Electricity: measuring and testing – Impedance – admittance or other quantities representative of... – Lumped type parameters
Reexamination Certificate
2001-08-20
2003-05-06
Metjahic, Safet (Department: 2171)
Electricity: measuring and testing
Impedance, admittance or other quantities representative of...
Lumped type parameters
C205S740000, C204S196010
Reexamination Certificate
active
06559660
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1 Field of the Invention
The present invention is generally related to a method or system for testing a marine vessel's electrical circuit and, more particularly, for detecting and identifying certain specific types of fault conditions relating to a galvanic corrosion protection circuit.
2 Description of the Prior Art
It is well known to those skilled in the art of marine vessels and marine propulsions systems that galvanic corrosion can result from connecting the marine vessel to a shore power system without appropriate protection. Several types of cathodic protection devices are commercial available. One such type of device is available in commercial quantities from the Mercury Marine division of the Brunswick Corporation and is referred as a mercathodic system.
As is also well known to those skilled in the art, faulty components in the electrical system of a marine vessel or its cathodic protection device can result in either galvanic corrosion or a dangerous condition.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,748,008, which issued to Landreth on May 5, 1998, describes an electrical integrity test system for boats. An electrical integrity test system for boats provides circuitry for evaluating the integrity of the boat's electrical distribution AC grounding system when the boat is connected to a dock's electrical distribution system, and the integrity of the boat's galvanic isolator. The electrical integrity test system also includes a polarity detecting circuit that will activate an alarm when it detects a dock's hot and neutral conductors to be reversed. Additionally, the electrical integrity test system includes an AC ground current detecting circuit that continuously monitors the boat's AC grounding conductor for the presence of AC current. A system controller controls selected functions and sequence of functions of the described circuits. If the test system detects the AC grounding system or the boat's galvanic isolator is faulty or the dock's hot and neutral conductors are reversed or AC current flowing in the boat's AC grounding conductor, it will activate an alarm to apprise the boat operator of the faulty condition.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,953,742, which issued to Anderson et al on Apr. 27, 1976, discloses a cathodic protection monitoring apparatus for a marine propulsion device. A cathodic protection system monitor is coupled to an impressed current cathodic protection circuit used for corrosion protection of a submerged marine drive. The cathodic protection circuit includes one or more anodes and a reference electrode mounted below the water line and connected to an automatic controller for supplying an anode current which is regulated in order to maintain a predetermined reference potential on the protected structure. A switch selectively connects a light emitting diode (LED) lamp or other light source between the controller output and ground so that the controller current may, when tested, be used to operate the light source in order to confirm that power is available to the anode.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,492,877, which issued to Staerzl on Jan. 8, 1985, discloses an electrode apparatus for cathodic protection. An electrode apparatus includes an insulating housing on which the anode and reference electrode are mounted and a copper shield mounted between the anode and electrode to allow them to be mounted in close proximity to each other. The shield is electrically connected to the device to be protected and serves to match the electrical field potential at the reference electrode to that of a point on the outboard drive unit remote from the housing.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,747,892, which issued to Staerzl on May 5, 1998, discloses a galvanic isolator fault monitor. A system and method for testing and monitoring the operation of a galvanic isolator is disclosed and illustrated. The galvanic isolator is positioned between the shore ground and boat ground to prevent the flow of destructive galvanic currents between the shore ground and the boat ground. The monitoring system transmits a test current through the galvanic isolator at specific time intervals to test the effectiveness of the galvanic isolator. The monitoring system includes a first counter that outputs an enabling signal after a desired period of time. The enabling signal allows a test current to flow through the galvanic isolator for a brief period of time. The enabling signal allows a test current to flow through the galvanic isolator for a brief period of time determined by a second counter. As the test current flows through the galvanic isolator, a current sensing circuit measures the test current and activates an alarm if the test current flowing through the galvanic isolator falls outside a predetermined range. In this manner, the monitoring system monitors and periodically tests a galvanic isolator.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,840,164, which issued to Staerzl on Nov. 24, 1998, discloses a galvanic isolator. The isolator protects against galvanic corrosion of a submersible metal marine drive. The galvanic isolator is positioned between shore ground and boat ground to prevent the flow of destructive galvanic currents between the shore ground and the boat ground while maintaining the safety function of a neutral ground. The galvanic isolator of the invention includes a blocking element positioned between the boat ground and the shore ground that can be switched between an open and a closed state by a trigger circuit. The trigger circuit closes the blocking element when the voltage difference between the boat ground and the shore ground exceeds a threshold value, such as 1.4 volts. During operation of the galvanic isolator during the high fault current situation, power is dissipated only the blocking element, rather than by the combination of the blocking element and trigger device. In this manner, the galvanic isolator reduces the amount of power dissipated during high current conditions and therefore reduces the amount of heat generated by the galvanic isolator.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,183,625, which issued to Staerzl on Feb. 6, 2001, discloses a marine galvanic protection monitor. A galvanic monitor system uses two annunciators, such like light emitting diodes, to alert a boat operator of the current status of the boat's galvanic protection system. A reference electrode is used to monitor the voltage potential at a location in the water and near the component to be protected. The voltage potential of the electrode is compared to upper and lower limits to determine if the actual sensed voltage potential is above the lower limit and below the upper limit. The two annunciator lights are used to inform the operator if the protection is proper or if the component to be protected is either being over protected or under protected.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,032,095, which issued to Ferguson et al on Jul. 16, 1991, describes a marine engine with galvanic circuit protection which comprises an engine including a coolant jacket and an exhaust port, an exhaust gas discharge system including an exhaust gas manifold communicating with the exhaust port, a high-rise elbow communicating with the exhaust gas manifold, and an exhaust pipe communicating with the high-rise elbow and adapted to convey exhaust gas to an overboard discharge, a high-rise elbow and exhaust gas manifold coolant jacket surrounding the exhaust gas manifold and at least partially surrounding the high-rise elbow and communicating with the exhaust pipe for discharge of coolant from the high-rise elbow and exhaust gas manifold coolant jacket and through the exhaust pipe to an overhead discharge, which high-rise elbow and exhaust gas manifold coolant jacket includes a coolant discharge surface over which coolant is discharged from the high-rise elbow and exhaust gas manifold coolant jacket for flow to the exhaust pipe, a coolant conduit communicating between the engine coolant jacket and the high-rise elbow and exhaust gas manifold coolant jacket and including a portion extending at least as high as the discharge surface of the high-rise elbow and
Brunswick Corporation
Lanyi William D.
LeRoux Etienne P
Metjahic Safet
LandOfFree
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