ARC chute assembly and electric power switch incorporating same
AssigneeEaton Corporation
InventorJohn Shea
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
As many as possible of the arc plates of an arc chute assembly have complimentary reverse compound curves to form between them gas flow paths for arc gas that discharge directly into a gas vent. Where the gas vent is not large enough, the remaining arc plates have a concave upward curvature forming additional gas flow paths that discharge smoothly into a vertical gas passage adjacent their trailing edges that extends upward to the gas vent.
Claims18
An arc chute assembly structured to be positioned between separable contacts contained in a casing of an electric power switch and a gas vent in the casing spaced in a first direction and in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction from the separable contacts, the assembly comprising:
- a plurality of spaced apart arc plates stacked in the second direction, each having a leading edge facing the separable contacts and a trailing edge facing the vent, at least two adjacent ones of the arc plates having complementary reverse compound curvatures that establish between them a flow path for arc gas generated at separation of the separable contacts that is aligned with and discharges directly into the gas vent;
- and
- a support structure maintaining the spacing of the spaced apart arc plates.
An electric power switch comprising:
- a pair of separable contacts movable between a closed position and an open position;
- a casing containing the separable contacts and including a vent wall spaced in a first direction from the separable contacts and having a gas vent spaced in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction from the closed position of the separable contacts;
- and
- an arc chute assembly positioned in the casing between the separable contacts and the gas vent wall and comprising:
- a supporting structure positioned in the casing between the separable contacts and the vent wall;
- and
- a plurality of arc plates supported in spaced apart relation by the supporting structure each having a leading edge facing the separable contacts and a trailing edge facing the gas vent, at least two adjacent ones of the arc plates having complementary reverse compound curvatures that establish between them a flow path for arc gas generated at separation of the separable contacts that is aligned with and discharges directly into the gas vent.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.