Floodproof earth leakage circuit breaker with remote monitoring and seal deterioration prediction functions

Abstract

To provide a highly reliable floodproof earth leakage breaker capable of actively warning of potential moisture intrusion before a serious failure occurs. [Solution] The floodproof earth leakage circuit breaker of the present invention houses the earth leakage circuit breaker body (120) within a sealed outer shell (110). Internal humidity sensors (142) and temperature sensors (144) continuously monitor the environment. A microcontroller (150) analyzes this data. In one embodiment, a long-short-term memory (LSTM) model (290) is used to predict seal degradation. If an abnormal or high degradation score is detected, a wireless communication module (160) is used to send a remote alert. This prevents moisture-related failures and enables proactive maintenance, improving the safety and reliability of electrical systems.

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to an electrical safety device, and more particularly to a floodproof ground fault circuit interrupter (FCL) designed to prevent moisture intrusion and improve the reliability and safety of electrical systems. The floodproof ground fault circuit interrupter of the present invention integrates advanced humidity sensing technology, Internet of Things (IoT) connectivity, and artificial intelligence (AI) to provide real-time monitoring and active protection to prevent electrical hazards caused by humidity or moisture exposure. [Background technology]

[0002] Residual Current Devices (RCDs) or Ground Fault Circuit Interrupters (GFCIs) are widely used in residential, commercial, and industrial electrical systems to prevent electric shock and reduce the risk of electrical fires. 1 These devices operate by detecting an imbalance between the current flowing into and out of a circuit. Such an imbalance could indicate a short circuit, faulty electrical equipment, or a leak caused by moisture intrusion, and once detected, they interrupt the circuit to mitigate the hazard.

[0003] Traditional earth leakage circuit breakers are typically installed in fixed locations such as wall outlets, distribution panels, etc. While these traditional models are effective in detecting and interrupting fault currents, they have several limitations in environments prone to exposure to moisture and water.

[0004] First, they are vulnerable to moisture ingress. Standard ground fault circuit interrupters rely on passive sealing mechanisms to prevent moisture from entering the device. In environments with high humidity, condensation, or potential moisture exposure, such as bathrooms, kitchens, and outdoor facilities, these seals can deteriorate over time, allowing moisture to enter the device. Moisture ingress can damage internal components, causing the device to malfunction, lose sensitivity, or fail completely.

[0005] Second, there is a lack of real-time monitoring. Conventional ground fault circuit interrupters typically provide only limited feedback to users about their operating status. If a circuit breaker fails or is damaged by moisture intrusion, users may not be aware of the fact until an electrical fault occurs. This lack of real-time monitoring hinders timely maintenance or replacement and increases the risk of electrical hazards.

[0006] Third, there is a lack of active warning and data recording capabilities. Existing ground fault circuit interrupters typically lack active warning and data recording mechanisms. Users cannot receive notifications about the circuit breaker's health, humidity levels, or potential vulnerabilities. Furthermore, the lack of data recording makes it difficult to analyze usage patterns, predict failures, or implement preventive maintenance strategies.

[0007] Fourth, the need for manual inspection. To ensure the integrity and functionality of conventional earth leakage circuit breakers, periodic manual inspections are typically required. This process is time-consuming and can be difficult to perform regularly in large installations or in locations that are difficult to access.

[0008] Fifth, limited integration with modern smart systems. As electrical systems become increasingly integrated with smart home technologies and building management systems, traditional ground fault circuit interrupters remain isolated components. They do not communicate with other devices or systems to improve overall safety, efficiency, or user convenience.

[0009] Therefore, this invention aims to address the above issues by introducing an advanced floodproof earth leakage circuit breaker that combines humidity detection and IoT connectivity to provide a more reliable, intelligent and user-friendly electrical safety solution. Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0010] The problem to be solved by this invention is to overcome the problems of conventional earth leakage circuit breakers, such as their vulnerability to moisture intrusion, lack of real-time internal environment monitoring function, and lack of an active warning mechanism before a failure occurs. Specifically, the object is to provide a highly reliable watertight earth leakage circuit breaker that can detect seal deterioration early and issue a warning to the user before a serious failure or electrical hazard occurs. [Means for solving the problem]

[0011] To solve the above-mentioned problems, the present invention provides a floodproof earth leakage circuit breaker (EFC) comprising a sealed outer shell, a ground fault circuit interrupter body disposed within the sealed outer shell, a plurality of sensors disposed within the sealed outer shell, including at least one humidity sensor and at least one temperature sensor, for monitoring the internal environment of the ground fault circuit interrupter body, a microcontroller operably connected to the sensors, and a wireless communication module operably connected to the microcontroller. The microcontroller is configured to analyze data from the sensors and transmit an alert via the wireless communication module when a detected humidity level or temperature level exceeds a predetermined threshold. Furthermore, in one embodiment, the microcontroller implements a long-short-term memory (LSTM) model configured to process time-series data from the sensors to predict future deterioration of the seal of the sealed outer shell, generate a seal deterioration score indicative of potential seal deterioration, and issue an alert when the score exceeds a predetermined threshold. [Effects of the Invention]

[0012] This invention combines a sealed outer shell with an internal sensor to enable real-time monitoring and early detection of moisture intrusion into the equipment. This prevents moisture-related equipment failures and significantly improves the safety of electrical systems. IoT connectivity also allows users to monitor the equipment status remotely and receive immediate notifications in the event of an abnormality, enabling rapid response. Furthermore, predictive maintenance capabilities using LSTM models can predict potential problems, such as seal degradation, before they occur, prompting planned maintenance. This improves equipment reliability and lifespan, reducing unplanned downtime and maintenance costs. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0013] [Figure 1A] 1 is an external view of a floodproof earth leakage circuit breaker according to an embodiment of the present invention; [Figure 1B] 1 is an internal perspective view of a floodproof earth leakage circuit breaker according to an embodiment of the present invention; [Figure 1C] 3 is a diagram showing the installation of the sealing member in the electrical conduit of the present invention; [Figure 2] 1 is a block diagram showing the configuration of a floodproof earth leakage circuit breaker according to one embodiment of the present invention; [Figure 3] 3 is a flowchart illustrating the operation of a floodproof earth leakage circuit breaker according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 4] FIG. 10 is a block diagram showing the configuration of a floodproof earth leakage circuit breaker according to another embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 5] FIG. 5 is a block diagram showing in detail the configuration of the LSTM model shown in FIG. 4. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0014] The following describes in detail an embodiment of the present invention with reference to the drawings. This invention relates to an advanced floodproof earth leakage circuit breaker (ERC) designed to prevent moisture intrusion and enhance electrical safety through real-time monitoring and active measures. This innovative device integrates a sealed outer shell with superior waterproof performance, a digital humidity and temperature sensor, a microcontroller for data processing, and Internet of Things (IoT) connectivity. This combination enables continuous monitoring of the internal environment, data analysis, remote warnings, and user interaction via a mobile application or web interface, significantly improving the performance of traditional ERCs.

[0015] <Embodiment 1> Please refer to Figures 1A, 1B, and 2. Figure 1A is an external view of a floodproof earth leakage circuit breaker 100 according to one embodiment of the present invention, Figure 1B is an internal perspective view, and Figure 2 is a block diagram showing the configuration. The floodproof earth leakage circuit breaker 100 (hereinafter referred to as the protector 100) includes several major structural components that cooperate to provide enhanced protection and functionality.

[0016] The sealed shell 110 forms the main housing of the floodproof earth leakage circuit breaker 100 and is manufactured from a durable, waterproof material such as high-grade polycarbonate or stainless steel with a corrosion-resistant coating. The sealed shell 110 includes a sealing mechanism 111 (not shown), such as a liquid gasket, a magnetic seal, or a self-healing polymer, to ensure robust waterproofing. Additionally, the sealed shell 110 includes a seal indicator 112, such as an elastic membrane 112a, to provide a visual indication of the seal status.

[0017] Located inside the sealed outer shell 110 is the earth leakage breaker body 120, the central component responsible for detecting and interrupting electrical faults. The earth leakage breaker body 120 has a circuit interruption mechanism 121 for detecting fault currents and interrupting the circuit as necessary, and a control interface 122 including manual controls such as a reset button and a test button. These manual controls are enclosed in an insulating cover made of an electrically insulating material to prevent accidental contact and increase user safety.

[0018] The earth leakage circuit interrupter body 120 is supported by a mounting structure 130 that maintains a spatial separation between the body and the inner wall of the outer shell, minimizing moisture transfer. The mounting structure 130 includes a mounting mesh 132, a non-conductive structural grid that firmly secures the earth leakage circuit interrupter body 120 in place. Connecting struts 134 fixed to the inner surface of the rear wall of the outer shell further stabilize the mounting mesh 132 and prevent the earth leakage circuit interrupter body 120 from directly contacting the inner surface of the sealed outer shell 110.

[0019] Within the sealed shell 110, sensors 140, including a digital humidity sensor 142 and a temperature sensor 144, are strategically positioned to continuously monitor the internal environment. The humidity sensor 142 is a capacitive or resistive humidity sensor and is placed near potential ingress points, such as the seal mechanism and the electrical conduit 113, to quickly detect the presence of moisture. The temperature sensor 144, such as a thermistor or digital temperature sensor, monitors the internal temperature and identifies overheating or environmental changes that may affect device performance. Data collected by these sensors 140 is processed by a dedicated microcontroller 150, which analyzes the sensor data to assess the operating status of the protector 100 and detect abnormalities.

[0020] The wireless communication module 160 enables IoT connectivity, allowing the protector 100 to transmit sensor data to external devices such as a client device 10 or a cloud-based server 20. The wireless communication module 160 supports a variety of communication protocols, including Wi-Fi, Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE), and cellular communication standards such as LTE-M and NB-IoT.

[0021] The power management system 170 receives power from the main circuit 30 and provides power to the microcontroller 150, the sensor 140, and the wireless communication module 160. The system has appropriate electrical insulation to prevent interference and includes a stabilizer 172 to provide stable power to sensitive electronic components. In one embodiment, the power management system 170 can include a backup power source 174, such as a battery or supercapacitor, to maintain critical functions in the event of a power outage. The stabilizer 172 is connected to the circuit breaker mechanism 121 of the ground fault circuit interrupter main body 120.

[0022] 1C , the electrical conduits 113 extend from the earth leakage breaker body 120 to the outside of the sealed outer shell 110, facilitating electrical connection with an external circuit. An inflatable sealing member 114, such as an annular air bag or O-ring, is provided around the electrical conduits 113 to surround the electrical wires 115. The sealing member 114 prevents moisture from entering along the electrical conduits 113 by expanding.

[0023] The user interface 180 may include a mobile application (if the client device 10 is a smartphone) or a web dashboard (if the client device 10 is a desktop computer) that allows a user to remotely interact with the protector 100. These interfaces provide real-time status updates, sensor readings, and notifications regarding detected problems. Additionally, the protector 100 may include local indicators 105, such as LED lights or displays, to provide immediate visual status information, as well as audible alerts, such as a buzzer or speaker, to sound anomalies.

[0024] Once installed, the protector 100 is securely mounted in the desired location, such as a residential or commercial electrical panel. Electrical connections are made via the electrical conduit 113, and the inflatable seal member 114 is appropriately inflated to form a watertight seal.

[0025] FIG. 3 shows an operational flowchart of the protector 100. After power-on, in step S110, the protector 100 performs an initial self-diagnosis to ensure all components are operating normally. Next, in step S120, the protector enters a continuous monitoring phase, during which the humidity sensor 142 and temperature sensor 144 collect data at predetermined intervals. These data are processed by the microcontroller 150 in step S130, which analyzes the readings using predetermined algorithms and identifies abnormalities. If the humidity level or temperature reading exceeds a predetermined threshold, in step S140, the protector 100 generates an alert and transmits it to an external device via the wireless communication module 160. Simultaneously, in step S150, a local alert is activated to notify people near the protector 100. In critical situations, in step S160, the microcontroller 150 can take preventive measures, such as shutting down the circuit. In step S170, all sensor data and operational events are recorded for future analysis, supporting predictive maintenance and informed decision-making.

[0026] The protector 100 of this embodiment offers many significant advantages over conventional earth leakage circuit breakers: strong waterproofing, real-time monitoring, remote management via IoT connection, and predictive maintenance capabilities via data recording, greatly improving the reliability, safety, and convenience of electrical systems.

[0027] <Embodiment 2> Next, another embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to Figures 4 and 5. Figure 4 is a block diagram showing the configuration of a floodproof earth leakage circuit breaker 200 according to another embodiment of the present invention, and Figure 5 is a block diagram showing in detail the configuration of the LSTM model 290 shown in Figure 4. In this embodiment, the same components as those in the previous embodiment are designated by the same reference numerals, and their description will be omitted.

[0028] The floodproof earth leakage circuit breaker 200 (hereinafter referred to as the protector 200) of this embodiment integrates a sophisticated long short-term memory (LSTM) neural network to enhance its predictive maintenance capabilities. This integration enables the protector 200 to analyze time series data from internal sensors, accurately predict potential seal degradation, and prevent moisture intrusion before it occurs. The LSTM neural network is a specialized form of recurrent neural network (RNN) that excels at learning long-term dependencies in sequential data and is particularly suited to event prediction based on historical patterns. 5 By incorporating the LSTM model 290 within the protector 200, the protector 200 achieves advanced intelligence and reliability beyond traditional monitoring methods.

[0029] The microcontroller 250 continuously collects time-stamped data from multiple internal sensors 240, including a humidity sensor 242, a temperature sensor 244, and in some embodiments, a pressure sensor 246. To be effectively analyzed by the LSTM model 290, the data undergoes multiple preprocessing steps by a preprocessing module 291 of the LSTM model 290, including data synchronization, denoising, normalization, and feature engineering.

[0030] The LSTM model 290 integrated into the protector 200 is designed to operate efficiently within the computational resource constraints of the microcontroller 250. This LSTM model 290 employs a lightweight architecture and consists of an input layer 292, an LSTM layer 293, and an output layer 294. The output layer 294 generates a prediction of future sensor readings or assigns a seal degradation score indicating the possibility of a seal failure. The non-obvious nature of this AI-related invention lies in its implementation, rather than simply applying a known LSTM model, to solve the unique challenges of physical degradation in safety-critical embedded devices with limited processing power and memory. While LSTM models have traditionally been used primarily in fields such as natural language processing, applying them to the entirely different physical domain of predicting seal degradation in earth leakage circuit breakers is not obvious to those skilled in the art.

[0031] The LSTM model 290 is trained in two stages: initial training and on-device incremental learning. First, the model is trained on a server 20 with high-performance computing resources using a comprehensive dataset collected from multiple protectors 200. The trained model is then deployed to the microcontroller 250 of the protector 200 via over-the-air (OTA) technology. The protector 200 then performs on-device incremental learning, periodically updating the model as new data is collected and adapting it to specific environmental conditions.

[0032] During operation, the LSTM model 290 continuously ingests real-time sensor data series, predicts future humidity levels, and calculates a seal degradation score. This score quantifies the likelihood of seal failure, with higher values ​​indicating greater risk. If the score exceeds a predetermined threshold (e.g., 0.8), the protector 200 can not only send a real-time warning to the user, but also activate a local alarm and take preventative action such as shutting off the circuit.

[0033] The integration of an LSTM neural network offers several notable advantages over traditional monitoring and maintenance methods. First, the LSTM model 290 can identify gradual changes and emerging patterns indicative of seal degradation that may be missed by simple threshold systems. Second, its ability to model complex, nonlinear relationships between multiple sensor inputs, such as temperature, humidity, and pressure, enables more accurate and reliable predictions. This allows the protector 200 to predict seal failure with a high degree of accuracy before moisture poses a significant risk.

[0034] For example, consider a protector 200 installed in an industrial environment exposed to frequent temperature fluctuations. Over a period of several weeks, the protector 200 records a gradual increase in internal humidity levels that correlates with increasing temperature. An LSTM model 290 processes this time series data and identifies a sustained upward trend, indicating a possible seal degradation. Based on this pattern, the model calculates a seal degradation score of 0.85, exceeding a threshold. As a result, the protector 200 sends an alert to maintenance personnel, prompting an inspection. The personnel inspect the equipment and notice signs of wear in the seal due to thermal expansion and contraction. By replacing the damaged seal before moisture can enter, the protector 200 prevents potential electrical hazards and ensures continued safe operation.

[0035] In this embodiment, the microcontroller 250 is a 32-bit microcontroller (e.g., an ARM Cortex-M4) that provides sufficient processing power while maintaining low power consumption to facilitate efficient operation of the LSTM model 290. The firmware utilizes a lightweight machine learning framework such as TensorFlow Lite for Microcontrollers.

[0036] Overall, the floodproof earth leakage circuit breaker according to the above-described embodiments represents a significant advancement in electrical safety technology with its strong waterproofing, intelligent monitoring, connectivity capabilities, and the integration of LSTM neural networks. Its innovative design overcomes the major limitations of traditional earth leakage circuit breakers and improves the reliability and safety of electrical systems in various environments. [Explanation of symbols]

[0037] 10 Client Device 20 servers 30 Main circuit 100 Water-proof earth leakage circuit breaker (protector) 105 Local Indicator 110 Sealed outer shell 111 Sealing mechanism 112 Seal indicator 112a Elastic membrane 113 Electric conduit 114 Inflatable seal member 115 Electric wire 120 Earth leakage breaker body 121 Circuit Breaker Mechanism 122 Control Interface 130 Mounting structure 132 Mounting mesh 134 Connecting strut 140 sensors 142 Humidity Sensor 144 Temperature Sensor 150 microcontrollers 160 Wireless Communication Module 170 Power Management System 172 Stabilizer 174 Standby Power Supply 180 User Interface 200 Water-proof earth leakage circuit breaker (protector) 240 Internal Sensor 242 Humidity Sensor 244 Temperature Sensor 246 Pressure Sensor 250 microcontrollers 290 LSTM models 291 Pretreatment Module 292 Input Layer 293 LSTM layer 294 Output Layer

Claims

1. a sealed outer shell; a ground fault circuit interrupter body disposed within the sealed outer shell; an attachment structure disposed within the sealed outer shell, supporting the earth leakage breaker body and spatially separating the earth leakage breaker body from an inner wall of the sealed outer shell; At least one electrical conduit extending from the earth leakage circuit breaker body to the outside of the sealed outer shell; a plurality of sensors disposed within the sealed shell, the sensors including at least one humidity sensor configured to sense a humidity level within the sealed shell, and at least one temperature sensor configured to sense a temperature within the sealed shell; a microcontroller operatively connected to the sensor and configured to process data received from the sensor; a wireless communication module operatively connected to the microcontroller and configured to transmit data to at least one external device; The microcontroller analyzes data from the humidity sensor and the temperature sensor, and sends an alert via the wireless communication module if the detected humidity level or temperature level exceeds a predetermined threshold.

2. 2. The watertight earth leakage circuit breaker of claim 1, wherein the mounting structure includes a mounting mesh fixed within the sealed outer shell by one or more connecting struts, and the mounting mesh supports the earth leakage circuit breaker body so that the earth leakage circuit breaker body does not contact any inner surface of the sealed outer shell.

3. 2. The watertight earth leakage circuit breaker of claim 1, further comprising at least one inflatable seal disposed around the electrical conduit, the inflatable seal configured to prevent the intrusion of moisture along the conduit when inflated.

4. 2. The floodproof earth leakage circuit breaker according to claim 1, wherein the wireless communication module is a cellular communication module compliant with Wi-Fi, Bluetooth Low Energy, or the LTE-M or NB-IoT standard.

5. 10. The watertight ground fault circuit interrupter of claim 1, wherein the microcontroller is further configured to record sensor data from the sensor over time and transmit the sensor data to the external device for trend analysis and predictive maintenance.

6. 10. The watertight earth-fault circuit breaker of claim 1, further comprising a user interface accessible via a mobile application on a client device, the user interface configured to display real-time status updates and sensor readings and to receive alerts sent from the wireless communication module.

7. The floodproof earth leakage circuit breaker according to claim 1 , further comprising a power management system configured to provide power to the microcontroller and the wireless communication module.

8. the microcontroller implementing a long short-term memory (LSTM) model configured to process time series data from the sensors to predict future humidity and temperature levels within the sealed shell; the LSTM model is configured to analyze sequential sensor data within a defined time window and generate a seal degradation score indicative of a potential seal failure; 2. The watertight earth leakage circuit breaker of claim 1, wherein the microcontroller is further configured to compare the seal degradation score with a predetermined threshold and initiate an alarm or preventative action if the seal degradation score exceeds the threshold.

9. 9. The watertight earth leakage circuit breaker of claim 8, wherein the seal degradation score is calculated based on an analysis of a plurality of sensor inputs including humidity and temperature levels within the sealed outer shell.

10. 9. The watertight earth leakage circuit breaker of claim 8, wherein the LSTM model is initially trained using aggregated historical data from multiple watertight earth leakage circuit breakers on a server with high-performance computing resources, and then deployed to the microcontroller via an over-the-air (OTA) update.

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