Electrical line-fault detector and circuit breaker device
First Claim
1. An electrical circuit breaker apparatus for disconnecting power supplied to a load device by a power source by way of internal wiring conductors of a building, comprising:
- detecting means for producing a first signal representative of an electrical parameter near the power source when the load device is turned "off" and for producing a second signal representative of a corresponding electrical parameter near the load when the load is turned "on";
comparator means for producing a third signal responsive to a difference between said first and second signals; and
disconnect means for responding to said third signal to open the circuit to said load in response to at least series resistive fault conditions in the internal wiring between the source and the load.
0 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An electrical circuit breaker device for connection between a load device and a power source, capable of disconnecting the load device from the power source upon detection of an electrical fault condition present in the wiring between the load and the power source is provided. A time delay prevents the load from being disconnected due to the reporting of a temporary voltage fluctuation. One embodiment of the present invention measures a voltage value representative of the voltage across the source and compares it with the voltage drop across the load to determine the voltage drop due to the wiring between the source and the load. The load device is disconnected from the power source if the resulting power loss or voltage difference due to the resistance of the wiring indicates a power loss in the wiring sufficient to cause combustion. Another embodiment of the present invention compares an arbitrary voltage to the voltage drop across the load device to determine whether a fault condition exists within the wiring, and if such a fault condition is detected, the load device is disconnected from the power source.
-
Citations
43 Claims
-
1. An electrical circuit breaker apparatus for disconnecting power supplied to a load device by a power source by way of internal wiring conductors of a building, comprising:
-
detecting means for producing a first signal representative of an electrical parameter near the power source when the load device is turned "off" and for producing a second signal representative of a corresponding electrical parameter near the load when the load is turned "on"; comparator means for producing a third signal responsive to a difference between said first and second signals; and disconnect means for responding to said third signal to open the circuit to said load in response to at least series resistive fault conditions in the internal wiring between the source and the load. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39)
-
-
40. An electrical circuit breaker apparatus for disconnecting power supplied to a load device by a power source by way of internal wiring conductors of a building, comprising:
-
voltage detection means for obtaining a first voltage representative of the voltage at the power source when the load device is turned "off" and for obtaining a second voltage representative of the voltage drop across the load obtained when the load device is "on"; subtractor means for obtaining a voltage difference between said first and second voltages; multiplier means for multiplying said voltage difference by the current flowing through the load device to obtain a power loss value indicative of the power loss due to a Series resistance present in internal wiring connecting the load device in series with the power source; and
,disconnect means for disconnecting said load device from said power source if said power loss value is above a predetermined level. - View Dependent Claims (41)
-
-
42. An electrical circuit breaker apparatus located near a load device for disconnecting power supplied to a load device by a power source due to an electric fault condition within the internal wiring connecting the power source in series with the load device in a building, comprising;
-
first voltage detection means for obtaining a reference voltage by measuring the voltage drop across the load device when the load device is turned "off"; second voltage detection means for obtaining a second voltage value representative of the voltage drop across the load device when the load device is turned "on"; comparator means for obtaining a voltage difference representative of the voltage difference between said first and second voltages; and disconnect means for disconnecting said load device from said power source if said voltage difference is above a predetermined level. - View Dependent Claims (43)
-
Specification