Drive system for a switch, and method for driving a switch

US11908642B2 · US · B2

Patent metadata
FieldValue
Publication numberUS-11908642-B2
Application numberUS-202017610725-A
CountryUS
Kind codeB2
Filing dateApr 23, 2020
Priority dateMay 15, 2019
Publication dateFeb 20, 2024
Grant dateFeb 20, 2024

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  1. Title

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  2. Abstract

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  3. Assignees and inventors

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  4. Key dates

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  5. First independent claim

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  6. CPC / IPC classifications

    Technology tags used to group this patent with similar filings.

  7. Citations and related patents

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Abstract

Official abstract text for this publication.

A drive system drives a switch. The drive system includes: a drive shaft connecting the drive system to the switch; a motor configured to drive the drive shaft; a feedback system; and a controller. The feedback system is configured to: determine at least one value for a position of the drive shaft; and generate a feedback signal based on the at least one value. The controller acts on an operation of the motor depending on the feedback signal.

First claim

Opening claim text (preview).

The invention claimed is: 1. A drive system for driving a switch, the drive system comprising: a drive shaft configured to connect the drive system to the switch; a motor having a motor shaft, the motor shaft configured to drive the drive shaft; a feedback system, the feedback system comprising an incremental encoder and a microswitch, which in combination are configured and arranged to: detect an absolute position of the drive shaft or an absolute position of a further shaft connected to the drive shaft; and generate at least one first output signal based on the detected absolute position of the drive shaft or the detected absolute position of the further shaft, and the feedback system being configured to: determine at least one value for the absolute position of the drive shaft based on the at least one first output signal; and generate a feedback signal based on the at least one value for the absolute position of the drive shaft; and a controller configured to act on an operation of the motor based on the feedback signal, wherein the microswitch is directly attached to the drive shaft, and wherein the incremental encoder is directly attached to the motor shaft. 2. The drive system as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the switch is an on-load tap-changer, or a diverter switch, or a load selector, or a selector, or a reversing change-over selector, or a double reversing change-over selector, or a change-over selector, or a circuit breaker, or an on-load switch, or a disconnecting switch. 3. The drive system as in claim 1 , wherein the incremental encoder is configured to output a first signal and the microswitch is configured to output a second signal, and wherein the feedback system is configured to combine the first signal and the second signal to provide the at least one first output signal. 4. The drive system as in claim 1 , wherein the driveshaft is connected directly or indirectly, via one or more gear units, to the motor shaft. 5. The drive system as in claim 1 , wherein the incremental encoder is connected to the drive shaft in a frictionally engaged or incrementally bonded manner. 6. The drive system as in claim 1 , wherein the microswitch is connected to the motor shaft in a frictionally engaged or incrementally bonded manner. 7. The drive system as in claim 1 , wherein the controller is further configured to control the motor in an open-loop or closed-loop fashion, depending on the feedback signal generated by the feedback system. 8. The drive system as in claim 1 , wherein the feedback system further comprises the incremental encoder and a plurality of microswitches, which in combination are configured and arranged to: detect an absolute position of the drive shaft or an absolute position of a further shaft connected to the drive shaft; and generate at least one first output signal based on the detected absolute position of the drive shaft or the detected absolute position of the further shaft, and wherein the plurality of microswitches comprises the microswitch. 9. A method for driving a switch by a drive system, the drive system comprising: a drive shaft connecting the drive system to the switch; a motor having a motor shaft, the motor shaft configured to drive the drive shaft a feedback system comprising an incremental encoder directly attached to the motor shaft and a microswitch directly attached to the drive shaft, the method comprising: using the incremental encoder in combination with the microswitch to: detect an absolute position of the drive shaft or an absolute position of a further shaft connected to the drive shaft; and generate at least one first output signal based on the detected absolute position of the drive shaft or the detected absolute position of the further shaft determining at least one value for the absolute position of the drive shaft based on the at least one first output signal; generating a feedback signal based on the at least one value for the absolute position of the drive shaft; and controlling the motor for driving the switch based upon the feedback signal.

Assignees

Inventors

Classifications

  • H01H3/26Primary

    using dynamo-electric motor (for storing energy in a spring motor H01H3/30) · CPC title

  • using friction, toothed, or screw-and-nut gearing · CPC title

  • having control circuits for motor operating switches, e.g. controlling the opening or closing speed of the contacts · CPC title

  • Operating mechanisms · CPC title

  • Monitoring tap change switching devices · CPC title

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Frequently asked questions

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What does patent US11908642B2 cover?
A drive system drives a switch. The drive system includes: a drive shaft connecting the drive system to the switch; a motor configured to drive the drive shaft; a feedback system; and a controller. The feedback system is configured to: determine at least one value for a position of the drive shaft; and generate a feedback signal based on the at least one value. The controller acts on an operati…
Who is the assignee on this patent?
Reinhausen Maschf Scheubeck
What technology area does this patent fall under?
Primary CPC classification H01H3/26. Mapped technology areas include Electricity.
When was this patent published?
Publication date Tue Feb 20 2024 00:00:00 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time) (B2). Legal status and post-grant events are not shown on this page.
What related patents are in patentsdb?
We list 1 related publication on this page (citations in our corpus or others sharing the same primary CPC).