Vacuum circuit interrupter with dual plate actuation

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11749477-B2
Application number	US-202117236262-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 21, 2021
Priority date	Apr 21, 2021
Publication date	Sep 5, 2023
Grant date	Sep 5, 2023

Abstract

A circuit breaker includes a vacuum interrupter. The interrupter includes a first movable electrode to which a first contact is connected and a second movable electrode to which a second contact is connected. The interrupter is operable between an open state and a closed state. In the open state, the first contact and the second contact are separated by a contact gap distance. In the closed state, the first contact and the second contact touch each other. The circuit breaker includes an ultrafast actuator operatively connected to each of the first and second movable electrodes. The ultrafast actuator is configured to change the vacuum interrupter from the closed state to the open state by simultaneously moving the first contact in a first direction along a first distance portion of the contact gap, and the second contact in a second direction along a second distance portion of the contact gap.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A circuit breaker comprising:
a vacuum interrupter comprising:
a first movable electrode to which a first contact is connected, and
a second movable electrode to which a second contact is connected,
wherein:
the vacuum interrupter is operable between an open state and a closed state,
in the open state, the first contact and the second contact are separated by a contact gap, and
in the closed state, the first contact and the second contact touch each other; and

an ultrafast actuator that is operatively connected to each of the first and second movable electrodes and configured to change the vacuum interrupter from the closed state to the open state by simultaneously moving:
the first contact in a first direction along a first distance portion of the contact gap, and
the second contact in a second direction along a second distance portion of the contact gap,

wherein the ultrafast actuator comprises a Thomson coil or a piezo-electric actuator.

2. The circuit breaker of claim 1 , wherein:
the ultrafast actuator further comprises:
a first repulsion plate that is operatively coupled to the first movable electrode, and
a second repulsion plate that is operatively coupled to the second movable electrode; and

the Thomson coil or the piezo-electric actuator is disposed between the first repulsion plate and the second repulsion plate.

3. The circuit breaker of claim 2 , further comprising:
a vacuum interrupter housing that is configured to house the first movable electrode, the first contact, the second movable electrode and the second contact,
a chamber travel assembly that comprises:
a travel substrate that is movably coupled relative to a first end of the vacuum interrupter housing,
a support plate that is coupled to the first repulsion plate and movably coupled relative to a second end of the vacuum interrupter housing, and
parallel rods that connect the support plate to the travel substrate.

4. The circuit breaker of claim 3 , wherein:
the vacuum interrupter further comprises a fixed central electrode;
the first contact is movably coupled relative to a first side of the central electrode by the first distance portion; and
the second contact is movably coupled relative to a second side of the fixed central electrode by the second distance portion, the first side and the second side are opposite sides.

5. The circuit breaker of claim 4 , wherein the vacuum interrupter housing comprises:
a first housing section that is configured to receive and house the first contact;
a second housing section that is configured to receive and house the second contact; and
a housing divider section comprising the fixed central electrode, wherein the housing divider section is between the first housing section and the second housing section.

6. The circuit breaker of claim 2 , further comprising a contact force applicator, the contact force applicator comprises:
a first spring assembly comprising a first compression spring that is configured to generate a first compression force that will force the first movable electrode and the first contact toward the second contact; and
a second spring assembly comprising a second compression spring that is configured to generate a second compression force that will force the second movable electrode and the second contact toward the first contact.

7. The circuit breaker of claim 6 , wherein:
the first compression force is in a direction opposite the first direction of the force generated by the first repulsion plate;
the second compression force is in a direction opposite the second direction of the force generated by the second repulsion plate; and
the first compression force and the second compression force reduce the contact gap distance between the first contact and the second contact to cause the closed state of the vacuum interrupter.

8. The circuit breaker of claim 1 , wherein the first distance portion of the contact gap and the second distance portion of the contact gap are equal.

9. A method for operating a circuit breaker, the method comprising:
providing a vacuum interrupter that is operable to move from a closed state an open state, wherein:
the vacuum interrupter comprises:
a first movable electrode to which a first contact is connected, and
a second movable electrode to which a second contact is connected, and

in the open state, the first contact and the second contact are separated by a contact gap, and
in the closed state, the first contact and the second contact touch each other;

operating an ultrafast actuator that is operatively connected to the first and second movable electrodes to change the vacuum interrupter from the closed state to the open state by simultaneously moving:
the first contact in a first direction along a first distance portion of the contact gap, and
the second contact in a second direction along a second distance portion of the contact gap,

wherein the ultrafast actuator comprises a Thomson coil or a piezo-electric actuator.

10. The method of claim 9 , wherein:
the ultrafast actuator further comprises:
a first repulsion plate that is operatively coupled to the first movable electrode, and
a second repulsion plate that is operatively coupled to the second movable electrode;

the Thomson coil or the piezo-electric actuator is disposed between the first repulsion plate and the second repulsion plate; and
operating the ultrafast actuator to change the vacuum interrupter from the closed state to the open state further comprises simultaneously:
moving the first repulsion plate away from the second repulsion plate, which in turn moves the first movable electrode in a first direction, and
moving the second repulsion away from the first repulsion plate, which in turn moves the second movable electrode in a second direction that is opposite the first direction.

11. The method of claim 10 , wherein the vacuum interrupter further comprises a vacuum interrupter housing that is configured to house the first movable electrode, the first contact, the second movable electrode and the second contact.

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein:
the vacuum interrupter further comprises a fixed central electrode in the vacuum interrupter housing; and
operating the ultrafast actuator to change the vacuum interrupter from the closed state to the open state further comprises simultaneously moving:
the first contact by the first distance portion relative to a first side of the central electrode, and
the second contact by the second distance portion relative to a second side of the central electrode, the first side and the second side are opposite sides.

13. The method of claim 12 , wherein:
the vacuum interrupter housing comprises:
a first housing section that is configured to receive and house the first contact,
a second housing section that is configured to receive and house the second contact, and
a housing divider section comprising the fixed central electrode;

the moving of the first contact further comprises moving the first contact within the first housing section of the vacuum interrupter housing, in response to moving the first contact relative to the first side of the central electrode; and
the moving of the second contact further comprises moving the second contact within the second housing section, in response to moving the second contact relative to the second side of the central electrode.

14. The method of claim 11 , wherein:
the circuit breaker further comprises:
a first spring assembly that is coupled to the first movable electrode, and
a second spring assembl

Assignees

• Eaton Intelligent Power Ltd

Inventors

• Das Asish
• Chamarajanagar Govinda Nayaka Santhosh Kumar
• Gottschalk Andrew L
• Slepian R Michael
• Muniyappan Jayaraman

Classifications

• H01H33/6661 Primary

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

• H01H1/66

  Contacts sealed in an evacuated or gas-filled envelope, e.g. magnetic dry-reed contacts · CPC title

• H01H33/66207

  Specific housing details, e.g. sealing, soldering or brazing · CPC title

• H01H50/20

  movable inside coil and substantially lengthwise with respect to axis thereof; movable coaxially with respect to coil · CPC title

• H01H2033/6665

  Details concerning the mounting or supporting of the individual vacuum bottles · CPC title