Protective device with miswire protection
First Claim
1. An electrical wiring protection device comprising:
- a housing assembly including a plurality of line terminals, a plurality of load terminals, and a plurality of receptacle load terminals;
a fault detection circuit coupled to at least one of the plurality of line terminals, the fault detection circuit being configured to generate a fault detection signal in response to detecting at least one fault condition;
a first interrupting contact assembly coupled to the fault detection circuit, the first interrupting contact assembly including first interrupting contacts disposed between the plurality of line terminals and the plurality of load terminals, the first interrupting contacts being configured to electrically couple the plurality of line terminals and the plurality of load terminals in a reset condition, the first interrupting contacts being configured to decouple the plurality of line terminals from the plurality of load terminals in response to the fault detection signal in a tripped state;
a wiring state detection circuit coupled to at least one of the plurality of line terminals, the wiring state detection circuit being configured to generate a first wiring signal when the plurality of line terminals are connected to a source of AC power; and
a second interrupting contact assembly coupled to the wiring state detection circuit, the second interrupting contact assembly including second interrupting contacts disposed between at least one of the plurality of receptacle load terminals and at least one of a plurality of feed-through load terminals, the second interrupting contacts being configured to electrically couple the at least one receptacle load terminal to the at least one load terminal in response to the first wiring signal.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
The present invention is directed electrical wiring protection device that includes a housing assembly having line terminals, load terminals, and receptacle terminals. A fault detection circuit is configured to generate a fault detection signal in response to detecting fault conditions. First interrupting contacts are configured to electrically couple the line terminals and the load terminals in a reset condition and decouple the line terminals from the load terminals in response to the fault detection signal in a tripped state. A wiring state detection circuit is coupled to at least one of the line terminals. The wiring state detection circuit is configured to generate a first wiring signal when the line terminals are connected to a source of AC power. Second interrupting contacts are configured to electrically couple the at least one receptacle load terminal to the at least one load terminal in response to the first wiring signal.
34 Citations
44 Claims
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1. An electrical wiring protection device comprising:
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a housing assembly including a plurality of line terminals, a plurality of load terminals, and a plurality of receptacle load terminals; a fault detection circuit coupled to at least one of the plurality of line terminals, the fault detection circuit being configured to generate a fault detection signal in response to detecting at least one fault condition; a first interrupting contact assembly coupled to the fault detection circuit, the first interrupting contact assembly including first interrupting contacts disposed between the plurality of line terminals and the plurality of load terminals, the first interrupting contacts being configured to electrically couple the plurality of line terminals and the plurality of load terminals in a reset condition, the first interrupting contacts being configured to decouple the plurality of line terminals from the plurality of load terminals in response to the fault detection signal in a tripped state; a wiring state detection circuit coupled to at least one of the plurality of line terminals, the wiring state detection circuit being configured to generate a first wiring signal when the plurality of line terminals are connected to a source of AC power; and a second interrupting contact assembly coupled to the wiring state detection circuit, the second interrupting contact assembly including second interrupting contacts disposed between at least one of the plurality of receptacle load terminals and at least one of a plurality of feed-through load terminals, the second interrupting contacts being configured to electrically couple the at least one receptacle load terminal to the at least one load terminal in response to the first wiring signal. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34)
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35. A method for protecting a user from a fault condition in an electrical circuit, the method comprising:
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providing an electrical wiring protection device that includes a housing assembly having a plurality of line terminals, a plurality of load terminals, and a plurality of receptacle load terminals, the electrical wiring protection device also including first interrupting contacts disposed between the plurality of line terminals and the plurality of load terminals; disposing second interrupting contacts between at least one of the plurality of receptacle load terminals and at least one of a plurality of feed-through load terminals, the second interrupting contacts being initially disposed in an open state; providing a wiring status signal configured to indicate whether the plurality of line terminals are coupled to a source of AC power; and closing the second interrupting contacts in response to the wiring status signal indicating that the plurality of line terminals are coupled to the source of AC power. - View Dependent Claims (36, 37, 38, 39)
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40. A method for protecting a user from a fault condition in an electrical circuit, the method comprising:
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providing an electrical wiring protection device that includes a housing assembly having a plurality of line terminals, a plurality of load terminals, and a plurality of receptacle load terminals, the electrical wiring protection device also including first interrupting contacts disposed between the plurality of line terminals and the plurality of load terminals; disposing second interrupting contacts between at least one of the plurality of receptacle load terminals and at least one of a plurality of feed-through load terminals, the second interrupting contacts being initially disposed in an open state; closing the second interrupting contacts in response to the plurality of line terminals being coupled to a source of AC power; sensing at least one fault condition in the electric circuit; generating a fault condition signal in response to the step of sensing; and tripping the first interrupting contacts in response to the fault condition signal, whereby the plurality of line terminals are decoupled from the plurality of load terminals. - View Dependent Claims (41, 42, 43, 44)
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Specification