Explosively-actuated switch and current limiting, high voltage fuse using same
First Claim
1. A high-voltage electrical switch for opening a current path in which the switch is included, comprising:
- first and second normally electrically interconnected contact means for normally carrying current in the current path, the contact means being relatively movable apart along a fixed line of direction, movement of the contact means apart breaking the electrical interconnection therebetween to open the first current path;
piston means on the second contact means(a) for defining an enclosed chamber with the first contact means when the contact means are interconnected(b) for continuously isolating the second contact means from the chamber, and(c) for constricting an arc formed between the contact means; and
means for pressurizing the chamber to rapidly drive the contact means apart.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A high speed high voltage electrical switch opens a current path in which the switch is included. The switch includes first and second normally electrically interconnected contacts which normally carry current in the current path. The contacts are relatively movable along a fixed line of direction. When the contacts move apart, the electrical interconnection therebetween is broken to open the first current path. A piston carried by the second contact defines an enclosed chamber in conjunction with the first contact when the contacts are interconnected. A power cartridge or the like selectively pressurizes the chamber to rapidly drive the contacts apart. The piston enhances the action of the power cartridge by ensuring that pressure increases caused thereby are effected to drive the contacts apart. The piston may be configured to ensure positive sealing engagement with the walls of a cylinder through which the piston and the second contact move following the ignition of the power cartridge. Moreover, the piston may be made of an ablative arc-extinguishing material so that following movement apart of the contacts, any arc formed between the contacts is constricted by the piston which evolves arc-extinguishing gas to ultimately extinguish the arc.
70 Citations
62 Claims
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1. A high-voltage electrical switch for opening a current path in which the switch is included, comprising:
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first and second normally electrically interconnected contact means for normally carrying current in the current path, the contact means being relatively movable apart along a fixed line of direction, movement of the contact means apart breaking the electrical interconnection therebetween to open the first current path; piston means on the second contact means (a) for defining an enclosed chamber with the first contact means when the contact means are interconnected (b) for continuously isolating the second contact means from the chamber, and (c) for constricting an arc formed between the contact means; and means for pressurizing the chamber to rapidly drive the contact means apart.
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2. A high-voltage electrical switch for opening a current path in which the switch is included, comprising:
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first and second normally electrically interconnected contact means for normally carrying current in the current path, the contact means being relatively movable apart along a fixed line of direction, movement of the contact means apart breaking the electrical interconnection therebetween to open the first current path, the first contact means having a pocket; a piston on the second contact means for defining an enclosed chamber with the pocket when the contact means are interconnected, the piston having a composition and a configuration relates to the pocket and to forces applied thereto by pressurization of the chamber so that the piston intimately engages the walls of the pocket before and as the contact means move apart, the intimate engagement isolating the second contact means from the chamber; a tubular member through a bore of which the second contact means and the piston move as the contact means move aparrt, the bore being configured so as to be intimately engaged by the piston as the piston moves therethrough to isolate the second contact means from the chamber; and means for pressurizing the chamber to rapidly drive the contact means apart. - View Dependent Claims (3, 4, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 52)
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5. A high-voltage electrical switch for opening a current path in which the switch is included, comprising:
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first and second contact means for normally carrying current in the current path, the contact means being relatively movable apart along a fixed line of direction, the first contact means having a pocket; metallic conductive means for normally, metallically, electrically interconnecting the contact means, movement of the contact means apart breaking the normal metallic interconnection therebetween; a piston on the second contact means for defining an enclosed chamber with the pocket when the contact means are metallically interconnected, the piston having a composition and a configuration related to the pocket and to forces applied thereto by pressurization of the chamber so that the piston intimately engages the walls of the pocket before and as the contact means move apart, the intimate engagement isolating the second contact means from the chamber; a tubular member through a bore of which the second contact means and the piston moves as the contact means move apart, the bore being configured so as to be intimately engaged by the piston as the piston moves therethrough to isolate the second contact means from the chamber; and means for pressurizing the chamber to rapidly drive the contact means apart. - View Dependent Claims (6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 53, 54, 55, 56)
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57. A high-voltage electrical switch for opening a current path in which the switch is included, comprising:
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first and second normally interconnected contact means for normally carrying current in the current path, the contact means being relatively movable apart along a fixed line of direction, movement of contact means apart breaking the electrical interconnection therebetween to open the current path; piston means on the second contact means for defining an enclosed chamber with the first contact means when the contact means are interconnected; means for pressurizing the chamber to rapidly drive the contact means apart; and a tubular member through a bore of which the second contact means and the piston means move as the contact means move apart, the bore and the piston means being configured so as to be in intimate engagement as the piston means moves therethrough to isolate the second contact means from the chamber. - View Dependent Claims (58, 59, 60, 61, 62)
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Specification