Arcing contact tip and method for producing such an arcing contact tip or a comparable component
AssigneeBBC Brown, Boveri & Company, Limited
InventorsGernot Gessinger, Renata Sebalj, Wolfgang Widl
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
The arc withstanding electrodes in an electric circuit breaker for switching high voltages attain greater mechanical strength and improved arc withstanding capabilities by forming the arc withstanding electrodes of a carbon-fiber-reinforced-graphite material which material is constituted of a graphite matrix which is reinforced by carbon fibers embedded therein. A method for forming the carbon-fiber-reinforced-graphite of the arc electrodes and for affixing the arc electrodes to a metal carrier therefor includes the steps of employing a high-temperature solder based on copper and/or silver, containing at least one carbide-forming element such as, for example, Cr.
Claims18
A circuit breaker, comprising:
- first and second contacts which are disposed such that at least one of the contacts is movable along a predetermined axis to bring the contacts into and out of contact with one another;
- and
- first and second arc electrodes associated, respectively, with said first and second contacts, each of said arc electrodes extending around said axis and being disposed on a respective contact carrier therefor, each of said arc electrodes being formed of a carbon-fiber-reinforced graphite material which material comprises graphite matrix and a plurality of carbon fibers embedded in said graphite matrix.
A method for producing an arc electrode of the type which comprises a carbon-fiber-reinforced graphite which is formed of a graphite matrix and a plurality of carbon fibers which are embedded in the graphite matrix and for affixing said arc electrode to a metallic carrier material, said method comprising the steps of:
- soldering said graphite matrix onto the metallic carrier material by means of a high-temperature solder in the presence of a protective gas atmosphere or a vacuum, said solder being a copper and/or silver solder and containing at least one carbide-forming element selected from the group of Cr, Mo, W, V, Nb, Ta, Ti, Zr, Hf having a content of about 1 to 10% by weight of said solder, said solder being applied in a molten, powder, foil or film form or by vapor deposition onto a surface of said graphite matrix which is reinforced by said carbon fibers;
- pressing said metallic carrier material against said carbon-fiber-reinforced graphite;
- and
- heating said solder to a soldering temperature in an inductively heated surface and thereafter cooling said solder to room temperature.
An arc withstanding electrode which is effective for withstanding an arc and mechanical stresses which develop between said arc electrode and another arc electrode, said arc electrode being formed of carbon-fiber-reinforced-graphite material which material comprises graphite matrix and a plurality of carbon fibers embedded in said graphite matrix.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.