Circuit breaker including interface to convert a rectified signal to a sinusoidal signal
US6008973A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | May 27, 1998 |
| Grant date | Dec 28, 1999 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | May 27, 2018 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
- CPC primaryH02H3/083
- WIPO fieldElectrical machinery, apparatus, energy
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
A circuit breaker and method for interrupting the flow of electric current in a line includes connecting separable contacts to a conductor in the circuit. An actuating device, actuated by an activating signal, is connected to the separable contacts to effect separation of the contacts wherein the flow of electric current in the circuit is interrupted. A current sensor, such as an iron core current transformer, senses the current in the circuit to provide a first sinusoidal signal. A bridge rectifier is connected to the current sensor wherein the first sinusoidal signal is converted to a rectified signal and power is derived from the rectified signal. An interface circuit connected to the rectifying network converts the rectified signal into a second sinusoidal signal for providing the activating signal to the actuating device at a predetermined magnitude of the first sinusoidal signal. The interface circuit includes generating a sign bit indicative of the polarity of the first sinusoidal signal. A switch, such as a complimentary metal-oxide silicon (CMOS) switch, generates a positive half-wave rectified signal and a negative half-wave rectified signal from the rectified signal and …
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.