Circuit Protection Device with Mechanical Tripping and Electrical Reset
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Solution Overview
Problem
Circuit protection devices with load and socket terminals often malfunction due to incorrect wiring, leading to safety risks, as users cannot manually trip or reset the power supply effectively, and existing solutions may cause imbalances or degrade power supply synchronization.
Innovation Solution
A circuit protection device with a mechanical tripping function and electrical resetting mechanism, featuring a tripping and resetting mechanism, ground fault detection, and a synchronous unit, allowing manual tripping and resetting while ensuring safe power supply synchronization.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If a circuit protection device is designed with both load terminals and socket terminals connected directly, then the device structure is simple, but the protection device malfunctions when AC power source is input from load terminals due to error wiring, causing safety risks
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the power supply path into separate load terminals and socket terminals with distinct connection paths. The load terminals connect to the power source through one path while socket terminals connect through another path, allowing independent control and isolation. This segmentation prevents error wiring from causing both terminals to energize simultaneously, resolving the contradiction between simple structure and reliable protection.
2Ease of operation
If a circuit protection device provides manual test button and manual reset button, then the device can be tested and reset manually, but when the protection device fails and cannot be tripped manually, the AC power source cannot be interrupted in time
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a mechanical tripping mechanism as an intermediary between the control system and the power circuit. This mechanical mechanism includes a tripping button that directly actuates the circuit breaker through mechanical linkage, bypassing electronic control components. When electronic protection fails, the mechanical intermediary ensures power can still be interrupted reliably, resolving the contradiction between ease of manual operation and reliability of power interruption.
3Device complexity
If a circuit protection device uses multiple sets of contacts on one actuator to supply power to load terminals and socket terminals, then the device structure is compact, but when one or more contacts occur poor contacting or disconnecting, the synchronization of power supply is influenced and performance is degraded
Solution Approach 1:
The patent separates the contact sets into distinct groups for load terminals and socket terminals, with independent actuation mechanisms. Each terminal type has its own set of contacts that can be controlled independently, eliminating the synchronization problems caused by shared actuators. This segmentation maintains compact structure while ensuring reliable, independent power supply to each terminal type.
4Ease of manufacture
If the socket terminals are connected directly with the load terminals, then the wiring is simple, but the protection device cannot detect when AC power source is input from load terminals due to error wiring
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a synchronous control mechanism as an intermediary between the load terminals and socket terminals. This mechanism includes synchronous control switches and control circuits that monitor the state of both terminals. When error wiring is detected (such as reverse power input), the synchronous control mechanism prevents the socket terminals from energizing, allowing simple wiring while enabling error detection and prevention.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The device ensures safe and reliable power supply by enabling manual tripping and electrical resetting, preventing unsafe conditions and maintaining power supply reliability even in failure scenarios or reverse wiring.
Implementation Method 1
a ground fault detection drive unit... When the ground fault current exceeds the preset current value, the ground fault detection drive unit switches on the exciting circuit of the tripping coil
Implementation Method 2
the ground fault detection drive unit switches on the exciting circuit of the tripping coil, the tripping coil is energized with the exciting current
Implementation Method 3
The synchronous unit comprises a synchronous coil. The synchronous switch has two operating positions... When the synchronous coil is energized with sufficient exciting current, the synchronous unit is snapped
Data Source
AI summary
A circuit protection device includes a housing with a base and an upper cover, a clapboard, a circuit board, an AC power source path, a synchronous unit, a synchronous control switch, a tripping and resetting mechanism, a ground fault detection drive unit and a test and reset switch, to perform a function of ground fault protection, and to switch synchronously on or off the AC power path. The device has a manual mechanical tripping and electrical reset function, ensuring that the AC power supply connecting to the load circuit is switched off when the device has malfunctioned or the load circuit has failed, and preventing the device from being reset in case that the circuit protection device is not energized, or the circuit protection device has failed, or the AC power supply is reversely connected with load terminals.