Arc extinguishing system of circuit breaker and circuit breaker

By stacking grid groups in multiple directions in the arc-extinguishing chamber of the circuit breaker and optimizing the arc path, the problem of insufficient grid number caused by the fixed volume of the arc-extinguishing chamber was solved, and reliable disconnection and arc extinguishing of the circuit breaker under high voltage were achieved.

CN115910717BActive Publication Date: 2026-06-30SHANGHAI ELECTRICAL APP RES INST

Patent Information

Authority / Receiving Office
CN · China
Patent Type
Patents(China)
Current Assignee / Owner
SHANGHAI ELECTRICAL APP RES INST
Filing Date
2021-08-20
Publication Date
2026-06-30

AI Technical Summary

Technical Problem

Existing circuit breakers cannot guarantee reliable breaking capacity at high voltage levels, mainly due to the fixed volume of the arc-extinguishing chamber and the limited number of arc-extinguishing grid plates.

Method used

Given a fixed arc-extinguishing chamber volume, the number of grid plates is increased by stacking grid plates in multiple directions, and the arc-initiating components and channel structure are designed to optimize the arc cutting and cooling path.

Benefits of technology

It improves the breaking capacity and reliability of circuit breakers under high voltage and high current conditions, enhances the arc extinguishing effect, reduces product costs, and simplifies the structure.

✦ Generated by Eureka AI based on patent content.

Smart Images

  • Figure CN115910717B_ABST
    Figure CN115910717B_ABST
Patent Text Reader

Abstract

This application provides an arc-extinguishing system and a circuit breaker. The arc-extinguishing system includes an arc-extinguishing chamber and arc-extinguishing plates. The arc-extinguishing chamber is disposed on one side of the moving area along a second direction. The arc-extinguishing chamber includes multiple sidewalls forming an arc-extinguishing cavity, which is connected to the moving area. The first direction intersects the second direction. The arc-extinguishing plates include plate groups disposed within the arc-extinguishing cavity. The plate groups are correspondingly disposed with respect to the sidewalls. Each plate group includes multiple plates stacked together, with the stacking direction of the plates being the same as the extension direction of the corresponding sidewall. This application allows for a greater number of plates to be arranged within the same arc-extinguishing chamber volume, thereby significantly improving the arc-extinguishing capability of the circuit breaker and ensuring the breaking reliability of the circuit breaker under high voltage and high current conditions.
Need to check novelty before this filing date? Find Prior Art

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the field of circuit breaker technology, and in particular to an arc extinguishing system and a circuit breaker. Background Technology

[0002] Circuit breakers typically employ arc-extinguishing chambers to extinguish electric arcs. Specifically, the arc-extinguishing chamber's plates are arranged in a specific stacking pattern to cut the arc, forcing a long arc into multiple shorter arc segments, thus achieving voltage division and cooling of the arc. In existing products, the volume of the arc-extinguishing chamber is fixed, and the arc-extinguishing plates are arranged in a single direction. Therefore, the number of arc-extinguishing plates is limited, and at high voltage levels, the reliable breaking capacity of the circuit breaker cannot be guaranteed. Summary of the Invention

[0003] This application provides an arc extinguishing system and a circuit breaker, which can increase the number of grid plates and improve the breaking current capacity of the circuit breaker under the premise of a fixed arc extinguishing chamber volume.

[0004] In a first aspect, embodiments of this application provide an arc extinguishing system for a circuit breaker. The circuit breaker includes a contact system, which includes a moving contact arc igniter, a moving contact, and a stationary contact arranged sequentially along a first direction. The moving contact is disposed within the moving area formed by the moving contact arc igniter and the stationary contact arc igniter, and is in separable contact with the stationary contact.

[0005] The arc extinguishing system includes an arc extinguishing chamber and an arc extinguishing grid. The arc extinguishing chamber is disposed on one side of the moving area along the second direction. The arc extinguishing chamber includes multiple side walls, which form an arc extinguishing cavity. The arc extinguishing cavity is connected to the moving area. The first direction intersects with the second direction.

[0006] The arc-extinguishing grid includes a grid assembly disposed within the arc-extinguishing chamber. The grid assembly is disposed correspondingly to the sidewall. The grid assembly includes multiple grids stacked together, and the stacking direction of the grids is the same as the extension direction of the corresponding sidewall.

[0007] In some embodiments, the arc-extinguishing chamber includes a first arc-extinguishing chamber and a second arc-extinguishing chamber disposed opposite to each other along a second direction, the second arc-extinguishing chamber being located on the side of the first arc-extinguishing chamber away from the motion area, and the first arc-extinguishing chamber including a first cavity and a second cavity disposed opposite to each other along a first direction;

[0008] The grid assembly includes a first grid assembly disposed in a first cavity and stacked along a second direction, a second grid assembly disposed in a second cavity and stacked along a second direction, and a third grid assembly disposed in a second arc-extinguishing cavity and stacked along a first direction.

[0009] In some embodiments, a cavity is provided between the first grid group and the second grid group along the first direction, so that the electric arc generated when the moving contact and the stationary contact are disconnected can move through the cavity into the first grid group.

[0010] In some embodiments, the arc extinguishing system further includes a first arc-initiating element disposed within the cavity and extending along a second direction.

[0011] In some embodiments, the arc extinguishing system further includes a second arc-initiating element and a third arc-initiating element, wherein the second arc-initiating element is located between the first grid plate group and the third grid plate group, and the third arc-initiating element is located between the second grid plate group and the third grid plate group.

[0012] The second arc-leading component includes a first bending portion and a second bending portion that are connected to each other. The first bending portion is stacked with the first grid plate group, and the second bending portion is stacked with the third grid plate group.

[0013] The third arc-leading component includes a third bend and a fourth bend that are connected to each other. The third bend is stacked with the second grid plate group, and the fourth bend is stacked with the third grid plate group.

[0014] In some embodiments, the distance between the first bend and the third bend gradually increases along the second direction, and the distance between the first grid group and the second grid group gradually decreases along the second direction.

[0015] In some embodiments, a side-blowing channel is provided on the side of the second bend away from the third grid group and on the side of the fourth bend away from the third grid group, wherein the side-blowing channel is connected to the outside.

[0016] In some embodiments, the arc extinguishing system further includes a first arc-initiating element, which is disposed between the second and third arc-initiating elements, and the shortest distance between the first and second arc-initiating elements is not greater than the shortest distance between the first and third arc-initiating elements.

[0017] In some embodiments, the plurality of sidewalls include a first side, a second side, and a third side that are connected end to end. The first side and the second side are disposed opposite to each other along a first direction and both extend along a second direction. The third side is connected to the first side and the second side respectively and is located at the end of the first side and the second side away from the movement area.

[0018] The third side facing the second arc-extinguishing chamber is provided with multiple baffles. The multiple baffles are stacked along the first direction and abut against the third grid plate group. An air supply channel is formed between adjacent baffles and the air supply channel is connected to the outside.

[0019] In some embodiments, along the first direction, the distance between the third grid group and the moving area shows a trend of first decreasing and then increasing.

[0020] On the other hand, embodiments of this application provide a circuit breaker including the arc extinguishing system described in any of the foregoing embodiments.

[0021] In some embodiments, the moving contact includes a moving main contact and a moving arc contact connected to each other, with the moving arc contact located on the side of the moving main contact closer to the arc-extinguishing chamber. The stationary contact includes a stationary main contact and a stationary arc contact connected to each other, with the stationary arc contact located on the side of the stationary main contact closer to the arc-extinguishing chamber.

[0022] Among them, the moving main contact is set to correspond with the stationary main contact, and the moving arc contact is set to correspond with the stationary arc contact.

[0023] This application provides an arc extinguishing system and a circuit breaker. The plate group is correspondingly arranged with the side wall of the arc extinguishing chamber, and the extension direction of the plates in the plate group is the same as the extension direction of the corresponding side wall. Compared with the arrangement of the arc extinguishing system in the traditional circuit breaker, this application can arrange more plates with the same arc extinguishing chamber volume, thereby greatly improving the arc extinguishing capability of the circuit breaker and ensuring the breaking reliability of the circuit breaker under high voltage and high current conditions. Attached Figure Description

[0024] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions of the embodiments of this application, the accompanying drawings used in the embodiments of this application will be briefly introduced below. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative effort.

[0025] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a contact system provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0026] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the connection between a contact system and an arc extinguishing system provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0027] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of an arc extinguishing system provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0028] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of another arc-extinguishing system provided in the embodiments of this application;

[0029] Figure 5 for Figure 4 The diagram shows the structural schematic of the gas channel in the arc extinguishing system.

[0030] Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram showing the connection between another contact system and arc extinguishing system provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0031] Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a circuit breaker under normal operating conditions provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0032] Figure 8 yes Figure 7 The diagram shows the structure of the circuit breaker when the moving main contact and the stationary main contact have just separated.

[0033] Figure 9 yes Figure 8 The diagram shows an arc path when the moving arc contact and the stationary arc contact in the circuit breaker have just separated.

[0034] Figure 10 yes Figure 8 The diagram shows another arc path when the moving arc contact and the stationary arc contact in the circuit breaker have just separated.

[0035] Figure 11 yes Figure 8 A schematic diagram of an arc path when the moving arc contact of the circuit breaker approaches the first arc-initiating element.

[0036] Figure 12 yes Figure 11 The diagram shows an arc path when the moving arc contact and the moving contact arc igniter in the circuit breaker shown.

[0037] Figure 13 yes Figure 11 The diagram shows another arc path when the moving arc contact comes into contact with the moving contact arc-initiating element in the circuit breaker shown.

[0038] Marker explanation:

[0039] 1. Arc extinguishing system; 11. Arc extinguishing chamber; 111. Side wall; 111A. First side; 111B. Second side; 111C. Third side; 112. Arc extinguishing cavity; 1121. First arc extinguishing cavity; 1122. First cavity; 1123. Second cavity; 1124. Second arc extinguishing cavity; 22. Arc extinguishing grid; 121. Grid assembly; 121A. First grid assembly; 121B. Second grid assembly ; 121C, Third grating assembly; 1211, grating; 122, cavity; 13, first arc-starting component; 14, second arc-starting component; 141, first bend; 142, second bend; 15, third arc-starting component; 151, third bend; 152, fourth bend; 161, front airflow channel; 162, middle airflow channel; 163, rear airflow channel; 164, side-blowing channel; 165, partition;

[0040] 2. Contact system; 21. Moving contact arc ignition element; 22. Moving contact; 221. Moving main contact; 222. Moving arc contact; 23. Stationary contact; 231. Stationary main contact; 232. Stationary arc contact; 24. Moving area;

[0041] X, first direction;

[0042] Y, the second direction. Detailed Implementation

[0043] The features and exemplary embodiments of various aspects of this application will be described in detail below. To make the objectives, technical solutions, and advantages of this application clearer, the application will be further described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings and specific embodiments. It should be understood that the specific embodiments described herein are only intended to explain this application and not to limit it. For those skilled in the art, this application can be implemented without some of these specific details. The following description of the embodiments is merely to provide a better understanding of this application by illustrating examples.

[0044] It should be noted that, in this document, relational terms such as "first" and "second" are used merely to distinguish one entity or operation from another, and do not necessarily require or imply any such actual relationship or order between these entities or operations. Furthermore, the terms "comprising," "including," or any other variations thereof are intended to cover non-exclusive inclusion, such that a process, method, article, or apparatus that comprises a list of elements includes not only those elements but also other elements not expressly listed, or elements inherent to such a process, method, article, or apparatus. Without further limitations, an element defined by the phrase "comprising..." does not exclude the presence of additional identical elements in the process, method, article, or apparatus that includes said element.

[0045] A circuit breaker is a switching device capable of closing, carrying, and interrupting current under normal circuit conditions and, within a specified time, closing, carrying, and interrupting current under abnormal circuit conditions. Existing circuit breakers are equipped with arc-extinguishing chambers to extinguish electric arcs. When an arc enters a sufficient number of arc-extinguishing plates, the power supply voltage will be insufficient to support the minimum arcing voltage, extinguishing the arc. The arc-extinguishing plates help cool the arc, preventing breakdown and reignition in the next voltage cycle. In current AC / DC systems, power supply voltages have increased to 1000V or even 1500V, but it is difficult to add more arc-extinguishing plates to the corresponding arc-extinguishing chambers, thus failing to meet the breaking capacity requirements under high voltage (e.g., 1000V, 1500V) conditions.

[0046] Please refer to Figure 1 , Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of a contact system provided in an embodiment of this application. The circuit breaker includes a contact system 2, which includes a moving contact arc-inducing element 21, a moving contact 22, and a stationary contact 23 arranged sequentially along a first direction X. The moving contact 22 is disposed within the moving area 24 formed by the moving contact arc-inducing element 21 and the stationary contact arc-inducing element 23, and is in separable contact with the stationary contact 23.

[0047] The contact system 2 is used to control the opening and closing of the circuit. The moving contact arc igniter 21 and the stationary contact 23 are located on both sides of the moving contact 22 along the first direction X, and the two are sandwiched to form a moving area 24 for relative movement of the moving contact 22. Initially, the moving contact 22 is in contact with the moving contact arc igniter 21, the circuit breaker is in the open state, and the entire circuit is disconnected. Then, the moving contact 22 moves within the moving area 24 and gradually approaches the stationary contact 23, the circuit breaker closes, and the circuit is connected. When a problem occurs in the circuit, the moving contact 22 and the stationary contact 23 need to be disconnected. However, at this time, there is still a high voltage and a large current in the circuit, which causes an electric arc to be generated between the moving contact 22 and the stationary contact 23. The generation of the arc will delay the opening of the circuit, affect the breaking capacity of the circuit breaker, and the high arc energy may even burn out the moving contact 22 and the stationary contact 23.

[0048] Therefore, please refer to the following: Figure 1 and Figure 2 This application provides an arc extinguishing system 1 for a circuit breaker, which can accommodate a larger number of grid plates 1211 to extinguish the arc generated under high voltage conditions and improve the breaking capacity of the circuit breaker.

[0049] The arc extinguishing system 1 includes an arc extinguishing chamber 11 and an arc extinguishing grid 12. The arc extinguishing chamber 11 is disposed on one side of the moving area 24 along the second direction Y. The arc extinguishing chamber 11 includes multiple side walls 111, which form an arc extinguishing cavity 112. The arc extinguishing cavity 112 is connected to the moving area 24. The first direction X intersects the second direction Y.

[0050] The internal components of the contact system 2 are arranged opposite each other along the first direction X, and the arc-extinguishing chamber 11 is located on one side of the contact system 2 along the second direction Y. The contact system 2 and the arc-extinguishing chamber 11 are interconnected. Specifically, the outer shell of the arc-extinguishing chamber 11 is composed of multiple side walls 111, which are connected end to end in sequence to form an arc-extinguishing chamber 112 with an opening. The opening communicates with the moving area 24 to transfer the arc generated when the moving contact 22 separates from the stationary contact 23 into the arc-extinguishing chamber 112. The number and arrangement of the side walls 111 are determined according to the actual situation and the volume of the arc-extinguishing chamber 112, and this application does not limit them.

[0051] The arc-extinguishing grid 12 includes a grid assembly 121 disposed in the arc-extinguishing chamber 112. The grid assembly 121 is correspondingly disposed with the side wall 111. The grid assembly 121 includes a plurality of grids 1211 stacked together. The stacking direction of the grids 1211 is the same as the extension direction of the corresponding side wall 111.

[0052] Arc-extinguishing grid plates 12 are disposed within the arc-extinguishing chamber 112 for cutting the electric arc. Normally, the arc generated by the breaking of the moving contact 22 and the stationary contact 23 transfers from the moving area 24 to the arc-extinguishing chamber 112. Therefore, some grid plates 1211 in the arc-extinguishing grid plates 12 are positioned close to the opening of the arc-extinguishing chamber 112 to ensure that all the arc is transmitted to the arc-extinguishing grid plates 12. In existing circuit breakers, the grid plates in the arc-extinguishing chamber are typically stacked along a fixed direction, resulting in a simple arrangement and difficulty in increasing the number of grid plates. However, in this embodiment, multiple grid plate groups 121 are correspondingly arranged with multiple sidewalls 111, making the extension length of the grid plate groups 121 equal to the total extension length of the sidewalls 111. This greatly increases the total number of grid plates 1211 that can be arranged, thereby enhancing the breaking capacity of the circuit breaker.

[0053] In this embodiment, the grid plate group 121 is disposed close to the side wall 111 but does not contact the side wall 111, thus preventing electric arc from being guided to the side wall 111 and affecting the service life of the circuit breaker. The size and number of grid plate groups 121 match the length of the side wall 111. Each grid plate group 121 includes multiple stacked grid plates 1211. The number of grid plates 1211 is positively correlated with the size of the grid plate group 121 and the length of the corresponding side wall 111. That is, the more grid plates 1211 there are, the larger the size of the grid plate group 121 and the longer the extension length of the corresponding side wall 111. The stacking direction of the grid plates 1211 is determined by the extension direction of the corresponding side wall 111. It should be noted that the stacking direction of the grid plates 1211 mentioned in this embodiment refers to the overall extension direction of all grid plates 1211 in a grid plate group 121, not the extension direction of some grid plates 1211 in the grid plate group 121.

[0054] This application provides an arc-extinguishing system 1 for a circuit breaker, wherein the plate group 121 is correspondingly arranged with the side wall 111 of the arc-extinguishing chamber 11, and the extension direction of the plate group 121 is the same as the extension direction of the corresponding side wall 111. Compared with the arrangement of the arc-extinguishing system 1 in a traditional circuit breaker, this application embodiment can arrange a larger number of plates 1211 with the same arc-extinguishing chamber 11 volume, thereby significantly improving the arc-extinguishing capability of the circuit breaker and ensuring the breaking reliability of the circuit breaker under high voltage and high current conditions.

[0055] In some embodiments, please refer to the following: Figure 2 and Figure 3The arc-extinguishing chamber 112 includes a first arc-extinguishing chamber 1121 and a second arc-extinguishing chamber 1124 disposed opposite to each other along the second direction Y. The second arc-extinguishing chamber 1124 is located on the side of the first arc-extinguishing chamber 1121 away from the moving area 24. The first arc-extinguishing chamber 1121 includes a first cavity 1122 and a second cavity 1123 disposed opposite to each other along the first direction X. The grid assembly 121 includes a first grid assembly 121A disposed in the first cavity 1122 and stacked along the second direction Y, a second grid assembly 121B disposed in the second cavity 1123 and stacked along the second direction Y, and a third grid assembly 121C disposed in the second arc-extinguishing chamber 1124 and disposed along the first direction X.

[0056] The arc-extinguishing chamber 112 is divided into three spaces for accommodating the grid assembly 121, each space corresponding to a sidewall 111. Specifically, along the second direction Y, the arc-extinguishing chamber 112 is divided into a first arc-extinguishing chamber 1121 and a second arc-extinguishing chamber 1124; along the first direction X, the first arc-extinguishing chamber 1121 is divided into a first cavity 1122 and a second cavity 1123. The first cavity 1122 is located corresponding to the first side 111A, the second cavity is located corresponding to the second side 111B, and the second arc-extinguishing chamber 1124 is located corresponding to the third side 111C. The first side portion 111A, the third side portion 111C, and the second side portion 111B are connected end-to-end to form the outer shell of the arc-extinguishing chamber 11. The first side portion 111A and the second side portion 111B are arranged opposite each other along the first direction X and both extend along the second direction Y. The third side portion 111C is connected to the first side portion 111A and the second side portion 111B respectively, located at the end of the first side portion 111A and the second side portion 111B away from the moving area 24, and extends along the first direction X. Optionally, the first direction X is perpendicular to the second direction Y.

[0057] The first side 111A, the third side 111C, and the second side 111B are connected in sequence to form a rectangular structure with an opening. The arc-extinguishing chamber 11 in this embodiment has the same shape and volume as the arc-extinguishing chamber 11 in a conventional circuit breaker. Therefore, there is no need to change the external structure of the circuit breaker during the production process, nor is it necessary to make other molds for producing the outer shell of the arc-extinguishing chamber 11, which can meet the needs of different circuit breakers.

[0058] The arc-extinguishing grid plates 1211 in the arc-extinguishing grid plate 12 have two stacking directions: the stacking direction of the grid plates 1211 in the first grid plate group 121A and the second grid plate group 121B located in the first cavity 1122 and the second cavity 1123 is the second direction Y, and their stacking lengths correspond to the extension lengths of the first side portion 111A and the second side portion 111B, respectively; the stacking direction of the grid plates 1211 in the third grid plate group 121C located in the second arc-extinguishing cavity 1124 is the first direction X, and their stacking lengths correspond to the extension lengths of the third side portion 111C. This design can make full use of the total length of the sidewalls 111 in the arc-extinguishing chamber 11, thereby maximizing the number of grid plates 1211 without changing the external dimensions of the arc-extinguishing chamber 11, and improving the breaking capacity of the circuit breaker.

[0059] Specifically, in the second direction Y, the third grid group 121C is located on the side away from the contact system 2, opposite to the first grid group 121A and the second grid group 121B; in the first direction X, the first grid group 121A is located near the stationary contact 23, and the second grid group 121B is located near the moving contact arc igniter 21. When a circuit fault occurs, the moving contact 22 and the stationary contact 23 have just separated, and the distance between them is small. The arc first moves to the first grid group 121A, where the grids 1211 of the first grid group 121A perform initial arc cutting. If the circuit voltage is low, the arc can be extinguished by the first grid group 121A alone. Then, the moving contact 22 continues to move and gradually moves away from the stationary contact 23. When the moving contact 22 moves to a specific position, the arc is transferred to the second grid group 121B, where the grids 1211 of the second grid group 121B continue to cut the arc. During this process, if the circuit current is the second highest, the arc entering the second grid group 121B will also enter the first grid group 121A. All or some of the grids 1211 in the first grid group 121A and the second grid group 121B will cut the arc. If the circuit is high voltage and high current, the arc entering the second grid group 121B will move to the third grid group 121C and eventually transfer to the first grid group 121A. All the grids 1211 in the first grid group 121A, the second grid group 121B, and the third grid group 121C will simultaneously cut the arc to meet the breaking requirements under high voltage and high current conditions.

[0060] In this embodiment of the application, three grid groups 121 are provided in the arc extinguishing chamber 11. The three grid groups 121 are arranged relative to each other according to the internal structure of the arc extinguishing chamber 112. The different arc characteristics under small voltage and current and high voltage and large current conditions are comprehensively considered, so that the arc extinguishing system 1 can meet the breaking needs of circuit voltages of different sizes, has strong versatility, and is conducive to large-scale promotion and use.

[0061] In some embodiments, please continue reading Figure 2 and Figure 3 Along the first direction X, a cavity 122 is provided between the first grid plate group 121A and the second grid plate group 121B, so that the electric arc generated when the moving contact 22 and the stationary contact 23 are disconnected can move through the cavity 122 into the first grid plate group 121A.

[0062] Under low DC current conditions, the arc can be extinguished by the elongation of the arc itself, without the need for the grid plate 1211 to cut the arc or with fewer grid plates 1211. Therefore, in this embodiment, a cavity 122 is provided between the first grid plate group 121A and the second grid plate group 121B to provide sufficient space for the arc to elongate. Optionally, the size of the cavity 122 gradually decreases along the second direction Y, that is, the closer it is to the contact system 2, the larger the size of the cavity 122. This design provides more space for the arc to elongate, meeting practical application needs.

[0063] Furthermore, for small-current arcs, the arc's own electromagnetic force is insufficient to propel it into the first grid plate group 121A. If too many grid plates 1211 within the first grid plate group 121A need to be broken down, the arc will also find it difficult to enter the arc-extinguishing chamber 11. In some existing circuit breakers, magnetizing blocks or permanent magnets are used to increase external magnetic force and forcibly drive the arc into the arc-extinguishing system. However, with prolonged use, the magnets demagnetize, weakening the external magnetic force and reducing arc-extinguishing performance. Alternatively, in DC applications, the need to switch positive and negative connections necessitates consideration of the polarity arrangement of the electromagnetic force under different current directions, complicating the product. Additionally, the added external magnetizing device increases the product cost. This embodiment, by providing a cavity 122 with a large volume, allows the arc to extinguish itself simply by elongating, resulting in a simple structure and lower cost.

[0064] In some embodiments, please refer to the following: Figure 1 and Figure 4 The arc extinguishing system 1 also includes a first arc-initiating element 13, which is disposed in the cavity 122 and extends along the second direction Y.

[0065] The first arc-initiating element 13 is disposed between the first grid plate group 121A and the second grid plate group 121B for conducting electric arc. When the moving contact 22 moves to the center position between the stationary contact 23 and the moving contact arc-initiating element 21, the electromagnetic force of the arc itself is insufficient to push the arc into the first grid plate group 121A. At this time, the first arc-initiating element 13 can be used to transfer the arc to the first grid plate group 121A. In addition, during the process of the arc transferring from the second grid plate group 121B to the first grid plate group 121A, the first arc-initiating element 13 can also play an auxiliary role in the arc transfer, helping the arc to enter the first grid plate group 121A.

[0066] In some embodiments, please continue reading Figure 4The arc extinguishing system 1 also includes a second arc ignition element 14 and a third arc ignition element 15. The second arc ignition element 14 is located between the first grid plate group 121A and the third grid plate group 121C, and the third arc ignition element 15 is located between the second grid plate group 121B and the third grid plate group 121C.

[0067] The second arc-inducing component 14 includes a first bent portion 141 and a second bent portion 142 connected to each other. The first bent portion 141 is stacked with the first grid plate group 121A, and the second bent portion 142 is stacked with the third grid plate group 121C. The second arc-inducing component 14 is used to conduct the electric arc located between the first grid plate group 121A and the third grid plate group 121C. The first bent portion 141 and the second bent portion 142 are integrally formed and have a preset angle between them. The first bent portion 141 is located on the side of the first grid plate group 121A near the third grid plate group 121C along the second direction Y, and the second bent portion 142 is located on the end of the third grid plate group 121C near the first grid plate group 121A along the first direction X. During operation, the electric arc on the third grid group 121C first moves to the second bending part 142, and then transfers to the first bending part 141 via the second bending part 142, and finally moves to the first grid group 121A via the first bending part 141.

[0068] The third arc-inducing component 15 includes a third bend 151 and a fourth bend 152 connected to each other. The third bend 151 is stacked with the second grid group 121B, and the fourth bend 152 is stacked with the third grid group 121C. The third arc-inducing component 15 is used to conduct the electric arc located between the second grid group 121B and the third grid group 121C. The third bend 151 and the fourth bend 152 are integrally formed and have a preset angle between them. The third bend 151 is located on the side of the second grid group 121B near the third grid group 121C along the second direction Y, and the fourth bend 152 is located on the end of the third grid group 121C near the second grid group 121B along the first direction X. During operation, the electric arc on the second grid group 121B first moves to the third bending part 151, and then transfers to the fourth bending part 152 via the third bending part 151, and finally moves to the third grid group 121C via the fourth bending part 152.

[0069] In some alternative embodiments, in the first direction X, the shortest distance between the second arc-initiating element 14 and the first arc-initiating element 13 is less than the shortest distance between the first grid group 121A and the first arc-initiating element 13, and the shortest distance between the third arc-initiating element 15 and the first arc-initiating element 13 is less than the shortest distance between the second grid group 121B and the first arc-initiating element 13. In this embodiment, the arc located on the second grid group 121B can be transferred to the first arc-initiating element 13 through the third arc-initiating element 15, and the arc located on the first arc-initiating element 13 can be transferred to the first grid group 121A through the second arc-initiating element 14. This design can improve the guiding effect of the second arc-initiating element 14 and the third arc-initiating element 15 on the arc, and improve the arc extinguishing reliability.

[0070] In some embodiments, please refer to Figure 5 Along the second direction Y, the distance between the first bend 141 and the third bend 151 gradually increases, while the distance between the first grid group 121A and the second grid group 121B gradually decreases. When the circuit breaker breaks an arc, it also generates high-temperature gas. There is a certain gap between the first bend 141 and the third bend 151, allowing the high-temperature gas to move into this gap and eventually exit from the arc-extinguishing chamber 11.

[0071] In this embodiment, along the second direction Y, a front airflow channel 161 with a gradually narrowing opening is formed between the first grid plate group 121A and the second grid plate group 121B; a middle airflow channel 162 for high-temperature gas to pass through is formed between the second arc-initiating member 14 and the third arc-initiating member 15; and a rear airflow channel 163 with a gradually increasing opening is formed between the first bend 141 and the third bend 151. The front airflow channel 161, the middle airflow channel 162, and the rear airflow channel 163 are interconnected to form a Venturi effect, accelerating the movement speed of the high-temperature gas. It can be understood that the rapid flow of high-temperature gas can not only increase the gas conductivity within the arc-extinguishing system 1 and prevent localized high temperatures, but also provide a driving force for arc movement, further lengthening the arc in the second direction Y, so that the arc can be cut by more grid plates 1211, thereby improving the breaking capacity of the arc-extinguishing system 1.

[0072] In some embodiments, a side-blowing channel 164 is provided on the side of the second bend 142 away from the third grid plate group 121C, and on the side of the fourth bend 152 away from the third grid plate group 121C. The side-blowing channel 164 is connected to the outside. The high-temperature gas generated by the circuit breaker disconnection can not only leave the arc-extinguishing chamber 11 through the front airflow channel 161, the middle airflow channel 162, and the rear airflow channel 163, but can also be transferred to the outside through the side-blowing channel 164, thereby realizing the circulation of gas.

[0073] In some embodiments, both the second bend 142 and the fourth bend 152 extend along the second direction Y. The second arc-starting member 14 and the third arc-starting member 15 divide the interior of the arc-extinguishing chamber 11 into three channels. One channel is a central channel located in the middle and is jointly formed by the central airflow channel 162 and the rear airflow channel 163. The other two channels are side-blowing channels 164 located on both sides of the central channel along the first direction X. The high-temperature gas generated by the circuit breaker disconnection can leave the arc-extinguishing chamber 11 through either the central channel or the side-blowing channel 164. During this process, the second bend 142 of the second arc-starting member 14 and the fourth bend 152 of the third arc-starting member act as airflow guides, allowing the high-temperature gas to be discharged from the arc-extinguishing chamber 11 along the second direction Y regardless of which channel it passes through, thus preventing the accumulation of high-temperature gas and achieving overall circulation.

[0074] In some embodiments, please refer to Figure 6 The shortest distance between the first arc-inducing element 13 and the second arc-inducing element 14 is no greater than the shortest distance between the first arc-inducing element 13 and the third arc-inducing element 15. The second arc-inducing element 14 can transfer the arc on the first arc-inducing element 13 to the first grid plate group 121A, and the third arc-inducing element 15 can transfer the arc on the third grid plate 1211 to the first arc-inducing element 13. Typically, the arc size between the first arc-inducing element 13 and the first grid plate group 121A is often greater than the arc size between the first arc-inducing element 13 and the second grid plate group 121B. Therefore, in this embodiment, the second arc-inducing element 14 is closer to the first arc-inducing element 13 than the third arc-inducing element 15 to meet practical needs.

[0075] In some embodiments, a plurality of partitions 165 are provided on the side of the third side portion 111C facing the second arc extinguishing cavity 1124. The plurality of partitions 165 are stacked along the first direction X and abut against the third grid group 121C. An air supply channel is formed between adjacent partitions 165 and the air supply channel is connected to the outside.

[0076] As described above, the high-temperature gas generated during circuit breaker disconnection can be moved to the outside through the front airflow channel 161, the middle airflow channel 162, and the rear airflow channel 163. Specifically, the high-temperature gas first moves to the third grid plate group 121C through the rear airflow channel 163. Since the grid plates 1211 in the third grid plate group 121C are stacked along the first direction X, the high-temperature gas will pass through the gaps between adjacent grid plates 1211, leave the third grid plate group 121C, and reach the location of the partition plate 165. Multiple partition plates 165 are provided and are also stacked along the first direction X. The air supply channel formed between adjacent partition plates 165 is connected to the gap formed by the third grid plate group 121C. The high-temperature gas can be directly transferred to the external environment through the air supply channel and cannot accumulate in the arc-extinguishing chamber 11. This design can ensure the smooth exhaust of high-temperature gas while avoiding the generation of local high temperatures inside the arc-extinguishing system 1, which would affect the service life of the arc-extinguishing system 1.

[0077] In some embodiments, such as Figure 6 As shown, along the first direction X, the distance between the third grid plate group 121C and the moving area 24 first decreases and then increases, that is, the size of the grid plates 1211 on both sides of the third grid plate group 121C is smaller than the size of the grid plate 1211 at the middle position. The third grid plate group 121C is used to cut the electric arc under high voltage conditions. In this process, the electric arc will move from one end of the third grid plate group 121C to the other end. In this embodiment, by reducing the size of the grid plates 1211 on both sides of the third grid plate group 121C, the electric arc can gradually enter the third grid plate group 121C, reducing the resistance of the electric arc entering the third grid plate group 121C. Optionally, the third grid plate group 121C includes a first part and a second part. The first part and the second part are symmetrically arranged with respect to the first arc-initiating member 13, and the first grid plate group 121A and the second grid plate group 121B are also symmetrically arranged with respect to the first arc-initiating member 13.

[0078] In some embodiments, the first arc-extinguishing cavity 1121 and the second arc-extinguishing cavity 1124 have the same length in the first direction X and are aligned in the second direction Y. This alignment design reduces the total length of the arc-extinguishing chamber 11 in the first direction X, allowing for a greater number of grid plates 1211 to be arranged within a limited space, thus avoiding space waste. Optionally, both the first arc-extinguishing cavity 1121 and the second arc-extinguishing cavity 1124 are rectangular structures, and the longer side of the second arc-extinguishing cavity 1124 is equal to the shorter side of the first arc-extinguishing cavity 1121.

[0079] Secondly, please refer to Figure 7 This application provides a circuit breaker, including the arc extinguishing system 1 of any of the foregoing embodiments.

[0080] In addition to the arc extinguishing system 1, the entire circuit breaker also includes a transmission system, an operating system, a locking system, and a tripping system, etc., which are not limited in this application. The moving contact 22 is driven to move by the operating system through the transmission system. When a circuit current fault occurs, the tripping system is used to control the moving contact 22 to separate from the stationary contact 23, and the movement of the moving contact 22 is limited by the locking mechanism.

[0081] In some embodiments, the moving contact 22 includes a moving main contact 221 and a moving arc contact 222 connected to each other. The moving arc contact 222 is located on the side of the moving main contact 221 closer to the arc-extinguishing chamber 11. The stationary contact 23 includes a stationary main contact 231 and a stationary arc contact 232. The stationary arc contact 232 is located on the side of the stationary main contact 231 closer to the arc-extinguishing chamber 11. The moving main contact 221 and the stationary main contact 231 are correspondingly arranged, and the moving arc contact 222 and the stationary arc contact 232 are correspondingly arranged.

[0082] The moving arc contact 222 and the stationary arc contact 232 are located on the side of the moving main contact 221 and the stationary main contact 231 that are close to the arc-extinguishing chamber 11, respectively. The moving arc contact 222 and the stationary arc contact 232 can make corresponding contact, and the moving main contact 221 and the stationary main contact 231 can make corresponding contact. The moving arc contact 222 and the stationary arc contact 232 play a role in protecting the moving main contact 221 and the stationary main contact 231.

[0083] During normal operation, the moving main contact 221 is in contact with the stationary main contact 231, and the contact pressure is maintained by the contact spring (not shown) on the moving main contact 221. The circuit current moves from the moving main contact 221 to the stationary main contact 231. At this time, the circuit is in a closed state, and the moving arc contact 222 is not in contact with the stationary arc contact 232.

[0084] When a circuit malfunctions and automatically disconnects or disconnects during normal operation, the moving main contact 221 separates from the stationary main contact 231, while the moving arc contact 222 contacts the stationary arc contact 232. At this time, the circuit remains closed. Specifically, during this process, the arc contact and the stationary arc contact 232 gradually approach each other, and the contact pressure between the moving main contact 221 and the stationary main contact 231 gradually decreases, but they remain in contact. When the moving arc contact 222 contacts the stationary arc contact 232, the moving main contact 221 separates from the stationary main contact 231, and the current path shifts to the moving arc contact 222 and the stationary arc contact 232. Then, the moving arc contact 222 separates from the stationary arc contact 232, the entire circuit is broken, and an arc is generated between the moving arc contact 222 and the stationary arc contact 232. This embodiment of the application improves the reliability of the contact system 2 by setting a moving arc contact 222 and a stationary arc contact 232 to prevent arcs from being generated between the moving main contact 221 and the stationary main contact 231.

[0085] Next, the embodiments of this application will describe the entire breaking process of the circuit breaker in detail. Figures 7 to 13This diagram illustrates the circuit breaker's breaking process in an embodiment of this application. The curves with arrows in the diagram represent the movement path of the electric arc.

[0086] S1, please refer to Figure 8 When a circuit malfunctions, the moving main contact 221 separates from the stationary main contact 231, and the moving arc contact 222 and the stationary arc contact 232 come into contact. At this time, the circuit is still closed and the arc has not yet been generated.

[0087] S2, please refer to Figure 9 The moving arc contact 222 begins to move away from the stationary arc contact 232 and is located between the first arc-initiating element 13 and the stationary arc contact 232. At this time, the circuit is broken, and an electric arc is generated between the moving arc contact 222 and the stationary arc contact 232. The arc enters the first grid plate group 121A through the cavity 122, and the first grid plate group 121A performs preliminary cutting of the electric arc.

[0088] Please see Figure 10 For low-voltage, low-current circuits, the electromagnetic force of the arc itself is insufficient to push the arc into the first grid plate group 121A. At this time, the arc only needs to be elongated in the cavity 122 to extinguish it, without the need for the first grid plate group 121A to cut the arc.

[0089] S3, please refer to Figure 11 The moving arc contact 222 continues to move to a position opposite to the first arc-initiating element 13, and the arc on the moving arc contact 222 is transferred to the first arc-initiating element 13, and then transferred to the first grid plate group 121A via the second arc-initiating element 14. The first grid plate group 121A continues to cut the arc.

[0090] S4, please refer to Figure 12 and Figure 13 The moving arc contact 222 continues to move until it comes into contact with the moving arc igniter 21. During this process, the circuit remains open. The arc on the moving arc contact 222 is transferred to the second grid group 121B. When the moving arc contact 222 comes into contact with the moving arc igniter 21, the arc on the moving arc contact 222 will be transferred to the moving arc igniter 21, and the moving arc contact 222 will stop participating in the arc extinguishing function.

[0091] The subsequent process can be divided into two cases. For the second highest voltage and second highest current, such as... Figure 12 As shown, the electric arc will move sequentially from the second grid group 121B to the third arc-initiating element 15, the first arc-initiating element 13, the second arc-initiating element 14 and the first grid group 121A, and the electric arc cutting is achieved by using some or all of the grids 1211 in the first grid group 121A and the second grid group 121B.

[0092] Another case is as follows Figure 13As shown, for high voltage and high current, the electric arc itself has a large electromagnetic force. Under the combined action of the electromagnetic force and the high temperature gas in the front airflow channel 161, the electric arc will be subjected to a large driving force along the second direction Y. Under the action of the driving force, the electric arc gradually elongates and completely penetrates the second grid plate group 121B, enters the third grid plate group 121C through the third arc ignition member 15, and enters the second arc ignition member 14 and the first grid plate group 121A in sequence from the third grid plate group 121C. This causes all the grid plates 1211 of the first grid plate group 121A, the second grid plate group 121B, and the third grid plate group 121C to cut the electric arc, which greatly increases the voltage required to maintain the electric arc, making it difficult to maintain the electric arc and causing it to extinguish.

[0093] This embodiment of the application, without altering the shape of the arc-extinguishing chamber, significantly increases the number of grid plates within a limited space by changing the arrangement and stacking direction of the grid plates. This improves the breaking capacity of the arc-extinguishing system and can meet the needs of different voltage and current levels, exhibiting strong versatility. Furthermore, by adjusting the arrangement of the cavity, the second arc-igniting element, and the third arc-igniting element, a Venturi effect is created, facilitating the rapid discharge of high-temperature gas and improving the overall reliability of the circuit breaker. The rapid flow of high-temperature gas further lengthens the arc's movement path, causing the arc to be cut by more grid plates, ensuring breaking capacity under high-voltage conditions.

[0094] Although this application has been described with reference to preferred embodiments, various modifications can be made thereto and components can be replaced with equivalents without departing from the scope of this application. In particular, the technical features mentioned in the various embodiments can be combined in any manner, provided there is no structural conflict. This application is not limited to the specific embodiments disclosed herein, but includes all technical solutions falling within the scope of the claims.

Claims

1. An arc-extinguishing system for a circuit breaker, the circuit breaker comprising a contact system, the contact system comprising a moving contact arc-initiating element, a moving contact, and a stationary contact arranged sequentially along a first direction, the moving contact being disposed within a moving area formed by the moving contact arc-initiating element and the stationary contact, and being in separable contact with the stationary contact, characterized in that, The arc extinguishing system includes: An arc-extinguishing chamber is disposed on one side of the moving area along a second direction. The arc-extinguishing chamber includes multiple sidewalls, which form an arc-extinguishing cavity. The arc-extinguishing cavity is connected to the moving area, and the first direction intersects the second direction. The arc-extinguishing grid includes a grid assembly disposed within the arc-extinguishing chamber, the grid assembly being disposed corresponding to the sidewall, the grid assembly comprising multiple grids stacked together, the stacking direction of the grids being the same as the extending direction of the corresponding sidewall; The arc-extinguishing chamber includes a first arc-extinguishing chamber and a second arc-extinguishing chamber arranged opposite to each other along a second direction. The second arc-extinguishing chamber is located on the side of the first arc-extinguishing chamber away from the movement area. The first arc-extinguishing chamber includes a first cavity and a second cavity arranged opposite to each other along a first direction. The grid assembly includes a first grid assembly disposed in the first cavity and stacked along the second direction, a second grid assembly disposed in the second cavity and stacked along the second direction, and a third grid assembly disposed in the second arc-extinguishing cavity and stacked along the first direction. Along the first direction, a cavity is provided between the first grid plate group and the second grid plate group, so that the electric arc generated when the moving contact and the stationary contact are separated can move through the cavity into the first grid plate group; It also includes a first arc-inducing element, which is disposed in the cavity and extends along the second direction; It also includes a second arc-starting component, which is located between the first grid plate group and the third grid plate group. The second arc-starting component includes a first bending portion and a second bending portion that are connected to each other. The first bending portion is stacked with the first grid plate group, and the second bending portion is stacked with the third grid plate group. It also includes a third arc-leading component, which is located between the second grid plate group and the third grid plate group; the third arc-leading component includes a third bending portion and a fourth bending portion that are connected to each other, the third bending portion is stacked with the second grid plate group, and the fourth bending portion is stacked with the third grid plate group; Along the second direction, the distance between the first bend and the third bend gradually increases, and along the second direction, the distance between the first grid group and the second grid group gradually decreases.

2. The arc-extinguishing system according to claim 1, characterized in that, The side of the second bend away from the third grid plate group and the side of the fourth bend away from the third grid plate group are both provided with side blowing channels, which are connected to the outside.

3. The arc-extinguishing system according to claim 2, characterized in that, It also includes a first arc-starting component, which is disposed between the second and third arc-starting components, and the shortest distance between the first and second arc-starting components is not greater than the shortest distance between the first and third arc-starting components.

4. The arc-extinguishing system according to claim 1, characterized in that, Both the second bend and the fourth bend extend along the second direction.

5. The arc-extinguishing system according to claim 1, characterized in that, The plurality of sidewalls include a first side, a second side, and a third side that are connected end to end. The first side and the second side are disposed opposite to each other along the first direction and both extend along the second direction. The third side is connected to the first side and the second side respectively and is located at the end of the first side and the second side away from the movement area. The third side facing the second arc-extinguishing cavity is provided with a plurality of partitions, which are stacked along the first direction and abut against the third grid plate group. An air supply channel is formed between adjacent partitions and the air supply channel is connected to the outside.

6. The arc-extinguishing system according to claim 1, characterized in that, Along the first direction, the distance between the third grid group and the moving area first decreases and then increases.

7. The arc-extinguishing system according to claim 1, characterized in that, The first arc-extinguishing cavity and the second arc-extinguishing cavity have the same length in the first direction and are aligned in the second direction.

8. A circuit breaker, characterized in that, Including the arc extinguishing system as described in any one of claims 1-7.

9. The circuit breaker according to claim 8, characterized in that, The moving contact includes a moving main contact and a moving arc contact connected to each other. The moving arc contact is located on the side of the moving main contact closer to the arc-extinguishing chamber. The stationary contact includes a stationary main contact and a stationary arc contact connected to each other. The stationary arc contact is located on the side of the stationary main contact closer to the arc-extinguishing chamber. The moving main contact is configured to correspond to the stationary main contact, and the moving arc contact is configured to correspond to the stationary arc contact.