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US 11,385,300 B2Granted
Differential current sensing bussing method
AssigneeSchneider Electric USA, Inc.
InventorsDennis W. Fleege, Chad Mittelstadt, Randall J. Gass, Douglas P. Vanwaart, Jason Potratz
Life of this patent
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Abstract
The line power and neutral conductors for a circuit interrupter such as a miniature circuit breaker, using ground fault sensing via a current transformer, are arranged as a rigid conductor formed from a flat plate and surrounding and holding an insulated flexible conductor when passing through the Ground Fault Interrupter current transformer. The rigid conductor can provide a shaped current path to maximize the effectiveness of the current transformer.
Claims19
A miniature circuit breaker of the arc fault sensing type comprising:
- a current transformer with an apertured magnetic core;
- electronics configured to detect ground faults;
- first and second primary conductors extending through the core;
- the first primary conductor being a substantially rigid conductor with a tubular portion located inside the core and further having nontubular second and third portions outside the core extending at angles to the tubular portion, wherein the tubular portion of the first primary conductor comprises an electrical resistance feature configured to increase resistance to a flow of current through the first primary conductor;
- the second primary conductor being a flexible wire held inside the tubular portion of the first primary conductor in a substantially coaxial arrangement;
- the current transformer further having a secondary winding comprising a plurality of turns on the core;
- and
- a trip circuit responsive to sensed signals on the secondary winding.
5 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.