# US 11,909,196 B2 · Solid state circuit interrupter > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,909,196 B2 - Document ID: US11909196B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 18/121,227 - Filed: 2023-03-14 - Published: 2023-08-31 - Granted: 2024-02-20 - Earliest claimed: 2020-01-29 - Assignees: Eaton Intelligent Power Limited - Applicants: Eaton Intelligent Power Limited - Inventors: Xin Zhou; Brian E. Carlson; Yanjun Feng; Jianyang Liu; Michael Slepian; Andrew L. Gottschalk; Santhosh Kumar Chamarajanagar Govinda Nayaka - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11909196B2 ## CPC - H02H 3/093: with timing means {(in general H02H3/027; thermal delay H02H3/085; timing means for undervoltage protection H02H3/247)} - H02H 3/0935: {the timing being determined by numerical means} - G01R 15/14: Adaptations providing voltage or current isolation, e.g. for high-voltage or high-current networks - H01H 71/123: {using a solid-state trip unit (circuits H02H)} - H01H 71/125: {characterised by sensing elements, e.g. current transformers (for differential protection H01H83/144)} - H02H 3/006: {Calibration or setting of parameters} - H02H 3/05: with means for increasing reliability, e.g. redundancy arrangements {(for logic circuits H03K19/003)} - H02H 3/08: responsive to excess current (responsive to abnormal temperature caused by excess current H02H5/04) - 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) - G01R: MEASURING ELECTRIC VARIABLES; MEASURING MAGNETIC VARIABLES (indicating correct tuning of resonant circuits H03J3/12) - 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 current sensor having a normal sensor output and an over current detection output, a solid state switch module structured to have a closed state to allow current to flow through the circuit interrupter and an open state to interrupt current flowing through the circuit interrupter, a gate driver structured to control the solid state switch module including a desaturation function output, wherein the gate driver is structured to cause the solid state switch module to interrupt current flowing through the circuit interrupter when the DESAT function output changes to the on state, and an electronic trip circuit structured to output a trip signal to the gate driver when the normal sensor output reaches a first threshold level or the overcurrent detection output changes to the on state. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A circuit interrupter structured to electrically connect between a power source and a load, the circuit interrupter comprising: a solid state switch module structured to have a closed state to allow current to flow through the circuit interrupter and an open state to interrupt the current flowing through the circuit interrupter; a current sensor structured to sense current flowing through the circuit interrupter; an electronic trip unit structured to output a trip signal upon detection of a fault condition based on an output of the current sensor; a gate driver circuit including an enable input electrically connected to the electronic trip unit and a desaturation (DESAT) input electrically connected to the solid state switch module, the gate driver circuit structured to receive the trip signal at the enable input, implement DESAT function based on a signal received at the DESAT input from the solid state switch module, the DESAT function including monitoring a forward voltage drop of a solid state switch of the solid state switch module and changing from an off state to an on state when the current flowing through the solid state module reaches a predetermined threshold level, and control the state of the solid state switch module; separable contacts; and an operating mechanism structured to open and close the separable contacts, wherein the electronic trip unit is structured to control the solid state switch module to change between the open state and the closed state and to control the operating mechanism to open the separable contacts. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The circuit interrupter of claim 1, wherein the electronic trip unit is structured to output the trip signal to the gate driver circuit to cause the gate driver circuit to control the solid state module to change to the open state. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The circuit interrupter of claim 1, wherein the electronic trip unit is structured to control the operating mechanism to open the separable contacts only after the solid state switch module has changed to the open state and wherein the electronic trip unit is structured to cause the gate driver circuit to change the solid state switch module to the closed state only after the separable contacts are closed. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The circuit interrupter of claim 3, wherein the solid state switch module interrupts the current flowing through the circuit interrupter and the separable contacts are structured to open to provide galvanic isolation between the power source and the load. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The circuit interrupter of claim 1, further comprising a close switch and an open switch. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The circuit interrupter of claim 5, wherein the electronic trip unit is structured to control the operating mechanism to close the separable contacts to close and then output a close signal to the gate driver circuit to cause the gate driver circuit to change the solid state switch module to the closed state in response to actuation of the close switch. ### Claim 7 (depends on 5) The circuit interrupter of claim 5, wherein the electronic trip unit is structured to output the trip signal to the gate driver circuit to cause the gate driver circuit to change the solid state switch module to the open state and then control the operating mechanism to open the separable contacts in response to actuation of the open button. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The circuit interrupter of claim 1, further comprising: a first position sensor structured to sense actuation of the close switch; and a second position sensor structured to sense actuation of the open switch. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The circuit interrupter of claim 8, wherein the electronic trip unit may be structured to receive outputs of the first and second position sensors and sense actuation of the close and open switches based on the outputs of the first and second position sensors. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The circuit interrupter of claim 1, further comprising: a power supply structured to receive power from the power source and convert the power from the power source to power usable by components of the circuit interrupter. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The circuit interrupter of claim 10, wherein the power supply converts alternating current power from the power source to direct current power usable by at least the electronic trip unit, the gate driver circuit, and the current sensor. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The circuit interrupter of claim 11, wherein the electronic trip unit is structured to cause the solid state switch module to change to the open state and the separable contacts to open if power is unavailable from the power supply or an external power supply. ### Claim 13 (depends on 10) The circuit interrupter of claim 10, wherein the power supply is structured to use line-line voltage from the power source to generate the direct current power for use by the components of the circuit interrupter. ### Claim 14 A circuit interrupter structured to electrically connect between a power source and a load, the circuit interrupter comprising: a solid state switch module structured to have a closed state to allow current to flow through the circuit interrupter and an open state to interrupt the current flowing through the circuit interrupter; a current sensor structured to sense current flowing through the circuit interrupter; an electronic trip unit structured to output a trip signal upon detection of a fault condition based on an output of the current sensor; a gate driver circuit including an enable input electrically connected to the electronic trip unit and a desaturation (DESAT) input electrically connected to the solid state switch module, the gate driver circuit structured to receive the trip signal at the enable input, implement DESAT function based on a signal received at the DESAT input from the solid state switch module, the DESAT function including monitoring a forward voltage drop of a solid state switch of the solid state switch module and changing from an off state to an on state when the current flowing through the solid state module reaches a predetermined threshold level, and control the state of the solid state switch module; separable contacts; an operating mechanism structured to open and close the separable contacts; and a position sensor structured to sense a position of the separable contacts, wherein the electronic trip unit is structured to control the solid state switch module to change between the open state and the closed state and to control the operating mechanism to open the separable contacts, and wherein, based on an output of the position sensor, the electronic trip unit is further structured to control the solid state switch module to change from the open state to the closed state when the separable contacts are in a closed position. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The circuit interrupter of claim 14, wherein the electronic trip unit is structured to receive an output of the gate driver circuit indicative of the state of the solid state switch module. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The circuit interrupter of claim 15, wherein the electronic trip unit is structured to ensure that the separable contacts are opened only after the solid state switch module has changed to the open state and that the solid state switch module is changed to the closed state only after the separable contacts are closed. ### Claim 17 (depends on 14) The circuit interrupter of claim 14, wherein the position sensor comprises a micro switch that is actuated by movement of corresponding component. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The circuit interrupter of claim 17, wherein the position sensor is disposed by a movable arm of the operating mechanism such that the movement of the moveable arm to open or close the separable contacts actuates the position sensor, and based on the output of the position sensor, the electronic trip unit is able to sense the current position of the separable contacts. ### Claim 19 A circuit interrupter structured to electrically connect between a power source and a load, the circuit interrupter comprising: a solid state switch module structured to have a closed state to allow current to flow through the circuit interrupter and an open state to interrupt the current flowing through the circuit interrupter; a current sensor structured to sense current flowing through the circuit interrupter; an electronic trip unit structured to output a trip signal upon detection of a fault condition based on an output of the current sensor; a gate driver circuit including an enable input electrically connected to the electronic trip unit and a desaturation (DESAT) input electrically connected to the solid state switch module, the gate driver circuit structured to receive the trip signal at the enable input, implement DESAT function based on a signal received at the DESAT input from the solid state switch module, the DESAT function including monitoring a forward voltage drop of a solid state switch of the solid state switch module and changing from an off state to an on state when the current flowing through the solid state module reaches a predetermined threshold level, and control the state of the solid state switch module; separable contacts; and an operating mechanism structured to open and close the separable contacts, wherein the electronic trip unit is structured to control the solid state switch module to change between the open state and the closed state and to control the operating mechanism to open the separable contacts, and wherein the electronic trip unit is further structured to output the trip signal based on an I-t trip curve such that the electronic trip unit outputs the trip signal to the gate driver circuit at a time associated with a current level based on the I-t trip curve.