Magnetic circuit arrangement for an electrical switch
AssigneeEaton Intelligent Power Limited
InventorsVinaya A. Ambekar, Joshua D. Myers, Vikrant Deshmukh, Archit Agarwal, Mandar D. Anekar
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Abstract
An electrical switch includes a fixed contact member and a plurality of movable contact fingers that pivot into and out of engagement with the fixed contact member. The electrical switch also includes a fixed magnetic member and a plurality of U-shaped magnetic members housing the plurality of movable contact fingers. Upon occurrence of a fault condition, each of the plurality of U-shaped magnetic members is magnetically pulled towards the fixed magnetic member, without contacting the fixed magnetic member, such that each of the plurality of movable contact fingers is held in engagement with the fixed contact member.
Claims20
An electrical switch comprising:
- a fixed contact member;
- a fixed magnetic member associated with the fixed contact member;
- a plurality of movable contact fingers configured to pivot into and out of engagement with the fixed contact member;
- a plurality of U-shaped magnetic members,
- wherein each of the plurality of U-shaped magnetic members houses at least one of the plurality of movable contact fingers,
- wherein on occurrence of a short circuit, each of the plurality of U-shaped magnetic members is attracted to the fixed magnetic member, such that each of the plurality of movable contact fingers is held in engagement with the fixed contact member by a magnetic force proportional to a current flow through the plurality of movable contact fingers and the fixed contact member;
- and
- a plurality of biasing members,
- wherein each of the plurality of biasing members is in contact with one of the plurality of U-shaped magnetic members and at least one of the plurality of movable contact fingers, and
- wherein each of the plurality of biasing members provides a biasing force that biases the plurality of U-shaped magnetic members away from the plurality of movable contact fingers.
A method of preventing a contact weld in an electrical switch under a fault condition, the method comprising:
- providing a fixed contact member;
- providing a fixed magnetic member;
- providing a plurality of movable contact fingers;
- housing the plurality of movable contact fingers in a plurality of U-shaped magnetic members;
- pivoting the plurality of movable contact fingers into contact with the fixed contact member;
- energizing a coil with an energy pulse reaching an activation power threshold source to create an electrical current path through the fixed contact member and the plurality of movable contact fingers;
- permitting the plurality of U-shaped magnetic members to form a broken loop with the fixed magnetic member under a fault condition, which provides a concentrated flux path;
- and
- permitting attraction between the plurality of U-shaped magnetic members and the fixed magnetic member to maintain contact between the plurality of movable contact fingers and the fixed contact member.
An electrical switch comprising:
- a fixed contact member;
- a plurality of movable contact fingers that pivot into and out of engagement with the fixed contact member;
- a fixed magnetic member;
- and
- a plurality of U-shaped magnetic members housing the plurality of movable contact fingers,
- wherein on occurrence of a fault condition, each of the plurality of U-shaped magnetic members is magnetically pulled towards the fixed magnetic member, without contacting the fixed magnetic member, such that each of the plurality of movable contact fingers is held in engagement with the fixed contact member.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.