METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR SENSING CONTACT POSITION

• US 20090090604A1
• Filed: 10/05/2007
• Published: 04/09/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 10/05/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: ABB Schweiz AG (ABB Limited)
• Original Assignee: General Electric Company
• Inventors: Srinivasan, Jeganathan, Chaudhuri, Nilanjan Ray, Prabhu, Raghunath, Sivasankaran, Sirosh, Sundaram, Kalyana
• Granted Patent: US 7,655,876 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 200/308
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2071/048 containing non-mechanical switch position sensor, e.g. HALL sensor
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 71/462 housed in a separate casing, juxtaposed to and having the same general contour as the main casing for neutral conductor H01H71/002
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 9/167 Circuits for remote indication
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 9/168 making use of an electromagnetic wave communication

Abstract

A device for sensing the position of a contact carrier of a contact includes a housing, a sensor supported by the housing and a latch that is movable by the contact carrier. The latch has a latch member located in proximity to the sensor and that is generally non-reflective. The sensor is configured to sense a presence or an absence of the latch member at one particular location depending upon the position of the contact carrier. A method of sensing position of a contact carrier of a contact module is also presented.

Claims

1. A device for sensing the position of a contact carrier of a contact, comprising:

a housing;

a sensor supported by the housing; and

a latch being movable by the contact carrier and comprising a latch member located in proximity to the sensor and wherein the latch member is generally non-reflective;

wherein the sensor is configured to sense a presence or an absence of the latch member at one particular location depending upon the position of the contact carrier.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein the latch comprises a latch protrusion that is biased into engagement with the contact carrier.

3. The device of claim 1, wherein the sensor comprises a transmissive optical sensor.

4. The device of claim 2, wherein the housing comprises a pair of support structures and a stop structure and wherein the latch is slidable between the support structures.

5. The device of claim 4, wherein the latch comprises a generally rectangular outer configuration with the latch member disposed on one side and the latch protrusion disposed on an opposing side.

6. The device of claim 5, wherein the latch comprises a cavity and further comprising a coil spring for biasing the latch into engagement with the operator and extending partially within the cavity and wherein the coil spring engages the stop structure.

7. The device of claim 6, further comprising a cover which engages the support structures and comprises an elongated slot wherethrough the latch member extends.

8. The device of claim 7, wherein the latch member and the latch protrusion each comprise blade-like outer configurations that extend in orientations that are orthogonal to each other.

9. The device of claim 8, wherein the cavity of the latch is defined by four posts and an end plate comprising an aperture wherethrough the coil spring extends.

10. The device of claim 9, wherein each support structure comprises a groove and the cover comprises flanges that are configured for engaging the grooves.

11. The device of claim 1, wherein the latch member comprises a polymeric substance that is opaque.

12. The device of claim 3, wherein the sensor is supported by a circuit board mounted to the housing.

13. A method of sensing position of a contact carrier of a contact module, comprising:

providing an opaque and generally non-reflective latch;

biasing the latch into engagement with the contact carrier; and

sensing the presence or absence of the latch at a particular location using a transmissive optical sensor.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the latch comprises a latch protrusion that is biased into engagement with the contact carrier.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein sensing the presence or absence of the latch comprises using a transmissive optical sensor to sense the presence or absence of a latch member at a particular location.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein the latch is slidable between a pair of support structures.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the latch comprises a generally rectangular outer configuration with the latch member disposed on one side and the latch protrusion disposed on an opposing side.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the latch member and the latch protrusion each comprise blade-like outer configurations that extend in orientations that are orthogonal to each other.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the latch member is opaque.