A switching device includes: a first terminal contact; a first fixed contact arranged at the first terminal contact; a contact bridge; a contact bridge carrier arranged at the contact bridge and having a barrier; a first movable contact arranged at the contact bridge; a second terminal contact; a second fixed contact arranged at the second terminal contact; a second movable contact arranged at the contact bridge; and a magnetic drive assembly including a coil and an armature, the armature being coupled to the contact bridge. The first fixed contact is in contact with the first movable contact in a switched-on state of the switching device. The first fixed contact is free of contact with the first movable contact in a switched-off state of the switching device. The second fixed contact is in contact with the second movable contact in the switched-on state of the switching device.

An electromechanical switching device for breaking an electric current, the switching device including a stationary main contact; a movable main contact; a stationary arcing contact; a movable arcing contact, the stationary arcing contact and the movable arcing contact being arranged in parallel with the stationary main contact and the movable main contact; an actuating arrangement configured to move the movable main contact and the movable arcing contact; and a magnetic member arranged to generate a magnetic holding force in response to an electric current flow through the movable arcing contact when the movable arcing contact is in the closed position, the magnetic holding force acting on the movable arcing contact in a direction against the stationary arcing contact.

An electrical switching device includes: a main contact arrangement including a fixed contact and a movable contact, a plurality of splitter plates, each having a loop structure, the splitter plates being coaxially stacked with respect to their loop structure to form a stack, wherein one splitter plate is a first outermost plate and another splitter plate is a second outermost plate, a first arc runner electrically connected to the second outermost plate and a second arc runner electrically connected to the first outermost plate, the first and second arc runners being configured to direct a main arc from the main contact arrangement to the stack to thereby split the main arc into a plurality of secondary arcs between the splitter plates, and a first drive coil electrically connected to the second arc runner and to the movable contact or to the first arc runner and to the fixed contact.

An electrical switching device including: a main contact arrangement including a fixed contact and a movable contact, a plurality of splitter plates, each having a loop structure, the splitter plates being coaxially stacked with respect to their loop structure to form a stack of splitter plates, wherein one of the splitter plates of the stack of splitter plates is a first outermost splitter plate and another one of the splitter plates of the stack of splitter plates is a second outermost splitter plate, a first arc runner electrically connected to the second outermost splitter plate and a second arc runner electrically connected to the first outermost splitter plate, the first arc runner and the second arc runner being configured to direct a main arc from the main contact arrangement to the stack of splitter plates to thereby split the main arc into a plurality of secondary arcs between the splitter plates, and a first drive coil electrically connected to the second arc runner and to the movable contact or to the first arc runner and to the fixed contact, wherein the first drive coil has a first force increasing coil portion extending in parallel with the first arc runner in a direction towards the splitter plates such that the first force increasing coil portion is able to carry current in the same direction as and in parallel with a main current flow in the first arc runner to increase the magnetic field to thereby increase the Lorenz force applied to the main arc between the first arc runner and the second arc runner, when energised, is configured to create a blowing magnetic field in the stack of splitter plates, causing the secondary arcs to move circumferentially along the loops structures of the splitter plates.

A DC circuit breaker having an arc blowout device according to the present invention comprises: a fixed contact; a movable contact operating so as to make contact with or separate from the fixed contact; an operation part for driving the movable contact; and a blowout device which provides a magnetic field in a direction crossing the arc generated when the movable contact is separated, wherein the blowout device includes: a pair of core plates arranged side by side on both sides of the movable contact and the fixed contact; core rods integrally connected to the core plates, respectively, and having symmetrical shapes to each other; and a blowout coil coupled to one of the core rods.

A switching device includes: a first terminal contact; a first fixed contact arranged at the first terminal contact; a contact bridge; a contact bridge carrier arranged at the contact bridge and having a barrier; a first movable contact arranged at the contact bridge; a second terminal contact; a second fixed contact arranged at the second terminal contact; a second movable contact arranged at the contact bridge; and a magnetic drive assembly including a coil and an armature, the armature being coupled to the contact bridge. The first fixed contact is in contact with the first movable contact in a switched-on state of the switching device. The first fixed contact is free of contact with the first movable contact in a switched-off state of the switching device. The second fixed contact is in contact with the second movable contact in the switched-on state of the switching device.

A DC circuit breaker having an arc blowout device according to the present invention comprises: a fixed contact; a movable contact operating so as to make contact with or separate from the fixed contact; an operation part for driving the movable contact; and a blowout device which provides a magnetic field in a direction crossing the arc generated when the movable contact is separated, wherein the blowout device includes: a pair of core plates arranged side by side on both sides of the movable contact and the fixed contact; core rods integrally connected to the core plates, respectively, and having symmetrical shapes to each other; and a blowout coil coupled to one of the core rods.

A switching device in a vacuum switching tube or for arc quenching in gases. The switching device has an arc-quenching device. There is also described a method for operating a switching device in a vacuum switching tube or in arc quenching in gases, which switching device has an arc-quenching device for medium-voltage, low-voltage and/or high-voltage applications.

A switching device in a vacuum switching tube or for arc quenching in gases. The switching device has an arc-quenching device. There is also described a method for operating a switching device in a vacuum switching tube or in arc quenching in gases, which switching device has an arc-quenching device for medium-voltage, low-voltage and/or high-voltage applications.

An electromechanical switching device for breaking an electric current, the switching device including a stationary main contact; a movable main contact; a stationary arcing contact; a movable arcing contact, the stationary arcing contact and the movable arcing contact being arranged in parallel with the stationary main contact and the movable main contact; an actuating arrangement configured to move the movable main contact and the movable arcing contact; and a magnetic member arranged to generate a magnetic holding force in response to an electric current flow through the movable arcing contact when the movable arcing contact is in the closed position, the magnetic holding force acting on the movable arcing contact in a direction against the stationary arcing contact.