US4221942A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Apparatus and method for quenching an arc in a gas flow circuit
Assignee: Siemens AG
•
Filing: 1977-12-13
•
Granted: 1980-09-09
•
Expires: 1997-12-13
Abstract
Abstract An apparatus and a method for quenching an arc in a gas flow circuit breaker having both a permanent current contact and an arc contact system, wherein the motion of the contacts is made current dependent, thereby delaying or accelerating the duration of the opening of the contacts of the arc contact system as a function of the current so as to shorten the arc duration and correspondingly to increase the quenching capacity of the breaker.
Inventors
- 👤 Walter Hertz
- 👤 Jan Stroh
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-09 05:51
CPC Classifications
H; H01; H01H; H01H33/00; H01H33/02; H01H33/28; H01H33/285; H01H33/44
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 11
Claim 1
Independent Claim
159 words
In a gas flow circuit breaker including a permanent current contact system and an arc current contact system, each having first and second contacts, the first contact of the permanent current contact system and the first contact of the arc current contact system being electrically connected, and the second contact of the permanent current contact system and the second contact of the arc current contact system being electrically connected, the contacts in each system being supported for movement relative to each other in a manner such that, during opening the contacts of the permanent current contact system are first separated from a normal at rest position, followed by a separation of the contacts of the arc current contact system, between the contacts of which an arc is drawn, a method of improving quenching comprising, controlling the relative velocity of the contacts of said arc contact system as they are separated from each other in dependence on the arc current.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
159 words
In a gas flow circuit breaker including a permanent current contact system and an arc current contact system, each having first and second contacts, the first contact of the permanent current contact system and the first contact of the arc current contact system being electrically connected, and the second contact of the permanent current contact system and the second contact of the arc current contact system being electrically connected, the contacts in each system being supported for movement relative to each other in a manner such that, during opening the contacts of the permanent current contact system are first separated from a normal at rest position, followed by a separation of the contacts of the arc current contact system, between the contacts of which an arc is drawn, a method of improving quenching comprising, controlling the relative velocity of the contacts of said arc contact system as they are separated from each other in dependence on the arc current.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
61 words
The method of claim 1, wherein to carry out the normal switching process, the first contact of said arc current contact system is moved in a direction away from the second contact thereof, and wherein said step of controlling the relative velocity of said contacts of said arc current contact system comprises imparting an acceleration to the second of said contacts.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
43 words
The method according to claim 2, wherein said step of imparting an acceleration comprises imparting an acceleration in the direction of motion of said first contact to thereby delay the separation of said first and second contacts of said arc current contact system.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
174 words
In a gas flow circuit breaker including a permanent current contact system and an arc current contact system, each having first and second contacts, the first contact of the permanent current contact system and the first contact of the arc current contact system being electrically connected, and the second contact of the permanent current contact system and the second contact of the arc current contact system being electrically connected the contacts in each system being supported for movement relative to each other in a manner such that, during opening the contacts of the permanent current contact system are first separated from a normal at rest position followed by a separation of the contacts of the arc current contact system, between the contacts of which an arc is drawn, the improvement comprising means for imparting an additional motion component to at least one of said first and second contacts of said arc current contact system in dependence on the current flowing therethrough, the contact to which additional motion is imparted thereby being a driven contact.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
174 words
In a gas flow circuit breaker including a permanent current contact system and an arc current contact system, each having first and second contacts, the first contact of the permanent current contact system and the first contact of the arc current contact system being electrically connected, and the second contact of the permanent current contact system and the second contact of the arc current contact system being electrically connected the contacts in each system being supported for movement relative to each other in a manner such that, during opening the contacts of the permanent current contact system are first separated from a normal at rest position followed by a separation of the contacts of the arc current contact system, between the contacts of which an arc is drawn, the improvement comprising means for imparting an additional motion component to at least one of said first and second contacts of said arc current contact system in dependence on the current flowing therethrough, the contact to which additional motion is imparted thereby being a driven contact.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
18 words
The improvement of claim 4 wherein said means for imparting is an induction drive having a magnet coil.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
40 words
The improvement according to claim 5 and further including a spring having a spring force acting in the direction of the rest position of the contacts, associated with the contact of said arc current contact system having said induction drive.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
20 words
The improvement according to claim 6 wherein the spring is disposed about the arc contact moved by the induction drive.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
21 words
The improvement according to claim 5 wherein said induction drive is coupled to the driven contact by a sliding contact system.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
22 words
The improvement according to claim 5 wherein the induction drive further includes ferromagnetic inserts disposed in close proximity to said magnet coil.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US4015095A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1983-09-09 | 1984-03-10 | 1984-09-09 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1987-09-09 | 1988-03-10 | 1988-09-09 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1991-09-09 | 1992-03-10 | 1992-09-09 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |