Strategic Technologies
Arc Chutes for DC Contactors
To view the entire patent, please click the patent number for the U.S. Patent Office site. For information on licensing a technology please contact the NISTAC representative listed below.
U.S. Patents:
Patent # 5,763,847 containing 19 claims, issued 06-09-1998. A contactor for switching electric current has a stationary contact and a movable contact which when driven by a solenoid moves into and away from abutment with the stationary contact. An arc extinguishing chamber is adjacent to the movable and stationary contacts and includes two rows of splitter plates with a gap there between. Each row comprises alternating splitter plates of first and second types. The first type of splitter plate has a first member of non-magnetic material with an aperture within which a permanent magnet is received and a second member of a magnetic material abutting the first member remote from the gap. An outer casing of a non-ferrous, electrically conductive material extends at least partially around the first and second members. The second type of splitter plates are formed of non-ferrous, electrically conductive material. The magnets produce a magnetic field around each of the first type of splitter plates which causes the electric arc to move about the surface of the outer casing.
Patent # 6,064,024 containing 15 claims, issued 05-26-2000. A DC contactor has stationary and movable contacts. A magnet is rotatably mounted adjacent to the stationary contact within a self magnetic field produced by the flow of electric current in the stationary contact. The magnet rotates so that its magnetic field extends around the stationary contact in the same direction as the self magnetic field. When an arc forms between the stationary and movable contacts, interaction with the self magnetic field and the magnetic field drives the arc toward an adjacent extinguishing chamber.
Patent # 5,416,455 containing 27 claims, issued 05-16-1995. A two-pole switch for DC current has a housing formed by a pair of open shells abutting each other to enclose components of the apparatus. Each shell rigidly holds a stationary contact, and an actuator is pivotally coupled to the shells. A pair of movable contacts are pivotally attached to the actuator so that each movable contact touches one stationary contact when the actuator is in a first position and the contacts are separated when the actuator is in a second position. A spine plate is between the shells and electrically separates the two stationary contacts and arc extinguishing chambers. A solenoid is within the housing aligned with the contacts and drives the actuator between the second and first positions to close the contacts.
Patent # 5,877,464 containing 18 claims, issued 03-02-1999. An electric arc extinguishing mechanism for an electric current switching apparatus employs a plurality of splitter plates in a conventional arc chute arrangement. Each splitter plate has a pair of permanent magnet structures that produce a magnetic field which interacts with the arc causing the arc to move continuously about the surface of the splitter plate until the arc is extinguished. Such movement prevents the arc energy from being concentrated in one spot which could melt the splitter plate.
Patent # 5,818,003 containing 19 claims, issued 10-06-1998. A contactor for switching electric current has a stationary contact and a movable contact which when driven by a solenoid moves into and away from abutment with the stationary contact. An arc chute includes a plurality of splitter plates which extend radially fro a center point in a geometric arc around the stationary contact on a side that is opposite to the movable contact. A curved arc runner is connected to the stationary contact to guide an electrical arc traveling between the stationary contact and each of the splitter plates. An elongated arc runner is connected to the movable contact to guide the electrical arc between the movable contact and splitter plates at the ends of the geometric arc.
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