Internal fault indicator for electrical equipment
First Claim
1. A fault indicator for indicating the occurrence of a rapid pressure surge within a housing of an electrical device, the fault indicator comprising:
- (a) a barrel capable of being mounted in an aperture in the housing;
(b) an actuating mechanism comprising;
(i) a chamber within the housing, the chamber having at least one orifice communicating between interior and exterior surfaces of the chamber; and
(ii) an actuating member movable in response to a pressure differential between the interior and exterior surfaces of the chamber;
(c) a plunger within a bore of the barrel, the plunger biased outwardly in the barrel and normally retained in an armed position by the actuating member; and
(d) a radial seal disposed between the plunger and the barrel so as to permit relative motion of the plunger and the barrel;
wherein, when the pressure differential exceeds a positive threshold value, the actuating member is moved and thereby permits the plunger to move outwardly into a triggered position, and wherein the radial seal is sealingly engaged with both the plunger and the barrel in both the armed position and the triggered position.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A fault indicator for indicating the occurrence of a rapid pressure surge within a housing of an electrical device has: a barrel capable of being mounted in an aperture of the housing; an actuating mechanism having a chamber with at least one orifice communicating between interior and exterior surfaces of the chamber within the housing and an actuating member movable in response to a pressure differential between the interior and exterior surfaces of the chamber; a plunger within the bore of the barrel biased outwardly in the barrel and normally retained in an armed position by the actuating member; and a radial seal disposed between the plunger and the barrel. When the pressure differential exceeds a positive threshold value, the actuating member is moved and thereby permits the plunger to move outwardly into a triggered position. The radial seal may be a dual-lip seal.
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Citations
41 Claims
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1. A fault indicator for indicating the occurrence of a rapid pressure surge within a housing of an electrical device, the fault indicator comprising:
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(a) a barrel capable of being mounted in an aperture in the housing; (b) an actuating mechanism comprising; (i) a chamber within the housing, the chamber having at least one orifice communicating between interior and exterior surfaces of the chamber; and (ii) an actuating member movable in response to a pressure differential between the interior and exterior surfaces of the chamber; (c) a plunger within a bore of the barrel, the plunger biased outwardly in the barrel and normally retained in an armed position by the actuating member; and (d) a radial seal disposed between the plunger and the barrel so as to permit relative motion of the plunger and the barrel; wherein, when the pressure differential exceeds a positive threshold value, the actuating member is moved and thereby permits the plunger to move outwardly into a triggered position, and wherein the radial seal is sealingly engaged with both the plunger and the barrel in both the armed position and the triggered position. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40)
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41. A fault indicator for indicating the occurrence of a rapid pressure surge within a housing of an electrical device, the fault indicator comprising:
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(a) a barrel capable of being mounted in an aperture in the housing; (b) pressure surge detecting means for moving an actuating member in response to a rapid rise in pressure within the housing of an electrical device; (c) indicator means actuated by the pressure surge detecting means, the indicator means comprising a plunger movably disposed within a bore of the barrel, the plunger being biased for outward movement in the bore from an armed position to a triggered position upon movement of the actuating member; and (d) a radial seal disposed within the bore and around the plunger, the radial seal being configured to maintain a sealing engagement with the plunger in both the armed and triggered positions while permitting relative motion of the plunger and the bore between the armed and triggered positions.
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Specification