Circuit breaker with bypass conductor commutating current out of the bimetal during short circuit interruption and method of commutating current out of bimetal

Abstract From the Canadian patent

The high transient current sustained by arcing during opening of the main contacts of a miniature circuit breaker is commutated out of the bimetal by , deflection of the bimetal in response to the overcurrent to close secondary contacts on , the free end of the bimetal and on a low resistance by-pass conductor shunting the , bimetal. The by-pass conductor can be extended toward the movable contact arm carrying the movable main contact to commutate some of the overcurrent into the , bypass conductor earlier in the opening sequence to reduce the energy input to the , bimetal and reduce the force closing the secondary contacts.