Contact arrangement for a vacuum switch
AssigneeSiemens Aktiengesellschaft
InventorHorst Kopplin
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A contact arrangement for a vacuum switch includes contacts which have central contact surfaces and arc running surfaces surrounding the central contact surfaces. Means are provided to direct current to the area of the central contact surfaces as well as to the area of the arc running surfaces. As the arc foot points approach the edge of the contacts, forces become effective which prevent the arc from leaving the area between the contacts.
Claims7
A contact arrangement for a vacuum switch comprising contact members movable relative to each other for electrically opening and closing the vacuum switch, each of the contact members including a carrier and a contact piece mounted on said carrier, each of the contact pieces defining a centrally disposed contact surface, the contact surfaces of the contact pieces being mutually adjacent so as to be in mutual contact when the switch is closed and to conjointly define a gap when the vacuum switch is opened;
- each of the contact pieces having an arc running surface disposed in surrounding relation to the contact surface thereof;
- and, each of the contact pieces further including first current conducting means for directing current to the central contact surface thereof, and second current conducting means for supplying current to the arc running surface when the arc drawn between said contact pieces wanders outwardly from the central contact surface to the arc running surface whereby the current flowing to said arc running surface develops a force to urge the arc to remain in the region between the contact pieces as the arc moves toward the edge of the contact piece.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.