Pilot Pin Connector Interlock for System-Wide Energization Safety
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Traditional connectors with pilot pins for electrical systems do not adequately protect against electrical hazards when components are disconnected or improperly seated, posing risks to personnel during system startup or energization.
Innovation Solution
A power system with a protective relay and umbilical cord that ensures proper connection of all components before allowing power flow, using interlock cables and captive keys to prevent accidental disconnection, and a pilot pin interlock system to ensure all connectors are securely seated.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If traditional connectors with pilot pins are used, then the connector and associated cable are protected, but the entire system is not protected against electrical hazards during startup or energization
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extends the pilot pin interlock function from protecting only the connector and cable to protecting the entire power system. The interlock cable connects multiple receptacles and connectors to the protective relay, creating a system-wide safety network that verifies all connections are secure before allowing power supply to the load.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an interlock cable as an intermediary element that connects the pilot pins across multiple connectors and receptacles to the protective relay. This intermediary component enables the system to monitor the status of all connections centrally and make a unified safety determination before energizing the load.
2Reliability
If the protective relay system with interlock cable is implemented, then system-wide electrical safety is achieved, but the system complexity and number of components increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple safety functions into a unified system. The interlock cable merges the pilot pin signals from multiple connectors into a single continuous electrical pathway that connects to the protective relay. This merging approach allows the system to monitor multiple connection points simultaneously through a single centralized control mechanism.
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs preliminary safety verification before allowing power supply. The protective relay monitors the continuity of the interlock cable pathway through all connectors and receptacles before energizing the load. Only when all connections are verified as secure does the system permit power flow, preventing electrical hazards before they can occur.
3Reliability
If captive keys are used to prevent accidental disconnection, then connection security is improved, but ease of operation during maintenance is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces purely mechanical connection methods with an integrated electromechanical system. The captive keys are part of a larger interlock system that includes electrical monitoring through the interlock cable and control through the protective relay. This substitution allows the system to provide both mechanical security and electrical safety verification.
Solution Approach 2:
The system provides feedback through the protective relay about the status of all connections in the system. The relay monitors the continuity of the interlock cable pathway and can indicate whether all connectors are properly seated and secured. This feedback mechanism helps operators verify connection status before and during maintenance operations.
Data Source
AI summary
A power system includes a power supply, a common bus, and two or more receptacles coupled to the common bus. In addition, the power system includes two or more connectors, each connector coupled to a receptacle of the two or more receptacles. The power system further includes a protective breaker coupled to the common bus between the power supply and the receptacles, the protective breaker operated by a protective relay and a low voltage power supply. Further, the power system includes an umbilical cord, the umbilical cord passing from the low voltage power supply to the protective relay through each receptacle and each connector such that the removal of any connector from any receptacle breaks the electrical pathway between the low voltage power supply and the protective relay.