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US 12,424,404 B2Granted
Thomson coil with energized coil damping
AssigneeEaton Intelligent Power Limited
InventorsTyler Holp, Brad R. Leccia, Steven Z. Chen, Xin Zhou, Andrew W. Lichauer, Koustubh D. Ashtekar, Michael Slepian
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Coil-based actuators for use in opening and closing the separable contacts of circuit interrupters provide increased initial velocity for opening strokes and improved damping at the end of opening strokes by utilizing current-based damping and omitting contact springs and contact dampeners.
Claims9
An actuator structured to be coupled to a moving stem of a circuit interrupter in order to open and close separable contacts of the circuit interrupter, the actuator comprising:
- a shaft;
- a first coil member;
- and
- a first eddy current member coupled to the shaft and disposed above the first coil member such that the first eddy current member is disposed between the first coil member and the shaft,
- wherein the first coil member is structured to be electrically connected to a first current source,
- wherein the first eddy current member is structured to move in response to a change in current supplied to the first coil member,
- wherein the actuator is configured to stop movement of the first eddy current member in response to changes in a damping current supplied to the first coil member, and
- wherein the actuator does not comprise a contact dampener and is configured to stop movement of the first eddy current member during opening of the separable contacts without a contact dampener.
5 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.