Vacuum valve and its manufacturing method

Abstract

The vacuum valve of the present disclosure comprises a pair of electrodes (1) consisting of a fixed electrode (2) and a movable electrode (3) arranged opposite each other in one direction, a cylindrical insulating container (10) arranged around the electrode (1), a pair of end plates (20) joined to the end faces of the insulating container (10) to seal the inside of the insulating container (10) in a vacuum, and a metallized layer (40) formed at a joint (30) where the insulating container (10) and the end plate (20) are joined, and at least one of the insulating container (10) and the end plate (20) has a contact portion (50) formed therein that brings the insulating container (10) into contact with the end plate (20) and covers the inner edge portion (41) to reduce the electric field at the inner edge portion (41) of the metallized layer (40).

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a vacuum valve and a method for manufacturing the same. [Background technology]

[0002] A known vacuum interrupter has a cylindrical insulating container made of alumina ceramics or the like, with fixed and movable end plates attached to each end of the container so that they are coaxial with the container, and fixed and movable electrode rods that pass through the center of each end plate are located inside the container. In such vacuum interrupters, the end plates and the insulating container are joined by brazing or the like, mainly using a silver-based brazing material, so that a metallized layer is formed on the ends of the insulating container.

[0003] The metallized layer is extremely thin, and its edges, which are triple points where the conductor, insulator, and vacuum or external atmosphere intersect, make the electric field stronger at the metallized layer edges when a high voltage is applied to the vacuum interrupter, making them more likely to become the starting point for creeping discharges. Such metallized layer edges exist both inside and outside the vacuum interrupter, but creeping discharges originating from the metallized layer edges on the outside of the vacuum interrupter can be prevented by using high-pressure gas or similar in the external atmosphere, covering them with a solid insulator such as resin, or installing a corona ring to reduce the electric field.

[0004] On the other hand, since the occurrence of creeping discharges at the edges of the metallized layer inside the vacuum interrupter cannot be prevented by external measures such as those described above, it is necessary to use a vacuum interrupter with a structure that can suppress the occurrence of creeping discharges originating from the edges of the metallized layer inside the vacuum interrupter. As an example of a vacuum interrupter with such a structure, Patent Document 1 discloses a vacuum interrupter in which an electric field mitigation shield with the same potential as the metallized layer is provided near the edges of the metallized layer to mitigate the electric field at the edges of the metallized layer inside the vacuum interrupter. However, in such a vacuum interrupter, the tip of the electric field mitigation shield may become a high electric field, which may become the starting point of new creeping discharges. Therefore, Patent Document 2 discloses a vacuum interrupter in which a layer with a low secondary electron emission coefficient is provided on the inner surface of the insulating container near the metallized layer to prevent partial discharges occurring in the metallized layer or the electric field mitigation shield from leading to creeping discharges. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0005] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2013-80647 [Patent Document 2] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2019-110010 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0006] In the vacuum interrupter disclosed in the above-mentioned Patent Document 1, an electric field mitigation shield is newly provided to suppress the occurrence of creeping discharges originating from the edges of the metallized layer, which increases the number of parts and causes the problem that the tip of the electric field mitigation shield generates a high electric field and becomes the starting point of creeping discharge.In addition, in the vacuum interrupter disclosed in Patent Document 2, a layer with a low secondary electron emission coefficient is newly provided on the inner surface of the insulating container to suppress the progression of partial discharges originating from the edges of the metallized layer and the tip of the electric field mitigation shield to creeping discharge, but this increases the number of processing steps required to form a film of a material with a low secondary electron emission coefficient, which causes the problem of the vacuum interrupter becoming expensive.

[0007] The present disclosure has been made to solve the above-mentioned problems, and provides an inexpensive vacuum valve that can improve voltage resistance performance while suppressing increases in cost. [Means for solving the problem]

[0008] The vacuum interrupter according to the present disclosure comprises a pair of electrodes consisting of a fixed electrode and a movable electrode arranged opposite to each other in one direction, a cylindrical insulating container arranged around the electrodes, a pair of end plates joined to the end faces of the insulating container to seal the inside of the insulating container in a vacuum, and a metallized layer formed at the joint where the insulating container and the end plates are joined, The insulating container has a joint portion formed on the outer periphery of the end face and a first protrusion portion protruding in one direction on the inner periphery of the end face, and the end plate is made of a cylindrical portion and a disk portion connected to the inside of the cylindrical portion, and is joined to the insulating container at the cylindrical portion, and the inner surface of the cylindrical portion and the outer surface of the first protrusion portion come into contact with each other to form a metallized layer. A contact portion is formed to cover the inner edge portion. [Effects of the Invention]

[0009] In the vacuum interrupter according to the present disclosure, a contact portion is formed that covers the inner edge portion of the metallized layer by contacting the insulating container with the end plate to reduce the electric field at the inner edge portion, thereby preventing creeping discharge inside the vacuum interrupter. As a result, it is possible to improve the withstand voltage performance while suppressing increases in costs, and to manufacture an inexpensive vacuum interrupter. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0010] [Figure 1] 1 is a cross-sectional view of a vacuum interrupter according to a first embodiment. [Figure 2] 1 is an enlarged view of a vacuum interrupter according to a first embodiment. [Figure 3] 1 is an enlarged view of a vacuum interrupter according to a first embodiment. [Figure 4] 1 is an enlarged view of a vacuum interrupter according to a first embodiment. [Figure 5] 1 is an enlarged view of a vacuum interrupter according to a first embodiment. [Figure 6] 1 is an enlarged view of a vacuum interrupter according to a first embodiment. [Figure 7] FIG. 10 is an enlarged view of a vacuum interrupter according to a second embodiment. [Figure 8]FIG. 10 is an enlarged view of a vacuum interrupter according to a second embodiment. [Figure 9] FIG. 10 is an enlarged view of a vacuum interrupter according to a third embodiment. [Figure 10] FIG. 10 is an enlarged view of a vacuum interrupter according to a third embodiment. [Figure 11] FIG. 10 is an enlarged view of a vacuum interrupter according to a fourth embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0011] The following describes embodiments in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. Note that the embodiments described below are merely examples. The embodiments can be implemented in appropriate combination.

[0012] Embodiment 1 A vacuum interrupter according to a first embodiment will be described with reference to Figs. 1 to 6. First, a structural example of the vacuum interrupter according to the first embodiment shown in Figs. 1 and 2 will be described. Fig. 1 is a cross-sectional view of the vacuum interrupter, and Fig. 2 is an enlarged view of the area X indicated by the dashed line in Fig. 1. The vacuum interrupter comprises an insulating container 10, an electrode 1, an end plate 20, a metallized layer 40, and a contact portion 50.

[0013] The electrodes 1 are a pair of electrodes 1 consisting of a fixed electrode 2 and a movable electrode 3 arranged opposite each other in a direction A. Here, the fixed electrode 2 is provided at the end of the fixed electrode rod, and the movable electrode 3 is provided at the end of the movable electrode rod, and the fixed electrode 2 and the movable electrode 3 arranged at the end of each electrode rod are arranged so as to face each other. The direction perpendicular to the direction A in which the pair of electrodes 1 are arranged opposite each other is called the radial direction, and in Figure 1, the radial direction is the direction indicated by arrow B. The insulating container 10 is a cylindrical member arranged around the electrode 1 and is made of alumina ceramics or the like. An arc shield 5 is provided on the inner surface of the insulating container 10 so as to cover the fixed electrode 2 and the movable electrode 3.

[0014] The end plates 20 are a pair of end plates 20 consisting of a fixed-side end plate 21 and a movable-side end plate 22, which are respectively joined to the end faces of the insulating container 10 to seal the interior of the insulating container 10 in a vacuum. The end plates 20 consist of a cylindrical portion 23 and a disk portion 24 connected to the inside of the cylindrical portion 23, and are typically deep-dish shaped. The end plates 20 are joined to the insulating container 10 at the cylindrical portion 23. In addition, holes are formed in the centers of the disk portions 24 of the end plates 20 through which the fixed and movable electrodes pass, and the fixed and movable electrodes that are arranged to pass through these holes are joined to the end plates 20, respectively.

[0015] Brazing, primarily using a silver-based brazing material, is used to join the insulating container 10 to the end plates 20 and to join the electrode rods to the end plates 20. When joining the insulating container 10 to the end plates 20, the cylindrical insulating container 10 and the cylindrical portion 23 of the end plate 20 are positioned so that their central axes are coaxial, and the end plates 20 are brazed to the end faces of the insulating container 10. When joining the electrode rods to the end plates 20, the fixed electrode rod is brazed to the disc portion 24 of the fixed end plate 21, and the movable electrode rod is brazed to the disc portion 24 of the movable end plate 22 via bellows 4. Furthermore, the electrodes 1 provided at the ends of the fixed and movable electrodes are brazed to the fixed and movable electrodes, respectively.

[0016] At the end of the insulating container 10, a joint 30 where the insulating container 10 and the cylindrical portion 23 of the end plate 20 are brazed together is provided on the outer periphery of the end face of the insulating container 10, and a first protrusion 11 protruding in one direction A is formed on the inner periphery of the end face of the insulating container 10. Here, the end face of the insulating container 10 refers to a surface formed on the end of the insulating container 10 and extending in the radial direction B. A metallized layer 40 is formed on the joint 30 to braze the insulating container 10 and the end plate 20 together. Inside the vacuum interrupter, the metallized layer 40 is formed on the outer periphery of the end face of the insulating container 10, extending from the joint 30 inward in the radial direction B.

[0017] If the inner edge portion, which is the inner end of the metallized layer 40, is provided on the outer peripheral end face of the insulating container 10, it is difficult to bring the inner edge portion and the outer surface of the first protrusion 11 into close contact with each other, resulting in a gap between them and the inner edge portion of the metallized layer 40 and the first protrusion 11, which is an insulator, facing each other at close range. In this case, the inner edge portion, which is the end of the extremely thin metallized layer 40, is formed to protrude toward the electrode 1 and faces the first protrusion 11 of the insulating container 10, which is made of a dielectric material, alumina ceramics. This could potentially strengthen the electric field at the inner edge portion. Therefore, as shown in FIG. 2 , by forming the inner edge portion 41 on the outer surface of the first protrusion 11, the inner edge portion 41 is in close contact with the outer surface of the first protrusion 11, the inner edge portion 41 does not face toward the electrode 1, and the inner edge portion 41 does not face the first protrusion 11, which is a dielectric material. This reduces the electric field at the inner edge portion 41. Therefore, in order to form the inner edge portion 41 on the outer surface of the first protrusion portion 11, it is preferable that the metallization layer 40 is formed so as to extend from the joint portion 30 onto the outer surface of the first protrusion portion 11.

[0018] When a high voltage is applied to the electrode 1, a creeping discharge may occur on the inner surface of the insulating container 10 between the pair of end plates 20, the fixed end plate 21 and the movable end plate 22. The inner edge 41 of the metallized layer 40 is likely to be the origin of such a creeping discharge. Creeping discharge occurs when desorbed gas generated from the surface of the insulating container 10, which is an insulator, turns into plasma and forms a conductive channel. In the vacuum interrupter according to this embodiment, the first protrusion 11, which is an insulator, rises like a wall from the inner edge 41 of the metallized layer 40 or the second protrusion 25, which are the origin of the discharge. Therefore, if a conductive channel is attempted to be formed from the inner surface of the first protrusion 11 to the outer surface via the upper surface, the conductive channel is difficult to form because it has an unnatural shape that bends approximately 90° twice. Even if a conductive channel is temporarily formed, it is likely to be interrupted at the bent corners, preventing stable formation of the conductive channel. Therefore, the first protrusion 11 inhibits the formation of a conductive channel from the inner surface to the outer surface via the upper surface, thereby suppressing the occurrence of creeping discharge.

[0019] As such a contact portion 50, the end plate 20 shown in FIG. 2 is provided with a second protrusion 25 that protrudes from the inner surface of the cylindrical portion 23 toward the first protrusion 11 and contacts the outer surface of the first protrusion 11 to cover the inner edge portion 41 of the metallized layer 40. The second protrusion 25, which has the same potential as the metallized layer 40, is disposed so as to cover the inner edge portion 41 of the metallized layer 40. oh Furthermore, compared to when the insulating container 10 does not have the first protrusions 11 and the end face of the insulating container comes into contact with the contact portion of the end plate, the contact portion 50 is provided on the outer surface of the first protrusions 11, so the creeping distance of the creeping discharge path is longer by approximately the length of the protrusion of the first protrusions 11, thereby further suppressing the occurrence of creeping discharge.

[0020] The second protrusion 25 may be provided around the entire inner surface of the end plate 20 and may be formed to fit into the first protrusion 11. The second protrusion 25 may be formed, for example, by press working, or by splitting the end of the cylindrical portion 23 into two. Because the second protrusion 25 can be formed in this manner, it is possible to integrally mold the cylindrical portion 23 and the disk portion 24 of the end plate 20, eliminating the need for additional processing steps.

[0021] In this way, by forming the second protrusion 25 on the end plate 20, a contact portion 50 is provided where the inner surface of the cylindrical portion 23 of the end plate 20, which has the same potential as the metallized layer 40, comes into contact with the outer surface of the first protrusion 11 of the insulating container 10, thereby suppressing the occurrence of creeping discharge. Furthermore, in Figure 2, the contact portion 50 is provided below the uppermost part of the outer surface of the first protrusion 11, so the creeping distance can be made longer compared to when the contact portion is provided at the uppermost part of the outer surface of the first protrusion 11, and the occurrence of creeping discharge can be further suppressed.

[0022] When the first protrusion 11 is formed on the insulating container 10, in order to alleviate the electric field at the inner edge portion 41 of the metallized layer 40, it is sufficient to provide a contact portion between the outer surface of the first protrusion 11 and the inner surface of the cylindrical portion 23 above the metallized layer 40 in Figure 2, and the shape of the end plate 20 is not limited to that shown in Figure 2.

[0023] An example in which a contact portion having a different shape from that shown in FIG. 2 is provided on an end plate will be described with reference to FIGS. 3 to 6. As shown in FIG. 3, end plate 20a may have second protrusion 25a having curved portion 26 curved inside cylindrical portion 23, and a portion of curved portion 26 that contacts the outer surface of first protrusion 11 may be provided as contact portion 50a. That is, curved portion 26 contacts the outer surface of first protrusion 11 at its innermost portion and is formed to fit into first protrusion 11. Note that while FIG. 3 depicts curved portion 26 with a constant radius of curvature, this is not a limitation and the radius of curvature may vary. Electric field concentration is alleviated at curved portion 26, thereby alleviating the electric field at contact portion 50a.

[0024] 4, the end plate 20b may have a bent portion 27 formed by bending the end of the cylindrical portion 23a toward the inside of the cylindrical portion 23a, and the end of the cylindrical portion 23a that comes into contact with the outer surface of the first protrusion 11 may be provided as a contact portion 50b. Here, the bent portion 27 provides a joint portion 30a where the end plate 20 and the insulating container 10 are joined. The end plate 20b having such a bent portion 27 and contact portion 50b can be formed by bending, allowing the vacuum interrupter to be manufactured more inexpensively.

[0025] 5, the end plate 20c may include a small diameter portion 28 formed as a contact portion 50c so that the cylindrical portion 23b comes into contact with the outer surface of the first protrusion 11. The inner diameter of the small diameter portion 28 is formed to be smaller than the inner diameter of the cylindrical portion 23b at the joint portion 30. The end plate 20c including such a small diameter portion 28 and contact portion 50c can be formed by press working, allowing the vacuum interrupter to be manufactured more inexpensively.

[0026] As described above, in the vacuum interrupter according to this embodiment, the inner surfaces of the end plates 20, 20a, 20b, 20c, which have the same potential as the metallized layer 40, are in contact with the outer surface of the insulating container 10 at the contact portions 50, 50a, 50b, 50c, and the second protrusions 25, 25a, bent portions 27, and small diameter portions 28, which have the same potential as the metallized layer 40, are arranged to cover the inner edge portion 41 of the metallized layer 40, thereby mitigating the electric field at the inner edge portion 41 of the metallized layer 40. As a result, by suppressing the occurrence of creeping discharge inside the vacuum interrupter without increasing the number of parts, it is possible to improve the withstand voltage performance while suppressing increases in costs, and therefore it is possible to manufacture an inexpensive vacuum interrupter.

[0027] Furthermore, the joint 30 and the metallized layer 40 contain brazing filler metal for joining the insulating vessel 10 and the end plates 20, 20a, 20b, and 20c. When brazing the insulating vessel 10 and the end plates 20, 20a, 20b, and 20c, the assembled vacuum valve is placed in a heating furnace to melt the brazing filler metal. However, some of the brazing filler metal may evaporate and diffuse into the vacuum valve, contaminating the inner surface of the vacuum valve and reducing its withstand voltage performance. Furthermore, when a high voltage is applied to the electrode 1 of the vacuum valve and a discharge occurs starting from the inner edge 41 of the metallized layer 40, the brazing filler metal on the metallized layer 40 may evaporate and contaminate the inner surface of the vacuum valve, reducing its withstand voltage performance.

[0028] In the vacuum interrupter according to this embodiment, the outer surface of the insulating container 10 contacts the inner surfaces of the end plates 20, 20a, 20b, and 20c at the contact portions 50, 50a, 50b, and 50c, thereby separating the space inside the vacuum interrupter where the joints 30 and the metallized layer 40 are provided from the other space. Therefore, even if the brazing material present in the joints 30 and the metallized layer 40 evaporates, the contact portions 50, 50a, 50b, and 50c suppress the diffusion of the evaporated brazing material, preventing the inner surface of the vacuum interrupter from being contaminated and improving the voltage resistance performance. Improving the voltage resistance performance of the vacuum interrupter allows for the vacuum interrupter to be made smaller with the same rated voltage, thereby enabling the vacuum interrupter to be manufactured more inexpensively.

[0029] Furthermore, because the outer surface of the insulating container 10 and the inner surfaces of the end plates 20, 20a, 20b, and 20c come into contact at the contact portions 50, 50a, 50b, and 50c, the insulating container 10 and the end plates 20 can be positioned with good coaxiality when assembling the vacuum interrupter without using a positioning jig, etc. This makes it easier to assemble the vacuum interrupter, shortens the assembly time, and enables the vacuum interrupter to be manufactured inexpensively.

[0030] 2 to 5, a plurality of contact portions 50 may be provided, for example, as shown in FIG. 6. In FIG. 6, the end plate 20d has a plurality of second protrusions 25 formed on the inner surface of the cylindrical portion 23 in a line in one direction A as contact portions 50. By providing a plurality of contact portions 50 in this manner, the diffusion of the brazing material evaporated from the joining portion 30 and the metallized layer 40 can be further suppressed. Furthermore, the number of contact points between the insulating container 10 and the end plate 20 increases, making the assembled vacuum valve more stable before joining, further facilitating the assembly of the vacuum valve.

[0031] Furthermore, the end plates 20, 20a, 20b, 20c and the insulating container 10 may be formed so that the inner surfaces of the end plates 20, 20a, 20b, 20c and the outer surfaces of the first protrusions 11 of the insulating container 10 fit together at the contact portions 50, 50a, 50b, 50c. Furthermore, the structure of the vacuum valve in which the outer surface of the insulating container 10 and the inner surfaces of the end plates 20, 20a, 20b, 20c come into contact with each other through the contact portions 50, 50a, 50b, 50c can be applied to either the fixed side end plate 21 or the movable side end plate 22 joined to the insulating container 10, and the same effect can be obtained regardless of whether it is applied to either.

[0032] Next, a method for manufacturing the above-described vacuum valve is described. The method for manufacturing the vacuum valve includes a step of positioning the end plates 20, 20a, 20b, 20c, and 20d relative to the insulating vessel 10 by bringing the insulating vessel 10 into contact with the end plates 20, 20a, 20b, 20c, and 20d at the contact portions 50, 50a, 50b, and 50c. In this step, the outer surface of the insulating vessel 10 comes into contact with the inner surfaces of the end plates 20, 20a, 20b, and 20c at the contact portions 50, 50a, 50b, and 50c without using a positioning jig or the like, thereby enabling the insulating vessel 10 and the end plates 20, 20a, 20b, 20c, and 20d to be positioned with good coaxiality. This facilitates assembly of the vacuum valve, shortens assembly time, and enables the vacuum valve to be manufactured inexpensively.

[0033] As described above, the vacuum interrupter of embodiment 1 comprises a pair of electrodes 1 consisting of a fixed electrode 2 and a movable electrode 3 arranged opposite each other in one direction, a cylindrical insulating container 10 arranged around the electrode 1, a pair of end plates 20, 20a, 20b, 20c, 20d joined to the end faces of the insulating container 10 to seal the inside of the insulating container 10 in a vacuum, and a metallized layer 40 formed at the joint 30 where the insulating container 10 and the end plates 20, 20a, 20b, 20c, 20d are joined, and at least one of the insulating container 10 and the end plates 20, 20a, 20b, 20c, 20d has contact portions 50, 50a, 50b, 50c formed therein that bring the insulating container 10 into contact with the end plates 20, 20a, 20b, 20c, 20d and cover the inner edge portion 41 in order to reduce the electric field at the inner edge portion 41 of the metallized layer 40.

[0034] With this configuration, the electric field at the inner edge portion 41 of the metallized layer 40 is alleviated by forming contact portions 50, 50a, 50b, 50c that contact the insulating container 10 with the end plates 20, 20a, 20b, 20c, 20d and cover the inner edge portion 41, thereby preventing creeping discharge from occurring inside the vacuum valve. As a result, it is possible to improve the withstand voltage performance while suppressing increases in costs, and to manufacture an inexpensive vacuum valve.

[0035] Furthermore, in the first embodiment, the outer surface of the insulating container 10 and the inner surfaces of the end plates 20, 20a, 20b, 20c come into contact at the contact portions 50, 50a, 50b, 50c. Therefore, when the brazing filler metal present in the joints 30 and the metallized layer 40 inside the vacuum valve evaporates, the diffusion of the evaporated brazing filler metal is suppressed, preventing the inner surface of the vacuum valve from being contaminated and improving the voltage resistance performance. Furthermore, by improving the voltage resistance performance of the vacuum valve, the vacuum valve can be made smaller with the same rated voltage, allowing the vacuum valve to be manufactured more cheaply.

[0036] Furthermore, in the first embodiment, the outer surface of the insulating container 10 and the inner surfaces of the end plates 20, 20a, 20b, and 20c come into contact with each other at the contact portions 50, 50a, 50b, and 50c. This configuration allows the insulating container 10 and the end plates 20 to be positioned with good coaxiality without using a positioning jig or the like, making assembly of the vacuum interrupter easier. As a result, assembly time is reduced, and the vacuum interrupter can be manufactured more inexpensively.

[0037] Furthermore, in the first embodiment, the insulating container 10 of the vacuum valve has a joint 30 provided on the outer periphery of the end face and a first protrusion 11 protruding in one direction A on the inner periphery of the end face, and the end plates 20, 20a, 20b, 20c, 20d of the vacuum valve each comprise a cylindrical portion 23, 23a, 23b and a disk portion 24 connected to the inside of the cylindrical portion 23, 23a, 23b, and are joined to the insulating container 10 at the cylindrical portion 23, 23a, 23b, and have contact portions 50, 50a, 50b, 50c where the inner surface of the cylindrical portion 23, 23a, 23b comes into contact with the outer surface of the first protrusion 11. With this configuration, the contact portions 50, 50a, 50b, 50c are provided on the outer surface of the first protrusion 11, which further suppresses the occurrence of creeping discharge inside the vacuum valve without shortening the creeping distance.

[0038] Furthermore, in the first embodiment, the metallized layer 40 of the vacuum interrupter is formed so as to extend from the joint 30 onto the outer surface of the first protrusion 11. With this configuration, the inner edge 41 of the metallized layer 40 is formed on the outer surface of the first protrusion 11, and the inner edge 41 and the first protrusion 11 are not opposed to each other at close range, so that the electric field at the inner edge 41 can be alleviated. As a result, the occurrence of creeping discharge can be further suppressed.

[0039] Furthermore, in the first embodiment, the end plates 20, 20a of the vacuum valve are provided with second protrusions 25, 25a as contact portions 50, 50a that protrude from the inner surface of the cylindrical portion 23 toward the first protrusion 11 and come into contact with the outer surface of the first protrusion 11. With this configuration, the contact portions 50, 50a prevent electrons from being supplied from the inner edge portion 41 of the metallized layer 40, thereby suppressing the occurrence of creeping discharge inside the vacuum valve.

[0040] Furthermore, in the first embodiment, the end plate 20a of the vacuum valve has a curved portion 26 where the second protrusion 25a curves inside the cylindrical portion 23, and a part of the curved portion 26 that comes into contact with the outer surface of the first protrusion 11 serves as the contact portion 50a. With this configuration, electric field concentration is alleviated at the curved portion 26, and the electric field at the contact portion 50a can be alleviated. As a result, the occurrence of creeping discharge originating from the contact portion 50a can be suppressed.

[0041] Furthermore, in the first embodiment, the end plate 20d of the vacuum valve has a plurality of second protrusions 25 formed on the inner surface of the cylindrical portion 23 in a line in one direction A as contact portions 50. With this configuration, since a plurality of contact portions 50 are provided, the diffusion of the brazing material evaporated from the joint portion 30 and the metallized layer 40 can be further suppressed, and the vacuum valve can be assembled more stably.

[0042] Furthermore, in the first embodiment, the end plate 20b of the vacuum valve has a bent portion 27 formed by bending the end of the cylindrical portion 23a toward the inside of the cylindrical portion 23a, and is joined to the insulating container 10 at the bent portion 27, and includes the end of the cylindrical portion 23a that comes into contact with the outer surface of the first protrusion 11 as a contact portion 50b. With this configuration, the end plate 20b including the bent portion 27 and the contact portion 50b can be formed by bending, and therefore the vacuum valve having the contact portion 50b and improved voltage resistance performance can be manufactured more inexpensively.

[0043] Furthermore, in the first embodiment, the end plate 20c of the vacuum valve has a small diameter portion 28 formed as a contact portion 50c so that the cylindrical portion 23b comes into contact with the outer surface of the first protrusion 11. With this configuration, the end plate 20c having the small diameter portion 28 and the contact portion 50c can be formed by pressing, and therefore the inclusion of the contact portion 50c makes it possible to manufacture a vacuum valve with improved voltage resistance at lower cost.

[0044] Furthermore, in the first embodiment, the manufacturing method of the vacuum interrupter includes a step of contacting the insulating container 10 with the end plates 20, 20a, 20b, 20c, and 20d at the contact portions 50, 50a, 50b, and 50c, and positioning the end plates 20, 20a, 20b, 20c, and 20d relative to the insulating container 10. With this configuration, the outer surface of the insulating container 10 contacts the inner surfaces of the end plates 20, 20a, 20b, and 20c at the contact portions 50, 50a, 50b, and 50c, thereby enabling the insulating container 10 and the end plates 20, 20a, 20b, 20c, and 20d to be positioned with good coaxiality without using a positioning jig or the like. This facilitates assembly of the vacuum interrupter, shortens the assembly time, and enables the vacuum interrupter to be manufactured inexpensively.

[0045] Embodiment 2 A vacuum interrupter according to embodiment 2 will be described with reference to Figures 7 and 8. In embodiment 2, the same components as those in embodiment 1 above are given the same reference numerals, and the description will mainly focus on the configuration that differs from embodiment 1.

[0046] 7 and 8 are enlarged views showing a configuration example of a vacuum interrupter according to embodiment 2. In embodiment 1, the contact portions 50, 50a, 50b, and 50c are provided on the end plates 20, 20a, 20b, and 20c, respectively, to bring the outer surface of the first protrusion 11 of the insulating container 10 into contact with the inner surface of the cylindrical portion 23 of the end plates 20, 20a, 20b, and 20c, respectively. In embodiment 2, the contact portions 50d and 50e are provided on the first protrusion 11 of the insulating containers 10a and 10b, respectively, to bring the outer surface of the first protrusion 11 of the insulating containers 10a and 10b into contact with the inner surface of the cylindrical portion 23 of the end plate 20e, respectively.

[0047] 7, the insulating container 10a includes a third protrusion 12 as a contact portion 50d, which protrudes from the outer surface of the first protrusion 11 toward the cylindrical portion 23 of the end plate 20e and contacts the inner surface of the cylindrical portion 23 to cover the inner edge portion 41 of the metallized layer 40. In this way, the cylindrical portion 23 of the end plate 20e, which has the same potential as the metallized layer 40, is positioned to cover the inner edge portion 41 of the metallized layer 40, thereby mitigating the electric field at the inner edge portion 41 of the metallized layer 40. As a result, the occurrence of creeping discharge inside the vacuum valve can be suppressed without increasing the number of parts, thereby suppressing increases in costs and improving the withstand voltage performance.

[0048] Furthermore, when the brazing material present in the joint 30 and the metallized layer 40 evaporates, the outer surface of the first protrusion 11 of the insulating container 10a comes into contact with the inner surface of the cylindrical portion 23 of the end plate 20e at the contact portion 50d, thereby suppressing the diffusion of the evaporated brazing material, preventing the inner surface of the vacuum valve from being contaminated, and improving the voltage resistance performance.

[0049] Furthermore, because the outer surface of the first protrusion 11 of the insulating container 10a and the inner surface of the cylindrical portion 23 of the end plate 20e come into contact at the contact portion 50d, the insulating container 10a and the end plate 20e can be positioned with good coaxiality when assembling the vacuum interrupter without using a positioning jig, etc. This makes it easier to assemble the vacuum interrupter, shortens the assembly time, and enables the vacuum interrupter to be manufactured inexpensively.

[0050] 8, the insulating container 10b is provided with a tapered portion 13 that connects the outer surface of the third protrusion 12 to the inner circumferential end of the joint portion 30, forming an obtuse angle at the outer surface of the third protrusion 12 connected to the tapered portion 13. The formation of such a tapered portion 13 increases the thickness of the portion protruding from the end face of the insulating container 10b in the radial direction B, making it less likely to break. The obtuse angle at the third protrusion 12 of the insulating container 10b at the contact portion 50e prevents chipping. This prevents the insulating container 10b from being broken or chipped, resulting in defective products, enabling the vacuum interrupter to be manufactured inexpensively.

[0051] Furthermore, the end plate 20e and the insulating containers 10a and 10b may be formed so that the inner surface of the cylindrical portion 23 of the end plate 20e and the outer surface of the third protrusion 12 of the insulating containers 10a and 10b fit together at the contact portions 50d and 50e.

[0052] The structure of the vacuum valve described above, in which the outer surface of the insulating containers 10a, 10b and the inner surface of the end plate 20e come into contact with each other through the contact portions 50d, 50e, can be applied to either the fixed side end plate 21 or the movable side end plate 22 joined to the insulating containers 10a, 10b, and the same effect can be obtained regardless of whether it is applied to either.

[0053] As described above, in the vacuum interrupter according to the second embodiment, the insulating containers 10a and 10b include the third protrusions 12, which protrude from the outer surface of the first protrusions 11 toward the cylindrical portion 23 and contact the inner surface of the cylindrical portion 23, as the contact portions 50d and 50e. With this configuration, the insulating containers 10a and 10b include the third protrusions 12, which contact the inner surface of the cylindrical portion 23 of the end plate 20e, as the contact portions 50d and 50e. This suppresses creeping discharges inside the vacuum interrupter without increasing the number of components, thereby improving the withstand voltage performance while suppressing costs. Furthermore, if the brazing filler metal present in the joint 30 and the metallized layer 40 evaporates, the contact portions 50d and 50e suppress the diffusion of the evaporated brazing filler metal, preventing contamination of the inner surface of the vacuum interrupter and improving the withstand voltage performance. Furthermore, the contact portions 50d and 50e facilitate assembly of the vacuum interrupter, enabling the vacuum interrupter to be manufactured inexpensively.

[0054] Furthermore, in the second embodiment, the insulating container 10b is formed with a tapered portion 13 that connects the outer surface of the third protrusion 12 and the inner circumferential end of the joint portion 30. With this configuration, the tapered portion 13 increases the thickness of the portion protruding from the end face of the insulating container 10b in the radial direction B, making it less likely to break, and the corner of the outer surface of the third protrusion 12 connected to the tapered portion 13 becomes an obtuse angle, preventing chipping. As a result, it is possible to prevent parts of the insulating container 10b from breaking or chipping, resulting in defective products, during the manufacture of the vacuum interrupter, and therefore it is possible to manufacture vacuum interrupters at low cost.

[0055] Embodiment 3 A vacuum interrupter according to embodiment 3 will be described with reference to Figures 9 and 10. In embodiment 3, the same components as those in embodiments 1 and 2 above will be assigned the same reference numerals, and the description will mainly focus on the configuration that differs from embodiments 1 and 2.

[0056] 9 and 10 are enlarged views showing a configuration example of a vacuum interrupter according to embodiment 3. In embodiment 1, the contact portions 50, 50a, 50b, and 50c are provided on the end plates 20, 20a, 20b, and 20c, thereby bringing the outer surface of the first protrusion 11 of the insulating container 10 into contact with the inner surface of the cylindrical portion 23 of the end plate 20, 20a, 20b, and 20c. In embodiment 3, however, spacers 60, 60a, which are separate members from the insulating container 10 and the end plate 20e, are provided as contact portions 50f, 50g, 50h, and 50i, and the spacers 60, 60a are brought into contact with both the outer surface of the first protrusion 11 of the insulating container 10 and the inner surface of the cylindrical portion 23 of the end plate 20e, thereby bringing the insulating container 10 and the end plate 20e into indirect contact with each other.

[0057] 9, the spacer 60 is a member provided between the first protrusion 11 of the insulating container 10 and the cylindrical portion 23 of the end plate 20e, and is in contact with the outer surface of the first protrusion 11 and the inner surface of the cylindrical portion 23. The spacer 60 is brazed together with the end plate 20e at the metallized layer 40 formed on the outer peripheral end face of the insulating container 10.

[0058] The spacer 60 has a hole formed in the center of the deep-dish-shaped member through which the first protrusion 11 passes. The inner surface of the spacer 60 contacts the outer surface of the first protrusion 11 at a contact portion 50f, which is located above the inner edge portion 41 of the metallized layer 40 in FIG. 9 . The outer surface of the spacer 60 also contacts the inner surface of the cylindrical portion 23 of the end plate 20e at a contact portion 50g. Thus, the spacer 60 contacts both the outer surface of the first protrusion 11 of the insulating container 10 and the inner surface of the cylindrical portion 23 of the end plate 20e, thereby providing indirect contact between the insulating container 10 and the end plate 20e via the spacer 60. When the spacer 60 is used to provide indirect contact between the insulating container 10 and the end plate 20e, the number of parts increases compared to when the insulating container and the end plate are in direct contact as shown in the first and second embodiments. However, the spacer 60 has a simple structure and can be easily manufactured.

[0059] Therefore, the cylindrical portion 23 of the end plate 20e, which has the same potential as the metallized layer 40, is in contact with the outer surface of the first protrusion 11 of the insulating container 10, via the spacer 60, above the inner edge portion 41 of the metallized layer 40 in Figure 9, and the spacer 60, which has the same potential as the metallized layer 40, is arranged to cover the inner edge portion 41 of the metallized layer 40, thereby mitigating the electric field at the inner edge portion 41 of the metallized layer 40. As a result, by simply adding a very simple part, it is possible to suppress the occurrence of creeping discharge inside the vacuum interrupter, thereby improving the voltage resistance performance while suppressing increases in costs.

[0060] Furthermore, when the brazing material present in the joint 30 and the metallized layer 40 evaporates, the outer surface of the first protrusion 11 of the insulating container 10 comes into contact with the inner surface of the spacer 60 at the contact portion 50f, thereby suppressing the diffusion of the evaporated brazing material, preventing the inner surface of the vacuum valve from being contaminated, and improving the voltage resistance performance.

[0061] Furthermore, because the outer surface of the first protrusion 11 of the insulating container 10 and the inner surface of the spacer 60 come into contact at the contact portion 50f, and the outer surface of the spacer 60 and the inner surface of the cylindrical portion 23 of the end plate 20e come into contact at the contact portion 50g, when assembling the vacuum valve, the insulating container 10 and the end plate 20e can be positioned with good coaxiality without using a separate positioning jig, etc. This makes it easier to assemble the vacuum valve, shortens the assembly time, and enables the vacuum valve to be manufactured inexpensively.

[0062] The shape of the spacer 60 is not limited to that shown in Figure 9, and it is sufficient if it has a shape that contacts both the outer surface of the insulating container 10 and the inner surface of the end plate 20e, covers the inner edge portion 41 of the metallized layer 40, and allows indirect contact between the insulating container 10 and the end plate 20e in order to alleviate the electric field at the inner edge portion 41 of the metallized layer 40, and has a simple structure that can be easily manufactured.

[0063] Another example of the spacer shape is shown in FIG. 10. In FIG. 10, the spacer 60a is a ring-shaped member in which the inner surface of the spacer 60a contacts the outer surface of the insulating container 10 at contact portion 50h, and the outer surface of the spacer 60a contacts the inner surface of the end plate 20e at contact portion 50i. In other words, since the spacer 60a contacts both the insulating container 10 and the end plate 20e, the spacer 60a functions as the contact portions 50h, 50i that indirectly contact the insulating container 10 and the end plate 20e. The spacer 60a is chamfered in a portion below the contact portion 50g with the outer surface of the insulating container 10 in FIG. 10, and is formed to cover the metallized layer 40.

[0064] In addition, the insulating container 10a, end plate 20e and spacers 60, 60a may be formed so that the inner surfaces of the spacers 60, 60a engage with the outer surfaces of the first protrusion portions 11 of the insulating container 10 at the contact portions 50f, 50h, and the outer surfaces of the spacers 60, 60a engage with the inner surfaces of the cylindrical portions 23 of the end plate 20e at the contact portions 50g, 50i.

[0065] The structure of the vacuum valve in which the outer surface of the insulating container 10 and the inner surface of the end plate 20e contact each other via the spacers 60 and 60a at the contact portions 50f, 50g, 50h, and 50i can be applied to either the fixed end plate 21 or the movable end plate 22 joined to the insulating container 10, and the same effect can be obtained regardless of whether it is applied to either.

[0066] Next, a method for manufacturing the vacuum valve described above will be described. This method involves two steps: a step of positioning the spacers 60, 60a relative to the insulating container 10 by contacting the inner surfaces of the spacers 60, 60a with the outer surfaces of the first protrusions 11 of the insulating container 10; and a step of positioning the end plate 20e relative to the insulating container 10 by contacting the inner surfaces of the cylindrical portions 23 of the end plate 20e with the outer surfaces of the spacers 60, 60a. In these steps, the outer surfaces of the first protrusions 11 of the insulating container 10 and the inner surfaces of the spacers 60, 60a contact each other at contact points 50f, 50h, and the outer surfaces of the spacers 60, 60a contact the inner surfaces of the cylindrical portions 23 of the end plate 20e at contact points 50g, 50i, without using a separate positioning jig or the like. This allows the insulating container 10 and the end plate 20e to be positioned with good coaxiality. This facilitates assembly of the vacuum valve, shortens assembly time, and enables the vacuum valve to be manufactured inexpensively.

[0067] As described above, the vacuum interrupter according to the third embodiment includes the spacers 60, 60a, which are provided between the first protrusion 11 and the cylindrical portion 23 and contact the outer surface of the first protrusion 11 and the inner surface of the cylindrical portion 23 to cover the inner edge portion 41 of the metallization layer 40, as the contact portions 50f, 50g, 50h, and 50i. This configuration, which provides indirect contact between the insulating container 10 and the end plate 20e, suppresses creeping discharges inside the vacuum interrupter and improves voltage resistance by simply adding a simple component, while minimizing cost increases. Furthermore, if the brazing filler metal present in the joint 30 and the metallization layer 40 evaporates, the contact portions 50f and 50h suppress the diffusion of the evaporated brazing filler metal, preventing contamination of the inner surface of the vacuum interrupter and improving voltage resistance. Furthermore, the contact portions 50f, 50g, 50h, and 50i make it easy to assemble the vacuum interrupter, which allows the vacuum interrupter to be manufactured at low cost.

[0068] Furthermore, in the third embodiment, the method for manufacturing a vacuum interrupter includes the steps of positioning the spacers 60, 60a relative to the insulating container 10 by bringing the inner surfaces of the spacers 60, 60a into contact with the outer surfaces of the first protrusions 11 of the insulating container 10, and positioning the end plate 20e relative to the insulating container 10 by bringing the inner surfaces of the cylindrical portions 23 of the end plate 20e into contact with the outer surfaces of the spacers 60, 60a. This configuration allows the insulating container 10 and the end plate 20e to be positioned with good coaxiality without using a separate positioning jig or the like. This facilitates assembly of the vacuum interrupter, shortens the assembly time, and enables the vacuum interrupter to be manufactured inexpensively.

[0069] Embodiment 4 A vacuum interrupter according to a fourth embodiment will be described with reference to Fig. 11. In the fourth embodiment, the same components as those in the first to third embodiments are given the same reference numerals, and the following description will focus on the configuration that differs from the first to third embodiments.

[0070] 11 is an enlarged view showing a configuration example of a vacuum interrupter according to embodiment 4. In embodiment 1, a first protrusion 11 is provided on the inner periphery of the end face of insulating container 10, and the outer surface of first protrusion 11 contacts the inner surface of cylindrical portion 23 of end plate 20, 20a, 20b, 20c, but in embodiment 4, a configuration example is shown in which the inner surface of insulating container 10c contacts the outer surface of cylindrical portion 23b of end plate 20f.

[0071] 11, the insulating container 10c has a fourth protrusion 14 that protrudes in one direction A from the outer periphery of the end face of the insulating container 10c. The end plate 20f includes a cylindrical portion 23b and a disk portion 24a that connects to the inside of the cylindrical portion 23b, and has a connecting portion 29 that extends outward in the radial direction B from the cylindrical portion 23b and is joined at a connecting portion 30b to an end face that extends in the radial direction B and is formed at the end of the fourth protrusion 14 of the insulating container 10c. A metallized layer 40a is formed on this connecting portion 30b.

[0072] At a contact portion 50j below the inner edge portion 41a of the metallized layer 40a in FIG. 11, the outer surface of the cylindrical portion 23b of the end plate 20f, which has the same potential as the metallized layer 40a, contacts the inner surface of the fourth protrusion 14 of the insulating container 10c and covers the inner edge portion 41a of the metallized layer 40a. Because the cylindrical portion 23b, which has the same potential as the metallized layer 40, is positioned to cover the metallized layer 40a, the electric field at the inner edge portion 41a of the metallized layer 40 can be alleviated. As a result, creeping discharge inside the vacuum valve can be suppressed without increasing the number of parts, thereby suppressing increases in costs and improving voltage resistance performance.

[0073] Furthermore, since the fourth protrusion 14 is formed on the insulating container 10c, a step that protrudes inward in the radial direction B is formed on the inner surface of the insulating container 10c, and since it is formed on the surface of the insulating container 10c from the contact portion 50j toward the downward side in Figure 11, the creeping distance of the creeping discharge path becomes longer, and the occurrence of creeping discharge can be further suppressed.

[0074] 11 shows an example in which the inner surface of the fourth protrusion 14 of the insulating container 10c contacts the outer surface of the cylindrical portion 23b of the end plate 20f, but even if the fourth protrusion 14 is not formed on the insulating container 10c, when the outer surface of the cylindrical portion 23b of the end plate 20f contacts the inner surface of the insulating container, the cylindrical portion 23b, which has the same potential as the metallized layer 40, is arranged to cover the metallized layer 40a, thereby mitigating the electric field at the inner edge portion 41 of the metallized layer 40. As a result, the occurrence of creeping discharge inside the vacuum interrupter can be suppressed.

[0075] Furthermore, when the brazing material present in the joint 30b and the metallized layer 40a evaporates, the inner surface of the insulating container 10c and the outer surface of the cylindrical portion 23b of the end plate 20f come into contact at the contact portion 50j, thereby suppressing the diffusion of the evaporated brazing material, preventing the inner surface of the vacuum valve from being contaminated, and improving the voltage resistance performance.

[0076] Furthermore, because the inner surface of the insulating container 10c and the outer surface of the cylindrical portion 23b of the end plate 20f come into contact at the contact portion 50j, the insulating container 10c and the end plate 20f can be positioned with good coaxiality when assembling the vacuum interrupter without using a positioning jig, etc. This makes it easier to assemble the vacuum interrupter, shortens the assembly time, and enables the vacuum interrupter to be manufactured inexpensively.

[0077] Furthermore, the end plate 20f having such cylindrical portion 23b, disc portion 24a, and connecting portion 29 has a shape that can be formed by press working, allowing for more inexpensive production of the vacuum interrupter. Furthermore, the insulating container 10c and the end plate 20f may be formed so that the inner surface of the fourth protrusion 14 of the insulating container 10c and the outer surface of the cylindrical portion 23b of the end plate 20f fit together at the contact portion 50j.

[0078] The metallized layer 40a is formed on the joint portion 30b. However, if the metallized layer were formed to extend to the contact portion 50j, the brazing material might spread to the outer surface of the cylindrical portion 23b of the end plate 20f. Furthermore, the space enclosed by the cylindrical portion 23b of the end plate 20f, the connecting portion 29, and the metallized layer might be sealed, resulting in gas accumulation. To prevent these problems, it is preferable that the metallized layer 40a not contact the contact portion 50j where the inner surface of the insulating container 10c and the outer surface of the cylindrical portion 23b of the end plate 20f come into contact. To prevent the metallized layer 40a from contacting the contact portion 50j, for example, as shown in FIG. 11, the corner of the fourth protrusion 14 of the insulating container 10c on which the metallized layer 40a is provided may be chamfered.

[0079] The structure of the vacuum valve described above, in which the inner surface of the insulating container 10c and the outer surface of the end plate 20f come into contact at the contact portion 50j, can be applied to either the fixed side end plate 21 or the movable side end plate 22 joined to the insulating container 10c, and the same effect can be obtained regardless of whether it is applied to either.

[0080] As described above, the vacuum interrupter according to the fourth embodiment is characterized in that the end plate 20f includes the cylindrical portion 23b and the disk portion 24a connected to the inside of the cylindrical portion 23b, and has a contact portion where the outer surface of the cylindrical portion 23b comes into contact with the inner surface of the insulating container. With this configuration, the end plate 20f includes the cylindrical portion 23b that contacts the inner surface of the insulating container as a contact portion. This suppresses creeping discharge inside the vacuum interrupter without increasing the number of components, thereby improving the withstand voltage performance while suppressing costs. Furthermore, if the brazing filler metal present in the joint portion 30b and the metallized layer 40a evaporates, the contact portion suppresses the diffusion of the evaporated brazing filler metal, preventing contamination of the inner surface of the vacuum interrupter and improving the withstand voltage performance. Furthermore, the contact portion facilitates assembly of the vacuum interrupter, enabling the vacuum interrupter to be manufactured inexpensively.

[0081] Furthermore, in the fourth embodiment, the insulating container 10c has a fourth protrusion 14 protruding in one direction A from the outer periphery of the end face of the insulating container 10c, and the end plate 20f has a contact portion 50j where the outer surface of the cylindrical portion 23b comes into contact with the inner surface of the fourth protrusion 14. With this configuration, the fourth protrusion 14 forms a step that protrudes inward in the radial direction B on the inner surface of the insulating container 10c, and therefore the creeping distance of the creeping discharge path formed from the contact portion 50j on the surface of the insulating container 10c becomes longer, thereby making it possible to further suppress the occurrence of creeping discharge.

[0082] Furthermore, in the fourth embodiment, the metallized layer 40a does not contact the contact portion 50j. This configuration prevents the brazing material present in the metallized layer 40a from spreading to the outer surface of the cylindrical portion 23b of the end plate 20f at the contact portion 50j, and also prevents the space surrounded by the cylindrical portion 23b of the end plate 20f, the connecting portion 29, and the metallized layer from being sealed, thereby preventing gas from accumulating.

[0083] Although the present disclosure describes various exemplary embodiments and examples, the various features, aspects, and functions described in one or more embodiments are not limited to application to a particular embodiment, but may be applied to the embodiments alone or in various combinations. Therefore, countless variations not exemplified are conceivable within the scope of the technology disclosed in this specification, including, for example, cases where at least one component is modified, added, or omitted, and cases where at least one component is extracted and combined with components of another embodiment. [Explanation of symbols]

[0084] 1 electrode, 2 fixed electrode, 3 movable electrode, 4 bellows, 5 arc shield, 10, 10a, 10b, 10c insulating container, 11 first protrusion, 12 third protrusion, 13 tapered portion, 14 fourth protrusion, 20, 20a, 20b, 20c, 20d, 20e, 20f end plate, 21 fixed end plate, 22 movable end plate, 23, 23a, 23b cylindrical portion, 24, 24a disc portion, 25, 25a second protrusion, 26 curved portion, 27 bent portion, 28 small diameter portion, 29 connection portion, 30, 30a, 30b joint portion, 40, 40a metallized layer, 41, 41a Inner edge portion, 50, 50a, 50b, 50c, 50d, 50e, 50f, 50g, 50h, 50i, 50j Contact portion, 60, 60a Spacer

Claims

1. a pair of electrodes consisting of a fixed electrode and a movable electrode arranged opposite to each other in one direction; a cylindrical insulating container disposed around the electrode; a pair of end plates joined to end surfaces of the insulating container to seal the inside of the insulating container to a vacuum; a metallized layer formed at a joint between the insulating container and the end plate, the insulating container has the joint portion formed on an outer periphery of the end face and a first protrusion portion formed on an inner periphery of the end face and protruding in the one direction, the end plate comprises a cylindrical portion and a disk portion connected to the inside of the cylindrical portion, A vacuum valve that is joined to the insulating container at the cylindrical portion, and has a contact portion where the inner surface of the cylindrical portion and the outer surface of the first protrusion portion come into contact and cover the inner edge portion of the metallized layer.

2. A vacuum valve as described in claim 1, wherein the metallized layer is formed so as to extend from the joint onto the outer surface of the first protrusion.

3. A vacuum valve as described in claim 1 or 2, wherein the end plate protrudes from the inner surface of the cylindrical portion toward the first protrusion portion and has a second protrusion portion as the contact portion that contacts the outer surface of the first protrusion portion.

4. The vacuum valve according to claim 3, wherein the end plate has a curved portion where the second protrusion curves inside the cylindrical portion, and a part of the curved portion that contacts the outer surface of the first protrusion serves as the contact portion.

5. 4. The vacuum valve according to claim 3, wherein the end plate has a plurality of second protrusions formed on the inner surface of the cylindrical portion in a line in the one direction as the contact portions.

6. 3. A vacuum valve as described in claim 1 or 2, wherein the end plate has a bent portion formed by bending the end of the cylindrical portion toward the inside of the cylindrical portion, and is joined to the insulating container at the bent portion, and the end of the cylindrical portion that contacts the outer surface of the first protrusion portion serves as the contact portion.

7. 3. The vacuum valve according to claim 1, wherein the end plate has a small diameter portion as the contact portion, the small diameter portion being formed so that the cylindrical portion comes into contact with the outer surface of the first protrusion.

8. A vacuum valve as described in claim 1 or 2, wherein the insulating container has a third protrusion portion as the contact portion that protrudes from the outer surface of the first protrusion portion toward the cylindrical portion and contacts the inner surface of the cylindrical portion.

9. 9. The vacuum valve according to claim 8, wherein the insulating container is formed with a tapered portion connecting an outer surface of the third protrusion and an inner peripheral end of the joint portion.

10. A vacuum valve as described in claim 1 or 2, having a spacer as the contact portion, which is provided between the first protrusion portion and the cylindrical portion and contacts the outer surface of the first protrusion portion and the inner surface of the cylindrical portion.

11. A vacuum valve as described in Claim 10, wherein the inner surface of the spacer engages with the outer surface of the first protrusion portion and the outer surface of the spacer engages with the inner surface of the cylindrical portion.

12. A pair of electrodes consisting of a fixed electrode and a movable electrode arranged opposite to each other in one direction; a cylindrical insulating container disposed around the electrode; a pair of end plates joined to end surfaces of the insulating container to seal the inside of the insulating container to a vacuum; a metallized layer formed at a joint between the insulating container and the end plate, the end plate comprises a cylindrical portion, a disk portion connected to the inside of the cylindrical portion, and a connecting portion extending outward from the cylindrical portion and joined to the end surface of the insulating container, A vacuum valve characterized in that it has a contact portion where the outer surface of the cylindrical portion and the inner surface of the insulating container come into contact, and the cylindrical portion covers the inner edge portion of the metallized layer.

13. The insulating container has a fourth protrusion protruding in the one direction on the outer circumferential side of the end face, 13. The vacuum valve according to claim 12, wherein the end plate has a contact portion where an outer surface of the cylindrical portion and an inner surface of the fourth protrusion come into contact with each other.

14. A vacuum valve as described in claim 12 or claim 13, wherein the metallized layer does not contact the contact portion.

15. A vacuum valve as described in claim 1 or 12, wherein the end plate engages with the insulating container at the contact portion.

16. A method for manufacturing a vacuum valve, comprising a step of contacting the insulating container and the end plate of the vacuum valve described in claim 1 or 12 at the contact portion and positioning the end plate relative to the insulating container.

17. A step of contacting an inner surface of the spacer with an outer surface of the first protrusion of the insulating container of the vacuum valve described in claim 10, thereby positioning the spacer with respect to the insulating container; and positioning the end plate relative to the insulating container by bringing the inner surface of the cylindrical portion of the end plate into contact with the outer surface of the spacer.

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