Claims:1. A conductor [11, 17] for a multi-pole circuit breaker, said conductor [11, 17] being a unitary current carrying component, said conductor [11, 17] comprising:
a substantially flat horizontal portion [12, 18], said horizontal portion [12, 18] being the proximal end of the conductor [11, 17]; and
an elongate vertical portion [14, 19], said vertical portion [14, 19] being the distal end of the conductor [11, 17];
wherein said vertical portion [14, 19] is formed by twisting said horizontal portion [12, 18] away from center line [20] by about 90º to form offset in said twist to achieve horizontal to vertical orientation of the conductor.

2. A multi-pole circuit breaker comprising:
a housing [26];
a fixed terminal assembly [27] operably connected to the housing [26], said fixed terminal assembly [27] comprising:
a plurality of unitary current carrying conductors [11] mounted in mirror image orientation to each other, said pair of conductors [11] being separated by a metallic block [15];
wherein said metallic block [15] is sandwiched between first and second conductors [11], said second conductor is mounted over the metallic block [15] in reverse direction to the first conductor [11] in mirror image orientation;
said conductor [11] comprising a horizontal portion [12] and a vertical portion [14], said vertical portion [14] being formed by twisting said horizontal portion [12] away from center line [20] by about 90º to form offset in said twist to achieve horizontal to vertical orientation of the conductor;
a moving terminal assembly [28] operably connected to the housing [26] by a plurality of metallic wire strands [24], said moving terminal assembly [28] comprising:
a plurality of unitary current carrying conductors [17] mounted in mirror image orientation to each other, said pair of conductors [17] being separated by a metallic block [25];
wherein said metallic block [25] is sandwiched between first and second conductors [17], said second conductor is mounted over the metallic block [25] in reverse direction to the first conductor [17] in mirror image orientation;
said conductor [17] comprising a horizontal portion [18] and a vertical portion [19], said vertical portion [19] being formed by twisting said horizontal portion [18] away from center line [20] by about 90º to form offset in said twist to achieve horizontal to vertical orientation of the conductor;
wherein other end of said metallic strand [24] comprises a metallic contact [23] having a metallic contact button [22] mounted therein; and
wherein said metallic block [25] is connected to said metallic contact button [22] mounted on the metallic wire strands [24].

3. The circuit breaker as claimed in claim 2, wherein, the fixed terminal assembly [27] is connected towards upper end of the housing [26].

4. The circuit breaker as claimed in claim 2, wherein, the moving terminal assembly [28] is connected towards lower end of the housing [26].

5. The circuit breaker as claimed in claim 2, wherein said metallic block [15] comprises a metallic contact strip [16] fixed thereon to allow equal current sharing between two vertical limbs of links [11].

6. The circuit breaker as claimed in claim 2, wherein, the metallic contact [22] is connected to the metallic strip [16] mounted on the fixed terminal assembly [27] to complete the circuit and carry current under normal operating conditions.

7. The circuit breaker as claimed in claim 1, wherein vertical portion [14, 19] of said current carrying conductor [11, 17] protrude from rear end of the housing [26] to be inserted inside jaws when the circuit breaker is in operational state.

8. The circuit breaker as claimed in claim 1, wherein horizontal portion [12, 18] of said current carrying conductor [11, 17] is operably connected to the housing [26].
, Description:FIELD OF THE INVENTION

[001] The subject matter of the present invention, in general, relates to current carrying components of protection devices and more particularly, pertains to a conductor for multi-pole circuit breakers.

BACKGROUND OF INVENTION

[002] Electrical transmission and distribution systems employ a circuit breaker, which is an automatically operated electrical switch, to protect an electrical circuit from damage caused by overcurrent, typically resulting from an overload or short circuit.

[003] The circuit breaker is a switching device designed to make, carry and break the circuit. The main contact system or current path of the circuit breaker involves a moving terminal and a fixed terminal. Mechanism is the part of the circuit breaker that is used for driving power contact system of the circuit breaker to close and open. Energy stored in the mechanism by means of springs is utilized to join the moving terminal with the fixed terminal to thereby close the circuit. Under normal operating conditions i.e. in electrical current carrying state; the circuit remains closed. The aforementioned mechanism is also associated with tripping linkages to open the circuit. Opening of circuit is achieved by separation of attached fixed and moving contacts to form air space (air as a dielectric medium). Notably, opening of a circuit can be intentional, as performed by an operator or automatic, during abnormal electrical conditions such as overload, under voltage or short circuit.

[004] The moving terminal and fixed terminal carry maximum up to rated operational current for which it is designed; during normal operating conditions. During operation of the switching device, heat will be generated due to the inherent (I2R) conduction losses. The cross section of the terminals limit the temperature rise in switching device and are not limited to the circuit breaker alone.

[005] These terminals are metallic terminals and generally made up from complex or specialized manufacturing processes like hot forging or extrusion. Manufacturing cost of such terminals is generally high due to specialized manufacturing processes like hot forging or extrusion.

[006] The drawbacks associated with the existing technology is that the design of the moving and fixed terminals use complex profiles, and require additional components to be connected to these terminals to convert them into vertical profile for insertion of spring loaded electrical contacts or cradle jaws. This increases the overall length of the current path thereby resulting in higher resistance and generation of higher energy losses. They also increase the overall depth of the switching devices making them bulky and unwieldy. Moreover, the excess number of joints in the prior art leads to increased voltage drop across the circuit breaker’s current path.

[007] For some existing technology in this field, reference is made to US Application Number 20140127955 A1, wherein an electrical connecting element is disclosed. This electrical connecting element connects two spatial points that uses comparatively less conductor material and capable of being produced comparatively inexpensively. This electrical connecting element includes an integral, electrically conductive profile body having at least two deformation regions which are arranged successively in the longitudinal direction and in which the profile body is deformed differently. The electrical connecting element of this document finds application in bus-bar. This electrical connecting element has a single twist in the centre as it is twisted around its center line and has multiple bends.

[008] Reference is made to Indian Patent Application Number 201621010717, wherein a conductor of a circuit breaker is disclosed. This single component for conversion from horizontal to vertical orientation in a circuit breaker eliminates the use of specialized fixing components like nut plate, high-tensile bolts and washers and extra unnecessary material. The conductor has a horizontal and a vertical portion with the vertical portion being formed by twisting the horizontal portion through the center line to achieve conversion from horizontal to vertical orientation in the circuit breaker to connect to the conducting jaws.

[009] The conductors of the prior art specify use of only one link twisted in top and bottom terminal, are limited to twisting at centre through the center line, and may or may not have multiple bends. These existing moving terminal designs and their manufacturing process has following associated limitations or disadvantages:
1. Large material consumption;
2. Excess number of components and joins associated with them;
3. Larger current path length offers higher resistance while the joints increase the voltage drop across terminals thereby leading to higher energy losses;
4. Specialized manufacturing process like extrusion process or hot forging process;
5. Higher material and manufacturing cost; and
6. Need of external component to provide more than 1 stack of jaws joining arrangement with terminals.

[0010] Accordingly, there is a need for a conductor profile with enhanced thermal efficiency for multipole circuit breakers that is simple, requires lesser number of bends, does away with the complex profiles and eliminates the requirement of additional components to be connected to the terminals to convert them into vertical profile for insertion of spring loaded electrical contacts to reduce the voltage drop across the circuit breaker’s current path.

[0011] The above-described need for eliminating the complex profiles and additional components to be connected to the terminals is merely intended to provide an overview of some of the shortcomings of conventional systems / mechanism / techniques, and is not intended to be exhaustive. Other problems/ shortcomings with conventional systems/mechanism/techniques and corresponding benefits of the various non-limiting embodiments described herein may become further apparent upon review of the following description.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0012] The following presents a simplified summary of the invention in order to provide a basic understanding of some aspects of the invention. This summary is not an extensive overview of the present invention. It is not intended to identify the key/critical elements of the invention or to delineate the scope of the invention. Its sole purpose is to present some concept of the invention in a simplified form as a prelude to a more detailed description of the invention presented later.

[0013] An object of the present invention is to provide a conductor assembly with enhanced thermal efficiency for multipole circuit breakers.

[0014] Another object of the present invention is to provide a conductor assembly with parallel current paths to enhance the current carrying capacity of the switchgear.

[0015] Yet another object of the present invention is to simplify the structure of current carrying components to limit rise in temperature and heat losses when applying current through the conductor under normal conditions.

[0016] Yet another object of the present invention is to minimize the voltage drop across the terminals of the circuit breaker to ensure higher current carrying capacity.

[0017] Yet another object of the present invention is to simplify the manufacturing process like sheet metal process for manufacturing moving terminals of the circuit breaker while still achieving variable thickness at different surfaces of said moving terminal.

[0018] According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a conductor for a multi-pole circuit breaker, said conductor being a unitary current carrying component, said conductor comprising: a substantially flat horizontal portion, said horizontal portion being the proximal end of the conductor; and an elongate vertical portion, said vertical portion being the distal end of the conductor; wherein said vertical portion is formed by twisting said horizontal portion away from center line by about 90º to form offset in said twist to achieve horizontal to vertical orientation of the conductor.

[0019] According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided a multi-pole circuit breaker, said circuit breaker comprising housing; a fixed terminal assembly operably connected to the housing, and a moving terminal assembly operably connected to the housing by a plurality of metallic wire strands. The fixed terminal assembly comprising: a plurality of unitary current carrying conductors mounted in mirror image orientation to each other, said pair of conductors being separated by a metallic block; wherein said metallic block is sandwiched between first and second conductors, said second conductor is mounted over the metallic block in reverse direction to the first conductor in mirror image orientation; said conductor comprising a horizontal portion and a vertical portion, said vertical portion being formed by twisting said horizontal portion away from center line by about 90º to form offset in said twist to achieve horizontal to vertical orientation of the conductor. The moving terminal assembly comprising: a plurality of unitary current carrying conductors mounted in mirror image orientation to each other, said pair of conductors being separated by a metallic block; wherein said metallic block is sandwiched between first and second conductors, said second conductor is mounted over the metallic block in reverse direction to the first conductor in mirror image orientation; said conductor comprising a horizontal portion and a vertical portion, said vertical portion being formed by twisting said horizontal portion [18] away from center line by about 90º to form offset in said twist to achieve horizontal to vertical orientation of the conductor; wherein other end of said metallic strand comprises a metallic contact having a metallic contact button mounted therein; and wherein said metallic block is connected to said metallic contact button mounted on the metallic wire strands.

[0020] In a possible implementation of the circuit breaker according to the second aspect, the fixed terminal assembly is connected towards upper end of the housing while the moving terminal assembly is connected towards lower end of the housing.

[0021] In another possible implementation of the circuit breaker according to the second aspect, the metallic block comprises a metallic contact strip fixed thereon to allow equal current sharing between two vertical limbs of links.

[0022] In yet another possible implementation of the circuit breaker according to the second aspect, the metallic contact is connected to the metallic strip mounted on the fixed terminal assembly to complete the circuit and carry current under normal operating conditions.

[0023] In yet another possible implementation of the circuit breaker according to the second aspect, the vertical portion of said current carrying conductor protrudes from rear end of the housing to be inserted inside jaws when the circuit breaker is in operational state while the horizontal portion of said current carrying conductor is operably connected to the housing.

[0024] Other aspects, advantages, and salient features of the invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art from the following detailed description, which, taken in conjunction with the annexed drawings, discloses exemplary embodiments of the invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE ACCOMPANYING DRAWINGS

[0025] The above and other aspects, features, and advantages of certain exemplary embodiments of the present invention will be more apparent from the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which:

[0026] Figure 1 illustrates the transverse or twisted conductor for multi-pole circuit breakers according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

[0027] Figure 2 illustrates the connection of the top terminal assembly comprising two conductor connected to idle metallic block according to an implementation of the first embodiment of the present invention.

[0028] Figure 3 illustrates the bottom terminal assembly of the conductor according to the present invention.

[0029] Figure 4 illustrates the dotted line as center line or axis around which the conductor is generally twisted according to one implementation of an embodiment of the present invention.

[0030] Figure 5A illustrates the side view of bottom terminal assembly of the multipole circuit breaker according to another implementation of the first embodiment of the present invention.

[0031] Figure 5B illustrates the isometric view of bottom terminal assembly of the multipole circuit breaker according to another implementation of the first embodiment of the present invention.

[0032] Figure 6A illustrates the rear view assembly of the top terminal assembly of the multipole circuit breaker according to another implementation of the first embodiment of the present invention.

[0033] Figure 6B illustrates the projected cross sectional view of the rear view assembly of the top terminal assembly of the multipole circuit breaker according to the present invention.

[0034] Persons skilled in the art will appreciate that elements in the figures are illustrated for simplicity and clarity and may have not been drawn to scale. For example, the dimensions of some of the elements in the figure may be exaggerated relative to other elements to help to improve understanding of various exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure. Throughout the drawings, it should be noted that like reference numbers are used to depict the same or similar elements, features, and structures.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PRESENT INVENTION

[0035] The following description with reference to the accompanying drawings is provided to assist in a comprehensive understanding of exemplary embodiments of the invention. It includes various specific details to assist in that understanding but these are to be regarded as merely exemplary.

[0036] Accordingly, those of ordinary skill in the art will recognize that various changes and modifications of the embodiments described herein can be made without departing from the scope of the invention. In addition, descriptions of well-known functions and constructions are omitted for clarity and conciseness.

[0037] The terms and words used in the following description and claims are not limited to the bibliographical meanings, but, are merely used by the inventor to enable a clear and consistent understanding of the invention. Accordingly, it should be apparent to those skilled in the art that the following description of exemplary embodiments of the present invention are provided for illustration purpose only and not for the purpose of limiting the invention as defined by the appended claims and their equivalents.

[0038] It is to be understood that the singular forms “a”, “an”, and “the” include plural referents unless the context clearly dictates otherwise.

[0039] By the term “substantially” it is meant that the recited characteristic, parameter, or value need not be achieved exactly, but that deviations or variations, including for example, tolerances, measurement error, measurement accuracy limitations and other factors known to those of skill in the art, may occur in amounts that do not preclude the effect the characteristic was intended to provide.

[0040] Features that are described and/or illustrated with respect to one embodiment may be used in the same way or in a similar way in one or more other embodiments and/or in combination with or instead of the features of the other embodiments.

[0041] It should be emphasized that the term “comprises/comprising” when used in this specification is taken to specify the presence of stated features, integers, steps or component but does not preclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, integers, steps, components or groups thereof.

[0042] The present invention lies in providing a plurality of parallel current paths that reduce overall length and depth of a multipole circuit breaker. The multiple parallel current paths in breaker terminals and in spring loaded electrical contacts i.e. jaws provide higher short time withstand and rated short circuit breaking capacity of switchgear under electrical fault conditions. Thus, a conductor assembly with enhanced thermal efficiency for multipole circuit breakers is disclosed.

[0043] An electrical switching apparatus like multipole circuit breaker [Figure 6A] comprises a fixed terminal and a moving terminal for each electrical phase. Generally, one terminal is fixed [Figure 2] while the other is moving or rotating [Figure 5A & 5B]. The moving terminal when connected to fixed terminal completes the circuit and current conduction takes place.

[0044] The present invention eliminates the requirement of additional profiles, that are a necessity in the prior art, of breaker adaptor to be mounted on rear surfaces of top and bottom terminal. These additional profiles were required to accommodate insertion inside jaws. By eliminating this joint, current path length. l/A ratio of current path reduce which in turn enhances the current carrying capacity of the conductors of the circuit breaker. Offset twisting facilitates use of a plurality of vertical limbs and additional number jaws can be mounted in current path, thereby reducing the length and reducing the voltage drop across terminals. The low l/A ratio enhances the current carrying capacity, helps in lowering heat losses and facilitates additional current carrying capacity through same structure. The fixed and moving terminals can be deployed in (width-wise) varying frame sizes in a range of switchgear like air circuit breaker with increase in current carrying capacity for that frame size when compared to prior art.

[0045] In the present invention, a terminal assembly mounted on upper half of a housing [26] will hereinafter be referred to as top terminal assembly [27]. This top terminal assembly [27] is fixed and attached or connected to the circuit breaker housing [26] by means of suitable hardware. Another terminal assembly mounted on lower half of the circuit breaker housing [26] is a rotatory assembly connected with a plurality of metallic wire strands [24] and will hereinafter be referred to as moving terminal assembly or bottom terminal assembly [28]. A plurality of metallic strands [24] connected to this moving terminal assembly [28] carry metallic contacts [23] on other end on which metallic small contact buttons [22] are mounted. These small metallic contacts [22] gets connected with metallic strip [16] mounted on top terminal assembly [27] to complete the circuit & carry current under normal operating conditions. The mechanism assembly of the multipole circuit breaker is made up of mechanical linkages that drive the moving terminal [28] to close or to open (trip) to make or break electrical circuit.

[0046] The top/fixed terminal assembly [27] consists of more than one metallic (current carrying) links [11] as illustrated in Figure 1, mounted in mirror image orientation with each other, as illustrated in Figure 2, and separated by metallic block [15] (can be referred to as spacer).

[0047] In particular, Figure 1 illustrates the profile of an individual metallic conductor (hereinafter referred to as link) [11]. One end of this link [11] has is a flat horizontal [12] surface while the other surface [14] is at a right angle to horizontal [12] surface. The link is not twisted around its center line but away from central line or axis. Such links [11] are joined in reverse fashion to form top terminal assembly [27] as illustrated in Figure 2. In particular, it illustrates that the top terminal assembly [27] is made up of two same links connected to idle metallic block [15] in reverse fashion (mirror image style) from upper and lower surface of middle block [15]. A contact strip [16] that is attached to the middle spacer block [15] is made from metal.

[0048] The top terminal consists of a metallic link [11] mounted on base of housing chamber generally in upper half. This metallic link [11] is a flat horizontal link [12] inside housing [26] and its other rear end is made vertical [14] using die-punch or conventional operation. However, the vertical end [14] of the link [11] is made offset from link’s center as illustrated in Figure 4.

[0049] As illustrated in Figure 2, the metallic spacer block [15] is mounted on one link [11] and on which another metallic link [11] of same design as that of bottom most link is mounted in reverse fashion i.e. both links separated by the metallic block [15], to appear as mirror images of each other. With such assembly two vertical limbs [14] one from each link [11] protrude outside rear end of housing chamber [11] as illustrated in Figures 6A and 6B. The metallic contact strip [16] is fixed on to middle placed metallic block [15] so that it allows equal current sharing between two vertical limbs of links [11]. The entire top terminal assembly [27] is attached with each other and with the housing [26] through conventional means i.e. using suitable hardware or any other means.

[0050] A plurality of vertical limbs [16] facilitates arrangement of more than one stacks of spring loaded electrical contacts i.e. jaws [not shown] on cradle side. Vertical limbs [14] insert inside jaws to form contact or to complete circuit in Service or connected position of switchgear. More than 2 such top terminal links [11] can be accommodated in the disclosed embodiments to form plurality of current carrying parallel paths which enhance current carrying capacity of the switchgear apparatus. The offset in twist, as illustrated in Figure 4 is achieved through twisting operation or die-punch operation. This offset facilitates to form the requisite gap as illustrated in Figure 2 between two or plurality of vertical limbs [16]. This helps in accommodating width of jaws when links are inserted inside jaws.

[0051] The central axial twisting (through center axis of width of terminal) allows vertical limb to get formed in width-wise center of terminal. This prohibits from using plurality of terminal links. Therefore, the prior art suffers a limitation in its current carrying capacity to certain extent. The present invention uses employs a plurality of offset twist links, as illustrated in Figure 1 and Figure 3 that increases the current carrying capacity of the conductor multi-fold times depending on number of links used in structure.

[0052] Twisting [21] around central axis results in only one vertical limb being formed, as disclosed in prior art while a plurality of vertical limbs is formed by the present invention thereby resulting in a large number of jaws being placed on the cradle side. The number of parallel current paths, as illustrated in Figure 2 and Figure 5B help in increasing current carrying capacity of system. Elimination of joints help in reduction in voltage drop across terminals & reduced length helps in low l/A ratio to have low resistance in current path. The vertical limbs of the terminals help in better convection and allows for effective circulation of hot air thereby minimizing the heat losses.

[0053] Similarly, the bottom terminal assembly [28] is made from reversely joined links [17] separated by middle metallic block [25]. This metallic block [25] provides anchor for metallic wire strands [24] plurality in number. Figure 3 illustrates one of the metallic links [17] used in the bottom terminal assembly [28] while Figure 5 illustrates the entire bottom terminal assembly [28].

[0054] This metallic link [17] is a flat horizontal link [18] mounted in lower half of the housing [26] and its other rear end is made vertical [19] using die-punch or conventional operation. However, the vertical end [19] of the link [17] is made offset from link’s center. Plurality of such links can be used and are connected in reverse fashion around middle metallic spacer or block. This link [17] has a structure similar to that of link 11 of the top terminal, however, its flat length [18] inside the housing may be different when compared to link [11]. This metallic link [17] can have different mounting arrangements when compared to the top terminal link [11].

[0055] A plurality of links [17] and middle block [15] together form the bottom terminal assembly that is operated as rotatory or moving contact. Metallic braids are connected on said middle block [15]. With the aid of these metallic braids, the moving bottom terminal assembly is connected with top terminal assembly to for closed circuit path.

[0056] The moving terminal assembly [28] has similar construction as that of top terminal assembly [27]. One of link [17] is mounted on housing chamber [26] generally in lower half. Metallic black [25] is placed on the link [17]. This metallic block [25] provides fixing for plurality of metal wire strands [24] on which small contact buttons [22] are connected or attached. Another same link [17] is mounted or attached on top of metallic block [25] in reverse fashion or upside down. Thus, the assembly as illustrated in Figure 4 give the appearance that the metallic block [25] is sandwiched in between to metallic links [17] that are joined to that block [25] from top and bottom surface as mirror images of each other.

[0057] The entire moving assembly [28] is fixed or attached to the housing [26] such that links’ vertical ends protrude outside rear end of housing, as illustrated in Figures 6A and 6B. The vertical ends [19] are separated with a certain distance as illustrated in Figures 5A and 5B, and achieved by offset twisting as illustrated in Figure 4 of offset vertical profile formation using die-punch manufacturing process. Similar to the top terminal assembly [27], the bottom place moving terminal assembly [28] also facilitates accommodation of plurality of vertical stacks of jaws to provide enhanced current carrying capacity.

[0058] In particular, Figure 4 illustrates the dotted line as center line [20] around which generally links are twisted w.r.t to the link [11] of the present invention. In particular, the offset length or line of twisting [21] of the link [17]. This dotted center line [20] can be considered as center axis (width-wise). But twisting [21] takes place away from center line [20] to form offset in twist. This enables accommodation of a plurality of links [17], as illustrated in Figures 2 and 5, inside same cavity of housing chamber [26] or inside one electric phase in electrical apparatus.

[0059] Twisting [21] eliminates the need of a joint to convert the horizontal terminal into vertical orientation. Thus, voltage drop across the current path reduces under normal operating conditions and higher current carrying capacity through same terminals is achieved. Length/Cross sectional area (l/A) ratio remains least in this design on account of the reduced length thereby minimizing temperature rise and heat losses. The offset in twist allows mounting of a plurality of terminals [11, 17] that provide excess cross sectional area to carry higher current. These twisted terminals [11, 17] form both top fixed terminals [27] and bottom moving terminals [28] of the multi-pole circuit breaker. The offset in twisted or transverse profiles from its width-wise central axis facilitates insertion of vertical limbs in plurality of cradle jaw stacks to enhance current carrying capacity. In prior art, axial twists could provide only one vertical limb of terminal protruding outside rear side of housing chamber thereby limiting the current carrying capacity of the conductor.

[0060] Figure 5A illustrates the side view of bottom terminal assembly [28] comprising two of the same transverse links [17] connected on two sides of metallic block [25]. This metallic block [25] allows fixing of a plurality of metallic flexible wire strands or braids [24]. Figure 5B illustrates the isometric view of bottom terminal assembly [28] to illustrate the orientation and separation between parallel vertical limbs. Significantly, these vertical limbs are inserted into jaws (not shown) to complete the electrical circuit.
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[0061] Figure 6 illustrates the top [27] and bottom terminal assemblies [28] inside multipole circuit breaker and illustrates the rear and side view of entire current path inside housing. Figure 6A illustrates the rear view of the orientation or assembly of the top terminal [27] and moving terminal [28] inside the housing chamber of multipole circuit breaker. The vertical limbs (i.e., links [17]) or parallel current paths in all phases protrude outside rear side of housing. These links [17] get inserted inside jaws [not shown] when circuit breaker is in operational state i.e. in Service or Connected position. Figure 6B illustrates the projected cross sectional view of Figure 6A for better illustration of assembly.

[0062] The present invention is concerned with a circuit breaker’s moving [28] and fixed terminal assembly [27]. The non center axial [20] twisting or bending of the current carrying conductor facilitates the use of same components, i.e., link [11] twice in top terminal [27] and link [17] twice in the bottom terminal [28] more than once in a circuit breaker assembly. When connected in mirror image fashion, these terminals [11, 17] provide excess current carrying capacity in smaller depth and length. Links [11, 17] connected in reverse fashion share equal current under normal operating condition. The use of same links twice and mirror image orientation eliminates the need for additional components, that were available in abundance in the prior art, and provides a plurality of parallel current paths to improve current carrying capacity. A plurality of spring loaded electrical contacts can be connected to these terminals to accommodate the entire assembly with least possible depth. The integration of terminals and adaptor (component) required to convert current path into vertical arrangement helps in current path length and depth reduction. Ratio l/A increases to lower resistance in current path.

[0063] Some of the non-limiting advantages of the present invention are mentioned hereinbelow:
1. It ensures least rise in the temperature of the current-carrying conductor and in the vicinity of said contacts when rated current is conducted through them under normal conditions;
2. It reduces the length of the current-carrying conductor and consequently the length of the circuit breaker to limit the temperature rise or heat losses.
3. It simplifies the manufacturing process of the current-carrying conductor;
4. It optimizes the material content of metal used for manufacturing the current carrying conductors;
5. It employs lesser number of components thereby improving the overall efficiency of the switchgear;
6. Conventional manufacturing processes like die-punch, twisting and bending reduce the costs of the components, thereby making the circuit breaker economical and optimizes metal consumption;
7. Convection of heat from the multi-pole circuit breaker stands is improved as parallel current paths aid in circulation of air;
8. It provides higher short time withstand and rated short circuit breaking capacity of switchgear under electrical fault conditions; and
9. Elimination of joining hardware helps in avoiding eddy current losses.

[0064] Although a simple, economic and compact conductor for fixed and moving terminals of a circuit breaker that reduces the overall length and depth of the multipole circuit breaker has been described in language specific to structural features and/or methods as indicated, it is to be understood that the embodiments disclosed in the above section are not necessarily limited to the specific features or components or devices or methods described therein. Rather, the specific features are disclosed as examples of implementations of a conductor for use in multi-pole circuit breakers.