Arc fault detector with circuit interrupter and early arc fault

Details Arc fault detector with circuit interrupter and early arc fault Arc fault detector with circuit interrupter and early arc fault

1997-12-19

2000-10-03

Leja, Ronald W.

Electricity: electrical systems and devices

Safety and protection of systems and devices

Ground fault protection

324520, 324525, H02H 908, G01R 3108

Patent

active

061281697

ABSTRACT:
An arc fault detector comprised as a stand alone unit and in combination with a ground fault circuit interrupter (GFCI) functions to provide protection from potentially dangerous arc fault conditions. When combined with a GFCI, the combination arc fault/ground fault circuit interrupter (AFCI/GFCI) provides protection from both arc fault and ground fault conditions. A single transformer is used to detect faults between neutral and ground and arc faults. An impedance splits the current flow into two portions so as to generate differential current proportional to the current flowing through the conductors. An early arcing detector periodically tests the AC line for high impedance between the device and a main breaker panel. The AFCI/GFCI device detects both AC line frequencies and high frequencies associated with arcing. Both average and instantaneous values of both AC line frequency and high frequency arcing signals are processed to generate an arc fault signal. The device allows the arc detector to differentiate between destructive high level arcing and low level arcing such as generated by typical household appliances and equipment. This serves to decrease the occurrence of false tripping. The device also includes a timer circuit, which permits the user to temporarily disable the arc detector, and includes communication circuitry to permit the device to communicate the occurrence and location of the arc fault to a centralized monitoring station.

REFERENCES:
patent: 3904859 (1975-09-01), Poncelet
patent: 4376243 (1983-03-01), Renn et al.
patent: 4466071 (1984-08-01), Russell, Jr.
patent: 4658322 (1987-04-01), Rivera
patent: 4709293 (1987-11-01), Gershen et al.
patent: 4878144 (1989-10-01), Nebon
patent: 5185684 (1993-02-01), Beihoff et al.
patent: 5202662 (1993-04-01), Bienwald et al.
patent: 5206596 (1993-04-01), Beihoff et al.
patent: 5223795 (1993-06-01), Blades
patent: 5224006 (1993-06-01), Mackenzie et al.
patent: 5280404 (1994-01-01), Ragsdale
patent: 5432455 (1995-07-01), Blades
patent: 5434509 (1995-07-01), Blades
patent: 5459630 (1995-10-01), MacKenzie et al.
patent: 5561505 (1996-10-01), Lewis
patent: 5590012 (1996-12-01), Dollar, II
patent: 5715125 (1998-02-01), Neiger et al.
patent: 5805397 (1998-09-01), MacKenzie
patent: 5805398 (1998-09-01), Rae
patent: 5815352 (1998-09-01), MacKenzie
patent: 5818237 (1998-10-01), Zuercher et al.
patent: 5835321 (1998-11-01), Elms et al.
patent: 5847913 (1998-12-01), Turner et al.
"Tech. for Detecting & Monitoring Conditions That Could Cause Electrical Wiring System Fires", UL Underwriters Laboratories, Inc., Sep. 1995.

Affiliated with

Also associated with

Rating

Arc fault detector with circuit interrupter and early arc fault does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.

If you have personal experience with Arc fault detector with circuit interrupter and early arc fault , we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Arc fault detector with circuit interrupter and early arc fault will most certainly appreciate the feedback.

Rate now

Comments { 0 }

Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-201601