Electrical switching device and associated configuration and diagnostic methods

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10985545-B2
Application number	US-201816105197-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 20, 2018
Priority date	Sep 5, 2017
Publication date	Apr 20, 2021
Grant date	Apr 20, 2021

Abstract

A switching device includes two connection lands, a measurement device for measuring a first quantity of a current flowing between the two lands, a power supply system and a trigger module, the latter including a first driver module for detecting an electrical fault according to first values stored in a first memory and controlling a switching member; a communication module for receiving and storing second values in a second, non-volatile memory; and a second driver module for replacing the first values with the second values in the first memory. The first driver module compares a second quantity of the first supply current with a threshold and controls the supply of power to the second driver module if the second value is higher than or equal to the threshold.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. An electrical switching device comprising at least two connection lands, a measurement device configured for measuring a first electrical quantity of an electrical current flowing between the two connection lands, an electrical power supply system designed to deliver a first electrical power supply current, a trigger module and a switching member designed to switch between a first position electrically connecting the two connection lands and a second position wherein the two connection lands are electrically disconnected from one another, the trigger module comprising:
a first memory for storing first values of detection parameters,
a first driver module configured for detecting an electrical fault as a function at least of values measured by the measurement device and of the first stored values and for generating, in response, a switching signal for the switching member, and
a communications module comprising a second memory which is non-volatile, the communications module being configured for receiving, via radiofrequency communications, a configuration signal containing second values of the detection parameters and for storing the second values received in the second memory,
wherein the trigger module further comprises a second driver module configured for replacing, in the first memory, the first values by the second values, and
wherein the first driver module is configured for comparing a second electrical quantity of the first electrical power supply current with a threshold and for controlling the supply of electrical power to the second driver module if the second electrical quantity is greater than or equal to the threshold, and
if the second electrical quantity is strictly less than the threshold, there is an absence of supply of electrical power to the second driver module and the first driver module is configured to wait for the second electrical quantity to be greater than the threshold.

2. The electrical switching device according to claim 1 , wherein the first memory is a non-volatile memory.

3. The electrical switching device according to claim 2 , wherein the second driver module is configured for comparing the second values stored in the second memory with at least one range of allowed values, and for substituting, in the first memory, the second values for the first values only if the second values belong to a range of allowed values.

4. The electrical switching device according to claim 1 , wherein the first driver module is configured for, following the detection of a fault, transmitting to the second driver module identification data identifying the fault detected, the second driver module being configured for writing the identification data into the second memory.

5. The electrical switching device according to claim 4 , wherein the first driver module is configured for, following the detection of a fault, transmitting to the second driver module an alarm signal warning that an interruption of the electrical power supply to the second driver module will take place, the second driver module comprising a device for storing electrical energy configured for electrically supplying the second driver module starting from the reception of the alarm signal until the writing of the identification data in the second memory.

6. The electrical switching device according to claim 1 , wherein the communications module is configured for generating, starting from the configuration signal, a second current for supplying electrical power to the communications module.

7. The electrical switching device according to claim 1 , wherein the second driver module is configured for, following the recovery of the electrical power supply to the second driver module after a period of time during which the second driver module was not electrically powered:
consulting the second memory, and
if second parameter values have been stored in the second memory for the period of time during which the second driver module was not powered, replacing, in the first memory, the first values by the second values.

8. The electrical switching device according to claim 1 , wherein the second driver module is further configured for receiving, via a wired link, third values of the detection parameters coming from a configuration device distinct from the electrical switching device and for replacing, in the first memory and/or in the second memory, the first values and/or the second values by the received third values.

9. The electrical switching device according to claim 1 , wherein the electrical power supply system comprises current transformers designed to generate the first electrical current starting from at least one electrical current flowing between the two connection lands.

10. An electrical switching device comprising at least two connection lands, a measurement device configured for measuring a first electrical quantity of an electrical current flowing between the two connection lands, an electrical power supply system designed to deliver a first electrical power supply current, a trigger module and a switching member designed to switch between a first position electrically connecting the two connection lands and a second position wherein the two connection lands are electrically disconnected from one another, the trigger module comprising:
a first memory for storing first values of detection parameters,
a first driver module configured for detecting an electrical fault as a function at least of values measured by the measurement device and of the first stored values and for generating, in response, a switching signal for the switching member, and
a communications module comprising a second memory which is non-volatile, the communications module being configured for receiving, via radiofrequency communications, a configuration signal containing second values of the detection parameters and for storing the second values received in the second memory,
wherein the trigger module further comprises a second driver module configured for replacing, in the first memory, the first values by the second values, and
wherein the first driver module is configured for comparing a second electrical quantity of the first electrical power supply current with a threshold and for controlling the supply of electrical power to the second driver module if the second electrical quantity is greater than or equal to the threshold,
the electrical switching device further comprising a triggering device and a circuit breaker, the triggering device comprising a housing accommodating the trigger module, the circuit breaker comprising a housing accommodating the switching member, the housings of the triggering device and of the circuit breaker being distinct from one another.

11. A method for configuring a switching device comprising at least two connection lands, a measurement device configured for measuring an electrical quantity of an electrical current flowing between the two connection lands, an electrical power supply system designed to deliver a first electrical power supply current, a trigger module and a switching member designed to switch between a first position electrically connecting the two connection lands and a second position wherein the two connection lands are electrically disconnected from one another, the trigger module comprising:
a first memory wherein first values of detection parameters are stored,
a first driver module configured for detecting an electrical fault as a function at least of values measured by the measurement device and of the first stored values and for generating, in response, a switching signal for the switching member,
a communications module comprising a second memory w

Assignees

• Schneider Electric Ind Sas

Inventors

• Odille Fabien

Classifications

• H01H71/74 Primary

  Means for adjusting the conditions under which the device will function to provide protection · CPC title

• H02H1/06

  Arrangements for supplying operative power {(power supply arrangements in general G05F, H02M)} · CPC title

• H02H1/0007

  concerning the detecting means (in general G01R or other subclasses of G01; reed switches H01H71/2445) · CPC title

• H01H2071/006

  Provisions for user interfaces for electrical protection devices · CPC title

• H02H1/0053

  Means for storing the measured quantities during a predetermined time · CPC title