# US 11,908,649 B2 · Actuator with Thomson coils > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,908,649 B2 - Document ID: US11908649B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 17/507,380 - Filed: 2021-10-21 - Published: 2023-04-27 - Granted: 2024-02-20 - Earliest claimed: 2021-10-21 - Assignees: Eaton Intelligent Power Limited - Applicants: Eaton Intelligent Power Limited - Inventors: Jayaraman Muniyappan; Andrew L. Gottschalk; Robert Michael Slepian - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11908649B2 ## CPC - H01H 3/222: {using electrodynamic repulsion} - H01H 50/44: Magnetic coils or windings - H01F 7/14: Pivoting armatures (H01F7/17 takes precedence) - H01H 50/02: Bases; Casings; Covers (frames for mounting two or more relays or for mounting a relay and another electric component H02B1/01, H04Q1/08, H05K) - H01H 50/64: Driving arrangements between movable part of magnetic circuit and contact (structurally associated with contact spring sets H01H50/58) - H01H 9/542: {Contacts shunted by static switch means} - H01H 33/285: {using electro-dynamic repulsion (assisting the movement of pistons by accelerating coil H01H33/882)} - H01H 33/666: Operating arrangements - H01H: ELECTRIC SWITCHES; RELAYS; SELECTORS; EMERGENCY PROTECTIVE DEVICES (contact cables H01B7/10; electrolytic self-interrupters H01G9/18; emergency protective circuit arrangements H02H; switching by electronic means without contact-making H03K17/00) - H01F: MAGNETS; INDUCTANCES; TRANSFORMERS; SELECTION OF MATERIALS FOR THEIR MAGNETIC PROPERTIES ## Abstract An actuator, which is a part of a combination that includes a pair of circuit interrupters, advantageously employs a plurality of Thomson coils that are electrically connected in parallel and that interact with a corresponding set of Thomson plates of a rotatable armature in order to perform useful work in a rapid fashion. In one embodiment, the useful work is to commutate current from one circuit interrupter to the other. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An actuator comprising: a support; an armature that is rotatable with respect to the support about an axis of rotation; a plurality of Thomson coils that are each spaced from the axis of rotation; the armature comprising a hub and a plurality of Thomson plates, the plurality of Thomson plates each being electrically conductive and extending from the hub, each Thomson plate of the plurality of Thomson plates being situated adjacent a corresponding Thomson coil of the plurality of Thomson coils when the plurality of Thomson coils are in a non-energized state; and the armature further comprising an output shaft connected with the hub and being structured to rotate a rotational distance responsive to the Thomson coils being energized. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The actuator of claim 1 wherein the plurality of Thomson coils are electrically connected together in parallel. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The actuator of claim 1 wherein the armature further comprises a cam situated on the output shaft and a follower situated on the support, the cam and the follower being cooperative with one another, the follower being structured to translate a linear distance along a translation axis responsive to the hub rotating the rotational distance. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The actuator of claim 3 wherein the follower comprises a first guide portion and the support comprises a second guide portion, the first and second guide portions being cooperable with one another to resist rotation of the follower with respect to the support while permitting the follower to translate along the translation axis. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The actuator of claim 4 wherein the first guide portion is one of a number of slots and a number of tabs, and wherein the second guide portion is the other of a number of slots and a number of tabs, the number of tabs being slidably received in the number of tabs. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The actuator of claim 1 wherein the plurality of Thomson coils are situated one of axisymmetric and non-axisymmetric about the axis of rotation. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The actuator of claim 6 wherein the plurality of Thomson coils are situated axisymmetric about the axis of rotation. ### Claim 8 (depends on 6) The actuator of claim 6 wherein a pair of Thomson coils of the plurality of Thomson coils are diametrically opposed to one another on opposite sides of the axis of rotation. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The actuator of claim 8 wherein another pair of Thomson coils of the plurality of Thomson coils are diametrically opposed to one another on opposite sides of the axis of rotation. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The actuator of claim 9 wherein the pair of Thomson coils and the another pair of Thomson coils are situated ninety degrees apart from one another about the axis of rotation. ### Claim 11 A combination comprising: a first circuit interrupter; a second circuit interrupter; an actuator structured to switch a current path that includes a protected portion of a circuit between the first interrupter and the second interrupter, the actuator comprising: a support; an armature that is rotatable with respect to the support about an axis of rotation; a plurality of Thomson coils that are each spaced from the axis of rotation; the armature comprising a hub and a plurality of Thomson plates, the plurality of Thomson plates each being electrically conductive and extending from the hub, each Thomson plate of the plurality of Thomson plates being situated adjacent a corresponding Thomson coil of the plurality of Thomson coils when the plurality of Thomson coils are in a non-energized state; and the armature further comprising an output shaft connected with the hub and being structured to rotate a rotational distance responsive to the Thomson coils being energized. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The combination of claim 11 wherein the plurality of Thomson coils are electrically connected together in parallel. ### Claim 13 (depends on 11) The combination of claim 11 wherein the armature further comprises a cam situated on the output shaft and a follower situated on the support, the cam and the follower being cooperative with one another, the follower being structured to translate a linear distance along a translation axis responsive to the hub rotating the rotational distance. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The combination of claim 13 wherein the follower comprises a first guide portion and the support comprises a second guide portion, the first and second guide portions being cooperable with one another to resist rotation of the follower with respect to the support while permitting the follower to translate along the translation axis. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The combination of claim 14 wherein the first guide portion is one of a number of slots and a number of tabs, and wherein the second guide portion is the other of a number of slots and a number of tabs, the number of tabs being slidably received in the number of tabs. ### Claim 16 (depends on 11) The combination of claim 11 wherein the plurality of Thomson coils are situated one of axisymmetric and non-axisymmetric about the axis of rotation. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The combination of claim 16 wherein the plurality of Thomson coils are situated axisymmetric about the axis of rotation. ### Claim 18 (depends on 16) The combination of claim 16 wherein a pair of Thomson coils of the plurality of Thomson coils are diametrically opposed to one another on opposite sides of the axis of rotation. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The combination of claim 18 wherein another pair of Thomson coils of the plurality of Thomson coils are diametrically opposed to one another on opposite sides of the axis of rotation. ### Claim 20 (depends on 19) The combination of claim 19 wherein the pair of Thomson coils and the another pair of Thomson coils are situated ninety degrees apart from one another about the axis of rotation.