Eaton Corporation

Eaton Intelligent Power Limited

Harry James Carlino

Lloyd Allen Maloney

Todd Michael Shaak

Brian Scott Caffro

Xin Zhou

Joseph Bell Humbert

David Richard Olenak

Martha Suryani

Theodore James Miller

Thomas Alan Whitaker

Michael Paul Puskar

James Leo Lagree

Mark Anthony Janusek

Mark O Zindler

David Raymond Rohn

William Michael Randal

Martha Suryani Bucchi

Jon E Hymel

Lloyd A Malonez

Martha S Bucchi

Joseph B Humbert

Judy A Robinson

An electrical switching apparatus includes a transductor circuit that senses a direct current between an input terminal and an output terminal and outputs an alternating current proportional to the direct current. The electrical switching apparatus also includes a current sensor configured to sense an alternating current component of the direct current. The electrical switching apparatus further includes an alternating current electronic trip circuit including an arc fault detection circuit configured to detect an arc fault based on the sensed alternating current component. The alternating current electronic trip circuit is also configured to control pairs of separable contacts to trip open based on the alternating current output from the transductor circuit or the detected arc fault. The electrical switching apparatus also includes a power supply structured to provide direct current power to the alternating current electronic trip circuit.

Electrical switching apparatus including alternating current electronic trip circuit with arc fault detection circuit and power supply

A circuit interruption device (e.g., a molded case circuit breaker) includes at least one set of contacts, a contact actuator mechanism configured to open the at least one set of contacts and a trip control circuit configured to cause the contact actuator mechanism to open the at least one set of contacts responsive to a condition satisfying a first trip criterion and to apply a second trip criterion (e.g., a lower current level trip threshold) responsive to the opening of the at least one set of contacts. The trip control circuit may be configured to apply the second trip criterion after a succeeding closure of the at least one set of contacts. The trip control circuit may be further configured to return to application of the first trip criterion after lapse of a predetermined interval following the succeeding closure of the at least one set of contacts.

Circuit interruption apparatus providing automatic reduced arc mode and methods of operating the same

A trip and reset assembly is provided. The trip and reset assembly includes a trip and reset actuator mounting and a trip and reset actuator. The trip and reset actuator is structured to move the plunger from the first position to the second position. The trip and reset actuator mounting includes a body defining a trip and reset actuator pivot coupling first component. The trip and reset actuator includes an elongated body with a pivot coupling second component, an actuator interface, a trip bar interface and a reset interface. The trip and reset actuator body is movably coupled to the trip and reset actuator mounting and is movable between a first position, wherein the trip bar interface engages the trip bar, and a second position, wherein the actuator interface engages the plunger.

Flux shunt trip actuator interface and breaker reset mechanism for circuit breaker

An electronic trip unit having a number of trip unit settings includes: a first input member; a second input member; a multi-position selector configured to select one of plurality of positions corresponding to values of the trip unit settings; a plurality of indicators each corresponding to one of the plurality of trip unit settings; and a processor having a routine, wherein the routine of the processor is structured to, in response to actuation of the first input member, increment a ring counter value and selectively activate one of the indicators corresponding to the ring counter value; and wherein the routine of the processor is further structured to, in response to actuation of the second input member, set a value of the trip unit setting corresponding to the activated indicator based on the selected position of the multi-position selector.

Electronic trip unit, circuit interrupter including the same, and method of setting trip unit settings

A display unit is configured for use with a circuit interrupter which outputs a trip notification, trip information, and direct current power to the display unit The display unit comprises: a processor having a routine; a secondary power source configured to output secondary power; a memory display configured to receive the direct current power or the secondary power; and a power source selection circuit configured to switch the memory display from the direct current power to the secondary power in response to the display unit receiving the trip notification, wherein the routine of said processor is structured to control the memory display to display the trip information in response to the display unit receiving the trip notification.

Display unit configured to display trip information and circuit interrupter including the same

An electrical switching apparatus includes a transductor circuit that senses a direct current between at least one input terminal and at least one output terminal and outputs an alternating current proportional to the direct current between the input terminal and the output terminal. The electrical switching apparatus also includes an alternating current electronic trip circuit configured to control pairs of separable contacts to separate based on the alternating current output from the transductor circuit. The alternating current electronic trip circuit includes a rectifier circuit, an interface circuit, and a processor structured to output a control signal to control a trip actuator to cause an operating mechanism to separate the plurality of pairs of separable contacts.

Electrical switching apparatus including transductor circuit and alternating current electronic trip circuit

A circuit interrupter includes a circuit breaker frame having an accessory compartment, a trip unit providing a zone selective interlocking function, and an accessory module. The accessory module includes a housing received by the accessory compartment of the circuit breaker frame, and a circuit housed by the housing. The circuit cooperates with the zone selective interlocking function of the trip unit to provide a zone selective interlocking interface external to the trip unit.

Accessory module providing a zone selective interlocking interface external to a trip unit, and system and circuit interrupter including the same

An electrical switching apparatus includes separable contacts; an operating mechanism structured to open and close the separable contacts; and a trip mechanism cooperating with the operating mechanism to trip open the separable contacts. The trip mechanism includes an input structured to receive a remote signal to remotely enable an arc reduction maintenance mode, a first circuit structured to enable the arc reduction maintenance mode in response to the received remote signal, and a second circuit structured to provide an electrical signal remote from the trip mechanism in order to remotely indicate that the arc reduction maintenance mode is remotely enabled.

Trip unit providing remote electrical signal to remotely indicate that an arc reduction maintenance mode is remotely enabled, and electrical switching apparatus including the same

A settings emulator for a circuit breaker trip unit includes a handheld enclosure and a plurality of adjustable rotary switches mounted on the handheld enclosure. The adjustable rotary switches define a plurality of different trip settings for the circuit breaker trip unit. A communication channel is also mounted on the handheld enclosure. A microprocessor is enclosed by the handheld enclosure. The processor reads the different trip settings from the adjustable rotary switches and communicates the different trip settings through the communication channel to the circuit breaker trip unit.

Settings emulator for a circuit interrupter trip unit and system including the same

A trip actuator assembly is provided for an electrical switching apparatus, such as a circuit breaker. The trip actuator assembly includes a trip actuator with an actuating element, which is movable among unactuated and actuated positions corresponding to separable contacts of the circuit breaker being closeable and tripped opened in response to a trip condition, respectively. The trip actuator is disposed at a mounting portion of a frame. An interface assembly is movably coupled to the frame and includes an interface element disposed between the actuating element of the trip actuator and a portion of the circuit breaker operating mechanism. When the actuating element moves from the unactuated position toward the actuated position, it engages and moves the interface element, thereby moving the operating mechanism to trip open the separable contacts. The frame secures the trip actuator assembly in a desired orientation within a corresponding one of the housing compartments.

Electrical switching apparatus and trip actuator assembly therefor

A circuit breaker includes separable contacts, an operating mechanism structured to open and close the contacts, and a trip unit cooperating with the operating mechanism to trip open the contacts. The trip unit includes a sensor structured to sense current flowing through the contacts, a processor structured to output a trip signal responsive to the sensed current, and a trip actuator. The trip actuator includes a housing including a recess, a coil within the recess, the coil having an opening therethrough, a magnet within the recess, a thermoplastic bushing including a conduit therethrough, the thermoplastic bushing being coupled to the housing, and an armature disposable within the opening of the coil and slidably disposed within the conduit of the thermoplastic bushing. The magnet attracts the armature toward the housing. A spring biases the armature away from the housing, in order to cause the operating mechanism to trip open the contacts.

Trip actuator including a thermoplastic bushing, and trip unit and electrical switching apparatus including the same

A circuit breaker includes for each neutral and phase power conductor, a current sensor sensing an alternating current flowing in a corresponding power conductor, a comparator determining whether the sensed alternating current is positive or negative, a rectifier rectifying the sensed alternating current to provide a rectified current value, and an analog-to-digital converter converting the rectified current value to a signed digital value having a positive sign. A processor cooperates with the comparators and the analog-to-digital converters and includes a routine that changes the positive sign of the signed digital value to a negative sign if the sensed alternating current is negative, adds the signed digital value for each power conductor to provide a sum, and employs the sum to determine whether to output a ground fault signal. The processor further cooperates with an operating mechanism to trip open separable contacts responsive to the ground fault signal.

Method of detecting a ground fault and electrical switching apparatus employing the same

A system for monitoring a circuit breaker that includes a monitoring device in electronic communication with the circuit breaker and a receiving device located separately from the monitoring device. The monitoring device receives data from the circuit breaker and wirelessly transmits at least a portion of the data such as one or more phase currents measured from a network which the circuit breaker protects, an ambient temperature within the circuit breaker, and/or data relating to a trip condition of the circuit breaker. The receiving device receives the transmitted data and displays all or a portion thereof. The monitoring device also includes a display that displays all or a portion of the data.

System for wireless monitoring of circuit breakers

A shield is provided for a circuit breaker including a printed circuit board (PCB). The PCB is a generally planar member with a plurality of electrical components each having a corresponding shape. The shield includes at least one resilient sheet member at least partially covering the generally planar member and at least one of the electrical components coupled thereto. The resilient sheet member generally conforms to the corresponding shape of the at least one of the electrical components in order to shield and protect it from debris and to resist accumulation of gas-carried carbon. The resilient sheet member is made from a material, such as silicon rubber, which is flexible and elastic within a temperature range of about &#x2212;70 to about 450 degrees Fahrenheit, and it is flame-resistant, tear and abrasion-resistant, impervious to moisture and chemicals, fungus-resistant, and resistant to outgassing.

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Export, PA, United States of America

Harry James Carlino