Patent · US Expired

Circuit breaker apparatus including asymmetrical fault detector

US4104691A · kind A · utility

6Cited by
3References
12Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateSep 30, 1976
Grant dateAug 1, 1978
Priority date
Expiry dateSep 30, 1996

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
  • CPC primaryH02H3/093
  • WIPO fieldElectrical machinery, apparatus, energy
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

A circuit breaker apparatus is taught which includes three time delayed modes of interruption and an instantaneous interruption. A long time delay mode is taught for interrupting overload current in the line to be protected. The latter time delay is inversely proportional to the square of the overload current. A short time delay mode is taught for providing a circuit breaker tripping operation after a predetermined fixed time delay when the current flowing in the line to be protected exceeds a predetermined amount. An asymmetrical fault detecting range of interruption is taught which overlaps the region of overload current which normally would require an instantaneous tripping of the circuit breaker as a function of the properties of the circuit breaker but which nevertheless delays interruption of the circuit breaker for a relatively short period of time to test subsequent peaks of the fault or overload current to determine if the latter current decays to a value which does not necessitate quick tripping of the circuit breaker during the delay period. The latter case is related to the occurrence of a fully offset asymmetrical transient fault condition.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.