Method for detecting a state of a switching unit, the switching unit comprising an element that is movable between a first position and a second position.

A method of determining if a circuit interrupter operating mechanism has an acceptable trip margin includes determining a model trip margin, providing a circuit interrupter, the circuit interrupter disposed in situ, the circuit interrupter including an operating mechanism, determining a circuit interrupter trip margin by: providing an internal sensor assembly, the internal trip margin sensor assembly structured to record trip margin data, providing a transfer function module, providing a computer structured to execute the transfer function module, executing the transfer function module on the computer, utilizing the trip margin sensor assembly to generate trip margin data, transmitting the trip margin data to the transfer function module, processing the trip margin data to generate a trip margin, and determining if the trip margin is acceptable relative to the model trip margin.

A method for closing an actuator in a magnetically actuated switch assembly, where the actuator includes an armature and a winding, and the switch assembly includes a manual actuation device coupled to one end of the armature and a movable terminal in a vacuum interrupter coupled to an opposite end of the armature. The method includes commencing a closing operation of the actuator using the manual actuation device to move the armature towards a closed latch position, detecting that the actuator is being manually closed, and energizing the winding to assist moving the armature to the closed latch position when the armature gets to a predetermined distance from the closed latch position.

A sensing device for a high voltage disconnecting switch comprises a light emitting element, which is configured to align its temperature with a temperature of the high voltage disconnecting switch, and an optical fiber, which is configured to receive a light emission from the light emitting element and configured to guide the light emission. Further, a deriving unit is configured to receive the light emission from the optical fiber and derive information about the temperature of the high voltage disconnecting switch based on a duration of the received light emission.

An actuator for a medium voltage circuit breaker or recloser includes: at least one movable contact with a contact stem, driven by an electromagnetic drive or a motor drive; and a spring, the spring being positioned in a kinematic chain between the drive and the at least one movable contact or contact stem. An arrangement of the at least one movable contact and the electromagnetic drive or motor drive is coupled to a detection unit for detecting a micromotion activation in order to register an actual movability and availability of the electromagnetic drive or motor drive of the at least one movable contact without changing an actual switch position itself.

System and method for monitoring a travel curve of moving part of circuit breaker comprising: device for optically monitoring travel path and comprising: light source; light detection device; optical element having plurality of zones with different optical properties which are alternately arranged, the optical element being provided on moving part of circuit breaker, light being intensity-modulated by the optical element and being received by light detection device during circuit breaker operation. The system further comprises an accelerometer mounted to circuit breaker, control unit for receiving signals from light detection device and from accelerometer, the control unit being configured to determine the travel curve based on the detected modulated light and on the detected vibration signal, the vibration signal being employed to identify a change of direction of movement of the moving part.

The invention relates to a control unit for a medium voltage switching apparatus. The control unit is adapted to carry out a diagnostic method to check operating conditions of one or more components of said electric poles. The diagnostic method includes the following steps: basing on a selected ideal position curve, obtaining one or more first curves indicative of an ideal behaviour of said switching apparatus, during an opening manoeuvre or closing manoeuvre of the switching apparatus; basing on detection signals provided by a closed-loop control arrangement of said control unit, calculating one or more second curves indicative of an actual behaviour of said switching apparatus, during an opening manoeuvre or closing manoeuvre of said switching apparatus; and carrying out a comparison procedure among said first and second curves.

A contactor includes: at least one moveable contact mounted on a contact carrier; at least one stationary contact mounted on a housing; an electromagnet arranged to cause the contact carrier to move relative to the housing between a first position and a second position, and thus to cause the at least one moveable contact to travel from a contacts open position to a contacts closed position with respect to the at least one stationary contact; a sensor coupled to one of the contact carrier and the housing and arranged to detect an intermediate position, in between the first position and the second position, at which the housing and the contact carrier are located at a given moment in time as the contact carrier moves relative to the housing between the first position and the second position; and a controller connected to receive the signals from the sensor.

A displaceable portion of a moving contactor is connected to, and electrically conductive with, a pair of moving contacts. An armature actuates the moving contactor. The armature has an adhering portion to be adhered onto an electromagnet. A space inside an opening that exposes a part (an exposed part) of the displaceable portion crosses a predetermined plane. The predetermined plane intersects at right angles with an arrangement direction (a first direction) in which the pair of moving contacts is arranged side by side. The predetermined plane passes through a center between both ends in the arrangement direction of the adhering portion.

A miniature circuit breaker, a control method thereof, and a control system thereof, where the miniature circuit breaker includes a circuit breaker body and a current detection unit. The circuit breaker body and the current detection unit are located in respectively independent cavities in the circuit breaker and are electrically coupled to each other. After a current that flows from one end of the circuit breaker body flows through the current detection unit, the current flows into another end of the circuit breaker body. The current detection unit includes a voltage drop detection assembly and a signal output terminal. The voltage drop detection assembly includes a first voltage sampling point and a second voltage sampling point, where the first voltage sampling point and the second voltage sampling point are coupled to the signal output terminal.