Power plug with circuit breaker

• US 6,340,926 B1
• Filed: 12/22/1999
• Issued: 01/22/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 12/22/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Defond Holdings (H.K.) Co. Limited
• Original Assignee: Defond Manufacturing Limited (Johnson Electric Holdings Limited)
• Inventors: Chu, Raymond Wai Hang
• Primary Examiner(s): Picard, Leo P.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Vortman, Anatoly
• Application Number:
  US09/469,366
• Time in Patent Office: 762 Days
• Field of Search: 337/141, 337/158, 337/166, 337/227, 337/296, 337/291, 337/297, 337/401-407, 337/412, 337/414, 361/9.3, 361/103-106, 361/241, 361/115
• US Class Current: 337/407
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 83/04 with testing means for indicating the ability of the switch or relay to function properly
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/6691 with built-in signalling means H01R13/717 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/7135 with ground fault protector H01R13/7132 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 2103/00 Two poles
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 24/28 Coupling parts carrying pins, blades or analogous contacts and secured only to wire or cable

Abstract

A power plug includes a plug body having opposite sides and an end, terminal prongs extending from the end of the plug body, and a built-in circuit breaker. The circuit breaker is operable between a normal condition enabling the power plug to connect a load to a power source and a tripped condition disconnecting the load upon the detection of a circuit fault. The circuit breaker includes at least two members at respective opposite sides of the plug body which are simultaneously movable between a first position corresponding to the normal condition and a second position corresponding to the tripped condition. The members provide an indication of the operating condition of the circuit breaker viewable on both sides of the plug body.

Claims

1. A power plug comprising:

a plug body having opposite sides and an end,

a plurality of terminal prongs extending from the end of the plug body, and

a built-in circuit breaker operable between a normal condition enabling the power plug to connect a load to a power source and a tripped condition disconnecting the load upon the detection of a circuit fault, the circuit breaker including first and second members located at opposite sides of the plug body, simultaneously moved from a first position, corresponding to the normal condition, to a second position, corresponding to the tripped condition, thereby providing an indication of the normal or tripped condition of the circuit breaker viewable on both sides of the plug body wherein the first member is a reset button for resetting the circuit breaker to the normal condition at a lowered position on the plug body, the reset button having a raised position protruding from the plug body and corresponding to the tripped condition.

2. The power plug as claim in claim 1, including at least one resiliently biassed movable contact for contacting a first of the terminal prongs in the normal condition and an actuator for moving the contact into contact with the first terminal prong, and wherein the first member is moved by the actuator.

3. The power plug as claimed in claim 2, wherein the first member is fixed to the actuator.

4. The power plug as claimed in claim 3, wherein the first member is an integral part of the actuator.

5. A power plug comprising:

a plug body having opposite sides and an end,

a plurality of terminal prongs extending from the end of the plug body, and

a built-in circuit breaker operable between a normal condition enabling the power plug to connect a load to a power source and a tripped condition disconnecting the load upon the detection of a circuit fault, the circuit breaker including

first and second members located at opposite sides of the plug body, simultaneously moved from a first position, corresponding to the normal condition, to a second position, corresponding to the tripped condition, thereby providing an indication of the normal or tripped condition of the circuit breaker viewable on both sides of the plug body, wherein the first member is movable between a hidden position within the plug body corresponding to the normal condition and an exposed position corresponding to the tripped condition, and

at least one resiliently biassed movable contact for contacting a first of the terminal prongs in the normal condition and an actuator for moving the movable contact into contact with the first terminal prong, wherein the first member is moved by the actuator.

6. The power plug as claimed in claim 5, wherein the first member is fixed to the actuator.

7. The power plug as claimed in claim 6, wherein the first member is an integral part of the actuator.