Spring operated actuator for an electric apparatus

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10522304-B2
Application number	US-201716070620-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 19, 2017
Priority date	Feb 16, 2016
Publication date	Dec 31, 2019
Grant date	Dec 31, 2019

Abstract

A spring operated actuator for an electric switching apparatus including an actuator spring and a rotary air damper. The damper has components that are rotatable relative to each other and is arranged to decelerate the actuating movement during an end portion. The damper has a toroidal working chamber with internal wall surfaces formed by two circumferential housing parts. They are rotatable relative to each other and are meeting each other such that a first and a second gap are formed. There is a seal between the two housing parts, which bridges the respective gap. The seal has a first circumferential seal at the first gap and a second circumferential seal at the second gap. At least one of the first and second seals includes a sealing body fitted in a groove formed in the internal walls of at least one housing part.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A spring operated actuator for an electric switching apparatus comprising:
an actuation spring to provide an actuating movement of the switching apparatus and a rotary air damper connected to the actuation spring, said rotary air damper having components that are rotatable relative to each other;
wherein said rotary air damper is arranged to decelerate the actuating movement during at least an end portion of the actuating movement, and said rotary air damper has a toroidal working chamber with internal walls formed by two circumferential housing parts;
wherein said housing parts are rotatable relative to each other and meet each other such that a first gap and a second gap are formed between said housing parts;
wherein a seal means is formed between said housing parts, said seal means includes a first circumferential seal that overbridges the first gap and a second circumferential seal that overbridges the second gap;
wherein said first seal, said second seal, or each of said first and second seals includes a sealing body fitted in a groove formed in at least one of the internal walls of the two housing parts at a location where said housing parts meet, said sealing body has a sealing surface facing the toroidal working chamber, said sealing surface has an extension in a direction perpendicular to a circumferential direction of said respective seal and to a radial direction of said respective seal, said extension is larger than a maximal gap between the housing parts, and said sealing surface is substantially aligned with a wall surface of said housing parts.

2. The spring operated actuator according to claim 1 , wherein said actuation spring is an opening spring and said actuating movement is a closing movement.

3. The spring operated actuator according to claim 1 , wherein said groove is formed in both of the internal walls of the two housing parts.

4. The spring operated actuator according to claim 1 , wherein said extension of the sealing surface is a plurality of times larger than said maximal gap.

5. The spring operated actuator according to claim 1 , wherein the sealing body has a rear surface at a side that is opposite to the sealing surface, wherein said rear surface includes lateral portions that each meet a lateral end of the sealing surface at an angle of less than 90°.

6. The spring operated actuator according to claim 5 , wherein said angle is in the range of 10-50°.

7. The spring operated actuator according to claim 5 , wherein each lateral portion is planar adjacent to a point where the lateral portion meets said lateral end as seen in a section perpendicular to the circumferential direction.

8. The spring operated actuator according to claim 5 , wherein said groove abuts said lateral portions at least at parts thereof that are located adjacent to said lateral ends and has a shape corresponding to the said lateral portions in abutting regions.

9. The spring operated actuator according to claim 1 , wherein the sealing body includes a radially inner portion having a shape of a trapezoid in a plane perpendicular to the circumferential direction.

10. The spring operated actuator according to claim 1 , wherein the sealing body is provided with a retainer means arranged to retain the sealing body in the groove.

11. The spring operated actuator according to claim 10 , wherein the retainer means includes a projection extending from a rear surface of the sealing body, wherein said projection has an outer portion that is wider in an axial direction than a width of the projection portion that is closer to the sealing body.

12. The spring operated actuator according to claim 11 , wherein each housing part has a circumferential recess on a surface facing the other housing part, wherein said recesses are facing each other; and
wherein said recesses are located and shaped to accommodate said wider portion such that said wider portion is retained in the recesses.

13. The spring operated actuator according to claim 1 , wherein the working chamber is formed by an outer wall, an inner wall, a first side wall, and a second side wall, wherein the housing parts meet each other along the outer wall and the inner wall.

14. The spring operated actuator according to claim 1 , wherein the components include an end wall attached to a first of said housing parts and a displacement body attached to a second of said housing parts, wherein said components both have an outer profile of a shape corresponding to the shape of the working chamber as seen in a plane perpendicular to the circumferential direction, and wherein at least one of the components is resilient along at least a part of said outer profile that is cooperating with one of said first and second seals.

15. The spring operated actuator according to claim 14 , wherein at least one of said components has at least one orifice providing communication between circumferentially opposite sides of the component.

16. The spring operated actuator according to claim 2 , wherein said groove is formed in both of the internal walls of the two housing parts.

17. The spring operated actuator according to claim 6 , wherein each lateral portion is planar adjacent to a point where the lateral portion meets said lateral end as seen in a section perpendicular to the circumferential direction.

18. An electrical switching apparatus comprising:
an actuation spring to provide an actuating movement of the switching apparatus and a rotary air damper connected to the actuation spring, said rotary air damper having components that are rotatable relative to each other;
wherein said rotary air damper is arranged to decelerate the actuating movement during at least an end portion of the actuating movement, and said rotary air damper has a toroidal working chamber with internal walls formed by two circumferential housing parts;
wherein said housing parts are rotatable relative to each other and meet each other such that a first gap and a second gap are formed between said housing parts;
wherein a seal means is formed between said housing parts, said seal means includes a first circumferential seal that overbridges the first gap and a second circumferential seal that overbridges the second gap;
wherein said first seal, said second seals, or each of said first and second seals includes a sealing body fitted in a groove formed in at least one of the internal walls of the two housing parts at a location where said housing parts meet, said sealing body has a sealing surface facing the toroidal working chamber, said sealing surface has an extension in a direction perpendicular to a circumferential direction of said respective seal and to a radial direction of said respective seal, said extension is larger than a maximal gap between the housing parts, and said sealing surface is substantially aligned with a wall surface of said housing parts.

19. The electrical switching apparatus according to claim 18 , wherein the switching apparatus is a circuit breaker.

Assignees

• Abb Schweiz Ag

Inventors

• Tredoux Johannes
• Staffas Daniel
• Chen Randee-Chao

Classifications

• H01H3/3015

  using cam devices · CPC title

• H01H9/02

  Bases, casings, or covers (accommodating more than one switch or a switch and another electrical component H02B1/26) · CPC title

• F16F1/12

  Attachments or mountings {(F16F1/041, F16F13/02 take precedence; of combinations of vibration damper and mechanical spring for vehicle suspension units B60G15/02)} · CPC title

• H01H3/3042

  using a torsion spring · CPC title

• F16F9/12

  Devices with one or more rotary vanes turning in the fluid any throttling effect being immaterial, {i.e. damping by viscous shear effect only (F16F9/53 takes precedence; pivoting supports for apparatus or articles placed on stands or trestles F16M11/06)} · CPC title