SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR SELF-TESTING A GROUND FAULT CIRCUIT INTERRUPTER
First Claim
1. A circuit interrupter, comprising:
- a number of separable contacts provided between a line side and a load side of the circuit interrupter;
an operating mechanism coupled to the separable contacts and structured to selectively open the separable contacts;
an active element coupled to the operating mechanism, the active element being structured to enable selective actuation of the operating mechanism to open the separable contacts;
ground fault detection circuitry structured to detect ground fault conditions and in response thereto generate a trip signal for causing actuation of the operating mechanism; and
self-test circuitry for testing the circuit interrupter, the self-test circuitry including;
a first sub-circuit coupled to the active element, the first sub-circuit being structured to temporarily disable the active element;
a second sub-circuit structured to generate a simulated ground fault condition within the circuit interrupter, anda processing unit coupled to the ground fault detection circuitry, the first sub-circuit and the second sub-circuit, the processing unit being structured and configured to control the first sub-circuit to temporarily disable the active element and to control the second sub-circuit to generate the simulated ground fault condition when the active element is disabled.
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0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Self-test circuitry for testing a circuit interrupter includes an active element coupled to an operating mechanism, a first sub-circuit for temporarily disabling the active element, a second sub-circuit structured to generate a simulated ground fault condition, and a processing unit coupled to the ground fault detection circuitry. The first sub-circuit and the second sub-circuit, the processing unit being structured and configured to control the first sub-circuit to temporarily disable the active element and to control the second sub-circuit to generate the simulated ground fault condition when the active element is disabled. Also, self-test circuitry that includes a sub-circuit structured to generate a simulated ground fault condition and a processing unit structured and configured to control the sub-circuit to generate the simulated ground fault condition only during a predetermined portion of a half cycle of energy passing through the circuit interrupter.
12 Citations
30 Claims
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1. A circuit interrupter, comprising:
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a number of separable contacts provided between a line side and a load side of the circuit interrupter; an operating mechanism coupled to the separable contacts and structured to selectively open the separable contacts; an active element coupled to the operating mechanism, the active element being structured to enable selective actuation of the operating mechanism to open the separable contacts; ground fault detection circuitry structured to detect ground fault conditions and in response thereto generate a trip signal for causing actuation of the operating mechanism; and self-test circuitry for testing the circuit interrupter, the self-test circuitry including; a first sub-circuit coupled to the active element, the first sub-circuit being structured to temporarily disable the active element; a second sub-circuit structured to generate a simulated ground fault condition within the circuit interrupter, and a processing unit coupled to the ground fault detection circuitry, the first sub-circuit and the second sub-circuit, the processing unit being structured and configured to control the first sub-circuit to temporarily disable the active element and to control the second sub-circuit to generate the simulated ground fault condition when the active element is disabled. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. A method of self-testing a circuit interrupter, wherein the circuit interrupter includes a number of separable contacts provided between a line side and a load side of the circuit interrupter, an operating mechanism coupled to the separable contacts and structured to selectively open the separable contacts, an active element coupled to the operating mechanism, the active element being structured to enable selective actuation of the operating mechanism to open the separable contacts, and ground fault detection circuitry structured to detect ground fault conditions and in response thereto generate a trip signal for causing actuation of the operating mechanism, the method comprising:
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temporarily disabling the active element; generating a simulated ground fault condition within the circuit interrupter when the active element is disabled; and testing operation of the ground fault detection circuitry in response to the simulated ground fault condition. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14)
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15. A circuit interrupter, comprising:
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a number of separable contacts provided between a line side and a load side of the circuit interrupter; an operating mechanism coupled to the separable contacts and structured to selectively open the separable contacts; an active element coupled to the operating mechanism, the active element being structured to enable selective actuation of the operating mechanism to open the separable contacts; ground fault detection circuitry structured to detect ground fault conditions and in response thereto generate a trip signal provided to the active element; and self-test circuitry for testing the circuit interrupter, the self-test circuitry including; a sub-circuit structured to generate a simulated ground fault condition within the circuit interrupter, and a processing unit coupled to the ground fault detection circuitry and the sub-circuit, the processing unit being structured and configured to control the sub-circuit to generate the simulated ground fault condition only during a predetermined portion of a half cycle of energy passing through the circuit interrupter such that the trip signal generated in response to the simulated ground fault will not be sufficient to cause actuation of the operating mechanism in a manner which will open the separable contacts. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25)
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26. A method of self-testing a circuit interrupter, wherein the circuit interrupter includes a number of separable contacts provided between a line side and a load side of the circuit interrupter, an operating mechanism coupled to the separable contacts and structured to selectively open the separable contacts, an active element coupled to the operating mechanism, the active element being structured to enable selective actuation of the operating mechanism to open the separable contacts, and ground fault detection circuitry structured to detect ground fault conditions and in response thereto generate a trip signal for causing actuation of the operating mechanism, the method comprising:
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generating a simulated ground fault condition within the circuit interrupter only during a predetermined portion of a half cycle of energy passing through the circuit interrupter such that the trip signal generated in response to the simulated ground fault will not be sufficient to cause actuation of the operating mechanism in a manner which will open the separable contacts; and testing operation of the ground fault detection circuitry in response to the simulated ground fault condition. - View Dependent Claims (27, 28, 29, 30)
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Specification