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, 2014
Filed:
Oct. 24, 2011
Applicant:
Richard Travis West, Ragged Point, CA (US);
Inventor:
Richard Travis West, Ragged Point, CA (US);
Assignee:
Renewable Power Conversion, Inc., San Luis Obispo, CA (US);
Attorney:
Primary Examiner:
Assistant Examiner:
Int. Cl.
CPC ...
H02H 3/00 (2006.01);
U.S. Cl.
CPC ...
Abstract
The invention is an apparatus and method for safely disconnecting a bipolar photovoltaic array from earth ground under normal static operating conditions. The invention senses the voltage to earth on all three terminals of a bipolar photovoltaic array and uses a set of operable contacts to selectively couple or uncouple the DC neutral point of the array (the center tap) to earth ground. When all three terminals of the bipolar array are within the rated voltage capability of the photovoltaic array the DC neutral point is allowed to float.