# US 12,763,275 B2 · Switching device

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- Number: US 12,763,275 B2
- Document ID: US12763275B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 18/287,652
- Filed: 2021-04-28
- Published: 2024-06-06
- Granted: 2026-10-13
- Earliest claimed: 2021-04-28
- Assignees: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
- Applicants: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
- Inventors: Takahiro Edo; Yasunori Nakamura
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12763275B2

## CPC

- H01H 33/78: wherein the break is in gas (in air at atmospheric pressure H01H33/77)
- H01H 33/182: {using permanent magnets (H01H33/187 takes precedence)}
- H01H 33/982: {in which the pressure-generating arc is rotated by a magnetic field}
- 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)

## Abstract

A switching device includes an electrode housing having an opening; a first electrode provided inside the electrode housing; and a second electrode that fits in the opening such that the second electrode comes into and out of contact with the first electrode. The electrode housing generates an ablation gas through an arc generated between the first electrode and the second electrode. Until the first electrode and the second electrode become separated by a certain distance, a gas including the ablation gas is retained in an enclosed space defined by the first electrode, the second electrode, and the electrode housing. When a distance by which the first electrode and the second electrode are separated from each other exceeds the certain distance, the gas in the enclosed space is discharged through a gap defined between the opening and the second electrode, such that the gas is blown onto the arc.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A switching device comprising:
an electrode housing having an opening;
a first electrode provided inside the electrode housing; and
a second electrode to fit in the opening of the electrode housing in an insertable and detachable manner such that the second electrode comes into and out of contact with the first electrode inside the electrode housing, wherein
the first electrode has a first-electrode end, and the second electrode has a second-electrode end protruding in a direction toward a space between the first-electrode end and the electrode housing, the second-electrode end having an inside diameter larger than an outside diameter of the first-electrode end and an outside diameter smaller than an inside diameter of the electrode housing,
the second-electrode end of the second electrode defines a recessed internal space,
with the first and second electrodes in contact with each other, the second-electrode end extends between a periphery of the first electrode and the electrode housing, the first-electrode end of the first electrode being inserted into the recessed internal space of the second-electrode end of the second electrode, such that the first electrode and the second electrode fit together,
the electrode housing includes an arc extinguisher to generate an ablation gas through an arc generated between the first electrode and the second electrode,
until the first electrode and the second electrode become separated by a certain distance out of contact with each other, a gas including the ablation gas is retained in an enclosed space defined by the first electrode, the second electrode, and the electrode housing,
the enclosed space includes a space between the first electrode and the electrode housing, and the recessed internal space defined by the second-electrode end of the second electrode,
when a distance by which the first electrode and the second electrode are separated from each other exceeds the certain distance, the gas in the enclosed space flows in first and second gas flow directions and is discharged through a gap defined between the opening and the second electrode moving away from the opening located outside the second electrode, such that the gas is blown onto the arc, and
the first gas flow direction is a direction from the recessed internal space of the second-electrode end toward the gap between the opening and the second-electrode end such that the gas flowing in the first gas flow direction intersects the arc generated between the first electrode and the second electrode, and
the gas flows in the second gas flow direction from a space between the electrode housing and the first electrode toward the gap between the opening and the second-electrode end.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The switching device according to claim 1, wherein:
the electrode housing includes the arc extinguisher defining a surface thereof exposed to the enclosed space.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The switching device according to claim 1, wherein:
at least one of the first electrode and the second electrode includes the arc extinguisher defining a surface thereof exposed to the enclosed space.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The switching device according to claim 1, wherein:
the electrode housing is defined by the arc extinguisher to generate the ablation gas through the arc generated between the first electrode and the second electrode, the arc extinguisher extending from a position where the first electrode and the second electrode contact to the opening and covering the first electrode and the second electrode in a peripheral direction.