Electrical receptacle fault protection
AssigneeBrainwave Research Corporation
InventorsJohn ERIKSEN, Jean-Guy GAGNE, Rene K. PARDO
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An electrical receptacle contains a plug outlet that has a pair of contacts for electrical connection to respective hot and neutral power lines. A controlled switch, such as a TRIAC, is connected in series relationship between the outlet contact and the hot power line. Sensors in the receptacle outputs signals to a processor having an output coupled to the control terminal of the controlled switch. The processor outputs an activation signal or a deactivation signal to the controlled switch in response to received sensor signals that are indicative of conditions relative to the first and second contacts.
Claims20
A circuit breaker configured to connect to at least one downstream electrical connection, the circuit breaker comprising:
- at least one controlled switch configured for electrical connection between a multi-phase hot power line system and the at least one downstream electrical connection;
- an electrical connection configured for electrical connection between a neutral power line and the at least one downstream electrical connection;
- and
- a processor configured to determine an internal component failure of the circuit breaker by:
- coupling a constant current source to the circuit breaker, and
- determining that the circuit breaker failed to open one of the controlled switches when a sum of currents of the at least one downstream electrical connection is greater than a neutral current of the neutral power line of the circuit breaker by a predetermined threshold.
A circuit breaker configured to connect to at least one downstream electrical connection, the circuit breaker comprising:
- at least one controlled switch configured for electrical connection between a multi-phase hot power line system and the at least one downstream electrical connection;
- an electrical connection between a neutral power line and the at least one downstream connection;
- and
- a processor configured to perform self-testing of the circuit breaker by:
- coupling a constant current source to the circuit breaker, and
- determining that the circuit breaker failed to open one of the controlled switches when a sum of currents of the at least one downstream electrical connection is greater than a neutral current of the neutral power line of the circuit breaker by a predetermined threshold.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.