Embodiments provide systems, apparatus, and methods for circuit breaker tripping. Embodiments include providing a circuit breaker with a thermoelectric tripping mechanism, the thermoelectric tripping mechanism including a thermoelectric plate disposed between a current path and a bimetal lever of the circuit breaker; applying a DC current to the thermoelectric plate to heat the bimetal lever; and deflecting the bimetal lever to press upon a trip bar in response to a current overload occurring on the current path. Numerous additional aspects are disclosed.

An overload protection device is disclosed, characterized in that, the overload protection device comprises a first heating band (i.e., a terminal); a second heating band; a bimetallic strip; a litzendraht wire; a lower part of the first heating band and a lower part of the bimetallic strip are mechanically connected with each other; two ends of the litzendraht wire mechanically connect with an upper part of the second heating band and an upper part of the bimetallic strip respectively.

Embodiments provide systems, apparatus, and methods for circuit breaker tripping. Embodiments include providing a circuit breaker with a thermoelectric tripping mechanism, the thermoelectric tripping mechanism including a thermoelectric plate disposed between a current path and a bimetal lever of the circuit breaker; applying a DC current to the thermoelectric plate to heat the bimetal lever; and deflecting the bimetal lever to press upon a trip bar in response to a current overload occurring on the current path. Numerous additional aspects are disclosed.

A heater apparatus is structured for use in a circuit interrupter having a thermal trip and includes a conductive device having a terminal and a heater that are co-formed with one another. The terminal includes a base and a support. The conductive device is formed from an individual metallic plate that is bent to form a number of plate elements. The base includes at least one plate element, and the heater includes at least another plate element, with the base and the heater being co-formed. A compression element is threadably receivable on the terminal and is structured to compressively retain an electrical conductor between the compression element and the base.

The present invention relates to a molded-case circuit breaker for direct current (DC), and more particularly, to a molded-case circuit breaker for DC that contains an internal connecting conductor connecting adjacent terminals to improve insulation performance and assemblability and reduce occupied space. There is provided a molded-case circuit breaker for DC that contains a plurality of interruption units within an outer casing, the DC circuit breaker including a two-unit connecting heater that connects fixed contacts of adjacent interruption units, the two-unit connecting heater being placed within the outer casing.

A thermal trip assembly is for an electrical switching apparatus. The electrical switching apparatus includes a housing, separable contacts enclosed by the housing, an operating mechanism for opening and closing the separable contacts, and a number of shunts. The thermal trip assembly includes a load conductor, a bimetal adapted to cooperate with the operating mechanism to open the separable contacts in response to a trip condition, and a bypass heater element structured to be electrically connected to the shunts. The bypass heater element directs the flow of electric current to at least partially bypass the bimetal.

A device for joining a bimetal strip and a component that acts as a support for the bimetal strip in a current breaking unit, the bimetal strip being electrically connected by a free end, to a input connection area, and by another end, by way of which the bimetal strip is fixed to the support, to a output connection area. The bimetal strip is mounted to pass through the support to be fixed at different locations along the length of the bimetal strip, the bimetal strip having a first part and a second part that are situated respectively on one side and the other of the support, the first part being on the side of the free end, corresponding to the usable surface of the bimetal strip, the length of the usable surface being variable depending on the insertion length of the bimetal strip in the support, the insertion length being determined depending on the calibre of the unit to obtain a constant thermal profile, regardless of the calibre, and to an electrical protection unit with same.

Provided is a trip mechanism for DC molded case circuit breaker, in which the insulating distance between the poles increases without any increase in whole product size, thereby reliably providing a trigger output against an over current and a fault current instantaneous breaking required. The trip mechanism includes a trip mechanism part including an instantaneous trip mechanism, the instantaneous trip mechanism including a movable member to operate according to a fault current instantaneous breaking required, and a thermal trip mechanism including a bimetal to operate according to an over current, the trip mechanism part being provided for one of two adjacent poles; a crossbar that is rotatable by contacting and pressing of the movable member of the instantaneous trip mechanism or the bimetal of the thermal trip mechanism; and a shooter that is provided to be rotatable by contacting of the crossbar rotating.

In an overload relay, a tripping actuator 12 has a first magnet 18 and a moveable contact carrier 20 has a second magnet 28 mounted opposed to the first magnet. A moveable contact 22 on the moveable contact carrier is urged by repulsion between the magnets, to make a normally closed connection with a stationary contact 24, when the tripping actuator is in an ON position 15 and the contact carrier in a first stable position 26. The magnets pass through an over-center tripping position (T) when the tripping actuator is moved to an OFF position 23 in response to an overcurrent condition sensed by a bimetallic thermal overload sensor 16. The magnets repel each other after passing through the over-center tripping position, to thereby urge the moveable contact into a second stable position 26, away from the stationary contact, to break the normally closed connection with the stationary contact.

A device for joining a bimetal strip and a component that acts as a support for the bimetal strip in a current breaking unit, the bimetal strip being electrically connected by a free end, to a input connection area, and by another end, by way of which the bimetal strip is fixed to the support, to a output connection area. The bimetal strip is mounted to pass through the support to be fixed at different locations along the length of the bimetal strip, the bimetal strip having a first part and a second part that are situated respectively on one side and the other of the support, the first part being on the side of the free end, corresponding to the usable surface of the bimetal strip, the length of the usable surface being variable depending on the insertion length of the bimetal strip in the support, the insertion length being determined depending on the calibre of the unit to obtain a constant thermal profile, regardless of the calibre, and to an electrical protection unit with same.