US 8,785,804 B2 · Electrical current interrupting device

Abstract

A switching assembly for interrupting current from an upper terminal to a lower terminal. The switching assembly includes an upper bushing, a lower bushing sealably coupled to the upper bushing, the upper terminal coupled to the upper bushing, at least one lower terminal, and a switching medium positioned within a channel formed within the upper bushing. The lower terminal is electrically coupled to the switching medium. According to some embodiments, one or more of the lower terminals are coupled into one or more lower terminal openings formed within at least one of the upper bushing and the lower bushing. According to some exemplary embodiments, the assembly includes a modular terminal ring positioned between the upper bushing and the lower bushing and sealably coupled to both. The one or more lower terminals are coupled into one or more lower terminal openings formed within a perimeter of the modular terminal ring.

Claims24

Dependent claims

A switching assembly, comprising:

an upper bushing forming an upper bushing channel therein and an upper terminal opening extending from the upper bushing channel through an outer surface of the upper bushing;
a lower bushing forming a lower bushing channel therein;
a modular terminal ring comprising an upper surface, a lower surface, and a sidewall extending substantially from the perimeter of the upper surface to substantially the perimeter of the lower surface, the sidewall forming at least one lower terminal opening around the perimeter of the sidewall, the upper surface being sealably coupled to the upper bushing, the lower surface being sealably coupled to the lower bushing;
an upper terminal coupled to the upper bushing through the upper terminal opening;
at least one lower terminal, each lower terminal being coupled to one of the lower terminal openings;
and
a switching medium disposed within the upper bushing channel, the switching medium electrically coupling the upper terminal to the lower terminals when in a closed state, and the switching medium electrically discoupling the upper terminal to the lower terminals when in an open state.

4 more elements

A switching assembly, comprising;

an upper bushing forming an upper bushing channel therein and an upper terminal opening extending from the upper bushing channel through an outer surface of the upper bushing;
a lower bushing forming a lower bushing channel therein, the lower bushing being sealably coupled to the upper bushing;
an upper terminal coupled to the upper bushing through the upper terminal opening;
at least one lower terminal, each lower terminal being coupled to at least one lower terminal opening, the lower terminal openings being formed within at least one of the upper bushing and the lower bushing;
a switching medium disposed within the upper bushing channel, the switching medium electrically coupling the upper terminal to the lower terminals when in a closed state, and the switching medium electrically discoupling the upper terminal to the lower terminals when in an open state;
and
an electrical pathway electrically coupling the switching medium to the lower terminal, the electrical pathway being fabricated using a flexible material.

4 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Electrical current interrupting device

Life of this patent

Electrical current interrupting device

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims24