Patent Description:
The desired scope of protection of this disclosure is defined by a failure indicator according to claim <NUM>.

A conventional electrical capacitor bank may be protected and monitored by an unbalance relay which may provide an indication when a capacitor unit failure occurs in the bank. However, it may be relatively expensive to find out which of the many capacitor units in the bank have failed. For example, some conventional systems may implement current and/or voltage measurement devices and a data transmitter to collect and share the information with an operator. These conventional solutions may also require a power source. However, high voltage capacitors may be relatively inexpensive components with a long lifetime expectancy so customers have been sometimes reluctant to invest money to implement capacitor monitoring systems.

Document <CIT> discloses a fault detection system of a three phase capacitor bank and its protection equipment.

In certain embodiments of the disclosure, one or more systems and apparatus can provide an indication that a capacitor unit has experienced a failure. In at least one embodiment, a system can be provided. In some embodiments, the system may include one or more capacitor units comprising a first capacitor unit. In some embodiments, the system may also include a first failure indicator coupled to the first capacitor unit, the first failure indicator including a first magnetic element, the first failure indicator being configured to move from a first orientation to a second orientation based on a mechanical or electromagnetic impulse in the first capacitor unit resulting from a failure of the first capacitor unit, wherein the first magnetic element maintains the first failure indicator in the second orientation to indicate the failure of the first capacitor unit.

In some embodiments, the first failure indicator provides a visual indication of the failure of the first capacitor unit.

In some embodiments, the first failure indicator is held in the first orientation based on a magnetic force between the first magnetic element of the first failure indicator and the first capacitor unit. In some embodiments, the first failure indicator moving from the first orientation to the second orientation is further based on the mechanical or electromagnetic impulse overcoming the magnetic force between the first magnetic element of the failure indicator and the capacitor unit.

In some embodiments, the first failure indicator is further configured to be manually moved from the second orientation back to the first orientation.

In some embodiments, the first failure indicator comprises a horizontally or vertically-oriented elongated member, wherein the first magnetic element is affixed to a first end of the horizontally or vertically-oriented elongated member.

In some embodiments, the horizontally or vertically oriented elongated member further comprises a second end opposite to the first end, and is further configured to rotate about the second end, such that in the first orientation the first end is located above the second end and in the second orientation the first end is located below the second end.

In some embodiments, the first failure indicator is coupled to the first capacitor unit at a lid, a side, or a bottom of the capacitor unit.

In some embodiments, the system may also include a second capacitor unit including a second failure indicator, the second failure indicator remaining in a first orientation, wherein the second failure indicator remaining in the first orientation indicates that the second capacitor unit is operational.

In at least one embodiment, a failure indicator for a capacitor unit may be provided. In some embodiments, the failure indicator may include a first magnetic element, the failure indicator being configured to move from a first orientation to a second orientation based on a mechanical or electromagnetic impulse in the capacitor unit resulting from a failure of the capacitor unit, wherein the first magnetic element maintains the failure indicator in the second orientation to indicate the failure of the first capacitor unit.

In some embodiments, the failure indicator provides a visual indication of the failure of the capacitor unit.

In some embodiments, the failure indicator is held in the first orientation based on a magnetic force between the first magnetic element of the failure indicator and the capacitor unit.

In some embodiments, the failure indicator moving from the first orientation to the second orientation is further based on the mechanical impulse overcoming the magnetic force between the first magnetic element of the failure indicator and the capacitor unit.

In some embodiments, the failure indicator is further configured to be manually moved from the second orientation back to the first orientation.

In some embodiments, the failure indicator includes a horizontally or vertically-oriented elongated member, wherein the first magnetic element is affixed to a first end of the vertically-oriented elongated member.

In some embodiments, the failure indicator is coupled to the capacitor unit at a lid, a side, or a bottom of the capacitor unit.

In some embodiments, the failure indicator includes a second capacitor unit including a second failure indicator, the second failure indicator remaining in a first orientation, wherein the second failure indicator remaining in the first orientation indicates that the second capacitor unit is operational.

In at least one embodiment, a system may be provided. In some embodiments, the system includes one or more capacitor units comprising a first capacitor unit. In some embodiments, the system includes a first failure indicator coupled to the first capacitor unit, the first failure indicator including a first magnetic element, the first failure indicator comprising a horizontally or vertically-oriented elongated member, wherein the first magnetic element is affixed to a first end of the horizontally or vertically-oriented elongated member, wherein the vertically oriented elongated member further comprises a second end opposite to the first end, and is further configured to rotate about the second end, such that in a first orientation the first end is located above the second end and in a second orientation the first end is located below the second end, wherein the first failure indicator is configured to move from a first orientation to a second orientation based on a mechanical or electromagnetic impulse overcoming a magnetic force between the first magnetic element of the first failure indicator and the first capacitor unit in the first capacitor unit, wherein the mechanical impulse results from a failure of the first capacitor unit, and wherein the first magnetic element maintains the first failure indicator in the second orientation to indicate the failure of the first capacitor unit.

Additional systems, methods, apparatus, features, and aspects can be realized through the techniques of various embodiments of the disclosure. Other embodiments and aspects of the disclosure are described in detail herein.

Other features can be understood and will become apparent with reference to the description and to the drawings.

Embodiments of the disclosure are described more fully below with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which example embodiments of the disclosure are shown. This disclosure may, however, be embodied in many different forms and should not be construed as limited to the example embodiments set forth herein; rather, these embodiments are provided so that this disclosure will be thorough and complete, and will fully convey the scope of the disclosure to those skilled in the art. Like numbers refer to like, but not necessarily the same or identical, elements throughout.

The following embodiments are described in sufficient detail to enable at least those skilled in the art to understand and use the disclosure. It is to be understood that other embodiments would be evident based on the present disclosure and that process, mechanical, material, dimensional, process equipment, and parametric changes may be made without departing from the scope of the present disclosure.

In the following description, numerous specific details are given to provide a thorough understanding of various embodiments of the disclosure. However, it will be apparent that the disclosure may be practiced without these specific details. In order to avoid obscuring the present disclosure, some well-known system configurations and process steps may not be disclosed in full detail. Likewise, the drawings showing embodiments of the disclosure are semi-diagrammatic and not to scale and, particularly, some of the dimensions are for the clarity of presentation and may be exaggerated in the drawings. In addition, where multiple embodiments are disclosed and described as having some features in common, for clarity and ease of illustration, description, and comprehension thereof, similar and like features will ordinarily be described with like reference numerals even if the features are not identical.

In some embodiments, systems, methods, apparatus, and the like can provide an indication that a capacitor unit has experienced a failure. The failure may be a breakdown of capacitor element insulation leading to a short circuit and discharge of capacitor elements. In some embodiments, such a capacitor unit may be a single capacitor unit of a group of capacitor units that may form a collective capacitor bank. Each of the capacitor units may have their own associated indicators (hereinafter referred to as "failure indicator"), and each failure indicator may be a physical element attached to the capacitor unit. This may allow an operator to visually inspect the failure indicators on the capacitor units of the capacitor bank to determine which of the capacitor units have experienced a failure. The failure indicators may be attached to any number of portions of the capacitor unit, such as a lid or a bottom of the capacitor unit (or any other location).

In some embodiments, the failure indicator may provide an indication that a capacitor unit has experienced a failure through the use of multiple physical orientations, where one or more orientations may indicate a failure has not occurred and one or more orientations may indicate that a failure has occurred. For example, the failure indicator being in a first orientation may indicate that a failure has not occurred and the failure indicator being in a second orientation may indicate that a failure has occurred. The failure indicator may transition from the first orientation to the second orientation based on a vibration in the capacitor unit caused by pressure impulse that results upon an internal failure of the capacitor unit. For example, the impulse may be a mechanical or electromagnetic impulse. This vibration may impact the failure indicator and cause it to transition from the first orientation to the second orientation. Examples of various embodiments of such failure indicators may be provided below with respect to the description of the figures. In some instances, to ensure that the failure indicator remains in the first orientation until the failure of the capacitor unit, the failure indicator may include one or more magnetic elements with magnetic forces strong enough to keep the failure indicator attached to the capacitor unit in the first orientation, but also weak enough such that the vibration from the capacitor unit may overcome the magnetic force and allow the failure indicator to transition into the second orientation. As mentioned above, this may allow an operator to visually locate the failed capacitor units when standing next to the capacitor bank. The operator may still use existing local or remote monitoring systems to identify that a problem exists in the capacitor bank, and the use of the failure indicators may reduce operator time in identifying the specific capacitor units that have experienced a failure while visually inspecting the capacitor units themselves. Additionally, the failure indicator as described above may be mechanical without any power source or electronics.

One technical effect and/or solution of certain embodiments of the disclosure can include visually indicating one or more apparent capacitor failures within a bank or group of multiple capacitors. Further, another technical effect and/or solution of certain embodiments of the disclosure can include providing a relatively inexpensive indicator of one or more apparent capacitor failures within a bank or group of multiple capacitors, wherein the indicator is relatively cost effective to install, maintain, and/or reset when needed. Moreover, another technical effect and/or solution of certain embodiments of the disclosure can include improving reliability and efficiency.

With reference to the figures, <FIG> may show an example embodiment of a failure indicator <NUM> as described herein. <FIG> may show the failure indicator <NUM> in a first orientation, where the failure indicator <NUM> being in a first orientation provides an indication that a capacitor unit (not shown in the drawing) to which the failure indicator <NUM> is coupled has not experienced a failure. The failure may be a breakdown of capacitor element insulation leading to a short circuit and discharge of capacitor elements. As shown in <FIG>, the failure indicator <NUM> may include a magnetic element <NUM> and an elongated member <NUM>. In some embodiments, the magnetic element may be affixed to a first end <NUM> of the elongated member <NUM>, and in some cases the first end <NUM> may be located at the upper end of the elongated member <NUM>. The magnetic element <NUM> may be affixed to a side of the elongated member <NUM> that faces the capacitor unit <NUM>, such that the magnetic element <NUM> is located between the elongated member <NUM> and the capacitor unit <NUM>. This configuration may allow for the magnetic element to hold the failure indicator <NUM> in the first orientation through a magnetic force between the magnetic element <NUM> and the capacitor unit <NUM>. The failure indicator <NUM> may also be configured such that a second end <NUM> of the elongated member <NUM> is moveably attached to a fixed portion <NUM> of the failure indicator <NUM>. In some instances, the second end <NUM> of the elongated member <NUM> may be located at a bottom end of the elongated member <NUM>. Additionally, the second end <NUM> elongated member <NUM> may be moveably attached to the fixed portion <NUM> of the failure indicator <NUM> in the sense that the second end <NUM> may be adjustable as to allow the elongated member <NUM> to move from the first orientation to a second orientation (for example, a second orientation as depicted in <FIG> described below). The failure indicator <NUM> being in the second orientation may provide an indication that a failure has occurred in the capacitor unit <NUM>. In some embodiments, this movability may involve the second end <NUM> being configured to rotate about an imaginary axis <NUM> through the second end <NUM> as depicted in <FIG>. For example, as depicted in the figure, the fixed portion <NUM> of the failure indicator <NUM> may contain two holes <NUM> for receiving extruding portions of the second end <NUM> of the elongated member <NUM>. The imaginary axis <NUM> may pass through the extruding portions of the second end <NUM> and through the holes <NUM>, such that the elongated member <NUM> may rotate about the second end <NUM>.

In some embodiments, as mentioned above, upon a failure of the capacitor unit, the failure indicator <NUM> may move from a first orientation to a second orientation. <FIG> may show an example of a failure indicator <NUM> being in the second orientation. That is, the failure indicator in <FIG> may be the same or similar to the failure indicator <NUM> shown in <FIG>, with the failure indicator <NUM> in <FIG> being in the first orientation, which may indicate no failure in the capacitor unit <NUM> and the failure indicator <NUM> in <FIG> being in the second orientation, which may indicate that a failure has occurred in the capacitor unit <NUM>. In some embodiments, the failure indicator <NUM> may move to from the first orientation to the second orientation based on an impulse that may occur during failure of the capacitor unit <NUM>. The impulse may be, for example, an electromagnetic or mechanical impulse, but may also include any other type of impulse. The impulse may cause the failure indicator <NUM> to move from the first orientation to the second orientation by overcoming the magnetic force between the magnetic element <NUM> of the failure indicator <NUM> and the capacitor unit <NUM>. That is, the force of the impulse may be greater than the magnetic force, causing the magnet, and correspondingly, the elongated member <NUM> of the failure indicator <NUM> to move away from the capacitor unit. As the force of the impulse pushes the elongated member <NUM> away from the capacitor unit, the elongated member <NUM> may rotate about the imaginary axis <NUM> through the second end <NUM>, causing the elongated member <NUM> to fall into the second orientation. The elongated member <NUM> (and correspondingly the failure indicator <NUM>) being in the second orientation may provide a visual indicator to an operator that a failure has occurred on the capacitor unit <NUM> associated with the failure indicator <NUM> that is in the second orientation. The operator may then address the capacitor unit <NUM> and manually place the failure indicator <NUM> back in the first orientation to indicate that the capacitor unit <NUM> is no longer experiencing a failure.

<FIG> shows an example capacitor bank <NUM> including one or more capacitor units <NUM> (for example, capacitor unit <NUM>, capacitor unit <NUM>, capacitor unit <NUM>, and capacitor unit <NUM>). Although the capacitor bank <NUM> only shows four capacitor units, the capacitor bank <NUM> may include any number of capacitor units <NUM>. Each of the capacitor units <NUM> in the capacitor bank <NUM> may include an associated failure indicator <NUM> (for example, failure indicator <NUM>, failure indicator <NUM>, failure indicator <NUM>, and failure indicator <NUM>). That is, capacitor unit <NUM> may be associated with failure indicator <NUM>, capacitor unit <NUM> may be associated with failure indicator <NUM>, capacitor unit <NUM> may be associated with failure indicator <NUM>, and capacitor unit <NUM> may be associated with failure indicator <NUM>. In some instances, each capacitor unit <NUM> may be associated with any other number of failure indicators <NUM> as well, and capacitor units <NUM> may also share failure indicators <NUM>. The failure indicators <NUM> may be located on any portion of the capacitor unit <NUM>, such as a lid <NUM> or bottom <NUM> of the capacitor unit <NUM> (as well as any other location). The failure indicators <NUM> may be the same as the failure indicator <NUM> as described above with respect to <FIG>, as well as any other failure indicator described herein.

In some embodiments, each of the failure indicators <NUM> (for example, failure indicator <NUM>, failure indicator <NUM>, failure indicator <NUM>, and failure indicator <NUM>) may provide a visual indication as to whether the capacitor unit <NUM> associated with the failure indicator <NUM> has experienced a failure. As illustrated in <FIG>, failure indicator <NUM>, failure indicator <NUM>, and failure indicator <NUM> may be in a first orientation as described above with respect to <FIG>. These failure indicators being in the first orientation may provide a visual indication that capacitor units <NUM>, <NUM>, and <NUM> associated with failure indicators <NUM>, <NUM>, and <NUM> respectively, have not experienced a failure. Additionally, failure indicator <NUM> may be in a second orientation as described above with respect to <FIG>. The failure indicator <NUM> being in the second orientation may provide a visual indication that the capacitor unit <NUM> associated with failure indicator <NUM> may have experienced a failure. An operator may be able to visually inspect the capacitor bank <NUM> and see that the failure indicator <NUM> is in the second orientation. This may allow the operation to quickly discern which capacitor units <NUM> of the capacitor bank <NUM> have experienced a failure. As mentioned above, the operator may subsequently move the failure indicator <NUM> back to the first orientation when the failure of the capacitor unit <NUM> is addressed.

<FIG> may show an example embodiment of a failure indicator <NUM> in a first orientation. The first orientation of the failure indicator <NUM> may be similar to the first orientation of the failure indicator <NUM> in that failure indicator <NUM> being in the first orientation may provide a visual indication that a capacitor unit <NUM> onto which the failure indicator <NUM> is attached has not experienced a failure. The failure indicator <NUM> may be an alternate embodiment to the failure indicator of <FIG> or any of the other failure indicators described herein. The failure indicator <NUM> may function similarly to the failure indicator <NUM>. For example, the failure indicator <NUM> may include a magnetic element <NUM> and an elongated member <NUM>, or any other elements of the failure indicator <NUM> as described above. The failure indicator <NUM> may differ from the failure indicator <NUM> in that the failure indicator <NUM> may include an extruding element <NUM> that extrudes from the elongated member <NUM>. The extruding element <NUM> may serve to better assist an operator in visually identifying which orientation (for example, the first orientation or the second orientation) the failure indicator <NUM> is currently in. Although <FIG> depict the extruding element <NUM> as being triangular in shape, it may also be any other shape. Additionally, the failure indicator <NUM> may differ from the failure indicator <NUM> through the manner in which a second end <NUM> of the elongated member <NUM> is moveably attached to a fixed portion <NUM> of the failure indicator <NUM>. For example, a portion of the second end <NUM> may protrude through a hole <NUM> in the fixed portion <NUM> of the failure indicator <NUM>. This configuration may allow the elongated member <NUM>, and consequentially the failure indicator <NUM>, to rotate about an imaginary axis through the hole <NUM>.

<FIG> may show an example embodiment of the failure indicator <NUM> in a second orientation. As with the failure indicator <NUM>, the failure indicator <NUM> being in the second orientation may provide a visual indicator that a failure has occurred at the capacitor unit <NUM>. The failure indicator <NUM> may move from the first orientation to the second orientation in a similar manner as the failure indicator <NUM>. That is, the failure indicator <NUM> may move to from the first orientation to the second orientation based on an impulse that may occur during failure of the capacitor unit <NUM>. The impulse may be, for example, an electromagnetic or mechanical impulse. The impulse may cause the failure indicator <NUM> to move from the first orientation to the second orientation by overcoming the magnetic force between the magnetic element <NUM> of the failure indicator <NUM> and the capacitor unit <NUM>. That is, the force of the impulse may be greater than the magnetic force, causing the magnet, and correspondingly, the elongated member <NUM> of the failure indicator <NUM> to move away from the capacitor unit. As the force of the impulse pushes the elongated member <NUM> away from the capacitor unit, the elongated member <NUM> may rotate about an imaginary axis through the second end <NUM>, causing the elongated member <NUM> to fall into the second orientation.

<FIG> may show another example embodiment of the failure indicator <NUM> in the second orientation. As shown in <FIG>, the failure indicator <NUM> may include one or more holes <NUM> on the elongated member <NUM> that may be used to house the magnetic element <NUM>. That is, the location of the magnetic element <NUM> may not be limited to just a first end <NUM> of the elongated member <NUM>. This may similarly apply to any of the other failure indicators described herein (that is, the location of any of the magnetic elements may not be limited). Additionally, <FIG> may depict that other elements of the failure indicator <NUM> may not necessarily be limited to the embodiments shown in <FIG>. For example, the second end <NUM> of the elongated member <NUM> may be moveably attached to the fixed portion <NUM> of the failure indicator <NUM> through two holes (for example, a first hole <NUM> and a second hole not shown in the figure). In this manner, the failure indicator <NUM>, as well as any of the other failure indicators described herein) may be configured in any number of different ways that may allow the failure indicator <NUM> to move from the first orientation to the second orientation, and may not be limited to the exact structural descriptions provided herein.

<FIG> may show an example embodiment of a failure indicator <NUM> in a first orientation. The failure indicator <NUM> depicts in <FIG>, as well as <FIG> described below, may include some similarities to the other failure indicators described herein. For example, failure indicator <NUM> may include a magnetic element <NUM> and an elongated member <NUM>, where position of the elongated member <NUM> may be used by an operator to discern whether a capacitor unit <NUM> that the failure indicator <NUM> is attached to has experienced a failure. The failure indicator <NUM> may differ from other failure indicators described herein as well. For example, the failure indicator <NUM> may include a housing <NUM> and a spring <NUM>. In some embodiments, the housing <NUM> may be a structural element that physically surrounds the magnetic element <NUM>, the elongated member <NUM>, and/or the spring <NUM>. The housing <NUM> may be cylindrical in shape with an opening in the middle to house the aforementioned failure indicator <NUM> elements, but may also alternatively be any other shape. The housing <NUM> as depicted in <FIG> may be transparent, but may also be nontransparent. The housing <NUM> may also conform to the shape of the magnetic element <NUM> such that the magnetic element may be fixed to a particular path within the housing <NUM>.

<FIG> may show an example embodiment of a failure indicator <NUM> in a second orientation. As with any of the other failure indicators described herein, the failure indicator <NUM> being in the second orientation may provide a visual indication to an operator that a failure has occurred at the capacitor unit <NUM> (that is, the capacitor unit associated with the failure indicator <NUM>). In the particular embodiment depicted in <FIG> (as well as <FIG>), the second orientation may involve the elongated member <NUM> protruding outwards from the housing <NUM> such that the elongated member <NUM> is visible outside of the housing <NUM>. In the first orientation, for example, the elongated member <NUM> may either be fully contained within the housing <NUM> or may extrude from the housing <NUM>, but may extrude less than when the failure indicator <NUM> is in the second orientation as shown in <FIG>.

In some embodiments, the movement of the failure indicator <NUM> from the first orientation to the second orientation may be similar to other failure indicators described herein, but may differ in some regards. For example, the failure indicator <NUM> may move to from the first orientation to the second orientation based on an impulse that may occur during failure of the capacitor unit <NUM>. The impulse may be, for example, an electromagnetic or mechanical impulse. The impulse may cause the failure indicator <NUM> to move from the first orientation to the second orientation by overcoming the magnetic force between the magnetic element <NUM> of the failure indicator <NUM> and the capacitor unit <NUM>. That is, the force of the impulse may be greater than the magnetic force, causing the magnet, and correspondingly, the elongated member <NUM> of the failure indicator <NUM> to move away from the capacitor unit. However, as depicted in <FIG>, instead of the failure indicator <NUM> moving to the second orientation through a rotation of the elongated member <NUM> (for example, as described with respect to failure indicator <NUM> and failure indicator <NUM>), the magnetic element <NUM> (and the elongated member <NUM>) may translate through the housing <NUM> to the second orientation. That is, the first orientation may involve the magnetic element <NUM> being at a first end <NUM> of the housing <NUM> where the capacitor unit <NUM> is located, and the second orientation may involve the magnetic element <NUM> being at or proximal to a second end <NUM> of the housing <NUM> that may be on an opposite end of the housing <NUM> from the first end <NUM>. Additionally, the magnetic element <NUM> may be held at the second orientation through the spring <NUM>. That is, in the first orientation the spring <NUM> may be exerting little to no force on the magnetic element <NUM>, but in the second orientation the spring <NUM> may be exerting a force on the magnetic element in a direction away from the capacitor unit <NUM>. That is, in the first orientation the spring <NUM> may be exerting little to no force on the magnetic element <NUM>, but in the second orientation the spring <NUM> may be exerting a force on the magnetic element in a direction away from the capacitor unit <NUM>. This may allow the failure indicator <NUM> to remain in the second orientation until an operator is able to visually identify the failure indicator <NUM> and manually reset the failure indicator <NUM> back to the first orientation.

<FIG> may show an example embodiment of a failure indicator <NUM> in a first orientation. The failure indicator <NUM> depicted in <FIG>, as well as <FIG> described below, may include some similarities to the other failure indicators described herein. For example, failure indicator <NUM> may include a magnetic element <NUM> and an elongated member <NUM>. The failure indicator <NUM> may differ from other failure indicators described herein as well. For example, the elongated member <NUM> of the failure indicator <NUM> may also completely encompass the magnetic element <NUM>. The elongated member <NUM> may also be transparent so that the magnetic element <NUM> may be visible inside the elongated member <NUM>. In the first orientation, the magnetic element of the failure indicator may be attached to a first end <NUM> of the capacitor unit <NUM> to which the failure indicator <NUM> is attached. As may be the case with the other failure indicators described herein, the magnetic element <NUM> may be attached at the first end <NUM> through an electromagnetic force.

<FIG> may show an example embodiment of a failure indicator <NUM> in a second orientation. As with any of the other failure indicators described herein, the failure indicator <NUM> being in the second orientation may provide a visual indication to an operator that a failure has occurred at the capacitor unit <NUM> (that is, the capacitor unit associated with the failure indicator <NUM>). In the particular embodiment depicted in <FIG> (as well as <FIG>), the second orientation may involve the magnetic element <NUM> being at a different location that the first end <NUM> of the elongated member <NUM>. For example, the elongated member <NUM> may be fixed, and the magnetic element <NUM> may simply detach from the first end <NUM> of the elongated member <NUM> and fall to a second end <NUM> of the elongated member <NUM>. An operator may be able to visually inspect the failure indicator <NUM> and see the magnetic element <NUM> at the second end <NUM> of the elongated member to discern that a failure has occurred at the capacitor unit <NUM>. The operator may then be able to move the magnetic element <NUM> from the second end <NUM> to the first end <NUM> using a magnet to draw the magnetic element <NUM> through the elongated member <NUM>.

<FIG> may show an example embodiment of a failure indicator <NUM> in a first orientation. The failure indicator <NUM> depicted in <FIG>, as well as <FIG> described below, may include some similarities to the other failure indicators described herein. For example, failure indicator <NUM> may include a magnetic element <NUM> and an elongated member <NUM>. The magnetic element <NUM> may be affixed to a first end <NUM> of the elongated member <NUM>, and in some cases the first end <NUM> may be located at the top end of the elongated member <NUM>. The magnetic element <NUM> may hold the failure indicator <NUM> in the first orientation through a magnetic force between the magnetic element <NUM> and the capacitor unit <NUM>. The failure indicator <NUM> may differ from other failure indicators described herein as well. For example, the elongated member <NUM> may be made of a relatively flexible material, such as silicone, rubber, etc. Additionally, a second end <NUM> of the elongated member <NUM> may be affixed to the capacitor unit <NUM>, such that it may not be moveable as is the case in other failure indicators <NUM> described herein.

<FIG> may show an example embodiment of a failure indicator <NUM> in a second orientation. As may be the case with any of the other failure indicators described herein, the failure indicator <NUM> being in the second orientation may provide a visual indication that the capacitor unit <NUM> to which the failure indicator <NUM> is attached may have experienced a failure. In some embodiments, the failure indicator <NUM> may move to from the first orientation to the second orientation based on an impulse that may occur during failure of the capacitor unit <NUM>. The impulse may be, for example, an electomagnetic or mechanical impulse. The impulse may cause the failure indicator <NUM> to move from the first orientation to the second orientation by overcoming the magnetic force between the magnetic element <NUM> of the failure indicator <NUM> and the capacitor unit <NUM>. That is, the force of the impulse may be greater than the magnetic force, causing the magnetic element <NUM>, and correspondingly, the elongated member <NUM> of the failure indicator <NUM> to move away from the capacitor unit <NUM>. In some instances, due to the flexible nature of the elongated member <NUM>, the impulse may cause the first end <NUM> of the elongated member <NUM> at which the magnetic element <NUM> is located to fall away from the capacitor unit <NUM>, which may effectively cause the elongated member <NUM> to bend in the manner depicted in <FIG>. The elongated member <NUM> being in this second orientation in which it is bent as depicted may provide the visual indication to the operator that a failure has occurred at the capacitor unit <NUM>. The operator may then move the first end <NUM> of the elongated member <NUM> back to the first position in which the magnetic element <NUM> is magnetically attached to the capacitor unit <NUM>.

Claim 1:
A failure indicator (<NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>) for a capacitor unit (<NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>) comprising:
a first magnetic element (<NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>), the failure indicator (<NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>) being configured to move from a first orientation to a second orientation based on a mechanical or electromagnetic impulse in the capacitor unit resulting from a failure of the capacitor unit (<NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>), wherein the failure indicator (<NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>) being in the second orientation to indicate the failure of the first capacitor unit (<NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>), characterized in that the failure indicator comprises a horizontally or vertically-oriented elongated member (<NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>), wherein the first magnetic element (<NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>) is affixed to a first end (<NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>) of the vertically-oriented elongated member (<NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>), wherein the horizontally or vertically oriented elongated member (<NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>) further comprises a second end (<NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>) opposite to the first end (<NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>), and is further configured to rotate about the second end (<NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>), such that in the first orientation the first end (<NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>) is located above the second end (<NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>) and in the second orientation the first end (<NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>) is located below the second end (<NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>).