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US 12,385,963 B2Granted
Monitoring system for critical electrical distribution systems
AssigneeSchneider Electric USA, Inc.
InventorsJames Raymond Ramsey, Clay Miller Cecil, Timothy O'Leary
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Systems and techniques for monitoring critical electrical distribution systems in a manner that provides an early visible indication of deteriorating electrical connections in the critical electrical distribution system.
Claims18
A monitoring system for critical electrical distribution systems, the systems comprising:
- an electrical distribution system constructed from preassembled sections, each section including one or more insulated electrical conductors enclosed within a housing, the electrical conductors of adjoining sections being electrically connected together by a joint pack which includes connector plates that engage end portions of the electrical conductors of adjoining sections, the connector plates and electrical conductors being compressed together by spring washers as a joint bolt passing through the spring washers is tightened thereby completing the electrical connection of the adjoining electrical conductors;
- some preassembled sections include plug-in openings which permit power tap-off devices to the electrical conductors inside the housing such that electrical power from the electrical distribution system can be provided to electrical equipment;
- and
- a monitoring system having at least one node attached to the electrical distribution system adjacent to the electrical connection of two sections of the electrical distribution system, the node having sensing devices for monitoring the electrical connection of the adjoining electrical conductors and the intermediate joint pack, the node being in communication with a remote monitoring device at a remote monitoring station, the remote monitoring device evaluates information received from the sensing devices to determine a current state of the electrical connection of the adjoined electrical conductors and their intermediate joint pack, the determined current state of the electrical connection being displayed at one or both of the remote monitoring station and a local node status indicator located adjacent to the node.
1 more element
A monitoring system for a critical electrical distribution system, the monitoring system comprising:
- at least one node having at least one sensing device for sensing a characteristic of the critical electrical distribution system that could require unscheduled down time for maintenance or repair;
- the at least one sensing device being a temperature sensor, a current sensor, a voltage sensor, a power loss sensor, a water/humidity sensor, or a load sensor;
- the at least one node having one or more of a microprocessor having an associated memory, a state machine stored in the memory, a conditioning circuit for conditioning the sensed information and, an algorithm stored in the memory, the microprocessor using the algorithm the conditioned sensor information and information from the monitoring systems to determine the current state of the critical electrical distribution system;
- the microprocessor displaying the current state of the critical electrical distribution system on at least one of a local node status indicator or the remote monitoring device;
- the microprocessor storing the current state of the critical electrical distribution system in its associated memory, and the remote monitoring device storing the current state of the critical electrical distribution system in its memory.
2 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.