Circuit interrupter and receptacle with temperature based trip

A circuit interrupter comprising:

• separable contacts;
• a trip actuator structured to cause the separable contacts to trip open;
• a conductor structured to carry power through the circuit interrupter;
• a sensor having a forward bias voltage drop inversely proportional to temperature and being disposed proximate and thermally coupled to the conductor;
• an amplifier circuit electrically connected to the sensor and being structured to amplify the forward bias voltage drop of the sensor;
• a comparator circuit structured to compare the amplified forward bias voltage drop with a predetermined reference voltage and to output a signal to the trip actuator when the amplified forward bias voltage drop is less than or equal to the predetermined reference voltage,
• wherein the signal causes the trip actuator to cause the separable contacts to trip open,
• wherein the circuit interrupter is a circuit breaker having a conductive path therethrough, and wherein the sensor is disposed proximate and thermally coupled to the conductive path, and
• wherein the circuit interrupter further comprises:
• an input terminal disposed on the conductive path;
• an output terminal disposed on the conductive path, wherein the sensor is disposed proximate and thermally coupled to one of the input terminal and the output terminal;
• and and
• a resistive element disposed on the conductive path,
• wherein the sensor is disposed proximate and thermally coupled to the resistive element.

A receptacle comprising:

• separable contacts;
• a trip actuator structured to cause the separable contacts to trip open;
• an outlet structured to electrically connect to a load;
• a conductor structured to carry power through the receptacle;
• a sensor having a forward bias voltage drop inversely proportional to temperature and being disposed proximate and thermally coupled to the conductor;
• an amplifier circuit electrically connected to the sensor and being structured to amplify the forward bias voltage drop of the sensor;
• a comparator circuit structured to compare the amplified forward bias voltage drop with a predetermined reference voltage and to output a signal to the trip actuator when the amplified forward bias voltage drop is less than or equal to the predetermined reference voltage;
• a power supply structured to receive an alternating current voltage and to convert the alternating current voltage to a direct current voltage as a supply voltage for the circuit interrupter;
• and
• a voltage regulator circuit structured to output an enable signal to activate the comparator circuit when the supply voltage provided by the power supply stabilizes,
• wherein the signal causes the trip actuator to cause the separable contacts to trip open and prevent power from flowing to the load via the outlet.