New Tools for the Design and Analysis of Complex Springs

Abstract

The molded case circuit breaker industry, in general, produces great families of breakers, i.e., the bolt-on and the plug-in units. The bolt-on unit uses a screw to connect the unit to the bus bar of the panelboard. In the case of the plug-in breaker, the unit has a much higher chance to heat up due to the current flowing through the clip to the panelboard bus bars. This is due to several factors: a- The spring action of the clip to the panelboard bus bars is reduced due to the heat produced by the electrical current. In this case, the connection loosens, producing more heat, b- Poor handling of the unit during the process of plugging it up, affecting the shape of the clip, c- Dirt, scale and rust in the panelboard bus bars or in the clip. d- The shape of the clip is not the best for its application. The design of the breaker clip is very complex due to its shape and application.