IP Library Granted Patent US 7,994,442
Granted Patent B2
US 7,994,442 · App. 11/826,018 · Granted Aug 9, 2011

Rack gear for electrical circuit breaker

View Patent ↗
Loading inventors, assignments & file history…
Monitor This Case
Get email alerts when status or documents change.
Order Certified Copies
Most orders are placed with the USPTO same day — all within 24 business hours.
Order via The Patent Place →
Pre-filled with this patent's details
Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 7,994,442
App. No.
11/826,018
Granted
Aug 9, 2011
Kind
B2
Abstract

The disclosure relates to an electrical breaker device with double movement of its contact systems. An auxiliary gear is designed for driving the second contact systems such that the holding means for holding the rack and pinion gear and the guiding means for slide guiding and slide contacting the auxiliary-gear-driven arcing contact piece are constructed integrally in a monoblock. Embodiments, among others, relate to: a pusher guide slide bearing recessed in the arcing contact piece that is driven by the auxiliary gear; a minimal configuration of the toothed rack drive with only one cogwheel; and a limit stop for defining an end position for the auxiliary-gear-driven arcing contact piece. Advantages, among others, are: auxiliary gear with reduced number of parts, and simplified mounting and adjustment.

Claims (81)

1. An interrupter unit for an electrical circuit breaker for power supply networks, the interrupter unit comprising:

a central axis;

a first contact system having an insulation nozzle for arc blowing;

an auxiliary gear;

a second contact system; and

a circuit breaker drive which drives the first contact system and also drives the second contact system via the auxiliary gear, wherein:

the auxiliary gear comprises holding means and guiding means for a toothed rack drive;

the auxiliary gear comprises a monoblock in which the holding means and the guiding means for the toothed rack drive are integrated;

the toothed rack drive has exactly one gearwheel, exactly one first toothed rack for driving the gearwheel, and exactly one second toothed rack for moving a second arcing contact piece of the second contact system.

2. The interrupter unit as claimed in claim 1 , wherein:

the monoblock has in its holding means a bearing for at least one gearwheel; and/or

the monoblock has in its guiding means a guide slide bearing and a sliding contact for an arcing contact piece that is driven by the auxiliary gear; and/or

the monoblock is electrically conductively connected to an external nominal current contact in order to draw current from the arcing contact piece.

3. The interrupter unit as claimed in claim 1 , wherein:

the monoblock forms a single assembly unit, which is configured to be inserted into the circuit breaker as a single unit; and/or

the monoblock is constructed as a single-piece unit.

4. The interrupter unit as claimed in claim 3 , wherein the monoblock is constructed as a single-piece cast part.

5. An electrical circuit breaker for a power supply network, comprising an interrupter unit as claimed in claim 1 .

6. The electrical circuit breaker as claimed in claim 5 , wherein the circuit breaker is at least one of:

a gas-blast circuit breaker; and/or

a high-voltage circuit breaker or a high-current circuit breaker, and/or

a life tank circuit breaker, an encapsulated breaker for a dead tank breaker or for a gas-insulated switchgear assembly, or a hybrid circuit breaker.

7. The interrupter unit as claimed in claim 6 , wherein the circuit breaker is a self-blast circuit breaker.

8. The interrupter unit as claimed in claim 1 , wherein:

the insulation nozzle is movable and is configured to transmit force from the circuit breaker drive to the auxiliary gear; and

the first toothed rack is attached to the insulation nozzle.

9. The interrupter unit as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the electrical circuit breaker is a high-voltage circuit breaker.

10. An interrupter unit for an electrical circuit breaker for power supply networks, the interrupter unit comprising:

a central axis;

a first contact system having an insulation nozzle for arc blowing;

an auxiliary gear;

a second contact system; and

a circuit breaker drive which drives the first contact system and also drives the second contact system via the auxiliary gear,

wherein the auxiliary gear comprises holding means and guiding means for a toothed rack drive;

wherein the auxiliary gear comprises a monoblock in which the holding means and the guiding means for the toothed rack drive are integrated, and wherein

a single mounting fixture is present for attaching the monoblock to the circuit breaker, and

the monoblock has exactly one mounting flange, which is attachable to exactly one mating flange on the circuit breaker.

11. An interrupter unit for an electrical circuit breaker for power supply networks, the interrupter unit comprising:

a central axis;

a first contact system having an insulation nozzle for arc blowing;

an auxiliary gear;

a second contact system; and

a circuit breaker drive which drives the first contact system and also drives the second contact system via the auxiliary gear,

wherein the auxiliary gear comprises holding means and guiding means for a toothed rack drive;

wherein the auxiliary gear comprises a monoblock in which the holding means and the guiding means for the toothed rack drive are integrated, and wherein

a pusher guide slide bearing is recessed in an arcing contact piece that is driven by the auxiliary gear, and/or

a fixed guide slide bearing is recessed in the guiding means of the monoblock for guiding the arcing contact piece that is driven by the auxiliary gear.

12. The interrupter unit as claimed in claim 11 , wherein the toothed rack drive has exactly one gearwheel, exactly one first toothed rack for driving the gearwheel, and exactly one second toothed rack for moving a second arcing contact piece.

13. An interrupter unit for an electrical circuit breaker for power supply networks, the interrupter unit comprising:

a central axis;

a first contact system having an insulation nozzle for arc blowing;

an auxiliary gear;

a second contact system; and

a circuit breaker drive which drives the first contact system and also drives the second contact system via the auxiliary gear, wherein:

the auxiliary gear comprises holding means and guiding means for a toothed rack drive;

the auxiliary gear comprises a monoblock in which the holding means and the guiding means for the toothed rack drive are integrated;

the insulation nozzle is movable and is configured to transmit force from the circuit breaker drive to the auxiliary gear; and

a first toothed rack is attached to the insulation nozzle and configured to be screwed into the insulation nozzle with an adjustable axial distance between its cogging and the insulation nozzle,

wherein the first toothed rack has no adjusting screws for adjusting the length of the first toothed rack.

14. The interrupter unit as claimed in claim 13 , comprising:

a limit stop provided for an arcing contact piece that is driven by the auxiliary gear.

15. The interrupter unit as claimed in claim 14 , wherein the limit stop is constituted by a shoulder in the arcing contact piece, and an opposing shoulder that cooperates therewith is constituted on the monoblock.

16. An interrupter unit for an electrical circuit breaker for power supply networks, the interrupter unit comprising:

a central axis;

a first contact system having an insulation nozzle for arc blowing;

an auxiliary gear;

a second contact system; and

a circuit breaker drive which drives the first contact system and also drives the second contact system via the auxiliary gear, wherein:

the auxiliary gear comprises holding means and guiding means for a toothed rack drive;

the auxiliary gear comprises a monoblock in which the holding means and the guiding means for the toothed rack drive are integrated; and

a limit stop is provided for an arcing contact piece that is driven by the auxiliary gear.

17. An electrical circuit breaker for a power supply network, comprising an interrupter unit as claimed in claim 16 .

18. The interrupter unit as claimed in claim 16 , wherein the limit stop is constituted by a shoulder in the arcing contact piece, and an opposing shoulder that cooperates therewith is constituted on the monoblock.

19. A method for assembling a circuit breaker with an interrupter unit, wherein the interrupter unit comprises a central axis, a first contact system having an insulation nozzle for arc blowing, an auxiliary gear, a second contact system, and a circuit breaker drive which drives the first contact system and also drives the second contact system via the auxiliary gear, wherein the auxiliary gear comprises holding means and guiding means for a toothed rack drive, wherein the auxiliary gear comprises a monoblock in which the holding means and the guiding means for the toothed rack drive are integrated, wherein the insulation nozzle is pre-assembled with a driving toothed rack in the circuit breaker, and wherein the method comprises the steps of:

inserting an arcing contact piece that is driven by the auxiliary gear into the monoblock as far as a limit stop;

inserting the monoblock into the circuit breaker until mounting fixtures of the monoblock come in touch with one another; and

using the mounting fixtures to secure the monoblock inside the circuit breaker.

20. A method for assembling a circuit breaker with an interrupter unit as claimed in claim 16 , wherein the insulation nozzle is pre-assembled with a driving toothed rack in the circuit breaker, the method comprising the steps of:

inserting the arcing contact piece that is driven by the auxiliary gear into the monoblock as far as the limit stop;

inserting the monoblock into the circuit breaker until mounting fixtures of the monoblock come in touch with one another; and

using the mounting fixtures to secure the monoblock inside the circuit breaker.

Assignments (6)
MERGER Recorded Nov 13, 2023
From: HITACHI ENERGY SWITZERLAND AG
To: HITACHI ENERGY LTD
Reel/Frame 065549/0576 →
CORRECTIVE ASSIGNMENT TO CORRECT THE THE CONVEYING PARTY'S NAME PREVIOUSLY RECORDED AT REEL: 040620 FRAME: 0802. ASSIGNOR(S) HEREBY CONFIRMS THE ASSIGNMENT. Recorded May 10, 2022
From: ABB TECHNOLOGY AG
To: ABB SCHWEIZ AG
Reel/Frame 059914/0738 →
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Dec 31, 2021
From: ABB POWER GRIDS SWITZERLAND AG
To: HITACHI ENERGY SWITZERLAND AG
Reel/Frame 058666/0540 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Mar 6, 2020
From: ABB SCHWEIZ AG
To: ABB POWER GRIDS SWITZERLAND AG
Reel/Frame 052916/0001 →
MERGER Recorded Nov 15, 2016
From: ABB TECHNOLOGY LTD
To: ABB SCHWEIZ AG
Reel/Frame 040620/0802 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jul 11, 2007
From: VESTNER, MARKUS; HUNGER, OLAF
To: ABB TECHNOLOGY AG
Reel/Frame 019595/0010 →