Circuit Breaker Contact Mechanism With Direct Spring Opening Force

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional circuit breaker contact operation mechanisms are inconvenient to install and suffer from inadequate opening forces due to reliance on torsion or pulling springs, which affect the opening of moving contacts.

Innovation Solution

A contact operation mechanism for a circuit breaker featuring a base, handle, connecting rod, jump buckle, lock catch, and moving contact installation base, with an abutment spring and sliding block in an installation groove, and a push rod connecting the sliding block to the lock catch, allowing for flexible resilience and improved tripping performance.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Force

If a torsion spring or pulling spring is used to generate restoring force in the lock catch, then the circuit breaker can maintain contact pressure, but the opening force is reduced and installation becomes inconvenient

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecontact pressureVSAvoidinstallation convenience
Core Design Contradiction:
ForceVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The spring mechanism is segmented into modular components: the lock catch assembly with abutment foot, the jump buckle, and the abutment spring positioned in a dedicated installation groove. This segmentation allows independent optimization of each component's function and simplifies installation procedures.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The abutment foot acts as an intermediary element between the lock catch and the jump buckle, transmitting force efficiently. The push foot serves as another intermediary that transfers tripping device force to the lock catch, enabling reliable operation without complex spring arrangements.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Force

If a torsion spring or pulling spring is used to generate restoring force in the lock catch, then the circuit breaker can maintain contact pressure, but the opening effect is affected

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecontact pressureVSAvoidopening effect
Core Design Contradiction:
ForceVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

Instead of using a torsion spring that resists rotation or a pulling spring that requires tension, the invention inverts the approach by using an abutment spring that pushes directly. The spring force is applied through the abutment foot to push the jump buckle, creating a direct and reliable opening action that is not compromised by rotational constraints or tension limitations.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #13The other way round (Inversion)

Solution Approach 2:

The spring mechanism transitions from torsional or tensile parameter domains to a direct linear compression parameter domain. The abutment spring operates in compression, providing a more effective and controllable force parameter for generating the opening effect while maintaining contact pressure during the closed state.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

3Reliability

If the spring resilience is increased to improve tripping effect, then the opening force is enhanced, but the structure becomes more complex and installation more difficult

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvetripping effectVSAvoidstructure complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The high-resilience spring is localized to a specific installation groove dedicated to the abutment spring. This localized quality allows the spring to be optimized for tripping effect without requiring complex structural modifications elsewhere in the mechanism. The push foot and abutment foot are specifically designed to work with this localized spring arrangement.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

Solution Approach 2:

The abutment spring is pre-positioned in the installation groove during manufacturing, with the lock catch and jump buckle arranged to engage with it. This preliminary arrangement ensures that when assembled, the spring immediately provides the necessary tripping force without requiring additional adjustment or complex structural elements.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

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

The mechanism simplifies installation, enhances opening force reliability, and stabilizes the circuit breaker's operation by ensuring resilience acts directly on the moving contact installation base, reducing the impact of other components and preventing sticking issues.

Implementation Method 1

an abutment spring and a sliding block are provided in the installation groove; one end of the abutment spring abuts against an inner side of the installation groove, and the other end abuts against the sliding block

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectElasticity: Elasticity

Implementation Method 2

a spring that generates resilience to the moving contact installation base is provided between the moving contact installation base and the side wall of the base

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectSpring resilience: Spring

Data Source

PatentEP3748665B1Contact operating mechanism of circuit breaker
Publication Date: 2023.09.06 ZHEJIANG AOELEC ELECTRICAL CO LTD
  • EP3748665B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3748665B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3748665B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

Disclosed is a contact operating mechanism of a circuit breaker, wherein a mounting groove (11) is provided on a base (1) and beneath a handle (2), a pressing spring (111) and a sliding block (112) are provided inside the mounting groove (11), one end of the pressing spring (111) abuts against an inner side face of the mounting groove (11) and the other end thereof abuts against the sliding block (112), a pushing rod (113) is provided between the sliding block (112) and a lock catch (5), and a spring (8) applying an elastic force to a movable contact mounting seat (6) is provided between the movable contact mounting seat (6) and a side wall of the base (1).