Eaton Corporation

Francis S Richards, Jr

Bruce C Beihoff

Charles J Tennies

Walter K O'Neil

James E Hansen

Scott A Reid

Photoelectric reflective object sensors are mounted in an exteriorly mounted auxiliary switch case to detect a member on a movable contact assembly of the contactor to produce logic level output signals indicative of the operational state of the contactor electromagnet. One or a pair of photoelectric sensors are used in a side mounted auxiliary switch to detect the contactor movable contact assembly in the energized or de-energized position, or en route between the two positions. A single photoelectric sensor is used in a top adder auxiliary switch to detect if the movable contact assembly is or is not in the extended (de-energized) position. The auxiliary switches provided logic level output signals directly usable with microprocessor based controllers.

Photoelectric auxiliary switch for electromagnetic contactor

An arc detection method and apparatus is provided for an electric circuit having an electrified conductor (46) connecting a voltage source (26) to a load (30). The arc detector includes a field sensor (62) sensing an electromagnetic field established about the conductor by the occurrence of an electrical arc in the electric circuit, and generating a field responsive signal in response thereto. Arc discrimination circuitry responds to the field sensor and generates an arc indicative signal in response to a random chaotic pattern of the field responsive signal.

Chaos sensing arc detection

An arc detection method and apparatus is provided for an electric circuit having an electrified conductor (46) connecting a voltage source (26) to a load (30), the conductor having a line side extending from the arc detector to the voltage source, and a load side extending from the arc detector to the load. The arc detector includes a field sensor (62) sensing the electromagnetic field established about the conductor by the occurrence of an electrical arc in the circuit, and generating a field responsive signal in response thereto. Direction sensing circuitry detects whether the arc is from the load side or the line side, and generates a direction indicative signal.

Direction sensing arc detection

An arc detection method and apparatus is provided for an electric circuit having an electrified conductor (46) connecting a voltage source (26) to a load (30). A field sensor senses an electromagnetic field established about the conductor by the occurrence of an electrical arc in the circuit, and generates a field responsive signal. Arc discrimination circuitry includes frequency responsive circuitry responding to the field sensor and generating an arc indicative signal in response to a given frequency characteristic of the field responsive signal. The frequency responsive circuitry monitors a plurality of different frequencies of the field responsive signal, and generates the arc indicative signal in response to a given combination of field responsive signal frequencies. A comb filter passes the field responsive signal through a plurality of passbands, and the arc indicative signal is generated in response to a given frequency signature of the field responsive signal.

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Germantown, WI, United States of America

Francis S Richards, Jr