Patent ID: 6707651
Filing Date: 2004-03-16
Classification: H02H

Abstract:
A trip unit for an arc fault or ground fault circuit breaker, said trip unit comprising:a trip actuator having a trip coil; a semiconductor switching device driving said trip coil, said semiconductor switching device including a gate and an output electrically interconnected with said trip coil; an arc fault or ground fault detection circuit including at least one output having an arc fault or ground fault detection signal; a power supply having an output; and a trip signal generator comprising: at least one first input electrically interconnected with said at least one output of said arc fault or ground fault detection circuit, a second input electrically interconnected with said output of said semiconductor switching device, a power supply monitor monitoring the output of said power supply, said power supply monitor having an output, and a circuit having an output electrically interconnected with the gate of said semiconductor switching device, said circuit comprising: a first switch controlled by said second input and electrically interconnected with said output of said semiconductor switching device, said first switch having an output, a second switch controlled by the output of said first switch and powered from the output of said power supply monitor, said second switch having an output, a third switch controlled by the output of said second switch, said third switch powered from the output of said power supply, said third switch having said output electrically interconnected with the gate of said semiconductor switching device, and at least one fourth switch controlled by said at least one first input electrically interconnected with said at least one output of said arc fault or ground fault detection circuit, said at least one fourth switch enabling said third switch.