US 8,138,439 B2Granted

Limiter including a number of gas channels and electrical switching apparatus employing the same

AssigneeEaton Corporation

InventorsRichard P. Malingowski, David E. Little, Kelly J. McCarthy, Matthew R. Hussey

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Abstract

A limiter includes a housing having a number of gas ports, a number of gas vents and a number of gas channels. Each of the number of gas channels is between a corresponding one of the number of gas ports and a corresponding one of the number of gas vents. The limiter also includes a number of first terminals, a number of second terminals, and a number of limiter devices. Each of the number of limiter devices is electrically connected between a corresponding one of the number of first terminals and a corresponding one of the number of second terminals. Each of the number of gas ports is structured to receive a corresponding ionized gas flow for passage through a corresponding one of the number of gas channels to the corresponding one of the number of gas vents.

Claims23

Dependent claims

An electrical switching apparatus comprising:

a circuit interrupter comprising:
a first housing including a number of first gas vents structured to provide a number of ionized gas flows,
a number of first terminals,
a number of second terminals,
a number of separable contacts, each of said number of separable contacts being electrically connected between a corresponding one of said number of first terminals and a corresponding one of said number of second terminals, and
an operating mechanism structured to open and close said number of separable contacts;
and
a limiter comprising:
a second housing including a number of gas ports, a number of second gas vents and a number of gas channels, each of the number of gas channels being between a corresponding one of the number of gas ports and a corresponding one of the number of second gas vents,
a number of third terminals,
a number of fourth terminals, and
a number of limiter devices, each of said number of limiter devices being electrically connected between a corresponding one of said number of third terminals and a corresponding one of said number of fourth terminals,
wherein said limiter is coupled to said circuit interrupter,
wherein each of the number of third terminals is electrically connected to the corresponding one of the number of second terminals, and
wherein each of the number of gas ports is structured to receive a corresponding one of the number of ionized gas flows from a corresponding one of the number of first gas vents for passage through a corresponding one of the number of gas channels to the corresponding one of the number of second gas vents.

12 more elements

A limiter comprising:

a housing comprising a number of gas ports, a number of gas vents and a number of gas channels, each of the number of gas channels being between a corresponding one of the number of gas ports and a corresponding one of the number of gas vents;
a number of first terminals;
a number of second terminals;
and
a number of limiter devices, each of said number of limiter devices being electrically connected between a corresponding one of said number of first terminals and a corresponding one of said number of second terminals;
wherein each of the number of gas ports is structured to receive a corresponding ionized gas flow for passage through a corresponding one of the number of gas channels to the corresponding one of the number of gas vents;
wherein said number of limiter devices comprises:
a number of arc interruption structures structured to provide a number of ionized gas flows to the number of gas vents,
a number of separable contacts disposed proximate the number of arc interruption structures, each of the number of separable contacts being electrically connected between the corresponding one of said number of first terminals and the corresponding one of said number of second terminals, and
a mechanism structured to open and close the number of separable contacts of said number of limiter devices;
wherein each of the number of gas channels includes a first gas channel portion communicating with a second gas channel portion;
wherein the first gas channel portion communicates with the corresponding one of the number of gas ports;
wherein the second gas channel portion communicates with the corresponding one of the number of gas vents;
wherein the first gas channel portion is structured to isolate the corresponding ionized gas flow from a corresponding one of the number of arc interruption structures;
wherein each of the number of arc interruption structures is further structured to provide the corresponding one of the number of ionized gas flows to the second gas channel portion of the corresponding one of the number of gas channels;
and wherein the second gas channel portion is structured to combine the corresponding ionized gas flow from the first gas channel portion of the corresponding one of the number of gas channels with the corresponding one of the number of ionized gas flows prior to the corresponding one of the number of gas vents.

13 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.