Device for detecting contact wear in switching appliances
US7408357B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Sep 17, 2004 |
| Grant date | Aug 5, 2008 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Jul 18, 2025 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
- CPC primaryH01H2001/0026
- WIPO fieldElectrical machinery, apparatus, energy
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
A device for detecting wear of switching contacts in an electric switch appliance is disclosed, the wear of the contacts being caused at least at a pair of switching contacts appliance. The device includes a lightwave guide and a detector. A light exiting from at least one light source is capable of being injected into the lightwave guide and guided by the lightwave guide up to the detector. The lightwave guide is arranged relative to the pair(s) of switching contacts, such that the intensity of the light injected in the lightwave guide, which is measured by the detector, decreases in the switching appliance as the number of wear particles of contacts generated by the wear of the contacts increases.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.