# US 10,312,679 B2 · Circuit interrupter with reset mechanism > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,312,679 B2 - Document ID: US10312679B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 15/236,846 - Filed: 2016-08-15 - Published: 2018-02-15 - Granted: 2019-06-04 - Earliest claimed: 2016-08-15 - Assignees: Eaton Intelligent Power Limited - Applicants: Eaton Corporation - Inventors: Jason Okerman - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10312679B2 ## CPC - H02H 3/10: additionally responsive to some other abnormal electrical conditions - H02H 1/0015: {Using arc detectors} - H02H 3/093: with timing means {(in general H02H3/027; thermal delay H02H3/085; timing means for undervoltage protection H02H3/247)} - B60L 3/04: Cutting off the power supply under fault conditions (protective devices and circuit arrangements in general H01H; H02H) - H01H 2083/201: {the other abnormal electrical condition being an arc fault} - H02H 3/08: responsive to excess current (responsive to abnormal temperature caused by excess current H02H5/04) - H02H 3/16: responsive to fault current to earth, frame or mass (with balanced or differential arrangement H02H3/26 {; monitoring earth connection H02H5/105}) - H02H: EMERGENCY PROTECTIVE CIRCUIT ARRANGEMENTS (indicating or signalling undesired working conditions G01R, e.g. G01R31/00, G08B; locating faults along lines G01R31/08; emergency protective devices H01H) - B60L: PROPULSION OF ELECTRICALLY-PROPELLED VEHICLES (arrangements or mounting of electrical propulsion units or of plural diverse prime-movers for mutual or common propulsion in vehicles B60K1/00, B60K6/20; arrangements or mounting of electrical gearing in vehicles B60K17/12, B60K17/14; preventing wheel slip by reducing power in rail vehicles B61C15/08; dynamo-electric machines H02K; control or regulation of electric motors H02P); SUPPLYING ELECTRIC POWER FOR AUXILIARY EQUIPMENT OF ELECTRICALLY-PROPELLED VEHICLES (electric coupling devices combined with mechanical couplings of vehicles B60D1/64; electric heating for vehicles B60H1/00); ELECTRODYNAMIC BRAKE SYSTEMS FOR VEHICLES IN GENERAL (control or regulation of electric motors H02P); MAGNETIC SUSPENSION OR LEVITATION FOR VEHICLES; MONITORING OPERATING VARIABLES OF ELECTRICALLY-PROPELLED VEHICLES; ELECTRIC SAFETY DEVICES FOR ELECTRICALLY-PROPELLED VEHICLES - H01H: ELECTRIC SWITCHES; RELAYS; SELECTORS; EMERGENCY PROTECTIVE DEVICES (contact cables H01B7/10; electrolytic self-interrupters H01G9/18; emergency protective circuit arrangements H02H; switching by electronic means without contact-making H03K17/00) ## Abstract A circuit interrupter including a first set of separable contacts, a second set of separable contacts, a first operating mechanism structured to open the first set of separable contacts, a second operating mechanism structured to open and close the second set of separable contacts, and an electronic trip unit including a routine structured to detect a fault condition and a type of the fault condition, to control the second operating mechanism to open the second set of separable contacts in response to detecting a first type of fault condition, and to control the second operating mechanism to close the second set of separable contacts a predetermined amount of time after controlling the second operating mechanism to open the second set of separable contacts. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A circuit interrupter comprising: a first set of separable contacts; a second set of separable contacts; a first operating mechanism structured to open the first set of separable contacts; a second operating mechanism structured to open and close the second set of separable contacts; and an electronic trip unit including a routine structured to detect a fault condition and a type of the fault condition, to control the second operating mechanism to open the second set of separable contacts in response to detecting a first type of fault condition, and to control the second operating mechanism to close the second set of separable contacts a predetermined amount of time after controlling the second operating mechanism to open the second set of separable contacts, wherein the routine is structured to determine whether a predetermined number of faults have occurred within a second predetermined amount of time and to control the first operating mechanism to open the first set of separable contacts in response to determining that the predetermined number of faults have occurred within the second predetermined amount of time. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The circuit interrupter of claim 1, wherein the first type of fault condition is an arc fault. ### Claim 3 A circuit interrupter comprising: a first set of separable contacts; a second set of separable contacts; a first operating mechanism structured to open the first set of separable contacts; a second operating mechanism structured to open and close the second set of separable contacts; and an electronic trip unit including a routine structured to detect a fault condition and a type of the fault condition, to control the second operating mechanism to open the second set of separable contacts in response to detecting a first type of fault condition, and to control the second operating mechanism to close the second set of separable contacts a predetermined amount of time after controlling the second operating mechanism to open the second set of separable contacts, wherein the routine is further structured to control the first operating mechanism to open the first set of separable contacts in response to detecting a second type of fault condition. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The circuit interrupter of claim 3, wherein the second type of fault condition is an overcurrent fault. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The circuit interrupter of claim 1, further comprising: an indicator structured to provide an indication when activated, wherein the electronic trip unit is structured to activate the indicator in response to determining that the a predetermined number of fault conditions have occurred within the second predetermined amount of time. ### Claim 6 A circuit interrupter comprising: a first set of separable contacts; a second set of separable contacts; a first operating mechanism structured to open the first set of separable contacts; a second operating mechanism structured to open and close the second set of separable contacts; an electronic trip unit including a routine structured to detect a fault condition and a type of the fault condition, to control the second operating mechanism to open the second set of separable contacts in response to detecting a first type of fault condition, and to control the second operating mechanism to close the second set of separable contacts a predetermined amount of time after controlling the second operating mechanism to open the second set of separable contacts; a line conductor electrically connected to a power source, wherein the first and second sets of separable contacts are disposed along the line conductor; and a power circuit electrically connected to the line conductor between the second set of separable contacts and the power source, wherein the power circuit is structured to leech power from the power source and to provide said power for the second operating mechanism to close the second set of separable contacts. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The circuit interrupter of claim 1, wherein the predetermined time is stored in the electronic trip unit. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The circuit interrupter of claim 1, wherein the electronic trip unit is structured to derive the predetermined amount of time from a lookup table based on one or more characteristics of power flowing through the circuit interrupter when the fault condition was detected. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The circuit interrupter of claim 1, wherein the second operating mechanism includes a solenoid. ### Claim 10 A circuit interrupter comprising: a first set of separable contacts; a second set of separable contacts; a first operating mechanism structured to open the first set of separable contacts; a second operating mechanism structured to open and close the second set of separable contacts; and an electronic trip unit including a routine structured to detect a fault condition and a type of the fault condition, to control the second operating mechanism to open the second set of separable contacts in response to detecting a first type of fault condition, and to control the second operating mechanism to close the second set of separable contacts a predetermined amount of time after controlling the second operating mechanism to open the second set of separable contacts, wherein the second set of separable contacts have a lower interruption rating than the first set of separable contacts. ### Claim 11 A method for controlling a circuit interrupter including a first operating mechanism structured to open a first set of separable contacts and a second operating mechanism structured to open and close a second set of separable contacts, the method comprising: detecting a fault condition; determining a type of the fault condition; controlling the second operating mechanism to open the second set of separable contacts in response to detecting a first type of fault condition; controlling the second operating mechanism to close the second set of separable contacts a predetermined amount of time after controlling the second operating mechanism to open the second set of separable contacts; determining whether a predetermined number of faults have occurred within a second predetermined amount of time; and controlling the first operating mechanism to open the first set of separable contacts in response to determining that the predetermined number of faults have occurred within the second predetermined amount of time. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11, wherein the first type of fault condition is an arc fault. ### Claim 13 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11, further comprising: controlling the first operating mechanism to open the first set of separable contacts in response to detecting a second type of fault condition. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The method of claim 13, wherein the second type of fault condition is an overcurrent fault. ### Claim 15 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11, further comprising: activating an indicator in response to determining that the predetermined number of faults have occurred within the second predetermined amount of time. ### Claim 16 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11, further comprising: deriving the predetermined amount of time from a lookup table based on one or more characteristics of power flowing through the circuit interrupter when the fault condition was detected. ### Claim 17 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11, wherein the second operating mechanism includes a solenoid. ### Claim 18 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11, wherein the second set of separable contacts have a lower interruption rating than the first set of separable contacts.