Optical Main Shaft Motion Sensing in Vacuum Circuit Breakers

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative Solutions
Generate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

The reliability of vacuum circuit breakers is compromised due to the short mechanical lifespan of rotary sensors, leading to operation characteristic deterioration over time.

Innovation Solution

A motion sensing device with a sensor module and bracket is integrated into the vacuum circuit breaker, utilizing a light-emitter and light-receiver pair to detect the motion state of the main shaft, allowing for the detection of operation abnormalities and performance deterioration through the identification of the stroke of the movable contact.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Measurement precision

If a rotary sensor is mounted on the main shaft to measure time duration for contact operation, then the operation characteristics can be measured, but the mechanical lifespan is very short leading to reliability deterioration

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveoperation characteristic measurementVSAvoidreliability of vacuum circuit breaker
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces the mechanical rotary sensor with an optical sensing system consisting of a light emitter, light receiver, and main shaft with light-transmitting slots. This substitution eliminates mechanical contact and friction, thereby extending the mechanical lifespan while maintaining measurement capability for operation characteristics

Inventive Principle:
Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent introduces light as an intermediary medium to transfer information about the main shaft's position and motion. The light-transmitting slots on the main shaft modulate the light signal, allowing the light receiver to detect operational characteristics without mechanical contact, thus improving reliability

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

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

The motion sensing device effectively detects the motion state of the main shaft, enabling the identification of operation abnormalities and performance deterioration, thereby ensuring the reliability and normal operation of the vacuum circuit breaker.

Implementation Method 1

a light-emitter and a light-receiver disposed on the circuit and side by side, wherein the light-emitter and the light-receiver face toward the main shaft, wherein light emitting from the light-emitter is reflected from a plate plane of the main shaft, and the light-receiver receives the reflected light

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectLight transmission: Light

Implementation Method 2

light emitting from the light-emitter is reflected from a plate plane of the main shaft, and the light-receiver receives the reflected light

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectLight reflection: Reflection

Data Source

PatentEP3929957B1Motion sensing device for vacuum circuit breaker and vacuum circuit breaker comprising same
Publication Date: 2024.02.21 LS ELECTRIC CO LTD
  • EP3929957B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3929957B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3929957B1 patent drawingFigure 3~4

AI summary

The present invention relates to a motion sensing device for a vacuum circuit breaker and a vacuum circuit breaker comprising same. A motion sensing device for a vacuum circuit breaker, according to one embodiment of the present invention, comprises: a sensor module, installed adjacent to a main shaft, for sensing an operation state of the main shaft; and a bracket, coupled to the sensor module, for supporting the sensor module.