Ground fault detector
First Claim
1. An apparatus, comprising:
- an interruption circuit electrically connected in a power delivery path, the power delivery path including a phase conductive path and a neutral conductive path;
a fault detection circuit coupled to the interruption circuit and configured to provide a fault signal to selectively cause the interruption circuit to interrupt power delivery in at least one of the phase conductive path and the neutral conductive path;
a fault simulation circuit; and
a processor coupled to the fault simulation circuit and the fault detection circuit, the processor configured to selectively control the fault simulation circuit to simulate a fault in the power delivery path and detect a response of the fault detection circuit to the simulated fault; and
a power circuit including a solenoid coil, a rectifier, and a first resistor in parallel with the solenoid coil, wherein the processor and the fault detection circuit are powered from a line side of the power delivery path via the solenoid coil and rectifier, and the resistor is sized such that, if the solenoid coil is damaged, the resistor will not allow sufficient power for proper operation of both the processor and the fault detection circuit.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An apparatus includes an interruption circuit in a power delivery path, and a fault detection circuit configured to provide a fault signal to selectively cause the interruption circuit to interrupt power delivery, wherein the fault detection circuit includes a fault detection integrated circuit and a sensing coil configured to sense a differential current between a phase conductive path and a neutral conductive path in the power delivery path. A processor is configured to selectively control a fault simulation circuit to simulate a fault in the power delivery path, detect a response of the fault detection circuit to the simulated fault, and determine if the response of the fault detection circuit is an expected response. The processor provides an override signal to the interruption circuit to prevent the interruption circuit from receiving a fault signal from the fault detection circuit during, and for a predetermined time after, the simulated fault.
398 Citations
6 Claims
-
1. An apparatus, comprising:
-
an interruption circuit electrically connected in a power delivery path, the power delivery path including a phase conductive path and a neutral conductive path; a fault detection circuit coupled to the interruption circuit and configured to provide a fault signal to selectively cause the interruption circuit to interrupt power delivery in at least one of the phase conductive path and the neutral conductive path; a fault simulation circuit; and a processor coupled to the fault simulation circuit and the fault detection circuit, the processor configured to selectively control the fault simulation circuit to simulate a fault in the power delivery path and detect a response of the fault detection circuit to the simulated fault; and a power circuit including a solenoid coil, a rectifier, and a first resistor in parallel with the solenoid coil, wherein the processor and the fault detection circuit are powered from a line side of the power delivery path via the solenoid coil and rectifier, and the resistor is sized such that, if the solenoid coil is damaged, the resistor will not allow sufficient power for proper operation of both the processor and the fault detection circuit. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
-
Specification