Resettable Trip Indicator Mechanism for Circuit Interrupters
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing circuit interrupters and resettable trip indicator mechanisms lack efficient mechanisms for indicating and resetting tripped states, leading to operational inefficiencies and user inconvenience.
Innovation Solution
A mechanism featuring a first tab that engages and disengages with a second tab during movement in specific directions, allowing the pivotal trip shaft to be captured and released, enabling the circuit interrupter to transition between tripped and operable states, with the operating linkage structured to release the trip shaft when the tabs pivot appropriately.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a trip actuator plunger is extended to trip the circuit breaker, then the circuit breaker opens to protect against overcurrent, but the circuit breaker cannot be closed until the plunger is manually reset
Solution Approach 1:
The trip actuator plunger automatically resets itself through the opening yoke mechanism during the tripping operation. When the circuit breaker trips, the opening yoke pushes the plunger back to its retracted position, eliminating the need for manual reset intervention and enabling automatic readiness for reclosing
Solution Approach 2:
The opening yoke performs the reset action of pushing the plunger back to its retracted position as part of the tripping sequence itself. This preliminary resetting action ensures the trip actuator is prepared for reclosing before the operator attempts to close the breaker again
2Loss of information
If a trip shaft is held in a rotated position by a trip indicator mechanism, then the tripped state is indicated to the user, but the circuit breaker cannot be closed until the indicator is reset
Solution Approach 1:
The trip indicator mechanism is integrated with the opening yoke and trip actuator plunger system. The same mechanical components that perform the tripping and resetting functions also provide the visual indication, eliminating the need for a separate independent reset mechanism and reducing overall device complexity
Solution Approach 2:
The opening yoke serves multiple functions: it acts as a linkage for the trip actuator, provides the reset action by pushing the plunger back, and is part of the mechanism that controls the trip indicator. This multi-functionality reduces the number of separate components and simplifies the overall reset mechanism
3Device complexity
If the trip actuator plunger is used to both trip and hold the circuit breaker in the tripped position, then the mechanism is simplified, but the circuit breaker cannot be reset without manual intervention
Solution Approach 1:
The trip actuator plunger automatically resets itself through the opening yoke mechanism during the tripping operation. When the circuit breaker trips, the opening yoke pushes the plunger back to its retracted position, eliminating the need for manual reset intervention and enabling automatic readiness for reclosing
Data Source
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AI summary
A circuit interrupter mechanism includes a first member (8) movable in a first longitudinal direction and an opposite second longitudinal direction, and a second member (9) pivotal in a first pivotal direction and an opposite second pivotal direction. A first tab (18) is fixedly coupled to one of the first and second members, and a second tab (20) is pivotally coupled to the other of the members. The first tab engages and disengages from the second tab during movement of the first member in the first longitudinal direction and in the second longitudinal direction. The second tab pivots with respect to the other of the members when engaged by the first tab during movement of the first member in the first longitudinal direction. The second tab does not pivot with respect to the other of the members when engaged by the first tab during movement of the first member in the second longitudinal direction.