Abstract: A circuit protection system is provided that provides a dynamic delay time to an upstream circuit breaker if a fault is detected in a circuit where the dynamic delay time can be based upon the location of the fault, such as the nearest downstream circuit breaker. A control processing unit can determine a dynamic delay time for opening a first circuit breaker if a fault is detected in the circuit. The control processing unit delays opening the first circuit breaker until after the dynamic delay time has elapsed to provide an opportunity for the nearest circuit breaker to clear the fault.

Abstract: Resettable circuit interrupting devices, such as ALCI and IDCI devices, that include reset lockout portion are provided.

Abstract: A method for isolating suites includes the steps of isolating the suites when an alarm is initiated, setting a timer during isolation creating a window of time to clear a short circuit, clearing said short circuit, removing isolation from the suites as the timer reaches completion, determining if there is a short circuit in each of the suites, and isolating suites that have a short circuit.

Abstract: A device for holding a wafer, an electronic component comprises a system for transporting without deformation a wafer of electronic components. The device also enables the transport by one or the other of the passive or active faces. The device comprises a planar and thin rigid support having a controllable temperature and at least an electrode consisting of (N+1) elements, confined between two sheets of insulating material. The support provides a protrusion-free surface for gripping the wafer, and electrostatic elements for positive retention of the wafer induces a gripping power of the latter distributed over the entire support. The U-shaped support is borne by the electrical bond of the electrode with a remote (adjustable, AC or DC, mono-multipolar) power source. The gripping surface of the device is planar and protrusion-free whatever the geometry of the support used.

Abstract: A directional ground relay (50) for receiving electric values relating to voltage and current from a power transmission line (1) to be protected. The directional ground relay may decide a direction of a fault in the power transmission line based upon the electric values. The directional ground relay comprises a zero-phase sequential current calculation unit (10-2) for calculating a zero-phase sequential current based upon the current detected from the power transmission line. The directional ground relay further comprises a phase-comparison unit (10-3) configured to compare a phase of the zero-phase sequential current to a phase of voltage corresponding to the voltage in the power transmission line, to decide whether the zero-phase sequential current is within a pre-determined range, and to output the phase of the voltage as a faulty phase of voltage, when the zero-phase sequential current is within the pre-determined range.

Abstract: An electrostatic discharge protection circuit includes a first terminal, a second terminal, an electrostatic discharge device coupled between the first and second terminals, and an active device coupled to the electrostatic discharge device and controlling an electrostatic current through the electrostatic discharge device. The electrostatic discharge device includes at least one of an SCR, an FOD, an active device, a BJT, and an MOS device.

Abstract: A protective device (1) which is attached on an internal side of a compressor, includes a housing (10) of an insulating material, a motor protector (20) placed on the housing (10) and having a thermally responsive switch inside, a fuse device (30), a connective terminal (40) electrically connected to a hermetic terminal in the compressor, and a quick connect terminal (50). A portion (11) of the housing for varying an installation position of the connective terminal (40) includes a plurality of vertical grooves (11a) and a horizontal slot (11b). These grooves and slots (11a and 11b) are formed equally spaced from one another at a periphery of the housing (10). The connective terminal (40) has an engaging part (41) and a fuse connecting part (43). The fuse connecting part (43) is inserted through the horizontal slot (11b), and the engaging part (41) is engaged with a selected vertical groove (11a) to determine a direction and/or a position of the protective device (1) in the compressor.

Abstract: Methods and apparatuses are disclosed for protecting solar cells from cellular degradation caused by an electrostatic discharge pulse. In one embodiment, a diode may bypass current generated from an electrostatic discharge so that the pulse current does not reverse bias the solar cell. Advanced diodes, capacitors and/or multiple diodes located on multiple bypass current paths, may be used. In another embodiment, the transient impedance of the current path that reverse biases the solar cell is increased by using inductors placed along the reversing current path. In another embodiment, the pulse current rise rate is reduced by extending the harness length of cell contacts. In another embodiment, solar cells in a serpentine pattern may be protected from electrostatic discharge damage by coupling bypass current paths to the open ends of the serpentine. Inductors may also be placed in series with the serpentine series of cells.

Abstract: In a hybrid DC electromagnetic contactor, by including a power unit for supplying a certain power voltage; a main contact point of a breaking switch for providing a supply path of the power voltage by being switched in accordance with a voltage apply to an operational coil; a switch for providing a supply path of the power voltage according to a gate signal; a snubber circuit for charging voltage at the both ends of the switch in turning off of the switch and being applied-discharged an electric current when the charged voltage is not less than a certain voltage; and a discharge current removing unit for removing the discharge current by providing a discharge current path to a load block in turning off of the switch, it is possible to minimize a size of leakage current when the main contact point and the semiconductor switch are turned off, and accordingly it can be practically used.

Abstract: A circuit breaker lockout device is provided that prevents the breaker contacts from being closed when the circuit breaker is in a lockout state in response to a lockout signal and permits the breaker contacts to be closed when the circuit breaker is an enable state in response to an enable signal.

Abstract: A over heat protection circuit for a brushless dc motor includes a thermal sensitive resistor, a resistor and a transistor. The thermal sensitive resistor and the resistor are commonly connected to a base of the transistor while an emitter of the transistor connecting to a motor coil. The thermal sensitive resistor has a resistance value which can be changed in response to an operational temperature. The thermal sensitive resistor is preset to operate at a safety temperature within a predetermined thermal preference. When the operational temperature of the motor coil exceeds the safety temperature, the over heat protection circuit may to cut off a motor current so that the motor coil is protected.

Abstract: Disclosed is an overcurrent protection circuit including an overcurrent trip and a switching element. A switched current passing through the switching element can be detected by the overcurrent trip and the switching element can be tripped to open if the switched current fulfils a tripping requirement. A current limiter is series-connected downstream of the switching element.

Abstract: A circuit and system is disclosed for driving one or more inductive loads, or one or more electrical loads including one or more inductive components. A control computer is configured to selectively supply a boost voltage to the one or more inductive loads, and to controllably commutate energy stored in one or more of the inductive loads back to a rechargeable source of the boost voltage.

Abstract: An air ionizer blower includes a voltage source, an air inlet, an air outlet, an air mover, at least one electrode and a straightening vane. The air mover is configured to cause air to flow into the air inlet and out of the air outlet, thereby creating an air flow. The electrode is disposed in the flow path of the air and is electrically connected to the voltage source. The electrode is configured to generate either or both of positive and negative polarity ions. The straightening vane is disposed in the air flow and attenuates loss-causing air flow patterns by redirecting the loss-causing air flow toward a single output direction and redirects portions of the air flow having other trajectories toward the single output direction. The straightening vane has a plurality of uniformly distributed apertures, each having a depth that is a function of the open area of the aperture.

Abstract: The present X-ray protector requires no raising of a voltage to be impressed to a cathode ray tube (CRT) and no complicated control procedure for testing the X-ray protector's operation. The voltage applied to the CRT is detected by a detection winding of a flyback transformer and a detection circuit. An input line, which includes a resistor inputs a signal based on the detected voltage to a microcomputer. The microcomputer controls whether a transistor is conductive or unconductive. An emitter of the transistor is connected to one terminal of the resistor, and a collector is connected to the other terminal of the resistor. When the transistor is conductive both ends of the resistor are short-circuited causing the electric voltage of a signal input to the microcomputer to be raised, thereby enabling testing of the X-ray protector without the need to apply a higher than normal voltage to the CRT.

Abstract: The invention concerns a device for protecting an electric source adapted to power an electric member comprising a test unit (6) adapted to deliver a signal (8) representing the availability of the electric source (2), to a control unit (10). The unit (10) determines an operating mode of the electric member (4) wherein the power consumption of the electric member is a function of the availability signal (8) received from the test unit (6). The electric source (2) can power directly the electric member (4) and the control unit (10) can act on the electric member itself. The control unit (10) can also be interposed between the electric source (2) and the electric member (4) to modify at least one characteristic of the current powering the electric member.

Abstract: A solid state motor protector has a first PTC chip (positive temperature coefficient of resistivity) electrically connected in series relation with a second resistor having a generally fixed temperature coefficient of resistivity and mechanically coupled to the first resistor in close/direct thermal coupling. Another embodiment has a plate like isolator (52) formed with an opening receiving a polymer PTC chip (58) and having terminals (54, 56) which serve as fixed resistors. Yet another embodiment has an additional PTC resistor and a fixed resistor used in a motor reversing mechanism. Still another embodiment has a fixed resistor on either side of a PTC resistor for use in protecting the windings of a single phase motor. Another embodiment has a stack of polymer PTC resistor chips (82a–82d) with one chip serving as a voltage blocking chip and the other chip serving as fixed resistors.

Abstract: An over-voltage protection circuit is disclosed herein for protection against over-voltage of an energy storage device while charging. The circuit operates within the operational limits of a battery-operated device, such as a mobile or handheld device. The over-voltage protection circuit comprises an over-voltage protection device, and an over-voltage protection controller. The controller allows current to flow to the over-voltage protection device only when an energy storage device is experiencing over-voltage. In allowing current to flow to the over-voltage protection device only when the voltage across the energy storage device is above a predetermined voltage, power conservation is achieved.

Abstract: The present invention combines sensor portions 22, 23 of the device for measuring either current flowing through the line from the power inlet to the power outlet or voltage, or both, and bushings 150, 160 installed at either the power inlet or the power outlet, or both, so as to reduce the size of the gas insulating apparatus. Specifically, the above-mentioned sensor portions 22, 23 are installed in the space inside the porcelain tube 15 that constitutes the bushings 150, 160. As this space, it is preferable to use the space on the outer-periphery side of the electric field relaxation member 21 provided inside the porcelain tube 15.

Abstract: The invention relates to a controlling of micromechanical elements. Especially the invention relates to the controlling of the micromechanical switches. According to a method for controlling at least one micromechanical element a first control signal and a second control signal are fed to the micromechanical element. The second control signal is arranged to set the micromechanical element to an active state and the first control signal is arranged to hold the micromechanical element in the active state. An arrangement for controlling at least one micromechanical element (402) contains at least means for generating at least a first control signal and a second control signal, means for raising a voltage level of at least the second control signal and means for feeding the first control signal and the second control signal with raised voltage level to the micromechanical element. By means of the invention lower voltage levels can be used in micromechanical applications.