Enhanced Meter Disconnect Relay for Reliable Fault Conditions
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Summary
Problems
Current disconnect relays in meters are expensive due to high part count, complexity, and copper content, and suffer from limitations such as low contact force, silver tin alloy degradation under fault conditions, leading to increased resistance, arcing, and premature failure.
Innovation solutions
A meter service disconnect relay design featuring a base, actuator, and shuttle with non-conductive material, using rigid conductive bridging sections and leaf springs to apply force to contacts, allowing for simultaneous contact and disconnection with enhanced contact force and durability, and utilizing silver-tungsten, silver-molybdenum, or silver-tungsten carbide contacts for improved reliability.
TRIZ Analysis
Specific contradictions:
General conflict description:
Principle concept:
If silver tin alloy contacts are used in disconnect relays, then the relay can operate under normal conditions, but under fault conditions the silver flows to the outer edge causing increased resistance and arcing that hastens failure
Why choose this principle:
The patent changes the material composition parameter from silver tin alloy to silver tungsten alloy. This material substitution prevents the silver flow phenomenon that occurs with silver tin under fault conditions, thereby maintaining contact composition stability and reliability during surges and faults.
Principle concept:
If silver tin alloy contacts are used in disconnect relays, then the relay can operate under normal conditions, but under fault conditions the silver flows to the outer edge causing increased resistance and arcing that hastens failure
Why choose this principle:
The patent uses a composite material approach by combining silver with tungsten to create a contact material that leverages the beneficial properties of both metals – the conductivity of silver and the structural stability of tungsten – preventing silver migration while maintaining electrical performance.
Application Domain
Data Source
AI summary:
A meter service disconnect relay design featuring a base, actuator, and shuttle with non-conductive material, using rigid conductive bridging sections and leaf springs to apply force to contacts, allowing for simultaneous contact and disconnection with enhanced contact force and durability, and utilizing silver-tungsten, silver-molybdenum, or silver-tungsten carbide contacts for improved reliability.
Abstract
In one aspect, a meter disconnect relay is described that is comprised of a base, an actuator, a shuttle and one or more disconnect switches. The shuttle is operably connected to and moved by a plunger of the actuator. The one or more disconnect switches can be opened or closed by movement of the shuttle, wherein each disconnect switch is comprised of a rigid, conductive bridging section comprising at least two contacts; a conductive source portion having a source contact and a conductive load portion having a load contact.