(19)
(11) EP 0 865 061 A2

(12) EUROPEAN PATENT APPLICATION

(43) Date of publication:
16.09.1998 Bulletin 1998/38

(21) Application number: 98410026.3

(22) Date of filing: 06.03.1998
(51) International Patent Classification (IPC)6H01H 71/08
(84) Designated Contracting States:
AT BE CH DE DK ES FI FR GB GR IE IT LI LU MC NL PT SE
Designated Extension States:
AL LT LV MK RO SI

(30) Priority: 14.03.1997 GB 9705342

(71) Applicant: SCHNEIDER ELECTRIC SA
92100 Boulogne Billancourt (FR)

(72) Inventors:
  • Ball, Keith Wray
    Swindon, Wiltshire, SN2 2QG (GB)
  • Baker, Andrew Purdie
    Swindon, Wiltshire, SN2 2QG (GB)
  • Cole, Anthony Robert
    Swindon, Wiltshire, SN2 2QG (GB)

(74) Representative: Ritzenthaler, Jacques et al
Schneider Electric SA, Service Propriété Industrielle - A7
38050 Grenoble Cédex 09
38050 Grenoble Cédex 09 (FR)

   


(54) Improvements in and relating to circuit breakers


(57) The invention relates to circuit breakers and to adapters for circuit breakers, more particularly, although not exclusively, to miniature circuit breakers.
This adapter comprises an electrically conductive member formed to be attachable to a circuit breaker, having a portion (12) to be clamped and electrically connectable within a cable entry of the circuit breaker, a downwardly dependable connection portion (13a), and an upwardly dependable support portion (13a, 13b) for engagement with the circuit breaker casing, in use.




Description


[0001] The invention relates to circuit breakers and to adapters for circuit breakers, more particularly, although not exclusively, to miniature circuit breakers (m.c.b's).

[0002] Standard m.c.b's at the present have screw terminals for both the incoming and outgoing electrical connections. However, load centres and consumer units, for example as disclosed in European Patent no. 0,325,370, have provisions for m.c.b's to plug onto bus bars to provide the incoming electrical connection thereto.

[0003] United Kingdom patent application no. 2301940A discloses a simple and inexpensive adapter for converting standard m.c.b'.s for plug on or plug in usage.

[0004] It is an object of the present invention to provide such an adapter which has an improved location and support arrangement and is simple and inexpensive to manufacture.

[0005] According to the invention there is provided an adapter for a circuit breaker which comprises an electrically conductive member formed to be attachable to a circuit breaker, having a portion to be clamped and electrically connectable within a cable entry of the circuit breaker, a downwardly dependable connector portion and an upwardly dependable support portion for engagement with the circuit breaker casing, in use.

[0006] Preferably the adapter is formed from a blank of electrically conductive material. The blank may comprise generally sheet-form member having a central body portion with an upwardly depending portion which is bent upwardly to lie in a plane normal to the plane of the body portion to form said clampable portion and a pair of wing portions extending upwardly and downwardly from opposed sides of the body portion and bent downwardly to lie coplanar in planes normal to the plane of the body portion, the downwardly extending wing portion being further arcuately bent to form clip connector portions and the upwardly extending wing portions forming said support portion.

[0007] The upward extremities of the upwardly extending wing portions may each be formed with a nose portion for engagement with the circuit breaker casing, in use.

[0008] The adapter may be provided in combination with an electrically insulative cover member engagable with the opposed sides of the circuit breaker to cover the adapter and cable entry at the edge of the circuit breaker, in use from.

[0009] The foregoing and further features of the invention may be more readily understood from the following description of a preferred embodiment thereof, by way example, with reference to the accompanying drawing, in which:-

Fig. 1 shows a plan view of a blank for forming an adapter;

Fig.2 shows a front elevational view of an adapter formed from the blank of Fig.1;

Fig.3 shows a side elevational view of the adapter of Fig.2;

Fig.4 shows a plan view of the adapter of Figs 2 and 3, and

Fig.5 is an exploded perspective view of an adapter of Figs 1 to 4 on reduced scale for attachment to a circuit breaker.



[0010] Referring now to Fig.1 of the drawing there is shown a blank 10 for a circuit breaker adapter. The blank 10 comprises a generally sheet - form member with a central body portion 11, an upwardly extending portion 12 and two wing portions 13 extending upwardly and downwardly from opposed sides of the body portion 11.

[0011] Referring now also to Figs 2,3 and 4 of the drawings portion 12 of the blank is bent upwardly from body portion 11 to lie in a plane normal to the plane of body portion 11.

[0012] The two wing portions 13 are bent downwardly from body portion 11 to lie in coplanar relationship normal to the plane of body portion 11. The upper arms 13a of wing 13 are each formed with a nose portion 13b extending in the direction of portion 12.

[0013] The lower leg portions 13c of wings 13 are bent in arcuate fashion adjacent extremities 13d to provide plug on contacts.

[0014] Referring now to Fig.5 of the drawing there is shown an exploded perspective view of an m.c.b. 14, an adapter and an electrically insulative cover 15. The adapter is located with portion 12 inserted into the cable entry of m.c.b. 14 with arms 13a and nose portion 13b abutting the edge of m.c.b. 14 and legs portions 13c depending downwardly therefrom. The cover 15 is located over the edge of m.c.b. 14 to cover the adapter and cable entry.

[0015] The provision of the arm and nose portions 13a, 13b provide a more rigid connection of the adapter to an m.c.b. and formation of the adapter from a blank provides a simple and inexpensive form of manufacture.


Claims

1. An adapter for a circuit breaker which comprises an electrically conductive member formed to be attachable to a circuit breaker, having a portion to be clamped and electrically connectable within a cable entry of the circuit breaker, a downwardly dependable connector portion and an upwardly dependable support portion for engagement with the circuit breaker casing, in use.
 
2. An adapter as claimed in claim 1 formed from a blank of electrically conductive material.
 
3. An adapter as claimed in claim 2 wherein said blank comprises a generally sheet-form member having a central body portion with an upwardly depending portion which is bent upwardly to lie in a plane normal to the plane of the body portion to form said clampable portion and a pair of wing portions extending upwardly and downwardly from opposed sides of the body portion and bent downwardly to lie coplanar in planes normal to the plane of the body portion, the downwardly extending wing portion being further arcuately bent to form clip connector portions and the upwardly extending wing portions forming said support portion.
 
4. An adapter as claimed in claim 3 wherein the upward extremities of the upwardly extending wing portions are each formed with a nose portion for engagement with the circuit breaker casing, in use.
 
5. An adapter as claimed in any preceding claim in combination with an electrically insulative cover member engagable with the opposed sides of the circuit breaker to cover the adapter and cable entry at the edge of the circuit breaker, in use.
 
6. An adapter for a circuit breaker substantially as herein before described with reference to Figs. 1 to 4 of the accompanying drawing.
 
7. A circuit breaker, adapter and cover substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawing.
 




Drawing