Actuator for a medium voltage circuit breaker
AssigneeABB Schweiz AG
InventorChristian Reuber
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An actuator for a medium voltage circuit breaker or recloser includes: at least one movable contact with a contact stem, driven by an electromagnetic drive or a motor drive; and a spring, the spring being positioned in a kinematic chain between the drive and the at least one movable contact or contact stem. An arrangement of the at least one movable contact and the electromagnetic drive or motor drive is coupled to a detection unit for detecting a micromotion activation in order to register an actual movability and availability of the electromagnetic drive or motor drive of the at least one movable contact without changing an actual switch position itself.
Claims11
An actuator for a medium voltage circuit breaker or recloser, comprising:
- at least one movable contact with a contact stem, driven by an electromagnetic drive or a motor drive;
- and
- a spring, the spring being positioned in a kinematic chain between the drive and the at least one movable contact or contact stem,
- wherein in a first nominal stroke the at least one movable contact is configured to move to an open position from a closed position,
- wherein in a second nominal stroke the at least one movable contact is configured to move to the closed position from the open position,
- wherein in the closed position the electromagnetic drive or motor drive is configured to activate a first micromotion such that the at least one movable contact is configured to move from the closed position back to the closed position without moving to the open position,
- wherein in the open position the electromagnetic drive or motor drive is configured to activate a second micromotion such that the at least one movable contact is configured to move from the open position back to the open position without moving to the closed position, and
- wherein the actuator further comprises at least one sensor configured to detect the first micromotion and the second micromotion, the at least one sensor comprising a position sensor, an acceleration sensor, an acoustic sensor, or a back e.m.f. sensor.
A method for operating an actuator for a medium voltage circuit breaker with at least one movable contact with a contact stem, driven by a contact electromagnetic drive or a motor drive, and a spring, wherein the spring is positioned in a kinematic chain between the drive and the at least one movable contact or contact stem, wherein, in a first nominal stroke the at least one movable contact is configured to move to an open position from a closed position, wherein in a second nominal stroke the at least one movable contact is configured to move to the closed position from the open position, the method comprising:
- in the closed position, activating by the electromagnetic drive or motor drive a first micromotion such that the at least one movable contact is configured to move from the closed position back to the closed position without moving to the open position;
- in the open position, activating by the electromagnetic drive or motor drive a second micromotion such that the at least one movable contact is configured to move from the open position back to the open position without moving to the closed position;
- and
- detecting by at least one sensor the first micromotion and the second micromotion, the at least one sensor comprising a position sensor, an acceleration sensor, an acoustic sensor, or a back e.m.f. sensor.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.