Optics-based remote monitoring of protection devices
AssigneeEaton Intelligent Power Limited
InventorRobert Stephen Douglass
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A device includes a light source configured to emit light as an indication that an electrical protection device has operated. The electrical protection device is configured to operate in response to a fault condition detected on an energized conductor to which the electrical protection device is electrically coupled. The device further includes an optical device coupled to the light source and configured to channel the emitted light from a first end portion of the optical device to a second end portion of the optical device, and a photosensor optically coupled to the second end portion of the optical device and configured to detect the emitted light.
Claims18
A device, comprising:
- an electrical protection device configured to operate in response to a fault condition detected on an energized conductor to which the electrical protection device is electrically coupled, wherein the fault condition comprises an overcurrent or an overvoltage fault condition;
- a light source configured to emit light in response to the electrical protection device being triggered to operate;
- an optical device coupled to the light source and configured to channel the light emitted by the light source from a first end portion of the optical device to a second end portion of the optical device;
- and
- a photosensor optically coupled to the second end portion of the optical device and configured to detect the emitted light and to generate a first output signal to inform one or more remote computing devices that the electrical protection device has operated.
A system, comprising:
- an electrical distribution panel, comprising:
- a plurality of electrical protection devices each configured to operate in response to a fault condition detected on an energized conductor to which the each of the plurality of electrical protection devices is electrically coupled, wherein the fault condition comprises an overcurrent or an overvoltage fault condition;
- a plurality of light sources each configured to emit light in response to a respective electrical protection device of the plurality of electrical protection devices being triggered to operate;
- a plurality of optical devices each coupled to a respective light source of the plurality of light sources and configured to channel the light emitted by the respective light source from a first end portion of the optical device to a second end portion of the optical device;
- and
- at least one photosensor optically coupled to the second end portion of the each optical device and configured to detect the emitted light and to generate a first output signal to inform one or more remote computing devices that a respective electrical protection device has operated.
An electrical switch, comprising:
- a fuse configured to operate in response to a fault condition detected on an energized conductor to which the fuse is electrically coupled, wherein the fault condition comprises an overcurrent or an overvoltage fault condition;
- a light source onfigured to emit light in response to the fuse being triggered to operate;
- a light pipe coupled to the light source and configured to channel the light emitted by the light source from a first end portion of the light pipe to a second end portion of the light pipe;
- and
- a photosensor optically coupled to the second end portion of the light pipe and configured to detect the emitted light and to generate a first output signal to inform one or more remote computing devices that the fuse has operated.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.