The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Feb. 04, 2025
Filed:
Oct. 12, 2022
National Technology & Engineering Solutions of Sandia, Llc, Albuquerque, NM (US);
Gregory Pickrell, Rio Rancho, NM (US);
Jason Christopher Neely, Albuquerque, NM (US);
Lee Gill, Albuquerque, NM (US);
Jacob Mueller, Albuquerque, NM (US);
Luciano Andres Garcia Rodriguez, Albuquerque, NM (US);
Jack David Flicker, Albuquerque, NM (US);
Emily Ann Schrock, Albuquerque, NM (US);
Robert Kaplar, Albuquerque, NM (US);
Harold P. Hjalmarson, Albuquerque, NM (US);
Jane Lehr, Placitas, NM (US);
National Technology & Engineering Solutions of Sandia, LLC, Albuquerque, NM (US);
UNM Rainforest Innovations, Albuquerque, NM (US);
Abstract
A disclosed switching apparatus, such as a circuit breaker, includes a transistor switch circuit connected between a power input terminal and a load terminal, and, connected to the power input terminal and bypassing the transistor switch circuit, a switchable bypass leg that is optically switched by a series-connected photoconductive semiconductor switch (PCSS). The transistor switch circuit includes at least one cascade of three or more series-connected transistors, and at least one resistor network configured to divide a voltage from a voltage source across a cascade of series-connected transistors. Operating the switch apparatus includes detecting whether a sensed electric current is in a fault condition, opening the transistor switch circuit upon detecting a fault condition, and then closing the PCSS so that the electric current is diverted onto a switchable bypass path. The opening of the transistor switch circuit comprises turning OFF a normally-ON transistor switch circuit.