Ground fault circuit interrupter

• US 6,437,700 B1
• Filed: 10/16/2000
• Issued: 08/20/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 10/16/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Leviton Manufacturing Company Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Leviton Manufacturing Company Incorporated
• Inventors: Calixto, Armando, Power, John J., Germain, Frantz, Herzfeld, David
• Primary Examiner(s): Hofsass, Jeffery
• Assistant Examiner(s): NGUYEN, HUNG T
• Application Number:
  US09/688,481
• Time in Patent Office: 673 Days
• Field of Search: 340/650, 340/653, 340/654, 340/657, 340/635, 335/18, 361/42-50
• US Class Current: 340/650
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2083/201 the other abnormal electrical condition being an arc fault
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 73/14 Indicating lamp structurally associated with the switch
• 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 3/335 the main function being self testing of the device

Abstract

A signaling system employing indicator lamp means and an audible alarm is employed to remind a user to periodically test his GFCIs and to provide information regarding the status of the GFCI. The power lines that supply the GFCI with power are also coupled to the circuits on the PCB to disconnect power to those circuits of the GFCI that trips due to faults or tests.

Claims

1. A switching device for selectively interrupting electrical connections between two input and two output conductors, the switching device comprising:

a housing having an outer shell;

two fixed contacts, one for each of said two output conductors within said housing;

two first movable contacts, one for each of said two input conductors, within said housing, to be selectively moved into contact with an associated first contact;

a lifter member to selectively move both of said two first movable contacts into contact with an associated first fixed contact;

a reset lever having a reset button at a first end and a latch pin at a second end;

a latch spring about said reset lever to urge said reset lever towards said housing outer shell;

a latch plate for selectively engaging said latch pin;

said latch plate being movable between a first position in contact with said latch pin to retain said lifter member in contact with said first movable contacts which are in turn in contact with said first fixed contacts and a second position wherein said latch pin is free to move through said lifter member under the influence of said latch spring and permits the separation of said first movable and first fixed contacts;

a printed circuit board mounted to the housing;

an indicator lamp mounted on the printed circuit board and capable of producing a plurality of colors whereby the indicator lamp can be blinked at regular intervals while producing any one of the plurality of colors or any combination of the plurality of colors;

an audible device mounted on the printed circuit board where the audible device is capable of generating an audible signal; and

the indicator lamp is caused to blink at a certain rate and the audible device is caused to generate a certain audible signal to indicate a certain state of the switching device.

2. A switching device, as claimed in claim 1, wherein said first movable contacts displace said lifter member to open said two first movable contacts with respect to said associated first fixed contacts when said latch plate is in said second position.

3. A switching device, as defined in claim 1, further comprising:

a) a plunger coupled to said latch plate to control the position of said latch plate; and

b) a solenoid having two input terminals for selectively receiving thereout a trip current to cause said solenoid to act as a magnet when trip current is applied to said two input terminals and draw said plunger into said solenoid and cause said latch plate to move to said second position and when no trip current is applied to said two input terminals allow said latch plate to be moved to said first position.

4. A switching device, as defined in claim 1, further comprising:

a) a reset spring coupled to said latch plate to move said latch plate from said second position to said first position.

5. A switching device as defined in claim 3, further comprising:

a) a reset spring coupled to said latch plate and said plunger to move said latch plate from said second position to said first position in the absence of trip current to said two input terminals of said solenoid.

6. A switching device, as defined in claim 5, wherein said reset spring is two reset springs one connected between said latch plate and said plunger and a second connected between said lifter member and said latch plate.

7. A switching device, as defined in claim 1, further comprising:

a) a second fixed contact;

b) a second movable contact;

c) an extension on said lifter member to engage said second movable contact to cause said second movable contact to engage said second fixed contact when said latch plate is in said first position and permit separation of said second movable contact from said second fixed contact when said latch plate is in said second position.

8. A switching device, as defined in claim 3, further comprising:

a) a test switch coupled to said solenoid to impress trip current thereon to move said latch plate from said first position to said second position.

10. The switching device of claim 1 where the indicator lamp is caused to blink at two different rates.

11. The switching device of claim 1 where the state of the switching device can be determined from the color and blinking rate of the indicator lamp and the presence or absence of an audible signal.

12. The switching device of claim 1 where the indicator lamp is caused to blink at a first rate in a first color and the absence of the audible signal together show a successful test sequence of the switching device has been completed.

13. The switching device of claim 1 where the indicator lamp is caused to blink at a second rate, faster than the first rate, in a first color and the absence of the audible signal together indicate the time for testing the switching device is approaching.

14. The switching device of claim 1 where the indicator lamp is caused to blink at a second rate and in a second color and the absence of the audible signal to show that the time for testing the switching device has arrived.

15. The switching device of claim 1 where the indicator lamp is caused to blink at a second rate and in a second color and in the presence of an audible signal to show that the switching device has tripped due to an external fault.

16. The switching device of claim 1 where the indicator lamp is caused to blink at a second rate in a third color and in the presence of an audible signal to show that the switching device has tripped due to an internal fault in the switching device.

17. The switching device of claim 1 where the indicator lamp is caused to blink at a second rate in a second color and in the absence of audible signal to show that power is on upon reset of the switching device.

18. The switching device of claim 1 where the indicator lamp has a first filament which when activated produces a first color, a second filament which when activated produces a second color and the indicator lamp produces a third color when both filaments are activated.

9. The switching device of claim where the indicator lamp is a dual color lamp which can produce three distinct colors.