FORM 2
THE PATENT ACT 1970
&
The Patents Rules, 2003
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION
(See section 10 and rule 13)
1. TITLE OF THE INVENTION:
"Enclosure for Molded Case Circuit Breaker"
2. APPLICANT:
(a) NAME: Larsen & Toubro Limited
(b) NATIONALITY; Indian Company registered under the
provisions of the Companies Act-1956.
(c) ADDRESS: LARSEN & TOUBRO LIMITED,
L&T House, Ballard Estate, P. O. Box: 278, Mumbai 400 001, India
3. PREAMBLE TO THE DESCRIPTION:
COMPLETE
The following specification particularly describes the invention and the manner in which it is to be performed.

Enclosure for Molded Case Circuit Breaker
Field of the invention
The present invention relates to electrical switches and more particularly, to a scalable enclosure for a modular device such as a molded case circuit breaker.
Background of the invention
The switchgear industry offers a wide range of modular devices to meet specific protection, control and signaling requirements. Generally, the front faces of various devices, if developed in isolation by same or different manufacturers are not in line with primary protection devices. Thus, upon mounting of such devices in a distribution box the appearance seems as if belonging to different modular devices.
Different accessories such as dimmer, twilight switches, indicators, bells, buzzers and the like are independent of mechanism and mostly attached to the distribution box along with primary protective switchgears. Generally, a profile of each of these accessories is noticed to be different. The disadvantages caused by the varied profile are:
1. Different types of moulds needs to be made for each of the devices.
2. The appearance of the complete arrangement of the devices in the distribution box will not be uniform. Hence, the appearance seems not belonging to the same product family.
Most of the devices are mechanism independent, as they are mostly used for controlling application, taking inputs, displaying various output signals and the like. Hence, use of variety of moulds for devices whose market demand is low becomes a costly affair.

Accordingly, there is a need for an enclosure for modular devices that gives a common family look to a number of products with a minimum cost.
Objects of the invention
An object of the present invention is to provide a uniform appearance for a complete product range at lowest development and manufacturing cost.
Another object of the present invention is to provide variety of click fit top covers depending on the product requirement.
Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a modular din-clip whose position depends on a width of the product.
Still another object of the present invention is to provide a single cover capable of fitting on either side of a housing.
Further object of the present invention is to increase flexibility to adopt any future electronic or non electronic components/assembly.
Summary of the invention
Accordingly, the present invention provides an enclosure for a modular device such as a molded case circuit breaker. The enclosure comprises a housing, a pair of side covers, a top cover, a terminal arrangement and a din-clip assembly. The housing includes a first profile and a plurality of grooves configured on a bottom surface thereof. The housing is made by cutting of an extruded long component. The pair of side covers is adapted for fitting on both sides of the housing. The housing and the pair of side covers are fitted by a riveting process. The top cover is adapted for fitting over the housing. The top cover is configured with a click fit arrangement for firm fitting with the pair of side covers. The terminal

arrangement includes a plurality of slots for external connections to terminals. The plurality of slots for external connections to the terminals is made by a hot punching process.
The din-clip assembly comprises a din-clip, a holder and a spring. The holder includes a second profile configured therein for proper insertion into the plurality of grooves of the housing. The enclosure is adaptably designed so as to modify in width for any application as per a customer requirement and provides uniform appearance for a complete product range.
Brief description of the drawings
Other features as well as the advantages of the invention will be clear from the following description. In the appended drawings:
Figure 1 shows a side perspective view of a housing of an enclosure for a molded case circuit breaker, in accordance with the present invention;
Figure 2 is a bottom view of the housing of figure 1 showing a plurality of grooves for mounting a din-clip;
Figure 3 shows a perspective view of a cutting process of the housing, in accordance with the present invention;
Figure 4 shows a front view of a side cover, in accordance with the present invention;
Figure 5 shows a perspective view of a process for inserting rivets, in accordance with the present invention;

Figure 6 shows a perspective view of a top cover showing a click fit arrangement, in accordance with the present invention;
Figure 7 shows a perspective view of a plurality of slots for external connections to terminals, in accordance with the present invention;
Figure 8 shows a perspective view of a din-clip assembly, in accordance with the present invention; and
Figure 9 shows a perspective view of a complete assembly of modular enclosure, in accordance with the present invention.
Detailed description of the invention
The foregoing objects of the present invention are accomplished and the problems and shortcomings associated with the prior art, techniques and approaches are overcome by the present invention as described below in the preferred embodiments.
The present invention provides an enclosure for a modular device for example, a molded case circuit breaker. The enclosure of the present invention is useful for the modular devices that are mechanism dependant as well as having no mechanism like dimmer, twilight switches, indicators, bells, buzzers and the like. The profile of the enclosure is chosen to match the primary modular devices, hence giving a uniform appearance.
The present invention is illustrated with reference to the accompanying drawings, throughout which reference numbers indicate corresponding parts in the various figures. These reference numbers are shown in bracket in the following description.

Referring to figures 1-9, an enclosure (100) for a modular device for example a molded case circuit breaker, in accordance with the present invention is shown. The enclosure (100) comprises a housing (10), a pair of side covers (20), a top cover (30), a terminal arrangement (40) and a din-clip assembly (50).
The housing (10) comprises a first profile (4) and a plurality of grooves (8). The plurality of grooves (8) are configured on a bottom surface (not numbered) of the housing (10) and adapted for mounting the din-clip assembly (50) thereon. In an embodiment, the housing (10) is an extrusion housing made by a cutting process. The extruded housing is made by the cutting of an extruded long component through a special cutting fixture as shown in figure 3. The standard size of the modular device for example 1 module, 2 module, 4 module and the like are obtained from the appropriate cutting of the housing (10). Depending on the application and requirement of a customer, the number of modules and the profile (4) is cut to a desired width. The first profile (4) is in line with the modular device. In an embodiment, a continuous profile for inserting a rivet is provided.
The pair of side covers (20) fits on both sides of the housing (10) after the housing (10) is cut according to the requirement. For proper fitment of the housing (10) and the pair of side covers (20), a riveting process is carried out using standard rivets (not numbered) as shown in figure 5.
The top cover (30) is fitted over the housing (10). The top cover (10) includes a click fit arrangement (25) configured therein for firm fitting with the pair of side covers (20). The top cover (30) is manufactured according to the product requirement.
The terminal arrangement (40) includes a plurality of slots (35) for external connections to terminals (not shown). The size and number of terminals is decided by the customer and according to the application. The plurality of slots

(35) for external connections to the terminals is made by a hot punching process as shown in figure 7. The hot punching process saves the moulding cost for low volume products.
The din-clip assembly (50) includes a din-clip (42), a holder (46) and a spring (48). The holder (46) includes a second profile (44) configured therein for proper insertion into the plurality of grooves (8) of the housing (10). The holder (46) is mounted on the plurality of grooves (8) provided on the bottom surface of the housing (10) at any location as per user preference. The din-clip (42) is mounted on the holder (46) and loaded with the spring (48). This arrangement provides proper mounting of the modular device on a din-rail (not shown) inside a distribution box (not shown). The spring (48) has two positions, a compressed position and an expanded position. When the spring (48) is in the compressed position, the din-clip (42) is inserted in the din-rail and the din-clip (42) is pushed in to fit the modular device thus expanding the spring (48).
In an embodiment, depending on the requirement any number of din-clips (42) can be attached to the housing (10) and thereafter other parts are assembled. Large variety of different products is made from the single extruded part. The complete assembly of the enclosure (100) for 1 module is shown in figure 9. In an embodiment, the enclosure (100) is adaptably designed so as to modify in width for any application as per the customer requirement and modularity is available for most of the parts.
Advantages of the invention
1. The enclosure (100) provides the uniform appearance for the complete product range at lowest development and manufacturing cost.
2. The enclosure (100) provides variety of click fit top covers (30) depending on the product requirement.

3. Special modular din-clip (42) is positioned anywhere depending on the width of the modular device.
4. The housing (10) saves the cost of using different moulds. The pair of side covers (20) and the din-clip (42) remains common for all types of products.
5. The enclosure (100) increases flexibility to adopt any future electronic or non electronic components / assembly.
The foregoing descriptions of specific embodiments of the present invention have been presented for purposes of illustration and description. They are not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the present invention to the precise forms disclosed, and obviously many modifications and variations are possible in light of the above teaching. The embodiments were chosen and described in order to best explain the principles of the present invention and its practical application, and to thereby enable others skilled in the art to best utilize the present invention and various embodiments with various modifications as are suited to the particular use contemplated. It is understood that various omissions and substitutions of equivalents are contemplated as circumstances may suggest or render expedient, but such omissions and substitutions are intended to cover the application or implementation without departing from the spirit or scope of the claims of the present invention.

We Claim:
1. An enclosure (100) for a modular device such as a molded case circuit breaker, the enclosure (100) comprising:
a housing (10) having a first profile (4) and a plurality of grooves (8) configured on a bottom surface thereof;
a pair of side covers (20) adapted for fitting on both sides of the housing (10);
a top cover (30) adapted for fitting over the housing (10), the top cover (30) configured with a click fit arrangement (25) for firm fitting with the pair of side covers (20);
a terminal arrangement (40) having a plurality of slots (35) for external connections to terminals; and
a din-clip assembly (50) having a din-clip (42), a holder (46) and a spring (46), the holder (46) having a second profile (44) configured therein for proper insertion into the plurality of grooves (8) of the housing (10),
wherein, the enclosure (100) is adaptably designed so as to modify in width for any application as per a customer requirement and provides uniform appearance for a complete product range.
2. The enclosure (100) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the housing (10) is an extrusion housing made by a cutting of an extruded long component.
3. The enclosure (100) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the housing (10) and the pair of side covers (20) are fitted by a riveting process.
4. The enclosure (100) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the plurality of slots (35) for external connections to the terminals is made by a hot punching process.