Bellows Patents (Class 218/135)
  • Patent number: 11942290
    Abstract: A vacuum interrupter has a cover base formed with an insertion opening for an axially movable moving contact rod carrying a moving contact. The moving contact rod is routed out of the vacuum interrupter in a vacuum-tight manner by way of a bellows. The bellows has a centering appendage which is formed by a tubular end piece of the bellows that runs parallel to the longitudinal axis of the bellows and is inserted into the insertion opening. The bellows moreover has a bellows base which is disposed on the centering appendage, runs substantially transversely to the longitudinal axis of the bellows, and is formed with a through-opening for the moving contact rod.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 2, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2024
    Assignee: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Thomas Brauner, Frank Graskowski, Klaus Schachtschneider
  • Patent number: 11622461
    Abstract: A gas insulated switchgear includes: a gas-tight housing; at least one shaft extending through an opening in the gas-tight housing, which shaft is partially rotatable and/or translatable; a sealing means arranged in the opening for sealing the shaft relative to the gas-tight housing, the sealing means including a sealing bellows having a first mounting rim on one axial end, a second mounting rim on an other axial end, and a bellow body in between the first and second mounting rims; and a mounting ring mounted coaxially to the shaft. The sealing bellows is arranged around the shaft, with the first mounting rim to the housing and with the second mounting rim to the mounting ring.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 12, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 4, 2023
    Assignee: EATON INTELLIGENT POWER LIMITED
    Inventors: Apurv Khandelwal, Nikhil Tilakpure, Vijay Kumar, Marcel Berend Paul van Dijk, Anand Sattappa Chiman, Madhura Damodar Aradhye
  • Patent number: 11424087
    Abstract: An electrical switching device includes a kinematic chain, a first encapsulation housing, a movable switching contact piece and a fixed switching contact piece. The movable switching contact piece is movable by the kinematic chain which penetrates the first encapsulation housing in a fluid-tight manner. The kinematic chain penetrates the first encapsulation housing in a linearly movable manner.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 27, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 23, 2022
    Assignee: Siemens Energy Global GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventors: Michael Bartz, Alexander Hartung, Martin Krehnke
  • Patent number: 11201024
    Abstract: A switchgear driving arrangement includes a transmission element which penetrates a wall of a housing. The transmission element is guided in a linearly movable manner in such a way as to be supported on the wall. A first guide bearing is located inside the housing. A second guide bearing is located outside the housing. An electrical switchgear is also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 21, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 14, 2021
    Assignee: Siemens Energy Global GmbH & CO. KG
    Inventors: Frank Ehrlich, Andreas Groiss, Rico Rademacher, Ingolf Reiher
  • Patent number: 11037746
    Abstract: A vacuum interrupter for interrupting a voltage. The vacuum interrupter including a vacuum bottle, a hi-stable mechanism, and a bellows assembly. The vacuum bottle having axially separable contacts, wherein at least one of the contacts is a moveable contact. The bi-stable mechanism including an actuator, and a cam pivotable by the actuator, the cam moving the moveable contact. The bellows assembly reciprocating the moveable contact to prevent arcing between the contacts. The bellows assembly including a spring biasing the contacts apart from each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 18, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 15, 2021
    Assignee: Hubbell Incorporated
    Inventor: David A. Rhein
  • Patent number: 10672575
    Abstract: The present invention provides a vacuum interrupter for interrupting a voltage. The vacuum interrupter includes a vacuum bottle housing having an interior and an exterior, and at least one vacuum bottle positioned within the interior of the vacuum bottle housing. The at least one vacuum bottle includes axially separable contacts within it, including at least one moveable contact. The vacuum interrupter further includes an operating mechanism including a clevis configured to reciprocate the moveable contact. The vacuum interrupter further includes a seal between the vacuum bottle housing and the operating mechanism sealing the operating mechanism from the interior of the vacuum bottle, wherein the seal includes a first end and a second end, the first end coupled to the clevis and the second end coupled to the vacuum bottle housing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 7, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 2, 2020
    Assignee: Hubbell Incorporated
    Inventors: David A. Rhein, Daniel Breyre
  • Patent number: 9842717
    Abstract: A high speed closing switch includes a case having an interior which is hermetically closed, a ground electrode installed within the case, a high voltage electrode spaced apart from the ground electrode by a predetermined interval, a movable electrode configured to move from a first position in which the ground electrode and the high voltage electrode are not connected to a second position in which the ground electrode and the high voltage electrode are connected, a coil configured to generate electromagnetic force to cause the movable electrode to be moved from the first position to the second position, a returning rod having one end fixedly connected to the movable electrode and the other end protruding to outside of the case, and a driving device configured to drive the returning rod such that the movable electrode is moved from the second position to the first position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 2, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 12, 2017
    Assignee: LSIS CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Youngwoo Jeong
  • Patent number: 9633807
    Abstract: Modular switchgear and methods for manufacturing the same. The modular switchgear includes a vacuum interrupter assembly, a source conductor assembly, and a housing assembly. The vacuum interrupter assembly includes a bushing, a fitting, and a vacuum interrupter at least partially molded within the bushing and including a movable contact and a stationary contact. The source conductor assembly includes a bushing, a fitting, and a source conductor molded within the bushing. The housing assembly includes a housing defining a chamber and a drive shaft and conductor positioned within the chamber. The housing assembly also includes a first receptacle for receiving the fitting of the vacuum interrupter assembly and a second receptacle for receiving the fitting of the source conductor assembly. The vacuum interrupter assembly, the source conductor assembly, and the housing assembly are coupled without molding the assemblies within a common housing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 17, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 25, 2017
    Assignee: G & W ELECTRIC COMPANY
    Inventors: Janet Ache, William Weizhong Chen, Kennedy Amoako Darko, Donald Richard Martin, Nenad Uzelac
  • Patent number: 9478376
    Abstract: A vacuum interrupter includes a vacuum vessel configured with an insulator, a fixed end plate and a movable end plate fixed to both ends of the insulator. A fixed contact and a movable contact face each other inside the vacuum vessel. A movable conductor has one end fixed to the movable contact and the other end is extracted outside the vacuum vessel. A bellows has an accordion portion expanding and contracting with linear movement of the movable conductor. A bellows support member having a cylindrical shape is fixed to the vacuum vessel so that the accordion portion of the bellows contacts the inside of the bellows support member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 7, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2016
    Assignee: MITSUBISHI ELECTRIC CORPORATION
    Inventor: Shinichi Miki
  • Patent number: 9455104
    Abstract: A retaining clip is for a vacuum interrupter. The vacuum interrupter includes a tubular ceramic member, a tubular shield member, and a pair of separable contacts. The shield member is disposed internal with respect to the ceramic member. The separable contacts are disposed internal with respect to the shield member. The retaining clip comprises: a base mounted on the ceramic member; and at least one flexible arm extending from the base. The flexible arm engages the shield member in order to retain the shield member on the ceramic member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 13, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 27, 2016
    Assignee: EATON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Martin Bernardus Johannes Leusenkamp, Jun Yan, Yucheng Li
  • Patent number: 9214306
    Abstract: A gas insulated switchgear includes a vacuum interrupter having a movable contact and a fixed contact in vacuum. The movable contact is on one side of a movable conductor that passes through a bellows. An insulating rod is coupled to the other side of the movable conductor that passes through the bellows. The insulating rod and the other side of the movable conductor are placed in an insulator. The vacuum interrupter, the insulating rod, and the insulator are disposed in a gas tank. An operating mechanism is disposed on a movable side end portion of the gas tank and connected to the insulating rod. An inner circumferential side space of the bellows, an internal space of the insulator, and an internal space of the operating box are in communication with each other; and pressure in these spaces is lower than pressure in the gas tank.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 25, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 15, 2015
    Assignee: MITSUBISHI ELECTRIC CORPORATION
    Inventors: Tadahiro Yoshida, Masahiro Arioka
  • Patent number: 9183996
    Abstract: An actuator system for actuating a high voltage current interrupter is disclosed. The actuator system comprises a transmission link for transmitting kinetic energy from a force provision system to a moveable contact of the current interrupter. The transmission link has a first end which is mechanically connectable to the moveable contact of the current interrupter and a second end facing away from the moveable contact. The actuator system further comprises a damping system comprising a shock-absorbing mass. The shock-absorbing mass is located along the extension of the line of translational movement of the transmission link, at the farther side of the transmission link as seen from the current interrupter, so that upon an opening operation of the current interrupter, the second end of the transmission link will collide with the shock-absorbing mass.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 10, 2015
    Assignee: ABB TECHNOLOGY LTD
    Inventors: Per-Olof Karlström, Thomas R. Eriksson, Ener Salinas, Ara Bissal
  • Patent number: 8957341
    Abstract: A gas circuit breaker comprising: a sealed tank; two breaking sections disposed in the sealed tank; a bracket to support movable parts of the breaking sections while enabling switching operation of the movable parts; an insulation cylinder to support the bracket through an electric field relaxation shield; an insulated operating rod disposed in the insulation cylinder movably in the axial direction and an end thereof is connected to an actuator; and a link mechanism connected to other end of the insulated rod and transmits drive force from the actuator to the movable parts of the breaking sections, wherein the electric field relaxation shield is provided with out-side groove and in-side groove on the insulation cylinder respectively, and the out-side groove and in-side groove are formed openings at the link mechanism side respectively, and end of the in-side groove is extended to near the outer surrounding of the insulated operating rod.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 11, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 17, 2015
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Wei Zhang, Masanori Tsukushi, Tomoyuki Ando, Michiru Onodera
  • Publication number: 20130001200
    Abstract: The object of the present invention is to provide a vacuum valve with strength against buckling deformation and without pressure leakage. A vacuum valve 1 comprising a fixed electrode 4 and a movable electrode 5 facing each other; a vacuum container containing the fixed electrode and the movable electrode and the interior thereof being in a vacuum state; and a bellows 2 forming a border between the inside and the outside of the vacuum container, for enabling the connecting and disconnecting movement of the movable electrode 5 using an elastic force generated by a plurality of pleated structure while maintaining the vacuum pressure inside the container, wherein the bellows 2 has a region without pleats or a region with low pleats.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 24, 2010
    Publication date: January 3, 2013
    Applicant: HITACHI LTD
    Inventors: Ayumu Morita, Kenji Tsuchiya
  • Patent number: 8324521
    Abstract: An improved bellows for use in a vacuum interrupter includes a plurality of corrugations extending along a central axis, with each convolution including a convolution element and a support element. Each convolution element has a convolution length along the central axis and a convolution height perpendicular to the central axis. In a first embodiment, the convolution height of the various corrugations increases between two ends of the bellows. In an embodiment, the bellows height increases gradually between the two ends, and in another embodiment the convolution height increases in a stepwise fashion. The convolution length can likewise change gradually or stepwise between the ends of the bellows. The convolution height alternatively can remain the same throughout a bellows, but the convolution length may change.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 15, 2010
    Date of Patent: December 4, 2012
    Assignee: Eaton Corporation
    Inventor: Wangpei Li
  • Patent number: 8119946
    Abstract: An electrical switching device has a displaceable contact piece mounted on an encapsulated housing. The displaceable contact piece extends within and outside of the encapsulated housing. The displaceable contact piece is sealed gas-proof in relation to the encapsulated housing. For forming a gas-proof transition, first and second sealing elements are provided, which, as axial sealing elements, are alternately pressed against the encapsulated housing by peripheral collars of the displaceable contact piece. A third sealing element is provided for sealing the displaceable contact piece in a radial direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 11, 2007
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2012
    Assignee: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventor: Peter Stenzel
  • Patent number: 7041930
    Abstract: A vacuum capacitor includes a vacuum vessel, stationary and movable electrodes arranged in the vacuum vessel, and a bellows which follows the movable electrode to maintain the hermeticity of the inside of the vacuum vessel and which serves as a current path, wherein the bellows is formed of a conduction high-strength heat resisting alloy.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 7, 2004
    Date of Patent: May 9, 2006
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Meidensha
    Inventors: Eiichi Takahashi, Toshimasa Fukai, Toru Tanimizu
  • Patent number: 6492609
    Abstract: A power station switch having high nominal current, the switch comprising a break chamber containing a dielectric gas under pressure and mounted inside a protective sheath which may optionally carry a general flow of cooling air, and a radiator/heat-exchanger situated outside said sheath and connected to said break chamber in which said gas under pressure is put into continuous circulation. Said gas under pressure as cooled in the radiator/heat-exchanger is returned to the break chamber via a metal case of the break chamber that is designed to be grounded.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 7, 2000
    Date of Patent: December 10, 2002
    Assignee: Alstom
    Inventors: François Biquez, Jean-Marc Willieme
  • Patent number: 6417472
    Abstract: A vacuum switching chamber is provided for power switches in the low-voltage range, and has compact design and a high switching capacity. A housing of the switching chamber includes plate-type current terminals, a cylindrical wall part that surrounds flat spiral petal contacts, an annular insulator and a bellows arranged concentrically thereto. The current terminal bolt of the movable spiral petal contact is seated on the associated plate-type current terminal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 15, 2001
    Date of Patent: July 9, 2002
    Assignee: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Jörg Kusserow, Roman Renz, Klemens Fieberg
  • Patent number: 6310310
    Abstract: A high voltage electric switch includes an insulated housing with an opening therethrough and an interior surface. The housing has an upper open end and a lower open end. A conductive upper terminal pad has a downwardly extending bar, wherein the upper terminal pad encloses the upper open end. A vacuum interrupter has a stationary stem that is electrically connected to the bar, and a moving stem extending in a direction opposite the stationary stem. A dielectric material is permanently bonded to at least a portion of the vacuum interrupter and substantially fills any voids between the vacuum interrupter and the interior surface. The dielectric material and the vacuum interrupter are selectively removable from the housing when the upper terminal pad is removed. A moving end assembly is connected to the moving stem and includes a highly conductive outer sleeve which receives a high strength inner sleeve having a cross-hole therethrough.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 11, 2000
    Date of Patent: October 30, 2001
    Assignee: Vacuum Electric Switch Co.
    Inventor: Cecil C. Wristen
  • Patent number: 6172317
    Abstract: A high voltage electric switch includes an insulated housing with an opening therethrough and an interior surface. The housing has an upper open end and a lower open end. A conductive upper terminal pad has a downwardly extending bar, wherein the upper terminal pad encloses the upper open end. A vacuum interrupter has a stationary stem that is electrically connected to the bar, and a moving stem extending in a direction opposite the stationary stem. A dielectric material is permanently bonded to at least a portion of the vacuum interrupter and substantially fills any voids between the vacuum interrupter and the interior surface. The dielectric material and the vacuum interrupter are selectively removable from the housing when the upper terminal pad is removed. A moving end assembly is connected to the moving stem and includes a highly conductive outer sleeve which receives a high strength inner sleeve having a cross-hole therethrough.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 3, 1999
    Date of Patent: January 9, 2001
    Assignee: Vacuum Electric Switch Co.
    Inventor: Cecil C. Wristen
  • Patent number: 6114647
    Abstract: A bellows, of which one end portion is fixed to a movable lever passing through a vessel wall and the other end portion of which is fixed to the vessel wall, has a spring constant at a central portion in an expansion direction which is smaller than that at the end portions in the expansion direction. The bellows damps stress concentration at the end portions and improves the life thereof, without enlarging the size of the bellows. The bellows may be used in a vacuum switch.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 1998
    Date of Patent: September 5, 2000
    Assignees: Hitachi, Ltd., Kuze Bellows Kogyosho Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Ayumu Morita, Toru Tanimizu, Toshio Horikoshi, Yoshiharu Yotsumoto, Takanori Hashimoto
  • Patent number: 6107592
    Abstract: A vacuum switching apparatus for automatically performing a series of breaking and disconnecting operations includes a fixed electrode and a movable electrode mounted in a vacuum vessel. The movable electrode is sequentially movable between a closing position, an opening position and a disconnecting position. After the movable electrode passes through the opening position located between the closing position and the disconnecting position, the between-electrode opening speed of the movable electrode is reduced by a decelerating means. With this configuration, it is possible to move the movable electrode from the closing position to the disconnecting position without lowering the breaking performance, and hence to automatically perform a series of breaking and disconnecting operations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 16, 1999
    Date of Patent: August 22, 2000
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Ayumu Morita, Makoto Yano, Toru Tanimizu
  • Patent number: 6098663
    Abstract: A bellows structure for use in high velocity, linear motion applications and which incorporates self-damping is disclosed. The bellows structure utilizes a plurality of thicker convolutions at each end of a regular bellows section to join the bellows section to its terminations. The thicker convolutions are distributed asymmetrically with the greater number of thicker convolutions being placed adjacent the stationary end of the bellows. The bellows structure increases the energy absorption capabilities of the stationary end of the bellows, and causes the intersecting, energy-absorbing waves traveling through the bellows section to intersect more frequently resulting in their internal cancellation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 15, 1998
    Date of Patent: August 8, 2000
    Inventor: Richard R. Larsen
  • Patent number: 6043446
    Abstract: An assembly and associated method are provided for use with the stationary and moveable contact sub-assembly portions of a vacuum interrupter. This assembly employs a groove machined circumferentially into an electrode of the sub-assembly in conjunction with a retaining ring apparatus having a first portion inserted into the groove. A second portion of the retaining ring provides stable structural support to components stacked onto the retaining ring apparatus. The components are clamped together and brazing material is placed across junctions between and among the individual vacuum interrupter components. Methods for constructing a vacuum interrupter sub-assembly in conjunction with brazing processes are also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 7, 1999
    Date of Patent: March 28, 2000
    Assignee: Eaton Corporation
    Inventors: Stephen David Mayo, Steven Theodore Vittorio, Scott Ray Lanning, Michael Laurence Hursh
  • Patent number: 5597992
    Abstract: The current interchange includes a housing disposed on a high voltage circuit interrupter. The movable switch contact extends into the housing with a guide member attached to the end of the movable switch contact. The housing includes a base attached to one of the terminals of the interrupter and includes a pair of guide rods extending into the housing for guiding engagement with the guide member. A pair of electrical cables extend helically around the guide rods and have one end attached to the base and another end attached to the guide member to provide an electrical path between the movable switch contact and the terminal. The electrical cables produce an axial magnetic field which maintains the metallic vapor produced by the interruption of the circuit between the contacts to reduce the transport of ions from the gap and reduce the current chop.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 16, 1996
    Date of Patent: January 28, 1997
    Assignee: Cooper Industries, Inc.
    Inventor: Jan J. Walker
  • Patent number: 5594224
    Abstract: A low cost and highly reliable vacuum circuit interrupter and a method of manufacturing the same improve production efficiency and vacuum tight sealing property of the vacuum circuit interrupter. In the vacuum circuit interrupter, within a sealed vacuum vessel 100 a pair of separable conductors in center axial direction of the sealed vacuum vessel composed of a stationary conductor 3 and a movable conductor 5 are disposed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 1994
    Date of Patent: January 14, 1997
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Toru Tanimizu, Yoshimi Hakamata, Masato Kobayashi, Akira Osaka, Katsuhiro Komuro
  • Patent number: 5543598
    Abstract: A switch has a vacuum interrupter and a switch housing which holds the vacuum interrupter between two supply terminals. The vacuum interrupter contains a tubularly constructed, evacuated housing with a fixed contact member and movable contact member. A movable contact carrier of the movable contact member is guided out of the housing in a vacuum-tight manner by a bellows and is held on the housing axis by a slideway. The slideway has a bushing which is detachably mounted on a flange of the housing. The bushing has an axially aligned guide groove situated on an inner surface. A guide element held on the sliding body of the movable contact carrier is guided in this guide groove. The switch prevents undesired axial, radial and torsional acting forces from damaging the bellows, and therefore, ensures the vacuum-tightness of the vacuum interrupter is maintained during manufacturing assembly and operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 26, 1994
    Date of Patent: August 6, 1996
    Assignee: Secheron S.A.
    Inventors: Henri Duffour, Philippe Goerend, Dominique Loutan
  • Patent number: 5510592
    Abstract: A vacuum switching chamber includes a switching chamber housing having two housing parts. The two housing parts are constructed in the shape of pots or bells and each have a base which encloses an opening through which a respective supporting stalk passes. A stationary contact piece and a moving contact piece are each carried on a respective one of the stalks. The structural size of the vacuum switching chamber is reduced by inwardly drawn bases and furthermore, components and solder foils which would be used in addition to the cylindrical switching chamber housing are rendered unnecessary.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 27, 1994
    Date of Patent: April 23, 1996
    Assignee: ABB Patent GmbH
    Inventors: Dietmar Gentsch, Joseph H. F. G. Lipperts