Digital fault interrupter with self-testing capabilities
DCFirst Claim
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1. A fault interrupter apparatus comprising:
- first and second input terminals for connection to the line and neutral terminals, respectively, of a power source;
first and second output terminals for connection to the line and neutral terminals, respectively, of a load;
first and second conductive paths extending, between said first and second input terminals and said first and second output terminals;
first and second contact sets for completing and interrupting said first and second conductive paths, respectively;
an actuator for operating said first and second contact sets; and
first and second electronic switching devices coupled to said actuator, said first electronic switching device being adapted to energize said actuator for a selected period of time, said second electronic switching device being adapted to commence energization of said actuator after said first electronic switching device ceases operation.
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Abstract
A ground fault interrupter apparatus is provided that employs a switching device that is operated in two stages. The first stage operates a solenoid in order to close the contacts and preferably provides coupling between the load and the power source. The second stage maintains the coupling, however, drawing less current and power from the internal devices of the apparatus. Accordingly, the fault interrupter meets various standards for the time required to open and close the contacts as well as keeping the dissipated heat from the device within the required range.
241 Citations
24 Claims
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1. A fault interrupter apparatus comprising:
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first and second input terminals for connection to the line and neutral terminals, respectively, of a power source;
first and second output terminals for connection to the line and neutral terminals, respectively, of a load;
first and second conductive paths extending, between said first and second input terminals and said first and second output terminals;
first and second contact sets for completing and interrupting said first and second conductive paths, respectively;
an actuator for operating said first and second contact sets; and
first and second electronic switching devices coupled to said actuator, said first electronic switching device being adapted to energize said actuator for a selected period of time, said second electronic switching device being adapted to commence energization of said actuator after said first electronic switching device ceases operation. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
a fault sensing circuit adapted to produce a fault signal in response to an imbalance between current, flowing in said first and second conductive paths that is indicative of a ground fault condition at said load.
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3. A fault interrupter apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein said actuator comprises a solenoid.
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4. A fault interrupter apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein said second electronic switching device is energized in response to said first electronic switching device ceasing operation.
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5. A fault interrupter apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein said first and second electronic switching devices comprise transistors.
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6. A fault interrupter apparatus as claimed in claim 1, further comprising:
a controller coupled to said first and second electronic switching devices.
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7. A fault interrupter apparatus comprising:
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first and second input terminals for connection to the line and neutral terminals, respectively, of a power source;
first and second output terminals for connection to the line and neutral terminals, respectively, of a load;
first and second conductive paths extending, between said first and second input terminals and said first and second output terminals;
first and second contact sets for completing and interrupting said first and second conductive paths, respectively;
a fault sensing circuit adapted to produce a fault signal in response to the detection of a fault condition at said load; and
a processing device coupled to an output of said fault sensing circuit for receiving said fault signal and for operating said first and second contact sets to open said respective first and second conductive paths. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10)
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11. A fault interrupter apparatus comprising:
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first and second input terminals for connection to the line and neutral terminals, respectively, of a power source;
first and second output terminals for connection to the line and neutral terminals, respectively, of a load;
first and second conductive paths extending, between said first and second input terminals and said first and second output terminals;
first and second contact sets for completing and interrupting said first and second conductive paths, respectively; and
a processing device for operating said first and second contact sets in response to a plurality of input signals, wherein a single input of said processing device is adapted to receive more than one of said input signals. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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18. A fault interrupter apparatus comprising:
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first and second input terminals for connection to the line and neutral terminals, respectively, of a power source;
first and second output terminals for connection to the line and neutral terminals, respectively, of a load;
first and second conductive paths extending, between said first and second input terminals and said first and second output terminals;
first and second contact sets for completing and interrupting said first and second conductive paths, respectively; and
a controller for operating said first and second contact sets in response to the detection of a fault condition at said load, said controller being operative to periodically open said first and second contact sets to monitor a voltage at said load to verify that said first and second contact sets have opened, and to re-close said first and second contact sets after a predetermined period of time after verifying that said first and second contact sets have not re-closed, said predetermined period of time being extended by said controller if said first and second contact sets have not re-closed within said predetermined period of time. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20, 21)
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22. A method for operating a fault interrupter apparatus having at least one set of contacts for interrupting the coupling of power to a load and an electrically driven actuator for operating said sets of contacts, said method comprising:
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energizing said actuator with a first level of a drive current via a first current source for a selected period of time to cause said contacts to move from one of an open state or a closed state to the opposite state; and
after said selected period of time, disabling said first current source and energizing said actuator with a second level of drive current via a second current source less than said first level of said drive current to maintain said contacts in said opposite state.
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23. A method for operating a fault interrupter apparatus having at least one set of contacts for interrupting power delivery to a load, said method comprising:
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periodically opening said contacts to interrupt power delivery to said load;
monitoring a voltage at said load to verify that said contacts have opened;
re-closing said contacts after a pre-determined period of time after verifying that said contacts have opened; and
extending said pre-determined period of time if said contacts have not re-closed within said pre-determined period of time. - View Dependent Claims (24)
producing an alarm indication if said contacts have not re-closed within a selected maximum extension of said predetermined period of time.
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Specification