Temperature monitoring devices for electrical apparatus, switchgears with same and related methods

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10514304-B2
Application number	US-201715467914-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 23, 2017
Priority date	Mar 23, 2017
Publication date	Dec 24, 2019
Grant date	Dec 24, 2019

Abstract

Temperature monitoring devices have a primary body with an inner circular perimeter, a temperature monitoring segment held by the primary body, the temperature monitoring segment comprising an inwardly extending thermal probe, and a fastener assembly segment held by the primary body at a location that is circumferentially spaced apart from the temperature monitoring segment. The fastener assembly segment has a circumferentially extending bracket that can be radially extended in a direction that is toward the inner circular perimeter of the device.

First claim

That which is claimed is:

1. A temperature monitoring device comprising:
a primary body comprising an inner perimeter surrounding an open channel;
a temperature monitoring segment held by the primary body, the temperature monitoring segment comprising a thermal probe that extends inwardly toward the open channel; and
a fastener assembly segment held by the primary body at a location that is circumferentially spaced apart from the temperature monitoring segment, wherein the fastener assembly segment comprises a circumferentially extending bracket that is radially extendable in a direction that is toward the open channel, and wherein the circumferentially extending bracket has a circumferential extent that is in a range of about 30-90 degrees.

2. The temperature monitoring device of claim 1 , wherein the temperature monitoring segment comprises fir′st and second projecting members aligned with and circumferentially spaced apart from the thermal probe, one on each side of the thermal probe.

3. The temperature monitoring device of claim 1 , wherein a medial location of the bracket of the fastener assembly segment is diametrically opposed to the thermal probe.

4. The temperature monitoring device of claim 1 , wherein the temperature monitoring segment comprises a thermal sensor and an elongate channel, the elongate channel aligned with the thermal probe, wherein the thermal probe comprises a leg that extends in the elongate channel and that couples the thermal probe to the thermal sensor, and wherein the thermal probe and the thermal sensor radially extend and retract as a unit relative to the inner circular perimeter of the primary body of the temperature monitoring device.

5. The temperature monitoring device of claim 1 , wherein the temperature monitoring segment further comprises a wireless digital thermal sensor coupled to or integral with the thermal probe and held in the temperature monitoring segment.

6. The temperature monitoring device of claim 1 , wherein the bracket has an arcuate inner surface facing the open channel with a radius of curvature corresponding to a radius of the inner circular perimeter of the primary body of the device.

7. The temperature monitoring device of claim 6 , wherein the bracket comprises a threaded center channel that receives a threaded bolt.

8. A temperature monitoring device comprising:
a primary body comprising an inner perimeter surrounding an open channel;
a temperature monitoring segment held by the primary body, the temperature monitoring segment comprising a thermal probe that extends inwardly toward the open channel, wherein the temperature monitoring segment further comprises first and second projecting members, one on each side of the thermal probe; and
a fastener assembly segment held by the primary body at a location that is circumferentially spaced apart from the temperature monitoring segment, wherein the fastener assembly segment comprises a circumferentially extending bracket that is radially extendable in a direction that is toward the open channel,
wherein the first and second projecting members are at least one of flexible or comprise an elastic material, and/or wherein the first and second projecting members are radially compressible in a range between 1-20% in response to a force applied during installation to a target contact.

9. A temperature monitoring device comprising:
a primary body comprising an inner perimeter surrounding an open channel;
a temperature monitoring segment held by the primary body, the temperature monitoring segment comprising a thermal probe that extends inwardly toward the open channel; and
a fastener assembly segment held by the primary body at a location that is circumferentially spaced apart from the temperature monitoring segment, wherein the fastener assembly segment comprises a circumferentially extending bracket that is radially extendable in a direction that is toward the open channel,
wherein the temperature monitoring segment further comprises:
an inner shell, the inner shell holding a digital wireless temperature sensor that is attached to the thermal probe;
an outer shell that encloses the inner shell, the outer shell comprising a radially extending bracket, wherein the radially extending bracket encloses a length of a leg of the thermal probe that extends between the temperature sensor and the thermal probe;
at least one inner resilient member residing between the inner shell and the outer shell; and
at least one outer resilient member residing between the outer shell and an outer perimeter of the temperature monitoring device,
wherein, during installation and application of a force onto the thermal probe, the at least one inner resilient member compresses so that the inner shell moves relative to the outer shell to retract the thermal probe against a distal end of the bracket, and wherein the at least one outer resilient member compresses when the inner and outer shell move together radially outward toward the outer perimeter of the temperature monitoring device.

10. The temperature monitoring device of claim 9 , wherein the at least one inner resilient member comprises first and second spaced apart leaf springs.

11. The temperature monitoring device of claim 9 , wherein the at least one outer resilient member is a single leaf spring held in a shaped cavity of a housing member of the temperature monitoring segment.

12. A temperature monitoring device comprising:
a primary body comprising an inner perimeter surrounding an open channel;
a temperature monitoring segment held by the primary body, the temperature monitoring segment comprising a thermal probe that extends inwardly toward the open channel; and
a fastener assembly segment held by the primary body at a location that is circumferentially spaced apart from the temperature monitoring segment, wherein the fastener assembly segment comprises a circumferentially extending bracket that is radially extendable in a direction that is toward the open channel,
wherein the open channel is an inner open circular channel, wherein the device further comprises an outer circular perimeter, and wherein the primary body has a longitudinal extent that is less than a longitudinal extent of the temperature monitoring segment and the fastener assembly segment to thereby provide ventilation spaces.

13. A temperature monitoring device comprising:
a primary body comprising an inner perimeter surrounding an open channel;
a temperature monitoring segment held by the primary body, the temperature monitoring segment comprising a thermal probe that extends inwardly toward the open channel; and
a fastener assembly segment held by the primary body at a location that is circumferentially spaced apart from the temperature monitoring segment, wherein the fastener assembly segment comprises a circumferentially extending bracket that is radially extendable in a direction that is toward the open channel,
wherein the fastener assembly segment comprises a first gear that cooperates with a second gear that translates the bracket.

14. The temperature monitoring device of claim 13 , wherein the first gear is a worm gear and the second gear is a wheel gear, wherein the wheel gear is attached to a threaded bolt that extends into a threaded channel of the bracket to translate the bracket radially in response to rotation of the wheel gear by the worm gear.

15. The temperature monitoring device of claim 14 , wherein the worm gear comprises an outer facing end having a slot for a user to access to turn the worm gear and adjust a position of the bracket.

16. A switchgear, compr

Assignees

• Eaton Intelligent Power Ltd

Inventors

• Xin Chao
• Wang Yazhou
• Wu Binghua
• Zhu Xu
• Zhou Xin

Classifications

• F16B2/065

  using screw-thread elements (F16B2/08 - F16B2/12 take precedence) · CPC title

• F16B5/0233

  allowing for adjustment perpendicular to the plane of the plates · CPC title

• G01K13/00 Primary

  Thermometers specially adapted for specific purposes · CPC title

• G01K1/143 Primary

  for measuring surface temperatures · CPC title