Spring-Type Control Device for Circuit Breakers

Solution Overview

Problem

Existing spring-type control devices for high or medium voltage circuit breakers and switches are bulky and have numerous mechanical moving parts, which limits their compactness and increases the risk of failure, especially in space-constrained gas insulated switchgear installations.

Innovation Solution

A compact spring-type control device is designed with a rotary shaft, a toothed wheel, a ratchet system, a cam, and a support arm forming a single crankshaft-shaped part, reducing the number of mechanical components and enhancing compactness by integrating the cam, pivot, and ratchet system with the rotary shaft, allowing for efficient energy delivery to movable contacts.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If multiple gearwheels and intermediate components are used to load the spring and drive movable contacts, then the device can achieve the required function, but the overall size becomes large and the number of mechanical moving parts increases

Engineering Contradiction:

ImprovereliabilityVSAvoidnumber of mechanical moving parts

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent merges the cam, pivot, and ratchet system with the rotary shaft into a single crankshaft-shaped part. This integration eliminates the need for separate gearwheels and intermediate components, reducing the number of mechanical moving parts while maintaining the required functions of spring loading and contact driving.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The integrated crankshaft-shaped part performs multiple functions simultaneously: it acts as the rotary shaft for spring loading, provides the cam profile for controlling contact movement, and incorporates the ratchet system for maintaining position. This multi-functionality reduces the overall device complexity while improving reliability.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

2Reliability

If multiple gearwheels and intermediate components are used to load the spring and drive movable contacts, then the device can achieve the required function, but the device becomes bulky and compactness is reduced

Engineering Contradiction:

ImprovereliabilityVSAvoiddevice size

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSVolume of moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent merges the cam, pivot, and ratchet system with the rotary shaft into a single crankshaft-shaped part. This integration eliminates the need for separate gearwheels and intermediate components, reducing the number of mechanical moving parts while maintaining the required functions of spring loading and contact driving.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The ratchet system is integrated within the structure of the crankshaft-shaped part, with the pawl and ratchet teeth arranged to occupy minimal space within the overall device footprint, achieving compact nesting of functional components.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #7Nested doll (Nesting)

3Reliability

If multiple gearwheels and intermediate components are used to load the spring and drive movable contacts, then the device can achieve the required function, but the closure operation becomes slow

Engineering Contradiction:

ImprovereliabilityVSAvoidclosure operation speed

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent merges the cam, pivot, and ratchet system with the rotary shaft into a single crankshaft-shaped part. This integration eliminates the need for separate gearwheels and intermediate components, reducing the number of mechanical moving parts while maintaining the required functions of spring loading and contact driving.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent removes the intermediate toothed wheel and complex gearwheel arrangements from the mechanism, extracting only the essential functions needed for spring loading and contact driving. This simplification reduces mechanical friction and inertia, enabling faster closure operation.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

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 results in a more compact and reliable control device with reduced mechanical complexity, minimizing the risk of failure and enabling faster operation by integrating key components into a single rigid element, thus addressing the size and reliability issues of prior art devices.

Implementation Method 1

a spring for rapidly delivering energy in order to move a movable contact of a circuit breaker or a switch

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectElastic energy storage and release: Spring

Implementation Method 2

a rachet system for coupling and uncoupling the toothed wheel and the rotary shaft

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectRatchet mechanism: Ratchet

Data Source

PatentUS9672996B2Control device of the spring type particularly for a high-voltage or medium-voltage circuit breaker or switch

Publication Date: 2017.06.06 ALSTOM TECH LTD

AI summary

The control device possesses a rigid main part combining most of the functional elements of this type of control device. It is made up of two portions of a rotary shaft, having placed between them a cam and a support arm that are connected together by a pivot that is offset relative to the axis of rotation. A toothed wheel having an inner set of teeth is placed around the support arm that is provided with a rachet system. The toothed wheel has an outer set of teeth-driven by a motor, via an intermediate gearwheel. The pivot controls the compression of the actuator spring by the assembly rotating. The device is applicable to high and medium voltage circuit breakers and switches.