Current Transformer Connector with Make-Before-Break Contacts
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current transformer connections in electrical networks face challenges in maintaining a continuous current path during data acquisition, requiring a solution that ensures a current transformer is never in an open circuit configuration while allowing for the insertion and removal of a data acquisition board without disrupting the current flow.
Innovation Solution
The use of moveable current contact pairs in a short circuit configuration, which provide a make-before-break functionality, ensuring a continuous current path by allowing one contact pair to make a connection before breaking the short circuit configuration of another, eliminating the need for additional components and reducing costs, development time, and assembly time.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a data acquisition board is inserted into a current transformer connector, then current measurement functionality is enabled, but the risk of open circuit configuration increases during insertion/removal operations
Solution Approach 1:
The connector includes movable current contacts that are preliminarily positioned to maintain short circuit configuration. Before the data acquisition board is fully inserted or removed, these contacts automatically move to maintain electrical continuity, preventing open circuit conditions during the transition states of insertion/removal operations.
Solution Approach 2:
The current transformer connector employs dynamically movable current contacts instead of fixed connections. These contacts can change their position and electrical state in response to the insertion/removal of the data acquisition board, allowing the system to adapt its configuration to maintain continuous current flow throughout the operation cycle.
2Reliability
If additional components are added to ensure continuous current path during insertion/removal, then reliability improves, but device complexity and assembly time increase
Solution Approach 1:
The connector integrates the functions of maintaining short circuit configuration and enabling data acquisition connection into a single unified structure. The movable current contacts serve dual purposes: they maintain reliability during transitions and enable normal operation, eliminating the need for separate protective components or mechanisms.
Solution Approach 2:
The movable current contacts are designed to perform multiple functions: they provide short circuit protection during insertion/removal, establish electrical connections during normal operation, and can be actuated by the data acquisition board itself. This multi-functionality reduces the overall component count while maintaining reliability.
Data Source
AI summary
A current transformer connector (10; 102) for connecting a current transformer of an electrical network to a protection relay via a current transformer data acquisition board (12; 104), is provided. The current transformer connector (10; 102) comprises first and second pairs (14, 20) of first and second current contacts (16, 18, 22, 24), each current contact pair (14, 20) being connectable in use to the current transformer so as to permit current flow from the electrical network through the current contact pairs (14, 20) to the protection relay. Each current contact pair (14, 20) is arranged to be in a short circuit configuration. The first current contact (16, 22) in each current contact pair (14, 20) is arranged to be independently moveable relative to the corresponding second current contact (18, 24) so that during initial insertion of the current transformer data acquisition board (12; 104) into the current transformer connector (10; 102) in use the first current contact (16) of the first current contact pair (14) is configured to separate from the second current contact (18) of the first current contact pair (14) to permit breaking of the short circuit configuration of the first current contact pair (14) and making of an electrical connection between the first current contact pair (14) and the current transformer data acquisition board (12; 104), while the second current contact pair (20) remains in the short circuit configuration. The first current contact (16, 22) in each current contact pair (14, 20) is further arranged to be independently moveable relative to the corresponding second current contact (18, 24) so that during further insertion of the current transformer data acquisition board (12; 104) into the current transformer connector (10; 102) in use the first current contact (22) of the second current contact pair (20) is configured to separate from the second current contact (24) of the second current contact pair (20) to permit breaking of the short circuit configuration of the second current contact pair (20).