Testing apparatus usable with circuit interruption apparatus

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10042001-B2
Application number	US-201414560341-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 4, 2014
Priority date	Dec 4, 2014
Publication date	Aug 7, 2018
Grant date	Aug 7, 2018

Abstract

A testing apparatus that is usable with a circuit interruption apparatus includes an enclosure that is similar to a switchgear enclosure and within which the circuit interruption apparatus for testing is received. The testing apparatus includes instrumentation that is automatically electrically connected with the circuit interruption apparatus when the circuit interruption apparatus is received within the interior region of the enclosure, and the instrumentation is operable to perform various tests on the circuit interruption apparatus. The testing apparatus further includes output devices and a switching apparatus at the exterior of the enclosure that enable a technician to control testing operations that are performed on the circuit interruption apparatus and to view the results of the testing operations. All of the electrical connections with the circuit interruption apparatus are made within the interior region of the enclosure, and the enclosure itself is configured to resist the transmission of X-rays.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A testing apparatus that is structured to perform a number of operations on a circuit interruption apparatus, the testing apparatus comprising:
an enclosure having an interior region and comprising a number of walls that are situated adjacent the interior region, the enclosure being structured to removably receive the circuit interruption apparatus therein, the walls being structured to substantially enclose the circuit interruption apparatus within the interior region;
a connection apparatus comprising a set of primary connectors mounted to the enclosure and situated generally within the interior region, the set of primary connectors being structured to automatically become electrically connected with a corresponding set of line and load electrical connectors of the circuit interruption apparatus when the circuit interruption apparatus is received in the interior region;
a measurement apparatus comprising at least a first instrument and a plurality of leads, the at least first instrument comprising a power component and a measurement component, at least the power component and the plurality of leads being enclosed within the interior region, the plurality of leads comprising a set of power leads and a set of measurement leads, the set of power leads being electrically connected with the set of primary connectors and with the power component, the set of measurement leads being electrically connected with the set of primary connectors and with the measurement component, the measurement apparatus being structured to perform a testing operation on the circuit interruption apparatus wherein the power component applies electricity to the circuit interruption apparatus and wherein the measurement component measures an electrical property of the circuit interruption apparatus when the electricity is being applied thereto; and
an output apparatus connected with the measurement apparatus and comprising at least a first output device that is structured to generate an output that is representative of a result of the testing operation.

2. The testing apparatus of claim 1 wherein the connection apparatus further comprises a set of secondary connectors that are situated within the interior region and that are structured to become electrically connected with a corresponding set of accessory connectors of a number of accessory devices of the circuit interruption apparatus when the circuit interruption apparatus is received in the interior region, the set of secondary connectors being electrically connected with the measurement apparatus, the measurement apparatus comprising a number of secondary instruments and being structured to perform a number of measurement operations on at least a first accessory of the number of accessories, output apparatus being structured to generate an output that is representative of a result of the number of measurement operation.

3. The testing apparatus of claim 1 wherein the number of walls have formed therein an opening that is structured to receive the circuit interruption apparatus therethrough when the circuit interruption apparatus is being received into the interior region and when the circuit interruption apparatus is being removed from the interior region, and wherein the number of walls comprise a door that is movable between an open position and a closed position and which in the closed position is structured to close the opening.

4. The testing apparatus of claim 1 wherein the number of walls comprise a divider that divides the interior region into a chamber and another chamber, wherein the power component is situated within the chamber, and wherein the set of primary connectors are situated within the another chamber, the another chamber being structured to receive the circuit interruption apparatus therein.

5. The testing apparatus of claim 1 wherein the enclosure comprises a layer of a shielding material that is structured to resist the transmission of X-rays between the interior region and the exterior of the testing apparatus.

6. The testing apparatus of claim 5 wherein the layer of shielding material is situated generally adjacent at least a portion of the number of walls.

7. A testing apparatus that is structured to perform a number of operations on a circuit interruption apparatus, the testing apparatus comprising:
an enclosure having an interior region and comprising a number of walls that are situated adjacent the interior region, the walls being structured to substantially enclose the circuit interruption apparatus within the interior region;
a connection apparatus comprising a set of primary connectors mounted to the enclosure and situated generally within the interior region, the set of primary connectors being structured to become electrically connected with a corresponding set of line and load electrical connectors of the circuit interruption apparatus when the circuit interruption apparatus is received in the interior region;
a measurement apparatus comprising at least a first instrument and a plurality of leads, the at least first instrument comprising a power component and a measurement component, at least the power component and the plurality of leads being enclosed within the interior region, the plurality of leads comprising a set of power leads and a set of measurement leads, the set of power leads being electrically connected with the set of primary connectors and with the power component, the set of measurement leads being electrically connected with the set of primary connectors and with the measurement component, the measurement apparatus being structured to perform a testing operation on the circuit interruption apparatus wherein the power component applies electricity to the circuit interruption apparatus and wherein the measurement component measures an electrical property of the circuit interruption apparatus when the electricity is being applied thereto;
an output apparatus connected with the measurement apparatus and comprising at least a first output device that is structured to generate an output that is representative of a result of the testing operation;
wherein the connection apparatus further comprises a set of secondary connectors that are situated within the interior region and that are structured to become electrically connected with a corresponding set of accessory connectors of a number of accessory devices of the circuit interruption apparatus when the circuit interruption apparatus is received in the interior region, the set of secondary connectors being electrically connected with the measurement apparatus, the measurement apparatus comprising a number of secondary instruments and being structured to perform a number of measurement operations on at least a first accessory of the number of accessories, output apparatus being structured to generate an output that is representative of a result of the number of measurement operation; and
wherein at least one secondary instrument of the number of secondary instruments comprises a measurement component that is structured to perform at least one measurement operation of the number of measurement operations that comprises at least one of an electrical resistance measurement of the at least first accessory and a ground fault detection operation on the at least first accessory.

8. A testing apparatus that is structured to perform a number of operations on a circuit interruption apparatus, the testing apparatus comprising:
an enclosure having an interior region and comprising a number of walls that are situated adjacent the interior region, the walls being structured to substantially enclose the circuit interruption apparatus within the interior region;
a connection apparatus comprising a set of primary connectors mounted to the

Assignees

• Eaton Corp
• Eaton Intelligent Power Ltd

Inventors

• Ricciuti Anthony Thomas
• Fogle Thomas Kenneth

Classifications

• G01R31/327 Primary

  Testing of circuit interrupters, switches or circuit-breakers · CPC title

• G01R31/2827

  Testing of electronic protection circuits (testing switches G01R31/327; checking alarm systems G08B29/00; self test of summation current transformers H02H3/335) · CPC title