Granted Patent B2

US 7,021,950 · App. 10/709,050 · Granted Apr 4, 2006

Abstract

Claims (2)

1. A system for preventing electric arcs in connectors feeding power loads, which connectors ( 11 ), interspersed in an electric power supply and distribution network, are of the type comprising first and second releasable socket coupling electro_insulating connection supports ( 1 , 2 ) bearing at least one pair of terminals ( 3 , 4 ), said at least one pair of terminals ( 3 , 4 ) characterized as forming a plurality of feed channels ( 5 , 6 ) of several respective power loads ( 10 a , 10 b , . . . ), and in that each connector ( 11 ) integrates two electro conductive detection contact terminals or parts ( 13 , 14 ), susceptible to forming said auxiliary circuit ( 14 , 15 ) in said first position A, or in intermediate position B of a decoupling run between the electro insulating connection supports ( 1 , 2 ) and before said terminals ( 3 , 4 ) reach said second position C, and further characterized as having a first one of the electro insulating connection supports ( 1 ), or male body, carries on its side wall an electro conductive part ( 30 ), whereas in the cavity of the second connection support ( 2 ), or female body, two branches ( 31 a , 31 b ) of an electric circuit are arranged, which end in two spaced conductive strips ( 32 a , 32 b ) which open into a cavity of the side wall of support ( 2 ), such that in the decoupling run, the part ( 30 ) is arranged on said cavity, connecting said strips ( 32 a , 32 b ), closing the circuit formed by the branches ( 31 a , 31 b ) and through which the sending of the warning signal is generated towards the disconnection device ( 7 ) of feed to the conductive channels formed by said power terminals ( 3 , 4 ) before reaching physical separation thereof which, in a first definitive coupling position A, are electrically coupled together, forming an electric power through channel ( 5 , 6 ) towards a corresponding power load ( 10 ), and which terminals ( 3 , 4 ) in a second decoupling position C of the electro_insulating connection supports ( 1 , 2 ) are physically separated, the voltage level of said network being such that said separation can generate an electric arc, characterized in that each one of said connections ( 11 ) comprises at least a pair of additional electro_conductive elements ( 12 , 13 ) for detection purposes which, in said first position A, or in intermediate position B of a decoupling run between the electro_insulating connection supports ( 1 , 2 ) and before said terminals ( 3 , 4 ) reach said second position C, form an auxiliary electric circuit ( 14 , 15 ) through which it is susceptible to generating an electric warning signal in correspondence with a displacement of the supports ( 1 , 2 ) towards a decoupling situation and upon overcoming a preset threshold in the decoupling run, and in that at least one disconnection protection device ( 7 ) has been provided, connected to said auxiliary circuit ( 14 , 15 ), prepared so that upon receiving said electric warning signal, it immediately interrupts the electric fed to said channel ( 5 , 6 ) formed by said two terminals ( 3 , 4 ) before the latter reach said second position C of physical separation between them.

2. A system for preventing electric arcs in connectors feeding power loads, which connectors ( 11 ), interspersed in an electric power supply and distribution network, are of the type comprising first and second releasable socket coupling electro insulating connection supports ( 1 , 2 ) bearing at least one pair of terminals ( 3 , 4 ), said at least one pair of terminals ( 3 , 4 ) characterized as forming a plurality of feed channels ( 5 , 6 ) of several respective power loads ( 10 a , 10 b , . . . ) wherein between each load ( 10 n , 10 b ) and the electronic unit ( 20 ), one or more connectors ( 11 b – 11 e ) are interspersed, each one of said connectors ( 11 b– 11 e ) including one of said pairs of detection terminals ( 12 , 13 ), by which the number of terminals present in each connector ( 11 b – 11 e ) increases the closer the connector is to the electronic unit ( 20 ), and in that each connector ( 11 ) integrates two electro conductive detection contact terminals or parts ( 13 , 14 ), susceptible to forming said auxiliary circuit ( 14 , 15 ) in said first position A, or in intermediate position B of a decoupling run between the electro insulating connection supports ( 1 , 2 ) and before said terminals ( 3 , 4 ) reach said second position C, and further characterized as having which, in a first definitive coupling position A, are electrically coupled together, forming an electric power through channel ( 5 , 6 ) towards a corresponding power load ( 10 ), and which terminals ( 3 , 4 ) in a second decoupling position C of the electro_insulating connection supports ( 1 , 2 ) are physically separated, the voltage level of said network being such that said separation can generate an electric arc, characterized in that each one of said connections ( 11 ) comprises at least a pair of additional electro_conductive elements ( 12 , 13 ) for detection purposes which, in said first position A, or in intermediate position B of a decoupling run between the electro_insulating connection supports ( 1 , 2 ) and before said terminals ( 3 , 4 ) reach said second position C, form an auxiliary electric circuit ( 14 , 15 ) through which it is susceptible to generating an electric warning signal in correspondence with a displacement of the supports ( 1 , 2 ) towards a decoupling situation and upon overcoming a preset threshold in the decoupling run, and in that at least one disconnection protection device ( 7 ) has been provided characterized in that said disconnection protection device ( 7 ), of which there is at least one, is integrated in an electronic unit ( 20 ) or distribution box which controls a plurality of connectors ( 11 b , 11 c , 11 d , 11 e ) and which unit ( 20 ) comprises a circuit ( 16 ) for identification of the connector or connectors ( 11 ) in transition towards decoupling position B, which circuit ( 16 ) is connected to a microprocessor ( 8 ) controlling said disconnection protection device ( 7 ) linked to the electric power feed source and from which several corresponding circuits or channels are formed which pass through a distribution connector ( 11 e ) and from which they branch off towards the corresponding connectors ( 11 ) and their electrically coupled terminals ( 3 , 4 ), and further characterized in that through said distribution connector ( 11 e ), a line of the corresponding auxiliary circuit ( 14 , 15 ) of each connector ( 11 ) is received, which lines are fed to said connector identification circuit ( 16 ) which, according to which is the connector ( 11 ) from which the warning signal is received, acts on the microprocessor ( 8 ) by sending a preferential interruption which generates a corresponding order to the disconnection protection device ( 7 ) to disconnect the feed towards the power channel or lines passing through the corresponding connector ( 11 ); connected to said auxiliary circuit ( 14 , 15 ), prepared so that upon receiving said electric warning signal, it immediately interrupts the electric fed to said channel ( 5 , 6 ) formed by said two terminals ( 3 , 4 ) before the latter reach said second position C of physical separation between them.

Assignments (12)