Medium voltage breaker conductor with an electrically efficient contour

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10991533-B2
Application number	US-201715596063-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 16, 2017
Priority date	May 17, 2016
Publication date	Apr 27, 2021
Grant date	Apr 27, 2021

Abstract

The present disclosure provides a conductive member for a circuit breaker high voltage portion conductor assembly, the conductive member including a body with a transfer portion and a coupling portion. The body transfer portion has an electro-thermally efficient contour. That is, the body transfer portion has an electrically efficient contour and a thermally efficient contour. The body transfer portion includes a number of slots defining fins. In this configuration, the body transfer portion distributes current generally evenly across a cross-sectional area of the conductive member body. Further, the fins provide heat dissipation via convection.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A conductive member for a circuit breaker high voltage portion conductor assembly, said conductive member comprising:
a body;
said body includes a transfer portion and a coupling portion; and
wherein said body transfer portion has an electrically efficient contour;
wherein said body transfer portion also has a thermally efficient contour;
whereby said body transfer portion has an electro-thermally efficient contour;
wherein said body transfer portion includes a number of slots extending through said body transfer portion;
and wherein:
each slot extends generally vertically through said body transfer portion;
wherein said slots define a number of fins;
wherein said number of fins includes a number of inner fins, each inner fin disposed between adjacent slots; and
wherein said number of fins includes two outer fins, each outer fin disposed between a slot and an adjacent outer lateral side of body transfer portion.

2. The conductive member of claim 1 wherein:
said body transfer portion includes a centerline;
each fin has a thickness; and
wherein each said fin thickness increases the further a fin is from said body transfer portion centerline.

3. The conductive member of claim 1 wherein:
said number of fins includes a number of sets of fins; and
each fin in a set of fins of the number of sets of fins having substantially the same thickness as other fins in the same set.

4. A conductive member for a circuit breaker high voltage portion conductor assembly, said conductive member comprising:
a body;
said body includes a transfer portion and a coupling portion; and
wherein said body transfer portion has an electrically efficient contour;
and wherein:
said body transfer portion is substantially cylindrical;
said body transfer portion includes a number of slots extending through said body transfer portion;
wherein each slot extends generally vertically through said body transfer portion; and
wherein said slots define a number of fins.

5. The conductive member of claim 4 wherein:
wherein said body transfer portion also has a thermally efficient contour; and
whereby said body transfer portion has an electro-thermally efficient contour.

6. The conductive member of claim 5 wherein said body transfer portion includes a number of slots extending through said body transfer portion.

7. The conductive member of claim 4 wherein each slot is one of wider at a top and narrower at a bottom, or, narrower at a top and wider at a bottom.

8. The conductive member of claim 4 wherein said body is an aluminum body.

9. A conductive member for a circuit breaker high voltage portion conductor assembly, said conductive member comprising:
a body;
said body includes a transfer portion and a coupling portion;
wherein said body transfer portion has an electrically efficient contour; and
wherein said body is a unitary body.

10. A vacuum circuit breaker comprising:
a low voltage portion, and a high voltage portion;
said low voltage portion including an operating mechanism;
said low voltage portion operatively coupled to said high voltage portion;
said high voltage portion including a conductor assembly and a vacuum interrupter assembly;
said conductor assembly including a first terminal, a primary first conductor, a primary second conductor, and a second terminal;
said vacuum interrupter assembly including first stem assembly, a first contact, a second contact, a second stem assembly, and a vacuum housing;
said first contact coupled to, and in electrical communication with, said first stem assembly;
said first stem assembly coupled to, and in electrical communication with, said first conductor;
said second contact coupled to, and in electrical communication with, said second stem assembly;
said second stem assembly coupled to, and in electrical communication with, said second conductor;
said first contact disposed in said vacuum housing;
said second contact movably disposed in said vacuum housing;
said operating mechanism operatively coupled to said second contact, wherein said second contact is structured to move between a first position, wherein said second contact assembly contact member is not directly coupled to said first contact assembly contact member, and a second position, wherein said second contact assembly contact member is coupled to, and in electrical communication with, said first contact assembly contact member;
wherein one of said primary first conductor or said primary second conductor includes a body;
said body includes a transfer portion and a coupling portion; and
wherein said body transfer portion has an electrically efficient contour;
wherein said body transfer portion also has a thermally efficient contour;
whereby said body transfer portion has an electro-thermally efficient contour;
wherein said body transfer portion includes a number of slots extending through said body transfer portion;
and wherein:
each slot extends generally vertically through said body transfer portion;
wherein said slots define a number of fins;
wherein said number of fins includes a number of inner fins, each inner fin disposed between adjacent slots; and
wherein said number of fins includes two outer fins, each outer fin disposed between a slot and an adjacent outer lateral side of body transfer portion.

11. The vacuum circuit breaker of claim 10 wherein:
said body transfer portion includes a centerline;
each fin has a thickness; and
wherein each said fin thickness increases the further a fin is from said body transfer portion centerline.

12. The vacuum circuit breaker of claim 10 wherein:
said number of fins includes a number of sets of fins; and
each fin in a set of fins of the number of sets of fins having substantially the same thickness as other fins in the same set.

13. A vacuum circuit breaker comprising:
a low voltage portion, and a high voltage portion;
said low voltage portion including an operating mechanism;
said low voltage portion operatively coupled to said high voltage portion;
said high voltage portion including a conductor assembly and a vacuum interrupter assembly;
said conductor assembly including a first terminal, a primary first conductor, a primary second conductor, and a second terminal;
said vacuum interrupter assembly including first stem assembly, a first contact, a second contact, a second stem assembly, and a vacuum housing;
said first contact coupled to, and in electrical communication with, said first stem assembly;
said first stem assembly coupled to, and in electrical communication with, said first conductor;
said second contact coupled to, and in electrical communication with, said second stem assembly;
said second stem assembly coupled to, and in electrical communication with, said second conductor;
said first contact disposed in said vacuum housing;
said second contact movably disposed in said vacuum housing;
said operating mechanism operatively coupled to said second contact, wherein said second contact is structured to move between a first position, wherein said second contact assembly contact member is not directly coupled to said first contact assembly contact member, and a second position, wherein said second contact assembly contact member is coupled to, and in electrical communication with, said first contact assembly contact member;
wherein one of said primary first conductor or said primary second conductor includes a body;
said body includes a transfer portion and a coupling portion;
wherein said body transfer portion has an electrically efficient contour;
and wherein:
said body transfer portion

Assignees

• Eaton Corp
• Eaton Intelligent Power Ltd

Inventors

• Brandt Douglas Michael
• Leccia Brad Robert
• Frye Iv Richard Blaine
• Jenkins Zachary Ryan

Classifications

• H01H33/6606 Primary

  Terminal arrangements · CPC title

• H01H33/664

  Contacts; Arc-extinguishing means, e.g. arcing rings · CPC title

• H01H2009/526

  of the high voltage switches · CPC title

• H01H71/08 Primary

  Terminals; Connections · CPC title

• H01H71/0235

  Contacts and the arc extinguishing space inside individual separate cases, which are positioned inside the housing of the circuit breaker (casettes for rotating bridges see H01H1/2058) · CPC title