Vacuum Switching Devices

• US 20200111630A1
• Filed: 10/09/2018
• Published: 04/09/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 10/09/2018
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: S&C Electric Company
• Original Assignee: S&C Electric Company
• Inventors: Falkingham, Leslie Thomas
• Granted Patent: US 10,643,808 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2203/05 to avoid damage by deformation of layers
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 33/6642 having cup-shaped contacts, the cylindrical wall of which being provided with inclined slits to form a coil

Abstract

A vacuum switching device may have at least one cup-shaped contact closed by a disc of contact material and a conical mechanical support, which acts to prevent the contact disc from becoming concave. The cup-shaped contact may include a plurality of slots in the sidewalk that extend into the base of the cup, the slots oriented to produce an axial magnetic field when current flows through the contacts. The support may be made of a metal that is a poor conductor of electricity. The narrow end of the cone may be capped by a circular ring or disc, and the wide end may be formed with a flange. The flange may be circular and may be sized and formed to locate the cone centrally in the base of the contact cup. The cone may have apertures to facilitate the evacuation of gas inside the cone.

Claims

1. A vacuum switching device comprising an evacuated envelope which includes an insulating component, a fixed electrode and a moving electrode which are designed to engage and disengage mechanically to perform a switching function and which includes two cup-shaped contacts each closed by a contact disc of contact material, with a plurality of slots in sidewalls of the cup or in a base of the cup, or in both, the slots being oriented to produce an axial magnetic field when current flows through the contacts, and a mechanical support in the shape of a hollow truncated cone which acts mechanically to prevent the contact disc from becoming concave.

8. The vacuum switching device as described in claim 1 in which the cone has an aperture or apertures to facilitate evacuation of gas from an inside portion of the cone.

2. A vacuum switching device comprising of an evacuated envelope which includes an insulating component, a fixed electrode and a moving electrode which are designed to engage and disengage mechanically to perform a switching function and which includes two cup-shaped contacts each closed by a contact disc of contact material, with a plurality of slots in sidewalls of the cup or in a base of the cup, or in both, the slots being oriented to produce an axial magnetic field when current flows through the contacts, and a mechanical support in the shape of a hollow truncated cone with a truncated end bridged by an annulus or disc, which in combination act mechanically to prevent the contact disc from becoming concave.

5. The vacuum switching device as in claim 2 in which the cone is located by fitting the truncated end of the cone into a depression formed in a surface of the contact disc which faces the cone.

9. The vacuum switching device as described in claim 2 in which the cone has an aperture or apertures to facilitate evacuation of gas from an inside portion of the cone.

3. A vacuum switching device comprising of an evacuated envelope which includes an insulating component, a fixed electrode and a moving electrode which are designed to engage and disengage mechanically to perform a switching function and which includes two cup-shaped contacts each closed by a contact disc of contact material, with a plurality of slots in sidewalls of the cup or in a base of the cup, or in both, the slots being oriented to produce an axial magnetic field when current flows through the contacts, and a mechanical support in the shape of a hollow truncated cone with a wide end formed with a flange, which in combination act mechanically to prevent the contact disc from becoming concave.

6. The vacuum switching device as described in claim 3 in which the flange is in the form of an annular disc.

7. The vacuum switching device as described in claim 3 in which the flange is sized and formed so as to locate the cone centrally in the base of the contact cup.

10. The vacuum switching device as described in claim 3 in which the cone has an aperture or apertures to facilitate evacuation of gas from an inside portion of the cone.

4. A vacuum switching device comprising of an evacuated envelope which includes an insulating component, a fixed electrode and a moving electrode which are designed to engage and disengage mechanically to perform a switching function and which includes two cup-shaped contacts each closed by a contact disc of contact material, with a plurality of slots in a sidewalls of the cup or in a base of the cup, or in both, the slots being oriented to produce an axial magnetic field when current flows through the contacts, and a mechanical support in the shape of a hollow truncated cone with a truncated end bridged by an annular ring or disc, and also its wide end formed with a flange, which in combination act mechanically to prevent the contact disc from becoming concave.

11. The vacuum switching device as described in claim 4 in which the cone has an aperture or apertures to facilitate evacuation of gas from an inside portion of the cone.