Integrated Circuit Breaker Lock-Off for Padlock Safety Isolation

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Existing circuit breakers lack an integrated safety Lock-Off mechanism, requiring additional accessories and complex installations to prevent the handle from being turned on unintentionally, which can lead to unsafe working conditions for electrical technicians.

Innovation Solution

A circuit breaker with a built-in Lock-Off feature that integrates a pivotable handle and a padlock-receiving hole, preventing the handle from being turned on using a common padlock, ensuring safety during maintenance.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If additional accessory parts are used to achieve Lock-Off function, then safety reliability is improved, but device complexity and cost increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesafety reliabilityVSAvoiddevice complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent combines the Lock-Off feature directly into the circuit breaker housing, merging the safety locking function with the existing circuit breaker structure. This eliminates the need for separate accessory parts while maintaining the safety reliability of preventing unintended handle activation.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The circuit breaker housing is designed to serve multiple functions: it provides structural enclosure, handle mounting, and integrated Lock-Off capability. The housing includes a built-in padlock receptacle and positioning features that enable safety locking without requiring additional specialized accessories.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

2Reliability

If additional accessory parts are used to achieve Lock-Off function, then safety reliability is improved, but manufacturing cost increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesafety reliabilityVSAvoidmanufacturing cost

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

By integrating the Lock-Off feature into the housing during the same manufacturing process, the patent eliminates the need for separate production of accessory parts. This reduces overall manufacturing cost while maintaining safety reliability through the built-in padlock receptacle and positioning features.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

3Reliability

If additional accessory parts are used to achieve Lock-Off function, then safety reliability is improved, but installation complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesafety reliabilityVSAvoidinstallation complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The Lock-Off feature is pre-integrated into the housing, eliminating the need for separate installation of accessory parts. Technicians can directly install a padlock into the built-in receptacle after switching the handle to OFF position, significantly reducing installation complexity while maintaining safety reliability.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

4Ease of operation

If handle is made pivotable for ON/OFF operation, then ease of operation is improved, but safety risk increases due to potential unintended activation

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveease of operationVSAvoidsafety risk

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies preliminary anti-action by providing a padlock receptacle that allows technicians to pre-install a locking mechanism after switching the handle to OFF position. This preliminary locking action prevents any subsequent unintended activation, counteracting the safety risk introduced by the pivotable handle design.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #9Preliminary anti-action

Solution Approach 2:

The padlock receptacle serves as an intermediary mechanism between the pivotable handle and the safety requirement. It provides a physical interface where a padlock can be installed to mediate and prevent unintended handle movement, thus protecting against the safety risk while preserving the ease of operation benefits of the pivotable handle.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Data Source

PatentUS12548719B2Circuit breaker with integrated safety lock-off mechanism

Publication Date: 2026.02.10 SIEMENS INDUSTRY INC

AI summary

A circuit breaker is configured to ensure electrical safety when working on its circuits. The circuit breaker comprises a housing with an exterior boundary. The housing includes an “integrated” Lock-Off feature. It is integrated to one or more housing components of the circuit breaker not as a separate component to achieve most simplicity and least space used as compared to an “add-on” accessory based Lock-Off feature. The “integrated” Lock-Off feature has a feature that is configured to receive a shackle or a shank of a padlock. The circuit breaker further comprises a built-in Lock-Off mechanism including a handle that is configured to move relative to the feature. The built-in Lock-Off mechanism in combination with the Lock-Off feature is configured to prevent handle from being turned ON with the use of padlock. The padlock prevents circuit breaker from turning ON by impeding the handle from moving to an ON-position.