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EP-4283648-B1 - HIGH-SPEED INPUT DEVICE

EP4283648B1EP 4283648 B1EP4283648 B1EP 4283648B1EP-4283648-B1

Inventors

  • KANAYA, Kazuhisa
  • OHDA, YOSHIAKI
  • ISHIGURO, TAKAHIRO
  • NIWA, YOSHIMITSU

Dates

Publication Date
20260513
Application Date
20210125

Claims (12)

  1. A high-speed switching device (1) comprising: a contact point portion (2) that includes a drive electrode (11) and a counter electrode (12) which are coaxially arranged to face each other in a separated state and in which a voltage is applied between the drive electrode (11) and the counter electrode (12) from the outside; a drive mechanism portion (3) that includes a driving portion (33) which is connected to the drive electrode (11) and is configured to apply a driving force in a first direction approaching the counter electrode (12) with respect to the drive electrode (11) during an input operation; and an impact buffer portion (4) that includes a counter side urging portion (55) which is connected to the counter electrode (12) and is configured to always apply a return force in the second direction contacting the drive electrode (11) with respect to the counter electrode (12) and a counter side stopper (57) which is configured to regulate the displacement of the counter electrode (12) in the second direction while the drive electrode (11) and the counter electrode (12) are separated from each other in a steady state, characterized in that the drive mechanism portion (3) further includes: a drive side urging portion (38) which is configured to always apply a return force in a direction separating from the counter electrode (12) with respect to the drive electrode (11), and a drive side stopper (40) which is configured to regulate the displacement of the drive electrode (11) in the second direction while the drive electrode (11) and the counter electrode (12) are separated from each other in a steady state, and the input operation includes: an approaching step in which the drive electrode (11) approaches the counter electrode (12) by a driving force of the driving portion (33), a contacting step in which the drive electrode (11) contacts the counter electrode (12) to be displaced in the first direction together with the counter electrode (12) and a displacement direction is reversed to the second direction together with the counter electrode (12) by a return force of the drive side urging portion (38) and a return force of the counter side urging portion (55), and a separating step in which the displacement of the counter electrode (12) in the second direction is regulated by the counter side stopper (57) and the drive electrode (11) is separated from the counter electrode (12).
  2. The high-speed switching device (1) according to claim 1, wherein in the input operation, the drive electrode (11) approaches the counter electrode (12) to start energization by a driving force of the driving portion (33) in the approaching step, the drive electrode (11) continues the energization with the counter electrode (12) in the contacting step, and the drive electrode (11) is separated from the counter electrode (12) in the separating step.
  3. The high-speed switching device (1) according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the driving portion (33) includes a repulsion body (36) of a good conductor connected to the drive electrode (11) and a coil (37) disposed to face the repulsion body (36), and wherein a driving force applied from the driving portion (33) to the drive electrode (11) is an induced repulsive force generated in the repulsion body (36) when a current is applied to the coil (37).
  4. The high-speed switching device (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein at least one of the drive side urging portion (38) and the counter side urging portion (55) is a coil spring.
  5. The high-speed switching device (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 4, further comprising: a drive side braking portion (35) configured to decelerate the drive electrode (11) by contacting the drive electrode (11) displaced in the second direction by a return force of the counter side urging portion (55) during the input operation.
  6. The high-speed switching device (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 5, further comprising: a counter side braking portion (54) configured to decelerate the counter electrode (12) by contacting the counter electrode (12) contacting the drive electrode (11) and displaced in the first direction together with the drive electrode (11) by a driving force of the driving portion (33) during the input operation.
  7. The high-speed switching device (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 6, further comprising: a pressure container (13) that accommodates a contact portion between the drive electrode (11) and the counter electrode (12) and encloses an insulating gas, wherein a part of each of the drive electrode (11) and the counter electrode (12) extends to the outside of the pressure container (13) while maintaining the airtightness of the pressure container (13).
  8. The high-speed switching device (1) according to claim 7, wherein the insulating gas is composed of at least one of the group consisting of a sulfur hexafluoride gas, nitrogen, carbon dioxide, oxygen, and air.
  9. The high-speed switching device (1) according to claim 7 or 8, wherein the impact buffer portion (4) is accommodated in the pressure container (13).
  10. The high-speed switching device (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 9, further comprising: a vacuum container (112) that accommodates a contact portion between the drive electrode (11) and the counter electrode (12), wherein a part of the drive electrode (11) extends to the outside of the vacuum container (112) while maintaining the vacuum container (112) airtight.
  11. The high-speed switching device (1) according to claim 10, wherein the impact buffer portion (4) is accommodated in the vacuum container (112).
  12. The high-speed switching device (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 11, wherein at least a part of the drive electrode (11) and the counter electrode (12) is made of a metal material having arc resistance, and wherein the metal material is a copper-chromium alloy.

Description

[Technical Field] Embodiments of the present invention relate to a high-speed switching device. [Background Art] There is known an switching device that maintains insulation between terminals to which a high voltage is applied in a steady state and rapidly electrically connects the terminals at an arbitrary timing to allow a large current to flow. The input devices are used in various applications such as high-speed grounding devices and bypass switches in power transmission systems, commutation circuit input devices for DC circuit breakers, and current source input devices for generating fusion plasma. An example of the switching device is an electrode drive type input device. The electrode drive type input device includes a pair of main electrodes arranged to face each other so that a high voltage is applied therebetween in a steady state. In the pair of main electrodes, one main electrode is a movable electrode and the other main electrode is a fixed electrode. The movable electrode is disposed to movable toward and away from the fixed electrode. The movable electrode is operated in a direction contacting the fixed electrode by a driving portion during an input operation. When the distance between the movable electrode and the fixed electrode becomes equal to or less than the insulation distance for the applied voltage, arc discharge occurs between the movable electrode and the fixed electrode and the input device starts energization. The movable electrode contacts the fixed electrode while continuing the arc discharge. The input device continues the energization while the movable electrode contacts the fixed electrode and ends the input operation. However, in the electrode drive type input device, arc discharge occurs between the electrodes and then the input operation ends while the electrodes contact each other. Therefore, when a large current is input, the metal on the electrode surfaces melted by the arc discharge is cooled and the electrodes are spot-welded to each other. The welded electrodes are pulled apart when the circuit is opened, and the welded portion is torn off while forming sharp protrusions on the electrodes. These sharp protrusions become electric field concentration portions in a steady state in which the electrodes are separated from each other and a high voltage is applied, and reduce the insulating performance between the electrodes. Patent Document 4 discloses that an end part of a conducting shaft on the fixed side of a vacuum valve is connected to a fixed side terminal while pressing an electrode on the fixed side and an electrode on the movable side by the closing action of the operating part through a wipe spring. Then, the sliding contacts are provided on the fixed side terminal and the end part of the shaft is made to penetrate the contacts and the spring is fitted on the shaft projected from the valve. In this case, the spring is mounted in a mounting length slightly compressed between a flange and the upper terminal conductor. In this way, the number of the connecting parts and inertia of the operating part are reduced up to a prescribed contact clearance being made after the electrode is dissociated from the electrode, so that opening speed and breaking characteristic of the electrode can be raised while obtaining a small-sized external shape and a long life. [Citation List] [Patent Document] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Unexamined Patent Application, First Publication No. 55-163724[Patent Document 2] Japanese Unexamined Patent Application, First Publication No. 2019-186162[Patent Document 3] Japanese Examined Utility Model Application, Second Publication No. S57-007127[Patent Document 4] JP H05 190063 A [Summary of Invention] [Technical Problem] An object of the present invention is to provide a high-speed switching device capable of suppressing deterioration of withstand voltage performance due to protrusions caused by welding between electrodes. [Solution to Problem] Accordingly, there is provided a high-speed switching device as set out in independent claim 1. Advantageous developments are defined in the dependent claims. [Brief Description of Drawings] FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view showing a high-speed switching device of a first embodiment.FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view showing the high-speed switching device of the first embodiment.FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view showing the high-speed switching device of the first embodiment.FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view showing the high-speed switching device of the first embodiment.FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view showing a high-speed switching device of a second embodiment.FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view showing the high-speed switching device of the second embodiment.FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view showing the high-speed switching device of the second embodiment.FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view showing the high-speed switching device of the second embodiment.FIG. 9 is a cross-sectional view showing a high-speed swi