Abstract: A vacuum circuit interrupter integrates a solenoid core within the vacuum chamber for opening the separable contacts under non-fault conditions, using less space than if the solenoid were disposed in series with a high speed actuator. The interrupter includes an iron core, a steel seat with a trough, and a solenoid coil seated in the trough. The steel seat has a central opening through which the movable conductor passes. The iron core is fixed to a portion of the movable conductor so as to laterally surround the movable conductor within the vacuum chamber. The steel seat is structured such that, when the separable contacts are closed and a user provides an activating current to the solenoid coil, the magnetic field generated around the coil magnetizes the steel seat. When the steel seat is magnetized, it attracts the iron core, causing the movable conductor to separate from the stationary conductor.

Abstract: An actuator for opening the separable contacts of a circuit interrupter integrates a Thomson coil arrangement into the movable and stationary conductor assemblies. A movable separable contact is coupled to one end of the movable conductor, and a stationary separable contact is coupled to one end of the stationary conductor. The movable and stationary conductors are each formed with a collar positioned near the respective movable and stationary separable contacts. The actuator further includes a coil seated within a coil housing, and the coil housing is coupled to the stationary conductor collar. A conductive member shaped as a cup and structured to be actuated by the coil is coupled to the movable conductor collar, such that the rim of the cup faces the coil. A housing is positioned around the conductive member cup body with bellows and coupled to the coil housing, forming a vacuum chamber around the separable contacts.

Abstract: Multi-part assemblies for driving a movable conductor away from a stationary conductor of a circuit interrupter decrease separable contact opening time by reducing the number of components that must travel during an initial stage of an opening stroke to achieve an initial gap between the separable contacts. The components that must travel in order to open the separable contacts are included in only some portions of the movable assembly, rather than all portions. In one embodiment, a split switch shaft coupled to a movable conductor includes a head shaft coupled to a tail shaft using a sliding pin, enabling the head shaft to travel an initial distance while the tail shaft remains stationary, thus achieving an initial gap between the contacts. In another embodiment, the movable conductor assembly is coupled to hydraulics, enabling the assembly to travel an initial distance at high speeds before damping by the hydraulic fluid.

Abstract: A thermal management device for a circuit breaker includes: a heat pipe having an evaporator section, an adiabatic section and a condenser section; a busbar having a first portion including at least a portion of the adiabatic section of the heat pipe; a conducting busbar having a first end, a second end opposite the first end and a groove disposed on a top surface of the conducting busbar, the first end disposed adjacent to primary contacts, the second end integrated in the first portion of the busbar, the groove extending from the first end to the second end and including the evaporator section and the at least a portion of the adiabatic section of the heat pipe embedded therein; and an array of fins integrated to the second portion of the busbar, the condenser section of the heat pipe extending through the array of fins.

Abstract: A dual conductor Thomson coil actuator for use in opening the separable contacts of a circuit interrupter comprises two nested conductors wound to form a single coil, rather than the traditional design comprising one single conductor wound to form a coil of the same size. Each of the two conductors can be excited by half the capacitance that would be used to excite the traditional single conductor coil, using the same voltage as the single conductor coil. When the same total capacitor-stored energy that would be used to excite the single conductor coil is instead used to excite the dual conductor coil, the initial pulse of aggregate current through the dual conductor coil is greater than the initial pulse of current through the single conductor coil, resulting in a faster initial opening distance of the separable contacts during an opening stroke.

Abstract: An assembly for manufacturing the insulation layer of a Thomson coil includes a base plate, a coil housing, and a cover plate. The base plate securely seats the coil housing, and the coil housing securely seats a Thomson coil and the cover plate. The cover plate has several ribs that hold multiple turns of a Thomson coil in place while epoxy is applied to the coil, thus ensuring that the epoxy is evenly distributed on the coil surface and that the coil windings remain level. The cover plate and coil housing are structured to either receive a high-pressure epoxy injection or to be used in an epoxy potting process, during which all exposed areas of the Thomson coil are coated by liquid epoxy. After the epoxy has solidified, the Thomson coil is coupled to the coil housing, and the housed and insulated Thomson coil is removed from the assembly.

Abstract: An actuator, which is a part of a combination that includes a pair of circuit interrupters, advantageously employs a plurality of Thomson coils that are electrically connected in parallel and that interact with a corresponding set of Thomson plates of a rotatable armature in order to perform useful work in a rapid fashion. In one embodiment, the useful work is to commutate current from one circuit interrupter to the other.

Abstract: A circuit interrupter includes a frame, a set of separable contacts that can be generally stated as including a stationary contact and a movable contact, the stationary contact being affixed to the frame, a shaft movably situated on the frame, the movable contact being situated on the shaft, a drive system situated on the frame and operable to move the shaft with respect to the frame between a first position and a second position, the set of separable contact being a CLOSED state in the first position of the shaft and being in an OPEN state in the second position of the shaft, and a brake that can be generally stated as including a mass movably situated on the frame, the shaft being structured to engage the mass and to cause the mass to be in motion when moving from the first position toward the second position.

Abstract: A multi-level feedback actuator assembly for a circuit breaker assembly includes a rotary solenoid, an electric actuator assembly and a manual actuator assembly. The electric actuator assembly includes a switch assembly with an actuator. The manual actuator assembly includes a number of primary actuators, a linkage assembly, and a cam assembly. The number of primary actuators includes a first actuator with a body. The first actuator body is structured to move over a path having at least a first portion and a second portion. The rotary solenoid is operatively coupled to the linkage assembly. The linkage assembly is further operatively coupled to an operating mechanism crossbar. In this configuration, the linkage assembly is structured to apply at least a first bias and a second bias to the first actuator body. Further, the first bias is noticeably different from said second bias.

Abstract: A latching assembly for latching the moving conductor assembly of a circuit interrupter after an opening stroke includes a streamlined latch that omits components commonly prone to damage during latching operations in existing latching assemblies. The disclosed latching assembly comprises a fixed latch block, a driven latch rotatably coupled to the latch block, and a pivoting hammer with a square pin positioned to always be engaged with the driven latch. The latching assembly is structured to be engaged by a switch shaft once an opening stroke is initiated. When the latching assembly engages, the hammer square pin pushes the driven latch into engagement with a shelf formed in the switch shaft, which prevents the switch shaft from rebounding after the opening stroke. Rebounding is further prevented due to the hammer being structured to be biased toward the open state once the driven latch has engaged the switch shaft shelf.

Abstract: An ultra-fast moving conductor for use with a circuit breaker is provided. The moving conductor includes a hollow outer stem and a removable core. Multiple removable cores are produced for use with the moving conductor for different purposes. The outer stem is produced from annealed copper that must be brazed before the circuit breaker is placed into operation, and a first removable core produced from copper is inserted into the outer stem to provide structural reinforcement to the outer stem during brazing. After brazing is complete, the copper core is removed from the outer stem, and a significantly lighter work hardened aluminum core is inserted into the outer stem. The lightweight aluminum core enables the moving conductor to open the circuit breaker much faster than the copper core would, and the copper core prevents contamination of the brazing furnace that would result from using the aluminum core during brazing.

Abstract: A cooling device for use with circuit interrupters includes a housing structured to be coupled to a terminal of the circuit interrupter and formed with several ventilation openings, as well as a permanent magnet, a torque converter and a fan blade all contained within the housing. When the cooling device is coupled to a terminal of a circuit interrupter and current flows through the terminals of the circuit interrupter, parasitic magnetic fields are generated and induce oscillatory motion of the permanent magnet. The torque converter is coupled to the permanent magnet and converts the oscillatory motion of the magnet to rotational motion that rotates the fan blade. The fan blade is disposed near the ventilation openings of the housing so that air flow produced by rotation of the fan blade travels across the surface of the circuit interrupter terminal nearest the ventilation openings to increase convection.

Abstract: A circuit interrupter includes a frame, a set of separable contacts that can be generally stated as including a stationary contact and a movable contact, the stationary contact being affixed to the frame, a shaft movably situated on the frame, the movable contact being situated on the shaft, a drive system situated on the frame and operable to move the shaft with respect to the frame between a first position and a second position, the set of separable contact being a CLOSED state in the first position of the shaft and being in an OPEN state in the second position of the shaft, and a brake that can be generally stated as including a mass movably situated on the frame, the shaft being structured to engage the mass and to cause the mass to be in motion when moving from the first position toward the second position.

Abstract: An ultra-fast moving conductor for use with a circuit breaker is provided. The moving conductor includes a hollow outer stem and a removable core. Multiple removable cores are produced for use with the moving conductor for different purposes. The outer stem is produced from annealed copper that must be brazed before the circuit breaker is placed into operation, and a first removable core produced from copper is inserted into the outer stem to provide structural reinforcement to the outer stem during brazing. After brazing is complete, the copper core is removed from the outer stem, and a significantly lighter work hardened aluminum core is inserted into the outer stem. The lightweight aluminum core enables the moving conductor to open the circuit breaker much faster than the copper core would, and the copper core prevents contamination of the brazing furnace that would result from using the aluminum core during brazing.

Abstract: An electrical switching device, such as a high-speed switching device, has a damper and latching assembly. The assembly is configured to dampen the movement of a moving contact of the switching device as the moving contact translates from its closed position to its open position. The assembly also is configured to restrain the moving contact in its open position. The assembly stores at least some of the energy associated with the damping process, and uses the stored energy to assist in the release of the moving contact during the subsequent re-closing of the switching device.

Abstract: A multi-level feedback actuator assembly for a circuit breaker assembly including an interlock system. The interlock system for the multi-level feedback actuator assembly is structured to maintain the multi-level feedback actuator assembly, and elements thereof, in a safe configuration. The interlock system for the multi-level feedback actuator assembly includes an interlock assembly structured to configure the rotary solenoid and at least one of the first actuator or the second actuator in a safe configuration.

Abstract: An actuator, which is a part of a combination that includes a pair of circuit interrupters, advantageously employs a plurality of Thomson coils that are electrically connected in parallel and that interact with a corresponding set of Thomson plates of a rotatable armature in order to perform useful work in a rapid fashion. In one embodiment, the useful work is to commutate current from one circuit interrupter to the other.

Abstract: An electrical switching device, such as a high-speed switching device, has a damper and latching assembly. The assembly is configured to dampen the movement of a moving contact of the switching device as the moving contact translates from its closed position to its open position. The assembly also is configured to restrain the moving contact in its open position. The assembly stores at least some of the energy associated with the damping process, and uses the stored energy to assist in the release of the moving contact during the subsequent re-closing of the switching device.

Abstract: A cooling device for use with circuit interrupters includes a housing structured to be coupled to a terminal of the circuit interrupter and formed with several ventilation openings, as well as a permanent magnet, a torque converter and a fan blade all contained within the housing. When the cooling device is coupled to a terminal of a circuit interrupter and current flows through the terminals of the circuit interrupter, parasitic magnetic fields are generated and induce oscillatory motion of the permanent magnet. The torque converter is coupled to the permanent magnet and converts the oscillatory motion of the magnet to rotational motion that rotates the fan blade. The fan blade is disposed near the ventilation openings of the housing so that air flow produced by rotation of the fan blade travels across the surface of the circuit interrupter terminal nearest the ventilation openings to increase convection.

Abstract: A multi-level feedback actuator assembly for a circuit breaker assembly includes a rotary solenoid, an electric actuator assembly and a manual actuator assembly. The electric actuator assembly includes a switch assembly with an actuator. The manual actuator assembly includes a number of primary actuators, a linkage assembly, and a cam assembly. The number of primary actuators includes a first actuator with a body. The first actuator body is structured to move over a path having at least a first portion and a second portion. The rotary solenoid is operatively coupled to the linkage assembly. The linkage assembly is further operatively coupled to an operating mechanism crossbar. In this configuration, the linkage assembly is structured to apply at least a first bias and a second bias to the first actuator body. Further, the first bias is noticeably different from said second bias.