RFID Open Fuse Indicator, System, and Method

• US 20080231410A1
• Filed: 03/31/2008
• Published: 09/25/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 04/20/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Eaton Intelligent Power Limited (Eaton Corporation PLC.)
• Original Assignee: Cooper Technologies Company (Eaton Corporation PLC.)
• Inventors: Ackermann, John M., Doljack, Frank Anthony, Kamath, Hundi P., Mughal, Owais M.
• Granted Patent: US 8,134,445 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 337/206
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2300/032 using RFID technology in switching devices
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 85/30 Means for indicating condition of fuse structurally associated with the fuse
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 9/167 Circuits for remote indication
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 9/168 making use of an electromagnetic wave communication
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 90/20 Smart grids as enabling technology in buildings sector smart grids supporting the management or operation of end-user stationary applications in general, or like technologies with no associated climate change mitigation effect Y04S20/00
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 20/14 Protecting elements, switches, relays or circuit breakers

Abstract

Electrical fuse indicators used to detect when fuses enter an open state. Each fuse in an electrical system may be connected to a wireless identification element, which alerts a communication unit that the fuse has entered an open state. The wireless identification device may include an antenna. The antenna may be in contact with a fuse element, such that opening of the fuse element renders the antenna inoperable. Alternatively the antenna may be connected to the fuse element in such a manner that opening of the fuse element alters the frequency on which the antenna transmits. A logic port may also be used to detect the operational state of a fuse. Use of such indicators is compatible with existing infrastructure.

Claims

1. An electrical fuse comprising:

a protective body;

terminal elements extending from said protective body;

a primary fuse element extending within said protective body and electrically connected between said terminal elements, said primary fuse element constructed to open upon an occurrence of a predetermined current condition, thereby providing overcurrent protection to an electrical circuit completed through said terminal elements;

a secondary fuse link electrically connected between said terminal elements, said secondary fuse link constructed to open upon operation of said primary fuse element; and

an identification element coupled to the secondary fuse link, the identification element being configured to transmit a wireless signal to a remote device when the primary fuse element is in an operational current carrying state;

wherein the state of said primary fuse element affects the transmission of said wireless signal from said identification element.

2. An electrical fuse in accordance with claim 1, wherein said identification element comprises an antenna coupled to said secondary fuse link in a manner that will render the antenna inoperable in the event of opening of said secondary fuse link, which results in the identification element not being able to transmit the wireless signal.

3. An electrical fuse in accordance with claim 2, further comprising a second identification element coupled to said electrical fuse;

and

wherein said second identification element remains functional in the event of opening of said primary fuse element.

4. An electrical fuse in accordance with claim 1, wherein said identification element comprises an antenna that broadcasts at an original central frequency while the primary fuse element is in an operational current carrying state;

and

wherein said antenna broadcasts at an altered central frequency upon opening of the primary fuse element.

5. An electrical fuse in accordance with claim 4, wherein said altered central frequency is receivable by said remote device.

6. An electrical fuse comprising:

a protective body;

terminal elements extending from said protective body;

a primary fuse element extending within said protective body and electrically connected between said terminal elements, said primary fuse element constructed to open upon an occurrence of a predetermined current condition, thereby providing overcurrent protection to an electrical circuit completed through said terminal elements;

a secondary fuse link electrically connected between said terminal elements, said secondary fuse link constructed to open upon operation of said primary fuse element;

a logic port electrically coupled to the secondary fuse link and configured to change state when the secondary fuse link operates;

a memory for recording the state of the logic port; and

an identification element configured to retrieve the state of the logic port from said memory and to transmit a wireless signal comprising the state of the logic port to a remote device for indicating an operational state of said primary fuse element.

7. An electrical fuse in accordance with claim 6, further comprising one or more resistors, said one or more resistors minimizes the current passing through said logic port when said primary fuse element is operational and said logic port detects a state change when said primary fuse element opens.

8. An electrical fuse in accordance with claim 7, wherein said one or more resistors is a continuous resistance element.

9. A fuse state indication system comprising:

a plurality of overcurrent protection fuses, each fuse comprising a primary fuse element and a secondary fuse link, the primary fuse element extending between terminal elements, said terminal elements configured for removable connection to line-side and load-side electrical circuitry and said terminal elements completing a current path through said primary fuse element, the current path of the primary fuse element opening upon a predetermined current flowing through the primary fuse element, the secondary fuse link electrically connected between said terminal elements, said secondary fuse link constructed to open upon operation of said primary fuse element;

a plurality of wireless identification elements, each wireless identification element coupled to one of said fuses; and

an interrogation device configured to wirelessly communicate with said plurality of wireless identification elements to determine whether each of said fuses is in a current carrying state or an opened state.

10. A fuse state indication system in accordance with claim 9, wherein each said wireless identification element comprises an antenna configured to transmit a wireless signal to the interrogation device when the corresponding fuse is in the current carrying state.

11. A fuse state indication system in accordance with claim 10, wherein each said antenna is configured to be inoperable when the corresponding fuse is in the opened state.

12. A fuse state indication system in accordance with claim 10, wherein each said antenna is configured to transmit an alternative wireless signal when the corresponding fuse is in the opened state.

13. A fuse state indication system in accordance with claim 9, wherein said interrogation device is configured to transmit an interrogation request to each of said identification elements.

14. A fuse state indication system in accordance with claim 9, wherein said interrogation device is coupled to a location adjacent the fuses.

15. A fuse state indication system in accordance with claim 14, further comprising a device for relaying information collected by said interrogation device from said identification elements to a remote location.

16. A fuse state indication system in accordance with claim 9, wherein said interrogation device interprets wireless signals received from said wireless identification elements to identify any of said fuses in the opened stated based on a template, and wherein said template comprises a record of expected responses to be returned by said wireless identification elements.

17. A fuse state indication system in accordance with claim 9, further comprising:

at least one wireless panel identification elements;

wherein each wireless panel identification element coupled to an electrical panel containing said overcurrent protection fuses; and

wherein said interrogation device is configured to wirelessly communicate with said at least one wireless panel identification element to determine the location of said at least one wireless identification element and whether each of said fuses is in a current carrying state or an opened state.

18. A method for determining operational states of a plurality of fuses in an electrical system, said method comprising:

receiving wireless signals from a plurality of fuse state identification elements at a device remote from the fuses, each said fuse state identification element corresponding to one of said fuses; and

determining the operational state of each of the fuses based upon the signals received from said fuse state identification elements as compared to a set of predicted signals.

19. A method in accordance with claim 18, wherein the set of predicted signals represent predicted responses for fuse state identification elements associated with fuses in an operational state.

20. A method in accordance with claim 18, further comprising:

generating a transmission field with the communication device; and

powering said fuse state identification elements with said transmission field.

21. A method in accordance with claim 18, further comprising:

transmitting from said communication device an interrogation signal to said fuse state identification elements; and

wherein said fuse state identification elements transmit said wireless signals in response to said interrogation signal.