Terminal Cover Retaining Arm for Circuit Breakers
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Solution Overview
Problem
Installation switching devices, such as miniature circuit breakers, often have terminals that can accidentally close during transport due to vibrations, requiring a time-consuming reopening process at the installation site, which increases costs and installation time.
Innovation Solution
A clip-on part with a retaining arm is attached to the terminal connection, holding the terminal cover part in the open position during transport and only allowing closure with significant external force, preventing automatic closure and allowing easy terminal connection at the installation site.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If the terminal is delivered open to save installer time, then ease of operation is improved, but reliability deteriorates due to accidental closure during transport
Solution Approach 1:
The terminal is deliberately left in the open position before packaging, and a protective cap is placed on the terminal screw to maintain this state. This preliminary preparation ensures that when the installer receives the device, the terminal is already ready for connection without requiring additional opening actions, while the cap prevents accidental closure during transport and handling.
2Reliability
If the terminal is delivered closed to ensure safety during transport, then reliability is improved, but loss of time increases due to required opening at installation
Solution Approach 1:
The terminal is pre-positioned in the open state during manufacturing and maintained in this state through packaging with protective caps. This preliminary action eliminates the need for installers to perform the time-consuming opening operation at the installation site, allowing them to proceed directly to conductor connection and reducing overall installation time.
3Reliability
If a retaining mechanism is added to prevent accidental closure, then reliability is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of integrating a complex retaining mechanism into the terminal structure itself, the solution extracts the protective function into a separate, simple element: a removable cap that fits over the terminal screw. This cap can be easily attached and removed without modifying the terminal's core structure, maintaining simplicity while providing reliable protection against accidental closure during transport.
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
Prevents automatic closure of terminals during transport, saving time and reducing installation costs by ensuring terminals remain open upon unpacking, while allowing intentional closure with minimal intervention to the device structure.
Implementation Method 1
the terminal cover part resiliently pushes the retaining arm away in the closed position
Data Source
Figure 1
AI summary
The invention relates to an installation switchgear (1), particularly a power circuit breaker or fault circuit breaker, comprising a housing (2) having at least one front side (21), a narrow side (22), a mounting side (23), and two wide sides (24), comprising a terminal connection (3) having a terminal screw (4) and a terminal cover part (5) coupled to and carried by said screw between an opened and a closed position. The installation switchgear (1) supports a plug part (6) on the terminal connection (3), having a retaining arm (7) retaining the terminal cover part (5) in the opened position when the terminal screw (4) is opened, and the terminal cover part (5) pushes the retaining arm (7) away in a spring-loaded manner in the closed position.