Square D Company

Andy A Haun

Robert F Dvorak

Kon B Wong

Gary W Scott

Brian Grattan

Brett E Larson

Earl J Tessmer

William Weizhong Chen

Ronald L Farrington

Dennis William Fleege

Henry J Zylstra

David Joseph Dunne

Gary Allan Volesky

Leon W Durivage, Iii

James Arthur Heise

Kevin James Green

Alan G Coats

Jerry R Baack

Larry James Serbousek

George D Gregory

William Rezac

Manzoor Ali

Colin Cornhill

An arcing fault protection assembly in an electrical outlet, and a corresponding method determine whether arcing is present in an electrical device connected to the outlet. The assembly comprises a sensor, a broadband noise circuit, a controller and s an electrical device. The sensor detects a current and develops a corresponding sensor signal. The broadband noise circuit determines the presence of broadband noise in the sensor signal and produces a corresponding output signal. The controller processes the sensor signal and the output signal in a predetermined fashion to determine whether an arcing fault is present. The sensor, the broadband noise circuit and the controller are mounted to the outlet receptacle or to an outlet box which houses the receptacle. The electrical device is connected in parallel to the first electrical outlet on the load side of the sensor.

Arc fault receptacle with a feed-through connection

An arcing fault protection assembly in an electrical device, and corresponding methods determine whether arcing is present in the device. The assembly comprises a sensor, a broadband noise circuit, and a controller. The sensor detects a current and develops a corresponding sensor signal. The broadband noise circuit determines the presence of broadband noise in the sensor signal and produces a corresponding output signal. The controller processes the sensor signal and the output signal in a predetermined fashion to determine whether an arcing fault is present. The sensor, broadband noise circuit, and controller are mounted to the device.

Arc fault protected device

An arcing fault protection assembly and a corresponding method determine whether arcing is present in electrical circuits. The assembly powers-up quickly without dissipating excessive heat while power is being supplied to the assembly. The assembly comprises a sensor, a broadband noise circuit, a controller, and a dual-mode power supply. The sensor detects a current flowing in an electrical circuit and develops a corresponding sensor signal. The broadband noise circuit determines the presence of broadband noise in the sensor signal and produces a corresponding output signal. The controller processes the sensor signal and the output signal in a predetermined fashion to determine whether an arcing fault is present in the circuit. The dual-mode power supply supplies power to the sensor, broadband noise circuit and controller using a first mode and later switching to a second mode. The first mode reaches steady state faster than the second mode.

Electrical fault detection circuit with dual-mode power supply

A system for determining whether arcing is present in an electrical circuit includes a sensor for monitoring a current waveform in the electrical circuit, and an arc fault detection circuit which determines whether an arc fault is present in response to the sensor. The arc fault detection circuit includes a controller which produces a trip signal in response to a determination that an arcing fault is present in the electrical circuit, and an inhibit/blocking function for preventing the production of the trip signal under one or more predetermined conditions.

Blocking/inhibiting operation in an arc fault detection system

An arc fault circuit interrupter system for use with an electrical circuit includes an arcing fault detector which monitors the electrical circuit and a controller which generates a trip signal in response to the detection of arcing faults. The controller may also generate one or more communication signals corresponding to information relating to the operation of the arcing fault circuit interrupter. The system may also include one or more of the following: a communication port which communicates to a user the information relating to operation of the arc fault circuit interrupter in response to the communication signals; a memory for retaining predetermined information related to the condition and operation of the arcing fault circuit interrupter, with or without a backup memory; and a combined self-test/reset switch.

Test, reset and communications operations in an ARC fault circuit interrupter with optional memory and/or backup power

A system for producing a simulated ground fault when arcing is present in an electrical circuit includes a sensor which monitors the electrical circuit. An arcing fault detection circuit determines whether an arcing fault is present in response to the sensor and produces a trip signal in response to a determination that an arcing fault is present in the electrical circuit. A ground fault simulator circuit produces a simulated ground fault in response to the trip signal.

Arc fault circuit interrupter

An arcing fault protection assembly in an electrical outlet, and a corresponding method determine whether arcing is present in circuits connected to the outlet. The assembly comprises a sensor, a broadband noise circuit, and a controller. The sensor detects a current and develops a corresponding sensor signal. The broadband noise circuit determines the presence of broadband noise in the sensor signal and produces a corresponding output signal. The controller processes the sensor signal and the output signal in a predetermined fashion to determine whether an arcing fault is present. The sensor, broadband noise circuit, and controller are mounted to the outlet receptacle or to an outlet box which houses the receptacle.

Arc fault protected electrical receptacle

A zone selective interlocking system for electronic trip circuit breakers includes a plurality of downstream terminals, each downstream terminal connecting with at least one of a plurality of downstream electronic trip circuit breakers having input terminals. A restraint input circuit module, including a voltage comparator, is connected to the input terminals of each of the downstream electronic trip circuit breakers and the input terminals are shorted together providing a self-restraint signal for each downstream electronic trip circuit breaker at the occurrence of a downstream fault condition. The system also includes a plurality of upstream terminals, each upstream terminal connecting with at least one of a plurality of upstream electronic trip circuit breakers having input terminals. The restraint input circuit module is connected to the input terminals of each of the upstream electronic trip circuit breakers for receiving a signal indicative of the downstream fault condition and wherein the restraint input circuit module is self-sourcing. An output circuit module including an opto-isolator is connected to each of the upstream electronic trip circuit breakers and each of the downstream electronic trip circuit breakers for providing galvanic isolation between circuit breakers in a restrained mode and circuit breakers in an unrestrained mode.

Self-sourcing, isolated zone selective interlocking system for use with electronic trip circuit breakers

An arc fault detector system detects arcing faults in an electrical distribution system by monitoring one or more conductors and producing an input signal representing one or more electrical signal conditions in the circuit to be monitored. This input signal is processed to develop signals representing the electrical current flow through the monitored circuit and broadband noise signal components. The system analyzes these signals to determine whether an arcing fault is present, and if so, outputs a trip signal which may be used directly or indirectly to trip a circuit breaker or other circuit interruption device.

Arc fault detection system

A circuit protection apparatus employs a PTC element for overload and/or short circuit protection and an arcing fault interruption arrangement. The circuit protection apparatus may be employed in a ground fault receptacle for interrupting the flow of electrical current in a line in response to any of a plurality of different types of fault conditions on the line. The circuit protection apparatus may include a set of contacts connected in series with the line, and having an open position and a closed position, a trip device coupled to the contacts, adapted to be actuated by a trip signal, to move the contacts from the closed position to the open position and an element having a positive temperature coefficient of resistivity (PTC) connected in series with the contacts. The PTC element is connected to the trip device to provide the trip signal to the device in response to overload or short circuit conditions in the line. A switching element is operatively coupled with the trip device for providing the trip signal to said device in response to an actuating signal. An arcing fault circuit is adapted for detecting an arcing fault in the line and producing the actuating signal when the arcing fault is detected.

Circuit interrupter with arcing fault protection and PTC (positive

A circuit breaker for interrupting electrical current flowing through a line conductor to a load terminal in response to the detection of a current overload, ground fault and/or arcing fault. The circuit breaker has a trip circuit to generate a trip signal, a releasably latchable trip lever, and a latching mechanism. The trip lever is moveable between a latched position and a tripped position. In the latched position, the trip lever engages the latching mechanism and the electrical current flows through said circuit breaker. When a fault is detected by the trip circuit, a trip signal is send to the latching mechanism. Upon receiving the trip signal, the latching mechanism disengages the trip lever allowing the trip lever to slide into the tripped position and interrupting the current flow through the circuit breaker.

Electronically controlled circuit breaker with integrated latch tripping

A current sensor has a closed loop magnetic hoop with a gap and a central aperture for receiving a conductor. An IC chip incorporating a Giant MagnetiResistive (GMR) sensor is positioned in the gap to provide a measure of the current in the conductor. A relatively small current transformer provides the necessary information about the direction of the current to an electronic trip unit for a circuit breaker as well as power supply for the IC chip and the trip unit. The trip unit operates in the presence of AC and DC faults. In a three phase power system, a single GMR chip in the proximity of three closely spaced phase conductors, together with a current measurement from the neutral line, enables trip units to operate on the occurrence of AC and DC faults.

Electronic trip circuit breaker with CMR current sensor

A Positive Temperature Coefficient Resistivity (PTC) element has a resistivity that increases as the temperature increases. Circuit breakers having PTC elements can achieve better overload and short circuit protection than existing products. Breakers with PTC elements can also be combined with ground fault detection circuits to activate the circuit breaker under ground fault conditions that are less severe than the overcurrent conditions that would normally activate the circuit breaker. A shunt trip assembly incorporating a PTC resistor reduces the required power rating of the clearing switch.

Circuit breakers with PTC (Positive Temperature Coefficient resistivity

The present invention provides a circuit breaker control arrangement that is reliable, accurate and cost-effective to manufacture, install and maintain. This circuit breaker arrangement also provides increased modularity by alleviating the need for installing wires to connect each circuit breaker with the control station. The present invention uses circuit breakers that contain internal control technology for interrupting and establishing an associated current path. At least one coded signal designates each circuit breaker, and a communication bus carries these coded signals to each circuit breaker. Decoding technology located on each circuit breaker determines whether the coded signal corresponds to that circuit breaker. If the coded signal does correspond to that circuit breaker, then the decoding technology responds by sending the appropriate response signal over the communication bus, and the circuit breaker's internal control technology either interrupts or establishes the associated current path.

Communication interface for bus connected circuit breakers

A compact coil assembly is provided for protecting electrical components from transient voltage surges. The assembly includes a bobbin having a cylindrical core with two ends. A first and second flange are each perpendicularly mounted and extended outwardly from one of the ends. A lead pin is perpendicularly upstanding on the top surface of the first flange. The first flange has a parallel outer and inner wall defining a channel therebetween. The inner wall has a slot therethrough. The slot is open at one end to the top surface of the first flange and extends downward to the core. The slot is positioned on the top surface of the first flange opposite the lead pin. The channel extends from the lead pin across to the end of the slot near the core. The width of the channel and the slot are adapted for guiding a winding wire therethrough.

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Cedar Rapids, IA, United States of America

Andy A Haun