Circuit protective device with temperature sensing
AssigneeGeneral Electric Company
InventorsJavier Ignacio Larranaga, Joseph Criniti, Farshid Attarian, Marshall Aurnou
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Abstract
A temperature sensor for use in a circuit breaker is disclosed. The temperature sensor is included in the circuit breaker and detects temperature of a target within the current path of the breaker. If the temperature of the target falls within a preselected critical range, a trip signal is triggered in a trip processor board which actuates a solenoid to trip the circuit breaker. A bridge is provided in the current path to continue normal function of the circuit breaker outside the critical range of temperatures.
Claims20
A trip processing unit for a circuit breaker, the unit comprising:
- a target for temperature measurement;
- a temperature sensor providing a signal indicative of temperature of said target when current flows through the circuit breaker;
- and,
- a trip processor board for receiving said signal indicative of temperature measurements from the temperature sensor;
- wherein the temperature sensor triggers a trip signal on the trip processor board when a temperature of the target falls within a preselected range set in the trip processor board.
A circuit breaker comprising
- a trip processor board;
- a current path;
- and,
- a temperature sensor adapted to detect temperature in the current path, the temperature sensor providing a signal indicative of temperature in the current path when current flows through the circuit breaker, wherein the temperature sensor triggers a trip signal on the trip processor board when a temperature in the current path falls within a preselected range set in the trip processor board.
A method for triggering a trip mechanism in a circuit breaker, the method comprising the steps of:
- selecting a range of temperatures in a current path when the circuit breaker should be tripped;
- selecting a target in the current path for temperature measurement;
- mounting a temperature sensor within the circuit breaker, said temperature sensor providing a signal indicative of temperature of said target when current flows through the circuit breaker;
- positioning the temperature sensor to read temperatures of the target;
- mounting a trip processor board within the circuit breaker;
- triggering a trip signal in the trip processor board when the signal indicative of temperature of the target read by the temperature sensor falls within the range of temperatures;
- and,
- triggering a solenoid to unlatch the trip mechanism of the circuit breaker once the trip signal is triggered in the trip processor board.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.