The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Nov. 11, 1997
Filed:
Oct. 28, 1996
William L Weber, Newburgh, IN (US);
Siemens Electromechanical Components, Inc., Princeton, IN (US);
Abstract
An electrical contact assembly including a pair of first contact arms, each having a terminal end portion, a tip end portion and first contacts fixed to said tip end portions, and a second contact arm arranged opposite the first contact arms and having a tip end portion provided with a lengthened bridge contact. Either the pair of first contact arms or the second contact arm is moveable and the other one is stationary, respectively. Upon actuation of the moveable contact arm or arms, a current path is closed between the first contact arms via said bridge contact. Further, a pair of arc runner strips is provided at opposed lateral edges of either the pair of first contact arms or of the second contact arm. Each of the arc runner strips has a free end projecting toward a facing area of the second contact arm or the first contact arm, respectively. In operation, a pair of opposing magnetic fields is generated between the pair of first contact arms and also, upon contact breaking, between the occurring arcs, causing a repulsive force which moves the arcs towards the arc runner strips so that the arcs can then be extinguished.