Tap Changer Switch

• US 20100038221A1
• Filed: 08/14/2008
• Published: 02/18/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 08/14/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Eaton Intelligent Power Limited (Eaton Corporation PLC.)
• Original Assignee: Cooper Technologies Company (Eaton Corporation PLC.)
• Inventors: Mallict, Randal Vernon, Lindsey, Kurt Lawrence, Pride, Patrick Harold, Rachwal, Rick Alan
• Granted Patent: US 8,153,916 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 200/11.TC
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 9/0016 Contact arrangements for tap changers
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 9/0044 Casings; Mountings; Disposition in transformer housing

Abstract

A transformer switch, such as a dual voltage switch or a tap changer. The switch includes a cover, a housing, and a rotor sandwiched between the cover and the housing. The cover and housing are molded from a non-conductive plastic. An interior space of the cover includes at least one pocket within which stationary contacts are disposed. Each stationary contact is electrically coupled to one or more windings of a transformer. The rotor extends within a channel of the housings from a top of the transformer switch to an interior surface of the cover. The interior surface includes a protrusion about which the rotor and at least one movable contact coupled thereto can rotate. The movable contact is configured to be selectively electrically coupled to at least one of the stationary contacts. For example, different stationary contact-movable contact pairs can correspond to different voltages of the transformer.

Claims

1. A cover for a transformer switch, comprising:

a base member comprising a hole configured to receive a wire associated with a winding of a transformer;

a wall member extending from a first side of the base member and defining an interior space of the cover; and

a pocket extending from the wall member, proximate the hole, and configured to receive an electric contact associated with the wire.

2. The cover of claim 1, further comprising a snap feature coupled to the base member and configured to removably couple the cover to a housing of the transformer switch.

3. The cover of claim 1, wherein the wall member extends substantially perpendicularly from the first side of the base member.

4. The cover of claim 1, wherein the pocket comprises a pair of members extending from the wall member, into the interior space of the cover, and

wherein the pair of members are disposed on opposite sides of the bole.

5. The cover of claim 1, wherein the pocket comprises a member extending from the wall member, into the interior space of the cover, and

wherein the member comprises one of a protrusion configured to engage a notch of the electric contact and a notch configured to engage a protrusion of the electric contact.

6. The cover of claim 1, further comprising a support member disposed within the pocket, the support member being configured to suspend the electric contact from the base member so that a gap is disposed between the suspended electric contact and the base member.

7. The cover of claim 6, wherein the gap is configured to be at least partially filled with dielectric fluid.

8. The cover of claim 1, wherein the cover further comprises a pair of support members disposed within the pocket, the pair of support members being configured to suspend the electric contact from the base member so that a gap is disposed between the suspended electric contact and the base member.

9. The cover of claim 8, wherein the gap is configured to be at least partially filled with dielectric fluid.

10. The cover of claim 1, wherein the base member further comprises a protrusion configured to receive a notch of a rotor.

11. The cover of claim 10, further comprising the rotor, wherein the notch of the rotor is disposed about the protrusion of the base member, and

wherein the rotor is configured to rotate about the protrusion of the base member.

12. The cover of claim 1, wherein the base member further comprises a notch configured to receive a protrusion of a rotor.

13. The cover of claim 1, further comprising the electric contact and the wire, wherein the electric contact is disposed within the pocket, the wire is disposed within the hole, and the wire is electrically coupled to the electric contact via at least one of welding and a quick connect terminal.

14. The cover of claim 1, wherein the cover is molded from a non-conductive plastic.

15. A transformer switch, comprising:

a cover comprising

a base member,

a protrusion extending from a surface of the base member and configured to receive a notch of a rotor,

a wall member extending from the surface of the base member and defining an interior space of the cover, and

a plurality of pockets extending from the wall member, within the interior space of the cover;

a plurality of stationary electric contacts coupled to the cover, each of the stationary electric contacts being disposed within one of the pockets of the cover;

a rotor coupled to the cover and rotatable about the protrusion of the base member; and

at least one movable contact coupled to the rotor and configured to be selectively electrically coupled to at least one of the stationary electric contacts.

16. The transformer switch of claim 15, wherein different couplings of the at least one movable contact and the stationary electric contacts correspond to different voltages of a transformer electrically coupled to the stationary contacts.

17. The transformer switch of claim 15, wherein the cover further comprises a snap feature coupled to the base member and configured to removably couple the cover to a housing of the transformer switch.

18. The transformer switch of claim 15, wherein the transformer switch is a tap changer.

19. The transformer switch of claim 15, wherein the cover is molded from a non-conductive plastic.

20. The transformer switch of claim 15, wherein the base member of the cover comprises at least one hole configured to allow ingress of dielectric fluid within the transformer switch.

21. The transformer switch of claim 15, wherein the transformer switch is devoid of metallic fasteners.

22. The transformer switch of claim 15, wherein the housing comprises a plurality of ribs, at least one of the ribs being disposed along a length of the transformer switch, at least another of the ribs being disposed substantially perpendicular to the length of the transformer switch.

23. The transformer switch of claim 22, wherein the ribs form at least one reservoir configured to be at least partially filled with dielectric fluid.

24. A transformer switch, comprising:

a cover comprising a plurality of pockets within each of which a stationary electric contact is disposed;

a housing coupled to the cover, the housing comprising a channel;

a rotor extending between the housing and the cover, the rotor configured to rotate substantially within the channel to thereby move at least one movable contact relative to the stationary electric contacts; and

the at least one movable contact coupled to the rotor and configured to engage at least one of the stationary electric contacts,

wherein each of the cover and the housing is molded from a non-conductive material.

25. The transformer switch of claim 24, wherein different couplings of the at least one movable contact and the stationary electric contacts correspond to different voltages of a transformer electrically coupled to the stationary contacts.

26. The transformer switch of claim 24, wherein one of the cover and the housing comprises a snap feature configured to removably couple the one of the cover and the housing to the other of the cover and the housing.

27. The transformer switch of claim 24, wherein the transformer switch is a tap changer.

28. The transformer switch of claim 24, wherein at least one of the cover and the housing is molded from a non-conductive plastic.

29. The transformer switch of claim 24, wherein the cover comprises at least one hole configured to allow ingress of dielectric fluid within the transformer switch.

30. The transformer switch of claim 24, wherein the transformer switch is devoid of metallic fasteners.

31. The transformer switch of claim 24, wherein the housing comprises a plurality of ribs, at least one of the ribs being disposed along a length of the transformer switch, at least one other of the ribs being disposed substantially perpendicular to the length of the transformer switch.