Actuator for a switching device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10475611-B2
Application number	US-201414572205-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 16, 2014
Priority date	Dec 19, 2013
Publication date	Nov 12, 2019
Grant date	Nov 12, 2019

Abstract

A switching device and a method for switching states of a switching device are provided, the switching device comprising a housing; a switching module comprising a switching element, the switching module is configured to switch a state of the switching element upon generation of a switching signal; and an actuator for receiving a mechanical input and for facilitating generation of an electrical toggle signal, the toggle signal for causing the switching module to switch a state of the switching element.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A switching device, the switching device comprising,
a housing;
a processing module;
a switching module including a switching element and a trigger module configured to actuate the switching element, wherein the switching module is configured to switch a state of the switching element upon generation of a switching signal; and
an actuator configured to receive a mechanical input and generate a signal level change between a high voltage level and a low voltage level responsive to receipt of the mechanical input, wherein generating the signal level change facilitates generation of an electrical toggle signal, and wherein the electrical toggle signal causes the switching module to switch a state of the switching element,
wherein the processing module is configured to:
receive the electrical toggle signal;
read the electrical toggle signal; and
issue, responsive to receiving the electrical trigger signal, a switching trigger signal to activate the trigger module, the switching trigger signal indicating the state of the switching element.

2. The switching device of claim 1 , wherein the switching signal is a condition trigger signal based on one or more predetermined conditions.

3. The switching device as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the toggle signal is sent directly to the switching module.

4. The switching device of claim 2 , further comprising a processing module for monitoring the one or more predetermined conditions and generating the condition trigger signal if the one or more predetermined conditions are fulfilled.

5. The switching device of claim 2 , further comprising an input sampling module for sampling one or more inputs to the switching device, wherein the one or more predetermined conditions are based on values of the one or more sampled inputs.

6. The switching device of claim 1 , wherein the switching signal is a switch trigger signal based on a sensing of an input signal at an input port of the switching device and wherein the switching module is configured to activate an optical element to switch the state of the switching element.

7. The switching device of claim 1 , wherein if a switching signal is generated to switch the switching element, the switching module maintains the switched state of the switching element.

8. The switching device of claim 1 , further comprising an external actuator extending from an external surface of the housing of the switching device, the external actuator for translating the mechanical input to said actuator for receiving a mechanical input and for facilitating generation of an electrical toggle signal.

9. The switching device of claim 8 , wherein the external actuator is a rocker-type actuator rotatable about the external surface.

10. The switching device of claim 8 , wherein the external actuator is a lever rotatable about the external surface that comprises a plunger member configured to contact the actuator for translating the mechanical input to the actuator, and the contact is based on a rotation of the external actuator about the external surface.

11. The switching device of claim 1 , further comprising an external cover, the external cover configured to prevent the mechanical input to be applied to the actuator when the external cover is in a closed position with respect to the housing.

12. The switching device of claim 11 , wherein the external cover further comprises a post.

13. The switching device of claim 11 , wherein the external cover further comprises a latch, the latch configured to maintain the external cover in the closed position.

14. The switching device of claim 1 , further comprising a status indicator for indicating the state of the switching element.

15. A method for switching states of a switching device, the method comprising,
providing a switching module including a switching element and a trigger module configured to actuate the switching element, the switching module being configured to switch a state of the switching element upon generation of a switching signal;
receiving a mechanical input at an actuator;
generating, responsive to receiving the mechanical input at the actuator, a signal level change between a high voltage level and a low voltage level;
generating, responsive to generation of the signal level change, an electrical toggle signal;
causing the switching module to switch a state of the switching element with the electrical toggle signal,
wherein causing the switching module to switch the state of the switching element includes:
sending the electrical toggle signal to a processing module,
reading, by the processing module, the electrical toggle signal; and
issuing, by the processing module responsive to receiving the electrical toggle signal, a switching trigger signal to activate the trigger module, the switching trigger signal indicating the state of the switching element.

16. The method of claim 15 , wherein the generation of the switching signal includes a generation of a condition trigger signal based on one or more predetermined conditions.

17. The method of claim 15 , further comprising transmitting the toggle signal directly to the switching module.

18. The method of claim 16 , further comprising monitoring the one or more predetermined conditions and generating the condition trigger signal if the one or more predetermined conditions are fulfilled.

19. The method of claim 16 , further comprising sampling one or more inputs to the switching device and wherein the one or more predetermined conditions are based on values of the one or more sampled inputs.

20. The method of claim 15 , wherein the generation of the switching signal includes a generation of a switch trigger signal based on sensing of an input signal at an input port of the switching device.

21. The method of claim 20 , further comprising activating an optical element in the switching module to switch the state of the switching element.

22. The method of claim 20 , further comprising monitoring an input signal at an input port and generating the switch trigger signal if a signal change is detected at the input port.

23. The method of claim 15 , further comprising maintaining the switched state of the switching element.

24. The method of claim 15 , further comprising providing an external actuator extending from an external surface of a housing of the switching device, the external actuator for translating the mechanical input to the actuator.

25. The method of claim 24 , wherein the external actuator is a rocker-type actuator rotatable about the external surface.

26. The method of claim 24 , wherein the external actuator is a lever rotatable about the external surface and comprises a plunger member configured to contact the actuator for translating the mechanical input to the actuator based on rotating the external actuator about the external surface.

27. The method of claim 15 , further comprising providing an external cover, and preventing the mechanical input to be applied to the actuator when the external cover is in a closed position with respect to the housing.

28. The method of claim 27 , further comprising providing the external cover with a post.

29. The method of claim 27 , further comprising providing the external cover with a latch for maintaining the external cover in the closed position.

30. The method of

Assignees

• Schneider Electric Ind Sas
• Schneider Electric Logistics Asia Pte Ltd

Inventors

• Han Yong Heng
• Meng Quek Kee
• Nam Wong Yoon

Classifications

• H01H3/161

  for actuation by moving a closing member, e.g. door, cover or lid (the switch controlling enclosed equipment H01H9/226; switches operated by a removable member, wherein one single insertion movement of a key comprises an unlocking stroke and a switch actuating stroke, e.g. security switch for safety guards H01H27/002) · CPC title

• H01H9/0271

  structurally combining a switch and an electronic component (for relays H01H50/021) · CPC title

• G01R31/3278

  of relays, solenoids or reed switches (measuring contact resistance G01R27/205; high voltage magnetic switches G01R31/3271, G01R31/333; testing electric windings G01R31/72; monitoring of fail safe circuits H01H47/002) · CPC title

• H01H9/16

  Indicators for switching condition, e.g. "on" or "off" · CPC title

• H01H21/22

  Operating parts, e.g. handle · CPC title