US 12,266,496 B2
Hydraulic simultaneous multi-pole contact opening mechanism for circuit interrupters
Jayaraman Muniyappan, Pernambut (IN); Santhosh Kumar Chamarajanagar Govinda Nayaka, Moon Township, PA (US); and Robert Michael Slepian, Murrysville, PA (US)
Assigned to EATON INTELLIGENT POWER LIMITED, Dublin (IE)
Filed by EATON INTELLIGENT POWER LIMITED, Dublin (IE)
Filed on Apr. 28, 2023, as Appl. No. 18/140,855.
Prior Publication US 2024/0363301 A1, Oct. 31, 2024
Int. Cl. H01H 3/24 (2006.01); H01H 50/36 (2006.01); H01H 50/44 (2006.01); H01H 50/54 (2006.01); H01H 89/00 (2006.01)
CPC H01H 89/00 (2013.01) [H01H 3/24 (2013.01); H01H 50/36 (2013.01); H01H 50/44 (2013.01); H01H 50/54 (2013.01)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A multi-pole actuation system for use with a circuit interrupter, the circuit interrupter including a plurality of poles, the multi-pole actuation system comprising:
a hydraulic tank containing hydraulic fluid;
a plurality of narrow pistons corresponding in number to the plurality of poles, each narrow piston including:
a narrow piston crown that interfaces with the hydraulic fluid; and
a narrow piston connecting rod extending proximally from the narrow piston crown to an exterior of the hydraulic tank and structured to be connected to a movable conductor of one pole of the circuit interrupter; and
a number of Thomson coil arrangements, the number of Thomson coil arrangements being fewer in number than the plurality of poles, each Thomson coil arrangement comprising:
a conductive coil configured to be actuated by a current source;
a conductive member positioned adjacent the conductive coil; and
a wide piston, each wide piston including:
a wide piston crown that interfaces with the hydraulic fluid; and
a wide piston connecting rod extending proximally from the wide piston crown and fixedly coupled to the conductive member,
wherein a collective total surface area of all surfaces of the number of wide pistons that interface with the hydraulic fluid is greater than a collective total surface area of all surfaces of the plurality of narrow pistons that interface with the hydraulic fluid, and
wherein the hydraulic tank is structured such that, when every conductive member is adjacent its corresponding conductive coil and every conductive coil is activated with current:
each conductive coil repels its corresponding conductive member in a proximal direction, and
movement of any conductive member in the proximal direction causes the hydraulic fluid to exert force against the plurality of narrow pistons in a distal direction.