Vacuum circuit interrupter

A vacuum interrupter assembly comprising:

• an operating mechanism;
• a vacuum chamber including a number of bellows assemblies;
• a conductor assembly including a first contact assembly and a second contact assembly;
• said first contact assembly including a stem and a contact member;
• said first contact assembly stem including an elongated body with a proximal first end, a medial portion, and a distal second end;
• said first contact assembly contact member coupled to, and in electrical communication with, said first contact assembly stem body second end;
• said first contact assembly contact member disposed in said vacuum chamber;
• said second contact assembly including a stem and a contact member;
• said second contact assembly stem including an elongated body with a proximal first end, a medial portion, and a distal second end;
• said second contact assembly contact member coupled to, and in electrical communication with, said second contact assembly stem body second end;
• said second contact assembly contact member disposed in said vacuum chamber;
• said operating mechanism operatively coupled to said first contact assembly stem body first end, wherein said first contact assembly contact member is structured to move between a first position, wherein said first contact assembly contact member is not directly coupled to said second contact assembly contact member, and a second position, wherein said first contact assembly contact member is coupled to, and in electrical communication with said second contact assembly contact member;
• wherein said first contact assembly stem body has a reduced length;
• said vacuum chamber includes a first seal cup;
• said first seal cup disposed in an inverted orientation and defining a cavity in said vacuum chamber;
• said conductor assembly including a first flex connection assembly, said first flex connection assembly including a fixed coupling and a movable coupling, wherein said first flex connection assembly fixed coupling and said first flex connection assembly movable coupling are coupled to, and in electrical communication with, each other;
• said first flex connection assembly disposed in said first seal cup cavity;
• and
• wherein said first flex connection assembly movable coupling is temporarily coupled to, and in electrical communication with, said first contact assembly stem body first end.

A vacuum circuit interrupter comprising:

• a low voltage portion, and high voltage portion;
• said low voltage portion operatively coupled to said high voltage portion;
• said high voltage portion including a line terminal, a load terminal, and a vacuum interrupter assembly;
• said load terminal including a fixed coupling;
• said line terminal including a fixed coupling;
• said vacuum interrupter assembly including an operating mechanism, a vacuum chamber and a conductor assembly;
• said vacuum chamber including a number of bellows assemblies;
• said conductor assembly including a first contact assembly and a second contact assembly;
• said first contact assembly including a stem and a contact member;
• said first contact assembly stem including an elongated body with a proximal first end, a medial portion, and a distal second end;
• said first contact assembly contact member coupled to, and in electrical communication with, said first contact assembly stem body second end;
• said first contact assembly contact member disposed in said vacuum chamber;
• said second contact assembly including a stem and a contact member;
• said second contact assembly stem including an elongated body with a proximal first end, a medial portion, and a distal second end;
• said second contact assembly contact member coupled to, and in electrical communication with, said second contact assembly stem body second end;
• said second contact assembly contact member disposed in said vacuum chamber;
• said first contact assembly stem first end coupled to, and in electrical communication with, one of said load terminal fixed coupling or said line terminal fixed coupling;
• said second contact assembly stem first end coupled to, and in electrical communication with, the other of said load terminal fixed coupling or said line terminal fixed coupling;
• said operating mechanism operatively coupled to said first contact assembly stem body first end, wherein said first contact assembly contact member is structured to move between a first position, wherein said first contact assembly contact member is not directly coupled to said second contact assembly contact member, and a second position, wherein said first contact assembly contact member is coupled to, and in electrical communication with, said second contact assembly contact member;
• wherein said first contact assembly stem body has a reduced length;
• said number of bellows assemblies includes a first bellows assembly;
• wherein said first bellows assembly is a metal weld bellows;
• wherein said first bellows assembly is configured as a pressurized bellows;
• wherein said first bellows assembly includes an anti-twist bushing assembly;
• said bushing assembly including a collar portion and a sheath portion;
• said bushing assembly collar portion including a generally planar body defining a central opening, said bushing assembly collar portion body central opening generally corresponding to said first contact assembly stem body first end;
• and
• said bushing assembly sheath portion including a generally cylindrical body defining a central passage, said bushing assembly sheath portion body central passage generally corresponding to said first contact assembly stem body first end and said first contact assembly stem body medial portion.

A vacuum circuit interrupter comprising:

• a low voltage portion, and high voltage portion;
• said low voltage portion operatively coupled to said high voltage portion;
• said high voltage portion including a line terminal, a load terminal, and a vacuum interrupter assembly;
• said load terminal including a fixed coupling;
• said line terminal including a fixed coupling;
• said vacuum interrupter assembly including an operating mechanism, a vacuum chamber and a conductor assembly;
• said vacuum chamber including a number of bellows assemblies;
• said conductor assembly including a first contact assembly and a second contact assembly;
• said first contact assembly including a stem and a contact member;
• said first contact assembly stem including an elongated body with a proximal first end, a medial portion, and a distal second end;
• said first contact assembly contact member coupled to, and in electrical communication with, said first contact assembly stem body second end;
• said first contact assembly contact member disposed in said vacuum chamber;
• said second contact assembly including a stem and a contact member;
• said second contact assembly stem including an elongated body with a proximal first end, a medial portion, and a distal second end;
• said second contact assembly contact member coupled to, and in electrical communication with, said second contact assembly stem body second end;
• said second contact assembly contact member disposed in said vacuum chamber;
• said first contact assembly stem first end coupled to, and in electrical communication with, one of said load terminal fixed coupling or said line terminal fixed coupling;
• said second contact assembly stem first end coupled to, and in electrical communication with, the other of said load terminal fixed coupling or said line terminal fixed coupling;
• said operating mechanism operatively coupled to said first contact assembly stem body first end, wherein said first contact assembly contact member is structured to move between a first position, wherein said first contact assembly contact member is not directly coupled to said second contact assembly contact member, and a second position, wherein said first contact assembly contact member is coupled to, and in electrical communication with, said second contact assembly contact member;
• wherein said first contact assembly stem body has a reduced length;
• said vacuum chamber includes a first seal cup;
• said first seal cup disposed in an inverted orientation and defining a cavity in said vacuum chamber;
• said conductor assembly including a first flex connection assembly, said first flex connection assembly including a fixed coupling and a movable coupling, wherein said first flex connection assembly fixed coupling and said first flex connection assembly movable coupling are coupled to, and in electrical communication with, each other;
• said first flex connection assembly disposed in said first seal cup cavity;
• and
• wherein said first flex connection assembly movable coupling is temporarily coupled to, and in electrical communication with, said first contact assembly stem body first end.

A method of utilizing a vacuum circuit interrupter, said vacuum circuit interrupter including a low voltage portion, and high voltage portion, said low voltage portion operatively coupled to said high voltage portion, said high voltage portion including a line terminal, a load terminal, and a vacuum interrupter assembly, said load terminal including a fixed coupling, said line terminal including a fixed coupling, said vacuum interrupter assembly including an operating mechanism, a vacuum chamber and a conductor assembly, said vacuum chamber including a number of bellows assemblies, said conductor assembly including a first contact assembly and a second contact assembly, said first contact assembly including a stem and a contact member, said first contact assembly stem including an elongated body with a proximal first end, a medial portion, and a distal second end, said first contact assembly contact member coupled to, and in electrical communication with, said first contact assembly stem body second end, said first contact assembly contact member disposed in said vacuum chamber, said second contact assembly including a stem and a contact member, said second contact assembly stem including an elongated body with a proximal first end, a medial portion, and a distal second end, said second contact assembly contact member coupled to, and in electrical communication with, said second contact assembly stem body second end, said second contact assembly contact member disposed in said vacuum chamber, said first contact assembly stem first end coupled to, and in electrical communication with, one of said load terminal fixed coupling or said line terminal fixed coupling, said second contact assembly stem first end coupled to, and in electrical communication with, the other of said load terminal fixed coupling or said line terminal fixed coupling, said operating mechanism operatively coupled to said first contact assembly stem body first end, wherein said first contact assembly contact member is structured to move between a first position, wherein said first contact assembly contact member is not directly coupled to said second contact assembly contact member, and a second position, wherein said first contact assembly contact member is coupled to, and in electrical communication with, said second contact assembly contact member, said vacuum chamber includes a first seal cup, said first seal cup disposed in an inverted orientation and defining a cavity in said vacuum chamber, said method comprising:

• providing an installed first flex connection assembly having a first set of characteristics, said installed first flex connection assembly including a fixed coupling and a movable coupling, wherein said installed first flex connection assembly fixed coupling and said installed first flex connection assembly movable coupling are coupled to, and in electrical communication with, each other, said installed first flex connection assembly disposed in said first seal cup cavity, wherein said installed first flex connection assembly movable coupling is temporarily coupled to, and in electrical communication with, said first contact assembly stem body first end;
• removing said installed first flex connection assembly;
• providing a replacement first flex connection assembly having a second set of characteristics, said replacement first flex connection assembly including a fixed coupling and a movable coupling, wherein said replacement first flex connection assembly fixed coupling and said replacement first flex connection assembly movable coupling are coupled to, and in electrical communication with, each other;
• positioning said replacement first flex connection assembly in said first seal cup cavity;
• temporarily coupling said replacement first flex connection assembly to said vacuum circuit interrupter;
• and
• wherein said replacement first flex connection assembly is in electrical communication with said first contact assembly stem body first end.