US Patent 10580599 Vacuum circuit interrupter with actuation having active damping

A circuit interrupter system includes a vacuum circuit interrupter having a vacuum chamber that contains a fixed contact and a moveable contact. A non-conductive rod extends from the moveable contact. One or more Thomson coils are wound around the rod, and one or more armatures are connected to the rod. When a driver energizes one of the Thomson coils, a corresponding armature will be repelled from that Thomson coil and move the rod to open or close the contacts of the vacuum circuit interrupter. The system also may include a damper that provides an active damping force rod when the rod is moved to open and/or close the vacuum circuit interrupter.