Circuit breaker system with ASM instantaneous overcurrent indication
First Claim
1. A system for sensing and indicating an overcurrent condition in an electrical circuitry, comprising:
- a trip unit configured to sense the overcurrent condition;
a module coupled to the trip unit and configured to selectively control power to the trip unit in response to an indication signal transmitted from the trip unit, wherein selectively controlling the power to the trip unit permits communication of a data corresponding to the overcurrent condition and permits configuring the trip unit to sense a subsequent overcurrent condition, wherein the module includes a first controller configured to continue power to the trip unit for a first length of time after the overcurrent condition has been sensed by the trip unit; and
a second controller configured to reset the trip unit after the data has been communicated, wherein the second controller is a monostable multivibrator and the trip unit is reset by toggling the power to the trip unit “
off”
for a second length of time and then “
on.”
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Accused Products
Abstract
A circuit breaker system (100) providing application specific module (ASM) instantaneous overcurrent indication is disclosed herein (FIG. 5). A trip unit (110) included in the circuit breaker system (100) is powered by an external power supply unit (134) in the ASM (104). The circuit breaker system (100) includes transmitting an indication signal (130) from the trip unit (110) to the ASM (104) in response to an overcurrent condition. The indication signal (130) triggers a first controller (130) included in the ASM (104), the first controller (130) configured to cause the external power supply unit (134) to maintain power to the trip unit (110) for a first length for time sufficient to communicate a data corresponding to the overcurrent condition to the ASM (104). The output of the first controller (130) triggers a second controller (132) included in the ASM (104), the second controller (132) configured to cause the external power supply unit (134) to reset the trip unit (110) in readiness to respond to the next overcurrent condition. The data received by the ASM (104) may be processed to form a trip and overcurrent data set for display in a display unit (112).
26 Citations
21 Claims
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1. A system for sensing and indicating an overcurrent condition in an electrical circuitry, comprising:
-
a trip unit configured to sense the overcurrent condition;
a module coupled to the trip unit and configured to selectively control power to the trip unit in response to an indication signal transmitted from the trip unit, wherein selectively controlling the power to the trip unit permits communication of a data corresponding to the overcurrent condition and permits configuring the trip unit to sense a subsequent overcurrent condition, wherein the module includes a first controller configured to continue power to the trip unit for a first length of time after the overcurrent condition has been sensed by the trip unit; and
a second controller configured to reset the trip unit after the data has been communicated, wherein the second controller is a monostable multivibrator and the trip unit is reset by toggling the power to the trip unit “
off”
for a second length of time and then “
on.”- View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. A method of providing an overcurrent protection and indication for an electrical circuitry, comprising:
-
(a) sensing an overcurrent condition with a trip unit;
(b) initiating a trip to protect the electrical circuitry in response to the overcurrent condition;
(c) transmitting an indication signal to a module coupled to the trip unit;
(d) controlling a power to the trip unit by the module; and
(e) communicating a data corresponding to the overcurrent condition to the module;
wherein step (d) of controlling the power includes resetting the trip unit after step (e) of communicating the data by toggling the power to the trip unit “
off”
for a second length of time and then “
on.”- View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12)
(f) processing the data into a trip and overcurrent data set by a microcontroller included in the module;
(g) storing the trip and overcurrent data set in the module;
(h) communicating the trip and overcurrent data set to a display unit; and
(i) displaying the trip and overcurrent data set on the display unit.
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12. The method of claim 11, wherein step (i) of displaying includes at least one of displaying an overload trip occurrence indication, a short time trip occurrence indication, a ground fault trip occurrence indication, an instantaneous trip occurrence indication, a count of the overload trip occurrences, a count of the short time trip occurrences, a count of the ground fault trip occurrences, a count of the instantaneous trip occurrences, a count of an under load switching operations, a sum of I2T values, and a time stamp of each trip occurrence.
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13. A system for sensing and indicating an overcurrent condition in an electrical circuitry, comprising:
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means for sensing the overcurrent condition in the electrical circuitry;
means for communicating an indication signal and a data corresponding to the overcurrent condition, the means for sensing coupled to the means for communicating;
means for selectively controlling a power to the means for sensing and the means for communicating, the means for communicating coupled to the means for selectively controlling; and
means for initiating a trip of the electrical circuitry in response to the overcurrent condition, the means for initiating coupled to the means for sensing and the means for communicating, wherein the means for selectively controlling includes a first monostable multivibrator coupled to a second monostable multivibrator and the second monostable multivibrator coupled to an external power supply for the means for communicating. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
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Specification