Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
CA 02672264 2009-06-22
Translation of Article 34 amendment
CA 02672264 2009-06-22
An electric installation arrangement and method for the operation of an
electric installation
arrangement
The invention relates to an electric installation arrangement for the
operation of an electric
consumer network and for the demand-oriented control of a safety level in the
electric consumer
network, comprising at least one first switch for disconnecting at least one
first consumer and/or
one partial network from the consumer network, at least one first sensor for
detecting at least one
first physical variable which is induced or can be influenced by a consumer
network, and at least
one first tripping unit which switches off the first switch within a first
tripping time when a first
tripping threshold value that can be predetermined is exceeded by a first
measured variable
proportional to the first variable, and thereby disconnects the consumer
and/or partial network
from the consumer network, with the electric installation arrangement
comprising at least one
first control and checking unit for the predeterminable and automatic
adjustment of the first
tripping threshold value and/or the first tripping time as a function of at
least one control
parameter.
Protective devices are provided in conventional electric installation
arrangements for operating
an electric consumer network, with which individual consumers or entire
partial networks can be
disconnected from the consumer network, e.g. when a safety-relevant parameter
such as a fault
current for example exceeds a limit value. These limit values depend on the
employed switch and
are not influenced by the actual conditions. This leads to the consequence
that areas which are
provided for the presence of humans and/or pets are adjusted to a high safety
level, which
therefore means low tripping thresholds, leading to unnecessary disconnections
from the network
and can thus lead to unavailable or non-operational systems although this
disconnection from the
network could have been avoided due to the absence of the occupants, and
therefore there was no
threat to life or assets.
US 2006/114630 Al describes an electric distribution system which determines
the presence of
humans in the vicinity of live conductors by means of sensors and thus reduces
the threshold
values for deactivation of a network in such a case.
EP 1 075 068 A describes the disconnection of a partial network when no
current flows in the
partial network.
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1 ' `F~
CA 02672264 2009-06-22
It is therefore the object of the invention to provide an electric
installation arrangement of the
kind mentioned above with which the mentioned disadvantages can be avoided,
with which
unnecessary disconnections from the network are prevented and a high
availability of the
network in combination with high protection of the occupants can be achieved.
This is achieved in accordance with the invention in such a way that the first
control and
checking unit comprises at least one clock, especially a timer, for the
predeterminable, automatic
and time-controlled adjustment of the first tripping threshold value and/or
the first tripping time.
Unnecessary disconnections from the network can thus be prevented and a high
availability of
the network can be achieved. The safety level in an electric consumer network
can thus be
increased in a demand-oriented manner. As a result, a high safety level, and
therefore low
tripping thresholds and short tripping times, can be maintained in the
presence of living beings
worthy of protection such as especially humans and farm animals, whereas in
the absence of
such living beings worthy of protection only a low protective level is
maintained which is
adjusted to the requirements for the protection of buildings and assets,
especially fire protection,
as a result of which failures of the electric consumer network can be
prevented as a result of
unnecessary network disconnections for the protection of living beings worthy
of protection that
are not present. In this way, an especially simple kind of control or check of
the electric
installation arrangement can be achieved because the tripping threshold values
and tripping times
are adjusted or adapted automatically as a function of time by the control and
checking unit. This
can be applied advantageously in areas with regular times of presence and/or
absence of the
workers or occupants, since no further components are necessary apart from the
simple time
control.
In this connection it can be provided in a further development of the
invention that the first
control and checking unit comprises at least one switching logic unit,
especially a
microprocessor. Complex control and/or checking tasks can thus be assumed by
the control and
checking unit such as the adjustment of the first tripping threshold and/or
the first tripping time
as a result of further control parameters than merely the time. Further
parameters such as the data
of an alarm system can be used for adjusting the first tripping threshold
and/or the first tripping
time or can be linked logically together with the time as control parameters.
.,..._ ~
2
CA 02672264 2009-06-22
According to a further embodiment of the invention it can be provided that the
first control and
checking unit comprises at least one output and/or at least one input,
especially a bus interface
and/or a radio interface. As a result, the control and checking unit can
output data to a display
device or can make the adjustment of the first tripping threshold and/or the
first tripping time at
the at least one first tripping unit, such that a first tripping threshold is
output at an output of the
control and checking unit to which the first tripping unit is connected.
According to yet another embodiment of the invention it can be provided that
it comprises at
least one first means for determining the presence of a first living being of
a predetermined type,
in a predetermined first ambient environment about the first consumer and/or
the partial network,
which is arranged for transmitting presence data to the first control and
checking unit. As a
result, the adjustment of the first tripping threshold and/or the first
tripping time can be made
depending on the presence of a first living being. In this way, such living
beings, especially
humans and/or farm animals or pets, can be protected by the installation
arrangement in a special
way without this special protection leading to increased failures of the
installation arrangement
in the absence of such first living beings.
One variant of the invention can be that the first means for determining the
presence of a first
living being of a predeterminable kind is arranged as a camera, infrared
sensor, motion detector,
vibration sensor, light barrier and/or microphone. This provides a simple and
highly functional
arrangement of the at least one first means for determining the presence of a
first living being,
which enables the determination of the presence of a first living being in a
simple and precise
way.
In a further embodiment of the invention it can be provided that the presence
data are a control
parameter for adjusting the first tripping threshold in a predeterminable and
automatic way. In
this way it is possible to perform the adjustment of the first tripping
threshold and/or the first
tripping time based on the presence of a first living being in the area around
the consumer or the
partial network, and therefore in a demand-oriented manner.
In a further development of the invention it can be provided that the first
tripping threshold sent
by the first control and checking unit to the tripping unit is lower upon
detection of the first
living being in the first ambient environment than in the case of a first
ambient environment
which is free from first living beings. This provides full protection for a
first living being from
injury by electric current of the electric consumer network by the
installation arrangement.
3
~
_ ---i~J
CA 02672264 2009-06-22
According to a further development of the invention it can be provided that
the first tripping time
sent by the first control and checking unit to the tripping unit is lower upon
detection of the first
living being in the first ambient environment than in the case of a first
ambient environment
which is free from first living beings. This helps to achieve effective
protection of the unit, with
wrong tripping events and thus dead times of the installation as a result of
low tripping
thresholds being preventable.
According to a further embodiment of the invention, in which the first sensor
is arranged as a
current sensor, voltage sensor, residual current sensor, temperature sensor,
pollution gas sensor
and/or smoke sensor, it can be provided that the first sensor comprises at
least one sensor output,
especially an analogue output and/or a digital output, and is arranged for
transmitting the first
measured variable to the first control and checking unit and/or the first
tripping unit. This enables
a transmission of the first measured variable to the control and checking unit
or the evaluation
unit. In this way, the sensor can be arranged separately from the switching
device, thus offering
the possibility in the case of extensive partial networks to detect a
comprehensive overall
situation of the partial network.
In this connection it can be provided in a further development of the
invention that the first
tripping unit comprises at least one first comparator circuit for comparing
the first measured
variable with the first tripping threshold value. This represents an
especially simple apparatus for
comparing the first measured variable with the first tripping threshold.
Another possible embodiment can be that the first tripping unit comprises at
least one analytical
unit for analyzing the first measured variable in the time range and/or in the
image range,
especially comprising a microprocessor, microcontroller and/or a digital
signal processor, and
with a first tripping threshold value and/or a first tripping time being
provided for a first time
and/or image range, and a second tripping threshold value and/or a second
tripping time being
provided for a second time and/or image range. As a result, the first measured
variable can be
evaluated not only concerning an absolute value such as concerning the apex
value or the
effective value and be compared with a tripping threshold value, but it can
also be regarded as a
signal that is changeable in respect of time and frequency and can be regarded
accordingly
concerning its behavior in the time and/or image range such as the frequency
range, with
different tripping threshold values being provided for different ranges. The
security in the
. _.. _ ,
4 ~ i
CA 02672264 2009-06-22
electric installation arrangement can thus be increased even further because
different or special
evaluation criteria can be applied for different types of faults and residual
currents.
It can be provided in a further development of the invention that the first
sensor, the first tripping
unit and the first switch are arranged integrally in the form of a first
circuit breaker, especially a
miniature circuit breaker, a residual-current circuit breaker, a differential-
current circuit breaker,
combination circuit breaker and/or power circuit breaker. This enables an
especially simple and
compact arrangement of the present invention.
In this context it can be provided for in a further development of the
invention that a first switch-
on device which can be controlled by the first control and checking unit is
operatively connected
with the first switch. Its automatic activation is also possible after the
deactivation of a
consumer.
The invention further relates to a method for operating an electric
installation arrangement,
especially one in accordance with the invention, with an electric consumer
network, comprising
at least one first switch for disconnecting at least one first consumer and/or
a partial network
from the consumer network, at least one first sensor for detecting at least
one first physical
variable which is induced or can be influenced by the consumer network, and at
least one first
tripping unit, with the first switch being switched off within a first
tripping time by the tripping
unit upon exceeding a predeterminable first tripping threshold value by a
first measured variable
which is proportional to the first variable, and the consumer and/or the
partial network is thus
disconnected from the consumer network, with the first tripping threshold
value and/or the first
tripping time being adjusted in a predeterminable and automatic manner by at
least one first
control and checking unit as a function of at least one control parameter.
It is the object of the invention to provide a method of the kind mentioned
above with which
unnecessary network disconnections are prevented and high network availability
can be achieved
with simultaneous high protection of the occupants.
This is achieved in accordance with the invention in that the first tripping
threshold value and/or
the first tripping time can be adjusted in a temporally predetermined and
automatic way.
As a result, unnecessary network disconnections can be prevented and high
network availability
can be achieved. As a result, the security level in an electric consumer
network can be controlled
CA 02672264 2009-06-22
in a demand-oriented manner. In this way, a high safety level and therefore
low tripping
thresholds and short tripping times can be maintained in the presence of
living beings worthy of
protection such as humans or farm animals, whereas in the absence of such
living beings only a
low protective level is maintained which is adjusted for example to the
requirements for
protection of buildings and assets, especially fire protection, thus
preventing failures of the
electric consumer network for reasons of unnecessary network disconnections
for the protection
of living beings worthy of protection who are not present. As a result, an
especially simple type
of control and checking of the electric installation arrangement can be
achieved, because the
tripping threshold values and tripping times are adjusted automatically by the
control and
checking unit as a function of time. This can be applied especially in areas
with regular times of
presence and/or absence of the workers or occupants, since no further
components are necessary
apart from the simple time control.
According to yet another embodiment of the invention it can be provided that
the presence of a
first living being of a predeterminable type is detected in a predeterminable
first ambient
environment about the first consumer and/or the partial network. As a result,
the tripping
threshold values and tripping times can be controlled depending on the actual
presence of first
living beings.
One variant of the invention can be that the first tripping threshold and/or
the first tripping time
are adjusted depending on the presence of the first living being in the first
ambient environment.
As a result, the respective protection which is defined by the respective
tripping threshold values
and tripping times can be linked to the presence of a first living being. A
type of safety zone
around the first living being can be formed in this way which will "co-move"
with the same, and
therefore the respective low threshold values and tripping times will "move"
together with a first
living being moving through a complex electric installation arrangement and
will "envelop" the
same in the manner of an invisible protective cloak.
In a further embodiment of the invention it can be provided that upon
detection of the first living
being in the first ambient environment, a first tripping threshold value
and/or a first tripping time
is transmitted to the tripping unit which is/are lower than in the case of an
ambient environment
being free from a first living being. This provides full protection of a first
living being from
injury by electric current of the electric consumer network through the
installation arrangement.
This helps achieve effective protection of the installation, with spurious
tripping and thus dead
times of the installation as a result of too low tripping threshold values
being prevented.
6
CA 02672264 2009-06-22
The invention is now explained in closer detail by reference to the enclosed
drawings in which
especially preferred embodiments are shown by way of example, wherein:
Fig. 1 shows a block diagram of a first embodiment of an installation
arrangement according to
the invention;
6a
` CA 02672264 2009-06-22
Consolidated translation of the specification as amended under Article 34
CA 02672264 2009-06-22
An electric installation arrangement and method for the operation of an
electric installation
arrangement
The invention relates to an electric installation arrangement for the
operation of an electric
consumer network and for the demand-oriented control of a safety level in the
electric consumer
network, comprising at least one first switch for disconnecting at least one
first consumer and/or
one partial network from the consumer network, at least one first sensor for
detecting at least one
first physical variable which is induced or can be influenced by a consumer
network, and at least
one first tripping unit which switches off the first switch within a first
tripping time when a first
tripping threshold value that can be predetermined is exceeded by a first
measured variable
proportional to the first variable, and thereby disconnects the consumer
and/or partial network
from the consumer network, with the electric installation arrangement
comprising at least one
first control and checking unit for the predeterminable and automatic
adjustment of the first
tripping threshold value and/or the first tripping time as a function of at
least one control
parameter.
Protective devices are provided in conventional electric installation
arrangements for operating
an electric consumer network, with which individual consumers or entire
partial networks can be
disconnected from the consumer network, e.g. when a safety-relevant parameter
such as a fault
current for example exceeds a limit value. These limit values depend on the
employed switch and
are not influenced by the actual conditions. This leads to the consequence
that areas which are
provided for the presence of humans and/or pets are adjusted to a high safety
level, which
therefore means low tripping thresholds, leading to unnecessary disconnections
from the network
and can thus lead to unavailable or non-operational systems although this
disconnection from the
network could have been avoided due to the absence of the occupants, and
therefore there was no
threat to life or assets.
US 2006/114630 Al describes an electric distribution system which determines
the presence of
humans in the vicinity of live conductors by means of sensors and thus reduces
the threshold
values for deactivation of a network in such a case.
EP 1 075 068 A describes the disconnection of a partial network when no
current flows in the
partial network.
[AME
1 ~~ ~~-
CA 02672264 2009-06-22
It is therefore the object of the invention to provide an electric
installation arrangement of the
kind mentioned above with which the mentioned disadvantages can be avoided,
with which
unnecessary disconnections from the network are prevented and a high
availability of the
network in combination with high protection of the occupants can be achieved.
This is achieved in accordance with the invention in such a way that the first
control and
checking unit comprises at least one clock, especially a timer, for the
predeterminable, automatic
and time-controlled adjustment of the first tripping threshold value and/or
the first tripping time.
Unnecessary disconnections from the network can thus be prevented and a high
availability of
the network can be achieved. The safety level in an electric consumer network
can thus be
increased in a demand-oriented manner. As a result, a high safety level, and
therefore low
tripping thresholds and short tripping times, can be maintained in the
presence of living beings
worthy of protection such as especially humans and farm animals, whereas in
the absence of
such living beings worthy of protection only a low protective level is
maintained which is
adjusted to the requirements for the protection of buildings and assets,
especially fire protection,
as a result of which failures of the electric consumer network can be
prevented as a result of
unnecessary network disconnections for the protection of living beings worthy
of protection that
are not present. In this way, an especially simple kind of control or check of
the electric
installation arrangement can be achieved because the tripping threshold values
and tripping times
are adjusted or adapted automatically as a function of time by the control and
checking unit. This
can be applied advantageously in areas with regular times of presence and/or
absence of the
workers or occupants, since no further components are necessary apart from the
simple time
control.
In this connection it can be provided in a further development of the
invention that the first
control and checking unit comprises at least one switching logic unit,
especially a
microprocessor. Complex control and/or checking tasks can thus be assumed by
the control and
checking unit such as the adjustment of the first tripping threshold and/or
the first tripping time
as a result of further control parameters than merely the time. Further
parameters such as the data
of an alarm system can be used for adjusting the first tripping threshold
and/or the first tripping
time or can be linked logically together with the time as control parameters.
rAi E INNI' D E
~-
2 T
CA 02672264 2009-06-22
According to a further embodiment of the invention it can be provided that the
first control and
checking unit comprises at least one output and/or at least one input,
especially a bus interface
and/or a radio interface. As a result, the control and checking unit can
output data to a display
device or can make the adjustment of the first tripping threshold and/or the
first tripping time at
the at least one first tripping unit, such that a first tripping threshold is
output at an output of the
control and checking unit to which the first tripping unit is connected.
According to yet another embodiment of the invention it can be provided that
it comprises at
least one first means for determining the presence of a first living being of
a predetermined type,
in a predetermined first ambient environment about the first consumer and/or
the partial network,
which is arranged for transmitting presence data to the first control and
checking unit. As a
result, the adjustment of the first tripping threshold and/or the first
tripping time can be made
depending on the presence of a first living being. In this way, such living
beings, especially
humans and/or farm animals or pets, can be protected by the installation
arrangement in a special
way without this special protection leading to increased failures of the
installation arrangement
in the absence of such first living beings.
One variant of the invention can be that the first means for determining the
presence of a first
living being of a predeterminable kind is arranged as a camera, infrared
sensor, motion detector,
vibration sensor, light barrier and/or microphone. This provides a simple and
highly functional
arrangement of the at least one first means for determining the presence of a
first living being,
which enables the determination of the presence of a first living being in a
simple and precise
way.
In a further embodiment of the invention it can be provided that the presence
data are a control
parameter for adjusting the first tripping threshold in a predeterminable and
automatic way. In
this way it is possible to perform the adjustment of the first tripping
threshold and/or the first
tripping time based on the presence of a first living being in the area around
the consumer or the
partial network, and therefore in a demand-oriented manner.
In a further development of the invention it can be provided that the first
tripping threshold sent
by the first control and checking unit to the tripping unit is lower upon
detection of the first
living being in the first ambient environment than in the case of a first
ambient environment
which is free from first living beings. This provides full protection for a
first living being from
injury by electric current of the electric consumer network by the
installation arrangement.
AN
3 ~~~E- E
CA 02672264 2009-06-22
According to a further development of the invention it can be provided that
the first tripping time
sent by the first control and checking unit to the tripping unit is lower upon
detection of the first
living being in the first ambient environment than in the case of a first
ambient environment
which is free from first living beings. This helps to achieve effective
protection of the unit, with
wrong tripping events and thus dead times of the installation as a result of
low tripping
thresholds being preventable.
According to a further embodiment of the invention, in which the first sensor
is arranged as a
current sensor, voltage sensor, residual current sensor, temperature sensor,
pollution gas sensor
and/or smoke sensor, it can be provided that the first sensor comprises at
least one sensor output,
especially an analogue output and/or a digital output, and is arranged for
transmitting the first
measured variable to the first control and checking unit and/or the first
tripping unit. This enables
a transmission of the first measured variable to the control and checking unit
or the evaluation
unit. In this way, the sensor can be arranged separately from the switching
device, thus offering
the possibility in the case of extensive partial networks to detect a
comprehensive overall
situation of the partial network.
In this connection it can be provided in a further development of the
invention that the first
tripping unit comprises at least one first comparator circuit for comparing
the first measured
variable with the first tripping threshold value. This represents an
especially simple apparatus for
comparing the first measured variable with the first tripping threshold.
Another possible embodiment can be that the first tripping unit comprises at
least one analytical
unit for analyzing the first measured variable in the time range and/or in the
image range,
especially comprising a microprocessor, microcontroller and/or a digital
signal processor, and
with a first tripping threshold value and/or a first tripping time being
provided for a first time
and/or image range, and a second tripping threshold value and/or a second
tripping time being
provided for a second time and/or image range. As a result, the first measured
variable can be
evaluated not only concerning an absolute value such as concerning the apex
value or the
effective value and be compared with a tripping threshold value, but it can
also be regarded as a
signal that is changeable in respect of time and frequency and can be regarded
accordingly
concerning its behavior in the time and/or image range such as the frequency
range, with
different tripping threshold values being provided for different ranges. The
security in the
A ~~ E IN _
~c
4 Ã~ ~ ~ ~T
CA 02672264 2009-06-22
electric installation arrangement can thus be increased even further because
different or special
evaluation criteria can be applied for different types of faults and residual
currents.
It can be provided in a further development of the invention that the first
sensor, the first tripping
unit and the first switch are arranged integrally in the form of a first
circuit breaker, especially a
miniature circuit breaker, a residual-current circuit breaker, a differential-
current circuit breaker,
combination circuit breaker and/or power circuit breaker. This enables an
especially simple and
compact arrangement of the present invention.
In this context it can be provided for in a further development of the
invention that a first switch-
on device which can be controlled by the first control and checking unit is
operatively connected
with the first switch. Its automatic activation is also possible after the
deactivation of a
consumer.
The invention further relates to a method for operating an electric
installation arrangement,
especially one in accordance with the invention, with an electric consumer
network, comprising
at least one first switch for disconnecting at least one first consumer and/or
a partial network
from the consumer network, at least one first sensor for detecting at least
one first physical
variable which is induced or can be influenced by the consumer network, and at
least one first
tripping unit, with the first switch being switched off within a first
tripping time by the tripping
unit upon exceeding a predeterminable first tripping threshold value by a
first measured variable
which is proportional to the first variable, and the consumer and/or the
partial network is thus
disconnected from the consumer network, with the first tripping threshold
value and/or the first
tripping time being adjusted in a predeterminable and automatic manner by at
least one first
control and checking unit as a function of at least one control parameter.
It is the object of the invention to provide a method of the kind mentioned
above with which
unnecessary network disconnections are prevented and high network availability
can be achieved
with simultaneous high protection of the occupants.
This is achieved in accordance with the invention in that the first tripping
threshold value and/or
the first tripping time can be adjusted in a temporally predetermined and
automatic way.
As a result, unnecessary network disconnections can be prevented and high
network availability
can be achieved. As a result, the security level in an electric consumer
network can be controlled
9. =' r
~
CA 02672264 2009-06-22
in a demand-oriented manner. In this way, a high safety level and therefore
low tripping
thresholds and short tripping times can be maintained in the presence of
living beings worthy of
protection such as humans or farm animals, whereas in the absence of such
living beings only a
low protective level is maintained which is adjusted for example to the
requirements for
protection of buildings and assets, especially fire protection, thus
preventing failures of the
electric consumer network for reasons of unnecessary network disconnections
for the protection
of living beings worthy of protection who are not present. As a result, an
especially simple type
of control and checking of the electric installation arrangement can be
achieved, because the
tripping threshold values and tripping times are adjusted automatically by the
control and
checking unit as a function of time. This can be applied especially in areas
with regular times of
presence and/or absence of the workers or occupants, since no further
components are necessary
apart from the simple time control.
According to yet another embodiment of the invention it can be provided that
the presence of a
first living being of a predeterminable type is detected in a predeterminable
first ambient
environment about the first consumer and/or the partial network. As a result,
the tripping
threshold values and tripping times can be controlled depending on the actual
presence of first
living beings.
One variant of the invention can be that the first tripping threshold and/or
the first tripping time
are adjusted depending on the presence of the first living being in the first
ambient environment.
As a result, the respective protection which is defined by the respective
tripping threshold values
and tripping times can be linked to the presence of a first living being. A
type of safety zone
around the first living being can be formed in this way which will "co-move"
with the same, and
therefore the respective low threshold values and tripping times will "move"
together with a first
living being moving through a complex electric installation arrangement and
will "envelop" the
same in the manner of an invisible protective cloak.
In a further embodiment of the invention it can be provided that upon
detection of the first living
being in the first ambient environment, a first tripping threshold value
and/or a first tripping time
is transmitted to the tripping unit which is/are lower than in the case of an
ambient environment
being free from a first living being. This provides full protection of a first
living being from
injury by electric current of the electric consumer network through the
installation arrangement.
This helps achieve effective protection of the installation, with spurious
tripping and thus dead
times of the installation as a result of too low tripping threshold values
being prevented.
7
6
CA 02672264 2009-06-22
The invention is now explained in closer detail by reference to the enclosed
drawings in which
especially preferred embodiments are shown by way of example, wherein:
Fig. 1 shows a block diagram of a first embodiment of an installation
arrangement according to
the invention;
,
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IM It
~r~a_
VIE 6 a Li
CA 02672264 2009-06-22
Fig. 2 shows a block diagram of a second embodiment of an installation
arrangement according
to the invention;
Fig. 3 shows a block diagram of a third embodiment of an installation
arrangement according to
the invention;
Fig. 4 shows a block diagram of a fourth embodiment of an installation
arrangement according to
the invention;
Fig. 5 shows a block diagram of a fifth embodiment of an installation
arrangement according to
the invention;
Fig. 6 shows a block diagram of a sixth embodiment of an installation
arrangement according to
the invention;
Fig. 7 shows a block diagram of a seventh embodiment of an installation
arrangement according
to the invention;
Figs. 1 to 7 show different embodiments of an electric installation
arrangement I for operating an
electric consumer network 2, comprising at least one first switch 3 for
disconnecting at least one
first consumer 4 from a consumer network, at least one first sensor 5 for
detecting at least one
physical variable which is induced or can be influenced by the consumer
network 2, and at least
one first tripping unit 6 which switches off the first switch 3 within a first
tripping time upon
exceeding a predeterminable first tripping threshold value by a first measured
variable which is
proportional to the first variable, and thus disconnects the consumer 4 from
the consumer
network 2, with the electric installation arrangement I having at least one
first control and
checking unit 7 for the predeterminable and automatic adjustment of the first
tripping threshold
value and/or the first tripping time as a function of at least one control
parameter.
As a result, unnecessary disconnections of consumers 4 or partial networks 30
can be prevented
and high network availability can be achieved. In this way, the security level
in an electric
consumer network 2 can be controlled in a manner as required. As a result, a
high safety level,
and therefore low tripping thresholds and short tripping times, can be
maintained in the presence
of living beings worthy of protection such as especially humans and farm
animals, whereas in the
absence of such living beings worthy of protection only a low protective level
is maintained
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CA 02672264 2009-06-22
which is adjusted to the requirements for the protection of buildings and
assets, especially fire
protection, as a result of which failures of the electric consumer network can
be prevented as a
result of unnecessary network disconnections for the protection of living
beings worthy of
protection that are not present.
Installation arrangements 1 in accordance with the invention are provided for
the operation of
any kind of an electric consumer network 2. They are especially provided for
electric end
consumer networks 2 or building supply networks which are operated in Europe
at a voltage of
230V/400V for example. The short designation network 2 is used hereinafter for
the consumer
network 2. As a result of installation arrangements 1 in accordance with the
invention,
consumers 4 can be disconnected from the network 2 or entire partial networks
30, which are
therefore partial sections of a network 2. The partial network 30 is
designated as the partial
section of network 2 which can be deactivated by the first switch 3 and is
thus protected by the
first switch 3, as illustrated in Figs. 1 through 7. If not designated
otherwise, the statements made
below in connection with the disconnection of the first consumer 4 from the
network 2 can also
relate to the disconnection of a partial network 30 from network 2. This can
be especially
provided for the protection of first living beings as well as installations
from the effects of
electric current. Especially humans, pets and farm animals are designated as
so-called first or
protected living beings.
Installation arrangements 1 in accordance with the invention comprise at least
a first switch 3
which connects at least a first consumer 4 or a partial network 30 with the
network 2, or is
provided to disconnect the same from network 2. The first switch 3 may concern
any type of
switch 3 which is capable of switching the expected currents in the
disconnection of a consumer
4 from the network 2, such as also in the case of a short circuit. It can
especially be provided, and
as will be explained below in closer detail, that the first switch 3 is
arranged as a circuit breaker
13. At least one first tripping unit 6 is operatively connected with the first
switch 3 and the first
switch 3 comprises such a tripping unit 6, as a result of which the first
switch 3 can be switched
off in an automatically controlled way. The first tripping unit 6 can be
arranged as an
electromagnetic apparatus which deactivates the first switch 3 in an
electrically controlled way.
An installation arrangement 1 according to the invention further comprises at
least a first sensor
for detecting at least one first physical variable which is induced or can be
influenced by the
network 2 such as a voltage, a current, especially a residual current, and/or
a temperature. The
first sensor 5 is therefore especially arranged as a current sensor, summation
current transformer
and/or thermocouple. A pollution gas sensor can also be provided. It is
provided that the first
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CA 02672264 2009-06-22
measured variable determined by the sensor 5 is transmitted to the first
tripping unit 6. This can
be provided both in a wire-conducted or wireless manner such as by means of
light or radio, and
the first sensor 5 preferably comprises at least one sensor output 12,
especially an analogue
output and/or a digital output, and is arranged for transmitting the first
measured variable to the
first control and checking unit 7 and/or the first tripping unit 6. The first
tripping unit 6
comprises means in order to compare the measured value with a predeterminable
first tripping
threshold value and to deactivate the first switch 3 within a first tripping
time upon exceeding the
first tripping threshold value by the first measured variable and thus
disconnecting the consumer
4 from the network 2 or deactivating the partial network 30 per se. It is
especially preferably
provided for this purpose that the first tripping unit 6 comprises at least a
first comparator circuit
for comparing the first measured variable with the first tripping threshold
value, with the first
tripping threshold value being formed by a predeterminable voltage level. It
can also be provided
however that the first tripping unit 6 comprises at least one analytical unit
for analyzing the first
measured variable in the time range and/or in the image range, especially
comprising a
microprocessor, microcontroller and/or digital signal process, and with a
first tripping threshold
value and/or a first tripping time being provided for a first time and/or
image range, and a second
tripping threshold value and/or a second tripping time being provided for a
second time and/or
image range. The time progression of the first measured variable can be
considered, which
means whether the same rises or drops, or comprises a predeterminable third
tripping threshold
value over a predeterminable period of time. It can also be provided that the
first measured
variable is regarded as a frequency-dependent signal and is transformed from a
time range to an
image range, e.g. in the form of an FFT, a wavelet transformation or a Laplace
transformation,
through which the first measured variable can be analyzed further and, as
considered above,
different time and/or image ranges can be provided for different tripping
thresholds and tripping
times. It is thus known that the effect of electric current on humans is
strongly dependent upon
the frequency, and therefore for the protection of humans from injury by
electric current different
frequency ranges of a measured residual current are compared in the form of
the first measured
variable preferably with different threshold values.
As shown in Figs. 1 to 4, it can be provided that the first sensor 5, the
first tripping unit 6 and/or
the first switch 3 are arranged as separate elements and are arranged or
cooperate in a network.
This enables disconnecting the first switch 3 from the first sensor 5, and
therefore to record the
first measured variable in an area other than where the first switch 3 is
arranged. This may be
advantageous especially in the case of several sensors 5, which thus offers a
more
comprehensive picture of the actual physical conditions in the partial network
30 which can be
9
CA 02672264 2009-06-22
switched off by the first switch 3. It can also be provided that at least two
of the aforementioned
elements are arranged in a common housing and jointly use individual modules
for example,
such that externally only one interface is provided for example and a single
bus controller
divides the received data among the elements. It can be provided especially
preferably that the
first sensor 5, the first tripping unit 6 and the first switch 3 are arranged
integrally in the form of
a circuit breaker 13, especially a miniature circuit breaker, a residual-
current circuit breaker, a
differential-current circuit breaker, a combination circuit breaker and/or a
power circuit breaker,
thus realizing an especially simple and compact arrangement of the circuit.
It is provided in accordance with the invention that the electric installation
arrangement 1
comprises at least a first control and checking unit 7 for adjusting the first
tripping threshold
value and/or the first tripping time in a predeterminable and automatic manner
as a function of at
least one control parameter. The control and checking unit 7 can be used to
adjust the at least one
first tripping threshold value and the at least one first tripping time to the
local and temporary
conditions. The control and checking unit 7 can be provided for adjusting the
tripping threshold
values and tripping times of all tripping units 6 operatively connected with
said control and
checking unit 7. If not necessary for distinguishing purposes, merely the
first tripping threshold
value and the first tripping time will be used subsequently and consistently
to the claims, with
this not representing any limitation to merely one tripping threshold value,
one tripping time or
one tripping unit 6.
It is preferably provided that the first control and checking unit 7 comprises
at least one
switching logic, especially a microprocessor, and at least one output 8 and/or
at least one input 9,
especially a bus interface 27 and/or a radio interface 26, for communication
with the further
elements of the electric installation arrangement, with the output 8 or input
9 being arranged both
as a digital and/or analogue output or input, or any kind of a bus interface
27 can be provided. It
can be provided in an especially simple embodiment of the present invention
that the at least one
output 8 is arranged as an analogue output, at which directly the first
tripping threshold value is
output in form of an electric voltage, and that the output 8 is directly
connected to an input of a
comparator circuit associated with the first tripping unit 6. It can also be
provided that a digitally
encoded first tripping threshold value and/or a digitally encoded first
tripping time is sent to the
first tripping unit 6 by means of the output 8 and/or the bus interface and/or
the radio interface 27,
26, which especially offers the advantage of higher immunity from interference
as a result of
applicable source and/or channel encoding, and additionally allows the
simultaneous
CA 02672264 2009-06-22
transmission of several tripping threshold values and tripping times, which is
especially
advantageous in evaluating a first measured variable in the image range.
In the case of electric installation arrangements 1 which are arranged in an
especially simple way,
as are shown in Figs. 1 to 3 for example, it can preferably be provided that
the first control and
checking unit 7 controls the first tripping threshold and/or the first
tripping time depending on
time. This is especially advantageous in electric installation systems 1 which
are arranged in
areas which are subject to strict temporary access restrictions such as time-
controlled safe
systems or public buildings such as schools, subway areas or museums. It is
therefore provided
in such embodiments that the first control and checking unit 7 comprises at
least one clock,
especially a timer, for adjusting the first tripping threshold in a
predeterminable, automatic and
time-controlled way.
Fig. 1 shows a basic arrangement of an electric installation arrangement 1 in
accordance with the
invention, with the first sensor 5 being arranged as a residual-current sensor
for example. As in
all embodiments shown in Figs. 1 through 7, the first consumer 4 can be not
only an individual
first consumer 4. Rather, this can concern a predeterminable number of
consumers 4.
Furthermore, the at least one partial network 30 is protected by the electric
installation
arrangement 1 in accordance with the invention. Further consumers 4 can be
connected to the
partial network 30, especially by means of known plug-in connections. The
embodiment
according to Fig. 2 additionally comprises a second sensor 15 which is
arranged directly on the
first consumer 4 and records physical variables which are induced or
influenced directly by the
consumer network 2. This can be a temperature sensor in the area of the
connection terminals of
a consumer 4, especially a high-power consumer such as a furnace or a turning
lathe, because
lack of contact pressure in the area of the terminals leads to an excessive
heating of this area with
the concomitant likelihood of fires, so that additional monitoring of this
area will lead to a
further increase in security. Fig. 3 shows an embodiment which in addition to
the features of the
embodiment according to Fig. 2 provides a status report of the first switching
device 3 to the
control and checking unit 7 by means of a respective connection, with a first
switch-on device 14
which is controllable by the first control and checking unit 7 being
operatively connected with
the first switch 3, so that the first switching device 3 can also be switched
on again after being
switched off. A display 16 and an input apparatus 17 is additionally connected
with the control
and checking unit 7, so that direct control commands can be sent to the
control and checking unit
7, with said connection being provided both in a wire-bound as well as
wireless manner.
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CA 02672264 2009-06-22
Especially in areas which are frequented by humans and/or animals worth
protecting on an
irregular time basis it is advantageous when the electric installation system
I controls the first
tripping threshold value and/or the first tripping time depending on the
presence of first living
beings in a predeterminable first ambient environment about the first consumer
4 or the partial
network 30. This allows adjusting the first tripping threshold value and/or
the first tripping time
in a purposeful manner to humans or other living beings worth protecting who
are present, or
also in a purposeful manner to local conditions. It can thus be provided for
example that the first
tripping threshold value of a residual-current circuit breaker is purely
adjusted to installations or
the protection of buildings when the area to be protected is vacated, which
area may comprise a
room or a building but also only one consumer for example such as a single
machine or a furnace,
which in many cases is equal to fire protection. That is why it can be
provided in the cases as
described above that at a mains voltage of 230 V a first tripping threshold is
provided at a
residual current of IN = 300 mA. Said first tripping threshold value can be
set in the presence of
first living beings to IN = 30 mA or less for example if the first living
beings who are present are
children for example. This ensures full protection for first living beings
when they are present,
whereas installations are not switched off during their absence by unnecessary
false tripping,
thus causing long dead times with the concomitant costs.
For controlling or adjusting the first tripping threshold value or the first
tripping time by the
control and checking unit 7, it can therefore preferably be provided that it
comprises at least a
first means 10 for determining the presence of a first living being of a kind
that is
predeterminable, in a predeterminable first ambient environment about the
first consumer 4. Said
first ambient environment, as already explained above, can also extend to a
complete partial
network 30 which can supply or cover a room or a building, or can also relate
only to the direct
and close vicinity around a consumer 4. The at least first means 10 is further
arranged for
transmitting presence data to the first control and checking unit 7, with the
presence data being a
control parameter for adjusting the first tripping threshold value in a
predeterminable and
automatic way. The first means 10 therefore comprise at least one output or a
bus interface for
transmitting presence data to the control and checking unit 7.
The first means 10 for determining the presence of a first living being of a
predeterminable type
can be arranged as any kind of sensor which responds to the presence of a
first living being of a
predeterminable kind or indicates a reproducible change. It is preferably
provided that the first
means 10 is arranged as a camera 11, an infrared sensor, motion detector,
vibration sensor, light
barrier and/or microphone in order to determine the presence of a first living
being of a
12
CA 02672264 2009-06-22
predeterminable kind. As a result, at least the presence of a living being of
a predeterminable
kind can be detected in the first ambient environment, and accordingly the
tripping threshold
values and the tripping times can be adjusted by the control and checking unit
7 with respect to
the highest possible system availability or network availability in
conjunction with highest
possible protection for the first living beings. The first means 10 and/or the
control and checking
unit 7 can further be arranged in such a way that it recognizes automotive
and/or automatically
reacting machines such as robots that may be present in the first ambient
environment as such
and does not confuse them for first living beings. This can be performed for
example by special
analysis of the presence data or the data supplied by the first means 10, or
by a type of
transponder on the robots. Figs. 4 and 5 show simple embodiments of such
electric installation
arrangements 1, with the embodiment according to Fig. 4 comprising a first
means 10 in the form
of a camera 11, and in the embodiment according to Fig. 5, as already
described above, the first
tripping unit 6, the first switch 3 and the first sensor 5 are arranged
integrally as a circuit breaker
13. Fig. 6 shows a schematic view of an electric installation unit 1 with four
circuit breakers 13,
to each of which at least one consumer 4 is connected. As is shown, the entire
following partial
network 30 is protected by the circuit breaker 13.
By suitable choice of the first means 10 and evaluation of the data supplied
by the same, it is also
possible to perform a determination of individuals by the first means 10 or
the control and
checking unit 7. As a result, it is possible not only to detect a first living
being by recording the
footfall sound, but also whether respective comparative data have been stored.
It can thus be
detected for example whether a child approaches a dangerous consumer 4 such as
a stove 28 and
it is responded accordingly by lowering the tripping threshold values for this
consumer 4, 28. It
can generally be provided that the first tripping threshold value sent by the
first control and
checking unit 7 to the tripping unit 6 is lower upon detection of the first
living being in the first
ambient environment than in the case of an ambient environment which is free
from first living
beings, and/or that the first tripping time sent by the first control and
checking unit 7 to the
tripping unit 6 is lower upon detection of the first living being in the first
ambient environment
than in the case of a first ambient environment which is free from first
living beings. Therefore, a
first living being which moves through a building or an apartment as is shown
schematically in
Fig. 7 is enclosed by a type of invisible protective cloak which is linked to
the presence of the
living being in a room or close to a consumer 4. Fig. 7 shows a schematic view
of an apartment
with a hall 19, a living room 20, a kitchen 21, a children's room 22, a
bathroom 23 and a
bedroom 24, with each room or each space 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24 being
protected by a separate
circuit breaker 13. No consumer 4 is shown in the individual rooms 19, 20, 21,
22, 23, 24 apart
13
CA 02672264 2009-06-22
from kitchen 21, but they can be connected in the known manner to the
respective partial
network 30 and socket outlets (not shown). The stove 28 protected by means of
a separate circuit
breaker 13 is shown in kitchen 21. Each room 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24 further
comprises a first
means 10 for determining the presence of a living being of a predeterminable
kind in the room
19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24. In addition, a fire alarm box 18 such as a smoke
sensor is arranged in each
room 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24. All these components are connected by means of
bus systems 29
with the control and checking unit 7 which additionally comprises a radio
interface 26 and a
connection to the internet 25, thus enabling a remote control of the
installation arrangement 1 or
a remote status query of the same. It can also be provided to include an alarm
system in the
electric installation arrangement 1 or that the first means 10 for determining
the presence of a
living being of a predeterminable kind in the rooms 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
also send the presence
data to an alarm system.
It is provided in the operation of an electric installation arrangement 1 in
accordance with the
invention, comprising an electric consumer network 2 with at least a first
switch 3 for
disconnecting at least one first consumer and/or one partial network 30 from
the consumer
network 2, at least one first sensor 5 for detecting at least one first
physical variable which is
induced or can be influenced by the consumer network 2, and at least one first
tripping unit 6,
with the first switch 2 being switched off within a first tripping time by the
tripping unit upon
exceeding a predeterminable first tripping threshold value by a first measured
variable which is
proportional to the first value, and the consumer 4 and/or the partial network
40 is disconnected
from the consumer network 2, that the first tripping threshold value and/or
the first tripping time
are adjusted in a predeterminable and automatic manner as a function of at
least one control
parameter by at least a first control and checking unit 7.
In addition to the possibility to adjust the first tripping threshold value
and/or the first tripping
time in a predeterminable and automatic manner, it is especially provided that
the electric
installation arrangement 1 detects the presence of a first living being of a
predeterminable kind in
a predeterminable first ambient environment about the first consumer 4 or the
partial network 30,
therefore in one of the rooms 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24 according to Fig. 7, and
that the first tripping
threshold value and/or the first tripping time are adjusted depending on the
presence of the first
living being in the first ambient environment. It is especially provided that
upon detecting the
first living being in the first ambient environment a first tripping threshold
value and/or a first
tripping time is sent to the tripping unit 6 which is lower than in the case
of an ambient
environment which is free from the first living beings, such that the tripping
threshold values are
14
CA 02672264 2009-06-22
lower in the case of a presence of a first living being in the bathroom 23
than when no living
being is present in bathroom 23. It can be provided in this respect, if the
electric installation
arrangement 1 comprises the respective first means 10 in order to detect not
only the mere
presence of the first living being in an ambient environment but in addition
to determine the
living being from a predetermined quantity of known living beings, that in the
presence of
children for example lower tripping threshold values or tripping times are
predetermined by the
control and checking unit 7 than in the case of grown-ups who should have a
higher resistance
against the effect of electric current. Such an evaluation could also occur as
a result of the mass
of a first living being, such that in the case of living beings of lighter
weight lower tripping
threshold values or tripping times are applied than in the case of living
beings of higher weight.
Further embodiments in accordance with the invention comprise merely a part of
the described
features, with any combination of features being provided, especially also of
different described
embodiments.
