Utility power restoration indicator for power management system

• US 7,800,512 B1
• Filed: 05/09/2007
• Issued: 09/21/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 05/10/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Reliance Controls Corporation
• Original Assignee: Reliance Controls Corporation
• Inventors: Czarnecki, Neil A.
• Primary Examiner(s): La; Anh V
• Application Number:
  US11/801,170
• Time in Patent Office: 1,231 Days
• Field of Search: 340/660, 340/638, 340/641, 340/647, 340/652, 340/657, 340/870.02, 340/566, 340/639, 340/693.1, 340/693.2, 307/64, 307/85, 307/86, 324/126, 324/117.R, 324/107, 324/142
• US Class Current: 340/693.1
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 19/145 Indicating the presence of current or voltage

Abstract

A system for indicating a power condition in a conductor includes an indicator constructed to provide notification to a user of a utility power condition, and a sensor non-electrically connected to a utility conductor to control operation of the indicator in response to detection of power in the utility conductor.

Claims

1. A power indicator constructed to be connected to an electrical enclosure that receives primary power from a main conductor, wherein the electrical enclosure includes one or more walls defining an interior, the power indicator comprising:

a sensor electrically isolated from the main conductor and operative to sense the supply of primary power in the main conductor, wherein the sensor comprises a housing and a sensor wire that extends from the housing, wherein the housing is configured to be secured to one of the walls of the electrical enclosure and wherein the sensor wire is adapted to be positioned adjacent the main conductor and senses the supply of power to the main conductor; and

indicator circuitry contained within the housing and connected to the sensor wire, wherein the indicator circuitry is configured to provide a sensory indication of the supply of power to the main conductor.

2. The power indicator of claim 1 wherein the indicator circuitry outputs one of an audible alert, a visual alert, and a vibrational alert when power is sensed at the main conductor.

3. The power indicator of claim 1 wherein the sensor wire is adapted to be wrapped around a portion of the main conductor.

4. The power indicator of claim 3 wherein the sensor wire is constructed such that a signal is induced in the sensor wire when an electric field is present about the main conductor.

5. The power indicator of claim 4 further comprising a battery contained within the housing that provides power to the indicator circuitry.

6. The power indicator of claim 5 wherein the battery is a rechargeable battery.

7. The power indicator of claim 1, further comprising a power source contained within the housing and an ON/OFF switch interconnected with the housing and connected between the power source and the indicator circuitry for selectively providing power to the indicator circuitry from the power source.

8. The power restoration indicator of claim 7, wherein the power source comprises a battery.

9. A power restoration indicator for an electrical system that includes an electrical enclosure with one or more walls defining an interior;

one or more electrical circuits contained within the interior of the enclosure, and a main conductor extending into the interior of the electrical enclosure and interconnected with the one or more electrical circuits for supplying electrical power to the one or more electrical circuits from a main power supply, wherein the power restoration indictor comprises;

a housing configured to be secured to one of the walls of the electrical enclosure;

a sensor wire that extends from the housing, wherein the sensor wire is electrically isolated from the main conductor and is adapted to be positioned adjacent the main conductor to sense the supply of power to the main conductor;

an alert contained within the housing and interconnected with the sensor wire; and

indicator circuitry contained within the housing and connected to the sensor wire, wherein the indicator circuitry is configured to activate the alert when power in the main conductor is detected.

10. The power restoration indicator of claim 9 wherein the sensor wire comprises an antenna that is constructed to sense an electric field generated when power is supplied to the main conductor.

11. The power restoration indicator of claim 10 wherein the alert includes a speaker that provides an audible indication when power is supplied to the main conductor.

12. The power restoration indicator of claim 10 wherein the alert includes an LED that provides a visual indication when power is supplied to the main conductor.

13. The power restoration indicator of claim 9 wherein the sensor wire includes a first portion that is constructed to coil around a portion of the main conductor and a second portion extending from the first portion that is constructed to be routed through the electrical enclosure to the housing.

14. The power restoration indicator of claim 13 wherein the second portion of the wire is sheathed in an insulator.

15. The power restoration indicator of claim 9, further comprising a power source contained within the housing and an ON/OFF switch interconnected with the housing and connected between the power source and the indicator circuitry for selectively providing power to the indicator circuitry from the power source.

16. The power restoration indicator of claim 15, wherein the power source comprises a battery.

17. A power management system comprising:

an electrical enclosure with one or more walls defining an interior;

one or more electrical circuits contained within the interior of the enclosure, and a main conductor extending into the interior of the electrical enclosure and interconnected with the one or more electrical circuits for supplying electrical power to the one or more electrical circuits from a primary power supply;

an auxiliary power supply that may provide power to the electrical enclosure during interruption of the primary power supply; and

a power restoration indicator electrically isolated from the primary power supply, wherein the power restoration indicator is configured to provide an indication to a user when the primary power supply is operable to provide power to the load center, and wherein the power restoration indicator includes a housing configured to be secured to one of the walls of the electrical enclosure;

a sensor wire that extends from the housing, wherein the sensor wire is electrically isolated from the main conductor and is adapted to be positioned adjacent the main conductor to sense the supply of power to the main conductor from the primary power source;

an alert contained within the housing and interconnected with the sensor wire; and

indicator circuitry contained within the housing and connected to the sensor wire, wherein the indicator circuitry is configured to activate the alert when power in the main conductor from the primary power source is detected.

18. The power management system of claim 17 wherein the sensor wire includes a first portion that is wrapped around a portion of a main conductor that provides primary power to the electrical enclosure from the primary power supply.

19. The power management system of claim 18 wherein the sensor wire senses an electromagnetic field about the main conductor and activates the alert when the electromagnetic field is detected.

20. The power management system of claim 19 wherein the alert is one of an audio alert, visual alert, or vibrational alert.

21. The power management system of claim 19 wherein the sensor wire includes a second portion connected to the first portion and wherein the second portion is sheathed in an insulator.

22. The power management system of claim 19 further comprising a manual transfer switch operable to connect one or more of the electrical circuits to the auxiliary power supply during interruption of the primary power supply.

23. The power management system of claim 17 wherein the power restoration indicator is powered by a battery.

24. A method of indicating a return of primary power in an electrical distribution system that includes an electrical enclosure with one or more walls defining an interior;

one or more electrical circuits contained within the interior of the enclosure, and a main conductor extending into the interior of the electrical enclosure and interconnected with the one or more electrical circuits for supplying power from a primary power source through a primary power source conductor to the one or more electrical circuits, comprising the steps of;

non-electrically detecting the presence of primary power in the primary power source conductor via a power restoration indicator, wherein the power restoration indicator includes a housing adapted to be secured to one of the walls of the enclosure and further includes a sensor wire that extends from the housing, wherein the sensor wire is electrically isolated from the main conductor and is adapted to be positioned adjacent the main conductor to sense the supply of power to the main conductor; and

activating a sensory alert contained within the housing when the presence of power in the primary power source conductor is detected, wherein the sensory alert is interconnected with the sensor wire and indicator circuitry contained within the housing and connected to the sensor wire, wherein the indicator circuitry is configured to activate the alert when power in the main conductor is detected.

25. The method of claim 24 wherein the step of non-electrically detecting the presence of power in the primary power supply conductor is carried out by detecting a magnetic field about the primary power source conductor.

26. The method of claim 24, further comprising a power source contained within the housing and including the step of operating an ON/OFF switch interconnected with the housing and connected between the power source and the indicator circuitry for selectively providing power to the indicator circuitry from the power source.

27. The method of claim 26, wherein the power source comprises a battery.