# US 2022/0044892 A1 · Switch device, high-voltage circuit breaker, and method for operating the switch device > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2022/0044892 A1 - Document ID: US20220044892A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 17/599,015 - Filed: 2020-02-28 - Published: 2022-02-10 - Earliest claimed: 2019-03-28 - Assignees: Siemens Energy Global GmbH & Co. KG - Applicants: Siemens Energy Global GmbH & Co. KG - Inventors: Thomas Hilker - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20220044892A1 ## CPC - H01H 33/36: using dynamo-electric motor - H01H 9/54: Circuit arrangements not adapted to a particular application of the switching device and for which no provision exists elsewhere - H01H 33/14: Multiple main contacts for the purpose of dividing the current through, or potential drop along, the arc - H01H 33/59: Circuit arrangements not adapted to a particular application of the switch and not otherwise provided for, e.g. for ensuring operation of the switch at a predetermined point in the AC cycle - 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 for a high-voltage circuit breaker includes at least two switches for ascertaining states of apparatuses of the switching device via a monitoring system. The at least two switches are connected together in series and/or in parallel and can be connected together to exactly one input of the monitoring system. A high-voltage circuit breaker includes the switching device and the monitoring system, which is and/or includes a data acquisition, data processing, data storage and/or data transmission unit, in particular with digital-analog and/or analog-digital converters. A method for operating the switching device provides the at least two switches connected in series and/or in parallel, and forwards the state of the apparatuses via an input, in particular via exactly one input of the monitoring system, in the form of electric variables, in particular a voltage. ## Claims ### Claim at position 1 1-13. (canceled) ### Claim 14 A switching device for a high-voltage circuit breaker, the switching device comprising: apparatuses of the switching device; and at least two switches for ascertaining states of said apparatuses of the switching device via a monitoring system; said at least two switches being connected to one another in at least one of a series circuit or a parallel circuit and being configured to be connected together to exactly one input of the monitoring system. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The switching device according to claim 14, wherein each of said at least two switches is an auxiliary switch replicating the state of a respective one of said apparatuses, in particular of a respective breaker unit. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The switching device according to claim 15, wherein said apparatuses include breaker units, and each of said auxiliary switches replicates the state of a respective one of said breaker units. ### Claim 17 (depends on 15) The switching device according to claim 15, wherein said apparatuses include mechanical connection elements, and said at least two switches are each configured to be actuated by a respective one of said mechanical connection elements. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The switching device according to claim 17, wherein said mechanical connection elements are elements of a kinematic chain. ### Claim 19 (depends on 17) The switching device according to claim 17, wherein said apparatuses include breaker units, and said mechanical connection elements are connection elements of said breaker units. ### Claim 20 (depends on 14) The switching device according to claim 14, wherein said apparatuses include breaker units and spring mechanisms for driving said breaker units, and said at least two switches are motor end position switches each replicating the state of a respective one of said spring mechanisms. ### Claim 21 (depends on 20) The switching device according to claim 20, which further comprises: tensioning wheels each associated with a respective one of said at least two switches, said tensioning wheels having at least one of cams or recesses; motors each configured for tensioning a respective one of said spring mechanisms through a respective one of said tensioning wheels; and each of said switches configured to be tripped by at least one of said cams or said recesses. ### Claim 22 (depends on 21) The switching device according to claim 21, wherein each of said switches is configured to be tripped by at least one of one cam or one recess of a respective one of said tensioning wheels. ### Claim 23 (depends on 22) The switching device according to claim 22, wherein each of said recesses is formed in a periphery of a respective one of said tensioning wheels. ### Claim 24 (depends on 21) The switching device according to claim 21, wherein said at least two switches are exactly three switches, and each of said switches is associated with at least one of a respective breaker unit or a respective spring mechanism or a respective motor for tensioning a respective spring mechanism. ### Claim 25 (depends on 24) The switching device according to claim 24, wherein said three switches are each one switch per respective pole of the high-voltage circuit breaker. ### Claim 26 (depends on 14) The switching device according to claim 14, which further comprises at least one of a relay or a contactor configured to change between said series circuit and said parallel circuit of said at least two switches. ### Claim 27 (depends on 26) The switching device according to claim 26, wherein said at least one of said relay or said contactor has opener and closing contacts configured to be switched to change between said series circuit and said parallel circuit of said at least two switches. ### Claim 28 (depends on 14) A high-voltage circuit breaker, comprising: a switching device according to claim 14; and a monitoring system, said monitoring system including or being at least one of a data acquisition or data processing or data storage or data transmission unit. ### Claim 29 (depends on 28) The high-voltage circuit breaker according to claim 28, wherein said monitoring system has at least one of digital-to-analog or analog-to-digital converters. ### Claim 30 (depends on 28) The high-voltage circuit breaker according to claim 28, wherein said monitoring system includes a plurality of inputs being at least one of electrical or optical inputs, and at least one of said series circuit or said parallel circuit of said at least two switches is connected to one of said inputs. ### Claim 31 (depends on 30) The high-voltage circuit breaker according to claim 30, wherein said plurality of inputs are five inputs, and said at least two switches are three switches. ### Claim 32 (depends on 28) The high-voltage circuit breaker according to claim 28, wherein said monitoring system has inputs, and sensors for monitoring the state of the high-voltage circuit breaker are connected to said inputs of said monitoring system. ### Claim 33 (depends on 32) The high-voltage circuit breaker according to claim 32, wherein said sensors are configured for measuring at least one of temperature, moisture, pressure, current or voltage, resistance or radiation. ### Claim 34 (depends on 14) A method for operating a switching device for a high-voltage circuit breaker, the method comprising: providing the switching device according to claim 14; using said at least two switches to replicate the states of said apparatuses of the switching device; and using said at least two switches, in at least one of said series circuit or said parallel circuit, to forward the states of said apparatuses through an input of a monitoring system. ### Claim 35 (depends on 34) The method according to claim 34, which further comprises forwarding the states of said apparatuses, as electrical variables or voltages, through exactly one input of the monitoring system. ### Claim 36 (depends on 34) The method according to claim 34, which further comprises combining said at least two switches as at least one of an OR combination through said parallel circuit or an AND combination through said series circuit. ### Claim 37 (depends on 34) The method according to claim 34, which further comprises providing said at least two switches as at least one of: end position switches each replicating the state of a spring mechanism as drive for a breaker unit, or switches connected in said parallel circuit as an OR combination having a voltage present at the input of the monitoring system until all of said spring mechanisms are tensioned, or switches connected in said series circuit as an AND combination having a voltage present at the input of the monitoring system until at least one of said spring mechanisms is tensioned, or switches interconnected and changed between said series circuit and said parallel circuit. ### Claim 38 (depends on 37) The method according to claim 37, which further comprises using a relay to change said at least two switches between said series circuit and said parallel circuit. ### Claim 39 (depends on 38) The method according to claim 38, which further comprises using said relay to change said at least two switches between said series circuit and said parallel circuit depending on tripping of the high-voltage circuit breaker.