Described herein is a switching apparatus for low or medium voltage electric grids, which includes one or more electric poles. Each electric pole includes: an outer casing defining an internal volume of the electric pole; a fixed contact assembly accommodated in the internal volume of the electric pole and including a fixed contact member extending along a longitudinal axis of the electric pole; at least one movable contact assembly accommodated in the internal volume of the electric pole; an actuation member accommodated in the internal volume of the electric pole and arranged coaxially and externally relative to the fixed contact member, so that the fixed contact member passes through the actuation member along the longitudinal axis. The actuation member is slidingly movable along the fixed contact member. When moving between the first and second actuation positions, the actuation member transiently couples to each trip mechanism to actuate the trip mechanism.

Described herein is a switching apparatus for low or medium voltage electric grids, which includes one or more electric poles. Each electric pole includes: an outer casing defining an internal volume of the electric pole; a fixed contact assembly accommodated in the internal volume of the electric pole and including a fixed contact member extending along a longitudinal axis of the electric pole; at least one movable contact assembly accommodated in the internal volume of the electric pole; an actuation member accommodated in the internal volume of the electric pole and arranged coaxially and externally relative to the fixed contact member, so that the fixed contact member passes through the actuation member along the longitudinal axis. The actuation member is slidingly movable along the fixed contact member. When moving between the first and second actuation positions, the actuation member transiently couples to each trip mechanism to actuate the trip mechanism.

A switch includes a fixed contact, a movable contact, a motor to drive the movable contact via a drive mechanism that converts rotational motion into linear motion, and a drive controller to control driving of the motor. The drive controller controls a rotation speed of the motor such that during an opening operation of the switch, a moving speed of the movable contact in a part of an entire moving range of the movable contact is lower than a moving speed of the movable contact during a closing operation of the switch. The part of the entire moving range includes an interrupting point at which an arc current is extinguished.

A switch includes a fixed contact, a movable contact, a motor to drive the movable contact via a drive mechanism that converts rotational motion into linear motion, and a drive controller to control driving of the motor. The drive controller controls a rotation speed of the motor such that during an opening operation of the switch, a moving speed of the movable contact in a part of an entire moving range of the movable contact is lower than a moving speed of the movable contact during a closing operation of the switch. The part of the entire moving range includes an interrupting point at which an arc current is extinguished.

An assembly for damping switching movements has a housing, which physically surrounds at least one piston, and which at least partly physically surrounds at least one rod. The rod is movable relative to the housing. The piston delimits a first fluid volume, which is fluidically connected to a second fluid volume by way of a throughflow opening. The rod is formed at one end as a hollow tube and physically surrounds the first fluid volume. The piston is guided in the hollow-tubular end of the at least one rod. A method for damping switching movements in a high-voltage circuit breaker includes decreasing a damping rate of the assembly for damping in a period in the time profile of the switching movement, in particular after a previous increase in the damping rate during the switching movement.

A crank arm of an auxiliary rotary switch in a circuit breaker changes electrical connections of contacts in the auxiliary rotary switch when the crank-arm is rotated about its axis. An auxiliary switch actuator decouples abrupt forces from being applied to the crank arm resulting from closing main contacts of the circuit breaker. In response to the main contacts starting to close, the crank arm is set into rotation by motion of a connection-state link that is coupled to the main contacts. The rotation of the crank arm continues up to a point at which the rotation is stopped, while the connection-state link continues its motion without being connected to the crank arm. In this manner, the connection-state link is decoupled from the crank arm, to relieve the crank arm from receiving the abrupt forces conducted by the connection-state link resulting from the main circuit breaker contacts closing.

A crank arm of an auxiliary rotary switch in a circuit breaker changes electrical connections of contacts in the auxiliary rotary switch when the crank-arm is rotated about its axis. An auxiliary switch actuator decouples abrupt forces from being applied to the crank arm resulting from closing main contacts of the circuit breaker. In response to the main contacts starting to close, the crank arm is set into rotation by motion of a connection-state link that is coupled to the main contacts. The rotation of the crank arm continues up to a point at which the rotation is stopped, while the connection-state link continues its motion without being connected to the crank arm. In this manner, the connection-state link is decoupled from the crank arm, to relieve the crank arm from receiving the abrupt forces conducted by the connection-state link resulting from the main circuit breaker contacts closing.

A direct-current contactor includes a contact assembly, an arc extinguishing assembly, and a drive assembly. The arc extinguishing assembly is disposed around the contact assembly. The contact assembly includes a moving contact mechanism and a stationary contact mechanism that are disposed in pairs. The moving contact mechanism includes a moving contact. The stationary contact mechanism includes a stationary contact and an arc introducing plate disposed around the stationary contact. The arc introducing plate is configured to introduce an electric arc generated between the moving contact mechanism and the stationary contact mechanism into the arc extinguishing assembly. The drive assembly is configured to drive a connection or a disconnection of the moving contact and the stationary contact.

A direct-current contactor includes a contact assembly, an arc extinguishing assembly, and a drive assembly. The arc extinguishing assembly is disposed around the contact assembly. The contact assembly includes a moving contact mechanism and a stationary contact mechanism that are disposed in pairs. The moving contact mechanism includes a moving contact. The stationary contact mechanism includes a stationary contact and an arc introducing plate disposed around the stationary contact. The arc introducing plate is configured to introduce an electric arc generated between the moving contact mechanism and the stationary contact mechanism into the arc extinguishing assembly. The drive assembly is configured to drive a connection or a disconnection of the moving contact and the stationary contact.

The present invention provides an arc-extinguishing device, including an arc-extinguishing chamber, where the arc-extinguishing chamber includes a support, a plurality of arc-extinguishing grid sheets, a first gas-evolving hood, and a second gas-evolving hood; the plurality of arc-extinguishing grid sheets are mounted on the supports, the arc-extinguishing grid sheet has a groove to form a moving track for a moving contact, both sides of the groove extend toward the moving contact respectively to form a first extension leg and a second extension leg, an end and an inner side of the first extension leg are wrapped by the first gas-evolving hood, and an end and an inner side of the second extension leg are wrapped by the second gas-evolving hood; a surface of the gas-evolving hood extending along the inner side of the extension leg toward the groove is referred to as a wrapping surface.