Circuit protection device with automatic monitoring of operation fault

• US 7,576,960 B2
• Filed: 08/08/2007
• Issued: 08/18/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 04/03/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Zhejiang Trimone Science & Technology Electric Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Zhejiang Trimone Science & Technology Electric Co., Ltd.
• Inventors: Zhao, Feng, Gao, Shaohua
• Primary Examiner(s): Paladini; Albert W
• Assistant Examiner(s): PATEL, DHARTI HARIDAS
• Application Number:
  US11/836,083
• Publication Number:
  US 20080024945A1
• Time in Patent Office: 741 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 361/42
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2071/044 Monitoring, detection or measuring systems to establish the end of life of the switching device, can also contain other on-line monitoring systems, e.g. for detecting mechanical failures
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 83/04 with testing means for indicating the ability of the switch or relay to function properly
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 9/161 comprising light emitting elements

Abstract

A circuit interrupter device having a circuit module that automatically monitor the operation of the device and contains a master control system that periodically sends out an impulse that simulates an electric shock signal, a monitoring system that has an interlocking magnifier and comparator, and a signaling system to indicate the normal or faulty operation of the device.

Claims

1. A circuit protection device comprising

a ground fault circuit interrupter protection device (1),

a ground fault test circuit module (3),

a drive module (4) having a solenoid K1B, an SCR Q1, and a triode Q3, and

a circuit module (2) having a master control system (2-1) that periodically sends out an impulse that simulates an electric shock signal, a monitoring system (2-2) that has an interlocking amplifier and comparator, and a signaling system (2-3) that indicates normal or faulty operation of the device,

wherein an input of the circuit module (2) is connected to an output of the ground fault circuit interrupter protecting device (1);

an output of the circuit module (2) is connected to an input of the ground fault circuit interrupter protecting device (1);

an input of the circuit module (2) is connected to an output of the drive module (4),

wherein the master control system (2-1) is connected to a power input line N;

the monitoring system (2-2) is connected to an anode of the SCR Q1 and a base of the triode Q3;

the signaling system (2-3) is connected to two input pins of the solenoid K1B, and

wherein the master control system (2-1) comprises a resistor R20, a resistor R23, and a capacitor C13, each having one end connected together;

another end of the resistor R20, and a first end of a triode Q5, a resistor R15, and a resistor R12, all being connected to a VCC;

a resistor R23 having one end connected to a second end of the triode Q5;

a resistor R18 having one end connected to a third end of the triode Q5;

another end of the capacitor C13 and one end of a capacitor C11, both being connected to a power input;

another end of the resistor R18, capacitor C11, and one end of a resistor R16, all being connected to pin 1 and pin 2 of an integrated block U2A;

another end of the resistor R16 and one end of a capacitor C12, both being connected to pin 3 of the integrated block U2A;

another end of the resistor R15 and another end of the capacitor C12, both being connected to pin 5 and pin 6 of an integrated block U2B;

a resistor R19, a resistor R5, a diode D9, and a resistor R14, all having one end connected to pin 4 of the integrated block U2B;

another end of resistor R19 and a first end of a triode Q4 being connected;

a second end of the triode Q4 and another end of the resistor R12 being connected;

a third end of the triode Q4 being connected to the power input line N which has passed through a signal transformer L1 and a neutral transformer L2.

4. The circuit protection device according to claim 1, wherein the signaling system (2-3) comprises a visual alarm, au audible alarm, an alarm through a RF wireless transmission, an alarm through a wave carrier transmission, or a combination thereof.

5. The circuit protection device according to claim 4, wherein the signaling system (2-3) has a visual alarm which comprises dual-color light-emitting diodes.

6. The circuit protection device according to claim 5, wherein the dual-color light-emitting diodes emit one color for indicating tripping.

7. The circuit protection device according to claim 5, wherein the dual-color light-emitting diodes emit at least one color for indicating operation fault.

8. The circuit protection device according to claim 5, wherein the dual-color light-emitting diodes emit green light to indicate normal operation.

9. The circuit protection device according to claim 4, wherein the visual alarm indicates an end-of-life of the device via periodical glitter.

10. The circuit protection device according to claim 9, wherein the visual alarm emits red for indicating the end-of-life.

11. The circuit protection device according to claim 5, wherein the dual-color light-emitting diode emits green light to indicate normal operation.

12. The circuit protection device according to claim 4, wherein the signaling system (2-3) comprises an audible alarm.

13. The circuit protection device according to claim 4, wherein the signaling system (2-3) comprises an alarm through a RF wireless transmission.

14. The circuit protection device according to claim 4, wherein the signaling system (2-3) comprises an alarm through a wave carrier transmission.

15. The circuit protection device according to claim 1, further comprising an end of life system that is respectively connected to a positive pin of the SCR Q1 and the base of the triode Q3, and activates an end of life alarm when the system detects a failure to response to a simulated ground fault signal by the drive module (4) or by the circuit interrupter protective device (1).

16. The circuit protection device according to claim 1, wherein the device is a GFCI receptacle, a GFCI plug, a GFCI breaker, or a GFCI switch.

2. A circuit protection device comprising

a ground fault circuit interrupter protection device (1),

a ground fault test circuit module (3),

a drive module (4) having a solenoid K1B, an SCR Q1, and a triode Q3, and

a circuit module (2) having a master control system (2-1) that periodically sends out an impulse that simulates an electric shock signal, a monitoring system (2-2) that has an interlocking amplifier and comparator, and a signaling system (2-3) that indicates normal or faulty operation of the device,

wherein an input of the circuit module (2) is connected to an output of the ground fault circuit interrupter protecting device (1);

an output of the circuit module (2) is connected to an input of the ground fault circuit interrupter protecting device (1);

an input of the circuit module (2) is connected to an output of the drive module (4),

wherein the master control system (2-1) is connected to a power input line N;

the monitoring system (2-2) is connected to an anode of the SCR Q1 and a base of the triode Q3;

the signaling system (2-3) is connected to two input pins of the solenoid K1B, and

wherein the monitoring system (2-2) comprises;

a capacitor C10, a resistor R2, a resistor R7, and a triode Q1, each having one end connected together;

another end of the capacitor C10 and one end of a resistor R13, both being connected to pin 9 of an integrated block U2C;

a diode D10 and a resistor R10, both having one end being connected to pin 8 of U2C and to pin 11 of an integrated block U2D;

a diode D9, a resistor R14, and a capacitor C14, all having one end connected to pin 12 of U2D;

another end of the resistor R10 and a first end of the triode Q3 being connected;

another end of the capacitor C14 being connected to the power ground line N; and

wherein the capacitor C10 couples a signal from the SCR Q1 to pin 9 of U2C, and after amplified by U2C and compared by U2D, controls an alarming status of the signaling system (2-3) and prevents mistrip through on or off of the triode Q3.

17. The circuit protection device according to claim 2, wherein the signaling system (2-3) comprises a visual alarm, au audible alarm, an alarm through a RF wireless transmission, an alarm through a wave carrier transmission, or a combination thereof.

18. The circuit protection device according to claim 2, further comprising an end of life system that is respectively connected to a positive pin of the SCR Q1 and the base of the triode Q3, and activates an end of life alarm when the system detects a failure to response to a simulated ground fault signal by the drive module (4) or by the circuit interrupter protective device (1).

3. A circuit protection device comprising

a ground fault circuit interrupter protection device (1),

a ground fault test circuit module (3),

a drive module (4) having a solenoid K1B, an SCR Q1, and a triode Q3, and

a circuit module (2) having a master control system (2-1) that periodically sends out an impulse that simulates an electric shock signal, a monitoring system (2-2) that has an interlocking amplifier and comparator, and a signaling system (2-3) that indicates normal or faulty operation of the device,

wherein an input of the circuit module (2) is connected to an output of the ground fault circuit interrupter protecting device (1);

an output of the circuit module (2) is connected to an input of the ground fault circuit interrupter protecting device (1);

an input of the circuit module (2) is connected to an output of the drive module (4),

wherein the master control system (2-1) is connected to a power input line N;

the monitoring system (2-2) is connected to an anode of the SCR Q1 and a base of the triode Q3;

the signaling system (2-3) is connected to two input pins of the solenoid K1B, and

wherein the signaling system (2-3) comprises a resistor R5, a diode D10, a capacitor C8, and an SCR Q2, having one end being connected;

a resistor R3 and a resistor R4 having one end being connected to one end of the capacitor C1, the solenoid K1B, a diode D5, a resistor R2, a resistor R7, and a resistor R1-1;

a voltage-stabilizing diode D4 and an SCR Q2, both having one end connected to another end of the resistor R3 and another end of the resistor R4;

another end of the diode D4 being connected to a light-emitting diode D3-2 of D3;

another end of the SCR Q2 and a light-emitting diode D3-1 of D3 are connected;

one end of the D3 and another end of the capacitor C8 being connected to power ground line N; and

wherein the master control system (2-1) triggers the signaling system (2-3) through the resistor R5 to turn on the light-emitting diode D3-1, and turns on or off of the light-emitting diode D3-1 through controlling the monitoring system (2-2) via the diode D10.

19. The circuit protection device according to claim 3, wherein the signaling system (2-3) comprises a visual alarm, au audible alarm, an alarm through a RF wireless transmission, an alarm through a wave carrier transmission, or a combination thereof.

20. The circuit protection device according to claim 3, further comprising an end of life system that is respectively connected to a positive pin of the SCR Q1 and the base of the triode Q3, and activates an end of life alarm when the system detects a failure to response to a simulated ground fault signal by the drive module (4) or by the circuit interrupter protective device (1).