Patent
Leakage current protection device adapted to a wide variety of domestic and international applications
TLDR
A leakage current protection device, such as a ground fault circuit interrupter (GFCI), is provided that can be used in single phase or polyphase systems, with a range of input voltages from 70 to 264 volts AC, frequencies of 50 or 60 hertz, and ground fault trip currents of 6 to 30 milliamperes as discussed by the authors.Abstract:
A leakage current protection device, such as a ground fault circuit interrupter (GFCI), is provided that can be used in single phase or polyphase systems, with a range of input voltages from 70 to 264 volts AC, frequencies of 50 or 60 hertz, and ground fault trip currents of 6 to 30 milliamperes. A leading power factor circuit is connected to the secondary winding of the GFCI differential transformer to permit the magnetic circuit to respond to pulsating DC signals. Provision is made for continuing to provide GFCI protection in the event of an open neutral lead, with a timing circuit to prevent current flow to the ground lead until current flow in the neutral lead is completely discontinued. Various types of circuit interrupting devices, such as a circuit breaker or a power converter, may be selectively utilized.read more
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Patent
Protective device for an electrical supply facility
TL;DR: In this article, the authors present a protection device for an electrical distribution system between a source of electrical power and an electrical load, which is configured to monitor a differential current flowing through the plurality of line termination elements and generate a conditioning signal in response thereto.
Patent
Circuit interrupting device with reverse wiring protection
TL;DR: In this paper, the reverse wiring protection is applied to GFCI devices, and the reset lockout portion prevents the reestablishing of electrical continuity in open conductive paths if the circuit interrupting portion is nonoperational or if an open neutral condition exists.
Patent
Circuit breaker with independent trip and reset lockout
Disvalvo Nicholas L,William R. Ziegler,Frantz Germain,David Herzfeld,Stephen Stewart,Roger M. Bradley +5 more
TL;DR: In this article, the trip mechanism operates independently of the fault protection operations, and the reset lockout prevents the resetting of the circuit breaker if fault protection is non-operational or if an open neutral condition exists.
Patent
Intelligent life testing methods and apparatus for leakage current protection
TL;DR: In this paper, a leakage current detection circuit and a trip mechanism are used to test the life of leakage current protection devices, and the first and second voltages are measured to determine whether a fault exists.
Patent
Circuit interrupting device with reset lockout and reverse wiring protection and method of manufacture
TL;DR: In this paper, the reverse wiring protection of GFCI devices is described, and a reset lockout portion is provided to prevent the reestablishing of electrical continuity in open conductive paths if the circuit interrupting portion is non-operational.
References
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Patent
Current sensing relay circuit with adjustable sensitivity and tracking test circuit
TL;DR: In this article, a ground fault interrupting circuit breaker (10) includes a sensing coil (20) which is the secondary winding of a current transformer having a core (18) and includes a test coil (22) also wound about the core with load conductors passing through the core.
Patent
Ground fault current interrupter circuit with open neutral and open ground lead protection
TL;DR: In this article, a ground fault current interrupter circuit is provided in which open neutral and open ground lead conditions create actuation of the interrupters, as well as ground faults.
Patent
Ground fault circuit interrupter including snap-acting contacts
TL;DR: In this paper, a wall socket type ground fault circuit interrupter with snap-acting contacts and a latching relay is presented. But the relay is not designed for a trip-free mode of contact actuation.
Patent
Protective system for electrical appliances
TL;DR: In this article, a-c power supply for a load such as a household appliance, including a line wire, a neutral wire, and a ground wire, has a safety switch and an overload-sensing resistor inserted in its line wire and also comprises a ground-fault detector in the form of a differential transformer with a toroidal core traversed by the line and neutral wires.
Patent
Ground fault apparatus and protection system
TL;DR: In this paper, a unique ground fault circuit interrupting (GFCI) device is utilized to control either an industrial circuit breaker or a contactor in protecting a large power distribution circuit against ground faults.