Patent ID: 7378927
Filing Date: 2008-05-27
Classification: H01H,H01R,H02H

Abstract:
1. A circuit breaker comprising: a housing having a conductive path disposed therein between a line phase connection and a load phase connection, the conductive path including a contact arm electrically connected to at least one of the line and load phase connections and movable between a closed position to electrically engage the line phase connection and the load phase connection to provide electrical continuity therebetween and an open position to electrically disengage the line and load phase connections, thereby breaking electrical continuity therebetween; a reset arm having a catch disposed on a distal end thereof and configured to rotate about a proximal end thereof between a reset position which permits movement of the conductive path between the open and closed positions and a tripped position which moves the conductive path from the closed position to the open position upon the occurrence of a predetermined condition, thereby opening the conductive path between the line and load phase connections; a latch arm configured to releasably engage the catch when the reset arm is rotated to the reset position and to disengage the catch upon the occurrence of the predetermined condition to rotate the reset arm from the reset position to the tripped position, thereby moving the conductive path from the closed position to the open position to break electrical continuity between the line and load phase connections; and a solenoid having a movable electro-mechanical linkage configured to move the latch arm to engage the catch when the reset arm is in the reset position and to bias the latch arm to disengage the catch upon the occurrence of the predetermined condition, thereby causing the reset arm to rotate to the tripped position which moves the conductive path from the closed position to the open position, wherein the latch arm is configured to lockably engage the catch to prevent rotation of the reset arm from the tripped position to the reset position if the predetermined condition remains unresolved, thereby preventing movement of the conductive path from the open position to the closed position.