General Electric Company

Edward E Kim

Esteban Santos

Javier I Larranaga

Joseph Criniti

Raymond K Seymour

John James Dougherty

Ronald D Ciarcia

James I Smith

Nathaniel B Vicente

David Arnold

Joseph M Palmieri

Roger J Morgan

Richard A Menelly

David Geer Fletcher

Farshid Attarian

Joseph B Kelaita

J Peter McCuin

Charles Stephan Pitzen

George J Boucher

Richard E Saunders

John J Bottalico

Paul A Raymont

Donald McDonald

A modular current sensor and power source unit ( ) for duplicating the function of a current transformer is disposed on a conductor ( ) of an electrical circuit. Modular current sensor and power source unit ( ) includes a current transformer ( ), a power supply circuit ( ), a current sensor ( ), and current source circuit ( ). Current transformer ( ) provides operating power to power supply circuit ( ). Power supply circuit ( ) regulates the operating power and provides the regulated operating power to sensor ( ) and current source ( ). Sensor ( ) senses current in phase ( ) and provides a signal indicative of the current in phase ( ) to current source ( ). Current source ( ) receives the signal from sensor ( ) and drives an output current proportional to this signal to the load circuit via lines ( ) and ( ). The current output by current source ( ) has the attributes of the low power sensor ( ) with the ability to provide power to the load circuit.

Modular current sensor and power source

A residential load center includes an electronic trip unit as the main circuit breaker for overcurrent and arcing fault protection while connecting with thermal magnetic circuit breakers in each of the branch circuits for overcurrent protection within the individual branch circuits.

Residential load center with arcing fault protection

An arrangement for connection between motor controller electronic components and silicon controlled rectifiers (SCR) contained within the controller circuit is presented with line and load straps being arranged on the bottom surface of the motor controller compartment at opposite ends thereof. The SCR's are positioned under the compartment on an elongated heat-sink support plate. Intermediate block connectors interconnect the SCR's with the controller line and load straps.

Thermally efficient motor controller assembly

A circuit interrupter of the type including an electronic trip unit for overcurrent determination includes a separate circuit to power the trip unit along with a Hall Effect or GMR Device to sense the current flow within the protected circuit. A removable option plug electrically interconnects with the trip unit to enable ground fault and arcing fault protection.

Smart residential circuit breaker

The load lugs electrically connecting circuit breakers employing electronic trip units with associated electrical distribution circuits are shaped to provide magnetic flux concentration to Hall effect current sensors within the electronic trip unit circuit. The Hall effect sensor is positioned within the shaped region of the load lug for optimum focus of the magnetic flux within each phase of a multi-phase electrical distribution system.

Circuit breaker having hall effect sensors

A cooling assembly for semiconductor devices in the form of an enclosure including an inlet and outlet with a semiconductor support assembly is presented. The air passage connection with the inlet defines vortex configuration for the rapid transport of compressed air to the semiconductor devices arranged between the enclosure inlet and outlet.

Semiconductor thermal protection arrangement

A circuit interrupter of the type including an electronic trip unit for overcurrent determination which includes a small-sized iron core current transformer to power the trip unit electronics along with a giant magnetic resistor semiconductor (GMR) to sense the current flow within the protected circuit.

Circuit interrupter having improved current sensing apparatus

A ground fault protection module is attached to a circuit breaker employing a thermal-magnetic trip unit to separate the circuit breaker contacts upon occurrence of a ground fault. The ground fault module contains a logic circuit and a giant magnetic resistor for detecting the ground fault.

Circuit breaker with ground fault detection module

A circuit interrupter employing an electronic trip unit utilizes a current transformer assembly containing both air and metal cores on a common load strap for providing sensing current to the electronic trip unit along with supplying operating power to the trip unit electronic components. A two-part plastic housing provides support for the metal core and the sensing coil while further providing thermal transfer of heat generated within the transformer secondary windings out to the load strap.

Current transformer assembly for electronic circuit interrupters

An electronic circuit interrupter is protected against thermal damage upon loosening of the lug connectors that connect the circuit interrupter with the load circuit. Thermal sensing elements attached to the lugs connect with the circuit interrupter trip unit to initiate circuit interruption when the temperature sensed exceeds a predetermined value.

Digital circuit interrupter thermal protection circuit

An arcing fault detecting module is attached to a circuit breaker employing a thermal-magnetic trip unit to separate the circuit breaker contacts upon occurrence of an arcing fault. The arcing fault module contains a logic circuit and a current transformer for detecting the arcing fault and actuating a trip solenoid to articulate the circuit breaker operating mechanism and separate the circuit breaker contacts.

Circuit breaker with arcing fault detection module

A current sensor has a closed loop magnetic flux concentrating ferromagnetic core with a gap and a central aperture for receiving a conductor. A Hall generator is positioned in the gap and a secondary winding is positioned on a portion of the core. Current flow in the conductor creates magnetic flux in the core which energizes the secondary winding to provide a power output. Magnetic flux concentrated in the gap causes the Hall generator to output a sensing signal that is proportional to the magnetic flux which is proportional to the current flow in the conductor. The single core is used to simultaneously produce a sensing signal proportional to alternating or direct current flow in the conductor.

Growing community of inventors

Burlington, CT, United States of America

Edward E Kim