Fault indicator with improved flag indicator assembly
First Claim
1. A fault indicator for indicating the occurrence of a fault current in an electrical conductor, comprising, in combination:
- a housing;
status indicating means comprising an indicator flag rotatably mounted within said housing, said indicator flag having first and third positions corresponding to a reset state, and second and fourth positions corresponding to a fault-indicating state, said positions being consecutively spaced 90°
about the axis of rotation of the indicator flag;
a flag actuator magnet rotatably coupled to said indicator flag, said actuator magnet having first, second, third and fourth magnetic poles of alternating magnetic polarity spaced 90°
around said axis of rotation;
means comprising a magnetic pole piece having first, second, third and fourth magnetic pole segments extending from a common location to predetermined locations in magnetic communication with respective ones of said first, second, third and fourth poles of said flag actuator magnet; and
circuit means including a first magnetic winding on said first pole segment and a second magnetic winding on said second pole segment, for conditioning said first and third magnetic pole segments to a first magnetic polarity, and said second and fourth magnetic pole segments to an opposite magnetic polarity during normal current flow in the conductor, and for reversing the polarities of said pole segments upon occurrence of a fault current in the conductor whereby said indicator flag is caused to rotate from one of said first and third positions to one of said second and fourth positions upon occurrence of a fault current.
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Abstract
A fault indicator for indicating the occurrence of a fault current in a power distribution system includes a rotatably mounted indicator flag. The indicator flag is actuated through successive 90° trip and reset positions by a compact magnetic pole piece assembly having four radially extending magnetic pole segments which interact with four similarly aligned magnetic poles on the indicator flag. A pair of bidirectional windings on two of the pole segments magnetizes the pole segments to rotate the flag between successive trip and reset positions. Extensions on the two pole segments along the circumference of the indicator flag provide for positive rotation of the flag in a predetermined direction.
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Citations
17 Claims
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1. A fault indicator for indicating the occurrence of a fault current in an electrical conductor, comprising, in combination:
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a housing; status indicating means comprising an indicator flag rotatably mounted within said housing, said indicator flag having first and third positions corresponding to a reset state, and second and fourth positions corresponding to a fault-indicating state, said positions being consecutively spaced 90°
about the axis of rotation of the indicator flag;a flag actuator magnet rotatably coupled to said indicator flag, said actuator magnet having first, second, third and fourth magnetic poles of alternating magnetic polarity spaced 90°
around said axis of rotation;means comprising a magnetic pole piece having first, second, third and fourth magnetic pole segments extending from a common location to predetermined locations in magnetic communication with respective ones of said first, second, third and fourth poles of said flag actuator magnet; and circuit means including a first magnetic winding on said first pole segment and a second magnetic winding on said second pole segment, for conditioning said first and third magnetic pole segments to a first magnetic polarity, and said second and fourth magnetic pole segments to an opposite magnetic polarity during normal current flow in the conductor, and for reversing the polarities of said pole segments upon occurrence of a fault current in the conductor whereby said indicator flag is caused to rotate from one of said first and third positions to one of said second and fourth positions upon occurrence of a fault current. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. A fault indicator for indicating the occurrence of a fault current in an electrical conductor, comprising, in combination:
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a housing; status indicating means comprising an indicator flag rotatably mounted within said housing, said indicator flag having first and third positions corresponding to a reset state, and second and fourth positions corresponding to a fault-indicating state, said positions being consecutively spaced 90°
about the axis of rotation of the indicator flag;a flag actuator magnet rotatably coupled to said indicator flag, said actuator magnet having first, second, third and fourth magnetic poles of alternating magnetic polarity spaced 90°
around said axis of rotation;means comprising a one-piece magnetic pole piece having first, second, third and fourth magnetic pole segments extending initially in a common plane perpendicular to said axis of rotation from a common location on said axis, and subsequently in a direction parallel to said axis to predetermined locations in magnetic communication with respective ones of said first, second, third and fourth poles of said flag actuator magnet; and circuit means including a first magnetic winding on said initial portion of said first pole segment, and a second magnetic winding on said initial portion of said second pole segment, for conditioning said first and third magnetic pole segments to a first magnetic polarity, and said second and fourth magnetic pole segments to an opposite magnetic polarity during normal current flow in the conductor, and for reversing the polarities of said pole segments upon occurrence of a fault current in the conductor whereby said indicator flag is caused to rotate from one of said first and third positions to one of said second and fourth positions upon occurrence of a fault current. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16)
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17. A fault indicator for indicating the occurrence of a fault current in an electrical conductor, comprising, in combination:
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a housing; status indicating means comprising an indicator flag rotatably mounted within said housing, said indicator flag having first and third positions corresponding to a reset state, and second and fourth positions corresponding to a fault-indicating state, said indicator flag comprising a pair of flag segments arranged on opposite sides of said axis of rotation and extending less than 90°
about said axis for viewing from the exterior of said housing;a flag actuator magnet rotatably coupled to said indicator flag, said flag actuator magnet having first, second, third and fourth magnetic poles of alternating magnetic polarity spaced 90°
around said axis of rotation;means comprising a one-piece magnetic pole piece having first, second, third and fourth magnetic pole segments extending initially in a common plane perpendicular to said axis of rotation from a common location of said axis, and subsequently in a direction parallel to said axis to locations in magnetic communication with respective ones of said first, second, third and fourth poles of said flag actuator magnet; said first and second magnetic pole segments each including a portion extending along the circumference of rotation of said actuator magnet so as to cause said magnet to rotate in a predetermined direction upon said magnetic pole segments changing magnetic polarity; circuit means including a first magnetic winding on said initial portion of said first pole segment, and a second magnetic winding on said initial portion of said second pole segment, said windings being bidirectional and electrically connected in series and supplied with current in one direction upon occurrence of a fault current, and with current in the opposite direction upon occurrence of a reset condition, for said conditioning first and third magnetic pole segments to a first magnetic polarity, and said second and fourth magnetic pole segments to an opposite magnetic polarity during normal current flow in the conductor, and for reversing the polarities of said pole segments upon occurrence of a fault current in the conductor whereby said indicator flag is caused to rotate from one of said first and third positions to one of said second and fourth positions upon occurrence of a fault current.
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Specification