Fail-safe electronic circuit breaker
AssigneeGeneral Electric Company
InventorsJerome Johnson Tiemann, Richard Dudley Baertsch
Life of this patent
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Abstract
The fail-safe electronic circuit breaker includes a test circuit connected to a fault detection circuit. The test circuit selectively generates a simulated circuit fault that is supplied to the fault detection circuit. The fail-safe electronic circuit breaker also includes a trip mechanism disabler that is connected to the test circuit. The trip mechanism disabler permanently disables the fail-safe electronic circuit breaker when the fault detection circuit fails to detect the simulated circuit fault after about a predetermined amount of time.
Claims38
A fail-safe electronic circuit breaker comprising:
- a fault detection circuit for detecting a circuit fault;
- a test circuit connected to the fault detection circuit, the test circuit selectively generating a simulated circuit fault;
- a trip mechanism connected to the fault detection circuit and the test circuit, the trip mechanism tripping the fail-safe electronic circuit breaker when the circuit fault is detected by the fault detection circuit;
- and
- a trip mechanism disabler connected to the trip mechanism and the test circuit, the trip mechanism disabler permanently disabling the trip mechanism when the fault detection circuit fails to detect the simulated circuit fault after about a predetermined amount of time.
A fail-safe electronic circuit breaker comprising:
- a fault detection circuit for detecting a circuit fault;
- a test circuit connected to the fault detection circuit, the test circuit selectively generating a simulated circuit fault;
- a trip mechanism connected to the fault detection circuit and the test circuit, the trip mechanism comprising a trip lever connected to the fault detection circuit for tripping the fail-safe electronic circuit breaker when a circuit fault is detected by the fault detection circuit;
- a test-error mechanism connected to the test circuit and the trip mechanism, the test-error mechanism having at least a first position and a second position, the test-error mechanism comprising:
- a fusible link connected to the test circuit and the trip mechanism, the fusible link retaining a first end and a second end of the test-error mechanism in the first position wherein the fusible link liquefies when the fault detection circuit fails to detect the simulated circuit fault after about the predetermined amount of time;
- and
- a bias member positioned between the first end and the second end, the bias member placing the test-error mechanism in the second position when the fusible link is liquefied, wherein the test-error mechanism contacts the trip lever when in the second position and the trip lever permanently disabling the trip mechanism when the test-error mechanism is in the second position.
A fail-safe electronic circuit breaker having a fault detection circuit connected to a test circuit selectively generating a simulated circuit fault, the fail-safe electronic circuit breaker comprising:
- a fault detection circuit for detecting a circuit fault;
- a test circuit connected to the fault detection circuit, the test circuit selectively generating a simulated circuit fault;
- a trip mechanism connected to the fault detection circuit and the test circuit, the trip mechanism tripping the fail-safe electronic circuit breaker when a circuit fault is detected by the fault detection circuit;
- and
- a test-error mechanism connected to the test circuit and the trip mechanism, the test-error mechanism having at least a first position and a second position, the test-error mechanism comprising:
- a fusible link connected to the test circuit and retaining a first end and a second end of the test-error mechanism in the first position wherein the fusible link liquefies when the fault detection circuit fails to detect the simulated fault after about the predetermined amount of time;
- a bias member positioned between the first end and the second end, the bias member placing the test-error mechanism in the second position when the fusible link is liquefied;
- a heating element connected to a power source and emitting heat when the test-error mechanism is in the second position;
- and
- a bimetallic strip positioned proximate to the heating element, the bi-metallic strip having at least a first state and a second state wherein the bimetallic strip enters the second state after being heated by the heating element and the bi-metallic strip causing the trip mechanism to trip the fail-safe electronic circuit breaker when in the second state and permanently disabling the trip mechanism.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.