IP Library › Granted Patent US 9,299,509
Granted Patent B2
US 9,299,509 · App. 13/900,835 · Granted Mar 29, 2016

Electrical switching device, notably for direct current, equipped with a magnetic module for blowing the electric arc

Inventors: Karine Coquil (Flexbourg, FR); Jerome Hertzog (Benfeld, FR)
Assignee: Socomec S.A.
H01H9/443H01H1/2041H01H33/596
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 9,299,509
App. No.
13/900,835
Granted
Mar 29, 2016
Kind
B2
Abstract

An electrical switching device ( 1 ) which comprises at least one double breaking pole provided with two fixed contacts ( 3, 4 ) that cooperate with two moving contacts ( 5, 6 ) arranged so as to move in a breaking plane (P) and define, with every fixed contact, a breaking zone. The device comprises a permanent magnet ( 11, 12 ) housed in an insulating holder arranged in the immediate environment, next to each breaking zone, symmetrically with respect to the breaking plane and oriented so as to generate a magnetic excitation vector parallel to the breaking plane (P) so that the induced electromagnetic force (FE) moves and stretches every electric arc (E 1 , E 2 ), generated when opening the electrical circuit, in a direction perpendicular to the breaking plane (P), leading to the extinction of the electric arc regardless of the polarity of the magnet and/or of the current.

Claims (16)

1. An electrical switching device ( 1 , 100 , 110 ), for direct current, equipped with a magnetic module for blowing an electric arc, the switching device comprising:

at least a housing ( 2 , 200 , 210 ) that delimits at least one breaking pole comprising at least one first fixed contact ( 3 , 300 , 310 ) that cooperates with at least one first moving contact ( 5 , 500 , 510 ), and

the first moving contact being arranged so as to move between open and closed positions within a breaking plane (P) and to define, with the first fixed contact, a first breaking zone (Z 1 ) in which a first electric arc (E 1 ) extends upon opening the electrical circuit,

wherein the magnetic module comprises at least a first permanent magnet ( 11 ) housed in at least a first insulating holder ( 20 ), the first permanent magnet is an independent permanent north-south magnet whose magnetic field loops on itself, with north-south sides perpendicular to the breaking plane (P), and arranged immediately adjacent to the first breaking zone (Z 1 ), symmetrically with respect to the breaking plane (P) and oriented so as to generate a magnetic excitation vector which extends parallel to the breaking plane (P) so that an induced electromagnetic force (FE) moves and stretches the first electric arc (E 1 ) perpendicularly to the breaking plane (P), independently of a direction of a polarity of the at least one of the first permanent magnet and of the current.

2. The device according to claim 1 , further comprising in the breaking pole, a second fixed contact ( 4 , 400 , 410 ) cooperates with a second moving contact ( 6 , 600 , 610 ), the second moving contact is linked to the first moving contact and arranged to move in the breaking plane (P) and define, with the second fixed contact, a second breaking zone (Z 2 ) in which a second electric arc (E 2 ) extends upon opening the electrical circuit, wherein the magnetic module comprises a second permanent magnet ( 12 ) housed in a second insulating holder ( 20 ), the second permanent magnet is an independent permanent north-south magnet whose magnetic field loops on itself, with north-south sides perpendicular to the breaking plane (P), and arranged immediately adjacent to the second breaking zone (Z 2 ), symmetrically with respect to the breaking plane (P) and oriented so as to generate a magnetic excitation vector which extends parallel to the breaking plane (P) so that an induced electromagnetic force (FE) moves and stretches the second electric arc (E 2 ) perpendicularly to the breaking plane (P), in one direction or another, according to a polarity of at least one of the second permanent magnet and of the current, and the first and the second permanent magnets ( 11 , 12 ) are arranged spaced from one another, symmetrically with respect to a median axis or to a median plane of the device so that the electromagnetic forces (FE), induced by the first and second permanent magnets ( 11 , 12 ), have parallel and spaced directions.

3. The device according to claim 1 , wherein the electromagnetic force (FE), induced by the permanent magnet ( 11 , 12 ), is perpendicular to two walls of the housing which are parallel and symmetrical with respect to the breaking plane (P) of the housing ( 2 , 200 , 210 ) of the electrical switching device ( 1 , 100 , 110 ).

4. The device according to claim 2 , wherein the first and the second permanent magnets ( 11 , 12 ) are identical, parallel and spaced from one another so that their respective magnetic fields (CM) do not interfere with one another.

5. The device according to claim 4 , wherein the first and the second insulating holders ( 20 ) are identical to one another.

6. The device according to claim 5 , wherein the insulating holder ( 20 ) comprises assembly means ( 26 ), complementary to receiving means ( 27 ) provided in housing ( 2 , 200 , 210 ) of the electrical switching device ( 1 , 100 , 110 ), in order to position the insulating holder ( 20 ) in front of and parallel to the breaking zone (Z 1 , Z 2 ).

7. The device according to claim 6 , wherein the insulating holder ( 20 ) comprises a housing provided with a side opening ( 24 ) that extends perpendicularly to the breaking zone (Z 1 , Z 2 ) and in which the first permanent magnet ( 11 , 12 ) is inserted.

8. The device according to claim 7 , wherein the insulating holder ( 20 ) extends on the side of its side opening ( 24 ) and in front of the breaking zone (Z 1 , Z 2 ) with at least one deflector ( 28 ) that extends parallel and in front of the breaking zone (Z 1 , Z 2 ) so as to protect the permanent magnet ( 11 , 12 ) against the electric arc (E 1 , E 2 ).

9. The device according to claim 1 , wherein the permanent magnet ( 11 , 12 ) is associated with at least one electric sheet ( 40 , 41 ) arranged so as to canalize the magnetic flux of the permanent magnet toward the breaking zone (Z 1 , Z 2 ).

10. The device according to claim 9 , wherein the electric sheet is housed with the permanent magnet in the insulating holder ( 20 ).

11. The device according to claim 9 , wherein the electric sheet ( 40 ) has a flat shape and covers a rear side of the permanent magnet ( 11 , 12 ) opposite to the breaking zone (Z 1 , Z 2 ).

12. The device according to claim 9 , wherein the electric sheet ( 40 ) has a U-shape and covers the rear side of the permanent magnet ( 11 , 12 ) opposite to the breaking zone (Z 1 , Z 2 ) and its two lateral sides.

13. The device according to claim 2 , wherein the electromagnetic force (FE), induced by the permanent magnet ( 11 , 12 ), is perpendicular to two walls of the housing which are parallel and symmetrical with respect to the breaking plane (P) of the housing ( 2 , 200 , 210 ) of the electrical switching device ( 1 , 100 , 110 ).

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jul 25, 2013
From: COQUIL, KARINE; HERTZOG, JEROME
To: SOCOMEC S.A.
Reel/Frame 030877/0745 →
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20140346144A1 · Nov 27, 2014