Self-Triggering Circuit Breaker With Magnetic Actuation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing circuit breakers fail to quickly and reliably interrupt high electrical currents, such as short-circuit currents, which can cause damage due to overheating and are susceptible to external influences.
Innovation Solution
A self-triggering circuit breaker design featuring wound coil conductor strips and a U-shaped contact rocker that generates a magnetic field to rapidly move the rocker from a connected to a separated position, interrupting the current within less than 0.1 ms, and includes a controllable semiconductor switch to suppress arcs during opening.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Speed
If a conventional circuit breaker design is used, then the device can interrupt current, but the switching speed is insufficient and the device is susceptible to external influences
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces conventional mechanical actuation mechanisms with a magnetic field-based actuation system. Wound coil conductor strips generate magnetic fields that directly act on the contact rocker, eliminating the need for mechanical linkages and springs that are susceptible to external influences and mechanical wear. This substitution achieves both high switching speed and improved reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the physical state and parameters of the conductor strips by winding them into coil configurations. This winding structure transforms the conductor strips into electromagnetic actuators that can generate controlled magnetic fields. The parameter change from straight conductors to wound coils enables rapid magnetic field generation and thus rapid contact switching.
2Speed
If the circuit breaker uses a self-triggering design with wound coil conductor strips, then the switching speed increases and resistance to external influences improves, but the manufacturing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The wound coil conductor strips serve multiple functions simultaneously: they act as both the current-carrying conductors and the electromagnetic actuators. This multi-functionality eliminates the need for separate coil windings and conductor strips, simplifying the manufacturing process while maintaining the self-triggering capability and high switching speed.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent merges the functions of the conductor strips and the actuating coils into a single integrated component. The wound coil conductor strips combine the electrical connection function with the magnetic field generation function, reducing the number of parts and simplifying assembly and manufacturing.
3Speed
If the circuit breaker operates at high switching speed, then the interruption of short-circuit currents is improved, but arc formation during opening increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts and addresses the arc suppression function as a separate concern from the switching mechanism. By using a self-triggering design with magnetic actuation, the opening speed is maximized while arc management can be handled through separate design considerations such as contact geometry and arc quenching media, allowing the two functions to be optimized independently.
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 circuit breaker effectively and quickly interrupts high electrical currents, providing reliable protection against short-circuit damage, is resistant to external influences, and can be produced with low outlay, while the semiconductor switch further prevents arc formation and extends service life.
Implementation Method 1
a high electrical current, in particular a short-circuit current, which flows through the wound coil conductor strips of the coils and through the contact limbs of the contact rocker produces a magnetic field
Implementation Method 2
which immediately generates a switching force which moves the contact rocker at a high switching speed from the first switching position into a second switching position
Data Source
AI summary
A circuit breaker includes a current entry which conducts an electrical current via a wound coil conductor strip of a first coil to a first fixed contact, and includes a contact rocker which can be moved between two switching positions. The contact rocker includes mutually connected contact limbs. A first switching position of the contact rocker, electrically connects the first fixed contact with a second fixed contact which is connected via a wound coil conductor strip of a second coil to a current exit for dissipating an electrical current flowing through the contact limbs of the contact rocker and the coil conductor strips of the coils to a current exit of the circuit breaker. A high electrical current which flows through the wound coil conductor strips of the coils and through the contact limbs of the contact rocker produces a magnetic field which generates a switching force which moves the contact rocker from the first switching position into a second switching position in which the two fixed contacts are electrically separated to interrupt the electrical current.