KR20030037922A - Circuit Breaking Device Including Display function - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE: A circuit breaking apparatus is provided to be capable of displaying an interception state of a circuit and of making a user judge whether or not of circuit re-connection by displaying an interception cause of the circuit. CONSTITUTION: An arc fault detecting part(106) judges whether senses a variation amount of current flowing through a conductive line. A ground fault detecting part(104) judges whether a ground defect exists by comparing a current difference of conductive lines. An over-load detecting part(108) judges a variation amount of current flowing through the conductive line and judges whether over-current flows. A circuit breaking part(110) intercepts a circuit so as to separate a source(100) and a load when a trip signal is received from one of the ground fault detecting part(104), the arc fault detecting part(106) and the over-load detecting part(108). A display part(112) displays a circuit-intercepted cause when the circuit is intercepted.

Description

Circuit Breaking Device Including Display Function

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a circuit breaker having a display function. More particularly, the present invention relates to a circuit breaker that detects ground faults, overloads, and arc faults, and displays a cause of the circuit breaker after the circuit breaks. The present invention relates to a circuit breaker having a display function which is not affected by an overvoltage or the like.

Generally, wiring breakers are used in homes, factories, and buildings to prevent fires caused by electricity. The circuit breaker operates to stop the power supply when a danger occurs because the current supplied to the load exceeds the rating.

There are three main types of risks that can occur during the power supply process: overload, ground fault, and arc fault.

Overload is a phenomenon that occurs when excessive current flows from a power source to a load by using too many electrical products at the same time, and is a phenomenon that occurs frequently when using an air conditioner or the like in summer. Bimetal is installed in a general switchgear, and if an overcurrent flows, heat is generated, and the bimetal is bent by the heat, and the circuit is cut off.

Ground faults are currents that leak due to the surrounding metallic material after the wire has been stripped. If a ground fault occurs, leakage of current may cause an electric shock.

Arc faults frequently occur in situations where the wire breaks, often because the current caused by arc faults is low current and high impedance and has an effective value below the temperature that causes the circuit to break, so typical circuit breakers do not respond to arc faults. many. Nevertheless, arc defects are very dangerous because they occur at high temperatures, and in fact more than 40% of fire occurrences are due to arc defects.

The causes of arc faults vary, for example, mechanical and electrical stress due to aging, insulation and wiring breakdown, overuse or overcurrent, connection defects and excessive mechanical damage to insulation and wiring.

The fault caused by the overload and the ground fault are a temporary phenomenon. Even if the circuit is disconnected after the circuit is disconnected due to the overload or the ground fault, the problem does not occur.

However, since arc defects are caused by problems in the electric wires, it is very likely that fires will occur if the circuits are reconnected without solving the fundamental problems.

Therefore, when the circuit is disconnected in the switchboard, it is necessary to indicate whether the circuit is blocked by an overload, a ground fault, or an arc fault so as to indicate whether the user may reconnect the circuit.

In the conventional circuit breaker, when the circuit is cut off, only the circuit breaking state is displayed by the mechanical operation such as changing the state of the switch or changing the color displayed on a part of the circuit breaker through the operation of the switch.

However, there is a problem that can not be confirmed at night when mechanically displaying the circuit break state, and it is only a problem that displays only the state that the circuit is cut, although it is important to indicate the cause of the circuit break as described above There was this.

In order for the user to check the circuit break state at night and determine the cause of the break, it is necessary to display it electronically, not mechanically. There was a difficulty in displaying the status.

In addition, most countries require that the circuit breaker be designed to withstand a certain breakdown voltage for stability. For example, in the United States, a circuit breaker requires a voltage of 1240V to operate normally. Most electronic devices cannot operate normally when a voltage of 1000 V or higher is applied, and thus, it is difficult to electronically display the state of the circuit breaker and the cause of the interruption.

In order to solve the problems of the prior art as described above, the present invention proposes a circuit interruption device capable of electronically displaying a disconnection state of a circuit.

It is still another object of the present invention to propose a circuit breaker that can determine whether the user reconnects the circuit by electronically displaying the cause of the circuit break.

Still another object of the present invention is to propose a circuit breaker that can electronically display the state of a circuit even if the circuit is cut off due to an overload or the like.

It is still another object of the present invention to propose a circuit breaker that can electronically display the state of a circuit without abnormality even when a high breakdown voltage is applied to the circuit breaker.

1 is a block diagram showing the configuration of a circuit breaker according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention;

2 is a block diagram showing the configuration of an arc defect detector according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention;

3 is a block diagram showing the configuration of a ground fault detection unit according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention;

4 is a block diagram showing the configuration of an overload detector according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention;

5 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a display unit according to an embodiment of the present invention;

6 illustrates a detailed circuit configuration of a display unit according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention;

7 illustrates a circuit configuration of a display unit according to still another embodiment of the present invention;

8 is a diagram illustrating a circuit configuration of a display unit according to still another embodiment of the present invention;

9 is a block diagram illustrating a circuit configuration of a display unit according to still another embodiment of the present invention.

In order to achieve the above object, according to an embodiment of the present invention, a circuit breaker having a display function is connected to a circuit for transferring power from a source to a load, and detects whether there is an arc fault in the circuit. An arc fault detector for generating a trip signal, a ground fault detector for detecting a ground fault in the circuit and generating a trip signal, and an overload detector for detecting whether an overcurrent caused by an overload flows in the circuit and generating a trip signal A circuit breaker including at least one of at least one of the at least one of the arc fault detector, the ground fault detector, and the overload detector generates a trip signal, the circuit breaker comprising: the arc fault detector, the ground fault detector; At least one of the overload detectors generates a trip signal, However, the display unit further comprises a display unit including means for displaying the disconnected state of the circuit and the cause of the interruption, and reset means for resetting the status display when the circuit is reconnected. Can be driven by an independent power supply.

Means for displaying the interruption state and the cause of the interruption of the circuit is connected to the arc fault detection unit arc fault display means for displaying an arc fault state in response to a trip signal generated by the arc fault detection unit, connected to the ground fault detection unit And a ground fault display means for displaying a ground fault state in response to a trip signal generated by the ground fault detector and an overload display means connected to the overload detector to display an overload state in response to a trip signal generated by the overload detector. It may include at least one.

The arc fault indicating means, the ground fault indicating means, and the overload indicating means may each include an SCR for connecting a circuit to form a closed circuit with the independent power supply in response to a trip signal being transmitted.

The arc fault display means, the ground fault display means, and the overload display means may be configured in response to a trip signal being transmitted to form a closed circuit with the independent power supply. Each of the collector-based PNP transistors may be included.

The arc fault display means, the ground fault display means, and the overload display means may include light emitting diodes that operate in response to the trip signal.

The reset means may comprise a bipolar junction transistor or a FET.

When the circuit is connected again, the base of the bipolar junction transistor receives power from the source, the emitter is grounded, and the collector may be connected to an independent power source.

Means for indicating the interruption state and the cause of the interruption of the circuit, the first level detector connected to the arc fault detector to generate an output when receiving a trip signal from the arc fault detector, the ground fault detector is connected to the ground At least one of a second level detector generating an output when receiving a trip signal from a defect detector, and a third level detector connected to the overload detection unit and generating an output when receiving a trip signal from the overload detection unit, A microprocessor which receives the outputs from the level detectors to determine the cutoff state of the circuit and the cause of the cutoff, and output a control signal accordingly; And a digital display indicating a cutoff state of the circuit and a cause of the cutoff according to a control signal from the microprocessor.

The independent power source may be a battery or a storage battery.

Hereinafter, with reference to the accompanying drawings, a preferred embodiment of a circuit breaker having a display function according to the present invention will be described in detail.

1 is a block diagram showing the configuration of a circuit breaker according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention.

As shown in FIG. 1, a circuit breaker according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention includes a ground fault detector 104, an arc fault detector 106, an overload detector 108, a circuit breaker 110, and a display 112. ) May be included.

The arc defect detector 106 detects an amount of change in the current flowing through the phase conductor and determines whether there is an arc defect in the conductive wire, and generates a first trip signal when the arc defect is detected, thereby generating the first trip signal and displaying the circuit breaker 110 and the display unit ( 112).

According to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the arc fault detection unit is determined as an arc fault only when such a condition persists for a long time even if a large amount of current change is detected to distinguish a harmful arc causing a fire from a current generated when a general electric device is started. It is desirable to operate to

The ground fault detection unit 104 compares the difference between the current flowing through the neutral wire and the phase wire, and determines whether there is a ground fault, and if there is a ground fault, generates a second trip signal to generate the circuit breaker 110 and the display unit ( 112).

The overload detector 104 determines whether an overcurrent flows by measuring a change amount of the current flowing through the phase-conducting wire, and generates a third trip signal when the excessive current flows to the circuit breaker 110 and the display 112. To pass. According to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, it is preferable to detect the overload electronically without using a general bimetal.

When the circuit breaker 110 receives a trip signal from any one of the ground fault detector 104, the arc fault detector 106, and the overload detector 108, the circuit breaker 110 separates the source 100 and the load 102. Break the circuit. According to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the circuit breaker 110 includes a solenoid and a power cutoff switch, and when a trip signal is received, a current flows in the solenoid to form a magnetic field, thereby operating the power cutoff switch. To cut off the circuit.

The display unit 112 generates a trip signal by the ground fault detector 104, the arc fault detector 106, and the overload detector 108 to indicate which fault is the cause of the circuit interruption when the circuit is blocked. Function According to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, it is preferable that the display unit 112 is provided with a light emitting diode so as to indicate the cause of the interruption of the circuit by turning on the light emitting diode. According to another embodiment of the present invention, the cause of interruption of the circuit may be displayed by using a digital display.

2 is a block diagram showing the configuration of an arc defect detector according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention.

As illustrated in FIG. 2, the arc defect detector according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention may include a current detector 200, a signal converter 202, an arc determiner 214, and a trip determiner 220. have.

The current detector 200 detects a change amount of the current flowing in the phase conducting wire and outputs a detection signal proportional thereto. The detection signal may be output in the form of a voltage when using a current converter, and may be output in a different physical quantity when a current detection means other than the current converter is used.

In FIG. 2, the current detector is shown to be connected to the phase conductors connecting the source 100 and the load 102, but the case in which the current detector is connected to both the phase conductors and the neutral wires will also fall within the scope of the present invention. According to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the current detector 200 may be configured in a form in which a current transformer (CT) and a resistor are connected in parallel. However, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that the current detecting means is not limited to the current converter.

The signal converter 202 may include a rectifier 204, a first filter 206, a level limiter 208, a buffer 210, and a second filter 212.

The rectifier 204 rectifies the signal detected by the current converter and attenuated by the resistor in the form of direct current. The rectifier 204 may be composed of a general diode, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that both full-wave rectification using four diodes and half-wave rectification using two diodes are possible.

The first filter unit 206 is configured as a high frequency band filter, and blocks the low frequency signal not related to the arc from the signal rectified by the rectifier 204 and passes only the high frequency signal. Since the low frequency components not related to the arc are removed, the level of the signal passing through the first filter part is lower than the level of the output signal at the rectifying part. The first filter unit may be implemented by a combination of a resistor and a capacitor constituting a general high frequency band filter, and the configuration of implementing the high frequency band filter by other methods will also be included in the scope of the present invention.

When the signal output from the first filter unit 206 exceeds a preset signal level, the level limiting unit 208 functions to limit the excess signal level to the preset signal level. When the current change amount is detected through the current converter, since the value output from the rectifying unit and the first filter unit is a voltage, the level limiting unit limits the level of the voltage to a preset voltage level. However, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that the case of limiting the current level to a certain level is also within the scope of the present invention. For example, if a reference voltage of 20V is set, the voltage of 25V is limited to 20V. This limit of signal level is to prevent the circuit from becoming unstable due to the output of excessive voltage or current. According to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the level limiting unit 208 may be implemented using a zener diode.

According to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the resistance connected in parallel to the current converter in the current detector is preferably set so that the voltage generated during the operation of the dimmer is lower than the voltage set by the level limiting section 208.

The buffer unit 210 serves to supply a stable signal by buffering the signal output from the level limiting unit 208 for a predetermined time.

Like the first filter unit 206, the second filter unit 212 is composed of a high frequency band filter, and removes a signal of a low frequency band not related to arc from the signal output from the buffer unit 210, and a high frequency band. Pass only the signal of. Although the first filter 206 performs filtering to pass only a signal of a high frequency band, noise may be generated again through the level limitation and buffering, and thus the noise is removed from the second filter unit.

The arc determiner 214 may include a comparator 216 and a first reference signal generator 218.

The first reference signal generator 218 generates a reference signal to be determined as an arc signal and inputs the reference signal to the comparator 216. Preferably, the first reference signal is generated in the form of a voltage, and the generated voltage is lower than the voltage output when the electric device is started and the voltage output when the harmful arc occurs, and the voltage output when the dimmer is operated. It is preferable to set it to a higher value. For example, when the voltage output at the start of an electric machine is 20V, the voltage output at the time of harmful arcing is 22V, and the voltage output at the same time of the dimmer is 15V, the first reference voltage is set to 18V. .

The comparator 216 compares the output signal of the second filter unit 212, which is the final output from the signal converter, with the signal output from the first reference signal generator 218, and then the second filter unit 212. When the output signal of is higher than the output signal of the first reference signal generator, an arc detection signal indicating that an arc is detected is output. According to an embodiment of the present invention, the comparison unit may be implemented as an OP amplifier, in which case the arc detection signal may be output in the form of a voltage. According to an embodiment of the present invention, the arc detection signal may be a constant value, and alternatively, a signal proportional to the output signal of the second filter unit may be output as the arc detection signal.

The trip determiner 220 may include an integrator 222, a comparator 226, a second reference signal generator 224, and a first trip signal generator 228.

The integrating unit 222 receives and accumulates the arc detection signal output from the comparing unit 216 of the arc determining unit. When the signal output from the comparator is in the form of a voltage, the integrator 222 may be implemented as a general capacitor for accumulating voltage, and it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that other accumulation means may be used.

The second reference signal generator 224 generates a preset reference signal and inputs it to the comparator 226. The comparator 226 is a signal accumulated in the integrator 222 and the second reference signal generator 224. The output signal is generated when the signal level accumulated in the integrator 222 is greater than the output signal level in the second reference signal generator.

When there is an output signal from the comparator 226, the first trip signal generator 228 determines that a harmful arc that should shut off the circuit has been generated, and generates a trip signal to cut off the circuit. ) And to the display unit 112.

3 is a block diagram showing the configuration of a ground fault detection unit according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention.

As shown in FIG. 3, the ground fault detector 104 according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention includes a zero current detector 300, a filter 302, a noise cutoff 304, a comparator 306, and a delay. It may include a portion 308.

As illustrated in FIG. 3, the zero current detector 300 is connected to the phase conductive wire and the neutral wire. The zero current detector 300 compares the amount of current flowing into the load and the amount of current flowing out of the load in the phase conductor and the midline, and outputs a detection signal when the amount of current flowing in and the amount of current flowing out are different. When using a typical zero current detector, the detection signal may be output as a voltage.

The filter unit 302 removes low frequency components from the detection signal output from the zero current detector 300 to limit the output signal to a predetermined level.

The noise blocking unit 304 removes a noise component and applies a reference signal to the comparing unit 306.

The comparison unit 306 compares the signal filtered by the filter unit 302 with the signal input from the noise blocker 304 to generate a ground fault detection signal. According to an embodiment of the present invention, the comparator may be implemented as an OP amplifier. In this case, the ground fault detection signal may be pulled in the form of a voltage. However, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that when a comparison means other than an OP amplifier is used, the ground fault detection signal may be output in the form of a current.

The delay unit 308 delays the output signal of the comparator for a predetermined time, and the output of the delay unit is transmitted to the circuit breaker 110 and the display 112 as a second trip signal.

4 is a block diagram showing the configuration of an overload detector according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention.

As shown in FIG. 4, the overload detector according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention includes a current detector 400, a rectifier 402, a level adjuster 404, an integrator 406, a discharge controller, and a bias voltage generator. 410, a reference signal generator 412, and a comparator 414.

The current detector 400 is connected to the phase conductor and generates a detection signal proportional to the amount of change of the current flowing through the phase conductor. Since the detection signal generated by the current detector 400 is an AC signal, the rectifier 402 rectifies the output signal of the current detector as a DC signal. In the case of using the current converter as the current detection means, the detection signal may be output in the form of a voltage.

The level adjuster 404 functions to limit the voltage to the predetermined level when the voltage output from the rectifier 402 exceeds a certain level so that a stable signal can be input to the circuit. According to an embodiment of the present invention, when the detection signal is in the form of voltage, a voltage level may be limited by using a zener diode.

The integrator 406 continuously accumulates the signal output from the level adjuster 404. According to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, when the output signal is a voltage, the integrating unit 406 is configured of a plurality of capacitors and may operate to output an overload instruction signal when the charged voltage reaches a predetermined level. The discharge control unit 408 discharges the accumulated signal charged in the integrating unit 406 when the circuit breaker trips due to overload.

The reference signal generator 412 inputs a preset reference signal to the comparator 414, and the comparator 414 compares the overload instruction signal output from the integrator with the signal output from the reference signal generator and overloads the instruction. If the signal is larger, the third trip signal is output and transmitted to the circuit breaker and the display. The bias voltage generator 410 functions to provide an operating power source to the comparator.

5 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of a display unit according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

As shown in FIG. 5, the display unit 112 may include an independent power supply 500, an arc defect display unit 502, an overload display unit 504, a ground defect display unit 506, and a reset unit 508.

The independent power supply 500 supplies power required for driving the display unit. The display unit should display the cause of the circuit break even after the circuit is cut off, but when the circuit is cut off, the connection with the source is cut off, so that power for display can be supplied. Although the display may be connected to the front end closer to the source than the point which cuts off the source and the load, power may be supplied from the source even after the circuit is cut off. It is preferable to supply the power of the display unit with the power source.

Moreover, in each country, the circuit breaker needs to overcome a predetermined breakdown voltage for stable operation of the circuit breaker. When the power is directly supplied from a source, the display element cannot withstand the breakdown voltage.

The arc defect display unit 502 is connected to the arc defect detection unit, and receives the first trip signal when the arc defect detection unit outputs the first trip signal to display a circuit interruption state due to the arc defect. The arc fault display unit 502 is connected only to the arc fault detector and is not connected to the overload detector and the ground fault detector, but does not operate even if the overload detector and the ground fault detector output the second or third trip signal. The arc fault display unit forms an independent power supply and an open circuit before receiving the trip signal, but upon receiving the trip signal, the arc fault display unit forms an independent power supply and a closed circuit to receive an arc fault by receiving power from the independent power supply 500.

The overload display unit 504 and the ground fault display unit 506 are connected to the overload detector and the ground fault detector, respectively, and when the second or third trip signal is received from the overload detector and the ground fault detector like the arc fault detector, An open circuit is formed with the independent power supply 500 before the blocking state of the signal is displayed and the second or third trip signal is received.

In the present invention, the arc fault display unit 502, the overload display unit 504 and the ground fault display unit 506 is connected only to the corresponding detection unit to indicate the disconnection state of the circuit, whether the interruption of the circuit is caused by an arc or an overload, etc. Can be displayed. After the circuit is broken, the user can determine the cause of the circuit break and determine whether to reconnect the circuit. As described above, the circuit may be reconnected if the cause of interruption of the circuit is an overload or ground fault, but the circuit should not be reconnected in case of an arc fault.

After the circuit is disconnected, the reset unit 508 resets the display unit to its initial state when the circuit is connected again, so that the cause of the circuit no longer displayed.

6 illustrates a detailed circuit configuration of a display unit according to an embodiment of the present invention.

In Fig. 6, diodes 600, 602 and 604 are connected to each of the lines connected to the arc fault detector, the ground fault detector and the overload detector. These three diodes 600, 602, 604 serve to prevent backflow of current, which is a common function of diodes.

In FIG. 6, the first light emitting diode 612 and the first SCR 606 constitute an arc defect detector, and the second light emitting diode 614 and the second SCR 608 constitute a ground defect detector. The third light emitting diode 616 and the third SCR 610 constitute an overload display unit.

When the trip signal is output from the arc defect detector, the trip signal is transmitted to the first SCR 606. SCR does not conduct current under normal conditions, but conducts current when a certain voltage is applied. Therefore, if no trip signal is transmitted, the first SCR 606, the second SCR 608, and the third SCR 610 keep the circuit open, so that the light emitting diode is connected to the independent power source 618 even though it is connected to the independent power supply 618. It does not generate light. When the first trip signal by the arc detection is transmitted to the first SCR connected to the arc detection unit, the first SCR connects the circuit.

When a trip signal is applied to the first SCR 606, the independent power supply 618, the first light emitting diode 612, and the first SCR 606 form a closed circuit so that current flows in the light emitting diode, and the light emitting diode emits light. To generate a circuit interruption status due to an arc fault. In this case, since no voltage is applied to the second SCR 608 and the third SCR 610, the portion where the second LED 614 and the third LED 616 are connected does not form a closed circuit, so The light emitting diode 614 and the third light emitting diode 616 do not generate light.

Even if a trip signal is transmitted due to a ground fault, it operates in the same way as an arc fault. The second trip signal at the ground fault detector is transmitted to a second SCR 608 connected with the ground fault detector, and the second SCR 608 connects the circuit.

When the second SCR 608 operates, the independent power source 618, the second light emitting diode 614, and the second SCR form a closed circuit, and current flows, and the second light emitting diode 614 generates light to generate a ground fault. Displays the circuit break status by

In the present embodiment, the case where the cause of the circuit is blocked by using the light emitting diode has been described, but it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that it is within the scope of the present invention to indicate the cause of the circuit by using other display elements.

Resistors 620, 622, 624 and capacitors 626, 628, 630 are connected to each SCR 606, 608, 610 in parallel. These resistors 620, 622, 624 and capacitors 626, 628, 630 are elements for stable operation of the circuit, and do not affect the function of the circuit.

The bipolar junction transistor 632 serves as a reset portion. The transistor is connected to the source power supply. If any one of the arc fault detector, the ground fault detector, and the overload detector generates a trip signal to cut off the circuit, the bipolar junction transistor 632 is not supplied with power and thus does not affect the operation of the display circuit. The cause of interruption of the circuit is indicated in the manner as described above. According to another embodiment of the present invention, a field effect transistor (FET) may be used instead of the bipolar junction transistor 632.

When the circuit is disconnected and reconnected, the transistor 632 receives power from a source, and operates to equalize the voltage of the emitter terminal and the voltage of the collector terminal. As shown in FIG. 6, since the emitter terminal of the bipolar junction transistor 632 is connected to ground, the voltage of the collector terminal becomes 0, so that no current flows through the light emitting diode. That is, when the circuit is reconnected through the operation of the transistor 632, the display circuit no longer displays the cause of the interruption.

7 illustrates a circuit configuration of a display unit according to still another embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 7 illustrates a circuit in which an SCR is modified to two transistors in the display circuit of FIG. 6. FIG. 7 does not show all of the display circuits for convenience of explanation, but only one of the three display terminals.

As shown in FIG. 7, the light emitting diode 700 is connected to the PNP transistor 702, and the base of the PNP transistor 702 is connected to the collector of the NPN transistor 704. The trip signal from the arc defect detection unit or the like is input to the collector of the PNP transistor 702.

If the trip signal is not input, the NPN transistor does not operate because no voltage is supplied to the base terminal of the NPN transistor 704. Since the NPN transistor 704 is not driven, even if the emitter terminal of the NPN transistor is grounded, the collector terminal of the NPN transistor, that is, the base terminal of the PNP transistor 702, is not grounded. Therefore, the PNP transistor 702 ) Also does not drive, so no current flows through the circuit and the light emitting diode 700 does not emit light.

When the trip signal is input, since power is supplied to the base terminal of the NPN transistor 704, the NPN transistor starts to drive, and the potential of the NPN transistor collector is close to the ground. Therefore, the PNP transistor 702 also drives. The trip signal is instantaneously input, but once the NPN transistor is driven, the emitter voltage is also applied to the collector, so that the NPN transistor 704 is continuously supplied with voltage to the base terminal even after the trip signal is broken. In the circuit shown in Fig. 1, a closed loop is formed and the light emitting diode 700 emits light.

8 illustrates a circuit configuration of a display unit according to still another embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 8 replaces the battery using the battery as the independent power source in FIG. 6. As shown in FIG. 8, when the battery 800 is used, the battery 800 is supplied with power from a source when the circuit is not disconnected.

Diode 806 connected to the source has a general function of preventing backflow. The zener diode 804 connected to the output of the diode 806 first fixes the voltage, and the zener diode 802 connected to the rear end functions to secondarily fix the voltage to match the rated capacity of the battery 800. . The resistor connected between the zener diodes 806 and 802 regulates the rated capacity of the current flowing to the battery.

When the circuit is cut off, the battery 800 does not receive power from the source and independently supplies power to the display circuit as in the battery of FIG. 6.

9 is a block diagram illustrating a circuit configuration of a display unit according to still another embodiment of the present invention.

As shown in FIG. 9, the display unit according to another exemplary embodiment of the present invention includes a first level detector 900, a second level detector 902, a third level detector 904, a microprocessor 906, and a digital display. It may include a display 908.

The first level detector 900 determines whether a trip signal is transmitted from the arc defect detector, and the second level detector 902 determines whether a trip signal is transmitted from the ground defect detector, and the third level detector 904. ) Determines whether the trip signal is transmitted from the overload detector. The first level detector 900, the second level detector 902, and the third level detector 904 transmit the trip signal to the microprocessor when it receives the trip signal.

The microprocessor 906 receives the signals from the level detectors and determines which detector receives the trip signal. The microprocessor 907 identifies the cause of interruption of the circuit and transmits a corresponding preset control signal to the digital display 908. The digital display 908 receives the control signal from the microprocessor to display the cause of interruption of the circuit. .

10 is a circuit diagram showing the configuration of a circuit breaker according to another embodiment of the present invention.

The circuit breaker according to another exemplary embodiment of the present invention illustrated in FIG. 10 is a device for displaying a disconnected state and a cause of interruption of a circuit through sound.

As shown in FIG. 10, the device for indicating the interrupted state of the circuit and the cause of the interruption through sound replaces the light emitting diode with a sound generator in the circuit shown in FIG.

As in the case of FIG. 6, when a trip signal is transmitted from the arc defect detection unit, the first SCR 1006 operates due to the trip signal to operate the independent power supply 1018, the first sound generator 1018, and the first SCR 1006. The closed circuit is formed. Therefore, the first sound generator generates a preset sound to indicate that the circuit is blocked due to the arc defect, and the second sound generator and the third sound generator do not operate.

The first sound generator 1012, the second sound generator 1014, and the third sound generator 1016 may be set to generate different sounds to inform the cause of the interruption of the circuit.

It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that the independent power source 618 may be replaced with a storage battery, as in the case of FIG.

The first SCR 1006, the second SCR 1008, and the third SCR 1010 illustrated in FIG. 10 may be replaced with a combination of an NPN transistor and a PNP transistor as in the case of FIG. 7.

As described above, according to the circuit breaker having a display function according to the present invention, there is an advantage that the cause of the circuit can be displayed even when the circuit is cut off so that power cannot be supplied.

In addition, since the power of the display circuit is supplied through an independent power source, the display circuit may operate without an abnormality even if an overvoltage is applied, and the display circuit may be operated without a breakdown voltage established in each country.

In addition, since not only the disconnection state of the circuit is displayed but also the cause of the interruption, the user may determine whether to reconnect the circuit.

Claims (19)

Connected to a circuit that delivers power from the source to the load, An arc fault detector for detecting whether the circuit has an arc fault and generating a trip signal, a ground fault detector for detecting whether the circuit has a ground fault and generating a trip signal, and whether an overcurrent due to an overload flows in the circuit At least one or more of the overload detection unit for detecting whether or not to generate a trip signal, In at least one of the arc fault detection unit, ground fault detection unit, overload detection unit generates a trip signal, the circuit breaker to cut the circuit, At least one of the arc fault detection unit, the ground fault detection unit, and the overload detection unit generates a trip signal to reset the state display when the circuit is disconnected, and means for displaying the circuit break state and the cause of the interruption when the circuit is disconnected. Further comprising a display unit including a reset means, And means for displaying the interruption state and cause of interruption of the circuit is driven by an independent power supply. The method of claim 1, Means for indicating the interruption state and the cause of the interruption of the circuit, Arc defect display means connected to the arc defect detection unit to display an arc defect state in response to a trip signal generated by the arc defect detection unit, and grounded in response to a trip signal connected to the ground defect detection unit and generated by the ground defect detection unit And at least one of a ground fault display means for displaying a fault condition and an overload display means connected to the overload detector to display an overload condition in response to a trip signal generated by the overload detector. The method of claim 2, And the arc fault indicating means, the ground fault indicating means and the overload indicating means each include an SCR for connecting a circuit to form a closed circuit with the independent power supply in response to a trip signal being transmitted. The method of claim 2, The arc fault display means, the ground fault display means, and the overload display means may be configured in response to a trip signal being transmitted to form a closed circuit with the independent power supply. And a PNP transistor based on a collector, respectively. The method of claim 2, And the arc fault display means, the ground fault display means and the overload display means comprise light emitting diodes operative in response to the trip signal. The method of claim 1, And said reset means comprises a bipolar junction transistor. The method of claim 1, And said reset means comprises a FET. The method of claim 6, The base of the bipolar junction transistor is powered from the source when the circuit is reconnected, the emitter is grounded, and the collector is connected to an independent power source. The method of claim 1, Means for indicating the interruption state and the cause of the interruption of the circuit, A first level detector connected to the arc fault detector to generate an output when receiving a trip signal from the arc fault detector; a first level detector connected to the ground fault detector to generate an output when receiving a trip signal from the ground fault detector; A second level detector and at least one of a third level detector connected to the overload detector to generate an output when a trip signal is received from the overload detector; A microprocessor which receives the outputs from the level detectors to determine the cutoff state of the circuit and the cause of the cutoff, and output a control signal accordingly; And And a digital display for displaying the disconnection state of the circuit and the cause of the interruption according to a control signal from the microprocessor. The method of claim 1, And the independent power supply is a battery. The method of claim 1, The independent power supply is a circuit breaker, characterized in that the storage battery. An arc fault detector for detecting whether the circuit has an arc fault and generating a trip signal, a ground fault detector for detecting whether the circuit has a ground fault and generating a trip signal, and whether an overcurrent due to an overload flows in the circuit At least one or more of the overload detection unit for detecting whether or not to generate a trip signal, In at least one of the arc fault detection unit, the ground fault detection unit, the overload detection unit generates a trip signal, the circuit breaker for disconnecting the circuit in the method for detecting and displaying the circuit abnormality, If at least one of the arc fault detector, the ground fault detector, and the overload detector generates a trip signal to display a trip signal, indicating a circuit break state and a cause of interruption; And Resetting the status display when the circuit is reconnected. The method of claim 12, wherein the indication of the cause of interruption includes any one of interruption due to arc fault, interruption due to ground fault, and interruption due to overload. The method of claim 12, The reset of the state display is a state display method of the circuit breaker, characterized in that for reset using a transistor or a FET. The method of claim 12, The status display is a status display method of the circuit breaker, characterized in that for displaying by using a light emitting diode operating when the trip signal is transmitted. The method of claim 12, The status display method of the circuit breaker, characterized in that the display of the state of the circuit and the cause of the interruption is displayed using an independent power supply. Connected to a circuit that delivers power from the source to the load, An arc fault detector for detecting whether the circuit has an arc fault and generating a trip signal, a ground fault detector for detecting whether the circuit has a ground fault and generating a trip signal, and whether an overcurrent due to an overload flows in the circuit At least one or more of the overload detection unit for detecting whether or not to generate a trip signal, In at least one of the arc fault detection unit, ground fault detection unit, overload detection unit generates a trip signal, the circuit breaker to cut the circuit, At least one of the arc fault detector, the ground fault detector, and the overload detector generates a trip signal to reset the state indication when the circuit is disconnected, and means for notifying the circuit of the circuit and the cause of the interruption when the circuit is disconnected. Further comprising a sound generating unit including a reset means to make, And means for notifying the interrupted state of the circuit and the cause of the interruption by sound is driven by an independent power source. The method of claim 17, Means for notifying the interrupted state of the circuit and the cause of the interruption by sound, A first sound generator connected to the arc fault detector to notify an arc fault condition in response to a trip signal generated by the arc fault detector, a ground fault in response to a trip signal connected to the ground fault detector to generate a ground fault detector; At least one of a second sound generator for notifying a state and a third sound generator connected to the overload detector and informing an overload state in response to a trip signal generated by the overload detector, wherein the first sound generator and the second sound And the third sound generator generates different sounds. The method of claim 17, And the arc fault indicating means, the ground fault indicating means and the overload indicating means each include an SCR for connecting a circuit to form a closed circuit with the independent power supply in response to a trip signal being transmitted.