Annunciating or power vending circuit breaker for an electric load

Inactive Publication Date: 2014-07-31
EATON INTELLIGENT POWER LIMITED
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  • Summary
  • Abstract
  • Description
  • Claims
  • Application Information

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

The patent describes a circuit breaker for electric loads that can open, close, or trip the contacts to prevent electrical current flow when there is a fault. The circuit breaker includes a processor that can determine the power circuit electrical parameters for the load and receive confirmation from the load to close the contacts, identifying the fault state associated with the current flow. Additionally, a power vending circuit breaker is described that includes a metering circuit and a communication mechanism to communicate the power values to a remote location. The technical effects of the patent are to provide a circuit breaker with advanced fault detection and protection capabilities for electric loads and facilitate the management of power distribution.

Problems solved by technology

However, the spring biased operating mechanisms are designed for manual reclosure and are not easily adapted for reclosing remotely.
In any event, such operating mechanisms are not designed for repeated operation over an extended period of time.
There are additional safety features, such as a load interlock, that does not allow current to flow from the EV charging station until the EV connector or EV plug is physically inserted into the EV and the EV is ready to accept energy.
Known methods require a separately derived metering system, which is relatively expensive and complex to install and manage.
This prohibits technology adoption and implementation.

Method used

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  • Annunciating or power vending circuit breaker for an electric load
  • Annunciating or power vending circuit breaker for an electric load
  • Annunciating or power vending circuit breaker for an electric load

Examples

Experimental program
Comparison scheme
Effect test

example 1

[0051]The circuit breaker 2 can, for example and without limitation, charge the example EV 4 using SAE J1772™, but can also provide a controllable point to provide more general power vending capabilities as will be discussed in connection with FIGS. 11-13. The circuit breaker 2 can be controlled by onboard, add-on, or remote software conditionals (see Example 28), rather than simply employing an open / close signal such as with a conventional remotely controllable circuit breaker.

example 2

[0052]The example circuit breaker 2 can employ any suitable form factor (e.g., without limitation, a miniature circuit breaker; a molded case circuit breaker; any other suitable circuit interrupter form factor). In this example, the circuit breaker 2 is a single-pole circuit breaker. In territories where IEC is required, a single-pole circuit breaker may be employed (e.g., in a DIN rail mountable form factor).

example 3

[0053]Although the circuit breaker 2 could be constructed with only one circuit breaking element per conductor as will be discussed in connection with FIG. 22, the example thermal-magnetic overload circuit breaking function 6 is separated from the CCID function 8, which provides personnel protection for EVSE applications.

[0054]For example, for the EV 4, the CCID function 8 continuously monitors the differential current from a ground fault sensor (e.g., current transformer (CT) 52) among all of the current-carrying conductors in a grounded system and rapidly interrupts the circuit under conditions where the differential current exceeds the rated value (e.g., without limitation, 5 mA; 20 mA) of the charging circuit interrupting device. The CCID function 8 may include any suitable combination of basic insulation, double insulation, grounding monitors, insulation monitors with interrupters, isolation monitoring (depending on whether it is grounded or not) and / or leakage current monitors...

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PUM

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Abstract

A circuit breaker for an electric load includes first and second terminals; a number of first separable contacts each electrically connected between one of the first terminals and one of the second terminals; a first mechanism to open, close or trip open the first contacts; a number of second separable contacts each electrically connected in series with a corresponding one of the first contacts; a second mechanism to open or close the second contacts; a processor to cause the second mechanism to open or close the second contacts, annunciate through one of the second terminals a power circuit electrical parameter for the electric load, receive from a number of the second terminals a confirmation from or on behalf of the electric load to cause the second mechanism to close the second contacts, and determine a fault state operatively associated with current flowing through the second contacts.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION[0001]This application is related to commonly assigned, copending U.S. patent application Ser. No. ______, filed ______, entitled “Electric Power Distribution System Including Metering Function and Method of Evaluating Energy Metering” (Attorney Docket No. 12-CCB-853).BACKGROUND[0002]1. Field[0003]The disclosed concept pertains generally to electrical switching apparatus and, more particularly, to circuit breakers.[0004]2. Background Information[0005]Circuit breakers used in residential and light commercial applications are commonly referred to as miniature circuit breakers because of their limited size. Such circuit breakers typically have a pair of separable contacts opened and closed by a spring biased operating mechanism. A thermal-magnetic trip device actuates the operating mechanism to open the separable contacts in response to a persistent overcurrent condition or a short circuit.[0006]In some applications, it has been found convenient to...

Claims

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Application Information

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IPC IPC(8): H01H9/54H01H83/02
CPCH01H83/02H01H9/548H02J3/008H02J13/00B60L3/00B60L3/0069B60L3/04H02H1/0061H02H3/006H02H3/33Y02T90/14Y04S30/14B60L53/665B60L53/18B60L53/305B60L53/51B60L53/68Y02T90/16Y02T90/167B60L53/30B60L53/14B60L53/16Y04S30/12Y02T10/70Y02T10/7072Y02T90/12
InventorTHOMPSON, RONALD L.NITZBERG, JASON-DAVIDELDRIDGE, DAVID AUSTINROGERS, BRANDON J.
OwnerEATON INTELLIGENT POWER LIMITED