Electrical arc protection using a trip jumper

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9853400-B1
Application number	US-201615340021-A
Country	US
Kind code	B1
Filing date	Nov 1, 2016
Priority date	Nov 1, 2016
Publication date	Dec 26, 2017
Grant date	Dec 26, 2017

Abstract

A plug comprises power contacts and a trip jumper having jumper contacts configured to make a trip connection, during a plugging action with the plug and a receptacle, with mating trip contacts in the receptacle. When the receptacle is connected to electrical power during the plugging action, a current over the trip connection can cause disconnection of a receptacle power contact from the power. A receptacle comprises receptacle power contacts and a trip circuit having receptacle trip contacts configured to make a trip connection, during a plugging action with the receptacle and plug, with mating trip contacts in the plug. When the receptacle is connected to electrical power during the plugging action, a current over the trip connection can cause disconnection of power to a receptacle power contact. A system can have an electrical device with a line cord connected to the plug.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A power plug comprising:
a plurality of plug power contacts; and
a plug trip jumper, wherein the plug trip jumper comprises a first and a second jumper contact electrically coupled to each other, the first and second jumper contacts electrically coupled to each other permitting a current to flow through the plug trip jumper, and wherein each of the first and second jumper contacts comprises a respective electrically conductive tip and a respective electrically non-conductive region; and
wherein each of the first and second jumper contacts are configured to make a trip connection, during a plugging action with the power plug and a power receptacle, with respective mating receptacle trip contacts included in the power receptacle;
wherein, the respective electrically conductive tip of each of the first and second jumper contacts is configured to make the trip connection with the respective mating receptacle trip contact;
wherein at least one of the first and second jumper contacts is further configured such that, when the power plug is fully connected to the power receptacle, the respective electrically conductive tip does not make the trip connection with the respective mating receptacle trip contact and the respective electrically non-conductive region is placed in contact with the respective mating receptacle trip contact, thereby preventing the trip current through the plug trip jumper;
wherein the trip connection permits a trip current through the plug trip jumper when at least one receptacle power contact, included in the power receptacle, is connected to electrical power provided by a power source; and
wherein the trip current causes disconnection, from the electrical power, of the at least one receptacle power contact among the at least one receptacle power contact connected to the electrical power.

2. The power plug of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the first and second jumper contacts is further configured to break the trip connection with the respective mating receptacle trip contact when completing the plugging action; and
wherein, when the trip current is present through the plug trip jumper, the breaking the trip connection terminates the trip current.

3. The power plug of claim 1 , wherein the first and second jumper contacts are further configured to make the trip connection with the respective mating receptacle trip contacts, when the plugging action is an action connecting the power plug to the power receptacle, prior to any of the plurality of plug power contacts reaching a proximity to produce an electrical arc with any of the at least one receptacle power contacts connected to the electrical power.

4. The power plug of claim 1 , wherein the first and second jumper contacts are further configured to make the trip connection with the respective mating receptacle trip contact, when the plugging action is an action disconnecting the power plug and the power receptacle, prior to any of the plug power contacts, among the set of plug power contacts, in contact with a respective mating power contact in the receptacle breaking the contact with the respective mating power contact in the power receptacle.

5. The power plug of claim 1 , wherein each of the plurality of plug power contacts is configured to conduct electrical power comprising one of a direct current (DC) positive polarity, a DC negative polarity, a DC ground, an alternating current (AC) positive polarity, an AC negative polarity, an AC neutral, and a phase of a multi-phase AC.

6. The power plug of claim 1 , wherein each of the first and second jumper contacts are located on one of an outer surface of the power plug and within the body of the power plug.

7. The power plug of claim 1 , wherein the plug trip jumper is configured to be replaceable.

8. A system comprising:
an electrical device;
a line cord comprising a plurality of electrical wires and a power plug, wherein the line cord and the plurality of electrical wires connect the electrical device to the power plug, wherein the power plug comprises a plurality of plug power contacts, each of the plurality of plug power contacts coupled to a respective electrical wire included in the plurality of electrical wires of the line cord, and wherein the power plug further comprises a plug trip jumper having a first and a second jumper contact electrically coupled to each other to permit a current to flow through the plug trip jumper, and wherein each of the first and second jumper contacts comprises a respective electrically conductive tip and a respective electrically non-conductive region; and
wherein each of the first and second jumper contacts are configured to make a trip connection, during a plugging action with the power plug and a power receptacle, with respective mating receptacle trip contacts included in the power receptacle;
wherein, the respective electrically conductive tip of each of the first and second jumper contacts is configured to make the trip connection with the respective mating receptacle trip contact;
wherein at least one of the first and second jumper contacts is further configured such that, when the power plug is fully connected to the power receptacle, the respective electrically conductive tip does not make the trip connection with the respective mating receptacle trip contact and the respective electrically non-conductive region is placed in contact with the respective mating receptacle trip contact, thereby preventing the trip current through the plug trip jumper;
wherein the trip connection permits a trip current through the plug trip jumper when the first and second jumper contacts make the trip connection with the mating receptacle trip contacts and at least one receptacle power contact, included in the power receptacle, is connected to electrical power provided by a power source; and
wherein the trip current causes disconnection, from the electrical power, of the at least one receptacle power contact among the at least one receptacle power contact connected to the electrical power.

9. The electrical system of claim 8 , wherein at least one of the first and second jumper contacts is further configured to break the trip connection with the respective mating receptacle trip contact when completing the plugging action; and
wherein, when the trip current is present through the plug trip jumper, the breaking the trip connection terminates the trip current.

10. The electrical system of claim 8 , wherein the first and second jumper contacts are further configured to make the trip connection with the respective mating receptacle trip contacts, when the plugging action is an action connecting the power plug to the power receptacle, prior to any of the plurality of plug power contacts reaching a proximity to produce an electrical arc with any of the at least one receptacle power contacts connected to the electrical power.

11. The electrical system of claim 8 , wherein when the plugging action is an action disconnecting the power plug and the power receptacle, the first and second jumper contacts are further configured to make the trip connection with the respective mating receptacle trip contacts prior to any of the plug power contacts, among the set of plug power contacts, in contact with a respective mating power contact in the receptacle breaking the contact with the respective mating power contact in the power receptacle.

12. The electrical system of claim 8 , wherein each of the plurality of plug power contacts is configured to conduct electrical power comprising one of a direct current (DC) positive polarity, a DC negative polarity, a DC ground, an alternating current (AC) positive polarity, an AC nega

Assignees

• IBM

Inventors

• Brodsky William L
• Green Byron S
• Mullady Robert K
• Newcomer Jeffrey A
• Tsfasman Arkadiy O
• Werner John S

Classifications

• H01R13/44

  Means for preventing access to live contacts {(making use of a switch actuated by engagement of counterpart H01R13/7036)} · CPC title

• H01R13/703 Primary

  operated by engagement or disengagement of coupling parts, {e.g. dual-continuity coupling part}(H01R13/71 takes precedence) · CPC title

• H01R13/7031 Primary

  Shorting, shunting or bussing of different terminals interrupted or effected on engagement of coupling part, e.g. for ESD protection, line continuity · CPC title

• H01R2103/00

  Two poles · CPC title

• H01R24/30

  with additional earth or shield contacts · CPC title