Eaton Intelligent Power Limited

Eaton Corporation

Louis Grant Campbell

Ganesh Kumar Balasubramanian

Benjamin Alex Rosenkrans

Eric D Smith

Stephen David Mayo

Xin Zhou

Wangpei Li

Franklin Willis Freeborn

John Joseph Shea

Yucheng Li

Robert Kirkland Smith

Xuefei Chen

Darron Robert Mohr

Mrinalini Pathak

Martin Bj Leusenkamp

Lihua Bao

Eric Dennis Smith

A vacuum interrupter has a toroidal portion at one or both ends that achieves higher dielectric levels and hence higher interruption levels.

Toroidal encapsulation for high voltage vacuum interrupters

A mold for encapsulating an electrical component. The mold includes an encapsulation chamber and an air inlet. The encapsulation chamber is defined by a housing, an open top, and a solid bottom. The housing includes a solid outer wall, a permeable inner wall, and an air chamber between the solid outer wall and the inner wall. The air inlet is configured to introduce a gas into the air chamber. The encapsulation chamber is sized and shaped to receive the electrical component while leaving a gap for the introduction of encapsulant around the electrical component. The encapsulant may be silicone rubber. To remove an encapsulated electrical component, pressurized air may be introduced through the air inlet into the air chamber, passing through the permeable inner wall, separating the outer surface of the encapsulant from the housing, and allowing the combination casting to be removed from the mold.

Casting method for encapsulating an electrical component

Permeable wall encapsulation mold

An improved electrical contact alloy, useful for example, in vacuum interrupters used in vacuum contactors is provided. The contact alloy according to the disclosed concept comprises copper particles and chromium particles present in a ratio of copper to chromium particles of 2:3 to 20:1 by weight. The electrical contact alloy also comprises particles of a carbide, which reduces the weld break strength of the electrical contact alloy without reducing its interruption performance.

Electrical contact alloy for vacuum contactors

An electrode assembly for a vacuum interrupter includes a contact plate, an electrode coil, an inner support, a lower support, and at least one support member. The electrode coil includes a base for attachment to a terminal post of the vacuum interrupter. The electrode coil also includes at least one arcuate arm between the base and the contact plate extending along a curved path in a plane substantially perpendicular to a direction of travel of the electrode assembly. Each arcuate arm includes an aperture that is positioned to align with a corresponding aperture of an adjacent arcuate arm or the base of the electrode coil. Each support member is partially positioned within aligned apertures to maintain a gap between the arcuate arms and the base. The support members and the lower support may be slotted to decrease the current flowing through the supports.

Coil-type axial magnetic field contact assembly for vacuum interrupter

The disclosed concept pertains to vacuum interrupters and arc-resistant shields. The arc-resistant shields are positioned in between a ceramic insulator. Each end of the arc-resistant shield is hermetically sealed to the ceramic insulator. The arc-resistant shield includes an outer surface and an inner surface. The inner surface includes an arc-resistant material. Disposed within the arc-resistant shield is a pair of electrode assemblies which are separable to establish arcing. In certain embodiments, the arc-resistant material is copper-chromium alloy.

Composite arc shields for vacuum interrupters and methods for forming same

An improved electrical contact alloy, useful for example, in vacuum interrupters used in vacuum contactors is provided. The contact alloy according to the disclosed concept comprises copper particles and chromium particles present in a ratio of copper to chromium of 2:3 to 20:1. The electrical contact alloy also comprises particles of a carbide, which reduces the weld break strength of the electrical contact alloy without reducing its interruption performance.

A contact assembly for a vacuum switching apparatus includes a contact member and a reinforcing member adapted to structurally reinforce the contact member. The contact member includes first and second opposing sides, and a contact thickness. The reinforcing member has a reinforcement thickness, which is less than the contact thickness. The contact member is made from a first material having a first coefficient of thermal expansion, and the reinforcing member is made from a second different material having a second coefficient of thermal expansion. The first coefficient of thermal expansion is substantially the same as the second coefficient of thermal expansion.

Vacuum switching apparatus and contact assembly therefor

The disclosed concept pertains to alloy compositions, methods and arc-resistant shields composed of the alloy compositions. The arc-resistant shields are positioned in vacuum interrupter chambers and demonstrate resistance to arc damage and ability to hold off high voltages after arcing, while providing a lower cost alternative to traditional alloy compositions used for producing arc-resistant shields. In certain embodiments, the alloy compositions include copper and/or an element chemically compatible to copper and another component, such as but not limited to, iron, stainless steel, niobium, molybdenum, vanadium, tungsten carbide, chromium carbide, vanadium carbide and chromium, and alloys and mixtures thereof.

Vacuum interrupter with arc-resistant center shield

An electrode extension assembly is for a vacuum switching apparatus, such as a vacuum interrupter, including a vacuum envelope and separable contact assemblies. Each contact assembly includes a contact disposed in the interior of the vacuum envelope, and an electrode stem extending outwardly from the contact to the exterior of the vacuum envelope. The electrode extension assembly includes a number of extension members each being be joined to the electrode stem of a corresponding one of the contact assemblies on the exterior of the vacuum envelope by a welded joint formed by electron beam welding or plasma welding.

Vacuum switching apparatus, and electrode extension assembly and associated assembly method therefor

A triggered arc flash arrester includes an envelope structured to operate at: a pressure less than about 1.33 Pa; or a pressure greater than 0.10857 MPa; a plurality of conductors partially disposed within the envelope; a number of gaps disposed between the plurality of conductors within the envelope; and a shorting structure selected from the group consisting of a triggered gap and a fuse. The shorting structure is operatively associated with the number of gaps. The shorting structure is structured to electrically short the plurality of conductors either together or to ground, in order to create an arc within the envelope which is electrically in parallel to an arc fault causing the arc fault internal to switchgear to be extinguished.

Growing community of inventors

Elmira, NY, United States of America

Louis Grant Campbell