Patent ID: 7586057

Claim:
A vented case for an electrical switching apparatus including separable contacts, a number of terminals, at least one terminal conductor electrically connecting a corresponding one of said separable contacts to a corresponding one of said number of terminals, and an arc chute structured to attract and dissipate an arc formed between said separable contacts, said arc producing an ionized gas, said vented case comprising: at least one housing member comprising an interior, an exterior, a first end, a second end disposed generally opposite and distal from the first end, and an intermediate portion extending between the first end and the second end; and at least one vent structured to discharge said ionized gas from said interior of said at least one housing member to the exterior of said at least one housing member, wherein said at least one vent includes a plurality of venting passages, each of said venting passages being structured to extend from proximate said arc chute within the interior to the exterior, wherein said at least one vent comprises a primary vent extending through the first end of said at least one housing member, and wherein said primary vent is structured to be disposed at a location spaced apart from said at least one terminal conductor of said electrical switching apparatus.