US 7,829,814 B2Granted

Vacuum circuit interrupter grounding assembly

AssigneeEaton Corporation

InventorsFrancois J. Marchand, Haiyan Ma, Brad R. Leccia, Ying Che, Chun Jiang Zhang

Life of this patent

Estimating the term…

Loading patent…

Abstract

A vacuum circuit interrupter having a pole unit structure and an operating mechanism structured to move the vacuum circuit interrupter contacts between a first, closed position, wherein a movable contact is coupled to, and in electrical communication with, a fixed contact, and a second, open position wherein the movable contact is spaced from, and not in electrical communication with, the fixed contact, as well as being structured to rotate a housing assembly rotatable portion between a first position, wherein a rotatable terminal is coupled to, and in electrical communication with, a line terminal, and a second position, wherein the rotatable terminal is coupled to, and in electrical communication with, a grounded terminal.

Claims16

Dependent claims

A pole unit structure for a vacuum circuit interrupter, said vacuum circuit interrupter having a line terminal, a load terminal, a grounded terminal, and an operating mechanism, said operating mechanism structured to move a movable contact linearly and to rotate the movable contact about a longitudinal axis, said pole unit structure comprising:

an elongated housing assembly having a longitudinal axis, at least one rotatable portion and a fixed portion;
said housing assembly at least one rotatable portion having a rotatable terminal;
said housing assembly at least one rotatable portion structured to rotate about said housing assembly longitudinal axis between a first position, wherein said rotatable terminal is coupled to said line terminal, and a second position, wherein said rotatable terminal is coupled to said grounded terminal;
a vacuum envelope assembly having a vacuum chamber, said vacuum chamber disposed within, and in a fixed relationship to, said housing assembly at least one rotatable portion, said vacuum envelope assembly having a fixed contact and a movable contact assembly, said fixed contact disposed within said vacuum chamber;
said movable contact assembly structured to move between a first, closed position, wherein said movable contact assembly is coupled to, and in electrical communication with, said fixed contact, and a second, open position wherein said movable contact assembly is spaced from, and not in electrical communication with, said fixed contact;
said fixed contact being in electrical communication with said rotatable terminal;
said load terminal coupled to said housing assembly fixed portion and coupled to, and in electrical communication with, said movable contact assembly;
said movable contact assembly coupled to said operating mechanism;
and
wherein said operating mechanism is structured to linearly move said movable contact assembly between said first, closed position and said second, open position and to rotate said movable contact assembly, thereby rotating said housing assembly rotatable portion between said first position and said second position;
and
wherein said housing assembly includes an interlock assembly, said interlock assembly structured to prevent said housing assembly at least one rotatable portion from moving between said first position and said second position when said movable contact is in said first, closed position.

9 more elements

an elongated housing assembly having a longitudinal axis, at least one rotatable portion and a fixed portion;
said housing assembly at least one rotatable portion having a rotatable terminal;
said housing assembly at least one rotatable portion structured to rotate about said housing assembly longitudinal axis between a first position, wherein said rotatable terminal is coupled to said line terminal, and a second position, wherein said rotatable terminal is coupled to said grounded terminal;
a vacuum envelope assembly having a vacuum chamber, said vacuum chamber disposed within, and in a fixed relationship to, said housing assembly at least one rotatable portion, said vacuum envelope assembly having a fixed contact and a movable contact assembly, said fixed contact disposed within said vacuum chamber;
said movable contact assembly structured to move between a first, closed position, wherein said movable contact assembly is coupled to, and in electrical communication with, said fixed contact, and a second, open position wherein said movable contact assembly is spaced from, and not in electrical communication with, said fixed contact;
said fixed contact being in electrical communication with said rotatable terminal;
said load terminal coupled to said housing assembly fixed portion and coupled to, and in electrical communication with, said movable contact assembly;
said movable contact assembly coupled to said operating mechanism;
wherein said operating mechanism is structured to linearly move said movable contact assembly between said first, closed position and said second, open position and to rotate said movable contact assembly, thereby rotating said housing assembly rotatable portion between said first position and said second position;
said movable contact assembly includes an elongated movable contact and a base assembly, said movable contact and said base assembly being coupled together and in electrical communication;
said movable contact being disposed within said vacuum chamber;
said base assembly having a fixed portion and a rotatable portion;
said load terminal coupled to, and in electrical communication with, said base assembly fixed portion;
said base assembly fixed portion disposed within said housing assembly fixed portion;
said base assembly rotatable portion rotatably disposed within said base assembly fixed portion;
said base assembly fixed portion having a body with inner surface defining a generally cylindrical cavity;
and
said base assembly rotatable portion having a generally cylindrical body sized to rotatably engage said base assembly fixed portion inner surface.

15 more elements

A vacuum circuit interrupter comprising:

a line terminal, a load terminal, a grounded terminal, an operating mechanism and a pole unit structure;
said pole unit structure having an elongated housing assembly and a vacuum envelope assembly;
said elongated housing assembly having a longitudinal axis, at least one rotatable portion and a fixed portion;
said housing assembly at least one rotatable portion having a rotatable terminal;
said housing assembly at least one rotatable portion structured to rotate about said housing assembly longitudinal axis between a first position, wherein said rotatable terminal is coupled to said line terminal, and a second position, wherein said rotatable terminal is coupled to said grounded terminal;
said vacuum envelope assembly having a vacuum chamber, said vacuum chamber disposed within, and in a fixed relationship to, said housing assembly at least one rotatable portion, said vacuum envelope assembly having a fixed contact and a movable contact assembly, said fixed contact disposed within said vacuum chamber;
said movable contact assembly structured to move between a first, closed position, wherein said movable contact assembly is coupled to, and in electrical communication with, said fixed contact, and a second, open position wherein said movable contact assembly is spaced from, and not in electrical communication with, said fixed contact;
said fixed contact being in electrical communication with said rotatable terminal;
said load terminal coupled to said housing assembly fixed portion and coupled to, and in electrical communication with, said movable contact assembly;
said movable contact assembly coupled to said operating mechanism;
and
said operating mechanism is structured to linearly move said movable contact assembly between said first, closed position and said second, open position and to rotate said movable contact assembly, thereby rotating said housing assembly rotatable portion between said first position and said second position;
and
wherein said housing assembly includes an interlock assembly, said interlock assembly structured to prevent said housing assembly at least one rotatable portion from moving between said first position and said second position when said movable contact is in said first, closed position.

11 more elements

A vacuum circuit interrupter comprising:

a line terminal, a load terminal, a grounded terminal, an operating mechanism and a pole unit structure;
said pole unit structure having an elongated housing assembly and a vacuum envelope assembly;
said elongated housing assembly having a longitudinal axis, at least one rotatable portion and a fixed portion;
said housing assembly at least one rotatable portion having a rotatable terminal;
said housing assembly at least one rotatable portion structured to rotate about said housing assembly longitudinal axis between a first position, wherein said rotatable terminal is coupled to said line terminal, and a second position, wherein said rotatable terminal is coupled to said grounded terminal;
said vacuum envelope assembly having a vacuum chamber, said vacuum chamber disposed within, and in a fixed relationship to, said housing assembly at least one rotatable portion, said vacuum envelope assembly having a fixed contact and a movable contact assembly, said fixed contact disposed within said vacuum chamber;
said movable contact assembly structured to move between a first, closed position, wherein said movable contact assembly is coupled to, and in electrical communication with, said fixed contact, and a second, open position wherein said movable contact assembly is spaced from, and not in electrical communication with, said fixed contact;
said fixed contact being in electrical communication with said rotatable terminal;
said load terminal coupled to said housing assembly fixed portion and coupled to, and in electrical communication with, said movable contact assembly;
said movable contact assembly coupled to said operating mechanism;
said operating mechanism is structured to linearly move said movable contact assembly between said first, closed position and said second, open position and to rotate said movable contact assembly, thereby rotating said housing assembly rotatable portion between said first position and said second position;
said movable contact assembly includes an elongated movable contact and a base assembly, said movable contact and said base assembly being coupled together and in electrical communication;
said movable contact being disposed within said vacuum chamber;
said base assembly having fixed portion and a rotatable portion;
said load terminal coupled to, and in electrical communication with, said base assembly fixed portion;
said base assembly fixed portion disposed within said housing assembly fixed portion;
said base assembly rotatable portion rotatably disposed within said base assembly fixed portion;
said base assembly fixed portion having a body with inner surface defining a generally cylindrical cavity;
and
said base assembly rotatable portion having a generally cylindrical body sized to rotatably engage said base assembly fixed portion inner surface.

17 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.