Patent ID: 6075436
Filing Date: 2000-06-13
Classification: H01H

Abstract:
A circuit breaker assembly, comprising:a thermal detector to break a first current flowing therethrough when a surrounding temperature around said thermal detector changes from a normal temperature to a predetermined temperature;a circuit breaker switch comprising:a housing; having wallsa pair of contact springs each affixed at one end in said housing and carrying a movable contact at a free end thereof, and biased to urge said movable contact away from an associated fixed contact;a switching rocker pivotally mounted in said housing to selectively move between a breaker closing position so as to act on said contact spring to urge said movable contact toward said fixed contact and a breaker opening position in which said switching rocker permits said contact spring to move said movable contact away from said fixed contact, said switching rocker being mounted to pivot about an axis which extends approximately perpendicular to said length of said contact spring;a current release device arranged in said housing to be responsive to a current overload and operative to permit said respective contact spring to move said movable contact thereof away from said corresponding fixed contact upon said occurrence of a current overload and independently of said position of said switching rocker; anda thermal release actuator received in said housing to automatically provide an actuating action to operate said respective contact spring to move said movable contact thereof away from said corresponding fixed contact when said surrounding temperature around said thermal detector changes from said normal temperature to said predetermined temperature; anda connecting circuit to electrically connect said thermal detector in parallel with said thermal release actuator of said breaker switch, wherein a main current which flows through said thermal release actuator is divided into said first current flowing through said thermal detector and a second current flowing through said thermal release actuator of said circuit breaker switch.