Vacuum Circuit Breaker Terminals with Insulation Guide

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional vacuum circuit breakers experience issues with electric insulating performance, vibrations, and noise due to the short distance between terminals at the test position, leading to terminal and breaker body damage during connection and disconnection operations.

Innovation Solution

The implementation of a first terminal with supporting rings and radially disposed finger contactors, along with ring-shaped springs, and a second terminal with a bushing-type electric conductor configuration, combined with an insulation guide member that is detachably fixed to the second terminal to enhance electric insulating properties and minimize vibrations and noise by maintaining contact pressure and reducing elastic force requirements.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Volume of moving object

If the distance between the first terminal and the second terminal is reduced, then the device size is minimized, but the electric insulating performance deteriorates at the test position

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedevice sizeVSAvoidelectric insulating performance

Core Design Contradiction:

Volume of moving objectVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

An insulation guide member is introduced as an intermediary component between the first terminal and the second terminal. This member provides the necessary electric insulation during the test position while allowing the terminals to remain close together, thus maintaining compact device size without sacrificing insulating performance.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The terminal structure is segmented into multiple components: the first terminal, the second terminal, and the separate insulation guide member. This segmentation allows the insulation function to be independently provided by the guide member, enabling the terminals to be positioned closer while maintaining adequate insulation.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

2Strength

If rigid terminal connection is used, then the connection strength is improved, but the impacts and vibrations during connection and disconnection increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveconnection strengthVSAvoidimpacts and vibrations

Core Design Contradiction:

StrengthVSObject-generated harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent employs flexible finger contactors that can elastically deform during connection and disconnection. These flexible elements absorb connection impacts and reduce vibrations while maintaining secure electrical contact, replacing rigid terminal structures with flexible conducting components.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #30Flexible shells and thin films

Solution Approach 2:

The flexible finger contactors are pre-configured to provide elastic cushioning before actual connection occurs. This beforehand cushioning absorbs the impact energy during connection and disconnection operations, preventing harmful vibrations and mechanical shocks.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #11Beforehand cushioning (Prior cushioning)

3Reliability

If large elastic force is applied to maintain contact pressure, then the contact reliability is improved, but the vertical vibrations and noises increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecontact reliabilityVSAvoidvertical vibrations and noises

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSObject-generated harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

Flexible finger contactors with optimized elasticity provide the necessary contact pressure through their inherent elastic properties rather than excessive external forces. This flexible approach maintains reliable electrical contact while minimizing vibrations and noises that would result from overly rigid or heavily spring-loaded connections.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #30Flexible shells and thin films

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

This configuration ensures effective electric insulating performance between the breaker body and cradle terminals at the test position, minimizing impacts and vibrations during connection and disconnection, thereby reducing noise and potential damage.

Implementation Method 1

ring-shaped springs installed to contact an outer circumferential surface of the finger contactors so as to provide an elastic force to the finger contactors

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectElastic force: Elasticity

Data Source

PatentUS8779319B2Terminals for vacuum circuit breaker and vacuum circuit breaker having the same

Publication Date: 2014.07.15 LSIS CO LTD

AI summary

Terminals for a vacuum circuit breaker include: a first terminal having a plurality of supporting rings, a plurality of finger contactors, and ring-shaped springs installed to contact an outer circumferential surface of the finger contactors so as to provide an elastic force to the finger contactors toward the center; a second terminal having an outer diameter larger than an inner diameter of the first terminal formed by an inner circumferential surface of the finger contactors of the first terminal, and configured by a bushing-type electric conductor; and an insulation guide member detachably fixed to a leading end of the second terminal such that an electric insulating property of the second terminal increases when the first and second terminals are disconnected from each other, having an electric insulating property, and tapered so as to have a decreased outer diameter as a distance from the second terminal becomes long.