APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR REDUCING ELECTRICAL ARCING IN A CIRCUIT BREAKER WHILE TRANSITIONING TO A CLOSED CIRCUIT CONDITION

摘要

Apparatus and method for reducing formation of electrical arcing in a circuit breaker while transitioning to a closed circuit condition are disclosed. An electrical contact assembly (12) includes a stationary contact (14) and a movable contact (18) responsive to an operating mechanism (22) to move towards the stationary contact and initiate a closed circuit condition. An oscillatory element (30) is disposed opposite a side of the stationary contact that makes contact with the movable contact during the closed circuit condition. The oscillatory element is configured to provide a transient response effective to adapt shock energy resulting from impact of the movable contact with the stationary contact to joint oscillatory motion so that the stationary contact and the movable contact remain interconnected to one another during the joint oscillatory motion, thus reducing formation of electrical arcing while transitioning to the closed circuit condition.

主权项

1. Apparatus comprising:
an electrical contact assembly comprising a stationary contact and a movable contact, the movable contact responsive to an operating mechanism to move towards the stationary contact and initiate a closed circuit condition; and an oscillatory element disposed opposite a side of the stationary contact that makes contact with the movable contact during the closed circuit condition, the oscillatory element configured to provide a transient response effective to adapt shock energy resulting from impact of the movable contact with the stationary contact to joint oscillatory motion of the stationary contact and the movable contact, wherein the stationary contact and the movable contact remain interconnected to one another during the joint oscillatory motion, thus reducing formation of electrical arcing while transitioning to the closed circuit condition.