The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Jan. 18, 2000
Filed:
Jul. 17, 1998
Edmund O Schweitzer, Jr, Northbrook, IL (US);
E.O. Schweitzer Manufacturing Co., Inc., Mundelein, IL (US);
Abstract
A fault indicator for detecting the occurrence of a fault current in a monitored conductor and providing a contact closure and a light indication indicative thereof includes a rotatably mounted indicator flag. The flag is positioned in either a reset indicating or a fault indicating state by a four-pole magnetic pole piece, which is magnetized to an appropriate magnetic orientation by momentary application of a current to an actuator winding on the pole piece. A first magnetically actuated reed switch in an auxiliary magnetic circuit associated with a first pole of the magnetic pole piece and including the actuator winding and a first bias magnet closes upon occurrence of the fault current to connect an internal lithium battery to an LED visible from the exterior of the fault indicator housing. A second magnetically actuated reed switch associated with a second pole of the magnetic pole piece and including the actuator winding and a second bias magnet closes upon occurrence of the fault current for external signaling or control purposes.