Tri-mode over-voltage protection and disconnect circuit apparatus and method

• US 6,829,129 B2
• Filed: 01/11/2002
• Issued: 12/07/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 11/14/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Monster LLC (Atlantic Acquisition, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Monster LLC (Atlantic Acquisition, Inc.)
• Inventors: Wu, Anthony M., Marsh, Richard N.
• Primary Examiner(s): Sircus, Brian
• Assistant Examiner(s): Benenson, Boris
• Application Number:
  US10/046,062
• Publication Number:
  US 20030227733A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,061 Days
• Field of Search: 361/38, 361/88, 361/119, 361/56, 361/111
• US Class Current: 361/111
• CPC Class Codes: H02H 9/042 comprising means to limit the absorbed power or indicate damaged over-voltage protection device

Abstract

A single-phase apparatus and method for protecting for all AC power wires/lines and combinations thereof. The present invention prevents (1) the hazardous condition occurring at the wall receptacle, arising from accidental reversal of the line wire with the neutral wire, from adversely affecting at least one peripheral device in the line, and (2) the overheating and destruction of components in an over-voltage protection circuit by providing an efficient circuit configuration which assures a rapid simultaneous disconnect of both the hot line and neutral power lines. The present invention achieves this by opening the circuit to simultaneously disconnect both line and neutral power lines feeding a load when the over-voltage event occurs in any of three wire pairings: line-to-neutral, line-to-ground, or neutral-to-ground.

Claims

1. A tri-mode over-voltage circuit protection and disconnect apparatus, the apparatus comprising:

a. a first over-voltage protection circuit disposed between a hot line and a ground line;

b. a second and a third over-voltage protection circuit disposed between the hot line and a neutral line; and

c. a fourth over-voltage protection circuit disposed between the neutral line and the ground line;

d. a warning means for indicating that the input hot line and neutral line are reversed; and

e. at least one warning means for indicating that an over-voltage condition has occurred, the at least one warning means being selected from a group of warning means consisting of an indicator light, an LED indicator, and an audible alarm;

whereby the hot line and the neutral line are distributed as an output voltage when the over-voltage protection circuits are functioning, and

whereby, in the event of an over-voltage condition between the hot line and neutral line the second and third over-voltage protection circuits respond by passing sufficient current to cause at least one protective device to open, wherein the protective device is selected from a group consisting of fast-blow fuse, slow-blow fuse, thermal fuse, and circuit breaker, wherein each of the over-voltage protection circuit comprises

a. a thermal fuse and

b. a metal oxide varistor (MOV),

wherein the thermal fuse associated with the first over-voltage protection circuit is disposed in parallel with the ground line and hot line,

wherein the thermal fuse associated with the second over-voltage protection circuit is disposed in series with the neutral line,

wherein the thermal fuse associated with the third over-voltage protection circuit is disposed in series with the hot line,

wherein the thermal fuse associated with the fourth over-voltage protection circuit is disposed in parallel with the ground line and neutral line,

wherein the MOV associated with the first over-voltage protection circuit is disposed in parallel with the hot line and the ground line,

wherein the MOV associated with the second over-voltage protection circuit is disposed in parallel with the hot line and the neutral line,

wherein the MOV associated with the third over-voltage protection circuit is disposed in parallel with the hot line and the neutral line,

wherein the MOV associated with the fourth over-voltage protection circuit is disposed in parallel with the neutral line and the ground line,

whereby the first over-voltage protection circuit being disposed in a manner facilitating response to an over-voltage condition occurring between the hot line and the ground line,

whereby the second and third over-voltage circuits being disposed in a manner facilitating response to an over-voltage condition occurring between the hot line and the neutral line, and

whereby the fourth over-voltage protection circuit being disposed in a manner facilitating response to an over-voltage condition occurring between the neutral line and the ground line.

2. A tri-mode over-voltage protection and disconnect circuit apparatus as recited in claim 1, further comprising at least one electronic interference filter.

3. The apparatus as recited in claim 2 further comprising at least one protective device selected from a group consisting of fast-blow fuse, slow-blow fuse, thermal fuse, and circuit breaker.

4. The apparatus, as recited in claim 1, further comprising:

a warning means for indicating that the input hot line and neutral line are reversed; and

at least one warning means for indicating that an over-voltage condition has occurred, the at least one warning means being selected from a group of warning means consisting essentially of an indicator light, an LED indicator, and an audible alarm.

5. A tri-mode over-voltage protection and disconnect circuit apparatus, the apparatus comprising:

a. a first over-voltage protection circuit disposed between a hot line and a ground line;

b. a second and a third over-voltage protection circuit disposed between the hot line and a neutral line;

c. a fourth over-voltage protection circuit disposed between the neutral line and the ground line; and

d. at least one warning means for indicating that an over-voltage condition has occurred and a protective device has operated, the at least one warning means being selected from a group of warning means consisting of an indicator light, an LED indicator, and an audible alarm

wherein each of the over-voltage protection circuits comprises;

a. a thermal fuse; and

b. a respective metal oxide varistor (MOV),

wherein the thermal fuse associated with the first over-voltage protection circuit is disposed in parallel with the ground line and hot line,

wherein the thermal fuse associated with the second over-voltage protection circuit is disposed in series with the neutral line,

wherein the thermal fuse associated with the third over-voltage protection circuit is disposed in series with the hot line,

wherein the thermal fuse associated with the fourth over-voltage protection circuit is disposed in parallel with the ground line and neutral line,

wherein the respective MOV associated with the first over-voltage protection circuit is disposed in parallel with the hot line and the ground line,

wherein the respective MOV associated with the second over-voltage protection circuit is disposed in parallel with the hot line and the neutral line,

wherein the respective MOV associated with the third over-voltage protection circuit is disposed in parallel with the hot line and the neutral line,

wherein the respective MOV associated with the fourth over-voltage protection circuit is disposed in parallel with the neutral line and the ground line; and

whereby the respective MOV associated with the fourth over-voltage protection circuit being disposed in a manner facilitating response to an over-voltage condition occurring between the neutral line and the ground line.

6. The apparatus as recited in claim 5 wherein the protective device is selected from a group consisting of fast-blow fuse, slow-blow fuse, thermal fuse, and circuit breaker.

7. A tri-mode over-voltage protection and disconnect circuit apparatus as recited in claim 5, further comprising at least one electronic interference filter.

8. A tri-mode over-voltage protection and disconnect circuit apparatus, the apparatus comprising:

a. a first over-voltage protection means disposed between a hot line and a ground line;

b. a second and third over-voltage protection means disposed between the hot line and a neutral line; and

c. a fourth over-voltage protection means disposed between the neutral line and the ground line,

whereby, in the event of an over-voltage condition on the hot line, the second and third over-voltage protection means respond by each opening a thermal protective device, thereby causing an open state such that the hot line and the neutral line are not distributed as an output voltage,

wherein each of the over-voltage protection means comprises;

a. a thermal fuse, and

b. a respective metal oxide varistor MOV,

wherein the thermal fuse associated with the first over-voltage protection circuit is disposed in parallel between the hot line and the ground line,

wherein the thermal fuse associated with the second over-voltage protection circuit is disposed in series with the neutral line,

wherein the thermal fuse associated with the third over-voltage protection circuit is disposed in series with the hot line,

wherein the thermal fuse associated with the fourth over-voltage protection circuit is disposed in parallel between the neutral line and the ground line,

wherein the respective MOV associated with the first over-voltage protection circuit is disposed in parallel with the hot line and the ground line,

wherein the respective MOV associated with the second and third over-voltage protection circuits are disposed in parallel with the hot line and the neutral line, and

whereby the respective MOV associated with the fourth over-voltage protection circuit being disposed in a manner facilitating response to an over-voltage condition occurring between the neutral line and the ground line.

9. The apparatus as recited in claim 8 further comprising at least one protective device selected from a group consisting of fast-blow fuse, slow-blow fuse, thermal fuse, and circuit breaker.

10. A tri-mode over-voltage protection and disconnect circuit apparatus as recited in claim 8 further comprising at least one electronic interference filter.

11. A method of protecting at least one peripheral device from an over-voltage condition, the method comprising:

providing a tri-mode over-voltage protection and disconnect circuit apparatus, the apparatus comprising;

a. a first over-voltage protection circuit disposed between a hot line and a ground line;

b. a second and a third over-voltage protection circuit disposed between the hot line and a neutral line, each circuit having a thermal fuse in series with the neutral line; and

c. a fourth over-voltage protection circuit disposed between the neutral line and the ground line;

the apparatus providing AC power to the at least one peripheral device, whereby the hot line and the neutral line are not distributed as an output voltage when the second and third over-voltage protection devices has opened a protective device.

12. The method, as recited in claim 11, further comprising:

providing a warning means for indicating that the input hot line and neutral line are reversed; and

providing at least one warning means for indicating that an over-voltage condition has occurred, the at least one warning means being selected from a group of warning means consisting essentially of an indicator light, an LED indicator, an audible alarm; and

warning that an over-voltage condition has occurred by activating the provided warning feature.

13. The method of claim 12 further comprising providing an electronic interference filter on the input of the apparatus.

14. The method of claim 11 further comprising providing an electronic interference filter on the output of the apparatus.