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:
Dec. 15, 2009
Filed:
Feb. 27, 2007
Kevin L. Parker, Pittsburgh, PA (US);
Robert T. Elms, Monroeville, PA (US);
Kevin L. Parker, Pittsburgh, PA (US);
Robert T. Elms, Monroeville, PA (US);
Eaton Corporation, Cleveland, OH (US);
Abstract
An arc fault circuit interrupter includes separable contacts, an operating mechanism, a current sensor sensing current flowing through the contacts and outputting a sensed current, and a processor determining and storing peak values of the sensed current for plural half-cycles. The processor provides arc fault detection, determines whether a first predetermined plurality of half-cycles occur in succession and correspond to non-unity power factor, and responsively inhibits the detection for a first predetermined time, and whether a second predetermined plurality of half-cycles occur in succession, each with smaller peak amplitude than that of an immediately preceding half-cycle of like or differing polarity, and responsively inhibits the detection for a second predetermined time. The processor determines that the detection is not inhibited for the first and second predetermined times, and responsively indicates that any of the half-cycles having a peak amplitude greater than a predetermined amount is a parallel arc.