Elastic Contact Assembly Without Flexible Cable Wear
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Solution Overview
Problem
Electrical circuit breakers face issues with wear and failure due to the use of flexible cables, which introduce multiple components, wear out over time, and lead to contamination and failure.
Innovation Solution
A contact assembly with integrally formed or directly connected contact members and an elastically deformable conductive member between abutment surfaces, allowing for varying distance adjustment without gliding motion, reducing wear and enabling a compact design.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If flexible cables are used to connect movable contacts to fixed terminals, then the electrical circuit breaker can accommodate movement and positioning flexibility, but the number of components increases and wear occurs over time leading to contamination and failure
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes the flexible cable from the system by directly integrating the movable contact with the fixed terminal through integral formation or direct connection. This extraction eliminates the cable's wear and failure issues while maintaining electrical connectivity and positioning flexibility through the rigid direct connection.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent merges the movable contact and fixed terminal into a single integrated component structure. By combining these previously separate elements (contact + cable + terminal), the system eliminates the cable interface that caused wear and contamination, while the integrated design maintains the necessary movement capability.
2Adaptability or versatility
If multiple components including cables and connectors are used for electrical connections, then the circuit breaker can accommodate movement and electrical connectivity, but the device complexity and number of parts increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple separate components (movable contact, cable, connectors, fixed terminal) into an integrated structure where the contact is either integrally formed with or directly connected to the terminal. This merging reduces the component count from multiple separate parts to a unified assembly, simplifying the overall device complexity while maintaining electrical connectivity functionality.
3Ease of manufacture
If cable lugs and fastening components are used to terminate electrical cables, then the electrical connection can be established, but the risk of wear out and breakage increases over time
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes the cable termination system (cable lugs, nuts, washers, bolts) from the design by eliminating the flexible cable entirely. The movable contact is directly integrated with or directly connected to the fixed terminal, extracting out the problematic termination components that were prone to wear and breakage, thereby extending the service life of the electrical connection.
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
The solution reduces wear and contamination, lowers the risk of failure, and allows for a more compact and efficient electrical circuit breaker or switch design.
Implementation Method 1
an elastically deformable and electrically conductive fourth contact member provided between a first abutment surface of the first contact member and a second abutment surface of the third contact member
Data Source
AI summary
A contact assembly including a first contact member electrically connected to a first electrical terminal, a second contact member electrically connected to a second electrical terminal, and a third contact member movable into and out of contact with the second contact member. An elastically deformable fourth contact member ensures electrical contact between the first contact member and the second contact member and the contact assembly is configured such that the fourth contact member is increasingly compressed between respective abutment surfaces of the first contact member and the third contact member as the third contact member moves towards the second contact member, thereby resiliently deforming the fourth contact member. Also, an electrical circuit breaker and an electrical switch, respectively including such a contact assembly. Further, a vacuum interrupter including such an electrical circuit breaker.