Abstract:
A fuse box that is designed to prevent damage caused by arc faults and electrical overcurrent. The apparatus is configured to function as a circuit breaker. The apparatus includes a housing, a circuit breaker, an optical sensor, and an electronic controller. The housing is an enclosure that isolates the circuit breaker from light and protects the components from physical damage. The circuit breaker opens the circuit between connected electrical systems when arc fault or an electrical overcurrent is detected. The optical sensor detects arc faults and relays notifications to the electronic controller. The electronic controller enables a user to set the thresholds for arc faults, currents, and voltages that cause the circuit breaker to open.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    The present invention relates generally to a circuit breaker. More specifically, the present invention is a circuit breaker with integrated electrical components that prevent damage caused by arc faults and electrical overcurrent. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    Traditional circuit breakers make use of current limiting fuses and shunt tripping devices. While these circuit breakers prevent electrical power surges from damaging electrical circuitry, they frequently do not address the problem of arcing faults. This is a significant oversight because arc faults are frequently the cause of fires and damage to equipment. To address the issue of arc faults optical sensors have been incorporated into traditional circuit breakers. These optical sensors detect the light generated by an arc fault and then generate signals that cause the circuit to be opened. This is a beneficial point of redundancy, however, many arc fault detection systems do not respond fast enough to prevent electrical damage. 
         [0003]    The objective of the present invention is to overcome these problems. By employing the use of an optically triggered circuit breaking system, the present invention is able to reduce the damage resulting from arc faults. In addition to an optically triggered circuit breaking system, the present invention makes use of traditional current and voltage controlled trip switches to mitigate the damage caused by arc faults and electrical overcurrent. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0004]    The present invention is a fuse cartridge which is designed for electrical systems to mitigate the effects of an arcing fault. Safety of personnel working in the proximity of electrical equipment is the goal. Commercially available optical arc fault sensors are generally installed in the downstream of the majority of electrical distribution systems. In these devices, the optical sensors send a signal to open the upstream fuses through a fiber optic circuit. This signal, from the protected equipment, is interpreted by an optical sensor in the fuse and used to trigger the heat source in the fuse. The heat source then melts the fuse element in less than 0.07 seconds. A signal from the external arc fault sensor is sent to the fuse cartridge through a fiber optic connection. This insulates the fuse cartridge from the signal source. The optical sensor, within the fuse cartridge, closes an internal electrical circuit to trigger a heat source. The power to trigger the heat source comes from the voltage drop across the fuse cartridge main element. Additionally, an increased current in the power system is detected functions as another indication that an arcing fault is occurring. 
         [0005]    The present invention makes use of optical and current monitoring sensors to determine when damaging electrical events are occurring within an electrical circuit. There are two methods to supply the source of heat to melt the fuse. The choice of method depends on the speed of action desired. One method employs a chemical explosive charge like DHT (dihydrazino-tetrazine). A sensor is used to energize the circuit which triggers an explosive reaction. The DHT explosive charge melting the main fuse element in under 0.07 seconds. A second method employs an electrical heating element is used to energize the circuit which triggers the heating element. The present invention can be used in any electrical power distribution system and located upstream from the equipment to be protected. Additionally, the present invention makes use of external sensors to determine the existence of an arc fault. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0006]      FIG. 1  is a block diagram illustrating the connections between the components of the present invention. 
           [0007]      FIG. 2  is a perspective view of the housing used in the present invention. 
           [0008]      FIG. 3  is a front view of the housing used in the present invention wherein the door of the housing is in an opened configuration. 
           [0009]      FIG. 4  is a block diagram illustrating the connections between the components of an embodiment of the present invention, wherein the embodiment uses a capacitor trip as a secondary power source for the ECU. 
           [0010]      FIG. 5  is a block diagram illustrating the connections between the components of another embodiment of the present invention, wherein the embodiment uses an internal battery as a secondary power source for the ECU. 
           [0011]      FIG. 6  is a block diagram illustrating the connections between the components of the CCCI used in the present invention. 
           [0012]      FIG. 7  is a block diagram illustrating the connections between the components of the main circuit interrupter used in the present invention. 
           [0013]      FIG. 8  is a block diagram illustrating the connections between the components of optical sensor used in an embodiment of the present invention, wherein the embodiment uses an arc-light receiver that is a fiber optic cable, which is optically connected to the emitter and the receiver. 
           [0014]      FIG. 9  is a block diagram illustrating the connections between the components of optical sensor used in another embodiment of the present invention, wherein the embodiment uses an arc-light receiver that is a plurality of distinct receivers, each of which is optically connected to a corresponding photo-sensor of the plurality of photo-sensors. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0015]    All illustrations of the drawings are for the purpose of describing selected versions of the present invention and are not intended to limit the scope of the present invention. 
         [0016]    In reference to  FIG. 1 , the present invention is a fuse box that interrupts the circuit between electrical systems when the measured current, voltage, or electrical arc exceed user-selected thresholds. In its preferred embodiment, the present invention is configured as a circuit breaker, which protects an electrical circuit that is connected to an external power supply. The present invention comprises at least one circuit breaking line  1 , an electronic control unit  2  (ECU), a main circuit interrupter  3 , and a housing  4 . The at least one circuit breaking line  1  an electrical conductor that is used to interrupt the current flowing from the external power supply into an electrical circuit. The ECU  2  is a computing device that is used to set user-selected electrical power thresholds and to monitor the electrical state of the at least one circuit breaking line  1 . In addition, the ECU  2  generates control signals that instruct the main circuit interrupter  3  to open or close the at least one circuit breaking line  1 . The main circuit interrupter  3  is used to interrupt the flow of electrical power through the at least one circuit breaking line  1  in response to control signals generated by the ECU  2 . The housing  4  is an enclosure that is used to mechanically support and to electrically isolate the electronic components of the present invention. 
         [0017]    In reference to  FIG. 1  and  FIG. 3 , in the preferred embodiment of the present invention, the aforementioned components work in concert to protect a connected electrical circuit from damage caused by arc fault, overcurrent, and short circuit. To accomplish this circuit protection functionality, each of the at least one circuit breaking lines  1  comprises an input terminal  11 , an output terminal  12 , a transmission line  13 , a current controlled circuit interrupter  14  (CCCI), an arc light receiver, and an optical sensor  16 . The input terminal  11  is an electrical interface that is used to connect the at least one circuit breaking line  1  to an external power supply so that electrical power can be transferred into the present invention. Conversely, the output terminal  12  is an electrical interface that is used to connect the at least one circuit breaking line  1  to the connected electrical circuit so that electrical power can be transferred out of the present invention. The transmission line  13  is an electrical conductor that is used to connect the input terminal  11  to the output terminal  12  so that electrical power can flow from the input terminal  11  to the output terminal  12 . The CCCI  14  is an electronic component that opens a connected circuit when the voltage or current values flowing through the circuit exceed user-selected thresholds. In addition, the input terminal  11 , the CCCI  14 , the output terminal  12  is electrically connected in series through the transmission line  13 . As a result, electrical power arriving at the output terminal  12  does not exceed user-selected thresholds. 
         [0018]    The main circuit interrupter  3  is an electrical switch that is electrically integrated into the transmission line  13  for each of the at least one circuit breaking lines  1 . As a result, the main circuit interrupter  3  is able to stop the flow of electrical power through the at least one circuit breaking line  1 . In the preferred embodiment of the present invention, the arc-light receiver  15  is a light transferring device that is laterally positioned along the transmission line  13  so that the light generated by any arcing faults can be collected by the arc-light receiver  15 . The optical sensor  16  is a light detecting electronic component that is in optical communication with the arc-light receiver  15 . As a result, the light generated by arcing faults is transferred through the arc-light receiver  15  to the optical sensor  16 . In addition, the optical sensor  16  and the CCCI  14  are electronically connected to the ECU  2  so that the ECU  2  is able to monitor the electrical state of the at least one circuit breaking line  1 . The ECU  2  is electronically connected to the main circuit interrupter  3  so that the ECU  2  is able to break the transmission line  13  for a specific circuit breaking line if either the optical sensor  16  or the CCCI  14  detects an electrical fault. 
         [0019]    In reference to  FIG. 1 ,  FIG. 2  and  FIG. 3 , in the preferred embodiment of the present invention, the housing  4  is a rigid enclosure that is used to maintain the at least one circuit breaking line  1 , the ECU  2 , and the main circuit interrupter  3  in desired positions. In addition, the housing  4  protects these components from physical damage and is used to mount the fuse box onto an external surface. In addition, the housing  4  maintains the at least one circuit breaking in a dark environment that facilitates arc fault detection. The housing  4  comprises a main body  41 , a component compartment  42 , a door  43 , a locking mechanism  44 , a ground bus  45 , and an external mounting mechanism  46 . The main body  41  is the structural base of the housing  4  that provides its overall shape. The component compartment  42  is cavity that traverses through one side of the housing  4  into the main body  41  so that that the electronic components of the present invention can be mounted within the housing  4 . The door  43  is hingedly and adjacently connected to the main body  41  at a first edge  421  of the component compartment  42  so that the door  43  can be moved between an opened configuration and a closed configuration. When the door  43  is in the opened configuration a user is able to access the component compartment  42 . Conversely, when the door  43  is in the closed configuration access to the component compartment  42  is restricted. The locking mechanism  44  is adjacently connected to the door  43 , opposite the main body  41 . As a result, the locking mechanism  44  is able to retain the door  43  in the closed configuration while engaged. A user must disengage the locking mechanism  44  to move the door  43  into the opened configuration. The ground bus  45  is mounted within the component compartment  42  so that the ground bus  45  can be connected to an external electrical ground terminal. The external mounting mechanism  46  is mounted adjacent to the main body  41 , opposite the door  43 , so that the housing  4  can be attached to external surface. The at least one circuit breaking line  1 , the ECU  2 , and the main circuit interrupter  3  are mounted within the component compartment  42  so that these are maintained in desired positions within the housing  4 . The at least one circuit breaking line  1 , the ECU  2 , and the main circuit interrupter  3  are electrically connected to the ground bus  45  so that these components share a common electrical ground. 
         [0020]    In reference to  FIG. 1  and  FIG. 5 , in some embodiments of the present invention, a capacitor trip module  5  is a device that acts as a secondary power supply in the event of a primary power supply failure. The ECU  2  is electrically connected to the capacitor trip module  5  so that the ECU  2  is able to remain powered on in the event of a power failure. In other embodiments, the ECU  2  is electrically connected to an internal battery  6 , so that the ECU  2  can operate in the event of an external power supply failure. In the preferred embodiment of the present invention, output terminal  12  for one of the at least one circuit breaking lines  1  is electrically connected to the ECU  2  so that the ECU  2  can be powered by a portion of the electrical power delivered to a connected electrical circuit. 
         [0021]    In reference to  FIG. 6 , in the preferred embodiment of the present invention, the CCCI  14  comprises a current limiting fuse  141  and a low voltage controlled fuse  142 . The current limiting fuse and the low voltage controlled fuse  142  are electrically connected in parallel to each other so that the two fuses may function independently of one another. The current limiting fuse is a fuse that becomes blown when the current flowing from the input terminal  11  to the output terminal  12  exceeds a user-selected threshold. The low voltage controlled fuse  142  is a fuse that becomes blown when the voltage between the input terminal  11  and the output terminal  12  drops below a user-selected threshold. Both the current limiting fuse and the low voltage controlled fuse  142  are electronically connected to the ECU  2  so that a user is able to set the thresholds at which the fuses are blown. In addition, the ECU  2  monitors the electrical power flowing through the current limiting fuse and the low voltage controlled fuse  142 . As a result, a command to open the main circuit interrupter  3  is generated when either the current limiting fuse or the low voltage controlled fuse  142  is blown. In the event that the at least one circuit breaking line  1  is a plurality of circuit breaking lines, the main circuit interrupter  3  is able to open the circuits between the input terminal  11  and the output terminal  12  of each circuit breaking line. 
         [0022]    In reference to  FIG. 8 , in some embodiments of the present invention, the arc-light receiver  15  is an unsheathed fiber optic cable  151 . In this embodiment, the fiber optic cable  151  is continuously distributed along the transmission line  13  so that the light generated by an arc can be received along the entire length of the transmission line  13  through the fiber optic cable  151 . A first end of the fiber optic cable  151  is in optical communication with the optical sensor  16  so that the light generated by the arc fault can be transferred to the optical sensor  16 , through the fiber optic cable  151 . Also in this embodiment, a second end of the fiber optic cable  151  is in optical communication with an optical emitter  17  so that the present invention is able to self-diagnose any defects along the fiber optic cable  151 . In addition, the optical emitter  17  is electronically connected to the ECU  2  so that the ECU  2  is able to instruct the optical emitter  17  to send a test beam through the fiber optic cable  151 . If the ECU  2  detects the test beam at the first end of the fiber optic cable  151 , then the present invention is able to confirm that there are no defects along the fiber optic cable  151 . If the ECU  2  does not detect the test beam at the first end of the fiber optic cable  151 , then the present invention is able to confirm that there are defects along the fiber optic cable  151 . As a result, the ECU  2  is able to test the fiber optic cable  151  to determine if the fiber optic cable  151  is operating properly. 
         [0023]    In reference to  FIG. 1  and  FIG. 9 , in the preferred embodiment of the present invention, the arc-light receiver  15  is a plurality of distinct receivers  152 . In addition, the plurality of distinct receivers  152  is discretely distributed along the transmission line  13 . 
         [0024]    As a result, the light generated by arc can be received at any point along the transmission line  13 . Also in the preferred embodiment, the optical sensor  16  is a plurality of photo sensors. In the present invention, each of the plurality of distinct receivers  152  is in optical communication a corresponding photo-sensor from the plurality of photo-sensors  161 . As a result, the light transferred into each distinct receiver is delivered to a dedicated photo-sensor. 
         [0025]    In reference to  FIG. 7 , in the preferred embodiment of the present invention, the main circuit interrupter  3  comprises an explosive charge  31  and a detonator  32  that are used to open the circuit between the input terminal  11  and the output terminal  12  of the at least one circuit breaking lines  1 . The detonator  32  is integrated into the explosive charge  31  so that the detonator  32  can trigger the explosive charge  31 . In addition, the detonator  32  is electrically connected to the ECU  2  so that the ECU  2  is able to generate signals that cause the detonator  32  to trigger the explosive charge  31 . 
         [0026]    In reference to  FIG. 1 , in the preferred embodiment of the present invention, the input terminal  11  is a shunt trip  111  that prevents electrical power from flowing into the transmission line  13  when the shunt trip  111  is open. The shunt trip  111  is electrically connected to the ground so that electrical power is redirected to electrical ground when the shunt trip  111  is open. In addition, the shunt trip  111  is electrically connected to the ECU  2  so that the ECU  2  is able to generate a control signal that directs the shunt trip  111  to move into the open position. Electrical power is able to flow into the transmission line  13  while the shunt trip  111  is in the flossed position. In the preferred embodiment of the present invention, the output terminal  12  is a current transformer that conditions the electrical power transferred through the transmission line  13 . 
         [0027]    Although the invention has been explained in relation to its preferred embodiment, it is to be understood that many other possible modifications and variations can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as hereinafter claimed.