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.

Date of Patent:
Mar. 23, 1999

Filed:

Sep. 15, 1997
Applicant:
Inventor:

Robert Neville Parry, Beaver, PA (US);

Assignee:

Eaton Corporation, Cleveland, OH (US);

Attorney:
Primary Examiner:
Assistant Examiner:
Int. Cl.
CPC ...
H02H / ;
U.S. Cl.
CPC ...
361 42 ; 361 62 ; 361 93 ; 361115 ;
Abstract

An arc fault detector turns on an electronic switch connecting a power distribution cable to ground thereby actuating a cable limiter to isolate the power distribution cable in response to an arc fault even though the arc fault itself does not create a low enough impedance fault to actuate the cable limiter directly. The electronic switch can be a sacrificial low cost silicon controlled rectifier which is destroyed by the ground fault it creates as long as the let-through current of the cable limiter is below the explosion current of the SCR. A single arc fault detector and SCR which fails as a short circuit can be used to actuate cable limiters at both ends of a short power distribution cable fed at both ends, or preferably separate protection can be provided adjacent both cable limiters.


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