IP Library Granted Patent US 12,456,591
Granted Patent B2
US 12,456,591 · App. 18/273,621 · Granted Oct 28, 2025

Driving system for an on-load tap changer

Inventors: Borislav Vasilev (Sofia, BG); Georgi Manev (Sofia, BG); Veselin Nikolov (Sofia, BG); Angel Mihaylov (Plovdiv, BG)
Assignee: HITACHI ENERGY LTD
H01H9/0027H01H9/0038
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,456,591
App. No.
18/273,621
Granted
Oct 28, 2025
Kind
B2
Abstract

The present disclosure relates to a driving system for an on-load tap changer, comprising a vacuum interrupter driving mechanism configured to drive a vacuum interrupter of the on-load tap changer, an energy accumulation mechanism mechanically coupled with the vacuum interrupter driving mechanism, and a flywheel mechanism mechanically coupled with the vacuum interrupter driving mechanism. The flywheel mechanism comprises a flywheel. The energy accumulation mechanism is mechanically coupled with a primary driving unit and is configured to accumulate and release energy for combined motion of the vacuum interrupter driving mechanism and the flywheel mechanism. The vacuum interrupter driving mechanism and the flywheel mechanism are arranged along a main driving axis and the flywheel is concentrically arranged around the main driving axis.

Claims (46)

1. A driving system for an on-load tap changer, comprising:

a vacuum interrupter driving mechanism configured to drive a vacuum interrupter of the on-load tap changer;

an energy accumulation mechanism mechanically coupled with the vacuum interrupter driving mechanism; and

a flywheel mechanism mechanically coupled with the vacuum interrupter driving mechanism, wherein the flywheel mechanism comprises a flywheel which is configured as an annular rounded flywheel, such that there is a free space inside the annulus of the annular rounded flywheel when coupled to the vacuum interrupter driving mechanism,

wherein the energy accumulation mechanism is mechanically coupled with a primary driving unit and the energy accumulation mechanism is configured to accumulate and release energy for combined motion of the vacuum interrupter driving mechanism and the flywheel mechanism, and

wherein the vacuum interrupter driving mechanism and the flywheel mechanism are arranged along a main driving axis and the flywheel is concentrically arranged around the main driving axis.

2. The driving system according to claim 1 , wherein the primary driving unit is mechanically coupled with a motor drive unit connection.

3. The driving system according to claim 1 , wherein the energy accumulation mechanism comprises a spring mechanism configured to accumulate spring energy and a loading mechanism mechanically coupled with the primary driving unit and with the spring mechanism, wherein the loading mechanism is configured to load the spring mechanism for accumulating spring energy in the spring mechanism such that the accumulated spring energy is releasable from the loaded spring mechanism to drive the vacuum interrupter driving mechanism.

4. The driving system according to claim 1 , wherein the vacuum interrupter driving mechanism comprises a rotary wheel arranged around the main driving axis and eccentrically coupled with a coupling element of the energy accumulation mechanism,

wherein the coupling element of the energy accumulation mechanism is configured to transmit rotary motion caused by the release of energy from the energy accumulation mechanism into rotary motion of the rotary wheel of the vacuum interrupter driving mechanism.

5. The driving system according to claim 1 , further comprising a selector system driving mechanism configured to drive a selector system of the on-load tap changer,

wherein the selector system driving mechanism is mechanically coupleable with a drive shaft of the selector system for driving the selector system, and

wherein the selector system driving mechanism is mechanically coupleable with the primary driving unit.

6. The driving system according to claim 5 , wherein the selector system driving mechanism comprises a coupling configured to transmit rotary movement from the primary driving unit to the selector system driving mechanism in determined rotary states of the primary driving unit and to cause an idle movement of the primary driving unit with respect to the selector system driving mechanism in other rotary states of the primary driving unit.

7. The driving system according to claim 1 , further comprising a changeover selector driving mechanism configured to drive a changeover selector of the on-load tap changer,

wherein the changeover selector driving mechanism is mechanically coupleable with a drive shaft of the changeover selector for driving the changeover selector, and

wherein the changeover selector driving mechanism is mechanically coupled with the primary driving unit.

8. The driving system according to claim 7 , wherein the selector system driving mechanism comprises a driving wheel, wherein the driving wheel is mechanically coupleable with the primary driving unit and with a rotary element, such that the rotary element is rotatable by the primary driving unit via the driving wheel, and

wherein the changeover selector driving mechanism is mechanically coupled with the rotary element, such that the rotary element is rotatable by the driving wheel of the selector system driving mechanism and the changeover selector driving mechanism is operable by the rotary element.

9. An on-load tap changer, comprising a driving system comprising:

a vacuum interrupter driving mechanism configured to drive a vacuum interrupter of the on-load tap changer;

an energy accumulation mechanism mechanically coupled with the vacuum interrupter driving mechanism; and

a flywheel mechanism mechanically coupled with the vacuum interrupter driving mechanism, wherein the flywheel mechanism comprises a flywheel which is configured as an annular rounded flywheel, such that there is a free space inside the annulus of the annular rounded flywheel when coupled to the vacuum interrupter driving mechanism,

wherein the energy accumulation mechanism is mechanically coupled with a primary driving unit and the energy accumulation mechanism is configured to accumulate and release energy for combined motion of the vacuum interrupter driving mechanism and the flywheel mechanism, and

wherein the vacuum interrupter driving mechanism and the flywheel mechanism are arranged along a main driving axis and the flywheel is concentrically arranged around the main driving axis.

10. The on-load tap changer according to claim 9 , comprising a cylindrically formed housing and a carrying flange arranged on the cylindrically formed housing, wherein the driving system is attached to the carrying flange and concentrically placed relative to the cylindrically formed housing.

11. The on-load tap changer according to claim 9 , wherein the primary driving unit is mechanically coupled with a motor drive unit connection.

12. The on-load tap changer according to claim 9 , wherein the energy accumulation mechanism comprises a spring mechanism configured to accumulate spring energy and a loading mechanism mechanically coupled with the primary driving unit and with the spring mechanism, wherein the loading mechanism is configured to load the spring mechanism for accumulating spring energy in the spring mechanism such that the accumulated spring energy is releasable from the loaded spring mechanism to drive the vacuum interrupter driving mechanism.

13. The on-load tap changer according to claim 9 , wherein the vacuum interrupter driving mechanism comprises a rotary wheel arranged around the main driving axis and eccentrically coupled with a coupling element of the energy accumulation mechanism,

wherein the coupling element of the energy accumulation mechanism is configured to transmit rotary motion caused by the release of energy from the energy accumulation mechanism into rotary motion of the rotary wheel of the vacuum interrupter driving mechanism.

14. The on-load tap changer according to claim 9 , the driving system further comprising a selector system driving mechanism configured to drive a selector system of the on-load tap changer,

wherein the selector system driving mechanism is mechanically coupleable with a drive shaft of the selector system for driving the selector system, and

wherein the selector system driving mechanism is mechanically coupleable with the primary driving unit.

15. The on-load tap changer according to claim 14 , wherein the selector system driving mechanism comprises a coupling configured to transmit rotary movement from the primary driving unit to the selector system driving mechanism in determined rotary states of the primary driving unit and to cause an idle movement of the primary driving unit with respect to the selector system driving mechanism in other rotary states of the primary driving unit.

16. The on-load tap changer according to claim 9 , the driving system further comprising a changeover selector driving mechanism configured to drive a changeover selector of the on-load tap changer,

wherein the changeover selector driving mechanism is mechanically coupleable with a drive shaft of the changeover selector for driving the changeover selector, and

wherein the changeover selector driving mechanism is mechanically coupled with the primary driving unit.

17. The on-load tap changer according to claim 16 , wherein the selector system driving mechanism comprises a driving wheel, wherein the driving wheel is mechanically coupleable with the primary driving unit and with a rotary element, such that the rotary element is rotatable by the primary driving unit via the driving wheel, and wherein the changeover selector driving mechanism is mechanically coupled with the rotary element, such that the rotary element is rotatable by the driving wheel of the selector system driving mechanism and the changeover selector driving mechanism is operable by the rotary element.

18. A method of operating a driving system for an on-load tap changer, the method comprising:

mechanically coupling an energy accumulation mechanism of the driving system with a primary driving unit of the driving system to accumulate energy;

mechanically coupling the energy accumulation mechanism with a vacuum interrupter driving mechanism of the driving system;

mechanically coupling the vacuum interrupter driving mechanism with a flywheel mechanism, wherein the flywheel mechanism comprises a flywheel which is configured as an annular rounded flywheel, such that there is a free space inside the annulus of the annular rounded flywheel when coupled to the vacuum interrupter driving mechanism, and wherein the vacuum interrupter driving mechanism and the flywheel mechanism are arranged along a main driving axis and the flywheel is concentrically arranged around the main driving axis;

accumulating energy in the energy accumulation mechanism by loading the energy accumulation mechanism through operation of the primary driving unit; and

releasing the accumulated energy from the energy accumulation mechanism for combined motion of the vacuum interrupter driving mechanism and the flywheel mechanism to drive a vacuum interrupter of the on-load tap changer.

19. The method according to claim 18 , applied to a driving system according to claim 1 or to an on-load tap changer according to claim 9 or 10 .

20. The method according to claim 18 , applied to an on-load tap changer according to claim 9 .

Assignments (4)
MERGER Recorded Jul 17, 2025
From: HITACHI ENERGY SWITZERLAND AG
To: HITACHI ENERGY LTD
Reel/Frame 072018/0053 →
MERGER Recorded Nov 13, 2023
From: HITACHI ENERGY SWITZERLAND AG
To: HITACHI ENERGY LTD
Reel/Frame 065548/0869 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jul 21, 2023
From: VASILEV, BORISLAV; MANEV, GEORGI; NIKOLOV, VESELIN; MIHAYLOV, ANGEL
To: ABB POWER GRIDS SWITZERLAND AG
Reel/Frame 064339/0374 →
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Jul 21, 2023
From: ABB POWER GRIDS SWITZERLAND AG
To: HITACHI ENERGY SWITZERLAND AG
Reel/Frame 064339/0422 →