Abstract: An electrical enclosure is configured for passive self-extinguishing arc protection and cooler operation of enclosed equipment. The enclosure has a channeled ventilation system with arc channels in fluid communication with exhaust channels. The arc channels around each phase of the enclosed conductors are of sufficient length to help attenuate an arc. The exhaust channels are placed in communication with the arc channels. The geometry and materials of the arc channels and exhaust channels cause the energy balance of the enclosure to favor passive arc interruption. Ventilation channels may be in fluid communication with the arc channels and the exhaust channels to provide cooling airflows over enclosed power conductors during normal non-arcing operation.

Abstract: Method and system for controlling and limiting the damage caused by arcs formed on exposed conductors in electrical distribution equipment involve using the tendency of an arc to move in a direction away from a current source and toward the terminal ends of the conductors. An arc interruption device, or arc interrupter, is placed over the terminal ends of the conductor to capture the arc as it travels toward the terminal ends of the conductors. Within the arc interrupter, the shape of the arc is conformed to geometries designed to stretch and extend the arc to the point where it can no longer be sustained and is extinguished.

Abstract: Methods and systems for controlling and limiting the damage caused by arcs in electrical distribution equipment provide a cooling assembly that uses a filter or other porous substrate to absorb the energy from the arc byproducts. The filter-based cooling assembly may be used with a passive arc management device having a chamber sized and shaped to control and/or extinguish arcs and ventilation ports for expelling the arc byproducts into the cooling filter assembly. The filter-based cooling assembly may be installed in line with, at the end of, or as a substitute for, any ventilation conduits or tubes in the arc management device, or in the backplane of the arc management device, or the like, to absorb energy from the arc byproducts, cool them to a safe temperature, and vent them inside the equipment cabinet.

Abstract: Methods and systems for controlling and limiting the damage caused by arcs in electrical distribution equipment provide a cooling assembly that uses a filter or other porous substrate to absorb the energy from the arc byproducts. The filter-based cooling assembly may be used with a passive arc management device having a chamber sized and shaped to control and/or extinguish arcs and ventilation ports for expelling the arc byproducts into the cooling filter assembly. The filter-based cooling assembly may be installed in line with, at the end of, or as a substitute for, any ventilation conduits or tubes in the arc management device, or in the backplane of the arc management device, or the like, to absorb energy from the arc byproducts, cool them to a safe temperature, and vent them inside the equipment cabinet.

Abstract: Method and system for controlling and limiting the damage caused by arcs formed on exposed conductors in electrical distribution equipment involve using the tendency of an arc to move in a direction away from a current source and toward the terminal ends of the conductors. An arc interruption device, or arc interrupter, is placed over the terminal ends of the conductor to capture the arc as it travels toward the terminal ends of the conductors. Within the arc interrupter, the shape of the arc is conformed to geometries designed to stretch and extend the arc to the point where it can no longer be sustained and is extinguished.

Abstract: An electrical enclosure is configured for passive self-extinguishing arc protection and cooler operation of enclosed equipment. The enclosure has a channeled ventilation system with arc channels in fluid communication with exhaust channels. The arc channels around each phase of the enclosed conductors are of sufficient length to help attenuate an arc. The exhaust channels are placed in communication with the arc channels. The geometry and materials of the arc channels and exhaust channels cause the energy balance of the enclosure to favor passive arc interruption. Ventilation channels may be in fluid communication with the arc channels and the exhaust channels to provide cooling airflows over enclosed power conductors during normal non-arcing operation.

Abstract: Methods and systems for limiting damage caused by arcs in bus stacks provide an arc transfer feature on each side of the bus stack. The arc transfer feature captures any arcs forming near busbar connection points and transfers the arc away from the busbar connection points to the interior of the bus stack. Phase barriers along the length of the interior of the bus stack then direct the arcs toward the end of the bus stack. At the end of the bus stack, a bus end interrupter receives and extinguishes the arcs.

Abstract: A connection system for connecting electrical devices to busses within a switchgear cabinet includes an independently movable shutter that slides along a bus bar, the shutter covering access to the bus bar in a disconnected position and allowing access in a connected position. The bus bar has an insulator cap covering its free end. The shutter is mounted to a spring-biased support. The shutter has an opening through which the bus bar passes. The shutter slides along the bus bar backwardly away from the insulator cap, in the connected position. The shutter slides forwardly along the bus bar toward the insulator cap, in the disconnected position. The insulator cap fits closely within the opening in the shutter to prevent access to the bus bar when in the disconnected position. The shutter can fit within arc attenuating phase barriers surrounding each bus bar and be constructed to be arc resistant.

Abstract: A connection system for connecting electrical devices to busses within a switchgear cabinet includes an independently movable shutter that slides along a bus bar, the shutter covering access to the bus bar in a disconnected position and allowing access in a connected position. The bus bar has an insulator cap covering its free end. The shutter is mounted to a spring-biased support. The shutter has an opening through which the bus bar passes. The shutter slides along the bus bar backwardly away from the insulator cap, in the connected position. The shutter slides forwardly along the bus bar toward the insulator cap, in the disconnected position. The insulator cap fits closely within the opening in the shutter to prevent access to the bus bar when in the disconnected position. The shutter can fit within arc attenuating phase barriers surrounding each bus bar and be constructed to be arc resistant.

Abstract: A device for transferring motion from a manual lever to a reset lever of a pressure trip mechanism in a molded case circuit breaker. The pressure trip mechanism is activated when hot gasses are released during an arc event and the resultant increase in pressure forces a piston in the mechanism to expand and thereby activate the breaker. In some interruption events, hot gasses, and occasionally fragments of molten metal, are responsible for marring the plastic piston surface of the pressure trip mechanism and prevent the mechanism from returning to its pre-interruption position even when it is biased to the pre-interruption position with a spring. A configuration disclosed herein provides for linking the motion of the hand-driven manual lever used to reset the breaker to the reset lever connected to the pressure trip mechanism in order to force the pressure trip mechanism to return to its pre-interruption position.

Abstract: A device for transferring motion from a manual lever to a reset lever of a pressure trip mechanism in a molded case circuit breaker. The pressure trip mechanism is activated when hot gasses are released during an arc event and the resultant increase in pressure forces a piston in the mechanism to expand and thereby activate the breaker. In some interruption events, hot gasses, and occasionally fragments of molten metal, are responsible for marring the plastic piston surface of the pressure trip mechanism and prevent the mechanism from returning to its pre-interruption position even when it is biased to the pre-interruption position with a spring. A configuration disclosed herein provides for linking the motion of the hand-driven manual lever used to reset the breaker to the reset lever connected to the pressure trip mechanism in order to force the pressure trip mechanism to return to its pre-interruption position.

Abstract: An add-on module adapted to be attached to the basic mechanical structure of a multi-pole circuit breaker includes multiple extended terminal plates each of which is adapted to replace one of the input and output terminals for one of the poles, multiple electromechanical transducers each of which is coupled to one of the extended terminal plates for producing a mechanical movement in response to a predetermined magnitude of electrical current in the extended terminal plate to which that transducer is coupled, a mechanical actuator coupled to the electromechanical transducers and to the movable contacts for operating the trip mechanism in response to a predetermined movement of any of the transducers, and a calibration element for adjusting mechanical movement of at least one of said multiple electromechanical transducers so as to control an aspect of trip actuation.

Abstract: An add-on module adapted to be attached to the basic mechanical structure of a multi-pole circuit breaker includes multiple extended terminal plates each of which is adapted to replace one of the input and output terminals for one of the poles, multiple electromechanical transducers each of which is coupled to one of the extended terminal plates for producing a mechanical movement in response to a predetermined magnitude of electrical current in the extended terminal plate to which that transducer is coupled, a mechanical actuator coupled to the electromechanical transducers and to the breaker contacts for operating a trip mechanism in response to a predetermined mechanical movement of any of the transducers, and a mechanical reset arm coupling the reset mechanism to the mechanical actuator for resetting the actuator in response to the resetting of the host circuit breaker.

Abstract: An add-on module adapted to be attached to the basic mechanical structure of a multi-pole circuit breaker includes multiple extended terminal plates each of which is adapted to replace one of the input and output terminals for one of the poles, multiple electromechanical transducers each of which is coupled to one of the extended terminal plates for producing a mechanical movement in response to a predetermined magnitude of electrical current in the extended terminal plate to which that transducer is coupled, and a mechanical actuator coupled to the electromechanical transducers and to the breaker contacts for operating a trip mechanism in response to a predetermined mechanical movement of any of the transducers.

Abstract: An add-on module adapted to be attached to the basic mechanical structure of a multi-pole circuit breaker includes multiple extended terminal plates each of which is adapted to replace one of the input and output terminals for one of the poles, multiple electromechanical transducers each of which is coupled to one of the extended terminal plates for producing a mechanical movement in response to a predetermined magnitude of electrical current in the extended terminal plate to which that transducer is coupled, a mechanical actuator coupled to the electromechanical transducers and to the breaker contacts for operating a trip mechanism in response to a predetermined mechanical movement of any of the transducers, and a mechanical reset arm coupling the reset mechanism to the mechanical actuator for resetting the actuator in response to the resetting of the host circuit breaker.

Abstract: An add-on module adapted to be attached to the basic mechanical structure of a multi-pole circuit breaker includes multiple extended terminal plates each of which is adapted to replace one of the input and output terminals for one of the poles, multiple electromechanical transducers each of which is coupled to one of the extended terminal plates for producing a mechanical movement in response to a predetermined magnitude of electrical current in the extended terminal plate to which that transducer is coupled, and a mechanical actuator coupled to the electromechanical transducers and to the breaker contacts for operating a trip mechanism in response to a predetermined mechanical movement of any of the transducers.

Abstract: An add-on module adapted to be attached to the basic mechanical structure of a multi-pole circuit breaker includes multiple extended terminal plates each of which is adapted to replace one of the input and output terminals for one of the poles, multiple electromechanical transducers each of which is coupled to one of the extended terminal plates for producing a mechanical movement in response to a predetermined magnitude of electrical current in the extended terminal plate to which that transducer is coupled, a mechanical actuator coupled to the electromechanical transducers and to the movable contacts for operating the trip mechanism in response to a predetermined movement of any of the transducers, and a calibration element for adjusting mechanical movement of at least one of said multiple electromechanical transducers so as to control an aspect of trip actuation.

Abstract: A latching mechanism for a movable member mounted for movement between first and second positions. The latching mechanism includes a primary latching mechanism mounted for movement between a latched position where the primary latching mechanism engages the movable member to allow the movable member to move between the first and second positions, and an unlatched position where the movable member is disengaged for movement to the second position. A secondary latching element engages the first latching mechanism to hold the primary latching mechanism in the latched position, the secondary latching element being movable to move the primary latching mechanism to the unlatched position while remaining in engagement with the primary latching mechanism.