Information
-
Patent Grant
-
6380501
-
Patent Number
6,380,501
-
Date Filed
Thursday, August 17, 200024 years ago
-
Date Issued
Tuesday, April 30, 200222 years ago
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Inventors
-
Original Assignees
-
Examiners
Agents
-
CPC
-
US Classifications
Field of Search
US
- 200 5026
- 200 400
- 200 401
- 200 308
- 200 330
- 200 331
- 200 333
- 200 334
- 200 337
-
International Classifications
-
Abstract
A trip indicator for handle operator for controlling a handle of a circuit breaker comprises a cover having a window sufficiently sized to view indicia indicating a position of the handle, a trip flag having indicia indicating a TRIPPED condition, and a connection between a chuck of the handle operator and the trip flag configured to move the trip flag such that the indicia is visible through the window when the handle is in a TRIPPED position and is not visible through said window when the handle is not in the TRIPPED position.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
This application relates to circuit breaker remote handle operators. More specifically, this application relates to a trip indicator for circuit breaker remote handle operators.
Remote handle operators are available to remotely operate a circuit breaker, i.e., to turn on, off, or reset the circuit breaker from a remote location. Remote handle operators work by attaching to the front face of the circuit breaker and engaging a chuck on the circuit breaker handle to physically operate the circuit breaker. A chuck disposed on the circuit breaker handle is operated by a solenoid or motor which is operated by a control unit at the remote location.
A drawback to using a remote handle operator is that the remote handle operator covers the handle of the circuit breaker, making it impossible determine which position the handle is in unless some indicator is provided by the remote handle operator.
It has been known to provide a window on the case of the remote handle operator with a label mounted to the handle chuck or a part that moves with the handle chuck to indicate whether the handle is in an ON position or OFF position. However, it would also be desirable to know when the circuit breaker has been tripped. When a circuit breaker trips, the handle moves slightly away from the ON position. Unfortunately, this movement is not visible on circuit breakers with remote handle operators.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
To overcome the limitations of the prior art, the present invention provides a trip indicator for handle operator for controlling a handle of a circuit breaker comprising a cover having a window sufficiently sized to view indicia indicating a position of the handle, a trip flag having indicia indicating a TRIPPED condition, and a connection between a chuck of the handle operator and the trip flag configured to move the trip flag such that the indicia is visible through the window when the handle is in a TRIPPED position and is not visible through said window when the handle is not in the TRIPPED position.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
Referring now to the exemplary drawings wherein like elements are numbered alike in the several FIGURES:
FIG. 1
shows a circuit breaker with a handle operator instaled;
FIG. 2
shows a simplified cross section view of the remote handle operator in engagement with a handle of a circuit breaker;
FIGS. 3
,
4
and
5
show a trip indicator according to a preferred embodiment in ON, OFF, and TRIP positions, respectively; and
FIGS. 6 and 7
show another embodiment of a trip indicator of the invention in ON and TRIP positions, respectively.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
Referring to
FIGS. 1 and 2
, a prior art circuit breaker unit
8
has a remote handle operator
4
installed, covering circuit breaker handle
2
so that its position cannot be seen. Remote handle operator
4
includes a chuck
3
which engages handle
2
and operates it via motor
5
. Handle
2
is operated to turn the circuit breaker OFF or ON by two-way motor
5
which rotates jack-screw
14
causing threaded block
16
moves up or down in the direction of the arrow
9
. Chuck
3
is connected to threaded block
8
and includes rollers
11
that directly engage handle
2
. Spring
15
allows chuck
3
to move in response to the handle movement when circuit breaker
8
is tripped, regardless of any movement of threaded block
16
. Plates
12
ensure that when remote handle operator
4
is positioned on circuit breaker
8
, handle
2
extends between rollers
11
. To reset handle
2
after the circuit breaker trips, the handle is moved to the OFF position, then to the ON position.
Connected to chuck
3
is extension
13
for supporting indicator flag
10
. The remote handle operator includes a window
7
through which a portion of indicator flag
10
is visible. When the handle moves from an on position to an off position or vice-versa, indicator flag
10
moves thereby changing the portion of indicator flag
10
that is visible through window
7
. When circuit breaker ON, the portion of indicator flag
10
that is visible includes indicia for “ON” and when the circuit breaker is OFF, the portion of indicator flag
10
that is visible includes indicia for “OFF”. As discussed above in the background section above, there has heretofore been no known way of clearly indicating when the breaker is in a TRIPPED position, since it is relatively close to the ON position and thus the indicia for “ON” may still be visible or partially visible in window
7
even though the unit has tripped.
Turning to
FIGS. 3 through 5
, the present invention has solved this problem by providing a slider
20
, trip flag support
42
, trip flag
40
, dial drive positioner
27
, and dial
30
having an ON label
33
and an OFF label
35
. Slider
20
slides along slide posts
24
under the influence of chuck
3
such as that shown in FIG.
2
. Trip flag support
42
, trip flag
40
and dial drive positioner
27
are fixed to slider
20
so they move as one. Dial
30
rotates on pin
37
and is positioned by pin
38
captured in slot
26
of positioner
27
. As the slider slides down from the position shown in
FIG. 3
, positioner
27
forces dial
30
to rotate clockwise as shown by arrow
32
.
Although the prior art shows a motor driven jack screw (shown in
FIG. 2
) for positioning said chuck, the invention contemplates other configurations, such as the use of a solenoid, spring operated, pneumatic or hydraulic positioner. Regardless of the means for motivating the chuck assembly, the chuck must also respond to movement of the circuit breaker handle in the case of the circuit breaker being tripped.
Looking now to
FIG. 4
, slider
20
is in its lowest position. The trip flag is below indicator window position
6
and dial
30
has rotated to the OFF position wherein the word “OFF” is aligned with window position
6
. When the breaker is ON (
FIG. 3
) and then trips, the force and stroke provided by the handle displacement provides the motion and force necessary to move slide
20
and position trip indicator flag
40
into alignment with window
7
at window position
6
, as shown in FIG.
5
. Because of the opposite motions of dial
30
and flag
40
and because of the mechanical advantage gained by the dial
30
, ON label
33
can be covered and “TRIP” can be displayed with a very short stroke.
In addition to mechanically displaying an ON-OFF-TRIP indicator, the present invention also contemplates providing an electronic annunciation or communication of the condition of the circuit breaker. For remote handle operators having electronic annunciation or communication capability, it is necessary for handle operator
4
to have some sensing means to sense the position of handle
2
of the circuit breaker
8
. To sense the three possible positions, ON, OFF, and TRIP, of handle
2
, and therefore chuck
3
, slider
20
, or some other part of the assembly shown in
FIG. 2
that moves with chuck
3
, is provided with two position sensors
61
and
62
to detect slider being in an ON position as shown in
FIG. 2
, or an OFF position as shown in FIG.
3
. Sensors
61
and
62
may be of any type capable of detecting the proximity of slider
20
. For example, sensors
61
and
62
may be electrical contacts designed to complete a circuit of which slider
20
is a part, or they may be mechanical switches, such as micro-switches, or they may proximity sensors such as Hall-effect sensors or other magnetic sensors, or they may be optical sensors capable of sensing the position of slider
20
, or a projection therefrom, in a known manner.
When the circuit breaker is in the ON position, slide
20
is positioned so that it is adjacent to sensor
61
and not adjacent to sensor
62
as shown in FIG.
3
. In response to the proximity of slide
20
, sensor
61
sends a signal indicative of a proximity of slide
20
along line
64
to logic circuit
65
. Since slide
20
is not proximate sensor
62
, sensor
62
does not send a signal indicative of proximity of slide
20
along line
66
to logic circuit
65
. Logic circuit
65
can then interpret the presence of a proximity signal from only sensor
61
as an indication that the circuit breaker is in the ON position, and then output this information to output
67
, which may be a display, alarm, or communications port to a monitor or controlling computer.
When the circuit breaker is in the OFF position, slide
20
is positioned so that it is adjacent to sensor
62
and not adjacent to sensor
61
as shown in FIG.
4
. In response to the proximity of slide
20
, sensor
62
sends a signal indicative of a proximity of slide along line
66
to logic circuit
65
. Since slide
20
is not proximate sensor
61
, sensor
61
does not send a signal indicative of proximity of slide
20
along line
64
to logic circuit
65
. Logic circuit
65
can then interpret the presence of a proximity signal from only sensor
62
as an indication that the circuit breaker is in the OFF position, and then output this information to output
67
, which may be a display, alarm, or communications port to a monitoring or controlling computer.
When the circuit breaker is in the TRIP position, slide
20
is positioned intermediate sensor
61
and
62
, and is not adjacent to either of them as shown in FIG.
5
. In this case, neither sensor
61
nor sensor
62
send a signal indicative of the proximity of slide
20
along lines
64
and
66
to logic circuit
65
. Logic circuit
65
can then interpret the absence of a proximity signal from either sensor
61
or
62
as an indication that the circuit breaker is in the TRIP position, and then output this information to output
67
, which may be a display, alarm, or communications port to a monitoring or controlling computer.
An alternative embodiment is shown in
FIGS. 5 and 6
. In this embodiment, sensor
63
detects the proximity of element
69
on dial
30
when in the TRIP position shown in FIG.
7
. Sensor
63
is any type of proximity sensor such as discussed above with respect to sensors
61
and
62
.
FIG. 5
shows the position of sensor
63
when dial
30
is in the ON position. When the circuit breaker trips, slider
20
slides slightly down from the position shown in
FIG. 5
to the position shown in FIG.
6
. As the slider slides down, it forces dial
30
to rotate slightly clockwise as shown in
FIG. 7
sensor
63
comes into proximity with sensor element
69
, causing sensor
63
to transmit a proximity signal to logic circuit
65
which interprets the presence of such signal as an indication that the circuit breaker is in the TRIP position, and then outputs this information to output
67
, which may be a display, alarm, or communications port to a monitoring or controlling computer.
While preferred embodiments have been shown and described, various modifications and substitutions may be made thereto without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Accordingly, it is to be understood that the present invention has been described by way of illustration and not limitation.
Claims
- 1. A handle operator for controlling a handle of a circuit breaker comprising;a cover having a window sufficiently sized to view indicia indicating a position of said handle; a trip flag having indicia indicating a TRIPPED condition; a chuck operably coupled to said handle; a means for driving said chuck to position said operating handle between an ON position and an OFF position; and a connection between said chuck and said trip flag configured to move said trip flag such that said indicia is visible through said window when said handle is in a TRIPPED position and is not visible through said window when said handle is not in said TRIPPED position.
- 2. The handle operator of claim 1, further comprising:a movable display having indicia indicating an ON position; and wherein said connection is configured to move said movable display such that said indicia indicating said ON position is visible through said window when said handle is in said ON position and is not visible through said window when said handle is in said OFF position.
- 3. The handle operator of claim 1, further comprising:a movable display having indicia indicating an OFF position; and wherein said connection is configured to move said movable display such that said indicia indicating said OFF position is visible through said window when said handle is in said OFF position and is not visible through said window when said handle is in said ON position.
- 4. The handle operator of claim 1, further comprising:a proximity sensor configured to produce a proximity signal when said handle is in said TRIPPED position.
- 5. The handle operator of claim 1, further comprising:a first proximity sensor producing a first proximity signal when said handle is in an ON position; and a second proximity sensor configured to produce a second proximity signal when said handle is in said TRIPPED position.
- 6. A trip indicator for a handle operator for controlling a handle of a circuit breaker comprisinga cover having a window sufficiently sized to view indicia indicating a position of said handle; a first movable display positioned beneath said window having indicia thereon indicating an ON position of said handle and an OFF position of said handle; a second movable display positioned beneath said aperture having indicia thereon indicating a TRIPPED position of said handle; and motivating means and interlocking means responsive to movements of a chuck connected to said handle; and said motivating means and said interlocking means configured so that one of said first movable display and said second movable display moves in a first direction beneath said window and another of said first movable display and said second movable display moves in a second direction beneath said window, and said first and second direction being substantially opposite each other; whereby said one of said indicia corresponding a position of said handle is visible through said window.
- 7. The trip indicator set forth in claim 6 wherein said second movable display is positioned between said first movable display and said cover.
- 8. The trip indicator set forth in claim 6 whereinsaid motivating means comprises a slide that moves with said chuck; said first movable display comprises a rotating disc, and said interlocking means comprises a positioner that engages said first movable display and translates the linear motion of said slide to rotational motion of said first movable display.
- 9. The trip indicator set forth in claim 6 further comprising:a first proximity sensor producing a proximity signal when said motivating means is in a position corresponding to said ON position of said handle; a second proximity sensor producing a proximity signal when said motivating means is in a position corresponding to said OFF position of said handle; a logic circuit receiving said proximity signals and generating an output signal corresponding to said ON position, said OFF position, and said TRIPPED position of said handle.
- 10. The trip indicator set forth in claim 6 further comprising:a proximity sensor positioned and configured to produce a proximity signal when said handle is in said TRIPPED position.
- 11. A remote circuit breaker handle operator comprising:a chuck for following and controlling a handle of a circuit breaker, said chuck being positionable in an ON position, an OFF position, and a TRIPPED position; a means for moving said chuck into said ON position and said OFF position; a means for allowing said chuck to be moved into said TRIPPED position in response to a circuit breaker being tripped; a cover having a window sufficiently sized to view indicia indicating a position of said handle; a first movable display positioned beneath said window having indicia thereon for indicating an ON position of said handle and an OFF position of said handle; a second movable display positioned beneath said aperture having indicia thereon for indicating a TRIPPED position of said handle; and a motivating means connected to said chuck for following the movement of said chuck; interlocking means connected to said motivating means; said motivating means and said interlocking means configured so that one of said first movable display and said second movable display moves in a first direction beneath said window and another of said first movable display and said second movable display moves in a second direction beneath said window, and said first and second direction being substantially opposite each other; whereby said one of said indicia corresponding a position of said handle is visible through said window.
- 12. The remote circuit breaker handle operator set forth in claim 11 wherein said second movable display is positioned between said first movable display and said cover.
- 13. The remote circuit breaker handle operator set forth in claim 4 whereinsaid motivating means comprises a slide that moves with said chuck; said first movable display comprises a rotating disc, and said interlocking means comprises a positioner that engages said first movable display and translates the linear motion of said slide to rotational motion of said first movable display.
- 14. The remote circuit breaker handle operator set forth in claim 4 further comprising:a first proximity sensor producing a proximity signal when said motivating means is in a position corresponding to said ON position of said chuck; a second proximity sensor producing a proximity signal when said motivating means is in a position corresponding to said OFF position of said chuck; a logic circuit receiving said proximity signals and generating an output signal corresponding to said ON position, said OFF position, and said TRIPPED position of said chuck.
- 15. The remote circuit breaker handle operator set forth in claim 11 further comprising:a proximity sensor positioned and configured to produce a proximity signal when said chuck is in said TRIPPED position.
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