Monitor providing cause of trip indication and circuit breaker incorporatiing the same
First Claim
1. A circuit breaker for providing protection in an electric power distribution system, the circuit breaker comprising:
- separable contacts;
an operating mechanism opening the separable contacts when actuated;
a trip unit comprising a thermal/magnetic trip device producing a thermal trip by actuating the operating mechanism in response to persistent overload conditions and producing a magnetic trip by actuating the operating mechanism in response to overcurrent conditions; and
a monitor providing a thermal trip indication when the separable contacts are opened by the thermal trip and providing a magnetic trip indication when the separable contacts are opened by the magnetic trip.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A circuit breaker with a thermal/magnetic trip device incorporates a monitor that senses the temperature of the bimetal and the amplitude of the load current to distinguish between a thermal and a magnetic trip. If the temperature of the bimetal is above a selected value when the circuit breaker trips, a “THERMAL” trip light emitting diode (LED) is energized, while a high load current at the time of a trip lights a “MAG” trip LED. The monitor also energizes an “ARC” LED in response to an arc fault signal from an AFCI at the time of trip, or a “GRD” LED in response to a ground fault trip. If a trip sensor, which monitors load voltage does not detect opening of the circuit breaker contacts when an arc fault or ground fault signal is generated, the corresponding LED is flashed to indicate the failure to trip. The monitor also has a “SURGE” LED to indicate a voltage surge in the protected distribution system as detected by a surge detector built into the circuit breaker. The trip and surge indications can be communicated to a remote location.
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Citations
17 Claims
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1. A circuit breaker for providing protection in an electric power distribution system, the circuit breaker comprising:
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separable contacts;
an operating mechanism opening the separable contacts when actuated;
a trip unit comprising a thermal/magnetic trip device producing a thermal trip by actuating the operating mechanism in response to persistent overload conditions and producing a magnetic trip by actuating the operating mechanism in response to overcurrent conditions; and
a monitor providing a thermal trip indication when the separable contacts are opened by the thermal trip and providing a magnetic trip indication when the separable contacts are opened by the magnetic trip. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A circuit breaker for providing protection in an electric power distribution system, the circuit breaker comprising:
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a housing;
a trip unit within the housing responsive to selected current characteristics for interrupting current in the electric power distribution system; and
a monitor comprising;
a surge detector within the housing generating a surge signal in response to detection of a voltage surge in the electric power distribution system; and
an output device generating a signal indicating the voltage surge in response to the surge signal. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17)
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Specification