H02H3/046

Circuit board and battery connection module
11699835 · 2023-07-11 · ·

A circuit board and a battery connection module are provided. The circuit board has an insulating substrate and a plurality of circuit traces provided thereto. At least one of the traces is provided with a fuse unit. The fuse unit has a main fuse and at least one spare fuse. The main fuse has two main trace connection end portions respectively positioned at two ends of the main fuse and connected to the trace and a main fuse section connected between the two main trace connection end portions. The spare fuse has two trace connection end portions respectively positioned at two ends of the spare fuse and a fuse section connected between the two trace connection end portions, the fuse section and the main fuse section are spaced apart from each other and arranged side by side, and at least one of the two trace connection end portions is not connected with the trace so as to form an electrical disconnection with the trace, and after the main fuse section forms an electrical disconnection, the two trace connection end portions are connected to the trace so that a current conductive path is formed by the spare fuse and the trace.

Monitoring and locating fuse cutouts

This disclosure describes techniques implemented at least in part by a fuse-monitoring device to detect when a fuse cutout in an electric power system opens to disconnect a device and/or a load from a power line, and provides an indication of a location of the opened fuse cutout to a utility provider. The fuse-monitoring device may be attached to a fuse holder of the fuse cutout, and may include a movement sensor that detects when the fuse holder swings open due to its fuse melting, or blowing. The fuse-monitoring device may send a notification to the utility provider indicating that the fuse holder has swung open. The fuse-monitoring device may include a GPS sensor to determine the location of the fuse cutout, and may also notify the utility provider of the location of the fuse cutout so a line crew can quickly locate the fuse cutout that requires maintenance.

SURGE PROTECTION SYSTEM
20230085333 · 2023-03-16 ·

A surge protection system includes a receptacle body, at least one power output jack, a power obtaining device, at least one surge protection module, a microcontroller unit, and a surge detection circuit. The at least one surge protection module includes a housing, a memory element, and a surge protection circuit that includes a surge absorption element and a thermal fuse connected in series and parallel. The surge absorption element absorbs a surge inputted from an external power supply, and the memory element records a number of surges carried by the surge absorption element. When the surge enters the surge protection system from the external power supply, the surge absorption element absorbs the surge, and the surge detection circuit outputs a signal to the microcontroller unit that writes the number of surges carried by the surge absorption element into the memory element.

SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR MONITORING AND ESTIMATING SERVICE LIFE OF ELECTRICAL FUSES
20230160977 · 2023-05-25 ·

A fuse monitoring system for monitoring a fuse is provided. The system includes a fuse monitoring assembly and a fuse monitoring computing device. The fuse monitoring assembly includes at least one sensor configured to measure fuse data associated with the fuse, the fuse data including operational data of the fuse and environmental data of an environment in which the fuse locates, the environmental data including shock and vibrations. The fuse monitoring assembly also includes at least one processor configured to transmit the fuse data to a remote computing device. The fuse monitoring computing device is positioned remotely from the fuse monitoring assembly, the fuse monitoring computing device including at least one processor in communication with at least one memory device. The fuse monitoring computing device is programmed to receive, from the fuse monitoring assembly, the fuse data, analyze the fuse data, and generate a fuse message based on the analysis.

ELECTRICAL JUNCTION BOX
20170365991 · 2017-12-21 ·

An electrical junction box has a switch connected between a first connection terminal and a second connection terminal to which a fuse is mounted, and a control circuit configured to perform opening/closing control of the switch, has a storage unit for storing a standard resistance value in an initial state of the fuse and an amount of change in a resistance value of the fuse over time, and detects a first terminal voltage at the first connection terminal and a second terminal voltage at the second connection terminal. The control circuit opens the switch at a time of startup based on a control signal, calculates the resistance value of the fuse, calculates a reference resistance value, determines whether the fuse is correct by comparing the calculated resistance value of the fuse with the calculated reference resistance value, and outputs a first error signal if the fuse is incorrect.

Monitoring and triggering of electrical fuses

The invention relates to a circuit arrangement (12) for monitoring and triggering an igniter (5) of an active electrical fuse (6). The arrangement comprises: a control and evaluation unit (1), an alternating current generating unit (2) activated by the control and evaluation unit (1), an alternating current transmission unit arranged between the igniter (5) and the alternating current generating unit (2), the control and evaluation unit (1) being designed and programmed, in a first operational state, to determine the electrical resistance of the igniter (5) from a current detected on the primary side and a voltage detected on the primary side, the value of the resistance being a measure for tripping of the igniter (5), and, in a second operational state, to trigger the igniter (5) by means of the alternating current generating unit (2). The invention further relates to an associated method, to a computer program product which carries out the method and a computer-readable medium, and to a converter and to an aircraft having such a circuit arrangement.

Stall Delay Power Surge Protector
20170294695 · 2017-10-12 · ·

The stall delay power surge protector is a copper terminal strip that is designed to increase the life of any battery, voltage regulator or starter by acting as a surge protector or a heat sink that dissipates heat only for electrical current. The stall delay power surge protector would be attached and fused into a battery cable that leads to the battery on one end and attached and fused to an electrical wire leading to the voltage regulator or starter on the opposite end of the stall delay power surge protector, thus requiring no direct connection of the stall delay power surge protector to the battery, voltage regulator or starter of any car, boat, motorcycle, riding lawn mower, tractor, truck or RV.

Method and Apparatus for Detection of a Fuse Failure
20220308123 · 2022-09-29 ·

A method for detection of a failure of a protective fuse used to protect an associated load against overcurrent and/or against overload, wherein the method includes the steps of: measuring an electrical current, flowing through the protective fuse to the load by means of a current sensor element, determining a thermal energy generated in the protective fuse depending on the measured electrical current, and automatically detecting a failure of the protective fuse if the determined thermal energy exceeds a predetermined threshold value and if the electrical current, measured by the current sensor element has stopped flowing through said protective fuse.

Operating device with staggered protection circuits against overvoltage and overcurrent and antenna for driving intelligent lamps and lighting appliances

In order to achieve a universal, flexible and highly integrated operating device for driving various lamps, ensuring the protection of the entire operating device and of the appliances connected thereto by means of staggered protective measures at both the input and the output, starting from the preamble of claim 1, a first branch for connecting a lamp to a first of the interface circuits (SS1) and a second branch for connecting at least one communication module to a second of the interface circuits (SS2) are connected to the coarse protection circuit (G) which short-circuits an overvoltage of the mains voltage occurring at the input of the operating device. In the first branch, a line filter (NF) is connected to the coarse protection circuit (G) and a clamp circuit (K) consisting of the fine protection circuit (F) and of a first energy absorber (E1) is connected to the line filter (NF). When the residual pulse voltage is too high, the fine protection circuit (F) activates the first energy absorber (E1), the overvoltage pulse is short-circuited and the short-circuit is deactivated again when the mains voltage reaches the next zero crossing. A second energy absorber (E2) which, when it is switched on, limits the current with the aid of a temperature-dependent resistor (NTC), is connected to the first energy absorber (E1). Moreover, the first interface circuit (SS1) comprises a protection circuit (ÜS) against overvoltage and overcurrent, and an intermediate protection circuit (M) consisting of a transmitter (Ü) and of a first fine protection circuit (F1) is connected to the coarse protection circuit (G) in the second branch. A filter (FK) for separating communication signals fed in parallel into the power supply grid is connected to the first fine protection circuit (F) and a second fine protection circuit (F2) is connected to this filter (FK). In order to protect the second interface circuit (SS2) of the operating device from overvoltage and overcurrent coming from the communication module and acting upon the operating device, the second interface circuit (SS2) comprises a protection circuit (ÜS) against overvoltage and overcurrent. The invention is used in the field of protection systems against overvoltage.

Non-volatile overvoltage detector

Techniques are provided for non-volatile detection of an overvoltage condition in a circuit of interest. A circuit implementing the techniques according to an embodiment includes a fuse configured to provide a non-volatile indication of an overvoltage event, the indication associated with an open state of the fuse. The circuit also includes a voltage controlled current switch coupled in series to the fuse. The voltage controlled current switch is configured to enable current flow through the fuse in response to a supply voltage exceeding a threshold value associated with the overvoltage event. The current causes the fuse to switch from a closed state to an open state providing a non-volatile record of the overvoltage event. In some embodiments, the voltage controlled current switch can be a Zener diode with a breakdown voltage based on the threshold value, or a transistor configured to switch into conducting mode at the threshold value.