Patent US4195325A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
← Back to Patent Explorer
US4195325A Expired / Lapsed US ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

Means for protecting hazardous areas against electrical faults

Assignee: National Research Development Corp UK
•
Filing: 1977-12-13
•
Granted: 1980-03-25
•
Expires: 1997-12-13
📄 Original PDF 🌐 Google Patents 🔄 Sync Now

Abstract

Abstract A silicon controlled rectifier is provided to short circuit rapid surges or overloads in a power supply. The silicon controlled rectifier is turned off in normal use with two equal and opposite biases applied to the control terminal. Signals from overload or rapid surge detecting circuits cancel the bias which tends to turn off the silicon controlled rectifier whereby the opposite bias causes the silicon controlled rectifier to short circuit.

Inventors

  • 👤 Edward G. Richardson
  • 👤 Keith H. Williamson

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction US
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-10-29 09:29
CPC Classifications
H; H02; H02H; H02H3/00; H02H3/02; H02H3/021; H02H3/023; H02H3/44; H02H3/445

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 9
Claim 1
Independent Claim 130 words
An electrical safety device for fail-safe protection of an electrical system against electrical transients, which device comprises an SCR to provide a short circuit for hazard isolation, a first biassing circuit arranged to supply a first bias signal capable of switching on the SCR and a second biassing circuit arranged to supply a second SCR bias signal equal in magnitude and of opposite polarity to the first bias signal so that in normal use the SCR is off, the second biassing circuit being operative to remove the second bias signal in response to an input thereto of an electrical transient signal having a rate of change in excess of a threshold value so that the first bias signal switches on the SCR to provide the short circuit for hazard isolation.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim 130 words
An electrical safety device for fail-safe protection of an electrical system against electrical transients, which device comprises an SCR to provide a short circuit for hazard isolation, a first biassing circuit arranged to supply a first bias signal capable of switching on the SCR and a second biassing circuit arranged to supply a second SCR bias signal equal in magnitude and of opposite polarity to the first bias signal so that in normal use the SCR is off, the second biassing circuit being operative to remove the second bias signal in response to an input thereto of an electrical transient signal having a rate of change in excess of a threshold value so that the first bias signal switches on the SCR to provide the short circuit for hazard isolation.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 49 words
An electrical safety device according to claim 1 in which the second biassing circuit includes solid state integrated amplifiers connected to compare the rate of change of the electrical transient signal with a predetermined threshold value and to generate a fault indication signal when the predetermined value is exceeded.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim 19 words
An electrical safety device according to claim 2 including an electronic latching circuit responsive to the fault indication signal.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim 44 words
An electrical safety device according to claim 1 in which the second biassing circuit includes an oscillator coupled to rectification and smoothing means, whereby in operation of the device, the output of the oscillator is rectified and smoothed to provide the second bias signal.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim 49 words
An electrical safety device according to claim 4 in which the second biassing circuit includes solid state integrated amplifiers connected to compare the rate of change of the electrical transient signal with a predetermined threshold value and to generate a fault indication signal when the predetermined value is exceeded.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim 19 words
An electrical safety device according to claim 5 including an electronic latching circuit responsive to the fault indication signal.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim 161 words
An electrical safety device for fail-safe protection of an electrical system against electrical transients, which device comprises an SCR to provide a short circuit for hazard isolation, a first biassing circuit arranged to supply a first bias signal capable of switching on the SCR and a second biassing circuit arranged to supply a second SCR bias signal equal in magnitude and of opposite polarity to the first bias signal so that in normal use the SCR is off, the second biassing circuit being operative to remove the second bias signal in response to an input thereto of an electrical transient signal having a rate of change in excess of a predetermined threshold value and also the second biassing circuit being operative to remove the second bias signal in response to overloads in current or voltage when indicated by corresponding signals applied as inputs thereto whereupon the first bias signal switches on the SCR to provide the short circuit for hazard isolation.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim 161 words
An electrical safety device for fail-safe protection of an electrical system against electrical transients, which device comprises an SCR to provide a short circuit for hazard isolation, a first biassing circuit arranged to supply a first bias signal capable of switching on the SCR and a second biassing circuit arranged to supply a second SCR bias signal equal in magnitude and of opposite polarity to the first bias signal so that in normal use the SCR is off, the second biassing circuit being operative to remove the second bias signal in response to an input thereto of an electrical transient signal having a rate of change in excess of a predetermined threshold value and also the second biassing circuit being operative to remove the second bias signal in response to overloads in current or voltage when indicated by corresponding signals applied as inputs thereto whereupon the first bias signal switches on the SCR to provide the short circuit for hazard isolation.

References Cited (Backward Citations)

GB1181853A Cited
US3449634A Cited
US3496415A Cited
GB1353232A Cited
US3727105A Cited
US3729652A Cited

USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows

Annuity Stage Window Opens Payment Deadline Surcharge Period Until Estimated Fee Status
3.5 Years (Year 4) 1983-03-25 1983-09-24 1984-03-25 $2000.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8) 1987-03-25 1987-09-24 1988-03-25 $3760.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12) 1991-03-25 1991-09-24 1992-03-25 $7700.00 Window Closed / Lapsed

Assigned Categories & Tags

No categories assigned to this patent yet.

Assign Category Tag