Spring operated switch actuator with damper for an electrical switching apparatus

1. A spring operated actuator for an electrical switching apparatus, the spring operated actuator including:

an opening spring and a closing spring to provide an opening and a closing movement respectively of the switching apparatus; and

a damper connected to the closing spring and arranged to decelerate the closing movement during at least an end portion of the closing movement, the damper having housing walls that enclose a circular working chamber and a rotatable radial displacement body disposed within the chamber;

characterized in that the damper is a rotary air damper with components that rotate relative to each other and has air as working medium for dampening.

2. The spring operated actuator according to claim 1 characterized in that the electrical switching apparatus is a circuit breaker for a medium or high voltage.

3. The spring operated actuator according to claim 1 characterized in that the closing spring is a helical torsion spring.

4. The spring operated actuator according to claim 3 characterized in that the closing spring is coaxial with the working chamber of the damper.

5. The spring operated actuator according to claim 3 characterized in that the helical torsion spring defines a winding direction and an unwinding direction thereof, whereby the helical torsion spring is arranged to be charged with mechanical energy in the unwinding direction and to discharge the mechanical energy in the winding direction.

6. The spring operated actuator according to claim 1 characterized in that the damper further includes a radial end wall, the radial end wall and the displacement body sealingly cooperate with the housing walls, wherein the housing walls have at least one outlet orifice forming an outlet for air displaced by the displacement body.

7. The spring operated actuator according to claim 6 characterized in that the closing spring has a charged and an uncharged state, whereby in the charged state the displacement body is located close to the radial end wall on one side thereof and is arranged to rotate to a position close to the other side of the radial end wall when the closing spring discharges.

8. The spring operated actuator according to claim 7 characterized in that when the closing spring is in the charged state, the outlet orifice is located on the opposite side of the radial end wall with respect to the displacement body at an angular distance from the radial end wall in the range of 10° to 120°.

9. The spring operated actuator according to claim 6 characterized in that the housing walls have at least one inlet orifice forming an inlet for air.

10. The spring operated actuator according to claim 9 characterized in that the housing includes a first part having a first side wall and a second part having a second side wall, which parts are rotatable relative each other and connected by a circumferential seal.

11. The spring operated actuator according to claim 10 characterized in that the radial end wall is attached to the first side wall and the displacement body is attached to the second side wall.

12. The spring operated actuator according to claim 11 characterized in that the second side wall is drivingly connected to an actuation end of the closing spring and to a main shaft arranged to transmit actuation movement to the switching apparatus.

13. The spring operated actuator according to claim 11 characterized in that the first side wall is in force-transmitting connection to a supported end of the closing spring and drivingly connected to a charging transmission.

14. The spring operated actuator according to claim 13 characterized in that the first part of the housing includes a circumferential wall, which circumferential wall has external drive connection means forming a part of the charging transmission.

15. An electrical switching apparatus characterized in that the switching apparatus includes:

a spring actuator, the spring actuator including an opening spring and a closing spring to provide an opening and a closing movement respectively of the switching apparatus; and

a damper connected to the closing spring and arranged to decelerate the closing movement during at least an end portion of the closing movement, the damper having housing walls that enclose a circular working chamber and a rotatable radial displacement body disposed within the chamber;

characterized in that the damper is a rotary air damper with components that rotate relative to each other and has air as working medium for dampening.

16. The electrical switching apparatus according to claim 15 characterized in that the switching apparatus is a circuit breaker.

17. The electrical switching apparatus according to claim 15 characterized in that the switching apparatus is a medium or high voltage switching apparatus.

18. A spring operated actuator for an electrical switching apparatus, the spring operated actuator including:

an opening spring and a closing spring to provide an opening and a closing movement respectively of the switching apparatus; and

a damper connected to the closing spring and arranged to decelerate the closing movement during at least an end portion of the closing movement, the damper having housing walls that enclose a circular working chamber and a rotatable radial displacement body disposed within the chamber;

characterized in that the damper is a rotary air damper with components that rotate relative to each other and has air as working medium for dampening; and

characterized in that the damper further includes a radial end wall, the radial end wall and the displacement body sealingly cooperate with the housing walls, wherein the housing walls have at least one outlet orifice forming an outlet for air displaced by the displacement body.