EP0284198A2
Expired / Lapsed
EP
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Circuit interrupter apparatus with an integral trip curve display
Assignee: Westinghouse Electric Corp
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Filing: 1988-02-19
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Granted: —
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Expires: 2008-02-19
Abstract
Abstract A circuit interrupter includes a circuit arrangement [Fig. 12 (79, 82)] for sampling a conditioned current value and determining operating characteristics [Fig. 3 (100)] related to the current flow through an electrical circuit [Fig. 3 (71)]. Also included is a circuit arrantement for comparing [Fig. 16 (F200)] the operating characteristics to preselectable tripping parameters and circuit arrangement for initiating a trip condition [Fig. 16 (F400)] when an operating characteristic exceeds a corresponding tripping parameter. Additionally, a fault indicating [Fig. 5 (140-143)] and selecting [Fig. 5 (144-150, 156)] arrangement which utilizes a trip curve graph [Fig. 5 (42, 45, 47, 48)] to assist in the operation of the circuit interrupter, is also included.
Inventors
- 👤 Joseph Jacob Matsko
- 👤 John Athony Wafer
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-01 20:23
CPC Classifications
H; H02; H02H; H02H3/00; H02H3/08; H02H3/093; H02H3/006; G; G05; G05B; G05B19/00; G05B19/02; G05B19/04; G05B19/10; G05B19/106; G05B19/108; G05B2219/00; G05B2219/20; G05B2219/23; G05B2219/23157; H01; H01H; H01H71/00; H01H2071/006
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 17
Claim 1
Independent Claim
323 words
A circuit interrupter apparatus, comprising: interrupting means disposed in a normally conducting electrical circuit and effective for interrupting current flow through said electrical circuit upon reception of a trip signal; conditioning means coupled to said electrical circuit for conditioning a current value proportionate to such current flow, said conditioning means producing a conditioned signal representative of the magnitude of said current value; operating means effective for deriving at least one operating characteristic from said conditioned signal, said operating means further being effective for comparing said at least one operating characteristic to a corresponding at least one preselected tripping parameter as represented in a trip curve and generating said trip signal when said at least one operating characteristic is at least equal to said corresponding at least one tripping parameter; and characterized in that selecting means coupled to said operating means for selectively adjusting said at least one tripping parameter, said selecting means including at least one controller positioned along at least one portion of said trip curve which is associated with said at least one preselected tripping parameter; display means selectively connectable to said operating means and disposable in proximate relation to said trip curve for selectively displaying said at least one operating characteristic, said display means further including indicating means for identifying the unit of measurement of said operating characteristic that has been displayed; and, an indicating element associated with each of said at least one controller having a unit of measure disposed thereon and effective such that the setting of said at least one presented tripping parameter is observable thereby, said indicating element being effective in conjunction with said display means at times when said display means has been selectively coupled to said operating means, to allow visual correlation of said at least one operating characteristic with said at least one tripping parameter and, at other times, to independently indicate a value associated with said at least one preselected tripping parameter.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
323 words
A circuit interrupter apparatus, comprising: interrupting means disposed in a normally conducting electrical circuit and effective for interrupting current flow through said electrical circuit upon reception of a trip signal; conditioning means coupled to said electrical circuit for conditioning a current value proportionate to such current flow, said conditioning means producing a conditioned signal representative of the magnitude of said current value; operating means effective for deriving at least one operating characteristic from said conditioned signal, said operating means further being effective for comparing said at least one operating characteristic to a corresponding at least one preselected tripping parameter as represented in a trip curve and generating said trip signal when said at least one operating characteristic is at least equal to said corresponding at least one tripping parameter; and characterized in that selecting means coupled to said operating means for selectively adjusting said at least one tripping parameter, said selecting means including at least one controller positioned along at least one portion of said trip curve which is associated with said at least one preselected tripping parameter; display means selectively connectable to said operating means and disposable in proximate relation to said trip curve for selectively displaying said at least one operating characteristic, said display means further including indicating means for identifying the unit of measurement of said operating characteristic that has been displayed; and, an indicating element associated with each of said at least one controller having a unit of measure disposed thereon and effective such that the setting of said at least one presented tripping parameter is observable thereby, said indicating element being effective in conjunction with said display means at times when said display means has been selectively coupled to said operating means, to allow visual correlation of said at least one operating characteristic with said at least one tripping parameter and, at other times, to independently indicate a value associated with said at least one preselected tripping parameter.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
36 words
A circuit interrupter apparatus as set forth in claim 1 further comprising trip indicating means coupled to said operating means for providing an indication of said at least one operating characteristic that initiated said trip signal.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
27 words
A circuit interrupter apparatus as set forth in claim 1 wherein said at least one controller is a rotary switch having an exemplary number of attainable positions.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
60 words
A circuit interrupter apparatus as set forth in claim 2 wherein said trip indicating means includes at least one display element positioned along said at least one portion of said trip curve such that upon energization of said display element, a cause of trip indication is observable, said at least one display element being an electrically actuated light emitting diode.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
61 words
A circuit interrupter apparatus as set forth in claim 1 wherein said display means includes an alpha numeric display element capable of displaying a magnitude value of said at least one operating characteristic, which when viewed in conjunction with said cause of trip indication, provides a measurement and identication of said at least one operating characteristic that initiated said trip signal.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
60 words
A circuit interrupter apparatus as set forth in claim 2 further comprising testing means coupled to said operating means for simulating said condition signal such that, when sampled by said operating means, said at least one operating characteristic is generated in excess of said corresponding at least one preselected tripping parameter so that said trip indicating means is actuated thereby.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
29 words
A circuit interrupter apparatus as set forth in claim 6 wherein said testing means is further effective for generating said trip signal when said trip indicating means is actuated.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
107 words
A circuit interrupter apparatus as set forth in claim 1 wherein one of said at least one portion of said trip curve is a long delay portion which is a graphical illustration of a long delay pickup value on one axis and a long delay time value on a second axis, said long delay pickup value and said long delay time value being two of said at least one preselected tripping parameters and being selectably adjustable by a long delay pickup rotary switch disposed along said long delay portion, and a long delay time rotary switch also disposed along said long delay portion of said trip curve.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
74 words
A circuit interrupter apparatus as set forth in claim 1 or 8 wherein one of said at least one portions of said trip curve is an instantaneous portion which is a graphical representation of an instantaneous pickup value on one axis, said instantaneous pickup value being one of said at least one preselected tripping parameters and being selectably adjustable by an instantaneous pickup rotary switch disposed along said instantaneous portion of said trip curve.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
79 words
A circuit interrupter apparatus as set forth in claim 1 to 9 wherein one of said at least one portions of said trip curve is a short delay portion which is a graphical representation of a short delay pickup value on one axis, said short delay pickup value being one of said at least one preselected tripping parameters and further being selectably adjustable by a short delay rotary switch disposed on said short delay portion of said trip curve.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
79 words
A circuit interrupter apparatus as set forth in claim 1 or 10 wherein one of said at least one portions of said trip curve is a ground fault portion which is a graphical representation of a ground fault pickup value on one axis, said ground fault pickup value being one of said at least one preselected tripping parameters and being selectably adjustable by a group fault pickup rotary switch disposed on said group fault portion of said trip curve.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
137 words
A circuit interrupter apparatus as set forth in claim 4 wherein one of said at least one display elements illustrates a long delay condition, said long delay condition having a long delay pickup value and a long delay time value associated with said at least one preselected tripping parameter; said at least one display element illustrating such long delay condition in a flashing manner when said long delay pickup value has been at least equaled by a corresponding one of said at least one operating characteristics for a preselected period of time less than said long delay time value, and said at least one display element illustrating such long delay condition in a continuously energized manner when said long delay pickup value has been exceeded for at least a time corresponding to said long delay time value.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
38 words
A circuit interrupter apparatus as set forth in claim 7 wherein said alpha-numeric display is further capable of displaying in alphabetic form, an historic report of one of a plurality of operating conditions associated with said operating means.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
270 words
A circuit interrupter apparatus, comprising: interrupting means disposed in a normally conducting electrical circuit and effective for interrupting a current flow through said electrical circuit upon reception of a trip signal; conditioning means coupled to said electrical circuit for conditioning a current value proportionate to such current flow, said conditioning means producing conditioned signal representative of the magnitude of said current value; operating effective for deriving at least one operating characteristic from said conditioned signal, said operating means further being effective for said at least one operating characteristic to a corresponding at least one preselected tripping parameter as represented in a trip curve and generating said trip signal when said at least one operating characteristic is at least equal to said corresponding at least one preselected tripping parameter; selecting means coupled to said operating means for selectively adjusting said at least one preselected tripping parameter, said selecting means including at least one controller positioned along at least one portion of said trip curve which is associated with said at least one tripping parameter; and said at least one tripping parameter representable by said trip curve being selectable in any combination from among a group of exemplary tripping parameters including a ground fault tripper parameter, a long delay tripping parameter and a short delay tripping parameter, said at least one controller having at least one controller for each of said exemplary tripping parameters and being positionable along each portion of said trip curve such that, in any combination of said exemplary tripping parameters, said at least one controller occupies the same position immediately adjacent the corresponding portion of said trip curve.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
270 words
A circuit interrupter apparatus, comprising: interrupting means disposed in a normally conducting electrical circuit and effective for interrupting a current flow through said electrical circuit upon reception of a trip signal; conditioning means coupled to said electrical circuit for conditioning a current value proportionate to such current flow, said conditioning means producing conditioned signal representative of the magnitude of said current value; operating effective for deriving at least one operating characteristic from said conditioned signal, said operating means further being effective for said at least one operating characteristic to a corresponding at least one preselected tripping parameter as represented in a trip curve and generating said trip signal when said at least one operating characteristic is at least equal to said corresponding at least one preselected tripping parameter; selecting means coupled to said operating means for selectively adjusting said at least one preselected tripping parameter, said selecting means including at least one controller positioned along at least one portion of said trip curve which is associated with said at least one tripping parameter; and said at least one tripping parameter representable by said trip curve being selectable in any combination from among a group of exemplary tripping parameters including a ground fault tripper parameter, a long delay tripping parameter and a short delay tripping parameter, said at least one controller having at least one controller for each of said exemplary tripping parameters and being positionable along each portion of said trip curve such that, in any combination of said exemplary tripping parameters, said at least one controller occupies the same position immediately adjacent the corresponding portion of said trip curve.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
57 words
A circuit interrupter as set forth in claim 14 wherein said trip curve is disposed on a panel section and, when said trip curve is configured to represent less than the total of said exemplary tripping parameter, said panel section covers over said at least one controller associated with any nonselected ones of said exemplary tripping parameters.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
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