Patent Grant
10483058
This technology relates to a safety switch comprising a circuit interrupting device installed in a cabinet.
Safety switches are often used to act as a disconnect for commercial and industrial applications. The switch has to make and break the currents at the contacts safely to ensure electrical connection and disconnection of the circuit. Traditionally, an external handle is connected from side to the mechanism shaft and the energy to the mechanism is supplied manually. However, there is a need to have the switch operated from the front of the switch with a handle mounted on the door that would solve the issue of switch operation from side when there's a space constraint at customer's installation location as well as the switches can be integrated and sold with panel boards that require front operation.
An apparatus includes a circuit interrupting device installed in a cabinet. The circuit interrupting device has an actuator configured for rotation about a switching axis to switch the device between ON and OFF conditions. The apparatus further includes a front access hub supported for rotation about an axis orthogonal to the switching axis. A handle is coupled to the front access hub to rotate the front access hub about the orthogonal axis. A mechanism interconnects the front access hub with the actuator to rotate the actuator in response to rotation of the front access hub.
The cabinet may have a door, and the handle may be coupled to the front access hub to rotate the front access hub about the orthogonal axis when the door is closed. In a given example, the door has an aperture, and the orthogonal axis is aligned with the aperture in the door when the door is closed. The handle is configured for releasable rotational coupling with the front access hub through the aperture in the door. In another given example, the actuator projects outward through a side panel of the cabinet, and the handle can remain coupled to the front access hub when the door is either open or closed.
The mechanism may include a linkage defining pivotal couplings between the front access hub and the actuator. In one such example, a linkage includes first, second, and third links. The first link is coupled to the front access hub to project radially from the orthogonal axis, and to move pivotally about the orthogonal axis upon rotation of the front access hub. The second link is coupled to the actuator to project radially from the actuator, and to rotate the actuator about the switching axis upon movement of the second link pivotally about the switching axis. The third link is coupled between the first and second links to transmit pivotal movement from the first link to the second link.
In alternative example, the mechanism includes gears defining a rotational coupling between the front access hub and the actuator. The gears include first and second bevel gears. The first bevel gear is coupled to the actuator to rotate the actuator about the switching axis. The second bevel meshes with first bevel gear, and is coupled to the front access hub to rotate about the orthogonal axis with the front access hub.
The apparatus illustrated in the drawings includes parts that are examples of the elements recited in the claims. The illustrated apparatus thus includes examples of how a person of ordinary skill in the art can make and use the claimed invention. These examples are described to meet the enablement and best mode requirements of the patent statute without imposing limitations that are not recited in the claims.
As shown in
The device 12 includes an actuator 30. The actuator 30 is supported for rotation about a switching axis 31, and is rotatable through a range of positons including an open position, a closed position, and an intermediate position. As known in the art, the device 12 also includes springs and contacts. The springs apply tension to resist movement of the actuator 30 out of the open and closed positons toward the intermediate position, and to snap the actuator 30 into either the open position or the closed position upon moving past the intermediate position. As the actuator 30 moves into the open position, it interacts with the contacts to switch the device 12 into the ON condition. As the actuator 30 moves into the closed position, it interacts with the contacts to switch the device 12 into the OFF condition.
As shown in
A mechanism is provided to interconnect the front access hub 50 with the actuator 30 so as to transmit rotational movement from the front access hub 50 to the actuator 30. In the example shown in
The first link 70 is coupled to the front access hub 50 to project radially from the orthogonal axis 51, and to move pivotally about the orthogonal axis 51 upon rotation of the front access hub 50. A driving pin 80 projects forward from an outer end portion of the first link 70.
The second link 72 is coupled to the actuator 30 to project radially from the switching axis 31, and to rotate the actuator 30 about the switching axis 31 upon movement of the second link 72 pivotally about the switching axis 31.
The third link 74 is coupled between the first and second links 70 and 72 to transmit pivotal movement from the first link 70 to the second link 72. Specifically, the third link 74 is coupled between the first and second links 70 and 72 to reciprocate in opposite directions between the first and second links 70 and 72 upon movement of those links 70 and 72 pivotally about the axes 31 and 51. In the illustrated embodiment, the opposite directions are vertical, as indicated by the arrows shown in the drawings.
In the illustrated linkage 60, the third link 74 has a lower slot 81. The lower slot 81 is elongated horizontally with opposite sides 84 (
The third link 74 further has an upper slot 85 that is elongated vertically with opposite ends 88 (
A releasable handle 90 is provided for manually rotating the front access hub 50 about the orthogonal axis 51. As shown in
As further shown in
An additional embodiment is shown in
A mechanism 150 is arranged within the side compartment 136. The mechanism 150 includes a first bevel gear 152 mounted on the shaft 134 to rotate the shaft 134 and the actuator 130 about the switching axis 131. The mechanism 150 further includes a second bevel gear 154 in meshing engagement with the first bevel gear 152. The second bevel gear 154 is mounted on a front access hub 156 to rotate about an axis 157 with the front access hub 156. That axis 157 is horizontal, but is oriented in a forward direction orthogonal to the horizontal switching axis 131 at the actuator 130.
The front access hub 156 projects outward through a front panel 158 of the side compartment 136. A manual handle 160 is mounted on the front access hub 56 and projects radially from the axis 157. A user can move the handle 160 pivotally to rotate the front access hub 156, and thereby operate the linkage 150 for switching the circuit interrupting device ON and OFF. This can be performed whether the door 110 is open or closed, and without the need to stand or reach at the side of the cabinet 100.
This written description sets for the best mode of carrying out the invention, and describes the invention so as to enable a person of ordinary skill in the art to make and use the invention, by presenting examples of the elements recited in the claims. The detailed descriptions of those examples do not impose limitations that are not recited in the claims, either literally or under the doctrine of equivalents.
| Number | Name | Date | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4168407 | Wiktor | Sep 1979 | A |
| 4612424 | Clark | Sep 1986 | A |
| 5493084 | Whitaker | Feb 1996 | A |
| 20150364277 | Fischer | Dec 2015 | A1 |
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 20180342359 A1 | Nov 2018 | US |
