Circuit interrupting apparatus with remote test and reset activation

• US 7,440,246 B2
• Filed: 09/26/2005
• Issued: 10/21/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 10/15/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Leviton Manufacturing Company Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Leviton Manufacturing Company Incorporated
• Inventors: Campolo, Steve, Richter, James, Bonasia, Gaetano
• Primary Examiner(s): Sherry; Michael J
• Assistant Examiner(s): PATEL, DHARTI HARIDAS
• Application Number:
  US11/234,185
• Publication Number:
  US 20060152867A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,121 Days
• Field of Search: 361 42- 50, 361/94
• US Class Current: 361/42
• CPC Class Codes: H02H 3/04 with warning or supervision in addition to disconnection, e.g. for indicating that protective apparatus has functioned watching of pilot wires H02H1/0084; protection of protective arrangements H02H7/008; indication of the state of electronic switches H03K17/18
• CPC Class Codes: H02H 3/335 the main function being self testing of the device

Abstract

The present disclosure relates to resettable circuit interrupting devices and apparatus capable of being tested and reset from remote locations, and in particular to portable circuit interrupting devices and apparatus capable of being tested and reset from remote locations.

Claims

1. A portable circuit interrupting apparatus comprising:

a plug having prongs;

a connector for releasable connection to another electronic component;

a circuit interrupting device connected between said plug and said connector, the circuit interrupting device being configured to change from a reset state to a trip state upon the occurrence of a predetermined condition, the circuit interrupting device including test circuitry comprising a test button and configured to cause the circuit interrupting device to change from the reset state to the trip state when activated, and reset circuitry comprising a reset button configured to cause the circuit interrupting device to change from the tripped state to the reset state when activated;

a power cable coupled to said circuit interrupting device, said plug and said connector, with said circuit interrupting device being disposed between said plug and said connector, said power cable having an outer sheathing enclosing at least one power conductor and at least one signal conductor for remotely activating said test circuitry and remotely activating said reset circuitry; and

at least one remote activating device having a test button and a reset button and coupled to said at least one signal conductor via said power cable and capable of remotely activating said test circuitry or said reset circuitry of said circuit interrupting device via said at least one signal conductor wherein said circuit interrupting device in communication with said at least one remote activating device, results in a portable circuit interrupting device that can be tested and reset via at least two different devices in at least two different locations.

2. The portable circuit interrupting apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said power cable further comprises at least one additional power conductor and at least one additional signal conductor wherein said at least one remote activating device sends signals across said at least one signal conductor to remotely activate said test circuitry or said reset circuitry.

3. The portable circuit interrupting apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said at least one signal conductor, comprises a pair of signal conductors wherein said at least one remote activating device sends signals through said pair of signal conductors to remotely activate the test circuitry or the reset circuitry.

4. The portable circuit interrupting apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said at least one remote activating device comprises two remote activating devices, wherein one remote activating device is hard wired to the circuit interrupting device and activates the test circuitry or the reset circuitry by sending a signal along the hard wire to the circuit interrupting device, and wherein the other remote activating device is a wireless activating device that activates the test circuitry or the reset circuitry by transmitting a wireless signal to the circuit interrupting device.

5. A portable circuit interrupting apparatus comprising:

a plug having prongs;

a circuit interrupting device connected to the plug and configured to change from a reset state to a trip state upon the occurrence of a predetermined condition, the circuit interrupting device including test circuitry including a test button, said test circuitry configured to cause the circuit interrupting device to change from the reset state to the trip state when activated, and reset circuitry including a reset button, said reset circuitry configured to cause the circuit interrupting device to change from the tripped state to the reset state when activated; and

at least one remote activating device having a test button and a reset button and having a wireless transmitter and being in communication with the circuit interrupting device and capable of remotely activating the test circuitry or the reset circuitry, wherein said circuit interrupting device in communication with said remote activating device results in a portable circuit interrupting device that can be tested and reset via at least two different devices in at least two different locations.

6. The portable circuit interrupting apparatus according to claim 5, wherein said wireless transmitter transmits radio frequency communications.

7. The portable circuit interrupting apparatus according to claim 5, wherein said wireless transmitter transmits infrared communications to the circuit interrupting device.

8. The portable circuit interrupting apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the at least one remote activating device comprises two remote activating devices, wherein one remote activating device is operatively coupled to the circuit interrupting device by hard wire and activates the test circuitry or the reset circuitry by sending a signal along the hard wire to the circuit interrupting device, and wherein the other remote activating device is operatively coupled to the circuit interrupting device by wireless communications and activates the test circuitry or the reset circuitry by transmitting a wireless signal to the circuit interrupting device.

9. A portable circuit interrupting apparatus comprising:

a plug disposed in a housing with a circuit interrupting device disposed therein and prongs coupled to said housing, said circuit interrupting device being configured to change from a reset state to a trip state upon the occurrence of a predetermined condition, the circuit interrupting device including test circuitry including a test button, said test circuitry configured to cause the circuit interrupting device to change from the reset state to the trip state when activated, and reset circuitry including a reset button, said reset circuitry configured to cause the circuit interrupting device to change from the tripped state to the reset state when activated;

at least one remote activating device having at least one test button and at least one reset button and capable of remotely activating the test circuitry or reset circuitry; and

a cable, connecting said remote activating device with said circuit interrupting device, said cable including at least one power conductor and at least one pair of signal conductors enclosed together in a cable sheath, wherein said at least one pair of signal conductors are connected at one end to said remote activating device and at a second end to said circuit interrupting device so that said at least one pair of signal conductors conduct signals from said at least one remote activating device to said circuit interrupting device to remotely activate either said test circuitry or said reset circuitry wherein said circuit interrupting device is testable and resettable via at least two different devices in at least two different locations.

10. The portable circuit interrupting apparatus according to claim 9, further comprising a connector for releasable connection to another electrical device, said connector being connected to the plug by said cable.

11. The portable circuit interrupting apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the at least one remote activating device is located in the connector comprising a female receptacle.

12. The portable circuit interrupting apparatus according to claim 9, further comprising at least one remote activating device comprising a wireless activating device that activates the test circuitry or the reset circuitry by transmitting a wireless signal to the circuit interrupting device.

13. The portable circuit interrupting apparatus according to claim 10, further comprising a splitter for splitting said cable into three ports wherein a first port of said splitter extends to said plug, a second port of said splitter extends to said connector, and a third port of said splitter extends to said at least one remote activating device.

14. The portable circuit interrupting apparatus according to claim 10, wherein said at least one remote activating device is disposed in a housing having eyelets for fixing said at least one remote activating device to a wall.

15. A portable circuit interrupting apparatus comprising:

plug means having prongs for connecting to a source of electrical power;

connector means for providing electrical power to a load;

circuit interrupting means connected between the plug means and the connector means, and having at least two states, a reset state permitting electrical power from the plug means to flow to the connector means, and a tripped state preventing electrical power from the plug means to flow to the connector means upon the occurrence of a predetermined condition, the circuit interrupting means including test circuitry including a test button, said test circuitry configured to cause the circuit interrupting means to change from the reset state to the trip state when activated, and reset circuitry including a reset button, said reset circuitry configured to cause the circuit interrupting means to change from the tripped state to the reset state when activated; and

remote activating means for remotely activating the test circuitry or the reset circuitry said remote activating means comprising a test button and a reset button such that when said test button is pressed, it remotely activates said test circuitry, and wherein when said reset button is pressed, it remotely activates said reset circuitry; and

a cable, connecting said remote activating means with said circuit interrupting means, said cable including a sheath enclosing at least one power conductor and at least one pair of signal conductors wherein said at least one pair of signal conductors are connected at one end to said remote actuating means and at a second end to said circuit interrupting means.

16. The portable circuit interrupting apparatus according to claim 15, further comprising at least one additional remote activating means which comprises a wireless activating device that activates the test circuitry or the reset circuitry by transmitting a wireless signal to the circuit interrupting means.

17. A portable cable comprising:

a) a cable having a sheath for enclosing at least one power conductor and at least one signal conductor, said cable having a first end and a second end, said first end having a connector, and said second end having a connector;

b) a first housing coupled to said cable;

c) a circuit interrupting device disposed in said first housing said circuit interrupting device being hard wired to said cable and configured to change from a reset state to a trip state upon the occurrence of a predetermined condition, the circuit interrupting device including test circuitry configured to cause the circuit interrupting device to change from the reset state to the tripped state when activated, and reset circuitry configured to cause the circuit interrupting device to change from the tripped state to the reset state when activated;

d) a test button disposed in said first housing, said test button coupled to said test circuitry of said circuit interrupting device;

e) a reset button disposed in said first housing, said reset button being coupled to said reset circuitry of said circuit interrupting device;

f) a second housing coupled to said cable; and

g) at least one remote activating device being disposed in said second housing, said at least one remote activating device being hard wired to said cable and having at least one test button and at least one reset button such that when said at least one test button is pressed, a signal is sent from said second housing to said first housing via said signal conductor to remotely activate said test circuitry in said first housing.

18. The cable as in claim 17, wherein said second housing is spaced apart from said first housing by a length of said cable line.

19. The cable as in claim 17, wherein said first housing houses said connector of said first end, wherein said first end connector is a plug, having prongs extending out from said first housing.

20. The cable as in claim 17 wherein said second housing houses said connector of said second end, wherein said second end connector is a female receptacle forming openings in said second housing for receiving prongs.