Apparatus for operating an electric switching device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12456589-B2
Application number	US-202017921390-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 19, 2020
Priority date	May 19, 2020
Publication date	Oct 28, 2025
Grant date	Oct 28, 2025

Abstract

The apparatus includes a shaft rotatable to a plurality of predetermined positions to change a state of an electric switching device, a motor rotating the shaft via a transmission mechanism when the apparatus operates in an electric operating mode, and a braking mechanism configured to brake the motor in response to the shaft rotated to each position. The apparatus also includes a disc coupled to, and rotatable with the shaft and including a plurality of blocking parts and slots therebetween and a manual lever including a rotatable part and a projecting part arranged at an end thereto. In an apparatus manual operating mode, the projecting part is rotatable into the disc via one of the slots when the shaft is located at one of the positions, and slides out from the disc via another slot when the shaft is rotated to another one of the positions.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An apparatus for operating an electric switching device, comprising:
a main shaft configured to be rotated to a plurality of predetermined positions to change a state of the electric switching device;
a motor configured to rotate the main shaft via a transmission mechanism when the apparatus operates in an electric operating mode;
a braking mechanism configured to brake the motor in response to the main shaft being rotated to each of the plurality of predetermined positions when the apparatus operates in the electric operating mode;
a disc coupled to the main shaft and being rotatable along with the main shaft, the disc comprising a plurality of blocking parts and a plurality of slots between the plurality of blocking parts; and
a manual lever comprising a rotatable part and a projecting part arranged at an end of the rotatable part, wherein in a manual operating mode of the apparatus, the projecting part is configured to be able to be rotated into the disc via one of the plurality of slots when the main shaft is located at one of the plurality of predetermined positions, and be able to slide out from the disc via another one of the plurality of slots when the main shaft is rotated to another one of the plurality of predetermined positions.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a base plate; and
a rotating shaft coupled to the base plate and being rotatable with respect to the base plate,
wherein the rotatable part of the manual lever is fixed on the rotating shaft and rotatable along with the rotating shaft.

3. The apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein the rotating shaft is a cam shaft,
wherein the apparatus further comprises a first microswitch configured to be triggered by the cam shaft when the projecting part of the manual lever is rotated into the disc in the manual operating mode of the apparatus, and
wherein the braking mechanism is configured to be released in response to the first microswitch being triggered by the cam shaft.

4. The apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising a first spring configured to return the manual lever to an initial position of the manual lever when the projecting part slides out from the disc.

5. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the disc further comprises a plurality of locking holes, and
wherein the apparatus further comprises:
a locking pin configured to be inserted into one of the plurality of locking holes during overhaul of the electric switching device; and
a locking element configured to lock the locking pin when the locking pin is inserted into the one of the plurality of locking holes.

6. The apparatus according to claim 5 , wherein the locking element is a padlock.

7. The apparatus according to claim 5 , further comprising:
a triggering element arranged on the locking pin and being movable along with the locking pin; and
a second microswitch configured to be triggered by the triggering element when the locking pin is inserted into the one of the plurality of locking holes,
wherein the motor is configured to be cut off in response to the second microswitch being triggered by the triggering element.

8. The apparatus according to claim 5 , further comprising:
a second spring configured to return the locking pin to an initial position of the locking pin when the locking pin is released from the one of the plurality of locking holes.

9. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the transmission mechanism comprises:
a worm extending in a direction perpendicular to the main shaft; and
a set of gears coupled between the worm and an output shaft of the motor.

10. The apparatus according to claim 9 , wherein the set of gears comprise:
a first gear engaged with the output shaft of the motor; and
a second gear arranged on the worm and engaged with the first gear.

11. The apparatus according to claim 9 , further comprising:
a blocking plate arranged in front of the worm and provided with a handle hole into which a tool for rotating the worm can be inserted; and
a blocking mechanism configured to at least partially block the handle hole when the apparatus operates in the electric operating mode and open the handle hole when the apparatus operates in the manual operating mode.

12. The apparatus according to claim 11 , wherein the blocking mechanism comprises:
a barrier configured to at least partially block the handle hole when the barrier is in an initial position of the barrier;
an electromagnet configured to be powered on when the apparatus operates in the manual operating mode so as to attract the barrier to move away from the handle hole, and be powered off when the apparatus operates in the electric operating mode; and
a third spring configured to return the barrier to the initial position of the barrier when the electromagnet is powered off.

13. The apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising an auxiliary switch configured to detect the position of the main shaft when the apparatus operates in the electric operating mode,
wherein the motor is configured to be cut off in response to the auxiliary switch detecting that the main shaft has been rotated to one of the plurality of predetermined positions, and
wherein the braking mechanism is configured to brake the motor in response to the auxiliary switch detecting that the main shaft has been rotated to one of the plurality of predetermined positions.

14. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the electric switching device comprises at least one of a disconnector switch and an earthing switch.

15. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the disc further comprises a mounting hole suitable for coupling the disc onto the main shaft.

16. The apparatus according to claim 15 , wherein the mounting hole is an open hole or a close hole.

17. The apparatus according to claim 15 , further comprising an adapter arranged on the main shaft and configured to adjust the mounting position of the disc on the main shaft.

18. The apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising a position indicator arranged on the main shaft and configured to indicate a position of the main shaft.

19. The apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising a manual handle configured to release the braking mechanism when a power outage occurs in the apparatus.

Assignees

• Hitachi Energy Ltd

Inventors

• Xu Chao
• Zhao Hua
• Yang Xiaoli
• Yuan Zhipeng

Classifications

• H01H3/40

  using friction, toothed, or screw-and-nut gearing · CPC title

• H01H9/286

  making use of a removable locking part acting directly on the operating part (H01H9/281 takes precedence) · CPC title

• H01H3/227

  Interlocked hand- and power-operating mechanisms · CPC title

• H01H3/3047

  adapted for operation of a three-position switch, e.g. on-off-earth · CPC title

• H01H33/36

  using dynamo-electric motor · CPC title