Arc extinguishing assemblies and methods
AssigneeSiemens Aktiengesellschaft
InventorMark Blankemeyer
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An arc extinguishing assembly for a circuit breaker or switch. The arc extinguishing assembly includes an arc chamber having an arc chamber width (b) adjacent to a contact arm tip of a contact arm, stacked arc plates located at a forward end of the arc chamber adjacent to the contact arm tip, and first and second fin features located at the forward end between the arc plates and the contact arm tip. The first fin feature including a first inner edge and the second fin feature including a second inner edge, wherein the first inner edge and the second inner edge are spaced apart from one another by a spacing distance (a), wherein a venturi ratio of a/b is equal to or less than 0.6. Contact assemblies for circuit breakers, arc chute assemblies, and methods of extinguishing and arc are disclosed, as are other aspects.
Claims18
An arc extinguishing assembly, comprising:
- an arc chamber having an arc chamber width (b) adjacent to a contact arm tip of a contact arm;
- stacked arc plates located at a forward end of the arc chamber adjacent to the contact arm tip;
- and
- a first fin feature and a second fin feature located at the forward end between the arc plates and the contact arm tip, the first fin feature including a first inner edge and the second fin feature including a second inner edge, wherein the first inner edge and the second inner edge are spaced apart from one another by a spacing distance (a), wherein a venturi ratio indicative of a tubular length of varying diameter of a/b is equal to or less than 0.6, wherein the first fin feature comprises a first upper taper and the second fin feature comprises a second upper taper.
An arc extinguishing assembly, comprising:
- an arc chamber having an arc chamber width (b) adjacent to a contact arm tip of a contact arm;
- stacked arc plates located at a forward end of the arc chamber adjacent to the contact arm tip;
- an arc horn located above the stacked arc plates, the arc horn including a tongue;
- a first outgassing spacer and a second outgassing spacer positioned on opposing sides of the arc chamber;
- and
- a first fin feature and a second fin feature located at the forward end between the arc plates and the contact arm tip and positioned at least partially behind the tongue, the first fin feature including first inner edge and the second fin feature including a second inner edge, wherein the first inner edge and the second inner edge are spaced apart from one another by a spacing distance (a), wherein a venturi ratio indicative of a tubular length of varying diameter of a/b is equal to or less than 0.6, and wherein the first fin feature is integral with the first outgassing spacer and the second fin feature is integral with the second outgassing spacer, wherein the first fin feature comprises a first upper taper and the second fin feature comprises a second upper taper.
A method of extinguishing an arc, comprising:
- providing an arc chamber having an arc chamber width (b) adjacent to a contact arm tip of a contact arm;
- providing stacked arc plates located at a forward end of the arc chamber adjacent to the contact arm tip;
- providing a first fin feature and a second fin feature located at the forward end between the arc plates and the contact arm tip, the first fin feature including first inner edge and the second fin feature including a second inner edge, wherein the first inner edge and the second inner edge are spaced apart from one another by a spacing distance (a), wherein a venturi ratio indicative of a tubular length of varying diameter of a/b is equal to or less than 0.6, wherein the first fin feature comprises a first upper taper and the second fin feature comprises a second upper taper;
- and
- extinguishing the arc by passing gas through an opening between the first inner edge and the second inner edge to push the arc into the arc plates.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.