Vacuum circuit interrupter with piezoelectric actuator and vacuum circuit breaker incorporating same
AssigneeCamlin Technologies Limited
InventorMark Muir
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A vacuum circuit breaker comprises a vacuum interrupter operable between a closed state and an open state, and an actuator. The actuator comprises a piezoelectric driving element that is expandable and contractable along an expansion axis in response to an electrical input signal. The actuator further comprises a mechanical amplifying structure extendable along an actuation axis and being mechanically coupled to the piezoelectric driver such that expansion or contraction of said piezoelectric driving element causes the amplifying structure to extend or retract along the actuation axis. The mechanical amplifying structure is coupled to the vacuum interrupter for operating the vacuum interrupter between said closed and open states.
Claims34
A vacuum circuit breaker comprising a vacuum interrupter operable between a closed state and an open state, and an actuator, wherein said actuator comprises a piezoelectric driving element that is expandable and contractable along an expansion axis in response to an electrical input signal, and wherein said actuator further comprises a mechanical amplifying structure extendable along an actuation axis and being mechanically coupled to said piezoelectric driver such that expansion or contraction of said piezoelectric driving element causes said amplifying structure to extend or retract along said actuation axis, said mechanical amplifying structure being coupled to said vacuum interrupter for operating said vacuum interrupter between said closed and open states.
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