US 7,557,682 B2
Inertial solenoid delay for the opening of medium voltage circuit breakers
Anthony Thomas Ricciuti, Bethel Park, Pa. (US); Mark Allan Juds, New Berlin, Wis. (US); John Joseph Hoegle, Beaver, Pa. (US); Thomas Kenneth Fogle, Pittsburgh, Pa. (US); Robert Nicklos Krevokuch, West Newton, Pa. (US); Russel William Long, Pittsburgh, Pa. (US); and Daniel Evan Palmieri, Aliquippa, Pa. (US)
Assigned to Eaton Corporation, Cleveland, Ohio (US)
Filed on Dec. 01, 2006, as Appl. No. 11/565,671.
Prior Publication US 2008/0129429 A1, Jun. 05, 2008
Int. Cl. H01H 7/08 (2006.01); H01H 43/08 (2006.01)
U.S. Cl. 335—64  [335/6; 335/28; 335/39; 335/53; 335/59; 335/218; 335/239; 335/60; 335/61; 335/62; 335/63] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. An opening clapper assembly for a circuit breaker, said circuit breaker having at least one pair of separable contacts and an operating mechanism, said separable contacts structured to move between an open position, wherein the contacts are separated and not in electrical communication and a closed position, wherein the contacts engage each other and are in electrical communication, said operating mechanism coupled to said separable contacts and structured to cause said separable contacts to move between said open position and said closed position, said operating mechanism including an opening solenoid assembly, said opening solenoid assembly structured to actuate said operating mechanism to cause the circuit breaker operating mechanism to open said separable contacts, said opening solenoid assembly having an opening clapper assembly structured to move between a first position and a second position, said opening solenoid assembly having a mass limit, said opening clapper assembly comprising:
a body assembly with an elongated body having a first end, a second end, and a medial pivot point; and
said body assembly having a mass of between about 20% and 30% of the mass limit of said opening solenoid assembly.