Self testing digital fault interrupter

• US 20070030608A1
• Filed: 08/08/2005
• Published: 02/08/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 08/08/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hubbell, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Hubbell, Inc.
• Inventors: Yu, Daming, Baldwin, John, Mortun, Sorin
• Granted Patent: US 7,733,617 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 361/42
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2071/044 Monitoring, detection or measuring systems to establish the end of life of the switching device, can also contain other on-line monitoring systems, e.g. for detecting mechanical failures
• 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 self testing fault detector having a line side and a load side and a conductive path there between. The apparatus includes a solenoid, which is adapted to move a plurality of contacts disposed in the conductive path from a first position to a second position when the self testing device is powered from the line side; and a processor, which is adapted to energize the solenoid using a first switch and maintain said solenoid in the energized state using a second switch.

Claims

1. A self testing fault detector and interrupter 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 when said self testing device is powered from the line side; and

a processor, adapted to energize said solenoid using a first switch and to maintain said solenoid in said energized state using a second switch.

2. The self testing fault detector of claim 1, wherein said first switch and said second switch are transistors.

3. The self testing fault detector of claim 1, wherein said second switch comprises a Darlington transistor.

4. The self testing fault detector of claim 1, wherein said first switch is activated for about 10 ms, said second switch is activated and said first switch is deactivated.

5. The self testing fault detector of claim 1, wherein said microprocessor performs a periodic test.

6. The self testing fault detector of claim 5, wherein said microprocessor performs at least one of said test at one minute intervals and daily intervals.

7. The self testing fault detector of claim 5, wherein said periodic test detects at least one of electrical functionality and mechanical functionality of said self testing device.

8. The self testing fault detector of claim 7, wherein, if said self testing device is determined to be inoperable, said self testing device is placed in one of a power denial to load state and receptacle mode of operation state.

9. The self testing fault detector of claim 1, further including an alarm indicator.

10. The self testing fault detector of claim 9, wherein said alarm indicator includes a green LED to indicate normal operation of said self testing fault detector.

11. The self testing fault detector of claim 9, wherein said alarm indicator includes a red LED to indicate at least one of three conditions.

12. The self testing fault detector of claim 11, wherein said three conditions comprise at least one of a trip condition, a receptacle mode of operation, and a power denial to load state.

13. The self testing fault detector of claim 9, wherein said red LED flashes at a first rate when said self testing fault detector is in a power denial to load state and at a second rate when said self testing fault detector is operating in a receptacle mode of operation.

14. The self testing fault detector of claim 1, wherein said first position comprises an open position and said second position comprises a closed position.

15. The self testing fault detector of claim 1, wherein said self testing fault detector comprises at least one of an arc fault circuit interrupter and ground fault circuit interrupter.

16. The self testing fault detector of claim 1, further comprising:

a face load; and

a downstream load.

17. The self testing fault detector of claim 1, wherein the face load and downstream load are powered by separate sets of electrical contacts.

18. The self testing fault detector of claim 1, wherein the plurality of contacts comprises at least one of a pair of primary contacts, a pair of auxiliary contacts and a pair of face contacts.

19. The self testing fault detector of claim 18, wherein during initial powering of the self testing fault detector the primary contacts are open and the auxiliary contacts are closed.

20. The self testing fault detector of claim 19, wherein the primary contacts are closed and the auxiliary contacts are opened during initial powering of the self testing fault detector after the processor detects that the primary contacts are open and the auxiliary contacts are closed.

21. The self testing fault detector of claim 1, further comprising:

a Ground Fault Circuit Interrupter (GFCI) chip, adapted to detect an occurrence of a ground fault.

22. The self testing fault detector of claim 21, wherein the GFCI chip comprises a dual function regulator adapted to perform at least one of powering internal circuitry of the GFCI chip and powering the processor.

23. The self testing fault detector of claim 9, wherein said processor powers said alarm indicator.

24. The self testing fault detector of claim 9, wherein said alarm indicator comprises a power indicator.

25. A self testing 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 fault detection chip, adapted to place said solenoid in an initial deenergized state and place said contacts in said second position when a fault condition is detected by said fault sensing transformer; and

a microcontroller, adapted to maintain said solenoid in a deenergized state when said microprocessor detects that said contacts are in said second position.

26. The self testing fault interrupter apparatus of claim 25, wherein said microprocessor is adapted to perform a periodic test.

27. The self testing fault interrupter apparatus of claim 25, wherein said microprocessor performs at least one of said test at one minute intervals and daily intervals.

28. The self testing fault interrupter apparatus of claim 26, wherein said periodic test detects at least one of electrical functionality and mechanical functionality of said self testing device.

29. The self testing fault interrupter apparatus of claim 26, wherein, if said self testing fault interrupter apparatus is determined to be inoperable, said self testing device is placed in one of a lockout state and receptacle mode of operation state.

30. A line powered self testing fault protection device having a line side and a load side and a conductive path therebetween, 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;

a fault detector, adapted to energize said solenoid to place said contacts in said first position; and

a processor, adapted to energize said solenoid to place said contacts in said second position via a switch.

31. The line powered self testing fault protection device of claim 30, wherein said first position comprises an open position and said second position comprises a closed position.

32. The line powered self testing fault protection device of claim 30, wherein said solenoid is a bi-stable solenoid.

33. The line powered self testing fault protection device of claim 30, wherein said fault detector and processor energize said solenoid based upon a presence or absence of a fault.

34. The line powered self testing fault protection device of claim 33, wherein said fault is at least one of a ground fault and an arc fault.

35. The line powered self testing fault protection device of claim 30, further comprising:

an alarm indicator, adapted to indicate at least one of a presence of a fault, a presence of electrical power on the line side of said line powered self testing fault protection device, and an operational state of said line powered self testing fault protection device.

36. The line powered self testing fault protection device of claim 35, wherein said operational state comprises at least one of a receptacle mode and a fault protection mode.

37. The line powered self testing fault protection device of claim 30, wherein said line powered self testing fault protection device initiates a self test after at least one of a power outage and being initially powered.

38. The line powered self testing fault protection device of claim 30, wherein said line powered self testing fault protection device performs a periodic test.

39. The line powered self testing fault protection device of claim 38, wherein said periodic test is performed in at one of one minute intervals and daily intervals.