{
  "patent_number": "US 12387890",
  "country": "US",
  "title": "How Medium Voltage Power Switches Safely Direct Electricity",
  "original_title": "Medium voltage switching apparatus",
  "summary": "A mechanical system for medium voltage power grids that uses a rotating contact and a series of levers to safely switch electricity between lines and ground.",
  "what_it_does": "This patent describes a heavy-duty switch used in medium-voltage power grids. It uses a rotating contact that can connect to different points, such as a power line or a ground terminal. When this rotating contact moves, it triggers a complex system of three interconnected levers. These levers are designed to physically move a contact inside a vacuum interrupter, which is a sealed chamber that safely breaks the electrical circuit without creating dangerous sparks. This ensures that the electrical connection is opened or closed in a precise, controlled sequence.",
  "what_it_does_not_cover": [
    "Does not cover switches that lack a vacuum interrupter for arc suppression.",
    "Does not cover systems that rely solely on electronic or solid-state switching without the described mechanical lever linkage.",
    "Does not cover high-voltage transmission systems (typically above 35kV) that require different insulation and arc-quenching architectures."
  ],
  "filed": "2023-05-15",
  "granted": "2025-08-12",
  "expires": null,
  "status": "active",
  "holder": "ABB Schweiz AG",
  "holder_url": "https://patentbrief.org/company/abb-schweiz-ag",
  "inventors": [
    {
      "name": "Simone Rambaldini",
      "url": "https://patentbrief.org/inventor/simone-rambaldini"
    },
    {
      "name": "Pierluigi Invernizzi",
      "url": "https://patentbrief.org/inventor/pierluigi-invernizzi"
    },
    {
      "name": "Roberto Tassis",
      "url": "https://patentbrief.org/inventor/roberto-tassis"
    }
  ],
  "times_cited": 0,
  "tags": [
    "energy",
    "mechanical",
    "telecommunications"
  ],
  "abstract": "A switching apparatus including one or more electric poles. For each electric pole, the switching apparatus includes a first pole terminal, a second pole terminal, and a ground terminal. The switching apparatus further includes a plurality of fixed contacts spaced apart one from another, a movable contact, which is reversibly movable about a corresponding rotation axis according to opposite first and second rotation directions, so that said movable contact can be coupled to or uncoupled from one or more of the above-mentioned fixed contacts, a vacuum interrupter including a vacuum chamber, in which a fixed arc contact and a movable arc contact are enclosed and can be coupled or separated, and a motion transmission mechanism operatively coupled to the movable arc contact of said vacuum interrupter.",
  "url": "https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/12387890/raptor-reliability",
  "markdown_url": "https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/12387890/raptor-reliability/md",
  "google_patents_url": "https://patents.google.com/patent/US12387890",
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}