Patent ID: 8039771

Claim:
A vacuum interrupter comprising: a ceramic tube including a first open end and a second open end; a first end member secured to the first open end of said ceramic tube; a second end member including an inside surface, said second end member secured to the second open end of said ceramic tube, said first and second end members cooperating with said ceramic tube to form a vacuum envelope; an end shield comprising: a first end having an opening therein, a second open end, an intermediate portion disposed between the first end and the second open end of said end shield, and a flange portion disposed from the second open end of said end shield, said flange portion extending outwardly from the intermediate portion and generally back toward the first end, said flange portion ending at an edge engaging the inside surface of said second end member, said flange portion being offset from and not engaging said ceramic tube; a fixed contact mounted on a fixed electrode extending through said second end member and extending through the opening of the first end of said end shield; and a moveable contact mounted on a moveable electrode extending through said first end member and axially reciprocating into and out of contact with said fixed contact.