Circuit breaker with integral testing unit
First Claim
1. A circuit breaker comprising:
- a plurality of sensors;
trip circuitry;
a microprocessor for controlling the amplitude and phase of test signals; and
a test signal generator incorporated in said circuit breaker for providing analog test signals to said trip circuitry under control of said microprocessor, wherein said test signals mimic the signals that would be received from the sensors.
3 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An injection test signal generator is incorporated into a circuit breaker. In this way, injection testing can be performed by causing the internal test signal generator to generate test signals and feed those signals to the trip circuitry of the circuit breaker. No independent injection test signal generator need be purchased or stored, or transported to the location of the circuit breaker and hardwired thereto. Various methods of communicating with the internal test signal generator can be implemented, including, for example, a standard interface, a wireless interface or a network interface. Dences can also be provided to selectively isolate the internal test signal generator from the trip circuitry to prevent accidental and erroneous breaker trips.
68 Citations
34 Claims
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1. A circuit breaker comprising:
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a plurality of sensors;
trip circuitry;
a microprocessor for controlling the amplitude and phase of test signals; and
a test signal generator incorporated in said circuit breaker for providing analog test signals to said trip circuitry under control of said microprocessor, wherein said test signals mimic the signals that would be received from the sensors. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
a receptacle forming a gap in a connection between said trip circuitry and said test signal generator; and
a key for insertion in said receptacle to bridge said gap allowing communication between said trip circuitry and said test signal generator.
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13. The circuit breaker of claim 12, wherein said key is a rating plug.
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14. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the voltage source and signal source are provided using an analog to digital converter driven with digital signals from the microprocessor.
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15. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the digital signals from the microprocessor represent waveforms including sinuisoidal waveforms.
- 16. A method of testing a circuit breaker comprising testing trip circuitry of said circuit breaker by generating analog test signals with a test signal generator that is incorporated in said circuit breaker and by controlling the amplitude and phase of the test signals to mimic the signals that would be received from circuit breaker sensors.
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28. A system for testing a circuit breaker comprising
first means for generating analog test signals, said first means being incorporated in said circuit breaker; - and
second means for controlling the amplitude and phase of the test signal used in testing trip circuitry of said circuit breakers with said test signals. - View Dependent Claims (29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34)
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Specification