Electrical wiring device

• US 7,283,340 B1
• Filed: 09/01/2006
• Issued: 10/16/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 11/21/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Pass And Seymour Incorporated (Legrand SA)
• Original Assignee: Pass And Seymour Incorporated (Legrand SA)
• Inventors: Packard, Thomas N., Finlay, David A. Sr.
• Primary Examiner(s): Sherry; Michael
• Assistant Examiner(s): Benenson; Boris
• Application Number:
  US11/469,604
• Time in Patent Office: 410 Days
• Field of Search: 361/42, 361/77, 361/45, 361/49
• US Class Current: 361/45
• CPC Class Codes: H02H 3/338 also responsive to wiring error, e.g. loss of neutral, break

Abstract

The present invention is directed to a protective device that includes a plurality of line terminals and a plurality of load terminals. A wiring state detection circuit is configured to detect a wiring state associated with the plurality of line terminals and the plurality of load terminals. A fault detection circuit is coupled to the plurality of line terminals and configured to generate a fault detection signal in response to detecting at least one fault condition. A circuit interrupter is coupled to the fault detection circuit. The circuit interrupter includes four sets of interrupting contacts configured to provide electrical continuity at least between the hot line terminal and the hot load terminal and the neutral line terminal and the neutral load terminal in a reset state. The four sets of interrupting contacts are open in a tripped state.

Claims

1. A protective device comprising:

a plurality of line terminals and a plurality of load terminals;

a wiring state detection circuit configured to detect a wiring state associated with the plurality of line terminals and the plurality of load terminals, the wiring state indicating whether the plurality of line terminals or the plurality of load terminals are coupled to a source of AC power;

a fault detection circuit coupled to the plurality of line terminals and configured to generate a fault detection signal in response to detecting at least one fault condition;

an electronic switch actuator responsive to the wiring state detection circuit and the fault detection circuit; and

a circuit interrupter coupled to the electronic switch actuator, the circuit interrupter including four sets of interrupting contacts configured to provide electrical continuity at least between the hot line terminal and the hot load terminal and the neutral line terminal and the neutral load terminal in a reset state, the four sets of interrupting contacts being decoupled in a tripped state.

2. The protective circuit of claim 1, wherein the wiring state detection circuit is configured to permanently open circuit a predetermined time after AC power is coupled to the plurality of line terminals.

3. The protective circuit of claim 1, wherein the wiring state detection circuit includes at least one fusible element configured to permanently open-circuit a predetermined time after the AC power is coupled to the plurality of line terminals.

4. The protective circuit of claim 1, further comprising a low pass filter circuit having a capacitor coupled in series with a solenoid coil of the protective device, the low pass filter being coupled across a hot line terminal and a neutral line terminal of the plurality of line terminals.

5. The protective circuit of claim 4, further comprising a surge protection device coupled in parallel with the low pass filter, the surge protection device being configured to clamp transient voltages above a predetermined threshold level.

6. The protective circuit of claim 5, wherein the surge protection device is a MOV.

7. The protective circuit of claim 1, wherein the at least one fault condition includes the miswire fault condition.

8. The protective circuit of claim 1, wherein the four sets of the interrupting contacts are configured to open in response to receiving the fault detection signal.

9. The protective circuit of claim 8, the electronic switch actuator further comprising:

a rectifier element coupled to the fault detection circuit and the wiring state detection circuit; and

a solenoid coil coupled between the rectifier element and the four sets of interrupting contacts, the solenoid coil being configured to trip the four sets of interrupting contacts when the rectifier is in an ON state.

10. The protective circuit of claim 9, further comprising an indicator circuit coupled to the rectifier element, the indicator circuit being energized when the rectifier element is short circuited to thereby indicate an end-of-life condition.

11. The protective circuit of claim 1, further comprising an indicator circuit coupled to the circuit interrupter, the indicator circuit is configured to indicate a trip condition, a miswire condition, and/or an end-of-life condition.

12. The protective circuit of claim 1, further comprising an indicator element configured to generate a signal in the tripped state.

13. The protective circuit of claim 12, wherein the indicator element is configured to indicate a trip condition, a miswire condition, and/or an end-of-life condition.

36. The device of claim 1, wherein one of the line terminals, a corresponding one of the load terminals and an electrically conductive path are electrically connected by the circuit interrupter when in the reset state and electrically disconnected from each other when in the tripped state.

14. An electrical wiring device comprising:

line terminals and load terminals;

at least one detection circuit including a circuit segment coupled between the line terminals and configured to generate a predetermined signal in response to detecting a proper wiring condition, the predetermined signal not simulating a fault condition, a proper wiring condition being effected when the line terminals are connected to a source of AC power; and

an interrupting contact assembly coupled to the at least one detection circuit, the interrupting contact assembly including four sets of interrupting contacts that are configured to provide electrical continuity between the line terminals and the load terminals in a reset state and configured to interrupt the electrical continuity in tripped state, the interrupting contact assembly being substantially prevented from effecting the reset state absent the predetermined signal being generated by the at least one detection circuit.

15. The device of claim 14, wherein the four sets of interrupting contacts comprise a bridge structure.

16. The device of claim 15, wherein a line terminal, load terminal and an electrical path are shorted together by the circuit interrupter when in the reset state and electrically disconnected from each other when in the tripped state.

17. The device of claim 16, wherein an indicator light is disposed in the electrical path.

18. The device of claim 14, wherein the at least one detection circuit includes a wiring state detection circuit configured to generate the predetermined signal.

19. The device of claim 18, wherein the wiring state detection circuit is configured to permanently open circuit a predetermined time after AC power is coupled to the line terminals.

20. The device of claim 19, wherein the wiring state detection circuit includes at least one fusible element configured to permanently open-circuit a predetermined time after the AC power is coupled to the line terminals.

21. The device of claim 14, wherein the at least one detection circuit includes a fault detection circuit coupled to the line terminals, the fault detection circuit being configured to generate a fault detection signal in response to detecting at least one fault condition.

22. The device of claim 21, wherein the at least one detection circuit includes a miswire detection circuit configured to generate a miswire fault condition.

23. The device of claim 21, wherein the four sets of the interrupting contacts are configured to open in response to receiving the fault detection signal.

24. The device of claim 21, further comprising:

a rectifier element coupled to the fault detection circuit, the rectifier element being turned ON in response to the fault detection signal; and

a solenoid coil coupled between the rectifier element and the four sets of interrupting contacts, the solenoid coil being configured to trip the four sets of interrupting contacts when the rectifier in the ON state.

25. The device of claim 14, further comprising a low pass filter circuit having a capacitor coupled in series with a solenoid coil of the protective device, the low pass filter being coupled across a hot line terminal and a neutral line terminal of the plurality of line terminals.

26. The device of claim 25, further comprising a surge protection device coupled in parallel with the low pass filter, the surge protection device being configured to clamp transient voltages above a predetermined threshold level.

27. The device of claim 26, wherein the surge protection device is a MOV.

28. The device of claim 14, wherein one of the line terminals, a corresponding one of the load terminals and an electrically conductive path are electrically connected by the circuit interrupter when in the reset state and electrically disconnected from each other when in the tripped state.

29. The device of claim 28, wherein an indicator light is disposed in the electrically conductive path.

30. An electrical wiring device comprising:

a plurality of line terminals and a plurality of load terminals;

a ground fault detection circuit coupled to the plurality of line terminals and the plurality of load terminals;

a wiring state detection circuit coupled to the plurality of line terminals and configured to generate a predetermined response when the plurality of line terminals are properly connected to a source of AC power, the wiring state detection circuit being permanently disabled after the occurrence of the predetermined response;

a solenoid coil coupled to the wiring state detection circuit; and

a circuit interrupter including four sets of interrupting contacts configured to provide electrical continuity between the plurality of line terminals and the plurality of load terminals in a reset state and decouple the four sets of interrupting contacts in a tripped state, the circuit interrupter being substantially prevented from effecting the reset state until an occurrence of the predetermined response.

31. The device of claim 30, wherein the predetermined response includes an open circuit condition that occurs a predetermined time after AC power is coupled to the plurality of line terminals.

32. The device of claim 30, wherein the wiring state detection circuit is configured to drive the circuit interrupter into a tripped state if the plurality of load terminals are improperly wired to a source of AC power before the occurrence of the predetermined response.

33. The device of claim 30, wherein the predetermined response includes a current signal.

34. The device of claim 33, wherein the wiring state detection circuit includes at least one circuit element configured to permanently open in response to the predetermined current signal being applied thereto.

35. The device of claim 33, further comprising an electronic switch element configured to energize the solenoid in response to a signal from either the ground fault detection circuit or the wiring state detection circuit.