A medium voltage switching pole includes: a fixed contact of a vacuum interrupter; a movable contact of the vacuum interrupter; a piston; at least one electrical contact; a first terminal; and a second terminal. The fixed contact is fixedly connected to the first terminal. The movable contact is fixedly connected to the piston. The piston moves within the second terminal along an axis. The at least one electrical contact makes an electrical connection between the piston and the second terminal. An outer surface of the piston and an inner surface of the second terminal are arranged such that: when in an open configuration the fixed contact and movable contact are separated, at least one first radial line perpendicular to the axis extends through locations of the at least one electrical contact, and a first distance along the at least one first radial line extends from the outer surface.

An anti-bounce dampener assembly for dampening the closing impact force between vacuum interrupter contacts. The dampener assembly includes a dampening spring positioned within a contact adapter, a guide tube extending through the contact adapter and the spring, where the guide tube is coupled to a fixed contact stem, and a bolt extending through the guide tube and being rigidly secured to the fixed contact stem. An impact force caused when the vacuum interrupter contacts contact each other when the vacuum interrupter is closed causes the fixed contact stem, the guide tube, the bolt and the vacuum interrupter to move against the bias of the spring and dampen the impact force. A flexible strap is electrically coupled to the fixed contact stem and the contact adapter, and flexes when the stem moves so as to maintain electrical coupling between the fixed contact stem and the contact adapter.

A vacuum circuit breaker comprises a vacuum interrupter operable between a closed state and an open state, and an actuator. The actuator comprises a piezoelectric driving element that is expandable and contractable along an expansion axis in response to an electrical input signal. The actuator further comprises a mechanical amplifying structure extendable along an actuation axis and being mechanically coupled to the piezoelectric driver such that expansion or contraction of said piezoelectric driving element causes the amplifying structure to extend or retract along the actuation axis. The mechanical amplifying structure is coupled to the vacuum interrupter for operating the vacuum interrupter between said closed and open states.

A medium voltage switching pole includes: a fixed contact of a vacuum interrupter; a movable contact of the vacuum interrupter; a piston; at least one electrical contact; a first terminal; and a second terminal. The fixed contact is fixedly connected to the first terminal. The movable contact is fixedly connected to the piston. The piston moves within the second terminal along an axis. The at least one electrical contact makes an electrical connection between the piston and the second terminal. An outer surface of the piston and an inner surface of the second terminal are arranged such that: when in an open configuration the fixed contact and movable contact are separated, at least one first radial line perpendicular to the axis extends through locations of the at least one electrical contact, and a first distance along the at least one first radial line extends from the outer surface.

An electrode assembly for a vacuum interrupter includes a contact plate, an electrode coil, an inner support, a lower support, and at least one support member. The electrode coil includes a base for attachment to a terminal post of the vacuum interrupter. The electrode coil also includes at least one arcuate arm between the base and the contact plate extending along a curved path in a plane substantially perpendicular to a direction of travel of the electrode assembly. Each arcuate arm includes an aperture that is positioned to align with a corresponding aperture of an adjacent arcuate arm or the base of the electrode coil. Each support member is partially positioned within aligned apertures to maintain a gap between the arcuate arms and the base. The support members and the lower support may be slotted to decrease the current flowing through the supports.

A vacuum interrupter includes a fixed side contact and a movable side contact; a fixed side electrode rod connected to the fixed side contact; a movable side electrode rod connected to the movable side contact; a fixed side reinforcement plate which is arranged between the fixed side electrode rod and the fixed side contact, and whose rim portion has a step portion to be arranged apart from the back of the fixed side contact; and a movable side reinforcement plate which is arranged between the movable side electrode rod and the movable side contact, and whose rim portion has a step portion to be arranged apart from the back of the movable side contact.

A system and method for point on wave closing of a switching device, where the close initiation point is selected so that a minor current loop is generated that minimizes the accumulated current during the closing operation. The method includes determining bounce characteristic of contacts in the switching device during the closing operation, identifying available close initiation points on a voltage wave for a voltage across the contacts, selecting one or two of the close initiation points on the voltage wave that minimizes the accumulation of current during the closing operation, and closing the switching device using the selected close initiation point.

A vacuum circuit breaker comprises a vacuum interrupter operable between a closed state and an open state, and an actuator. The actuator comprises a piezoelectric driving element that is expandable and contractable along an expansion axis in response to an electrical input signal. The actuator further comprises a mechanical amplifying structure extendable along an actuation axis and being mechanically coupled to the piezoelectric driver such that expansion or contraction of said piezoelectric driving element causes the amplifying structure to extend or retract along the actuation axis. The mechanical amplifying structure is coupled to the vacuum interrupter for operating the vacuum interrupter between said closed and open states.

A vacuum interrupter includes a fixed side contact and a movable side contact; a fixed side electrode rod connected to the fixed side contact; a movable side electrode rod connected to the movable side contact; a fixed side reinforcement plate which is arranged between the fixed side electrode rod and the fixed side contact, and whose rim portion has a step portion to be arranged apart from the back of the fixed side contact; and a movable side reinforcement plate which is arranged between the movable side electrode rod and the movable side contact, and whose rim portion has a step portion to be arranged apart from the back of the movable side contact.

A device is disclosed for transmission of forces on a moving contact connecting bolt of a contact system including a switching unit with a moving contact and a further contact. The device includes an at least partially flexible conductor element for electrical connection of the moving contact connecting bolt to a connection of the switching unit and at least one first branch and a second branch. The branches are arranged for reciprocal current flow to generate an electromagnetic force. The invention the second branch is guided along and retained on a support plate firmly connected to the moving contact connecting bolt such that an electromagnetic force occurring in a short-circuit is introduceable between the first branch and the second branch for increasing a contact pressure exerted by a contact pressure spring in the moving contact connecting bolt, the support plate being slidably movable in the housing of the switching unit.