Energy management system
First Claim
Patent Images
1. An energy management system for controlling a plurality of electrical loads, the electrical loads having first, second, and third priorities of use, respectively, comprising:
- first sensing means for sensing currenrt flow in the first electrical load and for providing an output signal in response thereto;
second sensing means for sensing current flow in the first electrical load or the second electrical load and for providing an output signalin response thereto;
first interrupting means for interrupting current flow in the second electrical load, the first interrupting means being electrically connected to the first sensing means and being actuated upon receiving an output signal from the first sensing means;
second interrupting means for interrupting current flow in the third electrical load, the second interrupting means being electrically connected to the second sensing means and being actuated upon receiving an output signal from the second sensing means; and
a step-down transformer, the output side of the transformer being electrically connected to each of the sensing means and the interrupting means.
0 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An energy management system for controlling a plurality of electrical loads having assigned priorities of use employs electronic relays to sense the flow of current in the loads. Signals from the electronic relays are used by power relays or by a combination of control relays and power relays to disable selected electrical loads. An additional control relay can be employed to prevent disabling of a selected load. A repeat cycle time delay relay can be employed to alternate disabling of selected loads.
-
Citations
16 Claims
-
1. An energy management system for controlling a plurality of electrical loads, the electrical loads having first, second, and third priorities of use, respectively, comprising:
-
first sensing means for sensing currenrt flow in the first electrical load and for providing an output signal in response thereto; second sensing means for sensing current flow in the first electrical load or the second electrical load and for providing an output signalin response thereto; first interrupting means for interrupting current flow in the second electrical load, the first interrupting means being electrically connected to the first sensing means and being actuated upon receiving an output signal from the first sensing means; second interrupting means for interrupting current flow in the third electrical load, the second interrupting means being electrically connected to the second sensing means and being actuated upon receiving an output signal from the second sensing means; and a step-down transformer, the output side of the transformer being electrically connected to each of the sensing means and the interrupting means. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4)
-
-
5. An energy management system for controlling a plurality of electrical loads, each load being assigned a priority of use, comprising:
-
first sensing means in the form of an electronic relay for sensing current flow in the first electrical load and for providing an output signal in response thereto; second sensing means in the form of an electronic relay for sensing current flow in the second electrical load and for providing an output signal in response thereto; third sensing means in the form of an electronic relay for sensing current flow in the third electrical load and for providing an output signal in response thereto; first control means for receiving an output signal from the first sensing means and for providing an output signal in response thereto; second control means for receiving an output signal from the second sensing means and for providing an output signal in response thereto; third control means for receiving an output signal from the third sensing means and for providing an output signal in response thereto; first interrupting means for interrupting current flow in the second electrical load, the first interrupting means being electrically connected to the first control means and being uutuated upon receiving an output signal from the first control means; second interrupting means for interrupting current flow in the third electrical load, the third interrupting means being electrically connected to both the first and second control means and being actuated upon receiving an output signal from either the first or second control means; third interrupting means for interrupting current flow in the fourth electrical load, the third interrupting means being electrically connected to the first, second, and third control means and being actuated upon receiving an output signal from any one of the first, second, or third control means; the first, second, and third control menas being in the form of relays having coils in series with their associated sensing means and having normally open contacts in series with their associated interrupting means; the first, second, and third interrupting means being in the form of relays having coils in series with the contacts of their associated control relays and having normally closed contacts in series with their associated electrical loads; and a step-down transformer, the control means being connected across the output side of the transformer, and the interrupting means being connected across the input side of the transformer. - View Dependent Claims (6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
-
-
11. An energy management system for controlling a plurality of electrical loads, the electrical loads having first, second, third, and fourth priorities of use, respectively, comprising:
-
a first current sensor for sensing current flow in the first electrical load and for providing an output signal in response thereto; a second current sensor for sensing current flow in the second electrical load and for providing an output signal in response thereto; a third current sensor for sensing current flow in the third electrical load and for providing an output signal in response thereto; a first control relay, the coil of the first control relay being actuated upon receiving an ouptut signal from the first current sensor, the first control relay further including three pairs of normally open contacts; a second control relay, the second control relay receiving the output signal from the second current sensor, the second control relay further including two pairs of normally open contacts; a third control relay, the third control relay receiving the output signal of the third current sensor, the third control relay further including a pair of normally open contacts; a first power relay, the coil of the first power relay being connected in series with one of the normally open contacts of the first control relay, the first power relay including a pair of normally closed contacts in series with the second electrical load; a second power relay, the second power relay being connected in series with normally open contacts of the first and second control relays, the second power relay having a pair of normally closed contacts in series with the third electrical load; and a third power relay, the third power relay being connected in series with normally open contacts of the first, second, and third power relays, the third control relay having a pair of normally closed contacts in series with the fourth electrical load. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
-
Specification