阅读说明：本技术 具有脱扣螺线管和磁通传输复位的双稳态脱扣单元 (Bistable trip unit with trip solenoid and flux transfer reset ) 是由 C.R.米特尔斯塔特 于 2019-12-26 设计创作，主要内容包括：用于断路器的脱扣单元包括磁通传输系统,其采用永磁体和具有铁磁芯的螺线管。当检测到脱扣条件时,系统使用螺线管产生吸引力以抵消复位弹簧的力和闩锁摩擦力。产生的吸引力与来自磁铁的吸引力一起吸引轭,进而将轭与电枢一起移动到脱扣位置。当不再产生所产生的吸引力时,系统还利用磁体的吸引力将轭和衔铁保持在脱扣位置。当满足可复位条件时,系统还使用螺线管产生排斥力以抵消磁体的吸引力,从而允许轭和衔铁从脱扣位置移动到复位位置。(Trip units for circuit breakers include a flux transfer system that employs permanent magnets and solenoids having ferromagnetic cores. When a trip condition is detected, the system uses a solenoid to generate an attractive force to counteract the force of the return spring and the latch friction. The generated attractive force attracts the yoke together with the attractive force from the magnet, thereby moving the yoke together with the armature to the tripped position. The system also utilizes the attractive force of the magnet to hold the yoke and armature in the tripped position when the generated attractive force is no longer generated. The system also uses a solenoid to generate a repulsive force to counteract the attractive force of the magnet when the resettable condition is met, thereby allowing the yoke and armature to move from the tripped position to the reset position.)

1. A trip unit for a circuit protection device, the trip unit comprising:

a movable armature having a front side, a rear side, and an opening extending from the front side to the rear side, the opening configured to receive a portion of a trip bar of a circuit protection device from the front side when in an on position;

a movable yoke disposed proximate a rear side of the armature, the yoke and the armature configured to move together to different positions including a reset position where the portion of the trip bar is resettable into the opening of the armature and a tripped position where the trip bar is released from the opening of the armature and cannot be reset into the opening of the armature;

a return spring for applying a force biasing the armature towards a return position; and

a magnetic flux transfer system comprising a permanent magnet and one or more solenoids, each solenoid having a ferromagnetic core, the magnetic flux transfer system configured to:

when a trip condition is detected, a solenoid from one or more solenoids is used to generate an attractive force to counteract the force of the return spring and the latching friction, the generated attractive force attracts the yoke, along with an attractive force from the permanent magnet, to move the yoke, along with the armature, to a tripped position,

when the generated attraction force is no longer generated, the yoke and the armature are held in the tripped position by the attraction force of the permanent magnet, and

when the resettable condition is met, a solenoid from the one or more solenoids is used to generate a repulsive force that, together with the force of the return spring, counteracts the attractive force of the permanent magnet, thereby releasing the yoke and armature from the tripped position and allowing the yoke and armature to move to the reset position.

2. The trip unit of claim 1, wherein the solenoid from the one or more solenoids is configured to generate the attractive force and the repulsive force by changing a polarity of a current supplied thereto under different conditions including a trip condition and a resettable condition.

3. The trip unit of claim 2, wherein the ferromagnetic core of the solenoid includes a first end facing in the direction of the yoke and a second end in contact with or proximate to the permanent magnet.

4. The trip unit of claim 3, wherein in the tripped position the yoke contacts the first end of the ferromagnetic core.

5. The trip unit of claim 1, further comprising a trip actuator including a first solenoid from the one or more solenoids and a reset actuator including a second solenoid from the one or more solenoids and a permanent magnet in contact with a ferromagnetic core of the second solenoid.

6. The trip unit of claim 5, wherein the first solenoid is energized to generate an attractive force and the second solenoid is energized to generate a repulsive force.

7. The trip unit of claim 1, wherein the circuit protection device comprises a miniature circuit breaker.

8. A circuit protection device comprising:

the trip unit of one of claim 1;

a trip bar;

a fixed electrical contact;

a blade carrying a movable electrical contact configured to move between a first position in which the movable electrical contact is in contact with the stationary electrical contact in an on position to allow current to flow and a second position in which the movable electrical contact is separated from the stationary electrical contact in one of a trip position, an on position, or a reset position;

a memory;

one or more processors configured to:

controlling the trip unit to operate to the tripped position when a trip condition is detected, thereby moving the blade to the second position, an

When a resettable condition is satisfied, operate to move from a tripped position to a reset position,

wherein in the tripped position the trip bar is released from the opening of the armature, which in turn causes the movable electrical contact to separate from the fixed electrical contact,

wherein in the reset position the trip bar is operable to an open position that locks a portion of the trip bar into the opening.

9. A method of performing a trip operation on a circuit protection device having a trip unit including a permanent magnet, one or more solenoids each having a ferromagnetic core, a trip bar, a return spring, and a yoke and an armature, the yoke and the armature configured to move to different positions including a reset position and a trip position, the reset position being a position in which a portion of the trip bar is resettable into an opening of the armature, the trip position being a position in which the trip bar is released from the opening of the armature and cannot be reset into the opening of the armature, the method comprising:

when a trip condition is detected, using a solenoid from the one or more solenoids to generate an attractive force to counteract the force of the return spring and the latching friction, the generated attractive force attracting the yoke together with the attractive force from the permanent magnet, thereby moving the yoke together with the armature to a tripped position;

when the generated attraction force is no longer generated, the yoke and the armature are held in the tripped position by the attraction force of the permanent magnet, and

when the resettable condition is met, a solenoid from the one or more solenoids is used to generate a repulsive force that, together with the force of the return spring, counteracts the attractive force of the permanent magnet, thereby releasing the yoke and armature from the tripped position and allowing the yoke and armature to move to the reset position.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein a solenoid from the one or more solenoids is configured to generate the attractive force and the repulsive force by changing a polarity of a current supplied thereto under different conditions including a trip condition and a resettable condition.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein a ferromagnetic core of the solenoid includes a first end facing in a direction of the yoke and a second end in contact with or proximate to the permanent magnet.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein in the tripped position, the yoke is in contact with the first end of the ferromagnetic core.

13. The method of claim 9, wherein the trip unit includes a trip actuator including a first solenoid from the one or more solenoids and a reset actuator including a second solenoid from the one or more solenoids and a permanent magnet in contact with a ferromagnetic core of the second solenoid.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the first solenoid is energized to generate an attractive force and the second solenoid is energized to generate a repulsive force.

15. The method of claim 9, wherein the circuit protection device comprises a miniature circuit breaker.

Technical Field

The present disclosure relates generally to trip units for circuit protection devices and, more particularly, to an improved trip unit having a solenoid and a permanent magnet.

Background

A circuit breaker is a protective device used for circuit protection and isolation on an electrical power system. Circuit breakers provide electrical system protection when specified electrical anomalies or fault conditions (e.g., overcurrent, short circuit, or overload events or other anomalous events) occur in the system. One type of circuit breaker is a Miniature Circuit Breaker (MCB), which can be used for low voltage applications. The MCB may include a base and a cover, and an electrical circuit between the line and load terminals. The electrical circuit may include an electrically conductive fixed contact electrically connected to one of the terminals and a movable contact electrically connected to the other terminal. The movable contact is fixed to a movable blade (also referred to as a contact carrier). As explained further below, the handle interfaces with the blade and trip bar of the trip unit/mechanism. A user may operate the handle to move the blade between the open and closed positions to move the movable contact to open or close the electrical circuit. In the closed position, the movable contact engages the fixed contact to allow current to flow between the two contacts to a protected load. In the open position, the movable contact is disengaged from the fixed contact to prevent or interrupt current flow to the protected load.

The MCB also includes a trip unit. The trip unit controls a trip lever that is connected to the blade by a tension spring (also referred to as a "toggle spring"). When an abnormal operation or a fault condition (e.g., an overcurrent or an overheat fault) is detected, the trip unit performs a trip operation to disengage the movable contact from the fixed contact by unlocking the trip lever, thereby interrupting the flow of current to the protected load in the tripped position. Thereafter, the circuit breaker can be placed in a RESET (RESET) position to re-lock the trip bar, thereby returning the circuit breaker to the open position. Once in the open position, the user can move the circuit breaker back to the closed position by the handle to close the circuit breaker.

Disclosure of Invention

According to various embodiments, systems and methods are provided for controlling trip and release operations in a circuit protection device (e.g., a circuit breaker) using a permanent magnet and one or more solenoids having ferromagnetic cores. The circuit breaker may be a miniature circuit breaker.

According to an embodiment, a trip unit for a circuit protection device and a method of operating the same are provided. The trip unit may include a movable armature and yoke, a return spring, and a flux transfer system. The movable armature has a front side, a rear side, and an opening extending from the front side to the rear side. The opening is configured to receive a portion of a trip bar of the circuit protection device from the front side when in an on, off, or reset position. The movable yoke is disposed adjacent to a rear side of the armature. The yoke and armature are configured to move together to different positions, including a reset position and a trip position. The reset position is a position in which the portion of the trip bar can be reset into the opening of the armature (e.g., the trip bar can be locked to the armature through the opening). The tripped position is a position where the trip bar is released from the opening of the armature and cannot be reset to the opening of the armature. The return spring is configured to apply a force that biases the armature toward the return position.

The flux transfer system includes a permanent magnet and one or more solenoids, each having a ferromagnetic core. The flux transfer system is configured to: (1) when a trip condition is detected, a solenoid from the one or more solenoids is used to generate an attractive force (attraction force) to counteract the force of the return spring and the latching friction force, the generated attractive force attracts the yoke together with the attractive force from the permanent magnet, thereby moving the yoke together with the armature to the tripped position; (2) when the generated attraction force is no longer generated, the yoke and the armature are kept at the tripping position by utilizing the attraction force of the permanent magnet; and (3) when the resettable condition is satisfied, generating a repulsive force (repulsive force) using the solenoid from the one or more solenoids, the generated repulsive force counteracting the attractive force of the permanent magnet together with the force of the return spring, thereby releasing the yoke and the armature from the tripped position and allowing the yoke and the armature to move to the reset position.

The solenoids from the one or more solenoids are configured to generate an attractive force and a repulsive force by changing the polarity of the current supplied thereto under different conditions including a trip condition and a resettable condition. The ferromagnetic core of the solenoid includes a first end facing in the direction of the yoke and a second end in contact with or close to the permanent magnet. In the tripped position, the yoke may be in contact with the first end of the ferromagnetic core.

The trip unit may include a trip actuator and a reset actuator. The trip actuator may include a first solenoid from the one or more solenoids. The reset actuator may include a second solenoid from the one or more solenoids and a permanent magnet in contact with or proximate to a ferromagnetic core of the second solenoid. The first solenoid may be energized to generate an attractive force. The second solenoid may be energized to generate a repulsive force. For example, the first solenoid may be energized by a first current having a positive or negative polarity to generate the attractive force. The second solenoid may be energized with a second current having only one current direction that neutralizes the permanent magnet. The direction of the current flow to the second solenoid may depend on its design, such as the coil winding direction and the permanent magnet pole orientation.

According to an embodiment, a circuit protection device may include a trip unit as well as fixed electrical contacts, a blade carrying movable electrical contacts, a memory, and one or more processors. A blade having a movable electrical contact is configured to move between a first position and a second position. The first position is a position in which the movable electrical contact is in contact with the stationary electrical contact to allow current to flow in the on position. The second position is a position in which the movable electrical contact is separated from the fixed electrical contact in one of a tripped position, an open position, or a reset position. The one or more processors are configured to control the trip unit to operate to the trip position to move the blade to the second position when a trip condition is detected, and to operate to move from the trip position to the reset position when a reset condition can be met. In the tripped position, the trip bar is released from the opening of the armature, which in turn separates the movable electrical contact from the fixed electrical contact. In the reset position, the trip bar is operable to an open position, which locks a portion of the trip bar into the armature opening. In this manner, the circuit protection device may subsequently be operated to the on position.

Additional objects and advantages will be set forth in part in the description which follows, and in part will be obvious from the description, or may be learned by practice of the disclosure and/or claims. At least some of these objects and advantages may be realized and attained by means of the elements and combinations particularly pointed out in the appended claims. It is to be understood that both the foregoing general description and the following detailed description are exemplary and explanatory only and are not restrictive of the invention as disclosed or claimed. The claims are to be accorded their full scope, including equivalents.

Drawings

The figures are not intended to be drawn to scale. In the drawings, each identical or nearly identical component that is illustrated in various figures is represented by a line drawing numeral. For purposes of clarity, not every component may be labeled in every drawing. In these drawings:

fig. 1 illustrates a block diagram of a circuit having a circuit breaker employing a bi-stable trip unit having a flux transfer system with one or more actuators for performing and controlling trip and release operations using a combination of solenoids and permanent magnets, in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure.

Fig. 2 illustrates components such as the circuit breaker of fig. 1 with a portion of the housing (or case) removed to illustrate a trip unit having a trip actuator and a reset actuator in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure.

Fig. 3 shows an enlarged view of the trip actuator and the reset actuator of the trip unit of the circuit breaker of fig. 2.

Fig. 4 illustrates a cross-sectional view of the trip and reset actuators of the trip unit of fig. 3, in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure.

Fig. 5A to 5H illustrate an operation example of the circuit breaker of fig. 2 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

Figure 6 illustrates a view of components of a circuit breaker, such as the circuit breaker of figure 1, with a portion of the housing (or enclosure) removed, according to another embodiment of the present disclosure.

Fig. 7 illustrates a cross-sectional view of the trip and reset actuators of the trip unit of the circuit breaker of fig. 6, in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure.

Fig. 8A illustrates an enlarged view of the trip and reset actuators of the trip unit of the circuit breaker of fig. 6 having different permanent magnet configurations in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure.

Fig. 8B illustrates a cross-sectional view of the trip and reset actuators of the trip unit of fig. 8A, in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure.

Fig. 9 shows a flowchart of example operations of a circuit breaker according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

Fig. 10 shows an example plot of force on the yoke of a standard solenoid, a solenoid with a permanent magnet and a return spring, versus current through the coil.

Fig. 11 illustrates an example of the resultant force of a trip unit having a solenoid and permanent magnet configuration when performing trip and release operations, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

Detailed Description

The description and drawings illustrate exemplary embodiments and are not to be considered limiting, the scope of the disclosure being defined by the claims, including equivalents. Various mechanical, compositional, structural, electrical, and operational changes may be made without departing from the scope of the description and claims, including equivalents. In some instances, well-known structures and techniques have not been shown or described in detail to avoid obscuring the disclosure. The same reference numbers in two or more drawings identify the same or similar elements. Furthermore, elements and their associated aspects, which are described in detail with reference to one embodiment, may be included in other embodiments not specifically shown or described, whenever possible. For example, if an element is described in detail with reference to one embodiment and not described with reference to a second embodiment, the element may still be claimed as being included in the second embodiment.

Note that as used in this specification and the appended claims, the singular forms "a," "an," and any use of any word include plural references unless expressly and unequivocally limited to one reference. As used herein, the term "include" and grammatical variations thereof are intended to be non-limiting such that recitation of items in a list is not to the exclusion of other like items that may be substituted or added to the listed items.

Systems and methods for operating a circuit protection device (e.g., a circuit breaker or interrupter) are provided to control the trip, hold, and release operations and conditions under which the circuit protection device and its components can trip to, remain in, and release from a tripped position to a reset position using one or more solenoids with ferromagnetic cores and permanent magnets through a simple, economical design. The ferromagnetic parts of the circuit protection device may be made of steel or other materials with high susceptibility to magnetization. Examples of these and other features of the systems and methods are shown and described with reference to the examples in fig. 1-11.

Fig. 1 shows a block diagram of an example circuit protection device, such as a circuit breaker 100 having a flux-based trip unit (or system), to monitor and protect a circuit 20 (e.g., a branch circuit) on an ac power line 10. The circuit breaker 100 includes a controller 110, signal conditioning and processing circuitry 120 for receiving and processing signals from a current sensor 180, a memory 130, a communication device/interface 140 for communicating with a remote device over a communication medium, a user interface 150, a power supply 160 for powering components of the circuit breaker 100, and a trip unit/mechanism 170 for interrupting power on the power line 10 upstream of the protected circuit 20. The user interface 150 may include an ON/OFF switch 152 (e.g., a handle), a push-to-test (PTT) button 154 for testing the circuit breaker 100, and one or more LEDs 156 or other indicators for indicating status or position of the circuit breaker or components thereof or other circuit breaker information (e.g., ON/OFF, open/OFF, reset, trip, abnormal, etc.).

In the circuit breaker 100, the sensor 180, the circuit 120, the controller 110, and the memory 130 may operate together to provide a detection system configured to detect a trip condition, such as a fault (e.g., an arc fault) or other condition, for tripping the circuit breaker. For example, the controller 110 may monitor the current, voltage, power, or other electrical characteristic on the power lines of the power system via the sensor(s) 180 and detect the presence or absence of a trip condition, such as an arc fault condition, a ground fault condition, an overload condition, or other condition, under which the current (or power) on the circuit 20 will be interrupted. The controller 110 is also configured to initiate a trip operation that interrupts power on the power line 10 via the trip unit 170 when the presence of a trip condition is detected. For example, the trip unit 170 may separate electrical contacts (e.g., fixed and movable electrical contacts) of the circuit breaker 100 to interrupt current flow in response to a trip condition. The trip operation can move or allow the components of the circuit breaker 100 to move to a tripped position, while the release operation can move or allow the components of the circuit breaker to move to a resettable position, and so on. The controller 110 is further configured to initiate a release operation that allows components of the circuit breaker 100 to return or move to a resettable position when a resettable condition is satisfied. From the reset position, the circuit breaker 100 can, for example, be operated to an open position (e.g., the trip bar is locked to the armature) and then an on position (e.g., closing the electrical contacts). Resettable conditions may include satisfaction/passing of diagnostic tests, such as self-tests or other diagnostic tests of the circuit breaker or power system, to ensure that the circuit breaker or components thereof are operating within normal ranges or that the current supply can be safely restored on the circuit 20. The controller 110 may perform such diagnostic tests locally or in conjunction with a remote computer management system that detects the power system and its components.

The controller 110 is also configured to control other operations of the circuit breaker 100 including, but not limited to, communication (e.g., receiving or sending commands or status information/reports) via the communication interface 140; configured to perform an operation based on an action input by a user through the user interface 150; configured to output the status of the circuit breaker 100, such as via the LED 156 or other output device; and configured to perform other operations of the circuit breaker 100 shown and described herein.

The memory 130 may store computer executable code or programs or software that, when executed by the controller 110, control the operation of the circuit breaker 100, including the detection of trip conditions and resettable conditions, the control of trip operations and release operations, and other operations of the circuit breaker 100. The memory 130 may also store other data used by the circuit breaker 100 or components thereof to perform the operations described herein. Other data may include, but is not limited to, threshold conditions, circuit breaker operating parameters, other circuit breaker data, and any other data discussed herein.

Trip unit 170 includes a magnetic flux transmission system having at least one or more actuators that may employ solenoids surrounding ferromagnetic cores and permanent magnets for effecting trip, hold, and release operations, as described herein. An example of the trip unit 170 will be described in more detail below.

Fig. 2 illustrates a side view of an example circuit breaker, such as the circuit breaker 100 of fig. 1, in accordance with one embodiment. In this example, the circuit breaker is a Miniature Circuit Breaker (MCB)200, with one side of the cover of the miniature circuit breaker 200 removed to show some of its components. As shown in fig. 2, the circuit breaker 200 includes a base and a cover (collectively referred to as cover 208) having compartments and recesses for holding components of the circuit breaker. The components of the circuit breaker 200 may include a movable handle 210 connected to a conductive blade 220 carrying movable electrical contacts 222, a first terminal 202 connected to fixed electrical contacts 232, a second terminal 204 electrically connected to the blade 220 by conductor(s) (not shown), and a controller 290. The first terminal 202 may be a line terminal connected to a power line and the second terminal 204 may be a load terminal connected to a protected load on the branch circuit.

The handle 210 of the circuit breaker 200 is connected to the blade 220 to enable an operator to turn the circuit breaker 200 on (in a closed position) to energize a protected circuit, or to turn the circuit breaker 200 off (in an open position) to open the protected circuit, or to reset the circuit breaker 200 from a tripped position after the circuit breaker trips to protect the circuit. In this example, the handle 210 is pivotally connected to the blade 220 by mechanical fastener(s), but may also be movably connected by other types of connections (e.g., wedge-shaped connections, such as tabs and slots, tabs and notches, etc.). The handle 210 may be operated to move the blade 220 between an open position for disengaging the electrical contacts 222 and 232 from one another and a closed position for engaging the electrical contacts 222 and 232.

The circuit breaker 200 also includes a trip unit or assembly 250 (referred to herein as a "trip unit") that moves the blade 220 from the closed position to the tripped position when tripped when an abnormally hot or magnetic strip occurs, which is referred to hereinafter as an "over current condition," such as due to a short circuit or an overload (e.g., overheating). When the circuit breaker 200 is in the tripped position, the electrical contacts 222 and 232 are disengaged from each other in the open position. The trip unit 250 of the circuit breaker 200 includes a trip bar 230, toggle springs 232, an armature 262, a yoke 264, a return spring 266, and one or more magnetic flux actuators for effecting trip, hold, and release operations using electromagnetic force(s) from the solenoid(s) around the ferromagnetic core(s) and magnetic force(s) from the permanent magnet(s). In this example, the trip unit 250 includes two actuators, such as a trip actuator 270 and a reset actuator 272.

As further shown in fig. 2, a toggle spring 232 is connected between the blade 220 and the trip bar 230. The trip bar 230 has a first end 230A and an opposite second end 230B and is pivotable about the first end 230A located in the recess of the cover 208. The armature 262 includes an opening 268 extending from the front side to the rear side. The armature 262 is able to pivot about one end that is located in a recess in the cover portion 208. The yoke 264 is disposed adjacent a rear side of the armature 262 and may include tabs disposed adjacent the opening 238 of the armature 262. The return spring 266 provides a biasing force that biases the armature 262 and the yoke 264 toward the trip bar 230 (e.g., pivoting about the ends in a counter-clockwise direction or pivoting to the left in the circuit breaker 200 of fig. 2). When the circuit breaker 200 is in the closed position shown in fig. 2, the second end 230B of the trip bar 230 is locked in the opening 268 of the armature 262, and the yoke 264 is separated from the back side of the armature 262.

The trip actuator 270 may include a solenoid having a ferromagnetic core (e.g., an electromagnet), and the reset actuator 272 may include a solenoid having a ferromagnetic core and a permanent magnet. For example, as shown in more detail in fig. 3 and 4, the trip actuator 270 includes an electrically conductive coil 300 surrounding a ferromagnetic core 302, a ferromagnetic plate 304, and a housing 308 to house and/or support the components of the trip actuator 270. In this example, ferromagnetic core 302 may have a cylindrical shape, ferromagnetic plate 304 may have a disk shape, and shell 308 may be formed of an electrically insulating material (e.g., a dielectric material). One end of the ferromagnetic core 302 faces the yoke 264 and the other end of the ferromagnetic core 302 contacts the ferromagnetic plate 304. The reset actuator 272 includes a conductive coil 310 surrounding a ferromagnetic core 312, a permanent magnet 316 in contact with the ferromagnetic core 302, and a housing 318 that houses and/or supports the components of the reset actuator 272. In this example, the ferromagnetic core 312 may have a cylindrical shape, and the shell 318 may be formed of an electrically insulating material (e.g., a dielectric material). One end of the ferromagnetic core 312 faces the yoke 264, and the other end of the ferromagnetic core 312 is in contact with the permanent magnet 316.

The trip actuator 270 is configured to generate an electromagnetic field by applying a current of a direction or polarity (e.g., positive or negative polarity) in the coil(s) 300 of the solenoid having ferromagnetic material (e.g., the core 302 and the plate 304), which in turn generates an attractive force (or attraction force) to attract components of the circuit breaker 200, such as the armature 262 and the yoke 264. The attractive force generated by the trip actuator 270, in combination with the attractive force of the magnetic field generated by the permanent magnet 316 (through the core 312), may be used to counteract the mechanical force of the return spring 266 and the latching friction force, thereby causing the armature 262 and yoke 264 to move together toward the actuators 270, 272 to the tripped position. In the tripped position, trip bar 230 unlocks from opening 268 of armature 262, which causes electrical contacts 222 and 232 to separate. In the tripped position, the yoke 264 may also be held against the ferromagnetic core 312 by the attractive force from the permanent magnet 316 (across the core 312) of the reset actuator 272.

The reset actuator 272 is configured to generate an electromagnetic field by applying a current of a direction or polarity in the coil(s) 310 of a solenoid having a ferromagnetic material (e.g., core 312), which in turn generates a repulsive force (or force) to repel components of the circuit breaker 200, such as the armature 262 and the yoke 264. For example, the reset actuator 272 may be energized using a current having only one current direction that neutralizes the permanent magnet 316. The direction of current flow to the reset actuator 272 may depend on its design, such as the coil winding direction and the permanent magnet pole orientation.

The repulsion force generated by the reset actuator 272, in combination with the biasing force of the reset spring 266, can be used to overcome the attraction force of the permanent magnet 318, thereby moving or returning the armature 262 and yoke 264 to a position that allows the circuit breaker 200 to reset, and the like.

An operation example of the circuit breaker 200 will be described with reference to fig. 5A to 5B. In this example, the trip actuator 270 and the reset actuator 272 operate under the control of a controller 290 (e.g., in fig. 2).

As shown in fig. 5A, the circuit breaker 200 is initially in the closed (or on) position with one end of the trip bar 230 locked in the opening 268 of the armature 262. When a trip condition is detected, the controller 290 may control the trip unit 250 through the trip actuator 270 to perform a trip operation in the circuit protection device, which interrupts the current of the protected circuit in response to the detection of the trip condition. For example, when a trip condition is detected, the controller 290 may cause current to be applied to a solenoid (having a ferromagnetic core) of the trip actuator 270 to create an attractive force, as indicated by the arrow. The attractive force from the trip actuator 270, in combination with the attractive force from the permanent magnet of the reset actuator 272, also shown by the arrow, counteracts the force of the reset spring 266 (e.g., a leaf spring) and the latching friction. As a result, as shown in the progression of fig. 5A-5B, the components of the circuit breaker 200, such as the armature 262 and the yoke 264, are moved to the tripped position, such that the trip bar 230 is unlatched from the opening 268 of the armature 262, as shown in fig. 5C, which in turn separates the electrical contacts 222 and 232 of the circuit breaker 200, as shown in fig. 5D.

As further shown in fig. 5D, in the tripped position, the yoke 264 is held against the reset actuator 272. The attractive force of the permanent magnet of the reset actuator 272 (via the core 312) can hold the components of the circuit breaker 200 in the tripped position even if the attractive force from the trip actuator 270 is no longer generated (e.g., no current is flowing through the solenoid of the trip actuator 270). As shown in fig. 5E, while maintaining the components, the circuit breaker 200 can perform a self-test, diagnostic test(s), or other evaluation related to the operation or components (e.g., normal or abnormal operating states) of the circuit breaker or the power system to determine whether to allow the circuit breaker 200 to return to a reset (or resettable) position. As shown in fig. 5F, in the tripped position, the components of the trip unit 250 are prevented from moving or returning to the reset (or resettable) position. For example, when the circuit breaker 200 and its components remain in the tripped position, the trip bar 230 cannot be locked or re-locked into the opening 268 of the armature (even if moving toward the armature 262).

The controller 290 may be configured to release components of the trip unit 250 from the trip position via the reset actuator 272 when a resettable condition is satisfied, such as a self-test, diagnostic test(s), or other assessment related to operation or components (e.g., normal or abnormal operating states) of the circuit breaker or power system is satisfied. For example, when the resettable condition is met, the controller 290 can cause current to be applied to the solenoid to generate a repulsive force that can counteract the attractive force of the permanent magnet 316 of the reset actuator 272, thereby releasing the components of the circuit breaker 200 from the tripped position and allowing the biasing force of the reset spring 266 to move or return them to the reset position as shown in fig. 5G. Thereafter, the trip bar 230 may be relocked to the armature 262 to place the circuit breaker 200 in an open or open position, from which the circuit breaker 200 may then be operated to an on or closed position in which the electrical contacts 222 and 232 are in contact with each other, as shown in fig. 5H.

In the above example, two separate actuators are employed in the trip unit 250, such as the trip actuator 270 and the reset actuator 272; however, any number and combination of actuators may be employed in the trip unit 250 to perform the trip and release operations. For example, a single actuator having a permanent magnet and having a solenoid with a ferromagnetic core may be controlled to selectively perform trip and release operations under certain conditions, as described below with reference to the examples in fig. 6, 7, 8A, and 8B.

Figure 6 illustrates a view of components of a circuit breaker, such as the circuit breaker of figure 1, with a portion of the housing (or enclosure) removed, according to another embodiment of the present disclosure. In this example, the circuit breaker 600 may include similar components and operate in a similar manner as the circuit breaker 200 in fig. 2, except that the circuit breaker 200 employs a trip unit 650 having a single actuator to perform trip, hold, and release operations, as described herein.

For example, the circuit breaker 600 may include a base and a cover (collectively referred to as the cover 208) having compartments and recesses for holding components of the circuit breaker. The components of the circuit breaker 200 may include a movable handle 210 connected to a conductive blade 220 carrying movable electrical contacts 222, a first terminal 202 connected to fixed electrical contacts 232, a second terminal 204 electrically connected to the blade 220 by conductor(s) (not shown), and a controller 290. The first terminal 202 may be a line terminal connected to a power line and the second terminal 204 may be a load terminal connected to a protected load on the branch circuit.

The circuit breaker 200 can also include a trip unit 650, the trip unit 650 moving the blade 220 from the closed position to the tripped position when tripped when an overcurrent condition occurs. When the circuit breaker 600 is in the tripped position, the electrical contacts 222 and 232 are disengaged from each other. The trip unit 650 of the circuit breaker 600 may include the trip bar 230, toggle spring 232, armature 262, yoke 264, return spring 266, and a flux transfer system of a single actuator including a single actuator 670 (e.g., a trip and release actuator) for enabling trip, hold, and release operations using electromagnetic force(s) from a solenoid with a ferromagnetic core and magnetic force(s) from a permanent magnet(s).

As shown in fig. 7, the actuator 670 includes an electrically conductive coil(s) 700 surrounding a ferromagnetic core 702 (e.g., a cylindrical core), a permanent magnet 706 in contact with the ferromagnetic core 702, and a housing 708 for housing and/or supporting the components of the actuator 670. The housing 708 may be formed of an electrically insulating material (e.g., a dielectric material). In this example, one end of ferromagnetic core 702 faces yoke 264, while the other end of ferromagnetic core 702 is in contact with permanent magnet 706. In fig. 7, the permanent magnet 706 has a cylindrical shape, such as a disk shape. However, the permanent magnets of the actuator(s) herein may have different sizes and shapes. For example, the permanent magnet may have a longer cylindrical shape, as shown by permanent magnet 706A in the example of fig. 8A and 8B.

The actuator 670 may be controlled via the controller 290 to generate an attractive or repulsive force by changing the polarity or direction of the current flowing through the conductive coil(s) 700. Although a single actuator 670 is used, the operation is generally the same as described above for the two actuator example of trip unit 250 of fig. 2. In this single actuator example, the actuator 670 is configured to generate an electromagnetic field using a solenoid and a ferromagnetic material (e.g., the core 702), which may apply an attractive force to components of the circuit breaker 600 (e.g., the armature 262 and the yoke 264). For example, a current may be applied in a first direction or polarity through the coil 700 to create an attractive force. The attractive force generated by the coil 700, in combination with the attractive force from the magnetic field generated by the permanent magnet 706 (via the core 702), may be used to counteract the mechanical force of the return spring 266 and the latching friction force, thereby moving the armature 262 and yoke 264 together toward the actuator 670 to a tripped position. In the tripped position, trip bar 230 unlocks from opening 268 of armature 262, which causes electrical contacts 222 and 232 to separate. In the tripped position, the yoke 264 may be held against the ferromagnetic core 702 of the actuator 670 by the attractive force from the permanent magnet 706 (across the iron core 702).

The actuator 670 is also configured to generate an electromagnetic field using a solenoid and a ferromagnetic material (e.g., the core 702), which may apply a repulsive force to components of the circuit breaker 600 (e.g., the armature 262 and the yoke 264). For example, a current may be applied through the coil(s) 700 in a second direction or polarity (opposite the first direction or polarity) to generate a repulsive force. The repulsion force generated by the coil(s) 700, in combination with the biasing force of the return spring 266, may be used to overcome the attraction force of the permanent magnet 706, thereby moving or returning the armature 262 and yoke 264 to a position that allows the circuit breaker 600 and its components to reset.

Fig. 9 shows a flow diagram of a process 900 implemented by a circuit breaker for protecting a circuit, such as described herein. For purposes of explanation, the process 900 will be described with reference to the circuit breaker 100 of fig. 1, which may include a magnetic flux transmission system having one or more actuators including solenoid(s) and permanent magnet(s).

At reference numeral 902, the circuit interrupter 100 is operated to a closed or on position.

At reference numeral 904, a power line on the circuit is monitored, for example using one or more sensors (e.g., 180).

At reference numeral 906, it is determined whether a trip condition has been detected. This determination may be made at the circuit breaker 100 or remotely through a smartphone application or management server.

At reference numeral 908, if a trip condition is not detected, the circuit interrupter 100 may continue to monitor the condition on the circuit. Otherwise, if a trip condition is detected, the circuit breaker 100 trips to a tripped position. For example, a controller of the circuit breaker 100 may unlock the trip bar from the armature of the trip unit by controlling one or more actuators, such as those described herein.

At reference numeral 910, components of the trip unit, such as the armature and yoke, are held in a non-resettable position using magnetic force from the permanent magnet(s) of the actuator(s). For example, as previously shown in fig. 5D, 5E, and 5F, the yoke is held against a portion of the actuator by magnetic force from the permanent magnet. In this tripped position, the trip bar of the trip unit cannot be relocked to the armature.

At reference numeral 912, the circuit breaker 100 can perform a self-test, diagnostic test(s), or other evaluation related to the operation or components (e.g., normal or abnormal operating states) of the circuit breaker or the power system to determine whether the circuit breaker 100 should return to a reset (or resettable) position or state.

At reference numeral 914, the circuit interrupter 100 can determine whether a resettable condition has been met, e.g., based on a self-test, diagnostic test(s), or other assessment. If the resettable condition is not met, the circuit interrupter 100 may report an abnormal condition at reference numeral 916. The report may be provided locally at the circuit breaker or to a remote system (e.g., a management system). If the resettable condition has been met, the circuit breaker 100 may release the components of the trip unit back to the reset (or resettable) position at reference numeral 918. For example, a controller of the circuit breaker 100 can release the armature and yoke from the tripped position using an actuator(s) such as described herein.

At reference numeral 920, the circuit breaker 100 can be operated from the reset position to the open position, for example, by re-locking the trip bar to the armature. Thereafter, the process 900 can return to reference numeral 902, wherein the circuit breaker 100 can be operated to a closed or on position.

Fig. 10 shows an example graph 1000 illustrating force on the yoke versus current through the coil (in amps) for a standard solenoid configuration (1010) and a solenoid/permanent magnet configuration (1020). The biasing force (1030) of the return spring is also shown. Since the permanent magnet will always act on the yoke even without a trip pulse (e.g., zero (0) current), the solenoid/permanent magnet configuration has a trip force advantage over a standard solenoid configuration over the entire trip pulse range. Thus, at the trip point, the solenoid/permanent magnet configuration may require less current. In other words, the solenoid/permanent magnet configuration has a greater margin in tripping force for the same trip current of a standard solenoid configuration. This trip force margin is further illustrated in trip and release force diagrams 1100 and 1102, respectively, of fig. 11 when tripping and release operations are performed, respectively.

In the foregoing, reference is made to various embodiments. However, the scope of the present disclosure is not limited to the specifically described embodiments. Rather, any combination of the described features and elements, whether related to different embodiments or not, is contemplated to implement and practice the contemplated embodiments. Moreover, although embodiments may achieve advantages over other possible solutions or over the prior art, whether or not a particular advantage is achieved by a given embodiment does not limit the scope of the disclosure. Accordingly, the foregoing aspects, features, embodiments and advantages are merely illustrative and are not considered elements or limitations of the appended claims except where explicitly recited in a claim(s).

Various embodiments disclosed herein may be implemented as a system, method or computer program product. Accordingly, aspects may take the form of an entirely hardware embodiment, an entirely software embodiment (including firmware, resident software, micro-code, etc.) or an embodiment combining software and hardware aspects that may all generally be referred to herein as a "circuit," module "or" system. Furthermore, aspects may take the form of a computer program product embodied in one or more computer-readable media having computer-readable program code embodied thereon.

Any combination of one or more computer-readable media may be utilized. The computer readable medium may be a non-transitory computer readable medium. A non-transitory computer readable medium may be, for example, but not limited to, an electronic, magnetic, optical, electromagnetic, infrared, or semiconductor system, apparatus, or device, or any suitable combination of the foregoing. More specific examples (a non-exhaustive list) of the non-transitory computer-readable medium would include the following: an electrical connection having one or more wires, a portable computer diskette, a hard disk, a Random Access Memory (RAM), a read-only memory (ROM), an erasable programmable read-only memory (EPROM or Flash memory), an optical fiber, a portable compact disc read-only memory (CD-ROM), an optical storage device, a magnetic storage device, or any suitable combination of the foregoing. Program code embodied on a computer readable medium may be transmitted using any appropriate medium, including but not limited to wireless, wireline, optical fiber cable, RF, etc., or any suitable combination of the foregoing.

Computer program code for carrying out operations for aspects of the present disclosure may be written in any combination of one or more programming languages. Further, such computer program code may be executed using a single computer system or by multiple computer systems in communication with each other (e.g., using a Local Area Network (LAN), a Wide Area Network (WAN), the internet, etc.). While the various features above have been described with reference to flowchart illustrations and/or block diagrams, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that each block of the flowchart illustrations and/or block diagrams, and combinations of blocks in the flowchart illustrations and/or block diagrams, can be implemented by computer logic (e.g., computer program instructions, hardware logic, combinations of both, etc.). Generally, computer program instructions may be provided to a processor of a general purpose computer, special purpose computer, or other programmable data processing apparatus. Furthermore, execution of such computer program instructions with a processor results in a machine that performs the functions or acts specified in the flowchart and/or block diagram block or blocks.

A processor or controller as described herein may be a processing system, which may include one or more processors, such as a CPU, GPU, controller, FPGA (field programmable gate array), ASIC (application specific integrated circuit), or other special purpose circuit or other processing unit, which controls the operation of the devices or systems described herein. The memory/storage devices may include, but are not limited to, magnetic disks, solid state drives, optical disks, removable storage devices (e.g., smart cards, SIMs, WIMs), semiconductor memory (e.g., RAM, ROM, PROMS, etc.).

This disclosure is not limited in its application to the details of construction and the arrangement of components set forth in the following description or illustrated in the drawings. The disclosure is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced or of being carried out in various ways. Also, the phraseology and terminology used herein is for the purpose of description and should not be regarded as limiting. As used herein, "including," comprising, "" having, "" involving, "and variations thereof are open-ended, i.e.," including but not limited to.

The flowchart and block diagrams in the figures illustrate the architecture, functionality, and/or operation of possible implementations of various embodiments of the present disclosure. In this regard, each block in the flowchart or block diagrams may represent a module, segment, or portion of code, which comprises one or more executable instructions for implementing the specified logical function(s). It should also be noted that, in some alternative implementations, the functions noted in the block may occur out of the order noted in the figures. For example, two blocks shown in succession may, in fact, be executed substantially concurrently, or the blocks may sometimes be executed in the reverse order, depending upon the functionality involved. It will also be noted that each block of the block diagrams and/or flowchart illustration, and combinations of blocks in the block diagrams and/or flowchart illustration, can be implemented by special purpose hardware-based systems which perform the specified functions or acts, or combinations of special purpose hardware and computer instructions.

It is to be understood that the above description is intended to be illustrative, and not restrictive. Many other examples of implementations will be apparent to those of skill in the art upon reading and understanding the above description. Although the present disclosure describes specific examples, it should be recognized that the systems and methods of the present disclosure are not limited to the examples described herein, but may be practiced with modification within the scope of the appended claims. The specification and drawings are, accordingly, to be regarded in an illustrative rather than a restrictive sense. The scope of the disclosure should, therefore, be determined with reference to the appended claims, along with the full scope of equivalents to which such claims are entitled.