Protective device with miswire protection
First Claim
1. A device comprising:
- a housing assembly including a plurality of line terminals, a plurality of load terminals, and a plurality of receptacle load terminals coupled to the plurality of load terminals by a plurality of conductors;
a circuit interrupting assembly disposed in the housing and coupled to the plurality of line terminals or the plurality of load terminals, the circuit interrupting assembly establishing electrical continuity between the plurality of line terminals and the plurality of load terminals in a reset state and interrupting the electrical continuity between the plurality of line terminals and the plurality of load terminals in a tripped state;
a wiring state detection circuit coupled to the plurality of line terminals or the plurality of load terminals; and
at least one switchable element coupled to the wiring state detection circuit, the at least one switchable element including a plurality of switching states, the at least one switchable element being disposed in at least one of the plurality of conductors coupled between the plurality of receptacle load terminals and the plurality of load terminals, the at least one switchable element being configured to change switching states in response to a stimulus generated by the wiring state detection circuit.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
The present invention is directed to a device that includes a housing assembly including a plurality of line terminals, a plurality of load terminals, and a plurality of receptacle load terminals coupled to the plurality of load terminals by a plurality of conductors. A circuit interrupting assembly is disposed in the housing and coupled to the plurality of line terminals or the plurality of load terminals, the circuit interrupting assembly establishing electrically continuity between the plurality of line terminals and the plurality of load terminals in a reset state and interrupting the electrical continuity between the plurality of line terminals and the plurality of load terminals in a tripped state. A wiring state detection circuit is coupled to the plurality of line terminals or the plurality of load terminals. At least one switchable element is coupled to the wiring state detection circuit, the at least one switchable element including a plurality of switching states. The at least one switchable element is disposed in at least one of the plurality of conductors coupled between the plurality of receptacle load terminals and the plurality of load terminals. The at least one switchable element is also configured to change switching states in response to a stimulus generated by the wiring state detection circuit.
27 Citations
25 Claims
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1. A 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 coupled to the plurality of load terminals by a plurality of conductors; a circuit interrupting assembly disposed in the housing and coupled to the plurality of line terminals or the plurality of load terminals, the circuit interrupting assembly establishing electrical continuity between the plurality of line terminals and the plurality of load terminals in a reset state and interrupting the electrical continuity between the plurality of line terminals and the plurality of load terminals in a tripped state; a wiring state detection circuit coupled to the plurality of line terminals or the plurality of load terminals; and at least one switchable element coupled to the wiring state detection circuit, the at least one switchable element including a plurality of switching states, the at least one switchable element being disposed in at least one of the plurality of conductors coupled between the plurality of receptacle load terminals and the plurality of load terminals, the at least one switchable element being configured to change switching states in response to a stimulus generated by the wiring state detection circuit. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. A 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 a signal having predetermined characteristics; a circuit interrupter assembly coupled to the fault detection circuit, the circuit interrupter assembly being configured to electrically couple the plurality of line terminals and the plurality of load terminals in a reset state and 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 the plurality of line terminals or the plurality of load terminals; and a switch mechanism disposed between the plurality of load terminals and the plurality of receptacle load terminals and responsive to the wiring state detection circuit, at least one of the plurality of load terminals and at least one of the plurality of receptacle load terminals being disconnected when the switch mechanism is in an open state and the plurality of load terminals and the plurality of receptacle load terminals being connected when the switch mechanism is in a closed state. - View Dependent Claims (17)
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18. A 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 a signal having predetermined characteristics; a circuit interrupter assembly coupled to the fault detection circuit, the circuit interrupter assembly being configured to electrically couple the plurality of line terminals and the plurality of load terminals in a reset state and 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 the plurality of line terminals or the plurality of load terminals, the wiring state detection circuit being configured to generate a wiring state detection response when the plurality of line terminals are connected to a source of AC power; and at least one switchable element disposed between the plurality of load terminals and the plurality of receptacle load terminals, the at least one switchable element being configured to establish electrical continuity between the plurality of load terminals and the plurality of receptacle load terminals in response to the wiring state detection response and open circuit when the source of AC power is removed from the plurality of line terminals. - View Dependent Claims (19)
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20. An electrical wiring device for use in a electrical distribution system, the 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, the housing assembly being configured to be disposed within a wall box; at least one detection circuit coupled to the plurality of line terminals or the plurality of load terminals; and a circuit interrupting assembly coupled to the at least one detection circuit and including at least one first interrupting contact disposed between the plurality of line terminals and the plurality of load terminals and at least one second interrupting contact disposed between the plurality of load terminals and the plurality of receptacle load terminals, the at least one first interrupting contact and the at least one second interrupting contact being separately actuatable, the at least one first interrupting contact being configured to electrically couple at least one of the plurality of line terminals to a corresponding at least one of the plurality of load terminals in a reset state and decouple the at least one of the plurality of line terminals from the corresponding at least one of the plurality of load terminals in a tripped state, the at least one second interrupting contact being configured to electrically couple at least one of the plurality of load terminals and a corresponding at least one of the plurality of receptacle load terminals in a closed state and disconnect the at least one of the plurality of load terminals from the corresponding at least one of the plurality of receptacle load terminals in an open state. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22, 23, 24, 25)
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Specification