Patent ID: 8497445

Claim:
A vacuum valve comprising a hermetically sealed vessel accommodating a fixed contact piece and a movable contact piece, the hermetically sealed vessel comprising: a cover as a first structural member having a metal plating thereon for covering the same, said cover being formed separately from the movable contact piece to form the metal plating and connected thereto, said cover comprising a cover inner portion having a through hole through which the movable contact piece passes, a flange located outside the cover inner portion and displaced from the cover inner portion, and a cover vertical portion extending perpendicular to the cover inner portion and flange and connected thereto to thereby form a step part by the cover vertical portion and the cover inner portion, a bellows substantially free of metal plating and having one end portion and the other end portion, and an end plate as a second structural member having a metal plating thereon, said end plate comprising a plate inner portion having a through hole to allow the movable contact piece to pass therethrough, a plate outer portion located outside the plate inner portion and displaced from the plate inner portion, and a plate vertical portion extending perpendicular to the plate inner and outer portions and connected thereto, wherein the first structural member is interposed between the movable contact piece and the bellows such that the one end portion of the bellows is soldered with the cover vertical portion, and the other end portion of the bellows is soldered with the plate vertical portion of second structural member.