Circuit Breaker Button Linkage for Clear State Indication
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing circuit breakers have complex internal structures, large volumes, and are prone to misoperation due to protruding buttons, which affect stability and safety, and have unreasonable housing designs that complicate installation and usage.
Innovation Solution
A circuit breaker design featuring switch-on and switch-off buttons with distinct operating ends, arranged in dedicated holes within the housing, utilizing a bar linkage and lever mechanism to prevent accidental activation and simplify the structure, while a locking mechanism ensures safe installation and operation by preventing switching on before proper assembly.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of information
If a switch-on indicating structure is applied to indicate switch states, then the circuit breaker can show its operational state, but the internal structure becomes complex and the overall volume increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the switch state indication function with the button mechanism itself. The switch-on button and switch-off button serve dual purposes: they are both the operating elements for switching and the indication elements showing the current state. When the switch-on button protrudes, it indicates the circuit is on; when the switch-off button protrudes, it indicates the circuit is off. This eliminates the need for separate indicating structures, thereby reducing internal structure complexity and overall volume while maintaining clear state indication.
2Ease of operation
If operating mechanism buttons protrude outside the housing, then the buttons are easily accessible for operation, but the circuit breaker is prone to misoperation due to accidental touch
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs asymmetric design in the button arrangement and housing structure. The switch-on button and switch-off button are positioned at different locations on the housing, with the switch-on button on one side and the switch-off button on the other side. This asymmetric placement makes it difficult for a single accidental touch to activate both buttons or activate the wrong button, thereby preventing misoperation while keeping both buttons accessible for intentional operation.
3Reliability
If two locking mechanisms are applied to prevent unauthorized switching and insertion, then the circuit breaker safety is improved, but the structure becomes complex and occupies more internal space
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the locking function into two distinct locking mechanisms with different functions: a first locking mechanism that prevents the circuit breaker from being inserted into the cabinet when it is in the switch-on state, and a second locking mechanism that prevents the circuit breaker from switching on when it is not properly installed in the cabinet. Each locking mechanism is independently designed and positioned, allowing them to perform their specific safety functions without interfering with each other, while maintaining a relatively simple overall structure and minimizing internal space occupation.
4Device complexity
If the button is used for both switch-off operation and pulling out the circuit breaker, then the number of operating elements is reduced, but the user cannot accurately control operating force leading to instability
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the functions of switch-off operation and circuit breaker removal into two separate operating elements: a switch-off button for switching off the circuit and a pulling member for removing the circuit breaker from the cabinet. The switch-off button is designed to provide precise force control for the switching operation, while the pulling member is designed with a pulling force transmission mechanism that allows the user to apply sufficient force for removal without affecting the switching mechanism. This functional segmentation ensures that each operating element can be controlled with appropriate force for its specific purpose, thereby improving reliability while maintaining reasonable structural complexity.
Data Source
AI summary
A circuit breaker with a circuit breaker housing that includes a switch-on button hole and a switch-off button hole, a button mechanism that includes a switch-on button and a switch-off button, the switch-on button including a switch-on button operating end slidably arranged in the said switch-on button hole, the switch-off button including a switch-off button operating end slidably arranged in the switch-off button hole. While the switch-on button operating end is being pressed toward the inside of the circuit breaker housing to enable the circuit breaker to switch on, the switch-off button operating end moves toward the outside of the circuit breaker housing, and while the switch-off button operating end is being pressed toward the inside of the circuit breaker housing to enable the circuit breaker to switch off, the switch-on button operating end moves toward the outside of the circuit breaker housing.