Bistable LCD Reset via Mechanical Pressure in Circuit Breakers
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current electrical power cut-off devices, such as circuit breakers, often lose the ability to display information about the cause of a fault after the electrical circuit is opened, especially when a protection device upstream detects the fault and cuts off power, and they lack a method to reset this information without an auxiliary energy source.
Innovation Solution
An electrical power cut-off device with a bistable liquid crystal display and a pressing mechanism connected to the actuating handle, allowing the display to be controlled by pressure, which maintains and resets information without additional electrical energy by using a calibrated roller to exert pressure on the display during activation of the actuating handle.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of information
If a battery backup is used to maintain display information after power interruption, then information retention is improved, but device complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the power supply function from the display system by using a bistable display that retains information without continuous power. The display control circuit is designed to operate independently during powered states and maintain its output state without power, separating the information storage function from the power supply system.
Solution Approach 2:
The bistable display module serves itself by maintaining displayed information without external power input. Once information is written to the display, it remains visible without requiring continuous electrical energy, allowing the display system to maintain its state autonomously after power interruption.
2Loss of information
If a battery backup is used to reset the display before power restoration, then information updating is improved, but device complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes the auxiliary power supply component entirely by designing the display control circuit to be reset through mechanical action on the actuating handle. The reset function is extracted from the electrical domain and implemented in the mechanical domain through the pressure mechanism.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the electrical reset mechanism (which would require battery power) with a mechanical reset mechanism. The pressure mechanism applies physical force to the display module through the actuating handle, enabling display reset through mechanical action rather than electrical control signals that would require continuous power.
3Loss of information
If a bistable display is used to retain information without power, then information retention is improved, but the ability to reset information without auxiliary power deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the display reset function with the actuating handle operation. The same mechanical component that controls circuit breaker operation is integrated with the pressure mechanism that resets the display, combining two functions into a single user action without requiring separate controls or auxiliary systems.
Solution Approach 2:
The actuating handle serves multiple functions: it operates the circuit breaker mechanism and simultaneously activates the pressure mechanism to reset the display. This multi-functional design allows a single component to perform both protective switching and information management tasks.
4Measurement precision
If electronic processing circuits are used for fault detection and display control, then measurement precision is improved, but energy consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The display control circuit operates periodically rather than continuously, activating only when the circuit breaker trips or when manually reset. The circuit monitors electrical parameters during operation but only requires active processing and display updates during event states, reducing overall energy consumption while maintaining detection precision.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Enables the maintenance and resetting of displayed information before and after power restoration without auxiliary electrical energy, ensuring that fault information is retained and updated without the need for stored energy or additional power sources.
Implementation Method 1
a bistable display device that retains information after the electrical circuit is opened, thanks to the bistable property of the display
Implementation Method 2
the display is press-activated and the display module includes a pressure mechanism connected to the actuating handle, said pressure mechanism being arranged to exert pressure on a viewing face of said display upon activation of the actuating handle
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3A
AI summary
An electrical current interruption device (1) comprising: - at least one electrical contact (11), - an actuating handle (12) arranged to actuate the electrical contact (11), - a display module (20) comprising a bistable liquid crystal display (21), and - a display control circuit (30), connected to the display (21), for controlling the display of at least one value of an electrical quantity, a symbol, or a state of the interruption device (1) on the display (21). The display (21) is pressure-activated, and the display module (20) includes a pressure-applying mechanism (22), connected to the actuating handle, said mechanism being arranged to exert pressure on a display face of said display (21) when the actuating handle (12) is activated.