Vacuum switching device
First Claim
1. A vacuum switching device, comprising:
- a stationary contact electrode and a movable contact electrode, the electrodes being engaged or disengaged to close or open a circuit in which the device is connected, the electrodes being housed in an evacuated insulating envelope of cylindrical form, at least one of the electrodes comprising a coil defining means for generating magnetic fields to control arcing when the electrodes are disengaged while current is flowing through the electrodes, each electrode having a contact member for contacting the other electrode, the contact member being provided on an end face of the electrode, each contact member having an electrical resistance, and a member of lower electrical resistance than the resistance of the contact member interposed between at least one of the contact members and the coil defining means to provide a low resistance electrical path extending underneath the contact member, the low resistance electrical path being effective to cause the current to flow from the coil defining means into the member of lower electrical resistance from a peripheral region thereof towards an inner region thereof to feed the arcing towards a center region of the contact member.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A vacuum switching device comprising an evacuated envelope including an insulating cylinder, a stationary contact electrode and a movable contact electrode housed within the envelope. The electrodes are adapted to be engaged or disengaged to close or open a circuit in which the device is connected. At least one of the electrodes comprises a coil which, in use, is adapted to generate magnetic fields to control the formation of arcs when the electrodes are disengaged, each electrode having an end face adapted to contact the other electrode when in the engaged condition. At least one of the electrodes has a low resistance electrical path transverse to the axis of the electrode in a region of the end face.
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Citations
25 Claims
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1. A vacuum switching device, comprising:
- a stationary contact electrode and a movable contact electrode, the electrodes being engaged or disengaged to close or open a circuit in which the device is connected, the electrodes being housed in an evacuated insulating envelope of cylindrical form, at least one of the electrodes comprising a coil defining means for generating magnetic fields to control arcing when the electrodes are disengaged while current is flowing through the electrodes, each electrode having a contact member for contacting the other electrode, the contact member being provided on an end face of the electrode, each contact member having an electrical resistance, and a member of lower electrical resistance than the resistance of the contact member interposed between at least one of the contact members and the coil defining means to provide a low resistance electrical path extending underneath the contact member, the low resistance electrical path being effective to cause the current to flow from the coil defining means into the member of lower electrical resistance from a peripheral region thereof towards an inner region thereof to feed the arcing towards a center region of the contact member.
- View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25)
Specification