Many switches, such as, for example, circuit breaker switches, are designed to be switched between two positions (for example, an “on” position and an “off” position) with minimal force. Additionally, a circuit breaker switch may be configured to reset certain functions of the circuit breaker when the switch is toggled to the “on” position. Switches are commonly designed to offer little resistance to position change. In application, this feature makes switches easy to use and operate. However, in some conditions, the low resistance of switches to position change can create several concerns. Accidental, innocent or unauthorized switch position changes can cause safety hazards, damage equipment or cause lost production time and/or in-process material losses.
The present application describes devices and methods which may be utilized for preventing unauthorized or accidental movement of a switch, for example, between first and second toggle positions. In one embodiment, a lockout device is configured to be used with a switch assembly having a switch laterally disposed between first and second side walls having holes aligned to receive one or more obstructions to hold the lever in one of the first and second toggle positions. While many different types of obstructions may be utilized, in one embodiment, a lockout device includes first and second laterally extending pins laterally movable between a hole engaging position, in which the pins are inserted through the side wall holes, and a hole disengaging position, in which the pins are withdrawn from the side wall holes. The lockout device includes a locking arrangement to secure the pins in a hole engaging position for obstructing movement of the switch. While many different locking arrangements may be utilized, in one embodiment, a lockout device includes a body defining a lock opening configured to receive a lock member, such as, for example, a padlock shackle, to prevent movement of the pins from the hole engaging position to the hole disengaging position.
Accordingly, in one exemplary embodiment, a lockout device for a switch assembly includes a body, with first and second laterally extending pins and a cam member assembled with the body. The laterally extending pins are laterally movable between hole engaging and hole disengaging positions. The cam member is pivotable with respect to the body between locking and unlocked positions. When the cam member is in the locking position, the cam member holds the first and second pins in the hole engaging position. When the cam member is in the unlocked position, the first and second pins are movable from the hole engaging position to the hole disengaging position. The body defines a lock opening configured to receive a lock member to secure the cam member in the locking position.
Features and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following detailed description made with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein:
The Detailed Description of the Invention merely describes preferred embodiments of the invention and is not intended to limit the scope of the disclosure in any way. Indeed, the invention as described by the specification is broader than and unlimited by the preferred embodiments, and the terms in the specification have their full ordinary meaning.
According to an inventive aspect of the present application, a lockout device is provided for a switch assembly having a lever or toggle switch movable between first and second toggle positions, the lever switch being laterally disposed between first and second parallel side walls having locking holes aligned to receive one or more obstructions to hold the lever in one of the first and second toggle positions. One such type of circuit breaker switch that is commonly used in Europe and Asia is an ISO-DIN type circuit breaker switch, which is dimensioned and configured in accordance with ISO and DIN standards. The ISO-DIN switch assembly A, as shown in
In one embodiment, a lockout device includes first and second laterally extending locking pins movable from a hole disengaging position, in which the locking pins are retracted or withdrawn from the side wall holes D, to a hole engaging position, in which the locking pins are inserted through the side wall holes D, such that a portion of the lockout device, such as, for example, the pins, obstructs movement of the switch B from a first position to a second position. The lockout device further includes a cam member configured to move between a locking position and an unlocked position. When the cam member is in the locking position, the cam member holds the first and second pins in the hole engaging position. The exemplary lockout device also includes a lock opening configured to receive a locking member for securing the cam member in the locking position.
Many different types of locking pins may be provided with a switch lockout device for insertion into the locking holes of the switch assembly. In one embodiment, the locking pins may be disposed on resilient spring pin components that may be biased into engagement with the locking holes and return or “spring” back to an unbiased condition when the biasing force is removed, thereby disengaging from the locking holes. Examples of such locking pin components 20a-20e are illustrated in
Many different types of cam members may be provided with a switch lockout device to limit movement of the locking pins into or out of engagement with the side wall holes. In one embodiment, a cam member may be assembled with a body of a lockout device such that the cam member is pivotable from a pin disengaging or unlocked position to a pin engaging or locking position.
While many different locking arrangements may be used to secure the cam member 110 in the locking position, in the illustrated embodiment, a hasp portion 125 defining a lock opening 126 extends from the body 120 through a corresponding opening or slot 115 in the cam member 110. Insertion of a lock member (for example, a padlock shackle, not shown) through the lock opening 126 prevents movement of the cam member 110 out of the locking position, thereby securing the pins 133 in the hole engaging position. To remove the lockout device 100 from the associated switch assembly, the lock member is removed from the lock opening 126 to allow the cam member 110 to be pivoted out of the locking position to the unlocked position.
While the body 120 may be provided in many different configurations, in the illustrated embodiment, the body 120 includes upper and lower portions 120a, 120b (see
In another embodiment, a cam member may include a lock opening that aligns with one or more lock openings in a body when the cam member is pivoted to a locking position, such that insertion of a lock member in the aligned lock openings prevents movement of the cam member from the locking position to the unlocked position.
While the cam member 210 may be connected with the body 220 using many different configurations, in the illustrated embodiment, the cam member 210 includes a hinge portion 218 (see
In another embodiment, a lockout device may include laterally inward oriented pins and a cam member configured to force the pins towards each other and into a hole engaging position when the cam member is in a locking condition.
As with the embodiment of
While the cam members of the lockout devices of
As more clearly shown in
In another embodiment (not shown) similar to the embodiment of
While the cam members of the lockout devices of
While many different locking arrangements may be used to prevent the cam member 510 from being pivoted to the locking position, in the illustrated embodiment, a hasp portion 525 defining a lock opening 526 extends from the body 520 to be received through a corresponding opening or slot 515 in the cam member 510. Insertion of a lock member (for example, a padlock shackle, not shown) through the lock opening 526 prevents insertion of the hasp 525 through the slot 515, thereby retaining the pins 533 in the hole engaging position. To remove the lockout device 500 from the associated switch assembly, the lock member is removed from the lock opening 526 to allow the cam member 510 to be pressed into the unlocked position.
While the cam member 510 may be connected with the body 520 using many different configurations, in the illustrated embodiment, the illustrated cam member 510 includes opposed nubs 518 (see
According to another inventive aspect of the present application, a lockout device may be configured such that a lock member may be inserted into or through the lockout device to function as a cam member, thereby holding the locking pins in a hole engaging or locking condition. In one embodiment, a body of a lockout device may include one or more lock openings positioned such that insertion of a lock member through the lock openings obstructs movement of one or more pin components into a hole disengaging or unlocked condition.
In another embodiment, insertion of a lock member through a lock opening in a lockout device prevents user movement of the locking pins from the hole engaging condition to the hole disengaging position.
To retain the spring members 730 within the body 720, a spring retainer 737, 737′ may be utilized, as shown in
Many different types of user manipulation may be utilized to move locking pins out of engagement with side wall holes of a switch assembly, and may consequently be blocked by the insertion of a lock member. In one embodiment, opposed levers may be pressed or squeezed to pivot inwardly oriented locking pins laterally outward and out of engagement with the side wall holes. A lock opening may be positioned such that insertion of a lock member through the lock opening prevents such user operation of the levers. In the embodiment of
While various inventive aspects, concepts and features of the inventions may be described and illustrated herein as embodied in combination in the exemplary embodiments, these various aspects, concepts and features may be used in many alternative embodiments, either individually or in various combinations and sub-combinations thereof. Unless expressly excluded herein all such combinations and sub-combinations are intended to be within the scope of the present inventions. Still further, while various alternative embodiments as to the various aspects, concepts and features of the inventions—such as alternative materials, structures, configurations, methods, circuits, devices and components, software, hardware, control logic, alternatives as to form, fit and function, and so on—may be described herein, such descriptions are not intended to be a complete or exhaustive list of available alternative embodiments, whether presently lnown or later developed. Those sldlled in the art may readily adopt one or more of the inventive aspects, concepts or features into additional embodiments and uses within the scope of the present inventions even if such embodiments are not expressly disclosed herein. Additionally, even though some features, concepts or aspects of the inventions may be described herein as being a preferred arrangement or method, such description is not intended to suggest that such feature is required or necessary unless expressly so stated. Still further, exemplary or representative values and ranges may be included to assist in understanding the present disclosure; however, such values and ranges are not to be construed in a limiting sense and are intended to be critical values or ranges only if so expressly stated. Moreover, while various aspects, features and concepts may be expressly identified herein as being inventive or forming part of an invention, such identification is not intended to be exclusive, but rather there may be inventive aspects, concepts and features that are fully described herein without being expressly identified as such or as part of a specific invention. Descriptions of exemplary methods or processes are not limited to inclusion of all steps as being required in all cases, nor is the order that the steps are presented to be construed as required or necessary unless expressly so stated.
This application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/856,493, entitled “SWITCH LOCKOUT DEVICE” and filed on Sep. 17, 2007, which claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 60/845,355, entitled “SWITCH LOCKOUT DEVICE” and filed Sep. 18, 2006, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference, to the extent that they are not conflicting with the present application.
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Number | Date | Country | |
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Child | 12396830 | US |