Vacuum circuit breaker

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11295913-B2
Application number	US-201917050923-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 16, 2019
Priority date	Apr 27, 2018
Publication date	Apr 5, 2022
Grant date	Apr 5, 2022

Abstract

A vacuum circuit breaker includes a vacuum circuit breaker tube having a vacuum housing in which a contact system is disposed. The contact system includes two contacts which are movable relative to one another. An electrical pre-arcing unit having an ignition electrode in the vacuum housing is provided for igniting an arc along an arc current path.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A vacuum circuit breaker, comprising:
a vacuum circuit breaker tube having a vacuum housing;
a contact system disposed in said a vacuum housing, said contact system having two contacts being movable relative to one another;
an electrical pre-arcing unit for igniting an arc along an arc current path, said electrical pre-arcing unit being disposed in said vacuum housing and having an ignition electrode;
said two contacts including first and second geometrically separated current paths, said first current path being said arc current path and said second current path being a continuous current path;
said two contacts having finger-shaped extensions along a switching axis, said finger-shaped extensions of said two contacts engaging with one another, said finger-shaped extensions including flanks having contact surfaces of said arc current path, said contacts with said finger-shaped extensions being oriented along said switching axis;
said continuous current path having contact surfaces making contact with one another in a closed state of the circuit breaker; and
said contact surfaces of said arc current path not contacting one another in the closed state of the circuit breaker.

2. The vacuum circuit breaker according to claim 1 , wherein at least one of said contacts has a pot-shaped configuration with a center, and said arc current path has a contact piece disposed in said center of said at least one pot-shaped contact.

3. The vacuum circuit breaker according to claim 1 , wherein said arc current path has a contact piece including said ignition electrode.

4. The vacuum circuit breaker according to claim 1 , including a vapor shield, said ignition electrode being disposed on said vapor shield.

5. The vacuum circuit breaker according to claim 1 , wherein said contact surfaces of said arc current path have larger surface areas than said contact surfaces of said continuous current path.

6. The vacuum circuit breaker according to claim 5 , wherein said surface areas of said contact surfaces of said arc current path are at least twice as large as said surface areas of said contact surfaces of said continuous current path.

7. A method for using a vacuum circuit breaker, the method comprising using the vacuum circuit breaker according to claim 1 as a short-circuiting device for shorting a circuit and for protecting a grid influencing system from a surge.

Assignees

• Siemens Energy Global Gmbh & Co Kg

Inventors

• Rettenmaier Thomas
• Wenzel Norbert
• Schacherer Christian

Classifications

• H02H9/06

  using spark-gap arresters · CPC title

• H01T21/06

  Adjustment of spark gaps (sparking-plugs having movable electrodes for adjusting the gap H01T13/26) · CPC title

• H01H33/6661

  Combination with other type of switch, e.g. for load break switches (H01H33/143, H01H33/6662 take precedence) · CPC title

• H01H33/664 Primary

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

• H01H79/00

  Protective switches in which excess current causes the closing of contacts, e.g. for short-circuiting the apparatus to be protected {(H01H39/004 takes precedence)} · CPC title