Electrical transmission or interconnection systems – Plural supply circuits or sources – Connecting or disconnecting
Reexamination Certificate
2000-10-19
2003-01-07
Sircus, Brian (Department: 2836)
Electrical transmission or interconnection systems
Plural supply circuits or sources
Connecting or disconnecting
C307S043000, C307S064000, C366S600000, C174S059000, C174S068100, C361S327000, C361S634000, C361S641000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06504268
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to a power transfer device for providing power to the electrical system of a building, such as power supplied from a standby generator.
Portable generators are used in certain situations to feed electrical power to residential and commercial load circuits during a utility power outage. These systems frequently include a power inlet box adapted for interconnection with the generator. The power inlet box is typically mounted to the exterior of a building. The power inlet box is connected to a transfer switching mechanism which continues the electrical path through circuit breakers associated with the transfer switching mechanism, to supply power to certain selected circuits of the load center as determined by the transfer switching mechanism selector switches. The circuits of the transfer switching mechanism are wired to selected circuits of the load center, through wiring housed within a conduit extending between the load center and the transfer switching mechanism.
The present invention relates to a power transfer arrangement similar to that disclosed in Flegel U.S. Pat. No. 5,895,981 issued Apr. 20, 1999, the disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by reference. In the '981 patent, a power transfer switching mechanism for interposition between a remote power inlet box and the electrical load center of a building includes a terminal compartment for receiving power input wires connected to the remote power inlet box. The switching mechanism includes a cabinet defining an internal cavity within which a series of switches are mounted. The cabinet further defines a terminal compartment, and a terminal assembly is disposed within the terminal compartment. The terminal compartment is accessible through an opening associated with the cabinet, and a cover is selectively positionable over the opening to provide or prevent access to the terminal compartment. A series of wires are interconnected between the terminal assembly and the switches, and power input wiring is received within the terminal compartment and interconnected with the remote power inlet box. The ends of the power input wires are engageable with the terminal assembly for establishing a direct electrical connection between the remote power inlet box and the switches of the switching mechanism.
The present invention also relates to power transfer switching mechanisms such as are disclosed in co-pending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/062,257 filed Apr. 17, 1998 and Ser. No. 09/139,154 filed Aug. 24, 1998, the disclosures of which are hereby incorporated by reference. The '257 application discloses a power input terminal arrangement in the power transfer switching mechanism, in combination with a removable cover for preventing access to the power input terminal arrangement. The cover is provided with a power inlet or input structure, such as a socket or receptacle, which can be connected to the terminal assembly for selectively receiving a plug connector electrically interconnected with a source of auxiliary power such as a generator. The power transfer switching mechanism in the '257 application provides a transfer switching mechanism which may have either a plug-type power input connection or a direct or hardwired power input connection between the remote power inlet box and the switches of the switching mechanism. The '154 application differs from the '257 application by disclosing a power transfer switching mechanism having a removable cover provided with a power input indicating structure, such as a pair of watt meters, which may be connected to the terminal assembly for selectively displaying the amount of power supplied to the transfer switching mechanism by the generator. In both the '257 application and the '157 application, a blank cover may be used in place of the cover having the power inlet or input structure of having the power input indicating structure, to provide neither plug-type power input nor power input indicating capabilities.
Co-pending application Ser. No. 09/157,855 filed Nov. 23, 1998, the disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by reference, discloses a power transfer switching mechanism having a removable cover provided with both a power inlet or input structure as well as a power input indicating structure. The power inlet or input structure may be in the form of a socket or receptacle which is adapted for connection to the terminal assembly for selectively receiving a plug connector and supplying power to the power transfer switching mechanism from a source of auxiliary power such as a generator. As discussed above, this feature provides a selective plug-type power input connection rather than a direct or hardwired power input connection between the generator and the power transfer switching mechanism. The power input indicating structure may be in the form of a pair of watt meters as discussed above, to display the amount of power supplied to the power transfer switching mechanism by the generator. The meters are also used to indicate the balance between the two output circuits of the generator and, during initial setup, to measure the total loads on each individual circuit wired into the transfer circuit. The '855 application thus discloses a cover having a combination plug-type power input and power input indicating system which can be selectively interchanged with a blank cover.
Copending application Ser. No. 09/526,237, filed Mar. 15, 2000, discloses an arrangement generally similar to that disclosed in the '257 application as well as the '981 patent, but in which the power input terminal arrangement is replaced with exposed wire leads. The disclosure of the '237 application is hereby incorporated by reference.
While the above-described power transfer switching mechanisms provide extremely convenient and simple arrangements for optionally establishing direct, hardwired and selective plug-type connections with the generator or power inlet box and for optionally pending power input monitoring capability, it is desirable to provide a power transfer switching mechanism which can be quickly and easily equipped with a power input receptacle and/or a meter arrangement, or which can be constructed without either a power input receptacle or a meter arrangement. With this modification, the transfer switching mechanism can be configured to receive a power input plug interconnected with the generator if desired, or can be configured to provide a direct, hardwired connection with a remote power inlet. The transfer switching mechanism can also be selectively configured to enable monitoring of the amount of power provided by the generator during a power outage, so as to prevent overloading of and subsequent damage to the generator or to the building electrical system. Although the broad concepts of integrally providing a power input receptacle and meters on a power transfer switching mechanism are well-known, it is desirable to modify the power transfer switching mechanisms described in the aforementioned patents and patent applications, to provide an optional power input and meter arrangement in a cover assembly which can be selectively engaged with the cabinet of the transfer switching mechanism.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a transfer switching mechanism having a selectively engageable access cover arrangement capable of providing the transfer switching mechanism with a power input arrangement, a meter arrangement, a combination power input arrangement and meter arrangement, or without either a power input arrangement or a meter arrangement, according to the desired configuration and intended use of the transfer switching mechanism. It is a further object of the present invention to provide such a transfer switching mechanism which is generally similar in construction and operation to known transfer switching mechanisms. It is a further object of the present invention to provide a method for efficiently constructing a power transfer switching mechanis
Andrus Sceales Starke & Sawall LLP
DeBeradinis Robert L
Reliance Controls Corporation
Sircus Brian
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