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US 5,706,154 AGranted
Residential circuit breaker with arcing fault detection
AssigneeGeneral Electric Company
InventorRaymond K. Seymour
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A circuit breaker thermal-magnetic trip unit for arcing fault detection includes a current transformer having a gapped magnetic core arranged around the load side of the trip unit. The bimetal within the trip unit is positioned abutment with the gap in the transformer core to thereby heat the bimetal causing the bimetal to trip and separate the circuit breaker contacts.
Claims10
A circuit breaker trip unit having arcing fault response comprising:
- an angulated metal strap having a first end adapted for connection with an electric circuit;
- a bimetal connected to a second end of said strap and arranged for interaction with a circuit breaker operating mechanism;
- an arcing transformer core arranged about said strap, said arcing transformer core defining a gap proximate said bimetal, said strap providing a primary winding to said arcing transformer core;
- and a secondary winding on said arcing transformer core whereby upon occurrence of an arcing condition within said electric circuit, energy generated within said gap energizes said bimetal causing said bimetal to articulate said operating mechanism.
1 more element
A circuit breaker comprising:
- a plastic enclosure;
- a pair of contacts within said enclosure arranged for connection within an electric circuit;
- an operating mechanism within said enclosure for separating said contacts upon occurrence of an overcurrent within said electric circuit;
- an angulated metal strap having a first end adapted for connection with said electric circuit;
- a bimetal connected to a second end of said strap and arranged for interaction with said circuit breaker operating mechanism;
- an arcing transformer core arranged about said strap, said arcing transformer core defining a gap proximate said bimetal, said strap providing a primary winding to said arcing transformer core;
- and a secondary winding on said arcing transformer core whereby upon occurrence of an arcing condition within said electric circuit, energy generated within said gap energizes said bimetal causing said bimetal to articulate said operating mechanism.
4 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.