Abstract:
The present disclosure relates to a handle operating device for a circuit breaker, and there is provided a handle operating device including a connecting rod configured to transfer power for operating a manual operating handle that manually operates the on/off of a circuit breaker from the outside; a movable frame connected to the connecting rod to be movably coupled to an outer surface of a circuit breaker case in a direction parallel to the operating direction of the manual operating handle; a movable member provided at the movable frame in an interlocking manner to move the manual operating handle; a slot hole is formed on the moving member in an inclined manner from the moving direction of the manual operating handle; and a fastening member fastened to the movable member and movable frame through the slot hole.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    Pursuant to 35 U.S.C. §119(a), this application claims the benefit of earlier filing date and right of priority to Korean Patent Application No. 10-2013-0136460, filed on Nov. 11, 2013, the contents of which are all hereby incorporated by reference herein in their entirety. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    1. Field of the Invention 
         [0003]    The present disclosure relates to a handle operating device for a circuit breaker for enhancing operational reliability when adjusting an operating distance of a handle in a large capacity circuit breaker. 
         [0004]    2. Description of the Related Art 
         [0005]    In general, circuit breaker is a device for automatically breaking an electrical circuit to prevent damage due to an overload or short circuit in the circuit, and a manual operating handle is provided at one side of a case thereof to manually operate it from the outside. 
         [0006]    The circuit breaker may be divided into a small capacity circuit breaker and a large capacity circuit breaker according to the capacity of a current flowing through a main circuit thereof. In case of a small capacity circuit breaker, an operating load for operating the manual operating handle is not so large that it is not hard to manually operate the handle, but in case of a large capacity circuit breaker, a handle operating load is about five times higher than that of the small capacity circuit breaker, and thus it is difficult to manually operate the handle. 
         [0007]    Accordingly, for the convenience of operating a circuit breaker, an external operating handle is further provided at the outside thereof in addition to the manual operating handle, and a mechanical mechanism is connected between the external operating handle and the manual operating handle of the circuit breaker, thereby allowing the manual operating handle of the circuit breaker to be easily operated by the external operating handle. 
         [0008]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view illustrating a handle operating device of a large capacity circuit breaker in the related art, in which a movable frame  11  is provided on an outer surface of a circuit breaker case  10 , and a connecting rod  12  is connected to the movable frame  11 . 
         [0009]    The movable frame  11  receives power from the connecting rod  12  to be rotated to a predetermined angle, thereby moving a handle  13  of the circuit breaker from an on position to an off position or vice versa. 
         [0010]      FIG. 2  is a schematic view for explaining a power transfer mechanism to a handle of the circuit breaker in a handle operating device of a large capacity circuit breaker in the related art, and referring to  FIG. 2 , a movable member  14  is disposed in the middle of the movable rod provided in a lateral direction on a movable frame to rotate the handle of the circuit breaker in the left and right directions. 
         [0011]    On the other hand, slot holes  15  are formed at both sides of the movable member  14 , and a person installing a circuit breaker may adjust the location of screws  16  fastened through the slot holes  15  within a movable range of the slot holes  15  to finely adjust the width, thereby enhancing the operational reliability of the external operating handle. 
         [0012]    However, according to a handle operating device of the large capacity circuit breaker, a direction in which the length of the slot hole  15  is formed in an elongated manner and the acting direction of a force transferred to the movable frame through a connecting rod  12  are the same as a direction parallel to the operating direction of a circuit breaker handle  13 , and thus contrary to his or her intention during the operation of the circuit breaker handle  13 , it occurs a phenomenon that the screw  16  is pushed toward one side by an operating force “F” being transferred to the movable member  14  through the connecting rod  12  from the external operating handle. 
         [0013]    Though a screw head may not be pushed around the slot hole  15  by increasing the fastening force of the screw  16  to prevent the screw from being pushed toward one side, a cross groove formed on the screw head may be easily worn out when excessively rotating the screw  16 , thereby aggravating the operating distance fine adjustment of the handle  13  as well as the dismantling of the damaged screw  16 . 
         [0014]    Accordingly, for this reason, hexagonal wrench bolts (a hexagonal groove is formed on the bolt head) having an excellent fastening force compared to typical screws  16  may be employed. In this case, hexagonal wrench bolts are highly expensive compared to typical screws  16 , thereby increasing cost. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0015]    The present disclosure is contrived to solve the foregoing problems, and a technical task of the present disclosure is to provide a handle operating device for a circuit breaker for reducing a load on screws during the operation of a handle of the circuit breaker to prevent the screws from being pushed out as well as allowing the use of low cost screws instead of high cost hexagonal wrench bolts. 
         [0016]    In order to accomplish the foregoing first technical task, according to an aspect of the present disclosure, there is provided a circuit breaker including a connecting rod, a movable frame, a movable member, a slot hole and a fastening member. 
         [0017]    The connecting rod may transfer power for operating a manual operating handle that manually operates the on/off of a circuit breaker from the outside. 
         [0018]    The movable frame may be connected to the connecting rod, and movably coupled to an outer surface of a circuit breaker case in a direction parallel to the operating direction of the manual operating handle. 
         [0019]    The movable member may be provided at the movable frame in an interlocking manner to move the manual operating handle. 
         [0020]    The slot hole may be formed on the moving member in an inclined manner from the moving direction of the manual operating handle. 
         [0021]    The fastening member may be fastened to the movable member and movable frame through the slot hole. 
         [0022]    According to an aspect of the present disclosure, the length direction of a slot hole may be disposed to be inclined at a predetermined angle from the moving direction of the manual operating handle to reduce a load on screws during the operation of a handle contrary to the related art, thereby preventing the screws from being pushed out as well as allowing the use of low cost screws. 
         [0023]    Here, the fastening member may be a screw. 
         [0024]    The fastening member may finely adjust an operating distance of the manual operating handle according to a position at which the fastening member is fixed on the slot hole. 
         [0025]    The movable frame may include side plates and movable rods. 
         [0026]    The side plates may be coupled to an outer surface of the circuit breaker case, respectively, with a hinge structure, and connected to an end portion of the connecting rod to be rotated in the same direction as that of the operating direction of the manual operating handle. 
         [0027]    The movable rods may be connected between the side plates to be operated along with the side plates. 
         [0028]    The movable member may be connected between the movable rods. 
         [0029]    The movable member may be provided with an insertion hole therein to insert part of the manual operating handle so as to be connected to the manual operating handle. 
         [0030]    The movable members may be disposed to be separated from each other for the manual operating handle therebetween, and moved in the operating direction of the manual operating handle. 
         [0031]    The slot holes may be formed in parallel to each other with a gap therebetween. 
         [0032]    According to a first embodiment, the slot holes may be formed on the movable member to be separated from each other in the vertical direction of the movement of the movable member. 
         [0033]    According to a second embodiment, the slot holes may be formed on the movable member to be separated from each other in the movement direction of the movable member. 
         [0034]    As described above, in a handle operating device for a circuit breaker according to the present disclosure, a load on screws during the operation of a handle of the circuit breaker may be reduced to prevent the screws from being pushed out, thereby enhancing the operational reliability of an external operating handle. Furthermore, the use of low cost screws may be allowed instead of high cost hexagonal wrench bolts, thereby achieving cost reduction. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0035]    The accompanying drawings, which are included to provide a further understanding of the invention and are incorporated in and constitute a part of this specification, illustrate embodiments of the invention and together with the description serve to explain the principles of the invention. 
           [0036]    In the drawings: 
           [0037]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view illustrating a handle operating device of a large capacitor circuit breaker in the related art; 
           [0038]      FIG. 2  is a schematic view for explaining a power transfer mechanism to a handle of the circuit breaker in a handle operating device of a large capacity circuit breaker in the related art; 
           [0039]      FIG. 3  is a perspective view illustrating a handle operating device for a circuit breaker according to a first embodiment of the present disclosure; 
           [0040]      FIG. 4  is a schematic view illustrating the operation state of a circuit breaker handle as a side view in  FIG. 3 ; 
           [0041]      FIG. 5  is a schematic view for explaining a power transfer mechanism to a circuit breaker handle in a handle operating device for a circuit breaker according to the present disclosure; 
           [0042]      FIG. 6  is a schematic view illustrating the component loads of a force in a slot hole skew structure according to the present disclosure; 
           [0043]      FIG. 7  is a plan view illustrating the skew structure of a movable member and slot holes according to a second embodiment of the present disclosure; and 
           [0044]      FIG. 8  is a plan view illustrating the skew structure of a movable member and slot holes according to a third embodiment of the present disclosure. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0045]    Hereinafter, a preferred embodiment of the present disclosure will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings to such an extent that the present disclosure can be easily implemented by a person having ordinary skill in the art to which the present disclosure pertains. 
         [0046]      FIG. 3  attached herewith is a perspective view illustrating a handle operating device for a circuit breaker according to a first embodiment of the present disclosure, and  FIG. 4  is a schematic view illustrating the operation state of a circuit breaker handle as a side view in  FIG. 3 . 
         [0047]    The present disclosure relates to a handle operating device for a circuit breaker capable of reducing a load on screws  16  during the operation of a circuit breaker handle  13  using an external operating handle. 
         [0048]    The handle operating device for a circuit breaker as a device for the user&#39;s convenience may maximize the convenience of use when applied to a large capacity circuit breaker. 
         [0049]    For example, when operating the handle  13  of the large capacity circuit breaker, it may be possible to move an on position to an off position or vice versa using an external operating handle. 
         [0050]    The external operating handle may be used by employing publicly known technologies, and thus the description of the detailed structure and operation thereof will be omitted. 
         [0051]    A handle operating device for a circuit breaker according to the present disclosure may include a connecting rod  12 , a stationary frame  17 , a movable frame  11 , a movable member  14 , and the like. 
         [0052]    For the connecting rod  12 , an end portion of the connecting rod  12  is connected to the external operating handle and the other end portion of the connecting rod  12  is connected to the movable frame  11  to transfer power generated from the external operating handle to the movable frame  11 . 
         [0053]    The stationary frame  17  is disposed in the shape of surrounding a base surface of the circuit breaker case  10 , for example, a bottom and a lateral surface of the base, and the circuit breaker is fixed to the stationary frame  17 . 
         [0054]    The movable frame  11  may include side plates  111  hinge-coupled to both lateral surfaces of the circuit breaker case  10 , a connecting rod  113  connected between the side plates  111 , and a movable rod  112  provided between the side plates  111 . 
         [0055]    The side plates  111  may be formed in a triangular shaped plate structure, and disposed to be separated from each other in the vertical direction of the operating direction of the circuit breaker handle  13 , and one corner of the triangular plate  111  is hinge-coupled to a lateral surface of the circuit breaker case  10  to be rotated in the operating direction of the circuit breaker handle  13 . 
         [0056]    The connecting rod  113  has a plate structure having a small width and a long length to maintain a predetermined gap between the side plates  111 . 
         [0057]    The moving rods  112  are provided on both side plates  111 , respectively, in a plate structure, and one side length directional surface of each movable plate  112  is disposed to be separated from the connecting rod  113  in the handle operating direction of the circuit breaker, and one side width directional surface of each movable plate  112  is disposed to be separated in the vertical direction of the handle operating direction of the circuit breaker. The movable rod  112  having such a connecting relation is rotated in the operating direction of the circuit breaker handle  13  along with the side plates  111 . 
         [0058]    The movable members  14  are connected between the movable rods  112 , and disposed to be separated from each other in the handle operating direction with the circuit breaker handle  13  therebetween, and thus rotated in the handle operating direction of the circuit breaker along with the movable rods  112  and side plates  111 . 
         [0059]    In this manner, an end portion of the circuit breaker handle  13  is inserted between the separated movable members  14 , and the inserted circuit breaker handle  13  may move from an on position to an off position or vice versa by the rotated movable members  14 . 
         [0060]      FIG. 5  attached herewith is a schematic view for explaining a power transfer mechanism to a circuit breaker handle  13  in a handle operating device for a circuit breaker according to the present disclosure, and  FIG. 6  is a schematic view illustrating the component loads of a force in a slot hole  150  skew structure according to the present disclosure. 
         [0061]    Here, the movable member  14  may include slot holes  150  formed in an inclined manner at both end portions thereof, respectively, to finely adjust a gap of the circuit breaker handle  13  between the movable rods  112 . 
         [0062]    The slot hole  150  denotes the shape of a hole having an elongated length in a direction compared to the width thereof. 
         [0063]    The long axis direction of the slot hole  150  is disposed to be inclined at a predetermined angle from the handle operating direction of the circuit breaker. 
         [0064]    The reason for which the long axis direction of the slot hole  150  is disposed to be inclined contrary to the related art is to prevent the screw  16  from being pushed out from the slot hole  150  when an operating force acts in the handle operating direction. 
         [0065]    More specifically, a fastening force of the screws  16 , for example, round Phillips head screws, for fastening the movable member  14  to the movable rod  112  acts in a direction from bolt head to the bolt stem, namely, in a direction perpendicular to the long axis direction of the slot hole  150 , and thus a force preventing the screws  16  from being pushed out is a frictional force. Frictional force is the product of a friction coefficient of the contact surface and a normal force, and according to the present disclosure, the friction coefficient of the contact surface is a predetermined value and thus the frictional force is proportional to the normal force. Accordingly, the size of a frictional force preventing the screws  16  from being pushed out is increased as increasing the fastening force of the screws  16  which is a force corresponding to the normal force. 
         [0066]    However, there is a limit in increasing a frictional force for preventing the screws  16  from being pushed out. It is because of a fastening force of the screws  16 . As described in the related art, a fastening force is predetermined according to the types of screws  16 , and in case of a hexagonal wrench bolt for which a hexagonal groove is formed on the bold head, it is expensive and thus not helpful for cost reduction. Furthermore, a bolt tends to be loose since the fastening force is gradually weakened as time passes, and the handle operating force of the circuit breaker is constant, and thus it is not a fundamental solution to overcome the phenomenon of screws  16  of being pushed out with a fastening force of the hexagonal wrench bolt by the handle operating force of the circuit breaker. 
         [0067]    Accordingly, as a fundamental solution, a load on the screws  16 , namely, an operating force being transferred from the external operating handle to the screws  16  during the operation of the circuit breaker handle may be reduced, thereby preventing the screws  16  from being pushed out. 
         [0068]    For example, when the direction of the screws  16  of being pushed out is the same as the operating direction of the handle operating force, the handle operating force is transferred 100 percent to the screws  16  in the direction of the screws  16  of being pushed out. However, in case where the direction of the screws  16  of being pushed out is disposed to be inclined from the operating direction of the handle operating force, when the screw  16  is pushed out from the slot hole  150  by the operation of the handle operating force during the operation of the handle  13  it receives intervention from the movable member  14  around the slot hole  150 . In other words, in the related art, the long axis direction of the slot hole  150  is the same as the operating direction of the handle operating force, and thus there is no intervention for the movement of the screws  16 , but according to the present disclosure, the long axis direction of the slot hole  150  is crossed with the operating direction of the handle operating force in an inclined manner, therefore receiving intervention. 
         [0069]    In this case, as illustrated in  FIG. 6 , the handle operating force “F” is divided into a force “F 1 ” in the vertical direction of the long axis direction of the slot hole  150  and a force “F 2 ” in the long axis direction of the slot hole  150  (F=F 1 +F 2 ). Here, the component load “F 2 ” on the screws  16  is far less than “F”. 
         [0070]    In other words, the component load “F 2 ” on the screws  16 , which is a fundamental force generating the phenomenon of the screws  16  of being pushed out, is far less than the handle operating force, thereby preventing the screws  16  from being pushed out by the handle operating force during the handle operation in the related art. 
         [0071]      FIG. 7  is a plan view illustrating the skew structure of a movable member  140  and slot holes  150  according to a second embodiment of the present disclosure. The direction of arrow in  FIG. 7  is a handle operating direction. 
         [0072]    Referring to  FIG. 7 , the movable member  140  according to a second embodiment is not a separated structure with the circuit breaker handle  13  therebetween as in the first embodiment but an integrated structure, and is provided with an insertion hole therein to allow the circuit breaker handle  13  to be inserted through the insertion hole. 
         [0073]    In this manner, the integrated movable member  140  may adjust a gap between the movable member  140  and circuit breaker handle  13  through the position adjustment of the screws  16  within the slot hole  150 . However, a front and a rear gap between the movable member  140  and handle  13  are not separately adjusted around the circuit breaker handle  13  within the insertion hole as in the first embodiment, and the front gap and the rear gap between the movable member  140  and handle  13  act with each other. For example, the rear gap between the movable member  140  and handle  13  is reduced when increasing the front gap between the movable member  140  and handle  13 , and on the contrary, the front gap between the movable member  140  and handle  13  is reduced when increasing the rear gap between the movable member  140  and handle  13 . In such an integrated type movable member  140 , the number of slot holes  150  may be reduced compared to a separated type movable member  14 , thereby simplifying the structure and reducing the cost. 
         [0074]    In addition, the location of the slot holes  150  in the movable member  140  according to the second embodiment may be disposed to be separated from each other in the vertical direction of the operating direction of the circuit breaker handle  13 . 
         [0075]      FIG. 8  is a plan view illustrating the skew structure of a movable member  240  and slot holes  150  according to a third embodiment of the present disclosure. The direction of arrow in  FIG. 8  is a handle operating direction. 
         [0076]    The movable member  240  according to the third embodiment is an integrated type as in the second embodiment, thereby obtaining a cost reduction effect with a simple structure. However, contrary to the second embodiment, the location of the slot holes  150  may be disposed to be separated from each other in the operating direction of the circuit breaker handle  13 . 
         [0077]    Although the preferred embodiments of the present invention have been described in detail, the rights scope of the present invention is not limited to the embodiments and various modifications and improvements thereto made by those skilled in the art using the basic concept of the present invention as defined in the accompanying claims will fall in the rights scope of the invention.