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:
Apr. 13, 2010
Filed:
Nov. 10, 2006
Mohamed Maharsi, Raleigh, NC (US);
Douglas A. Voda, Sanford, FL (US);
Mark C. Glacobbe, Coplay, PA (US);
Dela Salah-eldin Sayoumi, Center Valley, PA (US);
Douglas A. Wood, Boyertown, PA (US);
Mohamed Maharsi, Raleigh, NC (US);
Douglas A. Voda, Sanford, FL (US);
Mark C. Glacobbe, Coplay, PA (US);
Dela Salah-Eldin Sayoumi, Center Valley, PA (US);
Douglas A. Wood, Boyertown, PA (US);
ABB Technology AG, Zurich, CH;
Abstract
An arc suppression circuit in a protection relay having trip contacts is used to turn off a battery-powered solenoid and trip an AC power circuit breaker. The arc suppression circuit uses a switch-control circuit to control the turning off of a semi-conductor switch so that the semi-conductor switch provides a current path around the trip contacts, and is carrying all, or substantially all, of the load current, before the trip contacts are opened. When the trip contacts begin to open, the switch-control circuit holds the semi-conductor switch on for a sufficient time to prevent an arc from becoming established before turning the semi-conductor switch off. In a second embodiment, the arc suppression circuit provides a second switch-control circuit. This second switch-control circuit is configured to accept control signals from a microprocessor within a protection relay. The microprocessor turns the semi-conductor switch on before the contacts begin to open, thereby providing a current path around the contacts before the contacts begin to open. The microprocessor turns the semi-conductor switch off after a time sufficient to prevent an arc from becoming established.