Claims
- 1. An operating mechanism for a circuit interrupter mechanism, comprising:
a) a holder assembly being configured, dimensioned and positioned to receive a portion of an operating handle of said circuit interrupter mechanism, said holder assembly being capable of movement between a first position and a second position, said first position corresponding to a closed position of said circuit interrupt mechanism and said second position corresponding to an open position of said circuit interrupt mechanism; b) a drive plate being mounted to a support structure of said operating mechanism, said drive plate being coupled to said holder assembly; and c) an energy storage mechanism for assuming a plurality of states, each state having a prescribed amount of energy stored in said energy storage mechanism, said energy storage mechanism providing an urging force to said drive plate when said holder assembly is in said first position, said urging force causing said holder assembly to travel from said first position to said second position when said urging force is released by said operating mechanism.
- 2. The operating mechanism as in claim 1, wherein said holder assembly further comprises:
i) a carriage; ii) a retaining bar, said retaining bar being rotably mounted to said carriage; and iii) a plurality of springs being secured to said retaining bar at one end and said carriage at the opposite end.
- 3. The operating mechanism as in claim 2, further comprising:
d) a mechanical linkage system coupled to said energy storage mechanism and to said drive plate wherein said carriage is designed to assume a plurality of positions corresponding to each of said plurality of states of said energy storage mechanism; and e) an energy release mechanism coupled to said mechanical linkage system for releasing the energy stored in said energy storage mechanism.
- 4. The operating mechanism as in claim 1, wherein said holder assembly further includes:
i) a first rotatable retaining bar and a second rotatable retaining bar; and ii) a set of retaining springs for providing a force allowing said first retaining bar and said second retaining bar to firmly grasp therebetween a portion of said operating handle.
- 5. The operating mechanism as in claim 4, wherein said carriage has a pair of openings being configured, dimensioned and positioned to rotationally receive the ends of said first retaining bar and said second retaining bar.
- 6. The operating mechanism as in claim 1, wherein said energy storage mechanism further comprises:
i) a first elastic member; ii) a first fixture having a plurality of slots therein, said first fixture positioned in said first elastic member; iii) a second fixture having a plurality of members defining an aperture; and d) a second elastic member engaged to said second fixture and positioned within said aperture, wherein said second fixture is engaged with said first fixture.
- 7. The operating mechanism as in claim 6, wherein said energy storage system further comprises a flange affixed to said first fixture.
- 8. The operating mechanism as in claim 6, wherein said energy storage system further comprises a locking member for securing said first elastic member between said locking member and said flange.
- 9. The operating mechanism as in claim 6, wherein said second fixture is operative to move a prescribed distance relative to said first fixture.
- 10. The operating mechanism as in claim 6, wherein said first elastic member comprises a spring having a first spring constant.
- 11. The operating mechanism as in claim 9, wherein said second elastic member comprises a spring having a second spring constant less than said first spring constant.
- 12. The operating mechanism as in claim 6, wherein said plurality of slots includes a receptacle in one end of said first fixture for receiving a member about which said energy storage mechanism is rotatable.
- 13. The operating mechanism as in claim 12, wherein said energy storage mechanism is capable of moving free from said member after having moved said prescribed distance.
- 14. The operating mechanism as in claim 3, wherein said linkage system further comprises:
a cam rotatable about a cam shaft, said cam shaft being coupled to a motor drive assembly; a pair of side plates; a pair of drive plates rotatably secured to said side plate for movement about a drive plate axis, each of said pair of drive plates include an elongated opening for receiving a portion of said cam shaft, said drive plates are positioned in between said pair of side plates; a latch system being configured, dimensioned and positioned to retain said energy storage mechanism in a stable position; a drive plate pin connected at one end to one said pair of drive plates and coupled to said energy storage mechanism at the other end; and a connecting rod coupling said pair of drive plates.
- 15. The operating mechanism of claim 14, wherein said mechanical linkage system is coupled to said energy storage mechanism, wherein said mechanical linkage system responds to actions of said motor drive assembly.
- 16. The operating mechanism of claim 15, wherein said motor drive assembly is operative to disengage or re-engage a set of circuit breaker contacts by moving said operating handle.
- 17. The operating mechanism as in claim 14, wherein said cam has have a concave surface and a convex surface.
- 18. The operating mechanism as in claim 14, wherein said cam shaft connects each of said pair of drive plates and is supported by said pair of side plates.
- 19. The operating mechanism as in claim 14, wherein said motor drive assembly rotates said cam in a first direction about said cam shaft causing a counterclockwise rotation of said pair of drive plates in a second direction being opposite to said first direction.
- 20. The operating mechanism as in claim 14, wherein said rotation of said drive plates causes said drive pin to move against said storage mechanism, said drive pin compresses said elastic member of said energy storage mechanism.
- 21. The operating mechanism as in claim 20, wherein said storage mechanism rotates in the same direction as said cam about a spring assembly axis and a side plate pin.
- 22. The operating mechanism as in claim 14, wherein said latch system includes a pair of first latch links coupled to a pair of second latch links about a link axis and a latch plate.
- 23. The operating mechanism as in claim 22, wherein said latch plate rotatably turns until a first concave surface of said latch plate is in intimate contact with a roller pin, said roller pin remains in intimate contact with said first concave surface of said latch plate until said roller pin disengages from said cam.
- 24. The operating mechanism as in claim 23, wherein said roller pin disengages from said cam when said cam finishes one clockwise rotation.
- 25. The operating mechanism as in claim 22, wherein said first latch link pair is coupled to said second latch link pair about a rotatable axis, said second latch link pair is also rotatably coupled to said cam shaft.
- 26. The operating mechanism as in claim 22, wherein said first pair of latch links are coupled to said pair of drive plates by said roller pin.
- 27. The operating mechanism as in claim 22, wherein said latch plate is operative to release the energy stored in said energy storage system, said latch plate is rotatively coupled to said drive plate axis and is in intimate contact with said rolling pin.
- 28. The operating mechanism as in claim 27, wherein said latch plate includes a releasing lever, said releasing lever being configured, dimensioned and positioned to rotate said latch plate about said drive plate axis.
- 29. A method for storing energy for operating an operating mechanism for a circuit interrupt mechanism, the method comprising:
rotating a drive plate; compressing one or more springs; latching said drive plate; storing energy in said one or more springs; actuating stored energy by a linear rack coupled to said drive plate; and releasing said stored energy.
- 30. The method as in claim 28, wherein said stored energy is released by closing a solenoid trip coil.
- 31. The method of claim 30, wherein said releasing includes said closing of said solenoid trip coil that disengages said latches, thus unlocking said drive plate which allows said drive plate to return to its resting position.
- 32. An operating mechanism for a circuit breaker, comprising:
a) a mechanical linkage system; b) a means for actuating said mechanical linkage system; c) an energy storage mechanism for assuming a plurality of states, said energy storage system being manipulated by said mechanical linkage system, each state having a prescribed amount of energy stored in said energy storage mechanism; d) a release mechanism for releasing said prescribed amount of energy stored in said energy storage mechanism; and e) a carriage for receiving a portion of an operating handle of said circuit breaker, said carriage being movably mounted to said operating mechanism and being manipulated by said energy storage mechanism.
- 33. An operating mechanism for a circuit breaker, comprising:
a) a drive plate for compressing a spring, said drive plate being rotatably mounted to a support structure; b) a recharging cam for actuating said drive plate; c) a linear rack for actuating a handle of said circuit breaker, said linear rack being manipulated by drive plate; and d) a release mechanism for releasing said spring after said spring has been compressed by said drive plate.
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application claims benefit of Provisional Application No. 60/190,298 filed on Mar. 17, 2000, and Provisional Application No. 60/190,765 filed on Mar. 20, 2000, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference thereto. This application is a continuation-in-part of U.S. application Ser. No. 09/595,278 filed on Jun. 15, 2000, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference thereto.
Provisional Applications (2)
|
Number |
Date |
Country |
|
60190298 |
Mar 2000 |
US |
|
60190765 |
Mar 2000 |
US |
Continuation in Parts (1)
|
Number |
Date |
Country |
Parent |
09595278 |
Jun 2000 |
US |
Child |
09681277 |
Mar 2001 |
US |