Portable diagnostic apparatus for testing circuit breakers

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9753088-B2
Application number	US-201414531502-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 3, 2014
Priority date	Nov 3, 2014
Publication date	Sep 5, 2017
Grant date	Sep 5, 2017

Abstract

A portable diagnostic apparatus for performing diagnostic testing on a circuit breaker includes a number of sensor devices structured to generate a number of sensed parameter signals relating to operation of the circuit breaker during an operational sequence, a number of auxiliary input connectors structured to receive a number of auxiliary data signals from the circuit breaker, the number of auxiliary data signals relating to and being generated in response to the operation of the circuit breaker during the operational sequence, and control and diagnostic circuitry. The control and diagnostic circuitry is structured to control operation of the portable diagnostic apparatus, receive the number of sensed parameter signals and the number of auxiliary data signals, and generate a time signature based on the number of sensed parameter signals and the number of auxiliary data signals.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A portable diagnostic apparatus for performing diagnostic testing on a circuit breaker, comprising: a number of sensor devices structured to generate a number of sensed parameter signals relating to operation of the circuit breaker during an operational sequence; a number of auxiliary input connectors structured to receive a number of auxiliary data signals from the circuit breaker, the number of auxiliary data signals relating to and being generated in response to the operation of the circuit breaker during the operational sequence; control and diagnostic circuitry structured to control operation of the portable diagnostic apparatus, receive the number of sensed parameter signals and the number of auxiliary data signals, and generate a time signature based on the number of sensed parameter signals and the number of auxiliary data signals, a first input element structured to be selectively connected to a signaling module external to the portable diagnostic apparatus, the signaling module being structured to provide a number of control signals for the circuit breaker, the number of control signals being configured to cause the circuit breaker to perform the operational sequence, the portable diagnostic apparatus being structured to receive the number of control signals through the first input element; and a first output element structured to be selectively connected to the circuit breaker, the first output element being coupled to the first input element within the portable diagnostic apparatus to receive the number of control signals from the first input element, the diagnostic apparatus being structured to provide the number of control signals to the circuit breaker through the first output element, wherein the number of sensor devices are coupled in between the first input element and the first output element to measure the number of control signals.

2. The portable diagnostic apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the circuit breaker is structured to be housed within a switchgear enclosure, the switchgear enclosure including a switchgear secondary disconnect, the circuit breaker including a circuit breaker secondary disconnect, and wherein the first input element is structured to be selectively connected to the switchgear secondary disconnect and the first output element is structured to be selectively connected to the circuit breaker secondary disconnect.

3. The portable diagnostic apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the first output element is structured to be selectively connected to power electronics, the control and diagnostic circuitry and the power electronics being structured to generate a number of second control signals for the circuit breaker, the number of second control signals being configured to cause the circuit breaker to perform the operational sequence, the diagnostic apparatus being structured to provide the number of second control signals to the circuit breaker through the first output element.

4. The portable diagnostic apparatus according to claim 3 , further comprising an input apparatus structured to cause the number of control signals to be selectively generated.

5. A portable diagnostic system including the portable diagnostic apparatus according to claim 1 and a power supply apparatus structured to generate a number of second control signals for the circuit breaker, the power supply apparatus being external to the portable diagnostic apparatus, the number of second control signals being configured to cause the circuit breaker to perform the operational sequence, the first input element being structured to be selectively connected to the power supply apparatus to receive the number of second control signals, the first output element structured to receive the number of second control signals from the first input element, the diagnostic apparatus being structured to provide the number of second control signals to the circuit breaker through the first output element.

6. The portable diagnostic system according to claim 5 , wherein the power supply apparatus includes an input apparatus structured to cause the number of second control signals to be selectively generated.

7. The portable diagnostic apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising a data connector structured to be selectively coupled to a computing device to enable the time signature to be output to the computing device.

8. The portable diagnostic apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising an output apparatus operatively coupled to the control and diagnostic circuitry, wherein the control and diagnostic circuitry is structured to analyze the time signature and generate a failure code based on the analysis of the time signature, and wherein the output apparatus is structured to output the failure code.

9. The portable diagnostic apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising a power connector structured to be selectively connected to a local AC power source and a power electronics module structured to provide power for the diagnostic apparatus, wherein the power connector is operatively coupled to the power electronics module.

10. The portable diagnostic apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the operational sequence comprises a CHARGE-CLOSE-CHARGE-OPEN-CLOSE-OPEN sequence, a CHARGE-OPEN (continuous signal)—CLOSE sequence for checking trip free operation, or a CHARGE-CLOSE (continuous signal)—CHARGE-OPEN sequence for checking antipump operation.

11. The portable diagnostic apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the number of sensor devices includes a first sensor device structured to measure a first current being provided to a spring charge motor of the circuit breaker and a second sensor device structured to measure a second current being provided to a mechanism for closing the circuit breaker provided as part of the circuit breaker.

12. The portable diagnostic apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the diagnostic apparatus is structured to be selectively operated in (i) an on-site mode wherein the diagnostic apparatus is connected in series between the circuit breaker and the signaling module, and (ii) an off-site mode wherein the diagnostic apparatus is structured to provide simulated signals to the circuit breaker, wherein the simulated signals are configured to cause the circuit breaker to perform the operational sequence.

13. The portable diagnostic apparatus according to claim 12 , wherein the simulated signals are generated within the portable diagnostic apparatus.

14. The portable diagnostic apparatus according to claim 12 , wherein the simulated signals are generated within a power supply apparatus coupled to the portable diagnostic apparatus.

15. A method of performing diagnostic testing on a circuit breaker, comprising: receiving a number of control signals in a portable diagnostic apparatus from a signaling module external to the portable diagnostic apparatus when the portable diagnostic apparatus is connected in series between the circuit breaker and the signaling module, wherein the number of control signals are configured to cause the circuit breaker perform the operational sequence; employing the portable diagnostic apparatus to causing cause the circuit breaker to perform an the operational sequence by relaying the received number of control signals to the circuit breaker from the portable diagnostic apparatus; employing the portable diagnostic apparatus to generate a number of sensed parameter signals relating to operation of the circuit breaker during the operational sequence, wherein sensed parameter signals are generated from the number of control signals by sensing the number of con

Assignees

• Eaton Corp

Inventors

• Ashtekar Koustubh Dnyandeo
• Benke James Jeffery
• Holland Greg D

Classifications

• G01R31/3333

  Apparatus, systems or circuits therefor · CPC title

• G01R31/3278

  of relays, solenoids or reed switches (measuring contact resistance G01R27/205; high voltage magnetic switches G01R31/3271, G01R31/333; testing electric windings G01R31/72; monitoring of fail safe circuits H01H47/002) · CPC title

• G01R31/3336

  Synthetic testing, i.e. with separate current and voltage generators simulating distance fault conditions · CPC title

• H01H1/0015

  Means for testing or for inspecting contacts, e.g. wear indicator (measuring circuits G01R31/3274) · CPC title

• G01R31/3274

  Details related to measuring, e.g. sensing, displaying or computing; Measuring of variables related to the contact pieces, e.g. wear, position or resistance (measuring contact resistance G01R27/205) · CPC title