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US3783354A Expired / Lapsed US ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

Phase protection system for ac power lines

Assignee: National Aeronautics and Space Administration
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Filing: 1972-09-29
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Granted: 1974-01-01
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Expires: 1992-09-29
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Abstract

Abstract A phase protection system is provided for protecting phase sensitive loads from being or remaining connected to AC power lines whenever a phase reversal occurs. It comprises a solid state phase detection circuit, a DC power relay circuit, an ACto-DC converter for energizing the relay circuit, and a bi-stable 4-terminal transducer coupled between the phase detection circuit and the power relay circuit, for controlling both circuits.

Inventors

  • 👤 J Fletcher
  • 👤 J Wong Wing

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction US
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-10-31 23:37
CPC Classifications
H; H02; H02H; H02H11/00; H02H11/004

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 7
Claim 1
Independent Claim 276 words
A phase protection system for detecting a phase reversal in a polyphase AC power line network including: a phase detection circuit having at least three input terminals and a pair of output terminals, each input terminal being adapted for connection to one of the power lines; a relay circuit having a pair of input terminals and comprising: a current control device, a power relay having relay contacts and a coil connected in series with said current control device, said coil controlling the switching of said contacts which are adapted for connection to the power lines; an AC-to-DC converter whose input is adapted for connection to at least one of said power lines to provide to its output a DC potential for energizing said relay circuit; a four-terminal bi-stable voltage-to-light-to-impedance transducer, coupled between the output terminals of said detection circuit and the input terminals to said relay circuit, said transducer being normally OFF, and said transducer turning ON upon the detection of said phase reversal by said phase detection circuit to thereby energize said coil which activates said contacts to open said lines, comprising a first resistor connected to the first of the phase detection circuit''s input terminals, a second resistor connected to the second of its input terminals, a first capacitor connected to the third of its input terminals, said first resistor and said first capacitor having a junction Y, a third resistor connected to the third terminal, said second resistor and said third resistor having a junction X, a fourth resistor connected between junction X and a first terminal of said transducer, and said junction Y being connected to a second terminal of said transducer.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim 276 words
A phase protection system for detecting a phase reversal in a polyphase AC power line network including: a phase detection circuit having at least three input terminals and a pair of output terminals, each input terminal being adapted for connection to one of the power lines; a relay circuit having a pair of input terminals and comprising: a current control device, a power relay having relay contacts and a coil connected in series with said current control device, said coil controlling the switching of said contacts which are adapted for connection to the power lines; an AC-to-DC converter whose input is adapted for connection to at least one of said power lines to provide to its output a DC potential for energizing said relay circuit; a four-terminal bi-stable voltage-to-light-to-impedance transducer, coupled between the output terminals of said detection circuit and the input terminals to said relay circuit, said transducer being normally OFF, and said transducer turning ON upon the detection of said phase reversal by said phase detection circuit to thereby energize said coil which activates said contacts to open said lines, comprising a first resistor connected to the first of the phase detection circuit''s input terminals, a second resistor connected to the second of its input terminals, a first capacitor connected to the third of its input terminals, said first resistor and said first capacitor having a junction Y, a third resistor connected to the third terminal, said second resistor and said third resistor having a junction X, a fourth resistor connected between junction X and a first terminal of said transducer, and said junction Y being connected to a second terminal of said transducer.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 16 words
The system of claim 1 wherein said current control device is a silicon controlled rectifier (SCR).
Claim 4
Dependent Claim 81 words
The system of claim 2 wherein said relay circuit comprises: a voltage divider circuit connected in series with the third and fourth terminals of said transducer; and an RC-network connected between the gate of said SCR and one of the terminals of said transducer, whereby the voltage across said RC network is low when said power lines are in phase, and said voltage is increased to a level sufficient to fire the SCR when the power lines are out of phase.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim 28 words
The system of claim 3 wherein, said AC-to-DC converter includes at least three rectifiers, each rectifier being connected between the output of the converter and a power line.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim 279 words
A phase protection system for detecting a phase reversal in a polyphase AC power line network including: a phase detection circuit having at least three input terminals and a pair of output terminals, each input terminal being adapted for connection to one of the power lines; a relay circuit having a pair of input terminals and comprising: a current control device, a power relay having relay contacts and a coil connected in series with said current control device, said coil controlling the switching of said contacts which are adapted for connection to the power lines; an AC-to-DC converter whose input is adapted for connection to at least one of said power lines to provide to its output a DC potential for energizing said relay circuit; a four-terminal bi-stable transducer, coupled between the output terminals of said detection circuit and the input terminals to said relay circuit, said transducer being normally OFF, and said transducer turning ON upon the detection of said phase reversal by said phase detection circuit to thereby energize said coil which activates said contacts to open said lines, said phase detection circuit comprising a first resistor connected to the first of the phase detection circuit''s input terminals, a secoNd resistor connected to the second of its input terminals, a first capacitor connected to the third of its input terminals, said first resistor and said first capacitor having a junction Y, a third resistor connected to the third terminal, said second resistor and said third resistor having a junction X, a fourth resistor connected between junction X and a first terminal of said transducer, and said junction Y being connected to a second terminal of said transducer.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim 279 words
A phase protection system for detecting a phase reversal in a polyphase AC power line network including: a phase detection circuit having at least three input terminals and a pair of output terminals, each input terminal being adapted for connection to one of the power lines; a relay circuit having a pair of input terminals and comprising: a current control device, a power relay having relay contacts and a coil connected in series with said current control device, said coil controlling the switching of said contacts which are adapted for connection to the power lines; an AC-to-DC converter whose input is adapted for connection to at least one of said power lines to provide to its output a DC potential for energizing said relay circuit; a four-terminal bi-stable transducer, coupled between the output terminals of said detection circuit and the input terminals to said relay circuit, said transducer being normally OFF, and said transducer turning ON upon the detection of said phase reversal by said phase detection circuit to thereby energize said coil which activates said contacts to open said lines, said phase detection circuit comprising a first resistor connected to the first of the phase detection circuit''s input terminals, a secoNd resistor connected to the second of its input terminals, a first capacitor connected to the third of its input terminals, said first resistor and said first capacitor having a junction Y, a third resistor connected to the third terminal, said second resistor and said third resistor having a junction X, a fourth resistor connected between junction X and a first terminal of said transducer, and said junction Y being connected to a second terminal of said transducer.

References Cited (Backward Citations)

US3213321A Cited
US3428865A Cited
US3495130A Cited

USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows

Annuity Stage Window Opens Payment Deadline Surcharge Period Until Estimated Fee Status
3.5 Years (Year 4) 1976-12-31 1977-07-02 1978-01-01 $2000.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8) 1980-12-31 1981-07-02 1982-01-01 $3760.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12) 1984-12-31 1985-07-02 1986-01-01 $7700.00 Window Closed / Lapsed

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