Abstract:
A load center with a circuit breaker with a first recess and a second recess, a main busbar with a first stab that is operatively arranged to insert into the first recess and support a front end of the circuit breaker. The load center also includes a neutral support bar having a second stab and a lug. The lug is connected to a neutral system and the second stab is operatively arranged to insert into the second recess of the circuit breaker. The second stab also supports a back end of the circuit breaker.

Description:
BACKGROUND 
   1. Field 
   This present disclosure relates generally to circuit breakers and, more particularly, to circuit breakers with plug in neutral connections. 
   2. Description of the Related Art 
   Changing National Electrical Code (NEC) requirements are increasing the number of arc fault breakers required in every residential installation. For each breaker added, the labor required to connect neutral lines is doubled. Additionally, the additional short length of wire between the back of breaker and the neutral bar can create an untidy installation. 
   Currently, breakers are mounted in a load center by hooking the back of breaker on a support rail and plugging the front of breaker onto a hot bus stab. This system was sufficient in the past, since the vast majority of residential circuit breakers had no need to monitor the neutral current. Only ground fault circuit interrupter (GFCI) breakers required neutral current be routed back through the breaker for analysis. Since the number of GFCI breakers is low, typically only one or two per panel, a neutral conductor out of the back of breaker and secured to the traditional neutral bar is acceptable. 
   In recent years, the addition of arc fault circuit interrupter breakers (AFCI) to residential NEC has created additional need for neutrals to go back through the breakers. Future codes will expand on this trend, and it is expected that all circuits may eventually have breakers that require neutral to be monitored. 
   Current methods of making neutral connections in breakers are cumbersome and time consuming. Additionally, the current methods of making neutral connections are bulky and difficult to organize. 
   Accordingly, there is a need for an improved method and apparatus for making neutral connections in circuit breakers that will overcome, alleviate, and/or mitigate one or more of the aforementioned and other deleterious effects of prior art circuit breakers. 
   SUMMARY 
   In one aspect, a load center is provided. The load center has a circuit breaker with a first recess and a second recess, a main busbar with a first stab that is operatively arranged to insert into the first recess and support a front end of the circuit breaker. The load center also includes a neutral support bar having a second stab and a lug. The lug provides connection to the neutral system of conductors and the second stab is operatively arranged to insert into the second recess of the circuit breaker. The second stab also supports a back end of the circuit breaker. 
   In another aspect, a neutral support bar for a load center is also provided. The neutral support bar has a linear bar with a plurality of stabs, a main lug, and a plurality of smaller lugs. The linear bar, the plurality of stabs, the main lug and the plurality of smaller lugs all conduct electricity. The plurality of stabs are operatively arranged to insert into a circuit breaker and support one end of the circuit breaker. The main lug provides connection capability to a neutral system. Each of the plurality of smaller lugs are connectable to a neutral line, and the plurality of stabs extend from the linear bar. The plurality of stabs are operatively arranged to insert into a circuit breaker and support one end of the circuit breaker. Together the elements of the neutral support bar provide all the line side neutral line side electrical connections for the loadcenter and mechanical support for the circuit breaker. 
   The above-described and other features and advantages of the present disclosure will be appreciated and understood by those skilled in the art from the following detailed description, drawings, and appended claims. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     These and other objects of the present disclosure will be more apparent from the following detailed description of the present disclosure, in conjunction with the accompanying drawings wherein: 
       FIG. 1  is a top plan view of a load center of the present disclosure; 
       FIG. 2  is a cross-sectional view, taken generally along line  2 - 2 , of the load center in  FIG. 1 ; 
       FIG. 3  is a cross-sectional view of the load center in  FIG. 1 , taken generally along line  3 - 3  in  FIG. 2 ; and 
       FIG. 4  is a cross-sectional view of the load center in  FIG. 1 , taken generally along line  4 - 4  in  FIG. 2 . 
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
   Referring now to  FIG. 1 , an exemplary embodiment of a load center generally referred to by reference numeral  10  is illustrated. Load center  10  has a neutral support bar  12  attached to case  14 . Neutral support bar  12  has neutral stabs  16  positioned to insert inside breaker  18 . Neutral support bar  12  functions as the neutral busbar, i.e., the location that neutral lines are connected and the neutral busbar can be connected to neutral system. Neutral support bar  12  also functions as support for breaker  18 . Neutral lines  20  are wired to neutral support bar  12  by inserting the neutral lines into recess  22  of lug  21  and securing with screw  24 . Therefore, load center  10 , and more specifically, neutral support bar  12 , provide support on the neutral side of circuit breaker  18 , a location to connect circuit breakers that monitor neutral lines, i.e., GFCI and AFCI breakers, and provide a location to connect neutral lines  20  for standard breakers. 
   Main lug  25  on neutral support bar  12  enables a ground or neutral system wire  25   a  to be wired to load center  10  using fastener  25   b . Fastener  25   b  can be a screw or similar fastener that threads into lug  25  to attach ground wire  25   b.    
   Load center  10  also has a main busbar  26  attached within case  14 . Main busbar  26  has stabs  28  positioned to supply electricity from main busbar  26  to breaker  18 . One means of connecting breaker  18  is to have a plug in type connection on the hot side of breaker  18 . A plug in type breaker  18  is pushed with downward pressure against stab  28  on the hot side  32  until stab  28  is securely connected to breaker  18 . Hot side  32  of breaker  18  can also be attached to stab  28  using another known connection type. 
   In an exemplary embodiment, neutral side  30  of breaker  18  is connected to neutral support bar  12  by inserting or plugging stab  16  into the lower end of breaker  18 . Specifically, attachment of breaker  18  to load center  10  is accomplished by first inserting stab  16  into a neutral recess  34  in the lower end of breaker  18 . Breaker  18  can be slightly slanted as stab  16  is inserted into recess  34  to assist in the insertion step. In this respect breaker  18  is hooked to stab  16 . Hot side  32  of breaker  18  can then be lowered toward stab  28 . Recess  36  on hot side  32  of breaker  18  receives stab  28  as breaker  18  is pressed down against stab  28  or stab  28  is plugged into hot side recess  36 . 
   Recess  34  is a shown as a horizontally aligned rectangular opening, disposed proximate the bottom of neutral side  30  on breaker  18 . Recess  34  can be other shapes and can be positioned at other positions on breaker  18 . For example, recess  34  can be a circular aperture, or a slot that extends the width of breaker  18 . In an exemplary embodiment, the configuration and shape of recess  34  will match the configuration and shape of neutral stab  16 . Although contacts  38  show a slight gap between stab  16  and contacts  38 , stab  16  should fit into recess  34  tight enough to ensure that contacts  38  in recess  34  are in contact with neutral stab  16  when breaker  18  is plugged into place on load center  10 . 
   The positioning and shaped of contacts  38  can be altered from the embodiments shown in the figures. In some embodiments, the contacts can encompass every wall of recess  34 . 
   Recess  36  is shown as a vertically aligned rectangular opening, disposed proximate the bottom of hot side  32 . Recess  36  can be other shapes and can be positioned at other positions on breaker  18 . For example, recess  36  can be a circular aperture, or a slot that extends the width of breaker  18 . In an exemplary embodiment, the configuration and shape of recess  34  will match the configuration and shape of hot stab  28 . Although a slight gap is shown between stab  28  and contacts  40 , stab  28  should fit into recess  36  tight enough to ensure that contacts  40  are in direct contact with main busbar stab  28  when breaker  18  is plugged into place on load center  10 . 
   The positioning and shape of contacts  40  can be altered from the embodiments shown in the figures. In some embodiments, the contacts can encompass every wall of recess  36 . 
   Breaker  18  can be a conventional circuit breaker that has no connection to neutral line  20 , or in an exemplary embodiment of the disclosure it can be a GFCI of AFCI breaker, which monitors the current flowing back through neutral line, and can have a neutral line attached. For instance, neutral line  20  can be hard wired (not shown) into breaker  18  to enable monitoring of a potential ground fault or an arc fault in the line serviced by the breaker. In such an embodiment, the neutral line  20  coming out of the breaker would be connected to neutral support bar  12  by inserting it into lug  22  and fastening the wire for neutral line  20  inside lug  22  with screw  24 . 
   Hot lines  44  are connected to breaker  18  using lug  46 . Line  44  is inserted into recess  48  of lug  46 , which can be slanted as shown or recess  48  can have another configuration. Line  44  can be fastened inside recess  48  using fastener  52 , which can be a screw or a similar fastener. 
   In cases where a GFCI of AFCI breaker is used a neutral line  47  can be fastened to breaker  18  using lug  50  and fastener  52 . The arrangement and positioning of lug  50  and fastener  52  can be changed from the positioning shown in  FIG. 3 . For instance, it may be beneficial to stagger the placement of lug  46  and lug  50  to ease the installation of such a breaker. Neutral line  47  differs from neutral line  20  discussed previously, such that neutral line  47  is the neutral line returning from the service line to be monitored by the GFCI or an AFCI breaker. Neutral line  20  is the neutral that would be used in cases where a standard breaker (e.g., non-GFCI) is used that does not have the capacity to receive a neutral line. 
   Although  FIGS. 1-4  show only a single neutral support bar  12 , a single main busbar  26 , and a single circuit breaker  18 , it should be appreciated that multiples of these structures can be used with load center  10 . For instance in some embodiments, a row of breakers  18  can be attached to a neutral support bar  12  and a main busbar  26 , and another row of breakers  18  can be attached to a separate neutral support bar and main busbar on the opposite side of main busbar  26 ; thereby producing a load center with two parallel rows of breakers  18 . 
   The support for neutral side  30  of breaker  18  and the function of neutral busbar is all performed by neutral support bar  12 . By acting as a ground for the load center  10  and as support for neutral side  30  of breakers  18  attached to load center  10 , neutral support bar  12  enables the elimination of a separate support bar for breakers on the neutral side. It also eliminates the cluttered wires typically found in load centers with GFCI of AFCI breakers. Support for neutral side  30  is provided entirely by stabs  16  on neutral support bar  12 . This eliminates the need for a dedicated support that only functions as support on the neutral side of the breaker. 
   Neutral support bar  12  can also provides a wider wire gutter  51  in load center  10 . Wire gutter  51  is wider due to the elimination of typical separate components of a load center, i.e., a neutral busbar and breaker support for the neutral side of the breaker. Since support is required on both sides of a breaker to provide a stable installation, the elimination of a support bracket entirely was not possible. Also, a neutral busbar is needed to connect neutral lines. Therefore, the combining of these functions in one neutral support bar  12  provides wider wire gutter  51 , which eases installation, reduces manufacturing time and installation time, and provides a more organized channel to position the many wires connected to neutral support bar  12  and breakers  18 . 
   A neutral insulator  54 - 1  can be positioned under neutral support bar  12  to insulate neutral support bar  12  from conducting electricity to cover  14  or any other components in load center  10  that are not wired to neutral support bar  12 . A main bus insulator  54 - 2  can be positioned under main busbar  26  to insulate main busbar  26 . 
   The particular type, including materials, dimensions and shape, of the neutral support bars  12 , and other components described in this disclosure, can vary according to the particular needs of load center  10 . 
   While the instant disclosure has been described with reference to one or more exemplary embodiments, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes may be made and equivalents may be substituted for elements thereof without departing from the scope thereof. In addition, many modifications may be made to adapt a particular situation or material to the teachings of the disclosure without departing from the scope thereof. Therefore, it is intended that the disclosure not be limited to the particular embodiment(s) disclosed as the best mode contemplated for implementing the contents of this disclosure, but that the disclosure will include all embodiments falling within the scope of the appended claims.