An electrical switching apparatus includes a plurality of poles each comprising separable contacts, an operating mechanism structured to open and close the separable contacts and to trip open the separable contacts in response to a fault condition, and a housing enclosing the separable contacts. The housing includes an interior, an exterior, and a plurality of receptacles extending from the exterior toward the interior. A surge protection assembly includes a plurality of modules, wherein each of the modules is removably disposed in a corresponding one of the receptacles of the housing. Each of the modules provides independent surge protection for a corresponding one of the poles of the electrical switching apparatus.

A transient voltage suppression device includes at least one diode string, a power clamp device, at least one first bypass diode, and at least two second bypass diodes. The diode string is coupled between a power terminal and a common bus and coupled to an input output (I/O) port. The power clamp device is coupled between the power terminal and the common bus. The first bypass diode is coupled between the common bus and a ground terminal. The second bypass diodes are coupled in series, coupled between the common bus and the ground terminal, and coupled to the first bypass diode in reverse parallel. Alternatively, the first bypass diode and the second bypass diodes are replaced with at least one bi-directional electrostatic discharge (ESD) device.

Power delivery may be controlled to help prevent arcing when a data cable supplying power from a power source device to a power sink device is disconnected. The presence of a user in proximity to a connection between a cable plug and a cable receptacle may be detected. The level of a power signal being conveyed from the power source to the power sink may be reduced in response to the detection.

A multi-port solid-state circuit breaker system includes a first electrical power bus, a second electrical power bus, and a plurality of breaker legs conductively coupled with the first electrical power bus and the second electrical power bus in parallel with one another. Each of the plurality of breaker legs includes a first power semiconductor device coupled in series with a second power semiconductor device and an input/output port intermediate the first power semiconductor device and the second power semiconductor device. At least one of the first semiconductor device and the second semiconductor device includes an actively controlled switching device. A surge suppressor is conductively coupled in parallel with the plurality of breaker legs.

An apparatus includes a surge protection device, a current sensor configured to sense a current through the surge protection device, and a surge discriminator circuit coupled to the current sensor and configured to discriminate among a plurality of surge levels for the surge protective device responsive to the sensed current. The current sensor may include a current transformer configured to generate a secondary current responsive to the sensed current and the surge discriminator circuit may be configured to discriminate among a plurality of surge levels responsive to the generated secondary current.

An electrical system includes an input node electrically connectable to a power supply. The system includes a plurality of voltage suppressors, with at least one of the voltage suppressors electrically connected to the input node. A voltage selection switch is electrically connected to at least one of the plurality of voltage suppressors. A controller in communication with the switch may selectively operate the switch based on a nominal operating voltage at the input node.

An electronic device includes an exterior portion of a conductive material, a circuit portion including circuit elements, and a protection circuit portion connected between the exterior portion and the circuit portion. The protection circuit portion includes a switching unit to intercept leakage current that flows from the circuit portion and leaks to the exterior portion, and a conversion unit to reduce a voltage level of an electrostatic component that flows through the exterior portion and to transfer the electrostatic component to the switching unit.

When using DC power supplies, turning off switches and unplugging from sockets can result in arc discharge, and when arc discharge occurs, heat is generated, which can cause damage to contacts, wiring of disconnection points to melt, and fires. In order to solve this problem, an object is to prevent inrush current when connecting a power supply, detect arc discharge generated when disconnecting direct current, and stop arc discharge over a short period of time. All of the loads that are connected to a DC power supply are equipped with a soft-start function that gradually and smoothly increases current so as to prevent current from flowing suddenly when connected to a power supply, and if a sudden drop in the power supply voltage is detected, an arc discharge is deemed to have occurred, and the flow of current from the power supply to the load is cut off immediately.

Methods, systems, and apparatuses for adaptive power supply voltage transient protection are disclosed. One system includes a system on a chip (SOC). wherein the SOC includes a power supply, a voltage transient sensor, and a power control processing entity. The power supply operates to provide power to one or more processors operating on the SOC. The voltage transient sensor is connected to the power supply and operates to sense voltage transients on the power supply at greater than a predetermined speed or rate. The power control processing entity operates to receive a digital representation of the sensed voltage transients and adjust a power load of the SOC based on the sensed voltage transients.

A modular distribution block for a high-current power system includes a ground module and one or more phase modules. The ground module includes a grounding clamp configured to electrically and mechanically connect to a DIN rail and to retain the distribution block in place with respect to the DIN rail. The phase module(s) include: a conductive splice block that connects a line current from a power supply to a powered device; and, a first surge protective device (SPD) terminal and a second SPD terminal configured to together receive and electrically connect to an SPD module, such connection forming a surge protection circuit within the distribution block, the first SPD terminal electrically connecting to the bus terminal and the second SPD terminal electrically connecting, to the splice block. A rigid bus bar electrically connects the ground module to the phase module(s).