# US 12,191,652 B2 · Circuit breaker for breaking an electrical circuit > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,191,652 B2 - Document ID: US12191652B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 17/600,771 - Filed: 2020-04-03 - Published: 2022-06-23 - Granted: 2025-01-07 - Earliest claimed: 2019-04-05 - Assignees: Blixt Tech AB - Applicants: Blixt Tech AB - Inventors: Jan Johansson - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12191652B2 ## CPC - H02H 3/08: responsive to excess current (responsive to abnormal temperature caused by excess current H02H5/04) - H02H 1/0007: {concerning the detecting means (in general G01R or other subclasses of G01; reed switches H01H71/2445)} - H02H 3/093: with timing means {(in general H02H3/027; thermal delay H02H3/085; timing means for undervoltage protection H02H3/247)} - H01H 83/20: operated by excess current as well as by some other abnormal electrical condition - H02H 3/06: with automatic reconnection - 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) - 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 The invention relates to a circuit breaker for an electrical circuit. The circuit breaker (100) is arranged between a power supply (302) and a load (304), wherein the circuit breaker (100) comprises control means (104) configured to switch switching means (106) of the circuit breaker (100) between an ON-mode in which a current i is fed to the load (304), and an OFF-mode in which no current is fed to the load (304); wherein the control means (104) is configured to obtain a value of the current i fed to the load (304) when the switching means (106) is in the ON-mode; keep the switching means (106) in the ON-mode if the value of the current i is smaller than a switching current is of the circuit breaker (100); switch the switching means (106) into the OFF-mode if the value of the current i is larger than the switching current is of the circuit breaker (100); and switch the switching means (106) from the OFF-mode back into the ON-mode after a first time interval Furthermore, the invention also relates to a circuit and a method. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A circuit breaker for breaking a circuit, the circuit breaker being arranged between a power supply and a load, wherein the circuit breaker comprises control means configured to switch switching means of the circuit breaker between an ON-mode in which a current i is fed to the load, and an OFF-mode in which no current is fed to the load; wherein the control means is configured to: a) obtain a value of the current i fed to the load when the switching means is in the ON-mode; b) keep the switching means in the ON-mode if the value of the current i is smaller than a switching current is of the circuit breaker; and c) switch the switching means into the OFF-mode if the value of the current i is larger than the switching current is of the circuit breaker and switch the switching means from the OFF-mode back into the ON-mode after a first time interval T1; wherein the control means is further configured to: (i) repeat steps a) to c) N number of times, where N is an integer, and (ii) hold the switching means in the OFF-mode during a second time interval T2 if steps a) to c) have been repeated the N number of times. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The circuit breaker according to claim 1, wherein the N number of times is equal to or less than 10. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The circuit breaker according to claim 1, wherein the second time interval T2 is larger than the first time interval T1. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The circuit breaker according to claim 3, wherein the second time interval T2 is shorter than or equal to 5 s. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The circuit breaker according to claim 1, wherein the switching current is of the circuit breaker is between 2 to 20 times a nominal current of the circuit breaker. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The circuit breaker according to claim 1, wherein the current monitoring means is an inductor having an inherent resistance configured to provide the value of the monitored current i fed from the power supply to the load. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The circuit breaker according to claim 1, wherein the control means further is configured to set the value of the switching current iS of the circuit breaker. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The circuit breaker according to claim 1, wherein the control means further is configured to: b) switch the switching means into the OFF-mode if the value of the current i is larger than a switching current iS of the circuit breaker and in dependence on at least one of a duration of the switching current iS and a duration until the switching current iS is reached. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) An electrical circuit comprising a power supply arranged to feed a current to a load and a circuit breaker according to claim 1, wherein the circuit breaker is coupled between the power supply and the load. ### Claim 10 A circuit breaker for breaking a circuit, the circuit breaker being arranged between a power supply and a load, wherein the circuit breaker comprises control means configured to switch switching means of the circuit breaker between an ON-mode in which a current i is fed to the load, and an OFF-mode in which no current is fed to the load; wherein the control means is configured to: a) obtain a value of the current i fed to the load when the switching means is in the ON-mode; b) keep the switching means in the ON-mode if the value of the current i is smaller than a switching current is of the circuit breaker; and c) switch the switching means into the OFF-mode if the value of the current i is larger than the switching current is of the circuit breaker and switch the switching means from the OFF-mode back into the ON-mode after a first time interval T1; wherein the current i is alternating current and wherein the control means is further configured to switch the switching means from the OFF-mode to the ON-mode during a zero crossing of the alternating current. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The circuit breaker according to claim 10, wherein the control means is further configured to repeat steps a) to c) N number of times, where N is an integer. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The circuit breaker according to claim 11, wherein the control means is further configured to hold the switching means in the OFF-mode during a second time interval T2 if steps a) to c) have been repeated the N number of times. ### Claim 13 (depends on 10) The circuit breaker according to claim 10, wherein the first time interval Tis dependent on the zero-crossing of the alternating current. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The circuit breaker according to claim 13, wherein the first time interval Tis a time interval between two consecutive zero-crossings of the alternating current. ### Claim 15 A circuit breaker for breaking a circuit, the circuit breaker being arranged between a power supply and a load, wherein the circuit breaker comprises control means configured to switch switching means of the circuit breaker between an ON-mode in which a current i is fed to the load, and an OFF-mode in which no current is fed to the load; wherein the control means is configured to: a) obtain a value of the current i fed to the load when the switching means is in the ON-mode; b) keep the switching means in the ON-mode if the value of the current i is smaller than a switching current is of the circuit breaker; and c) switch the switching means into the OFF-mode if the value of the current i is larger than the switching current is of the circuit breaker and switch the switching means from the OFF-mode back into the ON-mode after a first time interval T1; wherein the circuit breaker further comprises current monitoring means configured to: monitor the current i fed from the power supply to the load, wherein the current i is a direct current; and provide a value of the monitored current i to the control means; wherein the first time interval T1 is dependent on an energy storing property of the current monitoring means. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The circuit breaker according to claim 15, wherein the first time interval T1 is longer than a threshold time interval defining when the current monitoring means has lost substantially all of its stored energy.