Intelligent circuit breakers with air-gap and solid-state switches
US11348752B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Dec 19, 2019 |
| Grant date | May 31, 2022 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Oct 8, 2040 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
- CPC primaryY02E60/00
- WIPO fieldElectrical machinery, apparatus, energy
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
A circuit breaker comprises a solid-state switch, an air-gap electromagnetic switch, switch control circuitry, a zero-crossing detection circuit, and a current sensor. The solid-state and air-gap switches are connected in series in an electrical path between line input and load output terminals of the circuit breaker. The switch control circuitry controls the solid-state and air-gap switches. The zero-crossing detection circuit detects zero crossings of an AC waveform on the electrical path. The current sensor senses current flow in the electrical path to detect a fault condition based on the sensed current flow. In response to a detected fault condition, the switch control circuitry generates control signals to place the solid-state switch into a switched-off state and place the air-gap switch into a switched-open state after the solid-state switch is placed into the switched-off state. The switch control circuitry utilizes zero-crossing detection signals output from the zero-crossing detection circuit to determine when to place the air-gap switch into the switched-open state.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.