Gigavac, LLC

Daniel Sullivan

Bernard Victor Bush

Murray Stephan McTigue

Samuel Naumowicz

David P Hatch

Ewoud Roest

Murray Mctigue

Murray Stephan Mctigue

Bernard Bush Bush

Electrical switching devices are disclosed that have pressure relief mechanisms to allow for the release of internal pressure within the switching device housing. The pressure within the housing can be caused by different events with one such event being internal arcing within the housing caused during operation of the housing's internal components. Is some cases the arcing can be caused during separation of the switching device contacts. The pressure relief mechanism allows for the high pressure to pass from the housing in a more controlled matter to minimize or prevent high pressure breach or rupture of the switching device housing. The pressure relief mechanisms are particularly applicable to switching devices with hermetically sealed housings. Many different pressure relief mechanisms can be used including rupture disks or engineered weak points in the switching device housing.

Switching devices incorporating rupture disk

Fuse devices and electrical systems using the fuse devices are disclosed, with the fuse devices having internal components to cause a fuse blown event when the pre-determined current level is reached through the contacts. The internal components can comprise a levitation actuator that causes separation between one or more of the contacts as the current level approaches the predetermined level. This causes contact levitation and arcing, which increases the resistance at the contact being separated. This in turn causes the current through the contacts to seek another path that in the embodiments herein is a path to a pyro feature. The current activates the pyro feature, which causes the contacts to separate and puts the fuse device in 'fuse blown' condition where currents can no longer flow through the contacts.

Levitation fuse device

Contact assemblies are described herein having certain components, or portions thereof, that are formed integral to one another to reduce the complexity of manufacturing, improve the operation characteristics, and increase operational reliability of devices using the contact assemblies. New shapes to features and components of the contact assemblies are also disclosed, with the shapes providing the desired operational characteristics. Embodiments of the invention are also directed contactors or fuses (i.e., electrical switching devices) utilizing the contactor assemblies according to the present invention, and to electrical circuits and systems utilizing the electrical switching devices according to the present invention.

Contactor with integrated drive shaft and yoke

Electrical switching device are disclosed having a housing with internal component within the housing. The internal components comprise contacts configured to operate, to change the state of the switching device from a closed state, allowing current flow through the switching device to an open state which interrupts current flow through the switching device. A pyrotechnic feature is included that is configured to interact with the internal components to transition the switching device from the closed state to the open state when the pyrotechnic feature is activated. The pyrotechnic feature is configured to trigger in response to levitation between the contacts at elevated current signal flowing through the switching device.

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Santa Barbara, CA, United States of America

Daniel Sullivan