Solid state circuit interrupter

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11909196-B2
Application number	US-202318121227-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 14, 2023
Priority date	Jan 29, 2020
Publication date	Feb 20, 2024
Grant date	Feb 20, 2024

Abstract

A circuit interrupter including a current sensor having a normal sensor output and an over current detection output, a solid state switch module structured to have a closed state to allow current to flow through the circuit interrupter and an open state to interrupt current flowing through the circuit interrupter, a gate driver structured to control the solid state switch module including a desaturation function output, wherein the gate driver is structured to cause the solid state switch module to interrupt current flowing through the circuit interrupter when the DESAT function output changes to the on state, and an electronic trip circuit structured to output a trip signal to the gate driver when the normal sensor output reaches a first threshold level or the overcurrent detection output changes to the on state.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A circuit interrupter structured to electrically connect between a power source and a load, the circuit interrupter comprising:
a solid state switch module structured to have a closed state to allow current to flow through the circuit interrupter and an open state to interrupt the current flowing through the circuit interrupter;
a current sensor structured to sense current flowing through the circuit interrupter;
an electronic trip unit structured to output a trip signal upon detection of a fault condition based on an output of the current sensor;
a gate driver circuit including an enable input electrically connected to the electronic trip unit and a desaturation (DESAT) input electrically connected to the solid state switch module, the gate driver circuit structured to receive the trip signal at the enable input, implement DESAT function based on a signal received at the DESAT input from the solid state switch module, the DESAT function including monitoring a forward voltage drop of a solid state switch of the solid state switch module and changing from an off state to an on state when the current flowing through the solid state module reaches a predetermined threshold level, and control the state of the solid state switch module;
separable contacts; and
an operating mechanism structured to open and close the separable contacts,
wherein the electronic trip unit is structured to control the solid state switch module to change between the open state and the closed state and to control the operating mechanism to open the separable contacts.

2. The circuit interrupter of claim 1 , wherein the electronic trip unit is structured to output the trip signal to the gate driver circuit to cause the gate driver circuit to control the solid state module to change to the open state.

3. The circuit interrupter of claim 1 , wherein the electronic trip unit is structured to control the operating mechanism to open the separable contacts only after the solid state switch module has changed to the open state and wherein the electronic trip unit is structured to cause the gate driver circuit to change the solid state switch module to the closed state only after the separable contacts are closed.

4. The circuit interrupter of claim 3 , wherein the solid state switch module interrupts the current flowing through the circuit interrupter and the separable contacts are structured to open to provide galvanic isolation between the power source and the load.

5. The circuit interrupter of claim 1 , further comprising a close switch and an open switch.

6. The circuit interrupter of claim 5 , wherein the electronic trip unit is structured to control the operating mechanism to close the separable contacts to close and then output a close signal to the gate driver circuit to cause the gate driver circuit to change the solid state switch module to the closed state in response to actuation of the close switch.

7. The circuit interrupter of claim 5 , wherein the electronic trip unit is structured to output the trip signal to the gate driver circuit to cause the gate driver circuit to change the solid state switch module to the open state and then control the operating mechanism to open the separable contacts in response to actuation of the open button.

8. The circuit interrupter of claim 1 , further comprising:
a first position sensor structured to sense actuation of the close switch; and
a second position sensor structured to sense actuation of the open switch.

9. The circuit interrupter of claim 8 , wherein the electronic trip unit may be structured to receive outputs of the first and second position sensors and sense actuation of the close and open switches based on the outputs of the first and second position sensors.

10. The circuit interrupter of claim 1 , further comprising:
a power supply structured to receive power from the power source and convert the power from the power source to power usable by components of the circuit interrupter.

11. The circuit interrupter of claim 10 , wherein the power supply converts alternating current power from the power source to direct current power usable by at least the electronic trip unit, the gate driver circuit, and the current sensor.

12. The circuit interrupter of claim 11 , wherein the electronic trip unit is structured to cause the solid state switch module to change to the open state and the separable contacts to open if power is unavailable from the power supply or an external power supply.

13. The circuit interrupter of claim 10 , wherein the power supply is structured to use line-line voltage from the power source to generate the direct current power for use by the components of the circuit interrupter.

14. A circuit interrupter structured to electrically connect between a power source and a load, the circuit interrupter comprising:
a solid state switch module structured to have a closed state to allow current to flow through the circuit interrupter and an open state to interrupt the current flowing through the circuit interrupter;
a current sensor structured to sense current flowing through the circuit interrupter;
an electronic trip unit structured to output a trip signal upon detection of a fault condition based on an output of the current sensor;
a gate driver circuit including an enable input electrically connected to the electronic trip unit and a desaturation (DESAT) input electrically connected to the solid state switch module, the gate driver circuit structured to receive the trip signal at the enable input, implement DESAT function based on a signal received at the DESAT input from the solid state switch module, the DESAT function including monitoring a forward voltage drop of a solid state switch of the solid state switch module and changing from an off state to an on state when the current flowing through the solid state module reaches a predetermined threshold level, and control the state of the solid state switch module;
separable contacts;
an operating mechanism structured to open and close the separable contacts; and
a position sensor structured to sense a position of the separable contacts,
wherein the electronic trip unit is structured to control the solid state switch module to change between the open state and the closed state and to control the operating mechanism to open the separable contacts, and wherein, based on an output of the position sensor, the electronic trip unit is further structured to control the solid state switch module to change from the open state to the closed state when the separable contacts are in a closed position.

15. The circuit interrupter of claim 14 , wherein the electronic trip unit is structured to receive an output of the gate driver circuit indicative of the state of the solid state switch module.

16. The circuit interrupter of claim 15 , wherein the electronic trip unit is structured to ensure that the separable contacts are opened only after the solid state switch module has changed to the open state and that the solid state switch module is changed to the closed state only after the separable contacts are closed.

17. The circuit interrupter of claim 14 , wherein the position sensor comprises a micro switch that is actuated by movement of corresponding component.

18. The circuit interrupter of claim 17 , wherein the position sensor is disposed by a movable arm of the operating mechanism such that the movement of the moveable arm to open or close the separable contacts actuates the position sensor, and based on the output of the position sensor, the

Assignees

• Eaton Intelligent Power Ltd

Inventors

• Zhou Xin
• Carlson Brian E
• Feng Yanjun
• Liu Jianyang
• Slepian Michael
• Gottschalk Andrew L
• Chamarajanagar Govinda Nayaka Santhosh Kumar

Classifications

• H02H3/0935 Primary

  the timing being determined by numerical means · CPC title

• G01R15/14

  Adaptations providing voltage or current isolation, e.g. for high-voltage or high-current networks · CPC title

• H02H3/006

  Calibration or setting of parameters · CPC title

• H02H3/093 Primary

  with timing means {(in general H02H3/027; thermal delay H02H3/085; timing means for undervoltage protection H02H3/247)} · CPC title

• H02H3/08

  responsive to excess current (responsive to abnormal temperature caused by excess current H02H5/04) · CPC title