AU2010265831A1

AU2010265831A1 - Power lead testing system and electronic tag

Info

Publication number: AU2010265831A1
Application number: AU2010265831A
Authority: AU
Inventors: Stephen Allen Morton
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2009-06-24
Filing date: 2010-06-20
Publication date: 2012-02-02
Also published as: CN102803976B; NZ597604A; WO2010148427A1; CN102803976A

Abstract

A power lead testing system comprises a test unit for applying standard voltage and continuity tests to the lead and an electronic tag integrated with the lead having a countdown timer, said tag communicating with said test unit which resets the timer for a defined period when the lead passes the applied voltage and continuity tests and also incorporates a circuit breaker which is triggered when the lead fails either the voltage or continuity test or when the countdown time elapses, thus isolating the lead.

Description

WO 2010/148427 PCT/AU2010/000755 1 POWER LEAD TESTING SYSTEM AND ELECTRONIC TAG FIELD OF THE INVENTION 5 This invention relates to equipment for testing electrical power leads and tools for compliance with safety standards and to electronic tags which interact with a testing device. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 10 Electrical safety standards require that power leads for tools and extension leads are tested and certified as compliant at regular intervals. Presently this is a manual process in which a testing instrument is applied to the plug of the lead and if the stipulated insulation and continuity tests are met, a printed label with 15 the date of testing is applied to the lead. This manual process is time consuming and there is nothing to stop the tool or lead being used beyond the set time required for the next test to be carried out. One answer to the latter problem can be found in GB 2450466 which discloses 20 an electric plug incorporating a countdown timer. When the plug is plugged into a power outlet which is turned on, the timer is activated and when a lapsed time period beyond initial activation has passed the active terminal circuit is interrupted and the lead remains disconnected from the power supply. 25 Although this plug addresses the issue of continued illegal use of a lead beyond the set testing time it still requires manual testing and resetting of the countdown timer which.is time consuming. US 2005023118 teaches a similar power switch control device but does not address the problem of manual testing. 30 WO 2010/148427 PCT/AU2010/000755 2 OBJECT OF THE INVENTION It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide an automated power 5 lead testing system which minimizes testing time and prevents illegal use or at least to provide an alternative method of testing and certifying power leads. STATEMENT OF THE INVENTION 10 According to the present invention a power lead testing system comprises a test unit for applying standard voltage and continuity tests to the lead and an electronic tag integrated with the lead having a countdown timer, said tag communicating with said test unit which resets the timer for a defined period when the lead passes the applied voltage and continuity tests and also 15 incorporates a circuit breaker which is triggered when the lead fails either the voltage or continuity test or when the countdown time elapses, thus isolating the lead. Preferably the tag has indicators which indicate whether the lead is isolated or 20 active. Preferably the tag also has an indicator to indicate a defined remaining countdown period. 25 Preferably the tag is adapted to be retrofitted to standard power leads. Preferably the test unit has a data entry facility and a read out display. Preferably communication between the test unit and the tag is via an infrared 30 link.

WO 2010/148427 PCT/AU2010/000755 3 Preferably the test unit is used to assign an identifier and a password to a new tag and the correct password has to be entered in order to retest the lead. Preferably the test unit uploads data to a data storage device. 5 Preferably the test data is uploaded to a log recorder which records Date of Test, Time of Test, Assigned Serial Number, Test Result, Due Date for Next Test, Location of Lead, Lead or Tool Description and Licence Number of Tester. 10 Alternatively a method of testing a power lead using the above system comprises the following steps: 1. plug lead incorporating tag into test unit 2. tag is not recognized by unit 15 3. voltage and continuity tests are applied to lead and passed 4. identifier and password assigned to-tag 5. next test date set 6. identifier, password and next test date uploaded to data storage device 7. tag activates lead. 20 Alternatively a method of testing a power lead using the above system comprises the following steps: 1. plug lead incorporating tag into test unit 2. identifier is indicated and password entered 25 3. last test date is displayed 4. voltage and continuity tests are applied to leadand passed 5. next test date set 6. identifier, password and next test date uploaded to data storage device 7. tag activates lead. 30 WO 2010/148427 PCT/AU2010/000755 4 BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Various embodiments of the invention are now described by way of example 5 only with reference to the accompanying drawings in which Fig 1 is a flow chart of test sequences using the testing system Fig 2 is a side elevation of a power lead plug incorporating an electronic tag Fig 3 is a plan view of the plug of Fig 2 Fig 4 is a section along line AA'of the plug of Fig 2 10 Fig 5 is a side elevation of the plug of Fig 3 Fig 6 is an exploded view of the plug of Fig 2 with locking connector Fig 7 is a circuit diagram showing circuitry of an electronic tag and Figs 8 to 11 are circuit diagram showing circuitry of a testing device. 15 DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION Figures 2 to 5 show a power lead 1 with male three point plug 2 and female plug 3 incorporating electronic tag 4. Electronic tag 4 contains the circuitry shown in Fig 7 incorporating a power supply to convert mains supply power to a 20 24 volt and 5 volt supply, a microcontroller with battery backup for real time countdown and communication with a testing device, an infra-red transceiver circuit for communication with a testing device and a relay for disconnecting mains power when a set time has elapsed: 25 Cross section Fig 4 exposes circuit board 6 which carries the above circuitry and also contains LEDs 7 which indicate the condition of lead 1. A green LED indicates a safe lead, a flashing LED indicates that the lead will disconnect in a set period of time and needs to be retested and a red LED indicates that the lead cannot be used until retested. Transparent top 8 on tag 4 allows indicator 30 LEDs 7 to be seen and also allows transmission of infrared signals between tag 4 and a hand held testing device (not shown).

WO 2010/148427 PCT/AU2010/000755 5 The exploded view of Fig 6 shows how female plug 3 and circuit board 6 are assembled in tag 4. It also shows mating halves of locking connector 9 which is used to lock male plug of lead 10 to tag 4. Non removable screws 11 lock the two halves of connector 9 over mating plugs 3 and 10 so that tag 4 is integrated 5 into lead 10. By this means tags can be sold separately for retrofitting to standard power leads and power tools. The logic behind the testing system of the present invention is illustrated in Figure 1. When plug 3 of a new tag 4 is inserted into the hand held testing unit 10 (not shown) the unit will not recognize it but will proceed to apply the standard voltage and continuity tests for power leads. If eitherof these tests fail the lead will be locked out by operation of the relay which disconnects mains power. If the lead passes both tests the test unit assigns a licence number to the tag 15 and assigns the next test date as defined by the standard. A password for testing access to the tag is also assigned and when all this data is uploaded to a USB storage device attached to the test unit, the tag is activated for use. If a tag is recognized by the test unit as having been tested previously it will ask 20 for a password and if accepted it will display the last test date and proceed with voltage and continuity tests. If either test fails the lead is locked out but if both are passed it assigns the next test date. As before, when the test results are uploaded to a USB device the tag will be reactivated allowing the lead to be used. The USB device records Date of Test, Time of Test, Assigned Serial 25 Number, Test Result, Due Date for Next Test, Location of Lead, Lead or Tool Description and Licence Number of Tester. Figs 8 to 11 are circuit diagrams detailing the circuitry of the hand held test unit which has a digital read out display and keypad for data entry (not shown). Fig 30 8 shows the high voltage generator which applies 500 volts to the power lead being tested and consists of an oscillator circuit, a voltage step-up and rectifier WO 2010/148427 PCT/AU2010/000755 6 and a voltage feedback and monitoring circuit. Fig 9 shows circuitry consisting of a low resistance circuit with a constant current supply and voltage detector and an adjustable power supply for the high voltage generator and low resistance circuit. 5 Fig 10 shows the microcontroller which has keypad input, LCD output, a real time clocl, microcontroller inputs and outputs, driver circuit for relays, communications to V drive for USB storage of data and a power supply for the microcontroller. Fig 11 shows the relay network which allows various 10 combinations of the active neutral and earth pins to be connected to the high voltage generator and low resistance circuit for testing. A log of all plugs tested can be read out at any time from the USB upload storage device and is a secure record of the location and status of the lead. 15 Further when an inspector sees that a power lead has the distinctive plug of the automatic testing system of the present invention, he will know that if the lead is working it must have been tested in compliance with the standard. ADVANTAGES 20 It will be obvious that the testing system of the present invention automates the standard testing procedure and so reduces the time taken to perform a safety test. Further electronic tag 4 provides an immediate indication that the lead has been tested and complies with the required safety standard. If it did not the 25 relay in the plug would have been triggered and the lead would not conduct power from the outlet. VARIATIONS 30 It will be realised that the foregoing has been given by way of illustrative example only and that all other modifications and variations as would be WO 2010/148427 PCT/AU2010/000755 7 apparent to persons skilled in the art are deemed to fall within the broad scope and ambit of the invention as herein set forth. For example different circuits could be used in the plug to achieve time count down and power circuit breaking. Throughout the description and claims of this specification the word 5 "comprise" and variations of that word such as "comprises" and "comprising" are not intended to exclude other additives, components, integers or steps.

Claims

1. A power lead testing system comprising a test unit for applying standard voltage and continuity tests to the lead and an electronic tag integrated with 5 the lead having a countdown timer, said tag communicating with said test unit which resets the timer for a defined period when the lead passes the applied voltage and continuity tests and also incorporates a circuit breaker which is triggered when the lead fails either the voltage or continuity test or when the countdown time elapses, thus isolating the lead. 10

2. The testing system of claim 1 in which the tag has indicators which indicate whether the lead is isolated or active.

3. The testing system of claim 1 in which the tag also has an indicator to 15 indicate a defined remaining countdown period.

4. The testing system of claim 1 in which the tag is adapted to be retrofitted to standard power leads. 20

5. The testing system of claim 1 in which the test unit has a data entry facility and a read out display.

6. The testing system of claim 1 in which communication between the test unit and the tag is via an infrared link. 25

7. The testing system of claim 5 in which the test unit is used to assign an identifier and a password to a new tag and the correct password has to be entered in order to retest the lead. 30

8 The testing system of claim 5 in which the test unit uploads data to a data storage device. WO 2010/148427 PCT/AU2010/000755

9. The testing system of claim 8 in which the test data is uploaded to a log recorder which records Date of Test, Time of Test, Assigned Serial Number, Test Result, Due Date for Next Test, Location of Lead, Lead or Tool 5 Description and Licence Number of Tester.

10. A method of testing a power lead using the system of claim 7 comprising the following steps: 8. plug lead incorporating tag into test unit 10 9. tag is not recognized by unit 10. voltage and continuity tests are applied to lead and passed

11. identifier and password assigned to tag

12. next test date set

13. identifier , password and next test date uploaded to data storage device 15 14. tag activates Jead. 11. A method of retesting a power lead- using the system of claim 7 comprising the following steps: 1. plug lead incorporating tag into test unit 20 4. identifier is indicated and password entered 5. last test date is displayed 4. voltage and continuity tests are applied to lead and passed 5. next test date set 6. identifier, password and next test date uploaded to data storage device 25 7. tag activates lead.