Breaker Panel Frustroconical Seal Centring
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing breaker panels face difficulties in easily mounting the front cover when the number of circuit breakers is high, due to the friction between metal rims and elastomer seals, leading to wear and improper centring of circuit breakers.
Innovation Solution
The conic frustum, made of a harder material, is designed to facilitate centring by interacting with the metal rims, while the elastomer seal is positioned at the base to provide immobilization and compensate for height differences, allowing easy mounting and reduced wear.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the seal is made of elastomer and fastened to the aperture, then the seal can prevent shocks and untimely switching, but the seal is frequently forgotten to be changed or lost when circuit breakers are replaced
Solution Approach 1:
The seal is merged with the circuit breaker head by fastening it to the head instead of the aperture. This combination ensures that when the circuit breaker is replaced, the seal is replaced automatically, eliminating the problem of forgotten or lost seals while maintaining shock prevention functionality.
Solution Approach 2:
The seal acts as an intermediary element between the circuit breaker head and the aperture rim. It provides shock absorption and prevents untimely switching while being integrated with the circuit breaker, ensuring it moves with the breaker and is replaced accordingly.
2Reliability
If the front cover rim is made of metal and the seal is made of elastomer, then the seal provides good shock absorption, but the front cover does not slide easily over the frustroconical portion during mounting
Solution Approach 1:
The frustroconical portion is segmented into two distinct parts: a lower conic frustum made of hard material for centring and sliding, and an upper frustroconical seal made of elastomer for shock absorption. This segmentation allows each part to perform its specific function optimally without interfering with the other.
Solution Approach 2:
Different parts of the frustroconical portion have different material properties tailored to their specific functions. The lower part uses hard material for low-friction sliding and centring, while the upper part uses soft elastomer for shock absorption, creating local quality variations that resolve the contradiction.
3Reliability
If the frustroconical seal is made of elastomer, then it provides good immobilization, but the metal rim rapidly wears the frustroconical seal during mounting
Solution Approach 1:
The frustroconical portion is divided into two segments with different materials: a hard conic frustum for wear-resistant sliding contact with the metal rim, and a softer elastomer seal for immobilization. This segmentation protects the elastomer seal from rapid wear while maintaining its immobilization function.
Solution Approach 2:
The hard conic frustum acts as an intermediary protective layer between the metal rim and the elastomer seal. It absorbs the wear from metal-on-elastomer friction, preserving the seal's lifespan while the seal continues to provide effective immobilization.
4Quantity of substance
If the number of circuit breakers exceeds ten or fifty, then the panel provides high electrical capacity, but it becomes very difficult to centre the heads of the circuit breakers in the middle of the apertures
Solution Approach 1:
The conic frustum provides a curved, self-centring surface that guides the aperture rim during insertion. The conical geometry naturally aligns the aperture with the circuit breaker head, ensuring precise centring even when multiple breakers are installed, thereby maintaining manufacturing precision regardless of panel size.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This design enables effortless centring and immobilization of circuit breakers, reducing wear on seals and improving the mounting process, even with a large number of circuit breakers, while maintaining the seal's immobilization function.
Implementation Method 1
the apertures are centred on the heads of the circuit breakers essentially by a frictional interaction between the conic frusta made of harder material and the rims of the apertures
Implementation Method 2
a frustroconical seal made of an elastomer
Implementation Method 3
The holding force is parallel to the plug-in direction and immobilizes the circuit breaker in its plugged-in position
Data Source
AI summary
This breaker panel comprises a plurality of circuit breakers, each circuit breaker having a head comprisinga frustroconical seal made of an elastomer, this frustroconical seal having a first frustroconical face; anda conic frustum made of a material that is harder than the material of the frustroconical seal, this conic frustum having a second frustroconical face;in which:the distance, in a plug-in direction, between an upper edge of the first frustroconical face and the shoulder is at least two times smaller than the distance, in the plug-in direction, between the upper and lower edges of the second frustroconical face; andthe upper edge of the first frustroconical face is set back, towards the interior of the circuit breaker, relative to the lower edge of the second frustroconical face.