Current Interrupter Cage Adjustment for Contact Alignment
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing electrical current breaking devices face misalignment issues due to manufacturing tolerances, leading to uneven wear and difficulty in precise adjustment, especially when the movable contacts are in the closed position.
Innovation Solution
The apparatus includes adjustable movable stops and cages that allow independent control of the movable contact's position, enabling precise alignment and adjustment of the travel length for each breaking element, even when connected to a shared actuator, using an adjusting screw and elastic return members for precise positioning.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If the position of movable contacts is adjusted to compensate for misalignment, then contact alignment precision is improved, but the adjustment can only be carried out when movable contacts are in the open position, which limits operational flexibility
Solution Approach 1:
The device is segmented into multiple independent breaking elements (first breaking element, second breaking element, etc.), each with its own adjustable movable stop. This allows independent adjustment of each breaking element's movable contact position without affecting others, enabling precise alignment compensation while maintaining operational flexibility.
Solution Approach 2:
The movable stop is made adjustable rather than fixed, allowing the position of the movable contact to be dynamically modified. The adjusting screw mechanism enables the movable stop to be repositioned along the axis of movement to compensate for misalignment, transforming a static structure into a dynamically adjustable one.
2Manufacturing precision
If the connecting member is lengthened or shortened to adjust stroke, then movable contact position is improved, but adjustment cannot be made when the moving part of the actuator is connected to the moving parts
Solution Approach 1:
The adjustment function is extracted from the connecting member and transferred to a separate movable stop mechanism. This allows the stroke adjustment to be performed independently without disconnecting the actuator, as the movable stop can be adjusted separately from the connecting member that links the actuator to the movable contact.
Solution Approach 2:
The movable stop acts as an intermediary element between the actuator's moving part and the movable contact. By adjusting the movable stop's position, the stroke of the movable contact is modified without needing to change the connecting member's length or disconnect the actuator, thus simplifying the adjustment process.
3Reliability
If manufacturing tolerances are reduced to improve alignment, then contact synchronization is improved, but manufacturing cost and complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of relying on tight manufacturing tolerances, the invention introduces an adjustable parameter (the movable stop position) that can be modified after manufacturing. This allows the system to achieve high contact synchronization reliability through adjustment rather than through expensive precision manufacturing, effectively decoupling reliability from manufacturing cost.
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 solution simplifies and enhances the precision of aligning breaking elements, allowing for controlled adjustment of the travel length of movable contacts, reducing wear and improving the synchronization of contact alignment, even in the closed position, thereby improving the operational reliability of the device.
Implementation Method 1
the movable stop being movable in translation along the axis of movement by means of an adjusting screw
Implementation Method 2
using an adjusting screw and elastic return members for precise positioning
Data Source
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AI summary
This electric current interrupting device (2) comprises interrupting elements (4), each having fixed electrical contacts (8) and a moving part with a movable electrical contact (12) that can be moved along an axis (X) between an open and a closed position, and an actuator (6) comprising a movable part (32) that can be moved along the axis (X) to move the moving part between its open and closed positions. Each moving part comprises a body defining a housing and a cage containing a support for the movable contact (12), the cage being mounted in this housing and movable along the axis (X) relative to the moving part. A movable stop, movable along the axis (X) by means of an adjusting screw, limits the movement of the cage relative to the body.