Molded case circuit breaker

Abstract

The invention discloses a molded case circuit breaker, and relates to the technical field of electrical equipment for circuit protection, and the molded case circuit breaker comprises a housing, at least two miniature circuit breaker modules and a button mechanism. The at least two miniature circuit breaker modules are arranged in the shell; the button mechanism is arranged in the shell and is adjacent to any miniature circuit breaker module; the button mechanism is configured to drive all the lock catch mechanisms to be synchronously switched from the first state to the second state through at least one linkage component during pressing. According to the molded case circuit breaker provided by the invention, the miniature circuit breaker modules are embedded in the shell of the molded case, the breaking of all the miniature circuit breaker modules is realized through the linkage arrangement of the lock catch mechanisms of the miniature circuit breaker modules, and the breaking capacity of the miniature circuit breaker modules is detected through the arrangement of the button mechanisms; on the premise that the appearance size and installation compatibility of a traditional molded case circuit breaker are maintained, the breaking reliability and the dustproof performance are improved, and the cost is reduced.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD

[0001] The present application relates to the technical field of circuit protection electrical equipment, and particularly relates to a molded case circuit breaker. BACKGROUND

[0002] As a key protection device in low-voltage power distribution system, the molded case circuit breaker is widely used in industrial, commercial and civil scenarios, and its core function is to realize the protection of the circuit and the manual on-off control. The traditional molded case circuit breaker (such as DZ15 series) integrates the internal tripping mechanism with the shell, which can meet the basic power distribution requirements, but has two major problems in long-term use: first, the breaking reliability is insufficient, because the mechanism linkage components are many and the assembly precision requirement is high, the tripping delay or even failure is easily caused by mechanical wear or environmental dust entering; second, the dustproof performance is poor, the design of the shell gap and the exposed operation components makes the dust easily enter the interior, which affects the contact conductivity and the mechanism sensitivity, resulting in shortened product life and high customer complaint rate. SUMMARY

[0003] The main purpose of the present application is to provide a molded case circuit breaker, which embeds the miniature circuit breaker modules in the shell of the molded case, realizes the breaking of all miniature circuit breaker modules through linkage setting, and detects the breaking capacity of the miniature circuit breaker module through the button mechanism, so as to improve the breaking reliability, dustproof performance and reduce the cost while maintaining the appearance size and installation compatibility of the traditional molded case circuit breaker.

[0004] To achieve the above purpose, the molded case circuit breaker provided by the present application comprises: a shell; at least two miniature circuit breaker modules arranged in the shell, each of the miniature circuit breaker modules having an operating handle and a lock mechanism, the operating handle being in transmission connection with the lock mechanism, and the lock mechanism being configured to have a first state in which the movable contact and the static contact of the miniature circuit breaker module are kept in contact or a second state in which the movable contact and the static contact are separated; and a button mechanism arranged in the shell and adjacent to any of the miniature circuit breaker modules; wherein the button mechanism is configured to drive all the lock mechanisms of the miniature circuit breaker module adjacent thereto to switch from the first state to the second state synchronously through at least one linkage component when pressed.

[0005] In an embodiment, the button mechanism is arranged between two adjacent miniature circuit breaker modules.

[0006] In an embodiment, the linkage member comprises a linkage shaft, the linkage shaft is in driving connection with a lock catch mechanism of each of the miniature circuit breaker modules, the lock catch mechanism comprises a cooperating trip catch and a lock catch, the operating handle is in driving connection with the trip catch, the lock catch is in connection with the movable contact, the linkage shaft has a first position corresponding to the first state and a second position corresponding to the second state, the linkage shaft is switched from the first position to the second position by pressing the button mechanism, so that all the lock catch mechanisms are switched from the first state to the second state synchronously.

[0007] In an embodiment, the button mechanism comprises a trip button and a resilient member, the trip button is configured to abut against the linkage shaft when pressed to drive the linkage shaft from the first position to the second position; the resilient member is arranged between the trip button and the housing to reset the trip button after being pressed.

[0008] In an embodiment, the button mechanism further comprises a base arranged in the housing, the base and the trip button are both provided with a resilient limiting portion for inserting and fixing the resilient member.

[0009] In an embodiment, the trip button comprises a main body portion, a button portion arranged on a top of the main body portion and an abutment portion arranged on an outer side of the main body portion, the button portion at least partially protrudes out of the housing for being pressed; the abutment portion is located above the linkage shaft to abut against the linkage shaft when pressed to switch the linkage shaft from the first position to the second position.

[0010] In an embodiment, the base comprises a seat body and a constraint portion extending upward from a surface of the seat body, the constraint portion is located at an end of the main body portion away from the abutment portion, an edge of the constraint portion abuts against an edge of the main body portion to guide the main body portion to move axially in a pressing direction.

[0011] In an embodiment, the abutment portion comprises a transverse segment connecting the main body portion and a vertical segment extending from an end of the transverse segment and beyond the transverse segment in a direction away from the button portion, the transverse segment and the vertical segment jointly drive the linkage shaft to move.

[0012] In one embodiment, the locking mechanism includes a jumper, a locking member and a connecting bracket; the jumper and the connecting bracket can be rotatably arranged in the miniature circuit breaker module, the locking member and the moving contact are both arranged on the connecting bracket, the linkage shaft is transmission-connected to all the locking members, the jumper cooperates with the locking member to keep the locking member in the first position, so that the moving contact abuts the static contact; wherein, the locking member can be driven by the abutting portion to switch from a first position close to the static contact to a second position away from the static contact, and the remaining locking members are synchronously driven by the linkage shaft.

[0013] In one embodiment, the linkage component further includes at least one handle connecting rod, and the handle connecting rod connects all the operating handles to drive any one of the operating handles to cause the remaining operating handles to rotate synchronously.

[0014] In one embodiment, one of the operating handles is configured as a long handle, and the other operating handles are configured as short handles, and the portion configured as the long handle extends out of the housing for user operation.

[0015] The technical solution of the present invention forms a composite structure of "outer shell compatible with traditional installation and internal modular integration" by embedding multiple miniature circuit breaker modules into a shell that is the same size as a traditional molded case circuit breaker. That is, multiple miniature circuit breaker modules are integrated into the shell of a traditional molded case circuit breaker to form a "large shell inside a small shell" structure. In this way, the appearance and dimensions of the traditional molded case are retained, and the mature technology of the miniature circuit breaker module is used to improve the performance. That is, the miniature circuit breaker module replaces the breaking function of the traditional molded case, and the rigid synchronous design of the linkage components is combined to improve the breaking reliability. Placing the miniature circuit breaker module in the shell can also improve the dustproof performance. In this way, while maintaining the same appearance and dimensions and installation method as the traditional molded case circuit breaker, the same power distribution protection function can be achieved, and the breaking reliability and protection level of the product are improved. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0016] In order to more clearly illustrate the embodiments of the present invention or the technical solutions in the prior art, the following briefly introduces the drawings required for use in the embodiments or the description of the prior art. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some embodiments of the present invention. For ordinary technicians in this field, other drawings can be obtained based on the structures shown in these drawings without paying any creative work.

[0017] Figure 1 A structural diagram of an embodiment of a molded case circuit breaker provided by the present invention; Figure 2 for Figure 1 A schematic structural diagram of an embodiment after removing the upper shell; Figure 3 Fig. 2 is a schematic structural view of an embodiment of the button mechanism in the micro circuit breaker module; Figure 1 Fig. 3 is a schematic structural view of an embodiment of the button mechanism in the micro circuit breaker module; Figure 4 Fig. 4 is a schematic structural view of an embodiment of the button mechanism arranged outside the micro circuit breaker module; Figure 5 Fig. 5 is a schematic structural view of an embodiment of the button mechanism arranged inside the housing; Figure 6 Fig. 6 is a schematic structural view of an embodiment of the button mechanism in the micro circuit breaker module; Figure 4 Fig. 7 is a partial enlarged view of Fig. 6; Figure 7 Fig. 8 is a schematic cross-sectional structural view of an embodiment of the micro circuit breaker module in the tripping state; Figure 8 Fig. 9 is a schematic cross-sectional structural view of an embodiment of the micro circuit breaker module in the tripped state; Figure 9 Fig. 10 is a schematic cross-sectional structural view of an embodiment of the micro circuit breaker module in the closed state; Figure 10 Fig. 11 is a partial enlarged view of Fig. 10; Figure 9 Fig. 12 is a schematic structural view of an embodiment of the micro circuit breaker module in the tripping state;

[0018] Fig. 13 is a schematic structural view of an embodiment of the micro circuit breaker module in the tripped state. 100, housing; 110, upper housing; 120, bottom housing; 130, terminal assembly; 200, micro circuit breaker module; 201, operating mechanism; 210, lock catch mechanism; 211, trip catch; 212, lock catch; 213, connecting bracket; 214, operating handle; 220, movable contact; 230, stationary contact; 240, movable contact return spring; 250, thermal release; 260, magnetic release; 270, arc extinguishing system; 300, button mechanism; 310, release button; 311, main body; 312, button; 313, abutting portion; 313a, horizontal section; 313b, vertical section; 320, elastic member; 330, base; 331, base body; 332, constraint portion; 333, elastic limiting portion; 400, linkage component; 410, linkage shaft; 420, handle connecting rod; 500, external wire.

[0019] The implementation, functional features and advantages of the present application will be further described with reference to the embodiments and the accompanying drawings. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0020] The technical solutions in the embodiments of the present application will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the drawings in the embodiments of the present application. Obviously, the described embodiments are only part of the embodiments of the present application, rather than all the embodiments of the present application. Based on the embodiments in the present application, all other embodiments obtained by a person of ordinary skill in the art without creative effort belong to the scope of protection of the present application.

[0021] It should be noted that if the embodiments of the present application involve directional indications (such as up, down, left, right, front, back, etc.), the directional indications are only used to explain the relative positional relationship, movement condition, etc. between components in a certain posture, and if the certain posture changes, the directional indications also change accordingly.

[0022] In addition, if the embodiments of the present application involve descriptions such as “first”, “second”, etc., the descriptions of “first”, “second”, etc. are only for description purposes, and cannot be understood as indicating or implying the relative importance of the indicated technical features or implicitly indicating the number of the indicated technical features. Therefore, the features limited by “first” and “second” can explicitly or implicitly include at least one of the features. In addition, “and / or” or “and / or” appearing throughout the text means that the three parallel solutions are included, for example, “A and / or B” includes A solution, or B solution, or A and B solutions are satisfied at the same time. In addition, the technical solutions of each embodiment can be combined with each other, but it must be based on the fact that a person of ordinary skill in the art can realize it, and when the combination of technical solutions contradicts each other or cannot be realized, it should be considered that the combination of technical solutions does not exist and is not within the scope of protection claimed by the present application.

[0023] As a key protection device in low-voltage power distribution system, molded case circuit breaker is widely used in industrial, commercial and civil scenarios. Its core function is to realize overload and short-circuit protection and manual on-off control of circuit through operating mechanism. The traditional molded case circuit breaker (such as DZ15 series) integrates the tripping mechanism and the shell, which can meet the basic power distribution requirements, but has two major problems in long-term use: first, the breaking reliability is insufficient, because the mechanism has many linkage components and high assembly precision requirements, the tripping delay or even failure is easily caused by mechanical wear or dust entering the environment; second, the dustproof performance is poor, the design of shell gap and exposed operating components makes it easy for dust to enter the interior, affecting the contact conductivity and mechanism sensitivity, resulting in shortened product life and high customer complaint rate.

[0024] To solve the above problems, the related art has tried to improve the dustproof ability by adding sealing strips or optimizing the shell structure, but often leads to increased product size and cost, and cannot fundamentally solve the reliability problem of the mechanism itself.

[0025] The present invention proposes a molded case circuit breaker. By modularly embedding miniature circuit breaker modules (MCB modules) within the shell of a molded case, the operating mechanisms of the miniature circuit breaker modules are linked to achieve disconnection of all the miniature circuit breaker modules. A button mechanism is provided to detect the disconnection capacity of the miniature circuit breaker modules. This can improve disconnection reliability, dustproof performance, and reduce costs while maintaining the appearance, size, and installation compatibility of traditional molded case circuit breakers.

[0026] Molded case circuit breakers typically consist of a housing, a contact system, and a trip mechanism. The housing is typically made of high-strength insulating plastic (such as polyamide or polycarbonate), providing mechanical protection, insulation, and flame retardancy. The housing is designed as a sealed structure, enclosing the internal components. The contact system, consisting of moving and stationary contacts, is responsible for conducting and interrupting the current. The contact system also incorporates arc-extinguishing devices (such as arc extinguishing chambers and arc extinguishing grids) to quickly extinguish the arc generated during disconnection and prevent short-circuit damage. A handle (manual or electric) drives a linkage mechanism to control the opening and closing of the contacts. Mechanical components such as springs, trip hooks, and latches are used to switch between the closed and open states and maintain them. They interact with the trip unit through an operating mechanism to ensure forced opening in the event of a fault. The contact system works closely with the arc extinguishing chamber to ensure safe disconnection.

[0027] See also Figures 1 to 3 In one embodiment of the present invention, the molded case circuit breaker includes a housing 100 , at least two miniature circuit breaker modules 200 and a button mechanism 300 . The housing 100 includes a covering upper shell 110 and a bottom shell 120. The bottom shell 120 has at least two independent accommodating chambers. Each miniature circuit breaker module 200 is detachably disposed in one of the accommodating chambers (e.g., detachably secured by a slot and bolts). Each miniature circuit breaker module 200 has a locking mechanism 210. The locking mechanism 210 is configured to have a first state in which the moving contact 220 and the static contact 230 of the miniature circuit breaker module 200 maintain contact, or a second state in which the moving contact 220 and the static contact 230 of the miniature circuit breaker module 200 are separated. At least two miniature circuit breaker modules 200 are disposed in the housing 100. A button mechanism 300 is disposed in the housing 100 and adjacent to any of the miniature circuit breaker modules 200. The button mechanism 300 is configured to drive all the locking mechanisms 210 to synchronously switch from the first state to the second state via at least one linkage component 400 when pressed.

[0028] Miniature circuit breaker module 200 (MCB module) generally includes an insulating material (such as engineering plastic) package, a protective shell providing protection and installation support, a contact system arranged in the protective shell, an arc extinguishing system 270, a tripping mechanism and a locking mechanism 210. The contact system is responsible for making and breaking the current, and is usually composed of movable and static contacts 230. The arc extinguishing system 270 is used to quickly extinguish the arc generated during breaking to prevent equipment damage (such as a metal grid arc chamber). The tripping mechanism includes a thermal tripping device 250 and an electromagnetic tripping device 260. The thermal tripping device 250 is a bimetallic strip structure: when overloaded, the bimetallic strip bends and triggers tripping, providing inverse time protection (delayed action), mainly for overload protection. When the current exceeds the rated value (such as overload), the bimetallic strip bends and deforms, pushing the mechanical mechanism to trip the circuit breaker. The electromagnetic tripping device 260: mainly for short-circuit protection. Coil structure, generates magnetic force to push the armature to trip instantly when short-circuit, realizes millisecond breaking. Operating mechanism 201: mechanical linkage device for manual / automatic opening and closing, including spring energy storage mechanism.

[0029] The above operating mechanism 201 is a mechanical linkage device that controls the contact (first state) or separation (second state) of the movable contact 220 and the static contact 230. It can automatically trip (switch to the second state) when overloaded / short-circuited.

[0030] The button mechanism 300 is a manual operating part. After the user presses it, the trip member 211 and the locking member 212 in the operating mechanism 201 are triggered to trigger the unlocking action, which is used for testing or manually breaking the circuit.

[0031] The linkage component 400 is a mechanical structure (such as a linkage shaft 410 and a handle linkage 420) that connects multiple operating mechanisms 201, ensuring that all MCB modules act synchronously.

[0032] Referring to Figures 1 to 3 In an embodiment, the shell 100 adopts the same appearance size as the DZ15 series, and a button hole is opened at the top. The miniature circuit breaker module 200 (MCB module) is arranged side by side with 2 MCB modules (the specific model is determined according to the demand) in the shell 100, and each MCB module has an independent locking mechanism 210 (including a trip member 211, a locking member 212 and a spring assembly). The linkage component 400 is a linkage shaft 410 (metal or plastic) that transversely penetrates all the locking mechanisms 210 of the MCB modules and is connected with the trip member 211 and / or the locking member 212 of each tripping mechanism, realizing mechanical hard connection. The button mechanism 300 is arranged in the shell 100 corresponding to the tripping mechanism of one of the MCB modules, and the button is contacted by the linkage shaft 410 below.

[0033] Referring to Figures 4 to 10When the button mechanism 300 is pressed, the metal linkage shaft 410 pushes the corresponding MCB module's lock catch 212 to move, the lock catch 212 rotates around the linkage shaft 410, the lock catch 212 rotates synchronously with the jumper catch 211 and separates, and the lock catch mechanism 210 of all MCB modules switches from the first state (contact contact) to the second state (contact separation), realizing circuit breaking.

[0034] Specifically, the MCB module is consistent with the pole number of the molded case circuit breaker, for example, 3P includes 3 MCB modules, and 4P includes 4 MCB modules.

[0035] Referring to Figure 2 In an embodiment, a plurality of miniature circuit breaker modules 200 (MCB modules) only expose one long handle operating handle 214 outside the shell 100 (the remaining handles are built-in), and all handles are mechanically hard-connected through linkage components 400 such as a linkage shaft 410 (metal or plastic). Pressing the button mechanism 300 pushes the long handle operating handle 214 to rotate, and the long handle drives the short handle to rotate synchronously through the handle connecting rod 420, and the handle drives the corresponding MCB module's lock catch mechanism 210 to switch to the second state.

[0036] Of course, both of the above two schemes can be provided at the same time. It should be noted that the transmission connection includes but is not limited to key connection, pin connection, gear meshing, etc., and only one or two specific forms in the embodiment.

[0037] The technical scheme of the present application embeds a plurality of MCB modules in a shell 100 consistent in size with a conventional molded case circuit breaker (such as DZ15), forming a composite structure of "compatible with conventional installation of shell, modular integration inside". That is, a plurality of MCB modules are integrated in the conventional molded case circuit breaker shell 100, resembling a "large shell covering a small shell" structure, which not only retains the appearance size of the conventional molded case, but also improves the performance by using the mature technology of the MCB module, that is, replacing the complex linkage system of the conventional molded case with the mature tripping mechanism of the MCB module, and improving the breaking reliability by combining the rigid synchronous design of the linkage component 400. The MCB module is sealed in the shell 100 to improve the dustproof performance. In this way, the same appearance size and installation method as the conventional molded case circuit breaker can be maintained to realize the same power distribution protection function, and the breaking reliability and dustproof level of the product are improved.

[0038] Referring to Figure 2The shell 100 has a plurality of wiring terminals, each of which includes an incoming terminal and an outgoing terminal. The plastic shell short-circuit protector is also provided with a terminal assembly 130 inside the shell 100 for fixing external wires. That is, each wiring terminal of the shell 100 corresponds to a miniature circuit breaker module 200, and the incoming and outgoing wires of the miniature circuit breaker module 200 are electrically connected to the terminal assembly 130. In this way, when the product is used, the wiring mode of the traditional plastic shell circuit breaker (fixing the external wire 500 to the terminal assembly 130) can be used without the need to extend the external wire 500 into the miniature circuit breaker module 200.

[0039] In order to improve the stability and connection quality of the wiring, two terminal assemblies 130 are provided at each wiring terminal. Each terminal assembly 130 includes a wiring frame and a fastener. The external wire 500 is inserted into the wiring frame and fixed to the wiring frame by the fastener. In this way, the length of the wire core of the external wire 500 after stripping is longer, and the risk of short circuit caused by too short wiring is avoided. Further, in order to press more stably, a pressing plate is also provided in the two wiring frames to fix the external wire 500 by cooperation of the pressing plate and the two wiring frames. The fastener is threadedly connected to the wiring frame, which can move the bottom wall of the wiring frame close to the pressing plate to press the wire core of the external wire 500, or move the bottom wall of the wiring frame close to the pressing plate to press the wire core of the external wire 500. In order to avoid the insertion of the external wire 500 between the bottom of the wiring frame and the shell 100, the wiring frame is moved upward in this embodiment.

[0040] Referring to Figure 2 and Figure 3 , in order to make the structure more compact and improve the transmission efficiency. Specifically, the button mechanism 300 is arranged between two adjacent miniature circuit breaker modules 200. The size of the button mechanism 300 matches the spacing of the MCB modules, without increasing the volume of the overall shell 100. The connection point of the button mechanism 300 and the linkage component 400 is located between the plurality of MCB modules, which can shorten the linkage path (such as the length of the handle connecting rod 420) and reduce the mechanical transmission error. Even if a plurality of MCB modules are installed, the button is still at a specific position inside the shell 100, and the user can press the operation through the corresponding aperture (with a sealing cover) on the surface of the shell 100.

[0041] In addition, since the button is located in the closed space between the MCB modules, compared with the edge position, the direct contact area with the external environment is reduced, which can resist the influence of splashing water and solid foreign matters.

[0042] Referring to Figure 2 and Figure 3, specifically, the linkage component 400 includes a linkage shaft 410, which is in driving connection with the operating mechanism 201 of each micro circuit breaker module 200, the linkage shaft 410 has a first position corresponding to the first state and a second position corresponding to the second state, and the linkage shaft 410 can be switched from the first position to the second position by pressing the button mechanism 300, so that all the lock catch mechanisms 210 are synchronized to switch from the first state to the second state. The linkage shaft 410 as a specific implementation form of the linkage component 400 refers to a rigid transmission shaft (such as a metal round shaft or a stepped shaft), the axis direction of which is parallel to the arrangement direction of the micro circuit breaker module 200 (MCB module), and the linkage shaft 410 is in driving connection with the lock catch mechanism 210 of each MCB module through a mechanical structure (such as a cam, a fork or a connecting rod or an external cross section). The connection mode of the linkage shaft 410 and the lock catch mechanism 210 ensures that the rotation or translation movement of the shaft can directly drive the lock catch mechanism 210 to act (for example, the outer profile of the shaft is embedded in the corresponding component (the jump catch 211 or the lock catch 212) of the lock catch mechanism 210, and when the shaft rotates, the jump catch 211 and the lock catch 212 are pushed to switch states).

[0043] The first position and the second position are two physical states of the linkage shaft 410, specifically: The first position (initial position): corresponding to the first state (closed) of the lock catch mechanism 210 of all MCB modules, at this time the linkage shaft 410 is not under stress, and the lock catch mechanism 210 keeps the movable contact 220 in contact with the static contact 230; the second position (action position): after the button mechanism 300 is pressed, the linkage shaft 410 is moved to a new position (from the first position to the second position) by an external force (the button mechanism 300), and drives all the lock catch mechanisms 210 to be synchronized to switch to the second state (open).

[0044] In combination with reference Figures 5 to 10 , specifically, in this embodiment, the movement of the linkage shaft 410 drives the lock catch 212 in the MCB module to rotate counterclockwise, that is, in the direction away from the static contact 230 (in the direction away from the electromagnetic release 260, which is the same as the movement direction of the lock catch 212 when the lock catch 212 is driven to separate from the jump catch 211 by the electromagnetic release 260). Through the rigid transmission of the linkage shaft 410, the actions of all the operating mechanisms 201 (the operating handle 214 and the lock catch mechanism 210) are synchronized to switch, so as to avoid arc interference or circuit failure caused by asynchronous opening, and improve the breaking capacity.

[0045] In combination with reference Figures 4 to 6To simplify assembly and facilitate resetting, specifically, the button mechanism 300 includes a tripping button 310 configured to abut the linkage shaft 410 when pressed to drive the linkage shaft 410 to switch from the first position to the second position, and an elastic member 320 arranged between the tripping button 310 and the housing 100 to reset the tripping button 310 after being pressed.

[0046] The tripping button 310 is the operating end of the button mechanism 300, which is a component (e.g., a column or a sheet) that can be directly pressed by a user, and has a bottom or a side surface provided with an abutting structure (e.g., a boss, a roller, or an inclined surface) matched with the linkage shaft 410 to transmit an external force to the linkage shaft 410 through physical contact (abutment) when pressed to drive it to switch from the first position to the second position. The elastic member 320 is a mechanical component (e.g., a compression spring, a spring sheet, or an elastic rubber pad) with a resetting function, which is installed between the tripping button 310 and the housing 100 (e.g., in a groove on the inner wall of the housing 100 at the bottom of the tripping button 310), and is elastically deformed (e.g., compressed) when the button is pressed to drive the tripping button 310 to return to the initial position through elastic force after being released.

[0047] It should be noted that the tripping button 310 and the linkage shaft 410 are in abutment driving, that is, the contact between the tripping button 310 and the linkage shaft 410 is a non-fixed connection (e.g., sliding abutment or rolling abutment), which only transmits driving force during pressing to avoid the risk of jamming caused by long-term fixed connection. The resetting function of the elastic member 320 ensures that the tripping button 310 automatically rebounds after a single operation, and the linkage shaft 410 remains in the open state in the first position (achieved through the self-locking design of the locking mechanism 210).

[0048] Referring to Figures 4 to 6 Further, the button mechanism 300 further includes a base 330 arranged in the housing 100, and the base 330 and the tripping button 310 are both provided with elastic limiting portions 333 for inserting and fixing the elastic member 320.

[0049] The base 330 is a support structure (such as a plastic or metal bracket) fixed in the shell 100, used to mount the trip button 310 and the elastic member 320, and provides a stable mechanical positioning reference. For example, the base 330 is provided with a guide groove or hole matched with the trip button 310, which ensures that the button moves along a preset trajectory (such as a straight line) when pressed, avoiding deviation or jamming. The elastic limiting portion 333 is a mechanical positioning structure (such as a blind hole, a protruding column, a clamping slot, or an annular groove) provided on the base 330 and the trip button 310, respectively, which is used to "plug and fix" both ends of the elastic member 320 - one end of the elastic member 320 is inserted into the limiting portion of the base 330, and the other end is inserted into the limiting portion of the trip button 310, realizing a modular assembly without fasteners, fixing both ends of the elastic member 320 on the base 330 and the trip button 310, respectively, without the need for additional glue or screws, and improving assembly efficiency and facilitating disassembly. The form of the base 330 (such as "L" shape, rectangle, or ring) can provide a fixed support and guide function.

[0050] Referring to Figures 4 to 6 To improve the transmission efficiency of the trip button 310. Specifically, the trip button 310 includes a main body portion 311, a button portion 312 provided on the top of the main body portion 311, and an abutting portion 313 provided on one side of the main body portion 311, the button portion 312 at least partially protruding from the shell 100 for pressing; the abutting portion 313 is located above the linkage shaft 410 to abut the linkage shaft 410 when pressed to switch from the first position to the second position. The main body portion 311 is the structural body of the trip button 310 (such as a column or a frame), integrating the button portion 312 and the abutting portion 313, and realizing straight line motion guidance through the guide hole of the base 330, ensuring no deviation when pressed. The button portion 312 is the operating end (such as a circular boss) on the top of the main body portion 311, at least partially protruding from the surface of the shell 100 (with a protruding height of 2-3 mm), for direct pressing by the user. The abutting portion 313 is an extension structure (such as an L-shaped arm, an inclined wedge, or a roller support) on the outer side of the main body portion 311, located directly above the linkage shaft 410, and forms a vertical or inclined contact with the surface of the linkage shaft 410 - when the button portion 312 is pressed, the main body portion 311 drives the abutting portion 313 to move downward, pushing the linkage shaft 410 to switch from the first position (closed) to the second position (open) through mechanical contact. The vertical and direct above layout allows the abutting portion 313 to directly press down the linkage shaft 410, and the pressing force is completely converted into driving force, improving transmission efficiency and making the user's operation feel more "labor-saving"; the length of the L-shaped arm of the abutting portion 313 can be adjusted through the mold, which is suitable for linkage shafts 410 of different diameters or heights (such as linkage shafts 410 with diameters of 6 mm / 8 mm), without the need to redesign the main body portion 311, reducing mold opening cost.

[0051] Specifically, the abutment portion 313 includes a transverse segment 313a connecting the main body portion 311 and a vertical segment 313b extending from the end of the transverse segment 313a in a direction away from the button portion 312 and beyond the transverse segment 313a, and the transverse segment 313a and the vertical segment 313b jointly drive the linkage shaft 410 to move.

[0052] The transverse segment 313a is a horizontal extension arm connecting the abutment portion 313 and the main body portion 311, perpendicular to the axis of the main body portion 311, for transmitting the axial pressing force of the main body portion 311 to the vertical segment 313b, while increasing the length of the force arm to reduce the required torque for operation. The vertical segment 313b is a vertical arm extending from the end of the transverse segment 313a in a direction away from the button portion 312 (i.e. downward), with the end beyond the horizontal projection range of the transverse segment 313a (e.g. the transverse segment 313a is 10 mm long, and the vertical segment 313b is 3 mm beyond the end of the transverse segment 313a), forming an "L-shaped" or "7-shaped" structure, with the end directly contacting the linkage shaft 410 (e.g. provided with a bevel or boss). The transverse segment 313a provides structural support and force transmission path, and the vertical segment 313b applies driving force through end contact, the transverse segment 313a ensures that the lateral transmission of force is not offset, and the vertical segment 313b converts horizontal force into vertical driving force (or rotational torque), achieving stable switching of the linkage shaft 410.

[0053] Referring to Figures 4 to 6 Further, the base 330 includes a seat body 331 and a constraint portion 332 extending upward from the surface of the seat body 331, the constraint portion 332 being located at the end of the main body portion 311 away from the abutment portion 313, and the edge of the constraint portion 332 abutting the edge of the main body portion 311 to guide the axial movement of the main body portion 311 in the pressing direction.

[0054] The seat body 331 is the basic structure (e.g. plate-like or frame-like) of the base 330, for carrying the trip button 310, the elastic member 320 and the constraint portion 332, and is fixed to the inner wall of the shell 100 by fasteners (e.g. screws) to provide overall installation reference. The constraint portion 332 is a protruding structure (e.g. a vertical plate, a sleeve, a guide rib or an L-shaped baffle) extending upward from the surface of the seat body 331, located at the end of the main body portion 311 away from the abutment portion 313 (i.e. the other side opposite to the abutment portion 313), with the inner side edge abutting the outer wall of the main body portion 311 to form an axial movement guide. The constraint portion 332 ensures that the main body portion 311 only moves linearly in the pressing direction (axially), improving movement accuracy. The constraint portion 332 extends vertically upward from the surface of the seat body 331 (height ≥ 1 / 2 of the movement stroke of the main body portion 311, e.g. when the stroke is 10 mm, the height of the constraint portion 332 is ≥ 5 mm), ensuring that the main body portion 311 is constrained throughout the stroke.

[0055] Referring to Figures 7 to 10To ensure the synchronization of the plurality of circuit breakers. Specifically, the locking mechanism 210 includes a trip latch 211, a locking latch 212, and a connecting bracket 213; the trip latch 211 and the connecting bracket 213 are rotatably arranged in the miniature circuit breaker module 200, the locking latch 212 and the movable contact 220 are arranged on the connecting bracket 213, the connecting shaft 410 is in transmission connection with all the locking latches 212, and the trip latch 211 cooperates with the locking latch 212 to keep the locking latch 212 in a first position, so that the movable contact 220 abuts against the static contact 230; wherein the abutting portion 313 can drive the locking latch 212 to switch from the first position close to the static contact 230 to the second position away from the static contact 230, and the connecting shaft 410 synchronously drives the remaining locking latches 212.

[0056] The trip latch assembly (triggering unlocking), the locking latch assembly (maintaining the on state), and the connecting bracket 213 (structural carrier) are configured to realize the switching of the movable contact 220 and the static contact 230. Specifically, the trip latch assembly includes the trip latch 211 and a trip reset spring, and the locking latch assembly includes the locking latch 212 and a locking reset spring. The movable contact 220 is provided with a movable contact reset spring 240.

[0057] The connecting bracket 213 (such as a metal stamping part or a strong plastic frame) integrates the locking latch 212 and the movable contact 220 to ensure the synchronization of the movements of the two. When the abutting portion 313 of the trip button 310 drives a certain locking latch 212 to act, the connecting shaft 410 transmits the movement to the remaining locking latches 212, realizing the synchronization of the plurality of poles.

[0058] It should be noted that the locking latch 212 can also be triggered by the electromagnetic tripper 260, so that all the locking latches 212 of the poles act at the same time, avoiding the short circuit risk caused by the failure of some poles to be tripped.

[0059] Reference Figures 1 to 10Furthermore, the operating mechanism 201 includes an operating handle 214, which is transmission-connected to the tripper 211. By driving the operating handle 214, the tripper 211 can be separated from the lock member 212, thereby switching the lock member 212 from the first position to the second position. The operating handle 214 is an external manual operating component of the circuit breaker (e.g., a rotary or lever-type component). It is connected to the tripper 211 via a mechanical transmission structure (e.g., a connecting rod, cam, or gear set), allowing the user to manually trigger the tripping or resetting operation. The force transmission path between the operating handle 214 and the tripper 211 (e.g., the handle shaft is connected to the half-axis of the tripper 211 via a crank connecting rod) is such that when the handle is pulled, the tripper 211 is driven to rotate or translate mechanically, separating it from the lock member 212. When manually opening the circuit breaker, the user actively applies external force through the operating handle 214 (such as turning it clockwise / counterclockwise to the "opening" direction), forcing the tripping member 211 to disengage the hook of the locking member 212, thereby releasing the closing interlock. Under the action of the spring force, the locking member 212 drives the moving contact 220 to switch from the first position (closing) to the second position (opening).

[0060] Handle operation and automatic tripping (such as electromagnetic / thermal tripping) share the same "locking mechanism 210" of the tripping member 211 / locking member 212. That is, during manual operation, the handle directly drives the tripping member 211 to operate; while during automatic tripping, the release (electromagnetic / thermal) drives the locking member 212 to operate. The two methods have different paths but the same goal, and ultimately both realize the opening of the locking member 212.

[0061] Reference Figure 2 To avoid operational confusion caused by multiple exposed handles (such as accidentally touching an unintended handle), the number of openings in the housing 100 is reduced (requiring only one long-handle hole), thereby improving safety. Furthermore, one of the operating handles 214 is configured as a long handle, while the remaining operating handles 214 are configured as short handles. The long-handled portion of the operating handle 214 protrudes from the housing 100 for user operation. A long-handled operating handle 214 is designated as a long-handled structure among the multiple operating handles 214 of a multi-pole circuit breaker, with its grip extending outside the circuit breaker housing 100 for manual operation (opening / closing). The remaining handles are short handles (shorter in length) and are either fully internal or only partially exposed (not protruding from the housing 100 surface). The short and long handles are mechanically coupled via a linkage shaft 410 (e.g., a latch or connecting rod). When the long handle is actuated, the short handles move synchronously, achieving state consistency among the multi-pole operating handles 214 (e.g., when the long handle opens, the short handles simultaneously jump to the open position). However, the short handles do not directly participate in user operation. The operating end of the long handle protrudes from the surface of the housing 100 and can also be equipped with anti-slip patterns and status markings (red / green opening and closing indicators) to ensure that users can intuitively identify and operate conveniently.

[0062] ReferenceFigures 7 to 10 Further, the linkage component 400 also includes at least one handle connecting rod 420, which connects all the operating handles 214, so that any one of the operating handles 214 is driven to rotate synchronously with the remaining operating handles 214. The forced synchronous rotation between the handles ensures that the rotation angle, direction and speed of the remaining handles are completely consistent when any one of the handles is driven, such as when the lever body and / or rotating handle body of the operating handle 214 is provided with a coordination rod (metal or plastic), whether the long handle is manually operated, the short handle is triggered by automatic tripping, or the external mechanical interlock is driven, all the handles are synchronously responded through the handle connecting rod 420, which further improves the reliability of the circuit breaker under complex working conditions.

[0063] With reference to Figures 7 to 10 The movement state of each component during the closing process: first, the operating handle 214 rotates in the closing direction, and the trip catch 211 connected thereto is driven by the handle connecting rod 420 to rotate clockwise around the rotating shaft of the connecting bracket 213. Second, during the rotation of the trip catch 211, the end thereof pushes the lock catch 212 to overcome the elastic force of the lock catch return spring, so that the lock catch 212 also rotates clockwise around the rotating shaft of the connecting bracket 213, until the locking surfaces of the trip catch 211 and the lock catch 212 are mutually engaged, and the locking of the mechanism is achieved. Second, the moving contact 220 and the moving contact return spring 240 move in the direction of the static contact 230 under the linkage of the trip catch 211 and the lock catch 212, and the moving contact 220 overcomes the elastic force of the moving contact return spring 240. Finally, when the moving contact 220 contacts and maintains a certain pressure with the static contact 230, the lock catch mechanism 210 (trip catch 211 and lock catch 212) completes the locking, the handle stops moving, and the entire mechanism is in the closed state, at which time the trip catch return spring and the lock catch return spring are in the force storage state, maintaining the stability of the mechanism.

[0064] With reference to Figures 2 to 10 The movement state of each component during the opening process by the button mechanism 300: first, after the trip button 310 is manually pressed, the trip button 310 drives the lock catch 212 to move from the first position to the second position, and the lock catch 212 rotates counterclockwise around the fixed shaft of the connecting bracket 213, causing the mechanical clasp surfaces of the trip catch 211 and the lock catch 212 to separate. After the trip catch 211 and the lock catch 212 are separated, the trip catch return spring releases the stored energy, pushes the trip catch 211 to rotate counterclockwise around the rotating shaft of the connecting bracket 213 to reset, and the trip catch 211 is separated from the contact position of the lock catch 212. Second, after the lock catch 212 is reset, the moving contact return spring 240 (opening spring) releases the pre-tightening force, drives the moving contact 220 to move quickly away from the static contact 230, and the circuit is opened. Second, the handle position switching: during the opening of the moving contact 220, the handle connecting rod 420 is driven, so that the external operating handle 214 is synchronously jumped from the "closed" position to the "open" position (from Figures 9 to 7), the circuit breaker state is displayed intuitively. Button reset: after the external operating force is removed, the button is bounced to the initial position by the self-reset spring, and waits for the next operation. When the closing is needed after the tripping, such as Figure 8 by moving the operating handle 214 to the closing state in Figure 9 .

[0065] The above merely illustrates the embodiments of the present application, and does not limit the patent scope of the present application. Any equivalent structural transformation, direct / indirect application in other related technical fields, or the like, which is made under the technical concept of the present application, and by using the content of the present application specification and drawings, is included in the patent protection scope of the present application.

Claims

1. A molded case circuit breaker, characterized in that: include: case; at least two miniature circuit breaker modules disposed in the housing, each miniature circuit breaker module having an operating handle and a locking mechanism, the operating handle being in driving connection with the locking mechanism, the locking mechanism being configured to maintain a first state in which a moving contact and a stationary contact of the miniature circuit breaker module are in contact, or a second state in which they are separated; and A button mechanism is provided in the housing and adjacent to any of the miniature circuit breaker modules; wherein the button mechanism is configured to drive the locking mechanism of the adjacent miniature circuit breaker module to synchronously switch from the first state to the second state through at least one linkage component when pressed.

2. The molded case circuit breaker according to claim 1, characterized in that: The button mechanism is arranged between two adjacent miniature circuit breaker modules.

3. The molded case circuit breaker according to claim 1, wherein: The linkage component includes a linkage shaft, the locking mechanism includes a matching jumper and a locking member, the operating handle is transmission-connected to the jumper, the locking member is connected to the moving contact, the linkage shaft is transmission-connected to the locking member of each miniature circuit breaker module, the linkage shaft has a first position corresponding to the first state and a second position corresponding to the second state, and the linkage shaft can be switched from the first position to the second position by pressing the button mechanism, so that all the locking mechanisms are synchronously switched from the first state to the second state.

4. The molded case circuit breaker according to claim 3, characterized in that: The button mechanism includes a trip button and an elastic member. The trip button is configured to abut against the linkage shaft when pressed to drive the linkage shaft to switch from the first position to the second position; the elastic member is arranged between the trip button and the housing to reset the trip button after being pressed.

5. The molded case circuit breaker according to claim 4, characterized in that: The button mechanism further comprises a base arranged in the housing, and both the base and the trip button are provided with elastic limiting portions for the elastic member to be inserted and fixed.

6. The molded case circuit breaker according to claim 4, characterized in that: The trip button includes a main body, a button portion provided on the top of the main body, and an abutment portion provided on an outer side of the main body, wherein the button portion at least partially extends out of the shell for pressing; the abutment portion is located above the linkage shaft so as to abut the linkage shaft to switch from the first position to the second position when pressed.

7. The molded case circuit breaker according to claim 5, characterized in that: The base includes a seat body and a restraining portion extending upward toward the surface of the seat body. The restraining portion is located at one end of the main body away from the abutting portion. The edge of the restraining portion abuts against the edge of the main body to guide the main body to move axially in the pressing direction.

8. The molded case circuit breaker according to claim 6, wherein: The abutting portion includes a transverse section connected to the main body and a vertical section extending from an end of the transverse section in a direction away from the button portion and exceeding the transverse section. The transverse section and the vertical section jointly drive the linkage shaft to move.

9. The molded case circuit breaker according to claim 6, wherein: The locking mechanism includes a connecting bracket; the jumper and the connecting bracket are rotatably arranged in the miniature circuit breaker module, the locking member and the moving contact are both arranged on the connecting bracket, the linkage shaft is transmission-connected to all the locking members, the jumper cooperates with the locking member to keep the locking member in the first position, so that the moving contact abuts the static contact; wherein, the locking member can be driven by the abutting portion to switch from a first position close to the static contact to a second position away from the static contact, and the remaining locking members are synchronously driven by the linkage shaft.

10. The molded case circuit breaker according to claim 9, wherein: The linkage component further includes at least one handle connecting rod, which connects all the operating handles to drive any one of the operating handles to cause the remaining operating handles to rotate synchronously; And / or, one of the operating handles is configured as a long handle, and the other operating handles are configured as short handles, and the portion configured as the long handle extends out of the housing for user operation.

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