Comprising Mechanical Means Patents (Class 337/84)
  • Patent number: 8188831
    Abstract: A thermal overload relay includes a main bimetal for detection of an overload current, a shifter associated with the main bimetal, a release lever working according to a displacement of the shifter, a contact reversing mechanism for changing-over contacts by reversing action caused by rotation of the release lever, and a manipulation structure for manipulating the release lever and the contact reversing mechanism. The manipulation structure includes a reset bar for returning the contact reversing mechanism to an initial state. The reset bar is arranged to change-over between a manual reset state in which the reset bar can be pushed-in and an automatic reset state in which the reset bar is pushed-in and turned from the manual reset state and held in that state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 16, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 29, 2012
    Assignee: Fuji Electric FA Components & Systems Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Fumihiro Morishita, Yukinari Furuhata, Takeo Kamosaki
  • Patent number: 7868731
    Abstract: A thermal overload relay is provided with an external case, and an adjustment dial with a cam inserted into an adjustment dial insertion hole provided in the external case for adjusting a settling current. A press-fitting section is provided at one of the adjustment dial and the adjustment dial insertion hole, and a locking section is provided at the other of the adjustment dial and the adjustment dial insertion hole. The press-fitting section is press-fit and retained in the locking section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 30, 2008
    Date of Patent: January 11, 2011
    Assignee: Fuji Electric Fa Components & Systems Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yukinari Furuhata, Fumihiro Morishita, Takeo Kamosaki
  • Patent number: 7821376
    Abstract: A method for adjusting a trip sensitivity in a thermal overload protection apparatus, including setting an adjusting reference point; measuring a normal position of bimetals; measuring a moving distance at a time of trip operation of a trip latch mechanism; deciding an assembling position of a shifter mechanism based on the measured moving distance at the time of trip operation of the trip latch mechanism, information on a trip distance between a pre-determined shifter mechanism and the trip latch mechanism and information on a size of the shifter mechanism; conducting a predetermined overcurrent to the thermal overload protection apparatus; measuring a conducting time of the overcurrent until a trip event; calculating a difference between the conducting time measured in the measuring step and a predetermined trip time by converting a rotation angle; and marking a graduation of a set trip operation current by the rotation angle calculated in the calculating step.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 23, 2008
    Date of Patent: October 26, 2010
    Assignee: LS Industrial Systems Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Ki-Bong Song
  • Patent number: 7714692
    Abstract: A thermal overload trip apparatus capable of minimizing inferiority caused by variations during manufacturing of an adjusting means and simply adjusting sensitivity by duplicating the means for adjusting a sensitivity to a trip operation current, comprising: a trip mechanism driven to a trip position by a driving force from a shifter mechanism on occurrence of an overload in a circuit; a release lever mechanism for driving the trip mechanism to the trip position by pressing it when there is the driving force from the shifter mechanism or for releasing the trip mechanism when there is no driving force, on occurrence of the overload in the circuit; an adjusting lever for operating the release lever mechanism to be horizontally moved by rotation; an adjusting knob having an upper surface having a setting groove and a lower portion having a cam portion; and a means independently adjusting the sensitivity to the trip operation current regardless of manipulation of the adjusting knob.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 23, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 11, 2010
    Assignee: LS Industrial Systems Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Kyung-Ku Lee
  • Publication number: 20090040004
    Abstract: A thermal overload trip apparatus capable of minimizing inferiority caused by a variation when manufacturing an adjusting means and simply adjusting sensitivity by duplicating the means for adjusting a sensitivity of a trip operation current, comprising, a trip mechanism driven to a trip position by a driving force from a shifter mechanism on occurrence of an overload on a circuit; a release lever mechanism for driving the trip mechanism to the trip position by pressing it when there is the driving force from the shifter mechanism or for releasing the trip mechanism when there is no driving force, on occurrence of the overload on the circuit; an adjusting lever for operating the release lever mechanism to be horizontally moved by rotation; an adjusting knob having an upper surface having a setting groove and a lower portion having a cam portion; and a means independently adjusting the sensitivity of the trip operation current regardless of manipulating of the adjusting knob.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 23, 2008
    Publication date: February 12, 2009
    Applicant: LS INDUSTRIAL SYSTEMS CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Kyung-Ku LEE
  • Publication number: 20090040005
    Abstract: A method for adjusting a trip sensitivity in a thermal overload protection apparatus so as to effectively set and adjust a trip operation current, comprising: setting an adjusting reference point; measuring a normal position of bimetals; measuring a moving distance at a time of trip operation of a trip latch mechanism; deciding an assembling position of a shifter mechanism based on the measured moving distance at the time of trip operation of the trip latch mechanism, information on a trip distance between a pre-determined shifter mechanism and the trip latch mechanism and information on a size of the shifter mechanism; conducting a predetermined over current to the thermal overload protection apparatus; measuring a conducting time of the overcurrent until a trip occurrence; calculating a difference between the conducting time measured in the measuring step and a predetermined trip time by converting a rotation angle; and marking a graduation of a set trip operation current by the rotation angle calculated in
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 23, 2008
    Publication date: February 12, 2009
    Applicant: LS INDUSTRIAL SYSTEMS CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Ki-Bong SONG
  • Patent number: 7135953
    Abstract: An adjusting device is for a thermal trip of a switchgear. It includes a bimetal, which is held in a fixed manner on a bimetal support, whose free end is located at a distance from a tripping lever, and which increasingly acts upon this tripping lever in a tripping direction as a result of thermal deformation. A distance can be adjusted by deforming the bimetal support. The adjusting device is particularly suited for use in circuit-breakers or the like.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 19, 2002
    Date of Patent: November 14, 2006
    Assignee: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Wolfgang Leitl, Christoph Weber
  • Patent number: 6816055
    Abstract: An adjusting device is for a thermal trip element of a switchgear. It includes a bimetallic element that is stationarily fixed on a bimetallic support. The free end of the bimetallic element is spaced apart form a trip lever and increasingly impinges the same in the direction of release was a result of the thermal deformation, the distance being adjustable by bending the bimetallic support. The adjusting device is especially suitable for circuit breakers or the like.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 2003
    Date of Patent: November 9, 2004
    Assignee: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventor: Christoph Weber
  • Patent number: 6720856
    Abstract: A thermally compensated circuit breaker has a movable contact assembly (24) which mounts a movable electrical contact (24m) for movement between open and closed contacts positions with a stationary electrical contact (26). The contacts are maintained in the closed circuits position by a latching mechanism (24b, 28g) which prevents opening of the contacts through an opening contacts force provided by a spring (24e). A current carrying trip arm (40a, 44a) deflects upon sufficient I2R heating to transfer motion to the latch to separate the latch (24b) from the latch receiving catch (28g) to trip the circuit breaker. The trip arm (40a, 44a) is part of a pivotably mounted actuator assembly (40, 44) having a movable end portion spaced from the pivot disposed adjacent a motion transfer member (28c). A calibration screw (42a) is located so that the longitudinal axis is in line with a movable end portion of the actuator assembly and the motion transfer member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2002
    Date of Patent: April 13, 2004
    Assignee: Texas Instruments Incorporated
    Inventors: Christian V. Pellon, Nicholas V. Pellon, William J. Bentley, Eric W. Morrison
  • Patent number: 6661329
    Abstract: The circuit breaker current/time characteristic value at which the bimetal in a thermal trip assembly actuates a trip mechanism is adjusted by an adjustable coupler that includes first and second pivoted members separately rotatable about a common pivot axis. Deflection of the bimetal by an overload current causes rotation of the first pivoted member, which is coupled by a coupling member extending parallel to the common axis into the second pivoted member which rotates to actuate the trip mechanism. A positioner moves the coupling member toward and away from the common pivot axis to adjust the amount of deflection of the bimetal needed to actuate the trip mechanism.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 13, 2002
    Date of Patent: December 9, 2003
    Assignee: Eaton Corporation
    Inventor: Jeffrey S. Gibson
  • Patent number: 4148004
    Abstract: A circuit breaker characterized by an electrically insulating housing containing a circuit breaker structure comprising a pair of separable contacts and having associated therewith a bimetal member having one end fixedly mounted on an outturned flange of a support frame for the circuit breaker structure, and a rotatable calibrating plug operatively connected to the assembly of the flange and the bimetal for rotating the bimetal between varying angles of calibration.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 4, 1977
    Date of Patent: April 3, 1979
    Assignee: Westinghouse Electric Corp.
    Inventor: Francis L. Gelzheiser
  • Patent number: RE30683
    Abstract: A fluid coupling device of the type including a rotatable coupling body defining a fluid operating chamber and a coupling member rotatable relative to the coupling body. A cover is associated with the coupling body and coupling member to define a fluid reservoir chamber, and a valve is operable to control fluid communication between the operating chamber and the reservoir chamber. The valve is mounted on a shaft which is rotatable relative to the cover and the rotational position of the shaft is controlled by a bimetallic coil having one end connected to the shaft and a second end which must be fixed relative to the cover. A bracket is fixedly attached to the cover and a clip member, in movable engagement with the bracket, receives the second end of the bimetal coil to prevent substantial rotational movement of the second end relative to the bracket.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 6, 1979
    Date of Patent: July 21, 1981
    Assignee: Eaton Corporation
    Inventor: Kenneth R. Streeter