Patent ID: 8754346

Claim:
A vacuum interrupter provided with a fixed electrode and a movable electrode each having a contact and installed in a vacuum container in such a manner so as to allow both contacts to come close to and move apart from each other, the fixed electrode and the movable electrode each having a coil electrode formed of a plurality of coil portions installed to each contact on a rear surface side in a divided manner in a circumferential direction along a periphery of the contact so that a longitudinal field is generated in a direction in which the both contacts come close to and move apart from each other, the vacuum interrupter being characterized in that: protruding portions joined to the contacts are provided to tip ends of the respective coil portions to form joint portions to the respective contacts; and a current to be flowed is controlled by changing a resistance value between a center portion of each contact and the corresponding coil electrode for each joint portion, so that an axial magnetic field distribution generated between the both electrodes is controlled.