Fault-powered power supply

A power supply for a circuit breaker, comprising:

• means for providing a current signal having a magnitude correlative to the current flowing in a conductor;
• a charging circuit which is charged by said current signal and which delivers a voltage signal having a magnitude correlative to the charge stored in said charging circuit;
• means for generating a current signal correlative to said delivered voltage signal;
• a low impedance circuit which bypasses said charging circuit;
• and
• means for directing said current signal through said charging circuit when the magnitude of said voltage correlative signal falls below a predetermined magnitude of said current signal, and redirecting said current signal through said low impedance circuit when the magnitude of said voltage correlative signal rises above said predetermined magnitude of said current signal.

A power supply for a circuit breaker, comprising:

• means for providing a current signal correlative to the current flowing in a conductor;
• a charging circuit which is charged by said current signal and which delivers a voltage signal having a magnitude correlative to the charge stored in said charging circuit;
• a low impedance path which bypasses said charging circuit;
• means for producing a feedback signal having a magnitude correlative to the current in said conductor;
• means for comparing said feedback signal with said voltage signal;
• and
• means for directing said current signal through said low impedance path in response to the magnitude of said voltage signal being greater than the magnitude of said feedback signal, and directing said current signal through said charging circuit in response to the magnitude of said voltage signal being less than the magnitude of said feedback signal.

A power supply for a circuit breaker, where the circuit breaker carries and interrupts current in a conductor, comprising:

• a current transformer which provides a current signal correlative to the current flowing in said conductor;
• a full-wave rectifier which rectifies said current signal;
• a storage element which is charged by said rectified current signal and is discharged to power peripheral circuits connected to the output of said power supply, and which delivers a voltage signal correlative to the charge on said storage element;
• a low impedance path which bypasses said storage element;
• a bypass switch which directs said rectified current signal to said storage element, and which redirects said rectified current signal to said low impedance path;
• a voltage regulator which receives said voltage signal and limits said voltage signal to produce a dc voltage signal;
• a load resistor having a voltage correlative to said current signal, and which delivers a feedback signal having a magnitude correlative to the current in said conductor;
• and
• a comparator which compares the magnitude of said feedback signal with the magnitude of said voltage signal, and delivers a switching signal to said bypass switch responsive to the magnitude of said voltage signal being greater than the magnitude of said feedback signal to redirect said rectified current signal to said low impedance path.

A power supply for a circuit breaker, where the circuit breaker carries current in three conductors of a three-phase distribution circuit and can selectively interrupt current flowing in any of said conductors in response to a detected fault, comprising:

• means for providing a current signal correlative to the maximum current flowing in said three conductors;
• means for providing a current signal correlative to the sum of the currents flowing through each of said three conductors;
• means for adding said summed current signal to said maximum current signal;
• a charging circuit which is charged by said added current signal and which delivers a voltage signal having a magnitude correlative to the charge stored in said charging circuit;
• means for generating a current signal correlative to said delivered voltage signal;
• a low impedance circuit which bypasses said charging circuit;
• and
• means for directing said added current signal through said charging circuit when the magnitude of said voltage correlative signal falls below a predetermined magnitude, and redirecting said added current signal through said low impedance circuit when the magnitude of said voltage correlative signal rises above said predetermined magnitude.

A power supply for a circuit breaker, where the circuit breaker carries current in three conductors of a three-phase distribution circuit and can selectively interrupt current flowing in any of said conductors in response to a detected fault, comprising:

• a first current transformer positioned to monitor current flowing through a first of said three conductors, and delivering a current signal correlative to the current flowing in said first conductor;
• a second current transformer positioned to monitor current flowing through a second of said three conductors, and delivering a current signal correlative to the current flowing in said second conductor;
• a third current transformer positioned to monitor current flowing through a third of said three conductors, and delivering a current signal correlative to the current flowing in said third conductor;
• a summing current transformer which sums the currents flowing through each of said three conductors, and delivers a current signal having a magnitude correlative to the sum of the currents flowing through each of said three conductors;
• a first rectifier which rectifies said first current signal;
• a second rectifier which rectifies said second current signal;
• a third rectifier which rectifies said third current signal, said three rectifiers being serially connected to deliver a signal having a magnitude correlative to the maximum of said three rectified current signals;
• means for rectifying said summed current signal, and adding said rectified summed current signal to said maximum rectified current signal;
• means for directing said added rectified current signal to a storage element which is charged by said added rectified current signal and which delivers a voltage signal correlative to the charge on said storage element;
• means for regulating said voltage signal to deliver a dc voltage signal;
• first means for producing a first feedback signal correlative to the maximum current in said three conductors;
• second means for producing a second feedback signal correlative to the sum of the currents in said three conductors, and adding said first feedback signal to said second feedback signal to produce a total feedback signal;
• and
• means for comparing said total feedback signal with said voltage signal, and delivering a switching signal in response to the magnitude of said total feedback signal equaling the magnitude of said voltage signal to said directing means to redirect said rectified current signal to a low impedance path.

A method for supplying power to a circuit breaker, where the circuit breaker carries current in a conductor, comprising the steps of:

• producing a signal having a magnitude correlative to the current flowing in said conductor;
• directing said current signal to a storage element;
• charging said storage element with said current signal;
• delivering a voltage signal correlative to the charge on said storage element;
• producing a feedback signal having a magnitude correlative to the current in said conductor;
• producing a current signal correlative to said delivered voltage signal;
• comparing said feedback signal with said voltage correlative signal;
• and
• redirecting said current signal away from said storage element onto a low impedance path when the magnitude of said voltage correlative signal is greater than the magnitude of said feedback signal.

A method for supplying power to a circuit breaker, where the circuit breaker carries current in three conductors of a three-phase distribution circuit and can selectively interrupt current flowing in any of said conductors in response to a detected fault, comprising the steps of:

• providing current signals correlative to the current flowing in said respective conductors;
• providing a summed current signal correlative to the sum of the currents flowing in each of said conductors;
• rectifying said current signals and said summed current signal;
• adding said summed rectified current signal to the maximum of said certified current signals;
• directing said added rectified signal to a storage element for charging said storage element therewith;
• delivering from said storage element a voltage signal correlative to the charge on said storage element;
• generating a current signal correlative to said delivered voltage signal;
• and
• redirecting said added rectified current signal away from said storage element to a low impedance path when said voltage correlative signal exceeds a predetermined magnitude of said added rectified current signal.