Time fault circuit interrupter
OwnerKevin L. LaFuente, Salvatore Tringaliinventors
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An exemplary time fault circuit interrupter for interrupting a power supply to an equipment unit upon the occurrence of a trip condition may include a sensor configured to monitor a current flow to the equipment unit. The circuit interrupter may also include a trip mechanism configured to interrupt the current flow. The circuit interrupter may further include a processor in communication with the sensor and the trip mechanism, and the processor may be configured to cause the trip mechanism to interrupt the current flow when a current flow time has reached a predetermined time limit.
Claims17
A time fault circuit interrupter comprising:
- a sensor configured to monitor a current flow to an equipment unit;
- a trip mechanism configured to interrupt the current flow;
- a processor in communication with the sensor and the trip mechanism, the processor being configured to cause the trip mechanism to interrupt the current flow when a current flow time has reached a predetermined time limit;
- a housing in which the sensor, the trip mechanism, and the processor are disposed;
- a switch disposed on a first side of the housing and configured to open and close the current flow to the equipment unit;
- a line terminal extending from a second side of the housing to receive a current flow;
- and
- a load terminal extending from a third side of the housing to supply the current flow to the equipment unit;
- wherein the first side of the housing is disposed substantially perpendicular to the second side of the housing.
A system comprising a power distributor configured to distribute power to at least one equipment unit, the power distributor having at least one time fault circuit interrupter including:
- a sensor configured to monitor a current flow to an equipment unit;
- a trip mechanism configured to interrupt the current flow;
- a processor in communication with the sensor and the trip mechanism, the processor being configured to cause the trip mechanism to interrupt the current flow when a current flow time has reached a predetermined time limit;
- a housing in which the sensor, the trip mechanism, and the processor are disposed;
- a switch disposed on a first side of the housing and configured to open and close the current flow to the equipment unit;
- and
- a hooked portion extending from a third side of the housing;
- wherein the housing includes a line terminal extending from the housing to receive a current flow and a load terminal extending from the housing to supply the current flow to the equipment unit;
- the third side is disposed substantially opposite to the second side;
- the housing is in the form of a circuit breaker disposed in an electrical distribution board;
- the power distributor is in the form of a receptable;
- and the hooked portion is configured to at least partially engage with the receptable to limit movement in at least one direction.
A method comprising:
- monitoring, by a sensor housed in a housing, a current flow to an equipment unit tracking, by a processor disposed in the housing, a current flow time that the current flow is being supplied to the equipment unit;
- interrupting, by a trip mechanism housed in the housing, the current flow when the current flow time has reached a predetermined time limit;
- controlling current flow to the equipment unit via a switch disposed on a first side of the housing;
- wherein a line terminal extends from a second side of the housing to receive the current flow;
- a load terminal extends from a third side of the housing to supply the current flow to the equipment unit;
- and the first side of the housing is disposed substantially perpendicular to the second side of the housing.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.