A touchless magnetic-only coupled solenoid trip system for a miniature circuit breaker achieves magnetic tripping using a floating plunger assembly in a solenoid coil/housing to narrow a magnetic gap between plunger and trip assembly to cause the magnetic trip The floating plunger of the solenoid can also move out of the way if the bimetal bends to cause a thermal trip.

An overload release includes a bimetallic element, a tripping slide, a latch and an energy store. In an overload situation the bimetallic element actuates the tripping slide; as a result, the tripping slide actuates the latch, and as a result, the latch allows the movement of the energy store. The latch is provided with a latch area and the energy store is provided with a latching area, the two areas mechanically interacting in the latched state and the latch area being released from the latching area in the unlatched state, when there is an overload, to allow the movement of the energy store. Further, the latch area or the latching area includes a projection.

An overload release includes a bimetallic element, a tripping slide, a latch and an energy store. In an overload situation the bimetallic element actuates the tripping slide; as a result, the tripping slide actuates the latch, and as a result, the latch allows the movement of the energy store. The latch is provided with a latch area and the energy store is provided with a latching area, the two areas mechanically interacting in the latched state and the latch area being released from the latching area in the unlatched state, when there is an overload, to allow the movement of the energy store. Further, the latch area or the latching area includes a projection.

A touchless magnetic-only coupled solenoid trip system for a miniature circuit breaker achieves magnetic tripping using a floating plunger assembly in a solenoid coil/housing to narrow a magnetic gap between plunger and trip assembly to cause the magnetic trip The floating plunger of the solenoid can also move out of the way if the bimetal bends to cause a thermal trip.

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.

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.

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.