US 11,756,756 B2
Vacuum interrupter with double live shield
Leslie T. Falkingham, Rugby (GB); Keith W. Benson, Chicago, IL (US); Jason R. Bogusz, Chicago, IL (US); Gregory Wilk, Chicago, IL (US); Kam Wa Cheng, Stafford (GB); Subir Chakraborty, Chicago, IL (US); Gabrielle Madden, Chicago, IL (US); and Francis Gotanco, Chicago, IL (US)
Assigned to S&C Electric Company, Chicago, IL (US)
Filed by S&C Electric Company, Chicago, IL (US)
Filed on Feb. 22, 2022, as Appl. No. 17/677,883.
Claims priority of provisional application 63/153,659, filed on Feb. 25, 2021.
Prior Publication US 2022/0270837 A1, Aug. 25, 2022
Int. Cl. H01H 33/664 (2006.01); H01H 33/662 (2006.01)
CPC H01H 33/664 (2013.01) [H01H 33/66261 (2013.01)] 9 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A vacuum interrupter comprising:
an insulator including a first end and a second end;
a first end cap sealed to the first end of the insulator and a second end cap sealed to the second end of the insulator, where the insulator, the first end cap and the second end cap define a vacuum chamber;
a fixed contact including a shaft electrically coupled to the first end cap and a first contact portion positioned within the chamber;
a movable contact including a shaft electrically coupled to the second end cap by a flexible bellows and a second contact portion positioned within the chamber, wherein the first and second contact portions contact each other when the vacuum interrupter is in a closed position and do not contact each other when the vacuum interrupter is in an open position;
a first vapor shield positioned within the insulator and around the fixed contact so as to define a first annular gap between the first vapor shield and the insulator, wherein the first vapor extends axially within the insulator from the first end of the insulator to a first edge recessed from a plane of the first contact portion; and
a second vapor shield positioned within the insulator and around the movable contact so as to define a second annular gap between the second vapor shield and the insulator, wherein the second vapor extends axially within the insulator from the second end of the insulator to a second edge recessed from a plane of the second contact portion when the moving contact is in the open position defining an annular space between the first vapor shield and the second vapor shield about the first contact portion and the second contact portion to permit metal vapor caused by arcing between the first contact portion and the second contact portion to be communicated to a surface of the insulator, and wherein the first annular gap and the second annular gap are configured so as to inhibit communication of metal vapor caused by arcing between the first and second contact portions traveling completely through the first annular gap and the second annular gap and collecting on the first end and the second end of the insulator.