Electrical Receptacle Fault Isolation With Sensor-Controlled Outlets
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional electrical receptacles face challenges with tamper resistance, arc fault protection, ground fault protection, overcurrent protection, and surge suppression, including difficulty in use for elderly and special needs individuals, false tripping, lack of individual outlet disconnection, and inadequate measurement and control of current and voltage, leading to potential safety hazards and inefficiencies.
Innovation Solution
An electrical receptacle with a processor-controlled switch system that includes sensors for hot and neutral power lines, independent activation/deactivation of outlets, and surge protection, capable of self-testing and recalibration, which provides precise fault detection and protection against overcurrent, arc faults, and incorrect wiring, while allowing for orientation-specific amperage control and surge protection.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-affected harmful factors
If conventional tamper resistant receptacles use mechanical gates or shutters, then safety against foreign objects is improved, but ease of operation deteriorates due to excessive force required and misalignment issues
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the mechanical gate/shutter system with an optical sensing system. Optical sensors detect the presence and position of plug blades, and a processor controls power delivery based on detection results. This eliminates the need for mechanical force to open gates while maintaining foreign object prevention through optical verification of proper plug insertion.
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs preliminary detection of plug insertion status before enabling power. Optical sensors detect blade presence and position in advance, and the processor determines whether to activate power based on this preliminary information. This ensures safety verification occurs before power is applied, replacing the mechanical gate's preventive function.
2Ease of operation
If conventional receptacles provide continuous power to outlets, then ease of operation is improved, but safety deteriorates due to exposed energized blades during insertion/removal
Solution Approach 1:
The system continuously monitors blade position through optical sensors and provides feedback to the processor. Power is dynamically controlled based on this feedback - outlets are energized only when sensors confirm proper plug insertion. This closed-loop control eliminates continuous power exposure while maintaining operational convenience through automatic power management.
Solution Approach 2:
The system transitions from static continuous power delivery to dynamic power control. Power state changes based on real-time optical detection of plug presence and position. This dynamic approach allows power to be available when needed (improving ease of operation) while preventing exposure during insertion/removal operations (improving safety).
3Ease of manufacture
If conventional AFCI devices use transformer current sensors with fixed thresholds, then manufacturing simplicity is improved, but measurement precision deteriorates causing false tripping
Solution Approach 1:
The system replaces fixed threshold sensors with programmable parameters in a processor. Detection thresholds, time intervals, and evaluation criteria are stored as software parameters that can be adjusted based on specific application requirements. This allows precise adaptation to different electrical conditions while maintaining manufacturing simplicity through standardized hardware platforms.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces analog transformer-based current sensing with digital optical sensing and processor-based analysis. Instead of fixed electrical thresholds, the system uses digital image processing and pattern recognition algorithms to detect arc faults. This substitution dramatically improves measurement precision by enabling sophisticated analysis of arc characteristics without requiring complex hardware modifications.
4Object-affected harmful factors
If conventional GFCI/AFCI receptacles disconnect entire circuits, then safety is improved, but productivity deteriorates due to unnecessary power interruption to unaffected outlets
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the circuit into independently controllable outlet segments. Each outlet has its own optical sensors and power control, allowing the processor to isolate only the affected outlet when a fault is detected. This segmentation maintains safety by protecting the fault location while preserving power availability to other functional outlets, thereby improving productivity.
Solution Approach 2:
The system applies protection and control locally at each outlet rather than globally across the entire circuit. Each outlet has customized sensor placement and power control tailored to its specific configuration. This local quality approach enables precise fault isolation to individual outlets while maintaining power delivery to unaffected areas, resolving the contradiction between comprehensive protection and continuous productivity.
Data Source
AI summary
An electrical receptacle contains a plug outlet that has a pair of contacts for electrical connection to respective hot and neutral power lines. A controlled switch, such as a TRIAC, is connected in series relationship between the outlet contact and the hot power line. Sensors in the receptacle outputs signals to a processor having an output coupled to the control terminal of the controlled switch. The processor outputs an activation signal or a deactivation signal to the controlled switch in response to received sensor signals that are indicative of conditions relative to the first and second contacts.