Self testing digital fault interrupter

• US 20040252425A1
• Filed: 06/16/2003
• Published: 12/16/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 06/16/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hubbell, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Hubbell, Inc.
• Inventors: Bonilla, Nelson, Yu, Daming, Lutz, David, Mortun, Sorin I., Baldwin, John R., DeBartolo, Joseph Jr.
• Granted Patent: US 7,149,065 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 361/42
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 83/04 with testing means for indicating the ability of the switch or relay to function properly
• CPC Class Codes: H02H 3/04 with warning or supervision in addition to disconnection, e.g. for indicating that protective apparatus has functioned watching of pilot wires H02H1/0084; protection of protective arrangements H02H7/008; indication of the state of electronic switches H03K17/18
• CPC Class Codes: H02H 3/335 the main function being self testing of the device

Abstract

A fault interrupter apparatus having a line side and a load side and a conductive path there between. The apparatus includes a solenoid that is adapted to move a plurality of contacts disposed in the conductive path from a first position to a second position, an alarm indicator that is adapted to provide status information on the operation of the fault interrupter apparatus, and a processor that is adapted to detect four condition states of the fault interrupter and indicate the four condition states of the fault interrupter using the alarm indicator.

Claims

1. A fault interrupter apparatus having a line side and a load side and a conductive path there between, said apparatus comprising:

a solenoid, adapted to move a plurality of contacts disposed in said conductive path from a first position to a second position;

an alarm indicator, adapted to provide status information on the operation of said fault interrupter apparatus; and

a processor, adapted to detect four condition states of said fault interrupter and indicate said four condition states of said fault interrupter using said alarm indicator.

2. The fault interrupter apparatus of claim 1, wherein said alarm indicator comprises a bi-color light emitting diode (LED).

3. The fault interrupter apparatus of claim 2, wherein said bi-color LED comprises a first color element and a second color element.

4. The fault interrupter apparatus of claim 1, wherein said first position comprises an open position and said second position comprises a closed position.

5. The fault interrupter apparatus of claim 1, wherein said alarm indication comprises an illumination device having first and second colors, and a relationship between said status information and said four condition states comprises causing illumination of said first color element to indicate a portion of said plurality of contacts is in said first position, causing said second color element to indicate normal operation of said fault interrupter apparatus, causing alternate illumination of said first color element between an off and on state to indicate said fault interrupter apparatus has been detected to be nonfunctioning by said processor, and causing solid illumination of said second color element and alternate illumination of said first color element to indicate said fault interrupter apparatus has been reset and is nonfunctioning.

6. The fault interrupter apparatus of claim 1, wherein said fault interrupter comprises at least one of an arc fault circuit interrupter and ground fault circuit interrupter.

8. The fault interrupter apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:

a switch connected to said solenoid and adapted to place said solenoid in one of an energized or deenergized state via a command from said processor.

9. The fault interrupter apparatus of claim 8, further comprising:

a diode resistor combination disposed between said solenoid and said switch, said diode resistor combination adapted to protect said switch from transient voltage when said solenoid is energized or deenergized.

7. A fault interrupter apparatus having a line side and a load side and a conductive path there between, said apparatus comprising:

a solenoid, adapted to move a plurality of contacts disposed in said conductive path from a first position to a second position;

said fault interrupter comprises a self test fault interrupter.

10. A fault interrupter apparatus having line terminals and load terminals and a conductive path there between, said apparatus comprising:

a fault sensing transformer, adapted to detect a fault condition in said conductive path;

a solenoid, adapted to move a plurality of contacts disposed in said conductive path from a first position when said solenoid is deenergized or to a second position when said solenoid is energized;

a switch, adapted to place said solenoid in said energized state in the absence of said fault condition and in said deenergized state in the presence of said fault condition; and

a varistor, adapted to protect said switch from transient voltage when said solenoid goes from said energized state to said deenergized state or said deenergized state to said energized state.

11. The fault interrupter apparatus of claim 10, wherein said varistor protects said switch without affecting a response time for said plurality of contacts to go from said second position to said first position.

12. The fault interrupter apparatus of claim 10, further comprising:

an alarm indicator, adapted to indicate a condition of said fault interrupter.

13. The fault interrupter apparatus of claim 10, wherein said fault interrupter comprises a self testing fault interrupter.

14. The fault interrupter apparatus of claim 10, wherein said fault interrupter comprises at least one of a ground fault circuit interrupter and an arc fault circuit interrupter.

15. The fault interrupter apparatus of claim 10, further comprising:

isolated face receptacles, adapted to be isolated from said load terminals.

16. A self testing fault interrupter apparatus having a conductive path connecting a line side and a load side, comprising:

a primary pair of contacts in a first position for establishing said conductive path;

an auxiliary pair of contacts in a second position for monitoring interruption of said conductive path;

a fault detection processor for detecting a fault condition in said conductive path;

a microprocessor for performing a first periodic test to determine the operability of the fault detection and processing circuitry and a second periodic test to determine the operability of said primary pair of contacts.

17. The self testing fault interrupter apparatus of claim 16, further comprising:

an opto-isolater, adapted to communicate a signal to said microprocessor that said auxiliary pair of contacts is in said second position.

18. The self testing fault interrupter apparatus of claim 16, further comprising:

a redundant pair of contacts, adapted to be in an open position when said primary pair of contacts is in a closed position and in a closed position when said primary pair of contacts is in an open position.

19. The self testing fault interrupter apparatus of claim 18, wherein said redundant pair of contacts allow said conductive path to be maintained when said second periodic test is being performed.

20. The self testing fault interrupter apparatus of claim 16, wherein said first test occurs at one minute intervals and said second test occurs at daily intervals.

21. The self testing fault interrupter apparatus of claim 16, wherein said microprocessor can be optioned to perform only the first test or the second test.

22. The self testing fault interrupter apparatus of claim 16, wherein the self testing fault interrupter enters one of a permanent lockout state or resetable non-permanent lockout state based on the failure of said first test or said second test.

23. The self testing fault interrupter apparatus of claim 16, wherein the one minute tests comprises testing said fault detection processor.

24. The self testing fault interrupter apparatus of claim 16, wherein the one minute tests comprises testing a switch and a coil.

25. A fault interrupter apparatus, comprising:

a front housing, adapted to include face receptacles;

a back housing, adapted to interlock with said front housing;

an inner housing, adapted to be comprised of Rynite and maintain components of said fault interrupter in a structured arrangement.