Grounded isolation system
First Claim
1. A system for coupling a load to a ground, the system comprising:
- a first power contact that determines whether a first power line is coupled to a first terminal of the load;
a first grounding contact that determines whether the first terminal of the load is coupled to the ground;
a first sensing device coupled to the first terminal; and
a control device in communication with the first power and grounding contacts and the first sensing device;
wherein, upon a first signal being provided to the control device, the control device causes the first power contact to decouple the first terminal from the first power line; and
wherein, upon the first sensing device determining that a first condition has been met with respect to at least the first terminal, the control device causes the first grounding contact to couple the first terminal with the ground.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An system and method are disclosed for isolating and grounding a load device, where grounding only occurs after the voltage(s) on the load device have been reduced to acceptable levels. The system includes power and grounding contacts, a sensing device, and a control device. The power contact determines whether a power line is coupled to a terminal of the load. The grounding contact determines whether the terminal is coupled to ground. The sensing device is coupled to the terminal, and the control device communicates with the contacts and sensing device. Upon a signal being provided to the control device, the control device causes the power contact to decouple the terminal from the power line and, upon the sensing device determining that a condition has been met concerning the terminal, the control device causes the grounding contact to couple the terminal with ground and a system indication light to be illuminated.
26 Citations
20 Claims
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1. A system for coupling a load to a ground, the system comprising:
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a first power contact that determines whether a first power line is coupled to a first terminal of the load;
a first grounding contact that determines whether the first terminal of the load is coupled to the ground;
a first sensing device coupled to the first terminal; and
a control device in communication with the first power and grounding contacts and the first sensing device;
wherein, upon a first signal being provided to the control device, the control device causes the first power contact to decouple the first terminal from the first power line; and
wherein, upon the first sensing device determining that a first condition has been met with respect to at least the first terminal, the control device causes the first grounding contact to couple the first terminal with the ground. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 19, 20)
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17. A system for decoupling first, second, and third terminals of a load from first, second and third power lines and then coupling the first, second and third terminals to a ground, wherein the coupling of the first, second and third terminals to the ground is delayed until voltage levels at those terminals meet a predetermined condition, the system comprising:
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first, second and third power contacts coupling the first, second and third terminals of the load with the first, second and third power lines, respectively;
first, second and third grounding contacts coupling the first, second and third terminals of the load with the ground;
sensing means for sensing the predetermined condition;
control means for controlling the status of the power contacts and the grounding contacts, wherein the control means is coupled to the sensing means, the power contact and the grounding contacts;
wherein the control means causes the power contacts to decouple the first, second and third terminals of the load from the first, second and third power lines, respectively, in response to receiving a first signal at a first time; and
wherein the control means causes the grounding contacts to couple the first, second and third terminals of the load with the ground at a second time following the first time in response to the sensing means sensing the predetermined condition.
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18. A method of controlling the decoupling of a power line from a load and coupling that load to a ground in order to isolate and ground the load, the method comprising:
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receiving a command to decouple the load from the power line;
opening a first contact between the power line and the load so that the power line is decoupled from the load;
determining that a first condition concerning a status of the load is met; and
upon determining that the first condition has been met, closing a second contact between the load and the ground so as to ground the load.
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Specification