Reset lockout for circuit interrupting device

• US 6,040,967 A
• Filed: 08/24/1998
• Issued: 03/21/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 08/24/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Leviton Manufacturing Company Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Leviton Manufacturing Company Incorporated
• Inventors: DiSalvo, Nicholas L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Leja, Ronald W.
• Application Number:
  US09/138,955
• Time in Patent Office: 575 Days
• Field of Search: 361/42-50, 335/18, 335/21, 335/24, 335/26, 335/202
• US Class Current: 361/42
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2083/045 Auxiliary switch opening testing circuit in synchronism with the main circuit
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2083/201 the other abnormal electrical condition being an arc fault
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 71/524 the contact arm being pivoted on handle and mechanism spring acting between cradle and contact arm
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 71/62 with means for preventing resetting while abnormal condition persists, e.g. loose handle arrangement
• 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 1/0015 Using arc detectors
• CPC Class Codes: H02H 3/338 also responsive to wiring error, e.g. loss of neutral, break
• CPC Class Codes: H02H 5/083 responsive to the entry or leakage of a liquid into an electrical appliance moisture alarm G08B21/20

Abstract

Resettable circuit interrupting devices, such as GFCI devices, that include a reset lock-out mechanism are provided. The reset lock-out mechanism prevents the resetting of electrical connections between input and output conductors if the circuit interrupting mechanism used to break the connection is non-operational or if an open neutral condition exists.

Claims

1. A circuit interrupting device comprising:

a housing;

at least one input conductor disposed at least partially within said housing and capable of being electrically connected to a source of electricity;

at least one output conductor disposed within said housing and capable of conducting electrical current to a load when electrically connected to said at least one input conductor;

a circuit interrupter disposed within said housing and configured to break said electrical connection between said input and output conductors in response to the occurrence of a predetermined condition;

a reset lock-out responsive to the occurrence of said predefined condition such that said reset lock-out is operable between a lock-out position wherein said reset lock-out inhibits resetting of said electrical connection between said input and output conductors and a reset position wherein said reset lock-out does not inhibit resetting of said electrical connection between said input and output conductors; and

a reset mechanism operatively associated with said reset lock-out and said circuit interrupter such that activation of said reset mechanism activates said circuit interrupter which facilitates movement of said reset lock-out from said lock-out position to said reset position by said reset mechanism.

2. The circuit interrupting device according to claim 1, wherein said circuit interrupter comprises a coil assembly, a movable plunger responsive to energizing of said coil assembly and a banger attached to said plunger such that movement of said plunger is translated to movement of said banger and movement of said banger causes said reset lock-out to operate in said lock-out position or said reset position.

3. The circuit interrupting device according to claim 2, wherein said input conductor has an electrical contact attached thereto and said output conductor has an electrical contact attached thereto, and at least one of said conductors is movable relative to the other such that said electrical connection is made when said input and output contacts are closed.

4. The circuit interrupting device according to claim 3, wherein when said reset lock-out is in said lock-out position said contacts are inhibited from closing.

5. The circuit interrupting device according to claim 1, wherein said reset mechanism comprises:

a reset button coupled to said reset lock-out; and

a reset contact that is activated when said reset button is depressed.

6. The circuit interrupting device according to claim 1, wherein said predetermined condition comprises a ground fault, an arc fault, an appliance leakage fault, an immersion fault or a test cycle.

7. A ground fault circuit interrupting device comprising:

a housing;

at least one input conductor disposed at least partially within said housing and capable of being electrically connected to a source of electricity;

at least one output conductor disposed within said housing an capable of conducting electrical current to a load when electrically connected to said at least one input conductor;

a circuit interrupter disposed within said housing and configured to break said electrical connection between said input and output conductors in response to the occurrence of a ground fault or test cycle; and

a reset mechanism having a reset lock-out responsive to activation of said circuit interrupter so as to be movable between a lock-out position wherein said reset lock-out inhibits resetting of said electrical connection between said input and output conductors and a reset position wherein said reset lock-out does not inhibit resetting of said electrical connection between said input and output conductors, wherein when said reset mechanism is activated said circuit interrupter is activated to facilitates movement of said reset lock-out from said lock-out position to said reset position by said reset mechanism and resets said electrical connection between said input and output conductors.

8. The ground fault circuit interrupting device according to claim 7, wherein said circuit interrupter comprises a coil assembly, a movable plunger responsive to energizing of said coil assembly and a banger attached to said plunger such that movement of said plunger is translated to movement of said banger and movement of said banger causes said reset lock-out to operate in said lock-out position or said reset position.

9. The ground fault circuit interrupting device according to claim 8, wherein said input conductor has an electrical contact attached thereto and said output conductor has an electrical contact attached thereto, and at least one of said conductors is movable relative to the other such that said electrical connection is made when said input and output contacts are closed.

10. The ground fault circuit interrupting device according to claim 9, wherein when said reset lock-out is in said lock-out position said contacts are inhibited from closing.

11. The ground fault circuit interrupting device according to claim 7, wherein said reset mechanism comprises:

a reset button coupled to said reset lock-out; and

at least one reset contact that is activated when said reset button is depressed.

12. A circuit interrupting device comprising:

housing means;

input conductor means disposed at least partially within said housing means and capable of being electrically connected to a source of electricity;

output conductor means disposed at least partially within said housing means and capable of conducting electrical current to a load when electrically connected to said input conductor means;

circuit interrupting means disposed within said housing means for breaking said electrical connection between said input and output conductor means in response to the occurrence of a predetermined condition;

reset lock-out means responsive to activation of said circuit interrupting means for inhibiting resetting of said electrical connection between said input and output conductor means after said circuit interrupting means breaks said connection between said input and output conductor means; and

reset means disposed within said housing means for activating said circuit interrupting means so that said lock-out means does not inhibit resetting of said electrical connection between said input and output conductor means and for resetting said electrical connection between said input and output conductor means.

13. The circuit interrupting device according to claim 12, wherein said circuit interrupting means comprises a coil means, movable plunger means responsive to energizing of said coil means and banger means attached to said plunger means such that movement of said plunger means is translated to movement of said banger means and movement of said banger means causes said reset lock-out means to operate in a lock-out position, wherein said input and output contact means are inhibited from closing or a reset position, wherein said input and output contact means are not inhibited from closing.

14. The circuit interrupting device according to claim 13, wherein said input conductor means includes electrical contact means and said output conductor means includes electrical contact means, and wherein at least one of said conductor means is movable relative to the other such that said electrical connection is made when said input and output contacts means are closed.

15. The circuit interrupting device according to claim 12, wherein said reset means comprises:

a reset button coupled to said reset lock-out means; and

reset contact means that is activated when said reset button is depressed.

16. The circuit interrupting device according to claim 12, wherein said predetermined condition comprises a ground fault, an arc fault, an appliance leakage fault, an immersion fault or a test cycle.

17. A method for interrupting and resetting electrical connections in fault interrupting devices having a housing, an input conductor disposed at least partially within the housing and electrically connected to a source of electricity, and an output conductor disposed at least partially within the housing and capable of conducting electrical current to a load when electrical continuity between the input and output conductors is made, said method comprising:

sensing the occurrence of a predefined condition;

breaking electrical continuity between the input and output conductors when said predefined condition is sensed using a circuit interrupting mechanism;

enabling a lock-out mechanism to inhibit the making of electrical continuity between the input and output conductors after breaking electrical continuity between said conductors; and

activating a reset mechanism that activates said circuit interrupting mechanism to disable said lock-out mechanism and makes electrical continuity between said input and output conductors.

18. The method according to claim 17, wherein said predefined condition comprises a ground fault, an arc fault, an appliance leakage fault, an immersion fault or a test cycle.