Claims
- 1. A unitary operating mechanism assembly for a circuit breaker, said operating mechanism assembly comprising:
a frame assembly having a planar member with a first pivot point located thereon; a handle member rotatably attached to said frame assembly at said first pivot point and structured to move between a first, closed position, a second, open position having an intermediate position therebetween, and a third, reset position; an operating arm coupled to said handle member and structured to move between a first and second position; a trip device attached to said frame assembly and structured to move said handle member between said first, closed position and said intermediate position upon the occurrence of a predefined condition; whereby said trip device causes said handle member to rotate upon the occurrence of a predefined condition thereby causing said operating arm to rotate and wherein said none of said handle member, operating arm, or trip device are coupled to a circuit breaker housing.
- 2. The unitary operating mechanism assembly of claim 1, wherein said frame assembly includes a capture device disposed adjacent to said first and second pivot points, and wherein said first pivot point capture device is structured to rotatably capture said handle member and said second capture device is structured to rotatably capture said trip device.
- 3. The unitary operating mechanism assembly of claim 1, wherein said operating arm includes a conductor electrically coupling said operating arm to said trip device.
- 4. The unitary operating mechanism assembly of claim 1, wherein
said trip device includes a cradle member, a trip spring, and a trip assembly; and said trip spring coupled to, and disposed between, said cradle member and said operating arm, and structured to bias said operating arm toward said first pivot point.
- 5. The unitary operating mechanism assembly of claim 4, wherein
said frame assembly includes a second pivot point; said cradle member having a pivot opening, a projection structured to engage said trip spring, and a latch ledge; said trip spring extending between said cradle member trip spring projection and said operating arm; said trip assembly having at least one overcurrent detection means, a conductor, and a catch opening; said trip assembly coupled to said frame assembly; said cradle member pivot opening coupled to said frame assembly second pivot point and structured to pivot relative to said frame assembly from a first position wherein said latch ledge engages said catch and a second position wherein said latch ledge does not engage said catch; said cradle member further coupled to said handle member whereby rotating said handle member to said handle member first position moves said cradle member into said cradle member first position.
- 6. The unitary operating mechanism assembly of claim 5, wherein said frame assembly includes a capture device disposed adjacent to said first and second pivot points, and wherein said first pivot point capture device is structured to rotatably capture said handle member and said second capture device is structured to rotatably capture said cradle member.
- 7. The unitary operating mechanism assembly of claim 4, wherein said trip assembly includes a magnetic trip device.
- 8. The unitary operating mechanism assembly of claim 4, wherein said trip assembly includes a thermal trip device.
- 9. A circuit breaker comprising:
a non-conductive housing defining an operating mechanism cavity; a first terminal conductor and a second terminal conductor; said first terminal conductor and second terminal conductor coupled to said housing assembly external to said operating mechanism cavity and having conductive tabs extending into said operating mechanism cavity; at least one pair of separable contacts having a fixed contact and a movable contact structured to move between a first, closed position and a second, open position; and a unitary operating mechanism assembly structured to move said contacts between said first, closed position and said second, open position.
- 10. The circuit breaker of claim 9 wherein said unitary operating mechanism assembly comprises:
a frame assembly having a planar member with a first pivot point located thereon; a handle member rotatably attached to said frame assembly at said first pivot point and structured to move between a first, closed position, a second, open position having an intermediate position therebetween, and a third, reset position; an operating arm coupled to said handle member and structured to move between a first and second position; a trip device attached to said frame assembly and structured to move said handle member between said first, closed position and said intermediate position upon the occurrence of a predefined condition; whereby said trip device causes said handle member to rotate upon the occurrence of a predefined condition thereby causing said operating arm to rotate and wherein said none of said handle member, operating arm, or trip device are coupled to a circuit breaker housing.
- 11. The circuit breaker of claim 10, wherein said frame assembly includes a capture device disposed adjacent to said first and second pivot points, and wherein said first pivot point capture device is structured to rotatably capture said handle member and said second capture device is structured to rotatably capture said trip device.
- 12. The circuit breaker of claim 10, wherein
said trip device includes a cradle member, a trip spring, and a trip assembly; and said trip spring coupled to, and disposed between, said cradle member and said operating arm and structured to bias said operating arm toward said first pivot point.
- 13. The circuit breaker of claim 12, wherein
said frame assembly includes a second pivot point; said cradle member having a pivot opening, a projection structured to engage said trip spring, and a latch ledge; said trip spring extending between said cradle member trip spring projection and said operating arm; said trip assembly having at least one overcurrent detection means, a conductor, and a catch opening; said trip assembly coupled to said frame assembly; said cradle member pivot opening coupled to said frame assembly second pivot point and structured to pivot relative to said frame assembly from a first position wherein said latch ledge engages said catch and a second position wherein said latch ledge does not engage said catch; said cradle member further coupled to said handle member whereby rotating said handle member to said handle member first position moves said cradle member into said cradle member first position.
- 14. The circuit breaker of claim 13, wherein said frame assembly includes a capture device disposed adjacent to said first and second pivot points, and wherein said first pivot point capture device is structured to rotatably capture said handle member and said second capture device is structured to rotatably capture said cradle member.
- 15. The circuit breaker of claim 14, wherein said trip assembly includes a magnetic trip device.
- 16. The circuit breaker of claim 14, wherein said trip assembly includes a thermal trip device.
- 17. A method of assembling a circuit breaker comprising the steps of:
providing a non-conductive housing having an operating mechanism cavity, a first terminal conductor with a fixed contact, and a second terminal conductor; assembling a unitary operating mechanism assembly; disposing said unitary operating mechanism assembly in said central cavity; and coupling said unitary operating mechanism assembly to said first and second terminal conductors.
- 18. The method of claim 17, wherein said step of assembling said unitary operating mechanism assembly includes the steps of:
providing a frame assembly having a first pivot point and a second pivot point, and a capture device adjacent to said first and second pivot points; providing a trip device; providing a handle member; providing an operating arm; rotatably attaching said handle member to said first pivot point; rotatably attaching said trip device to said second pivot point; attaching said operating arm to said handle member; and coupling said trip device to said operating arm.
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application is related to commonly assigned, concurrently filed:
[0002] U.S. patent application Ser. No. ______, filed ______, 2003, entitled “Non-Conductive Barrier for Separating a Circuit Breaker Trip Spring and Cradle” (Attorney Docket No. 02-EDP-200);
[0003] U.S. patent application Ser. No. ______, filed ______, 2003, entitled “Circuit Breaker Operating Mechanism With a Metal Cradle Pivot” (Attorney Docket No. 02-EDP-201); and
[0004] U.S. patent application Ser. No. ______, filed ______, 2003, entitled “Circuit Breaker Including Magnetic Trip Mechanism” (Attorney Docket No. 02-EDP-237).