Electronically controlled fusible switching disconnect modules and devices

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11551900-B2
Application number	US-201615251420-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 30, 2016
Priority date	Jan 19, 2011
Publication date	Jan 10, 2023
Grant date	Jan 10, 2023

Abstract

A fusible switch disconnect device includes a housing adapted to receive at least one fuse therein, and a switchable contact for connecting the fuse to circuitry. A tripping mechanism and control circuitry are provided to move the switchable contact to an open position in response to a predetermined electrical condition.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A fusible switch disconnect device comprising:
a base housing adapted to receive and engage at least a portion of a compatible removable current limiting fuse having a predetermined current rating and predetermined time-current curve, the compatible removable current limiting fuse including first and second terminal elements and a fusible element electrically connected therebetween, wherein the base housing has a current rating that is ½ the current rating of the compatible removable current limiting fuse;
a line side connecting terminal in the base housing to establish a connection to line side electrical circuitry;
a first fuse terminal mounted stationary in the base housing having opposed first and second ends, the first end including an integrally formed fuse clip that is not separately provided and attached to the first fuse terminal, wherein the integrally formed fuse clip directly connects to one of the first and second terminal elements of the compatible removable current limiting fuse and therefore electrically connects in series to the fusible element when the compatible removable current limiting fuse is received and engaged;
a dual contact switch mechanism in the base housing and including:
first and second stationary switch contacts, the first stationary switch contact provided on the second end of the first fuse terminal, the second stationary switch contact being located in a spaced relation from the first stationary switch contact; and
first and second movable switch contacts selectively positionable in an open position and a closed position relative to the first and second stationary switch contacts to respectively disconnect or connect a series electrical connection between the first and second stationary switch contacts and therefore between the line side connecting terminal and the first fuse terminal; and

electronic circuitry inside the base housing, the electronic circuitry configured to:
directly measure, in a circuit path that is not parallel to the fusible element of the compatible removable current limiting fuse, an actual magnitude and duration of a current flow from the-line side terminal and to the first fuse terminal when the first and second movable switch contacts are in the closed position; and
in a longer duration overcurrent event, assess an operating performance of the fusible element by direct comparison of the directly measured actual magnitude and duration of the current flow from the-line side terminal and to the first fuse terminal and the predetermined time-current curve of the compatible removable current limiting fuse that is received and engaged in the base housing.

2. The fusible switch disconnect device of claim 1 , further comprising a current detecting element providing a signal input to the electronic circuitry and operative to determine, in one of the first fuse terminal and the line side connecting terminal, the actual magnitude and duration of the current flow from the-line side terminal and to the first fuse terminal and the predetermined time-current curve of the compatible removable current limiting fuse.

3. The fusible switch disconnect device of claim 2 , wherein the current detecting element is selected from the group of a resistive shunt, a current transformer, or a Hall Effect sensor.

4. The fusible switch disconnect device of claim 1 , wherein the dual contact switch mechanism is responsive to the electronic circuitry to automatically assume the open position when the compared directly measured actual magnitude and duration of the current flow from the-line side terminal and to the first fuse terminal deviates from the predetermined time-current curve of the compatible removable current limiting fuse by a selected amount.

5. The fusible switch disconnect device of claim 4 , wherein the switch mechanism includes a solenoid responsive to the electronic circuitry.

6. The fusible switch disconnect device of claim 1 , wherein the electronic circuitry includes a power supply board and a processing board.

7. The fusible switch disconnect device of claim 1 , further comprising a local state indicator configured to visually indicate a deviation of the compared directly measured actual current magnitude and duration of the current flow from the-line side terminal and to the first fuse terminal while the dual contact switch mechanism is in the closed position.

8. The fusible switch disconnect device of claim 7 , wherein the local state indicator comprises a light emitting diode, and wherein the electronic circuitry causes the light emitting diode to flash intermittently to indicate the deviation.

9. The fusible switch disconnect device of claim 1 , further comprising a neutral terminal and a remote signal device in communication with the neutral terminal.

10. The fusible switch disconnect device of claim 1 , further comprising an over-voltage detecting element coupled to the electronic circuitry.

11. The fusible switch disconnect device of claim 10 , wherein the over-voltage detecting element comprises a varistor element.

12. The fusible switch disconnect device of claim 1 , wherein the electronic circuitry includes a microcontroller.

13. The fusible switch disconnect device of claim 1 , wherein the compatible removable current limiting fuse comprises a rectangular fuse module having plug-in terminal blades.

14. The fusible switch disconnect device of claim 1 , wherein the electronic circuitry includes a microcontroller and a memory, the time-current data being stored in the memory.

15. The fusible switch disconnect device of claim 1 , wherein the base housing includes at least one fuse rejection feature to prevent an incompatible current limiting fuse having a current rating greater than twice the current rating of the base housing from being installed in the base housing.

16. A fusible switch disconnect device comprising:
a base housing having a lower edge, opposite side edges, side panels extending between the side edges, and an upper surface extending between the side edges and the side panels, wherein the upper surface is configured to receive a compatible removable current limiting fuse module having a fusible element and a predetermined current rating and a predetermined time-current curve;
wherein the upper surface of the base housing includes at least one fuse rejection feature to prevent an incompatible removable current limiting fuse module having a current rating greater than twice the current rating of the base housing from being installed in the base housing;
a dual contact switch mechanism having a pair of stationary contacts and a pair of movable contacts in the base housing, the pair of movable contacts selectively positionable relative to the base housing and the pair of stationary switch contacts between opened and closed positions;
conductive terminals in the base housing establishing, in combination with the dual contact switch mechanism, a series connected current path through the compatible removable current limiting fuse module when the compatible removable current limiting fuse module is received in the base housing and when the dual contact switch mechanism is in the closed position, wherein the conductive terminals include a stationary fuse terminal including one of the pair of stationary switch contacts at one end thereof and an integrally formed fuse clip that is not separately provided and attached to the fuse terminal, the integrally formed fuse clip directly receiving a portion of the current limiting fuse proximate the upper surface of the base housing;
a detecting element configured to dir

Assignees

• Eaton Intelligent Power Ltd

Inventors

• Darr Matthew Rain
• Kamath Hundi Panduranga

Classifications

• H01H2071/0278

  with at least one of juxtaposed casings dedicated to an auxiliary device, e.g. for undervoltage or shunt trip · CPC title

• H01H9/10

  Adaptation for built-in fuses (mounting switch and fuse separately on, or in, common support H02B1/18) · CPC title

• H01H83/12

  operated by voltage falling below a predetermined value, e.g. for no-volt protection · CPC title

• H01H21/16

  Adaptation for built-in fuse · CPC title

• H01H71/125

  characterised by sensing elements, e.g. current transformers (for differential protection H01H83/144) · CPC title