Intelligent leakage protection socket

Abstract

The present application is mainly a leakage protection socket with protection time limit function, comprising a socket body, wherein a power input end, a power output end and a current induction coil connected to the power transmission path are arranged, the power input end and the power output end form a power transmission path through a conductor, the current induction coil is used to collect whether there is a current difference, a trip device is used to manually close the switch after the power transmission path is tripped and powered off, a trip control circuit is used to control the trip device to generate a trip action, a leakage signal processor sends a signal to the trip control circuit to control the trip device to act when the current difference measured represents leakage, a test button is used to test whether the trip device works normally, and a timing circuit is used to accumulate the running time, and sends a signal to the trip control circuit to control the trip device to trip and continuously detect the manual closing action again when the clock reaches the predetermined time limit.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention mainly relates to a smart socket device with leakage protection function. In particular, the smart socket device can include converter sockets, extension cord sockets or wall sockets, etc., and has a time limit protection function. Background Technology

[0002] In daily life, when upgrading home renovations, ordinary sockets can be replaced with residual current devices (RCDs) to make our electrical environment safer. As people's living standards improve, they are paying more and more attention to personal safety. In daily life and work, our most direct contact with mains electricity is through plugs and sockets, hence the development of RCDs. An RCD is a power socket that can detect and judge leakage current and cut off the circuit. Its rated current is generally below 20A, and the leakage current is 6-30mA. It has high sensitivity and is commonly used for the protection of handheld power tools and portable electrical equipment, as well as in homes, schools, and other civilian places. A residual current device (RCD), also known as a residual current circuit breaker, is mainly used to protect people from electric shock in the event of a leakage fault in equipment.

[0003] Technicians also recognize that socket products have warranty periods. While the product may not necessarily fail after the warranty expires, and some sockets may still function normally even after the warranty period, their purpose is to protect personal safety. However, products like residual current devices (RCDs) are designed for this purpose. If the RCD's protection function fails after the warranty period, it will no longer provide protection. Continuing to use such a product under these circumstances will reduce our safety when using electricity. Summary of the Invention

[0004] This article presents a socket device with leakage current protection. In addition to leakage current protection, it also features a lifespan expiration reminder and automatic power-off function after expiration. Users will have to replace it to use electricity normally again, thus better protecting their personal safety.

[0005] This article presents a residual current device (RCD) socket that forcibly disables itself before the RCD's leakage protection function fails, thus significantly improving human safety during electricity use. The product incorporates a microcontroller-based timer function; when the product has been in operation for nearly 10 years, it automatically issues a warning, prompting the user to replace the device. Furthermore, it automatically cuts off power after 10 years of use, ceasing all external voltage and current output. The RCD provides users with a safe and reliable electrical environment, safeguarding their electrical safety.

[0006] A residual current device (RCD) socket includes a socket body, the socket body having: a power input terminal including a live wire input terminal and a neutral wire input terminal; a power output terminal including a live wire output terminal and a neutral wire output terminal, the power input terminal and the power output terminal forming a power transmission path between them through a conductor; a current sensing coil coupled to the power transmission path for detecting whether there is a current difference between the live wire and neutral wire input terminals of the power input terminal; a trip unit serving as a tripping device, wherein the trip unit may include a contact / mechanical reset switch and a trip unit coil electrically connected thereto, and when the smart RCD socket is de-energized due to a switch tripping in the power transmission path, the contact / mechanical reset switch can be used for manual reactivation; and a tripping control circuit coupled to and controlling the trip unit coil. The circuit includes: a leakage current signal processor coupled to the current sensing coil and the trip control circuit, used to send a signal to the trip control circuit to control the trip unit's operation when the measured current difference indicates leakage; a test button electrically connected to the trip control circuit to test whether the trip unit is working properly; a timing circuit for accumulating running time, used to send a signal to the trip control circuit to control the trip unit to trip and continuously detect manual reclosing actions after the measured clock reaches a predetermined time limit; and an AC / DC power supply coupled to the power input terminal or the AC line between the power input terminal and the power output terminal, used for power supply and power replacement, and providing DC power to the leakage current signal processor, test button, timing circuit, and trip control circuit. Attached Figure Description

[0007] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the external main structure of an embodiment of the intelligent leakage protection socket of the present invention;

[0008] Figure 2 This is a functional principle block diagram of the intelligent leakage protection socket of the present invention;

[0009] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram showing the external structure of another embodiment of the intelligent leakage protection socket of the present invention. Detailed Implementation

[0010] according to Figure 1 and Figure 2 The schematic diagram shows that a preferred embodiment of the leakage protection socket of the present invention includes: a socket body 100, having a power supply component connected to the surface of the socket body 100, the power supply component having a power input terminal 1 and a power output terminal 4, in... Figure 1In one embodiment, the socket body is a wall socket. The power supply component of such a socket includes a conductive metal part that allows the appliance plug to be inserted into a socket 1 on the front surface of the socket body 100. This metal part extends and penetrates to the back of the socket body 100 to facilitate the routing and securing of building electrical wiring within the socket body 100 for power transmission. Alternatively, the socket body 100 can also be an extension cord socket or a converter socket, with its power output terminal 4 provided in the form of an electrical plug or a flexible cable.

[0011] The socket body 100 is provided with: a power input terminal 1, including a live wire input terminal L. in Neutral input terminal N in Additionally, the diagram also includes what is typically... The symbol represents the ground wire; correspondingly, the residual current device (RCD) also has a power output terminal 4, including a live wire output terminal L. out Neutral output terminal N out A power input terminal 1 and a power output terminal 4 form a power transmission path between them through a conductor; a current sensing coil 2 coupled to the power input terminal 1 is used to collect whether there is a current difference between the live wire and the neutral wire input terminal of the power input terminal; a trip unit serving as a tripping device, wherein the trip unit may include a contact / mechanical reset switch 3 and a trip unit coil 10 electrically connected thereto, when the intelligent leakage protection socket is de-energized due to the tripping of the switch located on the power transmission path, the contact / mechanical reset switch 3 can be used to manually close the circuit, and the switch may be an integrated part of the contact / mechanical reset switch 3; a tripping control circuit 9 coupled to and controlling the trip unit coil 10 is used to control the generation of the tripping action; coupled current sensing coil 2... The leakage current signal processor 5 of the coil 2 and the trip control circuit 9 is used to send a signal to the trip control circuit 9 to control the trip unit to operate when the measured current difference indicates leakage current; the test button 7, which is electrically connected to the trip control circuit 9, is used to test whether the trip unit is working properly; the timing circuit 8 is used to accumulate the running time and send a signal to the trip control circuit 9 to control the trip unit to trip and prevent manual reclosing when the measured clock reaches a predetermined time limit; the AC / DC power supply 6, which is coupled to the power input terminal 1 or the AC line between the power input terminal 1 and the power output terminal 4, is used for power supply and power replacement and provides DC power to the leakage current signal processor 5, the test button 7, the timing circuit 8 and the trip control circuit 9.

[0012] In addition, to allow users to more intuitively understand the operating status of the leakage protection socket of the present invention, a status indicator 11 is provided, which is used to flash or light up when, for example, the socket of the present invention malfunctions. See also... Figure 3 The internal structure of this socket will be described using another embodiment. For example, this embodiment illustrates replacing the AC jack with a USB jack 301 and its corresponding operating elements, and of course includes other improvements to the internal structure.

[0013] In one example, the socket body 100 of such a wall socket may include a surface (or frame) for providing safe human contact. This surface has an opening 101 for exposing at least a portion of the aforementioned socket or functional component, such as a button area or display area. In this embodiment, because the opening 101 is for insertion into the front panel 31, the surface forms an outer frame. Therefore, to secure the functional component to the wall or any building surface, an inner frame 20 is also required. The inner frame may be cast metal to ensure installation rigidity. The inner frame 20 has paired mounting holes 202 for fastening the inner frame 20 to the wall. Additionally, the inner frame 20 has snap-fit ​​203 for a secure engagement with the surface located above it.

[0014] The aforementioned functional component is formed by seamlessly fastening the front plate 31 and the bottom shell 400 together. The front plate 31 has multiple hooks 302 on its side for engaging with the protrusions 43. The inner frame 20 has multiple lugs 201 formed on it for securing to the protrusions 43 on the side of the bottom shell 400, which has the power output terminal 4. Thus, the front plate 31 can pass through the inner frame 20 to reach the opening 101, and its upper surface is flush with the aforementioned surface by being limited by its upper boss 32. Simultaneously, the functional component can be secured by the inner frame 20.

[0015] Preferably, this functional component can be used as a complete module. For example, it can be installed as a sub-module into an extension cord socket to enhance the original socket's leakage protection function. Therefore, the inventors aim to provide complete intelligent leakage protection without significantly increasing the overall size of the original ordinary socket body. Based on this spirit, the improvements to the existing socket body mainly lie in:

[0016] Leakage current detection and handling

[0017] In one example, the base 400 is embedded in the building wall and has an inner cavity 45 in which a main circuit board 46 is installed. This main circuit board 46 has a leakage current signal processor 5 for detecting, for example, the current difference between the two conductive copper pieces 42 used for the live wire L and the neutral wire N, and their power transmission paths. The leakage current signal processor 5 also has an A / D signal conversion element for converting the analog electrical signal from the current sensing coil 2 into a chip-level digital signal instruction to measure the amplitude. Additionally, the main circuit board 46 has a trip unit and a trip control circuit 9 electrically connected to it. The trip control circuit 9 determines whether to trigger the trip unit coil 10's inductive contact to close in response to the measured amplitude, thereby tripping the circuit breaker. In this example, the trip control circuit 9 and the trip unit assembly are located on the back of the main circuit board 46 and are connected to AC power via a terminal 47. In this example, the terminal 47 is part of the aforementioned power output terminal 4. The conductive copper component 42 can be soldered onto the main circuit board 46 or otherwise fixed to the front of the main circuit board 46 facing outwards, and the conductive copper component can extend through the main circuit board to reach the terminal 47.

[0018] Several button assemblies are also mounted on the main circuit board 46, including a contact / mechanical reset switch 3 and a test button 7. Here, the contact / mechanical reset switch 3 is a mechanical actuation switch assembly with a protrusion 48 extending out of the main circuit board 46 and protruding onto the front panel 31. This mechanical actuation switch may require a greater driving force than a general limit switch to achieve safer actuation.

[0019] and Figure 1 Unlike the previous embodiment, the main circuit board 46 is also provided with a USB interface circuit 41 or a similar interface circuit. The USB interface circuit 41 is installed in the bracket 49, which is used to support the front plate 31 to provide space and force for the electronic components in the inner cavity 45.

[0020] As an optimization and improvement, a sub-circuit board 40 is additionally installed in the inner cavity 45. This sub-circuit board is configured to have the same power supply terminal as the USB interface circuit 41 or to have a different voltage / current level. The sub-circuit board 40 is used to expand the functionality of the main circuit board 46. For example, a test button 7 can be installed on the sub-circuit board. It can typically be designed as an electronic switch 403 to connect to the digital processor (DSP) 402 to trigger test signals to the trip unit assembly.

[0021] Remote synchronization socket usage status

[0022] A radio frequency (RF) component 401 can also be installed on the sub-circuit board 40 to enable wireless communication between the leakage protection socket and external devices in this embodiment. Optionally, the external device can also perform local data transmission via the USB interface circuit 41. The RF component 401 can be connected to and controlled by the DSP 402 to transmit and receive wireless data.

[0023] As another optimization and improvement, the sub-circuit board 40 is electrically connected to the main circuit board 46 via an electrical plug (or pin) 404, and there can be more than one sub-circuit board 40. It can be electrically connected to the main circuit board 46 in a stepwise manner (e.g., in different voltage levels increasing from 5 to 12V) or interleaved manner via this plug. The radio frequency component 401 can communicate with external devices via Bluetooth, infrared, etc.

[0024] In the above improvements, the working process of this leakage protection socket is as follows:

[0025] Step (a): Connect the power input terminal 1 to the AC mains power, close the contact / mechanical reset switch 3. At this time, the power output terminal 4 of the leakage protection socket is energized and can output the mains voltage to external household appliances through the electrical socket.

[0026] Step (b): When leakage occurs at the power input or output terminal, the current sensing coil 2 can sample the unequal current between the live wire L and the neutral wire N. The leakage signal processor 5 calculates and sends a control command to the trip control circuit 9 to drive the trip unit assembly to work. The contact / mechanical reset switch 3 trips and disconnects, and the power output terminal 4 of the leakage protection socket is de-energized, so that the leakage of electrical equipment connected at the rear can be released, thereby protecting the electrical appliances and personal safety.

[0027] During the execution of step (a) or (b), the trip unit can be checked by pressing the test button 7 to see if it is working properly. If the contact / mechanical reset switch 3 of the leakage protection socket trips, there will be no mains voltage at the power input terminal.

[0028] The timing circuit 8 acts as a local clock. When the accumulated timing time reaches a preset time limit (e.g., one month) before a predetermined service life (e.g., 10 years), the leakage current signal processor 5 calculates and determines this time limit to issue a warning via indicator 11, reminding the user to replace the leakage current protection socket. When the predetermined service life is reached, a command is sent to the trip control circuit 9 to activate the trip unit assembly. The contact / mechanical reset switch 3 trips, permanently de-energizing the power output terminal 4 of the leakage current protection socket and preventing it from being reset. In some implementations, when the contact / mechanical reset switch 3 is manually closed again after the service life is reached, it will be automatically tripped again by the trip control circuit 9 after 10 seconds of power-on.

Claims

1. A smart leakage current protection socket, comprising a socket body (100), characterized in that: The socket body includes a surface for providing safe human contact, the surface having an opening (101) for exposing at least a portion of the electrical socket and functional components, the functional components being formed by fastening a front plate (31) and a bottom shell (400) together, wherein the front plate (31) has a plurality of hooks on its side for engaging with protrusions (43), and the bottom shell (400) has an inner cavity (45) for mounting a main circuit board (46) and at least one sub-circuit board (40), the inner cavity being provided with: The power input terminal (1) includes a live wire input terminal and a neutral wire input terminal; The power output terminal (4) includes a live wire output terminal and a neutral wire output terminal. The power input terminal and the power output terminal form a power transmission path between each other through a conductive copper component (42). A current sensing coil (2) coupled to the power transmission path is used to collect whether there is a current difference between the live wire and the neutral wire input terminals of the power input terminal. The trip unit used as a tripping device includes a contact / mechanical reset switch (3) and a trip unit coil (10) electrically connected thereto. When the intelligent leakage protection socket is de-energized due to the tripping of the switch located on the power transmission path, the contact / mechanical reset switch is used to manually close the circuit. A trip control circuit (9) coupled to and controlling the trip coil (10) is used to control the trip unit to generate a tripping action; The test button (7) for electrically connecting the trip control circuit is used to test whether the trip unit is working properly; The leakage signal processor (5) coupled to the current sensing coil and the trip control circuit is used to send a signal to the trip control circuit to control the trip unit to operate when the current difference value is measured to indicate leakage. The leakage signal processor (5) is provided with an A / D signal converter to convert the analog electrical signal from the current sensing coil (2) into a chip-level digital signal instruction to measure the amplitude. The timing circuit (8) coupled to the leakage current signal processor is used to accumulate running time. When the clock reaches the predetermined time limit, the leakage current signal processor calculates and determines the time limit to send a signal to the trip control circuit (9) to control the trip unit to trip, and continuously detects the manual closing action to continue to control the trip control circuit to trigger the trip action. as well as An AC / DC power supply (6) coupled to the power input terminal or the AC line between the power input terminal and the power output terminal is used for power supply and replacement, and provides DC power to the leakage current signal processor, test button, timing circuit and trip control circuit, wherein The main circuit board (46) is equipped with a leakage current signal processor, a trip unit, and a trip control circuit electrically connected to the trip unit. The trip control circuit (9) and the trip unit assembly are located on the back of the main circuit board (46) and connected to AC power through a terminal (47). The terminal is part of the power output terminal. The conductive copper part (42) aligned with the electrical socket is soldered to the main circuit board (46) or fixed to the front of the main circuit board (46) and extends through the main circuit board to reach the terminal (47) for conduction. The sub-circuit board (40) is electrically connected to the main circuit board (46) through an electrical pin (404). The sub-circuit board (40) is equipped with: a radio frequency component (401) for establishing wireless communication with external devices to receive and transmit wireless data under the control of a digital processor (402); and a test button (7) configured as an electronic switch and connected to the digital signal processor (402) to provide a test signal for the trip unit assembly.

2. The intelligent leakage protection socket according to claim 1, characterized in that... A status indicator (11) is provided for flashing or lighting up when an abnormal state occurs.

3. The intelligent leakage protection socket according to claim 1, characterized in that, The front of the main circuit board (46) is also provided with a USB interface circuit (41), which is installed in the bracket (49). The bracket is used to push against the front plate (31) to form a space for accommodating and supporting the electronic components in the inner cavity (45). At least one sub-circuit board (40) is located in the accommodating space and has the same power supply terminal as the USB interface circuit (41) or has a different voltage / current level. The sub-circuit board (40) establishes local data transmission with external devices through the USB interface circuit.

4. The intelligent leakage protection socket according to claim 3, characterized in that, The sub-circuit boards (40) are designed in multiple ways and can be electrically connected to the main circuit board (46) in the form of electrical pins (404) in a step-by-step or interleaved manner, wherein the radio frequency components communicate with external devices via Bluetooth or infrared.

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