Vacuum switch

Claim 2

A vacuum switch having an evacuated housing containing a pair of relatively separable disk-shaped switching contacts, one of which contacts has a central portion attached to a central electrically conductive supporting member which is coaxially surrounded by a coil structure electrically parallel to the supporting member, the improvement comprising: said coil being connected to an area of said one contact which is spaced from said supporting part; said area being at least partially separated by a gap from said central portion; and a permeable material in said gap.

Claim 3

A vacuum switch according to claim 1, wherein said permeable material comprises an iron ring.

Claim 4

A vacuum switch according to claim 2, wherein said gap comprises a groove which extends into said one contact at the same side of the contact as the coil is located.

Claim 5

A vacuum switch having an evacuated housing containing a pair of relatively separable disk-shaped switching contacts, one of which contacts has a central portion attached to a central electrically conductive supporting member which is coaxially surrounded by a coil structure electrically parallel to the supporting member, the improvement comprising: said coil being connected to an area of said one contact which is spaced from said supporting part; said area being at least partially separated from said central portion; and said coil comprising a plurality of segments each of which is electrically attached at one end to said supporting member and its opposite end to said area.

Claim 6

A vacuum switch having an evacuated housing containing a pair of relatively separable disk-shaped switching contacts, one of which contacts has a central portion attached to a central electrically conductive supporting member which is coaxially surrounded by a coil structure electrically parallel to the supporting member, the improvement comprising: said coil being connected to an area of said one contact which is spaced from said supporting part; said area being at least partially separated from said central portion; and said coil comprising a plurality of segments each of which is electrically attached at one end to said supporting member and its opposite end to said area.

Claim 7

A vacuum switch according to claim 4, wherein said one contact comprises a circular disc, and said area and said central portion are at least partially separated by an annular gap.

Claim 8

A vacuum switch according to claim 5, wherein each of said segments has a generally radially extending portion projecting from said supporting member in spaced relation to said one contact and across said gap and joined to an arcuate coil portion from which a generally axially extending terminal is attached to said area adjacent to said gap.

Claim 9

A vacuum switch according to claim 4, wherein said coil comprises four coil segments which are displaced in respect to each other by 90* and extend from the central supporting part in substantially quarter-circular shape relative to the backside of the switching contact.

Claim 10

A vacuum switch according to claim 4, wherein said at least partial separation comprises a gap, and a permeable material in said gap.

Claim 11

A vacuum switch according to claim 8, wherein said permeable material comprises an iron ring.

Claim 12

A vacuum switch according to claim 9, wherein said gap comprises a groove which extends into said one contact at the same side of the contact as the coil is located.

Claim 13

A vacuum switch having an evacuated housing containing a pair of relatively separable disk-shaped switching contacts, one of which contacts has a central portion attached to a central electrically conductive supporting member which is coaxially surrounded by a coil structure electrically parallel to the supporting member, the improvement comprising: said coil being connected to an area of said one contact which is spaced from said supporting part; said area being at least partially separated from said central portion; said coil comprising a plurality of equal segments extending from said supporting member in a generally common plane spaced from said one contact and having generally axially extending terminals connected to said area.

Claim 14

A vacuum switch having an evacuated housing containing a pair of relatively separable disk-shaped switching contacts, one of which contacts has a central portion attached to a central electrically conductive supporting member which is coaxially surrounded by a coil structure electrically parallel to the supporting member, the improvement comprising: said coil being connected to an area of said one contact which is spaced from said supporting part; said area being at least partially separated from said central portion; said coil comprising a plurality of equal segments extending from said supporting member in a generally common plane spaced from said one contact and having generally axially extending terminals connected to said area.

Claim 15

A vacuum switch according to claim 11, wherein four equal coil segments are provided each of which has a radially extending portion from said supporting member, and an arcuate portion extending between said radial portion and said generally axial terminal of the contact segment.

Claim 16

A vacuum switch according to claim 11, wherein said at least partial separation comprises a gap, and a permeable material in said gap.

Claim 17

A vacuum switch according to claim 13, wherein said permeable material comprises an iron ring.

Claim 18

A vacuum switch according to claim 14, wherein said gap comprises a groove which exTends into said one contact at the same side of the contact as the coil is located.

Claim 19

In a vacuum switch comprising an evacuated housing which contains a pair of disk-shaped switching contacts which can be separated from each other, one of which is attached to a central electrically conductive supporting part which is coaxially surrounded by a coil structure in electrically aparallel relation to the central supporting part at the switching contact, the improvement comprising: said central supporting part being electrically attached to a central portion of the switching contact; a portion of the contact radially outwardly from the central portion having the coil electrically attached thereto; said central portion and said radially outer portion being at least partially separated from one another by a gap; and said coil comprising four coil segments which are displaced in respect to each other by 90* and extend from the central supporting part in substantially quarter-circular shape relative to the backside of the switching contact.

Claim 20

In a vacuum switch comprising an evacuated housing which contains a pair of disk-shaped switching contacts which can be separated from each other, one of which is attached to a central electrically conductive supporting part which is coaxially surrounded by a coil structure in electrically aparallel relation to the central supporting part at the switching contact, the improvement comprising: said central supporting part being electrically attached to a central portion of the switching contact; a portion of the contact radially outwardly from the central portion having the coil electrically attached thereto; said central portion and said radially outer portion being at least partially separated from one another by a gap; and said coil comprising four coil segments which are displaced in respect to each other by 90* and extend from the central supporting part in substantially quarter-circular shape relative to the backside of the switching contact.

Claim 21

A vacuum switch according to claim 16, wherein said coil segments are in generally parallel plane to the switching contact, have radially extending portions attached to the supporting part and extend across the gap with attachment of the coil segments to said radially outer portion adjacent to said gap.

Claim 22

A vacuum switch according to claim 16, wherein said gap has inserted therein a highly permeable material.

Claim 23

A vacuum switch according to claim 18, wherein said gap is annular and said highly permeable material comprises a ring of the material.

Claim 24

A vacuum switch according to claim 19, wherein said ring material is iron.