Electrical arc protection using a trip contact

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9893455-B1
Application number	US-201615340006-A
Country	US
Kind code	B1
Filing date	Nov 1, 2016
Priority date	Nov 1, 2016
Publication date	Feb 13, 2018
Grant date	Feb 13, 2018

Abstract

A plug comprises power contacts and a plug trip contact. During a plugging action between the plug and a receptacle, the plug trip contact makes a trip connection with mating contacts in the receptacle. Electrical power to the receptacle allows a current through the trip connection, which causes disconnection of the power to the receptacle. A receptacle comprises receptacle power contacts and receptacle trip contacts. During a plugging action between the receptacle and a plug, trip contacts in the receptacle makes a trip connection with a mating contact in the plug. Electrical power to the receptacle allows a current through the trip connection, which can cause disconnection of the power to the receptacle. The receptacle can be included in an enclosure having a trip breaker with a trip mechanism. An electrical system can have an electrical device with a line cord connected to a plug having the trip contact.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A power plug comprising:
a plurality of plug power contacts; and
a plug trip contact, wherein the plug trip contact comprises an electrically conductive region and an electrically non-conductive region, and wherein the plug trip contact electrically conductive region is configured to make a trip connection, during a plugging action with the power plug and a power receptacle, between the plug trip contact and two or more mating receptacle trip contacts included in the power receptacle;
wherein the trip connection permits a trip current through the plug trip contact when at least one receptacle power contact, included in the power receptacle, is connected to electrical power provided by a power source;
wherein the trip current causes disconnection, from the electrical power, of a receptacle power contact among the at least one receptacle power contact connected to the electrical power; and
wherein the plug trip contact is further configured such that, when the power plug is fully connected to the power receptacle, the plug trip contact electrically conductive region does not make the trip connection with the two or more mating receptacle trip contacts and the plug trip contact electrically non-conductive region is placed in contact with at least one of the two or more mating receptacle trip contacts, thereby preventing the trip current through the plug trip contact.

2. The power plug of claim 1 , wherein the plug trip contact is further configured to break the trip connection when completing the plugging action; and
wherein, when the trip current is present through the plug trip contact, the breaking the trip connection terminates the trip current.

3. The power plug of claim 1 , wherein the plug trip contact is further configured to make the trip connection with the two or more 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 plug trip contact is further configured to make the trip connection with the two or more mating receptacle trip contacts, 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 power 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 the plug trip contact is located on one of an outer surface of the power plug and a location on a body of the power plug.

7. A power receptacle comprising:
a plurality of receptacle power contacts; and
a trip circuit, wherein the trip circuit comprises a first and a second receptacle trip contact, wherein the first and second receptacle trip contacts are configured to make a trip connection, during a plugging action with the receptacle and a power plug, with an electrically conductive region of a mating trip contact included in the plug, and wherein the trip circuit is configured to:
permit a trip current between the first and second receptacle trip contacts, when during the plugging action, at least one receptacle power contact, included in the plurality of receptacle power contacts, is connected to electrical power provided by a power source and the first and second receptacle trip contacts make the trip connection with the electrically conductive region of the mating trip contact included in the plug, wherein the trip current causes disconnection of a receptacle power contact, among the at least one receptacle power contact connected to the electrical power, from the electrical power; and
wherein the trip circuit is opened, when the plug is fully connected to the power receptacle and an electrically non-conductive region of the mating trip contact included in the plug is placed in contact with the first and second receptacle trip contacts, and when the electrically conductive region of the mating trip contact included in the plug does not make the trip connection with the first and second receptacle trip contacts, preventing the trip current between the first and second receptacle trip contacts.

8. The receptacle of claim 7 , wherein the first and second receptacle contacts are further configured to make the trip connection, when the plugging action is an action connecting the power receptacle and the power plug, prior to any of at least one power contact, included in the power plug, reaching a proximity to produce an electrical arc with a mating receptacle power contact among the at least one receptacle power contact connected to the electrical power.

9. The power receptacle of claim 7 , wherein the first and second receptacle trip contacts are further configured to make the trip connection with the plug mating trip contact, when the plugging action is an action disconnecting the power plug and the power receptacle, prior to any receptacle power contact, among the plurality of receptacle power contacts, in contact with a respective mating power contact in the power plug, breaking contact with the respective mating power contact in the power plug.

10. The power receptacle of claim 7 , wherein the power receptacle is included in an enclosure comprising a trip breaker, wherein the trip breaker includes a trip breaker contact connecting the at least one receptacle power contact and the electrical power, and wherein the tripping current causes the trip breaker to open the trip breaker contact to disconnect the at least one receptacle power contact from the electrical power.

11. The power receptacle of claim 10 , wherein the trip breaker comprises a trip mechanism, configured to open the trip breaker contact in response to the trip current.

12. The power receptacle of claim 10 , wherein the enclosure further comprises an interlock mechanism having an open and a closed position, wherein the interlock mechanism open position opens a connection between the at least one receptacle power contact and the electrical power, and wherein the interlock mechanism closed position closes the connection between the at least one receptacle power contact and the electrical power.

13. The power receptacle of claim 12 , wherein the interlock mechanism open position opening the connection between the at least one receptacle power contact and the electrical power comprises opening a facility breaker connecting the at least one receptacle power contact and the electrical power, and wherein the interlock mechanism closed position closing the connection between the at least one receptacle power contact and the electrical power comprises opening the facility breaker connecting the at least one receptacle power contact and the electrical power.

14. A system comprising:
an electrical device;
a line cord comprising a plurality of line wires and a power plug, wherein the line cord and the plurality of line 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 line wire in

Assignees

• IBM

Inventors

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

Classifications

• H01R13/71

  Contact members of coupling parts operating as switch {, e.g. linear or rotational movement required after mechanical engagement of coupling part to establish electrical connection} · CPC title

• H01R13/44 Primary

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

• H01R13/703

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

• H01R24/22

  with additional earth or shield contacts · CPC title

• H01R13/713 Primary

  the switch being a safety switch · CPC title