Power interruption detector

• US 5,801,635 A
• Filed: 02/14/1997
• Issued: 09/01/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 02/14/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Glenn L. Price
• Original Assignee: Glenn L. Price
• Inventors: Price, Glenn L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Hofsass, Jeffery
• Assistant Examiner(s): Wu, Daniel J.
• Application Number:
  US08/800,788
• Time in Patent Office: 564 Days
• Field of Search: 340/635, 340/638, 340/644, 340/649, 340/652, 340/653, 340/654, 340/656, 340/661, 361/56, 361/115, 361/111, 361/118
• US Class Current: 340/656
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/6666 with built-in overvoltage protection

Abstract

A power interruption detector including a housing, a power input cord, a multi-volt transformer having a 120-208-240 primary winding and a 24 volt secondary winding, a power contactor with an actuating coil, a power plug receptacle, a delay timer, a counting circuit, an alarm circuit, a thumb-wheel switch, a digital trip counter display driver, a display output device, an audible alarm enunciator, and a battery. The power input cord couples line power to the primary winding of the multi-volt transformer and to one side of the power contactor. The other side of the power contactor is wired to the terminals of the power plug receptacle. The power contactor has contacts that close to complete the circuit between the power input cord and the power plug receptacle when the actuating coil is energized. The secondary winding is coupled to the delay timer. The delay timer has a delay timer output coupled to the actuating coil of the contactor. The delay timer has internal circuitry that causes the delay timer output to energize the actuating coil of the contactor a predetermined delay period after the delay timer input detects current flow through the secondary winding.

Claims

1. A power interruption detector comprising:

a housing;

a power input cord;

a multi-volt transformer having a 120-208-240 primary winding and a 24 volt secondary winding;

a power contactor with an actuating coil;

a power plug receptacle;

a delay timer;

a counting circuit;

an alarm circuit;

a thumb-wheel switch;

a digital trip counter display driver;

a display output device;

an audible alarm enunciator; and

a battery;

said power input cord coupling line power to said primary winding of said multi-volt transformer and to a first terminal side of said power contactor, a second terminal side of said power contactor being wired to receptacle terminals of said power plug receptacle;

said power contactor having normally open contacts that close to complete an electrical circuit between said power input cord and said power plug receptacle when said actuating coil is energized;

said secondary winding being coupled to said delay timer;

said delay timer having a delay timer output coupled to said actuating coil of said contactor;

said delay timer having internal circuitry that causes said delay timer output to energize said actuating coil of said contactor a predetermined delay period after said delay timer input detects current flow through said secondary winding;

said counting circuit having a counting input coupled to an actuating coil terminal of said actuating coil in a manner such that each time said actuating coil is energized said counting circuit increments one increment on a plurality of counter output lines, said counter output lines being connected to a like plurality of data input lines of said digital trip counter display driver;

said digital trip counter display driver driving said display output device in a manner such that said display output device visually displays in Arabic numerals the binary value of said plurality of counter output lines minus one;

said alarm circuit having an alarm output connected to an activation input of said audible alarm enunciator and an alarm input connected to an output of said thumb wheel switch;

said alarm output activating said audible alarm enunciator when one more than a numeric value dialed on said thumb wheel switch is reached by said plurality of counter output lines;

said battery powering said counting circuit, said alarm circuit, said thumb-wheel switch, said digital trip counter display driver, said display output device, and said audible alarm enunciator.

2. The power interruption detector of claim 1, wherein:

said housing is molded from plastic.

3. The power interruption detector of claim 1, wherein:

said delay timer is a delay on power up timed solid state relay switch.