Arc fault detector with circuit interrupter
First Claim
1. An arc fault circuit interrupter (AFCI) device electrically connected to an electrical wiring system between a source of electrical power including line side phase and neutral conductors and a load side including phase and neutral conductors, said device comprising:
- arc fault circuit means for detecting the occurrence of an arc fault occurring within said electrical wiring system, said arc fault circuit means operative to generate an arc fault trigger signal in response to the detection of an arc fault;
trigger means for generating a switching signal upon receipt of said arc fault trigger signal; and
switching means electrically connected in series between said line side phase and neutral conductors and said load side phase and neutral conductors, said switching means for disconnecting said source of electrical power to said load side phase and neutral conductors in response to said switching signal.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An arc fault circuit interrupter (AFCI) device finctions to provide protection from potentially dangerous arc faults. The arc fault detector can be used stand alone or in combination with circuit interrupting devices such as IDCIs and ALCIs. The AFCI device detects both AC line frequencies and high frequencies associated with arcing. Both average and instantaneous values of both AC line frequency and high frequency arcing signals are processed to generate an arc fault signal. The trip mechanism of the device trips on the occurrence of either an arc fault or a ground fault. The device allows the arc detector to differentiate between destructive high level arcing and low level arcing such as generated by typical household appliances and equipment. This serves to decrease the occurrence of false tripping. The device also includes a timer circuit, which permits the user to temporarily disable the arc detector, and includes communication means to permit the device to communicate the occurrence and location of the arc fault to a centralized monitoring station.
36 Citations
52 Claims
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1. An arc fault circuit interrupter (AFCI) device electrically connected to an electrical wiring system between a source of electrical power including line side phase and neutral conductors and a load side including phase and neutral conductors, said device comprising:
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arc fault circuit means for detecting the occurrence of an arc fault occurring within said electrical wiring system, said arc fault circuit means operative to generate an arc fault trigger signal in response to the detection of an arc fault;
trigger means for generating a switching signal upon receipt of said arc fault trigger signal; and
switching means electrically connected in series between said line side phase and neutral conductors and said load side phase and neutral conductors, said switching means for disconnecting said source of electrical power to said load side phase and neutral conductors in response to said switching signal. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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19. An arc fault circuit interrupter (AFCI) device electrically connected to an electrical wiring system between a source of electrical power including line side phase and neutral conductors and a load side including phase and neutral conductors, said device comprising:
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arc fault circuit means for detecting the occurrence of an arc fault occurring within said electrical wiring system, said arc fault circuit means operative to generate an arc fault trigger signal in response to the detection of an arc fault;
trigger means coupled to said arc fault circuit means, said trigger means for generating a switching signal upon receipt of said arc fault trigger signal;
switching means electrically connected in series between said line side phase and neutral conductors and said load side- phase and neutral conductors, said switching means for disconnecting said source of electrical power to said load side phase and neutral conductors in response to said switching signal; and
timer means for partially disabling arc detection for a finite period of time, the disabling of arc detection providing a user with the ability use an electrical device exhibiting arcing, said timer means enabling arc detection after use of said electrical device has been discontinued. - View Dependent Claims (23)
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20. An arc fault circuit interrupter (AFCI) device electrically connected to an electrical wiring system between a source of electrical power including line side phase and neutral conductors and a load side including phase and neutral conductors, said device comprising:
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arc fault circuit means for measuring the level of peak high frequency current and peak AC line frequency current flowing through said device to an electrical load connected to said load side, said arc fault circuit means operative to generate an arc fault trigger signal when said peak high frequency current exceeds a first predetermined threshold or when said peak AC line frequency current exceeds a second predetermined threshold;
trigger means for generating a switching signal upon receipt of said arc fault trigger signal; and
switching means electrically connected in series between said line side phase and neutral conductors and said load side phase and neutral conductors, said switching means for disconnecting said source of electrical power to said load side phase and neutral conductors in response to said switching signal. - View Dependent Claims (27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32)
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21. An arc fault circuit interrupter (AFCI) device electrically connected to an electrical wiring system between a source of electrical power including line side phase and neutral conductors and a load side including phase and neutral conductors, said device comprising:
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arc fault circuit means for measuring the level of average high frequency current and average AC line frequency current flowing through said device to an electrical load connected to said load side, said arc fault circuit means operative to generate an arc fault trigger signal when said average high frequency current exceeds a first predetermined threshold or when said average AC line frequency current exceeds a second predetermined threshold;
trigger means coupled to said arc fault circuit means, said trigger means for generating a switching signal upon receipt of said arc fault trigger signal; and
switching means electrically connected in series between said line side phase and neutral conductors and said load side phase and neutral conductors, said switching means for disconnecting said source of electrical power to said load side phase and neutral conductors in response to said switching signal.
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22. An arc fault circuit interrupter (AFCI) device electrically connected to an electrical wiring system between a source of electrical power including line side phase and neutral conductors and a load side including phase and neutral conductors, said device comprising:
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arc fault circuit means for measuring the level of average high frequency current and average AC line frequency current flowing through said device to an electrical load connected to said load side, said arc fault circuit means operative to generate an arc fault trigger signal utilizing a plurality of trip levels of said average high frequency current based on said level of average AC line frequency current;
trigger means coupled to said arc fault circuit means, said trigger means for generating a switching signal upon receipt of said arc fault trigger signal; and
switching means electrically connected in series between said line side phase and neutral conductors and said load side phase and neutral conductors, said switching means for disconnecting said source of electrical power to said load side phase and neutral conductors in response to said switching signal. - View Dependent Claims (24, 25, 26)
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33. An arc fault circuit interrupter (AFCI) device electrically connected to an electrical wiring system between a source of electrical power including line side phase and neutral conductors and a load side including phase and neutral conductors, said device comprising:
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current measurement means for sensing the level of current flowing through one of either said line side phase or neutral conductors;
high frequency means for generating a high frequency signal corresponding to the level of high frequency current sensed by said current measurement means;
AC line frequency means for generating an AC line frequency signal corresponding to the level of AC line frequency current sensed by said current measurement means;
arc detect means for generating an arc fault trigger signal in accordance with said high frequency signal and said AC line frequency signal;
trigger means for generating a switching signal upon receipt of said arc fault trigger signal;
switching means electrically connected in series between said line side phase and neutral conductors and said load side phase and neutral conductors, said switching means for disconnecting said source of electrical power to said load side phase and neutral conductors in response to said switching signal; and
timer means for partially disabling arc detection for a finite period of time, the disabling of arc detection providing a user with the ability use an electrical device exhibiting arcing, said timer means enabling arc detection after use of said electrical device has been discontinued. - View Dependent Claims (35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52)
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34. An arc fault circuit interrupter (AFCI) device electrically connected to an electrical wiring system between a source of electrical power including line side phase and neutral conductors and a load side including phase and neutral conductors, said device comprising:
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current measurement means for sensing the level of current flowing through one of either said line side phase or neutral conductors;
high frequency means for generating a high frequency signal corresponding to the level of high frequency current sensed by said current measurement means;
AC line frequency means for generating an AC line frequency signal corresponding to the level of AC line frequency current sensed by said current measurement means;
arc detect means for generating an arc fault trigger signal in accordance with said high frequency signal and said AC line frequency signal; and
switching means electrically connected in series between said line side phase and neutral conductors and said load side phase and neutral conductors, said switching means for disconnecting said source of electrical power to said load side phase and neutral conductors in response to said arc fault trigger signal.
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45. In an arc fault circuit interrupter (AFCI) device connected to an electrical wiring system via line side phase and neutral conductors and load side phase and neutral conductors, a method of detecting arc faults and ground faults, comprising the steps of:
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sensing the level of current flowing through one of either said line side phase or neutral conductors;
generating a high frequency signal corresponding to the level of high frequency current sensed;
generating an AC line frequency signal corresponding to the level of AC line frequency current sensed;
generating an arc fault trigger signal in accordance with said high frequency signal and said AC line frequency signal;
generating a switching signal in response to said ac fault trigger signal; and
disconnecting said source of electrical power to said load side phase and neutral conductors in response to said switching signal.
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Specification