Reverse grounding protection circuit and ground fault circuit interrupter

• US 10,177,555 B2
• Filed: 10/06/2015
• Issued: 01/08/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 12/15/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ze Chen
• Original Assignee: Ze Chen
• Inventors: Pan, Xincheng, Chen, Ze
• Primary Examiner(s): Tran, Thienvu
• Assistant Examiner(s): Thomas, Lucy
• Application Number:
  US14/875,721
• Publication Number:
  US 20160172839A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,190 Days
• Field of Search: 361 42
• CPC Class Codes: H02H 3/16 responsive to fault current to earth, frame or mass with balanced or differential arrangement H02H3/26 ; monitoring earth connection H02H5/105
• CPC Class Codes: H02H 3/33 using summation current transformers H02H3/347 takes precedence

Abstract

The present disclosure relates to a reverse grounding protection circuit and a ground fault circuit interrupter. The reverse grounding protection circuit may include a power supply circuit, a leakage signal amplifying circuit, a leakage grounding detection circuit, a power supply indicator circuit, a manual detection circuit, a tripping mechanism control circuit, a reverse connection detection and execution circuit, and a power-on driving signal generating circuit. A ground fault circuit interrupter may comprise an interrupter body and a reverse grounding protection circuit in the interrupter body. The practice of the present disclosure may avoid the risk from reverse connection of the ground fault circuit interrupter and output of power of reverse connection, and thus improve safety of the ground fault circuit interrupter.

Claims

1. A reverse grounding protection circuit, comprising:

a power supply circuit;

a leakage signal amplifying circuit;

a leakage grounding detection circuit;

a power supply indicator circuit;

a manual detection circuit;

a tripping mechanism control circuit;

a reverse connection detection and execution circuit; and

a power-on driving signal generating circuit,

wherein;

the leakage signal amplifying circuit carries out amplification of a leakage detection signal;

the power supply indicator circuit carries out displaying of a power status;

the manual detection circuit carries out a simulation of load leakage detection;

the tripping mechanism control circuit carries out controlling of the reset switch;

the reverse connection detection and execution circuit carries out reverse connection detection and on/off control when the reverse grounding protection circuit is in a reset state or a tripping state;

the power-on driving signal generating circuit is configured such that, when power is turned on, the power-on driving signal generating circuit generates a driving signal for the reverse connection detection and execution circuit;

the power supply circuit comprises a power supply filter circuit, a rectifier circuit, a first filter and regulator circuit, and a second filter and regulator circuit;

the leakage grounding detection circuit comprises a leakage detection circuit and a grounding detection circuit, which detect leakage fault and grounding fault, respectively;

the tripping mechanism control circuit comprises a reset switch provided on a live line and a neutral line of the reverse grounding protection circuit, which is located on the live line and the neutral line after the grounding detection circuit;

the power supply filter circuit is connected to the live line at an input port;

input terminals of the rectifier circuit are connected to the live line at the input port and an output terminal of the power supply filter circuit, respectively;

a first output terminal pin of the rectifier circuit is grounded;

a second output terminal pin of the rectifier circuit is connected to the first filter and regulator circuit and the second filter and regulator circuit;

the first filter and regulator circuit of the power supply circuit is connected to the leakage signal amplifying circuit;

the second filter and regulator circuit of the power supply circuit is connected to the power supply indicator circuit and supplies power to the reverse connection detection circuit and execution circuit;

the leakage signal amplifying circuit is connected to the leakage grounding detection circuit and the tripping mechanism control circuit, respectively;

the reset switch provided is located on the live line and the neutral line after the grounding detection circuit;

the manual detection circuit is connected to the leakage grounding detection circuit;

the second filter and regulator circuit of the power supply circuit is connected to the power-on driving signal generating circuit;

the power-on driving signal generating circuit is connected to the reverse connection detection and execution circuit;

the power supply filter circuit further comprises an inductor coil;

the first filter and regulator circuit comprises a first current limiting resistor, a first filter capacitor, and an internal regulator circuit of a leakage signal processing IC at a first pin;

the first current limiting resistor is connected between the second output terminal pin of the rectifier circuit and the first pin of the leakage signal processing IC;

the first filter capacitor is connected between the first pin of the leakage signal processing IC and a ground;

the second filter and regulator circuit comprises a second current limiting resistor, a stabilivolt, and a second filter capacitor;

an input terminal of the second current limiting resistor is connected to the second output terminal pin of the rectifier circuit;

an output terminal of the second current limiting resistor is connected to the power supply indicator circuit and the reverse connection detection and execution circuit;

a positive terminal of the stabilivolt is grounded;

a negative terminal of the stabilivolt is connected to an output terminal of the second current limiting resistor;

a first terminal of the second filter capacitor is grounded, and a second terminal of the second filter capacitor is connected to an output terminal of the second current limiting resistor;

the leakage detecting circuit of the leakage grounding detection circuit comprises a current first coupling induction coil and a third capacitor;

the third capacitor is connected to two ends of the first current coupling induction coil to form a first filter circuit;

the first filter circuit is connected to a first and a second pin of the leakage signal processing IC;

the live and neutral lines pass through the first current coupling induction coil;

the leakage grounding detection circuit comprises a second current coupling induction coil and a fourth capacitor;

the fourth capacitor is connected to two ends of the second current coupling induction coil to form a second filter circuit;

a first terminal of the second filter circuit is grounded and a second terminal of the second filter circuit is connected to a fourth pin of the leakage signal processing IC;

the live and neutral lines pass through the second current coupling induction coil;

the leakage signal amplifying circuit comprises the leakage signal processing IC, a first coupling capacitor, a negative feedback resistor, and a second coupling capacitor;

the first coupling capacitor, the negative feedback coupling resistor, and the second capacitor are sequentially connected in series between the first current coupling induction coil and the second current coupling induction coil; and

the negative feedback resistor in connected between a fifth pin and the fourth pin of the leakage signal processing IC.

2. The reverse grounding protection circuit according to claim 1, wherein,

the power supply indicator circuit comprises a third current limiting resistor and an LED indicator;

the third current limiting resistor and the LED are connected in series, with the third current limiting resistor connected to the output terminal of the second current limiting resistor and the LED being grounded;

the manual detection circuit comprises a fourth current limiting resistor and a first press switch;

the first fourth limiting resistor and the first press switch are connected in series, with a terminal of the fourth current limiting resistor connected to an input terminal of the neutral line and the first press switch connected to the live line at an output jack terminal;

the control circuit of the tripping mechanism control circuit comprises a the leakage signal processing IC, a fifth filter capacitor, a sixth filter capacitor, a fifth current limiting resistor, a one-way silicon controlled rectifier, a seventh filter capacitor, a surge absorption resistor, and a relay that interfaces with the inductor coil;

the fifth filter capacitor and the sixth filter capacitor are connected in parallel, between a sixth pin of the leakage signal processing IC and the ground;

the fifth current limiting resistor connected between the sixth pin of the leakage signal processing IC and a control electrode of the one-way silicon controlled rectifier;

an anode of the one-way silicon controlled rectifier is connected to a connection point where the inductor coil is connected to an AC input connection point of the rectifier circuit;

a cathode of the one-way silicon controlled rectifier is grounded;

the seventh filter capacitor and the surge absorption resistor are connected in series between the anode of the one-way silicon controlled rectifier and the ground;

the relay drives the reset switch through a mechanical link.

3. The reverse grounding protection circuit according to claim 2, wherein:

the power-on driving signal generating circuit comprises a sixth current limiting resistor, a first divider resistor, a second divider resistor, a delay capacitor, and a FET;

the sixth current limiting resistor is connected between the output terminal of the second current limiting resistor and a source electrode of the FET;

the first and second divider resistors are connected in series, between an AC input connection point of the rectifier circuit of the power supply circuit and the ground;

each of the first and second divider resistors is connected to a gate electrode of the first FET;

the delay capacitor and the second divider resistor are connected in parallel;

a drain electrode of the FET is an output terminal of the power-on driving signal generating circuit;

the reverse connection detection and execution circuit comprises a heavy and light current isolation optocoupler, a triggering current limiting resistor, a false triggering preventing resistor, two-way silicon controlled rectifier, an eighth filter capacitor, a ninth filter capacitor, a normally-closed contact, a normally-open contact, a seventh resistor, a normally-closed switch, and a reverse relay;

a first pin of a power terminal of the optocoupler is connected to the drain electrode of the FET, and a second pin of a power terminal of the optocoupler is grounded;

the triggering current limiting resistor is connected between a first output terminal of the optocoupler and an output terminal of the live line;

the false triggering preventing resistor is connected between a control electrode of the two-way silicon controlled rectifier and a first T2 electrode of the two-way silicon controlled rectifier;

the control electrode of the two-way silicon controlled rectifier is connected to a second output terminal of the optocoupler;

a second T2 electrode of the two-way silicon controlled rectifier is connected to the output terminal of the live line;

the eighth filter capacitor and the ninth filter capacitor are connected in series between the first T2 electrode of the two-way silicon controlled rectifier and the output terminal of the live line, in parallel with the normally-closed contact, and in parallel with the normally-open contact;

the eighth filter capacitor is connected to the first T2 electrode of the two-way silicon controlled rectifier;

the seventh resistor is connected between a point where the eighth filter capacitor is connected to the ninth filter capacitor, and an output terminal of the neutral line;

the normally-closed switch is provided on both the live line and neutral line, and located between the output terminal of the live line and the reset switch, and between the output terminal of the neutral line and the reset switch;

the normally-closed switch is linked with the second normally-open contact;

a first control terminal of the reverse relay is connected to the first T2 electrode of the two-way silicon controlled rectifier and a second control terminal of the reverse relay is connected to the output terminal of the neutral line; and

the reverse relay drives the normally-closed switch through a second mechanical link.

4. The reverse grounding protection circuit of claim 1, wherein:

the power supply circuit comprises a piezoresistor and a over-current protection resistor;

the piezoresistor is connected between live line at the input port and the neutral line at the input port; and

the over-current protection resistor is connected between the live line at the input port and the input terminal of the filter circuit of the power supply circuit.

5. The reverse grounding protection circuit of claim 2, wherein:

the power supply circuit comprises a piezoresistor and a over-current protection resistor;

the piezoresistor is connected between live line at the input port and the neutral line at the input port; and

the over-current protection resistor is connected between the live line at the input port and the input terminal of the filter circuit of the power supply circuit.

6. The reverse grounding protection circuit of claim 3, wherein:

the power supply circuit comprises a piezoresistor and a over-current protection resistor;

the piezoresistor is connected between live line at the input port and the neutral line at the input port; and

the over-current protection resistor is connected between the live line at the input port and the input terminal of the filter circuit of the power supply circuit.

7. A ground fault circuit interrupter, comprising an interrupter body, wherein the interrupter body includes the reverse grounding protection circuit of claim 1.

8. A ground fault circuit interrupter, comprising an interrupter body, wherein the interrupter body includes the reverse grounding protection circuit of claim 2.

9. A ground fault circuit interrupter, comprising an interrupter body, wherein the interrupter body includes the reverse grounding protection circuit of claim 3.

10. A ground fault circuit interrupter, comprising an interrupter body, wherein the interrupter body includes the reverse grounding protection circuit of claim 5.

11. A ground fault circuit interrupter, comprising an interrupter body, wherein the interrupter body includes the reverse grounding protection circuit of claim 4.

12. A ground fault circuit interrupter, comprising an interrupter body, wherein the interrupter body includes the reverse grounding protection circuit of claim 6.