Recloser Battery Assembly Keyed Alignment
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional circuit interrupting devices, such as reclosers, face challenges in aligning and securely positioning batteries with both positive and negative contacts at a single end, which is hazardous and prone to misalignment, especially under harsh conditions like electrocution and weather exposure.
Innovation Solution
The design incorporates a battery assembly with keyed portions that ensure proper alignment and secure fit within a battery tube, featuring a battery assembly body with a cap assembly, contact casing, and ratchet member to facilitate easy and safe installation, preventing unwanted rotation and ensuring secure electrical connections.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If batteries with both positive and negative contacts are positioned at a single end, then the battery assembly structure is simplified, but alignment accuracy deteriorates and misalignment risk increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces asymmetric keyed portions (keyed grooves and keyed protrusions) at the battery assembly end where both positive and negative contacts are located. This asymmetric feature provides a unique orientation that ensures correct alignment during installation, preventing misalignment while maintaining the simplified single-end contact structure.
2Manufacturing precision
If keyed portions are added to ensure proper alignment, then alignment accuracy improves, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The keyed portions consist of a keyed groove in the battery assembly body and a corresponding keyed protrusion in the contact casing. This asymmetric feature pair provides a simple yet effective alignment mechanism that ensures correct orientation without requiring complex alignment systems or multiple components.
3Ease of operation
If the battery assembly is designed for easy installation, then ease of operation improves, but security against unwanted rotation may deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The keyed groove and keyed protrusion create an asymmetric mechanical interlock that naturally guides the battery assembly into the correct orientation during installation. Once installed, the same keyed features prevent unwanted rotation by providing mechanical resistance, thus achieving both ease of installation and rotational security through the same asymmetric design.
Data Source
AI summary
A circuit interrupting device for use with a electrical power distribution system includes a housing containing a circuit interrupting mechanism. A battery tube is positioned in the housing. A battery assembly is configured to be inserted into the battery tube. The battery assembly includes a battery assembly body having a first end and a second end. A battery is positioned in the battery assembly body. The battery assembly is configured such that both a positive contact and a negative contact are exposed from the second end of the battery assembly body. In some embodiments, the battery assembly includes a keyed portion mates with the battery tube to ensure alignment of the battery assembly in the battery tube.