Patent · US Expired

Process for monitoring the wear of at least one contact in a switching device and switching device designed thereof

US5844331A · kind A · utility

9Cited by

5References

12Claims

0Family size

Assignee

Siemens Aktiengesellschaft · DE

Inventors

Jorg Kieser · Albstadt, DE
David Branston · Effeltrich, DE
Reinhard Maier · Herzogenaurach, DE
Erich Voss · Bad Neustadt an der Saale, DE

Key dates

Filing date	Aug 11, 1997
Grant date	Dec 1, 1998
Priority date	—
Expiry date	Aug 11, 2017

Classification

Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
CPC primaryH01H1/20
WIPO fieldElectrical machinery, apparatus, energy
WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

A switching device including a measuring means for monitoring contact erosion, which is provided between a contact element and an associated contact support. The switching device includes an electrically insulated signal line, which is usable in individual and/or multiple contacts, is used as the measuring means, the signal line being integrated into a single monitoring circuit. In the switching device, there is arranged, between at least one of the contact elements and the associated contact support or in the contact material, an electrical conductor with insulator as the signal line, damage to or destruction of the insulator and/or the conductor being utilized to generate an external signal as an indication of the end of the service life of the contact element.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.