A vacuum interrupter having a structure to trap running cathode tracks is disclosed. The interrupter includes a first electrode assembly and a second electrode assembly, at least one of which is moveable. The interrupter also includes a sidewall having a longitudinal axis. One or more trench structures are formed in at least one of the electrode assemblies. Each trench structure has an opening that faces the other electrode assembly in a direction that is parallel to the longitudinal axis, to trap the running cathode tracks to prevent them from getting close to the sidewall.

A vacuum valve includes: a vacuum vessel; a cylinder; a partition wall separating an inside of the vacuum vessel from an inside of the cylinder; a movable conductor penetrating the partition wall being movable in an axial direction; a fixed contact fixed inside the vacuum vessel; a moving contact integrated with the movable conductor and being capable of separating from the fixed contact and coming into contact with the fixed contact in association with movement of the movable conductor; a lid that covers an end of the cylinder, the end being on a side opposite to the partition wall; a connecting rod penetrating the lid and coupled to the movable conductor via an insulating rod as an insulator; and a holder that holds the connecting rod while preventing movement of the connecting rod toward the fixed contact in a state where the moving contact is separated from the fixed contact.

A vacuum valve includes: a vacuum vessel; a cylinder; a partition wall separating an inside of the vacuum vessel from an inside of the cylinder; a movable conductor penetrating the partition wall being movable in an axial direction; a fixed contact fixed inside the vacuum vessel; a moving contact integrated with the movable conductor and being capable of separating from the fixed contact and coming into contact with the fixed contact in association with movement of the movable conductor; a lid that covers an end of the cylinder, the end being on a side opposite to the partition wall; a connecting rod penetrating the lid and coupled to the movable conductor via an insulating rod as an insulator; and a holder that holds the connecting rod while preventing movement of the connecting rod toward the fixed contact in a state where the moving contact is separated from the fixed contact.

In a vacuum valve, as a heat dissipation structure thereof, a heat dissipation layer is provided to a part of the surface of each of a fixed conductor and a movable conductor which are a heat generation part, and a radiation heat absorption layer is provided to an insulation cylinder so as to be opposed to the heat dissipation layer. The heat dissipation layer and the radiation heat absorption layer are each formed from a ceramic having a high emissivity. Heat generated at the fixed conductor and the movable conductor is radiated by the heat dissipation layer, to be absorbed by the radiation heat absorption layer, and then radiated to the outside of the vacuum valve from the radiation heat absorption layer and a ceramic layer.

A vacuum circuit breaker includes: a grounded tank; a vacuum valve including a vacuum container housing a movable contact and a stationary contact, a movable conductor that is connected to the movable contact and extends out of the vacuum container, and a tubular bellows; a tubular movable-side bushing conductor; a slider movably set inside the movable-side bushing conductor; a movable-side frame that communicates with a space inside a tube of the bellows and electrically connects the movable-side bushing conductor to the movable conductor; an operation rod having one end protruding to an outside of the grounded tank and an opposite end connected to the movable conductor; an operating device that moves the operation rod; a movable-side support plate covering an end of the grounded tank where the operation rod extends out of the grounded tank; and a packing set in a hole.

A switch for medium voltage applications is provided. The switch comprises a vacuum interrupter having a fixed contact, a movable contact movable in a first direction to and away from the fixed contact between a closed position and an open position, and a drive rod arranged to the movable contact for moving the contact between the closed position and the open position. The switch further comprises a changeover switch having a first terminal body, a second terminal body, an elongated pole body, and an operating rod. The elongate pole body is hinged with a first end to the first terminal body and rotatable between a connected position in which the second end of the pole body is in direct electrical contact with the second terminal body and a disconnected position in which the second end is disconnected from the second terminal body.

A circuit breaker includes a vacuum interrupter. The interrupter includes a first movable electrode to which a first contact is connected and a second movable electrode to which a second contact is connected. The interrupter is operable between an open state and a closed state. In the open state, the first contact and the second contact are separated by a contact gap distance. In the closed state, the first contact and the second contact touch each other. The circuit breaker includes an ultrafast actuator operatively connected to each of the first and second movable electrodes. The ultrafast actuator is configured to change the vacuum interrupter from the closed state to the open state by simultaneously moving the first contact in a first direction along a first distance portion of the contact gap, and the second contact in a second direction along a second distance portion of the contact gap.

A bi-stable mechanism for a vacuum interrupter. The bi-stable mechanism includes an actuator; and a cam pivotable by the actuator, the cam moving a moveable contact. Wherein a bellows assembly is positioned above a vacuum bottle and coupled to a housing. The bellows assembly includes an outer cylindrical shell surrounding an opening spring, a spring plate, a contact spring, and a bellows. The bellows assembly reciprocates the moveable contact to prevent arcing between a pair of contacts and biasing the pair of contacts apart from each other.

An arc shield surrounding an outer peripheral side of a fixed electrode and a movable electrode is provided, in addition to a fixed-side insulating unit in which a fixed-side insulator is provided to be connected coaxially with the arc shield on the fixed side in the axial direction of the arc shield, and a movable-side insulating unit in which movable-side insulators are provided to be connected coaxially with the arc shield on the movable side in the axial direction of the arc shield. The movable-side insulating unit has an insulator group in which movable-side insulators are provided to be connected in the axial direction, an insulator-group-side sub shield surrounding the outer peripheral side of a movable-side energizing shaft, and an insulator-group-side sub shield support part which is on the outer peripheral surface of the insulator-group-side sub shield and interposed between two adjacent movable-side insulators of the insulator group.

An arc shield surrounding an outer peripheral side of a fixed electrode and a movable electrode is provided, in addition to a fixed-side insulating unit in which a fixed-side insulator is provided to be connected coaxially with the arc shield on the fixed side in the axial direction of the arc shield, and a movable-side insulating unit in which movable-side insulators are provided to be connected coaxially with the arc shield on the movable side in the axial direction of the arc shield. The movable-side insulating unit has an insulator group in which movable-side insulators are provided to be connected in the axial direction, an insulator-group-side sub shield surrounding the outer peripheral side of a movable-side energizing shaft, and an insulator-group-side sub shield support part which is on the outer peripheral surface of the insulator-group-side sub shield and interposed between two adjacent movable-side insulators of the insulator group.