Abstract: A lightning grounding apparatus that includes a pivot arm and an electrical grounding element at the distal end of the pivot arm. An actuator is mechanically coupled to the pivot arm and configured to rotate the pivot arm about an axis so as to swing the distal end of the pivot arm between a retracted position and an extended position that is configured to make physical contact between the electrical grounding element and a surface of a structure to be grounded. A limit switch is provided that is mounted on the pivot arm, and is responsive to a position of a limit switch operating arm. The limit switch operating arm is configured to trip the limit switch in response to a predetermined amount of force against the distal end of the pivot arm resulting from physical contact being made between the electrical grounding element and the surface of the structure.

Abstract: An arc fault detection circuit interruption (AFCI) device includes a high frequency arc noise sensor and an arc fault detection circuit for sensing a high frequency arc noise. The high frequency arc noise sensor is disposed across a hot conductor and a neutral conductor and includes a surge protection device and a surge protection circuit such that the surge protection device protects against a first voltage surge in a first range of thousands to hundreds volts and the surge protection circuit protects against a second voltage surge in a second range of hundreds to few volts. The arc fault detection circuit is coupled in series with the high frequency arc noise sensor. The arc fault detection circuit is coupled to a series combination of a trip solenoid or electromagnet and a silicone-controlled rectifier disposed across the hot conductor and the neutral conductor.

Abstract: Disclosed is a voltage detector and a communication circuit capable of detecting a low input voltage. The voltage detector includes: an alternating-current coupling circuit generating a first and a second input voltages according to a source input voltage; a feedback amplifier outputting a branch current according to a sink current including the branch current, and determining an output voltage according to the first input voltage and the amount of the branch current; and an auxiliary circuit outputting the amount of the sink current according to the second input voltage. When the sink current increases as the second input voltage rises, the branch current also increases, so that the output voltage not only rises as the first input voltage rises but also rises as the branch current increases. This feature allows a lower input voltage to be detectable by the detection of the risen output voltage.

Abstract: An electrostatic chuck has a structure in which an electrostatic electrode is embedded in a disk-like ceramic plate and attracts a wafer that is placed on the ceramic plate and that has a diameter smaller than that of the ceramic plate by Johnsen-Rahbek force. The electrostatic chuck includes an insulating film that has an electric resistance larger than that of the ceramic plate in an annular region of a front surface of the ceramic plate from an outer circumferential edge of the ceramic plate to the inside of an outer circumferential edge of the wafer that is placed on the ceramic plate.

Abstract: A circuit includes processing circuitry is sensitive to a regulated voltage at the output node and to a temperature of the circuit. The processing circuit is configured to provide voltage and temperature sensing signals indicative of the regulated voltage at the output node and the temperature of the circuit. The processing circuitry is configured to assume i) a first state, as a result of the voltage sensing signal reaching a voltage threshold, ii) a second state, as a result of the temperature detection signal reaching a temperature threshold, or iii) a third state, as a result of both the voltage and the temperature sensing signals failing to reach the thresholds. The circuit comprises a warning output coupled to a warning signal generation network controlled by the processing circuitry.

Abstract: The invention relates to a triggered fuse for low-voltage applications for protecting devices that can be connected to a power supply system, in particular surge protection devices, consisting of at least one fusible conductor which is located between two contacts and is arranged in a housing, and also consisting of a trigger device for controlled disconnection of the fusible conductor in the event of malfunctions or overload states of the respective connected device, wherein an arc quenching medium is introduced into the housing. By way of example, an arc quenching medium-free region is formed in the housing such that the at least one fusible conductor is exposed, and a mechanical disconnection element can be introduced into the arc quenching medium-free region via an access point in the housing in order to mechanically destroy the at least one fusible conductor depending on the trigger device, and independently of its melting integral.

Abstract: An electrostatic discharge (ESD) blocking circuit including an internal circuit, a first Schottky diode, and an ESD releasing element is provided. The first Schottky diode is coupled between a specific node and the internal circuit. The ESD releasing element is coupled between the specific node and the first power terminal. In response to an ESD event occurring at the specific node, the ESD releasing element is turned on to release the ESD current from the specific node to the first power terminal.

Abstract: A neutralization device that neutralizes static electricity on a portion of a vehicle exposed to outside. The neutralization device causes corona discharge according to a positive potential thereof. The neutralization device is attached to a surface exposed outwardly widthwise of the vehicle in at least one of an inner circumferential portion of a tire and a predetermined point of an outer surface of tire wheel.

Abstract: Provided is an arc suppression device including one or more current-limiting circuits provided in parallel with a circuit breaker that switches between feeding and shutoff of power from a power supply. The current-limiting circuit shuts off a current from the power supply when the power from the power supply is fed to a load through a circuit breaker. The current from the power supply is shut off when a voltage generated by a potential difference between contacts of the circuit breaker becomes a predetermined voltage or higher in a case where feeding of the power from the power supply to the load is shut off by the circuit breaker. The potential difference is generated upon shutoff.

Abstract: A noise reduction circuit is connected between at least one line of an input line and an output line of a DC-DC converter, a ground, and a ground terminal of a switching control IC included in the DC-DC converter. The noise reduction circuit includes a first capacitor connected between the at least one line and the ground terminal, a second capacitor connected between the at least one line and the ground, and an inductor connected between the ground terminal and the ground.

Abstract: At least one example embodiment provides a low-voltage circuit breaker for interrupting a low-voltage circuit. The low-voltage circuit breaker includes at least one first current sensor configured to determine a magnitude of an electrical current of the low-voltage circuit, an interruption unit with contacts configured to interrupt the low-voltage circuit, an electronic trip unit connected to the first current sensor and the interruption unit and configured in such a way that an interruption of the low-voltage circuit is instigated upon current or/and current period limit values being exceeded, and a power supply unit configured to supply power to the electronic trip unit and to at least one additional component of the low-voltage circuit breaker, wherein a second current sensor is between the power supply unit and the at least one additional component, said second current sensor configured to determine the magnitude of the current of the additional component.

Abstract: The invention relates to an overvoltage protection arrangement consisting of a horn spark gap accommodated in an insulating housing (1) having a deion chamber. A trigger electrode is located in the ignition area of the horn spark gap. A varistor is also present, electrically connected in series to the horn spark gap. According to the invention, a first and a second disconnection apparatus are formed in the housing, wherein the first disconnection apparatus (2) is in heat-conducting connection with the varistor and, when a limit temperature is reached or exceeded, releases a spring-loaded slide (3) which interrupts the series connection between varistor and horn spark gap.

Abstract: A time-current coordination (TCC) curve for a programmable low-set instantaneous overcurrent (IOC) relay for at least one station breaker in an electrical distribution feeder with a fuse-saving scheme and a method of coordinating at least one recloser with the station breaker in the said feeder, for the reduction of frequency of power interruptions encountered by at least one load on the feeder and wherein the method includes the steps of: (a) feasible selection of a range for a time delay of a station breaker's programmable low-set IOC relay; (b) choosing a time delay based on a fuse-saving relation; and optionally (c) locating the recloser on the feeder.

Abstract: According to an example aspect of the present invention, there is provided an apparatus for magnetically attaching to a load comprising: a direct current power source; an electromagnet comprising a coil connectable to the direct current power source for feeding current to the coil for attaching to a load by a magnetic force; a current measurement device connected to the coil; a user interface for displaying information indicating a load capacity of the apparatus; and a controller operatively connected to the direct current power source, the coil, the current measurement device and the user interface to cause: connecting the direct current power source to the coil; measuring current of the coil; determining a rise time of the current to a nominal value of current of the coil, when the load is attached to the apparatus; determining a load capacity and/or usage level of the load capacity of the apparatus based on the rise time of the current to the nominal value; and displaying the load capacity on the user inte

Abstract: Methods and systems are described for selectively providing a signal path from a respective wire of a multi-wire bus to at least one corresponding data signal output node of at least one set of differential data signal output nodes using a respective switching element in a respective set of signal path circuits connected in parallel, and generating a set of discharge currents, each discharge current of the set of discharge currents generated through a respective resistive element in the respective set of signal path circuits to discharge a portion of a voltage pulse on the respective wire of the multi-wire bus to one or more metallic planes via a respective localized ESD protection circuit, the respective resistive element and the respective localized ESD protection circuit connected between the respective wire and the respective switching element.

Abstract: A leakage current detection and protection device coupled between input and output ends of power lines, and includes first and second switching modules, a leakage current detection module, a self-test module, and first and second drive modules. When the leakage current detection module detects a leakage current on the power lines, the second drive module controls the second switching module to disconnect power to the output end. When the self-test module detects a fault in the leakage current detection module, the first drive module controls the first switching module to disconnect the power to the output ends. The first switching module is coupled between the input end and a point where the leakage current detection module, the self-test module, and the first and second drive modules are coupled, so that these modules are de-powered when the first switching module disconnects the electrical connection to output ends.

Abstract: An image recognition apparatus is provided with: a divider configured to divide a frame image into a plurality of areas, wherein the frame image is obtained by imaging or capturing a scene outside through a window glass on which a wiper is mounted, from an interior of a moving body; a determinator configured to determine whether or not at least one of the wiper and an attached substance to the window glass appears, for each of the plurality of areas; an object detector configured to detect an object included in such an area of the plurality of areas that it is determined that the wiper and the attached substance do not appear; and a tracking device configured to track a tracking target, which is an object included in two or more frame images, on the basis of a detection result of the object detector.

Abstract: A power-saving circuit for a contactor includes a coil drive circuit, and further includes a rectification and filtering circuit, a PFC circuit, an auxiliary power supply circuit, and a square wave generation circuit. The square wave generation circuit outputs a first square wave signal to the PFC circuit via a first output end according to a set timing sequence, and outputs a second square wave signal and a third square wave signal to the coil drive circuit via a second output end, so as to respectively control duty cycles of a first switch tube in the PFC circuit and a second switch tube in the coil drive circuit. The auxiliary power supply circuit supplies electric energy to the square wave generation circuit during a holding stage of the contactor.

Abstract: The present disclosure provides an electrostatic protection circuit, a circuit board, and an electrostatic protecting method. The electrostatic protection circuit includes a first relay and a second relay, wherein a control terminal of the first relay and a control terminal of the second relay are configured to be connected to a power supply of a system circuit respectively, and wherein the first relay and the second relay are connected in series between the system circuit and a ground terminal to form a charge release path, and the first relay is switched from an open circuit state to a short circuit state when the system circuit is powered off, and the charge release path is in a turn-on state after the first relay is switched to the short circuit state, thereby releasing an electrostatic charge in the system circuit.

Abstract: The DC interrupting device includes a main current conduction unit including a main interrupting switch, which is a mechanical switch, a reverse current power supply unit connected to an input terminal of the main current conduction unit and configured to generate a predetermined reverse current, and a reverse current conduction unit configured to supply the reverse current to an output terminal of the main current conduction unit. The reverse current power supply unit includes a first reverse current dedicated capacitor charged by a voltage applied to an input terminal of the main current conduction unit, a polarity reversing inductor configured to reverse a polarity of the first reverse current dedicated capacitor, and a reverse current power supply unit switch configured to perform circuit connection such that the polarity reversing inductor reverses the polarity of the first reverse current dedicated capacitor.