Switching unit for electrical applications
OwnerCarlo Boffelli, Fabio Giacalone +1inventors
InventorsCarlo Boffelli, Fabio Giacalone, Giorgio Forlani
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Abstract
The present disclosure relates to a switching unit. The switching unit includes a pair of switching poles electrically connected in series. Each switching pole comprises a vacuum interruption chamber housing a fixed contact and a movable contact moving between an open position in which it is separated from the fixed contact and a closed position in which it is electrically coupled to the fixed contact. The switching unit further comprises an improved drive assembly operatively coupled to the movable contacts of the switching poles to actuate said movable contacts.
Claims20
A switching unit comprising a pair of switching poles electrically connected in series, each switching pole comprising:
- first and second pole terminals;
- a vacuum interruption chamber including a fixed contact electrically connected to said first pole terminal and a movable contact electrically connected to said second pole terminal, wherein said movable contact is movable along a translation axis between an open position, in which it is separated from the fixed contact, and a closed position, in which it is electrically coupled to the fixed contact;
- a motion transmission assembly placed outside said vacuum interruption chamber and operatively coupled to said movable contact;
- a pushrod operatively coupled to said motion transmission assembly;
- and
- a drive assembly comprising:
- a drive shaft configured to rotate about a rotation axis during a closing maneuver or an opening maneuver of said switching unit;
- and
- a plurality of eccentric mechanisms, wherein:
- each eccentric mechanism is operatively coupled to said drive shaft and to the pushrod of a switching pole, and
- each eccentric mechanism is actuated by rotational mechanical forces provided by said drive shaft and provides corresponding translational mechanical forces to the pushrod of a switching pole to actuate the movable contact of said switching pole during a closing maneuver or an opening maneuver of said switching unit.
A switching apparatus comprising one or more switching units, wherein each switching unit comprises:
- a pair of switching poles electrically connected in series, each switching pole comprising:
- first and second pole terminals;
- a vacuum interruption chamber including a fixed contact electrically connected to said first pole terminal and a movable contact electrically connected to said second pole terminal, wherein said movable contact is movable along a translation axis between an open position, in which it is separated from the fixed contact, and a closed position, in which it is electrically coupled to the fixed contact;
- a motion transmission assembly placed outside said vacuum interruption chamber and operatively coupled to said movable contact;
- a pushrod operatively coupled to said motion transmission assembly;
- and
- a drive assembly comprising:
- a drive shaft configured to rotate about a rotation axis during a closing maneuver or an opening maneuver of said switching unit;
- and
- a plurality of eccentric mechanisms, wherein:
- each eccentric mechanism is operatively coupled to said drive shaft and to the pushrod of a switching pole, and
- each eccentric mechanism is actuated by rotational mechanical forces provided by said drive shaft and provides corresponding translational mechanical forces to the pushrod of a switching pole to actuate the movable contact of said switching pole during a closing maneuver or an opening maneuver of said switching unit.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.