Cooper Industries, Inc.

Mcgraw-edison Company

Cooper Technologies Company

Tennessee Valley Public Power Association

Michael Peter Dunk

John F Baranowski

Clyde Gilker

John Fredrick Banting

Thomas G Dolnik

Charles John Knotek

Aleksander Mankowski

Gary D Rector

Debra Jennifer Jochum

Veselin Skendzic

James R Hurley

James A Jindrick

Naresh K Nohria

Norbert J Reis

Richard G Rocamora

Thomas J Bray

Garrett P McCormick

Mark A Berezinski

John P Jonas

Ross S Daharsh

Bela Peter Szeifert

Magnetically latching and releasing a voice coil actuator for controlling electrical switchgear. The voice coil actuator includes a voice coil magnet disposed on a common longitudinal axis with respect to a voice coil assembly. A coil of the voice coil assembly exerts a magnetic force on the voice coil assembly, thrusting the voice coil assembly towards the voice coil magnet. At least one pair of latching members mounted to the voice coil assembly creates a permanent magnet circuit between the latching members and the voice coil magnet. The permanent magnet circuit maintains the position of the voice coil assembly relative to the voice coil magnet, even when power to the coil is removed. This latch can be released by applying a current in the coil or by applying an external, physical force to a member coupled to the voice coil assembly.

Magnetic latch for a voice coil actuator

In one general aspect, a system to control and monitor an electrical system includes a switchgear housing unit connected to the electrical system that includes a switchgear mechanism for controlling a connection within the electrical system and electronic controls for monitoring and controlling the switchgear mechanism, where the electronic controls are embedded within the switchgear housing unit to form a single, self-contained unit.

Switchgear with embedded electronic controls

A closed loop feedback system controls electrical switchgear that moves at least one contact relative to another contact to switch power on and off in an AC electrical circuit. The control system includes a position feedback device that is operatively coupled to at least one of the two contacts to produce contact position information. A processor receives and analyzes the contact position information to control contact motion to provide AC waveform synchronized switching. The electrical switchgear may be a capacitor switch that includes a bi-stable over-toggle latching device. The latching device maintains the contacts in one of an open stable position in which electrical current does not flow through the contacts or a closed stable position in which electrical current flows through the contacts.

Electrical switchgear with synchronous control system and actuator

A current interrupter (,) includes a current interrupting device (,) having at least one movable contact (,); an actuator (,) coupled to the movable contact (,) of the current interrupter (,); a feedback sensor (,) for monitoring movement of the actuator (,); and a control system (,) coupled to the feedback sensor (,) so as to receive information from the feedback sensor (,) concerning the movement of the actuator (,) and for controlling movement of the actuator (,) based on the information. The interrupter (,) further includes a memory (,) for storing a desired motion profile of the actuator (,); and a microprocessor (,) for comparing the movement of the actuator (,) with the desired motion profile and controlling movement of the actuator (,) based also on a comparison of the movement of the actuator (,) with the desired motion profile. The interrupter (,) further includes a sensor (,) for sensing a waveform of a voltage in a line to be interrupted and providing information concerning the voltage waveform to the control system (,); wherein the control system (,) controls the movement of the actuator (,) based also on the information concerning the voltage waveform.

Control method and device for a switchgear actuator

In a power distribution system, synchronizing switchgear operations with an AC voltage or current waveform can be accomplished more precisely with a closed-loop feedback, microprocessor-based motion control design. By employing a closed-loop feedback, microprocessor-based design, switchgear contact position and velocity can be monitored and optimized in real time during a switching operation, thereby assuring a more accurate switching operation. Moreover, the closed-loop feedback design intrinsically compensates for the effects of such things as ambient temperature, AC waveform fluctuations, and changes in the physical condition of the switchgear. The closed-loop position feedback design is also capable of optimizing various transfer function parameters associated with the closed-loop feedback process, both during and subsequent to a switching operation, to further assure that switching operations are more accurately synchronized with the AC voltage or current waveforms.

Faulted circuit detector having isolated indicator

A co-controller provides communication between a standard voltage regulator controller and an LTC transformer, to enable the standard controller to be used in the operation of the LTC transformer. The co-controller generally consists of an interface circuit and a control circuit. The interface circuit receives status signals pertaining to the operation of an LTC transformer, as well as control signals from a voltage regulator controller, and buffers these signals for presentation to the control circuit. The control circuit is microprocessor based, and modifies the input signals from the interface circuit to provide the appropriate control signals required for the operation of the LTC transformer. The control circuit also implements a number of functions not available through a standard controller, such as current balance paralleling, overvoltage protection and correction for faults.

Co-controller for controlling an LTC transformer with a standard voltage

A faulted circuit detector having an electrically isolated and remotely positioned indicator detects fault currents in a monitored conductor. When a fault of a predetermined magnitude is detected, a light pulse is transmitted from the detector to the indicator via a fiber optic cable where, upon receipt, the pulse is converted to an electrical pulse causing the indicator to indicate a 'fault' state. A reset circuit within the indicator resets the indicator at regular intervals to the 'normal' state as long as a predetermined minimum voltage is present on the monitored conductor. A test circuit is also provided to allow service personnel to field test the device with the monitored conductor in an energized state.

Faulted circuit detector having an isolated indicator for an electrical

An electronically controlled recloser for an electrical power distribution system is powered by at least one current transformer coupled to give an output in response to power line current. A voltage is stored on a large and a small capacitor in response to the line current and is compared with a reference voltage for determining the level of line current. When abnormally high levels of current appear on the line, it is opened for a short period of time. The energy stored on the capacitors is supplied to power the recloser during low line current conditions. At an end of a given time period following the opening of said line, the recloser recloses the line. If the abnormal condition persists, the recloser again opens and closes the line. When there is a surge of line current, the large capacitor is effectively removed from the circuit so that a response will not be delayed while the large capacitor charges; therefore, the charge on the small capacitor provide a quick start for immediate response. The circuit includes a novel circuit for converting a level of line current into a frequency which may be used by a microprocessor for selecting a mode of operations.

Controllable recloser for power line

Apparatus is disclosed for monitoring an A.C. distribution line comprising a novel split transformer core which may be inserted remotely about a distribution feeder line without de-energizing of that line, an encoder for producing a train of voltage signals whose duration are characteristic of the magnitude of the A.C. current flowing through the line and for producing a train of light pulses from the voltage levels which characterize the magnitude of the A.C. current flowing through the line, a decoder which is opticlaly linked to the encoder for measuring the time intervals of the light pulses and for converting the time intervals into a numerical value representing the current flowing through the line.

Current measuring apparatus

A microprocessor based recloser control has a microcomputer for causing trip and close operations of a recloser in response to the conditions of the power distribution lines being protected and operator commands. The microcomputer may be overridden by a mechanical switch in the recloser control. If power to the recloser control is lost, the microprocessor will continue to function with power storage means for a limited duration. Towards the end of that duration, this microcomputer will power down the microprocessor in an orderly manner allowing automatic return to its functions when power is restored. After the microprocessor is no longer functioning, a secondary overcurrent trip circuit is relied upon to cause a trip operation of the recloser for extended durations of power outage. The secondary overcurrent trip circuit can be disabled by the microprocessor. The microcomputer includes means to normalize the input signals from the power distribution lines and multiple redundancy features to prevent undesired operations of the recloser. The recloser control functions in response to the mean square of the currents in the protected power distribution lines, and includes means for protecting its more sensitive components from input signals normally encountered.

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Caledonia, WI, United States of America

Michael Peter Dunk