Antenna protected from dielectric breakdown and sensor or switchgear apparatus including the same

• US 7,215,299 B2
• Filed: 10/12/2004
• Issued: 05/08/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 10/12/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Eaton Intelligent Power Limited (Eaton Corporation PLC.)
• Original Assignee: Eaton Corp. (Wisconsin) (Eaton Corporation PLC.)
• Inventors: Rollmann, Paul J., Solveson, Mark G., Planning, Matthew F.
• Primary Examiner(s): Ho; Tan
• Assistant Examiner(s): Duong; Dieu Hien
• Application Number:
  US10/963,047
• Publication Number:
  US 20060077114A1
• Time in Patent Office: 938 Days
• Field of Search: 343/872, 343/873, 343/876, 343/700.MS
• US Class Current: 343/872
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/40 Radiating elements coated with or embedded in protective material
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 9/0407 Substantially flat resonant element parallel to ground plane, e.g. patch antenna dipole H01Q9/285; monopole H01Q9/40
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 9/0421 with a shorting wall or a shorting pin at one end of the element H01Q9/0414 takes precedence

Abstract

A switchgear apparatus includes a switchgear device, such as a circuit breaker, having a power bus, and an antenna element including an antenna member and one or more antenna leads. A material encapsulates the antenna member and is adapted to suppress dielectric breakdown through the material to the encapsulated antenna member from the power bus. The circuit breaker also includes a conductive housing having an opening receiving the antenna leads. The conductive housing is mounted on or proximate to the power bus. A sensor circuit is disposed in the conductive housing and is adapted to output a radio frequency signal to the antenna leads or to input a radio frequency signal from the antenna leads.

Claims

1. A switchgear apparatus comprising:

a switchgear device comprising a power bus;

an antenna element comprising an antenna member and at least one antenna lead;

a material encapsulating said antenna member, said material being adapted to suppress dielectric breakdown through said material to said encapsulated antenna member from said power bus;

a conductive housing including an opening receiving said at least one antenna lead, said conductive housing being mounted on or proximate to said power bus; and

a sensor circuit disposed in said conductive housing, said sensor circuit adapted to output a radio frequency signal to said at least one antenna lead or to input a radio frequency signal from said at least one antenna lead.

2. The switchgear apparatus of claim 1 wherein said switchgear device is a circuit breaker.

3. The switchgear apparatus of claim 2 wherein said circuit breaker includes an internal wireless circuit adapted to communicate with the sensor circuit through the antenna element.

4. The switchgear apparatus of claim 1 wherein said switchgear device is a bus structure;

and wherein said power bus is adapted to be electrically connected to a circuit breaker.