Resettable circuit breaker for use in ground fault circuit interrupters and the like

• US 5,202,662 A
• Filed: 01/17/1992
• Issued: 04/13/1993
• Est. Priority Date: 09/07/1978
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Leviton Manufacturing Company Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Leviton Manufacturing Company Incorporated
• Inventors: Tumsuden, Herbert W. Jr., Bienwald, Wolfgang F.
• Primary Examiner(s): DONOVAN, LINCOLN D
• Application Number:
  US07/822,481
• Time in Patent Office: 452 Days
• Field of Search: 361/42-51, 335/18
• US Class Current: 335/18
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2083/045 Auxiliary switch opening testing circuit in synchronism with the main circuit
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 73/44 reset by push-button, pull-knob or slide
• 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 3/338 also responsive to wiring error, e.g. loss of neutral, break

Abstract

A resettable circuit breaker has a pair of normally closed contacts through which a load is connected to a power line and means for opening the contacts in response to a predetermined change in electrical current flowing to and from the power line. One of the contacts is mounted on a rocking member which is maintained between a pivot on the base of the apparatus and the armature of a latching solenoid responsive to the predetermined current change by a spring assembly which causes the rocking member to rotate about the pivot means thereby opening and closing the contacts depending on the position of the armature.

Claims

1. A method of interrupting an electrical connection between input conductors and output conductors of a circuit in response to a current imbalance across phase and neutral power lines of said circuit, comprising the steps of:

(a) sensing said current imbalance by means of a differential transformer and generating a voltage pulse in response thereto;

(b) integrating said voltage pulse by means of an integrating circuit directly connected to said differential transformer;

(c) causing an element of said circuit to conduct current and open a switch in response to an integrated voltage pulse of a predetermined magnitude and duration, and

(d) causing an interrupting of said electrical connection in response to the opening of said switch.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising testing said circuit by closing a test switch connected between said neutral power line of said circuit and a phase wire connected to the opposite side of a differential transformer as said neutral power line to thereby create a current imbalance between said neutral line and said phase wire.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising connecting a visual indicating means in parallel with said output conductor of said circuit, said visual indicating means giving positive indication if power from a power line is applied to said phase and neutral power lines of said circuit and either said electrical connection is closed and/or said output conductors are inadvertently directly connected to said power line.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein said visual indicating means is a light emitting diode.

5. The method of claim 2 further comprising detecting a neutral to ground fault in said circuit by connecting a primary winding of a power transformer across said output conductors through said electrical connection, and connecting a secondary winding of said power transformer to said element, causing said element to conduct current and to open said switch and said electrical connection.

6. The method of claim 1 further comprising causing said element of said circuit to stop conducting current when said switch opens.