Contact Structure Patents (Class 218/74)
  • Patent number: 9875857
    Abstract: A contact pin for a high-voltage and/or medium-voltage switch includes a contact tip of arc-erosion resistant material, a tubular support sleeve connected to the contact tip and a support core in the sleeve. The contact tip is in a forward region of the contact pin where arcs arise during use. The sleeve is in a rearward region of the contact pin, adjoining the forward region, where no arcs arise during use. A pipe contact includes an arc-erosion resistant annular contact and a support pipe connected to the annular contact. The annular contact is in a forward region of the pipe contact where arcs arise during use, and the support pipe is in a rearward region of the pipe contact, adjoining the forward region, where no arcs arise during use. Methods for producing a contact pin and a pipe contact are also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 19, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 23, 2018
    Assignee: Plansee Powertech AG
    Inventors: August Schwaiger, Mike Boening
  • Patent number: 6740837
    Abstract: A contact zone (1) of a quenching chamber which is arranged rotationally symmetrical about a central axis (2) and is filled with an insulating medium, having at least two stationary consumable contacts which are in the form of contact rings (4, 15) and which, when the quenching chamber is closed, are electrically conductively connected by means of a bridging contact which is arranged centrally and can move axially. The mutually facing end surfaces of the consumable contacts are partially covered by electrically insulating covers (11, 22). The aim is to provide insulating covers which are designed to have good dielectric characteristics and are easy to install.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 13, 2001
    Date of Patent: May 25, 2004
    Assignee: ABB Schweiz AG
    Inventors: Lukas Zehnder, Michael Mendik
  • 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: 6100492
    Abstract: A wreath of contact fingers (4) directed radially toward a switching axis (1) presses in the closed position against the circumferential surface of a contact pin (2) with consumable heads (5) fitted on the ends. At an angle of approximately 90.degree., the contact fingers (4) adjoin webs (6) which are guided in the closing direction up to a housing part (7) at which they are permanently anchored and via which they connect the contact fingers (4) to an electric terminal. The webs (6) and--with the exception of the consumable heads (5)--the contact fingers (4) are produced in one piece from springy material of high conductivity. The contact with the contact pin (2) radially deflects the consumable heads (5) in the closing direction with elastic bending of the webs (6). The length (R) of the radial contact fingers and the length (L) of the axial webs (6) are selected such that the attraction of the parallel component currents through the latter approximately compensates the contact repulsion forces.
    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
  • Patent number: 5821495
    Abstract: A gas circuit breaker includes a case body in which an insulating gas is enclosed, a stationary contact part accommodated in the case body and equipped with tulip type stationary contact members, and a movable contact part having a movable contact member. The movable contact member is rotated about a main shaft serving as a fulcrum and makes and breaks a contact with the stationary contacts member, so that a large capacity electrical line can be closed and opened at a high speed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 16, 1996
    Date of Patent: October 13, 1998
    Assignee: Togami Electric Mfg. Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Kazuyoshi Maki
  • Patent number: 5616972
    Abstract: In the case of a circuit arrangement with switching contacts made from silver or a silver alloy for the purpose of switching an inductive load, for example a motor, in a direct-current circuit, the arcing time is adjusted as a function of the breaking current by appropriate design of the ratio of inductance and ohmic resistance in accordance with the prescribed relationship. It is possible as a result to prevent or at least minimize the material migration between the anode and cathode of the pair of switching contacts.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 7, 1995
    Date of Patent: April 1, 1997
    Assignee: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventor: Josef Weiser
  • Patent number: 5495084
    Abstract: The movable contact of a puffer interrupter contains a movable conductive tubular sleeve which is electrically connected to and is slidably mounted within a hollow conductive adapter which is supported from the end of a bushing insulator. An insulation rod flexibly connects the adapter to the housing. A pair of flexible rods connect the end of the interrupter to the end of the housing. The puffer interrupter is mounted within a dead tank housing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 5, 1994
    Date of Patent: February 27, 1996
    Assignee: ABB Power T&D Company Inc.
    Inventors: Jeffry R. Meyer, Tomas B. Otterberg
  • Patent number: 5483031
    Abstract: A gas-insulated disconnector includes a movable contact disposed above a fixed contact within a housing filled with an insulating gas. The movable contact is electrically coupled to an upper support member through a finger-type sliding contact 3 which is dip-shaped and is fixed to the support member at the upper end thereof and is in sliding contact with the interior surface of the cup-shaped movable contact. An operating rod connecting the movable contact to a link mechanism is slidably supported by a support cylinder extending within the movable contact. Thus small metal particles generated by the abrasion of the contact surfaces at the side of the movable contact is contained within the movable contact and do not drift into the gas-insulated gap.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 5, 1993
    Date of Patent: January 9, 1996
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Denki Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Setsuyuki Matsuda
  • Patent number: 5453591
    Abstract: A vaporizable material, for example, a silicone, that is buried beneath the surface of a Teflon nozzle for a sulfur hexafluoride power circuit breaker in an area of the nozzle which is exposed to abrasion and wear due to arc products. In a similar manner, aluminum or titanium or some other vaporizable material is buried beneath the surface of the contact of the circuit interrupter which is exposed to abrasion and wear. When the buried layers are exposed due to abrasion of their covering surfaces, these materials will be vaporized and their presence will be sensed by sensors within the circuit interrupter, thus revealing some predetermined degree of wear of the surfaces of the nozzle and contact and other surfaces within the circuit interrupter which may also be subject to abrasion by arcing or arc products. When aluminum is used as the vaporizable material for the contact, it also senses the presence of flashover to aluminum exterior housings.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 5, 1994
    Date of Patent: September 26, 1995
    Assignee: ABB Power T&D Company Inc.
    Inventor: Nicholas J. Stroud