A) TECHNICAL FIELD

[0001] The present invention generally relates to switchgear applications, and particularly relate to miniature circuit breakers and residual current devices. The present invention more particularly relates to mechanical actuator for electrical contact system.

B) BACK GROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0002] Switch gears are the mechanical switching device citable of making, carrying and breaking currents under normal circuit conditions and also making, carrying for a specified time and breaking currents under specified abnormal circuit conditions.

[0003] hi the existing techniques, the modular devices (Miniature Circuit Breakers & Residual current Devices) are used to make and break the circuit under normal conditions. TI modular devices are also used to isolate the load from the supply during abnormal conditions The modular device in the existing technique includes a mechanism and a contact system. Further the mechanism mid the contact system are integrated in a single housing.

[0004] Further in the existing technique, the actuating mechanism is an
integral part of the housing due to which a considerable amount of time is taken for assembly. The actuating mechanism is not modular and the assembling phase is a complex process in the existing technique.

[0005] Thus there is a i»ed for a modular device for circuit break designed in such a way that the mechanism can be separated from the housing in which it is mounted.

[0006] The above mentioned shortcomings, disadvantages and problems are addressed herein and which will be understood by reading and studying the following specification.

C) OBJECT OF THE PRESENT INVENTION

[0007] The primary object of the present invention is to provide a modular device for circuit breakers.

[0008] Another object of the present invention is that the sub-assembly is placed in the housing of modular device.

[0009] Yet another object of the present invention is that the moving contact carrier rotates in anticlockwise direction which in turn causes the moving contact to come in contact with the fixed contact.

[0010] Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a modular device with a double coil torsion spring to provide the required contact pressure.

[0011 ] Yet another object of the present invention is that the rotation of knob is arrested due to the housing constraints and the contacts are held in a closed condition.

[0012] Yet another object of the present invention is that the sub assembly can be assembled with the housing using automation.

[0013] Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a modular device which permits the contacts to be open even when a knob is held in ON position.

[0014] Yet another object of the present invention is that the knob gets back to the OFF position due to the force exerted by the torsion springs when the knob is release from the ON position.

D) SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0015] The various embodiments of the present invention provide a modular mechanism for circuit breakers. The modular mechanism includes a sub assembly and housing. The modular mechanism is made the of the sub assembly and can be separated from the housing in which it is mounted. The modular mechanism operates based on the manual inputs provided by an operator.

[0016] According to one embodiment of the present invention, the sub assembly includes two or more base plates, a plurality of pins, a plurality of torsion springs, a trip pivot, a trip pivot re-setter, a moving contact, a moving contact carrier assembly connected to the moving contact, a double torsion spring, a knob and a U-pin. The knob rotates the moving contact carrier through the U-pin which in turn makes the moving contact to come in Contact with the fixed contact. The U-pin gets engaged with a slot in the trip plate which is constrained at certain position during the ON condition and OFF condition by the trip pivot and when the trip pivot is provided with a signal from a tripping device, the mechanism trips and isolates the moving contact and the fixed contact.

[0017] According to one embodiment of the present invention, the operator actuates the knob.

[0018] According to one embodiment of the present invention, the Sub-assembly is placed in the housing of Modular device.

[0019] According to one embodiment of the present invention, the moving contact carrier rotates in anticlockwise direction which in turn causes the moving contact to come in contact with the fixed contact.

[0020] According to one embodiment of the present invention, the double coil torsion spring provides the required contact pressure. The rotation of the knob is arrested due to the housing constraints and the contacts are held in a closed condition. The sub assembly is assembled with the housing using automation.

[0021] According to one embodiment of the present invention, the modular mechanism is given a trip signal. The trip pivot re-setter- is in cam contact with the knob at the top and with the trip pivot at the bottom.

[0022] According to one embodiment of the present invention, the Knob is held in the ON position and the Trip signal is given to the modular mechanism due to which the Trip plate rotates in the clockwise direction and the Moving Contact Carrier rotates in the clockwise direction making the contacts to open even when the Knob is held in ON position. The knob gets back to the OFF position due to the force exerted by the torsion springs when the knob is release from the ON position.

[0023] These and other objects and advantages of the present invention will become readily apparent from the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

E) BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0024] The other objects, features and advantages will occur to those skilled in the art from the following description of the preferred embodiment and the accompanying drawings in which:

[0025] FIG. 1 illustrates an exploded view of the modular mechanism for the circuit breakers, according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0026] FIG. 2 illustrates a front side perspective view of the modular mechanism for the circuit breakers, according to one embodiment of the present invention.
[0027] FIG. 3 illustrates the top side perspective view of the modular mechanism for the circuit breakers, according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0028] FIG. 4 illustrates the perspective view of the sub assembly placed in the
modular device, according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0029] FIG. 5 illustrates the perspective view of the mechanism sub assembly
placed in the modular device, according to another embodiment of the present
invention.

[0030] FIG. 6 illustrates the perspective view of the mechanism sub assembly placed in the modular device, according to yet another embodiment of the present invention.

[0031 ] Although the specific features of the present invention an shown in some drawings and not in others. This is done for convenience only as each feature may be combined with any or all of the other features in accordance with the present invention.

F) DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0032] In the following detailed description, a reference is made to the accompanying drawings that form a part hereof, and in which the specific embodiments that may be practiced is shown by way of illustration. These embodiments are described in sufficient detail to enable these skills in the art to practice the embodiments and it is to be understood that the logical, mechanical and other changes may be made without departing form the scope of the embodiments. The following detailed description is therefore not to be taken in a limiting sense.

[0033] The various embodiments of the present invention provide a modular mechanism for circuit breakers. The modular mechanism includes a sub assembly and a housing. The modular mechanism is made up of the sub assembly and can be separated from the housing m which it is mounted. The modular mechanism operates based on the manual inputs provided by an operator.

[0034] According to one embodiment of the present invention, the sub assembly includes two or more base plates, a plurality of pins, a plurality of torsion springs, a trip pivot, a trip pivot re-setter, a moving contact, a moving contact carrier assembly connected to the moving contact, a double torsion spring, a knob and a U-pin. The knob rotates the moving contact carrier through the U-pm which m turn makes the moving contact to come in contact with the fixed contect m the U-pin is already engaged in a slot in the trip plate and another slot in moving contact carrier. Trip plate is constrained at certain position during the ON condition mA OFF condition by the trip pivot. When the trip pivot is provided with a signal from a tripping device, the mechanism trips and isolates the moving contact and the fixed contact.

[0035] The trip pivot re-setter is in cam contact with the knob at the top and with the Trip pivot at the bottom; The modular mechanism is give a trip signal. As the Knob is held m the ON position, the trip signal given to the modular mechanism causes the trip plate to rotate in the clockwise direction and the moving contact carrier rotates in the clockwise direction making the contacts to open even when the Knob is held in ON position. The knob gets back to the OFF position due to the force exerted by the torsion springs when the knob is released from the ON position.
[0036] FIG. 1 illustrates an exploded view of the modular mechanism for the circuit breakers, according to one embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 illustrates a front side perspective view of the module mechanism»n for the circuit breakers made up of sub assembly, according to one embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 3 illustrates a top side perspective view of the modular mechanism for the circuit breakers made up of sub assembly, according to one embodiment of the present invention. While with respect to FIG.l, FIG.2, and FIG.3, the sub assembly includes two base plates, one or more pins, one or more torsion springs, a trip pivot re-setter 11, a trip plate 12, a moving contact carrier 13, a knob 14, a trip pivot 15, a moving contact 16, a double coil torsion spring 17 and a U-pin 18. The one or more base plates include a base plate 1 and a base plate 19. The one or more pins include a pin 2, a pin 3, a pin 4, a pin 5, and a pin 6. The one or more torsion springs include a torsion spring 7, a torsion ^ring 8, a torsion spring 9, and a torsion spring 10.

[0037] The sub assembly includes two base plates to which all other components are assembled. Further the knob 14 attached to &e Pin 2 rotates with respect to its axis and the Pin 2 is riveted to both the base plates at the ends. The knob 14 is connected to the torsion spring 7 and rotates in the anticlockwise direction when viewed from front.

[0038] The U-pin 18 is attached to the knob 14 and the other end of the U-pin 18 is engaged to the slot present in the moving contact carrier 13 and to the slot in the Trip plate 12. Further these trip plate 12 latches with the trip pivot 15 and is held in the same position during the normal ON & OFF condition.

[0039] The moving contact carrier 13 is attached to the pin 6 and rotates with respect to its axis. The pin 6 is riveted to base plates and the torsion ^ring 10 is connected to the moving contact carrier 13 to bring the torsion spring 10 back to its original position. The trip plate 12 is attached to the pin S and is free to rotate with respect to the axis. Further the pin 5 is riveted to the base plate 1 and the trip pivot 15 is attached to the pin 4. The trip pivot 15 attached to the pin 4 rotates with respect to the trip plate axis.

[0040] The pin 4 is riveted to the base plates. Further the torsion spring 9 is connected to trip pivot 15comes back to its original position after the trip has occurred. The trip pivot re-setter 11 rotates with respect to the axis of pin 3to which it is attached and the pin 3 is riveted to the base plates. There is a cam connection between the trip pivot re-setter 11 and the knob 14.

[0041 ] The torsion spring 8 is connected to the trip pivot re-setter 11 to rotate the trip pivot 15. The rotation of the trip pivot 15 in turn pushes the plunger of the permanent magnet release which pops out when residual current occurs. The moving contact 16 is attached to die moving contact carrier 13 and a double coil torsion spring 17 is attached to the moving contact carrier 13 to give contact pressure.

[0042] FIG. 4 illustrates the perspective view of the sub assembly placed in the modular device, according to one enbodiment of the present invention. FIG. 5 illustrates the perspective view of the mechanism sub assembly placed in the modular device, according to another embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 6 illustrates die perspective view of the mechanism sub assembly placed in the modular device, according to yet another embodiment of the present invasion. While with respect to FIG.4, FIG.5, and FIG.6, the sub-assembly is place in the housing of modular device 21.

[0043] A clockwise rotation is given to the knob 12 due to which the U-pin 18 slides into the slots that are present in the moving contact carrier 13 and the trip plate 12. Further since the trip plate 12 is constraint in the original Position, the trip pivot 15 and the moving contact carrier 13 is made to rotate m the anticlockwise direction due to which the moving contact 16 comes in contact with fixed contact 20 as shown innG.5.

[0044] The contact pressure is given by the double coil torsion ^ring 17 and the torsion spring 10 connected to the moving contact carrier 13 rotates in the clockwise direction. Further due to the rotation, a force is applied