# US 7,609,497 B2 · Residual-current-operated protective device

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- Number: US 7,609,497 B2
- Document ID: US7609497B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 11/737,881
- Filed: 2007-04-20
- Published: 2007-10-25
- Granted: 2009-10-27
- Earliest claimed: 2006-04-20
- Assignees: Moeller Gebaudeautomation GmbH
- Inventors: Michael Bartonek; Gerhard Dobusch
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US7609497B2

## CPC

- H02H 1/06: Arrangements for supplying operative power {(power supply arrangements in general G05F, H02M)}
- H02H 3/33: using summation current transformers (H02H3/347 takes precedence)
- H02H: EMERGENCY PROTECTIVE CIRCUIT ARRANGEMENTS (indicating or signalling undesired working conditions G01R, e.g. G01R31/00, G08B; locating faults along lines G01R31/08; emergency protective devices H01H)

## Abstract

A switching device for disconnecting and switching at least one line of a power supply is disclosed. The switching device may be, for example, a residual-current-operated protective device or a combination switch and includes a line-voltage-independent trigger device, a trigger element, such as a trigger relay, associated with the line-voltage-independent trigger device, as well as a line-voltage-dependent trigger device. The line-voltage-dependent trigger device has means for triggering the trigger element that is associated with the line-voltage-independent trigger device. The switching device has a simple construction, a reduced number of components, and also an enhanced functional reliability compared to a conventional switching device.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A switching device for disconnecting and switching at least one line, comprising:
a line-voltage-independent trigger device with a line-voltage-independent electronic trigger element operating a latch that disconnects and switches the at least one line,
a line-voltage-dependent electronic circuit receiving a voltage from the at least one line and producing a line-voltage-dependent trigger signal,
wherein the line-voltage-dependent electronic circuit is constructed to supply the line-voltage-dependent trigger signal to the line-voltage-independent trigger device when the received voltage exceeds a presettable threshold value, and
wherein the trigger signal supplied by the line-voltage-dependent electronic circuit to the line-voltage-independent trigger device is additive to and has a higher power than the line-voltage-independent trigger signal provided by the line-voltage-independent electronic trigger device alone.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The switching device of claim 1, further comprising a sum-current transformer having at least one primary winding and a secondary winding that supplies an input current to the line-voltage-independent trigger element.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The switching device of claim 2, wherein the sum-current transformer comprises an additional tertiary winding.

### Claim 4 (depends on 3)

The switching device of claim 3, wherein the line-voltage-dependent electronic circuit is configured to supply an electric current to the tertiary winding.

### Claim 5 (depends on 2)

The switching device of claim 2, wherein the line-voltage-dependent electronic circuit is connected between the secondary winding and the trigger element.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The switching device of claim 1, wherein the line-voltage-dependent electronic circuit is implemented as a module that is integrated into a functional group.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The switching device of claim 1, wherein the line-voltage-dependent electronic circuit is activated when a voltage in the at least one line exceeds the presettable threshold value.

### Claim 8 (depends on 7)

The switching device of claim 7, wherein the presettable threshold value is between 30 and 100 V.

### Claim 9 (depends on 7)

The switching device of claim 7, wherein the presettable threshold value is between 50 and 80 V.

### Claim 10 (depends on 7)

The switching device of claim 7, wherein the line-voltage-dependent electronic circuit is deactivated when the voltage in the at least one line is less than the presettable threshold value.

### Claim 11 (depends on 1)

the switching device of claim 1, further comprising a delay circuit which disables the line-voltage-dependent electronic circuit for a presettable time interval after its activation.

### Claim 12 (depends on 11)

The switching device of claim 11, wherein the presettable time interval is between about I and about 100 msec.

### Claim 13 (depends on 11)

The switching device of claim 11, wherein the delay circuit bypasses the line-voltage-dependent electronic circuit during the presettable time interval.

### Claim 14 (depends on 11)

The switching device of claim 11, wherein the delay circuit is a line-voltage-independent delay circuit.

### Claim 15 (depends on 1)

The switching device of claim 1, wherein the line-voltage-dependent electronic circuit is configured to adapt a threshold value of a residual trigger current in a predeterminable time interval.

### Claim 16 (depends on 1)

The switching device of claim 1, wherein the switching device is a residual-current-operated protective device or combination switch.

### Claim 17 (depends on 1)

The switching device of claim 1, wherein the line-voltage-independent trigger element comprises a trigger relay.