Patents Examined by William A Bolton
  • Switch assembly with energy harvesting
    Patent number: 11348747
    Abstract: A switch assembly including a switch and a high impedance element used for energy harvesting purposes that are connected to a power line at one end and assembly electronics at an opposite end, where in one non-limiting embodiment the switch assembly has particular application for use in connection with a vacuum interrupter. The high impedance element has higher impedance than the switch so that current flows through the switch from the power line when the switch is closed and through the high impedance element from the power line when the switch is open, where power from the high impedance element can power a switch closing device, such as a solenoid actuator. The high impedance element can be a resistive element, a capacitive element or a combination of a resistive and capacitive element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 1, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 31, 2022
    Assignee: S&C Electric Company
    Inventors: Jim Barker, Michael Maroney, Keith Benson, Nicholas Seng, Jason R. Bogusz, Bethany McDearmon, Alireza Tajfar, Alejandro Montenegro
  • Switch device
    Patent number: 11348748
    Abstract: A gas-insulated puffer-type switch device for operating inside a sealed gas tight enclosure of an electric power distribution switchgear, the sealed gas tight enclosure being filled with a dielectric gas having a global warming potential lower than that of SF6. The switch device has at least one of improved compactness, minimised electrical stress, maximised heat dissipation and reduced environmental impact.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 10, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 31, 2022
    Assignee: ABB Schweiz AG
    Inventors: Elham Attar, Magne Saxegaard, Richard Lauritzen, Ståle Talmo, Stanley Lohne, Martin Kristoffersen, Wilhelm Rondeel
  • Shield element for a vacuum interrupter
    Patent number: 11342142
    Abstract: A shield element for a vacuum interrupter for installation between an electrically conductive wall element and an electrically insulating wall element of a vacuum interrupter includes a connection region, a shield inner region and a shield outer region. The shield outer region can be disposed outside of and the shield inner region can be disposed within the vacuum interrupter. The connection region has a first structure and a second structure which prevent the formation of mechanical stresses after soldering of the vacuum interrupter. A vacuum interrupter, a method for producing a shield element and a method for producing a vacuum interrupter are also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 20, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 24, 2022
    Assignee: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Lydia Baron, Frank Graskowski, Christian Stiehler
  • Three-position disconnector switch
    Patent number: 11342140
    Abstract: A three-position disconnector switch includes: an earthing contact; a power out contact; a power in contact; a first piston; and a second piston. In a connected switch position the first piston makes an electrical connection with the power out contact and the second piston makes an electrical connection with the power out contact and the power in contact. In a disconnected switch position the first piston makes an electrical connection with the power out contact and the second piston makes an electrical connection with the power out contact. In an earthed switch position the first piston makes an electrical connection with the earthing contact and with the power out contact and the second piston makes an electrical connection with the power out contact.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 3, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 24, 2022
    Assignee: ABB Schweiz AG
    Inventors: Dietmar Gentsch, Radek Javora
  • Support for electrical switch
    Patent number: 11335523
    Abstract: A support for a high-voltage electric switch includes a housing, a shaft, and an intermediate member positioned between the housing and the shaft. The shaft extends at least partially through the housing, and the shaft is supported for rotation about an axis. The intermediate member is supported for rotation relative to the shaft and supported for rotation relative to the housing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 4, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 17, 2022
    Assignee: Hubbell Incorporated
    Inventor: Donald Fletcher Swing, III
  • Insulating molded body and gas circuit breaker
    Patent number: 11322322
    Abstract: An insulating molded body to be used for an arc extinguishing device of a gas circuit breaker is provided. The insulating molded body includes a fluororesin mixture which contains a fluororesin and an oxygen generator configured to generate oxygen through thermal decomposition at 450° C. or more and 1,150° C. or less with an arc generated when a conduction current is interrupted. The oxygen generator is dispersed in the fluororesin. Also provided is a gas circuit breaker including an insulating nozzle formed of the insulating molded body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 3, 2022
    Assignee: MITSUBISHI ELECTRIC CORPORATION
    Inventors: Shuichi Hiza, Takashi Kawana, Fumihiko Hosokoshi, Motohiro Sato, Kenji Mimura
  • Switch
    Patent number: 11322320
    Abstract: Embodiments provide a switch, including a control system, first and second manipulating mechanisms.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 14, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 3, 2022
    Assignee: ANHUI ONESKY ELECTRIC TECH. CO. LTD.
    Inventor: Lina Cheng
  • Molded case circuit breaker
    Patent number: 11309155
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a molded case circuit breaker, and particularly, to a molded case circuit breaker having an enhanced arc protecting function. The molded case circuit breaker includes: a power side terminal portion provided at a front side of an enclosure and having a fixed contact arm; a finger assembly coupled to the fixed contact arm, and disposed on a front surface of the power side terminal portion; and a base bus supporter coupled to an upper surface and a lower surface of the power side terminal portion, and having a finger hole through which the finger assembly is exposed. The base bus supporter is provided with a protection unit configured to enclose the finger assembly around the finger hole.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 13, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 19, 2022
    Assignee: LS ELECTRIC CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Suyang Song
  • Gas-insulated switchgear
    Patent number: 11309693
    Abstract: A gas-insulated switchgear includes a main circuit conductor forming a bus line, a tank having a tubular main body in which the main circuit conductor forming the bus line is provided at its center, and a grounding-switch tank that is a branch pipe connected to the main body, in which a movable contact forming a branch line that branches from the main circuit conductor forming the bus line is provided, where a tubular surface of the main body is spherical, and has an opening that allows the movable contact to pass therethrough.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 31, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 19, 2022
    Assignee: MITSUBISHI ELECTRIC CORPORATION
    Inventors: Masahiro Fujioka, Yasuhiro Tsukao
  • Vacuum circuit breaker
    Patent number: 11302499
    Abstract: Disclosed are example embodiments of a dead tank circuit breaker for protecting electrical components against electrical surges and other voltage anomalies such as transient overvoltages. The circuit breaker includes: one or more vacuum interrupters; a current bypass circuit electrically coupled to the one or more vacuum interrupters; a dead tank encasing and hermetically sealing the one or more vacuum interrupters and the current bypass circuit, wherein the dead tank is pressurized with a non-SF6 gas; and a controllable mechanism coupled to the one or more vacuum interrupters and to the current bypass circuit. The controllable mechanism is configured to actuate the one or more vacuum interrupters and the current bypass circuit to open or close a main circuit path such that any pre-strike arcing occurs on the current bypass circuit instead of the one or more vacuum interrupters.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 7, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 12, 2022
    Assignee: MITSUBISHI ELECTRIC POWER PRODUCTS, INC.
    Inventors: Zachary A. Smith, Paul J. Vladuchick
  • Vacuum circuit breaker
    Patent number: 11295913
    Abstract: A vacuum circuit breaker includes a vacuum circuit breaker tube having a vacuum housing in which a contact system is disposed. The contact system includes two contacts which are movable relative to one another. An electrical pre-arcing unit having an ignition electrode in the vacuum housing is provided for igniting an arc along an arc current path.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 16, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 5, 2022
    Assignee: Siemens Energy Global GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventors: Thomas Rettenmaier, Norbert Wenzel, Christian Schacherer
  • Gas circuit breaker
    Patent number: 11289291
    Abstract: A gas circuit breaker includes: a fixed arc contact disposed on an axis of motion, whose tip is directed to one side in a first direction that is parallel to the axis of motion; a movable arc contact that can reciprocate along the axis of motion between a position when in contact with the tip of the fixed arc contact and a position when separated from the tip of the fixed arc contact; and a first permanent magnet and a second permanent magnet as a permanent magnet whose magnetic poles are aligned in a second direction that is a direction perpendicular to the first direction. The fixed arc contact has a shape that is gradually widened in a direction away from the axis of motion from the tip toward another side in the first direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 25, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 29, 2022
    Assignee: MITSUBISHI ELECTRIC CORPORATION
    Inventors: Daisaku Yamada, Koma Sato
  • Overpressure-resistant vacuum interrupter tube
    Patent number: 11289292
    Abstract: A vacuum interrupter tube contains at least one insulating body, a fixed contact, a fixed contact flange, a moving contact having a longitudinal axis, a moving contact flange, and a bellows. The fixed contact is stationarily arranged in the fixed contact flange. The moving contact is moveably guided and the moving contact is moveably secured to the moving contact flange by the bellows. The bellows is secured to the moving contact flange by a first bellows end and the bellows is secured to the moving contact by a second bellows end. Therein the vacuum interrupter tube is protected against the deformation of at least one of the fixed contact flange and the moving contact flange due to an ambient pressure of the vacuum interrupter tube of over two bar by a stiffened fixed contact flange and/or a stiffened moving contact flange.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 20, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 29, 2022
    Assignee: Siemens Energy Global GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventors: Lydia Baron, Frank Graskowski, Andreas Lawall, Christian Stiehler
  • Adjusting device and method for adjusting switching device mechanisms
    Patent number: 11289290
    Abstract: An adjusting device adjusts the stroke of a vacuum switching tube and the bias of a contact compression spring of a switching device mechanism, the spring being paired with the vacuum switching tube, for a medium-voltage switch and/or high-voltage switch. The adjusting device can be driven by a switch shaft, the switch shaft is connected to a transmission element via a connection element, and the transmission element can be connected to a movable switch contact of a medium-voltage switch and/or a high-voltage switch. The transmission element is arranged in a rotatable manner and in a laterally movable manner in the connection element along a recess.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 20, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 29, 2022
    Assignee: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Juergen Einschenk, Thomas Knabe, Philipp Last, Sandro Koehler
  • Vacuum interrupter
    Patent number: 11282661
    Abstract: Provided is a small-sized, reliable vacuum interrupter that does not involve upsizing and complication of the reduction load application mechanism. A vacuum interrupter of the present invention includes a magnetic body disposed on a circumferential edge around a stem surface of at least one of a moving current-carrying stem and a fixed current-carrying stem. The magnetic body includes a lower magnetic permeance portion having a lower magnetic permeance than the other portion. The lower magnetic permeance portion produces a magnetic field parallel to the axial direction. Arc discharge is driven in the direction of the parallel magnetic field, thus being extinguished.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 20, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 22, 2022
    Assignee: MITSUBISHI ELECTRIC CORPORATION
    Inventors: Taiki Donen, Toshihiko Takematsu, Satoshi Ochi, Yuichi Takai
  • Electromechanical actuator and high voltage (HV) switch
    Patent number: 11282660
    Abstract: An electromechanical actuator includes an electrically insulating rod, an electrically insulating cover at least partly encompassing the electrically insulating rod, and an elastomeric diaphragm. The electrically insulating rod has a body, a first actuation portion connected to an electromechanical drive mechanism arranged in a first region, and a second actuation portion for actuating an electromechanical actuation mechanism arranged in a second region. The elastomeric diaphragm unit is arranged between the body and the cover. The elastomeric diaphragm unit has a flexible membrane electrically separating the first region from the second region. The elastomeric diaphragm unit is coated on at least one surface of the membrane with a semiconductive layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 23, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 22, 2022
    Assignees: Tyco Electronics UK Ltd., Carrier Kheops BAC
    Inventors: Herve Cheron, Yves Cadoret, Elizabeth Da Silva Domingues, Thomas Moore
  • Control rod with compensation element
    Patent number: 11276991
    Abstract: A control rod system has a control or drive rod and at least one compensation element for vacuum interrupters, in particular for gas-insulated switchgear. The at least one compensation element has at least one hermetically sealed bellows. The at least one hermetically sealed bellows is either connected to the drive rod at at least one point, or is connected to or can be coupled to the drive rod via at least one engagement device and the engagement device is connected or can be connected to the at least one compensation element in a fixed or engaging manner.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 28, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 15, 2022
    Assignee: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventor: Ulf Schuemann
  • Electrical circuit breaker
    Patent number: 11270858
    Abstract: An electric circuit breaker that prevents damage due to increased internal pressure after an electric circuit is cut off and prevents an arc from leaking to the outside. Such a circuit breaker includes a housing, a cut portion that is arranged in the housing and forms a part of an electric circuit, a cutting member that cuts the cut portion, and a power source arranged on a first end portion side of the housing, the electric circuit breaker including a moving body including the cutting member, in which the housing includes a cylindrical portion capable of moving the moving body between the first end portion and a second end portion on a side opposite to the first end portion, in which the moving body is configured such that the cutting member provided in the moving body cuts a separation piece of the cut portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 19, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 8, 2022
    Assignee: Pacific Engineering Corporation
    Inventors: Takenao Nakatani, Yusuke Kondo
  • Earthing module
    Patent number: 11271375
    Abstract: An earthing module for a switchgear includes: a cylinder; a piston; a stored energy unit; and at least one photovoltaic cell. The cylinder connects to a part of a switchgear at earth potential. The piston moves within the cylinder from a standby position to a released position along an axis of the cylinder. When in the released position, the piston is in electrical connection with the cylinder. The stored energy unit is located within or associated with the earthing module such that activation of the stored energy unit moves the piston from the standby position to the released position. One or more of the at least one photovoltaic cell activates the stored energy unit based on radiation from an electrical arc of the switchgear impinging upon the one or more of the at least one photovoltaic cell.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 16, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 8, 2022
    Assignee: ABB Schweiz AG
    Inventors: Dietmar Gentsch, Christian Reuber
  • Electric switching unit comprising a filtering device
    Patent number: 11270857
    Abstract: An electric switching unit comprises a casing and a plurality of arc extinguishing chambers formed inside the casing, each arc extinguishing chamber comprising a gas discharge orifice opening to outside the casing. The electric switching unit comprises a filtering device positioned outside the casing and comprising: a plurality of inlet openings placed on a lower region of the filtering device, each one being configured to collaborate fluidically with one of the said gas discharge orifices; an outlet opening placed on a lateral region of the filtering device; a common internal chamber which places the inlet openings in fluidic communication with the outlet opening; and a filter located inside the internal chamber between the inlet openings and the outlet opening.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 17, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 8, 2022
    Assignee: Schneider Electric Industries SAS
    Inventors: Marc Rival, Cyril Domenech, Jean-Paul Gonnet