Switching device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2025046547-A1
Application number	US-202118718806-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Dec 27, 2021
Priority date	Dec 27, 2021
Publication date	Feb 6, 2025
Grant date	—

Abstract

A switching device includes: a first contact; a second contact; and a fault detection circuit. The second contact includes a fixed contactor and a movable contactor. When the second contact is energized due to an operation of opening the first contact, the movable contact is separated from the fixed contact by an electromagnetic force generated by a flow of currents in opposite directions through the pair of current-carrying electrodes, and a discharge switch is formed between the movable contact and the fixed contact that are separated. The switching device further includes: a first arc runner electrically connected to the fixed contactor for driving, by an electromagnetic force, arc discharge that occurs when the second contact is opened; and a second arc runner electrically connected to the movable contactor.

First claim

1 . A switching device comprising:
a first contact; a second contact provided in parallel with the first contact; a discharge switch provided in parallel with the second contact and energized only when discharge occurs; and a fault detection circuit to perform an operation of opening the first contact when a fault is detected, wherein the discharge switch has a function of increasing resistance, and the second contact is opened when energized, and discharge that occurs when the second contact is opened is driven to the discharge switch, whereby a current-carrying path is switched from the second contact to a circuit having the discharge switch, further comprising: a current-limiting resistor provided in parallel with the first contact and the second contact; and an opening operation circuit connected in series with the current-limiting resistor for maintaining opening of the second contact while the second contact is energized after being opened.

2 . The switching device according to claim 1 , wherein
the second contact is formed of a pair of elongate current-carrying electrodes facing each other, and includes a fixed contactor having a fixed contact, and a movable contactor having a movable contact that is brought into and out of contact with the fixed contact, when the second contact is energized due to an operation of opening the first contact, the movable contact is separated from the fixed contact by an electromagnetic force generated by a flow of currents in opposite directions through the pair of current-carrying electrodes, and the discharge switch is formed between the movable contact and the fixed contact that are separated, the switching device further comprising: a first arc runner electrically connected to the fixed contactor for driving, by an electromagnetic force, arc discharge that occurs when the second contact is opened; and a second arc runner electrically connected to the movable contactor.

3 . The switching device according to claim 2 , further comprising an arc-extinguishing member between the first arc runner and the second arc runner.

4 . (canceled)

5 . The switching device according to claim 1 , wherein
the opening operation circuit is formed of a single coil or a plurality of coils, and performs an operation of opening the second contact by using a magnetic flux generated by the coil or coils.

6 . The switching device according to claim 1 , wherein
the opening operation circuit is formed of an electromagnet including a plurality of cores, and performs an operation of opening the second contact by using an attraction force generated between the cores.

7 . The switching device according to claim 1 , wherein
the opening operation circuit is provided to be able to receive an externally supplied current command, and the opening operation circuit performs an operation of opening the second contact in accordance with the external current command.

8 . The switching device according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a pressing spring for pressing the movable contactor against the fixed contactor; and a contact pressure adjustment mechanism to adjust a contact pressure of the pressing spring.

9 . The switching device according to claim 1 , wherein
the second contact includes
a plurality of fixed contactors, and
a plurality of movable contactors provided to correspond to the plurality of fixed contactors, respectively.

10 . The switching device according to claim 9 , wherein
the plurality of fixed contactors and the plurality of movable contactors are provided in series.

11 . A switching device comprising:
a first contact; a second contact provided in parallel with the first contact; a discharge switch provided in parallel with the second contact and energized only when discharge occurs; and a fault detection circuit to perform an operation of opening the first contact when a fault is detected, wherein the discharge switch has a function of increasing resistance, and the second contact is opened when energized, and discharge that occurs when the second contact is opened is driven to the discharge switch, whereby a current-carrying path is switched from the second contact to a circuit having the discharge switch, and wherein the first contact has a plurality of contact points, and the first contact has more contact points than the second contact.

12 . The switching device according to claim 11 , wherein
the plurality of contact points of the first contact are provided in parallel.

Assignees

• Mitsubishi Electric Corp

Inventors

• Watanabe Shinya
• Hotta Katsuki
• Horinouchi Katsuhiko

Classifications

• H01H2033/163

  using PTC elements · CPC title

• H01H33/16 Primary

  Impedances connected with contacts · CPC title

• H01H33/26

  Means for detecting the presence of an arc or other discharge · CPC title

• H01H3/38

  using spring or other flexible shaft coupling · CPC title

• H01H33/20 Primary

  using arcing horns (using blow-out magnet H01H33/18) · CPC title