Eaton Intelligent Power Limited

Eaton Corporation

James I Wise

David Raymond Rohn

Theodore James Miller

Robert William Mueller

Andrew R Smith

Todd Shaak

Brianna Groden

Joseph C Engel

Richard A Johnson

David M Oravetz

Christopher G Walker

Sunnybhai Patel

Michael Patrick King

Thomas C Hartman

Bryan Marsicano

W Marshall Mauney

Michael F Boccabella

Systems and methods are provided for monitoring the effects of conductive dust deposits that compromise the ability of a trip unit to accurately detect AC current in a circuit interrupter. When a Rogowski coil is used as a current sensor in the circuit interrupter and the trip unit processes the output of the Rogowski coil using a printed circuit board assembly (PCBA) processing circuit, the DC component of the processing circuit output signal can be analyzed to determine whether any conductive dust has formed unintended electrical pathways on the PCBA and compromised the ability of the PCBA to accurately measure AC current in the circuit interrupter. It can be determined that such unintended electrical pathways have formed when the DC component of the processing circuit output either exceeds a predetermined threshold or has increased by a significant amount after opening of the separable contacts.

Method to detect signal corruption from conductive dust in a circuit breaker

Circuit breakers with a housing with a line side and a load side and an electronically controlled lock-out lock member coupled to the housing configured to electronically controllably travel between a first position and a second position. In the second position, the lock member is in a lock-out position and prevents the handle from moving to an ON position associated with electrical current conduction and in the first position the lock member is translated to a position that allows the handle to move to the ON position.

Circuit interrupters with electronically controlled lock out tag out systems and related electrical distribution systems and methods

A sensing assembly is for an electrical switching apparatus. The electrical switching apparatus includes a base having a pocket portion, and a bus bar coupled to the base. The sensing assembly includes a housing structured to be coupled to the pocket portion, a power harvester coupled to the housing, a current sensor coupled to the housing, and a voltage sensing circuit located internal with respect to the housing and being structured to be electrically connected to the bus bar.

Electrical switching apparatus and sensing assembly therefor

An over-voltage protection system including a phase bus connected to a phase conductor of an electrical system and one or more transient-suppressing lines connected to the phase bus. Each of the transient-suppressing lines includes a contactor and a transient-suppressing element. The contactor of each transient-suppressing line is selectively opened and closed by a processor, thereby protecting the transient suppressing element from excessive currents. Also a method of protecting at least one transient-suppressing element from over-voltage conditions including providing a transient-suppressing line including the at least one transient-suppressing element in parallel with a load, measuring at least one of a voltage signal representative of a voltage on the transient-suppressing line and a current signal representative of a current on the transient suppressing line, and selectively placing the transient-suppressing line in either an open condition or a closed condition based on at least one of the voltage signal and the current signal.

System and method for protecting transient-suppressing elements against over-voltage conditions

Trip profiles for electrical switches such as circuit breakers and overload relays can be generated, and when appropriate, coordinated, in a remote processor such as a personal computer. The profiles, with the addresses of the associated electrical switches are transferred into non-volatile memory in a portable unit. This portable unit is transported to the site of the electrical switches where it is interfaced with the appropriate electrical switch for loading of the assigned profile into the switch. In addition, the profiles stored in the electrical switches can be loaded into the portable unit for transport back to the remote unit for verification and/or modification.

Method and apparatus for setting trip profiles in electrical switches

An electrical switch with overcurrent protection communicates as a slave with a remote master station by sending return messages to the remote master station only in response to messages addressed to it. A portable unit plugs into the electrical switch and disables communications between the electrical switch and the remote master station. The portable unit then establishes communications with the electrical switch by sending a global message to the electrical switch requesting the unique address at successive baud rates until a return message containing the electrical switches' address is received. A communications module in the electrical switch transfers to a master mode in response to the global message in order to send the return message containing its unique address. It then reverts to the slave mode for response to subsequent messages from the portable unit containing the unique address. Either the remote master station or the portable unit can test the circuit breaker by sending a message containing a digital test current to the circuit breaker.

Electrical switches with current protection interfaced with a remote

Growing community of inventors

Cranberry Township, PA, United States of America

James I Wise