Abstract: The present invention is directed to system and method for current sensing. A current sensor system includes a conductor configured to receive current flow therethrough and generate magnetic flux thereabout. The current sensor system also includes an anti-differential current sensor configured to monitor magnetic flux about the conductor and a flux concentrator configured to concentrate magnetic flux induced by current flow through the conductor.

Abstract: A circuit interrupter including a housing, separable main contacts disposed in the housing, and an operating mechanism disposed in the housing and interconnected with the contacts. A trip mechanism is disposed in the housing and has an automatic trip assembly that selectively generates a tripping operation which opens the contacts upon a predetermined current threshold. The automatic trip assembly includes a substantially planar bimetal, an electrical terminal, and a magnetic yoke. The bimetal has a first cutout region and a second cutout region on opposite sides thereof which form a neck portion and define a head portion. The head portion is connected to an end of the terminal. The magnetic yoke has a substantially planar portion and two arm portions. The bimetal is positioned substantially parallel with the planar portion with the neck portion positioned between the arm portions.

Abstract: An electrical circuit interrupter comprising a housing with an operating mechanism disposed therein and including first and second separable main contacts disposed within the housing is taught. There is an electrically conducting first contact support which has a shape which substantially doubles back upon itself and which has parallel, spaced apart first and second legs forming a central region. An electrically insulating support member is supplied which is disposed in the central region and has a substantial portion outboard of the central region in a disposition to shield a portion of the contact support member. It also has a portion which captures the first contact support member. In addition, magnetic plates are disposed within the central region for cooperating with other closed loop magnetic plates outside of the support member for providing a slot motor action for the movable contact. An arc runner is provided which is trapped between the support member and the contact support conductor.

Abstract: A solenoid type magnetic trip assembly for a molded case circuit breaker includes an armature biased against an adjustable stop by a tension spring to set the initial gap for the magnetic trip, so that the spring bias remains constant for the full range of the initial gap. The armature includes an elongated magnetically permeable member mounted by a frame to slide longitudinally along a pair of guide rails. The frame defines a trip surface axially aligned with the elongated magnetically permeable member which engages a trip arm on a trip bar to trip the circuit breaker in response to a predetermined level of overcurrent. A bimetal providing a thermal trip function is cantilevered from a support spaced from the trip bar by the armature, but has a terminal portion at the free end projecting toward the trip bar and through which the elongated magnetically permeable member of the armature extends.

Abstract: A solenoid type magnetic trip assembly for a molded case circuit breaker includes an armature biased against an adjustable stop by a tension spring to set the initial gap for the magnetic trip, so that the spring bias remains constant for the full range of the initial gap. The armature includes an elongated magnetically permeable member mounted by a frame to slide longitudinally along a pair of guide rails. The frame defines a trip surface axially aligned with the elongated magnetically permeable member which engages a trip arm on a trip bar to trip the circuit breaker in response to a predetermined level of overcurrent. A bimetal providing a thermal trip function is cantilevered from a support spaced from the trip bar by the armature, but has a terminal portion at the free end projecting toward the trip bar and through which the elongated magnetically permeable member of the armature extends.

Abstract: A contactor for switching electric current has a stationary contact and a movable contact which when driven by a solenoid moves into and away from abutment with the stationary contact. An arc extinguishing chamber is adjacent to the movable and stationary contacts and includes two rows of splitter plates with a gap therebetween. Each row comprises alternating splitter plates of first and second types. The first type of splitter plate has a first member of non-magnetic material with an aperture within which a permanent magnet is received and a second member of a magnetic material abutting the first member remote from the gap. An outer casing of a non-ferrous, electrically conductive material extends at least partially around the first and second members. The second type of splitter plates are formed of non-ferrous, electrically conductive material. The magnets produce a magnetic field around each of the first type of splitter plates which causes the electric arc to move about the surface of the outer casing.

Abstract: A thick solid steel slot motor is disposed adjacent a movable conductor to apply a contact closing force on the conductor, augmenting the contact pressure spring, under steady state current conditions, and to reduce the force under high rate of current rise conditions to enhance dynamic separation of the movable conductor from a stationary conductor, reducing the strength requirement of the contact pressure spring.

Abstract: A solenoid operated proportional control expansion valve having a tubular armature guide of non-magnetic material disposed externally of the valve blocks with a magnetic pole piece welded on the end of the tubular guide. A plastic encapsulated coil is received over the guide. The armature guide has a flange therein which in one embodiment is welded to a second flanged tube threaded into the valve blocks. In other embodiments the guide flange is directly mechanically fastened to the valve block. A cup-shaped pole frame is received over the coil for completing the magnetic flux loop about the coil.

Abstract: A current transformer device is formed on a ceramic substrate which is provided with a plurality of planar conductive tracks formed on a surface of the substrate where the conductive tracks extend substantially radially from an imaginary point on the surface of the substrate. A structure of permeable material layers is then tape cast or epitaxially formed by vapor deposition of a thick film of magnetic ceramic over the major portion of each of the conductive tracks to form a permeable toroidal core. A lead frame is then placed over the core and a plurality of metal conductors are soldered to each of the respective exposed ends of the metal conductive tracks on the substrate to form a toroidal coil surrounding the toroidal core. The required electrical elements to complete the current transformer device are mounted to a second side of the ceramic substrate and electrically connected to the toroidal coil for powering and/or receiving signals therefrom.

Abstract: A current transformer device is formed on a ceramic substrate which is provided with a plurality of planar conductive tracks formed on a surface of the substrate where the conductive tracks extend substantially radially from an imaginary point on the surface of the substrate. A structure of permeable material is then tape cast or epitaxially formed by vapor deposition of a thick film of magnetic ceramic over the major portion of each of the conductive tracks to form a permeable toroidal core. A lead frame is then placed over the core and a plurality of metal conductors are soldered to each of the respective exposed ends of the metal conductive tracks on the substrate. The required electrical elements to complete the current transformer device are mounted to a second side of the ceramic substrate and electrically connected to the toroidal coil for powering and/or receiving signals therefrom.

Abstract: A multiple pole solenoid (10) having outer pole flanges 44a-44d and inner pole flanges 46a-46d magnetically act on outer armature flanges (32-35) and inner armature flanges (36-39) respectively, to move an armature (14) where an AC coil (16) and a DC coil (18) are simultaneously energized by an AC electrical source (20) and a DC electrical source (22) respectively thereby providing a high pull-in force and a high holding force with low noise.In a second embodiment, a four pole solenoid (48) is comprised of a first AC coil (62) wound on the second pole (56) and a second AC coil (64) is oppositely wound on a third pole (58) and a DC coil (66) is wound on both the second (56) and third (58) poles where the first (54) and fourth poles (60) are without coils and an armature (50) is pulled into the poles (54-60) and held in position by the simultaneous energization of both the AC coils (62,64) and the DC coil (66).

Abstract: An electrical power switching device employing a rotary disc driven by an actuation means whose position is selected by a control means where disc contacts engage and disengage stationary contacts where the stationary contacts are deflected away from the disc contacts by separation ramps thereby opening the current path and an arc plate is used on the disc to control arc energy. A pair of interrupter contacts are placed in series with the rotary disc contacts where abnormally high currents cause the interrupter contacts to separate and open the current path where slot motors and/or arc plates are used to dissipate the damaging electrical arcs as the contacts make and break.

Abstract: An electrical contractor device (80) for controlling the flow of electrical power from a source of electrical power to an electrical device according to a command signal from a controller utilizing a rotary disc assembly (90) rotated by an actuator (169) where the rotary disc assembly (90) is comprised of a rotary disc (100) supporting a disc conductor (102) having a pair of contact pads (106, 108) joined by a pair of conductor legs (109, 113) and a center section (111) where the conductor legs (109, 113) are parallel and offset one from the other straddling an axis of rotation (103) where high flow of electrical current through the disc conductor (102) generates an electro-magnetic torque in the rotary disc assembly (90).

Abstract: A multiple pole solenoid (10) having outer pole flanges 44a-44d and inner pole flanges 46a-46d magnetically act on outer armature flanges (32-35) and inner armature flanges (36-39) respectively, to move an armature (14) where an AC coil (16) and a DC coil (18) are simultaneously energized by an AC electrical source (20) and a DC electrical source (22) respectively thereby providing a high pull-in force and a high holding force with low noise.In a second embodiment, a four pole solenoid (48) is comprised of a first AC coil (62) wound on the second pole (56) and a second AC coil (64) is oppositely wound on a third pole (58) and a DC coil (66) is wound on both the second (56) and third (58) poles where the first (54) and fourth poles (60) are without coils and an armature (50) is pulled into the poles (54-60) and held in position by the simultaneous energization of both the AC coils (62,64) and the DC coil (66).

Abstract: A rotary solenoid having at least one AC coil and at least one DC coil where the AC coil and the DC coil are concurrently energized by an AC electrical source and a DC electrical source, respectively for enhanced actuation torque and low noise with decreased temperature rise and package size.

Abstract: Direct current switching apparatus having two arc extinguishing chambers located in a common transverse plane, one chamber being divided into separate laterally spaced portions disposed below the other chamber, a pair of spaced conductors each having a contact element and an arc runner extending from near the contact, the arc runners being curved and disposed in a convex mirror-imate relationship to each other between the laterally spaced portions, distal ends of each arc runners providing a divergent path into the other chamber, a conductor disposed at outboard sides of the laterally spaced arc chamber portions cooperating with concave sides of the arc runners to provide divergent paths into the spaced arc chamber portions, power supply terminals connected to the respective spaced conductors, magnetic plates disposed in front and in back of the arc chambers having portions providing a magnetic path externally around the chambers, permanent magnets magnetically coupled to at least one of the magnetic plates p

Abstract: Direct current switching apparatus having front and rear arc extinguishing chambers substantially coextensive, the rear chamber being separated into two laterally spaced arc extinguishing chambers, each arc extinguishing chamber comprising rows of non-magnetic parallel splitter plates, a pair of spaced conductors each having a stationary contact element spanning both the front and rear arc extinguishing chambers, power supply terminals connected to the respective spaced conductors, magnetic plates disposed in front of the front chamber and in back of the back chamber having magnetic means providing a magnetic path externally around the chambers, permanent magnets magnetically coupled to at least one of the magnetic plates providing a magnetic field across the respective chambers, a movable contact movable normal to a front to rear direction into and out of bridging engagement with the stationary contacts, and an electromagnetic drive motor disposed coextensive with said arc extinguishing chambers coupled at a

Abstract: Direct current switching apparatus having two arc extinguishing chambers each comprising a pair of spaced conductors providing cooperable arc runners divergent toward a row of non-ferromagnetic splitter plates and a stationary contact conductively mounted on one conductor, the stationary contacts of respective chambers being mounted on respectively opposite conductors, corresponding conductors in respective chambers being conductively connected to each other and to power terminals of the apparatus, permanent magnets applying a magnetic field across the respective chamber for moving an arc within the chamber, ferromagnetic plates providing flux return paths to optimize and maximize the magnetic field, a movable contact extending into each chamber bridging the stationary contacts and movable to separate from the stationary contacts, drawing an arc therebetween in each chamber, the arc in one chamber bridging the pair of conductors within that chamber establishing a circuit comprising the arc between the conduct

Abstract: A linear acting ball latch is released by a rotary latch release member in the form of a rotor for a high torque, short stroke rotary electric motor which is electrically energized through a capacitor discharge system to release the latched member for spring biased movement into engagement with a bridging contact, thereby forcing the contact open from stationary contacts. A clapper type armature drives the contacts between open and closed positions through tubes, one of which extends through the latch mechanism. The tubes have spring biased plungers connected with the movable contact member to provide a low gradient spring force to the contacts permitting separation by the latch tube assembly and providing contact pressure when the magnetic operator closes the contacts. A manually operable handle and reset cam are disposed over the rotary latch mechanism and have mechanical connection with the latch release rotor to provide for manual operation of the release and for manual resetting of the latch mechanism.

Abstract: A tachometer sensor adapted for measuring the rotation of a gear or spline shaft target within a high pressure environment includes an integrally formed housing having a generally tubular elongate probe defining a sealed interior cavity receiving an annular permanent magnet at the sensing end thereof, field focusing means such as a ferrous pin disposed concentrically with the permanent magnet to shape the field established thereby, at least one magnetoresistive transducer concentrically disposed with the magnet to detect distortions of the magnetic field effected by passage of the target and means in-circuit with the transducer which generates a usable output signals as a function of sensed magnet field distortion.