US 11,839,040 B2
Interlock mechanism for a distribution cabinet
Romil Vaishnavi, Pune (IN); Prashant Savgave, Undri Pune (IN); and Abhishek Pratap Rao, Pune (IN)
Assigned to EATON INTELLIGENT POWER LIMITED, Dublin (IE)
Filed by Eaton Intelligent Power Limited, Dublin (IE)
Filed on Jun. 2, 2022, as Appl. No. 17/805,192.
Claims priority of provisional application 63/196,909, filed on Jun. 4, 2021.
Prior Publication US 2022/0394864 A1, Dec. 8, 2022
Int. Cl. H05K 5/02 (2006.01); E05B 1/00 (2006.01)
CPC H05K 5/023 (2013.01) [E05B 1/003 (2013.01); H05K 5/0208 (2013.01); H05K 5/0247 (2013.01)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. An apparatus comprising:
a cabinet including a door having an outside surface and an inside surface, a control handle mounted on the outside surface of the door, the control handle being movable between an OFF position and an ON position, the door being movable between an open door position and a closed door position;
at least one circuit unit positioned within the cabinet, the at least one circuit unit being movable between an open circuit position and a closed circuit position;
wherein the control handle is mechanically linked to the at least one circuit unit to drive movement of the at least one circuit unit between the open and closed circuit positions when: a) the door is closed while the control handle is in the OFF position and the at least one circuit unit is in the open circuit position; and b) the door is closed when the control handle is in the ON position and the at least one circuit unit is in the closed circuit position;
wherein when the door is open, the control handle is mechanically isolated from the at least one circuit unit such that the control handle can be moved between the OFF and ON positions without moving the at least one circuit unit between the open and closed circuit positions;
a blocking structure that moves with the at least one circuit unit such that the blocking structure is in a first position when the at least one circuit unit is in the open circuit position and is in a second position when the at least one circuit unit is in the closed circuit position, the blocking structure being configured to prevent the door from being closed when the control handle is in the OFF position and the at least one circuit unit is in the closed position; and
wherein the blocking structure permits the door to be closed when: a) the control handle is in the OFF position and the at least one circuit unit is in the open circuit position; and b) the control handle is in the ON position and the at least one circuit unit is in the closed circuit position.