US 12,387,890 B2
Medium voltage switching apparatus
Pierluigi Invernizzi, Corna Imagna (IT); Simone Rambaldini, Paderno Dugnano (IT); and Roberto Tassis, San Giovanni Bianco (IT)
Assigned to ABB Schweiz AG, Baden (CH)
Filed by ABB Schweiz AG, Baden (CH)
Filed on May 15, 2023, as Appl. No. 18/317,496.
Claims priority of application No. 22173528 (EP), filed on May 16, 2022.
Prior Publication US 2023/0368993 A1, Nov. 16, 2023
Int. Cl. H01H 33/02 (2006.01); H01H 33/664 (2006.01)
CPC H01H 33/664 (2013.01) [H01H 33/025 (2013.01)] 15 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A switching apparatus for medium voltage electric systems, the switching apparatus comprising one or more electric poles, wherein, for each electric pole, the switching apparatus comprises:
a first pole terminal, a second pole terminal, and a ground terminal, wherein the first pole terminal is electrically couplable to a first conductor of an electric line, wherein the second pole terminal is electrically couplable to a second conductor of the electric line, and wherein the ground terminal is electrically couplable to a grounding conductor;
a plurality of fixed contacts spaced apart one from another, the plurality of fixed contacts comprising a first fixed contact electrically connected to the first pole terminal, a second fixed contact electrically connected to the second pole terminal, and a third fixed contact electrically connected to the ground terminal;
a movable contact reversibly movable about a corresponding rotation axis according to opposite first and second rotation directions, so that the movable contact can be coupled to or uncoupled from the fixed contacts;
a vacuum interrupter comprising a fixed arc contact electrically connected to the first pole terminal, a movable arc contact reversibly movable along a corresponding translation axis between a coupled position with the fixed arc contact and an uncoupled position from the fixed arc contact, and a vacuum chamber, in which the fixed arc contact and the movable arc contact are enclosed and can be coupled or decoupled; and
a motion transmission mechanism operatively coupled to the movable arc contact, the motion transmission mechanism actuatable by the movable contact to cause a movement of the movable arc contact along the translation axis, when the movable contact moves about the rotation axis;
wherein the motion transmission mechanism comprises:
a first lever pivoted at a first axis and configured to be actuated by the movable contact, during an opening maneuver of the switching apparatus, wherein the first lever comprises a first coupling portion mechanically couplable to the movable contact, wherein the first lever comprises, at the first coupling portion, an auxiliary contact arrangement electrically connected to the movable arc contact and electrically couplable to the movable contact, when the movable contact mechanically couples to the first coupling portion;
a second lever pivoted on a fixed support at a second hinge axis and configured to be actuated by the movable contact, during a closing maneuver of the switching apparatus, wherein the second lever comprises a second coupling portion mechanically couplable to the movable contact; and
a third lever pivoted on the first lever at the first hinge axis and pivoted on the movable arc contact at a third hinge axis.