FR2675266A1 - Detector of operational state with meter - Google Patents

Abstract

A system for detecting operational state capable, amongst other things, of using mains electrical cables; the system comprises receivers with electronic meters (1), thermal or magnetic inertial feeler switches (2), a pulse transmitter-encoder (3) and a receiver-decoder (4).

Description

The present invention relates to a system making it possible to know whether devices placed out of sight perform their function or not as well as to know if these devices are in a condition to perform their functions.

The maintenance of lighting networks is quite complex. It can only be insured by patrols carried out by qualified personnel during the operation of these devices at night, or by switching on the said networks during the day, which increases the amount of electricity bills.

The purpose of the present invention is to observe and record automatically and remotely, either the proper functioning of a group of households, or its partial or total malfunction with exact location of the fault (s).

For this, the system uses either a special line with two conductors of very small section, or the conductors of the lighting installations when these are interrupted.

These results are obtained by a simple set composed
A) A thermal detector placed in the vicinity of each light source, or a heat source produced by the operation of an element to be checked. fig. 1. pl. 2.

This detection mode is the safest and simplest with regard to the operation of the lamps. Indeed there are several hundred models of lamps. These have very variable arc currents and voltages, and monitoring either currents or arcs would give rise to a very wide variety of detectors.

These thermal detectors: either vary their resistance under the effect of heat, or open or close a circuit. They are very inexpensive.

Another major advantage of these products: Placed in the vicinity of the lamps they allow, by their thermal inertia, added to that of the lamp, to have a relatively long time to carry out measurements at the head of the line, in general several minutes, even this by cold weather.

B) From a small box connected to the thermal detector FIG. 2 PI. 2
This box contains a module made up of an electronic counter sensor of signals emitted by the control box placed at the head of line FIG. 3 PI. 2. Each module is coded.

Thus the N01 will absorb the first signal.

 the N "2 will absorb the 2nd signal, and so on ...

After lighting if the thermal sensor N "1 (for example) has not changed state, which means that the lamp did not heat up, therefore did not light up, the module N" 1 connected to said sensor who decoded the first signal will not extend it Fla.4 PI. 2
If on the other hand the lamp is lit and caused a change of state of the sensor, the module will extend the signal coricerning it FIG. 4.

Likewise, the sensor module N "2 will modify or not the 2nd signal etc ...

C) Head unit / transmitter / receiver II comprises a signal generator and a signal receiver, the latter highlighting the signals whose times have not been extended FIG. 4 Pl. 2
Example: Signal N "1 not extended = lamp N" 1 defective.

 Signal N "N not extended = lamp N" N defective.

The signals can be low frequency square signals to avoid attenuations due to line capacitances, modulating a DC voltage.

The receiver part of the housing can include a number of light-emitting diodes equal to the number of monitored lamps, each being assigned to a lamp and lighting up in the event of a fault thereof; or a digital display.

In the case of a separate control line from the network, the tests can be done while the installation is running.

In the case where no special line is provided, the reading is done as follows: the modules are placed between neutral and earth.

When after daybreak the general contactor is opened to switch off the lamps, a second contactor connects the transmitter / receiver unit between neutral and earth to the lighting network freed from the general network.

The transceiver then has several minutes to perform its function.

It is obvious that closing the main contactor opens the neutral and earth connection with the transmitter-receiver unit.
The reading between neutral and earth and the connection of the modules between these two lines was chosen in preference to interphase or neutral and phase, in order to eliminate the action of the inductors and the capacitors which make up the stabilizers of the discharge lamps.

In addition to the display on the box, the ignition of an electroluminescent fault diode can by interposed relay trigger: - Either a special indicator on the cabin, - Or the triggering of a telephone line leading to a central office; - Either the transmission of a fault signal by miniature transceivers, as there are on the market today.

Claims (6)

1 - Counter function detector characterized in that it  includes at the head of the line  a) an identical signal transmitter and a signal reader  in return  b) on the lines of the coded electronic meter modules  c) thermal inertia feelers associated with each module. 2- Detector according to claim 1 characterized in that  the modules have the function of lengthening or not the shape of the  signal following the impedance of one or more probes  on which they depend. 3 - Detector according to claim 2 characterized in that the  modules are coded so that the N 1 reacts or not  at the first signal. the Ns 2 at the 2nd signal, the N at the Nth signal. 4 - Detector according to claim let 2 characterized in that  thermal sensors have a heat inertia such that  their change of state is only made several minutes after  the heat emission of the product with which they are placed  thus giving sufficient and necessary time for transmission and  when reading signals.  5 - Detector according to claim 1 characterized in that the  signal reader has an array of LEDs  numbered nescents, each assigned to a $ module;  which iodines remain active when the module matches  laying does not extend its signal. 6 - Detector according to claim 5 characterized in that it comprises  a relay whose function is to trigger either an indicator or 1  the triggering of a telephone line, i.e. transmission  radio of a fault signal.