AU2020312212A1

AU2020312212A1 - Method for indicating, from a protection apparatus, at least one piece of fault information relative to at least one fault detected in an electrical line, such a protection apparatus and electrical installation comprising at least one such protection apparatus

Info

Publication number: AU2020312212A1
Application number: AU2020312212A
Authority: AU
Inventors: Nicolas Britsch; Vincent KENNEL; David Lea; Stéphane Schall; Anthony SIEGRIST
Original assignee: Hager Electro SAS
Current assignee: Hager Electro SAS
Priority date: 2019-07-10
Filing date: 2020-07-10
Publication date: 2022-01-06
Also published as: AU2023241287A1; AU2020104495A4; EP3764496A1; WO2021005234A1; CN114375532A

Abstract

The present invention concerns a method for indicating, from a protection apparatus, at least one piece of fault information relative to at least one fault detected in an electrical line (L). It consists, following the detection of at least one fault by the protection apparatus, in processing the fault(s) detected by the protection apparatus in order to determine at least one piece of fault information, storing the fault information and, in the triggered state, indicating the or at least one of the piece(s) of information to the user by manually or automatically controlling the activation of a light and/or sound indicator traversed by an electric current originating from the source of current (S) or voltage supplying the line or an autonomous energy source. It also relates to such a protection apparatus and an electrical installation comprising at least one such apparatus.

Description

Description Title of the invention: Method for indicating, from a protection apparatus, at least one item of fault information relative to at least one fault detected in an electrical line, such a protection apparatus and electrical installation comprising at least one such protection apparatus

[0001]The present invention relates to the field of protection apparatuses, such as electric arc detectors, circuit breakers or differential switches, for the protection of electrical lines, in particular domestic electrical lines or dwellings supplied with power by a current or voltage source, generally an AC current source. It relates to a method for indicating, from a protection apparatus, at least one item of fault information relating to at least one fault detected in an electrical line. It also relates to such a protection apparatus suitable for implementing said method and to an electrical installation comprising an electrical line and at least one such protection apparatus.

[0002] Protection apparatuses are configured to detect faults that are liable to occur in an electrical line to be protected which is supplied with power by a current source, generally an AC current source, and, following the detection of a fault, to trip, which has the effect of interrupting the flow of current from said current source through said line. Following this trip, the flow of current through the electrical line is again made possible by manually resetting the protection apparatus. An electrical line is generally protected by a plurality of protection apparatuses which are functionally connected to the latter in an electrical switchboard.

[0003] It is known that a protection apparatus comprises a contact mechanism, also known as a lock mechanism, which is able to be tripped into a trip state that makes it possible to interrupt the flow of the current through the electrical line and to be put into a reset state that allows the current to flow through the latter, an electromechanical and/or electronic fault detection and trip mechanism capable of detecting at least one fault in said electrical line and, following said detection, of tripping said contact mechanism. It further comprises an operating member that makes it possible to manually control the contact mechanism so as to put it into the reset state. Thus, when the protection apparatus is functionally connected to the electrical line to be protected, the contact mechanism is connected to said electrical line at a connection point so as to interrupt the flow of the current, in the trip state, downstream of said connection point.

[0004] The contact mechanism comprises contacts, some of which are movable with respect to other, fixed contacts between two stable positions; namely, in the trip state of the contact mechanism, an open (or breaking) position which interrupts the flow of the current through the electrical line and, in the reset state, in a closed position which allows the current to flow through the electrical line to be protected.

[0005] The faults detected by these protection apparatuses are of different types, most often overloads, short circuits, leakage currents or electric arcs which may have more or less significant consequences. In particular, overloads and short circuits may cause localized damage or destruction in hardware, apparatuses, conductors and/or electrical line connections, while electric arcs may cause fires and leakage currents, more or less serious injuries to people in contact with said hardware or apparatuses of the electrical line to be protected.

[0006] Regarding more particularly electric arc faults, two types of electric arc fault are known, one relating to series electric arcs whose current is limited by the load and the other relating to what are called parallel electric arcs, which are produced between two conductors of different potentials (phase to neutral for example).

[0007] One significant problem is to allow the user, following the tripping of the protection apparatus, to obtain information allowing them to know which one or more faults have been detected by said protection apparatus. Obtaining this information is of particular interest when the fault, such as an electric arc fault, comprises multiple types of fault.

[0008] To obtain this information, protection apparatuses have been developed which are equipped with a fault display allowing the user to view, generally by means of a mechanical display comprising a moving colored mechanical part and/or a lit display comprising LEDs, the type of fault detected, for example one of the aforementioned faults. Document EP3048630 relates to a protection apparatus offering both visualization of the fault by means of lit displays such as LEDs and mechanical visualization by means of a movable test button which protrudes a few millimeters from one of the faces of the apparatus housing when it trips and which allows the user, by pressing the test button, to reset the apparatus in order to supply the LEDs with current so as to visualize the fault.

[0009] However, while these fault displays/indicators make it possible to indicate fault information to the user which relates to detected faults which result in the protection apparatus in question being tripped, they nevertheless have the following drawbacks:

- mechanical displays, which allow visualization of the fault in the tripped state of the protection apparatus, do not make it possible to display or indicate multiple faults, nor to obtain a specific type of fault such as, for example, for a protection apparatus comprising a function for protection against electric arc faults, a series arc fault or a parallel arc fault,

- lit displays allow visualization of the fault only after having reset the protection apparatus in order to be able to supply the lit display with current.

[0010] The object of the present invention is to alleviate these drawbacks by proposing a method that makes it possible, from an apparatus for protecting an electrical line, to indicate with light and/or sound at least one item of fault information relating to at least one fault detected in an electrical line, and to do so without requiring the resetting of the protection apparatus. It also relates to a protection apparatus suitable for the implementation of said method and affording the aforementioned advantages.

[0011] To that end, the method, which makes it possible to indicate, from a protection apparatus, at least one item of fault information relating to at least one fault detected in an electrical line, said electrical line being supplied with power by a current or voltage source, said protection apparatus being able to detect the one or more faults detected in said electrical line and, following said detection, to be put into a trip state which interrupts the flow of the current through the electrical line and into a reset state allowing the current to flow therethrough, being characterized in that it consists, following the detection of the or at least one fault by the protection apparatus, in carrying out the following steps:

[0012] - processing the one or more faults detected by the protection apparatus in order to determine one or more items of fault information,

[0013] - storing the one or more items of fault information,

[0014] - in the tripped state of the protection apparatus, indicating said or at least one of said items of fault information to the user by manually or automatically controlling the activation of a light- and/or sound-based indicator through which flows an electric current originating from the current source supplying the electrical line with power or from a standalone power source, such as a standalone current or voltage source.

[0015] The protection apparatus, according to the present invention, suitable for the implementation of said method, said protection apparatus comprising a contact mechanism able to be tripped into a trip state which makes it possible to interrupt the flow of the current through an electrical line supplied with power by a current or voltage source and to be put into a reset state allowing the current to flow through said electrical line, a fault detection and trip mechanism capable of detecting at least one fault in said electrical line and, following said detection, of automatically tripping the contact mechanism and an operating device allowing the latter to be controlled so as to put it into the reset state, is characterized in that it further comprises a light- and/or sound-based fault indicator device, comprising an electronic circuit that is able to process the one or more detected faults in order to determine one or more items of fault information and to store the latter, a light and/or sound-based indicator that is able to be activated in a state in which an electric current flows therethrough which makes it possible to indicate with light and/or sound the or at least one of the items of fault information, and manual or automatic control means which make it possible, that is to say during its actuation, to control manually, via the electronic circuit, or automatically, from said electronic circuit, the activation of said light- and/or sound-based indicator, said fault indicator device being able to be supplied with current by the current source which supplies the electrical line with power and/or by a standalone current source which the protection apparatus may further comprise or which may be connected to the latter.

[0016] The present invention also relates to an electrical installation comprising an electrical line and at least one protection apparatus, said installation further comprising a current source supplying power to said electrical line to which the or each protection apparatus is functionally connected, characterized in that the or at least one of the protection apparatuses consists of a protection apparatus according to the present invention and in that the contact mechanism of said protection apparatus is functionally connected to the electrical line at a connection point so as to be able to interrupt, in the tripped state, the flow of the current through said electrical line downstream of said connection point.

[0017] The present invention thus makes it possible, in the trip state of a protection apparatus that has detected one or more faults, to indicate to a user, with light and/or sound, one or more items of fault information relating to said one or more detected faults, and to do so without needing to reset said protection apparatus. It may also make it possible to transmit a greater number of items of fault information to the user than with current mechanical displays.

[0018] The invention will be better understood by virtue of the following description, which relates to one preferred embodiment that is given by way of non-limiting example and explained with reference to the appended schematic drawings, in which:

[0019] - figure 1 is a perspective view of a protection apparatus according to the present invention, in one embodiment comprising a manual control means for activating the light indicator, said control means being mounted, with the reset control member, on the front face of the housing of the protection apparatus,

[0020] - figure 2 is a representation of the circuit diagram, more particularly of the electronic circuit, of the protection apparatus shown in figure 1 and of its connection to an electrical line, more particularly a single-phase electrical line comprising a phase conductor and a neutral conductor, and to an AC current source supplying said line with power, in a configuration in the tripped state of said protection apparatus and in the non-actuated state of the manual control means,

[0021] - figure 3 corresponds to figure 2, but in the actuated state of the manual control means,

[0022] - figure 4 corresponds to the circuit diagram of figure 2, without the test switch, and with a connection of the third power supply input of the electronic circuit downstream of the connection point.

[0023] The figures show a protection apparatus 1, according to the present invention, which makes it possible to indicate with light and/or sound at least one item of fault information relating to at least one fault detected in an electrical line L. Such a protection apparatus is suitable for the implementation of the method according to the present invention and will be described in more detail below.

[0024] The electrical line L may be a single-phase or polyphase electrical line, that is to say an electrical line comprising an electrical potential reference conductor such as a neutral conductor N and one or more electrical potential conductors such as one or more phase conductors P.

[0025] Such a method, according to the present invention, makes it possible, from such a protection apparatus 1, to indicate to the user at least one item of fault information relating to at least one fault detected in an electrical line L, said electrical line being supplied with power by a current source S, which may be an AC or DC current source, said protection apparatus 1 being able to detect the one or more faults detected in said electrical line L and, following said detection, to be put into a trip state which interrupts the flow of the current through the electrical line L and into a reset state allowing the current to flow therethrough.

[0026] In accordance with the present invention, such a method consists, following the detection of the or at least one fault by the protection apparatus 1, in carrying out the following steps:

[0027] - processing the one or more faults detected by the protection apparatus 1 in order to determine one or more items of fault information,

[0028] - storing the one or more items of fault information,

[0029] - in the tripped state of the protection apparatus, indicating said or at least one of said items of fault information to the user by manually or automatically controlling the activation of a light- and/or sound-based indicator 5b through which flows an electric current originating from the current source S supplying the electrical line with power or from a standalone power source, such as a standalone current or voltage source.

[0030] Furthermore, the method may consist in indicating the one or more items of fault information according to a predetermined order of indication and/or according to a predetermined duration for the or each item of fault information. For example, in the case of a protection apparatus according to the present invention suitable for detecting electric arc faults and a short-circuit fault, the method may consist, following the detection of a series electric arc fault, a parallel electric arc fault and a short-circuit fault, in indicating successively and according to a predetermined duration by type of fault, the parallel electric arc fault information, then the series electric arc fault information and then the short-circuit fault information.

[0031]Additionally, the method may consist in indicating, with light and/or sound, the or at least one of said items of fault information to the user:

[0032] - directly on the protection apparatus 1, and/or

[0033] - remotely from said protection apparatus 1, on a smart or multifunctional, fixed or mobile support, such as a cellphone, a smartphone, a desktop or laptop computer, an electronic tablet or a test apparatus, said support comprising a screen and a loudspeaker forming the light- and/or sound-based indicator 5b, and does so by means of a wired or wireless remote communication device, not shown in the appended figures, which the protection apparatus 1 may further comprise and which may be activated during the manual or automatic control of the activation of the light- and/or sound-based indicator 5b. The wireless communication may be, for example, radiofrequency communication.

[0034] The method may consist in indicating the or at least one of the items of fault information for as long as the activation of the light- and/or sound-based indicator 5b is being controlled or according to a predetermined duration triggered during control, for example by means of a time delay, triggered during the actuation of said control. For example, from a manual control means 5c, such as a push-button, configured to be able to be actuated so as to move between a first, control position and a second, stop position for control of the display, the method may consist in indicating with light and/or sound the one or more items of fault information for as long as said manual control means 5c is kept in said first position (figure 3) or, in the case where the electronic circuit 5a comprises a time delay, according to a predetermined duration triggered when the manual control means 5c are actuated so as to move it into the first position.

[0035] The appended figures show a protection apparatus 1, according to the present invention, suitable for implementing the method according to the present invention, said protection apparatus 1 comprising:

[0036] - a contact mechanism 2 able to be tripped (or put) into a trip state which makes it possible to interrupt the flow of the current through an electrical line L supplied with power by a current or voltage source S, which may be an AC or DC current or voltage source, and to be put into a reset state allowing the current to flow through said electrical line L,

[0037] - a fault detection and trip mechanism, not shown or not visible in the appended figures in question, capable of detecting at least one fault in said electrical line L and, following said detection, of automatically tripping the contact mechanism 2 and

[0038] - an operating device 4 allowing the latter to be controlled so as to put it into the reset state.

[0039] In accordance with the present invention, such a protection apparatus 1 further comprises a light- and/or sound-based fault indicator device. The latter comprises an electronic circuit 5a that is able to process the one or more detected faults in order to determine one or more items of fault information and to store the latter, a light- and/or sound-based indicator 5b that is able to be activated in a state in which an electric current flows therethrough which makes it possible to indicate with light and/or sound the or at least one of the items of fault information, and manual or automatic control means 5c which make it possible to control manually, via the electronic circuit 5a, or automatically, from said electronic circuit 5a, the activation of said light- and/or sound-based indicator 5b. The fault indicator device is able to be supplied with current by the current source S which supplies the electrical line

L with power (figures 2, 3, 4), and/or by a standalone current source which the protection apparatus 1 may further comprise or which may be connected to the latter.

[0040] Such a protection apparatus 1, according to the present invention, may be capable of interrupting the flow of the current in the event of one or more overload, short-circuit, current leakage and/or electric arc faults liable to occur in the electrical line to be protected L to which it is suited and intended to be functionally connected. It may operate using known electromechanical and/or electronic technology for the basic part of detecting the one or more faults and of tripping, which is not described in detail in the present application.

[0041] In the case of manual control of the activation of the light- and/or sound-based indicator 5b, the manual control means 5c may consist, for example, of a push button and, in the case of automatic control of the activation of the light- and/or sound-based indicator 5b, the automatic control means may be integrated into the electronic circuit 5a which is then able to automatically control, following detection of the tripped state and at a predetermined time, the activation of said light- and/or sound-based indicator 5b.

[0042] Thus, the user may be informed with light (accompanying figures), that is to say visually, or with sound, that is to say with an audible message, of the or at least one of the detected faults, in the tripped state of the protection apparatus 1, that is to say without having to reset, by means of the operating device 4, the protection apparatus 1. Such a reset is necessary in current systems comprising lit displays, in order to supply the latter with power.

[0043] In addition, the processing, by the electronic circuit 5a, of the electrical signals representative of the one or more detected faults and of the control by the latter, under the effect of the actuation of the manual or automatic control means 5c, of the light- and/or sound-based indicator 5b, may make it possible to transmit a greater amount of information to the user than with current systems and in particular current mechanical displays, while not requiring a reset of the protection apparatus 1.

[0044] The electronic circuit 5a, which may be a circuit board, may comprise a microprocessor, or a microcontroller, and memories. The microprocessor or the microcontroller may be provided so as to incorporate or form the automatic control means for the light- and/or sound-based indicator 5b.

[0045] The light-based indicator 5b may consist of one or more light sources such as LEDs (figure 1), or a lit display screen, which might or might not be a touchscreen, which may be driven by the electronic circuit 5a, in particular by the microprocessor or the microcontroller. The sound-based indicator 5b may consist of at least one loudspeaker. The light- and/or sound-based indicator 5b may combine both light and sound functions, that is to say it may comprise at least one light source 5b, such as an LED, and at least one loudspeaker.

[0046] The protection apparatus 1, as can be seen in figure 1, may comprise a housing 1a for containing all of the components and basic operating mechanisms of said protection apparatus 1 such as the contact mechanism 2 and the fault detection and trip mechanism. In addition, the housing 1a may be suitable for additionally containing the fault indicator device and may have at least one external/visible face, preferably a front face 10a, comprising the control devices such as the operating device 4 and the control means 5c for the light- and/or sound-based indicator 5b. Where applicable, the or one of the external/visible faces, preferably the front face 1Oa, of the housing may comprise a test switch 7 as described below.

[0047] Referring again to figure 1, it can be seen that in a first embodiment of the light and/or sound-based indicator 5b, the latter may be mounted in the housing 1a of the protection apparatus 1, more particularly on one of the external/visible faces, preferably on the front face 10a, comprising the control devices such as the operating device 4 and the control means 5c for said light- and/or sound-based indicator 5b. The light- and/or sound-based indicator 5b may be, for example, located in the immediate vicinity of the control means 5c.

[0048] Additionally, the present invention may make provision for the test switch 7 and the control means 5c to be actuated either by a common control button which may be mounted on the or one of the external/visible faces, preferably on the front face

10a, of the housing 10, or by two dedicated control buttons each dedicated to or each forming the test switch 7 and the control means 5c, respectively.

[0049] In a second embodiment of the light- and/or sound-based indicator 5b, not shown in the appended figures and which may be combined with the first embodiment, the latter may be mounted on a smart or multifunctional, fixed or mobile support, such as a cellphone, a smartphone or a desktop or laptop computer, distinct from the protection apparatus 1 and comprising, on the one hand, a screen and a loudspeaker which may advantageously form said light- and/or sound-based indicator 5b and, on the other hand, communication means allowing the communication of data between the protection apparatus 1 and the smart or multifunctional support so as to allow the transmission of the or at least one of said items of fault information from the protection apparatus 1 to said smart or multifunctional support with a view to the indication thereof with light and/or sound.

[0050] It will be understood that in the case where this second embodiment is combined with the first, the light- and/or sound-based indicator 5b may comprise a portion located in the protection apparatus 1 so as to allow the indication of the or at least one of the items of fault information directly on said protection apparatus 1 and a portion located on the associated smart or multifunctional support so as likewise to allow the indication of the or at least one of the items of fault information on said support.

[0051] The present invention also makes it possible to use the circuit board, the microprocessor or any basic electronic circuit of a protection apparatus to form the electronic circuit 5a of the fault indicator device and thus avoid adding a new/another electronic circuit, which makes it possible to decrease manufacturing costs and bulk.

[0052] The electronic circuit 5a may be configured to drive the indication of the one or more items of fault information according to a predetermined order of indication and/or according to a predetermined duration for the or each item of fault information to be indicated.

[0053] The electronic circuit 5a may be configured to allow the indication of the or at least one of the items of fault information for as long as the activation of the light- and/or sound-based indicator 5b is being controlled or according to a predetermined duration triggered during control.

[0054] The protection apparatus 1 may further comprise a remote communication device, not shown, which is configured to be able to be activated by the electronic circuit 5a and to be able to transmit remotely, by wire or wirelessly, the or at least one of the items of fault information from said protection apparatus 1 to a smart or multifunctional, fixed or mobile support, such as a cellphone, a smartphone, a desktop or laptop computer, an electronic tablet or a diagnostic device, comprising a screen and/or a loudspeaker then forming the light- and/or sound-based indicator 5b. The electronic circuit 5a may then be configured to be able to activate, during the manual or automatic control of the activation of the light- and/or sound-based indicator 5b, the communication device in order to carry out said remote transmission to the smart or multifunctional support.

[0055] The electronic circuit 5a may comprise a computer program for processing the detected faults, that is to say electrical signals representative of said one or more detected faults, their processing with a view to determining the one or more items of fault information to be indicated, their storage and, where applicable, the driving of the order to indicate said one or more items of fault information.

[0056] The manual control means 5c, such as a push-button, may be configured to be able, when it is manually actuated, to be moved between a first position (figure 3) that has the effect of activating control and a second position (figure 2) that has the effect of stopping control. The electronic circuit 5a may be able to manage the activation of the light- and/or sound-based indicator 5b continuously for as long as the manual control means 5c is being actuated so as to be kept in said first position or, following actuation, according to a predetermined duration of activation, for example by means of a time delay that the electronic circuit 5a may comprise. The time delay may make it possible for the user to avoid an overly long actuation and for them to be freed once actuation has been carried out.

[0057] The contact mechanism 2 may be able to be connected to the electrical line L at a connection point 3 so as to be able to interrupt the flow of the current through said electrical line L downstream of said connection point 3. The fault indicator device, more particularly the electronic circuit 5a, may comprise at least two power supply inputs 50a, 51a, namely a first power supply input 50a and a second power supply input 51a, which are able and intended to be connected to the electrical line L, that is to say to the current source S via said electrical line L, upstream of the connection point 3 and/or, where applicable, to the standalone current source, the first input 50a being able to be connected to the control means 5c of the light and/or sound-based fault indicator 5c (figures 2, 3 and 4).

[0058] In the case where the fault indicator device is supplied with power by the AC current source S supplying the electrical line L with power, provision may be made for the first power supply input 50a to be connected, via the control means 5c, to the electrical potential conductor, such as the phase conductor P or one of the phase conductors P, of the electrical line L, and provision may be made for the second power supply input 51a to be connected to the potential reference conductor, such as the neutral conductor N, of the electrical line L (figures 2, 3 and 4). Preferably, to allow the supply of current to the fault indicator device in the tripped state of the protection apparatus 1 and non-actuated state of the control means 5c, the two power supply inputs 50a, 51a may be connected to the portion of the electrical line L located upstream of the connection point 3 for the contact mechanism 2, that is to say between said connection point 3 and the current source S supplying the electrical line L with power, since in this upstream portion the flow of the current is not interrupted by the contact mechanism 2 in the tripped state (figures 2, 3 and 4).

[0059] In one alternative, not shown in the appended figures, for the connection of the electronic circuit 5a to the electrical line L and more particularly to the phase conductor P or to one of the phase conductors P and to the neutral conductor N, the first input 50a may be connected to the neutral conductor N via the manual control means 5c and the second input 51a may be connected to the phase conductor P or to one of the phase conductors P.

[0060] In the case where the fault indicator device is designed to be supplied with power by the AC current source S of the electrical line L and to allow the supply of current to said fault indicator device in the reset state of the protection apparatus

1, the fault indicator device, and more particularly the electronic circuit 5a thereof, may comprise a third power supply input 52a able and intended to be connected to the electrical line L, preferably to the phase conductor P or to one of the phase conductors P, downstream of the connection point 3 (figure 4). In another embodiment, the third power supply input 52a may be able and intended to be connected to the electrical line L, more particularly to the phase conductor P or to one of the phase conductors P, via a switch 7 that the protection apparatus 1 may further comprise, upstream of the connection point 3 (figures 1, 2, 3, 4). The switch 7 may be provided so as to be able to be controlled so as to close when the contact mechanism 2 is reset so as to allow the current to flow to the third power supply input 52a and, as can be seen in figures 2 and 3, so as to open during tripping so as to interrupt the flow of the current.

[0061] The switch 7 may be provided and used so as to form a test switch, allowing an operator to carry out a protection test while isolating the electronic circuit 5a when said switch is in the open state and the protection apparatus in the tripped state.

[0062] The third power supply input 52a also allows, in the case where the electronic circuit 5a of the fault indicator device is formed by, or integrated into, the basic electronic circuit of the protection apparatus 1, in the reset state, said basic electronic circuit to be supplied with power.

[0063] More particularly, it will be understood that when the protection apparatus 1, namely the contact mechanism 2, is tripped, the electronic circuit 5a first detects, before any actuation, that the power supply inputs 50a, and 52a are not being supplied with power due to the trip, and then, according to the actuation resulting in the first input 50a and/or the third input 52a being supplied with power, detects the actuation in question on the control means 5c or, where applicable, the test switch 7, with a view to activating the light- and/or sound-based indicator 5b or, where applicable, to allowing the requested protection test to be carried out. The electronic circuit 5a, more particularly the microprocessor or the microcontroller of said electronic circuit 5a, may thus detect, in the tripped state, that said electronic circuit 5a is being supplied with power by means of the actuation of the control means 5c or, where applicable, of the test switch 7 through the fact that it was not being supplied with power, i.e. with voltage across its power supply inputs 50a, 51a, 52a, a few moments before the actuation plus the fact that the first power supply input 50a or, where applicable, the third power supply input 52a is being supplied with power due to the actuation of said control means 5c or, where applicable, of said switch 7.

[0064] The present invention also relates to an electrical installation comprising an electrical line L and at least one protection apparatus 1, said installation further comprising a current or voltage source S, which may be an AC or DC current or voltage source, supplying power to said electrical line L to which the or each protection apparatus 1 is functionally connected (figures 2, 3 and 4).

[0065] According to the present invention, in such an installation, the or at least one of the protection apparatuses 1 consists of a protection apparatus according to the present invention (figures 2, 3 and 4). In addition, the contact mechanism 2 of said protection apparatus 1 is functionally connected to the electrical line L at a connection point 3 so as to be able to interrupt, in the tripped state, the flow of the current through said line downstream of said connection point 3.

[0066] The two power supply inputs 50a, 51a, as defined above, may be connected to the electrical line L upstream of the connection point 3 and/or, where applicable, to the standalone current source, so as to be able to supply current to said fault indicator device in the trip state of the protection apparatus 1.

[0067] In addition, the first power supply input 50a may be connected to the electrical line L via the manual control means 5c for the light- and/or sound-based indicator 5b.

[0068] As can be seen in figures 2, 3 and 4, the electrical line L supplied with power by the current source S or, where applicable, the voltage source, supplying the electrical line L with power, may comprise at least one electrical potential reference conductor, such as a neutral conductor N, and at least one electric potential conductor, such as a phase conductor P, which are connected to said current source S supplying the electrical line L with power. The contact mechanism 2 may be connected to the connection point 3 to the conductors of the electrical line L, such as the neutral N and phase P conductors in the case of a current source S supplying the electrical line L with power.

[0069] In the trip state, the portion of the electrical line L located downstream of said connection point 3 is no longer supplied with current, unlike the portion located upstream of said connection point 3. The upstream portion may be an upstream portion of the electrical line L or an electrical connection connecting the electrical line L to be protected to the current source S supplying the electrical line L with power.

[0070] Making reference more particularly to figure 3, it can be seen that the third power supply input 52a, which the electronic circuit 5a may comprise, may be connected to the electrical line L, more particularly to the phase conductor P, downstream of the connection point 3.

[0071] In the case where the current source S is an AC current source or, where applicable, an AC voltage source, and the electrical line L comprises at least one phase conductor P and one neutral conductor N as can be seen in figures 2, 3 and 4, the first input 50a may be connected to the phase conductor P or to one of the phase conductors P, via the manual control means 5c, upstream of the connection point 3, and the second input 51a may be connected to the neutral conductor N upstream of the connection point 3.

[0072] In the case of a polyphase electrical line L, not shown in the appended figures, comprising a plurality of phase conductors P, the electronic circuit 5a may comprise at least one additional power supply input able and intended to be connected to the corresponding additional phase conductor of the electrical line L.

[0073] The electrical line L may also comprise all of the products, machines or other elements operating in said line and connected to the one or more phase conductors P and to the neutral conductor N of the electrical line L and liable to be the source of a fault detected by the protection apparatus according to the present invention.

[0074] Referring to figure 3, it can be seen that the third power supply input 52a, which the electronic circuit 5a may comprise, may be connected to the electrical line L, more particularly to the phase conductor P, upstream of the connection point 3 via the test switch 7 which the protection apparatus 1 may comprise so as to make it possible to carry out the protection test in the trip state.

Of course, the invention is not limited to the embodiment that is described and shown in the appended drawings. Modifications remain possible, in particular from the point of view of the composition of the various elements or by substitution with technical equivalents, without, however, departing from the scope of protection of the invention.

Claims

Claims

[Claim 1] A method for indicating, from a protection apparatus (1), at least one item of fault information relating to at least one fault detected in an electrical line (L), said electrical line (L) being supplied with power by a current or voltage source (S), said protection apparatus (1) being able to detect the one or more detected faults and, following said detection, to be put into a trip state which interrupts the flow of the current through the electrical line (L) and into a reset state allowing the current to flow therethrough, which method is characterized in that it consists, following the detection of the or at least one fault by the protection apparatus (1), in carrying out the following steps: - processing the one or more faults detected by the protection apparatus (1) in order to determine one or more items of fault information, - storing the one or more items of fault information, - in the tripped state of the protection apparatus (1), indicating the or at least one of said items of information to the user by manually or automatically controlling the activation of a light- and/or sound-based indicator (5b) through which flows an electric current originating from the current source (S) supplying the electrical line (L) with power or from a standalone power source.
[Claim 2] The method as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that it consists in indicating the one or more items of fault information according to a predetermined order of indication and/or according to a predetermined duration for the or each item of fault information.
[Claim 3] The method as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2, characterized in that it consists in indicating the or at least one of the items of fault information for as long as the activation of the light- and/or sound-based indicator (5b) is being controlled or according to a predetermined duration triggered during control.
[Claim 4] The method as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that it consists in indicating with light and/or sound the or at least one of the items of fault information: - directly on the protection apparatus (1), and/or,

- remotely from said protection apparatus (1), on a smart or multifunctional, fixed or mobile support, such as a cellphone, a smartphone, a desktop or laptop computer, an electronic tablet or a diagnostic device, comprising a screen and a loudspeaker forming the light- and/or sound-based indicator (5b), and does so by means of a wired or wireless remote communication device, which the protection apparatus (1) further comprises and which may be activated during the manual or automatic control of the activation of the light- and/or sound-based indicator (5b).
[Claim 5] A protection apparatus (1) suitable for implementing the method as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 4, said protection apparatus (1) comprising a contact mechanism (2) able to be tripped into a trip state which makes it possible to interrupt the flow of the current through an electrical line (L) supplied with power by a current or voltage source (S) and to be put into a reset state allowing the current to flow through said electrical line (L), a fault detection and trip mechanism capable of detecting at least one fault in said electrical line (L) and, following said detection, of automatically tripping the contact mechanism (2) and an operating device (4) allowing the latter to be controlled so as to put it into the reset state. The protection apparatus (1), characterized in that it further comprises a light- and/or sound-based fault indicator device, comprising an electronic circuit (5a) that is able to process the one or more detected faults in order to determine one or more items of fault information and to store the latter, a light- and/or sound-based indicator (5b) that is able to be activated in a state in which an electric current flows therethrough which makes it possible to indicate with light and/or sound the or at least one of the items of fault information, and manual or automatic control means (5c) which make it possible to control manually, via the electronic circuit (5a), or automatically, from said electronic circuit (5a), the activation of the light- and/or sound-based indicator (5b), said fault indicator device being able to be supplied with current by the current source (S) which supplies the electrical line (L) with power and/or by a standalone current source which the protection apparatus (1) may further comprise or which may be connected to the latter.
[Claim 6] The protection apparatus (1) as claimed in claim 5, characterized in that the electronic circuit (5a) is configured to drive the indication of the one or more items of fault information according to a predetermined order of indication and/or according to a predetermined duration for the or each item of fault information to be indicated.
[Claim 7] The protection apparatus (1) as claimed in claim 5 or claim 6, characterized in that the electronic circuit (5a) is configured to allow the indication of the or at least one of the items of fault information for as long as the activation of the light- and/or sound-based indicator (5b) is being controlled or according to a predetermined duration triggered during control.
[Claim 8] The protection apparatus (1) as claimed in any one of claims 5 to 7, characterized in that it further comprises a remote communication device configured to be able to be activated by the electronic circuit (5a) and to be able to transmit remotely, by wire or wirelessly, the or at least one of the items of fault information from said protection apparatus (1) to a smart or multifunctional, fixed or mobile support, such as a cellphone, a smartphone, a desktop or laptop computer, an electronic tablet or a diagnostic device, comprising a screen and/or a loudspeaker then forming the light- and/or sound-based indicator (5b), said electronic circuit (5a) being configured to be able to activate, during the manual or automatic control of the activation of the light- and/or sound-based indicator (5b), the communication device in order to carry out said remote transmission to the smart or multifunctional support.
[Claim 9] The protection apparatus (1) as claimed in any one of claims 5 to 8, characterized in that the manual control means (5c), such as a push-button, is configured to be able, when it is manually actuated, to be moved between a first position that has the effect of activating control and a second position that has the effect of stopping control and in that the electronic circuit (5a) is able to manage the activation of the light- and/or sound-based indicator (5b) continuously for as long as the manual control means (5c) is being actuated so as to be kept in said first position or, following actuation, according to a predetermined duration of activation, for example by means of a time delay that the electronic circuit (5a) may comprise.
[Claim 10] The protection apparatus (1) as claimed in any one of claims 5 to 9, characterized in that the light- and/or sound-based indicator (5b) may consist of one or more light sources such as LEDs or of a lit display screen, which might or might not be a touchscreen, and/or of at least one loudspeaker.
[Claim 11] The protection apparatus as claimed in any one of claims 5 to 10, characterized in that the contact mechanism (2) is able to be connected to the electrical line (L) at a connection point (3) so as to be able to interrupt the flow of the current through said electrical line (L) downstream of said connection point (3) and in that the fault indicator device, more particularly the electronic circuit (5a), comprises at least two power supply inputs (50a, 51a), namely a first power supply input (50a) and a second power supply input (51a), able and intended to be connected to the electrical line (L) upstream of the connection point (3) and/or, where applicable, to the standalone current source, the first input (50a) being connected to the control means (5c) of the light- and/or sound based fault indicator (5c).
[Claim 12] The protection apparatus as claimed in any one of claims 5 to 11, characterized in that it comprises a housing (1a) for containing all of the components and basic operating mechanisms of said protection apparatus (1) such as the contact mechanism (2) and the fault detection and trip mechanism, and in that said housing (1a) is suitable for additionally containing the fault indicator device and has at least one external/visible face, preferably a front face (10a), comprising the control members such as the operating member (4) and the control means (5c) for the light- and/or sound-based indicator (5b).
[Claim 13] The protection apparatus as claimed in any one of claims 5 to 12, characterized in that the electronic circuit (5a) comprises a microprocessor or a microcontroller and at least one memory for storing the one or more items of fault information to be indicated.
[Claim 14] An electrical installation comprising an electrical line (L) and at least one protection apparatus (1), said installation further comprising a current or voltage source (S) supplying power to said electrical line (L) to which the or each protection apparatus (1) is functionally connected, characterized in that the or at least one of the protection apparatuses (1) consists of a protection apparatus as claimed in any one of claims 5 to 13 and in that the contact mechanism (2) of said protection apparatus (1) is functionally connected to the electrical line (L) at a connection point (3) so as to be able to interrupt, in the tripped state, the flow of the current through said electrical line (L) downstream of said connection point (3).
[Claim 15] The electrical installation as claimed in claim 14, characterized in that the two power supply inputs (50a, 51a), as defined in claim 11, are connected to the electrical line (L), upstream of the connection point (3).
[Claim 16] The electrical installation as claimed in claim 15, characterized in that the first power supply input (50a) is connected to the electrical line (L) via the manual control means (5c) for the light- and/or sound-based indicator (5b).
[Claim 17] The electrical installation as claimed in either one of claims 15 and 16, characterized in that the current or voltage source (S) is an AC current source or an AC voltage source and in that the electrical line (L) comprises at least one phase conductor (P) and one neutral conductor (N), the first input (50a) being connected to the phase conductor (P) or to one of the phase conductors (P), where applicable via the manual control means (5c), upstream of the connection point (3), and the second input (51a) is connected to the neutral conductor (N) upstream of the connection point (3).