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US 10,096,942 B2Granted
Hermetically sealed manual disconnect
AssigneeGigavac, LLC
InventorsMike Molyneux, Brent J Swartzentruber
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A hermetically sealed, high voltage manual disconnect that can be manually operated from outside the disconnect to transition between connect and disconnect states. The disconnect comprises a hermetically sealed housing having internal components for changing the state of the disconnect. A gas can fill the housing to allow for reliable high voltage operation. Different embodiments of the manual disconnect can include electrical and electronic components so that the state of the disconnect can be changed in response to an electrical signal.
Claims20
A manual disconnect, comprising:
- a hermetically sealed housing having internal components for changing the state of said disconnect between connect and disconnect states, said housing comprising a cup for holding said internal components, and a header covering said cup with an airtight seal;
- terminals electrically connected to said internal components for connection to external circuitry;
- and
- an external manual mechanism for controlling said internal components as needed to change the state of said disconnect between said connect and disconnect states,
- wherein said external mechanism for controlling said internal components comprises a bellowed tube on said housing substantially surrounding a shaft without substantially surrounding a portion of said housing, wherein a substantial portion of said shaft surrounded by said bellowed tube is external to said housing and a substantial portion of said shaft extends into said housing, wherein said shaft is in communication with at least some of said internal components such that said at least some internal components move in conjunction with said shaft, said bellowed tube arranged such that a linear downward force on said tube causes said tube to collapse and a linear upward force causes said tube to return to its original configuration, wherein said shaft moves in conjunction with said bellowed tube.
2 more elements
A manual disconnect, comprising:
- a hermetically sealed housing comprising a cup and a header covering said cup with an airtight seal;
- internal components in said hermetically sealed housing for changing the state of said disconnect between connect and disconnect states, said internal components comprising:
- a shaft that moves in response to activation of an external manual mechanism;
- at least one moveable contact in communication with said shaft which moves in conjunction with said shaft;
- and
- at least one fixed contact;
- terminals electrically connected to said fixed contacts for connection to external electrical circuitry;
- and
- a bellowed tube on said housing and substantially surrounding said shaft without substantially surrounding a portion of said housing, wherein a substantial portion of said shaft surrounded by said bellowed tube is external to said housing and a substantial portion of said shaft extends into said housing, said bellowed tube arranged such that a linear downward force on said tube causes said tube to collapse and a linear upward force causes said tube to return to its original configuration, wherein said shaft moves in conjunction with said bellowed tube.
6 more elements
A method for manually connecting and disconnecting an electrical circuit, said method comprising the steps of:
- 1) providing a hermetically sealed manual disconnect comprising internal components within a housing for changing the state of said disconnect between connect and disconnect states, terminals electrically connected to said internal components for connection to said electrical circuit and an external manual mechanism for controlling said internal components as needed to change the state of said disconnect between said connect and disconnect states, wherein said external mechanism for controlling said internal components comprises a bellowed tube on said housing substantially surrounding a shaft without substantially surrounding a portion of said housing, wherein a substantial portion of said shaft surrounded by said bellowed tube is external to said housing and a substantial portion of said shaft extends into said housing, wherein said shaft is in communication with at least some of said internal components such that said at least some internal components move in conjunction with said shaft, said bellowed tube arranged such that a linear downward force on said tube causes said tube to collapse and a linear upward force causes said tube to return to its original configuration, wherein said shaft moves in conjunction with said bellowed tube;
- 2) connecting said terminals to said electrical circuit;
- and
- 3) activating said external manual mechanism to change the state of said disconnect.
1 more element
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.