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:
Feb. 02, 1999
Filed:
Jul. 14, 1997
Hemant K Mody, Brookfield, WI (US);
James C Vander Meer, Brookfield, WI (US);
Slobodan Krstic, Brookfield, WI (US);
Peter K Moldovan, Cascade, WI (US);
Eaton Corporation, Cleveland, OH (US);
Abstract
An electric arc extinguishing mechanism is provided for an electric current switching apparatus of the type having a pair of contacts which selectively engage to complete an electric circuit. The mechanism includes a plurality of splitter plates located adjacent to the contacts and formed of electrically conductive material. Each splitter plate has a body of electrically conductive material, and a casing with a pair of planar portions on opposite sides of the body and connected by the curved edge portion. The edge portion is adjacent the contacts with the planar portions extending from the edge portion in an open loop having a gap. Any arc introduced between adjacent splitter plates moves around the open loop before being extinguished thereby not residing in one spot long enough to cause gross melting and associated erosion of the splitter plate.