2523 results about "Interrupter" patented technology

A staple sheet-detecting mechanism of an electric stapler having improved detection accuracy and miniaturization has a passage for feeding a staple sheet composed of straight forward staples arranged in parallel, and a forming plate and driver arranged above an anvil of the passage. A staple is inserted into papers located under the staple by moving the forming plate and the driver to a side of the staple. Above the anvil, where the forming plate waits, is a sensor (rocking member) of which one end contacts a tip edge of the staple sheet in a feeding direction, while the other end turns on or off an interrupter (detecting element). A rocking fulcrum of the sensor is provided biased to a side of the staple sheet in the passage. The forming plate and the driver are provided with recessed portions and, respectively, for allowing the sensor to rock.

A flow cytometer (20) capable of utilizing an imaging system including a sensor (88) to determine various properties of the flow cytometer (20). Importantly, the imaging allows for determination of a drop delay time (154). Other characteristics that can be determined include at least the width of the stream, pressure of the stream, effect of charged droplets on other droplets (44), trajectory of the stream, resonant frequency, wavelengths, change in position of droplet break-off point (150), and others. An automatic warning system (180) can be used to alert an operator of an anomaly during setup or during normal operation. Furthermore, a mechanical interrupter can be used to shield a sort result from contamination by an incorrectly functioning stream. The cytometer (20) also allows for the disablement of the sort, particularly the charging and deflection systems. In addition, a more accurate system for detecting the speed of the stream can be used. The imaging system including a sensor (88) can allow for the removal of background noise and the monitoring of a change in a stream characteristic.

Methods and apparatus process a plurality of interrupt status words from a network interface controller (NIC) to a plurality of processes. A first per-virtual circuit interrupt status word and a second per-virtual circuit interrupt status word can be sent by a per-virtual circuit interrupter having a per-virtual circuit interrupt output. A NIC interrupter can be in communication with the per-virtual circuit interrupt output and have a NIC interrupt output to send a first NIC interrupt status word and a second NIC interrupt status word to a global interrupt queue of a host system. The NIC interrupter can generate an interrupt signal to the host system, and a proxy interrupt handler of the host system can be in communication with the NIC interrupter. The proxy interrupt handler can awaken at least in part in response to the interrupt signal, and read the first NIC interrupt status word and the second NIC interrupt status word from the global interrupt queue, wake the first process and the second process, and send the first NIC interrupt status word to the first process and the second NIC interrupt status word to the second process.

A ground fault detector and interrupter for a photovoltaic (PV) energy conversion system, method and apparatus are disclosed. In an exemplary embodiment, the system includes first and second inputs adapted to couple to a first and second rails of a PV array. An inverter is configured to convert DC power generated from the PV array to AC power. A ground fault detector and interrupter, which is coupled to the first and second rails and to the inverter, is configured to detect ground fault conditions in the PV array and to decouple the PV array from the remaining portion of the PV energy conversion system upon such detection. A known signal is coupled to the input of the ground fault detector and interrupter, and then sensed at the output of the ground fault detector and interrupter to determine whether components of the ground fault detector and interrupter are operating properly.

A direct current feeder protection system includes six conductors, four current sensors sensing four currents flowing in four of the conductors, four circuit interrupters interrupting currents flowing in the four conductors, and a processor cooperating with the current sensors to input four sensed currents, and to output a number of commands to the circuit interrupters. The processor includes a routine detecting a number of: a directional current fault of the sensed currents, a differential current fault of the sensed first and third currents or the sensed second and fourth currents, and a residual current fault of the sensed first and second currents or the sensed third and fourth currents, and to responsively output the commands. The first, fifth and third conductors are electrically connected in series with two of the circuit interrupters, and the second, sixth and fourth conductors are electrically connected in series with the other circuit interrupters.

The present invention is directed to an electrical device configured to be disposed in an electrical distribution system between a source of electrical power and an electrical load. The electrical distribution system includes at least one line hot conductor, a line neutral conductor, and a line ground conductor. The line neutral conductor is connected to the line ground conductor at a termination point in the electrical distribution system. The electrical load includes at least one load hot conductor, a load neutral conductor, and a load ground conductor. The device includes a grounding confirmation circuit that includes at least one signal generator that directs at least one test signal into a current path that includes at least the line ground conductor. The grounding confirmation circuit is configured to determine a ground continuity status of the current path based on at least one ground continuity measurement. The circuit interrupter is prevented from entering the reset state if the at least one ground continuity measurement does not meet a predefined quality threshold. The at least one ground continuity measurement being a function of the at least one electrical load parameter after the circuit interrupter is in the reset state.

By realizing or installing check valve liquid vein interrupters in each compartment of the battery the phenomenon of slow discharge of the retained volumes of electrolytes during long periods of inactivity of a redox flow battery, with the electrolyte pumps stopped altogether, can be practically eliminated with the effect that the battery is perfectly ready to deliver electric power immediately upon request even after prolonged periods of inactivity. Moreover, the presence of liquid vein interrupters on each compartment in either an outlet or an inlet port substantially preventing by-pass current during a not pumping phase, permits to increase the by pumping the electrolytes through the compartments of a battery stack intermittently, in other words in a pulsed manner, with a certain duty-cycle. Relatively brief pumping phases at relatively high flow rate alternated to phases of not pumping provide for a volumetrically adequate refreshing of the electrolytes present in the battery compartments and contrast the formation of gradients in the bodies of electrolyte.

The present invention is related to an UV LED curing apparatus, and more particularly, to an UV LED curing apparatus with improved housing and switch controller. The UV LED curing apparatus of the present invention is preferably provided for curing UV hardening gel applied onto the nails of multiple fingers or toes all at once and with automatic controls; the UV LED curing apparatus comprises a light reflective inner casing enclosing a curing chamber having a front opening, an outer casing detachably attached to the inner casing and an UV LED light source disposed on the inner casing and capable of providing an illumination covering a large space in the curing chamber. The automatic controls of the apparatus may be achieved by a switch controller having a photo interrupter, timer and current regulator such that the UV light from the UV LED light source is triggered to an on-state by the sensor of the photo interrupter and switched to an off-state by the timer and current regulator with reference to a preset curing time automatically. The UV LED light source is preferably to be of a wavelength between 360 nm and 460 nm. The light reflective inner casing is preferably provided as an effective UV light reflector and as a supporting substrate of the UV LED light source while being capable of transmitting heat from the UV LED light source away for further heat dissipation to the ambient by the outer casing. The outer casing is detachably attached to the inner casing and allows a greater user interaction for decorative and entertainment purposes while also being a protective and heat dissipation means.

Resettable circuit interrupting devices, such as GFCI devices that include a reset lockout mechanism, are provided. The reset lockout comprises a member coupled to swing from a pivot which moves with a reset button to permit the resetting of electrical connections between input and output conductors if the circuit interrupting mechanism used to break the connection is non-operational or if an open condition exists.

A lighting control system comprising a plurality of intelligent switches designed to replace a conventional light switch, each of the intelligent switches including a receiver configured to receive communication signals that include rules based instructions for controlling one or more lighting circuits; a circuit interrupter configured to control the amount of current flowing to a lighting circuit; a memory configured to store the rules based instructions; and a processor coupled with the receiver, memory, and circuit interrupter, the processor configured to control the operation of the circuit interrupter based on the rules based instructions stored in memory.

A circuit interrupter includes band pass filters cooperating with a current sensor to output bands having different, non-overlapping ranges of frequencies, peak detectors cooperating with the filters to detect corresponding peak current values, envelope detectors cooperating with the filters to detect corresponding occurrences from the bands being within corresponding predetermined magnitude ranges, a counter counting the occurrences, and a processor providing and disabling series arc detection when sensed current is greater than a first predetermined value. The processor determines tallies responsive to peak current values exceeding corresponding thresholds, determines series arcing from sensed current being less than the first predetermined value for a predetermined time, the tally for a current half-cycle being nonzero, and a count for the current half-cycle being different than the count for an immediately previous half-cycle of like polarity by at least a second predetermined value. A series chaos accumulator is increased responsive to series arcing.

A capacitor provides a plurality of selectable capacitance values, by selective connection of six concentrically wound capacitor sections of a capacitive element each having a capacitance value. The capacitor sections each have a respective section element terminal at a first end of the capacitive element and the capacitor sections have a common element terminal at a second end of the capacitive element. A pressure interrupter cover assembly is sealingly secured to the open end a case for the element and has a deformable cover with a centrally mounted common cover terminal and a plurality of section cover terminals mounted at spaced apart locations. A conductor frangibly connects the common element terminal of the capacitive element to the common cover terminal and conductors respectively frangibly connect the capacitor section terminals to the section cover terminals. Deformation of the cover caused by failure of the capacitor element breaks at least some of the frangible connections sufficient to disconnect the capacitive element from an electric circuit in which it is connected. A cover insulation barrier mounted on the deformable cover, has a barrier cup substantially surrounding the common cover terminal and a plurality of barrier fins each extending radially outwardly from the barrier cup, and deployed between adjacent section cover.

An arc fault circuit interrupter system for use with an electrical circuit includes an arcing fault detector which monitors the electrical circuit and a controller which generates a trip signal in response to the detection of arcing faults. The controller may also generate one or more communication signals corresponding to information relating to the operation of the arcing fault circuit interrupter. The system may also include one or more of the following: a communication port which communicates to a user the information relating to operation of the arc fault circuit interrupter in response to the communication signals; a memory for retaining predetermined information related to the condition and operation of the arcing fault circuit interrupter, with or without a backup memory; and a combined self-test / reset switch.

An organic light emitting display includes a plurality of pixels, at least one of the pixels having: an organic light emitting diode; a driving transistor adapted to supply a driving current to the organic light emitting diode; a first switching transistor adapted to selectively supply a data signal to the driving transistor; a second switching transistor adapted to selectively supply an initialization signal; a third switching transistor adapted to selectively allow the driving transistor to be connected as a diode and to selectively supply the initialization sought; a storage capacitor adapted to store a first voltage corresponding to the initialization signal received from the third switching transistor and then to store a second voltage corresponding to the data signal applied at a gate electrode of the driving transistor; and an interrupter adapted to selectively supply a pixel power to the driving transistor and to selectively allow the driving current to flow into the organic light emitting diode. In this display, the amount of current leaking out through a switching transistor is decreased, and thus a voltage variance applied to a gate electrode of a driving transistor is decreased, thereby enhancing a contrast of an image.

A self test (ST) ground fault circuit interrupter (GFCI) provides a half wave rectifier for powering circuitry for determining and annunciating end of life (EOL) of the GFCI regardless of a shorted diode bridge or opening of a printed circuit board (PCB) trace. A fuse resistor is provided to open before an open PCB trace can occur. A microprocessor-controlled heat-conducting circuit is provided adjacent to a thermal fuse to controllably open the thermal fuse and remove power from face receptacle contacts and load terminals when EOL occurs.

A locking mechanism for a pyrotechnic safe and arm interrupter 98 may be constructed with an external lock casing 2, longitudinally extending bolt 3, washer 4, spring 5, retaining ring 8 and interlocking element 9 that may be configured in various shapes and features corresponding with a safety release component. A key 10 may be constructed with key stem 11, handle 12 and two pairs of teeth 13, 14 of different diameters radially protruding from successively reduced diameters along a distal portion of key stem 11. Lock 1 may be installed with notch 19 in alignment with a corresponding feature of the safe and arm interrupter mechanism and fastened in place with mounting holes 20 so that only mounting flange 17 and the key access 18 are external to the interrupter device, panel or door.

A low voltage device to be used as an electrical outlet base plate has a frame, an external plate fittable under pressure on the frame and fastenable by elastic plugs having protrusions for easy removal of the external plate, the frame having a rectangular central opening allowing to place one or several mechanisms to be installed and fastened, while the external plates being provided with one or several related openings depending on the mechanisms to be installed, the mechanisms having a body for application of a first base plate for electrical outlet with a base having two poles, and earth connection, a second base plate for electrical outlet with a base having two pairs of poles with its related earth connection in a duplex arrangement, and a third base plate for electrical outlet of the duplex arrangement provided with a differential ground fault circuit interrupter, each of the base plates being provided with a safety plate device for preventing access within an area of contacts.

A circuit interruption device (110) is provided in which an interruption element (112) and a fuse element (114) are configured electrically in parallel. The interruption element includes an electrical conductor and a current interrupter capable of severing the electrical conductor to eliminate its capacity to carry current. An exemplary embodiment of a circuit interruption device is capable of detecting an interrupt control signal and actuating in response to the signal.

The present invention is directed to an electrical device configured to be disposed in an electrical distribution system between a source of electrical power and an electrical load. The electrical distribution system includes at least one line hot conductor, a line neutral conductor, and a line ground conductor. The line neutral conductor and the line ground conductor are connected to earth ground at a termination point in the electrical distribution system. The electrical load includes at least one load hot conductor, a load neutral conductor, and a load ground conductor. The device comprises a power supply coupled to the power input mechanism. The power supply comprises at least one DC voltage output terminal and a reference terminal coupled to the line ground termination element. A voltage parameter detection circuit is configured to take a first voltage reading from a first termination element of the plurality of line termination elements and a second voltage reading from a second termination element of the plurality of line termination elements to derive at least one voltage parameter therefrom. The first voltage reading and the second voltage reading are referenced to the reference terminal. The circuit interrupter is driven into the tripped state if the at least one voltage parameter does not meet a predetermined condition, the voltage parameter detection circuit being operational when the reference terminal is not at an earth ground potential.

Methods, apparatus, computer readable media, and signals for managing utility usage are disclosed. Generally, each involves receiving a representation of a utility service usage at a load, receiving and storing a usage range representation, and producing a control signal for use by a utility service interrupter, when the usage is outside of the usage range representation. The control signal is operable to cause the utility service interrupter to interrupt a supply of the utility service to the load. Each also involves receiving a control signal indicating that a usage of the utility service at the load is outside of a usage range representation, and interrupting the supply of the utility service to the load in response to the control signal. Systems and methods for monitoring subscriber usage of a utility service and for billing a subscriber for utility service usage are also disclosed.

A capacitor has a polymer housing and a wound metallized film capacitive element received in the housing, with leads connected to terminals on the cover of the housing through a pressure responsive interrupter assembly. An air chamber is provided in the housing, confining a compressible volume of air, and insulating fluid fills the remaining volume of the housing, substantially immersing the capacitive element. The air chamber is advantageously defined by a piston slidably mounted in the housing. Upon a high pressure condition caused by failure of the capacitive element, the volume of air is compressed to cushion the onset of the high pressure, protecting the case from rupture prior to operation of the pressure responsive interrupter assembly.

A power circuit interrupter includes a housing having an opening, one or more vacuum interrupters including separable contacts, and an operating mechanism, supported by the housing, adapted to open and close the contacts. A linear actuator cooperates with the operating mechanism to open and close the contacts, and is responsive to a close signal to close the contacts. A pivotable trip member protrudes through the opening of the housing and cooperates with the operating mechanism and the linear actuator to open the contacts when pivoted from a first position to a second position. A close circuit includes an input inputting the close signal. A micro-switch includes an operator and a contact electrically connected in series with the input of the close circuit. The operator is engaged by the pivotable trip member to open the contact in response to partial pivoting thereof from the first position toward the second position.

A circuit interrupter arc chute includes first and second support portions, an exit portion supported by the support portions, and a plurality of arc plates supported by the support portions. The exit portion has one or more vent openings. The arc plates have a first edge offset from the exit portion and an opposite second edge distal from the exit portion. A plurality of insulating dividing members are disposed between the arc plates. The members have a first edge proximate the exit portion and an opposite second edge distal from the exit portion. The second edge of the members extends beyond the arc plate first edges and toward the arc plate second edges. The first edge of the dividing members extends beyond the arc plate first edge and away from the arc plate second edge.

An over heating detection circuit and an interrupter circuit are disclosed for interrupting electrical power from a power source receptacle to a load upon the detection of an over heating condition of an electrical plug. A heat sensitive device monitors the temperature of the electrical plug. The over heating detection circuit is connected to the heat sensitive device for detecting an over heated condition in the electrical plug. The interruption circuit includes a disconnect switch connected to the over heating detection circuit for disconnecting electrical power upon the detection of the over heated condition in the electrical plug.

A suppression and protection circuit is used in conjunction with a circuit interrupter. In one configuration, a voltage clamping device such as a metal oxide varistor is utilized in a ground fault circuit interrupter product for handling transient surges and overvoltage conditions and is placed in series with a solenoid coil. The suppression and protection circuit includes a crowbar device across the line such as a header spark gap to prevent overvoltages, and a low pass filter such as an LC filter for suppressing transient surges.

A capacitor provides a plurality of selectable capacitance values, by selective connection of six capacitor sections of a capacitive element each having a capacitance value. The capacitor sections are provided in a plurality of wound cylindrical capacitive elements. Two vertically stacked wound cylindrical capacitance elements may each provide three capacitor sections. There may be six separately wound cylindrical capacitive elements each providing a capacitor section. The capacitor sections have a common element terminal. A pressure interrupter cover assembly is sealingly secured to the open end of case for the elements and has a deformable cover with a centrally mounted common cover terminal and a plurality of section cover terminals mounted at spaced apart locations. A conductor frangibly connects the common element terminal of the capacitor section to the common cover terminal and conductors respectively frangibly connect the capacitor section terminals to the section cover terminals. Deformation of the cover caused by failure of the capacitor element breaks at least some of the frangible connections sufficient to disconnect the capacitive element from an electric circuit in which it is connected. A cover insulation barrier mounted on the deformable cover, has a barrier cup substantially surrounding the common cover terminal and a plurality of barrier fins each extending radially outwardly from the barrier cup, and deployed between adjacent section cover terminals.

The present invention is directed to an electrical device configured to be disposed in an electrical distribution system between a source of electrical power and an electrical load. The electrical distribution system includes at least one line hot conductor, a line neutral conductor, and a line ground conductor. The line neutral conductor and the line ground conductor are connected to earth ground at a termination point in the electrical distribution system. The electrical load includes at least one load hot conductor, a load neutral conductor, and a load ground conductor. The device comprises a power supply coupled to the power input mechanism. The power supply comprises at least one DC voltage output terminal and a reference terminal coupled to the line ground termination element. A voltage parameter detection circuit is configured to take a first voltage reading from a first termination element of the plurality of line termination elements and a second voltage reading from a second termination element of the plurality of line termination elements to derive at least one voltage parameter therefrom. The first voltage reading and the second voltage reading are referenced to the reference terminal. The circuit interrupter is driven into the tripped state if the at least one voltage parameter does not meet a predetermined condition, the voltage parameter detection circuit being operational when the reference terminal is not at an earth ground potential.

A capacitor including an expandable part fabricated on a capacitor housing is enclosed. The expandable part is expandable by a fault that occurs within the capacitor housing, thereby extending the capacitor housing to contact with an external interrupter. The external interrupter includes an external electrode and an external sensing circuit. The external sensing circuit detects a contact between the capacitor housing and the external electrode and sends a signal to disconnect the capacitor from an apparatus circuit.

There is here disclosed a method and apparatus for detecting the occurrence of arcing of a conductor by monitoring the current on an AC power line. The signal detected is split and directed along four separate paths to generate four signals having separate characteristics which represent the current in the line. A first path is for a signal representative of the current flowing in the line. A second path is for a signal having a pulse for each occurrence of a positive step change in current that is significant and has a di / dt value above a predetermined value. A third path is for a signal having a pulse for each occurrence of a negative step change in current that is significant and has a di / dt value above a predetermined value. A fourth path is for a signal having a voltage level representative of the broadband noise signal on the line. Using at least one of five different methods in combination with one of three input signals, a reference signal designated as "SINE" is generated. The SINE signal generated in combination with a CURRENT input is used to produce a control waveform "DELTA". DELTA can be represented as a relative value or as an absolute difference between the SINE and the CURRENT. Each occurring half cycle of the DELTA signal is analyzed by, for example, a micro-controller for specific identifiable characteristics found to indicate the presence of arcing. Upon the detection of arcing, an output signal can be generated to activate a circuit interrupting mechanism, sound an audio alarm and / or alert a central monitoring station.

The present invention is directed to a protective device configured to be coupled between an AC power source and an electrical load. A ground continuity monitor is coupled to the ground conductor, the ground continuity monitor being configured to detect a ground discontinuity condition in the ground conductor. A circuit interrupter mechanism is configured to interrupt electrical continuity in a tripped state and establish electrical continuity in a reset state. A self-test circuit is coupled to the ground continuity monitor and configured to perform a simulated ground continuity test that simulates the ground discontinuity condition. The self-test circuit provides a test failure signal when the ground continuity monitor fails to provide an output signal in response to the simulated ground continuity test. The test failure signal is configured to trip the circuit interrupter mechanism.