Circuit protection device and system with power supply conversion and control for DC loads

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12446133-B2
Application number	US-202117797346-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 27, 2021
Priority date	Jan 31, 2020
Publication date	Oct 14, 2025
Grant date	Oct 14, 2025

Abstract

Hazardous location compliant solid state circuit protection device (100) includes at least one solid state switching element (142a-d) and a load controller (170). The solid state switching element operates in an arc-free manner to limit or preclude electrical current flow from the line-side terminal (132) to the load-side terminal (136). The load controller includes power converter circuitry (172) operative to convert an alternating current (AC) power supply input to the line-side terminal to a direct current (DC) power output at the load side terminal. One or more DC devices may be coupled to the DC power output at the load side terminal.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An electrical power conversion and control system comprising:
a circuit protection device comprising:
a housing;
a line-side terminal and a load-side terminal;
at least one solid state switching element operable in an arc-free manner to limit or preclude electrical current flow from the line-side terminal to the load-side terminal; and
a load controller in the housing and including a power converter circuitry operative to convert an alternating current (AC) power supply input to the line-side terminal to a direct current (DC) power output at the load side terminal, wherein the load controller is configured to adjust an output pulsed DC power to a DC load device.

2. The electrical power conversion and control system of claim 1 , wherein the load controller is configured to vary the voltage of the DC power output according to one of a plurality of user-selected settings.

3. The electrical power conversion and control system of claim 2 , wherein the housing of the circuit protection device is ignition-protected for compliant use in a hazardous location.

4. The electrical power conversion and control system of claim 3 , wherein the circuit protection device further includes at least one temperature sensor, and wherein the least one solid state switching element is operable in response to input from the at least one temperature sensor to limit or preclude electrical current flow from the line-side terminal to the load-side terminal and maintain an operating temperature of the circuit protection device below a rated temperature limit, thereby rendering the circuit protection device compliant for use in the hazardous location without requiring a separately provided explosion-proof enclosure.

5. The electrical power conversion and control system of claim 1 , wherein the DC load device does not include an AC/DC power converter.

6. The electrical power conversion and control system of claim 1 , wherein the DC load device includes a DC/DC power converter.

7. The electrical power conversion and control system of claim 1 , wherein the DC load device is a light emitting diode (LED) luminaire.

8. The electrical power conversion and control system of claim 7 , wherein the light emitting diode (LED) luminaire is compliant for use in a hazardous location.

9. The electrical power conversion and control system of claim 1 , wherein the DC load device comprises a plurality of DC loads connected in series to one another and to the load-side terminal of the circuit protection device.

10. The electrical power conversion and control system of claim 9 , wherein the plurality of DC loads are each light emitting diode (LED) luminaires.

11. The electrical power conversion and control system of claim 10 , wherein at least some of the light emitting diode (LED) luminaires include a DC/DC power converter.

12. The electrical power conversion and control system of claim 1 , wherein the at least one solid state switching element is encapsulated.

13. The electrical power conversion and control system of claim 1 , wherein the circuit protection device is configured as a solid state circuit breaker device.

14. The electrical power conversion and control system of claim 1 , wherein the circuit protection device is configured as a hybrid circuit breaker device.

15. The electrical power conversion and control system of claim 1 , wherein the housing of the circuit protection device is electrically grounded.

16. The electrical power conversion and control system of claim 1 , wherein the housing of the circuit protection device exhibits anti-static properties.

17. The electrical power conversion and control system of claim 1 , wherein the housing of the circuit protection device is chemically resistant in a hazardous location.

18. An electrical power conversion and control system comprising:
a circuit protection device comprising:
a housing;
a line-side terminal and a load-side terminal;
at least one solid state switching element operable in an arc-free manner to limit or preclude electrical current flow from the line-side terminal to the load-side terminal; and
a load controller in the housing and including a power converter circuitry operative to convert an alternating current (AC) power supply input to the line-side terminal to a direct current (DC) power output at the load side terminal, wherein the electrical power conversion and control system further comprises at least one DC load device, and wherein the at least one DC load device includes a DC/DC power converter.

19. An electrical power conversion and control system comprising:
a circuit protection device comprising:
a housing;
a line-side terminal and a load-side terminal;
at least one solid state switching element operable in an arc-free manner to limit or preclude electrical current flow from the line-side terminal to the load-side terminal; and
a load controller in the housing and including a power converter circuitry operative to convert an alternating current (AC) power supply input to the line-side terminal to a direct current (DC) power output at the load side terminal, wherein the electrical power conversion and control system further comprises at least one DC load device, wherein the at least one DC load device comprises a plurality of DC loads connected in series to one another and to the load-side terminal of the circuit protection device, and wherein the plurality of DC loads comprises a plurality of light emitting diode (LED) luminaires.

20. An electrical power conversion and control system comprising:
a circuit protection device comprising:
a housing;
a line-side terminal and a load-side terminal;
at least one solid state switching element operable in an arc-free manner to limit or preclude electrical current flow from the line-side terminal to the load-side terminal; and
a load controller in the housing and including a power converter circuitry operative to convert an alternating current (AC) power supply input to the line-side terminal to a direct current (DC) power output at the load side terminal, wherein the electrical power conversion and control system further comprises at least one mechanical switch contact connected between the line-side terminal and the load-side terminal in a switch device, and wherein the housing of the switch device includes a sealed internal enclosure containing the at least one mechanical switch contact, thereby precluding the switch contact from being an ignition source in a hazardous location.

Assignees

• Eaton Intelligent Power Ltd

Inventors

• Ott Toni
• Manahan Joseph

Classifications

• H02H5/04

  responsive to abnormal temperature {(specially adapted for electric machines H02H7/0852)} · CPC title

• H05B45/3725

  Switched mode power supply [SMPS] · CPC title

• Y02B20/30

  Semiconductor lamps, e.g. solid state lamps [SSL] light emitting diodes [LED] or organic LED [OLED] · CPC title

• H02H9/008

  Intrinsically safe circuits · CPC title

• H05B45/56 Primary

  involving measures to prevent abnormal temperature of the LEDs · CPC title