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:
Sep. 02, 2014
Filed:
Feb. 27, 2012
Richard G. Smith, North Aurora, IL (US);
Jason R. Bogusz, Chicago, IL (US);
Michael G. Ennis, Evanston, IL (US);
Gary W. Hardesty, Northfield, IL (US);
Thomas E. Kovanko, Chicago, IL (US);
Richard P. Mikosz, Hickory Hills, IL (US);
Andrew D. Pfister, Rolling Meadows, IL (US);
Roy T. Swanson, La Grange Park, IL (US);
Keith W. Benson, Iv, Chicago, IL (US);
Richard G. Smith, North Aurora, IL (US);
Jason R. Bogusz, Chicago, IL (US);
Michael G. Ennis, Evanston, IL (US);
Gary W. Hardesty, Northfield, IL (US);
Thomas E. Kovanko, Chicago, IL (US);
Richard P. Mikosz, Hickory Hills, IL (US);
Andrew D. Pfister, Rolling Meadows, IL (US);
Roy T. Swanson, La Grange Park, IL (US);
Keith W. Benson, IV, Chicago, IL (US);
S&C Electric Company, Chicago, IL (US);
Abstract
A fault interrupting and reclosing device includes a circuit interrupter coupled to an actuator. The actuator includes at least one force generating element for generating an opening force for opening the circuit interrupter and for generating a restoring force to close the circuit interrupter. The device further includes a latch to engage the actuator to hold the contacts open once opened. In a preferred arrangement, the device is provided with an automatic mode of operation including a reclose process and a non-reclosing mode of operation. The device also preferably includes a method of determining the end-of-life of a vacuum interrupter monitors characteristics and/or parameters of a fault current or vacuum interrupter operation to predict a percent of life consumed with each fault current interruption operation. A cumulative percent of life consumed may also be determined, and an end-of-life may be predicted based upon the cumulative percent of life consumed.