A circuit breaker having a mechanical switch which is inserted into a main current path and has a fixed contact and a moving contact which is connected to a contact bridge mounted movably thereto. The circuit breaker comprises a drive, which is operatively connected to the contact bridge, and a control unit, via which the drive is energized and which is powered from a control circuit. The drive has a “moving magnet actuator.”Further, a vehicle having the circuit breaker is provided.

A switching device has a first switching path having first switching contacts and has a second switching path having second switching contacts, wherein the first switching path has a first electromagnetic tripping apparatus having a first coil winding, wherein the first coil winding has a first winding direction, wherein the second switching path has a second electromagnetic tripping apparatus having a second coil winding, and wherein the second coil winding has a second winding direction. The first switching contacts and the second switching contacts are coupled for substantially simultaneous actuation. The first switching path and the second switching path are arranged adjacent to each other in the switching device. The first winding direction is opposite the second winding direction.

Disclosed embodiments include an instant trip mechanism for a molded case circuit breaker. In some embodiments, the mechanism includes an adjustment dial to set a current for an instant trip operation; an instant bar provided with an upper portion contactable with the adjustment dial, a shaft portion serving as a rotation shaft, and a lower extending portion downwardly extending from the shaft portion; an electromagnet unit to generate a magnetic attraction force that is proportional to an amount of current flowing on the circuit; an armature rotatable with a lower end portion supported by a shaft, and attracted toward the electromagnet unit by the magnetic attraction force; and a spring for applying to the armature a load varying in a direction of the armature getting away from the electromagnet unit.

Disclosed herein is a computer-implemented method to assist a user in interacting with an electronic relay for electric power distribution grids. The method provides for identifying light signals emitted by one or more user-interface components of the user-interface panel of the electronic relay by processing images of said user-interface panel, which have been captured by the camera of a mobile computerized device. The method further provides for showing information, which describes the identified light signals emitted by said user-interface components on the display of said mobile computerized device.

A contactor includes a fixed iron core, a movable iron core, an operation coil, a first crossbar, a tripping spring, and a second crossbar. The contactor includes a push spring to push a movable contact toward a fixed contact, a trip coil connected to the fixed contact, and a plunger that is operated by an electromagnetic force generated in the trip coil when a current of a predetermined value or higher flows through the trip coil. The contactor includes an opening lever to push the second crossbar in a direction away from the first crossbar in conjunction with the operation of the plunger.

A control system is designed to control an interrupter. The interrupter is started by a startup current to interrupt a main electric circuit. The startup current flows through an auxiliary electric circuit and has a current valve equal to or greater than a predetermined value. The control system includes a driving unit and a driven unit. The driving unit includes an intermediate electrical path to be connected to the main electric circuit. The driven unit is to be connected to the auxiliary electric circuit. When an abnormal current having a current value equal to or greater than a prescribed value flows through the intermediate electrical path, the driving unit uses, as a drive source for driving the driven unit, the abnormal current flowing through the intermediate electrical path. The driven unit supplies the auxiliary electric circuit with the startup current by being driven by the driving unit.

A fast-operating AC fault current limiter, to limit the fault current let through to downstream equipment during short circuit or low-impedance faults, comprises a series inductor to limit current rise time, a current sensor to sense the instantaneous current, a series AC semiconductor switch to interrupt current flow when it exceeds the maximum desired fault current, and a shunt AC semiconductor switch to catch inductor flyback voltage when the series semiconductor switch is opened. Each of the series and the shunt AC switches comprises two back-to-back MOSFETs. Inventive control of timing of the individual MOSFETs obviates the need for exact simultaneous timing of opening the series switch and closing the shunt switch, which is otherwise required to avoid short circuits.

A fast-operating AC fault current limiter, to limit the fault current let through to downstream equipment during short circuit or low-impedance faults, comprises a series inductor to limit current rise time, a current sensor to sense the instantaneous current, a series AC semiconductor switch to interrupt current flow when it exceeds the maximum desired fault current, and a shunt AC semiconductor switch to catch inductor flyback voltage when the series semiconductor switch is opened. Each of the series and the shunt AC switches comprises two back-to-back MOSFETs. Inventive control of timing of the individual MOSFETs obviates the need for exact simultaneous timing of opening the series switch and closing the shunt switch, which is otherwise required to avoid short circuits.

A contactor includes a fixed iron core, a movable iron core, an operation coil, a first crossbar, a tripping spring, and a second crossbar. The contactor includes a push spring to push a movable contact toward a fixed contact, a trip coil connected to the fixed contact, and a plunger that is operated by an electromagnetic force generated in the trip coil when a current of a predetermined value or higher flows through the trip coil. The contactor includes an opening lever to push the second crossbar in a direction away from the first crossbar in conjunction with the operation of the plunger.

The circuit breaker according to the present invention comprises: a pair of contact mechanisms for switching a pair of circuits; a switching mechanism for driving the pair of contact mechanism to a circuit opening position or a circuit closing position; a trip bar rotatable to a first position for latching the switching mechanism or to a second position for releasing the switching mechanism; and an instant trip mechanism for pressing the trip bar to rotate to the second position, wherein the instant trip mechanism comprises a pair of armature assemblies and movable to a position for pressing the trip bar to rotate to the second position; and a pair of electromagnets provided to face the pair of armature assemblies and applies a magnetic attractive force to the pair of armature assemblies in response to the fault current on the circuit requiring an instant trip.