Load center position-based addressing

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11037427-B2
Application number	US-201916540630-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 14, 2019
Priority date	Aug 14, 2019
Publication date	Jun 15, 2021
Grant date	Jun 15, 2021

Abstract

Embodiments of the disclosure provide for a system and method for determining a circuit breaker position in a power distribution/load center. In one embodiment, the load center includes a plurality of circuit breakers. Each circuit breaker includes a base and a plurality of contact components coupled to the base. In that regard, an activation of a combination of the contact components indicates a position of the circuit breaker within the load center. The activation of the combination indicates that one or more of the contact components is in contact with one or more pegs coupled to the load center. When this occurs, a data transceiver coupled to each of the contact components transmits a data signal. The data signal includes a plurality of data bits, where each data bit indicates whether a corresponding contact component of the combination is activated or not activated.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A circuit breaker comprising:
a base;
a plurality of contact components coupled to the base, wherein an activation of a combination of the contact components indicates a location of the circuit breaker within a load center; and
a data transceiver coupled to each of the contact components, wherein the data transceiver is configured to transmit a data signal in response to the activation of the combination of the contact components.

2. The circuit breaker of claim 1 , wherein the activation of the combination indicates that one or more of the contact components is in contact with one or more pegs coupled to the load center.

3. The circuit breaker of claim 2 , wherein the one or more pegs are coupled to an addressing adapter that is configured to attach to the load center.

4. The circuit breaker of claim 2 , wherein each contact component is disposed within a guiding channel of the base.

5. The circuit breaker of claim 4 , wherein the guiding channel of the base is configured to receive the one or more pegs of a determined length.

6. The circuit breaker of claim 5 , wherein at least one of the pegs comprises a spring portion, and wherein the spring portion is configured to reduce the determined length of the peg in response to connecting to a corresponding contact component.

7. The circuit break of claim 5 , wherein the determined length of each peg indicates whether the peg is configured to meet a corresponding contact component.

8. The circuit breaker of claim 7 , wherein the corresponding contact component is activated when the peg is connected to the corresponding contact component.

9. The circuit breaker of claim 1 , wherein the data signal comprises a plurality of data bits, and wherein each data bit indicates whether a corresponding contact component of the combination is activated or not activated.

10. The circuit breaker of claim 1 , wherein the location of the circuit breaker within the load center comprises a slot location in a panel of the load center.

11. A load center comprising:
a plurality of circuit breakers,
each circuit breaker comprising:
a base;
a plurality of contact components coupled to the base, wherein an activation of a combination of the contact components indicates a location of the circuit breaker within the load center; and
a data transceiver coupled to each of the contact components, wherein the data transceiver is configured to transmit a data signal in response to the activation of the combination of the contact components.

12. The load center of claim 11 , wherein the activation of the combination indicates that one or more of the contact components is in contact with one or more pegs coupled to the load center.

13. The load center of claim 12 , wherein the one or more pegs are coupled to an addressing adapter that is configured to attach to the load center.

14. The load center of claim 12 , wherein each contact component is disposed within a guiding channel of the base.

15. The load center of claim 14 , wherein the guiding channel of the base is configured to receive the one or more pegs of a determined length.

16. The load center of claim 15 , wherein at least one of the pegs comprises a spring portion, and wherein the spring portion is configured to reduce the determined length of the peg in response to connecting to a corresponding contact component.

17. The load center of claim 15 , wherein the determined length of each peg indicates whether the peg is configured to meet a corresponding contact component.

18. The load center of claim 17 , wherein the corresponding contact component is activated when the peg is connected to the corresponding contact component.

19. The load center of claim 11 , wherein the data signal comprises a plurality of data bits, and wherein each data bit indicates whether a corresponding contact component of the combination is activated or not activated.

20. The load center of claim 11 , wherein the location of the circuit breaker within the load center comprises a slot location in a panel of the load center.

21. A circuit breaker comprising:
a base; and
a plurality of contact components coupled to the base, wherein an activation of a combination of the contact components indicates a location of the circuit breaker within a load center,
wherein the activation of the combination indicates that one or more of the contact components is in contact with one or more pegs coupled to the load center,
wherein each contact component is disposed within a guiding channel of the base, and
wherein the guiding channel of the base is configured to receive the one or more pegs of a determined length.

22. The circuit breaker of claim 21 , wherein the one or more pegs are coupled to an addressing adapter that is configured to attach to the load center.

23. The circuit breaker of claim 21 , wherein at least one of the pegs comprises a spring portion, and wherein the spring portion is configured to reduce the determined length of the peg in response to connecting to a corresponding contact component.

24. The circuit break of claim 21 , wherein the determined length of each peg indicates whether the peg is configured to meet a corresponding contact component.

25. The circuit breaker of claim 24 , wherein the corresponding contact component is activated when the peg is connected to the corresponding contact component.

26. A load center comprising a plurality of circuit breakers, wherein each of the plurality of circuit breakers comprises a circuit breaker according to claim 21 .

Assignees

• Schneider Electric Usa Inc

Inventors

• Martin Daniel
• Harrison Gregory
• Foust John Charles
• Furnari Matthew
• Gau Amy

Classifications

• Y04S20/14

  Protecting elements, switches, relays or circuit breakers · CPC title

• Y02B90/20

  Smart grids as enabling technology in buildings sector (smart grids supporting the management or operation of end-user stationary applications in general, or like technologies with no associated climate change mitigation effect Y04S20/00) · CPC title

• H01H9/0066

  Auxiliary contact devices (for arc transfer H01H9/38; for electromagnetic relays H01H50/541) · CPC title

• H01H71/0271

  Mounting several complete assembled circuit breakers together (interconnected mechanisms H01H71/1009) · CPC title

• H01H71/46

  having means for operating auxiliary contacts additional to the main contacts · CPC title