Ultra-wide input range switching power supply for circuit protection devices
AssigneeSquare D Company
InventorsPaul A. Reid, Randall J. Gass
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A wide input range switching power supply for a circuit protection device includes a rectifier circuit for rectifying an AC line voltage at a supply input, and a switch-mode DC-to-DC converter coupled to the rectifier circuit for providing a low voltage DC power to a load at a supply output. The converter includes a switch having an open state and a closed state and a control circuit for controlling the state of the switch. The control circuit is operatively coupled to receive operating power from the supply output.
Claims33
A wide input range switching power supply apparatus for a circuit protection device for protecting an external circuit, the power supply comprising:
- a supply input;
- a rectifier circuit for rectifying an AC line voltage at the supply input;
- a switch-mode DC-to-DC converter coupled to the rectifier circuit for providing a low voltage DC power to a load at a supply output, the converter comprising a switch having an open state and a closed state and a control circuit for controlling the state of the switch;
- and
- a solenoid coil also operative for driving a trip mechanism of said circuit protection device;
- wherein the control circuit is operatively coupled to receive operating power from the supply output.
A wide input range switching power supply for a circuit protection device, the power supply comprising:
- a rectifier circuit for rectifying an AC line of voltage;
- and
- a switch-mode DC-to-DC converter coupled to the rectifier circuit for providing a low voltage DC power to a load, the converter comprising a switch having an open state and a closed state and a control circuit for controlling the state of the switch;
- and
- an input filter operatively coupled with the rectifier circuit, the input filter including a solenoid coil also operative for driving a trip mechanism of the circuit protection device.
A circuit protection device comprising:
- a detection device for detecting a predetermined condition in a circuit to be protected;
- a trip mechanism operatively coupled with said detection device for opening and closing a current path to a circuit to be protected by the circuit protection device;
- a solenoid coil for energizing the trip mechanism;
- and
- a wide input range switching power supply comprising a supply input, a rectifier circuit for rectifying an AC line voltage at the supply input, and a switch-mode DC-to-DC converter coupled to the rectifier circuit for providing a low voltage DC power to a supply output, the converter comprising a switch having an open state and a closed state, and a control circuit for controlling the state of the switch;
- wherein the control circuit is operatively coupled to receive operating power from the supply output.
A circuit protection device comprising:
- a detection device for detecting a predetermined condition in a circuit to be protected;
- a trip mechanism operatively coupled with said detection device for opening and closing a current path to a circuit to be protected by the circuit protection device;
- a solenoid coil for energizing the trip mechanism;
- and
- a wide input range switching power supply comprising a supply input, a rectifier circuit for rectifying an AC line voltage at the supply input, and a switch-mode DC-to-DC converter coupled to a the rectifier circuit for providing a low voltage DC power to a supply output, the converter comprising a switch having an open state and a closed state and a control circuit for controlling the state of the switch, and an input filter operatively coupled with the rectifier circuit, the input filter including the solenoid coil.
A method for supplying power to a circuit protection device over a wide input range, the method comprising:
- rectifying an AC line voltage at a supply input;
- providing a low voltage DC power to a load using a switch-mode DC-to-DC converter, including a switch having an open state and a closed state and a control circuit for controlling the state of the switch;
- and
- filtering the rectified AC line voltage using a filter including a solenoid coil also operative for driving a trip mechanism of the circuit protection device.
A wide input range switching power supply apparatus for a circuit protection device for protecting an external circuit, the power supply comprising:
- a supply input;
- means for rectifying an AC line voltage at the supply input;
- converter means coupled to the means for rectifying for providing a low voltage DC power to a supply output, the converter means comprising switch means having an open state and a closed state and control circuit means for controlling the state of the switch means;
- and
- a solenoid coil also operative for driving a trip mechanism of the circuit protection device;
- wherein the control circuit means is operatively coupled to receive operating power from the supply output.
A wide input range switching power supply for a circuit protection device, the power supply comprising:
- means for rectifying an AC line voltage;
- converter means coupled to the means for rectifying for providing a low voltage DC power to a supply output, the converter means comprising switch means having an open state and a closed state and control circuit means for controlling the state of the switch means;
- wherein the control circuit means is operatively coupled to receive operating power from the supply output;
- and
- means for filtering the rectified AC line voltage including a solenoid coil also operative for driving a trip mechanism of the circuit protection device.
A circuit protection device comprising:
- trip means for opening and closing a current path to a circuit to be protected by the current protection device;
- a solenoid coil for energizing the trip means;
- and
- a wide input range switching power supply apparatus comprising a supply input, means for rectifying an AC line voltage at the supply input and converter means for providing a low voltage DC power to a supply output, the converter means comprising switch means having an open state and a closed state and control circuit means for controlling the state of the switch means;
- wherein the control circuit means is operatively coupled to receive operating power from the supply output.
A method for supplying power to a circuit protection device for protecting an external circuit over a wide input range, the method comprising:
- rectifying an AC line voltage at a supply input;
- providing a low voltage DC power to a supply output using a switch-mode DC-to-DC converter, including a switch having an open state and a closed state and a control circuit for controlling the state of the switch;
- driving a trip mechanism of the circuit protection device;
- and
- operatively coupling the control circuit for receiving operating power from the supply output.
A circuit protection device comprising:
- a trip means for opening and closing a current path to a circuit to be protected by the circuit protection device;
- a solenoid coil for energizing the trip means;
- and
- a wide input range switching power supply comprising means for rectifying an AC line voltage;
- converter means coupled to the means for rectifying for providing a low voltage DC power to a supply output, the converter means comprising switch means having an open state and a closed state and control circuit means for controlling the state of the switch means;
- and
- means for filtering the rectified AC line voltage including said solenoid coil.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.