Note : Les descriptions sont présentées dans la langue officielle dans laquelle elles ont été soumises.
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TRIP ufila CIRCUIT BREAKER
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
1000111 This application claiinsi the benefit neco-pouling
applicatital Serial N.
621125,.69, filed on jamary .21 , 2O.5.entitled TRIP LITE: CIR.CUIT BREAKER.
FIELD
100021 The pitasent invention genemlly ftlagefi to cti1eitcuit
break:en, and more
pattictalatly, io electrical circuit hmaken that prookle a positive% and r1bk
diqjti when the
circuit braiker has been tri.ppell.
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BACKGROUND
10003j Electrical circuit breakers are. known in the art. Circuit breakers
are elearkal
switches desiened to protect an electrical circuit and Us brandies (wiring)
firm damage caused
by overluads on circuits. Its basic Ante:ben i to detect. an overload or
electrical Arm
condition and intenwt current IICAV, Unlike a f`use, which opetates once and
out be replaced.. a
circuit breaker can be met to reatune normal operation one die problem has
been identified and
concord. Circuit breakers. are t1fYW an industry standard and commonplace in
most hones and
commercial .SplOri; worldwide.
10041 Generally a circuit breaker includes a switch coupled to ruoviug
wawa, an
operating or trip mechanism, arid a stationary coatad. When the switch is in
the OF1i. pattion,
the moving conact is separated from the Statiallafy contact and the circuit
aopen w timely
CA11110i 110W through the cimuit. When the switch is in the ON position, the
moving
C0301As3 iS ill contact with the stationary contact and the circuit is closed
%Amity catireat ilows
through the circuit 1./ them is. a short in the circuit or too notch cumin
flows through the circuit,
an eleetroinagmie short circuit sensing element or a thermal OVOCIirfera
sensing eiernent
releases the nip mechanism to open the contacts and disrupt current flow
through the circuit
l000:51 la many VMS a breaker in the trippedifintlt state is undetectable
because many
tittles the ONI(IFF or tripped .toggie switch does not fully flip to the
tripped or OFF post tkm
When a circuit breaker in fault :state is not easily identified it results: in
the homeowner or
electrician s y,stentatically resetting each breaker wad the actual tripped
breaker is located. This
process often motdts. in an undesirable disravion of power to other electrical
componern and
may cattse a power upike ni the circuit damaging ialsiiive eleormica..
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WW1 A11 overloaded or short is caused when. the road. cumin generates
excessive heat
doe to load M aattip of a bimetal elonent within the circuit breaker
mechanism. The bimetal
demerit is designed to cause the bitnetal 10 deflect andlor bend.. The
defterrion triggers the
spring loaded tip mechanism 'alba 111ditdeti a tip lever to move die
conductive blade away
.frotn s stationary portion ofthe bitottal contact, thus breaking the circuit.
When the citottit is
expowd to a current above its rated level for a paled of time, the Trip
naembly activates tuvri
opens the circuit by tripping to the fault state.
109071 Attempts have been Made tO idetify the tripped bleaker.. Some
meeharkital
s;,y,stetris use brielit mange or yellow ilidicators ot an area of the switch
that is visible only when
the switch ia in the tripml cif OFT position. Thee breakers, wflite useful:,
are insufficient in low
lighting or dark locations., and often fail to fully reach. the tripped
position, thus not exposing the
brightly colored indicator. Additionally, these broken may also extlost the
Nightly colored
indicator when in the ON position., thus defeating the tripnedOEF tadtcator
function.
MOM Other breakers have been proposed that include an indicator lamp
that is
illuminated when the breaker is in the ON position. While positively
identifying the ON
breakers, the indicator lamps are constantly burning., .wasting enemy-, and
when they bum out,
provide a 'NW: CW011; fault indication 'These breakers must be reptaced if the
Indkator ramp
burns otit, which is costly. Further, if an itulicater lamp is burtu.4 out, it
may crate a dangerous
situation for an electrician or .person working an the circuit, believing:
that the circuit breaker is
off when power is still applied to the affected circuit,
letnum Still other breakers Wive been proposed that include an indicator
/amp that
illiuninatea when the breaker is in the tripped position. The indicator tulip
ia connected to the
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iirke voltage and the ccimmon terminal only when in the 'breaker is in the
hipped position. When
in the ON or OFF position,. the indicator lamp is ncri ilhitninami. A problem
with thew ilreaken
is when the breaker is tripped, the circuit thmugh the indiedwr lamp is grin
clowd. Thin current
is sari present in the cinznit creating .a dangerous s'ituation ibr an
0v:1i:tenni or mann mAing
the eireint, believing that the CifCltil breaker is Off wium powa i pplied
k the affected
circuit.
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SUMMARY
[0010] The present invention relates to a circuit breaker
indicator device and particularly
to a circuit breaker with an LED fault indicator lamp integrated within the
circuit breaker. The
improved design instantly identifies a tripped breaker by energizing an
indicator lamp when the
breaker has tripped, and de-energizing the affected circuit.
[0011] The present invention, a circuit breaker, comprised of a
plastic housing containing
the circuit breaker components including an indicator lamp. The indicator lamp
only activates
when the circuit has become overloaded and has tripped. The breaker in the
tripped position is
readily identified and aids in the identification of the electrical circuit to
determine what caused
the circuit fault.
[0011a] In a broad aspect, moreover, the present invention provides
a circuit breaker
comprising: a stationary contact electrically coupled to a power source; a
moving contact
pivotable between an on position electrically coupled to said stationary
contact and a load
terminal, and a tripped position spaced from said stationary contact; a
stationary indicator
contact electrically coupled to said power source; an indicator arm having a
moveable indicator
contact pivotable between an off position wherein said moveable indicator
contact is spaced
from said stationary indicator contact, and an on position wherein said
moveable indicator
contact is electrically coupled to said stationary indicator contact; and an
indicator lamp
electrically coupled to said moveable indicator contact and an electrical
ground; whereas said
indicator lamp is off when said moving contact is in said on position; whereas
said indicator
lamp is illuminated when said moving contact is in said tripped position
disengaged from said
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stationary contact and said moveable indicator contact is electrically coupled
to said stationary
indicator contact.
[0011b] In a broad aspect, the present invention provides a circuit
breaker comprising:
a stationary contact electrically coupled to a hot side of a power source; a
neutral contact
electrically coupled to a neutral side of said power source; a moving contact
pivotable between
an on position electrically coupled to said stationary contact and a load
terminal, and a tripped
position spaced from said stationary contact; a load electrically coupled
between said neutral
contact and said moving contact; a stationary indicator contact electrically
coupled to said
power source; an indicator arm having a moveable indicator contact pivotable
between an off
position wherein said moveable indicator contact is spaced from said
stationary indicator
contact, and an on position wherein said moveable indicator contact is
electrically coupled to
said stationary indicator contact; and an indicator lamp electrically coupled
to said moveable
indicator contact and an electrical ground; whereas said indicator lamp is off
when said moving
contact is in said on position; whereas said indicator lamp is illuminated
when said moving
contact is in said tripped position and said moveable indicator contact is
electrically coupled to
said stationary indicator contact; whereas power is disconnected from said
load when said
moving contact is in said tripped position.
[0011c1 In a broad aspect, the present invention provides a circuit
breaker comprising:
a stationary contact electrically coupled to a hot side of a power source; a
neutral contact
electrically coupled to a neutral side of said power source; a moving contact
pivotable between
an on position electrically coupled to said stationary contact and a load
terminal, and a tripped
position spaced from said stationary contact; a load electrically coupled
between said neutral
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contact and said load terminal; a stationary indicator contact electrically
coupled to said power
source; an indicator arm having a moveable indicator contact pivotable between
an off position
wherein said moveable indicator contact is spaced from said stationary
indicator contact, and an
on position wherein said moveable indicator contact is electrically coupled to
said stationary
indicator contact; and a light emitting diode electrically coupled to said
moveable indicator
contact and an electrical ground; whereas said light emitting diode is off
when said moving
contact is in said on position; whereas said moving contact engages said
indicator arm when in
said tripped position pivoting said indicator arm from said off position to
said on position;
whereas said light emitting diode is illuminated when said moving contact is
in said tripped
position and said moveable indicator contact is electrically coupled to said
stationary indicator
contact; whereas power is disconnected from said load when said moving contact
is in said
tripped position.
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BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DR.AWINGS
MO OA Pig. 1 is an illustration dm cimtrical circuit breaker of the
present inveantionin
thE.! ON 'position.
f001,31 Fig. 2 is en illtitantim of the elechkal &mit breaker ilf..1"-itt.
I in the hipped
10,0141 Fig_ 3 iS a fiiMPlified ithatration cf die electrical circuit
breaker Of the present
invention th the ON position.
pM151 Fig_ 4 as a simplified illustration of lilt tiettfiCAI (*mit breaker
of Eat. 3 in tht,
triptvd position.
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DETAILED DESCRIP'noN
100141 As required, detailed embodiments of the ple.Seni ink:MI:At are
disciesed herein.
However. it is to be understood that the disclosed embodiments are merely
exemplary of the
ention that may be embodied in various and alternative forms, The times are
not necessarily to
scale., some features may .be exaggerated or minimized to show details of
particular components,
'Therefore, specific structural and functional details disclosed herein. are
not tube interpreted ifs
Limiting, but merely as a representative basis for the claims anti/or as a
representative basis for
teaching one skilled in the an to variously employ the pPeRtIn invention.
100171 Moreover,. except where otherwise expressly indicated, all
turnetical quantities in ti'ft
description and in the claims are to be 'understood as modified by the word
"'about" in describing the
broader scope of this invention. Prutice within the numerical limits stated is
generally preferiall
Aiao, tialm ext,nessly stated to the contriny, the description of a group or
0/ass of niriterials
suitable or preferred for a given purpose i.n coonectim with the invention
implies that rarstures or
combinations of any two or ntone inernbets of the: group or class may be
equally suitable or preferred..
luto t Retraiirig initially to F. I. a illusvarion titan e /wheal irtki
breaker of the
present itivention is gesteradly indicated by reference numeral 10. Electrical
circuit breaker 10 may
also be info-11'0d to as circuit bmilter 10 or breaker 10. One of ordinary -
skill in the an will readily
recalplize arid understand the use of any of these descriptions,. which are
not intended to limit the
elitimad imention: Further, the components described herein are mounted within
a housing. which is
not snowai so as to view the breaker 10 CeinpOlkenti.
1011191 Breaker 10 includes a switch 12 coupled to a latch assembly 14
coupled roan
operatius mechanism 16 and a moving coinact The latch
mei:ably J4 inChtdes a latch spring 20
coupled to the witch 1.2. Breaker 10 includes an timer trip atin 22, a lower
trip arin 23 with a emelt
24, which is designed to engage a notch 25 in one end elite Upp.31 Win arni
22. The catch 24
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sehictively couples the upper trip ann :2:2 to the lower trip arm 23, which in
turn selectively couples
die upper trip ann 22 to the operating ineetturism 16 to hold. the moving.
contact 18 in the closed or
ON pot.ii don The :lower trip arm 23 .is releasably coupled -to a nipper bar
26, which hcouiph.?d w
b-ntetncontrolleesnip or thomul overcumert sensing element 2$ and an.
dectroomkpett Awl(
citcuit atoning element 30. The breaker 10 also includes a stationary contact
32 electrically c=oupleO
to inn hot input 33 .Ihnia the AC power source 34., end a load terminal. 36.
Within the bluaker parbe
not shown) is also a neutral 'bus her 37, which is coupled to the neutral line
'A. from the AC power
source 34õ.; nommetallienon-maluctive indicator am 38 includes a moveable
indicator contact 40
electainally coupled to an indicator light 42, which In electrically coupled o
8roan/144. A stationary
indicator contact 46 i5 electrically coupled to the power toti...rce 34. A
load 48 voripli.,i.d to the load
tonna-al 36 and the neuttal ht i bar 37 convietes the circuit 50,
100201 As illustrated in Fig. I, when he 5W1101. 1.2. is io 04 ON position,
moIriap contact 18
is in contact with stationary contact 32. The latch assembly 14 is. held in
place by the cinch 34,
which boids the upper trip arm 32 in an engaged position 3pit11,4 the
operating mechanism lb, wheth
is biased against a hp 52 at one end of the upper trip arm 22 by the latch
spring 20 coupled v.1,th
switch 12.. In the ON -position, current from power source 34 flows through
stationary coma 32,
riming contact 18, line 54. Nine:lel strip 28, electornasnetic flon circuit
sensing clement 30, and
load 1tnlii11411 36 to supply power to load 48, As long as switch 12 In in the
ON position, movable
itutieator contact 40 is spaced from Stati011ary indicator cointiet 46 and
indicator liOt 42 :is off.
100211 Refuting; to Pig. 2, -if circuit 50 expe.liences a climax overload
situation, or a short,
then biAnetal controller 28 or electromagnetic shod circuit sensing element
.10 engages tripper tray
26, which engaµmes lower nip arm 23 an4 causes lower trip arm n to pivot. M
the lower triplinti 23
pivots, the catch 24 moves out of an engaged position with the notch 25 in the
end of upper trip arm
23., causing the upper trip .anal Z3 to pivot When die upper trip arm 23
piNotsõ the operating
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mechanism /6 i. pimted away from the tipper trip arm 23 by latch spring 20,
which CUM'S Haraving
conotct 18 pivot nrid disengage stationary contact 32. Mos opening the
ciriatit 50 and dismipting
powe to the: load 48. As the moving contact 18 pivots, a. tail end 36 of
moving contact 18 engagai,
the indicator atm .38 eMiSing the indicator timi 38 to pivot movable indicator
convict 40 into comet
with stationary indicator contact 46. When the movable indkator comet 40 is in
physical tstrint3ei
with the stanonasy indicator contact 46, power is supplied lo indicator lamp
42 and the lamp 42 is
A:s illustrated inFig. 2, the circuit 50 is open and current from AC source
.34 is not
delivered to the load 48,
100221 Referring to Fig. 3, a simplified illustration of an electrical
iomit bmker f dw
ptesent invention is generally indicated by rtibrertc(,t nuinaat 100. Mk>.
romsol skti am:: power
suurce 102 is connected to a neutral hos bar 104 mounted. in a circuit breaker
panel (not shown), and
the hot side or AC. power source is connected to a stationary contact 06 or
breaker 100, In the ON
position illustrated in F. 3, a .movable contact 108 is M contact with the
stationary contact Ilk, thus
supplying power to a load 110, When the breaker 100 is tripped., as ahritattd
iiiFig. 4. the movable
contact / 0/1 pivots away from the stationary contact 1.06, opening the
circuit, and contacts a
moveable indicator 'block 112, which pivots 3 movable indicator exintaet 114
into comet with a fixad
judicator contact 116. The fixed indicator contact 116 is electrically
connected to the hot aide of the
AC power sounce 10.2. When the movable indicator contact 114 is in contact
with the fixed indicator
contact 116., power is delivered to am indicator laitip 118, which is
connected to ground 120 to
complete the circuit and illuminate the lamp 118. in this manner, the lighted
lamp 118 readily
identifies the cirruit breaker 100 that has tripped without. continuing 00
supply current to the lead
110.
1041231 This is an improved design of a typical residential:lien commercial
circuit breaket
found in AVM boom and commercial spaces. In many case:s an overloaded griped)
breaker is
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undetectable because often times the switch does not flirt y nip to the
triplxsd or off position.
Because the switch tia,sio illy flipped aini there are often 10 to 20 r in
an
electrical mod the Weaker that haa tripped ii.;{ not easily identified,
requiring the homeowner or
electrician 11? $yiteMittiCAily reset .each breaker one at a time inlet the
actual tripped breaker is
'located, This process ofitui results in an unwanted disruption or power spike
in other electrical
Catrtpanetitti d0WrkgreatIl (Within ate madam) hum the 0,N:tie-al panel box.
[0241 In the pre e$ embodiment, the indicator lamp ia at LED lamp, which
only
activates itaxin an kiwi...it:4.44444nd breaker thus iminediately identifying
the breaker that bas
In certain erribodiments, the LED rimy Ile protected by resistor at .or Mt pkd
to an
integmed chain.
[tX).ZflAnttlaitiOttill. Contact poMt has been added to the terininal of
the baker and
stwonthiry contact .poirit has been added to the homing of the breaker and
aitached to the
positive lead ,of the LED lamp. The negative lead from the LED lamp attaches
to the wounding
her of the 1:vaiel box. A nowinetallic wedge ha a been .added to the pivot
eontim allowing power
favnt the LINE SIDE to cc 4)4)CCA with the contut attached to the, breaker
housing thus supplying
power to the positive lead of the LED lamp in the fault' tripped eonditicm,.
Asi with any
CINIIXDOrt Cifratit .bmaker.,. power will not flow to the load side in a
.fatilethpped state.
11)0261 'nvit new design with the iterated LED lamp thus allows a person of
ordinary
skill to reconfigure the electrical load (devices phIgged in) on the drettil
thAt At ft141.1.. As car!
he wen, there isa need for an integrated device that 'Inn:ides an instant-
vistad notification for
an overloaded or tripped circuit breaker. The [.ED indicator lamp in the
improved design has
been integared within the circuit breaker housing:
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1002.7l It is to be taidersiood that while Miain now piefen-ed fririns or
this lineation
have been illustrated and de,setibed,, it is .not limited thereto except
insofar as stieb ltations
4411! ludet1 in tile following Litwin:is.. However. it is. to be unilintood
that the mini:ties
disiaissed herein may be applied to. oilier type cirenit breakets...
