Capacitor harvester
AssigneeHubbell Incorporated
InventorsDavid A. Rhein, Dragan Tabakovic
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A circuit interrupting device including a vacuum interrupter, a separable ceramic capacitor, and an insulating housing. The vacuum interrupter includes a vacuum bottle and first and second contacts disposed within the vacuum bottle. The second contact is movable relative to the first contact between a closed position and an open position. The separable ceramic capacitor is electrically connected in parallel with the vacuum interrupter provided over an outer surface of the vacuum bottle. The insulating housing encloses the separable ceramic capacitor and the vacuum interrupter.
Claims18
A circuit interrupting device comprising:
- a vacuum interrupter including
- a vacuum bottle, and
- a first contact and a second contact disposed within the vacuum bottle, the second contact movable relative to the first contact between a closed position and an open position;
- a separable ceramic capacitor electrically connected in parallel with the vacuum interrupter and provided over an outer surface of the vacuum bottle, wherein the separable ceramic capacitor is electrically connected between an alternating current (AC) line voltage source and a converter;
- and
- an insulating housing that encloses the separable ceramic capacitor and the vacuum interrupter.
A recloser comprising:
- a terminal configured to electrically connect the recloser to a power line included in a power distribution network;
- one or more electronic components;
- a vacuum interrupter electrically connected between the terminal and the one or more electronic components, the vacuum interrupter including a first contact and a second contact movable relative to the first contact between a closed position and an open position;
- a separable ceramic capacitor electrically connected in parallel with the vacuum interrupter;
- an insulating housing that encloses the separable ceramic capacitor and the vacuum interrupter;
- and
- a harvester circuit configured to provide power to the one or more electronic components with power from the separable ceramic capacitor when the first and second contacts are in the open position, the harvester circuit includes:
- a rectifier configured to convert alternating current (AC) power flowing through the separable ceramic capacitor into direct current (DC) power output;
- and
- an electrolytic capacitor that is configured to provide the DC power output by the rectifier to the one or more electronic components.
A method of manufacturing a vacuum interrupter including a vacuum bottle enclosing first and second contacts, the method comprising:
- sliding a separable ceramic capacitor over the vacuum bottle;
- and
- enclosing the vacuum bottle and the separable ceramic capacitor in an insulating housing.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.