Modular Stored Energy Assembly for Circuit Breakers
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing medium voltage circuit breakers have complex and non-interchangeable stored energy assemblies, making maintenance and repair difficult due to numerous components that are typically 'built-in' to the circuit breaker housing, requiring partial disassembly and lacking a universal application capability.
Innovation Solution
A self-contained stored energy assembly with a removable sub-assembly that includes a gear assembly, actuating element, and both manual and automatic charging mechanisms, allowing for universal application across various circuit breakers, with a compact design that reduces the number of components and facilitates easy assembly, repair, and replacement.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Stability of the object's composition
If the stored energy assembly components are built-in to the circuit breaker housing, then the structural stability is improved, but the ease of repair and adaptability deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The stored energy assembly is divided into a removable sub-assembly that includes the spring, actuating element, and charging mechanism components, which can be separated from the circuit breaker housing. This segmentation allows the sub-assembly to be removed and replaced without disassembling the entire circuit breaker, thereby improving ease of repair while maintaining structural stability when installed.
Solution Approach 2:
The sub-assembly is designed to be dynamically removable and reinstallable, transitioning from a fixed built-in state to a removable state for maintenance. The mounting structure allows the sub-assembly to be coupled to and decoupled from the housing, providing adaptability between operational stability and repair accessibility.
2Adaptability or versatility
If multiple separate charging mechanisms are used, then the functional completeness is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
Both manual and automatic charging mechanisms are merged into a single integrated sub-assembly that shares common components including the spring, actuating element, and mounting structure. This consolidation provides both charging functions while reducing the total number of separate assemblies needed, thereby decreasing device complexity while maintaining functional completeness.
3Ease of operation
If the charging handle is made long to provide leverage, then the ease of operation is improved, but the device complexity and loss of substance increase
Solution Approach 1:
The charging handle is designed as a telescopic or collapsible structure that can be extended to provide sufficient leverage during operation, then retracted or folded into a compact form when not in use. This nesting approach allows the handle to provide adequate length for ease of operation while minimizing the space it occupies and reducing the overall complexity of the assembly.
4Adaptability or versatility
If numerous components are used in the stored energy assembly, then the functional capability is improved, but the ease of manufacture and adaptability deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The sub-assembly is designed with standardized mounting features and interface elements that enable it to be universally applied to different circuit breaker models. By consolidating multiple functions (manual charging, automatic charging, energy storage, actuation) into a single standardized sub-assembly, the design achieves universal applicability while simplifying manufacturing compared to having separate specialized components for each function.
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 solution provides a modular, easily adaptable stored energy assembly that can be quickly coupled to different circuit breakers, reducing component count and simplifying maintenance, while enabling universal use across various applications, thus improving the efficiency and ease of maintenance compared to traditional designs.
Implementation Method 1
a spring having a first end, a second end, and a plurality of coils extending between the first end and the second end
Implementation Method 2
a stored energy mechanism coupled to the mount and being movable among a charged position and a discharged position
Implementation Method 3
a gear assembly including a plurality of gears
Implementation Method 4
a one-way bearing disposed between the charging handle and the electric motor
Implementation Method 5
a one-way clutch coupled to the shaft
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3
AI summary
A stored energy assembly (100) is provided for an electrical switching apparatus, such as a circuit breaker (2). The stored energy assembly (100) includes a mount (102) removeably coupled to the circuit breaker housing (4). A stored energy mechanism, such as a spring (120), is coupled to the mount (102) and is movable among charged and discharged positions. An actuating element (150) is cooperable with the gears (132,134,136) of a gear assembly (130) in order to move among first and second positions corresponding to the spring (120) being disposed in the charged and discharged positions, respectively. A manual charging mechanism (160) and an automatic charging mechanism (170) are coupled to the gear assembly (130), and move the gears (132,134,136), in order to move the actuating element (150) and charge the spring (120). The spring (120), the actuating element (150), the gear assembly (130), and the charging mechanisms (160,170) are coupled to the mount (102), thereby forming a sub-assembly (180). The sub-assembly (180) is removeably coupled to the circuit breaker housing (4).