Switchgear Operating Mechanism With Free-Wheeling Spring Release
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing electric-spring operating mechanisms for switchgear devices are inefficient due to structural limitations that prevent fast opening or closing operations, and they have high costs and low reliability due to complex structures.
Innovation Solution
An operating mechanism with a rotatable energy storage lever and spring, driven by a motor, and a free-wheeling connection between the drive lever and spring, allowing the spring to release energy after passing through its dead-point position, enabling fast and reliable operations.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Speed
If the spring is driven to be compressed to store energy by a motor during the opening or closing process, then energy is stored in the spring, but the moving contact is driven to move slowly and the structure becomes complex
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs a free-wheeling mechanism that allows the drive lever to dynamically switch between being driven by the motor and freely rotating under spring force. The one-way bearing enables the system to adapt its drive mode based on the operational phase, achieving high speed during contact movement while maintaining a relatively simple structure.
Solution Approach 2:
The operating mechanism is divided into distinct functional segments: the motor-driven energy storage phase and the spring-driven fast operation phase. The free-wheeling connection creates a clear separation between these phases, allowing each to optimize its performance independently without requiring a completely complex integrated system.
2Speed
If a complex structure is used to achieve fast opening or closing operation, then opening or closing speed is improved, but cost increases and reliability decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The spring-loaded lever mechanism is designed to automatically release stored energy when the spring passes through its dead-point position, eliminating the need for complex control systems or additional actuators. The free-wheeling connection automatically engages and disengages based on the spring's rotation, providing self-regulating fast operation that improves reliability.
3Productivity
If the spring passes through its dead-point position to release energy, then fast operation is achieved, but the mechanism requires precise positioning and control
Solution Approach 1:
The free-wheeling connection acts as an intermediary mechanism that decouples the precise positioning requirement from the overall system control. The one-way bearing allows the spring to naturally reach its dead-point position without requiring active control, while still enabling reliable energy transfer to the drive lever for fast operation.
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 mechanism achieves fast-closing and fast-opening, fast-closing and slow-opening, or fast-opening and slow-closing operations with improved acceleration performance and reduced complexity, while maintaining a compact design and low cost.
Implementation Method 1
a rotatable energy storage lever and a spring, whereby the energy storage lever is configured for being rotated by a motor so as to drive the spring to be compressed for storing energy
Implementation Method 2
the spring is configured, during at least one of the opening and closing operation of the switchgear device, for releasing energy so as to rotate the output shaft directly or via the drive lever after passing through the spring's dead-point position
Implementation Method 3
an optionally rotatable drive lever torque-proof connected to the output shaft, rotatably connected to the energy storage lever and free-wheeling connected to the spring allowing a rotability between the drive lever and the spring of ≤120°
Data Source
AI summary
The disclosure relates to an operating mechanism for a switchgear device, including a rotatable output shaft configured for achieving an opening or closing operation of the switchgear device by rotation, a rotatable energy storage lever and a spring, whereby the energy storage lever is configured for being rotated by a motor so as to drive the spring to be compressed for storing energy, and a rotatable drive lever torque-proof connected to the output shaft, rotatably connected to the energy storage lever and free-wheeling connected to the spring allowing a rotability between the drive lever and the spring of ≤60° for achieving the opening or closing operation of the switchgear device, whereby the spring is configured, during at least one of the opening and closing operation of the switchgear device, for releasing energy so as to rotate the drive lever after passing through the spring's dead-point position.