System and method for automatically securing a motor control center
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A system, comprising:
- a power distribution center, comprising;
an enclosure comprising an access door configured to move between a closed position and an open position;
a monitoring system comprising one or more sensors configured to monitor operational parameters inside the enclosure without user access into the enclosure;
an indicator coupled to the monitoring system, wherein the indicator is configured to provide an indication of the operational parameters inside the enclosure without user access into the enclosure; and
an entry control system coupled to the monitoring system and the indicator, wherein the entry control system is responsive to the operational parameters monitored by the monitoring system, the entry control system is configured to lock the access door if the operation parameters are indicative of a potentially hazardous condition inside the enclosure, and the entry control system comprises a lock override configured to unlock the access door to enable user access into the enclosure during the potentially hazardous condition only after user acknowledgment of the potentially hazardous condition as indicated by the indicator.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A system, in one embodiment, includes a power distribution center having an enclosure with an access door configured to move between a closed position and an open position. The system also includes a monitoring system configured to monitor operational parameters inside the enclosure. Also, the system includes an entry control system coupled to the monitoring system, wherein the entry control system is configured to lock the access door if the operation parameters are indicative of a potentially hazardous condition inside the enclosure.
52 Citations
27 Claims
-
1. A system, comprising:
a power distribution center, comprising; an enclosure comprising an access door configured to move between a closed position and an open position; a monitoring system comprising one or more sensors configured to monitor operational parameters inside the enclosure without user access into the enclosure; an indicator coupled to the monitoring system, wherein the indicator is configured to provide an indication of the operational parameters inside the enclosure without user access into the enclosure; and an entry control system coupled to the monitoring system and the indicator, wherein the entry control system is responsive to the operational parameters monitored by the monitoring system, the entry control system is configured to lock the access door if the operation parameters are indicative of a potentially hazardous condition inside the enclosure, and the entry control system comprises a lock override configured to unlock the access door to enable user access into the enclosure during the potentially hazardous condition only after user acknowledgment of the potentially hazardous condition as indicated by the indicator. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
-
15. A system, comprising:
-
a monitoring system configured to mount to a power distribution center, wherein the monitoring system comprises a thermal radiation sensor and an electric field sensor disposed inside the power distribution center and configured to measure operational conditions inside the power distribution center, and the operational conditions comprise a potentially hazardous condition inside the power distribution center; an auto lock mechanism configured to move between a locked position and an unlocked position of a door of the power distribution center in response to a control signal; and an entry control system coupled to the monitoring system and the auto lock mechanism, wherein the entry control system is configured to transmit the control signal to the auto lock mechanism in response to the operational conditions measured inside the power distribution center, and the entry control system is configured to control the auto lock mechanism to move from the unlocked position to the locked position or maintain the locked position if the measured operational conditions indicate the potentially hazardous condition within the power distribution center; wherein the entry control system comprises a lock override configured to override the auto lock mechanism from the locked position to the unlocked position during operation of the power distribution center while the measured operational conditions indicate the potentially hazardous condition, after user acknowledgement of the potentially hazardous condition indicated by an indicator, to enable user entry into the power distribution center during the potentially hazardous condition. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23)
-
-
18. The system of clam 15, comprising a wireless communication link configured to facilitate wireless communications of sensed data and electrically isolate the thermal radiation sensor and electric field sensor from the monitoring system and the entry control system.
-
24. A method, comprising:
-
sensing voltage of one or more components within a power distribution center via one or more sensors inside the power distribution center without user access into the power distribution center; identifying a power state of the one or more components based on the voltage sensed by the one or more sensors within the power distribution center via an indicator disposed outside of the power distribution center, wherein identifying the power state comprises indicating a potentially hazardous condition within the power distribution center during operation of the power distribution center; controlling an auto lock mechanism of an access door between a secured position and an unsecured position relative to the power distribution center based on the sensed voltage and identified power state, wherein controlling comprises automatically moving the auto lock mechanism to the secured position and maintaining the secured position if the power state is energized to the potentially hazardous condition within the power distribution center; and overriding the auto lock mechanism of the access door from the secured position to the unsecured position during operation of the power distribution center while the power state is energized to the potentially hazardous condition, after user acknowledgement of the potentially hazardous condition indicated by the indicator, to enable user entry into the power distribution center during the potentially hazardous condition. - View Dependent Claims (25, 26, 27)
-
Specification