Monitoring device for switching systems

A monitoring device for switching systems comprising a contact assembly having at least a movable contact and a kinematic chain for actuating said movable contact and opening/closing said contact assembly comprising:

• an accelerometer adapted to be positioned on a moving part of said switching system and capable of determining acceleration data of said moving part;
• a control unit comprising:
• a first processing unit adapted to receive acceleration data measured by said accelerometer and calculate timing instants of predetermined events and motion parameters related to said switching system;
• a second processing unit adapted to receive said timing instants of predetermined events and said motion parameters and to use at least one timing instant and at least one motion parameter to calculate electro-mechanical parameters of said switching system,
• further comprising, for each phase, an accelerometer adapted to be positioned on a moving part of each phase of said switching system and capable of determining acceleration data of said moving part, said control unit comprising a third processing unit adapted to determine a difference of a commonality in behavior between the phases.

A monitoring device for switching systems comprising a contact assembly having at least a movable contact and a kinematic chain for actuating said movable contact and opening/closing said contact assembly comprising:

• a plurality of accelerometers adapted to be positioned at different locations of said kinematic chain of said switching system adapted to be positioned on a moving part of said switching system and capable of determining acceleration data of said moving part;
• a control unit comprising:
• a first processing unit adapted to receive acceleration data measured by said accelerometers and calculate timing instants of predetermined events and/or motion parameters related to said switching system;
• a further accelerometer adapted to be connected to a frame of said switching system and capable of determining acceleration data deriving from full-body movements of said switching system;
• a second processing unit adapted to receive said timing instants of predetermined events and/or said motion parameters and to use at least one timing instant and at least one motion parameter and/or at least two timing instants and/or at least two motion parameters to calculate electro/mechanical parameters of said switching system indicative of a status of components of said switching system;
• a third processing unit adapted to use acceleration data from the plurality of accelerators to determine a relative motion at a location of said kinematic chain and, using the relative motion, determine a change in a property of said kinematic chain;
• and
• a fourth processing unit adapted to use said acceleration data deriving from full-body movements of said switching system to correct acceleration data of said moving part of said switching system.

A monitoring device for switching systems comprising a contact assembly having at least a movable contact and a kinematic chain for actuating said movable contact and opening/closing said contact assembly comprising:

• an accelerometer adapted to be positioned on a moving part of said switching system and capable of determining acceleration data of said moving part;
• a control unit comprising:
• a first processing unit adapted to receive acceleration data measured by said accelerometer and calculate timing instants of predetermined events and motion parameters related to said switching system;
• a second processing unit adapted to receive said timing instants of predetermined events and said motion parameters and to use at least one timing instant and at least one motion parameter to calculate electro-mechanical parameters of said switching system,
• which further comprises a further accelerometer adapted to be connected to a frame of said switching system and capable of determining acceleration data deriving from full-body movements of said switching system, said control unit comprising a third processing unit adapted to use said acceleration data deriving from full-body movements to correct acceleration data of said moving part of said switching system.

A method for monitoring a switching system comprising a contact assembly having at least a movable contact and a kinematic chain for actuating said movable contact and opening/closing said contact assembly comprising:

• positioning a first accelerometer on a moving part of said switching system;
• positioning a second accelerometer to a frame of said switching system;
• determining acceleration data of said moving part;
• determining acceleration data deriving from full-body movements of said switching system;
• correcting, using acceleration data derived from full-body movements of said switching system, acceleration data of said moving part;
• calculating, using said acceleration data, timing instants of predetermined events;
• calculating, using said acceleration data, motion parameters related to said switching system;
• calculating, using at least one of said timing instants and at least one of said motion parameters, electro/mechanical parameters of said switching system.