US 12,438,353 B2
Fault logic based operating system for one or more disconnects in a circuit breaker, with provision of limited automatic self-reset and/or reset by software application
Sandy Omar Jimenez Gonzalez, Coraopolis, PA (US); Nicholas David Reynolds, Monroeville, PA (US); Karthik Satyanarayanan, Vellore (IN); Harish Gode, Pune (IN); and Tejal Sheth, Pune (IN)
Assigned to EATON INTELLIGENT POWER LIMITED, Dublin (IE)
Filed by EATON INTELLIGENT POWER LIMITED, Dublin (IE)
Filed on Jun. 16, 2023, as Appl. No. 18/210,933.
Claims priority of provisional application 63/353,169, filed on Jun. 17, 2022.
Prior Publication US 2023/0411948 A1, Dec. 21, 2023
Int. Cl. H02H 3/04 (2006.01); H01H 71/04 (2006.01); H02H 1/00 (2006.01)
CPC H02H 3/04 (2013.01) [H01H 71/04 (2013.01); H02H 1/0007 (2013.01)] 18 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A circuit breaker, the circuit breaker comprising:
a number of pole assemblies, each pole assembly comprising:
a line conductor structured to be connected between a power source and a load;
a primary disconnect device disposed along the line conductor;
a primary disconnect trip system configured to actuate the primary disconnect device between an open state and a closed state;
a secondary disconnect device disposed in series with the primary disconnect device along the line conductor;
secondary disconnect driving circuitry configured to actuate the secondary disconnect device between an open state and a closed state; and
a number of monitoring devices configured to monitor operating conditions in the pole assembly; and
a controller,
wherein, for each pole assembly:
the controller is configured to receive input from the number of monitoring devices, to communicate with a remote user communication device, and to communicate with the primary disconnect trip system and with the secondary disconnect driving circuitry,
the primary disconnect device and the secondary disconnect device must be closed in order for the load to receive power from the power source,
the controller is configured to determine when a fault condition exists in the circuit breaker based on the input from the number of monitoring devices and to determine a severity level of the fault condition,
when the controller determines that the fault condition severity level is minor, the controller is configured to actuate the secondary disconnect driving circuitry to open the secondary disconnect device, wait for a delay time, keep the primary disconnect device closed during the delay time, assess the fault condition multiple times during the delay time, and determine if the fault condition has resolved within the delay time,
when the fault condition has resolved within the delay time, the controller is configured to actuate the secondary disconnect driving circuitry to close the secondary disconnect device without manual intervention, and
when the controller determines that the fault condition severity level is high severity, the controller is configured to actuate the primary disconnect trip system to trip open the primary disconnect device without first actuating the secondary disconnect driving circuitry to open the secondary disconnect device.