Arcing Chamber Patents (Class 218/46)
  • Patent number: 10155916
    Abstract: Provided is a lubricant for a gas insulated switchgear, with which properties of a base oil such as heat resistance, evaporation loss, fluidity under a low temperature, and chemical stability (oxidation resistance and HF resistance) are balanced at a level higher than the conventional level, and long service life and high reliability of the gas insulated switchgear are achieved. A lubricant for a gas insulated switchgear according to the present invention, contains: a base oil containing a polyalphaolefin having a kinematic viscosity at 40° C. of 50 mm2/s or more; and a thickener containing bisamides.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 4, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 18, 2018
    Assignee: HITACHI, LTD.
    Inventors: Takayuki Nakakawaji, Hiroyuki Akata, Tomohiro Moriyama, Kazuhiro Satou, Makoto Hirose
  • Patent number: 10056210
    Abstract: The present disclosure describes an apparatus and method for quenching the arc developed during the interruption of a current carrying path by use of an arc quenching apparatus with a contiguous chamber that shapes and directs the gas pressure and other associated arc components through a set of splitter plates located at the ends of the chamber. The contiguous chamber contains the gas pressure and other associated arc components for the duration of the quenching process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 14, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 21, 2018
    Assignee: Rockwell Automation Switzerland GmbH
    Inventors: Thomas Strebel Marzano, Beat Villiger
  • Patent number: 9903903
    Abstract: A method for deriving at least one operating parameter of a fluid-insulated electrical apparatus, in particular of gas-insulated switchgear. The operating parameter is dependent on a dielectric breakdown strength of an insulation fluid of the electrical apparatus. The insulation fluid includes at least three components that are assigned to at least a first and a second component group such that at least one component group comprises at least two components. The component groups differ in their weighted average values of the molecular masses of the components in the respective component groups. At least one quantity which is indicative of the concentration of the first component group and of the concentration of the second component group is determined from the insulation fluid, e.g. by measuring one or more measurement variables with one or more sensors. The operating parameter is then derived using the at least one quantity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 13, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 27, 2018
    Assignee: ABB Technology AG
    Inventors: Axel Kramer, Thomas Alfred Paul, Navid Mahdizadeh, Nitesh Ranjan
  • Patent number: 9012800
    Abstract: A gas circuit breaker is provided, avoiding change in the position of a cover member and without weakening of the blow of gas to the arc in an arc discharge cavity even when a surface of the cover member in contact with the arc discharge cavity is damaged. The gas circuit breaker includes a contact ring, a holder attached to the contact ring, and extending to a path of arc-extinguishing gas that extinguishes an arc, and an electrically insulative cover member attached to the holder.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 21, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 21, 2015
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
    Inventors: Toru Yamashita, Daisuke Yoshida, Katsuhiko Horinouchi, Tatsuya Hayashi
  • Publication number: 20150027985
    Abstract: A gas circuit breaker includes a hermetically-sealed container filled with an arc extinguishing gas, a fixed contact arranged within the container, a movable contact arranged to face the fixed contact and configured to move in an axial direction of the container, the movable contact capable of contacting or separating from the fixed contact, an insulating operation rod having one end connected to an end of the movable contact opposite to the fixed contact through a link at an angle of about 90 degrees with respect to the movable contact, and an actuator arranged in a substantially coaxial relationship with the insulating operation rod, the actuator including an output shaft transferring a driving force for the operation of the movable contact to the other end of the insulating operation rod.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 17, 2014
    Publication date: January 29, 2015
    Inventors: Kosuke Yanagi, Kozo Matsushita, Atsushi Nakagawa
  • Patent number: 8878092
    Abstract: A gas-insulated switchgear includes a fixed-side electrode having a tubular fixed-side-conducting contact and a fixed-side shield for housing the fixed-side-conducting contact, and a movable-side electrode having a movable conductor driven by a driving unit to be connected to and separated from the fixed-side-conducting contact, facing each other in a container filled with an insulating gas. The switchgear includes a fixed-side-arc shield in the form of a circular plate, which is made of an arc-resistant member and has an opening of a diameter larger than the outer diameter of the movable conductor, the opening being formed on the side of the fixed-side shield facing the movable-side electrode. The fixed-side-arc shield is formed into a thin plate so as to cause an arc current to flow outward in a radial direction during contact parting of the fixed-side-conducting contact and the movable conductor to generate magnetic flux on a surface thereof in a circumferential direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 25, 2009
    Date of Patent: November 4, 2014
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
    Inventors: Yoshinori Shimizu, Hitoshi Sadakuni
  • Patent number: 8816237
    Abstract: The invention relates to an interrupting chamber for a high-voltage circuit breaker of preferably greater than at least 52 kV adapted to break all currents of value less than or equal to the short-circuit interrupting capacity of the circuit breaker, including asymmetric currents comprising an arc contact, an insulating arc blow-out nozzle having a through hole adapted to be blanked off by a valve, an insulating component which forms two channels, one of which is located between the insulating component and the arc contact, and wherein the hole is in communication with the channel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 17, 2009
    Date of Patent: August 26, 2014
    Assignee: Alstom Grid SAS
    Inventor: Denis Dufournet
  • Patent number: 8809720
    Abstract: An arc extinguishing mechanism for the mold cased circuit breaker comprises a plurality of arc grids stacked on one another in a perpendicular direction and supporting plates for supporting the arc grids, and each of the arc grids comprises a U-shaped plate portion made of a ferromagnetic material, and having two leg portions, a plurality of supporting protrusions laterally extending from the U-shaped plate portion to be flush with the U-shaped plate portion, thus to allow the U-shaped plate portion to be coupled to the supporting plates for support, and bent portions extending from the leg portions, respectively, by being bent in a perpendicular direction, to minimize an air gap between the adjacent arc grids stacked on each other so as to increase a force of inducing arc generated in the arc chamber toward the arc grids.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 24, 2011
    Date of Patent: August 19, 2014
    Assignee: LSIS Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Seung Jin Ham
  • Publication number: 20140069891
    Abstract: A gas circuit breaker includes a sealed tank that includes first and second conductor containers with an insulating tube therebetween and is filled with insulating gas; a fixed arcing contact on the first conductor container side; a movable arcing contact that is provided on the second conductor container side and moves to be able to contact and separate from the fixed arcing contact; a fixed conductive contact on the first conductor container side; a movable conductive contact that moves in accordance with contact and separation of the movable arcing contact and contacts and separates from the fixed conductive contact; and a puffer unit that is provided on the second conductor container side and has a mechanical puffer chamber accommodating the movable conductive contact formed therein, wherein the puffer unit is arranged between the insulating tube and the second conductor container and is exposed to the periphery of the sealed tank.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 30, 2011
    Publication date: March 13, 2014
    Applicant: Mistubishi Electric Corporation
    Inventors: Hirokazu Otani, Toru Yamashita, Daisuke Yoshida, Haruhiko Koyama
  • Publication number: 20140061161
    Abstract: A conduction breaking device includes a conductive body arranged between a pair of devices in an electric circuit, a gas generator, which is arranged away from the conductive body and generates gas, and a cutting member, which is arranged between the conductive body and the gas generator. The cutting member is moved due to gas from the gas generator to cut the conductive body, divides the conductive body into a first cut piece and a second cut piece, which have cut ends separated from each other, and breaks the conduction between the devices. The conduction breaking device includes an arc-extinguishing chamber. In the arc-extinguishing chamber, the conductive body is cut by the cutting member and an arc occurring between the cut end of the first cut piece and the cut end of the second cut piece is extinguished.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 25, 2013
    Publication date: March 6, 2014
    Applicant: TOYODA GOSEI CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Yoshiki NAKAMURA, Takaki FUKUYAMA, Yoshiaki KAMEDA
  • Patent number: 8629672
    Abstract: The current in a generator circuit breaker is measured using the Faraday effect of an optical sensing fiber looped around the breaker's conductor. The sensing fiber is arranged in a sensing strip, which can be mounted to the enclosure of the generator circuit breaker or to the conductor. Exemplary embodiments can have a wide measuring range and can easily be fitted to new or existing generator circuit breakers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 28, 2011
    Date of Patent: January 14, 2014
    Assignee: ABB Research Ltd
    Inventors: Moritz Hochlehnert, Thomas Lorek, Ahmed Zekhnini, Andreas Frank, Klaus Bohnert
  • Publication number: 20140001157
    Abstract: Disclosed is an electronic switch. The electronic switch includes a fixed contact point; a movable contact point; and an actuating unit for moving the movable contact point, wherein at least one gas inflow space is formed in at least one of the fixed and movable contact points, a gas which is injected into a space where the fixed and movable contact points make contact with or are separated from each other flows into the at least one gas inflow space while the fixed and movable contact points make contact with each other, and the gas in the at least one gas inflow space is exhausted to the space where the fixed and movable contact points make contact with or are separated from each other while the fixed and movable contact points are separated from each other.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 18, 2013
    Publication date: January 2, 2014
    Inventor: Tae Sik CHO
  • Patent number: 8598483
    Abstract: A switching device assembly with a contact gap has a nozzle made of insulating material. The nozzle made of insulating material is formed with a nozzle channel that ends in a hot gas space. A deflector element is arranged within the hot gas space. The deflector element is supported inside the deflector channel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 22, 2010
    Date of Patent: December 3, 2013
    Assignee: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Hold Dienemann, Volker Lehmann, Manfred Meinherz
  • Publication number: 20130021711
    Abstract: A residual current protection device comprises: an arc guiding plate, which is configured to guiding an arc generated during contacts breaking to an arc extinguishing unit. Wherein, the arc extinguishing unit includes an arc extinguishing channel, configured to extinguish the arc; and an enhanced arc extinguisher, disposed between the extinguishing channel and the arc guiding plate, for impelling the arc into the extinguishing channel.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 14, 2010
    Publication date: January 24, 2013
    Applicant: ABB SpA
    Inventors: Xinxia Gao, Wei Jiang, Lizhong Ji
  • Patent number: 8242402
    Abstract: An exemplary gas-insulated switchgear device is disclosed which includes a current sensor and a voltage sensor located at a partition insulator. The current sensor can include a magneto-optical fiber on a flexible carrier strip and can be manufactured separately for being easily mounted to an assembled switchgear device. The current sensor can include an electro-optical fiber extending radially into the partition insulator and whose ends are embedded in recesses in the bus bar as well as in the metal embracing of the partition insulator for accurately integrating the voltage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 21, 2010
    Date of Patent: August 14, 2012
    Assignee: ABB Research Ltd
    Inventors: Klaus Bohnert, Hubert Braendle
  • Patent number: 8232496
    Abstract: A switch disconnector is disclosed. The switch disconnector has a main contact point and an arc interruption contact point, of which the main contact point opens before the arc interruption contact point during a disconnection operation and is closed after the arc interruption contact point during connection, with a stationary and a moving contact-piece arrangement, with the stationary contact-piece arrangement having a pot contact piece with contact fingers and with the moving main contact point having a contact cylinder which is connected to a contact mount, and with the arc interruption point having a contact pin as the stationary contact piece and an annular contact piece as the moving contact piece. The contact pin has a section composed of interruption-resistant material, whose external diameter is greater than the external diameter of the rest of the pin area. The contact pin has at least one slot which runs in the longitudinal direction and splits the pin into at least two pin fingers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 18, 2006
    Date of Patent: July 31, 2012
    Assignee: ABB Technology AG
    Inventors: Ole Granhaug, Jan-Henrik Kuhlefelt, Pal Skryten
  • Patent number: 8168911
    Abstract: A circuit breaker having an arc quenching system is provided. The quenching system includes an ablative device positioned within a chamber. On end of the ablative device includes an opening that receives a stationary contact. A movable contact arm travels within a channel between the closed position and an open position. When an abnormal operating condition is detected, the circuit breaker trips causing the contact arm to move. This generates a plasma arc that evaporates material from the ablative device. The evaporated material generates a pressurized gas that cools and quenches the plasma arc to improve the performance of the circuit breaker during undesired operating conditions such as a short circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 19, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 1, 2012
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Thangavelu Asokan, Ranjit Manohar Deshmukh, Ranganath Gururaj, Kamal Pandey
  • Publication number: 20120037599
    Abstract: An exemplary high voltage circuit breaker includes an interruption chamber that is filled with an extinguishing agent. The interruption chamber having at least two separable arcing contact pieces that are coaxially arranged and an arcing zone in which an electric arc is producible during an interruption process. The interruption chamber includes at least two inlets and at least one outlet located in between the two inlets. The inlets and the at least one outlet are connected with the arcing zone such that the electric arc is extinguishable in at least three arc interruption zones by means of extinguishing flows streaming out of the at least two inlets into the arcing zone upon pressurization and introduction of a portion of the extinguishing agent in the arcing zone, and leading an amount of the extinguishing flows through the outlet out of the arcing zone.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 30, 2011
    Publication date: February 16, 2012
    Applicant: ABB Research Ltd
    Inventors: Lutz NIEMEYER, Martin Seeger, Michael Schwinne, Arthouros Iordanidis
  • Publication number: 20120006791
    Abstract: An arc extinguishing mechanism for the mold cased circuit breaker comprises a plurality of arc grids stacked on one another in a perpendicular direction and supporting plates for supporting the arc grids, and each of the arc grids comprises a U-shaped plate portion made of a ferromagnetic material, and having two leg portions, a plurality of supporting protrusions laterally extending from the U-shaped plate portion to be flush with the U-shaped plate portion, thus to allow the U-shaped plate portion to be coupled to the supporting plates for support, and bent portions extending from the leg portions, respectively, by being bent in a perpendicular direction, to minimize an air gap between the adjacent arc grids stacked on each other so as to increase a force of inducing arc generated in the arc chamber toward the arc grids.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 24, 2011
    Publication date: January 12, 2012
    Inventor: Seung Jin HAM
  • Patent number: 8044318
    Abstract: A current interrupting chamber comprising a moving assembly movable axially between a start position and an end position of an operation of opening the circuit-breaker. The current interrupting chamber includes a first compression chamber; a hollow drive tube having ports for bringing the interior of the drive tube into communication with the outside of the current interrupting chamber; a second compression chamber; and a structure for obstructing the ports of the drive tube from the start position of an operation of opening the circuit-breaker and up to an intermediate position which is reached between the position of separation of two arcing contacts from each other and the end position of an operation of opening the circuit-breaker.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 2, 2008
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2011
    Assignee: Areva T&D SA
    Inventors: Denis Dufournet, Dan Penache, Michel Tresy, Michel Perret
  • Publication number: 20110147346
    Abstract: An exemplary gas-insulated switchgear device is disclosed which includes a current sensor and a voltage sensor located at a partition insulator. The current sensor can include a magneto-optical fiber on a flexible carrier strip and can be manufactured separately for being easily mounted to an assembled switchgear device. The current sensor can include an electro-optical fiber extending radially into the partition insulator and whose ends are embedded in recesses in the bus bar as well as in the metal embracing of the partition insulator for accurately integrating the voltage.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 21, 2010
    Publication date: June 23, 2011
    Applicant: ABB RESEARCH LTD
    Inventors: Klaus BOHNERT, Hubert Braendle
  • Publication number: 20110127237
    Abstract: Disclosed is a gas insulated switchgear constituted such that electrical contacts are placed inside a sealed vessel filled with an arc extinguishing gas, and when electrical current passes, the electrical contacts are held in contact and pass electricity, and when the current is interrupted, the electrical contacts are separated and an arc discharge is produced in the arc extinguishing gas, and the current is interrupted by extinguishing this arc. The arc extinguishing gas is a mixed gas, the main constituents of which are N2 gas and CH4 gas, and the CH4 content is at least 30%. Alternatively, the arc extinguishing gas is a mixed gas, the main constituents of which are CO2 gas and CH4 gas, and the CH4 content is at least 5%.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 29, 2010
    Publication date: June 2, 2011
    Applicant: KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOSHIBA
    Inventors: Toshiyuki UCHII, Yoshihiko HIRANO, Yoshikazu HOSHINA
  • Patent number: 7893379
    Abstract: The disclosure relates to an electrical switching device, e.g., a generator circuit breaker, and to a method for improved switching-gas cooling. Gas jets are formed by a nozzle body in the exhaust area, are directed against a baffle wall and are swirled. The baffle wall is a component of the switching chamber enclosure and has a high thermal capacity and/or thermal conductivity, so that the switching gas vortices produce a highly efficient switching gas cooling on the baffle wall by turbulent convection. Exemplary embodiments relate inter alia to the design of the baffle wall and of the nozzle body. Advantages include: protection of the switching chamber enclosure against hot gases, improved switching gas cooling, and increased breaking capacity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 20, 2007
    Date of Patent: February 22, 2011
    Assignee: ABB Technology AG
    Inventors: Thomas Schoenemann, Jochen Kiefer, Patrick Huguenot, Max Claessens, Stephan Grob, Xiangyang Ye
  • Patent number: 7875822
    Abstract: A multiphase current interrupter is provided for interrupting a phase current between two contacts in an electrical phase. The current interrupter includes a first ablative chamber disposed around contacts for a first electrical phase. The first chamber has an ablative material thereon that causes a shock wave when an electrical arc is generated in an arc zone for the first electrical phase during a separation of the contacts therein. The current interrupter further includes at least a second ablative chamber disposed around contacts for at least a second electrical phase. The second chamber has an ablative material thereon that causes a shock wave when an electrical arc is generated in an arc zone for the second electrical phase during a separation of the contacts therein. An interconnecting structure provides fluid communication between the first ablative chamber and the second ablative chamber. The interconnecting structure is adapted to dissipate a shock wave generated in any of the ablative chambers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 10, 2008
    Date of Patent: January 25, 2011
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Thangavelu Asokan, Sunil Srinivasa Murthy, Kunal Ravindra Goray, Nimish Kumar, Adnan Kutubuddin Bohori
  • Publication number: 20100326958
    Abstract: A relief valve for discharging a dielectric gas between two volumes (V1, V2) of a high-voltage or medium-voltage interrupting chamber. There is used as a closure member a flexible metal blade secured to the body, the closure member therefore being opened by deformation of the flexible blade from a closed position (FIG. 1) in which it is pressed against a closure member seat formed in the body to a fully open position in which it fits closely against a stop member secured to the valve body whilst remaining within its elastic limit, the open passage for the gas being open in this fully open position (FIG. 1A) and the return of the blade from its fully open position to its closed position being possible because of its flexibility.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 25, 2010
    Publication date: December 30, 2010
    Applicant: AREVA T & D SAS
    Inventors: Cyril Gregoire, Roger Ledru, Wolfgang Grieshaber
  • Publication number: 20100072174
    Abstract: A circuit breaker having an arc quenching system is provided. The quenching system includes an ablative device positioned within a chamber. On end of the ablative device includes an opening that receives a stationary contact. A movable contact arm travels within a channel between the closed position and an open position. When an abnormal operating condition is detected, the circuit breaker trips causing the contact arm to move. This generates a plasma arc that evaporates material from the ablative device. The evaporated material generates a pressurized gas that cools and quenches the plasma arc to improve the performance of the circuit breaker during undesired operating conditions such as a short circuit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 19, 2008
    Publication date: March 25, 2010
    Applicant: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
    Inventors: Thangavelu Asokan, Ranjit Manohar Deshmukh, Ranganath Gururaj, Kamal Pandey
  • Publication number: 20090194510
    Abstract: The switching device of at least one embodiment includes at least two switching contacts for interruption of a current path, with the switching contacts being arranged in a quenching chamber in order to quench an arc which is struck on opening. The quenching chamber opens into a gas outlet channel for overpressure which is produced during the striking of the arc to escape from. A pressure sensor for pressure detection is provided in the gas outlet channel and trips a switching mechanism, which is at least indirectly connected thereto, of the switching device on reaching a predeterminable pressure value. According to at least one embodiment of the invention, the gas outlet channel includes a Venturi nozzle. A reduced pressure, which is created in the Venturi nozzle as the gas flow passes through, is detectable by way of the pressure sensor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 14, 2009
    Publication date: August 6, 2009
    Inventor: Jorg-Uwe Dahl
  • Patent number: 7532097
    Abstract: A circuit breaker includes a housing, separable contacts, an operating mechanism structured to open and close the separable contacts, a power conductor including a first conductor and a second reverse loop conductor, the second reverse loop conductor carrying one of the separable contacts, and a slot motor. The slot motor includes a first slot motor portion, and a second slot motor portion including a plurality of generally U-shaped slot motor laminations, a first insulative housing portion, and a second insulative housing portion. The first and second insulative housing portions interlock with one another to form a generally U-shaped insulative slot motor housing. The first and second insulative housing portions cooperatively receive the generally U-shaped slot motor laminations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 12, 2007
    Date of Patent: May 12, 2009
    Assignee: Eaton Corporation
    Inventors: Richard P. Malingowski, William G. Eberts, Mark A. Janusek
  • Patent number: 7507931
    Abstract: The switching chamber is intended for a gas-insulated high-voltage circuit breaker. It contains an axially symmetrical housing and a contact arrangement held in the housing with two switching pieces, of which at least one is arranged such that it can move along the housing axis. The switching chamber housing has two hollow bodies consisting of electrically conductive material which can be connected to a high voltage and an insulating tube holding the hollow bodies axially at a distance. A separation zone, which is electrically shielded during operation of the circuit breaker, is formed in the surface of at least one of the two hollow bodies and separates two surface zones having different degrees of roughness from one another in the hollow body. In homogeneities in the surface of the switching chamber housing which may reduce the dielectric strength of the circuit breaker equipped with the switching chamber therefore do not have any effect.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 3, 2007
    Date of Patent: March 24, 2009
    Assignee: ABB Technology AG
    Inventors: David Saxl, Markus Vestner
  • Patent number: 7498540
    Abstract: The gas-blast circuit breaker includes an electrically conductive vessel charged with insulating gases and kept at earth potential, a stationary arc-extinguishing chamber accommodated in a ground metal tank and corresponding to a moving part to extinguish an arc generated between it and the moving part, an insulating member that supports the stationary arc-extinguishing chamber to insulate the same from an earth potential portion, an opening provided on the ground metal tank, and a lid body that closes the opening provided on the ground metal tank and is arranged detachably on the opening from outside the ground metal tank, and one end of the insulating member is mounted to a mount provided on the lid body, and therefore a gas-blast circuit breaker is obtained to enable ensuring a sufficient insulation distance and appropriately and easily performing working of and a mount work of mount portions of an insulating member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 1, 2006
    Date of Patent: March 3, 2009
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Denki Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Yuji Yoshitomo
  • Patent number: 7202435
    Abstract: An exemplary circuit breaker includes at least one arcing chamber that is filled with isolating gas, extends along a longitudinal axis, is designed to be essentially radially symmetrical, contains an arc area and has at least two power contact pieces. At least one of the power contact pieces is in the form of a moving or stationery tubular hollow contact, which is provided for dissipating hot gases from the arc area into a concentrically arranged exhaust body. A deflection device, which interacts with at least one opening in the hollow contact, is arranged on the side of the hollow contact facing away from the arc area, and radially deflects hot gases into the exhaust volume, which is connected through at least one second opening to an arcing chamber volume. An increased disconnection rating is achieved by providing at least one intermediate body between the hollow contact and the exhaust body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 23, 2005
    Date of Patent: April 10, 2007
    Assignee: ABB Schweiz AG
    Inventors: Max Claessens, Stephan Grob, Xiangyang Ye
  • Patent number: 6703575
    Abstract: An arc-extinguishing system for a contact switching apparatus having a plurality pieces of grid plate for arc extinction arranged outside the contact switching apparatus so as to be substantially vertical to a movable contact, and an arc box as well as an arc cover for covering the contact switching apparatus as well as arc-extinguishing grid plates, in which a thin-plate rib extending in a direction of an array of the arc-extinguishing grid plates is provided on the arc cover made of resin having elasticity, and the arc-extinguishing grid plates are fixed to the thin-plate rib by being pressed against end surfaces of the arc-extinguishing grid plates through connecting of the arc box to the arc cover.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 26, 1998
    Date of Patent: March 9, 2004
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Denki Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Kyoichi Yamamoto
  • Patent number: 6163001
    Abstract: Arranged in the continuation of an arcing chamber (16) bounded by consumable rings (32a, 32b) are pressure chambers (25a, 25b) which are connected in each case to a heating volume (18), which concentrically surrounds the arcing chamber (16), via a return channel (28; 28b), which is rotationally symmetrical with reference to the switching axis and is at least initially of increasing cross section, and a non-return valve (29a; 29b). A circumferential blowout slot (19) opening into the arcing chamber (16) between the consumable rings (32a, 32b) issues from the heating volume (18). The pressure chambers (25a, 25b) are, moreover, connected via in each case a plurality of exhaust tubes (34a, 34b) to exhaust volumes (30a, 30b) and to one of them also via a pressure relief valve (37).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 13, 1999
    Date of Patent: December 19, 2000
    Assignee: ABB Research Ltd.
    Inventors: Lukas Zehnder, Kurt Kaltenegger, Lutz Niemeyer, Thomas Schoenemann, Gunter Speckhofer
  • Patent number: 5850065
    Abstract: A dielectric gas produced at the time of current interruption is exhausted into an exhaust structure 1 through an opening 8 formed on a fixed-side support member 6 combined with a fixed arcing contact 4. The exhaust structure 1 has an enlarged portion with a gas flow cross section formed at least before a position at 1/2 of the overall length of the exhaust structure 1 that is uniformly enlarged toward the rear of the exhaust structure 1 with respect to the joint between the exhaust tube 1 and the fixed-side support member 6. As a result, the gas is immediately exhausted into the exhaust structure 1 and the interelectrode insulation recovery performance is ensured.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 15, 1997
    Date of Patent: December 15, 1998
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Noriyuki Yaginuma, Masanori Tsukushi, Makoto Yano, Katsuhiko Shiraishi, Youichi Ohshita
  • Patent number: 5629506
    Abstract: An AC contactor having a high recovery voltage strength includes a contact assembly and a high recovery voltage gas system coupled to the contact assembly. The contact assembly includes two contact pads per electrical phase, with one of the contact pads being attached to a positioning device that selectively disposes the contact pad between a closed circuit position and an open circuit position. The high recovery voltage gas system includes a thermal gas evolving medium for introducing a high recovery voltage strength gas into the gap between the contact pads, which gas has a high glow discharge cathode voltage fall value, as determined for silver-based contacts, of not less than about 300 volts, and typically greater than about 500 volts. The high recovery voltage strength gas typically comprises carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide, water vapor, or the like. The thermal gas evolving medium typically is as a Group IA carbonate (e.g., sodium bicarbonate), and is disposed in the contact assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 15, 1994
    Date of Patent: May 13, 1997
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Lawson P. Harris, Herman L. Finkbeiner, Minyoung Lee