Puffer Piston Patents (Class 218/57)
  • Patent number: 11469062
    Abstract: This disclosure relates generally to power isolation switch devices. In one embodiment, a power isolation switch device has a power insulator, an arc breaker, and a switch. The power insulator and the switch are connected in parallel. The arc contact is operably associated with the switch such that the arc contact is removed from the arc chute as the switch is opened and is inserted to contact the arc chute when the switch is closed. In this manner, the power isolation switch device does not need an interrupter and can be provided so as to be less bulky.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 26, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 11, 2022
    Inventor: Robert Neal Hendrix
  • Patent number: 11211207
    Abstract: A central module for a three-phase electrical switching device, comprising a central plinth intended to bear a central switch module and a front face comprising control/command members for the switching device. The central plinth comprises rear fixing means capable of fixing a rear plinth intended to bear two rear switch modules, lateral fixing means capable of fixing two lateral plinths intended to each bear a lateral switch module, an actuation mechanism intended to actuate a central switch module, and means for transmitting movements of the actuation mechanism toward the rear plinth and the lateral plinths to be able to actuate the rear and lateral switch modules. A three-phase electrical switching device comprising such a central module is also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 7, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 28, 2021
    Assignee: Schneider Electric Industries SAS
    Inventor: Thierry Milan
  • Patent number: 10566155
    Abstract: A switch includes: a first contact and a second contact placed on an operation axis and facing each other; an urging part that urges the second contact to a first contact side; and a second magnetic material part that engages with the second contact to restrict the second contact from moving to the first contact side. The switch also includes: a conductor part that passes current when an arc is formed between the first contact and the second contact; and a first magnetic material part that surrounds the conductor part. When current flows through the conductor part, the second magnetic material part is disengaged from the second contact.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 6, 2016
    Date of Patent: February 18, 2020
    Assignee: MITSUBISHI ELECTRIC CORPORATION
    Inventors: Yasuhiro Tsukao, Katsushi Nakada
  • Patent number: 10157719
    Abstract: A gas circuit breaker includes a sealed tank, a movable side main electrode and a fixed side main electrode in the sealed tank facing each other, a movable side arc electrode and a fixed side arc electrode in the sealed tank facing each other, a cylinder at a circumference of the movable side arc electrode, a piston in the cylinder in a slidable manner and forming a puffer chamber together with the cylinder, an insulation nozzle in the sealed tank, an exhaust pipe at a circumference of the fixed side arc electrode and exhausting heat gas, which is sprayed on an arc generated in the insulation nozzle in the opening electrode operation, to an outside, and a closing plate in the exhaust pipe. One or more vent holes leading the heat gas from an inside of the exhaust pipe to the outside is on a surface of the closing plate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 30, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 18, 2018
    Assignee: HITACHI, LTD.
    Inventors: Yuki Nakai, Masanao Terada, Hajime Urai, Takashi Iida, Noriyuki Yaginuma
  • Patent number: 10043622
    Abstract: The present disclosure may allow the movable base and the second movable contact driven in a dual-motion manner to be connected by a plurality of levers, and a force transferred to the movable base while the plurality of levers are in close contact with one another or released from the close contact may be transferred to the second movable contact, and thus a size of the levers may not be required to increase even when a stroke ratio between the movable base and the second movable contact increases, thereby having an effect capable of minimizing a size of the gas circuit breaker as well as appropriately controlling a stroke ratio between the movable base and the second movable contact.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 7, 2018
    Assignee: LSIS CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Jingun Park
  • Patent number: 10026571
    Abstract: To improve an interruption process, a switching chamber for a gas-insulated circuit breaker comprises a thermal channel having a bend part delimited by an outer surface of an auxiliary insulating nozzle including a first bend section on a thermal volume side, a third bend section on an arcing region side, and a second bend section connecting the first bend section to the third bend section, and by an inner surface of a main insulating nozzle including a fourth bend section on a thermal volume side, a sixth bend section on an arcing region side, and a fifth bend section connecting the fourth bend section to the sixth bend section, such that in axial section view, the first to sixth bend sections form 30 degrees arcs of circles having respective radii R1, R2, R3, R4, R5 and R6 such that R1>R2>R3 and R4>R5>R6.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 17, 2018
    Assignee: GENERAL ELECTRIC TECHNOLOGY GMBH
    Inventors: Victor F. Hermosillo, Othman Zakaria, Quentin Rognard
  • Patent number: 9892875
    Abstract: An insulation rod cover is fitted to an end portion of a puffer shaft and the insulation rod cover is fitted to a circuit-breaker side coupling pin coupling between a puffer shaft and an insulation rod, thereby allowing the insulation rod cover to be held at a joint between the puffer shaft and the insulation rod. In a first half of a circuit-breaking operation, the insulation rod cover is positioned in the exhaust cylinder and the exhaust of the hot gas from the puffer shaft is suppressed to increase the pressure of an extinguishing gas to be sprayed onto the arc. In a last half of the circuit-breaking operation, the insulation rod cover is positioned in a guard cylinder to promote the exhaust of the hot gas from the puffer shaft as well as to suppress the flow of the hot gas into the insulation cylinder.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 2, 2015
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2018
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Daisuke Nomura, Noriyuki Yaginuma, Masanori Tsukushi
  • Patent number: 9892872
    Abstract: Disclosed are a disconnecting switch and an earthing switch for a gas insulated switchgear capable of implementing three positions by a single operator and may have a stable interpolarity contact. According to the present invention, the size of a gas-insulated switchgear may be reduced by operating a disconnecting switch and an earthing switch by a single operator, and implementing three positions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 12, 2015
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2018
    Assignee: Hyundai Electric & Energy Systems Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Dong-Min Kim
  • Patent number: 9627155
    Abstract: A contact arrangement has a longitudinal axis and includes a first contact group with a first contact and a second contact and a second contact group with a third contact and a fourth contact. The first contact interacts electrically and mechanically with the third contact, and/or the second contact interacts electrically and mechanically with the fourth contact, for closing and opening the contact arrangement. At least one mechanical coupling is provided for transmitting an actuation force to the second contact group and thereby moving the second contact group. The at least one mechanical coupling is adapted to move the third and the fourth contact in such a way that their speeds differ along at least a portion of a travel path of the third contact or along at least a portion of a travel path of the fourth contact.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 16, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 18, 2017
    Assignee: ABB Schweiz AG
    Inventors: Helmut Heiermeier, Jadran Kostovic, Jakub Korbel, Reto Karrer, Sami Kotilainen, Timothy Sutherland, Brant Suhrie
  • Patent number: 9620315
    Abstract: Provided is a gas circuit breaker that can reduce control energy smaller than that in previous double motion systems and an excessive force applied to a moveable pin to achieve a highly reliable double motion system. A gas circuit breaker has a double motion mechanism unit including a driving-side connecting rod, a driven-side connecting rod, a lever to connect the rods, and a guide to define the motion of the driving-side and driven-side connecting rods. A moveable pin extends through a first grooved cam of the driving-side conencting rod, a second grooved cam of the guide, and a third grooved cam of the lever. The driving-side connecting rod operates to move the moveable pin inside the grooved cams. Thus, the lever is rotated, the driven-side connecting rod is driven opposite to the driving-side connecting rod, and the driven-side arcing contact is driven opposite to the driving-side arcing contact.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 26, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 11, 2017
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Masanao Terada, Hajime Urai, Katsuhiko Shiraishi, Yoichi Oshita, Hiroaki Hashimoto, Noriyuki Yaginuma
  • Patent number: 9514903
    Abstract: A gas-insulated circuit breaker may include: a fixed contact having a hollow formed therein; a fixed arc contact disposed in the hollow of the fixed contact; a fixed-side conductor provided to surround the fixed contact and configuring a gap between the fixed-side conductor and the fixed contact as a discharge path for an insulation gas; a movable contact having a hollow formed therein; a movable arc contact disposed in the hollow of the movable contact; a movable-side conductor provided to surround the movable contact and configuring a gap between the movable-side conductor and the movable contact as a discharge path for an insulation gas; a first extension part formed on the fixed-side conductor and extending the discharge path for the insulation gas of the fixed-side conductor; and a second extension part formed on the movable-side conductor and extending the discharge path for the insulation gas of the movable-side conductor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 3, 2014
    Date of Patent: December 6, 2016
    Assignee: Hyundai Heavy Industries Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Hyung-Choon Kim
  • Patent number: 9412541
    Abstract: A circuit breaker including an ejection device with a compartment, in which an arc-extinction medium for improving circuit breaker operation is contained, and having an ejection orifice through which the arc-extinction medium is to be ejected, wherein the ejection orifice opens out into an injection zone of the circuit breaker in which the pressure is lower than in an arcing zone when an arc is present, and wherein the arc-extinction medium and/or exhaust-cooling medium is at least partially present in liquid form, when it is contained in the ejection device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 13, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 9, 2016
    Assignee: ABB Technology AG
    Inventors: Francesco Pisu, Francia Galindo-Lozano, Javier Mantilla, Mathias-Dominic Buergler, Nicola Gariboldi, Oliver Cossalter, Patrick Stoller, Stephan Grob, Sami Kotilainen
  • Patent number: 9293280
    Abstract: The invention relates to the use of a mixture of a hydrofluoroolefin and a hydrofluorocarbon, optionally combined with another fluorinated gas, as an electrical insulation medium and/or an electric arc extinguishing medium in a medium-voltage electrical apparatus. The invention also relates to a medium- or high-voltage electrical apparatus in which such a mixture provides electrical insulation and/or electric arc extinguishing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 22, 2016
    Assignee: SCHNEIDER ELECTRIC INDUSTRIES SAS
    Inventors: Daniel Piccoz, Romain Maladen, Manuel Ferreira Da Costa
  • Patent number: 9216527
    Abstract: A solid-dielectric switch including a visible disconnect assembly having an open state and a closed state, a molded housing at least partially encasing the visible disconnect assembly, a viewing window molded into the molded housing, wherein the visible disconnect is visible through the viewing window. The invention also provides a method of molding the housing of the solid-dielectric switch. The method includes providing a mold including an external shell and an internal mandrel. The external shell defines external dimensions of a housing of the switch, and the internal mandrel defines internal dimensions of the housing. The method also includes providing a lens for a viewing window, sealing the lens between the external shell and the inner mandrel, and filling the mold with epoxy to mold the viewing window into the housing of the switch.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 21, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 22, 2015
    Assignee: G & W Electric Company
    Inventors: Donald Richard Martin, Kennedy Amoako Darko
  • Patent number: 9054530
    Abstract: Some embodiments provide interrupter systems comprising: a first electrode; a second electrode; a piston movably located at a first position and electrically coupled with the first and second electrodes establishing a closed state, the piston comprises an electrical conductor that couples with the first and second electrodes providing a conductive path; an electromagnetic launcher configured to, when activated, induce a magnetic field pulse causing the piston to move away from the electrical coupling with the first and second electrodes establishing an open circuit between the first and second electrodes; and a piston control system comprising a piston arresting system configured to control a deceleration of the piston following the movement of the piston induced by the electromagnetic launcher such that the piston is not in electrical contact with at least one of the first electrode and the second electrode when in the open state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 25, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 9, 2015
    Assignee: General Atomics
    Inventors: Joel Lawton Drake, Robert Kratz
  • Publication number: 20150060408
    Abstract: The present invention includes a wear-resistant material including: a base material formed of pure aluminum or an aluminum alloy having a projection, and a depression in a pit-like shape on a surface thereof; and a coat including a dehydrate of a hydrated oxide of aluminum, the coat being formed on a surface of the base material. Further, the present invention including a method for producing a wear-resistant material including the steps of: forming a hydrated oxide coat of aluminum on a surface of the base material by a chemical conversion coating; and heating the hydrated oxide coat. Further, the present invention also includes a puffer cylinder and a puffer-type gas circuit breaker applied to the above wear-resistant material.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 18, 2014
    Publication date: March 5, 2015
    Inventors: Masahiko ONO, Makoto HIROSE, Daisuke EBISAWA, Hisashi URASAKI
  • Patent number: 8952285
    Abstract: An electric switch for application to high- and very high-voltage circuit breakers and switches comprising a flexible toroidal helical spring (8) placed in a groove of a control rod (1) carrying a movable resistance-insertion contact (2), and springs (4) placed about the movable resistance-insertion contact to cause the springs to be compressed until a certain value is reached, at which value the movable resistance-insertion contact causes the flexible toroidal helical spring (8) to deform under pressure enabling the movable resistance-insertion contact (2) to be withdrawn. Among other uses, the switch is suitable for use in a resistance-inserting device that does not need additional mechanical moving parts. For application to high- and very high-voltage circuit breakers and switches.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 8, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 10, 2015
    Assignee: Alstom Technology Ltd.
    Inventors: André Cimala, Gwenaël Marquezin
  • Patent number: 8785801
    Abstract: Provided is a dual structured contact for switchgear, which includes a moving contact unit being formed of a conducting material, the moving contact unit including first and second terminals, the first terminal comprising a cylinder and the second terminal extending to a driving unit such that the moving contact unit moves back and forth by the driving unit, and a fixing contact unit being formed of a conducting material, the fixing contact unit including first and second cylinders being outside and inside of the fixing contact unit with same axis, an inner part of the first cylinder being in contact with an outer part of the first terminal, and an outer part of the second cylinder being in contact with an inner part of the first terminal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 20, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 22, 2014
    Assignee: Hyundai Heavy Industries Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Hyung Choon Kim
  • Publication number: 20140069892
    Abstract: A moving seal for an air circuit breaker provides an arc creepage surface that is positioned between a pair of separable contact assemblies when the moving seal is fit into an inlet of the arc chamber. The arc creepage surface has a surface contour that increases a length of an arc travel path between the separable contact assemblies, relative to a straight line distance between of separable contact assemblies.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 8, 2013
    Publication date: March 13, 2014
    Applicant: EATON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Brian John Schaltenbrand, Mark Anthony Janusek, Robert William Mueller, James Michael Smeltzer, William Michael Randal
  • Patent number: 8492672
    Abstract: An arc flash arrester includes a fixed contact; a movable contact; an actuator mechanism structured to close the movable and fixed contacts; and insulation disposed between the fixed and movable contacts in an open position of the arc flash arrester. The insulation is selected from the group consisting of liquid insulation; SF6; a gas, other than SF6 or air, at a pressure of at least about one atmospheric pressure; and solid insulation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 5, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 23, 2013
    Assignee: Eaton Corporation
    Inventor: John J. Shea
  • Publication number: 20130168357
    Abstract: A puffer-type gas circuit-breaker having improved interruption performance and dielectric performance, comprising: a partition wall provided in a stationary cylinder on the moving side of the circuit-breaker to form an intra-stationary cylinder space, a mechanical puffer chamber provided adjacent to one flange of the partition wall and a hot gas exhaust chamber provided on the same side as another flange of the partition wall, wherein the stationary cylinder has gas inlet holes communicated with the intra-stationary cylinder space and formed on one side relative to a virtual plane that bisects the stationary cylinder in a radial direction, gas outlet holes communicated with the intra-stationary cylinder space, and hot gas exhaust openings communicated with the hot gas exhaust chamber, further communicated with the puffer shaft flow hole after an arc is generated and formed in radial directions of the stationary cylinder and on the other side relative to the virtual plane.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 27, 2012
    Publication date: July 4, 2013
    Applicant: HITACHI, LTD.
    Inventor: HITACHI, LTD.
  • Patent number: 8063333
    Abstract: A limited flash-over electric power switch uses a dielectric gas regulator and a flash-over arrestor to greatly diminish the occurrences of high voltage flash-over during operation of a circuit interrupter. The dielectric gas regulator prevents the flow of the dielectric gas into the arc gap during an initial portion of the opening stroke of the interrupter contacts. Once the arc gap is sufficiently wide to greatly diminish the likelihood of a high voltage flash-over, the dielectric gas regulator allows the dielectric gas to flow into the arc gap to extinguish the arc. The flash-over arrestor snubs out incipient flash-over that may occur as the arc attempts to reform across the arc gap. The flash-over arrestor may be a conductive ring located on the interior surface of the nozzle in the region of the orifice.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 5, 2009
    Date of Patent: November 22, 2011
    Assignee: Southern States, Inc.
    Inventors: Joseph R. Rostron, Bradley J. Schafer, Soung Hwan Lyu, Brian Roberts, Richard Burge
  • Patent number: 8030590
    Abstract: A gas-circuit breaker includes a cylinder, a stationary piston, and a moving piston. The cylinder has a moving contact that is fixed on one end of a rod and has a gas exhaust that faces a stationary contact. The rod is inserted into the cylinder. The stationary piston is fixed to the container, and is fitted in an opening of the cylinder to create a puffer chamber. Due to movement of the rod, the stationary piston compresses arc-extinguishing gas, and the gas blows onto the arc through gas exhaust. The moving piston partitions the puffer chamber into a first puffer chamber and a second puffer chamber. Sliding of the moving piston changes the capacity of the first puffer chamber and the second puffer chamber according to the difference in pressure in the first puffer chamber and the second puffer chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 30, 2007
    Date of Patent: October 4, 2011
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
    Inventors: Daisuke Yoshida, Yuji Yoshitomo, Haruhiko Kohyama
  • Patent number: 7919720
    Abstract: In an earthing switch a release mechanism releases pressure stored in a puffer type arc cancelling chamber by releasing the chamber at a predetermined area toward a stationary contact unit during a full stroke extent of a movable contact unit so that the puffering operation can be deterred from execution.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 12, 2007
    Date of Patent: April 5, 2011
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
    Inventors: Yoshinori Shimizu, Masahito Tanaka
  • Patent number: 7820933
    Abstract: A circuit breaker comprises a puffer volume (9) and at least one overpressure valve (16) for discharging gas from the puffer volume (9), if the pressure therein exceeds a given threshold. The overpressure valve (16) is formed by a piston (17) and a spring (19) as well as by a cavity (18) in the stationary support body (10) of the moveable contact assembly (2). The overpressure valve (16) is of compact and simple design, has low hysteresis and large cross-section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 15, 2007
    Date of Patent: October 26, 2010
    Assignee: ABB Technology AG
    Inventors: Helmut Heiermeier, Kurt Kammerl, Timo Kehr, Stephan Grob
  • Patent number: 7763821
    Abstract: A puffer-type gas blast circuit breaker is capable of restraining reduction in creepage insulation resistance of an insulating support and an insulating rod due to insulating gas of high temperature. An electrode section is mounted on a stationary member supported on an insulating support, and a stationary side arc contact and moving side arc contact are disposed facing each other to contact and separate; a hollow piston rod and an insulating rod are connected to the moving side arc contact, and inserted in a stationary member body portion; and a gas flow blocking member is mounted on an end of the piston rod to prevent an insulating gas heated and coming to the stationary side from getting into the insulating rod side. The stationary member body portion is formed cylindrical so that a gap between the body portion of the stationary member and the gas flow blocking member is minimized.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 10, 2007
    Date of Patent: July 27, 2010
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
    Inventors: Yuji Yoshitomo, Daisuke Yoshida, Haruhiko Kohyama
  • Patent number: 7619177
    Abstract: An electrical switching apparatus is disclosed with a moveable insulating nozzle for blowing an arc. According to the invention, the insulating nozzle is connected in an interlocking and force-fitting manner to at least one moveable component part of the switching apparatus by means of a clamping device and without a screw connection. Exemplary embodiments relate, inter alia, to: a clamping hold of the insulating nozzle on the moving buffer cylinder and/or at the opposite end on a part to be moved, in particular a moveable shielding electrode or an auxiliary gear mechanism for a contact system, which is driven on both sides. Advantages include: simple fitting of the insulating nozzle, small physical volume of the clamping device; precise coaxial fixing of the insulating nozzle in relation to the switch axis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 18, 2007
    Date of Patent: November 17, 2009
    Assignee: ABB Technology AG
    Inventors: David Saxl, Markus Vestner, Thomas Nordstrom, Tomas Borg, Tomas Strom, Olaf Hunger
  • Publication number: 20090134124
    Abstract: A buffering mechanism for a gas circuit breaker includes a center piece which includes two protrusions extending from two ends thereof and two match surfaces are defined in two opposite sides of the center piece. Two side boards each have a pivot hole and a slot defined therethrough, the two protrusions of each end of the center piece are pivotably engaged with the pivot hole and the slot respectively. A plurality of impact plates are engaged with the two match surfaces of the center piece. When the impact plates are hit by the two links of the Y-shaped link mechanism of the gas circuit breaker at different times, the center piece is pivoted along the slots to absorb impact forces from the two links.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 23, 2007
    Publication date: May 28, 2009
    Inventors: Chang-Ching Chung, Ming-Sheng Huang
  • Publication number: 20080061037
    Abstract: An ablative arc suppression device (10) includes a first region (16) having a first electrical arc ablation characteristic and a second region (18) having a second electrical arc ablation characteristic. The first region and the second region are configured for defining an opening (22) extending through the first region and the second region for confining an arc initiation region (24) of an electrical arc (26) to be generated within the opening. The first region and the second region are further configured for defining the opening so that the electrical arc is exposed to both the first region and the second region before exiting the opening.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 7, 2006
    Publication date: March 13, 2008
    Inventors: Thangavelu Asokan, Sunil Srinivasa Murthy, Patricia Chapman Irwin, Kunal Ravindra Coray, Adnan Kutubuddin Bohori, Hari Nadathur Seshadri
  • Patent number: 7339132
    Abstract: A puffer type gas circuit breaker has a piston, which is connected with a center shaft via a link mechanism. At an initial stage of an interruption operation, the link mechanism drives a puffer cylinder and the piston both in an interruption direction while maintaining an almost constant distance therebetween. Even when a pressure rise occurs in a compression chamber by the heat of an arc generated in accordance with opening between a fixed arc contact and a movable arc contact, the pressure rise does not become an operation counterforce to an operator. At a final stage of the interruption operation where the fixed arc contact is removed from a throat of an insulating nozzle, the link mechanism drives the piston in an almost stopped status.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 6, 2005
    Date of Patent: March 4, 2008
    Assignee: Japan AE Power Systems Corporation
    Inventors: Hajime Urai, Youichi Ohshita, Makoto Koizumi, Naoki Osawa, Hiroaki Hashimoto, Junzo Kida
  • Patent number: 6952332
    Abstract: A vacuum arc interrupter that includes a vacuum chamber assembly and a pressure chamber assembly. The vacuum chamber assembly includes a vacuum chamber and a first conductor which is structured to be coupled to a circuit. The first conductor is disposed within the vacuum chamber. The pressure chamber assembly has a second conductor structured to be coupled to a ground, a pressure chamber, a gas generation device and a bullet assembly. The pressure chamber assembly disposed adjacent to the vacuum chamber assembly. The gas generation device coupled to, and in fluid communication with the pressure chamber. The bullet assembly is disposed in the pressure chamber and structured to move between a first position, where the bullet assembly is spaced from the first and second conductors, and a second position, where the bullet assembly contacts, and is in electrical communication with, the first and second conductors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 14, 2002
    Date of Patent: October 4, 2005
    Assignee: Eaton Corporation
    Inventors: Paul G. Slade, Erik Dannel Taylor, Mary Jo Johnson Vander Heiden
  • Patent number: 6853524
    Abstract: A vacuum arc interrupter that includes a vacuum chamber assembly having a first conductor and a pressure chamber assembly having a second metal conductor, with an opening, and a bullet assembly. The first conductor is coupled to a power line and the second conductor is coupled to a ground. The bullet assembly has a metal lance structured to engage the opening. The lance is shaped to create an arc when engaging the opening so that the second conductor and the lance are welded together.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 14, 2002
    Date of Patent: February 8, 2005
    Assignee: Eaton Corporation
    Inventors: Mark Allan Juds, Edward Louis Wellner, Francis Christopher Edrozo, Mary Jo Johnson Vander Heiden, Peter John Theisen, Francois Jean Machand, Erik Dannel Taylor
  • Patent number: 6787725
    Abstract: A switching mechanism of a circuit breaker for a gas insulated switchgear is able to extinguish arc gas by changing a volume of a compressing chamber without increasing a stroke of a movable cylinder and without increasing required output power of an actuator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2003
    Date of Patent: September 7, 2004
    Assignee: LG Industrial Systems Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Duk-Rae Kim, Sung-Mo Kang
  • Publication number: 20030094437
    Abstract: A puffer type gas circuit breaker wherein an insulated nozzle 2 made of heat proof resin and movable arc contact 3 are mounted on a puffer cylinder 4 to perform an open/close operation of the contact. In this circuit breaker, the insulated nozzle 2 is divided into three areas; a downstream area 2a, an area in the vicinity of the throat 2b and an upstream area 2c. The downstream area 2a and upstream area 2c are made of heat proof resin alone, while the area in the vicinity of the throat 2b is formed of heat proof resin mixed with inorganic material such as boron nitride. A movable arc contact cover 9 made of heat proof resin having two areas—a downstream area 9a and upstream area 9b—is provided between insulated nozzle 2 and movable arc contact 3, and only the downstream area 9a is made of heat proof resin mixed with inorganic material.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 18, 2002
    Publication date: May 22, 2003
    Inventors: Makoto Hirose, Hideo Kawamoto, Tetsu Ishiguro
  • Patent number: 6252190
    Abstract: A simple high-speed circuit breaker which is cheap to produce is specified for alternating currents which have to be switched off, which switches such currents off within one half-cycle at the current zero crossing, by means of a gas-generating explosive charge (4). In this case, a switching piston (2) which makes a sliding contact with a consumable contact pin (K1) of a first electrode (E1) when the high-speed circuit breaker is closed, moves in the direction of a hollow electrode (E2). The switching piston (2) has a contact tube (2′) with an exhaust opening (3) which is closed by the hollow electrode (E2) when the high-speed circuit breaker is closed, and is open to an exhaust chamber (8) when the high-speed circuit breaker is open (left-hand half of the figure). The contact tube (2′) moves in a sliding manner in a cutout in the hollow electrode (E2). A plurality of explosive charges (4) may be accommodated in the first electrode (E1).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 4, 2000
    Date of Patent: June 26, 2001
    Assignee: ABB Research Ltd.
    Inventor: Lutz Niemeyer
  • Patent number: 6107590
    Abstract: Extending between a fixed tulip contact (1) and a slide tulip (4) is an arcing chamber (5) which is occupied in the closed position by a movable contact pin (3) which fills up both an exhaust (9) surrounded by the slide tulip (4) and a blowout opening (7) which is surrounded by the tulip contact (1) and connects the arcing chamber (5) to a pressure chamber (6). The arcing chamber (5) is surrounded by an annular heating volume (13) open toward the same. Arranged in the pressure chamber (6) is a charge (10) of explosive which is for the most part converted within approximately 10-30 ms after ignition to extinguishing gas, preferably predominantly nitrogen, the gas pressure moving the contact pin (3) toward the open position. After clearance of the blowout opening (7) and the exhaust (9), the arc drawn between the contact pin (3) and tulip contact (1) is blown out, something which is supported by the pressure buildup, to which the arc contributes, in the heating volume (13).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 13, 1999
    Date of Patent: August 22, 2000
    Assignee: ABB Research Ltd.
    Inventors: Jorgen Skindhoj, Bodo Bruhl, Kurt Kaltenegger, Lorenz Muller, Lutz Niemeyer, Thomas Schoenemann, Lukas Zehnder
  • Patent number: 6100489
    Abstract: In the switched-on position, under the influence of contact forces generated by elastic deflection or else by mechanical spreading, or spreading caused by the attraction of parallel currents or repulsion of antiparallel currents, of a switching pin (5) , the switching pins presses against the inner side of a first switching ring (4), which is rigid for the purpose of avoiding mechanical overloading and securing sufficient consumable reserves. By way of example, a support (30) of the switching pin (5) is adjoined by two parallel, elastic extensions (52a, 52b), which are separated by a slot (53) and respectively support a contact member (54a; 54b) by means of a connecting element (55a; 55b) forming half a screw thread, with the result that said contact member is in each case offset by 180.degree. relative to the extension (52a; 52b).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 13, 1999
    Date of Patent: August 8, 2000
    Assignee: Asea Brown Boveri AG
    Inventors: Lukas Zehnder, Robert Anderes, Christian Dahler, Kurt Kaltenegger, Thomas Schoenemann, Klaus-Dieter Weltmann
  • Patent number: 5902978
    Abstract: This power breaker has at least one quenching chamber, which is filled with an insulating medium, is of cylindrical design, extends along a central axis (2) and has a power current path, having two stationary consumable contact arrangements (5, 6) which are arranged on the central axis (2), are at a distance from one another in the axial direction and are arranged in the power current path. In the connected state, the consumable contact arrangements (5, 6) are electrically conductively connected by means of a moving bridging contact. An arc zone (24) is provided between the consumable contact arrangements (5, 6). A rated current path is arranged in parallel with the power current path. The power breaker is provided with at least one source for a highly pressurized insulating medium. The medium passes from this source directly into the arc zone (24), through at least one injection channel (62, 63). This high-pressure injection considerably improves the breaking capacity of the power breaker.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 3, 1997
    Date of Patent: May 11, 1999
    Assignee: Asea Brown Boveri AG
    Inventors: Lukas Zehnder, Robert Anderes, Bodo Bruhl, Christian Dahler, Ion Gavrilita, Joachim Stechbarth, Kurt Kaltenegger
  • Patent number: 5844189
    Abstract: A circuit breaker includes a cylindrical arcing chamber filled with an insulating medium. The arcing chamber has a power current path and an insulating housing. The insulating housing has a longitudinal axis and the power current path extends along the longitudinal axis of the insulating housing. The power current path includes a fixed contact arrangement and a contact arrangement. The fixed contact arrangement is attached to an electrically insulating guide part. The contact arrangement has a moving contact cage. The fixed contact arrangement and the contact arrangement have a first and second fixed erosion-resistant covering, respectively. The insulating housing has a blast volume for accumulating an increased pressure of the insulating medium which occurs when the moving contact cage breaks contact with the fixed contact arrangement. When the circuit breaker is in an on position, the contact cage contacts the fixed contact arrangement above the guide part and surrounds the guide part.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 26, 1996
    Date of Patent: December 1, 1998
    Assignee: ABB Research Ltd.
    Inventor: Lutz Niemeyer
  • Patent number: 5783791
    Abstract: A puffer-type gas insulated interrupter has stationary and moving main contacts, stationary and moving arc contacts for discharging an arc, and a puffer cylinder for electric arc suppression. At the time of current interruption, the puffer cylinder moves together with the moving arc contact to blow electric insulation gas to the arc between the stationary and moving arc contacts. The blown gas flows between the arc contacts and is then discharged through a gas discharge passage. A duplex puffer chamber is provided in the gas discharge passage near the moving arc contact. The duplex puffer chamber holds or confines the insulation gas, and causes the same to be heated and pressurized by the arc and to blow out toward the stationary arc contact. A gas flow from the duplex puffer chamber cooperates with a gas flow from the puffer cylinder to effectively suppress the arc, and therefore the gas pressure in the puffer cylinder can be reduced, so that an operating force for the interrupter can be reduced.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 7, 1997
    Date of Patent: July 21, 1998
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Wataru Tamura, Toru Tsubaki
  • Patent number: 5780799
    Abstract: This present invention concerns a circuit-breaker of the self-blasting type including a system for immobilizing the semi-mobile piston during a first part of displacement of the mobile contact assembly between the closed position and the open position and for displacing the piston axially during a second portion of the same displacement of the mobile contact assembly. This system includes at least one first longitudinal slot and at least one second longitudinal slot on the fixed tube, a freely rotatable locking tube carried by the fixed tube, aligned with the slots thereof and including at least one first longitudinal slot and at least one second longitudinal slot, at least one pin carried by the second tube and penetrating the first slot of the fixed tube and the first slot of the locking tube, and at least one pin carried by the piston and penetrating the second slot of the fixed tube and the second slot of the locking tube.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 7, 1997
    Date of Patent: July 14, 1998
    Assignee: GEC Alsthom T & D SA
    Inventor: Renaud David
  • Patent number: 5767471
    Abstract: In a pressurized gas circuit-breaker the mobile contact member is fixed to a connecting rod that passes coaxially through the fixed braking cylinder. The braking cylinder has transverse walls at both ends so as to delimit a cylinder. The connecting rod has a drive abutment that drives the braking piston in a final section of the opening travel, which increases the pressure in the first sub-space and reduces the pressure in the second sub-space. The braking piston is disposed on a bush around the connecting rod, the bush and the connecting rod delimiting an annular cylinder space between the drive member and a counter-abutment on the bush, a pressure being generated when the circuit-breaker opens. In this way a high braking force with no impact is very rapidly obtained.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 1996
    Date of Patent: June 16, 1998
    Assignee: GEC Alsthom T & D AG
    Inventors: Johannes Blatter, Fabrizio Sciullo
  • Patent number: 5723840
    Abstract: A gas-dielectric high-tension interrupter of the arc-puffer type in which the puff of gas is brought about by the combined effect of an excess pressure developed in a compression chamber and intensified by the heating caused by the arc radiation, which is optically guided from an arcing chamber to the compression chamber, and of the vacuum developed in a suction chamber which is put into communication with the arcing chamber at a predetermined minimum arcing time (TAM).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 3, 1996
    Date of Patent: March 3, 1998
    Assignee: Ansaldo Industria S.p.A.
    Inventors: Predrag Bojic, Sergio Rizzo
  • Patent number: 5717183
    Abstract: An electric high-voltage power switch has two contacts and at least one gas outlet for quenching gas heated by the arc generated between the contacts. A cooling device is provided for cooling the quenching gas. The cooling device is formed of a metal body with through-holes arranged in the flow path of the quenching gas. An insulating component impermeable to the quenching gas, is fitted in the gas outlet in front of the metal body viewed from the contacts and consists of a material (PTFE) releasing a quenching gas at high temperatures. The insulating component is sufficiently distanced from the metal body for the quenching gas to be able to pass through the through-holes substantially over the entire surface of the metal body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 24, 1996
    Date of Patent: February 10, 1998
    Assignee: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Volker Lehmann, Heiner Marin, Friedrich Lobner
  • Patent number: 5705781
    Abstract: In a gas-blast switch with a compression device to produce a quenching gas blast, in order to make the magnetic effect of the break current available already at the beginning of the cut-off movement, a compression chamber and a piston-cylinder system form an energy accumulator. A movable element of the piston-cylinder system is mechanically linked with an armature, which is axially moved by the magnetic field of a stator, which field is excited by the break current. The armature and the stator are arranged in such a way that the magnetic field already causes the armature to move.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 19, 1996
    Date of Patent: January 6, 1998
    Assignee: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Ulrich Habedank, Klaus-Peter Rolff
  • Patent number: 5703552
    Abstract: For protecting the pump of a carpet cleaner, the cut-out terminals 16, 15 are commanded by the pressure of fluid in passage 11, 12, 13 which communicates with volume 22 having as an upper wall a flexible diaphragm 24. A fluid tight and electrically insulating housing 9 has a fixed boss portion 19 which is surrounded by a mobile annular permanent magnet 25 carried by diaphragm 24 and which guides a central mobile permanent magnet 20 which drives a mobile contact 18 up or down, closing or opening terminals 15, 16. High pressure at 11 drives diaphragm 24 and magnet 25 upwards, which attracts magnet 20 upwards, and connects terminals 15, 16 via mobile contact 18.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 5, 1995
    Date of Patent: December 30, 1997
    Assignee: Eaton Corporation
    Inventors: Jean Claude Buffet, Lionel Raut
  • Patent number: 5610381
    Abstract: A compression gas puffer type circuit breaker has a magnetic body surrounding a conductor between a stationary arc contact and a main bus conductor. The magnetic body is protected from being exposed to heated puffer gas generated when a movable arc contact is separated from the stationary arc contact by disposing an insulator partition plate supporting the conductor at the downstream end of a cylindrical contact base carrying a main stationary contact and upstream of the magnetic body. Conductors are disposed around the magnetic body so as to increase flux linkage with the magnetic body when an arcing current flows through the conductor during a circuit breaking operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 23, 1995
    Date of Patent: March 11, 1997
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Eisaku Mizufune, Kenichi Natsui, Yukio Kurosawa, Goro Daimon, Yoshihito Asai, Katsuichi Kashimura, Osamu Koyanagi, Kogi Ishikawa
  • Patent number: 5585610
    Abstract: A steel plate of area greater than the area of the output of a nozzle in a puffer gas interrupter is fixed to but is spaced from the downstream end of the nozzle and causes turbulence in the hot interrupter gases flowing through the nozzle to improve mixing with cooler downstream gas.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 2, 1995
    Date of Patent: December 17, 1996
    Assignee: ABB Power T&D Company Inc.
    Inventors: Jeffry R. Meyer, Joachim Stechbarth, Kurt Kaltenegger
  • Patent number: 5578805
    Abstract: A metal-enclosed, gas-filled switchgear unit has at least two busbar systems and a circuit breaker which respectively has per pole a pole axis and at least one arcing chamber built into a pole housing constructed as a metal enclosure. The pole axes are arranged perpendicular to a foundation and lie in a first plane. Furthermore, the switchgear unit respectively has an electrically conductive connection, extending along a connecting axis, between the live arcing chamber of the respective pole and each of the busbar systems. A metal-enclosed, gas-filled switchgear unit is provided in which the insulation and the fastening of the arcing chambers of the circuit breaker poles are substantially simplified and reduced in cost. The arcing chamber is connected in a force-closed fashion to the at least two current terminals and the arcing chamber is positioned by these alone in the metal enclosure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 13, 1995
    Date of Patent: November 26, 1996
    Assignee: ABB Management AG
    Inventors: Ernst Berger, Franz Heil
  • Patent number: 5578804
    Abstract: A metal-enclosed, gas-insulated switching installation includes at least two busbar systems and a circuit breaker. Each circuit breaker is in the form of a pole having a pole axis and at least one extinction chamber, installed in a pole housing. The pole axes are arranged perpendicularly to a foundation and are located in a first plane. The switching installation includes an electrically conductive connection, extending along a connecting axis, of the voltage-carrying extinction chamber of the circuit breaker to each of the busbar systems and an isolator arranged in the connection between the busbar and the circuit breaker pole.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 1995
    Date of Patent: November 26, 1996
    Assignee: ABB Management AG
    Inventors: Ernst Berger, Franz Heil, Herbert Schifko, Piero Tecchio