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EP-4742292-A1 - CIRCUIT BREAKER

EP4742292A1EP 4742292 A1EP4742292 A1EP 4742292A1EP-4742292-A1

Abstract

The present invention relates to a circuit breaker, comprising: - a vacuum interrupter (10); - a lever system (50); - a drive shaft (70); and - a coupler (80); wherein the vacuum interrupter comprises a fixed contact and a moveable contact; wherein a first end of the lever system is connected to the moveable contact; wherein a first part of the coupler is connected to the drive shaft, and wherein the first part of the coupler is at an on-axis location of the drive shaft; wherein a second part of the coupler is connected to a second end of the lever system, and wherein the second part of the coupler is at an off-axis location of the drive shaft; wherein a first rotation of the drive shaft in a first direction is configured to provide a first rotation to the second part of the coupler around the axis of the drive shaft in the first direction; and wherein the first rotation of the second part of the coupler around the axis of the drive shaft in the first direction is configured to activate the lever system to move the moveable contact towards, and come into contact with, the fixed contact.

Inventors

  • GENTSCH, DIETMAR
  • REUBER, CHRISTIAN
  • BELLUT, Markus

Assignees

  • ABB SCHWEIZ AG

Dates

Publication Date
20260513
Application Date
20241111

Claims (15)

  1. A circuit breaker, comprising: - a vacuum interrupter (10); - a lever system (50); - a drive shaft (70); and - a coupler (80); wherein the vacuum interrupter comprises a fixed contact and a moveable contact; wherein a first end of the lever system is connected to the moveable contact; wherein a first part of the coupler is connected to the drive shaft, and wherein the first part of the coupler is at an on-axis location of the drive shaft; wherein a second part of the coupler is connected to a second end of the lever system, and wherein the second part of the coupler is at an off-axis location of the drive shaft; wherein a first rotation of the drive shaft in a first direction is configured to provide a first rotation to the second part of the coupler around the axis of the drive shaft in the first direction; and wherein the first rotation of the second part of the coupler around the axis of the drive shaft in the first direction is configured to activate the lever system to move the moveable contact towards, and come into contact with, the fixed contact.
  2. Circuit breaker according to claim 1, further comprising an operating stud (30), wherein the first end of the lever system is connected to the moveable contact via the operating stud, and wherein at the end of the first rotation of the second part of the coupler around the axis of the drive shaft in the first direction the operating stud has been activated by a first amount such that a force of a first magnitude is applied by the operating stud to the moveable contact whilst the moveable contact is in contact with the fixed contact.
  3. Circuit breaker according to claim 2, wherein activation of the operating stud by the first amount comprises a compression of the operating stud to a first degree.
  4. Circuit breaker according to any of claims 1-3, wherein a second rotation of the drive shaft in the first direction is configured to provide a second rotation to the second part of the coupler around the axis of the drive shaft in the first direction, wherein the second rotation of the drive shaft is an additional rotation to the first rotation of the drive shaft, and wherein the second rotation of the second part of the coupler around the axis of the drive shaft in the first direction is configured to activate the lever system to maintain the moveable contact in contact with the fixed contact
  5. Circuit breaker according to claim 4 when dependent upon any of claims 2-3, wherein at the end of the second rotation of the second part of the coupler around the axis of the drive shaft in the first direction the operating stud has been activated by a second amount such that a force of a second magnitude is applied by the operating stud to the moveable contact whilst the moveable contact is in contact with the fixed contact, and wherein the second magnitude is less than the first magnitude.
  6. Circuit breaker according to claim 5, wherein activation of the operating stud by the second amount comprises a compression of the operating stud to a second degree, and wherein the compression of the operating stud to the second degree is less than the compression of the operating stud to the first degree.
  7. Circuit breaker according to any of claims 4-6, wherein the drive shaft is configured such that after the second rotation of the drive shaft in the first direction the drive shaft cannot rotate further in the first direction.
  8. Circuit breaker according to any of claims 1-7, wherein a counter rotation of the drive shaft in a second direction opposite to the first direction is configured to provide a counter rotation to the second part of the coupler around the axis of the drive shaft in the second direction, and wherein the counter rotation of the second part of the coupler around the axis of the drive shaft in the second direction is configured to activate the lever system to move the moveable contact away from the fixed contact.
  9. A circuit breaker, comprising: - a first vacuum interrupter (10); - a second vacuum interrupter (20); - a first lever system (50); - a second lever system (60); - a drive shaft (70); and - a coupler (80); wherein the first vacuum interrupter comprises a fixed contact and a moveable contact; wherein the second vacuum interrupter comprises a fixed contact and a moveable contact; wherein a first end of the first lever system is connected to the moveable contact of the first vacuum interrupter; wherein a first end of the second lever system is connected to the moveable contact of the second vacuum interrupter; wherein a first part of the coupler is connected to the drive shaft, and wherein the first part of the coupler is at an on-axis location of the drive shaft; wherein a second part of the coupler is connected to a second end of the first lever system, and wherein the second part of the coupler is at an off-axis location of the drive shaft; wherein a third part of the coupler is connected to a second end of the second lever system, and wherein the third part of the coupler is at an off-axis location of the drive shaft; wherein a first rotation of the drive shaft in a first direction is configured to provide a first rotation to the second part of the coupler around the axis of the drive shaft in the first direction and provide a first rotation to the third part of the coupler around the axis of the drive shaft in the first direction; and wherein the first rotation of the second part of the coupler around the axis of the drive shaft in the first direction is configured to activate the first lever system to move the moveable contact of the first vacuum interrupter towards and come into contact with the fixed contact of the first vacuum interrupter, and the first rotation of the third part of the coupler around the axis of the drive shaft in the first direction is configured to activate the second lever system to move the moveable contact of the second vacuum interrupter towards and come into contact with the fixed contact of the second vacuum interrupter.
  10. Circuit breaker according to claim 9, further comprising a first operating stud (30) and a second operating stud (40); wherein the first end of the first lever system is connected to the moveable contact of the first vacuum interrupter via the first operating stud, and wherein at the end of the first rotation of the second part of the coupler around the axis of the drive shaft in the first direction the first operating stud has been activated by a first amount such that a force of a first magnitude is applied by the first operating stud to the moveable contact of the first vacuum interrupter whilst the moveable contact of the first vacuum interrupter is in contact with the fixed contact of the first vacuum interrupter; and wherein the first end of the second lever system is connected to the moveable contact of the second vacuum interrupter via the second operating stud, and wherein at the end of the first rotation of the third part of the coupler around the axis of the drive shaft in the first direction the second operating stud has been activated by a second amount such that a force of a second magnitude is applied by the second operating stud to the moveable contact of the second vacuum interrupter whilst the moveable contact of the second vacuum interrupter is in contact with the fixed contact of the second vacuum interrupter.
  11. Circuit breaker according to any of claims 9-10, wherein a second rotation of the drive shaft in the first direction is configured to provide a second rotation to the second part of the coupler around the axis of the drive shaft in the first direction and provide a second rotation to the third part of the coupler around the axis of the drive shaft in the first direction, wherein the second rotation of the drive shaft is an additional rotation to the first rotation of the drive shaft, and wherein the second rotation of the second part of the coupler around the axis of the drive shaft in the first direction is configured to activate the first lever system to maintain the moveable contact of the first vacuum interrupter in contact with the fixed contact of the first vacuum interrupter, and wherein the second rotation of the third part of the coupler around the axis of the drive shaft in the first direction is configured to activate the second lever system to maintain the moveable contact of the second vacuum interrupter in contact with the fixed contact of the second vacuum interrupter.
  12. Circuit breaker according to claim 11 when dependent upon claim 10, wherein at the end of the second rotation of the second part of the coupler around the axis of the drive shaft in the first direction the first operating stud has been activated by a third amount such that a force of a third magnitude is applied by the first operating stud to the moveable contact of the first vacuum interrupter whilst the moveable contact of the first vacuum interrupter is in contact with the fixed contact of the first vacuum interrupter, and wherein the third magnitude is less than the first magnitude; and wherein at the end of the second rotation of the third part of the coupler around the axis of the drive shaft in the first direction the second operating stud has been activated by a fourth amount such that a force of a fourth magnitude is applied by the second operating stud to the moveable contact of the second vacuum interrupter whilst the moveable contact of the second vacuum interrupter is in contact with the fixed contact of the second vacuum interrupter, and wherein the fourth magnitude is less than the second magnitude.
  13. Circuit breaker according to claim 12, wherein activation of the first operating stud by the third amount comprises a compression of the first operating stud to a third degree, and wherein the compression of the first operating stud to the third degree is less than the compression of the first operating stud to the first degree; and wherein activation of the second operating stud by the fourth amount comprises a compression of the second operating stud to a fourth degree, and wherein the compression of the second operating stud to the fourth degree is less than the compression of the second operating stud to the second degree.
  14. Circuit breaker according to any of claims 11-13, wherein the drive shaft is configured such that after the second rotation of the drive shaft in the first direction the drive shaft cannot rotate further in the first direction.
  15. Circuit breaker according to any of claims 9-14, wherein a counter rotation of the drive shaft in a second direction opposite to the first direction is configured to provide a counter rotation to the second part of the coupler around the axis of the drive shaft in the second direction and provide a counter rotation to the third part of the coupler around the axis of the drive shaft in the second direction, wherein the counter rotation of the second part of the coupler around the axis of the drive shaft in the second direction is configured to activate the first lever system to move the moveable contact of the first vacuum interrupter away from the fixed contact of the first vacuum interrupter, and wherein the counter rotation of the third part of the coupler around the axis of the drive shaft in the second direction is configured to activate the second lever system to move the moveable contact of the second vacuum interrupter away from the fixed contact of the second vacuum interrupter.

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to circuit breakers, for a switchgear, such as a low voltage or medium voltage or high voltage circuit switchgear. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION To operate a vacuum interrupter, a linear motion is necessary to open and close the contacts of the vacuum interrupter. For medium voltage circuit breakers it is state-of-the-art to use one vacuum interrupter, or indeed two vacuum interrupters in series, to interrupter short-circuit currents in circuits above 40 KV. If two vacuum interrupters are operated in series, homogeneous voltage distribution across both vacuum interrupters in the open position and during operation is required. A preferred situation would be to have a drive mechanism that can be used to drive a single vacuum interrupter if necessary, and also that could be used to drive two vacuum interrupters in series. Such a drive mechanism does not exist. There is a need to address this situation. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Therefore, it would be advantageous to provide an improved drive mechanism for a circuit breaker of a switchgear that can operate a single vacuum interrupter and two vacuum interrupters in series. The object of the present invention is solved with the subject matter of the independent claims, wherein further embodiments are incorporated in the dependent claims. In a first aspect, there is provided a circuit breaker, comprising: a vacuum interrupter;a lever system;a drive shaft; anda coupler. The vacuum interrupter comprises a fixed contact and a moveable contact. A first end of the lever system is connected to the moveable contact. A first part of the coupler is connected to the drive shaft, and the first part of the coupler is at an on-axis location of the drive shaft. A second part of the coupler is connected to a second end of the lever system, and wherein the second part of the coupler is at an off-axis location of the drive shaft. A first rotation of the drive shaft in a first direction is configured to provide a first rotation to the second part of the coupler around the axis of the drive shaft in the first direction. The first rotation of the second part of the coupler around the axis of the drive shaft in the first direction is configured to activate the lever system to move the moveable contact towards, and come into contact with, the fixed contact. In this way, a new circuit breaker design is provided where an eccentric kinematic chain is used to convert rotary motion into linear motion to move the moveable contact of a vacuum interrupter. Thus, by connected the lever system at different distances from the drive shaft, different speeds of operation of the moveable contact can be provided, and where different degrees of length of moveable contact movement can be provided through different amounts of rotation of the drive shaft. In this manner, the same drive system can be utilized for different vacuum interrupters. In an example, the circuit breaker further comprises an operating stud. The first end of the lever system is connected to the moveable contact via the operating stud. At the end of the first rotation of the second part of the coupler around the axis of the drive shaft in the first direction the operating stud has been activated by a first amount such that a force of a first magnitude is applied by the operating stud to the moveable contact whilst the moveable contact is in contact with the fixed contact. In an example, activation of the operating stud by the first amount comprises a compression of the operating stud to a first degree. In an example, a second rotation of the drive shaft in the first direction is configured to provide a second rotation to the second part of the coupler around the axis of the drive shaft in the first direction. The second rotation of the drive shaft is an additional rotation to the first rotation of the drive shaft. The second rotation of the second part of the coupler around the axis of the drive shaft in the first direction is configured to activate the lever system to maintain the moveable contact in contact with the fixed contact. In an example, at the end of the second rotation of the second part of the coupler around the axis of the drive shaft in the first direction the operating stud has been activated by a second amount such that a force of a second magnitude is applied by the operating stud to the moveable contact whilst the moveable contact is in contact with the fixed contact. The second magnitude is less than the first magnitude. In this way, the moveable contact is held securely in position in contact with the fixed contact in that an initial increase in force is required in order to move the moveable contact away from the fixed contact. In an example, activation of the operating stud by the second amount comprises a compression of the operating stud to a second degree, and the compression of the operating stud to the second degree is less than the compression of the operat