US 12,033,820 B2
Modular vacuum circuit interrupter
Lawrence B Beagan, Fayetteville, GA (US); Joseph Andreyo, Fayetteville, GA (US); and Joseph R Rostron, McDonough, GA (US)
Assigned to SOUTHERN STATES, LLC, Hampton, GA (US)
Filed by Southern States, LLC, Hampton, GA (US)
Filed on Jul. 7, 2022, as Appl. No. 17/859,076.
Prior Publication US 2024/0013993 A1, Jan. 11, 2024
Int. Cl. H01H 33/662 (2006.01); H01H 33/666 (2006.01)
CPC H01H 33/66207 (2013.01) [H01H 33/666 (2013.01); H01H 2033/6623 (2013.01); H01H 2033/6665 (2013.01)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A vacuum circuit interrupter, comprising:
a drive unit comprising a drive unit housing comprising a side surface extending in an axial direction from a top end to a bottom end, a drive mechanism positioned within the drive unit housing comprising a drive shaft extending axially through the bottom end of the drive unit housing, and an actuator linkage operatively connected to the drive mechanism;
a contactor unit comprising a contactor unit housing comprising a side surface extending in an axial direction from a top end to a bottom end, and a vacuum bottle unit positioned within the contactor unit housing comprising a vacuum container enclosing a contactor comprising a connecting rod extending through a top end of the vacuum container;
a desiccant valve resulting in dehumidified air inside the drive unit housing and the contactor unit housing to mitigate corrosion and condensation;
wherein the drive shaft is separably connected to the connecting rod for removing the vacuum bottle unit from the vacuum circuit interrupter by disconnecting the bottom end of the drive unit from the top end of the contactor unit, rotating the contactor unit with respect to the drive unit to unscrew the connecting rod from the drive shaft, and sliding the vacuum bottle unit out of the contactor unit housing.