Medium voltage contactor

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2017358412-A1
Application number	US-201715621511-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jun 13, 2017
Priority date	Jun 13, 2016
Publication date	Dec 14, 2017
Grant date	—

Abstract

A contactor ( 1 ) comprising:
one or more electric poles ( 3 ); for each electric pole, a fixed contact ( 31 ) and a corresponding movable contact ( 32 ), the one or more movable contacts ( 32 ) of said contactor being reversibly movable, along corresponding displacement axes ( 33 ) mutually parallel and lying on a common displacement plane ( 34 ), between a first position (A), at which said movable contacts are decoupled from the corresponding fixed contacts, and a second position (B), at which said movable contacts are coupled with the corresponding fixed contacts; a movable armature ( 7 ) reversibly movable, along a corresponding displacement direction parallel to the displacement axes ( 33 ) of said movable contacts, between a third position (C) and a fourth position (D); for each electric pole, a first plunger ( 8 ) coupled with said movable armature ( 7 ) and with a corresponding movable contact ( 32 ), each first plunger extending along a corresponding main longitudinal axis parallel or coinciding with the displacement axis ( 33 ) of a corresponding movable contact ( 32 ); an electromagnetic actuator ( 4 ) comprising a magnetic yoke ( 41, 42 ) having a fixed yoke member ( 41 ) and a movable yoke member ( 42 ), said movable yoke member being reversibly movable, along a corresponding displacement direction parallel to the displacement axes ( 33 ) of said movable contacts ( 32 ), between a fifth position (E), at which it is decoupled from said fixed yoke member, and a sixth position (F), at which it is coupled with said fixed yoke member, said electromagnetic actuator further comprising a coil ( 44 ) wound around said fixed yoke member ( 41 ) and adapted to be fed by a coil current (IC) to make said fixed yoke member ( 41 ) to magnetically interact with said movable yoke member ( 42 ) and generate a force to move said movable yoke member from said fifth position (E) to said sixth position (F) or maintain said movable yoke member in said sixth position (F); one or more opening springs ( 6 ) coupled with said fixed yoke member ( 41 ) and said movable yoke member ( 42 ), said opening springs being adapted to provide a force to move said movable yoke member from said sixth position (F) to said fifth position (E); one or more second plungers ( 5 ) coupled with said movable yoke member ( 42 ) and said movable armature ( 7 ), each second plunger extending along a corresponding main longitudinal axis parallel with the displacement axes ( 33 ) of said movable contacts ( 32 ).

First claim

1 . A contactor comprising:
one or more electric poles; for each electric pole, a fixed contact and a corresponding movable contact, the one or more movable contacts of said contactor being reversibly movable, along corresponding displacement axes mutually parallel and lying on a common displacement plane, between a first position (A), at which said movable contacts are decoupled from the corresponding fixed contacts, and a second position (B), at which said movable contacts are coupled with the corresponding fixed contacts; a movable armature reversibly movable, along a corresponding displacement direction parallel to the displacement axes of said movable contacts, between a third position (C) and a fourth position (D); for each electric pole, a first plunger coupled with said movable armature and with a corresponding movable contact, each first plunger extending along a corresponding main longitudinal axis parallel or coinciding with the displacement axis of a corresponding movable contact;
wherein the contactor further comprises:
an electromagnetic actuator comprising a magnetic yoke having a fixed yoke member and a movable yoke member, said movable yoke member being reversibly movable, along a corresponding displacement direction parallel to the displacement axes of said movable contacts, between a fifth position (E), at which it is decoupled from said fixed yoke member, and a sixth position (F), at which it is coupled with said fixed yoke member, said electromagnetic actuator further comprising a coil wound around said fixed yoke member and adapted to be fed by a coil current (IC) to make said fixed yoke member to magnetically interact with said movable yoke member and generate a force to move said movable yoke member from said fifth position (E) to said sixth position (F) or maintain said movable yoke member in said sixth position (F);
one or more opening springs coupled with said fixed yoke member and said movable yoke member, said opening springs being adapted to provide a force to move said movable yoke member from said sixth position (F) to said fifth position (E);
one or more second plungers coupled with said movable yoke member and said movable armature, each second plunger extending along a corresponding main longitudinal axis parallel with the displacement axes of said movable contacts.

2 . The contactor, according to claim 1 , wherein the displacement direction of said movable armature, the displacement direction of said movable yoke member, the main longitudinal axes of said first plungers and the main longitudinal axes of said second plungers lie on the displacement plane of said movable contacts.

3 . The contactor, according to claim 1 , wherein the contactor further comprises, for each electric pole, a contact spring coupleable with a corresponding rest surface and coupled with said movable armature, each contact spring being adapted to provide a force to move said movable armature from said third position (C) towards said fourth position (D).

4 . The contactor, according to claim 1 , wherein said fixed yoke member and said movable yoke member are arranged respectively at a proximal position and a distal position with respect to said movable contacts, said contactor comprising a pair of said second plungers symmetrically positioned with respect to a main symmetry plane of said contactor, which is parallel to the displacement axes of said movable contacts and perpendicular to the displacement plane of said movable contacts, said contactor further comprising a pair of said opening springs symmetrically positioned with respect to said main symmetry plane, said fixed yoke member comprising a pair of through holes, each of said second plungers being inserted in a corresponding through hole and passing through said fixed yoke member.

5 . The contactor, according to claim 4 , wherein said fixed yoke member comprises:
a main portion in a proximal position with respect to said movable contacts and shaped as a beam having a main longitudinal axis perpendicular to the displacement axes of said second movable contacts and parallel to the displacement plane of said movable contacts; a pair of lateral limb portions, each positioned at a corresponding end of said main portion and protruding from said main portion towards said movable yoke member, each of said lateral limb portions having a corresponding free end in a distal position with respect to said movable contacts, the free ends of said lateral limb portions being coupled with said movable yoke member, when said movable yoke member in said sixth position (F); an intermediate limb portion positioned between said lateral limb portions and protruding from said main portion towards said movable yoke member, said intermediate limb portion having a corresponding free end in a distal position with respect to said main portion.
and wherein said movable yoke portion is shaped as a beam having a main longitudinal axis perpendicular to the displacement axes of said second movable contacts and parallel to the displacement plane of said movable contacts.

6 . The contactor, according to claim 5 , wherein the free ends of said lateral limb portions are coupled with said movable yoke member, when said movable yoke member in said sixth position (F).

7 . The contactor, according to claim 6 , wherein the free end of said intermediate limb portion is separated from said movable yoke member, when said movable yoke member in said sixth position (F).

8 . The contactor, according to claim 5 , wherein the coil of said electromagnetic actuator is wound around the intermediate limb portion of said fixed yoke member.

9 . The contactor, according to claim 5 , wherein each through hole is coaxial with a corresponding lateral limb portion of said fixed yoke member, each second plunger being inserted in a corresponding through hole and passing through a corresponding lateral limb portion and said main portion.

10 . The contactor, according to claim 5 , wherein each opening spring is coupled with the main portion of said fixed yoke member and with said movable yoke member, each opening spring being positioned coaxially with a corresponding lateral limb portion of said fixed yoke member so as to outwardly surround said corresponding lateral limb portion.

11 . The contactor, according to claim 1 , wherein the contactor further comprises, for each electric pole, a vacuum chamber, in which a corresponding fixed contact and a corresponding movable contact are placed to be mutually coupled or decoupled.

12 . The contactor, according to claim 1 , wherein the contactor further comprises a plurality of electric poles.

13 . The contactor, according to claim 1 , wherein the contactor is configured to operate at medium voltage levels.

14 . The contactor, according to claim 2 , wherein the contactor further comprises, for each electric pole, a contact spring coupleable with a corresponding rest surface and coupled with said movable armature, each contact spring being adapted to provide a force to move said movable armature from said third position (C) towards said fourth position (D).

15 . The contactor, according to claim 2 , wherein said fixed yoke member and said movable yoke member are arranged respectively at a proximal position and a distal position with respect to said movable contacts, said contactor comprising a pair of said second plungers symmetrically positioned with respect to a main symmetry plane of said contactor, which is parallel to the displacement axes of said movable contacts and perpendicular to the displacement plane of said movable contacts, said contactor

Assignees

• Abb Schweiz Ag

Inventors

• Delpozza Andrea
• Morelli Emanuele
• Prestini Osvaldo
• Biagini Veronica
• Simonidis Christian

Classifications

• H01H51/2209

  with rectilinearly movable armature · CPC title

• H01H33/6664

  with pivoting movable contact structure · CPC title

• H01H3/30

  using spring motor · CPC title

• H01H33/38

  using electromagnet · CPC title

• H01H33/6662

  using bistable electromagnetic actuators, e.g. linear polarised electromagnetic actuators · CPC title