Circuit Breaker Lockout Subassembly with Rotatable Latch Bar
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Solution Overview
Problem
Electronic circuit breakers lack a mechanism to prevent the operating handle from moving to the ON position unless certain test criteria are met, potentially allowing excessive current or fault conditions to persist.
Innovation Solution
A lockout subassembly comprising a rotatable latch bar and a latch device that limits the rotation of the latch bar between specific positions, preventing the operating handle from moving to the ON position unless a test indicates a pass, thereby ensuring the handle can only be unlocked to the ON position when the circuit is safe.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a lockout subassembly is added to prevent the operating handle from moving to the ON position unless test criteria are met, then circuit safety is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The lockout subassembly is nested within the circuit breaker body, with the rotatable latch bar integrated into the operating mechanism. The latch device engages with the latch bar to form a compact locking system that prevents the handle from moving to the ON position when locked, while maintaining a space-efficient design within the circuit breaker housing.
Solution Approach 2:
The lockout subassembly automatically engages or disengages based on the position of the rotatable latch bar, which is controlled by the operating handle position and test results. The system self-regulates the locking state without requiring external control mechanisms, reducing overall device complexity while maintaining safety functionality.
Data Source
AI summary
A lockout subassembly of an electronic circuit breaker. The lockout subassembly includes a rotatable latch bar having an engagement portion configured to engage with and prevent movement of an operating handle to an ON position, the rotatable latch bar including a lock portion, and a latch device configured to be receivable in the lock portion, wherein rotation of the rotatable latch bar is limited between a first and second rotational position in response to the latch device being received in the lock portion. The lockout of the operating handle can be removed upon passing at least one test so that the operating handle can be moved to the ON position. Circuit breakers including the lockout subassembly and methods of operating the circuit breaker are provided, as are other aspects.