Electricity: magnetically operated switches – magnets – and electr – Electromagnetically actuated switches – Electrodynamically actuated
Patent
1992-12-15
1996-05-28
Kincaid, Kristine L.
Electricity: magnetically operated switches, magnets, and electr
Electromagnetically actuated switches
Electrodynamically actuated
218 43, H01H 5300
Patent
active
055215696
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
SUBJECT OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to a current-limiter hyper-rapid circuit breaker which can be used at medium-high voltage and is, more particularly, adapted to electrical traction in railroad vehicles or stationary equipment. It concerns, more particularly, the mechanical part of a hyper-rapid circuit breaker which is equipped with an electronic control circuit.
PRIOR ART
It is well known that electrical networks such as those used for traction and in industry are becoming increasingly complex and powerful. The design of the interrupting devices must be developed in order to interrupt increasingly high currents and to reduce maintenance costs. An interrupting device of the new generation must be rapid in order to limit the current and to reduce the mechanical and thermal stresses on the entire installation, as well as the wear of its contacts and of its blowout chamber. Interrupting devices currently comprise rapid or ultra-rapid mechanisms for opening the contacts, and a blowout chamber in which the arc created is confined and cooled. These devices entail significant expense as a result of the maintenance operations and the replacements of worn parts.
Among the problems encountered, it is known that interruption of an electric circuit is likely to give rise to an excessive speed of displacement of elements of the interrupting device. It may be necessary to control the speed of these elements during a short period of time after the interruption. The higher their speed, the more efficient the braking applied to them must be.
The document FR-A-2 438 333 will be mentioned, for example, by way of illustration, which document describes a conventional electric power interrupter equipped with a damper comprising a cylinder filled entirely with oil and in which is displaced a piston connected in an articulated manner to the interrupter. This piston, which is provided with orifices, is braked at places along its travel in the cylinder, irrespective of the direction of its displacement.
Another example is given by the document DE-U-6606297 which describes a damping pump for an electric circuit breaker; a piston provided with orifices which can be sealed by return valves is also displaced in a cylinder containing damping liquid. The structure of this device is designed in order to permit, upon disconnection, the rapid extinction of the intense electric arcs, whilst at the same time also extinguishing, at an appropriate extinction distance, the critical electric arcs of low intensity.
Various associations between mechanisms and semiconductor control circuits have been proposed.
European Patent Application No. 0 184 566 describes an apparatus in which the interruption, without any significant arc, is obtained by joining an oscillating circuit, controlled by semiconductors and the self-induction coil of which is used as a repulsion coil, to a magnetically maintained hyper-rapid mechanism in which a same element serves at the same time as a repulsion disk and as a movable contact bridge. The mechanism is associated with an oscillating circuit via power semiconductors and comprises, in particular: self-induction coil for the oscillating circuit, repulsion coil; elements are inserted into this movable unit;
In the case of the apparatus which is described there, a repulsion force is obtained which very quickly assumes considerable proportions. The displacement of the repulsion disk is halted on dampers described as being a layer of deformable material.
European Patent Application no. 0 348 584 proposes a hyper-rapid circuit breaker assisted by a semiconductor control circuit, comprising a repulsion coil, a repulsion disk associated with a contact bridge carrying the movable contacts, said repulsion disk collaborating with said repulsion coil, and a means for maintaining the contacts in the closed state, in which hyper-rapid circuit breaker the maintaining means consists of a maintaining spring acting on the repulsion disk associated with the contact bridge via a retention means acting on an integral tail
REFERENCES:
patent: 3655935 (1972-04-01), Houben
patent: 4041264 (1977-08-01), Grune
patent: 4209680 (1980-06-01), Garzon
patent: 4430535 (1984-02-01), Berg et al.
patent: 5059932 (1991-10-01), Bonhomme
Friedhofer Michael A.
Kincaid Kristine L.
LandOfFree
Hyper-rapid circuit breaker does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Hyper-rapid circuit breaker, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Hyper-rapid circuit breaker will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-789773