CA2109986A1 - Opening and closing mechanism for a medium or high voltage electrical switch - Google Patents
Opening and closing mechanism for a medium or high voltage electrical switchInfo
- Publication number
- CA2109986A1 CA2109986A1 CA 2109986 CA2109986A CA2109986A1 CA 2109986 A1 CA2109986 A1 CA 2109986A1 CA 2109986 CA2109986 CA 2109986 CA 2109986 A CA2109986 A CA 2109986A CA 2109986 A1 CA2109986 A1 CA 2109986A1
- Authority
- CA
- Canada
- Prior art keywords
- auxiliary
- movable
- contact
- opening
- main
- Prior art date
- Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
- Abandoned
Links
- 230000007246 mechanism Effects 0.000 title claims abstract description 33
- 238000005553 drilling Methods 0.000 claims description 2
- SFZCNBIFKDRMGX-UHFFFAOYSA-N sulfur hexafluoride Chemical compound FS(F)(F)(F)(F)F SFZCNBIFKDRMGX-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 description 5
- 229960000909 sulfur hexafluoride Drugs 0.000 description 5
- 238000010586 diagram Methods 0.000 description 4
- 230000000694 effects Effects 0.000 description 2
- 239000011435 rock Substances 0.000 description 2
- 230000001960 triggered effect Effects 0.000 description 2
- 230000008878 coupling Effects 0.000 description 1
- 238000010168 coupling process Methods 0.000 description 1
- 238000005859 coupling reaction Methods 0.000 description 1
- 230000003628 erosive effect Effects 0.000 description 1
- 239000000463 material Substances 0.000 description 1
Classifications
-
- H—ELECTRICITY
- H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
- H01H—ELECTRIC SWITCHES; RELAYS; SELECTORS; EMERGENCY PROTECTIVE DEVICES
- H01H33/00—High-tension or heavy-current switches with arc-extinguishing or arc-preventing means
- H01H33/02—Details
- H01H33/04—Means for extinguishing or preventing arc between current-carrying parts
- H01H33/12—Auxiliary contacts on to which the arc is transferred from the main contacts
-
- H—ELECTRICITY
- H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
- H01H—ELECTRIC SWITCHES; RELAYS; SELECTORS; EMERGENCY PROTECTIVE DEVICES
- H01H33/00—High-tension or heavy-current switches with arc-extinguishing or arc-preventing means
- H01H33/60—Switches wherein the means for extinguishing or preventing the arc do not include separate means for obtaining or increasing flow of arc-extinguishing fluid
- H01H33/66—Vacuum switches
- H01H33/666—Operating arrangements
- H01H2033/6667—Details concerning lever type driving rod arrangements
-
- H—ELECTRICITY
- H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
- H01H—ELECTRIC SWITCHES; RELAYS; SELECTORS; EMERGENCY PROTECTIVE DEVICES
- H01H33/00—High-tension or heavy-current switches with arc-extinguishing or arc-preventing means
- H01H33/02—Details
- H01H33/04—Means for extinguishing or preventing arc between current-carrying parts
- H01H33/12—Auxiliary contacts on to which the arc is transferred from the main contacts
- H01H33/121—Load break switches
- H01H33/122—Load break switches both breaker and sectionaliser being enclosed, e.g. in SF6-filled container
-
- H—ELECTRICITY
- H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
- H01H—ELECTRIC SWITCHES; RELAYS; SELECTORS; EMERGENCY PROTECTIVE DEVICES
- H01H33/00—High-tension or heavy-current switches with arc-extinguishing or arc-preventing means
- H01H33/60—Switches wherein the means for extinguishing or preventing the arc do not include separate means for obtaining or increasing flow of arc-extinguishing fluid
- H01H33/66—Vacuum switches
- H01H33/666—Operating arrangements
-
- H—ELECTRICITY
- H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
- H01H—ELECTRIC SWITCHES; RELAYS; SELECTORS; EMERGENCY PROTECTIVE DEVICES
- H01H33/00—High-tension or heavy-current switches with arc-extinguishing or arc-preventing means
- H01H33/60—Switches wherein the means for extinguishing or preventing the arc do not include separate means for obtaining or increasing flow of arc-extinguishing fluid
- H01H33/66—Vacuum switches
- H01H33/666—Operating arrangements
- H01H33/6661—Combination with other type of switch, e.g. for load break switches
Landscapes
- Mechanisms For Operating Contacts (AREA)
- Driving Mechanisms And Operating Circuits Of Arc-Extinguishing High-Tension Switches (AREA)
- High-Tension Arc-Extinguishing Switches Without Spraying Means (AREA)
Abstract
ABSTRACT
OPENING AND CLOSING MECHANISM FOR A MEDIUM OR HIGH VOLTAGE
ELECTRICAL SWITCH
The invention relates to a medium or high voltage electrical switch or circuit breaker comprising :
- a main circuit provided with at least one stationary main contact (30a) and at least one movable main contact (30b) pivotally mounted around a spindle (3);
- an auxiliary circuit, arranged in parallel to the main circuit and provided with a stationary auxiliary contact (35) and a movable auxiliary contact (25) pivotally mounted on the same spindle;
According to the invention, the drive mechanism of the movable contacts includes a variable angular offset mechanism able to vary the relative angular positions of the movable auxiliary contact and movable main contact when operations of the switch take place.
(figure 1)
OPENING AND CLOSING MECHANISM FOR A MEDIUM OR HIGH VOLTAGE
ELECTRICAL SWITCH
The invention relates to a medium or high voltage electrical switch or circuit breaker comprising :
- a main circuit provided with at least one stationary main contact (30a) and at least one movable main contact (30b) pivotally mounted around a spindle (3);
- an auxiliary circuit, arranged in parallel to the main circuit and provided with a stationary auxiliary contact (35) and a movable auxiliary contact (25) pivotally mounted on the same spindle;
According to the invention, the drive mechanism of the movable contacts includes a variable angular offset mechanism able to vary the relative angular positions of the movable auxiliary contact and movable main contact when operations of the switch take place.
(figure 1)
Description
- 210g~8~
OPENING AND CL08ING MEC~ANISM FOR A ~EDIUM OR HIGH VOLTAGE
~ECTRICA~ SWITCH
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The invention relates to a medium or high voltage electrical switch or circuit breaker.
In state-of-the-art manner, for example according to the Patent US-A-4,529,853, a switch of this kind notably comprise~ :
- a main circuit provided with at least one stationary main contact and at least one movable main contact pivotally mounted around a spindle;
- an auxiliary circuit, which may be called shunting circuit, arranged in parallel to the main circuit and provided with a stationary auxiliary contact and a movable auxiliary contact pivotally mounted on the same spindle;
- a drive mechanism designed to drive the movable main contact and movable auxiliary contact simultaneously in rotation around the spindle in question.
The shortcoming of such a switch lies in the fact that there is a rigid direct coupling in rotation between the movable main contact and the movable auxiliary contact.
The ob;ect of the invention is to overcome this shortcoming.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
According to the invention, the drive mechanism includes a variable angular offset mechanism able to vary the relative angular positions of the movable auxiliary contact and the movable main contact when operations of the switch take place.
According to a first embodiment, the angular offset mechanism is ~ 2~09~
adapted to allow two pseudo-stable relative angular positions, a first angular position activated at the end of opening travel of the switch and for which, when the subsequent Glosing operation takes place, closing of the auxiliary contacts precedes closing of the main contacts, and a second angular position activated at the end of closing travel of the switch and for which, when the subsequent opening operation takes place, opening of the main contacts takes place at appreciably thP same time as opening of the auxiliary contacts.
To achieve this, the movable auxiliary contact is arranged between two plates articulated around said spindle, securedly united in rotation with said movable main contact and urged towards one another by means of spring means; a ball-bearing locking mechanism with two positions is inserted between said plates and the movable auxiliary contact, the first angular position being activated by means of a first stop, and the second angular position being activated by means of a second stop formed by the movable auxiliary contact.
According to a second embodiment, the angular offset mechanism is adapted to allow continuous variations of the angular offset when operations of the switch take place, so that when a closing operation takes place, closing of the auxiliary contacts precedes closing of the main contacts and when an opening operation takes place, opening of the main contacts precedes opening of the auxiliary contacts.
To achieve this, the angular offset mechanism comprises two connecting rod-crank mechanisms driven simultaneously by a common motor shaft, a first connecting rod-crank mechanism associated with the movable main contact and a second connecting rod-crank mechanism associated with the movable auxiliary contact.
Preferably, the switch according to the first or second embodiment comprises in addition a second auxiliary circuit, for 2~9~8~
example a vacuum switch, arranged in parallel with said main circuit and said auxiliary circuit, and provided with arcing contacts.
The invention applies notably to switches and circuit breakers in which the main circuit and auxiliary circuit are immersed in an insulating gas of high dielectric strength, such as sulphur hexafluoride (SF6), the second auxiliary circuit being formed by a vacuum switch which is also immersed in the insulating gas.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
Other advantages and features will become more clearly apparent from the following description of various illustrative embodiments of the invention, given as non-restrictive examples only and represented in the accompanying drawings, in which :
- Figure 1 is a schematic side view of a first embodiment of the invention, - Figure 2 is a schematic front view of the main circuit and auxiliary circuit of the first embodiment according to figure 1, - Figures 3 to 6 illustrate operation of the first embodiment according to figures 1 and 2, the switch being respectively in the open position (figure 3), then in the course of closing (figure 4), then in the closed position (figure 5), and finally in the course of opening (figure 6), - Figure 7 illustrates a possible diagram as far as the opening :
and closing sequences of the switch according to the first embodiment are concerned, .
- Figure 8 is a schematic side view of a second embodiment of the invention, - Figures 9 to 11 illustrate operation of the second embodiment 2~9~8~
according to figure 8, the switch being respectively in the open position (figure 9), in the course of closing or opening (figure 10), and finally in the closed position (figure 11), - Figure 12 illustrates a possible diagram as far as the opening and closing sequences of the switch according to the second embodiment are concerned.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
With reference to figures 1 and 2, illustrating a first embodiment, the enclosure 4, either sealed or not, of the switch is filled with air or a dielectric gas such as sulphur hexa-fluoride (SF6) and comprises a current input terminal strip 1 and a current output terminal strip 2. The input terminal strip 1 is divided into three conducting branches la, lb and lc. The two branches la and lb respectively bear at their ends two stationary main contacts 30a and 30b, whereas the branch lc bears at its end a stationary auxiliary contact 35.
The stationary main contacts 3Oa and 3Ob are designed to cooperate with movable main contacts 20a and 20b pivotally mounted around a spindle 3; the stationary auxiliary contact 3S
cooperates with a movable auxiliary contact 25, also pivotally mounted around the spindle 3.
The spindle 3 is supported by two fixed conducting branches 2a and 2b which are joined together at the level of the output terminal strip 2.
The movable auxiliary contact 25 is electrically connected to the branches 2a and 2b, and therefore to the output terminal 2, by means of an electrical connection 4.
The auxiliary circuit formed by the auxiliary contacts 25, 35 is therefore arranged in parallel to the main circuit formed by the main contacts 2Oa, 2Ob, 3Oa and 3Ob.
2~09~3~i A drive rod 6, parallel to the spindle 3, passes through the movable main contacts 2Oa and 2Ob and is connected to a crank 9 mounted with rotation around the spindle 10 by means of a connecting rod 7 articulated on the spindle 8.
In figure 2, two plates 28a and 28b located on each side of the movable auxiliary contact 25, and also pivotally mounted around the spindle 3 and having the drive rod passing through them and being urged towards one another by means of a spring 27 located on a spindle 29, each bear two hemispherical housings 26a and 26b. A ball-bearing 26 housed in a drilling in the movable auxiliary contact 25 is held in one or the other pair of housings 26a or 26b.
The assembly formed by the movable auxiliary contact 25, the two plates 28a and 28b, housings 26a and 26b, spring 27 and ball-bearing 26, forms a ball-bearing locking mechanism with two pseudo-stable positions, enabling variations to be made of the relative angular positions between the movable main contacts 20a, 20b on the one hand and the movable auxiliary contact on the other hand.
In addition, according to a preferred embodiment, a third electrical circuit comprising a state-of-the-art vacuum switch 15, connected on the one hand to the terminal strip 1 by the electrical connection 16, and on the other hand to the terminal strip 2 by the electrical connection 19, is arranged in parallel to the main and auxiliary circuits. The movable rod 14 of the vacuum switch 15 is connected to the crank 9 by a connecting rod ll equipped with a spring 12. U.S. Patent US-A-5,155,315 which describes the mechanism associated with the vacuum switch should be advantageously referred to.
Operation of the mechanism will now be described in detail with reference to figures 3 and 6.
S , ,:
9 ~ 6 In the open position of the switch (Figure 3), the tongue 25a is up against a fixed stop 5 and the ball-bearing 26 i5 positioned in the housings 26a of the two plates 28a and 28b. In other words, the movable auxiliary contact 25 is in advance of the movable main contacts 2Oa and 2Ob.
With a view to closing of the switch (Figure 4), the crank 9 is made to rotate around the spindle 10. The crank 9 drives the connecting rod 7, the drive rod 6 and thereby the two movable main contacts 20a and 20b and the two plates 28a and 28b. The latter in turn drive the movable auxiliary contact 25 via the ball-bearing locking mechanism.
In a first stage, the movable auxiliary contact 25 comes into contact with the stationary auxiliary contact 15, the main contacts still being open.
Then in a second stage (Figure 5), $he point 25b of the auxiliary contact 25 knocks against a stop 35a of the stationary auxiliary contact 35, which has the effect of making the ball-bearing locking mechanism rock to the position 26b; at the same time, the movable main contacts 20a and 20b close on the stationary main contacts 30a and 30b.
In this second stage, it will therefore be noticed that the ball-bearing locking mechanism activated at the end of closing travel has enabled the angular offset between the movable main contacts 20a and 20b and the movable auxiliary contact 25a to be modified. This offset has in fact become very small, so that when subsequent opening of the switch takes place (Figure 6), opening of the main and auxiliary contacts will take place at appreciably the same time. Preferably opening of the main contacts will take place slightly before opening of the auxiliary contact.
At the end of opening travel, the tongue 25a knocks against the stop 5 (Figure 3), which has the effect of making the ball-8 ~
bearing locking mechanism rock to the initial position 26a, andtherefore in fact of varying the angular offset so that when subsequent closing takes place, closing of the auxiliary contacts again precedes closing of the main contacts.
If, according to the preferred embodiment, the switch is equipped with the third electrical circuit comprising the vacuum switch 15, driving of the crank 9 simultaneously brings about opening and closing of the vacuum switch 15. The crank 9 and connecting rod 11 form a toggle mechanism, so that closig of the contacts 15a and 15b of the vacuum switch 15 takes place only in the course of the opening and closing operations of the switch (Figures 4 and 6). In the stable open or closed positions, the contacts 15a and 1sb of the vacuum switch 15 remain open (Figures 3 and 5).
Figure 7 gives for illustrative purposes a diagram of opening and closing of the three electrical circuits (main, auxiliary, vacuum switch) versus time. In the stable open position (O), the three circuits are naturally open. When the closing operation is triggered, the auxiliary circuit first closes, followed by closing of the vacuum switch, and only then closing of the main circuit, and finally, at the end of travel of the crank g, reopening of the vacuum switch.
Consequently in the stable closed position (F), the main and auxiliary circuits are closed, whereas the vacuum switch is open. When the opening operation is triggered, the vacuum switch first closes, and then after a certain time the main circuit opens immediately followed by opening of the auxiliary circuit, and finally opening of the vacuum switch, returning to the stable open position (O).
The advantage of such a sequence lies in the fact that when the switch closes, closing of the auxiliary circuit takes place before closing of the vacuum switch, prestriking therefore takes place at the level of the auxiliary circuit, thus eliminating 2 ~ $ f3 well-known phenomena of multiple restriking associated with vacuum switches which generate voltage surges harmful for certain applications, for example medium voltage motors.
This moreover enables the erosion on the main contacts and the force required for closing of the main contacts to be reduced.
The auxiliary contacts can be made from arc resistant material, with a possible compensation against their wear.
The preferred embodiment described above is particularly well-suited to a medium voltage or extra-high voltage switch, in which the sealed enclosure 1 is filled with a dielectric gas such as SF6; the vacuum switch 15 will then be immersed in this dielectric gas as has already been proposed in French Patent FR-A-2,655,766.
Figures 8 to 12 illustrate a second embodiment of the invention;
their reference numbers are the same as those of the first embodiment for the components common to both embodiments.
We can find notably the enclosure 4, input terminal strip 1 and output terminal strip 2, stationary main contact 3Oa, stationary auxiliary contact 3S, movable main contact 20a and movable auxiliary contact 25, the latter two being pivotally mounted around the spindle 3. The auxiliary circuit is arranged in parallel to the main circuit.
The drive rod 6 passes through the movable main contact 20a and is connected to the crank 9 by means of a connecting rod 7 articulated on the spindle 8.
A second drive rod 6a passes through the movable auxiliary contact 25 and is connected to the crank 9 by means of a second connecting rod 7a articulated on the spindle 8a. The two connecting rod-crank systems 7 and 7a being distinct and different, it becomes possible to introduce a continuous variation of the angular offset between the movable main contact ;: :
21~99~
20a and the movable auxiliary contact 25 when rotation of the crank 9 takes place. In the open position of the switch (Figure 9) the movable main contact 20a is appreciably in phase with the movable auxiliary contact 25. In the course of closing or opening (Figure 10), the movable auxiliary contact 25 is respectively ahead of or behind the movable main contact 2Oa.
The opening cycle (O) and closing cycle (F) of the switch represented in figure 12 are consequently symmetrical.
Figure 11 shows the switch in the closed position.
According to a preferred embodiment, a third electrical circuit comprising a vacuum switch 15 is arranged in parallel to the main and auxiliary circuits.
If the vacuum switch 15 is added, controlled in the same way as in the first embodiment, the opening and closing diagram (Figure 12) remains perfectly symmetrical. When closing takes place, the vacuum switch circuit will close first, followed by closing of the auxiliary circuit, then closing of the main circuit, and finally the vacuum switch circuit will open again.
Inversely when opening takes place, the vacuum switch circuit will close first, followed by opening of the main circuit, then opening of the auxiliary circuit, and finally the vacuum switch circuit will open again.
,
OPENING AND CL08ING MEC~ANISM FOR A ~EDIUM OR HIGH VOLTAGE
~ECTRICA~ SWITCH
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The invention relates to a medium or high voltage electrical switch or circuit breaker.
In state-of-the-art manner, for example according to the Patent US-A-4,529,853, a switch of this kind notably comprise~ :
- a main circuit provided with at least one stationary main contact and at least one movable main contact pivotally mounted around a spindle;
- an auxiliary circuit, which may be called shunting circuit, arranged in parallel to the main circuit and provided with a stationary auxiliary contact and a movable auxiliary contact pivotally mounted on the same spindle;
- a drive mechanism designed to drive the movable main contact and movable auxiliary contact simultaneously in rotation around the spindle in question.
The shortcoming of such a switch lies in the fact that there is a rigid direct coupling in rotation between the movable main contact and the movable auxiliary contact.
The ob;ect of the invention is to overcome this shortcoming.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
According to the invention, the drive mechanism includes a variable angular offset mechanism able to vary the relative angular positions of the movable auxiliary contact and the movable main contact when operations of the switch take place.
According to a first embodiment, the angular offset mechanism is ~ 2~09~
adapted to allow two pseudo-stable relative angular positions, a first angular position activated at the end of opening travel of the switch and for which, when the subsequent Glosing operation takes place, closing of the auxiliary contacts precedes closing of the main contacts, and a second angular position activated at the end of closing travel of the switch and for which, when the subsequent opening operation takes place, opening of the main contacts takes place at appreciably thP same time as opening of the auxiliary contacts.
To achieve this, the movable auxiliary contact is arranged between two plates articulated around said spindle, securedly united in rotation with said movable main contact and urged towards one another by means of spring means; a ball-bearing locking mechanism with two positions is inserted between said plates and the movable auxiliary contact, the first angular position being activated by means of a first stop, and the second angular position being activated by means of a second stop formed by the movable auxiliary contact.
According to a second embodiment, the angular offset mechanism is adapted to allow continuous variations of the angular offset when operations of the switch take place, so that when a closing operation takes place, closing of the auxiliary contacts precedes closing of the main contacts and when an opening operation takes place, opening of the main contacts precedes opening of the auxiliary contacts.
To achieve this, the angular offset mechanism comprises two connecting rod-crank mechanisms driven simultaneously by a common motor shaft, a first connecting rod-crank mechanism associated with the movable main contact and a second connecting rod-crank mechanism associated with the movable auxiliary contact.
Preferably, the switch according to the first or second embodiment comprises in addition a second auxiliary circuit, for 2~9~8~
example a vacuum switch, arranged in parallel with said main circuit and said auxiliary circuit, and provided with arcing contacts.
The invention applies notably to switches and circuit breakers in which the main circuit and auxiliary circuit are immersed in an insulating gas of high dielectric strength, such as sulphur hexafluoride (SF6), the second auxiliary circuit being formed by a vacuum switch which is also immersed in the insulating gas.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
Other advantages and features will become more clearly apparent from the following description of various illustrative embodiments of the invention, given as non-restrictive examples only and represented in the accompanying drawings, in which :
- Figure 1 is a schematic side view of a first embodiment of the invention, - Figure 2 is a schematic front view of the main circuit and auxiliary circuit of the first embodiment according to figure 1, - Figures 3 to 6 illustrate operation of the first embodiment according to figures 1 and 2, the switch being respectively in the open position (figure 3), then in the course of closing (figure 4), then in the closed position (figure 5), and finally in the course of opening (figure 6), - Figure 7 illustrates a possible diagram as far as the opening :
and closing sequences of the switch according to the first embodiment are concerned, .
- Figure 8 is a schematic side view of a second embodiment of the invention, - Figures 9 to 11 illustrate operation of the second embodiment 2~9~8~
according to figure 8, the switch being respectively in the open position (figure 9), in the course of closing or opening (figure 10), and finally in the closed position (figure 11), - Figure 12 illustrates a possible diagram as far as the opening and closing sequences of the switch according to the second embodiment are concerned.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
With reference to figures 1 and 2, illustrating a first embodiment, the enclosure 4, either sealed or not, of the switch is filled with air or a dielectric gas such as sulphur hexa-fluoride (SF6) and comprises a current input terminal strip 1 and a current output terminal strip 2. The input terminal strip 1 is divided into three conducting branches la, lb and lc. The two branches la and lb respectively bear at their ends two stationary main contacts 30a and 30b, whereas the branch lc bears at its end a stationary auxiliary contact 35.
The stationary main contacts 3Oa and 3Ob are designed to cooperate with movable main contacts 20a and 20b pivotally mounted around a spindle 3; the stationary auxiliary contact 3S
cooperates with a movable auxiliary contact 25, also pivotally mounted around the spindle 3.
The spindle 3 is supported by two fixed conducting branches 2a and 2b which are joined together at the level of the output terminal strip 2.
The movable auxiliary contact 25 is electrically connected to the branches 2a and 2b, and therefore to the output terminal 2, by means of an electrical connection 4.
The auxiliary circuit formed by the auxiliary contacts 25, 35 is therefore arranged in parallel to the main circuit formed by the main contacts 2Oa, 2Ob, 3Oa and 3Ob.
2~09~3~i A drive rod 6, parallel to the spindle 3, passes through the movable main contacts 2Oa and 2Ob and is connected to a crank 9 mounted with rotation around the spindle 10 by means of a connecting rod 7 articulated on the spindle 8.
In figure 2, two plates 28a and 28b located on each side of the movable auxiliary contact 25, and also pivotally mounted around the spindle 3 and having the drive rod passing through them and being urged towards one another by means of a spring 27 located on a spindle 29, each bear two hemispherical housings 26a and 26b. A ball-bearing 26 housed in a drilling in the movable auxiliary contact 25 is held in one or the other pair of housings 26a or 26b.
The assembly formed by the movable auxiliary contact 25, the two plates 28a and 28b, housings 26a and 26b, spring 27 and ball-bearing 26, forms a ball-bearing locking mechanism with two pseudo-stable positions, enabling variations to be made of the relative angular positions between the movable main contacts 20a, 20b on the one hand and the movable auxiliary contact on the other hand.
In addition, according to a preferred embodiment, a third electrical circuit comprising a state-of-the-art vacuum switch 15, connected on the one hand to the terminal strip 1 by the electrical connection 16, and on the other hand to the terminal strip 2 by the electrical connection 19, is arranged in parallel to the main and auxiliary circuits. The movable rod 14 of the vacuum switch 15 is connected to the crank 9 by a connecting rod ll equipped with a spring 12. U.S. Patent US-A-5,155,315 which describes the mechanism associated with the vacuum switch should be advantageously referred to.
Operation of the mechanism will now be described in detail with reference to figures 3 and 6.
S , ,:
9 ~ 6 In the open position of the switch (Figure 3), the tongue 25a is up against a fixed stop 5 and the ball-bearing 26 i5 positioned in the housings 26a of the two plates 28a and 28b. In other words, the movable auxiliary contact 25 is in advance of the movable main contacts 2Oa and 2Ob.
With a view to closing of the switch (Figure 4), the crank 9 is made to rotate around the spindle 10. The crank 9 drives the connecting rod 7, the drive rod 6 and thereby the two movable main contacts 20a and 20b and the two plates 28a and 28b. The latter in turn drive the movable auxiliary contact 25 via the ball-bearing locking mechanism.
In a first stage, the movable auxiliary contact 25 comes into contact with the stationary auxiliary contact 15, the main contacts still being open.
Then in a second stage (Figure 5), $he point 25b of the auxiliary contact 25 knocks against a stop 35a of the stationary auxiliary contact 35, which has the effect of making the ball-bearing locking mechanism rock to the position 26b; at the same time, the movable main contacts 20a and 20b close on the stationary main contacts 30a and 30b.
In this second stage, it will therefore be noticed that the ball-bearing locking mechanism activated at the end of closing travel has enabled the angular offset between the movable main contacts 20a and 20b and the movable auxiliary contact 25a to be modified. This offset has in fact become very small, so that when subsequent opening of the switch takes place (Figure 6), opening of the main and auxiliary contacts will take place at appreciably the same time. Preferably opening of the main contacts will take place slightly before opening of the auxiliary contact.
At the end of opening travel, the tongue 25a knocks against the stop 5 (Figure 3), which has the effect of making the ball-8 ~
bearing locking mechanism rock to the initial position 26a, andtherefore in fact of varying the angular offset so that when subsequent closing takes place, closing of the auxiliary contacts again precedes closing of the main contacts.
If, according to the preferred embodiment, the switch is equipped with the third electrical circuit comprising the vacuum switch 15, driving of the crank 9 simultaneously brings about opening and closing of the vacuum switch 15. The crank 9 and connecting rod 11 form a toggle mechanism, so that closig of the contacts 15a and 15b of the vacuum switch 15 takes place only in the course of the opening and closing operations of the switch (Figures 4 and 6). In the stable open or closed positions, the contacts 15a and 1sb of the vacuum switch 15 remain open (Figures 3 and 5).
Figure 7 gives for illustrative purposes a diagram of opening and closing of the three electrical circuits (main, auxiliary, vacuum switch) versus time. In the stable open position (O), the three circuits are naturally open. When the closing operation is triggered, the auxiliary circuit first closes, followed by closing of the vacuum switch, and only then closing of the main circuit, and finally, at the end of travel of the crank g, reopening of the vacuum switch.
Consequently in the stable closed position (F), the main and auxiliary circuits are closed, whereas the vacuum switch is open. When the opening operation is triggered, the vacuum switch first closes, and then after a certain time the main circuit opens immediately followed by opening of the auxiliary circuit, and finally opening of the vacuum switch, returning to the stable open position (O).
The advantage of such a sequence lies in the fact that when the switch closes, closing of the auxiliary circuit takes place before closing of the vacuum switch, prestriking therefore takes place at the level of the auxiliary circuit, thus eliminating 2 ~ $ f3 well-known phenomena of multiple restriking associated with vacuum switches which generate voltage surges harmful for certain applications, for example medium voltage motors.
This moreover enables the erosion on the main contacts and the force required for closing of the main contacts to be reduced.
The auxiliary contacts can be made from arc resistant material, with a possible compensation against their wear.
The preferred embodiment described above is particularly well-suited to a medium voltage or extra-high voltage switch, in which the sealed enclosure 1 is filled with a dielectric gas such as SF6; the vacuum switch 15 will then be immersed in this dielectric gas as has already been proposed in French Patent FR-A-2,655,766.
Figures 8 to 12 illustrate a second embodiment of the invention;
their reference numbers are the same as those of the first embodiment for the components common to both embodiments.
We can find notably the enclosure 4, input terminal strip 1 and output terminal strip 2, stationary main contact 3Oa, stationary auxiliary contact 3S, movable main contact 20a and movable auxiliary contact 25, the latter two being pivotally mounted around the spindle 3. The auxiliary circuit is arranged in parallel to the main circuit.
The drive rod 6 passes through the movable main contact 20a and is connected to the crank 9 by means of a connecting rod 7 articulated on the spindle 8.
A second drive rod 6a passes through the movable auxiliary contact 25 and is connected to the crank 9 by means of a second connecting rod 7a articulated on the spindle 8a. The two connecting rod-crank systems 7 and 7a being distinct and different, it becomes possible to introduce a continuous variation of the angular offset between the movable main contact ;: :
21~99~
20a and the movable auxiliary contact 25 when rotation of the crank 9 takes place. In the open position of the switch (Figure 9) the movable main contact 20a is appreciably in phase with the movable auxiliary contact 25. In the course of closing or opening (Figure 10), the movable auxiliary contact 25 is respectively ahead of or behind the movable main contact 2Oa.
The opening cycle (O) and closing cycle (F) of the switch represented in figure 12 are consequently symmetrical.
Figure 11 shows the switch in the closed position.
According to a preferred embodiment, a third electrical circuit comprising a vacuum switch 15 is arranged in parallel to the main and auxiliary circuits.
If the vacuum switch 15 is added, controlled in the same way as in the first embodiment, the opening and closing diagram (Figure 12) remains perfectly symmetrical. When closing takes place, the vacuum switch circuit will close first, followed by closing of the auxiliary circuit, then closing of the main circuit, and finally the vacuum switch circuit will open again.
Inversely when opening takes place, the vacuum switch circuit will close first, followed by opening of the main circuit, then opening of the auxiliary circuit, and finally the vacuum switch circuit will open again.
,
Claims (13)
1. An electrical switch comprising :
- a main circuit provided with at least one stationary main contact (30a, 30b) and at least one movable main contact (20a, 20b) pivotally mounted around a spindle (3);
- an auxiliary circuit arranged in parallel to the main circuit and provided with a stationary auxiliary contact (35) and a movable auxiliary contact (25) pivotally mounted around said spindle (3);
- a drive mechanism (6 to 10) designed to drive the movable main contact and movable auxiliary contact simultaneously in rotation around said spindle (3), characterized in that said drive mechanism includes a variable angular offset mechanism (26, 28a, 28b ; 6a, 7a, 8a, 9, 10) able to vary the relative angular positions of the movable auxiliary contact and the movable main contact when operations of the switch take place.
- a main circuit provided with at least one stationary main contact (30a, 30b) and at least one movable main contact (20a, 20b) pivotally mounted around a spindle (3);
- an auxiliary circuit arranged in parallel to the main circuit and provided with a stationary auxiliary contact (35) and a movable auxiliary contact (25) pivotally mounted around said spindle (3);
- a drive mechanism (6 to 10) designed to drive the movable main contact and movable auxiliary contact simultaneously in rotation around said spindle (3), characterized in that said drive mechanism includes a variable angular offset mechanism (26, 28a, 28b ; 6a, 7a, 8a, 9, 10) able to vary the relative angular positions of the movable auxiliary contact and the movable main contact when operations of the switch take place.
2. The switch according to claim 1, characterized in that said angular offset mechanism is adapted to allow two pseudo-stable relative angular positions (26a, 26b), a first angular position (26a) activated at the end of opening travel of the switch and for which, when the subsequent closing operation takes place, closing of the auxiliary contacts precedes closing of the main contacts, and a second angular position (26b) activated at the end of closing travel of the switch and for which, when the subsequent opening operation takes place, opening of the main contacts takes place at appreciably the same time as opening of the auxiliary contacts.
3. The switch according to claim 2, characterized in that the movable auxiliary contact (25) is arranged between two plates (28a, 28b) articulated around said spindle (3), securedly united in rotation with said movable main contact and urged towards one another by means of spring means (27), that a ball-bearing locking mechanism (26) with two positions is inserted between said plates and said movable auxiliary contact, that said first angular position (26a) is activated by means of a first stop (5) and that said second angular position (26b) is activated by means of a second stop (35a) formed by the movable auxiliary contact.
4. The switch according to claim 3, characterized in that the ball-bearing locking mechanism comprises a ball-bearing (26) housed in a drilling arranged in the movable auxiliary contact, and two pairs of housings arranged face to face in said plates, to receive said ball-bearing and thus define the two pseudo-stable angular positions.
5. The switch according to claim 1, characterized in that when the opening operation takes place, opening of the main contacts takes place very slightly before opening of the auxiliary contacts.
6. The switch according to claim 1, characterized in that said angular offset mechanism (6, 7, 8 ; 6a, 7a, 8a) is adapted to allow continuous variations of the angular offset when operations of the switch take place, so that when a closing operation takes place, closing of the auxiliary contacts precedes closing of the main contacts and when an opening operation takes place, opening of the main contacts precedes opening of the auxiliary contacts.
7. The switch according to claim 1, characterized in that said angular offset mechanism comprises two connecting rod-crank mechanisms driven simultaneously by a common motor shaft, a first connecting rod-crank mechanism (6, 7, 8) associated with the movable main contact and a second connecting rod-crank mechanism (6a, 7a, 8a) associated with the movable auxiliary contact.
8. The switch according to claim 1, characterized in that said main circuit and said auxiliary circuit are immersed in a high dielectric strength gas such as SF6.
9. The switch according to claim 1, characterized in that it comprises in addition a second auxiliary circuit (15) arranged in parallel to said main circuit and said auxiliary circuit, and provided with arcing contacts.
10. The switch according to claim 9, characterized in that said second auxiliary circuit comprises a movable arcing contact and a stationary arcing contact, that when a closing operation takes place, closing of the arcing contacts takes place at appreciably the same time as closing of the auxiliary contacts, and that when an opening operation takes place, opening of the auxiliary contacts precedes opening of the arcing contacts.
11. The switch according to claim 9, characterized in that said second auxiliary circuit (15) is also immersed in a high dielectric strength gas such as SF6.
12. The switch according to claim 9, characterized in that said second auxiliary circuit is formed by a vacuum switch.
13. The switch according to claim 1, characterized in that it constitutes the breaking circuit of a medium voltage circuit breaker.
Applications Claiming Priority (2)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| FR9214356 | 1992-11-26 | ||
| FR9214356 | 1992-11-26 |
Publications (1)
| Publication Number | Publication Date |
|---|---|
| CA2109986A1 true CA2109986A1 (en) | 1994-05-27 |
Family
ID=9436018
Family Applications (1)
| Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| CA 2109986 Abandoned CA2109986A1 (en) | 1992-11-26 | 1993-11-25 | Opening and closing mechanism for a medium or high voltage electrical switch |
Country Status (6)
| Country | Link |
|---|---|
| EP (1) | EP0599742B1 (en) |
| JP (1) | JPH06236717A (en) |
| CN (1) | CN1034304C (en) |
| CA (1) | CA2109986A1 (en) |
| DE (1) | DE69323160T2 (en) |
| ES (1) | ES2130239T3 (en) |
Families Citing this family (15)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| DE19613568A1 (en) * | 1996-04-04 | 1997-10-09 | Asea Brown Boveri | Circuit breaker |
| DE10229096A1 (en) * | 2002-06-25 | 2004-01-29 | Siemens Ag | Wear indicator for vacuum switch tube has wear indication parameters measured on inside of gas-tight encapsulation housing and indicated on outside of latter |
| KR101064743B1 (en) * | 2005-11-23 | 2011-09-15 | 현대중공업 주식회사 | Switching mechanism |
| DE102008048828A1 (en) * | 2008-09-22 | 2010-04-08 | Siemens Aktiengesellschaft | Method for determining stroke of two actuating elements driven by drive element, involves determining position of drive element, when actuating element is arranged in predetermined position |
| CN101494133B (en) * | 2009-02-25 | 2011-08-24 | 谢翠斌 | Manual switching and lock catch protection device for high voltage vacuum permanent magnet circuit breaker |
| CN101645368B (en) * | 2009-09-02 | 2012-08-15 | 北京双杰电气股份有限公司 | Electric switch provided with separate arc-extinguishing device |
| CN101964271B (en) * | 2010-09-28 | 2012-08-15 | 丹东供电设备厂 | High-voltage switch transfer current device |
| JP5452555B2 (en) * | 2011-08-29 | 2014-03-26 | 株式会社日立製作所 | Switchgear and switchgear operating method |
| FR2980632B1 (en) * | 2011-09-23 | 2013-09-13 | Schneider Electric Ind Sas | CUTTING DEVICE WITH FLUID GAS SPEED, DISCONNECT AND VACUUM BULB |
| FR2980633B1 (en) * | 2011-09-27 | 2013-09-06 | Schneider Electric Ind Sas | MEDIUM VOLTAGE POWER DISTRIBUTION APPARATUS |
| CN102403160B (en) * | 2011-11-29 | 2014-03-12 | 浙江开关厂有限公司 | Quick three working position isolation switch |
| CN102983038A (en) * | 2012-11-28 | 2013-03-20 | 西安爱尔发开关有限公司 | High-voltage vacuum circuit breaker with O-shaped electrodynamic force compensation device |
| CN103983448B (en) * | 2014-05-27 | 2017-10-31 | 江苏森源电气股份有限公司 | Mechanical property on-line measuring device |
| CN105845494B (en) * | 2015-01-15 | 2019-05-10 | 施耐德电器工业公司 | Shunt open-circuit system |
| CN107086146B (en) * | 2017-05-24 | 2019-10-18 | 句容市福润电气有限公司 | A kind of lock closes stable indoor hv earthing switch device |
Family Cites Families (5)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| US3215803A (en) * | 1962-12-31 | 1965-11-02 | Allis Chalmers Mfg Co | Contact structure for circuit breaker |
| FR2494493A1 (en) * | 1980-11-17 | 1982-05-21 | Merlin Gerin | ELECTRIC CIRCUIT BREAKER WITH SELF-BLOWING BY ARC ROTATION |
| FR2508229A1 (en) * | 1981-06-23 | 1982-12-24 | Jaeger | Multi-contact bi-directional rotating shaft switch - has assembly of three ball bearings which roll onto slots above printed circuit board contact points with pressure maintained by plate |
| FR2655766B1 (en) * | 1989-12-11 | 1993-09-03 | Merlin Gerin | MEDIUM VOLTAGE HYBRID CIRCUIT BREAKER. |
| US5160817A (en) * | 1990-11-21 | 1992-11-03 | Automatic Switch Company | Electrical switch contact arrangement having quick break arcing contacts |
-
1993
- 1993-11-16 ES ES93420453T patent/ES2130239T3/en not_active Expired - Lifetime
- 1993-11-16 DE DE1993623160 patent/DE69323160T2/en not_active Expired - Fee Related
- 1993-11-16 EP EP19930420453 patent/EP0599742B1/en not_active Expired - Lifetime
- 1993-11-25 CA CA 2109986 patent/CA2109986A1/en not_active Abandoned
- 1993-11-25 CN CN93114748A patent/CN1034304C/en not_active Expired - Fee Related
- 1993-11-25 JP JP5295097A patent/JPH06236717A/en active Pending
Also Published As
| Publication number | Publication date |
|---|---|
| ES2130239T3 (en) | 1999-07-01 |
| DE69323160T2 (en) | 1999-09-02 |
| EP0599742B1 (en) | 1999-01-20 |
| CN1089389A (en) | 1994-07-13 |
| JPH06236717A (en) | 1994-08-23 |
| CN1034304C (en) | 1997-03-19 |
| EP0599742A1 (en) | 1994-06-01 |
| DE69323160D1 (en) | 1999-03-04 |
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Legal Events
| Date | Code | Title | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| EEER | Examination request | ||
| FZDE | Dead |