Motor operator for over-head air break electrical power distribution switches

A motor operator for an electrical power switch coupled to the operator by a switch actuator, in which the motor operator comprises:

• a motor drive adapted to be coupled to the switch actuator, said motor drive having variable output drive levels;
• motor drive position sensor producing an electrical signal representing motor drive position;
• controlled motor drive power conditioning circuit for applying power to said motor drive;
• and
• a digital controller having a first input adapted for receiving a switch close or open command signal for causing an open or closed state of the switch, a second input coupled to said position sensor for receiving the electrical signal representing motor drive position, a memory for storing digital travel limits representing positions for a switch in open and closed states respectively, said digital controller having an output coupled to said motor drive power conditioning circuit for applying power to said motor drive, said digital controller having a plurality of control modes responsive to command signals and said second input, the plurality of control modes including respective opening and closing modes to cause the actuator to move the switch to its open or closed state respectively in response to an open or close command signal respectively and stored digital travel limits in said memory, the plurality of control modes further including an override control mode responsive to indications of the switch being mechanically blocked or stuck to cause said motor drive power conditioning circuit to vary application of power to said motor drive, the closing mode further including causing said controlled motor drive power conditioning circuit to produce said variable output drive levels during closing.

A digital controller for a motor operated electrical power switch having at least high and low drive levels, the digital controller comprising:

• a first input adapted for receiving a command signal for commanding an open or closed state of a switch, a second input adapted for receiving an electrical signal representing motor position, a third input adapted for receiving an electrical signal representing a motor output force level, said digital controller having a processor mode in which an output causing application of power to a motor operated electrical power switch to drive it to its open or closed state in response to a command signal and varying application of power thereto in response to predetermined conditions of said command signal and signals representing motor position and motor output force level, said digital controller having a switch operating processor that comprises a memory for storing motor positions corresponding to switch open and closed states, said digital controller being responsive to said command signal for commanding an opened or closed condition to apply power to the motor operated electrical power switch to cause it to reach an at rest condition in which said motor position signal is substantially at said stored motor positions, corresponding to said switch open or closed conditions, respectively, said digital controller comprising a switch operating processor that varies between said high and low drive levels in response to said motor position.

A motor operator for an electrical power switch coupled to the operator by a switch actuator, in which the motor operator comprises:

• an electric motor drive adapted to be coupled to a switch actuator;
• motor drive position sensor producing an electrical signal representing position of said electric motor drive;
• controlled motor drive power conditioning circuit for applying power to said motor drive;
• and
• dynamic digital controller having a first input adapted for receiving a command signal for an open or closed state of the switch, a second input coupled to said position sensor for receiving the electrical signal representing motor drive position, a travel limit memory for storing digital signals representing motor drive positions for a switch in open and closed states respectively, said digital controller having an output coupled to said motor drive power conditioning circuit for applying power to said motor drive to cause the actuator to force the switch to its open or closed state in response to a command signal for an open or closed state of the switch and said stored digital signal representing motor drive positions for said switch open and closed states, and including a closing processor mode for dynamically computing a stopping begin position at which said power conditioning circuit turns off said motor drive so that it spins down to a stopping end position corresponding to a stored travel limit for a switch closed state.

A method of operating an overhead electrical power switch, comprising:

• coupling a motor drive to an overhead electrical power switch through an actuator, said motor drive including an electrical motor;
• sensing electrical current and voltage applied to said electrical motor;
• sensing motor drive position and producing a signal representing such motor drive position;
• and
• dynamically controlling the motor drive by controlling power thereto in response to the signal produced by said motor drive position sensor, said step of dynamically controlling having a substep of automatically detecting a blockage or stuck switch condition during the opening or closing of the switch, said motor drive being direction reversible and said step of dynamically controlling causing the reversing of direction of said motor drive in response to said step of automatically detecting, said substep of automatically detecting a blockage or stuck switch condition comprising sensing a motor drive output force level and producing a force level representing signal and processing said force level representing signal to determine if it exceeds a predetermined force level.

An operator for an overhead electrical power switch, in which the operator comprises:

• a controlled motor drive adapted to be coupled to an overhead electrical power switch;
• motor drive position sensor producing a signal representing motor drive position;
• a dynamic controller for controlling said motor drive in response to the signal produced by said motor drive position sensor;
• and
• a processor having a jog mode responsive to a manually operated jog control that applies power to said motor drive to cause a jogged movement of said motor drive.

An operator for an overhead electrical power switch, in which the operator comprises:

• a controlled motor drive adapted to be coupled to an overhead electrical power switch;
• a motor drive position sensor producing a signal representing motor drive position;
• a dynamic controller for controlling said motor drive in response to the signal produced by said motor drive position sensor, said dynamic controller comprising a digital processor having switch opening and closing modes, said switch opening and closing modes computing stopping distance of said motor drive as a function of motor drive speed determined from the signal representing motor drive position and turning off said motor drive before a predetermined end point of travel of said motor drive in accordance with said computed stopping distance, said dynamic controller having a temperature compensation processor in which said mode of computing stopping distance varies as a function of temperature;
• a temperature sensor producing a signal representing sensed temperature that is communicated to said dynamic controller.

An operator for an overhead electrical power switch, in which the operator comprises:

• a controlled motor drive adapted to be coupled to an overhead electrical power switch;
• motor drive position sensor producing a signal representing motor drive position;
• and
• a dynamic controller for controlling said motor drive in response to the signal produced by said motor drive position sensor, said dynamic controller including a temperature compensation processor that controls power to said motor drive as a function of temperature.

A method of operating an overhead electrical power switch, comprising:

• coupling a motor drive to an overhead electrical power switch through an actuator;
• sensing motor drive position and producing a signal representing such motor drive position;
• dynamically controlling the motor drive by controlling power thereto in response to the signal produced by said motor drive position sensor;
• and
• producing jog movement of said motor drive in a digitally controlled jog mode process responsive to a manually operated jog control.

A method of operating an overhead electrical power switch, comprising:

• coupling a motor drive to an overhead electrical power switch through an actuator, said motor drive including an electrical motor;
• sensing electrical current and voltage applied to said electrical motor;
• sensing motor drive position and producing a signal representing such motor drive position;
• and
• dynamically controlling the motor drive by controlling power thereto in response to a switch command signal for commanding an open or closed state of the switch, the signal produced by a motor drive position sensor and stored end points of travel of the motor drive corresponding to open and closed positions of the switch, said step of dynamically controlling having switch opening and closing substeps for controlling the motor drive between the stored end points, said closing substep having a completion substep to ensure that the switch is in a fully closed position.