US 11,776,779 B2
Medium voltage switching apparatus
Emanuele Morelli, Azzano San Paolo (IT); Dietmar Gentsch, Ratingen (DE); and Jacopo Bruni, Caselle Lurani (IT)
Assigned to ABB Schweiz AG, Baden (CH)
Filed by ABB Schweiz AG, Baden (CH)
Filed on Jan. 13, 2022, as Appl. No. 17/574,862.
Claims priority of application No. 21151597 (EP), filed on Jan. 14, 2021.
Prior Publication US 2022/0223361 A1, Jul. 14, 2022
Int. Cl. H01H 33/664 (2006.01); H01H 33/662 (2006.01); H01H 33/666 (2006.01)
CPC H01H 33/664 (2013.01) [H01H 33/662 (2013.01); H01H 33/666 (2013.01)] 15 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A switching apparatus for medium voltage electric systems, switching apparatus comprising one or more electric poles, wherein, for each electric pole, switching apparatus comprises:
a first pole terminal, a second pole terminal, and a ground terminal, first pole terminal electrically couplable with a first conductor of an electric line, second pole terminal electrically couplable to a second conductor of the electric line, and ground terminal electrically couplable to a grounding conductor;
a first contact arrangement including a first fixed contact member and a first movable contact member, the first fixed contact member electrically connected to first pole terminal and including a first fixed contact, the first movable contact member electrically connected to second pole terminal and including a first movable contact, the first movable contact member reversibly movable about a corresponding first rotation axis according to a first rotation direction away from the first fixed contact and towards ground terminal or according to a second rotation direction, opposite to the first rotation direction, so that the first movable contact can be coupled to or uncoupled from the first fixed contact or ground terminal;
a second contact arrangement including a second fixed contact member and a second movable contact member, the second fixed contact member electrically connected to first pole terminal and including a second fixed contact, the second movable contact member including a second movable contact and reversibly movable along a corresponding translation axis, so that the second movable contact can be coupled to or decoupled from the second fixed contact;
a vacuum chamber, in which the second fixed contact and the second movable contact are enclosed and can be coupled or decoupled;
wherein, for each electric pole, switching apparatus comprises an electrically conductive coupling lever pivoted on the second movable contact member and reversibly movable about a second rotation axis according to a third rotation direction or according to a fourth rotation direction, opposite to the third rotation direction,
wherein the coupling lever couples with and is actuated by the first movable contact member when the first movable contact member moves according to the first rotation direction,
wherein the coupling lever electrically connects the second movable contact member with the first movable contact member when the coupling lever is coupled to the first movable contact member,
wherein the coupling lever is moved according to the rotation direction (R3) to couple with a fixed mechanical element when the coupling lever is actuated by the first movable contact member, and
wherein the coupling lever exerts on the second movable contact member an actuation force directed to move the second movable contact away from the second fixed contact.