Holder-Guiding Assembly Materials to Reduce Contactor Friction

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Solution Overview

Problem

Friction between thermosetting materials in breaking units generates pollution particles, hindering the moving performance of contacts and leading to mismatches between silver tips, which existing designs fail to adequately address.

Innovation Solution

A modular breaking unit with a holder-guiding assembly using thermoplastic materials for guides and a thermosetting plastic movable contact holder, featuring self-lubricating properties to reduce friction and pollution, with guides that support and guide the movable contact between open and closed positions.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Strength

If thermosetting materials are used for both casing and holder, then structural strength and thermal resistance are improved, but friction increases and pollution particles are generated

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvestructural strengthVSAvoidfriction and pollution particles
Core Design Contradiction:
StrengthVSObject-generated harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies composite materials by combining thermoplastic material for the holder-guiding assembly with thermosetting plastic material for the movable contact holder. This composite material approach allows the thermoplastic material to provide self-lubricating properties and reduce friction, while the thermosetting plastic material maintains structural strength and thermal resistance, thereby resolving the contradiction between strength and friction-induced pollution.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #40Composite materials

2Object-generated harmful factors

If thermoplastic material is used for holder-guiding assembly, then friction is reduced and self-lubricating function is achieved, but thermal resistance may be compromised

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvefriction and pollution particlesVSAvoidthermal resistance
Core Design Contradiction:
Object-generated harmful factorsVSTemperature

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies local quality by assigning different material properties to different components based on their specific functional requirements. The holder-guiding assembly uses thermoplastic material with self-lubricating properties to reduce friction in the guiding function, while the movable contact holder uses thermosetting plastic material to withstand thermal stress in the contact holding function. This localized material selection resolves the contradiction between friction reduction and thermal resistance.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

3Ease of operation

If good guidance is formed between casing and holder, then moving performance is improved, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvemoving performanceVSAvoidguidance structure complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies self-service by utilizing the self-lubricating properties of thermoplastic material in the holder-guiding assembly. This material property automatically provides lubrication during the movement of the movable contact holder, eliminating the need for additional lubrication mechanisms or complex guidance structures. The material itself serves the lubrication function, thereby improving moving performance while maintaining simple device structure.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

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

Significantly reduces friction and pollution, improving the motion performance of moving contacts and preventing mismatches between silver tips, while simplifying assembly complexity and cost.

Implementation Method 1

the self-lubricating properties to reduce friction and pollution

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectSelf-lubrication: Lubrication

Data Source

PatentEP3940737B1Modular breaking unit with a holder-guiding assembly and contactor
Publication Date: 2025.09.03 SCHNEIDER ELECTRIC IND SAS
  • EP3940737B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3940737B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3940737B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

A modular breaking unit 1 with a holder-guiding assembly 2, wherein: the modular breaking unit comprises a casing unit 3; a holder 4 for holding a movable contact 5 of the modular breaking unit 1 is accommodated in the casing unit 3; the movable contact 5 of the modular breaking unit 1 is mounted on the movable contact holder 5; the holder-guiding 2 assembly is installed in the casing unit 3 and arranged to support and guide the movable contact holder 4 to move between an open position and a closed position; the holder-guiding assembly 2 is made of thermoplastic material; the movable contact holder 4 is made of thermosetting plastic material. A contactor comprising at least one said modular breaking units.