Abstract:
The present invention provides a unique circuit breaker that can fit inside restricted spaces and even existing hardware that would otherwise be inaccessible with current circuit breakers. In at least one embodiment, the present disclosure provides a circular circuit breaker with an opening through which wires, hardware, and other equipment can be inserted. The circular circuit breaker departs from generally accepted engineering criteria and enables the use of circuit breakers in far greater numbers of existing electrical devices, such as fans, lamps, and other restricted area electrical devices. The circular circuit breaker can include various electrical devices to enable its function, and the extension of one or more leads therefrom. In at least one embodiment, the circuit breaker can be automatically resettable. When the rated wattage is exceeded, the circuit breaker is tripped and after the wattage is reduced, the circuit breaker automatically switches to an on-state.

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 60/868,815, filed Dec. 6, 2006, which is incorporated herein by reference. 
     
    
     STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT 
       [0002]    Not applicable. 
       REFERENCE TO APPENDIX 
       [0003]    Not applicable. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0004]    1. Field of the Invention 
         [0005]    The disclosure relates to the field of electrical protective devices. More specifically, the disclosure relates to circuit breakers. 
         [0006]    2. Description of the Related Art 
         [0007]    A circuit breaker is an automatic electrical switch that stops or restricts the flow of electric current in a sudden overloaded or otherwise abnormally stressed electrical circuit. Unlike a fuse, which operates once and then has to be replaced, a circuit breaker can be reset either manually or automatically to resume normal operation. Circuit breakers can have various sizes from small devices which protect an individual household appliance up to large switch gear designed to protect high voltage circuits providing electricity to a city. There are several types of circuit breakers. At least one type is a magnetic circuit breaker that uses a solenoid. The pulling force of a solenoid increases significantly as current increases. In normal operation, circuit breaker contacts are held closed. As the current in the solenoid increases beyond the rating of the circuit breaker, the solenoid releases a latch which then allows the contacts to open by spring action, breaking the circuit. Another type of circuit breaker is a thermal breaker using a bimetallic strip which bends with increased current. With sufficient bending, the circuit is broken. Other circuit breakers are semiconductor devices which when off, prevent current from flowing but can be turned on with a small electric current through a third electrode, the gate of the semiconductor. This semiconductor device can automatically reset and does not require a tripping mechanism described above. Other circuit breakers can operate in a conductive mode below threshold limits and restrict current flow rates above the threshold limits. 
         [0008]      FIG. 1  is an exemplary prior art standard circuit breaker. The circuit breaker  2  generally includes a housing with a plurality of leads  4 ,  6 ,  8  extending therefrom. The leads generally include a neutral line and a pair of “hot” lines for electricity to be conducted through the circuit breaker  2 . Internal circuitry functions to at least restrict the flow of electrical current when the current attempts to exceed threshold limits. Such standard circuitry is well known to those with ordinary skill in the art and is not believed to be necessary to be described in detail herein. 
         [0009]    There have been increased concerns over safety and overloaded uses in low wattage appliances and other electrical devices. Despite well-developed residential or commercial technology for various circuits, where entire circuits can be protected with a single circuit breaker, such circuit breakers do not satisfy a need of protecting individual devices which can be compact in size and otherwise not accessible to manual resetting of a circuit breaker. For examples, lamps, fans, and other household devices generally do not have separate circuit breakers due to the size and compact requirements. 
         [0010]    As technology increases, and concern by governmental agencies and the consuming public increase on the use of electricity and safety, there is a need for alternative circuit breakers. Typical rectangular circuit breakers do not provide sufficient flexibility to meet the growing needs of individual circuit breakers for individual electrical devices. 
         [0011]    Therefore, there exists a need for a radical departure from known circuit breakers. 
       BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0012]    The present invention provides a unique circuit breaker that can fit inside restricted spaces and even existing hardware that would otherwise be inaccessible with current circuit breakers. In at least one embodiment, the present disclosure provides a circular circuit breaker with an opening through which external wires, hardware, and other equipment can pass therethrough. The circular circuit breaker departs from generally accepted engineering criteria and enables the use of a circuit breaker in a far greater number of electrical devices, such as fans, lamps, and other limited volume electrical devices and can include retrofitting existing devices. The circular circuit breaker can include various electrical devices to enable its function, and the extension of one or more leads therefrom. In at least one embodiment, the circuit breaker can automatically reduce an outgoing current. When the rated current and resulting wattage is exceeded, the circuit breaker can be tripped or otherwise restrict the current. After the excess current is resolved, the circuit breaker can automatically switch to an on-state so that the current is not restricted. 
         [0013]    The disclosure provides an electrical system, comprising: an electrical device requiring some quantity of electricity from an electrical circuit to operate; and a circuit breaker for protecting the electrical device, comprising: a housing; a plurality of electrical components coupled to the housing and adapted to selectively cause a restriction in the electrical circuit providing electricity to the electrical device when the current would exceed a pre-determined threshold current limit; and an opening formed through the housing and adapted to allow one or more items to be inserted through the circuit breaker from one surface of the circuit breaker to another surface distal from the first surface. 
         [0014]    The disclosure also provides a circuit breaker for protecting an electrical device, comprising: a housing; a plurality of electrical components coupled to the housing and adapted to selectively cause a restriction in an electrical circuit providing electricity to the electrical device when the current would exceed a pre-determined threshold current limit; and an opening formed through the circuit breaker and adapted to allow one or more electrical wires to be inserted through the circuit breaker for conducting electricity from one side of the circuit breaker to another side distal from the first side. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0015]    While the inventions disclosed herein are susceptible to various modifications and alternative forms, only a few specific embodiments have been shown by way of example in the drawings and are described in detail below. The figures and detailed descriptions of these specific embodiments are not intended to limit the breadth or scope of the inventive concepts or the appended claims in any manner. Rather, the figures and detailed written descriptions are provided to illustrate the inventive concepts to a person of ordinary skill in the art as required by 35 U.S.C. § 112. 
           [0016]      FIG. 1  is an exemplary prior art standard circuit breaker. 
           [0017]      FIG. 2  is perspective schematic view of an exemplary electrical device having a circuit breaker disposed therein. 
           [0018]      FIG. 3  is a schematic cross-sectional view of a portion of the exemplary electrical device of  FIG. 2  illustrating the circuit breaker installed therein. 
           [0019]      FIG. 4  is a schematic side view of the circuit breaker. 
           [0020]      FIG. 5  is a schematic bottom view of the circuit breaker. 
           [0021]      FIG. 6  is a schematic cross-sectional view of the circuit breaker. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0022]    One or more illustrative embodiments incorporating the invention disclosed herein are presented below. Not all features of an actual implementation are described or shown in this application for the sake of clarity. It is understood that the development of an actual embodiment incorporating the present invention, numerous implementation-specific decisions must be made to achieve the developer&#39;s goals, such as compliance with system-related, business-related, and other constraints, which vary by implementation and from time to time. While a developer&#39;s efforts might be complex and time-consuming, such efforts would be, nevertheless, a routine undertaking for those of ordinary skill in the art having benefit of this disclosure. 
         [0023]      FIG. 2  is perspective schematic view of an exemplary electrical device having a circuit breaker of the present disclosure disposed therein. A system  10  includes an electrical device  12 , such as ceiling fan. However, it is to be understood that the circuit breaker of the present disclosure is adapted to fit in many electrical devices, including lights, lamps, appliances, and the like. Thus, it is understood that references to the ceiling fan are merely exemplary and can apply to any electrical device in which it may be practical or useful to have such a circuit breaker coupled thereto. The term “circuit breaker” is used broadly herein and includes circuit breakers that can entirely cause a disconnect in an electrical circuit due to a current overload condition in the circuit that otherwise would exceed a pre-determined threshold current limit, and those devices that are current limiting in terms of limiting an overload on a circuit without causing a disconnect so that the current is able to be conducted through the circuit breaker at or below a pre-determined threshold current limit, but is maintained at or below the threshold limit when the current would otherwise exceed the threshold limit without the circuit breaker. Thus, broadly stated, the circuit breaker selectively causes a restriction in an electrical circuit providing electricity to the electrical device when the current would exceed a pre-determined threshold current limit. The ceiling fan  12  generally includes a light assembly  14  having one or more lamp sockets  18 . One or more wires are inserted through the top of the ceiling fan  12  to operate the motor of the ceiling fan and in some cases the lights with the same wire. An excessive amount of wattage caused by an excessive current through the electrical circuit can be detrimental to the wiring, waste energy, or a combination thereof. The present disclosure provides a circular circuit breaker that can be installed into an existing housing of such electrical device without requiring a redesign of the housing and associated hardware. Such flexibility has heretofore been unknown in the field. 
         [0024]      FIG. 3  is a schematic cross-sectional view of a portion of the exemplary electrical device of  FIG. 2  illustrating the circuit breaker installed therein. The system  10  can include a housing  16  in which various components of an electrical device are mounted. In the exemplary embodiment, the housing can form the structure to which various lamp sockets  18 A,  18 B are coupled thereto. Normally, the housing  16  is structured such that prior art circuit breakers will not work in such units. Thus, the industry has been lacking suitable alternatives prior to the present disclosure. 
         [0025]    Uniquely, the present disclosure provides a circuit breaker  24  with an opening  26  formed therethrough to allow the wires to pass through the circuit breaker  24  and be coupled to wiring below the circuit breaker. Thus, the opening  26  can function as a wire way. The first wire  20  and the second wire  22  can be disposed in a generally understood manner through the top of the system  10 , such as ceiling fan, and routed through the inner portions of the system. The circuit breaker  24  can be sandwiched in the housing  16  and the wires inserted through the opening  26  to below the circuit breaker  24 . In the exemplary embodiment, the first wire  20  can be coupled with a connector  28  to a wire  20 A leading to a lamp socket  18 A and also coupled to a wire  20 B leading to a lamp socket  18 B. The second wire  22  can be coupled through a connector  36  to a lead  32  coupled to the circuit breaker  24 . The circuit breaker can further include a lead  30  that is coupled to the wires  20 ,  20 A,  20 B with a connector  28 . Similarly, a lead  34  can be connected through a connector  38  to wires  22 A,  22 B coupled to the lamp sockets  18 A,  18 B, respectively, to complete to the circuit. The number of wires and connections depends upon the number of electrical outlets and other electrical loads of the particular device in question. The exemplary embodiment having two lamp sockets is merely illustrative of the concept disclosed herein. Thus, an electrical current is routed through the circuit breaker  24 , so that when excess current (with resulting wattage) is detected, the circuit breaker can trip or otherwise restrict the electrical circuit. Generally, no excess amount of electricity, if any, flows through the electrical circuit until the overload condition is corrected. 
         [0026]    In at least one embodiment, the circuit breaker  24  can be shaped as a disc, although other shapes are possible. More specifically, the circuit breaker can appear as a toroid having the central opening  26  formed therethrough. The opening  26 , as a wire way, can start at a first surface  48 , such as a top, and extend through the circuit breaker to a second surface  50 , such as a bottom, distal from the first surface. The opening  26  can be circular, square, rectangular, or other shapes may be appropriate for the particular installation. 
         [0027]      FIG. 4  is a schematic side view of the circuit breaker. In at least one embodiment, the circuit breaker  24  can include a housing  40  from various known materials that are heat resistant and structurally sufficient to support the use of a circuit breaker. The housing  40  can be partially hollow and covered by a cover  42  to seal components therein. The cover  42  can also include a seal  44  surrounding one or more leads extending through the cover. For example, a circuit board  46  can be disposed in the housing  40  from which the leads  30 ,  32 ,  34  can extend. The circuit board generally includes a plurality of electrical components  52  coupled together to provide the circuitry useful to sense and operate the circuit breaker in an over-current condition. The opening  26  is also shown passing through the circuit breaker  24 . Merely as exemplary and without any limitation as to size, one size of the circuit breaker could include about one inch or less in height and about two inches or less in diameter. Such dimensions could be appropriate for various lamps, fans, and other electrical devices without necessarily requiring retooling and redesign of the various housings of the devices. 
         [0028]      FIG. 5  is a schematic bottom view of the circuit breaker. The circuit breaker  24  generally includes the opening  26  disposed therethrough. The opening provides an additional path through which electrical wires and other electrical conduit media including without limitation wires, optical fiber, devices, hardware, and other elements can pass through the circuit breaker  24  under such minimal space availability. In at least one embodiment, the opening  26  can be centrally disposed in the circuit breaker  24 . 
         [0029]      FIG. 6  is a schematic cross-sectional view of the circuit breaker. The circuit breaker  24  generally includes the housing  40  coupled to cover  42  as described above. The housing  40  can be at least partially hollow such that various elements such as the circuit board  46  can be disposed therein. As merely a schematic, the circuit board does not show in this view the leads  30 ,  32 ,  34  extending therefrom as is shown in various other figures herein. Further, the circuit board  46  can include an opening  26 A which is generally aligned with the opening  26  formed through the housing  40  and the cover  42 . 
         [0030]    The various steps described or claimed herein can be combined with other steps, can occur in a variety of sequences unless otherwise specifically limited, various steps can be interlineated with the stated steps, and the stated steps can be split into multiple steps. Unless the context requires otherwise, the word “comprise” or variations such as “comprises” or “comprising,” should be understood to imply the inclusion of at least the stated element or step or group of elements or steps or equivalents thereof, and not the exclusion of any other element or step or group of elements or steps or equivalents thereof. Also, any directions such as “top,” “bottom,” “left,” “right,” “upper,” “lower,” and other directions and orientations are described herein for clarity in reference to the figures and are not to be limiting of the actual device or system or use of the device or system. The device or system may be used in a number of directions and orientations. The term “coupled,” “coupling,” “coupler,” and like terms are used broadly herein and can include any method or device for securing, binding, bonding, fastening, attaching, joining, inserting therein, forming thereon or therein, communicating, or otherwise associating, for example, mechanically, magnetically, electrically, chemically, directly or indirectly with intermediate elements, one or more pieces of members together and can further include without limitation integrally forming one functional member with another in a unity fashion. The coupling can occur in any direction, including rotationally. 
         [0031]    The invention has been described in the context of preferred and other embodiments and not every embodiment of the invention has been described. Obvious modifications and alterations to the described embodiments are available to those of ordinary skill in the art. The disclosed and undisclosed embodiments are not intended to limit or restrict the scope or applicability of the invention conceived of by the Applicant(s), but rather, in conformity with the patent laws, Applicant(s) intend to protect all such modifications and improvements to the full extent that such falls within the scope or range of equivalent of the following claims. 
         [0032]    Further, any documents to which reference is made in the application for this patent as well as all references listed in any list of references filed with the application are hereby incorporated by reference. However, to the extent statements might be considered inconsistent with the patenting of this invention, such statements are expressly not to be considered as made by the Applicant(s).