Switching device and a switchgear

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9362061-B2
Application number	US-201314108057-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 16, 2013
Priority date	Jun 16, 2011
Publication date	Jun 7, 2016
Grant date	Jun 7, 2016

Abstract

A switching device including a breaker electrically connectable to an electrical conductor, and an at least partially electrically conductive housing to which the breaker is mounted, the housing having an outer surface. The breaker includes an electrically conductive first contact and an electrically conductive second contact, the second contact being movable and in relation to the first contact and in relation to the housing, and when the first and second contacts are in contact the breaker is in a closed position, and when the first and second contacts are separated the breaker is in an open position. The switching device is arranged to provide a current path between the breaker and the electrical conductor, and the housing houses a guiding member for operating the second contact, the guiding member being movable in relation to the housing, wherein the guiding member includes a biasing assembly.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A switching device for electric power distribution, electrically connectable to an electrical conductor, the switching device comprising;
a breaker electrically connectable to the electrical conductor, and
an at least partially electrically conductive housing to which the breaker is mounted, the housing having an outer surface,
the breaker comprising at least one electrically conductive first contact and one electrically conductive second contact, the second contact being movable and in relation to the first contact and in relation to the housing, and when the first and second contacts are in contact the breaker is in a closed position, and when the first and second contacts are separated the breaker is in an open position,
the switching device being arranged to provide a current path between the breaker and the electrical conductor, and
the housing houses at least one guiding member for operating the second contact, the at least one guiding member being movable in relation to the housing,
the at least one guiding member comprising a biasing assembly arranged to bias the second contact against the first contact when the breaker is in the closed position, and
the biasing assembly comprising a plurality of biasing members comprising a first biasing member and a second biasing member, characterized in that
the housing is provided with a through-hole for suspension of the housing,
the switching device comprises a shaft inserted into the through-hole of the housing, the shaft configured to rotate about its longitudinal axis and in relation to the housing, the shaft is connected to the at least one guiding member and in that the shaft and its rotation is adapted to control the movement of the at least one guiding member.

2. The switching device of claim 1 , wherein the second contact is axially movable along a first axis, and in that the first biasing member is radially displaced from the second biasing member in relation to the first axis.

3. The switching device of claim 2 , wherein the first biasing member is radially separated from the second biasing member in relation to the first axis.

4. The switching device of claim 2 , wherein the biasing assembly is movable in the direction of the first axis, and in that the biasing assembly is indirectly or directly connected to the second contact.

5. The switching device of claim 1 , characterized wherein the first biasing member comprises a first compression spring and the second biasing member comprises a second compression spring, in that the first compression spring defines a first longitudinal central axis and the second compression spring defines a second longitudinal central axis, and in that the first central axis is displaced from the second central axis.

6. The switching device of claim 5 , wherein the first central axis is radially displaced from and substantially parallel to the second central axis.

7. The switching device of claim 1 , wherein the biasing assembly comprises a biasing assembly casing which houses the plurality of biasing members.

8. The switching device of claim 7 , wherein the biasing assembly casing comprises a first compartment and a second compartment, in that the first compartment houses the first biasing member, and in that the second compartment houses the second biasing member.

9. The switching device of claim 7 , wherein the biasing assembly casing is made of at least one cast part.

10. The switching device of claim 1 , wherein the housing is adapted to be at an electric potential which is substantially equal to the electric potential of the second contact of the breaker during the operation of the switching device.

11. The switching device of claim 1 , wherein the outer surface of the housing is smoothly curved towards and into the through-hole.

12. The switching device of claim 1 , wherein the housing houses a first part of the current path between the breaker and the electrical conductor, the first part of the current path being electrically connected to the breaker, wherein the switching device comprises a switch for electrically connecting the breaker to the electrical conductor, and wherein the switch comprises a switch element
movable to a first position in which the switch element is electrically connected to the first part of the current path and to the electrical conductor,
movable to a second position in which the switch element is disconnected from the electrical conductor and electrically connected to the first part of the current path and to a grounded element, and
movable to a third position in which the switch element is disconnected from the electrical conductor and from the grounded element.

13. The switching device of claim 1 , wherein the housing is made of at least one cast part.

14. The switching device of claim 1 , wherein the housing has a smooth outer shape to distribute the electric field generated by the voltage of the current through the switching device.

15. A switchgear for electric power distribution, wherein the switchgear comprising at least one switching device according to claim 1 .

16. The switchgear of claim 15 , wherein the switchgear comprises an encapsulation housing the at least one switching device.

17. The switching device of claim 1 , wherein the first biasing member and the second biasing member are separate from one another.

18. A switching device for electric power distribution, electrically connectable to an electrical conductor, the switching device comprising:
a breaker electrically connectable to the electrical conductor, and
an at least partially electrically conductive housing to which the breaker is mounted, the housing having an outer surface,
the breaker comprising at least one electrically conductive first contact and one electrically conductive second contact, the second contact being movable and in relation to the first contact and in relation to the housing, and when the first and second contacts are in contact the breaker is in a closed position, and when the first and second contacts are separated the breaker is in an open position,
the switching device being arranged to provide a current path between the breaker and the electrical conductor, and
the housing houses at least one guiding member for operating the second contact, the at least one guiding member being movable in relation to the housing,
the at least one guiding member comprising a biasing assembly arranged to bias the second contact against the first contact when the breaker is in the closed position, and
the biasing assembly comprising a plurality of biasing members comprising a first biasing member and a second biasing member, characterized in that
the housing is provided with a through-hole for suspension of the housing,
the switching device comprises a shaft inserted into the through-hole of the housing, the shaft is rotatable about its longitudinal axis and in relation to the housing, the shaft is connected to the at least one guiding member and in that the shaft and its rotation is adapted to control the movement of the at least one guiding member,
characterized in that the second contact is axially movable along a first axis, and in that the first biasing member is radially displaced from the second biasing member in relation to the first axis,
characterized in that the biasing assembly is movable in the direction of the first axis, and in that the biasing assembly is indirectly or directly connected to the second contact,
characterized in that the at least one guiding member comprises at least one pivoting ar

Assignees

• Abb Technology Ag

Inventors

• Endre Thor
• Bjortuft Tom-Rune
• Skryten Paal Kristian
• Hadland Havard
• Tveten John-Anders
• Lohne Stanley
• Zinke Jan-Arild
• Espeseth Robert

Classifications

• H01H1/502 Primary

  the action of the contact pressure spring becoming active only after engagement of the contacts · CPC title

• H01H33/125

  comprising a separate circuit breaker (H01H33/122 takes precedence) · CPC title

• H01H1/50 Primary

  Means for increasing contact pressure, preventing vibration of contacts, holding contacts together after engagement, or biasing contacts to the open position · CPC title

• H01H31/003

  Earthing switches (H01H31/02 - H01H31/26 take precedence; contact made by liquid jet H01H29/32; for substations H02B1/16, H02B5/01; for withdrawable switchgear H02B11/28; for gas-insulated switchgear H02B13/075) · CPC title

• H01H33/6661

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