Electricity: circuit makers and breakers – Electric switch details – Contact
Reexamination Certificate
1998-09-22
2001-02-20
Luebke, Renee (Department: 2833)
Electricity: circuit makers and breakers
Electric switch details
Contact
C200S248000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06191374
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The invention pertains to a switch, in particular, a power switch or a high-speed d.c. circuit breaker. The invention further pertains to automatically maximizing contact alignment.
DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION
Conventional switches contain a contact lever that is arranged on a stationary shaft by means of an oblong hole in the contact lever. In the open state as well as during a pivoting motion of the contact lever in order to close the switch, the shaft is accommodated in a cylindrical end section of the oblong hole which acts as a sliding bearing. After the switch is closed, i.e., after the contact lever is pivoted to such a degree that the main contacts contact one another, the pivoting motion is continued by a short distance such that the contact lever is lifted off said end section in the oblong hole and disengaged from the bearing seat. Due to this subsequent pivoting of the contact lever, the surfaces of the main contacts which contact one another are partially adjusted relative to one another.
The invention is based on the objective of developing a switch, in which the position of the main contact surfaces can be optimally and automatically adjusted relative to one another in order to realize maximum contact alignment.
For the solution to the objective with the claims taken into account, two conditions must be fulfilled in order to achieve an optimal actuation of the switch or a flawless switching process. First, the contact lever that carries one main contact needs to be positioned exactly in the center relative to the second main contact while the contact lever is still in the open position so as to centrally contact the second main contact when the switch is closed. Second, the first main contact carried by the contact lever might need an additional adjustment into a precise position relative to the second main contact when the switch is in the closed position.
The aforementioned conditions are optimally fulfilled with the switch according to the invention. One end section of the oblong hole is realized in such a way that it ensures a large-surface sliding surface between the contact lever and the shaft without any play while the switch is still in the open position, i.e., the main contact situated on the contact lever can be brought into contact with the second main contact in an exactly central fashion. In addition, an opening section situated adjacent to the aforementioned end section which carries the contact lever on the shaft after the circuit is closed due to the subsequent pivoting of the contact lever is realized in such a way that the contact lever is able to simultaneously carry out two pivoting motions in different directions. Consequently, the first main contact carried by the contact lever can be adjusted into a precise position referred to the second main contact similar to a ball joint after the circuit is closed.
Advantageous additional developments of the invention are particularly pointed out in the appended claims.
The invention is described in detail below with reference to two embodiments that are illustrated in the figures.
REFERENCES:
patent: 3061702 (1962-10-01), Jencks
patent: 3286067 (1966-11-01), Menickella et al.
patent: 4649247 (1987-03-01), Pruess et al.
patent: 4650935 (1987-03-01), Ootsuka et al.
patent: 6064017 (2000-05-01), Schulze
patent: 502394 (1992-09-01), None
Donahoe Robert V.
General Electric Company
Horton Carl B.
Luebke Renee
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