US 12,266,495 B2
Circuit breaker handle indication using opto-mechanical design
Chad R. Mittelstadt, Cedar Rapids, IA (US)
Assigned to Schneider Electric USA, Inc., Boston, MA (US)
Filed by Schneider Electric USA, Inc., Andover, MA (US)
Filed on May 5, 2023, as Appl. No. 18/143,936.
Application 18/143,936 is a division of application No. 17/130,179, filed on Dec. 22, 2020, granted, now 11,676,788.
Prior Publication US 2023/0274902 A1, Aug. 31, 2023
Int. Cl. H01H 71/04 (2006.01); H01H 71/52 (2006.01)
CPC H01H 71/04 (2013.01) [H01H 71/52 (2013.01); H01H 2071/042 (2013.01); H01H 2071/048 (2013.01)] 18 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A method of monitoring a status of a circuit breaker having a handle movable between different positions which correspond to different circuit breaker statuses, the handle including a handle body and a light control plate, the method comprising:
sensing, via an optical sensor, an amount of light from a light source passing through the light control plate which is movable with a handle of the circuit breaker, the light control plate having different light passage regions each of which is configured to be positioned between the light source and the optical sensor when the handle is moved to a corresponding one of the different handle positions, each of the different light passage regions being configured to allow a different amount of light emitted from the light source to pass to the optical sensor when positioned between the light source and the optical sensor; and
determining a status of the circuit breaker based on the sensed amount of light which relates to a position of the handle,
wherein the light control plate extends from the handle body, the circuit breaker further comprising:
an interior wall having first and second opposing sides and a guide channel extending through the opposing first and second sides, the light control plate having a portion extending through the guide channel from the first side of the wall facing the handle body and being movable along the guide channel with movement of the handle, the optical sensor and the light source being connected on opposite sides of the guide channel on the second side of the wall.