Circuit breaker operating mechanism component monitoring system and associated method

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9704661-B2
Application number	US-201514825207-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 13, 2015
Priority date	Aug 13, 2015
Publication date	Jul 11, 2017
Grant date	Jul 11, 2017

Abstract

A component monitoring system structured to monitor circuit breaker assembly operating mechanism component characteristics is provided. The component monitoring system includes a record assembly, at least one sensor assembly and a comparison assembly. The record assembly includes selected nominal data for a selected circuit breaker component. The least one sensor assembly is structured to measure a number of actual component characteristics of a selected circuit breaker component and to transmit actual component characteristic output data. The comparison assembly is structured to compare the sensor assembly actual component characteristic output data to the selected nominal data and to provide an indication of whether the sensor assembly output data is acceptable when compared to the selected nominal data. The at least one sensor assembly is in electronic communication with the comparison assembly.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A component monitoring system structured to monitor operating mechanism component characteristics of a circuit breaker assembly, said circuit breaker assembly including an operating mechanism, said operating mechanism including a charging motor assembly, a first charging cam, a closing first spring, and a first spring cam follower, said charging motor assembly including a rotating output shaft, said first charging cam fixed to said motor assembly rotating output shaft, said first spring cam follower coupled to said closing first spring, said first charging cam operatively engaging said first spring cam follower, whereby rotation of said first charging cam compresses said closing first spring, said component monitoring system comprising:
a record assembly including selected nominal data for a selected circuit breaker component;
at least one sensor assembly structured to measure a number of actual component characteristics of said selected circuit breaker component and to transmit actual component characteristic output data;
a comparison assembly structured to compare said sensor assembly actual component characteristic output data to said selected nominal data and to provide an indication of whether said sensor assembly actual component characteristic output data is acceptable when compared to the selected nominal data;
said at least one sensor assembly in electronic communication with said comparison assembly;
said record assembly includes data representing a selected nominal correlation coefficient of said selected circuit breaker component;
said comparison assembly is structured to determine a correlation coefficient for said selected circuit breaker component by comparing a number of characteristics of the selected circuit breaker component and nominal data; and
said comparison assembly is structured to compare said correlation coefficient to said selected nominal correlation coefficient and to provide an indication of whether said comparison of said correlation coefficient to said selected nominal correlation coefficient is within a selected range or outside said selected range.

2. The component monitoring system of claim 1 wherein said data representing said selected nominal correlation coefficient is in the form of an envelope.

3. The component monitoring system of claim 1 wherein said charging motor assembly includes an AC conductor, an AC/DC converter, and a DC motor including an output shaft, said AC conductor coupled to, and in electrical communication with, an AC line as well as said AC/DC converter, said AC/DC converter coupled to, and in electrical communication with, said DC motor, wherein current passes through said AC conductor and said AC/DC converter during the actuation of said DC motor, and wherein:
said record assembly includes data representing at least one of a selected nominal charging time, a selected nominal charging motor assembly output energy, or a selected nominal motor force correlation coefficient of said charging motor assembly;
said at least one said sensor assembly includes a current sensor, a motor assembly rotating output shaft torque sensor, and a motor timer;
wherein said current sensor is structured to measure said AC current in said AC conductor during the actuation of said DC motor and to transmit output data representing said AC current in said AC conductor during the actuation of said DC motor;
wherein said motor output shaft torque sensor is structured to measure motor output shaft torque in said motor assembly rotating output shaft during the actuation of said DC motor and to transmit output data representing said motor output shaft torque in said motor assembly rotating output shaft during the actuation of said DC motor;
wherein said motor timer is structured to measure the time period of the actuation of said DC motor and to transmit output data representing said time period of the actuation of said DC motor;
wherein said comparison assembly is structured to determine the charging motor assembly output energy;
wherein said comparison assembly is structured to determine a motor force correlation coefficient by comparing said current sensor output data and said motor output shaft torque sensor output data; and
wherein said comparison assembly is structured to compare at least one of said selected nominal charging time relative to the output data representing said time period of the actuation of said DC motor, said selected nominal charging motor assembly output energy relative to said charging motor assembly output energy, or, said selected nominal motor force correlation coefficient to said motor force correlation coefficient.

4. The component monitoring system of claim 3 wherein said the charging motor assembly output energy is determined by the equation:
E 1 =E/R=I 2 t
wherein I is the AC current in said AC conductor during the actuation of said DC motor, and, wherein R is a predetermined constant.

5. The component monitoring system of claim 3 wherein said motor force correlation coefficient is determined by the equation:

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2

Assignees

• Eaton Corp

Inventors

• Chen Jiong
• Yu Li
• Wu Fangji
• Zhang Kaixuan
• Liang Xinyu

Classifications

• H01H2071/044

  Monitoring, detection or measuring systems to establish the end of life of the switching device, can also contain other on-line monitoring systems, e.g. for detecting mechanical failures · CPC title

• H01H71/70

  actuated by electric motor · CPC title

• H01H71/04 Primary

  Means for indicating condition of the switching device {(by means of an auxiliary contact H01H71/46)} · CPC title

• H01H3/42

  using cam or eccentric · CPC title

• H01H3/26

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