Wireless Motor Protection Relay Configuration
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional motor protection relays require physical access for configuration and modification, which is time-consuming, poses safety hazards, and allows environmental ingress, increasing costs and form factor.
Innovation Solution
A motor protection relay with a wireless communication interface and a compact printed circuit board configuration within a housing, eliminating the need for a physical user interface, allowing remote configuration via computing devices and protected from environmental contaminants by a conformal coating.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a physical user interface is provided on the motor protection relay for configuration and modification, then the relay can be programmed and configured, but it requires physical access which is time-consuming and poses safety hazards
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the mechanical/physical interface system with a wireless communication system. The relay configuration is achieved through wireless signals from remote computing devices, eliminating the need for physical access to the relay's interface. This substitution resolves the contradiction by enabling configuration without time-consuming physical access while maintaining full programming capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces wireless communication signals and remote computing devices as intermediaries between the user and the relay configuration system. Instead of direct physical interaction, users configure the relay through wireless interfaces, allowing remote access and eliminating the need for technicians to physically access the relay in hazardous environments.
2Ease of operation
If a physical user interface is provided on the motor protection relay, then configuration is possible, but it allows environmental ingress increasing costs and form factor
Solution Approach 1:
The patent eliminates physical interface openings by replacing them with wireless communication interfaces. This substitution removes the vulnerability points that would allow environmental ingress while preserving the configuration capability. The relay can be sealed against environmental elements without compromising user access to configuration functions.
3Ease of operation
If physical access is required for configuration, then direct control is achieved, but technician exposure to safety hazards increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses wireless communication signals and remote computing devices as intermediaries to transfer control commands to the relay. This allows technicians to configure and control the relay from a safe distance, eliminating exposure to electrical hazards, arc flashes, and other dangers present in motor control environments while maintaining full control capability.
4Ease of manufacture
If manual programming is performed at the relay interface, then configuration is achieved, but the process is cumbersome and time-consuming
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces manual physical programming operations with automated wireless communication. Configuration data can be transmitted remotely and efficiently through wireless interfaces, eliminating the time-consuming process of manual keying or physical interface interaction. This dramatically increases configuration productivity while maintaining full programming capability.
Data Source
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AI summary
A motor protection relay including a housing and a printed circuit board disposed within the housing, the printed circuit board including a central processing unit and a wireless communication interface, the wireless communication interface adapted to receive wireless communication signals for configuring operating parameters of the motor protection relay via the central processing unit.