ARC fault detector
First Claim
1. Apparatus for detecting arcs on an electrical power distribution network having at least one conductor comprising:
- a series inductance circuit adapted to be coupled in series with a conductor of the network wherein a voltage is produced across the series inductance circuit having a waveform which relates to the derivative of current flow in the conductor; and
an arc detection circuit coupled to identify when the waveform of the voltage across the series inductance circuit is representative of arcing on the network and to generate an arc detection signal when the waveform is representative of arcing on the network.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An arc fault detector, as a stand alone device or in combination with a circuit interrupting device such as a ground fault interrupter (GFCI), protects from potentially dangerous arc fault conditions. The device utilizes a line side or load side series connected inductance having an air or magnetic core to generate the derivative di/dt signal of the arc current in the conductor. The derivative signal is fed to an arc fault detector where it is analyzed for the presence of arcing. The device can have two series connected inductors inductively coupled to each other such that the signal from one inductor is inductively coupled into the other inductor for coupling to the arc fault detector.
152 Citations
48 Claims
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1. Apparatus for detecting arcs on an electrical power distribution network having at least one conductor comprising:
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a series inductance circuit adapted to be coupled in series with a conductor of the network wherein a voltage is produced across the series inductance circuit having a waveform which relates to the derivative of current flow in the conductor; and an arc detection circuit coupled to identify when the waveform of the voltage across the series inductance circuit is representative of arcing on the network and to generate an arc detection signal when the waveform is representative of arcing on the network. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48)
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Specification