Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 10
Claim 1
Independent Claim
172 words
A capacitor voltage and trip coil impedance sensor with high voltage isolation, and sensor comprising: a trip coil; capacitor means for storing a charge for rapid discharge through said trip coil; resistance means; photo-diode means connected in series with said trip coil, said capacitor means and said resistance means to define a current loop therewith, said photo-diode means being for generating a light signal representative of the current pasing through said photo-diode means at each instant, whereby when a d.c. voltage is applied across said capacitor means to maintain a constant voltage thereacross, a constant direct current will flow through said current loop, and said photo-diode means will generate a light signal representative of the magnitude thereof; status indicating circuit means for indicating the amount of current passing through said photo-diode means at each instant responsive to said light signal, said status indicating means being electrically isolated from said current loop; and electrically insulative optically transmissive means for conveying said light signal from said photo-diode means to said status indicating circuit means.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
172 words
A capacitor voltage and trip coil impedance sensor with high voltage isolation, and sensor comprising: a trip coil; capacitor means for storing a charge for rapid discharge through said trip coil; resistance means; photo-diode means connected in series with said trip coil, said capacitor means and said resistance means to define a current loop therewith, said photo-diode means being for generating a light signal representative of the current pasing through said photo-diode means at each instant, whereby when a d.c. voltage is applied across said capacitor means to maintain a constant voltage thereacross, a constant direct current will flow through said current loop, and said photo-diode means will generate a light signal representative of the magnitude thereof; status indicating circuit means for indicating the amount of current passing through said photo-diode means at each instant responsive to said light signal, said status indicating means being electrically isolated from said current loop; and electrically insulative optically transmissive means for conveying said light signal from said photo-diode means to said status indicating circuit means.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
56 words
The sensor of claim 1, wherein said status indicating circuit means is for generating a signal having a first value whenever said current in said current loop is greater than a predetermined threshold level and a second value different from said first value whenever said current in said current loop is below said predetermined threshold level.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
27 words
The sensor of claim 1, wherein said status indicating circuit means comprises photoelectric means for generating an electrical signal representative of the magnitude of said light signal.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
13 words
The sensor of claim 3, wherein said photoelectric means comprises a photodarlington circuit.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
27 words
The sensor of claim 3, wherein said status indicating circuit means comprises relay means actuatable by said electrical signal whenever said current exceeds said predetermined threshold level.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
36 words
The sensor of claim 5, wherein said relay means is adapted to be closed when said current is greater than said predetermined threshold level and open when said current is less than said predetermined threshold level.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
17 words
The sensor of claim 1, wherein said electrically insulative optically transmissive means comprises an optical fiber bundle.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
20 words
The sensor of claim 1, further comprising means for causing said capacitor means to discharge rapidly through said trip coil.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
34 words
The sensor of claim 8, wherein said means for causing said capacitor means to discharge rapidly comprises an ignitron electrically connected in parallel with the combination of said resistance means and said photo-diode means.