1. Field Of The Invention
The present invention relates generally to molded case circuit breakers. The present invention relates particularly to protection of the drive pins, blade carrier-to-drive pin interfaces, and surrounding regions of the interrupter modules from contaminants during circuit interruption.
2. Discussion Of Related Art
A known type of circuit breaker commonly called a molded case circuit breaker (MCCB) includes a case containing multiple circuit interrupters of a modular type for multiple poles, being commonly for different phases of a three phase electrical system. Typically, the breaker has 3 or 4 poles coupled together with common drive pins.
The circuit interrupter modules are connected by the drive pins to a common drive mechanism for allowing the circuit breaker contacts to separate. The movable contacts causing the separation of current carrying contacts within each module are carried on a blade contained on a rotating blade carrier contained in each module. The common drive pins extend through each of the blade carriers of the separate modules. A common drive mechanism imparts a rotation on the drive pins which in turn rotates the blade carriers to open the circuit of all the poles.
In the known art there are bushings in the form of discs with low coefficient of friction placed between the blade carrier and the module sides. In some systems the bushings are made to tightly fit as a cap to the blade carriers, as in for example U.S. Pat. No. 6,965,292. In other systems, the bushings are not connected to the blade carriers but are fitted in bearing races of the module sides which carry the blade carriers.
Circuit interruption results in expanding arc gases which may force the halves of the interrupter module apart. Contaminates produced by arc interruption and carried by the gases result in the degradation of the dielectric levels inside and between the modules. Under some conditions contaminants of an electrically conductive nature may infiltrate the space between, and regions surrounding, the drive pin and the blade carrier and accumulate there, thus reducing dielectric strength between phases or poles of the circuit breaker. The drive pins becoming contaminated with conductive material may produce an electrical path thus enabling a cross-phase short circuit.
A new disc design is disclosed here that provides a more robust protection of the drive pins. This new disc features a rim wall that at least partially covers the blade carrier and acts as a deflector of the contaminates driven by interruption gases around the drive pin-to-blade carrier interface regions. As a circuit interruption takes place, the two sides of the interrupter module may be separated by gas pressure, carrying the antifriction discs away from the blade carrier sides. However, the rim wall of the new disc retains contact with the cylindrical wall of the blade carrier thereby protecting the drive pins from the direct blast of gases and contaminants. If the rim wall is partial and not continuous, it will be located at a sector of the disc and blade carrier containing the drive pin or pins to keep the blade carrier-to-drive pin interface regions covered. This results in less contaminant settling and its attendant decrease of dielectric strength between phases.
In one aspect of the invention a rotary blade carrier assembly for an interrupter module of a modular multiple pole circuit breaker comprises a blade carrier, the blade carrier being cylindrical and having first and second opposing circular end surfaces and a curved cylindrical surface between the two ends. The blade carrier ends have an outside diameter. The blade carrier has drive pin through-holes passing longitudinally, i.e. in the axial direction, through the blade carrier cylinder. A slip-cover antifriction disc has a top plate having drive pin through-holes matching the relative positions of the blade carrier drive pin through-holes. The top plate has a perpendicular rim wall connected thereto; the top plate of the slipcover being placed adjacent one of the end surfaces of the blade carrier with the rim wall slidably fitting over the curved cylindrical surface of the blade carrier.
In one aspect of the invention a rotary blade carrier assembly for an interrupter module of a modular multiple circuit breaker comprises a blade carrier within the interrupter modules sides, the blade carrier being disc-shaped and having first and second opposing major plane circular flat sides and a curved cylindrical surface between the two flat sides, the blade carrier having an outside diameter. An antifriction slip-cover disc has a circular top plate with a substantially flat major surface ending at an edge and has a diameter greater than the blade carrier outside diameter and abuts one of the major plane surfaces of the blade carrier, and also has a curved rim wall or walls perpendicular to the top plate surface to overlay the cylindrical surface of the blade carrier. With the rim wall or walls defining a inside diameter of the slip cover, and the top plate of the slipcover being placed adjacent one of the major plane surfaces of the blade carrier; and with the inside diameter of the slip cover being greater than the outside diameter of the blade carrier; the slip cover top plate may separate from the adjacency with the major plane end surface of the blade carrier under the expanding arc gas pressure while the rim wall remains in adjacency with the curved cylindrical surface of the blade carrier to protect against contaminate infiltration.
The foregoing and other advantages of the present disclosure will become apparent upon reading the following detailed description and upon reference to the drawings of which:
By way of general discussion, and as known to those in the art, a molded case circuit breaker of the type discussed herein generally has a base with interior compartments for containing the multiple interrupter modules and the operating mechanism module which drives the interrupter modules by common drive pins as discussed below. A cover or covers are coupled to the base over the interrupter modules. The handle of the circuit breaker is attached to the operating mechanism and extends through the cover to give the operator the ability to turn the circuit breaker on to energize a protected circuit or off to disconnect the protected circuit, or to reset the circuit breaker after it trips to protect the circuit. A plurality of line-side contact and load-side straps will extend through the case for connecting the circuit breaker 10 to the intended electrical conductors. A general description and illustration of these known parts of the circuit breaker as a whole can be found in U.S. Pat. No. 6,965,292 for the edification of the reader should such be needed, but will not be further discussed herein.
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The blade carrier 15 is cylindrical and has first and second opposing circular major plane surface sides 33, 35 respectively, and a curved cylindrical surface 37 between the two sides or end surfaces 33, 35. Thus, the blade carrier 15 has an outside diameter of its cylinder.
The blade carrier 15 as shown has two drive pin through-holes collectively 25 although the number may vary, passing longitudinally, i.e. in the axial direction, through the cylinder and end surfaces. Drive pins 13 for fitting through the blade carrier holes 25 are illustrated outside the interrupter module 11, but will be understood to pass through the interrupter module including the module casing sides 12, 12′, the blade carrier 15 and the slip-cover antifriction discs 23, 23′ in the constructed circuit module within an operating circuit breaker (as better seen in
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The top plate 39 has a perpendicular rim wall or walls 45, 47 connected thereto at the arc of each drive pin hole segment 41, 43. The distance between the rim walls 45, 47 in this instance the same as the top plate 39 circumference, is the inside diameter of the slip cover antifriction disc 23, which is greater than the outside diameter of the blade carrier cylinder, thus allowing the slip cover antifriction disc to be a floating cover easily separable from the blade carrier, as further discussed below. The slip cover antifriction disc may be made from various materials, including PETP (polyethylene terephthalate) in a single integral structure. Holes 28, 28′ for the positioning pin 18 of the blade carrier 15 (
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Having thus described a system for protecting an interrupter module with floating protection for the blade carrier; it will be appreciated that many variations thereon may occur to the artisan upon an understanding of the present invention, which is therefore to be limited only by the appended claims.