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:
May. 03, 2016
Filed:
Nov. 14, 2014
Schneider Electric Usa, Inc., Palatine, IL (US);
Gerald B. Carson, Raleigh, NC (US);
Craig S. Wallace, II, Whitakers, NC (US);
John B. McConnaughey, Raleigh, NC (US);
Barry N. Rodgers, Raleigh, NC (US);
SCHNEIDER ELECTRIC USA, INC., Schaumburg, IL (US);
Abstract
A contact wear detector includes an electrical contacthaving a base layercomposed of a first material and a contacting layercomposed of a second material, to electrically contact an opposing contact in the circuit. The base layer is capable of having portions exposed through worn areasof the contacting layer. The first material of the base layer is configured to form an arcbetween the portions of the base layer exposed through the worn areas and the opposing contact when the contacts separate. The arc thus formed emits lighthaving a characteristic optical spectrum of the first material. An optical detectoris proximate to the electrical contacts, to detect the characteristic optical spectrum of the light emitted by the arc between the portions of the base layer exposed through the worn areas and the opposing contact.