Circuit breaker device for protecting an electrical low-voltage circuit

A circuit breaker device for protecting an electrical low-voltage circuit, the circuit breaker device comprising:

• a housing having grid-side and load-side connections for conductors of the low-voltage circuit;
• a current sensor unit for ascertaining a current level of the low-voltage circuit;
• a mechanical isolating contact unit having contacts with a closed state for allowing a current flow in the low-voltage circuit or an open state for a DC isolation in the low-voltage circuit preventing a current flow;
• an electronic interruption unit connected in series with said mechanical isolating contact unit on a circuit side, said electronic interruption unit including semiconductor-based switching elements having a high-impedance state of said semiconductor-based switching elements for preventing a current flow and a low-impedance state of said semiconductor-based switching elements for allowing the current flow in the low-voltage circuit;
• a control unit connected to said current sensor unit, to said mechanical isolating contact unit and to said electronic interruption unit, for initiating prevention of a flow of current in the low-voltage circuit upon exceeding current limit values or current/time limit values;
• at least one electrical parameter at least at one of said load-side connections being checked after prevention of a flow of current by way of a high-impedance state of said semiconductor-based switching elements of said electronic interruption unit and a closed state of said contacts;
• said at least one electrical parameter at least at one of said load-side connections being checked by one, two or all of said semiconductor-based switching elements of said electronic interruption unit assuming a low impedance for a first switched-on period;
• and
• said at least one electrical parameter at least at one of said load-side connections is being checked by said semiconductor-based switching elements of said electronic interruption unit assuming a low impedance at an absolute-value instantaneous value of a voltage being lower than a first voltage threshold value.

A circuit breaker device for protecting an electrical low-voltage circuit, the circuit breaker device comprising:

• a housing having grid-side and load-side connections for conductors of the low-voltage circuit;
• a current sensor unit for ascertaining a current level of the low-voltage circuit;
• a mechanical isolating contact unit having contacts with a closed state for allowing a current flow in the low-voltage circuit or an open state for a DC isolation in the low-voltage circuit preventing a current flow;
• an electronic interruption unit connected in series with said mechanical isolating contact unit on a circuit side, said electronic interruption unit including semiconductor-based switching elements having a high-impedance state of said semiconductor-based switching elements for preventing a current flow and a low-impedance state of said semiconductor-based switching elements for allowing the current flow in the low-voltage circuit;
• a control unit connected to said current sensor unit, to said mechanical isolating contact unit and to said electronic interruption unit, for initiating prevention of a flow of current in the low-voltage circuit upon exceeding current limit values or current/time limit values;
• at least one electrical parameter at least at one of said load-side connections being checked after prevention of a flow of current by way of a high-impedance state of said semiconductor-based switching elements of said electronic interruption unit and a closed state of said contacts;
• said at least one electrical parameter at least at one of said load-side connections being checked by one, two or all of said semiconductor-based switching elements of said electronic interruption unit assuming a low impedance for a first switched-on period;
• and
• said semiconductor-based switching elements assuming a high impedance again at an absolute-value instantaneous value of the voltage being greater than the first voltage threshold value.

A circuit breaker device for protecting an electrical low-voltage circuit, the circuit breaker device comprising:

• a housing having grid-side and load-side connections for conductors of the low-voltage circuit;
• a current sensor unit for ascertaining a current level of the low-voltage circuit;
• a mechanical isolating contact unit having contacts with a closed state for allowing a current flow in the low-voltage circuit or an open state for a DC isolation in the low-voltage circuit preventing a current flow;
• an electronic interruption unit connected in series with said mechanical isolating contact unit on a circuit side, said electronic interruption unit including semiconductor-based switching elements having a high-impedance state of said semiconductor-based switching elements for preventing a current flow and a low-impedance state of said semiconductor-based switching elements for allowing the current flow in the low-voltage circuit;
• a control unit connected to said current sensor unit, to said mechanical isolating contact unit and to said electronic interruption unit, for initiating prevention of a flow of current in the low-voltage circuit upon exceeding current limit values or current/time limit values;
• and
• at least one electrical parameter at least at one of said load-side connections being checked after prevention of a flow of current by way of a high-impedance state of said semiconductor-based switching elements of said electronic interruption unit and a closed state of said contacts;
• said at least one electrical parameter at said load-side connections is being checked by applying an auxiliary or DC voltage being lower than a first voltage limit.

A circuit breaker device for protecting an electrical low-voltage circuit, the circuit breaker device comprising:

• a housing having grid-side and load-side connections for conductors of the low-voltage circuit;
• a current sensor unit for ascertaining a current level of the low-voltage circuit;
• a mechanical isolating contact unit having contacts with a closed state for allowing a current flow in the low-voltage circuit or an open state for a DC isolation in the low-voltage circuit preventing a current flow;
• an electronic interruption unit connected in series with said mechanical isolating contact unit on a circuit side, said electronic interruption unit including semiconductor-based switching elements having a high-impedance state of said semiconductor-based switching elements for preventing a current flow and a low-impedance state of said semiconductor-based switching elements for allowing the current flow in the low-voltage circuit;
• a control unit connected to said current sensor unit, to said mechanical isolating contact unit and to said electronic interruption unit, for initiating prevention of a flow of current in the low-voltage circuit upon exceeding current limit values or current/time limit values;
• and
• at least one electrical parameter at least at one of said load-side connections being checked after prevention of a flow of current by way of a high-impedance state of said semiconductor-based switching elements of said electronic interruption unit and a closed state of said contacts;
• after a first time period has passed, the checking is being carried out at a first time interval of between 1 second and 15 minutes.

A circuit breaker device for protecting an electrical low-voltage circuit, the circuit breaker device comprising:

• a housing having grid-side and load-side connections for conductors of the low-voltage circuit;
• a current sensor unit for ascertaining a current level of the low-voltage circuit;
• a mechanical isolating contact unit having contacts with a closed state for allowing a current flow in the low-voltage circuit or an open state for a DC isolation in the low-voltage circuit preventing a current flow;
• an electronic interruption unit connected in series with said mechanical isolating contact unit on a circuit side, said electronic interruption unit including semiconductor-based switching elements having a high-impedance state of said semiconductor-based switching elements for preventing a current flow and a low-impedance state of said semiconductor-based switching elements for allowing the current flow in the low-voltage circuit;
• a control unit connected to said current sensor unit, to said mechanical isolating contact unit and to said electronic interruption unit, for initiating prevention of a flow of current in the low-voltage circuit upon exceeding current limit values or current/time limit values;
• and
• at least one electrical parameter at least at one of said load-side connections being checked after prevention of a flow of current by way of a high-impedance state of said semiconductor-based switching elements of said electronic interruption unit and a closed state of said contacts;
• said mechanical isolating contact unit changing to an open state of said contacts after a first time limit has passed, and the first time limit being between 15 minutes and 48 hours.