System and method for providing indication of a closed switch

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11908644-B2
Application number	US-202117533867-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 23, 2021
Priority date	Aug 21, 2017
Publication date	Feb 20, 2024
Grant date	Feb 20, 2024

Abstract

A system for collecting information related to an electrical switch. The system including a first switch, a second switch, and an external device. The external device is configured to receive the first and second signals corresponding to the first and second switches. Wherein the external device is located remotely from the first switch and the second switch.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A system for collecting information related to an electrical switch, the system comprising:
a first switch including
a first blade pivotable between an open position and a closed position,
a first electrical terminal configured to receive the first blade when the first blade reaches the closed blade position, and
a first sensor on the first electrical terminal, the first sensor configured to sense a position of the first blade;

a second switch including
a second blade pivotable between an open position and a closed position,
a second electrical terminal configured to receive the second blade when the second blade reaches the closed blade position, and
a second sensor on the second electrical terminal, the second sensor configured to
sense a position of the second blade; and

a collector configured to receive a first signal indicative of the position of the first blade and a second signal indicative of the position of the second blade, and output information indicative of the position of the first blade and the position of the second blade; and
an external device configured to receive the information, wherein the external device is located remotely from the first switch and the second switch.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the first sensor is configured to determine when the first blade is fully in the closed position.

3. The system of claim 1 , wherein the first sensor is at least one selected from a group consisting of a temperature sensor, limit switch, a capacitive sensor, an optical sensor, an inductive sensor, and an ultrasonic sensor.

4. The system of claim 1 , wherein the first sensor is communicatively coupled to the external device wirelessly.

5. The system of claim 1 , wherein the first sensor includes a first communicator configured to receive a third signal indicative of the position of the first blade as sensed by the first sensor, and output the first signal to the collector.

6. The system of claim 1 , wherein the external device includes a user-interface, and wherein the external device outputs, via the user-interface, the position of the first blade.

7. The system of claim 1 , wherein the external device analyzes the information indicative of the position of the first blade and the position of the second blade, and wherein the external device outputs an alert based on the analysis.

8. A method of indicating position of a first blade and a second blade of a switch, the method comprising:
sensing, via a first sensor, a position of the first blade, wherein the first blade is pivotable between an open position and a closed position;
receiving, via a collector located remotely from the sensor, a first signal indicative of the position of the blade;
sensing, via a second sensor, a position of a second blade, wherein the second blade is pivotable between an open position and a closed position;
receiving, via the collector, a second signal indicative of the position of the second blade;
outputting information indicative of the position of the first blade and the position of the second blade; and
receiving, via an external device located remotely from the sensor, the information.

9. The method of claim 8 , wherein the first sensor is configured to determine when the first blade is fully in the closed position.

10. The method of claim 8 , wherein the first sensor is a temperature sensor.

11. The method of claim 8 , wherein the first sensor is at least one selected from a group consisting of a limit switch, a capacitive sensor, an optical sensor, an inductive sensor, and an ultrasonic sensor.

12. The method of claim 8 , wherein the first sensor is communicatively coupled to the external device wirelessly.

13. The method of claim 12 , wherein the first sensor includes a first communicator.

14. The method of claim 8 , wherein the external device includes a user-interface.

15. The method of claim 14 , wherein the external device outputs, via the user-interface, the position of at least one selected from a group consisting of the first blade and the second blade.

16. The method of claim 8 , wherein the external device analyzes the information indicative of the position of the first blade and the position of the second blade, and wherein the external device outputs an alert based on the analysis.

17. The method of claim 8 ,
wherein the first sensor is on a first electrical terminal, the first electrical terminal being configured to receive the first blade when the first blade reaches the closed blade position, and
wherein the second sensor is on a second electrical terminal, the second electrical terminal being configured to receive the second blade when the second blade reaches the closed blade position.

18. The system of claim 1 , wherein the collector is remote from the first sensor and from the second sensor, and wherein the first sensor and the second sensor are connected to the collector via a wireless communication link.

19. A system for collecting information related to an electrical switch, the system comprising:
a first switch including
a first blade pivotable between an open position and a closed position,
a first electrical terminal configured to receive the first blade when the first blade reaches the closed blade position, and
a first sensor on the first electrical terminal, the first sensor configured to
sense a position of the first blade, and
output a first signal corresponding to the position of the first blade;

a first communicator located proximate the first sensor, the first communicator configured to
receive the first signal, and
output a second signal corresponding to the position of the first blade;

a second switch including
a second blade pivotable between an open position and a closed position,
a second electrical terminal configured to receive the second blade when the second blade reaches the closed blade position, and
a second sensor on the second electrical terminal, the second sensor configured to
sense a position of the second blade, and
output a third signal corresponding to the position of the second blade; and

a first communicator located proximate the first sensor, the first communicator configured to
receive the first signal, and
output a second signal corresponding to the position of the first blade;

a collector configured to receive the second signal from the first communicator and the fourth signal from the second communicator, and output information indicative of the position of the first blade and the position of the second blade;
wherein the information indicative of the position of the first blade and the position of the second blade is received via an external device located remotely from the first sensor, the second sensor, the first communicator, the second communicator, the first collector, and the second collector.

20. The system of claim 19 , wherein the external device analyzes the information indicative of the position of the first blade and the position of the second blade, and wherein the external device outputs an alert based on the analysis.

21. The system of claim 19 , wherein the first sensor is at least one selected from a group consisting of a temperature sensor, limit switch, a capacitive sensor, an optical sensor, an inductive sensor, and an ultrasonic sensor, and wherein the second sensor is at least one selected from a group consisting of a temperature sensor, limit switch, a capacitive sensor, an optical sensor, an inductive sensor, and an ultras

Assignees

• Hubbell Inc

Inventors

• Rhein David
• Rizzo Angelo

Classifications

• H01H31/02 Primary

  Details · CPC title

• H01H9/16

  Indicators for switching condition, e.g. "on" or "off" · CPC title

• H01H31/023

  Base and stationary contacts mounted thereon · CPC title

• H01H31/026 Primary

  Movable parts and contacts mounted thereon · CPC title

• H01H2239/06

  Temperature sensitive · CPC title