Faulted circuit indictor with three-dimensional display device

A faulted circuit indicator for indicating the occurrence of a fault current in an electrical conductor, comprising:

• a housing;
• a three-dimensional display rotatably mounted on said housing, said display including at least a first side of a first color and a second side of a second color, said first side indicating a reset condition and approximately all of said first side being exposed and projecting outward from said housing when said second side is disposed within said housing, and said second side indicating a fault condition and approximately all of said second side being exposed and projecting outward from said housing when said first side is disposed within said housing;
• an electromagnet mounted in said housing comprising a reset coil, a trip coil, and a magnetic core assembly, said reset and trip coils being wound around said magnetic core, said magnetic core having a south pole and a north pole;
• a permanent magnet having a south pole and a north pole, said permanent magnet being rotatably coupled to said display and being magnetically coupled to said magnetic core of said electromagnet so that said south pole of said permanent magnet aligns with said north pole of said magnetic core and said north pole of said permanent magnet aligns with said south pole of said magnetic core;
• and
• a trip circuit connected to said trip coil and including detection circuitry for detecting the fault current in the conductor, said detection circuitry electrically connected to said trip coil and producing a first pulse when the fault current is detected in the conductor, and said trip coil receiving said first pulse;
• a reset circuit connected to said reset coil and said detection circuitry, said reset circuit including activation circuitry for activating said reset coil, Said activation circuitry being electrically connected to said reset coil and producing a second pulse, said reset coil being activated upon receipt of said second pulse, and said activation circuitry receiving said first pulse from said detection circuitry and, in response to said first pulse, said activation circuitry being deactivated;
• said second pulse in said reset coil magnetically polarizing said poles of said magnetic core in one orientation so that approximately all of said first side of said display is exposed and projects outward from said housing to indicate said reset condition and said first pulse in said trip coil magnetically polarizing said poles of said magnetic core in a second orientation so that approximately all of said second side of said display is exposed and projects outward from said housing to indicate said fault condition.

A faulted circuit indicator for indicating the occurrence of a fault current in an electrical conductor, comprising:

• a housing;
• a fluid filled casing affixed to said housing;
• a display suspended in said fluid filled casing, said display including at least two sides with the first side having a first color and the second side having a second color;
• an electromagnet comprising a trip coil, a reset coil, and a magnetic core assembly, said magnetic core having a south pole and a north pole;
• a permanent magnet having a south pole and a north pole, said permanent magnet being rotatably coupled to said display and magnetically coupled to said magnetic core of said electromagnet so that said south pole of said permanent magnet aligns with said north pole of said magnetic core and said north pole of said permanent magnet aligns with said south pole of said magnetic core;
• and
• an energizing means electrically connected to said reset coil and said trip coil, said energizing means periodically producing a first electrical pulse in said reset coil when a no-fault current flows through the conductor and producing a second electrical pulse in said trip coil when a fault current flows through the conductor, said first pulse in said reset coil magnetically polarizing said poles of said magnetic core in one orientation so that said first side of said display is visible and said second pulse in said trip coil magnetically polarizing said poles of said magnetic core in a second orientation so that said second side of said display is visible.

A faulted circuit indicator for indicating the presence of a fault in an electrical conductor, comprising:

• a current monitor (36) for sensing the current through the conductor;
• a voltage multiplier circuit (150) connected to said electrical conductor (12) via said current monitor, said voltage multiplier circuit receiving electrical current from said conductor, and in response thereto, providing an output signal with an increased voltage;
• a trip circuit (200) connected to said electrical conductor (12) via said current monitor, said trip circuit including;
• a trip coil (50) electrically connected to said voltage multiplier (150) for receiving said output signal from said voltage multiplier (150);
• and
• detection circuitry for detecting a fault condition in said electrical conductor (12), said detection circuitry electrically connected to said trip coil (50);
• wherein said detection circuitry provides a fault signal when a fault is detected in said electrical conductor (12), and said fault signal activates said trip coil;
• a reset circuit (100) connected to said voltage multiplier (150) and to said detection circuitry, said reset circuit including;
• a reset coil (52);
• and
• activation circuitry for activating said reset coil;
• wherein said activation circuitry receives the output signal from said voltage multiplier (150) to energize the reset coil, and wherein said activation circuitry also receives the fault signal from said detection circuitry and, in response to the fault signal, said activation circuitry is deactivated;
• and
• a three-dimensional display coupled to said trip coil and said reset coil, said display indicating the presence of a fault in the conductor when said fault signal activates said trip coil.

A faulted circuit indicator for indicating the presence of a fault in an electrical conductor, comprising:

• a current monitor (36) for sensing the current through the conductor;
• a voltage multiplier circuit (150) connected to said electrical conductor (12) via said current monitor, said voltage multiplier circuit receiving electrical current from said conductor, and in response thereto, providing an output signal with an increased voltage;
• a trip circuit (200) connected to said electrical conductor (12) via said current monitor, said trip circuit including;
• a trip coil (50) electrically connected to said voltage multiplier (150) for receiving said output signal from said voltage multiplier (150);
• and
• detection circuitry for detecting a fault condition in said electrical conductor (12), said detection circuitry electrically connected to said trip coil (50);
• wherein said detection circuitry provides a fault signal when a fault is detected in said electrical conductor (12), and said trip coil is energized by the output signal from said voltage multiplier when said fault signal activates said trip coil;
• a reset circuit (100) connected to said voltage multiplier (150) and to said detection circuitry, said reset circuit including;
• a reset coil (52);
• and
• activation circuitry for activating said reset coil;
• wherein said activation circuitry receives the output signal from said voltage multiplier (150) to energize the reset coil, and wherein said activation circuitry also receives the fault signal from said detection circuitry and, in response to the fault signal, said
• activation circuitry is deactivated;
• and
• a three-dimensional display coupled to said trip coil and said reset coil, said display indicating the presence of a fault in the conductor when said fault signal activates said trip coil.