Patent ID: 7910852

Claim:
A medium voltage circuit interrupter comprising: a circuit interrupter housing; a plurality of poles, each of said poles including a characteristic, each of said poles comprising an encapsulated pole unit comprising: a first unit comprising: a first conductor, a second conductor, a vacuum interrupter electrically connected between said first conductor and said second conductor, and a first housing housing said vacuum interrupter, and a removable second unit comprising: a third conductor, a fourth conductor including a first portion electrically connected to said third conductor and a second portion removably electrically connected to one of said first conductor and said second conductor, an electronic device structured to sense said characteristic, and a second insulative housing encapsulating said third conductor, the first portion of said fourth conductor and said electronic device; and an operating mechanism structured to open and close the vacuum interrupter of each of said poles; wherein said characteristic comprises a voltage of said second conductor; and wherein said electronic device is structured to sense said voltage; wherein said electronic device is a voltage sensor comprising a capacitive voltage divider structured to sense said voltage; and wherein said voltage is a first voltage; wherein said capacitive voltage divider comprises a first bell-shaped conductive member electrically connected to said second conductor, a second bell-shaped conductive member electrically connected to ground, an elongated insulative member disposed between said first and second bell-shaped conductive members, and a conductive ring disposed about said elongated insulative member and between said first and second bell-shaped conductive members, said conductive ring and said second bell-shaped conductive member outputting a second voltage which is substantially smaller than said first voltage.