Insulative Handle for Circuit Breaker Removal
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional circuit breakers lack convenient and safe surfaces for maintenance personnel to grasp during removal from a mounting block, posing difficulties and safety risks due to proximity to electrically conductive components.
Innovation Solution
A handle apparatus with an insulative barrier having a first portion to cover terminals, a second portion to couple with the housing, and a third portion for manual grasping, allowing safe and easy removal of the circuit breaker from the mounting block by covering and isolating conductive components.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If conventional circuit breakers are mounted to a mounting block, then the circuit breaker can be installed and removed, but there are no convenient and safe surfaces for maintenance personnel to grasp during removal, posing safety risks due to proximity to electrically conductive components
Solution Approach 1:
An insulative barrier is introduced as an intermediary component between the maintenance personnel and the electrically conductive components. The barrier includes a grasping surface that allows personnel to safely hold and remove the circuit breaker without direct contact with conductive parts, thereby eliminating the safety risk while maintaining ease of operation
Solution Approach 2:
The insulative barrier is divided into multiple portions: a first portion covering conductive components, a second portion coupling to the housing, and a third portion providing the grasping surface. This segmentation allows the barrier to simultaneously provide electrical isolation and a convenient grasping interface
Data Source
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AI summary
An electrical switching apparatus includes a circuit breaker device having a molded housing with line and load ends, plural terminals disposed from the housing, and first and second handle devices. The terminals electrically and mechanically engage a circuit breaker mounting block. The first and second handle devices engage the housing at or about the respective line and load ends. The handle devices remove the circuit breaker device from the mounting block. Each of the handle devices includes an insulative barrier having a first portion, a second portion and a third portion. The first portion at least partially covers a corresponding one of the housing ends. The second portion is coupled to the housing at or about the corresponding one of the housing ends. The third portion is structured to be manually grasped in order to pull the insulative barrier together with the circuit breaker device away from the mounting block.