High voltage high current arc extinguishing contactor

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11948762-B2
Application number	US-202217725221-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 20, 2022
Priority date	Apr 30, 2021
Publication date	Apr 2, 2024
Grant date	Apr 2, 2024

Abstract

An electrical contactor has an arc extinguishing component. The electrical contactor includes a first electrical contact and a second electrical contact that, when the contactor is open, define a gap therebetween. The arc extinguishing component includes a magnet adjacent a first side of the gap and an electrically non-conductive shutter adjacent an opposing second side of the gap. The electrically non-conductive shutter capable of reciprocating from a first position to a second position wherein the first position is outside of the gap and the second position is within the gap.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. An electrical contactor having an arc extinguishing component, comprising:
a first electrical contact and a second electrical contact that, when the contactor is open, define a gap therebetween; and
a first diode which electrically interconnects the first contact to a ground and a second diode which electrically interconnects the second contact to ground;
the arc extinguishing component including:
a magnet adjacent a first side of the gap; and
an electrically non-conductive shutter adjacent an opposing second side of the gap, the electrically non-conductive shutter capable of reciprocating from a first position to a second position wherein the first position is outside of the gap and the second position is fully within the gap.

2. The electrical contactor of claim 1 wherein a first actuator engages one of the first or the second electrical contact and is configured to reciprocate the engaged electrical contact with respect to the other electrical contact.

3. The electrical contactor of claim 2 wherein a second actuator engages the electrically non-conductive shutter and provides a motive force to reciprocate the electrically non-conductive shutter.

4. The electrical contactor of claim 3 wherein the first actuator and the second actuator are synchronized such that the electrically non-conductive shutter reciprocates to the second position within a predetermined time after the contactor transitions from closed to open.

5. The electrical contactor of claim 4 wherein a power source is electrically interconnected to the first contact and a load is electrically interconnected to the second contact.

6. The electrical contactor of claim 5 wherein a plurality of magnets are adjacent the first side of the gap.

7. The electrical contactor of claim 6 wherein a first of the plurality of magnets has a first polarity adjacent the gap and a second of the plurality of magnets has an opposing second polarity adjacent the gap.

8. The electrical contactor of claim 6 wherein the plurality of magnets are aligned with alternating polarity adjacent the gap.

9. An electrical contactor having an arc extinguishing component, comprising:
a first electrical contact and a second electrical contact that, when the contactor is open, define a gap therebetween;
a first diode which electrically interconnects the first contact to a ground and a second diode which electrically interconnects the second contact to ground; and
a breakdown device electrically interconnecting the first contact to a ground and a diode which electrically interconnects the second contact to ground;

the arc extinguishing component including:
a magnet adjacent a first side of the gap; and
an electrically non-conductive shutter adjacent an opposing second side of the gap, the electrically non-conductive shutter capable of reciprocating from a first position to a second position wherein the first position is outside of the gap and the second position is fully within the gap.

10. The electrical contactor of claim 9 wherein the breakdown device is a spark gap.

11. The electrical contactor of claim 9 , wherein a first actuator engages one of the first or the second electrical contact and is configured to reciprocate the engaged electrical contact with respect to the other electrical contact.

12. The electrical contactor of claim 9 wherein a second actuator engages the electrically non-conductive shutter and provides a motive force to reciprocate the electrically non-conductive shutter.

13. The electrical contactor of claim 9 wherein the first actuator and the second actuator are synchronized such that the electrically non-conductive shutter reciprocates to the second position within a predetermined time after the contactor transitions from closed to open.

14. The electrical contactor of claim 9 wherein a power source is electrically interconnected to the first contact and a load is electrically interconnected to the second contact.

15. The electrical contactor of claim 9 wherein a plurality of magnets are adjacent the first side of the gap.

16. The electrical contactor of claim 9 wherein a first of the plurality of magnets has a first polarity adjacent the gap and a second of the plurality of magnets has an opposing second polarity adjacent the gap.

17. The electrical contactor of claim 9 wherein the plurality of magnets are aligned with alternating polarity adjacent the gap.

Assignees

• Astronics Advanced Electronic Systems Corp

Inventors

• Potter Frederick J
• Mills Patrick W

Classifications

• H01H33/182 Primary

  using permanent magnets (H01H33/187 takes precedence) · CPC title

• H01H33/596

  for interrupting DC · CPC title

• H01H9/443 Primary

  using permanent magnets · CPC title

• H01H9/32

  Insulating body insertable between contacts · CPC title

• H01H33/06

  Insulating body insertable between contacts · CPC title