leg 330 conforming to their respective folding lines 375 to form tabs 364, and the tabs 364 plastically deform at the construction angle 366 so as to receive the grooves 370 in the shoulders 222. The construction angle 366 corresponds to a value between 1 and 90°, preferably between 20 and 45°, relative to the vertical axis or relative to the plane of the leg 330 of the operating mechanism 300. Preferably, the construction angle 366 is achieved by folding the leg 330 of the operating mechanism 300 such that the size of the lower end portion 361 is greater than the size of a pair of side plates 310 of the operating mechanism 300. In another way, the construction angle 366 of the leg 330 of the operating mechanism 300 is folded such that the size of the lower end portion 361 is less than the size of a pair of side plates 310 of the operating mechanism 300.

[0055] More specifically, the fixing of the operating mechanism 300 to the molded base 200 is carried out by introducing the tabs 364 of the leg 330 of the operating mechanism 300 into the through holes 224 of the molded base 200 until the grooves 370 of the operating mechanism 300 are aligned in the shoulders 222 of the molded base 200, and this alignment occurs when the corresponding lower edges 352 vertically contact the abutment surface 226 of the molded base 200.

[0056] After aligning the grooves 370 on the shoulders 222, preferably an instrument (not shown) is inserted into the grooves 220, and the instrument then presses and deforms the lower end portion 361 of the tab 364 of the leg 330 of the operating mechanism 300 until the lower end portion 361 of the operating mechanism 300 abuts against the vertical wall 221 of the molded base 200.

[0057] Optionally, the inclined surface 223 can be used as a support to guide and assist the instrument when the instrument (such as a rod) presses the lower end 361 of the tab 364 of the leg 330 of the operating mechanism 300 and deforms the lower end 361 until the lower end 361 of the operating mechanism 300 abuts against the vertical wall 221 of the molded base 200.

[0058] In addition, optionally, depending on the dimensions of the lower vertical edge 379, the lower end 361 of the operating mechanism 300 may not contact the vertical wall 221 of the molded base 200. However, the value of the structural angle 366 should preferably be maintained to ensure the fixation of the operating mechanism 300, with the limitation given by the lower edge 352 of the operating mechanism 300 as a comparison, and the lower edge 352 can vertically contact the lower abutment surface (not shown) on the molded base 200. Then, through the deformation of the tab 364, this so-called latching limitation occurs in two degrees of freedom. More precisely, this achieves one of the objectives of the present invention, where the locking occurs at the angled contact between the surface of the groove 370 and the shoulder 222, hindering the translation of the operating mechanism 300 on the X-axis and Y-axis (see Figure 8 )

[0059] In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the fixation of the operating mechanism 300 is achieved by deforming the tab 364 at the angled contact between the surface of the groove 370 and the shoulder 222. At least a pair of tabs 364 of the legs 330 of the operating mechanism 300 are deformed in a reverse manner, such that when a set of force brakes attempts to remove a tab 364 from the through hole 224 of the molded base 200 of the circuit breaker 100 in a concentrated manner, at least one of the tabs 364 on the opposite side counteracts the force by blocking the opposite surface of the groove 370 and the shoulder 222 in another through hole 224 of the molded base 200 of the circuit breaker 100. This reverse geometry significantly contributes to performing intermediate operation tests, even critical tests under driving forces, where the intermediate operation test can be carried out in the absence of the molded cover 400.

[0060] As described above and due to the relative geometry, the present invention also achieves one of the proposed objectives of not deforming the molded base 200 or preventing the use of fixing devices such as screws, reinforcing washers, pins, and equivalent fixing elements dedicated to fixing the operating mechanism 300 to the molded base 200, because the preferred embodiment of the present invention promotes the controlled deformation of at least a pair of tabs 364 of at least a pair of legs 330 of the operating mechanism 300, which requires a reduced folding force due to the presence of the groove 370, and this can keep the molded base 200 unchanged or reduce the deformation of the molded base 200.

[0061] Furthermore, the present invention achieves one of the proposed objectives, wherein if any component of the operating mechanism 300 of the circuit breaker 100 fails, the component can be easily replaced during maintenance because the operating mechanism 200 does not require any moving or permanent connection means, which additionally ensures the speed and convenience of replacing the component.

[0062] It should be noted that the molded cover 400 has assembly dimensions corresponding to those of the molded base 200 to allow for a corresponding fit between the molded cover 400 and the molded base 200, sealing and protecting the interior of the circuit breaker 100, wherein the molded cover 400 includes at least one vertical cut 420 and a plurality of holes 410.

[0063] In the next step after testing, in order to doubly enhance the robustness of the fixation of the circuit breaker 100 during final operation, a molded cover 400 can be provided on the upper part of the operating mechanism 300, wherein the lower part of the molded cover 400 can also press the vertical protrusion 320 of the operating mechanism 300 to a defined position, thereby further enhancing the three-dimensional stability of the assembled circuit breaker 100 device.

[0064] The holes 410 are through-holes, preferably accommodating fasteners, movable connecting components, such as screws, rivets or pins, passing through the molded cover 400 and the molded base 200 to keep the two elements connected and fixed to each other.

[0065] Another additional objective achieved by the present invention is that the vertical cut 420 of the molded cover 400 additionally supports and holds the vertical protrusion 320 so as to firmly clamp the operating mechanism 300 to the molded base 200, thereby preventing the operating mechanism 300 from translating and rotating. The latching is achieved in two degrees of freedom, hindering the translation of the operating mechanism 300 on the Y-axis and Z-axis (see Figure 11 ). This latching supplements the mechanical resistance for fixing the operating mechanism 300 that has already been strengthened by the angled contact between the shoulder 222 surfaces of at least a pair of tabs 364 at the distal part 360 of the groove 370 and the leg 330 at the corresponding fold line 375, and at least a pair of tabs 364 are deformed in a reverse manner during the assembly of the operating mechanism 300 and the molded base 200.

[0066] The cover 500 is additionally fixed to the upper part of the molded cover 400 and can generally have information or instructions such as the positions for opening and closing the circuit breaker 100 by means of, for example, a handle 388, in addition to information such as the voltage and current of the circuit breaker 100 printed, adhered or embossed on its outer surface. Another function of the cover 500 is to allow access to the upper part from the outside for maintaining the internal components of the circuit breaker 100.

[0067] Optionally, the circuit breaker 100 may not have a cover 500, such that the closing of the circuit breaker 200 is achieved only by fixing the molded base 200 to the molded cover 400. In this case, the circuit breaker 100 information may be printed, adhered or embossed on the outer surface of the molded cover 400 or the molded base 200 without affecting the present invention.

[0068] The contacts 630, 631 are internal switching elements, the purpose of which is: one, to allow the passage of electrical energy when they are in contact with each other; or two, to interrupt the transfer of electrical energy when they are not in contact with each other.

[0069] In both cases, each fixed contact 630 remains fixed to the electrical connection terminal 640, which includes a movable fixing means, such as a screw, which fixes the current path electrode 230 of the circuit in the circuit breaker 100.

[0070] In addition, when a fault occurs, particularly an overload or a short circuit, the contacts 630, 631 are designed to have the main function of automatically disconnecting, due to the action of any prior art electrical tripping device actuated together with the operating mechanism 300. In this way, disconnecting the contacts 630, 631 from the arc extinguishing system (not shown) and other circuit breaker structural components, such as cables, terminals and contact systems, etc., existing in the present text and the prior art, can prevent damage to the electrical equipment connected to the circuit breaker 100.

[0071] The preferred method of assembling the operating mechanism 300 on the molded base 200 of the present invention includes the following steps: I. Introduce the tabs 364 of the plurality of legs 330 of the operating mechanism 300 into the plurality of through holes 224 of the molded base 200; II. Align the plurality of grooves 370 of the tabs 364 of the operating mechanism 300 with the corresponding at least one pair of shoulders 222 of the molded base 200; III (a). Press the end of the leg 300 of the operating mechanism 300 at the corresponding fold line 375 at the end of the leg 300 of the operating mechanism 300 and deform the end of the leg 300 of the operating mechanism 300 until the leg 330 reaches the construction angle 366; or III (b). Press the end of the leg 300 of the operating mechanism 300 at the corresponding fold line 375 at the end of the leg 300 of the operating mechanism 300 and deform the end of the leg 300 of the operating mechanism 300 until the leg 330 reaches the construction angle 366 and the free lower end 361 of the operating mechanism 300 contacts the vertical wall 221 of the molded base 200; and IV. Accommodate the grooves 370 in the shoulders 222; V. Position at least one vertical incision 420 of the molded cover 400 on the vertical projection 320 of the operating mechanism 300; and VI. Preferably, a connecting device passing through a plurality of holes 410 is used to firmly fix the vertical incision 420 of the molded cover 400 to the vertical projection 320.

[0072] As an additional detail, it is worth mentioning that the terms "closed position" and "open position" are used to describe the circuit of the circuit breaker 100, where the "closed position" represents a closed circuit that allows current to pass through the contact positions of the fixed contact 630 and the movable contact 631, and the "open position" represents an open circuit that does not allow current to pass through the fixed contact 630 and the movable contact 631 because they are separated from each other at this position.

[0073] Final statement The present invention relates to a circuit breaker 100, comprising a molded base 200, an operating mechanism 300, a molded cover 400, and an optional cover 500. After the shoulder 222 of the molded base 200 is assembled with the operating mechanism 300, it is received in the groove 370 of the operating mechanism 300 so that the operating mechanism 300 can be fixed to the molded base 200 without using screws, reinforcing washers, pins, or equivalent fixing elements specifically for fixing the operating mechanism 300 inside the molded base 200.

[0074] Obviously, the measurements and relationships between the dimensions described in the present invention may vary depending on the dimensions of the molded base 200, the operating mechanism 300, the molded cover 400, and the cover 500. However, in addition to being efficient and effective, these measured dimensions and their relationships are also highly reliable and reproducible.

[0075] Summary From the above description, it can be inferred that the object according to the present invention goes beyond the solutions provided by the prior art and is an object that is fully easy to be industrially applied, having novelty and non-obviousness.

Claims

1. A circuit breaker (100) comprising a molded base (200), an operating mechanism (300), a pair of separable contacts (630, 631) and a molded cover (400), wherein: The molded base (200) includes a plurality of grooves (220), a plurality of shoulders (222) and a plurality of through holes (224); and, The operating mechanism (300) includes a plurality of side plates (310), at least one vertical projection (320) and a plurality of legs (330); Characterized in that each leg (330) includes a tab (364) having a fold line (375), and the tab (364) can be inserted into the through holes (224) of at least a pair of grooves (220) of the molded base (200), and the tab (364) can be folded to position at least a pair of grooves (370) on the shoulders (222) of the molded base (200) of the circuit breaker (100).

2. The circuit breaker (100) according to claim 1, characterized in that, The fold line (375) is disposed near the lower end portion (361) of the leg (330).

3. The circuit breaker (100) according to claim 1, characterized in that, The fold line (375) is disposed near the groove (370).

4. The circuit breaker (100) according to claim 1, characterized in that, The legs (330) of the operating mechanism (300) are folded such that the size of the lower end portion (361) is greater than the size of a pair of side plates (310) in the operating mechanism (300).

5. The circuit breaker (100) according to claim 1, characterized in that, The legs (330) of the operating mechanism (300) are folded such that the size of the lower end portion (361) is less than the size of a pair of side plates (310) in the operating mechanism (300).

6. The circuit breaker (100) according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that, The molded base (200) further includes an inclined surface (223).

7. The circuit breaker (100) according to claim 6, characterized in that, The inclined surface (223) is located on a surface opposite to the vertical wall (221) and forms an inclined surface angle (225) with respect to the vertical wall (221) of the circuit breaker (100), and the value of the inclined surface angle (225) is between 10° and 70°, preferably between 30° and 60°.

8. The circuit breaker (100) according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that, At least one of the legs (330) of the operating mechanism (300) further includes a proximal upper portion (340), an intermediate region (350) and at least one side projection portion (351).

9. The circuit breaker (100) according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that, At least one of the legs (330) of the operating mechanism (300) further includes a distal end (360) and a total length (363).

10. The circuit breaker (100) according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that, At least one of the legs (330) of the operating mechanism (300) further includes a structural angle (366).

11. The circuit breaker (100) according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that, The circuit breaker (100) further includes a left horizontal edge (376), a right horizontal edge (377), an upper vertical edge (378) and a lower vertical edge (379).

12. A method for assembling an operating mechanism (300) on a molded base (200) of a circuit breaker (100), characterized in that, Comprising the following steps: I. Introduce the tabs (364) of the plurality of legs (330) of the operating mechanism (300) into the plurality of through holes (224) of the molded base (200); II. Align the plurality of grooves (370) of the operating mechanism (300) with the corresponding plurality of shoulders (222) of the molded base (200); III (a). Press the end of the leg (300) of the operating mechanism (300) at the corresponding fold line (375) at the end of the leg (300) of the operating mechanism (300) and deform the end of the leg (300) of the operating mechanism (300) until the leg (330) reaches the construction angle (366); or, III (b). Press the end of the leg (300) of the operating mechanism (300) at the corresponding fold line (375) at the end of the leg (300) of the operating mechanism (300) and deform the end of the leg (300) of the operating mechanism (300) until the leg (330) reaches the construction angle (366) and the free lower end (361) of the operating mechanism (300) contacts the vertical wall (221) of the molding base (200); and, IV. Accommodate the groove (370) on the shoulder (222).

13. A method of assembling an operating mechanism (300) on a molded base (200) of a circuit breaker (100) according to claim 12, characterized in that, The method further comprises the steps of: V. Position at least one vertical incision (420) of the molded cover (400) on the vertical projection (320); and, VI. Securely fix the vertical incision (420) to the vertical projection (320) using a fixing device passing through a plurality of holes.

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