Circuit protection apparatus and method of setting trip parameters thereof

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9847201-B2
Application number	US-201414186082-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 21, 2014
Priority date	Feb 21, 2014
Publication date	Dec 19, 2017
Grant date	Dec 19, 2017

Abstract

A circuit protection apparatus includes separable contacts, an operating mechanism, an electronic trip unit storing a plurality of trip parameter combinations, wherein each of the trip parameter combinations specifies a certain value for each of a plurality of individual trip parameters, and a multi-position selector moveable among a plurality of predetermined positions and configured to enable selection of one of the predetermined positions. Each of the positions corresponds to a respective one of the trip parameter combinations, wherein the electronic trip unit is structured to, responsive to a chosen one of the plurality of predetermined positions being selected by the multi-position selector, cause the one of the trip parameter combinations corresponding to the chosen one of the plurality of predetermined positions to be used by the electronic trip unit to determine whether to cause the operating mechanism to trip open the separable contacts.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A circuit protection apparatus, comprising:
separable contacts;
an operating mechanism configured to open and close the separable contacts;
an electronic trip unit structured to cooperate with the operating mechanism to trip open the separable contacts, wherein the electronic trip unit has pre-stored therein a plurality of trip parameter combinations, wherein each of the trip parameter combinations specifies a certain value for each of a plurality of individual trip parameters; and
a multi-position selector in the form of a single selector switch moveable among a plurality of predetermined positions and configured to enable selection of one of the plurality of predetermined positions, each of the predetermined positions corresponding to a respective one of the trip parameter combinations pre-stored in the electronic trip unit, wherein the electronic trip unit is structured to, responsive to a chosen one of the plurality of predetermined positions being selected by the multi-position selector, cause the one of the pre-stored trip parameter combinations corresponding to the chosen one of the plurality of predetermined positions to be used by the electronic trip unit to determine whether to cause the operating mechanism to trip open the separable contacts.

2. The circuit protection apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the multi-position selector includes a plurality of position indicators, each of the position indicators corresponding to a respective one of the predetermined positions, wherein the trip parameter combinations and the position indicators are displayed in a table in a manner wherein each of the trip parameter combinations is associated with a respective one of the position indicators.

3. The circuit protection apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein the electronic trip unit is provided in a housing, and wherein the multi-position selector and the table are provided on a front of the housing.

4. The circuit protection apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the multi-position selector is a rotary switch.

5. The circuit protection apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the circuit protection apparatus is a circuit interrupter and wherein the number of individual trip parameters include Ir, LDT, SDPU and SDT.

6. The circuit protection apparatus according to claim 5 , wherein the electronic trip unit stores a plurality of second trip parameter combinations, wherein each of the second trip parameter combinations specifies a certain value for each of a number of second individual trip parameters, and wherein the circuit interrupter includes a second multi-position selector moveable among a plurality of second predetermined positions and configured to enable selection of one of the plurality of second predetermined positions, each of the second predetermined positions corresponding to a respective one of the second trip parameter combinations, wherein the electronic trip unit is structured to, responsive to a chosen one of the plurality of second predetermined positions being selected by the second multi-position selector, cause the one of the second trip parameter combinations corresponding to the chosen one of the plurality of second predetermined positions to also be used by the electronic trip unit to determine whether to cause the operating mechanism to trip open the separable contacts.

7. The circuit protection apparatus according to claim 6 , wherein the number of individual trip parameters include LDT, SDPU and SDT and the number of second individual trip parameters is Ir.

8. The circuit protection apparatus according to claim 6 , wherein the second multi-position selector includes a plurality of second position indicators, each of the second position indicators corresponding to a respective one of the second predetermined positions, wherein the second trip parameter combinations and the second position indicators are displayed in a second table in a manner wherein each of the second trip parameter combinations is associated with a respective one of the second position indicators.

9. The circuit protection apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the circuit protection apparatus is a motor protector having a motor protection device including the electronic trip unit coupled to a contactor including the separable contacts and the operating mechanism.

10. A method of configuring a circuit protection apparatus including separable contacts, an operating mechanism configured to open and close the separable contacts, an electronic trip unit structured to cooperate with the operating mechanism to trip open the separable contacts, and a multi-position selector in the form of a single selector switch moveable among a plurality of predetermined positions and configured to enable selection of one of the plurality of predetermined positions, the method comprising:
pre-storing a plurality of trip parameter combinations in the electronic trip unit, wherein each of the pre-stored trip parameter combinations specifies a certain value for each of a plurality of individual trip parameters, and wherein each of the predetermined positions corresponds to a respective one of the trip parameter combinations pre-stored in the electronic trip unit;
receiving in the electronic trip unit a selection of a chosen one of the plurality of predetermined position responsive to operation of the multi-position selector; and
responsive to the receiving, configuring the electronic trip unit to use the one of the pre-stored trip parameter combinations corresponding to the chosen one of the plurality of predetermined positions when determining whether to cause the operating mechanism to trip open the separable contacts.

11. The method according to claim 10 , wherein the circuit interrupter includes a second multi-position selector moveable among a plurality of second predetermined positions and configured to enable selection of one of the plurality of second predetermined positions, the method further comprising storing in the electronic trip unit a plurality of second trip parameter combinations, wherein each of the second trip parameter combinations specifies a certain value for each of a number of second individual trip parameters, wherein each of the second predetermined positions correspond to a respective one of the second trip parameter combinations, receiving in the electronic trip unit a selection of a chosen one of the plurality of second predetermined positions, and responsive to the receiving a selection of a chosen one of the plurality of second predetermined positions, configuring the electronic trip unit to also use the one of the second trip parameter combinations corresponding to the chosen one of the plurality of second predetermined positions when determining whether to cause the operating mechanism to trip open the separable contacts.

12. The method according to claim 11 , wherein the circuit protection apparatus is a circuit interrupter and wherein the number of individual trip parameters include LDT, SDPU and SDT and the number of second individual trip parameters is Ir.

13. The method according to claim 10 , wherein the circuit protection apparatus is a circuit interrupter and wherein the number of individual trip parameters include LDT, SDPU and SDT and the number of second individual trip parameters is Ir.

Assignees

• Eaton Corp

Inventors

• Rohn David Raymond

Classifications

• H01H71/123

  using a solid-state trip unit (circuits H02H) · CPC title

• H01H2071/046

  exclusively by position of operating part, e.g. with additional labels or marks but no other movable indicators · CPC title

• H01H71/04

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

• H01H71/74 Primary

  Means for adjusting the conditions under which the device will function to provide protection · CPC title

• H01H2219/028

  Printed information · CPC title