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US 7,049,532 B2Granted
Electric contacts, electric contact apparatus and method for detecting abrasion of the electric contacts
AssigneeKabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
InventorsYukio Kanazawa, Tadashi Mori
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A pair of electric contacts include a pair of first units which are provided on the surfaces of the end sides of the electric contacts, and generate light having first characteristics at the time of opening and closing of the electric contacts, and a pair of second units which are covered with the first units, and generate light having second characteristics differing from the first characteristics when abrasion of the first units reaches abrasion detection positions due to opening and closing of the electric contacts.
Claims19
A pair of electric contacts comprising:
- a pair of first units provided on surfaces of end sides of the electric contacts, respectively, and emitting light having first characteristics at an opening and closing operation time at which the electric contacts are opened and closed;
- a pair of second units covered with the first units, respectively, and emitting light having second characteristics which differ from the first characteristics, when abrasion of the first units reaches abrasion detection positions at the opening and closing operation time, the abrasion of the first units being caused by an opening and closing operation of the electric contacts;
- and
- a pair of base material portions, respectively,
- wherein the second units are indication layers provided on outer peripheral surfaces of the base material portions, and the first units are surface processing layers provided on outer peripheral surfaces of the indication layers.
2 more elements
A pair of electric contacts comprising:
- a pair of first units provided on surfaces of end sides of the electric contacts, respectively, and emitting light having first characteristics at an opening and closing operation time at which the electric contacts are opened and closed;
- and
- a pair of second units covered with the first units, respectively, and emitting light having second characteristics which differ from the first characteristics, when abrasion of the first units reaches abrasion detection positions at the opening and closing operation time, the abrasion of the first units being caused by an opening and closing operation of the electric contacts,
- wherein the first units include ends in which holes are formed, and contain the second units in the holes in the ends, and caps are fitted in the holes.
1 more element
A pair of electric contacts comprising:
- a pair of first units provided on surfaces of end sides of the electric contacts, respectively, and emitting light having first characteristics at an opening and closing operation time at which the electric contacts are opened and closed;
- a pair of second units covered with the first units, respectively, and emitting light having second characteristics which differ from the first characteristics, when abrasion of the first units reaches abrasion detection positions at the opening and closing operation time, the abrasion of the first units being caused by an opening and closing operation of the electric contacts;
- and
- a plurality of second units including an associated one of the second units,
- wherein the plurality of second units are provided for a plurality of abrasion detection positions which indicate respective abrasion levels.
2 more elements
A pair of electric contacts comprising:
- a pair of first units provided on surfaces of end sides of the electric contacts, respectively, and emitting light having first characteristics at an opening and closing operation time at which the electric contacts are opened and closed;
- a pair of second units covered with the first units, respectively, and emitting light having second characteristics which differ from the first characteristics, when abrasion of the first units reaches abrasion detection positions at the opening and closing operation time, the abrasion of the first units being caused by an opening and closing operation of the electric contacts;
- and
- a pair of base materials portions which perform the opening and closing operation,
- wherein the second units are indication portions provided on the base material portions, and contain at least one selected from the group consisting of Eu, La, Li, Ga, Pb, Nb, Rb, Cr, Hg, Fe, In, Ba, Cs, Sr, Bi and Re, and the first units are surface processing layers provided on outer peripheral surfaces of the indication layers.
2 more elements
An electric contact apparatus comprising:
- a pair of electric contacts;
- a photosensor which measures light generated at the opening and closing time;
- a processing section which detects abrasion of the electric contacts based on the characteristics of the light measured by the photosensor;
- a housing which contains distal end portions of the electric contacts;
- and
- a window provided at the housing,
- wherein the photosensor measures light generated at the opening and closing time through the window, and
- the electric contacts comprise,
- a pair of first units provided on surfaces of end sides of the electric contacts, respectively, and emitting light having first characteristics at an opening and closing operation time at which the electric contacts are opened and closed;
- and
- a pair of second units covered with the first units, respectively, and emitting light having second characteristics which differ from the first characteristics, when abrasion of the first units reaches abrasion detection positions at the opening and closing operation time,
- wherein the abrasion of the first units is caused by an opening and closing operation of the electric contacts.
9 more elements
An electric contact apparatus comprising:
- a pair of electric contacts;
- a photosensor which measures light generated at the opening and closing time;
- a processing section which detects abrasion of the electric contacts based on the characteristics of the light measured by the photosensor;
- a housing which contains distal end portions of the electric contacts;
- and
- a light-direction adjusting section including light transmission holes which adjusts a traveling direction of light generated at the opening and closing time,
- wherein the photosensor measures the light generated at the opening and closing time through the light-direction adjusting section, and
- the electric contacts comprise,
- a pair of first units provided on surfaces of end sides of the electric contacts, respectively, and emitting light having first characteristics at an opening and closing operation time at which the electric contacts are opened and closed;
- and
- a pair of second units covered with the first units, respectively, and emitting light having second characteristics which differ from the first characteristics, when abrasion of the first units reaches abrasion detection positions at the opening and closing operation time,
- wherein the abrasion of the first units is caused by an opening and closing operation of the electric contacts.
9 more elements
An electric contact apparatus comprising:
- a pair of electric contacts;
- an optical fiber which receives, from one end thereof, light generated at the opening and closing operation time, and guide the light to the other end of the optical fiber;
- and
- a processing section which detects abrasion of the electric contacts based on the characteristics of the light output from the other end of the optical fiber,
- wherein the optical fiber has characteristics which prevent transmission of ultraviolet rays, and
- the electric contacts comprise,
- a pair of first units provided on surfaces of end sides of the electric contacts, respectively, and emitting light having first characteristics at an opening and closing operation time at which the electric contacts are opened and closed;
- and
- a pair of second units covered with the first units, respectively, and emitting light having second characteristics which differ from the first characteristics, when abrasion of the first units reaches abrasion detection positions at the opening and closing operation time,
- wherein the abrasion of the first units is caused by an opening and closing operation of the electric contacts.
7 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.