A miniature circuit breaker for providing short circuit and overload protection is disclosed herein. The miniature circuit breaker features a field effect transistor (FET), which may be a depletion mode metal oxide semiconductor FET (D MOSFET), a junction field-effect transistor (JFET), or a silicon carbide JFET, the FET being connected to a bi-metallic switch, where the bi-metallic switch acts as a temperature sensing circuit breaker. In combination, the D MOSFET and bi-metallic switch are able to limit current to downstream circuit components, thus protecting the components from damage.

A method of operating a Fault Current Limiter Circuit Breaker including a plurality of FLCB modules connected in series, including at least a first module and a second module. Each module includes a plurality of parallel component legs including a mechanical switch leg including a mechanical switch, a semiconductor switch leg including a semiconductor switch, and a Metal Oxide Varistor leg including a MOV. The method includes, when the FLBC is in an open configuration, obtaining an indication that the FLCB should be closed; in response to the obtained indication, closing the semiconductor switch of each of the modules; and, after the closing of the semiconductor switches and while the mechanical switch of the second module remains open, closing the mechanical switch of the first module.

A system is disclosed which eliminates problems caused by surges of electric energy which is generated on a utility customer's property and which is fed back onto a utility-owned service line by maintaining a minimum utility provided percentage (MUPP) of power being provided onto a customer-owned dead-end service line. Where the electric energy generated by a utility customer is incrementally excluded from the customer-owned dead-end service line through a plurality of contactors which are controlled by a 120 volt command line.

An electronic device includes: a control terminal, which extends on a first face of a substrate; a first conduction terminal, which extends in the substrate at the first face of the substrate; a first insulating layer interposed between the control terminal and the first conduction terminal; a conductive path, which can be biased at a biasing voltage; and a protection element, coupled to the control terminal and to the conductive path, which forms an electrical connection between the control terminal and the conductive path and is designed to melt, and thus interrupt electrical connection, in the presence of a leakage current higher than a critical threshold between the control terminal and the first conduction terminal through the first insulating layer.

A method for operating a circuit breaker includes: initiating a shutdown process when a fault current caused by body contact or ground contact is detected; and during the shutdown process, reducing a voltage value between a neutral conductor and at least one current-carrying conductor at an output of the circuit breaker to substantially zero from an operating-voltage value according to a predetermined shutdown curve by a shutdown unit. During the shutdown process, the circuit is not suddenly interrupted, but the voltage value is reduced from a starting point according to the shutdown curve and only reaches substantially zero after a predetermined first time period.

A method for operating a circuit breaker includes: initiating a shutdown process when a fault current caused by body contact or ground contact is detected; and during the shutdown process, reducing a voltage value between a neutral conductor and at least one current-carrying conductor at an output of the circuit breaker to substantially zero from an operating-voltage value according to a predetermined shutdown curve by a shutdown unit. During the shutdown process, the circuit is not suddenly interrupted, but the voltage value is reduced from a starting point according to the shutdown curve and only reaches substantially zero after a predetermined first time period.

A powered surgical stapling assembly comprising a motor, an end effector, a sensor, a display, and a control circuit is disclosed. The end effector comprises a first jaw and a second jaw movable relative to the first jaw. The end effector is configured to clamp tissue between the first jaw and the second jaw. The sensor is configured to measure a parameter of the tissue clamped within the end effector. The control circuit is configured to monitor the parameter sensed by the sensor and identify when the monitored parameter stabilizes within a stabilization range. The monitored parameter is considered stable when a rate at which the monitored parameter changes falls below a predetermine threshold rate of change. The control circuit is further configured to display to a user when the parameter stabilizes.

The invention provides an over-current protection system. The over-current protection system includes a sensing device, a comparator, a first transistor, and a second transistor. The sensing device is adapted to sense a current flowing to an electrical device. The comparator is adapted to compare a signal received from the sensing device and a reference signal to generate any one of a high signal and a low signal, wherein the output of the comparator is connected to a control device. The first transistor is connected to the output signal of the comparator to control the first transistor, wherein the first transistor is in a conductive state when the output signal of the comparator is a high signal. The second transistor is connected to and controlled by the first transistor, wherein the second transistor is in a conductive state when the first transistor is in the conductive state.

A current interrupting device includes a current limiting element on a power supply path from a predetermined power supply to a load device. The current limiting element is configured to exhibit a current limiting action when current flowing in the power supply path exceeds a first current threshold value. The current interrupting device further includes a current diversion path switch, and a controller programmed to control on and off of the current diversion path switch. The controller is programmed to switch a current diversion path switch on from an off state when it is detected that current flowing in the current limiting element is limited to a second current threshold value after the current flowing in the current limiting element has exceeded the first current threshold value, and switch the switch off again after a predetermined switched-on holding time has elapsed since the switch has been switched on.

A solid state switching device, such as a solid state circuit breaker, includes at least one heat sink, a control electronics printed circuit board (PCB), and power electronics. The power electronics are useful to regulate the flow of current from one terminal of the solid state switching device to another terminal. The power electronics can include one or more solid state devices such as FETs, Thyristors, Thyristors+SiC JFET in parallel, IGBTs, and IGCTs. The control PCB can include a variety of circuit elements useful to perform the function of a gate driver useful to activate the solid state device of the power electronics. The heat sink includes one or more signal vias formed therethrough to permit nesting of the control PCB within the heat sink.