Abstract: An ESD protection circuit design incorporating a single, or a plurality of, parallel inductor and capacitor, also known as LC tank(s), to avoid power loss by parasitic capacitance in ESD circuits. The first design described incorporates a LC tank structure. The second includes two LC tank structures. These structures can be expanded to form ESD protection circuit structures stacked with n-stages LC tanks. The last design described is ESD protection circuits formed by stacking the first design. These designs can avoid power gain loss from parasitic capacitance of ESD, because the parameters of LC tank can be designed to resonant at a desired operating frequency. Each of these designs can be altered slightly to create variant designs with equal identical ESD protection capabilities.

Abstract: In accordance with the present invention, a method is provided whereby the transient voltages presented at the input to a watt-hour meter are suppressed to prevent damage to the watt-hour meter and to the electronic devices that are powered through the watt-hour meter. In addition to transient voltage protection, the method of the present invention also provides monitoring of the earth ground resistance, voltage and current of the earth ground conductor associated with the watt-hour meter. As such, voltage transients are suppressed when presented at the watt-hour meter through the power line input, ground resistance of the earth ground conductor in continuously monitored and the current and voltage conditions existing on the ground conductor are continuously monitored. Visual and audible indicators are provided to indicate quality issues with the grounding system and the effectiveness of the surge suppressor/arrestor.

Abstract: An ESD protection circuit design incorporating a single, or a plurality of, parallel inductor and capacitor, also known as LC tank(s), to avoid power loss by parasitic capacitance in ESD circuits. The first design described incorporates a LC tank structure. The second includes two LC tank structures. These structures can be expanded to form ESD protection circuit structures stacked with n-stages LC tanks. The last design described is ESD protection circuits formed by stacking the first design. These designs can avoid power gain loss from parasitic capacitance of ESD, because the parameters of LC tank can be designed to resonant at a desired operating frequency. Each of these designs can be altered slightly to create variant designs with equal identical ESD protection capabilities.

Abstract: A technique is provided for controlling and protecting loads such as electric motors. In the technique, current sensing circuitry detects electrical current applied to the load. Device thermal modeling circuitry, such as circuitry for modeling heating of a motor, determines heating based upon the sensed current, and generates a first trip signal in a first range based upon the current. Conductor thermal modeling circuitry estimates heating of conductors that supply current to the load, and generates a second trip signal in a second range based upon the conductor heating. The system provides an extended range of operation for a wide range of loads by effectively modeling conventional thermal overload and instantaneous trip devices.

Abstract: An electromagnetic circuit breaker assembly, comprising at least one circuit breaker, is provided with a reverse polarity circuit that reduces the voltage presented to the terminals of the circuit breaker to which it is electrically connected when the terminals are further connected to a source of voltage in reverse polarity. The circuit breaker assembly is tripped due to the reverse polarity set-up, and remains tripped until the polarity is corrected. The electromagnetic coil is continuous provided with sufficient voltage so that the breaker may not be manually reset until the polarity is corrected. Preferably, the breaker is mechanically connected with another circuit breaker to create an assembly that will protect circuitry and devices against both a reverse polarity condition and an overload condition under normal operation. To this end, the reverse polarity circuit does not affect operation of the circuit breaker assembly if the polarity is in accordance with the normal set-up.

Abstract: An ESD protection circuit design incorporating a single, or a plurality of, parallel inductor and capacitor, also known as LC tank(s), to avoid power loss by parasitic capacitance in ESD circuits. The first design described incorporates a LC tank structure. The second includes two LC tank structures. These structures can be expanded to form ESD protection circuit structures stacked with n-stages LC tanks. The last design described is ESD protection circuits formed by stacking the first design. These designs can avoid power gain loss from parasitic capacitance of ESD, because the parameters of LC tank can be designed to resonant at a desired operating frequency. Each of these designs can be altered slightly to create variant designs with equal identical ESD protection capabilities.

Abstract: The earth leakage protection device comprises an input designed to be connected to a measuring toroid, a comparator to compare a signal representative of an earth leakage current with a reference threshold, and a processing circuit to command a trip relay for opening main contacts when an earth leakage fault is detected. The device also comprises a signal rectifier receiving at least one signal representative of an earth leakage current, and a filter connected to the rectifier to supply a filtered rectified signal to said comparison means. The electrical switchgear unit comprises main conductors and contacts connected in series, the measuring toroid of the earth leakage current, the relay, and an earth leakage protection device with a matching filter connected to the toroid and to the trip relay.

Abstract: An actuator, operated by being supplied with electric power, needs an initial setting for performing a desired operation by recognizing its starting position. The initial setting is conducted when an abnormality occurs in a signal which represents an operation of the actuator. The initial setting is also conducted when a system for the actuator recognizes a fact that a battery is electrically disconnected in association with information denoting a condition of the battery in a memory.

Abstract: Using the leakage current of the base resistance of the bipolar transistor, semiconductor integrated circuit device which detects an overheat condition of the elements protected from overheat, is realized. The overheat detection circuit and the elements or the circuits which might be protected from overheat, are formed on the same substrate. The said overheat detection circuit is comprised of a bipolar transistor, its base resistance, and a constant-voltage source. The constant-voltage source provides a certain voltage to isolate the elements. The joint base resistance is located close to elements or circuits which might be protected from overheat and located far from the constant-voltage source.

Abstract: A waveguide which is particularly suitable for transmitting electrical signals between or to and/or from electronic circuits, for example between integrated circuits disposed on a printed circuit board, has an over-voltage protection region. The over-voltage region of the waveguide region is specifically formed by the actual geometric configuration of the waveguide.

Abstract: A motor control technique is disclosed in which a first algorithm controls interruption of power to a motor in a first current range. A second algorithm controls interruption of power in a second, higher current range. The algorithms may be adapted to specific motor sizes, ratings or classes. The extended range may extend from a transition point (e.g., 6–10 times the FLC of the motor) to an upper limit. The upper limit may be determined based upon a current rating of an instantaneous trip device.

Abstract: A dual stage current limiting surge protector system for protecting telecommunications equipment from power and surge transients is provided. The surge protector system includes a voltage suppressor having first and second ends operatively coupled between input tip and ring terminal pins. The first and second ends of the voltage suppressor are also operatively coupled between output tip and ring terminal pins. First and second current limiting devices are interconnected between the input tip and ring terminal pins and the respective first and second ends of the voltage suppressor. Third and fourth current limiting devices are interconnected between the output tip and ring terminal pins and the respective first and second ends of the voltage suppressor.

Abstract: A resistance value variable element (18a) changes its resistance value in response to abnormal exothermic heat caused by an overcurrent of an external electrical equipment (3). A bias voltage outputted from a bias voltage output circuit (18) changes in accordance with the change of the resistance value. A relay (13) is controlled so as to be opened/closed in accordance with a switching control signal which is controlled in its supply by a second transistor element (17) based on the change of the bias voltage. According to such a control, power interruption and automatic restoring can be made possible. In the overcurrent protection circuit having such an automatic restoring function, the resistance value variable element is not connected in series with a coil (13a) unlike the conventional technique but contained in the bias voltage output circuit for supplying the switching control signal for exciting the coil.

Abstract: A circuit includes at least one input node, at least one output node, a signal conditioning circuit, and an electrostatic discharge (ESD) circuit. The signal conditioning circuit is characterized by a transfer function and adapted to receive input signals from and provide conditioned output signals to the input and output node(s), respectively. The signal conditioning circuit processes the input signal and outputs the conditioned output signal as a function of the transfer function. The ESD protection circuit is adapted to the signal conditioning circuit (i) to suppress electrostatic discharge signals applied to at least one of the input or output node(s) to levels electrically non-destructive to the signal conditioning circuit and (ii) to interact with the signal conditioning circuit in a manner substantially maintaining the transfer function.

Abstract: A resistance network is provided for synthesizing a non-linear logarithmic response in the resistance of the network comprising a potentiometer from the change of the resistance of the potentiometer. The network additionally comprises a set of resistors. The potentiometer allows the resistance of the network to be varied, while the network manipulates the current in such a fashion that the input current required to produce a desired output voltage is a linear function of the resistance of the potentiometer. Incorporated into a current overload detection circuit, this allows an even spacing of the desired trip current settings about the dial of the potentiometer.

Abstract: An electronic power-saving power control circuit for connection between a single-phase power supply and a lighting fixture to control the output of power supply to the lighting fixture is disclosed to include a CPU (central processing unit), a power voltage detector, a silicon controlled semiconductor circuit, a current phase detector, a trigger circuit, a resistor, a current detector, and a DC power supply circuit. The electronic power-saving power control circuit saves the consumption of power supply by dropping the voltage without affecting normal working of the lighting fixture at the load and, achieves an overcurrent protection.

Abstract: Current flowing through a load is monitored by a transformer (Tr1) having a small mutual inductance. The secondary coil is shorted through a rectifier circuit to deliver a charge which, in a first preferred embodiment, is connected to a log charge translator circuit comprising matching diodes (D9, D7 and D10, D8) and a capacitor (C2) to provide a capacitor voltage proportional to the log of the charge delivered through the rectifier circuit. The capacitor is reset after each measurement. In a modified embodiment, the log translator circuit comprises a pair of transistors (T1, T2) and a capacitor (C2). According to the preferred embodiments, two measurements of the capacitor voltage are taken each half cycle at a time determined by the absolute value of the line voltage.

Abstract: An electrostatic chuck support mechanism is disclosed. An electrostatic chuck plate is fixed to a support stand by hold-down fittings, whereby a plug in a lower end portion of a copper pipe is fitted into a fitting socket against the pushing-up force of a jump-up fitting relying on a compression spring member. When the fixing of the electrostatic chuck plate is released from the support stand, the plug of the copper pipe is pushed up by the pushing-up force of the jump-up fitting relying on the compression spring member to move the copper pipe upward along with the electrostatic chuck plate. The electrostatic chuck support mechanism so constructed enables the electrostatic chuck plate to be mounted and detached easily.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to an arc fault protective device that includes a sensor configured to generate a sensor signal in response to an electrical current signal propagating in an electrical distribution system. A level detection circuit is coupled to the electrical distribution system. The level detection circuit is configured to generate a first level detection signal if a magnitude of the electrical current signal is between a first predetermined threshold level and a second predetermined threshold level. The level detection circuit also is configured to generate a second level detection signal if a magnitude of the electrical current signal is greater than the second predetermined threshold level. An arc detection circuit is coupled to the sensor and the level detection circuit. The arc detection circuit is configured to compare the sensor signal to a first arc fault signature and a second arc fault signature.

Abstract: In an SCR-based ESD protection clamp, the voltage overshoot during an ESD event is reduced by separately controlling the voltage pulse to the drain and emitter contacts of the SCR. The voltage pulse to the drain is preferably delayed using a delay circuit such as an RC circuit. This allows double conductivity modulation to be achieved with lower voltage overshoot.